Page 170 - January 2019

Charger Bar Handicap-G1
THERMONUCLEAR ENERGY
by Tracy Gantz
Except for a triple dead heat, trainer Christopher O’Dell had the best result he could have hoped for in the $100,000 Charger
Bar Handicap-G1 for 4-year-old and older mares at Los Alamitos on Jan. 6. He ran three horses, and they finished one, two, three— Thermonuclear Energy, One Sweet Racy and A Political Lady.
Eduardo Nicasio, Thermonuclear Energy’s regular jockey, was back aboard for the Charger Bar. The 6-year-old mare, drawn on the out- side, broke in midpack. She quickly moved up to second and then overhauled One Sweet Racy to win by 1/2-length in :19.776 for 400 yards, posting a 92 speed index.
“I think this is her best race ever,” said Nicasio. “She ran an excellent time and just likes to run from the outside post. It was a tough race because there were some outstanding mares.”
Thermonuclear Energy was improving her record in the Charger Bar, having finished second in the race last year.
The mare first became a stakes winner when capturing the 2015 Los Alamitos $2 Million Juvenile, and she has since added the 2017 Las
Damas Handicap-G3 and the 2018 California Breeders’ Matron Stakes-RG3 and Ivan Ashment Handicap.
The $50,000 winner’s share of the Charger Bar purse boosted the mare’s total earn- ings to $382,332.
“Last year she ran second in this race, but I think what’s helped her a lot is that we’ve bred her a couple of times,” said O’Dell. “She’s gained weight and has done well.”
The trainer was hoping to race Thermonuclear Energy next in the Denim N Diamonds Handicap. Should she win that race, he and the Parsons Family may have to rethink their plans to move her into retirement.
“As good as she ran tonight, and if she comes out of this race nicely, then we’ll go and breed her and then come back and keep going with her,” said O’Dell.
The trainer said that Thermonuclear Energy had “two embryos pulled out of her two years
ago and two more last year.” Thus, it won’t be long before her foals are also competing.
The Parsons Family had almost as good a result as O’Dell. They bred and own Thermonuclear Energy and A Political Lady, their only two entries in the race.
Thermonuclear Energy is out of Terrific Energy, who won the 2009 Mildred N. Vessels Memorial Handicap-G1 in addition to
the Charger Bar Handicap-G1. She has produced 12 starters, all winners, including additional stakes winners Terrific Synergy, Dynasty Energy, and Designs By Dynasty and stakes-placed Terrific First Down. Thermonuclear Energy is the fourth stakes winner of the brood and top earner.
“Every once in a while I go up to Parsons Ranch, and naturally I always go and look for Terrific Energy,” said O’Dell. “What a nice broodmare she’s become. Every one of her babies has done well. Some of her babies are not
Los Alamitos $100,000 • 400 yards :19.776 • si 92
First Down Dash
Walk Thru Fire
Sweet Beduino
THERMONUCLEAR ENERGY, ‘13-m.
Mr Jess Perry
Terrific Energy
First Down Energy
166 SPEEDHORSE, January 2019
Thermonuclear Energy & Eduardo Nicasio win the $100,000 Grade 1 Charger Bar Handicap by 1/2-length
RACING NEWS
Los Alamitos