Page 36 - 11 May 2012

PSBA American Paint Classic Derby-RG1
FLASHTHECHICKS
by Tracy Gantz
Victories by homebreds can be the most rewarding, especially when you’ve nurtured a bloodline through several genera- tions. When owner-breeder Shirley Wheeler won the April 21 PSBA American Paint Classic Derby-RG1 at Remington Park with Flashthechicks, it represented the fourth gen- eration of the family.
With jockey G.R. Carter Jr. aboard, Flashthechicks broke sharply
to take the lead in the 400-
yard American Paint Derby.
Runaway Argus on the rail
battled with him nose and
nose until the final five
strides, when Flashthechicks
pulled away to a half-length
victory in :19.843.
Wheeler was winning her first American Paint Derby, while trainer Luis Villafranco took his third running, fol- lowing Knee High Country
in 2008 and The Cock Of The Walk last year. Carter has won the race six times.
Flashthechicks was the World Champion Solid Paint-Bred last year at 2, when he captured the PSBA American Paint Classic Futurity-RG1, Graham Paint & Appaloosa Futurity-G1, and Pot O’ Gold Futurity-RG1.
Wheeler of Boynton, Oklahoma, bred Flashthechicks in her name, though she and
her husband, Jim, work
as a team. Jim owned the Thoroughbred Emma W., Flashthechicks’ fourth dam, when the couple first met. Emma W. produced the third dam, the Quarter Horse Kita Wheeler, who in turn foaled Kickin Chicken when bred to Paint stallion Judys Lineage.
Kickin Chicken’s foals include winner Game Chicken, the dam of Flashthechicks;
Eye Opening Chick, the 2011
Champion Paint 3-Year-Old Filly; and stakes winner Kickin Texas. Game Chicken has pro- duced two starters, both winners.
Runaway Argus (SF Royal Quick Flash- Giddy Up) and jockey Jeremy Garcia outfin- ished Spotless Redneck (Judys Lineage-Shero) and jockey Kenny Muntz for second by a neck. Runaway Argus is owned by the Runaway Argus Partnership and trained by Brian Muse. Spotless Redneck is owned by Joni Beth Willis and trained by Eddie L. Willis.
Completing the field were Rawhide Legend (Dos Poruno-Crafty Lass), Dosofme (Dos Poruno-Bullamia), Turnpike Country (Country Quick Dash-Turnpikes Texas Hero), Brief Encounter (Country Quick Dash-Judy Janise), Quick Surprise Me (Country Quick Dash-So Surprising), and Royally Rare (SF Royal Quick Flash-Rare Esperanza).
Remington Park

Royal Quick Dash
SF Royal Quick Flash
Venice Song
FLASHTHECHICKS, ’09-g.
Game Patriot
Game Chicken
Kickin Chicken
RACING NEWS
Four Corners Senora Stakes-RG3
LITTLE BIT SOUTHERN
by John Moorehouse
Little Bit Southern drifted out quite a bit on her way to the finish line in the Four Corners Senora Stakes-RG3, but that didn’t
keep her from reaching the wire ahead of the other six competitors in the $85,000 stakes event. Actually, Edilberto Estrada’s 5-year-old mare covered the 400 yards in :19.362, her fastest time at that distance since winning the Lou Wooten Handicap last December, which marked the first stakes vic-
tory of her career.
Despite breaking from
the inside starting hole, Little Bit Southern was in the middle of the track by the time she reached the wire.
“I knew from looking at her form from Sunland Park that she liked to get out from the rail, but I was okay with that because she has good speed away from the gate and doesn’t bother anybody when
she does get out,” jockey Salvador Martinez said after the race. “So I let her get out a little bit, and when she hooked up with (runner- up) Wish You Had One To, she came back and ran her race.”
Martinez was riding Little Bit Southern, a Victor Rodriguez-Flores trainee, for the first time. The mare, who logged her eighth win in 32 career outs, brought home a $51,000 pay-
day for Estrada that brought her lifetime earnings to the doorstep of the quarter-mil- lion mark, at $247,900.
Bred by Richard and Patricia Shearer, Little Bit Southern is the only stakes winner foaled by his dam, Averys Little Bit. The 1999 mare is owned by Mark Shurbet. She made only one out as a competitor, and as a broodmare, has produced five starters among six total
Quarter Horse offspring.
Wish You Had One To (Stel Corona-
Devons Wish), who was claimed by Royal Dream Ranch LLC at the end of February for just $10,000, helped her new owners cash an $18,700 payday following her runner-up finish in the Four Corners Senora. Roberto Sanchez traines Wish You Had One To, who had Esgar Ramirez aboard. Wonwabbitwon (Rabbits Rainbow-Win Comes Easy) finished a half- length clear in third for Sierra Moseley. The Ramon Marquez trainee was ridden by Jorge Martin Bourdieu.
Snow Regard (Chicks Regard-Sha Hooy Hooy), Famous Callie (Dash Ta Fame- Capercaillie), Blushing Cartel (Blushing Bug- Bitter Girl) and Cat Ta Hoola (Brookstone Bay-Sinfully Easy) completed the field. Stela was scratched.

Corona Cartel
Southern Corona
Southern Policy
LITTLE BIT SOUTHERN, ’07-m.
Streakin La Jolla
Averys Little Bit
Pretty Little Deck
34 SPEEDHORSE, May 11, 2012
Gloria Munoz: Coady Photography Dustin Orona Photography