Page 49 - 22 June 2012

Jimmy Drake Stakes
KLASSIC STRAWFLY
by Tracy Gantz
Klassic Strawfly has run in many levels of competition, but the closest he could get in stakes company was fourth until the June
10 Jimmy Drake Stakes at SunRay Park. The 6-year-old gelding put his experience to good use and conquered a field that included rivals ranging in age from 3 to 9.
Favored Genuine American, one of two 8-year-olds in the field, broke slowly to the inside of Klassic Strawfly,
who bore in. That slow start
cost Genuine American his chance, and he ultimately finished last. Klassic Strawfly, meanwhile, straightened up and came on strongly under the urging of jockey Macario Rodriguez. He grabbed
the lead in the final strides and won by a half-length in :19.215 for the 400 yards.
Ronald Stephens bred, owns, and trains Klassic
Strawfly. The New Mexico-bred gelding began his career in 2008 with a victory in
a maiden claiming race at Zia Park. He has subsequently won claiming, optional claiming, and allowance events. After competing primar- ily in 870-yard races last year, Klassic Strawfly earlier this season won two Sunland Park optional claimers at 440 and 400 yards. With the Jimmy Drake victory, he not only became
a stakes winner, he raised his lifetime earnings to $227,646.
A Classic Song, the dam of Klassic Strawfly, finished second in the 1997 Texas Juvenile Challenge-G3
and third in the 1997 La Chiripada Futurity-G3 and 1998 La Mariposa Handicap. She has produced four win- ners in six starters, with prog- eny earnings of $421,724.
Snow Regard (Chicks Regard-Sha Hooy Hooy)
finished second for jockey Jaime Leos. Juan Gonzalez trains the 4-year-old mare for K.H. Logax Inc. Snow Regard won the 2011 New Mexico Distaff Championship-RG1 and Sunburst Stakes.
Jorge Bourdieu piloted Mary and Melvin Neugebauer’s homebred Miracle Snow (Dean Miracle-Snow Peak) to third. Wesley Giles trains the 8-year-old gelding, a multiple stakes winner who placed in four stakes last year.
Completing the field were In Famous Caper (Dash Ta Fame-Capercaillie), De Genuine Queen (Genuine Strawfly-Queen Of Soul), Mightys Last Call (Calligrapher-Might Be A First), Dueling Juan (Dooley Authorized- Streakin Phoebe), Osbaldo (Jesse James
Jr-Shes So Blazin), and Genuine American (Genuine Strawfly-All American Beauty). Here Kittykittykitty was scratched.

Strawfly Special
Genuine Strawfly
High Fashion Dash
KLASSIC STRAWFLY, ’06-g.
A Classic Dash
A Classic Song
Miss Victory Song
(First Down Dash si 105-Sweet Bye And Bye si 102, Zevi TB)

GAMBLEN MAN!

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SPEEDHORSE, June 22, 2012 49
RACING NEWS
Gloria Munoz: Coady Photography