Page 149 - June 2021

“What can I say? He ran a hell of a race,” the jockey concluded
Relentlessly broke on top from the 2-post in the Heritage Place Derby finals and he never looked back.
He led by a head at the first call, widened the gap to a 1/2-length entering the stretch, then continued to separate, hitting the finish line sporting a 3/4-length advantage over runner-up and heavy post-time favorite Instygator, who was the fastest qualifier.
“He just broke out there in front,” Valenzuela told Stallionesearch. “I just tried to keep him busy, to make him get there to the finish line. Tonight I really got after him and he really responded.”
Jose Huerta trains Relentlessly, who fin- ished the 400-yard out in :19.682, posting a 90 speed index.
“I knew from the beginning when he broke good, we had a great chance,” Huerta said in
a Remington Park press release. “I felt really good. He saw the opportunity and showed up for this race.”
This race marked the first Heritage Place Derby win for all of Relentlessly’s connections.
The colt was foaled in Texas out of Runaway Renata, a lightly-raced 2011 mare. Randy and Sandy Coleman bred Relentlessly and own his dam.
The race’s start was delayed when two of the competitors, Vocalize and Apollitical Bird, acted up in the gates and had to be scratched.
Instygator, who went off at 7-10 odds, was in the gate next to all the shenanigans and ran a bit fractiously when the race did begin.
Instygator (Ivory James-Eye Popping),
who placed second to 2020 AQHA World Champion Whistle Stop Cafe in last year’s All American Futurity-G1 at Ruidoso Downs, ran second from gate to wire in this one. Barboza Racing Corp. owns the gelding, an Edelmiro Carrizales trainee who had jockey James Flores in the irons.
Fallout (Favorite Cartel-Fall For It) placed third for Dunn Ranch. Monty Arrossa is the trainer and Jesus Ayala did the riding.
The remaining order of finish included Dreamland Express (Zulu Dragon-Answer The Dream), CR Appollitical Joe (Apollitical Jess-LW Evening Lajolla), Woodys Gold (Woodbridge-All About Gold), A Pollitical Gal (Apollitical Jess-A Southern Gal) and Spotty Politics (Apollitical Blood-Sunspot Babie). Apollitical Bird and Vocalize scratched.
RACING NEWS
Relentlessly’s connections include owners Aquila Negra Racing Inc., trainer Jose Huerta and jockey Raul Valenzuela.
Relentlessly and Raul Valenzuela after their 3/4-length victory.
SPEEDHORSE June 2021 147
Myriam Maynard, Speedhorse Myriam Maynard, Speedhorse