Page 164 - June 2021

RACING NEWS
Governors’ Cup Marathon
MASONS JET BLACK
by John Moorehouse
Masons Jet Black scored his first win in stakes company on May 14, taking the $54,000 Governors’ Cup Marathon at Sam Houston Race Park.
A gelding owned by Courtney Dugas Ellis, Masons Jet Black becomes the latest stakes winner for his sire, Jet Black Patriot. The 4 year old already had his black type, finishing second in the Races and Aces Stakes last November at Evangeline Downs.
Masons Jet Black left no doubt in this one, lead- ing gate to wire. The gelding opened up a 1-length lead by the first call, stayed ahead by daylight going into the stretch, then held on to reach the wire with a 1⁄2-length margin of victory.
Paulina Ramirez was aboard Masons Jet Black just three and a half months after having a baby.
The gelding made his 870-yard trip in :46.594, registering an 88 speed index and bringing home a $32,400 payday that increased his earnings to $76,633.
The Ellis family ties run deep for this horse. Ellis’ owner, Trey Ellis, bred and trains Masons
Jet Black, who notched his fourth win in 14 career starts. And the gelding is named after the Ellis’ son, Mason. The gelding was bred in Louisiana out of Ruston Kitty, a 2008 Thoroughbred mare.
Holy Storm (Red Storm Cat-Holy White Socks TB) finished second for Daniel Kjorsvik. The Patrick Swan trainee had Victor Urieta, Jr., in the irons. Favorite Kool Cartel (Favorite Cartel-Rustys Kool Lady), the post-time favorite, placed third and saw a five-race win streak end. The gelding is owned by Enrique Ibarra and trained by Rolando Almanza. Ricardo Garza-Cruz did the riding.
Rounding out the finishing order were Freakin Patriot Dash (Game Patriot-Freakin Dash) in fourth then Love Ta Zoom (Azoom-Loves Easter Bunny), Silver City Lights (Silver City TB-Backwoods Bar B) and Let There Be Sound (One Famous Eagle- Sakakawea TB) followed.
Harris County Stakes
MOMENT OF FURY
by John Moorehouse
Moment Of Fury produced a moment of profit for his backers at the betting window for the Harris County Stakes, scoring the win as a 20-1
longshot in the $55,000 event held May 14 at Sam Houston Race Park.
Rogelio Marquez Jr. owns Moment Of Fury, who reached the winner’s circle for the fourth time in 13 outs. This marked his first start of his five-year-old campaign and produced a $33,000 prize that pro- pelled his total earnings into six figures at $132,030.
Hector Alcala trains Moment Of Fury, who came on strong as the 550-yard stakes race progressed. The gelding broke in emerging from the inside starting gate mid-pack, emerging from a crowd to lead by a head going into the stretch, then pulling away to fin- ish 1/2-length in front of the nearest competition.
Raul Ramirez Jr. was aboard for the ride, finish- ing the race in :27.819 for a 96 speed index. Not too shabby for a horse making his first out at the 550 distance—or considering that Moment Of Fury had not competed since September of 2019. This was
his first stakes win, but he had run in three Graded stakes as a two- and three-year-old.
Sarah Huskey bred Moment Of Fury out of Moment of Epiphany, a 2002 mare with four wins. Another underdog at 15-1, Ten Sent (Country
Chicks Man-Pink Cartel) was 2nd under Cordarellton Benn for Jessica Remington & trainer Ty Remington. DM La Jolla Cartel (Favorite Cartel-Mary La Jolla) was 3rd under Claudio Aguilar for Donna Mushinski & trainer Kie Mushinski. Followed by One Sweet Merlot (One Sweet Jess-Onemoreglassofwine), Kiss My Annee GI (Kiss My Hocks-Grande Annee), I Am Valiant (Valiant Hero-Icy Valentine), Struttinmyjewelsoff (Struttin To Beduino-Jewel Don’t Back Down), Dak (Dominyun-Fleet Elis), Jax Louisiana Game (The Louisiana Cartel-Thunder Got Game) & One Mighty Eagle (One Famous Eagle-Kates Dynasty).
Sam Houston Stakes
BLACK CAZADOR
by Michael Compton
Black Cazador made the first start of his 2021 cam- paign in the $55,500 Sam Houston Stakes on May 14, and the 5-year-old gelding sprung a huge surprise
by defeating nine rivals at odds of nearly 45-1 for owner Raul Rubalcava and trainer Saul Ramirez Jr.
With J.R. Ramirez riding, Black Cazador raced in fourth position early in the 350-yard contest.
He closed resolutely in the lane and joined Wagons Dash, My Fast Prize, and early leader and race favor- ite Mpshinning nearing the finish. The 4 runners hit the wire together, with Black Cazador prevailing by a nose in a dramatic blanket finish. Wagon’s Dash and Everardo Rodriguez finished second. It was a neck back to My Fast Prize and jockey Nestor Duran in third, with Mpshinning another nose away in fourth.
“I had never ridden Black Cazador before,” said Ramirez, the winning rider. “He was on the muscle and I couldn’t tell we had won until the photo came up. It’s great to ride for my brother (Saul). He trusts me and I trust him.”
Owned and bred by Rubalcava, Black Cazador covered the distance in :17.686 and earned a 96 speed index. The $33,300 winner’s share of the purse increased his earnings to $109,596.
Wagons Dash (PYC Paint Your Wagon-Breitling Time) just missed for owner Edward Scott and trainer Eric Long, while the same is true for third- place finisher My Fast Prize (Mr Jess Perry-Coronas Fast Prize), owned by Ruse Ranch LLC and trained by Adrian Huitron.
Mpshinning (Mr Piloto-Shinningperrydash), SS Classyjess (Rock Solid Jess-High Class
Broad), Inaugurator (Apollitical Jess-Famous Phoebe), FM Zatanas D Third (Tempting Dash- Dashingfordestiny), Watch Him B Famous (One Famous Eagle-Lady Lila), Jess B One (PYC Paint Your Wagon-Jess B Mighty) and Jess A Fast Rogue (Heza Fast Dash-Miss Jess Rogue) followed.
Sam Houston Race Park • $55,000
550 yards • :27.819 • si 96
Corona Cartel
Dashing Phoebe
Relagate TB
Moment Of Epiphany
Furyofthewind
MOMENT OF FURY, ‘16-g.
Good Ole Memories
Sam Houston Race Park • $55,500
350 yards • :17.686 • si 96
Special Task
Oak Tree Special
BLACK CAZADOR, ‘16-g. Miracle Hock
Easy Lady Oak Shazoom
Sharber
Sam Houston Race Park • $54,000
870 yards • :46.594 • si 88
Game Patriot
Jet Black Patriot
MASONS JET BLACK, ‘17-g. Ruston Kitty TB
First Down Hemp Eugene’s Third Son
Halo Kitty Kat
162 SPEEDHORSE June 2021
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Coady Photography
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