Page 205 - Speedhorse August 2018

Independence Day Handicap-G3
DUCK DASH N GO
by Tracy Gantz
Duck Dash N Go notched her fourth stakes win in the $20,000 Independence Day Handicap-G3 at Los Alamitos on July 7.
Breaking from the rail, a spot she relishes, Duck Dash N Go popped out on the lead right at the start under jockey Eduardo Nicasio. She kept in front throughout the 300 yards, holding off a closing Royaltys Authority to win by a neck. Her wire-to- wire victory clocked a time of :15.329, posting a 98 speed index.
Monty Arrossa trains Duck Dash N Go for owner Vincent Treyes. The 4-year-old filly also won the 2017 A Ransom Handicap and Rebs Little Lulu Handicap at Los Alamitos and the 2016 Oneida County Fair Futurity at the Oneida Fair, where she scored a New Track Record for 300 yards. Her vic- tory in the Independence Day Handicap marks her 11th win from 21 starts and she has hit the board in nine of her last 12 starts.
“She’s a little filly in stature, but she’s all heart,” said Arrossa. “She likes to win races.”
Bobby Cox bred Duck Dash N Go out of mul- tiple graded stakes winner and 2-time New Track Record setter Duck Mea Running. The Oklahoma Hi-Point Three-Year-Old Filly has produced 100% money earners from 11 starters, including Makit Snappi, who was a runner up in the 2017 Valley Junction Futurity at Prairie Meadows. Duck Dash N Go is her first stakes winner and top money earner.
Ruben Lozano rode Royaltys Authority (Royaltys Choice-Trick And Fun TB) to second for owner S & S Horses and trainer Roman Figueroa.
Ron Hartley’s homebred My Favorite Check (Favorite Cartel-Six Checks) finished third under Oscar Peinado for trainer John Cooper.
Lotta Blues Man (Favorite Cartel-Lotta Love For Robyn) finished fourth and was followed by Precious Dominique (Foose-Dash For Kate).
Calif. Brds.’ Debutante Stakes
HARD HEADED CHICK
by Tracy Gantz
Hard Headed Chick, close in several stakes, finally came away with her own trophy in the $25,000 California Breeders Debutante Stakes on
July 28. She rewarded her owner, John Firth, with his first-ever stakes victory at Los Alamitos.
The start didn’t go well, with most of the seven- horse field involved in various bumping incidents. Hard Headed Chick veered in, but went to the lead, a position she held throughout the 350 yards. With Cody Jensen aboard, she determinedly kept Chowchilla Chickadee at bay to win by a head in :17.699, posting 92 speed index.
Lin Melton trains Hard Headed Chick for Firth. Prior to the Debutante, the filly finished second in the 2018 La Primera Del Ano Derby-G3 and third in the 2018 La Pacifica Handicap. Her record is now 14-5(1)-2(1)-3(1) with $99,996 in earnings.
Firth bred Hard Headed Chick in partnership with Jeryl Hartley. The filly is out of multiple stakes- placed Chickitita, a mare Firth and Hartley claimed for $12,500. Hard Headed Chick is the mare’s
first winner in three starters, though Jess A Chick Magnet placed and qualified to the 2016 Robert Adair Kindergarten Futurity-G3.
Bill Absher and Leland Decker’s homebred Chowchilla Chickadee (Foose-Buzz Chick) and Carlos Huerta finished second for trainer John Cooper. The filly finished third in the 2017 Corona Chick Handicap. Dr. Ed Allred’s homebred Better Than Ever (Kiddy Up-Life Changer) ran third under Vinnie Bednar for trainer Scott Willoughby. Better Than Ever had broken her maiden in her most recent start earlier this month.
Completing the field were Just Walk By (Walk Thru Fire-Babe On The Fly), Pick A Favorite (Favorite Cartel-Chicks Tell), Indios Zactag (Caritas-Be Mysterious TB), and Purr Haps (Walk Thru Fire-Getit Together).
Calif. Brds.’ Freshman Stakes
RED HAWK CARTEL
by Tracy Gantz
Anyone backing the owner/trainer duo of Martha Wells and Matthew Fales for an Exacta wager in the $25,000 California Breeders Freshman Stakes at Los Alamitos on July 28 did quite well. Red Hawk Cartel went off at 62-1, and Yoffi went off at 21-1. They ran one-two for a $1 Exacta payoff of $869.20.
Red Hawk Cartel drew the 8-post and Yoffi drew the rail, and they engaged with each other right from the start.
Alberto Zepeda rode Red Hawk Cartel, who raced a neck behind Yoffi midway through the 350 yards and then edged his stablemate by a head, stop- ping the timer in :17.776, posting a career-best 89 speed index.
The long odds were understandable because Red Hawk Cartel had finished fifth and fourth in his two lifetime starts, both at Los Alamitos.
Wells bred Red Hawk Cartel in California out of graded stakes-placed Red Hawk Chick. She has produced 100% money earners from six start-
ers, including 2015 Long Beach Handicap winner Zendaya and 2017 The Plan Handicap winner and graded stakes-placed Yanque. Red Hawk Cartel is her third stakes winner.
Ramon Sanchez piloted second-place Yoffi (Stel Corona-Walking On Sunshine). Yoffi broke her maiden at Turf Paradise.
Callender (Kiddy Up-Pie Maid) finished in third place under Alberto Zepeda for owner/trainer Valentin Zamudio.
Cavuto (Foose-Sizzling PJ) finished fourth, but was disqualified to fifth, moving Ali Babe Foose (Foose-Babe On The Fly) into fourth. Chickafoose (Foose-Chickafirst), Razzel Dazzel (Walk Thru Fire- Tac Out), Accommodating (Walk Thru Fire-Sables Bono), BF Farmhand (Stel Corona-Spring Bling) and El Saucito (Favorite Cartel-Sonora Cartel) completed the order of finish.
Los Alamitos • $25,000 350 yards • :17.776 • si 89
Favorite Trick TB
Favorite Cartel
RED HAWK CARTEL, ‘16-c. Red Hawk Chick
Shenoshercorona Hawkinson
Chicks Tell
Los Alamitos • $20,000 300 yards • :15.329 • si 98
Corona Cartel
Coronas Fast Dash
DUCK DASH N GO, ‘14-f.
Dash Fast Girl
Tour De Kas
Duck Mea Running
Delta Duck
Los Alamitos • $25,000 350 yards • :17.699 • si 92
TR Dasher
Chickasis
HARD HEADED CHICK, ‘15-f.
Hard Hitting
Chickitia
Tac It Like A Man The Devine Miss Em
SPEEDHORSE, August 2018 203
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