Page 153 - November 2021

Danjer’s winning connections include co-owners Billy G. Smith, Downtime Enterprises LLC (Pat Guthrie), breeder/co-owner/trainer Dean Frey and jockey Cody Smith.
coming up the race real well.”
When Danjer won this race last year, he
broke a little slowly, which led to a consider- ably closer margin. He has now won nine stakes, including two last year, when he was named Aged Champion and Champion Aged Gelding. This year, running in all graded stakes, Danjer has won four races and finished second twice in six starts. Three of the four wins came in Grade 1 races, including the All American Gold Cup.
Seven of Danjer’s stakes wins have come as an older runner, with purses not as lucrative as the big futurities and derbies. Nevertheless, Danjer has banked a total of $1,369,965.
“He made his million the the hard way,” said Smith. “He’s always been consistent. He’s only been off the board a couple of times.”
Only twice in 25 lifetime starts has Danjer finished worse than third. He has 14 wins, 16 seconds, and three thirds. Now 5, he could eas- ily come back next year for another campaign.
“He’s never had a joint problem, never been operated on—knock on wood,” said Smith. “He’s been a real joy to own. He’s so balanced and does it so easy.”
Smith also credit’s Frey’s training and over- all caretaking of his horses.
“He’s there at 4 o’clock in the morning, he feeds in the afternoon, and he comes back to the barn around 7-7:30, waters, looks them over, makes sure they’re all right,” said Smith. “He likes to do it all himself. You
cannot argue with the way he handles a horse. I’ve been so impressed.”
Frey had a good night at the Challenge races. In addition to Danjer, he won the Downs Casino Stakes with Kowboy Jim, another horse he bred, owns, and trains. He also saddled Bad Monkey to finish second in the Adequan Derby Challenge Chammpionship-G3.
Frey claimed Dashing Fly Lady, the second dam of Danjer, for $2,500 and
bred Shez Jess Toxic, Danjer’s dam, from her. Shez Jess Toxic won the 2011 AQHA Juvenile Challenge Championship-G2, 2011 Evergreen Park Juvenile Challenge, and 2013 Remington Distaff Challenge. She placed in 11 other races, including the Mildred N. Vessels Memorial Handicap-G1 twice, and earned $235,296.
Frey bred Danjer in Oklahoma. Shez Jess Toxic has produced two winners from five starters.
Juan Pulido rode Mi Amor Secreto (The Louisiana Cartel-Streakin In Secret) to second for trainer Santos Carrizales Jr. Mi Amor Secreto raced for breeder Kelly Perez in 2020, and Carol Ann Mays now owns the 6-year-old gelding. Mi Amor Secreto has won three stakes, including the 2019 Downs at Albuquerque Fall Championship-G1.
Perrys Double Down (Mr Jess Perry- Double Down Darling) finished third for jockey Francisco Calderon, trainer John
Stinebaugh, and owner Stinebaugh Equine Enterprises LLC. Perrys Double Down has won three stakes, including the 2020 Texas Classic Derby-G1.
Completing the field were TLC Signature (The Louisiana Cartel-Sheza Rusty Lady), DF Storm Tales (Wagon Tales-Storm’s Promise-TB), Senor Frogs (Coronado Cartel-Nellie Soprano), Juice Is Loose (One Famous Eagle—Miss Southern DD), Tempting Violet (Tempting Dash- Sweet Violets), and Sables Dashin (FDD Dynasty-Painted Sable). Man Of Faith and Valiant Tiberias were scratched.
Danjer and Jockey Cody Smith heading to the winners circle.
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Susan Bachelor, Speedhorse Susan Bachelor, Speedhorse