Page 193 - December_2023

AQHA President Ken Banks presents the Champion Of Champions winning owner’s trophy to Sammy Valeriano of Valeriano Racing Stables, LLC.
and an on-rushing Empressum in the lane. Approaching the wire, Flash Bak stretched his lead by three-quarters of a length, ultimately defeating Empressum, the race favorite and defending Champion of Champions victor, by that margin at the finish. Flash Bak stopped the timer in :21.578, earning a 98 speed index.
Trained by Heath Taylor, Flash Bak recorded his fifth Grade 1 win with the impressive score, and his third at 440 yards. With the win, Flash Bak improved his overall record to 29-11-8-4, and the $375,000 winner’s share of the purse increased his bankroll to $1,820,157 for owner Valeriano Racing Stables LLC.
Bred in Missouri by Jim Streelman and Bill Dale, Flash Bak is produced from the Check Him Out mare Checknbac. Streelman raced Flash Bak through his sophomore season, winning the Los Alamitos Winter Derby-G1 and the Los Alamitos Super Derby-G1. Flash Bak went on to finish second to Apollitical Pence in the 2021 Champion of Champions, marking his final start for Streelman before he was sold privately to Sammy Valeriano of Texas.
This year, Flash Bak finished second in the All American Gold Cup-G1 and captured the Downs at Albuquerque Fall Championship Stakes-G1 over KJ Desperado, who defeated him in the All American Gold Cup. Flash Bak qualified for the Champion of Champions with a third-place finish in the Z. Wayne Griffin Stakes at Los Alamitos on Nov. 12.
“In the (Z. Wayne Griffin Trials), the race is 400 and he is a true 440 horse,” related Heath Taylor. “If you go back and watch the race close, it’s just crazy how he finished in the trials. That was with him only being here 14 days, plus the medical
work and shipping. In these last three weeks, it’s just unreal how much weight and power he’s put on. The horse is always super calm. You’re almost worried that he’s not going to run. The last three days the horse has just been animated, squealing, jumping, kicking. I’m still learning the horse. I thought maybe he was sitting on something special.”
Of the Champion of Champions triumph, Valeriano said, “It’s a dream come true. I’ve always wanted to win the Champion of Champions. I won it with Apollitical Pence when me and Matt Dunn were half owners. To be the lone owner,
it’s a dream come true. As soon as I saw his break, I know he closes really fast, so they weren’t going to catch him. I knew he was going to win.”
A Tres Of Eagle (One Fabulous Eagle-A Tres Of Paint) and jockey Jhaciel Soto finished third in a steady effort. The 4-year-old gelding is owned by Bella Vista Farms LLC and is trained by Eddie Willis. A Tres Of Eagle qualified to the race with a win in the Bank of America Challenge Championship-G1 at Lone Star Park on Oct. 21.
Jeriko (One Famous Eagle-Signs Zoomer), Take A Swig Of This (A Revenant-PYC Prize Doll), Shott Gun (Valiant Hero-Eye Popping), Apollitical Pence (Apollitical Jess-Send City), Hooked N Gone (PYC Paint Your Wagon- Pretty Girl Kate), Scoops Dynasty (FDD Dynasty-Bye Sweet Girl), and Whiskey Creek (Apollitical Jess-Checknbac) completed the order of finish.
The classy Empressum (Apollitical Jess-Crazy
Down Corona) finished a
game second for owners and breeders Jeff Jones and Steve Holt. Also trained by Taylor, Empressum picked up the second-place purse money
of $120,000, pushing his bankroll near the $2 million mark, having amassed earnings of $1,954,123. The cleverly- named runner enjoyed an outstanding season in 2023. He won the Robert L. Boniface Los Alamitos Championship-G1
in October, the Los Alamitos Challenge Championship-G1 in August, and the Vessels Maturity-G1 in July.
Flash Bak heads to the winner’s circle with owner Valeriano Racing Stables LLC, trainer Heath Taylor and jockey Francisco Calderon.
RACING NEWS
SPEEDHORSE December 2023 191
Myriam Maynard, Speedhorse Myriam Maynard, Speedhorse