Page 213 - December_2023

Speedhorse President John Bachelor presents trophies to the winning connections for Wired Red Head including owners John Herrick (second from right), Taylor VanBebber and Connie Young, trainer Matt Whitekiller and jockey Sal Martinez.
“She is truly a model of consistency,” noted Taylor VanBebber. “She gives it her all every time. She is honest, and she always does her job. A couple steps away from there (the start of the race) I said, ‘She is going to win this race.’ I smiled from ear to ear watching her run down the track. It was so exciting.”
Trained by Matt Whitekiller, Wired Red Head is now a two-time winner from 11 lifetime starts. The win raised the juvenile Paint filly’s bankroll to $66,859. The daughter of CRM Livewire broke her maiden in her fourth lifetime start in April. She is a three- time stakes finalist, having qualified for the Pot O’ Gold Futurity-G1, Speedhorse Graham P&A Futurity-G1, and the Oklahoma P&A Juvenile Stakes.
“I appreciate everything that Matt and his team have done with her,” VanBebber said. “They believe in her. She is going to take a little vacation now and get some rest. She had a jammed up 2-year-old year, so we are going to give her a little break. We cannot wait to see what she comes back to do in her 3-year-old year. But she will get some well-deserved rest and relaxation first.”
Bred in Oklahoma by her owners, Wired Red Head is produced from the Red Storm Cat mare Dancing Red Head. The filly’s second dam is Dance Dance, a stakes winner for Janet VanBebber and Keith Renfro.
“It was so special to have my first stakes win as an owner,” Taylor said. “I have wonderful partners that I get to share this moment with. For me, it’s special because it is a generational line of mares. I have loved on Wired Red Head’s dam, and her second dam, who is my favorite horse ever. You wish you could keep them all forever. It’s just so special.
“My mom and I were just talking about how special this is,” Taylor added. “I have
gotten to share so much with my mother, growing up in the business and watching everything she has done. This is a new experience for me. I feel proud,
and I have the best partners
who have supported me and my interests to stay involved. This is
a new feeling. It was also hard for me because I was not able to take off work (and travel to the race). So, there I am watching it in my office, pulled up on my computer. I am cheering, and I have co-workers coming into my office, saying ‘What are you yelling about?’ So, it was fun to share that with them.”
The second and third-place finishers were both homebreds for Shirely Wheeler and trained by Dee Keener. Runner-up JS Apollitical Chick (Mr Apollitical Dash-Imachickenkicker) broke
a tad late and rallied fastest of
all to just miss under Edwin Escobedo. The sorrel gelding is a three-time winner.
JS Quick Chili (SF Royal Quick Flash-Texas Chili) and jockey Roman Cruz flashed speed early and finished third despite drifting out. The Oklahoma-bred filly is
a three-time winner from nine lifetime starts.
Triple L Xpress (CRM Livewire-Maggie Redmond), BP
the Hero (One Valiant Hero-BP Baileys Success), Clutch Shot (Mr Ease Cartel-Fade Shot), Storms Livewire (CRM Livewire-Storm’s Promise), and Muddy Puddles (CRM
Livewire-Turbulence) completed the order of finish. Eagle Express and JS Successful Chicken were scratched.
Jockey Sal Martinez and Wired Red Head return to the winner’s circle.
RACING NEWS
SPEEDHORSE December 2023 211
Susan Bachelor, Speedhorse Susan Bachelor, Speedhorse