Page 219 - December_2023

APOLLITICAL PAYOFF
by Michael Cusortelli
Sent to post as the 19-10 favorite in a field of nine runners, Brenda Reiswig’s Apollitical Payoff scored a half-length victory in the $26,275 OQHRA
Fall Classic Stakes at Will Rogers Downs on Nov. 13. Apollitical Payoff covered 400 yards in :19.906
under jockey Edwin Escobedo. Jason Olmstead prepped the homebred 4-year-old son of World Champion Apollitical Jess.
Apollitical Payoff was returning to Oklahoma off of a Prairie Meadows campaign during which he ran second 1 1/2-lengths behind winner Nothin Like You in the Sept. 29 Two Rivers Stakes-G3. The gelding was bred in Oklahoma, and he is out of the stakes winning mare Seis The Royal Cash.
Apollitical Payoff traces back to his fourth dam, Time For Royal Cash, who won the 1993 Golden State Futurity-G1 and 1994 Golden State Derby-G1 at Los Alamitos. Raced in three states, including New Mexico, the gelding has won seven of 26 starts including five of seven at Will Rogers Downs. The $15,684 winner’s share of the purse from his third career stakes score bumped his bankroll to $270,713.
PYC War Wagon (PYC Paint Your Wagon-First Prize Fancy) pocketed the $5,228 runner-up share of the purse for his owner Dee Gragg. James Flores rode the 4-year-old stallion for trainer Michelle Hurdle.
Jess Call Me Candy (Apollitical Jess-Send Me Good Candy) finished third, a head behind PYC War Wagon, and earned $2,876 for her owner, PV Quarter Horse Farms, LLC. Jimmy Brooks rode the homebred 4-year-old mare for trainer Eddie Willis.
Burning Follies (Dash To Follies-Burn The Kash), Big Caney (Painted Dash-Dash For Jess), Lillie Langtry (Apollitical Blood-Martinis N Bikinis), Blues Candy SA (Jess Louisiana Blue-Rock Candy SA), Awesome View (Hes Relentless-Ivory Key), and Mister Cabo (Brace For Bernal-Maw Boss) completed the order of finish.
MOONIN RUSTY
by Michael Cusortelli
Moonin Rusty, a homebred 3-year-old son of Moonin The Eagle racing for Gene Cox, won the $38,800 Opelousas Stakes-RG3 for Louisiana-
breds at Evangeline Downs on Nov. 4.
Prepped by Dwayne Breaux and sent to post as
the 19-10 second choice in a field of four, Moonin Rusty covered 400 yards in :19.811 while earning a 91 speed index, and his margin of victory was a clear 2 1/4-lengths away from 7-10 favorite Into The Grey. Juan F. Garcia, Jr. rode the gray gelding.
Moonin Rusty made his local debut with a wire- to-wire 1 3/4-lengths win in a 400-yard $19,500 non-winners-of-three allowance race for state-breds on Oct. 18. The gelding is out of Princess Lil Bit, a winning and stakes-placed homebred 13-year-old daughter of Coronas Leaving You and a finalist in the 2012 Heartland Futurity at Indiana Downs and Hialeah Lassie Futurity at Hialeah Park.
Moonin Rusty’s second dam, Princess Toast, ran third in the 2008 Enchanted Stakes at The Red Mile in Lexington, Kentucky.
Moonin Rusty has won has won four of 10 starts, and the $24,000 winner’s share of the purse from his first stakes score increased his earnings to $100,089. The gelding’s season resume includes a second-
place finish in the 400-yard $144,635 Delta Downs Derby-RG3 on July 15.
Into The Grey (Sir Runaway Dash-Sass That Chick) earned the $8,000 runner-up share of the purse for his owner Rogelio Marquez Jr. David Alvarez rode the 4-year-old gelding for trainer Jesus M. Marquez.
Nicolas Medina Romero’s Best Magic Piloto (Mr Piloto-Little Magic Sis) ran third 2 1/2-lengths behind Moonin Rusty. Rene Hernandez rode the 3-year-old gelding for trainer Bessie Sue Nichols.
One Fast Perry (Fast Prize Jordan-De Bell Perry) finished fourth.
ONE FAST CAJUN
by Elle Summers
One Fast Cajun secured a first place finish in the $35,000 Races and Aces Stakes at Evangeline Downs on Oct. 28.
Guided by Ubaldo Luna, One Fast Cajun broke on top and extended his lead at every call, crossing the finish line with a 6-length advantage. The bay gelding stopped the timer at :45.838 and earned a 95 speed index.
The $21,000 winner’s share of the purse increased One Fast Cajun’s total bankroll to $171,855 and improved his record to nine firsts, two seconds, and two thirds from 20 starts. The gelding’s previous stakes wins include the 2022 version of this race as well as the 2022 Faubourg St. John Stakes.
Darrin and Norman Ladner own One Fast Cajun who was bred by Terry L. Gabriel. The five year old is out of 2010 Thoroughbred mare Cajun Rocket, who has produced two winners from three starters. One Fast Cajun is her only stakes winner and is trained by Shane Ladner.
With Juan Garcia, Jr. in the saddle, Jess Louisiana Boo (Jess Louisiana Blue-La Boo Con) crossed the finish line second by 1 1/4-lengths for owner Paul Daigle. The eight-year-old gelding
is trained by Phillip Calais, Jr. and the $7,000 runner-up share increased his earnings to $95,420. Jess Louisiana Boo won the 2021 version of this race.
Freakin Patriot Dash (Game Patriot-Freakin Dash) took home a third place finish for owner Areli Gutierrez. The brown gelding was ridden by Arnulfo Gutierrez and is trained by Joel Huitron. Freakin Patriot Dash’s previous stakes performances this year include thirds in both the Live Oak Stakes and Virgil Bond Stakes.
Cat O Mine Tails (Mr Piloto-Denali Cat Tale TB) and Rogues Fast Sister (Heza Fast Rogue-T Frere’ Sister TB) completed the field.
RACING NEWS
SPEEDHORSE December 2023 217
OQHRA Fall Classic
Opelousas Stakes-RG3
Races and Aces Stakes
Coady Photography
Coady Photography
Coady Photography
Evangeline Downs • $38,800
400 yards • :19.811 • SI 90
One Famous Eagle
Moonin The Eagle
MOONIN RUSTY, ‘20-g. Princess Lil Bit
Your First Moon Coronas Leaving You
Princess Toast
Will Rogers Downs • $26,275
400 yards • :19.906 • SI 94
Mr Jess Perry
Apollitical Jess
Apollitical Time
APOLLITICAL PAYOFF, ‘19-g.
Tres Seis
Seis The Royal Cash
Royal Cash Down
Evangeline Downs • $35,000
870 yards • :45.838 • SI 95
Heza Fast Man
Heza Fast Dash
ONE FAST CAJUN, ‘18-g. Cajun Rocket TB
First Prize Dash Lion Tamer
Viva Vega