Page 223 - December_2023

GOOD WAGON SA
by Elle Summers
Good Wagon SA took home his first stakes win of his career in the $30,000 Town Policy Stakes at Los Alamitos on Nov. 4. With
Oscar Peinado in the saddle, the gelding made a strong inside effort and secured first place with a 1 1/4-length advantage. On a clear, fast track he made the 400 yard trip in :19.689 and recorded
a 92 speed index. The $16,500 winner’s share has increased Good Wagon SA’s total bankroll to $194,824. The Lindolfo Diaz trainee’s previous 2023 stakes performances include second
place finishes in both the Los Alamitos Winter Derby-G1 and the Golden State Derby-G2.
Bred in Oklahoma by Randy and Stacy
Hill, Good Wagon SA is out of stakes winning mare Send Me This Wagon who has produced
8 winners from 11 starters. The gelding is a full sibling to stakes winner Jess Give Mea Reason, winner of the 2022 Altoona Derby. Good Wagon SA is owned by J. Francisco Diaz who purchased the gelding at the 2021 Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale for $54,000.
Required First (First Down Dash-No Tools Required) finished second under Jesus Ayala. The three-year-old colt is owned by George and Ruben Villalobos and is trained by Jose Flores. Ridden by jockey Victor Salazar, Dont Sass KVN (KVN Corona-Sassy On Fire) crossed the wire third for owner Bradbury Racing. The gray gelding is trained by Paul Jones.
Followed by Terrific Phoenix (Fly Thru The Fire-Terrific Energy), Mahomes Magic (Favorite Cartel-Heartbeat), Ima Sixy Man (Corona Cartel-Jess So Sixy), Up The Interest (Separate Interest-Kiddy Up Cowgirl), Pragmatic (Favorite Cartel-Realistically), Always A Chance (Favorite Cartel-Elans Last), and Price Fixer (Favorite Cartel-Chickafirst).
POLITICAL ROYALTY
by Kristen Moore
Moving up from seventh on the inside, Political Royalty rallied and won the $30,000 Justanold Love Handicap at Los Alamitos on Nov. 4. Under
jockey Rodrigo Vallejo, the filly brought the heat to take the win by a nose. She completed the 350 yards in a time of :17.640, and was awarded a 93 speed index.
Political Royalty earned a winner’s purse of $16,500 for owner William E. Smith and trainer Heath Taylor, and raised her career earnings to $179,630. The bay filly finished third in the Golden State Million Futurity-G1 at Los Alamitos in 2022.
Bred in Utah by McColee Land & Livestock LLC, Political Royalty is out of stakes winning mare Trendi. She is the first stakes winner and leading money earner out of the dam. Trendi has produced 5 winners from 9 starters.
In second was AJ Born Runnin (Apollitical Jess- Runaway Trs Seis) and jockey Oscar Peinado. The filly was the race favorite, and although she gained ground, she was out closed coming across the wire. She is owned by P & J Racing, Ltd. and trained by Jaime Gomez. Quirky Bitty Jess (Apollitical Jess-A Bit Quirky) and jockey Jesus Ayala had a head high start, dueled, and gave a game try. She led by a neck in the stretch but finished third. The sorrel filly is owned by J. Francisco Diaz and trained by Lindolfo Diaz. She placed third in the 2022 Ed Burke Million Futurity-G1 at Los Alamitos.
There was a dead heat for fourth between Relentless Pressure (Hes Relentless-Jess A Classy Lassy), and Phoebes Baby Girl (Favorite Cartel-A Political Lady). The remaining order of finish was A Dream To Fill (Apollitical Jess-Answer The Dream), Frivolous (Favorite Cartel-Nymph), One Sweet Duck (One Sweet Jess-Duck Dash N Go), Mornings With
Maria (Seperate Interest-Bartiromo), and Budder Off Friends (FDD Dynasty-Budderfly Effect).
HOOKED N GONE
by Tracy Gantz
The Z. Wayne Griffin Directors Handicap at Los Alamitos fills the final spots in the Champion of Champions-G1. Hooked N Gone nabbed one with the Nov. 12 victory.
Scoops Dynasty, who already had a berth, was the 4-5 favorite in the 400-yard event. He got away just a step slowly, as 14-1 Hooked N Gone, ridden by Justine Klaiber, took the lead. Near the wire, Scoops Dynasty put his head in front, but Hooked N Gone nailed the favorite at the wire by a head in :19.631. Flash Bak and Take A Swig Of This, third and fourth, also earned Champion of Champions presumptive berths.
Eddie D. Willis trains Hooked N Gone for owner/ breeder Regina Laymon. Hooked N Gone’s previous wins include the 2022 Remington Park Juvenile and 2023 Remington Park Derby-RG1. His stakes-placings include a third in this year’s All American Derby-G1.
Laymon bred Hooked N Gone in Oklahoma from stakes-winning Pretty Girl Kate. The mare
has produced 11 winners from 12 starters, including stakes winners I Cant Help It and Hooked On A Win plus stakes-placed Kates Carter and Kates Wagon.
Edward and Von Zae McNelis’ homebred Scoops Dynasty (FDD Dynasty-Bye Sweet Girl) finished 2nd for jockey Armando Cervantes. Monty Arrossa trains the 4-year-old gelding, who was coming off a victory against World Champion Empressum in the Go Man Go Handicap-G1.
Francisco Calderon piloted Flash Bak (Moonin The Eagle-Checknbac) to third for trainer Heath Taylor and owner Valeriano Racing Stables. Flash Bak has won four Grade 1 stakes.
Completing the field were Take A Swig Of This (A Revenant-PYC Prize Doll), Shott Gun (Valiant Hero-Eye Popping), One Sweet Boss (One Sweet Jess-Starlight Bess), and Cattail Cove (Favorite Cartel-Katie Katella).
RACING NEWS
SPEEDHORSE December 2023 221
Town Policy Stakes
Justanold Love Handicap
Z Wayne Griffin Directors Trl. S.
Amber Mendez, Los Alamitos
Amber Mendez, Los Alamitos
Amber Mendez, Los Alamitos
Los Alamitos • $30,000
350 yards • :17.640 • SI 93
Mr Jess Perry
Apollitical Jess
Apollitical Time
POLITICAL ROYALTY, ‘20-f. Stoli
Trendi
Veva Jean
Los Alamitos • $30,000
400 yards • :19.689 • SI 92
Favorite Trick TB
Good Reason SA
GOOD WAGON SA, ‘20-g.
Queen Of Appeals
PYC Paint Your Wagon
Send Me This Wagon
Jess Send Candy
Los Alamitos • $20,000
400 yards • :19.631 • SI 94
Corona Cartel
PYC Paint Your Wagon
HOOKED N GONE, ‘20-g. Pretty Girl Kate
Dashin Follies Pretty Boy Perry
Katiebug Driver