Page 46 - 12 October 2012

Dash For Cash Futurity-G1
ONE HANDSOME MAN
by Stacy Pigott
Nobody likes to win a race by disquali- fication, but in horse racing that’s part of the game. However, the Dash For Cash
Futurity-G1 was an especially bittersweet win for the connections of One Handsome Man, who crossed the wire second but was awarded the victory after Prince Valleyant was disquali- fied from first and placed sixth for interference. You see, One Handsome Man is owned by Flying Hooves RC, LLC, consisting of Curtis Ross and his fiancé Trinity Thomas, Joey Hatton and Nicky Payne. Payne’s father, Larry Payne, was the jockey aboard Prince Valleyant.
“You’re happy, to get this kind of a big Grade 1 win, but it still rips your heart out when you’ve been involved with the Payne family since you got started, and to see him taken down from a Grade 1 win. It’s very bittersweet,” said Curtis Ross, one of Flying Hooves RC’s partners. “We were hoping for a one-two finish, either way.”
Initially, it seemed they had gotten their wish. The start of the Dash For Cash Futurity was delayed for several minutes when First Down Shazoom broke through the gates and was briefly loose. He was quickly caught, examined by the track veterinarian and reloaded, while the rest of the field, save for The August Heat, waited in the gates. First Down Shazoom was reloaded, The August Heat was the last to load, and the starter released the field. From post position four,
Jody Pops Zoomer jumped to an early lead, followed closely by Prince Valleyant along the rail. Send A Candy Guy was also right there, while One Handsome Man
and jockey Oscar Rincon were off a step slowly with ground to make up.
Midway through the
400-yard race, the Russell
Harris-owned and trained
Prince Valleyant appeared
to be unstoppable until he
drifted out, crossing in front
of the horses to his outside
including Jody Pops Zoomer.
While Prince Valleyant still
crossed the wire first by
three-quarters of a length
in :19.626, the stewards, after a lengthy inquiry, disqualified Prince Valleyant to sixth. In a separate and unrelated incident, First Down Shazoom was disqualified from eighth and placed last for interfering with Apollo Ono at the start.
The stewards’ rulings gave One Handsome Man his first stakes win, and his third straight win in five career starts. The $170,226 win- ner’s share of the purse increased his lifetime bankroll to $176,074.
“Words cannot describe how proud I am of him,” Ross said. “We’re very proud of what he accomplished today.”
Trained by Ralph Muniz, One Handsome Man has been on the cusp of a big win all summer. The grey colt barely
missed qualifying for the All American Futurity-G1 after winning his trial by a neck. Unfortunately, his time was knocked out of contention in one of the last trials of the day.
Things were different in the Dash For Cash Futurity trials, when One Handsome Man won the first trial in
a quick :19.51. That time would stand as the fast-
est until the final trial of the night, when Prince
Valleyant’s two-length win in :19.50 made him the fastest qualifier. One Handsome Man advanced with the second-fastest time.
“In the trials, we were worried about whether he would break straight,” Ross said. “Because every race he ran, he broke to the left. He finally broke straight, and it was pretty much a hand ride the whole race. The time held up, and he did great.”
In the finals, the partners had a whole new set of circumstances to cause concern. Rain made the track sloppy and uneven, with the inside part of the track holding an apparent advantage over the outside lanes.
Lone Star Park $425,565 • 400 yards :19.748 • si 89
Mr Jess Perry
One Famous Eagle
One Famous Lady
ONE HANDSOME MAN, ’10-c.
First Down Dash
Helens First Choice
Harems Choice
44 SPEEDHORSE, October 12, 2012
Plenty of people were on hand to help owners Flying Hooves RC, LLC celebrate in the winner’s circle.
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Reed Palmer