Page 56 - 12 October 2012

New Mexico state Fair senor Futurity-rG3
saTurday NITe roMeo
by Michael Compton
saturday Nite Romeo broke his maiden in splendid fashion on Sept. 22, lead- ing virtually wire to wire to take down top prize in the $88,181 New Mexico State Fair Senor Futurity-RG3 at The Downs at Albuquerque.
The second fastest qualifier for the race that was restricted to New Mexico-breds, Saturday Nite Romeo was ridden for the first time by Adrian Ramos for
owner and breeder Verona
Vaughn of Edgewood, New
Mexico. Under pressure
throughout, Saturday Nite
Romeo had a head advantage
over Jesses On The Run at
the first call, maintained his
lead approaching the wire
and held sway at the finish
to win by a half-length. He
covered the 400 yards in
:19.76, earning a speed index
of 90 for the score. Lonnie
Vaughn saddled the winner, who now has career earnings of $48,648.
Saturday Nite Romeo entered the Senor Futurity following a dead-heat second-place finish in the second of four trials on Sept. 7. Earlier this year, the sorrel colt qualified for
the 350-yard, $167,700 New Mexico Breeders’ Futurity-RG3 at SunRay Park on June 3. He broke out at the start of that event and wound up
last in a field of 10. Saturday Nite Romeo is the leading earner for his dam, Hopeful Imp, herself a four-time winner of $42,446 on the track.
Bred, owned and trained by Raymond Carlisle, Jesses On The Run broke in and bumped at the start but raced head and head with Saturday Nite Romeo early in his first stakes appear- ance. Unable to match strides with the winner late, Jesses On The Run (Jesse James Jr-Luck N
Romance) and jockey Carlos Madeira held second safe in front of third-place finisher A Special Pfind.
Ridden by Tony Guymon, A Special Pfind (Sixes Royal-Pfind the Cash) is owned and bred by Paul Esquibel and conditioned by Hermenegildo Aldavaz.
Race favorite Balderinas Surprise, the fast- est qualifier, crossed the wire in fourth, but was disqualified for interference soon after the start and placed seventh.
The top three were officially followed
by Rex Hill (Jesse James Jr-Tangled Vines), Jess My Time (Jesse James Jr-Vital Rose), Easily A Gent (Jacksboro-Easily Authorized), Balderinas Surprise (Rabbits Rainbow-Miss Balderina), Scadoo 32 (Lordly Way-Ballou Thirty Two), Chispas Caliente (Corona Caliente-A Smooth Chick), and Corona Blazin By (Chicks A Blazin-Pass the Corona).
The Downs at Albuquerque $88,181 • 400 yards :19.763 • si 90
First Down Dash
Dash Ta Fame
Sudden Fame
Saturday Nite Romeo, ’10-c.
Imprimatur
Hopeful Imp
Lifes Hope
Racing news
New Mexico state Fair senorita Futurity-rG3
sMaFrICaTe
by Michael Compton
after two unplaced efforts to begin
her career, Smafricate is putting it all together for owner and trainer Judy Bachicha. The gray 2-year-old Streakaway Cash filly recorded her lifetime best 93 speed index
in winning the $82,070 New Mexico State Fair Senorita Futurity-RG3 at The Downs at Albuquerque on Sept. 22.
The fastest qualifier for the race, Smafricate darted to the front at the
break under Bachicha’s son,
jockey Elliot Bachicha Jr.
She maintained a one-length lead throughout the 400 yards and crossed the fin- ish clear by that margin at odds of 4-1. Her winning time was :19.644, a slight improvement over the :19.68 she recorded in captur-
ing her Sept. 7 trial. The $41,035 winner’s share of the purse swelled her career
54 SPEEDHORSE, October 12, 2012
bankroll to $44,948. Smafricate was bred
in New Mexico by Jerry Lee of McAlister, New Mexico, and she is the leading earner and only stakes winner for her dam, Go Amongst Um, a winning Pyromaniac mare. Go Amongst Um has also produced two-time winner Streakin Amongst Us.
Smafricate has demonstrated marked improvement in each of her five career starts.
Following two unplaced efforts, she finished third in a maiden dash at 330 yards on Aug. 12 and has now reg- istered consecutive victories for her connections. Her stakes-winning effort was her best yet.
Posies Desiria (Desirio- Posies), second in one of the three futurity trials to be
the eighth-fastest qualifier, turned in a similar effort once more to secure the place spot.
Ridden by Adrian Ramos for trainer Cynthia Gonzales, Posies Desiria is owned by Leighann Kovac and David Bloomer.
Sandys Jesse (Jesse James Jr-Sandys Fame), a winner of her trial in the seventh-fastest qualifying time, finished third after pressuring Smafricate in second through the early stages. Oscar Rincon rode the filly for trainer Alonso Orozco and owner Jose Badilla Sr.
Checking in behind the top three were Sandys Jesse (Jesse James Jr-Sandys Fame), race favorite Seis Of Hearts (Sixes Royal- Ritzy Flash), Ofashionsoutherngirl (Southern Corona-Cowgirl Cadilac), Talk It Out
Dwm (Jesse James Jr-Sweet Fair Lady), Lady Secret Dash (Lordly Way-Lady Chimes) and Ms James (Jesse James Jr-Arbor Mist). Jess Surprising and Marijkas Magic were both veterinarian scratches.
The Downs at Albuquerque $82,070 • 400 yards :19.644 • si 93
Runaway Winner
Streakaway Cash
Dashs Dream
Smafricate, ’10-f.
Pyromaniac
Go Amongst Um
Go Figure
Tommie Morelos: Coady Photography Tommie Morelos: Coady Photography