Page 86 - January 20 2012

Sunland Park Winter Futurity-G2
ToP Gun B
by John Moorehouse
From the time Andres Gonzalez first began working with Top Gun B as a yearling, the trainer had a good feeling that he had a strong
competitor on his hands. As 2011 drew to a close, it’s fair to say Top Gun B was living up to that promise.
Top Gun B capped his two-year-old cam- paign with a first-place run in the $194,262 Sunland Park Winter Futurity-G2 on Dec. 30 at Sunland Park, his first win in stakes com- pany and fifth overall victory in seven outs.
“We were real high on him from the begin- ning,” Gonzalez said. “He did everything the right way, working really awesome and just doing some good, good work without having to push the horse at all. Once he started run- ning, he started showing us he was going to have ability.”
Gonzalez decided to rest Top Gun B, however, following an eighth-place finish in the Hobbs America Futurity-G2 on Oct. 9 at Zia Park. “He just didn’t run at all that day,” Gonzalez recalled.
After exactly two months away from the track, Top Gun B returned for the Sunland Winter Futurity trials, winning his heat to qualify for his second stakes race. It was another three weeks before the Sunland Winter Futurity, and Gonzalez felt the extra week of rest benefited his charge.
It certainly showed when the gates opened. Top Gun B broke from the two hole and quickly grabbed the advantage, opening
up a half-length cushion and holding off A Fortunate Choice at the wire to win by a neck. Gonzalez also trains A Fortunate Choice, the top qualifier and pre-race favorite at the bet- ting window.
“He’s showing us a lot
of ability but Fortunate Choice...we were really high on her,” Gonzalez said. “She was the fastest qualifier for the futurity and I only had a month with her.”
Jockey Oscar Rincon
was aboard for the stakes-
winning trip, which saw Top
Gun B cover the 400 yards in
:19.169 for a 91 speed index,
and bring home a $91,304
payday for his owners at
Junior’s Quarter Horses. The
gelding’s total bankroll improved to $115,582 heading into the 2012 campaign.
Bielau Oaks bred Top Gun B and owns his dam, Jet Along Jamie. The 1992 mare won two of nine starts and has 10 starters from 14 offspring. Top Gun B becomes the second stakes winner out of his dam, joining
half-brother Teller Cartel, the 2005 AQHA Champion Two-Year-Old Colt.
Top Gun B will have another chance to add to his record in stakes company as a three-year- old. The gelding is paid into the West Texas Derby and Gonzalez intends to run him at Ruidoso this summer.
Ramon Gonzalez Jr. and Homero Varela own second- place finisher A Fortunate Choice (A Regal Choice- Fortune Of Delight), who had Bonifacio Perez aboard. Mr Taka B (Feature Mr Jess-Taka Puna) placed third for owner Vanessa Bartoo. Trainer John Stinebaugh did the prep work and Salvador Martinez was in the irons.
The remaining order
of finish was Cypress City (Brimmerton-Flowin Ease), Our First Corona (Corona
Cartel-Hawk Three), TF Featured Effort (Feature Mr Jess-Meadow Creeks Effort), Decked In Snow (Snowbound TB-Decked In Six), VGC Moon Walk (Walk Thru Fire-Zevis Lady Love), Mighty Famous (Mighty Invictus- Fame Us Katie) and Bottega (Brimmerton- Quick Moon Sign).
Sunland Park $194,262 • 400 yards :19.169 • si 91
Corona Cartel
PYC Paint Your Wagon
Dashin Follies
TOP GUN B, g.
Easy Jet
Jet Along Jamie
Jaimie Jay
Oscar Rincon and Top Gun B reached the finish line a neck in front of A Fortunate Choice and Mr Taka B in the Sunland Park Winter Futurity-G2.
84 SPEEDHORSE, January 20, 2012
Racing news
Tommie Morelos/Coady Photography