Page 243 - September 2023

Retama Park Derby
TIC IT TO THE DANCE
by Michael Compton
Safe to say, Tic It To The Dance has a ticket to the winner’s circle. The 3-year-old gray gelding is now a winner in five of 11 lifetime
starts after a facile score in the $208,900 Retama Park Derby at Retama Park on Aug. 5. With jockey Frolayn Ramirez in the irons,
Tic It to the Dance raced in fourth position early in the 400-yard fixture. He surged to the front in the lane and drove clear late to win by a 1/2-length from Jess A PYC Dash. Tick It
to the Dance, the second-
fastest qualifier, covered the
distance in :20.251, earning
a 94 speed index.
Owned by Joe Ruiz Jr. and trained by Santiago Rojas Jr., Tic It to the Dance improved his lifetime record to 11-5-4-0 and the $83,560 winner’s share
of the purse increased his bankroll to $191,489. It was the second career stakes win for Tic It to the Dance, who
Wyoming Downs Futurity
PAPPAS FAME
by Michael Cusortelli
Sent to post as the 19-10 choice in a field of nine two year olds, Pappas Fame won the Aug. 6 Wyoming Downs Futurity at Wyoming
Downs Racetrack.
Pappas Fame covered 350 yards in :17.543,
and his margin of victory was a nose over Ivorybudsnblossoms, who was clocked in :17.560. Kylie Valenzuela trained and Jesus Valenzuela
rode the gelded son of the Corona Cartel stallion Pappasito for owners Eddie and Andrea Jensen.
Pappas Fame earned a career-best 94 speed index and the $92,184 winner’s share of a stakes-record $200,400 purse.
The sorrel gelding was bred in Wyoming by Ron and Laurie Moosman, and he is out of Makn Fame,
a winning homebred daughter of the First Down Dash stallion Maknmoves who ran third in the 2014 JR Stables/South Valley
captured the Leon Bard Memorial Stakes at Sam Houston two starts back. At two, he qualified to the Dash for Cash Futurity-G2 and finished second in the Sam Houston Juvenile Stakes.
“I bought him for $100,000 at the Ruidoso Select Sale,” Ruiz shared with the media following the win. “It was a big investment, but I knew he could go 400 yards. I won my first race as an owner this year with him in
the Leon Bard Stakes at Sam Houston. He broke so well tonight that I had faith that he and Froylan would get it done. Now I have the money to buy another good horse.”
Bred in Texas by Bob and Jerry Gaston, Tic It to the Dance is produced from the winning Fishers Dash mare Double Down Darling.
Runner-up Jess a PYC Dash (Apollitical Jess- PYC First Prize Dash) and
jockey Ali Rivera dueled with the winner throughout and held the place spot for owner Juan Manuel Morton and trainer Gilberto Gonzalez. Jess a PYC Dash is a three-time winner and was bred in Oklahoma by Weetona Stanley and Raymond Loup.
Apollitical Dynamite (Apollitical Jess- Runawayheart), piloted by Nestor Duran, dueled early, and finished third for owner Ruse Ranch LLC and trainer Alvin Francis Jr.
Apollitical Magic (Apollitical Jess-
Million Dollar Kiss), Brock Landers (FDD Dynasty-Ms Highmaitenance), Eagle Powers (This Is an Eagle-DF Girly Girl), Dakota Gurl (Muddy Waters-Runaway Charli), RGS Gold Wagon (Prized Eagon-Ja Gols Debutante), and Jess PF Flyer (PYC Paint Your Wagon- Jestafiable) completed the order of finish. Phreedom was scratched.
Futurity at Laurel Brown Racetrack near Salt Lake City.
Pappas Fame set the fifth-fastest qualifying time from 11 Wyoming Downs Futurity trials contested on July 23. Campaigned exclusively in Wyoming, the gelding has won all five of his races – including the 300-yard $115,000 Powder River Futurity for state-bred 2-year-old
at Energy Downs in Gillette – and he has banked $158,049.
Ivorybudsnblossoms (Ivory James-One Famous Blossom), the ninth-fastest qualifier, earned the $40,080 runner-up share of the purse to bring his bankroll to $84,027 from four starts for his owner, E.T. Joyce. The winner of the Ron Cook Accredited Wyoming Bred Futurity Futurity, the gelding was ridden Juan Carlos Rivas for trainer Josh Taylor.
Seventh-fastest qualifier JR Sakes Alive (Pappasito-JR Mahalia) finished third, a
half of a length behind Pappas Fame, while pocketing $20,040 for her owner, J R Stables. Jesus Canales rode the homebred sorrel filly for trainer Kylie Valenzuela, who qualified three Wyoming Downs Futurity finalists.
Melodramatic (Jess Being Valiant- Tequila Sangria) finished fourth, one length behind Pappas Fame. Fastest qualifier California Best Card (Docs Best Card- California Gurl) was fifth and was followed by Relentlessdebauchery (Hes Relentless- Southern Miss Jess), Agolden Eagle Spring (Daguerre-Bye Bye First Bird), Bella Lady (Rip Tide-Masons Moon), and UD Cholula (EC Jet One-Bvlgari B) completed the order of finish. Fourth-fastest qualifier M E Jessie Relent was scratched.
SPEEDHORSE September 2023 241
RACING NEWS
Coady Photography Coady Photography
Retama Park
$208,900 • 400 yards :20.251 • SI 94
Streakin La Jolla
Mr Jess Perry
Scoopie Fein
TIC IT TO THE DANCE, ‘20-g.
Fishers Dash
Double Down Darling
Pamper Me Special
Wyoming Downs
$200,400 • 350 yards :17.543 • SI 94
Corona Cartel
Pappasito
Strawberry Silk
PAPPAS FAME, ‘21-g.
Maknmoves
Makn Fame
Switching Fame