Page 122 - 18 January 2013

Hialeah La Nina Invitational
RAWHIDE CREEK
by Tracy Gantz
Rawhide Creek didn’t receive the best welcome to Florida. In her first start there, her trial for the Hialeah Lassie Futurity, she stumbled at the break, had
to angle inside, and finished fourth. Those troubles vanished in the Dec. 29 Hialeah La Nina Invitational, and Rawhide Creek easily became a stakes winner.
Bettors correctly predicted that Rawhide Creek could win with a better start, and they sent her
away as the 8-5 favorite. With regular rider Freddie Martinez in the saddle, Rawhide Creek broke bril- liantly and took the lead. Head Trauma tussled with her briefly, but Rawhide Creek powered home to win by 1 1/2 lengths in :19.801 for the 400 yards.
John Stinebaugh trains Rawhide Creek for Dutch Masters III, a partnership of James Streelman and Dennis Boer. Streelman bred the filly with Bill Dale in Missouri. Rawhide Creek has now won at Hialeah, Zia Park, Sunland Park, and SunRay Park.
Streelman paid $8,500 for winner Pritzi Too, the dam of Rawhide Creek, at the 2006 Los Alamitos Equine Sale. The mare has produced two starters, both winners, and she is a half-sister to stakes winner Sixy Bee.
Head Trauma (One Famous Eagle-Mighty Classy Lassy) finished second for jockey Rodrigo Vallejo. The filly, now trained by Judd Kearl, broke her maiden at Ruidoso Downs. Ted Abrams bred Head Trauma and owns her with Lyle Guillory.
Ron Raper owns and trains Ima Wagon (PYC Paint Your Wagon-Eyesa Beauty 123), who ran third with Aron Hunt aboard.
One Famous Chance (One Famous Eagle- Saratoga Song) finished fourth, followed by Calamity Jamie (Ivory James-El Streaker), Sassifras (First Timber-Sassappeal), and Arikria (First Down Morn-Borealis). Edies Painted Lady (PYC Paint Your Wagon-Regally Rare) and Cute Ivory Girl (Ivory James-Tres Cute) dead-heated for eighth, with Bye N Corona (Pappasito-Ease N Bye) in tenth.
Hialeah El Nino Invitational
BUBBA CARVER
by Tracy Gantz
With two World Champions in his family, Bubba Carver had the bloodlines to become a stakes winner. The gelding did so by closing out 2012 with a victory in the Dec. 29 Hialeah El Nino Invitational.
Drawing the rail and with regular rider Rodrigo Vallejo aboard, Bubba Carver jumped out to a quick lead after being in a little tight quarters with I Be Zipptin By. From there, Bubba Carver outclassed the field, drawing off to a 1 1/2-length win in :19.886 for the 400 yards.
Judd Kearl trains Bubba Carver for owner Douglas Traylor. The gelding began his career with a win at Sam Houston. In his initial stakes attempt, Bubba Carver captured his trial for the TQHA Sale Futurity-G2, but finished fifth in the final. He ran fifth in his trial for the Hialeah Laddie Futurity prior to the El Nino.
Bob and Jerry Gaston bred Bubba Carver by breeding the unraced mare Rustys Lil Lady to World Champion Wave Carver, who won the 2006 Champion of Champions-G1. Whosleavingwho captured that same race four years earlier and also became the World Champion. Lil Bit Rusty, the dam of Whosleavingwho, is the second dam of Bubba Carver, the first winner for Rustys Lil Lady of the mare’s two starters.
Four Corners Futurity-G3 winner Fast N Furious B (First N Kool-Hollywood A List) finished second for jockey Freddie Martinez, trainer John Stinebaugh, and owner Kathy Pruitt Germany.
Deadwood Dave (Country Chicks Man-Smashed Calamity) ran third in the El Nino, his stakes debut. Omar Reyes piloted the gelding for owner Steven Wright and trainer Guillermo Valdivia.
Completing the field were Droppin Timber (First Timber-Droppindead Gorgeous), I Be Zipptin By (Midnight In Moscow-Eyes A Glitter Bug), Ballarat (Azoom-RR Le Mistral), Max My Speed (Tres Seis-Dash Olene Too), and Heart Of A Lion (Lion Heart-TB-Dream Alone). Gettin Famous and Novas Gold were scratched.
Hialeah Sophomore Invitational
IMA GATOR FAN
by Tracy Gantz
With a name like Ima Gator Fan, the 3-year-old Florida-bred filly almost couldn’t help but suc- ceed in her native state. While the University of Florida Gators excelled in college football during 2012, Ima Gator Fan triumphed at Hialeah Park, most recently winning the Dec. 29 Hialeah Sophomore Invitational.
Edge Em Out delayed the start of the 440-yard race when she became fractious in the gate, ultimately having to be scratched. Favored Ima Gator Fan didn’t break on top, but that’s usually not a problem because she makes her move in the middle of her races. She did that again, coming on strongly under regular rider Tony Crissup to pass Deer Oh Deer late and win by three-quarters of a length in :22.139.
The Invitational marked Ima Gator Fan’s fourth Hialeah victory in seven starts at the track. Early in 2012, the filly won the South Florida Derby there. Grover Wheeler Jr. trains Ima Gator Fan for owner/ breeder J. L. Gladwell III.
Ima Gator Fan is the first starter and winner
for her dam, the unraced Strawfly Special mare
Ima Special Rose. The filly is by the unraced Thoroughbred stallion City Place, a son of major sire Storm Cat out of millionaire Glitter Woman.
Second-place Deer Oh Deer (Tres Seis-Adorable Deer) was getting her first stakes placing. Rodrigo Vallejo piloted the filly for trainer Judd Kearl and owner Gregorio Garza Garcia.
Omar Reyes rode Anns First Lady (SC Chiseled In Stone-Anns First Dance) to third. Alfredo Gomez trains her for owners Britt Sturgeon and Glen Walker.
Completing the field were Monsoor (FDD Dynasty-Allurist), Back In The Pack (Corona For Me-Runninbac), Mucho Fuego (Walk Thru Fire-Corona Mas Fina), BP Hes All Southern (Southern Cartel-Shes Takes All), Valor And Glory (Valiant Hero-Mahlanka), and Executive Miss Dash (Executive Menace-Miss Ryon Dash). Edge Em Out was scratched.

Ivory James RAWHIDE CREEK, ’10-f.
Pritzi Too
Corona Cartel Dashin Follies Pritzi Dash SixyToo

Wave Carver BUBBA CARVER, ’10-g.
Rustys Lil Lady
First Down Dash Runaway Wave Fredricksburg Lil Bit Rusty

City Place TB IMA GATOR FAN, ’09-f.
Ima Special Rose
Storm Cat Glitter Woman Strawfly Special Iama Rose
120 SPEEDHORSE, January 18, 2013
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