Page 136 - May 2017

Sam Houston Juvenile Stakes
DADDYS BLUSHING
by Michael Compton
Trainer Leon Bard made it three consecutive years saddling the winner of the Sam Houston Juvenile Stakes when he sent out Daddys Blushing on April 29.
The Sam Houston Juvenile Stakes brought out
a field of ten Sam Houston Futurity hopefuls who failed to qualify for the Futurity. Daddys Blushing broke alertly in the Juvenile and dueled for the early lead under Francisco Calderon. Racing into a strong headwind, he battled the length of the lane and prevailed by a neck at the finish, stopping the timer in :16.843. The final time earned a 93 speed index.
It was the second straight win for the undefeated 2 year old who broke his maiden wire-to-wire in
the April 7 trials. Daddys Blushing took home the $14,508 winner’s share of the purse for owner Gary Hartstack, bringing the gelding’s lifetime earnings to $16,308.
Daddys Blushing was bred in New Mexico by MJ Farms out of unraced Sandy June Bug. She has produced 100% money earners from 11 starters, including graded stakes winner/top earner Junior
June Bug and stakes winner Hedge Fund. Bard
also saddled the runner-up Just Another Natural (Furyofthewind-La Natural Rona) who just missed under L. Martinez. T.C. Flack owns the brown filly.
Mi Rey Cartel (The Louisiana Cartel-Behold Those Eyes) and Juan Garcia Jr. finished third. Jose Estrada and Paul Lozolla own the Texas-bred gelding who is conditioned by Miguel Medina.
Krash N Diamonds (Krash Cartel-Ellas Hero), Thecartelofmiracle (Tough And Good-Its Jess A Miracle), Eye B Dashing (One Dashing Eagle-Little Eye Opener), Mystical Jess (Apollitical Jess-Traffic Juana), Prison Break Pilsner (FDD Dynasty-Lady Knockout), Coronarita Blue (Fantastic Corona Jr-RC Shake Em Blue) & Raise Sweet (One Sweet Jess- Raise Awareness) completed the field.
Merial Sam Houston Distaff Chal.
BROOKSIDE
by John Moorehouse
For the second straight year, trainer Leon Bard and jockey Francisco Calderon proved to be a winning combination in the Merial Sam Houston Distaff
Challenge. This time, they teamed up to put Brookside in the winner’s circle in the running of the $28,440 stakes event at Sam Houston Race Park on April 22.
Brookside broke on top from the outside gate and led at every call. The filly held a strong drive to finish a neck in front for a wire-to-wire victory, stopping the clock in :19.546 and earning a career best 110 speed index. Owner/breeder Linda Loftis Tobias cashed a $12,798 payday that improved the filly’s total earn- ings to $39,748. This race marked the 2017 debut for Brookside, who punched her ticket for the $105,000 Merial Distaff Challenge Championship-G1 that will be held Oct. 14 at Prairie Meadows. The win marked her first victory in stakes company and fifth in nine overall starts. She also finished third in the 2016 Retama Park Derby Challenge and was that year’s Texas Hi-Point 3-Year-Old Filly.
Brookside is out of 2-time winner I Fly American. She has produced 100% winners/ROM from two starters. Brookside is her first stakes winner.
Barefoot Beach (Ivory James-Babe On The Beach) was a strong second under Rodrigo Vallejo for owner Samuel Martinez and trainer Judd Kearl. HR Chatter Wagon (PYC Paint Your Wagon-Excessive Chatter TB) finished third with Manuel Gutierrez aboard for owner Q&S Racing and trainer Rolando Almanza.
The remaining order of finish was Zenergetic (Dominyun-Zenergy), Mary Me Anna (Game Patriot-Romancing Mary), Whosgonegirl (One Sweet Jess-Whosleaving Corona), Million Dollar Kiss (Jess Louisiana Blue-Stoli Kiss), Phoebesdynasty (FDD Dynasty-My Special Phoebe), SR Esmeralda (Red Storm Cat-Lets Get Fiscal), Dynasty Of Habits (FDD Dynasty-One More Habit) & Shyza Miracle (Eyesa Special-Rebellious Boots). Peyton Sawyer scratched.
Zoetis Sam Houston Dist. Chal.
STOLIS PRO
by John Moorehouse
Going the distance reaped rewards for Stolis Pro as the six-year-old gelding won the $18,900 Zoetis Sam Houston Distance Challenge at Sam
Houston Race Park on April 15.
Trained by Leon Bard, Stolis Pro broke from the
4-gate in a four-horse field and promptly grabbed the lead, holding a separation of 3-lengths at the first call. Rider Francisco Calderon had the geld- ing in front by a solid 2 1/2-lengths going into the stretch, and Stolis Pro held from there to win by a 2 1/4-length margin.
The veteran gelding completed his latest stakes- winning trip in :45.447 and posted a 102 speed index while notching his seventh overall win in 26 starts. Stolis Pro banked a $10,584 payday that pushed his total bankroll to $71,696.
Stolis Pro previously won last year’s Benny Pennington Memorial, is placed in four additional stakes, and was the 2016
Breeder/owner Jerry Windham also owns Stolis Pro’s dam, graded stakes-placed winner Veva Jean. The All-Time Leading Dam of ROM has produced
15 starters, including World Champion/top earner Stolis Winner, multiple graded stakes winner Stimulus and stakes winner’s Zoomin Winner and Trendi. Her brood has over $3 million in prize money.
EC Cartel (Tinys First Corona-Twayna Too) fin- ished second for owner Alejandra Carrion. The Judd Kearl trainee had Donell Blake aboard. The gelding was coming off a third place finish in the King Rick Rack Stakes.Bet I Make U Famous (One Famous Eagle-Lone Bet) placed third for owners Vernon Harman and Robert Moudy III. Trainer Trey Ellis had Alfonso Lujan up. The gelding was coming off a pair of second place finishes.
The Field Cricket (Lead The Field-Quick Lil Cricket) finished in fourth. Brookstone Dash and Jess Twice Cash scratched.
Sam Houston Race Park • $48,360 330 yards • :16.843 • si 93
Corona Cartel
Big Daddy Cartel
Miss Racy Eyes Blushing Bug
DADDYS BLUSHING, ‘15-g. Sandy June Bug
Sandys Fame
Sam Houston Race Park • $28,440 400 yards • :19.546 • si 110
First Down Dash
Brookstone Bay
BROOKSIDE, ‘13-f.
I Fly American
Le Ritz
American Champ TB Call Me On A High
Sam Houston Race Park • $18,900 870 yards • :45.447 • si 102
Stoli STOLIS PRO, ‘11-g.
Veva Jean
First Down Dash Strawberry Silk Runaway Winner Swing Step Sue
134 SPEEDHORSE, May 2017
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