Page 157 - May_2023

New Mexico Breeders’ Stakes-RG3
FORREST EFFORT
by Michael Compton
Forrest Effort scored the biggest win of his career and notched his first stakes victory with a front-running score in the $100,000 New Mexico
Breeders’ Stakes-RG3 at SunRay Park on April 7. Ridden by Alfredo Sigala, Forrest Effort poked
a head in front of the field of 10 shortly after
the start of the 400-yard event. Despite pressure throughout, Forrest Effort shrugged off all chal- lengers through the lane and defeated Jesses Wish by a neck at the finish. In recording the initial stakes win of his career, Forrest
Effort stopped the timer in
:19.785 over the fast track,
earning a 95 speed index.
Owned by Emily and Nathalie Chavez and trained by Omar Vargas, Forrest Effort is now a winner in three of seven lifetime starts, and the $60,000 winner’s share of the purse increased his bankroll to $113,649.
It was the first win in three starts this season for the
Mardi Gras Oaks
sorrel gelding, who prior to the New Mexico Breeders’ Stakes finished third in a 440-
yard allowance race. The bay gelding broke his maiden at Zia Park in his third career start last November after being placed first through a disqualification after crossing the finish in second. He made it consecutive wins after taking a Zia Park allowance in his next start last December.
Bred in New Mexico by Carlos Paez and Israel Bordier, Forrest Effort
is produced from the winning mare Runaway Leonarda.
Runner-up Jesses Wish (Jesse James Jr-Wish You Had One To), piloted by Christian Ramos, just missed after pressing the winner throughout for owners Javier Chavez and Heysol Howlet and trainer Jose DeHerrera. The bay gelding was bred in New Mexico by MJ Farms, and he captured last year’s
New Mexican Spring Futurity-RG2 in just his second lifetime start.
Mires A La Luna (First Moonflash-Don’t Looke Ethel) rallied to finish third under jockey Sergio Becerra Jr. The gelding is a homebred for Byron Woodard and is trained by Ebert Munoz. The graded stakes-placed gelding is a winner in 1 of 4 starts in 2023, and earlier this year was 4th in the Shuefly Stakes-G2 in January. Last season, he was 3rd in the New Mexico Classic Juvenile.
Wahine (Corona Surfer-Strawflinfire), Stinky Feet (TF Featured Effort-Reckless Lane), RC Heza Flashn Dream (A Passion For Flashin-Dreaming Tree), Dash Flash (First Moonflash-PT Feature Dash), Fine Am Eye (Eye Am King-Starsmith), Jess Trigger (Jess Another Perry-Snow Lynn), and Sol a Tare (Big Daddy Cartel-Diamondia) completed the order of finish.
WILD TRAIN FORTUNE
by Michael Cusortelli
A31-1 longshot in a full field of 10 state-bred 3-year-old fillies, tenth-fastest qualifier Wild Train Fortune won the $104,708 Mardi Gras Oaks at Louisiana Downs on April 1.
Wild Train Fortune went 400 yards in :20.008 while aided by a reported 10-mph tail wind, and her margin of victory was a neck over fastest qualifier and 2-1 favorite Todalu My Darlin. Benito Baca rode Wild Train Fortune for owners Riley Blanchett and Rodney Verret.
Wild Train Fortune was bred by Riley Blanchet, and she made her season debut with a sixth-place finish in the first of two Mardi Gras Oaks trials on March 11.
“This mare can run,” said trainer Kenneth Roberts Sr. “She lost all chance in her trial when a horse acted up in the gates. She turned to look at him and pretty much got left. I knew that if she got away clean (today), she had a chance.”
Wild Train Fortune is out of Cartels Fortune, a multiple stakes winning and graded stakes placed 12-year-old daughter
of Champion Carters Cartel. Her second dam, the First Down Jewel mare Jewels Fortune, won the 2002 Louisiana Champions Day Juvenile Stakes-RG2 and 2003 Louisiana Champions Day Derby-RG2.
Wild Train Fortune was coming off of a juvenile campaign during which she earned $30,630 from seven race,
including the $30,000 LQHBA Sale Debutante Stakes at Delta Downs. All told, she has won three of nine starts, and the $47,119 winner’s share of this purse from her second lifetime stakes score pushed her bank- roll to $77,749.
Roberts said that Wild Train Fortune would be pointed to the June 21 trials for the inaugural $75,000- added Delta Downs Oaks.
Todalu My Darlin (You Drive I Fly-Royal Quick Jo Z) was coming off of a 1-length victory in the second Mardi Gras Oaks trial. For her runner-up run in the final, she earned $17,800 for her owner, Derrick Ferguson. Eleazar Hernandez rode Todalu My Darlin for trainer Robi Meche.
Party Tyme (Five Bar Cartel-Dashin Kate Perry) ran third and pocketed $10,471 for her owner Jerry Deville Jr. Everardo Rodriguez rode the filly for trainer Jose R. Espinosa.
Jeg Fascination (Freighttrain B-Ja Fascination), African Queen (Dashin Mvp-I Special Too), Jes Winnin Cartel (Five Bar Cartel-Jes Winnin), Kool Kue Baby Blue
(Jess Louisiana Blue-Baby Azoom), Ttt Lilblackstreak (Ivan James-Maxed Out Streaker), Pretty Piloto (Mr Piloto-Miss Beau Windy), and Jess Siete Cartel (Five Bar Cartel- Mystical Blue) completed the order of finish.
RACING NEWS
SPEEDHORSE May 2023 155
Ann Switalski Photography Coady Photography
SunRay Park
$100,000 • 400 yards :19.785 • SI 95
Feature Mr Jess
TF Featured Effort
Meadow Creeks Effort
FORREST EFFORT, ‘20-g.
Jesse James Jr
Runaway Leonarda
Runawaywithitall
Louisiana Downs
$104,708 • 400 yards :20.008 • SI 94
PYC Paint Your Wagon
Freighttrain B
Dianetogetcha
WILD TRAIN FORTUNE, ‘20-f.
Carters Cartel
Cartels Fortune
Jewels Fortune