Page 162 - May_2023

RACING NEWS
New Mexican Spring Fling
BIGG SHADES OF GRAY
Iby John Moorehouse
t was a family affair in the New Mexican Spring
Fling. Led by winner Bigg Shades Of Gray, the three top finshers in the $50,000 stakes held April 1 at Sunland Park were bred by MJ Farms and had the same sire, Eye Am King.
A two-year-old gelding, Bigg Shades Of Gray scored his first win in his second career start. He fin- ished second in his New Mexico Spring Futurity trial with a :15.573 run in the 300-yard qualifier ranking ninth among the 10 stakes finalists in the Spring Fling.
There was no stopping Bigg Shades Of Gray in the stakes final. The gelding broke on top from the 7-gate, led by a head going into the stretch, then maintained his position to cross the finish line first by a neck.
Marcelino Gonzalez and Super Champion Inc.
own Bigg Shades Of Gray, who captured a $23,750 payday that pushed his total earnings to $25,530. Eric Valenzuela is the trainer and Emilio Tapia was the jockey.
MJ Farms bred Bigg Shades Of Gray and owns his dam, Bigg Alice, a 2014 mare who is a half-sister to AQHA Champion Astica.
Marisma (Eye Am King-Donelli) made a game run for second for owners Sebastian Gonzales and Nove Racing LLC. Trained by James Gonzales III, the filly had Sergio Becerra Jr. in the irons. Bordeaux (Eye Am King-Bridgette Boardeaux), the biggest longshot in the field at almost 28-1 odds, hit the board in third for owner Adelita Lopez and trainer Ebert Munoz. Alejandro Medina had the riding assignment.
Followed by Jets First Prize FMF (Jet Black Patriot-First Prize Mine), Eye Wanna Pizza You (Eye Am King-Betweenthedevilandme), Hide My Wine (Big Daddy Cartel-Tangled Vines), KJ Hardtookiss Two (Big Daddy Cartel-Hardtokiss), JLB Fireball (Jet Black Patriot-GW Tiny Tiger), and Margaret River (Corona Surfer-It’s Sarurday Nite), who was disqualified from eighth to ninth. Wish For A King was scratched.
BOCO Stakes
JESS B ONE
Jby Danny Camp
ess B One scored his second stakes victory in the
$45,500 BOCO Stakes at Sandy Ridge at The Red Mile on April 6.
Ridden by Jorge Torres, the gelding broke on top from the 1-post and was never headed. Jess B One crossed the wire 1/2-length in front, completing the 300 yards in :15.662, which is a New Track Record.
Trained by Clinton Crawford, the gelding secured the $27,000 winner’s share of the purse for owner Gene Cox, boosting his total bankroll to $255,286.
Homer Hill bred Jess B One out of multiple winner Jess B Mighty, winner of the 2010 Oklahoma Bred Derby and Miss Olene Handicap. She has pro- duced seven winners from eight starters, including top earner B Leaving, winner of the 2022 Mr Master Bug Stakes-RG3, Evangeline Downs Derby and Ruidoso Downs Derby Challenge. Jess B One is her second stakes winner.
The gelding was bred in Oklahoma by Homer A Hill out of Jess B Mighty, an ROM earner with a little over $63,000 banked in her running days. She has produced 13 foals. B Leaving is her best product.
Hallmarke (Duponte-Zenergy) was coming off of a five win streak and had to settle for second for owner Laney Fowler. Trained by Justin Powell, the filly was ridden by Gilbert Ortiz. She most recently won the Cherokee Stakes just five days earlier.
High Rolling Seize (Seize The Win-Crossing
The Brazos) finished third under Shanley Jackson
for owner Glenn Graff and trainer by Matt Frazier. The gelding won the 2021 QHRAI Stallion Service Auction Futurity, was second in the 2021 Gordon Mobley Futurity and third in last year’s Sterlie Bertram Memorial and Horseshoe Indianapolis Stakes.
AJK Enthusiasm (Mo Zoomo-Fetching Beauty), A Seperatist V (Separatist-Velvette) and The Artful Dodger (High Rate Of Return-Shanachee) completed the order of finish. TF Mr Jess Candy was scratched.
AQRA Presidents Spring Derby
GRACIOUS LACEE
Mby John Moorehouse
aking her second start at Turf Paradise, Gracious
Lacee recorded the second stakes victory of her career on April 21, prevailing by a 1/2-length in the $74,328 AQRA Presidents Spring Derby.
Gracious Lacee entered the 350-yard race at just under 2-1 odds after posting the top qualifying time, finishing her trial in :17.349. The filly wasn’t quite that fast in the stakes final, but still had plenty of speed to beat the rest of this 10-horse field. Gracious Lacee broke on top from the No. 7 gate and led at every call.
Trainer Lillian Silva did the prep work and Ricky Ramirez was in the irons as Gracious Lacee finished the derby in :17.675, posting a 97 speed index. Both of Gracious Lacee’s victories in stakes company have come on the Arizona circuit. She also won last year’s running of the Arizona Downs Futurity consolation.
Overall, Gracious Lacee now holds four victories in eight outs, and the $37,164 prize from this event nearly doubled the three-year-old brown filly’s life- time earnings to $67,776.
Edward F. Wilson and Joey Martinez own Gracious Lacee. Wilson also bred the filly with Luis Silva out of Miss Cee C Cash, a 2-time winner.
Cowboy Bar Cartel (Five Bar Cartel-Oh So Sweet N Simple), a 42-1 underdog, finished second by a neck for owner/trainer Juvencio Canales. Jorge Ayon-Quevedo had the riding assignment.
Whiskey Wes (Panama Wes-Maur Bug) placed third for Andrea Canales. The Adolfo Armendariz Celaya trainee had Kevin Carbajal aboard.
Rounding out the order of finish: Hes Jess Relentless (Hes Relentless-Dash And Sass) was fourth, followed by Hotte Shotte (Carters Cartel-Sinuous), The Rev Rocker (A Revenant-Mitey Moon), Itz Goin Down (KVN Corona-High Valley Girl), Counter Attack (Ely Thru The Fire-Attack The Cartel), Chica Dinastia (FDD Dynasty-Cartel Chica), and Miss Racy Seis (Tres Seis-Miss Racy Runaway).
160 SPEEDHORSE May 2023
Coady Photography
Coady Photography
Coady Photography
Turf Paradise • $74,328
350 yards • :17.675 • SI 97
Volcom GRACIOUS LACEE, ‘20-f.
First Down Dash
Runaway Vike
Mr Corona Cash
Miss Cee C Cash
Reckless Go Cee
Sunland Park • $50,000
300 yards • :15.557 • SI 85
Mr Jess Perry
Eye For Corona
BIGG SHADES OF GRAY, ‘21-g.
Big Daddy Cartel
Bigg Alice
Eye Am King
Alice K White
Sandy Ridge at Red Mile • $45,500
300 yards • :15.662 • SI 87
Corona Cartel
PYC Paint Your Wagon
JESS B ONE, ‘17-g.
Jess B Mighty
Dashin Follies Mr Jess Perry
Mighty B Doll