Page 35 - September_2023

Fly Baby Fly’s jockey Jose Alvarez and trainer Jimmy Padgett celebrating their All American Futurity win.
SPEEDLINES
SPEEDHORSE September 2023 33
was ruled ineligible because of being placed on the stewards list for a positive drug test. This allowed Dash For Stone
to come into the finals. He had the sixth fastest time in the first day of the trials. He was second to Mr Secret Glory in trial #14 with a time of :21.876.
Bigg Daddy, winner of the Zia Futurity-RG1 was tabbed as the favorite based on his being the fastest qualifier. This was despite the success of Uptown Dynasty in the first leg of the All American Triple Crown. When the
gates opened, Bigg Daddy broke on top and was called as the leader. Fly Baby Fly broke right next to Bigg Daddy.
She was a little tardy but as the race progressed, she burst into the lead about halfway down the track. She won the race by 1 1/2-lengths over Bigg Daddy, who was second with Hotstepper third. She covered the 440 yards in a time of
:21.492 with Jose Alvarez in the saddle. She was trained for this race by James Padgett II. The rest of the field crossed the finish line in the following order with Hes Limitless fourth, Mr Secret Glory fifth, Uptown Dynasty sixth, Shakem Bye Perry seventh, Hawkeye eighth, Dash For Stone ninth and Believe Me Irene tenth. Fly Baby Fly ended the year with five starts with three wins, one third and earnings
of $1,585,200.
Fly Baby Fly made six more starts
at three with her best showing a second
in the All American Derby-G1 behind Hotstepper. She was third in her trial for the Rainbow Derby and then she was a finalist in the Corona Cartel Invitational Derby. She left the track with a record of 11 starts, three wins, two seconds and two thirds earning $1,813,957.
The next stop for Fly Baby Fly was the
broodmare band. To date, she has seven foals with four starters and three ROM with earnings of $30,588. Her biggest money earner to date is You Fly Baby Fly with earnings of $16,753 and he was a finalist in the Heartland Futurity.
Fly Baby Fly was pointed to the
All American Futurity when she started her race career. She got better as the distance got longer until she became a true 440 horse. She showed her class in the
All American Futurity-G1, fulfilling the All American Dream for the Fly Baby Fly partnership of Bennie and Terri Jeter and Dena Todd, as well as for trainer James Padgett and jockey Jose Alvarez.
I wonder who in 2023 will make our list of winners for a look back at the All American Futurity. Just think, somebody is going to fulfill the
All American Dream! That is what makes it so exciting.
© Linda Earley, Speedhorse