Page 144 - June 2018 Speedhorse

Speedhorse Graham Paint & Appaloosa Futurity-G1
MEMORIES OF LIL HERO
by John Moorehouse
Under the banner of Levings Racing LLC, Brian Levings started running Paints, Quarter Horses and Thoroughbreds com-
petitively four or five years ago. It’s been a humbling experience so far, but Levings scored what he called the biggest win of his time in racing, courtesy of Memories Of Lil Hero. The rookie gelding ran away with victory in the $254,300 Speedhorse Graham Paint & Appaloosa Futurity-G1 at Remington Park on June 2.
“It goes right up to the top of any racing experience I’ve had so far,” Levings said. “I’ve had a lot of bad luck really in racing and kind of got off on the wrong foot, but steadily get- ting better and for sure this is the pinnacle so far of my racing experience.”
Once he saw his promising young gelding make a solid break emerging from the 6-post, “I knew the race was over.” Memories Of Lil Hero opened up a 1-length lead by the first call after breaking third and maintained that advantage going into the stretch, and then pulled away to win by a 1 1/4-length margin.
Rick Robinson trains Memories Of Lil Hero, who finished his 350-yard trip in :17.389 to log a 94 speed index and notch his first-ever victory in stakes company, while also bringing home a $96,634 payday that
pushed his career bankroll
into six figures at $120,221.
Cody Jensen rode Memories
Of Lil Hero, who won his
May 19 trial in :17.839 despite
what Levings described as
another subpar break.
“Rick is fantastic.
Probably one of the best
horsemen I’ve ever seen, as
far as how he takes care of
the horse and he’s so hands-
on,” Levings said. “Cody
Jensen, I can’t say enough
about him. He’s the best there is, so that’s why he was riding that horse. I actually got him to fly in just to ride a Paint. It was special. Cody’s a good friend of mine, and it was real special to put it all together and have him be the one that got the win.”
Jensen won the Speedhorse Graham Paint & Appaloosa Futurity for the second time in his career; he triumphed in the 2010 version aboard Girls Got Grip APHA.
Levings bought Memories Of Lil Hero as a weanling. The gelding already has been to the winner’s circle three times in four career starts.
“He’s been great. Every jockey who’s ever worked him, everyone who’s ever gal- loped him in the morning ... he just has issues with break- ing,” Levings noted. “He just doesn’t want to break. He finally broke this weekend and just ran away with it.”
Memories Of Lil Hero’s time also set a stakes record for the Speedhorse
Graham Paint & Appaloosa Futurity.
Buddy Albin bred Memories Of Lil Hero
out of lightly raced Memories Of Texas APHA. She has produced 100% winners from three starters, including World Champion/2-Time
Remington Park $254,300 • 350 yards :17.389 • si 94
PYC Paint Your Wagon QH
Little PYC
Mini Melt
MEMORIES OF LIL HERO APHA, 16-g.
Texas Hero
Memories Of Texas
Savona QH
Memories Of Lil Hero & Cody Jensen drew away for a 1 1/4-length win in the $254,300 Speedhorse Graham Paint & Appaloosa Futurity-G1
142 SPEEDHORSE, June 2018
RACING NEWS
Dustin Orona Photography