Page 188 - SPEEDHORSE April 2018

Oklahoma Derby-G3
LA VENCEDORA
by John Moorehouse
In eight starts and just more than a year as a competitor, La Vencedora has won two of the most lucrative stakes races in the state of
Oklahoma and accumulated a total bankroll of more than half a million dollars.
What’s the secret of the three-year-old filly’s success?
“I don’t have any idea. Luck?” said owner Terry McClean of Good Memories LLC. “Sometimes you just get one.”
Good Memories LLC certainly has a
good one in this sophomore filly. She has
now reached the winner’s circle five times in eight outs. Her career record includes a win in last season’s running of the Remington Park Oklahoma Bred Futurity-RG2 and a second place finish in the 2017 Governor’s Stakes
in Indiana. This victory, which produced a $87,200 payday, improved the cumulative earnings of La Vencedora to $504,196. That’s quite the return on a horse who went for $16,000 at the 2016 Heritage Place Sale.
Amanda Tongay trains La Vencedora, who made a driving finish en route to her second stakes victory. Facing odds of approxi- mately 7-2 at post time, the filly broke from the 2-post in the middle of the pack, moved her way up to third at the first call and
led by 1/2-length going into the stretch.
La Vencedora held on to win by that same
margin, covering the 350 yards in :17.419 for a 93 speed index.
“I think she has a lot of talent,” McClean said, adding the upcom-
ing schedule for her prize
filly remains up in the air.
“With fillies, you don’t really know if they’re going to come back as three year olds, once the boys mature. It was kind of a happy surprise. Now I have to take time to talk to the trainer and figure out where we want to aim her.”
James Flores was aboard La Vencedora and has rid- den the filly in each of her eight starts.
“They’re the ones that do the work,” McClean said of Tongay and Flores. “You have to give it to them.”
“She’s definitely an honest horse,” said Flores, who was interviewed as part of a press release sent out by the track. “Every time I ride her, she gives 100, 110 percent. As a rider, that’s a good feeling to get on that kind of horse. She broke about half-a-side off the three (Defender One), who out-broke me. As soon as she spot- ted him, she made a big run. I hustled her
down the lane and she just ran her heart out.” Bobby Cox bred La Vencedora out of
winner Jess Shakem. She has produced 100% money earners from 12 starters, including graded stakes winner
and New Track Record setter Jumpn Shake. La Vencedora is her second stakes winner and her top earner.
Sugars First Love (Tempting Dash-Loves Brown Sugar) and jockey Ricky Ramirez ran second for owners Randy & Sandy Coleman and trainer Trey Wood.
Onewickedchick (Chicks Regard-Wicked Seis) was third under Cesar Gomez for owner Francisco Vega and trainer
Manuel Almanza.
Dashing Sashay (One Dashing Eagle-
Sashay Hot), HTR Miamor Tequilla (Heart
of the Cartel-Sheila Tequilla), Curls Happy Wagon (PYC Paint Your Wagon-Eye A Spit Curl Girl), Defender One (Apollitical Jess-One Slick Cookie), PYC Fun N Fancy (PYC Paint Your Wagon-First Prize Fancy) and Little Kool Corona (Corona Cartel-Little Kool Barbie) completed the order of finish. Apollitical Cyclone scratched.
Remington Park $218,000 • 350 yards :17.419 • si 93
Corona Cartel
Ivory James
Dashin Follies
LA VENCEDORA, ‘15-f.
Mr Jess Perry
Jess Shakem
Shake Em Six
186 SPEEDHORSE, April 2018
La Vencedora & James Flores win the $218,000 Oklahoma Derby by 1/2-length
RACING NEWS
Beau Brand, Dustin Orona Photography