Page 194 - SPEEDHORSE April 2018

West Texas Derby-G3
WAGON ON FIRE V
by Michael Cusortelli
Asharp break from post 10 helped eighth- fastest qualifier Wagon On Fire V earn his first career stakes victory in the $187,950 Grade 3 West Texas Derby at Sunland Park on March 31.
Ridden by Raul Herrera and aided by a reported 12-mph tail wind, Wagon On Fire V was second from the outside post and quickly took the lead.
The gelding held a head lead throughout the race and finished the contest a neck in front at the wire over Dominate This.
Wagon On Fire V covered the 400 yards in :19.401. The clocking was good for a lifetime- best 93 speed index.
Ricardo Armendariz saddled the homebred gray son of the Corona Cartel stallion PYC Paint Your Wagon for owner Valeriano Racing Stables LLC of Odessa, Texas.
Wagon On Fire V was coming off of a second-place finish, a neck behind Dominate This, in one of seven West Texas Derby trials held on March 9.
Wagon On Fire V made his career debut at Remington Park on March 11, 2017, while winning a 300-yard Oklahoma Futurity-G3 trial. However, he failed to qualify to the $525,050 finals.
All told, the gelding has won two of seven starts, and the $88,337 winner’s share of the West Texas Derby-G3 purse pushed his total bank- roll to $102,981, of which $97,117 has been pocketed this season.
The gelding is one of five
winners from eight starters
produced by Sixy Chamisa.
The 11-year-old daughter of
the Royal Quick Dash stal-
lion Sixes Royal won three stakes from 2009- 10 in the New Mexico Classic Futurity-RG2 at Zia Park and the New Mexico Breeders’ Futurity-RG2 at SunRay Park during her juvenile campaign. The mare also won the 2010 Sunburst Handicap at Sunland Park
as a sophomore, and was a finalist in several additional Graded stakes events.
Dominate This (Dominyun-Valiant Red Vixen) was ridden by Emilio Tapia for owners Angel Hernandez and Jorge Herrera. James J. Gonzales II prepped the Oklahoma-bred sorrel gelding, who ran second in last year’s $46,740 Arizona Quarter Horse Racing Association President’s Open Fall Futurity at Turf Paradise.
Dominate This was also fourth in the 2017 Arizona Quarter Racing Association Futurity, again at Turf Paradise.
He Be Flashy (First Moonflash-Seven Coronas), the 5-2 favorite, finished third, a nose behind Dominate This. The runner- up to A Passion For Flashn
in last year’s $300,000 New Mexico Classic Futurity-RG2
at Zia Park, the sorrel gelding was ridden by Manuel Gutierrez in the West Texas Derby for owners Jack Manning, Beth Cobb, and Diane Norwood. He Be Flashy is conditioned by John M. Cooper.
Jessica Alexandra (Apollitical Jess-Phoebe Wallingford) finished fourth, a half of a length behind Wagon On Fire V, and was followed by Cessna On Fire V (Corona Cartel- Velvette), Estrella Damm (FDD Dynasty- Lawanda Fay), Jess Move You (Apollitical Jess-Gonna Move You, Siximoons (First Moonflash-Stevie Six), Camellia (Apollitical Jess-Corona Kitten), and The Flash Force (First Moonflash-Blazin Force).
Sunland Park $187,950 • 400 yards :19.401 • si 93
Corona Cartel
PYC Paint Your Wagon
Dashin Follies
WAGON ON FIRE V, ‘15, g.
Sixes Royal
Sixy Chamisa
Chicks Chamisa
192 SPEEDHORSE, April 2018
Wagon On Fire V and Raul Herrera drive to the wire for the win in the West Texas Derby-G3.
RACING NEWS
Coady Photography