Page 176 - Speedhorse October 2018

La Fiesta Futurity
FASTER THEN U
by Michael Cusortelli
During his short career, Faster Then U
has proven himself to be a horse for the Albuquerque Downs course, as the brown geld-
ing maintained his perfect record at the track with a dominating victory in the 400-yard La Fiesta Futurity on Sept. 23.
Ridden by Alonso Rivera for the New Waverly, Texas-based Faster Then U Partnership, Faster Then U defeated Taking The Stage by 1-length in :19.512.
Jimmy Padgett prepped the gelding, who earned his first stakes victory and the $128,288 winner’s share of the $256,577 purse.
Faster Then U won all three of his starts during the Albuquerque meet, which ended on Sept. 23.
He began his Albuquerque season with a 1-length victory as the 4-5 favorite in a 350- yard $16,000 maiden-special-weight dash on July 29.
Six weeks later, Faster Then U posted the fastest qualifying time when he won the second of four 400-yard La Fiesta Futurity trials wire-to-wire by a clear 2 1/4-lengths in :19.522.
A $70,000 purchase at last year’s Heritage Place Yearling Sale in Oklahoma City, the geld- ing was bred in Oklahoma by Brian L. Gunder of Lewisburg, Ohio.
“Judd Kearl and my wife, Belinda, looked at this horse at the Heritage Place Sale. They picked him out,” said Edmar Paredes, representing the Faster Then U Partners.
“My brother Willie wasn’t at the sale, but he looked at the catalog and suggested
to us that we take a look at him,” Paredes continued.
“As it turned out, Belinda had already spotted him. Everything just clicked.”
Raced exclusively in New
Mexico, Faster Then U has now won three of five races and has banked $142,128.
After the race, Paredes indicated that the gelding would make his next start in the 400- yard Texas Classic Futurity-G1 trials at Lone Star Park on Oct. 20.
“He proved here that he can win going 400 yards,” Paredes added. “We’re very happy with that.”
Faster Then U is out of Send Me The Candy, a daughter of the First
Down Dash stallion Leaving Memories. The mare had a short career on the track, but won the 1996 Remington Park Futurity-G1. A ’94
foal, Send Me The Candy has produced 18 winners from 28 starters, including three other stakes winners topped by three-time Grade 3 winner and 2001 Rainbow Futurity-G1 finalist This Candys Special, and Send Me A Candy Tree, winner of the 440-yard Southwest Juvenile
Championship-G1 at Zia Park in 2011. Faster Then U’s second dam, Send Me
Candy, was a winning and stakes-placed daughter of 1974 World Champion Tiny’s Gay. A ’79 foal, Send Me Candy produced three stakes winners, including Send The
The Downs at Albuquerque $256,577 • 400 yards :19.512 • si 92
Mr Jess Perry
Ivory James
Dividends Declared
FASTER THEN U, ‘16, g.
Leaving Memories
Send Me The Candy
Send Me Candy
174 SPEEDHORSE, October 2018
Faster Then U and Alonso Rivera receive every call winning the La Fiesta Futurity
RACING NEWS
Coady Photography