Page 164 - August 2019

Firecracker Futurity-G2
EXPEDYTE
by John Moorehouse
Expedyte continued the undefeated start to his racing career and logged his fourth overall victory and second in
stakes company, outrunning the field in the $308,335 Firecracker Futurity-G2 held on Independence Day at Delta Downs.
After winning his June 8 trial wire-to-wire and logging the third-fastest qualifying time, Expedyte was the fastest in the field for his second career futurity win. The brown colt broke on top from the 5-gate and was lead- ing by a head at the first call. Expedyte and Recognize dueled for the lead for most of the race. Recognize led by a head going into the stretch, but Expedyte proved best down the stretch, hitting the wire first by a nose.
Jockey Jesse Levario was aboard for the stakes-winning trip, which was completed in :17.464 for a 94 speed index over a fast track. There was no discernible wind.
“The horse was standing good and he broke solid,” Levario told stallionesearch.com in a video interview conducted after the race.
“About 200 yards, he kinda goofed off and when I started getting on after him to make him go, he just finished, pinned his ears back and finished the race.”
Raedele Phipps owns Expedyte, and thus far the two-year-old colt has been a fantastic
competitor. Expedyte improved to 4-0 in as
many starts and claimed a $154,167 payday that expo- nentially increased his life- time bankroll to $173,358. He already held black type, capturing the Sam Houston Juvenile in May as part of his undefeated career.
Josue Ponce, Expedyte’s
trainer, told stallionesearch.
com that the gelding’s con-
nections had high hopes heading into the Firecracker Futurity.
“We knew this horse was good,” Ponce said. “Throughout the month, from trials to finals, we didn’t have much trouble with him. Just being a stud, we had to take care of him, not being around fillies and mares . . . we knew we had a good horse. It was just a matter of a good break out of the gates.”
Bobby D. Cox bred Expedyte, who was foaled in Texas. Cox home-bred Expedyte’s dam, Shazumba, a winning mare who was fourth in the 2015 Dana Point Handicap. Expedyte is the first stakes winner from
two starters out of Shazumba, dam of 100% money/ROM earners. Shazumba’s dam is All
About Ease, a former winner of the Ruidoso Futurity-G1 and a producer of Grade 1 winners herself.
Trial winner Recognize (Coronas Leaving You-Fovee) finished a close second for owner Jose H. Rodriguez and trainer Wendy Garcia. Modesto Pina drew the rid- ing assignment.
Another Ponce trainee, A Painted Dynasty, hit the
board in third place. A Painted Dynasty (FDD Dynasty-Third Painted Sign) is owned by David Gutierrez and had Victor Urieta Jr. in the irons. A Painted Dynasty, the post-time favorite and fastest qualifier, was third in the Sam Houston Futurity-G2.
Doc Hockaday (Kiss My Hocks-Deans Dusty Bunny), Lovethewayyourun (One Dashing Eagle-Duplicate Check), Jess Kool
It (Kool Wagon-Jessfeaturethischick), Hes
El Martillo (Hes Relentless-Fire Burning), former stakes winner Big Daddy Jewel (Big Daddy Cartel-Jewels Fortune), Apolitical Xpression (Freighttrain B-Apolitical Pac) and A Game For Jess (Game Patriot-Jess Caroline) completed the field.
Delta Downs $308,335 • 350 yards :17.464 • si 94
PYC Paint Your Wagon
Freighttrain B
Dianetogetcha
EXPEDYTE, ‘17-c.
Shazoom
Shazumba
All About Ease
162 SPEEDHORSE, August 2019
Expedyte and Jesse Levario receive every call winning the $308,335 Firecracker Futurity-G2 at Delta Downs
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Coady Photography