Page 140 - May 2018 Speedhorse

BOA TUP Champ. Chal.
FITZ
by John Moorehouse
Turf Paradise has been good to Fitz throughout his competitive career, and that trend continued April 29 in the $46,980 Bank of America Turf Paradise Championship Challenge. Under Jospeh Belloc Jr., the gelding broke well and built a 1/2-length advan- tage by the first call. He maintained that lead going into the stretch and widened the gap late to win by 3/4-length. Fitz covered the 440 yards in :21.649 for a 102 speed index. The victory produced a $21,611 payday for trainer Rigoberto Guillen that improved Fitz’s total earnings to $67,122.
With his win, the four-year-old gelding qualified for the Bank of America Challenge Championship, which takes place Nov. 17 at Los Alamitos.
Owned by Yuriana Ramirez, Fitz now has five wins in 18 career outs, and four of those triumphs have come at Turf Paradise, where the gelding also tallied his only other stakes victory in last year’s run- ning of the AQRA Turf Paradise Derby.
Double Bar S Ranch, LLC bred Fitz out of graded stakes placed Dividends Declared. She has produced 100% money earners from nine starters, including top money earner and Grade 1 stakes winner and leading sire High Rate Of Return. Fitz is her third stakes winner.
Arizona Icon (Texas Icon-Jess Perfect Girl) and Luis Yescas Jr. finished second for owner Las Vegas Ranch and trainer Ralph Fales.
Orlando Guerrero’s Fighter Gone Wild (Fighter On Fire-Wanna Know Now) took third place under Emilio Tapia for trainer Ubaldo Guerrero.
Jess A Cowboy (Dejon-Secret Return), Imperial Eagle (One Famous Eagle-Jenuine Joy), May Be Fantastic SA (Fantastic Corona Jr-Darlin Tres), Movin the Doe (Maknmoves-Bundle Doe) and I V Gone (Ivory James-Bye Bye Bygones) completed the order of finish. Dauns First Desirio and Mr Dynasty were scratched.
Desert Classic Futurity
SASSY KRYSTAL
by Danny Camp
Sassy Krystal scored her first stakes win in the $55,290 Desert Classic Futurity at Turf Paradise on April 29 after finishing second in her first start in the April 8 trials for the third fastest qualifying time. With Emilio Tapia aboard, the filly had to overcome some issues when she was bumped at the start as she broke mid-pack from the 5-post. Once she was able to find her footing, she gained ground quickly and crossed the wire 1/2-length in front. The team stopped the timer in :15.902, posting an 82 speed index.
Sassy Krystal brought home the $27,645 winner’s share of the purse for owner/trainer Ricardo Ramirez, boosting her total lifetime earnings to $28,233. Bollenbach Farms LP bred Sassy Krystal out of Sassy Corona who earned over $125,000, win-
ning seven races from 16 starts, including the Miss Princess Handicap-G3, Fullerton Stakes, Pocahontas Handicap and First Place Queen Handicap. She has produced 100% money earners from 12 starters, six of which are winners, including Valiant Chic, Sassy Wave and Klassy Sassy, who is her top money earner. Sassy Krystal is her first stakes winner.
Rodrigo Aceves rode Redneck Woman (Texas Icon-Secret Return) to a second place finish for own- ers Carolyn & Ralph Fales, who also trains the filly. Mark Jasso and Bonoforbernal (Brace For Bernal-No Sign Of Bono) finished in third place. The colt is owned by Efrain Valenzuela and trained by Benito Guillen Vega.
Curious George Jr (Jesse James Jr-Cute N Rimen), Shez Ifs (Valiant Hero-Monti Rose), Whiskey Quicker (Jesse James Jr-Watchin The Rain), Nicos First Cartel (First Prize Perry-Cartel Moon), First Shining Chick (Shining First Dash-A Tempting Chick) and Just Cuz (Texas Icon-Cuz I Say So) completed the order of finish. Jess Pure Class was scratched.
AQHA TUP Distance Chal.
RARE ED
by Tracy Gantz
Third in the Zoetis Turf Paradise Distance Championship Challenge the past two years, Rare Ed succeeded this year in a gritty performance over 3-time winner Mickey Ward in the $17,460 event on April 29.
Mickey Ward, who won the race in 2015, 2016 and 2017, was the huge favorite at 1-10 for this year’s renewal. That gelding vied for the lead early in the 870-yard event with Hes A Bugin. Rare Ed, ridden by Justine Klaiber, came three wide entering the stretch and got up just in time to defeat Mickey Ward by a neck in :46.405 for an 81 speed index. The $9,079 winner’s share of the purse boosted his total lifetime earning to $124,442 and he now has a race record of 35-7(3)-9-7(3).
Roddina Barrett trains Rare Ed for owners Angel Villalobos-Hernandez and Jose Marin. A seven-year-old gelding, Rare Ed previously won the 2016 Zoetis Distance Challenge Championship-G1 at Los Alamitos and 2017 Zoetis Emerald Downs Distance Challenge. He also finished third in the 2017 Zoetis Distance Challenge Championship-G1 at Prairie Meadows.
Ronald Martin bred Rare Ed out of 2-time winner Ms Corona Jet. She has produced 100% money earners from six starters, including Lil Sharky, who finished third in the 2011 Los Alamitos Juvenile Challenge. Rare Ed is her first stakes winner and top money earner.
Ralph Fales trains runner-up Mickey Ward (FDD Dynasty-A Mere Formality) and owns and bred him with his wife, Carolyn. Scott Stevens rode the gelding.
Barrett also trains Hes A Bugin (Sixthirteen TB-Missy Nickle Bac), who finished in third place under jockey Francisco Monroy aboard for owner Roberto Madrigal.
A Mere Icon (Texas Icon-A Mere Formality) finished fourth, followed by Eyes Blue Byou (Jess Louisiana Blue-Miss Racy Eyes).
Turf Paradise • $46,980 440 yards • :21.649 • si 102
Streakin La Jolla
Scoopie Fein
First Down Dash
Dividends Declared
Mr Jess Perry
FITZ, ‘14-g.
Easy Henryetta
Turf Paradise • $55,290 300 yards • :15.902 • si 82
Heza Fast Man
Heza Fast Dash
SASSY KRYSTAL, ‘16-f. Sassy Corona
First Prize Dash Corona Cartel
Wallstreet Darlin
Turf Paradise • $17,460 870 yards • :46.405 • si 81
Dean Miracle RARE ED, ‘11-g.
Streakin Six
Our Third Delight Corona Cartel
Ms Corona Jet
Tourjete
138 SPEEDHORSE, May 2018
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