Page 80 - 14 September 2012

The Battle of the Breeds Fall Distance Challenge
GrITTAnI-TB
by Michael Compton
Grittani-TB turned the $42,583 Battle of the Breeds Fall Distance Challenge at Fort Erie in Ontario on Sept. 3 into a one-horse show.
Ridden by Terry Husbands, Grittani assumed command at the break of the 870- yard test, quickly opening up a clear advantage. Without even the slightest challenge from
any of his six rivals early, Grittani stretched
his lead to three lengths at the head of the
lane and powered home as
much the best. He rolled to
the wire untested, defeating
Texas Blitz and jockey Kirk
Johnson by a command-
ing 7 1⁄2 lengths in a time of
:44.270 and bettering the
previous :45.110 track record
set by Texas Blitz in 2010.
Grittani, a Stephen G. Johnson colorbearer, relished the return to Fort Erie fol- lowing three unplaced efforts at Woodbine to begin his
season. He was a winner in two of three prior starts at Fort Erie, including a victory under Husbands in the 2011 Battle of the Breeds over a sloppy track. That is the only other
time he has faced Quarter Horses at 870 yards.
Conditioned by Alec Fehr, Grittani has
won five of 16 races in his career. The $18,878 winner’s share of the purse elevated his bankroll to $137,908. The 5-year-old horse was bred in
Ontario by Larry Spindler. Grittani’s dam, Miss
Independence won five of 13 starts and amassed earnings of $120,222 during her career.
Runner-up Texas Blitz-TB (Texas Glitter-I Love to Laugh, by Lost Code) was bred in Florida by Patricia Pasteur and is owned by One More Time Racing Stable and D-Mac Racing Stable Inc. Texas Blitz won the July 2 Battle of the Breeds Challenge
and finished sixth in last year’s version. The 7-year-old gelding is a winner of 10 of 35 starts, including three of his last six.
Crossing the wire in third was race favorite Nice Case-TB (Gold Case-Nicely Nasty, by Defrere), who raced in sixth position early and hit the board with a mild stretch rally under Melanie Pinto. Nice Case is owned by Frederick Nixon and trained by Justin Nixon. The 7-year-old gelding was second in the July 2 Battle of the Breeds behind Texas Blitz.
Checking in behind the top three were
Mi Playa-TB (Werblin-Warm Weather), Attaboy Fly (Fit to Fly-Bugs Jetlark), Black Napkins-TB (Yonaguska-Countess of Mine) and Wasted-TB (Alke-Boston Song). Attaboy Fly was the lone Quarter Horse in the Battle of the Breeds Fall Distance Challenge, having finished fourth in the race last year.
Fort Erie $42,583 • 870 yards :44.270 • si 109 • Ntr
Bold Ruckus
Bold n’Flashy
Flashy Chestnut
GRITTANI-TB, ’07-h.
Regal Search
Miss Independence
Patty’s P.C. Cake
Racing news
Bank of America emerald Downs Championship Challenge
A royAL DervISh
by Michael Compton
Bob and Scott Giltner’s A Royal Dervish overcame a bump at the start to register a half-length score in the $67,320 Bank of
America Emerald Downs Championship Challenge on Sept. 2 at Emerald Downs in Auburn, Wash. Never Marin piloted the Washington-bred to victory in the 440-yard dash, stopping the timer in :21.960. A Royal Dervish finished third in the race last year.
The win earned A Royal Dervish a berth in the $350,000 Bank of America Challenge Championship-G1 at Prairie Meadows in Altoona, Iowa on Oct. 27.
“He got bumped pretty hard at the start, but he just pinned his ears back and kept going,” said Marin through an interpreter. “I knew it would be a close finish, but I was sure we had it won. I can’t wait for the final in Iowa.”
78 SPEEDHORSE, September 14, 2012
Bred by Abigail Kawananakoa, A Royal Dervish is trained by Kurt Calton. The 7-year-old gelding has won 12 of 34 starts and boasts earnings of $129,853. The
stakes veteran won the 2010 Elko County Championship Challenge-G3 in Nevada
and the 2008 Boise Derby. In addition, he finished third in the 2011 Blane Schvaneveldt Handicap-G3 at Los Alamitos. He is the
leading runner produced
by his dam, Three Royal Roses, who was also bred
by Kawananakoa. A
Royal Dervish is sired by Royal Miracle Dip, which Kawananakoa also bred and stands at stud.
“I don’t know how this horse does it, but he puts it together every time,” Calton said. “It’s pretty special for a 7-year-old to keep competing at this level.”
Donald and Beverly Conway’s Devon Dat Cash (Devon Lane-TB-Junomore), who won last year’s renewal of the race, finished a game second under J.L. Torres for trainer John Harris.
Vodka With Ice, owned by Oscar Jaime Diaz Moreno and ridden by Jose Zunino), finished third for Oscar Marino Diaz.
Follys Fast (Separatist-Sixes Folly), the fast- est qualifier at :22.094 and the 8-5 wagering choice, wound up fourth after breaking a step slow. A Royal Dervish was second to Follys Fast in their trial and was the third-fastest qualifier at :22.163.
Completing the order of finish in the Challenge were Cupids Dash (Dash Ta Fame- Bedaub Adash), L Bar D Snow (This Snow Is Royal-Dash Home Deb), Just A Rumor (Rare News-Charlys Ragtime Band) and Cash Baq (Baquero-TB-Miss Tax Cash).
Emerald Downs $67,320 • 440 yards :21.960 • si 89
Chicks Beduino
Royal Miracle Dip
Trippy Dip-TB
A ROYAL DERVISH, ’05-g.
First Down Dash
Three Royal Roses
Three Times A Rose
erin Palmer: emerald Downs Michael Burns Photography