Page 85 - 14 September 2012

hard Twist Stakes
rCJ MAJor STorM
by John Moorehouse
Perhaps they should change the name of RCJ Major Storm to RCJ Major Surprise. That’s the best way to describe what the 3-year-old
colt pulled off in the Hard Twist Stakes on Aug. 26 at The Downs at Albuquerque. Facing 8-1 odds, RCJ Major Storm won the $50,000 stakes race in decisive manner, reaching the wire first by a half-length.
Owned by Alagar Racing, LLC, RCJ Major Storm posted his
fourth win in 10 total starts,
with three of those first-
place finishes coming this season. This marked his first stakes victory, and the $27,500 payday pushed his career earnings to $76,636.
RCJ Major Storm made an alert break from the
two gate, and jockey Felipe Garcia-Luna promptly steered the colt into the lead. He opened up a half-length
on his nearest competitor at first call, widened the gap to a length by the time he entered the stretch and went on to win with relative ease. Saddled by Alejandro Sanchez, RCJ Major Storm finished the 400-yard race in :19.400, posting a 99 speed index that stands as a new career high.
Mr. and Mrs. R.C. Jones bred RCJ Major Storm, the first offspring out of Major Kia to
secure black type. An unraced mare also owned by the Joneses, Major Kia has foaled six offspring, four of whom have made starts to date. Three of those four have vic- tories on their career records. RCJ Major Storm’s second dam, Pakea Kai, also foaled Pakea Bay, who won the John Augustine Stakes held earlier on the Lineage Day card.
Corona Caliente sired both the second- and
third-place finishers. Two Shine (Corona Caliente-Rare Baby Doll) chased RCJ Major Storm for the entirety of the race en route to
a runner-up finish. Ramon Alvarez trains the gelding and co-owns him with Beda Prieto. Oscar Rincon was aboard. Rare N Hot placed third as his three-race winning streak ended. Santa Fe Horse Racing, by Carillo’s LLC, owns Rare N Hot, an Arnoldo Carrillo trainee ridden by Jaime Leos.
The remaining finishing order was Jess One Ace (Jesse James Jr-Ace Crystal Charm), Untangled Vines (Jesse James Jr-Tangled Vines), LL McQueen (Desirio-Lady Cobra TB), A Royal Debt (Sixes Royal-Jesstifiable Debt), Lion Again (Metallic Lion-Metered Express), Jess Dungarees (Jesse James Jr-Gingham Dungarees) and Yoga Dash (Dash Ta Fame-Yoga Gal-TB).
The Downs at Albuquerque $50,000 • 400 yards :19.400 • si 99
First Down Dash
Brookstone Bay
Le Ritz
RCJ MAJOR STORM, ‘09-c.
Major Rime
Major Kia
Pakea Kai
racing news
John Augustine Quarter horse & Thoroughbred Stakes
PAkeA BAy
by John Moorehouse
Technically, Pakea Bay’s hard-charging finish in the John Augustine Stakes proved to be unnecessary. That didn’t make the final yards of the $50,000 event any less exciting, as Pakea Bay successfully caught The Real Rabbit at the wire to win first place in the stakes for a mixed field of Quarter Horses and Thoroughbreds held Aug. 26 at The Downs at Albuquerque.
The Real Rabbit ran in the lead for almost the entirety of the 870-
yard competition, but was
disqualified from second
place to seventh for interfer- ing with South Oak during the turn. At that point, The Real Rabbit was coasting as the apparent uncontested leader, but Pakea Bay came on strong during the final 100 yards and finished first by a head.
Pakea Bay finished the race in :44.842 for a
The Downs at Albuquerque $50,000 • 870 yards :44.842 • si 98
First Down Dash
Brookstone Bay
Le Ritz
PAKEA BAY, ‘08-g.
Mr Eye Opener
Pakea Kai
98 speed index that stands as his best this season. Trainer Fred Danley did the prep work, and Dusty Shepherd drew the riding assignment as Pakea Bay posted his third
win in seven starts this year. The 4-year-old gelding improved his overall record to 7-2-1 in 21 starts while bringing home a $27,500 prize that pushed his lifetime earnings into six figures at $113,526. Owned by David Barrett
and Sue May, Pakea Bay also holds a runner-up finish in last year’s New Mexico State Fair Breeders’ Derby also held at Albuquerque.
Dirk Jones bred Pakea Bay and bred the gelding’s dam, Pakea Kai, an unraced 1997 mare. Pakea Bay becomes
her first stakes winner, and is one of three winners among five starters. Pakea Kai has 10 total foals, including Major Kia, the dam of RCJ Major
Storm, who won the Hard Twist Stakes two races later on the Aug. 26 card at Albuquerque.
The Real Rabbit’s disqualification elevated Affluent Boy-TB (Lesters Boy-Richie Girl), the only Thoroughbred in the field, into second. Guy Francone owns Affluent Boy, who is trained by Justin Evans and was rid- den by Ry Eikleberry. KC Royal Flush (Sixes Royal-Willie May Dash), last year’s Augustine winner, finished third for Kathryn Maynard and Carla Feerer. Dominic Duree is the trainer and Tony Guymon did the riding.
I Know Bedarina (Now I Know-Bedarina), Dittin Know (Now I Know-Ole’elena TB), South Oak (Oak Tree Special-Southasofia), The Real Rabbit (Rabbits Rainbow-Real Easy Celadon) and Famous Lord Shezadi (Dash Ta Fame-Lady Shezadi TB) completed the official order of finish.
Rule The Deck
SPEEDHORSE, September 14, 2012 83
esau rosales: Coady Photography Tommie Morelos: Coady Photography