Page 188 - Speedhorse November 2019

Alfredo Castro Rea Classic
MAYBELLINA
by Luis Prieto Zamudio, translation by Eduardo Silveyra
In the trials to the futurity in honor of Don Alfredo Castro Rea, 48 were entered. It was the strongest test that the sensational filly
Maybellina has faced, since the sum of partici- pants from her three previous stakes was just 44: there were 12 in the Jodys Glory Classic, 14 in the AQHA México Juvenile Challenge, and 18 in The Prize Classic. This time, she was truly tested on the track.
The trials to this race were held on Sept. 8 through five heats, of which the top 10 were obtained. Topping the list was the sorrel colt Wes Hightower in :17.210, followed by Maybellina with a time of :17.231.
Notwithstanding the aforementioned Wes Hightower, Maybellina was the favorite at the betting odds on Sept. 29, the day of the finals, at a distance of 350 yards and with a prize of 2,111,100 pesos (approx. US $106,641), where nine finalists entered the gates due to the scratching of JLS Perfect Cartel (#1A) from the Cuadra San José del Fresno.
Florentines Favorite (#2A) jumped at the start, while Catalina Flyer (#2) and Lethal Game (#4) were about to box Maybellina (#3), but she skillfully escaped under her rider José Ángel Ambrosio Medina, engaging in the hunt for Just Eagles Girl (#1) who, running on the rail, took the lead, while Wes Hightower (#5) did the same from the right side of the track.
It was these three sprinters who led the charge, with Maybellina a length in front of Wes Hightower, and the latter, a nose in front of Just Eagles Girl at the wire. The winner stopped the clock in :17.08 for a 94 speed index, improving her qualifying time by 0.15 hundredths of a second.
Thus, the daughter of
PYC Paint Your Wagon out
of Eye Popping (by Mr Eye
Opener) achieved her eighth triumph and fourth stakes win, remaining undefeated in the first season of her career, to the satisfac- tion of her Cuadra RH Racing, the Rivera Family and other connections, such as trainer René Moreno Martínez, who was officially represented by trainer Ismael Ayala Salas, who was responsible for saddling her, and rider José Ángel Ambrosio Medina. Maybellina was bred in the United States by Duke Racing LLC.
At the awards ceremony, the son, grandson and great-grandson of Don Alfredo Castro Rea presented the awards to the owner of the winning team.
For this triumph, Maybellina added earn- ings of $888,762 pesos (approx. US $44,782), bringing her total to 1,957,002 pesos. This
was a very outstanding performance that will likely earn her the title of AQHA Mexico Champion for 2019, and perhaps some other distinctions.
Wes Hightower, by High Rate Of Return and out of Shes So Fly, took second place under the guidance of José Manuel Rosado for Cuadra C. S. M. The colt was saddled by trainer Luis Eduardo
Flores Gómez; finishing in the same position as he did in The Prize Classic.
After a hard and fast race, the filly Just Eagles Girl (Freighttrain B-Just Eagle) captured third place under the command of Aaron Adrián Gómez. She is owned by Cuadra San José del Fresno and trained by Nicolás Otamendi Vivar.
The other finalists crossed the finish line in the following order: Catalina Flyer (Dominyun–New Porter), Lethal Game (Game Patriot–Lethal Heart), Florentines Favorite (Favorite Cartel–Czechthis Florentine), Walkin With Ease (Volcom– Cruzin The Wagon), Ze Special Dancer (Ze Dancer–Down Special) and Just Flyin In (FDD Dynasty–Strawfly Six).
Hipodromo de las Americas $106,641 • 350 yards :17.08 • si 94
Corona Cartel
PYC Paint Your Wagon
Dashin Follies
MAYBELLINA, ‘17-F
Mr Eye Opener
Eye Popping
Shes Jess Special
186 SPEEDHORSE, November 2019
Closing with power, Maybellina wins the Alfredo Castro Rea Classic
RACING NEWS
Miguel Angel Espinoza/Hipodromo de las Americas