Page 177 - Speedhorse December 2019

Snowbound Superstar H. Div. 2
BALLAST POINT
by Tracy Gantz
Paul Jones, who trained Champion Snowbound Superstar, won both divisions of the race named in the Champion’s honor at Los Alamitos on Dec. 8. After
taking the first division with JB Gray Dawn, Jones added the $15,000 second division with Ballast Point.
Jockey Ramon Guce rode both winners for Jones. With Ballast Point, Guce broke on top and was never threatened. Ballast Point widened on the field and at the wire scored by an impressive 4-lengths in :44.687, posting a 101 speed index. The $8,250 winner’s share of the purse boosted his total earnings to $33,840.
Jones owns Ballast Point with Thompson Racing Inc. Ballast Point broke his maiden at 330 yards and won an allowance race at 870 yards in 11 previous starts.
“That was always the plan to run 870,” said Jones. “We tried him at 550 first because the oppor- tunities came up. He ran well going 550 and he loves 870. I’m just thrilled with his performance.”
Dr. Steve Burns bred Ballast Point in California out of Fall For It, whose three stakes victories included the 2011 La Primera Del Ano Derby-G2. Fall For It has produced nine winners from 10 starters.
Ronald Martin’s homebred Loan Sharky (Parsons Rock-Lil Sharky), the other Quarter Horse in the field, finished second. Cesar Franco piloted him for trainer Christopher O’Dell. Loan Sharky was coming off an allowance victory at 870 yards at Los Alamitos.
Brian Koriner trains third place Miss That Kat TB (Liaison-Koppy Kat Miss) and owns him with Janet Lyons. Juan Sanchez piloted the gelding, who had most recently won in $20,000 claiming com- pany at Santa Anita.
Completing the field were Chrisiscookin TB (Creative Cause-Chance Romance) and Love Your Life TB (Ministers Wild Cat-It’s Your Life). Turn Your Eyes TB was scratched.
Jamie Jay Handicap
CONQUERING MARIE
by Tracy Gantz
Reliance Ranches is responsible for both sides of Conquering Marie’s pedigree. The operation raced her sire, multiple stakes winner Coronado
Cartel, and her dam, stakes winner Illegal Fireworks, during the latter part of her career. For Reliance, Conquering Marie captured the $15,000 Jaimie Jay Handicap at Los Alamitos on Nov. 2.
With Ruben Castro aboard, Conquering Marie lived up to her name. By breaking first, she avoided several problems the rest of the field encountered. She kept clear and on top throughout the 350-yard event and won by 3/4-length, stopping the timer in :17.559 and posting a 96 speed index.
Mike Robbins trains Conquering Marie for Reliance. Earlier this year, the 3-year-old filly won the Golden State Derby-G2 and finished third in the Ruidoso Derby Challenge. The $8,250 winner’s share improved her total earnings to $143,593.
Reliance bred Conquering Marie in Oklahoma out of Illegal Fireworks, winner of the 2011 Juno’s Request Stakes-G3 and 2009 Bill Hedge Memorial and third in the 2009 Oklahoma Futurity-G3. The mare has produced five starters, all winners.
Jess Send It (Corona Cartel-Jess Send Me) finished second under jockey Jesus Ayala for owner Keith Nellesen and trainer Monty Arrossa. Jess Send It won the 2018 Hadley/Giles Memorial Futurity and placed in two other stakes.
Ramon Sanchez piloted Jess Flashee (First Moonflash-Jess And Molly) to third. Felix Gonzalez trains Jess Flashee for owner Jesus Nava.
Completing the field were Estelline (Carters Cartel-Lady Of Reason SA), Anas Image (Hawkinson-City Image), Tazs Tiny Pebble
(Parsons Rock-Tiny Taz), Mommas Dynasty (FDD Dynasty-Bye Sweet Girl), Locomotion Girl (Desirio- Commotion Motion) and No Telling (Walk Thru Fire-How Good).
Scott Lewis Handicap
YANQUE
by Tracy Gantz
Matthew Fales trained half of the six-horse field in the $15,000 Scott Lewis Handicap at Los Alamitos on Nov. 8, two for his parents, Ralph and
Carolyn Fales, and one for Martha Wells. Yanque, a homebred for Wells, came to the wire on top, beating two Paul Jones-trained runners, to win the race.
Ruben Lozano rode Yanque for Fales. The 4-year-old gelding was making only his second start at 550 yards, having run third in an allowance race at the distance in March. He broke second, quickly took the lead, and proved much the best, winning by 1 1/2-lengths in a hand-timed :26.800.
Yanque was winning his second stakes. At
2 in 2017, he won The Plan Handicap at Los Alamitos. Yanque also finished second in the 2018 Los Alamitos Winter Derby-G1 and Dillingham Handicap and third in a division of that year’s
Z. Wayne Griffin Directors Trials and this year’s Moonist Handicap.
Wells bred Yanque out of her homebred win- ning mare Red Hawk Chick, who ran third in the Desert Classic Futurity-RG3. Wells also raced the second dam, stakes winner Chicks Tell. Red Hawk Chick has produced six starters, all winners, includ- ing stakes winners Zendaya and top earner Red Hawk Cartel.
Jones trains second-place finisher Ballast Point (Favorite Cartel-Fall For It) and third-place finisher BF Farmhand (Stel Corona-Spring Bling). Ramon Guce rode Ballast Point for Jones, who owns the gelding, a 2-time winner, with Thompson Racing Inc. Armando Viramontes rode BF Farmhand for Jones and owner/breeders Donald and Peggy Boyle. BF Farmhand has also won twice.
Completing the field were Mickey Ward (FDD Dynasty-A Mere Formality), Dustys Classy Dash (Looking For Chicks-Classy Mama) and A Mere Icon (Texas Icon-A Mere Formality).
Los Alamitos • $15,000 870 yards • :44.687 • si 101
Favorite Trick TB
Favorite Cartel
BALLAST POINT, ‘16-g. Fall For It
Shenoshercorona Separatist
Shadows Fall
Los Alamitos • $15,000 350 yards • :17.559 • si 96
Corona Cartel
Coronado Cartel
First Carolina
Walk Thru Fire
Illegal Fireworks
CONQUERING MARIE, ‘16-f.
Totally Illegal
Los Alamitos • $15,000
550 yards • :26.800 • Hand Timed
Favorite Trick TB
Favorite Cartel
YANQUE, ‘15-g.
Red Hawk Chick
Shenoshercorona Hawkinson
Chicks Tell
SPEEDHORSE, December 2019 173
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