Page 197 - Speedhorse, December 2018

Sam’s Town Stakes
EYE N CAPO
by Michael Cusortelli
Sent to post as the 2-5 favorite in a field of seven aged runners, Eye N Capo responded with a neck victory in the $21,700 Sam’s Town Stakes at Evangeline Downs on Dec. 15.
Eye N Capo covered 350 yards in :17.430 under jockey Jesse Levario, and recorded a 101 speed index. Josue Ponce prepped the four-year-old gelding for owner Ruben Garcia Montemayor.
Eye N Capo was shortening in distance off of his second-place finish in the 440-yard Refrigerator Stakes-G1 at Lone Star Park on Oct. 13.
Campaigned in Louisiana and Texas, he now has a race record of 9(5)-3(2)-2(2) from 16 starts, and the $12,000 winner’s share of this purse pushed his earnings to $465,910.
The Sam’s Town Stakes marks his fifth stakes victory. He also won the Sam Houston Classic Stakes-G2 and Miss Polly Classic Stakes-G3 earlier this year, as well as the 2016 Dash For Cash Futurity-G2 and Evangeline Downs Futurity.
Eye N Capo was bred by Dee and Betty Raper out of winner Satisfeyen, dam of 100% winners from three starters. Eye N Capo is her first stakes winner.
Graceful Eagle (One Famous Eagle-Duplicate Check) was moved up from 4th to 2nd following double disqualifications of Ms Leaving You, who was taken from 2nd and placed 3rd, and DM La Jolla, who was taken from 3rd to 6th. Luis Vivanco rode Graceful Eagle for owner Florentino Leon and trainer Josue Huitron. Ms Leaving You (Coronas Leaving You-Ms Pilot Point) was third under Luciano Duenez for owner McGehee Horse and Cattle LLC and trainer Kenneth Weeks.
Ho Lotta Game (Game Patriot-Ho Lotta Speed), Corona Carmelita (Corona Cartel-The Creole Queen), DM La Jolla (Hiclass La Jolla-DM Bella Mia) and FDP Rock Solid (Rock Solid Jess-First Down Payment) completed the order of finish. One Sweet Merlot, Sixes Flash and Sweet Bru scratched.
Evangeline 550 Stakes
COBALT CREEK
by Michael Cusortelli
Gilbert Ortiz rode Cobalt Creek to a wire- to-wire 3/4-length victory in the $20,000 Evangeline Downs 550 Stakes on Dec. 15.
Prepped by John Stinebaugh for owner VWP Jr. Inc., Cobalt Creek went 550 yards in :26.929. The six-year-old gelding earned a 108 speed index and the $12,000 winner’s share of the purse, which boosted his cumulative earnings to $350,899.
Raced in four states, Cobalt Creek has a race record 10(2)-4(1)-8(7) from 36 starts, including two wins at the 550-yard distance. The gelding’s record includes a neck victory in the 2017 Refrigerator Handicap-G1 at Lone Star Park.
Cobalt Creek was bred by Jim Streelman and Bill Dale. A $35,000 buy at the 2013 Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale, the gelding is one of three winners from seven starters produced by Checknbac, who won the 2006 Governor’s Cup Futurity-RG1 and the 2007 La Pacifica Handicap, both at Los Alamitos.
Cobalt Creek is a half-brother to Distant
Fury, runner-up in the 2013 Sunland Park Winter Derby-G2, and Eagle Cry, the runner-up in the 2017 AQHA Retama Park Derby Challenge.
Sunset Run (FDD Dynasty-Summer Love Song) was second under Jorge Linares for owner Jose Alfonso Ramos and trainer Miguel Rodriguez.
Black Onyx (Rock Solid Jess-Precious Serendipity) and Damian Martinez were third for owner Darrell L. Hooper and trainer Rosendo Valdez Jr.
Painted Clouds (PYC Paint Your Wagon-Snow Clouds) Sixes Flash (Streakin Sixes-Viborita), Jes
A Spitfire (Walk Thru Fire-Jess Delightful), No Politics Here (Jess Louisiana Blue-In His Dreams), Saginaw Creek (FDD Dynasty-Royal Quick Glass) and Lennys Cashandchrome (Rakin In The Cash- Alcohol And Ambience) completed the order of finish. Mr Desert Streak was scratched.
Black Gold 440 Futurity.
NO CONTEST
by Michael Compton
Agate malfunction at the start of the $266,765 Black Gold 440 Futurity at Will Rogers Downs on Nov. 10 led to the event being declared a “no contest.”
Track officials reported that the $266,765 purse will be split equally between the 10 qualifiers from the Oct. 26th trials. In post position order, the 10 race entrants were: Devins Project (Oak Tree Special-Fantastic Follies), Charlies Fury (Furyofthewind-Jess Charlena), Viva Le Don (Rock Solid Jess-Viva Arriba), Reads Rock It (Rock Solid Jess-Get Down Jessie), Tarish (Prospect to the Top), Fast Prize Six (Mr Jess Perry-Fast Prize Ribbon), JA B Valiant (Mighty B Valiant-Ja Impetuously), J Boss Dynasty (FDD Dynasty-Wildkate), BV Silver Wings (Coronado Cartel-Eyesa First) and Temptingsecretfly (Tempting Dash-Belle of the Cartel).
The fastest qualifier was Devins Project, who won
his trial by a neck in :21.775 over a muddy/sealed track. Devins Project is owned by Kenneth Ruthardt, trained
by Shawna Manriquez & was ridden by Roberto Valero. Three additional horses qualified to the race from this heat: Tarish in 2nd for owner J. Lloyd Yother, trainer
Dee Keener & rider James Flores; Viva Le Don in 3rd for owner Rockin J Running Horses, trainer Tammy Johnson & rider Randy Wilson; and JA B Valiant for owner Lorena Gutierrez, trainer Jose Villafranco & jockey Cody Smith.
Trial winner Temptingsecretfly was racing for owner Jose Guzman, trainer Amanda Tongay & rider James Flores. Charlies Fury also qualified in this heat for owners Tom & Kathleen McNally, trainer Michelle Hurdle & jockey Agustin Silva. ast Prize Six for owner Juan J. Adan, trainer Fidencio Jimenez & rider Manuel Gutierrez was a trial winner and runner-up J Boss Dynasty owned by Mike Vaughan, trained by Eddie Willis, ridden by Jimmy Brooks also qualified.
Additional trials winners were: BV Silver Wings for owner Bella Vista Farms, trainer Eddie Willis & jockey Cody Smith; and Reads Rock It for owner Rockin J Running Horses, trainer Tammy Johnson & jockey Cody Smith.
Viva La Don, the top earner with $122,161,
was only stakes winner in the group, having won
the $266,765 Black Gold 350 Futurity, while stakes placers included Charlies Fury, who was 2nd to Viva La Don in that race, and Temptingsecretfly, who was 3rd in the $864,500 Remington Park Oklahoma Bred Futurity. Reads Rock It, Fast Prize Six & BV Silver Wings all broke their maidens in the trials.
Evangeline Downs • $21,700 350 yards • :17.430 • si 101
Corona Cartel
A Shot At Glory Mr Eye Opener Miss Windy Bull
Capo De Capi
EYE N CAPO, ‘14-g. Satisfeyen
Evangeline Downs • $20,000 550 yards • :26.929 • si 108
First Down Dash
Sweet Beduino Check Him Out Running Bac
Walk Thru Fire
COBALT CREEK, ‘12-g. Checknbac
Will Rogers Downs • $266,765 440 yards • No Contest
SPEEDHORSE, December 2018 195
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