Page 47 - 25 May 2012

merial sun Downs Distaff Challenge
L BAR D snow PRinCes
by Tracy Gantz
Trainer Donald Young and jockey Hugo Herrera went from disappointment to ela- tion within an hour on May 6 at Sun Downs. Their charge Jess Be Hawkin finished first but was disqualified to 10th in the Pot O’ Gold Futurity. Two races later, they won the Merial Sun Downs Distaff Challenge with L Bar D Snow Princes.
Young and Herrera were also named the top trainer and jockey of
the meet at the track in
Kennewick, Washington.
Just A Rumor popped out on the lead along the rail when the gate opened in the 400-yard Distaff Challenge. L Bar D Snow Princes also broke well, and she vied with the leader. She edged up and rallied late to defeat Just A Rumor by three-quarters of a length in :19.580. The time was just .230 of a second off
the track record of :19.350, and earned L Bar D Snow Princes a speed index of 109.
Gerald Sanguino owns L Bar D Snow Princes, a 6-year-old mare making her 42nd lifetime start. This was her first stakes victory, though she finished second in the 2010 Jack Rhoden Memorial Handicap. Last year she competed primarily in claiming and allowance company in the Pacific Northwest, and she won
an allowance race at Emerald Downs in Washington.
F. Darrell and Linda M. Sanders bred L Bar D Snow Princes in Oregon. The mare’s dam, the winning Strawfly Special daughter Dash Home Deb, has produced three win- ners from four starters.
Young also trains second- place Just A Rumor (Rare News-Charlys Ragtime Band), ridden by Troy Stillwell. Adrian Gallegos
owns the 6-year-old mare, whose last victory came at the $7,500 claiming level in December at Portland Meadows.
Gary Chumbley’s homebred EZ Gamer (Game Patriot-Easy Verna) finished third with Ruben Camacho in the irons. Scott Raley trains the 4-year-old filly. She was coming off an allowance victory in January at Portland and won the 2010 Firecracker Futurity at Grants Pass Downs.
Completing the field in the Merial Sun Downs Distaff Challenge were A Regal Blue Sky (A Regal Choice-Devil In A Blue Jess), Queenly Walk (Walk Thru Fire-Queen Mother), Oh La Hot (Walk Thru Fire-Oh La Hawk), LDS Amazing Grace (Ocean Runaway- LDS Good Goin Gracie), Wild N Sexy (Dash To Chivato-Wild N Single), and The Fire Fly (Sixes Royal-Thatsa Blazin Chick).
Sun Downs $25,020 • 400 yards :19.580 • si 109
Chicks Beduino
This Snow Is Royal
Florentine
L BAR D SNOW PRINCES, ’06-m.
Strawfly Special
Dash Home Deb
Dash For Debbie
racing news
merial sam houston Distaff Challenge
suRPRise enDinG
by Tracy Gantz
The biggest surprise of Surprise Ending’s win in the May 13 Merial Sam Houston Distaff Challenge Stakes was that the mare had never before won a stakes. Not only did she capture this first one in a professional manner, she set a new track record.
Trained by Robert Touchet, Surprise Ending broke on top, but Painted Sable quickly took over the lead in the 400-yard Distaff Challenge. Surprise
Ending, under jockey Jesse Chavis, increased her stride to overtake Painted Sable and draw off for a length victory. Bertha Venation rallied for second. Surprise Ending’s time of :19.392 shaved .182 seconds off of Azoom’s previ- ous track mark, set in 2004.
With purse earnings
of $13,248 in the Distaff Challenge, Surprise Ending paid for herself and earned
a berth in the Oct. 27 Merial Distaff Challenge Championship-G1 at Prairie Meadows. She raced for others during the first three seasons of her career, winning a maiden and allowance race. Glen Wilkinson bought her for $10,000 at the 2011 Heritage Place Winter Mixed Sale, though he credited his wife, Debbie, with picking her out. The Distaff Challenge was Surprise Ending’s
fourth start and first victory for the Wilkinsons.
Corner K Quarter Horses LLC bred Surprise Ending in Arkansas from winner Sinful Shenanigans. The mare has produced 12 starters, all win- ners, including graded stakes winner Secret Vices and stakes-placed Mildly Sinful and Malice In Dallas.
Corner K also bred second-place Bertha Venation (Corona Caliente-Dash To
Glory), who is owned by Jose Luis Salazar, trained by Eusevio Huitron, and ridden by Rodrigo Vallejo. The 5-year-old mare won the 2010 Firecracker Derby.
Painted Sable (PYC Paint Your Wagon- Sables Dash) finished third for jockey David Alvarez. Bobby Martinez trains the 4-year-old stakes-placed mare for owners Tommy Hays and Bobby Barnett.
Completing the field were Unknown Source (Feature Mr Jess-Ladys a Special Star), JJ Mighty Warrior (Special Red Warrior- Mystic Lilly), Outside Da Box (PYC Paint Your Wagon-Crush On Fish), Im Dee First (Deefirst-Im Already There), BT A Streakin Corona (King Corona-Streakin Picture), Special Awards (Winning Awards-Special Ignition), and Red Heels (Hawkish-Red High Heels). Hiclass Madam was scratched.
Sam Houston Race Park $28,800 • 400 yards :19.392 • si 110 • Ntr
First Down Dash
Royal Quick Dash
Harems Choice
SURPRISE ENDING, ’06-m.
Casady Casanova
Sinful Shenanigans
Forever Sweet
SPEEDHORSE, May 25, 2012 47
ethel Castaneda: Coady Photography Ginny harding