Page 134 - 12 April 2013

Speedhorse Graham Paint and appaloosa Derby-G1
LauS DeO
by Tracy Gantz
Laus Deo confirmed her love for Remington Park when she captured the March 23 Speedhorse Graham Paint and Appaloosa
Derby-G1. The Paint filly has started four times at the Oklahoma City racetrack, and no horse has ever finished in front of her there.
Often she cuts it close, as she did in the Speedhorse Graham Paint and Appaloosa Derby, winning in a six-horse blanket finish by just a head.
“It was great that she won,” said Eddie Lee Willis, who trains Laus Deo. “She broke a little awkwardly. She broke on her wrong lead, but when she got to her right lead, she really went to running.”
Drawn on the outside in the 10-hole, Laus Deo came away from the gate in seventh as she veered slightly outward. Jockey Kenny Muntz instantly straightened her up and got her to switch to her right lead. That propelled her into contention, and she gobbled up ground coming to the wire with five other contenders. In the final stride, Laus Deo thrust her head in front for the victory.
Laus Deo began her career last year by win- ning her trial to the Oklahoma Paint Futurity. She aced her trial by two lengths. Then, she
Because Laus Deo is a filly out of the Hoskins’ good Paint mare Shero, she will likely join the breeders’ broodmare band after she has finished racing.
Willis and his wife have had good luck with offspring of Shero. In partnership with their friends Justin and Julie Haywood, they bought
Shero’s son Barney Ofield, who became a multiple Paint Champion. Willis has a third one out of Shero, stakes- placed Spotless Redneck, in his barn as well.
came back and won the finals, defeating Ubuyillfly in by a neck.
Then, in the trials to last year’s Speedhorse Graham Paint & Appaloosa Futurity, Laus Deo ran third behind Ubuyillfly and Lajollas Mr Big Stuff.
“She got a little sore on us in the trials for the Speedhorse Graham
Paint & Appaloosa Futurity
last year,” said her trainer.
“She qualified, but I wasn’t able to run her back.”
“I gave her all summer off and took her to Lone Star,” said Willis. “She didn’t do very well there, but this year she’s doing really well.”
Laus Deo won her to
the Speedhorse Paint & Appaloosa Derby trial by a nose. Her clocking was good enough to make her the second-fastest qualifier.
Willis leases the filly from her breeder, Marion Hoskin, and Marion’s husband, Bill. Laus Deo runs in the name of Willis’ wife, Joni Beth Willis.
The Hoskins bred Laus Deo in Oklahoma by cross- ing Shero to the double- registered stallion Awesome Chrome. Shero is a Paint by Texas Hero out of the Quarter Horse mare Lethal Lark. Four of Shero’s five starters are winners, includ- ing stakes-placed Bailout. Podie-APHA (SM Country
132 SPEEDHORSE, April 12, 2013
Laus Deo’s winning connections include owner Joni Beth Willis, trainer Eddie Willis and jockey Kenny Muntz
Remington Park $62,215 • 350 yards :17.482 • si 93
First Down Dash
Awesome Chrome
Okeydokey Baby
LAUS DEO, ’10-f.
Texas Hero
Shero
Lethal Lark
Honky Tonk
Snowman-Giddy Up) finished second under jockey Francisco Ramirez Jr. Brian Muse trains the gelding for owner Brian Gunder. Honky
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Dustin Orona Photography