Page 169 - December 2017
P. 169
Wayne Brasher Memorial
FJ BLACKDIAMOND
by Dillon Hamilton
Placing in three stakes races, including the 2016 Wayne Brasher Memorial & Mike Hastings Memorial and the 2015 Margie Bryan ASOA
Futurity - all at Turf Paradise, was motivation for FJ Blackdiamond to seek and find vengeance while becoming a stakes winner in the $18,500 Wayne Brasher Memorial for 3 year olds and older at Turf Paradise on Nov. 5.
The four-year-old brown gelding stepped into the six-post and he broke third, losing just a little ground and one spot in the stretch. Poised for a late challenge under Rodolfo Arvizu, FJ Blackdiamond made his bid at the right moment, passing three horses, including the two favorites, to arrive at the wire for his first stakes victory.
The pair enjoyed a clean trip in :15.499 and earned a 95 speed index. FJ Blackdiamond took home the $11,355 and spiked his lifetime earnings to $56,104. Fernando Canales owns the brown gelding and Eloy Mendoza trains him.
Tracie Aker bred FJ Blackdiamond in Arizona, and the gelding is the first starter out of 4-time winner Sheza Princess Belle.
Apollitical Boogie (Apollitical Jess-Shakin Ana Dashin) surged, led, but was caught under Emilio Tapiato to finish second for owner Amado De La Riva and trainer Eloy Mendoza. The gelding was coming off a second place finish in the Sonoita Ranchers Bonus Challenge at Santa Cruz on May 6. Justified (Foose-Special Wave) was bumped at the start and was third under Chase Clark for owner Tim Holdaway and trainer Chad Ferguson. The colt was coming off a third place finish in the Blane Schvaneveldt Handicap at Los Alamitos on Oct. 6. Followed by Domaine (Dominyun-All N The Jeans), Eagle Appeals (One Famous Eagle-Queen Of Appeals) & Jojo Hot Legs (Executive Menace-Casino Mill). Captain On Takeoff, Jess Ta Fied & Valiant Meltdown were scratched.
Southern California Derby-G2
MR APOLLITICAL DASH
by Michael Compton
Mr Apollitical Dash sprung a 29-1 upset, taking the Southern California Derby-G2 on Dec. 15. Ridden by Carlos Huerta, Mr Apollitical Dash
raced in 3rd position early and led at the first call. He held at bay a rally from Kissed By An Eagle to score by a head at the wire, stopping the timer for 400 yards in :19.849 and earning a 90 speed index.
“We knew this horse could run,” said trainer Juan Aleman. “Carlos fits him perfectly. He quali- fied him and he liked the horse. ”
The colt improved his record to 12-4(1)-2-1(1) & padded his earnings to $201,124. Prior to this win, Mr Apollitical Dash was 3rd in the Old Habits Handicap & 5th in the 2016 Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity-G1.
Owned/bred by Juan Alberto Tirado Lizarraga’s Rancho El Cabresto, the victory carried extra special sen- timent for his owner as the colt is out of Apollitical Dash. “It’s the same bloodlines,” Tirado Lizarraga said. “Mr Apollitical Dash’s granddam is Apollitical Time, the dam of Apollitical Jess. She was a Champion and now she’s giving us a family of horses. Apollitical Jess has also been a great blessing. It’s a great victory, especially because of the family connection to Apollitical Time.
“Juan (Aleman) and I started in this sport together and we’ve now been together for 19 years. We’ve been blessed,” he added.
Kissed By An Eagle (One Famous Eagle-Dreaming of Kisses) was 2nd under Ramon Sanchez for owners Mark & Peggy Brown and trainer Ramon Figueroa. Lotta Blues Man (Favorite Cartel-Lotta Love for Robyn) and jockey Cesar DeAlba were 3rd for owner Lucky Seven Ranch & trainer Michael Casselman.
Midori Sparkle (Mr Jess Perry-Flying Fig), Bannister (Maknmoves-Goddess Artemis), Well Good (Kiddy Up-How Good), Renewed (Walk Thru Fire-Make Over), Cartel Sixes (Corona Cartel-Eye for the Sixes), Seared (Kiddy Up-Escape the Fire) & Hootin For Hotlips (Fantastic Corona Jr-Hot Lips Perry) completed the field.
Las Damas Handicap-G3
THERMONUCLEAR ENERGY
by Tracy Gantz
When trainer Christopher O’Dell saw Thermonuclear Energy standing quietly
in the starting gate before the Nov. 25 Las Damas Handicap-G3 at Los Alamitos, he felt she would run a good race. He was right, as the filly scored her first stakes victory of the year.
Ridden by Eduardo Nicasio, Thermonuclear Energy broke in third and quickly took the lead
in the 400-yard Las Damas. From there she
simply lengthened her advantage, crossing the
wire 1 1/2-lengths in front of her closest rival. Thermonuclear Energy stopped the clock in :19.671 and earned a 94 speed index. The winner’s share pushed her earnings to $258,457 and her record to 20-7(2)-4(2)-4(2).
The Parsons Family Limited Partnership owns Thermonuclear Energy, who also won the 2015 Los Alamitos $2 Million Juvenile, and they bred her in California from Terrific Energy. A two-time Grade 1 winner, the mare has produced 10 starters/winners, including stakes winners Terrific Synergy, her top earner, and Dynasty Energy, as well as stakes-placed Designs By Dynasty.
C.K. & Laurel Allen’s homebred Strawfinders Jessee (One Sweet Jess-Strawfinder) was 2nd for jockey Oscar Peinado & trainer John Cooper. The filly has placed in 3 other stakes. Elena Andrade bred & trains 3rd-placed Jess Mas (One Sweet Jess-Corona Mas Fina) for owners Oscar Andrade & Steve Burns. Juan Ramirez rode
the filly, who also ran 3rd in the 2016 B & W Stakes.
In 4th, 5th & 6th were Time For Jess (Apollitical Jess-Coronation Time), Brimmin Corona (Fantastic Corona Jr-Brimin Special) & Maggie Durant (One Sweet Jess-Up Down Dash), while Apollitical Dasher (Apollitical Jess-Brazilian Dasher) & Elicity (Apollitical Jess-Flame N Flash) dead-heated for 7th, followed by You Can Fly (Walk Thru Fire-Babe On The Fly) & Jess A Lil Fishy (Apollitical Jess-Lil Fishy).
Turf Paradise $18,500 300 yards :15.499 si 95
The Bounty Man FJ BLACKDIAMOND, ’13-g.
Streakin La Jolla
Gold Medal Dash
Heza Motor Scooter
Sheza Princess Belle
Princess And Cash
Los Alamitos $175,300 400 yards :19.849 si 90
Streakin La Jolla
Scoopie Fein
MR APOLLITICAL DASH, ‘14-c.
Mr Jess Perry
Apollitical Dash
First Down Dash Apollitical Time
Los Alamitos $50,000 400 yards :19.671 si 94
Walk Thru Fire
First Down Dash
Sweet Beduino
THERMONUCLEAR ENERGY, ’13-f.
Mr Jess Perry
Terrific Energy
First Down Energy
SPEEDHORSE, December 2017 167
RACING NEWS
Coady Photography
Los Alamitos
Los Alamitos
