Page 172 - December 2017

Way Maker Handicap
FYREFLY JO
by Tracy Gantz
Fyrefly Jo enhanced her pedigree by becoming a stakes winner in the Way Maker Handicap at Los Alamitos on Dec. 8. But her pedigree already
had plenty of pizzazz, given that Fyrefly Joe is a half-sister to 2016 American Futurity-G1 winner Imperial Eagle.
The 350-yard $15,000 Way Maker Handicap attracted a field of six, and Fyrefly Jo went off as the second-longest shot at 11-1.
With Cesar DeAlba aboard, Fyrefly Jo broke out of the 4-gate in second position and immediately went to the front. She had a neck lead at the first call and widened her margin to 3/4-lengths by the top of the stretch.
DeAlba rode the filly confidently, never needing his whip, as they won by 1-length in :17.697 for a 90 speed index.
The $8,250 winner’s share pushed the filly’s earnings to $13,175, and her race record is now 2(1)- 0-3 from 8 career starts.
Michael Casselman trains Fyrefly Jo for owner Steve Burns.
Fredda Draper bred both Fyrefly Jo and Imperial Eagle in California from multiple graded stakes win- ner and New Mexico Hi-Point Aged Mare Jenuine Joy, a 5-time stakes winner and earner of $382,230.
Jenuine Joy has produced 100% money earners from six starters, including five winners. Her top earners, Imperial Eagle has won three stakes in addition to the All American Futurity-G1. The 2014 gray gelding was named Champion 2 Year Old and Champion 2-Year-Old Gelding of 2016, has earned $1,813,607, and was also the 2016 AQHA High Money Earning Horse.
Chickakid (Kiddy Up-Chickahit) was the best of the rest of the field, running second under jockey Cruz Mendez for trainer Mark Skeen. Fawna Knight owns the filly. Chickakid broke her maiden in her second start and has finished second in two other races. She was also fifth in the California Breeders’ Freshman Fillies Stakes.
Cesar Gomez piloted Energetic (Walk Thru Fire-Coronas Rouge) to third for trainer Scott Willoughby and owner Kathryn Reynolds. The geld- ing has won both a maiden and an allowance race. Energetic was bumped at the start and lugged in, but managed to place in this event.
Completing the field were Hard Headed Chick (Hard Hitting-Chickitita), Perfect Az Can Be (Texas Icon-Jess Perfect Girl), and California Blossom (Desirio-Quiero Dinero).
Z. Wayne Griffin Dir. Trials #1
JESS GOOD REASON
by Tracy Gantz
Jess Good Reason triumphed over He Looks Hot in the first Z. Wayne Griffin Directors Trial division at Los Alamitos on Nov. 19. However, both horses essentially won because they each earned berths in the Dec. 16 Champion of Champions-G1. At the start, Jess Good Reason broke on top from the 5-hole and led throughout the 400 yards. He Looks Hot closed ground, but couldn’t catch Jess
Good Reason, who won by a 1/2-length under jockey Oscar Peinado in :19.686. Paul Jones trains Jess Good Reason for owners Cina and John Sperry. Previously, the 4-year-old filly won the 2017 Charger Bar Handicap-G1, 2016 La Primera Del Ano Derby-G3 and Adequan Los Alamitos Derby Challenge Championship-G3, and 2015 Holiday Handicap. Preston and Karen Cloud bred Jess Good Reason in Oklahoma out of winner Jess Call Me Tieing, whose 3 winners from 4 starters included stakes-placed Make It Jess. Calif. Hi-Pt. 3-Year-Old-Filly Jess Good Reason is her 1st stakes winner and top earner with a record of 21-9(5)-6(4)-1(1) and $367,934 banked.
Dr. Ed Allred’s homebred He Looks Hot (Walk Thru Fire-Look Her Over) was 2nd under Rodrigo Aceves for trainer Scott Willoughby. The 5-year-old gelding also won the 2015 Los Alamitos $2 Million Futurity-G1, 2017 Spencer L. Childers Calif. Breeders Champ.-G1, and 2016 Vessels Mat.-G1. Mr PYC To You (PYC Paint Your Wagon-Stylish Sign), owned
by Jose Antonio Flores and Ronald & Denise Van Amburgh, was 3rd under Cruz Mendez. Flores also trains the 4-year-old colt, who ran 2nd in the 2017 Los Alamitos Champ. Chal.-G3. Both He Looks Hot & Mr PYC To You qualified to the Champion of Champions. Followed by The Charm Of Corona (Corona Cartel- Charm Dance), Katies Easy Moves (Maknmoves-Katie Lane Finder), One Sweet Racy (One Sweet Jess-Miss Racy Vike), Big Lew (Corona Cartel-Executive Looks) & Jess Ravin (Corona Cartel-Jessica Ravin).
Z. Wayne Griffin Dir. Trials #2
BH LISAS BOY
by Tracy Gantz
Though others were competing in the Nov. 19 Z. Wayne Griffin Directors Trials at Los Alamitos for berths to the Dec. 16 Champion of Champions-G1, BH Lisas Boy didn’t need to qualify because he already had. Instead, he successfully used the second trial as a prep for the big race in a month’s time.
In his first start since minor knee surgery in July, favored BH Lisas Boy performed well for regular rider Cesar DeAlba. The gelding broke in fifth and moved up relentlessly to grab victory by a nose at the wire in :19.697 for 400 yards.
Bill Hoburg bred, owns, and trains BH Lisas Boy, who first qualified to the Champion of Champions by winning the Los Alamitos Winter Championship-G1 and then added a second qualifying race in the Vessels Maturity-G1. BH Lisas Boy now has a race record of 26-16(8)-6(3)-1. The $8,250 winner’s share pushed the gelding’s earnings to $414,948.
Two-time winner Apollo Snowbound, the dam of Idaho-bred BH Lisas Boy, has produced five starters, all winners. They include NW Hi-Pt. Distance Horse/ stakes winner Yin Your Eyes and NW Hi-Pt. 3-Year- Old Gelding/stakes-placed BH Country Chrome.
Jesus Daniel Padilla’s Da One Two Special (Two Corona Special-Da One), Jim Walker’s homebred Zoomin For Spuds (Zoomin For Bux-A Perfect Cocktail) finished second and third, respectively, and their times qualified them to the Champion
of Champions. Zoomin For Spuds won the 2016 Champion of Champions.
Rounding out the field were Bodacious Eagle (One Famous Eagle-Bodacious Dream), Flash N Bling (First Down Dash-Suzy Cartel), Viento Negro (First Moonflash-Coup Of Corona), Air Force
Won (Ketel Won-Forced To Win) and Apollitical OK (Apollitical Jess-Taka Puna). Firing Tools was disqualified from third and received a non-time in the race.
Los Alamitos • $15,000 350 yards • :17.697 • si 90
First Down Dash
Sweet Beduino Genuine Strawfly Super Perla Negra
Walk Thru Fire
FYREFLY JO, ‘15-f. Jenuine Joy
Los Alamitos • $15,000 400 yards • :19.686 • si 94
Good Reason SA JESS GOOD REASON, ’13-f.
Favorite Trick TB
Queen Of Appeals
Feature Mr Jess
Jess Call Me Tieing
Call Me Tieing
Los Alamitos • $15,000 400 yards • :19.697 • si 94
Mr Jess Perry
Mighty B Doll
Snowbound TB
Mighty Invictus
BH LISAS BOY, ’12-g.
Apollo Snowbound
Stars Lady Bug
170 SPEEDHORSE, December 2017
RACING NEWS
Los Alamitos
Los Alamitos