Page 178 - December 2017

Merced Gómez Orozco Classic
MORE THAN WILD
by Luis Prieto Zamudio, translation by Eduardo Silveyra
Considered a prelude to the Champion
of Champions, the 400-yard Merced Gomez Orozco Classico was held on Oct. 22.
The eight runners, that were three years and older, competed for $343,400 pesos (approxi- mately $18,238 US). Favored was Chics Love Curls, who was undefeated in 7 starts, all of them in stakes races. Given the level of the participants, the race had all the ingredients for the grey colt to add one more success to his brilliant career.
More Than Wild, however, would upset the brown colt under José Ángel Ambrosio Medina, racing neck and neck. “I felt the horse was doing very well at the warm-up,” said the rider after the race. “Although he remained very attentive and gave a good start, we were initially beat by the speed of Chics Love Curls, who had a slight stumble in his second jump.”
Starting from the two inside gates, “El Leoncito,” as Chics Love Curls is also named, started breaking away along the rail true to
his style and was rushed by rider Paul Osvaldo Rodríguez. From mid-distance onwards, More Than Wild began to lose advantage, while Exquisite Stride did the same on the outside of the track. “I touched him in the haunch and on the shoulders,” More Than Wild’s rider
Ambrosio said. “I brushed the whip between his ears and his response was extraordinary, especially from mid distance and forward, with a very long and powerful stride which El Leoncito could not match.” The distance quickly ran out before hundreds of fans along with the narration of the announcer, who declared winner to More Than Wild, with Exquisite Stride in second
and Chics Love Curls in third.
Only :19.46 was needed by More Than Wild to reach the wire a neck in front of Exquisite Stride, who in turn beat Chics Love Curls by 1/2-length.
More Than Wild (Stel
Corona-California Wildfire,
Walk Thru Fire), a six year
old gelding, earned a 97 speed
index for the trip. He was
bred by Edward C. Allred in
the United States, where he won two of 15 races at Los Alamitos Race Course and was a finalist in several futurities and derbies. This was his third race and first win in Mexico, for which he earned $206,040 pesos (approximately $10,985 US) to benefit his Cuadra 7 Gotas and trainer
Fermín Uriarte Salas.
The award ceremony was headed by
Adriana Gómez Barnola, daughter of the hon- ored Merced Gómez Orozco, with her husband Julián Gutiérrez and her children José Julian and Adrián Gutiérrez. La Cuadra 7 Gotas was represented by the owner, the excited Jorge Eduardo Aguilar.
Exquisite Stride (Carters Cartel-Tinys Lil Jess) made a good race under the com- mand of Moisés González García finishing second. The horse is owned by Cuadra Cartas Blancas and was saddled by Leonilo Cruz García.
In third place was Chics Love Curls (Spit Curl Jess- First Prize Chic), who was ridden by Paul Osvaldo Rodríguez for owner Cuadra Díaz de León and trainer
Epifanio Carrasco Sandoval.
It’s highly likely that these three runners
will be in the Champion of Champions Classic at the Hipodromo de las Americas on Dec. 17. “I had my doubts about rid- ing More Than Wild, but if he enters this
Hipodromo de las Americas $18,238 • 400 yards :19.46 • si 97
Corona Cartel
Stel Corona
Our Lips Are Sealed
MORE THAN WILD, ‘11-g.
Walk Thru Fire
California Wildfire
Gender Gap
In presence of the team Cuadra 7 Gotas and family members of Merced Gómez Orozco, the race award was given to More Than Wild and rider José Angel Ambrosio Medina.
176 SPEEDHORSE, December 2017
RACING NEWS
Foto: Luis Prieto Zamudio.