Page 159 - Speedhorse June 2019

Leo Stakes-G1
LD IS BACK
by Danny Camp
It has been a long dry spell since LD Is Back has visited the winner’s circle. That spell was broken, however, in the $108,480 Grade 1 Leo
Stakes at Remington Park on May 4.
Josue Ponce took over the training when LD
Is Back hadn’t had a look at the winner’s circle in his last nine outs. But in his first out for his new trainer, Josue legged up a new jockey and they hit a home run.
“I know he’s a good horse,” Ponce said in an inter- view for StallionESearch. “He did his job. Yes, we
have been accepted into
the Remington Park Invitational-G1. We’ll see how he comes out of this.”
Stepping away from the 5-post on the lead in a six horse field under jockey Jesse Levario, LD Is Back couldn’t be touched in the Leo Stakes. He held the lead
Junos Request Stakes-G2
AS AND JS
by John Moorehouse
As And Js took to the track for the $106,400 Junos Request Stakes-G2 on June 1, mak- ing her first start in more than seven months. The five-year-old mare charged to victory at Remington Park, notching the fourth stakes win of her career.
Leonardo Alcala owns and trains As And Js, who now holds seven wins in 19 starts and boosted her lifetime bankroll to $451,264 with
for the entire 400 yards, crossing the wire 1 1/4-length in front.
The 5-year-old gelding stopped the clock at :19.317 to earn a 101 speed index with a 7 mph tailwind and over a fast track.
LD Is Back brought home the $63,546 winner’s share of the purse for owner Valeriano Racing Stables LLC and trainer Josue Ponce,
boosting his cumulative earn- ings to $236,826. With this comeback, he now has a race record of 25-5(1)-5(2)-2(1).
Gerardo Pasquel bred
LD Is Back out of 10-time winner Prima LD, who
was victorious in five stakes races including the 2003 AQHA Derby Challenge Championship-G1, California Distaff Challenge-G3 as well as multiple stakes races in Mexico.
Prima LD has produced 100% money earners from
well from the inside starting gate to grab the lead by a head as she reached the first call. The mare maintained that narrow separation at every sub- sequent call, outdueling Jess Adalida for the win.
Agustin Silva was in the irons for the victorious 400-yard trip, which took :19.620 and registered a 93 speed index. It becomes the latest stakes victory in a career that also includes wins in the 2018 Easy Date Stakes, 2017 Oklahoma Horsemen’s Association
Mystery Derby, and the 2016 version of the Black Gold 350 Futurity-G1.
Alcala noted that the future plans for As And Js were still under discussion.
“We’re going to sit down and talk about it, but I know she has a couple races coming up. We’ll have to go from there and see what happens,” he said.
Five Puig Racing LLC, bred As And Js out of lightly raced Adolph Tres Knockout.
17 starters, including top earner/Grade 1 winner LD Fire and Grade 2 winner Major Moonflash. LD Is Back is the third stakes winner in the brood.
Born To B Bad (Freighttrain B- Dosvedanya), a multiple Graded stakes winner, made a gritty run under James Flores to end
in a dead-heat for second for owner Melissa Slayton and trainer Tammy Johnson.
Tough To Bee (Apollitical Jess-Peppermint Seis) was the other part of the dead-heat for second. He is owned by Paragon Farms LLC and trained by Trey Wood. Tanner Thedford was handling the reins. Tough To Bee was the winner of the 2017 Ruidoso Derby-G1.
Followed by Cartel Cupid (Corona Cartel-Lake View Dreams), Siximoons (First Moonflash-Stevie Six) and Tommy The Train (Freighttrain B-Okie Dokey Annie).
the $64,422 payday from this Alcala, Leonardo’s son, also assists with the team and spoke about this result.
“It was our first out, so we just wanted to see how she would do,” the younger Alcala said. “But we knew we had a lot of faith in the horse, because she’s always giving us her best.”
As And Js had been side- lined, as she had some embryos taken out. She showed little rust in her return, breaking
race. Cristian
Jess Adalida (Jess Louisiana Blue- Wortherweightingold) was second for owner Ruben Garcia Montemayor. The Josue Ponce trainee had Jesse Levario aboard. Curls Happy Wagon (PYC Paint Your Wagon-Eye A Spit Curl Girl) hit the board in third for owners Michael Pohl and Martin Stacy. Jorge Torres rode the filly for trainer Stacy Charette-Hill.
Trace Dynasty (FDD Dynasty-Wowzer Won) was fourth, followed by Jessie Marie (Spit Curl Jess-Traffic Wagon), Eye Eye Captain (Captain Courage-Eye My Alexis), Painted Dynasty (FDD Dynasty-Tygers Painted Girl), Wagon Chick V (PYC Paint Your Wagon-Me Chickie), Apollitical Scout (Apollitical Jess-Swingin Cartel), DF
AJ Green Leaves (Apollitical Jess-Three Green Leaves), Regard The Rose (Chicks Regard-Not Sable Shes Rose) and Hardtoget (Foose-Tinys Corona Queen) completed the order of finish.
Remington Park $108,480 • 400 yards :19.317 • si 101
First Down Dash
Walk Thru Fire
Sweet Beduino
LD IS BACK, ‘15-g.
Jazzing Hi
Prima LD
Mito Suzy
Remington Park $106,400 • 400 yards :19.620 • si 93
Mr Jess Perry
Apollitical Jess
Apollitical Time
AS AND JS, ‘14-m.
Tres Seis
Adolph Tres Knockout
Oh Whatta Knockout
SPEEDHORSE, June 2019 157
RACING NEWS
Dustin Orona Photography Dustin Orona Photography