Page 75 - 20 July 2012

independence Day Handicap
PoT oCASH
by Tracy Gantz
Asolid performer at the allowance level, Pot Ocash had recently shown enough improve- ment that owner-trainer Felix Gonzalez decided to move him into stakes company. Gonzalez also felt that offspring of Mr Eye Opener improve with age, and Pot Ocash is now 5. The July 1 Independence Day Handicap over 300 yards at Los Alamitos offered a good spot for Pot Ocash. The gelding, who finished third in the 2009 Los Alamitos Two Million Juvenile, had most recently won a 330-yard allow- ance event, and the Independence Day competition varied from stakes performers to high-level claimers.
From post five with Cruz Mendez aboard, Pot Ocash broke on top, but favored Twelve Stepper immediately raced to his hip on the outside. The pair ran that way almost to the wire, and while Twelve Stepper closed to a long neck, he never could get by Pot Ocash, who stopped the clock in :15.213.
Henry Brown bred Pot Ocash in Oklahoma from multiple champion Corona Cash. An earner of $1,542,800, Corona Cash has produced 14 winners from 21 starters, including stakes winners Hez Fast As Cash and stakes-placed Feature My Corona, One Corona, Corona Three, and Trick Or Cash.
Second-place Twelve Stepper (Walk Thru Fire- Twelfth Secret) had won four of his last five races, all in claiming company. Gregorio Arriaga rode the 4-year-old gelding for owner Juan Moya and trainer Arnoldo Pulido. Edmundo and Elizabeth Gutierrez’s AJS Kissntell (A Regal Choice-Annas Kiss) finished third under Santiago Mendez. Trained by Lissette Hernandez, the 4-year-old gelding had most recently finished second twice to Twelve Stepper.
Completing the field were Jumpn Shake (Jumpn- Jess Shakem), Augustus Princeps (Gold Medal Jess- Sky Glow), Run Naked (Hotdoggin-Ruby Runned Oft), and Harems Last Dash (First Down Dash- Harems Choice).
Battle of the Breeds
TexAS BLiTz-TB
by Tracy Gantz
The Thoroughbreds decisively won the July
2 Battle of the Breeds Quarter Horse and Thoroughbred Summer Distance Challenge. Three 7-year-old Thoroughbreds faced off against two 4-year-old Quarter Horses in the Fort Erie event. The Thoroughbreds took the top three spots, with Texas Blitz coming home the winner.
Texas Blitz drew the rail and popped out quickly on the lead in the 870-yard race under jockey Christopher Griffith. Nice Case-TB, favored at 9-10, immediately came up on Texas Blitz’s outside, and the pair ding-donged around the turn together. Nice Case battled with Texas Blitz through the stretch, but couldn’t get past Texas Blitz’s hip. They finished that way, Texas Blitz winning by a half-length in :45.650.
A $7,500 claim last September at Fort Erie, Texas Blitz now races for One More Time Racing Stable and D-Mac Racing Stable Inc. Donald MacRae trains the gelding. Texas Blitz has spent most of his career in the claiming ranks in Canada. In 2010,
he won the Fort Erie Quarter Horse/Thoroughbred Distance Challenge Stakes.
Patricia Pasteur bred Texas Blitz in Florida from winner I Love To Laugh, who earned $41,267. The mare has produced six Thoroughbred starters, all win- ners. Texas Blitz is her leading earner, with $125,866.
Nice Case (Gold Case-Nicely Nasty) races for Frederick Nixon and is trained by Justin Nixon. Melanie Pinto rode. The gelding’s most recent vic- tory came in a Charles Town allowance race.
Clarkstoncharm-TB (Tethra-Thirtimesthecharm) finished third with Terry Husbands in the irons. Emily Walker trains the gelding for Bradscot Farms. Clarkstoncharm won a $6,000 claiming race at Woodbine in April and has earned $207,514.
Completing the field were Cash For Braggs (Sixes Royal-Dashing Affair), and Im A Grand Believer (A Hundred Grand-Ragdoll Annie-TB).
Great Lakes Stakes
HoLLywooD TRiCkSTeR
by Tracy Gantz
Hollywood Trickster has steadily improved over the years, getting closer to that coveted stakes victory. Once he got there, he quickly repeated the
process, capturing his second consecutive stakes in the July 3 Great Lakes Stakes at Canterbury Park. Bettors sent Hollywood Trickster off as the
3-5 favorite against four others in the Great Lakes. Breaking from the outside, the gelding threw his head up in the first few strides. He quickly put his head down for jockey Derek Bell and got on with his busi- ness. Paintyourownwagon had the lead on the rail, but Hollywood Trickster closed ground to take over two strides from the wire. He defeated Paintyourownwagon by a neck in :21.744 for the 440 yards.
Edward Hardy trains Hollywood Trickster for Christine Hovey. Now 5, the gelding first placed in stakes in 2010, which included a second in
the Canterbury Derby Challenge-G3. He placed in another stakes in 2011 and is perfect in three starts this year, having earlier won an allowance race at Remington Park and the Skip Zimmerman Memorial Stakes at Canterbury.
Henry Brown bred Hollywood Trickster in New Mexico out of winner Hollywood A List. The mare has four winners from five starters, including Hollywood Caliente, third in the 2011 Sunburst Stakes.
Tom Maher owns second-place Paintyourownwagon (PYC Paint Your Wagon- Jessican Ravin). Mark Luark rode the 4-year-old stallion for trainer Amber Blair.
The 10-year-old gelding A Faster Streaker (Heza Fast Man-A Streakin Rose), owned by Lori Harris, finished third under Thomas Wellington. William Harris trains A Faster Streaker.
Play the Pipes (Mr Jess Perry-Corona Music) finished fourth, a neck behind A Faster Streaker, followed by Brooks Dream Girl (Brookstone Bay- Westward Leader).
Los Alamitos • $25,000 300 yards • :15.213 • si 92
Dash For Cash
Bedawee
First Down Dash Corona Chick
Mr Eye Opener
POT OCASH, ’07-g. Corona Cash
Fort Erie • $39,339 870 yards • :45.650 • si 93
Texas Glitter TEXAS BLITZ-TB, ’05-g.
Glitterman
Come On Texas Lost Code
I Love To Laugh
The Joke Is Back
Canterbury Park • $21,150 440 yards • :21.744 • si 104
Phone Trick
Evil Elaine
HOLLYWOOD TRICKSTER, ’07-g.
Heza Fast Man
Favorite Trick-TB
Hollywood A List
Fontanas Fantasy
SPEEDHORSE, July 20, 2012 73
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