Page 176 - September 2015

Brigand Handicap
CJS ROCKSOLID
by Michael Cusortelli
Handling a 12-week layoff with skill, CJs Rocksolid sprinted to a neck victory in the $20,000 Brigand Handicap at Ruidoso Downs on Aug. 16.
CJs Rocksolid covered 550 yards in :26.915 and earned a 99 speed index while making his first start since May 30. Ricardo Aguirre rode the 5-year-old sorrel gelding for owners Rockin J Running Horses and Jack Manning and trainer Tammy Kay Johnson.
CJs Rocksolid’s victory in the Brigand Handicap marked his 1st win in 3 outs at the 550-yard distance. He crossed the wire 1st in this same race last year, but was disqualified and placed 10th. Earlier this year, CJs Rocksolid won the Remington Distance Handicap-G3 and was also 2nd in the Remington Distance Challenge-G3. Last year, he was named the New Mexico Hi-Point Aged Gelding. A $15,000 claimer early in his sophomore campaign, CJs Rocksolid has now won 7 of 35 races and has earned $149,830.
CJs Rocksolid was bred by Rockin J Running Horses of Gatesville, Texas. The gelding is one
of nine winners from 16 starters foaled by win-
ner Sultry Miss. CJs Rocksolid is a 1/2-brother to stakes winner Rockin Shazaam and ’03 Ft. Pierre Futurity runner-up Shes A Wild Babe. The gelding’s third dam, Denim N Diamonds, was the sport’s Champion Aged Mare in 1981 and ’82.
Cody J. Cortez’s Gonna Make You Royal (Gonamakeyoureyesblue-Sweetly Royal) was 2nd under Jesse Levario for trainer Chris Zamora. Aint Wavin (Wave Carver-Aint It Fun) ran 3rd under Oscar Cordova for owner Marisela Diaz Portillo & trainer Jose Meraz. Followed by Wonderboy (Shazoom-First Place Queen), JMF Shazoomer (Shazoom-Jess Bingo Beth), DM Ada Kat (Gonna Ro Sham Bo-Kat Kora), First Prize Moon (Mr Jess Perry-First Prize Dash), Duit Tuit (Shazoom-Miss Marquetry), Sonoran Foose 2 (Foose-Biggist) & Mines Bigger (Feature Mr Jess-Corona Curl).
NM Breeders’ Stakes-RG2
BLAZIN VERSION
by Michael Cusortelli
J. Martin Bourdieu rode Blazin Version to a neck win in the New Mexico Breeders’ Stakes-RG2 for state-bred sophomores at SunRay Park on Aug. 2. Trained by Ken Grisham for owner Hubaldo Solis of Peralta, New Mexico, Blazin Version covered 400 yards in :19.714. The homebred gray gelding banked the $30,000 winner’s share of the $50,000 purse to push his earnings to $79,448 from 10 starts. Blazin Version was coming off of a wire-to-wire, 1/2-length victory in a 350-yard $18,450 maiden special weight dash for New Mexico-breds at SunRay on July 3.
Blazin Version’s resume also includes a second- place finish in last year’s New Mexico State Fair Senor Futurity at The Downs at Albuquerque.
The gelding is a 1/2-brother to multiple graded stakes winner Osbaldo and is one of three winners from five starters foaled by unraced Shes So Blazin.
Blazin Version’s second dam, the winning mare Best To Be First, ran third in the 2002 La Primera del Ano Derby-G2 at Los Alamitos. Blazin Version traces back to his fourth dam, Rebel Killoqua, who won two stakes in Illinois and Oklahoma from 1979-80.
Making her first start since March 29 when she won the Sunburst Stakes-RG3 at Sunland Park, Regal First Moon (First Moonflash-Regal Fly) ran second for owner Regal Racing Stables LLC. Jesse Levario rode the filly for trainer Ramon Rivera.
Ana Torres’ La Estrella De Oro (Sixes Royal- Majorly Easy) finished third. The gray filly was ridden by Alonso Rivera for trainer Javier Borunda.
Dungarees Version (Winners Version-Forty One Special), First Power Flash (First Moonflash-Pyro Power), Americangunslinger (Fighter On Fire- Royal Queen Dash), and Officer Moonflash (First Moonflash-Officer Of The Court) completed the order of finish.
Jimmy Drake Stakes
GRANT THE STAR
by Michael Cusortelli
A$6,500 claimer at Zia Park last fall, Grant The Star became a stakes winner with a neck victory in the Aug. 9 Jimmy Drake Stakes for New Mexico- breds at SunRay Park.
Grant The Star earned a lifetime-best 101 speed index, as he went 400 yards in :19.305 under jockey Adrian Ramos. Wes Giles trains the 4-year-old gelding for owner Norris Land and Cattle Co. of Lovington, New Mexico, which acquired Grant The Star for $22,000 at the 2012 New Mexico-Bred Yearling Sale at Ruidoso Downs.
Grant The Star has won five of 15 outs, and the $27,000 winner’s share of the $45,000 Jimmy Drake Stakes purse pushed his bankroll to $108,856, of which $77,040 has been earned from five starts this season.
Grant The Star was bred by Joan Dale Hubbard. The gelding, who is a full brother to 870-yard stakes winner Storm Chasor, is one of five winners from nine starters produced by Stardust Dash. The mare has also produced two 870 graded stakes winning 1/2-brothers to Grant The Star, including 2005 Distance Champion Prankster CF.
SC Dustychampion (Chicks A Blazin-SF Finita Dash) was second for owner Eloy Pena. J. Martin Bourdieu rode for trainer Adam Tapia. 2-time graded stakes winner Jess Rueben James (Jesse James Jr-Nitros Cash) ran third under Ivan Carnero. for owner/breeder Currie J. Maben and trainer Jaime Aldavaz Sr. Followed by Osbaldo (Jesse James Jr-Shes So Blazin), Cinco Menudos (Jesse James Jr-Uno Menudo), Patrick James (Jesse James Jr-Sandys Fame), Brotherman (Jesse James Jr-Tex Can), Klassic Strawfly (Genuine Strawfly-A Classic Song) & Kia Won (Ketel Won-Major Kia).
The Jimmy Drake Stakes honors the memory of the late Jimmy Allen Drake, a longtime horseman who served on the New Mexico Racing Commission in the early 1980s.
Ruidoso Downs • $20,000 550 yards • :26.915 • si 99
Rock Solid Jess CJS ROCKSOLID, ’10-g.
Sultry Miss
Mr Jess Perry
Rockin The Tetons The Signature
The Kimberly Diamond
SunRay Park • $50,000 400 yards • :19.714 • si 90
Holland Ease
The Jubilee Diamond Chicks A Blazin Best To Be First
Winners Version BLAZIN VERSION, ’12 g.
Shes So Blazin
SunRay Park • $45,000 400 yards • :19.305 • si 101
Forest Wildcat
Sweet Symmetry Dash For Cash
Attila’s Storm TB
GRANT THE STAR, ’11-g. Stardust Dash
Star Of Sierra Leone
174 SPEEDHORSE, September 2015
RACING NEWS
Ruidoso Downs
Coady Photography
Coady Photography