Page 69 - 28 December 2012

Zia Park Championship-G1
ProSPeCt to tHe toP
by Tracy Gantz
time off to get his stud career going didn’t stop Joel Tavarez’s Prospect To The Top at all. He returned to the races in August and has since won two stakes, including the Dec. 2 Zia Park Championship-G1.
“He came back better as a 4-year-old,” said trainer Mario Sanchez. “He got more mature and relaxed. He grew up. He knows what he’s doing now.”
Though Sanchez has only officially been Prospect To The Top’s trainer for the Zia Park Championship, he has been around the colt during his entire career as an assistant trainer.
“He’s a pet, especially being a stud,” said Sanchez the day after the Championship. “He likes to play. I’m looking at him right now and playing with him.”
Prospect To The Top came out of the Championship in fine form, not surprising given how easily he won the 440-yard race. When the gate opened, he popped out from post three with regular rider Oscar Rincon. They took the lead quickly, and while Candy Cartel made a race of it early on the rail, the 4-year-old filly couldn’t stay with Prospect To The Top. He drew away to win by 1 3/4 lengths in :21.323 despite a good rally by DM Streakin Thru Fire.
Prospect To The Top loves Zia Park. In
six starts at the track, he has now won four, with a second and a third. Last year he became the first horse to sweep the Hobbs America
Futurity-G2, which he won in 2010, and Hobbs America Derby-G2.
But the colt doesn’t just perform well at Zia Park. He also won the 2011 West Texas Derby-G3 at Sunland Park and 2012 All American Gold Cup-G3 at Ruidoso Downs. He also ran second in the 2011 All American Derby-G1 and 2012 Mr Jet Moore Handicap-G3 and third in the 2010 Southwest Juvenile Championship-G1.
Sanchez said an added bonus is Prospect To The Top’s soundness.
“He’s the soundest horse you’ll ever find,” said the trainer. “He’s never had surgery, and we’ve X-rayed him and don’t need to do anything to him. His babies are going to be like that, and if they have his brains, they’re going to be good.”
The Zia Park Championship assured Prospect To The Top a spot in the Dec. 30 Championship at Sunland Park-G1. Sanchez said that the plan is to race the colt in that stakes and then send him back to the breeding shed. Whether Prospect To The Top will return for another round of racing in 2013 is still to be decided.
Tavarez bought Prospect To The Top privately from breeder Sue May. Bred in Texas, Prospect To The Top is out of Cream To The Top. The mare finished second in the 1993 Southwest Derby-G3 and Go Together Handicap-G3 and third in the 1992 La Chiripada Stakes-G3, earning $55,506. She has produced four winners from seven starters.
DM Streakn Thru Fire (Walk Thru Fire- Sashay N Six) made up ground to grab second by a neck under jockey Cody Jensen. Michael Joiner trains the 4-year-old gelding for owners Rick Sturdivant, Terry Wootan, and Joe David Yates. Third to Prospect To The Top in the All American Gold Cup, DM Streakn Thru Fire was coming off a victory in the Lovington Stakes-G2 at Zia Park.
Melissa Miller’s homebred Jess Featureme Quick (Feature Mr Jess-One Quick Cookie) finished third with Esgar Ramirez in the irons. Trained by Paul Jones, the 3-year-old gelding most recently won the Hobbs America Derby. He was also third in the All American Derby.
Completing the field were Feature Mr Bojangles (Feature Mr Jess-Catch This Dash), Candy Cartel (Corona Cartel-This Candys Special), 3-2 favorite Llano Teller (Teller Cartel- Annie Eye Over), A Spring Snow (This Snow Is Royal-Lexines Legacy), Zulu Dragon (First Down Dash-Hidden Dragon), Berta Venation (Corona Caliente-Dash To Glory), and Sir Seth (First Down Dash-Quiet Courage). Jaynedalegrace and Oh Hard To Sell were scratched.
Zia Park $150,000 • 440 yards :21.323 • si 97
Corona Cartel
Coronas Prospect
Fantastic Polly
PROSPECT TO THE TOP, ’08-c.
Easily Smashed
Cream To The Top
Hey Sailor
Prospect To The Top and Oscar Rincon made a wire-to-wire run to win the Grade 1 Zia Park Championship by 1 3/4-lengths.
SPEEDHORSE, December 28, 2012 67
racing news
Lori ritz/Coady Photography