Page 74 - 28 December 2012

Jess Burner Memorial Handicap-rG1
FIrSt BLAZIn Love
by Tracy Gantz
First Blazin Love has learned his lessons
so well from Lisa Saumell that he has turned into a consummate professional. The
3-year-old colt added the Dec. 8 Jess Burner Memorial Handicap-RG1 to his earlier laurels with textbook precision.
Jesse Levario has become the first-call rider for trainer Paul Jones’ New Mexico string, which Saumell runs. The Jess Burner was the fourth time Levario has part-
nered with First Blazin Love, which has resulted in two stakes victories, a second, and a third.
The Jess Burner field included several older run- ners. Eight-year-old Miracle Snow went off as the 3-2 favorite, while First Blazin Love was sent away as the third choice at more than 5-1.
First Blazin Love and Levario came out of post four
in straightforward fashion and sped right to
the front. Keeping his focus on the wire, First Blazin Love lengthened his already ground-cov- ering stride so that no one could get close. He scored by three-quarters of a length in :19.071.
Saumell not only trains First Blazin Love for Jones, she owns the colt with Dwayne Johnson and Johnny Martinez. She bought
Klassic Strawfly (Genuine Strawfly-A Classic Song) ran second for jockey L.S. Martinez. Ron Stephens bred, owns, and trains the 6-year-old gelding, who won the 2012 Jimmy Drake Stakes.
Macario Rodriguez piloted Untangled
Vines (Jesse James Jr-Tangled Vines) to third for owner Yaneth Cabrera and trainer Miguel Castillo. The 3-year-old gelding was also second in the 2012 New Mexico Breeders’ Stakes-RG2.
Completing the field were Miracle Snow (Dean Miracle-Snow Peak), Fury Of The Storm (Furyofthewind-Bubbles Bunny), In Famous Caper (Dash Ta Fame-Capercaillie), Genuine American (Genuine Strawfly-All American Beauty), A First Caller (Calligrapher-Might Be A First), and RCJ Major Storm (Brookstone Bay-Major Kia). Bet On Ballou, Corona With A Shot, and PK Bay were scratched.
him for $15,000
as a yearling at the 2010 New Mexico-Bred Bred Yearling Sale. The colt has banked $340,355 and won the Shue Fly Stakes-RG2 and New Mexico Classic Derby-RG2.
Mike Abraham bred
First Blazin Love out of Love At First Glance, who has produced six winners from eight starters. The mare’s foals include 2007 Northwest Distaff Challenge winner Love To Finish First and stakes-placed Jess Braggin.
Sunland Park $85,000 • 400 yards :19.071 • si 94
Chicks Beduino
Chicks A Blazin
Forthe Loveofhoney
FIRST BLAZIN LOVE, ’09-c.
First Down Dash
Love At First Glance
Natovas Dasher
Racing news
Challenger Six Handicap
roLLICkIn red
by Michael Compton
rollickin Red experienced defeat for the first time on Oct. 28 following six consecutive victories dating back to 2011. He resumed his
winning ways on Dec. 15, rolling to a facile score in the $85,000 Challenger Six Handicap for New Mexico-breds at Sunland Park.
Sent off as the odds-on favorite in the field of eight, Rollickin Red flashed his customary early zip from the gate, assuming command with an alert beginning
from post position No. 7.
Racing in the three path at
the quarter pole, Rollickin
Red rounded the far turn of
the 870-yard fixture with a
two-length advantage. With
only slight encouragement
from jockey Casey Lambert
through the lane, the 4-year-
old sorrel gelding crossed
the finish 3 1/4 lengths clear
of runner-up DE Wagons
Strawfly. Rollickin Red
72 SPEEDHORSE, December 28, 2012
covered the distance in :44.739.
Bred by Robert Gentry and owned by
Rollickin Red Partners, Rollickin Red has developed into a distance specialist for trainer Todd Fincher. After breaking his maiden
at 300 yards, Rollickin Red made his next five starts at 870 yards and proved unbeat- able. He won all five races, including two stakes—the Zia 870 Championship and the
New Mexico Horsemen’s Association Handicap. Prior to his Challenger Six score, Rollickin Red finished second to KC Royal Flush in the New Mexico Classic Cup
870 Championship. The three-time stakes winner now boasts earnings of $233,602.
Rollickin Red is produced from the graded stakes winner Deeheiress. An earner of more than $125,000, Deeheiress has also produced the
stakes-placed runner Jess Eye.
Chasing Rollickin Red across the finish
was runner-up DE Wagons Strawfly. Ridden
by Dusty Shepherd for owner and trainer Tony Sedillo, DE Wagons Strawfly (Genuine Strawfly- Wagons Maiden) floated extremely wide around the turn and then lugged in through the stretch. KC Royal Flush (Sixes Royal-Willie May Dash) and jockey G.R. Carter ran evenly to finish third as the second choice in the wagering for owners Kathryn Maynard and Carla Feerer and trainer Dominic Duree.
Reporting home behind the top three were Brookstone Flash (Brookstone Bay-Flashy Heifer), Genes Kokopelli (Sixes Royal-Ms Kokopelli), Cool Redalo (Retalo-Isn’t Country Cool-TB), Littlesouthernswing (Southern Corona-Little Western Swing), and Tecate N Lyme (Southern Cartel-Noted Star).
Sunland Park $85,000 • 870 yards :44.739 • si 93
Hennessy
Roll Hennessy Roll TB
Roll Over Baby
ROLLICKIN RED, ’08-g.
Mr Jess Perry
Deeheiress
Deelish
Coady Photography Coady Photography