Page 85 - 13 April 2012

The owners particularly liked TF Featured Effort because of his breeding.
“He’s out of a Special Effort mare, and
we like that nick,” said Dominguez. “He also looked very good at the sale. We’ve had pretty good luck, especially with the horses we haven’t paid much for. Instead of buying one horse for $100,000, we’ll try to buy five horses. That way we have five shots.”
Dominguez said that he and the Sanchezes own about 40 horses together. They and Ramirez are dominating the current Sunland standings: Dominguez and the Sanchezes as the leading owners, Roberto Sanchez as the leading trainer, and Ramirez as the leading jockey.
TF Featured Effort will likely get about a month’s break before heading toward his next major goal, the Rainbow Derby-G1 at Ruidoso Downs. Trials are set for July 5, with the $850,000-estimated final July 21.
“We’ve been giving breaks to a few of our horses like that,” said Dominguez. “They come back relaxed, fresh, and in a better mood.”
The father and son partnership of Steve and Stephen Tate bred TF Featured Effort. Based in Ville Platte, Louisiana, they own Tate Farms there. TF Featured Effort’s dam, the winning mare Meadow Creeks Effort, died last year. She has produced six winners from 10 starters, including 2001 Remington Park Futurity-G1 winner Le Magnifique and stakes-placed Marioette.
“Since the day he was born, TF Featured Effort looked like a good colt,” said Stephen Tate. The Tates have contacted Dominguez and the
Sanchezes about possibly standing TF Featured Effort at Tate Farms after his racing career.
“We’d definitely like to have him at the farm,” said Stephen Tate.
Meadow Creeks Effort’s final foals are two yearlings, a colt by Sir Runaway Dash and a filly by Shazoom.
Moon Dynasty (FDD Dynasty-Nagano Moon), a half-brother to champion Moonflash, finished second with Jesse Levario aboard. A winner in two of nine starts for his owner, the Valle Guadiana Corporation, and trainer Juan Gonzalez, Moon Dynasty finished fifth in the 2011 All American Juvenile Invitational.
Abdel Torres piloted Ocean La Jolla (Ocean Runaway-Southern La Jolla) to third. Owned by the Sunset Well Service Inc. and trained by Albert Franco, Ocean La Jolla won a futurity trial last year and has most recently been com- peting in allowance company.
Completing the field were VGC Moon Walk (Walk Thru Fire-Zevis Lady Love), Parhelion (Feature Mr Jess-Quick Moon Sign), Sixes Straw (First Down Dash-Straw Perry Silk), Mighty Famous Vic (Mighty Invictus- Fame Us Katie), Cascada B (Tres Seis-Ja Codas Pride), FJ Ricky Bobby (First Thoughts-
One Secret Success), and Hauling The Cash (Holland Ease-Take The Cash Willie).
Paul Harbor P&A Mem. H.
CAPTAIN BUCKO
by Tracy Gantz
An Appaloosa and two Paints came to the wire together in the March 24 Paul Harbor Paint
and Appaloosa Memorial Handicap at Remington Park. Only a nose and a head separated them, with the Appaloosa, Captain Bucko, defeating Barney Ofield while PF Chief Runnin Bear ran third.
When the gate opened, Flash Of Silk veered inward, making contact with Captain Bucko, ridden by Adalberto Candanosa. Captain Bucko drifted
to the rail and raced straight to the wire, beating Barney Ofield in :17.578 for the 350 yards.
Owned by Anita Ruiz and her sister, Jessica McCurry, two nurses whose stable name is RacinRNs, Captain Bucko is trained by Luis Villafranco. The colt won three stakes races last year and was the Appaloosa Horse Club’s 2011 supreme champion 2-year-old and 2-year-old sprint colt.
Gary Vaughn and John Hudson’s H and V Racing LLC bred Captain Bucko from Joyball, who earned $20,111 and has produced one winner in three starters. The mare descends from the family of Appaloosa Hall of Famers Wego Melody, We Go Easy, Easy We Go, Scooter Bug G., We Go Charge, and Some Kinda Easy.
Jimmy Brooks piloted Barney Ofield (Judys Lineage-Shero) for Eddie L. Willis, who trains the gelding for his wife, Joni, and Julie Haywood. Barney Ofield was the champion solid Paint aged horse and aged gelding in 2011.
PF Chief Runnin Bear (Grand Point-SC Running Cloud) is a two-time world champion Paint. Judd Kearl trains for owners Sherry Koltiska and Lynn and Betty Bettinger. G.R. Carter rode.
Completing the field were all Paints: Flash Of Silk (SF Royal Quick Flash-Judys Silk), The Cock Of The Walk (SF Royal Quick Flash-Corona Lace), Junglebell (Little Jungle Jet-Jezebellway), and Streakin Seven (Texas Six-Royal Quick Deal).
Remington Park • $25,000 350 yards • :17.578 • si 90
Corona Cartel
Cartel Success QH
Dashing Mariah
CAPTAIN BUCKO ApHC, ’09-c.
Joyball
Whirling Fastball QH Easy Boppin’ Jones
TF Featured Effort wins the $165,935 Grade 3 West Texas Derby by a length under jockey Esgar Ramirez.
SPEEDHORSE, April 13, 2012 83
RACING NEWS
Tommie Morelos/Coady Photography
Dustin Orona Photography