Page 50 - 27 April 2012

Bank of America Sam houston Championship Challenge-G1
KOOL COUntRY MAn
by John Moorehouse
Jonathan Castaneda is just 23 years old,
but he’s already posted a signature win as
a trainer thanks to Kool Country Man. The gelding beat Giorgino in a photo finish to win the $100,620 Bank of America Sam Houston Championship Challenge-G1 on April 14 at Sam Houston Race Park.
“That’s the biggest win. That one goes in the books,” said Castaneda, who’s been train- ing for about two years. “The only other stakes race I’ve won is a sires’ cup stakes last year.” Winning this event carried some extra significance. Not only was it the first stakes victory for Kool Country Man, he also quali- fied for the $350,000 Bank of America AQHA Challenge Championship-G1 on Oct. 27 at Prairie Meadows.
Running at Prairie Meadows will be a new experience for Castaneda, whose trainees have competed solely at tracks in Louisiana and Texas to date. Castaneda intends to run Kool Country Man in some stakes at Delta Downs and Retama to prepare him for Prairie Meadows. He also didn’t rule out the Sam Houston Classic, either. “We started with this gelding last year as a 3-year-old in an allowance race in Houston,”
Castaneda said. “Last year, we qualified for all the derbies we paid him into. He just couldn’t come back in two weeks. It wasn’t enough time. I’m guessing that’s what helped us out this year.”
Kool Country Man barely held off Giorgino in the Championship Challenge. The gelding assumed the lead soon after breaking from the No. 4 gate, and withstood the late challenge by Giorgino to reach the wire first by a head.
Jockey Alfonso Lujan was in the irons for the 440-yard trip, which took :21.804. A huge longshot at odds of almost 25-1, Kool Country Man’s owner Jose Socorro Vera Jr. reaped a $46,285 payday that improved the gelding’s bankroll to $93,286.
Ramiro Lopez and Bob Gaston bred both Kool Country Man and his dam, stakes winner First Kool Baby. First Kool Baby, who passed away in 2010, has 10 starters and five winners from 13 registered foals.
Giorgino (Apollo TB-Las Alamitos) is owned and trained by Jorge Haddad. Jockey J.R. Ramirez drew
the riding assignment. The Printing Press (Feature Mr Jess-First Fervor), the pre-race favorite, nosed out The Field Cricket for third. Jose Flores is the owner and Mauricio Lopez the trainer. Jockey Raul Ramirez Jr. was in the irons.
Rounding out the order of finish, The Field Cricket (Lead The Field-Quick Lil
Cricket) crossed the wire fourth, followed
by Royal Invasor (Royal Quick Dash-One Fast Kisser), King Of The Bunnys (King
Of The Mall-Ms High Flyin Bunny), Carry On (Panther Mountain-Carry On Dash),
Eyes Blew By You (Mr Eye Opener-This Candys Fast), Struttin High (Struttin To Beduino-Regally Rare), Rapid Transit (Dashin Bye-WW Shuboom Shuboom) and Bertha Venation (Corona Caliente-Dash To Glory). JA Jess Perfect was scratched.
Sam Houston Race Park $100,620 • 440 yards :21.804 • si 96
Chicks Beduino
Country Chicks Man
Country Zevi
KOOL COUNTRY MAN, ’08-g.
First Down Dash
First Kool Baby
Kool Kue Baby
Kool Country Man (#4) drives to the wire to win the Grade 1 Bank of America Sam Houston Championship Challenge under the guidance of Alfonso Lujan.
48 SPEEDHORSE, April 27, 2012
Racing news
Jack Coady: Coady Photography