Page 56 - 27 April 2012

West Texas Juvenile
VolCoMS SPECiAl PoP
by John Moorehouse
Volcoms Special Pop showed plenty of speed in his first-ever stakes race, clocking a 103 speed index en route to victory in the $50,500 West Texas Juvenile on April 14 at Sunland Park in El Paso.
The colt produced a $24,096 payday for owners Jose Espinosa and Jim and Michelle Laird, and improved his total bankroll to $24,296. It marked the first
win for Volcoms Special Pop in two career outs.
A Wes Giles trainee, Volcoms Special Pop broke on top coming out of the No. 4 gate and parlayed that strong start into a victory. Volcoms Special Pop led by a head in mid-stretch, and had just enough speed to hold
off Sashay Hot and reach the wire first by that same slim margin. Jockey Jorge Martin Bourdieu was in the irons
as Volcoms Special Pop completed the 300 yards in :14.716.
It was a vast improvement for Volcoms Special Pop over his inaugural out, a fifth- place run in a West Texas Futurity trial at Sunland Park on March 23. That time, the colt covered the 300 yards in :15.088 for an 89 speed index while finishing fifth.
Bred by P.K. Thomas, Volcoms Special Pop is the first foal out of Jodys Special Pop, a 2005 mare owned by Gary and Pat Kurz. Jodys Special Pop had a brief racing career of her own, winning
at Los Alamitos. Volcoms Special Pop is the first stakes winner for his sire, Volcom.
Other than Volcoms Special Pop’s run up the middle of the track, the outside of the course proved quickest. The horses that
drew the two outside starting positions joined Volcoms Special Pop in the money. Sashay Hot (Walk Thru Fire-Salty Shay) finished a close second for owner R.D. Hubbard. Prepped by AQHA Champion trainer Paul Jones, the filly had jockey Saul Ramirez Jr. in the irons.
Ryon James (Ivory James-Yadazoom) finished more than one length clear in third place. Owned by R.T. Stables, Ryon James is trained by Roberto Sanchez and had Esgar Ramirez aboard.
Completing the West Texas Juvenile field were Straightfromtheheart (FDD Dynasty-My Special Phoebe), Secrethood (No Secrets Here-Ya Ya Sisterhood), Malcom Quinn (Valiant Hero-Sixarun Bug) and Solid Anita
Jo (Rock Solid Jess-Arriba Reba). Jumpn To A Fortune, Katana Regard, Kuhl Lady Tres, Teller Krash and Valiant Spirit were scratched.
Sunland Park $50,500 • 300 yards :14.716 • si 103
First Down Dash
Volcom
Runaway Vike
VOLCOMS SPECIAL POP, ’10-c.
Jody O Toole
Jodys Special Pop
Gotta Special Pop
Racing news
Sunburst Stakes
kAroliNA
by John Moorehouse
lucky number seven held true for Karolina. Winless in her previous six outs, Elmer Criswell and Fredda Draper’s homebred filly
broke her maiden in a big way on April 14 at Sunland Park, prevailing by a head in the $110,000 Sunburst Stakes.
In accomplishing this breakthrough, Karolina covered the 350 yards in :16.680, registering a career-best 104 speed index.
The Sunburst victory didn’t come as a complete surprise. After all, Karolina qualified for the lucrative Zia Futurity-G1 last year only to finish fifth. That event, which took place July 31, was the filly’s final out of her rookie cam- paign. She didn’t return to the track until March 10 of this year, finishing second in a 350-yard maiden race at Sunland Park.
54 SPEEDHORSE, April 27, 2012
Conditioned by Carl Draper, Karolina started in the middle of the pack but soon charged to the front. During the final few yards, she barely held off Call Me A Blazn, the pre-race favorite who got off to a very slow start but made a fantastic recovery to finish just a head shy of Karolina. Tanner Thedford was aboard for the trip.
The winner’s share of the purse, a sum of $66,000, nearly tripled the filly’s cumulative bankroll to $101,381.
Desirio, the sire of Karolina, now has seen two of his progeny win stakes events in consecutive weeks. Desirio
also sired PJ Chick In Black, who won the New Mexico Spring Futurity-RG2. Fredda Draper and Criswell also own Karolina’s dam, Snazzy Ride. Karolina is the first winner for Snazzy Ride, who has two start- ers from three foals.
Call Me A Blazn Chic finished second to push her earnings over the$400,000 mark. Owned by J and M Racing and Farm, Call
Me A Blazn Chic (Chicks A Blazin-Willie
Call Me) is trained by Roberto Sanchez and had Esgar Ramirez in the irons. Wish You Had One To (Stel Corona-Devons Wish), a 21-1 longshot, hit the board in third. Royal Dream Ranch LLC owns the filly, prepped by Alejandro Sanchez and ridden by Jesse Levario.
The remaining order of finish was Fysta (Gonna Ro Sham Bo-Decadent Darlin), Gotloveifyouwantit (Genuine Strawfly-Sinn Bug Special), Sparklin Royal (Sixes Royal- Sparkling Ojos), Cat Ta Hoola (Brookstone Bay-Sinfully Easy) and My Soul Mate (Chicks A Blazin-Love At First Glance). Dreams Happen, Last Version, Runaway Babe and Secrets Turning were scratched.
Sunland Park $110,000 • 350 yards :16.680 • si 104
Strawfly Special
Desirio
Lady Tenaya
KAROLINA, ’09-f.
Bridlewood
Snazzy Ride
Jazzes Charger
Tommie Morelos: Coady Photography Tommie Morelos: Coady Photography