Page 57 - 27 April 2012

New Mexican Spring Fling Stakes
rEX hill
by Stacy Pigott
rex Hill proved to be a savvy yearling purchase as the now 2-year-old colt earned more than twice his purchase price with a win
in the $50,000 New Mexican Spring Fling on April 7 at Sunland Park.
Consigned to the 2011 Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale by breeders MJ Farms, Rex Hill was purchased for $13,000 by brothers Ross and David Hinkins.
Sent to trainer Carlos Sedillo, the Jesse James Jr
colt made his first start in
the March 16 trials to the New Mexican Spring Fling Futurity-RG2. Rex Hill finished third in his debut, behind qualifier Posies Desiria. While his time of :15.22 was not good enough to qualify for the finals, it did make him eligible to the New Mexican Spring Fling Stakes.
Rex Hill loaded into post
position one under jockey Joe Martinez. Breaking outward but on the lead, Rex Hill was never headed while racing to a 1 1/2-length win. The winner’s share of the purse was $30,300 and increased Rex Hill’s career total to $31,300.
Rex Hill is the first stakes winner for his dam, Tangled Vines. A winning daughter of Dash Ta Fame, Tangled Vines is the dam of
four winners from four regis- tered foals including Rex Hill. Her other winners include Merryvale, who was third
in the New Mexican Spring Fling Futurity-RG1 last year, and Untangled Vines, who was a finalist in the New Mexico HBA Stakes-RG2 ear- lier this year. Tangled Vines is a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Champagne Lane, who is
the dam of Champion Alice K White and stakes winner
Kendall Jackson, among others. Finishing second in the New Mexican
Spring Fling Stakes was Coronas Hot Pink (Corona Caliente-Nifty Pink-TB). Juan Gonzalez trains for owners J. Patricia Gonzalez and Susan Kirke. Jaime Leos rode the filly.
In third was Sugar Beats (Desirio-Kama Miracle), owned by J and L Stables and Fredda Draper. Carl Draper trains the filly, who was ridden by Tanner Thedford.
Following the top three were: The Four Js (Get Down Perry-Invisible Streaker), Famous Ladys Man (Dash Ta Fame-Numbered Lady-TB), Rabbits Rabbit (Rabbits Rainbow- Shines Likea Diamond), Blazin Silver Bullet (Lordly Way-Shes So Blazin), Famous Flirt (Dash Ta Fame-LA Quick Chick), and Southern Note (Southern Corona-Noted Star). Runin Sixes was scratched.
Sunland Park $50,000 • 300 yards :14.931 • si 94
Mr Jess Perry
Jesse James Jr
Loose Lips
REX HILL, ’10-c.
Dash Ta Fame
Tangled Vines
Dashin Sandy
racing news
Mr Master Bug handicap
kATillAC MAN
by John Moorehouse
katillac Man showed he was built for speed in the Mr Master Bug Handicap, winning the $34,500 stakes for Oklahoma-bred 3-year-
old colts and geldings with relative ease on April 15 at Remington Park.
It marked the second career stakes victory for Katillac Man, who has five wins in 11 total outs for owner Gregory Cullum. His first stakes win came last year in the Iowa Double Gold Futurity at Prairie
Meadows in Iowa.
Katillac Man drew the outside starting position in the nine-horse Mr Master Bug field, broke sharply from the gates to grab the early lead and ran away with things from there. Jockey Tony Bennett pushed the Frank Cooper trainee to a half-length advantage by first call, and Katillac Man continued to pull away over
the remainder to win by a full length. The gelding finished his wire-to-wire 350-yard run in :17.500, posting a 93 speed index. The $20,034 payday from the Mr Master Bug improved his total bankroll to $144,056.
Richard Joneson bred both Katillac Man and his dam, Kitty Kat Dash. A 1994 mare, Kitty Kat Dash has produced 10 starters among 11 total offspring, and two of those
hold wins in stakes company. The other stakes winner in the brood is Prrr D Terrific, a half-brother to Katillac Man who won the Fair Meadows Juvenile in 2002.
BV Eye Am First placed second by a neck over PYC Cash. Hipolito Pina is the owner of BV Eye Am First (Mr Eye Opener-Lady Telia), trained by Bonifacio Almanza and ridden by Ricky Ramirez.
James Sills and Gerald
Swindell own third placed PYC Cash (PYC Paint Your Wagon-Wallstreet Darlin), an Eddie Willis trainee who had Roy Brooks in the irons.
The remaining order of finish was YM Quick (Valiant Hero-Also A High), BP Hes All Southern (Southern Cartel-Shes Takes All), Second Painted Sign (PYC Paint Your Wagon-Stylish Sign), Cashin The Wagon (PYC Paint Your Wagon-Centers Takin Cash), Smokin Bye You (Sweet First Down-Eye My Alexis) and Trick On The Run (PYC Paint Your Wagon-Trickie Lassie). Smokin Bye
You actually reached the finish line fifth but was disqualified to eighth for drifting in and bothering his foes.
The Mr Master Bug Handicap is named after the 1982 All American Futurity winner who earned more than $1.7 million during his racing career.
Remington Park $34,500 • 350 yards :17.500 • si 93
Chicks Beduino
Country Chicks Man
Country Zevi
KATILLAC MAN, ’09-g.
Dash Ta Fame
Kitty Kat Dash
Cash In The Kitty
SPEEDHORSE, April 27, 2012 55
Dustin orona Photography Tommie Morelos: Coady Photography