Page 197 - August_2023

Louisiana Classic-RG2
THA DUKE
Mby John Moorehouse
aking his first start of his career against older
horses did not deter Tha Duke from being the winner in the Louisiana Classic-RG2. The three- year-old gelding prevailed by a neck in the $80,000 stakes, held July 15 at Delta Downs.
Tha Duke made a late rally to secure victory in this one. The gelding broke from the 5-gate in the middle of the pack under rider Arturo Alvarez and looked to be out of the running at the midpoint
of the 440-yard event. Then Tha Duke rallied, working his way to a close second going into the stretch and continuing his surge to win by a neck.
Raul Rodriguez trains Tha Duke, who finished the race in :21.825 for a 96 speed index, running into a 5 mph headwind.
Ashton Elder and Miguel Romero Jr. home-bred Tha Duke, who has tallied seven victories in 11 lifetime starts. His most significant result to date was a win in last December’s running of the LQHBA Louisiana Million Futurity-G1. The $48,000 prize from this race pushed his total bankroll to $458,610.
Elder and Romero bred Tha Duke out of Precious Perry Girl, a 2005 mare who made only one out.
Into The Grey (Sir Runaway Dash-Sass That Chick) finished second for owner Rogelio Marquez, Jr. and trainer Jesus Marquez. David Alvarez had the riding assignment.
Jrs Coronas Toast (Coronas Leaving You-Egos Toast To Dash) finished third for owner/trainer Paul Rigdon, who had Ricardo Hernandez Jr. in the irons.
The remaining order of finish was Lightemupwithcharm (Sizzlin Cartel-Grace Filled Charm), GT N Boos Runaway (Sir Runaway Dash-GT Toasted Date), One Sweet Boss (One Sweet Jess-Starlight Bess), Mr Crawfish (Prospect to the Top-JLS Crawfish Pie), and LRH Grant James (One Sweet Jess-LRH Heartofanoak). Go Rhonda Go and Julies Lil Rogue scratched.
Firecracker Derby-G3
MASSETO
Mby Michael Cusortelli
asseto outran his 15-1 odds to win the $90,755
Firecracker Derby-G3 for 3-year-olds at Delta Downs on July 7.
Trained by Mario Trujillo Jr. for owner Jose I. Rocha, Masseto covered 400 yards in :20.176, and his margin of victory was a head from Sumpns Up. Mario Trujillo rode the gelded son of One Sweet Jess.
Pappacito, the fastest qualifier and 9-10 favorite, finished third, 1 1/4-lengths behind Masseto.
Masseto was the seventh-fastest qualifier from
two trials contested on June 16. The sorrel gelding
was bred in Louisiana by Spring Hill Farms LLC, and he was purchased by Rocha for $40,000 at the 2021 Louisiana QHBA Yearling Sale. Masseto is out of Full Moon Dasher, a stakes-winning daughter of Dash Ta Fame and a half-sister to 2009 AQHA Champion Aged Stallion First Moonflash.
Raced exclusively in Louisiana, Masseto has won three of 13 starts, and the $45,378 winner’s share of this purse from his first stakes victory increased his bankroll to $184,028. The gelding ended his juvenile campaign with a third-place finish in the state’s richest Quarter Horse race, the $1-million LQHBA Million Futurity-RG1 at Evangeline Downs.
Sumpns Up (Mr Jess Perry-Penthouse Sweet) was 2nd for owner Johanna Perez’s JP Quarter Horses. Arturo Alvarez rode the gelding for trainer Willie Simien Jr. Pappacito (Ivory James-Apolitical Pac)
was 3rd-for Robin L. Redding. Gilbert Ortiz rode the gelding for trainer Heath Taylor. In a deadheat for fourth were Im First In Firstout (EC Jet One- Sheza Famous Doll) & One Fine V (One Famous Eagle-Sera Fina), followed by Hez Hunters Rogue (Heza Fast Rogue-RDD Swingin Reba), A Secret To Catch (Hez Our Secret-Too Tiny To Quit), Jess Perry Pretty (One Sweet Jess-Not Perry Pretty), Apollitical Magic (Apollitical Jess-Million Dollar Kiss), and Lil Freighttrain (Freighttrain B-Bodacious Lil Lady).
Louisiana Juvenile
CARTEL ROSES Z
Eby Michael Cusortelli
mmanuel Hernandez Padilla’s Cartel Roses Z
earned his first stakes victory in the $80,000 Louisiana Juvenile at Delta Downs on July 15.
Cartel Roses Z covered 350 yards in :18.020 while defeating Special Wild Train B by a neck. Guadalupe Lucio Jr. rode the sorrel son of Five Bar Cartel for trainer Guillermo Martinez.
Cartel Roses Z was purchased by Miguel Hernandez for $20,000 at last year’s Louisiana QHBA Yearling Sale. The gelding was bred by Slash Z Quarter Horses, the breeders of 2023 Mardi Gras Futurity-RG2 winner San Lorenzo Blood, and he is out of Yellow Rose B, a 10-year-old daughter of First Down Dash. Cartel Roses Z traces back to his fourth dam Native Tea, who won two futurities in 1980 and was a finalist in the 1981 All American, Rainbow, and Kansas derbies at Ruidoso Downs.
Cartel Roses Z was coming off of a neck victory in the ninth of 12 Lee Berwick Futurity-RG1 trials on June 23. A finalist in the $280,271 Louisiana Breeders’ Laddie Futurity-RG2 at Delta Downs on May 27, the gelding has won three of four starts, and the $48,000 winners share of the purse pushed his bankroll to $65,605.
Runner-up Special Wild Train B (Freighttrain B-A Special Beauty) was purchased as a yearling for $20,000 by her owner Rodney Verret. Benito Baca rode the bay filly for trainer Kenneth Roberts Sr.
Hollywood Eagle (Moonin The Eagle-Royal Quick Jo Z) finished third for his owner Glenn Jackson. Cesar Segura rode the sorrel gelding for trainer Josue Huitron.
Robbiesdashingleagle (One Dashing Eagle-
Fast Prize Robbie), One Cool Corona (Open Me A Corona-PM Oh Shez Fast), Sea Train B (Freighttrain B-Jess Sea), Roundin Third (Stoli-Allizoom), MP Thornado (Mr Piloto-Thorn Chicks), TJS Dynasty (The Louisiana Cartel-Fredavilles Dynasty), and
MP Shining Dash (Mr Piloto-Shinningperrydash) completed the order of finish.
RACING NEWS
SPEEDHORSE August 2023 195
Coady Photography
Coady Photography
Coady Photography
Delta Downs • $80,000
350 yards • :18.020
Corona Cartel
Five Bar Cartel
CARTEL ROSES Z, ‘21-g. Yellow Rose B
Five Bar Molly First Down Dash
Mon Ti Fleur
Delta Downs • $80,000
440 yards • :21.825 • SI 96
Coronas Leaving You
RC Me Leaving You
THA DUKE, ‘20-g.
Sixy Bottom
Jess Louisiana Blue
Precious Perry Girl
Making Amends
Delta Downs • $90,755
400 yards • :20.176 • SI 84
Mr Jess Perry
One Sweet Jess
MASSETO, ‘20-g.
One Sweet Dash
Dash Ta Fame
Full Moon Dasher
Nagano Moon