Page 203 - August_2023

Cyclone Derby
EC WAGON
Aby Michael Compton
fter bobbling after the start, 18-1 long shot EC
Wagon overcame the slow take off and surprised eight foes in taking down top prize in the $55,485 Cyclone Derby at Prairie Meadows on July 9.
Ridden by jockey Alfredo Triana Jr., EC Wagon found himself toward the back of the pack early following the start. He quickly discovered his best stride, however, and surged into contention through the lane. With a powerful finish, EC Wagon drove clear late to defeat odds-on favorite Racing The Rails by 1/2-length, stopping the timer in :17.594 for the 350 yards while notching his initial stakes win. The final clocking earned a speed index of 96.
An Iowa homebred for Ruben Mojica, EC Wagon is trained by Manuel Campos. The 3-year- old gelding is now a winner in two of nine starts—he has placed in four others—and the $25,523 winner’s share of the purse increased his bankroll to $63,002. Last year at two, EC Wagon finished second in the Hawkeye Futurity at Prairie Meadows and broke
his maiden in his next start. EC Wagon is produced from the Lil Kool Wagon mare Boogie Wagon.
Runner-up and race favorite Racing The Rails (Freighttrain B-One Famous Hawkeye) was second under Jorge Torres. The stakes-winning filly is owned by Ricky Neff in partnership with trainer Tony Jones.
Duke Of Cartel (Carters Cartel-Queen Of Anywhere) finished third under jockey Jonathan Dominguez. Also trained by Tony Jones, the bay gelding is owned by Risk Takers Partnership.
Jesstrong Corona (Jess Good Candy-Follies
And Corona), Weedy Set Go (Apollitical Spirit- Wagonbelle), Lil Racy Blu (Racy Casanova-Lil Blue Runaway), Joda Tempting Jet (Jet Black Patriot- Fabulously Tempting), Dashin Davey Crocket (Lil Kool Wagon-Easy Sailin Kiss), TS My Wife Says Sell (Fast N Famous Jeans-Koko Taylor) completed the order of finish. TS Fast as Lightning was scratched.
Independence Day Handicap-G3
CATTAIL COVE
Cby Tracy Gantz
attail Cove cut it a little closer in the July 1
Independence Day Handicap-G3 than he did when winning the same race in 2022. But it still resulted in another pose in the Los Alamitos winner’s circle.
Third-choice Cattail Cove broke well in fifth for jockey Victory Salazar. He engaged for the lead with nearly all of the six horses in the 300-yard event, nosing them out while stopping the timer in :15.333. Cattail Cove won last year’s version by 3/4-lengths as the 2-5 favorite.
Juan Aleman trains Cattail Cove for Ralph Link Newcomb. The 2022 Independence Day was Cattail Cove’s first stakes victory. In between those two races, he added the 2022 Azure Three Handicap, and he has placed in 13 other stakes.
Dr. Steve Burns bred Cattail Cove in California, from winner Katie Katella. The mare is a half-sister to Champions Hawkish, Hawkinson, and Flame N Flash, as well as to the dam of World Champion He Looks Hot. Katie Katella has produced 18 winners from 22 starters, including 2015 First Down Dash Handicap winner Front And Center, 2015 Rocky Mountain Spring Classic Futurity winner Wait, and six stakes-placed runners.
Burns also bred second-place Stuck In Probate (Favorite Cartel-Fyrefly Jo). Ruben Lozano rode Stuck In Probate for trainer Valentin Zamudio and owner Vic3tory LLC. The 4-year-old gelding has placed in three other stakes.
Dr. Ed Allred’s homebred Up The Ladder (Kiddy Up-Oh La Princess) finished third for jockey Jonathan Roman and trainer Scott Willoughby. The 4-year-old gelding won the 2021 Dream A Secret Handicap and Holiday Handicap.
Rocket Seventeen (Apollitical Jess-Tres Magicals) and Nevada Charles (Fly Thru The Fire-Nymph) dead-heated for fourth, and Marcelo (Fast Prize Cartel-SS Calendar Girl) finished sixth.
Belles Stakes
DOX NOTTA FOX
Aby John Moorehouse
fter finishing third in last year’s running of the
Belles Stakes, Dox Notta Fox came back and won the latest version of the race, taking the $17,225 Belle Stakes on July 2 at Fair Meadows to record her first victory in stakes company.
Cosme Quijada trains Dox Notta Fox, who bobbled at the break coming out of the 5-gate but recovered underneath rider Josh Romero. The mare worked her way to up a close second going into the stretch, then outdueled her rivals to reach the finish line first by a neck at the front of a blanket finish.
Dox Notta Fox completed the 350-yard trip
in :17.798, registering a 95 speed index. It was her first trip to the winner’s circle in four outs thus far this year and also her first stakes race of the 2023 campaign. She already had black type from four prior top-three finishes in stakes, all recorded last season with three of them coming at Fair Meadows. A third in the Golden Driller Stakes and a second in the Rocky Heinzig Stakes joined last year’s third- place run in the Belles. She also ran second in last fall’s Will Rogers Distaff Challenge.
Ismael Quijada owns the five-year-old mare, who collected her sixth overall victory in 28 starts. The $10,446 first-place share of the purse improved her total bankroll to $115,809. Alice Gay Steward bred Dox Notta Fox out of Dox Strawflyin Annie, a lightly-raced 2003 mare.
Jess Ride My Wagon (Mr Jess Perry-Ride My Wagon) was 2nd for Sergio Esparza, trainer Salimm Hernandez and jockey Salvador Martinez in the irons. Corona Relentless (Hes Relentless-Coronas Concierge) was 3rd for Roberto Zuniga-Rios, trainer Lucio Espiritu and jockey Randy Vega. Followed
by Special Separably (Inseperable-Anas Leadin) was fourth, followed by Im a Fancee Chik (Im a Fancy PYC-Dixie Marrone TB) and Sheslosthatluvnfeelin (Hez Our Secret-Shades of Blues Girl).
RACING NEWS
SPEEDHORSE August 2023 201
Coady Photography
Amber Mendez, Los Alamitos
Coady Photography
Fair Meadows • $17,225
350 yards • :17.798 • SI 95
Wagon Tales DOX NOTTA FOX, ‘18-m.
PYC Paint Your Wagon
Signs Zoomer
Strawflyin Buds
Dox Strawflyin Annie
Moonstruck Sissy
Prairie Meadows • $55,485
350 yards • :17.594 • SI 96
EC Jet One EC WAGON, ‘20-g.
Boogie Wagon
The Louisiana Cartel
Pretty Girl Perry
Lil Kool Wagon
Boogie N Bull
Los Alamitos • $25,000
300 yards • :15.333 • SI 99
Favorite Trick TB
Favorite Cartel
CATTAIL COVE, ‘17-g. Katie Katella
Shenoshercorona Separatist
Oh La Proud