Page 142 - November 2020

RACING NEWS
Indiana Championship
WRS VALENTINO
by Michael Compton
WRS Valentino capped off a big day for Gwen and Randy Williams of Williams Racing and trainer Randy Smith when the bay geld- ing blazed his way to a New Track Record in winning the $107,860 Indiana Championship Stakes, providing the owner-trainer combo a stakes triple.
Ridden by Juan Marquez, WRS Valentino popped out of the gate on top and jumped to a narrow early lead in the 440-yard contest. He received every call and
battled bravely through the
lane, shrugging off all his
rivals, including resolute race
favorite Louisiana Lover. At
the wire, WRS Valentino
proved stubborn on the
front end, holding off his
stablemate Louisiana Lover
to score by a head. Country
Boy 123 was just a nose
behind the runner-up in the
3-horse blanket finish. WRS
Valentino stopped the timer
QHRAI Derby
in :21.783, a New Track Record over Tres My Heart’s 2018 track record of :21.830.
“I’m so excited for this win,” Randy Williams told the press following the win. “The other two stakes were wonderful, but the two Randys wanted to win this one right here.”
The $59,323 winner’s share of the purse pushed WRS Valentino’s earnings to $294,174 and he is now a winner in six of 14 lifetime starts and has placed in eight
others. He was a multiple stakes winner at two and the Indiana Championship Stakes marked his first stakes victory since captur- ing the Governor’s Stakes at Indiana Grand in 2018. He is produced from the Teller Cartel mare WRS Kissandteller.
Smith also sent out runner-up Louisiana Lover (The Louisiana Cartel-Jess Special Love), who was
denied a third straight win. Samuel Mendez rode the 3-year-old gelding for owner Brian Gunder. He was bred in Indiana by Amy Youngblood. Country Boy 123 (Country Chicks Man-Very Dashin 123) raced in contention throughout and just missed under jockey Luz Martinez. The 7-year-old gelding is owned by Ruth Barbour and trained by Anthony Cunningham.
Kissmelikethat (Kiss My Hocks- Lovemelikethat), The Artful Dodger
(High Rate Of Return-Shanachee), Valiantinecandyrocks (Valiant Hero-Jesses Candy), Beach Treat (Escondido Beach-Treat Me To Cash), Yadi 1 (Wave Carver-Shez
So Special), Southern Belle BP (First Down Dash-BP Shes Southern), and Tres My Heart (Heart Of The Cartel-Famous Mariah) completed the order of finish. Abe and Every Chicks Favorit were scratched.
Owner Randy Williams raised him and he’s really proud of him, as he should be.”
Flyweight Carver (Wave Carver-Flaming Chivas) broke well and held on for a second under Juan Marquez for owner Stick And Move Stables LLC and trainer Randy Thompson.
Louis Ramirez’s Merciless Fire (Hes Relentless-Walk Thru My Fire) finished third. The Raul De La Mora trainee was ridden by Juan Cruz.
Coronados Lil Lady (Coronado Cartel- Bodacious Lil Lady), Relentless Chick (Hes Relentless-Meaningful Memories), MTS Sixty Six Cartel (Carters Cartel-Going Sixty Six), Justafamilytradition (PYC Paint Your Wagon- Jess An Illusion), My Pillow (Favorite Cartel-Iba Quick Chick) and Passenger Train (Freighttrain B-Wheely Quick) completed the order of finish. A Ruby Corona was scratched.
Indiana Grand Racing & Casino
$107,860 • 440 yards :21.783 • si 107 • Ntr
Valiant Hero
Mighty B Valiant
Mighty B Doll
WRS VALENTINO, ‘16-g.
Teller Cartel
WRS Kissandteller
Hava Zevi
WRS APOLLITICALIVORY
by Danny Camp
Fastest qualifier WRS Apolliticalivory ran true to form in the finals. He won his Oct. 3 trial heat by a head and the finals by the same
margin in the $120,663 QHRAI Derby held at Indiana Grand Race Course on Oct. 24.
The gelding stepped away from the 9-post with Samuel Mendez aboard. They had to work hard to get to the lead, but crossed the wire first by a head in a driving finish. They completed the 400 yards in :19.985 to earn
a 90 speed index. WRS Apolliticalivory also earned the first place check worth $67,034 for owner Williams Racing Stables Inc., boost- ing his total earnings to $198,466. Trained by Randy Smith, the gelding also won the Indiana Grand QHRAI Derby in July.
Williams Racing
Stables Inc. bred WRS Apolliticalivory, the first starter out of winner Sassy Follies.
“Ivory was a nice horse as a two year old and came back even better as a three,” said Smith. “This guy is everybody’s favorite around the barn. He’s a beautiful horse and just as nice as he is good looking. When he gets on the track, he is all business and there is no foolishness about him.
“This guy is a beast, he only has one thing on his mind and that’s running and winning,” he continued. “He is a stone cold runner.
The only bad thing about him is his behavior in the paddock. It takes three farm boys and an alligator to get the saddle on him. But once he’s saddled, he’s all business again.”
When asked about his future, Smith said, “He’s a good sound horse and we will get him to Indiana in the spring again, and maybe give some thought to some races out west, maybe Remington.
Indiana Grand Racing & Casino
$120,663 • 400 yards :19.985 • si 90
Apollitical Jess
Apollitical Blood
Brazilian Dasher
WRS APOLLITICALIVORY, ‘17-g. Ivory James
Sassy Follies
My Happy Memory
140 SPEEDHORSE November 2020
Coady Photography Coady Photography