Page 174 - January 2021

RACING NEWS
First Down Dash Handicap Holiday Handicap JESSMACHOCORONA CANDYBLOOD
LQHBA Million Invitational Stakes
APOLLITICALCHAIS
by Richard Chamberlain
The $40,000 LQHBA Louisiana Million Invitational Stakes fell to the lone maiden in the field. Running through rain on a sloppy track, Pete Scarmardo’s Apollitcal Chais went 400 yards in :19.742, earning a speed index of 93.
Sent off at 6-1 with David Alvarez up for trainer Kenneth Roberts Sr., Apollitical Chais scored by 3/4-length ahead of La Savanne.
Winning his first of five lifetime starts, the $24,000 winner’s share raised the gelding’s career earnings to $29,090. Apollitical Chais had never finished off the board in his four previous starts, all of which were futurity trials. The gelding came into the Invitational off a third-place finish in the Nov. 21 tri- als to the LQHBA Louisiana Million Futurity-RG1.
Racing for Scarmardo, Apollitical Chais was bred in Louisiana by Lester Colomb Jr. The gelding is the first starter from two foals out of winner Duachais.
Roberts and Alvarez won the LQHBA Breeders’ Derby-RG3 with Lifeinthefastlanes that same evening. Alvarez also rode San Lorenzo to win
the LQHBA Louisiana Million Futurity-RG1
and finished the 2020 season as leading rider at Evangeline Downs.
La Savanne (Jet Black Patriot-Miss Phoebes O Toole) finished second under Raul Ramirez Jr. for owner/trainer Rosendo Valdez. Bad Girl Corona (Open Me A Corona-BB Stolis Girl) and jockey Rolando Pina came in third for owner Runaway Racing LLC and trainer Ned Goutierrez III.
JM Friday (Jess Louisiana Blue-Bench Mark Dove) finished fourth and was followed by Shortstop Express (Freighttrain B-Allizoom), Apollitical High (Apollitical Blood-Toastem Honi), Runaway Stars (Sir Runaway Dash-Jess A Special Star), RF Famous Five Bar (Five Bar Cartel-One Famous Cookie), Runaway Fast Dash (Sir Runaway Dash-Fast Girl Friend) and BP Fancy Girl (BP Wagon Train-Dagouti).
by Tracy Gantz
Jess Macho Corona improved on his 2019 performance in Los Alamitos’ First Down Dash Handicap. Second in 2019, he won the 2020 edition for the first stakes victory of his career.
Though he hadn’t won a stakes before, Jess Macho Corona had come close in top-notch company. At two in 2018, he finished third in the Ed Burke Million Futurity-G1 and then second in the Golden State Million Futurity-G1. In 2019, he ran second in the All American Derby-G1 by
a neck. In 2020, he finished second in the Vessels Maturity-G1.
Jess Macho Cartel broke out of the gate on top in the Dec. 19 First Down Dash for jockey Ramon Sanchez. The 4-year-old gelding led throughout the 400 yards to post a neck victory in :19.873.
Paul Jones trains Jess Macho Cartel for Connie Nutt and Turner Farms. Turner Farms bred Jess Macho Corona in Oklahoma from Jess Send
Me, who ran second in the 2011 All American Futurity-G1 for the breeder. Jess Send Me has pro- duced nine winners in 13 starters, including stakes winner Jess Send It. The second dam, stakes winner Send Me First, is also the dam of Champion Paint Dos Poruno.
Martha Wells’ homebred Red Hawk Cartel (Favorite Cartel-Red Hawk Chick) finished second. Luis Valenzuela rode the colt for trainer Matthew Fales. Red Hawk Cartel won the 2018 California Breeders’ Freshman Stakes.
Ruben Lozano piloted Marfilmio (Ivory James- Sinuous) to third for owner Hugo Barron-Sierra and trainer Yanet Rodriguez. Marfilmio won the 2020 Two Rivers Stakes-G3.
Completing the field were Rite Quick (Favorite Cartel-Iba Quick Chick), Corona Jumpim MRL (Corona For Me-Ipanema Gold) and Cartel Rocks (Five Bar Cartel-Snow Rock).
by Tracy Gantz
Candy Blood, a winner earlier in 2020 at Remington Park and Ruidoso Downs, made his Los Alamitos debut an impressive one by demol- ishing the competition in the $20,000 Holiday Handicap on Dec. 26.
With Raul Valenzuela aboard for the first time and drawn on the rail after three scratches, Candy Blood immediately bounded to the lead. He kept increasing his advantage, the official margin being three lengths at the end of the 350 yards. Candy Blood stopped the timer in :17.670, while posting a 92 speed index.
Monty Arrossa trains Candy Blood for Rick Sumner, who owns the gelding and bred him in Oklahoma. Candy Blood won his first two starts at Remington Park, qualifying for the Heritage Place Futurity-G1. The gelding won his trial for the All American Futurity-G1 and finished fourth in the All American Juvenile.
Sumner bred Candy Blood out of his homebred mare Ranch Candy, who finished third in the 2011 Heritage Place Futurity-G1. Ranch Candy has produced three winners from five starters, including stakes-placed Lota Candy.
No Hesitation (Favorite Cartel-Mia Ta Fame) ran second under jockey Jesus Valenzuela for owner Jim Nebeker and trainer Jose Flores. The gelding won the 2020 Utah Bred Futurity.
Ruben Lozano rode Sassies Blues Girl (Favorite Cartel-Sass Me Blue) to third for owner H & E Ranch Inc. and trainer Mike Casselman. Sassies Blues Girl also ran third in the 2020 Pat Hyland Memorial Handicap.
Flight Queen (Foose-Aviatrix) finished fourth. Strange Fellow (Seperate Interest-Quirky) hopped in the air as the gate opened, unseating his rider. Proud Movin Renegade, Roving Kind and Rox Win were scratched.
Los Alamitos • $25,000
400 yards • :19.873 • si 90
Holland Ease
Corona Chick
JESS MACHO CORONA, ‘16-g.
Feature Mr Jess
Corona Cartel
Jess Send Me
Send Me First
Los Alamitos • $20,000
350 yards • :17.670 • si 92
Apollitical Jess
Apollitical Blood
CANDY BLOOD, ‘18-g. Ranch Candy
Brazilian Dasher Wave Carver
Give Me Candy
Evangeline Downs • $40,000
400 yards • :19.742 • si 93
Apollitical Jess
Apollitical Blood
APOLLITICAL CHAIS, ‘18-g. Duachais
Brazilian Dasher PYC Paint Your Wagon Fast Prize Tracy
172 SPEEDHORSE January 2021
Los Alamitos
Los Alamitos
Coady Photography