Page 151 - January 2016 Speedhorse
P. 151
Sunland Park Winter Juvenile Championship Invitational
BV MIDNITE EXPRESS
by Michael Cusortelli
BV Midnite Express earned his third career stakes win in the inaugural running of the $250,000 Sunland Park Winter Juvenile
Championship on Jan. 3.
Ridden by Russel Hadley, BV Midnite
Express defeated Burns Folly by 1 1/4-lengths in :19.608 for 400 yards. Eddie Lee Willis prepped the gelding for owner Bella Vista Farms of Arcola, Illinois.
The sorrel Oklahoma- bred gelding has won five
of eight starts, and the $100,000 winner’s share
of the Sunland Juvenile Championship purse pushed his bankroll to $759,252.
“He’s been very consistent for us,” said Willis in the winner’s circle after the race. When he gets a good break, he’s hard to beat. And today, I knew if he got a good break, he could (win) easily.”
Southern California Derby-G1
FORGET IT
by Tracy Gantz
Quarter Horse trainer Jaime Gomez is
a friend of Bob Baffert, who trained Quarter Horses at Los Alamitos before switch-
ing to Thoroughbreds. When Baffert won the Dec. 19 Los Alamitos Derby for Thoroughbreds with Mor Spirit, Gomez came down to the win- ner’s circle. The next night, Gomez celebrated on his own account when Forget It captured the Southern California Derby.
Breaking 2nd from the 9-hole, Forget It had a bit of ground to make up early in the 400-yard race. It took just a few strides, however, for him to get to the front under jockey Eduardo Nicasio. He reached the wire an easy winner by 3/4-length in :19.924. The $56,343 winner’s share pushed his bankroll past the half mil- lion dollar mark to $525,124.
Eduardo Nicasio was deputizing for injured jockey
BV Midnite Express is one of four winners from five starters produced by his dam, the winning homebred mare Miss Tres Seis.
Now 12, Miss Tres Seis has foaled two stakes winners, including BV Mr Azoom, a half-brother to BV Midnite Express who won the 2010 Easy Jet Stakes for Oklahoma-breds
at Remington Park.
BV Midnite Express’
three stakes wins have come at distances ranging from 350 to 440 yards. During his 2-year-old campaign, the gelding won the 350-yard $1.17-million Heritage Place Futurity at Remington Park, and the 440-yard $200,000 All American Juvenile Invitational Stakes at Ruidoso Downs.
Runner-up Burns Folly (Stel Corona-Sixes Folly) races
Carlos Huerta, who had ridden Forget It throughout the 2015 season. Together, Huerta and Forget It won the El Primero del Ano Derby-G3 & the Governor’s Cup Derby.
“We went to the track on Tuesday, and
I told Jaime that the horse felt ready,” said Nicasio. “He was just moving so easy and felt great. I knew we had a good chance. This win is for my friend and fellow jockey Carlos Huerta.”
Forget It qualified to the Southern California Derby with the final clocking from the Nov. 29 trials. The gelding and Huerta finished 3rd in their heat behind fastest quali- fier Sass Me Blue and 2nd- fastest qualifier Fiery Kimbo.
Jaime Gomez not only trains Forget It, he also co- owns him with Dutch Masters III, who purchased the gelding for $40,000 as a yearling at the 2013 Los Alamitos Equine
for Alberto Villanueva. Jaime Parga Leos rode the graded stakes placed gelding for trainer Chris Zamora.
Queen Arabella (Heza Motor Scooter- Wild Wonder Child) finished third, for owner Joyce Erickson of Albuquerque, who also bred the stakes-winning filly. Jose Enrique Ortiz rode Queen Arabella for trainer Donna McArthur.
Streakinjess For LMG (Mr Jess Perry-Kool As Ever), Memphis D Nasty (FDD Dynasty- Jess A Cartel) SC Volcom (Volcom-SC Jessica) Game Changes (Game Patriot-XO Kate), Good Job Honey (Freighttrain B-Ally Kazaam), Apollitical OK (Apollitical Jess- Taka Puna), Sweet Splenda (Send Me Cartel- Apollo’s Lady) & Pampered Jess (Apollitical Jess-The Pampered Side) completed the official order of finish.
Sunland Park $250,000 400 yards :19.608 si 85
PYC Paint Your Wagon
Freighttrain B
Dianetogetcha
BV MIDNITE EXPRESS, ’13-g.
Tres Seis
Miss Tres Seis
Ms Dash Beduino
Sale. Allred bred Forget It in California out of his 4-time stakes winner Forgive Him, who has produced 3 winners/ROM from 4 starters. The mare’s additional stakes winner is She Forgives. Forget It is the top money earner of the brood with his 2 stakes wins and 2 stakes thirds.
Sass Me Blue (Valiant Hero-Jess Sass Me) was 2nd under Cody Jensen for Lucky Seven Ranch & trainer Mike Casselman. Casselman also trains Walk The Catwalk (Walk Thru Fire- Alley Cat Cartel), 3rd under Ruben Lozano for owner Steve Burns. Followed by Fiery Kimbo (Walk Thru Fire-Kimbo With Class) The Perfect Love (Hawkish-Red Hot First Love), Walk Around Blues (Walk Thru Fire-Queens
R Blue), Weownthenite (Walk Thru Fire-Flying Fig), Old Six Six (Walk Thru Fire-Kingman Kin), Jess Cuz (Mr Jess Perry-Corona Couture), & Bac In Front (Foose-Running Bac).
Los Alamitos $134,150 400 yards :19.924 si 86
Stel Corona
Foose
Summertime Quickie
FORGET IT, ’12-g.
Hawkinson
Forgive Him
Making Ways
SPEEDHORSE, January 2016 149
RACING NEWS
Los Alamitos Coady Photography
