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“Bryan Candanosa went to Sam Houston to ride trials,” Keener said. “He’d qualified the horse. He’d been on the horse every time, from the training race to the trials.”
Candanosa gave some tips to Ramirez, who said after the race, “I talked to Bryan last night, and he helped me get to know the horse.”
The Futurity was Ramirez’s first big win since he rode World Champion Whistle Stop Cafe to victory in the 2020 All American Futurity-G1.
“For every blessing there is a curse,” Ramirez said. “It’s been three years since I won the All American Futurity. I’m just glad to get rid of the curse. It feels good to win a big race again.”
Keener, the all-time leading trainer of Paint racehorses, was winning the PSBA for the seventh time. He previously scored in the race with RF Livies Livewire (also by CRM Livewire) in 2021, WF Turnpike Candy in 2020, PHQ Goodbye Earl in 2016, Texas Silk in 2014, Lajollas Mr Big Stuff in 2012, and Speed Bandit in 2008.
Prior to the Futurity, Triple L Xpress aced his trial for the Oklahoma Paint and Appaloosa Futurity-G1, qualifying the third fastest. In the final, however, he got away slowly and finished unplaced.
“He didn’t leave—he was pretty unsettled in the gate,” Keener said. “After that, we stood him a lot and took him to the gates a lot.”
The schooling helped, as Triple L Xpress next won his Arpil 14 trial for the PSBA Futurity.
Keener trains Triple L Xpress for Pat Duggins’ Planefun LLC. The trainer said that Duggins bought Triple L Xpress privately from Garvan Kelly and Lloyd Yother.
“We’ve probably had this horse since August,” said Keener. “We broke him at our place. I’ve known the horse since he was born and liked the horse. I liked the way he was bred.”
Kelly and Nancy Yearsley bred Triple L Xpress in Oklahoma from their homebred Quarter Horse winner Maggie Redmond. Triple L Xpress is the mare’s first Paint. She has previously produced four winners from six Quarter Horse starters. The second dam is 2004 Miss Blackhawk Stakes winner Rule
The Skies. Maggie Redmond sold for $8,000 to Pleasant Valley Ranch at the 2023 Heritage Place Winter Mixed Sale.
Keener trains second-place Pevs Wire
To Wire (CRM Livewire-PV Queen Bee Candy) for owner-breeders Gordon and Jackie Pevehouse. Jesus Salazar rode the filly for Keener. Pevs Wire To Wire earlier finished third in the Oklahoma Paint & Appaloosa Juvenile Stakes.
Jesus Silos’ homebred Turnpikers Silos (Gitter Dun Turnpike-Miss Silos) ran third for jockey Roman Cruz and trainer Jesus Ruiz. The colt has a third and second in two prior starts.
Rounding out the field were Storms Livewire (CRM Livewire-Storm’s Promise TB), Tess The Wire (CRM Livewire- Princess Friona), Drank Like Hank (CRM Livewire-Irish Vendetta), Wired BB (CRM Livewire-Biker Babe), Js Successful Chicken (CRM Livewire-Cartel Chicken), Js Quick Chili (SF Royal Quick Flash-Texas Chili), and Nota Pocahontas (CRM Livewire-Sweet First Leader).
Triple L Xpress (left) on his way to a wire-to-wire victory under Bryan Candanosa.
RACING NEWS
SPEEDHORSE June 2023 167
Dustin Orona Photography