Page 173 - October 2023

MAX IN HEAVENLY
by Michael Compton
Max In Heavenly made his first stakes appearance a winning one. He asserted his superiority in the $193,900 Gillespie County Fair Futurity-G3 at
the Gillespie County Fairground, becoming a stakes winner in just his fifth lifetime start.
Ridden by Nestor Duran, Max In Heavenly broke alertly in the 350-yard event. He dueled throughout and forged to the front in the
late stages to defeat OSC Tempting Tres by 1/2-length at the finish, stopping the timer in a fast :17.414 as the race favorite.
The final clocking, which encroached on the :17.220 track record set by Cocopata in 2011, earned a 102 speed index for trainer Juan Diaz Jr.
A homebred for Gabriela Saucedo, the precocious
Max In Heavenly has never finished off the board. The Gillespie County Fair Futurity victory improved his record
to 5-4(1)-1-0 and the $67,865 winner’s share of the purse
MFS CHEERIO
by Michael Cusortelli
The fourth-fastest qualifier from seven trials run on July 28, MFS Cheerio scored his first stakes victory in the 350-yard John Deere Ruidoso Juvenile Challenge Stakes-G3 at Ruidoso Downs on Aug. 19.
MFS Cheerio defeated second-fastest qualifier Acapulco Bay by a head in :17.565 while recording a 91 speed index. Eddie
D. Willis trained and Justine Klaiber rode the bay son of Champion KVN Corona for owners RH Bros., LLC and
Anastacio Cavazos Jr.
MFS Cheerio was bred
in Oklahoma by Jovetta Meredith, and he was coming off of a 1 1/4-length victory in the second Ruidoso Juvenile Challenge trial.
The gelding is out of DF Apollitical Sign, a winning 8-year-old daughter of World Champion Apollitical Jess and the runner-up in the 2018 Canterbury Park Derby.
increased his bankroll to $90,415. Max In Heavenly competed in the trials for the TQHA Sale Futurity and the Sam Houston Futurity, but the Gillespie County Fair Futurity marked the first time he returned for the final.
Bred in Texas, Max In Heavenly is produced out of JP In Heavenly Glory, who won the 2017 La Villita Stakes at Retama Park for Saucedo. Max In Heavenly is her only starter. JP In Heavenly is a half-sister to Perfect Grand Shot,
winner of the 2022 Desert Classic Juvenile, and You Cant Drive, winner of the 2023 Desert Classic Futurity.
Max In Heavenly’s second dam is lightly raced JP Straight Shot, a full sister to He Is The Rising Star, a multiple stakes winner.
Runner-up OSC Tempting Tres (Tempting Dash-Tres Of Royalty), also trained by Diaz, hopped at the start and rallied strongly through the lane under
Victor Urieta Jr. The sorrel gelding is owned by Almada Racing and was bred in Texas by Kevin Hogan. OSC Tempting Tres was a $40,000 graduate of last year’s TQHA Yearling Sale. The gelding has hit the board in all of his five starts.
KVP Especial (KVN Corona-Georgina Especial) and jockey Luis Vivanco dueled
early and gave way a bit late to finish third for owner-breeder Pedro Vazquez and trainer Jose Sanchez III. The gray filly was bred in Texas and was a winner of her Aug. 12 trial dash.
No La Deja (Hes Relentless-La Deja Blue), Jess Star Struck (Jess Lips-Medea), Chendo (RC Me Leaving You-Ms Otoole), Addie Lane (Bogart-Waverlee), Flashing Goodtime (Duponte-Let Me Dream Longer), MP Sheza Yes (Mr Piloto-Sheza Yes), and Tempting Celebration (Tempting Dash-Zoomin N Celebrating) completed the order of finish.
The gelding traces back to his third dam Stylish Sign, who produced three stakes winners, all of whom were half-siblings to Stolin Sign, including 2017 Champion of Champions-G1 winner Mr PYC To You, and multiple graded stakes winner and Grade 1 producer First Painted Sign.
MFS Cheerio earned the $69,115 winner’s share of a stakes-record $144,925 purse, as well as a berth in the $150,000 John Deere Juvenile
Challenge Championship-G2 at Lone Star Park near Dallas, Texas on Oct. 21. Campaigned in two states, including Oklahoma, the gelding has won three of
five races and has banked $104,742, and he was a finalist in Oklahoma’s richest horse race, the $1,207,640 Heritage Place Futurity-G1 at Remington Park on June 3.
Acapulco Bay (Apollitical Jess-Aqua Girl) banked the
$28,985 runner-up share of the purse for her owner, Wishbone Partnership. Jimmy Dean Brooks rode the filly for trainer Eddie D. Willis. The filly was a finalist in the Grade 1 Remington Park Oklahoma Bred Futurity. Flying Sophia (Flying Cowboy 123-Sister Sophia) ran
third 3/4-length behind MFS Cheerio, while pocketing $14,493 for her owners Calder Ezzell and Candy Ezzell of Roswell, New Mexico. Francisco Calderon rode the homebred filly for trainer Mike Joiner.Followed by One Little Liar (One Valiant Hero-Pretty Little Liar), Gabriel (Hes Relentless-Twisted Dash), Dawson Legate (Hes Relentless-Foxy Moonflash), and Favorite Nova (Favorite Cartel-Remember To Dash). Fastest qualifier Running To The Moon, third- fastest qualifier Wynnchester and GT Got A Tarzan were all scratched.
RACING NEWS
SPEEDHORSE October 2023 171
Gillespie County Fair Futurity-G3
Bailey Ivey, Ruidoso Downs Cypress Girl Photography
Gillespie County Fair
$193,900 • 350 yards :17.414 • SI 102
Corona Cartel
Ivory James
Dashin Follies
MAX IN HEAVENLY, ‘21-g.
Wave Carver
JP In Heavenly Glory
JP Straight Shot
John Deere Ruidoso Downs Juvenile Challenge-G3
Ruidoso Downs
$144,925 • 350 yards :17.565 • SI 91
Corona Cartel
KVN Corona
Executive Looks
MFS CHEERIO, ‘21-g.
Apollitical Jess
DF Apollitical Sign
Stolin Sign