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Bill Reed Memorial Stakes
Heza Classy Now, a homebred son of Rock Solid Jess racing for Bob and Sissie McClure, earned his first career stakes win in the September 3, 870-yard Bill Reed Memorial Stakes at Ruidoso Downs.
Trained by Toby Keeton and sent to post as the 5-2 second choice in the field of six, Heza Classy Now defeated Linda Tee Fire by a nose in :45.132. Bryan Candanosa rode the 4-year-old bay gelding.
Heza Classy Now was coming off of a second-place finish, 2 3/4 lengths behind winner and reigning AQHA champion distance horse Wascallywittlewabbit, in the 870-yard, $50,000 Zia 870 Championship Stakes (R) for New Mexico-breds at Ruidoso Downs on August 7. The gelding is out of Shez Classy Now, a daughter
of champion Now I Know who won two graded stakes in New Mexico in 2006, including the 870-yard, $60,600 New Mexico Horsemen’s Association Handicap (RG2) at SunRay Park.
Heza Classy Now won two of his three starts during his Ruidoso Downs summer campaign, including an 870-yard, $17,000
allowance race for New Mexico-breds
on July 23. All told, the gelding has won seven of 15 races -- including four of seven at Ruidoso Downs and three of seven at
the 870-yard distance -- and the $30,000 winner’s share of the $50,000 Bill Reed Memorial Stakes purse bumped his earnings to $104,101, of which $64,366 has been pocketed from six outs this season.
Heza Classy Now returned a $7.60 win mutuel and paired with runner-up Linda Tee Fire, an 8-1 longshot, for a $2 exacta dividend of $120. Freedom Flash, the 7-2 third choice, ran third, 1 1/4 lengths behind Heza Classy Now, to complete a $249.90 ($1) trifecta.
Breaking New Ground finished fourth and was followed by Hi High Hopes and 13-10 favorite Favorite Agree.
Ismael Villalobos’ Linda Tee Fire banked $10,000 to bring his earnings to $414,261 from 68 races in two states, including Texas. A 13-year-old son of the First Down Dash stallion Walk Thru Fire who was claimed by Villalobos for $5,000 on July 3, the sorrel Texas-bred gelding has won 16
races and was a finalist in the 2011 Texas Classic Futurity (G1) at Lone Star Park, and the 2012 All American Derby (G1) at Ruidoso Downs and Texas Classic Derby (G1) at Lone Star Park.
Freedom Flash is a 6-year-old homebred First Moonflash gelding racing for Pierre
J. Amestoy Jr., Leslie Amestoy and Roger
K. Beasley. The bay gelding has won five of 25 races, including three of four at the 870 trip, and the $5,000 third-place share of the Bill Reed Memorial Stakes purse bumped his bankroll to $267,501.
Photos by Myriam Maynard,Speedhorse, & Coady Photography
Rock Solid Jess
Mr Jess Perry
Rockin The Tetons
Shez Classy Now
Now I Know
Aunt Nelly
HEZA CLASSY NOW
Heza Classy Now’s winning connections include owner/breeder Bob and Sissie McClure, trainer Toby Keeton and jockey Bryan Candanosa.
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