Page 246 - September 2022

RACING NEWS
Zia Derby-RG2
RIVER FLASH
by Michael Compton
River Flash has not tasted defeat in his last five starts after taking down the top prize in the $173,634 Zia Derby-G2 at Ruidoso
Downs on Aug. 6.
Piloted by Adrian Ramos, River Flash—the
fastest qualifier from the July 16 trials—was bumped at the start but grabbed the lead away from the gate in the 400-yard fixture. River Flash extended his advantage to as many as 2-lengths in the
lane and crossed the finish 1 3/4-lengths in front of runner-up Classy Moon.
River Flash stopped the timer in the brisk time of :19.403 over a fast track, good for a speed index of 102. The final clocking just missed Empressum’s track record of :19.149 set in 2021.
In winning for the seventh time from 11 starts for trainer Wesley Giles, River Flash added the
TQHA Sires Cup Futurity-RG3
PHREEDOM
by Tracy Gantz
Billy and Debbie Tiffee had friends with them to watch their gelding Phreedom in the TQHA Sires’ Cup Futurity-RG3 at Retama
Park on Aug. 20.
As the horses made their way to the starting
gate, Debbie started pacing nervously. “Okay, they’re loaded up,” she told herself. “I kept watching his gate to make sure he got out.”
The third-fastest qualifier, Phreedom got out of the gate just fine for jockey Raul Ramirez Jr. “He broke good
and he ran straight and
nothing bumped him,” said
Debbie. “I thought, ‘Okay,
this is good, this is good.’
Then he pulled out in front.”
Phreedom not only pulled out in front, he drew away to win by 1 3/4-lengths in :17.682 for 350 yards. He earned a
101 speed index against a 14 mile-per-hour headwind. The $70,000 winner’s share of the purse swelled his earnings
to $80,550.
$74,605 winner’s share of the purse to his total bankroll which now stands at $259,185 for owners Robert Driggers and Ben Lee Ivey. During his current win streak, River Flash has also won the Mountain Top Derby and the New Mexico Breeders Stakes-RG3. Last year as a juvenile, River Flash captured the New Mexico State Fair Juvenile Stakes.
Bred in New Mexico by Ivey Cattle Co., River Flash is produced from
the winning mare Riverside Flash, a three-time winner for Ivey Cattle Company and Wesley Giles.
Runner-up Classy Moon (First Moonflash-Shez Classy Now) bumped with the subsequent winner at the break and offered game chase through the lane to finish second under jockey Noe Garcia Jr. for owners/breeders Sissie and Bob McClure and trainer Fred Danley. The
The Tiffees of Kingsville, Texas, own Phreedom in the name of Three Bar T Quarter Horses. Toby Keeton trains the gelding, who broke his maiden in his Aug. 5 Futurity trial.
Three Bar T purchased Phreedom at the 2021 Texas Quarter Horse Association Yearling Sale for $50,000 from Remount Ranch, as agent for breeder P&J Racing Ltd. “We bought him because we both felt like this was a horse that could really hold together,” said Debbie. “What
I was looking for was legs and knees and hocks.”
They got quite a bit
of pedigree, too: a son of Tempting Dash out of a half- sister to World Champion Bodacious Eagle. “He does have a good pedigree,” said Debbie. “But they don’t usually read their papers, so they don’t know that.”
P&J Racing bred Phreedom in Texas from winner Liberte, who has produced two starters, both winners.
multiple graded stakes-placed gelding finished third in the Mountain Top Derby two starts back and is a three-time winner.
Mitey Keymeera (A Revenant-Mitey Moon) and jockey Lucas Constantin offered a steady bid from start to finish and checked in third for owners Charles and Dixie Patterson and trainer Donna McArthur. The three-time winner captured her trial heat on July 16. She was bred in New Mexico by Debra Laney.
Cowboy Zulu (Zulu Dragon-First Cowgirl Flash), Z Ya (First Moonflash-Zoobie Cartel), Flashin Fire (First Moonflash-Episode Of
Fire), Jess Ring The Bell (Jess A Chicks-First Tinkerbell), EBW Pistol Pete (First Moonflash- EBW Pistol Annie) and Flashin The Ivory (First Moonflash-Special Dark Ivory) completed
the order of finish. Flashin The Ivory was disqualified from fifth for interference and placed ninth. Jaunt was scratched.
Ali Rivera rode Flaming Pistol Pete (Mr Piloto-Flaming First Shine) to second for owner Debbie Grimes and trainer Jason Driver. Flaming Pistol Pete had two wins going into the TQHA Sires’ Cup Futurity.
Ponte Trucha (Duponte-Apollitical Dasher), owned by Armando Cortez, trained by Josue Huitron, and ridden by Heriberto Aguilar- Orozco, ran third. The gelding won the Louisiana Downs Futurity-G2 and finished third in the Sam Houston Futurity-G2.
Completing the field were Lil Freighttrain (Freighttrain B-Bodacious Lil Lady), Queens R Tempting (Tempting Dash-Queens R Blue), Chilli Red (Lethal Corona-Makeala), Jeg Fascination (Freighttrain B-JA Fascination), Famous Corona Winner (Lethal Corona-One Famous Winner), and LS Coronita Dancer (KVM Corona-Lindsayshadowdancer). Special Train Lelo was scratched.
Ruidoso Downs
$173,634 • 400 yards :19.403 • si 102
Chicks Beduino
Chicks Regard
First Regard
RIVER FLASH, ‘19-g.
First Moonflash
Riverside Flash
Riverside Eye Opener
244 SPEEDHORSE September 2022
Retama Park
$175,000 • 350 yards :17.682 • si 101
First Down Dash
Tempting Dash
A Tempting Chick
PHREEDOM, ‘20-g.
American Runaway
Liberte
Bodacious Dream
Coady Photography Bailey Ivey, Ruidoso Downs