Page 101 - Winter 2020

New Mexico Cup Sprint Champ. (R)
WHEREDOESTHECASHGO
Story by Michael Cusortelli • Photos by Coady Photography
Southwestern Heat
Gone West
Xtra Heat
Wildcat Diva
Forest Wildcat
Diva’s Debut
Wheredoesthecashgo was a prompt 4-5 favorite in the Nov.11, $50,000 New Mexico Cup Sprint Championship (R) at Zia Park.
Trained by Andres Gonzalez for owners Amanda Sweeten and Pablo Navarez Hernandez, Wheredoesthecashgo covered 6 furlongs in 1:07.77. Miguel Perez rode the 5-year-old gelding.
Wheredoesthecashgo was bred by J. Kirk and Judy Robison, and he was claimed from the Robisons by Sweeten and Navarez Hernandez for $15,000 at Ruidoso Downs on May 25. The gelding is one of six stakes winners from 104 starters sired by Southwestern Heat.
Southwestern Heat raced from 2006-08, earning $155,340 from 17 starts in five states. The stallion has to date sired the earners of more than $4.5 million from six crops, includ- ing multiple stakes winner Bryn’s Fancy Pants.
Wheredoesthecashgo’s dam, the Forest Wildcat mare Wildcat Diva, foaled seven winners from as many starters, including multiple stakes winner Liberty Lover and stakes winner Diabolical King, both of whom are half-brothers to Wheredoesthecashgo. The
gelding’s second dam, the Deputy Minister mare Diva’s Debut, won three stakes in New Jersey and Canada from 1989-90.
An ‘86 foal, Diva’s Debut foaled
Capdiva, a half-sister to Wildcat Diva who won the $259,130 Canadian Oaks (R) at Woodbine Racecourse near Toronto in 1997. Wheredoesthecashgo’s third dam, the unraced First Landing mare Prima Maria, produced a total of four stakes winners, all of whom were half siblings to Diva’s Debut.
Wheredoesthecashgo prepped for this race with a wire-to-wire, eight-length victory in
a 6-furlong allowance race on October 21. The gelding has won six of 30 starts, and the $29,400 winner’s share of the purse from his first career stakes victory pushed his earnings to $250,255, of which $91,420 has been pock- eted from six outs since the claim.
Golden Band finished second, 2 1/4-lengths behind Wheredoesthecashgo. My Indian Warrior, E J’s Gold, Knuckle Ball, No Pasa Nada, Del Mar Summer, and Diabolical Ruler completed the order of finish.
Golden Band is a homebred 5-year-old Quinton’s Gold gelding owned by Dale F. Taylor Racing LLC. A $6,250 claimer during the Albuquerque summer meet, he has won five of 25 races and has earned $181,198.
My Indian Warrior races for 5 Star Racing LLC and Melequies Valdez, who claimed the 4-year-old son of Indian Firewater for $10,000 at Sunland Park in February. The gelding has won four of 13 outs and has banked $97,022.
Sarge finished second and was followed by Cheese Tray, Postmanfourtyeight, Aisle Runner, Pub, Coming Abstraction, Quick Laugh and Jornalero.
Sarge is a homebred son of Abstraction campaigned by Donnell Echols. The gelding has won one of three starts, and increased his earnings to $22,222.
A homebred Attila’s Storm colt racing for J. Kirk and Judy Robison, Cheese Tray has earn- ings of $28,450 from five outs.
New Mexico Cup Juv. Champ. (R)
ZIA PARK
Shame On Charlie
Indian Charlie
Shameful
Shug’s Spirit
Diabolical
Bugs Day
CHAMP SPIRIT
Making just his second career start, Marina Velazquez’s Champ Spirit led at every call en route to a 3 1/2-length victory in the Nov. 11, $50,000 New Mexico Cup Juvenile Championship (R) for state-bred 2-year-old colts and geldings at Zia Park.
Champ Spirit covered 6 furlongs 1:09.68. Luis Rodriguez rode the dark bay gelding for trainer Rafael Barraza.
Champ Spirit was bred by Barbara Brown. The gelding’s sire, Shame on Charlie has sired five stakes winners and the earners of more than $1.1 million from 24 start-
ers, including Effort N Results, the winner of the September 5, $100,000 Casino at
The Downs Thoroughbred Derby (R) at Albuquerque Downs, and Tight Fittin Jeans, the winner of the July 25, $50,000 Sierra Starlet Handicap (R) at
Ruidoso Downs.
Shame on Charlie is a full brother to Champion Indian Blessing, and a half to three stakes winners, including Grade 3 win- ner Roman Threat. The stallion is owned by
Barbara Brown and stands at The Quarter Company at Chamberino, New Mexico.
Champ Spirit is out of Shug’s Spirit, a winning 8-year-old daughter of the Artax stallion Diabolical who has produced two winners from as many starters. The gelding’s second dam, the winning Maryland-bred Holy Bull mare Bugs Day, foaled two stakes- placed runners, including Got Aces, a full sister to Shug’s Spirit who ran third in the 2013 C.O. “Ken” Kendrick Memorial Stakes (R) at SunRay Park.
Champ Spirit traces back to his third dam, Wumps, a winning daughter of the Hoist
The Flag stallion Oh Say who ran third in
the ‘96 Batna Stakes at Pimlico Racecourse in Maryland.
Champ Spirit made his debut with a wire-to- wire, 3 1/4-length win in a 5 1/2-furlong, $24,000 maiden-special-weight dash for state-bred 2-year- olds at Albuquerque Downs on Sept. 16.
The $29,100 winner’s share of the purse from his first stakes score bumped his bankroll to $43,800.
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