Page 94 - Winter 2020

THE DOWNS AT ALBUQUERQUE
O.D. McDonald Stakes (R)
by Michael Cusortelli • photos by Coady Photography
Dome
Storm Cat
She’s Tops
Lauren Lynn
Hadif
Soiree
THUNDER DOME
Thunder Dome, a 6-year-old son of Dome, rallied to win the Sept. 13, 7-furlong O.D McDonald Stakes (R) for New Mexico-breds at Albuquerque Downs.
Ridden by Shane Laviolette, Thunder Dome closed off of the fractions of :22.98 and :45.49 set by Forger, arriving at the finish line in 1:22.80 and defeating Sunscreen by a neck. Dallas Barton saddled the chestnut gelding, who earned the $60,000 winner’s share of the $100,000 purse for owners W.D. Carson Sr., M.H. Carson, and Leach Racing Inc.
Thunder Dome was bred by Frank Richardson and Mooring, and he was mak- ing his first start since Feb. 23, when he ran fourth in the 1 1/16-mile, $100,000 Albert & Henry Dominguez Memorial Handicap (R) at Sunland Park. The gelding is one of 127 win- ners from 206 starters sired by Dome.
A half-brother to two-time Grade 1 winner Dixie Union, Dome has sired seven stakes win- ners and the earners of more than $6.6 million, including multiple stakes winners Glory Be Mine, ZZ Dome, and On the Low Down. The stallion was recently retired from stud duty.
Thunder Dome is also one of seven winners from nine starters foaled by Lauren Lynn, a winning daughter of the Clever Trick stallion
Hadif who ran second in two stakes in Texas in ‘03, including the Valor Farm Stakes (R) at Lone Star Park. The gelding is a half-brother to 2010 Sierra Starlet Handicap (R) winner If I Had A Bull.
Thunder Dome’s second dam, the Full Choke mare Soiree, won three stakes in New Mexico from 1996-98, including the ‘96
Rio Grande Kindergarten Futurity (R) and Kachina Stakes at Ruidoso Downs. His third dam, the winning Barachois mare Flying B.G., produced a total of four stakes winners, three of whom were full brothers to Soiree: four-time stakes winner Talent Connection, 3-time stakes winner B.G.’s Drone, and Flying Drone, a colt whose two stakes wins included the 1994 New Mexican Stakes (R) at Santa Fe Downs.
Thunder Dome was sent to post at odds of 6-1 and returned a $15 win mutuel. The geld- ing has banked $630,873 from 37 races, and his five stakes victories include the 2018 O.D. McDonald Stakes (R), and the 2018 Rocky Gulch New Mexico Cup Championship (R) at Zia Park and Johnie L. Jamison Handicap (R) at Sunland Park.
Wheredoesthecashgo, the 3-2 favorite
in the field of 11, finished third, one length behind Thunder Dome, to complete a $404.20
($1) trifecta payoff. No Pasa Nada, Gunners One, Shining Source, Mister Kowen, Jet N G, Forger, M G Ms Victory Run, and Next Affair completed the order of finish.
Runner-up Sunscreen banked the $20,000 runner-up share of the purse for owners Nancy Summers, Scott R. Bean, and James D. Masek. The chestnut gelding has won five of 18 races and has earned $276,455.
Wheredoesthecashgo races for Amanda Sweeten and Pablo Navarez Hernandez. The gelding has won four of 28 outs, and the $10,000 third-place share of the O.D. McDonald Stakes purse pushed his bankroll to $207,355.
92 New Mexico Horse Breeder