Page 62 - NMHBA_FALL2021

RUIDOSO DOWNS
Mountain Top QH Derby (R)
by Michael Cusortelli • Photos by Jake Rogerss
Winners Version
Holland Ease
The Jubilee Diamond
Icy Storm
Attila’s Storm
Icy Hollywood
ICY MORNING BREEZE
Icy Morning Breeze, a homebred daughter of Winners Version owned by the Estate of William R. and Mary Robertson, won the inaugural $90,635 Mountain Top Derby (R) for New Mexico-bred sophomores at Ruidoso Downs on June 19.
Ridden by Hector Aldrete for trainer Jackie Riddle, Icy Morning Breeze went 350 yards in :17.288. The brown filly posted a 103 speed index and her second career stakes win. She crossed the finish line with a half-length margin of victory.
The fifth-fastest qualifier, Icy Morning Breeze made her three-year-old season debut with a clear wire-to-wire 2 1/2-length victory in one of six Mountain Top Derby trials on June 5.
The filly’s sire, Winners Version, is a 15-year-old graded stakes winning son of
the First Down Dash stallion Holland Ease. Racing in California and New Mexico
from 2008-2009, Winners Version banked $399,057 from 17 starts, and his five wins included the 2009 Hobbs America Derby (G3) at Zia Park. He also was a finalist in all three Grade 1 futurities at Ruidoso Downs in 2008 - the Ruidoso, Rainbow and All American Futurities.
Winners Version has sired the earners of more than $4.9 million from eight crops, including multiple graded stakes winner Seeyalateralligator and graded stakes winners Wahene Version and Teana Fay.
The stallion stands for a $2,500 fee at Charlie Cole’s and Jason Martin’s Highpoint Performance Horses at Pilot Point, Texas.
Icy Morning Breeze is out of Icy Storm (TB), a winning daughter of the Forest Wildcat (TB) stallion Attila’s Storm (TB).
Her second dam, the Gone Hollywood (TB) mare Icy Hollywood, produced four winners from as many Thoroughbred starters, including Unofficial Winner (TB), a winning full sister to Icy Storm who ran second in the 2013 C.O. “Ken” Kendrick Memorial Stakes (R) at SunRay Park.
Icy Morning Breeze has won four of seven starts and has banked $226,787.
Icy Morning Breeze ended her juvenile sea- son with a half-length victory in the 400-yard, $360,345 New Mexico Cup Futurity (RG2)
at Zia Park.
Fanncee finished second, a half of a length behind Icy Morning Breeze. Fastest quali- fier Bigg Dee, Chicky Chicky Kai, Winner Takes It All, Leading Cartel, Jessies Allstar,
Mr Money Baggs, and Midnight Train Mo completed the order of finish. Ninth-fastest qualifier Fly On Down was scratched.
Fanncee has won one of seven races and has earned $102,359 for Mac and Janis Murray’s MJ Farms at Veguita, New Mexico. A homebred Big Daddy Cartel filly, Fanncee ran second in last year’s New Mexico State Fair Futurity (RG3).
Bigg Dee races for Rex Wells, who pur- chased the bay gelding for $30,000 at the 2019 New Mexico-Bred Sale. Bigg Dee has won four of nine starts -- including last year’s $50,000 Zia Juvenile Stakes (R) -- and he has banked $109,680.
60 New Mexico Horse Breeder