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RACING NEWS
Terrace Hill Stakes
IRIS ROYAL JESS
Iby Tracy Gantz
ris Royal Jess captured his third consecutive Terrace
Hill Stakes at Prairie Meadows on Oct. 1. Breaking smartly for jockey Cristian Esqueda, second-choice Iris Royal Jess battled with odds-on favorite CR Appollitical Joe through the first part of the 400 yards. She was able to pull away to win
by 3/4-lengths, stopping the timer in :19.655 to earn a 99 speed index.
Alex Wessels trains Iris Royal Jess for B/B Wessels LLC. The seven-year-old gray gelding has spent his entire racing career at Prairie Meadows, having 13 wins, five seconds, and two thirds in 20 career starts. In addition to his three Terrace Hill wins, Iris Royal Jess also won this year’s Cy-Hawk Stakes as well as in 2020, and the 2018 Polk County Derby. He has placed second in three other stakes, including the 2021 Cy-Hawk, 2019 Terrace Hill and the 2017 Jim Bader Futurity.
Warren Garrels bred Iris Royal Jess in Iowa from the unraced mare Pure Royal Dash. The mare has produced nine winners from 11 starters with earnings of $562,882.
Curt and Dick Tobin’s homebred CR Appollitical Joe (Apollitical Jess-LW Evening Lajolla) finished second under jockey Edwin Escobedo. Jason Olmstead trains the 4-year-old gelding, who won the 2021 Cyclone Derby and Cy-Hawk Stakes and the 2020 Hawkeye Futurity.
Cody Smith rode TS Perry Kool (Lil Kool Wagon-Mrs Aqua Perry) to third for owner Casey Veach and trainer Tony Jones. TS Perry Kool ran second in this year’s Cyclone Derby.
Completing the field were Elbullseye (Lil Kool Wagon-Bayou Now), Loaded Resume (Lil Kool Wagon-RU Special), Iris Cowboy Casanova (Racy Casanova-Pure Royal Dash), and Kornfusion (Lil Kool Wagon-Alina Alina-TB). TS Dash To The End was scratched.
Valley Junction Juvenile
GIGI TIANNA
Aby Michael Cusortelli
16-1 longshot in a full field of 10 two-year-olds,
Gigi Tianna led at every call enroute to a 3/4- length victory in 350-yard Valley Junction Juvenile at Prairie Meadows on Sept. 30.
Gigi Tianna earned a 93 speed index while stopping the timer in :17.680. James Flores rode the filly for trainer Stacy Charette-Hill. The $7,200 winner’s share of the $20,000 purse boosted Gigi Tianna’s earnings
to $14,028.
The filly has won two of her five starts, including
a 250-yard maiden-claiming dash at Prairie Meadows on July 1. She was coming off of a fourth- place finish in one of six Valley Junction Futurity-G3 trials on Sept. 11.
M.C. and Cendy Stucks homebred Gigi Tianna out of another homebred, Gianna Grace, a winning 7-year- old mare who earned $24,246 in her racing career. She traces back to her third dam, Act Up, who won the 2004 Denim N Diamonds Handicap at Los Alamitos.
Malibu Bar B (Freighttrain B-Splendifferous), the 3-1 favorite, finished second for owner Stephanie K. Lopez, who purchased the Louisiana- bred filly for $55,000 at last year’s Heritage Place Yearling Sale. Trainer Stacy Charette-Hill had jockey Erik Esqueda in the irons.
Where Theres Sumoke (Apollitical Jess- Sumokin) ran third under jockey Angel Ramirez for trainer Ed Hardy. Owner Lucky Ace Racing Partners bought the Arkansas-bred filly for $62,000 at last year’s Ruidoso Yearling Sale.
Shine On Piloto (Mr Piloto-Shinningperrydash) was fourth and was followed by My VGW Hero (Valiant Hero-My Dynasty Chick), Im Jess An Angel (Jess Lips-Echoes Of Angels), Puts N The Work (Corona Cartel-Little Surfer), Kosmos Reserve (Apollitical Blood-Shiner Blond), Sweet Candy Lips (Jess Good Candy-Jess Paint Your Lips), and Jess B Jazzin (Coronado Cartel-Hanna B Jazzin).
Q-Racing Video LS Distaff Chal.
KISS ME SUZY
Kby Michael Compton
iss Me Suzy won the first stakes victory of her career
in the $20,000 Q-Racing Video Lone Star park Distaff Challenge on Oct. 1.
Trainer John Stinebaugh held a strong hand in the event, including saddling race favorite Sin Sational Kisser. At the end of a hotly contested 400 yards, it was Stinebaugh’s Kiss Me Suzy, the longest shot of
his runners at 12-1, emerging with the front-running victory and topping a sweep of the top three placings for the trainer.
Piloted by Sergio Dominguez, Kiss Me Suzy
broke alertly on top and took command at the break. She dueled throughout, but led at every call, before prevailing to a 1-length lead over stablemate Best Moonflash and a rallying Sin Sational Kisser. She stopped the timer in :19.986 to earn an 88 speed index.
A homebred for Connie Young and John Herrick, Kiss My Suzy improved her overall record to 22-4-5-3. The $15,908 winner’s share of the purse increased her bankroll to $84,748. Bred in Oklahoma, the 4-year-old sorrel filly is out of the winning mare Ode to Suzy, who earned $44,913 in her racing career.
Runner-up Best Moonflash (First Moonflash- Thebest Isyet Tocome) closed strongly late under jockey Ali Rivera. Owned by Garlyn Shelton, Best Moonflash was bred in Texas by Simmons Racing.
Sin Sational Kisser (Kiss My Hocks-Sin Tacha Perry) ran late to finish third under jockey Francisco Calderon for owners Taylor Van Bebber, John Herrick, and Connie Young. The filly was also bred in Texas by Simmons Racing.
Ima Fancy Keeper (Im A Fancy PYC-Streakin Valiantly), Shes Tough (Apollitical Jess-Peppermint Seis), A Fleeting Kiss (Kiss My Hocks-Fleeta Dif TB), Leading Senorita (The Louisiana Cartel- Leading Princess), Ladys Wicked (Mighty B Valiant- Ladys In It For Love), and Fabulous Royale (One Fabulous Eagle-BM Casina Royale) followed.
Prairie Meadows • $50,000
400 yards • :19.655 • si 99
Mr Jess Perry
Captain Courage
Corona Chick Pure D Dash
IRIS ROYAL JESS, ‘15-g. Pure Royal Dash
Go Easy Royal
Lone Star Park • $20,000
400 yards • :19.986 • si 88
Tempting Dash
Romancing Mary One Dashing Eagle Suzy Cartel
Kiss My Hocks
KISS ME SUZY, ‘18-f. Ode To Suzy
Prairie Meadows • $20,000
350 yards • :17.680 • si 93
Mr Jess Perry
Jess Louisiana Blue
GIGI TIANNA, ‘20-f. Gianna Grace
The Louisiana Girl Dominyun
Act Of Grace
188 SPEEDHORSE November 2022
Coady Photography
Coady Photography
Leslie Simmons, Speedhorse