Page 173 - August 2021

Blue River Derby
BEACH BLAST
by Michael Compton
Multiple stakes winner Beach Blast justified his odds-on favoritism and ran his win streak to three this year with a dominating
victory in the $137,700 Blue River Derby at Indiana Grand on July 24.
With Samuel Mendez aboard, Beach Blast jumped smartly at the start of the 400-yard test and showed the way over his nine rivals early. He maintained a clear advantage through the lane and powered home
uncontested to score by 2 1/2-lengths at the finish. The impressive winner stopped the timer in :19.622, the second- fastest time in Blue River Derby history, and earned a 103 speed index. The final clocking just missed the 2017 track record of :19.324 set by Tommy The Train.
Having also won his July 3 trial heat as the fastest qualifier as well as the Harley
Heartland Futurity
PRIZE KISS
by Michael Compton
Prize Kiss had a score to settle with All
Out when the pair of juveniles met in the $132,240 Heartland Futurity at Indiana Grand
on July 24. All Out had defeated Prize Kiss in their trial heat on July 3, but Prize Kiss avenged the loss in the main event, narrowly defeating his rival in the 300-yard test.
Ridden by Luz Martinez, Prize Kiss raced in second position early, chasing All Out who assumed command after the break. The two runners hooked up in their
own private match race and
dueled through the lane. At
the finish, it was Prize Kiss
prevailing by a head, stop-
ping the timer in :15.586,
earning a speed index of 93
in the win. It was the third
start and initial win for Prize
Kiss, who races for owners
Pamela Brickley Hann and
Craig Zeneberg.
Trained by Anthony Cunningham, Prize Kiss
Greene Derby at Indiana Grand two starts back, Beach Blast is now a winner in six of
10 lifetime starts and the $75,735 winner’s share of this purse raised his earnings total
to $285,057 for owners Keith Bode and Brock Hutchinson and trainer Randy Smith.
“We enjoyed watching him today that’s for sure,” said Smith. “We were just concerned about making him go straight. We’ve had a
little trouble with that, but maybe we got him going now.”
Bred in Indiana by Sheri Miller, the son of Escondido out of Beach out of Jess Alive Bully, by Feature Mr Jess was pur- chased from the QHRAI Speed Sale for $22,000 as a yearling. Last season at two, Beach Blast won the Miss Roxie Little Futurity and was 2nd in Leader of the Class Sale Futurity en route to 3 wins from 6 starts in his freshman season.
was dismissed at odds of 12-1 while All Out was sent off as the second wagering choice in the race. Prize Kiss now boasts earnings of $76,012.
“This horse is a really nice horse who is
just coming into his own,” said Cunningham. “We bought him out of the Heritage Place Sale last fall (for $38,000). Pam Hann and Craig Zeneberg are great owners. They send us to the sale and trust us to buy them a horse.”
Bred in Oklahoma by Flag Ranch LLC, Prize Kiss is out of the Carters Cartel mare Fast Prize Janie.
“He was a handful
when we got him home,” Cunningham added. “He didn’t want anyone touching him. He was hard on everyone. Hard on the horseshoer. We couldn’t do much with him. But we took our time, and he turned the corner and now he’s great and he’s coming around.”
The second and third-place finishers were also sired by Escondido Beach. Stakes win-
ner Stone Lake (out of Silly Chix), with Luz Martinez riding for owner Pattie Marshall and trainer Anthony Cunningham, finished second after chasing the winner throughout. Multiple stakes-placed WH Imastreakinbeach (out of WH Streakin Pie) and jockey Jose Ruiz finished third in an even effort for owner Thomas Wylie and trainer Erin Thompson.
Rock Candy Almighty (PYC Paint Your Wagon-Jesses Candy), Heza Fast Kisser (Kiss
My Hocks-First Smart Stride), Beach Diva (Escondido Beach-Flashin Dee Dee), Jess Bringin It On (Jess Zoomin-Billie Bob TB), Beach Runaway (Escondido Beach-Flashin Dee Dee), Eagle Force 1 (One Dashing Eagle-Rdustys Fury) and Nocatchinga Corona (Apollitical Blood-Bye Bye Corona) completed the order of finish.
Indiana Grand
$137,700 • 400 yards :19.622 • si 103
Corona Cartel
Escondido Beach
Six On The Beach
BEACH BLAST, ‘18-g.
Feature Mr Jess
Jess Alive Bully
Chem Cherie
RACING NEWS
Runner-up All Out (Coronado Cartel- Play To Win) is campaigned by owner/ breeder Richard Joneson and trained by Tim Eggleston. Berkley Packer rode the colt.
BP CK Eagle (Moonin The Eagle-CC Policy) and jockey Cristian Esqueda finished 3rd, a 1/2-length behind All Out. The gray filly is a homebred for Bill Price. BP CK Eagle was a runner-up in the Heritage Place Juvenile at Remington Park in May.
Secret Senator (Hez Our Secret-Over Senator), Illegal ID (Coronado Cartel- Illegal Feature), BV Blaze Of Glory (BV Travelin Soldier-Tempting Jolie), Kiss Me At Midnight (Kiss My Hocks-Midnight Cartel), J Corona Extra (Corona Cartel- Dazzlin Effort), Alota Lovin (Lota PYC-Ms Victorita), and MG Love My Macho (El Macho Prieto Boy-Love This Wagon) com- pleted the order of finish.
Indiana Grand
$132,240 • 300 yards :15.586 • si 93
Tempting Dash
Kiss My Hocks
Romancing Mary
PRIZE KISS, ‘19-c.
Carters Cartel
Fast Prize Janie
Fast Prize Doll
SPEEDHORSE August 2021 171
Coady Photography Coady Photography