Page 174 - August 2021

RACING NEWS
Firecracker Futurity-G2
MR SPUD
by Michael Cusortelli
Mr Spud, a son of The Louisiana Cartel and the sixth-fastest qualifier, earned his first graded stakes victory in the 350-yard
$296,745 Firecracker Futurity-G2 at Delta Downs on July 20.
Prepped by Rosendo Valdez Jr. for owner Christopher A. Villatoro, Mr Spud defeated second-fastest qualifier RC Relentless Grace by a neck in :17.646. Everardo Rodriguez rode the bay gelding, who earned the $148,372 winner’s share of
the $296,745 purse. “The horse felt really
good, and he stood per- fectly for me in the gates,” said Rodriguez, who also rode Mr Spud in one of five Firecracker Futurity trials on June 29. “I had him gathered up for most of the race, and I really only asked him when we were further down the stretch. Once I did ask him, he responded very well.”
Rainbow Invitational
GYM N JAM
by Michael Cusortelli
Gym N Jam, a homebred son of the Good Reason SA stallion Jess Good Candy rac- ing for breeders/owners Walt and Pat Fletcher,
overcame a bit of a bumpy start to win the July 24, 440-yard Rainbow Invitational Stakes for 3 year olds at Ruidoso Downs.
Prepped by Fred Danley and racing
against a reported 8-mph head wind, Gym N Jam defeated Separate Sentence by a nose in :21.752. Noe Garcia Jr. rode the sorrel gelding, who banked $42,967 from
his first career stakes victory.
Gym N Jam was com- ing off of a wire-to-wire 1 3/4-length victory in the third of eight Rainbow Derby-G1 trials on July 11. The gelding was bred in Oklahoma and is out
of None As Easy, a home- bred daughter of 2-Time Champion Dashin Is Easy. None As Easy won three Graded stakes for the
Campaigned exclusively in Louisiana,
Mr Spud has won four of five starts and
has earned $174,821. His record includes a second-place finish in the $95,585 Old South Futurity on June 1.
Mr Spud was bred by Randy King and is out of Ace Winema, a winning daughter of the Shazoom stallion Special Red Warrior. The colt’s second dam, the winning Mitey Effort mare Full Of Promise, produced Ace Streakin
Promise, a half-sister to Ace Winema who ran third in the 2005 TQHA Futurity
at the Gillespie County
Fair meet. Mr Spud traces back to his fourth dam, Missletta, a daughter of the Three Bars stallion Missle Bar bred by American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame member Walter Merrick.
A 1966 foal, Missletta produced Smooth Movin, a stakes-winning Jet Smooth
mare who foaled Movin West, the win- ner of the ’85 Anne Burnett Invitational Handicap-G1 at Los Alamitos.
RC Relentless Grace (Hes Relentless-Le Mishka) was second for her owner, TYKHE Racing LLC. Victor Urieta Jr. rode the filly for trainer Juan Diaz Jr. Fastest qualifier Sunkissed Jess (Kiss My Hocks-Jess A Swingin) ran third under Nestor Duran for owner Ruse Ranch LLC and trainer Erika Huitron.
Just Call Me Jess (One Sweet Jess- Justiflied) finished fourth and was followed by A Revenant Beau (A Revenant-Jumpn Beau Chick), Bigg Daddys Bac (Big Daddy Cartel-Apollititaka), Lucky Dice (One Sweet Jess-Fodice), Eyeonlouisianadash (Heza Fast Dash-Eyejesslovelouisiana), Lethal Code (FDD Dynasty-Lethal Perry) and Koalition (Apollitical Jess-Nellie Delaney).
Separate Sentence (Seperate Interest- Remember The Cartel) earned $18,414 for owner Martin Ybarra, who purchased the California-bred gelding and full brother to stakes winner No Sandbaggin for $65,000 at
the 2019 Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale. Francisco Calderon rode Separate Sentence for trainer John Stinebaugh. Flash Riley (Tempting Dash- Essencia) ran third for owners Marc E. Jungers, Michelle Jungers, Cole Jungers and Brad Davies. Lucas Constantin rode the gelding for trainer Marc Jungers. Followed by Garda Da Cash (Good Reason SA-Forever Bradgelina), in a
DH for 5th Cyber Monday (Favorite Cartel- Remember Me Rose) & Valiantt (Valiant Hero- Astica), then Speed Dynasty (FDD Dynasty-Jess Sass Me), You Rock My Hocks (Kiss My Hocks- Lil Famous Dash), and Badntessahabit (Mr Jess Perry-Sheza Bad Habit).
Fletchers from 2003-2006, including the 2003 Valley Junction Futurity-G2.
None As Easy has produced two stakes win- ners, both of whom are half siblings to Gym N Jam, including Believers Gathering, a home- bred filly who won the 2009 Iowa Double Gold Derby-RG3 for the Fletchers. Gym N Jam’s sec- ond dam, the winning homebred Dash For Cash mare Sweet As Cash, was a finalist in Ronas Sound’s ’95 Ruidoso Derby-G2. A half sister to
2004 Golden State Derby-G1 winner Not For Long, Sweet As Cash has foaled Graded stakes placed runners Zoomin Express and Cartel Caliente, both of whom are half-brothers to None As Easy.
Gym N Jam has won three of 12 races and he has earned $74,962, of which $50,847 has been banked this season. The gelding was a finalist in last year’s $364,000 Dash For Cash Futurity-G2 at Lone Star Park.
172 SPEEDHORSE August 2021
Delta Downs
$296,745 • 350 yards :17.646 • si 88
Corona Cartel
The Louisiana Cartel
The Louisiana Girl
MR SPUD, ‘19-g.
Special Red Warrior
Ace Winema
Full Of Promise
Ruidoso Downs
$100,000 • 440 yards :21.752 • si 87
Good Reason SA
Jess Good Candy
Jess Send Candy
GYM N JAM, ‘18-g. Dashin Is Easy
None As Easy
Sweet As Cash
Ruidoso Downs Coady Photography