Page 84 - New Mexico Horse Breeder Spring 2018

SUNLAND pArk
by Michael Cusortelli
Jess Burner Memorial Handicap (RG1)
Jesse James Jr
Mr Jess Perry
Loose Lips
Arbor Mist
Blushing Bug
Famous Chapelle
PLAY MISTY FOREME
Play Misty Foreme, a 4-year-old Jesse
James Jr gelding owned by Robert D. Smith of Ruidoso, New Mexico, sprinted to a 1/2-length victory in the Dec. 16, $85,000 Jess Burner Memorial Handicap (RG1) for state-breds at Sunland Park.
Ridden by Jose Luis Enriquez for trainer Jose Luis Muela, Play Misty Foreme went 400 yards in :19.067 and recorded a lifetime-best 102 speed index. The gelding banked $51,000 from his second career stakes win to push his earnings to $283,266.
Play Misty Foreme was bred by Mac and Janis Murray’s MJ Farms and he was a $22,000 year- ling purchase at the 2014 New Mexico-Bred Sale at Ruidoso Downs. The gelding’s sire, the late Jesse James Jr, has sired the earners of more than $13.9 million from seven crops, including 2015 AQHA champion 3-year-old filly Champion Astica and multiple graded stakes winners Osbaldo, Cinco Menudos, and Princess Jesse.
Play Misty Foreme is one of 13 winners from 19 starters produced by Arbor Mist,
a daughter of the Bugs Alive In 75 stallion Blushing Bug who won the 2004 New Mexico
State Fair Breeders’ Derby-RG3 at Albuquerque Downs and ran second in Ongoing Ta Fame’s ‘’03 Shue Fly Stakes-RG1 at Sunland Park.
Play Misty Foreme is a full brother to Ms James, a daughter of Jesse James Jr who was
a finalist in two New Mexico-bred futurities in 2012, including the New Mexican Spring Futurity-RG2 at Sunland.
Play Misty Foreme’s second dam, Famous Chapelle, won the ’97 Utah Classic Futurity (RG1) at Laurel Brown Racetrack near Salt Lake City. Famous Chapelle foaled Love That Chapelle, a winning and graded stakes placed full sister to Arbor Mist who produced 2007 Rainbow Futurity (G1) winner Wild Six.
Of Play Misty Foreme’s lifetime bankroll, $154,988 has been pocketed this season. All told, the gelding has won seven of 20 races, including the 2016 Zia Derby-RG2 for state- bred sophomores at Ruidoso Downs.
Major Bites finished second and was followed by Yudes Jess Dashin, Big Spurs, Seeyalateralligator, Cinco Menudos, Mitey Man, Carson City Girl, Magnifico Dragon and Running Dragon.
Major Bites was shortening in distance
off of his wire-to-wire, half-length win in the 440-yard Namehimastreaker New Mexico Cup Championship (RG1) at Zia Park on Oct. 29. Campaigned by Israel Bordier, the 4-year-old gelding has earnings of $246,712.
Yudes Jess Dashin is owned by Scott Bryant and Justin Joiner. The sorrel geld- ing has won three of nine starts, including the October 29, $210,000 New Mexico Cup Derby (RG2) at Zia Park, and he has earned $129,784.
NM State Racing Commission H. (R)
Attila’s Storm
Forest Wildcat
Sweet Symmetry
Charlotte’s Drone
B.G.’s Drone
Charlotte’s Ego
TILLA CAT
Tilla Cat led at every call en route to a half- length victory in the 6-furlong, $85,000 New Mexico State Racing Commission Handicap (R) for state-bred fillies and mares at Sunland Park on Dec. 17.
Ridden by Tracy Hebert and sent to post
at odds of 8-1, Tilla Cat stopped the timer in 1:08.28 after setting fractions of :21.76 and :44.10. Todd Fincher prepped the 4-year-old filly for owners Dale Taylor, Lee Lewis, Joe Dee Brooks, Scott Bryant, and Derrol Hubbard.
Tilla Cat was bred by Robert and Del Rae Driggers and was a $47,000 yearling purchase at the 2014 New Mexico-Bred Sale at Ruidoso Downs. The filly is one of 17 black-type stakes winners sired by Attila’s Storm.
Attila’s Storm earned $534,983 from 18 starts, and his five wins included the ’07 Toboggan Handicap (G3) at Aqueduct. The stallion has sired the earners of more than $8.05 million from seven crops.
Tilla Cat is also one of two winners from as many starters produced by Charlotte’s Drone, a 12-year-old daughter of the Full Choke stallion
B.G.’s Drone. The filly’s second dam, the Tilt The Odds mare Charlotte’s Ego, won four stakes in Idaho and New Mexico from 1997-2001, including the ’01 New Mexico Distaff Handicap (R) at SunRay Park.
Tilla Cat traces back to her fourth dam, Fanny Falcon, a Crimson Falcon mare who won the 1981 New Mexican Stakes at Santa Fe Downs and produced Stryker Ego, a stakes- winning son of Bold Ego.
Raced exclusively in New Mexico, Tilla
Cat has won five of 22 starts, and the $51,000 winner’s share of the New Mexico State Racing Commission Handicap purse bumped the filly’s earnings to $294,869. Tilla Cat’s two stakes wins include a neck victory in the 2016 New Mexico Cup Oaks Championship (R) at Zia Park.
Tijuana finished second and was followed by 4-5 favorite Diabolical Dame, My Bikini Fell Off, Sippin, Indian Tiva, I’m A Dancin Who, Waltzing Attila, and Dust Alert.
Tijuana is a 4-year-old gray or roan Devon Lane filly campaigned by Joe Dee Brooks, Scott Bryant, Dale Taylor, Ted Rushing, Lee Lewis,
and Derrol Hubbard. Tijuana has won six of 21 starts, and the $18,700 runner-up share of the purse pushed her bankroll to $226,455.
Diabolical Dame has won 15 of 25 outs and has earned $683,480 for her owners, Joe Dee Brooks, Scott Bryant, and Derrol Hubbard. The 5-year-old gray or roan daughter of the Artax stallion Diabolical brought a three-race win streak into this race that included a head victory over Tijuana in the New Mexico Cup Distaff Sprint Championship (R) at Zia Park on Oct. 29.
82 New Mexico Horse Breeder
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