Page 173 - December 2021

RACING NEWS
Woodys Gold’s winning connections include owner Cavenaugh Quarter Horses LLC, trainer Clinton Crawford and jockey Jorge Torres.
payday improved the three-year-old sorrel gelding’s total earnings to $484,174.
Crawford trains Woodys Gold for Cavenaugh Quarter Horses, LLC, which acquired the gelding for $10,000 at the New Mexico Bred Sale.
“He was a pretty nice little purchase,” Crawford said. “Day one of breaking him all through the two-year-old year, everything we asked, he did.”
Woodys Gold made a habit of qualifying to lucrative races and continued it this year in the Heritage Place Derby-G2, Zia Derby-G2, and New Mexico State Fair Derby-G3. However, he finished sixth, fourth, and fourth, respectively, in those stakes races.
“He’s qualified to everything I put him
in this year,” Crawford reflected. “Back in
the finals he hasn’t been kicking in, kind of running where he qualified. This time, I don’t know what the difference was. He flew down that racetrack, ran faster than he’s ever run in his life.
“And he was running hard. He just wasn’t getting the break. He was having to play chase. ... you can’t give them a head start and outrun that kind of horse.”
Woodys Gold qualified fourth-quickest
for the derby in the Oct. 11 trials, but indeed there was no stopping him in the stakes final. The gelding broke from the No. 3 gate and had the lead by a head by the time he reached the stretch. Jockey Jorge Torres brought him across the finish line in front by a neck. The 400-yard
trip took :19.327 and produced a 103 speed index, aided by a 15 mph tailwind. That was also more than a quarter-second faster than his :19.606 performance in the trials.
MJ Farms bred Woodys Gold out of three-time winner All About Gold, a 2009 Thoroughbred mare.
“Being out of a Thoroughbred mare ... you just don’t know until you try them. He turned out to be a good one,” Crawford said.
The plan now is for Woodys Gold to take off the rest of the year and then in 2022 race in some handicaps, especially on the lucrative New Mexico circuit.
Chicky Chicky Kai (Jess A Chicks-Wahene Kai), the fastest qualifier, came surging late to secure runner-up honors for owner Mike Parker and trainer Larry Chavez. Sergio Becerra, Jr., was in the irons.
Bigg Dee (Big Daddy Cartel-Miss Woody Dee), the pre-race favorite after wins in the New Mexico State Fair Derby and the Zia Derby earlier this year, finished third for Rex Wells. The James Gonzales II trainee had Mario Delgado aboard.
The remaining order of finish was Leading Cartel (Big Daddy Cartel-Leading Diva), Hollyn Bootie (Big Daddy Cartel-Datona Doll), Nolans Dragon (Zulu Dragon-One Famous Babe), Roll Big River (Rock Solid Jess-Fabulous Brook), Dragon On Ice (Zulu Dragon-Vanil On Ice), Mallone (Jesse James Jr-Sheza Snow Princess) and Sheza Fast Jesse (Jesse James Jr-Hope Sheza Fast).
Jorge Torres and Woodys Gold return to the winner’s circle.
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