Page 185 - December 2021

NM Cl. Cup 870 Champ.-RG3
MOONFLASH CAT
by Michael Cusortelli
Mario A. Ortega’s Moonflash Cat scored a 1 3/4-length win in the 870-yard New Mexico Cup 870 Championship-RG3 for state-bred Quarter
Horses at Zia Park on Oct. 31.
Trained by Sherry Armstrong and sent to post as
the 4-5 choice in the full field of eight, Moonflash Cat recorded a 99 speed index while stopping the timer in :45.500. Luis Negron rode the 5-year-old son of 2009 Champion Aged Stallion First Moonflash.
Moonflash Cat was successfully defending his New Mexico Cup 870 Championship title, as the brown gelding earned a 2 3/4-length victory in this stakes last year.
Raced in two states, the gelding has won six of 26 starts, including five of 17 at the 870 trip and four of eight at Zia Park, and the $60,000 winner’s share of the purse from his second career stakes score pushed his earnings to $204,526.
Moonflash Cat was bred by Dosi and Norma Alvarez of La Union, New Mexico, and he is out of Domeinitchy TB, an unraced homebred 15-year- old daughter of the Storm Cat stallion Dome. Moonflash Cat is a half brother to Gonna Cha Cha, a gelded son of Gonna Ro Sham Bo who won the 2012 Zia Futurity-RG1 at Ruidoso Downs.
Carroll A. Durbin’s Why Buy The Cow (Heza Motor Scooter-Southwest Treasure) banked $20,000 from his runner-up effort. Tracy Hebert rode the gelding for trainer Kenneth Durbin.
Bigg Jack (Big Daddy Cartel-Jessiana) finished third under Juan Carlos Rivas for owner Bigg Jack Partners and trainer Gregg Sanders.
El Tarasco 727 (Heza Motor Scooter-Hawaii Calls) finished fourth and was followed by Dan The Flashman (First Moonflash-Domeinitchy TB), Noreason Fordiamonds (Rances Reason-Cartier N Capris), Call Me Kash (Call Me Corona-Rewound), and Mr Big (Big Daddy Cartel-Sixy Streak).
NM Classic Distaff Stakes
FIREBALL FLASH
by Danny Camp
The ole grey mare, she aint what she used to be, but she was as good as she ever was in the 350-yard $30,000 New Mexico Classic Distaff Stakes at Zia Park on Nov. 1.
Fireball Flash showed the youngsters she could still finish like a champ. She broke from the outside post in fifth and it took her a bit to warm up. At the half way point, when the serious running started, she was still in fourth. Enter jockey Christian Ramos, who encouraged his mount and they finished a neck in front with a stiff drive to the wire in :17.707 for a 93 speed index. The five-year-old gray mare earned the $18,000 winner’s share that takes her earnings to $127,659, and her race record stands at four wins from 18 starts.
Fireball Flash was second in the 2019 Rita Danley Distaff and was a finalist in the 2018 Zia Futurity-G1 and 2020 Rita Danley Distaff earlier in her career with only three prior wins before this her first stakes victory.
Fireball Flash is owned Ramon Alvarez and Dan Delaney, who is also her breeder. Alfredo Gomez was in charge of conditioning and jockey Christian Ramos was handling the reins. She is out of winner Runaway Dashing, who has produced five foals. Fireball Flash is her best product.
MI Moonflash (First Moonflash-MI Camila TB) finished in second place. She is owned by Pierre Jean Amestoy Jr., Leslie A. Amestoy and Roger K. Beasley. Todd W Fincher is in charge of saddling and Alfredo Sigala was in the irons. Jess To Reel (Jesse James Jr-Hot For Reel) fought the good fight to finish third under Angel Marquez for owner Benjamin Calderon and trainer Arturo Chaves. Followed by Direct Deposit
FS (Winners Version-Eye Drink Alone), Kellys First Moon (First Moonflash-Corona Kelly), U Got The Look (Jesse James Jr-The Masters), Dolly Cartel (Big Daddy Cartel-Dolly Little Bug), Famous Julia (Dash For Famous-Julia James) & Surfz Up (Corona Surfer- Mitey Moon). Veerys Version was scratched.
NM Classic Juvenile
DASHIN APPROACH
by Danny Camp
It’s hard to beat a horse that doesn’t give up. That’s what happened in the New Mexico Classic Juvenile, a 350-yard stakes hosted by Zia Park that carried a
total purse of $30,000.
Dashin Approach broke fourth from the ten post
and didn’t seem concerned with the outcome. At the midway point, they were still over 1/2-length behind. Enter jockey Jaime Leos, who whispered things that jockeys whisper to their mounts to encourage them not give up. That helped them cross the wire a nose in front, stopping the timer at :17.663 for a 94 speed index.
The gelded son of Mr Pyc To You also earned the first place check worth $18,000. He now has a lifetime earnings of $100,294, and his race record stands at 4 wins out of 8 career starts.
His team includes breeders/owners George and Peggy Cobb, and Jorge A Morales-Flores was in charge of conditioning. Dashin Approach was bred in New Mexico out of the mare Panther Not A Kitty. She has produced six foals, with Dashin Approach as her best product.
Chicksbabycartel (Big Daddy Cartel-Hot Indy Chick) showed a lot of heart getting up for second for owners Aldai Transport and Leon Samuel. Jorge A Morales-Flores was in charge of conditioning, and Mauro Salcedo was in the irons.
Cowboy Zulu (Zulu Dragon-First Cowgirl Flash) ran a steady and even race to pocket the third place check for owners Fred Danley and Chuck Sonnenberg, Danley is the conditioner and Mario Delgado was handling the reins.
Followed by Daddys Mony (Big Daddy Cartel- Jenna James) El Quemadito (Quemados Version- Princess Powr Stroke) Papi Grande Cartel (Big Daddy Cartel-Posies Woodette) Holland Rock (Rock Solid Jess-Holland Fire) Ed N Otis (Corona Surfer-Lift Wings) Jaunt (Big Daddy Cartel-Sandys Fame-) Rocasolida Esperance (Rock Solid Jess-Esperance).
RACING NEWS
Zia Park • $100,000
870 yards • :45.500 • si 99
First To Flash
First Moonflash
Nagano Moon Dome
MOONFLASH CAT, ‘16-g. Domeinitchy TB
Perfect Present
Zia Park • $30,000
350 yards • :17.707 • si 93
First To Flash
First Moonflash
FIREBALL FLASH, ‘16-m.
Nagano Moon
Runawaywiththegold
Runaway Dashing
Dashing Banker
Zia Park • $30,000
350 yards • :17.663 • si 94
Mr PYC To You DASHIN APPROACH, ‘19-g.
PYC Paint Your Wagon Stylish Sign
Panther Mountain
Panther Not A Kitty
Big Fisher
SPEEDHORSE December 2021 183
Coady Photography
Coady Photography
Coady Photography