Page 195 - December 2021

Z Wayne Griffin Dir. H. Div. 1
CANDYBLOOD
by Tracy Gantz
Candy Blood posted the fastest time of the two divisions of the Z. Wayne Griffin Directors Handicap at Los Alamitos on Nov. 14. He earned
a presumptive berth to the Dec. 11 Champion of Champions-G1.
Trainer Monty Arrossa won both divisions, adding the second with Apollitical Pence. He trains Candy Blood for breeder Rick Sumner and Dunn Ranch.
With Jesus Ayala aboard, Candy Blood broke sharply and surged to the lead quickly from post 7. He pulled away to a 1 1/4-lead and scored by 3/4-length in :19.491 as the 11-10 favorite.
Sumner bred Candy Blood in Oklahoma and raced him solely at first, winning the 2020 Holiday Handicap with him. Dunn Ranch joined Sumner
in Candy Blood’s ownership earlier this year. Candy Blood ran 2nd in the Remington Park Oklahoma Bred Derby-RG2 and 3rd in the All American Derby-G1. Sumner bred Candy Blood from his homebred stakes- placed Ranch Candy, dam of three winners from five starters including stakes-placed Lota Candy.
Dr. Ed Allred’s homebred Nomadic (Favorite Cartel-Moonlight Corona) finished second for jockey Henry Lopez and trainer Scott Willoughby. The 4-year-old gelding won the 2020 Governor’s Cup Derby-RG2 and Southern California Derby-G2 and the 2019 Ed Burke Juvenile Stakes.
Ramon Sanchez rode Mental Error (Favorite Cartel-Iba Quick Chick) to third for trainer Paul Jones and owner Bobby Simmons. A 4-year-old colt, Mental Error earlier this year took the Kaweah Bar Handicap-G3 and First Day of Spring Stakes.
Followed by Circle City (Favorite Cartel- Moonlight Corona), Constituent (Seperate Interest- Tahma Hawk), Mr Ricks (Mr Jess Perry-Aquafina), Cartel Love (Favorite Cartel-All About Love), John Carter Cash (Carters Cartel-One Fast Trick), and Stolen Lives (Seperate Interest-Enjoy The Walk).
Z Wayne Griffin Dir. H. Div. 2 Dream A Secret Handicap
APOLLITICALPENCE UPTHELADDER
RACING NEWS
by Tracy Gantz
Dunn Ranch hit the Exacta with homebreds in the second division of the Z. Wayne Griffin Directors Handicap at Los Alamitos on Nov. 14. They won with
favored Apollitical Pence and ran second with Really First Down, both trained by Monty Arrossa.
Sent away as the 8-5 favorite, Apollitical Pence came away on top for jockey Armando Cervantes. The 5-year-old gelding remained in front for the entire 400-yards, winning by a length in :19.494.
Arrossa and Dunn Ranch won both Z Wayne Griffin Director Handicap trials, the trainer saddling Candy Blood, owned by Dunn Ranch with breeder Rick Sumner, in the first division.
Apollitical Pence with the victory earned a presumptive berth to the Champion of Champions-G1, a race he won last year. Apollitical Pence also won the 2019 Heritage Place Derby-G3 and two editions of the Mighty Deck Three Stakes-G2.
Dunn Ranch bred Apollitical Pence in Oklahoma in partnership with Womack Cavender Farms from unraced Send City, dam of 2 winners from 3 starters.
Jesus Ayala rode Really First Down (First Down Dash-Really A Corona) to second. Really First Down also ran second in the 2020 Oklahoma Horsemen’s Association Mystery Derby.
Cattail Cove (Favorite Cartel-Katie Katella) finished third for jockey Ramon Sanchez, trainer Juan Aleman, and owner Ralph Link Newcomb. Earlier this year, the 4-year-old gelding ran second in the California Breeders’ Sprint Stakes and third in the 2021 Go Man Go Handicap-G1.
Completing the field were KJ Mucho Macho Man (Apollitical Jess-Wild Six), Chocolatito (Favorite Cartel-Enjoy The Walk), Bail Czech (Corona Czech- Letty Bail Regis Out), Zoomin For Spuds (Zoomin For Bux-A Perfect Cocktail), Other World (Foose- Celestial Being TB), and Doc Lamb (Tres Seis-Third Painted Sign). HH Gailforce was scratched.
by Tracy Gantz
Up The Ladder had encountered more than his share of trouble, but he became a stakes winner when he had a smooth trip in the $17,000 Dream A
Secret Handicap for two year olds at Los Alamitos on Nov. 13.
Away well in third under jockey Victor Salazar, Up The Ladder kept to his business throughout the 350 yards. He spurted forward in the final yards to grab the victory by a 1/2-length in :17.770. The winner’s share from this win takes his earnings to $23,430.
Scott Willoughby trains Up The Ladder for owner-breeder Dr. Ed Allred. Up The Ladder finished first in three of his first four starts, though he was disqualified to sixth after one for interference at the start. He made two stakes attempts prior to the Dream A Secret Handicap, but had trouble at the start of both and finished unplaced.
Allred bred Up The Ladder in California from his homebred mare Oh La Princess. Allred also bred the second dam, Oh La Proud. Oh La Princess has produced two winners in four starters. The third dam is multiple stakes winner Oh La Ree.
Jose Nicasio piloted Woman Secrets (Separate Secrets-Brownleggedwoman) to second for trainer Roman Figueroa and owner Noe Cano. Woman Secrets, a two-time winner, was claimed for $12,500 on Aug. 22.
Jesus Avila and Jesus Cuevas’ homebred Beduino Surprise (Turbulent Times-Shelbys Surprise) ran third. Ruben Lozano rode the gelding for trainer Valentin Zamudio. Beduino Surprise also finished third in the Robert Adair Kindergarten Futurity-G2.
Rounding out the field were Flash N Corona (Stel Corona-Flash Thru Fire), Budget Buster (Kiddy Up-Jetsetter), Runaway Witch (Sir Runaway Dash-Im A Lil Witch), and Rayshas Kidd Trax (Kiddy Up-Rayshas Pink Sky).
Los Alamitos • $17,000
350 yards • :17.770 • si 88
Kiddy Up UP THE LADDER, ‘19-g.
Corona Cartel
Miss Racy Vike
A Regal Choice
Oh La Princess
Oh La Proud
Los Alamitos • $15,000
400 yards • :19.491 • si 99
Apollitical Jess
Apollitical Blood
CANDY BLOOD, ‘18-g. Ranch Candy
Brazilian Dasher Wave Carver
Give Me Candy
Los Alamitos • $15,000
400 yards • :19.494 • si 99
Mr Jess Perry
Apollitical Jess
Apollitical Time
APOLLITICAL PENCE, ‘16-g.
Tres Seis
Send City
Send Me The Candy
SPEEDHORSE December 2021 193
Los Alamitos
Los Alamitos
Los Alamitos