Page 101 - New Mexico Winter 2021

ZIA PARK
Rocky Gulch NM Cup TB Champ. (R)
Story by Michael Cusortelli • Photos by Coady Photography
Mr. Trieste
Old Trieste
Angel’s Tearlet
Book The Cat
Tabasco Cat
Oka No Book
JET N G
Maurcenia Cross’ Jet N G rallied to win the October 31, 1-mile Rocky Gulch New Mexico Cup Championship (R) for state-bred thorough- breds at Zia Park.
Ridden by Rigo Sarmiento for trainer Gary Cross, Jet N G closed on fractions of :23.49, :47.00, and 1:11.50 and reached the wire in 1:37.32. The homebred 6-year-old Mr. Trieste gelding defeated Storm Bayou by one length while banking the $60,000 winner’s share of a $100,000 purse.
Jet N G is one of 28 winners from 47 starters sired by Mr. Trieste, a 20-year-old son of the A.P. Indy stallion Old Trieste. Raced from 2003-12, Mr. Trieste earned $605,474 from 39 starts, and his nine stakes wins included the 2015 and 2016 San Juan County Commissioners Handicap at SunRay Park.
Mr. Trieste has sired one black-type stakes winner and the earners of more than $1.7 million from 11 crops. A half-brother to Grade 2 winner Nates Mineshaft, the stallion is owned by Derrick W Jenkins, and he stands at Jenkins Farm near Hobbs, New Mexico.
Jet N G is also one of five winners from six starters foaled by Book The Cat, a winning Kentucky-bred daughter of the Storm Cat stallion Tabasco Cat. The gelding is a full brother to Numberoneson, the runner-up in the 2011 Dine Stakes (R) at SunRay Park, and he is a half to
two-time New Mexico State University Handicap (R) winner G M Gage.
Jet N G’s second dam, the Mari’s Book mare Oka No Book, won the 1997 River Downs Breeders’ Cup Handicap on the turf at River Downs in Cincinnati. His third dam, the unplaced Auction Ring mare Platinum Ring, was a half-sister to Tebaldo Brusado (IRE), a listed stakes winner in Italy in 1985.
Jet N G traces back to his fourth dam, Palaska (IRE), an unraced Mountain Call (GB) mare who was a half-sister to Pragmatic (IRE), the winner of the 1979 Yorkshire Cup (G2) in England.
Jet N G began his 6-year-old season at Turf Paradise in Phoenix, where he won a 6-furlong allowance-optional claiming ($25,000) race on April 7. Raced in two states, including Arizona, the gelding has won six of 32 starts, and the $60,000 winner’s share of the Rocky Gulch New Mexico Cup Championship purse boosted his bankroll to $301,563.
Jet N G’s season resume includes second- place finishes in the May 28, 6 1/2-furlong Jack Cole Stakes (R) at SunRay Park, and September 7, 7-furlong O.D. McDonald Stakes (R) at Albuquerque Downs.
Next Affair finished third, 2 3/4 lengths behind Jet N G, and was followed by Shining Source, Trust N Prayer, Thunder Dome, West Dawn, Effort N
Results, 5-2 favorite Ancient Land, Spinning Black, Courage N Order, and Sunscreen.
Runner-up Storm Bayou is a 5-year-old son of the Forest Wildcat stallion Attila’s Storm campaigned
by Kent V. Kunz, and he was claimed for $16,000 at Turf Paradise on February 10. The bay gelding has won seven of 17 races and the $20,000 runner-up share of the purse pushed his earnings to $126,930.
Next Affair is a 6-year-old son of the Artax stal- lion Diabolical owned by Chase Carter and Levi James. A chestnut gelding, Next Affair has earned $124,881 from 21 starts, and his four wins include a 4 1/4-length victory in last year’s 7 1/2-furlong, $50,000 Land of Enchantment Handicap (R) at Ruidoso Downs.
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