Page 93 - New Mexico Winter 2021

Making his case for 2021 AQHA cham-
pion distance horse honors, Rogers Farms’ Wascallywittlewabbit won the October 23, 870-yard Cox Ranch Distance Challenge Championship (G1).
Wascallywittlewabbit was sent to post as the 5-2 third choice in the field of eight, and he rewarded his backers with a wire-to-wire, 2 3/4-length victory. Ridden by Benito Baca for trainer Mike Joiner, the 6-year-old Heza Motor Scooter recorded a 97 speed index while stopping the timer in :44.505 and earn- ing his fourth stakes win this season.
”We had a perfect trip,” said Baca. “He left on top, and we were able to open up and get away from the horses that came closing at the end.”
Wascallywittlewabbit was bred in New Mexico by Michael Weatherly, and his connections paid the $20,000 late-enrollment fee into the Bank of America Racing Challenge in August. The gelding was coming off of a second-place finish, 2 1/2 lengths behind winner and reigning distance cham- pion Madewell, in the September 18, $56,000 Cox Ranch Albuquerque Distance Challenge (G3).
“He ran second, but they ran really really fast,” said Joiner, referring to the Albuquerque Distance Challenge and its final time of :43.485. “We hauled him in the day before for that race, and they had the (New Mexico State Fair) going on and a rodeo, and he got a little shook up in the paddock. He just
didn’t finish the race like we knew he could. ”We’ve been here two weeks for this race, and
there was no fair or rodeo going on,” the trainer added. “He was nice and quiet, and he ran his race.”
Wascallywittlewabbit is out of Rabbits N Diamonds, an unraced 13-year-old daughter
of the Yawls Rabbit stallion Rabbits Rainbow. His second dam, the Coup de Kas (TB) mare Shines Likea Diamond, won the 1998 KHEY/ Y96 Handicap at Sunland Park and was a finalist in the 1999 Sunland Park Winter (G3) and West Texas (G3) derbies.
Wascallywittlewabbit traces back to his fourth dam, She’s My Doll, a stakes-winning daughter of the Jet Deck stallion Jet Smooth and a finalist in three futurities in New Mexico and Texas in 1972, including the West Texas Futurity at Sunland Park.
Raced in two states, including Oklahoma, Wascallywittlewabbit has won 11 of 22 starts -- including 10 of 16 at the 870-yard distance -- and the $50,160 winner’s share of the $104,500 purse pushed his bankroll to $282,100, of which $253,857 has been earned in 870 races. The gelding won two graded stakes during the Remington Park spring meet, including the May 29, $64,000 Remington Distance Championship (G1).
Madewell was second, followed by Viva Le Don, Ms Esther, Dance The Dust Off, Faster Than
Hasta, Illtakeyouforaride, and Nicos First Cartel. Madewell is a homebred 7-year-old son of the
Mr Jess Perry stallion Jess Jones campaigned by Ray Madewell and Davy Madewell. The Oklahoma- bred gelding has won 11 of 37 starts -- includ-
ing last year’s Cox Ranch Distance Challenge Championship -- and the $21,423 runner-up share of the purse boosted his earnings to $333,472.
Viva Le Don is a homebred 5-year-old son of the Mr Jess Perry stallion Rock Solid Jess owned by Rockin J Running Horses. The multiple graded stakes winning Texas-bred gelding has won 10 of 30 races, including four of seven at the 870 trip, and the $10,450 third-place share of the purse pushed his bankroll to $484,506.
by Michael Cusortelli • Photos by Coady Photography
Cox Ranch Distance Chal. Champ. (G1)
THE DOWNS AT ALBUQUERQUE
Heza Motor Scooter
Heza Fast Man
Hot Tin Lizzie
Rabbits N Diamonds
Rabbits Rainbow
Shines Lika Diamond
WASCALLYWITTLEWABBIT
WINTER 2021 91