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Bob Woodard Memorial
STONE LAKE
Nby John Moorehouse
either a rain delay nor a sloppy track deterred
Stone Lake in the Bob Woodard Memorial. The 4-year-old gelding snared victory in the $83,500 stakes on Sept. 3 at Horseshoe Indianapolis at 11-1 odds.
Anthony Cunningham owns and trains Stone Lake, who broke from the 7-gate near the back of the pack but steadily gained ground on his foes during the 400-yard race. Stone Lake was running 7th at the first call and 6th going into the stretch, then made his move, surging into the lead and hitting the finish line first by a neck.
Luz Martinez was aboard as Stone Lake ran to his 8th victory, finishing his trip in :19.809 and posting a 97 speed index in rainy/sloppy conditions. The $45,925 first-prize share of the purse increased his total earnings to $335,224. No stranger to success in stakes company, this marked the 3rd stakes win of his career, joining the 2020 Gordon Mobley Futurity and last year’s Sterlie Bertram Memorial–both held at this same track, where Stone Lake has made each of his 19 career starts. Stone Lake also has finished 2nd in four other stakes events.
Sheri Miller bred Stone Lake out of Silly Chix, a lightly-raced 2006 mare. Stone Lake went for $15,000 to Cunningham in the 2019 QHRAI Stallion Service Auction.
Hooked On Jordan (Fast Prize Jordan-Hooked
On Laveaux) was 2nd under Isidro Banuelos for
owner Ollie Matthews and trainer Claudio Barraza. Beach Blast (Escondido Beach-Jess Alive Bully), the post-time favorite, finished 3rd under Juan Marquez
for owners Keith Bode and Deborah Smith and trainer Randy Smith. Followed by Fire The Cartel (Five Bar Cartel-Prairie Fire) and Hh C J Shake (Escondido Beach-Shakem Jake), WRS Raise The Bar (Five Bar Cartel-WRS Quick Sister) One Coldhearted Diva (One Fabulous Eagle-Whata Chilled Cat), Love To Kiss (Kiss My Hocks-Lovemelikethat) & Rock Hard Candy (Escondido Beach-Jesses Candy) was disqualified from 6th to 9th. Secret Eyes scratched.
Horseshoe Indianapolis S.
HEAD PATRON
Hby John Moorehouse
ead Patron scored his first win as a sopho-
RACING NEWS
Adequan IND Derby Challenge
PRIZE KISS
Sby Michael Cusortelli
ent to post as the 7-10 favorite in a field of four
3-year-olds, Prize Kiss responded with a nose victory in the $32,735 Adequan Indianapolis Derby Challenge at Horseshoe Indianapolis on Sept. 22.
Prize Kiss covered 400 yards in :19.836 while aided by a 12-mph tail wind. Tony Cunningham prepped the sorrel colt for owners Pamela Brickley Hann and Craig Zeneberg.
“He’s a horse that loves to run; sometimes he just has bad luck,” said jockey Luz Martinez. “He had a small injury early in the year that didn’t let him run (until August), but he’s good now.”
Prize Kiss earned $20,005 from his third career stakes win, as well as a berth in the Adequan Derby Challenge Championship-G3 at Horseshoe Indianapolis on Oct. 22. The colt was bred in Oklahoma by Flag Ranch LLC, and he was purchased by Hann for $38,000 at the 2020 Heritage Place Yearling Sale.
Hann gives a lot of the credit for Prize Kiss’ success to Cunningham and his crew, including assistant Salvador Villalobos. “He is now good to work around, thanks to Salvador and the rest of Tony’s team,” she said. “He wasn’t at first, but they put a lot of work into him.”
Raced exclusively at Horseshoe Indianapolis, Prize Kiss has won four of his 11 starts and he has earned $171,743. The colt’s resume includes victories in last year’s Heartland Futurity and John Deere Indianapolis Juvenile Challenge Stakes.
A Seperatist V (Separatist-Velvette) was 2nd for owner Mario Rodriguez Jr., who also trains the colt. Isidro Banuelos was up.
Screenshot (Tres Seis-Shades Of Blues Girl) ran third for her owner BFD Farms. Jose M. Ruiz rode the filly for trainer Erin Thompson.
Resurrection Man (A Revenant-Winning Merlot) finished fourth.
more with his victorious effort in the $32,810 Horseshoe Indianapolis Stakes, held Aug. 31.
Brant Barley owns the three-year-old gelding
and home-bred him with Jon Barley. Randy Smith, the leading trainer at Horseshoe Indianapolis this year, saddled Head Patron. The gelding banked an $18,700 payday that boosted his total earnings to $120,905. It had been 10 months since his last trip to the winner’s circle–also a stakes victory–in last year’s running of the Governors Stakes at this track.
Perhaps after kicking off his 2022 campaign with two 4th-place finishes sandwiched by an 8th-place run, Head Patron faced 12-1 odds at post time. The gelding ended up surprising the oddsmakers, breaking on top from the 5-post and leading at every call of the 350-yard race. Head Patron led by a head at the first call and going into the stretch, then held on to prevail by a neck. Antonio Rodriguez was aboard as Head Patron finished in :17.510, posting a 103 speed index. There was a slight 4 mph tailwind present.
The Barleys also own Head Patron’s dam, Special Leader, a 2006 mare who won three of 16 outs, mostly competing in allowances and claiming races.
Flyweight Carver (Wave Carver-Flaming Chivas) secured runner-up honors for Stick and Move Stables LLC. Ron Raper is the trainer and Shanley Jackson had the riding call. Another Smith trainee, WRS Valentino (Mighty B Valiant-WRS Kissandteller), finished third. Williams Racing Stables Inc. owns WRS Valentino, a multiple stakes winner and the overwhelming post-time favorite at 3-10 odds. Juan Marquez was aboard.
Followed by The Artful Dodger (High Rate of Return-Shanachee), AJK Payyourtax (Mo Zoomo- Loving On The Run), Paint Me Brown (PYC Paint Your Wagon-Brown Eye Suze), and Furrst Hanka (Furrtreeous-LJ Hanka). Perrier Special and WRS Moonin Thewagon both scratched.
Horseshoe Indianapolis • $32,735
400 yards • :19.836 • si 96
Tempting Dash
Romancing Mary Carters Cartel
Kiss My Hocks
PRIZE KISS, ‘19-c.
Fast Prize Janie
Fast Prize Doll
Horseshoe Indianapolis • $32,810
350 yards • :17.510 • si 103
Shazoom
Zoomin For Bux
HEAD PATRON, ‘19-g. Dash Leader
Oh No Its Uh Oh Special Leader
Dash High Return
Horseshoe Indianapolis • $83,500
400 yards • :19.809 • si 97
Corona Cartel
Escondido Beach
STONE LAKE, ‘18-g. Silly Chix
Six On The Beach Shazoom
Deceptively
SPEEDHORSE October 2022 205
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