Page 158 - Speedhorse, October 2021

RACING NEWS
La Fiesta Derby
FOR THE IRONY
by Michael Compton
The only irony to be found in the $142,636 La Fiesta Derby on Sept. 19 at The Downs at Albuquerque, was in the winner’s name. Fastest qualifier and odds-on favorite For The Irony ran to expectations in the main event, delivering a clear-cut victory in the 400-yard event.
Ridden by Sergio Becerra Jr., For The Irony broke out at the start, but he received the first call from the gates. He spurted clear of his eight rivals in the lane and drew out to a
dominating 1 1/4-length score.
In winning as he pleased, For
The Irony stopped the timer
in :19.492, earning a 96 speed
index for trainer Albert Valles.
The $71,318 winner’s share of the purse increased For The Irony’s lifetime earn- ings to $230,502 for owner Super Champion Inc. Now,
a winner in nine of 11 career starts, For The Irony began his racing career undefeated
Leader Of The Class Futurity
MR MICHEL
by Danny Camp
Mr Michel is tough to outrun when he has clear sailing. That’s exactly what happened in the $108,800 Leader Of The Class Futurity at Indiana Grand Race Course on Sept. 15.
The gelding was the fastest qualifier from the Aug. 25 trials, and he stepped away from the 6-post in third in the finals.
Mr Michel had some ground to make up. Jockey Erik Esqueda rode him his last out, so he knew he had to let him get rolling. They were ahead by a length at the top
of the stretch and finished 1
1/4-length to the good at the
wire, stopping the clock in
:17.872 for a 92 speed index.
Trained by Claudio Barraza,
the gelding earned the $59,840
winner’s share, taking his
bankroll to $93,050 for owner
Alberto Valades. His race
record stands at 3 wins from
5 starts.
Mark Michel bred Mr Michel out of 3-time stakes
through his initial seven starts, which included wins in the Ruidoso Juvenile and the Rainbow Juvenile last year at two. In addition to the La Fiesta Derby, For The Irony also annexed this year’s AQRA Turf Paradise Open Spring Derby and qualified to the Ruidoso Derby-G1.
Bred in California by Stone Chase Stables, For The Irony is produced from the unraced Tres Seis mare Dare You To Beat Me. Her dam,
Daring Difference, won three of six lifetime outs, includ- ing the 1994 Heritage Place Futurity-G1. That Texas-bred daughter of Victory Dash also finished 2nd in that year’s Remington Park Futurity-G1 en route to career earnings
of $329,000 for owner and breeder Joe Kirk Fulton.
Mahomes (Hes Relentless- Mai Corona) and jockey Emilio Tapia offered game chase
but proved no match for the
winner Lovemelikethat, who has produced five winners from six starters, including stakes win- ner and top earner Kissmelikethat.
“Marcos Bailon is the glue that holds this horse together,” said trainer Claudio Barraza. “Marcos makes me look good. This horse is a big lazy overgrown baby. When he steps on the track, he changes like a chameleon, he turns into a lion. He is big enough to overcome a few bumps at the gate. He is good to gallop and a good gate horse,
and has a ton of potential. “We bought this guy out
of the Indiana QH Speed Sale for $17,500, we liked his conformation,” he continued. “He was so big we didn’t start him until May and that was okay with the owner. We
are going to keep him in the Indiana bred races, maybe the Roxy Little Futurity.”
Leaving With Fire (Coronas Leaving You- Firebawl) overcame a slow
winner, finishing a clear second for owners Ezra Lee, Johnny Lee, Jill Giles, Kenneth Ruthardt, Denis Schoenhofer, and Curtis Crenwelge. Trained by Wesley Giles and bred in New Mexico by Mark Rigby DVM, Mahomes fin- ished 3rd behind For the Irony in his trial heat.
Giles also saddled third-place finisher KJ Daisy Duke (Kiss My Hocks-Jess Wild). Ridden by Adrian Eamos, the sorrel filly, who is cam- paigned by John Lee, Wanda Lee, and Ruben Mares, was bred in Arizona by Lees Racing.
Flash The Fire (First Moonflash-Fire Hot Sheets) was fourth and Petrified (Favorite Cartel-Katie Katella) fifth. A Pollitical Phoebe (Apollitical Jess-Special Ivory) & Echo Of Thunder (Turbulent Times-BF Memory Lane) deadheated for sixth, followed by Astico (Kiss My Hocks-Astica), and Dasha Girl (Apollitical Blood- Dasha Easy). Pack My Patience was scratched.
start to grab second place under jockey Berkley Packer for owner SJC Investments and trainer Randy Smith. The gelding was the 5th-fastest qualifier to the main event and is still looking to break his maiden.
Knockout Swing (My Royal Wagon-Game Swinger) finished in third place for owner Rusty Hawkins and trainer Anthony Cunningham. Rolando Pina was handling the reins.
My Royal Candy (My Royal Wagon-Me Special Candy), Keens Blood Legacy (Apollitical Blood-Keen Liaison), Delreys Wagon Train (Freighttrain B-Stolia Del Rey), My Royal Casino (My Royal Wagon-Rumba Casino), Encores Bright Image (Encore-Bright Lineage), Feature Miss Wagon (My Royal Wagon-Tates Creek) and Princess Beach (Escondido Beach-Princess Royal Blew) completed the order of finish. Royal Pepsi was scratched.
156 SPEEDHORSE October 2021
The Downs At Albuquerque
$142,636 • 400 yards :19.492 • si 96
First Down Dash
Valiant Hero
Corona Chick
FOR THE IRONY, ‘18-g.
Tres Seis
Dare You To Beat Me
Daring Difference
Indiana Grand
$108,800 • 350 yards :17.872 • si 92
Tempting Dash
Kiss My Hocks
Romancing Mary
MR MICHEL, ‘19-g.
Likenothinyoueversaw
Lovemelikethat
First Smart Stride
Coady Photography Coady Photography