Page 101 - 8 February 2013

Harrah’s Dash
SPARROW CONTENDER
by Michael Compton
If his last two races are any indication, Sparrow Contender has found a new home at shorter distances. Making his first start at 250 yards, the 4-year-old sorrel
colt led virtually wire to wire in the $15,000 Harrah’s Dash Stakes at Louisiana Downs on Jan. 12. Sparrow Contender’s initial stakes win followed a score at 220 yards in his previous start at Lone Star Park.
Piloted by Santos Carrizales, Sparrow Contender broke sharply from post position No. 9 in the 10-horse field and dueled from start to finish with Wacky And Reckless who started right alongside in post No. 10. The two raced as a team to the wire with Sparrow Contender getting to the line with a neck advantage. Wacky And Reckless, with Jesse Chavis up, settled for runner-up honors at odds of nearly 30-1. The winner, the 4-1 second choice in the wagering, stopped the timer in :13.317. Now victorious in four of 13 starts, Sparrow Contender has earnings of $24,744.
Bred by Irma Trevino, Sparrow Contender races in the colors of Israel Soliz Jr. and is conditioned by Fructuoso Huitron, who also saddled Wacky And Reckless. Sparrow Contender is out of stakes-placed Taint Special. From Taint Special’s two foals to race, Sparrow Contender is her first stakes winner.
Wacky And Reckless (Game Patriot-Reckless Girl) is owned by Josue Huitron. In third was 36-1 shot Coup De Dasher (Some Dasher-Minnie Coup De Dash), owned by Rene Amaro, trained by Javier Contreras and ridden by John Hamilton.
Martini Mountain (Panther Mountain-Glitz Gator), Toast To Patriot (Game Patriot-Toast The Streaker), Jo Jos Rocket (The Chocolate Rocket- Miz Proudest Chic), Mossy Oak Tree (Oak Tree Special-All Eyes On Madison), Heza Gand DS Dash (Heza Fast Dash-Mary Snow), Lil Miss Hatch (Achievement-Miss Hatch-TB) and Rumbulling Knight (Midnight Knight-Rumbulling Jazz) com- pleted the order of finish.
Marathon Stakes
DIRECT ZACH ATTACK
by John Moorehouse
Direct Zach Attack drew clear from the competi- tion late in the $15,000 Marathon Handicap, and opened his 2013 campaign in fine fashion
by logging his very first stakes win on Jan. 12 as Louisiana Downs opened this year’s meet.
This marked the seventh win for Geral Dewitt’s 7-year-old gelding in 23 lifetime outs. Although not unproven as a competitor, Direct Zach Attack did register an upset win at odds of 10-1.
Jockey Donell Blake brought Direct Zach Attack out of the No. 6 gate on a smooth break, and he quickly established himself as a contender, running second at the first call behind early leader King Of The Bunnys. Direct Zach Attack went three wide on the turn, but held a slim lead going into the stretch and pulled away late in the race, outdistancing Slinkys Fortune to win by 1 1/4-lengths.
An Anthony Arey trainee, Direct Zach Attack finished in :46.660, registering an 87 speed index. The $9,000 winner’s share of the purse increased the gelding’s career bankroll to $69,173.
Debbie Stubbs and Terry Vitrano bred Direct Zach Attack, who becomes the first stakes winner out of his dam, LP Rainbow Rose, who has produced two starters among five total offspring.
Veteran distance specialist Slinkys Fortune (Dashs Slinky-Chasing A Fortune) settled for sec- ond. Henry Padgett owns and trains the 9-year-old gelding, and Gilbert Ortiz drew the riding assign- ment. Mr Fallen Angel (Oak Tree Special-Angels Quick Dash) hit the board in third for owner Kellie Hebert. The Randy Hebert trainee had jockey Antonio Alberto was in the irons.
Eyeontheline (Eye Yin You-Bobbie Lou TB), King Of The Bunnys (King Of The Mall-Ms High Flyin Bunny), Bok Man (Boknaai-One Fine Devon TB) and Special Oakasion (Oak Tree Special-Game Too) com- pleted the field. Worlds On High was scratched.
Dastardly Desert Dash Stakes
BLUES MAN WON
by Tracy Gantz
Blues Man Won hails from racing royalty. His sire, Ocean Runaway, and dam, Blues Girl Too, were champions at 2 and won the same Grade 1
race. It was called the Los Alamitos Million Futurity when Ocean Runaway won it and the Two Million Futurity two years later when Blues Girl Too took it. The mare added the Champion Of Champions-G1 at 3 and was named the World Champion.
Now Blues Girl Too has produced a multiple stakes winner, as Blues Man Won captured his second stakes, the Jan. 14 Dastardly Desert Dash Stakes at Turf Paradise. Drawn on the outside in the 300-yard race, Blues Man Won bobbled slightly at the start, but recov- ered quickly under jockey Vince Guerra to battle with Lil LickiteeSpit. Blues Man Won then collared leader Fast Prize Country to win by a half-length in :15.761.
John Allred trains Blues Man Won for owner- breeder Lucky Seven Ranch, which also bred and raced Blues Girl Too. Blues Man Won captured last year’s Turf Paradise Jackpot Stakes and finished third in the 2011 AQRA Turf Paradise Derby. He
is one of five winners in eight starters for Blues Girl Too, the others including Amore La Blue, who ran third in the 2012 Golden State Million Futurity-G1.
Cesar Martinez’s Hennessys Dynasty (Check Him Out-Fancy Dancin Destiny) got up for second with jockey Hector Aldrete in the irons. Dennis Marsteller trains the 5-year-old gelding, who has won two races.
Marsteller also trains third-place Fast Prize Country (Country Chicks Man-Fast First Prize), ridden by David Reyes-Frisby for owner Rey Moreno-Vasquez.
Completing the field were Chase This Wagon (PYC Paint Your Wagon-Chase This Juno), Downtown Richard (Kelowna Kash-Ky High-TB), Lil Lickitee Spit (Separatist-Lil Spit Curl), One
Tin Stoli (Stoli-Sweethearts Quicksix), Jess Creek Manor (Feature Mr Jess-Queen Creek Queen), and Gettinthere (Check Him Out-Dustys On A High).

Corona Cartel
Taint Special
Contend
SPARROW CONTENDER, ‘09-c.
Cinderella Dash Streakin Six Godfathers Taint

Direct Hit TB
Mamaison
Dallas Deb
DIRECT ZACH ATTACK, ‘06-g.
The Rainbow Ranger
LP Rainbow Rose
Target Date

Ocean Runaway BLUES MAN WON, ‘08-g. Blues Girl Too
First Down Dash Runaway Wave Corona Cartel Run The Dash
SPEEDHORSE, February 8, 2013 99
RACING NEWS
Lou Hodges
Lou Hodges
Coady Photography