Page 107 - NM Summer 2023

SUNLAND PARK
Starr Western Wear Stakes
Photos by Coady Photography
American Freedom
Pulpit
Gottcha Last
J P’s Flashy Honey
Flashy Bull
Harlan Honey
FREEDOM FLASH
Sent to post as the 11-10 favorite in a full field of eight New Mexico-bred Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses, Freedom Flash responded with a one-length victory in the February 4, $100,000 Starr Western Wear Stakes (R) at Sunland Park.
Freedom Flash covered 870 yards in
:45.288 under jockey Alfredo Sigala. Todd Fincher prepped the homebred 7-year-old First Moonflash gelding for owners Pierre J. Amestoy Jr., Leslie Amestoy and Roger K. Beasley.
Freedom Flash was making his first start since December 11, when he ran second, six lengths behind winner Big Dynasty, in the open 870-yard, $75,000 King Rick Rack Stakes (G3) at Zia Park. The gelding’s sire, First Moonflash, was the sport’s champion aged stallion in 2009. A New Mexico-bred son of 2002 champion 2-year-old colt First To Flash, First Moonflash earned $969,828 from 25 races, and he won 10 graded stakes, including the 2008 and 2009 Championship at Sunland Park (G1).
First Moonflash has sired the earners
of more than $26.2 million from 11 crops, including AQHA champions Handsome Jack Flash, Foxy Moonflash and Flash And Roll. A half-brother to stakes winners Dash Ta Moon and Moonifisant, the stallion died due to complications from laminitis in May 2019.
Freedom Flash is out of Mi Camila (TB), a winning Kentucky-bred daughter of the Halo stallion Southern Halo. A 1998 foal, Mi
Camila has foaled four Thoroughbred winners from as many starters, including Bonndaddy’s, a son of B G’s Drone who won three New Mexico-bred stakes from 2009-11, including the 2011 Mt. Cristo Rey Handicap (R) at Sunland Park, and Mi Domscat, a Dominique’s Cat gelding who won the 2011 Don Juan de Onate Stakes (R) at Albuquerque Downs.
Freedom Flash’s second dam, Lady Of Tralee, was a winning Maryland-bred daughter of 1983 Pennsylvania Derby (G2) winner Dixieland Band. The gelding’s fourth dam,
the winning Le Fabuleux mare L’Extravagante, ran third in the 1976 Canadian Oaks Stakes at Woodbine Racecourse near Toronto.
Freedom Flash traces back to his fifth
dam, Fanfreluche, a multiple stakes winning Northern Dancer mare. The 1970 U.S. champion sophomore filly, Fanfreluche produced five
stakes winners, all of whom were half siblings to L’Extravagante, including Grade 1 winner and two-time Canadian Horse of the Year L’Enjoleur.
Raced exclusively in New Mexico, Freedom Flash has won seven of 29 starts -- including four of eight at the 870-yard distance -- and the $60,000 winner’s share of the purse from his third career stakes score increased his earnings to $417,301. His 6-year-old season record included a 1 1/2-length victory in the October 30, $125,000 New Mexico Cup 870 Championship (RG3) at Zia Park.
Dan The Flashman, a 16-1 longshot, ran second and was followed by Why Buy The Cow, El Vital, Rosies Bolt, Hollywood Henry (TB), Noreason Fordiamonds and Lifes A Dannce.
Dan The Flashman banked $20,000 to bring his earnings to $186,053 from 33 outs for his owner, Victor Diaz, who purchased the 8-year-old First Moonflash gelding for $43,000 at the 2016 Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale. Dan The Flashman has won seven races, including the 2019 Zia 870 Championship (R) at Ruidoso Downs.
Why Buy The Cow pocketed the $10,000 third-place share of the purse for his owner, Carroll A. Durbin. An 8-year-old son of the Heza Fast Man stallion Heza Motor Scooter, the bay gelding has won seven of 27 races, including two stakes, and he has earned $321,235, of which $287,485 has been banked from 28 outs at the 870 distance.
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