Page 97 - NM Summer 2023

SUNRAY PARK
Jimmy Drake Stakes (RG3) - Division 2
Photos by Coady Photography
One Handsome Man
One Famous Eagle
Helens First Choice
Never The Same
Strawfly Special
Justa Dance
FLY ON DOWN
Dalia F. Aranda’s Fly On Down rallied
to win the second division of the April 28, 400-yard Jimmy Drake Stakes (RG3) for New Mexico-bred Quarter Horses at SunRay Park.
Aided by a reported 11-mph tail wind, Fly On Down defeated No Mires A La Luna by a nose in :19.254 while posting a 110 speed index. Alfredo Sigala rode the 5-year-old One Handsome Man stallion for trainer Omar Vargas.
Fly On Down was bred by Nan and Terry Lane of Bosque, New Mexico, and he was purchased as a yearling by Aranda for $7,000
at the 2019 New Mexico-Bred Sale at Ruidoso Downs. The gray stallion’s sire, the One Famous Eagle stallion One Handsome Man, earned $188,777 from 10 outs while campaigned in Texas and New Mexico from 2012-13, and his three wins included the 2012 Dash For Cash Futurity (G1) at Lone Star Park near Dallas.
From five crops, One Handsome Man has sired the earners of more than $1.1 million, including 2002 First Moonflash Maturity (RG2) runner-up Man Of Faith and 2019 New Mexico Cup Futurity (RG2) third-place finisher Boy With Cash.
Fly On Down’s dam is out of Never The Same, a Texas-bred daughter of the Special Effort stallion Strawfly Special. The stallion’s second dam, Just A Dance, was a winning daughter of the First Down Dash stallion Royal Quick Dash.
Fly On Down’s third dam, First Mirage (TB),
was an unraced daughter of 1972 Kentucky Derby winner Riva Ridge. A 1982 Kentucky-bred foal, First Mirage produced three stakes winners, including multiple Grade 1 winner Missy’s Mirage and Grade 1 winner Classy Mirage.
Fly On Down traces back to his third dam, Gray Mirage, a winning Kentucky-bred Bold Bidder mare who ran third in the 1973 Santa Barbara Handicap (G1) at Santa Anita Park. Gray Mirage foaled Texas Gem, a stakes- winning half-brother to First Mirage.
Fly On Down was coming off of a fourth- place finish, three-quarters of a length behind winner Diezs Daylight, in the February 11, 350-yard Mesilla Valley Speed Handicap (RG2) at Sunland Park. All told, the stallion has won six of 23 races, and the $60,000 winner’s share of the Jimmy Drake Stakes purse increased his earnings to $255,125. Fly On Down’s two career stakes victories include last year’s $30,000 Jess Burner Stakes (R) at Ruidoso Downs.
River Flash, the 7-5 favorite in the full field of 10, finished third, a head behind Fly On Down. The Calling, Romeos Ransom, Brookes Legacy, Cartel Drunk Playboy, J R Bordeaux, Blue Riband and Mountain Vike completed the order of finish.
No Mires A La Luna banked the $20,000 runner-up share of the purse for his owner, Byron R. Woodard. A homebred son of 2009 AQHA champion aged stallion First Moonflash and a finalist in the 2018 All
American Futurity (G1) at Ruidoso Downs, the 7-year-old gelding has won eight of 37 outs and has earned $690,715, and his six career stakes wins include last year’s Namehimastreaker New Mexico Cup Championship (RG1) at Zia Park and First Moonflash Maturity (RG2) at Albuquerque Downs.
River Flash is a 4-year-old homebred son
of the Chicks Beduino stallion Chicks Regard racing for Robert M. Driggers and Ben Lee Ivey. The gray gelding has won nine of 14 races, and the $10,000 third-place share of the Jimmy Drake Stakes purse pushed his bankroll to $417,827. River Flash was coming off of
a sophomore campaign during which he won four stakes, including the Zia Derby (RG2) at Ruidoso Downs and New Mexico Breeders’ Stakes (RG3) at SunRay Park.
SUMMER 2023 95