Page 205 - April2022

RACING NEWS
Golden Boi’s winning connections include trainer Valentin Zamudio; owner Johanna Montana Gamez, with M & G Farms Inc.; and jockey Ruben Lozano.
“At that point maybe we could have pushed him,” said Zamudio. “But we still didn’t feel like he was ready, so we decided to wait.”
Golden Boi returned for the El Primero trials, qualifying the fastest while winning his heat by 2-lengths as the 2-5 favorite. Fans backed him down to 2-5 favoritism again for the final.
At first Golden Boi looked like he might not get there, as he broke in fifth for regular rider Ruben Lozano. But halfway through the 400 yards, Golden Boi got rolling. He zoomed up to grab the lead and score by a head in :19.927.
“He didn’t break as strong as he did in the trials, but I knew I had a lot of horse,” said Lozano. “He started going at the midway point of the race, but they were still ahead of us. It was in the final 50 yards that we caught up to them. I felt good when we crossed the finish line, but nothing is for sure until you see your number on the tote board.”
Lozano added that Golden Boi warmed up well before the race.
“He did everything great and behaved well in the starting gates,” said the jockey. “He has returned like nothing has happened and has done everything right.”
Zamudio felt good about Golden Boi’s performance.
“Tonight was tougher, but we always knew that he could run at the end of races,” the trainer said. “I think he’s going to keep improving. I think in his next races he’ll be even better now that he’s got two races under him after what happened to him.”
Zamudio indicated that Golden Boi will likely wait for the big derbies at Ruidoso
Downs before returning to California for the Los Alamitos Super Derby in the fall.
The Montano Gamez family of Hendersonville, North Carolina, bred Golden Boi in California from Logans Dash, one of their first racehorses. Logans Dash won the 2012 Three Cherries Stakes, Biscayne Stakes, and Miami-Dade County Stakes and the 2013 Delta Dash Stakes. The mare has produced two winners from three starters, including stakes- placed Logans Favorite.
Johanna Montana Gamez is only 17, but she often acts as the spokesperson for the family.
“I’ve been going to the horses when we started at Hialeah Park when I was 7 or 8,” she said. “It’s now crazy to come to these bigger places. We have grown a lot. We are in a lot of places.”
Dunn Ranch bred and races both second place Whizkey Glasses (FDD Dynasty- Marys Southernpolicy) and third-place Tip Ofmy Tongue (Moonin The Eagle-Really
A Corona), with Monty Arrossa as the trainer of the pair. Jesus Ayala rode Whizkey Glasses, who won last year’s Golden State Million Futurity and Easy Jet Stakes-G3. Eduardo Nicasio piloted Tip Ofmy Tongue, a three-time winner last year.
Completing the field were Dasha Good Reason (Good Reason SA-Dasha Freda), Knockout Cartel (Favorite Cartel-Ms Jess Knockout), Favorite Honey (Favorite Cartel- Coronas Fast Honey), Watch Out (Fly Thru The Fire-Look Her Over), Hallelujah Nights (PYC Paint Your Wagon-Tres Sea), and Insider Information (Favorite Cartel-Katie Katella). Rocket Seventeen was scratched.
Ruben Lozano on his way to the winner’s circle.
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