Saturday, September 24, 2011
Sparklin Royal, a homebred Sixes Royal filly owned by Gary C. Kloppenburg, was a prompt 19-10 favorite in Saturday's New Mexico State Fair Senorita Futurity (RG3) for state-bred fillies at The Downs at Albuquerque.
Trained by Carlos Sedillo and ridden by Ruben Calderon for the first time in a race, Sparklin Royal covered 400 yards in :19.544, and her winning margin was a head from fastest qualifier and 5-2 second choice Fysta. The filly's clocking was just 4/100ths of a second off of the stakes record set nine years ago by Thatsa Blazin Chick, and the winner's share of the $77,114 Senorita Futurity purse pushed her earnings to $91,582.
Sparklin Royal's sire, Sixes Royal, is a 10-year-old son of 1991 AQHA champion 2-year-old colt Royal Quick Dash. From 2003-04, Sixes Royal earned $384,977, and his five wins in 17 races included the 2004 AQHA Derby Challenge Championship (G1) at Sam Houston Race Park.
Last year, Sixes Royal led all New Mexico sires in winners, graded stakes winners, and 2-year-old earners, and his runners include Sixes Liaison, the winner of last year's $346,700 Sam Houston Futurity (G1) in Texas. The stallion is owned by Mike Abraham, and he stands at W.L. Mooring's Double LL Farm at Bosque, New Mexico.
Sparklin Royal's dam, Sparkling Ojos, is a winning daughter of the Dash For Cash stallion Celadon who was also bred by Kloppenburg.
Sparklin Royal has won four of nine races, including four of her last five starts. The filly was coming off of a three-quarter length victory under jockey Esgar Ramirez in the second of three Senorita Futurity trials on September 9, a race in which she posted the second-fastest qualifying time.
Ramirez was unable to ride Sparklin Royal back in the final, as he was riding in Saturday's Hobbs America Futurity (G2) trials at Zia Park.
On April 10, Sparklin Royal ran third, a head behind winner Osbaldo, in the 300-yard New Mexican Spring Futurity (RG2) at Sunland Park. The filly also was a finalist in the July 31, $384,000 Zia Futurity (RG1) at Ruidoso Downs.
Kloppenburg and Sedillo indicated that Sparklin Royal might make her next start in the December 16 Shue Fly Stakes (RG1) trials at Sunland Park.
Yawl Coming ran third, one length behind runner-up Fysta. Angelina Fame, Blowin Dust, Office Babe, Two Bit Corona, Reason To Be A Chick, and Imojackie completed the order of finish. Tenth-fastest qualifier RL Fugaz Apls was listed as a veterinarian scratch.
A gray daughter of Gonna Ro Sham Bo racing for David Hinkins and Ross Hinkins, Fysta was coming off of a three-quarter length victory in the first Senorita Futurity trial. The filly has earned $31,771 from one win in eight outs, and she was a finalist in the June 19 Mountain Top Futurity (RG2) at Ruidoso Downs.
Yawl Coming is owned by Rita J. Danley of Anthony, New Mexico. The homebred sorrel daughter of Rabbits Rainbow has won one of five starts and has banked $20,894.