Saturday, April 16, 2011
I Play Dirty, a gelding by Roll Hennessy Roll, broke his maiden with a neck victory in the colts and geldings division of the Copper Top Futurity (R) for New Mexico-breds at Sunland Park on Saturday.
Ridden by Isaias Enriquez for owner Joe Dee Brooks of Levelland, Texas, I Play Dirty went 4 ½ furlongs in :51.93 while posting his first win in two starts. The winner's share of the $113,987 purse pushed his earnings to $59,194.
I Play Dirty was coming off of a second-place finish to Apollitical Roll in his Copper Top trial on March 29.
“We had a rough trip in the trials, but today's race went according to plan,” said trainer Todd Fincher. “Isaias gave him a perfect ride, stalking off of the front runners.”
A $1,200 buy at last year's New Mexico-Bred Yearling Sale at Ruidoso Downs, I Play Dirty was bred by Brad King and Lauren Fincher. The gelding's sire, Roll Hennessy Roll, is one of three stakes winners sired by Roll Hennessy Roll, an 11-year-old son of Hennessy who won three stakes in 2002, including the Grade 3, $125,000 Hollywood Prevue Stakes at Hollywood Park.
Roll Hennessy Roll is a half brother to three stakes winners, including Grade 3 winner Sing Baby Sing and Value Plus, the runner-up in longshot Friends Lake's 2004 Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream Park. To date, the stallion has sired the earners of more than $858,000 from 44 starters. He stands for a $4,000 fee at Fred and Linda Alexander's A & A Ranch at Anthony, New Mexico.
I Play Dirty's dam is Runaway Set, a winning 9-year-old daughter of the Runaway Groom stallion Cherokee Run.
According to Fincher, I Play Dirty will be pointed to the 5-furlong, $150,000-est. Mountain Top Futurity at Ruidoso Downs on June 26.
Apollitical Roll ran second, five lengths in front of 2-1 favorite My Homey. The top three were followed by Koufax, Jackpot Magic, Grande Hadley, Crusher Lane, Grey Bird, and Krakatoa Cat.
A homebred Roll Hennessy Roll gelding campaigned by SMS Racing LLC and trained by Tony Sedillo, Apollitical Roll has earned $28,797 from one win in two starts. The gelding's dam is the winning the 9-year-old Apollo mare Apollo's Lady.
My Homey was coming off of a six-length victory in his Copper Top trial. The homebred chestnut gelding races for Steve Prather, Bessie A. Prather, and trainer Hermenegildo “Poppy” Aldavaz, and he has banked $20,178 from one win in three outs.