Sunday, March 20, 2011
Sheet Burns, a 9-year-old gelding by champion Okey Dokey Dale racing for Maclovio Regalado, won the first of two Red Cell Sunland Distance Challenge (G3) trials on Saturday, posting the fastest qualifying time for the $55,000-added final on April 3.
Prepped by Ramon Ronquillo and ridden by J. Martin Bourdieu, Sheet Burns went 870 yards in :45.291 as the 1-5 favorite in the field of five. His margin of victory was 4 ¼ lengths from sixth-fastest qualifier Regal Colors.
Sheet Burns was bred in Colorado by Don R. Hill, and the gelding has earned $327,214 from 20 wins in 75 races. He won three stakes last year, including the Grade 3, 870-yard Herman Jefferson Stakes at Zia Park, and he ran second, 1 ¾ lengths behind champion Gone To The Mountain, in last year's Sunland Distance Challenge.
Arden Sue Floyd's A Deadly Choice won the second trial by 1 ¼ lengths in :45.406. The 4-year-old gelding by A Regal Choice has won three of 10 starts and has banked $35,825.
The winner of the Sunland Distance Challenge earns a berth in this year's Grade 1, $125,000 Red Cell Distance Challenge Championship at Los Alamitos.
The complete list of qualifiers for the Sunland Distance Challenge final:
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Horse (Age, Sex, Pedigree)
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Owner
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Breeder (State)
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Trainer
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Time
|
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SHEET BURNS
9G, Okey Dokey Dale-Shes Alive And Easy by Easy Jet
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Maclovio Regalado
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Don R. Hill (CO)
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Ramon Ronquillo
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:45.291
|
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A DEADLY CHOICE
4G, A Regal Choice-Deadly by Leaving Memories
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Arden Sue Floyd
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Michael Taylor and Heath Taylor (TX)
|
James J. Gonzales II
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:45.406
|
|
APOLLOS FIRST DOWN
4G, Apollo (TB)-Ms Devine Diva by This Snow Is Royal
|
Jesus J. Carrete
|
David L. Wisdom (ND)
|
Jesus J. Carrete
|
:45.648
|
|
HEZ OUR ROCK
5G, Granite Lake-Like My Mom by Bold Episode
|
Jose Angel Esparza
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Rex & Sharon Brooks (OK)
|
Salvador Soto.
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:45.977
|
|
ROYAL INITIATIVE
4G, Royal Quick Dash-Fortuna Babe by Six Fortunes
|
Emmanuel Galvez
|
Belinda Shaw (AR)
|
Emmanuel Galvez
|
:46.024
|
|
REGAL COLORS
4G, A Regal Choice-Sables Secret by Raise A Secret
|
Stan Young
|
Estate of Spencer Childers (CA)
|
John D. Martinez
|
:46.063
|
|
BAZOOKA JO
4G, Favorite Trick (TB)-Saratoga Jo by Calyx
|
Derrol Hubbard
|
Brook Harris and Mary Eiland (TX)
|
Michael Joiner
|
:46.296
|
|
MOUNTAIN MAN
5G, Panther Mountain-Jodys Irish Miss by Dash Ta Fame
|
W. Neil Biggs
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Merrill & Virginia Lee (MT)
|
Jose R. Gonzalez Jr.
|
:46.349
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