Sunday, October 03, 2010
The successful comeback of Jacky Martin continued on track on Saturday, as the veteran jockey rode favorite Shesa First Ratify to a one-length victory in the $55,090 Lubbock Stakes (G2) for distaffers at Zia Park.
Saddled by Jose Dominguez for owner Sandra Erwin of Dallas, Texas, Shesa First Ratify covered 400 yards in :19.222, earning a 98 speed index and breaking by 23/100ths the previous stakes record set last year by Ray Herring’s Heavenly Trip. The homebred 3-year-old daughter of First Down Dash returned a $4.60 win mutuel as the 13-10 choice in the field of seven.
Shesa First Ratify became the 223rd stakes winner from 21 crops sired by First Down Dash, the AQHA world champion in 1987 and the sport’s all-time leading sire. A 26-year-old son of the Rocket Wrangler stallion Dash For Cash, First Down Dash has sired 1,157 winners from 1,590 starters and the earners of more than $72.7 million. He stands at Vessels Stallion Farm at Bonsall, California.
Shesa First Ratify is also one of five winners from eight starters foaled by her dam, the winning Chicks Beduino mare Ratify. Now 17, Ratify was a finalist in the 1995 Remington Park Futurity (G1) and ’96 Heritage Place Derby (G1) in Oklahoma.
Shesa First Ratify traces back to her third dam, the Mito Paint (TB) mare Miss Denton (TB), who ran second in the 1984 That’s Julie Handicap at Sunland Park. A 1981 Texas-bred foal, Miss Denton has produced seven winners from nine starters, including Up Next, a Dash For Cash gelding who won the 1991 Remington Park Derby (G1) and set track records at Trinity Meadows near Fort Worth, Texas, and Fair Meadows at Tulsa; and Im Next, a gelding by Dash For Cash who won the ’96 MBNA America Canada Challenge Championship (G3) at Evergreen Park in Grande Prairie, Alberta.
Campaigned primarily in New Mexico, Shesa First Ratify has won four of 16 races, and the $33,000 winner’s share of the Lubbock Stakes purse increased her bankroll to $423,120. The filly was just two weeks removed from a 1 ½-length victory in a 400-yard allowance sprint at Zia Park, and she also was a finalist in the September 5, $1,548,076 All American Derby (G1) at Ruidoso Downs.
Last year, Shesa First Ratify ran second, 1 ½ lengths behind winner and champion 2-year-old Runnning Brook Gal, in the $1.9-million All American Futurity (G1). She also was a finalist in the Grade 3, $302,440 Hobbs America Futurity at Zia.
Classic Callan ran second and was followed by Corona For You, PL Okey Chick, Lethal Delight, Blushing Cartel, and Sister Parish.
A 3-year-old filly by champion Brimmerton racing for Refugio A. Luna, Classic Callan banked $12,100 to push her earnings to $22,686 from one win in 10 outs. On August 20, Classic Callan ran second, three parts of a length behind Grade 1 winner Swingin Daddyo, in a 440-yard All American Derby (G1) trial at Ruidoso Downs.
Corona For You finished 1 ¼ lengths behind Shesa First Ratify. The 4-year-old mare by Corona For Me earned $5,500 to push her bankroll to $56,419 for owners Hugo Barron-Sierra and Romaldo Tamargo. Corona For You was coming off of a three-quarter length victory in the 400-yard, $30,000 La Mariposa Handicap (G3) at The Downs at Albuquerque on September 19. She also ran second in a pair of stakes during the Arapahoe Park meet in Colorado.