Saturday, September 18, 2010
Freddie Martinez rode Strike It Quick to a three-quarter length win in the Grade 2, $55,360 James Isaac Hobbs Stakes at Zia Park on Saturday.
Trained by Abraham Jaquez for owner Rosa M. Guevara, Strike It Quick covered 350 yards in :17.157, earning a 104 speed index and breaking by 16/100ths the previous stakes record established by Desirio in its inaugural running five years ago. The $33,000 winner’s share of the purse increased his bankroll to $160,292 from seven wins in 20 outs.
Strike It Quick was bred in Utah by Lee Giles and Steve McIntyre, and the 4-year-old gray gelding became the 77th stakes winner from 15 crops sired by Royal Quick Dash, a 21-year-old stallion by First Down Dash and the AQHA champion 2-year-old colt in 1991. A full brother to two Grade 1 winners, including ’98 champion 2-year-old First Sovereign, Royal Quick Dash has sired the earners of more than $18.5 million from 1,083 starters, including two-time champion AB What A Runner. He stands for a $4,000 fee at Ronnie Stewart’s Double S Farm at Holland, Texas.
Strike It Quick’s dam, Dreamit, won the 2000 Utah Classic Futurity (RG2) at Laurel Brown Racetrack near Salt Lake City, and she ran second in that season’s Diamond Classic Futurity (RG2) at Wyoming Downs. Now 12, the Utah-bred daughter of Proudest Effort has foaled six winners from seven starters, including Dreams Fly Bye, a colt by Dashin Bye who was a finalist in this summer’s $625,000 Rainbow Futurity (G1) at Ruidoso Downs.
Strike It Quick’s second dam, the winning Deregulate mare Do Run De Run, ran third in two stakes in ’92, including the $13,403 Elko County Derby in Nevada. A 1989 Utah-bred foal, Do Run De Run is a half sister to two stakes winners – Magnificent Effort, a Proudest Effort gelding who won the 1995 PCQHRA Breeders’ Futurity (G1) at Los Alamitos, and My Thumb Tack, a gelding by champion Tolltac who won the ’94 Dixie Downs Futurity in Utah and ran second in that season’s California Sires’ Cup Futurity (RG3) at Los Alamitos.
The James Isaac Hobbs marked Strike It Quick’s first start since July 3, when the gelding ran second, one length behind Shy Ann Jess, in the 350-yard, $30,000 Higheasterjet Handicap (G3) at Ruidoso Downs. Strike It Quick also ran third, a half of a length behind winner Jess Dellaree, in the 400-yard La Plata Stakes (G2) at SunRay Park on June 13, and he was the runner-up to Anywhere Bully in last year’s Grade 3, 350-yard Manuel Lujan Stakes at The Downs at Albuquerque.
Anywhere Bully ran second in the James Isaac Hobbs, a half of a length in front of 13-10 favorite Jess Dellaree. Double Out, Naruto, Dashin Tres, Special Highnoon, Kuhl Little Man, Bannow Bay, and Executive Looks completed the order of finish.
Anywhere Bully banked $12,100 to push his earnings to $97,761 for owner Raymond Valerio of Belen, New Mexico. The Oklahoma-bred 4-year-old gelding by Make It Anywhere broke The Downs at Albuquerque’s track record when he won last year’s Manuel Lujan Stakes in :17.135.
A lightly raced 5-year-old gelding by the late Feature Mr Jess, Jess Dellaree has banked $123,004 from five wins in nine starts for owner Maria G. Gonzalez of Edgewood, New Mexico. In addition to winning the $50,000 La Plata Stakes (G2) at SunRay Park, Jess Dellaree placed first in the March 6, $86,854 West Texas Maturity (G2) at Sunland Park, and he ran second, a head behind winner Rylees Boy, in Sunland’s 440-yard, $112,410 Bank of America New Mexico Challenge (G1) in April.