Sunday, July 29, 2012
Trainer Todd Fincher saddled the winners of four races, three of whom were ridden by jockey Casey Lambert, during Sunday's 11-race Zia Festival program at Ruidoso Downs.
Fincher and Lambert teamed to win the $50,000 Zia 870 Championship Stakes (R) with odds-on favorite Rollickin Red; the 5 1/2-furlong, $172,026 Rio Grande Senor Futurity (R) for 2-year-old colts and geldings with favorite Kiss My Hennessy; and the 7 1/2-furlong, $50,000 Land of Enchantment Handicap (R) for 3-year-olds and older with 6-5 choice Smash Dancer.
Isaias Enriquez rode Fincher's fourth winner, T,V. Stevie, an 11-1 longshot who scored a neck victory in the 5 1/2-furlong, $50,000 Road Runner Handicap (R) for 3-year-old colts and geldings.
Jockey Esgar Ramirez also had a multiple win day, as the veteran rider won the 400-yard, $50,000 Zia Handicap (RG2) with Genuine American, and the 400-yard, $140,143 Zia Derby (RG3) with Fury Of The Storm.
Ruidoso Downs track officials announced Sunday's attendance as 6,533, which was up 2 percent over the lower than the 2011 Zia Festival crowd count of 6,405. A total of $531,272 was wagered on the 11-race card – both on- and off-track – an increase of 2.5 percent over the $518,143 handled during last year's 10-race Zia Festival card.
Below is a summary of all 11 Zia Festival races. Complete coverage will be featured in the next issue of the New Mexico Horse Breeders magazine.
ZIA 870 CHAMPIONSHIP (R)
3-year-olds & older – 870 yards
Purse, $50,000
Winner – Rollickin Red (4G, Roll Hennessy Roll [TB]-Deeheiress by Mr Jess Perry)
Owner – Rollickin Red Partners
Breeder – Robert A. Gentry
Trainer – Todd Fincher
Jockey – Casey Lambert
Winning Time – :46.124
Winning Margin – 1 ¼ lengths
Odds – 3-5 (favorite)
Also ran (in order of finish) – Kokopellis Babycakes, Affluent Boy (TB), Pakea Bay, BRT Opulence, Bullets Brother, KC Royal Flush, and South Oak.
ZIA HANDICAP (RG2)
3-year-olds & older – 400 yards
Purse, $50,000
Winner – Genuine American (8G, Genuine Strawfly-All American Beauty by Streakin Six)
Owner – Fredda Draper
Breeder – J & L Stables
Trainer – Carl Draper
Jockey – Esgar Ramirez
Winning Time – :19.782
Winning Margin – head
Odds – 6-1
Also ran (in order of finish) – Here Kittykittykitty (13-10 favorite), Klassic Strawfly, De Genuine Queen, Snow Regard, Neversaynever, Mightys Last Call, and Brookstone Flash.
ROAD RUNNER HANDICAP (R)
3-year-old colts & geldings – 5 ½ furlongs
Purse, $50,000
Winner – T.V. Stevie (3G, Quinton's Gold-T.V. Evie by Jack Wilson)
Owner – Steve Prather and Dwayne Taylor
Breeder – Steve Prather
Trainer – Todd Fincher
Jockey – Isaias Enriquez
Winning Time – 1:03.95
Winning Margin – neck
Odds – 11-1
Also ran (in order of finish) – Damascus Last Hope, That's Who (7-10 favorite), Mr. Wizard, Legal Storm, Stealyndeewin, E Bar Way, Boy Ego, Attila's Ghost, Speedy Caracal, El Gran Cognac, and Pecos Valley Wind.
RIO GRANDE SENOR FUTURITY (R)
2-year-old colts & geldings – 5 ½ furlongs
Purse, $172,026
Winner – Kiss My Hennessy (2G, Roll Hennessy Roll-Dixie Kiss by Chimes Band)
Owner – Scott Bryant and Joe Dee Brooks
Breeder – Pillar Property Services Inc.
Trainer – Todd Fincher
Jockey – Casey Lambert
Winning Time – 1:04.42
Winning Margin – 6 ½ lengths
Odds – 9-10 (favorite)
Also ran (in order of finish) – Ramblin' Starr, Thermal, Long Route, Slew Up His Sleeve, Penny Ante Cat, Dandy Guy, Worry This, Veil's Vengeance, and Marty Squall.
SIERRA STARLET HANDICAP (R)
3-year-old fillies – 5 ½ furlongs
Purse, $50,000
Winner – Roll Bloomers Roll (3F, Roll Hennessy Roll-Gold Bloomers by Gilded Time)
Owner and Breeder – Rita J. Danley
Trainer – Fred Danley
Jockey – Alfredo Juarez Jr.
Winning Time – 1:04.79
Winning Margin – ¾ of a length
Odds – 4-1
Also ran (in order of finish) – Sandia Sonata (2-1 favorite), Easy Loving Who, Hennesey Smash, Little Vidalia, Hot For You, Whisper's Sister, Super Stormy, Vinton Row, Rio Fresco, and Gerda's Home.
LINCOLN HANDICAP (R)
3-year-olds & older, fillies & mares, 6 furlongs
Purse, $50,000
Winner – Cali Baby (6M, Thatsusintheolbean-Aquarellist by Ole')
Owner – UKUSA Stables
Breeder – Chris P. & Tina L. Hourigan
Trainer – Eric Mikkelson
Jockey – Alejandro Medellin
Winning Time – 1:10.69
Winning Margin – 7 lengths
Odds – 4-1
Also ran (in order of finish) – Vestal Virgin, Gossip Dome, I Am Lesters Gal (even-money favorite), Stormy Canyon, On Stride, Tularosa, Tricky R.
ZIA DERBY (RG3)
3-year-olds, 400 yards
Purse, $140,143
Winner – Fury Of The Storm (3C, Furyofthewind-Bubbles Bunny by Sail On Bunny)
Owner – Jaime Dominguez
Breeder – Bill or Sandy Miller
Trainer – Alex Sanchez
Jockey – Esgar Ramirez
Winning Time – :19.818
Winning Margin – ¾ of a length
Odds – 17-10 (favorite)
Also ran (in order of finish) – Caliente Colt, Cheetah Woods, Gotta Get Two, Who Rae, First Blazin Love, DH-RCJ Major Storm, DH-Angelina Fame, Fleurs Corona, and Eye Am Blazin.
RIO GRANDE SENORITA FUTURITY (R)
2-year-old fillies, 5 ½ furlongs
Purse, $159,744
Winner – Back Seat Roll (2F, Roll Hennessy Roll-Back Seat Charm by Silver Charm)
Owner and Breeder – J. Kirk & Judy Robison
Trainer – Henry Dominguez
Jockey – Enrique Gomez
Winning Time – 1:05.18
Winning Margin – neck
Odds – 9-1
Also ran (in order of finish) – K.B.'s Princess, Desertsmagic, Way To Go Gerda, Lakehouse Fun (11-10 favorite), Applelina, La La La Dandy, Lisa Sue, and No Late Nights
SIERRA BLANCA HANDICAP (R)
3-year-olds & older, 5 ½ furlongs
Purse, $34,200
Winner – Our Choice (7G, Desert God-Neat Choice by First Draft Choice)
Owner – Stable HMA
Breeder – Triple AAA Ranch
Trainer – Justin Evans
Jockey – Ry Eikleberry
Winning Time – 1:04.54
Winning Margin – ¾ of a length
Odds – 9-10 (favorite)
Also ran (in order of finish) – Lesters Secret, Agiba Yulla, Cowboy Hennessy, Bonndaddy's, Comic Smarty Cat, Vincent, and My Picasso.
ZIA FUTURITY (RG1)
2-year-olds, 400 yards
Purse, $395,028
Winner – Gonna Cha Cha (2G, Gonna Ro Sham Bo-Domeinitchy [TB] by Dome [TB])
Owners – Norma Alvarez, Brenda Alvarez, and Debra Laney
Breeder – Dosi or Norma Alvarez
Trainer – Juan M. Gonzalez
Jockey – Cody Wainscott
Winning Time – :19.927
Winning Margin – head
Odds – 9-1
Also ran (in order of finish) – The Four Js, Runin Sixes, Junior June Bug, Tombstone, Rex Hill (19-10 favorite), Cmon Jessies Girl, ES Dove, Jessiana, and Rabbits Rabbit.
LAND OF ENCHANTMENT HANDICAP (R)
3-year-olds & older – 7 ½ furlongs
Purse, $50,000
Winner – Smash Dancer (5G, Robyn Dancer-Some Smash by Rare Brick)
Owners and Breeder – Barbara M. Coleman
Trainer – Todd Fincher
Jockey – Casey Lambert
Winning Time – 1:33.42
Winning Margin – ½ of a length
Odds – 6-5 (favorite)
Also ran (in order of finish) – Brother Louie, On Down The Road, Groushy Apadana, Desert Dude, Desert Gamble, Lota Talent, Numberoneson, and Running Squall.