Sunday, April 17, 2011
Helped by a tail wind listed at 20 miles-per-hour, seventh-fastest qualifier Valiant War Hero broke the 300-yard world record in Sunday's Grade 1, $253,004 West Texas Futurity at Sunland Park.
Valiant War Hero stopped the timer in :14.594 while earning a 109 speed index and defeating third-fastest qualifier Get Gone Gol by one length. Oscar Rincon rode the Valiant Hero gelding for owner Texas Broads and trainer Trey Wood.
“He did everything perfectly,” said Rincon, who was ridiing Valiant War Hero for the first time in a race.
Valiant War Hero was coming off of a one-length victory in his West Texas Futurity trial on April 1. He was ridden that day by Ricky Ramirez, who rode ninth-fastest qualifier Valiant Valor in the final.
“He's really matured in the last month,” said Wood, who also saddled Valiant Valor. “He didn't make any mistakes today. We're going to take him to the mountain and run him in the (Grade 1) Ruidoso Futurity trials.”
Valiant War Hero was bred in Oklahoma by Jim D. Pitts of Burkburnett, Texas. The gelding's sire, Valiant Hero, is a 7-year-old son of all-time leading sire First Down Dash and two-time AQHA champion Corona Chick, who won the 2006 Texas Classic Futurity (G1) at Lone Star Park and the '07 Heritage Place Derby (G2) at Remington Park.
Valiant War Hero represents part of Valiant Hero's first crop to race, along with Mighty B Valiant, a colt who won Saturday's $780,000 Remington Park Futurity (R) as the fastest qualifier. Valiant Hero is owned by a syndicate and stands for a $6,500 fee at Lazy E Ranch at Guthrie, Oklahoma.
Valiant War Hero's dam is the unraced Jody O Toole mare Prairie War. The gelding is undefeated in two starts, and the winner's share of the West Texas Futurity purse increased his earnings to $124,912.
Twilight B ran third and was followed by Valiant Valor, Mighty Famous Vic, Stolis Rogue, 2-1 favorite Wolf Lake, fastest qualifier RC Black Mamba, and Executive Brass.
Runner-up Get Gone Gol is a homebred sorrel gelding by Grade 1 winner Gol. Racing for B & B Electric from the barn of trainer Jackie Riddle, Get Gone Gol has banked $63,541 from two wins in three starts.
Twilight B is campaigned by Gary W. Hartstack and B & B Electric and trained by Riddle. A brown gelding by 2005 AQHA champion 2-year-old colt Teller Cartel, Twilight B has $33,830 from two races.