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2008 Racing
Winners
41st
Cricket Bars Futurity
The featured race on the Saturday
program was the 41st running of the Grade 1, $38,505 Cricket Bars Futurity for
two-year-old Appaloosa’s. Breaking from post-position five, heavy 4-5
favorite Fawns Rose proved much the best defeating No Dinero and Appsolutely
Wicked. No doubt one of the most accomplished runners in the field, Fawns Rose
finished a very close second in the $127,600 Grade 1 Speedhorse Sprint Futurity
on closing weekend at Fair Meadows at Tulsa before coming back and winning her
trial heat for the Cricket Bars. A daughter of With Honors, Fawns Rose has made
seven lifetime starts and has picked up four victories, finishing outside of
the top three only once in her career, along the way combining earnings of over
$60,000. Owned by Kent Taylor and Danny Thomas and trained by Dee Keener,
regular rider Adalberto Candanosa guided Fawns Rose over 330 yards in a final
running time of 16.83 seconds over the fast track. |
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Blue Ribbon
Downs
Sallisaw, OK
11 October
The fourth race on the Saturday
was the first of two Paint and Appaloosa races on the day which featured a
field of ten allowance type horses running 350 yards. Breaking from
post-position two, Ms Prissy Driver was making just her fourth consecutive
start, and her first start since breaking her maiden last time out. A huge jump
in class did not effect the three-year-old filly, as Ms Prissy Driver delivered
a huge performance to win by a head over Isadorable and Open Range. All four of
the filly’s starts have come at Blue Ribbon Downs, where the daughter of
my Designated Driver has picked up two straight wins and has bankrolled more
than $8,500 for owner William McKee. Trained by Hubert Blankenship and ridden
to victory by Jennifer Schmidt. |
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Blue Ribbon Downs
Sallisaw, OK
10
October
An extremely talented field of ten allowance type Paint and
Appaloosas hit the track for the sixth race on Friday at Blue Ribbon Downs.
With 100 yards remaining in the race, their were five candidates within a half
length of the lead, but as the field neared the wire, G I Jana proved the best
as she closed quickly to win by a half length over La Pecosa and A Day Before.
Breaking from post-position nine, G I Jana got off to a very quick start and
was able to keep pace with the pack as the filly was able to make her twelfth
career start a successful one. A filly by Brisco County Jr, G I Jana has
finished inside the top three in eight of her career starts, and has earned
over $31,000 for owner Jana Harrison and trainer Luis Villafranco. Riding his
third winner of the day, Adalberto Candanosa guided G I Jana over 350 yards in
17.67 seconds over the fast track for a 95 speed index. |
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Blue Ribbon Downs
Sallisaw, OK
29
September
The fifth race on the Monday, September 29th program at
Blue Ribbon Downs was the lone Paint and Appaloosa race on the day, as a field
of ten horses hit the track seeking their first career victory. In a thrilling
finish to the race, Jim Marble just beat out Beat Defeet by a nose to pick up
career victory number one. Both of the horses closed from off of the pace, but
in the end Jim Marble had the edge on momentum and came back the winner
following the results of a photo finish. Making his seventh career start, Jim
Marble landed inside the top three for the first time in his career, and earned
well over $3,000 for the win. Owned by William McKee and trained by Hubert
Blankenship, Jim Marble was guided to victory by Jennifer Schmidt, covering 330
yards over the fast track in 17.39 seconds. |
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Blue Ribbon Downs
Sallisaw, OK
28
September
The tenth and final race on Sunday, September 28th at Blue
Ribbon Downs was the second of two Paint and Appaloosa contests as a field of
ten entered the starting gates, looking for career victory number two. Breaking
from post-position four, Mr Coup de Ville was hovering around the top spot for
a majority of the race, but in the final three strides found an amazing burst
of speed and won by a narrow nose over Judys Hero and Texas Easy Down Kelly.
Making his seventeenth career start, Mr Coup de Ville has now landed inside the
top three in five of his career finishes, and boosted his career earnings to
well over $11,000. A three-year-old gelding by Dispensing Speed, Mr Coup de
Ville is owned and trained by Angie Jones from Stuart, and made his fifth start
at Blue Ribbon Downs a succuessful journey. Guided to victory by rider Tony
Bennett, who recently returned from riding duties at Ajax Downs in Ontario,
Canada, Mr Coup de Ville covered 350 yards in 18.20 seconds over the fast
track. |
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Blue Ribbon Downs
Sallisaw, OK
27
September
The third race on Saturday September 27th at Blue Ribbon
Downs was the second of two trials for the Grade One Cricket Bars Futurity, as
a field of six Appaloosas attempted to qualify for the prestigious race.
Breaking from post-position four, No Dinero proved to be a no doubt winner,
taking the second trial heat by a length over Appsolutely Wicked; Bug Be Gone
and Rock N Roll Ruby dead-heated for third. Making just her fourth career
start, No Dinero entered the race fresh off of her first career victory, which
came back on September 12th at the Sallisaw track, where the filly has never
been defeated. Lifetime the filly has earned the first place check in half of
her career starts, and now has earnings of over $6,000. Owned by Glen Wilkinson
and trained by Frank Cooper, No Dinero was guided to victory by Denise Lambeth,
establishing the fastest qualifying time of 17.16 seconds, giving No Dinero as
spot in the finals in two weeks. |
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Blue Ribbon Downs
Sallisaw, OK
27
September
The second race on the Saturday, September 27th card at
Blue Ribbon Downs was the first of two Cricket Bars Futurity Trials, as a field
of six Appaloosas attempted to qualify to the Grade One event. Heavy 1-9
post0time favorite Fawns Rose overcame a bobbled start and was able to win
under a hand ride by three quarters of a length over Streakin Prince and.
Making her sixth career start, Fawns Rose has now won three of her career
starts and also has a very close second place effort in the Speedhorse Sprint
Futurity at Fair Meadows at Tulsa, her last start before entering the trials.
All tolled, Fawns Rose has earned just under $40,000 in her time on the track
for owners Kent Taylor and Danny Thomas and trainer Dee Keener. Guided to
victory by Adalberto Candanosa, Fawns Rose covered the 330 yards in 17.27
seconds over the fast track, earning a spot in the Grade One Cricket Bars
Futurity in two weeks. |
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Blue Ribbon Downs
Sallisaw, OK
13
September
The seventh race of the day on September 13th at Blue
Ribbon Downs was the lone Paint and Appaloosa race on the program and it
featured a field of nine horses searching for their first career victories.
Breaking from post-position six, Ms Prissy Driver broke sharply and never
looked back winning by a length and a half in wire to wire fashion over Magical
Feet and Miss High Society. It was the third career start for the
three-year-old filly, who picked up a little over $3,000 for her efforts. It
was the first start in over eleven months for the daughter of My Designated
Driver, as Ms Prissy Driver got her sophomore campaign started on a good note,
proving much the best in her return to the track. Owned by William McKee and
trained by Hubert Blankenship, Ms Prissy Driver was guided to victory by Jerry
Vaughan, who won his first race of the meet with the victory on Saturday, in a
final running time of 17.88 seconds for 350 yards over the good track. |
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Blue Ribbon Downs
Sallisaw, OK
6
September
Sunny skies and unseasonably cool weather greeted fans to
the track for a great day of live races at Blue Ribbon Downs on Saturday,
September 6. The first race of the day was the lone Paint and Appaloosa race on
the program, and a field of ten allowance type horses hit the track seeking
their second victories. Breaking from post five, Sister Scooterbug was able to
break strongly and hold off the late charge from Marfa Lights and Tia Wanna and
Royalstraight Flush, the latter pair dead heated for third. It was the second
straight victory for the three-year-old filly, who has now finished in the top
three in four of her eight career starts. Her maiden victory came just over six
weeks ago at Fair Meadows at Tulsa, where she soundly defeated a group of upper
class maiden claimers by over two lengths. The margin of victory this time
around was a little narrower, as the daughter of Zevis Scooter Bug took a big
step up into allowance company, and showed a great amount of heart to hold on
for the victory. Bred, owned, and trained by Donna Landon of Chelsea, Sister
Scooterbug was ridden to victory by Debbie Freeman in a final hand time of
13.50 for 250 yards over a fast track. |
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