Racing


Jrc Callas First Picks Off Grade 1 Zia Park QH Championship With Seventh Straight Win
Jrc Callas First, under jockey Damian Martinez, getting his seventh consecutive win on Wednesday in the Grade 1 Zia Park QH Championship.

© Coady Photography
Jrc Callas First Picks Off Grade 1 Zia Park QH Championship With Seventh Straight Win

HOBBS, NM—NOVEMBER 26, 2014—Under jockey Damian Martinez Jrc Callas First came from behind to defeat Stimulus by a neck in the $150,480 Zia Park Quarter Horse Championship on the "Land of Enchantment Day" program Saturday at Zia Park. Early leader Hes Relentless finished half-a-length back in the show position.

Running sixth early in the race, Jrc Callas First drifted in from the outside post-position as he inched away to get his seventh consecutive win. He covered the 440 yards in a quick :21.288 seconds to earn a 102 speed index and pocket the $90,000 winner's purse.

Trainer Brian Stroud conditions the 4-year-old Winners Award gelding for himself and Dana Stroud. Bred in Texas by J.R. Cass from the Dirty Coup mare Callas Missy Jane, Jrc Callas First Jrc Callas First has won eight of 9 starts this season. He entered the race off a victory in the Grade 1 Refrigerator Handicap at Lone Star Park October 4. His overall record stands at (17) 11-1-2 with $206,914 in earnings.

With two straight grade 1 wins the bay has put him in contention for year-end championship honors.

Fred Hutton presents the Zia Park QH Championship trophy to winning owner/trainers Brian and Dana Stroud and jockey Damian Martinez on Wednesday afternoon.
© Coady Photography
Runner-up Stimulus, who entered the race off a win in the Grade 1 $357,000 Bank of America Challenge Championship(G1), is also in contention for year-end awards. Justin Joiner saddled the Mr Jess Perry homebred for owner/breeder Jerry Windham. The big gray gelding broke out under jockey Rodrigo Vallejo and lugged in down the stretch.

The winner of four of seven starts this season has already won three stakes in 2014 and the $33,000 runner-up payday pushed his earnings mark to $273,455. The royally bred gelding is a half-brother to former all-time leading money earner World Champion Stolis Winner and 2014 Rainbow Futurity(G1) winner Trendi.

Coming off a win in the $175,121 Hobbs America Derby(G2), Hes Relentless broke on top and led early before yielding under regular rider Cody Jensen. Jason Olmstead saddled the One Famous Eagle 3-year-old who was facing older horses for the first time in his career.

Owned by the partnership of R.D. Hubbard, Tom Maher, William Maher and Johnny Cope, Hes Relentless earned $15,000 to raise his earnings mark to more than $546,300. Sunflower Supply Co. bred the graded stakes winning colt in Missouri from the Strawfly Special mare This Dreams Flying.

Completing the field were Kuhl Wave, Testing The Ice, Tf Featured Effort, Pure D Spit, Dm Streakin Thru Fire, Miracle Snow and Alis Jumpn. Priceless Feature was scratched.

The total handle of $1.28 million on Land of Enchantment Day was the second highest in the 10-year history of Zia Park. The Penn Gaming Racing Challenge will continue on Saturday with the Holiday Racing Festival at Zia Park’s sister racetrack, Penn National Race Course in Grantville, Pennsylvania.