Racing


Favorite Wonder Wins Gary Waite Maiden Stakes at Wyoming Downs Sunday
Favorite Wonder (#4) gets her neck in front in a blanket finish to the $29,000 Gary Waite Maiden Stakes (not black type) Sunday afternoon at Wyoming Downs.

© Gene Wilson & Associates
Favorite Wonder Wins Gary Waite Maiden Stakes at Wyoming Downs Sunday

EVANSTON, WY—AUGUST 19, 2018—Wyoming Downs closed out the 2018 live racing meet with several stakes races on Sunday, starting with the $29,000 Gary Waite Maiden Stakes (not black type) at 330 yards. Third-fastest qualifier Favorite Wonder, with Uriel Dominguez up, took home his first stakes win, finishing with a time of 17.625 and a speed index of 71.

The field of 3-year-olds and up was determined in three trials on August 5. Favorite Wonder won his trial with a time of 16.739 for trainer Glade Van Tassell.

Gary Carmichael bred and owns the 3-year-old son of Favorite Cartel. The colt was bred in Utah out of the Heza Fast Man mare Gone Not Forgotten.

Favorite Wonder ($10.00) was a maiden at the time of eligibility on January 1, 2018 but won his first race in June at Laurel Brown and then won his trial to Sunday’s race. He is now five for eight in the money with $17,452 in earnings.

Favorite Wonder finished just a neck in front of fourth fastest qualifier and post-time favorite My Big Red Dial. Ridden by Jesus Valenzuela in both the trial and the final, My Big Red Dial was also second to Favorite Wonder in their trial.

My Big Red Dial was an upset winner of the $12,900 89 and Under Stakes (not black-type) at Wyoming on July 14. He broke his maiden in June at Energy Downs and has not finished out of the money in the seven starts of his 3-year-old year.

My Big Red Dial is a Utah-bred gelded son of Mark My Dial, out of the Dashing Cleat mare Vickies Larkin Dash. He was bred by his owner, Jeffrey Duncan, and is trained by Riley Moosman.

Finishing just a nose behind My Big Red Dial was his stablemate Wumba Man, with Danny Marshall up.

Wumba Man was the longest price on the board after finishing fourth in his trial, which was won by fastest qualifier Light Up the Dark. The 4-year-old gelding is bred and owned by John Nielsen in Utah, by First Prize Stone and out of McKaizlees Kiss, by Dash Ta Fame.

Completing the field were Jessa Clean Slate, Playn Captain, Mr Fancy Jumper, Light Up the Dark, One Dashin Chamisa and Lets Run Away. Stoli Got Jess was scratched.