Racing


Eddie Garcia Keeps Winning Stakes Races, Pilots Tarzanito To Victory In Go Man Go Handicap
Tarzanito, under jockey Eddie Garcia, winning the Grade 1, $100,000 Go Man Go Handicap on Sunday at Los Alamitos.

© Scott Martinez
Eddie Garcia Keeps Winning Stakes Races, Pilots Tarzanito To Victory In Go Man Go Handicap

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—AUGUST 31, 2018—Eddie Garcia, the all-time leading Quarter Horse jockey at Los Alamitos Race Course in wins and stakes wins, piloted his 151st stakes winner here after guiding A1A Racing LLC's Tarzanito to victory at 11-1 odds in the 58th running of the Grade 1, $100,000 Go Man Go Handicap on Sunday at Los Alamitos.

"We were hoping that Eddie would win his 150th stakes win with Tarzanito," said Dr. George Fallieras of A1A Racing. "But we're happy to take his 151st stakes win."

Trainer Yanet Rodriguez, owner Dr. George Fallieras, jockey Eddie Garcia and Mark McKinize presenting the Go Man Go Handicap trophy. © Scott Martinez
Garcia, 54, became the first jockey at Los Alamitos to reach 150 stakes victories when he piloted Black Fryday in the Governor's Cup Derby on July 28. He had previously piloted Tarzanito to victory in the Sgt Pepper Feature Handicap exactly a year ago on September 2, 2017.

With the victory, the Yanet Rodriguez-trained 4-year-old gelding by Favorite Cartel is now in line to run in the Grade 1, $600,000 Champion of Champions on December 15.

The Go Man Go does not offer a direct berth to the Champion of Champions, but as the main alternate race to qualify, the winner is usually among the 10 qualifiers.

With Garcia aboard from post number two, Tarzanito recovered from a bumped start to challenge Royaltys Authority and AQHA champion Hold Air Hostage early on. The three horses battled throughout the 400-yard race, but in the end the Patricia Visscher-bred runner pulled away from his rivals to score a neck victory over S&S Horses' Royaltys Authority in a time of :19.614.

Tarzanito, who earned $50,000 for the win, raised his career bankroll to $347,183 while scoring his eighth win in 16 starts. Tarzanito was second in the 2016 Grade 1 Golden State Million Futurity and third in the Grade 1 Vessels Maturity and Restricted Grade 1 Spencer Childers California Breeders Championship Handicap earlier this year.

Tarzanito, under jockey Eddie Garcia, returns after winning the Grade 1 Go Man Go Handicap.
© Scott Martinez
"This horse has been close before and we've seen him in Grade 1 races," Garcia said. "I've always loved this horse. As long as he doesn't get bumped around and is able to run cleanly he can be one of the best horses that I've ever ridden. He has a real nice stride and his sire, Favorite Cartel, is a son of the Eclipse Award winner Favorite Trick and adds excellent Thoroughbred bloodlines. This horse has made our lives so much fun. The owners have always had faith in me and have given me the opportunity to ride this horse. He's been in million dollar race and has been right there. The horse looks great and he deserves this moment because he's run so hard for so long."

This was Garcia's third career win in the Go Man Go. His first came 32 years ago aboard the Blane Schvaneveldt-trained Easy Conversation in 1986. "The King" also piloted AQHA champion Four Forty Blast to victory in the 1993 running of the Go Man Go.

Tarzanito's big effort resulted in the first Grade 1 victory for A1A Racing LLC, led by Dr. George N. Fallieras.

"It feels wonderful," Dr. Fallieras said. "We have so much respect for this horse and we always hoped that he would have the opportunity to show his talent. He's always had some little setback, a bad start or hitting the side of the gate. We were hoping that he could run his race. We thought he ran a really nice race in the Vessels Maturity trials. We're thrilled for the horse. We think he's so talented and has such a wonderful temperament. He's now in the discussion with the great horses at this track. I think there are so many wonderful horses out here. We're so proud of this horse. You tell me who I have to root for now (to make it to the Champion of Champions). Is it Zoomin For Spuds? BH Lisas Boy?"

Dr. Fallieras made an appearance on the nationally syndicated show, The Doctors. He has extensive emergency room, hospital inpatient, ICU, inpatient and outpatient detoxification and outpatient recovery experience. He has served as the Medical Director for multiple large in-patient hospitalist programs. He has also conducted mission trips to rural Dominican Republic and Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Dr. Fallieras graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Florida. He obtained his M.D. from the University of Tennessee and did his residency training in New Orleans at the Tulane Health Science Center/Charity Hospital.

Jockey Eddie Garcia and trainer Janet Rodriguez following their win in the Grade 1 Go Man Go Handicap. © Scott Martinez
"I did dual training in internal medicine and pediatrics, but I primarily work in the ICU," he said. "I have to work tomorrow morning, but I'll have enough adrenaline for the day."

Ridden by Jonathan Roman for trainer Roman Figueroa, Royaltys Authority ran a tremendous race to finish second. Sent off at odds of 43-1, the gelding by Royaltys Choice earned $17,000 for the win. He won the Kaweah Bar Handicap earlier this year and was fourth in the Spencer Childers. The jockey/trainer combo of Roman and Figueroa won the Sgt Pepper Feature on Friday night with Twisted Sifter.

Darling Farms' Apollitical Jess champion Hold Air Hostage, who was the 4-5 favorite, had the early lead but settled for third. He earned $10,000 for the win to take his career earnings to $1,345,801.

Zoomin For Spuds, Chicks Fayvorite, He Looks Hot, Kissed By An Eagle, Rite Regal, LD Is Back, and Unclaimed Dividend completed the field.

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Courtesy of www.losalamitos.com.