Racing


Sir James Best Of Boys In $283,257 Black Gold Futurity Championship
Sir James (#9) gets up over Excommunicato (#6) to win the $283,257 Black Gold Futurity Championship for 2-year-old colts and geldings at Will Rogers Downs Tuesday.

© Coady Photography
Sir James Best Of Boys In $283,257 Black Gold Futurity Championship

CLAREMORE, OK–NOVEMBER 15, 2022–Under a steady drive, with jockey Roman Cruz in the saddle, Sir James defeated Excommunicato by a neck in the $283,257 Black Gold Futurity Championship for 2-year-old colts and geldings at Will Rogers Downs Tuesday.

After a third-place finish in the restricted Grade 2 Oklahoma Horsemen's Association Mystery Futurity at Will Rogers two races back, Sir James completed the 400 yards in :19.786 seconds, a 98 speed index into a 10 mph crosswind, to get his first black type victory. It was the fourth win in nine starts for the son of multiple stakes sire Coronado Cartel.

Trainer Luis Villafranco conditions the Oklahoma-bred colt for owner-breeder Ellen Kennedy Racing, LLC. Out of the Takin On The Cash mare Simply An Angel, Sir James was also a finalist in the Easy Jet Stakes and FL Lady Bug Stakes(RG3). Today's $113,303 winner's purse boosted his bankroll to $151,319.

The winning connections of Sir James accept the Black Gold Futurity Championship stakes trophy. © Coady Photography

At odds of nearly 50 to 1, Excommunicato ran a huge race with jockey Alonso Rivera aboard to pick up $48,154 for second. Eddie D. Willis trains the Tres Seis gelding for owner James Sills. Still a maiden from six starts, Excommunicato was bred in Oklahoma by JJ Cool L LLC. Out of the Mr Jess Perry mare Lethal Perry, he has earned $53,641.

Second fastest qualifier Good Night Country veered in at the start but put in a strong effort under jockey Agustin Silva to pick up $31,158 for third. Trainer and co-owner Tammy Kay Johnson saddled the Rock Solid Jess gelding for herself and co-owner-breeder Sarah Huskey. Bred in Texas, from the County Chicks Man mare Country Mans Chick, Good Night Country won the John Deere Will Rogers Juvenile Challenge two races back.  He has earned $64,930.

Ncc Longmire, El Relentless Speed, A Legacy Of Tales, Ck Dunnwell, Mistaken Idenity, Nunothat and Bp Hes Dauntless completed the field.

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For more information about the upcoming Will Rogers Downs meet visit the track website.