Scott Martinez Photo
LOS ALAMITOS, CA—NOVEMBER 20, 2009—Rancho El Alacran's My Lady First won the running of the $18,000 Z. Wayne Griffin Directors Trial, but she was not the only winner in this race.
The Directors Trial determined the final four qualifiers to this year's $750,000 Champion of Champions, meaning that the second through fourth place finishers also advance to the prestigious 440-yard final to be held at Los Alamitos on Saturday, December 12.
It was My Lady First who earned the $9,900 first place share of the purse in the Z. Wayne Griffin, plus the distinction that goes along with winning this race, but the connections of runner-up Hawk In The City, third place finisher Masters Call, and fourth place finisher Little Bit Of Baja all had to feel like winners as well.
Little Bit Of Baja's story is one of the most interesting ones. The gelded son of First Down Dash will return to Quarter Horse racing's biggest stage for older horses for the third time in his great career.
Nominations & Simulcast Director Melodie Knuchell presents the trophy to G.R. Carter & Adan Farias.
Scott Martinez Photo
Trained by Adan Farias, who also saddled Little Bit Of Baja, My Lady First broke on top and never looked back en route to a winning time of :19.45. The 4-year-old mare displayed her usual quickness out of the gate, as she broke a full length ahead of Stylish Jess Br.
My Lady First ran a solid race from there and held off the talented gelding Hawk In The City by a head. My Lady Fire has proven to be iron tough when facing the boys, as she also finished second in the Los Alamitos Winter Championship in February.
The First Down Dash mare's other accomplishments this year include winning the California Breeders Matron Stakes, running second in the Mildred Vessels Memorial Handicap, and finishing fourth in the Robert Boniface Los Alamitos Invitational Championship. G.R. Carter, who had not ridden her since piloting her to a third place finish in the Los Alamitos Super Derby in November of 2008, guided My Lady First in this race.
"I was going to ride in Saturday's trials to the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity, so I figured why not come a day earlier and ride this mare?" said Carter, who is perennially the nation's leading Quarter Horse jockey. "I didn't have a mount for the Champion of Champions coming into this race but I do now. I'm pretty excited about it. I was joking with Adan before the race and I told him 'I know, I know, I have to get her to the front and hold on from there.' She did everything right. She's a pretty good mare."
Rancho El Alacran campaigns not only My Lady First but also Fighter On Fire, who qualified to the Champion of Champions after winning the Bank Of America Challenge Championship.
Farias also trains Fighter On Fire. In fact the trainer has four of the 10 horses in this year's Champion of Champions. He also conditions Freaky, the nation's number one ranked Quarter Horse, and the aforementioned Little Bit Of Baja.
Jose Antonio Flores' Hawk In The City is one of the most underrated horses in the nation this season. The Hawkinson gelding has yet to win a race in nine starts this year but his resume is very strong. He has competed at the top level in each of his last five starts and he has been impressive.
After a ninth place finish to Freaky in the Vessels Maturity, Hawk In The City ran second to Freaky in the Spencer Childers Memorial California Breeders Championship Handicap, second to Jess You And I in the Go Man Go Handicap, and third to that horse again - Freaky - in the Robert L. Boniface Los Alamitos Invitational Championship. Based on his consistency, Hawk In The City could surprise again in the Champion of Champions. Guillermo Suarez piloted Hawk In The City.
Owned by a partnership that includes Ed Allred, R.D. Hubbard, Sharon Brandsness, BR Livestock, Chuck & Terryll Griffeth, Ron Hartley, Zory Kuzyk, Lisa McMahon, Don Moler, Mark Parsons & Mark Parsons Jr. Harvey & Brenda Pickens, and Alessio, Brown & Davies Llc, Masters Call ran his second consecutive strong race in a row. Masters Call, who is bred to run 440 yards, was seventh at the start but really came on strong at the end to qualify to the Champion of Champions.
The full brother to grade 1 stakes winner and sire Check Him Out was the $485,000 sale topper at the 2006 Los Alamitos Equine Sale. He is the son of Hennessy and out of the great broodmare Check Her Twice. Masters Call came into this race after scoring a 1-1/2 length win in the 440-yard Farnam Stakes on October 31. Paul Jones saddled Masters Call, who was ridden by Cody Jensen.
As it stands right now, the complete list of qualifiers to the Champion of Champions is as follows; Freaky, the nation's number one Quarter Horse, defending Champion of Champions winner Jess You And I, Los Alamitos Super Derby winner Foose, Separate Bet, Inseperable, Fighter On Fire, My Lady First, Hawk In The City, Masters Call, and Little Bit Of Baja.
The connections of Terrific Energy and Streakin Cherry turned down their berths to the Champion of Champions this week. If another berth opens up then Z. Wayne Griffin Directors Trial fifth place finisher Stylish Jess Br, who ran in last year's Champion of Champions, will earn a return berth to the $750,000 race.
Easy Dashin Sixes finished sixth in the Directors Trial and was followed across the wire by Answer The Dream, Bannow Bay, and Frankie Shoots.
Courtesy of www.losalamitos.com
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