Challenge


Challenge Doubleheader Set for Saturday at Retama Park
Sam Houston Futurity(G2)0 winner FM Im A Zatanaz Too will head Saturday’s 350-yard, $94,500 John Deere Retama Juvenile Challenge Stakes at Retama Park.

© Coady Photography
Challenge Doubleheader Set for Saturday at Retama Park

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI

SELMA, TX—AUGUST 14, 2018—FM Im A Zatanaz Too, a graded stakes winning son of champion Tempting Dash racing for Jose Fabian Hernandez, drew post 9 for Saturday’s 350-yard, $94,500 John Deere Retama Juvenile Challenge Stakes at Retama Park.

The third-fastest qualifier, FM Im A Zatanaz Too is coming off of a wire-to-wire, 1 1/4-length victory in the last of five trials on July 28. The Utah-bred gelding has earned $245,395 from five races, and his four wins include a neck victory as the 2-1 favorite in the 330-yard, $441,000 Sam Houston Futurity (G2) on April 28.

FM Im A Zatanaz Too drew post 9 and will be ridden by Manuel Gutierrez for trainer Ismael Solis-Guevara.

The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments:

  1. Jess Leaving Fast (Nestor Duran)
  2. Im Sporting Rock (Antonio Alberto)
  3. Wii B (Eddie Sanchez)
  4. Your Favorite Lady (Jose A. Beltran)
  5. Paint Me A Sinner (Ricardo Garza-Cruz)
  6. This Guys A Volcom (Juan F. Garcia Jr.)
  7. FM Cartel Rock (Claudio P. Aguilar)
  8. Fmcanttemptthisrock (J.R. Ramirez)
  9. FM Im A Zatanaz Too (Manuel Gutierrez)
  10. Why Nott Me (Jesse Levario)

Also on Saturday, a full field of 10 sophomores has been entered back in the 400-yard, $46,260 Adequan Retama Derby Challenge Stakes.

Jorge Haddad’s Droff, a homebred FDD Dynasty gelding trained by his owner, drew post 2 and will be ridden by Luis Vivanco. The fastest qualifier, Droff is coming off of a 1 3/4-length win as the 3-5 favorite in the second of three trials on July 27.

Droff has won three of 10 starts and has banked $24,146, and the gelding’s resume includes a second-place finish, a half of a length behind winner SR Shambles, in the 350-yard, $70,000 Old South Derby at Delta Downs on May 11.

The complete lineup, in post position order including jockey assignments:

  1. Syms TLC (Bobby L. Dow)
  2. Droff (Luis Vivanco)
  3. Tempting Mary (Alejandro Medina)
  4. Hidden Cartel (Juan F. Garcia Jr.)
  5. Mystical Jess (Jesse Levario)
  6. Nailed It (Froylan T. Ramirez)
  7. JLC Rustysspecialpie (Juan S. Linares)
  8. Lions Express (Francisco R. Ramirez Jr.)
  9. Sweet Fittin Jeans (Nestor Duran)
  10. Salados Man (Gilbert Ortiz)

All Retama Park races can be seen at Q-RacingVideo.com.