Preview Racing


Stakes Winner Caracortada Tops AQRA President’s Open Spring Derby Final
Caracortada won the AQRA-Turf Paradise Open Quarter Horse Futurity at Turf Paradise in December.

© Coady Photography
Stakes Winner Caracortada Tops AQRA President’s Open Spring Derby Final

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI

PHOENIX, AZ—APRIL 24, 2014—Ramon O. Vejar’s Caracortada, a homebred colt by Azoom and the fifth-fastest qualifier, is one of 10 3-year-olds entered back in Monday’s 350-yard, $10,000-added AQRA President’s Open Spring Derby at Turf Paradise.

Trained by Charles Acosta, Caracortada (5/1) has earned $55,770 from eight races, and his four wins include a head victory as the second-fastest qualifier in the 400-yard AQRA Turf Paradise Futurity on December 13.

Manuel Gutierrez will ride fastest qualifier Jo Jo Hot Legs for owner Orlando Guerrero. © Coady Photography
Carlos Marquez has been named to ride Caracortada from post 4 in the final. Marquez rode the colt to a half-length victory in the second of four trials on April 12.

Orlando Guerrero’s Jo Jo Hot Legs (4/1), the fastest qualifier, will be ridden by Manuel Gutierrez for trainer Ubaldo Guerrero from post 6. A Texas-bred gelding by Executive Menace and a $3,000 buy at the 2012 Heritage Place Fall Mixed Sale, Jo Jo Hot Legs has banked $20,156 from eight outs, and he coming off of a half-length win in the first trial.

Other Spring Derby contenders include Heat Warning (3/1), a homebred colt by A Regal Choice owned by Ralph and Carolyn Fales of Coolidge, Arizona, and the fastest qualifier to last year’s AQRA Turf Paradise Futurity; and Jorge Preciado’s Eye Got It Going On, a lightly raced gelded son of Inseperable and winner of three of four starts, including the third Spring Derby trial.

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

  1. DC Milk Shake (Flavio Lozano) 20/1
  2. Heat Warning (J. Martin Bourdieu) 3/1
  3. Heza Royal Scooter (Rick Oliver) 12/1
  4. Caracortada (Carlos Marquez) 5/1
  5. Eye Got It Going On (Emilio Tapia) 7/2
  6. Jo Jo Hot Legs (Manuel Gutierrez) 4/1
  7. Eyesa Famous Eagle (Jarell James) 6/1
  8. La Dejona (Michael Ybarra) 20/1
  9. Jess Secrets BR (Rodolfo Arvizu) 8/1
  10. Daisy To Go (Vince Guerra) 15/1

All Turf Paradise races can been seen at Q-RacingVideo.com.