Challenge


Flash N Bling Shines In Bank Of America California Challenge Final
Fling N Bling, under jockey Jesus Ayala, is an easy winner in the $75,780 Bank of America California Championship on Sunday at Los Alamitos.

© Scott Martinez
Flash N Bling Shines In Bank Of America California Challenge Final

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—AUGUST 13, 2017—Trainer Mike Robbins has a strong lineup of older horses ready for the major autumn races at Los Alamitos Race Course. His stable is headed by Reliance Ranches LLC’s Flash N Bling, the impressive winner of the $75,780 Bank of America California Championship at 440 yards on Sunday at Los Alamitos.

Ridden by Jesus Rios Ayala, Flash N Bling finished ¾ lengths ahead of Howard Nichols and Ron and Denise Van Amburgh’s Mr Pyc To You, while covering the quarter mile in a hand-time of :21.156 seconds, a 108 speed index with a 5 mph tailwind.

This was Flash N Bling’s second win of the season since arriving at Los Alamitos in the spring. In between victories, the gelding by First Down Dash was second in his trial to the Grade 1 Vessels Maturity before running out of the money in the final after a very troubled trip.

"I was really high on this horse coming into this race," Robbins said. "(Flash N Bling) was really doing good. He’s probably exceeded my expectations. He’s doing better than I expected. I didn’t think he could go a quarter of mile. He had given us indications that he could, but tonight was really a game changer. He was getting stronger all the way down the racetrack. The thing I was looking forward to in this race was no trials. This horse and Rip Tide both really run better fresh. When they have to run trials, and come back in two weeks they seem to not perform as well as they do fresh."

Reliance Ranches’ Rip Tide, who Robbins saddled to victory earlier on Sunday night, is one of the other standouts in the barn. Along with Flash N Bling and Rip Tide, Robbins’ band of runners also features Grade 1 Los Alamitos Super Derby winner Big Lew, who is set to work here on Saturday, August 19, plus Vessels Maturity runner-up The Charm of Corona, and Vessels Maturity finalist Freakin Runaway.

"I have five exceptional older horses," said Robbins, a two-time Champion of Champions winning trainer. "Really excited about them. I nominated all five of them for the Go Man Go Handicap (on September 3). I’d like to run as many as three (in the Go Man Go). I want to get as many in the (Champion of Champions) as I can. I’d like to win the Champion of Champions again."

Racing from post number two, Flash N Bling’s victory in the Bank of America California makes him eligible to run in the Grade 1, $350,000 Bank of America Championship Challenge to be held at Prairie Meadows in Iowa later this year.

Robbins won the Champion of Champions with World Champion Dashs Dream in 1984 and World Champion Special Leader in 1991. Now a winner of three of 19 career starts, the Nebraska-bred Flash N Bling earned $37,132 for his victory to take his career earnings to $108,584. Jim Streelman and Bill Dale bred Flash N Bling from the Corona Cartel mare Suzy Cartel.

Mr Pyc To You is a 4-year-old son of leading sire Pyc Paint Your Wagon from the Vital Sign mare Stylish Sign. Bred in Oklahoma by The Mixer Ranch, the colt earned $15,913 for the effort.

Robbins also saddled the aforementioned The Charm Of Corona, a Corona Cartel gelding, who finished one-length back in third. Cody Jensen was aboard the Reliance Ranches LLC home-bred out of Charm Dance by First Down Dash. He picked up $7,957 for the effort.

Justified, Jess A Cowboy, Luv On The Run and Flying Jess completed the field. Courtesy of www.losalamitos.com.