Racing


Judd Kearl, Rodrigo Vallejo Dominate Hialeah Undercard Sunday
Cruise By Diva, under jockey Rodrigo Vallejo, winning the Beautiful Prairie Stakes at Hialeah Park.

© Coady Photography
Judd Kearl, Rodrigo Vallejo Dominate Hialeah Undercard Sunday

HIALEAH, FL—FEBRUARY 28, 2016—Trainer Judd Kearl and jockey Rodrigo Vallejo dominated the Hialeah Park undercard on Sunday winning two of the four stakes races.

Cruise By Diva Gets Stakes Victory in Beautiful Prairie at Hialeah Park

Ridden by jockey Rodrigo Vallejo, Cruise By Diva drew clear of five rivals Sunday while posting a three-quarter length win over posttime favorite Llano Cartel in the $36,950 Beautiful Prairie Stakes at Hialeah Park. Duck Commander finished a head behind in third.

Cruise By Diva completed the 250 yards dash in a quick :13.127 seconds to earn a 97-speed index. Trainer Judd Kearl saddled the Corona Cartel colt to his fifth career win in 12 starts for owner/breeder Sara Leann Morgan.

Winning trainer Judd Kearl and jockey Rodrigo Vallejo accept the Beautiful Prairie Stakes trophy at Hialeah Park Sunday. © Coady Photography
The royally bred colt from the AQHA Racing Champion mare Spit Curl Diva, by Spit Curl Jess, used the $23,680 winner's purse to boost his career total to nearly more than $69,000.

Multiple graded stakes winner Llano Cartel who was bumped at the start but finished second was vanned off following the race. Raul Gutierrez had the riding call for trainer Fernando Carrete. Wade Helton owns the Oklahoma-bred son of Teller Cartel out of Eyesa Lil Cuervo, by Lit Bit Cuervo. Bred by Wootan Racing, Llano Cartel earned $7,030 to bring his career total to $415,248.

Duck Commander, a son of Ivory James, races for owners Samuel and Elizabeth Mendoza and trainer Kalah Welch. Ridden by Omar Reyes, the multiple stakes place gelding out of Dashing Diva, by Victory Dash, earned $3,700 for his effort. George Seward bred Duck Commander in Colorado.

Paint Your Zoe, Sting Like A Viper and Ipolito completed the field. Down Seis, Rockin Dynasty, Swooners Only Eye and Toodles Flies Free completed the field.

Jessies First Down Easy Miami-Dade County Stakes Winner

Ridden by jockey Rodrigo Vallejo Jessies First Down cleared the field as the posttime favorite while defeating stablemate Rc Me Leaving You by three-quarters in the $32,500 Miami-Dade County Stakes Sunday at Hialeah Park.

Jessies First Down, under jockey Rodrigo Vallejo, winning the Miami-Dade County Stakes at Hialeah Park.
© Coady Photography
The Ted G. Abrams homebred completed the 440 yards in :21.339 seconds into a 14 mph crosswind to earn a 102-speed index. The son of FDD Dynasty has won three of his four career starts at the South Florida racetrack including last year's Hialeah Maturity.

Trainer Judd Kearl saddled the 5-year-old out of Jess A Classy Lady, by Mr Jess Perry. The $19,500 winner's purse boosted his career total to $187,432.

Also trained by Kearl, Rc Me Leaving You races for owners Bennie and Teresa Jeter. Bred by R C Running Horses, the son of Coronas Leaving You picked up $6,175 to move his earnings total to nearly $108,000. Noe Villatoro had the riding call about the bay out of Sixy Bottom, by Streakin Six.

Winning trainer Judd Kearl and jockey Rodrigo Vallejo accept the Miami-Dade County Stakes trophy at Hialeah Park Sunday. © Coady Photography
Fast Man Vic finished a half-side back in third place for owner Full Circle Racing and trainer Roy Moore. Walter Dick Harrison bred the Mighty Invictus 4-year-old in Texas from the Heza Fast Man mare Precious Debutante. He earned $3,250 for the effort.

Rattle N Battle, Snowy Man, No Playing Games, Lucky Me, Dashing Manner, Fire Bound and Walk Hot Coals completed the field.

Game Own Crushes Field In Sailfish Stakes

Game Own, a 5-year-old son of Game Patriot stepped into stakes company for the first time Sunday and delivered a 5 ˝-length win over Reds Casino in the $41,048 Sailfish Stakes, the final-leg of the Hialeah Park Distance Series.

Game On, under jockey Luis Gerrero, winning the Sailfish Stakes at Hialeah Park Sunday. © Coady Photography
Ridden by jockey Luis Gerrero, Game Own covered the 1000 yards in :53.134 seconds into a 5 mph crosswind to earn a 92-speed index. Coming off a 3 ˝ -length allowance win on February 19, the Yoani Abreu trainee picked up his fifth career win 26 starts. The $26,040 winner's purse boosted the sorrel gelding's earnings to $75,702.

Racing for owner Yaima Grillo, the Louisiana-bred started a three-race win streak on February 5 when he scored a 3 ˝-length victory in $7,500 claiming race at Hialeah Park. Bred by Kenneth Fletcher from the Six Fortune's mare My Own Fortune, Game Own has made three starts at 1,000 yards this month with a combined winning margin of 12 ˝-lengths.

The winning connections accept the Sailfish Stakes trophy at Hialeah Park Sunday. © Coady Photography
Reds Casino went three wide off the turn under jockey Alex Gonzalez to finish second for owner/breeder Strickland Farms, Inc. and trainer Marcus Strickland. The 9-year-old son of Bettin On The Red out of Thislillightofmine, by Romans Big Gun (TB), earned $7,980 for the effort.

Kalah Welch saddled Shelia Tequilla who was ahead back in third place for owner HTR Stables, LLC. Omar Reyes rode the Tiny First Corona mare out of Nelsons Martini (TB), by Nelson (TB). Bred in Texas by Flat Get It Farm, Inc., the 5-year-old picked up $3,242.

Eyesa Shoofly, Eye Can Beatum, Jmf Shazoomer, Splishsplash and Kjr Tocaille completed the field.

Stick Shift Sc Steps Up In Lucky Loser Stakes For Sixth Straight Win

Roberto Marquez Stick Shift Sc made his first stakes appearance a winning effort Sunday afternoon by defeating Yurman in the $30,000 Lucky Loser Stakes at Hialeah Park.

Stick Shift Sc, under jockey Osdany Leal, winning the Lucky Loser Stakes at Hialeah Park Sunday.
© Coady Photography
The 8-year-old son of Get Down Perry has won six straight races that begin April 6, 2014 at Sunland Park he climbed through claiming ranks at Zia Park and Hialeah winning an allowance race at the South Florida facility on February 6.

Ridden by jockey Osdany Leal, Stick Shift Sc completed the 300 yards in :15.301 seconds for a $19,748 payday. He ran a 98-speed index into the 12 mph crosswind. It was the seventh win 16 starts and the $ winner's purse boosted his career total to $75.657.

Kalah Welch saddled Yurman to his second place effort for owners Denis and Julie Schoenhofer. The G3-placed son of Bigtime Favorite from the First Down Dash mare Kpax earned $6,151 for the effort. Omar Reyes had the ridding assignment.

The winning connections of Stick Shift Sc accept the Lucky Loser Stakes trophy at Hialeah Park Sunday.
© Coady Photography
Somebodysknocken dead-heated with Mavara Vegas for third, however Mara Vegas was disqualified for interference and placed ninth.

Jockey Raul Gutierrez had the riding call on Somebodysknocken for owner-trainer Fernando Carrete. The 4-year-old Pyc Paint Your Wagon filly is out of Blazin La Jolla, by Streakin La Jolla. Bred in Texas by Fresh Water Farms, she earned $3,237 for the effort.

Completing the official order of finish were Toodles Destiny, Coonascorona, Rocket And Roll, Okey Dokey Diamond, Time For Jesse Lee and Mavara Vegas.

Hialeah Park closes out the final week of its 10-week 2015-16 live racing season with nine-race card closing day card on Monday February 29. First post is at 12:35 PM ET, parking and admission are always free of charge.