Racing


Boi George Sings Sweet Tune In $267,651 West Texas Futurity
West Texas Futurity(G2) winner Boi George returns Sunday under jockey Adrian Ramos .

© Coady Photography
Boi George Sings Sweet Tune In $267,651 West Texas Futurity

SUNLAND PARK, NM—APRIL 13, 2014—Boi George sang a sweet tune on Sunday and won the 56th running of the $267,651 West Texas Futurity (G2) at Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino.

One of four runners trained by Gene Burden, Boi George turned on the jets in deep stretch to swarm a world class field of two-year-old Quarter Horse going 300 yards. Dismissed at 16-1 odds, Boi George and jockey Adrian A. Ramos accelerated past El Damazo to win the prestigious event by one half-length in a fast time of 14.873 seconds, good for a 93 speed index. The up and coming star broke from the outside #10 post position and was full of run at the wire.

Boi George remained unbeaten in two starts and picked up a healthy pay day of $125,796 for owners Miguel Gallegos and Mauricio Gallegos.

Burden said in a post-race interview, “He qualified from the outside 10 hole in the trials, so I like him coming from that post again, but you never know. There’s a bunch of good ones in that race. He drifted out a bit down the lane and almost ran on top of the track photographer. We will get him ready for the big races at Ruidoso this summer.”

Jack Manning bred the Teller Cartel gelding in Texas from the Feature Mr Jess mare Rebas Feature. Boi George paid $34.20 on a $2 win ticket.

Boi George comes down the outside rail to take the
2014 West Texas Futurity at Sunland Park Racetrack
and Casino. Sunland Park Video Photo
El Damazo ran a brave race to earn second place under jockey Efrain Vigi. The runner-up trained by Jose Vargas closed with determination in the final stages. He earned $48,177 for owners Daniel Balderrama and Juan Castro. The Desiro gelding out of Invisible Streaker, by Invisible Injun. It was the first loss in three starts for the James and Marilyn Helzer Texas-bred. He earned $48,177 to advance his earnings mark to over $63,000.

Aka Bugga for trainer Gene Burden and Jm Famous Master for trainer Jose Muela finished in a dead heat for third.

The pair of two-old sons of leading sire Pyc Paint Your Wagon each earned $24,089 for the effort. Burden is also the trainer of Aka Bugga, a Missouri-bred gelding out of Special Smoothie, by This Snow Is Royal. Owned by Luis Rogelio Nava and bred by Larry Kist, the bay was ridden by Sergio Becerra, Jr.

West Texas QH Association President Denis Crowson presents the West Texas Futurity winning saddle to the connections of Boi George on Sunday afternoon.
Sunland Park Photo
Jm Famous Master is a Kansas-bred colt owned by J and M Racing and Farm and trained by Jose Muela. Alonso Rivera rode the 2-year-old bred by Henrichs/Cowboy Dentist Farm, LLC. He is out of the Dash Ta Fame mare Cosmotoligist.

Cc Kachina Eagle tried her best a finished fifth, beaten less than one length. Top qualifier and 7-5 favorite First Famous Effort was bumped hard at the break and lost all chance. The son of One Famous Eagle finished seventh.

Completing the order of finish is CC Kachina Eagle, Whos Kissin James, First Famous Effort, Encore For James, Bigtime Bye and Phenomenal Jess.

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Isn’t He Clever enjoyed a dominant win in the $75,000 Sunland Park Handicap for local owners Kirk and Judy Robison. Enrique Portillo Gomez rode the impressive winner for trainer Henry Dominguez. The Sunland Park lover exploded past the eighth pole and crushed his opponents by nearly 10 lengths in a flawless performance.

The five-year-old gelded son of Smarty Jones rocketed through the 1 and 1/8 miles in near track record time of 1:47.95, just missing Govenor Charlie’s Sunland Derby stakes and track record time of 1:47.54. Dry Summer picked up momentum with a wide run to gain second place, three parts of a length in front of Ol Winedrinker Who.

Isn’t He Clever carries an impressive career bankroll over of over $617,000 from 9 career wins. Dominguez said in the winner’s circle, “He loved the slow pace. He relaxed nicely especially after coming off such a fast sprint last time out. Enrique said he was on cue today. He ran an awesome race. He seems to love the racetracks in New Mexico.”

The 2013-14 live racing season comes to a close on Tuesday at 12:55 p.m. The $50,000 Getaway Stakes and the $25,000 Adios Amigos Claiming Handicap are the featured events.