Longshot Relentless Flash Pulls Off The Upset With First Stakes Victory In The Cash Caravan Stakes

SHAKOPEE, MN–AUGUST 8,2024–15-1 longshot Relentless Flash surprised the crowd with an impressive upset in the $22,000 Cash Caravan Stakes Thursday evening at Canterbury Park. The upset paid $32.60 to win on a $2.00 wager.

Jockey Luis Valenzuela piloted Relentless Flash in the 440-yard stakes race to her first win in over a year. The daughter of Hes Relentless broke her maiden in 2022 and won two allowances in 2023. Today's victory improved her record to four wins from 15 starts, and the $11,647 winner's share boosted her earnings to $76,388.

Breaking fourth from the gates, Relentless Flash chased Western Native and Relentless Babe into the final stretch. With a late surge at the final call, she secured a 1/2-length victory, clocking an 81 speed index in :22.321 seconds while running into a ten mph headwind. With Armando Alvidrez in the irons, Relentless Babe placed second after being caught at the wire.

Heavy favorite Jess Rocket Man had a bad start out of the gates, leaving him dead last until the final stretch. Ridden by Eugenio Navarrette Jr, he recovered fast, but not fast enough to ward off Relentless Flash and Relentless Babe, placing third. L Gallito placed fourth, and Western Reserve weakened at the wire for fifth.

Relentless Flash is the first stakes winner out of the Valiant Hero mare Valiant Filly, whose dam is a stakes winner and new track record setter No Temper Here. Tom Maher bred the four-year-old in Minnesota.

Runner-up Relentless Babe has lit the board 17 of 27 starts with three wins and $116,341 in the bank. Mark Rigby DVM bred the five-year-old daughter of Hes Relentless out of Mai Corona by Corona Cartel.

Third-place finisher Jess Rocket Man has 13 career wins from 27 starts and over $230,000 in earnings. The seven-time stakes-winning son of Apollitical Jess won the Cash Caravan Stakes in 2022. Bred by Lunderbord LLC, he is out of the Pyc Paint Your Wagon mare Paint Or More.

This year marks Jason Olmstead's seventh consecutive win in the Cash Caravan Stakes, including Relentless Legacy, Jess Rocket Man, Dickey Bob (three times), and Pyc Jess Bit Mydust. Olmstead trained the top three finishers.

Tom Maher owns Relentless Flash and Relentless Babe, while Lunderborg LLC owns Jess Rocket Man. This is Maher's second consecutive victory in the Cash Caravan, while Lunderborg LLC has won the previous five before that.

The Cash Caravan Stakes was named after the first horse enshrined in the Canterbury Park Hall of Fame.