Doubletree Faem racing news

Left: Alfredo Gutierrez - Below: Jorge Rojas

Doubletree's “Go-to Man"
– special report by Michael Cusortelli

April 2012 - One of four Thoroughbred stallions standing at Steve and Susie Prather's Doubletree Farm near Hobbs, New Mexico, The Way Home, didn't take much time to make a name for himself.

In fact, The Way Home – an unraced 8-year-old son of Group 1 stakes winner and 2000 Breeders' Cup Classic (Grade 1) runner-up Giant's Causeway – was the 2011 New Mexico freshman stallion of the year. The stallion’s versatility was also quickly on display, as he sired stakes winners at distances ranging from 4 ½ furlongs to 1 mile.

One of The Way Home's stakes winners, the chestnut gelding My Homey, won the 5-furlong, $136,426 Mountain Top Futurity (R) at Ruidoso Downs on June 26, then shipped 380 miles to Farmington and won the 4 1/2-furlong, $85,000 Totah Stakes (R) at SunRay Park six days later. Another of the stallion's stakes winners, the gelding E Bar Way, scored a half-length victory in the 1-mile, $129,860 New Mexico Eddy County Stakes (R) at Zia Park.

The Way Home's first crop of foals consisted almost entirely of New Mexico-breds. The stallion is a full brother to Giant Wrecker, the winner of the Grade 3, $100,000 Canadian Turf Handicap at Gulfstream Park in 2007. He is a half brother to several other stakes winners, including graded stakes winners Cat's At Home, Honor The Hero, and Prenup. Owned by a partnership that consists of Steve Prather, Sam Stevens, Bryan Ritchie and Larry Strain, The Way Home stands at Doubletree for a $3,500 fee.

“You never really know how good a first-year sire is going to be, but of course you have high expectations,” says Prather. “The Way Home was injured in a stall accident when he was 2, so he didn't have a race record, but he comes from a great family. He's out of the Buckaroo mare Homewrecker, and she produced lots of stakes winners, most of them graded.”

Doubletree Farm was established in 1992. The large 160-acre farm – which at times is home to as many as 200 horses – has five full-time employees, including Prather himself. Farm manager Alfredo Gutierrez has been at Doubletree for nine years. Jorge Rojas, another longtime employee, also plays an integral part in the farm's operations.

“I can't emphasize enough how important Alfredo and Jorge are to the day-to-day operations of our farm,” Prather says. “Everything we do here wouldn't be possible without them.

“I'm a fairly hands-on owner, but when I'm not here, Alfredo is the go-to man,” he adds. “In fact, he gets as many calls from owners wanting to talk about their mares as I do. Our clients have really gotten to know and respect him during the past nine years, and they don't hesitate to call him when they have a question.”

Here is a closer look at Doubletree's other three stallions:

LE GRANDE DANSEUR is a New York-bred 14-year-old son of the Dixieland Band stallion Citidancer. Racing at Saratoga, Belmont Park and Aqueduct from 2000 to 2001, Le Grande Danseur earned $198,410 from six starts, and his four wins included the 7-furlong, $82,350 Bertram F. Bongard Stakes (R) and the 1-mile, $100,000 Sleepy Hollow Stakes (R) in 2000. At 3, he ran second in the 1-mile, $150,000 Withers Stakes (Grade 3) at Aqueduct.

Le Grande Danseur is a half brother to Grand Appeal, a stakes-winning earner of nearly $317,000 in the 1990s. The stallion's progeny include Blue Eyed Bella, a filly who won three stakes from 2008 to 2009, including New Mexico Cup races at Zia Park both years; and stakes winners Theregoesdancer and Citi Girlfriend. Another of Le Grande Danseur's runners, the filly Pretty Danseur, ran third in the 2009 Aztec Oaks (R) at SunRay Park and third in the 2010 Peppers Pride New Mexico Cup Filly & Mare Championship (R) at Zia Park.

Le Grande Danseur stands for a $1,500 fee.

QUINTON'S GOLD is a 15-year-old Kentucky-bred son of the Mr. Prospector stallion Carson City. Competing in California, Arizona and New York from 2000 to 2005, Quinton's Gold banked $234,202 from 27 outs, and he won two 6-furlong stakes at Turf Paradise in 2002, including the $100,000 Phoenix Gold Cup in 1:08.39. He also finished second in the 6 1/2-furlong $50,000 Foothill Stakes for 3-year-olds at Fairplex Park in 2000.

Quinton's Gold's top earner, Lefty Who, won 10 races – including seven stakes at distance ranging from 5 ½ furlongs to 1 mile – and banked $635,994 from 2008 to 2011. The stallion's other noteworthy runners include That's Who, a 3-year-old colt who has won three stakes during the current Sunland Park meet, and stakes winners S D S Golden Boy and Quinton's Place.

Quinton's Gold has also sired two qualifiers to the April 14, $75,000-added Copper Top Futurity (R) races for New Mexico-bred juveniles at Sunland Park – colts and geldings division finalist Quinton's Fire and filly division qualifier Quinton's Queen.

Quinton's Gold stands for a $3,500 fee.

SUAVE PROSPECT earned $730,532 while racing from 1994-97. A 20-year-old Florida-bred son of the Northern Prospect stallion Fortunate Prospect, Suave Prospect won the $100,000 What A Pleasure Stakes (Grade 3) at Calder Racecourse in 1994 and the $75,000 Preview Stakes (Grade 3) at Gulfstream Park the following year. He also ran second, a nose behind eventual Kentucky Derby (Grade 1) winner Thunder Gulch, in the $500,000 Florida Derby (Grade 1) at Gulfstream, and second in the $500,000 Blue Grass Stakes (Grade 2) at Keeneland and $200,000 Fountain of Youth Stakes (Grade 2) at Gulfstream.

A half brother to stakes winner Proud To Reason, Suave Prospect has sired several multiple stakes winners, including graded stakes winner and $726,590-earner Umpateedle, two-time stakes winner and $649,551-earner Suave Jazz, and Elegant Designer, a $416,785-earner who won four stakes in Florida, Texas, New York, and New Jersey from 2002 to 2003.

Suave Prospect stands for a $2,500 fee.

HOME-BREDS HAVEN: Doubletree Farm scores big in 2011

Jan. 28, 2012 - There was a time when Texan Sam Stevens was running horses from coast to coast with iconic Thoroughbred trainer D. Wayne Lukas.

It wasn’t that long ago that New Mexico native Steve Prather was pulling a daily double — running an oilfield service company in Lea County and breeding racehorses at his Doubletree Farm outside of Hobbs.

A little fate perhaps and the proximity of Stevens’ farm in Lamesa, Texas, to Prather’s place — 70 miles more or less — made it inevitable that the two would end up in a partnership that has evolved into one of the top Thoroughbred breeding and racing operations in New Mexico.

That was certainly in evidence at this year’s New Mexico Horse Breeders Association awards banquet in Albuquerque.

The Prather-Stevens connection won four of the prestigious awards for 2011, including Stevens being named the recipient of the “Julep Cup” that each year goes to the outstanding Thoroughbred breeder in New Mexico.

Stevens and Prather also had the top freshman sire in 2011 with The Way Home. The two are part of a partnership that owns the 8-year-old sire whose first crop of foals consisted almost entirely of New Mexico-breds.

Of the 15 babies sired by The Way Home, nine were starters in 2011 and included two stakes winners and one stakes-placed starter. Among them was E Bar Way, winner of the Eddy County Stakes at Zia Park and Prather’s My Homey, winner of the Totah Futurity at SunRay Park and the Mountaintop Futurity at Ruidoso Downs last summer.

“Big numbers for a freshman sire,” says Prather.

Stevens’ That’s Who was named the top 2-year-old Thoroughbred gelding of 2011. Sired by Quinton’s Gold, That’s Who never finished out of the money in seven starts last year, with four wins, a second and two thirds for earnings of $220,770. His victories came in the New Mexico Classic Cup Juvenile for colts and geldings at Zia Park and in the Red Hedeman Mile at Sunland.

The dam of That’s Who, Rama Lassie, also is owned by Stevens and she was named the top Thoroughbred broodmare for 2011.

While there is a definite generation gap — Prather is 54 and Stevens 83 — the two are on the same page and path in their efforts to upgrade the breeding within New Mexico’s Thoroughbred ranks.

“With the purses the way they are and the breed program, we like New Mexico,” says Stevens. “There are other places we could go, but it so happens this is just right. We can cross with their studs at Hobbs and we’ve had tremendous luck. We had Lefty Who a few years back, and he won five races and more than $300,000 as a 2-year-old.”

Stevens currently has some three dozen broodmares at Doubletree, a 160-acre farm that at times is home to as many as 200 horses.

The addition of The Way Home to a stud stable that already had Quinton’s Gold gives Doubletree a potent duo.

Prather purchased The Way Home in a private sale in Pennsylvania, and later took on Stevens and fellow horsemen Bryan Ritchie and Larry Strain as partners.

Prather had no doubt he was buying a stud that could produce one crop of winners after another.

“He was family,” says Prather. “He’s by Giant’s Causeway, who has been a leading sire in the world the last few years. His dam (Home Wrecker) produced seven graded stakes winners. It’s as good a breeding as you can get.”

And even though it’s just one crop, Prather says The Way Home is showing the ability to sire both speed and endurance.

My Homey showed considerable speed in winning three times and earning $141,000 in his first year of racing before suffering an injury that will likely sideline him until late this year. Besides his wins at Farmington and Ruidoso, My Homey won his trial for the 4½-furlong Copper Top Futurity at Sunland by seven lengths but was apparently sick when he ran third in the finals.

“He’s very, very fast but he had mucus and all kinds of crud after he ran in the Copper Top. I’m sure he would have won it if he hadn’t been sick,” says Prather.

The Way Home-sired E Bar Way, meanwhile, was able to win at a mile in the Eddy County Stakes.

“That’s the thing about The Way Home,” said Prather. “It looks like he can throw the speed, and he can throw the distance too.”

Like so many others, Stevens started out as a racehorse owner and eventually became a breeder as well. Back in the ‘80s, he and Lukas raced horses in California, New York and Florida. Before that, Stevens had been part of a group that at one time owned Ruidoso Downs and Sunland Park.

Stevens wasn’t part of New Mexico’s horseracing scene for about 10 years, but with the arrival of slots and the bigger purses they triggered, decided it was time to get back into it.

“We have a home in Ruidoso and it’s nice to be able to go to the races. It’s fun trying to beat your friends and having them trying to beat you. It’s a business, but it’s also fun. You’ve got to enjoy it or you’d be doing something else.”

Prather says his connection with Stevens took off after the purchase of The Way Home.

“He had started breeding at (Doubletree). Then we bought The Way Home and now he’s breeding big time,” said Prather. We’re going to breed 30 mares for him this year.”

As an owner, Prather has 21 of his Thoroughbreds in training this year.

Prather grew up in the small Lea County community of Eunice and attended Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colo. He returned home to work with his dad in the oilfield service business, which they sold in 2006. He has owned horses for about 25 years and has been involved in the breeding end of it for about 18 years.

Prather is confident the New Mexico-bred program is on solid footing and has a bright future despite the recent downturn in horseracing across the country.

“I don’t see any reason for it to change,” said Prather. “With what we have in place, I see everything clicking right along.”
By PETE HERRERA for SureBet

That’s Who steamrolls in $110,000 Pepsi Cola Stakes

Sunland Park, - Jan. 21, 2012 - Trainer Joel Marr continued his tremendous meet by winning his fourth stakes race with That’s Who in the $110,000 Pepsi Cola Stakes at Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino on Saturday.

Racing as the 6-5 favorite, That’s Who responded in kind with his second straight stakes win of the meet in the 6 furlong stakes race for New Mexico-bred three-year-olds. Under regular pilot Ry Eikleberry, That’s Who drafted off the front running Grey Bird rounding the turn for home. Coming into the stretch, the well bred Quinton’s Gold gelding shot to the front and never looked back. The triple stakes winner stormed home to a 3 length victory in a time of 1:10.45.

With his win in the Pepsi Cola, That’s Who earned a $66,000 paycheck for longtime owners Sam and Latane Stevens of Lamesa, Texas. He improved his sterling record to 5 wins, 1 second and 2 thirds from 8 starts. The impeccable sprinter is out of the Hadif mare Rama Lassie. His career bankroll is closing in on $300,000.

That’s Who won the Red Hedeman Mile last December and also won the New Mexico Classic Cup Juvenile at Zia Park.

Marr saddled Desert Hennessy to stakes wins in both the $110,000 Johnie L. Jamison Stakes and the $110,000 Albert Dominguez Memorial Handicap this season.

Grey Bird ran a gallant race under jockey Ken Tohill. The grey gelding by Silver Season applied ample pressure early and led by a half length. He swept through fractions of 21.86 and 44.77 seconds but could not maintain his speed through the stretch. The Cal Martin trainee finished second, finishing a half-length in front of May Weather. The runner-up earned $23,100 for owners Janice Johnston and Marjorie Martin.

E Bar Way finished a distant fourth under jockey Duane Sterling.
- Coady Photography

That’s Who powers to Red Hedeman win

Sunland Park, NM – Dec. 31, 2011 - That’s Who held off a game run from Tarahumar Flags to win the $110,000 Red Hedeman Mile. Under jockey Ry Eikleberry, That’s Who relaxed kindly off the lead racing into the first turn and gradually began to pick up steam. Passing the 3/8’s pole, the 8-5 favorite commenced a powerful run and took over the lead at will.

During the stretch run, That’s Who responded when challenged by Tarahumar Flags. He kept his rival at bay and a driving finish by three parts of a length. The 7-5 favorite paid $4.80 to all his loyal supporters.

Under trainer Joel Marr, That’s Who also won the New Mexico Classic Cup Juvenile at Zia Park last fall. The two-year-old New Mexico-bred son of Quinton's Gold earned $66,000 paycheck for owners Sam and Latane Stevens of Lamesa, Texas. The double stakes winner has earned over $210,000 in his brief career.

Tarahumar Flags loomed large in second place with a terrific ride from Enrique Portillo Gomez. The former $12,500 claiming winner responded courageously in his first attempt around 2 turns. The runner-up made the winner work in a prolonged stretch drive. The son of Avenue of Flags earned $23,100 for the Kings Ransom, LLC of Las Cruces, New Mexico. Henry Dominguez is his trainer.

E Bar Way, by Doubletree Farm's The Way Home, winner of the Eddy County Stakes at Zia Park, finished a distant third. The 4-1 shot ridden by Duane Sterling was beaten 12 lengths.
- Coady Photography

E Bar Way Rallies to Win New Mexico Eddy County Stakes

Hobbs, NM – December 4, 2011 - E Bar Way unleashed a strong stretch rally under jockey Duane Sterling to win the $129,860 New Mexico Eddy County Stakes (R) for state-bred 2-year-olds at Zia Park on Sunday.

Trained by Jimmie Claridge for owner Donnell Echols, E Bar Way went one mile in 1:40.06, and his winning margin was a half of a length from Zenon's Star. That's Who, the 11-10 favorite, finished third, three-quarters of a length behind the winner.

A chestnut gelding, E Bar Way became the second stakes winner sired by The Way Home, an unraced 7-year-old son of the Storm Cat stallion Giant's Causeway whose nine starters have earned more than $306,000 and include My Homey, the winner of this year's Totah Stakes (R) at SunRay Park and Mountain Top Thoroughbred Futurity (R) at Ruidoso Downs.

The Way Home is owned by a partnership. He stands for a $2,500 fee at Steve Prather's Doubletree Farm at Hobbs, New Mexico.

E Bar Way is also one of three winners from four starters foaled by E Bar Prospect, a 12-year-old mare by the Forty Niner stallion Gold Fever. The gelding's second dam, the Be My Guest mare Lady Lodger (GB), earned $313,892 from 26 starts from 1993-97, and her eight wins included the 1996 Miss America Handicap (G3) at Golden Gate Fields, and two stakes later that season at Arlington Park.

E Bar Way has won two of five races, and the $77,700 winner's share of the Eddy County Stakes purse pushed his bankroll to $99,856. He was coming off of a fifth-place finish the October 30, $151,600 New Mexico Cup Juvenile Colts & Geldings Stakes (R) at Zia.

A 10-1 longshot, E Bar Way returned a $22.60 win mutuel and teamed with Zenon's Star for a $457 ($2) exacta. That's Who completed a $1,498.30 ($1) trifecta.

Crusher Lane finished fourth and was followed by Honshu City, Vote Often, Sapello Larue, T.V. Stevie, and Mr. Wizard.

Runner-up Zenon's Star was a $3,200 buy at last year's New Mexico-Bred Yearling Sale at Ruidoso Downs, and the gray or roan gelding by Fusaichi Zenon (JPN) has won two of eight races and has earned $58,830 for his owner, Lester Wright.

That's Who was just five weeks removed from a 1 1/2-length victory in the 6-furlong New Mexico Cup Juvenile Colts & Geldings Stakes (R). The homebred Quinton's Gold gelding has won three of six outs and has banked $154,770 for owners Sam E. and Latane Stevens of La Mesa, Texas.
- Coady Photography

NEW MEXICO CUP JUVENILE COLT & GELDING STAKES (R)

Hobbs, NM - Oct. 30, 2011 - Carlos Madeira rode That's Who to a 1 1/2-length win in the 6-furlong, $140,600 New Mexico Cup Juvenile Colt & Gelding Stakes (R).

Trained by Joel Marr for owners and breeders Sam and Latane Stevens of Lamesa, Texas, That's Who stopped the timer in 1:10.17 while scoring his third victory in five outs and first stakes win. The winner's share of the purse pushed the dark bay or brown gelding's bankroll to $135,220.

That's Who's sire, Quinton's Gold, is a 14-year-old son of Carson City who won the $100,000 Phoenix Gold Cup Handicap at Turf Paradise in 2002. The stallion stands for a $3,500 at Steve Prather's Doubletree Farm at Hobbs, New Mexico.

That's Who was coming off of a 2 ¼-length victory as the 9-10 favorite in a 5 1/2-furlong, non-winners-of-two allowance for state-bred 2-year-olds at Zia Park on September 26. The gelding's record also includes a second-place finish to Desert Road in the 5 1/2-furlong, $149,000 Rio Grande Senor Futurity (R) at Ruidoso Downs in July.

Honshu City, the winner of the September 25 George Maloof Futurity (R) at The Downs at Albuquerque finished second, 2 ½ lengths in front of 11-10 favorite T.V. Stevie. Legal Storm, E Bar Way, Dueling Dom, Russianontherail, Sapello Larue, I Do My Own Tricks, Mr. Wizard, and Boy Ego completed the order of finish.
- Coady Photography

Danley, Marr Stables Set Pace In Senorita, Senor Trials at Ruidoso

RUIDOSO DOWNS, New Mexico (July 17, 2011) – The two-year-old divisions of trainers Fred Danley and Joel Marr showed considerable potential in the trials to the $156,289 Senorita Futurity and the $149,249 Senor Futurity at Ruidoso Downs on Sunday afternoon.

The Senorita Futurity is for New Mexico-bred fillies while the Senor Futurity is run for New Mexico-bred males. The top-three finishers in the five-and-one-half furlong trials qualify for their respective finals during the Zia Festival celebrating New Mexico-bred racing on July 31 at Ruidoso Downs.

The final spot in the Senor Futurity and the Senorita Futurity will be determined by a blind draw between the fourth-place trial finishers in each of the sets of trials.

Danley won two of the three Senorita Futurity trials and one Senor Futurity trial. Marr took the other two Senor Futurity trials. The remaining Senorita Futurity trial was won by the Ross Amestoy-trained Our Flying Angel, who could become the Senorita Futurity favorite.

Our Flying Angel impressed in her first start while drawing away through the stretch to defeat the Marr-trained Quinton’s Doll Who by Doubletree Farm's Quinton's Gold, won by more than 11 lengths. The Marr-trained New Gold finished third.

Danley’s first Senorita Futurity trial winner came Wilbert Layne’s Layne’s Best made a five-wide move on the turn and drew clear in the final furlong to win by one-and-three-quarter lengths. Runner-up Lady Annabell and third-place finisher Silence And Solitude also qualified for that trial.

Danley came back in the next Senorita trial to win with Sandia Sonata and finish second with favored Roll Bloomers Roll. Easy Loving Who, from the Marr barn, finished third and qualified for the final.

The veteran Danley won his Senor Futurity trial when Rita Danley’s Boy Ego took his maiden at first asking with a game win over the Todd Fincher-trained Desert Road. Mr. Wizard never threatened the frontrunners, however grabbed third place and a spot in the Senor Futurity.

Marr won the other two Senor Futurity trials with Who Left Who and That’s Who.

Who Left Who, by Doubletree Farm's The Way Home, making his career debut, raced like he has a bright future while setting the pace and then exhibiting class by repelling a challenge from I Do My Own Tricks through the stretch. Supersonic Star was third after racing near the lead.

That’s Who, by Doubletree Farm's Quinton's Gold, the 13-10 favorite, got a trip along the rail to grab the lead and then held off Mountain Top Futurity third-place finisher Band Of Glory to win by a neck. Golden Prospector was a qualifying third.

My Homey doubles up in $85,000 Totah Stakes

Farmington, NM - July 2, 2011 - With just six days rest, My Homey delivered another courageous performance by winning the $85,000 Totah Thoroughbred Stakes at SunRay Park and Casino.

Equipped with an abundance of speed, My Homey drove home an impressive 2 and 1/4 length winner in the four and one-half furlong feature. Coming right off the heels of a driving win in the $134,000 Mountain Top Futurity at Ruidoso Downs, the precocious speed merchant avenged a prior defeat to I Play Dirty in last spring's Copper Top Futurity at Sunland Park. My Homey made a bold statement early zipping through fractions of 21.44 and 44.60 seconds through the first two calls.

Under regular pilot Martin Bourdieu, My Homey was locked and loaded from the start, and he accelerated to a one-length lead heading into the far turn. A furlong later, the strapping son of The Way Home was 5 lengths in front of I Play Dirty and the issued was settled. Bourdieu allowed his talented mount to cruise through stretch an easy winner. The winning duo hit the line in fast 51.17 seconds and had plenty in reserve. The victory was his third in a row and fourth of his young career. The Hermenegildo "Papi" Aldavaz trainee collected a $51,000 first place prize for owners Bessie and Steve Prather and Aldavaz. He becomes the first New Mexico-bred two-year-old Thoroughbred to earn two stakes wins this year. His glossy record improved to 4 wins and 1 third from 6 starts. His bankroll exceeds $141,000. The 6-5 second favorite returned $4.60 to win.

This back-to-back win propelled sire The Way Home to the World's leading 1st Crop Sire - $170,894.

Speedy Caracal, a 32-1 long shot, ran the race of his brief career by finishing a fast closing second. The Caracal colt finished with interest under jockey Dennis Collins. The runner-up sparked a $2 exacta worth $151.80. Lucky Lester and jockey Enrique Portillo Gomez finished in third place, 6 lengths behind the winner.

Copper Top Futurity winner I Play Dirty ranged into contention early but seemed to lose steam coming into the stretch. The public choice was beaten to the first turn by the winner. I Play Dirty was coming off two straight wins. The Roll Hennessy Roll gelding finished out of the money for the first time and was a distant fourth.

My Homey Holds On To Win Mountain Top Thoroughbred Futurity

RUIDOSO DOWNS, New Mexico (June 26, 2011) – Odds-on favorite My Homey withstood a rousing late challenge from 25-1 longshot Gerda’s Home to win the $136,426 Mountain Top Thoroughbred Futurity on Sunday afternoon at Ruidoso Downs.

My Homey and jockey Jorge Martin Bourdieu worked every step of the five furlongs to gain the victory. My Homey tried to gain a clear early advantage, however Miss Desert Freeze pressured him down the backstretch and around the turn. Miss Desert Freeze could not maintain contact and faded entering the stretch while My Homey appeared to be on his way to a clear victory while Gerda’s Home was gearing up his bid.

The Joe Martinez-ridden Gerda’s Home raced off the pace and began his long move entering the turn. He gained striking position in the final strides before coming up a neck short at the finish.

The Papis Aldavaz-trained My Homey was timed in :59.84.

Band Of Glory was more than four lengths behind the top-two finishers for third.

My Homey, a gelding by The Way Home, was sent off as the 3-5 favorite in the Mountain Top Thoroughbred Futurity after a stunning 11-length victory in his Mountain Top Futurity trial. Miss Desert Freeze was also in that trial and did not supply the early pressure that she mustered in the futurity. My Homey was able to control the race and rolled under the wire with a :59.60 time, the only horse in the three trials to record a time under one minute for the five furlongs.

My Homey was bred by Steve Prather, and the gelding became the first stakes winner from four starters sired by The Way Home, an unraced 7-year-old stallion by Giant's Causeway whose third dam, the Promise Land mare House Of Cards, won the 1972 Del Mar Oaks in California.

To date, The Way Home has sired the earners of more than $118,200. He is owned by a partnership and stands for a $2,500 fee at Prather's Doubletree Farm at Eunice, New Mexico.

My Homey's dam, Spectacular Place, is a winning 12-year-old daughter of the Cox's Ridge stallion Out Of Place. The gelding traces back to his fourth dam, Sea Sister, a mare by Sea-Bird who won the 1973 Rare Treat Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct Racetrack in New York.

All told, My Homey has won three of five races, and the $68,213 winner's share of the Mountain Top Futurity purse pushed his earnings to $90,491. The gelding was coming off of an 11-length victory as the even-money choice in his Mountain Top trial, and his stakes resume includes a third-place finish in the colts and geldings division of the Copper Top Futurity (R) for state-breds at Sunland Park on April 16.

Gerda's Home is a homebred chestnut filly by The Way Home who has earned $27,635 from two outs for her owner, Larry Strain. Gerda's Home was coming off of a third-place finish in her Mountain Top trial, which marked her career debut. Owned by breeder Steve Prather of Doubletree Farm in Hobbs, NM with Bessie Prater and Aldavaz, My Homey scored his third win from five starts and has a third-place finish in the Copper Top Futurity at Sunland Park in April.

My Homey returned a $3.20 win mutuel and teamed with runner-up Gerda's Home, a 25-1 longshot, for a $78.20 ($2) exacta. Band Of Glory, a 22-1 longshot, ran third, 4 ½ lengths behind the winner, to complete a $442,20 ($2) trifecta.

The $68,217 first-place check from the Mountain Top Futurity raised his career earnings to $86,480.

Suaveness 04, m by Suave Prospect purchased at KEE NOV BRDG 09 (KY) Hip 626 for $200,000 by *Nofa Equestrian Resort.

HOBBS, New Mexico (November 8, 2009) In the $140,000 New Mexico Classic Championship Cup for Fillies, Blue Eyed Bella gave trainer Joel Marr the win by covering the six furlongs in 1:10.59.

The Isaias Enriguez-ridden Blue Eyed Bella won the stakes for 3-year-old fillies by a neck over Mylilmemo while Leading Moves finished third, another two lengths back.

Sam and Sammy Stevens’ Blue Eyed Bella scored her first 2009 win by taking the New Mexico Classic Cup Championship for Fillies. Last year, she captured the New Mexico Classic Cup Juvenile for Fillies and the Rio Grande Senorita Futurity.

Lefty Who Shows Class With Pecos Sprint Win

HOBBS, New Mexico (October 10, 2009) — Sam Stevens’ Lefty Who prepared for an expected start during New Mexico Cup Day with a classy win in the $40,000 Pecos Sprint on Saturday afternoon at Zia Park.

The Joel Marr-trained Lefty Who would probably be the strong favorite in the $140,000 New Mexico Classic Cup Colts and Geldings Championship. In that race he would face fellow three-year-olds over six furlongs, the same distance as the Pecos Sprint. He would also be a solid choice if he challenges older horses over six furlongs in the $170,000 New Mexico Classic Cup Sprint.

Those races are part of the New Mexico Cup Day program on November 8 at Zia Park. The $2 million in total purses for New Mexico-breds make it the richest day of stake-bred racing anywhere.

Last year, Lefty Who won the New Mexico Classic Cup Juvenile during New Mexico Cup Day and then the Eddy County Handicap at Zia Park.

In the Pecos Sprint, Lefty Who raced the six furlongs in 1:09.81 under Carlos Madeira for his eighth win for 10 career starts. He was second in his other two starts.

Lefty Who was reserved off the pace and in tight quarters behind the leaders rounding the turn. Madeira then found racing room and split the frontrunners entering the stretch. He showed his class by overcoming the less-than-perfect trip and drawing out to win by one length over Lester’s Secret. MH Ransom was third, one length behind Lesters Secret.

The solid 4-5 favorite, Lefty Who rewarded his many supporters with $3.60, $2.20 and $2.10. Lesters Secret returned $2.80 and $2.60 while MH Ransom paid $2.40.

dOUBLETREE prodigy bring IN THE MONEY IN zIA FINALS
RUIDOSO DOWNS, New Mexico (July 26, 2009) – Zia Festival - celebrating New Mexico-bred racing.

Rio Grande Senor Futurity - Fourteen Kt. Gold / Dinker’s - by QUINTON'S GOLD photo- Fourteen Kt. Gold
Freda McSwain and Joe Walters’ Train Rider Blues, under a hustling ride from veteran Carlos Rivas, rallied along the rail to dramatically win the $109,026 Rio Grande Senor Futurity for two-year-old males.
Train Rider Blues was timed in 1:04.91 for the five-and-half furlongs.
The colt was well off the pace before beginning his rally on the turn. Entering the stretch, Rivas boldly gunned the Desert God colt through an opening on the rail. They then had pacesetter Fourteen Kt. Gold in their sights and they blew by that rival with another inside move to win by a dominating three lengths.
“He showed how much of a horse he’s going to be,” said McSwane. He could make his next start in the $140,000 New Mexico Classic Cup Juvenile Colts and Geldings Stakes during the New Mexico Cup program at Zia Park on November 8.
Fourteen Kt. Gold was second and Dinker’s finished third.
Train Rider Blues excels in stakes races. His only other career victory was a neck win in the Ruidoso Thoroughbred Horse Sale Futurity for trainer Terry Walker.

Road Runner Handicap - Lefty Who by QUINTON'S GOLD
Jockey Carlos Madeira skillfully guided Sam Stevens’ homebred Lefty Who through a cooling summer shower to win the $50,000 Road Runner Handicap for three-year-old males over five-and-a-half furlongs.
The Joel Marr-trained gelding raced the distance in 1:03.27 for his seventh win from nine starts. He was second in his other two outs. It was the sixth stakes win for Lefty Who, winner of last year’s Rio Grande Senor Futurity by nearly six lengths.
Lefty Who broke in the second flight of horses from the inside post position. Madeira patiently kept him on the rail, waiting for a hole to open. He maintained the inside path until the top of the stretch. He then swung wide and got up to get the nose win over Lesters Secret.
It was two lengths back to a non-threatening Bonndaddy’s in third.

Sierra Starlet Handicap - Blue Eyed Bella by LA GRANDE DANSEUR / Gerdys Gold by QUINTON'S GOLD
Wild Alaska, a 25-1 longshot, flew down the middle of the track to pull off the big upset in the $50,000 Sierra Starlet Handicap for three-year-old fillies.
Favored Blue Eyed Bella was in a duel with Winter Mist and they appeared to be racing for the victory at the 1/16th pole. But, jockey Carlos Madeira had Wild Alaska rolling and they rallied from out of contention for the win in 1:04.46 for the five-and-a-half furlongs. They won by an expanding one-and-three-quarter lengths
Blue Eyed Bella won the battle for the runner-up position by three quarters of a length over Winter Mist, with Gerdys Gold finishing a game fourth.
Helene Guteman’s Wild Alaska has an affection for the Ruidoso Downs surface. She captured her only other career victory when she took a maiden race at the mountain track last summer. - photo second place Blue Eyed Bella, fourth place finisher Gerdys Gold

DOUBLETREE prodigy scored "BIG" in this year's Rio Grande Senor Futurity trials

RUIDOSO DOWNS, New Mexico (July 11, 2009) – The Rio Grande Senor Futurity trials were run for New Mexico-bred juvenile colts and geldings.
The top three finishers from the three Rio Grande Senor trials qualify for the finals, also on July 26. There will be a shake from the fourth-place trial finishers to determine the final qualifier.
In the first Senor Futurity trial, Abo Trick ran down pacesetting Train Rider Blues, who won the close verdict over Glory Be Mine in the Ruidoso Thoroughbred Horse Sale Futurity. Granny’s Song was another three quarters of a length back for third.
Abo Trick has two wins and a third in the Totah Futurity in his first three starts.
In the second trial, there was another tight finish with SDS Golden Boy rallying to catch the Fincher-trained first-time starter Comic Smarty Cat. SDS Golden Boy was third in a Sunland Park maiden race in his only other career start. Fourteen Kt. Gold was a non-threatening third.
In the third trial, Go Barney Go wore down Rig’s Runner in the stretch to gain his second win from as many starts. He won by an expanding neck for trainer Mac Miller. Depot Red finished third. The horses in the shake for the final qualifying position are Dinker’s, Midnight Maverick and Quinton’s Place.

Lefty Who got back into the winner's circle and, in the process, re-established himself as one of the leading New Mexico-bred thoroughbreds on the track when he scored an impressive win Saturday in the $75,000 Dine' Stakes at SunRay Park and Casino.
Ridden to victory by his regular pilot Carlos Madeira, the 7-to-10 favorite Lefty Who scored a 2-length win over Lesters Secret, running 6 1-2 furlongs in a final time of 1 minute, 18.05 seconds and has re-emerged as the leading 3-year-old statebred, earning his fifth stakes win and his sixth from eight career starts.
Trained by Joel Marr for owner Sam Stevens, Lefty Who avenged earlier defeats this year in the Pepsi Cola Handicap and New Mexico Breeders' Derby at Sunland Park.
Those losses snapped the 5-race win streak earned by the gelded son of Quinton's Gold, which made him the top 2-year-old in the state.
Saturday's win was definitely a change for the better for Lefty Who, who drew off in the final yards in his first race at SunRay Park.
"He only got beat a couple of inches two starts back, then just ran into a better horse last time out," Marr said in the winners' circle. "He had a few little things come up between those races, but we had him ready today."
Lefty Who, expertly ridden by Madeira, dueled for the lead between horses as Lesters Secret and Cimply Done battled on the front end through swift early fractions of 22.70 and 45.88 seconds for the first half-mile.
Lefty Who started to inch clear as the field approached the head of the lane, and gradually put away Lesters Secret and Ricardo Jaime to win by 2 widening lengths. Longshot Surprisingly Gone just missed getting second money rallying on the outside, but was never a threat to the winner.
Marr wraps up another solid season at SunRay Park, winning eight times from 28 starters as one of the state's leading trainers. Last year, Marr was the toast of the town at SunRay and across the state as Peppers Pride was winding up her unbeaten career, establishing the mark at 19 straight wins, most ever by a thoroughbred. She tied the in winning the Foutz Distaff Handicap over this course.
Since that time, Peppers Pride has gone on to start her career as a broodmare in Kentucky, and with the recent spotlight on New Mexico racing thanks to Mine That Bird's stunning win in last month's Kentucky Derby, Marr thinks the best is still to come.
"People are starting to see that we can go anywhere from here and be a success," Marr said. "I think as more and more people start to see what's happening here, we'll see more expensive horses and better racing."
Lefty Who returned $3.40 to each winning ticket, and increased his lifetime earnings to nearly $400,000.
**
Saturday was quite a day for the New Mexico-based sire Quinton's Gold.
Shortly before Lefty Who's win in the Dine' Stakes, it was the 2-year-old Quinton's Place, trained by Todd Fincher and ridden by Martin Bourdieu, who scored a thrilling win in the Totah Thoroughbred Futurity at SunRay Park and Casino, defeating Soaring NXS and Abo Trick in a three-horse dramatic finish.
Quinton's Place dueled for the early lead while battling Mouramour and Stone Cold Rock down the backstretch in the 4 1-2 furlong sprint.
Battling through an opening quarter mile in a rapid 22.17 seconds, Quinton's Place never got a breather as the field turned for home and survived a long stretch duel, holding on to win by just a neck over a fast-closing Soaring NXS under the meet's leading rider Ken Tohill.
Quinton's Gold was timed in 52.76 seconds for the 4 1-2 furlongs, his first race over the SunRay bullring and his first since winning an allowance race at Sunland Park on April 21.
"I was a little disappointed he didn't run a little better," said Fincher in the winners circle. "I'm not sure if he was just unfamiliar with the racetrack, or there was too much time between races, but I know he's a better horse."
Fincher, who last week won the Kendrick Memorial Futurity with the 2-year-old filly Awintersdream, swept both state-bred stakes races for juveniles. Fincher, recognized as one of the top trainers in the state, had previously never won a race at SunRay Park and Casino.
Sent off as the 3-to-5 favorite in the Totah, Quinton's Gold returned $3.20 for each winning ticket and has now earned over $71,000 for owners Paul and Steve Prather.