Racing


Dauns First Desirio Beats Older Horses In Arapahoe's Smokey Hill Stakes
Dauns First Desirio (#8), under jockey Jesus Munoz Villalobos, winning the $14,200 Smoke Hill Stakes Sunday afternoon at Arapahoe Park.

© Coady Photography
Dauns First Desirio Beats Older Horses In Arapahoe's Smokey Hill Stakes

FARMINGTON, NM—JUNE 18, 2017—Facing older horses for the first time in his career, Dauns First Desirio defeated Sweet Solid Rock by a head in the $14,200 Smoke Hill Stakes (not black type) Sunday afternoon at Arapahoe Park. Multiple stakes winner Toshi Yoshi finished half-a-length back in third.

Under jockey Jesus Munoz Villalobos, Dauns First Desirio was making his first start for new owner Rogelio Carbajal Santos and trainer Eliazar Salas. The lightly raced son of Desirio finished strong from the outside to complete the 350 yards in :17.771 seconds, a 90-speed index into a 2-mph headwind.

The winning connections of Dauns First Desirio accept the Smokey Hill Stakes trophy on Sunday at Arapahoe Park.
© Coady Photography
Santos purchased the 3-year-old for $46,000 from owner/breeder Urschel 3-D Ranch, LLC at the November Heritage Place Mixed Sale last fall. A Texas-bred, he is out of the First Down Express mare First Daun Express.

The bay gelding who has compiled a (6) 2-2-2 record had qualified for the Black Gold 440 Championship Futurity earlier that month but was scratched after getting loose in the saddling paddock. Today's $8,520 payday boosted Dauns First Desirio's bankroll to $22,167.

Multiple stakes-placed Sweet Solid Rock is a 5-year-old son of multiple stakes sire Rock Solid Jess from the Sweet First Down mare Tf Lil Sweet N Easy. Tim Weeder trains the brown gelding for owner Robert Reed. Bred in Texas by Silvia Robles, Sweet Solid Rock earned $2,840 for his effort.

Graded stakes winner Toshi Yoshi picked up $1,420 for third to bring his bankroll to nearly $170,000. Manuel Orozco trains the Pool 5-year-old for owner/breeder Dana Yoshida Orozco. The seven-time winner was bred in Colorado from Mairis Money Maker by The Corona.

Shiner Blond, Runaway Skeeter, Making Hot Wheels, Newport Kid, Live To Love Candy and Storm Red Morning completed the field.