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© Ann Switalski / Lou Hodges Photography
DALLAS, TX—MARCH 5, 2017—The new two-year-old season for Quarter Horses got underway March 1st (Louisiana-bred 2-year-olds get a special dispensation from the AQHA for the Mardi Gras trials the last week of February) and some first crop sires have been quick out of the gate to make their mark.
Saturday's Grade 3 Harrah's Futurity trial saw as many as three first crop sires not only get their first winners but also their first stakes qualifiers.
FDD Going Grand, a Grade 3 multiple stakes winning son of world champion sire FDD Dynasty sired his first winner and first stakes qualifier when the filly Ancient Of Days scored an impressive 1 ¾ length trial victory to the Harrah's Futurity(G3) for owner-breeder Mercy Hinklin.
© Hodges Photography / Ann Switalski
FDD Going Grand won or placed in 15 of 17 career starts and earned $197,510. He won the Grade 3 Develop A Plan Stakes, Old South Derby and Evangeline Downs Dash. Also G1-placed, the 7-year-old stallion is out a multiple stakes producing daughter of Corona Cartel.
Krash Cartel, a Grade 1 placed son of leading living sire of money earners Corona Cartel, got his first winner and first stakes finalist when Krashing Runaway posted a half-length win in the second Harrah's Futurity trial on Saturday.
The homebred colt racing for owner/breeder Miguel Angel Mendez completed the 300 yards in :15.789 seconds to set the fourth fastest qualifying time to the $233,578 graded futurity.
© Hodges Photography / Ann Switalski
Johnny Trotter's champion 3-year-old colt Hez Our Secret also got his first winner and qualifier Saturday when Hez Our Boy defeated his rivals by one-length in the third trial. Owned by Almada racing, the gelding's :15.909 clocking for the 300 yards ended the day as the ninth fastest.
Hez Our Boy's dam is the Corona Cartel mare Strawberry Cartel, a sister to stakes winner and multiple stakes sire Pappasito and half-sister to champion and world champion Stoli. The second dam is two-time champion Strawberry Silk.
Hez Our Secret, a son of all-time leading sire First Down Dash, won or placed 12 times and earned $887,426. The 8-year-old stallion is out of the G3-placed Separatist mare Secret Separation, a half-sister to All American Futurity(G1) winner and multiple stakes sire No Secrets Here.
Grade 2 winner Jess Cuervo was the first first-crop sire to get a winner and a qualifier this year when Paretti broke his maiden by half-a-length in the restricted Grade 2 $271,738 Mardi Gras Futurity trials February 25th at Louisiana Downs.
Paretti, out of the Fishers Dash mare Afri, completed the 300 yards in :15.727 seconds to secure the 10th qualifying, time from 124 Louisiana-breds who participated in the trials. The Mardi Gras Futurity(RG2) final will be conducted on Saturday, the March 18.
Owned by Crowson Racing, Jess Cuervo won or placed in 13 races and earned $298,073. The son of leading sire Corona Cartel won the Lovington Stakes(G2), was second in the James Isaac Hobbs Stakes(G2), West Texas Maturity(G2), Higheasterjet Handicap(G3) and a finalist in the Grade 1 All American Futurity.
Jess Cuervo is out of the G3-placed Mr Jess Perry mare Jessica Ravin. She is also the dam of stakes winner Paintyourownwagon, another first crop sire this year, and multiple 2017 stakes winner Jess Ravin, a sister to Jess Cuervo.
With the anticipated opening of Remington Park on Friday (March 10th) and upcoming trials for the Oklahoma Futurity(G3), the New Mexican Spring Futurity(RG2) and the West Texas Futurity(G2), both at Sunland Park, breeders should have a chance to see more starters from first-year sires.