Won Famous Dash, under jockey Bryan Candanosa, drives to victory in the $63,000 TQHA Classic Stakes(RG3) Friday at Sam Houston Race Park.

© Coady Photography

HOUSTON, TX—JULY 30, 2021—On a stakes-filled card at Sam Houston on Friday, Won Famous Dash kicked off the stakes action with an impressive victory in the $63,500 TQHA Classic for 3-year-old and up Texas-breds.

The Giorgino gelding picked up his first career stakes win in gate-to-wire fashion, winning the 400-yard event by over two lengths. He earned a 111 speed index and posted a final time of 19.719.

Bryan Candanosa had the call on Won Famous Dash ($23.40) for trainer Rolando Almanza. The 3-year-old is owned and bred by Scarlett Hill Farm Inc., out of the graded stakes winning mare Lil Famous Dash, by One Famous Eagle.

Won Famous Dash has now earned $80,451 in 11 starts with three victories. He has finished in the money in four of five starts at Sam Houston as a 3-year-old; as a 2-year-old, he qualified for the Evangeline Downs Futurity (G3) in December.

The winning connections of Won Famous Dash accept the TQHA Classic Stakes trophy Friday night at Sam Houston Race Park. © Coady Photography

Almanza swept the exacta with Won Famous Dash and Carry the Memories, who led the rest of the field by a half-length to finish in second place.

"To be honest, I didn't think he would run that fast!” said Almanza about the winner. “Our choice was Carry the Memories, that why Ricardo [Garza-Cruz] picked him. I was just really happy that we were able to run one-two!”

Almanza also co-owns Carry the Memories with Cesar Rosales and breeder Scarlett Hill Farm, Inc.

The 5-year-old Dash Master Jess gelding is out of Processing Speed, by Duel Fuel. Carry the Memories is multiple stakes placed with just over $97,000 earned in 20 career starts. In 2019, Carry the Memories was second in the Retama Park Derby. As a 4-year-old, he finished second in the B. F. Phillips, Jr Stakes (RG3) at Lone Star after competing in the TQHA Classic Stakes (RG2) and the King William at Retama.

Noe Villatoro rode L Capone to a third-place finish in his second career stakes start. J.W. Plunkett trains for owner and breeder Richard Arizpe. The 3-year-old gelding is a son of Capo do Capi, out of the Magic Scoop mare Scoops Victory Pop.

L Capone has earned $54,200 in eight career starts, including a fourth-place finish in the Sam Houston Texas Bred Championship last month.

Completing the field were Beduino La Jolla, Air to Em Jess, Kiss My Annee GI and Doz Coronas.