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FINAL STRIDE A WINNER FOR CORONADO CARTEL
IN REMINGTON PARK FUTURITY
Coronado Cartel (#10), under jockey Jimmy Brooks, catches Houdini (#9), in the final stride to win the Remington Park Futurity on Saturday night.
© Dustin Orona PhotographyOKLAHOMA CITY, OK—APRIL 20, 2013—The $720,000 Remington Park Futurity came down to the finish line in every sense of the term. Houdini used a quick start to lead every step except the last one of 330 yards as Coronado Cartel caught the would-be escape artist to win in the last head-bob by a nose.
Owned by Reliance Ranches of Llano, Texas and trained by Eddie Willis, Coronado Cartel was ridden by Jimmy Brooks. The big colt chased Houdini throughout the rich futurity for Oklahoma-breds, making up a length to snatch victory away from his rival.
“My horse left there but Houdini, he left there exceptionally well. I was playing catch up the whole way. We were inching to him,” Brooks noted afterward. “I didn’t know if we got him or not… I thought I did but it was close.”
The photo-finish image revealed Coronado Cartel scoring by a slim nose margin with Houdini narrowly defeated. Ellen’s Regard was a neck back of the runner-up in third.
Remaining undefeated thru three starts this season, Coronado Cartel stopped the clock in :16.755 seconds over a fast track.
The heavy-wagering favorite at 2-5 odds, Coronado Cartel paid $2.80 to win, $2.80 to place and $2.40 to show. Houdini returned $7.40 to place and $4.80 to show. Ellen’s Regard paid $3.40 to show.
This was the first Remington Park Futurity win for Reliance Ranches, who purchased the Corona Cartel colt for $290,000 at the Ruidoso Select Summer Yearling Sale last September. Trainer Eddie Willis has now won the race three times, adding this win to those of Outdashing (2002) and Redman Running (2003). Brooks rode his second winner in the race as he also scored aboard Flying Dino in 1998.
Coronado Cartel is a colt from the Mr Jess Perry mare First Carolina. He was bred in Oklahoma by Weetona Stanley and William Smith, a partnership of Madill, Okla. The winner’s check for the Remington Park Futurity is $288,000, boosting the overall earnings for Coronado Cartel to $309,428. First Carolina, won the Grade 1 Remington Park Futurity in 2006, is also the dam of Rainbow Juvenile winner Denver Pass.
Completing the field were Bp Secrets Zoom, Walking Perry, Smokealittlesmoke, Jess One More Thing, Runaway Renata and Quick Shooter.