Bally’s Arapahoe Park: Week 7
Quicktrip Van is first 2-time stakes winner of the meet in Front Range
Colorado-bred Quicktrip Van became the first 2-time stakes winner at the 2024 meeting when he went gate to wire in the 7-furlong Front Range Stakes. Post-time favorite Collusionist was last after a brief bid on the home turn.
Quicktrip Van broke on top from the outside post and shared a contested lead with Seahawk Cody. Quicktrip Van maintained his lead in the stretch despite continued pressure on the inside from Seahawk Cody and a new threat from Subsidize. Quicktrip Van stood his ground between horses for a three quarter of a length victory under Cerapio Figueroa. The final time for the 7-furlongs was 1:24.48.
The win boosted Quicktrip Van to the meet’s highest earning racehorse as of Oct. 16 with $55,410 from his 3 starts. As a Colorado-bred, he is eligible for the Oct. 27 CTBA Mount Elbert over 8.5 furlongs.
Ez Fitz wins easy in CTBA Derby
Ez Fitz won easily in the 1 mile and 70 yards CTBA Derby by 3 ½ lengths for his first career stakes win. He was second in the CTBA Laddie as a 2-year-old.
The compact 4-horse field was tightly bunched through the race. The quartet set slow fractions of 24.80 first quarter and 48.94 for the half with Ez Fitz bringing up the rear. Approaching the home turn, Riley Parsons trainees Ez Fitz and All About Mischief began to draw away. The duo battled in the homestretch opening up over 20 lengths on fellow Parson’s trainee Snuggle Bunny before Ez Fitz put away All About Mischief for the win in a final time of 1:44.67.
Jockey Jayden Ironeyes claimed foul against David Cardoso for bumping Snuggle Bunny on the turn, but the objective was disallowed.
Ez Fitz is sired by Ez Effort and is out of Snickel Fitz (Seattle Fitz (ARG)). Ez Fitz is a half sibling to stakes winning CO-breds R Dub (Fort Prado) and Give Em Fitz (Tulsa Te). He was bred by Lynne Miller McGregor and is owned and trained by Riley Parsons.
Long May She Run dominant in CTBA Oaks
After facing older Colorado-bred mares last out in the CTBA LarriLou Stakes, Long May She Run proved her talents against her own age group with a 9-length win in the CTBA Oaks.
Breaking from post 3, Long May She Run sat outside Miss You No More before pulling away coming into the stretch under jockey Nathan Haar. She completed the mile and 70 yards in 1:47.81. Miss You No More held on to finish second.
Long May She Run is sired by Klimt and out of Rate of Exchange (Exchange Rate). She races for breeder F.A. Heckendorf Jr and is trained by Riley Parsons.
Kali K faces 9 in Pen Pal
Top Colorado-bred quarter horse Kali K has drawn the outside post in the 350 yard Pen Pal Stakes in preparation to defend her title. She is the even money morning-line favorite. Valente Vorrath will be in the irons for trainer Alexander Orozco and owner Luis Marquez.
The second choice is Wyoming-bred 4-year-old gelding Yo Morning Delite who has 5 wins on the year. This is his first start outside of Wyoming for trainer Zachary Quezada and owner Gerald F. Kaul. Jockey Jacob Cardenas will pilot Yo Morning Delite in the Pen Pal.
Other notable entrants include: 2022 Cherry Creek Futurity winner Fearless Fortitude in post 6 and 2022 Rocky Mountain Championship Stakes winner Indeed in post 7.
Older fillies and mares go long in Columbine
A field of 9 fillies and mares have been entered in the 8.5f Columbine Stakes on Saturday, Oct. 19. The morning-line favorite is Silver Lightening coming off a near 20 length allowance win.
Molly Brown victress Tennessee Moon is 4-1 on the morning-line. Like Silver Lightening, Tennessee Moon enters the Columbine off a double digit win allowance win. She retained the colony’s leading jockey David Cardoso for the Columbine. Tennessee Moon leads the nation by wins in 2024 with 10 so far. The second most-winningest horse has just 8 wins. Tennessee Moon will break from post 6 for owner/trainer Mark Hibdon.
Defending champion Virtually will break from post 8 for Stetson Rushton of Rushton Thoroughbreds LLC. The daughter of Speightster should appreciate the return to two turns, her last win was a mile claiming on the grass at Prairie Meadows.
Photos: 1) Pen Pal Stakes field, 2) Columbine Stakes field, 3) Quicktrip Van wins the Front Range Stakes, 4) Quicktrip Van wins the Front Range Stakes, 5) Quicktrip Van wins the Front Range Stakes, 6) Collusionist after the Front Range Stakes, 7) Virtually wins an allowance in 2023, 8) Tennessee Moon wins the Molly Brown Stakes.
