Bally’s Arapahoe Park: Week 8
Tennessee Moon sweeps Distaff stakes in the Columbine
Mark Hibdon owned and trained Tennessee Moon continued her domination of the distaff division at Bally’s Arapahoe Park on Saturday with a decisive 7 ¾ length win in the 8.5 furlong Columbine Stakes.
Going off as the heavy favorite, Tennessee Moon rushed to the lead and never looked back. She went gate to wire in 1:47.60, extending her lead throughout the contest. Lovely Lola, a 3-time stakes winner in Wyoming this year, was second. Lorraine’s Legacy completed the trifecta.
The win brings Tennessee Moon’s 2024 record to 15 starts, 11 wins, and 2 seconds. She leads the nation in total wins in 2024. The horse with the second-most wins is Spikezone with 9.
Tennessee Moon was bred in Kentucky by Calumet Farm. She is by their stallion Ransom the Moon and out of Tennessee Whiskey. She is a half-sister to graded stakes placed Dack Janiels (Tonalist).
Yo Morning Delite holds off Kali K in the Pen Pal
Wyoming-invader Yo Morning Delite defeated Colorado’s darling mare Kali K by a neck in the Oct. 18 Pen Pal Stakes over 350 yards.
Yo Morning Delite broke fastest of the group and maintained the lead despite drifting to the far outside. Kali K broke slow, and despite her late closing kick, could not catch Yo Morning Delite. It was the third straight stakes win for Yo Morning Delite and his sixth win this year.
Kali K can be expected to reappear on closing weekend on Saturday Nov. 9, in the 400 yard Rocky Mountain Championship for Colorado-bred quarter horses.
Lota Hocks and Presido Pete fastest in meet-concluding Futurity and Derby trials
Colorado-bred 2- and 3-year-old quarter horses faced off in trials this weekend for the Cherry Creek Futurity and Lucille Rowe Derby. The Cherry Creek Futurity and Lucille Rowe Derby will be run on closing day Sunday, Nov. 10, over 350 yards each.
Lota Hocks won the second Cherry Creek Futurity trial by a clear 2 ¼ length margin with a final time of 17.925. Trial winners Apoliticalbestcard (17.961) and Russel (17.975) were the second and third fastest qualifiers. Russel was making his career debut in the trial for Celene’s Racing. Brown Xill, winner of the fourth trial, is the fifth fastest qualifier.
Presido Pete won the second of the Lucille Rowe Derby trials in 17.908 for 350 yards. Six Good Kicks was second to Presido Pete and is the third fastest qualifier. Trial winner El Manguito is the second fastest qualifier in 18.132. The third trial winner Separatist Kicker is the sixth fastest qualifier in 18.280.
Sahara Kara favored in CTBA Lassie
Fresh off her debut maiden win, Sahara Kara is favored out of 6 Colorado-bred juvenile fillies in the 6f CTBA Lassie on Saturday, Oct. 26. Sahara Kara debuted on July 20 at Wyoming Downs for trainer O.A. Martinez Jr. and breeder Daley Family Thoroughbreds LLC. Sahara Kara won the 5 furlong contest by ¾ length over Marking Lights-- a maiden winner at Arapahoe Park this season. She retains leading rider David Cardoso for the CTBA Lassie. Sahara Kara will break from post 2.
Just to Saraha Kara’s outside is Parsons-trained Friendly Spirit. A daughter of Ghostzapper, she broke her maiden in her Arapahoe Park debut by 3 and ¾ lengths after competing in four maiden special weights at Prairie Meadows. Friendly Spirit is the morning-line second choice.
The final winner in the field is debut winner Lady Admiral. She wheels back in just a week after breaking her maiden over 5.5 furlongs by ¾ lengths. She is by Midshipman and out of Celee, making her a half sister to the successful Tulsa Te mares Celee’s Te and Celee’s Last Te.
CTBA Laddie draws four as exhibition race
Debut winner Kosari appears to tower over the 4-horse 6f CTBA Laddie on Oct. 26. He led gate to wire on debut for a 4 ¾ length win in 58.92 for the 5 furlongs. He is trained by Riley Parsons and raced by breeder Francis A. Heckendorf Jr. He defeated King of Swing in that race, who drew post 4 in the CTBA Laddie.
Stetson Rushton sends out a pair of debuting Roman Gladiator runners for breeder Donna Eaton to round out the field.
Quicktrip Van seeks third stake of the meet in CTBA Mount Elbert
Dual stakes winner Quicktrip Van will try to win a third stakes at Arapahoe Park in 2024 in the 8.5f CTBA Mount Elbert on Sunday, Oct. 27. He won the Arapahoe County Commissioner’s Stakes opening weekend and the Front Range Stakes on Oct. 12. This will be his first start in the CTBA Mount Elbert, whose last 4 runnings have been won by Collusionist.
Collusionist will break from gate 3 in the Mount Elbert. The consistency and brilliance Collusionist is known for at Arapahoe Park hasn’t be there this year. He was second last in the Arapahoe County Commissioner’s Stakes as the favorite. Then he barely got up in time in the CTBA Aspen Stakes, before finishing last in the Front Range Stakes. If he successfully defends his title, it will be his fifth straight win in the stake. Leading jockey David Cardoso returns to guide Collusionist in the Mount Elbert. Cardoso was aboard for the Aspen, but not the Front Range. The rest of the field includes 2023 CTBA Derby winner Wheeler Dealer and Oct. 12 race winners Win for Fun and Tombi.
Photos: 1) Tennessee Moon bringing the Molly Brown field into the stretch, 2) Kali K after the 2022 Rocky Mountain Derby, 3) Lota Hocks breaks his maiden, 4) Friendly Spirit breaks her maiden, 5) CTBA Lassie entrant Stolen Funds, 6) CTBA Lassie entrant Golden Beauty, 7) CTBA Lassie entrant Alliya’s Creation, 8) Quicktrip Van wins the Front Range Stakes, 9) CTBA Mount Elbert entrant Tombi, 10) CTBA Mount Elbert entrant Win for Fun, 11) Collusionist after the Front Range.
