WITH A STRONG FINISH, SUITE CAROLINE WINS THE WILD WEST FUTURITY ON SUNDAY NIGHT
Owner and breeder Blaine Bateman enjoyed his biggest stakes win at Los Alamitos thanks to Suite Caroline’s strong finish earned her a ½ length victory in the Restricted Grade 3, $96,900 Wild West Futurity here on Sunday night.
Bateman has campaigned quality runners at Los Alamitos for nearly 20 years. His stable has included the likes of Christie Jo Dash, who ran second in the 2006 Governor’s Cup Derby and was a finalist to the 2005 Ed Burke Million Futurity, and Just A Fairytale at Los Alamitos, a quick dasher who in 2012 ran second in her trials to both the Kindergarten Futurity and Ed Burke Million.
In the Wild West, Just A Fairytale became a major part of Bateman’s richest win ever at Los Alamitos, as she’s dam of the Favorite Cartel filly Suite Caroline (racing in between horses in photo). Ridden by Jesus Rios Ayala for trainer Monty Arrossa, Suite Caroline chased Gary Laramie’s Jessica Cruz in the early stages of the Wild West before taking the lead at the midway of the 350-yard race. The Utah-bred Suite Caroline lugged out hallway through the race, but she was still good enough to post her fourth career win in seven starts. The homebred filly earned $40,698 for her victory to take her career earnings to $71,698. In the process, she became Bateman’s highest earning runner, moving ahead of Christie Jo Dash’s career earnings of $71,058.
“Blaine has been a very prominent breeder in the Intermountain area for several years,” Arrossa said. “I’ve been fortunate enough to train several horses that he bred and sold. This is the first horse that I’ve train that he’s owned. All the credit goes to Riley Moosman, Ron Moosman, Laurie Moosman.”
Prior to arriving at Los Alamitos to prepare for the Wild West, Suite Caroline was trained by Riley Moosman. His father, the great Utah-based horseman Ron Moosman, passed away on September 20.
“I told Ron Moosman when he called and asked me if I take this filly, I said ‘yes,’” Arrossa said. “I told Riley, ‘We’re going to win this for your dad.’ This one is for Ron Moosman. Ron wasn’t only a friend, he was a competitor, a mentor. Ron Mossman made me a better horse trainer. He was very competitive. He was a fierce competitor. He was a good man. He was a class man. I can’t thank him enough for his friendship and everything that he taught me. They are a wonderful family. Riley is an up-and-coming star. Laurie, she works so hard. They are true Intermountain greats.”
Ridden by Adrian Loza for trainer Elena Andrade, Jessica Cruz broke sharply from the outside post and fought gamely for the lead. She held off Bitterroot Futurity winner Monicas Favorite by a neck to earned the second place share of the purse of $16,473. Bred by Double Bar S Farm, Jessica Cruz is by FDD Dynasty out of the graded stakes place mare Jess Cuz.
Steve and Jason Berry’s Monicas Favorite earned $11,628 for running third. Heath Taylor saddled the Favorite Cartel homebred filly, who was ridden by Jose Nicasio. The top three finishers were followed by Jess Yaya, Secret Warning, Sockit Tooya, Special Gift, BF Viral Interest, My Lethal Jess, and One Sweet Duck.
-30-