LARC NEWS Posted: 5/15/2023 1:12:32 AM

DOUBLE DOWN 123 GIVES OWNER RANDY YOUNG,

TRAINER MONTY ARROSSA THIRD STRAIGHT WIN IN KINDERGARTEN

                  Owner Randy Young won the Grade 2 Robert Adair Kindergarten Futurity for the third year in a row after the 12-1 longshot Double Down 123, a filly he owns in partnership with Taos River Ranch, outdueled Dutch Masters III’s Racy Sweet Corona by a head in the $275,900 race on Sunday at Los Alamitos.

      All three of Young’s Kindergarten wins have come with fillies. In partnership with Dennis Jensen, the owners won last year’s running with Valiantli. They also won the 2021 running with Fire Fast Honey. The three fillies have been trained by Monty Arrossa with Armando Cervantes piloting Double Down 123 (left) and also Fire Fast Honey to victories in this race. Cervantes was confident in Double Down 123’s abilities to upset the field in the 300-yard dash. All she needed was a good start, which is exactly what she was able to do from the outside post nine.

       “I told Monty in the morning that if we got a good start that I thought that we could win it,” Cervantes said. “In the trials we didn’t get much of a good break. She was closing in so I thought that if she broke that we would have a good shot in the race. That’s what she did. When you break, when you get tight with those horses and you nose to nose with them, I’m saying that about 250 yards into the race, I knew (Racy Sweet Corona) wasn’t going to pass us. I was yelling, yelling, yelling, keeping her busy and thank God we got the victory.”

      With the win, Double Down 123 becomes the first stakes winner for her sire Flying Cowboy 123, the AQHA champion colt at ages two and three. Now standing at Granada Farms in Wheelock, Texas for owner Paragon Farms, LLC, Flying Cowboy 123 won eight of 13 starts in his decorated racing career while earning $965,811. He won the Grade 1 Texas Classic Futurity and the Grade 1 Texas Classic Derby and was third in both the Grade 1 All American Derby and Grade 1 Rainbow Futurity.

      Young matches Hall of Fame owner and breeder Ivan Ashment as the only owners with three consecutive wins in the Kindergarten.

      “I’ve been blessed with these good horses and good partners,” Young said. “We went to the (Heritage Place Yearling Sale) and bought this filly. She started working well. I’m good friends with (Taos River Ranch). Johnny Trujillo called me and Sue (Arden Floyd) and asked me if we wanted to be partners. We worked on the deal, and they bought her. We’re good friends and partners on Valiantli now. We bought a filly at the Heritage Winter Sale that we are going to partner up on also. We’ve been friends for years.”

      Young was thrilled to know that his filly became a part of history for the stallion Flying Cowboy 123.

       “We met Justin Hosea (farm manager of Paragon Farms) at the sale last year. We talked to him and kind of became friends. We bought Jess Dynasty Time from him. I’m glad that we’re the first stakes winner for that stallion. I like the fillies and Monty has always said that they mature faster. We shoot for that and have had good luck with them.”

        With the Kindergarten fillies of Fire Fast Honey, Valiantli, and now Double Down 123, Young is involved with three exciting broodmare prospects.

        “We’re trying to,” said Young about the prospects of his broodmare band. “We got a few babies coming out of Fire Fast Honey for next year and Valiantli, that’s in the future. And now this one. We’re excited to seeing them have some babies.”

         Double Down 123 earned $$115,878 for the win after covering the 300 yards in :15.436. Bred by Bob and Jerry Gaston, this was her first win in three career starts.

        “The break was the key, and the post position was the key,” Arrossa added. “We snuck into this race as the 10th fastest qualifier. We liked this filly all along. When she drew the 10 hole, I felt pretty good. I didn’t know if she could win it or not, but I thought she could be pretty competitive because I thought she could stay out of traffic and not get any bumping. A lot of credit to Armando Cervantes. He put the time in during the morning and rode a great race. I’m very thankful for him and glad that he’s on our team. I’m thrilled for Randy Young and Taos River Ranch, Sue Floyd, Jeremy Trujillo, Johnny Trujillo, and Peggy Trujillo, this is special win for them.”

         Arrossa shared his thoughts on pointing fillies to the Kindergarten trials.

         “I think when a filly gets dialed in, they can be tough. Obviously we’ve had great luck the last few years with their fillies. They like to run early so we like to point them to the Kindergarten. This filly, she matured early. Romero Fregoso, my former assistant in Idaho, he broke her and did an excellent job with her. He told me when we sent her down here that she was our kind of horse. She had a good mind and likes to do things right. He put a great foundation into her.”

        Owned by Dutch Masters III, Racy Sweet Corona earned $46,903 for his strong runner-up effort. Bred by Johnny Trotter, the gelding by Corona Cartel was ridden by Oscar Peinado for trainer Jaime Gomez. He’s finished second or better in all three of his starts and entered this race as the fastest qualifier. Keith Nellesen’s Think Again Kev finished third with Jose Nicasio up for trainer Heath Taylor. The son of KVN Corona earned $33,108 for his solid effort.

        The top three finishers were followed by Just A Fooler, Brindisi, Choosen One, Hez Lonesome, Kevins Knockout, and Max Storm. Political Rivalry was scratched earlier in the day.

-30-


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