Wednesday, April 11, 2018
EVANS HAS BIG WEEKEND WITH LONGSHOTS
Last week was a good week for trainer Holly Evans. Within a span of 24 hours, Evans won with three of her trainees, all who went off at double-digit odds.
On Friday, Holly won the nightcap with Sing in the Wind, a 34-1 longshot making her first career start. She was racing for a $25,000 claiming tag against six other 3-year-old fillies. The following afternoon, second-time starter Ride Into the Sky went off at 16-1 in Race 1 and proceeded to beat five other rivals. Like stablemate Sing in the Wind, Ride Into the Sky was racing against maiden claimers for a $25,000 purchase price.
“I thought both maidens had a big shot,” said Evans.
Back Shared Anvil capped off the big weekend for Evans with an off-the-pace victory against $3,200 claimers in Race 10 on Saturday. He was making his first start for the Evans barn and the first start of 2018. In fact, Back Sheared Anvil had race not since March of 2017.
“I told the owners to bet a couple of bucks on him and that’s what happened,” said Evans with a chuckle. “Yes, I really liked [Back Sheared Anvil]. The owners [John and Sherry Ryan] gave him a bunch of time after we purchased him and he came back to the track feeling really happy and healthy. He was working well going into the race.”
Evans currently trains 12 horses, meaning 25% of her barn earned a winner’s check last week.
STAKES WINNER FAST AND FOXY RETIRED
Multiple stakes winner Fast and Foxy has been retired from racing and was recently bred to California stallion Idiot Proof, per trainer Holly Evans. The daughter of Thisnearlywasmine earned $514,030 in her racing career and won 16 times, with all 16 victories coming over the Golden Gate Fields Tapeta.
“She did everything she could,” said Evans, who trained Fast and Foxy from start to finish. “She was all heart.”
Fast and Foxy was bred by Joe Dahling, who co-owns with Holly Evans. She broke her maiden on August 16, 2013, and went on to win a trio of stakes races: the 2016 and 2017 Bear Fan Stakes and the 2017 Camilla Urso Stakes. Catalino Martinez rode the California-bred mare to all three stakes triumphs.
“For me to get a horse like that…there are so many trainers that never get an incredible horse like her,” said Evans. “Fast and Foxy had a personality in the barn, too. She was fun to be around. She was very demanding when she wanted her carrots. The carrot bucket was right across from her stall so she would always be asking for some.”
“I feel very lucky,” continued Evans. “Joe [Dahling] and I are very proud of her.”
FINISH LINES: Golden Gate Fields will offer three live racing days (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday) for the next two weeks…There is a $23,144 carryover in the Rolling Super High 5 wager heading into Friday’s card. Friday’s seventh race offers the carryover…There is also a 20 Cent Golden Pick 6 carryover of $11,345. The first leg of the Pick 6 goes as Race 2…Good luck to jockeys Aaron Gryder and Edgar Velasco. Gryder will ride under contract at Hastings Racecourse for owner/trainer Glenn Todd while Velasco is set to compete at the Emerald Downs spring/summer meet in Auburn, Washington…Abel Cedillo and Billy Antongeorgi III are tied in the jockey standings with 51-wins apiece. Trainer John Martin leads all trainers in victories with 34 wins, two more than Jonathan Wong…Happy birthday to trainer Quinn Howey, who celebrates his birthday this Thursday.