EXCITING FINALS SET FOR THE LASSIE AND LADDIE FUTURITIES

Two long awaited championships are sure to produce fireworks over the July 4th holiday weekend! Delta Downs will host the $329,410 Lassie Futurity (RG2) on Friday night and the $357,981 Laddie Futurity (RG2) on Saturday, July 4.

Louisiana breeders, owners, trainers and jockeys endured a very challenging couple of months when the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the Delta Downs 2020 racing season. However, trials for both futurities on June 12 and 13 produced a slew of talented juveniles. Which of these ten fastest fillies and their male counterparts will claim the titles? It’s hard to predict, but as always, the story lines are incredible!

Big Chance for Ms Runaway Presence in the $329,410 Lassie Futurity (RG2)

It’s been a few years since owner Doug Traylor has won a futurity, but the roofing company owner is hopeful that the tide will turn on Friday night! His filly, Ms Runaway Presence set the fastest qualifying time in 15 trials for the Lassie Futurity, covering 330 yards in :16.712 seconds. The daughter of Sir Runaway Dash out of the Daunting Presence mare Provocative Presence was bred by Charles or Irma Lyles and is trained by Kenneth Roberts, Sr.

Noe Castaneda guided the gray filly to victory in her career debut in 13th trial. She was sent off as the favorite, breaking from the far outside post to win by a margin of a length.

Traylor purchased the filly for $32,000 at the LQHBA Yearling Sale and has a successful association with Roberts. They teamed up with Dashing Gage, winner of the 2012 LQHBA Sale Futurity and Telarosa, who won the 2015 edition of that championship. He reports that all systems are go for Friday’s final where his filly will break from post position eight.

“That’s what our jockey wanted,” said Traylor, who left Texas on Monday with his wife and sons to be front and center for the final. “She looks the part; will just need some racing luck.”

Roberts, who has won the Lassie three times, liked what he saw in her debut.

“I wasn’t sure what to expect because we were six weeks behind where we should have been,” he said, referring to the delayed start of the Delta Downs meet. “Physically, this filly was ready to run, but she was a little high strung in the mornings. If she can remain focused, I think we have a good chance.”

Double mentions go to stallions Sir Runway Dash, Freighttrain B and One Sweet Jess who will be well-represented in the Lassie Futurity final. Owners J & J Stables LLC have two finalists and join Jumonville Farms as breeder of multiple entrants. Trainers Vann Haywood and Jose Carrizales have the distinction of qualifying two fillies for the final.

Sir Louisiana Dash Leads The Field in the $357,981 Laddie Futurity (RG2)

Sir Louisiana Dash won the third of 18 trials for the $357,981 Laddie Futurity (RG2) in :16.470 seconds under jockey Luis Vivanco. Several of the colts and geldings in subsequent heats flashed speed and noteworthy finishes, but none could top the sorrel gelding.

Bred by Tate Farms, Sir Louisiana Dash is a son of Sir Runaway Dash out of the Separatist mare Ms Proverbial. An unraced 13-year-old Oregon-bred mare, Ms Proverbial was sold to Louisiana horseman Teddy Berry and foaled on his farm in Pitkin on February 19, 2018.

Berry is fairly new to Quarter Horse racing, but gives tremendous credit to LQHBA members including Tate, Leverne Perry, J.E. Jumonville, Butch Stevens and Jim Mitchell for sharing their passion and knowledge of the racing and breeding industry.

“My father and the late Jim Mitchell were good friends,” explained Berry. “Jim suggested we buy a racehorse and we became owners of Miss Edna Blue. We were there for her first race; she bucked and threw her jockey! But things have improved since then.”

Berry and his fiancée DeEdria were blown away by the arrival of Sir Louisiana Dash.

“He was a beautiful animal with these four white socks, but what was really amazing is the way he moved,” recalled Berry. “You would see him run in the pasture and his feet barely touched the ground.”

Berry took a photo and sent it to owner Rogelio Marquez, Jr. and sight unseen, a private purchase was transacted.

2018 LQHBA Champion Owner, Rogelio Marquez, Jr. had his first major futurity win in 2017 when Dashnunder Afullmoon captured the Lassie Futurity. The highly acclaimed daughter of Heza Fast Dash went on to win the Lee Berwick Futurity and was honored as LQHBA Champion 2-Year-Old Filly in 2017 as well as Co-Champion 3-Year-old Filly (with Fastdashing Lassie) in 2018.

On Saturday night, the resident of Rosenberg, Texas will have to share rooting interests between two finalists in the Laddie Futurity; the aforementioned Sir Louisiana Dash and third-fastest qualifier he also owns, San Lorenzo, a full brother to Open Me a Corona, bred by Jim and Natalie Montgomery.

“All you can hope is that they run one-two,” said Marquez.

Both are trained by Jesus Marquez, who is Rogelio’s uncle.

“He’s a very good horseman, added Rogelio.

The Montgomery’s bred San Lorenzo and He B Swift, a colt by Freighttrain B, who set the tenth-fastest time for owners Oscar Moreno and Juan and Edel Galicia. He is trained by Fructuoso Huitron.

Sir Runaway Dash has been a blessing to Tate Farms with earners in excess of $5.5 million. His offspring are very precocious with futurity wins by TF Racee Runaway, Jls Dashn And Zoomn, Runaway Second Downs, Jrs Taylors Runnaway and Sir Runaway Cash.

And it will be an exciting first for breeder Erin Chrisman, formerly of Spring Hill Farms. She bred her mare, Black Rosalita to Apollitical Blood. Black Blood, the ninth-fastest qualifier, is owned by Rayne Knight and trained by her husband, Michael Zingelmann.

“It is very exciting,” admitted Chrisman.

Wishing all the best to each of the connections this Friday, July 3 and Saturday, July 4 at Delta Downs! Here is a link to the ten fastest qualifiers:

• Lassie Futurity(RG2)
• Laddie Futurity(RG2)

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The LQHBA Insider is a monthly feature written by Martha Claussen for www.lqhba.com. She served as publicity director at Sam Houston Race Park for ten years. She continues to be active in writing, fan education and Quarter Horse racing publicity in Texas, Louisiana and other regions in North America.