News - Racing March  28, 2024

Too Tough To Catch, Jet Black Patriot Dominate Mardi Gras Futurity Trials


One Tough Fox (#6), with Alejandro Medina aboard, posted the fastest time over Ultimate Revenge (#4) in the Mardi Gras Futurity trials at Louisiana Downs.

© Lou Hodges Photography / Lynn Roberts

BOOSIER CITY, LA—FEBRUARY 21, 2015—Sires Too Tough To Catch and Jet Black Patriot dominated 16 trials Saturday for the restricted Grade 2 $300,502 Mardi Gras Futurity at Louisiana Downs by combing to sire seven of ten 10 finalists to first official futurity of 2015.

The trials started at 11:00 a.m. on a track labeled "Good" with a 13 mph headwind. The racing surface was downgraded to muddy by the second race, then a sloppy-sealed surface from race 3 through 16. The day, that saw rain delays throughout the afternoon, ended with a 10 mph headwind at 5:09 p.m.

The 10 fastest qualifiers, from the 143 head of Louisiana-bred two-year-olds who participated in Saturday's trials, will return to Louisiana Downs on Saturday, March 14 and vie for the $135,225 winner's share of the record setting purse.

One Tough Fox, a filly by Too Tough To Catch rolled to the fastest qualifying time of :15.444 seconds, a 97 speed index, when she defeated Ultimate Revenge by half-a-length in the final trial. Saddled by Vickie Lea McIlvain and ridden by Alejandro Medina, the chestnut miss entered the trials with a bullet work on January 15 at Louisiana Downs.

Yoni Martinez and Ms. McIlvain purchased One Tough Fox for $4,200 in the 2014 LQHBA Yearling Sale from the DeHart Farms consignment. Tara Broussard bred One Tough Fox from the Holme At Last mare Shes A Holme Fox.

Vfgo Max Go, under jockey Eddi Martinez, cruised a 2-¼ length victory in the sixth trial on Saturday.
© Lou Hodges Photography / Lynn Roberts
Also an LQHBA Yearling Sale graduate, Ultimate Revenge held on to the second fastest clocking of :15.516, a 94 speed index. Bred by Steve and Kathleen Billings, the Jet Black Patriot filly out of Kdwantsafastone, by Mr Eye Opener was an $11,500 repurchase at the summer sale.

The half-sister to Grade 1 Sam Houston Futurity winner Eye Got The Blues races for the Billings and K K Horse Racing. Jose Garcia is the trainer with Eddie Martinez getting the riding assignment.

Vfgo Max Go, under jockey Eddi Martinez, posted the most impressive trial win on Saturday with a 2¼ lengths winning effort in the sixth trial. Her time of :15.528 seconds, a 94 speed index, held as the fastest time until the final race when he ended with the third fastest clocking.

Jose Garcia saddled the $20,000 LQHBA Yearling Sale graduate for owner Horses of Fire, Inc. The Jet Black Patriot filly, out of Evangeline Downs Juvenile winner Ought To Go Shine by First To Shine, was consigned to the summer sale by her breeder J & B Racing.

Toast To Catch drew clear late in the seventh trial to get the fourth fastest qualifying time of :15.529 following a one-length winning effort for owner/trainer Miguel Rodriguez. Rodriguez purchased the Too Tough To Catch gelding for $17,000 from Tate Farms at the LQHBA Yearling Sale.

Toast To Catch is out of the Mardi Gras Derby(RG3) winner Toast To Mallard, by Toast To Dash, and is a half-brother to last year's Mardi Gras Derby winner T Boy C, an earner of more than $238,109.

Toast To Catch was the second finalist sired by Too Tough To Catch.

Jet Black Patriot sired half the field including the aforementioned Ultimate Revenge, Vfgo Max Go as well as 6th qualifier One Fast Jet, 7th qualifier Magic Black Jack and 8th qualifier Jetblackdash.

Leading sire Heza Fast Dash had the 9th qualifier Streakin Bye U and third crop sire Fast Prize Dash sired the final qualifier Brays American Honey.

Jose Garcia and Miguel Rodriguez saddled two finalists each.

For the complete list with times, sires, dams, owners, breeders, trainers and jockeys to the 2015 Mardi Gras Futurity CLICK HERE.


Courtesy Ses