Louisiana Quarter Horse Breeder Association

News - Racing April 20, 2024

Trainer Amanda Buchanan-Hadley Saddles Fire On The Fly to Marathon Stakes Victory

Fire On The Fly, under jockey Donell Blake, winning the Marathon Stakes Saturday afternoon at Louisiana Downs.

© Amanda Weir / Hodges Photography

BOOSIER, CITY, LA—JANUARY 9, 2016—Graded stakes winner Fire On The Fly kicked off his 2016 campaign with a four-length romp over Snowbound Cowboy in the $15,000 Marathon Stakes Saturday at Louisiana Downs. Heza Fast Corridor finished a head back in the show position of the first of the two "Opening Day" stakes contested at the Boosier City racetrack.

It was also the first stakes win at Louisiana Downs for new trainer Amanda Buchanan-Hadley, who saddled the Jet Cartel gelding for owner/breeder Bullard Farms. The Texas-bred is out of Shades In Pink (TB), by Fight Over (TB).

Amanda is the daughter of longtime Quarter Horse trainer John Buchanan and the wife of leading Quarter Horse jockey Russel Handley. With fourteen stalls at Louisana Downs, Amanda got off to a great start on opening day, winning one stakes and finishing second with her other two entries.

Jockey Donell Blake sent Fire On The Fly to front in his wire-to-wire victory. He came off the turn three wide before easily opening on the field and finishing the 870 yards, in hand, in :46.189 seconds, a 93 speed index. It was the ninth career win for the 6-year-old and the $9,000 winner's purse boosted his career earnings total to $155,956.

Snowbound Cowboy stepped up in class to finish second in the Marathon Stakes Saturday. Saddled by Manuel Vega, Jr., the Snowbound (TB) 5-year-old finished second for a $10,000 tag in his previous start, December 9 at Evangeline Downs. Luis Ruiz had the riding call for owners Pete and Greta Guerra.

Burnett Ranches, LLC bred Snowbound Cowboy in Texas form the Corona Cartel mare Strawberry Cartel, a half-sister to champion and world champion sire Stoli. The $3,000 runner-up purse brings Snowbound Cowboy's earnings to $16,208.

Heza Fast Corridor put in a late bid under jockey Ray Mayo to finish third. Elroy Potts, Sr. conditions the multiple stakes-placed Heza Fast Dash 8-year-old for owner Arkofa Farm. Ronald Dale Castille bred the brown gelding in Louisana from the Corridor Key (TB) mare Classic Corridor(TB). He picked up $1,650 to bring his bankroll total to $143,282.

Sheza Gammer, Rakin In The Jax, Mista Jb and Obadoe completed the field.

LQHBA is the official authorized representative of the American Quarter Horse racing and breeding industry in Louisiana, the unified voice of quarter Horse breedings in the State of Louisiana for purposes of communicatting the advantages and rewards of breeding Quarter Horses in the State and for the purposes of a conducting and coordinating activities with breeding and racing agencies.