SHELBYVILLE, Ind. (Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022) – A total of 45 two-year-olds competed in five trials with hopes of advancing to the $100,000 Miss Roxie Little Futurity Final. Piloted by an Angel was once again nothing less that spectacular and turned in the fastest time of the day to lead the top 10 into the final on Indiana Champions Day Saturday, Oct. 29 at Horseshoe Indianapolis. The win by the filly also marked the seventh on the day for trainer Randy Smith. It’s the third time in Horseshoe Indianapolis history that Smith has won seven races in one program, the most of any trainer for both Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing.
Piloted by an Angel scooted out of the gate quickly and was leading the way. She had no worries throughout the 350-yard dash and jockey Juan Marquez kept his whip tucked the entire way. The sorrel filly with the big blaze cruised under the wire for the win in :17.702. Dashtraxx and Rolando Pina finished a half length back in second and was a comfortable second by three-quarters of a length over Secret Horn and Edgar Diaz.
Owned by Debbie Smith and Sam Cruz’s SJC Inc., Piloted by an Angel is now five for six in her young career. She won the Jaguar Rocket Stakes earlier this summer and now has more than $140,000 in career earnings. She is the daughter of Paint My Pilot and was bred by Dunn Ranch of Indiana. It also marked the third win of the day for Marquez, who adds to his new record of most wins in one season by a Quarter Horse jockey with the count now up to 41.
The second quickest trial on the day was also won by a horse from the Smith barn as Winner Spirit and James Flores closed in late to win in :17.732. Winner Spirit was in contention for the lead early as The Dirty Wagon and German Rodriguez led the way. However, Winner Spirit had a good closing kick to get by for the win, just a neck ahead of The Dirty Wagon. CV Apollitical Chick and Giovani Vazquez-Gomez finished third.
Winner Spirit is owned by Walter “Dick Harrison, who also bred the gelding. He is by Apollitical Spirit and is four for six in his career to date. He was a winner in his last start in the $197,000 QHRAI Stallion Service Auction Futurity and is now on a four-race win streak. It was the first time Flores had been aboard the gelding and was the second win on the day for the jockey who won the $2.9 million All American Futurity earlier this fall aboard Hes Judgeandjury.
Smith also sent out Our Louisiana Girl as a winner in the Miss Roxie Little Futurity Trials. The sorrel filly, who is out of the multiple stakes winning mare My Louisiana Rod, was not the first out of the gate as Tuff Secret and Erik Esqueda led the way early on, but she kicked into gear midway through the sprint and rallied home to a one-length win in :17.985. Pandemic Beach and L.D. Martinez finished second over ER Crazy Secret and Jose Ruiz.
Our Louisiana Girl was bred by Gordon Timm, who also campaigned her mother, My Louisiana Rod, to more than $220,000 in career earnings and never finished off the board in 11 career starts. Debbie Smith now owns the filly, who was a winner in her last start over Piloted by an Angel, her only loss this season, in the $188,000 Leader of the Class Stakes.
Other trial winners on the day included It is On, trained by Randy Smith and ridden by German Rodriguez. It was a fight to the finish in the trial with a three-horse photo identifying It is On as the winner by a nose over Runaway Beach Chic and Francisco Quintero. Key Stone and Juan Marquez finished another head back in third.
It is On is owned by Debbie Smith. The grey On the Wagon gelding was bred by Keith Bode and it was his first career win in his fourth career start.
The final trial winner was in the final race of the day as Streakindownthebeach and Rolando Pina earned the win and the final spot on the top 10 qualifiers for the final. The Habits Secret gelding, owned by Buddy Presley, held the lead the entire way before fending off Flashin Five Bar and Juan Marquez late in the race for the win in :18.011. Jess Sir E Bob and L.D. Martinez finished third. It completed a training triple for Eggleston on the card.
Streakindownthebeach is trained by Tim Eggleston. It was also his first career win after finishing second and third four times in five previous starts. He was bred by Edward Pennington and purchased from the QHRAI Speed Sale last fall for $26,750. He now has in excess of $37,000 on his card.
The top 10 qualifiers for the Miss Roxie Little Futurity, in order of time with jockey, includes: Piloted by an Angel (Juan Marquez, :17.702); Winner Spirit (James Flores, :17.732); The Dirty Wagon (German Rodriguez, :17.760); Dashtraxx (Rolando Pina, :17.787); Secret Horn (Edgar Diaz, :17.916); Our Louisiana Girl (Juan Marquez, :17.985); It is On (German Rodriguez, :17.987); Runaway Beach Chic (Francisco Quintero, :17.996); CV Apollitical Chick (Giovani Vazquez-Gomez, :18.008); and Streakindownthebeach (Rolando Pina, :18.011). Randy Smith will saddle five for the final (Piloted by an Angel, Winner Spirit, The Dirty Wagon, Our Louisiana Girl, It is On) while Tim Eggleston will saddle three (Dashtraxx, Secret Horn, Streakindownthebeach).
Photos by Coady Photography
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