Colorado Stakes/ Elizabeth Brand back to back wins
8/31/2012

article courtesy Jeffrey Wintersteen - COBRA 

The Jerry Partin Purina Oaks  (8-11) was contested on a cloudy day that had already brought much needed rain to a parched and burning Colorado.  That, coupled with the races new namesake, was more than enough cause for celebration.  Jerry Partin has been a pillar of Colorado racing for as long it has been around so such an honor was well deserved. 

Seven fillies went to the post for the 1 mile and 70 yard test.  The added 70 yards was suppose to give the field a bit more time to get sorted out before the first turn though this did not help eventual winner Danclildiamond who was caught four wide under leading rider Adrian Ramos.  The duo had only two horses beat by the time the field had ran a quarter mile.  Up front, there was a continuous battle for the lead between front running TM Maddamee (Burning Sand x Scarlet O Sara), Mufv It On Over.  Coming into the stretch, Ramos rallied his 4-year-old chestnut charge to the front and was clear by 2 lengths as they passed under the wire.  The Matthew Glover trained Ebeaucoup (Djet Set De Falgas x Wikings Wixen by Wiking), owned by Ray Teutsch, got up for second, and Mufv It On Over (Kador De Blaziet x Mufka by Partner) was able to hang on for third.  The bay filly is owned by Dreamfield Arabian Racehorses Inc. and is trained by Ken Danyluk.

Danclildiamond is conditioned by Elizabeth Brand.  The Line Dancer daughter is out of the Calin Du Loup daughter Djewell and was bred by Joe Powell.  She races under the Toskhara Arabian colors and owner Dick Reed was excited about the result.  “DanceLilDiamond has proven to be a good runner, she was one of the top 3-year-old fillies in 2011 based on winnings.  We gave her the winter off for rest and rejuvenation here in Texas.  Her first start back she was beaten by a nose in a photo having been forced wide and thrown off stride; she could have won that race.  We therefore were cautiously optimistic going into the race but having been involved at horse events for over 20 years we never expect to win!”

The next weekend the Sam Vasquez Derby  (8-19) was contested on a hot summer day, but with a little cloud cover that provided some relief.  Seven colts and geldings went to the post for the 1-mile and 1/16^th race.  The pre-race favorite was the Doran SBFAR son Its Far From Over with leading 2011 Arabian rider Adrian Ramos in the irons.  The four-year-old bay colt showed nice professionalism settling off a rather fast pace led by Pass Play through early fractions of 25.53 and 51.90 for the quarter and half.  The field rolled through a blistering 6 furlongs in 1:19.91 with Pass Play now fading and the Sam Vasquez owned Sammy V (Burning Sand x Heaven Kan Wait) taking the lead under Travis Wales.  Never too far back, however, was Its Far From Over and the two were shoulder to shoulder heading into the stretch, quickly separating themselves from the rest of the field.  It was a re-match from last February in the G2 Texas Six Shooter at Sam Houston where they finished 2^nd and 3^rd.  Its Far From Over steadily wore Sammie V down, and crossed the line a little over a length in front.  It was over twenty lengths back to the third place finisher Djak (Deluge x Djita De Falgas) trained by Mark Kulow and owned by Pat Foss.

Its Far From Over is also conditioned by Elizabeth Brand, making for an Oaks, Derby double in 2012 for both Brand and Ramos.  Out of the Bengali D’Albret mare A Foreign Affair, he is campaigned in Colorado by the Dubai businessman Faisal Hammad.  “Its Far From Over broke his maiden here last year, and was graded stakes placed this winter,” relates Brand.  “He does everything right, just a nice horse.”