Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino (Saturday, December 15, 2007)
Ducky Drake closes boldly to take $50,000 KLAQ Handicap
Gotta Get takes repeat win in $125,000 Jess Burner Handicap
Ducky Drake closed like a freight train to earn a popular victory in the
$50,000 KLAQ Handicap at Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino on
Saturday.
Under a steady ride from Mark Villa, Ducky Drake raced far off the early
pace of the five and one-half furlong feature. Villa positioned the five-year-old
Benchmark gelding towards the rail before commencing a prolonged rally.
Ducky Drake gobbled up ground passing the quarter pole and found a
good seam along the rail to produce a magnificent rally. The winner
closed from over 12-lengths off the pace and put away the tiring pace
setters with over a 100 yards to go.
Racing as the 8-5 favorite, Ducky Drake rattled through the feature in a
fast 1:03.64. The victory was his third in a row including two straight
stakes wins. Last season, the dependable stretch runner used similar
tactics in winning the Bill Thomas Memorial Handicap.
The winner is trained by Bart Hone. He earned $30,000 for owners
Aury and Ralph E. Todd.
Ducky Drake improved his career record to 8 wins, 6 seconds and
2 thirds from 19 starts. He has earned over $223,000.
Dragooner ran courageously to earn second place honors for the
Steven Asmussen stable. The runner-up wound up one-half length
in front of Absolutely True.
The 3-1 second choice Whirl tired in fourth place after setting a wicked
pace.
Despite a bumpy start, Gotta Get powered his way to a repeat victory in the
$125,000 Jess Burner Memorial Handicap at 400 yards.
The 2006 World Champion Aged Quarter Horse gelding found his best strides
in deep stretch and pulled clear to a one-half length victory against an accomplished
field of New Mexico-bred Quarter Horses.
Winning jockey J.J. Gonzales said after the race, “A couple of horses bumped us
at the start. The #5 horse (Dueling Juan) had us worried early, but Gotta Get
really kicked in good down the stretch.”
The remarkably consistent defending champ was timed in a brisk 19.331 seconds
while scoring his 19th career win for trainer Fred Danley. The conditioner indicated
Gotta Get may be pointed for a return engagement in the $400,000 Championship
at Sunland Park sponsored by Certegy to be run on Saturday, Dec. 29. Gotta Get
won the Grade 1 event against open company last year.
Winning co-owner Gordon Cox proclaimed Gotta Get “a once in a million horse.”
The five-year-old sorrel gelding by Celadon picked up a $75,000 paycheck for
owners Rita Danley and Cox. His lifetime bankroll expanded to well over
$882,000. Sunland Park 2006-07 Quarter Horse of the Meet ranks as one of the
greatest New Mexico-bred Quarter Horses ever.
Gotta Get returned a generous $6.40 on a $2 win ticket considering his highly
impressive resume.
Luck N Ofive, an upset winner over Gotta Get at Zia Park, had to settle for second
in the Jess Burner after holding a brief lead in mid-stretch. G.R. Carter rode the
runner-up.
Dueling Juan finished three-quarter lengths behind in third place. Last season’s
Mesilla Valley Speed Handicap winner raced as a 7-1 shot.
Ducky Drake -
Photo credit Eugene
O'Neill / Coady Photohgraphy
Gotta Get
- Photo credit Eugene O'Neill /
Coady Photohgraphy