Fresh off his win in the John Deere Juvenile Regional Challenge win in mid-September, TW Streakin Cowboy booted home another win to lead the qualifiers into the $320,750 final of the Governor’s Stake set for Saturday, October 25 during the sixth annual Indiana Champions Day. Quarter Horses are featured on the second half of the program and will offer record purses of $1 million for the day, a first in Indiana Quarter Horse history.
TW Streakin Cowboy and Diego Villamil Bocanegra began from post four in the second of five trials on the day and powered out of the gate and was in contention with WR Hott Shott and Eduardo Diaz for the early lead in the 400-yard dash, the first time in 29-year history of the race, which has been contested at 350-yards in the previous 28 runnings. TW Streakin Cowboy was relentless in overtaking WR Hott Shott and fought all the way to the wire for the win by a head over his opponent. Heza Hawkeye and German Rodriguez finished third.
TW Streakin Cowboy scored the win in :19.933, the quickest time amongst 42 starters in the five trials. The Flying Cowboy 123 gelding paid $5.60 for the win. Natasha Perez trains the homebred, owned by Thomas Wylie of Ohio.
Kicking off the day of racing in the first trial was a win by Mr Booombastic and Martin Munoz. The freshman son of Dulce Sin Tacha led the field from gate to wire for the win by a neck in the three-horse photo in a time of :20.157 to be ranked as the fourth fastest behind the trial won by TW Streakin Cowboy. First Angel and Fernando Morin finished second over The Unsung Hero and Eduardo Diaz.
Mr Booombastic scored his third win in five starts for Trainer Ricardo Martinez. Carolos Ramos owns the Oklahoma bred who is by young sire Dulce Sin Tacha. The sorrel colt was a $22,000 Heritage Place September Yearling Sale purchase last fall.
“We bought him at the sale last year looking for a deal on a new stud,” said Martinez. “They all came out good from him this year, so you can’t get one of his foals now for the price we got. (Mr Booombastic) already has a stakes win for us and he’s shown us a lot. He’ just a little short but other than that, he is great.”
Mr Booombastic and TW Streakin Cowboy set the bar early on the day, with two other trial winners, Lynard (L. Daniel Martinez) and One Magic Eagle (Eduardo Diaz) rounding out the top 10 headed to the final. Go Lota Girl, ridden by Martin Munoz, was the fifth trial winner but did not qualify for the final with a time of 20.613.
The full field set for the Governor’s Stake Final, in order of time with jockey, includes: TW Streakin Cowboy (19.933, Diego Villamil Bocanegra); WR Hott Shott (19.952, Eduardo Diaz); Heza Hawkeye (20.103, German Rodriguez); Mr Booombastic (20.157, Martin Munoz); Ole Slew Foot (:20.191, Martin Munoz); First Angel (20.204, Fernando Morin); The Unsung Hero (20.217, Eduardo Diaz); TW Girls Gray Corona (20.220, Diego Villamil Bocanegra); Lynard (20.297, L. Daniel Martinez); and One Magic Eagle (20.326, Eduardo Diaz). Trainer Tim Eggleston saddles three for the final (WR Hott Shott, The Unsung Hero, One Magic Eagle) while Natasha Perez (TW Streakin Cowboy, TW Girls Gray Corona) and Ricardo Martinez (Mr Booombastic, Ole Slew Foot) each saddle two.
The Governor’s Stake is the oldest pari-mutuel Quarter Horse race in Indiana history. It was the first of three held during the inaugural night in 1997 at Hoosier Park and was won by Easys Night Beat with Carter Riley aboard for Trainer Randy Haffner and owners Mike and Mary Jo Renihan for a purse of $10,000. This year’s final at $320,750 will mark a new record for purse money for the race.
The 23rd season of live Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing runs through Thursday, Nov. 13. For more information on racing at Horseshoe Indianapolis, visit www.caesars.com/horseshoe-indianapolis/racing or find details on social media @HSIndyRacing.
