ESPN Horse Racing

BLUE RIBBON DOWNS: John Curtis' homebred Blazen Madie won for the second time in as many starts as the Blazen Bryan filly got up to win the $133,839 Lazy E Futurity (RG2) on Saturday. Previously contested at Remington Park, the Lazy E races were run at Blue Ribbon Downs for the first time. With Mike Harvell riding for trainer David Drake, the Oklahoma-bred filly sprinted 350 yards in :17.755 to earn a 100 speed index and $60,836.

Blazen Madie won her Lazy E trial in her racing debut and posted the fourth-fastest qualifying time. She is the third stakes winner sired by Blazen Bryan, a 10-year-old Grade1-placed son of Chicks Beduino. The stallion stands at Burns Ranch in Menifee, California, and also shuttles to stand in Brazil. Blazen Madie is the first stakes winner out of the Big Smash mare Smashum Sugar, who has produced two other winners.

None As Easy, a filly from the first crop of champion Dashin Is Easy, finished a neck back in second and was followed by Go Go Holland, Holland Fool Speed, Nine Orchids, Moe Action, Southern Corona, Mr Shot Dunn and Carona With Lime. Leavin Is Easy was scratched.

Also on Saturday, fastest qualifier Southern Cartel went wire-to-wire to record his first stakes win in the $76,342 Lazy E Derby (RG2) . Owned and bred by Bill Price, whose homebred A Real Man was last year's champion 3-year-old, Southern Cartel earned a career-best 107 speed index for his 400-yard sprint in :19.689 with Larry Payne in the irons. Eddie Willis trains the Oklahoma-bred son of Corona Cartel.

The victory pushed Southern Cartel's bankroll to $127,490. Last year the colt finished fourth in the Lazy E Futurity (RG2) and third in the Ruidoso Futurity (G1), beaten just a nose by Zip First and Fast First Call. Southern Cartel is the 28th stakes winner by Corona Cartel, who from three crops has sired the earners of nearly $5 million. Southern Cartel is out of Southern Policy, who won half of her 22 career starts and also produced Grade 3 winner Southern Dashing Val.

Corona Coquette, who won last year's American Airlines Oklahoma Challenge (G3) at Blue Ribbon Downs and later finished second in the American Airlines Challenge Championship (G1), took second and was followed by Dazzling Dutch, Copa Show Girl, One Corona For Me, Camden Corona, Pernilla Ease, Cuchara Chic, Flirtatious Glance and Abbies Lady Pride.

DELTA DOWNS: Overcoming a layoff of nearly four months, Silent Overdrive extended his win streak to four with a nose victory in Sunday's $35,000 John Alleman Memorial Stakes (R) . Trained by Janet VanBebber for Richard Slayter Sr., Silent Overdrive earned a 93 speed index for his 350-yard sprint in :17.912 with Alvin Brossette aboard.

The win was the 11th in 21 starts for the Sunny Silence gelding and it pushed his earnings to $226,820. The 5-year-old has won four other Louisiana-bred stakes, including the Mardi Gras Derby (RG3) and Louisiana Champions Day Classic (RG2). Last year against open company at Remington Park he finished second in the Eastex Handicap (G2) and third in the Remington Gold Cup (G2).

Streakin To Romance, the winner of last year's Professional's Choice Challenge Championship, finished second and was followed by JT Joy Ride, Mr Mallard, Burrs Warrior, Mr Jess Copy, Cause For Action and Hes Extraordinaire.

LOS ALAMITOS: Miami Cartel, the winner of last year's Los Alamitos Derby (G1), picked up his first win as an older horse in Saturday's $26,900 Kaweah Bar Handicap (G3) at 350 yards.

Ridden by Saul Ramirez, who was making his first riding appearance of the year at Los Alamitos, Miami Cartel overcame a bump at the start to defeat Laguna Hills Handicap winner Takin On Spoon Man by a neck. Miami Cartel and Takin On Spoon Man were assigned equal highweight of 125 pounds for this race.

Trained by Paul Jones for partners Charles Boyles and James Azevedo, Miami Cartel earned $14,795 for his seventh win in 22 starts. After covering the distance in :17.688, Miami Cartel has now earned $238,449. Sent off as the third choice in the wagering at 9-2 odds, the son of Corona Cartel also snapped a three-race losing streak in the process.

"He had been chasing Whosleavingwho in his last three starts," Boyles said. "It's tough to win races when you do that."

Prior to the Kaweah Bar, Miami Cartel was fifth in the Champion of Champions (G1), second in a trial to the Los Alamitos Winter Championship (G1) and sixth in the Winter Championship final. Whosleavingwho was the winner in each of those races.

"We thought Miami Cartel was the class horse in this race based on the horses he had been facing in previous starts," Boyles added. "This was a pretty tough race because horses like Takin On Spoon Man and Truly Tia have been at the top of their game, but I still felt Miami Cartel was the class."

"He stumbled a little bit," said Jones referring to Miami Cartel. "He drifted out but he was in the clear. The outcome is what counts. He ran a nice race."

Trained by Juan Aleman for Anjora Corp, Takin On Spoon Man earned $6,052 for his runner-up effort. The son of Takin On The Cash has quickly become one of the top older horses in California since arriving from Mexico late last year. In addition to this runner-up effort and his Laguna Hills win, Takin On Spoon Man was also second in the Holiday Handicap and fourth in the Winter Championship. Joe Badilla piloted Takin On Spoon Man in this race.

Margosian and Marshall's IB Snow earned $3,363 for finishing third, a head behind Takin On Spoon Man. Bred by Richard Marshall, IB Snow also ran third in last year's Sgt Pepper Feature Handicap (G3).

Almost Flyin, Bobcat Bob, This Snow Is Mine and Truly Tia completed the field. Bob Grimes' Truly Tia, who was sent off as the 6-5 favorite, had a troubled start according to his trainer.

"He broke slowly and then had a horse come over real hard," said Jones, who saddled Truly Tia. "He didn't have much of a shot after that."

This was the 45th running of the Kaweah Bar, which honors one of Quarter Horse racing's legendary sprinters. Kaweah Bar was a two-time world champion and his 18 stakes wins at Los Alamitos remain a track record, which he shares with Charger Bar. Kaweah Bar won this race in 1972 when it was still known as the Inaugural Handicap. It became the Kaweah Bar in 1980.

MANOR DOWNS: Making his first start of the year and recording his first stakes win, David and Bonnie Whiteaker's Bugs Dash won Saturday's $16,900 Manor Downs Handicap III . William McClaran was aboard for the 870-yard trip timed in :45.79, good for a 98 speed index. Octavio Saenz Jr. was the winning trainer.

A 6-year-old son of Special Elan, Bugs Dash was winning for the sixth time in 28 starts and pushing his bankroll to $46,770. The gelding hit the board in two stakes in 2001, the Red River Handicap and Lone Star Park Distance Championship (G3).

Irish Leader closed to take second and was followed by Looking Reckless, Bubbubabad, The Jovial and BL Reo.

SUNLAND PARK: On Friday, Lola Willis and Joyce McBride's Priceless Miracle was sent to post at 22-1 in the $60,500 New Mexican Spring Fling (R) . For a while it looked like the bettors were right. The Dean Miracle colt broke fourth and veered in from the 7 post, but at the wire he was half a length in front of 42-1 shot Der Vizzard. Trained by Steve Stephens and ridden by Billy Burress, Priceless Miracle earned a 98 speed index for covering 300 yards in :21.80 with the aid of an 18 mph tailwind.

Priceless Miracle paid $45.60 for the win, a place ticket on Der Vizzard paid $44.60 and the two combined for a $465.30 exacta ($1). Earning $36,300 while breaking his maiden in his second out, the 2-year-old colt increased his bankroll to $37,150. Priceless Miracle finished third in his March 18 trial.

Bred by Diamond P Ranch, Priceless Miracle is the third stakes winner sired by Dean Miracle in two crops to race. The 9-year-old Streakin Six stallion's runners have earned $676,354. Priceless Miracle is the first stakes winner produced by Miss Dial A Coin, a Pocket Coin (TB) mare who ran third in the 1987 Firecracker Futurity (G1). The mare's 10 starters have earned $117,546 and include Priceless Miracle's full brother Dial A Miracle, who ran third in last year's New Mexico Breeders' Futurity (RG3).

Gals Favorite Guy crossed the wire third and was followed by Celebrity Miracle, Hit The High Note, Kits Rollin Bug, Luminera, Famous Victory, A Streak Of Rime, and Real And Free. The entry of Kits Rolling Bug, Famous Victory and Hit The High Note was the 2-5 favorite.

On Saturday, Ill Do The Job made his stakes debut a winning one as he led nearly the entire 870 yards in the $53,200 Getaway Handicap (G3) for 3-year-olds. With James Gonzales II riding for trainer Blane Wood, the gelded son of Special Task stopped the timer at :45.575 to earn a 90 speed index. The victory was worth $31,920 to owners Trey Wood and Richard Shearer.

At straightaway distances, Ill Do The Job won just once in first starts -- a $7,500 maiden claiming race at Sunland. In his 870-yard debut, he romped by six lenghts over $20,200 allowance foes. The Getaway Handicap was just his second start around the turn. Now a winner of three of seven outs, the Texas-bred has banked $49,844. Ill Do The Job is the first stakes winner produced by Perfect Liaison, a stakes-placed daughter of Moon Lark, and he is the 10th stakes winner sired by 1991 West Texas Futurity (G1) winner Special Task.

A Sudden Blaze finished second and was followed by Bully Of The Class, Slam Bam (TB), Whata Snowbound, Lush Budget, Gulchrunssweet (TB) and Xylac.

Trainer Mike Joiner swept the first two spots in the $50,500 West Texas Juvenile Stakes (R) as Jess Delightful defeated stablemate Jess Rapid by a half-length. G.R. Carter piloted Jess Delightful through 300 yards in :15.093 to earn a 102 speed index and $30,300 for Billy G. Smith and Downtime Ent. LLC.

Jess Delightful also won her March 21 West Texas Futurity (G1) trial but failed to qualify to the final. The Texas-bred is the first foal out of the winning Special Effort mare Delightful Effort and the 25th stakes winner by Mr Jess Perry, who just moved past the $6 million mark in progeny earnings from five crops.

Jess Rapid, also by Mr Jess Perry, rallied for second and was followed by The A List, Gage Man, Madam Gold, Koolen Down, Royal Quick Stop, TME Eyezasaint, Fast Lookin Gal and Fitness Lady.

Fastest qualifier Hidden Dragon, part of a three-horse entry trained by Carl Draper, got up by a neck over Corsentino to win the $268,377 New Mexican Spring Futurity (RG1) , which had the richest purse in the nine-year history of the race. Juan Vazquez rode the filly for owners Fredda Draper, Lola Willis and Elmer Criswell. The filly dashed 300 yards in :15.027 to earn a 104 speed index.

Now undefeated in three starts, Hidden Dragon has earned $143,537. The New Mexico-bred broke her maiden by 2 1/2 lenghts in her debut and then won her New Mexican Spring trial by 1 1/4 lengths. Hidden Dragon is from the second crop of champion Dean Miracle, a half brother to 2001 Golden State Futurity (G1) winner Tres Seis and half sister to Fortune Of Delight, who produced 1999 All American Futurity (G1) winner A Delightful Dasher. Dean Miracle sired the first three finishers in this race last year and the first two in this year's running.

Corsentino, who finished second in his trial race, finished second again and earned $48,308 for owner Boyd Clement of Cuchara, Colorado. Specialy Real was third and was followed by One And Onea, Ongoing Ta Fame, Figure On This, Captain Scobee, Chicks Easy Sisters and Serenas Quick Dash. By By JJ was scratched.