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Snowy Alibi surprises with win
Bridled Lightnin shakes up race by forcing reload
By RICHARD DEAN
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle
Streakin Illusively, the fastest qualifier, was the 4-5 favorite at post time of Saturday's $343,305 TQHA Sale Futurity. That was before Bridled Lightnin broke through the front of the gate and lost her rider, forcing a reload and shaking things up.
The beneficiary was Snowy Alibi, a 10-1 long shot ridden by Alfonso Lujan, who surprised the Sam Houston Race Park crowd by winning the 350-yard race on a good track.
Still, trainer Janet Van Bebber made it to the winner's circle. But not with the horse most expected in Streakin Illusively.
"Things can happen," said Van Bebber, who trains the first-, third- and fourth-place finishers in Saturday's ninth race. "Just like tonight.
"One horse unfortunately broke through the gates. That changed the whole format of the race."
Off to bad start
Bridled Lightnin broke through the front of the gate, throwing Jeff Jerman, and got loose on the track.
Bridled Lightnin wasn't caught until the clubhouse turn, forcing a reload and delaying the race five minutes.
"In some ways, the reloading worked out to be a blessing for Snowy Alibi," Van Bebber said. "He's a nervous colt and it helped him be a bit more focused.
"When he came back in, he stood up in there and was perfect. I'm so proud of him."
Snowy Alibi won in 17.632 seconds, a half-length over Look and Runaway, ridden by Dewey Smith and trained by Joseph Manucy.
"For a 30-1 shot, this is tremendous," Manucy said. "This filly is really a game filly. When you see three wins on a horse in five starts, she's going to give you what she's got."
As did Snowy Alibi. In four lifetime starts, Snowy Alibi has two wins and two seconds. Saturday, Snowy Alibi finished strong, earning $152,771 and paying $22.80, $10 and $4 under Lujan, who rode four winners Saturday.
Streakin Illusively, with Martin Rubalcava riding, finished third, a length behind Look and Runaway in the 10-horse field.
"He (Streakin Illusively) false-broke is what Martin told me," Van Bebber said. "When the horse broke through the front of the gate he tried to go with him, which is what he's trained to do.
"In doing so, he hit his head badly in front of the gate and that dazed him a bit and made it harder for him to leave as well as he should."
Bridled Lightnin ran ninth.
Texas Sixes wins trials
James Brooks rode four winners Saturday, including Texas Sixes, the fastest qualifier in the TQHA Sires' Cup Derby trials.
Texas Sixes ran 400 yards in 20.084 seconds. Jodys Funny Face, ridden by Smith, was the second-fastest qualifier in 20.085. The final of the TQHA Sires' Cup Derby is Aug. 12.
In addition to stakes racing, Saturday concluded the 2006 TQHA Yearling Sale. The sale topper was hip 141, Tailgunner Tom, with a top bid of $110,000 by Glen S. Collins of College Station.
The TQHA reported the 2006 catalog included 320 consignees, and sales from the two-day event totaled $3,268,500. The sale has produced 2003 world champion Oak Tree Special and Azoom, the 2004 Sam Houston Race Park horse of the meet.
Saturday's racing concluded the Texas Showdown, one of the biggest weekends of Sam Houston's quarter horse meeting.
Friday, four stakes totaled more than $160,000 in purses, including a dead heat for first involving Fast Rythum and Cash on Black.
Lujan was riding Fast Rythum and Rodrigo Vallejo rode Cash on Black.
richard.dean@chron.com
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