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Louisville - Wednesday Morning



Walterway’s Crack Me Up has certainly paid for his trip to Louisville for owner Larry Hartsock. Second in the open futurity, he stepped up to the big money prize as the winner of the ASR Kentucky Amateur Weanling Futurity. Kenny Wheeler and Brad Noel were the winning handlers for the second year in a row in this class, as they took Whassup to this prize a year ago. Crack Me Up is by Undulata’s Nutcracker and out of one of Larry Hartsock’s golden crosses of Star Material and Yorktown’s Forget-Me-Not (BHF), Walterway’s What About Me. From Matt Shiflet Stables, the showmanship of Wes Hall and Chad Graham came to the front with I’m GQ. By Matthew and Whitney Shiflet’s stallion, Tango’s Parting Kiss, I’m GQ is out of Rich Woman, by CH Man On The Town. Wes and Chad wore their matching outfits to finish out the GQ look. MBA’s Amstel and Todd Valentine were third, assisted by Brittany Baird for MBA Equestrians. Big Top and Bobby Dunn were up next in the money in fourth for J.D. Gardner.

The Three-Year-Old Hackney Pony class was one of the most evenly matched groups of the week, with five ponies all vying for the top spot. It was a great debut for Heartland Night Music and Alicia Schuckert, as they took the World’s Championship for Faydelle Schott. It was a first world title for both Alicia and Night Music. Night Music is by Heartland Head Of The Class and out of a Heartland Equality mare. Night Music’s second dam is New Song, the dam of World’s Grand Champion Heartland Rain Song. Chris Gantley made wife Christy happy with his drive of Crazy Good, taking the Reserve World’s Championship. By Bruce Almighty, Crazy Good is out of First Avenue, by Cherry’s Playboy. They made a winning drive at Central States last month. Heartland Showdown and Darrel Kolkman finished third, also from the Heartland Hackney Farm.

The second of these full siblings to win a World’s Championship this week, Nuttin’ Innocent was the ASR Three-Year-Old Three-Gaited Park Futurity winner today with Steve Wheeler. Full brother Nutoriously Innocent scored the win in the ASR Kentucky Weanling Futurity on Saturday night. A gorgeous bay gelding, Nuttin’ Innocent is by Undulata’s Nutcracker and out of Angel Innocence. Laura rode Angel Innocence to the Ladies Amateur Three-Gaited Reserve World’s Champion of Champions title in 2009. She has since set her course for the Broodmare Hall of Fame. She is well on her way for Stockings N Stripes LLC. Reserve honors went to Magic City and Jim Lowry. An entry of Jacqueline Manzo, he is by Undulata’s Nutcracker and out of Call Me Glamorous. The breeder of record for this one is David Rudder, which makes sense when you look at the pedigree of Call Me Glamorous. She is by CH Harlem Town and out of Adelita, both ridden to World’s Championships by David Rudder. Jim had to make an emergency catch ride here today, filling in in grand style. Amanaska and Robert Gardiner were third in this good group for his Chevelle Show Horses. Lismore’s A Nutter One and Lionel Ferreira finished fourth for Terri Kearney.

What a great week it has been for Thunderbolt and the Diamond View Farm team. Co-owner Shane Mullens headed up another victory pass for the bay speed demon today as the unanimous Ladies Amateur Roadster to Bike World’s Champion. Judy McNeish got the catch drive with her former partner, picking it right back up. The last time she showed Thunderbolt here, she won this very same class in 2009. Ali DeGray added a 51st world title to her tally, finishing reserve with Miss Daisy. The entry of Helen Rich is trained by DeVore Stables. They were twice reserve at Blue Ridge and took the reserve championship at Asheville as well. Zeus and Ann MacMurray Cox took the yellow ribbon back home north of the border to Canada under the direction of Luman Wadhams. Indian Outlaw and Flecia Fairey represented the Dutch Harness Horses in fourth for Monnington Farm.

Sarah Mackenna made her first Louisville victory pass a big money one, taking the ASR Three-Year-Old Park Pleasure National Futurity with Riverdream’s Remarcable. Bred and owned by Riverdreams LLC, Remarcable is by the great Marc Of Charm and out of Man What A Dream, by another World’s Champion Five-Gaited Stallion, CH Man On The Town. Sarah has enjoyed an undefeated season with this pretty chestnut, winning all seven of her classes. “Not bad for her second time,” Steve Wheeler said over the rail to owner and breeder Owen Weaver. Not bad indeed, as Fox Grape’s Love Bug was the reserve winner. Sired by Deep Blue, Love Bug is out of Madeira’s Love, by Madeira’s Caramac. This team also earned reserve at Lexington Junior League this year. Dr. Dolittle and Dena Lopez were up in the money for third for Double D Ranch. Vegas Jackpot and Melissa Moore were fourth for Sandra Corney Stables.

Alexandra Percoco made an emotional ride aboard Cloverleaf Freedom Writer to win the Amateur Park Stallion/Gelding class for the second year in a row. It was back to back wins for Monnington Farm, as Lionel Ferreira headed up the victory pass. Freedom Writer has a new registered ownership group, the Sturm family, Chris, Janet and Faith. Freedom Writer is by The Mystery Writer and out of I Did I Did. Allie showed him at Lexington to win the Open Three-Gaited Park Championship there. Their final ride together will come on Saturday, as they seek a tricolor swan song. In the top two in every class they have shown in the past two seasons, Seven Spanish Angels and Deborah Orr were the Reserve World’s Champions for James Orr and Kalarama. By Designed, the big bay gelding is out of Annie Up, by CH Heir To Champagne. This was the exact same order of finish a year ago in this class. The top two flipped in the championship, as Seven Spanish Angels was the World’s Champion of Champions. CH Glenview’s Excelalante and Maya Manilow were third for Charles Goodman, with Cherished King and Lexie Pearson making a top show in fourth for Dave and Lexie Pearson and Devore Stables.

Kay Marschel is now two for two with Sight Unseen. Both of those wins came with World’s Championship titles, as the bay is now the Junior Hackney Pleasure Driving World’s Champion of Champions. By Mastercraft and out of Regal’s Love Song LF, Sight Unseen is trained by Majestic Oaks. Kay was a winner in this division in 2013 as well with I Am Legend. Cheryl Innis Harris was up to be the Reserve World’s Champion of Champions at the lines of Four Point O. The entry of Kim Swartz is trained by Rodney Hicks. Four Point O is by Valedictorian and out of LLF Special Secret, by Truly Unique. Kim was at the lines for double victory passes at Syracuse against the older ponies.

Kathy Capsuto Walker sure feels smart about her selection from the 2011 Robertson Equine Sales Fall Sale. Crackers In Bed has now produced a Reserve World’s Champion and a World’s Champion for Kathy. It was a full sister to Sir Graham Cracker winning the ASR Kentucky Amateur Two-Year-Old In Hand Futurity. Lady Biscotti is also by Sir William Robert and out of Crackers In Bed, an Undulata’s Nutcracker mare. This one has made plenty of money in her lifetime, as she was the champion of the 2013 All American Cup, winning over $28,000. Sir William Robert and Kathy Capsuto Walker teamed up for the reserve winner as well. La Barracha Belle is out of the Sir William Robert mare, Roberta Belle. She is by a stud getting a ton of traction this week, Wine Women And Song, who now resides in South Africa. Roberta Belle is out of the grand harness mare, CH Dancing Up A Storm LCC.

Pleasants Valley Stable scored a second World’s Championship of the week in the first split of Junior Park Pleasure. Jennifer Dixon was the winner here aboard Stonecroft Royal Reflection, headed up by good friend David Rand for her first personal Louisville round of honor. Royal Reflection has a remarkable pedigree behind him. Sired by Stonecroft’s signature stallion, I’m First, he is out of the great Majestic Jane, who is now fully qualified for the Broodmare Hall of Fame, having also produced World’s Champions Lady Periana and Royal Messenger. Just a year ago, Royal Reflection was the winner of the ASR Three-Year-Old Park Pleasure Futurity. Another big money winner in her young career, I’m Strapless Too was the Reserve World’s Champion with Jim Lowry. Owned by Faydelle Schott, I’m Strapless Too was the winner of the All American Cup under saddle class last year, earning nearly $29,000. She is by Santana’s Charm and out of Strapless, giving her a rather royal pedigree, especially tuned for these green shavings. Evan Orr and It’s Sam I Am finished third in this one for Gamine LLC, followed by Hollywood Heat and Sammy Jo Galica a happy fourth for Scenic Heights Farm.

Rango Tango gave Jim Stachowski another one of the thrills of the week so far, making a knockout show to win the Junior Park Pleasure Section Two World’s Championship for Hagan Saddlebreds. Bred by Matt Shiflet Stables, Rango Tango is by Tango’s Parting Kiss and out of a Supremacy’s High Time mare. Also a winner at Rock Creek, Rango Tango could have been a winner in just about any division today. He was just that good. The stupendous morning for Monnington Farm continued with a Reserve World’s Championship for Lullaby Kiss and Lionel Ferreira. Lullaby Kiss is by Callaway’s Northern Kiss and out of a Caramac mare. She has been shown four times by four different people this year, with two wins and now a Reserve World’s Championship to her credit. She is owned by Judith Fisher Oetinger. Anutter Shot and Rashell Gouwenberg represented the amateurs in third, while Sedgefield’s Il Divo finished fourth with Julie Anne Wroble for Country Meadow Farm.

Belle Reve’s Lady Madonna gave New York’s Crown Jewel another World’s Champion child, as Jacque Nance rode to the Amateur Three-Gaited Park Mare World’s Championship. Lady Madonna is sired by CH Call Me Ringo, making her a full sister to the superstar Call Me Regal. Jacque has had a great season campaigning this grand mare for Marci Seger and Epona LLC. Directed by Steve and Tiffany Wheeler, Lady Madonna had all the willingness and want-to that she needed to make a special, ears-up show to the blue. Everyone who has met Jacque and husband Boone Nance cheered loud and proud, as they are about the nicest people you could ever hope to encounter. The beautiful black Anna Wintour earned a second Reserve World’s Championship on the week, taking second here with Allie Wellington Nunley. Showing under the direction of Bill and Lisa Waller, Anna Wintour is owned by All-Well Farm. She is by A Superb Manhattan and out of CF Obscure Night. Allie won the Amateur Park Championship at Chattanooga/Cleveland Charity back in June. Crack A Smile and Cece Hagan were up for third, while Nuttin’ But The Blues and Morgan King were a good fourth for Judd Stables.

Whassup? comes by his big size naturally. The huge black colt is by Exalted Effect and out of the long tall gaited mare, CH Pucker Up. The dream team hit the twin bill today, as Kenny Wheeler and Brad Noel came up one win shy of pulling off the sweep of the amateur futurities like they did back in 2008. To be fair though, they didn’t have a two-year-old to show. Whassup? was also the winner of this amateur futurity last year as a weanling, winning the ASR Kentucky Amateur Yearling Futurity this time around. That makes three Louisville wins in two years for this stunning entry of Ceil and Kenny Wheeler. Jeff Ramey had all the right supplements from his company, Ramard Inc., to give Dance Lady just the right competitive edge. She was the reserve winner for M. Claudia Fletcher. Dance Lady is by Undulata’s Nutcracker and out of Irish Hill’s Dance Dance, by Leatherwood’s Encore. They were top four in the amateur weanling class last year, taking an even bigger chunk of the prize money this time.

Heartland Hackney Farm had a great class in the Three-Year-Old Road Pony, though their own entry would come in third. All three of the top three carried the Heartland prefix, with two sired by Heartland Rain And Fire and two out of Heartland Equality mares. The winner was double bred Heartland Equality, as Heartland Well Spoken was the victor for Maureen Campbell and Elisabeth Goth, who was seeing the pony for the first time ever today! Most likely she was quite impressed with what she saw out of the son of Heartland Rain And Fire and Heartland Tiffany. Rain And Fire is by Heartland Equality and out of the grand Heartland Rain Song, giving him World’s Grand Champions as sire and dam. That doesn’t come along too often. Jared Ratzloff scored a good Reserve World’s Championship in this competitive event, driving Heartland Late For Dinner to that honor for Warren Beck. Late For Dinner is by Heartland Code Of Honor and out of Heartland Starmaker, by Heartland Equality. Heartland Proud Penny is the other by Rain And Fire. Darrel Kolkman drove this one to third for Mr. and Mrs. Darrel Kolkman. 

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