SNOWBOUND SUPERSTAR

COURTESY OF LOS ALAMITOS.COM



SNOWBOUND SUPERSTAR DEBUTS SUNDAY


Tom and Brenda Brinkley's Snowbound Superstar will make his long awaited first start of the year at Los Alamitos when he takes on Bull Rastus Handicap winner Bad Act in Sunday's $19,620 Red Cell California Region Distance Challenge at 870 yards. The Red Cell will go as the 7th race in this special 11-race card, which will also feature the Grade 1 winning Texas invader Snowy Alibi in the 10th race Tres Seis Handicap. First post time is 5:30 p.m.

Snowbound Superstar, the reigning AQHA Distance Champion, has not raced at Los Alamitos since winning the Grade 1 Marathon Handicap on December 10. He did make two starts at Wyoming Downs this year, winning both races by daylight while qualifying to the Red Cell Distance Challenge to be held here on November 3.

A Washington-bred gelding by Snowbound, Snowbound Superstar is undefeated in eight starts around the turn. He has won each of those races by daylight and no horse has come closer than two lengths at the wire. Snowbound Superstar will be looking to score his fifth distance stakes win at Los Alamitos in seven starts. Cody Jensen wil ride from post five.

Bad Act and Ooga Chucka, the first and third place finishers in the Bull Rastus, veteran Challenge runner A Dasha Red and two others will look to run the race of their lives hoping to upset Snowbound Superstar. Owned by Ruben Gonzalez, Bad Act has enjoyed solid year at Los Alamitos, winning three of his five 870-yard races. Bad Act ran third - 6 1/2 lengths behind Snowbound Superstar - in last year's Marathon. A Dasha Red has finished in the top three in the East, Texas, and Central Distance Challenge events.

Courtesy of www.losalamitos.com

ALAMITOS RACE COURSE, CYPRESS, CA—OCTOBER 8, 2007—Champion Snowbound< Superstar enjoyed a perfect final tune-up to the $75,000 Red Cell Distance Challenge on November 3 after winning the California regional race with ease Sunday at Los Alamitos.
Ridden by Cody Jensen for Brenda and Tom Brinkley, Snowbound Superstar won the 870-yard race by 5 1/2 lengths to improve his record at this distance to perfect nine for nine. The Snowbound gelding has been raking up wins since breaking his maiden in a route race on March 23, 2006. He went six for six last year, winning four stakes races in the process, and was named the AQHA distance champion.

Trained by Paul Jones, Snowbound Superstar was making his first start at Los Alamitos since last year's Marathon Championship. He won twice at Wyoming Downs earlier this year, one of those being the Red Cell West/Southwest Distance Challenge on August 11.

"We were so anxious to see him run at Los Alamitos again," said Tom Brinkley. "This is his track. This is where he shines. This is his home. We want him to be here. He loves it here more than any other place."

The Brinkleys believe that Snowbound Superstar needs to win the Red Cell finale at Los Alamitos in order to retain his distance title.

"That's how I feel," he added. "He has to win that one or we can't repeat. There will be a couple of real good 870 horses in that race. Walt Fletcher's First To Ramble (winner of the Central and Oklahoma regionals) will be tough to outrun. Runbyu (Northwest winner) is another very good horse in the Red Cell final."

Brenda Brinkley is looking forward to seeing her horse at his best on the night of theRed Cell. "I don't believe that has turned Superstar loose yet. I asked him 'When are you going to go after the track record (of :43.99)?' Cody just looked at me and said 'It's not time yet.' I don't want to sound like we've gotten too big for our britches. I just want to see nowbound Superstar do what he is capable of doing. That would thrill me for than anything else. I'd love to see him run as fast as he can."

Snowbound Superstar ran a pretty fast opening quarter in the Red Cell California.

"He went :21.29 tonight," Tom Brinkley said. "When he posted his :44.02 clocking in the Gold Rush he went the opening quarter in :21.37. He could have gone very fast tonight."

The Bob Pulse-bred runner earned $10,202 for the win to take his career earnings to $117,567.

Ruben Gonzalez's Bad Act, winner of the Bull Rastus Handicap on August 4, earned $4,120 for finishing second. He finished 3 3/4 lengths ahead of third place finisher Oogah Chucka. A Dasha Red and Count The Blingbling completed the field. The Brinkley's Snowbound Lady Bug was scratched.


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More than $400,000 was bet to show on Snowbound Superstar in the Red Cell California. The huge show wager helped push the handle to a season high figure for a Sunday of $1,878,881.