Check Cathy wins the Sam Houston Futurity

COURTESY OF STALLIONESEARCH.COM


Check Cathy wins the Sam Houston Futurity(G1) on Friday night at Sam Houston Race Park.
Photo By Jenifer Juelsgaard/Coady Photography


Check Cathy Wins the $341,700 Sam Houston Futurity(G1)


SAM HOUSTON RACE PARK—SEPTEMBER 7, 2007—In Quarter Horse racing, the fastest qualifier does not always win the final. The betting favorite in tonight’s $341,700 Sam Houston Futurity (G1) was Pool, one of the fastest 2-year-olds in the region.
He had won his last five races and was loaded into the starting gate next to the fastest qualifier, XO Kate. When the gates opened, it was Check Cathy who ran the best race of her career and won her first Grade 1 stakes.

Bred in California by Ed Allred, Check Cathy is owned by Sandra Z. Aleman of Brownsville, TX. Check Cathy was purchased for only $17,000 at the 2006 Los Alamitos Equine Sale. She is expected to make her next start in the trials for the Dash for Cash Futurity at Lone Star Park.

She won her trial here on August 24 and recorded the third fastest time behind XO Kate and Pool. Trained by Bobby Touchet and ridden to victory by Arturo Puga, the Check Him Out filly closed in the middle of the racetrack and won the 440-yard feature in 19.818 seconds. She has matured in each of her five starts and will run in trials for the Dash for Cash Futurity at Lone Star Park .

“She was not an easy filly,” said Aleman. “All the credit goes to Bobby for turning her around.”

Check Cathy earned $136,680 for her first-place finish in the Sam Houston Futurity, her biggest paycheck to date.

“Super fast filly,” commented Puga following the race.

Puga is the leading rider at Sam Houston Race Park . The 18-year-old native of Jalisco , Mexico has done exceptionally well this year, winning the title at Retama Park in June and his 40th race of the Sam Houston meet tonight.

Romancing Mary, a Tres Seis filly with J. R. Ramirez riding for his brother, Paul, ran a huge effort from the far outside post, to finish second by a neck.

“Being on the outside, they don't give you enough time to stand in there,” commented Ramirez. “You have to do things quickly. When you walk in, you have to get the horse set in there right away. We just got her in training a couple of months ago. She is going to do great things. She will definitely be ready for Dallas .”

Post-time favorite, Pool, a son of Shazoom, ran third, much to the disappointment of regular rider, Manuel Garcia.

“He got bumped bad by the 2 (XO Kate),” said Garcia.

Check Cathy returned $15.80 for the win. Romancing Mary completed an exacta of $117.60 and the trifecta with Pool returned $454.20. Big Biz ran fourth followed by TQHA Sale Futurity winner, Dirt Track Date, Separatist Baby, The Polar Express, XO Kate and Glimpse of Greatness. Wowzer Won was an early scratch.

The 2007 Sam Houston Race Park Quarter Horse meeting will conclude on Saturday, September 8 with three stakes including the $114,400 Sam Houston Derby (G2). In addition, Paints and Appaloosas will be featured in the $21,705 TPHBA Derby and the $24,585 Colors of Houston Futurity.