OPENING DAY AT ZIA PARK

COURTESY OF STALLIONESEARCH.COM

Look For Wranglers Prevails In A Tight Hobbs Stakes


HOBBS, NM—SEPTEMBER 22, 2007—A sharp Look For Wranglers prevailed in a prototypical Quarter Horse blanket finish to gain his first stakes win in the Grade 2, $64,360 James Issac Hobbs Stakes before an opening-day full house at Zia Park on Saturday afternoon.

With Oscar Hernandez in the saddle, Look For Wranglers won by a head over Bringinsomecash while it was just another head back to third-place finisher Eddie Stinson. The top six horses were separated by two heads and three noses in the tight photo finish. That equals just :0.06.

“He broke good,” Hernandez said. “He’s a heavy-headed horse, so I took a hold of him and he went on.”

Look For Wranglers raced the 350 yards in :17.559.

It was been an excellent month for Hernandez and Look For Wranglers’ trainer Carl Draper. They also won the Grade 1, $2 million All American Futurity on Labor Day with Heartswideopen.

Like Heartswideopen, Look For Wranglers was very well prepared for his victory. He came back from an 8-month layoff to easily win a Ruidoso Downs allowance race on August 25. “He had the prep race (on August 25) and was dead on for this race,” Draper said. “To compete at this level you must have them prepared.”

Look For Wranglers has flourished since being acquired by J&L Stables 18 months ago. Before his layoff he raced to second-place finishes in the Grade 2 West Texas Derby, the Grade 3 Bayer Legend New Mexico Derby Challenge and last year’s Hobbs Stakes.

Look For Wranglers went off at 16.50-1 odds and keyed some impressive payoffs with the win worth $35.00, $7.80 and $5.40. Bringinsomecash, a 45-1 longshot, returned $28.40 and $11.80. Eddie Stinson paid $6.60 to show.

The $2 exacta paid $571.40 and the $2 trifecta returned $10,132.40.


James Isaac Hobbs Stakes (G2)

$64,360, Zia Park, Sep 22, 3 year-olds & up, 350 yards

1. Look for Wranglers, ch. c. 4, by Dashing Val--Special Predicate, by Special Effort, Bred by Tina Ewen Wright (TN). Owner- J and L Stables LLC. Trainer-Carl W. Draper. Jockey-Oscar Hernandez.

2. Bringinsomecash, sor. g. 5, by Mr Fancy Fame--Cashes Short, by Streakin Dash, Bred by Brent or Sherry Young (NM). Owner- White Glove Ranch LLC. Trainer-Guadalupe Munoz, Jr. Jockey-Noe Garcia.

3. Eddie Stinson, sor. c. 4, by Dash Ta Fame--Casino Lights, by Sixarun, Bred by Paul Whissel (NM). Owner- Ace of Spade Ranch. Trainer-Paul C. Jones. Jockey-Freddie L. Martinez.

Margins: hd, hd, no
Value to winner: $38,400 2nd $14,080 3rd $6,400
Time: 17.559
Track: Fast