Frankie Shoots For Rich PCQHRA Breeders Derby Final

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Frankie Shoots, shown here posting the fastest Breeders Derby qualifying time. Photo by Scott Martinez

Frankie Shoots For Rich PCQHRA Breeders Derby Final



LOS ALAMITOS RACE COURSE, CYPRESS, CA—OCTOBER 3, 2007—Jose Santos has experienced some bittersweet moments in between trials and finals to stakes races at Los Alamitos. That's what makes Frankie Shoots' pending appearance in Friday's $191,000 PCQHRA Breeders Derby such a special moment for the owner.
"Frankie Shoots posted the second fastest time in the trials to the Los Alamitos Winter Derby earlier this year but he suffered a minor injury and ended up missing the final," Santos said. "

Last year, Sabrinas Eyes qualified to the $450,000 PCQHRA Breeders Futurity but we also had to scratch her out of that final. Those things happen in racing but fortunately there's always another race to look forward to."

After the disappointment in the Winter Derby, Frankie Shoots didn't waste his opportunity in the Breeders Derby trials. The Dashin Bye colt was bumped at the start of that race but he finished powerfully to post the fastest qualifying time of :19.54.

"(Trainer Paul Jones) told me after the Winter Derby that this horse was a very talented horse with a bright future ahead," Santos said. "We could have run him in the Winter Derby but we would have been risking him suffering a major injury. I don't know much about horses so I trusted Paul's expertise and it paid off. We took the horse to Vessels Stallion Farm for a six-month layoff. The horse came back and ran a super race in the trials. The horse looks wonderful right now."

On the night of the trials, Santos enjoyed a couple of nice winners in different sports. A boxing promoter, Santos first watched one of his fighters, heavyweight Chris "The Nightmare" Arreola (22-0, 20 KOs) win the WBC Continental America's title after stopping Chicago's Thomas "The Hitman" Hayes in a nationally televised bout. Santos then drove from Ontario to Los Alamitos to watch Frankie Shoots make a triumphant comeback.

"I have another boxer that's fighting on Friday night, but I'll have to miss my fight in order to watch Frankie run," he said. "Frankie gets top billing on this night. I'm so excited to watch him run. When I see him run in the final, it'll be one of the most exciting moments of my life."

Courtesy of www.losalamitos.com