Frankie Shoots Bullseye In PCQHRA Derby Final

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Frankie Shoots Bullseye In PCQHRA Derby Final


LOS ALAMITOS RACE COURSE, CYPRESS, CA—October 6, 2007—Owner Jose Santos was finally able to enjoy a stakes final. Two of Santos' horses made the finals to graded stakes races at Los Alamitos over the past year only for both to be scratched due to injuries. It happened to Sabrinas Eyes in the 2006 Governor's Cup Futurity and to Frankie Shoots in the 2007 Los Alamitos Winter Derby.

On PCQHRA Breeders Derby night, it was Santos and Frankie's time to shine. The Dashin Bye colt, who was a $6,000 purchase at the 2005 Los Alamitos Equine Sale, posted the second fastest time in the history of Friday's Grade 1 $191,000 race, covering the 350 yards in a time of :19.50. Ridden by Cody Jensen, Frankie Shoots defeated Ten Oclock Scholar, also a Los Alamitos Equine Sale graduate, by a nose to improve his record to five wins from eight starts. Bred by Blane Schvaneveldt and John Andreini, Frankie Shoots earned $76,020 to take his career earnings to $116,335.

Back on February 2, Frankie Shoots ran second in a trial to the Los Alamitos Winter Derby, an effort that had made him the second fastest qualifier to the Grade 1 race and a favorite to reign in the final. It was not meant to be. Frankie Shoots suffered a micro-stress shin fracture in that race, an injury that forced him out of the Winter Derby and for the rest of the spring and summer season at Los Alamitos.

Five-time champion trainer Paul Jones was not disheartened by Frankie Shoots' setback and neither was Santos. "Paul always told me that we would have some fun with this horse," Santos said. "Paul told me that the best thing was to give him some rest. I trust Paul's expertise with horses, so we gave Frankie Shoots time off just like Paul suggested. Months later here we are with Frankie Shoots providing us with a lot of fun."

The colt returned like a brand new horse after his six-month break at Vessels Stallion Farm. He won his Breeder Derby heat by 3/4 lengths and then outlasted the game Ten Oclock Scholar in the finale. Frankie Shoots finished 12/100ths of a second away from the track record set by champion Ocean Runaway in 2005. Much closer was Frankie Shoot's duel with Ten Oclock Scholar. The two ducked it out from start to finish, first with Frankie holding a slight advantage before Ten Oclock Scholar opened up a neck lead. Frankie Shoots fought back in the end, defeating his rival by a nose at the end.

"I haven't been that concerned with his shin," Jones said. "It didn't flare up after the trials, so we'll see how he feels (Saturday) morning. When horses heal up from an injury such as this, they're usually pretty good for a long time. With a micro-stress fracture you want to give a horse a good three months to heal. That allows the bone to heal itself and as long as you don't get too aggressive when you bring them back to training, the horse will be fine. You have to start them back gradually into the training regimen. You have to take it slow because that allows the bone to continue to get strong."

"I'm thrilled," Santos added. "Paul has always liked Frankie from the start. He's always told me that Frankie would be a lot fun to have. As far as what's next for the horse, like the boxers say, I'll leave it all to my manager, Paul Jones."

So Paul, what's next for the newly crowned Breeders Futurity winner?

"Maybe the Z. Wayne Griffin Directors Trials, maybe we just wait until the Southern California Derby trials," he said. "If not, then we can always wait until the Los Alamitos Winter Championship next year. This horse is definitely a 400 to 440-yard horse. I would love to see him go 440 yards. I think Frankie Shoots is one of the best 3-year-olds on the grounds. I don't think he can beat the likes of Blues Girl Too or FDD Dynasty but after those two, he can be in the mix with the rest of the other top 3-year-olds."

Frankie Shoots is the latest colt to win the Breeders Derby. Since 1999, the following colts have won this race: Dash To Chivato (1999), Separatist (2000), Make It Anywhere (2001), Check Him Out (2002), Stel Corona (2003), Hawkish (2004), and Ocean Runaway (2005). That's not bad company.

"I'm sure a stallion career is in his future," Jones said.

Owned by Ed Allred and Tom Seibly, Ten Oclock Scholar earned $30,770 for his second place finish. This was his best effort yet in stakes races, as the son of Bono Jazz had previously run sixth in the Golden State Derby and third in the Governor's Cup Derby. Raul Ramirez Jr. piloted the $30,000 purchase at the 2005 Los Alamitos Equine Sale for trainer Dan Francisco.

Not A Full Moon, winner of the El Primero Del Ano Derby, earlier this year finished third. He completed the Los Alamitos Equine Sale trifecta in this race, as he sold for $72,000 at the 2005 event. The First Down Dash gelding who earned $21,720 here, has now earned $231,777.

First Dinastia, Look Her Over, Corona High, Dimples First Dash, Jess Sass Me, Quiero Separarte, and A Scootin Princess completed the field.
Courtesy of www.losalamitos.com