GOVERNORS CUP DERBY

COURTESY OF AQHA.COM

FDD DYNASTY IN GOVERNOR'S CUP

July 26, 2007 – Champion FDD Dynasty looks to start another run at a championship title when he starts in the $170,000 Governor’s Cup Derby (RG2) on Saturday night at Los Alamitos.

Owned by the Vessels Stallion Farm, Pat Guthrie and Billy Smith; FDD Dynasty (First Down Dash-Dinastia Toll BRZ by Tolltac) returned from a 7-month layoff after earning the champion 2-year-old colt title to easily set the fastest-qualifying time to the Governor’s Cup Derby. He raced the 400 yards in :19.460 to win by an expanding 2 lengths after being bumped at the start.

Trained by Mike Joiner, FDD Dynasty earned his championship title with five wins, including the Ed Burke Million, a second in the Los Alamitos Two Million (G1) and a third in the Golden State Million from seven starts.

Trainer Jaime Gomez will be represented by the dangerous pair of El Primero Del Ano Derby (G1) winner Not A Full Moon and Governor’s Cup Futurity (G1) dead-heat winner Checknbac.

Denise and Ron Van Amburgh’s Not A Full Moon (First Down Dash-Moon Arisen by Beduino (TB)) is sharp with five wins in his latest six starts, including the El Primero Del Ano Derby. He held on to win the El Primero Derby by a nose over Lassen County while Governor’s Cup Futurity finalist First Down Morn was a close third.

Checknbac, owned by Dutch Masters III, was a troubled fifth in her Governor’s Cup Derby trial but was able to reach the derby with the eighth-fastest qualifying time. She has two wins, including the La Pacifica Handicap, from five 2007 starts after finishing in a dead heat for the win in the 2006 Governor’s Cup Futurity and finishing a close third as the odds-on favorite in the PCQHRA Breeders Futurity (G1).