The American Quarter Horse Journal, June 30, 2011 – Executive Miss Dash and One Famous Brioni, the top two qualifiers and one-two finishers in their trial, are set for a rematch in the $297,077 Firecracker Futurity (G2) during a stakes-filled Fourth of July weekend at Delta Downs.
The 350-yard Firecracker Futurity is joined by the $133,045 Firecracker Derby on Saturday as Louisiana-breds highlight Sunday’s card in the $458,180 Lee Berwick Memorial Futurity (RG1) on Sunday.
Albert Vera Jr.’s Executive Miss Dash (Executive Menace-Miss Ryon Dash by Dash For Destiny) raced to her third win from four starts with the game win over the promising One Famous Brioni in their trial. The Erika Huitron-trained Executive Miss Dash fought for the lead in her trial and prevailed by a neck with a :17.577 time for the 350 yards.
The only blemish on Executive Miss Dash’s record is a second-place finish in the John Deere Sam Houston Juvenile Challenge (G3) two starts ago on May 14. She finished three quarters of a length behind Pandorum as the 5-2 second choice.
Mary Thompson’s One Famous Brioni (Mr Jess Perry-One Famous Lady by Chicks Beduino) is still a maiden after two starts; however the half brother to champion One Famous Eagle has a large upside. The Larry Kopycinski-trained colt was a late-running third in his career debut and then came back to finish well in his trial with the second-fastest time of :17.608.
J. E. Jumonville Jr.’s homebred Sizzlin Cartel (Corona For Me-In His Dreams by Apollo (TB)) was second in the Harrah’s Entertainment Futurity (G3) at Louisiana Downs in his second career start and has stepped up with a pair of wins at Delta Downs. He won his Firecracker trial by three quarters of a length with the third-fastest time of :17.614 for trainer Justin Dehart.
Mercy Hinkin’s homebred Feature Mr Alliance (Feature Mr Jess-Valentine Alliance by Holland Ease) looks for his first stakes win as the fastest qualifier to the Firecracker Futurity. The gelding won the first of three trials by a length and stopped the clock in :19.557 for the 400 yards.
The Kenneth Roberts-trained Feature Mr Alliance returned from a layoff two starts ago and prepared for the Firecracker Derby trials with a win in a conditioned allowance race.
Feature Mr Alliance will be challenged by Vera’s Executive Precision (Executive Menace-Miss Ryon Dash by Dash For Destiny), a full brother to Firecracker Futurity fastest-qualifier Executive Miss Dash. He raced to his fifth win in his 15th start when he won his trial by a half length with the second-fastest time of :19.605.
In the Lee Berwick Futurity, with a purse exceeding the Firecracker Futurity and Firecracker Derby combined, fastest-qualifier Jessalittlecourage meets three horses from the Janet VanBebber barn.
Joseph Landreneau’s Jessalittlecourage (Jess Louisiana Blue-Faith And Courage by Stoli) raced to her third-straight win when she won her trial by 1 1/4 lengths in :17.408 for the 350 yards. She easily opened up 2 lengths before cruising under the wire with the easy score.
The Alvin Smith Jr.-trained Jessalittlecourage impressed in the Louisiana Breeders Lassie Futurity (RG2) two starts ago when she set a new 330-yard track record of :16.354 while winning by 1 1/2 lengths.
VanBebber is represented by second-fastest qualifier Little Bit Trashy (Game Patriot-Della Loom by Streakin La Jolla), fourth-fastest qualifier Unquestionable (Oak Tree Special-Real Or Imagined by Dash For Cash) and fifth-fastest qualifier Tachas Got Game (Game Patriot-Tacha La Jolla by Streakin La Jolla).
Robert Latham’s Little Bit Trashy won his trial by 1 1/4 lengths with a time in :17.493 after winning his maiden two starts ago.
Patrick Huckman’s Unquestionable won her maiden two starts ago and then was second in her Berwick trial with a time of :17.645.
Pete Scarmardo’s Tachas Got Game scored his second-straight win when he won his Berwick trial by a neck in :17.659.
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