GOMEZ ARMED FOR REPEAT IN KINDERGARTEN FUTURITY

For Immediate Release

Amarillo, Texas, May 19, 2006 – For trainer Jaime Gomez, it’s going to be tough to top 2005.   A Kindergarten Futurity (G1) victory with Gold Nugget Road kindled a flame that just got hotter and hotter after every stellar performance by the gifted filly Higher Fire.

Higher Fire blazed her way through the lucrative futurity season at Los Alamitos last year, capturing the Ed Burke Million Futurity (G1) and the Golden State Million Futurity (G1).  If not for a half-length, second-place finish in the Los Alamitos Million Futurity, Higher Fire would have claimed a $1 million bonus for winning the big three.  As it is, she had to settle for a bankroll of $1,242,383 and AQHA Champion 2-Year-Old Filly and Champion 2-Year-Old honors.

Gomez will take the first step in duplicating last year’s success as he saddles two qualifiers for Saturday’s $325,900 Kindergarten Futurity (G1) at Los Alamitos.

A win on Saturday would be Gomez’ second consecutive and his fifth in the Kindergarten.  His best chance would seem to be with 5-2 morning line favorite Vachetta (Corona Cartel – Dash Fast Girl by Heza Fast Man), owned by Beltran Ranch, LLC of Denver, Colorado.  Ironically, the filly’s sire, Corona Cartel, was Gomez’ first Kindergarten Futurity winner in 1996.  Vachetta delivered an impressive career debut on April 15, scoring a 2 1/2-length maiden victory.  She followed with a comfortable 1 1/4-length victory in her Kindergarten trial, finishing the 300 yards in :15.315, the second-fastest time.

Gomez also conditions ninth-fastest qualifier Check This Runner (Check Him Out – Make A Run by Calyx) who, with a victory, would give two-time AQHA Champion owners Dutch Masters III a record-tying fourth win in the Kindergarten.  Check This Runner finished third in his trial in a tight finish behind Corona Deluxe (Corona Cartel – First Down N Surfin by First Down Dash) and Fast As A Dream (Shazoom – Sweet Destiny by Game Plan), who qualified sixth and seventh, respectively.

Gomez’ trainees will have to best a tough freshman field headlined by fastest qualifier Poly Gyve One Corona (Corona Czech – JTS Starlight by Runaway Winner) and fourth fastest Coyote Code (Separatist – Saszy by A Classic Dash), who, like Vachetta, are undefeated in two starts.

The contest Saturday will be the 52nd running of the Kindergarten Futurity and will pay $136,878 to the winner.

For results of this and all official American Quarter Horse racing events, visit aqharacing.com.

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