Enrique Gonzalez’s EG High Desert Farms, one of California’s leading Quarter Horse racing operation, is no stranger to success on California Breeders Champions Nights. With two wins in the Governor’s Cup Derby and one in the Governor’s Cup Futurity, EG High Desert Farms was only missing the Restricted Grade 1, $100,000 Spencer Childers California Breeders Championship Handicap to have at least one victory in each of three crown jewels of the California Breeders Champions program.
Owned and bred by EG High Desert Farms, the gritty Bail Czech got the owner the missing piece for his collection, leading the Spencer Childers from start to finish on the way to the biggest victory of his 23-race career. With Jesus Rios Ayala aboard for trainer Jesus Nunez, Bail Czech crossed the wire a half-length ahead of Ed Allred’s Transcend in a time of :19.690. Bail Czech won the 2019 Vandy’s Flash Handicap plus five other victories prior to his major score in the Spencer Childers.
The 4-year-old gelding by Corona Czech has had solid results against top competition. He was second in the Grade 2 Golden State Derby last year and was fifth in the Grade 1 Vessels Maturity on July 5. He also qualified and raced in the Grade 1 Brad McKinzie Los Alamitos Winter Championship, Grade 1 Los Alamitos Super Derby and Grade 3 El Primero Del Ano Derby. When Allred’s Chocolatito, the Grade 1 Vessels Maturity winner in his last start and 4-5 morning line favorite, and Grade 2 winner Cole Man 47 were both scratched from this race on Sunday afternoon, Bail Czech pounced on the opportunity.
“This horse was coming back from a little layoff before the Vessels Maturity (trials),” Nunez said. “I think the Vessels Maturity final got him fit. He came in very fit and ready for this race. This horse has always given 100%. He is a nice horse. He always tries. We’re going to the Go Man Go (on August 30).”
Nunez is confident that Bail Czech will continue to deliver strong efforts against the toughest horses on the grounds. Can the bay gelding work his way into a Champion of Champions berth?
“If he continues running the way he ran in this last race, I think so,” Nunez said. “You never know. He ran a huge race and his time was good. Enrique and I, we have done well together. I know he wishes he could have been here, but I am sure he’s happy with the win. He loves coming to the track for all the races.”
Ridden by Vinnie Bednar, the 4-year-old Transcend earned $23,000 for his runner-up effort in only his second start of the year. The Walk Thru Fire gelding has now earned $182,908 in his career. Scott Willoughby saddled the Allred-bred runner. Jose Nieves Garcia and Armando Romero’s Tools In The Sky finished third and was followed by Yanque and Cavuto.
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