CHICKS FIRST FLASH IS SOLID AT THE START, STRONG LATE IN VANDY’S FLASH HANDICAP
The connections of Five Livestock Company LLC and Steve Wright’s Chicks First Flash decided prior to the $25,000 Vandy’s Flash Handicap to make a key equipment change with the hope that it could help the 2022 Grade 2 PCQHRA Breeders Futurity winner regain the form that made him one of the most potent juveniles in California last year.
Gone from his arsenal was the use of the flipping halter in the starting gate, a piece of equipment that the Idaho-bred gelding by First Moonflash used for the first time in his previous start when running sixth in the Adequan California Derby Challenge on May 21. The return to not having a flipping halter perhaps was the key to helping Chicks First Flash post a vintage effort from post number nine, as he was in contention early on and eventually held off a great field of stakes runners to win the Vandy’s Flash by a head. Eleazar Gonzalez’s Mahomes Magic was second with two-time Grade 1 futurity winner Party Politics running third.
With Armando Cervantes aboard for trainer Monty Arrossa, Chicks First Flash took the lead at the halfway point and was all out in the final yards to record his fifth win in 12 career starts. The Five Livestock Company-bred runner was enjoying his first win since the Breeders Futurity on October 2.
“We have tried to see if we could get him started a little bit,” said Dr. Melinda Roche of Five Livestock. “As we know the horse’s only fault is his start. We tried (the flipping halter) and it didn’t work out. We decided to take it off and it helped him. He still needs to work on his break. The horse has such a huge heart and he’s my baby. It was huge. I really wanted this for him to get his confidence back. I have a ton of faith in this horse. We finally drew the outside and we have not drawn the outside since the Kindergarten trials last year. I think that helped us out and gave us some confidence. He’s in the Golden State Derby, the PCQHRA Breeders Derby and he’s in the Southern California Derby.”
With all three of those graded derbies in the horizon, Chicks First Flash will be hoping to add to his stakes resume that also includes wins in the John Deere Juvenile Challenge and the Fred Scane Stakes to go with the Breeders Futurity last year. And with being eligible to the PCQHRA Breeders Derby, Chicks First Flash will hope to become the first to sweep this prestigious series since Ima Chickie Two in 2011-2012.
“That would be amazing,” Roche said. “It would be super cool. It would be fun.”
The owners of Chicks First Flash also raced Favorite Honey, who won the 2021 Breeders Futurity.
“Favorite Honey is at my house now,” she added. “He’s retired now.”
Chicks First Flash earned $13,750 for the win to take his career earnings to $244,437.
Ridden by Juan Pablo Leon for trainer Sergio Morfin, Mahomes Magic earned $5,625 for running second. JGA Racing Stables, Inc’s Party Politics, who outdueled Mahomes Magic in the Dillingham Handicap less than six weeks ago, earned $3,125 for running third. The Juan Aleman-trainee has now earned $913,514. Hes Chickless, winner of the Grade 2 El Primero Del Ano in late March, finished fourth with Speedhorse Futurity winner Teller Ima Eagle running fifth. Space Flight, Declare Mr Perry, Bravery, and Normandy completed the field.
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