News - Racing March  28, 2024

First Fancy Prize Reports Home Fastest For This Year’s Firecracker Futurity


First Fancy Prize, under jockey, John Hamilton, setting the fastest time for the G2 Firecracker Futurity at Delta Downs Saturday night.

© Coady Photography

VINTON, LA—JUNE 13, 2015—Delta Downs hosted eight qualifying trails for this year’s $318,120 Firecracker Futurity (G2) on Saturday night and it was First Fancy Prize who came away with the fastest time of 17.497 for 350 yards. The Michael Taylor trainee won the first trial of the night and earned a speed index of 91 for her effort over a sloppy track.

First Fancy Prize gave leading jockey John Hamilton his first of three winners on the program as he also booted home Paint Me a Storm, who qualified with the 10th fastest time in the fifth trial, and Return of the Fire, who won the second trial but failed to make the final. Hamilton finished second aboard Jess an Angel in the third trial but that runner did make it into the big race on Independence Day, Saturday, July 4 with the ninth fastest clocking of the night.

First Fancy Prize, who is owned by Scott D. Jones, Monica Jones and Raymond R. Loup, is now two-for-two in her young career as she also won a trial for the Remington Park Oklahoma Bred Futurity while making her debut in Oklahoma City on April 3.

Bred in Oklahoma by Weetona Stanley and William Smith, First Fancy Prize is a filly by Pyc Paint Your Wagon out of the Mr Jess Perry mare First Prize Fancy. The bay runner was purchased for $140,000 at the Ruidoso Yearling Sale in 2014. She is a full sister to last year's Remington Park Futurity(RG3) winner and fastest qualifier to the All American Futurity Im A Fancy Pyc.

Moonflash Garden, a filly by a leading third crop sire First Moonflash, got her second straight win for Joan Rood in the second trial. Randy Hebert conditions the brown filly out of Run Like Katy Did, by Pals Real Royalcross. Armando Ramirez had the riding assignment aboard the Jorge Fernandez Louisiana-bred who posted the second fastest time of 17.533 seconds.

Each of the Firecracker Futurity trials offered a purse of $7,000 and the winner’s share in each race was $4,200. The winner of the final will take home a tidy sum of $159,060.

For the 10 finalists to the Firecracker Futurity along with their connections, times, sires and dams CLICK HERE.

Delta Downs will begin its ninth week of racing on Wednesday night with another 10-race program set to kick off at 6:15 pm CT.

For more information about the current season visit the track’s website at www.deltadownsracing.com or on the Facebook page, ‘Delta Downs Racing’.

Delta Downs Racetrack Casino and Hotel, a property of Boyd Gaming Corporation (NYSE:BYD), features exciting casino action, live horse racing and fun dining experiences. Delta Downs is located in Vinton, Louisiana, on Delta Downs Drive. From Lake Charles, take Exit 7 and from Texas, take Exit 4.

Courtesy Ses