John Carter Cash seeks clean trip in Wild West Futurity

More than three months have passed since the 2-year-old Quarter Horse gelding John Carter Cash had an uneventful race.

John Carter Cash was second in the Grants Pass Firecracker Futurity on July 4 in Oregon without incident, but was disqualified and placed fifth in the Emerald Downs Juvenile Challenge in Washington on Aug. 25 after causing interference in the 350-yard race.

In a division of the Wild West Futurity trials at Los Alamitos on Oct. 6, John Carter Cash was bumped by a rival at the start and finished second to Ms Patty Cake, who was timed in 17.88 seconds. John Carter Cash finished the 350-yard trial in 17.89, quick enough to qualify for Sunday’s $117,150 Wild West Futurity where he rates as a leading contender.

The race is restricted to horses who have started twice before the time trials at tracks in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, or in Canada.

John Carter Cash, a winner of 3 of 6 starts and $22,270 for owner and trainer Nick Lowe, won his first three starts, including the $27,500 Pot o’ Gold Futurity at Sun Downs in Kennewick, Wash., in May.

There were four time trials for the Wild West Futurity, with Senor Frogs setting the fastest qualifying time of 17.75 with a win by three-quarters of a length over Zoom On Jess, who is part of Sunday’s field. Old School Icon and Kiss Fast Zoom were third and fourth in that trial and ran fast enough to earn berths in the final.

Owned by Freddy Ibarra, Senor Frogs has won 4 of 6 starts, including the Grants Pass Firecracker Futurity. Ibarra trained Senor Frogs until the gelding was shipped to Los Alamitos and trainer Lindolfo Diaz.

The other trial race winners were CM Singing the Blues (17.90) and Goldie Hocks (17.93).