(PHOTO - BUBBLES CARTEL GAL, owned by Jason Pascoe on Pontypool. ON and Bill and Sandy Miller of Sullivan, IL, schools in the paddock with Greg Watson - photo courtesy Susan Watson)
A racehorse can bring people together from all parts of the racing world and Bubbles Cartel Gal has done just that for Ontario Quarter Horse owner and trainer Jason Pascoe and Bill and Sandy Miller, owners and breeders from Sullivan, Illinois.
The 3-year-old filly, who was foaled in Florida, is making things exciting for her human family these days as she recently qualified for the $200,000-guaranteed (US funds) Sunshine State Derby at Hialeah Park on February 27.
It was Bubbles Cartel Gal’s fourth-place finish in her trial on Feb. 6, only her second career start, that put the her in the final. The filly originally finished fifth but was forced to alter paths early in the 400-yard dash and the eventual winner, Ahs Uncle Si, was disqualified and placed fifth.
“We’re just sitting here already getting nervous,” laughed Bill Miller. “She’s an outstanding looking individual; it’s something that she ran a 91 speed index in only her second start.”
For Pascoe, who runs GFR Racing in Pontypool with partner Bryanne Langford, the wait has been a long one to see the filly in action. A series of unfortunate setbacks from bucked shins to illness delayed the racing career of Bubbles Cartel Gal and for Pascoe, it was another unlucky break through a tough 2015.
The former three-day eventer was coming off a stellar 2014 in which his gelding Streakinshagginwagon was named the Horse of the Year in Ontario and Canadian Champion at the AQHA Awards but last season, injuries and dreadful racing luck held the stable to just a single win.
The Millers, who had bred and raced plenty of good horses in New Mexico from 2002 to 2012, including the multiple graded stakes winner Fury of the Storm, who earned over $292,000 and was a Champion Three-Year-Old in New Mexico.
In the fall of 2014 the Millers decided to leave the horse business and sold their small stable at the Heritage Place sale in Oklahoma, including Bubbles Bunny, the dam of Fury of the Storm, and her 2-year-old by Ketel One.
Coincidentally, while on a shopping trip, Pascoe and a client bought that 2-year-old and that is when he met the Millers and formed a friendship.
“I still had the yearling out of Bubbles Bunny that I didn't sell,” said Miller. “She was pretty good looking and I had a lot of calls about her but a deal to sell her never got done.”
Miller offered half of the filly to Pascoe and she went to Ontario to be broken and trained for racing. Nicknamed Gemma, for a character on the television show "Sons of Anarchy", Bubbles Cartel Gal showed plenty of promise in her early training.
Despite losing the Ontario 2015 season to all those setbacks, the filly was sent to Florida and trainer Matt Frazier who had Canadian trainer Greg Watson helping out with the Hialeah stable.
“We always had it in the back of our minds to race her in Florida,’ said Pascoe. “Bryanne and I were hoping to take her ourselves but we didn’t have enough horses to take down there.”
Bubbles Cartel Gal made her long awaited debut on Jan. 22 at Hialeah in a 300-yard maiden race but a torrential downpour left the track a sea of slop.
“She doesn’t really like puddles or the wash bay,” said Pascoe. “But considering that, she did well [to be seventh, beaten three lengths].”
On Trial day the track was fast and while the competition was stern, the filly had a strong finish, enough to get to the final.
“I was really happy with her,” said Pascoe., who will drive down to Hialeah for the Feb. 27 final and join the Millers to cheer on their special filly.
“Jason and Greg have done a lot of work with her,” said Miller. “She can be a bit of a handful, a bit feisty but I think that is good to see in a racehorse.”
Bubbles Cartel Gal is one of 10 finalists for the 400-yard final, a race restricted to Florida-breds. The filly will then join Pascoe’s stable for the 2016 Ajax meeting this spring.
The list of qualifiers is below:
SUNSHINE STATE DERBY February 27, 2016
Track: HIALEAH PARK
Trials: FEBRUARY 05, 2016
Final: FEBRUARY 27, 2016
Purse: $200,000-GUARANTEED
Age: 3-YEAR-OLD REGISTERED FLORIDA BREDS
Distance: 400 YARDS
Horse Sex Sire-Dam, Dam Sire Time Owner Breeder Trainer Jockey
Shes A Tourist f. Ethics Aside - Deluxcious by Okey Dokey Dale :19.450 Double A Ranch Jorge Luis Gonzalez (FL) Elio Vazquez Yordanis Amaro
Salty Gator f. Swingin Jess - Sweet N Salty TB by Salt Lake TB :19.638 J. L. Gladwell III J L Gladwell III (FL) Charlton Hunt Cristian R Esqueda
Fast Flyin Fireball g. This Flights For You - Biscuits N Buns by Strawfly Special :19.708 Adina Baker Gene Cox (OK) Donnie Lee Strickland Benito J Baca
Burnin For You f. This Flights For You - Bye Bye Rayburn by Dashin Bye :19.781 Chris Watson Gene Cox (OK) Donnie Lee Strickland Benito J Baca
Bubbles Cartel Gal f. Streakin Six Cartel - Bubbles Bunny by Sail On Bunny :19.838 Bill H. Miller and Jason N. Pascoe Bill or Sandy Miller (IL) Matt Frazier Andrew R Samaniego
DQ- Ahs Uncle Si c. Struttin To Beduino - Ichies Signature by Ichie Dancer :19.839 Alicia L. Hill Smith Alicia L Hill Smith (FL) Judd S Kearl Rodrigo S Vallejo
Blacks Cartel f. Streakin Six Cartel - Brandi Whiz by Oh My Gee Whiz :19.863 Tracy Black Don And/Or Eileen Black (MN) Casey Black Osdany P Leal
La Doncella Comminup f. Ethics Aside - Comminup Rosie by First Down Expected :19.873 Luis C. Aguirre Luis C Aguirre (FL) Rogelio Martinez Omar Reyes
Toast To Bono g. Bono Jazz - Gg Toast by Toast To Dash :20.033 Charles E. Wright L Essary &/Or C Mulholland (GA) Randall P Weidner Dale Beaty
Streakin Knight c. Streakin Six Cartel - My Little Mimi TBKip( by Kelly Kip TB :20.053 Edgar Vargas Edgar Vargas (IL) Hipolito Bueno Rodrigo Vallejo
Trial Notes: Ahs Uncle Si one the first of three trial by one-length but was DQ'd and placed fifth moving Shea A Tourist, who finished second in the that trial, up as the fastest qualifier.
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