SNOW BURN WINS GRADE 1 MERIAL DISTAFF CHALLENGE CHAMPIONSHIP
OPELOUSAS, LA — NOVEMBER 8, 2008 — Horton Racing LLC's Snow Burn pushed her nose in front at the wire to win the 400-yard, $125,000 Merial Distaff Challenge Championship (G1) for fillies and mares at Evangeline Downs on Saturday.
Trained by Don Mourning and ridden by Tad Leggett, Snow Burn covered the distance in :19.986 while picking up her first stakes win. She defeated 2-1 race favorite Eye Caughtcha Peekin by a nose.
"This filly broke as good as she has in a long time," said Leggett. "It was great -- and it was especially good because she almost didn't get in the race."
The daughter of THIS SNOW IS ROYAL finished a nose off Shaky Girl, in the August 8 Merial Distaff Central Challenge (G3) at Prairie Meadows. She got her berth to the Merial Distaff Challenge after the connections of Shaky Girl decided not to accept.
Bred by Todd and Jodi Horton, Snow Burn became the 37th stakes winner from seven crops sired by THIS SNOW IS ROYAL, the sport's champion 2-year-old colt in 1997. The filly's dam, Sweethearts Quicksix, is a winning 9-year-old daughter of Sixarun who has produced two winners from two starters.
Picking up only her third victory from 16 starts, the $57,500 winner's share of the Merial Distaff purse pushed her career earnings to $116,961. Last year, she was a close second in the Ford Central Juvenile Challenge and a close third in the Valley Junction Futurity (G1).
"She's been knocking on the door a long time," said Mourning. "She got photoed out two or three times, and I'd about decided she wasn't ever going to get there. Well, this time she finally got the photo, and we finally got there."
Eye Caughtcha Peekin races for Randee Fagan and is trained by C. Dwayne Gilbreath. Jose Alvarez was aboard for the second place finish.
Sold On Special ran third and was followed by Tombstone Tina, Go Girl Gone, Fitness Lady, Anichini, Very Dashin 123, Shaky Girl and Eyesa Country Miss.
