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HORSE RACING Photo finish Henry Craig wins Firecracker at the wire Comment By Frank Silow Mail Tribune Follow @@MTsports MailTribune.com By Frank Silow Mail Tribune Follow @@MTsports Posted Jul. 5, 2016 at 2:00 AM By Frank Silow Mail Tribune Follow @@MTsports Posted Jul. 5, 2016 at 2:00 AM --> FIRECRACKER FUTURITY WHAT: The 25th running of the 350-yard sprint for eight 2-year-old quarter horses. RECAP: Jockey Eduardo Gutierrez-Sosa rallies Henry Craig on ... » Read more X FIRECRACKER FUTURITY WHAT: The 25th running of the 350-yard sprint for eight 2-year-old quarter horses. RECAP: Jockey Eduardo Gutierrez-Sosa rallies Henry Craig on the outside to win by a nose in a time of 17.877 seconds. PURSE: $31,500, with $12,600 to the winner. » Social News GRANTS PASS — For a couple of minutes it looked like trainer Bob Becker had scored his second consecutive Firecracker Futurity victory at Grants Pass Downs Monday. Beckner, his wife Teri and friends and associates had gathered on the track for a picture in the winner’s circle. But when the tote board on the infield flashed a number “7” — indicating Henry Craig — as the winner of the 25th running of the rich Fourth of July futurity, Beckner was somewhat bewildered. “I thought we won it,” said the 78-year-old from Albany. “They both cleared the field.” But indeed, it was the second betting favorite Henry Craig at 9-to-5 who nosed out Beckner’s L Bar D Genuine Red at the wire, confirmed by the photo finish picture. Jockey Kassie Guglielmino hustled L Bar D Genuine Red to the front of the eight-horse field with 100 yards to go in the 350-yard sprint for 2-year-old quarter horses. But Henry Craig, with jockey Eduardo Gutierrez-Sosa aboard, made a late rally to get the victory in the $31,500 Firecracker. Henry Craig — victorious in the Pot of Gold Futurity this spring —remained undefeated in four career starts and rewarded owner Cedric Hayden of Cedar Creek Tree Farm Ranch and Racing the $12,600 first-place share of the purse. “He broke sharp and ran straight,” said Guglielmino of second-place L Bar D Genuine Red. “We were pretty much head-to-head. I thought I won it, then I saw Sosa to the outside raise his arm right after the finish.” It’s the third time Henry Craig has got the best of L Bar D Genuine Red but this was the most competitive for the Beckner-trained horse. Henry Craig posted a winning time of 17.877 seconds. Even in defeat Beckner had praise for his colt: “So far it was his best race. We’re getting closer to figuring things out.” Sosa qualified both Henry Craig and Gabbanelli in the futurity trials June 19 at GP Downs. Even though Gabbanelli had the fastest time in the trials, Sosa chose to ride Henry Craig in the futurity. “When I started working with him he was really good,” said Sosa, who has ridden Henry Craig in all four starts. “He’s professional and runs really fast.” Gabbanelli went off as the 6-5 favorite, while L Bar D Genuine Red was the third betting choice at 5-1. Sosa has been the hot jockey at GP Downs this season. The affable man, who began his rider career here, had one other win Monday to give him 16 on the season — the most of any jockey. Henry Craig provided trainer Hector Magallanes his third Firecracker victory in the past four years. Magallanes, who had five horses in the field, also had the third-, fourth- and fifth-place finishers. Magallanes wasn’t sure who had won the tight race until Sosa raised his arm. “(Henry Craig) had to run his best race,” said the 34-year-old trainer from Boardman. “He gave it all he had. That 5-horse (L Bar D Genuine Red) was game from the start. He showed he can run.” Henry Craig is out of Hayden’s mare Copa Show Girl, who has provided two other stakes winners for Magallanes. “He already comes from a line of horses that can run,” said Magallanes. Copa Show Girl produced last year’s Far West Futurity winner Skold and is the mother of Warnock, a second-place finisher in the 2013 Firecracker. Magallanes plans to rest Henry Craig until the $140,000 Wild West Futurity at Los Alamitos Race Course in Cypress, Calif., this fall. Grants Pass Downs finishes its nine-day season Saturday and Sunday. Post is 1 p.m. each day. Track Tidbits GRANTS PASS DOWNS is experiencing a bounce back after last year’s disappointing season. After the first seven race days, the handle is up 37 percent from the previous season. The track has handled $305,594, which is $82,422 more than last year at this point. Also this season’s handle surpasses the entire 2013 season ($302,059), the first that the Southern Oregon Horse Racing Association took over complete management of the meet. JULY 4TH weekend totals were excellent this year. The attendance of 8,460 and handle of $133,061 was the most for the holiday three-day holiday since SORHA took over. Monday’s handle of $56,908 was second only to Father’s Day ($62,649). THE FIRECRACKER had the second-biggest handle ($10,654) of any individual race in 2016. The sixth race on Father’s Day took in $10,810. The futurity was the third race of the season that exceeded $10,000 wagered. MEET LEADERS after seven days are Eduardo Gutierrez-Sosa and Hector Magallanes. Gutierrez-Sosa leads the jockey standings with 16 wins, while Kassie Guglielmino and Jake Samuels are tied for second place with eight each. Jose Guerrero and Louis Zacherle are next with seven apiece. Magallanes had doubled his closest competition in the trainer standings. He has 12 winners so far to six for Rolland Fergason. Darlene Braden is third with five. THE FINAL weekend has three major stakes races slated. On Saturday, the Don Jackson Memorial for thoroughbreds will have a $3,500-added purse. The $4,000-added Grants Pass Derby for quarter horses and the $3,600 Au Revoir Stakes are set for the closing day. Monday’s Results FIRST RACE TB Clm, 5 ½ F. 1, Penporium (E. Gutierrez-Sosa), 3.60, 2.60, 2.40; 2, City Sensation (R. Burney), 3.80, 2.40; 3, Midnight Maggie (J. Guerrero), 2.20. Q — 3-5 $9.80; EX — 5-3 $7.00; TRI — 5-3-4 $29.20. Time — 1:08.20. SECOND RACE TB Clm, 5 F. 1, Budy’s Gold (K. Guglielmino), 12.60, 4.00, 2.40; 2, Kalhi Sun (R. Burney), 2.60, 2.20; 3, Pintoman (L. Zacherle), 2.40. Q — 2-5 $13.00; EX — 5-2 $28.20; TRI — 5-2-1 $148.60. Time — 1:01.63. THIRD RACE TB Clm, 5 ½ F. 1, Lil Miss Wild Cat (R. Goodgame), 4.20, 3.60, 2.80; Cassidy Command (K. Guglielmino), 2.80, 3.00; 3, Miss Seamless (J. Guerrero), 3.20. Q — 5-6 $4.80; EX — 5-6 $6.80; TRI — 5-6-4 $14.00; DD — 5-5 $29.60. Time — 1:06.94. FOURTH RACE QH Fut Consol, 350 yd. 1, Cm Woody Blue (L. Zacherle), 14.20, 6.60, 2.80; 2, One Dashing Hawk (E. Gutierrez-Sosa), 5.00, 3.20; 3, Spartin (J. Guerrero), 3.40. Q — 3-7 $53.40; EX — 7-3 $52.20; TRI — 7-3-6 $149.00. Time — :18.50. FIFTH RACE TB Clm, 5 ½ F. 1, Northern Smoke (R. Burney), 4.40, 2.80, 2.60; 2, Softstar (K. Guglielmino), 3.00, 2.60; 3, Yuma Landing (E. Gutierrez-Sosa), 2.60. Q — 5-6 $4.00; EX — 5-6 $3.90; TRI — 5-6-1 $19.20; Pick 3 — 5-7-5 $25.80. Time — 1:07.13. SIXTH RACE TB Clm, 5 ½ F. 1, Uncork It (R. Burney), 13.60, 4.60, 2.80; 2, Cognac (J. Samuels), 3.40, 3.00; 3, Gambling Streak (J. Guerrero), 3.00. Q — $15.20; EX — 3-7 $11.00; TRI — 3-7-1 $21.10. Time — 1:05.56. SEVENTH RACE QH Fut, 350 yd. 1, Henry Craig (E. Gutierrez-Sosa), 5.80, 4.00, 2.60; 2, L Bar D Genuine Red (K. Guglielmino), 4.00, 2.40; 3, Gabbanelli (J. Samuels), 3.60. Q — 5-7 $6.60; EX — 7-5 $6.80; TRI — 7-5-8 $18.70. Time — :17.877. EIGHTH RACE TB Alw, 5 F. 1, It Doesn’t Add Up (K. Guglielmino), 5.20, 2.60, 2.40; 2, Charlie’s Gold (L. Zacherle), 9.20, 3.00; 3, Crazy Al (J. Guerrero), 2.20. Q — 3-5 $15.40; EX — 3-5 $11.10; TRI — 3-5-2 $94.40; Pick 3 — 3-7-3 $42.30; DD — 7-3 $10.00. Time — :59.84. Attendance — 3,565 (estimated); Handle — $56,908. Reach reporter Frank Silow at 541-776-4480, or email [email protected] By Frank Silow Mail Tribune Follow @@MTsports MailTribune.com By Frank Silow Mail Tribune Follow @@MTsports Posted Jul. 5, 2016 at 2:00 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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