NEWS
Grapes to Wine first winner for Country Be Gold
Posted: Friday, November 27, 2009 6:33 PM
Grapes to Wine took the lead in early stretch with a sweeping five-wide move and pulled away to a five-length score in the third race on Friday at Remington Park to become the first career winner for freshman sire Country Be Gold.
A Becker Family Trust homebred trained by Juan Padilla, the two-year-old colt covered six furlongs on a track rated as fast in 1:11.78 under jockey Belen Quinonez in his fourth career start. Grapes to Wine is one of two winners from three starters out of the winning Cherokee Colony mare Essie’s Link.
Country Be Gold has 12 two-year-olds in his first crop, including stakes-placed Right Squall. The 12-year-old Summer Squall horse will stand the 2010 season for a $1,500 fee at Caines Stallion Station in Wynnewood, Oklahoma.
One of four winners from as many starters out of the stakes-winning Personal Flag mare Beloved Sea, Country Be Gold recorded 11 wins, six seconds, nine thirds, and amassed $818,691 in purse earnings from 59 starts over six seasons. His wins included the 2005 Aqueduct Handicap (G3), the ’04 Gate Dancer Stakes, and the ’03 Kelso Stakes and DTHA Owners’ Day Handicap.
Notable family members include Grade 3 winner and 2005 Preakness Stakes (G1) runner up Scrappy T.
