Chicks Lacerta sets track record, wins Dash for Colors
Stakes
FORT WORTH, TEXAS—Paint Horse Chicks Lacerta set a new track record at
Will Rogers Downs in Claremore, Okla., as she won the Dash for Colors Stakes on
April 4. The 300-yard race offered a $25,000 purse.
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Chicks Lacerta sets track record, wins Dash for Colors Stakes. Photo
Courtesy of Kellie Johnston/Coady Photography.
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Chicks Lacerta, sired by First Smart Money AQHA and out of Treasured
Chick, ran a race for the books as she covered the track in 15.60 seconds. Not
only did the 4-year-old mare set a new track record, but she beat the winningest
Paint Horse of all time—Got Country Grip—by a length. Owned by Charles Trochta
and Sammy Hester of Tulsa, Okla., the mare earned $15,000 to increase her
lifetime earnings to $88,436. Chicks Lacerta was trained by Hester and ridden by
Larry Payne.
Finishing the race in second place was Paint racing great Got Country Grip. The
6-year-old Solid Paint-Bred gelding—the oldest horse in the race—rallied for
second while posting a time of 15.74 seconds. The gelding, sired by Country
Quick Dash and out of Got A Grip, earned $5,000 for his efforts to remain as
Paint racing’s leading lifetime money-earner with $292,028. Owned by Jimmy
Maddux of Weatherford, Texas, Got Country Grip was trained by Brandon Parum and
ridden by Ricky Ramirez.
Rounding out the top three to finish third was Appaloosa racehorse Moon
Bully. Trained by Tina Seely and ridden by Cody Smith, Moon Bully posted a time
of 15.847 seconds and earned $2,750.
Other horses completing the race, along with times, include Quick Hombre (15.848
seconds), Heza Royal Sin (15.88 seconds) and Tequila Queen (ApHC) (15.97
seconds).
More about Paint Horse racing Horse racing has long been one of America’s favorite spectator sports. With the
recent growth of the Paint Horse breed, it’s no wonder that Paints have become
one of the hottest tickets in the horse racing industry.
Since 1966, when APHA officially recognized the sport, Paint racing has made
major strides forward. In that inaugural year, 17 starters ran for $1,290 in
just two states—Texas and Oklahoma. In 2008, more than 570 starters competed in
more than 660 APHA-recognized races for record purses totaling more than $5
million.
A total of 17 states now feature Paint racing, including Arizona, California,
Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota,
Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. Paint
Horses also race in Canada.
"Paint Racing continues to be an opportunity for breeders, owners and trainers
to take a serious look at," said APHA Executive Director Lex Smurthwaite. "The
amount of purse money available and the average earning per Paint starter is
creating new interest in the Paint racing industry."
For more information on Paint Horse racing, contact APHA’s racing department at
(817) 222-6444, email racing@apha.com, or
visit paintracing.com.