In 2021, McKay Stables — like different Nebraska horsemen — went searching for mares.
“When gambling got voted in, a lot of the owners kind of got ambitious and decided to go out to Kentucky and buy mares that were in foal and bring them back, foal them out and get a nice first crop with those horses,” coach Jesse Compton stated.
Those young horses are beginning to hit the monitor now, and Compton has one among them in Firespitten Kitten.
The 3-year-old son of Speightster and High Wire Kitten broke his maiden Feb. 18 at Fonner Park. Now he’s stepping as much as open competitors within the $15,000 Baxter Stakes on Saturday.
“We were hoping he’d have a good season,” Compton stated. “He’s done well.”
Firespitten Kitten will probably be ridden by Larren Delorme and is the morning-line favourite at 5-2. He completed fifth in his second race this 12 months on March 17 when issues didn’t go his method.
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“The second time, he kind of missed the break and he hadn’t been in between horses a whole lot in his career,” Compton stated. “He was just never really able to stretch out.”
But a change in gear helped him the following trip and he responded with a two-length win on March 30.
“The next race we put blinkers on him,” Compton stated. “That got him involved in the race and he finished well. If we can get that from him again, we should get a good placing on Saturday.”
Compton has executed nicely this 12 months at Fonner with 9 wins in 26 begins. He’s produced these wins whereas not being stabled in Grand Island.
“The weather was bad in January, so we stayed home at the farm,” Compton stated. “We’ve been hauling in and out and it’s working well. Typically, on a race weekend, we just run down and run and then come back home after they’re done.
“Our horses have been doing really well with that.”
Compton and his spouse Shelby have a 16-month-old son with a daughter on the best way in June. Stabling at home permits him to assist out along with his son and get work executed by himself greater than if the horses have been at Fonner Park.
He’ll be bringing Firespitten Kitten in from the farm for his race on Saturday in opposition to seven different rivals.
My Buddy Mel, a newcomer to Fonner lately claimed in Houston for $20,000 by Mark Hibdon and ridden by Ricardo Martinez, is 3-1 on the morning line.
Legend of Gold, one other Nebraska-bred gelding skilled by David C. Anderson and ridden by Kevin Roman, is 9-2.
Toomanynames (5-1), Magnolia Speed (6-1), Hog Haven (8-1), Hat Trick Jack (12-1) and Tapitboy (15-1) spherical out the sector.
“I just hope Firespitten Kitten shows up on Saturday and does well,” Compton stated.
— Wiking, ridden by Larren Delorme and skilled by Temple Rushton, broke his maiden within the fourth race at 16-1 and paid $35.20 to win. Wiking was purchased as a yearling for $450,000. Rushton later pushed him for $1,000. This was simply the second begin for the 5-year-old Kentucky-bred son of War Front and Pretty Perfect.
— Delorme received two in a row. After successful on Wiking within the fourth, he rode Long Monday to a win within the fifth for coach Stetson Rushton.
— Jockey Nathan Haar and coach Jerry Gourneau received twice with Midsummer Soiree within the second and Highlander’s Edge within the seventh.
