Starting from post two, Ramos had a straight shot to get Nobody Listens to the top spot in a matter of steps. They were joined by New Year’s Fever and Marcelino Pedroza Jr. on the outside.
Nobody Listens had his full attention locked in on the six-furlong sprint and maintained a speedy pace through the single turn race. In the stretch, he had opened up on the field by more than two lengths as the late chargers got in gear.
Latigo and Orlando Mojica led the biggest charge from the center of the track, but Nobody Listens had the advantage, fending off Latigo by a head at the wire. Fortin Hill and Gerardo Corrales finished third a half-length back, also in a late closing push.
“He is one of my favorite horses,” said Ramos, who has been aboard for all 11 wins. “I see him every day. He was calmer today and more relaxed in the paddock and even in the post parade. I think he may be maturing a little. He’s usually the type that will start jumping around in the post parade, but he didn’t do that today. I started talking to him and getting him ready for the race. Once we broke out of the gate, he was the same horse I have always known. He took off.”
Nobody Listens was the favorite, paying $4.60 in the 12-horse lineup. The flashy grey son of Conveyance earned his 11th victory in 23 career starts. Overall, he has only finished off the board four times in his career. Tim Eggleston oversees the training duties. Matt Kwiatkowski, Jason Kaylor and Roger Browning have owned the five-year-old since acquiring him from the Ocala Breeders Two-Year-Old Spring Sale in 2020 for $40,000. Since that purchase, he has brought in nearly $500,000 in career earnings, joining an elite group of Indiana breds with a half million on their card.
“He caught Brandon Stauble’s eye at the Ocala sale,” said co-owner Roger Browning, who is a native of Shelbyville. “We have had good luck with horses from the Dodds (breeders Karen and Greg Dodd of Southern Chase Farm), so we made arrangements to have Brandon bid on him and we got him. He’s just the type of horse you always want to have. He wants all the attention and he’ll whinny when we walk in the barn because he knows we have carrots. It’s not too often when you find a horse like him. He can run on the turf, dirt, synthetic. He’s just a great all-around horse.”
Browning, who is retired from construction, and his partners, Kwiatkowski and Kaylor, both State Farm Insurance agents, have traveled with the horse wherever he runs. They were rewarded with their trip to Turfway Park this spring when Nobody Listens won the $125,000 Big Daddy Stakes, earning the win by a neck with Ramos aboard.
“All of these races are exciting, but that win at Turfway was especially great because it was unexpected,” added Browning.
For Ramos, it was an especially good day. In addition to his win aboard Nobody Listens in the Brickyard, he won two other races earlier, scoring his 500th win of his young career aboard Undismayed.
Now up to 502 wins, Ramos was the leading apprentice jockey at both Horseshoe Indianapolis and Belterra in 2019. He also won the Leading Jockey title at Horseshoe Indianapolis last season. The native of Puerto Rico is always quick to be thankful for his success.
“First and foremost, I thank the Lord,” added Ramos. “I am very grateful that the Lord keeps me healthy and lets me do what I love to do. Plus, I’m very thankful to this team for opportunities like this. Riding good horses for owners and trainers like this is a blessing.”
$100,000 Checkered Flag
Hot Little Thing and Alex Achard blazed home to win the 3rd running of the $100,000 Checkered Flag Wednesday. The duo closed in gamely for the win in a time of 1:09.61.
Hot Little Thing (photo) began her journey from post seven in the 12-horse lineup but had quick steps out of the gate, getting a good early position in the early stages as Carimba and Marcelino Pedroza Jr. used their inside post to their advantage for the lead. Poetic Verse and Eddie Perez joined them to press the pace in second on the outside with Hot Little Thing lurking in third.
Midway through the lone turn of the race, Achard moved Hot Little Thing three wide to prepare for the stretch drive. Once in the stretch, Carimba proved she was a worthy competitor despite her long odds. She went to battle with Poetic Verse, who was also not backing down. The two fillies battled all the way to the wire. Hot Little Thing kicked into another gear late and had the best momentum, getting up for the win by a neck at the wire over Carimba. Poetic Verse was another neck back in third in the three-horse photo.
“I just wanted to make one move with her,” explained Achard, who has been aboard for all five of her career wins. “She is a sprinter, so she is intense. But I was very pleased with the start and the pace. She dug in late, and she was really brave.”
Hot Little Thing was the favorite of the field, paying $6.20 for the win. The chestnut daughter of Army Mule is owned and trained by Brian Lynch and is a recent acquisition by the Australian born owner-trainer. He purchased her this spring from the Keeneland April Horses of Racing Age Sale for $125,000.
The win in the Checkered Flag is the second premier win for her at Horseshoe Indianapolis. She won the $100,000 Back Home Again in Indiana last fall and overall, now has five career wins in eight starts, only missing a top-three finish once in those efforts. She increased her career bankroll to more than $220,000 with her latest win.
$59,200 Bradford Stakes
Mr Michel is now a stakes winner at the age of two, three and four. The multiple stakes winner just added another title to his credit Wednesday, winning the 25th running of the $59,200 Bradford Stakes.
Mr Michel (photo) began his journey from post one for jockey Edgar Diaz. He was out of the gate in a flash and had an early advantage during the 400-yard dash. Hooked on Jordan and Jose Ruiz along with Oscar Mike and Martin Munoz were in a battle in the center of the track as the tightly-bunched field moved down the stretch.
In the final strides, Mr Michel stretched out and got a comfortable advantage at the wire, winning by one and one-quarter lengths at the finish line in 19.949 seconds.
Hooked on Jordan finished second in a three-way battle over Oscar Mike for third. High Rolling Seize and Shanley Jackson were also close in the photo to finish fourth.
It was Diaz’s first win aboard the talented Mr Michel. It was also his second start aboard him, which assisted Diaz in his Bradford stakes winning performance.
“He broke well and got out of the gate good,” said Diaz through translation with trainer Claudio Barraza. “Halfway down the stretch, he started picking up more and more. I think the gate work really helped him today.”
Mr Michel was the favorite, paying $4.60 for the win. The sorrel son of Kiss My Hocks is now a seven-time winner for owner Alberto Valadez. He increased his career bankroll to more than $273,000.
Named after his breeder Mark Michel, Mr Michel made his mark as a two-year-old, winning the $198,000 Miss Roxie Little Futurity. He came back last year at three and earned a win in the $110,000 QHRAI Stallion Service Auction Derby. Now as a four-year-old, he adds another stakes win to his credentials with a win in the Bradford Stakes.
“I have told the owner all along to never sell this horse,” added Barraza. “He’s one of those special horses. He is a champion.”
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