Jimmy Rash, Central Nebraska Today
GRAND ISLAND — There were a large number of Tennessee Moon fans on hand Saturday at Fonner Park. Trainer Mark Hibdon saw that when she turned for home in the 41st running of the $25,000 Al Swihart Memorial Stakes.
“She came down the stretch, I looked around and everybody was cheering her on,” Hibdon said.
“She is a special horse. I don’t know what else to say about her. She’s just a special mare. I noticed everybody was rooting for her.
“It almost makes me cry when she comes down the lane because I’ve never had one like this.”
Tennessee Moon was coming off a third-place finish in the Bosselman Pump and Pantry/Gus Fonner Stakes just a week ago. She couldn’t keep up with winner Komorebino Omoide in that one, but this week running against other fillies and mares, nobody was going to catch her.
Jockey David Cardoso gave Tennessee Moon the go sign in the second turn, and she went.
Tennessee Moon started to pull away from PR Odds Setter and went on to win by 5 3-4th lengths, covering the 6 1-2 furlongs in 1:19.20.
“She ran a good race,” Hibdon said. “She won pretty easy I think. David said she was going pretty easy. He didn’t really ask her too much. I was hoping that was the case.
I was hoping she wouldn’t have to extend too much effort. I don’t want to sound arrogant, but it is what it is.”
Tennessee Moon paid $2.60. $2.80 and $2.80. Rights of Refusal, who rallied late to get second, paid $9.00 and $5.00 while Sarah’s Court paid $3.80 to show.
“It was pretty much the same horses,” Hibdon said. “P R Odds Setter is always pretty tough. I thought she might have a chance. Her and a couple more that I thought might have a chance. It worked out in our favor.”
The win was worth $15,480 for Hibdon, who is also her owner. Tennessee Moon has now won 21 of 38 career starts and earned a total of $325,364. She’s now won seven of nine career starts at Fonner Park.
Hibdon plans to take some horses to Wyoming to run and leave some in Grand Island to run at Lincoln starting next week. Tennessee Moon’s immediate future is yet to be determined.
“I’m not sure what I’m going to do with her,” Hibdon said. “I’m just going to sit on her for a little while. I feel like she’s going to be ready to roll tomorrow. That’s just the way she is.”
One thing Hibdon won’t do with Tennessee Moon is run her in a claiming race.
“I’ll take her home and put her in the pasture before I do that,” Hibdon said.
Court Line wins Special Stakes
Jockey Jose Medina knew exactly what he had in Court Line for the 70th running of the $25,000 Fonner Park Special Stakes for 3-year-old fillies.
“We knew she has a really nice kick at the end,” Medina said. “We knew like four horses in the race were maiden, so when we broke we were third and fourth. So I moved in to avoid getting any dirt in the face.”
Court Line was seventh early in the race, but steadily moved up. In the end, it all worked out as Court Line won the six-furlong race by four lengths over My Merino Mayer in 1:15.60.
It just took Court Line a little longer to get going than Medina expected.
“When I started asking her at the half-mile pole, she gave me a little bit but not the way I really wanted,” Medina said. “I thought she was going to give me a better kick when I asked her, so I made the decision to whip her the last 3/16ths to wake her up. She gave me a good kick at the end.”
Court Line, who was bred, owned and trained by Jason Wise, paid $6.00, $3.80 and $2.80. My Merino Mayor paid $16.40 and $8.00 while
No More Shots paid $3.00 to show.
Medina thinks Court Line
“She did really well,” Medina said. “She’s a nice filly. I think 6 1-2 (furlongs) then one mile. I think little by little she will.”
Roman, Gonzalez win titles
Jockey Kevin Roman and trainer Isai Gonzalez won titles again at Fonner Park.
Roman pulled away to win the jockey’s title with 63 wins, well ahead of Medina in second with 46.
Gonzalez took the lead in the trainer’s standings late in the meet and held on for the title with 42 wins. Hibdon was second with 39 and David Anderson third with 29.
Hibdon was the leading owner. Thirty-eight of his 39 wins were by horses he owned. GSH Stable LLC, owned by Gonzalez and his brothers, was second with 29.
Hoofprints
— Veteran trainer Larry Donlin, a member of the Nebraska Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame, won his first two races of the season in back-top-back fashion to open Saturday’s card. Chris Fackler rode B L’s Concerto to a win in the first while Ronald HIsby on Adeterminedmom won the second.
— Roman also won the third race on Prints Money for trainer Kelli Martinez.
— Medina won the seventh race on Thundershuck for trainer Dalton Dieter to go with his win in the Special Stakes.
— Thundershuck, at 8-1 on the morning line, was George the Greek’s longshot of the day.
Fonner Park Final Standings
Jockeys
Name;Sts;1st;2nd;3rd;Win%;$%
Kevin Roman;235;63;51;32;27;62
Jose Medina;216;46;32;37;21;53
David Cardoso;149;35;24;14;23;49
Ronald Hisby;172;19;20;19;11;34
Victor Bailon;149;18;12;18;12;32
Travis Cunningham;169;16;22;27;9;38
Blake Nunnally;150;10;24;21;7;37
Nathan Haar;155;10;19;15;6;28
Jayden Ironeyes;153;9;14;16;6;25
Scott Bethke;98;9;4;14;9;28
Trainers
Name;Sts;1st;2nd;3rd;Win%;$%
Isai Gonzalez;181;42;37;26;23;58
Mark Hibdon;171;39;30;20;23;52
David Anderson;150;29;23;20;19;48
Kelli Martinez;119;18;18;14;15;42
Jason Wise;61;14;5;9;23;
MarvinA.Johnson;68;13;13;10;19;53
Schuyler Condon;80;8;6;8;10;28
Gerald Big Hair;30;7;2;2;23;37
Troy Bethke;44;7;1;5;16;30
Stetson Rushton;82;6;10;8;7;29
Owners
Name;Sts;1st;2nd;3rd;Win%;$%
Mark Hibdon;164;38;30;18;23;52
GSH Stable LLC;108;29;23;16;27;63
Troy Bethke;26;7;0;4;27;42
GaraldW.Wollesen;32;6;2;3;19;34
JLRacingLLC;51;5;10;8;10;45
Ryan Belgum;14;5;2;2;36;64
D and L Farms;46;4;8;10;9;48
Marvin Johnson LLC;18;4;3;2;22;50
Martinez Racing;17;4;2;1;24;41