Catch Me Ridin Dirty named A.R.A.B. of Michigan’s Horse of the Year

The connections of Arabian Horse of the Year Catch Me Ridin Dirty celebrate the gelding's victory at A.R.A.B. of Michigan's High Point Awards.

Two years after a 5 1/2-length maiden score on a June afternoon in 2009, the Arabian colony at Mount Pleasant Meadows is still playing catch-up with Catch Me Ridin Dirty.

The gap got a little wider after Catch Me Ridin Dirty was honored with his second Horse of the Year title at last Saturday’s Michigan Association of Racing Arabian Breeders High Point Awards at Stanton’s Clifford Lake Inn.

The five-year-old Aransas HF gelding, who goes by the barn name “Louie” when away from the racetrack, made the most of a shortened 2010 meet, with wins in three of his four starts for earnings of $7,509.

Catch Me Ridin Dirty’s showcase win came in the July 11 Independence Open, where he led at every point of call and drew off in the stretch to win by 3 3/4 lengths over a muddy course.

Homebred in Michigan and trained by Nicole Holst, Catch Me Ridin Dirty was also named Horse of the Year as a three-year-old in 2009. Holst, who earned Trainer of the Year honors, said her gelding will return in 2011 to defend his title once again.

Jockey of the Year Nate Alcala has ridden Catch Me Ridin Dirty in all 10 of his career starts, all at Mount Pleasant. The pair won eight of those starts, including two in stakes company, to earn $19,134.

Catch Me Ridin Dirty finished the evening with additional awards for top four-year-old male and Michigan-bred male.

Leading the evening’s award-winners was Tom and Joyce Fritz’s Hickory Lane Farms, Inc. The Sidney, Mich. farm took home four equine awards, along with the prizes for top owner and breeder.

The standout horse to run under Hickory Lane’s neon green colors was three-year-old-male of the year Get R Done.

The Virgule Al Maury gelding finished a perfect two-for-two in 2010 by a combined 29 lengths. A 23-length victory in the Aug. 1 Michigan Arabian Juvenile Stakes helped Get R Done earn a Darley Award nomination for champion three-year-old colt or gelding.

Michigan-bred Get R Done is trained by Mario Fritz for owner and breeder Tom Fritz. He has amassed career earnings of $5,150.

Get R Done was a runner-up for Horse of the Year honors, along with Stars and Stripes Distaff winner Shestheone and award-winning older male Zanthus Fury.

Behind the jump is the full list of winners from Saturday’s awards and their 2010 statistics.

A.R.A.B. of Michigan names finalists for 2010 awards

Catch Me Ridin Dirty and Nate Alcala are strong contenders to defend their respective titles as Michigan's Arabian Horse and Jockey of the Year.

The Association of Racing Arabian Breeders of Michigan has released the list of year-end award nominees from the 2010 Mount Pleasant Meadows meet.

The winners will be decided Jan. 22 during the organization’s awards dinner at the Clifford Lake Inn in Stanton, Mich.. For more information on the dinner, or to make reservations, click here.

Four horses lead all finalists with nominations in three categories a piece. Defending Michigan Arabian Horse of the Year Catch Me Ridin Dirty shares that honor with Michigan Arabian Juvenile Stakes winner Get R Done, Stars and Stripes Distaff winner Shestheone and stakes-placed allowance winner Zanthus Fury. All four horses are finalists for Michigan’s Horse of the Year title.

On the human side of the awards, Nicole Holst leads all nominees as a finalist for champion owner, breeder and trainer.

A list of nominees from each category can be found behind the jump.

Catch Me Ridin Dirty wires field in Independence Open

Catch Me Ridin Dirty and jockey Nate Alcala come down the stretch to win the Independence Open at Mount Pleasant Meadows.

After a storm blew through the area earlier in the card and turned the racing surface into a mud pit, Catch Me Ridin Dirty stayed tight to the dry rail and led at every call to win Sunday’s $6,500 Independence Open at Mount Pleasant Meadows.

The four-year-old Aransas HF gelding was forwardly placed coming out of the gate, with Double Djeopardy and RFR Silver Crescent flanking him on both sides. Catch Me Ridin Dirty and Double Djeopardy quickly distanced themselves about three lengths from the rest of the pack and dueled for the lead heading onto the main track. As the field crossed the wire for the first time, Catch Me Ridin Dirty overtook his rival and moved over to the rail. He held a length and a half advantage over Zanthus Fury, who had come into contention on the outside, heading into the clubhouse turn.

Catch Me Ridin Dirty held a comfortable two-length cushion across the backstretch as Zanthus Fury and Double Djeopardy battled for position behind him. A well-urged Double Djeopardy inched closer to the leader coming out of the final turn, but the Catch Me Ridin Dirty repelled the challenge and was hand-ridden to the wire by jockey Nate Alcala on his way to a 3 3/4 length victory. Double Djeopardy finished two lengths ahead of Zanthus Fury for second place.

Catch Me Ridin Dirty completed the six furlong race in 1:26.58 over a fast dirt surface. He went off as the 0.90-to-one post time favorite.

Homebred in Michigan and trained by Nicole Holst, Catch Me Ridin Dirty improved his career record to seven wins from nine starts, and a perfect two-for-two in stakes company. His effort in the Independence Open increased his earnings to $17,384.

For an Equibase chart of the race, click here.

3 – Catch Me Ridin Dirty (Nate Alcala) 3.80 / / 2.10
2 – Double Djeopardy (Oscar Delgado) 2.10 / 2.10
5 – Zanthus Fury (Juan Delgado) 2.10

Six Furlongs
Time: 1:26.58

Your winner, Catch Me Ridin Dirty; Nate Alcala, up.

Holst leads award winners at A.R.A.B. year-end dinner

Catch Me Ridin Dirty, jockey Nate Alcala and trainer Nicole Holst were each well-represented in A.R.A.B. of Michigan's year-end awards.

Trainer Nicole Holst wrapped up a successful 2009 campaign by securing an armload of awards for herself and her charges at the Association of Racing Arabian Breeders of Michigan’s year-end awards dinner.

The awards were presented Jan. 9 in Mt. Pleasant.

Holst led all trainers with six awards for horses in her stable, including Horse of the Year Catch Me Ridin Dirty. She also took home two individual awards as Michigan’s champion trainer and breeder.

Catch Me Ridin Dirty earned three awards on the evening, the most of any horse. In addition to Horse of the Year, the Aransas HF gelding also picked up honors for champion three-year-old male and Michigan-Bred of the Year. His dominant meet at Mt. Pleasant also earned Catch Me Ridin Dirty national attention when he was named a finalist for the Darley Award as champion three-year-old male.

Owner Tom Fritz was also well-represented with three awards, including Owner of the Year. Fritz’s award-winning stable included the champions in both four year-old divisions – Zanthus Fury (male) and ARC Midewst Maturity Distaff Stakes winner Pachet (female).

To view the preview for the awards, including the full list of nominees in each category, click here.

A full list of winners (with pictures!) can be found behind the jump.

Catch Me Ridin Dirty nominated for Darley Award

Catch Me Ridin Dirty's dominant 2009 campaign earned the gelding a Darley Award nomination for champion three- year-old male.

Michigan-Bred Arabian Catch Me Ridin Dirty is a Darley Award finalist for champion three-year-old male.

The Darley Awards are the Arabian equivalent of Thoroughbred racing’s Eclipse Awards. The winners will be announced March 13 in Houston, Texas.

Catch Me Ridin Dirty was Michigan’s top three-year-old male in 2009. He notched five wins from six starts in his juvenile season for earnings of $11,625. His lone defeat was a second-place finish to an older horse.

The Aransas HF gelding was campaigned in 2009 by owner Diana Jackson and trainer/breeder Nicole Holst. Nate Alcala rode Catch Me Ridin Dirty in every start.

Catch Me Ridin Dirty capped off his 2009 campaign with an emphatic 12 1/2 length victory in the Sept. 27 Michigan Juvenile Stakes at Mt. Pleasant. His five wins last year were by a total of 29 1/2 lengths.

Other three-year-olds nominated for the award include stakes winner A Ladys Man, multiple stakes placed Full of Fiesta, multiple stakes winner Lacy Crazy Vaz and Grade 2 winner Quite a Show.

Another Darley nominee with experience at Mt. Pleasant is MW Bonnie Z. The K A Czubuthan mare, who is a finalist for champion older mare honors, was a stakes winner at the Michigan track in 2008. She did not make any starts at Mt. Pleasant in 2009.

For more information on the Darley Awards and to see the full list of nominees, click here.

Retteles take two on Mount Pleasant’s getaway day

Fearless Fred much the best in Budwieser Futurity

Fearless Fred (4) pulls clear to win the Budweiser Futurity at Mount Pleasant Meadows.

Fearless Fred took command in the stretch to win Sunday’s $38,360 Budweiser Futurity at Mount Pleasant Meadows.

The two-year-old Fredricksburg gelding broke cleanly and challenged for the lead with Alley Rose 123 and Which Wich 501 in the race’s early goings. After a quick initial burst by Which Wich 501, Fearless Fred took control of the lead and never looked back. He was clear by a length in the middle of the stretch and extended his lead to a length and a quarter as he crossed the finish under an intermittent right hand whip by jockey Richard Rettele. Post time favorite Uno Corona dueled with Which Wich 501 and nipped her rival at the wire to take the runner-up spot.

Fearless Fred won the 400 yard race with a time of 20.446 seconds over a fast track. He left the gates as the second choice at odds of 1.90-to-one.

Fearless Fred was homebred in Texas by Walter Harrison and trained by Carol Rettele. The Budweiser Futurity was his fourth win from seven starts, as well as his first win in stakes company. His career earnings now total $20,899.

For an Equibase chart of the race, click here.

4 – Fearless Fred (Richard Rettele) 5.80 / 3.20 / 4.40
7 – Uno Corona (Oscar Delgado) 2.80 / 4.80
5 – Which Wich 501 (Tasha Fritz) 5.00

400 Yards
Time: 20.446 seconds

Your winner, Fearless Fred; Richard Rettele, up.

To see results from the rest of Mount Pleasant’s closing day stakes races, just click the link below.

Sunday stakes recap from Mount Pleasant Meadows

Paint Me a Bono pulls away in Michigan Paint Horse Futurity

Paint Me a Bono (2B) shakes off I Do One Two Three (5) to win the GLQHA Michigan Paint Horse Futurity at Mount Pleasant Meadows.

Paint Me a Bono benefitted from a clear trip and won easily in Sunday’s $14,165 Great Lakes Quarter Horse Association Michigan Paint Horse Futurity at Mount Pleasant Meadows.

The two-year-old Bono Jazz gelding broke cleanly and held an ever-growing advantage throughout the stretch and to the finish. Paint Me a Bono was hand ridden to the wire by jockey Richard Rettele for a 1 1/4 length victory in the 350 yard race. Post time favorite I Do One Two Three stayed in pursuit throughout the race and finished 2 1/4 lengths ahead of See Me In Your Dreams for the runner-up position.

Paint Me a Bono and Rettele stopped the clocks at 17.782 seconds over a fast track at odds of 3.50-to-one.

Owned and trained by Renee Wilson, Paint Me a Bono was bred in California by Reese, Theresa and Alan B.. The victory in the Michigan Paint Horse Futurity improved Paint Me a Bono’s lifetime record to a perfect two wins from two starts for career earnings of $7,710.

For an Equibase chart of the race, click here.

2B – Paint Me a Bono (Richard Rettele) 9.00 / 3.00 / 2.20
5 – I Do One Two Three (Oscar Delgado) 2.40 / 2.10
1A – See Me In Your Dreams (Nate Alcala) 2.20

350 Yards
Time: 17.782 Seconds

Your winner, Paint Me a Bono; Richard Rettele, up.

Lots more races and photos can be found behind the jump. Just click the link below.