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.

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.

Blacktype Bonanza at Mount Pleasant Meadows: Part Two

Pachet will look to continue her stakes success in Sunday's ARC Midwest Maturity Distaff Stakes at Mount Pleasant Meadows.

Fritz trio highlights ARC Midwest Maturity Distaff Stakes

In last year’s Michigan Juvenile, the race’s top three finishers wore the colors of owner Tom Fritz and trainer Mario Fritz.

The duo will try to accomplish the same feat with two of the three horses that pulled it off last year in Sunday’s $11,000 Arabian Racing Cup Midwest Maturity Distaff Stakes at Mount Pleasant Meadows.

The Fritz platoon is led by Michigan Juvenile winner Pachet. The four-year-old Haffir El Rimal filly enters the six furlong race off a third place finish in an August 2 allowance race at Mount Pleasant. Tasha Fritz will get the assignment.

Whos My Daddy has had a productive year at Mount Pleasant Meadows, having hit the board in all but one of her seven starts at the central Michigan track this year. The five-year-old Haffir El Rimal filly comes off a fifth place finish in an August 2 allowance race at Mount Pleasant following two straight victories. Whos My Daddy is owned and trained by Julie Post. Jimmy Williams will be in the saddle.

Nicole Holst charge Ddouble Ddiamond is also entered in Sunday’s race. The four-year-old Jolly By Golly filly has finished no worse than second in three career starts, including two wins. Owned by Diana Jackson, Ddouble Ddiamond enters the race off a victory in July 19 allowance race at Mount Pleasant. Regular rider Nate Alcala retains the mount.

#. Horse / Jockey / Trainer / Odds

1. Shezablessing / R V Fernandez / M Fritz / 2-1
1A. Pachet / N Fritz / M Fritz / 2-1
1X. Sursee / G W Mayhew / M Fritz / 2-1
2. Aunty Missle / M Holmes / R LeDuc / 20-1
2B. Merry Mee / D Newton / R LeDuc / 20-1
3. Fly Without Wings / O Delgado / L A Roberts / 8-1
4. French Fling / L Gates / T Briggs / 6-1
5. Ddouble Ddiamond / N Alcala / N Holst / 4-1
6. Whos My Daddy / J D Williams / J Post / 7-5

Bush Hog will try to firmly establish himself as Michigan's top Arabian in Sunday's ARC Midwest Maturity Open Stakes at Mount Pleasant Meadows.

Bush Hog looks to continue dominance in ARC Midwest Maturity Open Stakes

Since being brought to Mount Pleasant Meadows from Arapahoe Park earlier this year, the Michigan track’s Arabian platoon has gotten plenty used to seeing Bush Hog’s backside.

Bush Hog will again be the one to beat this Sunday in the $11,000 Arabian Racing Cup Midwest Maturity Open Stakes at Mount Pleasant Meadows.

The six-year-old Line Dancer horse has won all but one of his six starts at Mount Pleasant this year, and his lone hiccup was a second place effort. He enters Sunday’s race off consecutive double digit-length victories, most recently on Aug. 2 in a 11 3/4 length romp over an allowance field. Bush Hog will retain the services of Regular rider Nate Alcala for the race. He is owned by Lapco Arabians and trained by Nicole Holst.

Trainer Mario Fritz and owner Tom Fritz will send a three-horse entry to the gates, highlighted by Zanthus Fury. The four-year-old Haffir El Rimal gelding has won three of five starts in 2009 and finished no worse than third. He enters the Midwest Maturity off a 3/4 length victory in an Aug. 2 allowance race at Mount Pleasant. Tasha Fritz will be in the irons for Sunday’s race.

The only horse to defeat Bush Hog at Mount Pleasant Meadows, the Mario Fritz-trained Three Above, will try to repeat the task this Sunday. The six-year-old Ala Croixnoire horse accomplished the feat on May 31 in a 9 1/4 length victory. He comes into Sunday having dropped three straight to Bush Hog, most recently turning in an unplaced finish on Aug. 2. Tom Fritz owns Three Above, who will be ridden by Rafael Fernandez.

#. Horse / Jockey / Trainer / Odds

1. Vagas / G W Mayhew / M Fritz / 2-1
1A. Zanthus Fury / N Fritz / M Fritz / 2-1
1X. Three Above / R V Fernandez / M Fritz / 2-1
2. Sey Wiking Streak / J D Williams / T Briggs / 6-1
3. Need For Speed / L Gates / N Holst / 10-1
4. Bush Hog / N Alcala / N Holst / 3-5
5. Executioner / M Holmes / D Higbee / 4-1