Tejano Twist Wins Second Straight In Ring The Bell
It was a second straight stakes victory for the Grade I-placed Tejano Twist (4g Practical Joke x Haley’s Lolipop, by Cuvee) on Saturday when the gelding won the Ring The Bell Stakes.
The six-furlong dirt race saw Tejano Twist race last early after he was slow out of the gate and the gelding raced over 10 lengths behind the leader. It wasn’t until the field had covered three furlongs that he started to make his move toward the front, and he was on a mission around the turn.
Sent five wide by Chris Landeros going into the stretch, he was full of run and ready to fly when given his cue. Once that was given, he proved to be much the best as he romped home for a five-length victory.
“Special, [he’s] very special,” Landeros said. “Got a turn of foot. Could be one of the legit ones, you know? Just blessed to be a part of him. He’s just one those horses that just eyeballs them from the back and makes his move. Stay out of the way because he’s going to turn it on. At the eighth pole, he’ll give you another gear. Just amazing.”
A Grade III winner earlier this year, Tejano Twist has won four of nine starts in 2023 with four other top three finishes. Now the winner of $1,179,854, Tejano Twist has nine victories to his name with five in stakes races.
Trained by Chris Hartman for JD Thoroughbreds and Joey Keith Davis, he was bred in Kentucky by Tom Durant out of the Grade III placed Haley’s Lolipop. That mare’s six winners also include the stakes winning Game Day Play and six-time winner Scatterthediamonds.
Haley’s Lolipop herself is a half-sister to Grade III winner Maddalena, Grade II-placed Tale of the Nile, and stakes placed Crazy Uncle Rick. The mare is also one of three stakes producers with Maddalena producing Grade II winner Bern Identity and another half-sister the dam of the multiple stakes-placed Wasabi Girl.
Tejano Twist is one of nine stakes winners for the third-crop sire with Practical Joke also the sire of 26 stakes performers led by Grade I winner Practical Move. Practical Joke stands for $65,000 in 2024.