THE PARTYS ON FIRE LIGHTS UP GOLDEN STATE MILLION FUTURITY

October 30, 2009 - On a warm fall evening in Orange County, California, Ed Allred and Tom Seibly's The Partys On Fire lit up the track – and, at 30-1, the toteboard – in the $1,227,250 Golden State Million Futurity (G1).

The Dan Francisco-trained filly broke from post 4 and, despite being bumped, charged to the lead and drew to a half-length win over Muller Racing LLC's Shining First Dash. The Partys On Fire was ridden by Alex Bautista and covered the 400 yards in :19.571. LD Fire, the favorite in the roughly-run race, finished 10th after a poor trip.

The Partys On Fire is by Walk Thru Fire out of the Bono Jazz mare Bonos Party. She was bred by the late American Quarter Horse Hall of Famer Spencer Childers. Bonos Party is a full sister to Childers' world champion Be A Bono. Earlier this year, she finished third in the Governor's Cup Futurity (RG1). She has now won three races from eight starts.

The Partys On Fire paid $66 to win ($2).

"I figured that a Walk Thru Fire filly was going to win this race," Allred said. "But I was pretty sure that it was going to be LD Fire. To be honest, if The Partys On Fire had finished fourth we would have been thrilled. This is the biggest surprise I've had in racing since I had a horse named Rich Gritch win at odds of 92-1 or 93-1."

For Seibly, the win was equally thrilling. "I've been able to own a couple of horses the past few years thanks to (Doc) Allred," he said. "We had horses together when he first started, but The Partys On Fire is only the second horse I've owned in the past 40 years. You can't beat winning a million dollar race."

Spencer Childers, a Hall of Fame breeder and owner who passed away earlier this year, bred The Partys On Fire. "This win is for Spencer," said Francisco, who also trained horses for Childers.

"Both horses that I've owned by (Allred) were bred by Spencer, who was a great friend," Seibly said. "We had Ten Oclock Scholar (a winner of $412,527) and now The Partys On Fire. We always felt that The Partys On Fire would like 400 yards. She liked it tonight."

"What a perfect break she had," said Allred, whose only other Golden State victory with Way Maker in 1989. "Of course this win is for Spencer. It's also great to see Tom win this race. Tom and I would come to the track together when we were kids while going to law school at USC. He went on to become a judge and do quite well. I became a doctor. We've been great friends throughout all these years. I'm happy for him to get this victory."

The breeding of The Partys On Fire is a mixture of a rising superstar in Quarter Horse racing in the stallion Walk Thru Fire and the young broodmare with proven bloodlines in Bonos Party. For Walk Thru Fire this is his second Golden State Million victory having previously sired 2005 winner Higher Fire. Walk Thru Fire, who stands at Burns Ranch in Menifee, California, won the Ed Burke Million Futurity earlier this year with LD Fire.

"This is the first really strong crop of Walk Thru Fire since he exploded into the scene in 2005," Allred said. "What he is doing right now is fantastic and it shows his talent as a sire. Bonos Party is from one of Childers great female families."

Bonos Party's mother is Be Peacefull, who traces back to the mares Serenidad, Keynesian, Oneforthemoney, and Bunnys Bar Maid. The latter, of course, is a daughter of Childers' great foundation mare, Black Easter Buny, who Spencer described as his very best. Childers bought the mare from trainer Walt Culbertson in 1957. The 1952 champion 3-year-old filly campaigned from age 2 to 7, winning $40,232. Remember, there were no million-dollar races back then. The blood of Black Easter Bunny continues, passed along through the daughters and sons of Bunnys Bar Maid, not only with young stars like The Partys On Fire, but also through champions like Uncas, 1996 Golden State Futurity winner Luva Secret, and Be A Bono's sire, Bono Jazz.

"Tom and I purchased another horse from Spencer's consignment at this year's Los Alamitos Equine Sale," added Allred, referring to the $31,000 purchase of a Bono Jazz colt.

Shining First Dash, sent off at odds of 10-1, earned $208,633 for running second for Muller Racing. Trained by Denny Ekins and ridden by Santiago Mendez, Shining First Dash was second in the Governor's Cup Futurity two outings ago, a race in which The Partys On Fire ran third.

"We did not have racing luck tonight," said Alfonzo Pasquel, co-owner of LD Fire. "She's a big filly, so I think when she left the gate her back legs slipped against the bar. We won't be able to party tonight. The party is with the connections of The Party Is On Fire. I'm glad for Dr. Allred and Mr. Seibly. Their filly ran a great race."

The complete order of finish: The Partys On Fire, Shining First Dash, Nighttime Lines, Cash For Cottontail, Divide The Cash, Dash Back Perry, Voulez Vous, Thinking Jazz, Whole Lot Of Karma, LD Fire. 

Racing continues at Los Alamitos on Saturday night with the running of the Bank of America Racing Championships. First post is 7 p.m.