V Golden Game Wins $16,250 Olympia Joe Stakes at Lone Star Park

V Golden Game Secures $16,250 Olympia Joe Stakes Victory at Lone Star Park

V Golden Game, a multiple graded stakes winner, expanded his professional resume on Saturday night by capturing the $16,250 Olympia Joe Stakes at Lone Star Park. The 5-year-old gelding, who entered the race as the 2-1 favorite, managed to overcome early contact at the start to ultimately win by a half-length, according to a report by H. David Smith for StallioneSearch.

The victory was not without its hurdles. Despite the initial interference at the gate, V Golden Game displayed significant resilience, covering the 400-yard distance in a time of :20.167. This performance earned the gelding an 81 speed index on what was described as a fast racing surface. For owner Jorge L. Vega, the win resulted in a $7,881 winner’s share.

This win marks the seventh career victory for the brown gelding out of 29 total starts. Bred in Oklahoma by Aubrey L. Garcia, V Golden Game is a son of Crm Livewire and Game Hi, by Game Patriot. This latest success brings his lifetime earnings to $142,087, adding to a record that includes five second-place finishes and six third-place finishes.

Chilitos Offspring Dominate the Podium

While V Golden Game took the top prize, the race served as a significant showcase for the sire Chilitos, whose offspring occupied the entire top three positions of the Olympia Joe Stakes. The performance highlights the competitive depth of the Chilitos bloodline in the current racing circuit.

The runner-up position was claimed by I Do Not Recall, a 3-year-old gelding who rallied late to finish just a half-length behind the winner. Ridden by Francisco Calderon and trained by Richard G. Washington, I Do Not Recall earned $2,762 for owner Damika Burton. Bred by Douglas McMullen, this son of Chilitos out of Fly Lil Curl, by Spit Curl Jess, has now amassed $32,940 in career earnings from seven starts, though he remains in search of his first career win.

Completing the trifecta was the 3-year-old filly Chill, who finished another half-length behind the runner-up. Under jockey Ali Rivera and trainer Harvey Baeza, Chill overcame contact after breaking inward to secure third place, earning $1,788 for owner Isaac Ortiz. Like the second-place finisher, Chill is also sired by Chilitos and is out of Train 214, a daughter of Freighttrain B. This result brings her lifetime earnings to $25,548 from six starts.

The performance metrics for the top three finishers are detailed below:

Finishing Position	Horse	Owner	Earnings from Race	Lifetime Earnings
1st	V Golden Game	Jorge L. Vega	$7,881	$142,087
2nd	I Do Not Recall	Damika Burton	$2,762	$32,940
3rd	Chill	Isaac Ortiz	$1,788	$25,548

Field Composition and Race Dynamics

The Olympia Joe Stakes was contested specifically for Paints and Appaloosas, aged 3 years old and older, with a total purse of $16,250. Beyond the podium finishers, the seven-horse field included Vp Dash for Texas, who finished fourth, and a dead heat for fifth place between Cholulaa and La Cholula. Just an Eagle finished seventh, while Jackson Davis 747 was scratched from the event.

The race dynamics were defined by the ability of the leaders to maintain speed on a fast track despite early positional challenges. V Golden Game, ridden by Victor Manuel Urieta Jr. and trained by Oscar Nunez, utilized a tactical approach by racing just off the early pace before taking command of the field.

V Golden Game’s ability to maintain high-level performance into his five-year-old season continues to cement his status as a reliable stakes performer in the Quarter Horse industry.

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