Q-Racing Blog: Heatwave

By Ty Wyant
 

Trainer Jason Olmstead is hotter than a never-ending August heat wave.

Olmstead sent out the fastest qualifiers to the $80,400 Northland Futurity and the $50,075 Canterbury Derby on July 24. He has five qualifiers to the futurity and six horses in the derby.

Just two days later, the past AQHA Champion Trainer saddled fastest qualifier Anna Belle and she went out and set the top-qualifying mark to the $72,182 John Deere Prairie Meadows Juvenile Challenge. Olmstead trains the top-three qualifiers and had six horses from his stable in the finals.

Form the 30 horses in the three races, Olmstead has 17 qualifiers.

Anna Belle showed that she was easily the best horse in the 350-yard trial. The odds-on favorite, Anna Belle started alertly with the leaders and shortly showed her superiority. She drew out to a convincing win with her time of :17.617 topping the three trials.

The Uncle D daughter showed potential in her career debut when she was only beaten by a head in her Remington Park Oklahoma-Bred Futurity trial and did not qualify for the finals.

Olmstead brought her back in a Remington Park maiden race and she crushed the competition by 1 1/4 lengths.

Anna Belle then started in the $70,000 FL Lady Bug Stakes (RG3) and fought to a head win over Oklahoma-breds.

The filly moved to Prairie Meadows and finished second in her Prairie Meadows Gold Futurity trial before finishing third in the $213,400 Prairie Meadows Gold Futurity, her start before her John Deere Prairie Meadows Juvenile Challenge trial.

If she can win the final, it will punch her a ticket to the AQHA Racing Challenge Championships in Albuquerque. 

Anna Belle boasts a bottom line in her pedigree filled with race mares.

First dam Maghelene was second in the Prairie Meadows Juvenile Challenge, second dam Belle Helene was second in the Ruidoso Futurity (G1) and third dam Thewayouwantmetoo won the Rainbow Futurity (G1).

Maghelene put up a brave fight in the Prairie Meadows Juvenile Challenge, however fell a neck short of odds-on favorite Aqua Flash after being in front midway through the 350-yard stakes.

The One Famous Eagle daughter was also third in the Mystic Lake Northlands Futurity at Canterbury Park.

Maghelene has produced two other juveniles from her first foals to race. Her only other starter is the winner Krashin Lew.

Second dam Belle Helene, a daughter of Valiant Hero, barely missed winning the Rainbow Futurity. She raced stride for stride with Ms First Prize Rose near the rail before coming up just a nose short at the finish line.

Belle Helene was also second in the Mr Jess Perry Stakes.

The only other black type horse produced by Belle Helene was Ah Sigh Handicap third-place finisher Jessa Dashin Hero.

Thewayouwantmetoo put on a show in the Rainbow Futurity when she drew out to a one-length victory in :19.208 for the 400 yards.

The daughter of Mr Eye Opener succeeded as a broodmare when she was named a Dam of Distinction. She produced champion 2-year-old colt A Revenant, champion aged mare Famous Shining Star, Golden State Million Futurity (G1) third-place finisher Luv Supreme and Heritage Place Futurity (G1) third-place finisher The Hiway.

Olmstead is on a hot streak and has shown he has a deep stable of 2-year-olds at a prime time of the year. That depth could help keep the hot streak going and point the way to Albuquerque. 

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