UTAH NEIGHBORS ENJOY 1-2 finish in Town Policy Handicap

CYPRESS, CA. - NOVEMBER 5, 2010 - Reid Pierson and Owen Udy might host a block party when they get return to their neighborhood in Garland, Utah to celebrate the 1-2 finish posted by their horses, Sparky E Boy and Auto Rotate, in the $25,000 Town Policy Handicap on Friday at Los Alamitos.

Pierson’s Sparky E Boy picked up the fourth stakes win over the Orange County racing strip in the Town Policy after defeating Udy’s Auto Rotate by a half length. In the winner’s circle, the two neighbors welcomed back Sparky E Boy with smiles all around.

“Owen taught me how to train horses many, many years ago,” Pierson said. “He actually helped me break Sparky E Boy when we had him in the chariot races in Utah. Owen and I have known each other for a long time. We raised our families at the racetrack together and we’ve raced horses together in places like Pocatello, Jerome and Rupert, Idaho. We’ve gone camping together and our children and grandchildren played together. Owen and I have gone through some great times and some bad times and I can tell you that I never dreamed that we would be standing side by side after a stakes race at Los Alamitos Race Course.”

Sparky E Boy and Auto Rotate ran side by side for a good portion of the 400-yard test before Sparky turned on a higher gear at the halfway point of the race. He opened up a ¾ length lead with about 200 yards left in the race and from there cruised to his seventh win in 16 career starts. Ridden by Rodrigo Aceves for trainer Adan Farias, Sparky E Boy covered the distance in :19.335 en route to earning $13,750 for his Town Policy victory. His last effort at Los Alamitos was also a victorious one, as he won the Intermountain Handicap by a half length on October 1.

“He loves this track,” said Pierson, who back home campaigned Sparky E Boy with his son-in-law Brad Stevenson. “Sparky E Boy ran from post eight tonight and he likes being on the outside because he has a big kick at the end of his races. We’re now pointing him to the Southern California Derby trials (on November 26) so that gives him three weeks between this race and the trials. That should be a perfect amount of time between these races. Maybe we’ll be running against a horse like Snitcher, who is also trained by Adan, unless they end up running him in the Z. Wayne Griffin Directors’ Trials. That horse will fit just fine in either the derby trials or the Directors’ Trials.”

Pierson has raced several horses at Los Alamitos over the years, but running against his neighbor made the Town Policy special.

“I live in Garland, Utah and Owen moved to Elwood, Utah to be closer to his horse barn. When Owen had Sparky E Boy he taught him how to be a chariot horse. When you put him, their first instinct is to run. Owen did some work with this horse and we had a lot of fun. He sent Auto Rotate to be in the Blane Schvaneveldt Handicap last month. He ran a pretty good third and after the race Owen decided to leave him here for another race. His horse ran a good race tonight, so maybe he’ll leave him here for another race.”

There’s no doubt that Sparky E Boy, a gelded son of Hawkinson, will be sticking around the Cypress oval not only for the derby trials, but for a few more races as well.

“I believe you’ll see him here as a 4-year-old, but we know what it’s like when you graduate from a 3-year-old to now face older horses at Los Alamitos. It’s not always an easy move up, but it’ll be fun to try,” added Pierson, who farms at his 50 acre farm in Garland. “My son tell me, ‘dad, you might not live long enough to have another horse like Sparky E Boy’ and I know that. It’s not easy to come across horses like this. Blane trained him before he passed away and he did a great job with him and now Adan is doing a great job as well.”

Back home, the neighbors will certainly enjoy talking about the time they came up with the exacta in the 2010 Town Policy.

“I know Owen is happy for me and you can bet that if we weren’t going to win this race that I would have loved it for him to win it,” Pierson added. “I would have been rooting for his horse all the way, just like he was doing for my horse. He’s that good of a neighbor and friend.”

That’s an exemplary case of loving thy neighbor.

Ridden by Eddie Garcia for trainer Jim Hanson, Auto Rotate earned $5,625 for the win. Grade 2 winner Hoist Mission, also owned by an Utahian horseman Mike Isom, collected $3,125 for finishing third. Great Bro, Harems Last Dash, Making Fire, Tony Bolony and Candy For Eyein You completed the field.

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