Manor Downs near Austin, Texas conducted its annual mixed meet on weekends from February 24 through April 22. The meet came to an exciting close on April 22 when Swingin Jess and Rusted Steel delivered on their promise with powerful performances in futurities for their respective breeds.

Rusted Steel, a two-year-old son of American Champ out of the North Prospect mare Bet the Gold, blasted his way into the $45,000-guaranteed Manor Downs Thoroughbred Futurity with a dominating 11-length victory in his trial race on April 8 in his racing debut for owner/ breeder/trainer Jim Wessel. Sent off as the even money favorite in the finals, Texas-bred Rusted Steel broke on top under jockey Santos Carrizales and led every step of the way to register a 5 3/4-length triumph over second choice Almendrado in :52.69 for 4 1/2 furlongs. Almendrado, who also won one of the trials, crossed the wire 2 1/4 lengths in front of the other trial winner, Bg Hi Hi Is Ben, who finished third.

In the meet’s richest and most prestigious race, the $300,000- added Manor Downs Futurity (G1) for Quarter Horses, second choice and second fastest qualifier Swingin Jess dueled down the lane with Shake Em Shiney and eventually edged clear for a convincing three-quarters of a lengh victory in :17.937 for the 350 yards running against a 15 mile per hour headwind. Guerras Racing Stables' Swingin Jess was notching his second victory in four starts and delivering on the promise he had shown earlier in the meet when he finished fourth, beaten only a length, in the $200,000 Longhourn Futurity (G2).

Sugar Snap Pea finished third, a nose behind Shake Em Shiney and a head in front of Special Willie. However, Special Willie was disqualified from fourth to seventh place for lugging in and bumping favorite and Longhorn Futurity (G2) winner Tres Fortunes in midstretch, causing jockey Randy Edison to steady that rival.

Swingin Jess, a two-year-old son of Mr. Jess Perry and the Jody O Toole mare Swingin Otoole, is trained by Juan Garza and was ridden to victory by Cipriano Vidana.

Also on closing day, Gerardo Luna Medina’s prohibitive favorite Miss Kips Streakin led all the way to post a three-quarters of a length vicory over Im Passing By in the $145,540-added Manor Downs Derby (G2) for three-year-old Quarter Horses. Trained
by Shae Cox and ridden by Santos Carrizales, the Texas-bred three-year-old daughter of Streakin Sixes and the Kiptys Charger mare Kips Appollo was the fastest qualifier for the race, and she covered the 350 yards in :17.811 facing a 15 mile per hour headwind.

Santos Carrizales was dominent as he took leading jockey honors. He won on 34 of 153 mounts, also finishing second 22 times and third 20 times. Rodrigo Vallejo finished second in the standings with 23 wins, while Jeff Jerman was third with 16 victories.

Leading trainer was Shae Cox with nine victories, six seconds, and 12 thirds in 58 starts. Benjamin Garza finished second with eight wins, while Juan Antonio Garza and Edelmiro Carrizales tied for third with seven triumphs.

Jose Rosalio Espinosa took the leading owner title with seven wins, notching two more than Pedro Alcala. Tied for third place with four wins were Jerry Windham, Debra M. Gotovac, and Guerras Racing Stables.

Attendance and handle for the meet were both up slightly compared with 2006. Attendance increased from 20,418 to 21,189, and live handle increased from $1,407,389 in 2006 to $1,451,110 in 2007. Total purses paid from all sources was $2,392,037.50,
a slight decrease from 2006.