(November 24, 2006) - D.D. Lightsey’s 4-year-old homebred Quick Kisses, ridden by Juan Vazquez, ran down 126-pound high weight La Jollaroid to win Friday night’s $30,000 Classic Chevrolet Heartbeat of America Handicap by a neck in front of 4,016 fans at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas.

Quick Kisses, carrying 125 pounds, ran 350 yards in :17.516 en route to victory over eight rivals in the ninth running of the restricted Grade 3 event for Texas-bred American Quarter Horses. He paid $14.60, $5 and $3.40 as the 6-1 fifth-betting choice. La Jollaroid, with Russel Hadley in the saddle, returned $5.60 and $3.60. Eyes Moving Easy, the 9-5 favorite ridden by Jim Brooks, was another 1 ¼ lengths back in third and paid $3.

The win was the seventh in 24 career starts for Quick Kisses, who is trained by Janet Van Bebber. As a 2-year-old Quick Kisses won the $25,000 Quarter Racing Journal Stakes at Sam Houston. Last year, the Texas-bred won the Grade 3 Bayer Legend East Derby Challenge at Delta Downs.

Friday’s triumph was worth $17,100, raising the career earnings for the Royal Quick Dash gelding to $103,151.