Speedhorse April 25, 2008 article

Remington Park Derby, G1
ANOTHER FIRST FOR DMNV MOUNTABLE
April 25, 2008

April 19 at Remington Park was apparently a night for first-timers and family relatives. The Grade 1 futurity was won by two brothers with their first racehorse. That was race 10 on the card. It was preceded by the Grade 1, 400-yard $194,623 Remington Park Derby, which was race nine. This time, it was won by two cousins, Ezra Lee and Toby Dahl, with their first racehorse, DMNV Mountable. The three-year-old bay colt is by Panther Mountain and out of Cheyennes Bullion by Bully Bullion.

DMNV Mountable qualified eighth to the derby in: 20.149 under Kenny Muntz, who was in the irons again as the colt loaded into the two-hole for the finals. He broke sharply, second to the Coronas Fast Dash, who left from the inside post. The two colts dueled doggedly, with DMNV Mountable breaking loose and then holding off a furious last minute charge by Furrtreeous.

DMNV Mountable’s final numbers were a one-length victory verdict in :19.903 for a 95 speed index and $87,585.

In some ways, DMNV Mountable is the story of the ugly duckling.

Lee, who has a business in Colorado oil fields, and Dahl, who lives on the family ranch in Roundup, Montana, was familiar with racehorses through their grandparents.

“They raised racing Quarter Horses for 30-years,” explained Lee. “My grandfather died so my cousin (Dahl) and I decided to buy the horses, mostly mares. We sold the babies as they came along, until DMNV Mountable.”

Lee is unable to articulate the reasons, but there was something about the May colt that made the cousins want to keep him.

“We decided against selling him,” narrates Lee, “and went together to run him.”

“We actually sent the colt to Don Mourning (trainer”. He was long-haired and pretty rough looking when he got there. I think Don’s assistant, Jacque Uphaus, felt sorry for him and took him under her wing.”

Uphaus took good care of the colt. Eventually, she decided to leave Mourning’s barn and strike out on her own, taking DMNV Mountable with her.

The colt had five starts as a freshman with four wins. One of those was in the RG2 Kansas Jackpot Futurity, which netted him nearly $27,000. That was at the end of October of last year and marked his final out for the season.

Uphaus prescribed a 2 ½-month rest for DMNV Mountable, re-deploying him to duty in time for the Grade 2 Harrah’s Entertainment Derby. He qualified with the fastest time, returning to finish second in the finals. That was February 2.

“He was sick at the Harrah’s,” recalled Lee, “and we were surprised he did as well as he did. We didn’t do anything else with him until April, at Remington,” That was April 4 in the Remington Park Derby trials, when he was third in his heat.

“The Remington Park finals were really the first time the colt had a clean break. Nobody hit him or bumped into him. He was able to get out of there and go, “related Lee.

“We didn’t push him last year, trying to give him 30 to 60 days between races. We plan to do the same thing this year.”

DMNV Mountable has probably spent far more time traveling than he has on the track, logging five different venues from nine starts. He’s earned nearly $186,000 with a 6-1-1 record from nine and a 107 speed index.

Interestingly, the same Larry Rice of Nebraska, who bred Remington Park Futurity winner Streakin Six Cartel, also bred Mountable. The mare is owned by Lee and Dahl. She’s out of Cheyenne’s Huwana by Arbeka Jet One, and has produced six foals with six to race, five ROM , one stakes winner, and one stakes-placed.

Finishing second in the Remington Park Derby was Furrtreeous.