April 14, 2007 – A fast break from post 8 helped Not A Full Moon post a wire-to-wire victory in Friday’s $205,200 El Primero del Ano Derby (G1) for 3-year-old colts and geldings at Los Alamitos.

Racing for Ron and Denise Van Amburgh of Phoenix, Not A Full Moon went 400 yards in :19.749 and earned a 90 speed index. Alejandro Luna rode the First Down Dash gelding for trainer Jaime Gomez.

The fastest qualifier, Not A Full Moon became calm when the start of the race was delayed when Little Bit Of Baja and First Down Morn broke through the gate to his inside.

“Alejandro said that the horse was acting really anxious and excited, but when he heard the two horses inside of him break through the gate he just stood frozen," Gomez said. “He stopped messing around and just started looking down the track.

“That helped him relax,” added the trainer. “When they kicked the gates, he took off."

Bred by AQHA Past President Frank “Scoop” Vessels III’s Vessels Stallion Farm at Bonsall, California, Not A Full Moon is one of 198 stakes winners from 17 crops sired by First Down Dash, American Quarter Horse racing’s all-time leading sire whose 1,329 starters have earned more than $60.2 million. The gelding’s dam, Moon Arisen, is a winning daughter of Beduino (TB) who was a finalist in champion A Classic Dash’s 1993 Dash For Cash Futurity (G1) at Los Alamitos.

Not A Full Moon’s full sister, Your First Moon, was the sport’s champion 2-year-old in 2001.

The Van Amburghs own the general store in the 54-acre resort area of Woods Canyon Lake, located about two hours from the East Valley region of Phoenix. It was their 15-year-old daughter, Brittany, who sparked their interest in horses.

“Our daughter is a special needs child,” said Denise Van Amburgh. “We found out about all the therapeutic benefits she could enjoy with horses, so we bought a pleasure horse that was by Storm Cat (TB).

“The horse was a little too much for Brittany to handle, so we ended up selling it last January at the Heritage Place Sale in Oklahoma City,” she added. “She now has an Arabian horse, who is quieter and easier for her to be around.

“Now, all of us have gotten into horses. Our son is 16 and wants to be an equine vet. He’s very interested in the embryo transfer side of the business.”

The $86,184 winner’s share of the El Primero’s purse, the stakes’ richest since 1988, pushed Not A Full Moon’s earnings to $138,789. The gelding has won five of 12 races, including last year’s AQRA Turf Paradise Futurity (G3) in Arizona.

Lassen County ran second, a nose behind the winner, and was followed by First Down Morn, Little Bit Of Baja, Polar Country, Trisk, Man From Nocona, Jumpnback, First Dinastia and Way Down Town.