Quarter Horse News

Jockey Safety Article

SKYLINE LOVER AFTER REDEMPTION AT HIALEAH

Q-Racing Journal, February 3, 2012– Dan Frazier’s Skyline Lover chases redemption in the $20,000 Key West Challenge Stakes over 1,000 yards on Sunday afternoon at Hialeah Park. He's looking for redemption after having his previously unblemished Hialeah win record dashed when he was disqualified from the win in the Moonstone Stakes.

On January 12, Skyline Lover (Feature Mr Jess-Loves That Gold by Royal Quick Dash) was after his seventh win from seven starts at the South Florida track and he crossed the finish line in the 660-yard Moonstone in first place, 2 lengths ahead of Flyin Fish. However, the gelding lugged in during the stretch run and was disqualified and placed eighth as the 1-2 favorite.

That moved Flyin Fish (Fishers Dash-Jazzing Cheree by Jazzing Hi) into the winner’s circle, and he is back in the Key West for a rematch with Skyline Lover.

Trained by Matt Frazier, Skyline Lover has been sensational in the Hialeah Park distance division and has been the most accomplished American Quarter Horse to compete at the historic track.

During the 2010-11 season, Skyline Lover won four stakes from four starts at distances of 550 yards to 1,000 yards. He returned during the current season to continue his winning streak, with wins in the 550-yard Orange Blossom Stakes and the 660-yard Crystal River Stakes before his disqualification in the Moonstone Stakes.

Double Eagle Ranch and Buena Suerte Equine’s Flyin Fish has provided the biggest threat to Skyline Lover this winter at Hialeah. He was a troubled sixth-place finisher when he made his Hialeah debut in the Orange Blossom Stakes and battled with Skyline Lover through the stretch in the Crystal River Stakes before coming up a head short at the wire.

The Richard Sedillo-trained Flyin Fish was then awarded the win in the Moonstone Stakes after Skyline Lover was disqualified for interference.

Before moving to Hialeah, Flyin Fish developed into a stakes competitor in New Mexico. He qualified for the $1.3 million All American Derby (G1) after finishing second to eventual winner Llano Teller in their trial, and then moved up to the distance ranks with a 6-length win in a 870-yard Zia Park conditioned allowance race and finished fourth at 3-2 odds in the Herman Jefferson Stakes (G3).

Sedillo will also saddle Betty Marshall’s Absolve (Check Him Out-Beat Your Pants Off by Six Fols) along with Sheri Galvez and Betty Marshall’s Royal Initiative (Royal Quick Dash-Fortuna Babe by Six Fortunes) in the Key West.

Absolve comes off a win in the 660-yard optional-claiming race while Royal Initiative was moved up from third to second in the Moonstone Stakes following Skyline Lover’s disqualification.

Also on Sunday’s Hialeah Park card, Mary Passmore’s Chi Ter (Granite Lake-This Chicks Stylish by Chicks Beduino) continues on the comeback trail in the $20,000 Sawgrass Stakes over 440 yards.

The Jackie Kirby-trained Chi Ter makes his second start after a seven-month layoff. His last race was a 440-yard allowance win on December 30.

A year ago, he was the third-place finisher in the $99,000 Hialeah Derby and then the 26-1 upset winner in the $60,000 Hialeah Championship in an impressive :21.25 for the 440 yards.

The Ricardo Martinez-owned and -trained Sassy Shaelan (Bono Jazz-Rsassy Sarah by Holland Ease) returns to the stakes ranks after a game neck decision in a 300-yard optional-claiming race. The mare battled to the win over Color Me Bright with a :15.38 time for her first win from three Hialeah starts.

Fans can watch all of Hialeah Park’s races live and free of charge on Q-Racing Video, a service of AQHA Racing and the Q-Racing Journal. Q-Racing Video has permanently waived its subscription fee, granting race fans, horsemen and handicappers unparalleled access to American Quarter Horse racing. Users have unlimited access to the live simulcast signals of almost every American Quarter Horse racetrack in the United States and Canada. Q-Racing Video also provides unlimited access to race replays, which are available immediately following each race. The archive of past races goes back several years for most tracks. Fans can register at www.qracingvideo.com.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journalor America’s Horse, visit AQHA Publications.

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COLD CASH 123 IS 2011 CHAMPION RACING AMERICAN QUARTER HORSE

Q-Racing Journal, January 18, 2012-- In a powerful year, Cold Cash 123 earned the crown of 2011 World Champion Racing American Quarter Horse. The 3-year-old gelding follows in the footsteps of sire Oak Tree Special, who earned the title as a sophomore runner in 2003. Cold Cash 123 brings the world champion trophy home to Clare, Michigan, and fulfills a dream for his breeders and owners, Carolyn and Walter Bay, who race the gelding in the name of their T-Bill Stables. 
           

Cold Cash 123 resides in the barn of C. Dwayne “Sleepy” Gilbreath, who in 2011 also trained champion 2-year-old Ochoa.

As a 2-year-old, Cold Cash 123 demonstrated a love of the 440-yard distance not seen in years. The gelding won all three of his quarter-mile starts as a 2-year-old, scoring in the Southwest Juvenile Championship (G1), his trial to the All American Futurity (G1) and the All American Juvenile (R).

Returning as a 3-year-old, he won six of eight races, including five of six at 440 yards. In his Rainbow Derby (G1) trial, he kicked clear of a field that included champions JLS Mr Bigtime and American Runaway, winning for fun by 2 1/4 lengths and returning in the final to win by a head over a sloppy track.

Another powerful win in his All American Derby (G1) trial made him the fastest qualifier for the race, but in the $1.3 million final, he hesitated at the break and lost all chance, finishing seventh. He returned in the trial and the finals of the Texas Classic Derby (G1), winning strongly. In his final appearance of the season, on the final day of the year, he defeated older horses to win The Championship at Sunland Park (G1) under a hand ride, running 400 yards in :18.733, the second-fastest time ever clocked. He earned $818,447 in the year. During the year, Cold Cash 123 was ridden by Roy Baldillez, Joe Martinez and Jacky Martin. The horse has won nine of 14 lifetime starts and earned $979,741.
           
Cold Cash 123 is the first American Quarter Horse foal and second foal out of his dam, the Takin On The Cash mare Hot Cash 123. The mare’s first foal is American Paint Horse I Do One Two Three, who in 2010 was his sport’s world champion, giving Hot Cash 123 an unprecedented achievement of two overall world champions in two years. Hot Cash 123 has a 2-year-old by Corona For Me named Buster 123.
           
Miss Racy Jess defeated males in the Los Alamitos Super Derby (G1) and earned the title of champion 3-year-old filly. The Mr Jess Perry mare races for Johnny Trotter and Burnett Ranches, and during her championship season won half of her six races, highlighted by her win in the $935,350 derby, which helped her year earnings reach $419,628. She was trained by Blane and Trey Wood, and ridden by Ricky Ramirez. Miss Racy Jess has won six of 11 lifetime starts and earned $485,113. Bred in Oklahoma by Gary and Donna Hall’s Sunflower Supply Co., she is out of the Racin Free mare Miss Racy Vike.
           
When Joel Tavarez of Odessa, Texas, bought a little bay yearling in the spring of 2009, he just wanted to have a horse to run and have a little bit of fun. What he ended up with is the 2011 champion 3-year-old colt – and a whole lot of fun. Prospect To The Top was bred by Sue May of Fort Stockton, Texas, and in 2011, he won three of 10 starts and earned $413,320.

Trained by Ralph Muniz, Prospect To The Top won the West Texas Derby (G3) and Hobbs America Derby (G2), was second in the All American Derby (G1), fifth in the Ruidoso Derby (G1) and seventh in The Championship at Sunland Park (G1). The colt was ridden by Jacky Martin, Roman Chapa, Oscar Rincon and Freddie Martinez. Prospect To The Top is by Coronas Prospect and is out of the Easily Smashed mare Cream To The Top. The horse retires to stud with a career record of seven wins in 17 starts and earnings of $648,650. He will stand the 2012 season at JEH Stallion Station – Texas.

TWO-YEAR-OLDS
The lightly-raced Ochoa picked up the honor of 2-year-old champion and 2-year-old champion gelding largely off a resounding victory in the $2.4 million All American Futurity (G1). The sorrel gelding by Tres Seis was bred by Johnny T.L. Jones out of the Stoli mare Stolis Fortune, and was bought back from the Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale for $25,000. The gelding is owned by Jones and wife Brenda, in the name of their J Bar 7 ranch, in partnership with Monte and Katsy Cluck, and Doug and Shavon Benson.

Making four starts in the year, Ochoa won his trial to the $500,000 Ruidoso Futurity (G1), then returned to finish third in the final behind Silver For Me and Back In The Pack in his only defeat. Ochoa won his All American Futurity (G1) trial, then returned to win the final of the richest race in Quarter Horse history. He has earnings of $1,244,200. He was trained by C. Dwayne “Sleepy” Gilbreath, and was ridden by Jacky Martin in both his trials, and Roy Baldillez in both of his stakes appearances.
           
Tremor Enterprises’ Separate Fire was a two-time Grade 1 winner and the champion 2-year-old filly. The winner of five of eight starts, with two third-place finishes, Separate Fire won the Grade 1 Kindergarten and Ed Burke Million futurities. She also qualified for the Golden State Million Futurity (G1). She earned $631,250. Separate Fire was bred by Dr. Steve Burns of Menifee, California. She is by Walk Thru Fire and out of the Separatist mare Septacular, and was purchased by Jose Trevino for $45,000 at the 2010 Heritage Place Yearling Sale.
           
Feature Mr Bojangles lost his first race by a head, but learned his lesson for his next six starts – romping  home undefeated the rest of the year while racking up the $700,000 Rainbow Futurity (G1), the $259,943 Hobbs America Futurity (G2) and the Four Corners Futurity in the process. The sorrel colt earned $541,612 during his championship campaign. Bred by Joyce Erickson of Albuquerque, New Mexico, he was purchased for $16,000 at the Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale by brothers Roberto and Alex Sanchez’s S/M Cattle Export Co., and Jaime Dominguez. After the Rainbow win, R. D. Hubbard and Jim Helzer purchased interests in the horse. Feature Mr Bojangles is by Feature Mr Jess and out of the First Down Dash mare Catch This Dash.

AGED HORSES
Good Reason SA topped the aged horse category as well as the aged stallion category, with a win in the Champion of Champions (G1) over a tough field of horses. The 4-year-old stallion raced for breeder Gianni Franco Samaja of Sao Paulo, Brazil. The horse has won a Grade 1 race in each season on the track, beginning with the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity, followed by the Golden State Derby. Good Reason SA was trained by Paul Jones and ridden by Ramon Sanchez and Eduardo Nicasio.

In 2011, Good Reason SA won two of seven starts and earned $501,082. First, he won the Los Alamitos Winter Championship (G2), and through the summer was fourth in the Grade 1 Vessels Maturity, Go Man Go Handicap and Robert L. Boniface Los Alamitos Invitational Championship. He won the Champion of Champions by a nose over a strong field, to close his racing career with seven wins in 15 starts, and earnings of $1,446,727. The stallion by Favorite Trick (TB) and out of the First Down Dash mare Queen Of Appeals opens his stud career with the mantle of two championship honors, and will stand at Royal Vista Ranches in Oklahoma.
           
The 2010 champion aged horse and champion aged mare Spit Curl Diva returned in 2011 to capture her third champion title, as the champion aged mare. The championship committee gave the mare the nod for a bold season conducted at an age when many breeding horses are long since retired. The 6-year-old mare, owned by the Lepic-Morgan Partnership, won three of seven races and earned $118,415. The well-traveled mare competed at four tracks in four states, and won the Bank of America Prairie Meadows Championship Challenge (G2), Keokuk Stakes (G3) and Golden Driller Stakes, and was second in the Indiana Downs Classic, Fair Meadows Belles Stakes and was fifth in the Bank of America Challenge Championship (G1). In her career, the tough mare has won 19 of 37 starts and earned $829,353. She was trained in 2011 by Jody Brown and Paul Jones, and ridden by David Brown. Spit Curl Diva was bred in Oklahoma by Little Deer Creek Quarter Horses, and is by Spit Curl Jess and out of the Some Dasher mare Some Kinda Diva.
           
Champion aged gelding Rylees Boy is a model of consistency. The Gerardo Ochoa-trained 6-year-old has not been worse than third in 25 starts dating back to October 2008. In 2011, he won three of six starts and earned $322,320 while earning the champion aged gelding award. The Arizona-bred gelding in his second start of the year smoked a :20.769 quarter mile in his trial to the Bank of America Sunland Championship Challenge (G2), then in the final bettered his time to :20.423. He next headed to Oklahoma, where he won the Remington Park Invitational (G1). He was second to Favorite Cartel in the Bank of America Challenge Championship (G1), and returned to Sunland to finish third in The Championship at Sunland Park (G1). Rylees Boy was ridden by Joe Ruiz and Jacky Martin. In his career, Rylees Boy has won 17 of 36 starts and earned $711,481. Rylees Boy was bred by Gary Nesbitt of Tucson, Arizona, and is by Heza Motor Scooter and out of the Rocky Jones mare Pipistrelle.
           
Steve Holt’s De Passem Okey became a repeat champion distance horse, joining the likes of Griswold, Sign Of Lanty and Snowbound Superstar to achieve the feat. Like Sign Of Lanty before him, De Passem Okey is a former claimer, who Holt picked up in the spring of 2010 for $7,500. During his second championship year, De Passem Okey won five of eight races and earned $127,710. His wins include the Remington Distance Handicap (G3), Red Cell Prairie Meadows Distance Challenge, Covered Bridges Stakes and King Rick Rack Stakes. He was also third in the Herman Jefferson Stakes (G3). He was trained by Rodney Reed, Fred Danley and Loyd Moreland and ridden by G.R. Carter Jr., Alejandro Medellin and Stormy Smith. De Passem Okey was bred by Dr. Eddie Moore and is by Okey Dokey Dale out of the Thoroughbred mare Impassable Gal, by Sir Richard Lewis. De Passem Okey has won 15 of 32 lifetime starts and earned $290,821.

INTERNATIONAL
Fantastic For Me becomes the first horse to represent his continent, as he was honored as the South American champion. In its inaugural year, the award was given to the winner of the Bank of America South America Championship Challenge. The 5-year-old gray stallion races for Sergio Romero Lucena Nunes of Caruaru, Brazil. Fantastic For Me is the second champion bred by Gianni Franco Samaja, who bred and raced aged champion Good Reason SA. Fantastic For Me is by Corona For Me out of the Chicks Beduino mare Jusjumpin. He has won two approved races, including the trial and final of the South America Championship Challenge, and earned $41,460. He was trained by F.P. Melo and ridden by A.R. Lima.
           
Joyce and Erik Lehtinen’s homebred The Diamond Side earned the Canadian champion title while winning four of his eight starts in the year. The 4-year-old gelding won two stakes, including the Ontario Bred and Foaled Maturity (R) and the Fort Erie Maturity. He was trained by Erik Lehtinen and ridden by Helen Vanek. The Diamond Side is by The Down Side and out of the Pritzi Dash mare Pritzi Diamond. He has won eight of 22 lifetime starts and earned $197,984.
           
SF Mexicana Brave earned the Mexican champion title, while winning three of six starts in her freshman season. The homebred filly races for Hector Arreola Roldan of Mexico, and won both the Garanones Futurity (RG3) and a division of the Premio SF Double Assault, and was second in the Mexico Futurity (R). SF Mexicana Brave was trained by her owner and Everardo Flores and ridden by Arturo Romero. SF Mexicana Brave is by SF Brave Heart out of the Simple Assault mare SF Chicks Mexicana.

PEOPLE
Racing’s all-time leading breeder Dr. Ed Allred was also 2011’s leading breeder, earning his 10th champion breeder award. In 2011, Allred-breds earned $3,067,621 while winning 212 of 1,155 starts. The horses include two-time Grade 1 winner Snitcher, as well as Restricted Grade 1 winner Hot Hitter and Grade 2 winners Oatman and Fall For It. The earnings top the year’s standings, with Vessels Stallion Farm LLC the next-closest on the list with breeder earnings of $1,020,094.
           
Double Bar S Ranch enjoys its second nod as the sport’s champion owner. The Moreno Valley, California-based breeders and owners earned their first in 2006. Managed by Sharon List and her daughters Dawn and Rhonda Rae, Double Bar S in 2011 sent out 17 winners from 98 starters, a 17 percent win rate, and were in the money at a 51 percent clip. Their runners were highlighted by the accomplishments of two homebreds – the venerable 7-year-old champion Jess You And I, who earned his eighth Grade 1 victory in the Robert L. Boniface Los Alamitos Invitational, and freshman Igotyourtac, who won the Golden State Million Futurity (G1). Other runners include Grade 1 placed Pushing Dazies and Grade 1 qualifiers Hi On The List and Been Chased.
           
Trainer Paul C. Jones continues his stranglehold on the Blane Schvaneveldt Champion Trainer award, as he earns it for the 10th consecutive year and approaches the record set by the award’s namesake, Blane Schvaneveldt, who earned the award the first 12 years it was offered, from 1985-1996. In 2011, Jones trained the earners of $4,705,577, far short of his all-time record of more than $7.4 million, but still nearly double his closest competitor, trainer C. Dwayne “Sleepy” Gilbreath, whose stable brought in more than $2.4 million. Jones’ horses won 170 of 1,017 starts and include champions Separate Fire and Good Reason SA, as well as Grade 1 winners Igotyourtac, Favorite Cartel, Jess You And I and Stylish Jess BR.
           
Speaking of repeat winners, jockey G.R. Carter Jr. will accept the familiar mantle of champion jockey. The Oklahoma-based rider has earned the award eight times, far more than any other rider in the award’s 26-year history. This year, Carter rode 171 winners of 885 starts, with earnings of $4,311,455, which narrowly lead all jockeys by money earned, only $33,312 ahead of 2009 champion jockey Ramon Sanchez. Carter rode Grade 1 winners Llano Teller, Sixes Streak and Louisiana Senator this year, as well as sharing riding duties on champions Feature Mr Bojangles and De Passem Okey.

Read the Q-Racing Journal’s March Annual Review for complete stories on all of the 2011 champions, as well as championship voting, year-end statistics and historical data.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journalor America’s Horse, visit AQHA Publications.

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AQUAFINA HAS CLASS IN PERSEVERANCE

Q-Racing Journal, January 13, 2011– Lucas Racing’s homebred Aquafina, winner of the Adequan Los Alamitos Derby Challenge, should have the class edge over her female rivals in the $20,000 Perseverance Stakes at 350 yards on Sunday afternoon at Hialeah Park.

The superbly bred Aquafina (First Down Dash-Runaway Wave by Runaway Winner) is after her first win since taking the Adequan Los Alamitos Derby Challenge back in August at Los Alamitos. A sister to Champion of Champions (G1) winners Ocean Runaway and Wave Carver, she then stepped up to the graded stakes level at Los Alamitos and was off the board in three successive starts, including a pair of Grade 1 stakes.

Aquafina joined the Ron Raper barn at Hialeah and found class relief. After finishing fifth in her Hialeah Derby trial, she improved in the Hialeah Sophomore Invitational, responding with a second-place finish at 11-1 odds.

Dan Frazier’s Eye Opening Favorite (Mr Eye Opener-Political Favorite by Apollo (TB)) made her Hialeah debut in the 300-yard Foxy Lady Stakes on December 11 and seemed to like the south Florida track. The Mr Eye Opener daughter surged in the final strides to get up and win by a nose in :15.354 and gain her valuable first stakes win.

The Matt Frazier-trained Eye Opening Favorite won a non-winners-of-two allowance race and qualified to the Indiana Quarter Horse Racing Association Derby last year while primarily campaigning in the Midwest.

Ramon Escamilla and Jorge Mendoza’s Marys Corazon (Azoom-Streakin O Toole by Jody O Toole) has been busy at Hialeah this winter and makes her fourth start of the season. Her best effort came in her first local start on December 10 when she was second by a scant nose in the Sunshine State Stakes. She followed with a second in an allowance race on December 24 and an off-the-board finish eight days later in a stakes for trainer Jorge Mendoza.

Lisa Joneson’s homebred Ann Jemima (Country Chicks Man-Mea Brick House by Rare Form) returns to the stakes ranks after taking an allowance race over the Hialeah strip. The Country Chicks Man daughter defeated Marys Corazon by a half length in that 220-yard allowance race after finishing off the board in the Foxy Lady Stakes.

Fans can watch all of Hialeah Park’s races live and free of charge on Q-Racing Video, a service of AQHA Racing and the Q-Racing Journal. Q-Racing Video has permanently waived its subscription fee, granting race fans, horsemen and handicappers unparalleled access to American Quarter Horse racing. Users have unlimited access to the live simulcast signals of almost every American Quarter Horse racetrack in the United States and Canada. Q-Racing Video also provides unlimited access to race replays, which are available immediately following each race. The archive of past races goes back several years for most tracks. Fans can register at www.qracingvideo.com.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journalor America’s Horse, visit AQHA Publications.

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WORLD TITLE GRAB AT SUNLAND

Q-Racing News, December 30, 2011– Perhaps no running of the $350,000 The Championship at Sunland Park (G1) has had higher world championship implications than this year’s 400-yard renewal at Sunland Park on Saturday afternoon. 



One half of the top-10 older horses in the AQHA Racing-Horseplayernow.com national poll are entered in The Championship at Sunland Park, headed by the top-ranked Cold Cash 123 and third-ranked Louisiana Senator. Also in the race are sixth-ranked Rylees Boy, eighth-ranked Favorite Cartel and 10th-ranked Prospect To The Top.



While retired and not running, second-ranked Good Reason SA also could have his championship interests impacted by the outcome of The Championship at Sunland Park. He won the $750,000 Champion of Champions (G1) earlier this month at Los Alamitos to conclude his racing career with his most important lifetime win and vault to the No. 2 spot in the weekly poll. 



T Bill Stables’ homebred Cold Cash 123 (Oak Tree Special-Hot Cash 123 by Takin On The Cash) is on top of the rankings as he tries for his third Grade 1 win of the year and starts from an outside post position in the nine hole. He won the Rainbow Derby (G1) and the Texas Classic Derby (G1) from outside post positions. In the All American Derby (G1), he drew the second post position, hesitated at the start and was a disappointing seventh as the 6-5 favorite.



Trained throughout his career by Dwayne “Sleepy” Gilbreath, Cold Cash 123’s fortunes could be decided at the start. The gelding adores the longer distance of 440 yards – the distance of his Rainbow Derby and Texas Classic Derby wins – so he must be in contention early in The Championship at Sunland Park to get his first career win at 400 yards after not winning in three previous starts over the distance, all in trial races. 



Cold Cash 123 has won five of his seven starts this year and is two-for-two since costing himself any chance of the victory in the All American Derby. He came back to win his Texas Classic Derby trial and then showed his usual closing charge to win the Texas Classic Derby by a commanding three quarters of a length in :21.168 for the 440 yards.

Wootan Racing’s Louisiana Senator (Jess Louisiana Blue-Corona Perfection by Corona Cartel) has been near or at the top of the national poll since winning the Eastex Handicap (G2) and then the Leo Handicap (G1) back in the spring at Remington Park for trainer Heath Reed. He then finished just a head behind Rylees Boy (Heza Motor Scooter-Pipistrelle by Rocky Jones) for second in the Remington Park Championship (G1). 



After a summer’s freshening, Louisiana Senator returned in the fall to dominate the Refrigerator Handicap (G1) by 2 1/2 lengths and earn a berth in the Champion of Champions. He raced to a fifth-place finish behind Good Reason SA in the Champion of Champions after breaking slowly and bearing in at the start. 



The Gerardo Ochoa-Pena-owned and -trained Rylees Boy has done some of his best work at Sunland Park with five wins, two seconds and a third-place finish from his eight starts on the track near El Paso. He was second by a nose in the 2009 The Championship at Sunland Park and third in last year’s running.



Rylees Boy concluded his winter-spring campaign at Sunland Park, with a dominating length win in the Bank of America Sunland Park Challenge (G2) for his second win of the 440-yard stakes. He then went to Remington Park to narrowly take the Remington Park Championship over Louisiana Senator. In his most recent start, he was second to Favorite Cartel in the Bank of America Challenge Championship (G1).



Owned by Steve Burns, Paul Jones and Terry Thompson, Favorite Cartel (Favorite Trick (TB)-Shenoshercorona by Corona Cartel) returns to New Mexico after winning a pair of stakes over 440 yards at Los Alamitos in Southern California. The Jones-trained stallion won the Bank of America Los Alamitos Championship Challenge (G2) as the favorite and took the $350,000 Bank of America Challenge Championship before a very troubled ninth-place finish in the Champion of Champions. 



Joel Tavarez’s Prospect To The Top (Coronas Prospect-Cream To The Top by Easily Smashed) has flashed brilliance throughout his career and has three wins, four seconds and a third from nine starts this year. The member of the Ralph Muniz stable was second behind Llano Teller in the $1.3 million All American Derby (G1) and then won the Hobbs America Derby (G2) by a length. He then had a poor start in his Sunland Park Winter Derby trial and finished a non-qualifying second as the 1-2 favorite.

The complete field, from the inside post out:

Louisiana Senator (G.R. Carter Jr.)

Favorite Cartel (Ramon Sanchez)

Bodacious Dash (Ricky Ramirez)

Rylees Boy (Joe Ruiz)

Sir Seth (Salvador Martinez)

Here Kittykittykitty (Bonifacio Perez)

Celtic Classic (Vicente Grajeda)

Prospect To The Top (Oscar Rincon)

Cold Cash 123 (Roy Baldillez)

Time For A Cigar (Cody Jensen)

Fans can watch all of Sunland Park’s races live and free of charge on Q-Racing Video, a service of AQHA Racing and the Q-Racing Journal. Q-Racing Video is completely free of charge, granting race fans, horsemen and handicappers unparalleled access to American Quarter Horse racing. Users have unlimited access to the live simulcast signals of almost every American Quarter Horse racetrack in the United States and Canada. Q-Racing Video also provides unlimited access to race replays, which are available immediately following each race. The archive of past races goes back several years for most tracks. Fans can register at www.qracingvideo.com.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journalor America’s Horse, visit AQHA Publications.

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COLD CASH, OCHOA MAKE THEIR MARK ATOP FINAL 2011 RANKINGS

Q-Racing News, December 14, 2011– Chock full of nationally ranked contenders, last Saturday’s Champion of Champions (G1) at Los Alamitos appeared an almost certainty to determine the top-ranked older horse of 2012 in the year's final AQHA Racing-Horseplayernow.com National Top 10 Poll. Instead, following a massive upset of the top two placings, Cold Cash 123 ascended to the top perch, despite not having competed in the Champion of Champions.

Cold Cash 123, who was just one point in the balloting behind Llano Teller last week, moved up to the No. 1 spot in the poll this week with only one more season-ending poll to come after the December 31 The Championship at Sunland (G1). Good Reason SA moved all the way up to No. 2 following his 15-1 score in the Champion of Champions, having been the top vote-getter last week who sat just outside the Top 10.

Other poll fall-out from the Champion of Champions saw last week’s No. 1 Llano Teller tumble to No. 4, following a sixth-place finish after stumbling at the start. Louisiana Senator, who finished fifth in the Champion of Champions, remained in his same No. 3 spot in this week’s poll. Chivalry SR, ninth a week ago, moved up two spots to No. 7 nationally, following a third-place run in the Champion of Champions.

Cold Cash 123 has won five of seven starts on the year, including the Texas Classic Derby (G1) at Lone Star Park in November and the Rainbow Derby (G1) at Ruidoso Downs in July. The 440-yard specialist’s only defeat since May came when hesitating at the start of the All American Derby (G1) as the 6-5 favorite on Labor Day weekend.

As for the 2-year-olds, All American Futurity (G1) winner Ochoa comfortably remained No. 1 this week. He has scored in three of four starts, all at Ruidoso Downs between May and September, and suffered his only defeat when third in the Ruidoso Futurity (G1) in his second career start. Trained by Dwayne “Sleepy” Gilbreath, Ochoa is a stablemate of top-ranked older horse Cold Cash 123, giving the legendary conditioner a sweep atop the polls as the season draws near its end.

Sunday’s rich Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity (G1) provided some late-season fireworks to the juvenile rankings. Upset winner I Like The Odds made a debut splash in the poll all the way up to No. 3, winning for the third time in his last four starts since beginning the season 0-for-3. Los Al Two Million Futurity runner-up Last To Fire, sent away as the race’s 2-1 favorite, earned the No. 10 spot in the poll.

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 2-YEAR-OLDS:

1.   OCHOA (88)
2.   FEATURE MR BOJANGLES (72)
3.   I LIKE THE ODDS (69)
4.   SEPARATE FIRE (67)
5.   IGOTYOURTAC (50)
6.   SURE SHOT B (43)
7.   SIXES STREAK (34)
8.   HIGH RATE OF RETURN (21)
9.   SILVER FOR ME (16)
10. LAST TO FIRE (10)

Send Me A Candy Tree (8), Mighty B Valiant (7), Jess Send Me (6), Tee Cos (1), Ima Chickie Two (1), Adolph Tres Knockout (1), Jess Tee Off (1)
 
NATIONAL RANKINGS, 3-YEAR-OLDS & UP:

1.   COLD CASH 123 (86)
2.   GOOD REASON SA (80)
3.   LOUISIANA SENATOR (67)
4.   LLANO TELLER (61)
5.   JESS YOU AND I (52)
6.   RYLEES BOY (47)
7.   CHIVALRY SR (40)
8.   FAVORITE CARTEL (18)
9.   MISS RACY JESS (17)
10. PROSPECT TO THE TOP (12)

Sparky E Boy (8), Snitcher (4), Noconi (1), Capo De Capi (1)

The nine voters are:

Ed Burgart (Los Alamitos announcer/handicapper)

Martha Claussen (Q-Racing Ace, writer/handicapper)

Mike Cusortelli (writer/handicapper)

Tom Dawson (Q-Racing Ace, network television producer)

Dale Day (Remington Park announcer/handicapper)

Jerry Shottenkirk (Q-Racing Ace, handicapper/oddsmaker)

Jeremy Plonk (ESPN.com contributor)

Terry Turrell (Horseplayernow.com handicapper)

Ty Wyant (writer, Daily Racing Form and AQHA)

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journalor America’s Horse, visit AQHA Publications.

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LLANO TELLER TAKES NO. 1 RANKING INTO CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS

Q-Racing Journal, December 8, 2011 - Top-ranked Llano Teller maintained a razor-thin edge in the latest AQHARacing.com/Horseplayernow.com National Top 10 poll for older horses in advance of Saturday’s all-important Grade 1 Champion of Champions showdown at Los Alamitos. The Champion of Champions field, which will be drawn live on TVG at approximately 7 p.m. EST tonight, is expected to include seven of this week’s Top 10 older horses. The Top 10 older horses remained unchanged in voting this week.

Llano Teller, the Grade 1 All American Derby victor, leads the balloting, 82-81, over Cold Cash 123 this week while stablemate Louisiana Senator is a close third, with 77 points. Llano Teller and Louisiana Senator both will represent trainer Heath Reed in Saturday’s Champion of Champions. Other ranked horses this week expected to enter include No. 5 Jess You And I, No. 6 Favorite Cartel, No. 7 Miss Racy Jess, No. 9 Chivalry SR and No. 10 Snitcher.

In the national 2-year-old rankings this week, the only change came by way of Silver For Me leap-frogging High Rate Of Return for the No. 7 spot in the poll. All American Futurity winner Ochoa continues to hold the top spot this week. The poll could see a major shake-up following this Sunday’s rich $2.2 million Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity, where No. 4-ranked Igotyourtac is among the qualifiers. The Golden State Million Futurity winner gets a rematch with Last To Fire, third in their last finals match-up but the fastest qualifier to Saturday’s Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity.

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 2-YEAR-OLDS

1.  OCHOA (88)
2.  FEATURE MR BOJANGLES (82)
3.  SEPARATE FIRE (70)
4.  IGOTYOURTAC (57)
5.  SURE SHOT B (54)
6.  SIXES STREAK (35)
7.  SILVER FOR ME (25)
8.  HIGH RATE OF RETURN (24)
9.  SEND ME A CANDY TREE (23)
10.  JESS SEND ME (13)

Mighty B Valiant (7), Tee Coss (5), Adolf Tres Knockout (3), Ima Chickie Too (1), Jess Tee Off (1), Last To Fire (1), Rapid Transit (1)
 
NATIONAL RANKINGS, 3-YEAR-OLDS & UP

1.  LLANO TELLER (82)
2.  COLD CASH 123 (81)
3.  LOUISIANA SENATOR (77)
4.  RYLEES BOY (61)
5.  JESS YOU AND I (52)
6.  FAVORITE CARTEL (45)
7.  MISS RACY JESS (27)
8.  PROSPECT TO THE TOP (26)
9.  CHIVALRY SR (21)
10. SNITCHER (12)

Good Reason SA (4), Noconi (3), Divide The Cash (1), Sir Seth (1), De Passem Okey (1), Capo De Capi (1)

The nine voters are:
Ed Burgart (Los Alamitos announcer/handicapper)
Martha Claussen (AQHA Q Racing Aces/writer/handicapper)
Mike Cusortelli (writer/handicapper)
Tom Dawson (network television producer)
Dale Day (Remington Park announcer/handicapper)
Jerry Shottenkirk (handicapper/oddsmaker)
Jeremy Plonk (ESPN.com contributor)
Terry Turrell (Horseplayernow.com handicapper)

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journalor America’s Horse, visit AQHA Publications.

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AQHA AWARDS THE NATIONAL FINALS OF ITS 2012 CHALLENGE CHAMPIONSHIPS TO PRAIRIE MEADOWS

Q-Racing Journal, December 6, 2011 – The American Quarter Horse Association has awarded the national finals of its 2012 Challenge Championships to Prairie Meadows.

The event, pending approval by the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission, will take place on Saturday, Oct. 27, closing night of Prairie Meadows' 2012 quarter horse meet.

"This will be the biggest horse racing event ever to come to Iowa," said Tom Lepic, president of the Iowa Quarter Horse Racing Association. "This gives Prairie Meadows nationwide recognition that we need.

“We'll have a lot of horses here at Prairie Meadows for the quarter horse meet trying to qualify for the finals. It will be a first-rate event and bring a lot of people to Iowa."

The Challenge is quarter horse racing's version of thoroughbred racing's Breeders' Cup. It consists of six races worth more than $1 million combined.

Horses qualify for the finals by winning regional challenge races in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Brazil.

The biggest race is the $350,000 Bank of America Championship Challenge at 440 yards, which has been won by World Champions Down With Debt, SLM Big Daddy, Tailor Fit, and Streakin Sin Tacha.

Darrell Hare, the Challenge's director of racing, said Prairie Meadows was chosen because of its facilities, which will include its incoming 168-room hotel, and the prominence of its quarter horse program.

"They've become a major influence in the country," Hare said. "They have a strong desire to get a national presence and this will bring top championship-type horses to them.

"They have a lot going for them. It's an excellent facility. They do an excellent job in marketing. They have a lot of enthusiasm and they've done a good job of growing their quarter horse program."

Prairie Meadows and Lepic spent nearly a year working on the proposal. Along with the Challenge Championships, the AQHA will hold its four-day convention at Prairie Meadows. And Prairie Meadows will precede the Challenge with its Iowa Champions Night, consisting of stakes races for Iowa-breds, on Friday, Oct. 26.

"Hands down, this is a very significant event," said Derron Heldt, Prairie Meadows' director of racing. "We get a chance to showcase our facilities here and our racing."

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journalor America’s Horse, visit AQHA Publications.

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NOCONI DEFENDS ZIA CHAMPIONSHIP

Q-Racing Journal, December 1, 2011– R.D. Hubbard and Johnny T.L. Jones Jr.’s homebred Noconi continues along a similar trail that a year ago led to the 2010 champion aged gelding title when he defends his win in the $150,000 Zia Park Championship (G1) on Sunday afternoon at the Hobbs, New Mexico, track.

Noconi (Mr Jess Perry-My Dashing Lady by Dash For Cash) won last year’s Zia Park Championship by three quarters of a length as the 7-5 favorite and then went on to take the $350,000 The Championship at Sunland Park (G1) to secure his second championship. He was also the 2008 champion 3-year-old gelding.

A member of the Paul Jones stable throughout his 29-race career, which has banked $1,272,504, Noconi won his two starts at Ruidoso Downs this summer before pointing at the Zia Park Championship and, probably, The Championship at Sunland Park. He won the Higheasterjet Handicap (G3) by a half length in a quick :17.158 and then moved up to his favorite distance of 440 yards to win a battle over Time For A Cigar in the All American Gold Cup (G2), a race he also won in 2010 during that championship season.

Noconi thrives at Zia Park and throughout New Mexico. He has five wins and three second-place finishes from eight Zia Park starts and has 13 wins, six seconds and three thirds from 26 starts in New Mexico. Each of his three starts outside of New Mexico have come in Grade 1 races for older horses with a second in the 2009 Refrigerator Handicap and a fifth in the 2008 Champion of Champions as a 3-year-old.

Double Eagle Ranch and Buena Suerte Ranch’s Time For A Cigar (Corona Cartel-Time For A Goddess by Timeto Thinkrich) is geared up for a rematch with Noconi after finishing just a neck behind him in the All American Gold Cup on Labor Day weekend at Ruidoso Downs. The Richard Sedillo-trained gelding made a trip to Turf Paradise after the All American Gold Cup and he won the Bank of America Turf Paradise Challenge (G3) for the second-straight year. He took this year’s running on October 16 by outclassing his rivals to win by 2 lengths as the 1-2 favorite.

Like Noconi, Time For A Cigar is a former champion 3-year-old gelding. He earned the title in 2009 after winning six of eight races, including the Ruidoso Derby (G1) and Sunland Park Winter Derby (G2) and was second in the Rainbow Derby (G1) behind champion Inseperable.

Double Chiseled (SC Chiseled In Stone-Specially Double by Special Task) is on a roll at Zia Park with wins in the James Isaac Hobbs Stakes (G2) and the Lovington Stakes (G2). He raced to excellent times to gain his first back-to-back wins in more than 18 months. He won the Hobbs in :17.378 for 350 yards at nearly 20-1 odds and took the 400-yard Lovington Stakes in :19.234 while gaining respect at 7-2 odds.

Fans can watch all of Zia Park’s races live and free of charge on Q-Racing Video, a service of AQHA Racing and the Q-Racing Journal. Q-Racing Video has permanently waived its subscription fee, granting race fans, horsemen and handicappers unparalleled access to American Quarter Horse racing. Users have unlimited access to the live simulcast signals of almost every American Quarter Horse racetrack in the United States and Canada. Q-Racing Video also provides unlimited access to race replays, which are available immediately following each race. The archive of past races goes back several years for most tracks. Fans can register at www.qracingvideo.com.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journalor America’s Horse, visit AQHA Publications.

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SEND ME A CANDY TREE GROWS ON POLLSTERS

Q-Racing Journal, November 30, 2011– Sunday’s $255,000 Southwest Juvenile Championship (G1) score at Zia Park propelled Send Me A Candy Tree into the No. 9 spot in this week’s AQHA Racing-Horseplayernow.com National Top 10 poll for 2-year-olds. The Oak Tree Special filly, who has notched five wins in seven starts this season, is the only newcomer to the rankings this week for either juveniles or older horses.

Send Me A Candy Tree earlier this year placed in finals for the Remington Park Futurity and Easy Jet Stakes (RG3), while winning the consolation for the rich Texas Classic Futurity.

All American Futurity (G1) winner Ochoa remains solidly on top of the 2-year-old rankings this week, while the race for the top perch among the older horses continues as a three-way fight among Llano Teller, Cold Cash 123 and Louisiana Senator. That title could be settled on the track in the December 10 Champion of Champions (G1) at Los Alamitos. The Top 10 poll for older horses remained unchanged this week.

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 2-YEAR-OLDS:

1.   OCHOA (89)
2.   FEATURE MR BOJANGLES (80)
3.   SEPARATE FIRE (70)
4.   IGOTYOURTAC (55)
5.   SURE SHOT B (53)
6.   SIXES STREAK (44)
7.   HIGH RATE OF RETURN (34)
8.   SILVER FOR ME (26)
9.   SEND ME A CANDY TREE (23)
10. JESS SEND ME (12)

Mighty B Valiant (8), Tee Cos (7), Adolph Tres Knockout (4), Ima Chickie Two (3), Just Tee Off (2)
 
NATIONAL RANKINGS, 3-YEAR-OLDS & UP:

1.   LLANO TELLER (81)
2.   COLD CASH 123 (80)
3.   LOUISIANA SENATOR (77)
4.   RYLEES BOY (61)
5.   JESS YOU AND I (53)
6.   FAVORITE CARTEL (44)
7.   MISS RACY JESS (28)
8.   PROSPECT TO THE TOP (24)
9.   CHIVALRY SR (23)
10. SNITCHER (9)

Noconi (7), Good Reason SA (5), Divide The Cash (1), De Passem Okey (1), Capo De Capi (1)

The nine voters are:

Ed Burgart (Los Alamitos announcer/handicapper)

Martha Claussen (Q-Racing Ace, writer/handicapper)

Mike Cusortelli (writer/handicapper)

Tom Dawson (Q-Racing Ace, network television producer)

Dale Day (Remington Park announcer/handicapper)

Jerry Shottenkirk (Q-Racing Ace, handicapper/oddsmaker)

Jeremy Plonk (ESPN.com contributor)

Terry Turrell (Horseplayernow.com handicapper)

Ty Wyant (writer, Daily Racing Form and AQHA)

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journalor America’s Horse, visit AQHA Publications.

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DESPITE LOSS, LLANO TELLER REMAINS NO. 1

Q-Racing Journal, November 16, 2011– Saturday was a subpar night for No. 1-ranked Llano Teller, who finished fourth as the odds-on favorite in the Grade 1 Texas Classic Derby at Lone Star Park. But pollsters did not hold the misstep against him as he narrowly retained the top perch in this week’s AQHA Racing-Horseplayernow.com National Top 10 poll for older horses. Meanwhile, race victor Cold Cash 123 rose one spot this week to No. 3 following his three-quarter-length win as the race’s 5-2 second betting choice. The two geldings have now faced each other three times during their derby season, with Cold Cash 123 getting the wins in the Grade 1 Rainbow and Texas Classic derbies, and Llano Teller taking the All American Derby (G1).

With six wins in eight starts on the year, including a victory in the Ruidoso Derby (G1), Llano Teller held a narrow 82-79 edge in the balloting this week over two-time Grade 1 winner Louisiana Senator. The latter has won three of four starts on the year, and both horses hold an invitation to meet in the Champion of Champions (G1) at Los Alamitos next month.

Meanwhile, Sure Shot B rocketed to No. 4 in the national poll for 2-year-olds this week on the heels of Saturday’s victory in the $1,158,941 Texas Classic Futurity (G1) at Lone Star Park. The John Stinebaugh trainee defeated a field that included Dash For Cash Futurity (G1) winner Sixes Streak, who mustered only a sixth-place finish in the final and fell to No. 6 in the poll this week.

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 2-YEAR-OLDS:

1.   OCHOA (88)
2.   FEATURE MR BOJANGLES (81)
3.   SEPARATE FIRE (69)
4.   SURE SHOT B (55)
5.   IGOTYOURTAC (52)
6.   SIXES STREAK (48)
7.   HIGH RATE OF RETURN (29)
8.   SILVER FOR ME (27)
9.   JESS SEND ME (14)
10. MIGHTY B VALIANT (13)

Tee Cos (11), Ima Chickie Two (5), Adolph Tres Knockout (4), Jess Tee Off (2)
 
NATIONAL RANKINGS, 3-YEAR-OLDS & UP:

1.   LLANO TELLER (82)
2.   LOUISIANA SENATOR (79)
3.   COLD CASH 123 (73)
4.   RYLEES BOY (67)
5.   JESS YOU AND I (49)
6.   FAVORITE CARTEL (48)
7.   PROSPECT TO THE TOP (28)
8.   MISS RACY JESS (25)
9.   CHIVALRY SR (12)
10. NOCONI (10)

JLS Mr Bigtime (9), Snitcher (9), Good Reason SA (7), Divide The Cash (2), One Sweet Jess (1)

The nine voters are:

Ed Burgart (Los Alamitos announcer/handicapper)

Martha Claussen (Q-Racing Ace, writer/handicapper)

Mike Cusortelli (writer/handicapper)

Tom Dawson (Q-Racing Ace, network television producer)

Dale Day (Remington Park announcer/handicapper)
Jerry Shottenkirk (Q-Racing Ace, handicapper/oddsmaker)

Jeremy Plonk (ESPN.com contributor)

Terry Turrell (Horseplayernow.com handicapper)
Ty Wyant (writer, Daily Racing Form and AQHA)

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journalor America’s Horse, visit AQHA Publications.

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SIXES STREAK GOES FOR FUTURITY DOUBLE

Q-Racing News, November 10, 2011– Jerry Windham’s homebred Sixes Streak races to become the second horse to sweep the two Grade 1 futurities at Lone Star Park – the Dash For Cash Futurity and the Texas Classic Futurity – when he starts in the $1,252,909 Texas Classic Futurity (G1) on Saturday night at the North Texas track.

The Texas Classic Futurity is the richest race in Texas.

Tempting Dash swept both futurities on his way to being named the 2009 champion 2-year-old colt.

The Heath Taylor-trained Sixes Streak (Streakin Sixes-First Down Sixes by First Down Dash) is the fourth-ranked 2-year-old and second-ranked 2-year-old gelding in the AQHA Racing-Horseplayernow.com national poll. He moved up to that lofty ranking and his prime position to sweep the two important fall futurities when he defeated $700,000 Rainbow Futurity (G1) runner-up The Long Knife (Tac It Like A Man-Oodles Of Cash by Hooked On Cash) in the last of 13 Texas Classic Futurity trials on October 22. The two top-tier Grade 1 geldings paced the trials when Sixes Streak won by a half length, with the fastest time of :19.228, and The Long Knife clocked the second-fastest qualifying mark of :19.291.

Sixes Streak was second by a nose in his maiden debut at Sam Houston Race Park, which he followed with two solid wins. Traveling to Ruidoso Downs, he was second in his Rainbow Futurity trial to $500,000 Ruidoso Futurity (G1) winner Silver For Me and then rolled to a daylight win in his All American Futurity trial. In each of those sets of trials, his time was not quick enough to reach the finals.

The gelding remedied that non-qualifying result in the Dash For Cash Futurity trials when he won by 2 lengths, and his time of :19.304 was the fastest from 13 trials. He backed up that trial score when he fought to a head win in the $414,045 Dash For Cash Futurity (G1) as the 6-5 favorite over John The Banker.

Steve Denny’s The Long Knife also stepped forward at Ruidoso Downs last summer. The Sleepy Gilbreath-trained gelding won a maiden race in his first start at Remington Park and then took his Rainbow Futurity trial by daylight to reach the finals. He showed his class when he was second to Feature Mr Bojangles, a three-time futurity winner in New Mexico.

The Long Knife made his Lone Star Park debut in the Texas Classic Futurity trials and was brushed at the start before finishing second to Sixes Streak.

Taylor has a second horse in the Texas Classic Futurity with third-fastest qualifier Fast Prize Jordan (PYC Paint Your Wagon-Fast Prize Doll by Mr Jess Perry), owned by Weetona Stanley and William Smith. The colt was off for four months this summer after qualifying for the $780,000 Remington Park Futurity and $1,029,950 Heritage Place Futurity and has returned at Lone Star Park to win each of his two starts. He took an allowance race by nearly 3 lengths and then won his Texas Classic Futurity trial by more than 2 lengths, with a :19.330 time.

Lyle Guillory and John Soileau’s Tee Cos (Corona Cartel-Do It To It Reb by Splash Bac) has the highest earnings in the Texas Classic Futurity – $195,996 – primarily from his third-place run in the $2.4 million All American Futurity (G1). The Paul Jones-trained colt then was second in a Zia Park allowance race before winning his Texas Classic Futurity trial by three-quarters of a length with the sixth-fastest time of :19.394.

DM Strait Up (Ivory James-Sashay N Six by Sixarun), Sure Shot B (Stoli-She A Miracle by Dean Miracle) and Algorithmic (Ivory James-All About Ease by First Down Dash) also have Grade 1 credentials in the Texas Classic Futurity.

Owned by Reed Land and Cattle Co. with Don Moler, DM Strait Up finished in a dead heat for third in the Heritage Place Futurity (G1) for trainer Heath Reed.

Charles Forbes Jr. and Dr. Tommy Hayes’ Sure Shot B has won four of five starts, with a sixth-place finish in the Ruidoso Futurity (G1) under the tutelage of trainer John Stinebaugh.

Bobby Cox’s homebred Algorithmic had a rough start in the Dash For Cash Futurity, however he still rallied for a fourth-place effort.

Fans can watch all of Lone Star Park’s races live and free of charge on Q-Racing Video, a service of AQHA Racing and the Q-Racing Journal. Q-Racing Video has permanently waived its subscription fee, granting race fans, horsemen and handicappers unparalleled access to American Quarter Horse racing. Users have unlimited access to the live simulcast signals of almost every American Quarter Horse racetrack in the United States and Canada. Q-Racing Video also provides unlimited access to race replays, which are available immediately following each race. The archive of past races goes back several years for most tracks. Fans can register at www.qracingvideo.com.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journalor America’s Horse, visit AQHA Publications.

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TOP HORSES CLASH IN TEXAS CLASSIC DERBY

Q-Racing Journal, Wednesday, November 9, 2011– Llano Teller remains No. 1 in this week’s AQHA Racing-Horseplayernow.com National Top 10 poll for older horses, and will put that top ranking on the line Saturday as the fastest qualifier in the $335,631 Texas Classic Derby (G1) at Lone Star Park. The challenge will be significant, as this week’s No. 4-rated older horse, Cold Cash 123, qualified third-fastest for the important final.

The only significant change to the poll this week among the older horses is the debut of Miss Racy Jess at No. 8. She continues to peak at the right time, powering to a victory in Sunday’s $935,350 Los Alamitos Super Derby (G1) and has earned a shot at advancement in the December 10 Champion of Champions (G1).

As for the 2-year-old rankings, pollsters shifted opinions slightly upon further review of the October 30 Golden State Million Futurity (G1). Separate Fire slid another slot this week to No. 3, while race upsetter Igotyourtac moved up one spot to No. 5. Saturday night’s co-featured Texas Classic Futurity (G1) at Lone Star Park will match fastest qualifier and this week’s No. 4-ranked juvenile Sixes Streak against a field that includes No. 10-ranked Tee Cos.

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 2-YEAR-OLDS:

1.   OCHOA (89)
2.   FEATURE MR BOJANGLES (74)
3.   SEPARATE FIRE (68)
4.   SIXES STREAK (65)
5.   IGOTYOURTAC (47)
6.   HIGH RATE OF RETURN (43)
7.   SILVER FOR ME (29)
8.   MIGHTY B VALIANT (24)
9.   JESS SEND ME (23)
10. TEE COS (20)

Adolph Tres Knockout (6), Ima Chickie Two (4), Jess Tee Off (3), Call Me A Blazin Chic (2), Illegal Smile (2)
 
NATIONAL RANKINGS, 3-YEAR-OLDS & UP:

1.   LLANO TELLER (89)
2.   LOUISIANA SENATOR (80)
3.   RYLEES BOY (67)
4.   COLD CASH 123 (56)
5.   JESS YOU AND I (55)
6.   FAVORITE CARTEL (47)
7.   PROSPECT TO THE TOP (26)
8.   MISS RACY JESS (21)
9.   FREAKY (15)
10. CHIVALRY SR (14)

Noconi (8), Good Reason SA (7), JLS Mr Bigtime (5), Divide The Cash (2), Snitcher (1), Capo De Capi (16), One Sweet Jess (1)

The nine voters are:

Ed Burgart (Los Alamitos announcer/handicapper)

Martha Claussen (Q-Racing Ace, writer/handicapper)
Mike Cusortelli (writer/handicapper)

Tom Dawson (Q-Racing Ace,network television producer)

Dale Day (Remington Park announcer/handicapper)

Jerry Shottenkirk (Q-Racing Ace, handicapper/oddsmaker)

Jeremy Plonk (ESPN.com contributor)

Terry Turrell (Horseplayernow.com handicapper)

Ty Wyant (writer, Daily Racing Form and AQHA)

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journalor America’s Horse, visit AQHA Publications.

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FILLIES HEAD LOS ALAMITOS SUPER DERBY

Q-Racing Journal, November 3, 2011– A pair of proven Grade 1 fillies, fastest-qualifier Miss Racy Jess and champion Flying Fig, take on the Grade 1-winning colt One Sweet Jess in a deep renewal of the $987,500 Los Alamitos Super Derby (G1) over 400 yards on Sunday night at Los Alamitos.

Miss Racy Jess (Mr Jess Perry-Miss Racy Vike by Racin Free) and Flying Fig (Corona Cartel-Tender Flyer by Strawfly Special) each come off their most promising 3-year-old efforts in the Los Alamitos Super Derby trials. Miss Racy Jess impressed in her trial when she handled One Sweet Jess by a half length while recording the fastest qualifying time from four trials, :19.646. Flying Fig also scored a half-length trial win, and she was clocked in :19.701.

Owned by Burnett Ranches and Johnny Trotter, Miss Racy Jess was one of the premier members of the juvenile division at Ruidoso Downs last year. The classy filly won her first three career starts at the New Mexico track, and that winning streak was capped by an impressive 2-length win in her All American Futurity (G1) trial. She was sent off as the 2-1 second choice in the All American Futurity but was pinched back at the start and was never a factor.

Miss Racy Jess also made three starts this summer at Ruidoso Downs for trainer Trey Wood. She was winless in her first two outs and then moved up with a three-quarter-length win over Heritage Place Futurity (G1) winner Givinitaroyaleffort in their trial to the $1.3 million All American Derby (G1), however her time was not quick enough to qualify for the derby.

Legacy Ranch and Muller Racing’s Flying Fig is the rare horse to never have won a stakes but be a champion. The Denny Ekins-trained filly earned her champion 2-year-old filly award with runner-up finishes in three million-dollar Grade 1 futurities. She was second to First Down Illusion in the Ed Burke Million Futurity (G1), second behind One Sweet Jess in the Golden State Million Futurity (G1) and second to One Quick First Down in the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity (G1).

Flying Fig made her 2011 debut in the trials to the $900,000 Rainbow Futurity (G1) at Ruidoso Downs in July and finished fifth as the 8-5 favorite. That was her only start before her convincing Super Derby trial victory.

Jose and Gustavo De La Torre’s One Sweet Jess (Mr Jess Perry-One Sweet Dash by First Down Dash) races in his fifth Grade 1 final; the always-dangerous colt won last year’s Golden State Million with an impressive late run while leaving Flying Fig and Hot Hitter to settle for second and third.

The Ugo De La Torre-trained One Sweet Jess then finished fourth – only beaten by a neck – behind One Quick First Down and Flying Fig in the Los Alamitos Two Million.

One Sweet Jess continued his major stakes qualifications this year by reaching the finals of the All American Derby (G1), Ruidoso Derby (G1) and the El Primero Del Ano Derby (G2). He defeated champion American Runaway in his All American Derby trial.

One Sweet Jess had a troubled trip in his Super Derby trial and recorded the fourth-fastest qualifying time of :19.753.

Melany and Ron Shalz’s Thru The Fire (Walk Thru Fire-Algonquin by Invisible Injun) stepped up with his fifth win from 10 starts when he won his Super Derby trial. The Jaime Gomez-trained gelding won by a half length with the third-fastest time of :19.739.

Vinewood Farms’ Significant Cartel (Corona Cartel-Dash Master Miss by Dash For Destiny) races in his second Grade 1 derby after finishing third in the Golden State Derby. He was then third to Miss Racy Jess in a productive Super Derby trial with the seventh-fastest time of :19.811 for trainer Juan Aleman.

Double Bar S Ranch’s Pushing Dazies (Strawflyin Buds-Gold Daze by Tolltac) was second in the Golden State Derby (G1) in August and then fourth behind Miss Racy Jess, One Sweet Jess and Significant Cartel in their Super Derby trial. The Cody Joiner-trained filly, a half sister to champion Jess You And I, posted the eighth-fastest time of :19.816.

Fans can watch all of Los Alamitos’ races live and free of charge on Q-Racing Video, a service of AQHA Racing and the Q-Racing Journal. Q-Racing Video has permanently waived its subscription fee, granting race fans, horsemen and handicappers unparalleled access to American Quarter Horse racing. Users have unlimited access to the live simulcast signals of almost every American Quarter Horse racetrack in the United States and Canada. Q-Racing Video also provides unlimited access to race replays, which are available immediately following each race. The archive of past races goes back several years for most tracks. Fans can register at www.qracingvideo.com.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journalor America’s Horse, visit AQHA Publications.

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PAUL JONES DEBUTS NEW PAIR IN NATIONAL RANKINGS

Q-Racing Journal, November 2, 2011 – Saturday’s neck victory in the $353,500 Bank of America Challenge Championship (G1) earned Favorite Cartel the No. 6 spot in this week’s AQHA Racing-Horseplayernow.com National Top 10 poll for older horses. Pollsters held firm on Challenge runner-up Rylees Boy, keeping the Remington Park Invitational (G1) winner in his No. 3 perch once again this week, trailing only Llano Teller and Louisiana Senator in the balloting.

Favorite Cartel earned his first career Grade 1 victory in the Challenge, though he’s no stranger to the big stage, having contested eight Grade 1s in his career, including a third-place run in the Rainbow Futurity (G1). The nine-time winner has now earned $583,069. As for Rylees Boy, he was rolling late in the Challenge to narrowly miss in his first start since May. Both are now qualified for the Champion of Champions (G1) at Los Alamitos next month in the race that will help define year-end honors.

Paul Jones trains Favorite Cartel, as well as Sunday’s 44-1 upsetter in the $1.2 million Golden State Million Futurity (G1), Igotyourtac, who upended yet another Jones trainee in that rich final, Separate Fire. For his efforts, Igotyourtac also earned a No. 6 debut ranking in the 2-year-old poll this week.

Igotyourtac has now won three of six career starts, while the Golden State Million Futurity was his first stakes victory. Stablemate and race favorite Separate Fire, drawn in the far outside post No. 10, was bumped at the start, drifted out and failed to respond while finishing last. Pollsters did not hold the trip and result against the nation’s No. 2-ranked juvenile, keeping the two-time Grade 1 winner in that spot once again this week. Separate Fire won the Grade 1 Kindergarten and Ed Burke Million futurities earlier this season. All American Futurity (G1) winner Ochoa remains the near-unanimous No. 1-ranked juvenile in the land this week.

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 2-YEAR-OLDS:

1.   OCHOA (89)
2.   SEPARATE FIRE (70)
3.   FEATURE MR BOJANGLES (66)
4.   SIXES STREAK (55)
5.   HIGH RATE OF RETURN (50)
6.   IGOTYOURTAC (47)
7.   SILVER FOR ME (27)
8.   MIGHTY B VALIANT (25)
9.   JESS SEND ME (19)
10. TEE COS (17)

Denver Pass (5), Adolph Tres Knockout (4), Ima Chickie Two (4), Jess Cuervo (4), Call Me A Blazn Chic (2), Illegal Smile (2)
 
NATIONAL RANKINGS, 3-YEAR-OLDS & UP:

1.   LLANO TELLER (89)
2.   LOUISIANA SENATOR (78)
3.   RYLEES BOY (73)
4.   COLD CASH 123 (54)
5.   JESS YOU AND I (49)
6.   FAVORITE CARTEL (48)
7.   PROSPECT TO THE TOP (26)
8.   CHIVALRY SR (23)
9.   FREAKY (20)
10. NOCONI (8)

Snitcher (7), Good Reason SA (7), JLS Mr Bigtime (5), Capo De Capi (3), Streakin Down (2), Divide The Cash (1), Onemoreglassofwine (1), T Gold J (1)

The nine voters are:

Ed Burgart (Los Alamitos announcer/handicapper)

Martha Claussen (Q-Racing Ace,writer/handicapper)

Mike Cusortelli (writer/handicapper)

Tom Dawson (Q-Racing Ace, network television producer)

Dale Day (Remington Park announcer/handicapper)

Jerry Shottenkirk (Q-Racing Ace, handicapper/oddsmaker)

Jeremy Plonk (ESPN.com contributor)

Terry Turrell (Horseplayernow.com handicapper)

Ty Wyant (writer, Daily Racing Form and AQHA)

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journalor America’s Horse, visit AQHA Publications.

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BANK OF AMERICA CHALLENGE CHAMPIONSHIPS RECAP
The night was full of American Quarter Horse racing’s biggest stars.

Q-Racing Journal, November 1, 2011-- The Bank of America Challenge Championships night on October 29 delivered what it promised, with a full card of 12 exciting races filled, from top to bottom, with world-class horses and world-class performances.

Leading Southern California track Los Alamitos hosted the event for the ninth time since 1993. Total purses for the races were worth $1.1 million. Handle for the 12-race card was $1,575,023, up 45 percent from the previous year. Attendance at the races was also up from 2009 figures (the most recent available), with 3,383 at the track.

“The horsemen, race track officials and myself were extremely pleased with this very successful Challenge Championship night of racing,” said AQHA’s Director of Racing Challenge Darrell Hare. “We want to thank our sponsors, horsemen and Los Alamitos for a great night of racing.”
 
The races were evenly matched, and the six championship races saw winners who this year competed in Alberta, Arizona, California, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, New Mexico and Washington.

Favorite Cartel won the richest race of the night, the $353,000 Bank of America Challenge Championship (G1), prevailing by a neck over favorite Rylees Boy. Ridden by Ramon Sanchez, Favorite Cartel went the 440 yards in :21.501 and earned $161,000. Favorite Cartel was trained by Paul Jones, who bred the horse in partnership with Terry Thompson. The 4-year-old son of Favorite Trick (TB) raced for his breeders and partners R.D. Hubbard and Jim Helzer.

Favorite Cartel, who has now won or placed in 15 of 23 starts and earned $583,069, will head next to the $750, 000 Champion of Champions (G1) on December 10. There, he will race for a new ownership including Jones, Thompson and Dr. Steve Burns.

Other big winners for the night included:

• Manny Silva’s homebred T Gold J finished strong to win the $200,000 Adequan Derby Challenge Championship (G1).
• Alvin Jonas’ Sheza Bad Habit was a neck the best in the $125,000 Merial Distaff Challenge Championship (G1).
• Yin Your Eyes, owned by Rene Laatch, dug in and nosed out a win in the $125,000 Red Cell Distance Challenge Championship (G1).
• Nothing could separate Dean Frey’s Shez Jess Toxic and David and Ross Hinkins’ Illegal Smile, who deadheated in the $150,000 John Deere Juvenile Challenge Championship (G1).
• Edilberto Estrada’s Ocean Fun came home first in the $75,000 Pfizer Starter Allowance Challenge Championship.

The Bank of America Racing Challenge is the richest and most successful program in American Quarter Horse racing today, a championship series developed for the “World’s Fastest Horse.” The Bank of America Racing Challenge program provides more racing opportunities and larger purses for older American Quarter Horses than any other program throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico and South America.

In addition to Los Alamitos, the other tracks that have served as hosts are Sunland Park, Turf Paradise, Retama Park, Sam Houston Race Park, Evangeline Downs, Lone Star Park and Fair Grounds.

Bank of America is a proud sponsor of the Bank of America® Racing Challenge Championships. AQHA members can take advantage of exclusive checking and savings accounts, lines of credit and credit cards. Show your passion for horses and click herefor more information or to open an account.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on the American Quarter Horse Journal, Q-Racing Journal or America's Horse, visit AQHA Publications.

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STOLIS WINNER FACES CHALLENGE WINNERS
2011 Bank of America Racing Challenge Championships

Q-Racing Journal, October 27, 2011– World champion and all-time leading money earner Stolis Winner faces two winners from last year’s Bank of America Racing Challenge Championships when he starts in the $350,000 Bank of America Challenge Championship (G1) on October 29 at Los Alamitos Race Course.

The 440-yard Bank of America Challenge Championship is the headlining race during the Bank of America Challenge Championships on October 29 at Los Alamitos.

Champion and 2010 Merial Distaff Challenge Championship (G1) winner Spit Curl Diva and 2010 Adequan Derby Challenge Championship (G1) winner Acorn are also scheduled to compete in the Bank of America Challenge Championship.

The Bank of America Challenge Championship at the classic American Quarter Horse distance of 440 yards headlines the stakes-stocked evening during the Bank of America Racing Challenge Championships.

Jerry Windham’s homebred Stolis Winner (Stoli-Veva Jean by Runaway Winner) is one of the most accomplished Quarter Horses to ever run in a race, however has yet to win a race during the Bank of America Racing Challenge Championships, the sport’s premier night of racing. His best finish was third in the 2010 Bank of America Challenge Championship as the favorite.

Stolis Winner has won a pair of regional stakes in the Bank of America Racing Challenge program. The gelding won the 2009 Bank of America Sam Houston Championship Challenge (G1) and this year’s Bank of America Remington Park Championship Challenge (G2). That half-length win at Remington Park gave him his berth in the Bank of America Challenge Championship.

The 5-year-old Stolis Winner joined the Juan Aleman barn at Los Alamitos and made his debut at the Southern California track on October 9 in the $150,000 Robert L. Boniface Los Alamitos Invitational Championship (G1), finishing ninth after a slow and troubled start.

An earner of $2,231,661, Stolis Winner earned the bulk of that all-time record total as a 2-year-old when he won the All American Futurity (G1) and Rainbow Futurity (G1) at Ruidoso Downs after winning the Heritage Place Futurity (G1) at Remington Park.

The Lepic-Morgan Partnership’s Spit Curl Diva (Spit Curl Jess-Some Kinda Diva by Some Dasher) took last year’s Merial Distaff Challenge Championship on her way to being honored as champion aged horse and champion aged mare. She held on to win that 400-yard race by a nose as the 3-5 favorite for her fourth-straight stakes win and second Grade 1 victory during her championship campaign. She won the Refrigerator Handicap (G1) over males in her previous start.

Spit Curl Diva returned this year and continued to defeat male rivals. She won the Golden Driller Stakes at Fair Meadows and then went to Prairie Meadows to win the Keokuk Stakes (G3) and the Bank of America Prairie Meadows Challenge (G2) in her most recent start.

Rose Marie Chandler’s homebred Acorn (Oak Tree Special-Trio Gal (TB) by Tasso) won six of seven 2010 starts, including four stakes. He wrapped up the year with back-to-back stakes wins in the Adequan Derby Challenge Championship (G1) and the Evangeline Derby.

Acorn started his 2011 campaign with a second in the Bank of America Sam Houston Challenge (G2) and has maintained his consistent stakes record throughout the year. The gelding posted wins in the Miss Polly Classic (G2), the Ancira Ford Stakes (G3) and the Fair Grounds Bonus Challenge.

The 4-year-old gelding has won 12 of 20 starts and has six stakes wins.

The Gerardo Ochoa-Pena-owned and -trained Rylees Boy (Heza Motor Scooter-Pipistrelle by Rocky Jones) thrives at 440 yards with eight wins, two seconds and two thirds from 12 starts over the distance. The gelding makes his first start since May and is riding a three-race winning streak, all at 440 yards. He defended his title in the $117,000 Bank of America Sunland Park Challenge (G2) with a sensational :20.423 time and then finished first in the Remington Park Championship (G1) in :21.188.

Favorite Cartel (Favorite Trick (TB)-Shenoshercorona by Corona Cartel) will be dangerous in the Bank of America Challenge Championship after winning the Bank of America Los Alamitos Challenge (G2) over the Los Alamitos track two starts ago. He pulled away from Shining First Dash to win by a half length in :21.367 for the 440 yards as the 6-5 favorite.

Owned by R.D. Hubbard, Jim Helzer, Terry Thompson and trainer Paul Jones, Favorite Cartel was third in the Rainbow Futurity (G1) and fourth in the All American Futurity (G1) as a juvenile and qualified for three Grade 1 derbies as a 3-year-old.

Double Eagle Ranch and Buena Suerte Equine’s Time For A Cigar (Corona Cartel-Time For A Goddess by Timeto Thinkrich) is a champion who could be the hot horse at the right time. The 2009 champion 3-year-old gelding is on a roll with a win in the Mr Jet Moore Stakes (G3) at Ruidoso Downs, a second behind champion Noconi in the All American Gold Cup (G2) and a dominating win in the Bank of America Turf Paradise Challenge (G3) in his latest three starts.

JK Running Horses’ Jess A Runner (Jess Louisiana Blue-Katiebug Driver by My Designated Driver) travels to Los Alamitos after two stakes wins and a second behind Spit Curl Diva in the Bank of America Prairie Meadows Challenge in his latest three starts. He won the Great Lake Stakes at Canterbury Park and the Two Rivers Stakes (G3) at Prairie Meadows.

Fans can watch all of the 2011 Challenge Championship races live and free of charge on Q-Racing Video, a service of AQHA Racing and the Q-Racing Journal. Q-Racing Video has permanently waived its subscription fee, granting race fans, horsemen and handicappers unparalleled access to American Quarter Horse racing. Users have unlimited access to the live simulcast signals of almost every American Quarter Horse racetrack in the United States and Canada. Q-Racing Video also provides unlimited access to race replays, which are available immediately following each race. The archive of past races goes back several years for most tracks. Fans can register at www.qracingvideo.com.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journalor America’s Horse, visit AQHA Publications.

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GENTRY IN ENVIED POSITION IN DISTAFF
2011 Bank of America Racing Challenge Championships

Q-Racing Journal, October 27, 2011– It is good to be longtime American Quarter Horse breeder and owner Robert Gentry in the $125,000 Merial Distaff Challenge Championship (G1) on October 29 at Los Alamitos Race Course.

Gentry will have two of his homebreds – Fovee and Fredaville – in the 400-yard stakes for females on the Bank of America Challenge Championship program, and they each have proven to be solid stakes winners this year.

Fovee (Cuvee (TB)-Fodice by First Down Dash) could be headed to a year-end championship title if she continues her winning ways. The 4-year-old returned from a 13-month layoff on August 19 at Los Alamitos and easily won the Merial Los Alamitos Distaff Challenge (G3) by 1 1/4 lengths for her first career stakes win.

The Adan Farias-trained Fovee then moved up to the Grade 1-winning level with a gritty win in the Mildred N. Vessels Memorial Handicap (G1). She stumbled at the start and rallied to prevail by a nose over Fall For It, with a quick :19.44 for 400 yards.

Also trained by Farias, Fredaville is also a championship contender after winning two stakes at Remington Park this spring and racing to five wins from seven 2011 outs. She then had a summer rest and before enduring a very troubled off-the-board performance in the Mildred Vessels.

Fredaville scored three wins from three starts at Remington Park – all against fillies and mares – with wins in the Decketta Stakes (G3) and the Merial Remington Park Distaff Challenge. She won the Decketta by a half length and then rolled to a daylight win in the Merial Remington Park Distaff Challenge as the 3-5 favorite.

Benny Rossett’s 2009 champion aged mare Stylish Jess BR (Feature Mr Jess-Stylish Secret by Dash For Cash) is always dangerous. The veteran mare won the Merial Distaff Challenge Championship in 2009, the latest time the race was held at Los Alamitos. The Paul Jones-trained mare won the Charger Bar Handicap (G1) in January and then came back off a layoff to finish second in the Merial Los Alamitos Distaff Challenge. She crossed the wire fourth in the Mildred Vessels Handicap as the 2-1 favorite in her latest start, but was moved to 10th for interference.

Ernie and Brenda Wood’s homebred EBW Obsession (Brimmerton-Runaway Sweetheart by Runaway Winner) has won seven of 10 starts, including each of her two races this year. The Trey Wood-trained mare came back from a 13-month layoff to win an allowance race at Lone Star Park on September 17 and then won the Merial Lone Star Distaff Challenge by a half
length as the 9-5 favorite.

EBW Obsession was one of the most promising juveniles at Ruidoso Downs back in 2009 when she won each of her four starts, including the John Deere Ruidoso Downs Juvenile Challenge (G3) and her All American Futurity trial.

Wood is also represented by Lucky Charm Racing’s Features Lucky Charm (Feature Mr Jess-Las Alamitos by First Down Dash). She won the Merial Ruidoso Downs Distaff Challenge by a game head as a 20-1 longshot.

Hugo Sierra’s Corona For You (Corona For Me-My First Twist by First Down Dash) has matured into a consistent stakes performer with a win in the Merial Arapahoe Park Distaff Challenge and then placing in a pair of stakes, the Arapahoe Park Express and then the La Mariposa Stakes (G3) during the New Mexico State Fair.

Fans can watch all of the 2011 Challenge Championship races live and free of charge on Q-Racing Video, a service of AQHA Racing and the Q-Racing Journal. Q-Racing Video has permanently waived its subscription fee, granting race fans, horsemen and handicappers unparalleled access to American Quarter Horse racing. Users have unlimited access to the live simulcast signals of almost every American Quarter Horse racetrack in the United States and Canada. Q-Racing Video also provides unlimited access to race replays, which are available immediately following each race. The archive of past races goes back several years for most tracks. Fans can register at www.qracingvideo.com.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journalor America’s Horse, visit AQHA Publications.

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INVADERS HEAD DISTANCE CHALLENGE
2011 Bank of America Racing Challenge Championships

Q-Racing Journal, October 25, 2011– Docs Dusty Okie shoots for his fourth-straight win and sixth win from nine 2011 starts when he faces a field of horses travelling to Los Alamitos in the $125,000 Red Cell Distance Challenge Championship (G1) during the Bank of America Challenge Championships on October 29 at Los Alamitos.

Dusty Rose Ranch’s homebred Docs Dusty Okie (Okey Dokey Dale-Stephanie Rose by Hy Lucky Jay (TB)) has been a force on the Oklahoma circuit for trainer Monty Brooks this year with two stakes wins at Remington Park, another two stakes wins at Fair Meadows and then a dominating win at Will Rogers Downs in the Red Cell Will Rogers Distance Challenge, his most recent start. The gelding was sent off as the 7-10 favorite in the Will Rogers Distance Challenge and responded with a gate-to-wire 5-length score while never being threatened.

Dark Horse Partnership’s Kite Flyer (Royal Quick Dash-Cymbidian by Tommy De Great) has responded with well-spaced starts on the Texas circuit. He took a $12,500 handicap at Retama Park in July and stepped up on September 30 to convincingly win the Red Cell Lone Star Park Distance Challenge by more than 3 lengths.

Rene Laatsch’s Yin Your Eyes (Eye Yin You-Apollo Snowbound by Snowbound (TB)) has traveled to Los Alamitos after competing in the Northwest and then making a trip to Turf Paradise for his most recent start.

The Bill Hoburg-trained gelding reeled off five straight wins in the Northwest with his victory in the Red Cell Sandy Downs Distance Challenge capping the winning streak. He stepped up in class for that first career stakes win and opened up a clear advantage on the turn before holding on for the one-half-length score.

Stan Young’s Regal Colors (A Regal Choice-Sables Secret by Raise A Secret) scored the win in the Red Cell Turf Paradise Distance Challenge on October 16 after making his three previous starts at Retama Park and Sam Houston Race Park. He was sent off at 7-1 odds in the Red Cell Turf Paradise Distance Challenge and prevailed in a stretch battle with Apollos First Down to win by a head.

Jesus Carrete’s Apollos First Down (Apollo (TB)-Ms Devine Diva by This Snow Is Royal) was the 1-2 favorite in the Red Cell Turf Paradise Distance Challenge and could assume that role in the Red Cell Distance Challenge Championship. Two starts ago, he raced to his most important win of the year when he was never headed on his way to taking the Special Hank Handicap at The Downs at Albuquerque.

Fans can watch all of the 2011 Challenge Championship races live and free of charge on Q-Racing Video, a service of AQHA Racing and the Q-Racing Journal. Q-Racing Video has permanently waived its subscription fee, granting race fans, horsemen and handicappers unparalleled access to American Quarter Horse racing. Users have unlimited access to the live simulcast signals of almost every American Quarter Horse racetrack in the United States and Canada. Q-Racing Video also provides unlimited access to race replays, which are available immediately following each race. The archive of past races goes back several years for most tracks. Fans can register at www.qracingvideo.com.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journalor America’s Horse, visit AQHA Publications.

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CHALLENGE CHAMPIONSHIPS RETURN TO LOS AL
Southern California track set to host event for the ninth time.

Q-Racing Journal, October 23, 2011– The Bank of America Racing Challenge Championships will return to Los Alamitos Race Course on Saturday, October 29. The event is the richest and most successful program in American Quarter Horse racing today, a championship series developed for the "World's Fastest Horse." The Bank of America Racing Challenge program provides more racing opportunities and larger purses for older American Quarter Horses than any other program throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico and South America.

This will be the ninth time since 1993 that Los Alamitos has served as host to the Bank of America Racing Challenge Championships. The Southern California racetrack has established itself as an unsurpassed leader in its support of Quarter Horse racing, offering year-round live racing with a record of four stakes worth $1 million or more. Total purses in 2011 will exceed $20 million and marquee events include the Grade 1 Ed Burke Million Futurity, Golden State Million Futurity, Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity and the Los Alamitos Super Derby. The Ed Burke Million, Golden State Million and Los Alamitos Two Million make up the Los Alamitos Bonanza, which pays a $1 million bonus to the connections of any horse that sweeps all three of the races for 2-year-olds. The track is also home to the Grade 1, $750,000 Champion of Champions for older horses.

Owners, breeders, trainers and jockeys from across the country will travel to Los Alamitos next week for the Bank of America Challenge as well as the AQHA Racing Conference. In addition to the lovely fall weather, kind racing surface and full cooperation of everyone in the stable area, they will be greeted by the track's owner, Dr. Ed Allred.

Under Allred's leadership, Los Alamitos Race Course has enjoyed tremendous growth. The major change in the face of Los Alamitos Race Course in the past 15 years has been the addition of The Vessels Club, a $5 million lavish Turf Club built by Allred and named in honor of the founding family of the track. Since its opening in December 1995, The Vessels Club has earned the reputation as one of the finest horse racing venues in the country.

In 2009, Los Alamitos hosted the Bank of America Racing Challenge Championships and fans in attendance and at simulcast facilities were treated to an evening of thrilling finishes and record-setting performances. New stakes records were posted by Fighter On Fire in the $350,000 Bank of America Challenge Championship (G1), Saturday Nite Fever in the $200,000 Bayer Legend Derby Challenge Championship (G1) and Stylish Jess BR in the $125,000 Merial Distaff Challenge Championship (G1).

“Los Alamitos Race Course is happy to welcome back the Bank of America Challenge Championships," said Allred. "It is always wonderful to see people from all over the country get together for a night of Quarter Horse racing. It is an honor to open up Los Alamitos Race Course for our fellow Quarter Horse owners and breeders. We are all looking forward to an exciting night of racing.”

In addition to Los Alamitos, the other tracks that have served as hosts are Sunland Park, Turf Paradise, Retama Park, Sam Houston Race Park, Evangeline Downs, Lone Star Park and Fair Grounds.

The draw for the 2011 Bank of America Challenge Championships will take place on Wednesday, October 26. Check www.aqharacing.comfor the latest news and information.

Fans can watch all the Challenge Championship races live and free of charge on Q-Racing Video, a service of AQHA Racing and the Q-Racing Journal. Q-Racing Video has permanently waived its subscription fee, granting race fans, horsemen and handicappers unparalleled access to American Quarter Horse racing. Users have unlimited access to the live simulcast signals of almost every American Quarter Horse racetrack in the United States and Canada. Q-Racing Video also provides unlimited access to race replays, which are available immediately following each race. The archive of past races goes back several years for most tracks. Fans can register at www.qracingvideo.com.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journalor America’s Horse, visit AQHA Publications.

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TAYLOR PAIR TOPS BONUS CHALLENGE

Q-Racing Journal, October 21, 2011– The Heath Taylor-trained pair of champion First Klas Fred and the still dangerous 9-year-old WRS Special Shoe stand out in the full field competing in the $50,000 Cherokee Bonus Challenge Stakes on Saturday afternoon at Will Rogers Downs.

Denis and Julie Schoenhofer’s First Klas Fred (Fredricksburg-She Flies First Klas by Strawfly Special) is displaying the form that saw him post upset wins in the 2009 Ruidoso Futurity (G1) and Hobbs America Futurity (G2) on his way to being that year’s champion 2-year-old gelding. He returned to finish third in the Rainbow Derby (G1) as a 3-year-old.

This year, he was fourth in his first start off a layoff back in August and then moved forward with a length win on September 16 as the 4-5 favorite in the Classic Chevrolet Heartbeat of America Handicap (RG3) at Lone Star Park.

Williams Racing Stables’ homebred WRS Special Shoe (First Down Laveaux-Hava Zevi by Zevi (TB)) still is a solid stakes competitor in his eighth year of competition. He has earned $849,623 from 68 starts with 23 wins, 19 seconds and 12 thirds.

WRS Special Shoe is thriving this year with a pair of wins, two seconds and a third from his six outs. He comes off an impressive stakes win at Prairie Meadows when he drew out to win the Terrace Hill Stakes (RG3) by three-quarters of a length in :19.618 for the 400 yards.

Mary Passmore’s Jesse In Town (Feature Mr Jess-Whatsthatfillysname by Takin On The Cash) was claimed for $10,000 in July at Fair Meadows and then shipped to Prairie Meadows for a pair of promising finishes at the optional-claiming and stakes level. The Jackie Kirby-trained gelding easily daylighted a $15,000 optional/claiming field and then was second in the Prairie Meadows Bonus Challenge after battling for the lead.

Fans can watch all of Will Rogers Downs' races live and free of charge on Q-Racing Video, a service of AQHA Racing and the Q-Racing Journal. Q-Racing Video has permanently waived its subscription fee, granting race fans, horsemen and handicappers unparalleled access to American Quarter Horse racing. Users have unlimited access to the live simulcast signals of almost every American Quarter Horse racetrack in the United States and Canada. Q-Racing Video also provides unlimited access to race replays, which are available immediately following each race. The archive of past races goes back several years for most tracks. Fans can register at www.qracingvideo.com.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journalor America’s Horse, visit AQHA Publications.

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Update: SEPARATE FIRE REMAINS NO. 2 FOLLOWING GOLDEN STATE MILLION FUTURITY TRIAL WIN

Q-Racing News, October 20, 2011– Pollsters made no changes to this week’s AQHA Racing-Horseplayernow.com National Top 10 polls for either the 2-year-olds or the older horses. Once again, All American Futurity (G1) winner Ochoa remained firmly on top of the juvenile rankings while West Coast ace Separate Fire stayed a clear-cut second in the balloting following Sunday’s trial win for the Golden State Million Futurity (G1) at Los Alamitos.

Separate Fire won her 400-yard trial in :19.202 to qualify ninth-fastest for the $1.2 million-est. final on October 30. The Walk Thru Fire filly has now won five of six starts on the season and remains eligible for a $1 million bonus in the Los Alamitos Cash Bonanza if she can go on to win the Golden State Million Futurity final as well as the Los Alamitos Two Million (G1) final later this year.

Ochoa, a winner in three of four starts this year, including the All American Futurity on Labor Day, suffered his only loss when third in the Ruidoso Futurity (G1) in June. Silver For Me, the only horse to beat Ochoa, checks in at No. 6 once again this week.

As for the older horses, Llano Teller remains the nation’s No. 1 while Louisiana Senator and Rylees Boy are separated by only three points for the second spot. All three already have earned berths into the Champion of Champions (G1) on December 10 at Los Alamitos. Llano Teller qualified by winning the All American Derby (G1) at Ruidoso Downs, Louisiana Senator by way of Lone Star Park’s Refrigerator Handicap (G1), and Rylees Boy via the Remington Park Championship (G1). Also note that No. 4-ranked Jess You And I, No. 7-ranked Freaky and No. 9-ranked Snitcher also have already secured spots in the Champion of Champions starting gate.

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 2-YEAR-OLDS:

1.   OCHOA (89)
2.   SEPARATE FIRE (79)
3.   FEATURE MR BOJANGLES (65)
4.   HIGH RATE OF RETURN (64)
5.   SIXES STREAK (37)
6.   SILVER FOR ME (36)
7.   JESS SEND ME (29)
8.   MIGHTY B VALIANT (27)
9.   TEE COS (22)
10. ADOLF TRES KNOCKOUT (14)

Ima Chickie Two (9), Lotta Love For Robyn (7), Jess Tee Off (6), Denver Pass (5), Jess Cuervo (4), Osbaldo (3), Mr Sonic Boom (1)
 
NATIONAL RANKINGS, 3-YEAR-OLDS & UP:

1.   LLANO TELLER (88)
2.   LOUISIANA SENATOR (77)
3.   RYLEES BOY (74)
4.   JESS YOU AND I (56)
5.   COLD CASH 123 (53)
6.   PROSPECT TO THE TOP (37)
7.   CHIVALRY SR (29)
8.   FREAKY (24)
9.   SNITCHER (16)
10. NOCONI (10)

Good Reason SA (8), JLS Mr Bigtime (6), Divide The Cash (5), Fovee (4), Teller No Lies (4), Capo De Capi (3), Onemoreglassofwine (2), Streakin Down (2)

The nine voters are:

Ed Burgart (Los Alamitos announcer/handicapper)

Martha Claussen (Q-Racing Ace, writer/handicapper)

Mike Cusortelli (writer/handicapper)

Tom Dawson (Q-Racing Ace, network television producer)

Dale Day (Remington Park announcer/handicapper)

Jerry Shottenkirk (Q-Racing Ace, handicapper/oddsmaker)

Jeremy Plonk (ESPN.com contributor)

Terry Turrell (Horseplayernow.com handicapper)

Ty Wyant (writer, Daily Racing Form and AQHA)

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journalor America’s Horse, visit AQHA Publications.

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FINAL CHALLENGE STOP AT TURF PARADISE

Q-Racing Journal, October 13, 2011– Champion Time For A Cigar highlights the final stop on the trail to the Bank of America Challenge Championships when he heads the $60,000 Bank of America Turf Paradise Challenge (G3) on Sunday afternoon at Turf Paradise.

Also carded are the $20,000 John Deere Turf Paradise Juvenile Challenge and the $17,000 Red Cell Turf Paradise Distance Challenge.

The winners of these races earn the final invitations to compete in their respective championship races during the Bank of America Challenge Championships on October 29 at Los Alamitos Race Course.

Double Eagle Ranch and Buena Suerte Equine’s Time For A Cigar (Corona Cartel-Time For A Goddess by Timeto Thinkrich) is on the same path to the $350,000 Bank of America Challenge Championship (G1) that he took last year. A year ago, he won the Bank of America Turf Paradise Challenge and then went on to finish fourth in the Bank of America Challenge Championship at Fair Grounds.

Time For A Cigar is in peak form after a strong summer campaign at Ruidoso Downs. The 5-year-old gelding pulled off a mild upset when he won the Mr Jet Moore Stakes over a sharp Zoomin With Ease in :19.364 for the 400 yards. He backed up that performance with a game second-place finish behind champion Noconi in the All American Gold Cup (G2). He was a neck behind Noconi in that 440-yard test at 5-2 odds.

Time For A Cigar was honored as the 2009 champion 3-year-old gelding after winning the Ruidoso Derby (G1) and the Sunland Park Winter Derby (G2).

The Gerardo Ochoa-Pena-owned and -trained Kays Gunslinger (Special Leader-Klassic Kay by A Classic Dash) takes a step up in class for the Bank of America Turf Paradise Challenge. He won at the $12,500-claiming level two starts ago and then was a close second and after a stumbling start in a $27,500 allowance race at SunRay Park.

In the 350-yard John Deere Turf Paradise Juvenile Challenge, Jim Walker’s Bux For Cocktail (Zoomin For Bux-A Perfect Cocktail by Corona Cocktail) tries to regain his winning form after suffering his first defeat in his trial after reeling off four-straight wins to start his career.

The Matthew Fales-trained gelding capped his winning streak with a three-quarter-length score in the Intermountain Futurity at Elko. He then finished fourth in his John Deere Turf Paradise Juvenile Challenge trial as the even-money favorite.

Itaseal Garcia’s Featuresonora (Feature Mr Jess-Corona Blurr by Corona Cartel) won the second of two trials that contained Bux For Cocktail at nearly 20-1 odds. He won his maiden in the trial in his second start when he raced the 350 yards at :17.836 back in June.

In the 870-yard Red Cell Turf Paradise Distance Challenge, Rene Laatch’s Yin Your Eyes faces dangerous competition when he tries for his sixth-straight win.

The Bill Hoburg-trained Yin Your Eyes (Eye Yin You-Apollo Snowbound by Snowbound (TB)) started his winning streak in a 770-yard allowance race at Sun Downs and continued to win at that level until his most recent start when he won the $20,000 Red Cell Sandy Downs Distance Challenge. The Bill Hoburg-trained gelding took the lead at the start and was never headed on his way to the one-half-length score.

Jesus Carrette’s Apollos First Down (Apollo (TB)-Ms Devine Diva by This Snow Is Royal) and Merritt Pride’s LFR Simply The Best (Heza Fast Man-Stunning Rockette by Rocket Wrangler) bring consistent stakes records into the Red Cell Turf Paradise Distance Challenge.

The L. Wayne Brasher-trained Apollos First Down raced to his most important win in his latest start when he went from gate-to-wire to win the $30,000 Special Hank Handicap at The Downs at Albuquerque.

Trained by Pride, LFR Simply The Best has been second in his latest five starts dating back to last year’s Red Cell Turf Paradise Distance Challenge. He was second behind champion De Passem Okey in two stakes races this summer at Prairie Meadows.

Fans can watch all of Turf Paradise’s races live and free of charge on Q-Racing Video, a service of AQHA Racing and The Q-Racing Journal. Q-Racing Video has permanently waived its subscription fee, granting race fans, horsemen and handicappers unparalleled access to American Quarter Horse racing. Users have unlimited access to the live simulcast signals of almost every American Quarter Horse racetrack in the United States and Canada. Q-Racing Video also provides unlimited access to race replays, which are available immediately following each race. The archive of past races goes back several years for most tracks. Fans can register at www.qracingvideo.com.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journalor America’s Horse, visit AQHA Publications.

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AQHA POLL VOTES PILING IN FOR LOUISIANA SENATOR Q-Racing Journal, October 5, 2011– Behind a crushing victory in Saturday night’s Refrigerator Handicap (G1) at Lone Star Park, Louisiana Senator made a powerful campaign stomp toward the top of the latest AQHA Racing-Horseplayernow.com National Top 10 poll for older horses. The son of Jess Louisiana Blue moved up two spots this week to No. 2, nestled just behind top-ranked All American Derby (G1) hero Llano Teller. The Refrigerator Handicap marked the third win in four starts this year for Louisiana Senator, who was making his first start since finishing second in the Remington Park Invitational Championship (G1) on Memorial Day weekend. The rest of the top five this week is comprised of former No. 1 Rylees Boy, now in the third spot, as well as Cold Cash 123 and Chivalry SR. As for the 2-year-olds, All American Futurity (G1) winner Ochoa remains steadfast and unanimous at No. 1 once again this week. While the top seven went unchanged in the balloting, Saturday’s $490,000 PCQHRA Futurity (G2) winner Ima Chickie Two made her debut splash in the rankings this week at No. 8. The Chicks Beduino filly set a stakes record for 350 yards, with an razor-sharp :17.193 clocking. NATIONAL RANKINGS, 2-YEAR-OLDS: 1.   OCHOA (90) 2.   SEPARATE FIRE (79) 3.   HIGH RATE OF RETURN (67) 4.   FEATURE MR BOJANGLES (63) 5.   SILVER FOR ME (44) 6.   MIGHTY B VALIANT (34) 7.   JESS SEND ME (26) 8.   IMA CHICKIE TWO (20) 9.   TEE COS (19) 10. OSBALDO (12) Adolf Tres Knockout (11), Jess Tee Off (10), Lotta Love For Robyn (7), Denver Pass (5), Jess Cuervo (4), Mr Sonic Boom (2), Cruzin the Wagon (2), Long Gone (1) NATIONAL RANKINGS, 3-YEAR-OLDS & UP: 1.   LLANO TELLER (88) 2.   LOUISIANA SENATOR (76) 3.   RYLEES BOY (75) 4.   COLD CASH 123 (62) 5.   CHIVALRY SR (42) 6.   FREAKY (38) 7.   PROSPECT TO THE TOP (27) 8.   SNITCHER (20) 9.   NOCONI (19) 10. FOVEE (11) Good Reason SA (9), Capo De Capi (8), JLS Mr Bigtime (6), Teller No Lies (4), Stolis Winner (3), Onemoreglassofwine (3), Docs Apollo (2), Streakin Down (2) The nine voters are: Ed Burgart (Los Alamitos announcer/handicapper) Martha Claussen (Q-Racing Ace, writer/handicapper) Mike Cusortelli (writer/handicapper) Tom Dawson (Q-Racing Ace, network television producer) Dale Day (Remington Park announcer/handicapper) Jerry Shottenkirk (handicapper/oddsmaker) Jeremy Plonk (ESPN.com contributor) Terry Turrell (Horseplayernow.com handicapper) Ty Wyant (writer, Daily Racing Form and AQHA) AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journalor America’s Horse, visit AQHA Publications. -30- For Immediate Release: TEE COS MOVES UP NATIONAL POLL IN ADVANCE OF ZIA PARK START Q-Racing Journal, September 28, 2011 – All American Futurity (G1) third-place finisher Tee Cos moved up two spots this week to No. 8 in the latest AQHA Racing-Horseplayernow.com National Top 10 poll for 2-year-olds. The Paul Jones trainee is slated to make his first start since the Labor Day classic this weekend as he’s cross-entered in allowance races at Zia Park on Saturday and Sunday. In Saturday’s allowance, Tee Cos drew into the also-eligible list and is most likely to run Sunday. The head of the national 2-year-old rankings remains unchanged this week as unanimous No. 1-rated Ochoa continued his stranglehold on the top spot. The All American Futurity champion is followed once again this week by Separate Fire, High Rate Of Return, Feature Mr Bojangles and Silver For Me in the Top 5. The 2-year-olds could see some shuffling in the coming week after Saturday night’s $500,000 PCQHRA Breeders’ Futurity (G2) at Los Alamitos, where Long Gone is the fastest qualifier. As for the older horses, the only slight shuffle in the Top 10 came when Prospect To The Top leap-frogged Snitcher into No. 7 this week. Llano Teller, the All American Derby champ, remains No. 1 this week followed by Remington Park Invitational (G1) winner Rylees Boy, Rainbow Derby (G1) winner Cold Cash 123, Leo Stakes (G1) winner Louisiana Senator and Spencer Childers California Breeders’ Championship (RG1) winner Chivalry SR. NATIONAL RANKINGS, 2-YEAR-OLDS: 1.   OCHOA (90) 2.   SEPARATE FIRE (79) 3.   HIGH RATE OF RETURN (67) 4.   FEATURE MR BOJANGLES (63) 5.   SILVER FOR ME (44) 6.   MIGHTY B VALIANT (34) 7.   JESS SEND ME (26) 8.   TEE COS (18) 9.   OSBALDO (17) 10. JESS TEE OFF (14) Mr Sonic Boom (10), Adolf Tres Knockout (10), Lotta Love For Robyn (7), Denver Pass (5), Jess Cuervo (4), Sizzlin Cartel (3), Kindly Fellow (2), JLS Party Wagon (1)   NATIONAL RANKINGS, 3-YEAR-OLDS & UP: 1.   LLANO TELLER (89) 2.   RYLEES BOY (81) 3.   COLD CASH 123 (63) 4.   LOUISIANA SENATOR (62) 5.   CHIVALRY SR (43) 6.   FREAKY (39) 7.   PROSPECT TO THE TOP (27) 8.   SNITCHER (22) 9.   NOCONI (19) 10. FOVEE (11) Capo De Capi (10), Good Reason SA (9), JLS Mr Bigtime (7), Docs Apollo (4), Teller No Lies (4), Stolis Winner (3), Streakin Down (2) The nine voters are: Ed Burgart (Los Alamitos announcer/handicapper) Martha Claussen (Q-Racing Ace, writer/handicapper) Mike Cusortelli (writer/handicapper) Tom Dawson (Q-Racing Ace, network television producer) Dale Day (Remington Park announcer/handicapper) Jerry Shottenkirk (Q-Racing Ace, handicapper/oddsmaker) Jeremy Plonk (ESPN.com contributor) Terry Turrell (Horseplayernow.com handicapper) Ty Wyant (writer, Daily Racing Form and AQHA) AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journalor America’s Horse, visit AQHA Publications. -30-

FOVEE EDGES INTO TOP 10 THIS WEEK

Q-Racing Journal, September 21, 2011– Despite a stumbling start, a strong finish in Saturday’s $150,000 Mildred N. Vessels Memorial Handicap (G1) at Los Alamitos earned Fovee the victory and a No. 10 ranking in the latest AQHA Racing-Horseplayernow.com National Top 10 poll for older horses. The latest qualifier to the Champion of Champions (G1) was the only newcomer to the national rankings this week.

Llano Teller and Rylees Boy, also Champion of Champions qualifiers, remain 1-2 in the poll this week among the 3-year-olds and older. Pollsters had a minor change of heart just below the top pair as Cold Cash 123 jumped past Louisiana Senator for the No. 3 spot this week.

As for the 2-year-old rankings, there were no major changes or additions among the Top 10. Pollsters did move Jess Send Me up one spot to No. 7 this week, but the top remains dominated by unanimous No. 1 and No. 2-ranked runners Ochoa and Separate Fire.

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 2-YEAR-OLDS:

1.   OCHOA (90)
2.   SEPARATE FIRE (80)
3.   HIGH RATE OF RETURN (65)
4.   FEATURE MR BOJANGLES (61)
5.   SILVER FOR ME (42)
6.   MIGHTY B VALIANT (32)
7.   JESS SEND ME (23)
8.   OSBALDO (22)
9.   JESS TEE OFF (19)
10. TEE COS (17)

Adolf Tres Knockout (13), Lotta Love For Robyn (8), Jess Cuervo (6), Denver Pass (5), Sizzlin Cartel (3), Long Gone (2), Back In The Pack (1), JLS Party Wagon (1)
 
NATIONAL RANKINGS, 3-YEAR-OLDS & UP:

1.   LLANO TELLER (89)
2.   RYLEES BOY (81)
3.   COLD CASH 123 (64)
4.   LOUISIANA SENATOR (61)
5.   CHIVALRY SR (44)
6.   FREAKY (43)
7.   SNITCHER (26)
8.   PROSPECT TO THE TOP (24)
9.   NOCONI (19)
10. FOVEE (14)

Good Reason SA (9), JLS Mr Bigtime (7), Capo De Capi (6), Docs Apollo (4), Stolis Winner (3), Spit Curl Diva (1)

The nine voters are:

Ed Burgart (Los Alamitos announcer/handicapper)

Martha Claussen (Q-Racing Ace, writer/handicapper)

Mike Cusortelli (writer/handicapper)
Tom Dawson (Q-Racing Ace, network television producer)

Dale Day (Remington Park announcer/handicapper)

Jerry Shottenkirk (Q-Racing Ace, handicapper/oddsmaker)
Jeremy Plonk (ESPN.com contributor)

Terry Turrell (Horseplayernow.com handicapper)
Ty Wyant (writer, Daily Racing Form and AQHA)

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journalor America’s Horse, visit AQHA Publications.

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VETERAN SEPARATE BET HEADS JAMES ISSAC HOBBS STAKES

Q-Racing Journal, September 15, 2011-- The seemingly-ageless Grade 1 winner Separate Bet, an earner of $796,084 over six years, may have landed in a spot for his first 2011 victory in the $55,000 James Issac Hobbs Stakes (G2) at Zia Park on Saturday.

Owned by Jimmy and Duane Harrel with JoAnn Adams, Separate Bet (Separatist-Better Bet On Me by First Down Dash) is still a graded-stakes-level competitor at 7. He raced to third-place finishes earlier this year in the Leo Stakes (G1) at Remington Park and the Higheasterjet Handicap (G3) at Ruidoso Downs. In the Leo, he finished behind Louisiana Senator and Streakin Down and in the Higheasterjet, stablemate and two-time champion Noconi took his measure.

Separate Bet was sensational as a sophomore at Ruidoso Downs when set a new 400-yard track record, then won the Rainbow Derby (G1) and was second in the All American Derby (G1) as the 2-5 favorite.

The gelding then won three-straight stakes, capped by the Remington Park Invitational (G1), as a 5-year-old in 2009.

John and Doug May’s Smokey Stone (A Regal Choice-Madonna Effort by Special Effort) also has had success against stronger company at Ruidoso Downs. Last year, he qualified for the Ruidoso, Rainbow and All American derbies with top-four finishes in each race at double-digit odds. He was second in the Rainbow Derby (G1) at 10-1 odds, third in the All American Derby (G1) at 10-1 odds and fourth in the Ruidoso Derby (G1) as a 20-1 outsider.

The Fred Danley-trained gelding easily won an optional-claiming race by 1 3/4 lengths two starts ago at Ruidoso Downs as the 7-5 favorite.

Jesse Hernandez Consulting’s Strike It Quick (Royal Quick Dash-Dreamit by Proudest Effort) comes off a layoff looking to regain his form of last winter at Sunland Park. He won an allowance race in a world record :16.640 for 350 yards and then won the KOFX-FM Handicap (G3) and his West Texas Maturity (G2) trial. The J.R. Gonzalez Sr.-trained gelding makes his first appearance since a seventh-place finish in the Leo Stakes at Remington Park in March.

Donna Aldridge and Lola Willis’ Treason (Hawkinson-Splashin Champagne by Splash Bac) is a 3-year-old taking on older rivals for the first time. The Mike Joiner-trained gelding showed promise with a second-place finish behind champion American Runaway in last year’s $500,000 Ruidoso Futurity (G1) and he defeated Grade 1 winner Bodacious Dash in a Ruidoso Downs allowance race this summer.

Fans can watch all of Zia Park’s races live and free of charge on Q-Racing Video, a service of AQHA Racing and The Q-Racing Journal. Q-Racing Video has permanently waived its subscription fee, granting race fans, horsemen and handicappers unparalleled access to American Quarter Horse racing. Users have unlimited access to the live simulcast signals of every American Quarter Horse racetrack in the United States and Canada. Q-Racing Video also provides unlimited access to race replays, which are available immediately following each race. The archive of past races goes back several years for most tracks. Fans can register free of charge at www.qracingvideo.com.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journalor America’s Horse, visit AQHA Publications.

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FREAKY RETURNS TO THE RANKINGS WITH A VENGEANCE

Q-Racing Journal, September 14, 2011– Former world champion Freaky is back in a big way following his signature win of 2011, and has earned a No. 6 ranking in the latest AQHA Racing-Horseplayernow.com National Top 10 poll for 3-year-olds and older. The 6-year-old knocked off three horses previously in last week’s Top 10 when he scored by a head in Sunday’s Go Man Go Handicap (G1) at Los Alamitos.

Among those dispatched by Freaky in the Go Man Go included runner-up Snitcher (No. 7 this week), third-place finisher Chivalry SR (No. 5 this week) and fifth-place finisher Good Reason SA (who fell out of the rankings following the performance). Freaky, the sport’s 2009 world champion, is expected to return to action in the October 9 Robert L. Boniface Los Alamitos Invitational Championship (G1), with hopes of landing an invite to the Champion of Champions (G1) at season’s end.

Meanwhile, Capo De Capi returned to the national rankings this week at No. 10, as the multiple stakes-winning 3-year-old trains at Lone Star Park for upcoming derby events in Texas.

The 2-year-old national rankings remain unchanged this week, as All American Futurity (G1) hero Ochoa continued as the unanimous No. 1-ranked juvenile in the land. Two-time Grade 1 winner Separate Fire, top-rated for much of the summer, holds firm at No. 2 this week.

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 2-YEAR-OLDS:

1.   OCHOA (90)
2.   SEPARATE FIRE (80)
3.   HIGH RATE OF RETURN (66)
4.   FEATURE MR BOJANGLES (62)
5.   SILVER FOR ME (46)
6.   MIGHTY B VALIANT (32)
7.   OSBALDO (23)
8.   JESS SEND ME (19)
9.   JESS TEE OFF (18)
10. TEE COS (17)

Adolf Tres Knockout (16), Lotta Love For Robyn (8), Sizzlin Cartel (6), Jess Cuervo (5), Denver Pass (5), Back In The Pack (1), JLS Party Wagon (1)
 
NATIONAL RANKINGS, 3-YEAR-OLDS & UP:

1.   LLANO TELLER (89)
2.   RYLEES BOY (81)
3.   LOUISIANA SENATOR (63)
4.   COLD CASH 123 (62)
5.   CHIVALRY SR (44)
6.   FREAKY (43)
7.   SNITCHER (27)
8.   PROSPECT TO THE TOP (24)
9.   NOCONI (19)
10. CAPO DE CAPI (10)

Good Reason SA (9), JLS Mr Bigtime (7), Spit Curl Diva (7), Doc Apollo (4), Stolis Winner (3), A Tincup Cocktail (1) DM Streakn Thru Fire (1)

The nine voters are:

Ed Burgart (Los Alamitos announcer/handicapper)
Martha Claussen (Q-Racing Ace, writer/handicapper)

Mike Cusortelli (writer/handicapper)

Tom Dawson (Q-Racing Ace, network television producer)

Dale Day (Remington Park announcer/handicapper)

Jerry Shottenkirk (Q-Racing Ace, handicapper/oddsmaker)

Jeremy Plonk (ESPN.com contributor)

Terry Turrell (Horseplayernow.com handicapper)

Ty Wyant (writer, Daily Racing Form and AQHA)

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journalor America’s Horse, visit AQHA Publications.

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NEW NO. 1s RISE FROM RUIDOSO SHOWCASES

Q-Racing Journal, September 8, 2011– Ochoa, runaway winner of Monday’s $2.4 million All American Futurity (G1) at Ruidoso Downs, rocketed to the No. 1 perch in the latest AQHA Racing-Horseplayernow.com National Top 10 poll for 2-year-olds. Meanwhile, Sunday’s All American Derby (G1) hero Llano Teller took command of the 3-year-olds and older division with an impressive Labor Day weekend of his own.

As dual-Futurity champ Separate Fire sat things out on the West Coast, the former No. 1-ranked juvenile in the land took a temporary back seat to rising star Ochoa. Trained by C. Dwayne “Sleepy” Gilbreath, Ochoa was a dominant All American Futurity winner as the fastest qualifier. He received first-place votes from all pollsters as the new unanimous No. 1. Separate Fire was a unanimous No. 2 on all ballots as well.

All American Futurity second- and third-place finishers, Jess Send Me and Tee Cos, made their debuts in the poll this week at No. 8 and No. 10, respectively.

As for the older horses, Llano Teller supplanted Rylees Boy in the No. 1 spot when he outran the competition by a half-length in the $1.3 million All American Derby vs. fellow 3-year-olds. The nine-time career winner has captured the Ruidoso and All American derbies this summer to go over the $1 million mark in lifetime earnings. Llano Teller moved up four spots from No. 5 last week. All American Derby runner-up Prospect To The Top gained two places in the poll this week to No. 6.

Noconi got back into the national Top 10 this week after winning the All American Gold Cup (G3) on Sunday at Ruidoso Downs for his second-straight victory.

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 2-YEAR-OLDS:

1.    OCHOA (90)
2.    SEPARATE FIRE (80)
3.    HIGH RATE OF RETURN (66)
4.    FEATURE MR BOJANGLES (62)
5.    SILVER FOR ME (46)
6.    MIGHTY B VALIANT (32)
7.    OSBALDO (23)
8.    JESS SEND ME (19)
9.    JESS TEE OFF (28)
10.  TEE COS (17)

Adolf Tres Knockout (16), Lotta Love For Robyn (8), Sizzlin Cartel (6), Jess Cuervo (5), Denver Pass (5), Back In The Pack (1), JLS Party Wagon (1)
 
NATIONAL RANKINGS, 3-YEAR-OLDS & UP:

1.    LLANO TELLER (88)
2.    RYLEES BOY (81)
3.    LOUISIANA SENATOR (67)
4.    COLD CASH 123 (55)
5.    CHIVALRY SR (46)
6.    PROSPECT TO THE TOP (37)
7.    SNITCHER (26)
8.    NOCONI (20)
9.    JLS MR BIGTIME (18)
10.  GOOD REASON SA (12)

Capo De Capi (11), Spit Curl Diva (8), The Louisiana Cartel (6), Teller No Lies (4), Docs Apollo (4), Stolis Winner (3), Bodacious Dash (2), Streakin Down (2), A Tincup Cocktail (1)

The nine voters are:

Ed Burgart (Los Alamitos announcer/handicapper)

Martha Claussen (Q-Racing Ace, writer/handicapper)

Mike Cusortelli (writer/handicapper)

Tom Dawson (Q-Racing Ace, network television producer)

Dale Day (Remington Park announcer/handicapper)

Jerry Shottenkirk (Q-Racing Ace, handicapper/oddsmaker)
Jeremy Plonk (ESPN.com contributor)

Terry Turrell (Horseplayernow.com handicapper)

Ty Wyant (writer, Daily Racing Form and AQHA)

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journalor America’s Horse, visit AQHA Publications.

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OCHOA DOMINATES ALL AMERICAN FUTURITY
Favorite comes through to win the richest All American ever at Ruidoso Downs.

Q-Racing Journal, September 5, 2011 -- In one of the most impressive performances in recent history, Ochoa drew clear to a decisive 1 ½-length victory in the $2.4 million All American Futurity (G1) on Labor Day at Ruidoso Downs.

The fastest qualifier and 8-5 favorite took command about halfway through the race and was never threatened before hitting the wire in :21.058 for 440 yards. Ochoa entered the race with earnings of $44,200 from a win in the Ruidoso Futurity (G1) trials, a third-place run in the $500,000 final and his All American trial win. The gelding earned a record $1.2-million first-place check in the All American.

Ochoa gave trainer C. Dwayne “Sleepy” Gilbreath, a member of the Ruidoso Downs Racehorse Hall of Fame, his third All American Futurity win after taking the race in 1983 with On A High and in 1990 with Refrigerator.

“It looked like everything went great,” said the trainer. “He didn't really break that sharp, but he never does. Three or four jumps, and he was rolling. I was so happy I didn't know what to think.”

Jacky Martin, who qualified Ochoa but was seriously injured in a spill on Friday at Ruidoso and remains paralyzed at an El Paso hospital, was also on the mind of Gilbreath. The trainer credited Martin for helping prepare the gelding for his campaign by galloping him in the mornings.

“I'm just glad we got it done for him because he doesn't deserve what's going on with him right now,” he said about Martin, who has won a record seven All American Futurities. “He's a great rider, a great horseman.”

About what’s next for Ochoa, Gilbreath said, “I'm not sure. We'll probably back up, scratch our heads. He's been pretty good to us this year. We're going to try to not use him up.”

Roy Baldillez, who picked up the mount in place of Martin, earned his first All American Futurity victory after hitting the board three times in the past. His brother Alex won the 1987 All American Futurity on Elans Special and finished seventh in this All American aboard Denver Pass.

“It was a perfect trip,” said Baldillez. “He stood in the gates perfect. He broke on top. He was gone.”

Bred in Texas by John Jones Jr. Interests Ltd., Ochoa was a $25,000 repurchase at the Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale and runs for a partnership comprised of John and Brenda Jones’ J Bar 7, Monte and Katsy Cluck and Doug and Shavon Benson.

“I don't realize probably how lucky I am,” said Jones. “I'm just happy to be here. I wanted the best horse to win, and maybe today he was.”

Ochoa is the first All American Futurity winner for 2001 champion 2-year-old colt Tres Seis, who finished second in that year’s All American. Tres Seis, who stands at JEH Stallion Station Texas, is the sire of 33 stakes winners and the earners of more than $11 million.

The sorrel gelding is the first starter out of the Stoli mare Stolis Fortune, who was winless in four starts on the track and is a half sister to Grade 2 winner Fortune First, by First Down Dash.

Turner Farms’ Jess Send Me, an Oklahoma-bred daughter of Corona Cartel, rallied to finish second and earned $350,000. Tee Cos, a Louisiana-bred colt by Corona Cartel, finished third for owners Lyle Guillory and John Soileau.

Lotta Love For Robyn, Lethal Volt, Jess Cuervo, Denver Pass, Mr Ease 123, Bills Last and Big Daddy Cartel completed the order of finish. Big Daddy Cartel crossed the wire eighth but was disqualified and placed last for interference.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journalor America’s Horse, visit AQHA Publications.

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ALL AMERICAN DERBY (G1) PREVIEWS - SEPTEMBER 1

The 2011 All American Derby (G1) this year will be American Quarter Horse racing’s richest race for 3-year-old or older horses. Run September 4 at Ruidoso Downs in the mountain village of Ruidoso, New Mexico, the $1,316,760 race will be contested by 10 3-year-old American Quarter Horses.

The winner will receive $658,380.

Here are the profiles of two of the finalists in the All American Derby.

THIRD-FASTEST QUALIFIER: JLS MR BIGTIME
Sorrel gelding, Bigtime Favorite-Psalmist by Osceola Warrior

Topping a tough group of horses, JLS Mr Bigtime nosed out Prospect To The Top for the win in Trial 4, with qualifier Teller No Lies another nose back in third. JLS Mr Bigtime ran a :20.933 for the third-fastest time.

Race Record: 14-9-2-1 $732,436, won Louisiana QHBA Futurity (RG1), won Delta Downs Louisiana Breeders’ Derby (RG2), second in All American Futurity (G1), second in Lee Berwick Memorial Louisiana Bred Futurity (RG1), fourth in Rainbow Derby (G1). Last year’s champion freshman gelding has finished off the board only once in his career.

Owner/Breeder: John Soileau's JLS-Speed Horse Ranch Inc. is a family-run operation based in Opelousas, Louisiana, and together it has sent out the earners of more than $2.4 million. JLS Speed Horse Ranch has bred 136 winners from 1,110 starters, with earnings of more than $2.8 million. The operation’s runners include champion JLS Mr Bigtime, Restricted Grade 2 winner Get It Reb, and Ms Pilot Point, who went on to produce 2010 All American Futurity winner Mr Piloto.

John Soileau Jr. is part of the family operation.

“I think our whole family realizes how fortunate we are and how hard it is to actually qualify, to have a shot,” he said. “We’re not taking anything for granted, just going out there (to Ruidoso) and enjoying it. Everything (all the connections have) worked for culminates on that weekend, a lifetime of work comes together.”

The Soileaus’ Derby horse has a big personality that makes him fun to watch and be around.

“He’s so intelligent. If people holler his name, he’ll want to stop and look at them,” John Jr. said. And although he isn’t difficult with anybody, he does choose who he prefers to work with. “He picks his friends. He picks the people he wants to get close to. Certain people, he just really attaches himself to over the years.”

JLS-Speed Horse Ranch also bred All American Futurity qualifier Tee Cos, and the horse was raised in Opelousas, Louisiana, as was JLS Mr Bigtime.

“It’s something about the grass right here in this little bitty pack of land in southwest Louisiana,” said John Jr, who notes that Go Man Go’s dam, Lightfoot Sis, was raised in Ville Platte, Louisiana “not a half mile” from the Soileaus’ farm.

Trainer: Darrel Soileau has trained the earners of more than $2.9 million. Since 1992, his horses have won 219 races in 1,408 starts. His trainees include graded stakes winners Kims First Dash, JLS Party Wagon, JLS Streak Of Snow, Burrs First Down and Get It Reb.

Qualifying Jockey: Since 1988, Jarrod Deschamp has ridden 374 winners from 3,265 starters and the earners of more than $5.9 million, including Grade 1 winners WRS Special Shoe and Hot Glass.

Pedigree: Bigtime Favorite (2002, Chicks Beduino-Ms Dashin Bigtime by First Down Dash) is a stakes winner and Grade 1-placed earner of $324,020 with a race record of 19-4-7-1. The sophomore sire is represented by champion JLS Mr Bigtime, stakes winners Bigtime Cat and Big Firstdown Effort, and 31 other winners and the earners of more than $1.8 million from 84 starters. With progeny earnings of $624,404 to date this year, Bigtime Favorite currently is the 29th-ranked sire of money earners in 2011.

The Osceola Warrior mare Psalmist was bred by Carl Guillory Jr. She earned $53,795 on the track. JLS Mr Bigtime is her first foal. She is out of the unraced First Down Dash mare First Down Story, and is a half sister to stakes-placed runner Perry Story (by Mr Jess Perry, $51,048).

FOURTH-FASTEST QUALIFIER: PROSPECT TO THE TOP
Bay colt, Coronas Prospect-Cream To The Top by Easily Smashed

Prospect To The Top came up a nose short in the tightest trial on the August 19 qualifying day. In the fourth of 10 heats, third-fastest qualifier JLS Mr Bigtime (the 2010 champion 2-year-old gelding, who a year earlier came up a nose short as the favorite in the All American Futurity (G1)), prevailed in :20.933, finishing a nose in front of fourth-fastest qualifier Prospect To The Top, who clocked :20.940 while finishing a nose in front of fifth-fastest qualifier Teller No Lies.

Race Record: 12-6-1-2 $349,733. The winner of the Hobbs America Futurity (G2) and West Texas Derby (G3), Prospect To The Top won his first two races and finished seventh in his third out, the All American Futurity (G1), but was disqualified to ninth for interference. He also was third in the Southwest Juvenile Championship (G1) and fifth in the Ruidoso Derby (G1). Prospect To The Top has won six of 12 career races, with one second, two thirds and earnings of $349,733. Including the West Texas Derby and his May 28 trial for the Ruidoso Derby, the colt has won two of five races this season, for earnings of $114,403. Prospect To The Top came into the All American trials off a fifth in the June 11 Ruidoso Derby.

Breeder: Prospect To The Top is one of 18 stakes winners, 75 other winners and the earners of more than $2.3 million bred by Sue May of Fort Stockton, Texas.  

Owner: Prospect To The Top was purchased for $4,000 in May of his yearling year by Joel Tavarez, who works for an insulation company in Odessa, Texas.

“I went over (to the breeder’s ranch) looking for a 2-year-old, but they were too expensive,” Tavarez said. “He wasn’t so expensive, and I could afford him. He has done real good for me, and now everyone is telling me, ‘Keep going, keep going!’ ”

Tavarez has the colt paid up in the big derbies this fall at Zia Park and Sunland Park.

Trainer: Prospect To The Top is trained by Ralph Muniz, who since 2000 has conditioned the earners of more than $3.4 million, including winning Grade 1 races with Varsity Girl in the West Texas Futurity and Little Bit Of Ah Ha in the Zia Park Championship.

Qualifying Jockey: Prospect To The Top has been ridden in his last four races by two-time and reigning champion jockey Jacky Martin, who has ridden a record seven winners of the All American Futurity. Having ridden the earners of more than $46.4 million, Martin is the second-leading all-time jockey.

Pedigree: A two-time stakes-winning earner of $164,559, Coronas Prospect set a Delta Downs 350-yard track record in the 2002 Cajun Kindergarten Futurity (G3) and also won the Bayer Legend East Derby Challenge (G3) over 400 yards at the same track. An 11-year-old son of Corona Cartel, Coronas Prospect has sired three stakes winners, 38 other winners and the earners of more than $1.2 million from 78 starters, including graded stakes winner Kiss A Corona ($127,551).

Prospect To The Top is the first stakes winner out of the graded stakes-placed mare Cream To The Top (by Easily Smashed, $55,506), who has produced three other winners from six starters. In 1993, Cream To The Top finished back in First Down And Ten’s Kansas Derby (G1) and champion Royal Down Dash’s All American Derby, and the following year was fourth in Specially Fast’s Rainbow Silver Cup (G1). Cream To The Top is out of the stakes-winning Savannah Jr mare Hey Sailor, a producer of three stakes winners and the earners of $346,410, including Cream To The Top’s full brother Saloon ($229,761).

Fans can watch the All American Derby – and many other races – free of charge at www.qracingvideo.com. Q-Racing Video provides users with unlimited access to live and replay simulcast race video of most American Quarter Horse tracks in the United States and Canada. Registration is free. To sign up, go to www.qracingvideo.com.

For complete coverage of All American week at Ruidoso Downs, visit www.aqharacing.com. Read the September issue of the Q-Racing Journal, the digital publication covering American Quarter Horse racing, for full post-race analysis, available at www.aqharacing.com.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journalor America’s Horse, visit AQHA Publications.

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ALL AMERICAN FUTURITY (G1) PREVIEWS - SEPTEMBER 1

The 2011 All American Futurity (G1) is racing’s richest race for 2-year-olds, regardless of breed, in North America. Run every Labor Day at Ruidoso Downs in the mountain village of Ruidoso, New Mexico, the $2.4 million-est. race will be contested September 5 by 10 2-year-old American Quarter Horses.

The estimated $1.2 million for first place would be a record prize in the sport.

Here are the profiles of two of the finalists in the All American Futurity.

THIRD-FASTEST QUALIFIER: TEE COS 

Bay colt, Corona Cartel-Do It To It Reb by Splash Bac 

Foaled: February 28, 2009 


Tee Cos romped to a 2-length win in Trial 15, earning a :21.156 time and the third-fastest qualifying time. 



Race Record: 3-1-1-1 $3,220. All three starts have come in the trials for Ruidoso’s major futurities. In his Ruidoso Futurity (G1) trial, he was third to qualifier Valiant Valor after bobbling at the start. In his Rainbow Futurity (G1) trial, he was second to qualifier Jess Sass Dash. 



Owner: The colt is owned in partnership by Lyle Guillory and John Soileau. Soileau and Lyle’s father, Carl, were longtime friends and always hoped to race a horse together, but Carl died before that happened. When Soileau thought about breeding his stakes-winning mare Do It To It Reb to Corona Cartel, Lyle, who had a breeding to the stallion, agreed to partner with him.



“He has got an unbelievable disposition,” Soileau said of the resulting colt. “Very smart horse.  ... He don’t get excited.”

Tee Cos is named in honor of Carl. Both Carl and John were boxers in southern Louisiana, and "Tee Cos" was Carl’s nickname, which roughly translated means “big punch.” 



Breeder: John Soileau’s JLS-Speed Horse Ranch Inc. is a family-run operation based in Opelousas, Louisiana, and together it has sent out the earners of more than $2.4 million. JLS-Speed Horse Ranch has bred 136 winners from 1,110 starters, with earnings of more than $2.8 million. The operation’s runners include champion JLS Mr Bigtime, Restricted Grade 2 winner Get It Reb, and Ms Pilot Point, who went on to produce 2010 All American Futurity (G1) winner Mr Piloto. Last year, the Soileaus sent out JLS Mr Bigtime to a narrow nose loss in Mr Piloto’s All American Futurity.



Trainer: Racing’s all-time leading trainer with earnings of more than $61.9 million and 3,259 wins from 17,375 starts, Paul Jones is the Blane Schvaneveldt Champion Trainer, as he has been every year since 2002. He also owns the single-season earnings record, which he set in 2009, with $7,484,434. He has won the All American Futurity three times – Teller Cartel (2005), No Secrets Here (2006) and Runnning Brook Gal (2009) – and the Los Alamitos (Two) Million Futurity twice – A Regal Choice (2003) and Good Reason SA (2009). Jones qualified two for the All American finals: Big Daddy Cartel and Tee Cos.



“When Mr. Soileau and I were deciding what we wanted to do with the horse, we decided to give him the best chance possible, we’d send him to New Mexico to train up in the mountains and get used to the altitude,” Guillory said. “We were out here last year and went to Paul’s barns in Tularosa and saw his facilities. We thought they were really nice and would be a good place for him to come, train and get his start. We decided to send him to Paul to give him the best chance possible.”



Qualifying Jockey: Reigning champion jockey Jacky Martin returned to race riding in a big way in 2010, jumping in with year-end earnings of $3.2 million and the champion jockey award. The seven-time All American Futurity-winning jockey, who rode his first official races in 1972, has ridden 2,968 winners from 14,344 starters and the earners of more than $46.4 million. Martin also qualified Ochoa, Denver Pass and Mr Ease 123.



Pedigree: A 17-year-old son of Holland Ease (who sired All American Futurity 10th-fastest qualifier Mr Ease 123), Corona Cartel earned $557,142 on the track, where in 1996 he won the Los Alamitos Million Futurity (the Grade 1 race that now is the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity). The fifth-all-time leading sire, Corona Cartel from 933 starters has sired 651 winners and the earners of more than $34.9 million. Corona Cartel is the sire of five champions and 112 other stakes winners, including champion Teller Cartel, who won the 2005 All American Futurity. Corona Cartel is the sire of Denver Pass, Tee Cos, Jess Cuervo and Big Daddy Cartel.

Do It To It Reb is a second-generation homebred for JLS-Speed Horse Ranch and finished on the board in 15 of 20 lifetime starts. She earned $67,849 and won the 2000 Bayer Legend Texas Challenge (G2) and Sound of Summer Derby. Her first foal, Get It Reb by Andalay Get, is a two-time stakes winner and earner of $249,080. She also produced stakes-placed runner JLS Ms Get Reb (by Andalay Get, $78,309).

FOURTH-FASTEST QUALIFIER: JESS CUERVO 

Bay colt, Corona Cartel-Jessica Ravin by Mr Jess Perry

Foaled: February 14, 2009

Jess Cuervo defeated Denver Pass by three-quarters of a length in the 25th trial, earning the fourth-fastest time of :21.218 .

Race Record: 6-4-0-1 $81,768, third in Rainbow Futurity (G1), fourth in Easy Jet Stakes (RG3). Jess Cuervo opened his year at Remington Park, where he won his Remington Park Futurity (R) trial but failed to qualify. He won his Heritage Place Futurity (G1) trial in similar fashion, winning by a head but again failing to qualify. He then ran in the Easy Jet Stakes (RG3), finishing fourth. Pushed by a 15-mph tailwind, Jess Cuervo won his Rainbow trial by 1 1/2 lengths, surging clear and winning as the 2-1 favorite. He finished third in the Rainbow after recovering from a less-than-perfect break.

Owner/Breeder: You and Me Partners comprises Terry Bell of Lawton, Oklahoma, and Homer “Bud” Hill of Dimmitt, Texas. The partners have raced the earners of more than $1.4 million, including Grade 1 winner Mighty Invictus and Grade 2 winner Crater Lake. Under the partnership name, they have bred the winners of more than 104 races from 631 starts, and earners of more than $1.5 million. Horses they have bred include Crater Lake, winner of the 2005 Remington Park Futurity (G2), Restricted Grade 2 winner Conner Can and Restricted Grade 3 winner Paintyourownwagon. 

Both men are involved in ranching, and Bell said their partnership of more than two decades has been lucky enough to see some success. They’ve had three previous qualifiers to the All American Futurity and in 2000 were partners on the winning Eyesa Special.

“He is a racehorse,” Bell said of the colt who he said has been a looker from the start. “They don’t come along very often, but he is one. I’m not saying he’s going to win it. I’m just saying physically, he’s a good horse, he’s sound and he’s going to try hard. He doesn’t know what it is to not give it his all.”

Trainer: The longtime assistant to American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame trainer Jack Brooks, Raymond Vargas recently went out on his own and from only 42 starts has trained the earners of $674,432, including Remington Park Futurity (R) winner Mighty B Valiant.

Qualifying Jockey: Eight-time champion jockey G.R. Carter Jr. qualified two horses to the All American Futurity, including Jess Cuervo and Bills Last. The sport’s all-time leading money-earning rider, Carter has guided home 3,275 winners from 20,745 starters and earners of more than $54.7 million. He has twice won the All American Futurity – Falling In Loveagain (1998) and world champion Stolis Winner (2008). Carter, who has won 304 stakes, also set the single-season earnings record in 2008, when his mounts earned $5,027,173.

Pedigree: Corona Cartel (1994, Holland Ease-Corona Chick by Chicks Beduino) earned $557,142 while compiling a race record of 14-6-3-0, including winning the 1996 Los Alamitos Million Futurity (G1) and Kindergarten Futurity (G2). From 933 starters in 11 crops raced, Corona Cartel has sired five champions, 112 other stakes winners, 534 other winners and the earners of more than$34.9 million, to rank fifth all-time. With progeny earnings of $1,662,956 to date this year, Corona Cartel currently is the fifth-ranked sire of money earners in 2011. He sired four of the All American Futurity qualifiers.

The Mr Jess Perry mare Jessica Ravin is also a homebred for the partners, earning $23,547 and a placing in the 2004 Bayer Legend New Mexico Challenge (G3). She has also produced Kansas Jackpot Futurity (RG3) winner Paintyourownwagon (by PYC Paint Your Wagon, $80,591). Jess Cuervo’s maternal granddam, The Ravin Maniac, set a track record at 400 yards in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and finished fourth in the 1996 All American Futurity; her dam, Rivanne, is a daughter of dam of distinction Trippy Dip (TB), who produced champions Florentine, Calyx and Ive Been Blessed, as well as four other stakes winners.
 

The All American Futurity is the world’s richest and most prestigious American Quarter Horse race. Fans can watch the race – and many others – free of charge at www.qracingvideo.com. Q-Racing Video provides users with unlimited access to live and replay simulcast race video of most American Quarter Horse tracks in the United States and Canada. Registration is free. To sign up, go to www.qracingvideo.com.



For complete coverage of All American week at Ruidoso Downs, visit www.aqharacing.com. Read the September issue of the Q-Racing Journal, the digital publication covering American Quarter Horse racing, for full post-race analysis, available at www.qharacing.com.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journalor America’s Horse, visit AQHA Publications.

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COLD CASH 123 IN ALL AMERICAN DERBY

Q-Racing Journal, September 1, 2011– Can any horse beat Cold Cash 123 at the classic Quarter Horse distance of 440 yards? It hasn’t been done in six tries, but the top Grade 1-derby competitors get another shot at the gelding in the $1,316,380 All American Derby (G1) on Sunday afternoon at Ruidoso Downs.

The All American Derby is Quarter Horse racing’s richest race for 3-year-old and older Quarter Horses, and the winner earns a berth in the $750,000 Champion of Champions (G1) at Los Alamitos, which is also at 440 yards.

If Cold Cash 123 can win the All American Derby and the Champion of Champions, it would put him in top contention to be named the 2011 world champion.

Owned by Walter and Carolyn Bay’s T Bill Stables, Cold Cash 123 (Oak Tree Special-Hot Cash 123 by Takin On The Cash) became the rare juvenile to win three 440-yard races last year and has come back this summer to win all three of his starts over the Ruidoso Downs strip at 440 yards.

The Sleepy Gilbreath-trained Cold Cash 123 pushed his winning streak over 440 yards to six-for-six when he set the fastest-qualifying time to the All American Derby. He out-finished second-fastest qualifier DM Streakn Thru Fire (Walk Thru Fire-Sashay N Six by Sixarun) to win by a half length.

Cold Cash 123, racing’s top-ranked 3-year-old, was timed in :20.833, with Dm Streakn Thru Fire clocked in :20.900.

The homebred Cold Cash 123 quickly moved to the top of the 3-year-old division this summer at Ruidoso Downs when he nearly set a 440-yard track record in his Rainbow Derby trial and then won the Rainbow Derby by a late-charging neck over Bodacious Dash. In his Rainbow Derby trial, he raced the 440 yards in :20.762, narrowly missing the :20.736 track record set by Strawkins in the 2006 Rainbow Derby.

Telling No Lies Partnership’s DM Streakn Thru Fire has been close in major stakes races, however does not have that elusive stakes victory. The Mike Joiner-trained gelding qualified for last year’s All American Futurity and then was third, beaten by a neck, in the Texas Classic Futurity. The gelding was just a neck behind Cold Cash 123 for third place in the Rainbow Derby.

The JLS Speed Horse Ranch’s homebred JLS Mr Bigtime (Bigtime Favorite-Psalmist by Osceola Warrior) brings nine wins from 14 starts and the third-fastest qualifying time of :20.933 into the All American Derby. The Darrel Soileau-trained gelding won his trial by a nose over fourth-fastest qualifier Prospect To The Top (Coronas Prospect-Cream To The Crop by Easily Smashed), who was timed in :20.940.

JLS Mr Bigtime was second by a nose as the favorite in last year’s All American Futurity and came into the All American Derby trials off a fourth-place finish in the Rainbow Derby.

Ruidoso Derby winner Llano Teller (Teller Cartel-Annie Eye Over by Mr Eye Opener) races in his seventh Grade 1 final stretching back to his nose win in last year’s Remington Park Futurity for trainer Heath Reed.

Owned by Wootan Racing with the Reed Land and Cattle Company, Llano Teller made his second start off a layoff in the $703,000 Ruidoso Derby (G1) and he responded with a neck win in :19.555 for the 400 yards.

Llano Teller earned his berth in the All American Derby with a neck trial win in the sixth-fastest qualifying time of :21.006.

Jose and Gustavo De La Torre’s One Sweet Jess (Mr Jess Perry-One Sweet Dash by First Down Dash) scored his first Ruidoso Downs’ win in his All American Derby trial with the eighth-fastest time of :21.066. He raced at Los Alamitos before shipping to Ruidoso Downs and won the Golden State Million Futurity (G1) and was a close fourth in the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity for trainer Ugo De La Torre.

Fans can watch the All American Derby – and most other American Quarter Horse races – free of charge at www.qracingvideo.com. Q-Racing Video provides users with unlimited access to live and replay race video of every American Quarter Horse track in the United States and Canada that exports a simulcast signal. Registration is free. To sign up, go to www.qracingvideo.com.

For complete coverage of All American week at Ruidoso Downs, visit aqharacing.com. Read the September issue of the Q-Racing Journal, the digital publication covering American Quarter Horse racing, for full post-race analysis, available at www.aqharacing.com.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journalor America’s Horse, visit AQHA Publications.

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OCHOA FACES BIGGEST TEST IN ALL AMERICAN FUTURITY

Q-Racing Journal, September 1, 2011– Fastest-qualifier Ochoa looks like a deserved favorite in the $2.4 million All American Futurity (G1) on Labor Day at Ruidoso Downs, however the Sleepy Gilbreath-trained gelding must overcome a deep field of juveniles who are peaking at the biggest-money time.

The All American Futurity purse is an all-time record for a Quarter Horse race and it is the highest purse for any 2-year-old race in North America. The winner’s share of $1.2 million also sets an all-time record for Quarter Horse racing.

Ochoa (Tres Seis-Stolis Fortune by Stoli) has targeted the All American Futurity for the entire summer season at Ruidoso Downs. The gelding won his Ruidoso Futurity trial on the meet’s opening day in his first start and qualified for the $500,000 Ruidoso Futurity (G1). In the 350-yard futurity he broke out and bumped a rival at the start, but found his stride and rallied in the final 50 yards to finish in third place.

Soon after the Ruidoso Futurity, it was decided that Ochoa would pass on the Rainbow Futurity and three-time All American Futurity winning trainer Gilbreath would point his at the All American Futurity trials for owners Johnny T.L. Jones. Jr.’s J Bar 7, Monte and Katsy Cluck, and Doug and Shavon Benson.

The plan worked. Ochoa returned in the All American Futurity trials and set the standard from the record 26 trials. He brushed with a rival at the start and then found that he thrives at 440 yards. He ran down Lotta Love For Robyn (First Down Dash-Love Ya Miss Jess by Mr Jess Perry) to win going away by a half length.

Ochoa recorded the fastest-qualifying time of :21.074 while Lotta Love For Robyn posted the second-fastest qualifying time of :21.145.

Wayne Barton’s Lotta Love For Robyn is still a maiden after three starts for two-time All American Futurity-winning trainer John Bassett with two second-place runs and a third-place finish in the Rainbow Juvenile (R).

Gilbreath also has a shot at another All American Futurity win with Carolyn Bay’s Mr Ease 123 (Holland Ease-Barbs Beduino 123 by Chicks Beduino), the 10th and final qualifier. The homebred gelding, whose owner also races homebred Rainbow Derby (G1) winner Cold Cash 123, is also a maiden and has two second-place finishes in two starts at Ruidoso Downs. He was second to Lethal Volt in their All American Futurity trial.

Lethal Volt (Volcom-Miss Lethal by Chicks Beduino) is one of three hopefuls from the Blane Wood stable in the All American Futurity. He will be joined by Jess Send Me and Denver Pass.
Lethal Volt won his maiden two starts ago and then took his All American Futurity trial by a neck in :21.337.

Jess Send Me (Feature Mr Jess-Send Me First by First Down Dash) raced to her second win from four starts with an All American Futurity trial win in :21.302.

Denver Pass (Corona Cartel-First Carolina by Mr Jess Perry) narrowly won the Rainbow Juvenile and then was second in his All American Futurity trial behind Jess Cuervo.

You and Me Partners’ homebred Jess Cuervo (Corona Cartel-Jessica Ravin by Mr Jess Perry) brings experience and stakes credentials into the All American Futurity. He won two of three starts with a fourth-place finish in the Easy Jet Stakes (RG3) while racing at Remington Park this spring. Trainer Raymond Vargas then brought him to Ruidoso Downs and he was third in the $700,000 Rainbow Futurity (G1) before winning his All American Futurity trial by three-quarters of a length.

Trainer Paul Jones has won three of the latest six runnings of the All American Futurity and he has two prospects this year – third-fastest qualifier Tee Cos and eighth-fastest qualifier Big Daddy Cartel.

Tee Cos (Corona Cartel-Do It To It Reb by Splash Bac) stepped forward in his All American Futurity trial when he won his maiden by two lengths in :21.156 for owners Lyle Guillory and John Soileau.

Tremor Enterprises’ Big Daddy Cartel (Corona Cartel-Miss Racy Eyes by Mr Eye Opener) could prove very dangerous in the All American Futurity with three wins and a fourth-place finish in the Rainbow Futurity from four starts. He won his All American Futurity trial by 1 1/2 lengths in :21.343.

Paul Blanchard’s Bills Last (Shazoom-Crystalinas by Beduino (TB)) ran his career-best race for trainer Carlos Sedillo in the All American Futurity trials. He was winless in two previous outs and then rolled to a 2-length victory in his trial with a :21.365 time.

Fans can watch the race – and most other American Quarter Horse races – free of charge at www.qracingvideo.com. Q-Racing Video provides users with unlimited access to live and replay simulcast race video of most American Quarter Horse tracks in the United States and Canada. Registration is free. To sign up, go to www.qracingvideo.com.

For complete coverage of All American week at Ruidoso Downs, visit aqharacing.com. Read the September issue of the Q-Racing Journal, the digital publication covering American Quarter Horse racing, for full post-race analysis, available at www.aqharacing.com.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journalor America’s Horse, visit AQHA Publications.

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ALL AMERICAN DERBY (G1) PREVIEWS - AUGUST 31

The 2011 All American Derby (G1) this year will be American Quarter Horse racing’s richest race for 3-year-old or older horses. Run September 4 at Ruidoso Downs in the mountain village of Ruidoso, New Mexico, the $1,316,760 race will be contested by 10 3-year-old American Quarter Horses.

The winner will receive $658,380.

Here are the profiles of two of the finalists in the All American Derby.

FIFTH-FASTEST QUALIFIER: TELLER NO LIES
Sorrel gelding, Teller Cartel-A Delightful Legacy by First Down Dash

Teller No Lies came up a couple of noses short in the tightest trial on the August 19 qualifying day. In the fourth of the 10 heats, third-fastest qualifier JLS Mr Bigtime (the 2010 champion 2-year-old gelding, who a year earlier came up a nose short as the favorite in the All American Futurity (G1)) finished a nose in front of fourth-fastest qualifier Prospect To The Top, who was a nose in front of Teller No Lies, who clocked :20.948 as the fifth-fastest qualifier.

Race Record: 11-1-2-3 $32,306, ninth in the El Primero Del Ano Derby (G2). Teller No Lies went winless in six starts at 2. In his last race as a freshman, the gelding finished second by a nose in a December 11 maiden event at Los Alamitos. He then broke his maiden in a February 5 trial for the Los Alamitos Maiden Stakes for 3-year-olds and then dead-heated for second in the $138,250 final on February 26. He next qualified for the El Primero Del Ano Derby (G2) and finished back in the April 10 final, his last start before the All American Derby trials.

Breeder: Teller No Lies was bred by the Eaves Horses Family Ltd. Partnership of Flower Mound, Texas. Initiated by the family’s deceased matriarch, Mrs. Gwendolyn Eaves, and now managed by Mrs. Eaves’ granddaughter Meridith Copeland, the partnership owns 1999 broodmare of the year Fortune Of Delight and bred champion Inseperable ($672,756, by Separatist), graded stakes winners Tres Fortunes ($117,566, by Tres Seis) and Buckshot Delight ($119,682, by First Down Dash), and the earners of more than $1.3 million.

Owner: Teller No Lies was acquired as a yearling by Kim Kissinger, who raced the gelding but sold him the week before the All American Derby trials to A. Hernandez and M. Siguenza of Laveen, Arizona.

Trainer: A former jockey who began training racehorses in 2005, Joe Badilla Jr. has conditioned the earners of $445,139. On June 12, he scored his first graded stakes win as a trainer, sending out Zulu Dragon to take the La Plata Stakes (G2) at SunRay Park. The four-time AQHA champion jockey (1995, 1998-99 and 2001) rode Mrs. Eaves’ homebred champion A Delightful Dasher to win the Grade 1 All American Futurity in 1999 and All American Derby in 2000.

Qualifying Jockey: Eight-time champion jockey G.R. Carter Jr. qualified three horses to the All American Derby. The sport’s all-time leading money earner, Carter has guided home 3,275 winners from 20,745 starters and earners of more than $54.7 million. He has twice won the All American Futurity (G1) – Falling In Loveagain (1998) and world champion Stolis Winner (2008). He has won the All American Derby once, aboard Dashing Perfection in 1997. Carter, who has won 304 stakes, also set the single-season earnings record in 2008, when his mounts earned $5,027,173.

Pedigree: Teller Cartel (2003, Corona Cartel-Jet Along Jamie by Easy Jet) is a champion earner of $1,212,471, broke his maiden in the 2005 All American Futurity (G1) and compiled a record of 9-3-2-3. With 195 starters from three crops raced, Teller Cartel has sired five stakes winners, 90 winners and the earners of more than $2.9 million. With progeny earnings of $1,071,131 to date this year, Teller Cartel currently is the 14th-ranked sire of money earners in 2011.

A Delightful Legacy won four of six races (including the All American Juvenile (R)), was fourth in the 2003 Los Alamitos Million Futurity (G1) and earned $179,153. Her first foal was champion Inseperable (by Separatist, $672,756), who won the Grade 1 Rainbow and All American derbies. She also produced stakes-placed runner Jess Before Dawn (by Mr Jess Perry, $35,316).

SIXTH-FASTEST QUALFIER: LLANO TELLER
Bay gelding, Teller Cartel-Annie Eye Over by Mr Eye Opener

Winner of Trial 5, Llano Teller outran fellow qualifier Flyin Fish by a neck and earned a :21.006 time for the sixth-fastest qualifying time. Qualifier Motorcity Madman was third.

Race Record: 15-8-2-2 $870,123. Fresh off his win in the $702,896 Ruidoso Derby (G1), Llano Teller took a seventh-place finish in the Rainbow Derby (G1). The tough gelding last year won the Remington Park Futurity (G1), was third in the Heritage Place Futurity (G1), fourth in the Texas Classic Futurity (G1) and seventh in the Rainbow Futurity (G1).

Owners/Breeders: Partnering to race Llano Teller, Wootan Racing and Reed Land and Cattle Co. have earned $891,437 in two years.

Terry Wootan’s Wootan Racing, based in Llano, Texas, has bred the winners of 13 races from 45 starts, with earnings of $921,567 in two foal crops. Llano Teller is chief among those Wootan-bred money-earners. Wootan says this gelding – who stands out from the crowd with his white socks and blaze face – has been called a “little Napolean” because of his small stature and big attitude.

“He doesn’t like to get outrun. He doesn’t like to get passed,” Wootan said. “He’s a really gritty little horse.”

But sometimes his calm demeanor belies the fire inside.

“He acts like an old roping horse. He’ll scare you to death going to the track. His ol’ head’ll be down, and he’ll be moping along, but when he gets to the track, he gets down to business.”

Trainer: Since 1991, Jeffery Heath Reed has trained 110 winners from 950 starts, and his trainees have earned more than $2.7 million. They include Grade 1 winners Llano Teller and Louisiana Senator, as well as Restricted Grade 2 winner DM Hot Hot Hot.

Qualifying Jockey: Eight-time champion jockey G.R. Carter Jr. qualified three horses to the All American Derby. The sport’s all-time leading money earner, Carter has guided home 3,275 winners from 20,745 starters and earners of more than $54.7 million. He has twice won the All American Futurity (G1) – Falling In Loveagain (1998) and world champion Stolis Winner (2008). He has won the All American Derby once, aboard Dashing Perfection in 1997. Carter, who has won 304 stakes, also set the single-season earnings record in 2008, when his mounts earned $5,027,173.

Pedigree: Teller Cartel (2003, Corona Cartel-Jet Along Jamie by Easy Jet) is a champion earner of $1,212,471, and broke his maiden in the 2005 All American Futurity (G1) and compiled a record of 9-3-2-3. With 193 starters from three crops raced, Teller Cartel has sired six stakes winners, 84 other winners and the earners of more than $2.9 million. With progeny earnings of more than $1 million to date this year, Teller Cartel currently is the 14th-ranked sire of money earners in 2011.

Bred by Wootan Racing, Llano Teller is out of Annie Eye Over, a winner on the track and producer of nine winners from 11 starters. She has also produced stakes winner Eyesa Lil Cuervo (by Lil Bit Cuervo, $63,947) and stakes-placed runner Lil Annie Eye Over (by Shazoom, $33,222).

Fans can watch the All American Derby – and most other American Quarter Horse races – free of charge at www.qracingvideo.com. Q-Racing Video provides users with unlimited access to live and replay simulcast race video of most American Quarter Horse tracks in the United States and Canada. Registration is free. To sign up, go to www.qracingvideo.com.

For complete coverage of All American week at Ruidoso Downs, visit www.aqharacing.com. Read the September issue of the Q-Racing Journal, the digital publication covering American Quarter Horse racing, for full post-race analysis, available at www.aqharacing.com.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journalor America’s Horse, visit AQHA Publications.

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ALL AMERICAN FUTURITY (G1) PREVIEWS - AUGUST 31

The 2011 All American Futurity (G1) is racing’s richest race for 2-year-olds, regardless of breed, in North America. Run every Labor Day at Ruidoso Downs in the mountain village of Ruidoso, New Mexico, the $2.4 million-est. race will be contested September 5 by 10 2-year-old American Quarter Horses.
 
The estimated $1.2 million for first place would be a record prize in the sport.

Here are the profiles of two of the finalists in the All American Futurity.

FIFTH-FASTEST QUALFIIER: JESS SEND ME

Sorrel filly, Feature Mr Jess-Send Me First by First Down Dash

Foaled: March 14, 2009

Turner Farms’ Jess Send Me won the 16th trial, with the fourth-fastest time of :21.302. 

Race Record: 4-2-0-1 $6,400. The Feature Mr Jess filly makes her stakes debut in the All American Futurity and has won two of her four Ruidoso Downs starts. Jess Send Me finished seventh in her first start, a May 27 trial for the Ruidoso Futurity (G1), broke her maiden against non-winners on June 12 and was third in her July 8 trial to the Rainbow Futurity (G1).

Owner: Turner Farms of Satin, Texas, purchased Jess Send Me for $50,000 at the Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale.



Breeder: Ellis “Hank” Bird of Bryan, Texas, is a 30-year cumulative breeder. From 579 starters, Bird has bred 66 winners and five stakes winners that have earned more than $568,000. They include Restricted Grade 2 winner Quick Brew and Grade 3 winner A Run Run Runaway.

Trainer: Blane Wood, of Lubbock, Texas, has trained 699 winners from 3,605 starters, including champions Leading Spirit and Haulin Pass. Wood led all the trainers with three All American Futurity qualifiers: Jess Send Me, Lethal Volt and Denver Pass. Wood has since 1975 conditioned the earners of more than $10.2 million. Wood’s father, Leo, sent out champion Pie In The Sky to win the 1979 All American Futurity.



Qualifying Jockey: Wood’s son Trey sent out Ricky Ramirez aboard Bodacious Dash to win last year’s Texas Classic Futurity (G1). Since 2003, Ramirez has ridden the earners of more than $9.8 million. Ramirez also rode First Painted Sign to win the Speedhorse Gold & Silver Cup Futurity (G1), and Varsity Girl in the 2009 West Texas Futurity (G1). He has ridden 497 winners from 2,967 starters, including 22 stakes winners. Ramirez qualified two for the finals: Jess Send Me and Lethal Volt.



Pedigree: Sire Feature Mr Jess (1998, Mr Jess Perry-Brenda Feature by Truckle Feature) scored in the Grade 1 Rainbow Futurity and Derby, was second in the Dash For Cash Futurity (G1) and third in the Grade 1 Remington Park Futurity and All American Derby. With earnings of $539,327, he compiled a race record of 16-7-3-3. A son of champion and leading sire Mr Jess Perry, Feature Mr Jess died in 2009 at age 9. From 575 starters, Feature Mr Jess has sired 334 winners and the earners of more than $15.7 million, including four champions and 41 other stakes winners. Feature Mr Jess is the sire of champion Heartswideopen, who won the 2007 All American Futurity. With progeny earnings of $1,825,575 to date this year, Feature Mr Jess currently is the fourth-ranked sire of money earners in 2011. 



Bred by Ellis H. “Hank” Bird of Bryan, Texas, Jess Send Me is one of seven winners from 11 starters out of the stakes-winning First Down Dash mare Send Me First ($32,221), who in 1996 won the AQRA Turf Paradise Futurity (G3) and finished second in the AQRA Lassie Stakes. Send Me First has produced the earners of $198,159, including the stakes-placed Mr Jess Perry mares Jess Satin and Send Me A Perry. An earner of $78,915, Jess Satin was third in the Ruidoso Juvenile Invitational (RG3) and finished sixth in DM Shicago’s All American Futurity (G1), and she has produced the earners of $181,062, including Zia Futurity (RG1) winner Jess A Chicks ($175,537) by Chicks A Blazin. Send Me A Perry was third in last year’s Prairie Meadows Distaff Challenge and has earned $51,861.

SIXTH-FASTEST QUALIFIER: DENVER PASS

Sorrel colt, Corona Cartel-First Carolina by Mr Jess Perry

Foaled: March 10, 2009

Stanley and William Smith’s Denver Pass finished second by three parts of a side to Jess Cuervo in the 25th trial, with a :21.336 clocking.

Race Record: 4-2-1-1 $21,904, won Rainbow Juvenile (R). The Corona Cartel colt broke his maiden on first asking, against non-winners on May 7 at Remington Park. In his second race, a July 8 trial to the Rainbow Futurity (G1), he finished third behind Texas Rockstar and YM Quick, both of whom went on to contest the $700,000 final won by Feature Mr Bojangles, while he went on to win the $20,000 Rainbow Juvenile Invitational Stakes (R).

Owner/Breeder: Denver Pass continues the decades-long tradition of breeding fast horses by the Stanley family, who own the Lady Bug Stallion Station at Madill, Oklahoma. The colt is bred and owned by Weetona Stanley and William Smith. Stanley is the widow of A.F. Stanley Jr., who in partnership with B.F. Phillips Jr., bred world champion and all-time leading sire First Down Dash.



Trainer: Blane Wood of Lubbock, Texas, has trained 699 winners from 3,605 starters and the earners of more than $10.2 million. They include champions Leading Spirit and Haulin Pass. Wood led all the trainers with three All American Futurity qualifiers: Jess Send Me, Lethal Volt and Denver Pass. Wood’s father, Leo, sent out champion Pie In The Sky to win the 1979 All American Futurity. 



Qualifying Jockey: Reigning champion jockey Jacky Martin returned to race riding in a big way in 2010, jumping in with year-end earnings of $3.2 million and the champion jockey award. The seven-time All American Futurity-winning jockey, who rode his first official races in 1972, has ridden 2,968 winners from 14,344 starters and the earners of more than $46.4 million. Martin also qualified Ochoa, Tee Cos and Mr Ease 123.



Pedigree: A 17-year-old son of Holland Ease (who sired All American Futurity 10th-fastest qualifier Mr Ease 123), sire Corona Cartel earned $557,142 on the track, where in 1996 he won the Los Alamitos Million Futurity (the Grade 1 race that now is the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity). The fifth-all-time leading sire, Corona Cartel from 933 starters has sired 651 winners and the earners of more than $34.9 million. Corona Cartel is the sire of five champions and 112 other stakes winners, including champion Teller Cartel, who won the 2005 All American Futurity. Corona Cartel is the sire of Denver Pass, Tee Cos, Jess Cuervo and Big Daddy Cartel. Denver Pass is the first winner from two starters out of First Carolina, who is one of five stakes winners out of First Prize Dash, a $77,465-earning full sister to First Down Dash. From 27 starters, First Prize Dash has produced 22 winners and the earners of $2,193,616, including five stakes winners. In 2006, the season she was the AQHA broodmare of the year, First Prize Dash was represented by the freshman full sisters First Carolina and First Prize Robin, both of whom were Mr Jess Perry fillies bred by Weetona Stanley.

Raced by the partnership of William Smith and Lloyd Scherwinski, First Prize Robin in 2006 won the Remington Park Futurity (G1), was fourth in the Ruidoso Futurity (G1) and earned $295,147. First Carolina was raced by Stanley and Smith, and became a $415,047 earner, who scored in the 2006 Heritage Place Futurity (G1) and 2007 Remington Park Derby (G2).
 

The All American Futurity is the world’s richest and most prestigious American Quarter Horse race. Fans can watch the race – and most others – free of charge at www.qracingvideo.com. Q-Racing Video provides users with unlimited access to live and replay simulcast race video of every American Quarter Horse track in the United States and Canada that exports a simulcast signal. Registration is free. To sign up, go to www.qracingvideo.com.

For complete coverage of All American week at Ruidoso Downs, visit www.aqharacing.com. Read the September issue of the Q-Racing Journal, the digital publication covering American Quarter Horse racing, for full post-race analysis, available at www.aqharacing.com.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journalor America’s Horse, visit AQHA Publications.

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OCHOA INCHES UP RANKINGS AS ALL AMERICAN FUTURITY NEARS

Q-Racing Journal, August 31, 2011– Ochoa, fastest qualifier to Monday’s $2.4 million All American Futurity (G1) at Ruidoso Downs, moved one step closer to the top in the latest AQHA Racing-Horseplayernow.com National Top 10 poll for 2-year-olds, checking in at No. 4 this week. The rising star moved up one spot from last week’s poll, trailing only top-rated Separate Fire, High Rate Of Return and Feature Mr Bojangles.

The only newcomer to this week’s juvenile rankings was Jess Cuervo, checking in tied for No. 9 in advance of his All American Futurity attempt. Jess Cuervo finished third earlier this summer in the Grade 1 Rainbow Futurity.

The top of the rankings for older horses remained firm once again as Remington Park Invitational (G1) winner Rylees Boy continued his hold on the No. 1 spot. The top five is rounded out once again this week by Sunday’s All American Derby (G1) fastest qualifier Cold Cash 123, Louisiana Senator, Chivalry SR and Llano Teller.

Meanwhile, fellow All American Derby qualifiers Prospect To The Top and JLS Mr Bigtime both returned to the rankings this week and are tied at No. 8 nationally.

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 2-YEAR-OLDS:

1.   SEPARATE FIRE (88)
2.   HIGH RATE OF RETURN (72)
3.   FEATURE MR BOJANGLES (71)
4.   OCHOA (57)
5.   SILVER FOR ME (50)
6.   MIGHTY B VALIANT (38)
7.   OSBALDO (24)
8.   JESS TEE OFF (23)
9.   (tie) ADOLPH TRES KNOCKOUT (15)
9.   (tie) JESS CUERVO (15)

Sizzlin Cartel (10), Lotta Love For Robyn (8), Tee Cos (7), Denver Pass (7), Fixin To Fly (3), JLS Party Wagon (3), The Long Knife (2), Cashin The Wagon (1)
 
NATIONAL RANKINGS, 3-YEAR-OLDS & UP:

1.    RYLEES BOY (89)
2.    COLD CASH 123 (80)
3.    LOUISIANA SENATOR (73)
4.    CHIVALRY SR (49)
5.    LLANO TELLER (44)
6.    SNITCHER (37)
7.    CAPO DE CAPI (21)
8.    (tie) PROSPECT TO THE TOP (16)
8.    (tie) JLS MR BIGTIME (16)
10.  GOOD REASON SA (13)

Noconi (12), DM Streakn Thru Fire (12), Docs Apollo (7), The Louisiana Cartel (7), Bodacious Dash (5), Teller No Lies (4), Stolis Winner (4), Streakin Down (3), A Tincup Cocktail (1)

The nine voters are:

Ed Burgart (Los Alamitos announcer/handicapper)

Martha Claussen (Q-Racing Ace, writer/handicapper)

Mike Cusortelli (writer/handicapper)

Tom Dawson (Q-Racing Ace, network television producer)

Dale Day (Remington Park announcer/handicapper)

Jerry Shottenkirk (Q-Racing Ace, handicapper/oddsmaker)

Jeremy Plonk (ESPN.com contributor)

Terry Turrell (Horseplayernow.com handicapper)

Ty Wyant (writer, Daily Racing Form and AQHA)

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journalor America’s Horse, visit AQHA Publications.

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ALL AMERICAN FUTURITY (G1) PREVIEWS - AUGUST 30

The 2011 All American Futurity (G1) is racing’s richest race for 2-year-olds, regardless of breed, in North America. Run every Labor Day at Ruidoso Downs in the mountain village of Ruidoso, New Mexico, the $2.4 million-est. race will be contested September 5 by 10 2-year-old American Quarter Horses.

The estimated $1.2 million for first place would be a record prize in the sport.

Here are the profiles of two of the finalists in the All American Futurity.

SEVENTH-FASTEST QUALIFIER: LETHAL VOLT
Bay gelding, Volcom-Miss Lethal by Chicks Beduino

Lethal Volt, who defeated Mr Ease 123 in the ninth trial, qualified with a :21.337 score by a neck for his second consecutive victory.

Race Record: 4-2-0-2 $7,000. The Volcom gelding finished third in his first two races and broke his maiden on his third start when he scored by half a length in an August 1 maiden event at Ruidoso.

Breeder/Owners: Lethal Volt is bred by P.K. Thomas, who races the gelding in partnership with two longtime friends, his brother-in-law, Dan Adams, and veterinarian Dr. Gene White.

“Lethal Volt is just now figuring it out,” Thomas said. “He’s still green, and he’s still a little slow getting out of the gate. When he broke his maiden, he needed every bit of that 400 yards to get there. The farther he goes, the better he is.”

Thomas raises American Quarter Horses on his Circle T Ranch at Weatherford, Texas, and manages his family’s cow-calf operation (the Price Thomas Ranch or PT Ranch) off the Caprock between Lubbock and Ralls, Texas. Over the past 30 years, Thomas has bred four stakes winners, 63 winners from 504 starts and the earners of $1,035,475.

In addition to graded stakes winner The Hurricane ($91,037, by Rare Form), Thomas bred the stakes-winning Strawfly Special gelding Lethal Bay ($149,095, who ran in champion Ocean Runaway’s Grade 1 Los Alamitos Million Futurity). His most successful homebred to date is the Dean Miracle mare Lethal Delight, ($453,701), who won the Shue Fly Stakes (RG1) at Sunland Park and placed second in the Dash For Cash Futurity (G1) at Lone Star Park and the Southwest Juvenile Championship (G1) at Zia Park.

Lethal Bay is out of the Tolltac mare Lethal Weapon, dam of the earners of $636,079. Both Lethal Delight and Lethal Volt are out of Lethal Weapon’s daughter Miss Lethal, a maiden mare by Chicks Beduino.

“I’ve had one great mare in my life: Lethal Weapon,” Thomas said. “I bought her from Vessels (Stallion Farm), and now her descendants are everywhere – and it looks like they’re going to cross real well with Volcom.”

Trainer: Blane Wood, of Lubbock, Texas, has trained 699 winners from 3,605 starters, and the earners of more than $10.2 million. They include champions Leading Spirit and Haulin Pass. Wood’s father, Leo, sent out champion Pie In The Sky to win the 1979 All American Futurity. Blane Wood led all the trainers with three All American Futurity qualifiers: Jess Send Me, Lethal Volt and Denver Pass.

Qualifying Jockey: Ricky Ramirez has ridden the earners of more than $9.8 million, including Bodacious Dash to win last year’s $1 million Texas Classic Futurity (G1), First Painted Sign to win the Speedhorse Gold & Silver Cup Futurity (G1) and Varsity Girl in the 2009 West Texas Futurity (G1). He has ridden 497 winners from 2,967 starters, including 22 stakes winners. Ramirez qualified two for the finals: Jess Send Me and Lethal Volt.

Pedigree: Lethal Volt is by freshman sire Volcom, an 8-year-old son of First Down Dash out of the Runaway Winner mare Runaway Vike, a maiden half sister to Restricted Grade 1 winner Miss Racy Eyes ($133,195, by Mr Eye Opener), who is the dam of qualifier Big Daddy Cartel. Bred by John Andreini, Volcom was acquired as a yearling by Thomas, who raced the stallion to a record of 23-11-1-1 and earnings of $430,433. Volcom scored in the Grade 1 El Primero Del Ano Derby and Los Alamitos Winter Championship, was second in the Los Alamitos Super Derby (G1) and third in the Governor’s Cup Futurity (RG1). Volcom so far has been represented by the earners of $123,785, including the stakes-placed Zack Of Hearts ($65,331) and Miss Kara ($15,936).

Miss Lethal has produced three winners from three starters, including stakes winner Lethal Delight. Her third dam is the Vessels Stallion Farm-bred Chronometer, dam of Timeto Thinkrich, winner of the 1973 All American Futurity.

EIGHTH-FASTEST QUALIFIER: BIG DADDY CARTEL
Gray colt, Corona Cartel-Miss Racy Eyes by Mr Eye Opener

Racing in the fourth of 26 trials, Big Daddy Cartel posted a 1 ½-length win in :21.343, and held on to earn the eighth-fastest qualifying time.

Race Record: 4-3-0-0 $51,800. Winning his first two starts, both Ruidoso trial races, Big Daddy Cartel finished fourth in the Rainbow Futurity (G1).

Owner: Jorge Luis Ochoa Gomez’s Poker Ranch LLC is based in Laredo, Texas, and this year has sent out three winners from 24 starts, with earnings of $55,612. Big Daddy Cartel sold for $113,000 at the Heritage Place Yearling Sale.

Breeder: Big Daddy Cartel was bred by Gary and Donna Hall’s Sunflower Supply Co. The Galena, Kansas-based Sunflower Supply Co. has bred the winners of 48 races in 282 starts, and the earners of more than $712,000.

Trainer: Racing’s all-time leading trainer with earnings of more than $61.9 million and 3,259 wins from 17,375 starts, Paul Jones is the Blane Schvaneveldt Champion Trainer, as he has been every year since 2002. He also owns the single-season earnings record, which he set in 2009, with $7,484,434. He has won the All American Futurity three times –Teller Cartel (2005), No Secrets Here (2006) and Runnning Brook Gal (2009) – and the Los Alamitos (Two) Million Futurity twice – A Regal Choice (2003) and Good Reason SA (2009). Jones qualified two for the finals: Big Daddy Cartel and Tee Cos.

Jockey: Esgar Ramirez last year won his first All American Futurity (G1), guiding Mr Piloto to a nose victory. The winner of more than 851 of 5,665 races, Ramirez’s mounts have won more than $18.7 million. They also include Grade 1 winners First Klas Fred, Arealstraitheart, A Snowy Cartel, Remember Me Rose, High On Cat, Let It Snowman and A Long Goodbye.

Pedigree: Corona Cartel (1994, Holland Ease-Corona Chick by Chicks Beduino) earned $557,142 while compiling a race record of 14-6-3-0, including winning the 1996 Los Alamitos Million Futurity (G1) and Kindergarten Futurity (G2). From 933 starters in 11 crops raced, Corona Cartel has sired five champions, 112 other stakes winners, 534 other winners and the earners of more than $34.9 million, to rank fifth all-time. With progeny earnings of $1,662,956 to date this year, Corona Cartel currently is the fifth-ranked sire of money earners in 2011. He sired four of the All American Futurity qualifiers.

Big Daddy Cartel is one of seven winners from nine starters out of the graded stakes-winning Miss Racy Eyes. The earner of $133,195, she is a half sister to Runaway Vike, the dam of Volcom, sire of All American Futurity qualifier Lethal Volt. Big Daddy Cartel is a half brother to the stakes-winning gelding Racy La Jolla (by Streakin La Jolla, $13,031) and stakes-placed runner Stepenos (by Favorite Trick (TB), $64,108).  

The All American Futurity is the world’s richest and most prestigious American Quarter Horse race. Fans can watch the race – and many others – free of charge at www.qracingvideo.com. Q-Racing Video provides users with unlimited access to live and replay simulcast race video of most American Quarter Horse tracks in the United States and Canada. Registration is free. To sign up, go to www.qracingvideo.com.

For complete coverage of All American week at Ruidoso Downs, visit www.aqharacing.com. Read the September issue of the Q-Racing Journal, the digital publication covering American Quarter Horse racing, for full post-race analysis, available at www.aqharacing.com.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journalor America’s Horse, visit AQHA Publications.

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ALL AMERICAN DERBY (G1) PREVIEWS - AUGUST 30

The 2011 All American Derby (G1) this year will be American Quarter Horse racing’s richest race for 3-year-old or older horses. Run September 4 at Ruidoso Downs in the mountain village of Ruidoso, New Mexico, the $1,316,760 race will be contested by 10 3-year-old American Quarter Horses.

The winner will receive $658,380.

Here are the profiles of two of the finalists in the All American Derby.

SEVENTH-FASTEST QUALIFIER: FLYIN FISH
Gray gelding, Fishers Dash-Jazzing Cheree by Jazzing Hi

Flyin Fish was second by a neck to Llano Teller, earning a :21.043 time, which was the seventh fastest.

Race Record: 11-2-4-1 $18,624. Winless in four starts at 2, Flyin Fish broke his maiden in the May 28 trials for the Ruidoso Derby (G1). He then finished back in a June 20 allowance/optional claiming race won by DM Streakn Thru Fire, who later became the second-fastest qualifier to the All American Derby. After a fourth-place finish in the July 9 trials to the Rainbow Derby (G1), the Fishers Dash gelding won a July 25 Ruidoso allowance and finally finished second to Ruidoso Derby winner and All American Derby sixth-fastest qualifier Llano Teller in the fifth of 10 trials.

Owner: Mark Allen owns the Double Eagle Ranch and the Double Eagle Training Center at Roswell, New Mexico. The ranch this year has been represented by Jess Snooping Around, who finished second in the April 19 Getaway Stakes at Sunland Park.

“Another trainer had Flyin Fish early on, and he just didn’t do much,” said Jerry “Nic” Nicodemus, the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame jockey who manages the training center. “Flyin Fish really didn’t come into himself, and they finally rested him a little bit – gave him about five months off between October and March. When they brought him back, he really started clicking. His works were real promising, and he has just been getting better and better. Now, he’s going to have to run his best race ever, because that’s a real tough field in the Derby. But the way he has been working, I think he has got a helluva shot.”

Breeder: The partnership of Vessels Stallion Farm and P.K. Thomas has bred three stakes winners, two other winners and the earners of $387,260 from six starters, including the First Down Dash mare Shez Lethal ($175,972), who scored in the AQHA Juvenile Challenge Championship (G1); the stakes-winning First Down Dash gelding Lethal Artillery ($144,260), who was third in the Golden State Futurity (G1); and the stakes-placed First Down Dash stallion A Lethal Dose. Those three are half siblings to the Chicks Beduino mare Miss Lethal, who is the dam of Lethal Volt, Thomas’ homebred Volcom gelding who is the seventh-fastest qualifier to the All American Futurity (G1).

Trainer: This is the first year for Richard Sedillo to train racehorses, and he has sent out 11 starters to win three races. On August 6, he won his first stakes, Ruidoso’s Mr Jet Moore Handicap (G3), with Double Eagle Ranch’s Time For A Cigar. In 2009, Sedillo’s brother Tony conditioned Time For A Cigar to win six of eight races, including the Ruidoso Derby (G1), and be that season’s champion sophomore gelding. That was the same year that Double Eagle Ranch and Dr. Leonard Blach’s Thoroughbred Mine That Bird won the Kentucky Derby.

Qualifying Jockey: Cody Jensen has won 27 Grade 1 races, including back-to-back runnings of the All American Futurity (G1) with Teller Cartel and No Secrets Here in 2005-06 and the All American Derby with Inseperable in 2009. In his career, Jensen has ridden the earners of more than $22.2 million, including 1,283 winners from 7,474 mounts, a 17.1 percent clip.

Pedigree: One of 229 stakes winners by all-time-leading sire First Down Dash, Fishers Dash earned $123,495 on the track, where he was fourth in world champion Winalota Cash’s All American Futurity (G1), second in Splash Bac’s Governor’s Cup Futurity (RG1) and third in Jettin For Royalty’s Governor’s Cup Derby (RG1). From 531 starters in 12 crops raced, Fishers Dash has sired champions Dashing Knud and Hardly Hateful, 20 other stakes winners and the earners of more than $10.1 million.

A 12-year-old daughter by champion Jazzing Hi, Jazzing Cheree scored three stakes wins, including the 2003 MBNA America West/Southwest Challenge (G2) at Turf Paradise, set a :21.097 quarter-mile track record at Yavapai Downs and earned $97,564. A half sister to the stakes-winning Chicks Beduino mare Chicks Charger Easy ($161,855), Jazzing Cheree has produced three winners from five starters, including Flyin Fish’s stakes-winning full brother Jazzy Fish ($12,763).

EIGHTH-FASTEST QUALIFER: ONE SWEET JESS
Sorrel colt, Mr Jess Perry-One Sweet Dash by First Down Dash

One Sweet Jess overcame some bumping to win Trial 3 by a length over champion American Runaway, earning a :21.006 and the eighth-fastest qualifying time.

Race Record: 15-7-2-1 $712,411. In his freshman year, One Sweet Jess first won the Ed Burke Memorial Juvenile (R), then won the Golden State Million Futurity (G1) before finishing fourth in the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity (G1) to complete the season. Returning as a sophomore, he was fifth in the El Primero Del Ano Derby (G2) and sixth in the Ruidoso Derby (G1).

Breeder: One Sweet Jess was produced from the program of a trio of brothers, American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame members the Allred Bros. – Harvey, Jerry and Dale. The brothers have bred the earners of more than $4.8 million. Their horses have won 334 races in 2,052 starts and include champion and All American Futurity (G1) winner AB What A Runner and Grade 1 winners One Slick One, Dash In Style and A Streak Of Cash. While Harvey and Dale have died, Jerry continues the brothers’ legacy.

Owners: One Sweet Jess is owned and trained by a trio of brothers – owners Jose and Gustavo De La Torre and trainer Ugo De La Torre. The colt was purchased for $37,000 at the Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale.

Trainer: Ugo De La Torre has trained 53 winners from 339 starters, with the earners of more than $1.5 million. In addition to One Sweet Jess, he has trained stakes winners Fire Up Connie, One Ramblin Lady, Last To Check Him and Pepe El Trueno.

Qualifying Jockey: Since 2000, Rodrigo Aceves has ridden 1,538 winners from 8,408 starters and the earners of more than $18.2 million. He earned Grade 1 wins aboard One Quick First Down, First Down Illusion, A Stoli Mate, Willie Works, Hulapai and What A Performance.

Pedigree: Champion and champion sire Mr Jess Perry won 12 of 21 starts on the track and earned $687,184, five stakes wins and honors as the 1994 champion 2-year-old and 2-year-old colt. As a sire, he has 600 winners from 907 starters and the earners of more than $36.8 million, including All American Futurity winner Mr Piloto and All American Derby winner Noconi.

One Sweet Dash is a Grade 3 winner and a full sister to Walk Thru Fire, sire of All American Derby qualifier DM Streakn Thru Fire. One Sweet Dash has also produced stakes winner Hes A Standout (by Strawfly Special, $44,136).

Fans can watch the All American Derby – and many others – free of charge at www.qracingvideo.com. Q-Racing Video provides users with unlimited access to live and replay simulcast race video of most American Quarter Horse tracks in the United States and Canada. Registration is free. To sign up, go to www.qracingvideo.com.

For complete coverage of All American week at Ruidoso Downs, visit www.aqharacing.com. Read the September issue of the Q-Racing Journal, the digital publication covering American Quarter Horse racing, for full post-race analysis, available at www.aqharacing.com.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journalor America’s Horse, visit AQHA Publications.

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ALL AMERICAN DERBY (G1) PREVIEW - AUGUST 29

The 2011 All American Derby (G1) this year will be American Quarter Horse racing’s richest race for 3-year-old or older horses. Run September 4 at Ruidoso Downs in the mountain village of Ruidoso, New Mexico, the $1,316,760 race will be contested by 10 3-year-old American Quarter Horses.

The winner will receive $658,380.

Here are the profiles of two of the finalists in the All American Derby.

NINTH-FASTEST QUALIFIER: MOTORCITY MADMAN
Sorrel gelding, Ocean Runaway-Los Al Fly by Strawfly Special

Motorcity Madman finished third behind Llano Teller in the fifth trial, earning a :21.144 and the ninth-fastest time.

Race Record: 9-2-1-2 $17,839. Two starts prior to his All American Derby trial race, Motorcity Madman was claimed for $15,000 at Remington Park. Racing for his new owner and trainer and one of three $50,000 supplements, he was the only one to make it to the final.

Owner/Trainer: “I was looking for some horses to claim,” said owner and trainer Alonso Orozco of El Paso, Texas. “I saw this horse come up, and I liked him very much. I saw the replays and saw he had some rough races but was running against some really good horses.”

Claimed and brought to the Land of Enchantment, Motorcity Madman ran 400 yards in :19.027 at SunRay Park, nearly breaking the track record and prompting Orozco to supplement him to the finals.

“I said, ‘Well, maybe this horse can make it,’ ” Orozco said. “I know he’s really, really tough.”

Orozco has trained the winners of 188 races from 960 starts, and the earners of more than $3.4 million. His runners include Restricted Grade 1 winner Now Heza Blazin, Grade 2 winners Mr Jesses Corona and Built For Fun and Grade 3 winners Corona High and Texas Version.

Breeder: Cindy Knox’s Corner K Quarter Horses LLC in Fayetteville, Arkansas, from 991 starters has bred 144 winners, including 11 stakes winners, and a WPS percentage of 38.9. Horses bred by Corner K have earned more than $2.1 million and include 2007 Dash For Cash Futurity (G1) winner Jess A Lil Bit More, 2006 Mile High Futurity (G2) winner Play Fast, 2010 Mile High Derby (G3) winner Little Rock Getaway and 2009 Gillespie Co. Fair Futurity (G3) winner Bertha Venation.

Qualifying Jockey: The regular rider of champion First Moonflash, Alejandro Medellin has ridden 262 winners from 1,502 starters and the earners of more than $5.1 million. In addition to First Moonflash, Medellin has also ridden graded stakes winners Perrys Queen Bug, A Tincup Cocktail, Jess Dellaree and Infamous Caper.

Pedigree: Champion Ocean Runaway was first or second in 17 of 19 lifetime starts, and he earned $1,642,498 to be all-time leading sire First Down Dash’s leading earner. His Grade 1 wins include the Champion of Champions, Golden State Million Futurity and Los Alamitos Million Futurity; he also won the Governor’s Cup Futurity (RG1), PCQHRA Breeders’ Derby (G3) and Z. Wayne Griffin Directors’ Stakes (G3). He was the 2004 champion 2-year-old and champion 2-year-old colt, and the champion 3-year-old colt the following year. From three crops to race, Ocean Runaway has sired 127 winners from 254 starters, including eight stakes winners, and the earners of more than $3.7 million. The sire of champion 2-year-old American Runaway, Ocean Runaway died in 2009.

Dam Los Al Fly is a stakes-placed half sister to Grade 1 winner Finding Nemo ($719,544), and has produced two winners from four starters.

TENTH-FASTEST QUALIFIER: THE PRINTING PRESS
Sorrel gelding, Feature Mr Jess-First Fervor by First Down Dash

The Printing Press qualified with a third-place finish behind Cold Cash 123 and DM Streakn Thru Fire, with a :21.211, which was the 10th-fastest time.

Race Record: 9-1-4-3 $112,899, second Dash For Cash Futurity (G1), second All American Juvenile Invitational (R). Winless in seven starts at 2, The Printing Press nonetheless earned $108,049 last year, largely by running second to A Snowy Cartel in the Dash For Cash Futurity (G1) and to Cold Cash 123 in the All American Juvenile Invitational (R). The gelding broke his maiden on July 18, his first start this year.

Owner: Joe M. Flores owns an oil field service company in Mission, Texas. He has raced horses that have won 60 races in 575 starts and earned more than $749,000. They include Simplify, who won the 1999 Dash For Cash Derby (G1), and 1997 QHBC Championship Classic (G1) winner Naturally A Winner, as well as Grade 3 winner Aglimmer Of Terror.

Breeder: Kirk Goodfellow and L/J Farms have partnered to breed four American Quarter Horses, each out of the First Down Dash mare First Fervor; they include the stakes-placed Furyofthewind mare Imdancingwiththestars ($31,125). A resident of Nacogdoches, Texas, Goodfellow in his own name has bred four stakes winners and the earners of more than $2.5 million, including champion and All American Futurity (G1) winner Heartswideopen. L/J Farms at Alexandria, Louisiana, in its own name has bred four stakes winners and the earners of more than $550,000, including graded stakes winner and Grade 1-placed First To Shine, a full brother to the dam of The Printing Press.

Trainer: Eddie Willis is one of the leading trainers in Oklahoma, where in Grade 1 races he has conditioned two winners of the Heritage Place Futurity, two of the Remington Park Futurity and two of the Heritage Place Derby. He also sent out Capo De Capi to score in this year’s Heritage Place Derby, which was downgraded to Grade 2. Since 1977, Willis has conditioned the earners of more than $17 million.

Qualifying Jockey: Since 1984, Jimmy Brooks has ridden the earners of more than $8.8 million, including winning this year’s Heritage Place Derby (G2) aboard Capo De Capi for trainer Willis. The son of ageless veteran Roy Brooks, Jimmy also scored aboard Streakin Down in last year’s Texas Classic Derby (G1) at Lone Star Park.

Pedigree: Feature Mr Jess (1998, Mr Jess Perry-Brenda Feature by Truckle Feature) won the 2000 Rainbow Futurity (G1) and 2001 Rainbow Derby (G1), and with earnings of $539,327, compiled a race record of 16-7-3-3. The stallion died in 2009. From 575 starters in seven crops raced, Feature Mr Jess has sired four champions, 41 other stakes winners, 334 winners and the earners of more than $15.7 million. With progeny earnings of $1,825,575 to date this year, Feature Mr Jess currently is the fourth-ranked sire of money earners in 2011.

A maiden mare by First Down Dash, First Fervor took one second and two thirds in six starts, for earnings of $4,300. First Fervor is out of the graded stakes-winning Six Fortunes mare Marcy Darling ($40,429), who from nine starters has produced three stakes winners, four other winners and the earners of $909,917. First Fervor is a full sister to champion First To Flash ($494,835) and graded stakes winner First To Shine ($141,622), and a half sister to the stakes-winning Chicks Beduino mare GW Chick ($96,804). First Fervor has produced two winners and the earners of $145,189 from four starters, including the stakes-placed Furyofthewind mare Imdancingwiththestars ($31,125).

The All American Futurity is the world’s richest and most prestigious American Quarter Horse race. Fans can watch the race – and many others – free of charge at www.qracingvideo.com. Q-Racing Video provides users with unlimited access to live and replay simulcast race video of most American Quarter Horse tracks in the United States and Canada. Registration is free. To sign up, go to www.qracingvideo.com.

For complete coverage of All American week at Ruidoso Downs, visit aqharacing.com. Read the September issue of the Q-Racing Journal, the digital publication covering American Quarter Horse racing, for full post-race analysis, available at www.aqharacing.com.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journalor America’s Horse, visit AQHA Publications.

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ALL AMERICAN FUTURITY (G1) PREVIEWS - AUGUST 29

The 2011 All American Futurity (G1) is racing’s richest race for 2-year-olds, regardless of breed, in North America. Run every Labor Day at Ruidoso Downs in the mountain village of Ruidoso, New Mexico, the $2.4 million-est. race will be contested September 5 by 10 2-year-old American Quarter Horses.

The estimated $1.2 million for first place would be a record prize in the sport.

Here are the profiles of two of the finalists in the All American Futurity.

NINTH FASTEST QUALIFIER: BILLS LAST
Sorrel colt, Shazoom-Crystalinas by Beduino (TB)

Breaking his maiden in the 13th trial, Bills Last was much the best with a 1 3/4-length score and a :21.365 time.

Race Record: 3-1-0-1 $2,590. Bills Last, a full brother to Grade 1 winner Azoom ($738,136) and Grade 1-placed Vrrroom ($161,593), was the final horse registered with AQHA while the Association was overseen by AQHA Executive Vice President Bill Brewer before he retired. The next horse registered was named Dons First, as a nod to current AQHA Executive Vice President Don Treadway Jr. Those names were auctioned off at the AQHA convention, with proceeds benefitting AQHA’s employee scholarship program.

Owner: Paul Blanchard of Albuquerque, New Mexico, remembers asking to see Bills Last before last year’s Ruidoso Select Yearling sale.

“I liked everything about his conformation. What I really liked is how good a mind he had.  ... You could tell he was a smart colt.”

That’s important to Blanchard, because he often takes his racehorses to his family’s ranch in Logan, New Mexico, after their careers on the track are over. There, the horses try their hands at barrel racing or roping. In particular, Blanchard was attracted to Bills Last’s bloodlines.

“I had a good horse that was in last year’s Rainbow Derby named Plain Azoom. His sire was Azoom, who is a full brother to Bills Last. I like that breeding, and that mare has been successful.”

Blanchard bought the colt for $47,000. After racing just twice before – in trials for the Ruidoso and Rainbow futurities – Bills Last broke his maiden by winning his trial for the All American Futurity. He ran on a good track, with showery weather.

“He’s learning,” said Blanchard, who has a number of business enterprises, including partial ownership of The Downs at Albuquerque. “He’s understanding how he needs to leave the rest of the horses. It’s OK to get away from them and stretch out.”

Breeder: AQHA Past President Jerry Windham of College Station, Texas, bred and owns 2008 All American Futurity winner Stolis Winner, who was also that year’s world champion. In all, Windham has bred the winners of 931 races (including 86 stakes races) out of 5,719 starts. Windham-bred horses have earned more than $14.2 million. 

Trainer: Carlos Sedillo has trained the winners of 481 winners (including 20 stakes wins) from 3,082 starts. He oversaw Hes Too Icy For Me’s win in the 2010 Rainbow Futurity (G1) and, since 1994, his trainees have earned more than $6.8 million. 

Qualifying Jockey: Eight-time champion jockey G.R. Carter Jr. qualified two horses to the All American Futurity, Jess Cuervo and Bills Last. The sport’s all-time leading money earner, Carter has guided home 3,275 winners from 20,745 starters and earners of more than $54.7 million. He has twice won the All American Futurity – Falling In Loveagain (1998) and Stolis Winner (2008). Carter, who has won 304 stakes, also set the single-season earnings record in 2008, when his mounts earned $5,027,173.

Pedigree: Sire Shazoom was a Grade 1-placed runner and earner of $178,606 on the track. From 12 crops, he has sired the earners of more than $16.9 million, including 471 winners from 698 starters, with 56 stakes winners. His runners include the Windham-bred Azoom, a full brother to Bills Last. Azoom, now owned by a syndicate, is an AQHA Supreme Race Horse with lifetime earnings of $738,136, and a record of 14-11-1-1, including scores in the Texas Classic Futurity (G1), Sam Houston Futurity (G1) and the TQHA Sale Futurity (RG1). Another full sibling bred by Windham is Vrrroom, who won the Los Alamitos $2 Million Juvenile Invitational on the way to career earnings of $161,593.

Bills Last’s dam, Crystalinas, also produced Special Crys, by Special Effort, who notched seven wins (two stakes) out of 31 starts, with earnings of $95,190. By Beduino (TB) and out of Miss Fast Chic, she is a full sister to Windham’s stakes-winning Runaway Winner (SI 105, $369,410), a world-champion sire whose get have earned more than $13.7 million.
 
TENTH FASTEST QUALIFIER: MR EASE 123
Brown gelding, Holland Ease-Barbs Beduino 123 by Chicks Beduino

Racing in the ninth trial, Mr Ease 123 was second by a neck to Lethal Volt, with a time of :21.395. He held on to be the 10th-fastest qualifier.

Race Record: 3-0-2-0 $1,630. A maiden, Mr Ease 123 opened his career in the Heritage Place Futurity (G1) trials, then was second in his Rainbow Futurity (G1) trial to qualifier Hez Our Secret.

Owner/Breeder: Carolyn Bay of Clare, Michigan, races horses in her own name and in the name of her T Bill Stables – named in honor of her first horse. Her runners include two-time Grade 1 winner Cold Cash 123 and Grade 3 winner Fanci Ending 123. Cold Cash 123, the Rainbow Derby (G1) winner, is the fastest qualifier to the All American Derby (G1).

“Believe me, this is an excited place,” Bay said from her farm in Clare, where both her qualifiers were foaled.

Mr Ease 123 is a homebred out of her homebred mare Barbs Beduino 123.

“This doesn’t make a bit of difference, they don’t have to be beautiful to run,” Bay said. “But he happens to be just a beautiful 2-year-old. He happens to be one of my favorites. He’s been good-looking and a dominant baby ever since he was born.”

Mr Ease 123 got his name when farm helper and volunteer Joan Roberts, who loves to help with the newborn foals, brought her non-horsey husband, Mike Roberts, out to see the foals. Joan reported that Mike really liked the colt, and so Bay added his initials – MR.

The “123” designation at the end of the horses’ names indicates an old family story – when Bay’s parents began dating, they did not have the approval of their families, so they used the numbers as a code for “I love you.” It became part of the family lore and part of the horses’ names.

Trainer: Dwayne “Sleepy” Gilbreath, a member of Ruidoso Downs Racehorse Hall of Fame, trained world champion Refrigerator to his 1990 All American Futurity win, and On A High to win the 1983 All American Futurity. His trainees have earned more than $22.6 million, with 1,335 winners from 6,868 starters. He has the bookend qualifiers for the All American Futurity – fastest qualifier Ochoa and 10th-fastest qualifier Mr Ease 123 – as well as the All American Derby (G1) fastest qualifier Cold Cash 123.

Qualifying Jockey: Reigning champion jockey Jacky Martin returned to race riding in a big way in 2010, jumping in with year-end earnings of $3.2 million and the champion jockey award. The seven-time All American Futurity-winning jockey, who rode his first official races in 1972, has ridden 2,968 winners from 14,344 starters and the earners of more than $46.4 million. Martin also qualified Ochoa, Tee Cos and Denver Pass.

Pedigree: Sire Holland Ease is a 22-year-old son of First Down Dash and the sire of Corona Cartel (who sired four of the All American Futurity finalists). A Grade 1 winner on the track, Holland Ease from 16 crops has sired the earners of more than $11.7 million. They include 367 winners from 617 starters, 41 stakes winners and champion Haulin Pass.

Barbs Beduino 123 is a homebred for Bay, and like All American Derby fastest qualifier Cold Cash 123, traces to the stock that was owned by Walter and Barbara Conley of Remus, Michigan. Bay bought and was given horses from their program, including Tiny Lou Etta. The Tiny’s Gay mare is the third dam of both Mr Ease 123 and Cold Cash 123. Barbs Beduino 123 is named in honor of Barbara, who picked the filly out as her favorite of that year’s crop.

The winning Chicks Beduino mare has produced three winners from four starters, including stakes winner Shadaisy 123 (by Shazoom, $60,203).

The All American Futurity is the world’s richest and most prestigious American Quarter Horse race. Fans can watch the race – and many others – free of charge at www.qracingvideo.com. Q-Racing Video provides users with unlimited access to live and replay simulcast race video of most American Quarter Horse tracks in the United States and Canada. Registration is free. To sign up, go to www.qracingvideo.com.

For complete coverage of All American week at Ruidoso Downs, visit aqharacing.com. Read the September issue of the Q-Racing Journal, the digital publication covering American Quarter Horse racing, for full post-race analysis, available at aqharacing.com.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journalor America’s Horse, visit AQHA Publications.

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ALL AMERICAN FUTURITY FASTEST QUALIFIER LANDS IN NATIONAL POLL

Q-Racing Journal, August 24, 2011– Ochoa made a big statement in last Thursday’s trials for the All American Futurity (G1), and the fastest qualifier for the sport’s ultimate prize was rewarded with a No. 5 national ranking in the latest AQHA Racing-Horseplayernow.com National Top 10 poll for 2-year-olds. With a time of :21.074, Ochoa streaked into the national picture and could contend for the No. 1 spot if he follows suit and adds the All American Futurity final on Labor Day.

Ochoa was the only All American Futurity finalist to crack the Top 10 juvenile poll this week, which continues to be led by West Coast-based ace and two-time Grade 1 winner Separate Fire and Heritage Place Futurity (G1) winner High Rate Of Return. The latter got his first career defeat in four starts when he was a close second in his All American Futurity trial. Another upset in the trials included a second-place finish by Mighty B Valiant, who subsequently dropped two spots in the rankings this week to No. 6.

As for the older horses, Rainbow Derby (G1) champ Cold Cash 123 continued his hot summer by posting the fastest qualifying time to the upcoming All American Derby (G1). The $1.3 million final, the sport’s richest race for older horses, is set for September 4. The trial win propelled Cold Cash 123 up one spot this week to No. 2 in the national rankings, now trailing only Remington Park Championship winner Rylees Boy. DM Streakn Thru Fire finished second to Cold Cash 123 in their All American Derby trial showdown and the Rainbow Derby third-place finisher earned the No. 8 spot in this week’s poll.

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 2-YEAR-OLDS:

1.   SEPARATE FIRE (88)
2.   HIGH RATE OF RETURN (72)
3.   FEATURE MR BOJANGLES (71)
4.   SILVER FOR ME (51)
5.   OCHOA (50)
6.   MIGHTY B VALIANT (39)
7.   OSBALDO (26)
8.   JESS TEE OFF (21)
9.   ADOLPH TRES KNOCKOUT (19)
10. SIZZLIN CARTEL (11)

Jess Cuervo (10), Lotta Love For Robyn (8), Tee Cos (7), The Long Knife (7), Denver Pass (7), JLS Party Wagon (4), Fixin To Fly (3), Back In The Pack (1)

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 3-YEAR-OLDS & UP:

1.   RYLEES BOY (89)
2.   COLD CASH 123 (79)
3.   LOUISIANA SENATOR (72)
4.   CHIVALRY SR (51)
5.   LLANO TELLER (44)
6.   SNITCHER (37)
7.   CAPO DE CAPI (21)
8.   DM STREAKN THRU FIRE (19)
9.   GOOD REASON SA (15)
10. NOCONI (14)

Bodacious Dash (13), JLS Mr Bigtime (11), Prospect To The Top (8), The Louisiana Cartel (7), Teller No Lies (4), Streakin Down (4), Stolis Winner (4), Stylish Jess BR (1), Filthy Fast (1), Spit Curl Diva (1), A Tincup Cocktail (1)

The nine voters are:

Ed Burgart (Los Alamitos announcer/handicapper)
Martha Claussen (Q-Racing Ace, writer/handicapper)
Mike Cusortelli (writer/handicapper)
Tom Dawson (Q-Racing Ace, network television producer)
Dale Day (Remington Park announcer/handicapper)
Jerry Shottenkirk (Q-Racing Ace, handicapper/oddsmaker)
Jeremy Plonk (ESPN.com contributor)
Terry Turrell (Horseplayernow.com handicapper)
Ty Wyant (writer, Daily Racing Form and AQHA)

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journalor America’s Horse, visit AQHA Publications.

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Upcoming All American Futurity Trials Feature Leading Vote-Getters

Three of the top four ranked 2-year-olds in the latest AQHARacing.com-Horseplayernow.com National Top 10 polls are entered in Thursday’s trials for the All American Futurity (G1) at Ruidoso Downs. Among the 26 jam-packed trials will be appearances by No. 2-ranked High Rate Of Return (Trial 21), No. 3 Feature Mr Bojangles (Trial 19) and No. 4 Mighty B Valiant (Trial 1). The All American Futurity hopefuls also include this week’s No. 10-ranked runner, The Long Knife (Trial 16).

There was little change to the 2-year-old rankings this week, as West Coast-based Separate Fire remained on top and awaits lucrative challenges at Los Alamitos this fall. Pollsters shuffled the positions this week for No. 6 Osbaldo and No. 7 Adolph Tres Knockout in the only minor shift among the juveniles.

The older-horse rankings remained unchanged at the top, as Rylees Boy continues his hold on the top spot once again this week. Noconi edged back into the poll at No. 10, nosing out last week’s No. 10 Prospect To The Top, for the final spot in this week’s rankings. Among the top-rated older horses competing in Friday’s trials to the All American Derby (G1) at Ruidoso will be No. 3-ranked Cold Cash 123 and No. 6 Llano Teller.

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 2-YEAR-OLDS

1. SEPARATE FIRE (89)
2. HIGH RATE OF RETURN (77)
3. FEATURE MR BOJANGLES (73)
4. MIGHTY B VALIANT (57)
5. SILVER FOR ME (56)
6. OSBALDO (30)
7. ADOLPH TRES KNOCKOUT (27)
8. JESS TEE OFF (29)
9. SIZZLIN CARTEL (18)
10. THE LONG KNIFE (17)

Illtacmanhattan (6), JLS Party Wagon (6), Fixin To Fly (4), Back In The Pack (2), Kindly Fellow (2), Triple Vodka (1), Oceanik (1)

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 3-YEAR-OLDS & UP

1. RYLEES BOY (89)
2. LOUISIANA SENATOR (78)
3. COLD CASH 123 (74)
4. CHIVALRY SR (51)
5. SNITCHER (42)
6. LLANO TELLER (36)
7. CAPO DE CAPI (30)
8. GOOD REASON SA (20)
9. BODACIOUS DASH (16)
10. NOCONI (13)

Prospect To The Top (12), The Louisiana Cartel (7), Stylish Jess BR (5), Stolis Winner (5), DM Streakin Thru Fire (5), Streakin Down (4), Filthy Fast (3), Hot Hitter (2), Freighttrain B (1), JLS Mr Bigtime (1), Acorn (1), A Tincup Cocktail

The nine voters are:

• Ed Burgart (Los Alamitos announcer/handicapper)
• Martha Claussen (AQHA Q-Racing Aces/writer/handicapper)
• Mike Cusortelli (writer/handicapper)
• Tom Dawson (network television producer)
• Dale Day (Remington Park announcer/handicapper)
• Jerry Shottenkirk (handicapper/oddsmaker)
• Jeremy Plonk (ESPN.com contributor)
• Terry Turrell (Horseplayernow.com handicapper)
• Ty Wyant (writer, Daily Racing Form and AQHA)

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journalor America’s Horse, visit AQHA Publications.

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Watch All American Trials Free on Q-Racing Video

The trials for the 2011 All American Futurity (G1) and All American Derby (G1) are Thursday, August 18 and 19, respectively, at Ruidoso Downs, and they can be viewed free on Q-Racing Video at qracingvideo.com.

The $2.4 million-est. All American Futurity is racing’s richest race for 2-year-olds, regardless of breed. Run every Labor Day at Ruidoso Downs in the mountain village of Ruidoso, New Mexico, the race will be contested by 10 2-year-old American Quarter Horses on September 5. The estimated $1.2 million for first place would be a record prize in the sport. The 26 trials for the race will begin at 9 a.m. MST.

The 10 trials for the $1.2 million-est. All American Derby (G1) are August 19, and first post at the track is at noon. The final is September 4.

Q-Racing Video is a free service that allows users to watch unlimited live and replay racing from almost every American Quarter Horse track in the United States and Canada. Tracks that export an approved simulcast signal are included in the service.

Users can switch from track to track while watching live feeds or search though replay videos by date, track or horse. Each race’s full card is displayed on screen with detailed information in each horse’s entry.

With a single click, users can view all of a horse’s past starts and then watch the video replay of any of those races. Fans also have one-click access to a simplified past performance of each horse. Handicappers will have instant access to scratches, jockey changes and track conditions. The interface includes results and payouts of all replay races.

Q-Racing Video is designed for all horse-racing fans, from newcomers to experienced players. Free handicapping and wagering guides are available, all written by professional handicappers. The service even integrates Night School, Horse Player NOW’s weekly online handicapping class.

Fans can visit www.qracingvideo.com and complete a free registration by clicking the “New to our system” option at the bottom of the page. This will allow access to unlimited live and replay races from all available tracks.

Q-Racing Video is not a gambling service; users may not wager in any way.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journalor America’s Horse, visit AQHA Publications.

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ANOTHER SUPREME RACE HORSE
Champion Leading Spirit gets his AQHA Supreme Race Horse title.

The Q-Racing Journal, August 12, 2011 – Champion Leading Spirit earned his AQHA Supreme Race Horse award in 2008, although due to a clerical error, he was only recently awarded his trophy. The honor is given by AQHA to a horse that during its racing career earns $500,000 or more and wins at least 10 races, including two or more open Grade 1 stakes races. 



Leading Spirit is a 2003 gelding by Special Leader out of the Special Task mare Sandras Task.



Bred by Dr. Barry Thompson of West, Texas, he is co-owned by Thompson and Dan and Jolene Urschel.



Leading Spirit won 10 of 19 starts, finished second three times and third four times, with earnings of $811,413 in a career that spanned 2005-2008. 



The 2005 champion 2-year-old gelding won five stakes, including the Grade 1 West Texas, Ruidoso and Rainbow futurities. He also won the 2007 First Down Dash Handicap (G3) and 2008 Bank of America California Championship Challenge (G2).



Leading Spirit also finished second in the 2007 Go Man Go Handicap (G1) and 2008 Independence Day Handicap (G3). He was third in the 2007 California Championship Challenge (G2) and Z. Wayne Griffin Director’s Stakes, and was a finalist in the 2007 Los Alamitos Invitational Championship (G1). 



The Supreme Race Horse award is recorded by hand, and Leading Spirit’s award was overlooked. AQHA apologizes to Dr. Thompson, the Urschels and Leading Spirit's connections for the oversight.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journalor America’s Horse, visit AQHA Publications.

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POLL REMAINS FIRM FOR SECOND STRAIGHT WEEK

Q-Racing Journal, August 11, 2011 – Pollsters played a pat hand this week and made no changes to the AQHA Racing-Horseplayernow.com National Top 10 polls. The top of the industry remains Separate Fire among the juveniles and Rylees Boy among the older horses. Last weekend’s major stakes winners at Ruidoso, Valiant Jess (John Deere Ruidoso Juvenile Challenge) and Time For A Cigar (Mr Jet Moore Handicap (G3)), were unable to dent their respective Top 10 rankings.

Expect major changes to the polls in the coming weeks as entries will be taken this Saturday for the All American Futurity (G1) trials, to be held Thursday, August 18. Entries for the All American Derby (G1) trials close Sunday, with trials day slated for Friday, August 19, at Ruidoso Downs. Finals for those defining American Quarter Horse racing fixtures are slated for their traditional Labor Day weekend slot. 



NATIONAL RANKINGS, 2-YEAR-OLDS:



1.   SEPARATE FIRE (87) 

2.   HIGH RATE OF RETURN (75)
3.   FEATURE MR BOJANGLES (69) 

4.   MIGHTY B VALIANT (58) 

5.   SILVER FOR ME (57)
6.   ADOLPH TRES KNOCKOUT (32) 

7.   OSBALDO (30) 

8.   JESS TEE OFF (23) 

9.   SIZZLIN CARTEL (20)
10. THE LONG KNIFE (17)



Illtacmanhattan (6), JLS Party Wagon (6), Fixin To Fly (4), Ranch Candy (3), Back In The Pack (3), Kindly Fellow (2), Preacher James (1), Triple Vodka (1), Oceanik (1) 



NATIONAL RANKINGS, 3-YEAR-OLDS & UP:



1.   RYLEES BOY (89) 

2.   LOUISIANA SENATOR (78) 

3.   COLD CASH 123 (73)
4.   CHIVALRY SR (39) 

5.   SNITCHER (38) 

6.   LLANO TELLER (35) 

7.   CAPO DE CAPI (27)
8.   GOOD REASON SA (23) 

9.   BODACIOUS DASH (21) 

10. PROSPECT TO THE TOP

(14) 

Noconi (13), Streakin Down (10), Freighttrain B (8), The Louisiana Cartel (7), Stylish Jess BR (5), DM Streakn Thru Fire (5), Stolis Winner (3), Hot Hitter (3), JLS Mr Bigtime (2), Acorn (1), A Tincup Cocktail (1) 



The nine voters are:


Ed Burgart (Los Alamitos announcer/handicapper) 

Martha Claussen (Q-Racing Ace, writer/handicapper) 

Mike Cusortelli (writer/handicapper)
Tom Dawson (Q-Racing Ace, network television producer) 

Dale Day (Remington Park announcer/handicapper) 

Jerry Shottenkirk (Q-Racing Ace, handicapper/oddsmaker)
Jeremy Plonk (ESPN.com contributor) 

Terry Turrell (Horseplayernow.com handicapper) 

Ty Wyant (writer, Daily Racing Form and AQHA)

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journalor America’s Horse, visit AQHA Publications.

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THREE NEW FACES USHER IN AUGUST’S NATIONAL RANKINGS

Q-Racing Journal, August 3, 2011– The first AQHA Racing-Horseplayernow.com National Top-10 polls for August saw no changes among the 2-year-olds, but three new runners earned high marks among pollsters in the older-horse ranks. The national leaders remain two-time Grade 1 futurity winner Separate Fire among the juveniles and Remington Park Invitational Championship (G1) winner Rylees Boy among 3-year-olds and older horses.

This week’s movers and shakers among the older horses included Chivalry SR, who debuted in the poll at No. 4. The Adan Farias trainee shattered Los Alamitos’ 400-yard track record Saturday night when he stopped the clock in :19.067 in the Spencer Childers California Breeders’ Championship (RG1). Among those in his Spencer Childers wake were former world champion Freaky, who finished second, and this week’s No. 5-ranked older horse Snitcher, who was third.

Capo De Capi, capping a five-race win streak in the July 23 SpeedHorse Gold and Silver Cup Derby (G3), re-emerged in the poll this week at No. 7, while Rainbow Derby (G1) runner-up Bodacious Dash rose to No. 9 this week.

As for the 2-year-olds, there were no changes among the top 10 horses, though pollsters did flip the horses ranked at Nos. 4 and 5, and 7 and 8.

National Rankings, 2-Year-Olds:

1.   Separate Fire (87)

2.   High Rate Of Return (75)

3.   Feature Mr Bojangles (69)

4    Mighty B Valiant (58)

5.   Silver For Me (57)

6.   Adolph Tres Knockout (32)

7.   Osbaldo (30)

8.   Jess Tee Off (23)

9.   Sizzlin Cartel (20)

10. The Long Knife (17)

Illtacmanhattan (6), JLS Party Wagon (6), Fixin To Fly (4), Ranch Candy (3), Back In The Pack (3), Kindly Fellow (2), Preacher James (1), Triple Vodka (1), Oceanik (1)

National Rankings, 3-Year-Olds & Up:

1.   Rylees Boy (89)

2.   Louisiana Senator (78)

3.   Cold Cash 123 (73)

4.   Chivalry Sr (39)

5.   Snitcher (38)

6.   Llano Teller (35)

7.   Capo De Capi (27)

8.   Good Reason SA (23)

9.   Bodacious Dash (21)

10. Prospect To The Top (14)

Noconi (13), Streakin Down (10), Freighttrain B (8), The Louisiana Cartel (7), Stylish Jess BR (5), DM Streakin Thru Fire (5), Stolis Winner (3), Hot Hitter (3), JLS Mr Bigtime (2), Acorn (1), A Tincup Cocktail (1)

The nine voters are:

Ed Burgart (Los Alamitos announcer/handicapper)

Martha Claussen (AQHA Q Racing Aces/writer/handicapper)

Mike Cusortelli (writer/handicapper)

Tom Dawson (network television producer)

Dale Day (Remington Park announcer/handicapper)

Jerry Shottenkirk (handicapper/oddsmaker)

Jeremy Plonk (ESPN.com contributor)

Terry Turrell (Horseplayernow.com handicapper)

Ty Wyant (writer, Daily Racing Form and AQHA)

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journalor America’s Horse, visit AQHA Publications.

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For Immediate Release:

RAINBOW WINNERS EARN NO. 3 NATIONAL RANKINGS

Q-Racing Journal, July 27, 2011– Last weekend’s Grade 1 Rainbow Futurity and Derby winners both were rewarded with No. 3 positions in their respective AQHA Racing-Horseplayernow.com National Top 10 polls, announced today. Futurity champ Feature Mr Bojangles rose from unranked to his No. 3 perch, while Derby hero Cold Cash 123 climbed five spots this week from a previous No. 8 ranking.

The 2-year-old rankings were shaken some, though top-ranked Separate Fire maintained her place at No. 1 as a two-time major futurity winner at Los Alamitos. Last week’s No. 2, Mighty B Valiant, disappointed in the Rainbow Futurity as the heavy favorite and slid three spots this week to No. 5. The week’s other noticeable change in the juvenile rankings was the debut of The Long Knife at No. 10, who was runner-up to Feature Mr Bojangles on Saturday at Ruidoso Downs.

There were no new faces among the Top 10 older horses this week, though some minor position shuffling took place. The fast-rising Cold Cash 123 now trails only Rylees Boy and Louisiana Senator in the balloting and is the highest-ranked 3-year-old.

Saturday’s California Champions Night program at Los Alamitos could have an impact on both polls in the coming week. Among those in action will be Kindergarten Futurity (G1) finals runner-up Fixin To Fly in the $466,000 Governor’s Cup Futurity (RG2). The nation’s No. 4-ranked older horse this week, Snitcher, also is expected to run Saturday, as well as past world champion Freaky.

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 2-YEAR-OLDS:

1.   SEPARATE FIRE (87)
2.   HIGH RATE OF RETURN (77)
3.   FEATURE MR BOJANGLES (69)
4.   SILVER FOR ME (58)
5.   MIGHTY B VALIANT (56)
6.   ADOLPH TRES KNOCKOUT (35)
7.   JESS TEE OFF (33)
8.   OSBALDO (29)
9.   SIZZLIN CARTEL (22)
10. THE LONG KNIFE (12)

JLS Party Wagon (8), Back In the Pack (6), Ranch Candy (6), Oceanik (5), Illtacmanhattan(3), Kindly Fellow (2) Ima Chickie Too (1), Fixin To Fly (1), Preacher James (1)

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 3-YEAR-OLDS & UP:

1.   RYLEES BOY (89)
2.   LOUISIANA SENATOR (77)
3.   COLD CASH 123 (71)
4.   SNITCHER (52)
5.   LLANO TELLER (46)
6.   GOOD REASON SA (25)
7.   PROSPECT TO THE TOP (20)
8.   NOCONI (13)
9.   JLS MR BIGTIME (11)
10. FREIGHTTRAIN B (10)

Streakin Down (9), Stolis Winner (7), The Louisiana Cartel (7), Stylish Jess BR (5), DM Streakn Thru Fire (4), A Tincup Cocktail (1)

The nine voters are:

Ed Burgart (Los Alamitos announcer/handicapper)

Martha Claussen (Q-Racing Ace, writer/handicapper)

Mike Cusortelli (writer/handicapper)

Tom Dawson (Q-Racing Ace, network television producer)

Dale Day (Remington Park announcer/handicapper)

Jerry Shottenkirk (Q-Racing Ace, handicapper/oddsmaker)

Jeremy Plonk (ESPN.com contributor)

Terry Turrell (Horseplayernow.com handicapper)

Ty Wyant (writer, Daily Racing Form and AQHA)

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journalor America’s Horse, visit AQHA Publications.

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LEADING VOTE-GETTERS SET FOR RAINBOW DATES

Q-Racing Journal, July 21, 2011– Four of the nation’s top-ranked horses in this week’s AQHA Racing-Horseplayernow.com National Top 10 polls will be in action this weekend at Ruidoso Downs in the Grade 1 Rainbow Derby and Futurity. After the 2-year-old rankings stood pat this week, and only one slight shift took place among the older horses, this weekend’s action figures to reshape the rankings by this time next week.

In the latest polling, the juveniles remained firm from No. 1 through 10, headed once again by Separate Fire, the two-time major futurity final winner from Los Alamitos. But No. 2-ranked Mighty B Valiant, headliner in Sunday’s Rainbow Futurity, figures to make a strong case for the top spot with a big performance.

As for the older horses, the top five remained unchanged this week, led by unanimous No. 1 choice Rylees Boy. The week’s only change came when pollsters slid last week’s No. 6 Noconi down four slots to No. 10. Saturday’s Ruidoso Derby figures to have a profound impact on future polls as the nation’s No. 3 (Llano Teller), No. 5 (JLS Mr Bigtime) and No. 8 (Cold Cash 123) ranked horses are all qualified to the star-studded final.

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 2-YEAR-OLDS:

1.   SEPARATE FIRE (88)
2.   MIGHTY B VALIANT (78)
3.   HIGH RATE OF RETURN (77)
4.   SILVER FOR ME (61)
5.   JESS TEE OFF (44)
6.   ADOLPH TRES KNOCKOUT (41)
7.   OSBALDO (34)
8.   SIZZLIN CARTEL (30)
9.   JLS PARTY WAGON (13)
10. BACK IN THE PACK (8)

Sammy James (7), Kindly Fellow (5), Oceanik (3), Ranch Candy (3), Preacher James (2), Fixin To Fly (1)

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 3-YEAR-OLDS & UP:

1.   RYLEES BOY (90)
2.   LOUISIANA SENATOR (80)
3.   LLANO TELLER (67)
4.   SNITCHER (63)
5.   JLS MR BIGTIME (41)
6.   GOOD REASON SA (28)
7.   PROSPECT TO THE TOP (25)
8.   COLD CASH 123 (18)
9.   FREIGHTTRAIN B (15)
10. NOCONI (14)

Capo De Capi (11), Streakin Down (11), The Louisiana Cartel (8), Fly Corona (6), Stolis Winner (5), Stylish Jess BR (4), A Tincup Cocktail (3), Freaky (1), Strike It Quick (1)

The nine voters are:

Ed Burgart (Los Alamitos announcer/handicapper)

Martha Claussen (Q-Racing Ace, writer/handicapper)

Mike Cusortelli (writer/handicapper)

Tom Dawson (Q-Racing Ace, network television producer)

Dale Day (Remington Park announcer/handicapper)

Jerry Shottenkirk (Q-Racing Ace, handicapper/oddsmaker)

Jeremy Plonk (ESPN.com contributor)

Terry Turrell (Horseplayernow.com handicapper)

Ty Wyant (writer, Daily Racing Form and AQHA)

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journalor America’s Horse, visit AQHA Publications.

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MIGHTY B VALIANT INCHES CLOSER TO TOP SPOT

The American Quarter Horse Journal, July 13, 2011 – Last week’s fastest qualifier for the Rainbow Futurity (G1), Mighty B Valiant, moved up one spot in the latest AQHA Racing-Horseplayernow.com National Top 10 poll for 2-year-olds to No. 2 nationally this week. Mighty B Valiant figures to make a strong case for Separate Fire’s No. 1 spot when he returns for the July 24 final at Ruidoso Downs.

The nation’s top five juveniles remained otherwise unchanged with High Rate Of Return, Silver For Me and Jess Tee Off maintaining lofty perches. The poll’s only newcomer this week among the 2-year-olds was Ruidoso Futurity (G1) runner-up Back In The Pack, who checked in at No. 10 following a non-qualifying Rainbow Futurity trial win.

As for the older horses, two horses jumped into the Top 10 this week, including Higheasterjet Handicap (G3) champ Noconi at No. 6 and Rainbow Derby (G1) fastest qualifier Cold Cash 123 at No. 9. Both are in pursuit of Rylees Boy, who this week secured his lone missing No. 1 vote and became a unanimous top choice among pollsters.

Cold Cash 123 turned in the performance of the week by winning his Rainbow Derby trial over the likes of No. 5 JLS Mr Bigtime and American Runaway, last year’s champion 2-year-old.

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 2-YEAR-OLDS:

1.   SEPARATE FIRE (88)
2.   MIGHTY B VALIANT (78)
3.   HIGH RATE OF RETURN (77)
4.   SILVER FOR ME (61)
5.   JESS TEE OFF (44)
6.   ADOLPH TRES KNOCKOUT (41)
7.   OSBALDO (34)
8.   SIZZLIN CARTEL (30)
9.   JLS PARTY WAGON (13)
10. BACK IN THE PACK (8)

Sammy James (7), Kindly Fellow (5), Oceanik (3), Ranch Candy (3), Preacher James (2), Fixin To Fly (1)

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 3-YEAR-OLDS & UP:

1.   RYLEES BOY (90)
2.   LOUISIANA SENATOR (77)
3.   LLANO TELLER (71)
4.   SNITCHER (55)
5.   JLS MR BIGTIME (41)
6.   NOCONI (26)
7.   GOOD REASON SA (25)
8.   PROSPECT TO THE TOP (20)
9.   COLD CASH 123 (17)
10. FREIGHTTRAIN B (13)

Streakin Down (12), Capo De Capi (10), Stolis Winner (9), The Louisiana Cartel (8), Dominyun (4), Stylish Jess BR (4), A Tincup Cocktail (3), Freaky (1), Fearles Fred (1)

The nine voters are:

Ed Burgart (Los Alamitos announcer/handicapper)

Martha Claussen (Q-Racing Ace, writer/handicapper)

Mike Cusortelli (writer/handicapper)

Tom Dawson (Q-Racing Ace, network television producer)

Dale Day (Remington Park announcer/handicapper)

Jerry Shottenkirk (Q-Racing Ace, handicapper/oddsmaker)

Jeremy Plonk (ESPN.com contributor)

Terry Turrell (Horseplayernow.com handicapper)

Ty Wyant (writer, Daily Racing Form and AQHA)

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journalor America’s Horse, visit AQHA Publications.

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RACING JOURNAL GOES DIGITAL

The American Quarter Horse Journal, July 13, 2011– AQHA will debut a brand-new digital magazine, the Q-Racing Journal, targeting the Association’s racing owners, breeders and fans. The digital magazine will be available at www.aqharacing.com, and its inaugural issues will be free – open to everyone, not just subscribers.

Q-Racing Journal, a monthly digital publication dedicated to coverage of the American Quarter Horse racing industry, will feature news, history, industry topics and race statistics.

In addition to the digital magazine, racing fans will now have free access to the Association’s Q-Racing Videoservice. Q-Racing Video is a website that allows users to watch unlimited live and replay racing from almost every American Quarter Horse track in the United States and Canada. Tracks that export an approved simulcast signal are included in the service. Read more about Q-Racing Video.

“We believe that with the mobility of the racing community, a digital racing publication – that features links to races and information on Q-Racing Video – makes the most sense, then our American Quarter Horse racing enthusiasts can access the information they need from where they are – from Fort Erie to Los Alamitos,” said AQHA Senior Director of Marketing and Communications Jim Bret Campbell. “Eliminating the expenses of paper, printing and postage allows us to provide a beefier racing-oriented publication that contains the stories, information and statistics, as well as access to live and archived races, that our readers have told us they want, as well as affordable advertising for the racing industry.”

Another advantage to producing a digital racing publication is that AQHA will be able to better tie each issue of the magazine to the events – races and sales – that are going on at the time of publication.

The American Quarter Horse Journal has featured American Quarter Horse racing since its inception. In 1988, the Quarter Racing Journal was launched as a stand-alone publication. Later renamed The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal, the award-winning magazine returned to the Journal in 2010.

For advertising opportunities, contact Racing Account Executive Jim Persinger at (806) 378-4386 or email at jpersinger@aqha.org.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journalor America’s Horse, visit AQHA Publications.

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DELTA FIREWORKS BOOST TWO NEW JUVENILES INTO NATIONAL POLL

The American Quarter Horse Journal, July 7, 2011 – Sizzlin Cartel set a 350-yard track record in Saturday’s Firecracker Futurity (G2) at Delta Downs, earning him a No. 8 ranking in the latest AQHA Racing-Horseplayernow.com National Top 10 poll for 2-year-olds. He was one of two Delta Downs-based juveniles to make a national splash this week, joining Sunday’s Lee Berwick Memorial Futurity (RG1) winner Little Bit Trashy, who debuted at No. 10.

Sizzlin Cartel lowered the 350-yard standard to :17.218 behind a romping, 1 1/2-length win in the Firecracker Futurity. Runner-up in the Harrah’s Entertainment Futurity (G3) final at Louisiana Downs earlier this year, Sizzlin Cartel has now won three of five lifetime starts.

Little Bit Trashy set a Lee Berwick Memorial Futurity stakes-record time of :17.231 for 350 yards, winning for the third time in four career starts while taking on fellow Louisiana-bred runners.

Meanwhile, this Friday’s Rainbow Futurity (G1) trials at Ruidoso Downs will feature three of the top-ranked juveniles in the nation in this week’s poll, No. 3 Mighty B Valiant, No. 4 Silver For Me and No. 9 JLS Party Wagon. Separate Fire maintains the top spot in the 2-year-old poll as July is unveiled, while Rylees Boy remained No. 1 among pollsters in the rankings for horses 3 and older.

The only minor changes in the poll for older horses this week came when Capo De Capi dropped just outside the Top 10, raising No. 9 Streakin Down and No. 10 Stolis Winner up a spot, respectively, from a week ago. A victory by former world champion Freaky in Los Alamitos’ Independence Day Handicap was not enough for pollsters to return him to the national Top 10 this week.

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 2-YEAR-OLDS:

1.   SEPARATE FIRE (89)
2.   HIGH RATE OF RETURN (79)
3.   MIGHTY B VALIANT (73)
4.   SILVER FOR ME (62)
5.   JESS TEE OFF (47)
6.   ADOLPH TRES KNOCKOUT (39)
7.   OSBALDO (23)
8.   SIZZLIN CARTEL (22)
9.   JLS PARTY WAGON (17)
10. LITTLE BIT TRASHY (9)
 
Back In The Pack (8), Sammy James (5), Fixin To Fly (4), Ranch Candy (4), Ochoa (3), Fire Moon Lady (2), Preacher James (1), Feature Mr Bojangles (1)

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 3-YEAR-OLDS & UP:

1.   RYLEES BOY (89)
2.   LOUISIANA SENATOR (77)
3.   LLANO TELLER (70)
4.   SNITCHER (46)
5.   JLS MR BIGTIME (35)
6.   GOOD REASON SA (31)
7.   PROSPECT TO THE TOP (29)
8.   FREIGHTTRAIN B (28)
9.   STREAKIN DOWN (22)
10. STOLIS WINNER (15)

Capo De Capi (14), Noconi (11), The Louisiana Cartel (8), Fredaville (7), Stylish Jess BR (4), A Tincup Cocktail (3), Strike It Quick (3), Texas Icon (2), Freaky (1), PK Fire (1)

The nine voters are:

Ed Burgart (Los Alamitos announcer/handicapper)

Martha Claussen (Q-Racing Ace, writer/handicapper)

Mike Cusortelli (writer/handicapper)

Tom Dawson (Q-Racing Ace, network television producer)

Dale Day (Remington Park announcer/handicapper)

Jerry Shottenkirk (Q-Racing Ace, handicapper/oddsmaker)

Jeremy Plonk (ESPN.com contributor)

Terry Turrell (Horseplayernow.com handicapper)

Ty Wyant (writer, Daily Racing Form and AQHA)

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journalor America’s Horse, visit AQHA Publications.

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HOT FIRECRACKER WEEKEND AT DELTA

The American Quarter Horse Journal, June 30, 2011 – Executive Miss Dash and One Famous Brioni, the top two qualifiers and one-two finishers in their trial, are set for a rematch in the $297,077 Firecracker Futurity (G2) during a stakes-filled Fourth of July weekend at Delta Downs.
   
The 350-yard Firecracker Futurity is joined by the $133,045 Firecracker Derby on Saturday as Louisiana-breds highlight Sunday’s card in the $458,180 Lee Berwick Memorial Futurity (RG1) on Sunday.
   
Albert Vera Jr.’s Executive Miss Dash (Executive Menace-Miss Ryon Dash by Dash For Destiny) raced to her third win from four starts with the game win over the promising One Famous Brioni in their trial. The Erika Huitron-trained Executive Miss Dash fought for the lead in her trial and prevailed by a neck with a :17.577 time for the 350 yards.
   
The only blemish on Executive Miss Dash’s record is a second-place finish in the John Deere Sam Houston Juvenile Challenge (G3) two starts ago on May 14. She finished three quarters of a length behind Pandorum as the 5-2 second choice.
   
Mary Thompson’s One Famous Brioni (Mr Jess Perry-One Famous Lady by Chicks Beduino) is still a maiden after two starts, however the half brother to champion One Famous Eagle has a large upside. The Larry Kopycinski-trained colt was a late-running third in his career debut and then came back to finish well in his trial with the second-fastest time of :17.608.
   
J.E. Jumonville Jr.’s homebred Sizzlin Cartel (Corona For Me-In His Dreams by Apollo (TB)) was second in the Harrah’s Entertainment Futurity (G3) at Louisiana Downs in his second career start and has stepped up with a pair of wins at Delta Downs. He won his Firecracker trial by three quarters of a length with the third-fastest time of :17.614 for trainer Justin Dehart.
   
Mercy Hinkin’s homebred Feature Mr Alliance (Feature Mr Jess-Valentine Alliance by Holland Ease) looks for his first stakes win as the fastest qualifier to the Firecracker Futurity. The gelding won the first of three trials by a length and stopped the clock in :19.557 for the 400 yards.
   
The Kenneth Roberts-trained Feature Mr Alliance returned from a layoff two starts ago and prepared for the Firecracker Derby trials with a win in a conditioned allowance race.
   
Feature Mr Alliance will be challenged by Vera’s Executive Precision (Executive Menace-Miss Ryon Dash by Dash For Destiny), a full brother to Firecracker Futurity fastest-qualifier Executive Miss Dash. He raced to his fifth win in his 15th start when he won his trial by a half length with the second-fastest time of :19.605.
   
In the Lee Berwick Futurity, with a purse exceeding the Firecracker Futurity and Firecracker Derby combined, fastest-qualifier Jessalittlecourage meets three horses from the Janet VanBebber barn.
   
Joseph Landreneau’s Jessalittlecourage (Jess Louisiana Blue-Faith And Courage by Stoli) raced to her third-straight win when she won her trial by 1 1/4 lengths in :17.408 for the 350 yards. She easily opened up 2 lengths before cruising under the wire with the easy score.
   
The Alvin Smith Jr.-trained Jessalittlecourage impressed in the Louisiana Breeders Lassie Futurity (RG2) two starts ago when she set a new 330-yard track record of :16.354 while winning by 1 1/2 lengths.
   
VanBebber is represented by second-fastest qualifier Little Bit Trashy (Game Patriot-Della Loom by Streakin La Jolla), fourth-fastest qualifier Unquestionable (Oak Tree Special-Real Or Imagined by Dash For Cash) and fifth-fastest qualifier Tachas Got Game (Game Patriot-Tacha La Jolla by Streakin La Jolla).
   
Robert Latham’s Little Bit Trashy won his trial by 1 1/4 lengths with a time in :17.493 after winning his maiden two starts ago.
   
Patrick Huckman’s Unquestionable won her maiden two starts ago and then was second in her Berwick trial with a time of :17.645.
   
Pete Scarmardo’s Tachas Got Game scored his second-straight win when he won his Berwick trial by a neck in :17.659.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journalor America’s Horse, visit AQHA Publications.

-30-

For Immediate Release:

SEPARATE FIRE BLAZES TO NO. 1 IN NATIONAL RANKINGS

The American Quarter Horse Journal, June 29, 2011 – Separate Fire, the season’s first two-time major futurity final winner, earned the No. 1 ranking this week in the latest AQHARacing.com / Horseplayernow.com National Top 10 poll for 2-year-olds. Heroine of Sunday night’s Grade 1 Ed Burke Million Futurity at Los Alamitos, Separate Fire added to her trophy case that already included a record-setting win in the Kindergarten Futurity.

Separate Fire moved up three slots from a previous No. 4 national ranking, supplanting Heritage Place Futurity champion High Rate Of Return atop the poll. The only other movement in the juvenile rankings was the return of Pandorum at No. 10 this week.

The top of the rankings for older horses remained unchanged this week as Remington Park Invitational winner Rylees Boy continued his reign at No. 1. The only major change to the poll for older horses occurred when Streakin Down re-entered this week at No. 10.

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 2-YEAR-OLDS:

1.    SEPARATE FIRE (87)
2.    HIGH RATE OF RETURN (80)
3.    MIGHTY B VALIANT (71)
4.    SILVER FOR ME (68)
5.    JESS TEE OFF (47)
6.    ADOLPH TRES KNOCKOUT (37)
7.    OSBALDO (33)
8.    JLS PARTY WAGON (28)
9.    SAMMY JAMES (11)
10.  PANDORUM (10)
 
Back In the Pack (5), Fixin To Fly (4), Ochoa (3), Fire Moon Lady (2), Preacher James (2), Kindly Fellow (1), Feature Mr Bojangles (1), Massima (1)

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 3-YEAR-OLDS & UP:

1.    RYLEES BOY (89)
2.    LOUISIANA SENATOR (78)
3.    LLANO TELLER (60)
4.    SNITCHER (41)
5.    JLS MR BIGTIME (40)
6.    GOOD REASON SA (39)
7.    PROSPECT TO THE TOP (33)
8.    FREIGHTTRAIN B (28)
9.    CAPO DE CAPI (19)
10.  STREAKIN DOWN (14)

Stolis Winner (11), A Tincup Cocktail (10), The Louisiana Cartel (8), Dominyun (7), Stylish Jess BR (6), Strike It Quick (4), Texas Icon (2), Fredaville (1), PK Fire (1)

The nine voters are:

Ed Burgart (Los Alamitos announcer/handicapper)

Martha Claussen (AQHA Q Racing Aces/writer/handicapper)

Mike Cusortelli (writer/handicapper)

Tom Dawson (network television producer)

Dale Day (Remington Park announcer/handicapper)

Jerry Shottenkirk (handicapper/oddsmaker)

Jeremy Plonk (ESPN.com contributor)

Terry Turrell (Horseplayernow.com handicapper)

Ty Wyant (writer, Daily Racing Form and AQHA)

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journalor America’s Horse, visit AQHA Publications.

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quarter horse meet will feature record nine stakes

 

New LQHBA Sales Futurity Carries Estimated $290,000 Purse

 

 

NEW ORLEANS (Friday, June 24, 2011) – Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots will offer a record nine stakes races during September’s Summer Quarter Horse Meet, highlighted by the new $290,000 (estimated) Louisiana Quarter Horse Breeders Association Futurity. The 12-day season runs Wednesdays to Saturdays, Sept. 7-24, with a five-stakes extravaganza on Closing Day featuring the LQHBA Futurity.

 

First post during the Quarter Horse meet will be 12:40 p.m. CDT daily.

 

In all, the nine stakes will be worth an estimated $610,000. Last season’s schedule featured five stakes worth $290,000, although Fair Grounds also contributed significantly to the one-day Bank of America Challenge Championships – with 13 stakes worth more than $1.1 million – held here later in the year. In 2009, the Fair Grounds schedule consisted of eight stakes worth $260,000.

FIRE MOON LADY LOOKS FOR ANOTHER BIG WIN IN ED BURKE

The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal, June 23, 2011 – Dutch Masters III’s Fire Moon Lady knocked off a trouble-laden Kindergarten (G1) winner Separate Fire in their trial and will try to do it again when she returns in the $1,126,000 Ed Burke Million Futurity (G1) on Sunday night at Los Alamitos.
    
The 350-yard Ed Burke is the first leg on the Los Alamitos Cash Bonanza. If the Ed Burke Million winner can also win the Golden State Million (G1) and the Los Alamitos Two Million (G1), then that horse’s connections take the $1 million bonus.
    
Fire Moon Lady (Walk Thru Fire-Zevis Lady Love by Zevi (TB)) would give trainer Jaime Gomez his fourth Ed Burke Million win since 2005 if she can back up her fastest-qualifying trial victory with an Ed Burke victory. In that trial, Separate Fire (Walk Thru Fire-Septacular by Separatist) was the overwhelming 1-20 favorite after her impressive Kindergarten victory. Separate Fire got off to a horrific, bumpy start, while Fire Moon Lady sprinted clear of the field.
    
Fire Moon Lady went on to win by three quarters of a length over Oceanik, while Separate Fire made a sensational rally to salvage third place.
    
The trial proved productive, with Fire Moon Lady racing to the fastest time of :17.365 for 350 yards and Oceanik grabbing the eighth-fastest time of :17.500. Separate Fire proved most fortunate by getting into the Ed Burke with the ninth-fastest mark of :17.501.
    
Fire Moon Lady was an 11-1 outsider in the trial after only managing a fourth-place finish in her Kindergarten trial from her two previous starts.
    
Tremor Enterprises’ Separate Fire could gain strong support in Ed Burke Million based on her three-for-three record before her very rough trip in her Ed Burke trial and the fact that she has been the odds-on choice in each of her four efforts.
    
The Paul Jones-trained Separate Fire was the 9-10 choice in the Kindergarten and came through with a half length win to vault into the upper tier of the nation’s juvenile division. She won the Kindergarten in :15.148 for 300 yards after establishing the fastest time ever by a juvenile at Los Alamitos over the distance – :15.100 – while winning her Kindergarten trial.
    
Howard Nichols’ Oceanik (Ocean Runaway-Jess Genuine by Mr Jess Perry) barely held off Separate Fire to finish second in the trial. The Joe “Bear” Bassett-trained colt is a maiden after three starts.
    
Berenisse Gonzalez’s Kindly Fellow (TR Dasher-Kindhearted by Separatist) finished strongly in his Kindergarten trial to win by 1 1/4 lengths and post the second-fastest qualifying mark of :17.383. The member of the Jose Flores barn finished in fourth place in the Kindergarten despite lugging in during the race.
    
David and Ross Hinkins’ third-fastest qualifier Sompin About First (First Down Dash-Sompinlikaglass by Raise Your Glass (TB)) also raced in the Kindergarten, and his seventh-place finish is his sole defeat from four outs. He pulled away to win his Ed Burke trial by 1 1/4 lengths with a :17.386 time.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journalor America’s Horse, visit AQHA Publications.

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WHC QUARTER HORSE HANDICAPPING CONTEST OPENS THIS WEEKEND

The American Quarter Horse Journal, June 22, 2011 – The World Handicapping Championship is hosting the season’s first WHC Quarter Horse Handicapping Contest on Saturday, June 25, sponsored by AQHA Racing. This week’s contest features six American Quarter Horse and four Thoroughbred races at Los Alamitos Race Course, Fair Meadows at Tulsa and Belmont Park.

Entries are available at www.whchamp.com. Each entry is $50 per spot. Each player may purchase a maximum of three spots. For every 25 entries, one person will advance to the WHC Quarter Horse Finals. Players may register immediately. Races will be available for making selections starting Friday evening.

WHC hosted a “Free Play” American Quarter Horse contest at no cost two weeks ago that awarded spots in the national finals to the top four finishers. More than 450 entered.

The American Quarter Horse World Handicapping Championships will be held December 10-11.

For rules and a complete schedule of this season’s WHC Quarter Horse Handicapping Contests, visit the World Handicapping Championship website.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journalor America’s Horse, visit AQHA Publications.

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For Immediate Release:

SNITCHER SOARS TO NO. 4 IN THIS WEEK’S RANKINGS

The American Quarter Horse Journal, June 22, 2011 – By running the second-fastest time in the history of the Vessels Maturity (G1) on Sunday at Los Alamitos, Snitcher made a daunting debut splash in the latest AQHA Racing-Horseplayernow.com National Top 10 poll for older horses. The previously unranked Adan Farias-trainee not only dispatched highly ranked Good Reason SA in the Vessels Maturity but was rewarded with a co-No. 4 national ranking alongside that rival in this week’s polling. Snitcher covered 400 yards in :19.189 in his first Grade 1 victory.

Snitcher earned a berth in the season-ending Champion of Champions (G1) and became one of three new faces in this week’s national rankings. Also back in the top 10 this week for older horses is Stolis Winner at No. 10, as AQHA’s all-time leading money earner has been hovering on the edge of the rankings much of the season.

Among the national 2-year-old rankings, Mountain Top Futurity (R) winner Sammy James earned the No. 9 spot this week on the heels of a convincing score in Sunday’s $276,609 final. The New Mexico-bred, trained by Blane Wood, was the lone newcomer to the juvenile poll this week.

Sunday’s $1.1 million Ed Burke Million Futurity (G1) final figures to have a major say in next week’s 2-year-old polling. Fire Moon Lady is the fastest qualifier for trainer Jaime Gomez.

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 2-YEAR-OLDS:

1.   HIGH RATE OF RETURN (88)
2.   MIGHTY B VALIANT (80)
3.   SILVER FOR ME (65)
4.   SEPARATE FIRE (60)
5.   JESS TEE OFF (45)
6.   ADOLPH TRES KNOCKOUT (44)
7.   OSBALDO (39)
8.   JLS PARTY WAGON (28)
9.   SAMMY JAMES (14)
10. BACK IN THE PACK (11)
 
Pandorum (7), Fixin To Fly (4), Ochoa (3), Preacher James (2), Fire Moon Lady (2), Ranch Candy (1), Feature Mr Bojangles (1), Massima (1)

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 3-YEAR-OLDS & UP:

1.   RYLEES BOY (89)
2.   LOUISIANA SENATOR (78)
3.   LLANO TELLER (60)
T4. SNITCHER (46)
T4. GOOD REASON SA (46)
6.   JLS MR BIGTIME (34)
7.   PROSPECT TO THE TOP (29)
8.   FREIGHTTRAIN B (25)
9.   CAPO DE CAPI (14)
10. STOLIS WINNER (13)

The Louisiana Cartel (10), Dominyun (7), Stylish Jess BR (6), Strike It Quick (4), Texas Icon (2), Fredaville (1), PK Fire (1)

The nine voters are:

Ed Burgart (Los Alamitos announcer/handicapper)

Martha Claussen (Q-Racing Ace, writer/handicapper)

Mike Cusortelli (writer/handicapper)

Tom Dawson (Q-Racing Ace, network television producer)

Dale Day (Remington Park announcer/handicapper)

Jerry Shottenkirk (Q-Racing Ace, handicapper/oddsmaker)

Jeremy Plonk (ESPN.com contributor)

Terry Turrell (Horseplayernow.com handicapper)

Ty Wyant (writer, Daily Racing Form and AQHA)

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journalor America’s Horse, visit AQHA Publications.

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FARIAS FOURSOME IN RICHEST VESSELS MATURITY

The American Quarter Horse Association, June 16, 2011– A stakes-filled field, including the Mark It Famous-led foursome from the Adan Farias barn, chases the record $240,200 purse in the Vessels Maturity (G1) Sunday night at Los Alamitos.
   
The purse surpassed the previous record of a $172,000 purse set in 1982, and the Maturity winner earns an invitation to the $750,000 Champion of Champions (G1) in December at Los Alamitos.
   
In addition to Mark It Famous (Mark My Dial-A Famous New Face by Dash Ta Fame), Farias will also saddle Chivalry SR (Walk Thru Fire-Artesias Beduino by Beduino (TB)), Snitcher (TR Dasher-Departing by Raise A Secret) and Whole Lot Of Karma (Apollo (TB)-Its Good To Be Queen by First Down Dash).
   
Robert Williams’ homebred Mark It Famous made his Los Alamitos debut in his Vessels Maturity trial when he returned to action after a 10-month layoff. The 4-year-old gelding veered in at the start of his trial, got lined out and then rallied to gain the head win over second-fastest qualifier Simons Wonder Choice (A Regal Choice-Simons Wonder Girl by Chicks Beduino).
   
Mark It Famous won for the fifth time from nine starts when he was timed in :19.205, while Robert Parra’s Simons Wonder Choice was clocked in :19.219.
   
Mark It Famous quickly showed he was a Grade 1-class horse as a juvenile in 2009 when he was third by a neck in the West Texas Futurity (G1) and qualified for the Texas Classic Futurity (G1). He continued to show his class as a sophomore when he was second to champion Double Down Special’s world-record effort in the West Texas Derby (G3).
   
The Valentin Zamudio-trained Simons Wonder Choice won his maiden for a $10,000 claiming tag last September and has reeled off three wins, two seconds and a third while moving up in class to the Grade 1 division in the Vessels Maturity.
   
Stern Ranches’ homebred Chivalry SR also returned from an extended layoff for Farias to win his trial and qualify for the Vessels Maturity. The gelding stumbled at the start and then prevailed by a head over stablemate Snitcher.
   
Chivalry SR raced to the third-fastest qualifying mark of :19.227, while Snitcher was clocked in the fourth-fastest time of :19.274.
   
Chivalry SR recorded three straight wins before his layoff, highlighted by a dominating 1  3/4-length win in the Vandy’s Flash Handicap (G3) in an excellent :19.199 for the 400 yards.
   
Snitcher won a pair of minor stakes last fall at Los Alamitos before a third-place finish behind 2009 world champion Freaky in the Robert L. Boniface Los Alamitos Championship (G1).
   
The Vessels Stallion Farm and Bud Feldkamp’s Whole Lot Of Karma won the Katella Handicap in March and reached the Vessels Maturity field with a third-place finish behind Mark It Famous and Simons Wonder Choice in their trial.
   
Gianni Samaja’s homebred Good Reason SA (Favorite Trick (TB)-Queen Of Appeals by First Down Dash) was the 1-2 favorite in his Vessels Maturity trial but experienced a very troubled start. He still finished in fifth place and qualified for the Maturity.
   
Good Reason SA earned that odds-on favoritism in his trial after winning the Los Alamitos Winter Championship (G2) by a half length in :19.328 for 400 yards.
   
Abigail Kawanakoa’s Divide The Cash (Separatist-Time For Royal Cash by Dash For Cash) is always dangerous, however he is still chasing his first Grade 1 victory. The Rafael Orozco-trained horse gave American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame trainer Blane Schvaneveldt one of his final victories when he set a Los Alamitos 350-yard track record of :17.061 while winning the Make It Anywhere Stakes a year ago.
   
After Schvaneveldt’s death, Divide The Cash became a member of the stable of Orozco, who was Schvaneveldt’s assistant trainer. The stallion then finished second behind eventual world champion Apollitical Jess in the Los Alamitos Super Derby (G1) and third to Apollitical Jess in the Champion of Champions (G1). Apollitical Jess set track records in each race.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journalor America’s Horse, visit AQHA Publications.

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GIORGINO FACES TEST IN RUIDOSO DERBY

The American Quarter Horse Journal, June 9, 2011– Jorge Haddad’s homebred fastest-qualifier Giorgino faces the sternest test of his stakes-winning career in the record-setting $702,650 Ruidoso Derby (G1) when he lines up against multiple-graded stakes winner Prospect To The Top, Golden State Million Futurity (G1) winner One Sweet Jess and Remington Park Futurity (G1) winner Llano Teller.

The race’s purse surpasses the previous record of $568,965 set last year, and this year’s record $351,325 winner’s share is more than the $308,267 total purse in 2009.

Giorgino (Apollo (TB)-Las Alamitos by First Down Dash) made his first start for trainer John Stinebaugh and made his Ruidoso Downs debut in the Ruidoso Derby trials. He responded with a length trial win in :19.683 for 400 yards, the fastest time from the seven trials.

While being trained by Haddad last year, Giorgino scored victories in the Sunland Winter Futurity (G2), TQHA Sires’ Cup Futurity (RG2) and the John Deere Delta Downs Juvenile Challenge (G3).

Joel Tavarez’s Prospect To The Top (Corona Prospect-Cream To The Top by Easily Smashed) was a $25,000 supplemental nominee and has lived up to that investment. The Ralph Muniz trainee came off a win in the West Texas Derby (G3) to win his Ruidoso Derby trial by a length with the second-fastest qualifying mark of :19.698. Last year, he developed during the last half of his juvenile season. He qualified for the All American Futurity (G1) as a $50,000 supplemental nominee and then dominated the $313,499 Hobbs America Futurity (G2) before a third-place run in the $245,000 Southwest Juvenile Championship (G1).

Third-fastest qualifier Llano Teller (Teller Cartel-Annie Eye Over by Mr Eye Opener) started his career in superb form when he won the Remington Park Futurity (G1) and finished third in the Heritage Place Futurity (G1). He followed by qualifying for the Rainbow Futurity (G1) at Ruidoso Downs and the Texas Classic Futurity (G1) at Lone Star Park. The Heath Reed-trained Llano Teller returned from a layoff for the Ruidoso Derby trials and the gelding stepped up with a half-length win in :19.708.

Jose and Gustavo De La Torre’s One Sweet Jess (Mr Jess Perry-One Sweet Dash by Dash For Cash) finished second behind Prospect To The Top as the 11-10 favorite in their trial and barely made the derby with the 10th-fastest qualifying mark of :19.698. The Ugo De La Torre-trained colt made his Ruidoso Downs debut in the trials after being one of the top members of his division at Los Alamitos. He won the Golden State Million Futurity (G1) and finished a close fourth in the Los Alamitos Two Million (G1) before finishing fifth as the odds-on favorite in the El Primero Del Año Derby (G2) after a troubled start.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journalor America’s Horse, visit AQHA Publications.

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RUIDOSO DERBY, FUTURITY COULD SHAKE UP POLLS
 The American Quarter Horse Journal, June 8, 2011–This week’s latest AQHA Racing-Horseplayernow.com National Top 10 polls showed very little change, but that likely won’t be the case in the coming days as the Grade 1 Ruidoso Derby and Futurity loom on the horizon this Saturday and Sunday. The two important finals figure to have a big impact on next week’s rankings.

Ruidoso Derby finalist Prospect To The Top checks in at No. 4 this week in advance of Saturday’s $702,648 main event. He qualified second-fastest for the Derby behind only Giorgino, who this week ranked just outside of the top 10. The $500,000 Ruidoso Futurity final on Sunday features this week’s No. 9-rated juvenile Fly First Down, the race’s fastest qualifier and only newcomer to this week’s 2-year-old national rankings.

As for the minor changes to this week’s poll, Osbaldo moved up one spot to No. 7 in the 2-year-old rankings, while world champion Stolis Winner slid back in the poll for older horses at No. 10.

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 2-YEAR-OLDS:

1.   HIGH RATE OF RETURN (88)
2.   MIGHTY B VALIANT (81)
3.   SEPARATE FIRE (68)
4.   VALIANT WAR HERO (63)
5.   ADOLPH TRES KNOCKOUT (47)
6.   JESS TEE OFF (40)
7.   OSBALDO (31)
8.   JLS PARTY WAGON (27)
9.   FLY FIRST DOWN (13)
10. PANDORUM (12)
 
Ranch Candy (7), Toast To Patriot (6), Fixin To Fly (4), DM Strait Up (3), Preacher James (2), Massima (1), Get Gone Gol (1), Jessalittlecourage (1)

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 3-YEAR-OLDS & UP:

1.   RYLEES BOY (88)
2.   LOUISIANA SENATOR (80)
3.   GOOD REASON SA (61)
4.   PROSPECT TO THE TOP (52)
5.   THE LOUISIANA CARTEL (37)
6.   FREIGHTTRAIN B (32)
7.   JLS MR BIGTIME (27)
T8. CAPO DE CAPI (25)
T8. STREAKIN DOWN (25)
10. STOLIS WINNER (22)

Giorgino (10), A Tincup Cocktail (6), Mark It Famous (6), Strike It Quick (6), Stylish Jess BR (6), Fredaville (5), De Passem Okey (3), Texas Icon (2), PK Fire (1), Hoist Mission (1)

The nine voters are:

Ed Burgart (Los Alamitos announcer/handicapper)

Martha Claussen (Q-Racing Ace, writer/handicapper)

Mike Cusortelli (writer/handicapper)

Tom Dawson (Q-Racing Ace, network television producer)

Dale Day (Remington Park announcer/handicapper)

Jerry Shottenkirk (Q-Racing Ace, oddsmaker)

Jeremy Plonk (ESPN.com contributor)
Terry Turrell (Horseplayernow.com handicapper)

Ty Wyant (writer, Daily Racing Form and AQHA)

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journalor America’s Horse, visit AQHA Publications.

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AQHA RACING, WORLD HANDICAPPING CHAMPIONSHIPS CELEBRATE PARTNERSHIP WITH “FREE ROLL”

The American Quarter Horse Journal, June 7, 2011– The American Quarter Horse Association and the World Handicapping Championships are offering their first WHC American Quarter Horse online handicapping tournament this weekend free of charge.

Registration for the “Free Roll” begins June 7. Players can receive three free entries by registering at www.whchamp.com, and may begin making picks Friday evening. Players select one horse per race, per entry blank, taking that horse to win and place. The “Free Roll” will include six American Quarter Horse races at Delta Downs and four Thoroughbred races at Belmont Park.

This week’s top four contestants will advance to the WHC American Quarter Horse Championship in December 2011. The Championships will have an estimated prize pool of $50,000.

Nine more American Quarter Horse tournaments are scheduled for 2011, with the first paid contest on June 18. The complete schedule is below.

“We are truly excited to feature America’s Fastest Athlete on the World Handicapping Championships contest site,” said World Handicapping Championships Partner Matt Brady. “This past weekend, WHC unveiled its new contest site to reflect the addition of American Quarter Horse racing.”

Soon to be featured on the WHC website are player bios, which highlight handicappers who have qualified for WHC tournaments.

“One of our initial goals with WHC was to showcase the horseplayers and begin creating additional racing personalities,” said Brady.

“We have watched and witnessed the popularity of online tournaments and we’re excited that American Quarter Horses will be highlighted in this new online contest.,” said Trey Buck, AQHA executive director of racing, Executive Director of Racing for AQHA. “Handicapping Quarter Horse races has always been competitive and with new promotions like the Q-Racing Aces, Night School and now the American Quarter Horse World Handicapping Championships, we believe this will continue to grow our business.”

2011 WHC Quarter Horse Schedule:

Date           Contest Tracks – QH and TB
June 11         [Free Roll] Delta Downs QH / Belmont Park TB
June 18         Fair Meadows & Ruidoso QH / Churchill Downs TB
June 25         Fair Meadows & Los Al QH / Belmont TB
July 24         Ruidoso QH / Belmont TB
July 30         Retama Park & Los Al QH / Arlington Park TB
August 13       Los Al & Ruidoso QH / Del Mar TB
August 27       Ruidoso & Los Al QH / Saratoga and Del Mar TB

September 4     Ruidoso QH / Saratoga & Del Mar TB
September 17    Fair Grounds & Lone Star QH / Remington Park TB
November 5      Will Rogers Downs QH / Churchill Downs TB
December 10-11  TBA: World Quarter Horse Handicapping Championships

All dates subject to change.

About the World Handicapping Championships

WHC’s management has more than 20 years of horse racing marketing and management experience and has developed player and marketing programs for racetracks and the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, American Quarter Horse Association and Breeders’ Cup World Championships.  WHC is an official marketing partner of Avatar Ventures Inc. and DarkHorseBet of North Dakota, a U.S. licensed, bonded and insured advance deposit wagering company.

About the American Quarter Horse Association

The American Quarter Horse Association, located in Amarillo, Texas, is the world’s largest equine breed registry and membership organization. AQHA members share a passion for the American Quarter Horse and the vast lifestyle created by the world’s most popular horse. Whether you’re a seasoned horse show veteran, a fan of the racetrack, a backyard horse enthusiast or simply someone dreaming of someday owning a horse, AQHA membership will benefit you in many ways.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journalor America’s Horse, visit AQHA Publications.

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