Quarter Horse News

The American Quarter Horse Journal, March 4, 2010 – Maria Gonzalez’s Jess Dellaree, a 5-year-old with only three official starts, tries to back up his convincing trial win in a wide-open $86,854 West Texas Maturity (G2) at Sunland Park on Saturday afternoon.

Jess Dellaree (Feature Mr Jess-Dellaree by Leaving Memories) made a pair of starts last winter at Sunland Park, plus the West Texas Maturity trial for his three official outs. A year ago, he easily won his maiden at first asking and then was a close third in a second-level allowance race as the odds-on favorite.

The gelding flashed peak form in his West Texas Maturity trial when he drew off to win by 1 ¼ lengths with a superb time of :18.910 for 400 yards.

Third in last year’s West Texas Maturity, Juan Moraga’s WR Okie Smoker (Okey Dokey Dale-Mis Madre by Dashing Val) is on a roll coming into this year’s running. The Dennis Marstellar-trained gelding finished second in three consecutive races – including two stakes events – last fall at Turf Paradise before shipping to Sunland Park. After a three-month breather he resurfaced with a half-length West Texas Maturity trial win with the second-fastest qualifying time of :19.038.

Joe Rios’ Brown Eye Suze (Mr Eye Opener-Shesaspeedin Bullet by Bully Bullion) makes her first stakes start against male competition in more than two years. Last fall she won a $40,300 allowance race at Zia Park and was second in the Buttons and Bows Handicap at The Downs of Albuquerque. Each of those outs was against female company.

Brown Eye Suze was second in her West Texas Maturity trial behind WR Okie Smoker after stumbling at the start.

Fans can watch live racing at Sunland Park and many other American Quarter Horse tracks throughout the year by subscribing to Q-Racing Video. Subscribers have unlimited live access to almost every Quarter Horse simulcasting signal in the United States, plus unlimited access to archived race video. For more information, visit www.aqharacing.com.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal, The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal or America’s Horse, visit www.aqha.com/magazines.

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The American Quarter Horse Journal, March 3, 2010 – World Champion Freaky received all nine first-place votes as a unanimous No. 1 choice in the season’s first AQHA Racing-Horseplayernow.com national poll of older horses. The expert panel rewarded not only his vast resume, but also his early season victory in the Los Alamitos Winter Championship in stakes-record time.

With a berth in-hand for a Champion of Champions (G1) repeat score – and with a long vacation now due – Freaky could be tough to unseat throughout much of 2010 as the Adan Farias trainee awaits the big goal at the end of the season. Those anticipated to challenge the top spot throughout the year include a series of divisional championship winners who are back this year: Runnning Brook Gal (champion 2-year-old and 2-year-old filly), Stylish Jess BR (champion aged mare), First Klas Fred (champion 2-year-old gelding) and Time For A Cigar (champion 3-year-old gelding). There’s also 2008 World Champion Stolis Winner looking to reclaim his title, now at age 4.

The AQHA Racing-Horseplayernow.com national poll also will include separate 2-year-old rankings, beginning later this spring. The poll is released Wednesdays from March until the end of the racing season in December. A complete weekly run-down is available at both www.aqharacing.com and www.horseplayernow.com. [Note the new website address of AQHA Racing’s top-10 poll media partner Horse Player Now, formerly Horse Player Pro.]

The nine voters are:

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

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 3-YEAR OLDS & UP
March 3, 2010

1.    FREAKY (90)
2.    SEPARATE BET (48)
3.    RUNNNING BROOK GAL (47)
4.    JESS YOU AND I (43)
5.    STYLISH JESS BR (40)
6.    RYLEES BOY (37)
7.    HEADTURNER (34)
8.    FIRST KLAS FRED (26)
9.    PRINCELIKE (17)
10.  STOLIS WINNER (14)

Also receiving votes: Good Reason SA (13), Tempting Dash (12), Mr Regard (8), Merridoc Hawk (15), Wowzer Won (5), Time For A Cigar (5), Terrific Energy (4), Snowbound Superstar (3), Bloke (3), Little Bit Of Ah Ha (2), Eye Got The Blues (2), First Prize Leesa (2), Hoist Mission (2), Charal Kid (1),  Mon Ti Rose (1), Favorite Cartel (1)

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal, The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal or America’s Horse, visit www.aqha.com/magazines.

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The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal, February 25, 2009 – Vessels Stallion Farm and Los Bustardos’ Jus Ledoux It will lead the three members of the Adan Farias-trained contingent in the $134,000 Maiden Stakes on Saturday night at Los Alamitos.

The 350-yard Maiden Stakes is not an official AQHA stakes race because it is restricted to 3-year-olds who were maidens as of December 1, 2009. However, it has grown into an early-season indicator of potential stakes horses who developed later in their careers.

Jus Ledoux It (A Regal Choice-Sometimes You Win by Jazzing Hi) attempts to follow in the hoof prints of champion Little Bit Of Baja, who had the same ownership. He raced in the 2007 Maiden Stakes – finishing second behind eventual three-time Grade 1-placed runner A Mere Splash – and went on to win the Los Alamitos Super Derby (G1) and finish second in the Champion of Champions (G1) twice.

Jus Ledoux It has matured after being gelded. Since then, he raced to a pair of second-place finishes before breaking his maiden in his Maiden Stakes trial. He won his trial by a neck at 5-2, and his time of :17.263 was the quickest from six trials.

Farias also sends out B Zoom (Azoom-Libbys Cartel by Corona Cartel) and Stel Master (Stel Corona-Zelmas Dash by Royal Quick Dash).

Robert Williams’ B Zoom was gelded in late December and has won each of his races since. He won a Los Alamitos maiden race on January 6 and then prevailed by a head in his Maiden Stakes trial as the 8-5 favorite. He was clocked in :17.437 for the trial win. The gelding is out of 2001 Blue Ribbon Futurity (G1) winner Libby Cartel, and he is a half brother to 2007 All American Futurity (G1) finalist Libbys Feature.

Leon Armando’s Stel Master squeezed into the Maiden Stakes with the 10th-fastest qualifying time of :17.494. The consistent colt has been on the board in each of his four starts while winning his maiden over 300 yards at Los Alamitos on December 6. Since then he has had a close second-place finish and a competitive third-place run from two starts.

Felix Aguallo Gonzalez’s homebred Brooklyn Boy (A Chocolate Rocket-Dashing Dominique by First Down Dash) will be dangerous in the Maiden Stakes for trainer Carlos Gonzalez. The gelding has a maiden win and three narrow second-place finishes in four starts. He finished just a neck behind Jus Ledoux It as the 7-10 favorite in their trial. Brooklyn Boy was clocked in :17.292 for the second-fastest time in the Maiden Stakes trials.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal, The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal or America’s Horse, visit www.aqha.com/magazines.

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The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal, February 18, 2010 – Dr. Ed Allred’s homebred Princelike looks to reign over the sophomores in training at Los Alamitos when he brings fastest-qualifier honors into the $201,750 Los Alamitos Winter Derby (G1) Friday night.

Princelike (TR Dasher-Queen Mother by Raise A Secret) is ready to step up to the stakes-winner ranks after winning four of five career starts with a third-place run in the PCQHRA Breeders Futurity (G1), his sole stakes appearance.

Trained by Jose Flores, Princelike took a nearly four-month breather after last fall’s PCQHRA Breeders Futurity and surfaced with a 1 1/2-length win in his Winter Derby trial on January 29. His :19.421 time for the 400 yards was the fastest qualifying time by the equivalent of nearly 1 length.

Flores saddles an abundance of talent in the Winter Derby with four of the five fastest qualifiers. He also sends out second-fastest qualifier Mamas Justice (Lit de Justice (TB)-Mama Said Run by Chicks Beduino), fourth-fastest qualifier Mollys Cartel (Corona Cartel-Five Bar Molly by Dash Ta Fame) and fifth-fastest qualifier Headturner (Check Him Out-Imjumpn by First Down Dash).

Eladin Flores’ Mamas Justice has won three of his four most recent starts with the only blemish during that stretch a troubled sixth-place finish in the Holiday Handicap. The homebred gelding won his Winter Derby trial by half a length in :19.553.

Balgo Racing Team’s Mollys Cartel has four trial wins in his latest six starts, qualifying for the Los Alamitos Two Million (G1) and the Ed Burke Million (G1). She raced to a 1 1/4-length trial win in :19.634.

Jose Sandoval’s Headturner was a close second in the PCQHRA Breeders Futurity while finishing ahead of Princelike. The gelding was second in his Winter Derby trial behind third-fastest qualifier Fire In The Hole (Walk Thru Fire-Artesia by Timeto Thinkrich.

Fire In The Hole, owned by Isle Vista Ranch SS and trained by Adan Farias, stepped up from conditioned claiming company to score his fifth-straight win in his Winter Derby trial. He was clocked in :19.583 for the one-half-length trial victory.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal, The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal or America’s Horse, visit www.aqha.com/magazines.

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The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal, February 11, 2010 – The super-consistent Slinkys Fortune, who has finished in the top two in each of his 13 starts, heads a full field of eight Louisiana-bred distance specialists over 870 yards in the $40,000 Magnolia Stakes on Saturday afternoon at Louisiana Downs.

The Henry Padgett-owned and -trained Slinkys Fortune (Dashs Slinky-Chasing A Fortune by Six Fortunes) did not begin his racing career until 2008 as a 4-year-old, but he has made up for lost time by earning $152,765 while never finishing below second place.

Slinkys Fortune returned after a three-month rest in the 870-yard Marathon Stakes on January 23 at Louisiana Downs. He made an impressive move going around his rivals to win by 2 lengths as the 13-10 favorite. That victory came against open company, so facing state-breds in the Magnolia Stakes may be a class drop for the impressive gelding.

Slinkys Fortune won the Marathon a year ago, then came back in his next start to win the Magnolia Stakes with a five-wide move.

Orville and Kathryn’s Smith’s 6-year-old gelding First Down Toro (Deltas First Dash-Fancy Pricilla by Leaving Memories) set the pace in this year’s Marathon and softened up the field, setting up the race for Slinkys Fortune’s late rally.

In the $40,000 Lakeview Stakes at Fair Grounds in September, he set the early pace, maintained his speed and secured a victory, drawing off to win by more than 4 lengths.

The Ralph Williams-leased Such Easy Profit (Such Easy Cash-High Profitability by Bills Ryon) shows promise at 870 yards for trainer James Guillory. He won his maiden two starts ago at 550 yards and then stepped up to 870 to dominate a second-level allowance race by nearly 9 lengths.

The Anthony Arey-owned and -trained Dr Drip (First To Shine-High Seas Operator by Streakin La Jolla) has lined up against Slinkys Fortune in his latest two starts and twice finished second behind Slinkys Fortune. In each race, Dr Drip made the lead in the stretch, but was unable to hold off Slinkys Fortune.

Fans can watch live racing at Louisiana Downs and many other American Quarter Horse tracks throughout the year by subscribing to Q-Racing Video. Subscribers have unlimited live access to almost every Quarter Horse simulcasting signal in the United States, plus unlimited access to archived race video. For more information, visit aqharacing.com.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal, The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal or America’s Horse, visit www.aqha.com/magazines.

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The number of American Quarter Horse races dropped by .4 percent, from 9,152 in 2008 to 9,113 in 2009. The significant loss of races at Les Bois Park, Blue Ribbon Downs, Mount Pleasant Meadows and Retama Park was mostly offset by an increase in races at Fair Grounds, Sam Houston Race Park and Hialeah Park. A net loss of 39 contests was seen in 2009.

Despite fewer races in 2009, the total number of American Quarter Horse starters rose from 16,911 to 17,180, an increase of 1.6 percent. The number of 2-year-old starters dropped .2 percent to 5,616; 3-year-olds were up 1.1 percent to 5,005. The number of aged runners saw the greatest increase, up 4.8 percent to 5,894.

Total purses also rose by 1.7 percent, from $125.5 million to $127.6 million. Much of that gain was the result of a 5.4 percent increase in added money: $102.4 million, up from $97.2 million. [Note that where dollar figures are rounded, they may not reflect the percentages listed, which are actual.]

The average purse per race rose 2.1 percent to $14,005, though all of that gain – and more – was by 2-year-olds; purses in derbies and 3-and-up races fell.

The average starter last year earned $7,428, a .1 percent rise from 2008. The average 2-year-old starter earned $8,262 (up 3.6 percent), the average 3-year-old starter earned $7,776 (down 3.3 percent) and the average aged starter earned $6,404 (up .3 percent).

Total handle was off 1.4 percent in 2009, at $328.4 million. Average handle per race dropped .8 percent to $36,340; however, most of that decline was seen in races among older horses: average handle among 2-year-old races rose by 1.8 percent to $37,920 while the average handle for 3-year-olds and up fell a whopping 19 percent to $74,157.

The Bank of America Racing Challenge saw moderate losses in 2009 enrollment numbers. New enrollments fell from 3,716 to 3,567, a 4 percent decline. Almost all of that enrollment drop of 149 was represented by weanlings, which account for the vast majority of Challenge enrollments. The Bank of America Racing Challenge began in 1993 and since that time has distributed more than $52 million to breeders and owners of racing American Quarter Horses. This year marks the 18th year of the program. There is $5 million in total purses and awards for 2010, thanks to corporate partners, host tracks, horsemen and the Bank of America Racing Challenge Purse Fund.

Some trends at the racing office, betting window and finish line:

• Racing secretaries wrote 2,361 races at 350 yards, making it the most popular distance in 2009; 300 yards was a close second, with 330 and 400 yards making up most of the remainder, in that order.

• Races at 220 yards had the highest average handle last year, at $56,571; 300-yard races had the second-highest average, with $55,992; 440-yard races averaged $40,282, the only other distance to finish with a average per-race handle above $40,000.

• Of horses going off as the race favorite, 35.33 percent finished first in 2009, with 69.21 percent of favorites finishing in the money.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal, The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal or America’s Horse, visit www.aqha.com/magazines.

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The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal, February 4, 2010 – The veteran stakes mare Mon Ti Rose is well positioned to start her 2010 campaign with a stakes win when she heads the $50,000 Party Girl Stakes for Louisiana-bred distaffers on Saturday afternoon at Louisiana Downs.

Owned by Melba De La Cerda and Graciela Medina, Mon Ti Rose (Dashin Bye-Mon Ti Fleur by Mr Jess Perry) raced to top-three finishes in her latest seven starts stretching over the past year, and each of those starts has been against stakes company. The earner of $160,169 started that streak with a 1-length win in last year’s Party Girl Stakes at 2-1 odds. She finished well in the 350-yard test to get that victory over a sloppy racing surface.

She concluded her 2009 season with a second-place finish over 440 yards against the boys in the Louisiana Championship Day Classic (RG2). In that race for state-breds, she raced on the lead before giving way and was defeated by a half length.

The 5-year-old mare has made 20 career starts and finished on the board 15 times with seven wins for trainer Frank Cavazos.

The Henry Padgett-owned and -trained Shawnies Dasher (Rebel Dasher-Shawnies Pie by Pie In The Sky) is primed for the Party Girl after a win over allowance company at Louisiana Downs on January 16. The winner of eight of 20 career starts gained that 330-yard allowance win by racing to a one-half length advantage and then holding off her female rivals.

Shawnies Dasher defeated Mon Ti Rose in the 2009 Mothers Day Stakes at Delta Downs. Shawnies Dasher won at 7-1 odds over odds-on favorite Mon Ti Rose.

Guadalupe Garcia’s Ms Quick Patriot (Game Patriot-Spicy Quick Darr by Royal Quick Dash) moved up from the claiming ranks to finish second in the Harrah’s Distaff at nearly 20-1 odds on January 23. She was three-quarters of a length behind the proven stakes competitor XO Kate.

Ms Quick Patriot was claimed for $3,500 last May and won at the $10,000 claiming level two starts ago.

Fans can watch the Party Girl Stakes at Louisiana Downs and most other American Quarter Horse races throughout the year by subscribing to Q-Racing Video. Subscribers have unlimited live access to almost every Quarter Horse simulcasting signal in the United States, plus unlimited access to archived race video. For more information, visit aqharacing.com.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal, The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal or America’s Horse, visit www.aqha.com/magazines.

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The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal, January 28, 2010 – Eight-time defending national champion trainer Paul Jones is outfitted with the horses to sweep the $100,000 South Florida Derby and the $20,000 Sunshine State Stakes on Sunday afternoon at Hialeah Park.

In the 440-yard Derby, Jones is represented by fastest-qualifier Mr Brimmerton and El Niño Handicap winner Shakem Blue.

In the 220-yard Sunshine State Stakes, Jones is sending out the very quick One Tough Dude, the Ruidoso Downs 300-yard track record holder.

Gabriela Baltierrez’s Mr Brimmerton (Brimmerton-Zip N Streak by Barrett’s Bullet (TB)) rebounded from a horrid trip in the $163,000 Hialeah Laddie Futurity to set the fastest-qualifying time to the South Florida Derby. In his trial, he raced near the lead and then drew out to the three-quarter-length win in :21.843 for the quarter mile.

Two starts ago, in the Laddie, he broke in the air and was never a factor at 4-1 odds. He earned that strong backing after easily winning his trial by three quarters of a length.

Dan and Jolene Urschel’s Shakem Blue (Jess Louisiana Blue-Shakem Cash by Royal Shake Em) won the 400-yard El Niño Handicap on December 27 and then came back to race to a game third-place finish in his Derby trial. He held the lead before giving way to be beaten by a half length.

Jose Angel’s Thad Matta (Shazoom-Royalnative Empress by First Down Dash) finished first over Shakem Blue in their trial as the 6-5 favorite. The Manuel Mata-trained colt bobbled at the start, but rallied to get the 440-yard trial win with the second-fastest time of :21.864.

Thad Matta was fourth in the Laddie Futurity and raced in the Heritage Place Futurity (G1) last spring at Remington Park.

In the Sunshine State, One Tough Dude (Corona Cartel-Start The Commotion by First Down Dash) is very quick and prefers shorter distances. He has won each of his latest three starts, all at 300 or 330 yards.

One Tough Dude started his winning streak in style on June 28 when he zipped over a muddy Ruidoso Downs track to take a conditioned allowance race with a 300-yard track record. He was timed in :15.019 while he drew out to win by 2 lengths over a solid field.

The 4-year-old gelding came back to win another 300-yard Ruidoso Downs allowance race. He raced to the lead and then held off 2009 PCQHRA Breeders Derby (G2) winner Jessanotheraffair to win by a nose.

After a fall breather, he easily won a Hialeah Park 330-yard allowance race by half a length.

Fans can watch live racing at Hialeah Park and many other American Quarter Horse tracks throughout the year by subscribing to Q-Racing Video. Subscribers have unlimited live access to almost every Quarter Horse simulcasting signal in the United States, plus unlimited access to archived race video. For more information, visit aqharacing.com.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal, The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal or America’s Horse, visit www.aqha.com/magazines.

The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal, January 21, 2010 – The Bank of America Racing Challenge has reached a new milestone: topping 65,000 enrollments since the program began in 1993. Counting the final batch of 2009 enrollments, 65,083 horses have been enrolled to participate in Racing Challenge events.

The total includes 64,854 horses enrolled in the United States, Mexico and Canada, and 229 Brazil-based horses enrolled through AQHA or ABQM, the Brazilian Quarter Horse Association.

Racing Challenge Director Darrell Hare is happy with the achievement, and is encouraged by the fact that 2009 enrollments stayed up despite an overall down economic year. “Enrollment numbers have been strong every year,” Hare said. “That plus a high level of participation in all the regions tells me the Challenge continues to be very strong, and I think it will be very important to the industry in the foreseeable future.”

The Bank of America Racing Challenge was created in 1992 to provide larger purses and more racing opportunities for older American Quarter Horses. Horses compete throughout the season in six divisions (championship, distaff, juvenile, derby, distance, starter allowance) across 11 geographic regions for the right to face off at the Challenge Championships each fall. The regions span the United States, Canada, Mexico and South America.

In 2006, the John Deere Bonus Challenge was developed to offer enhanced purses for Challenge-enrolled horses at tracks that do not host regional qualifying races. 

The Challenge Maiden series began in 2009, which provides racing opportunities for 3-year-olds and older Challenge-enrolled horses seeking their first win.

All three programs – the Racing Challenge, Bonus Challenge and Maiden Challenge – place an emphasis on horses 3 years old and older.

Owners must pay a one-time enrollment fee per horse before that horse is allowed to participate in any Challenge event. Fees are $300 for a weanling, $600 for a yearling, $8,000 for a 2-year-old and $10,000 for a horse 3 or older.

Horsemen can enroll their horses, nominate to races or learn more about the program by calling the Racing Challenge hotline at (877) 222-7223 or by visiting aqharacing.com.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal, The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal or America’s Horse, visit www.aqha.com/magazines.

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January 13, 2010 – The 4-year-old gelding Freaky was voted the 2009 World Champion Racing American Quarter Horse after a spectacular year. The award topped all the AQHA racing champions, which were announced tonight at Heritage Place Sale Co. in Oklahoma City.

Freaky (TR Dasher-Chickasecret by Raise A Secret), owned by Armando Aguirre of Surprise, Arizona, won six of nine starts and earned $580,860 in his championship season. Voters also honored him as champion aged horse and unanimously as champion aged gelding.

Freaky began his championship campaign under the ownership of his breeder, Edward C. Allred. He was purchased by Aguirre on January 28, and over the course of the year, he won the Champion of Champions (G1), Robert L. Boniface Los Alamitos Invitational Championship (G1), Vessels Maturity (G1), and Spencer Childers California Breeders’ Championship (RG1) and set three Los Alamitos track records. The gelding was trained in his first two starts of the year by Scott Willoughby; Adan Farias trained the gelding the rest of the year. Freaky was ridden in his races by Francisco Rubio, Rodrigo Aceves and Jeff Jerman.

Other horses receiving honors include First Moonflash (champion aged stallion); Stylish Jess BR (champion aged mare); Runnning Brook Gal (champion 2-year-old, champion 2-year-old filly); Tempting Dash (champion 2-year-old colt); First Klas Fred (champion 2-year-old gelding); Inseperable (champion 3-year-old, champion 3-year-old colt); Alice K White (champion 3-year-old filly); Time For A Cigar (champion 3-year-old gelding); Gone To The Mountain (champion distance horse); Ze Dancer (Mexican champion); Six Pack Of Corona (Canadian champion); and A Tempting Chick (broodmare of the year).

In the human categories, A&C Racing and Roping was honored as champion owners; Edward C. Allred was named champion breeder; Paul C. Jones earned his eighth consecutive honor as champion trainer; and Ramon Sanchez earned his second nod as champion jockey.

First Moonflash (First To Flash-Nagano Moon by Major Rime) won seven of eight starts in his championship season and earned $485,640. During his 4-year-old campaign, he won The Championship at Sunland Park (G1), Bank of America New Mexico Challenge Championship (G1), New Mexico Classic Cup Championship (RG1), Jess Burner Memorial Handicap (RG1), New Mexico Breeders’ Championship (RG2) and Mesilla Valley Speed Handicap (RG2), and set an unprecedented three world records (twice at 440 yards, once at 350 yards). He is owned by Leslie and Pierre Amestoy and Maria Gonzalez, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, was bred by Dosi and Norma Alvarez of La Union, New Mexico, trained by Jose Gonzalez, Andres Gonzalez and Dee Keener, and ridden in all his starts by Alejandro Medellin.

Stylish Jess BR (Feature Mr Jess-Stylish Secret by Dash For Cash) raced eight times as a 4-year-old, winning three of those races, finishing third once, and earning $119,204. Her wins included the Merial Distaff Challenge Championship (G1) and Merial California Distaff Challenge (G3). Owned by Benny Rosset of Sao Paulo, Brazil, she was bred by James G. Burgess, M.D., of Russellville, Arkansas, trained by Paul Jones and ridden by Cody Jensen, Ramon Sanchez and Cesar DeAlba.

Runnning Brook Gal (Brookstone Bay-RJK Runaway by Runaway Winner) won six of nine starts and was second twice, and earned $1,318,340 in her freshman year. She won the All American Futurity (G1) and Southwest Juvenile Championship (G1) for her owners A&C Racing and Roping of Roosevelt, Utah, who, under the name A&C Racing, also bred her. She was trained by Paul Jones and ridden by Ramon Sanchez and Kenny Muntz.

With only four starts and a perfect record in 2009, Tempting Dash (First Down Dash-A Tempting Chick by Chicks Beduino) was honored as the champion 2-year-old colt. He won his trials and finals for the Texas Classic Futurity (G1) and Dash For Cash Futurity (G1) and earned $673,970 for owner Jose Trevino of Mesquite, Texas. The colt was bred by Muller Racing LLC of Kansas City, Missouri, trained by Eusevio Huitron and ridden by Julian Cantu.

First Klas Fred (Fredricksburg-She Flies First Klas by Strawfly Special) twice defeated champion Runnning Brook Gal while winning the Ruidoso Futurity (G1) and Hobbs America Futurity (G3). He won four of 10 starts, finishing second once and third twice, and earned $445,073. Owned by Denis and Julie Schoenhofer of Bixby, Oklahoma, he was bred by Jim and Marilyn Helzer of Arlington, Texas. The gelding was trained by Mike and Justin Joiner, and ridden by Esgar Ramirez and G.R. Carter Jr.

The bay colt Inseperable (Separatist-A Delightful Legacy by First Down Dash) made his five starts of 2009 good ones, winning four of them, including the All American Derby (G1) and Rainbow Derby (G1) and earning $562,996. In his lone defeat, he finished second by a nose in a trial race. Inseperable is owned by Jimmy and Duane Harrel, JoAnn Adams and Joe Peacock of Weatherford, Oklahoma. He was bred by Eaves Horses Family Ltd. Partnership of Flower Mound, Texas, was trained by Paul Jones and ridden by Cody Jensen.

Alice K White (First Down Dash-Champagne Lane by Lanes Leinster) posted a record of 7-3-2-1 while winning $237,642 in 2009. She defeated males in the Golden State Derby (G1), and also won the La Primera Del Ano Derby (G2). Owned by breeder MJ Farms of Veguita, New Mexico, she was trained by Mike and Cody Joiner and ridden by Cody Jensen.

Time For A Cigar (Corona Cartel-Time For A Goddess by Timeto Thinkrich) won six of eight starts and earned $318,334 for owners Mark Allen et al’s Double Eagle Ranch and Dr. Leonard Blach’s Buena Suerte Equine of Roswell, New Mexico, the same connections who own Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird (TB). Time For A Cigar won the Ruidoso Derby (G1) and Sunland Park Winter Derby (G2). He was bred by Abigail Kawananakoa of Nuevo, California, trained by Tony Sedillo and ridden in his races by Mark Villa, Freddie Martinez and Casey Lambert.

Gone To The Mountain (Panther Mountain-Lindys Bouquet by Fast Lindy) won five of six starts in 2009 and earned $177,193. He won the Red Cell Distance Challenge Championship (G1), Red Cell New Mexico Distance Challenge (G3), Herman Jefferson Stakes (G3), Master Salls Handicap and set the world record for 870 yards. He is owned by breeder Clyde Woerner of Georgetown, Texas, was trained by Wes Giles and ridden by Freddie Martinez.

Ze Dancer (Corona Straws-Ze Table Dancer by Zevi (TB)) won six of seven starts and earned $72,094 for owner and breeder Felix Jimenez Banuelos of Mexico. The sophomore colt’s wins include the Garanones Derby (R), Mexican QHA Yearling Sale Derby (R) and Mexican QH Breeders' Derby (R). He was trained by Juan Andrade and ridden by Armando Andrade.

Six Pack Of Corona (Count Corona-Laceys Fortune by Six Fortunes) was undefeated in six starts in 2009 and earned $46,471. As a 5-year-old, the gelding won the Northlands Park Classic and AQHRA Aged Series Cross Country Classic. He is owned by Daryll Bien and Kelly Matthews of Claresholm, Alberta, was bred by Beebe Quarter Horses of Babb, Montana, trained by Stan Webb and ridden by Brooke Mellish.

Muller Racing LLC’s A Tempting Chick (Chicks Beduino-Tempt Me Not by Sir Alibi) was honored as broodmare of the year. The mare, foaled in 2000, had two starters in 2009, including champion 2-year-old colt Tempting Dash and Grade 1 winner A Tempting Dash. The mare was bred by Robert Nunnally.

A&C Racing and Roping of Roosevelt, Utah, is owned by Albert, Patricia and Chad Richard. Horses they owned in 2009 won 10 of 26 starts and earned $1,438,648, topping the earnings category. Stakes winners they owned include champion Runnning Brook Gal and Winners Version.

Edward C. Allred was honored as the sport’s champion breeder with a 2009 record that saw horses he bred earn $2,346,583 with 174 wins in 1,141 starts. Horses he bred include world champion Freaky and stakes winners Hard Hitting, Hulapai, Forgive Him, Making Choices, Tylerite, Rafting and Look Her Over.

Trainer Paul Jones earned his eighth consecutive honor as champion trainer while breaking his own record for single-season earnings. His horses earned $7,461,604 while winning 244 of 1,261 races. He trained champions Runnning Brook Gal, Inseperable, Stylish Jess BR, as well as Grade 1 winners Good Reason SA, Foose and Separate Bet.

Ramon Sanchez earned his second champion jockey honor while becoming the first jockey ever to win the sport’s two richest races – the All American Futurity (G1) and Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity (G1) – in one year. His mounts won 157 of 757 starts and earned $4,691,790. They included champions Runnning Brook Gal and Stylish Jess BR and Grade 1 winners Good Reason SA and Foose.

All the racing champions will be presented with trophies at the 2010 AQHA Convention in Kissimmee, Florida.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal, The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal or America’s Horse, visit www.aqha.com/magazines.

The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal, January 7, 2010 – Debra Gotovac’s Vital Winner, winner of three stakes races in his latest four starts, looms as the favorite to score another distance win when he faces nine rivals over 660 yards in the $20,000 Moonstone Stakes at Hialeah Saturday afternoon. 

Vital Winner (Easy Winning Jet-Vital Investment by Vital Sign) is a distance-running machine for trainer Brad Bolen and is on the ballot for 2009 champion distance horse. He earned that distinction with five wins and three seconds from 10 stakes starts in 2009, all at distances from 550 to 870 yards. His three stakes wins since September came in the 870-yard Red River Handicap, the 550-yard JEH Stallion Station Handicap and the 550-yard Orange Blossom Stakes. 

Vital Winner concluded his 2009 season with a second-place finish in the 660-yard Crystal River Stakes at Hialeah as the 1-10 favorite. 

The impressive 6-year-old gelding has faced the starter 37 times (25 stakes) and returned with 18 wins, seven seconds and four third-place finishes while banking $371,507. He has won or placed in 20 stakes races, including finishing second behind champion Ketel Won over 440 yards in the 2007 Zia Park Championship (G1) and the 2007 All American Gold Cup at Ruidoso Downs. 

Julie Cotton’s Cash At The Line (Takin On The Cash-Gold At the Line (TB) by Strike Gold) tries for another win over Vital Winner after getting that job completed in the Crystal River Stakes at 11-1 odds. He burst to the lead and was able to hold off Vital Winner to win by 1½ lengths. 

Two starts ago, the Judd Kearl-trained Cash At The Line finished a half length behind Vital Winner in the Orange Blossom Stakes. 

Speed 3 Farms’ Patriot Arrival (Game Patriot-Rare Arrival by Rare Form) returns to stakes competition after a pair of second-place runs in $15,000 allowance races at Hialeah for trainer Henry Smith. In his prior stakes appearance, the Orange Blossom Stakes, he was third behind Vital Winner and Cash At The Line. 

Smith also sends out Injuns Fine Wine (Invisible Injun-Lalique N Wine by Fly Duino), a 7-year-old stallion owned by Smith. Injuns Fine Wine finished behind stablemate Patriot Arrival in his latest three starts, all at Hialeah.

Fans can watch live racing at Hialeah Park and many other American Quarter Horse tracks throughout the year by subscribing to Q-Racing Video. Subscribers have unlimited live access to almost every Quarter Horse simulcasting signal in the United States, plus unlimited access to archived race video. For more information, visit aqharacing.com.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal, The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal or America’s Horse, visit www.aqha.com/magazines.

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The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal, January 6, 2010 – The American Quarter Horse Association will announce the 2009 AQHA Racing Champions awards Wednesday, January 13, live at 6 p.m. CST from Heritage Place in Oklahoma City. The show will broadcast free of charge on Q-Racing Video at www.aqharacing.com.

This year’s awards are wide open, with a number of legitimate contenders in many categories.

The freshman crop yielded several superstars competing now on the ballot for championship honors. The 2-year-old colt candidates are led by Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity (G1) winner Good Reason SA and two-time Grade 1 winner Tempting Dash, who was undefeated in four starts this year. The 2-year-old gelding division is led by Grade 1 winners Eye Got The Blues, First Klas Fred, Twin Spires and Zoomin With Ease. The fillies will provide strong competition for overall 2-year-old honors, led by All American Futurity (G1) winner Runnning Brook Gal.

Among the 3-year-olds seeking championship honors are 2008 world champion Stolis Winner, who after a Grade 1 victory in the Texas Classic Derby, seeks another championship honor in the 3-year-old gelding division. The champion 2-year-old colt Foose is also attempting another year of honors, this time as the champion 3-year-old colt.

Last year was filled with strong aged contenders including New Mexico sensation First Moonflash, who is up for aged stallion honors, and California star Freaky, who competes in the aged gelding category. The aged mare category will feature a battle between five top mares, led by Stylish Jess BR and Terrific Energy.

Even the distance award is up for grabs, with six of seven contenders earning more than $100,000 each in 2009. Gone To The Mountain, Vital Winner and Snowbound Superstar are among the 870-yard candidates.

The awards for outstanding people in the American Quarter Horse racing industry include champion owner, breeder, trainer and jockey. Among the candidates for leading owner are Utah-based A&C Racing and Roping, which led in earnings with the help of All American Futurity winner Runnning Brook Gal. Mike Abraham narrowly led all breeders by money earned, only $15,782 more than Dr. Edward C. Allred. Paul Jones looks to become the champion trainer for his eighth consecutive year, as he was the top money-earning trainer by a runaway, with $4.7 million more than second-place earner Heath Taylor – including wins in the sport’s two richest races, the Los Alamitos Two Million and All American Futurities. Jockey Ramon Sanchez, who became the first jockey to win both of those races in the same year, looks to unseat reigning champion jockey G.R. Carter Jr. from a position he has held seven times, including the past six years.

Nominees automatically qualify based on 2009 earnings or statistics; members of the AQHA Racing Committee may nominate additional horses if they wish. The 25 members of the AQHA Racing Champions Selection Subcommittee then vote on a final ballot in each of these 21 categories:

2-year-old colt
2-year-old filly
2-year-old gelding
3-year-old colt
3-year-old filly
3-year-old gelding
Aged stallion
Aged mare
Aged gelding
Distance horse
Canadian race horse
Mexican race horse
Broodmare

Trainer
Breeder
Owner
Jockey

Overall 2-year-old
Overall 3-year-old
Overall aged horse

World Champion

Winners in all categories receive a bronze trophy created by famed equine sculptor Lisa Perry. A unique Lisa Perry bronze has been created to honor the world champion. The new trophy will be unveiled at the January 13 ceremony.

Fans can watch the award presentation live and free of charge on Q-Racing Video, aqharacing.com’s subscription race video service. Non-subscribers who wish to view the program will only be required to submit a valid e-mail address.

To learn more about the 2009 champions, subscribe to The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal’s free Q-Racing Newsletter. The industry-leading twice-weekly newsletter will release a special edition on Wednesday night with bios on all the champions. Then sit back and enjoy the latest in racing information, previews and recaps from stakes races and trials, tips on horses hitting the workout tab, category leaders and interesting history facts delivered twice a week straight to your e-mailbox – and all for free. Visit www.aqha.com/lyris/subscribe.html to subscribe.

The public is welcome to attend the live event. There is no admission charge, but seating is limited, and nominees are given priority. For information on attending, please call AQHA at (806) 376-4811 and ask for the racing department.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal, The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal or America’s Horse, visit www.aqha.com/magazines. 

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The American Quarter Horse Journal, December 10, 2009 - Freaky could complete the climb from claimer to world champion in less than 11 months with a victory in the $750,000 Champion of Champions (G1) at 440 yards on Saturday night at Los Alamitos Race Course.

The Champion of Champions winner has been named world champion more times than the winner of any other American Quarter Horse race. Six of the top-10 ranked horses in the AQHA Racing-HorseplayerPRO.com weekly national poll are racing in the Champion of Champions.

Freaky (TR Dasher-Chickasecret by Raise A Secret) raced for a $50,000 claiming price in January and finished in fifth place. Since then, he has won five of six starts, capped by a sensational four-race winning streak. The Adan Farias-trainee scored his latest three wins over Grade 1 company, and he has set three Los Alamitos track records this year.

Freaky’s winning streak started with his Vessels Maturity trial and was capped by his victory in the Robert Boniface Los Alamitos Championship (G1). During that streak, he also won the Vessels Maturity (G1) in 400-yard track-record time and the Spencer Childers California Breeders Championship (G1).

In the Robert Boniface Los Alamitos Championship, Freaky’s most recent start, he pulled out to a 1-length victory in :20.962, narrowly missing the Los Alamitos 440-yard track record of Jess You And I set in last year’s Champion of Champions.

Farias also saddles the quarter-mile adoring Bank of America Challenge Championship (G1) winner Fighter On Fire (First Down Dash-Chenille by Merridoc). His only four 440-yard starts have come in his latest four starts, and he has three wins and a troubled eighth-place finish in the Robert Boniface Los Alamitos Championship. Those wins include his nose win over Champion of Champions participant Little Bit Of Baja in the Bank of America Challenge Championship and an impressive 1-length win in the Bank of America California Challenge (G2).

The Double Bar S Ranch’s homebred Jess You And I (Feature Mr Jess-Gold Daze by Tolltac) defends his Champion of Champions title. He won last year’s race by a head as a 15-1 longshot.

The Jaime Gomez-trained Jess You And I backed up his Champion of Champions victory with wins this year in the Los Alamitos Winter Championship (G1) and his second-consecutive victory in the Go Man Go Handicap (G1). He finished a lackluster seventh behind Freaky in the Robert Boniface Los Alamitos Championship.

Trainer Paul Jones has four Champion of Champions victories and saddles four contenders – Foose, Separate Bet, Masters Call and Stylish Jess BR.

Foose (Stel Corona-Summertime Quickie by Royal Quick Dash) is back in Grade 1-winning form after winning the Los Alamitos Super Derby (G1) by a length in his latest start. As a juvenile last year, he moved to the top of his division by winning his first four starts, including the Ed Burke Million (G1). The 2008 champion 2-year-old colt went on to second-place finishes in the Los Alamitos Two Million (G1) and the Golden State Million (G1).

Separate Bet (Separatist-Better Bet On Me by First Down Dash) was the Remington Park horse of the meet this spring when he won three stakes races in his three starts at the Oklahoma City track. He concluded that winning streak with a head win in the Remington Park Championship (G1).

Masters Call (Hennessy (TB)-Check Her Twice by First Down Dash) won the 2007 Los Alamitos Two Million Juvenile and took the Farnam Stakes two starts ago. In the 440-yard Farnam Stakes, he pulled away to win by 1 ¼ lengths in :21.176.

Benny Rossett’s Stylish Jess BR (Feature Mr Jess-Stylish Secret by Dash For Cash) does her best work against female company. This fall she won the Merial Distaff California Challenge (G3) and then easily won the Merial Distaff Challenge Championship (G1) by more than 1 length. In 2008, she won the Mildred Vessels Invitational Handicap (G1) over fillies and mares.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal, The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal or America’s Horse, visit www.aqha.com/magazines.

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The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal, December 9, 2009 – The polls for 2-year-olds and 3-year-old and older horses remained unchanged this week as AQHA Racing-HorseplayerPRO.com Weekly Top 10 pollsters await a seismic weekend of action at Los Alamitos this Friday and Saturday. The Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity (G1) and Champion of Champions (G1) figure to shape the season’s final poll, which will be released next Wednesday, December 16.

The top 10 for the 2-year-olds remained intact as Runnning Brook Gal, the All American Futurity (G1) heroine, holds a slight balloting edge over Texas’ top juvenile, Tempting Dash. The Los Alamitos Two Million participant who may have the most bearing on balloting may be Apollitical Jess, fastest qualifier to the “Deuce.” But it likely will take a monumental effort to forsake the top two in next week’s poll.

The older horse division, however, appears to be a “winner-take-all” in the Champion of Champions. No less than six horses ranked this week are expected to battle Saturday night at Los Alamitos, including the nation’s top three rated runners and five of the top six. Unanimous No. 1 Freaky shows down with No. 2 Inseperable, No. 3 Jess You And I, No. 5 Foose, No. 6 Fighter On Fire and No. 10 Separate Bet.

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 2-YEAR-OLDS
    1.  RUNNNING BROOK GAL (89)
    2.  TEMPTING DASH (82)
    3.  FIRST KLAS FRED (71)
    4.  THE PARTYS ON FIRE (49)
    5.  STREAKIN LAQUINTA (47)
    6.  FIRST PRIZE LEESA (37)
    7.  SHESA FIRST RATIFY (35)
    8.  ZOOMIN WITH EASE (23)
    9. JUMPN BEDUINO (17)
    10. PEACE FIRE (15)
First Corona Call (9), Ragazzo (6), Apollitical Jess (6), Favorite Cartel (5), Shining First Dash (3), Eye Got The Blues (1)

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 3-YEAR-OLDS & UP
    1.  FREAKY (90)
    2.  INSEPERABLE (75)
    3.  JESS YOU AND I (69)
    4.  FIRST MOONFLASH (50)
    5.  FOOSE (47)
    6.  FIGHTER ON FIRE (38)
    7.  TERRIFIC ENERGY (35)
    8.  STOLIS WINNER (26)
    9.  STYLISH JESS BR (20)
    10.  SEPARATE BET (15)
Alice K White (11), Little Bit Of Baja (8), Streakin Cherry (4), Fantastic Corona Jr (3), Little Bit Of Ah Ha (3) Charal Kid (1), Gone To The Mountain (2), Noconi (1), Saturday Nite Fever (1)

The nine voters are:
Ed Burgart (Los Alamitos announcer/handicapper)
Martha Claussen (writer/handicapper)
Mike Cusortelli (writer/handicapper)
Tom Dawson (network television producer)
Dale Day (Remington Park announcer/handicapper)
Mike Joyce (TVG analyst)
Jeremy Plonk (ESPN.com contributor)
Terry Turrell (HorseplayerPRO.com handicapper)
Ty Wyant (writer, Daily Racing Form and AQHA)

Poll results are also available at aqharacing.com and HorseplayerPRO.com.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal, The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal or America’s Horse, visit www.aqha.com/magazines.

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The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal, December 3, 2009 – Champion Noconi will be favored to gain his fourth win from five 2009 starts when he heads the $175,000 Zia Park Quarter Horse Championship (G1) over 440 yards on Sunday afternoon.

R.D. Hubbard and Johnny T.L. Jones Jr.’s homebred Noconi (Mr Jess Perry-My Dashing Lady by Dash For Cash) was named the 2008 champion 3-year-old gelding and has returned in peak form. Noconi returned after winter’s rest at Ruidoso Downs last summer to take the Higheasterjet Handicap and the Mr Jet Moore Handicap; he was named older horse of the meet. After a second-place finish as the odds-on favorite in the Refrigerator Handicap (G1) at Lone Star Park, he dominated the Lovington Handicap (G2) at Zia Park in preparation for the Zia Championship.

In 2008, the Paul Jones-trained Noconi earned his championship with his victory over champion Heartswideopen in the All American Derby (G1) and then by winning the Hobbs America Derby (G2) at Zia Park as the 7-10 favorite.

He comes into the Zia Park Championship with $869,559 in earnings and has finished in the top three in 16 of 19 starts.

Three-year-olds Winners Version and Charal Kid each come off of derby wins to challenge Noconi.

Noconi’s stablemate from the Jones barn, Winners Version (Holland Ease-The Jubilee Diamond by Runaway Winner), comes off his win in the $148,000 Hobbs America Derby (G3). The Albert and Chad Richard-owned colt pulled away to an easy 1½-length victory as the 7-5 favorite.

In 2008, Winners Version was the only horse to qualify for the Grade 1 Ruidoso, Rainbow and All American futurities. He also qualified for the Golden State Million (G1) and the Los Alamitos Two Million (G1) as a juvenile. This year, the colt also reached the finals of the Rainbow Derby (G1).

Malinche Cattle Co.’s Charal Kid (Streakin La Jolla-The Special Feature by Strawfly Special) makes his New Mexico debut in the Zia Championship after winning the $202,000 Dash For Cash Derby (G1) for trainer Eusevio Huitron. He prevailed by one-half length over world champion Stolis Winner, who went on to win the $342,000 Texas Classic Derby (G1).

Charal Kid has won four of his latest five starts, including the $122,000 Sam Houston Derby.

Fans can watch the Zia Park Championship and many other American Quarter Horse races throughout the year by subscribing to Q-Racing Video. Subscribers have unlimited live access to almost every American Quarter Horse simulcasting signal in the United States, plus unlimited access to archived race video. For more information, visit www.aqharacing.com.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal, The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal or America’s Horse, visit www.aqha.com/magazines.

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The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal, December 2, 2009 – Despite a track record-setting performance in Saturday’s Texas Classic Futurity (G1), late-season upstart Tempting Dash was unable to dethrone All American Futurity (G1) heroine Runnning Brook Gal in balloting for the AQHA Racing-HorseplayerPRO.com Weekly Top-10 Poll for 2-year-olds. The top-ranked filly also was victorious over the weekend with a clear win the Southwest Juvenile Championship (G1) at Zia Park, beating the highly regarded duo of First Klas Fred (No. 3 this week) and First Prize Leesa (who rose to No. 6 this week).

Voters ranked Runnning Brook Gal on top with 89 of a possible 90 points in the poll. Tempting Dash registered 81 points. For the first time since September, however, the balloting was not unanimous in favor of Runnning Brook Gal. She garnered eight of nine first-place votes from the expert panel, as TVG analyst Mike Joyce sided with Tempting Dash at No. 1.

As for the 3-year-olds and older division, unanimous No. 1 Freaky remains at the highest perch. He is expected to headline the December 12 Champion of Champions (G1) at Los Alamitos. Others expected for the year-end showdown include No. 2 Inseparable, No. 3 Jess You And I, No. 5 Foose, No. 6 Fighter On Fire, and No. 10 Separate Bet. The big mover this week was Texas Classic Derby (G1) winner and 2008 AQHA World Champion Running American Quarter Horse Stolis Winner, who moved up to No. 8 in the national rankings with his top performance of the year.

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 2-YEAR OLDS:

1.   RUNNNING BROOK GAL (89)
2.   TEMPTING DASH (81)
3.   FIRST KLAS FRED (72)
4.   THE PARTYS ON FIRE (49)
5.   STREAKIN LAQUINTA (47)
6.   FIRST PRIZE LEESA (37)
7.   SEZA FIRST RATIFY (35)
8.   ZOOMIN WITH EASE (21)
9.   JUMPN BEDUINO (18)
10. PEACE FIRE (15)

First Corona Call (9), Ragazzo (6), Apolitical Jess (6), Favorite Cartel (5), Shining First Dash (3), Eye Got The Blues (1), Saturday Nite Fever (1)

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 3-YEAR OLDS & UP:

1.   FREAKY (90)
2.   INSEPERABLE (75)
3.   JESS YOU AND I (69)
4.   FIRST MOONFLASH (50)
5.   FOOSE (47)
6.   FIGHTER ON FIRE (37)
7.   TERRIFIC ENERGY (34)
8.   STOLIS WINNER (27)
9.   STYLISH JESS BR (21)
10. SEPARATE BET (15)

Alice K White (9), Little Bit Of Baja (8), Streakin Cherry (4), Fantastic Corona Jr (3), Charal Kid (2), Gone To The Mountain (2), Noconi (1), Jess Zoomin (1)

The nine voters are:

Ed Burgart (Los Alamitos announcer/handicapper)
Martha Claussen (writer/handicapper)
Mike Cusortelli (writer/handicapper)
Tom Dawson (network television producer)
Dale Day (Remington Park announcer/handicapper)
Mike Joyce (TVG analyst)
Jeremy Plonk (ESPN.com contributor)
Terry Turrell (HorseplayerPRO.com handicapper)
Ty Wyant (writer, Daily Racing Form and AQHA)

Poll results are also available at aqharacing.com and HorseplayerPRO.com.


AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal, The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal or America’s Horse, visit www.aqha.com/magazines.

The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal, November 26, 2009 – Older horses zip 300 yards to vie to become the first American Quarter Horse stakes winner at Hialeah Park —and likely the answer to a trivia question— in the $25,000 Bienvenido de Nuevo Stakes on Saturday afternoon at the historic South Florida track.

Saturday is the start of the inaugural Quarter Horse meet at Hialeah and is the first racing at the track since 2001.

Debra Gotovac’s Eyesa Western (Eyesa Special-Western Debt by Chicks Beduino) is suited for the Bienvenido de Nuevo Stakes after zipping to the optional-claiming win at 250 yards on October 17 at Lone Star Park. The Brad Bolen-trained gelding won by one length, a dominating margin at that very short distance.

In his two starts before that victory, he was a close fourth-place finisher in minor stakes at longer distances.

Jose Angel’s Hez Lights Out (Heza Fast Man-Cinderella Dash by Twaynas Dash) returns from a layoff after winning his two starts before sidelined. The Manuel Mata-trained gelding won a pair of starter allowance races at Remington Park by daylight margins.

Ciara Lucille Webb’s Gallant Ways (Make it Anywhere-Corona Bikini by Corona Cartel) fits well with the Bienvenido de Nuevo Stakes competition after proving his stakes value at Prairie Meadows for trainer Charlton Hunt. He comes off a second-place finish in the $45,000 Two River Stakes after racing on the lead in the 440-yard contest.

Gallant Ways surprised last year when he won the $200,000 Bayer Legend Derby Challenge (G1) over 400 yards at 27-1 odds.

Fans can watch every race of Hialeah Park's 2009/2010 meet on Q-Racing Video. Subscribers see actual live video from the racetracks, including post parade and racing action. It’s like watching a monitor at the track, but the action is on your computer from anywhere there’s Internet access. The archives allow subscribers to catch past performances and is a great handicapping tool for trip notes. Archived races for most tracks go back at least two years, allowing subscribers unparalleled access to past races. The subscription service will charge as little as $14.95 per month with a one-year agreement. Learn more at www.aqha.com/racingstream.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal, The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal or America’s Horse, visit www.aqha.com/magazines.

The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal, November 25, 2009 – While all was quiet this past week in balloting for the AQHA Racing-HorseplayerPRO.com Weekly Top Ten Polls for 2-year-olds and 3-year-olds and older, the Thanksgiving holiday weekend figures to have a major impact on at least one of the lists. That’s because No. 3-rated juvenile Tempting Dash headlines Saturday’s Grade 1 Texas Classic Futurity at Lone Star Park.

Runnning Brook Gal, the All American Futurity winner, remains the unanimous No. 1-ranked runner among the 2-year-olds this week. However, a late-season push by Tempting Dash could sway some voters for the top spot.

As for the 3-year-olds and older division, unanimous No. 1 Freaky holds all the aces as the December 12 Champion of Champions (G1) approaches. Others slated to compete in the Champion of Champions include No. 2 Inseparable, No. 3 Jess You And I, No. 5 Foose, No. 6 Fighter on Fire, No. 9 Separate Bet and No. 10 Little Bit of Baja.

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 2-YEAR OLDS:

1.   RUNNNING BROOK GAL (90)
2.   FIRST KLAS FRED (79)
3.   TEMPTING DASH (60)
4.   THE PARTYS ON FIRE (56)
5.   STREAKIN LAQUINTA (55)
6.   SHEZA FIRST RATIFY (38)
7.   ZOOMIN WITH EASE (28)
8.   JUMP’N BEDUINO (23)
9.   PEACE FIRE (21)
10. FAVORITE CARTEL (12)

First Prize Leesa (8), First Corona Call (7), Ragazzo (7), Swingin Daddyo (2), Eye Got The Blues (1)

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 3-YEAR OLDS & UP:

1.   FREAKY (90)
2.   INSEPERABLE (76)
3.   JESS YOU AND I (66)
4.   FIRST MOONFLASH (65)
5.   FOOSE (40)
6.   FIGHTER ON FIRE (39)
7.   TERRIFIC ENERGY (31)
8.   STYLISH JESS BR (27)
9.   SEPARATE BET (16)
10. LITTLE BIT OF BAJA (11)

Alice K White (10), Streakin Cherry (5), Charal Kid (5), Gone To The Mountain (4), Noconi (4), Stolis Winner (2), Fantastic Corona Jr (1), Jess Zoomin (1), My Lady First (1)

The nine voters are:

Ed Burgart (Los Alamitos announcer/handicapper)
Martha Claussen (writer/handicapper)
Mike Cusortelli (writer/handicapper)
Tom Dawson (network television producer)
Dale Day (Remington Park announcer/handicapper)
Mike Joyce (TVG analyst)
Jeremy Plonk (ESPN.com contributor)
Terry Turrell (HorseplayerPRO.com handicapper)
Ty Wyant (writer, Daily Racing Form and AQHA)

Poll results are also available at aqharacing.com and HorseplayerPRO.com.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal, The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal or America’s Horse, visit www.aqha.com/magazines.

The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal, November 23, 2009 -The officials at the legendary Hialeah Park Race Track are preparing to once again open the doors to welcome horsemen and patrons for the first time in eight years. The inaugural American Quarter Horse meet at the track near Miami, Florida, begins November 28.

Hialeah Park, hailed as one of the most beautiful racetracks in the world and home to a legendary flock of flamingos, opened in 1925 and hosted some of the greatest horses in Thoroughbred racing history, such as Seabiscuit, Citation, Seattle Slew and Spectacular Bid. It was also the backdrop for a number of movies, such as the 1989 Richard Dreyfuss comedy “Let it Ride,” and had a cameo in the opening credits of the 1980s television series “Miami Vice.”

The track, owned by John Brunetti, was shuttered in 2001. Since the meet was approved, workers have been pulling double shifts to get the track ready for next week’s opening, and things look promising. The 40-day meet, which runs through February 2, 2010, will feature eight American Quarter Horse races a day, with average purses of $100,000 per day.

Not only is it a boon to the sport of racing America’s fastest horse, but the return of racing to Hialeah will also boost the area’s economy. According to a city of Hialeah study, the track will directly and indirectly create 11,000 jobs.

“I asked an extended-stay hotel owner in Hialeah what Quarter Horse racing meant to her,” said Florida Quarter Horse Racing Association President Dr. Stephen Fisch. “She said it means the difference in breaking even over the 13 weeks we will race and $39,000 added to the bottom line.”

Dwayne Didericksen is serving as the horsemen’s representative. Didericksen has served at other tracks as an owner, trainer, steward, racing secretary and general manager, and currently serves as a member and chair of the AQHA Racing Committee and Racing Council.

“The racetrack surface itself is in excellent, excellent condition,” said Didericksen. “They tell me that in the Thoroughbred world, this is the most kind racetrack (to the horses’ legs) not only in Florida, but any place they go.”

The horses will live in portable stalls under tents with good air flow.

“It’s a huge property, with beautiful trees everywhere,” he said. “They’re working like heck on the grandstand. The paddock looks nice.”

Racing secretary Sam Abbey reported that of the 864 stalls they have, 820 have been allocated.

“I think the facility itself is going to be an excellent showcase,” Didericksen said. “If all the horses show up that applied, the race meet should be fine.”

Quarter Horsemen from around the country are heading to southern Florida for the meet from states as far flung as New Mexico, Arizona, Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Georgia, North Carolina and Michigan.

Seven-consecutive-time champion trainer Paul Jones is bringing a string of horses to the Sunshine State. The leading trainer has conditioned the earners of more than $53 million, including world champions Whosleavingwho and Wave Carver. Other trainers attending include Donnie Strickland, Brad Bolen and Judd Kearl.

Opening weekend features the $25,000-added Bienvenido De Nuevo Stakes for 3-year-olds and up at 300 yards, the $20,000-added Mockingbird Stakes for 2-year-olds at 220 yards and the $30,000-added Orange Blossom Stakes for 3-year-olds and up at 550 yards.

Among the 34 nominations to the Bienvenido is Grade 1 winner Gallant Ways, a homebred who races for Clara Lucille Webb of Diamond, Missouri. The Make It Anywhere gelding has earned $184,905 and in his most recent start rallied for a second-place finish in the Two Rivers Stakes (G3) at Prairie Meadows.

There are 37 early nominations to the $100,000-added Hialeah Laddie Stakes and 36 to the $100,000-added Hialeah Lassie Stakes. Nominations in the Laddie include Swingin Daddyo, Debra Gotovac’s Agouti gelding who has already run out more than $140,000 while racing in the Grade 1 Ruidoso, All American and Dash For Cash futurities, and setting a track record at Lone Star Park. The finals for both races are scheduled for December 26.

“I was the racing secretary here from 1991 to 2001 with the Thoroughbreds,” said Abbey. “This is my favorite place on earth. The Brunettis have put a lot of money into this deal, and Hialeah looks like the old Hialeah. It’s gorgeous. Just absolutely gorgeous.”

Gates open at 11 a.m. on November 28, with free admission and free parking. First post is at 1:05 p.m. EST. The track will also host a live concert featuring Willy Chirino and Los Primeros. For more, visit www.hialeahparkracing.com.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal, The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal or America’s Horse, visit www.aqha.com/magazines.

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November 12 - Fastest qualifier Acorn heads two horses from the Janet VanBebber barn, each finalists in the Sam Houston Futurity (G1), in Saturday’s Evangeline Downs Futurity at the Louisiana track. 

Rose Marie Chandler’s homebred Acorn (Oak Tree Special-Trio Gal (TB) by Tasso) stepped up with a very impressive trial victory when he romped home with a 3½ -length victory. The gelding stopped the timer in :20.336 at 400 yards. 

Acorn was sent off as the 6-5 Evangeline Downs Futurity trial favorite after winning back-to-back races before finishing sixth in the Sam Houston Futurity. He won his Sam Houston trial by more than a length. 

William Ruffin’s Fame 555 (Dash Ta Fame-Just A Dream Again by Sixarun) finished eighth in the Sam Houston Futurity and then was a close second in his Evangeline Futurity trial. He is the fifth-fastest qualifier at :20.738. 

Second-fastest qualifier Miss Snow Royale (This Snow Is Royal-Fance Loreeta by Reckless Dash) also competed in the Sam Houston Futurity. The Carlos Bejarano-owned filly rallied for fifth place in the Sam Houston Futurity before dominating her Evangeline Downs Futurity trial. The Joel Garza-trained lady drew off to win by more than three lengths with a :20.396 time.

Fans can watch the Evangeline Downs Futurity and many other American Quarter Horse races throughout the year by subscribing to Q-Racing Video. Subscribers have unlimited live access to almost every Quarter Horse simulcasting signal in the United States, plus unlimited access to archived race video. For more information, visit aqharacing.com.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal, The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal or America’s Horse, visit www.aqha.com/magazines.

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The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal, November 11, 2009 – Foose is on the loose in the latest AQHA Racing-HorseplayerPRO.com Weekly Top 10 Poll for 3-year-olds and older. His commanding Los Alamitos Super Derby (G1) victory shot the sophomore up to a No. 6 national ranking. The week’s other active heavyweight player, No. 4 First Moonflash, also visited the winner’s circle by taking the New Mexico Classic Cup Championship (RG1) at Zia Park. The win for First Moonflash was not enough in voters’ eyes to advance him further, as he remains behind Freaky, Inseparable and Jess You And I this week.

Meanwhile, voters chose to posthumously honor LD Fire with a No. 7 ranking among the nation’s leading 2-year-olds, one week after the Ed Burke Million Futurity heroine was euthanized following a pelvic fracture. LD Fire may be replaced in future rankings, but this week takes her place in the poll behind the likes of Runnning Brook Gal, who remains the unanimous No. 1 juvenile on the strength of her All American Futurity (G1) victory.

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 2-YEAR OLDS

1.     RUNNNING BROOK GAL (90)
2.     FIRST KLAS FRED (78)
3.     SHEZA FIRST RATIFY (54)
4.     THE PARTYS ON FIRE (48)
5.     STREAKIN LAQUINTA (46)
6.     TEMPTING DASH (39)
7.     LD FIRE (38)
8.     PEACE FIRE (26)
9.     ZOOMIN WITH EASE (20)
10.   JUMPN BEDUINO (16)

First Corona Call (10), Ragazzo (8), Favorite Cartel (8), First Prize Leesa (7), Swingin Daddyo (5), Hoist Mission (4)

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 3-YEAR OLDS & UP

1.    FREAKY (90)
2.    INSEPERABLE (81)
3.    JESS YOU AND I (69)
4.    FIRST MOONFLASH (51)
5.    FIGHTER ON FIRE (50)
6.    FOOSE (44)
7.    TERRIFIC ENERGY (30)
8.    STYLISH JESS BR (24)
9.    SEPARATE BET (19)
10.  LITTLE BIT OF BAJA (15)

Alice K White (10), Streakin Cherry (7), Fantastic Corona Jr (5), Charal Kid (5), Gone To The Mountain (4), Stolis Winner (2), Noconi (2), Saturday Nite Fever (1)

The nine voters are:

Ed Burgart (Los Alamitos announcer/handicapper)
Martha Claussen (writer/handicapper)
Mike Cusortelli (writer/handicapper)
Tom Dawson (network television producer)
Dale Day (Remington Park announcer/handicapper)
Mike Joyce (TVG analyst)
Jeremy Plonk (ESPN.com contributor)
Terry Turrell (HorseplayerPRO.com handicapper)
Ty Wyant (writer, Daily Racing Form and AQHA)

Poll results are also available at aqharacing.com and HorseplayerPRO.com.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal, The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal or America’s Horse, visit www.aqha.com/magazines.

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The American Quarter Horse Journal, November 9, 2009 -- Equine industry alliance partners reached a general consensus involving humane treatment and equine welfare during a meeting October 20 and 21 at the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum in Amarillo, Texas.

Attendees included representatives from the following organizations: the American Quarter Horse Association, United States Equestrian Federation, American Association of Equine Practitioners, National Cutting Horse Association, National Snaffle Bit Association, National Reining Horse Association, National Reined Cow Horse Association, United States Team Penning Association, American Paint Horse Association and Equine Canada.

“Never before have so many leaders in the performance-horse disciplines gotten together to seriously discuss medication and animal welfare in relation to our events,” said Gary Carpenter, AQHA's executive director of breed integrity and animal welfare. “In-depth discussions led to a good, overall agreement on these vital subjects and the direction we need to go in the future.”

Meeting participants discussed the merits of developing a uniform therapeutic medications program and humane treatment policies that could be adopted by all of the groups involved. Executive directors from these associations scheduled a follow-up meeting for January 2010.

For more information, contact Gary Carpenter at (806) 378-4332 or e-mail gcarpenter@aqha.org.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal, The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal or America’s Horse, visit www.aqha.com/magazines.

America’s Horse, November 2, 2009 – American Quarter Horse Racing World Champion Be A Bono has moved to the Kentucky Horse Park’s Hall of Champions.

Be A Bono earned American Quarter Horse racing’s top honor when he was named the World Champion of 2004. He also earned champion 3-year-old and champion 3-year-old gelding honors for 2004.

Owned and bred by the late Spencer Childers of Fresno, California, the sorrel gelding was trained by Dan Francisco. Be A Bono was foaled February 22, 2001, and retired from racing as a 7-year-old. A true homebred, Be A Bono was the result of Childers’ breeding program that has spanned more than six decades. The gelding was sired by Childers’ homebred Bono Jazz and out of his homebred Be Peacefull, a Raise A Secret mare who has produced two stakes winners and a stakes-placed runner.

“AQHA is proud to have a true World Champion join the Kentucky Horse Park Hall of Champions,” said AQHA Executive Vice President Don Treadway Jr. “As American Quarter Horses compete at the 2010 World Equestrian Games at the Kentucky Horse Park, Be A Bono will be a great ambassador for the breed. I’d like to thank Vince Genco for making Be A Bono’s transfer to Kentucky possible.”

Be A Bono is the first world champion sired by Bono Jazz. The blaze-faced gelding finished his career with 14 wins in 26 starts and earned more than $1.3 million. In his final start, Be A Bono finished in a deadheat for the win in an allowance race December 22, 2007, and left the sport as the 19th-richest American Quarter Horse of all time.

Be A Bono is the only horse to finish second twice in the Champion of Champions – losing both races by a nose. Childers’ homebred won the first seven races of his career. His big victories included consecutive renewals of the Vessels Maturity (G1), the Golden State Futurity (G1), the Los Alamitos Winter Derby (G1), the Los Alamitos Super Derby (G1) and three consecutive wins in the race named after his owner-breeder – the Spencer Childers California Breeders Championship Handicap (RG1).

Childers, who owned American Quarter Horses before AQHA was founded in 1940 and has bred American Quarter Horses every year since 1949, died July 9, 2009, at age 97.

A longtime resident of Fresno, California, where he and his late wife, Florence, maintained their breeding farm, Childers was the fifth-all-time leading breeder of racing American Quarter Horses at the time of his death. Childers began breeding racehorses with his purchase in 1957 of champion Black Easter Bunny. In his own name, Childers bred 901 American Quarter Horses, including 657 starters, of which 462 are winners. Among them are 46 stakes winners, 37 stakes placers and the earners to date of $12,077,087. In addition to Be A Bono, Childers bred and raced champions Black Sable, Blobby Charger, Bunny’s Bar Maid, Jet View and Uncas. He was inducted into the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame in 2002.

Be A Bono will become part of an elite group of champion horses that reside at the park’s Hall of Champions. Be A Bono joins Thoroughbred legends Cigar, Funny Cide and Da Hoss; champion American Saddlebred CH Gypsy Supreme; and Standardbred Pacers Western Dreamer and Staying Together.

The Kentucky Horse Park is a working horse farm/theme park and equine competition facility dedicated to man’s relationship with the horse. The park is an agency of the Kentucky Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet that hosted nearly 900,000 visitors and campers, as well as 15,000 competition horses in more than 100 special events and horse shows in 2008. The park is home to the National Horse Center, which comprises more than 30 national and regional equine organizations. Located at Exit 120, Interstate 75, just north of Lexington, the Kentucky Horse Park is the place to get close to horses. Open daily March 15 to October 31, and Wednesday through Sunday, November 1 to March 14.
 
AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal, The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal or America’s Horse, visit www.aqha.com/magazines.

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The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal, October 30, 2009 – Three of the hottest southern California females are the horses to beat in the $125,000 Merial Distaff Challenge (G1) at 400 yards during the Bank of America Challenge Championships on October 31 at Los Alamitos Race Course.

The females with the home-track advantage are Terrific Energy and the Paul Jones-trained pair of Stylish Jess BR and Answer The Dream.

The Parsons Family Trust-owned Terrific Energy (Mr Jess Perry-First Down Energy by First Down Dash) is well-positioned to earn the 2009 champion aged mare title. The Chris O’Dell-trained mare has Grade 1 wins in the January 3 Charger Bar Handicap and the September 19 Mildred Vessels Handicap, the top-two races for distaffers at Los Alamitos. She comes off an impressive 1-length tally in the Mildred Vessels when she rolled with an impressive :19.286 time for the 400 yards.

Benny Rosset’s Stylish Jess BR (Feature Mr Jess-Stylish Secret by Dash For Cash) defeated Terrific Energy in the Merial California Distaff Challenge (G3) as the 11-10 favorite and would boost her championship credentials with a win Saturday night. The 4-year-old has lined up against the best older males this year; the Merial California Distaff Challenge is her sole start against strictly female company in her latest eight.

Answer The Dream (Tres Seis-Three Dee Dreams by Heza Fast Man) had a productive spring at Remington Park, with back-to-back stakes wins in the May 10 Merial Oklahoma Distaff Challenge and the May 30 Juno Request Stakes (G3). After a summer layoff, she came back to finish a non-threatening ninth in the Mildred Vessels at Los Alamitos, but figures to improve off that race.

Answer The Dream, a homebred racing for J. Garvan Kelly, Nancy Yearsley and J. Lloyd Yother, enjoys 400 yards with eight on-the-board finishes from 13 400-yard starts.

The $125,000 Merial Challenge Distaff Challenge is scheduled as the ninth race on Saturday’s card. Following are the post positions and morning-line odds of the field:

1. I Opening Sensation 12-1
2. Tombstone Tina 30-1
3. Terrific Energy 4-5
4. Stylish Jess BR 2-1
5. Strength In Numbers 8-1
6. As Takin First 20-1
7. Starsmith 30-1
8. Panther Purr 30-1
9. Answer The Dream 15-1
10. Baby La Jolla 10-1

The Bank of America Racing Challenge began in 1993 and since that time has distributed more than $52 million to breeders and owners of racing American Quarter Horses. 2009 marks the 17th year of the program with 71 regional, championship and undercard races. There is $5 million in total purses and awards for 2009, thanks to corporate partners, host tracks, horsemen and the Bank of America Racing Challenge Purse Fund. The Bank of America Racing Challenge was created to increase racing opportunities for older racing American Quarter Horses, but the benefit of nominating is often seen in the sale ring where Challenge-enrolled horses have historically brought more money.

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 will culminate with the six Challenge Championship races and six undercard Challenge stakes races on Saturday, October 31, at Los Alamitos Race Course in Los Alamitos, California. To learn more about the Bank of America Racing Challenge, visit racing.aqha.com/racing/challenge/index.aspx.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal, The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal or America’s Horse, visit www.aqha.com/magazines.

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The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal, October 29, 2009 – Anticipation for the 2009 Bank of America Challenge Championships is continuing to build as the final preparations are taking place for the $350,000 Bank of America Challenge Championship (G1) on Saturday, October 31. The race is the marquee event of the Championship night.

Adan Farias’ trainee Fighter On Fire and Trisk, who is trained by seven-time AQHA champion trainer Paul Jones, will have the home-track advantage in the 440-yard stakes race. The winner of the Bank of America Challenge Championship earns a berth in the $750,000 Champion of Champions (G1) on December 12 at Los Alamitos.

Rancho El Alacran’s Fighter On Fire (First Down Dash-Chenille by Merridoc) won the August 22 Bank of America California Championship Challenge (G2) two starts ago over Trisk and the Grade 1-winning mare Strength In Numbers, who will compete in the Merial Distaff Challenge Championship (G1) on Saturday. On June 19, Fighter On Fire was third in the Vessels Maturity (G1) behind American Quarter Horse racing’s No. 1 ranked horse Freaky.

Lucas Racing’s Trisk (First Down Dash-Runaway Wave by Runaway Winner) was second behind Fighter On Fire in the Bank of America California Challenge and third in the Spencer Childers California Breeders’ Championship (G1).

Fighter On Fire and Rylees Boy (Heza Motor Scooter-Pipistrelle by Rocky Jones) are the morning line favorites at 3-1. Gerardo Ochoa’s Rylees Boy has set two track records this year. The 4-year-old bay gelding was enrolled into the Challenge program in September for the $20,000 late fee after being nearly perfect in 2009 with six wins and one second-place finish in seven starts. Rylees Boy won the West/Southwest Championship Challenge (G3) at Turf Paradise on October 18 by 1 1/2 lengths.

The $350,000 Bank of America Challenge Championship will be the 10th race on the card. Following are the post positions and morning-line odds of the field:

1. Snip N Dash 8-1
2. Captains Road 30-1
3. Trisk 12-1
4. Easy Dashin Sixes 8-1
5. Fighter On Fire 3-1
6. Brindis Por Cayenne 30-1
7. Little Bit Of Baja 9-5
8. Mayo First 20-1
9. Bannow Bay 30-1
10. Rylees Boy 3-1
11. Head Bud 30-1
 

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The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal, October 29, 2009 –  Veteran trainer Dwayne “Sleepy” Gilbreath is the consummate horseman; he has the dangerous Jodys Money Pop in the Bayer Legend Challenge Derby Championship (G1) over 400 yards at the Bank of America Challenge Championships on October 31 at Los Alamitos Race Course.

Jim Pitts’ Jodys Money Pop (Jody O Toole-Gotta Money Pop by Man In The Money) earned his spot in the Bayer Legend Derby Championship with a win in the Bayer Legend Texas Derby Challenge (G3) on July 11 and has been pointing to the Bayer Legend Challenge Derby Championship (G1) since that neck victory as the 22-10 favorite.

Jodys Money Pop has been consistent by finishing on the board in 10 of 11 starts with five wins. He won the $419,000 TQHA Sale Futurity (RG1) and was third in the $400,000 West Texas Futurity (G1).

Sammy and Johnny Martinez’s Call Me Tater (Shazoom-Wait Watch Her by Mr Eye Opener) takes a jump in class for the Bayer Legend Challenge Derby Championship after three wins and a close second in his latest four starts for trainer Sam Martinez. He won the Grade 3 Bayer Legend Oklahoma Derby Challenge at Blue Ribbon Downs in his latest start.

Reyes Salcedo’s Saturday Nite Fever (Check Him Out-Dashingatac by First Down Dash) qualified for the Bayer Legend Challenge Derby Championship with a mild upset win in the Bayer Legend California Derby Challenge at Los Alamitos. He won by a neck in :19.481 for 400 yards.

The $200,000 Bayer Legend Challenge Derby Championship is the eighth race on Saturday’s card. Following are the post positions and morning-line odds of the field:

1. Extraordinaress 10-1
2. Jodys Money Pop 4-1
3. Iona Corona 10-1
4. Skyline Lover 8-1
5. Lassie O Toole 4-1
6. Eyesa Dreamin 20-1
7. Call Me Tater 10-1
8. Saturday Nite Fever 9-5
9. Quattro 30-1
10. Lady Streakin Leader 15-1
 
The Bank of America Racing Challenge began in 1993 and since that time has distributed more than $52 million to breeders and owners of racing American Quarter Horses. 2009 marks the 17th year of the program with 71 regional, championship and undercard races. There is $5 million in total purses and awards for 2009, thanks to corporate partners, host tracks, horsemen and the Bank of America Racing Challenge Purse Fund. The Bank of America Racing Challenge was created to increase racing opportunities for older racing American Quarter Horses, but the benefit of nominating is often seen in the sale ring where Challenge-enrolled horses have historically brought more money.

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 will culminate with the six Challenge Championship races and six undercard Challenge stakes races on Saturday, October 31, at Los Alamitos Race Course in Los Alamitos, California. To learn more about the Bank of America Racing Challenge, visit racing.aqha.com/racing/challenge/index.aspx.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal, The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal or America’s Horse, visit www.aqha.com/magazines.

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The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal, October 28, 2009 – A track record-setting performance by Tempting Dash in Saturday’s Grade 1 Dash for Cash Futurity final at Lone Star Park launched the juvenile from obscurity to No. 7 in the latest AQHA Racing-HorseplayerPRO.com Weekly Top-10 Poll for 2-year-olds. The full brother to Grade 1 winner A Tempting Dash remained unbeaten in two career starts while running 400 yards in :19.379.

Meanwhile, All American Futurity winner Runnning Brook Gal remains unanimously atop the 2-year-old rankings, the same perch held by leading older horse Freaky in the 3-year-old and older divisional poll. The only change this week to the older horse rankings came with Charal Kid debuting in the poll at No. 10. The Dash For Cash Derby winner upset favorite and reigning AQHA World Champion Stolis Winner last Saturday at Lone Star Park.

The rankings are braced for change this week as a plethora of major races will be held at the Bank of America Challenge Championships at Los Alamitos on Saturday night. Among the top-rated horses slated to appear include First Moonflash and distance stalwart Snowbound Superstar. Also at Los Al, the Grade 1 Golden State Million Futurity will be renewed Friday night, featuring No. 3-ranked juvenile LD Fire.

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 2-YEAR-OLDS
    1.  RUNNNING BROOK GAL (90)
    2.  FIRST KLAS FRED (77)
    3.  LD FIRE (67)
    4.  SHESA FIRST RATIFY (51)
    5.  STREAKIN LAQUINTA (43)
    6.  ZOOMIN WITH EASE (40)
    7.  TEMPTING DASH (28)
    8.  JUMPN BEDUINO (25)
    9.  PEACE FIRE (24)
    10.  FIRST PRIZE LEESA (16)
First Corona Call (12), Favorite Cartel (8), Ragazzo (6), Swingin Daddyo (4), Eye Got The Blues (2), EBW Obsession (1)

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 3-YEAR-OLDS & UP
    1.  FREAKY (90)
    2.  INSEPERABLE (77)
    3.  JESS YOU AND I (73)
    4.  FIRST MOONFLASH (53)
    5.  TERRIFIC ENERGY (49)
    6.  SEPARATE BET (43)
    7.  SNOWBOUND SUPERSTAR (29)
    8.  ALICE K WHITE (28)
    9.  STREAKIN CHERRY (16)
    10.  CHARAL KID (12)
Little Bit Of Baja (11), Fantastic Corona Jr (6), Time For A Cigar (2), Stolis Winner (2), Jessanotheraffair (2), Rylees Boy (2)

Poll results are available each week at aqharacing.com and HorseplayerPRO.com.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal, The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal or America’s Horse, visit www.aqha.com/magazines.

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The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal, October 28, 2009 - A rematch of historic proportion takes center stage Saturday as champion Snowbound Superstar, winner of an American Quarter Horse record 15 consecutive races, meets 870-yard world-record holder Gone To The Mountain in the $125,000 Red Cell Racing Challenge Distance Championship (G1) over 870 yards during the Bank Of America Challenge Championships at Los Alamitos Race Course in Los Alamitos, California.

The two incredible geldings met once before, in the Red Cell Oklahoma Distance Challenge at Remington Park, with Snowbound Superstar (Snowbound (TB)-Shania Cash by Oh My Gee Whiz) gaining the neck victory in a classic duel that many horsemen call the best American Quarter Horse race of 2009.

Tom and Brenda Brinkley’s Snowbound Superstar, who is based at Los Alamitos in the Paul Jones barn, was then given a breather before surfacing in the Red Cell California Distance Challenge and was forced to work for his record-setting 15th consecutive victory. He blew the turn and had to catch the front-running Bad Act, who is also in the Red Cell Racing Challenge Distance Championship. Snowbound Superstar showed his enormous class by getting to the front in the final yard and prevailing in the photo by a nose.

Clyde Woerner’s homebred Gone To The Mountain (Panther Mountain-Lindys Bouquet by Fast Lindy) has been sensational since stepping up to the 870-yard distance in the past year. Last spring he set the 870-yard world record at Sunland Park when he won the Grade 3 Red Cell New Mexico Distance Challenge by more than 7 lengths in :43.029.

Trainer Wes Giles prepared Gone To The Mountain for the Red Cell Distance Championship with two impressive 870-yard wins at Zia Park. He rolled to a 2-length win in a $37,000 allowance race and then won the $55,000 Herman Jefferson Stakes under a tight hold by three-quarters of a length.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal, The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal or America’s Horse, visit www.aqha.com/magazines.

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The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal, October 21, 2009 – First Klas Fred jumped one spot in this week’s AQHA Racing-HorseplayerPRO.com Weekly Top Ten Poll for 2-year-olds, rising to No. 2 nationally behind All American Futurity winner Runnning Brook Gal. He swapped places with LD Fire, who made no missteps in winning her Golden State Million Futurity trial Saturday night at Los Alamitos with the second-fastest qualifying time.

Meanwhile, no changes took place atop the poll for 3-year-olds and older, as the dynamic Freaky resides in his unanimous loft in the No. 1 slot. Despite a track record-setting performance at Turf Paradise in last weekend’s Bank of America West/Southwest Challenge Championship, the pollsters did not reward Rylees Boy with a national ranking.

Both polls could be shaken up after this weekend’s Grade 1 double of the Dash For Cash Futurity and Derby at Lone Star Park. Reigning AQHA World Champion Stolis Winner was the fastest Derby qualifier and could reemerge on the national scene with a rousing performance.

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 2-YEAR OLDS:

1.     RUNNNING BROOK GAL (90)
2.     FIRST KLAS FRED (74)
3.     LD FIRE (69)
4.     STREAKIN LAQUINTA (50)
5.     SHEZA FIRST RATIFY (46)
6.     ZOOMIN WITH EASE (39)
7.     PEACE FIRE (32)
8.     FIRST PRIZE LEESA (21)
9.     JUMPN BEDUINO (19)
10.   FAVORITE CARTEL (12)

Swingin Daddyo (10), Ragazzo (8), First Corona Call (8), Eye Got The Blues (5), Twin Spires (4), EBW Obsession (2), Dealagame (2)

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 3-YEAR OLDS & UP:

1.      FREAKY (90)
2.      INSEPERABLE (78)
3.      JESS YOU AND I (69)
4.      FIRST MOONFLASH (53)
5.      TERRIFIC ENERGY (51)
6.      SEPARATE BET (37)
7.      ALICE K WHITE (29)
8.      SNOWBOUND SUPERSTAR (26)
9.      STREAKIN CHERRY (17)
10.    LITTLE BIT OF BAJA (11)

Fantastic Corona Jr (10), Stolis Winner (6), Stylish Jess BR (5), Time For A Cigar (5), Jessanotheraffair (4), My Lady First (3), Noconi (1)

The nine voters are:

Ed Burgart (Los Alamitos announcer/handicapper)
Martha Claussen (writer/handicapper)
Mike Cusortelli (writer/handicapper)
Tom Dawson (network television producer)
Dale Day (Remington Park announcer/handicapper)
Mike Joyce (TVG analyst)
Jeremy Plonk (ESPN.com contributor)
Terry Turrell (HorseplayerPRO.com handicapper)
Ty Wyant (writer, Daily Racing Form and AQHA)

Poll results are available each week at aqharacing.com and HorseplayerPRO.com.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal, The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal or America’s Horse, visit www.aqha.com/magazines.

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The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal, October 14, 2009 – It’s unanimous atop the AQHA Racing-HorseplayerPRO.com Weekly Top-10 Polls for both 2-year-olds and 3-year-olds and older. Even with a win and a loss by the top-ranked individuals last week, there was no doubt among pollsters that Freaky and Runnning Brook Gal lead their respective divisions.

Freaky cemented his perch atop the 3-year-old and older rankings with an authoritative score in the Robert Boniface Los Alamitos Invitational (G1), besting a group that included last week’s No. 2 Jess You and I. With the defeat, Jess You And I dropped to No. 3 this week as Inseperable now holds the No. 2 ranking.

The result was not as emphatic for Runnning Brook Gal, the All American Futurity (G1) heroine, who was upended in the finals of the Hobbs America Futurity (G3) at Zia Park over the weekend. Hobbs winner First Klas Fred rose to No. 3 in this week’s poll as the experts unanimously agreed to keep Runnning Brook Gal on top after a runner-up finish by a neck that was compromised by some bumping. First Klas Fred missed the No. 2 ranking by a single point in the polling, still chasing LD Fire, dead-heat winner of the Ed Burke Million Futurity this summer.

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 2-YEAR-OLDS

1.  RUNNNING BROOK GAL (90)
2.  LD FIRE (68) 
3.  FIRST KLAS FRED (67)
4.  STREAKIN LAQUINTA (51)
5.  SHESA FIRST RATIFY (48)
6.  ZOOMIN WITH EASE (40)
7.  PEACE FIRE (37)
8.  FIRST PRIZE LEESA (21)
9.  JUMPN BEDUINO (19)
10. FAVORITE CARTEL (16)

Also receiving votes: Ragazzo (9), Swingin Daddyo (9), First Corona Call (8), Twin Spires (4), Eye Got The Blues (3)

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 3-YEAR-OLDS & UP
 
1.  FREAKY (90)
2.  INSEPERABLE (80)
3.  JESS YOU AND I (70)
4.  FIRST MOONFLASH (53)
5.  TERRIFIC ENERGY (51)
6.  SEPARATE BET (37)
7.  ALICE K WHITE (29)
8.  SNOWBOUND SUPERSTAR (26)
9.  STREAKIN CHERRY (15)
10. LITTLE BIT OF BAJA (13)

Also receiving votes: Fantastic Corona Jr (10), Stolis Winner (6), Stylish Jess BR (5), Time For A Cigar (5), Jessanotheraffair (4), My Lady First (3), Noconi (1)

The nine voters are:

Ed Burgart (Los Alamitos announcer/handicapper)
Martha Claussen (writer/handicapper)
Mike Cusortelli (writer/handicapper)
Tom Dawson (network television producer)
Dale Day (Remington Park announcer/handicapper)
Mike Joyce (TVG analyst)
Jeremy Plonk (ESPN.com contributor)
Terry Turrell (HorseplayerPRO.com handicapper)
Ty Wyant (writer, Daily Racing Form and AQHA)

Poll results are also available at aqharacing.com and HorseplayerPRO.com.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal, The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal or America’s Horse, visit www.aqha.com/magazines.

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The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal, October 7, 2009 – The stage is set this week as Freaky and Jess You And I remain atop the latest AQHA Racing-HorseplayerPRO.com Weekly Top-10 Poll for 3-year-olds and older. The nation’s top two shortliners are on a collision course Saturday in the Robert Boniface Los Alamitos Invitational (G1). That’s just one of two must-see matchups this weekend.

All American Futurity (G1) winner Runnning Brook Gal, the top-rated 2-year-old, returns to action Saturday in the Hobbs America Futurity (G3) at Zia Park. There, she’ll rematch with No. 4-ranked Shesa First Ratify, the All American runner-up and fastest-qualifier to the Hobbs America Futurity and a filly who could have designs on the top spot with a win Saturday.

The past week’s fastest mover among the older horses was Refrigerator Handicap (G1) winner Streakin Cherry, whose victory at Lone Star Park put him just outside the top 10.

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 2-YEAR-OLDS
1.  RUNNNING BROOK GAL (90)
2.  LD FIRE (70)
3.  STREAKIN LAQUINTA (60)
4.  SHESA FIRST RATIFY (51)
5.  ZOOMIN WITH EASE (50)
6.  PEACE FIRE (40)
7.  FIRST PRIZE LEESA (29)
8.  FAVORITE CARTEL (26)
9.  FIRST KLAS FRED (22)
10. JUMPN BEDUINO (18)
 Ragazzo (11), Eye Got The Blues (10), First Corona Call (8), Twin Spires (5)

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 3-YEAR-OLDS & UP
1.  FREAKY (87)
2.  JESS YOU AND I (80)
3.  INSEPERABLE (74)
4.  FIRST MOONFLASH (52)
5.  TERRIFIC ENERGY (46)
6.  SEPARATE BET (35)
7.  ALICE K WHITE (30)
8.  SNOWBOUND SUPERSTAR (23)
9.  LITTLE BIT OF BAJA (14)
10. FANTASTIC CORONA JR (10)
Streakin Cherry (9), Time For A Cigar (8), Jessanotheraffair (8), Stylish Jess BR (5), Fighter On Fire (3), My Lady First (3), Noconi (2)

The nine voters are:
Ed Burgart (Los Alamitos announcer/handicapper)
Martha Claussen (writer/handicapper)
Mike Cusortelli (writer/handicapper)
Tom Dawson (network television producer)
Dale Day (Remington Park announcer/handicapper)
Mike Joyce (TVG analyst)
Jeremy Plonk (ESPN.com contributor)
Terry Turrell (HorseplayerPRO.com handicapper)
Ty Wyant (writer, Daily Racing Form and AQHA)

Poll results also are available at aqharacing.com and HorseplayerPRO.com.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal, The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal or America’s Horse, visit www.aqha.com/magazines.

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The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal, October 6, 2009 - Bucking the trends in a poor economic market, purses and handle for American Quarter Horse racing both rose during the month of September.

Purses rose 2.4 percent over the same period last year, from $12,295,182 to $12,585,406. Additionally, purses in the year-to-date have also seen growth, up seven-tenths of a percent over last year, according to statistics released by the American Quarter Horse Association.

In comparison, purses in Thoroughbred racing, according to Equibase, have dropped more than 6 percent in September and more than 7 percent over the year.

American Quarter Horse racing handle rose 3.3 percent in September, as compared to the same period last year, going from $25,102,630 to $25,939,282. The year-to-date figures for handle show numbers only slightly dropping from last year, down 3 percent from $258,174,469 to $250,427,396.

Thoroughbred racing saw handle drop eight-tenths of a percent in September, while the sport's yearly handle has dropped more than 10 percent.

“All things considered, this is excellent news, especially considering what’s happening to the Thoroughbred industry,” said AQHA Executive Director of Racing Trey Buck. “A month ago – when the August numbers came in – I spoke about how resilient and robust the industry was, and this makes me feel even better about how things are going. We’ve done everything we can to keep purses and handle as high as possible – and so have the tracks and sponsors … the whole industry, really. I’m particularly encouraged by the fact that the number of starters is up over last year. Everyone in Quarter Horse racing that has hung in there and helped keep it strong deserves a ‘Thank you.’”

The number of American Quarter Horse races run to date, compared to last year, is down 2.1 percent to 7,222. The average purse per race has risen 2.9 percent to $12,990. In addition, the number of American Quarter Horse starters to date has risen eight-tenths of a percent to 16,051.

For more information on American Quarter Horse racing, visit www.aqharacing.com.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal, The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal or America’s Horse, visit www.aqha.com/magazines.

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America’s Horse, October 6, 2009 – The All American Quarter Horse Congress is underway in Columbus, Ohio, and the American Quarter Horse Foundation is campaigning to connect people with American Quarter Horses through therapeutic riding.

The Because of a Horse campaign is raising needed funds for America’s Horse Cares and giving riders the ability to fly without wings on the back of an American Quarter Horse. America’s Horse Cares is the therapeutic riding assistance program of the Foundation. It's because of a horse that people with special needs can obtain the freedom so many of us already enjoy.

At Congress, exhibitors and spectators are asked to send a text message as a $10 pledge to support this worthy cause. Visit the AQHA booth at Congress to learn the details and see how your $10 text donation can make a huge difference. You can help someone fly without wings on the back of an American Quarter Horse.

Not attending the world’s largest American Quarter Horse show? Even if you aren't in Columbus, you can still participate with your $10 pledge by visiting www.americashorsecares.com. Your tax-deductible donation can help connect horses with people who need them.

To see the difference you can make in the life of a therapeutic rider, visit www.aqha.com/foundation/becauseofahorse.html. The “Fly Without Wings” video will be playing in several locations around Congress. You won’t want to miss the special appearance by 2007 MD Barns Silver Spur winner Tippys Sugar Bar on October 23 in the Celeste Center. “Tippy” will appear with three of the young riders that she has impacted as a therapeutic riding horse.

Don’t think your $50, $20 or even $10 donation can make a difference? Every dollar counts!

The cost of a lesson ranges from $57 to $315 per one-hour session and averages about $136. Most of the reduced rates that clients pay are $20-30. Based on the numbers, this hardly makes a dent in the actual cost of a therapeutic session. But America’s Horse Cares grants help offset these costs.

With your help, therapeutic riding centers can afford to purchase other needed supplies such as a riding helmet (which costs approximately $30), a bag of horse feed ($12.99), a round bale of coastal hay ($80), a bag of shavings ($7), a set of new horse shoes ($80) or any number of the needed supplies to keep the equine heroes healthy and providing lessons.

Thanks to the many donors and support from AQHA Corporate Partner Farnam, the Foundation has awarded more than $298,000 in assistance to more than 98 centers across the country, but there are many more requests for funding that have not been met. The Foundation’s partnerships with Farnam and NARHA offer rich and rewarding experiences that will provide many challenged individuals with confidence and self-esteem through therapeutic riding sessions.

Each year, more children and adults with disabilities whose lives, limbs and language are limited are positively impacted by riding a horse. Whether it is autism, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, Down syndrome, spina bifida or other disability, horses are making a measurable impact on their lives.

Want to go beyond a one-time donation? To learn how you or your organization can become more involved in supporting America’s Horse Cares, visit www.aqha.com/foundation, donate securely online at www.aqha.com/donatetoday or contact the Foundation at (806) 378-5029 or foundation@aqha.org.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal, The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal or America’s Horse, visit www.aqha.com/magazines.

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The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal, September 30, 2009 – An AQHA record 15th consecutive victory by Snowbound Superstar could not be overlooked by voters in the latest AQHA Racing-HorseplayerPRO.com Weekly Top-10 Poll for 3-year-olds and older. The sport’s dominant distance horse now has a place among the game’s best dashers, moving to No. 8 this week in the national poll. Snowbound Superstar becomes the first distance horse to be ranked in the inaugural season of the polling.

Snowbound Superstar overcame a tremendous amount of trouble to win Sunday’s Red Cell California Distance Challenge at Los Alamitos, scoring by a nose and earning a date to the Bank of America Challenge Championships over his home track on October 31.

Despite a setback in the trials for the Hobbs America Futurity, Runnning Brook Gal remains the unanimous No. 1 in the voting for 2-year-olds. The All American Futurity heroine still qualified fourth-fastest to the Grade 1 Hobbs America Futurity final, which will be held October 11 at Zia Park. Shesa First Ratify, fastest qualifier for the Hobbs, moved up three spaces this week to No. 4 in the poll.

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 2-YEAR-OLDS
1.  RUNNNING BROOK GAL (90)
2.  LD FIRE (69)
3.  STREAKING LAQUINTA (60)
4.  SHESA FIRST RATIFY (56)
5.  ZOOMIN WITH EASE (53)
6.  PEACE FIRE (42)
7.  FIRST PRIZE LEESA (30)
8.  FIRST KLAS FRED (27)
9.  FAVORITE CARTEL (24)
10. RAGAZZO (17)
First Corona Call (8), Eye Got The Blues (8), Twin Spires (6), Effectiveimmediately (2), Love Samba (1), Varsity Girl (1), Memories Of Okie (1)

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 3-YEAR-OLDS & UP
1.  FREAKY (87)
2.  JESS YOU AND I (80)
3.  INSEPERABLE (73)
4.  FIRST MOONFLASH (48)
5.  SEPARATE BET (46)
6.  TERRIFIC ENERGY (42)
7.  ALICE K WHITE (35)
8.  SNOWBOUND SUPERSTAR (29)
9.  LITTLE BIT OF BAJA (17)
10. TIME FOR A CIGAR (12)
Fantastic Corona Jr (11), Noconi (6), Fighter On Fire (4), My Lady First (4), Stylish Jess BR (3), Royal Proclamation (2)

The nine voters are:
Ed Burgart (Los Alamitos announcer/handicapper)
Martha Claussen (writer/handicapper)
Mike Cusortelli (writer/handicapper)
Tom Dawson (network television producer)
Dale Day (Remington Park announcer/handicapper)
Mike Joyce (TVG analyst)
Jeremy Plonk (ESPN.com contributor)
Terry Turrell (HorseplayerPRO.com handicapper)
Ty Wyant (writer, Daily Racing Form and AQHA)

Poll results are also available at aqharacing.com and HorseplayerPRO.com.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal, The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal or America’s Horse, visit www.aqha.com/magazines.

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America’s Horse, September 28, 2009 -- What’s a TV network without a news broadcast? Twice a month, you’ll find a news segment on America’s Horse TV, AQHA’s free online television network. AQHA News is filled with the latest information from the world of the American Quarter Horse including racing and show updates, and other industry items of interest. Just go to americashorse.tv and click on “News” in the upper right-hand corner.

Like all of the other videos on America’s Horse TV, the news videos use Flash technology, which allows viewers to instantly watch without waiting for a download. America’s Horse TV is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with no need for a special cable provider or subscription. All you need is a computer and Internet access.

America’s Horse TV features six channels:

• America’s Horse – sponsored by Tractor Supply Co.; flagship channel containing AQHA’s anchor program. It features new and classic episodes for all horse enthusiasts.
• How-To – sponsored by Tractor Supply Co.; provides important information and instruction for horse owners on everything from learning how to lead your horse, to picking out tack and perfecting your horse’s gaits. AQHA’s Team Wrangler participates in these segments.
• People & Horses – sponsored by John Deere; profiles American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame inductees and well-known American Quarter Horses.
• Health – sponsored by Fort Dodge Animal Health; educational programming dedicated to the health and welfare of American Quarter Horses. It includes features on vaccinating, breeding, general care and product spotlights.
• Ranches – sponsored by FedEx; features award-winning ranches and remudas.
• Events – sponsored by Bank of America; spotlights AQHA and alliance partner competitions and signature events.

America’s Horse TV is free, thanks to AQHA’s corporate partners. Be sure to check out special offers from the generous supporters. To learn more about America’s Horse TV, visit americashorse.tv/about.html.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal, The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal or America’s Horse, visit www.aqha.com/magazines.

The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal, September 23, 2009 – Terrific Energy parlayed her victory in last Saturday’s Mildred Vessels Memorial Handicap (G1) into a No. 6 spot in the latest AQHA Racing-HorseplayerPRO.com Weekly Top-10 Poll for 3-year-olds and older. Meanwhile, the nation’s top-rated 2-year-old, Runnning Brook Gal, prepares for her next start in Saturday’s Hobbs America Futurity (G3) trials at Zia Park.

Terrific Energy’s stakes-record time of :19.286 for 400 yards in Los Alamitos’ Millie Vessels Memorial propelled her into the national discussion. At the top, the rankings for older horses remained firm this week, led by Freaky, who happens to own the two fastest times ever recorded at Los Alamitos for 400 yards, and the fastest at 350.

The 2-year-old rankings remained unchanged, paced by All American Futurity winner Runnning Brook Gal, who returns to the races in New Mexico on Saturday. Other ranked juveniles entered in the Hobbs America Futurity trials include No. 7 Shesa First Ratify, the All American runner-up, and No. 9 First Klas Fred, hero of the Grade 1 Ruidoso Futurity.

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 2-YEAR OLDS

1.  RUNNNING BROOK GAL (90)
2.  LD FIRE (74)
3.  STREAKING LAQUINTA (61)
4.  ZOOMIN WITH EASE (52)
5.  PEACE FIRE (42)
6.  FIRST PRIZE LEESA (34)
7.  SHESA FIRST RATIFY (31)
8.  RAGAZZO (28)
9.  FIRST KLAS FRED (21)
10. FIRST CORONA CALL (15)

Eye Got The Blues (10), Twin Spires (6), Love Samba (2), Varsity Girl (2), Effectiveimmediately (2), Memories Of Okie (1)

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 3-YEAR-OLDS & UP
1.  FREAKY (86)
2.  JESS YOU AND I (79)
3.  INSEPERABLE (74)
4.  FIRST MOONFLASH (50)
5.  SEPARATE BET (48)
6.  TERRIFIC ENERGY (41)
7.  ALICE K WHITE (33)
8.  TIME FOR A CIGAR (18)
9.  LITTLE BIT OF BAJA (17)
10. FANTASTIC CORONA JR (16)

Fighter On Fire (9), Noconi (7), My Lady First (4), Stylish Jess BR (3), Royal Proclamation (3), Cuz Eye Said (2), Easy Dashin Sixes (2), Gone To The Mountain (1)

The nine voters are:

Ed Burgart (Los Alamitos announcer/handicapper)
Martha Claussen (writer/handicapper)
Mike Cusortelli (writer/handicapper)
Tom Dawson (network television producer)
Dale Day (Remington Park announcer/handicapper)
Mike Joyce (TVG analyst)
Jeremy Plonk (ESPN.com contributor)
Terry Turrell (HorseplayerPRO.com handicapper)
Ty Wyant (writer, Daily Racing Form and AQHA)

Poll results are also available at aqharacing.com and HorseplayerPRO.com.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal, The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal or America’s Horse, visit www.aqha.com/magazines.

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The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal, September 17, 2009 – Benny Rosset’s Stylish Jess BR should be the choice to defend her 2008 win in the $175,000 Mildred Vessels Memorial Handicap (G1) over 400 yards on Saturday night at Los Alamitos after winning the Merial California Distaff Challenge in her most recent start.

The Mildred Vessels winner receives an invitation to the $750,000 Champion Of Champions (G1).

Stylish Jess BR (Feature Mr Jess-Stylish Secret by Dash For Cash) moved to the forefront of the west coast distaff ranks when she won the Merial California Distaff Challenge by one length as the 11-10 favorite. She raced the 400 yards in :19.34 for her first win since taking her Los Alamitos Winter Derby trial.

The Paul Jones-trained mare faces strictly female competition for the first time since she won last year’s Millie Vessels. A year ago, as a 3-year-old, she easily won by half of a length as the 13-10 favorite.

The Rosset-Jones connection also will be represented by the 6-year-old Strength In Numbers. She shortens in distance after finishing third in the 440-yard Bank Of America California Challenge (G2) behind the males Fighter On Fire and stablemate Trisk.

Strength In Numbers earned championship consideration in 2007 when she beat the boys in the Los Alamitos Championship (G1).

The Parsons Family Trust’s Terrific Energy (Mr Jess Perry-First Down Energy by First Down Dash) has become a dangerous mare for trainer Chris O’Dell in the past year. She won the Charger Bar Handicap (G1) on January 3 and then returned from a layoff to finish second behind Stylish Jess BR in the Merial California Distaff Challenge.

Ed Allred’s homebred Forgive Him (Hawkinson-Making Up by Master Hand (TB)) is ready to handle the class jump for the Millie Vessels. The Cody Joiner-trained mare won the Huntington Harbor Handicap in February, was rested and then return to finish second in the California Breeders Matron Stakes.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal, The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal or America’s Horse, visit www.aqha.com/magazines.

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America’s Horse, September 16, 2009 -- Join hundreds of fans on the American Quarter Horse Association’s Facebook page every Wednesday at 1 p.m. CDT for the Guess That Horse Contest.

This popular, fast-paced contest challenges you to guess the name of the American Quarter Horse depicted in a photo posted by AQHA staff. AQHA provides hints, and many fans have found success using AQHA Records Research to be the first to get the correct answer.

The winner receives a great prize, often from an AQHA Corporate Partner  or Quarter Horse Outfitters. Past prizes include $50 gift cards and discount coupons.

AQHA’s Facebook page has more than 16,000 fans and covers a wide range of topics including horse health, training, breeding, showing, racing and recreational riding. Become a fan today, and set your calendar to tune in every Wednesday at 1 p.m. CDT for the Guess That Horse Contest and your chance to win a great prize!

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal, The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal or America’s Horse, visit www.aqha.com/magazines.

The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal, September 7, 2009 - The only horse to qualify to all three of Ruidoso's major futurities, Runnning Brook Gal demolished the field in the $1.9 million All American Futurity (G1).



The filly by freshman sire Brookstone Bay lept from the gates and went straight to the front over a wet track. She finished the 440 yards 1 1/2 lengths in front of Shesa First Ratify, completing the distance in :21.144. First Corona Call was another nose back in third.



Runnning Brook Gal is a dark bay filly owned by A & C Racing and Roping of Roosevelt, Utah. A & C Racing and Roping is made up of Albert, Chad and Patricia Richard. The homebred filly is one of two the Richards' qualified to the race. Runnning Brook Gal and Brooks Midnight, another daughter of Brookstone Bay, were raised together in the same pasture, and both qualified to the final of the All American Futurity. However, Brooks Midnight was scratched.

Last year, A&C Racing and Roping's Winners Version finished seventh in the All American Futurity (G1).



Paul Jones trained Runnning Brook Gal, and today was his third All American victory -- all done over a wet track. He won in 2005 with Teller Cartel, and the following year with No Secrets Here. Ramon Sanchez was aboard Runnning Brook Gal, and earned his first win in the prestigious race.



"You don't know what kind of performance you're going to get," Jones said. "You load 'em up and you find out what's going to happen. She's a good filly. She's been really super all year long. She qualified to the Ruidoso, qualified to the Rainbow, came back and ran second. She qualified to the All American. This filly is quick from the gates, and she's going to give you a good race if she breaks. It's a good group of horses here. She broke, she ran and she beat 'em. It was awesome. We're so happy.



"We've had a super weekend," he added. "We won the (Grade 1 All American) Derby with Inseperable; and we won the Futurity. It doesn't get any better than this."



Runnning Brook Gal has now won four of six starts, finished second once and sixth once. She has earned $1,125,950. She broke her maiden at first asking on May 22 in a trial to the Ruidoso Futurity (G1). Returning for the final, she hopped at the start and finished sixth. In the Rainbow Futurity (G1), she finished second to Zoomin With Ease.



Chad Richards owned Brookstone Bay during his racing career, and currently owns him in partnership with Jim Helzer. The stallion stands at JEH Stallion Station-New Mexico.



Runnning Brook Gal is the first foal out of RJK Runaway, a daughter of Runaway Winner out of the Magic Dozen mare Bizarre. RJK Runaway's third dam is Femme, the dam of distinction who produced champions Femmes Frolic and Deceptively.



Shesa First Ratify is a homebred racing for Sandy Erwin of Dallas. The First Down Dash filly was trained by Jose Dominguez and ridden by Bonfiacio Perez. First Corona Call is also a homebred, and is raced by Richard Shearer. He was trained by Blane Wood and ridden by Freddie Martinez.



Favorite and fastest qualifier Love Samba was fifth.

"The filly was standing real good in the gates, but when they kicked it, I guess with the track being sealed, she kinda missed the ground and those horses got away from her," jockey Ricky Ramirez said. "And in a big race like this, you can't make any mistakes. Every mistake counts, and it just wasn't our day."



Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird (TB) lead the post parade for the futurity. The gelding is owned by Roswell, New Mexico, residents Mark Allen and Dr. Leonard Blach. 



The complete order of finish: Runnning Brook Gal, Shesa First Ratify, First Corona Call, Favorite Cartel, Love Samba, Swingin Daddyo, Winners Cartel, Gols Victory Pop and Jess So Sixy. Brooks Midnight was scratched.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal, The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal or America’s Horse, visit www.aqha.com/magazines.

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The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal, September 2, 2009 – Three finalists in Monday’s prestigious All American Futurity (G1) take up residence in the latest AQHA Racing-HorseplayerPRO.com Weekly Top-10 Poll for 2-year-olds, while Los Alamitos-based Freaky continues his stranglehold on the top spot in the poll for 3-year-olds and older.

Monday’s $2 million All American Futurity figures to have a major impact on next week’s rankings, and fastest qualifier Love Samba gets the jump on the competition via her No. 6 national ranking this week. Other ranked juveniles headed to Ruidoso’s classic include Favorite Cartel and Runnning Brook Gal, who are tied for No. 9 in this week’s poll.  LD Fire and Streakin Laquinta, dead-heat winners of the Ed Burke Million Futurity (G1), remain in the poll’s top two spots.

As for the older horses, Los Alamitos Super Derby (G1) upset winner Alice K White parlayed her Saturday victory over Foose and Tres Passes into a No. 9 debut in this week’s rankings, thus bumping reigning AQHA world champion Stolis Winner out of the poll. Stolis Winner will have his say in Saturday’s All American Derby (G1), where he was the third-fastest qualifier in his 2009 return. The derby cast also includes this week’s No. 5-rated Inseperable and No. 10-rated and All American Derby fastest-qualifier Fantastic Corona Jr.

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 2-YEAR OLDS
1.  LD FIRE (82)
2.  STREAKIN LAQUINTA (74)
3.  FIRST PRIZE LEESA (52)
4. (tie)  ZOOMIN WITH EASE (47)
4. (tie)  FIRST KLAS FRED (47)
6.  LOVE SAMBA (43)
7. (tie)  RAGAZZO (30)
7. (tie)  PEACE FIRE (30)
9. (tie)  FAVORITE CARTEL (29)
9. (tie)  RUNNNING BROOK GAL (29)

Also receiving votes: Twin Spires (16), Eye Got The Blues (12), Jess A Chicks (3), Cascia Babe (3), Memories Of Okie (2), Triffle (1)

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 3-YEAR OLDS & UP
1.  FREAKY (85)
2.  FIRST MOONFLASH (72)
3.  SEPARATE BET (70)
4.  JESS YOU AND I (57)
5.  INSEPERABLE (55)
6.  TIME FOR A CIGAR (24)
7.  EASY DASHIN SIXES (22)
8.  LITTLE BIT OF BAJA (19)
9.  ALICE K WHITE (17)
10.  FANTASTIC CORONA JR (14)

Also receiving votes: Stolis Winner (13), Fighter On Fire (12), Noconi (7), Tres Passes (7), Illegal Memories (6), My Lady First (4), A Tempting Dash (4), Stylish Jess BR (3), Streakin Six Cartel (3), Gone To The Mountain (2), Cuz Eye Said (2), Rieda Hay Worth (1), Purely Prada (1)

The nine voters are:

Ed Burgart (Los Alamitos announcer/handicapper)
Martha Claussen (writer/handicapper)
Mike Cusortelli (writer/handicapper)
Tom Dawson (network television producer)
Dale Day (Remington Park announcer/handicapper)
Mike Joyce (TVG analyst)
Jeremy Plonk (ESPN.com contributor)
Terry Turrell (HorseplayerPRO.com handicapper)
Ty Wyant (writer, Daily Racing Form and AQHA)

Poll results are also available at aqharacing.com and HorseplayerPRO.com.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal, The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal or America’s Horse, visit www.aqha.com/magazines.

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The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal, August 26, 2009 – All American Futurity (G1) fastest qualifier Love Samba danced all the way to No. 5 in the latest AQHA Racing-HorseplayerPRO.com Weekly Top-10 Poll for 2-year-olds, while 2008 world champion Stolis Winner parlayed his ’09 return appearance in the All American Derby (G1) trials into a debut No. 10 ranking in the poll for 3-year-olds and up.

Three of the All American Futurity finalists appear in this week’s 2-year-old rankings, namely Love Samba (tied for No. 5), Runnning Brook Gal (No. 7) and Favorite Cartel (No. 9). Any one of the trio could make an assault on the top with a win in the Labor Day showpiece. The top spots in the poll have been held by LD Fire and Streakin Laquinta, respectively, since their Ed Burke Million Futurity (G1) dead-heat in June.

As for the 3-year-olds and older division, the three-time Los Alamitos track-record setter Freaky remains the top-rated horse in the world. Meanwhile, Stolis Winner, away since last fall, figures to make a major move toward the top if he can rebound Labor Day weekend in the All American Derby final. He finished third in his trial return last week to Fantastic Corona Jr, who also made his poll debut at No. 9.

The poll is split into two categories, 2-year-olds and 3-year-olds and up, and is released each week from early summer through late fall. The numbers in parentheses represent total points allotted by voters, with a first-place vote worth 10 points, a second-place vote worth nine points and so on.
 
 NATIONAL RANKINGS, 2-YEAR-OLDS
    1.  LD FIRE (82)
    2.  STREAKIN LAQUINTA (74)
    3.  FIRST PRIZE LEESA (51)
    4.   ZOOMIN WITH EASE (48)
    5. (tie)  FIRST KLAS FRED (42)
    5. (tie)  LOVE SAMBA (42)
    7.  RUNNNING BROOK GAL (34)
    8.  RAGAZZO (32)
    9.  FAVORITE CARTEL (31)
    10. PEACE FIRE (30)

Twin Spires (15), Varsity Girl (5), Streak N Attitude (5), Jess A Chicks (3), Cascia Babe (3), Memories Of Okie (2), Shake Em Money Pop (1), TF Ms Special Perry (1)
 
NATIONAL RANKINGS, 3-YEAR-OLDS & UP
    1.  FREAKY (85)
    2.  FIRST MOONFLASH (72)
    3.  SEPARATE BET (70)
    4.  JESS YOU AND I (60)
    5.  INSEPERABLE (54)
    6.  EASY DASHIN SIXES (24)
    7.  TIME FOR A CIGAR (23)
    8.  LITTLE BIT OF BAJA (18)
    9.  FANTASTIC CORONA JR (17)
    10. STOLIS WINNER (15)

Noconi (14), Fighter On Fire (9), Tres Passes (7), Illegal Memories (6), A Tempting Dash (5), My Lady First (4), Stylish Jess BR (3), Streakin Six Cartel (3), Gone To The Mountain (2), Cuz Eye Said (2), Rieda Hay Worth (1), Purely Prada (1)

The nine voters are:
Ed Burgart (Los Alamitos announcer/handicapper)
Martha Claussen (writer/handicapper)
Mike Cusortelli (writer/handicapper)
Tom Dawson (network television producer)
Dale Day (Remington Park announcer/handicapper)
Mike Joyce (TVG analyst)
Jeremy Plonk (ESPN.com contributor)
Terry Turrell (HorseplayerPRO.com handicapper)
Ty Wyant (writer, Daily Racing Form and AQHA)

Poll results are also available at aqharacing.com andHorseplayerPRO.com.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal, The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal or America’s Horse, visit www.aqha.com/magazines.

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The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal, August 24, 2009 – Bucking the trends in the racing industry and the economy at large, American Quarter Horse racing indicators showed the industry is holding steady in the face of the biggest economic downturn in decades.

Numbers released by AQHA show that purses in July, compared to the same month last year, held virtually steady with only a fraction of a percent drop. The number of July races was up 1.4 percent to 1,035. Handle saw a slight 1.7 percent drop, from $32.5 million last year to $31.9 million this year.

In comparison, Thoroughbred racing handle in July fell 13.4 percent, according to Equibase figures, while Thoroughbred purses dropped 7.4 percent for the month.

Year-to-date statistics show total American Quarter Horse purses up 3.9 percent, from $68.1 million to $70.7 million, despite the loss of 45 racing days at Les Bois Park, which is not operating this year, and eight days at Wyoming Downs, which trimmed its 2009 schedule. The total number of races dropped from 5,341 to 5,331, having a partial effect on the 5.7 percent rise in average purse per race to $13,504. Average earnings per starter have also gone up 3.1 percent so far this year, and added money has gone up 5.1 percent, from $55.7 million to $58.6 million. Handle declined 3 percent, compared to Thoroughbred racing’s year-to-date statistics which show handle declining 10.9 percent.

“This is very positive news, particularly as we head into the sale season,” said AQHA Executive Director of Racing Trey Buck. “I’m encouraged by the fact that the industry is so durable, and I’m glad to see this is an industry that horsemen can continue to invest in,”

Don’t miss any of the action of the American Quarter Horse racing industry by subscribing to The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal and the Q-Racing Newsletter. Subscribe to the free Q-Racing Newsletter by visiting www.aqha.com/lyris/subscribe.html. The Q-Racing Newsletter is delivered twice a week and is packed with the latest information on American Quarter Horse racing. With the latest race results, stakes qualifier information and news from across the industry, horsemen and racing fans shouldn’t miss a single issue.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal, The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal or America’s Horse, visit www.aqha.com/magazines.

The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal, August 20, 2009 – The 17th Bank of America Racing Challenge Championships, the crowning event in AQHA's yearly lucrative purse and bonus awards program, returns to Los Alamitos in Orange County on October 31. On August 21-23, the track will hold three races that will award the winners an automatic berth in their respective races during the October 31 event.

The richest race is the $81,900 Bank of America California Championship Challenge (G2) on August 22. The winner of the 440-yard race for 3-year-old and older horses, will advance to the $350,000 Bank of America Racing Challenge Championship (G1).

AQHA Champion Trainer Paul Jones will saddle four horses in the race, led by Grade 1 winner Trisk, a full brother to world champion Wave Carver and champion and millionaire Ocean Runaway. Trisk is a 5-year-old son of First Down Dash who is a homebred racing for Lucas Racing Inc. of New Market, Maryland. Jones won the race last year with Leading Spirit.

The field for the California Championship Challenge, in post position order with jockeys, is: Czech N Out Ashley, Santiago Mendez; Bannow Bay, Alejandro Luna; Concrete Charlie, Adrian Loza; Premier Venu, Francisco Rubio; Masters Call, Cesar DeAlba; Trisk, Cody Jensen; Stoli Powered, Armando Andrade; Fighter On Fire, Rodrigo Aceves; Checker, Alex Bautista; and Strength In Numbers, Ramon Sanchez. All starters will carry 124 pounds.

The California Championship Challenge is the ninth race on the 10-race card. Post time is 10:07 p.m. Pacific.

The previous night, on August 21, Jones will send out five of the 10 runners in the $25,740 Merial California Distaff Challenge (G3) for fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, at 400 yards. One of the starters for Jones, who won three consecutive runnings of the race from 2006-2008 with champion Blazin Fire, is Grade 1 winner Stylish Jess BR.

The other Grade 1 winner in the race is the 2-1 morning-line favorite. She is Terrific Energy, a 4-year-old daughter of Mr Jess Perry who has not raced since winning the Charger Bar Handicap (G1) at Los Alamitos in January. Christopher O'Dell trains Terrific Energy, who will be ridden by Jeff Jerman for her owner, the Parsons Family Trust of Penn Valley, California.

On August 23, 3-year-olds will contest the $47,970 Bayer Legend California Challenge Derby. The fastest qualifier for the 400-yard race is Deep Creek Bobbie, a filly by Mark My Dial who races for Robert H. Williams of Vernal, Utah. Trained by Felipe Quintero, the filly has been first or second in her past four races.

Los Alamitos is the site of all six California regional races. 

Don’t miss a minute of the action at Los Alamitos with Q-Racing Video. Subscribers see actual live video from the racetracks, including post parade and racing action. It’s like watching a monitor at the track, but the action is on your computer from anywhere there’s Internet access. The archived races feature allows subscribers to catch past performances and is a great handicapping tool for trip notes. Archived races for most tracks go back at least two years, allowing subscribers unparalleled access to past races. The subscription service will charge as little as $14.95 per month with a one-year agreement. Learn more at www.aqha.com/racingstream.

For more information about the Bank of America Racing Challenge, visit www.aqharacing.com.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal, The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal or America’s Horse, visit www.aqha.com/magazines.

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The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal, August, 19, 2009 – Little Bit of Baja, an emphatic winner of last Saturday’s Bank of America Central Challenge Championship, rocketed to No. 8 in the latest AQHA Racing-HorseplayerPRO.com Weekly Top-10 Poll for 3-year-olds and up. Meanwhile, this week’s 2-year-old poll remained unchanged but is sure to be refaced next week following Thursday’s 20-race promenade of All American Futurity trials.

Little Bit of Baja, runner-up in the past two editions of the Grade 1 Champion of Champions, was also joined in the latest Top-10 Poll by newcomer A Tempting Dash, who on Saturday posted the fastest qualifying time for the Grade 1 Golden State Derby at Los Alamitos. A Tempting Dash landed the No. 9 slot in the national rankings.

Among the top-rated juveniles entered in Thursday’s Grade 1 All American Futurity trials are No. 3 Zoomin With Ease, No. 5 First Klas Fred, No. 6 Ragazzo, No. 9 Varsity Girl and No. 10 Runnning Brook Gal.

Meanwhile, Friday’s Grade 1 All American Derby trials feature the return of reigning AQHA World Champion Stolis Winner, whose 2009 debut surely will lure the attention of the pollsters. The Derby trials also feature a rematch between Grade 1 Rainbow Derby one-two finishers Inseperable (ranked No. 4 nationally) and Time For A Cigar (No. 7 this week).

The poll is split into two categories, 2-year-olds and 3-year-olds and up, and is released each week from early summer through late fall. The numbers in parentheses represent total points allotted by voters, with a first-place vote worth 10 points, a second-place vote worth nine points and so on.

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 2-YEAR-OLDS
1.  LD FIRE (79)
2.  STREAKIN LAQUINTA (70)
3.  ZOOMIN WITH EASE (65)
4.  FIRST PRIZE LEESA (55)
5.  FIRST KLAS FRED (54)
6.  RAGAZZO (51)
7.  PEACE FIRE (40)
8.  TWIN SPIRES (22)
9.  VARSITY GIRL (15)
10. RUNNNING BROOK GAL (9)
Shake Em Money Pop (6), Streakin Down (6), EBW Obsession (6), Streak N Attitude (5), Three Times The Toll (3), Jess A Chicks (3), Cascia Babe (3), Memories Of Okie (2), Turbulenz (2), Love Samba (2), TF Ms Special Perry (1), Triffle (1)

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 3-YEAR-OLDS & UP
1.  FREAKY (85)
2.  FIRST MOONFLASH (74)
3.  SEPARATE BET (71)
4.  INSEPERABLE (52)
5.  JESS YOU AND I (46)
6.  EASY DASHIN SIXES (29)
7.  TIME FOR A CIGAR (27)
8.  LITTLE BIT OF BAJA (24)
9.  A TEMPTING DASH (21)
10. NOCONI (21)
Illegal Memories (13), Hard Hitting (9), Cuz Eye Said (4), Streakin Six Cartel (3), Tres Passes (3), My Lady First (2), Foose (2), Gone To The Mountain (2), Rieda Hay Worth (1), Stylish Jess BR (1), Purely Prada (1)

The nine voters are:

Ed Burgart (Los Alamitos announcer/handicapper)
Martha Claussen (writer/handicapper)
Mike Cusortelli (writer/handicapper)
Tom Dawson (network television producer)
Dale Day (Remington Park announcer/handicapper)
Mike Joyce (TVG analyst)
Jeremy Plonk (ESPN.com contributor)
Terry Turrell (HorseplayerPRO.com handicapper)
Ty Wyant (writer, Daily Racing Form and AQHA)

Poll results are also available at aqharacing.com and HorseplayerPRO.com.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal, The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal or America’s Horse, visit www.aqha.com/magazines.

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America’s Horse, August 18, 2009 – The mockingbird. The bluebonnet. Now the American Quarter Horse joins these two well-known Texas icons, becoming the official horse of the great state of Texas.

It’s an appropriate declaration, as Texas’ history is closely intertwined with that of the American Quarter Horse, beginning with Steel Dust, one of the forebears of the state’s more than 470,000 American Quarter Horses. In the early days, the horses were used to help settle the wild and wooly territory. Then, they were used by ranchers to round up livestock and move them to market, as well as for a little match racing on the weekends. The American Quarter Horse Association, the breed’s registry that was started in 1940 at a meeting of ranchers and horsemen at the Fort Worth Fat Stock Show, is headquartered in Amarillo in the Texas Panhandle. Today, the American Quarter Horse embodies the spirit of Texas and exemplifies the versatility of his ancestors.

Gov. Rick Perry will sign an official declaration making the American Quarter Horse the official horse of Texas at 4 p.m. August 20 at the Capitol in Austin, Texas. There will also be American Quarter Horses on the Capitol grounds for this historic occasion.

“This is a great way for the American Quarter Horse to be recognized,” said AQHA Executive Vice President Don Treadway Jr. “We need to give credit to the Texas Quarter Horse Association, Rep. Larry Phillips and 10-year-old Logan Head, who got the ball rolling on this by writing to Rep. Phillips with the idea of making the American Quarter Horse the state’s official horse.”

Logan Head is an American Quarter Horse Youth Association member from Bonham, Texas.

The signing of this declaration will follow the governor’s signing of House Bill 1881, which establishes the Texas Equine Incentive Program, creating a voluntary monetary incentive program to keep Quarter, Paint and Appaloosa horses breeding, showing or racing in Texas.

The incentive fund makes all American Quarter Horses, American Paint Horses and Appaloosas conceived by mares and stallions living in Texas during 2009 eligible to be nominated to the new Texas Equine Incentive Fund. HB 1881 was introduced into the Texas House by Rep. Sid Miller (R) of Erath in February 2009 and garnered broad support as a non-partisan bill that did not involve assessing taxes on Texas residents.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal, The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal or America’s Horse, visit www.aqha.com/magazines.

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The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal, August 13, 2009 – On August 14-15, Prairie Meadows in Altoona, Iowa, will host a total of four races that are part of the Bank of America Racing Challenge, the American Quarter Horse Association's lucrative purse and bonus awards program. Each winning horse will earn an automatic berth as Central region representatives in their respective divisions at the 17th Bank of America Racing Challenge Championships on October 31 at Los Alamitos in California.

The richest race at Prairie Meadows is the $76,680 Bank of America Central Championship Challenge (G2), which will pit 12 accomplished 3-year-old and older horses at 440 yards in one of the finest matchups of racing American Quarter Horses so far this year. The winner will advance to the $350,000 Bank of America Racing Challenge Championship (G1).

The 2-1 morning-line favorite for the Central Championship Challenge is Los Alamitos Grade 1 winner Little Bit Of Baja, who will break from Post 9 with regular rider Rodrigo Aceves aboard. Owned by breeder Vessels Stallion Farm in partnership with Los Bustardos, the 5-year-old gelding by First Down Dash is coming off a ninth-place finish in his Prairie Meadows debut, the Keokuk Stakes on August 1, in which he was fractious in the starting gate.

Second in the prestigious Champion of Champions (G1) at Los Alamitos in 2007 and 2008 and a 400-yard track record setter, Little Bit Of Baja has won four races in 19 starts. With a career bankroll of $729,931, the gelding is the leading earner in the Central Championship Challenge.

Little Bit Of Baja is trained by Charley Hunt, who will saddle three other starters in the race: Gallant Ways, who won the 2008 Bayer Legend Central Derby Challenge (G3) at Prairie Meadows en route to his victory in the $200,000 Derby Challenge Championship (G1) at Evangeline; 2006 Valley Junction Futurity (G2) winner A Silver Goblin; and Grade 1 qualifier Famous Grouse.

The 3-1 second choice in the morning line is Iowa-bred WRS Special Shoe. Runner-up in the race last year, WRS Special Shoe went on to win the $353,500 Challenge Championship at Evangeline Downs. The 7-year-old gelding by First Down Laveaux has 17 wins and never has finished worse than third in 40 of his 51 career starts. He has earned $682,944.

Trainer Brent Clay will send out WRS Special Shoe, who will break from Post  3 under jockey Stormy Smith. WRS Special Shoe is a homebred racing for Randy and Gwen Williams' Williams Racing Stables Inc. of La Center, Kentucky.

The lone female in the race is Michigan invader Senorita Tres, who has won 17 races, including 11 stakes, during her career. The 4-year-old daughter of Tres Seis, who is coming off two consecutive stakes wins at Mt. Pleasant Meadows, is 5-1 in the morning line.

The field for the Central Championship Challenge, in post position order with jockeys, is: Gallant Ways, Tommy Wellington; Senorita Tres, Richard Rettele; WRS Special Shoe, Stormy Smith; CM Charley Bugs, Doug Frink; A Silver Goblin, Tommy Byrd; Hijo De Villa, David Pinon; Jess Got Bayou, Adalberto Candanosa; Just Amazing Jess, Jerry Winters; Little Bit Of Baja, Rodrigo Aceves; Mr La Bubba, Tad Legget; Looks Royal, Jose Vega; and Famous Grouse, Randy Wilson.

The Central Championship Challenge is the eighth race on the 12-race card. Post time is 9:18 p.m. Central.

The ninth race that night is the $38,520 John Deere Central Juvenile Challenge (G3) for 2-year-olds at 350 yards. The 5-2 morning-line favorite is two-time stakes winner Gallant Corona, who will break from Post 7 in the 10-horse race.

On August 14, Prairie Meadows will run the $25,560 Merial Central Distaff Challenge for fillies and mares, 3 years old and up, at 400 yards, and the $23,040 Red Cell Central Distance Challenge for 3-year-olds and up at 870 yards.

The 8-5 morning-line favorite for the Central Distaff Challenge is Prairie Meadows stakes winner Rarely Makes It Home, who won this year's Remington Park Derby (G2) and was second in the Heritage Place Derby (G1).

The 9-5 favorite for the Central Distance Challenge is the 8-year-old First To Ramble, one of the most accomplished distance horses in the sport. First To Ramble's 14 career stakes wins include the Central Distance Challenge in 2005.

The winner of the Prairie Meadows race on the left will represent the central region in the race on the right during the 17th Bank of America Racing Challenge Championships on October 31 at Los Alamitos.

   
Live streaming race video from Prairie Meadows and from many other tracks that offer Quarter Horse racing is available through Q-Racing Video, brought to you by The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal. For more information, visit http://racing.aqha.com/racing/racestream.html.

For more information about the Bank of America Racing Challenge, visit www.aqharacing.com.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal, The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal or America’s Horse, visit www.aqha.com/magazines.

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The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal, August 12, 2009 – No news was good news for horses ranked on the AQHA Racing-HorseplayerPRO.com Weekly Top-10 Polls. A quiet week on the national stakes landscape left voters unchanged in their rankings, which once again see LD Fire and Freaky tabbed No. 1 in their respective divisions. There were some changes among unranked horses that received votes, however.

Both polls could be impacted by this coming weekend’s happenings at Prairie Meadows, where the John Deere Central Juvenile Challenge (G3) and Bank of America Central Championship Challenge (G2) headline the marquee. Meanwhile, trials for the All American Futurity (G1) loom on the horizon August 20 at Ruidoso Downs and figure to shake things up in the 2-year-old ranks.

The poll is split into two categories, 2-year-olds and 3-year-olds and up, and is released each week from early summer through late fall. The numbers in parentheses represent total points allotted by voters, with a first-place vote worth 10 points, a second-place vote worth nine points and so on.

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 2-YEAR OLDS
1.  LD FIRE (77)
2.  STREAKIN LAQUINTA (71)
3.  ZOOMIN WITH EASE (65)
4.  FIRST PRIZE LEESA (57)
5.  FIRST KLAS FRED (52)
6.  RAGAZZO (47)
7.  PEACE FIRE (41)
8.  TWIN SPIRES (21)
9.  VARSITY GIRL (17)
10. RUNNNING BROOK GAL (9)
Streak N Attitude (6), Shake Em Money Pop (6), Streakin Down (4), EBW Obsession (4), Memories Of Okie (3), Three Times The Toll (3), Jess A Chicks (3), Cascia Babe (3) Turbulenz (2), TF Ms Special Perry (1), Love Samba (1), Triffle (1)

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 3-YEAR-OLDS & UP
1.  FREAKY (85)
2.  SEPARATE BET (71)
3.  FIRST MOONFLASH (70)
4.  JESS YOU AND I (67)
5.  INSEPERABLE (56)
6.  TIME FOR A CIGAR (30)
7.  EASY DASHIN SIXES (28)
8.  CUZ EYE SAID (13)
9.  ILLEGAL MEMORIES (12)
10. HARD HITTING (11)
Noconi (9), My Lady First (7), Rieda Hay Worth (5), Stylish Jess BR (4), Streakin Six Cartel (3), Brenda Beautiful (1), Purely Prada (1), Foose (1)

The nine voters are:
Ed Burgart (Los Alamitos announcer/handicapper)
Martha Claussen (writer/handicapper)
Mike Cusortelli (writer/handicapper)
Tom Dawson (network television producer)
Dale Day (Remington Park announcer/handicapper)
Mike Joyce (TVG analyst)
Jeremy Plonk (ESPN.com contributor)
Terry Turrell (HorseplayerPRO.com handicapper)
Ty Wyant (writer, Daily Racing Form and AQHA)

Poll results are also available at aqharacing.com and HorseplayerPRO.com.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal, The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal or America’s Horse, visit www.aqha.com/magazines.

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The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal, August 6, 2009 – A rematch of accomplished American Quarter Horses is set for the $29,880 Red Cell West/Southwest Distance Challenge on August 8 at Arapahoe Park. Leading the field of nine runners in the 870-yard race are Victorysgotalotahope and 10-year-old Runbyu, who finished first and second respectively in the $17,190 Red Cell Northwest Distance Challenge on July 18 at Wyoming Downs. A nose separated the pair at the finish, while another of their Arapahoe rivals, Bye Bye Dasher, ran fifth in the race.

Victorysgotalotahope, a 4-year-old gelding by Shazoom, races for Shauna Edwards and Mark Loebner of Portland, Oregon, and is trained by Bill Hoburg. With his victory at Wyoming Downs, the gelding earned a berth in the $125,000 Red Cell Racing Challenge Distance Championship (G1) during the 17th Bank of America Racing Challenge Championships on October 31 at Los Alamitos in California. The West/Southwest winner (or the runner-up if Victorysgotalotahope wins) also receives a berth to the rich race.

Other starters in the West/Southwest Distance Challenge include Weber, who won the 2008 West/Southwest Distance Challenge by a neck over Runbyu, and Bad Act, winner of the 2007 Bull Rastus Handicap at Los Alamitos. Bad Act is coming off an 870-yard victory at Arapahoe on July 4 in which he defeated Victorysgotalotahope, Weber and another West/Southwest Distance Challenge rival, Tee Zevi. In 2007, Bad Act was second to champion Snowbound Superstar in the $100,000 Red Cell Distance Challenge Championship at Los Alamitos.

The field, in post position order with jockeys, is: Bad Act, Adan Fuentes; Heza Streak 276, Fernando Camacho; Legal Runaway, Vernon Scantling; Buzzed On Bud, Alfonso Fuentes; Runbyu, Russ Vicchrilli; Victorysgotalotahope, William Ives; Tee Zevi, Jose Barajas; Bye Bye Dasher, Jose Torres; and Weber, Mark Boag. All starters will carry 124 pounds.

Hoburg also will send out Legal Runaway, who will make his 870-yard debut in the race. The 6-year-old Illegal Runaway gelding is coming off a fourth-place finish behind Snip N Dale in the $62,010 Bank of America Northwest Championship Challenge (G3) on July 18 at Wyoming Downs.

The West/Southwest Distance Challenge is the eighth race on the nine-race card at Arapahoe. Post time for the race is 3:55 p.m. Mountain. Free live streaming video of Arapahoe's races is available on www.mihiracing.com/arapahoe_park.shtml.

Arapahoe already has held three Challenge regional races that awarded berths to the Bank of America Racing Challenge Championships. On July 12, Specially Alluring won the $43,920 Bayer Legend West/Southwest Derby Challenge (G3) to advance to the $200,000 Bayer Legend Racing Challenge Derby Championship (G1). That same day, Baby La Jolla captured the $26,460 Merial West/Southwest Distaff Challenge to qualify to the $125,000 Merial Racing Challenge Distaff Championship (G1). On August 1, Dashing Strawfly won the $24,000 Fort Dodge West/Southwest Starter Allowance Challenge to qualify to the $75,000 Fort Dodge Racing Challenge Starter Allowance Championship.

The Bank of America Racing Challenge was created to provide more racing opportunities for older horses. To date, the program has disbursed more than $52 million in purses and bonus awards. This year, the Challenge will offer 71 regional, undercard and championship races and award a projected $5 million in total purses and awards.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal, The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal or America’s Horse, visit www.aqha.com/magazines.

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The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal, August 5, 2009 – LD Fire and Freaky remain No. 1 in their respective divisions of this week’s AQHA Racing-HorseplayerPRO.com Weekly Top Ten Poll. LD Fire has spent more than a month leading the juvenile ranks since a dead-heat victory in the Grade 1 Ed Burke Million Futurity (where she finished on even terms with No. 2-rated Streakin Laquinta). Meanwhile, Freaky enjoys his second consecutive week ranked No. 1 after assuming the position with a dominant win in the Spencer Childers California Breeders’ Championship (RG1) two weeks ago at Los Alamitos.

With a series of trials this week at Los Al for the Bank of America Challenge Championships, as well as the graded Mile High Futurity and Derby at Arapahoe Park, some of the West’s better 2-year-old and older horses are expected to make their case for the poll in the coming days.

The numbers in parentheses represent total points allotted by voters, with a first-place vote worth 10 points, a second-place vote worth nine points and so on.

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 2-YEAR OLDS                   
1.    LD FIRE (77)
2.    STREAKIN LAQUINTA (71)   
3.    ZOOMIN WITH EASE (65)   
4.    FIRST PRIZE LEESA (57)
5.    FIRST KLAS FRED (52)
6.    RAGAZZO (46)
7.    PEACE FIRE (41)
8.    TWIN SPIRES (21)
9.    VARSITY GIRL (17)
10.  RUNNNING BROOK GAL (9)

Streak N Attitude (6), Shake Em Money Pop (6), Streakin Down (4), Love Samba (4), EBW Obsession (4), Memories Of Okey (3), Three Times The Toll (3), Jess A Chicks (3), Turbulenz (2), TF Ms Special Perry (1), Cascia Babe (1)
 
NATIONAL RANKINGS, 3-YEAR-OLDS & UP
1.    FREAKY (85)
2.    SEPARATE BET (71)
3.    FIRST MOONFLASH (70)
4.    JESS YOU AND I (67)
5.    INSEPERABLE (56)
6.    TIME FOR A CIGAR (30)
7.    EASY DASHIN SIXES (28)
8.    CUZ EYE SAID (13)
9.     ILLEGAL MEMORIES (12)
10.   HARD HITTING (11)

My Lady First (7), Noconi (6), Here To Entertain (6), Rieda Hay Worth (5), Stylish Jess BR (4), Streakin Six Cartel (3), Gone To The Mountain (2), Brenda Beautiful (1)

The nine voters are:

Ed Burgart (Los Alamitos announcer/handicapper)
Martha Claussen (writer/handicapper)
Mike Cusortelli (writer/handicapper)
Tom Dawson (network television producer)
Dale Day (Remington Park announcer/handicapper)
Mike Joyce (TVG analyst)
Jeremy Plonk (ESPN.com contributor)
Terry Turrell (HorseplayerPRO.com handicapper)
Ty Wyant (writer, Daily Racing Form and AQHA)

Poll results are also available at aqharacing.com and HorseplayerPRO.com.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal, The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal or America’s Horse, visit www.aqha.com/magazines.

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The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal, July 31, 2009 – EBW Obsession, who has won the first two races of her career by a combined 7 lengths, leads the field for the $62,730 John Deere New Mexico Juvenile Challenge (G3) on August 2 at Ruidoso Downs. The winner earns an automatic berth to the $150,000 John Deere Racing Challenge Juvenile Championship (G2) on October 31 at Los Alamitos.

A homebred racing for Ernie and Brenda Wood of Colorado City, Texas, EBW Obsession (Brimmerton-Runaway Sweetheart by Runaway Winner) opened her career at Ruidoso on June 26 with a 2-length victory in a maiden event at 300 yards. The filly returned July 16 to win the fourth of five trials to the 350-yard New Mexico Juvenile Challenge by 4 ¾ lengths – a margin almost unheard of in American Quarter Horse racing – and set the fastest qualifying time of :17.494.

EBW Obsession is trained by Jamie Zamora and ridden by her husband, Chris. She will break from Post 7 in the 10-horse race.

The field for the New Mexico Juvenile Challenge, in post position order with jockeys, is: Ms Dashair, Jorge Martin Bourdieu; De Elegant Dream, Enrique Tavarez; Threetimesthecorona, G.R. Carter Jr.; Feature TH Goodtimes, Cody Jensen; Living Wild, Tony Guymon; Bring The Bling, Ramon Sanchez; EBW Obsession, Chris Zamora; Heza Miracle Dip, Oscar Rincon; Brightnuff, Ricky Ramirez; and American Ironhorse, Noe Garcia. All starters will carry 120 pounds.

The New Mexico Juvenile Challenge is the eighth race on Ruidoso's nine-race card. Post time for the race is 4:02 p.m. Mountain. AQHARacing.com presents live streaming race video from Ruidoso and from many other tracks that offer Quarter Horse racing, enabling fans to watch live races on their computer.

This year, the Challenge will distribute a projected $5 million in total purses and awards from corporate partners, host tracks, horsemen and the Bank of America Challenge purse supplement fund.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal, The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal or America’s Horse, visit www.aqha.com/magazines.

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The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal, July 23, 2009 – On Saturday, many Thoroughbred racing fans around the country will be following Canterbury Park as the track holds the $750,000 Claiming Crown. That day, the Minnesota track's richest day of racing also will include the $18,450 Fort Dodge Central Starter Allowance Challenge for racing American Quarter Horses.

“We are extremely pleased that Canterbury Park requested the opportunity to include the Challenge Central Region Fort Dodge Starter Allowance race as one of the races on the Claiming Crown card,” said Darrell R. Hare, director of Racing Challenge. “This nationally recognized racing event will provide the opportunity for the Bank of America Racing Challenge and American Quarter Horse racing to be watched and wagered on in markets not normally accustomed to Quarter Horse racing.”

The Starter Allowance division of the Bank of America Racing Challenge is open to 3-year-olds and older horses who have started for a claiming price of $5,000 or less in the 12 months prior to the race's late payment deadline. Winners of the 350-yard races will earn an automatic berth to the $75,000 Fort Dodge Racing Challenge Starter Allowance Championship during the 17th Bank of America Racing Challenge Championships on October 31 at Los Alamitos.

The Central Starter Allowance Challenge features two horses owned by S Bar S of Elgin, Texas, and conditioned by successful Texas-based trainer K.C. Carden. They are Looks Like A Dart, the leading earner in the race with $53,065, and The Tin Man Can, a Grade 3 winner and earner of $51,044 whom Carden claimed for $5,000 in May at Remington Park.

In his last start, Looks Like A Dart won the East Starter Allowance Challenge at Delta Downs. Carden claimed the 6-year-old Invisible Injun gelding for $4,000 in May 2008 at Remington. Looks Like A Dart, who went on to win the 2008 Canada Starter Allowance Challenge last year, has two wins in four starts in 2009.

The Tin Man Can captured the 2008 Central Juvenile Challenge (G3) at Prairie Meadows to advance to the $150,000 Juvenile Challenge Championship (G2) in November at Evangeline Downs in Louisiana. The 3-year-old gelding by Easy Winning Jet is winless in four starts this year.

The field for the Central Starter Allowance Challenge, in post position order with jockeys, is: LS Stone Cookie, Andrew Erwin; A Jake, Carlos Alicia; Eyesa High, Jerry Winters; Nicketti, Jose Vega; Wazee, Tad Leggett, The Tin Man Can, Anne Von Rosen; Shes A Shaker, Ry Eikleberry; Struttin Whiz, Wesley Wilson; and Looks Like A Dart, Berkley Packer.

The Central Starter Allowance Challenge is the second race on the 11-race card. Post time for the race is 2 p.m. Central.

AQHARacing.com presents live streaming race video from Canterbury and from many other tracks that offer American Quarter Horse racing, enabling fans to watch live races on their computer. On July 24-26, viewers can take advantage of a free preview weekend, enabling those who are not yet subscribers to test the service and get full access to live racing and to the July 24-25 Texas Quarter Horse Association Yearling Sale. For more information, visit www.aqharacing.com.

On Sunday, Canterbury will host another Challenge race, the $44,550 Bayer Legend Central Derby Challenge (G3).  The 400-yard race for 3-year-olds will award the winner an automatic berth to the $200,000 Bayer Legend Racing Challenge Derby Championship (G1) at Los Alamitos.

The Central Derby Challenge is expected to include several starters that ran in the June 28 Canterbury Park Derby, won by Make Out Artist.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal, The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal or America’s Horse, visit www.aqha.com/magazines.

America’s Horse, July 22, 2009 – Three individuals and three horses will be inducted into the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame during the 2010 American Quarter Horse Association Convention, March 5-8 in Kissimmee, Florida.

The American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame was established in 1975 to honor people and horses instrumental in the development of the breed and the American Quarter Horse Association. Induction into the Hall of Fame is one of the highest honors bestowed by AQHA.

Horses:
Poco Pine
Paul Curtner bought Poco Pine during the dispersal of Paul Waggoner’s 3D Stock Farm in 1954 when Curtner was searching for a filly by Poco Bueno and out of a Blackburn mare. Instead, Curtner’s wife encouraged him to buy Pretty Rosalie, a Pretty Boy mare with a long-haired colt, Poco Pine, at her side.

Poco Pine was named after Pine Johnson, Poco Bueno’s trainer, who had been enthusiastic about the colt when Curtner was not.

Training and age improved Poco Pine in Curtner’s eyes. He set a goal of winning 50 grand championships before he would retire Poco Pine from halter competition, and he thought he achieved that goal, though AQHA records only credit the horse with 46 grand championships and 7 reserve grand championships.

In addition to his 135 AQHA points in halter, Poco Pine earned 15 points in cutting and 2 in western pleasure. He was an AQHA open champion and earned his Superior in halter. He earned $776.11 in NCHA competition during the 1950s.

Poco Pine also proved to be a sire of show horses. His first foal crop included two AQHA Champions, Poco Chico and Poco Taos, as well as Poco Lottie, who earned 25 halter points, and Poco Annie, who earned 54 halter points.

His get earned $14,794 in NCHA competition and $3,428 at the AQHA World Championship Show. Of 464 offspring, 199 earned 10,949.5 points, with 41 becoming AQHA Champions. One of those foals, Great Pine, went on to be a major sire of reining horses as well as an AQHA Champion. Poco Pine’s son Poco Pecho sired Pecho Dexter, a Hall of Fame inductee.

Rocket Wrangler
Rocket Wrangler was foaled in 1968. In 1970, he hit the racetrack, winning seven of his 13 starts, including the Rainbow and All American futurities. He was the year’s high-money-earning horse and was named world champion 2-year-old colt.

After his 1970 win of the All American Futurity, at the time the richest horse race in the world, owner J.R. Adams of Guymon, Oklahoma, sold a half-interest in the horse to B.F. Phillips, who retired the horse to stud.

Rocket Wrangler spent two breeding seasons at Phillips Ranch, then Adams bought back his half-interest and returned the horse to the track. Rocket Wrangler at age 4 won the New Mexico State Fair Handicap over a field that included champion Mr Kid Charge. He was retired from racing permanently in February 1973 and was syndicated in 1980. He sired 1,629 foals, with 1,221 starters and 762 winners.

Rocket Wrangler is 30th on the list of all-time leading sires by earnings and eighth on the list of all-time leading sires by winners. He is 14th on the list of all-time leading broodmare sires by earnings and fifth on the list of all-time leading broodmare sires by winners. His offspring included Rocket’s Magic, Rambling Sallye, Quick Wrangler, War Star Wrangler and American Speed. His foals earned $9,407,809 on the track, with Dash For Cash accounting for $507,689 of that total.

He was euthanized November 28, 1992, after suffering from colic and was buried at Royal Vista Equine in Fort Collins, Colorado, where he was standing.

Zan Parr Bar
Zan Parr Bar was foaled April 30, 1974.

He was world champion halter stallion three times, the first horse to achieve that mark. In 1977, he was high-point halter stallion, standing grand at the All American Quarter Horse Congress. He earned 114 grand championships and 13 reserve championships.

In the meantime, he was also earning his way as a roping horse. He was the high-point steer roping horse in 1979, the same year he was world champion aged stallion. In 1980, he placed third at the AQHA World Championship Show in senior heeling, the same show at which he defended his world championship in aged stallions. He also placed in the top 10 at the World Show in heading and heeling. Zan Parr Bar also earned points in reining and western pleasure. In his lifetime, he acquired 602 points.

He retired from the show ring after the 1980 World Show. He continued to be ridden on the ranch while being used as a breeding stallion. His foals earned 44 world championships and 33 reserve world championships. His foals had 43 year-end high-point wins, five year-end all-around high-point wins and three reserve year-end all-around wins. In all divisions combined, his foals have earned 25,593.5 points. Of 653 foals, 236 have been point-earners.

Some of Zan Parr Bar’s better-known offspring are: Reprise Bar, the 1984 Superhorse; Sparkles Suzana; Zan Parr Snip; Sparkles Rosezana; Zans Diamond Sun; Zan Parr Jack; and Parr Skip Bar.

Zan Parr Bar died November 27, 1987, of colitis X. At that time, he was AQHA’s leading sire of performance horses.

Zan Parr Bar is currently sixth on the list of sires of all-time leading point earners and 17th on the list of sires of AQHA Champions.

Individuals:
Bailey “Stretch” Bradley
In the 1940s, Bailey “Stretch” Bradley started showing in reining, pleasure and cutting. In 1944, he bought his first American Quarter Horse, introducing the breed to the state of Ohio. He then began training and showing on a part-time basis.

In 1967, he was among the small group founding the All American Quarter Horse Congress. Through the years, he helped refine the show into the event it is today, taking on the ground work as his responsibility, a task he continued for 20 years.

He was the second president of the Ohio Cutting Horse Association and executive vice president of the NRHA. He was a director for OQHA and served on many committees. He was named an honorary director in 1986. He was a founder of the first 4-H horse and pony club in Ohio, the Triple T 4-H Club, and was a director of the Midwestern Horse Show and Rodeo.

In 1970, at age 48, Stretch became a full-time professional trainer, hauling Hall of Famer Miss Jim 45 in a 1970 show campaign that ended with 134 wins, 118 grand champion awards and 436 AQHA points for an honor roll title. In 1971, Stretch led Gold Margarita to the open year-end high-point title. In 1975, he did the same for Vallerina Miss, adding a world championship in aged mares. At the time, he was considered one of the nation’s best halter trainers. He often hauled to horse shows with youth exhibitors, such as Cindy Johnson, who won four youth honor roll titles.

In 1988, Stretch was named to the NRHA Hall of Fame’s third induction class, just months after his death at age 66, based in part on his commitment to seeing horses had the best possible grounds at Ohio horse shows and reinings. That same year, he was inducted into the Congress Hall of Fame.

Carol Rose
Carol Rose began competing in 4-H horse shows at age 8 in California. In college, where she was earning a degree in animal science and ag business, she was the high-point individual judger at the 1962 National Western Stock Show in Denver. In the early 1960s, she focused on reined cow horse competition.

In 1969, Carol was the first woman to make it into the NCHA Futurity finals. She was the NCHA non-pro world champion in 1967-1969 and again in 1975.

She was the first woman to serve on the AQHA judges committee. She has served on the international committee and the long-range planning committee and is a member of Texas Quarter Horse Association.

In 1966, Carol moved to Texas and began breeding horses.

Horses Carol has bred have earned 25 world championships and 30 reserve world championships. She has bred 14 year-end high-point winners, three year-end all-around winners and two year-end reserve all-around winners.

Her stallions Shining Spark, Genuine Doc, Zans Diamond Sun and Zan Parr Bar have extensive records of their own. Her mare Diamonds Sparkle is in the Hall of Fame.

Frank “Scoop” Vessels III
An AQHA life member, Frank “Scoop” Vessels III served as AQHA president in 2004. Vessels has been around good horses all of his life, since his grandfather, Frank Vessels Sr., who was inducted into the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame in 1989, started both Los Alamitos Race Course and Vessels Stallion Farm.

A recipient of the 1999 AQHA Champion Breeder of the Year and the 2000 Gordon Crone Special Achievement Award, Vessels was first appointed to the AQHA Racing Committee in 1992. He was awarded the John W. Galbreath Award for Outstanding Entrepreneurship in the Equine Industry from the University of Louisville’s equine industry program in 2003.

These outstanding horses and individuals will join the other 215 human and equine members of the Hall of Fame who have left their mark on American Quarter Horse history.

The American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum opened in 1991, and following an extensive redesign, the 44,000-square-foot museum reopened to the public in June 2007. It now features state-of-the-art technology and exhibits. Hall of Fame members are featured in a timeline, which highlights their contributions to the breed.

For more information on any of the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame inductees, contact the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum at (806) 378-5029 or visit www.aqhhalloffame.com.


AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal, The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal or America’s Horse, visit www.aqha.com/magazines.

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The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal, July 22, 2009 – New names make the latest AQHA-HorseplayerPRO.com weekly top-ten poll. Zoomin With Ease (Azoom-All About Ease by First Down Dash) makes his first appearance on the 2-year-old poll in the fourth spot following his Rainbow Futurity (G1) win on July 19.  Inseperable (Separatist-A Delightful Legacy by First Down Dash) debuts in fifth on the 3-and-up poll after a 1½-length win in the Rainbow Derby (G1).

Both polls are released each week from early summer through late fall. The numbers in parentheses represent total points allotted by voters, with a first-place vote worth 10 points, a second-place vote worth nine points and so on.

AQHA-HorseplayerPRO.com poll for July 22, 2009, covering performances through July 21:

2-YEAR-OLDS:
 
1.    LD FIRE  (80)
2.    STREAKIN LAQUINTA  (69)
3.    FIRST PRIZE LEESA  (60)
4.    ZOOMIN WITH EASE  (53)
5.    RAGAZZO  (52)
6.    FIRST KLAS FRED  (47)
7.    TWIN SPIRES  (28)
8.    VARSITY GIRL  (21)
9.    LOVE SAMBA  (20)
10.  STREAK N ATTITUDE  (12)
 
Other 2-year-olds receiving consideration:
Memories Of Okey (11), Runnning Brook Gal (9), Peace Fire (9), Shake Em Money Pop (7), Streakin Down (6), Three Times The Toll (2), Sir Ellerton (2), East Wing (1), TF Ms Special Perry (1)
 
3-YEAR-OLDS & UP:
 
1.    SEPARATE BET   (86)
2.    FIRST MOONFLASH   (72)
3.    FREAKY   (69)
4.    JESS YOU AND I   (66)
5.    INSEPERABLE   (43)
6.    TIME FOR A CIGAR   (37)
7.    ILLEGAL MEMORIES   (28)
8.    EASY DASHIN SIXES   (18)
9.    A TEMPTING DASH   (17)
10.  CUZ EYE SAID   (9)
 
Other 3-year-olds and up receiving consideration:
Snowbound Superstar (8), My Lady First (6), Noconi (5), Rieda Hay Worth (5), Stylish Jess BR (4), Little Bit Of Baja (3), Terrific Energy (3), Brenda Beautiful (2), Lassie O Toole (2), Hydrostatic (2), Snip N Dale (2), Answer The Dream (1)

The nine voters are:

Ed Burgart (Los Alamitos announcer/handicapper)
Martha Claussen (writer/handicapper)
Mike Cusortelli (writer/handicapper)
Tom Dawson (network television producer)
Dale Day (Remington Park announcer/handicapper)
Mike Joyce (TVG analyst)
Jeremy Plonk (ESPN.com contributor)
Terry Turrell (HorseplayerPRO.com handicapper)
Ty Wyant (writer, Daily Racing Form and AQHA)

Poll results are also available at aqharacing.com and HorseplayerPRO.com.


AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal, The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal or America’s Horse, visit www.aqha.com/magazines.

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America’s Horse, July 16, 2009 – The American Quarter Horse Association is now broadcasting America’s Horse TV on the Internet at http://americashorse.tv/. America’s Horse TV provides free and convenient equine television programming.

“AQHA recognizes the new trend in television,” said Tom Persechino, AQHA executive director of marketing and communications. “No longer do people make an appointment to stay home and watch their favorite show. Instead, they digitally record the show or go online to watch it at their convenience. In response to the growing online television market, AQHA is getting on board to provide everyone with the same access to America’s Horse TV.”

All videos use Flash technology, like YouTube, allowing viewers to instantly watch without waiting for a download. America’s Horse TV is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with no need for a special cable provider or subscription. All that’s needed is a computer and Internet access.

America’s Horse TV features six channels:
•    America’s Horse – sponsored by Tractor Supply Company; flagship channel containing AQHA’s anchor program. It features new and classic episodes/segments for all horse enthusiasts.
•    How-To – sponsored by Tractor Supply Company; provides important information and instruction for horse owners on everything from learning how to lead your horse, to picking out tack and perfecting your horse’s gaits. AQHA’s Team Wrangler participates in these segments.
•    People & Horses – sponsored by John Deere; profiles American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame inductees and well-known American Quarter Horses.
•    Health – sponsored by Fort Dodge Animal Health; educational programming dedicated to the health and welfare of American Quarter Horses. It includes features on vaccinating, breeding, general care and product spotlights.
•    Ranches – sponsored by FedEx; features award-winning ranches and remudas.
•    Events – sponsored by Bank of America; spotlights AQHA and alliance partner competitions and signature events.

America’s Horse TV is free, thanks to AQHA’s corporate partners. Be sure to check out special offers from the generous supporters.

To view America’s Horse TV, visit http://americashorse.tv/.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal, The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal or America’s Horse, visit www.aqha.com/magazines.

The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal, July 15, 2009 – In advance of this weekend’s Grade 1 Rainbow Futurity, fastest-qualifier Love Sambo already has made her move in this week’s AQHA-HorseplayerPRO.com weekly top-ten poll. The Blane Wood trainee splashed down at number eight in the 2-year-old rankings, which remain unchanged at the top. Love Sambo is paced by LD Fire and Streakin La Quinta, the dead-heat winners of the Grade 1 Ed Burke Million Futurity.

In the 3-year-olds and up rankings, Separate Bet sits atop the charts for the third straight week. Last week’s Grade 1 Bank of America Texas Challenge Championship hero Easy Dashin Sixes rockets into the rankings at number six this week, the highest debut this season.

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 2-YEAR-OLDS

1. LD FIRE (63)
2. STREAKIN LA QUINTA (58)
3. FIRST PRIZE LEESA (48)
4. FIRST KLAS FRED (45)
5. RAGAZZO (44)
6. TWIN SPIRES (22)
7. VARSITY GIRL (19)
8. LOVE SAMBA (13)
9. STREAK N ATTITUDE (11)
10. SHAKE EM MONEY POP (11)
 
Other 2-year-olds receiving consideration:
Memories Of Okey (9), Streakin Down (9), Three Times The Toll (11), Sir Ellerton (6), Fast Chick Beduino (6), The Hiway (6) TF MS Special Perry (5), Game Time (1)
 
NATIONAL RANKINGS, 3-YEAR-OLDS & UP
 
1. SEPARATE BET (64)
2. FIRST MOONFLASH (59)
3. FREAKY (58)
4. JESS YOU AND I (56)
5. TIME FOR A CIGAR (34)
6. EASY DASHIN SIXES (25)
7. ILLEGAL MEMORIES (21)
8. A TEMPTING DASH (13)
9. CUZ EYE SAID (8)
10. NOCONI (7)
 
Other 3-year-olds & up receiving consideration:
My Lady First (6), Stolis Winner (6), Stylish Jess BR (5), Tres Passes (5), Brenda Beautiful (3), Little Bit Of Baja (3), Superbound Superstar (3), Royal Proclamation (2), Lassie O Toole (2), Hydrostatic (1), Alice K White (1), Here To Entertain (1), Jody’s Money Pop (1), Vrrroom (1)

The nine voters are:

Ed Burgart (Los Alamitos announcer/handicapper)
Martha Claussen (writer/handicapper)
Mike Cusortelli (writer/handicapper)
Tom Dawson (network television producer)
Dale Day (Remington Park announcer/handicapper)
Mike Joyce (TVG analyst)
Jeremy Plonk (ESPN.com contributor)
Terry Turrell (HorseplayerPRO.com handicapper)
Ty Wyant (writer, Daily Racing Form and AQHA)

Poll results are also available at aqharacing.com and HorseplayerPRO.com.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal, The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal or America’s Horse, visit www.aqha.com/magazines.

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