Tag Archives: horse racing

Racing

Georgia Horse Racing Coalition Finds an Old Friend

Leave a comment

ATLANTA, Ga. – April 14, 2014 – The Georgia Horse Racing Coalition, a group of leading business and civic leaders who are dedicated to bringing first-class horse racing to Georgia, announced today a partnership with Old Friends, one of the nation’s leading Thoroughbred rescue and aftercare organizations.

Old Friends, the non-profit Thoroughbred Retirement Center in Georgetown, Ky., cares for more than 125 horses representing some of the finest bloodlines in American racing, including Bluesthestandard, a multiple graded stakes winner who was bred in Georgia.

“The Georgia Horse Racing Coalition supports efforts to help find all racehorses – once their racing careers are over – a new home and a new job,” says Dean Reeves, Coalition president and owner of 2013 Breeder’s Cup Classic winner, Mucho Macho Man, whose earnings are $5.580 million. “Financial support of these retired athletes will be an integral part of our legislative efforts to bring racing to Georgia. Partnering with Old Friends is an important first step in our commitment to this standard of care for horses after they leave the track.”

“Our partnership with the Georgia Horse Race Coalition will help us in our mission to spread the word about the necessity for dignified retirement and second careers for these great horses,” says Old Friends founder Michael Blowen. “By promoting these celebrated horses at Old Friends through a campaign of education and tourism, we draw attention to all retired Thoroughbreds and all equines in need, and we appreciate the support of GHRC.”

Old Friends is considered a “living history museum of horse racing,” attracting nearly 20,000 tourists annually to see such stars of the turf as Breeders’ Cup Champion Gulch, multiple stakes winners Rail Trip and Commentator, and the losing-est horse in the history of racing, Zippy Chippy. Learn more about Old Friends at www.oldfriendsequine.org.

The Georgia Horse Racing Coalition is a non-profit 501 C (6) organization whose mission is to educate Georgians about the value that horse racing will bring to our state by generating jobs, tax revenues and tourism.  The Coalition is working with state leaders to pass legislation allowing parimutuel wagering in Georgia in order to encourage and support a statewide racing industry, including a state-of-the-art entertainment complex. Learn more at www.gahorseracing.org.

Media Contact:
Steve Crayne, Executive Director
Steve.Crayne@GAHorsing.org
(770) 853-0318

About Old Friends

Old Friends is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization that cares for more than 110 retired racehorses. Its Dream Chase Farm, located in Georgetown, KY, is open to tourists daily by appointment. Old Friends also has a satellite facility in Greenfield Center, New York, Old Friends at Cabin Creek: The Bobby Frankel Division, which is also open to visitors. For more information on tours or to make a donation, contact the main farm at (502) 863-1775 or see their website at www.oldfriendsequine.org.

MEDIA CONTACT: Michael Blowen, (502) 863-1775, michael@oldfriendsequine.org

Competitions, Racing

Mardi Gras Doubleheader at Louisiana Downs

Leave a comment

American Quarter Horse Association, March 13, 2014 – The 2014 futurity season starts Saturday with fastest-qualifier Dynastys Jumpn racing in the $281,514 Mardi Gras Futurity (RG2). The Louisiana Downs’ card also offers Brock Broussard’s Heza Fast Rogue racing for his third-straight win in the $84,686 Mardi Gras Derby (RG2).

Each of the stakes is for Louisiana-breds.

Luis Miguel Albores-Gleason’s Dynastys Jumpn (Jumpn-Dynasty by Check Him Out) romped in the fourth of 15 trials to the Mardi Gras Futurity. The Wendy Garcia-trained filly humbled her rivals when she quickly sprinted to a daylight lead and then rolled to a 2-length win with the top time of :15.642 for the 300 yards.

The Noe Sanchez-owned and -trained Party With Braxton (Swingin Jess-Holy Effort by Special Effort) came through with the second-fastest time when he scored a 14-1 upset in :15.760. He won by one-half length over fourth-fastest qualifier Zoies Treeshaker (Oak Tree Special-Most Women Will by Dashin Bye).

James Magnon’s homebred Jess For Ron (Swingin Jess-Presumptuous (TB) by Hennessy) raced to an even larger upset, at 20-1, when he won his trial with the third-fastest time of :15.798. The Justin Dehart-trained gelding drew away for the length win.

In the Mardi Gras Derby at 400 yards, Brock Broussard’s Heza Fast Rogue (Heza Fast Dash-Miss Jess Rogue by Mr Jess Perry) kept his hot streak alive in the trial with his second win from as many starts during the Louisiana Downs season. He won the $35,000 Billy Montgomery Stakes (R) by three-quarters of a length as the 7-10 choice and returned to win his Mardi Gras Derby trial as the even-money choice by three-parts of a length with the top time of :20.008 from two trials.

Heza Fast Rogue won four of 10 starts as a juvenile with his best stakes performance a close third-place finish as the 3-2 choice in the $286,560 LQHBA Sale Futurity (RG1) for trainer Kevin Broussard.

Two The Max Investments LLC’s homebred Dashn To The Back (Fast Prize Dash-Backs To The Wall by Royal Quick Dash) was second behind Heza Fast Rogue in their trial with the second-fastest qualifying time of :20.140. The Vann Haywood-trained filly was second by a head in the $40,000 LQHBA Invitational (R) back in November.

The consistent Dashn To The Back has finished on the board in each of her six previous starts and has not been beaten by more than three quarters of a length in her five previous starts.

AQHA News and information is a service of the American Quarter Horse Association. For more news and information, follow @AQHARacing on Twitter, watch the AQHA Racing Newscast and visit www.aqharacing.com.

American Quarter Horse Association
1600 Quarter Horse Drive
Amarillo, TX 79104

Racing, Racing Sources

Charal Kid Is AQHA Supreme Racehorse

Leave a comment

American Quarter Horse Association, February 27, 2014 – The newest member of the elite group of AQHA Supreme Racehorses earned his award the hard way.

Charal Kid becomes the 33rd horse to earn the award since it was created in 2002. A homebred racing for Juan Jose Cordoba’s Malinche Cattle Co. of San Antonio, the 8-year-old gelding by Streakin La Jolla is the 104th horse to earn the award in total.

Charal Kid made 50 starts from his maiden start in February 2009 through his most recent in September 2013. In those, he won 17 races, finished second 14 times and was third four times for earnings of $502,660. His 13 stakes wins include the 2009 Dash For Cash Derby (G1) and 2012 Refrigerator Handicap (G1).

The Supreme Racehorse award recognizes a racing American Quarter Horse who during his or her career earns $500,000 or more, wins two or more open Grade 1 stakes races and at least 10 races.

Charal Kid edged above the earnings mark in his most recent start, a third-place finish in the Refrigerator Handicap (G1) on September 28, 2013.

Charal Kid becomes one of the most frequently raced of the Supreme Racehorses. Only A Long Goodbye (67 starts), Sign Of Lanty (65), Griswold (64), Town Policy (64), Kool Kue Baby (64), Easy Conversation (62), Sgt Pepper Feature (62), Chingaderos (57), The Black Alliance (52), Catchmeinyourdreams (51), Flare For Toby (51), Heza Ramblin Man (51) and Rylees Boy (51) have more starts.

The sorrel gelding by Streakin La Jolla is out of the Strawfly Special mare The Special Feature.

AQHA News and information is a service of the American Quarter Horse Association. For more news and information, follow @AQHARacing on Twitter, watch the AQHA Racing Newscast and visit www.aqharacing.com.

American Quarter Horse Association
1600 Quarter Horse Drive
Amarillo, TX 79104

Competitions, Racing

Powerhouses Set for Showdowns in Winter Derby, Championship

Leave a comment

American Quarter Horse Association, February 13, 2014 – Top runners fill the $196,600 Los Alamitos Winter Derby (G1) and $156,250 Los Alamitos Winter Championship (G1), set to run Saturday and Sunday, respectively, at Los Alamitos.

In the Winter Derby, trainer Trey Wood brings out two powerful contenders – SS Paydirt and Viva Mi Corazon.

Richard Frandsen’s homebred SS Paydirt (Carters Cartel-Mia Ta Fame by Dash Ta Fame) is close to being undefeated. The gelding’s record shows five wins from seven starts, though his two losses came when he was disqualified from the win in the $114,656 Bitterroot Futurity (RG3) at Les Bois Park and then finished fourth at 2-1 odds in the $151,500 John Deere Juvenile Challenge Championship (G2) at Los Alamitos after being knocked around at the start.

In his first start for Wood, SS Paydirt dominated his Winter Derby trial by a length over fellow qualifier Ms Perry (Mr Jess Perry-Runaway Shaker by Runaway Winner) and set the fastest qualifying time of :19.476 for 400 yards.

Viva Mi Corazon (First Down Dash-Miss Sin Tacha by Mr Jess Perry) is owned by 2013 champion owners Johnny Trotter and Burnett Ranches LLC, and has found a winning home at Los Alamitos. He has four wins from five local outs, including in the PCQHRA Breeders’ Futurity (G2), and a second place in the $1,916,525 Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity (G1) as the 8-5 favorite.

Also preparing for the race are the stakes-placed Dynasty Of Habits, who was second to Viva Mi Corazon in the PCQHRA Futurity, and stakes runners Mr Its Country Time and Moonist.

In Sunday’s Los Alamitos Winter Championship, the 4-year-old mare Nellie Delaney faces the battle-tested 9-year-old geldings Rylees Boy and Vodka With Ice.

Those two aged veterans combined have 100 starts, 35 wins and earnings just shy of $1.9 million.

Nancy Yearsley and J. Garvan Kelly’s homebred Nellie Delaney (FDD Dynasty-Fleeting Touch by Tres Seis) will try for her fourth consecutive win in a streak that includes a dead-heat win in the Southern California Derby (G1) and the fastest-qualifying time for the Winter Championship. In the trial, she defeated Rylees Boy by a nose.

The winner of the 400-yard Winter Championship receives the first invitation to the $750,000 Champion of Champions (G1) in December.

Lorena Velazquez Rodriguez’s champion Rylees Boy (Heza Motor Scooter-Pipistrelle by Rocky Jones) won this race last year. In December, the three-time champion ran second to eventual world champion Last To Fire in the Champion of Champions.

Gerardo Prado’s Vodka With Ice (Stoli-Hips So Fine by Extra Easy) in November won the $350,000 Bank of America Challenge Championship (G1) over former world champion Cold Cash 123, and won his Winter Championship trial by a neck over Rosa Barboza’s Grade 1-winner Remembering Spence (TR Dasher-Sables Bono by Bono Jazz).

AQHA News and information is a service of the American Quarter Horse Association. For more news and information, follow @AQHARacing on Twitter, watch the AQHA Racing Newscast and visit www.aqharacing.com.

American Quarter Horse Association
1600 Quarter Horse Drive
Amarillo, TX 79104

Auctions, Community/Charity, Racing

Jockey Rosie Napravnik Is Official Spokesmodel for 5th Annual “Hats Off to the Horses: The Road to the Derby”

Leave a comment

Rosie Napravnik and Patton by EquiSport Photos.

Proceeds from the online fashion auction to benefit Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement Facility

GEORGETOWN, KY – DECEMBER 1, 2013 – This fall, leading jockey Rosie Napravnik will throw off her helmet and don a one-of-a-kind Kentucky Derby chapeau to support the 5th Annual “Hats Off to the Horses: The Road to the Derby,” an online hat auction that raises money for Old Friends, the Thoroughbred Retirement Facility in Central Kentucky.

One of the most successful female jockeys in horse racing, Napravnik is also an avid Old Friends supporter and a member of its board of directors. Napravnik kicked off the 5th Annual auction in November by modeling a stunning hat inspired by Old Friends retiree Sean Avery, the GR1 winning sprinter.

The fashion auction continues December 1st with Napravnik showing “The Patton,” another handcrafted design influenced by one of the retired Thoroughbreds at Old Friends.

The photos for this “Hats Off to the Horses” campaign are by Equisport Photos and Napravnik’s ensembles are courtesy of the Lexington boutique Bella Rose.

This is the fifth consecutive year that Old Friends has joined with acclaimed milliner Sally Faith Steinmann of the Massachusetts-based Maggie Mae Designs to auction six handcrafted Kentucky Derby hats, each inspired by one of the non-profit organization’s 120 retired racehorses. One hat will be auctioned each month leading up to the 2014 running of the Kentucky Derby.

To date, this unique fundraiser has earned nearly $18,000 for Old Friends.

“I am a big fan of Old Friends and its mission,” says Napravnik. “I always keep in mind that a horse may win a Breeders’ Cup race this year but next year they may need a place to reside in retirement.”

Bidding on “The Patton” will begin at 10 am and be open for 10 days only. Interested bidders can go to the Old Friends website at www.oldfriendsequine.org and follow the link.

For a video of Napravnik’s photo shoots, visit http://vimeo.com/80017845.

About Patton

A graded stakes winner, Patton impressively won his track debut as a 2-year-old. He went on to win the William Thompson Stakes and the GR 2 Gulfstream Park Breeders’ Cup Sprint. Conditioned by Hubert Hine, the bay son of Lord At War went on to win six of his 18 starts. His track earnings totaled $237,462.

About the Hat

Made of a moody blue-green dupioni silk, the “Patton” features a gentle upturned brim with a moderate “top hat” crown.

A single large flower made of swirling layers of plum, blue and lavender silk, taffeta and organza adorns the hat while a layered sash of crinkled mocha encircles the crown.

The “Patton” hat is stunning from every angle; even the lining was created from soft turquoise-blue metallic taffetta to coordinate with the trims.

For additional information, contact Maggie Mae Designs at info@maggiemae.com.

For more information about Old Friends, see their website at www.oldfriendsequine.org or call the farm at (502) 863-1775.

Maggie Mae Designs Custom Millinery offers magnificent hats for all occasions, from glamorous racing events such as the Kentucky Derby and the Royal Ascot to stunning bridal wear and handsome cocktail fashions. Every hat is carefully handcrafted by milliner Sally Faith Steinmann from her home base in South Harwich, MA. Salons of her fashions can be seen on her website at www.maggiemaedesigns.com.

About Old Friends
Old Friends is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization that cares for more than 115 retired racehorses. Its Dream Chase Farm, located in Georgetown, KY, is open to tourists daily by appointment. Old Friends also has a satellite facility in Greenfield Center, New York, Old Friends at Cabin Creek: The Bobby Frankel Division, which is also open to visitors. For more information on tours or to make a donation, contact the main farm at (502) 863-1775 or see their website at www.oldfriendsequine.org.

Racing, WHIN

The WHIN Channel Debuts on Horse Races Now

Leave a comment

The Women’s Horse Industry Network, a worldwide business-networking group for people working in the horse industry, has announced that Horse Races Now has added a channel on their mobile app for the Women’s Horse Industry Network.

The Women’s Horse Industry Network is a global business networking group of men and women working in the horse industry. “Our members offer a lot of great products and services and are in all areas of the horse industry. By having our own channel on the Horse Races Now app, many more people will discover us and many of our members and contacts will start using the Horse Races Now app. It’s a real win-win for everyone,” states WHIN’s President, Catherine Masters.

Horse Races Now is a mobile app, which allows horse racing enthusiasts to have a deeper connection to the industry. Users can check Entries, Results, Today’s Changes, Horse Racing News and watch Live Racing and Race Replays all while being able to keep track of their favorite Horses, Trainers, Jockeys and Racetracks. Horse Races Now will also send alerts to users each time one of their Favorites is entered in a race or has a workout. The app is available to download free on the Apple iTunes and Google Play stores.

“We are excited to be working with WHIN,” said Sue McPeek, Co-Founder of Horse Races Now. “This organization brings to us a wealth of resources and experience in promotion that we need as we expand the user base at Horse Races Now. I’ve been a WHIN member for two years and am impressed with the energy and public relations knowledge that Catherine brings to this network. Her willingness to ‘go the extra mile’ to help her members is a plus for any small business owner.”

For additional information on the Horse Races Now mobile app, please go to www.HorseRacesNow.com or call 859-254-9969.

For additional information on the Women’s Horse Industry Network, please visit www.womenshorseindustry.com or call 615-730-7833.

Contact:

Catherine Masters – WHIN
615-730-7833
whinboss@yahoo.com

Jessica Peterson
Horse Races Now
859-254-9969
jessica@horseracesnow.com

Racing, WHIN

Horse Races Now to Carry Delta Downs’s One Million Dollar Race Live

Leave a comment

Horse Races Now has announced today that the 11th running of the $1,000,000 Delta Downs Jackpot (Gr. III) will be broadcast live at 4:15 p.m. CST on the exciting Horse Races Now app.

The race will be held November 23, 2013 at the Delta Downs racetrack.

Horse Races Now is a mobile app, which allows horse racing enthusiasts to have a deeper connection to the industry. Users can check Entries, Results, Today’s Changes, Horse Racing News and watch Live Racing and Race Replays all while being able to keep track of their favorite Horses, Trainers, Jockeys and Racetracks. Horse Races Now will also send alerts to users each time one of their Favorites is entered in a race or has a workout. The app is available to download free on the Apple iTunes and Google Play stores. Text ‘HORSE’ to 84700 for direct download. Please visit www.HorseRacesNow.com for additional information or call 859-254-9969.

For more information, visit www.deltadownsracing.com. Additional information about the race can also be found on the ‘Delta Downs Racing’ page on Facebook, and by following Delta Downs on Twitter with the account @deltaracing.

Contact:
Jessica Peterson, Marketing Director
Horse Races Now, LLC
Office: (859) 254-9969
Mobile: (309) 230-1511
www.HorseRacesNow.com
Text “Horse” to 84700 to download now!

Racing, WHIN

Horse Racing Companies Joining Forces to Bring More Fans to the Sport

Leave a comment

In order for any industry to grow, new customers must be found and nowhere is that more important than the sport of horse racing.  In an effort to make that happen, Horse Races Now and Gettingoutofthegate.com are joining forces.

Gettingoutofthegate.com is a website designed to help everyone, from the beginner to the expert become better educated about the sport of horse racing.  Getting Out of the Gate “cleanly” or “evenly” is the goal of every jockey in a horse race.  The aim is to give their horse the best chance to win the race by putting them in a good position early.  That is the same goal of this website: to put you in the best position to understand and enjoy this very exciting game.

Founder Neal Benoit has been an avid fan and horseplayer for more than 35 years.  While not a professional gambler by trade he finished in the top ten of a national handicapping contest in April of 2013. “The idea that I can share my knowledge with new and experienced horse racing fans is great and to expand the interest in the sport via famed trainer Kenny McPeek and his cool horse racing app, Horse Races Now, is very exciting,” Benoit states. Together they have implemented a mobile friendly version of his educational and entertaining materials.  The synergistic result of these two enterprises working together will be to bring fans closer to the sport of horse racing AND help them to understand it once they are there. For additional information on Gettingoutofthegate.com, please visit the website.

Horse Races Now is a mobile app, which allows horse racing enthusiasts to have a deeper connection to the industry. Users can check Entries, Results, Today’s Changes, Horse Racing News and watch Live Racing and Race Replays all while being able to keep track of their favorite Horses, Trainers, Jockeys and Racetracks. Horse Races Now will also send alerts to users each time one of their Favorites is entered in a race or has a workout.

“We are excited to be bringing the educational content from Getting Out of the Gate to our users in order help build their foundation of understanding the sport of Thoroughbred racing,” said Jessica Peterson, Marketing Director of Horse Races Now. “Neil has done a terrific job putting his website together so new and old fans alike have easy access to increasing their knowledge of the sport. We hope the new channel becomes a go-to source for horse racing fans.”

The app is available to download free on the Apple iTunes and Google Play stores. Text ‘HORSE’ to 84700 for direct download. Please visit HorseRacesNow.com for additional information or call 859-254-9969.

Contact:
Jessica Peterson, Marketing Director
Horse Races Now, LLC
Office: (859) 254-9969
Mobile: (309) 230-1511
www.HorseRacesNow.com
Text “Horse” to 84700 to download now!

Racing, Racing Sources

Feature Hero Wins All American Derby

Leave a comment

American Quarter Horse Association, September 1, 2013 – Reliance Ranches LLC’s Feature Hero won the September 1 All American Derby (G1) with a strong late charge. The race offered a $2,809,784 purse, which is the richest ever offered in the history of American Quarter Horse racing.

Racing in front of a crowd of 21,857 — the largest crowd ever for a non-All American Futurity day — Feature Hero was sent off at 24-1 by the bettors, broke well from Post 7 and was fourth early. The race’s fastest qualifier, Bon Accord, was on the early lead from Post 1, but was caught to finish a neck back. Feature Hero covered the 440 yards in :21.560. Point Break Dash finished third, and was followed by Vancouver Moon, Wonderboy, Elisas Secret, Wicked Courage, Louisana Corona, Tayte Me Down and The Magic Dash.

Feature Hero was ridden by Jimmy Dean Brooks and trained by Eddie Willis. Last year, the black gelding finished fourth in Carters Cookie’s Rainbow Futurity (G1). Earlier this year, he finished second in Brace For Bernal’s $253,000 Remington Park Oklahoma-Bred Derby (R), and then had a rough trip in the Jack Brook Stakes (RG3). His race record stands at four wins, three seconds and three thirds from 14 starts.

The $1,180,110 winning purse boosted Feature Hero’s earnings to $1,306,638.

Feature Hero qualified to the Derby through a second-place finish to Louisana Corona in their trial, with a :21.276 time, which was the 10th and final qualifying time. Feature Hero paid $49.80 to win.

“We believed in this horse and are so proud of him and Eddie,” said co-owner Micah McKinney. “We were not concerned that he was the 10th fastest qualifier. This is a thrill of a lifetime.”

Reliance Ranches is a family-owned business based out of Llano, Texas, run by the McKinney family. It includes Gary and his wife Shiela; son Micah and his wife, Leslie; and daughter M’Lissa Schoening and her husband, Jeremy. The family has an oil-gas business, but has always enjoyed horses and the agricultural lifestyle.

“We started running horses about nine years ago,” said Micah in an interview prior to the race. “We were visiting one day – my dad and my wife and I – and one of us said, why don’t we go buy a racehorse? We looked at each other and said, we don’t know anything about racehorses, but we can try to figure it out.”

The family did just that, and has become involved with numerous aspects of the racing industry. They race mostly Quarter Horses, and own a broodmare band of about 20 mares, including the likes of champion Spit Curl Diva ($829,353), Grade 1-placed Back In The Pack ($131,831) and stakes winner Illegal Fireworks ($181,847), among others, and raise about 20-25 foals per year.

The McKinneys are learning very fast – in addition to Feature Hero, they also have freshman star Coronado Cartel ($314,348) and distaffer Cruzin The Wagon ($336,869) among those carrying their colors.

Feature Hero was a $40,000 purchase from the Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale, and attracted their interest and that of Willis first because of the bloodline cross between Corona Chick (dam of his sire Valiant Hero) and Feature Mr Jess (sire of dam Illegal Feature), and then because he was a nice individual.

The gelding was bred in Oklahoma by Lana Merrick and Kent Jackson.

He is by the third-year sire Valiant Hero ($668,633), who won the 2006 Texas Classic Futurity (G1) and the 2007 Heritage Place Derby (G2). From 186 starters in three crops raced, Valiant Hero is represented by 110 winners, including 15 stakes winners and the earners of more than $6 million. Valiant Hero also is the sire of tomorrow’s All American Futurity (G1) qualifier Houdini.

Feature Hero is the first winner from three starters out of the winning Feature Mr Jess mare Illegal Feature ($23,410). His second dam, Illegally Special, was second in Quik Jolla’s 2003 West Texas Futurity (G1).

Feature Hero also represents a very important industry movement of horsemen speaking out against the use of performance-enhancing medications. Micah and Leslie founded Racing Free, a rapidly-growing industry alliance of owners, breeders and other horsemen dedicated to eliminating the use of illegal performance-enhancing medications.

Racing Free encourages the elimination of such medications by offering a positive way for the industry to speak out against the practice, as well as providing rewards to enrolled members. Seventeen of the 20 finalists in the All American Futurity and Derby – including Feature Hero – are Racing Free horses. Owners and breeders can enroll horses in the Racing Free program, and when their horses win races with clean drug tests, can earn money back.

“We are very proud of the fact that we have so many owners in the industry willing to stand up against the use of performance-enhancing drugs,” Micah said.

Feature Hero is not only racing free – but he’s racing fast and racing rich, and has raced into the history books.

AQHA News and information is a service of the American Quarter Horse Association. For more news and information, follow @AQHARacing on Twitter, watch the AQHA Racing Newscast, and visit www.aqharacing.com.

American Quarter Horse Association
1600 Quarter Horse Drive
Amarillo, TX 79104

Competitions, Racing

All American Qualifiers

Leave a comment

American Quarter Horse Association, August 31, 2013 – The 2013 All American Futurity (G1) is the richest race for 2-year-olds in North America, regardless of breed. Run every Labor Day at Ruidoso Downs in the mountain village of Ruidoso, New Mexico, the $2.6 million-est. race will be contested September 2 by 10 2-year-old American Quarter Horses. Meet two of the finalists:

Skuze Pleeze
Joe Mills’ homebred Skuze Pleeze (Dashin Bye-Sixy Hemp by Sixarun) was a $50,000 supplemental nominee to the All American Futurity. He finished second, a length behind fastest-qualifier Wagon Tales, to earn a :21.177 qualifying time under the guidance of champion jockey G. R. Carter Jr.

Trained by Tana Pace for his Broken Arrow, Oklahoma-based owner, Skuze Pleeze came into the trial with an undefeated record of three consecutive wins, his most recent the $50,000 Easy Jet Stakes (RG3) on June 2 at Remington Park.

Wagon Full Of Gold
One of the six All American Futurity qualifiers owned in part or whole by his breeders, Wagon Full Of Gold (PYC Paint Your Wagon-Cheyennes Bullion by Bully Bullion) won the second trial on the second day of qualifying, earning a :21.331 time.

Wagon Full Of Gold races for Ezra Lee, who bred the horse in partnership with his cousin, Toby Dahl. Lee races the horse in a Bayfield, Colorado-based partnership with Jill Giles and Melvin Neugebauer.

The colt was trained by Jill’s husband, Wes Giles, and was ridden in the trials by 2002 All American Futurity-winning jockey Jay Conklin. Wagon Full Of Gold has won two of three starts and earned $5,870.

ALL AMERICAN DERBY (G1)

This year, the $2.8 million-est. All American Derby (G1) for 3-year-olds is September 1. The race is expected to set an all-time record for the richest purse ever offered for racing American Quarter Horses. Meet two of the finalists:

Wonderboy
Sunset Well Service Inc.’s Wonderboy (Shazoom-First Place Queen by First Place Dash) finished third in Bon Accord’s trial to clock the fourth-fastest time of :21.204. Wonderboy broke his maiden in July 2012 at Ruidoso but has not won in eight races since and has only one second-place and one third-place finish in four races this year with earnings of $15,855. He was ridden in the trials by Roberto Valero for trainer Michael Chavez and his Midland, Texas-based owner.

Wonderboy was bred in Oklahoma by the Elk City, Oklahoma-based partnership of Newcomb Cattle Co. and Micah Leslie.

Vancouver Moon
Homebred Vancouver Moon (FDD Dynasty-Nagano Moon by Major Rime) was third behind Point Break Dash and Tayte Me Down in her trial to qualify with a :21.258 time.

Racing for Dosi and Norma Alvarez of Anthony, New Mexico, the filly last year was second to Carters Cookie in the Rainbow Futurity (G1) and has earned $125,236. She is trained by Juan Gonzalez and was ridden in the trials by Jaime Pargo Leos.

Fans can watch the All American Derby and Futurity – and many other races – free of charge at www.qracingvideo.com. Q-Racing Video provides unlimited access to live and replay simulcast race video of most American Quarter Horse tracks in the United States and Canada. For complete coverage of All American week at Ruidoso Downs, visit www.aqharacing.com. Read the September issue of the Q-Racing Journal, the digital publication covering American Quarter Horse racing, for full post-race analysis, at www.aqharacing.com, and find us on Facebook (Q-Racing) or Twitter (@AQHARacing). AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA Publications.

AQHA News and information is a service of the American Quarter Horse Association. For more news and information, follow @AQHARacing on Twitter, watch the AQHA Racing Newscast, and visit www.aqharacing.com.

American Quarter Horse Association
1600 Quarter Horse Drive
Amarillo, TX 79104