Sunday, September 4, 2016
Be sure to watch the slideshow to the end to view the All American Countdown Trivia questions
Cars overflowed to the highway at Ruidoso Downs Race Track Sunday afternoon! Shuttles were running nonstop to take race enthusiasts to and from the track for a big day of racing. After the races were over, the final day of the Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale started at 6:00 p.m.
Six out of the ten races on the program for Sunday were for Quarter Horses. Three were stakes races - the All American Gold Cup, the First Down Dash Stakes and the All American Derby. Between races 7 and 8, the Sam Thompson Memorial Jockey Award was presented by SPEEDHORSE Magazine and the Jockeys' Guild. This year's winner was Ramon Sanchez from Norco, California. Ramon could not be in attendance to accept his award; however, G.R. Carter, Jr. stood in his place to accept it for him.
The first stakes race of the day was Race #6, the $100,000 First Down Dash Stakes. The race was won by STEVIE B FIRST CASH (First Down Dash-Spit Curl Diva, Spit Curl Jess). STEVIE B FIRST CASH is bred by Lepic-Morgan Partnership out of Oklahoma, owned by Two Feathers Series and trained by Bret Vickery. The sorrel colt broke from the one hole and defeated the field wire-to-wire under jockey Jose Alvarez by a length. Secretzzoom (No Secret Here-Suzzoom, Shazoom) placed 2nd and Governor Pete (Dealagame, Smiles All Around, Feature Mr Jess) finished 3rd. The remaining order was Nexxus, This Is A Deal, Mr PYC To You, Nucky, JM Disco Rey and Flash N Bling.
Race #7 was the $200,000 All American Gold Cup, a handicap for 3 year olds and older. ZOOMIN EFFORTLESSLY under jockey Santos Carrizales took home the prize money winning by a length. The 5-year-old bay gelding was bred by Tommy R. Charbula, owned by Telesforo Perrett and trained by Edelmiro Carrizales. Runner-up was Jessies First Down (FDD Dynasty-Jess A Classy Lassy, Mr Jess Perry) and Politicaly Correct (Apollitical Jess-Senorita Tres, Tres Seis) came in 3rd. The remaining order was El Duero, Bodacious Eagle, Apollitical Ok, Mad About The Moon, Carters Last Straw and Glock.
The most prestigious race of the evening was Race #9, the $2,415,084 All American Derby-G1. EC JET ONE was the power house who finished first. Guided by Esgar Ramirez, the bay colt won by ½-length bringing home $1,014,336, his portion of the purse money. EC JET ONE is bred and owned by Enrique Carrion and trained by Judd Kearl. Celtic Emblem (Apollitical Jess-Three Green Leaves, Tres Seis) placed second and Brave Heart Won (Apollitical Jess, Fols Zookie Cookie) took 3rd. The remaining order was Volcom Bay, Jess Envision, First Fancy Racy, A Fulton Classic, One Fabulous Eagle, First Valiant Sign and Boogies Special Dash.
After the excitement of the day’s races, people hopped in their cars to make their way to the sale barn for the final night of the Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale. The enthusiasm from the All American Derby spilled over into the sale arena where people were enjoying the company of their fellow horsemen.
The final day of the Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale's top five sellers brought in $800,000 - 3 being fillies and 2 colts.
Hip #180 Fly Baby Fly – Sorrel Filly (One Famous Eagle-Higher Fire, Walk Thru Fire) – Sold to Judd Kearl for $180,000 – Consigned by Julianna Hawn Holt
Hip #411 Amendola – Sorrel Colt (Walk Thru Fire-Babe On The Fly, Strawfly Special) – Sold to Fulton Quien Sabe Ranches LP/Turner Farms for $180,000 – Consigned by Burns Ranch, Agent
Hip #322 Corleonni – Sorrel Colt (One Famous Eagle-Las Alamitos, First Down Dash) – Sold to Bob McClure for $150,000 – Consigned by Haddad Ranch
Hip #393 Ms Kates Dynasty – Bay Filly (FDD Dynasty-Jennifer Kate, Vital Sign) – Repurchased for $150,000 – Consigned by Jerry Windham
Hip #386 Extremely Racy – Bay Filly (Corona Cartel-Jess Racy Eyes, Mr Jess Perry) – Repurchased for $140,000 – Consigned by Lazy E Ranch, LLC, Agent
The highest seller of the entire three-day sale still remains Hip #246 Eye Am King by Mr Jess Perry and out of Eye For Corona, who sold for $300,000 on Saturday evening.
Anna Fay Davis of Albuquerque, NM, has been the Executive Director of the New Mexico Horse Breeders Association since 1995 and has worked for the association since 1991. She is here at the Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale at her booth to answer any questions on the 27 New Mexico Bred yearlings consigned to the sale. "This is the most New Mexico Bred Yearlings that have qualified to be in the sale since I became Executive Director," said Davis. To be in the Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale the yearlings need to meet a criteria regarding conformation & pedigree. All horses are approved by Lowell Neumayer, General Manager of the Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale.
Shelby Bernard from Erath, Louisiana, is a full-time maintenance supervisor at a natural gas processing plant and is here working for Robicheaux Ranch. He has been working the sales since 2004. Bernard loves working the sales so much he uses his vacation time from his full-time job to work them with the Robicheaux Ranch. He helps with the sales prep & shares cooking duties with Bud LeBlanc. The cooking tradition and serving sale guests started with Jude Robicheaux at the LQHBA sale years ago and gradually expanded to every sale they attend. The menu is Friday night red beans and rice, Saturday is chicken, sausage and taso gumbo & Sunday night is shrimp and crab etouffee. Ryan Robicheaux said, "I want to make it fun and food always brings people together!"
Norma & Dosi Alvarez from La Union, NM, are the owners of Lazy A Farms located in Anthony, NM. They have been coming to the Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale for 24 years to sell their home-bred yearlings. Norma Alvarez says, "This is the premier sale of the elite Quarter Horses, and it is an honor to be selected for the sale." In 2013 Handsome Jack Flash won the All American Futurity-G1. He was owned by the partnership of Debra Laney, Norma and Brenda Alvarez.
W.L. Mooring of Bosque, NM, owner of Double LL Farms, has been coming to the Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale for 38 years selling horses. Mooring said, "This is one of the best sales in the nation for Quarter Horses. We've had some really good years at the Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale. I've had a lot of fun here over the years." Mooring owned CORONA MEMORY CREST, a gelding that won $221,535 in his racing career.
Mike Abraham, is here selling 14 horses this year consigned through Double LL Farms, regulars at the Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale. Abraham said, "This is one of the best sales for Quarter Horses in the nation. I’ve always done pretty well here and enjoyed the weekend festivities.” Abraham owned G1 stakes winner LD FIRE who earned $313,505 in his racing career as well as BLAZIN N SHAKIN a 7-time graded stakes winner earning $635,335 in her career.
People come to the Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale for many different reasons, buying, selling, working or just to have a good time. It’s always great to sit down and get to know the people that we all work with in this industry. The Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale is truly an event to remember.
Stay tuned to the SPEEDHORSE All American Countdown Photo Slides for the day we’ve all been waiting for… the All American Futurity and Juvenile! Also, don’t forget to watch until the end to view the last All American Countdown Trivia questions.