By the early 1960s, two Thoroughbred bloodlines had come to dominate Quarter Horse racing. The first to emerge was Three Bars, when his daughter Josie’s Bar won 14 consecutive races and was named World Champion of 1954. Sons of Three Bars such as Bob’s Folly and Mr. Bar None also were major stakes winners. Next came the bloodline of Top Deck, represented by his son Go Man Go’s three consecutive World Championships, first as a two year old of 1955. From a small initial group of mares, Top Deck also sired Ridge Butler and Antlers Trade, proof that Go Man Go was not a one hit wonder.
When the All American Futurity was introduced in 1959, the first to claim its life-changing prize was Galobar, a daughter of Three Bars. The following year the race was won by Tonto Bars Hank, a grandson of Three Bars. In second place was Three Deep, another daughter of Three Bars and in third place was Rebel Cause, a son of Top Deck. The following year, 1961, the favorite for the race, Bunny’s Bar Maid (a daughter of Three Bars) was upset by Pokey Bar, a son of Three Bars.
The Top Deck bloodline gained the upper hand in 1962 when Go Man Go’s son Hustling Man won the All American Futurity. Earlier that year, however, a direct son of Top Deck named Play Deck was the preseason favorite for the race. That dream was cut short by his death from the deadly colitis-X virus. Another grandson of Top Deck, Jet Deck, arrived in Ruidoso amid great fanfare but he returned to California after finishing third in the Ruidoso Futurity. More about him later. In the meantime, Hustling Man also succumbed to colitis-X, denying him a chance at stud.
Go Man Go strengthened the Top Deck influence again in 1963 when his daughter Goetta won the All American Futurity—along with the major futurities in California on her way to year-end honors.
In 1964, the All American was won by a direct daughter of Top Deck, Decketta, who upset favored Merry Go and Steam To Go, both daughters of Go Man Go. The tide had begun to turn toward the influence of the Top Deck line. But the best was yet to come.
As mentioned above, Jet Deck had arrived at Ruidoso Downs already having won the Los Alamitos Juvenile. But in five starts on the mountain he was only able to win a single trial race. Back at Los Alamitos, though, he quickly made amends. He won his trial and then the final of the Pacific Coast Futurity with identical 350-yard clockings of :17.8. He next won his trial and then the final of the Los Alamitos Futurity—both races with a time of :17.7. In his final start as a two year old, Jet Deck captured the Kindergarten Futurity by 1 1/2-lengths running 400 yards in 20 seconds flat for a speed index of 100.
Jet Deck’s sophomore season began with a couple of setbacks, finishing second in the Bay Meadows Inaugural Handicap, then being placed eighth for interference in an allowance race. But with those two strike-outs behind him, Jet Deck went on a historic run. In the trial to the Pacific Coast Derby, Jet Deck raced the 440 yards in :21.7 and came back to win the final with ease. Next came the Los…