January 21, 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 American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) racing champions, which were announced January 13 at Heritage Place Sale Co. in Oklahoma City.
Freaky (TR Dasher-Chickasecret by Raise A Secret), owned by Armando Aguirre of Surprise, Ariz., 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, 2009, 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 owner; 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, N.M., was bred by Dosi and Norma Alvarez of La Union, N.M., 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, Ark., 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, Mo., 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, Okla., 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, N.M., 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, N.M., 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, Calif., 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, Canada, was bred by Beebe Quarter Horses of Babb, Mont., 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, March 5-8 in Kissimmee, Fla.
