By PETE HERRERA

Juan Gonzalez oozed with joy on Labor Day 2003 as he proudly proclaimed how good it felt to be the first Mexican-born trainer to win the All American Futurity.

Little did Gonzalez know that a repeat of that totally Latino moment wasn’t that far away.

Last September, 27-year-old trainer Felipe Quintero Jr. stood in that same Ruidoso Downs winner’s circle holding the reins of 2010 All American winner Mr Piloto.

The seven-year gap between Gonzalez’ win with By By JJ and Quintero’s may seem like a long one in some sports, but not when it comes to the history of Quarter Horse racing’s most prestigious race. From the first running of the futurity in 1959 through 2002, only one Hispanic trainer—Ben Torres in 1991—won the race that this year grew to a record purse of $2.4 million.

From Newton Keck’s two victories in the early years of the All American to Jack Brooks’ run of eight wins and Paul Jones’ three wins between 2005 to 2009, the race was dominated by American trainers.

But it’s a new ball game these days and trainers like Gonzalez, Quintero, Carlos Sedillo, Roberto Sanchez and Hermenegildo ``Poppy’’ Aldavaz are helping to reshape the face of not only the All American Futurity, but Quarter Horse racing in general.

Consider that three of the past four major futurities at Ruidoso Downs have been won by Mexican-American trainers or those of Mexican descent.

Sedillo, who was born in Albuquerque’s South Valley, conditioned 2010 Rainbow Futurity winner Hes Too Icy For Me. This year’s Rainbow Futurity was won by Feature Mr Bojangles, a colt trained by Roberto Sanchez.

Another Hispanic trainer, Raymond Vargas, qualified three horses to this year’s Rainbow, including Heritage Place Futurity runner-up Mighty B Valiant, whose earnings going into the All American Futurity trials topped a half-million dollars.

Trainers like Jaime Gomez, Juan Aleman and Adan Farias have extensive resume of enduring success at Los Alamitos race course in southern California.

Gomez, who was born in Mexico, has won just about every major futurity and derby there, including multiple wins in the Kindergarten and Ed Burke futurities and the Los Alamitos Million in 1996 with Corona Cartel.

With its large Hispanic population, New Mexico has always been home to a large base of Spanish-speaking trainers. But their stables usually consisted of horses in the claiming ranks.
Not anymore.

These days, those trainers still have plenty of claimers, but they also have expanded into graded and stakes-winning horses. Some of them are both trainers and owners and in the case of Juan Gonzalez, he doubles as a buyer for prospective owners.

Gonzalez handpicked New Mexico-bred filly Streak of Sixes for owner Pete Gallegos. Gallegos paid $9,500 for the horse, who went on to win the $370,000 Spring Futurity at Sunland Park and the Mountain Top Futurity ($220,000) at Ruidoso Downs.

So why has the backside changed so dramatically?

Apparently the mass immigration from Mexico has been a huge factor.

``Most of the people that have moved here love horse racing,’’ says Gonzalez, who arrived in El Paso in 1993. ``They followed horse racing in Mexico and they follow it here.’’

Gonzalez says while many of the immigrants that come to America are seeking a better life, many others have the financial means to purchase horses. When they do, it’s usually Quarter Horses because of the popularity of match racing of that breed in Mexico.

Gonzalez and his older brother, Eliseo, come from a family that has been involved in horse racing for generations. Eliseo notes the horse has always played a major role in the history and culture of Mexico.

``Mexicans were the original cowboys,’’ says Eliseo. ``Even Mexicans who don’t own horses like to dress in boots and charas.’’

Eliseo says trainers like his brother and others who grew up in Mexico have done a good job of adapting to the U.S. and the fierce competition in horse racing.

``This is where the fastest horses are, where the most money is,’’ says Eliseo.

Carlos Sedillo says another factor in the change is that an increasing number of Hispanic trainers are getting to the winner’s circle much more often.

``Those guys like (Juan) Gonzalez and the one that won the All American last year (Quintero) are starting to buy high dollar horses,’’ said Sedillo. ``Before, all the good horses would go to Paul Jones and them. Now, they’re spreading them around. Little by little, we’re starting to put a foot in the door.’’

In some cases, trainers born in Mexico or of Mexican-American descent started out as owners and are now trainers. Such is the case of brothers Javier and Manny Rodriguez, owners of La Feliz Montana Ranch east of Ruidoso. They grew up in Mexico, came to the U.S. and eventually got involved in horse racing. They paid $60,000 for the yearling filly Heartswideopen, who went on to win the 2007 Ruidoso and All American futurities under the training of Carl Draper. The Rodriguez’s still run plenty of horses and Manny now trains most of them.

Perhaps no one personifies best the change that has occurred over the last decade or so than Poppy Aldavaz. And in his case, it was an American trainer who helped get him to where he is today.

Born in Casa Grande, Chihuahua—about two hours away from Ciudad Juarez, Aldavaz started out as a jockey when he was 12 or 13. When he got too heavy to ride, he left for Juarez. He was told he should get to Sunland Park because that’s where he could get work.

Aldavaz says he crossed the Rio Grande numerous times, was caught and sent back across time and again. But he kept coming across and eventually got work as a groom for the late Don Farris. He spent 15 years working for Farris, who apparently saw plenty of potential in Aldavaz. Within six months after joining Farris’ barn, says Aldavaz, he was promoted to stable foreman and eventually was foreman of Farris’ ranch and racetrack operations.

Aldavaz, who gained legal residency in 1986, says he remains indebted to Farris, who died in an accidental shooting.
``I learned a great deal from Don. The man was a complete horseman.’’

Aldavaz, 48, remembers what it was like in the years when he was trying to make the transition to training.
``In those years, there were very few owners that were of Mexican descent. It was very rare to see Mexicans at horse sales like you do now. I think that has pushed a lot of us to become trainers,’’ said Aldavaz.

Aldavaz, who has one of the most successful barns in New Mexico, consistently wins races from the claiming ranks to stakes competition. He won the juvenile of the Ruidoso Futurity two years ago with Be So Fast.

Aldavaz says when Farris started cutting back on his training career, he again helped him by introducing him to some of the owners that Farris had worked for. Individuals like Ruidoso Downs owners R.D. Hubbard and longtime Ruidoso horseman Bill McCarty.

``I became acquainted with them because of Don,’’ he said.

Aldavaz still trains for McCarty today and the two have formed a breeding partnership that continues to enhance their friendship of some 30 years.

McCarty says Aldavaz is a hands-on trainer who has an uncanny, deep personal relationship with his horses and an honest one with the owners.

``If you have a bad horse, he’ll tell you, and if you have a good one, he’ll keep training them,’’ said McCarty.
Aldavaz owns a 10-acre farm in Vado, N.M., where he breeds horses for himself and McCarty. The broodmares and foals, says McCarty, are the focus of Aldavaz’s attention year-round.

``He’s with the mares everyday and he works with the babies from the day they are born,’’ says McCarty. ``He’s got a connection with those horses that they trust him and he can do things with a horse that no one else can.’’

For Aldavaz, all that persistence he displayed as a teenager in all those crossings of the Rio Grande paid off a long time ago.

``My life began here,’’ he says.

(Spanish Version)
 

Pete Herrera is a former AP sportswriter and now freelance journalist who covered sports and news for 39 years. His credits include four Summer Olympics and coverage of 40 All American Futurities from 1968 to 2008.