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``The
dream of every trainer is to win the All American” |
 By
PETE HERRERA - Juan Gonzalez’ legacy stretches far beyond that Labor Day
afternoon nearly eight years ago when the New Mexico-bred
gelding By By JJ won the All American Futurity.
It has reached deep into Texas, where Gonzalez’ first born,
Juan Carlos, graduated last year from the University of
Texas at Austin with honors and a degree in civil
engineering.
It has dropped roots near the Gonzalez’s home in El Paso,
where Juan’s daughter, Patricia Isabella, is a pre-med
student at UTEP with aspirations of becoming a pediatrician.
And it lives in the hearts of fellow quarter horse trainers
who look at Gonzalez’ odds-beating journey from poverty in
Mexico to prosperity in America as a beacon that anything is
possible.
For if there’s a poster person for how far hard work,
dedication and determination can carry the human spirit,
that individual is Gonzalez.
Since his arrival in El Paso in 1993, Gonzalez has built a
reputation as one of the best quarter horse trainers in New
Mexico. His stable, which produced 2003 All American
Futurity winner By By JJ, is home to some of the fastest New
Mexico-breds. His crop of 2-year-olds last year included
horses like Streak of Sixes, Six Gun Regard, A Streak Again
and Moro Moon.
In 2010, Streak of Sixes won the $370,000 Spring Futurity at
Sunland Park and the Mountain Top Futurity ($220,000) at
Ruidoso Downs. A Streak Again scored a longshot win in the
Zia Futurity at Ruidoso, where Gonzalez’ four horses in the
race were the first four across the finish line.
He had five horses—half of the field—qualify for the finals
of the New Mexico Classic Futurity at Zia Park. They
included the three fastest of the day—Moro Moon, Streak of
Sixes and One Fast Regard. Also in the finals were Snow
Regard and Six Gun Regard as Gonzalez saddled the winners of
four of the five trials.
Gonzalez’ barn also dominated qualifying trials for the
Senorita and Senor Futurities at last year’s New Mexico
State Fair meet. He had three fillies—Snow Regard, Chiquita
Caliente and Samia Fame in the Senorita and three of his
colts, Mal Intenciones, Blazing Pacquia and Six Gun Regard
were in the Senor.
Gonzalez’ victory in the All American Futurity was a
defining moment for the then-39-year-old trainer. In the
winner’s circle that afternoon, Gonzalez proclaimed in
Spanish: ``The dream of every trainer is to win the All
American, but I’m also proud to be the first 100 percent
Mexican to win this race.’’
That, in essence, was a take-that response to those who over
the years had scoffed at the idea that a trainer with
Gonzalez’ background and limited resources could win the
most prestigious quarter horse race in the country.
``I was told it was impossible for me to win the All
American. I kept saying I’d win it, but many didn’t believe
me,’’ says Gonzalez.
The All American win brought Gonzalez to a pinnacle in his
career, but he had paved the way there with a decade of
enduring success. He came to the United States to work for
longtime El Paso horse owner Chico Diaz, who turned over his
entire stable of quarter horses to Gonzalez.
Success came quickly. A year later, he won the Shue Fly and
Santa Fe futurities with the 2-year-old Fire Ball. But it
was the All American, where By By JJ outran the favorite,
Planet Holland, that changed Gonzalez’ career and life
forever.
``People saw me in a different light,’’ says Gonzalez.
New owners came calling and American trainers who had been
hesitant to communicate with Gonzalez—in part because he
speaks very little English—nonetheless acknowledged with a
nod or a handshake what he had done.
About the only thing that hasn’t changed is Gonzalez’
steadfast loyalty to his native language. He says the long
hours and dedication his training career demands leaves him
with little time or inclination to learn English.
Besides, says his brother Eliseo, who speaks fluent English,
fast horses understand good training in any language.
``You don’t need to know English to train horses,’’ said
Eliseo, who has worked with Juan for more than 10 years.
Juan and Eliseo are part of a family that included seven
brothers and seven sisters. For the Gonzalez men, becoming
horse trainers was a given since their father, Eliseo Sr.,
spent his life training horses for match races throughout
Mexico.
``We got our (training) education in Mexico,’’ says Eliseo.
Juan says given the state of the economy in Mexico, there’s
not much of a future in training horses there.
``You can’t make a decent living in horse racing in
Mexico,’’ said Juan. ``The purse money comes from the owners
and if you lose a race, it costs you a lot. People do not
spend money in Mexico on horses.’’
Juan says his brothers and sisters have come a long way from
the days when his parents dealt with the enormous struggles
of raising 14 kids. Back then Christmas was pretty much like
every other day.
``We were too many to have gifts,’’ says Juan. ``We never
celebrated birthdays. There was no money. Now, we celebrate
every birthday with Mariachis and music. The family is the
most important thing.’’
His family also includes his wife, Patricia, teen-age
daughter Allison Belen and youngest son Manuel.
Juan is a man with few regrets.
``Thanks to God, things have gone very well for me,’’ he
says. ``I’ve won just about every big race in New Mexico.
The All American was the crowning achievement. Sure I would
want to win it again, but it’s not as important as it once
was. I want simply to do my job well and for the owners to
be happy.’’
These days, the emphasis for Gonzalez is New Mexico-breds.
The lucrative purses available for state-breds is an obvious
reason. So too is the fact that many of his best runners
have been foals of the stud Chicks Regard.
Chicks Regard stood in New Mexico for many years, but three
years ago his owner, Killer Humberto Lopez, decided to move
him to the Lazy E Ranch in Oklahoma. Gonzalez says the move
was based on the belief that Chicks Regard would have better
broodmares in Oklahoma.
``I think that was a mistake,’’ says Juan. ``There will be
no more New Mexico-breds from Chicks Regard. His (future)
offspring will have to run in open company.’’
Because of his success with that bloodline, Gonzalez says he
expects to continue to train Chicks Regard’s offspring.
Gonzalez says his formula for success is not very
complicated.
``You have to devote 24 hours a day to your horses. You have
to figure out what they like to eat and what they don’t
like. You have to keep an eye on their legs and not overwork
them.’’
Gonzalez says a light racing schedule is crucial in keeping
horses sound, particularly 2-year-olds.
``Some trainers have numerous 2-year-olds. I have maybe 15.
When they start running them in the spring, they have fresh
horses and win three, four or five races. But by the end of
the summer, their horses are no longer sound. They want to
give their horses two or three outs before big races like
the Spring Futurity and they end up wearing them out. I
prefer to run a horse that’s a little green than one that
has leg problems from being overworked.’’
Gonzalez also believes in quality over quantity. He has
about 35 horses in his barn each year, though he could
easily have twice that many if he didn’t turn some away.
``If I take more than that, I can’t care for them properly.
I want to know all of my horses and do things right,’’ he
said.
Gonzalez frequently picks out horses for owners. What he’s
looking for, he says, is a horse that’s long from his chest
to the area where the saddle sits.
Streak of Sixes, arguably the top state-bred last summer,
has that kind of look. Gonzalez picked out the colt for
owner Pete Gallegos, who paid what turned out to be a
bargain investment of $9,500.
That was also the case when he purchased Genuine Streaker
several years ago. Gonzalez bought the horse for himself and
paid $6,000. As of last year, Genuine Streaker had earned
close to $300,000.
``These days, there is a lot parity in bloodlines,’’ says
Gonzalez. ``There’s plenty of horses that can run. So, you
have to look for something else.’’
Former jockey and now trainer James Gonzales rode By By JJ
in the All American. He too is building a reputation as a
respected and successful young trainer. He says he picked up
training tips from every trainer he rode for, including
Gonzalez.
``Juan Gonzalez is a very good horseman,’’ says James.
``When he leads his horses up (to the starting gate),
they’re going to give you all they’ve got. His preparation
and knowledge of a horse made my job as a jockey a lot
easier.’’
Horse racing always has and likely always will run deep in
the Gonzalez family, but college graduate Juan Carlos has
heard a different calling.
Yes, he says, there was some expectation that he would
follow in the footsteps of his father and six uncles. But no
there was no parental pressure when he announced he wanted
to help design buildings.
``My father has always been very understanding about taking
a different path,’’ said Juan Carlos.
On the day he graduated seventh in his class from one of the
top three civil engineering schools in the country, Juan
Carlos and his dad hugged and shed tears. Seven years
earlier they and the rest of the family had done the same in
the winner’s circle at Ruidoso Downs.
``My dad has always been my idol,’’ says Juan Carlos. ``He
is everything one expects his father to be.’’(Spanish
version)
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