Hall of Fame Team Places Ochoa On Top Of All American Qualifiers

RUIDOSO DOWNS, New Mexico (August 18, 2011) – The hall of fame team of co-owner Johnny T.L. Jones Jr., trainer Dwayne “Sleepy” Gilbreath and jockey Jacky Martin teamed up to top the qualifiers to the Grade 1, $2.4-million All American Futurity with Ochoa on Thursday afternoon at Ruidoso Downs.

Ochoa led the horses with the 10-fastest times from the record 26 trials earning the opportunity to race for the record winner’s share of $1.2-million on Labor Day in the All American Futurity, North America’s richest race for two-year-old racehorses of any breed. The $1.2-million winner’s share in an all-time record for quarter horse racing.

“I want to win this race (All American Futurity) for that man right there,” said Gilbreath, pointing to Jones in the winner’s circle. “He’s been a friend for a long, long time and I want this for him.” Gilbreath is a two-time winner of the All American Futurity. He won with On A High in 1983 and with Refrigerator in 1990.

Gilbreath and Martin are members of the Ruidoso Downs Racehorse Hall of Fame and Jones joined their ranks as the owner/breeder inductee last June.

Ochoa, a $25,000 Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale graduate, made his third career start in the All American Futurity trials. He made an impressive late run after a bumpy start to win by one-half length with a time of :21.074 for the 440 yards on a track labeled as good.

“They probably had me beat about one-half length, but I didn’t have it ask him. He did it easy,” said Martin, who won seven trials. The record seven-time winner of the All American Futurity qualified three other All American Futurity finalists – Tee Cos, Denver Pass and Mr Ease 123.

Ochoa’s target has been the All American Futurity since he raced to a third-place finish in the Grade 1, $500,000 Ruidoso Futurity on June 12. In that 350-yard futurity he bobbled at the start and still managed to rally for a third-place finish.

Jones and Gilbreath, along with co-owners M. and K. Cluck and D. Benson, then opted to pass on the Grade 1, $700,000 Rainbow Futurity in July with Ochoa and emphasize the All American Futurity.

“He’s a very fast horse. He’s the best-minded horse to be around,” said Gilbreath, who recently won his seventh Rainbow Derby with Cold Cash 123. “I expected him to run a good time.”

The Gilbreath-trained Mr Ease 123 also qualified for the All American Futurity with a second-place finish behind fifth-fastest qualifier Lethal Volt in the ninth trial. Mr Ease 123 is the 10th-fastest qualifier with a :21.395 time.

Wayne Barton’s Lotta Love For Robyn, second to Ochoa in their trial, came up with the second-fastest qualifying time of :21.145 with Saul Ramirez, Jr. aboard. The First Down Dash filly also made her third career start in the All American Futurity trials and came into the trials off a third-place run in the Rainbow Juvenile for trainer John Bassett, who was the trainer inducted into the Ruidoso Downs Racehorse Hall of Fame this year.

Lyle Guillory and John Soileau’s Tee Cos raced in the trial after Ochoa and won his maiden with the third-fastest qualifying time of :21.156. The Corona Cartel son won by two lengths to give trainer Paul Jones one of his two qualifiers.
Tee Cos finished third in his Ruidoso Futurity trial in his first start and then finished second in his Rainbow Futurity trial.
Jones also sent out Rainbow Futurity fourth-place finisher Big Daddy Cartel to a qualifying victory. He was timed in :21.343 while taking the fourth trial with the eighth-fastest time.

Trainer Blane Wood led all the trainers with three All American Futurity qualifiers – Jess Send Me, Lethal Volt and Denver Pass.

Turner Farms’ Jess Send Me won the 16th trial with the fourth-fastest time of :21.302. The Feature Mr Jess filly makes her stakes debut in the All American Futurity and has won two of her four Ruidoso Downs starts.

Lethal Volt, who defeated Mr Ease 123 in their trial, scored his trial win in :21.337 for his second-straight victory.
Weetona Stanley and William Smith’s Denver Pass finished second to Jess Cuervo in the 25th trial with a :21.336 time.
You And Me Partners’ Jess Cuervo, trained by Raymond Vargas, raced to the fourth-fastest time of :21.218. He was the third-place finisher in the Rainbow Futurity in his previous start.

2011 All American Futurity Qualifiers: