Jockey Jacky Martin Is Back, Places Three In All American Futurity

RUIDOSO DOWNS, New Mexico (August 18, 2010) – It was history repeated at Ruidoso Downs on Thursday afternoon when hall of fame jockey Jacky Martin, who returned from a 4-year hiatus in June, rode three horses into the finals of the Grade 1, $2,050,000 All American Futurity presented by Sentient Jet.

The 2-year olds with the 10-fastest qualifying times from the 20 trials return on Labor Day to race for the $1-million first-place check, the richest in quarter horse racing.

Martin, a record 7-time winner of the All American Futurity, had yet another memorable day with his three qualifiers, led by fastest-qualifier JLS Mr Bigtime and second-fastest qualifier Cuz Iba Okey. He also placed Propsect To The Top in the All American.

Martin, 55, was aboard the winners of seven of 20 All American Futurity trials.

“I had a lot of good horses today,” Martin said. “I only had bad luck in one race and you have to have luck in these races.
“It was a good day. I feel great. I have to thank the owners and trainers who gave me the opportunity to ride these horses. You can’t win without good horses and I really, really, really appreciate the opportunity.”

JLS Mr Bigtime, a $50,000 supplemental nominee to enter the trials, raced in the only trial with a tailwind and came through with a one-and-one half length victory in :21.220 for the 440 yards. He disposed of sixth-fastest qualifier Episode Of Fire in the final half of the trial to win his Ruidoso Downs debut and score his fourth win from six lifetime starts.

The JLS Speed Horse Ranch-owned and -bred gelding made each of his other starts in his native Louisiana. In his previous start he made a late surge in the $376,000 Lee Berwick Futurity at Delta Downs and came up just a neck short of the win. He had won his two previous starts.

Martin became acquainted with JLS Mr Bigtime last winter in Louisiana when he started the colt for trainer Darrel Soileau. “I told him in December that the horse had a lot of talent. I teasingly told him last winter he needed to take him to the All American. If he would win it, it would really be a storybook ending,” Martin said.

Second-fastest qualifier Cuz Iba Okey raced to his third-straight win while winning his trial by a nose over fourth-fastest qualifier Make Me Fly. He won his maiden at Remington Park in May and then was a close winner of his Rainbow Futurity trial.
Martin’s third qualifier, Prospect To The Top, won his trial by three quarters of a length in :21.462, the seventh-fastest qualifying time. He was a supplemental entry in the All American Futurity trials after a two-and-one-half length maiden win in June at Ruidoso Downs.

“He is a really nice colt. He was tired, but he should be since he’s only had two outs,” Martin said.
Stepping up with the third-fastest qualifying time of :21.408 was Bobby Cox’s Dominyun, trained by John Buchanan. The B. Russel Hadley-trained colt handled his trial competition by one length with a :21.408 time.

Dominyun came into the All American trials after setting the fastest-qualifying time to the John Deere New Mexico Challenge at Ruidoso Downs. His connections elected to run in the New Mexico Challenge finals and point to the All American Futurity trials.

While Dominyun will race in the All American Futurity, Cox’s steller 2-year-old American Runaway did not qualify for the finals after being completely eliminated at the start of his trial when he was slammed by an adjacent horse.
American Runaway won the Grade 1, $500,000 Ruidoso Futurity and then was second by a nose in the Grade 1, $625,000 Rainbow Futurity.

American Runaway was one of several important All American Futurity hopefuls who did not advance to the futurity. In fact, none of the 23 individual betting interests in the All American Future Wager advanced to the All American Futurity, assuring a victory for those who bet on the field entry.

Rainbow Futurity winner Hes Too Icy For Me won his trial and his time of :21.514 was the 13th fastest qualifying mark.
Remington Park Futurity winner Llano Teller finished third behind Cuz Iba Okey and Make Me Fly in their trial and posted the 11th-fastest qualifying time of :21.480.

Hes Too Icy For Me and Llano Teller could race in the $150,000 All American Juvenile.

Horse/Trial # Trainer Jockey Wind Time
Jls Mr Bigtime/13 Darrel Soileau Jacky Martin 3t 21.220
Cuz Iba Okey/12 L Villafranco Jacky Martin 5h 21.405
Dominyun/17 John Buchanan Russel Hadley 5h 21.408
Make Me Fly/12 Eddie Willis Jimmy Brooks 5h 21.415
Miss Racy Jess/3 Blane Wood Ricky Ramirez 9h 21.433
Episode of Fire/13 J L Dominguez David Pinon 3t 21.442
Prospect to the Top/16 Ralph Muniz Jacky Martin 4h 21.462
Dm Streakn Thru Fire/14 Mike Joiner GR Carter 0 21.463
Jd Baccarat/14 Paul Jones Rodrigo Aceves 0 21.467
Mr Pilito/15 F Quintero Esgar Ramirez 0 21.477

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