Noconi Rolls To Winning Defense In All American Gold Cup at Ruidoso

RUIDOSO DOWNS, New Mexico (September 4, 2011) – R.D. Hubbard and Johnny’s T.L. Jones Jr.’s two-time champion Noconi held off a bid from Time For A Cigar to defend his win in the Grade 3, $40,000 All American Gold Cup on Sunday afternoon at Ruidoso Downs.

Ramon Sanchez picked up the mount on Noconi after Jacky Martin was seriously injured on Friday and they sped the 440-yards in :20.994. They won by a neck over Time For A Cigar and Van Zant was another one-and-three-quarters lengths back for third.

Noconi, the 2-5 favorite, broke sharply from the outside post position and controlled the race after the first 100 yards. Sanchez let the 5-year-old gelded son of Mr Jess Perry find his stride and he rolled to his second win for two starts this summer at Ruidoso Downs.

Noconi won the Higheasterjet Handicap as the 11-10 favorite at Ruidoso Downs on July 3.

“He’s a brilliant horse. He can run anywhere,” said trainer Paul Jones “He's all class and talent, makes the trainer look good.”

Noconi earned the 2010 champion aged gelding title with four wins from five starts. He capped his championship season with grade 1 wins in the $150,000 Zia Park Championship and the $350,000 The Championship at Sunland Park. He is expected to return to defend those wins this year.

Noconi earned the 2008 champion three-year-old gelding title after he won the All American Derby and was third in the Rainbow Derby.

The $24,000 first-place award raised Noconi’s career earnings to $1,272,563 and he has now earned $720,394 at Ruidoso Downs.

Runner-up Time For A Cigar, owned Double Eagle Ranch and Buena Suerte Equine, was the 5-2 second choice after winning the Mr Jet Moore Handicap in his previous start for trainer R.D. Sedillo.

In 2009, Time For A Cigar won the Grade 1 Ruidoso Derby and was second in the Grade 1 Rainbow Derby on his way to the champion 3-year-old gelding title.