The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal, February 10, 2009 – The American Quarter Horse Association today announced the 2008 AQHA Racing Champions via a Webcast. Host Matt Darby revealed the winners of the 12 horse categories, four horsemen categories, three divisional champions and the world champion. Following is a list of the champions, votes received, statistics and information in each category.
In each of the age divisions, an overall champion was named. From those three divisional champions, the world champion racing American Quarter Horse was selected. The distance category is for horses that have excelled in races at 550 yards or longer. Canadian champion and Mexican champion nominees are chosen from horses that race predominantly in those countries.
Horses were selected for the ballot in their specific category by meeting one or more of the following requirements for the year:
1. Earned a Grade 1 open stakes win.
2. Ranked among top year-end money earners as described below in each sex and age category.
· Top-10 2-year-old colts
· Top-10 2-year-old fillies
· Top-10 2-year-old geldings
· Top-six 3-year-old colts
· Top-six 3-year-old fillies
· Top-six 3-year-old geldings
· Top-five aged stallions
· Top-five aged mares
· Top-five aged geldings
· Top-five distance horses
3. Chosen as a nominee by a member of the racing committee
The nominees for champion owner, breeder, trainer and jockey are the five top-ranked individuals with the best overall placing according to money earned, races won and points earned. (In the case of owners and breeders, partnerships and ownerships in corporate or ranch names were considered separately. Therefore, an individual might not be listed in the top five because he or she owned horses in different partnerships.)
Outstanding mares considered for the champion broodmare award must have produced at least one foal finishing in the top five from the 10 AQHA champion age/sex or distance categories, or must have produced more than one foal placing first, second or third in an open or restricted graded stakes race (Grade or Restricted Grade 1, 2 or 3) in the current year.
A group of 25 people comprising racing media, racing officials and AQHA Racing Committee members served on the voting body for the AQHA racing champions. Final votes are listed below in parentheses.
World Champion, Champion 2-Year-Old, Champion 2-Year-Old Gelding – Stolis Winner (22)
Owner/Breeder: Jerry Windham
Trainers: Heath Taylor (7), Tommy Zarate (2)
Jockeys: G.R. Carter Jr. (5), Rodrigo Vallejo (3), Gaspar Garcia (1)
Sire: Stoli
Dam: Veva Jean by Runaway Winner
2008 Record: 9-8(3)-1-0
2008 Earnings: $ 1,820,437
Others receiving votes: Tres Passes (2), Abstain Vote (1)
Champion 2-Year-Old Filly – Brenda Beautiful (18)
Owner/Breeder: R.D. Hubbard/John T.L. Jones Jr. Interests LTD
Trainer: Paul C. Jones
Jockeys: Kenny Muntz (3), Ramon Sanchez (1), Esgar Ramirez (1)
Sire: Feature Mr Jess
Dam: My Dashing Lady by Dash For Cash
2008 Record: 5-3(2)-0-0
2008 Earnings: $274,952
Others receiving votes: Jess Significant (4), Spit Curl Diva (3)
Champion 2-Year-Old Colt – Foose (18)
Owner: Edward C. Allred and Paul C. Jones
Breeder: Paul C. Jones
Trainer: Paul C. Jones
Jockeys: Ramon Sanchez (6), Alex Bautista (1)
Sire: Stel Corona
Dam: Summertime Quickie by Royal Quick Dash
2008 Record: 7-4(1)-3(2)-0
2008 Earnings: $1,037,728
Others receiving votes: Jet Black Patriot (7)
Champion 2-Year-Old Voting:
Stolis Winner (22)
Tres Passes (2)
Abstain Vote (1)
World Champion Racing American Quarter Horse Voting:
Stolis Winner (13)
Heartswideopen (5)
Jess You And I (4)
Tres Passes (1)
One Famous Eagle (1)
Abstain Vote (1)
Champion 3-Year-Old, Champion 3-Year-Old Filly – Heartswideopen (25)
Owner: La Feliz Montana Ranch LLC
Breeder: Kirk Goodfellow
Trainer: Carl Draper
Jockeys: Bonifacio Perez (3), Oscar Hernandez (2), Larry Payne (1)
Sire: Feature Mr Jess
Dam: Dashing Phoebe by Dash For Cash
2008 Record: 6-5(2)-1(1)-0
2008 Earnings: $602,593
Champion 3-Year-Old Colt – One Famous Eagle (18)
Owner: Johnny Trotter
Breeder: Johnny Trotter and Burnett Ranches
Trainer: John Bassett
Jockey: Saul Ramirez
Sire: Mr Jess Perry
Dam: One Famous Lady by Chicks Beduino
2008 Record: 6-5(2)-0-0
2008 Earnings: $579,233
Others receiving votes: DMNV Mountable (6), First Moonflash (1)
Champion 3-Year-Old Gelding – Noconi (25)
Owner/Breeder: R.D. Hubbard/John T.L. Jones Jr. Interests LTD
Trainer: Paul C. Jones
Jockeys: Ramon Sanchez (5), Freddie Martinez (2), Gilbert Ortiz (1), Larry Payne (1)
Sire: Mr Jess Perry
Dam: My Dashing Lady by Dash For Cash
2008 Record: 9-4(2)-2-2(2)
2008 Earnings: $722,899
Champion 3-Year-Old Voting:
Heartswideopen (12) Runoff (14)
One Famous Eagle (8) Runoff (9)
Noconi (2)
DMNV Mountable (1)
Abstain Vote (2) Runoff (2)
Champion Aged Horse, Champion Aged Gelding – Jess You And I (25)
Owner: Double Bar S Ranch LLC
Breeder: Rhonda Rae and Dawn R. List
Trainer: Jaime Gomez
Jockeys: Alejandro Juna (4), G.R. Carter Jr. (1)
Sire: Feature Mr Jess
Dam: Gold Daze by Tolltac
2008 Record: 5-3(2)-1(1)-0
2008 Earnings: $441,490
Champion Aged Stallion – Ketel Won (25)
Owner/Breeder: R.D. Hubbard
Trainer: Paul C. Jones
Jockeys: Ramon Sanchez (4), Cody Jensen (1)
Sire: Stoli
Dam: Sixy Lady by Streakin Six
2008 Record: 5-2(2)-2(2)-0
2008 Earnings: $226,960
Champion Aged Mare – Miss Kips Streakin (13)
Owner: Gerardo Medina Luna
Breeder: Frank J. Hieden
Trainers: Eusevio Huitron (5), Jose A. Ramos (2), Heath Taylor (2), Juan Torres (1)
Jockeys: Santos Carrizales (8), Rodrigo Vallejo (1), Jarrod Deschamp (1)
Sire: Streakin Sixes
Dam: Kips Appollo by Kiptys Charger
2008 Record: 10-4(3)-2(1)-0
2008 Earnings: $129,446
Others receiving votes: Eyesa Country Miss (12)
Aged Champion Voting:
Jess You And I (25)
Champion Distance Horse – High On Cat (8) Runoff (12)
Owner/Breeder: A.J. Renner
Trainers: John Stinebaugh (5), Russell Harris (3)
Jockeys: Esgar Ramirez (3), Stormy Smith (3), Ricardo Jaime (2)
Sire: Dome (TB)
Dam: French Dame by On A High
2008 Record: 8-4(2)-1-1(1)
2008 Earnings: $110,817
Others receiving votes: Vital Winner (8, Runoff 11), Devons Easy Lane (7), Abstain Vote (2, Runoff 2)
Champion Broodmare – My Dashing Lady (17)
Owner: R.D. Hubbard
Breeder: R.D. Hubbard and H.D. Farris
Sire: Dash For Cash
Dam: Lady Signature by The Signature
Foals Racing in 2008: Noconi – $722,899, Brenda Beautiful – $274,952, Dick Simon – $2,029
Others receiving votes: Veva Jean (7), Abstain Vote (1)
Canadian Champion – Its All About Speed (18)
Owner/ Breeder: Shady Lane Stables
Trainer: Stan Webb
Jockeys: Fernando Gamez (3), Brooke Mellish (3), Angelle Carter (1), Perry Winters (1),
Sire: Streakin La Jolla
Dam: Rosas Special by Special Task
2008 Record: 8-4(3)-2(2)-2(2)
2008 Earnings: $58,992
Others receiving votes: First Kool Money (4), Illegal Dreamer (1), Abstain (2)
Mexican Champion – Sandra Aguerrida (16)
Owner: Arturo Fonseca Camarena
Breeder: Alberto Bailleres
Trainer: Gregorio Larios
Jockeys: Jacob Dominguez (7), J.E. Dominguez (1)
Sire: Aguerrido
Dam: Sandrita (TB) by Nubarron (TB)
2008 Record: 8-5(4)-2(1)-0
2008 Earnings: $80,299
Others receiving votes: Ze Dancer (9)
Champion Owner – Jerry Windham (15)
2008 Record: 86-18(3)-13(2)-8(1)
2008 Earnings: $1,947,338
Others receiving votes: Edward C. Allred (3), R.D. Hubbard/J. Jones Jr. Int. LTD. (3), La Feliz Montana Ranch LLC (3), Abstain Vote (1)
Champion Breeder – Jerry Windham (18)
2008 Record: 276-51(7)-40 (4)-38(3)
2008 Earnings: $2,952,385
Others receiving votes: Edward C. Allred (6), Abstain Vote (1)
Champion Trainer – Paul C. Jones (13)
2008 Record: 1,248-230(23)-212(30)-190(18)
2008 Earnings: $6,972,331(Record for a single season)
Others receiving votes: Heath Taylor (10), Blane Schvaneveldt (1), Abstain Vote (1)
Champion Jockey – G.R. Carter Jr. (25)
2008 Record: 730-166(20)-109(14)-111(17)
2008 Earnings: $5,027,173 (Record for a single season)
The champions also will be recognized in March at AQHA’s Annual Convention in San Antonio, Texas. The owner of the World Champion will receive a $25,000 certificate from Sooner trailer, AQHA’s official trailer.
To see a complete list of 2008 AQHA Racing Champion contenders, voting and 2008 AQHA Racing Champions, visit www.aqharacing.com. Read a complete story about each of the 2008 AQHA Racing Champions in the March issue of The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal.
AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal, The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal or America’s Horse, visit www.aqha.com/magazines.