Oklahoma City, January 18, 2006 – The American Quarter Horse Association today announced the 2005 AQHA Racing Champions during a ceremony at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Oklahoma City. Hosted by American Quarter Horse expert Tom Dawson and TVG’s Dave Weaver, a packed house listened as the 12 horse categories, four horsemen categories, three divisional champions and the AQHA Racing World Champion were revealed. Following is a list of the champions, votes received, statistics and information on other vote-receiving nominees 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.
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 two-year-old colts
· Top 10 two-year-old fillies
· Top 10 two-year-old geldings
· Top 6 three-year-old colts
· Top 6 three-year-old fillies
· Top 6 three-year-old geldings
· Top 5 aged stallions
· Top 5 aged mares
· Top 5 aged geldings
· Top 5 distance horses
3. Any other horse nominated 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 have produced more than one foal placing first, second or third in an open or restricted graded stakes race (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 after run-offs are listed below in parenthesis.
Canadian Champion – Mezoomn (22)
Owner: Shady Lane Stables
Breeder: Ray Bennett
Trainer: Stan Webb
Jockey: Carl Herbert
Sire: Shazoom
Dam: Rosas Special
2005 Record: 8-6(2)-1(1)-0(0)
Earnings: $48,956
Champion Broodmare – Runaway Wave (18)
Owner: Lucas Racing Inc.
Breeder: Allison and Daniel Lucas
Sire: Runaway Winner
Dam: In The Curl (TB)
Foals: Ocean Runaway, $484,394
Champion Distance Horse – Prankster CF (23)
Owner: Joan Dale Hubbard
Breeder: Joan Dale Hubbard
Trainer: Paul C. Jones
Jockey: Saul Ramirez
Sire: Favorite Trick (TB)
Dam: Stardust Dash
2005 Record: 7-5(5)-0(0)-0(0)
Earnings: $106,467
Champion 2-year-old Colt – Teller Cartel (18)
Owner: Teller Cartel Syndicate
Breeder: C/C Stock Farm
Trainer: Paul C. Jones, John Bassett
Jockey: G.R. Carter Jr., Ramon Sanchez, Saul Ramirez, Cody Jensen
Sire: Corona Cartel
Dam: Jet Along Jamie
2005 Record: 9-3(1)-2(0)-3(1)
Earnings: $1,212,471
Champion 2-year-old Gelding – Leading Spirit (24)
Owner: Barry B. Thompson and Dan and Jolene Urschel
Breeder: Barry B. Thompson
Trainer: Blane Wood
Jockey: James J Gonzales
Sire: Special Leader
Dam: Sandras Task
2005 Record: 8-7(3)-0(0)-0(0)
Earnings: $694,680
Champion 2-year-old Filly/Champion 2-year-old – Higher Fire (24)
Owner: Dutch Masters III
Breeder: Dutch Masters III
Trainer: Jamie Gomez
Jockey: J.R. Ramirez, Hector L. Cuevas
Sire: Walk Thru Fire
Dam: Higher Math
2005 Record: 9-5(2)-2(1)-2(1)
Earnings: $1,241,933
Champion 3-year-old Colt – Ocean Runaway (24)
Owner: Muller Racing LLC
Breeder: Lucas Racing Inc.
Trainer: Dennis Ekins
Jockey: G.R. Carter Jr., Hector L. Cuevas, Alex Bautista
Sire: First Down Dash
Dam: Runaway Winner
2005 Record: 9-5(3)-4(2)-0(0)
Earnings: $484,394
Champion 3-year-old Filly – Apollitical Time (17)
Owner: Juan Alberto Tirado Lizarraga
Breeder: Vessels Stallion Farm LLC
Trainer: Juan Aleman, Jesus Nunez
Jockey: Ramon Sanchez, Rodrigo Aceves
Sire: Apollo (TB)
Dam: Half Time Attraction
2004 Record: 11-8(5)-1(0)-1(1)
Earnings: $431,599
Champion 3-year-old Gelding/Champion 3-year-old – DM Shicago (24)
Owner: Fredda Draper and Don Moler
Breeder: Don Moler
Trainer: Carl Draper
Jockey: Juan Vazquez
Sire: Separatist
Dam: Leading Sensation
2005 Record: 7-5(3)-1(0)-0(0)
Earnings: $770,757
Champion Aged Stallion – Fredricksburg (24)
Owner: Jim and Marilyn Helzer
Breeder: Robert A. Gentry
Trainer: Heath Taylor
Jockey: Juan Vasquez, Gilbert Ortiz, Larry Payne, G.R. Carter
Sire: Mr Jess Perry
Dam: Fearless Freda
2005 Record: 6-3(3)-0(0)-2(2)
Earnings: $246,739
Champion Aged Mare – Mini Rock (17)
Owner: The Parsons Family Trust
Breeder: Jay Parsons
Trainer: Blane Schvaneveldt
Jockey: Alex Bautista
Sire: Chicks Beduino
Dam: Miga Ja
2005 Record: 6-3(3)-2(2)-0(0)
Earnings: $142,364
Champion Aged Gelding/Aged Champion – Catchmeinyourdreams (20)
Owner: Kirk M. Goodfellow
Breeder: Edward C. Allred
Trainer: Christopher G. O’Dell
Jockey: Cody Jensen, Sam Thompson
Sire: Pritzi Dash
Dam: Lizas Mystique
2005 Record: 7-3(3)-2(1)-0(0)
Earnings: $337,184
Champion 2-year-old Voting:
Higher Fire: (14) Leading Spirit: (9) Teller Cartel: (1)Champion 3-year-old Voting
DM Shicago: (17) Ocean Runaway: (7) Apollitical Time: (0)Aged Champion Voting
Catchmeinyourdreams (14) Fredricksburg (9) Mini Rock (1)World Champion Racing American Quarter Horse – DM Shicago (16)
Owner: Fredda Draper and Don Moler
Breeder: Don Moler
Trainer: Carl Draper
Jockey: Juan Vazquez
Sire: Separatist
Dam: Leading Sensation
2005 Record: 7-5(3)-1(0)-0(0)
Earnings: $770,757
World Champion Voting
DM Shicago: (16) Ocean Runaway: (7) Fredricksburg: (1)Champion Owner – Dutch Masters III (20)
2005 Record: 229-42-29-32
2005 Earnings: $1,693,447
Champion Breeder – Dutch Masters III (16)
2005 Record: 18(4)-13(4)-10(1)
2005 Earnings: $1,517,178
Champion Trainer – Paul C. Jones (22)
2005 Record: 309(49)-228(32)-226(36)
2005 Earnings: $6,483,552
Champion Jockey – G.R. Carter Jr. (13)
2005 Record: 130(20)-108(19)-113(19)
2005 Earnings: $3,752,915
The announcements were televised live on TVG and can also be seen on ESPN2’s“Wire to Wire†January 24 at 12:30 p.m. CST and January 25 at 4:30 a.m. CST.
The Champions also will be recognized on March 4 at AQHA’s Annual Convention in Seattle. The owner of the World Champion will receive a three-horse gooseneck Sooner trailer, AQHA’s official trailer.
To see a complete list of 2005 AQHA Racing Champion contenders, voting and 2005 AQHA Racing Champions, visit www.aqharacing.com. For more information about American Quarter Horse Racing, the 2005 AQHA Racing Champions or the Champions Selection process, visit the AQHA booth during the Heritage Place Winter Mixed Sale. You also may read a complete story about the 2005 AQHA Racing Champions in the March issue of The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal.
30