Stolis Winner is Golden in 50th All American Futurity

The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal, September 1, 2008 – Stolis Winner raced to his third Grade 1 futurity win of the season with a late-running victory over Jet Black Patriot in the 50th running of the Grade 1, $1.9 million All American Futurity on Monday afternoon at Ruidoso Downs.

The 3-2 favorite Stolis Winner, in the fourth post position, and Jet Black Patriot, in the three hole, broke side-by-side and went to the front. Stolis Winner prevailed in the final 200 yards of the 440-yard race to get the win in by a half length in :21.17. It was another one-and-three-quarter lengths back to third-place finisher Jess Zoomin.

“It was a two-horse race,” said winning jockey G.R. Carter Jr. “Stolis Winner got his head in front and I got into him a little bit about halfway. I didn’t want to take any chances.” It was the second All American Futurity win from 13 tries for Carter, also winner of the 1998 running aboard Falling In Loveagain.

Stolis Winner is now the solid favorite to be named champion 2-year-old and champion 2-year-old gelding on the strength of his wins in the Grade 1, $1 million Heritage Place Futurity at Remington Park and then the Grade 1, $625,000 Rainbow Futurity and now the All American Futurity.

The Stoli-sired gelding was a 25-1 longshot in the Heritage Place Futurity, but now the fans are believers. He won the Rainbow Futurity at 4-1 odds and captured the All American Futurity as the 9-5 favorite. Runner-up Jet Black Patriot was the 5-2 second choice.

Stolis Winner’s earnings of $1,789,467 make him the all-time highest money-earning 2-year-old American Quarter Horse. It also places him in eighth position on the all-time list of leading money-earning American Quarter Horses. He has won six straight races and has seven wins and a second-place effort from eight career starts.

“This horse is phenomenal,” said Taylor. “He’s so level headed. He came over [to the saddling paddock] so calm, just like it was another day.”

It was the first All American Futurity win for Stolis Winner’s owner-breeder Jerry Windham and trainer Heath Taylor. They were each connected to three horses in the final field.

Taylor, the nation’s leading trainer of 2008 money earners, also saddled third-place finisher Jess Zoomin and seventh-place finisher Winners Version.

“Other than family events - marriage and the kids being born – this is what I’ve worked for every day of my life since I was 9 years old” said an emotional Taylor in the winner’s circle.

Windham owns and bred Stolis Winner, bred and co-owns third-place finisher Jess Zoomin and bred seventh-place finisher Winners Version, the only horse to qualify for the Ruidoso, Rainbow and All American futurities at Ruidoso Downs.

“It was great and wonderful,” said Windham. “I wish that Jess Zoomin could have gotten up for second, but that black horse [Jet Black Patriot] was unbelievable.”

Janelle and Richard Simon’s Jet Black Patriot, one of eight horses trained by Eric Curtis, came into the All American with five straight wins, including the Grade 1 Lee Berwick Futurity and the Grade 2 Mardi Gras Futurity in his native Louisiana.

“It's already a blessing just to be a part of it, just to make it,” said Curtis. “Yeah, I’m happy.”

Third-place finisher Jess Zoomin had a troubled start, being bumped by fourth-place finisher Calif Fugitive. Jess Zoomin rallied, but was never able to get close to the top two finishers.

The Windham-bred Jess Zoomin set a track record at Remington Park in his Heritage Place Futurity trial and then finished second, as the 7-5 favorite, behind Stolis Winner in the Heritage Place Futurity.

The complete order of finish was Stolis Winner, Jet Black Patriot, Jess Zoomin, Calif Fugitive, Jess Significant, This Wager Is Hot, Winners Version, Iamasurebet, Mighty Corona and Burner On.

In the $150,000 All American Juvenile, a race for horses who did not qualify for the All American Futurity finals, Clarence Scharbauer Jr.’s Kool Cade picked an opportune time to win his maiden with the win in :21.78 for 440 yards.

J.R. Ramirez was aboard the Hawkinson-sired Kool Cade for trainer Mike Joiner.

Kool Cade came into the Juvenile with two second-place finishes and a third-place effort from three career starts. He was second in his All American Futurity trial behind 10th-fastest qualifier Burner On.

Mr Perrys Wine, owned by La Feliz Montana Ranch and trained by Carl Draper, was just a head back for second and the Wes Giles-trained One Diamond Kitty finished third for owner-breeders Jay and Mary Lou Standafer.

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