Page 162 - November_2023

AQHA Challenge Championships
John Deere Juvenile Challenge Championship-G2
FIRE COWBOY
by Tracy Gantz
Emmanuel Villarreal had a feeling that Flying Cowboy 123 was going to hit as a sire, so he made sure he got in on the ground
floor while he could still afford the stallion. “I was a firm believer in Flying Cowboy,”
Villarreal said. “If I was going to have a chance to buy one, it was going to be the first year. Now they are skyrocketing.”
Villarreal got one of his mares in foal
to Flying Cowboy 123 for a 2024 foal and purchased a colt from the stallion’s first crop for $22,000 at the 2022 Los Alamitos Equine Sale. Now named Fire Cowboy, that colt won the Oct. 21 John Deere Juvenile Challenge Championship-G2 at Lone Star Park.
JT True Grit went off as the 7-10
favorite in the 350-yard Juvenile Challenge Championship, while Fire Cowboy was the 7-1 third choice. Both came out well from the starting gate, while second-choice Acapulco Bay was bumped and squeezed at the break, losing all chance. Jockey Jose Herbert hustled
Lone Star Park
$130,625 • 350 yards :17.535 • SI 98
FIRE COWBOY, ‘21-g.
Bred by: Edward & Von Zae McNelis
Raced to 2 $103,603 6-3(1)-1(1)-1
FLYING COWBOY 123
SI 101
Bred by: Carolyn C. Bay Raced to 3 • $965,811 13-8(2)-1-2(2)
277 f., 12 SW • $3,920,556
APOLLITICAL JESS SI 107 Bred by: Juan Alberto Tirado Lizarraga
Raced to 3 • $1,399,831 14-8(2)-4(2)-0
1,294 f., 131 SW • $64,739,098
HOT CASH 123 SI 87
Bred by: T Bill Stables Inc. Raced to 2 • $1,303 7-0-0-2
16 f., 3 SW • $2,600,003
PERKY
SI 93
Bred by: Edward C. Allred Raced to 3 • $17,937 9-3-1-0
4 f., 1 SW • $122,799
WALK THRU FIRE SI 92 Bred by: Allred Bros/Vessels Stln Frm
Raced to 4 • $94,280 21-2-2-2
1,348 f., 91 SW • $41,538,621
MOONLIGHT CORONA SI 97 Bred by: Vessels Stallion Farm LLC
Raced to 4 • $61,642 15-5(2)-3-1(1)
31 f., 3 SW • $1,230,249
Dustin Orona Photography
Fire Cowboy and jockey Jose Herbert win the $130,625 John Deere Juvenile Challenge Championship-G2 by 3/4-length.
160 SPEEDHORSE November 2023