Page 43 - September 2020

SPEEDLINES
Higheasterjet was the first gelding to win the All American Futurity. He was the first horse to win the All American Futurity and Derby. He was the first horse to win the All American series at Ruidoso Down in the Futurity, Derby and Gold Cup. He was the first million-dollar money earner in Quarter Horse racing. But he was never named a Champion.
Higheasterjet didn’t return to the races until an allowance race in June 1981 with a win. He next started in the trials for the Rainbow Derby with a
Higheasterjet went to post seven times in 1983, with six wins in races like the World’s Championship Classic-G1, the Inaugural
Higheasterjet retired as “a really nice horse to ride” with 30 starts, 20 wins, two seconds and two thirds with earnings of $1,633,035.
win. He made amends for his disqualification in the Rainbow Futurity with a win in the derby. He then won his trial to the All American Derby, as well as a win in the finals. He made five starts in 1981, with five wins and earnings of $563,108. He was the first horse to be a million-dollar winner and he was the first horse to win the All American Futurity and Derby. But Native Gambler was named Champion 3-Year-Old Gelding.
His 1982 race record shows that he started five times with three wins and one third earning $504,900. His signature win was the All American Gold Cup, making him the first horse to win all three races in the All American series. Despite this key win Town Policy was named Champion Gelding.
Handicap-G3 and the Z. Wayne Griffin Director’s Stakes-G3. However, The Black Alliance was named the 1983 Champion Aged Gelding.
The 1984 race record for Higheasterjet shows four starts, one win and one second. He went unplaced in two stakes races, winning
an allowance race. The Black Alliance was the Champion Aged Gelding that year as well.
The final start for Higheasterjet came in the 1985 Thoroughbred Jockey Invitational Handicap, which he won with the legendary Thoroughbred jockey Bill Shoemaker in the saddle. It was his only start in 1985. He won the race in a hand ride by 3/4-length. In a post-race interview, Shoemaker noted, “These horses go a lot faster. (Higheasterjet) is a big powerful horse, a really nice horse to ride.”
No matter how we look at it, Higheasterjet will always be the “Rodney Dangerfield” of Quarter Racing. He was a great runner that got no respect, just like this great comedian. He
was the first gelding to win the All American Futurity. He was the first horse to win the All American Futurity and Derby. He was the first horse to win the All American series at Ruidoso Down in the Futurity, Derby and Gold Cup. He was the first million-dollar money earner
in Quarter Horse racing. But he was never named a Champion. He does, however, have the Higheasterjet Handicap-G3 named after him, and that is a nice mark of respect for a horse that fulfilled the All American Dream but never earned a championship title.
Higheasterjet’s 1981 All American Derby winning connections include trainer Johnie Goodman and jockey W.R. “Billy” Hunt.
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