Page 27 - NMHBA Spring 2020

JAMES GONZALES
Gonzales could one day become the first to win the All American as a jockey and then as a trainer. He rode By By JJ to victory in the 2003 futurity and last year saddled second-place finisher Riptide.
Gonzales’ barn includes 2-year-olds geldings Big Dee and Vine Master and the filly Jess Ravin Wood.
Big Dee is owned by Rex Wells of Friona, Texas, who paid over $40,000 at the Ruidoso sale last fall for the colt by Big Daddy Cartel.
“You look at him and see an athlete right off the bat,” said Gonzales. “You see him on the track, and he’s very professional. He does everything you ask of him and he’s been doing it very fast. Those are characteristics of a good athlete.”
“We bought Jess Ravin Wood at Ruidoso too, and just like Big Dee, she’s done everything we’ve asked of her,” said James. She’s owned by Jack Manning of Odessa.
Vine Master is by Jesse James Jr and out of the mare Wild Vines.
“He’s a very aggressive horse,” said Gonzales. “He’s a really good horse that I think is showing a little more promise and the sky is the limit.”
Odessa horseman Cody Cobb paid $45,000.
James Gonzales’ barn includes 2-year-old gelding
Big Dee
JAVIER RODRIGUEZ
Rodriguez and his brother Manuel won the 2007 All American Futurity with Heartswideopen and has been rac- ing in New Mexico for about 20 years.
Rodriguez’s 2-year-old state breds include Big Vines, (by Big Daddy Car- tel) and the filly Fabulous Fiona, an offspring of the now deceased stud Jesse James Jr.
Rodriguez purchased Big Vines from MJ Farms for $40,000.
“He’s very smart” says Rodriguez of Big Vines. “We worked him out of the gate, and he did real well. He worked with two others that are open horses and he beat them pretty easy.”
Javier Rodriguez’s 2-year-old state breds include
Big Vines
Fabulous Fiona
JUAN AND JUAN CARLOS GONZALEZ
Juan Gonzalez has saddled two prior All American Futurity winners with By By JJ in 2003 and Handsome Jack Flash in 2013. His horses have also won nearly every futurity and stakes races for New Mexico breds.
Among the 2-year-olds making their debut this spring and summer for the Gonzalez team are the gelding Ill Be Legendary and the filly Moon Girl On Fire. About half of the 26 two-year-olds in their barn are New Mexico breds.
Ill Be Legendary is out of the mare One Famous Eagle by the stud Big Daddy Cartel. Longtime horse owner Victor Diaz paid $47,000 for him.
“He’s the one that shows the most potential,” said Juan Gonzalez. “The way he cooperates with what we’re trying to teach him.”
Moon Girl On Fire was bred by the Gonzalez’s. She is by their stud Moonificent out of a Walk Thru Fire mare. David Mora of the Cream of The Crop group and Juan Gonzalez’s wife Patricia are co-owners of the filly.
Among the 2-year-olds making their debut this spring and summer for Juan & Juan Carlos Gonzalez is
Ill Be Legendary
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