Page 28 - New Mexico Fall 2020

New Mexico-Bred 2019 Quarter Horse Champions
Stallion of the Year
First Moonflash
(First To Flash-Nagano Moon, Major Rime) Owners: Pierre & Leslie Amestoy/Mike Abraham/ Maria Gonzalez/Blanca Villegas-Varela 25-14-0-4, SI 122, $969,828
First Moonflash brushed a wide, indelible mark across the face of New Mexico Quarter Horse racing; inserting himself as a powerful force in the industry’s past, present and future. Nobody looked at the leggy brown colt when he hit the ground on February 3, 2005, and said, “This little guy is going to be the real deal.” After all, everybody knows this business is a wait-and-see game.
The colt was bred right. His license to run was obvious on paper and then, on September 22, 2007, he hung the first medal of proof around his neck, winning the G3 New Mexico Senor Futurity at The Downs at Albuquerque. He pocketed more than $53,00 and launched the running tally that would eventually total out at $969, 828.
First Moonflash invited his connections to watch him perform 25 times, from 2007 through 2009. He trailered out of New Mexico only once. It was to Oklahoma for the G1 Remington Park Invitational. He set five New Track Records in New Mexico and made the crowds roar with excitement - especially the times he returned to beat his own personal best. He logged four New World Records and was named AQHA Aged Racing Champion in 2009.
First Moonflash wrapped up his racing program the day after Christmas, 2009, winning the G1 Championship at Sunland Park and adding $159,400 in frosting to his bank account.
He’s become one of the most successful sires in the QH industry.
His champion title will never be in jeopardy.
Freshman Sire
TF Featured Effort
(Feature Mr Jess-Meadow Creeks Effort, Special Effort)
Owner: Carlos Paez & Jose R. Riojas 33-7(4)-7(1)-7(2), SI 99, $325,903
TF Featured Effort’s pedigree tells one
of those multi-faceted stories that pop up so frequently in racing. It touches on mystery, on geography, on enduring personalities and more.
The brown 11-year-old stallion is associated with a lot of folks with distinct Cajun accents. His daddy is Feature Mr Jess, a name that brings immediately to mind
the quiet flamboyance of the late Laverne Perry and his father Jess. Laverne, referred
to as “Hollywood” by some, helped to shape Louisiana racing and breeding through his horses as well as through his political involvement.
Meadow Creeks Effort, TF Featured Ef- fort’s dam, is a representative of a beautiful line of gray, quality-producing broodmares. And, of course, there’s the story of how Go Effortlessly, the dam of Special Effort, wound up grazing on Alan and Jeannette Moehrig’s yard in Texas.
TF Featured Effort was in and out of 33 New Mexico starting gates during his five- season career. He did make one out-of-area trip in 2014 for the G1 Remington Park Invitational. He won four stakes, with the G3 West Texas Derby providing his most lucra- tive cash haul of $77,990. He won the West Texas Maturity twice, in 2013 as a G2 and again in 2014 as a G3.
There are people who always have an ear to the ground for a good mare or stallion... top quality mares and stallions form the building blocks for their foundation.
“He’s become one of the most successful sires in the QH industry.
His champion title will never be in jeopardy.”
Broodmare of the Year
Ms Riptide
(Ocean Runaway-Sixes Ms Perry, Mr Jess Perry) Owner: MJ Farms
20-4(1)-7(2-)-2(1), SI 101, $68,418
There are people who always have an ear to the ground for a good mare or stallion; especial- ly people such as Mac Murray and Janis Spencer Murray of MJ Farms in Veguita, New Mexico. MJ is a breeding farm so, obviously, top quality mares and stallions form the building blocks for their foundation. They are highly successful in all areas of the industry, excelling in breeding, racing, selling and, of course, the acquisition of sought-after champion honors. Their eyes stay open for new stock to fit their program, which is how they were led to purchase Ms Riptide from James Cordell in 2015.
The mare was done with racing when she moved to MJ, bringing with her a solid record of more than $68,000. It was definitely a nice dowry and Ms Riptide was ready to be intro- duced to the breeding barn at MJ.
Ms Riptide gives her babies a boost on paper, according them the benefit of having a black type mama, who is also a champion.
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New Mexico Horse Breeder