Page 145 - June 2016

Sooner State Stakes
AJS HIGH
by John Moorehouse
The second time was the charm for AJs High. The four-year-old gelding dominated the rescheduled Sooner State Stakes-RG1, winning the $100,000 event by daylight at Remington Park on May 29. The original running of this race was declared a no contest due to a gate malfunction. AJs High reared in the gate as the other competitors left.
Charley Hunt, the trainer of AJs High, referred to the gate issue as “a bad deal.” He also thinks his trainee—who has been tagged with several instances of bad behavior— got a bad rap regarding this rescheduling. “He’s a funny horse,” Hunt said. “You can’t mess with him in that gate. You leave him alone, he does great. They think he caused that whole mess.
“He’s messed up in the gate before, I’m not saying he
West Texas Derby-G3
hasn’t, but that wasn’t his fault,” the trainer continued. “He got a lot of the blame, but he came back and he showed what he could do.”
What AJs High did was notch his eighth career stakes victory, and his 11th overall win in 16 starts.
None of the other competitors could match AJs High, who broke on the lead and led by a
1/2-length at the first call. He doubled that separation going into the stretch and went on to win by a 1-length margin.
Michael C. Teel home- bred AJs High, and banked a $59,892 payday that increased the gedling’s cumulative bankroll to $462,711. Stormy Smith did the riding on
a 400-yard trip that took :19.529 and produced a 95 speed index.
“That was a really good race for him,” Hunt said. “He’s
good right now. He’s beaten some pretty good ones here. [May 29] was pretty impressive. He left good. Stormy didn’t have to ride him hard.”
Teel also owns Regally Rare, the multiple winner dam of AJs High. The mare has foaled 13 starters among 18 total offspring, and two of those competitors hold stakes wins with an additional two stakes placed winners.
Pre-race favorite Sam Crow (Valiant Hero- Bourbonstreetchick) took 2nd under Raul Ramirez Jr. for Terry Baber & trainer Trey Wood. Big Time Toast (Bigtime Favorite-Toasty Buns) was 3rd under Jorge Torres for Daisy Martinez and trainer Manuel Mata. Followed by Rockin Disco (Rock Solid Jess-Check This Disco), Bringin The Gray (Mr Jess Perry-None As Easy), Goodreasonforcandy (Good Reason Sa-Send Me Candy Paint) and Champion Huddle (Pappasito- Sexy N Saucy). Rocking Ta Ivolene scratched.
Remington Park $100,000 • 400 yards :19.529 • si 95
Mr Jess Perry
Apollitical Jess
Apollitical Time
AJS HIGH, ‘12-g.
Rare Form
Regally Rare
Summertime High
GOOD JOB HONEY
by Tracy Gantz
Though it’s called the West Texas Derby, the May 1 Grade 3 race is conducted at Sunland Park in New Mexico. Thus, it was appropri- ate that Good Job Honey captured the race,
as people from both Texas and New Mexico own her.
Ken Grisham and John T. L. Jones Jr. are from the same hometown of Quanah, Texas, and Grisham and his wife, Shirley, now live in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Jones gave the Grishams a
chance to buy a half-interest in
Good Job Honey, who runs in
the name of Shirley Grisham
and Jones’ J Bar 7 Ranch LLC.
Of the 44 in the trials to the 2015 Four Corners Futurity, Good Job Honey had the fastest time of all of them. Trained by Ken last year, Good Job Honey won the Four Corners Futurity-G3 finals at
SunRay Park in the middle of a four-race winning streak. “I went to Ruidoso and picked her up. She’s never showed me any- thing but speed,” said Ken.
Good Job Honey qualified 5th fastest for the West Texas Derby by winning her trial despite losing a shoe. Felipe Garcia-Luna rode Good Job Honey in the finals for trainer Miguel Castillo, and they broke well from the outside post.
“At the end of the race, she kind of kicked in,” said Ken, who was delighted when Good Job Honey came roaring up to win in a close finish by a neck in :19.762 for the 400 yards.
Good Job Honey earned $75,623 for the win and took her earnings to $182,388.
Jones bred Good Job Honey in Texas from Ally Kazaam, whose four starters have all won. The mare’s earlier foals include Bye Bye
Eagle, winner of the Sunland Park Winter Futurity-G2 and Derby-G3.
Birrell Farms LLC’s homebred BF Fooserageous (Foose-BF Outrageous) finished 2nd for jockey Adrian Ramos & trainer Jason Giles. The filly has won 6 of 8 races, 2 of them stakes, with both of her losses neck decisions. L.S. Martinez piloted Nexxus (Tempting Dash- Miss Kips Streakin) to 3rd, another neck back. Gerardo Medina Luna owns and bred the colt, who also ran 2nd to Good Job Honey in their trial. Followed by Boxwineizfine (Separatist- Onemoreglassofwine), California King (First Down Dash-Lady Nayen), Undaunted (Corona Cartel-Jess Genuine), First Note Medley (First Moonflash-A Medley Of Chicks), Rocky El Roble (Jesse James Jr-Lady Chimes), Silver Tarzan (Simply Silver Sage-Shes Mischief-TB) and JM Mr Evan (Ivory James-Lawanda Fay).
Sunland Park $160,900 • 400 yards :19.762 • si 81
PYC Paint Your Wagon
Freighttrain B
Dianetogetcha
GOOD JOB HONEY, ’13-f.
Shazoom
Ally Kazaam
Ally Bye Bye
SPEEDHORSE, June 2016 143
RACING NEWS
Coady Photography Dustin Orona Photography