Page 177 - October 2015

Downs at Albuquerque Fall Championship
JRC CALLAS FIRST
by John Moorehouse
Success breeds expectations. When that success yields a world championship, those expectations get even higher.
And JRC Callas First keeps rising to the occasion. The five-year-old gelding is the reigning AQHA World Champion and added yet another stakes win to his impressive body of work on Sept. 27, taking the $200,000 Downs at Albuquerque Fall Championship. This marked the 14th career win for JRC Callas First, who has made 23 lifetime starts. Nine of those victories have come in stakes company, including last year’s runnings of the Refrigerator Handicap-G1 and Zia Park Championship-G1.
Thus far in 2015, JRC Callas First holds a 3-0-1 record in five outs, with all three wins coming in stakes company.
Brian and Dana Stroud own the World Champion, who also received 2014 Champion Aged Horse and Champion Aged Gelding titles. Brian Stroud also trains the gelding.
“I hate to say I expect him to win because that’s kinda being boisterous or what have you, but I like my chances every time I put him out on the track,” Stroud said.
“He’s proved to myself and many others he’s got a great chance of winning each time he gets in the gates,” Stroud continued.
JRC Callas First led at every call in the Downs at Albuquerque Fall Championship, beating Jess Featureme Quick to the finish line by a head.
Damian Martinez was in the irons as the gelding completed the 440-yard race in :21.503, posting a 101 speed index. All this while carrying 127 pounds, as assigned by the track racing secretary which was at least 2 pounds more than any other horse in the stakes field.
“When I saw him break in front, I really liked my chances then, when he got away that good,” Stroud said. “Typically that’s not his strong point. He’s got a real powerful finish, but when I saw him get away as good as he did I thought we had a good chance of winning down on the other end.
“The type of races he’s running in and the class of horses he runs against, each win is very satisfying,” Stroud related.
The owner/trainer said he knows that his Champion gelding is considered the horse to beat every time he steps on the track. And he’s okay with that.
“That’s to be expected. What everybody guns for is to beat the World Champion. What
we’re trying to do on our end of it is try to be a repeat,” Stroud said. “That’s our goal. That’s why we went out there and skipped running at Lone Star, where I’m based, in the Refrigerator and the BF Phillips. We’re going to go out to Zia Park and then Sunland Park ... just to try to get enough recognition
to be repeated as a World Champion.”
JRC Callas First’s latest victory banked
a $113,200 payday for the Strouds, and improved the gelding’s overall bankroll to an impressive $389,931 total.
Not too bad, all in all, for a horse who was once a $5,000 claimer.
However, the success of JRC Callas First has paid both literal and metaphorical divi- dends that go far beyond the purse money in a high-priced stakes race.
“After he won the world championship, my barn has gone from 18 to 22 head in training to, I’m having 45 to 50 head in training all year long. I know it’s directly because of him and his honors,” Stroud said.
“He’s been a dream horse,” he continued. “He’s helped our stable grow. He’s helped me build a real nice training facility back home.
He’s paid off a lot of debts. He’s been great. That’s all there is to it.”
J.R. Cass bred JRC
Callas First out of Calla Missy Jane, an unraced 2004 mare who has produced just two offspring.
Melissa Miller owns second-placed Jess Featureme Quick (Feature Mr Jess-One Quick Cookie), a Paul Jones trainee who had L. Salvador
Martinez aboard. The 6-year-old gelding
came into the Downs at Albuquerque Fall Championship with over $600,000 in earnings.
Dashin For A Prize (Heza Fast Dash- Fast Prize Angie) took third place for owner Oscar Moreno and trainer Mario Loza. Esgar Ramirez did the riding. The 4-year-old geld- ing is a 5-time winner with nearly $200,000 banked.
Rocketair (Jumpn-Rivanne) was fourth, followed by Jesscuzican (Feature Mr Jess- Covenant Confirmer), Too Flash For You (First Moonflash-Rare Pie), Streak Hitter (Walk Thru Fire-Chickasis), Handsome Jack Flash (First Moonflash-Shez Jess Nice) and Wagon Full Of Gold (PYC Paint Your Wagon- Cheyennes Bullion). RCJ Major Storm, who was riding a four-race win streak, scratched.
Downs at Albuquerque $200,000 • 440 yards :21.503 • si 101
Runaway Winner
Winners Award
Sweet Miranda
JRC CALLAS FIRST, ‘10-g.
Dirty Coup
Calla Missy Jane
Missy Joyce
JRC Callas First & Damian Martinez win the $200,000 Downs at Albuquerque Fall Championship in wire-to-wire style
SPEEDHORSE, October 2015 175
RACING NEWS
Coady Photography