Page 44 - August 2022

THE BUILDUP
While Jim worked as an assistant
for Brandon Parum during the height of Brandon’s career, he always kept a few horses in his own training program, running mainly at Oklahoma tracks. Among Jim’s top trainees were Billy Buckeye (APHA) and Fly For Zak, and
Jim worked as assistant trainer to Brandon Parum while Brandon trained the O’Neals’ filly Quick N Special (APHA).
Billy Buckeye, a 2003 sorrel Paint gelding by Judys Lineage and out of the Big Smash daughter Smash Hit Miss, earned $28,688 and was named the Paint Champion 2-Year-Old Gelding
in the Regular Registry. His first year out, he won his trials to two futurities, placing sixth and third in the finals, then ran third in
his Pot-O-Gold Futurity trial and fourth in another futurity.
Fly For Zak, a 2004 bay gelding
by Strawflyin Buds and out of the
Royal Quick Dash daughter Royal First Down, earned Graded stakes winner status and finished his first year ranked in the top 84 by wins with $45,380.
He won four of 19 starts including the Black Gold 330 Futurity and Oklahoma Juvenile Challenge-G3, running second in four more including the Oklahoma Horsemen’s Association Derby-G3. On the O’Neal training roster for just his first two years running, he finished his career with $67,538.
Quick N Special, an O’Neal homebred Paint filly foaled in 2002, was by SF Royal Quick Flash and out of the Moving Effort daughter Chimera. In two years
on the track, she earned the titles of Solid-Bred Champion 2-Year- Old Filly and Solid-Paint Bred Champion 3-Year-Old Filly. Her first out, she ran second in her Oklahoma Horsemen’s Association Appaloosa and Paint Futurity trial, then won the final and remained undefeated for the rest of her 10- race career, racking up $103,344 in earnings.
42 SPEEDHORSE August 2022
Billy Buckeye winning his Speedhorse Paint & Appaloosa trial at Fair Meadows, June 30,
Futurity 2005.
Fly For Zak winning the Ford Oklahoma Juvenile Challenge-G3 at Blue Ribbon Downs, Sept. 30, 2006.
Quick N Special winning the 2005 PSBA Derby at Remington Park.
J
Courtesy Donna O’Neal
Speedhorse Archives
Gene Wilson & Associates Gene Wilson & Associates