Page 45 - August 2022

The dam of
Jess Savin Candy.
Jess Savin Candy winning the Rainbow Futurity-G1 at Ruidoso Downs, July 25, 2021.
Susan Bachelor, Speedhorse
Jim and Donna with friends
at the 2021 All American races at Ruidoso Downs.
T T H H E E A A L L L L A A M M E E R R I IC C A A N N D DR R E E A A M M From the 1980’s until just a few years ago when Jim got very ill, he and Donna
kept about 20 head including five or six broodmares. At that point, they sold
all except Savin Grace and their pony horse, Mister, whom they’ve had for better than 20 years. “It was about all we could take care of,” Donna says.
When Jim began to feel better, he decided they had to breed Savin Grace to one really good stud. He talked with his longtime friend and mentor Butch Wise
at the Lazy E, and decided on Jess Good Candy, by Favorite Trick son Good Reason SA and out of the Mr Jess Perry daughter Jess Send Candy. That nick produced Jess Savin Candy, Jim and Donna’s biggest horse-racing success to date.
“Honestly, last year was the first time I’d been to the All American; we’d always watched on TV,” Donna says. “We’ve never even had anything in the Triple Crown races, so when they were going to run him out there it was pretty exciting; and to have him win there was just unbelievable. We could only dream of breeding a horse of that caliber. It really is a dream come true.
“Just to go had been my dream,
not to go and watch a horse I’d raised run in it, so it was really special,” she adds. “I think we were both crying and laughing at the same time. It was an unforgettable experience! In fact, we’ve become really good friends with [Dutch Masters III owners] the Dales and Dr. Streelman since, and we’re doing an embryo share with them back to Jess Good Candy that will be
a full brother to Jess Savin
Candy according to
our veterinarian.”
With Savin Grace,
three recipient mares and
Mister now in their herd,
their plan is to build back
their broodmares with
daughters of Savin Grace.
“We have two babies from
her that are weanlings,
and we went into it saying
we’d sell those two and
they’d keep us going but
one is a filly and we’ve
decided she’s not going
anywhere. So, she’s out
in our pasture, our first
addition. That’s our future: to focus on the breeding and maybe running a few.”
T H E I R O T H E R L I F E When the O’Neals aren’t
caring for their horses, they’re spending time with their five kids and their grandkids —
only one of which shares the couple’s passion for horses.
“One granddaughter lives in Oklahoma City and a son lives in Shawnee and everyone else lives out of state, so if we get any time off we try to travel to spend time with them,” Donna says. “If they’re in town, we go to the races to watch and they do get excited about it!”
For both Jim and the horse- loving grandson, what started out as an inherent passion for horses has also been a kind of therapy. “Jim has always said that what got him through when he came home from Vietnam was his horses and being able to put all his energy into them,” Donna says. “His getaway and mental health time
is to go and mess with his horses and I think our grandson feels the same way.”
SPEEDHORSE August 2022 43
Jim with Savin Grace and her 2022 filly by Tres Seis.
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wins again!
Courtesy Donna O’Neal