Page 42 - 22 June 2012

Ruidoso Futurity-G1
PJ CHICK IN BLACK
by Tracy Gantz
What Carl and Fredda Draper enjoyed most about PJ Chick In Black’s victory in the $600,000 Ruidoso Futurity-G1 wasn’t the attention it brought to their stable. Instead, they focused on the joy it gave to their part- ners, Denny Bowen and Susie Taylor.
Bowen and Taylor are a longtime couple who work for the Drapers and others on the track as a farrier and pony girl. Those aren’t the professions that usually lend themselves to owning an undefeated stakes winner with a shot at the All American Futurity-G1.
“This is a dream come true for them,” said Carl Draper. “They are walking on cloud nine, and that’s just great.”
Fredda Draper bred PJ Chick In Black, and the Drapers brought in Bowen and Taylor as partners on the filly. Bowen and Taylor paid to raise PJ Chick In Black as their part of the deal, and it is paying off for everybody in fun and purse money.
Carl Draper thought they might have something beyond simply a useful horse when PJ Chick In Black began serious training.
“The second or third time I gave her a baby work, she showed that she could run,” Carl said. “She just got smarter and faster.”
PJ Chick In Black developed such a long stride that she was soon outworking all
of Draper’s other 2-year-olds. With Esgar Ramirez in the saddle, as he has been in each of her starts, she defeated fellow New Mexico- breds in her trial and final of the New Mexico Spring Futurity-RG2. The partners decided to supplement her to the June 9 Ruidoso Futurity.
“We had two reasons for supple- menting her,” said Carl. “First, we felt she was good enough to run with these horses, and second, it made her eligible for the derbies next year.”
PJ Chick In Black was not only
good enough for the Futurity competi-
tion, she was able to whip all of them
despite less-than-perfect starts in her trial and final. In the trial, she broke a bit outward and then absolutely dominated, pulling away to win by three lengths. Her time of :17.848 qualified as the fourth-fastest behind fastest-qualifier Krash Cartel, a 4 1/4-length victor in his trial.
In the final, Jess A Zoomin, immediately to the outside of PJ Chick In Black, veered in and bumped the filly. That sent her careening into Draper’s other qualifer, Separate Battle. It looked as if the incident would derail both horses’ chances.
Separate Battle couldn’t overcome the trouble; PJ Chick In Black kicked that long stride into high gear. The filly strived for the wire on the inside, while favored Krash Cartel moved up in the center and Jesastar came on from the outside The three horses reached the wire in tandem, but PJ Chick In Time edged the favorite by neck, with Jesastar another head back in third. PJ Chick In Time stopped the timer in :17.850 for the 350 yards.
“She’s phenomenal,” said Draper. “She has surprised me. I had no clue she was that fast.”
Two days after the race, PJ Chick In Black had enough energy to play on the hot-walker. Draper, after first making a point to say that Speedhorse
is his favorite horse racing magazine, reported that he plans to skip the Rainbow Futurity-G1 to be ready for the All American trials.
“She’s a tall, long- legged, racy-looking filly,” he said. “She doesn’t
look like a cowpony. And she’s friendly and kind.” Fredda Draper crossed the winning mare
Eddie Jym with Desiro, a stallion Draper trained to earn more than $250,000, to pro- duce PJ Chick In Black, the mare’s first foal. The Drapers lost a 2012 full sister to PJ Chick In Black to illness earlier this year. Eddie Jym is currently in foal to Louisiana Senator.
Eddie Jym is special to Fredda Draper for several reasons. She bought the second dam, Minnie Coup, from a Heritage Place sale in the only telephone bid she has ever made.
“Minnie Coup was a daughter of (the Thoroughbred) Coup De Kas, a sire I liked,” said Fredda. “I called Marty Powers and asked him to take a look at her. He said Carl would really like her.”
Minnie Coup was carrying Eddie Jym at
the time. Shortly before the mare foaled, Fredda dreamt that her pregnant granddaughter had
a boy named Eddie Jym. When she had a girl, Fredda decided to name Minnie Coup’s foal Eddie Jym instead. When PJ Chick In Black came along, Fredda put in the initials “PJ” for that great-granddaughter, Paige Joy Rogers, now 8.
Fredda was as pleased as her husband
with PJ Chick In Black’s victory, especially since she has such respect for Krash Cartel (Corona Cartel-Race Valentine), who is “just gorgeous,” Fredda said. Cody Jensen piloted Krash Cartel in his trial and final for owner Los Primitos and trainer John Stinebaugh.
Jesastar (Mr Jess Perry-Abstinence) had finished second in two starts before winning his Futurity trial and then finishing third in the final. Juan Medina owns the colt, who is trained by Raymond Vargas and was ridden by Roy Baldillez.
Stoli Angel (Stoli-Eyesa Shaker) finished fourth in the Futurity, followed by Pajarita Sita (Pappasito-Mongoose Jet Eye), Jess A Zoomin (Shazoom-Jess A Classy Lassy), Separate Battle (Separatist-On A Bunny), Hes Mighty Exclusive (Mighty Invictus-Majorlee Exclusive), and Prince Of Alexander (Stel Corona-Princess Of Dash).
PJ Chick In Black overcomes trouble under jockey Esgar Ramirez to win the $600,000 Ruidoso Futurity.
42 SPEEDHORSE, June 22, 2012
Ruidoso Downs

Strawfly Special
Desirio
Lady Tenaya
PJ CHICK IN BLACK, ’10-f.
Corona Cocktail
Eddie Jym
Minnie Coup
RACING NEWS
Ty Wyant