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Chasing AJ’s winning connections include owners Steve Holt, Charles Cox, Jack Powers and Roger Moore, trainer Heath Taylor and jockey Rodrigo Vallejo.
in six of 15 lifetime starts. He has hit the board in six others, and the $213,047 winner’s share of the purse increased his lifetime bankroll to $907,069. In addition to his latest win, Chasing AJ also finished second in the Ruidoso Invitational Stakes, and last year at two, he finished third in the All American Futurity-G1.
Chasing AJ was a $95,000 acquisition by his co-owner Steve Holt at the 2021 Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale. Bred in Oklahoma by Don Griffin Jr., Chasing AJ is produced from the graded stakes-placed Mr Eye Opener mare Eye On This Candy. A two-time winner during her racing career, Eye On This Candy finished third in the 2004 Valley Junction Futurity-G2 en route to earnings of $56,916. The mare has produced 9 winners from 11 starters, including stakes winner I See Candy Paint who won the 2012 version of the Can Am Nation Cup Stakes and placed third in the 2011 Texas Classic Derby-G1.
Runner-up Jess Good Wine (Good Reason SA-Mr Perrys Wine) was fractious
in the gate but was the first to exit the barrier and grabbed the early lead under jockey Bryan Candanosa. He dueled with the winner throughout and just missed. The multiple stakes winner is owned by Guns
Up Racing and is trained by Toby Keeton. The sorrel gelding was bred in Oklahoma
by Flag Ranch LLC, which sold Jess Good Wine for $35,000 at the 2021 Heritage Place
Fall Mixed Sale. On the board in 11 of 12 lifetime starts, Jess Good Wine captured
the All American and Rainbow Invitational Stakes this year. With the second-place purse money of $105,326, Jess Good Wine swelled his bankroll to $270,083.
Im No Lawyer Butt (One Famous Eagle- Cartel Rosie) rallied strongly late to finish third for jockey Agustin Silva. Owned by Scott and Jaime Bryant and trained by Michael Joiner, Im No Lawyer Butt is a four-time winner from 12 starts. The sorrel
gelding with a catchy moniker earned his first black-type with the third-place finish. He was bred in Oklahoma by Stone Chase Stables, LLC.
Jes An Angel (Jess Zoomin-Ms Kates Angel), Market Analysis (Favorite Cartel- Bartiromo), Aristides (Apollitical Jess-First
To Celebrate), Ray Yeigh (Favorite Cartel-Tac Out), Hes A Jet One (EC Jet One-Shez Dead Serious), and Rusted Good (Jess Good Candy- Rusty Rose II) completed the order of finish. Curls Joyful Wagon was scratched.
Co-owners Steve Holt and Charles Cox.
SPEEDHORSE
December 2023 193
RACING NEWS
Myriam Maynard, Speedhorse
Dustin Orona Photography