Page 51 - February 2017

ZOOMIN FOR SPUDS si 107, $415,543
Champion 3-Year-Old Gelding
Breeder/Owner: Jim Walker
Trainers: Monty Arrossa, Bret Vickery Jockeys: Jesus Rios Ayala, Cruz Mendez, Jesus Canales, Tony Guymon, Cesar DeAlba
2016 Record: 9-6(6)-1-2(1), $352,581, Champ. Of Champ.-G1, Costa Mesa H., Fullerton H. Blane Schvaneveldt H., Wrangler S., Z Wayne Griffin Invit., 3rd Bitterroot D.
Zoomin For Spuds competed well from January through December of 2016. He really powered home in the fall, however, with four consecutive victories that culminated in the Champion of Champions-G1.
“That’s the biggest thing for my horse career, which is about 45 years of raising my own babies,” said owner-breeder Jim Walker.
Walker, 84 years old, and Zoomin For Spuds were honored for their efforts when the gelding earned the title of Champion 3-Year-Old Gelding.
“I feed them every day. In most cases, I’m helping the mom have the babies,” Walker said upon receiving the award. “So, it means a lot to me. I’ve been around some very, very good hands and good people—I owe them a lot.”
Walker bred A Perfect Cocktail, a mare he had purchased for $250, to the stallion Zoomin For Bux to get Idaho-bred Zoomin For Spuds. This wasn’t Zoomin For Spuds’ first honor.
He was also named the 2015 Idaho Horse of the Year when he raced at Les Bois Park and Ruidoso Downs.
In 2016, Zoomin For Spuds began at Los Alamitos, competed twice at Sandy Downs, and then finished the year back at Los Alamitos, trained first by Bret Vickery and then by Monty Arrossa. During the first Los Alamitos foray, Zoomin For Spuds ran second in a trial and won two stakes. At Sandy Downs, he finished third in the trial and final of the Bitterroot Derby. He wouldn’t lose again.
Zoomin For Spuds captured the Blane Schvaneveldt Handicap and Wrangler Stakes before earning his Champion of Champions berth by scoring in a division of the Z Wayne Griffin Director’s Invitational.
In the Champion of Champions, Zoomin For Spuds had to tackle 440 yards, the first time he’d done that since finishing third in his trial for the 2015 All American Futurity-G1.
“I really thought the 440 was going to be in our favor,” said Walker. “The horse just gets faster the farther he goes.”
Walker knew his horse. Zoomin For Spuds defeated 1-2 favorite Heza Dasha Fire by a head in the Champion of Champions, clinching a Championship title in the process.
Champion of Champions-G1
Shazoom
Zoomin For Bux
OhNoItsUhOh
Takin On The Cash
Keep On Shining
Jody O Toole
Dash For Cash Take You On
Keep On Turning Moonsashinnin TB Jodys Glory
Jetta O Toole Strait To The Bank Semi Special
Dash For Cash First Prize Rose Sizzle Te Lilsalady Beduino TB
A Classy Chick Mucho Leo Bar Band Of Dust
Rocket Wrangler Find A Buyer TB Easy Jet
Azuree
Mr Big Wheel Itchy Lady Moonsplash Shedoodit Jody Chick Lassie Be Good Barney O Toole Jet 76
Dash For Cash Rockete Elaine Special Effort Dindle TB
Rocket Wrangler Find A Buyer TB Gallant Jet Rose Bug
Azure Te TB Jet’s Fair Lady Reb’s Policy TB Here’s To Lil TB Romany Royal Jo-Ann-Cat Chick’s Deck Mayshego TB Mucho Leo Mandy Bar Band Of Azure Darling Dust
Rocket Bar TB Go Galla Go To Market Hide And Seek Jet Deck Lena’s Bar TB Azure Te TB Minette
Easy Jet
Miss Top Liz Ichibon
Miss Lady Jo 3 Boldnesian
Tossed
Dancing Coins Long Last
Three Chicks
Jody Mo
Glory By Good Lassie Moore
Rebel Cause
Irish Imp
Mr Jet Moore Queena Go Go Rocket Wrangler Find A Buyer TB Easy Jet
Rocket Elaine Raise Your Glass TB Go Effortlessly Noholme II
Singing Bell
Rocket Bar TB Go Galla Go To Market Hide And Seek Jet Deck
Leo Jewel
Lady Bug’s Moon Casco Rose Nashville
Blue One
Jet Deck
Sooner Lady New Policy Yenoh Reb Exalted Rullah Jumpin Jackie Grey Sovereign Romany Belle Rejected
Quick Eye
Three Chicks Decketta Mayhego Aegean Goddess Leo
Betty Warren Three Bars TB Mandy II
Azure Te TB Band Of Angels Jayhawker Bar Leola Dust
Bux To The Bank ZOOMIN FOR SPUDS, ’13, G.
First Down Dash
Corona Cocktail
Sizzling Lil
A Perfect Cocktail
Chicks Beduino A Perfect Strawberry
My Patty Perfect
SPEEDHORSE, February 2017 49
Scott Martinez