Page 219 - September 2018

Special Effort wins the Kansas Futurity, the first leg of the Triple Crown, at Ruidoso Downs on May 31, 1981.
ever trained. The biggest thrill I’ve ever had was winning this All American.”
Special Effort is by the Thoroughbred stallion Raise Your Glass and out of the Quarter Horse mare Go Effortlessly.
Special Effort was made a heavy 3-5 favorite in the All American. His 4-length win was the biggest in All American history.
Go For Bugs, a 17-1 longshot owned by Cleo Graham of Wynnewood, Oklahoma, finished second and collected $213,600. Go For Bugs
was piloted by Nicky Wilson. The trainer is Kenoth Grimes. The runner-up purse in the All American lifted Go For Bugs’ career earnings up to $364,223. Go For Bugs is by Bugs Alive In 75.
Classy Native, a filly owned by L.V. Bell of Wichita, Kansas, finished third, a head behind Go For Bugs. Harley Crosby was up. Classy Native earned $99,600. The filly went off at just over 20- 1. The sire of Classy Native is Heisanative.
Here’s the remaining order of finish with purse money earned: 4th – Cute Investment, $70,800; 5th – Arrows Request, $54,000; 6th – Viva El Seis, $51,600; 7th – Spectular Rhythm, $49,200; 8th – Exclusive Roula, $46,800; 9th – Greybon, $44,400; 10th – Summer Encounter, $42,000.
In his racing career, the immortal Special Effort scored an incredible 13 wins in a row, including the All American, Rainbow and Kansas futurities and
the Kansas Derby. The only race he did not win was a third-place finish in his last start in the All American Derby. Special Effort earned $1,219,949 and was
the 1981 World Champion, Champion 2 Year Old, Champion 2-Year-Old Colt and High Money Earning Horse, and the 1982 Champion 3-Year-Old Colt. He was inducted into the AQHA Hall of Fame in 2008.
Special Effort became the sire of 7 AQHA Champions and $19 million in earners, and the broodmare sire of 9 AQHA Champions and $51 million.
In 2011, Speedhorse recognized the 30th anniversary of his Triple Crown win at Ruidoso Downs. Breeder Allen Moehrig, trainer Johnie Goodman, owners Dan and Jolene Urschel, and jockey
Special Effort wins the Rainbow Futurity, the second leg of the Triple Crown, at Ruidoso Downs on July 26, 1981.
B
ly Hunt were present to accept the awards.
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Special Effort wins the All American Futurity, the third leg of the Triple Crown, at Ruidoso Downs on September 7, 1981.
SPEEDHORSE, September 2018 217
LOOKING BACK - AN EXCERPT FROM OCTOBER 1981 ISSUE
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It was the biggest syndication package ever put together for a Quarter Horse in training.