Page 25 - Speedhorse October 2018

All American Futurity-G1
APOCALYPTICAL JESS
By Tracy Gantz
Asense of family surrounded Apocalyptical Jess’ victory in the Sept. 3 All American Futurity-G1 at Ruidoso Downs. Not only
did he complete the first father-son training double in the history of the prestigious race, his owner, Bill Robbins, is the son-in-law of his breeder, Danny Joe Miller.
Trainer Blane Wood, in winning the All American with Apocalyptical Jess, followed his father, Leo, who trained the 1979 All American winner, Dan and Jolene Urschel’s Pie In The Sky. At that time, Blane was helping his father, as Blane’s son, Trey, does today with his dad.
Apocalyptical Jess even brought a fourth generation into his circle back at the barn after the race. The Robbins and Wood families gathered at the gelding’s stall with Trey’s two young children.
“The horse was in his stall eating out of his feed bucket,” said Bill Robbins. “They asked the
children if they wanted to ride an All American winner. They put Trey’s daughter on his back. He kind of looked at her and went right back to eating.”
Apocalyptical Jess’ quiet demeanor is why Robbins calls him “the big dog.”
“He’s like a dog that just wants to get scratched and petted,” Robbins said. “If you stop rubbing on his head and ears, he’ll kind of grab your shirt sleeve and nuzzle his head into you. He just loves the attention.”
Yet, as Miller recalls, Apocalyptical Jess
has shown a competitive spirit almost from
the day he was born. Miller bred the youngster in Oklahoma from the Holland Ease mare Cassandra Crest. He and his wife, Sandra, raised Apocalyptical Jess at their West Crest Farms in Missouri with a full brother the same age.
“Everything out of this mare has got an attitude,” said Miller. “It’s not mean—they just
want their way. They’re bred to be winners, and they’re bred to be competitive.
“He was the real intelligent one,” Miller recalled of Apocalyptical Jess. “He loved to learn. Those two boys wrestled every day, and they were competitive with each other.”
Apocalyptical Jess put that competitive spirit to good use in the All American. In his trial, he blasted out of the gate with such power that he won by 3 1/4-lengths and qualified the fastest.
Ricky Ramirez rode the gelding that
day, and the jockey also qualified two others trained by Blane Wood: Rainbow Futurity-G1 winner MM Fourinthemorning and Badhabit Jess. For the final, Ramirez rode MM Fourinthemorning, and Raul Ramirez Jr. picked up the mount on Apocalyptical Jess.
Bettors made MM Fourinthemorning the 8-5 favorite in the final, with Apocalyptical Jess
Above: Apocalyptical Jess & Raul Ramirez Jr. receive every call winning the $3,000,000 All American Futurity. Left: Breeder Danny Joe Miller & wife Sandra Miller with Christine, Bill (owner) & Mallory Robbins.
“They’re bred to be winners, and they’re bred to be competitive.”
SPEEDHORSE, October 2018 23