Page 37 - 14 September 2012

All AmericAn DerBy-g1 Ochoa becomes all-time leading money earner with Derby win. by Stacy Pigott
When trainer Sleepy Gilbreath says he has own—Johnny T.L. Jones Jr., of J Bar 7 Ranch, year, Baldillez broke his collar bone, missing out
two of the best horses in his barn he has ever had, it’s not idle praise. Gilbreath’s stable over the past two years has housed 2011 World Champion Cold Cash 123—who is currently in California prepping for the Grade 1 Champion of Champions—and 2011 Champion 2-Year-Old Ochoa. The latter became not only one of Gilbreath’s best horses, but one of the best horses Quarter Horse racing has ever seen when he won the $2,234,539 All American Derby-G1 on Sept. 2 at Ruidoso Downs, becoming the all-time leading money-earning Quarter Horse with $2,584,242 banked.
Ochoa surpassed the previous earnings record of $2,235,161, set by the recently retired 2008 All American Futurity winner Stolis Winner. “I’m not a bit disappointed that Ochoa broke the record. Great horses are meant to break records” said Stoli Winner’s owner and breeder Jerry Windham.
It was a day for records, as the All American Derby set the all-time record for the highest purse for a 3-year-old and older Quarter Horse, Ochoa’s winning share of $938,506 is the highest ever awarded for a 3-year-old and older Quarter Horse, and the crowd of 20,932 was the largest at Ruidoso Downs for any day other than Labor Day.
Of those 20,932 people, none were happier than the four people who call Ochoa their
Monte and Katsy Cluck, and Doug Benson— and trainer Gilbreath and jockey Roy Baldillez.
“I’ve been in this a long time, and these last two years I’ve have had two of the greatest horses I’ve ever had my hands on,” said Gilbreath. “I think I had as much pressure on me today as I’ve ever had in my life, with any horse.”
While Gilbreath might
have been feeling the pres-
sure, Ochoa definitely was
not. The 3-year-old gelding
left the gates well, break-
ing out slightly from the
outside post position nine,
and matched strides with the
field away from the gates. By
the midway point of the 440-
yard race, Ochoa was in full
stride and on the lead. Under
a hand ride by Baldillez,
Ochoa cruised to the finish
line 1 1/4 lengths in front of
Hez Our Secret, who was a
nose in front of Jess Featureme Quick.
“With a good clean break, I pretty much knew he could win it,” said Baldillez. “It’s a pretty confident feeling to be on him because he’s so powerful. He overcomes a lot of things and still comes on and wins. He’s a very fast horse.”
Baldillez has also overcome a lot over the past two years to continue to win with Ochoa. Last
on riding Cold Cash 123 in the trials and finals of the Texas Classic Derby-G1 at Lone Star Park. He rode selectively to start 2012, making Ochoa and Cold Cash 123 his priorities. This sum- mer, Baldillez again went down in the Rainbow Futurity, injuring his shoulder.
“I just took it easy between now and then and it healed up good,”
Baldillez said of his latest injury, “I’m still kind of selective. I’m being more careful about what I get on and trying to stay healthy.”
The incentives are defi- nitely there for Baldillez, who is looking forward
to riding Cold Cash
123 in the Champion of Champions, a race Ochoa also qualified for with his All American Derby win. For now, however, Ochoa is not scheduled to make
the trip to California, as Gilbreath indicated the gelding’s next stop would be Lone Star Park for the Texas Classic Derby-G1. This would be Ochoa’s first trip to Texas, as he ended his year last year with a win in the All American Futurity. He is only the sixth horse to win both the All American Futurity and All American Derby.
Ruidoso Downs $2,234,539 • 440 yards :21.272 • si 92
Sixarun
Tres Seis
Our Third Delight
OCHOA, ’09-g.
Stoli
Stolis Fortune
Splashing Fortune
SPEEDHORSE, September 14, 2012 35
Stacy Pigott: Speedhorse