Page 81 - March 2020

Of the horses he’s bought to prove as potential broodmares, You R My Sunshine and R Girls Night Out top his list of greats and frequently ran as rivals.
THE FRIENDS HE’S MADE
Of all of racing’s many facets — breeding, raising and breaking babies, awards, etc. — it’s the fun he finds and the friendships he’s made through racing that Jeff loves. “Truthfully, I consider my biggest success to be the friends I’ve made,” he says.
He also values the positive attitude he’s managed to keep throughout his racing career. “I don’t care who you are, you’re never going
to win every race,” he adds. “I told my trainer, Dee Keener, that when the day comes that this isn’t fun for me anymore, I’ll quit. I don’t ever want to be angry after a race. I go to the races for a one-day mini-vacation to watch my horses and I leave it right there.”
THE RIVALRY
Of the horses he’s bought to prove as potential broodmares, You R My Sunshine and R Girls Night Out top his list of greats, and frequently ran as rivals. “When I first got back into racing and had bought Perfect Intention, I had several people call and tell me about her [Corona Cartel] filly, You R My Sunshine.
They said, ‘Jeff, she’s got a filly that hasn’t run yet and is working like anybody’s business.’”
Jeff called trainer John Diediker, who owned the Wagon Wheel Ranch-bred filly in partnership and asked if she was for sale. Jeff says John told him he wanted $60,000 for her before she’d ever run. “Jeff thought I was crazy,” John says.
But the filly started winning futurities and when John’s partner sold his share in 2004, Jeff bought it. They ran her another two years, then John sold Jeff his half as well.
During her racing career (2003–2008), You R My Sunshine earned $159,171 and amassed stats of 40-19-5-9 — an 82.5% in-the-money record. Her wins included the Oklahoma Appaloosa Triple Crown in 2004 and Bronze Medallions as the 2-Year-Old Filly (along with the 2-Year-Old Supreme Champion title), 3-Year-Old Filly and 4
& Older Mare three years running. She
also won three South-Central Regional Championships and Horse of the Year
titles in 2005 and 2006. She ranked 11th on the top earners’ list as well as being the
Jeff Adams owns this Appaloosa foal by 2019 Leading Freshman Sire Hes Relentless and out of R Sassy Corona by PYC Paint Your Wagon.
SPEEDHORSE March 2020 79
photo courtesy Royal Vista Southwest