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hole, and it seemed like the further the race went, the faster he got and the more his heart built up during the race. He finished like a house-a-fire.”
Indeed, Colby James put on a burst of speed in the second half of the race that carried him to the front. He scored by a half-length in :19.357. Longshot Perrys Regard edged Big Dee for second by a neck.
The elder Gonzales is a former jockey, and so James III grew up in the business. Though he never followed his father as a rider, James enjoys working with his dad in their training business. That allows them to split the barn between various southwestern tracks. They are based in New Mexico.
“We have our own horses, but we kind of run the same program,” James III said. “I’ve had my trainer’s license about two years, but I’ve been around it all my life. The first thing I learned to read before school was a racing program.”
He gets to know all of the horses, from barn favorite Bigg Dee to Colby James, who can be quite a character.
Wells purchased Colby James for $15,000 at the 2018 Ruidoso New Mexico-bred Yearling Sale from breeder MJ Farms. The gelding arrived at the Gonzales barn after his 2-year-old season, when he won the Mountain Top New Mexico Futurity-G2 and placed in two other stakes.
“He’s very, very playful and always happy,” said James. “He and that goat are funny to watch because they play nearly all day. Colby’s like a little kid, but once he gets to the track, he’s 100% business.”
When Colby James seemed to need companionship, the Gonzaleses stabled Risky
Revenge near him so that the goat could sit outside both stalls.
“If that goat gets out of Colby’s sight, Colby’s not happy about it,” James said. “Once Colby goes to train or the goat can’t see Colby, it’s kind of the same thing—the goat cries.”
When trained by the Gonzaleses, Colby James won the 2021 Jimmy Drake Stakes, ran second in the 2021 Namehimastreaker New Mexico Classic Championship-RG1, and ran third in the 2020 New Mexico Classic Derby-RG2.
Mac and Janis Murray of Veguita, New Mexico, bred Colby James in the name of MJ Farms from their unraced homebred mare Sandy June Bug. The mare has produced 14 winners from 17 starters, including stakes winners Junior June Bug, Daddys Blushing, and Hedge Fund.
Perrys Regard (Chicks Regard-Ms Perry Mason), owned and trained by Casey Lambert, finished second under jockey Manuel Gutierrez. The 5-year-old gelding finished third in the 2021 Jess Burner Stakes-G2.
Mario Delgado piloted Bigg Dee (Big Daddy Cartel-Miss Woody Dee). MJ Farms also bred 4-year-old Bigg Dee, who won the 2021 Zia Derby-RG2 and New Mexico State Fair Derby-RG3 and the 2020 Zia Juvenile Stakes.
Fly On Down (One Handsome Man- Never The Same) and Spiritonthemountain (Jesse James Jr-Cole Hearted Hussy) finished fourth and fifth. Hatchi Zulu (Zulu Dragon-Effortless Eagle) finished sixth, but was disqualified for causing interference
and placed ninth. Completing the field
were Cartel Drunk Playboy (Big Daddy
Cartel-Key Deputy Driver), No Mires A La Luna (First Moonflash-Dont Looke Ethel), Marcus Medallion (Jesse James Jr-Houstons Medallion), Hatchi Zulu, and Your Easy Jess (Jess A Chicks-Easy Your Honor).
RACING NEWS
Colby James’ winning connections include owner Rex Wells, trainer James Gonzalez III and jockey Ricky Ramirez.
Colby James & jockey Ricky Ramirez.
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Coady Photogeaphy Coady Photography