Page 153 - October 2023

COWBOYS GUN Z
by Tracy Gantz
As many good horses as the Joiner family has trained over the years, an eventual win in the big one, the All American Futurity-G1, seemed inevitable—to everyone but trainer Michael Joiner.
“It probably hasn’t sunk in really good yet,” Joiner said a week after Cowboys Gun Z won the Sept. 4 All American. “But it is a grand feeling.”
Drawn into post 9, Cowboys Gun Z zipped to the front, breaking from the gate much better than he had in some of his earlier races. Undefeated favorite Dark NME on
the inside broke somewhat slowly, but she rallied and began to make up ground. Jockey Agustin Silva kept Cowboys Gun Z to his task, and the gelding won wire-to-wire by 1/2-length in :21.574.
“My horse ran a perfect race, which is what you’ve got to have to win a race like that,” said Joiner.
Going into the race, many people thought Dark NME had the race sewn up. That talented filly was
Agustin Silva and Cowboys Gun Z cross the finish line winning the All American Futurity-G1 at Ruidoso Downs on September 4, 2023.
RACING NEWS
SPEEDHORSE October 2023 151
All American Futurity-G1
Ruidoso Downs
$3,000,000 • 440 yards :21.574 • SI 87
COWBOYS GUN Z, ‘21-g.
Bred by: Running C Ranch LLC
Raced to 2 $1,510,000 4-2(1)-2-0
FLYING COWBOY 123
SI 101
Bred by: Carolyn C Bay Raced to 3 • $965,811 13-8(2)-1-2(2)
264 f., 2 SW • $3,397,771
APOLLITICAL JESS SI 107 Bred by: Juan Alberto Tirado Lizarraga
Raced to 3 • $1,399,831 14-8(2)-4(2)-0
1277 f., 128 SW • $633,854,316
HOT CASH 123 SI 87
Bred by: T Bill Stables Inc Raced to 2 • $1,303 7-0-0-2
16 f., 3 SW • $2,608,003
CF SMOKIN GUN
SI 91
Bred by: Carver Farms LLC Raced to 4 • $27,451 10-1-3-2
7 f., 2 SW • $1,620,062
TRES SEIS SI 97
Bred by: Mrs. Gwendolyn Eaves Raced to 3 • $856,901 12-6(1)-3(3)-3(1)
1811 f., 67 SW • $28,795,921
CF BUDS A SMOKIN SI 94 Bred by: Carver Farms LLC Raced to 4 • $14,415 13-1-5-1(1)
7 f., 0 SW • $29,061
Susan Bachelor, Speedhorse