Page 241 - September 2022

Sunland Park, and they finished third there in the New Mexico Spring Fling Stakes. At Ruidoso, Ramos qualified the filly to both the Mountain Top Futurity-G2 and Zia Futurity, but opted for another mount in the finals.
Instead, Benn has ridden her in those races. They were eliminated in the Mountain Top when just a couple of strides out of the gate, KJ Daddys Money was slammed by horses on both sides of her.
Giles has been with the Lees for a long time and has been associated with KJ Daddys Money since the day she was born in New Mexico. “He foaled her out for me,” said John Lee.
The Lees live in Chandler, Arizona, and breed and raise many of their own horses there. The Lees own all of their horses in partnership with Ruben Mares, a good friend and the superintendent of one of John’s companies in the pipeline industry who also helps them with the horses in Arizona. “He helps me, so he gets 10% of every horse I run,” said John.
The partnership has done well with KJ Daddys Money and KJ Desparado, but has also raced such horses as KJ Mucho Macho Man. A multiple graded stakes-placed son of Apollitical Jess, KJ Mucho Macho Man earned $293,474 on the track. He now stands at the Louisiana Center for Equine Reproduction in Opelousas, and the Lees are breeding KJ Kiss Me Goodbye, the dam of KJ Daddys Money, to him.
KJ Kiss Me Goodbye, the dam of KJ Daddys Money, is another product of the Lees’ breeding program. Giles also trained her. “We ran her a couple of times, but she got hurt,” said John. “So we made a broodmare out of her.”
KJ Daddys Money is the mare’s first foal. KJ Kiss Me Goodbye is a half-sister to KJ Desparado, both of them being out of another Lee homebred, Tres Veses. Since she produced KJ Daddys Money, KJ Kiss Me Goodbye has foaled a 2022 colt by KJ Mucho Macho Man and is back in foal to that sire.
Doing Something Good (Big Daddy Cartel-Start Somethin Bad) finished second, and Pick Your Pour (Jesse James Jr-Tangled Vines) ran third. However, Doing Something Good veered in and hit Pick Your Pour in midstretch. The stewards disqualified Doing Something Good and placed him third, elevating Pick Your Pour to second.
Pick Your Pour is owned by Orlando Granillo and Azucena and Rene Mendoza. Mario Delgado rode the gelding for trainer James Gonzales II. Pick Your Pour had won all three of his prior races, including the Mountain Top Futurity.
Doing Something Good is owned by J & SM Inc. Noe Garcia Jr. piloted the gelding for trainer Fred Danley. Doing Something Good ran third in the Mountain Top Futurity.
Completing the field were Codex
(Big Daddy Cartel-Astica), Reef Ridge (Woodbridge-Fast Copy Miss), Elisas Esperance (Jumpn Chic-Esperance), Demi Leigh (Bodacious Dash-Ima Gator Fan), Verstappen (Big Daddy Cartel-Effortless Eagle), and Jess A Response (Jess A Chicks- Miss Call Me First). Fine Am Eye was scratched at the gate.
RACING NEWS
KJ Daddys Money’s winning connections include owners John & Kathy Lee and Ruben Mares, trainer Wesley Giles and jockey Cordarelton Benn.
Cordarelton Benn on his way to the winner’s circle.
SPEEDHORSE September 2022 239
Leslie Simmons, Speedhorse Leslie Simmons, Speedhorse