Page 49 - September 2022

SPEEDLINES
Mr Master Bug Wins The 1982 All American Futurity (440 Yards)
Mr Master Bug winning the 1982 All American Futurity.
towel (2B) and Miss Squaw Hand was ridden by Jerry Burgess with the saddle towel (2A). They were the wagering favorite for the race at $1.10.
When the gates opened, Call Me Favorite broke first, followed by Neat Creek. Miss Squaw Hand was in the mix. Mr Master Bug, who broke from the 9-post took control of the race and he crossed the finish line 3/4-length in front of Miss Squaw Hand. In a post-race interview Jacky Martin stated,
“I didn’t have to get after him today like I’d been doing in other races. He was trying to get in a bit, but not that bad. We were a little worried about the outside since the crowd scares him more than anything.” Mr Master Bug earned $1,000,000 of the $2,000,000 All American Futurity purse with a time of :22.20. Miss Squaw Hand rewarded the Barnes with $343,500 for second place.
The rest of the field saw Neat Creek hold on to third with Call Me Favorite finishing fourth, followed by Amy Jo Mito, No Tell Motel, Dynago Miss, Lucks Lucky and Easy Mito. Tragedy happened when Yankee Win broke down just before the finish line with a slab fracture of the carpal bone in the knee. She did not survive. The next day tragedy struck again when Neat Creek was found dead in his stall as the result of a twisted intestine.
The All American Futurity was the last start of the year for Mr Master Bug as he was rested for the derbies in his three-year-old year. His record for the year shows 10 starts in 1982 with eight wins, one second and one third. His earnings for the year stood at $1,138,798. He was named the Champion Two Year Old and the Champion Two-Year- Old Colt.
Mr Master Bug raced two more years counting his wins to include the Rainbow Derby and the Pilgrim Stakes at three. His
When Mr Master Bug won the 1982 All American Futurity, he was followed across the finish line by his 3/4-sister Miss Squaw Hand. This made Marvin Barnes and his wife Lela the first breeders and owners of the first and second place finishers of the All American Futurity.
The Barnes started their road to winning an All American Futurity with a little Quarter Horse mare named FL Lady Bug,
a 1945 mare by Sergeant by Billy McCue. Silver was the dam of Sergeant, and she was by Chickasha Bob. The dam of FL Lady Bug was Yeager’s Lady JA by Will Stead, who
was sired by Billy McCue and out of Silver, making him a full brother to Sergeant. Billy McCue was sired by Jack McCue by Peter McCue. The Barnes made the All American finals with horses like Top Ladybug with
a third in 1966; Barnes Ladybug, third in 1967; and Lady Bug’s Moon in 1968 with a second - all out of FL Lady Bug.
Mr Master Bug and Miss Squaw Hand were sired by Master Hand. Mr Master Bug was out of Flick Bug by Lady Bug’s Moon and Miss Squaw Hand was out of Miss Squaw Bug by Lady Bug’s Moon. These two Barnes runners took different routes to get to the All American but met up at Ruidoso Downs in the Rainbow Futurity. Mr Master Bug started at Trinity Meadows with a third and first in two starts. He then won his trial for the Kansas Futurity, qualifying for the Consolation that he won. He then ran two firsts with the second win qualifying him for the Rainbow Futurity. He ran second
in the finals. Miss Squaw Hand started her career in January at Blue Ribbon Downs with a second and a fourth, then she went to Ruidoso and placed eighth in her first race and then a win in her next two starts in which the second win qualified her for the Rainbow. Mr Master Bug ran second, and Miss Squaw Hand finished seventh in the Rainbow Futurity-G1.
The trials for the All American Futurity fell this way, Mr Master Bug with a time of :21.89; Miss Squaw Hand with a time of :22.14; Yankee Win with a time of :22.16; Amy Mito Jo with a time of :22.17; No Tell Motel with a time of :22.39; Lucks Lucky with a time of :22.52; Neat Creek with a time of :22.53; Call Me Favorite with a time of :22.54; Dynago Victory with :22.57 and Easy Mito with a time of 22.62.
When it came finals time, Mr Master Bug and Miss Squaw Hand were paired in the wagering as they were owned by the Barnes and trained by Jack Brooks. Mr Master Bug was ridden by Jacky Martin with the saddle
Mr Master Bug with his breeders/owners Lela & Marvin Barnes.
SPEEDHORSE September 2022 47
© Alndy Golden
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