Page 49 - September2021

SPEEDLINES
won the first three trials and John Bassett had six trial wins, making them the winning trainers in nine of the 17 trials. Would the 2001 All American Futurity be a match between the Bassett and Gilbreath trained runners?
On paper, the 2001 All American Futurity looked like it could very well be a match
race between the John Bassett and Sleepy Gilbreath runners, but the race came down
to a contest between three horses. When the gate opened, Tres Seis broke in but quickly took the lead and held that lead for much of the race. Ausual Suspect broke from the 10 hole, veered to the outside rail, and he was
last of the ten horses. Then Dennis Means got the colt going and they started for the finish line. Ausual Suspect passed the field with Ms Wandas Fortune and Tres Seis still on the lead. He surged passed Ms Wandas Fortune and then he surpassed Tres Seis to win by a neck.
Ausual Suspect won the race in a time of :21.542 with Tres Seis second in :21.561 and Ms Wandas Fortune third in :21.602. The favorite Grand Coeur was fourth, Spittin And Splittin fifth and the rest of the field came across the line in the following order: Love That Chapelle, Doc Colby, Phenomenal Fantasy, Rdustys Chick and Almost Flyin.
The 2001 All American was the last race for Ausual Suspect. He sustained an injury during the All American that required surgery. He recovered, but it was felt that it was in the horse’s best interest to retire him from racing. So, Ausual Suspect only made four starts with three wins, one second and earnings of $1,003,564.
Ausual Suspect retired to stand at stud at the Lazy E Ranch. He had a short sire career as he died in 2009 after siring 174 foals, 110 starters, 89 ROM and 4 stakes winners. His leading money earner is Bright Eyed Vision, winner of three stakes races including the 2008 Kansas Jackpot Futurity with earnings of $328,306.
It seems that Ausual Suspect had a short but very successful racing career. Despite his short life, he certainly took full advantage of his time to give Charlie and Debbie Therwanger, John Bassett and Dennis Means the rare opportunity to win the All American Dream.
Ausual Suspect wins the 2001 All American Futurity for owner TNT Racing, trainer John Bassett and jockey Dennis Means.
AUSUAL SUSPECT WINS THE 2001 ALL AMERICAN FUTURITY (440 YARDS)
Charlie and Debbie Therwanger of Lubbock, Texas, bought Ausual Suspect as a yearling from his breeders Alan and Denise Tyler of Lake Hughes, California, at the 2000 Pacific Coast Quarter Horse Yearling and Mixed Stock Sale. They paid $82,000 for the son of Strawfly Special and out of Tylers First Down by First Down Dash. The Therwangers were very familiar with the All American Dream, as they won the race in 1992 with Dash Thru Traffic.
They sent their new colt to John Bassett, and they raced him in the name of TNT Racing. Bassett had trained A Delightful Dasher to win the All American Futurity
in 1999, and it appears the plan from the beginning was to run in the Rainbow Futurity and then the All American Futurity. The first race for Ausual Suspect was a maiden race at Ruidoso Downs on June 8. He ran second and then it was off to the Rainbow Futurity trials, where he won his race and qualified for the Consolation. He was scratched and waited for the trials of the All American.
The trials of the All American set up an interesting scenario for the finals. The fastest
qualifier was Grand Coeur with a time of :21.636 winning trial #7. Tres Seis, trained by John Bassett, was the second fastest qualifier winning trial #4 in a time of :21.662. Ausual Suspect, trained by John Bassett, won trial #5
in a time of :21.668 for the third fastest time. Spittin And Splittin, trained by Sleepy Gilbreath, won trial #3 in a time of :21.670 making her the fourth fastest qualifier. Rdustys Chick, second to Spittin And Splittin, was the fifth fastest qualifier with a time of :21.709. Miss Wandas Fortune was second to Grand Coeur in trial #7 and she was the sixth fastest qualifier in a time of :21.711. Doc Colby, trained by John Bassett, won trial
#9 qualifying in a time of :21.721 as the seventh fastest qualifier. Phenomenal Fantasy, trained
by Sleepy Gilbreath, won trial #2 in a time of :21.719 as the eighth fastest qualifier. Love That Chapelle, second to Ausual Suspect in trial #5, qualified with the ninth fastest time of :21.725. Almost Flyin, trained by Sleepy Gilbreath, was the winner of the trial #1 with a time of :21.728 and the tenth fastest qualifier. Trial day came on a muddy track and nine of the 10 qualifiers ran in the first seven trials out of 17 trials and no horse qualified after the ninth trial. Sleepy Gilbreath
Despite his short life but very successful life, Ausual Suspect certainly took full advantage of his time to give his
owners and trainers the rare opportunity to win the All America
n Dream.
SPEEDHORSE September 2021 47