Page 50 - September2021

SPEEDLINES
OCHOA WINS THE 2011 ALL AMERICAN FUTURITY (440 YARDS)
Johnny T.L Jones was a horseman all his life who had his roots in Quarter Horse racing that went back to the 1950’s and his friend and mentor Walter Merrick.
He worked with Merrick and horses like Lena’s Bar, the dam of Easy Jet. Then Jones moved east and eventually landed
in Kentucky, where he built the premier breeding facility Walmac International
in Lexington, where he stood such great horses as Nureyev and Alleged. When he retired from Walmac International, he came back to his roots and Quarter Horse racing and that led him to win the All American Dream with Ochoa.
Ochoa was bred by the J Bar 7 Ranch of Quanah, Texas, that was owned by Jones and his wife Brenda. The Jones’ put Ochoa and three more colts in
the 2010 Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale. Brenda was hesitant about selling Ochoa and so she was relieved when he was repurchased for $25,000. She thought he was something special and she wanted to keep the son of Tres Seis out their mare Stolis Fortune by Stoli.
They sent Ochoa to the track under the partnership of John & Brenda Jones’ J Bar 7 Ranch, Monte & Katsy Cluck
and Doug & Sharon Benson. Sleepy Gilbreath became his trainer. The first
start for Ochoa came in the trials for the Ruidoso Futurity, where he placed first. He came back in the finals to finish third. He bypassed the Rainbow for a shot at the All American Futurity.
The All American trials were run on August 18 with Ochoa winning trial 14
in a time of :21.074, setting the fastest qualifying time. Lotta Love for Robyn came in second in that trial, and she posted the second fastest time of :21.145. Tee Cos won trial 15 in :21.156 for the third fastest trial. Jess Cuervo won trial 25, setting a time of :21.218 for the fourth fastest time. Denver Pass was second in this trial, earning a time of :21.336 and making the finals with the sixth fastest time. The fifth fastest time was set down by Jess Send Me, winning trial 16 in a time of :21.302. Lethal Volt ran a time of :21.337 winning trial 9 and qualifying as the seventh fastest. Big Daddy Cartel was the winner of trial 4 in a time of :21.343, as the eighth fastest qualifier. The ninth fastest qualifier was Bills Last, winner of trial 13
in :21.365. The tenth fastest time went to Mr Ease 123 with a second to Lethal Volt in trial 9 in a time of :21.395.
Jacky Martin was a key figure in the 2011 All American Futurity trials. After some time away from the track, he had come back to the races in 2010 stepping back into his role as one of Quarter Horse racing’s great jockeys. He showed it by qualifying four horses for
the 2011 All American Futurity. They were Ochoa, Tee Cos, Denver Pass and Mr Ease 123. Then tragedy struck, and Jacky Martin was injured in the sixth race on Friday before the finals. Martin was paralyzed from the
neck down. All efforts were tried to help him recover from his injuries, but he eventually lost his battle and he passed away in April of 2015.
Jacky Martin left a great legacy on
the history of the All American Futurity from 1976 to 2010, riding 26 starters not counting two qualifiers he was slated to ride that were scratched from the race. From those 26 starters he won the race seven times, fulfilling the All American Dream for his owners and trainer/friend Jack Brooks. His winners were Moon Lark (1978), Mr Master Bug (1982), Mr Trucka Jet (1985), Merganser (1988), Strawberry Silk (1989), Dash Thru Traffic (1992) and Eyesa Special (2000). An added note: Jacky Martin rode in three of the All Americans we are covering in our
Ochoa wins the 2011 All American Futurity for owners J Bar 7 Ranch LLC, Katsy & Monty Cluck & Douglas Benson, trainer C. Dwayne Gilbreath and jockey Roy Baldillez.
48 SPEEDHORSE September 2021