Page 82 - February_2023

Champion 3 Year Old, Champion 3-Year-Old Gelding
KJ DESPARADO si 118, $2,772,603
With regular rider Adrian Ramos aboard, KJ Desparado takes the Texas Classic Derby-G1 by 1 1/2 lengths.
Breeders: L&L Land & Cattle
Owners: John & Kathy Lee & Ruben Mares Trainer: Wesley T. Giles
Jockey: Adrian A. Ramos
2022 Record: 8-6(2)-2(2)-0, $667,642
Texas Classic D.-G1, Ruidoso D.-G1
2nd Championship at Sunland Park S.-G1, Rainbow D.-G1.
Though a Championship season technically only encompasses a calendar year, KJ Desparado’s impressive streak really began in September of 2021. Starting with his All American Futurity-G1 trial and final victories, the gelding has had seven consecutive first place finishes. Overall, he has started 18 times, with 12 wins and three seconds.
KJ Desparado, owned by breeders John and Kathy Lee and their friend Ruben Mares, ended 2021 by winning the All American Futurity-G1 and Texas Classic Futurity-G1.
“He’s just got a great big heart and he likes to run,” John Lee said at the awards ceremony.
Wes Giles trains KJ Desparado for the Lees and Mares, and the owners laid up the gelding with Giles between the 2021 and 2022 seasons. “When he came back, he was happy,” said John. “We didn’t have to do any surgery. We had him X-rayed and he was perfect. He’s kind of a freak of nature.”
Returning to the races in 2022, KJ Desparado won his trial for the Ruidoso Derby-G1 and qualified the second fastest. In the final he
blew away the field winning wire-to-wire by 2 1/4-lengths under regular rider Adrian Ramos.
“He stood real good in the gates and was looking down the track and paying attention,” said John. “When they opened the gates, he was out
in front by one and then two lengths. He had the race under control after about the first 10 yards.”
In the trials for the Rainbow Derby-G1, KJ Desparado qualified the fastest. In the final he
led early and lost by a neck. Returning for the All American Derby-G1 trials, the gelding scored by 1/2-length and just missed qualifying for the final.
Instead, KJ Desparado moved on to Lone Star, where he and The Big Favorite had identical fastest trial times. Again, KJ Desparado dominated in the final, winning from start to finish by 1 1/2-lengths.
He finished the year tackling older horses in the Championship at Sunland Park-G1. It took
a World Champion older runner, Danjer, to beat KJ Desparado, who edged millionaire Flash Bak by a neck for second. KJ Desparado raised his total earnings to $2,772,603 and is the #2 all-time leading money earner just behind Ochoa.
80 SPEEDHORSE February 2023
Leslie Simmons, Speedhorse
APOLLITICAL JESS
si 107
Bred by: Juan Alberto Tirado Lizarraga
Raced to 3 • $1,399,831 14-8(2)-4(2)-0
1,216 foals, 117 SW Progeny Earnings: $57,649,923
MR JESS PERRY si 113 Bred by: Jesse Perry Raced to 4 • $687,184 21-12(5)-2(1)-0 1,994 foals, 160 SW Progeny Earnings: $60,704,344
STREAKIN LA JOLLA si 99 Bred by: B. F. Phillips Jr./Delbert Smith Raced to 3 • $56,227
8-8(1)-0-0
1,536 f, 87 SW • $25,112,496
STREAKIN SIX si 104
BOTTOM’S UP si 82
SCOOPIE FEIN si 99
Bred by: Strole D. G. Dr. and Mrs. Raced to 4 • $15,807
20-6-3-4
8 f, 1 SW • $837,511
SINN FEIN si 98
LEGS LA SCOOP si 95
APOLLITICAL TIME si 104 Bred by: Vessels Stallion Farm LLC
Raced to 6 • $904,242 35-14(10)-7(2)-5(4)
12 foals, 1 SW Progeny Earnings: $1,527,555
APOLLO TB
Bredby:EclipseInvestment&LeonRasmussen Raced to 6 • $354,475 23-5(2)-4(4)-4(3)
737 f, 36 SW • $14,699,395
FALSTAFF TB
TUMBLE ALONG TB
HALF TIME ATTRACTION si 96 Bred by: Tom Carlson/Vessels Stln Frm Raced to 2 • $14,734
11-1-2(1)-2(1)
18 f, 1 SW • $1,032,161
FIRST DOWN DASH si 105
FAVORITE ATTRACTION si 88
TRES VESES
si 91
Bred by: Lee & Sherwood Racing LLC
Raced to 4 • $7,085 7-0-2-0
8 foals, 1 SW Progeny Earnings: $3,115,304
TRES SEIS si 97
Bred by: Mrs. Gwendolyn Eaves
Raced to 3 • $856,901 12-6(1)-3(3)-3(1)
1,740 foals, 64 SW Progeny Earnings: $27,737,165
SIXARUN si 106
Bred by: L. D. Neumayer & Don Brooks Raced to 4 • $291,228 26-7(3)-7(1)-5(2)
711 f, 34 SW • $8,242,460
STREAKIN SIX si 104
CHICKARUN si 93
OUR THIRD DELIGHT si 97 Bred by: John Colville & Ray Olds Raced to 2 • $53,688
5-1-3-0
15 f, 4 SW • $1,431,601
REB’S POLICY TB
TINY’S DELIGHT si 91
FIRST PLACE KATE
Bred by: Jerry Windham Unraced
10 foals, 0 SW Progeny Earnings: $120,609
FIRST PLACE DASH si 99 Bred by: Jerry Windham
Raced to 3 • $64,160 14-6(1)-1-0
195 f, 18 SW • $4,745,274
FIRST DOWN DASH si 105
INDIGO ILLUSION si 110
RUNAWAY KATE si 102 Bred by: Jerry Windham Raced to 3 • $29,011 9-4(1)-1-0
7 f, 1 SW • $282,192
RUNAWAY WINNER si 104
KIPTY KATE si 93