Page 53 - New Mexico Horse Breeder Spring 2018

winning black type came from the First Down Dash Handicap at Los Alamitos in 2005. Other than that, he was second in the Grade 1 Golden State and third in the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Super Derby. Again, it was all respectable but the fireworks were missing.
But Mac believed.
He tried to get Jesse James Jr straight off the track but couldn’t get the deal hammered out. Then luck stepped in. The original situation that was worked out for the stallion didn’t hang together and, once again, the door opened. This time, Mac stepped through and the sorrel horse was in Veguita.
It took almost no time for Jesse James Jr to begin proving what Mac had always seen. Stakes babies rolled out of MJ like an assembly line. One of the best aspects was the gang-busters way Jesse James Jr crossed on Dash Ta Fame. Those two horses, according to Mac, are what put MJ on the racing map.
For a horseman/woman, the stack of pages listing the names of Jesse James Jr’s stakes winning/placing offspring provide fascinating reading. He has 730 registered foals from 11 crops, with 478 performing foals from nine crops to race. Those 478 foals account for 4,813 starts, with 689 wins from 295 winners. There are 28 stakes winners, 54 stakes wins and 34 stakes placers, with $14,469,460 in earnings.
It was a painful blow when MJ lost Jesse James Jr to laminitis last year. The stallion fought hard for nearly 12 months. He alternated between encouraging days of improvement followed by discouraging regression. Finally, it was decided that his quality of life had declined to an unsustainable level and he was put down.
There was a good supply of frozen semen
but no guarantee that it would be accepted by a broad cross-section of mare owners. It didn’t take long for the verdict to come in – Jesse James Jr is as popular in death as he was in life. Once again, that powerful circle with its blush of immortality.
Alice K White dove-tails gracefully into Jesse James Jr. The 12-year old, chestnut mare is a 100 percent MJ product. Her bottom side began with the 1967 Miss Moolah Bar, who represents one of Janis’ earliest decisions in establishing one of the strongest MJ broodmare lines. Step four times through this portion of the pedigree to the 1994 Champagne Lane. The proof was already in place when Champagne Lane went to First Down Dash for the resulting Alice K White.
The mare ran out $278,342 and was a two-time stakes winner. She was crowned the 2009 AQHA Champion Three-Year-Old Filly. She met with Jesse James Jr to produce Astica, a track record-setter and the 2015 AQHA Champion Three-Year-Old Filly. Bigg Daddy, by Big Daddy Cartel, was among the list of 2017 New Mexico Champions. Alice K White is credited with 14 performing foals with $1,331,788 in earnings.
She completes yet another circle; one that will no doubt add more arcs in the future.
2017 New Mexico Thoroughbred Champions
Traditionally, New Mexico is not thought of as a Thoroughbred state. Instead, its mountains, areas of rugged terrain, heroic outlaws such as Billy the Kid and fierce Apache Indians coalesce into the perfect list
of ingredients for a rough and tumble western movie. And, if we’re discussing the horses typically used for such productions, we’re NOT focusing on Thoroughbreds. As a matter of fact, a Thoroughbred would NOT be the breed of choice for any self-respecting cowboy. A cigar-smoking Clint Eastwood would NOT drape his dirty serape over a Thoroughbred. He would, however, cast an interested eye toward that other horse tied to the hitching rail; the one that’s a bit shorter....not quite as refined....not quite as elegant....the one that just looks tough enough to move over shale- covered mountains all day. And that would, of course, be the Quarter Horse.
New Mexico has worked hard and long to become recognized for its Thoroughbreds. It hasn’t been easy but it’s happening.
New Mexico is not among the larger, richer states and, certainly, it bears not one iota of resemblance to the revered members of the geographical Thoroughbred strongholds such as Kentucky or New York. But New Mexico is getting there. New Mexico is being recognized on the national scene. New Mexico is strengthening its Thoroughbred power through the increasing quality of its stallions and its broodmares.
There are now names in New Mexico
who are pushing their Thoroughbreds into more open arenas of competitions. These
are the same names hobnobbing with the Thoroughbred elites of Kentucky. These are the same names who are introducing themselves, their horses and their state to others in the Thoroughbred world; making sure they realize that New Mexico is a very legitimate part of the national Thoroughbred stage.
The Thoroughbred folks accepting their 2017 TB Champion awards from the New Mexico Horse Breeders’ Association in January were, for the most part, dressed a bit differently from their Kentucky and New York counterparts.
Tuxedos gave way to jeans – some had a knife-edge crease running down the front of the pant leg. Others had never felt the burning bite of a hot iron.
There were large, silver tray size belt buckles worn with the boots, jeans and western hats; while more buckles were presented as awards. Regardless of the attire, the TB folks in New Mexico and the ones
in New York are actually one and the same. They may speak with a different accent but their hearts are the same. Their hearts are focused on their chosen breed and that’s a very good thing.
NM Champion TB Two-Year-Old Colt/Gelding
ON THE LOW DOWN
(Dome-Speedin Excess, In Excess (Ire.)
Bred by: Todd Fincher and Brad King
Owned by: Dale Taylor, Bobby McQueen, Suzanne Kirby Trained by: Todd Fincher
2017: 8 3-3-0, $177,606
Mountain Top TB Futurity, Copper Top Futurity
Fortunately, Todd Fincher is comfortable wearing a variety of hats – frequently more than one at a time.
Fincher is a highly successful trainer. He’s also a breeder, chosen as the recipient of the 2017 Bloodhorse “Julep Cup” Award for Outstanding TB Breeder, in partnership with Fred Alexander and Brad King. He’s also an owner. And he’s also Bobby McQueen’s son-in-law.
The son-in-law hat figures into the equation because Fincher and King are the official breeders of On The Low Down, owned by Dale Taylor, Bobby McQueen and Suzanne Kirby. Fincher is also the trainer. The hat exchange can sometimes be a bit confusing but Fincher manages to keep everything under control.
Fincher, Taylor, King and McQueen have created an effective, revolving-kind of partnership over the years. The combination of names changes with the horses. Sometimes they’re linked together under
the heading of breeder. Other times, they’re entered under owner. Whatever the designation, the flexible partnership serves the participants well, allowing them to purchase and compete with quality horses. Both the risks and the benefits are spread out. The financial burden is lightened for everyone, while simultaneously increasing their purchasing power.
Jesse James Jr is as popular in death as he was in life. Once again, that powerful circle with its blush of immortality.
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