Stolis Winner, fastest qualifier and public favorite at 9 to 5, won the 440-yard All American Futurity from gate-to-wire by half a length over Jet Black Patriot on Monday, September 1, at Ruidoso Downs. Jess Zoomin, Stolis Winner’s stablemate, finished third.
Bred and owned by Jerry Windham (pictured), Stolis Winner, by Stoli out of the Runaway Winner daughter Veva Jean, was one of three contenders conditioned by Heath Taylor, who celebrated his first All American Futurity victory with the bay gelding’s win.
“If I had nine of the ten (qualifiers) instead of three of the ten, I’d probably still have the same anxiety,” said Taylor before the race. This year’s leading trainer by earnings and second in wins, Taylor also qualified three horses to the 2005 All American Futurity, the first year that he competed in the race.
Prior to Monday’s big event, Stolis Winner was already Quarter racing’s 2008 money leader, with $789,467 earned mainly for wins in the G1 Heritage Place Futurity and the G1 Rainbow Futurity. With his All American earnings of $1 million, Stolis Winner moves within striking distance of the all-time record of $2,126,309, held by Refrigerator.
“He has done everything that’s ever been asked of him,” said Taylor of Stolis Winner, who has a record of seven wins (six consecutive) and one second from eight starts.
All-time leading jockey G.R. Carter had a choice between Stolis Winner and Jess Zoomin, co-owned by Windham, and chose to ride Stolis Winner. Carter won the 1998 All American Futurity aboard Falling In Loveagain.
Second-placed Jet Black Patriot, a $50,000 trial supplement trained by Eric Curtis for Janelle and Richard Simon, battled Stolis Winner all the way. The Game Patriot-sired colt arrived at Ruidoso Downs from Louisiana with a four-for-four record and dominated his All American by three lengths, in the third-fastest time.
Windham also bred seventh-placed Winners Version, by Holland Ease, the only horse to qualify for the G1 Ruidoso, Rainbow and All American futurities this year. Winners Version, like Stolis Winner, is out of a daughter of Runaway Winner.
Order of finish for the 2008 All American Futurity: Stolis Winner, Jet Black Patriot, Jess Zoomin, Calif Fugitive, Jess Significant, This Wager Is Hot, Winners Version, Imasurebet, Mighty Corona and Burner On.