Jack Brooks, who trained a record eight All American Futurity winners before retiring earlier this year, will lead the post parade for the this year’s All American Futurity at Ruidoso Downs on Monday, September 3.
“It’s really an honor,” said Brooks. “I’ve been racing at Ruidoso for 40-something years, and this is the first summer I’ve missed.”
Brooks, 71, watched Galobar claim the first All American Futurity in 1959. He worked for W.W. Wilson, who trained 1964 All American Futurity winner Decketta, and galloped 1967 and 1972 winners Laico Bird and Possumjet. From 1973, when he hung up his own shingle as a trainer, through 2006, Brooks qualified 39 horses to the All American Futurity, alone, first winning with Moon Lark in 1978, when the race offered the world’s first million-dollar purse.
Brooks’ subsequent wins, which earned him the nickname “Mr. All American,” came with Mr Master Bug in 1982 (the year the race offered the world’s first two-million-dollar purse); Mr Trucka Jet in 1985; Merganser in 1988; Strawberry Silk in 1989; Dash Thru Traffic in 1992; Falling In Loveagain in 1998; and Eyesa Special in 2000). Jacky Martin rode seven of Brooks’ winners; G.R. Carter Jr. was aboard the eighth.
No other trainer has come close to Brooks’ in the 48-year history of the race. The most All American Futurities that anyone other than Brooks has won is two, including Paul Jones, who won the 2005 and 2006 editions.
In late February, Brooks decided to retire from training to spend more time with his four grandchildren. He raises black Limousin cattle and keeps a few horses on the his ranch near Jones, OK, while his wife Wynona continues her own business as a CPA in Oklahoma City. This summer, the Brookses celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary and vacationed in Hawaii.
Brooks was at Ruidoso Downs in June for the induction of Danny Cardoza, C.W. “Bubba” Cascio, Clarence Scharbauer Jr. and Vandy’s Flash into the track’s Racehorse Hall of Fame. On Thursday, he and Wynona will attend the dinner annually given to recognize the connections of the All American Futurity and Derby qualifiers. The Derby field included two horses that Brooks trained last year at Ruidoso: fastest qualifier Separate Bet and Valiant Hero. Separate Bet, eighth in last year’s All American Futurity, is trained by Paul Jones. Valiant Hero is conditioned by Mike Joiner, who now occupies the Ruidoso barn that Brooks made famous.