Legends Gathering In Oklahoma
Track Magazine – OCTOBER 30, 2012
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Hey Charley, could 1972 Jet Deck handle 2011 World Champion Cold Cash 123 at 440 yards?”
That’s the kind of question that all-time leading rider G.R. Carter, Jr., will be asking some of the breed’s all-time leading riders Wednesday night at A Night With The Legends of American Quarter Horse Racing.
Heritage Place and TRACK Magazine kicked off this annual event last November and this Wednesday at 5 p.m. on the eve of the big Heritage Place Fall Mixed Sale 11 of the breed’s retired leading riders will gather at a reception at Heritage and then go the Heritage auditorium at 6 p.m. for a couple of hours of storytelling and question answering.
“We expect a big crowd,” said Heritage Place general manager Jeff Tebow. “This event is quickly becoming one of the best things in this business. It’s a lot of fun for everyone, especially the people like these retired riders who have lived so much American Quarter Horse history.”
In Iowa this past weekend during the Bank of America Challenge Championships, Carter told TRACK Magazine’s Ben Hudson, “There’s been a lot of talk among the riders the last few weeks about this thing. I think it is going to be a lot of fun.”
One of the retired riders on the stage will be Jerry Burgess, a current steward at Lone Star Park who during a 25-year riding career got his college degree and rode Dash For Cash, Bugs Alive In 75 and Mighty Deck Three.
This particular situation could be a bit special: Burgess is Carter’s father-in-law. Smith, an Oklahoma native who won 11 riding titles at Los Alamitos while also working as a carpenter, told TRACK that he was really looking forward to the reunion. “I see some of these guys from time-to-time,” Smith said, “but to get us all together like this is very special. We had a big reunion at Los Alamitos and it was fun.” A long-time California resident, Smith came to Oklahoma last week to visit friends and relatives and was at the races at Will Rogers Downs over the weekend.
While a couple of the riders might not be able to make this reunion due to recent health and family issues, this special evening should have something for everyone.
Tami Purcell and Tomey Jean Swan, two of the top female riders, both will be on the stage with the men. Between 1981 and 2006, Purcell won the All American Futurity, Texas Classic Futurity and Champion of Champions. Swan took a female horse and won the 440-yard Los Alamitos Invitational Championship, Texas Championship Challenge and Remington Park Gold Cup.
At the completion of the program, the riders will be available for autographs and photographs. There is no charge for admission.
Here are the riders that have been invited to the event:
JERRY BURGESS — He won the All American Futurity on Bugs Alive In 75, the Rainbow Futurity on Mighty Deck Three and the Lubbock Downs Futurity and Vessels
Maturity on Dash For Cash while riding from 1963 to 1987.
DANNY CARDOZA — With mounts on World Champion Dashs Dream, World Champion First Down Dash, World Champion Gold Coast Express and World Champion Sgt Pepper Feature, Danny Cardoza rode the earners of more than $1 million for 14 consecutive years.
BOBBY ADAIR — Considered one of the best riders of all time, he scored stakes wins on Champions Kaweah Bar, Come Six, Jet Charger, He’s A Pleasure, The Black Alliance, Jet View, Osage Rocket, Lady Juno, The Plan, County Fathom, Don Guerro and Mr Doty Bars.
DONALD ALLISON — An Oklahoma native who journeyed to California in the 1950’s to ride American Quarter Horses, Donald Allison was the leading rider at Los Alamitos in 1960 and rode Champion Flashy Go Moore to Champion titles in 1977 and 1978.
KENNETH HART — From 1970 through 2002, his mounts earned some $29 million and they earned in excess of $1 million for a dozen consecutive years. He rode World Champion Special Leader, World Champion Town Policy and World Champion Super Sound Charge. He ranks second in all time stakes wins at Los Alamitos with 133.
JAMES LACKEY — The highlight of his career has to be four Grade I wins . . . including the Champion of Champions . . . on World Champion First Down Dash, but he won more than 1,500 other races including the Champion of Champions on World Champion Cash Rate.
JERRY NICODEMUS — Although he won the All American Futurity in 1968, 1970 and in 1986, he probably will be best remembered for his photo looking back over his shoulder as Dash For Cash daylights the field in a track record setting performance in the Champion of Champions.
CURTIS PERNER — He was aboard Champion Tonto Bars Hank for a win in the second All American Futurity at Ruidoso Downs in 1960 and 29 years later was on Champion Mr Doty Bars for a win in the Double Bid Handicap at Los Alamitos.
TAMI PURCELL — From 1981 through 2006, Tami Purcell rolled up more than $12 million in earnings while winning the All American Futurity, Texas Classic Futurity, Champion of Champions, Rainbow Futurity and just about every major race the breed offers.
CHARLEY SMITH — The legendary rider of World Champion Jet Deck and World Champion Mr Jet Moore, Charley Smith won riding titles at Los Alamitos 11 times and rode such Champions as Osage Rocket, Goetta, Tiny Watch and many other greats.
TOMEY JEAN SWAN — Riding such horses as Champion Joanna Kate, this female rider took a female horse and won the 440-yard Los Alamitos Invitational Championship, the Texas Championship Challenge and the Remington Park Gold Cup.
PDF Click Here…