JACK BROOKS

COURTESY OF AQHA RACING

JACK BROOKS TO LEAD ALL AMERICAN FUTURITY POST PARADE


August 28, 2007 -- Jack Brooks, who trained a record eight winners of the All American Futurity (G1) before retiring earlier this year, will lead the post parade for Monday’s $1.9 million race at Ruidoso Downs.

“It’s really an honor,” said Brooks on Tuesday from his ranch near Jones, Oklahoma. “I’d been coming there for 40-something years, and this is the first summer I’ve missed.”

Brooks, 71, watched Goetta win the first All American in 1959 and had been a mainstay at Ruidoso ever since. He worked for W.W. Wilson, who trained 1964 All American winner Decketta, and galloped ‘67 winner Laico Bird and ‘72 winner Possumjet. From 1973-2006, Brooks qualified a total of 39 horses to the All American, first winning the final with Moon Lark in 1978 when it was the world’s first million-dollar horse race.

Brooks’ subsequent wins, which earned him the nickname “Mr. All American,” came with Mr Master Bug in 1982 (the year the race became the world’s first two-million-dollar horse race), Mr Trucka Jet (’85), Merganser (’88), Strawberry Silk (’89), Dash Thru Traffic (’92), Falling In Loveagain (’92) and Eyesa Special (2000). Jacky Martin rode seven of those winners; G.R. Carter Jr. was aboard an eighth.

In late February, Brooks decided to retire from training racehorses particularly so he could spend more time with his four grandchildren. He now raises black Limousin cattle and has a few horses on the ranch, while his wife, Wynona, continues her own CPA practice 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 includes 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 now trained by Paul Jones, and Valiant Hero is conditioned by Mike Joiner, who now occupies the Ruidoso barn that Brooks made famous.

Like most other observers of this year’s All American Futurity, Brooks said the two Grade 1-winning fillies, Heartswideopen and Wild Six, appear to be the standouts for Monday’s race. But, he added, “You’ve got to have a lot of luck to win.”

He would know better than anyone.
By Amy Owens.