By By JJ needs a clean getaway

By By JJ will make his first stakes appearance since winning the Grade 1, $1.9 million All American Futurity on Labor Day when he heads a full field of 10 3-year-old New Mexico-breds in the $125,000 New Mexico Horse Breeders Association Stakes at Sunland Park on Sunday afternoon.

The 3-1 second choice in the All American Futurity, By By JJ won by a neck over Dash of Perry while Rainbow Futurity winner Planet Holland finished in third place. While the margin was just a neck, it was a confident win. Jockey J.J. Gonzales II had By By JJ on the lead at the halfway mark of Quarter Horse racing's richest race and rode him under the wire with mild urging.

By By JJ had a history of poor starts prior to the All American finals, but had the best start of his career in the All American and none of his rivals matched his closing kick in the 440-yard stakes.

Trainer Juan M. Gonzalez gave By By JJ a rest after the rigors of running in the All American trials and finals within 18 days. Gonzalez brought By By JJ back in the trials for the Shue Fly Stakes for New Mexico-breds on Dec. 9 at Sunland Park, but the gelding's old habit of poor starts resurfaced. He finished sixth in his trial at 3-5 odds and failed to make the finals.

In his most recent start, By By JJ ran second in a 350-yard allowance race at Sunland that was won in a fast 17.22 seconds. He should benefit from the additional 50 yards in the New Mexico HBA Stakes.

While By By JJ failed to make the $216,287 Shue Fly Stakes finals, Ongoing Ta Fame and Blackgold Chips - the first- and third-place finishers in the Shue Fly - are set to meet the All American winner on Sunday afternoon.

Ongoing Ta Fame, from the deep stakes barn of trainer Mike Joiner, bumped with One and Onea at the start of the Shue Fly. G.R. Carter, the 2003 champion jockey, got Ongoing Ta Fame lined out and they were with the leaders at the 200-yard mark of the 400-yard race. Ongoing Ta Fame got his fifth win from eight starts by a neck in an excellent 19.25 seconds.

Blackgold Chips, part of the favored three-horse entry in the Shue Fly, had her six-race winning streak end in the Shue Fly. She started her winning streak with a maiden win on May 31 and defeated New Mexico-breds in the Zia and Senorita futurities. In the Zia Futurity she defeated Ongoing Ta Fame and a trouble-plagued By By JJ.