JRC Callas First named Quarter Horse World Champion

JRC Callas First, bought privately for $8,300 at the end of 2013, was named 2014 World Champion Running Quarter Horse in a ceremony at the Heritage Place Sales Company in Oklahoma City on Wednesday evening.

Racing as a 4-year-old gelding in 2014, JRC Callas First won 8 of 10 starts and earned $216,530. He was also named champion aged gelding and champion aged horse. He won six stakes, in Texas and New Mexico, including two Grade 1 races - the Refrigerator Handicap at Lone Star Park in October and the Zia Park Championship in New Mexico in late November.

JRC Callas First races for Dana Stroud and her husband, trainer Brian Stroud of Sutherland Springs, Texas, near San Antonio. At the end of the 2013 season, JRC Callas First was running in $10,000 claiming races. When a previous owner told Brian Stroud he wanted to sell the colt, Stroud gathered the money for a private deal, using $7,000 in proceeds from the sale of his wife’s paint riding horse to finance the deal.

“I never thought when we bought this horse this would happen,” Dana Stroud said in an acceptance interview. “My paint horse would never have made me this kind of money.”

JRC Callas First was the only horse to earn three titles in 2014.

In other divisions for older horses, Jesscuzican was named champion aged stallion after a season with one stakes win, the Bank of America Sunland Challenge Championship. Significant Heart was named champion aged mare following three stakes wins, all at Los Alamitos.

Among juveniles, Kiss My Hocks was champion 2-year-old colt and champion overall 2-year-old after winning the Sam Houston and Ruidoso futurities. Jess Walking Thru, the winner of the Dash for Cash Futurity at Lone Star Park, earned the title of 2-year-old filly. Heza Dasha Fire was champion 2-year-old gelding after winning the Ed Burke and Golden State Million futurities at Los Alamitos.

The top 3-year-old was Moonist, the winner of four derbies at Los Alamitos. Moonist was honored as champion 3-year-old gelding and overall champion 3-year-old. Hes Relentless, who won the Hobbs America Derby, was named champion 3-year-old colt. The three-time stakes winner Foxy Moonflash earned the title of champion 3-year-old filly.

Another three-time stakes winner, Wahoo, was named champion distance horse for his success at 870 yards.

Los Alamitos track owner Ed Allred was honored as outstanding breeder. Tyler Graham and Conda Maze were recognized as champion owners. Their small stable was led by Kiss My Hocks.

Paul Jones, perennial leading trainer at Los Alamitos, won his 13th consecutive training title, while Cody Jensen was named outstanding jockey for the second consecutive year.