AQHA Stallion Wins $3 Million All American Futurity in Memory of Breeder Who Passed Away Last Year

AQHA Publicity

Jess Good Candy became American Quarter Horse racing’s newest millionaire on September 7, as he streaked 440 yards in :21.41 to win the $3 million All American Futurity (G1) by a neck.

Fastest qualifier and race favorite One Fabulous Eagle was second, followed by TF Im That Guy in third. First Valiant Sign was fourth, followed by Sky Bo Dash, Crooked Path, Hatefulist, McClintock B and Lethal Volcom, who was disqualified for interference. In mid-stretch, Giving It All’s saddle slipped, he lost his jockey and was last.

Ridden from Post 5 by Ivan Carnero, Jess Good Candy ran straight and true to win confidently. The strapping sorrel son of freshman sire Good Reason SA was trained by Clint Crawford for the homebred horse’s owner, the Estate of Carl Pevehouse.

“From Day 1, he was just a monster — he was the one,” Crawford said. “I told (Carl’s widow) Rozella, ‘We got him. Let’s just set and wait.’ “

It was Crawford’s first win in the All American Futurity, which shouldn’t be confused with overnight success.

“(It’s) 25 years of working every day,” he said. “It just took me a long time to get this kind of horses. I got hooked up with Pevehouses in 2011 and it’s been one good horse after another.”

The win is a dream come true for the memory of the colt’s breeder, who passed away in 2014. Pevehouse’s horses are managed by his daughter, Cheryl, who raises them on the family ranch at Ratliff City, Oklahoma. Breeding horses in his own name since 1977, Pevehouse developed his line of “Candy” sprinters that included 22 stakes winners and the earners of more than $7.3 million. One of his most memorable was the stakes-winning Disco Jerry (TB) gelding Send The Gals Candy ($291,286), who in 1987 finished third in Elans Special’s All American Futurity and the following year was fourth in Dash For Speed’s All American Derby (G1). Jess Good Candy is a fourth-generation homebred.

“Dad would be so thrilled,” Cheryl said. “He would be thrilled beyond words!”

Read the August 2012 feature on Carl Pevehouse in the Q-Racing Journal!

Jess Good Candy is now undefeated in four starts. He earned $1.26 million for his All American win, bringing his career earnings to $1,279,240. In his first start on April 24, Jess Good Candy broke his maiden by a length going 300 yards at Remington Park. He next won his May 23 trial to the Ruidoso Futurity (G1) by three parts of a side, but was scratched from the Ruidoso Juvenile Invitational (R). Jess Good Candy did not run again until the All American trials.

G.R. Carter Jr. rode Jess Good Candy to a victory in his All American Futurity trial, but Carnero picked the mount up when Carter chose to ride First Valiant Sign in the final. It is Carnero’s first All American win.

Jess Good Candy is one of 20 winners from 49 starters by his sire, an earner of $1,446,727 who in Grade 1 races won the 2009 Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity, 2010 Golden State Derby and 2011 Champion of Champions. Good Reason SA, a son of Favorite Trick (TB), died in 2012 after standing his first year at stud.

Jess Good Candy is one of five winners out of the winning Mr Jess Perry mare Jess Send Candy, dam of the PYC Paint Your Wagon stakes-winning mares Send Me This Wagon ($94,773) and This Candys Awesome ($319,823). Jess Send Candy is out of the stakes-winning Leaving Memories mare Send Me The Candy ($135,976), dam of three stakes winners, 11 other winners and the earners of more than $1 million from 21 starters.

“Me and Carl had become really close in just a few years,” Crawford said. “He’d come over to the tack room and we’d sit there and talk for hours. He’d always tell me, ‘Cowboy, if you find that one, I want to win the All American, and I know that I’ve got the mares. If you find the one, don’t hesitate. You tell me where to go, when to go and what to do.’

“It’s too bad that he couldn’t make it, but I know he is smiling down and watching it,” Crawford continued. “And I know that he’s extremely excited. He’s probably even more proud of his wife and his daughter for what they have done. They’ve kept this thing together. It’s been a blessing.”

Carl Pevehouse would be so proud.

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