Dateline: September 8, 2005

Knorpps' quarter horse wins Futurity in Ruidoso

By Roger  Estlack, Clarendon Enterprise

Despite running on a muddy track and facing 17-1 odds, an American Quarter Horse partly owned by Walt and Janice Knorpp of Clarendon surged to a first place finish at the All American Futurity this week at New Mexico’s Ruidoso Downs.

The two-year-old Teller Cartel claimed the $1.9 million purse in the world’s richest quarter horse futurity Monday. The annual event is the equivalent in quarter horse racing of the renowned Kentucky Derby.

According to an online article by Michael Cusortelli of the American Quarter Horse Association, Teller Cartel covered the 440 yards in :21.504, the stakes’ slowest clocking in 11 years.

Cody Jensen rode the winner for reigning AQHA champion trainer Paul Jones, both of whom celebrated their first-ever All American victory.

“It’s a thrill – a big thrill,” Jones told AQHA. “There’s no greater thrill than winning the All American. It’s every Quarter Horse trainer’s dream.

Jensen, a California-based jockey, rode Teller Cartel for the first time on August 18, when the colt ran third in the 14th of 16 All American trials and posted the ninth-fastest qualifying time.

“He warmed up perfectly,” Jensen told AQHA. “For a colt, he’s really gentle and really mellow. You don’t need to rile him up. He gets himself ready – a guy doesn’t have to do much to get him ready.

Jensen said Teller Cartel broke from the gate so sharply Monday that all he had to do was hang on.

“He won it right from the gate.”

Bred by Charles and Marilyn Cockrill’s C/C Stock Farm at Alto, New Mexico, Teller Cartel was acquired by the Teller Cartel syndicate for $87,000 at last year’s Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale, Cusortelli reported.

The Knorpps purchased an interest in Teller Cartel just before Labor Day last year.

According to the AQHA, the colt’s All American win was his first victory in five outs, and the $1-million winner’s share of the purse boosted his earnings to $1,003,871, placing him 40th on American Quarter Horse racing’s all-time earnings list.

Teller Cartel began his racing career in California, running second in a 300-yard maiden race on May 5 and placing third in an Ed Burke Million Futurity (G1) trial on June 4.

Walt Knorpp said from Ruidoso Teller Cartel will travel to California, where it is anticipated he will run in three $1 million races.