Stinebaugh wins 1,000th quarter horse race

OKLAHOMA CITY – Veteran trainer John Stinebaugh scored his 1,000th career American Quarter Horse victory when LS Jacks Back crossed the finish line first in the featured allowance race at Remington Park on Sunday.

According to the American Quarter Horse Association, that put Stinebaugh at 1,000 in wins in a career that has spanned several decades. He began with the best – legendary trainer Blane Schvaneveldt, who was inducted into the American Quarter Horse Association Hall of Fame in 2001. He was the nation’s top Quarter Horse trainer in the country 10 times and won 38 training titles at Los Alamitos in California. So, Stinebaugh, who makes his home in San Antonio, soaked in everything he could learn from his time with the master and it has paid off.

In 2012, Stinebaugh saddled three horses in the biggest race for Quarter Horses annually, the Grade 1 All American Futurity at Ruidoso Downs in New Mexico and then had a chance to win the 2-year-old Triple Crown in 2021 with Jess Savin Candy. That son of 2015 All American Futurity winner Jess Good Candy had won the $1 million Ruidoso Futurity, the $1 million Rainbow Futurity and his All American Futurity trial, qualifying him for that opportunity. As the even-money favorite, he could only manage a fourth-place finish behind KJ Desperado. His horses, over the years, have earned more than $21 million.

Stinebaugh said he had never seen any horse Jess Savin Candy, going into that race, the way he had matured and stayed sound through the hardships of racing. Remington Park’s leading rider in 2022, Francisco Calderon, was the winning jockey aboard Jess Savin Candy for his win streak as a 2-year-old. Jess Savin Candy’s record at retirement was 10 starts, five wins, one second and one third for $1,061,560 in earnings.

In Sunday’s milestone-achieving race, Stinebaugh watched as his 4-5 wagering favorite LS Jacks Back went straight to the front in the 330-yard allowance race and was never headed, winning by a half-length over Gigi Tianna (7-1), who was another half-length in front of third-place finisher Tellem Im High (5-1). Jockey Ricky Ramirez was in the irons for Stinebaugh for the 1,000th victory. Stinebaugh trains this 4-year-old gelded son of Corona Cartel, out of the Desirio mare PJ Chick in Black, for owner LS Racing (Lynne Smith) of Comber, Ontario, Canada.

LS Jacks Back stopped the timer in :16.538, earning a 98 speed index and $17,742 for the win, improving his record to 16 starts, three wins, three seconds and three thirds for a total bankroll of $163,814.

During his career, Stinebaugh has had multiple Grade 1 winners other than Jess Savin Candy. They include Double Down Special (All American Derby), Hes Limitless (Sooner State Stakes), Sure Shot B (Texas Classic Futurity), Watergirl B (Lee Berwick Futurity), Perrys Double Down (Texas Classic Derby) and Cobalt Creek (Refrigerator Handicap).

Double Down Special was also a millionaire for Stinebaugh, running out $1.2 million in his career.

Like Stinebaugh says when it comes to big races, “you just got to be ready to be lucky.”