Achievements
Milestones
Appaloosas are middle runners, competing in races from 220 yards to 8 furlongs, with 350 yards and 4 furlongs being the most popular distances. Appaloosas race in 10 states with Oklahoma and California leading followed by Idaho. The first Appaloosa race under pari-mutuel was at Albuquerque, New Mexico in 1962.
- The highest purse for Appaloosas was $160,593, the 1980 running of the World Wide Futurity.
- The highest handle for a single Appaloosa race was $396,333 in the 1996 California Appaloosa Derby.
- The first Appaloosa claimed anywhere was Dainty Doc in 1969 at the Sonoma County Fair in California.
- In 1976, Appaloosa Champion We Go Easy beat the Thoroughbred, Right Pocket in a $20,000 match race at Detroit Race Course.
- In 1982, Appaloosa Champion Undercover Willie beat the Thoroughbred, Grey Moon Runner in an $8,000 winner-take-all match race at the Valley Race Meet in California.
- In 1985, Brazen Lad set the first All-Breed World Record for 4 1/2 furlongs in :50 1/5.
- In 1989, Mama T ran 4 1/2 furlongs in :50, setting an All-Breed record for fillies.
- On September 4, 1989 at Sacramento, Ole Wilson ran 4 1/2 furlongs in :49 4/5 breaking the All-Breed World Record which still stands.
- In 1984, Oklahoma legalized racing with the first pari-mutuel race for Appaloosas held at Blue Ribbon Downs.
- In 1991, the first pari-mutuel race in Texas was held at Trinity Meadows.
- In 1991, Very Easy won the Battle Of The Breeds at Remington Park, beating the Quarter Horse, Heavenly Smash and the Paint, Rollin La Ree.
- In 1986, Blowing Easy won the first $100,000 race in California which was the richest purse for any breed on the Northern California Fair Circuit. He also became the first California-bred to win over $250,000 and was the first three-year-old horse to win the Coast To Coast Stakes.
- In 1989, Appaloosas ran their first race at Los Alamitos which up until then had been an exclusive Quarter Horse meet. Just Like Willie won the $20,000 Bull Nunneley Stakes, Appaloosas first stakes race held at a major meet.
- Wing It became the first horse to win the Golden Stakes Incentive Award by winning the 1989 Star Of Stars Futurity and coming back in 1990 to win the California Derby. He became the first Appaloosa eligible to compete for the $100,000 bonus award but was defeated in the Coast to Coast Stakes, the third leg of the Incentive bonus award, which was to win the Coast To Coast Stakes in the same year as the Derby.
- In 1992 at Los Alamitos, Wing It won the Los Alamitos Handicap, the first stakes race won by an Appaloosa in a mixed race at the California track. Winning the 1992 Bull Rastus Handicap, Wing It outran AQHA distance Champion Griswold. Also in 1992, Appaloosas ran their first mixed race with Quarter Horses at Hollywood Park. In 1993, the inaugural Idaho Cup Appaloosa and Paint Futurity was run at Les Bois Park for Idaho-breds only. That same year saw Trinity Meadows write mixed races for Appaloosas and Paints during their Quarter Horse meet.
- In 1994, Wing It’s earnings totaled in excess of $300,000, making him the all-time Appaloosa money earner. In 1995, Apache Double, one of the first Appaloosa race horses to earn a medallion, became the all-time leading sire of money earners with totals of $2,032,998.
- The first Texas-bred Appaloosa and Paint races were held at Trinity Meadows in 1994.
- Appaloosa racing associations in Colorado, Idaho, Utah and Wyoming opened up their stakes races in 1994 to include Paints. 1994 saw the formation of the National Color Breed Racing Council for the promotion of Appaloosa and Paint racing, a joint venture between members of the Appaloosa and Paint racing industry.
- The top horses, owner, breeder, trainer and jockey are recognized each year during the Appaloosa Convention with bronze trophies presented to the Supreme Champion two-year-old Appaloosa and the Supreme Champion three-year-old and older Appaloosa. Thirteen trophies are awarded to the Champion Running Appaloosa in each age/sex category while medallions are given to the three top horses in each age/sex category based on points determined by multiplying the number of wins times the amount of money earned in the current year. Forty-five Appaloosa horses receive a Regional High Point Champion certificate and Registers of Merit are awarded to those horses running an 80 and above speed index or 98 and above speed rating. In addition, one Appaloosa and one person are inducted into the Appaloosa Racing Hall of Fame each year.
- 1997, March, Appaloosas J&B Heza Jet Bar and J&B Charlie Brown win 33rd Annual World Champion Cutter and Chariot Championship’s fifth division for owners Gary, Marilyn and Jeff Moore. The team posted a time of :22.04 to win against a field of Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses.
Race Leaders
(Photo by Images N The Lens Photography)
2019 Top Ten Race Leaders- 2018 Top Ten Race Leaders
- 2017 Top Ten Race Leaders
- 2016 Top Ten Race Leaders
- 2015 Top Ten Race Leaders
- 2014 Top Ten Race Leaders
- 2013 Top Ten Race Leaders
- 2012 Top Ten Race Leaders
- 2011 Top Ten Race Leaders
- 2010 Top Ten Race Leaders
- 2009 Top Ten Race Leaders
- 2008 Top Ten Race Leaders
