All American Derby Qualifier: Bills Last

BILLS LAST
S.g. Shazoom-Crystalinas by Beduino (TB)

Watch Qualifying Race

Watch InTheGate Video Profile (external link)

Race Record: 13-3-1-5 $160,763

Breeder: Jerry Windham (TX)
Owner: Paul Blanchard
Trainer: Paul Jones
Qualifying Jockey: Rodrigo Aceves
Qualifying Time: :21.390 (Trial 3)

Race Record: Off the board only three times in his career, Bills Last has shown up consistently – he was a finalist in the All American Futurity (G1), as well as this year’s Grade 1 Ruidoso and Rainbow derbies. Bills Last was third in the third trial, a nose behind dead-heat winners A Toss Up and Hez Our Secret.

The horse’s name is a nod to a tiny bit of AQHA history. Bills Last was the final horse registered with AQHA while the Association was overseen by AQHA Executive Vice President and recent American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame nominee Bill Brewer. The next horse registered was Dons First, as a nod to current AQHA Executive Vice President Don Treadway Jr. Both names were auctioned off at the AQHA Convention as a benefit to the AQHA’s Bill Brewer Employee Scholarship Program.

Breeder: AQHA Past President Jerry Windham of College Station, Texas, is a 30-year cumulative breeder. In that time, he has bred the winners of 980 races from 6,041 starts, with earnings of more than $15.2 million. Among the standouts he has bred are all-time leading money earner Stolis Winner ($2,235,161), champion First Regards ($277,270), and multiple Grade 1 winners First Place Queen ($880,869) and Azoom ($738,136).

Owner: Paul Blanchard of Albuquerque, New Mexico, bought Bills Last from the 2010 All American Select Sale for $47,000. From 50 starts, Blanchard's horses have won nine starts and earned more than $251,000.

“He’s just a solid war horse,” Blanchard said of his horse. “He just goes about his business and always performs well. He always gives it what he’s got, and that’s all you can ask of him.

"In the trial, he broke seventh, so he didn't get out really well," he said. "So for him to come back and be right there was a testament to the fact that he tries. He doesn't quit."

Trainer: All-time leading trainer Paul Jones took over training duties of Bills Last about a month before the All American trials. From 18,327 starts since 1990, Jones’ horses have won 3,423 races and earned more than $66.1 million. The reigning champion trainer for the past decade, Jones won the All American Derby in 2008 with Noconi and in 2009 with Inseperable.

Qualifying Jockey: California-based Rodrigo Aceves has won 1,640 of 9,026 career races, with earnings of $20,496,878. Among his notable wins are Grade 1 races aboard One Quick First Down, First Down Illusion, A Stoli Mate, Startlet Hawk, Willie Works, Hulapai, What A Performance and Sheza Bad Habit.

Pedigree: Bills Last is a full brother Grade 1 winner Azoom ($738,136) and Grade 1-placed Vrrroom ($161,593). His 19-year-old sire Shazoom was a Grade 1-placed runner who won nine of 22 starts and earned $178,606. As a sire, from 13 crops he has the earners of more than $18.6 million, including champions Shining Sky and Lett Her Zoom. Shazoom now stands in Brazil.

The 24-year-old Crystalinas, a winning daughter of Beduino (TB), has produced 10 winners from 14 starters. In addition to Bills Last, Azoom and Vrrroom, the mare has also produced stakes winner Special Crys ($95,190, by Special Effort).