Parkinson & Johnson Win Chariot Championships

The team from the National chariot association scores at World.

By Richard Chamberlain
March 26, 2012

Champion racehorse and All American Futurity (G1) winner AB What A Runner has her world champion. So do Rod Parkinson, his father Tim Parkinson and partner Leroy Johnson.

Racing for the team of Parkinson & Johnson, AB What A Runner’s offspring Ocean Runner and stablemate Whos On First AJ won the chariot racing world championship on Sunday, March 25, at the Weber County Fairgrounds in Ogden, Utah.

With Rod Parkinson at the lines, Ocean Runner and Whos On First AJ toured the quarter mile in :21.83, defeating Utah champions Ekstrom & Gift, who clocked :22.00, and former world champion Wasatch Pallet, at :22.06.

Ocean Runner, a 4-year-old gelding by Ocean Runaway, won or placed in seven of 11 starts on the flat track, and earned $6,568.

Ocean Runner is one of eight winners from eight starters out of AB What A Runner, the world-record-setting Royal Quick Dash mare that won the 2002 All American and was that year’s champion 2-year-old and the following year’s champion 3-year-old filly. From eight starters, the mare has produced eight winners, including stakes-placed runners Lite My Fyre (by Walk Thru Fire, $22,280), KD Star (by Ocean Runaway, $20,503) and Whata Corona Runner (by Corona Cartel, $19,222). Ocean Runner was bred by Dennie and Kris Hill of Blackfoot, Idaho.

Whos On First AJ is an 8-year-old gelding by Separatist out of the Arrows Request mare Marys Request. Whos On First AJ was bred by Jackie and Rod MacPherson and won or placed in 13 of 25 starts on the flat track, while earning $30,763. His dam won the 1990 Kindergarten Fillies Futurity (G3) and was third in the Firecracker Futurity (G1). She has produced 11 winners from 12 starters and earnings of more than $277,000.

Parkinson & Johnson represent the National Cutter & Chariot Racing Association of Rigby, Idaho, and are the Idaho state chariot champions. Ekstrom & Gift run with the Gold Spike association at Brigham City, Utah, and Wasatch Pallet are with the Skyline club at Smithfield, Utah.

“My horses warmed up good, they went on the track great and they left (the gate) awesome,” Rod Parkinson said. “It was almost perfect. They both left the gate great, they both ran good and they got stronger as we went.”

“You know, you have these dreams – I’ve been doing this since I was 16, and I’d always just wanted to make the dash,” Johnson said. “I’ve dreamed about this all these years and it’s worked out even better than I’d dreamed.”