The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal, September 29, 2009 – Overcoming all kinds of trouble, two-time AQHA distance champion Snowbound Superstar scored his record 15th consecutive victory when he nosed out Bad Act to win the $17,280 Red Cell California Distance Challenge on September 27 at Los Alamitos. The race, which marked Snowbound Superstar's first start since May 10, was conducted as a nonwagering event and was run a half-hour before the first race of the evening.
With Cody Jensen aboard, Snowbound Superstar broke slowly from Post 2 in the field of five 3-year-old and older horses going 870 yards. He was shuffled back at the start as Bad Act and jockey Cesar DeAlba took the early lead. Snowbound Superstar then moved to the rail, racing in tight quarters and facing the task of coming from off the pace.
Around the turn, Bad Act opened up a two-length lead while Snowbound Superstar moved off the rail, then lugged out badly. Bad Act took the turn efficiently and built a three-length lead, seemingly en route to a comfortable victory before Snowbound Superstar began to reel him in from the outside with every stride. The two were inseparable at the finish.
“Unbelievable if he got up after that kind of trip with Bad Act right there,” Los Alamitos announcer Ed Burgart said about Snowbound Superstar after the horses crossed the finish together. “A huge run from Snowbound Superstar in the final strides.”
Snowbound Superstar covered 870 yards on a fast track in :44.519. Victorysgotalotahope was third, and was followed by Legal Runaway and Gold Lone Star.
Snowbound Superstar, who races for Tom and Brenda Brinkley of Hollister, California, is a 6-year-old gelding by Snowbound (TB) who was bred in Washington by Robert F. Pulse. Trained by AQHA Champion Trainer Paul Jones, he has never lost while racing at 870 yards. The gelding now has 15 wins in 18 starts with career earnings of $236,088. He earned $8,985 for his latest victory.
Snowbound Superstar is scheduled to make his next start in the $125,000 Red Cell Racing Challenge Distance Championship (G1) during the 17th Bank of America Challenge Championships at Los Alamitos on October 31. The gelding won the race in 2007 when it also was held at Los Alamitos.
Now tied for second place behind Snowbound Superstar on the list of horses with the longest consecutive win streaks are Josie's Bar, a world champion who first accomplished the feat in 1953-1954; Destiny Drummer, a star in the Northwest who equaled the record in 1980-1982; and Pies Royal Request, who put together his streak in Arizona and New Mexico in 1994-1995 and became a Grade 1 winner at Los Alamitos.
