Bred in Texas by John T. L. Jones Jr. Interests Ltd., Ochoa was a $25,000 repurchase at the Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale and runs for a partnership comprised of John and Brenda Jones' J Bar 7, Monte and Katsy Cluck and Doug and Shavon Benson.
The four-time champion has made a lasting impact on the sport, with a mere 15 career starts. Within those races, he won the Grade 1 All American Futurity and Derby and the Robert L. Boniface Los Alamitos Invitational Championship. He is the sport’s all-time leading money earner and was champion 2-year-old and 2-year-old gelding in 2011 and champion 3-year-old and 3-year-old gelding in 2012. With his August 4 win in the Mr Jet Moore Handicap (G3), he earned the prestigious title of AQHA Supreme Race Horse.
The award recognizes a racing American Quarter Horse who during his or her career earns $500,000 or more, wins two or more open Grade 1 stakes races and at least 10 races.
Ochoa was trained by Ruidoso Downs’ Racehorse Hall of Famer Sleepy Gilbreath, and in one of the most impressive performances in recent history, Ochoa drew clear to a decisive 1 ½-length victory in the $2.4 million All American Futurity (G1) on Labor Day in 2011 at Ruidoso Downs
He is the sixth horse to win the All American Futurity and the All American Derby. His race record is 11 wins, one second and one third in 15 career starts and earnings of $2,762,615.
He was inducted into the Ruidoso Downs Hall of Fame in June 2016.
In August 2016, Ochoa began training again. He was introduced to the heavy and sometimes bulky western working saddle with layers of thick leather built upon a stiff and solid tree designed to hold a thousand pounds or more of cattle at the end of a lariat. His trainer, Chris Littlefield, said Ochoa surprised him with his extreme versatility and with his ability to solve problems and apply newly-learned skills. Ochoa has returned to his home ranch now, there to continue a new career as the newest working ranch horse on the J Bar L.
The four-time champion has made a lasting impact on the sport, with a mere 15 career starts. Within those races, he won the Grade 1 All American Futurity and Derby and the Robert L. Boniface Los Alamitos Invitational Championship. He is the sport’s all-time leading money earner and was champion 2-year-old and 2-year-old gelding in 2011 and champion 3-year-old and 3-year-old gelding in 2012. With his August 4 win in the Mr Jet Moore Handicap (G3), he earned the prestigious title of AQHA Supreme Race Horse.
The award recognizes a racing American Quarter Horse who during his or her career earns $500,000 or more, wins two or more open Grade 1 stakes races and at least 10 races.
Ochoa was trained by Ruidoso Downs’ Racehorse Hall of Famer Sleepy Gilbreath, and in one of the most impressive performances in recent history, Ochoa drew clear to a decisive 1 ½-length victory in the $2.4 million All American Futurity (G1) on Labor Day in 2011 at Ruidoso Downs
He is the sixth horse to win the All American Futurity and the All American Derby. His race record is 11 wins, one second and one third in 15 career starts and earnings of $2,762,615.
He was inducted into the Ruidoso Downs Hall of Fame in June 2016.
In August 2016, Ochoa began training again. He was introduced to the heavy and sometimes bulky western working saddle with layers of thick leather built upon a stiff and solid tree designed to hold a thousand pounds or more of cattle at the end of a lariat. His trainer, Chris Littlefield, said Ochoa surprised him with his extreme versatility and with his ability to solve problems and apply newly-learned skills. Ochoa has returned to his home ranch now, there to continue a new career as the newest working ranch horse on the J Bar L.