Got Country Grip grabs 20th career win at G1 Lewis Wartchow
Memorial
FORT WORTH, TEXAS—On a day of national celebration, July 4, 2009, Got Country
Grip gave owner Jimmy Maddux of Weatherford, Texas, something else to celebrate
as he won the $20,000 Lewis Wartchow Memorial. The 350-yard race for 3-year-olds
and up was run at Fair Meadows in Tulsa, Okla.
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Got Country Grip grabs 20th career win at G1 Lewis Wartchow
Memorial. Photography by Gene Wilson & Associates
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Bred by Linda Fox of Maud, Okla., the all-time highest-earning Paint Horse in
history, a 2003 bay Solid Paint-Bred gelding, was sired by Country Quick Dash
and out of Got A Grip. Also a four-time Solid Paint-Bred Racing World Champion,
Got Country Grip stopped the clock at 17.42 seconds—just 0.19 seconds away from
breaking his previous record—with jockey Stormy Smith to earn $11,964. Under the
training of Brandon Parum, he has started in four races this year with three
wins to earn $57,964. His lifetime record includes 24 starts with 20 wins and 4
second-place finishes, and $344,992 in earnings.
Coming in at 17.64 seconds to claim second place and $3,988 with Larry Payne in
the irons was Chicks Lacerta, a 2005 sorrel Solid Paint-Bred mare. Sired by
First Smart Money AQHA and out of Treasured Chick, the mare was bred by Sammy
and Nadine Hester of Tulsa, Okla. She is owned by Sammy Hester, who also trained
her, and Charles Trochta of Oklahoma City, Okla. So far in 2009, she has started
in six races and has earned $46,246. Throughout her racing career, Chicks
Lacerta has started in 20 races with seven wins, four seconds and four thirds,
and has accumulated $107,790.
G I Jana ApHC took third in 17.69 seconds to earn $2,194.
Completing the rest of the field were Paint Horses SM Country Snowman with a
time of 17.97 seconds; Royal Quick Treasure at 18.06 seconds; and Midnight Water
in 18.14 seconds.
More about Paint Horse racing
Horse racing has long been one of America’s favorite spectator sports. With the
recent growth of the Paint Horse breed, it’s no wonder that Paints have become
one of the hottest tickets in the horse racing industry.
Since 1966, when APHA officially recognized the sport, Paint racing has made
major strides forward. In that inaugural year, 17 starters ran for $1,290 in
just two states—Texas and Oklahoma. In 2008, more than 570 starters competed in
more than 660 APHA-recognized races for record purses totaling more than $5
million.
A total of 17 states now feature Paint racing, including Arizona, California,
Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota,
Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. Paint
Horses also race in Canada.
"Paint Racing continues to be an opportunity for breeders, owners and trainers
to take a serious look at," said APHA Executive Director Lex Smurthwaite. "The
amount of purse money available and the average earning per Paint starter is
creating new interest in the Paint racing industry."
For more information on Paint Horse racing, contact APHA’s racing department at
(817) 222-6444, email racing@apha.com, or
visit paintracing.com.