RUIDOSO DOWNS — The 2009 class of all-time leading money-earning jockey G.R. Carter Jr., All American Futurity winning trainer Ted Wells, influential owner-breeders the Allred brothers and All American Futurity winner Strawberry Silk were inducted into the Ruidoso Downs Racehorse Hall of Fame during ceremonies on Saturday night at Ruidoso Downs.

Carter is the first active jockey to be inducted into the Racehorse Hall of Fame. A year ago, he became the all-time leading money-earning quarter horse jockey and his mounts’ earning now surpass $47 million. This year his mounts have earn $2.3 million The Oklahoma native has won 273 stakes races, including the All American Futurity twice, with Falling In Loveagain (1998) and Stolis Winner (2008).

Wells, of Pawhuska, Okla., is a legendary horseman and won the 1965 All American Futurity with Savannah Jr, who won by a stakes record of more than two lengths. He also trained major stakes winners Bob’s Folly, Easter Rose and Lena’s Bar (tb) for hall of fame horseman Walter Merrick. Lena’s Bar went on to produce world champion and All American Futurity winner Easy Jet.

Wells then managed a breeding farm that stood important sires Azure Te (tb), Easy Six and Savannah Jr.

The three Allred brothers – Jerry, Dale and Harvey – built a respected breeding operation in Mesa, Ariz. Jerry is the sole surviving brother and continues the breeding program that has produced such distinguished runners as 2002 All American Futurity winner and two-time champion AB What A Runner. The Allred brothers also bred leading sire Walk Thru Fire and raced Mark t Bars, who won a record 64 races.

Strawberry Silk earned the champion two-year-old and champion two-year-old filly titles in 1989 after winning the All American Futurity and Sun Country Futurity for then owner Jacqueline Spencer of Alto. She is now owned by David and Susan Mackie of Houston, Texas.

An All American Futurity victory and a championship title were just the first segment of a hall-of-fame career for the daughter of Beduino (TB) and Painted Bug. She became a broodmare and has produced four stakes winners, headed by champion Stoli.

Stoli raced to Grade 1 wins in the All American Derby and the West Texas Futurity, and was honored as the champion three-year old and champion three-year-old colt. He is the sire of 2008 world champion Stolis Winner and stands at the 6666 Ranch in Guthrie, Texas.

Strawberry Silk is also the dam of All American Juvenile winner Rousing Encore and the stakes winning Corona Cartel son Pappasito, who stands at Lazy E Ranch in Guthrie, Okla.

Mescalero Apache Day was also celebrated Saturday at Ruidoso Downs, with native American artisans in the grandstand and a specially named race.

“It was a huge success,” said Ruidoso Downs director of marketing Rachel Weber. “We’re really looking forward to doing it again next year.

“We had about a dozen Native American artisans. The blanket was presented in the sixth race to the winning connections by Elgin Toclanni of the Inn of the Mountain Gods and Miss Mescalero Chrissalyn Kirgin.”

J.R. Chino, rodeo champion from the Mescalero Apache Tribe, led the post parade in the sixth race.

On Sunday afternoon, Ed Calvert’s homebred One Tough Dude was not deterred by a muddy racing surface when he raced to a new 300-yard track record of :15.019 while winning the sixth race.

The time eclipsed the previous track record of :15.050 set by Special Task Force in 2006.

One Tough Dude broke alertly from the gate and was never challenged while drawing out to the two-length win over Dancin La Jolla in the full field of allowance horses.

The Paul Jones-trained One Tough Dude, a son of Corona Cartel and the First Down Dash daughter Start The Commotion, was ridden by Cody Jensen.

One Tough Dude was making his first start at 300 yards. At Sunland Park he was second in a pair of 400 yard races and then was non-threatening sixth in his 400-yard Ruidoso Derby trial in his only other start at the mountain track.

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