Stay Away Jonesy First Winner for Awesome Indian

Jarett Case Rogers' Stay Away Jonesy rewarded New Mexico-based freshman sire Awesome Indian with his first winner July 11 at Ruidoso Downs, rallying to a neck victory in maiden special weight company against eight fellow state-breds.

The 2-year-old gelding was sixth early under jockey Enrique Gomez in the five-furlong test. He edged the even-money favorite near the wire to stop the clock in :58.50 on a fast track. It was the second race for Casey Lambert-trained Stay Away Jonesy, who was fifth on debut in a June 6 trial at Ruidoso.

Stay Away Jonesy was bred by Jay and Paulette Taylor. He is out of the Silver Season mare Silver Jonesy, who won the Dessie and Fern Sawyer Futurity in 2009. Rogers purchased Stay Away Jonesy as a yearling for $15,000 from the Yellowrose Farm consignment to the Ruidoso Horse Sales New Mexico-Bred Thoroughbred Sale.

Awesome Indian is a Kentucky-bred son of Indian Charlie and the multiple stakes-placed Gone West mare Clear in the West. He was bred by Northwest Farms and campaigned by the Awesome Indian Syndicate for most of his career. All but one of his 14 starts came at Emerald Downs under the care of trainer Tom Wenzel, and he made his final start as a 4-year-old in October 2016 for trainer Keith Nations at Laurel Park. The bay horse was retired with a 5-2-2 record in 14 starts and earned $86,960.

Awesome Indian stands at Yellow Rose Farm in Albuquerque for $1,500.