AMERICAN QUARTER HORSE ASSOCIATION—NOVEMBER 16, 2018—The young runners in the John Deere Juvenile Challenge Championship (G2) better watch out for sharks in the water – or at least a Loan Sharky on the track.

Ron Martin of Seal Beach, California, bred, raised and races Loan Sharky, who will be trained by Christopher O’Dell in the $125,000 John Deere Juvenile Challenge (G3). The gelding has made six career starts, all at Los Alamitos.

Loan Sharky is by young sire Parsons Rock and out of Martin’s homebred mare Lil Sharky.

Parsons Rock is a 10-year-old son of First Down Dash out of the good mare Mini Rock. The stakes-placed runner is owned by the Parsons family, and are friends of Martin, which made Martin’s sire selection easier. From only 15 starters, Parsons Rock has average starter earnings of $15,055.

Lil Sharky is a 9-year-old daughter of Dean Miracle, and she was third in the 2011 John Deere Los Alamitos Juvenile Challenge, which was won by the Parsons’ Jockmos Dynasty. She is also a full sister to Rare Ed, who will compete in the Cox Ranch Distance Challenge Championship (G1), his third appearance at the Challenge Championships. The Martin-bred gelding won the Grade 1 race in 2016.

Martin’s horses have been legendary in another kind of racing, namely barrel racing – he owned world champion and Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association barrel racing horse of the year Rare Fred – but now focuses on racing.

Martin recalls that a yearling Loan Sharky got his tail chewed off by another youngster, so when he delivered the raggedy youngster to O’Dell’s barn, the trainer made a tongue-in-cheek prediction.

"He said he wouldn’t do well until his tail grew to hock length," Martin said with a laugh about the teasing.

In the paddock of Loan Sharky’s most recent start on October 27, the trainer announced that the gelding’s tail was enough – and, sure enough, he won his 300-yard maiden by a length.

And now the youngster has had a few more weeks to grow it out longer.

Martin also spoke on the benefits of the Challenge program.

"As a small breeder, I’ve won most of what I’ve won through the Challenge program," he said. "It lets you know exactly what you have, and provides your horse a lifetime of racing. I’ve won nominator money and I just think if everyone got involved in it, they would stay in it. I don’t have anything bad to say about the program. Malynda (Reed) on the phone is super nice, super cooperative, and every time I’ve been to the Challenge Championships, it has always been great."

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