Noconi
3-Year-Old Gelding
(Mr Jess Perry - My Dashing Lady by Dash For Cash)

Qualified by winning the All American Derby

Lifetime Record: 14-4-5-3, $731,118 2008 Record: 8-4-2-2, $685,458

A winner of his last four consecutive starts, Noconi has really found his stride as a three-year-old. Prior to August 15th of this year, Noconi remained a maiden, having lost the first ten starts of his career. This losing streak wouldn't last for long though, as Noconi woke up in a big way in his trial to the Grade I All American Derby, taking the 440-yard affair by a half-length and turning in the fastest qualifying time of the day. He inherited a big boost in confidence from that win, which he then used to knock off the heavily favored millionaire Heartswideopen in the finals, a horse who had already defeated him three times earlier in the meet. Following the upset, he proved the victory wasn't a fluke with another pair of back-to-back triumphs in the trials and finals of the Grade II Hobbs America Derby at Zia Park. Noconi qualified to the 2008 Champion Of Champions by virtue of his victory in the All American Derby at Ruidoso Downs on the last day of August. Up to this point, he has been campaigned by his trainer Paul Jones exclusively in the state of New Mexico and will be making his first lifetime start at Los Alamitos in the Champion Of Champions. From 14 total starts, Noconi has four wins to his credit and $731,118 in earnings. Noconi hails from a terrific female family as well, as his mother My Dashing Lady was an accomplished runner in her own right, taking the 1999 running of the Grade I Rainbow Derby at Ruidoso Downs. She is also the dam of Noconi's three-quarter sister Brenda Beautiful, who recently captured both the Grade II Hobbs America Futurity and the Southwest Juvenile Championship at Zia Park. My Dashing Lady's extended family also exudes a great deal of class, as she is a half-sister to the fantastic broodmare Sixy Lady, the mom of last year's AQHA Champion Ketel Won.

Paul Jones has dominated the Champion of Champions in recent years. The champion trainer won consecutive runnings of the race from 2002 through 2004 with Whosleavingwho ('02), The Down Side ('03), and Cash For Kas ('04). He also saddled World Champion Wave Carver to victory in the 2006 Champion of Champions. The Down Side, Cash For Kas and Wave Carver were in their 3-year-old year during their respective Champion of Champions campaign. "(Noconi) is getting better," said Jones after Noconi gave him his All American Derby victory. "He just ran the perfect race, and that's what I knew he needed to do to beat her [Heartswideopen]. It worked out great. "

Longtime partners in the horse business, R.D. Hubbard and John Jones won the 1998 Ruidoso Horse Sale Futurity (G1) with First Down Bounce and the '99 Rainbow Derby (G1) with My Dashing Lady, one of world champion Dash For Cash's final foals and the dam of the All American Derby winner Noconi. Hubbard and Jones Jr. will be going after the second Champion of Champions win together after winning the 2003 running with The Down Side, which they co-owned with country music star Toby Keith. Born and raised in Quanah, Texas, Jones trained 1967 Kansas Futurity winner Jet Smooth for legendary Quarter Horseman Walter Merrick. In 1978, Jones joined with several other prominent horsemen to establish the Heritage Place Sales Company in Oklahoma City. Kansas native R.D. Hubbard was a basketball coach and teacher at Towanda (Kansas) Junior High School in 1957 before becoming salesman for Safelite Glass in Wichita. He became president of company in 1968 before forming his own glass company, AFG Industries which he built into a Fortune 500 Company before selling it in 1992. In 1986, formed R.D. and Joan Dale Hubbard Foundation, which works to provide improved educational opportunities for students of all ages. Hubbard was introduced to racing by late Ed Sczesny. Hubbard would purchase Ruidoso Downs in 1988.

Currently, Hubbard is chairman of R.D. Hubbard Enterprises, a company based in Palm Desert that manages his business interests that include golf courses, racing, and real estate. He is chairman of Bighorn Golf Club in Palm Desert. In 1996, opened first California hotel/casino, Radisson Crystal Park Hotel. In 1992, R.D. Hubbard and his wife, Joan Dale, founded The Hubbard Museum of the American West, featuring an incredible art collection of Anne C. Stradling. Hubbard owns Crystal Springs Farm, formerly near Paris, Ky., and moved in the fall of 2007 to 320 acres near Tularosa, New Mexico. His previous racetrack interests included The Woodlands, Multnomah Kennel Club, Turf Paradise and Hollywood Park. Hubbard is no stranger to the Champions of Champions, having won the race with Denim N Diamonds in 1981 while running second with Super Sound Charge in 1980 and third with Denim N Diamonds in 1982, Prissy Fein in 1985, and Stoli in 2001.Other top Quarter Horses runners to be campaigned by Hubbard include former world record-holder Planet Holland, and standout sires such as Latest Version and champion aged stallion Ketel Won. He also has more than 25 stakes winning Thoroughbreds including Gentleman, Puerto Madero and Stravinsky. He is a board member and trustee for Breeders' Cup Ltd. Hubbard has been honored with a lifetime achievement award by the AQHA and will be inducted into their Hall Of Fame in 2009.