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Hall of Fame - Nacogdoches County
Original article written by Nathan Klein posted 3 years 2 weeks ago Nacogdoches County is located in Texas and is also a really long name that is hard to pronounce. But it is also the name of a champion Quarter Horse. Nacogdoches County was immediately introduced to the world of racing in the Austin Futurity trials. The SIM year had just started and the 2-year-olds were ready to race. Although he ran well he was a step short in both the trial and the actual Austin Futurity being second in the trial and third in the actual race. But after this, he established his abilities when he ran in the slightly shorter Rainstorm Futurity trial and race. The slight regression in distance was enough, as in both he timed his late burst just in time for him to win. But the late kick would be a real hit or miss weapon of Nacogdoches County. He racked up three straight thirds after his Rainstorm Futurity victory. He'd come home late but he more often than not would just barely miss the victory. But in the Steward's Cup Quarter's Juvenile would prove to be a saving grace as in that race he was able to get up just in time. His late kick was timed just right and this second Grade 1 win and his general consistency gave him the slight edge to win the Simmy award for Quarter Horse Champion Two Year Old Male.
But the following year would be way more decisive and Nacogdoches County would reach his peak. He would only taste defeat once in his second start. But after this, he would never lose again. He took the Rainstorm Derby, then the Most American Derby. As well as racking up the Star Of Stars stakes to help add to a huge payday. With just three Grade 1 wins he earned $1,500,000. His late kick helped him swing by in the last possible moment and win. The icing on the cake for the huge year was his run in the Steward's Cup Quarter's Championship. At the start, he was off awkwardly but after that he recovered quickly and began to accelerate. His strides soon grew longer and longer until he went from tenth all the way to first in just a quarter of a mile. The victory was his and he added an additional $375,000 to earnings that year. By the end of the year, he had earned $1,936,000 as well as two Simmy awards: Quarter Horse Champion Three Year Old Male, Quarter Horse of the Year.
But this success would only last that season. Although he started his 4-year-old season with a win in the Larimer Stakes by a nose it was his final victory during his career. He would go back to his niche as a 2-year-old where he could come home late but simply didn't have enough to catch the would-be victor. By the end of the year he had only earned another $100,050 - a far cry from earning just shy of 2 million in one year. With that subpar year over Nacogdoches County would be retired and sent to stud where there was more money to be made. As a sire, he would produce plenty of solid stakes runners but he only had one true stand out during his stud career and that was Cowpokes Don't Cry. Cowpokes Don't Cry was the only horse sired by Nacogdoches County to earn more than half a million, 1 million, and 2 million dollars in earnings. He was leagues better than the rest of Nacogdoches County's progeny earning 4 Simmy's as well as wins in the Most American Futurity and Most American Derby. Nacogdoches County would prove to be a solid stud and his bank smashing 3-year-old season meant that he would be inducted at the first chance he was given. Being inducted into the Hall Of Fame only nine SIM years after he retired. Nacogdoches County might be a hard name to pronounce but he was harder to beat on the track.