i>Mars Blackman, pictured in his championship season.

© Richard Chamberlain Photo

Q-RACING JOURNAL—MARCH 25, 2015— Mars Blackman, the champion 3-year-old gelding in 1995, was euthanized March 24. The track-record-setting gelding by On A High was 23 years old.

“’Mars’ had some sort of stroke and is having trouble standing up,” said owner James Kelly of J-K Ranch at Sonoita, Arizona.

Bred by Larry Brumbaugh of Weatherford, Texas, Mars Blackman was one of three champions and 42 other stakes winners by On A High, who sired the earners of more than $9.9 million. Mars Blackman was out of the winning Special Effort mare Heavy Spender ($26,294), who ran in Deadly Dart’s Rainbow Futurity (G1). The dam of earners of $620,194 from seven starters, each a winner, Heavy Spender also produced stakes winners Crash Davis (by Streakin Six, $52,029), Recycler (by Dash For Cash, $39,660) and Farris Bueller (by First Down Dash, $45,025).

Mars Blackman was foaled on February 22, 1992, the day after his dam was acquired by the Sonoita-based partnership of Charles Grannon and James Kelly’s mother, Marilou Kelly.

Earning $382,531 in six seasons on the track, Mars Blackman compiled a record of 35-19 (9)-6 (5)-3 (3). The gelding won the Sam Houston Derby (G1), the Grade 2 AQHA Derby Challenge Championship and World’s Championship Classic, Santa Cruz County Futurity (G3), TQHA Breeders’ Futurity (RG1), El Reno Stakes, Special Effort Stakes, Turf Paradise Championship and Texas Derby Challenge.

He also finished third in the Grade 1 Texas Classic Futurity, Remington Park Derby and Remington Park Championship, and was second in five other graded stakes.

AQHA News and information is a service of the American Quarter Horse Association. For more news and information, follow @AQHARacing on Twitter, watch the AQHA Racing Newscast and visit www.aqharacing.com.

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