NORMAN, OK—AUGUST 6, 2011—Speedhorse Magazine and the Ruidoso Horse Sales Company will be honoring Special Effort and his connections on September 2nd during the Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale at Ruidoso Down, N.M. The ceremony commemorates the 30th anniversary of American Quarter Horse racing’s only Triple Crown winner.

The annual three-day Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale will be held September 2nd, 3rd and 4th in the Ruidoso Horse Sale Company's sale pavilion at Ruidoso Downs.

On the first night of sale, immediately following Hip #23, a ceremony will be held in the sales ring. Special Effort’s connections, including owners Dan and Jolene Urschel, trainer Johnie Goodman and jockey Billy Hunt, will be on hand to talk about that famous 1981 racing season that saw Special Effort win the Kansas, Rainbow, and All American futurities.

Bred by Allen and Jeanette Moehrig of Seguin, Texas, Special Effort was the first two-year-old in history to surpass $1 million in earnings, and is the only two-year-old to ever win all three summer futurities at Ruidoso Downs and take the Triple Crown. Named the 1981 World Champion, Special Effort went on to win the Kansas Derby-G1 as a three-year-old, retiring with earnings of $1,219, 949.

The son of Raise Your Glass (TB) died March 11, 2006 at 6666 Ranch near Guthrie, Texas where he stood at stud since 1993. He began his stallion career at the Urschel's 3-Bar-D Ranch then stood at Lazy E Ranch in Oklahoma before being purchased by Burnett Ranches, Ltd.

For more information, contact Greg Thompson, Speedhorse Magazine, at 817-270-5190 or Diane Reed, Ruidoso Horse Sales Company, at 575-378-4474.