Uncommon Soldier Romps in Joe Birdrattler Memorial Hook Stakes at Great Falls

GREAT FALLS, MT–JULY 26, 2025– Uncommon Soldier, a 4-year-old chestnut gelding bred, owned, and trained by Clifton G. Dennis, exploded from the rail and never looked back, cruising to a decisive 3 1/4-length victory in the $12,000 Joe Birdrattler Memorial Hook Stakes (not black type) at Great Falls on Saturday afternoon.

In a race designed to test both speed and stamina, the son of Favorite Soldier delivered both, clocking 34.449 seconds on a fast track under jockey Kody Kellenberger, good for a blazing 103 speed index. The track record of 33.400 seconds may not have been threatened, but the competition certainly was.

With the win, Uncommon Soldier now boasts a record of 18 starts: 5 wins, 2 seconds, and 4 thirds, with career earnings of $32,275. He was foaled in Montana out of Sis Tar, a daughter of Fastnfierce.

His main challenger was Joe G’s Payback-TB, an 8-year-old Thoroughbred mare with 41 career starts under her belt. However, experience and stamina were no match for Uncommon Soldier’s early foot and corner-turning efficiency. The Louisiana-bred daughter of Flashpoint-TB, trained by Kent Cross and ridden by Jarred Journet, chased gamely from the two path but had to settle for second — a full 3 1/4 lengths behind the winner.

Out of Scarlet Tribute, by Gold Tribute, Joe G’s Payback’s second-place finish boosted her bankroll to $94,959 from a record of 8 wins, 7 seconds, and 3 thirds.

Another 1 1 /2 lengths back in third was Ocean Voyage, a seasoned 7-year-old gray horse who ground out a steady finish along the inside under Corrine Andros. The Idaho-bred campaigner, trained by Daren Jones for owners Kent and Linda Jones, stopped the clock in 35.196 seconds for a 90 speed index.

The son of Ocean Runaway is out of Cassies Jet Voyage by Coastal Voyage-TB. The third-place effort bumped his career earnings to $46,207. Ocean Voyage’s record now stands at 33 starts: 2 wins, 2 seconds, and 8 thirds.

The remaining order of finish was Contraband, Southern Mojo, Mischief Mame, Ms Clara, and Mindshare.

The stakes event honors the late Joe Bird Rattler, a pioneering Montana horseman from the Blackfeet Indian Tribe who helped keep racing alive in the state for more than 70 years. A former jockey, trainer, and patriarch of one of Montana’s most prominent racing families, Bird Rattler’s impact on the local industry continues to be felt through multiple generations. His legacy lives on at tracks like Great Falls—where the Quarter Horse he would've admired most turned a mixed-breed challenge into a statement of speed and heart.

Editor's note: A photo of this race will be posted with this article as soon as it is available from the track photographer.

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