2024 OQHRA HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES

Longtime Oklahoma horse trainer Don Drake was born in 1937, in Sallisaw, Oklahoma. He attended Sallisaw Schools and played football until he graduated. In 1955, he married LaJuana Janet Davis, and they were married for 56 years until she passed away in 2012.

Don drove a truck for Coca-Cola, and later worked for Wonder Bread. As a child he rode horses for a trainer, and this led to a career that lasted a lifetime. In 1975, Don decided to train racehorses full-time and established Drake’s Racing Stables. He was a leading trainer at Blue Ribbon Downs many times. He then turned his business over to his son David.

Don and LaJuana had two daughters and one son: Donna Kay Armstrong, Charles David Drake,and Janet Sue Taylor.

Don Drake is the trainer of 315 starters with 4,945 starts, 849 wins and over $5.3 million in earners. He is the owner of 7 first place runners, 8 seconds, and 5 thirds with $37,945 in earnings. Regarding Quarter Horses, Drake once said, “Overall they seem smarter to me and easier to train." The Don Drake Memorial for three-year-old Paints and Appaloosas is held every year at Will Rogers Downs. Don Drake passed away at the age of 75 on June 30, 2012.

Jockey Larry Payne has spent nearly all his life in the saddle, learning to ride at the young age of eight when he would help break babies for his father, trainer Jerry Payne. Larry received his jockey’s license at age 16 and put together an outstanding career. Larry said, “I knew at a very young age that was something I really enjoyed, and I still enjoy it."

Payne won the first of three leading rider titles at Remington Park in 1991, in 1993, and in 2003. He won the $1,000,000 Heritage Place Futurity in 2011 aboard High Rate Of Return; the Remington Park Futurity numerous times with Send Me The Candy (1996), Outdashing (2002), Redman Running (2003) and Regard With Respect (2015); and he also won the $525,000 Oklahoma Futurity in 2017 on Ima China Rush, the richest edition of this historic race and the oldest futurity in the sport of Quarter Horse racing. Perhaps his biggest day of racing took place in 2003, when he won six stakes victories in a single card, including the Remington Park Futurity and the Remington Park Derby.

Larry Payne kept his family close while enjoying a long riding career. His wife Marilyn served as his agent since 1986. The family also operates a ranch and raises alfalfa. Away from racing, Payne enjoys the great outdoors and is an avid fisherman. He said, “I am blessed. I raised my family and got the kids through school, and now I’m working on my grandkids. I have been truly, truly blessed. I give the Lord all the glory."

Larry Payne is the Quarter Horse rider of 2499 first place finishes with $30,276,326 in earnings; he is the Thoroughbred rider of 569 first place horses with $3,394,561 in earnings; and he is the mixed breed rider of 302 firsts with $3,084,169 in earnings; for a total of $36,755,056. Larry’s top Quarter Horse is The Marfa Lights with $566,493 banked, as well as Grade 2 winner Regard With Respect ($501,055) and Grade 1 winning High Rate Of Return ($456,010).

Larry retired from racing in June of 2018, winning a race aboard 4-time Champion Heartswideopen.

Bob Moore Farms was honored by the AQHA with a 50-year Legacy Breeder Award in 2013. Bob Moore Farms LLC began with the late American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame member Robert W. “Bob” Moore, who owned several auto dealerships.

Bob's involvement in Quarter Horses began in the 1950's, and he began his breeding program in the early 1960's. His intention was to raise his own racehorses to compete at the sport's highest levels, purchasing multiple Champion Vanetta Dee and Dyna Van, both by Vandy. His investment paid off quickly with 1972 World Champion Mr Jet Moore, the winner of the inaugural Champion of Champions. As his herd grew, he sold yearlings through Heritage Place, in which he was a partner.

When Bob relocated his farm to its current location on the southern banks of the Canadian River, he picked the spot because of its ideal conditions for polo fields. He built Broad Acres Polo Club next door to his farm. Bob Moore died at the age of 75 in 1998. Once asked how he would like to be remembered, Bob replied, “As an honest horseman who enjoyed raising and racing a good horse."

Bob Moore Farms achieves excellence in breeding, with one of the highest conception rates in the industry. They have been prepping sales yearlings, mares, and weanlings for over six decades and represent consignors at all major sales. They provide year-round boarding and turn out facilities with open paddocks and mare motels. Much attention is paid by Bob Moore Farms and its employees to the services they provide.

​Bob Moore Farms stands the following stallions: AJS Tres Of Paint ($291,966), his foals are weanlings of 2024; 2-time Champion FDD Dynasty ($1,173,001), 3-time Champion sire of over $33.8 million; Champion Hes Relentless ($616,380), 2-time Champion sire of over $15.9 million; and Speed Dynasty ($220,464), his first foals are weanlings of 2024.

Danjer (FDD Dynasty-Shez Jess Toxic, Take Off Jess), bred and trained by Dean Frey and owned by Dean Frey, Downtime Enterprises LLC, and Billy G. Smith, was the 2021 and 2023 World Champion, Champion Aged Horse, and Champion Aged Gelding. The brown gelding has earned a total of $2,499,432, making him the #3 all-time leading money earner behind KJ Desparado and Ochoa.

Danjer has been a leader by wins and/or earnings since 2018 when he began his career as a two year old. He has won 22 races, with 7 seconds and 3 thirds from 35 starts. He is a 17-time stakes winner with 15 Graded stakes and 12 Grade 1 stakes – making Danjer the all-time winner of Grade 1 events. His Grade 1 stakes include the Debbie Schauf Remington Park Invitational Championship (3-times), AQHA Challenge Championship (3-times), Downs at Albuquerque Fall Championship (twice), Leo Stakes, Championship at Sunland Park, Refrigerator Invitational Championship, and the All American Gold Cup.

Danjer is a half-brother to Grade 1 stakes winner Toxic Relationship (2023, $126,203). He is sired by 2-time Champion FDD Dynasty ($1,173,001), multiple World Champion sire of over $33.8 million. He is out of 3-time stakes winner Shez Jess Toxic ($235,296), who set three New Track Records.

Danjer died of an aneurysm at the age of seven in 2023.

Doyle Rice owned a mare named Desirae and his brother Ralph Rice bred her to Zevi, where he stood at Mighty Acres in Drumright, Oklahoma. Ralph decided to sell her at the Heritage Place Sale, but she didn't bring enough money and so they pooled their resources together and she foaled Hiclass Girl in 1984. The filly had a huge personality – it was her way or no way.

At two years of age, Hiclass Girl (Zevi TB-Desirae, Mighty Deck) showed much potential under trainer Bobby Turner. She raced between 1986-1988 and earned $402,220 winning the Heritage Place Futurity-G2 and Shebester Futurity, with seconds in the World's Championship Classic-G1and Rainbow Silver Cup-G1, a fourth in the Rainbow Derby-G1, and she was a finalist in the World's Championship Classic-G1 and Higheasterjet Handicap.

Hiclass Girl is the dam of stakes winner A Chick Of Class ($161,824), who is the dam of Grade 1 winner First In Class DBS, $95,992, and 2-time stakes winner A Tacky Chick, $87,709. A Chick Of Class won the Heritage Place Futurity – 17 years after Hiclass Girl won the race. She is also the dam of stakes-placed Hiclass Cloned, who is the dam of 3-time stakes winner Hiclass La Jolla ($349,118), and the grandam of 8-time stakes winner Sheza Freighttrain T (2023, $578,760).

Hiclass Girl is a full sister to All American Futurity-G1 second place finisher Elaina Rae ($380,113). She is the leading money earner sired by the Thoroughbred Zevi, who is the sire of over $8.7 million in earners, and she is out of stakes placed Desirae.

Hiclass Girl died in 2013 and was buried in Chouteau, Oklahoma, not far from the place where she was born.

Ronald James Childers was riding horses at three and team roping at nine. As a teenager, he won three different association youth and High School team roping state finals. He began riding Quarter Horses at the age of 18 and did that to make a living. He was a jockey who rode for trainers Eddie Willis, Lewis Wartchow, Jolly Howard, Rodney Reed, Tommy Mills, and many others. He was named jockey of the week several times at Remington Park, Blue Ribbon Downs, and Ross Meadows. He was the leading jockey for the Appaloosa Horse Club.

Ron suffered a terrible head injury in 1996, after a horse he was riding went down just past the wire. He was in a coma for five weeks. Childers credits his amazing wife Rosalind and his best horse A Jetting Dude, aka Cooley, for his recovery, with the team roping horse aiding the transition. Childers and Cooley have been together many years, winning many team ropings after the accident. He trained a horse named Eyes Have It, aka Rooster, that was the AQHA and PRCA Heading Horse of the Year in 1995. He won many saddles, buckles, etc., in team roping.

Ron Childers has ridden the earners of over $3.5 million with 787 wins. Perhaps his top horse is multiple Grade 1 winner and 1995 Aged Champion, Aged Champion Gelding My Debut with $459,010 in earnings.