Joe Muniz and his prized horse

DON CANTRELL

Out of World War II, prep football and horse racing, Joe Muniz has

known triumph and trauma.

He can write off the trauma from his memory bank, but he will

always treasure the triumphs that have blessed him and his family

over the years. Some of the high points include:

*Marrying the lovely queen of the 1944 Newport Harbor High

junior-senior prom, the former Jerri Conner, which would lead to

three wonderful children.

*Seeing one of his race horses, “Chicks Beduino,” named the 1986

state champion in California.

“It was one of the biggest thrills of my life,” Muniz said.

*Starring as a blocking back on a classy 1944 Harbor High grid

team. Reflecting on the football achievements of his brothers Manuel

and Al at Harbor and in college.

*And, becoming one of the most respected pipeline contractors in

Southern California over a 38-year period.

As life progressed, Muniz, 75, expanded his interests in raising

and racing horses.

A Costa Mesa native, Muniz, his son, Rory, and his son-in-law,

John Bobenreith, came to own and work with many horses, but their

all-time champion was a gray stallion named, “Chicks Beduino,” which

means, “unruly man,” in Spanish.

It was Joe Muniz and Bobenreith who bred him in the early ‘80s and

on a 22-acre ranch near Lompoc. The ranch was called Rancho Nuestro

Ensueno, which means, “ranch of our dreams.”

The ranch was originally part of a Spanish land grant that

included more than 16,000 acres.

The gray colt was the second foal, a classy chick, produced before

she died some years ago.

Muniz credited one of his ranch hands, Alejandro Ruiz, with

breaking, “Chicks Beduino,” before Connie Hall took over the training

chores. Muniz always held Hall in high esteem.

It didn’t take long for the gray colt to flash into the limelight.

He won his first start, running 300 yards in 15.59 seconds (98 speed

index) on a sloppy track. He then set the fastest qualifying time for

the Bay Meadows Futurity, winning his trial by almost five lengths.

He went on to win Bay Meadows, a 350-yard event, in 17.65 seconds,

a stakes record. And on and on the stallion sprinted to numerous wins

and records.

He earned a half-million on the track for Muniz and family

members.

Sadly, he was hurt at Hollywood Park as a 3-year-old and almost

foundered. His racing days were over so the Muniz family sent him out

to breed at a ranch near Hemet.

His mark as a champion sire became increasingly valued over the

years, but a woeful day arose Sept. 18 when veterinarian Dr. Bill

Swyers informed Muniz that the brave colt was fading due to kidney

failure.

The mark the gray stallion left on the industry, “will be around

for generations,” Muniz said.

“He led the sire charts at Los Alamitos,” he said. “He was a world

champion and multiple-champion sire, the second all-time leading

living sire of money earners, and in 2003, the No. 1 leading sire of

money earners and the No. 2 leading sire of winners.”’

The sire of 229 black-type horses, Chicks Beduino had progeny

earnings of more than $24.5 million with more than $2.6 million

banked in 2003 alone, Muniz said.

He was a perennial leading broodmare sire with more than $8.2

million.

His dominance carried through to the 2003 sales. At Ruidoso, N.M.

he sired the high seller, a full sibling to Who’s-leaving-who, who

sold for $430,000.

A total of 28 yearlings sold for $1,359,500 for a $48,554 average.

He was the broodmare sire of 18 yearlings, selling for $804,000 for

an average of $44,667.

“Chicks Beduino was a blessing in our lives and he came along at a

good time. We all loved that horse,” Muniz said.