**<\/p>\n
The 3-year-old gelding didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t win this race with as much ease as his previous 11 wins. Got Country Grip cruised past the finish line after a rough start as another horse collided with him out of the starting gate, causing him to stumble and run sideways for a bit.<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153That\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s about as hard a hit as I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve ever seen,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d said owner Jimmy Maddux about the collision on the track. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153We were lucky to recover from this deal. After the race we realized he ripped his shoe and a bit of his hoof off.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n The attention-grabbing 3-year-old fell behind in the race after the collision with Zoom N La Ree, but quickly gathered his senses and won by half a length.\u00c2\u00a0 He posted a time of 17.74 seconds.<\/p>\n Although the much-talked-about Paint didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t produce a record-breaking run, he didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t disappoint, as he increased his lifetime earnings to over $200,000 and proved his place among the best.<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s almost unheard of for a horse to win 12 straight races,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d said Maddux.<\/p>\n The race world will have to wait and see what the future hold in store for the world\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s fastest Paint. There had been discussion about a match race at Ruidoso Downs in Ruidoso N.M. against Quarter Horse world-record holder Planet Holland, but an agreement for the race was not reached.<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153They offered us one, but we didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have enough time to get out there and get the horse acclimated to the change in altitude,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d said trainer Brandon Parum. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153We also need a little more time to make sure his hoof is completely healed.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Nothing is etched in stone,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d said Maddux. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153First we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re going to make sure he isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t hurt or sore anywhere.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n If the team doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t find a place for him to race, the champion Paint may be turned out to live a life of leisure.<\/p>\n Maddux attributes his success as well as his horse\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s to trainer Brandon Parum and jockey G.R. Carter, Jr.<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve got one of the best jockeys\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6and what I think is one of the best trainers in the business,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d said Maddux on the gelding\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s success.<\/p>\n Following is a chronological breakdown of the gelding\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s record-breaking career:<\/p>\n \u00c2\u00b7\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 2005\u00e2\u20ac\u201dset the record for single year Paint racing earnings for a 2-year-old.<\/p>\n \u00c2\u00b7\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 April 30, 2006\u00e2\u20ac\u201dbroke the Paint Horse world record at 400 yards with a posted time of 19.55 seconds at the PSBA Stakes at Remington Park in Oklahoma City, Okla.<\/p>\n \u00c2\u00b7\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 May 24, 2006\u00e2\u20ac\u201dran a time of 17.26 seconds, setting a new world record for Paint Horses in 350 yards at the Oklahoma Horsemen\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Association Derby Trial at Fair Meadows Park in Tulsa, Okla.<\/p>\n \u00c2\u00b7\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 June 9, 2006\u00e2\u20ac\u201dbroke the world record he previously set at 350 yards with a posted time of 17.23 seconds at Fair Meadows. He also set the Fair Meadows track record for all breeds.<\/p>\n \u00c2\u00b7\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 July 28, 2006\u00e2\u20ac\u201d ran in his last official race, holding a perfect race record.<\/p>\n More about Paint Racing<\/strong><\/p>\n Horse racing has long been one of America\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s favorite spectator sports. With the recent growth of the Paint Horse breed, Paints have become one of the hottest tickets in the horse racing industry.<\/p>\n Since 1966, when APHA officially recognized the sport, Paint racing has made great strides. In that inaugural year, 17 starters ran for $1,290 in just two states\u00e2\u20ac\u201dTexas and Oklahoma.<\/p>\n In 2005, more than 600 starters competed in more than 800 APHA-recognized races for purses totaling more than $5.1 million.<\/p>\n A total of 18 states now feature Paint racing, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. Paint Horses are also racing in Canada.<\/p>\n
\nFORT WORTH, TEXAS\u00e2\u20ac\u201d <\/strong>Got Country Grip again proved to be unbeatable on the track as he battled for victory during the $45,000 Speedhorse Sprint Derby at Fair Meadows racetrack in Tulsa, Okla. on July 28.<\/p>\n