Qualified by running third in the Z. Wayne Griffin Directors Trials

Strawkins was named the Horse of the Meet at Ruidoso Downs in New Mexico after winning the Bayer Legend New Mexico Challenge and the Rainbow Derby while finishing third in the All American Derby. Leading from start to finish as the 7-5 favorite, Strawkins sprinted to a track-record victory in the Grade 1, $269,817 Rainbow Derby on July 22. Strawkins 440-yard clocking of :20.736 on a fast track gave the gelding a 107 speed index, tying a lifetime-best, and it broke by 21/100ths of a second the track record established by Snow Big Deal in the 2003 All American Derby (G1). Strawkins defeated runner-up Separate Tac by 1 ¾ lengths, one of the largest winning margins in the Rainbow Derby's 42-year history. "He stumbled a little at the start, but he stumbled to the lead and just drew off from there," said jockey Cody Jensen. "I had no idea he was setting a track record, especially with the stumble." He also ran second to Apollitical Time in the Los Alamitos Invitational Championship earlier this season. "She just had a big lead on Strawkins right out of the gate," Don Boyle said. "He lost ground when he shuffled out of the gate. He has a strong late kick and maybe with another 10 yards or so he would have made it very close. He ran a great race and this was his first time back at Los Alamitos. The All American was pretty tough on him because he doesn't like the mud. He's tough and he's all business." Strawkins also ran third in the Z. Wayne Griffin, an effort that landed him a spot in the Champion of Champions. "Our ultimate goal with this horse (was always) the Champion of Champions," trainer Paul Jones added. The gelding's stakes wins include last year's Canada Cup (RG2) and Pot O' Gold (G3) futurities.

Since 2001, trainer Paul Jones has saddled 15 horses in the Champion of Champions. He will add three more to that number in 2006, as he trains Blazin Fire, Strawkins and Wave Carver. The four-time AQHA Champion trainer won three straight Champion of Champions from 2002-2004 thanks to Whosleavingwho (2002), The Down Side (2003) and Cash For Kas (2004). Jones is enjoying another super year in 2006. He is the nation's leading trainer in wins with 222 and money earned with over $5.3 million. He won his second straight All American Futurity earlier this year when he saddled No Secrets Here to victory at Ruidoso Downs. As of press time, Jones could still go over the $6 million mark in earmings depending on how No Secrets Here, The Crawfish and Trisk performed in the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity. In 2005, Jones enjoyed a record setting season. For the fifth straight year, he set a new track record for most Quarter Horse wins in a single year. His 273 Quarter Horse wins secured his eighth straight local training title. He is well on track to make it nine straight titles at Los Alamitos. He also set a new national Quarter Horse record for most wins in a year. In 2001, Paul became only the third trainer to win 1,000 Quarter Horse races at Los Alamitos courtesy of Daves Best Man. Paul is one of five trainers at Los Alamitos with over 1,000 wins. He is currently second in wins and stakes wins behind Hall of Famer Blane Schvaneveldt.

Don and Peggy Boyle, who have campaigned many solid racehorses over the years, own a farm in Madras, which is located in Central Oregon. "We have a couple of thousand acres where we grow feeding seed," Don Boyle said. "We also keep about four broodmares. Shirleys Strawfly has a Mr Eye Opener filly. Strawkins is of a Strawfly Special mare that we own named Shirleys Strawfly." The winning Strawfly Special mare has foaled four winners from four starters, including 2003 Bayer Legend Canada Derby Challenge winner Mr Eye Will and '05 John Deere Canada Distaff Challenge winner Raining Fresh Daisys, both of whom are half siblings to Strawkins. The Boyles also campaigned 2004 Canadian Champion A Special Martini. "We bought Shirleys Strawfly as a yearling but she was a hard-luck mare. We made her a broodmare after she chipped. She's had three stakes runners and two of them have been track record holders." Strawkins is one of those record holders, as the Oregon-bred gelding by Hawkinson set the 300-yard track record at Sun Downs last season, breaking a record that had stood for 18 years. He also won the Grade 2 $100,000 Canada Quarter Horse Cup Futurity at Rocky Mountain Turf in Lethbridge. "One of his loses came over a very wet, sloppy track," Peggy Boyle said. "We think he would have won that race otherwise."