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801 SW 60th Avenue Fax: (352) 867-1979 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF MANAGING EDITOR CONTRIBUTING EDITOR-INDUSTRY & COMMUNITY AFFAIRS ART DIRECTOR ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT PRODUCTION PRINT TECH OPERATIONS & FACILITIES CEO & PUBLISHER CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATION & OPERATIONS

Ocala, Florida 34474 • (352) 732-8858 www.ftboa.com Brock Sheridan Mike Mullaney Tammy A. Gantt John D. Filer Antoinette Griseta Emily Mills, Nancy Moffatt Jeff Powell LONNY TAYLOR POWELL CAROLINE T. DAVIS E. JANE MURRAY

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April/May 2017 VOL 60/ISSUE 4

DEPARTMENTS & COLUMNS —By Brock Sheridan

6

BROCK TALK

10 24 58

FLORIDA FOCUS LEGISLATIVE UPDATE Country-wide Florida-bred statistics

AROUND THE COUNTRY

59

EL POTRO

61

D.C. Pan Am Event Encourages Florida Attendees

63

FTBOA MEMBER UPDATE

64

DRIFTING OUT

66

—By Gary West

—By Roberto Rodriguez

FLORIDA INDUSTRY NEWS

—By Tammy A. Gantt —By Mike Mullaney

WAYS OF THE WEST

FEATURES 8

A MILLION-DOLLAR SUMMER

26

New Owners Take Million-Dollar Babies in Record March Sale —By Brock Sheridan

30

Talented colt named Florida’s 2016 Horse of the Year, top juvenile at FTBOA fete

Florida-bred Second Summer takes the $1 million Godolphin Mile — By Brock Sheridan

OBS MARCH SALE OF 2-YEAR-OLDS THREE RULES, TWO TITLES —By Brock Sheridan

34

Spring-Summer Slate Pivots on Lucrative FTBOA FSS

GULFSTREAM PARK SPRING/SUMMER STAKES SCHEDULE —By Mike Mullaney

40

Champion Precisionist embodied speed, stamina and durability for owner/breeder Fred Hooper —By Patricia McQueen

48

FTBOA BLACK & WHITE GALA

VERSATILITY DEFINED

—Photos by Michael Schwarz and John Nevàrez

52

Weanling Nutrition —By Heather Smith Thomas

56

OTTB EXPO

EQUINE CARE

—By Tammy A. Gantt; Photos by Sally Moehring and Tammy Gantt

4 THE FLORIDA HORSE • APRIL/MAY 2017

COVER PHOTO OF OBS MARCH SALE TOPPER WITH BLOODSTOCK AGENT KERRI RADCLIFFE: LOUISE REINAGEL CONTENTS PHOTO OF YORKIE PRINCESS: LABOZZETTA

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BrockTalk2.qxp_EditorWelcome 4/4/17 9:52 AM Page 6

the Brock talk

Brock Sheridan

Editor-in-Chief Florida Equine Communications

JOHN D. FILER PHOTO

A Florida Recipe For Prosperity A

lthough this issue of The Florida Horse will have been sent to the printer before the six races that make up the 2017 Florida Cup at Tampa Bay Downs have been run, I think it notable to mention the additional $150,000 that was added to this year’s renewal.

This was the 15th running of the Florida Cup, a day of stakes races designed to promote and recognize the Floridabred thoroughbred. The six races that make up the Florida Cup are the Hilton Garden/Hampton Inn and Suites Sprint Stakes, the EG Vodka Turf Classic, the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Sophomore, the 14 Hands Winery Sophomore Turf, the Stonehedge Farm South Sophomore Fillies and the Pleasant Acres Stallions Distaff Turf. In each of the 14 previous runnings, each of these races featured a $75,000 purse.

However, due to some progressive thinking by the leadership of the Tampa Bay Downs Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association, the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association and Tampa Bay Downs, this year those races each featured a $100,000 purse. Total stakes purses for the event went from $450,000 to $600,000. In addition, Tampa Bay Downs racing secretary Allison De Luca put together an exceptional menu of six additional overnight races to support the Florida-bred card which brought total prize money distributed that day to $708,800.

Each year, several months before the start of the Tampa Bay Downs season, representatives from the track, the FTBOA and the Tampa Bay HBPA, agree contractually on how much prize money will be available in stakes and overnight races during the season.

This winter, the track opened for live racing on Dec., 26 and will run through May 7.

The same process takes place before the Gulfstream Park and Gulfstream Park West seasons. However, horsemen in South Florida are represented by the Florida HBPA instead of the Tampa Bay Downs HBPA. Last year, before contract negotiations began with Tampa Bay Downs and the FTBOA, TBDHPBA president Bob Jef-

In all, the 2017 Florida Cup

was a resounding success by almost any measure

6 THE FLORIDA HORSE • APRIL/MAY 2017

fries came up with the idea to increase the Florida Cup purses. Because each entity equally contributes money to purses for Florida-bred stakes, Jefferies contacted FTBOA chief executive officer Lonny Powell with the concept. Powell immediately agreed to contribute the additional funds so he and Jeffries approached Tampa Bay Downs vice president and general manager Peter Berube. Berube also agreed to the concept – and voila! – the Florida Cup was now 33% richer. Florida-breds ran for more money while the horsemen who trained those horses also earned more. The track saw an increase in quality horses, jockeys and trainer which helped handle and their bottom line. “[All three groups] are putting up a third [of the extra purse money],” Jeffries told the Tampa Bay Times in March.

“Our local horsemen generally win a pretty good portion of that money.”

Powell said the enhanced Florida Cup was a great example of a local horsemen’s group working in concert with its track and state breeders and owners in a partnership to build a stakes and racing program.

“This whole process of building up Florida Cup Day was quite, uncomplicated and nothing but positive and amicable” Powell said. “We are happy to join our good partners Tampa Bay Downs and the Tampa HBPA in producing another competitive and exciting, big event day of racing at Tampa Bay Downs.”

Another change to the 2017 Florida Cup was running it on a Sunday as opposed to presenting the event on Saturday.

This allowed the Florida Cup to stand alone and not compete for the off-track wagering dollars that might have been placed on the Florida Derby (G1) run at Gulfstream Park or the Louisiana Derby (G2) at Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans on that Saturday. The benefit of running on Sunday also allowed for some of the nation’s top jockeys to fly into Tampa Bay to ride after competing in the Kentucky Derby (G1) prep races the day before.

In all, the 2017 Florida Cup was a resounding success by almost any measure: beginning on the days in which Jeffries, Powell and Berube began working to produce the best possible Tampa Bay meeting. ■

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8 THE FLORIDA HORSE • APRIL/MAY 2017

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F

COURTESY DUBAI RACING CLUB

lorida-bred Second Summer

takes the $1 million Godolphin Mile at Meydan Race Course in Dubai on Mar. 25. Bred by Ocala’s Richard Shultz, Second Summer increased his career earnings to $920,955. Owned by Sheikh Rashid bin Humaid Al Nuaimi and trained by Doug Watson, he is by Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Summer Bird out of Greenstreet,

by Street Cry (Ire). He was ridden to victory by Pat Dobbs. Ireland’s Ross was second with South Florida-based Sharp Azteca third.

THE FLORIDA HORSE • APRIL/MAY 2017 9

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COGLIANESE PHOTO

Florida FOCUS by Mike Mullaney

Florida-bred Imperial Hint

Floridians Imperial Hint, Stallwalkin’ Dude 1,2 in Gen. George Imperial Hint has become a lion while sprinting on the Mid-Atlantic racing circuit this winter and he assumed total control of

10 THE FLORIDA HORSE • APRIL/MAY 2017

the division with his 2¼-length tally over fellow Florida-bred Stallwalkin’ Dude in the Grade 3, $250,000 Gen. George Stakes at Laurel on Feb. 18.

The seven-furlong race, a traditional wintertime highlight, drew a field of nine older

sprinters and the two Floridians went off favored, with even-money being offered on Stallwalkin’ Dude, who was shipped in from New York by co-owner and trainer David Jacobson, and 5-2 on Imperial Hint, who is stabled at Parx in trainer Luis Carvajal Jr.’s barn.

Carvajal, who knew he was in position to win his first graded stakes, said he balanced confidence with the jitters.

“This was a very nervous race for me and [owner Raymond Mamone]. I had never won a graded-stakes race before, [although] I always thought he was a graded-stakes horse,” he said.

“You know, it’s funny … I was walking out of the paddock when the horses were already on the track and I hear a few people say, ‘Look at the favorite [Stallwalkin’ Dude]. He’s humungous. Look at the ‘5 horse’ [Imperial Hint]. He’s so small. He has no shot at all.’

“But I had in mind, ‘Yeah, you don’t know the heart he has.’”

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While the venerable Stallwalkin Dude has been racing of late in New York, furthering his already solid reputation while hitting the million-dollars-earned mark, Imperial Hint quietly became a “now” horse in recent months, winning three of his last four – including Laurel’s Fire Plug Stakes in his most-recent outing, Jan. 14 – coming into the Gen. George.

A brief bobble out of the gate didn’t hinder the team of Imperial Hint and rider Julian Pimental from grabbing the lead shortly thereafter, hitting the opening quarter-mile in :22.61, a length ahead of Afleet Willy. That rival, who was riding a threerace winning streak, kept the pressure on, getting to within a half-length after a halfmile in :45.28 before giving way turning for home, where Stallwalkin’ Dude picked up the chase.

Game and honest as always, Stallwalkin’ Dude and Irad Ortiz were all-out in their ef-

fort to catch the winner, but they had to settle for the place, 1¾ lengths ahead of 37-1 Never Gone South.

Imperial Hint paid $7.60 and reached the wire in 1:21.20, just .25 off the track mark, which was set in the 2010 Gen. George by Greenspring.

Of the mount, Pimental said: “He’s a very fast horse. He broke a step slow but right away he recovered and he just ran fast all the way around there. He just went on about his business.”

Ocean Knight, winner of Tampa’s Sam Davis in 2015 and off at 8-1, was a neck farther back in fourth while Heavens Runway, who stunned Stallwalkin’ Dude at 321 in the Fall Highweight (G3) at Aqueduct on Thanksgiving Week, checked in seventh at 7-1.

Owned by Raymond Mamone, Imperial Hint earned $150,000 to boost his earnings to $349,805 while improving his record to

6-1-0 from 10 starts. He started his career with victories in his first two starts, both at Tampa, where he broke his maiden last year, as a 3-year-old, in his first career race, then followed with a 6¾-length romp in the Sophomore against state-breds.

“After he won his first race I thought he was going to be a nice horse,” Carvajal said.

“We just had a couple little hiccups down the road but now he’s doing really well.”

Carvajal said he was going to give his horse a few days before setting a schedule.

Imperial Hint was bred in Marion County by Bert Pilcher’s Shade Tree Thoroughbreds, where he also received his early lessons under the guidance of Pilcher and Shade Tree farm manager Gene Corbin.

Imperial Hint’s Gen. George victory came four years to the day that he was foaled at Shade Tree.

The 4-year-old colt is a son of Imperialism out of the Lahint mare Royal Hint. ■

THE FLORIDA HORSE • APRIL/MAY 2017 11

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Florida FOCUS Florida-breds Sweep Tampa Stakes

SV PHOTOGRAPHY

A pair of Florida-breds – the 4-year-old Tiger Blood and the 7-yearold Spanish Concert – won their first career stakes Feb. 18 at Tampa.

Tiger Blood, who was fourth in last year’s Sophomore Stakes to Imperial Hint, winner of the Grade 3 Gen. George on Feb. 18, led a trio of Florida-breds to the wire in the $100,000 Pelican Stakes for older sprinters going six furlongs while Spanish Concert, who had made a career participating in optional-claiming races, found the conditions perfect for her first stakes success – and the first for owner James Chicklo of Ocala – in the Minaret for older fillies and mares at the same distance.

Like Imperial Hint, Tiger Blood had shown tremendous ability in his first few public appearances at Tampa, breaking his maiden first time out by 9¼ lengths, registering a 92 Beyer Speed Figure while getting six furlongs in 1:09.90, then following that up with a 5½-length tally against $75,000 optional-claiming company.

Ambitious outings in Gulfstream’s Spectacular Bid, in which he finished fifth, and against Imperial Hint in the sophomore followed, but Darien Rodriguez, who took over the colt’s training in November, appears to have the horse back on track: In their two races prior to the Pelican they had a win and a sharp second.

“He’s been good since I got him,” said Rodriguez, who said he

Florida-bred Tiger Blood

counseled rider Pablo Morales to “break well and put him on the outside because last time – his runner-up finish to Pelican rival Futile in $100,000 optional company at the same distance on Jan. 15 – he got between horses and got a little shy.”

Morales did as instructed in the 33rd running of the Pelican, allowing Schivarelli, Springmeier and Sonoma Crush to engage in a threeway free-for-all for the early lead. Springmeier would prove most resilient of the early combatants and he was ready when Tiger Blood came calling, giving that rival all he could handle before submitting to his freshest rival. The margin of victory for Tiger Blood was a tight length.

He paid $8.60.

“I knew the horse was something special from Day 1,” said Morales, who was aboard for those first two victories at Tampa last year.

“After I worked him once for Darien at this meeting, I knew I was sitting on a monster. Darien had him absolutely 100% ready, and we knew he could do this.”

The 43-1 Sonoma Crush held for third, 2¼ lengths farther back, with El Grande Rojo fourth. Schivarelli was sixth, a head in front of the even-money favorite Futile in the eight-horse field.

Tiger Blood got the six furlongs in 1:09.42, with fractions in :22.43 and :45.

“He has tactical speed and doesn’t have to be right up there, but

SV PHOTOGRAPHY

Florida-bred Spanish Concert

12 THE FLORIDA HORSE • APRIL/MAY 2017

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Florida FOCUS

COGLIANESE PHOTO

he likes to be running in the clear,” Morales said. “He was ready to go, he was sharp and there was nobody on our outside so there was no reason to pull him back.

“I just kind of inched him outside a bit on the turn to make sure there was nobody outside him, and he was super happy and just dragging me along. I felt like we were in good shape all the way around, and once he switches leads he always takes off.”

Owner Miguel Barraza picked up the first-place prize of $60,000, which boosted Tiger Blood’s earnings to $115,302. His record now reads 4-1-0 in nine starts.

Tiger Blood is a son of Cowtown Cat-Sarah Cataldo, by Smarty Jones. Bred by Brent and Crystal Fernung, he was an OBS bargain at $4,500 coming out of the August, 2014 sale.

Spanish Concert had never run in a stakes race prior to the Minaret, in which she took on the two-time winner of the event, Florida-bred You Bought Her. The latter has been biding time, picking up checks in an assortment of stakes before her breeding date with Horse of the Year California Chrome.

Favored at 9-5, You Bought Her never really got untracked as Spanish Concert went wire to wire, setting fractions of :22.30 and :44.84 before hitting the line, 3¼ lengths clear of runner-up My Mertie, in a stakes record 1:09.63.

Southern Ring was third, emerging best in a three-way photo for

Florida-bred Yorkiepoo Princess

the show, 1¼ lengths farther back. Annathela was another neck back in fourth, and You Bought Her was the same distance away in fifth.

Assistant trainer Brian Smeak, deputizing for Kathleen O’Connell, proclaimed Spanish Concert, who has a 6-6-1 record in 13 starts in Oldsmar, “The Queen of Tampa. She’s on top of her game right now.”

Chicklo, who has owned racehorses for 20 years and who has four with O’Connell, said he found the race “Exhilarating. She is a great horse, but the competition she had [in the Minaret] … I thought the Pelican might be easier for her than this race, but [O’Connell] puts them where they can win.”

Ronnie Allen, who has a remarkable record with Spanish Concert of three wins and five seconds in eight rides, said: “She has a lot of natural speed and, being on the outside, they usually break a lot faster.

Once she got the lead, I worked her down to get on the path I wanted, where the tractor goes and it was packed down good, because she likes it hard and fast.

“I heard [My Mertie and jockey Fernando De La Cruz] coming, but I knew I still had a lot of horse. When I uncocked my stick and hit her once inside the quarter-mile pole, she just took off.”

Spanish Concert, who paid $10.60, has won seven of 27 starts with 10 seconds and five thirds. The $30,000 first-place prize boosted her earnings to $201,790.

A daughter of Concerto-Spanish Slew, by Seattle Sleet, she was bred

by Carlos Giraldo. ■

Yorkiepoo Princess Wins Busher

14 THE FLORIDA HORSE • APRIL/MAY 2017

Envision the E Street Band alongside Irad Ortiz late afternoon on Feb. 25 and you could almost hear Bruce Springsteen singing his line “You ain’t a beauty but, hey, you’re all right.”

Turn “Thunder Road” into fog-shrouded Aqueduct and you set the stage for the unveiling of Yorkiepoo Princess as a legitimate Oaksquality filly. The daughter of Kantharos pierced through the gloom to win the Big A’s featured Busher Stakes by 1¾ lengths.

The 1 1/16-mile, $150,000 Busher provided the successful twoturn debut for Yorkiepoo Princess, a steal when purchased for $8,000 as a 2-year-old at OBS last April.

Bred by Francis and Barbara Vanlangendonck of Morriston, Fla.,

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and now owned by Danny Chen, she picked up 50 points toward a starting berth in the May 5 Kentucky Oaks (G1) after bursting away from the field straightening for home.

She drifted out a bit toward the end but was never endangered, comfortably holding safe runner-up Full House.

“She makes the lead and she waits on horses all the time, that’s just her,” said Ortiz, the winning rider.

The team of Yorkieepoo Princess, Ortiz and trainer Eddie Barker have been perfect in four collaborations and, in complimenting his mount after this latest victory, the rider sounded like “The Boss” in saying: “She’s just an OK-looking filly, but when she runs, she can run.”

The Busher was favored Yorkiepoo Princess’ third successive stakes victory, all with Ortiz up, following scores in the Furlough and Ruthless stakes, all at Aqueduct.

With an eye on more prestigious and bigger prizes later this year, Barker had tinkered with Yorkiepoo Princess in her training leading up to the Busher, challenging her to adapt a more patient running style. He was pleased with what he saw in those morning sessions and, after the Busher, said he was confident his filly could handle whatever was thrown at her. “I’ve been breezing her from the finish line – seven-eighths of a mile, three-quarters of a mile – so that we could take the speed away from her going into the first turn, and that’s exactly what happened.”

Tiz Rae Anna, the Ruthless runner-up, changed tactics after bobbling at the break and tried to wire the field as a 37-1 longshot, leading the nine other 3-year-old fillies through the clouds with an opening quarter-mile in :23.75 and a half in :48.14.

Meanwhile, Yorkiepoo Princess, who broke in midpack, moved along to fourth around the first turn and into the backstretch, as announcer Travis Stone did an admirable job calling the race off the “chicklets” that appeared on the TV screen until the field re-emerged approaching the final turn.

“I wanted to break out of there and I could see myself sitting first, second … not too far off,” Ortiz said, “but he [Barker] told me, ‘I’ve been working her, don’t worry if she gets behind horses because I’ve been working her like that.’

“So I was able to put my hands down, relax, save ground.”

Ortiz, patient after tucking his mount in along the rail, and never far back, swung out to challenge second-choice Full House after Tiz Rae Anna showed signs of tiring and fell back, the six furlongs in 1:13.42.

Full House fired her best shot but Yorkiepoo Princess had much more ammunition, edging away under Ortiz’ restrained urging.

Yorkiepoo Princess hit the wire in 1:47.69 over a fast track.

Highweighted at 120 pounds, she spotted her nine rivals from two to four pounds and paid $5.70 as the 9-5 choice.

The $90,000 first prize pushed her earnings to $244,811 while raising her record to four wins from seven starts.

She is a daughter of the Unreal Zeal mare Kickapoo Princess.

Tiz Rae Anna held the third spot, 3¼ lengths behind the runner-up. ■

Enterprising Denies ‘Oscar’ in Grass ‘cap Mike Maker entered four horses into the Feb. 25 Fair Grounds Handicap (G3) and ran three, winning it with his 3-1 Florida-bred “longshot” Enterprising.

Maker’s strong hand also included, on the eve of the Academy Awards, everyone’s hunch bet, the 6-5 favorite Oscar Nominated, and 2-1 Granny’s Kitten.

Another hunch bet, entering Mardi Gras week in New Orleans, would have been an exacta of Julien Leparoux and Flavien Geroux: Pairing those riders in that order at the windows would have produced a $23.80 ticket, nearly enough to buy a drink Fat Tuesday on Bourbon Street.

The $125,000 Fair Grounds Handicap was a two-horse race for most of the nine furlongs as Oscar Nominated and Enterprising sparred from the opening quarter on: Geroux and Oscar Nominated held the early lead, tripping the timer in :23.98 for the opening quarter-mile, then :49.83 for the half and 1:13.84 for the first six furlongs, at which point Leparoux and Enterprising came on, hitting the mile in 1:37.36 and finishing the race three quarters of a length ahead in 1:48.80 over a firm turf course.

“My horse was game and he fought all the way,” Leparoux said.

“Mike told me to get him into the race because he can be a bit lazy. There was a slow half, but I got him into the race. At the quarter pole, I tried to

THE FLORIDA HORSE • APRIL/MAY 2017 15

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Florida-bred Enterprising

HODGES PHOTO

Florida FOCUS

get a jump on [Geroux and Oscar Nominated].

From there it was straight on home.”

One Mean Man was third, a length farther back.

Enterprising paid $8.

The third member of the Maker party, the 2-1 second choice Granny’s Kitten, never got untracked and finished fifth.

Enterprising’s performance flatters the Sunshine Turf at Gulfstream on Jan. 21, in which he lost a long duel with fellow Floridabred Our Way. Enterprising had won the Millions Turf Preview at Gulfstream Park West prior to that race. Including the Preview and the Fair Grounds’ Cap, the 6-year-old gelding has won six stakes in his career.

Earlier in his career, when racing for breeder Glen Hill Farm and running under Tom Proctor’s training, he had won the Eddie Logan and Pasadena at Santa Anita and the Oceanside and La Jolla (G3) at Del Mar, but he had dropped 11 of his last 12 when Maxis Stable purchased him privately last summer, putting him in Maker’s care.

“A very attractive horse … another turf horse who looked like he would appreciate more ground,” Maker said.

Since the purchase, Enterprising has compiled a 2-3-2 record from seven starts. For his career he has an 8-4-5 record from 28 outings, all but four of which have been on turf. His $75,000 first prize from the Fair Grounds ‘Cap boosted his career earnings to $594,040, $545,090 of which came from infield events.

A son of Elusive Quality out of Indy Blaze, by A.P. Indy, his female family in16 THE FLORIDA HORSE • APRIL/MAY 2017

cludes the near-millionaire, Grade 1-winning mare Fire the Groom, his second dam, and Kentucky Oaks winner Native Street, his fourth dam.

Assuming that Enterprising comes out of the race in good order, Maker indicated he knows what would be next: “He’s a Floridabred and they have a lot of nice Florida-bred stakes. We will most likely send him to a state-bred stakes at Tampa, but we’ll discuss it with the owner.”

In his two prior starts at Tampa, both on the turf last year, Enterprising was fourth to fellow Florida-bred Go Around in the Turf Classic and third in a one-mile prep. ■

From the FTBOA Boardroom...

The Executive Committee of the FTBOA Board of Directors conducted a meeting on March 6 for the purpose of receiving public comment and considering the “Florida-Bred Stakes Program Letter Agreement for 2017 Gulfstream Park Meet,” dated Jan. 19, 2017, as proposed by the FTBOA and previously executed by Gulfstream Park management in January and by the FHBPA in February.

The agreement provides for a total of six lucrative 2-year-old Florida Sire Stakes (FSS) races to be offered at Gulfstream Park in 2017 as follows:

Two Year Old Fillies Division $100,000 – Six furlongs – Saturday, Aug. 5 – FTBOA FSS Desert Vixen $200,000 – Seven furlongs – Saturday, Sept. 2 – FTBOA FSS Susan’s Girl $400,000 – One mile and one sixteenth – Saturday, Sept. 30 – FTBOA FSS My Dear Girl

Two Year Old Colts & Gelding Division $100,000 - Six furlongs – Saturday, Aug. 5 – FTBOA FSS Dr. Fager $200,000 - Seven furlongs – Saturday, Sept. 2 – FTBOA FSS Affirmed $400,000 – One mile and one sixteenth Saturday, Sept. 30 – FTBOA FSS In Reality

Please note that all dates are still subject to change, with race names to be determined. For race condition details, go to www.ftboa.com, select NEWS, select Meeting Notice and view the Current Agreement-Jan. 19, 2017.

The 2017 FTBOA FSS program will continue to be one of the richest 2-year old statebred stakes programs in North America. The Executive Committee voted unanimously to approve the agreement.

Additional background was provided as to the unfortunate loss of more than $2 million in funding to the 2017 Florida Sire Stakes/Florida-Bred stakes program, as originally proposed by the FTBOA. This loss was a direct result of FHBPA leadership unexpectedly deciding in December 2016 to withhold its traditional annual funding of $1 million from the purse account, some three months after receiving an initial FTBOA proposal that would have provided for the most lucrative Florida-bred stakes program in Gulfstream’s history. In response to the FHBPA’s decision, Gulfstream Park management followed suit and also withdrew its traditional annual funding of $1 million.

As a result of this loss of funds, FTBOA was frustrated to report that the FSS races for 3-year-olds will unfortunately have to be shelved for 2017. It is the desire of FTBOA to pursue the return of 3-year-old FSS races, while also growing the highly acclaimed 2year-old series in the future. The FTBOA also remains hopeful that the FHBPA and Gulfstream will return as partners in our Florida-bred stakes program in 2018 and beyond.

Links to the materials discussed at the meeting include: Original Agreement (Sep. 15, 2016); Summary of Original Agreement; FTBOA Public Statement (Dec. 16, 2016); Current Agreement for Public Meeting Discussion (Jan. 19, 2017) and FTBOA Public Statement (Jan. 25, 2017). These are available at www.ftboa.com, under News tab on the top left of page, click to view dropdown, then select Meeting Notice. ■

Florida-bred Pay Any Price

MJC PHOTO

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‘Price’ is Right in Silks Run Pay Any Price stylishly avenged his last-out loss to Power Alert by beating that accomplished rival, Breeders’ Cup winner Mongolian Saturday and six others in course-record time in the five-furlong, $75,000 Silks Run at Gulfstream Park Mar. 9.

Power Alert came into the race the winner of the last two Silks Run renewals and he was unbeaten in five previous starts on Gulfstream’s grass.

Pay Any Price is a 7-year-old Florida-bred son of Wildcat Heir who has been raced sparingly over his career: He was a 4-year-old when he broke his maiden in his first career start, May 16, 2014.

Although he beat special-weight competition in that successful debut, he quickly fell into the selling ranks from which he wasn’t extracted until after trainer Ralph Ziadie claimed him for $25,000 out of a winning race – run over the same course and distance as the Silks Run – last July. Pay Any Price since has won two of his four starts for Ziadie and owner Richard Averill.

The chestnut gelding came into the Silks Run off a good effort in the five-furlong Gulfstream Turf Sprint, in which he went off at 18-1.

Making his first stakes start in that race, he set a hot pace and fought on well, relenting late to finish fourth but only a length behind the Power Alert, who nosed Rainbow Heir while recording his second consecutive Turf Sprint victory.

Matched again in the Silks Run, but with Edgard Zayas taking over taking over the mount, Pay Any Price once again set the pace – :20.63 for the opening quarter-mile and :42.39 for the half – with Power Alert in pursuit, but this time the frontrunner drew away with Zayas storing his stick in the final furlong.

“I was a little bit worried [about the pace], but the jock was sitting easy on him, so I was pretty sure he would get him home. I’m very proud of him. He ran super good,” Ziadie said.

The time was :53.61.

“I never expected anything like a track record,” he continued, “but

I knew he was going to run real good. He had been training excellent.

He looked good, he was eating good and doing everything right.”

Power Alert, favored at 4-5, finished 3¼ lengths behind and two lengths ahead of third-place Mongolian Saturday, who suffered his seventh loss from eight starts since his narrow upset of Lady Shipman in the 2015 BC Turf Sprint (G1).

Pay Any Price has a 7-1-0 career record from 13 starts. The $44,640 first prize boosted his earnings to $162,238.

Off at 5-1, he paid $12.

It was the second time Zayas has ridden Pay Any Price; the two finished fifth at five furlongs on the Gulfstream Park West infield course in November.

“When I rode him before he was very bad before the race, sweating and all,” Zayas said. “I think he left his race [in the paddock] that day. [March 9] he acted very professional before the race. I think that was the key of winning this race.

“I think he went a little bit too fast in [the Turf Sprint] and in the end Power Alert caught him,” continued Zayas. “This time, when I gave him a little bit of relief in that second quarter, he was running at the end.”

Pay Any Price, a son of the Naevus mare One to Five who was bred in Marion County by Brent and Crystal Fernung, comes from a family that includes multiple graded-stakes winner Pastry. ■

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Florida-bred Imperial Hint

Los floridanos Imperial Hing y Stallwalkin’ Dude, primero y segundo en Gen. George Imperial Hint se convirtió en un león mientras corría en el circuito de carreras del Atlántico Medio este invierno y asumió el control total de la división, con una ventaja de 2 cuerpos y ¼ sobre su compañero de Florida, Stallwalkin’ Dude, en el clásico de grado 3 y USD 250,000 Gen. George Stakes, que tuvo lugar en Laurel el 18 de febrero.

La carrera de siete furlongs, que es un tradicional hito invernal, llevó a la pista a nueve velocistas mayores, y los dos floridianos salieron favorecidos: Stallwalkin’ Dude, con dinero parejo, que fue enviado desde Nueva York por su copropietario y entrenador David Jacobson, e Imperial Hint, con apuestas 5-2, estabulado en Parx, en el establo del entrenador Luis Carvajal Jr. Carvajal, que sabía que estaba en posición de ganar su primer clásico de grado, dijo que equilibró la confianza con el nerviosismo.

“Esta carrera fue muy inquietante para mí y para [el propietario Raymond Mamone].

Nunca antes había ganado una carrera clásica de grado, [pero] siempre pensé que el caballo era un ganador de clásicos”, afirmó.

“Lo gracioso fue que... iba saliendo del potrero cuando los caballos ya estaban en la 18 THE FLORIDA HORSE • APRIL/MAY 2017

por Mike Mullaney

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Enfoque

pista y escuché a un par de personas decir: ‘Miren al favorito [Stallwalkin’ Dude]. Es enorme. Miren al ‘caballo 5’ [Imperial Hint].

Es tan pequeño. No tiene chances’.

Y yo pensaba: ‘Sí, pero no saben el corazón que tiene’”.

Mientras que el venerable Stallwalkin’ Dude ha estado compitiendo últimamente en Nueva York, promoviendo su ya sólida reputación al alcanzar la marca del millón de dólares ganados, Imperial Hint se convirtió en uno de los caballos “del momento” en los últimos meses, al haber ganado tres de sus últimas cuatro carreras, incluso la más reciente, la Fire Plug Stakes de Laurel el 14 de enero, antes de la Gen. George.

Una breve sacudida en la largada no impidió que el equipo de Imperial Hint y el jinete Julian Pimental tomaran rápidamente la delantera y alcanzaran el cuarto de milla de apertura en 0:22.61, un cuerpo por delante de Afleet Willy. Ese rival, que venía de una racha triunfal de tres carreras, mantuvo la presión constante y consiguió acercarse hasta quedar a medio cuerpo después de la media milla, a los 0:45.28, antes de ceder en la recta final, donde Stallwalkin’ Dude tomó la posta de la persecución.

Valientes y honestos como siempre, Stallwalkin’ Dude e Irad Ortiz hicieron su mejor esfuerzo para alcanzar al ganador, pero tu-

vieron que conformarse con el segundo lugar, 1 cuerpo y ¾ por delante de Never Gone South, que pagaba 37-1.

Imperial Hint pagó USD 7.60 y llegó a la meta en 1:21.20, apenas 0.25 más que el récord de la pista, que había establecido Greenspring en la Gen. George de 2010.

Acerca de la montura, Pimental relató: “Es un caballo muy rápido. Empezó un poco despacio, pero enseguida se recuperó y corrió a mucha velocidad toda la pista. Simplemente hizo lo suyo”.

Ocean Knight, ganador de la Sam Davis de Tampa en 2015 y con apuestas 8-1, salió cuarto por un cuello, mientras que Heavens Runway, que sorprendió a Stallwalkin’ Dude con 32-1 en la Fall Highweight (G3) de Aqueduct en la semana de Acción de Gracias, llegó séptimo con 7-1.

Imperial Hint es propiedad de Raymond Mamone y ganó USD 150,000, lo que llevó sus ganancias a USD 349,805 y mejoró su récord a 6-1-0 en 10 carreras. Comenzó su historial con victorias en sus primeras dos largadas, ambas en Tampa, donde ganó por primera vez el año pasado, a los 3 años de edad y en su primera carrera, y luego siguió con un triunfo por 6 cuerpos y ¾ en la Sophomore frente a ejemplares criados en el mismo estado.

“Después de su primera victoria, pensé que iba a ser un buen caballo”, dijo Carvajal.

“Ha tenido un par de traspiés en el camino, pero ahora lo está haciendo muy bien”.

Carvajal comentó que iba a darle un par de días de descanso a su caballo antes de armar un cronograma.

Imperial Hint fue criado en el condado de Marion County, en Shade Tree Thoroughbreds de Bert Pilcher, donde también recibió sus primeras lecciones bajo la dirección del propietario del lugar, Bert Pilcher, y del gerente del rancho, Gene Corbett.

La victoria de Imperial Hint en Gen. George llegó exactamente cuatro años después de su nacimiento en Shade Tree.

Este potro de 4 años es hijo de Imperialism y de la yegua de Lahint, Royal Hint. ■

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Los criados en Florida arrasan en Tampa

SV PHOTOGRAPHY

El 18 de febrero, un par de caballos criados en Florida (Tiger Blood, de 4 años, y Spanish Concert, de 7) ganaron un clásico por primera vez en sus carreras, en Tampa.

Tiger Blood, que salió cuarto en el año pasado en la Sophomore Stakes frente a Imperial Hint, ganador de la carrera Gen. George de grado 3 el 18 de febrero, lideró un trío de caballos criados en Florida hasta la meta en la Pelican Stakes, de USD 100,000 y seis furlongs para velocistas mayores. Mientras tanto, Spanish Concert, que se había hecho una trayectoria participando en carreras de reclamo opcional, encontró las condiciones perfectas para su primer éxito en un clásico — y el primero de su propietario, James Chicklo, de Ocala— en la Minaret para potras mayores y yeguas en la misma distancia.

Al igual que Imperial Hint, Tiger Blood había demostrado una tremenda habilidad en sus primeras y escasas apariciones públicas en Tampa, con su primera victoria por 9 cuerpos y ¼, donde registró un 92 en el sistema Beyer Speed Figure al recorrer seis furlongs en 1:09.90 y, luego, con una victoria por 5 cuerpos y ½ frente a sus competidores, en una carrera de reclamo opcional de USD 75,000.

En la Spectacular Bid de Gulfstream, tuvo una ambiciosa salida y terminó quinto, y siguió contra Imperial Hint en el segundo año, pero Darien Rodriguez, que se hizo cargo del entrenamiento del potro en noviembre, parece haberlo reencaminado: en las dos carreras anteriores a la Pelican tuvieron una victoria y un ajustado segundo lugar.

“Desde que lo tengo, ha sido bueno”, afirmó Rodriguez, quien dijo que aconsejó al jinete Pablo Morales que “saliera bien y lo

SV PHOTOGRAPHY

Florida-bred Spanish Concert

Florida-bred Tiger Blood

pusiera en el exterior, ya que la última vez (el 15 de enero, cuando terminó segundo en una carrera opcional de Pelican de USD 100,000 frente a su rival Futile, en la misma distancia) quedó entre otros caballos y se puso un poco tímido”.

Morales siguió estas instrucciones en la trigésimo tercera corrida de la Pelican, lo que permitió que Schivarelli, Springmeier y Sonoma Crush se destacaran muy por delante de los demás. Springmeier demostraría ser el más resistente de los primeros combatientes y estaba listo para ganar cuando se acercó Tiger Blood, y le dio a ese rival todo lo que podía soportar antes de rendirse. El margen de victoria para Tiger Blood fue de un ajustado cuerpo.

Pagó USD 8.60.

“Desde el primer día, supe que este caballo era especial”, dijo Morales, quien lo montó en esas dos primeras victorias en Tampa el año pasado.

“Después de que lo trabajé una vez para Darien en este encuentro, supe que estaba sentado sobre un monstruo. Darien lo tenía totalmente listo, y sabíamos que podía hacerlo”.

Sonoma Crush, con 43-1, se mantuvo en la tercera posición, 2 cuerpos y ¼ más atrás, y El Grande Rojo, en cuarto lugar. Schivarelli terminó sexto, una cabeza delante de Futile, el favorito con dinero parejo, en un campo de ocho caballos.

Tiger Blood hizo los seis furlongs en 1:09.42, con fracciones de 0:22.43 y 0:45.

“Tiene velocidad táctica y no necesita estar al máximo, pero le gusta correr separado”, aseguró Morales. “Estaba listo para salir, concentrado y no había nadie en nuestro exterior, por lo que no había razón para retrasarlo.

“Simplemente lo moví un poco en la curva

para asegurarme de que no hubiera nadie en el exterior, y él se puso muy feliz y tomó la iniciativa. Sentí que estábamos en buena forma durante todo el recorrido y, una vez que toma la punta, siempre se lanza”.

El dueño, Miguel Barraza, obtuvo el primer premio de USD 60,000, lo que elevó las ganancias de Tiger Blood a 115,302. Su récord ahora es de 4-1-0 en nueve carreras.

Tiger Blood es un hijo de Cowtown Cat y Sarah Cataldo, hija de Smarty Jones. Criado por Brent y Crystal Fernung, resultó una ganga en la venta de agosto de 2014 de OBS, por USD 4,500.

Spanish Concert nunca había corrido en una carrera clásica antes de la Minaret, donde salió victoriosa frente a la dos veces ganadora del evento, You Bought Her, criada en Florida.

Esta última ha estado esperando su oportunidad mientras paga en varias carreras clásicas, antes del momento en que será cruzada con el Caballo del Año, California Chrome.

Favorecida con 9-5, You Bought Her nunca consiguió pasar al frente porque Spanish Concert dominó la carrera de principio a fin, con fracciones de 0:22.30 y 0:44.84 antes de llegar a la meta, 3 cuerpos y ¼ delante de la segunda, My Mertie, con un récord de clásicos de 1:09.63.

Southern Ring llegó tercera y clasificó entre las primeras tres, 1 cuerpo y ¼ detrás.

Annathela quedó en la cuarta posición por un cuello, y You Bought Her quedó en el quinto lugar a la misma distancia.

Brian Smeak, entrenador asistente suplente de Kathleen O’Connell, proclamó en Oldsmar que Spanish Concert, con un récord de 6-6-1 en 13 carreras, es “La Reina de Tampa. Ella está al máximo en este momento”.

Chicklo, que ha sido dueño de caballos de carreras durante 20 años y que tiene cuatro con O’Connell, dijo que la carrera le pareció “emocionante. Es una gran yegua, pero la competencia que tenía [en la Minaret]... pensé que la Pelican podría ser más fácil para ella que esta carrera, pero [O’Connell] las pone donde pueden ganar”.

Ronnie Allen, que tiene un notable récord con Spanish Concert de tres victorias y cinco segundos puestos en ocho carreras, dijo: “Tiene mucha velocidad natural y, al estar en THE FLORIDA HORSE • APRIL/MAY 2017 19

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EN FLORIDA

el exterior, suelen largar mucho más rápido.

Una vez que consiguió la punta, la llevé por el camino que deseaba, por donde va el tractor y está bien compacto, porque a ella le gusta que sea duro y rápido.

Escuchaba acercarse [a My Mertie y al jinete Fernando De La Cruz], pero sabía que todavía tenía mucha potencia. Cuando saqué la fusta y la golpeé una vez a la altura del poste del cuarto de milla, simplemente salió disparada”.

Spanish Concert, que pagó USD 10.60, ha ganado siete de 27 carreras, con 10 segundos y cinco terceros puestos. El primer premio, de USD 30,000, subió sus ganancias a USD 201,790.

Hija de Concerto y de la yegua Spanish Slew, hija de Seattle Sleet, fue criada por Carlos Giraldo. ■

Yorkiepoo Princess gana la Busher Imagine a la E Street Band junto a Irad Ortiz el 25 de febrero a última hora de la tarde, y casi se puede escuchar a Bruce Springsteen cantando “No eres una belleza, pero, hey, estás bien”.

Sin convertimos “Thunder Road” en el Aqueduct, cubierto de niebla, tenemos el escenario ideal para la presentación de Yorkiepoo Princess como una potra de legítima calidad de Oaks. La hija de Kantharos atravesó la penumbra para ganar la Busher Stakes de Big A por 1 cuerpo y ¾.

La carrera, de 1 milla y 1/16 y USD 150,000, permitió el exitoso debut de dos curvas de Yorkiepoo Princess, que fue comprada en OBS en abril pasado, con 2 años, a un precio muy conveniente, USD 8,000 .

Criada por Francis y Barbara Vanlangendonck de Morriston, Florida, y ahora propiedad de Danny Chen, recogió 50 puntos para un puesto de salida en la Kentucky Oaks (G1) del 5 de mayo después de estallar hacia la recta final.

Si bien a último momento se desvió un poco, nunca se puso en peligro y mantuvo una cómoda distancia con Full House, que llegó en segundo lugar.

20 THE FLORIDA HORSE • APRIL/MAY 2017

“Toma la delantera y espera a los demás caballos todo el tiempo... ella es así”, comentó Ortiz, el jinete ganador.

Ortiz y el entrenador Eddie Barker, el equipo de Yorkieepoo Princess, han resultado perfectos en cuatro trabajos en común.

Cuando felicitó a su montura después de esta última victoria, el jinete sonó como “The Boss”, Bruce Springsteen, cuando dijo: “Es una potra de aspecto aceptable, pero cuando corre, corre de verdad”.

La Busher le dio a Yorkiepoo Princess su tercera victoria consecutiva en un clásico, siempre con Ortiz como jinete, después de las carreras Furlough y Ruthless, todas en Aqueduct.

A finales de año, y con el ojo puesto en premios mayores y más prestigiosos, Barker había modificado el entrenamiento de Yorkiepoo Princess para la Busher, desafiándola a adoptar un estilo de carrera más paciente. Lo que vio en esas sesiones matutinas lo dejó satisfecho y, después de la Busher, dijo que confiaba en que su potra podría ejecutar lo que se le pidiera. “He estado apurándola a la línea de llegada —siete octavos de milla, tres cuartos de milla— para que pudiéramos sacarle velocidad al entrar en la primera curva, y eso es exactamente lo que sucedió”.

Tiz Rae Anna, improbable ganadora con 37-1 pero segunda en Ruthless, cambió de táctica después de tambalear en la largada y trató de conectar en el campo, sacándoles ventaja a las otras nueve potras de 3 años con un primer cuarto de milla en 0:23.75 y media milla en 0:48.14.

Entretanto, Yorkiepoo Princess, que largó en el medio, pasó a la cuarta recta en la primera curva y luego a la recta opuesta, mientras el locutor Travis Stone hacía un trabajo admirable relatando la carrera de los “pequeños puntos” que aparecían en la pantalla de TV hasta que el campo reapareció al acercarse a la curva final.

“Yo quería salir de allí y podía verme en el primer o segundo lugar... no muy lejos”, contó Ortiz, “pero [Barker] me dijo, ‘la he estado entrenando, no te preocupes si se pone

COGLIANESE PHOTO

Enfoque

Florida-bred Yorkiepoo Princess

detrás de los caballos porque esa es la idea’.

Así que pude bajar la guardia, relajarme, ahorrar terreno”.

Ortiz, que se mostró paciente después de colocar a su montura junto al barandal y nunca muy atrás, se lanzó a desafiar a la segunda opción, Full House, después de que Tiz Rae Anna mostrara signos de cansancio y se replegara; los seis furlongs se completaron en 1:13.42.

Full House lanzó su mejor disparo, pero Yorkiepoo Princess tenía más balas y se alejó, bajo la conducción de Ortiz.

Yorkiepoo Princess llegó a la meta en 1:47.69 sobre una pista rápida.

Con un peso de 120 libras, entre dos y cuatro libras de diferencia con sus nueve rivales, pagó UDS 5,70 con una opción de 9-5.

El primer premio de USD 90,000 elevó sus ganancias a USD 244,811 y su récord pasó a ser de cuatro victorias en siete carreras.

Es hija de la yegua Kickapoo Princess, hija de Unreal Zeal.

Tiz Rae Anna obtuvo el tercer puesto, 3 cuerpos y ¼ detrás de la segunda. ■

Enterprising rechaza el ‘Oscar’ sobre la hierba El 25 de febrero, Mike Maker anotó a cuatro caballos en la Fair Grounds Handicap (G3) y corrió tres, ganando con Enterprising, criado en la Florida, su improbable ganador con 3-1.

La mano fuerte de Maker también incluyó, en vísperas de los premios de la Academia, las corazonadas de todos: al favorito con 6-5 Oscar Nominated y a Granny’s Kitten, con 2-1.

Otra corazonada, al entrar en la semana

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Florida-bred Enterprising

HODGES PHOTO

del Mardi Gras en Nueva Orleans, habría sido una exacta de Julien Leparoux y Flavien Geroux: juntar a esos jinetes en ese orden en las ventanillas habría producido un boleto de USD 23.80, casi suficiente para comprar un trago en la calle Bourbon el Martes de Carnaval.

La Fair Grounds Handicap, de USD 125,000, fue una carrera de dos caballos durante gran parte de los nueve furlongs, con Oscar Nominated y Enterprising combatiendo desde el cuarto de milla de apertura. Geroux y Oscar Nominated mantuvieron la delantera al principio y detuvieron el cronómetro en 0:23.98 para el cuarto de milla de apertura, luego en 0:49.83 para la mitad y en 1:13.84 para los primeros seis furlongs, momento en el que llegaron Leparoux y Enterprising, que terminaron la milla en 1:37.36 y llegaron a la meta tres cuartos de cuerpo delante, en 1:48.80, sobre una pista firme de hierba.

“Mi caballo fue valiente y luchó todo el camino”, afirmó Leparoux. “Mike me dijo que lo metiera en la carrera porque puede ser un poco perezoso. Hubo una mitad lenta, pero lo logré. En el poste del cuarto, traté de lanzarme [hacia Geroux y Oscar Nominated]. A partir de allí, fue directo a la meta”.

One Mean Man llegó tercero, un cuerpo detrás.

Enterprising pagó USD 8.

El tercer miembro del grupo de Maker, Granny’s Kitten, que era el segundo favorito con 2-1, nunca consiguió pasar al frente y terminó quinto.

El desempeño de Enterprising fue su revancha por su actuación del 21 de enero en la Sunshine Turf en Gulfstream, donde perdió

un largo duelo con otro caballo criado en Florida, Our Way. Enterprising había salido victorioso en la Millions Turf Preview en Gulfstream Park West antes de esa carrera. Este capón de 6 años ha ganado seis clásicos en su historia, entre ellos, la Preview y la Fair Grounds’ Cap. En sus inicios, cuando corría para el criadero Glen Hill Farm bajo el entrenamiento de Tom Proctor, había ganado la Eddie Logan y la Pasadena en Santa Anita, y la Oceanside y La Jolla (G3) en Del Mar, pero perdió en 11 de sus últimas 12 carreras cuando Maxis Stable lo compró en forma privada el verano pasado y lo puso al cuidado de Maker.

“Un caballo muy atractivo... otro corredor sobre hierba que parecía que podría disfrutar de más terreno”, dijo Maker.

Desde la compra, Enterprising ha compilado un registro de 2-3-2 en siete carreras. En su historial, el registro es de 8-4-5 en 28 largadas que fueron, excepto cuatro, todas sobre hierba. El primer premio de Fair Grounds ‘Cap, de USD 75,000, aumentó sus ganancias totales a USD 594,040, de los cuales USD 545,090 provienen de eventos interiores.

Enterprising es hijo de Elusive Quality y de Indy Blaze, hija de A.P. Indy, y la rama femenina de su familia incluye a la yegua casi millonaria, ganadora de carreras de Grado 1 Fire the Groom (su abuela), y la ganadora de Kentucky Oaks, Native Street, su tatarabuela.

Si Enterprising sale de la carrera en buen estado, Marker indicó que tiene en claro los próximos pasos: “Fue criado en Florida, y hay muchas carreras clásicas buenas para estos caballos. Lo más probable es que lo enviemos a un clásico para caballos del estado en Tampa, pero lo analizaremos con el propietario”.

La Tampa Turf Classic para caballos mayores, de nueve furlongs sobre hierba, se correrá el 2 de abril. En sus dos anteriores carreras en Tampa, ambas sobre hierba el año pasado, Enterprising salió cuarto frente a su compañero floridiano, Go Around, en la Turf Classic, y tercero en una preparación de una milla. ■

De la Sala del Consejo de la FTBOA...

El Comité Ejecutivo de la Junta de Directores de la FTBOA celebró una reunión el 6 de marzo con el propósito de recibir comentarios públicos y considerar la “Carta de Acuerdo del Programa de Carreras Clásicas para Caballos criados en Florida de Gulfstream Park para 2017”, con fecha 19 de enero de 2017, tal como propuso la FTBOA y previamente ejecutó la administración de Gulfstream Park en enero, y la FHBPA, en febrero.

El acuerdo prevé un total de seis lucrativas carreras para padrillos de 2 años de Florida (Florida Sire Stakes, FSS), que tendrán lugar en Gulfstream Park en 2017, de la siguiente manera: División de potras de dos años UDS 100,000 – Seis furlongs Sábado 5 de agosto – FTBOA FSS Desert Vixen UDS 200,000 – Siete furlongs Sábado 2 de septiembre – FTBOA FSS Susan’s Girl UDS 400,000 – Una milla y un dieciseisavo Sábado 7 de octubre – FTBOA FSS My Dear Girl

División de potros de dos años y capones UDS 100,000 – Seis furlongs Sábado 5 de agosto – FTBOA FSS Dr. Fager UDS 200,000 – Siete furlongs Sábado 2 de septiembre – FTBOA FSS Affirmed UDS 400,000 – Una milla y un dieciseisavo Sábado 7 de octubre – FTBOA FSS In Reality

Tenga en cuenta que todas las fechas todavía están sujetas a cambios y que se determinarán los nombres de las carreras más adelante. Para conocer detalles de las condiciones de las carreras, visite www.ftboa.com, seleccione NEWS, luego Meeting Notice y consulte Current Agreement-January 19, 2017.

El programa de las FSS para 2017 seguirá siendo uno de los programas de carreras clásicas para caballos de 2 años criados en el estado más completos de Norteamérica. El Comité Ejecutivo votó de THE FLORIDA HORSE • APRIL/MAY 2017 21

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EN FLORIDA

forma unánime la aprobación del acuerdo.

Se proporcionó información adicional sobre la desafortunada pérdida de más de USD 2 millones en fondos para el programa 2017 de las Florida Sire Stakes / FloridaBred Stakes, tal como había propuesto originalmente la FTBOA. Esta pérdida fue resultado directo de la decisión del directorio de la FHBPA, que en diciembre de 2016 anunció inesperadamente que retendría su tradicional financiación anual de USD 1 millón de su cuenta de bolsa. Esto sucedió unos tres meses después de recibir una propuesta inicial de la FTBOA, que habría dado lugar al programa de carreras clásicas para caballos criados en Florida más lucrativo en la historia de Gulfstream. En respuesta a la decisión de la FHBPA, la gerencia del Gulfstream Park siguió el ejemplo y también retiró su tradicional financiación anual de USD 1 millón.

Como resultado de esta pérdida de fondos, la FTBOA tuvo la frustración de informar que, lamentablemente, las carreras FSS para caballos de tres años tendrán que suspenderse en 2017. Es el deseo de la FTBOA trabajar para el regreso de las carreras FSS para caballos de tres años y hacer crecer, en el futuro, la aclamada serie de dos años. La FTBOA también espera que la FHBPA y Gulfstream regresen como socios de nuestro programa de carreras clásicas para caballos criados en Florida a partir de 2018.

Entre los enlaces a los materiales analizados en la reunión están: Acuerdo Original (15 de septiembre de 2016), Resumen del Acuerdo Original, Declaración Pública de la FTBOA (16 de diciembre de 2016), Acuerdo Vigente para la Discusión en Reunión Pública (19 de enero de 2017) y Declaración Pública de la FTBOA (25 de enero de 2017). Estos documentos están disponibles en www.ftboa.com, en la pestaña News que aparece en la parte superior izquierda de la página. Haga clic para ver la lista desplegable y luego seleccione Meeting Notice. ■ 22 THE FLORIDA HORSE • APRIL/MAY 2017

Price hace lo suyo en Silks Run El 9 de marzo, Pay Any Price vengó su última derrota ante Power Alert al superar a ese experto rival, al vencedor de la Breeders’ Cup Mongolian Saturday y a otros seis en tiempo récord para Silks Park, el circuito de cinco furlongs y USD 75,000 que se corre en Gulfstream Park.

Power Alert llegó a la carrera después de haber ganado las dos últimas versiones de Silks Run y haber salido invicto en cinco carreras anteriores sobre hierba en Gulfstream.

Criado en Florida, Pay Any Price tiene 7 años, es hijo de Wildcat Heir y corrió poco durante su carrera: tenía 4 años cuando obtuvo su primera victoria en su primera carrera, el 16 de mayo de 2014.

A pesar de que superó a la competencia de peso especial en ese exitoso debut, cayó en la categoría de ventas y no salió de allí hasta julio del año pasado, cuando el entrenador Ralph Ziadie lo reclamó por USD 25,000 después de una carrera donde salió ganador, que tenía la misma pista y la misma distancia que Silks Run. Desde entonces, Pay Any Price ha ganado dos de sus cuatro carreras para Ziadie y para su dueño, Richard Averill.

El capón castaño llegó a la Silks Run tras un buen esfuerzo en la Gulfstream Turf Sprint, de cinco furlongs, donde salió con 181. En aquella carrera hizo su primera largada en un clásico, estableció un ritmo veloz y compitió bien, luego cedió y terminó en cuarto lugar, pero solo un cuerpo detrás de Power Alert, que a su vez le ganaba por un hocico a Rainbow Heir mientras registraba su segunda victoria consecutiva en Turf Sprint.

Estaban nuevamente juntos en la Silks

Florida-bred Pay Any Price

Run, pero esta vez Pay Any Price tenía a Edgard Zayas de jinete y volvió a marcar el ritmo con 0:20.63 para el primer cuarto de milla y 0:42.39 para la mitad; Power Alert lo seguía de cerca, pero el puntero se alejó y Zayas guardó su fusta en el furlong final.

“Estaba un poco preocupado [por el ritmo], pero el jinete lo montaba con facilidad, y eso me dio la tranquilidad de que lo llevaría a la meta. Estoy muy orgulloso de él.

Corrió extremadamente bien”, afirmó Ziadie.

El tiempo fue de 0:53.61.

“Nunca esperé un récord de pista”, continuó, “pero sabía que iba a correr muy bien.

Su entrenamiento había sido excelente. Se veía bien, estaba comiendo bien y hacía todo correctamente”.

Power Alert, favorito con 4-5, terminó 3 cuerpos y ¼ detrás y dos cuerpos por delante de Mongolian Saturday, que sufrió su séptima derrota en ocho carreras desde su estrecho revés frente a Lady Shipman, en la BC Turf Sprint de 2015.

El récord de Pay Any Price es de 7-1-0 en 13 carreras. El primer premio, de USD 44,640, aumentó sus ganancias a USD 162,238.

Habiendo salido con 5-1, pagó USD 12.

Era la segunda vez que Zayas montaba a Pay Any Price: ambos habían terminado en quinto lugar en los cinco furlongs de la pista interior de Gulfstream Park West en noviembre.

“La vez pasada había estado muy mal antes de la carrera, sudando y todo”, relató Zayas. “Creo que ese día dejó su carrera [en el potrero]. [El sábado] actuó de forma muy profesional antes de la carrera. Me parece que fue la clave para ganarla.

“Pienso que [en la Turf Sprint] iba un poco rápido y, al final, Power Alert lo atrapó”, continuó Zayas. “Esta vez, cuando le di un poco de alivio en ese segundo cuarto, terminó corriendo hasta el final”.

Pay Any Price, un hijo de la yegua One to Five, hija de Naevus, fue criado en el condado de Marion por Brent y Crystal Fernung, y proviene de una familia que incluye a Pastry, la ganadora de clásicos de grado. ■

MJC PHOTO

Enfoque

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FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes Program 2-Year-Old payment* - $250 by Jan. 15 Late 2-Year-Old Payment* - $500 by Feb. 28

Yearling Payment - $250 by May 15 Late Yearling Payment - $500 by Nov 15 Missed Nov. 15? – $5,000 by Jan. 15 Last chance payment option of $10,000 by May 1 of 2-year-old year (horse must not have started) *Yearling payment must have been paid

FLORIDA THOROUGHBRED BREEDERS’ AND OWNERS’ ASSOCIATION

43725

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LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

Bill That Attempts to Freeze Gambling Advances in House TALLAHASSEE – A key House committee on Mar. 21 approved a gambling measure aimed at creating a new agreement with the Seminole Tribe, though a tribe representative recently called the proposal a “non-starter” and major differences remain with the Senate.

The proposal, HB 7037, would continue to allow the tribe to have exclusive rights to operate “banked” card games, such as blackjack, at five of its casinos. In exchange, the Seminoles would have to guarantee $3 billion in payments to the state – earmarked mainly for education – over seven years.

Despite the House Ways and Means Committee’s 11-7 vote in favor of the legislation, the proposed agreement remains troubled.

The Seminoles have objected that it is unlikely the U.S. Department of the Interior, which must sign off on gambling-related agreements between tribes and states, would approve the deal. And the Senate was expected to approve a bill the following week that would be much more friendly to the pari-mutuel industry.

Lawmakers are tackling the thorny gambling issue after a federal judge late last year decided that the Seminoles can continue to offer the blackjack games, even though a 2010 agreement giving the tribe the authority to conduct the games expired in 2015.

Rep. Mike La Rosa, a St. Cloud Republican sponsoring the House legislation, called his proposal a “straightforward bill” that provides certainty for the state’s gambling industry which “has been in disarray for the past few years.”

Lonny Powell, the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association CEO who was in support of the bill and was pres-

24 THE FLORIDA HORSE • APRIL/MAY 2017

associated breeding industry, you had to love the affirmative vote on this bill. If you are a Halsey Beshers (R-Monticello) Jim Boyd (R-Bradenton) casino or racetrack that wants to offer little-toColleen Burton (R-Lakeland) no live racing, my guess would be that the end Matt Caldwell (R-N. Fort Myers)) vote was not a positive for you. There is still Bob Cortes (R-Kissimmee) Jay Fant (R-Jacksonville) much work to be done and much to happen.”

Don Hahnfeldt (R-The Villages) But critics objected that the proposal Mike La Rosa (R-St. Cloud) gives short shrift to pari-mutuels. The measMike Miller (R-Winter Park) Kathleen Peters (R-Treasure Island) ure would, among other things, ban popuCyndi Stevenson (R-St. Johns) lar and lucrative “designated player” poker-style games operated by numerous No Votes (Committee) on HB 7037 Joseph Abruzzo (D-Boynton Beach) cardrooms throughout the state, an activity Bruce Antone (D-Orlando) at the heart of the legal dispute between the Loranne Ausley (D-Tallahassee) Seminoles and the state.

Joe Geller (D-Aventura) Al Jacquet (D-Lantana) Rep. Joe Geller, D-Aventura, said: “The Evan Jenne (D-Dania Beach) pari-mutuel industry has been a friend to Stan McClain (D-Belleview) this state. They’ve helped provide a lot of ent for the vote, said he was pleased with dollars for a lot of things to happen. They by-and-large are getting treated less well the progress of the legislation.

“We’d like to thank both House Com- than they deserve for the service they’ve mittees for moving this ‘No Decoupling- rendered the state.”

Rep. Joe Abruzzo, D-Boynton Beach, non-expansion-of-gaming-in-Florida’ said lawmakers need a special session to legislation forward,” Powell said.

“If, as a pari-mutuel stakeholder, you are fully address the gambling issue.

“There’s no way the Senate is going to in support of live pari-mutuel racing and its remotely take any of this that doesn’t have anything … for If, as a pari-muour existing businesses and tuel stakeholder, you pari-mutuels,” Abruzzo, a are in support of former senator, said. live pari-mutuel racBut Sen. Bill Galvano, a ing and its associBradenton Republican shepated breeding inherding the upper chamber’s proposal, was more optidustry, you had to mistic. love the affirmative “It’s only Week 3 (of the vote on this bill. If Lonny T. Powell, FTBOA CEO & Executive Vice President 60-day legislative session) you are a casino or and at this point I am more racetrack that wants to offer focused on the fact that gaming bills are little-to-no live racing, my moving than the differences,” Galvano, who guess would be that the end is slated to take over as Senate president in vote was not a positive for November 2018, said in a text message late Tuesday. ■ you. – Lonny Powell

Yes Votes (Committee) on HB 7037

“

SERITA HULT PHOTO

By DARA KAM The News Service of Florida—

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‘March’ing Upward New Owners Take Million-Dollar Babies in Record March Sale

By BROCK SHERIDAN

26 THE FLORIDA HORSE • APRIL/MAY 2017

LOUISE REINAGEL PHOTOS

O

cala Breeders’ Sales officials were cautiously optimistic before their March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training held Tuesday and Wednesday, Mar. 14 and 15, and their hopeful prognostications proved correct. The two-day auction ended with record sales, new owners to the industry and million-dollar juveniles making headlines for what is considered the world’s most illustrious market place for 2-year-old thoroughbreds.

The numbers for both days reflect that this year’s auction sold 300 thoroughbreds for a March Sale record gross of $56,627,000 compared to 320 horses generating $51,288,000 last year. The previous record for gross sales was $55,432,000 established in 2015.

The first day of the sale featured 137 horses that grossed $26,320,500 compared to the first day in 2016 when 169 lots generated $26,418,500 in gross sales. The average price on the first day was $192,120, up 23% from $156,322 on the first day last year. The median price was $110,000 on the first day, identical to last year’s median price on the first day.

The second day saw a total of 152 juveniles generate $29,791,500 in gross sales for an average of $195,997. Those figures are up 19.8% and 19% respectively over last year’s second session when 151 lots went for $24,869,500 for an average of $164,699. The median price this year was $90,000 compared to $100,000 a year ago and the buyback rate was 26.2% compared to 27.7% in 2016.

After as son of Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Orb sold for $1.25 million during the first day of the two-day auction, four additional juveniles hit the seven figure mark on Wednesday. It was the first time that OBS sold five million-dollar horses in one auction.

The top seller during the second session at

$1.7 million was Hip 360, a dark bay or brown filly by Congrats out of the Dixie Union mare Azalea Belle, a daughter of Grade 2 winner Western Breeze who also produced stakes-placed Tizcano and is a sister to stakes-placed Ocean View. Kerri Radcliffe said she purchased the filly for a new client, but did not disclose their name. She did say the filly would be shipped to California where she will be trained by Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, who was among the first to congratulate Radcliffe after she signed the ticket for the purchase.

“I loved the filly from the first time I saw her breeze,” Radcliffe said. “I said ‘this is the one I want.’ She is beautiful, the star of the

sale and I wanted her from the start. It’s all up to Mr. Baffert now.”

The filly, who worked an eighth-mile in :9 4/5 at the under tack program, was consigned

by J.B. and Kevin McKathan of Citra, Fla., in the name of their McKathan Bros. consignment, as an agent for Ahmed Zayat’s Zayat Stables. Zayat Stables also owned 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, who is a graduate of the McKathan brothers’ early training program as well.

“We knew she was going to sell extremely well,” Kevin McKathan said. “But at that price, it takes a couple of people hooking up [in the bidding against each other]. You never know a horse is going to bring that much money. She is a really special filly. She worked super-fast and I’ve never had a horse that galloped out like her.

She has been a beauty queen from the day she got to the farm and has never done anything wrong her whole life.”

Another new player in the thoroughbred business is Lawrence Best of Boston and the founder of OXO Capital LLC and chief financial officer of Boston Scientific Corporation, a medical device firm. Through his OXO Equine LLC, Best purchased two seven-figure juveniles who will be trained by Hall of Famer conditioner Jerry Hollendorfer in Southern California.

The first was Hip 349, a chestnut filly from the Tom McCrocklin, agent consignment that brought $1.1 million. She is by leading sire Tapit out of the Grade 2-placed mare Arienza, by Giant’s Causeway. Arienza is a daughter of Horse of the Year and multiple champion older mare Azeri and is a halfsister to multiple graded-stakes winner Wine Princess and Japanese graded-placed runner Leukerbad.

The filly worked a quarter-mile in :21 2/5 at the under tack program.

The second horse purchased in the name of OXO Equine was Hip 515, for whom Best

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went to $1,050,000 to acquire. The dark bay or for new owners LNJ Foxwoods, Nancy ners Discreet Dancer and Travelin Man and Grade 2-placed stakes winner Sweet N Disbrown colt was also consigned by McCrock- Favreau and Kathy Psoinos.

“We really love the sire [Orb],” Solis said. creet. He worked a quarter-mile in :21 3/5. lin as an agent. He is by Arch out of Enhanc“The main thing I liked about him was that ing, by Forestry. Enhancing is another out of a “We have a half-sister who is one of our betfamous mare in champion Heavenly Prize, ter horses but she got hurt before we could get he came from Ocala Stud,” said Live Oak making her a half-sister to multiple Grade 1 black type. We saw [the colt] breeze and the general manager Bruce Hill who bid and winner Good Reward, Grade 2 winner Pure gallop out was very strong. He’s done every- signed the ticket on the colt. “He had a good Prize, stakes winner Cosmic and stakes-placed thing right. He’s very calm and collected and way of going and is very sound. He was the Distinctively. He was clocked in :20 4/5 for two well balanced. We couldn’t be more excited.” kind of horse that fits all the clichés – he J.J. Crupi consigned the colt, who had an checked all of the boxes. But the main thing furlongs at the under tack program.

The fourth million-dollar baby on Wednes- under tack time of :10 for an eighth-mile, in is talent. We are just not that interested in day went to Robert E. and Lawana Low, own- the name of Crupi’s New Castle Farm, agent. [under tack times such as] nine and fours and ers of the Primatara horse farm and Prime Inc. Crupi said he was not surprised that the colt threes or anything like that. We like exceptional individuals.” trucking company, both based in Springfield, earned the high numbers.

Eddie Woods of Ocala was the leading “He has always been a very honest colt Mo. Three Chimneys Farm bloodstock director Jacob West bid on and signed the ticket for who has always been very professional,” consignor with 23 lots going for a total of Crupi said. “On the track he is all class and all $8,050,000 followed by de Meric Sales, who Hip 586 on behalf the lows.

Consigned by Eddie Woods as an agent man. To be very honest, he was a little behind sold 26 horses for $4,560,000; and Crupi’s for Zayat Stables, the bay colt is by Pioneerof all of my other sale horses. But he is such a New Castle Farm with 12 lots who brought the Nile out of Heavenly Vision, by Forestry. runner, he caught up to the others very easy.” $4,230,000.

The leading buyer during the two days was The top selling Florida-bred during the Heavenly Vision is out of the graded-stakeswinning mare Holy Bubbette, who also pro- March sale was Hip 295, a son of Scat Daddy Kerri Radcliffe after taking two horses for duced multiple Grade 2 winner and out of West Side Dancer, by Gone West, who $2,925,000. OXO Equine’s two purchases tostakes-producer Cairo Prince, Grade 1-placed also brought a $950,000 bid from Charlotte taled $2,125,000 and Dennis O’Neill bought Nonna Mia and stakes-placed Holdin Bullets. Weber’s Live Oak Plantation. The Ocala Stud five juveniles for $2,135,000.

The next sale at OBS is the Spring Sale The colt put in an official under tack work of consignee is a half-brother to Grade 2 winof 2-Year-Olds in Train:20 4/5 over a quarter-mile ing, set for April 25th and will be trained by Todd I loved the filly from the first time I saw her breeze. through April 28th with Pletcher.

I said ‘this is the one I want.’ She is beautiful, the star of Under Tack Shows sched“He has a classic pedithe sale and I wanted her from the start. —Kerri Radcliffe uled for April 17th gree,” West said after placthrough April 22nd. ■ ing the final bid while standing next to Jimmy Crupi. He has [Wood Memorial (G1) winner] Outwork under his second dam, out of a Forestry mare. The crosses work. He is a lovely horse.”

Outwork received his early training from Crupi at his Crupi New Castle Farm in Ocala and was also trained by Pletcher.

The Orb colt that brought $1.25 million Tuesday is from the first crop of his sire out of Remember, by Forest Wildcat. Remember is out of the Grade 1-placed mare Dancinginmydreams, who is a full sister to champion filly Heavenly Prized, stakes winner Oh What A Windfall and stakes-placed Hunting Hard. Dancinginmydreams also produced Grade 1 winner Dancing Forever and stakesplaced Puzzling. Alex Solis Jr. signed the ticket on the colt under his Solis/Litt banner

“

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THE FLORIDA HORSE • APRIL/MAY 2017 27

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FLORIDA DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER SERVICES Adam H. Putnam, Commissioner • 850-617-7289 • Fax 850-617-7281 e-mail: Paul.Balthrop@freshfromflorida.com • 407 S. Calhoun The Mayo Building, Tallahassee, FL 32399

FLORIDA THOROUGHBRED BREEDERS’ AND OWNERS’ ASSOCIATION Lonny T. Powell, CEO and Executive Vice President 801 SW 60th Ave. • Ocala, FL 34474 • 352-629-2160 • Fax: 352-629-3603 www.ftboa.com • info@ftboa.com • www.facebook.com/thefloridahorse

EconomicImpact_Word.qxp_Layout 1 8/23/16 12:24 PM Page 2

$1 BILLION INDUSTRY 12,000 DIRECT JOBS $2.6 Billion+ Overall Economic Impact* 19,000+ Direct/Indirect jobs* *Equine Marion County

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By BROCK SHERIDAN

T

he Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association recognized their Florida-bred champions for 2016 at their 55th annual Awards Banquet and Gala held at the Circle Square Cultural Center Ballroom in Ocala March 13.

The star of the night was Three Rules, a bay colt who was named the Florida-bred Horse of the Year by the FTBOA and also took home honors as the Champion 2Year-Old Colt or Gelding.

By Northwest Stud stallion Gone Astray and out of Joy Rules, by Full Mandate, Three Rules became only the ninth colt to sweep the open divisions of the Florida Sire Stakes in taking the $200,000 Dr. Fager, the $300,000 Affirmed and the $500,000 In Reality divisions of the illustrious series. He joined a list of colts that since the inception of the series in 1984 have swept the FSS including Smile (1984), Naked Greed (1991),

Old Colt or Gelding and Champion Male Sprinter and Sheer Drama, the 2015 Florida-bred Horse of the Year, was named Champion Older Female and Champion Female Sprinter. World Approval repeated as Champion Turf Horse and this year was also named Champion Older Male.

Trained by Stanley Gold at the beginning of his campaign before transferring to the barn of Mark Casse, Awesome Banner won the Grade 1 Swale Stakes, the Grade 3 Hutcheson Stakes, the Prized Stakes, and the Foolish Pleasure division of the FSS. Awesome Banner is a homebred product of Fred and Jane Brei’s Jacks or Better Farm in Ocala and earned $526,035 from five wins in 11 starts during the year.

Sheer Drama is a Harold Queen homebred mare who won the Grade 1 Madison Stakes at Keeneland in 2016.

She won $252,200 during the year and boosted her career bankroll to $1,691,040. She was trained by David Fawkes.

A daughter of Burning Roma out of the blue hen mare Riveting Drama, by Notebook, Sheer Drama is a half-sister to Eclipse Award winning sprinter Big Drama, who now stands in Florida.

United Nations Invitational (G1) winner World Approval added $504,713 to his career earnings during the year with two wins from eight starts while racing for Charlotte Weber’s Live Oak Plantation of Ocala, who also bred him under their Live Oak Stud moniker.

Trained by Mark Casse, World Approval continues to bring notoriety to the family as the half-brother to 2006 FTBOA champion grass horse Miesque’s Approval (also the 2006 Eclipse Award Turf Champion) and 2005 Florida-bred Champion Older Horse Revved Up. World Approval is by Northern Afleet out of Win Approval, by With Approval.

Win Approval was also named the 2016 Florida Broodmare of the Year at the Awards Gala.

Cajun Delta Dawn was named the Florida-bred Champion 2-Year-Old filly based on her stakes victories in the Susan’s Girl and Desert Vixen divisions of the Florida Sire Stakes and in the $75,000 Cassidy Stakes.

In all, the daughter of Kantharos and the Awesome Again mare Cajun Dawn won four of six starts while ac-

Talented colt named Florida’s 2016 Horse of the Year, top juvenile at FTBOA fete Seacliff (1995), Express Tour (2000), Sir Oscar (2001), Big Drama (2008), Jackson Bend (2009) and Fort Loudon (2011). He also won the $75,000 Birdonthewire Stakes at Gulfstream and was sixth behind winner Classic Empire in the Grade1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita.

Three Rules is owned and was bred by the partnership of Bert and Martha Pilcher’s Shade Tree Thoroughbreds of Ocala, Fla., Geoff Roy of Stouffville, Ontario, and Tom Fitzgerald of Toronto. Trained by Jose Pinchin, Three Rules earned $700,640 while winning five of six starts on the year.

An emotional Bert Pilcher tried to convey his appreciation for the awards and the horse.

“You spend your whole life trying to breed a horse like this,” Pilcher said. “And once he comes along you just cannot put into words what this means. It has just been an incredible ride and I want to thank all of my friends and the fans for the support.”

Other dual honorees on the evening were Awesome Banner, Sheer Drama and World Approval.

Awesome Banner was named the Champion 3-Year-

30 THE FLORIDA HORSE • APRIL/MAY 2017

MARTIN PHOTO

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2016 Florida-bred Horse of the Year Three Rules

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Horse of the Year Three Rules is presented the award by FTBOA CEO Lonny Powell and FTBOA President Brent Fernung (far right) to trainer Jose Pinchin and co-breeders and co-owners Bert Pilcher and Tom Fitzgerald

Charlotte Weber accepts Older Mare and Turf Horse Championships for World Approval with FTBOA Board Secretary Greg Wheeler, trainer Mark Casse and FTBOA Board Second Vice president George Russell

DIMARCO PHOTOS

Florida Champions

The 2016 Florida Stallion of the Year was High Cotton, who stands at Ocala Stud. The son of Dixie Union and Happy Tune, by A.P. Indy had total progeny earnings of $3,489,836 and was represented by 93 winners, five black-type stakes winners and nine black-type stakesplaced runners.

The Leading Juvenile Sire in Florida last year was Northwest Stud’s Gone Astray with total progeny earnings of $1,323,548. Gone Astray is by Dixie Union out of Illicit, by Mr. Prospector and he produced 15 juvenile winners, one black-type stakes winner and four black-type stakes-placed runners.

Woodford Thoroughbred’s Biondetti was Florida’s Leading Freshman Sire of 2016. By Bernardini out of the Lyphard mare Lyphard’s Delta, Biondetti was represented by 36 runners who produced $401,462 in earnings. He had 10 winners on the year.

The 2016 Joe O’Farrell Memorial Award was pre-

cumulating $483,105 on the year.

Cajun Delta Dawn was bred by Curtis Mikkelsen and Patricia Horth and trained by David Fawkes.

Flora Dora earned the trophy as the Champion 3Year-Old Filly for owners Bob Cummings and Annette Bacola’s Coffee Pot Stables of Chicago and breeder Donald Dizney’s Dizney Double Diamond Farm LLC of Ocala.

Trained by Marialice Coffey, Flora Dora won the $100,000 Busanda Stakes and raced against some of the best fillies in North America throughout much of the year in other graded races. In her 10 starts in 2016, the daughter of Double Diamond Farm’s First Dude out of the Dixieland Band mare Aidan earned $212,070.

Josdesanimaux was rec- (above left) FTBOA President Brent Fernung presents award for Flora Dora to Roger Brand of Donald Dizney's Double Diamond Farm and (above right) Josdesanimaux ognized as the Champion award winners Lisa and Jerry Graybeal Female Turf Horse for 2016.

The daughter of Leroidesanimaux (Brz) and Jost d’Oro, sented to Francis and Barbara Vanlangendonck’s Sumby Medaglia d’Oro won the Panama City Stakes and merfield who consigned Grade 1, Florida-bred winner Noted and Quoted. Summerfield also won the O’Farrell earned $70,346 from six starts during the year.

Trained by Mark Casse for Palm Beach Racing, Jos- Award in 2014.

The Joe O’Farrell Memorial Award is presented andesanimaux was bred in Florida by Palm Beach Racing nually by Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company to the origiII, LLC. nal consignor of the year’s best Florida-bred racehorse offered at public auction at OBS. Trainers recognized by the FTBOA include Stanley Gold as the leading Florida trainer of Florida-breds by black type stakes wins; David Fawkes, the leading Florida trainer of Florida-breds by earnings; and Kathleen O’Connell, the leading Florida trainer of Florida-Breds by wins. This is the sixth time Gold has been recognized as the leading Florida trainer of Florida-breds by Black Type stakes wins and the ninth time O’Connell has been

32 THE FLORIDA HORSE • APRIL/MAY 2017

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the leading Florida trainer of Florida-breds by wins.

Despite winning the training award multiple times, O’Connell was emotional in accepting the honor.

“I can’t tell you what this award means to me,” O’Connell said. “I want to thank all of the breeders, especially Gil and Marilyn Campbell. Because I have built a career on Florida-breds.”

Charlotte Weber of Ocala took home honors as the Florida Owner of the Year with $1,417,713 in Floridabred earnings. Her Live Oak Plantation saw their Floridabreds post 15 wins and four black type wins. Leading the charge for Live Oak Plantation were Grade 1 winners World Approval and Victory to Victory and Grade 3 winner Awesome Slew. This is Weber’s second time as Owner of the Year after also getting the title in 2011.

Gilbert G. Campbell of Tyngsboro, Mass., was recognized as the 2016 Florida Breeder of the Year based on his runners racking up $2,761,261. He also had five

Curtis Mikkelson and Patricia Horth and David Fawkes showcasing their awards for Cajun Delta Dawn. Fawkes was also Leading Trainer by Earnings

Live Oak Stud farm general manager Bruce Hill with owner Charlotte Weber and trainer Mark Casse with Owner of the Year and Broodmare of the Year awards in hand Mark Queen and wife Anna accept for Champion Sheer Drama

Florida-bred, black type runners on the year and 91 Florida-bred winners. This is Campbell’s second time being recognized and the Florida Breeder of the Year.

The Needles Award, which each year honors a Florida breeder who owns a small breeding operation and has made outstanding contributions to the Florida thoroughbred industry, was presented to the University of Florida Foundation.

The Needles Award is named for Needles, who was the first Florida-bred to win the Kentucky Derby having done so in 1956.

Also during the evening, Thoroughbred Charities of America announced Raina Chingos Gunderson as it first TCA Award of Merit recipient. The award is based on a nominee’s work to provide a better life for thoroughbreds, both during and after their racing careers, by supporting qualified repurposing and retirement organizations and

FTBOA President Brent Fernung presents the award for Awesome Banner to Jacks or Better's Fred Brei and daughter Terri and trainer Mark Casse and Platinum sponsor Don Emrick of All-In Removal

by helping the people who care for them.

FTBOA also presented Run for the Ribbons All Thoroughbred Horse Show awards for the season’s top rider of a retired thoroughbred to Aggie Rybacka Blaszczk and to Carly Kowlachuck for her retired Florida-bred Evil Quest as top horse of the season. ■ THE FLORIDA HORSE • APRIL/MAY 2017 33

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GULFSTREAM:

ulfstream Park announced in a Mar. 9 press release a $3.85 million spring and summer stakes schedule highlighted by the nationally acclaimed, $1.5 million FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes and $1 million Summit of Speed featuring the Grade 2 Princess Rooney and the Grade 3 Smile Sprint, both Breeders’ Cup “Win & You’re In” races.

Gulfstream’s summer schedule will have 29 stakes beginning April 29 with the Miami Mile (G3), one of four graded stakes on the schedule, and ending Sept. 30 with the finals of the $1.5 million FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes (FSS).

In addition to the FTBOA FSS races which represent 39% of the total Gulfstream stakes purses offered, six additional stakes will be restricted to Florida-breds.

P.J. Campo, Vice President of Racing for The Stronach Group and General Manager of Gulfstream Park said in a recent Gulfstream Park press release. “We believe our 2-year-old program, which produced Gunnevera and Three Rules last year, will be extremely strong this summer.

“We’re getting great support and interest about racing in Florida from horsemen throughout North America.”

Joining the Miami Mile on April 29 will be the $100,000 Powder Break. Then, four stakes restricted to Florida-breds will be contested during the last two weeks of May and first two weeks of June before the $1 million Summit of Speed is contested July 1.

In addition to the $250,000 Princess Rooney for fillies and mares at seven furlongs and the $250,000 Smile Sprint at six furlongs, the Summit of Speed will include the $150,000 (plus $25,000 FTBOA FSS eligible bonus for FSS eligible Florida-breds) Carry Back (G3) at seven furlongs, the $75,000 Bob Umphrey at five furlongs, and the $100,000 Kiss a Native and Brave Raj with Florida-breds preferred.

The FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes series be34 THE FLORIDA HORSE • APRIL/MAY 2017

AUSTIN BEITIA PHOTO

Spring-Summer Slate Pivots on Lucrative FTBOA FSS G

gins Aug. 5 with the $100,000 FTBOA FSS Dr. Fager and $100,000 FTBOA FSS Desert Vixen at six furlongs and continues Sept. 2 with the $200,000 FTBOA FSS Affirmed and $200,000 FTBOA FSS Susan’s Girl at seven furlongs. The 11⁄16 mile finals of the $400,000 FTBOA FSS In Reality and $400,000 FTBOA FSS My Dear Girl, which represent two of the most lucrative 2 year-old state-bred races nationally and the largest purses of the meet, will be run Sept. 30 along with four additional $75,000 stake races. Last year, the

2016 Florida Sire Stakes resulted in a 40% increase in wagering over the prior year making those three days the highest handle main event days of the meet.

For the first time, two of the Gulfstream stakes for 3-year-olds will be contested July1.

The Carry Back and $75,000 Azalea Stakes, will receive the benefit of hefty FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes $25,000 bonuses each for FSS eligible Florida-breds. Additionally, the FTBOA will supplement a number of 2-yearold maiden special weight races by offering

Not All Stakes are the

By MIKE MULLANEY (Editor’s note: This story is in response to questions about black-type resulting from recent announcements by Gulfstream Park and the track’s horsemen featuring fewer black-type stakes and the apparent creation of non-black-type stakes that may be under possible reconsideration as of this writing.)

W

inning, or even just placing in blacktype races greatly elevates the value of established and potential stallions and broodmares, as well as their offspring.

According to Dan Metzger, TOBA president, black-type involvement has been worth billions of dollars to breeders and owners.

“Over the years it became desirous to have a uniform way of identifying quality in

a sales catalog,” he said, “and ever since Fasig-Tipton created the concept, black-type has been the best gauge.”

Fasig-Tipton began using the typography in its sales catalogs in 1952, upper casing in bold type the names of all stakes winners on a catalog page and mixing cases of bold type for stakes-placed horses; Keeneland filed suit in 1960; the International Cataloging Standards Committee came on line in 1981 and Society of International Thoroughbred Auctioneers, which sets the standards, followed two years later.

Eligibility for black-type races was codified in 1985. Standards have been amended

GulfstreamParkSchedule_Realease.qxp_Florida Horse_template 4/3/17 2:12 PM Page 35

Gulfstream Park 2017 Spring/Summer Stakes Schedule Date 4/29 4/29 5/6 5/6 5/20 5/27 6/10 6/17 7/1 7/1 7/1 7/1 7/1 7/1 7/1 7/4 7/4 8/5 8/5 9/2 9/2 9/16 9/23 9/30 9/30 9/30 9/30 9/30 9/30

Stake Miami Mile (G3) Powder Break Stakes English Channel Stakes Honey Ryder Stakes Big Drama Stakes (FL-Bred) Musical Romance Stakes (FL-Bred) Soldier’s Dancer Stakes (FL-Bred) Ginger Punch Stakes (FL-Bred) Princess Rooney Stakes (G2) Smile Sprint Stakes (G3) Carry Back Stakes (G3) Azalea Stakes Bob Umphrey Turf Sprint Stakes Kiss a Native Brave Raj Little Mike Martha Washington (FL-Bred Pref) FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes – Dr. Fager Div. FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes – Desert Vixen Div. FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes – Affirmed Div. FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes – Susan’s Girl Div. Miss Gracie Stakes Bear’s Den Stakes FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes – In Reality Div. FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes – My Dear Girl Div. Mr. Steele Stakes Monroe Stakes The Armed Forces Stakes Our Dear Peggy Stakes

Purse $100,000 $100,000 $75,000 $75,000 $100,000 $100,000 $100,000 $100,000 $250,000 $250,000 $150,000* $75,000* $75,000 $100,000** $100,000** $100,000** $100,000** $100,000 $100,000 $200,000 $200,000 $100,000 $100,000 $400,000 $400,000 $75,000 $75,000 $75,000 $75,000

Sex F&M F F&M F&M F&M

F

F F F F F

F F&M F

Age 3yo & older 3yo & older 3yo 3yo 3yo & older 3yo & older 3yo & older 3yo & older 3yo & older 3yo & older 3yo 3yo 3yo & older 2yo 2yo 3yo 3yo 2yo 2yo 2yo 2yo 3yo 3yo 2yo 2yo 3yo & older 3yo & older 2yo 2yo

Distance 1 mile 1 mile 1 1/16 miles 1 1/16 miles 7 furlongs 7 furlongs 1 1/16 miles 1 1/16 miles 7 furlongs 6 furlongs 7 furlongs 7 furlongs 5 furlongs 5 ½ furlongs 5 ½ furlongs 1 mile 1 mile 6 furlongs 6 furlongs 7 furlongs 7 furlongs 7 ½ furlongs 7 ½ furlongs 1 1/16 miles 1 1/16 miles 1 1/16 miles 1 1/16 miles 1 mile 1 mile

Surface Turf Turf Turf Turf Dirt Dirt Turf Turf Dirt Dirt Dirt Dirt Turf Dirt Dirt Turf Turf Dirt Dirt Dirt Dirt Turf Turf Dirt Dirt Turf Turf Turf Turf

*Plus $25,000 3yo FTBOA/FSS Eligible Bonus ** Plus $25,000 for Florida-breds to be split 70%, 20%, 10%

Right ‘Type’ through the years, but the current criteria calls for all of the following: • a minimum purse value of $75,000 to be distributed on race day; • a minimum Race Quality Score, which consists of a composite number from the first four finishers over the past three years. The RQS is a recent addition, being tacked on in 2014, and sources for those speed figures are Bloodstock Research Information Systems, Daily Racing Form (ie. Beyer Speed Figures), Equibase and Thoro-Graph; • the race must be closed to nominations at least 72 hours in advance; entrance fees must

As a result of recent purse contract negotiations between the local horsemen and track, the 2017 Gulfstream stakes schedule totals $3.85 million compared to $5.575

million in 2016 and $4.7 million in 2015. ■ The full schedule can be seen here: www.ftboa.com/racing/racetrack

be paid by the owners of each horse, and the The following example hopefully will illustotal purse value must be at least equal to the trate why: if, for instance, the connections of an established minimum (at least $75,000); American Pharoah-quality horse were interested • each starter must be eligible for purse in running in a “(state)-bred preferred” race, that money; “horse of superior quality” would be denied • there are only four allowable restrictions: entry if the race was oversubscribed, or filled, races for state-breds, nonwinners of a sweep- with state-breds who had accomplished nothing stakes, sales graduates and stallions’ progeny; more than winning a second-level allowances.

• there must not be a preference clause TOBA has two of the 10 seats on SITA. based on criteria unrelated to the qualOther seats are held by the Jockey ity of the horse if such preference Club, which also has two; the Canaclause might exclude any horse of sudian Jockey Club (one), and the perior quality from competing.

Barretts, Fasig-Tipton, Keeneland, It is on that final point that races carOBS sales companies and the rying the condition of “(state)-breds preCanadian Thoroughbred Horse SoDan ferred” are rendered ineligible.

Metzger ciety (also one each). ■ FILE PHOTO

lucrative $5,000 “Win-Only” bonuses to FTBOA FSS eligible runners in order to incentivize those gearing up for the big money FTBOA FSS 2-year-old stakes.

THE FLORIDA HORSE • APRIL/MAY 2017 35

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TWO-YEAR-OLD FILLY DIVISION $100,000 - Six furlongs Saturday, August 5 — FTBOA FSS Desert Vixen $200,000 – Seven furlongs Saturday, September 2 — FTBOA FSS Susan’s Girl $400,000 – One mile and one sixteenth Saturday, September 30 — FTBOA FSS My Dear Girl

TWO-YEAR-OLD COLT & GELDING DIVISION $100,000 - Six furlongs Saturday, August 5 — FTBOA FSS Dr. Fager $200,000 - Seven furlongs Saturday, September 2 — FTBOA FSS Affirmed $400,000 – One mile and one sixteenth Saturday, September 30 — FTBOA FSS In Reality

AcceleratedEarningPower_Revised_No3.qxp_Florida Horse_template 3/31/17 1:29 PM Page 37

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AcceleratedEarningPower_Revised_No3.qxp_Florida Horse_template 3/31/17 1:31 PM Page 38

Breeders’ Awards

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AUSTIN BEITIA PHOTO

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Precisionist.qxp_Florida Horse_template 3/31/17 1:40 PM Page 40

Champion Precisionist embodied speed, stamina and durability for owner/breeder Fred Hooper

By PATRICIA MCQUEEN

G

40 THE FLORIDA HORSE • APRIL/MAY 2017

ood thoroughbreds typically excel at one or maybe two things – going short, going long, on the dirt, on the turf. Many are prominent for just a year or two, hustled off to the breeding shed with “nothing left to prove.”

Of course there are exceptions to any rule, and Florida-bred Precisionist was an exception of the highest order. He was a precocious first-out winner at 2, champion sprinter at 4, a multiple Grade 1 winner at 10 furlongs, a stakes winner on both dirt and turf, and a stakes winner each of

the five years in which he raced – even after two seasons at stud. For these accomplishments, he was inducted into thoroughbred racing’s Hall of Fame in 2003.

Precisionist was a Fred Hooper homebred through and through, with several generations of Hooper horses on both sides of his pedigree.

A longtime leading owner and breeder in Florida before his death at age 102 in 2000, Hooper bred more than 100 stakes winners, among them champion Susan’s Girl and Precisionist’s sire Crozier. The latter was out of homebred Miss Olympia, a

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MCQUEEN PHOTO

daughter of Olympia, a speedy sort raced by Hooper in the late 1940s.

For Hooper, Olympia also sired Greek Game, which in turn sired Poliniss, which produced Excellently, a daughter of Forli. On Feb. 28, 1981, Excellently delivered a strapping chestnut colt by Crozier at Hooper Farms.

While getting his early lessons on the farm, that colt named Precisionist proved to be something special when he blew past a workmate one morning going three furlongs in :34.

Sent to California, he made his debut at Hollywood Park on July 13, 1983, for trainer Ross Fenstermaker.

He won easily by 7 ½ lengths, going six furlongs in 1:10 1/5, leading wire

THE FLORIDA HORSE • APRIL/MAY 2017 41

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Precision

Defined

to wire under jockey Terry Lipham. Ten days later, he bucked shins finishing fifth in the Hollywood Juvenile Championship (G2) and was off until fall.

He returned to win a 6 ½ furlong allowance race at Santa Anita on October 28; that race marked the first time jockey Chris McCarron was aboard. With rare exceptions, he would partner the colt for the rest of his career.

ready sapped. It happened in the worst way before the Hollywood Futurity (G1) on December 18; race reports called him washy and wild-eyed on the long walk from the barn to the paddock before the race. Favored again, he finished 10th of 12 after rushing to take the lead at after a quarter and then faltering.

That winter Fenstermaker worked hard to calm the fiery nerves that burned within, sending Precisionist through many paddock schooling sessions at Santa SPEED PERSONIFIED Anita and taking his time while aboard him for his Precisionist tested stakes company again in the sec- morning gallops. ond division of the Hoist the Flag on the Hollywood The colt progressed through the Kentucky Derby Park turf course on November 25. As preps at Santa Anita, winning the I really can’t tell how San Miguel and San Rafael (G2), the odds-on favorite, he led throughout to win by a half-length over Fali fast this horse is going be- which sandwiched a neck defeat in Time. That was the first time his conthe San Vicente (G3). The feeling cause he’s so smooth. nections tried to slow him down – he was that he was suspect at longer –Jockey Chis McCarron, went in :23 3/5 and :47 3/5 in the distances, and the Santa Anita after the (G1) Strub Hoist the Flag, compared to :21 4/5 Derby (G1) did nothing to dispel and :44 2/5 in the allowance race. “There’s no telling that feeling. He led until deep stretch but couldn’t hold how fast he could go if we turned him loose,” said off winner Mighty Adversary. Hooper declined to send Hooper after the race. the colt to Kentucky, even though he badly wanted to That speed wasn’t his only notable characteristic. His win a second Kentucky Derby; it had been almost 40 nerves would sometimes get the best of him, and he’d years since Hoop Jr., the first horse he ever owned, won leave the paddock washy and lathered up, his energy al- it in 1945.

“

”

Precisionist works out at Saratoga in 1991

42 THE FLORIDA HORSE • APRIL/MAY 2017

After a sixth and a third in two more races, the racing world was convinced Precisionist couldn’t go a distance. He promptly blew the doubters out of the water in the Swaps (G1) on July 22. He led wire to wire in a dominating performance, getting ten furlongs in 1:594⁄5 while ahead by 10 lengths at the wire. Fenstermaker had continued to school him in the paddock, and made a change in his training schedule. Instead of a blowout the morning before a race, he got that “pipe opener” three days before. “He gets too nervous if you blow him out just before a race,” he told the media at the time.

After a seventh in the Del Mar Derby (G2) on the turf, Precisionist bounced back with another big win going long, in the Del Mar H. (G2) against older horses for the first time. Over about 10 furlongs, he won by 13⁄4 lengths in 1:564⁄5 after leading from the start, relaxed and with ears pricked.

Next came an epic duel with Florida-bred Gate Dancer in the Super Derby (G1) on September 22 at Louisiana Downs. The Preakness winner was favored over Hooper’s colt, who was carrying Bill Shoemaker for the first time. McCarron had a commitment to ride John Henry at Belmont Park the same day.

On a track turned fast after being sloppy early in the day, Precisionist again had the lead by the time they had gone a quarter mile, and led for all but the last few strides. Gate Dancer, well back early, closed resolutely to get the win by a head in 2:00 1/5, a new track record.

The two colts were 11 lengths ahead of the third-place finisher Big Pistol. They were so close together that Shoemaker was given a suspension when the stewards determined his whip hit Gate Dancer across the chest several times as the two rivals battled in deep stretch.

Both colts came back in the inaugural running of the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) on Nov. 10 at Hollywood Park. Strong early, Precisionist began dropping back after a mile, tiring badly to finish seventh. Gate Dancer finished second to longshot Wild Again, but was disqualified and placed third for interfering with Slew o’Gold.

STRUB SERIES LAUNCHES RIVALRY

Precisionist’s next three races proved his versatility beyond any doubt. Santa Anita’s now-defunct Strub series tested horses at three different distances, and only Round Table, Hillsdale, Ancient Title and Spectacular Bid had swept all three races.

In the seven furlong Malibu (G2) on Dec. 26, Precisionist relaxed early for McCarron and let other horses lead at first call. He took over shortly thereafter and came home by 2 3/4 lengths in 1:21 2/5 under 126 pounds. On January 19, he waltzed through the nine fur-

MCQUEEN PHOTOS

Precisionist.qxp_Florida Horse_template 3/31/17 1:41 PM Page 43

longs of the San Fernando (G1), leading wire to wire in 1:47 2/5, again with 126 pounds. Second was Greinton, a horse with whom he would have numerous battles over the next two years, carrying 120 pounds; Gate Dancer was third.

For the Charles H. Strub S. (G1) on Feb. 3, Greinton went down to 117 pounds, with 125 on Precisionist. The red colt had an easy lead early, but was going much faster than he had in the San Fernando, with a half in :45 3/5. “I really can’t tell how fast this horse is going because he’s so smooth,” said McCarron after the race.

Under his lighter impost, Greinton was on the move and came to his rival going into the far turn. The two colts

Precisionist in 1986 with trainer Ross Fenstermaker

THE FLORIDA HORSE • APRIL/MAY 2017 43

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Precision

Defined

Precisionist in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1)

battled together the length of the stretch, with Greinton getting the lead briefly. Precisionist battled back to win by a nose in 2:00 1/5, although Bill Shoemaker aboard Greinton thought he had won as they galloped out. Gate Dancer make his patented late run to finish third, just a half-length behind the top two. McCarron always considered the Strub to be the best of his races aboard the colt.

He missed the March 3 Santa Anita Handicap (G1) due to a cough, but Fenstermaker thought he was ready to go a week later in the 6 ½ furlong Portrero Grand.

Once again he disappointed, finishing last of six after a roughly-run race; he came back with a few minor cuts on his legs.

The rivalry with Greinton resumed in the San Bernardino (G2) on April 13 going nine furlongs. Carrying 127 pounds, he gave seven pounds to Greinton.

Precisionist sat second through six furlongs, took the lead at the top of the stretch, but couldn’t hold off Greinton’s late charge, losing by a neck in 1:47.

The weight gap narrowed for their next start, and Precisionist under 126 pounds easily won the Mervyn LeRoy (G2) at Hollywood Park by four lengths over Greinton with 121. The time of 1:32 4/5 was the fastest mile ever run at the track to that time.

Remarkably, they went even faster in their next round, the Californian (G1) on June 9. This time weights

44 THE FLORIDA HORSE • APRIL/MAY 2017

were based on earnings, with Precisionist carrying 126 and Greinton 119. Hooper’s colt tracked second behind Greinton’s stablemate Lord At War. After six furlongs in 1:08 3/5, Precisionist took the lead but couldn’t hold off Greinton, as that one blew past him to win by 2 3/4 lengths in 1:32 3/5.

He finished second to Greinton again in the Hollywood Gold Cup (G1) on June 23, this time carrying 125 to Greinton’s 120. He led most of the way but again couldn’t hold off the winner. The weight was the factor, said McCarron. “Precisionist didn’t beat him today, and he won’t beat him unless we get a better break in the weights. He ran his tail off.”

SPRINT STAR

He was rested after the Gold Cup with bruised feet, and pointed to the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) at Aqueduct when Fenstermaker didn’t have enough time to get the colt ready for a repeat try at the Classic. The Sprint was his first race in more than four months, and he prepared with a series of bullet works at Santa Anita. As the race unfolded, McCarron let Mt. Livermore and Smile battle for the early lead, then swept by them to win by 3/4 of a length in 1:08 2/5, just a tick off the track record. Reporting on the race in the Thoroughbred Record, Tom Slater wrote, “When Precisionist power-shifted into top gear in the stretch, he humbled what was arguably the

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best field of sprinters ever assembled in North America.”

After the race, it was reported that Hooper turned down an offer of $12 million for the colt, which earned the Eclipse award as champion sprinter of 1985.

Precisionist made one more start that year, finishing fourth in the National Sprint Championship (G3), his first effort on a muddy track.

He returned as a 5-year-old to win the San Pasqual (G2) at Santa Anita on January 25, 1986, before meeting old rival Greinton in the Santa Anita Handicap. Carrying 126 pounds to 122 on Greinton, this time he was softened up early by the speedy Herat, an entry with Gate Dancer. At 157-1, Herat led Precisionist through the early stages, and surprisingly held on only to be passed by Greinton late. Hooper’s colt faded to sixth, the first time he and Greinton hadn’t finished one-two in a race together. McCarron blamed himself for a six furlong work in 1:08 3/5 five days before the race; Fenstermaker thought he hadn’t trained him hard enough due to Southern California rains.

In the San Bernardino on April 13, Precisionist and Greinton carried equal weights for the first time. Precisionist was in front after a half in :45 1/5. Early in the stretch, Greinton came to him, but this time the red colt repelled the challenge, winning by a neck in a driving finish. After nine furlongs in 1:47 3/5, they were eight lengths ahead of the third horse.

It would be the last of their thrilling battles; Greinton never raced again. The score was four wins apiece in their eight meetings, with Precisionist giving him weight in all but that final meeting.

Precisionist’s owner/breeder Fred Hooper

EASTERN EXPLOITS

FILE PHOTOS

Precisionist then won the Californian, finished third in the Hollywood Gold Cup, and was sent east for the Iselin (G1) at Monmouth Park on August 16. Facing superstar filly Lady’s Secret, both were upset on a sloppy track by Roo Art, with Precisionist second and Lady’s Secret third.

Two weeks later the three met again, this time on a fast Belmont Park surface for the Woodward (G1).

Once again Lady’s Secret bounded away with the lead, and once again she couldn’t hold off the Hooper colt.

Precisionist won by 43⁄4 lengths over the brave filly in a swift 1:46.

On the road to the Breeders’ Cup Classic, Precisionist was second to Turkoman in the Marlboro Cup (G1) on Sept. 13; Jorge Velasquez subbed for the injured McCarron. Gary Stevens was aboard for a win next out in the Yankee Valor on October 13 at Santa Anita. In the Classic, the colt tracked Herat early and got into a little trouble with some bumping. He hung

on to finish third to upset winner Skywalker and second-place Turkoman.

Hooper still believed Precisionist could win the Classic, so he kept the horse in training as a six-yearold in 1987 to try again. But he suffered a slab fracture to his left front cannon bone in a workout on January 9 and was retired. Surgery two days later put a pin in the bone to promote healing and the horse was on his way to recovery.

OPTIMISM, THEN DISAPPOINTMENT, AT STUD

Arrangements were quickly made and the horse entered stud for $50,000 at Bridlewood Farm as the property of Hooper and Arthur Appleton. Included in his

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Precision

Defined

Precisionist and his buddy Mary Margaret

hastily-arranged book were Susan’s Girl, Sharp Kitty (dam of champion Family Style) and G1 winners Love Sign, Taxi Girl and Diplomette.

Hopes were high, but by May 21 Precisionist had gotten only one mare in foal. Hooper bought back Appleton’s share and took the stallion home. He settled into the training barn, rather than the stud barn, and was eventually placed on an exercise regime to keep him happy. Hooper was optimistic that his fertility problems would disappear with time – after all, he had been rushed from the track to stud in a very short time. Alas, while Precisionist eagerly bred some two dozen mares in 1988, again only one conceived.

So it was back to the races. With a solid foundation under him at the farm, he was sent to trainer John Russell at Hollywood Park in late April. While Precisionist was trying to become a stallion, Russell had taken over Hooper’s California string.

He returned to the races on June 29, 1988. Too eager in an allowance race at Hollywood Park, he lost his footing at the start and sent McCarron to the ground. Despite spotting the field 10 lengths early, he caught up on his own, riderless, to “win” going away – clearly enjoy-

46 THE FLORIDA HORSE • APRIL/MAY 2017

ing running races again. He jumped a shadow at the finish line; observers got the feeling he was jumping for joy at being back.

Sent to Belmont Park for the Tom Fool (G2) because his connections weren’t happy with the weight he was assigned for the Bel Air, he tired after setting the pace and finished last of four as King’s Swan won over Gulch.

DEL MAR STREAK

Precisionist returned to the winner’s circle at Del Mar, taking a one-mile allowance race on August 1 in 1:331⁄5, bettering a 25-year-old track record. He followed that with a 31⁄2 length win in the Cabrillo (G3), going nine furlongs in 1:471⁄5. He made it three in a row with a victory in the Budweiser Breeders’ Cup at one mile on Sept. 10.

“One thing that’s extraordinary about this horse, at his age, is that he’s still got all his speed,” said Russell after the race. “There’s no telling how fast he’d run if you asked him,” echoing Hooper’s remarks when the horse was a juvenile.

Back in New York, he ran third to Forty Niner in the first running of the NYRA Mile on Oct. 22. Substitute

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rider Tony Vega was aboard because of a jockey’s strike at Aqueduct.

Sent for a repeat try at the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, Precisionist raced evenly to finish fifth over a sloppy track, beaten 2 1/4 lengths by winner Gulch. He ran well in his next two starts but couldn’t find the winner’s circle as came up a neck short in the Citation (G2) on the Hollywood turf and missed by a head in the Native Diver (G3) on the main track The latter was expected to be his last race, but Hooper rolled the dice again in an effort to send him out a winner. Racing in Florida for the first time, Precisionist struggled over the unusual Calder surface and finished 12th in the December 24 Sunny Isle under jockey Craig Perret, who eased him late. Returned to the Gulfstream Park barn of trainer Bill Donovan, it was discovered that he had bled profusely.

BACK TO THE FARM

MCQUEEN PHOTOS

Two days later, he was on a van back to Hooper Farms. “He’s done it as a race horse, and I still want him to prove himself as a stud,” said Hooper. “I’ve had him tested by four colleges and they say they can’t see any reason why he doesn’t get mares in foal.” He entered stud again for 1989 for $25,000. He managed to get two mares in foal in 1989 and one in 1990.

After failing to get a single mare in foal in 1991, Hooper had a change of heart and sent Precisionist back to the track one more time. The 10-year-old arrived at the Saratoga barn of Carl Domino on August 11. “This is what he wants to do,” Hooper told the media at the time. “He loves the racetrack. We have a seven-furlong track on the farm and the training barn is about 600 feet from the track. He was always on edge to get over to the track.”

But he never made the races again and was sent back to the farm for good in late September. His racing record stood at 20 wins in 46 starts and earnings of $3,485,398, ranking him seventh on the list of all-time leading earners at the time of his last race in 1988. In addition to his national championship, he was Florida-bred Horse of the Year in 1985 and 1986.

Of his four named foals (the 1988 foal from the very first pregnancy did not live), the last would have the most impact. That 1991 filly, Preciseness, was the dam of Hooper’s 1998 Tropical Park Derby (G3) winner Draw Again.

Over the next few years, Hooper kept trying mares with Precisionist. Eager to help was Dr. Siobahn Ellison, a veterinarian who at the time was getting a Ph.D. in molecular biology; she thought the problem was that his sperm were missing an enzyme. “I think the problem

He had an “economy of action,

the desire to win, and was smart enough to figure out what he’s supposed to be doing. –Dr. Siobahn Ellison

”

had a molecular biological solution and I just didn’t go far enough,” she said of her efforts over the years.

Ellison took over Precisionist’s care in 1996, and she kept him happy with a friend – a mini mule named Mary Margaret.

The vet, who now researches EPM, admired much about Precisionist, especially his intelligence. “He was very much aware of everything that was supposed to happen on the farm,” she said. “If it wasn’t happening, he’d let you know.” And she loved the way he moved.

“He really propelled himself from his rear end. Other horses seem to pull themselves along.”

He got a few visitors every year, but when Old Friends came looking for him, Ellison thought it would be good to send Precisionist to Kentucky where he’d be the center of attention. He arrived with much fanfare in June 2006. Not long after that, the 25-year-old stallion developed cancer in his nasal passages. He was euthanized at Old Friends on September 27, 2006, and is buried at the farm.

Thinking back, Ellison summed up why he was such a good race horse: “He had an economy of action, the desire to win, and was smart enough to figure out what he’s supposed to be doing.” ■

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Black & White 2017 FTBOA

1

MICHAEL SCHWARZ AND JOHN NEVÀREZ

2

3

48 THE FLORIDA HORSE • APRIL/MAY 2017

4

1) Gil and Marilyn Campbell accept 2016 Florida Breeder of the Year 2) Multiple award winner Charlotte Weber of Live Oak Plantation and FTBOA CEO Lonny Powell 3) Janet DelCastillo and her son Nando and his wife Sally 4) AJ, Barbara and Francis Vanlangendonck, Jennifer Given and Liz Lapierre celebrate the Joe O’Farrell Award win 5) Jannette Bryan, Nadja Griffis, Commissioner Michelle Stone, Karen Powell and Crystal Fernung 6) Carole Fletcher 7) A live auction item from Calder Race Course was bought by an Ocala developer for use in his new hotel downtown 8) Bert Pilcher is all smiles after winning Horse of the Year with Three Rules 9) FTBOA President Brent Fernung and FTBOA First Vice President Phil Matthews and nine time Trainer of the Year by wins Kathleen O'Connell

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Gala

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1) FTBOA board member Valerie Dailey and her husband Hugh 2) Top Run for the Ribbons rider Aggie Rybacka

Blaszczk with founder Laurine Vargas, Carly Kowlachuck and Joe O’Farrell III 3) Jay Friedman 4) Terri Brei with Awesome Banner's awards 5) John Henderson 6) Cheyanne Frings showscases the live auction 7) Margaret Carden, FTBOA Board Treasurer Joe O’Farrell, Kim Heath, Nick Carden, Dr. Saundra TenBroeck and Bonnie Heath are all smiles for the Needles award presentation 8) TCA Award of Merit winner Raina Gunderson and her husband Mark 9) Scott Kintz and Matt Lyons accept Biondetti's Leading Freshman Sire award 10) NTRA's Jeff Burch and HRRN's Mike Penna 11) Mike O'Farrell accepts the award for Florida Stallion of the Year High Cotton from FTBOA Second Vice President George Russell

11

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52 THE FLORIDA HORSE • APRIL/MAY 2017

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Equine Care

By HEATHER SMITH THOMAS acehorse breeders usually take care to make weaning as easy as possible for foals and keep them eating an adequate, balanced diet so their growth and development is not interrupted. Part of this strategy involves making sure the foal is ready for weaning, and already accustomed to eating the feed he will feed on after he no longer has milk.

W.B. Staniar, PhD (Associate Professor of Equine Nutrition at Penn State) says low-stress weaning methods help, and the age of the foal and season of year will determine what the appropriate nutrition would be. “With the foals we worked with in numerous studies in Virginia [when he was at Virginia Tech], we were weaning relatively late, at 7 to 8 months of age, and the foals had the advantage of a flush of green pasture. We’d gotten through the heat of summer, and the cool season grasses were coming back. It was a good time to wean our foals because not only were they old enough to be less dependent on their dams (more ready for weaning, physically and emotionally), but they were weaned on green grass. We were also supplementing them with a concentrate ration, but we were weaning them on green pasture—a relatively rich nutrient and energy source that was readily digestible,” he explains.

“We should be thinking about what these young, growing animals need. At weaning time they are growing fast and have substantial nutrition and energy demands that need to be met, for their growth rate to be maintained. Making sure you are meeting those requirements is important, so it helps if you are working with or getting advice from a nutritionist—to know what the requirements are for this age group, and whether the things you are feeding will be meeting these requirements,” he says. There are a number of feed

STANIAR PHOTOS

R

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Equine Care manufacturers who market concentrate feeds for mares and foals and for creep-feeding foals.

He recommends that foals be introduced to these feeds prior to weaning, either through creep feeding or by having access to the diet the dams are eating. This makes the transition easier for foals. “This also helps with the development of their gastrointestinal tract and their ability to transition to the new diet,” says Staniar.

The later you wean, the easier it is on the foals. “Here at Penn State we wean our foals at 3 to 4 months of age because of our management strategies and several other factors, but at this young age we have to think even more about what the requirements of those foals are. We have to start creep feeding them in preparation to wean, because they are still getting quite a bit of nutrition from suckling the mare, at that point. However, when you wean at 7 to 8 months, their intake of milk will be considerably less, the

I think it is valuable to monitor the “ growth of foals. If you have a scale you can measure and record bodyweight. You can also measure withers height when looking at growth rate, or use a weight tape or some of the equations that are available for estimating weight. These are several ways to monitor growth. —W.B. Staniar, PhD

”

54 THE FLORIDA HORSE • APRIL/MAY 2017

production of milk by the mares will be considerably less, and the foals are eating a lot more grass (and often some other feeds) by that time,” he says.

It is easier on foals to wean them a bit later but sometimes people wean them early for various reasons.

Sometimes a foal is growing too fast and at risk for DOD and a person might have to wean that foal early.

Or the mare has a health problem or is becoming too thin pouring all her energy into milk production, and you need to take the foal off her.

“I have always been fascinated by the growth rates and growth curves in young foals and have done a lot of work looking at this. I know that there are many aspects of their environment—nutrition being a major one—that can impact their pattern or rate of growth. I think it is valuable to monitor the growth of foals, if a person has the capability to do it. This adds extra labor for the farm and can be hard to accomplish sometimes, but once a month at least (and it’s usually not necessary to do it more frequently than every 2 weeks) the foals could be weighed and/or measured.

If you have a scale you can measure and record bodyweight. You can also measure withers height when looking at growth rate, or use a weight tape or some of the equations that are available for estimating weight.

These are several ways to monitor growth,” he says.

“You can connect these growth records to what you should be doing from a nutritional standpoint. This can give clues that will tell you if you are feeding a little bit too much, if a foal is growing much more rapidly than it did over the previous two months. Or, you might discover that a foal has dropped off in growth. Is the slower growth due to the fact that the weather has gotten colder, or the fact there is not much forage available? In these instances maybe you should bump up the amount of what you are feeding,” he explains.

At this point in the foal’s age/life, adequate growth is usually a primary objective for the breeder—not necessarily rapid growth, but healthy growth. “This is always hard to define,” says Staniar. If one foal is growing at an obviously different rate (such as faster) than his peers, this might also be something to look at, unless you know that genetics are a factor—if the dam

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and sire are really big, and programed for rapid growth.

“This doesn’t mean we should not be worried about it, because rapid growth can be associated with some skeletal problems. There are still a lot of questions in that area, but we do have to be careful with our larger foals to make sure they don’t grow too rapidly. The larger foals are at a greater risk,” says Staniar.

Weanling diets may differ a bit around the country, depending on what feeds are grown in each region and what is economically available. As long as the ration is balanced and meeting the needs of the growing foal, this is what counts. There may be several options for a weanling diet and it pays to work with a nutritionist to help you figure it out.

“As nutritionists we talk about forage first. We should always be focused on forage as the most important aspect of the equine diet. For a young, growing horse I want to see a relatively high quality forage that is relatively highly digestible—something with a bit more leaf and a little less stem than the average hay (or pasture). We want it to be a bit more nutrient and energy dense than the average forage, to be able to provide more of what the young growing horse needs,” he says.

Another factor is that the weanling foal is smaller than an adult horse, with less GI tract capacity (unable to eat as much volume) along with higher nutrient needs. Thus the feed for a weanling needs to be nutrient-dense.

“Therefore there is a place for grains or concentrates/supplements— whatever you want to call these—in the diet of this animal that has higher requirements for growth.”

The young horse can’t eat enough volume of mature forage to provide the nutrients for the rapid growth we desire.

Someone could argue with that logic and say that horses in the wild do just fine, growing up on nothing but forage—including forage that is overly mature and dry during the foals’ first winter as he gets weaned from mom and goes into his yearling spring. Young horses in the wild are smaller, however, and grow slower. The racing industry wants youngsters to reach their optimum potential sooner, so we feed them better.

“Some sort of low-to-moderate level of exercise is just as important as nutrition, for the weanling, to help

him develop adequately for a sound athletic career. The exercise could be as simple as being out in a large paddock with his peers, to run around and play. It would not be healthy for a young animal to be kept in a stall all the time,” says Staniar. You really can’t separate nutrition and exercise; these are part of the whole picture for the growing horse. There must be a good balance.

“We also need to consider the mare at weaning, and the fact that her diet needs to be cut back to some degree.

She no longer needs the high level of nutrients that were necessary for milk production, and we want to help her dry up,” Staniar explains. ■

Creep Feeds for Foals

Many farms bring mares and foals in at feeding time and let the foal eat alongside the mare in her stall. If the mare’s feed is soft and the pellets small enough, her foal will soon sample her food, and eat alongside the mare.

Foals always mimic their mothers and this is the best way for them to learn to eat concentrate feeds. “Even though the dam’s milk will serve as the main source of nutrition for a foal during the first couple of months, unweaned foals older than three months to four months of age will often need a substantial source of additional nutrition,” according to David Freeman, University of Oklahoma Extension Service.

The mare will eat much faster than the foal, however, and in order to provide adequate amounts of feed for the foal, Freeman recommends providing access to a creep feeder for unweaned foals older than three to four months of age. Foal feeds are formulated to be nutrient-dense, highly palatable, and easily digested by foals. These feeds can be fed as pellets or as coarsely processed grains. “Most creep feed products are about 16% protein, and are formulated to contain about 0.6% to 0.8% calcium and 0.4% to 0.6% phosphorus,” Freeman says.

He recommends starting with a half-pound to one pound of creep feed per day for each foal for the first month, and increasing the amount as the foal grows during the next several months. Some groups of foals can be creep fed at pasture with their mothers, while others may need individual rations and can be creep fed in the stall with their dam, utilizing a feeder that the foal can reach into but the mare cannot.

As a general rule of thumb, Freeman says consumption should be about 0.75% of the foal’s body weight per day. “For example, a 150-pound foal can be expected to consume approximately 1.2 pounds of creep feed per day. The amount of creep feed intake per day likely will increase to approximately 1.25% of the foal’s body weight per day after a few months, by the time the foal is ready to be weaned,” he says. ■ THE FLORIDA HORSE • APRIL/MAY 2017 55

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Florida’s First TB Makeover

1

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The first Florida Transformation Expo was held from March 24 through 26 at the Florida Horse Park and was produced

by Run for the Ribbons, Inc. and founded

by Laurine Vargas. Lori Lockhart, Cedar Lock Farm and the FTBOA were OTTB Hero Diamond sponsors. EQTV Network livestreamed the expo at www.EQTVNetwork.com.

56 THE FLORIDA HORSE • APRIL/MAY 2017

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11 PHOTOS 1, 5, 7, BY TAMMY GANTT; PHOTOS 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9 10, 11 BY SALLY MOEHRING

1) FTBOA helped sponsor the first Florida Thoroughbred Transformation Expo 2) Florida-bred Bring the Heat with rider Ashley Johnson competing in the jumping class 3) Thoroughbreds make great polo ponies 4) Carly Kowalchuk on Florida-bred Evil Quest, best horse in the 2016 Run for the Ribbons series and expo competitor 5) Freestyle is a favorite class among spectators because many times the horses perform at liberty without a bridle or equipment 6) A couple grays competed in the jumping class 7) All smiles for the winners 8) Thoroughbreds are natural athletes 9) Expo founder Laurine Vargas puts on the show over three days 10) Announcer David Manuel interviews Hunter Jelsch 11) Joseph Smith and his daughter before his turn in the working ranch horse class

THE FLORIDA HORSE • APRIL/MAY 2017 57

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Florida-Breds Aro

The Country und

■FLORIDA-BREDS AROUND THE COUNTRY ————By Race Type/Grade ————

■FLORIDA-BRED FINISHERS—STAKES RACES Win/Place/Show Horse Name

Sex Age Sire

Yorkiepoo Princess F

3

Kantharos

Dam

Breeder

Kickapoo Princess

A. Francis Vanlangendonck & Barbara Vanlangendonck

Track Off ID Pos Race Name

Grade/ Value

Earnings

2/25/17

AQU

1

Busher S.

$150,000

$90,000

Date

Enterprising

G

6

Elusive Quality

Indy Blaze

Glen Hill Farm

2/25/17

FG

1

Fair Grounds H.

3/$122,500

$75,000

Apache Brave

G

3

Kantharos

Shoshone Girl

Maurice Miller LLC

2/25/17

GP

3

Texas Glitter S.

$75,000

$7,350

Quick and Silver

G

6

Dunkirk

Royal Confection

Elizabeth P. Whelan David J. Whelan Teresa Murphy & Steve Mur

2/20/17

GG

1

Lost in the Fog S.

$50,800

$30,350

3/$35,520

$3,552

Remember Willy

G

3

J P's Gusto

From Behind

Philip Matthews & Karen Matthews

2/19/17

CMR

3

George Washington S.

Imperial Hint

C

4

Imperialism

Royal Hint

Shade Tree Thoroughbreds Inc

2/18/17

LRL

1

General George S.

3/$250,000

$150,000

Stallwalkin'' Dude

G

7

City Place

Chelle Spendabuck

Maria M. Haire

2/18/17

LRL

2

General George S.

3/$250,000

$50,000

Springmeier

G

5

Graeme Hall

Cool Cara

Robert D. Gibson

2/18/17

TAM

2

Pelican S.

$96,800

$20,000

Tiger Blood

C

4

Cowtown Cat

Sarah Cataldo

Brent Fernung & Crystal Fernung

2/18/17

TAM

1

Pelican S.

$96,800

$60,000

Sonoma Crush

C

4

High Cotton

Alotofappeal

Ocala Stud & Edward Wiest

2/18/17

TAM

3

Pelican S.

$96,800

$10,000

Forever Liesl

F

3

Mineshaft

Ava Pie

Farm III

2/18/17

LRL

3

Wide Country S.

$75,000

$7,500

Spanish Concert

M

7

Concerto

Spanish Slew

Carlos Giraldo

2/18/17

TAM

1

Minaret S.

$50,000

$30,000

Redneck Humor

G

6

Da Stoops

Dame Sylvieguilhem

Jacks or Better Farm Inc.

2/12/17

SUN

1

Budweiser H.

$75,000

$45,000

African Rose

M

8

Bwana Charlie

Darby Rose

Heiligbrodt Racing Stable

2/12/17

SUN

1

El Diario H.

$75,000

$45,000

Awesome Slew

C

4

Awesome Again

Slewfoundmoney

Live Oak Stud

2/11/17

GP

2

Hardacre Mile Gulfstream Park H. 2/$350,000

$67,900

Evidently

M

6

Smart Strike

Supposedly

Lambholm

2/11/17

TAM

3

Lambholm South Endeavour S.

3/$150,000

$15,000

R Angel Katelyn

F

3

High Cotton

Send for an Angel

Craig Lawrence Wheeler

2/11/17

TAM

3

Suncoast S.

$55,000

$10,000

Three Rules

C

3

Gone Astray

Joy Rules

Shade Tree Thoroughbreds Inc Geoff Roy & Tom Fitzgerald

2/4/17

GP

2

Swale S.

2/$200,000

$39,600

Brahms Cat

F

3

Wildcat Heir

Brahms Affair

Louie Rogers Thoroughbreds LLC

2/4/17

GP

3

Forward Gal S.

2/$200,000

$19,200

St. Joe Bay

G

5

Saint Anddan

Dream Ride

Bonnie Heath Farm LLC

2/4/17

SA

1

Palos Verdes S.

2/$196,000

$120,000

Compelled

F

3

War Front

Mutually Benefit

Glen Hill Farm

2/4/17

GP

2

Sweetest Chant S.

3/$100,000

$19,200

Continued on page 60

58 THE FLORIDA HORSE • APRIL/MAY 2017

HODGES PHOTO

Enterprising/Fairgrounds H. G3

BENOIT & ASSOCIATES PHOTO

St. Joe Bay/Palos Verdes S. G2

MJC PHOTO

Imperial Hint/General George S. G3

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EL Potro

Olar a Rosas T

odos los años, cuando entramos en el último mes de la primavera en los Estados Unidos, la pasión por el hipismo crece debido a la celebración del conocido Kentucky Derby (G1), competencia esta que marca el inicio de la Triple Corona del deporte de los reyes en el país, la cual es considerada como unos de los eventos deportivos más atrayentes en el mundo entero y en donde algunos ejemplares nacidos en Florida han hecho historia.

Cada primer sábado del mes de mayo, el olor a rosas impregna el hipódromo de Churchill Downs gracias a la celebración de este evento que mueve masas de fanáticos de la hípica desde todos los rincones de la tierra.

Desde 1872 cuando el Coronel Meriwether Lewis Clark Jr. visitó Inglaterra y se apoderó de la idea de tener en el estado de Kentucky un Derby y no fue hasta 1875 cuando se corrió la primera edición de la carrera por las rosas ante 10,000 fanáticos, esta formidable competencia llamada por muchos “los dos minutos más excitantes del deporte” celebrará en este 2017, su edición número ciento cuarenta y tres.

Para nosotros los aficionados que residimos en Florida, todas las temporadas soñamos con ver a uno de nuestros ejemplares nacidos en este Estado cruzar la meta en primer lugar. A pesar de haber logrado tal cometido en solo seis (6) ocasiones, la cría del purasangre en Florida tiene grabado su nombre en la historia en este evento gracias al recordado campeón y cinco veces Eclipse Award (Caballo del Año 1978-79, Mejor Dosañero 1977, Mejor Tresañero 1978, Mejor Caballo maduro 1979), el alazán Affirmed (FL) (Exclusive Native – Won’t Tell You por Crafty Animal), que además de ganar el Kentucky Derby, barrió con la Triple Corona Norteamericana en 1978.

Además de la hazaña lograda por el legendario Affirmed, el tordillo Silver Charm (FL) (Silver Buck) fue otro digno representante de la Florida en el Kentucky Derby. Exaltado al Salón de la Fama en el 2007, Silver Charm estuvo muy cerca en 1997 de emular a su coterráneo Affirmed de no ser por el ejemplar Touch Gold lo derrotara por tan solo tres cuartos (3/4) de cuerpo en el Belmont Stakes (G1) después que el nieto de Poker ganara el mencionado Kentucky Derby y el Preakness Stakes (G1). Entre los hoy conocidos como “doble-coro-

nados” encontramos al guerrero Unbridled (FL), un hijo del influente semental Fappiano que al igual que los dos antes mencionados pudo alcanzar la victoria en la carrera por las rosas y en el Preakness en el año de 1990.

Foolish Pleasure (FL) (What a Pleasure en Fool-MeNot por Tom Fool) grabó su nombre en la historia del Kentucky Derby en 1975, entre sus dieciséis victorias (11 de Grado) ninguna otra dio mayor orgullo a la cría del Sur de la Florida que la alcanzada en Louisville, Kentucky ese 3 de mayo de 1975. Exaltado al Salón de la Fama veinte años después de su triunfo en Churchill Downs, Foolish Pleasure gozó en su momento de la admiración de muchos de los criadores de purasangres de carreras. Catorce años antes en la historia previo a Foolish Pleasure, encontraremos a uno de los mejores caballos en la historia de nuestro país, se trata de Carry Back (FL), después de fracasar en sus seis primeros intentos en el año de 1960, Carry Back culminó esa temporada con victorias en el Garden Stakes, Remsen Stakes y Cowdin Stakes, a pesar de finalizar tercero en el Fountain of Youth Stakes de 1961 detrás de Beau Prince, Carry Back recuperó su momento y disparó con fuerzas ganando el Everglades Stakes, Trenton Handicap, Flamingo Stakes Jerome Handicap, Florida Derby, Preakness Stakes no sin antes de vestirse de gloria en el Kentucky Derby de esta temporada.

Con solo un revés en el Preakness Stakes del 1956 durante una secuencia de ocho carreras (7 primeros y un segundo), Needles (FL) ganó el Kentucky Derby y el Belmont Stakes de ese año, además de sus lauros en el Florida Derby, Hopeful Stakes entre otros, Needles fue el primer caballo nacido y criado en Florida en alcanzar el triunfo en ganar el Kentucky Derby después de ocho décadas de su creación. Sin embargo, tal y como ocurrió antes puede ocurrir de nuevo, cada día es una nueva esperanza, cada nacimiento de un potrillo marca el inicio del conteo regresivo por el sueño de poder verlo cruzar la meta de la arena de Churchill Downs en victoria durante la primera gema de la Triple Corona, mejor conocida como Kentucky Derby, para entonces luego ser vestido con el famoso manto que dejará por siempre en los corazones de sus propietarios, entrenador, jinete y otros allegados, un fragante, agradable e indescriptible olor a rosas. ■

por Roberto Rodriguez Apasionado con los caballos de carreras Editor de la plataforma informativa de los hípicos de habla hispana Sirviendo como puente para que nuestras culturas conozcan más del hipismo en los Estados Unidos

THE FLORIDA HORSE • APRIL/MAY 20179 59

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Florida-Breds Aro

The Country und

■FLORIDA-BRED FINISHERS—ALLOWANCE Win/Place/Show Horse Name

Sex Age

Sire

Dam

Breeder

Date

Track ID

Pos

Off Value

Grade/ Earnings

D''boldest

M 7

D'wildcat

Boldest of All

Soundview Farm

2/27/17

HOU

1

$22,000

$13,080

Clowney

G

5

Yesbyjimminy

Valliant Dancer

Marion G. Montanari

2/25/17

PRX

3

$$52,000

$5,610

Map Room

G

4

Artie Schiller

Holidaysatthefarm

Glen Hill Farm

2/25/17

TAM

3

$$20,250

$2,250

Mestizo

G

4

City Place

Colebrook Fighter

Sharon Biamonte & Nancy Economy

2/25/17

FON

1

$$8,000

$4,800

Da''s Legacy

G

8

City Place

She's a Sweetiepie

Francis Mc Donnell

2/25/17

FON

2

$$8,000

$1,600

Shacklefords Lady

F

3

Shackleford

Dixieland Bull

John Rio Carole Rio Michael Sivo & Dr. Laura Surovi-Sivo

2/23/17

PEN

1

$$30,680

$17,700

Video Mov

G

5

High Cotton

Betsy Blue

Michael T. Beach

2/23/17

CMR

1

$$8,789

$5,423

Denim Blue

G

4

In Summation

Montana Jordana

William E. Beaty & Shari L. Beaty

2/22/17

MVR

3

$$18,400

$1,840

Galleon Mast

G

4

Mizzen Mast

P. J.'s Eskimo

H & A Stables LLC

2/18/17

GP

3

$$40,000

$3,600

Denali South Peak

G

6

Colonel John

Serena's Sister

Bridlewood Farm

2/18/17

RIL

1

$$3,500

$1,925

Southern Barbecue

H

5

Hear No Evil

Sexy Stockings

Jacks or Better Farm Inc.

2/16/17

DED

2

$$32,400

$6,200

Atlantis Romance

F

4

Cowtown Cat

Command the Waters Red Oak Stable

2/14/17

PRX

3

$$63,740

$5,610

Dear Lilly

M 7

Graeme Hall

Lilly Marlene

Dee-Ellen Cook

2/13/17

TUP

1

$$22,000

$13,504

Pocketfullofgreen

M 5

Maimonides

Prayfromthewordgo

McKathan Bros.

2/13/17

HOU

1

$$20,000

$11,820

Somethingelse

F

4

Leroidesanimaux (BRZ) Gamecents

Family Broodmares III LLC

2/12/17

GP

1

$$48,000

$32,000

Regal Sabellina

F

3

Regal Ransom

Sabellina

Woodford Thoroughbreds

2/12/17

CMR

1

$$10,078

$7,494

U Can''t See Me

C

4

Repent

Cierra's Junebug

Lori Smock

2/11/17

MVR

1

$$18,400

$11,040

I Am I Will

F

3

Field Commission

Mystery Prize

Edward Seltzer Beverly Anderson & Tom Yarbrough

2/9/17

CT

3

$$24,000

$2,400

Jokers Tothe Right

F

3

Candy Ride (ARG)

Mahogany Lane

Eugene Melnyk

2/9/17

CT

2

$$24,000

$4,800

Continued on page 62

Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’s Associattion • Lonny Powell – CEO, Executive Vice President • Brock Sheridan – Editor-in-Chief • Tammy Gantt – Associate Vice President, Membership Services, Events Director, Contributing Editor, Industry and Community Affairs • E. Jane Murray – Director of Administration & Operations 60 THE FLORIDA HORSE • APRIL/MAY 2017

Gulfstream Park •Michael Costanzo – Claims Clerk •Peter Aiello IV – Tr Track Announcer Isle Casino Racing Pompano Park •Heather Belmonte – Executive Assistant Ocala Breeders’ Sales •Tom Ventura–President • Kevin Honig–Mutuels

Tampa Bay Downs •Allison DeLuca – Racing Secretary Breeder •Rick Heatter Trainers •Todd Pletcher •Chuck Simon

PanAmerican_NEWS.qxp_Florida Horse_template 3/31/17 2:11 PM Page 1

INDUSTRY NEWS

D.C. Pan Am Event Encourages Florida Attendees

COURTESY OF THE JOCKEY CLUB

Florida’s Strategic Location is Perfect for Trade

With the presence of international leaders from around the world and with concentration in Central and South America and the Caribbean, the Pan American conference is an ideal place to promote Florida-breds and opportunities in Florida racing. In addition, the close proximity to those regions makes Ocala a hub for shipping customized racehorse feeds, goods and providing services that would otherwise be more costly coming from other regions. The Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ & Owners’ Association is taking advantage of the opportunity by providing The Florida Horse to participants and showcasing Florida with an industry video during one of the packed conference sessions. The FTBOA also works to market to stakeholders after the event. ito. “This conference will be educational not only for our various Latin and South American constituents but also for the numerous delegates who attend from other parts of the world.”

“Collaboration of racing and breeding for the American continents has been our main goal since the inception of our company 10 years ago. We foresee this second conference as an active forum to exchange knowledge, experience, and a vision for the future of racing,” said Kavulakian.

“The Stronach Group realizes the importance of industry collaboration, domestically and internationally, and we are proud to lend our support to yet another industry conference,” said Mike Rogers, president of The Stronach Group's Racing and Gaming Division. “We are equally excited to have these delegates experience the second leg of Thoroughbred racing's Triple Crown.”

To register, go to panamdc2017.com or by contact panamdc2017@jockeyclub.com. ■ Mike Rogers COURTESY OF THE STRONACH GROUP

T

he Jockey Club and the Latin American Racing Channel will host the second Pan American Conference in Washington, D.C., May 17 - 20, leading up to the Preakness Stakes (G1) at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore.

The organization and agenda for the conference will fall under the same team of the first Pan American Conference at the direction of LARC president Horacio Esposito, LARC director Pablo Kavulakian, and James L. Gagliano, president and chief operating officer of The Jockey Club. The Stronach Group will also play a major role in support of the conference, especially on Preakness day. LARC Channel is a distribution company that consolidates horse racing simulcasts in the United States, Europe, Australia and Latin America.

Among the topics are simulcasting, illegal betting, medication, harmonization of rules, international ratings and classifications, marketing, stud book issues, the importing and exporting of bloodstock, and Thoroughbred ownership.

The 2017 Pan American Conference, like the one held in New York, will also include several premier social events at prominent landmarks around the Washington, D.C., area, concluding with a trip to Baltimore on Saturday, May 20, for the Preakness Stakes.

Attendees at the 2015 Pan American Conference witnessed American Pharoah's Belmont Stakes victory when he became Thoroughbred racing's 12th Triple Crown winner.

“The Jockey Club continues to be an active member of the international community, and we take pride in welcoming international guests,” said Gagliano. “Those who attended the Pan Am Conference in New York found it to be an informative, first-class experience in every regard, and we are confident they will James L. Gagliano feel the same way when this one is over.”

“Thoroughbreds from South American countries continue to enhance their reputation in the breeding shed and on the racetrack and they compete successfully throughout the world,” said Espos-

THE FLORIDA HORSE • APRIL/MAU 2017 61

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Florida-Breds Aro

The Country und

■FLORIDA-BRED FINISHERS—ALLOWANCE Win/Place/Show continued Horse Name

Sex Age Sire

Dam

Breeder

Date

Track ID

Off Pos

Grade/ Value

Earngs

City Without Pity

F

4

City Place

Baliwink

Carol Hershe

2/9/17

TP

1

$$14,700

$6,540

Vanter

F

3

Flatter

Storm Prospect

Sienna Farms LLC

2/8/17

DED

2

$$29,000

$5,800

Joe Pike

H

6

Benny the Bull

Allofeverything

Joanna Reisler

2/8/17

CMR

3

$$11,746

$1,250

Clowney

G

5

Yesbyjimminy

Valliant Dancer

Marion G. Montanari

2/6/17

PRX

3

$$51,750

$5,610

Forever Wandy

F

4

Hold Me Back

Advance Glory

Pamela Edel

2/5/17

CMR

2

$$11,746

$2,499

D''craziness

C

4

D'wildcat

Herroyalcraziness

Anne Rose Adametz

2/4/17

TAM

1

$$21,750

$13,550

Rick''s Boy

G

5

Flashstorm

Repentina

Northwest Stud

2/1/17

PEN

2

$$30,149

$5,900

■FLORIDA-BRED FINISHERS—MAIDEN SPECIAL WEIGHT Win/Place/Show Off Date Track ID Pos

Horse Name Sex Age Sire

Dam

Breeder

Adios Maria

Adios Charlie

Silly Cat

J D Farms

2/26/17

FON

F

3

Grade/ Value

Earnings

2

$$6,200

$1,240

The Red Dude

C

3

First Dude

Lovin Spoonful

Milan Kosanovich

2/25/17

OP

3

$$72,000

$7,200

Adios Annie

F

3

Adios Charlie

Burn Brightly

Ocala Stud

2/25/17

LRL

1

$$41,320

$22,800

Twotimingdancer

F

3

Two Step Salsa

Orchid Isle

Dr. Derek Paul

2/25/17

GP

3

$$38,000

$3,800

Karen Sue

F

3

Circular Quay

Kiss N Karen

Gilbert G. Campbell

2/25/17

TAM

1

$$22,000

$13,750

Animauxselle

F

3

Leroidesanimaux (BRZ) Ashley and I

Mary Jean Bonfili

2/25/17

TAM

3

$$22,000

$2,250

Doll Face

F

4

Leroidesanimaux (BRZ) Baby Doll

Edward Seltzer Beverly Anderson Joseph Barbazon & Helen Bar

2/24/17

TP

2

$$16,630

$2,000

Exclusive Package

C

3

Wildcat Heir

Powerful Package

Angela M. Ingenito

2/23/17

GP

3

$$38,000

$3,040

Reason to Soar

G

3

Soaring Empire

D' Country

John Ropes

2/23/17

GP

1

$$38,000

$22,800

Mr Vargas

G

3

Midshipman

Play It Back

Carl Johnson & Martha Johnson

2/23/17

GP

2

$$38,000

$6,840

Rock Solid Lady

F

4

Rock Hard Ten

Lady Tropicana

Alan Benning Inc.

2/22/17

GP

1

$$46,000

$30,800

Providence Road

G

4

Bellamy Road

Brandon's Ride

Dianne D. Cotter

2/22/17

GP

2

$$38,000

$8,360

Collective Wisdom

G

4

Quiet American

Toccet Over

Hickstead Farm

2/22/17

GP

3

$$38,000

$4,180

Overture

F

3

Congrats

Toccet Over

Hickstead Farm

2/22/17

GP

2

$$38,000

$7,980

Cottofina

F

3

High Cotton

Pyrite Final

Suzanne Sharra-Maxwell

2/22/17

GP

3

$$38,000

$3,800

Jakobs Rocket Girl

F

3

Kantharos

Chacana

Rustlewood Farm Inc.

2/22/17

GP

1

$$38,000

$22,800

We Deer You

G

4

Hat Trick (JPN)

Winning Doe

Live Oak Stud

2/21/17

PRX

1

$$53,450

$30,000

Greatreviews

F

3

Leroidesanimaux (BRZ) Flambe'

Jack T. Hammer

2/19/17

GP

3

$$38,000

$3,800

Graceful Heart

F

3

Bodemeister

Heart of Grace

Destiny Oaks of Ocala

2/19/17

TAM

1

$$21,750

$13,350

Glacier

R

3

Broken Vow

Haddie Be Good

Hal Snowden Jr.

2/18/17

SA

3

$$55,380

$6,480

Souper Tapit

C

3

Tapit

Zo Impressive

Live Oak Stud

2/18/17

FG

1

$$41,000

$24,600

Credit Alert

F

3

Overdriven

Credit

Jeff Cook & Sally Cook

2/18/17

TAM

1

$$21,750

$13,150

Heir Ball

F

3

Wildcat Heir

Stifled

Robert Bahi Shoukry

2/17/17

FG

2

$$38,000

$7,600

Tight Rock

C

3

Mineshaft

Habiboo

Hardacre Farm LLC

2/17/17

TAM

2

$$20,500

$4,500

Helluva Choice

C

3

Wildcat Heir

Ellen's Choice

Helen Barbazon & Joseph Barbazon

2/16/17

FG

1

$$38,000

$22,800

Cotton Tooyah

F

3

High Cotton

Greeleylikealady

Ocala Stud

2/16/17

GP

2

$$38,000

$8,360

Florida Fabulous

F

3

High Cotton

West Side Dancer

Ocala Stud

2/16/17

GP

1

$$38,000

$22,800

Bella Sunrise

F

3

Gottcha Gold

Brief Sunrise

Double C Farms

2/16/17

GP

3

$$38,000

$4,560

Red Curls

F

3

Curlin

Madame Red

Lambholm & Constance Wickes

2/11/17

TAM

3

$$20,250

$2,250

Anotador

C

3

Dialed In

Terrace Road

Haras Chillon

2/11/17

TAM

2

$$20,000

$4,000

White Smoke

C

3

J P's Gusto

Silver Island

Dr. & Mrs. Luis Duco

2/5/17

GP

1

$$46,000

$30,800

Adios Annie

F

3

Adios Charlie

Burn Brightly

Ocala Stud

2/5/17

LRL

2

$$40,000

$8,400

Another Chance

M 6

Survivalist

Oakshela

Luisa Degwitz & Ric-Deg Farm

2/5/17

LRL

3

$$40,000

$4,400

One Dreamy Dude

C

3

First Dude

Dreamy Dream

Steve Tucker

2/4/17

OP

2

$$72,000

$14,400

Chasenthisdream

F

4

Tale of the Cat

Chasenthebluesaway Seclusive Farm LLC and Chester Prince

2/4/17

SUN

2

$$21,500

$4,730

True Blue Diamond

F

3

Gemologist

Tale of Love

Marilyn McMaster

2/4/17

MVR

2

$$17,900

$3,580

Eva London

F

4

Adios Charlie

Ennuhway

Ocala Stud

2/3/17

GP

2

$$38,000

$7,980

Judah

C

3

Reward the Cat

Final Assault

Dr. Michael Rotstein

2/3/17

HOU

3

$$19,000

$2,046

Stick

C

3

Mass Media

Queen Latina

Kathleen Amaya Raffaele Centofanti & Alexandro Centofanti

2/3/17

HOU

1

$$19,000

$11,160

Majestic Maiara

F

4

Majestic Warrior

Maiara

Just For Fun Stable

2/2/17

GP

2

$$38,000

$8,360

62 THE FLORIDA HORSE • APRIL/MAY 2017

MembershipUpdate_April/May2017.qxp_Florida Horse_template 3/31/17 2:21 PM Page 20

FTBOA MEMBER UPDATE

Keeping members informed MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL REMINDER

This may be your last issue of the Florida Horse if you have not renewed your membership. In addition, services and mailings are also discontinued including discounts. Membership runs the calendar year with a grace period until March 31 annually.

Don’t miss an issue, e-blast update, mailing, or event and other important membership information – renew today at www.ftboa.com. All members who registered by March 31 were entered into a drawing for a mower, blower, American Pharoah FTBOA commissioned print, FTBOA pride merchandise and a two night hotel stay in the Hollywood Beach Marriott (up to a $700 value).

RETIRED THOROUGHBRED RECOGNITION AT THE GALA

FTBOA is proud to support retired thoroughbreds.

FTBOA honored two Run for the Ribbons horse show series participants at the recent Gala. The high point rider was Aggie Rybacka Blaszczyk and the top thoroughbred Horse of the Year was registered Florida-bred Evil Quest who is owned by Carly Kowalchuk.

In addition, Raina Chingos Gunderson was presented with the Thoroughbred Charities of America award of merit. Gunderson’s claim to fame used to be that she graced the poster in the gift shop at Saratoga – a beautiful photo of her as an exercise rider at Saratoga during a foggy morning sunrise. It was one of the many mornings in the 22 years she galloped great horses for great trainers. Since those days, she quietly has been involved in thoroughbred retirement. Her passion for retired thoroughbreds began when she got her first retiree, multiple stakes placed El Gran Fernando off the track in 1997 thanks to trainer Joe Catanese. Since then, she has spent countless hours of her own time walking the backstretches of both Calder Race Course and Gulfstream Park watching for thoroughbreds that -- once retired -- would have great second careers as hunter/jumpers, dressage horses or fam-

ily pets. She pays particular attention to horses toward the end of each race meet when a horse could become vulnerable if not racing well. She also watches for horses as they age, encouraging sound retirement from racing when a horse is no longer as competitive as he was in his prime. Gunderson, the horsemen’s liaison at Gulfstream and former guest services director at Calder, has advocated positively to trainers the need to retire a horse sound and healthy. She shares her experience with trainers about the opportunities the horse will have when the horse finds his next home and career before retirement from racing. Gunderson, a multi-disciplined and knowledgeable horsewoman, watches the horses as they race and train and in the backstretch, and can spot the proper discipline for many by their conformation, way of going and attitudes. It is this unique gift which helps her match the horse with a suitable discipline more immediately than most.

Gunderson is very humble and does not take credit for all the efforts and her time taken, instead, she says it is a team effort of people like her, the industry and owners and trainers. She says over the years things have changed. Thanks to a resurgence of popularity of thoroughbreds in horse sports for hunter/jumpers and dressage, more thoroughbreds are being placed. In addition, she is enthusiastic about the Retired Racehorse Project and Thoroughbred Makeover program. She’s seen its purpose of developing demand for thoroughbreds come to fruition and she is able to place many more horses because of it.

NTRA SPONSORS BUS TRIP TO TAMPA

Susan Fowler with NTRA discount programs sponsored the bus trip to Tampa Bay Downs for Florida Cup day on April 2. The event was so popular this year, the bus filled months in advance. The NTRA was proud to partner with FTBOA and the FTBOA Member Day at Tampa and to offer discounts in their ever expanding discount program.

Discounts now include John Deere, Red Brand, Office Depot/Max, Double R Manufacturing, Clear Span, UPS, Suncast Commercial, Sherwin Williams, Nationwide Insurance, EcoLox, Lockton, Haygard Pharmacy, Flair and Valvoline. ■ Tammy Gantt, Associate Vice President, Director of Membership Services & Events, FEC Contributing Editor and FTC Industry & Community Affairs THE FLORIDA HORSE • APRIL/MAY 2017 63

DriftingOut.qxp_Florida Horse_template 3/31/17 2:15 PM Page 1

DRIFTING Out

Sun‘n Sand

by Mike Mullaney

Managing Editor for Florida Equine Communications

M

ixing sunshine with sand is a decidedly ing seventh of eight at 10 furlongs after wrenching an ankle.

Recovered and refocused on the Mile, Second SumFlorida activity, conjuring idyllic images from Daytona to the Keys and looping back up mer ran the race of his life for Watson, who immediately north and around the panhandle all the way to St. Joe Bay. acknowledged that his horse would be pointed toward next Mixing horses raised in the Sunshine State with the year’s World Cup. He won’t mind if Arrogate has embarked on his postdesert dunes of Dubai has also become a tradition.

In reviewing a World Cup card dominated by Arro- racing career by then.

The world champion’s sire Unbridled’s Song and gate, the readily apparent – such as Florida-bred Second Summer’s 18-1 upset of the $1 million Godolphin Mile, grandsire Unbridled were Florida Derby winners, but at and the victory of Mind Your Biscuits, who like Saratoga least as interesting is the presence of Meadow Star as his County and Kelly’s Landing, exited a Gulfstream race third dam.

And that in itself stirs memories. before winning the $2 million Golden Shaheen – jumps A May 19 foal of 1988 – bred in Florida by Jaime Carout, as do the ties that bind the unquestioned star of the rion, who had also bred her sire, the brilliant Meadowlake show to Florida.

The program began with Second Summer’s 18-1 sur- – Meadow Star was the champion juvenile filly of 1990.

She came back in top form early as a 3-year-old to prise in the Godolphin Mile. Bred by Richard Shultz, the now 5-year-old gelding was consigned by Summerfield meet her equally talented West Coast rival Lite Light in to Keeneland’s September, 2013, yearling sale where he the Mother Goose on June 9.

Observers of the time will tell you it was one of the was sold to California interests for $72,000.

After a slow start to his career, he jumped up at 9-1 to most-intriguing, most-hyped and most-thrilling non-classic, non-match and non-Breeders’ win the Grade 2 Californian last Cup races of all-time. year at Santa Anita but, after a the Mother Goose was The chief combatants at Belpoor showing in the Gold Cup (G1) there, he was privately sold one of the most-intriguing, most- mont Park that day: Meadow Star, owned by corporate raider and to Sheikh Rashid bin Humald Al hyped and most-thrilling noncurrent presidential adviser Carl Nuaimi, the 33-year-old son of the ruler of Ajman, one of the classic, non-match and non- Icahn, and Lite Light, owned by “M.C. Hammer,” aka Stanley seven “emirates,” or states, of the Breeders’ Cup races of all-time. Burrell, rapper and a hot comUnited Arab Emirates.

Taking over the training was Doug Watson, a 52-year- mercial property himself.

The weather was hot and dry, the track fast and the atold native of Ohio who took a job driving the ambulance at the first World Cup in 1996 and who assisted Kiaran mosphere electric, and the race didn’t disappoint.

Meadow Star, with Jerry Bailey riding for trainer McLaughlin in Dubai for several years until going out on Leroy Jolley, had an early two-length lead but Lite Light his own in 2003.

Watson liked Second Summer’s pedigree and advised and her jockey, Corey Nakatani, given a leg up by Jerry the purchase with the 1¼-mile World Cup in mind. His Hollendorfer, hooked her midway on the turn.

The two battled through the turn and down the entire fifth dam, Sister Shannon, was a star for John Ed Anthony’s Loblolly breeding operation, producing champion stretch, and Meadow Star eked it out by a nose. The two and Belmont-Travers-Jockey Club Gold winner Temper- other fillies in the race were also a nose apart, nearly 16 ence Hill as well as the broodmare Populi, who produced lengths adrift.

Meadow Star, nor Lite Light for that matter, were ever JCGC winner and older champion Vanlandingham.

In his first try at Meydan, Second Summer dropped a the same after that epoch battle, which makes it especially nose decision to the Chilean filly Furia Cruzada at nine fur- gratifying to see Meadow Star’s name live on in the pedilongs, but then he failed badly in his second effort, finish- gree of such a horse as Arrogate. ■

Observers of the time will tell you

64 THE FLORIDA HORSE • APRIL/MAY 2017

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WAYS OF The wesT

Death of the Newspaper

T

by Gary West Gary West is an award winning turf writer who has covered horse racing for more than 30 years in many publications including The Dallas Morning News and Ft. Worth StarTelegram. He currently writes for ESPN.com and several other publications on a freelance basis.

wenty years ago, when both levels of the Gulfstream Park pressbox overflowed with turf writers in town for the Florida Derby from what seemed like everywhere — Los Angeles, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Dallas, Washington, New York, Boston, Louisville — this would have been difficult to imagine and impossible to predict: But today there’s not a single full-time turf writer at any of the country’s major daily newspapers. (Don’t worry: This column isn’t going to wax sentimental about some mythical good old days, when every major newspaper had a turf writer and every turf writer a flask.) Not one full-time turf writer remains, not even in Kentucky, where horses and racing are integral to the state’s economy and culture. Alicia Wincze-Hughes was the last of the turf writers, and she left the Lexington Herald-Leader in November.

It’s a shameful embarrassment for Kentucky, but for the sport it’s only a nuisance, an obstacle. Most of all, since racing fans once depended on newspapers for most of their racing information, the dearth of newspaper coverage has created a challenge.

For horse racing the situation would be critical except for a fact that, while it hardly comforts, might mitigate: Newspapers are dying. So what if newspapers don’t cover racing anymore; they don’t matter anymore. Newspapers are about as significant as your wife believes your comic book collection to be. They don’t shape opinions or influence consumers — or at least not nearly as much as they once did, when the newspaper represented the only medium that could penetrate an entire market and permeate an entire metropolitan area. Because of newspapers, boys throughout America mastered the long pass to the stoop; because of newspapers, people would jump out of bed and rush outside in their pajamas or bathrobe to grab a chance to read a column by Mike Royko, Red Smith, Jim Murray, Blackie Sherrod or Joe Palmer. But can you name one columnist today whose work is worth the price of a newspaper?

Frankly, newspapers deserve extinction. They clung stubbornly to an ancient business model that was clearly broken, selling circulation numbers rather than content only to realize when it was too late, after dumbing and watering down everything but the masthead in an effort to attract a wider audience, that they had alienated their readers and no longer had any content any literate person wanted to buy. If there were a graveyard of newspapers, it would be a potter’s field, but with some impressive names engraved on the white tombstones: the Rocky Mountain News, Miami News, Dallas Times-Herald, Arkansas Gazette, Phoenix Gazette, Oakland Tribune, Kansas City Times, Nashville Banner,

66 THE FLORIDA HORSE • APRIL/MAY 2018

Houston Post. Except for a few national dailies (the Wall Street Journal most notably) that will endure, most of today’s newspapers have devolved into irrelevance.

And horse racing in fact could be better off without them.

Newspapers are like people in that they see what they want to see and believe what they want to believe. Some of them just can’t help themselves. When they cover horse racing it’s as if they’re staring at the Muller-Lyer Illusion: Their preconceptions intrude so they can’t see what’s really there; instead they see what they want to see, the sport’s problems, and believe what they want to believe, the sport’s detractors.

That’s what happened to the Miami Herald in 2003.

Based on an ambiguous, glinting reflection in a photograph, the Miami Herald suggested Jose Santos had an electrical device in his right hand and used it to encourage Funny Cide to win the 2003 Kentucky Derby, all while switching sticks twice in the stretch, then twirling his whip at the wire.

A forensic investigation by the Louisville police that included 280 photographs blown up 250 times revealed the absurdity of the allegation. Actually, though, anybody with any expertise and objectivity could have taken one look at the video replay and dismissed the suggestion summarily.

But newspapers believe what they want to believe.

In 2014, you probably recall, PETA released an infamous video that targeted trainer Steve Asmussen and allegedly showed, in the words of a narrator bent on apocalypse, “death and abuse” at the racetrack. That same day, the New York Times — which, not-very-surprisingly, had prior access to the video —said it “showed widespread mistreatment of horses.” Really? That was tantamount to describing any video on pediatric dentistry as showing widespread abuse of children. The PETA video was eventually exposed as nothing more than distorted propaganda, and the Steve Asmussen stable exonerated.

But the Times believed what it wanted to believe.

That also might explain why you probably didn’t read any newspaper’s report about the decline in catastrophic breakdowns to the lowest level since they’ve been monitored. That story simply didn’t fit the preconceived narrative.

Newspapers believe what they want to believe. But, strangely enough, that’s not as disturbing as it once was because what they believe no longer matters. They’ve become irrelevant. Most people these days look to the Internet for their news and information; that’s where the sport can reveal itself more fully and candidly and where its raconteurs can tell their stories to the next wave of fans.

No major daily newspaper employs a full-time turf writer, no big deal. n

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