SUSAN’S GIRL

By JOANN GUIDRY

Florida-bred Susan's Girl's achievements include earning three Eclipse Awards, induction into the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame and becoming the first distaff runner in North America to earn $1 million.

ig, beautiful and talented, Fred Hooper's Susan's Girl made everyone take notice when she stepped onto the racetrack. Standing 16.1 hands and weighing just shy of 1,200 pounds, the red bay runner had a striking blaze and four white socks. And she was a stonecold racehorse.

In five seasons of racing, Susan's Girl made a remarkable 63 starts, notching 29 wins, 14 seconds and 11 thirds to earn $1,251,668. Of those

29 wins, 24 were stakes wins, including 12 graded with eight Grade 1 victories. In the latter category, she won the Spinster Stakes (1973 & 1975) and Delaware Handicap (1973 & 1975) twice. She also won the Beldame Stakes twice; in 1972 prior to the graded stakes races system and again in 1975 when it was a Grade 1.

An excellent shipper, Susan's Girl ran at racetracks on both coasts and in-between. She won from six furlongs to 10 furlongs, on dirt and on grass. And Susan's Girl had five different trainers in her career, Leland R. Fenstermaker, T.W. Kelley, Chuck Parke, John Russell and Robert Smith, winning at least one stakes for each of them.

Susan's Girl was actually bred in the name of Fred W. Hooper Jr., whose father Fred Hooper, the son of a hardscrabble Georgia farmer, had moved to the Palatka, Fla., area after World War I. The elder Hooper tried his hand at farming potatoes and cabbage, going into debt. He then became a barber before going into road construction, eventually becoming the biggest contractor in the southeast. He later bought thousands of acres of farm land in Alabama, raising shorthorn cattle there and at his Palatka farm. It was around that time that he bought his first racehorses, running them in match races.

In 1943, Hooper bought a *Sir Gallahad III yearling colt for $10,200 at the Keeneland sale. Named Hoop Jr., the colt won the 1945 Kentucky Derby and Hooper was officially in the thoroughbred business. After initially basing his thoroughbred operation in Alabama, Hooper moved to Ocala full time and established Hooper Farms in 1966. It was there that Susan's Girl, by Quadrangle out of Quaze, by *Quibu, was foaled in 1969. FIRST CROWN

Despite being such a big filly, Susan's Girl bypassed the gawky stage and developed quickly into a serious racehorse. As a juvenile in 1971, she made 13 starts, notching five wins and five seconds to earn $150,484. She posted victories in the Signature Stakes and Villager Stakes, both at Liberty Bell in Pennsylvania. Susan's Girl was second to Dresden Doll in the Demoiselle Stakes at Aqueduct, as well as runner-up to Numbered Account in both the Frizette Stakes at Belmont Park and Gardenia Stakes at Garden State Park. Numbered Account took home the Eclipse Award as champion 2-yearold filly. But Susan's Girl was just getting warmed up and her accolades were coming in bunches.

As a 3-year-old filly, Susan's Girl roared into 1972, winning six consecutive stakes races at three different distances and at three different tracks. Trained by John W. Russell, she opened up the season with a trio of wins at Santa Anita: Pasadena Stakes (6 furlongs in 1:08.60); Santa Ynez Stakes (7 furlongs in 1:21.80) and Santa Susana Stakes (8.5 furlongs in 1:43).

Shipped to Churchill Downs, Susan's Girl didn't miss a stride. There, she captured the La Troienne Stakes and As a 3-year-old filly, Susan's Girl roared into 1972, winning six consecutive stakes races at three different distances and at three different tracks

the Kentucky Oaks. Next stop was Aqueduct, where Hooper's colorbearer added a victory in the Acorn Stakes to make it six stakes win in a row.

Susan's Girl posted seconds in the Mother Goose Stakes and Coaching Club American Oaks at Belmont Park before shipping back west to Hollywood Park. There she was second in the Princess Stakes and third in the Hollywood Oaks. Then it was back across the country to Liberty Bell in Pennsylvania, where she found the winner's circle in the Cotillion Handicap.

Back at Belmont Park, Susan's Girl was triumphant in the Gazelle Handicap and Beldame Stakes. The latter field was stocked with the best 3-year-old fillies in the country. Besides Susan's Girl, there was Summer Guest, Chou Croute, Numbered Account and Typecast. Susan's Girl rallied on the rail, jumped over a piece of paper near the finish line and won by a length over Summer Guest with Chou Croute third. Winning time for the nine furlongs was 1:47 2/5.

On the season, Susan's Girl made 13 starts, posting nine wins, all stakes wins, two seconds and two thirds to bank $352,678. She had made three starts in May at three different tracks, two starts in June at two different tracks, two starts in July at two different tracks and two starts in September, both at Belmont Park. In a remarkable feat at the latter, Susan's Girl won the Gazelle Handicap on September 2 and then the Beldame Stakes on September 9. Not surprisingly, Susan's Girl collected the 1972 Eclipse Award as the champion 3-year-old filly.

ANOTHER CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON

In 1973, the graded stakes race system was in effect and Susan's Girl wasted little time in racking up graded stakes wins. Still under John Russell's tutelage, she opened the season again at Santa Anita Park and shone brightly as ever. Carrying 127 pounds, she bested Convenience in both the Santa Maria Handicap (G2) and Santa Margarita Invitational Handicap (G1). Stretched out to 10 furlongs proved to be not a problem for Susan's Girl, winning the Santa Barbara Handicap (G1) while carrying 129 pounds.

SUSAN'S GIRL 1969 bay mare by Quadrangle – Quaze, by *Quibu Breeder: Fred W. Hooper Jr. Owner: Fred Hooper Trainers: Leland R. Fenstermaker, T.W. Kelley, Chuck Parke, John Russell & Robert Smith Highest Honors 1972 Eclipse Award – Champion 3-Year-Old Filly 1973 Eclipse Award – Champion Older Mare 1975 Eclipse Award – Champion Older Mare 1976 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Induction Career Race Record/Earnings 63-29-14-11/$1,251,668 Career Blacktype Stakes Wins 1971 Signature Stakes • Villager Stakes 1972 Pasadena Stakes • Santa Ynez Stakes • Santa Susana Stakes • La Troienne Stakes Kentucky Oaks • Acorn Stakes • Cotillion Stakes • Gazelle Stakes • Beldame Stakes 1973 Santa Margarita Invitational Handicap (G1) • Santa Barbara Handicap (G1) Delaware Handicap (G1) • Spinster Handicap (G1) • Santa Maria Handicap (G2) Susquehanna Handicap (G2) 1974 Falls City Handicap (G3) 1975 Matchmaker Handicap (G1) • Delaware Handicap (G1) • Beldame Handicap (G1) Spinster Stakes (G1) • Long Beach Handicap (G2T) • Apple Blossom Handicap

Shipped back to the East Coast, Charles Parke took over training Susan's Girl in the fall after Russell resigned to condition the Phipps family's stable. The change of trainer made no matter to Susan's Girl. She would win carrying 127 pounds in the Susquehanna Handicap (G2) at Liberty Bell, Delaware Handicap (G1) at Delaware Park and Spinster Stakes (G1) at Keeneland. In the Delaware Handicap, she covered 10 furlongs in 2:00.60 while beating Summer Guest.

In 14 starts, Susan's Girl scored six wins, all graded including four Grade 1s, two seconds and three thirds to earn $340,496. She won a well-earned 1973 Eclipse Award as champion older mare.

The 1974 season was a strange one for Susan's Girl. She finished second in the Santa Monica Handicap (G2) and third in the San Pasqual Handicap (G2) at Santa Anita. In the latter, she was beaten by Tri Jet, another Hooper Florida-bred multiple graded stakes-winner from the same 1969 crop. Susan's Girl also came out of the San Pasqual Handicap (Feb. 2, 1974) with chips in her left foreleg. But Hooper wasn't ready to retire his big mare; he wanted her to become the first distaff runner in North America to win $1 million. Dr. Robert Copelan removed three chips from Susan's Girl's right front ankle and she was sent back to Hooper Farm to recuperate. Reportedly, every day for two months, Susan's Girl was vanned to an equine swimming facility south of Ocala in Lake Weir. Nine months later, she was ready to return to the racetrack.

And Susan's Girl being Susan's Girl, her return was remarkable. After not having raced since February, she won the Falls City Handicap (G3) at a mile on Nov. 9 at Churchill Downs. Susan's Girl closed out the season with two wins, including a graded tally, one second and two thirds to bank $46,059. As a broodmare, Susan's Girl produced Florida-bred Grade 1 stakes winner Copelan, by Tri Jet. Copelan won the 1982 Champagne Stakes (G1), Futurity Stakes (G1), Hopeful Stakes (G1) and earned $594,278. Copelan was also a leading Florida stallion, siring 35 stakes winners. Susan’s Girl

ALL HAIL THE QUEEN

As a 6-year-old mare in 1975, Susan's Girl was as amazing as ever. She won the Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn Park on April 2 and then the Long Beach Handicap (G2) on the turf at Hollywood Park on April 26. On July 28, she captured the Matchmaker Handicap (G1) at Delaware Park, setting a track record of 1:54.20 for the nine-and-a-half furlongs.

Then for a little icing on the cake of her stellar career, Susan's Girl won her second Delaware Handicap (G1) at Delaware Park on Aug. 10, her second Beldame Stakes

(G1) at Belmont Park on Sept. 20 and her second Spinster Stakes (G1) at Keeneland on Oct. 25.

At season's end, Susan's Girl had made 17 starts, chalked up seven wins, five being graded wins with four being Grade 1s, four seconds and four thirds. She earned $361,951 and boosted her career bankroll to $1,251,668, giving Hooper his wish of having the first distaff millionaire in North America. Susan's Girl picked up her third Eclipse Award, being named the 1975 champion older mare. And Hooper collected his own Eclipse Award as Outstanding Breeder. In 1976, Susan's Girl was inducted into the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame. As a broodmare, Susan's Girl produced Florida-bred Grade 1 stakes winner Copelan, by Tri Jet. Named after the equine surgeon who had removed Susan's Girl's chips, Copelan won the 1982 Champagne Stakes (G1), Futurity Stakes (G1), Hopeful Stakes (G1) and earned $594,278. Copelan was also a leading Florida stallion, siring 35 stakes winners.

Susan's Girl died at Hooper Farms on Oct. 18, 1988, at the age of 19. ■ FILE PHOTO

2020 Legislative Session Wrap-Up Report

March 2020 By FTBOA Lobbyist MATT BRYAN I want to say at the outset of this report that the recent outbreak of the Coronavirus ( COVID 19) certainly puts the legislative activity on pari-mutuels and gaming in perspective. Nothing is more important than your safety and health during this crisis. Having said that, some of you might be wondering how we fared during the 2020 Florida Legislative Session. I submit this report with less enthusiasm than usual due to the circumstances.

I can honestly say that 2020 was one of the strangest sessions I have ever experienced. And I have been through thirty-six of them! We worked the entire session on a comprehensive gaming bill that ultimately was never filed and that we never actually saw in writing. Despite that, the prospect of a bill was very real. FTBOA CEO Lonny Powell, the FTBOA executive committee, and General Counsel Warren Husband all spent a great deal of time in Tallahassee discussing the many variations of the pari-mutuel/gaming bill. At the end of the day, when session finally ended (six days late) on Thursday, March 18, no bill ever materialized. However that does not mean it was not very, very close to being introduced and passed in the last few days of session.

During the second week of the session, the FTBOA Executive Committee and CEO Lonny Powell came to Tallahassee for a day of meetings with House and Senate leaders. All of the leaders of the House and Senate who visited with us flatly stated that there would be no bill this session. And at least one high ranking Senator did not think there would be a new gaming compact (which generates the discussion of pari-mutuel changes) until the state needed the money. At that time, the state budget was in good shape as it was for most of the session. Despite those strong suggestions, we continued to work the process by meeting with members of the Marion County delegation, members on the appropriate committees of reference, and the committee chairs and top decision makers in each chamber. In doing so we quickly learned that there was an earnest effort led by Senate President Bill Galvano to negotiate a new compact with the Seminole Tribe of Florida which would have made changes to the pari-mutuel laws.

We begin every discussion in Tallahassee with the subject of decoupling which is a nice way of saying let’s destroy the thoroughbred industry for a handful of wealthy, mostly out-of-state permit owners. We have been successful over the years in defeating the decoupling of thoroughbred tracks, but I am frustrated to report that had a bill passed this year, it likely would have allowed the thoroughbred and other horse tracks to decouple. That would have been an unmitigated punch to the gut for thoroughbred breeders and owners. Despite your local delegation fighting hard against decoupling for at least eight years the bill most certainly would have included it, although we may have been successful in amending decoupling out of the bill at some point before final passage. Thankfully it did not get to that point. The 2020 session ended without advancing any legislation on gaming or sports betting.

I want to thank the entire delegation for their support. When you see Senators Bradley, Baxley and Perry and Representatives Stone, McClain, Watson and Hage please thank them for their efforts. One encouraging development that came from our discussions was that both the House and Senate were interested in making changes to Advanced Deposit Wagering that would have been helpful in boosting breeders’ awards and purses.

What do we expect over the next few months? I am not sure anyone can really say under the circumstances. However, we do know that the state economy is taking a major hit due to the virus. Currently there are two different trains of thought on how to approach this. First, some legislators would like to come back in a special session in May or June to cut the budget before it takes effect in July and attempt yet again to pass a new gaming compact (which could be worth $750M to $1B in revenue to the state). Second, other legislators believe that the $3.4 billion in total state reserves is enough to ride out the storm in order to make a more careful assessment of the economic damage over a longer period of time and deal with it in November. Either way, we still have plenty of work to do on decoupling and other pari-mutuel issues. We had a particularly strong alliance that we facilitated this session with strong cooperative efforts in particularly from the FHBPA, Tampa and OBS and look forward to keeping those dedicated efforts in place along with a revitalized and ready to go The Stronach Group.

As always, please know that we will leave no stone unturned to get a good result for thoroughbred breeders and owners in this state! ■ “ Despite your local delegation fighting hard against decoupling for at least eight years the bill most certainly would have included it, although we may have been successful in amending decoupling out of the bill at some point before final passage. Thankfully it did not get to that point. ” —FTBOA Lobbyist Matt Bryan