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FIRST DUDE by Stephen Got Even–Run Sarah Run–Smart Strike 2016 Fee $7,500 #1 Leading Freshman Sire in Florida
BAHAMIAN SQUALL by Gone West–Midway Squall–Storm Bird 2016 Fee $5,000 His Breeding shouts Speed
Donald R.Dizney
https://www.facebook.com/pages/First-Dude/130049330338431
Standing: First Dude & Bahamian Squall • Contact Roger Brand, Jimmy Alexander or Melissa Anthony for stallion inquiries
899 S.W. 85th Ave., Ocala, FL 34481 • (352) 237-3834 Fax: (352) 237-6069 • visit-www.doublediamondfarm.com
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MARCH • 2016 • VOL 59/ISSUE 3
DEPARTMENTS & COLUMNS
6 BROCK TALK —By Brock Sheridan 8 FLORIDA FOCUS 16 LEGISLATIVE NEWS 40 NATIONAL NEWS 64 AROUND THE COUNTRY Country-wide Florida-bred statistics
68
—By Tammy A. Gantt
FTBOA MEMBER UPDATE
70 FARM MANAGEMENT —By Jamie Cohen 72 DRIFTING OUT —By Mike Mullaney 74 WAYS OF THE WEST —By Gary West
FEATURES 18
Tepin takes the Endeavour; Davis to Destin in Weekend racing at Tampa Bay Downs
TAMPA BAY DOWNS
24 OBS WINTER MIXED SALE
Curlin Popular on First Day of OBS Sale
—By Brock Sheridan
26 OBS DAY OF CHAMPIONS Fans turn out enmass for OBS Championship Day in which the days card included wagering on two races —By Brock Sheridan 32
MSHAWISH REPEATS AT GULFSTREAM
36
CLEAR VIEW
44
THE CHICKEN FLAMINGO
Different race, same weekend —By Brock Sheridan
Luke’s Alley finds path to victory in Gulfstream Park Turf —By Brock Sheridan The 50th anniversary of the infamous Chicken Flamingo at Hialeah —By Reg Lansberry
52 EQUINE CARE
Managing club feet in horses —By Heather Smith Thomas —Photos by Serita Hult
58 4 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2016
STALLION SHOWS COVER PHOTO OF AWESOME BANNER: COGLIANESE CONTENTS PHOTO OF SHEER DRAMA: BRIAN CAPUTO
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Important FTBOA Dates and Deadlines 2016
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 BUSINESS & DEVELOPMENT MANAGER
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 PATRICK VINZANT
Florida Equine Communications, Inc. (A corporation owned by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association)
Executive Office – 801 SW 60th Avenue Ocala, Florida 34474 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
© THE FLORIDA HORSE (ISSN 0090-967X) is published monthly except July by THE FLORIDA HORSE, INC., 801 SW 60th Ave., Ocala, Florida 34474, including the annual Statistical Review in February. Opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of Florida Equine Communications or the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association. Publication of any material originating herein is expressly forbidden without first obtaining written permission from THE FLORIDA HORSE©.
GEORGE RUSSELL, PRESIDENT/BOARD CHAIRMAN JOSEPH M. O’FARRELL III, 1ST VICE PRESIDENT GIL CAMPBELL, 2ND VICE PRESIDENT SHEILA DIMARE, SECRETARY FRED BREI, TREASURER Statistics in the publication relating to results of racing in North America are compiled from data generated by Daily Racing Form, Equibase, Bloodstock Research Information Services, and The Jockey Club Information Systems Inc., the copyright owners of said data. Reproduction is prohibited. Advertising copy deadline 5th of month preceding publication. Subscriptions and change of address: Please mail to – Circulations Department. THE FLORIDA HORSE, 801 SW 60th Ave., Ocala, Florida 34474. Printed by PANAPRINT
AMERICAN HORSE PUBLICATIONS • FLORIDA MAGAZINE ASSOCIATION • MEMBER BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU
FLORIDA THOROUGHBRED BREEDERS’ AND OWNERS’ ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT CEO & EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT FIRST VICE PRESIDENT SECOND VICE PRESIDENT SECRETARY TREASURER IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT DIRECTORS
George Russell Lonny Taylor Powell Joseph M. O’Farrell III Gil Campbell Sheila DiMare Fred Brei Phil Matthews, DVM Barry Berkelhammer, Mark Casse, George Isaacs, Richard Kent, Milan Kosanovich, Roy Lerman, Diane Parks, Jessica Steinbrenner, Charlotte C. Weber, Greg Wheeler PAST PRESIDENTS Don Dizney, Harold Plumley, Stanley Ersoff, John C. Weber,MD, Douglas Oswald CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER/ ASSISTANT TREASURER Caroline T. Davis ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT/ BUSINESS & OPERATIONS MANAGER Patrick Vinzant ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT/ MEMBER SERVICES & EVENTS DIRECTOR Tammy A. Gantt EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT/ ASSISTANT SECRETARY Becky Robinson MEMBERSHIP SERVICES & EVENTS ASSISTANT DIRECTOR Sally Moehring AWARDS, REGISTRATIONS & PAYMENTS Sheila Budden
*Florida Sire Stakes 2YO Payment FTBOA Marion County Legislative Days OBS Championship Stakes FTC Charity Stallion Season Auction FTBOA Info Center at OBS Stallion Registration Deadline *Late FSS 2YO Payment Membership Renewal Deadline Awards Gala FTBOA Info Center at OBS Day at Races–Tampa Business Leaders Trip FTBOA Info Center at OBS Last Chance 2YO FSS Payment Farm and Service Directory Deadline Kentucky Derby Florida Sire Stakes Yearling Payment Preakness Belmont Scholarship Application Deadline FTBOA Info Center at OBS June Election Candidate forms available July Candidate Forms Deadline Late Stallion Registration Deadline Florida Sire Stakes FTBOA Info Center at OBS Aug. Florida Sire Stakes Foal Registration Deadline Equine Institute Sept. Florida Sire Stakes Stallion Directory Page Deadline FSS Finals FSS Bus Trip Charity Golf Tourney FTBOA Info Center at OBS Annual Meeting Breeders’ Cup Late/Late Stallion Registration Deadline FSS Late Yearling Payment Farm City Farm Festival Farm City Ag Hall of Fame Dinner Member Holiday Charity Open House Late Foal Registration Deadline *Prior yearling payment required
Jan. 15 Jan. 19-20 Jan. 26 Jan. 27 Jan. 27-28 Feb. 15 Feb. 28 March 1 March 14 March 15-16 April 9 April 19-22 May 1 May 1 May 7 May 15 May 21 June 11 June 15 June 14-17 TBD TBD Aug. 1 TBD Aug. 23-25 TBD Aug. 31 Sept.15 TBD Oct. 1 TBD TBD Oct. 7 Oct. 11-13 TBD Nov. 4-5 Nov. 15 Nov. 15 Nov. TBD TBD Dec. 7 Dec. 31
Thoroughbred Week–National Mid Atlantic Sports Network Saturdays at 8 a.m. & Sundays at 10:30 a.m. Directv 640, 640-1; Dish 432, 433
Thoroughbred Week–Central Florida
FLORIDA THOROUGHBRED BREEDERS’ AND OWNERS’ ASSOCIATION Tammy Gantt: tgantt@ftboa.com, (352) 732-8858, ext. 239 Online at FTBOA.com 801 SW 60th Ave. • Ocala, FL 34474 Additional event and charity dates 352-629-2160 • Fax: 352-629-3603 will be added as they are scheduled. www.ftboa.com • info@ftboa.com www.facebook.com/thefloridahorse
9 a.m. Sat.–Cox Ocala-Channel 16 8:30 a.m. Sunday–Fox 51
THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2016 5
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the Brock talk
Serious Influence Brock Sheridan
Editor-in-Chief Florida Equine Communications
JOHN D. FILER PHOTO
F
or thoroughbred horse racing enthusiast, March means folks in the industry begin to get serious about their Kentucky Derby favorites and selections. As the Run for the Roses begins to take shape, albeit on a preliminary basis, one can again see the influence the Florida thoroughbred industry has on the Kentucky Derby contenders. Trainer Mark Casse, who is a resident of Ocala, Fla., and is a member of the Board of Directors for the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association, has Derby contender Conquest Big E, who has but one start this year and he literally had a difficult beginning. He was bumped at the start of the Grade 2 Lamholm South Holy Bull Stakes before finishing fourth behind winner Mohaymen. FTBOA board member Fred Brei has two possible Derby horses in homebreds Awesome Banner and Fellowship. Awesome Banner has won two graded stakes this year in the Hutcheson Stakes (G3) and the Swale Stakes (G2). Fellowship was a good third in the Holy Bull Stakes. Both are by Brei’s Awesome of Course, who stands at Ocala Stud. Ocala Stud also has another star in Florida-bred Forevamo, who was second to Gun Runner in the Grade 2 Risen Star. They also consigned Forevamo to the OBS April sale last year where he brought $320,000 from a final bid by L.E.B. The early Kentucky Derby favorite on many lists is un-
As the Run for the Roses begins to take shape, “ one can again see the influence the Florida thoroughbred industry has on the Kentucky Derby contenders. ”
defeated Nyquist. The champion 2-year-old male of 2015 won the Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) last year and took the Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes to begin his march to Kentucky this year. The Doug O’Neil trainee received his early training at Niall Brennan Stables in Ocala, who also consigned him at the Fasig-Tipton Florida sale where he sold for $400,000. Also at the top of many lists is Mor Spirit, from the barn of Bob Baffert. Last year Mor Spirit took the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Futurity and was second to Airoforce in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes. Another graduate of the FasigTipton Florida sale as a $650,000 purchase, Mor Spirit won
6 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2016
the Grade 3 Robert B. Lewis Stakes. He received his schooling from Ciaran Dunne at his Wavertree Stables in Ocala, who also consigned him to the Fasig-Tipton Florida sale. Former FTBOA board member Eddie Woods has two top Derby contenders that graduated from his Ocala-based training and consignment program in Annual Report and Flexibility. Annual Report has yet to start in 2016 but last year won the Grade 2 Futurity Stakes at Belmont Park to garner early Derby credentials. Woods broke the bay colt and consigned him at the Fasig-Tipton Florida sale where he dropped the gavel at $600,000. Flexibilty started the year by taking the Grade 3 Jerome Stakes before finishing fourth behind winner Sunny Ridge in the Grade 3 Withers Stakes. Woods also consigned him at the Fasig-Tipton Florida Sale where he sold for $185,000. Baffert also trains Collected, who was purchased out of the OBS March sale for $170,000 from the consignment of Steven Venosa’s SGV Thoroughbreds, which is located in Ocala. Collected started the year by winning the Grade 3 Sham Stakes before finishing fourth in the Grade 3 Southwest Stakes won by Suddenbreakingnews. Another who passed through the OBS auction ring is Discreetness, who won the Smarty Jones Stakes to start the year before finishing seventh in the Southwest after going eight-wide in the first turn. Royal Thoroughbred International of Doral, Fla., consigned Discreetness at OBS where he sold for $105,000. Jim Crupi instructed Greenpointcrusader at his New Castle Farm in Ocala after purchasing him as a yearling at the Keeneland September sale. A winner of the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes at age two, Greenpointcrusader was also seventh in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile before his runner-up in the Holy Bull. Also keep an eye on Riker and Vorticity. Riker is a winner of the Grey Stakes (G3) and sixth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile last year. He received his early training from Paul Sharp in Williston, Fla. Sharp also consigned him to the Fasig-Tipton Florida sale where he sold for bargain $60,000. This year Vorticity has been second in both the Jerome and the Withers and received his first racetrack instructions from Tami Babo’s Secure Investments in Ocala. ■
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Florida FOCUS by Mike Mullaney is the second foal of Velvet Charm to make it to the races, whose previous runner, Trippi’s Charm, was a winner. Regal Ties, the third dam of R Girls a Charmer, was a half-sister to On to Royalty, who swept Gulfstream Park’s series of races for 3-year-old fillies: the Old Hat, Forward Gal (G3) and Bonnie Miss (G2) in 1988. ■
Florida-bred R Girls a Charmer
Rave reviews for ‘Charmer’ Gary Barber knows something about investing in quality productions and the show his 3-year-old filly R Girls a Charmer put in at Tampa Bay Downs in the $100,000 Gasparilla on Jan. 23, caught the eyes of the critics. Barber, the Chief Executive Officer of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and close client of Ocala-based trainer Mark Casse, might have something very special in the Florida-bred daughter of Ocala Stud stallion In Summation, who went gate to wire to win the Gasparilla by four lengths, finishing the seven-furlong event in 1:25.61. Fractions along the way, over a course labeled as “good,” were :23.04, :46.33 and 1:11.96. The Gasparilla was part of a three-stake program at Tampa that day: The $100,000 Pasco for straight 3-year-olds and the $50,000 Wayward Lass for older fillies and mares were also featured. Like any good actress, R Girls a Charmer made the Gasparilla stage her own under the guidance of jockey Antonio Gallardo, who had the Ocala Stud product under firm control from the start. The pair had a one-length lead over Valueable Charmer after the opening quarter before Cosmic Girl attempted to challenge 8 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2016
SV PHOTOGRAPHY
Awesome Banner flying high
approaching the half. R Girls a Charmer, however, was never threatened. “She made the lead pretty easy, and I had a lot of horse in the stretch,” Gallardo said. “I think if someone else had put pressure on her [late], she would have taken off again. I like her a lot.” Repulsed by the eventual winner, Cosmic Girl, favored at 2-1, had enough to hold the rallying 42-1 Missalaney safe at the wire, preserving the place by 1¼ lengths. R Girls a Charmer, as the 4-5 favorite, paid $3.60. Casse wasn’t willing to divulge the purchase price for the chestnut, who left Alfred MacIntosh’s barn shortly after her 6¾-length maiden victory at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 2. She earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 91 off that race, and had recorded an 85 in her only previous start, when she gave up a lead to Dearest at Gulfstream Park West, finishing second on Nov. 28. Her first two races were at six furlongs. She had debuted under the colors of Averill Racing, in partnership with several others, while coming out of trainer Alfred MacIntosh’s barn. The 12-year-old Velvet Charm sold for $460,000 as a juvenile at OBS in 2006. R Girls a Charmer was a $28,000 purchase as a juvenile at last year’s OBS April auction. She
Jacks or Better Farm’s undefeated homebred Awesome Banner registered his second consecutive graded-stakes victory at Gulfstream Park Jan. 30, handily taking the Grade 2 Swale by five lengths. While the Reddick product sparkled in victory, his trainer, Stanley Gold, says he won’t allow himself to get caught up in a Kentucky Derby daydream. Showing remarkable restraint – especially for someone who trains an undefeated colt, of seemingly limitless potential, and one who gets better as he goes longer – Gold maintains that he hasn’t given thought to springtime at Churchill Downs, and was insistent in saying that he hasn’t even given thought to the colt’s next race. “I don’t know. I haven’t thought about it yet. Honestly, I haven’t,” he said. And, as for a run for the roses? “I don’t have Derby Fever at all. It’d be crazy to think about May in February,” he said. Another Jacks or Better star, Fellowship – the late-running, distance-loving winner of the In Reality division of the Florida Sire Stakes in early October – finished third to mighty Mohaymen in the 1 1/16-mile Holy Bull later on the Jan. 30 card at Gulfstream. Fellowship’s good showing makes him a candidate for the Feb. 27 Fountain of Youth (G2) at the same distance as the Holy Bull, even as Gold said Awesome Banner will have no difficulty progressing from the seven-furlong, one-turn Swale to the Fountain of Youth. Two classic prospects in the same barn is not a bad problem to have, and, at least for the time being, Gold is in no rush.
“I’m going to have to confront it soon, but I don’t have to do it now,” he said. “The questions are, ‘When are we going to go two turns?’ and ‘Where are we going to run next?’ Two turns won’t be a problem, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re going to win. [Awesome Banner will] run two turns, because he’s not going to run off with crazy speed.” Awesome Banner ran his competition off their feet early in the Swale, doing it in a controlled manner, according to jockey Jose Caraballo. “He’s a nice little colt,” Caraballo said. “He still doesn’t know much and hasn’t figured it out yet, but he can run. When he turns for home, that’s when he really takes off. He’ll go farther – he’s ratable, he’s not speed-crazy at all. He’ll go as easy as you want him to go.” Going easy in his gate-to-wire Swale victory led to heady fractions of :22.68,
KENNY MARTIN PHOTO
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Florida-bred Awesome Banner
:45.07 and 1:08.88 en route to a final clocking of 1:21.81. As his jockey said, Awesome Banner waited until turning for home before dropping
the hammer on the competition. Noholdingback Bear – runner-up, 4¾ lengths back, in their previous meeting, the six-furlong, Jan. 2 Hutcheson (G3) at Gulf-
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stream – was attentive early, lapped on Awesome Banner through the first half-mile, but he was dispatched when Caraballo gave his mount a smooch on the turn. Economic Model and Richie the Bull came late to finish a nose apart for second and third, with “The Bear” fourth in the six-horse field, but they weren’t threats. “That was impressive,” Gold said of his horse. “Eight-andchange [for six furlongs] … that impressed me. He did just like he did last time. He did it just as impressively, only he went an eighth farther against tougher company.” The second- and third-place finishers looked good in finishing strongly, but Gold’s eyes were on his horse, and he liked what he saw. “I was anxious until he drew off,” Gold said. “He had that gear and he had that stamina and he just took off.”
CHELSEA DURAND PHOTO
Florida FOCUS
Florida-bred Flora Dora
Awesome Banner, off at 9-10, paid $3.80. His tallies in the Hutcheson and Swale followed a 9¾-length, record-setting victory (:51.07) at 4½ furlongs in his career bow at Gulfstream on June 15. He came into the Hutcheson off a seven-month layoff due to a knee chip. He has earned $215,020. Awesome Banner, a son of Ocala Stud stallion Awesome of Course, is the fifth named foal of his dam Miranda Stands. His fourth dam, Three Tees, produced Widener winner Vertee, who beat the good handicap horse West Coast Scout in 1973 when Hialeah’s once-prestigious event was run at 10 furlongs. ■
Florida’s Flora Dora wins Busanda
10 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2016
Florida-bred Flora Dora, flashing the form that put her in the winner’s circle after the My Dear Girl Stakes last October, confirmed her promise Sunday with a hard-fought, one-length victory in the $100,000 Busanda Stakes at Aqueduct. Bred in Florida by Dizney Double Diamond, Flora Dora is the fourth named foal and sixth overall out of her 11-year-old Chilean dam, Aidan. Flora Dora was an $87,000 yearling purchase in Saratoga in 2014, and her year-younger, stakes-winning half-sister, Lindisfarne, by City Zip, was a $57,000 yearling purchase in Kentucky. The slight favorite in the field of eight 3-year-old fillies assembled for the Busanda, Flora Dora broke well, then settled in the middle of the pack early in the mile and 70-yard race. Never more than three lengths behind the pacesetting Lost Raven, who was stalked by Dreams to Reality and Scatoosh, Flora Dora was given her cue by Jose Ortiz on the turn. Traveling four-wide, she picked off the leaders one at a time, finally gaining the better of Scatoosh inside the sixteenth pole. She was slowly increasing her advantage when she reached the wire in 1:45.40. Scatoosh had 2¼ lengths on third-place Lost Raven, with Dream to Reality fourth.
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Sheer Drama back in Fawkes fold Harold Queen’s multiple Grade 1-winning Florida homebred Sheer Drama arrived at trainer David Fawkes’ barn on the Gulfstream backstretch Jan. 29 to begin preparations for her 6-year-old debut. An Eclipse Award finalist for champion older female of 2015, Sheer Drama had been at Queen’s Ocala farm since her fourth-place finish from post 14 in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff Oct. 30. “She’s doing great. She put a bunch of weight on, and she looks really, really good,” Fawkes said. “We’ll shedrow her for a couple days and then send her to the track, jog her for a week or so and then start galloping her. We’ll probably breeze her in about three weeks, just let her tell us when she’s ready.” Fawkes said he would like to follow a similar schedule to last year, where Sheer Drama had three wins, four seconds and $1.2 million in purse earnings from eight starts, including victories in the Grade 1 Personal Ensign, Delaware Handicap (G1) and Royal Delta (G2). The Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) April 15 at Oaklawn Park and La Troienne (G1) May 6 at Churchill Downs are among the early races being considered by Fawkes. “It’ll be easier the closer she gets to have a plan. I have some races in mind,” he said. “There’s a lot of races in front of us. Where we’ll start exactly I couldn’t say. We’re happy to have her back.” ■
BRIAN CAPUTO PHOTO
“She was very kind,” said Ortiz, who took over the mount from her regular rider in New York, Kendrick Carmouche, who was aboard Scatoosh. “She listened really well. When I was getting a position in the first turn, she helped me out and she relaxed. When I asked her to go at the three-eighths pole, I had to whip her a few times … she’s a little lazy. Once I got her going, she was there for me.” Flora Dora paid $7.40 and earned $60,000 for her owners, Coffeepot Stables. She has won two of her five starts and has earned $405,332. “She’s always been a very patient filly and she closes very well,” said winning trainer Marialice Coffey. “I feel that she also has technical speed and that she can put herself in the mix.” Flora Dora’s time for the mile and 70-yard contest was 1:45.40: Fractions were :24.55, :49.32, 1:14.03 and 1:40.94. The daughter of Double Diamond Farm stallion First Dude out of Aidan, by Dixieland Band, lost her debut Sept. 6 going seven furlongs at Saratoga, then broke her maiden in the My Dear Girl at Gulfstream on Oct. 3, beating a quality field at 11⁄16 miles. FolFlorida-bred Sheer Drama lowing that race she returned to New York where she was a late-running second in the Grade 3, onemile Tempted at Aqueduct Nov. 4, then a rallying fourth there in the Nov. 28 Demoiselle (G2) at 11⁄8 miles. “From the time we started her as a 2-year-old at Saratoga she never got nervous about anything,” Coffey said. “She does everything we ask her to do. I think added distance will help her. The longer, the better. We’re absolutely targeting the longer distances. She’s easy to train, she’s easy on herself … and very professional.” Coffey said Aqueduct’s $125,000 Busher at 11⁄16 miles on Feb. 27 is their next target. The victory aboard Flora Dora was one of five on the day for Ortiz, who agrees with her trainer that the filly hasn’t reached her full potential. “She has a really good stride and I think she can go a little longer too,” he said. ■
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Florida-bred R Girls a Charmer
Elogios para “Charmer” Gary Barber sabe lo que es invertir en producciones de calidad, y el espectáculo que dio su potra de tres años R Girls a Charmer en la Gasparilla de USD 100,000, en Tampa Bay Downs, el 23 de enero atrajo la atención de todos los críticos. Barber, CEO de Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer y cliente frecuente del entrenador con base en Ocala Mark Casse, puede haber encontrado algo casi único en la potra criada en Florida, hija del semental In Summation, de Ocala Stud, que atravesó la pista de Gasparilla de siete furlongs en 1:25.61 y superó a sus rivales por una ventaja de cuatro cuerpos. Las fracciones intermedias, en una pista catalogada de “buena”, fueron 0:23.04, 0:46.33 y 1:11.96. La Gasparilla fue parte de un programa de tres carreras en Tampa ese día: también se corrieron la Pasco de USD 100,000 para caballos de tres años y la Wayward Lass de USD 50,000 para potras de más edad y yeguas. Como buena protagonista, R Girls a Charmer se adueñó del escenario en la Gasparilla al mando del jinete Antonio Gallardo, quien, desde el comienzo, mantuvo bajo estricto control a la yegua de Ocala Stud. La dupla se impuso por un cuerpo sobre Valueable Charmer después del cuarto de apertura y antes de que Cosmic Girl intentara 12 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2016
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Florida FOCUS by Mike Mullaney
desafiarla al acercarse a la mitad. Sin embargo, R Girls a Charmer nunca se sintió amenazada. “Se impuso con bastante facilidad, si bien tenía varios rivales en la recta”, declaró Gallardo. “Creo que si alguien más la hubiera presionado, se habría despegado del rival nuevamente. Me gusta mucho”. Repelida por la eventual ganadora, Cosmic Girl, favorita 2-1, hizo el esfuerzo suficiente para mantenerse delante de la veloz Missalaney de 42-1 e imponerse por un cuerpo y un cuarto. R-Girls a Charmer, favorita con 4-5, dio una ganancia de USD 3.60. Casse no estaba dispuesto a dar a conocer el precio de compra de la potra castaña, que dejó el criadero de Alfred MacIntosh poco después de su victoria como principiante por seis cuerpos y tres cuartos en Gulfstream Park el 2 de enero. En esa carrera, registró una cifra de velocidad de Beyer de 91 y había registrado 85 en su única carrera previa, cuando dejó la delantera en manos de Dearest y salió segunda en Gulfstream Park West el 28 de noviembre. Sus primeras dos carreras fueron de seis furlongs. Había debutado con los colores de Averill Racing, en asociación con muchos otros, inmediatamente después de haber dejado el criadero de Alfred MacIntosh.
Velvet Charm de doce años se vendió por USD 460,000 como juvenil en la subasta OBS de 2006. Mientras tanto, R Girls a Charmer se vendió por USD 28,000 como juvenil en la subasta OBS de abril del año pasado. Es la segunda hija de Velvet Charm que logra competir; la cría anterior, Trippi’s Charm, cosechó varias victorias. R Girls a Charmer es la tercera generación de Regal Ties, media hermana de On to Royalty, que ganó la serie de carreras para yeguas de tres años de Gulfstream Park en 1988: la Old Hat, la Forward Gal (G3) y la Bonnie Miss (G2). ■
Awesome Banner Vuela Alto El invencible caballo criado y entrenado en Jacks or Better Farm Awesome Banner registró su segunda victoria consecutiva en carreras de grado en Gulfstream Park el 30 de enero al hacerse con facilidad de la Swale de grado 2 por cinco cuerpos de ventaja. Mientras la cría de Reddick brilla triunfante, su entrenador, Stanley Gold, proclama que no se dejará atrapar por el sueño de ganar la Kentucky Derby. Con una notable templanza —en especial, para alguien que entrena a un potro ganador con un potencial que parece ilimitado y que mejora a medida que corre distancias mayores—, Gold se aferra a la idea de que no ha pensado lo suficiente en la venidera primavera en Churchill Downs e insiste con que aún no ha reflexionado sobre la próxima carrera que correrá su montura. “No lo sé. No he pensado aún acerca de ello. En serio, no lo he pensado aún”, aseguró. ¿Y ha pensado en la Carrera por las Rosas? “No siento pasión por las Derby. Es una locura pensar en mayo cuando estamos en febrero”, explicó. Otra estrella de Jacks or Better, Fellowship, es el caballo amante de las distancias y miembro de la división In Reality que se impuso hacia el final en la Florida Sire Stakes a principios de octubre y terminó tercero en la Holy Bull de una
milla y 1/16 el 30 de enero en Gulfstream, donde se impuso al poderoso Mohaymen. El buen desempeño de Fellowship lo hace candidato para llevarse la Fountain of Youth (G2) del 27 de febrero, que tiene la misma distancia que la Holy Bull, incluso cuando Gold destacó que Awesome Banner no tendría dificultades para avanzar desde los siete furlongs y una vuelta hasta la Fountain of Youth. Dos candidatos clásicos en la misma pista no son un problema grave y, al menos por el momento, Gold no está apurado. “Tendré que ponerme a trabajar sobre ello pronto, pero no tengo que hacerlo ahora mismo”, señaló. “Las preguntas son: ¿cuándo correremos dos vueltas? y ¿dónde competiremos la próxima vez? Las dos vueltas no serán un problema, pero eso no significa que ganaremos. [Awesome Banner] correrá dos vueltas, porque no avanzará a una velocidad extrema”. Awesome Banner se impuso de forma temprana en la Swale y lo hizo avanzando a un paso controlado, de acuerdo con las declaraciones del jinete José Caraballo. “Es un potro bueno”, aseguró Caraballo. “Todavía no sabe mucho y no ha comprendido las carreras por completo, pero puede correr. Cuando se dirige hacia la final, realmente despega. Avanza más y con un trote constante; no corre a una velocidad extrema. Avanza con la calma que le permitas”. Con un trote controlado que le permitió quedarse con la Swale, lideró las fracciones con marcas de 0:22.68, 0:45.07 y 1:08.88, y un tiempo final de 1:21.81. Como indicó su jinete, Awesome Banner esperó hasta la curva final antes de definir la delantera de la carrera. Noholdingback Bear —segundo, cuatro cuerpos y tres cuartos más atrás, en la ocasión anterior, la Hutcheson (G3) de seis furlongs del 2 de enero en Gulfstream— se mantuvo atento al comienzo, desafió a Awesome Banner durante la primera mitad de milla, pero quedó rezagado cuando Caraballo retozó su montura en la curva. Economic Model y Richie the Bull llegaron
tarde a la meta, con un hocico de distancia entre ellos, para ocupar el segundo y el tercer puesto. Mientras tanto, “The Bear” quedó cuarto en la pista de seis caballos, que no presentaron amenaza alguna. “Eso fue impresionante”, exclamó Gold respecto de su caballo. “Ocho y moneditas [respecto de los seis furlongs]... Eso me sorprendió. Repitió lo que había hecho la última vez. Hizo lo mismo de forma sorprendente, solo que esta vez fue un octavo más allá contra rivales más difíciles”. El segundo y el tercer puesto parecían estar bien hacia el final, pero los ojos de Gold estaban puestos en su caballo, y le gustó lo que vio. “Estaba muy ansioso hasta que tomó ventaja”, confesó Gold. “Tenía la potencia y el vigor; simplemente despegó”. Awesome Banner, de 9-10, pagó USD 3.80. Sus buenos resultados en la Hutcheson y en la Swale se dieron después de una victoria récord (0:51.07) con una ventaja de nueve cuerpos y tres cuartos en la carrera de cuatro furlongs y medio, en Gulfstream, el 15 de junio. Debido a un problema en la rodilla, llegó a la Hutcheson después de siete meses de inactividad. Ha obtenido ganancias totales por USD 215,020. Awesome Banner, hijo del semental de Ocala Stud Awesome of Course, es el quinto hijo de la yegua Miranda Stands y la cuarta generación de Three Tees, que produjo al ganador de Widener Vertee. Este último venció al gran caballo West Coast Scout en 1973, cuando la entonces prestigiosa Hialeah se corría en 10 furlongs. ■
Flora Dora de Florida Gana Busanda Flora Dora, criada en Florida, que corre de la forma que le permitió ingresar en el círculo de ganadores después de la My Dear Girl Stakes el pasado octubre, confirmó su promesa el domingo con un triunfo reñido por un cuerpo en la Busanda Stakes de USD 100,000 en Aqueduct. Flora Dora, criada en Florida por Dizney
KENNY MARTIN PHOTO
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Florida-bred Awesome Banner
Double Diamond, es la cuarta hija —y la sexta cría en términos generales— de la yegua chilena de 11 años Aidan. Flora Dora fue comprada por USD 87,000 en Saratoga en 2014, y su media hermana, un año menor y ganadora de carreras clásicas, Lindisfarne, hija del caballo City Zip, fue comprada por USD 57,000 en Kentucky. Como favorita en un campo con ocho potras de tres años en Busanda, Flora Dora arrancó bien y permaneció en el medio del grupo al comienzo de la carrera de una milla y 70 yardas. Nunca a más de tres cuerpos detrás de la constante Lost Raven, que era flanqueada por Dreams to Reality y Scatoosh, Flora Dora tomó ventaja en la curva al mando de José Ortiz. En una hilera de cuatro, superó a las líderes de a una por vez y, finalmente, se impuso ante lo mejor de Scatoosh antes de cruzar el decimosexto poste. De forma gradual, dejó atrás a sus rivales hasta llegar a la meta en 1:45.40. Scatoosh superó por dos cuerpos y un cuarto al tercer puesto Lost Raven, y Dream to Reality quedó cuarta. “Fue muy amable”, declaró Ortiz, que tomó la montura del jinete regular en Nueva York, Kendrick Carmouche, que estaba al mando de Scatoosh. “Me escuchó muy bien. Cuando trataba de ganar una posición en la primera curva, me ayudó a lograrlo y se reTHE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2016 13
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CHELSEA DURAND PHOTO
Florida FOCUS
Florida-bred Flora Dora
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ha puesto nerviosa”, contó Coffey. “Hace todo lo que le pedimos. Creo que una distancia mayor la ayudará. Cuanto mayor sea la distancia, mejor. Tratamos de enfocarnos en distancias mayores. Es una potra fácil de entrenar, muy tranquila y muy profesional”. Coffey reveló que su próximo objetivo es la Busher de USD 125,000 de una milla y 1/16 en Aqueduct el 27 de febrero. La victoria al mando de Flora Dora fue una de las cinco que Ortiz cosechó ese día. Al igual que la entrenadora, coincide en que la potra no ha alcanzado aún todo su potencial. “Tiene un ritmo realmente bueno y creo que puede llegar un poco más lejos”, confesó. ■
Sheer Drama Vuelve con Fawkes Sheer Drama, múltiple ganadora de grado 1 criada en Florida y propiedad de Harold Queen, regresó al establo del entrenador David Fawkes el 29 de enero para comenzar con los preparativos para su debut en la categoría de seis años. Finalista de la Eclipse Award en la categoría “mejor yegua campeona de 2015”, Sheer Drama ha estado en el establecimiento de Queen en Florida desde que trepó al cuarto lugar desde el puesto 14 en la Breeders’ Cup Distaff el 30 de octubre. “Está trabajando muy bien. Ha aumentado de peso y tiene muy buen aspecto”, expresó Fawkes. “La dejaremos descansar un par de
BRIAN CAPUTO PHOTO
lajó. Cuando le pedí que acelerara en el poste de tres octavos, tuve que fustigar un par de veces: es un poco perezosa. Una vez que comenzó a correr, estuvo siempre dispuesta a escucharme”. Flora Dora pagó USD 7.40 y ganó USD 60,000 para sus propietarios, Coffeepot Stables. Ha ganado dos de sus cinco carreras y ha obtenido ganancias totales por USD 405,332. “Ha sido siempre una potra muy paciente y se cierra muy bien”, declaró la flamante jinete Marialice Coffey. “Veo que también tiene velocidad técnica y que puede sumar a esa combinación”. La marca de Flora Dora para la competencia de una milla y 70 yardas fue de 1:45.40. Las fracciones fueron de 0:24.55, 0:49.32, 1:14.03 y 1:40.94. La hija del semental First Dude (del establo Double Diamond Farm) y de Aidan (hija de Dixieland Band) perdió su debut el 6 de septiembre en los siete furlongs de Saratoga y terminó con su categoría de principiante en la My Dear Girl, en Gulfstream, el 3 de octubre, al imponerse ante rivales de calidad en el evento de una milla y 1/16. Después de la carrera, regresó a Nueva York, donde salió segunda en la Tempted (G3) de una milla, en Aqueduct, el 4 de noviembre. Luego, quedó cuarta en la misma pista durante la Demoiselle (G2) de una milla y un octavo el 28 de noviembre. “Desde el momento en que debutó siendo una potra de dos años en Saratoga, nunca se
días en el establo y luego la enviaremos a la pista; la entrenaremos una semana y después haremos que empiece a galopar. Estará preparada probablemente en tres semanas, pero esperaremos a que nos diga cuándo está lista”. Fawkes aseguró que le gustaría seguir un calendario similar al del año pasado, durante el cual Sheer Drama obtuvo tres victorias y cuatro segundos puestos, y cosechó USD 1.2 millones en ocho carreras, incluidas las victorias en la Personal Ensign de grado 1, la Delaware Handicap de grado 1 y la Royal Delta de grado 2. Entre las primeras carreras en que Fawkes considera participar, se encuentran la Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) el 15 de abril en Oaklawn Park y La Troienne (G1) el 6 de mayo en Churchill Downs. “Será más sencillo decidir cuando se acerque el momento. Tengo algunas carreras en mente”, aseguró. “Tenemos muchas carreras por delante. No puedo confirmar dónde comenzaremos exactamente. Estamos felices de que haya vuelto al ruedo”. ■ Florida-bred Sheer Drama
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LEGISLATIVE NEWS
No Decoupling for Gulfstream & Tampa Bay Thoroughbreds at Half-Way Point
Dear FTBOA Members & Supporters:
W
e have now passed the six week mark of the legislative session. Three weeks remain until session is scheduled to end on March 11. As many of you know, the overwhelming majority of the action in the session takes place in the last week to ten days. It is often said in Tallahassee that session really begins on Wednesday of the last week. While that is somewhat of an exaggeration, it is probably true for those of us involved in the ever changing and turbulent waters involving gaming. While it is likely that much of what I am going to report to you will have changed by the time you read this, I wanted to let you know how things are shaping up for the stretch run. Both the House and Senate have moved gaming bills out of their respective first committees of reference. The Senate Regulated Industries Committee has approved S 7072 related to Gaming and S 7074 related to the Compact. S 7072 is more relevant to our industry. It would allow slots for the six communities who have approved slots along with making numerous other changes to pari-mutuel statutes. For us, the most important issue in the bill is decoupling. The bill allows all per-
mits to decouple with the exception of live thoroughbred racing at Gulfstream and Tampa (i.e. dog tracks, quarter horse tracks, harness horse tracks, and jai alai frontons). The sponsor of a major amendment which was added to the bill and the sponsor of the bill have both said that they intend for the bill to allow the already "semi-decoupled" Calder to decouple but don't intend to decouple Gulfstream and Tampa. There is some question if the language in the bill actually accomplishes that goal and our mission is to make sure there is no doubt about it. Another very important issue is the statewide purse and breeders' awards pool. In recognition of the importance of our industry, the legislation contains a purse pool of what could be as much as $50M for our industry. We will seek to tighten up the language in this bill and ensure that it provides a much needed boost to breeders' awards. But make no mistake, this is a major positive development for the Florida thoroughbred breeding and racing industry. Senator Rob Bradley and incoming Senate President Joe Negron should be thanked for their hard work on the purse pool concept and the intent is for this pool to represent NEW money for purses and breeders' awards above and beyond existing and traditional breeders awards and purses. The numerous changes and additions for which we are advocating are too voluminous to detail in this report, but please know we are working around the clock to ensure that this bill in its final form is acceptable to each and every one of you. The House Regulatory Affairs Committee also approved a gaming bill, H 7109. This bill is similar to S 7072 but does not contain the same level of expanded gaming. H 7109 allows Calder to decouple but retains live racing requirements for Gulfstream and Tampa. All other types of permits are decoupled with the exception of jai alai. We believe that at the next committee stop in the House, a new version of this bill will be produced. It might allow some further gaming expansion and it could contain a purse pool as well.
FILE PHOTOS
In recognition of a vibrant thoroughbred racing “ industry we have in Florida, including the breed-
16 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2016
ing industry, which is important. It [bill S7072] creates a $20 million annual purse subsidy for the remaining live thoroughbred racing from the Seminole tribe to pay that will begin in 2018. —Incoming Senate President Joe Negron
”
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The House Regulatory Affairs Committee approved two additional bills that are moving through the process: H 7111 and HJR 7113. H7111 matches up with S 7074 and essentially memorializes the agreement between the Governor and the Seminole Tribe of Florida on a new compact. HJR 7113 is a joint resolution that proposes an amendment to the State Constitution stating that the power to authorize expansion of gambling in Florida is reserved to the people. The joint resolution would prohibit expansion of gambling unless proposed and approved as a constitutional amendment by citizens' initiative petition. This is a clear effort to limit gaming expansion in the future. The idea enjoys considerable support in the House but is viewed less favorably in the Senate. Given all the moving parts and thorny issues in all of these bills, final passage of any of them is doubtful. Our goal at the FTBOA is to ensure that if any bill does become law it treats the thoroughbred breeding and racing industry favorably. We will leave no stone unturned to accomplish that goal during these crucial last three weeks. Finally, thank you to the members who took the time to ride the FTBOA bus to Tallahassee in support of thoroughbred breeders throughout the state. You made a difference! We will continue to keep you informed as these bills progress through the process. Respectfully Yours,
Matt Bryan
Senate Hearing Testimony February 17 “I might note we have a number of people from Marion County that are breeders in the horse business here attending to watch the process and we appreciate their passion for the issue. Quickly, you’ve heard from me many times. Our official FTBOA position you know is that we don’t like decoupling, wish we weren’t having a discussion, it creates a lot of uncertainty, and so forth however during the uncertainty of these times and where the committee’s moving first and foremost our job #1 is to: Protect, Maintain and even Possibly Grow the industry here in Florida. To that point, we saw couple things President designate Negron, your purse pool is certainly appreciated as a platform we can build upon recognizing purses and breeders for thoroughbreds. We appreciate that. You Mr. Chair [Florida State Senator Bradley], you have always made every effort so that there are two main live racetracks that were not decoupled. Those are positive steps that we can build upon. We’re working with others in this room and we look forward to working with you on the next steps ahead. Thank you.” Lonny Powell, FTBOA CEO THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 201617
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Tampa Bay
T
he reigning Eclipse champion female turf horse and 2015 Breeders’ Cup Mile winner Tepin lived up to her billing in the Grade 3, $150,000 Lambholm South Endeavour Stakes for older fillies and mares on the turf, exploding through the stretch under jockey Julien Leparoux for a 3½-length victory from Lady Lara in 1:42.91 for the 11⁄16 miles. “There is nothing much I can say except that was perfect,” Leparoux said. “She’s got a big heart and she had a great kick at the end.” The Endeavour was one of the highlights on a Festival Preview Day, Presented by Lambholm South, card that saw a crowd of 5,351 contribute to a Festival Day record handle of $10,743,714.70. Trainer Mark Casse paced nervously in the jockeys’ weigh-out area adjacent to the winner’s circle as
Under jockey Julien Leparoux, Tepin takes over the stretch for a 3 -length victory.
SV PHOTOGRAPHY PHOTOS
Tepin takes the Endeavour; Davis to Destin longshot Lovely Loyree led Tepin and the rest through pedestrian fractions of :24.19 for the quarter-mile, :50.17 for the half and 1:14.84 for six furlongs. But Tepin put all worries to rest with her explosive stretch kick. Lady Lara was a half-length ahead of Lovely Loyree, who held on well for third. “You know, that’s why I have so much admiration for guys like Bob Baffert and my good friend Bill Mott (trainer of Lady Lara), who is one of my idols,” a suddenly composed Casse said after Tepin’s magnificent performance. “I can only imagine what they must have gone through with American Pharoah and Cigar.” Owner Robert Masterson was ebullient after the victory, the eighth in 16 starts for Tepin. Firstplace money of $90,000 pushed her career THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2016 19
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Tampa Bay bankroll to $2,565,973. She paid $2.60 to win. “These are once-in-a-lifetime horses,” Masterson said. “I’ve had a lot of graded horses, but this one, she’s a champion and she is just special.” Casse said the pace scenario really didn’t matter for Tepin in her first race since her Oct. 31 Breeders’ Cup Mile triumph against males at Keeneland. “That is what is so great about her,” Casse said. “Julien can kind of do whatever he needs to do – if they’re running fast, he’ll sit back, and if they are running slow, she’ll relax. You’re always nervous coming back, but she’s back. “The ultimate goal is the Breeders’ Cup at the end of the year, but our first major goal with her is the Grade 1 Maker’s 46 Mile at Keeneland (April 15). That will be against the boys, so I think we’ll try them again,” Casse added, while not ruling out the Grade 2, $200,000 Hillsborough Stakes here on March 12. SAM DAVIS
Trainer Todd Pletcher is an old hand at winning the Grade 3, $250,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes, and Destin’s victory was the sixth Davis triumph in the last 11 years. From all accounts, the gray 3-year-old colt still needs plenty of experience before reaching his full potential. Considering he ran the second-fastest Sam F. Davis in history, though, don’t bet against Destin justifying his $400,000 yearling purchase price down the road. “We are just tickled pink,” said Randy Gullatt, the Team Manager of winning owner Twin Creeks Racing Stables, his partnership with Director Steve Davison. Their Triple Crown nominee and jockey John Velazquez posted a 2¼-length victory from Rafting in 1:43.67 for the 11⁄16 miles, .13 seconds off the stakes record set in 2009 by General Quarters. “John said he was still extremely green in this race, but if we can get him to learn something and keep his mind on running the whole time, I think he will take another step forward,” Gullatt said. “He is bred to run all day long (by Giant’s Causeway, out of Dream of Summer, by Siberian Summer) … he just has to keep his mind on running. Obviously he has taken a liking to this track, so the (Lambholm South) Tampa Bay Derby makes a lot of sense, but we’ll see.”
20 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2016
Pletcher assistant Ginny DePasquale, who was in town for the saddling duties, said her boss switched from a French-cup style blinker to “one with the little peeps in them” for Destin after his erratic performance Jan. 16 in a fourth-place finish in the Grade 3 LeComte at Fair Grounds. “John kept at him and he kept him between horses where he was more focused. He could kind of look around and see the other horses instead of stopping and waiting,” DePasquale said. Velazquez said, “At least he put in a nice run, but he didn’t go forward to get away from the horses … He just kind of waited and was not really running the
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way he was supposed to. He was still good enough to win today, but he has to put his mind into the business. Destin is two-for-four lifetime. He paid $10 to win. The winner’s share of $120,000 almost tripled his career earnings. Runner-up Rafting and Hall of Fame jockey Edgar Prado were 3½ lengths better than Pasco Stakes winner Morning Fire, with Awesome Slate fourth and betting favorite Gettysburg, also trained by Pletcher, fifth. TAMPA BAY STAKES
In the day’s other graded stakes, the Grade 3, $150,000 Tampa Bay Stakes for older horses on the turf, the 7-yearold Reload, from the barn of trainer Shug McGaughey,
wore down 61-1 shot Take the Stand in the final strides to prevail by a neck under jockey Javier Castellano. “I was able to save all the ground and he started picking it up at the half-mile pole,” said Castellano. “Turning for home, I knew I was going to win the race. I asked him at the right time and the right place, and he took off.” Reload, a 7-year-old son of Hard Spun, got past his determined rival just in time to collect the winner’s share of $90,000. Karibu Gardens rallied late to be third, followed by Sky Captain and Old Time Hockey. Reload is eight-for-23 lifetime. His time on the turf for the 11⁄16 miles was 1:40.15. “I thought he ran a great race,” said McGaughey’s assistant trainer, Robbie Medina. “He’s been training so
Destin prevails by 21⁄4 lengths to capture the Sam F. Davis Stakes
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Tampa Bay well. I was a little worried early because he was farther back than he usually is, but going down the backside, I saw Javier [Castellano] had plenty of horse and he had him out in the clear. It looked like he was going a little easy, but that’s his personality.”
cause I wanted to give her the same trip,” Lebron said. “As soon as I asked her today, she took off, the same as last time.” Weep No More, who is owned by Glenn Bromagen, ran the distance in 1:41.69, more than two seconds faster than her maiden triumph. Her winning margin was 2¾ lengths.
SUNCOAST
Reload wore down 61-1 longshot Take the Stand in the final strides to prevail by a neck under jockey Javier Castellano
Victor Lebron’s victory aboard 13-1 shot Weep No More in the $100,000 Suncoast Stakes on the main track marked the rider’s second stakes victory of the meeting for trainer Rusty Arnold: They combined to win the Wayward Lass with 4-year-old filly White Clover, also at odds of 13-1. Pacesetter Valueable Charmer held on doggedly for second, followed by Smart Shopping. Weep No More entered the Suncoast off a Jan. 22 maiden victory at the same mile and 40-yard distance, and Lebron, who also rode her that day, went to school off the earlier triumph.“I watched the replay again be-
22 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2016
CHALLENGER PREP
In the $35,000 Challenger Prep on the day’s undercard, Ghost Hunter and jockey Antonio Gallardo found a narrow opening along the rail in deep stretch and drew away to a 1½-length from longshot This Boy’s Sharp. The winner’s time for the mile and 40 yards was 1:40.44. Ghost Hunter is a 6-year-old gelding owned by Triple K Stables and Jagger, Inc., and trained by Jamie Ness. Ghost Hunter is now 10-for-31 lifetime. He paid $9.20. The favorite, Mr. Jordan, lacked the needed late kick and finished third in the seven-horse field. ■
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Winter Mixed Sale
Curlin Popular on First Day T By BROCK SHERIDAN
wo-time Horse of the Year Curlin proved popular with buyers at the first day of the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Winter Mixed Sale on Jan. 27 as the top two sellers, including a Florida-bred filly, were off-spring of the Preakness Stakes (G1) winner. On the day, 132 thoroughbred yearlings and broodmares sold during the Consignor Preferred Session. The second day of the twoday auction featured an open session for yearlings, broodmares and horses of racing age. The first day also included a stallion season
auction benefiting Florida Thoroughbred Charities. Results for the benefit auction were not available at press time. Gross sales on the first day amounted to $2,342,400 compared to $2,520,000 gross sales last year from 128 lots. The $17,745 average was down 9.9% from the $19,688 average a year ago. The median was down 13.4% to $8,750 from $10,100 last year. Topping the first day with a selling price of $150,000 was Hip 53, a yearling colt by Curlin out of the stakes-place Tapaline, by Eavesdropper. The chestnut colt was consigned by Select Sales, Agent and Redbud
JOE DIORIO PHOTOS
Hip No. 53 topped Wednesday’s session at $150,000
24 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2016
Partnership signed the ticket. The top selling Florida-bred on the day was Hip 108, a dark bay or brown filly who is also by Curlin but is out of Capote Blues, by Capote, making her a half-sister to graded stakes winner Blues Street and stakes-placed Beale Street. She was bred in Florida by Harriet Finkelstein of Columbia, Md., and Hartley de Renzo Thoroughbreds of Ocala and Kim Harrison’s Top Speed Farm, Agent was the consignor. The yearling filly was purchased for $145,000 by Tyra Holdings. Selling for $100,000 was Hip 45 from the Beth Bayer, Agent consignment. The dark bay or brown colt is from the first crop of champion 2-year-old Shanghai Bobby and is out of St. Michele, by Devil’s Bag, making him a half-brother to graded stakes winner Teuflesberg. Douglas Arnold bought the yearling colt. The top selling broodmare was Hip 217 who sold for $85,000 from the consignment of Boutte Sales, Agent. Love You Crazy is by Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Touch Gold out of Moonlight Affair, by Friendly Lover. Maria M. Haire purchased the 12-year-old half-sister to stakes-placed Sacred Ground and the mare is believed to be in foal to Uncle Mo. A Florida-bred filly selling as Hip 61 brought $80,000 from a final bid by Crupi’s New Castle Farm. Consigned by Bobby Jones Equine LLC, Agent, the bay yearling is by CashCall Futurity (G1) winner Into Mischief out of Touche de Velours, by Meadowlake, making her a half-sister to graded stakes-placed The Pharoah. She was bred in Florida by John a DeVault III and Sue DeVault of Ocala. Bringing $77,000 was Hip 89 from the Sue Vacek, Agent consignment. A bay colt by Ocala Stud stallion Prospective out of Astella, by Tactical Advantage, he is a half-brother to graded stakes-placed Classic Legacy. H.H., Agent put in the final bid on the yearling. Another broodmare to sell well was Hip 102, who brought $55,000 from Bluegrass
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of OBS Sale
Next on the OBS agenda is the March Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training, scheduled for March 15 – 16. The expanded format Under Tack Show is set for March 9 – 11, beginning each morning at 8:00 a.m.
Thoroughbred Services. The 7-year-old of Dede’s Mouse, by Lion Heart. A yearling, to graded stakes producer and grade 1 stakes Lemon Hero is by Lemon Drop Kid and out he was consigned by Select Sales, Agent and winner Key Phrase. For the Horses of Racing Age section, 61 of the stakes winning mare Bright Gold, by Jeffrey Bloom, Agent signed the ticket. Rounding out the $40,000 foursome was horses grossed $987,700, compared with 71 Hot for Gold, making her a half-sister to stakes winner Satin Gold. She was consigned Hip 183, a Florida-bred filly by champion selling for a total of $1,235,700 last year. The by Beth Bayer, Agent and is believed to be in Lookin At Lucky out of Just Say Hey, by average was $16,192, compared to $17,404 a Rockport Harbor. Summerfield (Francis and year ago, while the median jumped to $10,000 foal to Fed Biz. Hip 38, a yearling filly by the late Wildcat Barbara Vanlangendonck) consigned the bay compared to $7,500 in 2015. The buyback Heir out of Silver Payday, by Fusaichi Pega- yearling who was purchased by Rob Webster, percentage was 16.4%; it was 15.5% in 2015. The top selling yearling on the day was sus brought $52,000 from Bluestone Thor- Agent and bred in Florida by Machmer Hall Hip 234, a Florida-bred filly by Florida Derby oughbreds. A bay filly, she was consigned by and Milan Kosanavich of Ocala. On the second day of the auction, horses (G1) winner Scat Daddy out of the graded Beth Bayer, Agent. The third highest selling broodmare on the of racing age dominated the top selling list stakes-placed Perennial Song, Songandaprayer. first day was Hip 28, a Florida-bred mare by with Hip 593 selling best of all that day at She was cosigned by Summerfield (Francis and Barbara VanlangenTravers Stakes (G1) winner Medaglia d’Oro, $145,000. One More donck), Agent and out of Seasonal, by Deputy Minister. The 10- Shot is from the first Castleton Lyons Farms year-old Esperanza d’Oro brought $48,000 crop of Trappe Shot out went to $75,000 to from buyer Joseph DiRico and is believed to of Orion’s Daughter, by buy her. be in foal to Lookin at Lucky. She was bred in Tactical Cat. In his only W.D. North TB’s Florida by France Weiner of Ocala and Neal start, the 3-year-old LLC & Morris BloodHayias. Summerfield (Francis and Barbara chestnut colt defeated a stock, Agent also bought field of special weight Vanlangendonck), Agent consigned her. Hip No. 295, a Data A quartet of lots reached $40,000 on the maidens by eight lengths Link chestnut yearling money board including Hips 112, 117, 129 at Tampa Bay Downs on colt from Summerfield Dec. 23. He was conand 183. for $60,000. He’s out of Hip 112 was a Florida-bred yearling by Al- signed by Niall Brennan Hip No. 108 Simsational, by Johanfred G. Vanderbilt Handcame in just nesburg, from the family icap (G1) winner Justin with under the topof graded stakes winner Phillip out of Cat Be per at $145,000 a selling price of $150,000 Southern Tradition. Nimble, by Tale of the Hip No. 240, a yearCat. Emily Jordan was Hip 53, a yearling colt by ling son of Currency Bloodstock purchased Curlin while The top selling Florida-bred on the day was Swap consigned by the dark bay or brown Hip 108, a dark bay or brown filly who is also by Curlin Woodford Thoroughcolt from the Beth Bayer, breds, Agent, was sold Agent consignment and to Silver Oaks Farm for $57,000. The chestnut Stables and Jagger, Inc. put in the final bid. Bayer, of Ocala, was also the breeder. Also bringing good money from the colt is out of Pimpinella, by Forest Danger, a Hip 117 was a 6-year-old mare by Teuflesberg out of the stakes winning mare Code Horse of Racing Age section was Hip 624, half sister to stakes placed Ottawa Chief. For the Open session, 165 horses sold for a Satin, by Lost Code. Girl Code was con- Giocouragment, a 3-year-old son of Gio signed by Top Line Sales LLC, Agent and Ponti consigned by Wavertree Stables, Inc. total of $1,197,300 compared with 142 horses Bluegrass Thoroughbred Services purchased (Ciaran Dunne), Agent, was sold to Castle- bringing $1,091,100 in 2015. The average the dark bay or brown mare believed to be in ton Lyons Farm for $75,000. The dark bay price was $7,256 compared with $7,684 a year or brown colt, third in maiden special weight ago, while the median price was $4,000, idenfoal to Ocala Stud stallion Kantharos. Hip 129 was a chestnut colt by Woody company in his debut on Jan. 23, is out of tical to last year’s figure. The buyback perStephens Stakes (G2) winner Munnings out Encouragement, by Bertrando, a half- sister centage was 31.8%; it was 15.9% in 2015. ■
Topping the first day
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Great Day Fans turn out enmass for OBS Championship Day in which the days card included wagering on two races By BROCK SHERIDAN
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he pre-race instructions from trainer Marcos Fernandez to jockey Emisael Jaramillo were simple for the $100,000 OBS Championship Stakes held as part of the OBS Championship day of racing at the Ocala Training Center on Jan. 26. “I just told Emisael to go to the front and stay there,” Fernandez said. “I think he rode a perfect race and I had no concerns during the race.” Jaramillo carried out those instructions from the start of the mile and one-sixteenth race for 3-year-old fillies, breaking on top from post 1 and going right to the lead. Silver Magnolia also broke well from post 10 as did Awesome Dame from the three hole. Although it was a bit of a cavalry charge racing into the clubhouse turn, Jaramillo asked Vieja Luna for a bit more and before they straightened away down the backstretch, they had a half-length lead on Awesome Dame in second with Sweet Angel Roan also right there in third. That order did not change until they made their way around the far turn, when Vieja Luna shook free and began to pull away as neither Awesome Dame nor Sweet Angel Roan could keep up. Vieja Luna took a two-length lead coming for home as Silver Magnolia was making a late run on the outside along with Will Be Magical. But Vieja Luna was not slowing down and went on to win by 2½ lengths in 1:45 over the fast Safetrack. Silver Magnolia got up for second and was four lengths ahead of Will Be Magical in third. Fractions in the race were :23.40 for the quarter-mile, :47.20 for the half, and six furlongs in 1:11.80. There was no wagering on the race. “We got this filly from another trainer in December and since then we have been working very hard for this race,” Fernandez said. “This race is for Venezuela. The owner is from Venezuela, the trainer is from Venezuela and the jockey is from Venezuela.” It was the second win from eight starts for Vieja Luna, who is a 3year-old daughter of Street Hero, out of Amaday, by Dayjur. She is owned by Juan Franciso Landaeta. The $60,000 purse nearly double her lifetime bankroll and she now has $122,098.
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OBS CHAMPIONSHIP
Trainer Mark Casse said he didn’t have much of an opportunity to get nervous during the running of the $100,000 OBS Championship Stakes for 3-year-old colts and geldings. “To be honest, I was with a lot of family and friends and I didn’t see much of the race,” Casse said following the victory by Whatawonderflworld in the mile and onesixteenth race. “What I did see, though, was that he had to work hard for the win. He really had to go wide on the far turn.” Golden Ray took command out of the starting gate with Chief Admiral and Two Step Time giving chase in second and third respectively as they raced for the clubhouse turn. Golden Ray found a good stride and had a two-length lead on Chief Admiral in second and Two Step Time in third after they went the first two furlongs in Vieja Luna wins the $100,000 OBS :23.40. Chief Admiral continChampionship Stakes ued to pursue Golden Ray down the backstretch as Jose Lezcano on Whatawonderflworld joined those two while running three-wide as they raced around the far turn, with Golden Ray on the inside and Chief Admiral between horses. After going six furlongs in 1:12, Whatawonderflworld got a slight edge over Two Step Time and Golden Ray as those three were just heads apart. However, Whatawonderflworld began to edge clear as they approached the finish and hit the wire a length in front of Two Step Time in second with Golden Ray third. The final time was 1:45 flat. Whatawonderflworld is trained by Casse for Gary Barber and the 3-year-old colt earned $60,000 for the win, pushing his career bankroll to $136,200. It was his third win from just four starts.
had to work hard for the win. He “He really had to go wide on the far turn. ” —Whatawonderflworld’s trainer, Mark Casse
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STAKES
OBS CHAMPIONSHIP STAKES, COLTS & GELDINGS
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Whatawonderflworld is by Tiz Wonderful out of the Victory Gallop mare Celtic Sunshine. His three previous starts had all been on grass with him winning a maiden special weight at Belmont Park in October and a $75,000 entry level allowance optional claiming race at Aqueduct on Nov. 19.—Brock Sheridan
Maryland and she came into the race off a half-mile breeze in :50 1/5 there on Jan. 16. “We had tried three times to get her a race in Maryland but nothing filled, so we took a look at this race and decided it was worth the trip,” Ritter said. “We got here Thursday, just in time to beat the storm they had up there.”
Whatawonderflworld takes the OBS Colts & Geldings in hard–fought fashion
OBS SPRINT, FILLIES
“We had tried three times to get her a race
Shannon Ritter had been in Maryland but nothing shopping around Maryland to no avail for an entry-level al- filled, so we took a look at this race and decided it was worth the trip. We lowance race for Social But- got here Thursday, just in time to beat the storm they had up there. terfly, the 3-year-old filly she —Social Butterfly’s trainer, Shannon Ritter trains for WinStar Farm. As it turns out, the $50,000 OBS Sprint at six furThere were three lead changes in this race: Emma longs way down south filled the bill quite nicely. Missouri led the field of 11 through the opening quarSixth after an opening quarter in :23, Social Butter- ter, Kandoo took over after a half-mile in :46.20 and Sofly, racing wide throughout, got into gear on the turn and cial Butterfly was first to reach the wire, getting the wore down a game Kandoo to win by a half-length distance in 1:10.80. Victory did not come easily, but Social Butterfly was under Scott Spieth. Social Butterfly had not run since she and Spieth fit enough to outkick Kandoo. combined to break her maiden at Delaware Park on “It was a long time between races but Shannon had Sept. 30. She had spent the winter training at Fair Hill in her well prepared,” Spieth said.
”
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OBS CHAMPIONSHIP
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STAKES
Social Butterfly wins in the OBS Sprint, fillies
Tyler Gaffalione, the Eclipse Award-winning apprentice rider of 2015, was aboard the runner-up, who had two lengths on third-place Hi Holiday, the Sorority Stakes winner of 2015. Social Butterfly, who broke from the extreme outside post, finished third at Canterbury Park in her first start on Sept. 11, then ventured east from Minnesota to break her maiden at Delaware. Ritter said she and her filly will return to Maryland, still undecided on where to go next. Social Butterfly’s 3-2-0-1 record has netted her $53,480. A chestnut daughter of Hold Me Back out of the A.P. Indy mare Ceremonious, she was sold at OBS last April for $140,000. TK Stables is her breeder. —Mike Mullaney
This $50,000 event was one of two races that could be wagered upon during the day, the other being a quarter horse event that opened the card. There were plenty of reasons to be dazzled by the presence of Pinstripe, the 4-5 favorite in this race: He’s trained by perennial Eclipse Award contender Todd
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OBS SPRINT COLTS & GELDINGS
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Pletcher, was to be ridden by perennial Eclipse contender Javier Castellano and he was a five-length winner of his only previous start. But Danbury, who earned his scars racing against the cream of the state-bred crop, had a surprise in store. A $46 surprise. After a 16-minute delay, due to some shoe issues with one of the 13 starters, the field was finally sent on its way with the 46-1 Dioscuri leading the way through an opening quarter in :22.60 and a half-mile in state-bred crop, :45.20. Danbury was always lapped on the frontrunner and he received his cue from Eddie Castro when they straightened for home, quickly opening a 1½-length lead that he preserved to the wire. Lazarus Project rallied impressively to gain second, 1½ lengths ahead of third-place Drama Club. The Florida-bred Pinstripe had a terrible start but made his way through the field to finish sixth, showing interest throughout. Dioscuri faded to eighth. Danbury, who is owned by Michael Bernard and is
trained by Bill Kaplan, completed the six-furlong event in 1:10.40. Kaplan stayed at home in South Florida, tending to family matters; his assistant Freddie Guzman handled Tuesday’s saddling assignment. A son of Kantharos out of Werblin’s 8-year-old daughter Rosiesuptown, Danbury was winning his first race since he broke his maiden at Gulfstream on July 15. A regular subscriber to the Florida Sire
Danbury, who earned his scars racing against the cream of the had a surprise in store. A $46 surprise. Stakes, he was sixth in Dream of Me’s Dr. Fager, fifth in Tribal Drama’s Affirmed and 11th in Fellowship’s In Reality. After that, he was seventh in Full Salute’s Buffalo Man and fifth, under Castellano, in Awesome Banner’s Hutcheson. His mare’s first foal to race, Danbury was a $25,000 purchase at last year’s April OBS sale. His 82-0-0 record has brought him $86,203. Robert Roffey Jr. is his breeder. —Mike Mullaney
Florida-bred Danbury upsets the field in the OBS Sprint, Colts– Geldings
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Mshawish repeats at Gulfstream in different race, same weekend By BROCK SHERIDAN
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ast year on the first weekend of February, Mshawish won the Grade 1 Turf Handicap at Gulfstream Park before traveling to Meydan Race Course in Dubai to finish third in the Dubai Turf Sponsored by DB Turf (G1-UAE). This year, the 6-year-old Todd Pletcher trainee seems to be on a similar path, only this year’s road is on dirt rather than turf. On Feb. 6 this year, Mshawish became a Grade 1 winner on both turf and dirt when he took the $500,000 Donn Handicap at 1 1/8 miles on Gulfstream Park’s main track, winning by two lengths over Valid in second and Florida Sunshine Millions Classic winner Mexikoma in third. And just like last year, he is scheduled for another trip to Dubai, this time for the $10 World Cup (G1-UAE) on Mar. 26 according to published reports. The Donn presented an evenly matched race
for eight older horses in which Travers Stakes (G1) winner Keen Ice was the 2-1 favorite and only one horse, Closing Bell at 29-1, had double digit odds. Mshawish, who had just won the Grade 3 Hal’s Hope at a mile on dirt Jan. 9 at Gulfstream, went off at 9-2, third choice behind Keen Ice and Itsaknockout at 4-1. Itsaknockout had won a high level optional claiming race on Dec. 31 at Gulfstream which was his first race since finishing ninth behind winner American Pharoah in the Kentucky Derby presented by Yum! Brands (G1) in May. Financial Modeling, who had won the $100,000 Queens County Stakes at Aqueduct on
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Mshawish
Mshawish became a Grade 1 winner on both turf and dirt when he took the $500,000 Donn Handicap
Dec. 19 in his previous start, got the jump on the field out of the gate and set the early pace while going :24.12 for the first quarter-mile and :48.13 for the first half as Valid chased in second, about a length off of Financial Modeling. Meanwhile, jockey John Velasquez on Mshawish, took up a comfortable position in third, just to the inside of Valid. The field remained in that order down the backstretch and around the far turn when Valid moved up to challenge Financial Modeling turning for home and those two began to bump repeatedly down the stretch. That is when Velasquez moved Mshawish to the outside where he accelerated and took the lead with a furlong to run. Valid remained in second and Mexikoma made a late run to challenge for the place spot. Mshawish finished two lengths ahead of Valid in second with Mexikoma another half-length back in third. Itsaknockout was fourth and Financial Modeling faded to fifth. The final time was 1:47.89 on the fast track. Mshawish is by Medaglia d’Oro, who took the 2004 Donn Handicap, and is out of Thunder Bayou, who is by Kentucky Derby winner Thunder Gulch. “That’s what is cool about it,” Pletcher said of the Donn victory. “[Mshawish] has a dirt pedigree. Some of Medaglia’s [offspring] go turf and dirt and he’s out of a Thunder Gulch mare so the pedigree was there and he had trained like it was possible. We knew he was doing well and just figured we’d see what happened.” It was the second consecutive Donn Handicap victory for Pletcher and the fifth of his career. He won his first
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Donn with Harlan’s Holiday in 2003 and won again with Quality Road in 2010. He also won the Donn with Graydar (2013) and Constitution last year giving him a record five wins in the race. Velasquez was also aboard Harlan’s Holiday and Quality Road and won the 2012 Donn with Hymn Book in 2012. “I always had a lot of horse, but it was a tough race. I was in a perfect position the whole way because I knew the horse laying second (Valid) eventually he had to move to get to the horse on the lead (Financial Modeling). And when he started moving, I got my position and held it there,” Velazquez said. “From the quarter pole I let him go and he went on. He finished up really well. For a horse that they were concerned about going two turns and a mile and an eighth, it doesn’t seem like it bothered him at all.” While winning the finale of the six-stakes portion of the 13-race program at Gulfstream, Mshawish, the 9-2 third betting choice, ran 1 1/8 miles in 1:47.89. “I was pretty happy, I loved the way he finished up at a mile and an eighth,” Pletcher said. “That was kind of the one thing we were looking to prove that he could stay a mile and an eighth on the dirt,” I actually thought he ran the best race of his career really, and he’s run some good ones before that. It was good to see him finish up like that. He got a great a trip. Johnny gave him a great ride and he delivered a big performance.” It was the eighth win from 23 career starts for Mshawish, who races for Sheikh Joaan’s Al Shaqab Racing of Qatar. The victory was worth $300,700 and increased his bankroll to $2,221,351. ■
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Luke’s Alley finds path to victory in GP Turf By BROCK SHERIDAN
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ugene Melnyk Racing Stable’s homebred Luke’s Alley had finished first or second in 11 of 13 career races before the Feb. 6 Gulfstream Park Handicap (G1), but it appeared as though that wasn’t good enough for the 6-year-old. Only a fifth-place finish in his first race and a sixth in the Grade 3 Hawthorne Derby in October of 2013 had put a blemish on that record that also included wins in such races as the Grade 3 Durham Cup and the Grade 2 Autumn Stakes at Woodbine in October and November of 2014 respectively. Having finished second in his three previous starts, all in graded company and including a runner-up finish in the Grade 2 Ft. Lauderdale Stakes on Jan. 9 at Gulfstream, Luke’s Alley would be the only one in the eight-horse field to not let speedster Shining Copper steal the winner’s share of the $350,000 race at 11⁄8 miles on grass. Just one day short of the anniversary of his last victory – over optional claimers at Fair Grounds last Feb. 7 – Shining Copper with jockey Joel Rosario up, got away with his customary early lead in the Gulfstream Park Handicap as the Kenneth L. and Sarah K. Ramsey color bearer had two lengths on Takeover Target in second and All Included in third after the first quarter-mile in a slow :24.54. Just behind that trio was jockey Paco Lopez THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2016 37
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LUKE’S ALLEY
Luke’s Alley pushed his career bankroll to $758,956 while winning for the eighth time in 14 starts
“It was close. This is a gutsy horse,” Carroll said. “I knew he’d go down fighting if he lost. This is a horse that always shows up. I was confident he’d run his race and we were lucky enough to win it. He’s a very, very honest horse and I think he really deserves this.” It was a disappointing day for Arlington Million (G1) winner The Pizza Man, who finished fifth behind fourth-place finisher Takeover Target. Sent off at even money after winning four of his last seven races, the 7year-old with Javier Castellano aboard never found his best stride. “I don’t think it was a good setup today,” Castellano said. “I just rode with a lot of patience. He kicked but I don’t know if it was the track here, the way the speed carries. It’s so hard for a horse that comes from way, way back. It could be the combination of the slow pace and a track , but he liked the rail today. I didn’t have a per- that carries speed. It took a litfect trip—I had to go forward, then behind, but when I got him outside tle while for him to go forward nobody was coming. It was the perfect move for my horse.—jockey Paco Lopez and I think that’s why he got beat today.” It was the first Grade 1 victory and first on grass was going to run big because I rode him last time and he was second. He didn’t like the rail then, but he liked the since his maiden score at Woodbine in October of 2013 rail today. I didn’t have a perfect trip—I had to go for- for Luke’s Alley who paid $12.20 in a mild upset as the ward, then behind, but when I got him outside nobody 5-1 fourth choice. By Melnyk’s 2005 Travers (G1) winner Flower Alley was coming. It was the perfect move for my horse. I got out of Vaulcluse, by A.P. Indy, Luke’s Alley earned a little lucky and I had the best horse today.” Josie Carroll, the trainer of Luke’s Alley, was also re- $210,490 and pushed his career bankroll to $758,956 while winning for the eighth time in 14 starts. ■ lieved. aboard Luke’s Alley in fourth with Triple Threat (Fr), favored The Pizza Man, Eh Cumpari and Legendary (GB) behind them as they raced in that order down that backstretch. Approaching the second turn after Shining Copper clocked the first half-mile in :49.12, Lopez took Luke’s Alley off the rail to challenge the leaders while racing three wide around the far turn. Turning for home, Shining Copper was full of run as Takeover Target failed to launch a challenge although All Included on the rail and Luke’s Alley on the outside were far from done. Shining Copper was still in front midstretch but the closer he got to the finish, the closer Luke’s Alley got to him and those two hit the wire together with All Included courageously trying to keep up in third. At the wire, Luke’s Alley had put a neck in front of Shining Copper in second with All Included another threequarters of a length further back in third with the teletimer showing a final time of 1:48.20 over the firm course. “I wasn’t sure if I was going to get there,” Lopez said after the race. “It was a tough race and I knew my horse
He didn’t like the rail then
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NATIONAL NEWS
Hickey Retires From AHC
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he American Horse Council Board of Trustees announced that James J. (Jay) Hickey Jr., who has served as the president of the American Horse Council since June, 1993, will retire on June 30, 2016 and that a search committee has been formed to select his successor. The AHC represents all segments of the horse industry before Congress and the federal regulatory agencies. “In his quiet and unassuming manner, Jay Hickey closely observed every issue that could have some effect on the American Horse Council’s constituents and then provided them with astute guidance for more than two decades,” said Dr. Jerry Black, the chairman of the American Horse Council and the Director of the Equine Reproduction Laboratory and the Equine Science Undergraduate Program at Colorado State University. “He has been a beacon of integrity, a trusted colleague and a good friend to countless people in the horse industry and he has been equally well regarded by Members of Congress and their staffs.” Hickey, who grew up in Washington, DC and is a longtime resident of Chevy Chase, MD, received an undergraduate degree in business administration from the University of Notre Dame and a law degree from Georgetown. He joined the American Horse Council staff in 1989 and succeeded the late Rich Rolapp as president in June 1993. During Hickey’s tenure, the AHC has been involved in virtually every major federal law and regulation that affected the horse industry. This includes breeding, racing, showing, Jay Hickey Jr. health and welfare, and recreation. Under Hickey’s direction, new committees were formed to represent specific segments of the horse industry. The AHC also coordinated economic impact studies on the state and national level and was a driving force behind the formation of the Congressional Horse Caucus, the Congressional Cavalry, the Unwanted Horse Coalition, and the AHC’s marketing alliance, known as Time to Ride. “The horse council’s success flows from the great support it receives from the horse industry and the hundreds of people who have served as trustees, committee chairs, and committee members,” Hickey said. “It has been a great experience being involved in the horse industry, primarily because of the people I have been able to meet and work with. But now it’s time to ride off into the sunset.” The AHC has formed a search committee to identify candidates to succeed Hickey. Interested applicants may send resumes to the fol40 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2016
lowing site: http://www.indeed.com/job/president-be177ebd7b8212e9 The American Horse Council’s 2016 Annual Meeting and National Issues Forum is scheduled for June 12-15, 2016 in Washington D.C. F-T DONATES $50G TO REPAIR OLD FRIENDS
Old Friends is a Georgetown, Ky., retirement sanctuary for more than 150 thoroughbreds including such racetrack heroes as Florida-bred Silver Charm, Sarava, Alphabet Soup, War Emblem and Game On Dude. On Jan. 24, fire destroyed a hospital barn there. Old Friends founder and president Michael Blowen announced that Fasig-Tipton, through its subsidiary Blue Horse Charities, has donated $50,000 toward the rebuilding of this structure, which in the future will be known as “The John Hettinger Memorial Barn.” “Blue Horse Charities was conceived and created by John Hettinger during the time of his family’s ownership of the company,” noted Fasig-Tipton president Boyd Browning. “We are delighted that Old Friends will name the new barn in John’s honor.” Blowen said, “John Hettinger’s commitment to caring for thoroughbreds in retirement was unparalleled. “I remember many years ago sitting on John’s porch in Saratoga discussing what we needed to do to protect these retired racehorses. I think he would have loved Old Friends as much as we love him. Blue Horse’s $50,000 donation is like hitting the Pick 6 without even buying a ticket!” JOCKEY CLUB’S TIP SLATES 2016 AWARDS, CLASSES
The Jockey Club Thoroughbred Incentive Program has announced that it has approved awards and classes for more than 850 shows in 43 states and Canadian provinces during 2016. A full calendar of events is available on the TIP website at tjctip.com. Awards are available in a wide variety of disciplines, including eventing, dressage, Western and English pleasure, hunter/jumper, Western performance, games, polo and polocrosse. Awards are also available at some events for thoroughbreds within their first two years of showing or for thoroughbreds within two years of their last start. “In four years, we have offered awards at 1,700 horse shows in 44 states and provinces,” said Kristin Werner Leshney, legal associate for The Jockey Club and coordinator of TIP. “To date, owners and riders of second career thoroughbreds have provided proof of eligibility at those shows more than 17,000 times.” 2016 marks the fifth year that The Jockey Club has offered TIP awards. Of the 150 horse shows that offered awards in 2011, more than 100 will be offering awards for a fifth year in 2016. continued on page 42
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NATIONAL NEWS promote transparency and make health information on every sales horse immediately available to veterinarians and horsemen; institution of the wind arbitration process; and inauguration of the April Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale. Despite his affinity for the sales and the wonderful people he met, Beasley’s first love remains racing. In June 2001, Keeneland named him to the newly created position of director of racing and promoted assistant director of sales Geoffrey Russell to director of sales. This new position allowed Beasley to focus on racing, although he continued to travel the world to assist the sales staff in developing and maintaining contacts with major buyers in both established and emerging racing markets. As director of racing, Beasley is credited with helping build Keeneland’s stakes program into one of the most lucrative in North America. Under Beasley’s watch, the number of Grade 1 races increased to 11 from four while two fixtures – the Shadwell Turf Mile (G1) and the Toyota Blue Grass (G1) – became the track’s first milKEENELAND VP BEASLEY RETIRING lion-dollar stakes. He also was instrumental in attracting the 2015 Breeders’ Cup to Keeneland, and the Keeneland announced that Vice President of Ractrack’s inaugural hosting of the championship was ing W.B. Rogers Beasley is retiring June 30 after 34 lauded as one of the best in event history. years of leadership involving the iconic track’s sales While at Keeneland, Beasley has championed and racing operations. major safety initiatives to advance the care and proDuring his tenure, Beasley played key roles in tection of racing’s equine and human athletes. Among establishing Keeneland’s position as the world’s prethe most prominent he helped oversee were the masmier thoroughbred auction house and strengthening sive race track renovations, including the reconfiguthe track’s lucrative racing program, which last year ration of the racing oval and the conversion of the successfully hosted the Breeders’ Cup World Chamtrack from synthetic to a world-class dirt surface; impionships. provements to equipment such as safety helmets for “I have been honored to work for Keeneland for Rogers Beasley these many years and am very appreciative to all here at Keeneland,” riders and shock-absorbing riding crops; and the creation of the Beasley said. “I particularly want to thank Bill Greely and Ted Bas- Jockey Health Information System, an industry-wide, central database of jockeys’ medical records. sett, who gave me the opportunity so many years ago.” “Rogers has helped shape the history of Keeneland by playing Beasley, a New Orleans native, graduated from Transylvania University in Lexington in 1973. After starting in banking, he embarked an important role in nearly every major undertaking for the past three on a career in the thoroughbred industry and joined Keeneland’s rac- decades,” Keeneland President and CEO Bill Thomason said. “He ing office in 1982, serving as an entry clerk and in other capacities has assembled an extremely talented and well-respected team led by Racing Secretary Ben Huffman that represents a strong foundation under noted racing secretary Howard Battle. In May 1982, Beasley was named Keeneland’s Director of Sales, on which to build the future of Keeneland racing.” A former member of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Assucceeding William S. Evans, who retired in December 1980. By that time, the July Selected Yearling Sale was attracting a number of sociation’s American Graded Stakes Committee, Beasley serves on the foreign buyers while featuring legendary bidding wars and rising boards of the Kentucky Equine Drug Research Council, Racing Medprices. At the 1985 July Sale, Seattle Dancer sold for $13.1 million ication & Testing Consortium, Racing Officials Accreditation Program and Kentucky Horse Park Foundation. He also is a member of The – the world-record price for a yearling. As director of sales, Beasley saw sales revenues more than dou- Jockey Club and the Equine Drug Research Council. He previously ble to $750 million in 2000 from $300 million when he assumed served on the boards of Cardinal Hill Rehabilitation Hospital, Thoroughbred Club of America, WUKY and the Headley-Whitney Museum. the post. Also during his tenure, Beasley led several progressive initia- He is a past member of the Society of Thoroughbred Auctioneers. Beasley is married to Jacqueline Duke, an editor at Blood-Horse tives, including the introduction of preferred sessions to enhance the September Yearling Sale; creation of a state-of-the-art repository to Publications who produces Keeneland Magazine. ■ GLINTSTUDIOS
continued from page 40 In addition to awards for shows, TIP has renewed the Thoroughbred of the Year Award and the Young Rider of the Year Award. Applications for these non-competition awards will be available at tjctip.com in April with a deadline of June 30. Only thoroughbreds that have been registered with The Jockey Club or a foreign thoroughbred stud book recognized by The Jockey Club are eligible to participate in TIP classes and compete for awards. All participating thoroughbreds should have a TIP number, which can be obtained at tjctip.com. Created and announced in October 2011, TIP recognizes and rewards the versatility of the thoroughbred through sponsorship of thoroughbred classes and high-point awards at sanctioned horse shows, performance awards, and non-competition awards. Additional information about TIP is available at tjctip.com and on the TIP facebook page at facebook.com/tjctip.
42 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2016
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A Chicken Flamingo By REG LANSBERRY
S
tart with the eventual Horse of the Year, four Hall of Fame jockeys, two Hall of Fame trainers, then add to the ingredients the world’s most beautiful racetrack, a dollop of controversy courtesy of track management who declared the ninehorse contest would be a nonbetting affair because it feared paying out a “minus pool” due to the race favorite expected to be no better than 1 to 5 at post time as part of a formidable entry, to the vocal displeasure of 30,011 very unhappy horse players, and then a dramatic ending that any screenwriter would envy with a subsequent “literary consecration for the ages” the next day by one of the turf’s most revered chroniclers, and what have you made?
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A delectable dish that turned out to be the most famous “exhibition race” in Florida racing history which on March 3 celebrated its 50th (Golden) Anniversary: the 1966 Flamingo Stakes won by the legendary Buckpasser and jockey Willie Shoemaker (as he was referred to then) by a nose in the final jump over an unheralded Abe’s Hope and his apprentice rider, 19-year-old Earlie Fires. The following day, the race was immortalized in print by Red Smith of the New York Herald Tribune, who raked management over the coals by naming it, derisively, the “Chicken Derby.” Combined with scathing coverage from the rest of the racing press, it thereupon congealed into history almost immediately as the “Chicken Flamingo.”
RAFTERY PHOTO
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Turns Golden Contested on closing day of the 1966 Hialeah Park meeting, a Thursday, the Flamingo Stakes was once considered the most illustrious of the spring’s Triple Crown prep races prior to all thoughts turning to the first Saturday in May and the Kentucky Derby. It is worth recalling the cachet what winning a race at Hialeah meant during the track’s halcyon days. Although John Nerud, who passed away last August at age 102, did not have a horse in the Flamingo, he was present that day. Reminiscing about the esteem Hialeah held in everyone’s eyes, he told The Florida Horse, “I loved Hialeah. That’s where I got my start. I won three stakes [races] in a week in 1955 and felt pretty smart.” Two years later, Nerud would secure the lone Triple Crown win of his career when trainee
Gallant Man took down the 1957 Belmont Stakes. Hialeah hosted the race initially called the “Florida Derby” for the first time in 1929. It had debuted at Tampa in 1926, then, after a two-year hiatus, was transferred to Hialeah. The race was renamed the Flamingo Stakes prior to the 1937 renewal. (Gulfstream Park inaugurated the current version of the Florida Derby in 1952.) The very next year, 1938, saw the stature of the $25,000 Flamingo Stakes rise appreciably when the winner, Lawrin, went on to win the Kentucky Derby. That was the first-ever triumph in the world’s most famous race for trainer Ben Jones, jockey Eddie Arcaro and the Woolford Farm of owner Herbert M. Woolf. The Flamingo Stakes would be the third start of 1966 for Buckpasser, the 1965 2-year-old champion.
Bill Shoemaker and Buckpasser fending off Abe’s Hope in the 1966 Flamingo Stakes at Hialeah
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ChickenFlamingo A striking bay son of 1953 Horse of the Year Tom Fool out of Busanda, by War Admiral, the 1937 Triple Crown winner, Buckpasser had split his two outs. After finishing second in a seven-furlong allowance race at Hialeah to stablemate Impressive, with yet another stablemate, Stupendous, finishing third, Buckpasser subdued the latter to win the nine-furlong Everglades Stakes eight days before the Flamingo. Aboard for that pair of efforts, as he would be for the final time in the Flamingo was Shoemaker, wearing the black jacket with cherry red cap for owner Ogden Phipps. Buckpasser was now under the watchful eye of Phipps Stable’s new trainer, future Hall of Famer Eddie Neloy. He succeeded Bill Winfrey (who would be inducted into the Hall in 1971) upon his retirement at the end of 1965. Winfrey, who trained Native Dancer to racing immortality in the 1950s for owner Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt’s Sagamore Farm, had guided Buckpasser to nine victories in 11 starts at 2 and a juvenile record $586,096 in purse earnings. The heavy winter book favorite for the Kentucky Derby, Buckpasser’s entry clearly sent a shiver through Hialeah’s executive suite, specifically chairman of the board Eugene Mori and his son, Eugene E. Mori, track president and treasurer. According to
PARADE TO POST
If the Moris and those in attendance thought the Flamingo, the first-ever $100,000-added stakes race without betting, whose total purse was worth $136,400, would be bereft of drama, they were in for a rude awakening. Two horses of note did not make it to the starting gate. One was Darby Dan Farm’s Graustark, who compiled an undefeated, if untested (three-for-three) juvenile campaign. Sidelined with a minor leg ailment, owner John W. Galbreath’s highly thought of colt was sired by the undefeated champion, Ribot. Also missing was Kauai King, a son of Native Dancer whose regular rider, Don Brumfield, would enter the Flamingo starting gate on a pick-up mount, Blue Skyer for trainer Jim Padgett. As Brumfield recalled, “I had broken my leg riding in 1965 and then went down to Tropical Park to try and strengthen my leg while also exercising horses to get fit. We didn’t have all the things they do now like sports medicine and weight training.” Brumfield had guided Kauai King to a second-place finish in the Hutcheson Stakes prior to winning the Fountain of Youth. (Trainer Henry Forrest elected to bypass the Flamingo, however. Brumfield would be back in the saddle for an off-the-board result in the Florida Derby prior to Forrest taking Kauai King to did not see was the main danger Bowie Race Course in Maryland for a pair of easy victories coming like a freight train down the center of the track. before heading to Churchill Downs.) the New York Times, Hialeah had already endured a “I had exercised Blue Skyer at Tropical Park and then half-dozen minus pools during the meeting. Though convinced Jim Padgett to buy him,” Brumfield added. “I the Moris said local stewards concurred with their think he paid $50,000, which was a good price.” Fires, who would earn his own plaque in the Hall decision to suspend wagering on the Flamingo, two stewards demurred, stating they were permitted to of Fame, had ridden Grand Prix Stable’s Abe’s Hope in waive place and show wagering only. In any event, his prep for the Flamingo. This would be the biggest Buckpasser would face eight rivals and track man- and most prestigious race he had ridden in, to that agement declared there would be no wagering on the point. Fires remembered his charge as being, “Like Flamingo that year. Only six horses wanted any part Silky Sullivan. Abe’s Hope would drop back and come of winners Citation (1948), Bold Ruler (1957), and from way out of it. He really was as good as anybody; he could really run.” Florida-bred Carry Back (1961). The esteemed racing official Tommy Trotter knew A superb runner in his own right, Stupendous would be piloted by his entrymate’s regular rider, Del Carroll, the trainer of Abe’s Hope, as he did just Braulio Baeza, who was in the irons for 28 of Buck- about everyone during a distinguished career of over a passer’s 31 career starts. This day, Baeza sported the half century. Speaking from his Hallandale Beach home, famed colors of Wheatley Stable for Mrs. Henry he said, “Del was not just a fine trainer and superb Carnegie Phipps, whose son’s horse had convinced horseman, he was a 10-goal polo player, too. Abe’s track management he was that most dangerous of rac- Hope’s former owner, Bill Miller, was a former coming propositions: “a sure thing.” missioner of the Illinois Racing Board.”
“What Buckpasser and Shoemaker
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”
The owners of Abe’s Hope, Robert Byfield and Joe Bartell, had in fact purchased the son of Better Bee from Miller the previous August as part of a four-horse package. As the horses began to load into the starting gate, despite there being no odds posted on the infield tote board, it is a virtual certainty that Buckpasser’s odds would have been 1–9. Situated at the sixteenth pole were trainer Allen Jerkens (who passed away in March 2015, at age 85) and owner Jack Dreyfus whose Hobeau Farm silks would be represented by Handsome Boy. “We watched the race at the sixteenth pole because Mr. Dreyfus always liked to watch the races from there,” Jerkens said. “I thought it was unbelievable that they (management) would not have betting on a race as prestigious as the Flamingo.” A quartet of particularly interested observers included Neloy, Ogden Phipps, his mother, and his 25year-old son, Ogden Mills “Dinny” Phipps, who retired last August as chairman of The Jockey Club after 32 years, the longest tenure in that post in the organization’s storied history. On Aug. 9 in Saratoga Springs,
N.Y., upon presiding over the 63rd Annual Round Table Conference on Matters Pertaining to Racing, Phipps was honored as the 16th recipient of The Jockey Club Medal, which was inaugurated in 1984. (Its first recipient was D.G. Van Clief Jr.) “Buckpasser had an unbelievable turn of foot. But he did not like to be in the lead,” Dinny Phipps said. “My father always believed in his fillies, and he was right because they formed the foundation of our stable’s horses today. Buckpasser’s dam, Busanda, was a true mile-and-a-half filly.” Asked whether it was true Busanda could be temperamental and hard to handle and that she imparted those traits to her foals, Phipps answered simply, “She was the calmest horse in the barn.” Meanwhile, in post 4, Shoemaker was doubtless mindful of the advice Baeza had given him. “Buckpasser was very lazy as a work horse. I knew that from when I would work him in the mornings,” Baeza said nearly a half-century later. “I had told Shoemaker that Buckpasser would pull himself up if he gets to the lead.”
Buckpasser after winning the 1966 Flamingo-now infamously known as the “Chicken Flamingo.”
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ChickenFlamingo
William “Bill” Shoemaker
When the latch was sprung, Turn for Home and Stupendous, with Baeza gunning him from the far outside (No. 9) post, set sail for the lead with Shoemaker finding a spot for Buckpasser just off them in third. Handsome Boy and Gunflint secured the fourth and fifth spots with the opening quarter contested in :23. As the field went around the first turn for the run down the backside, Fires, true to form, had taken Abe’s Hope back to last, some 10½ lengths in arrears with only Williamston Kid, ridden by Bobby Ussery (who would win the 1967 and 1968 Kentucky Derby, the latter via disqualification) ahead of him. On the front end, the running order remained unchanged through a half-mile in :462⁄5. It was after three-quarters run in 1:104⁄5 that the race’s entire complexion changed – in a hurry. Fires was now on the move with Abe’s Hope, having commenced his rally from last place by taking the “overland route.” On the final turn, the speed horses began to back up. Having enjoyed a comfortable trip in third, Buckpasser and Shoemaker unexpectedly “fell into” the lead. And true to form, Buckpasser then began to idle and wait on horses. What Buckpasser and Shoemaker did not see was the main danger coming down the center of the track. Fires (who had earlier won three races on the card) had Abe’s Hope in full flight for the wire as they picked off one horse after the other and swept to the lead past the sixteenth pole. “I don’t know if Buckpasser fell asleep or what,” Jerkens said. Commented longtime racetrack publicist Bob Benoit, who paid close attention to Shoemaker’s career, “You always know that Shoe is deadly serious when he goes to the lefthanded stick.” Even watching a 59-second videoclip via YouTube all these years later, it is easy to admire Buckpasser’s astonishing mad dash. Almost as if he “rebroke,” with ground-devouring strides Buckpasser goes from appearing hopelessly beaten inside the sixteenth pole to getting his nose down on the wire to stop the teletimer at 1:50 for nine furlongs. “What happened in the race was Abe’s Hope pulled up!” Fires said. “I thought I beat Buckpasser but he caught us right on the wire. A jump or two after, Abe’s
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Hope was back in front. If he hadn’t pulled up, I would have got it.” “I gave up hope when they passed the sixteenth pole,” said Neloy, as quoted by turf writer Pete Axthelm for the Herald Tribune. “What I remember was a horse getting beaten – and absolutely coming back and winning,” Dinny Phipps said. “Shoe was about the best (rider) there ever was,” Jerkens added. “Buckpasser was beaten but Shoe got him going again.” Completing the order of finish were Blue Skyer in third, 2¼ lengths back of Abe’s Hope, Williamston Kid, Rehabilitate, Turn for Home, Stupendous, Handsome Boy and Gunflint. AFTERMATH
According to reports along with unrelenting booing from fans as the horses paraded to the post, as well as immediately afterward when Buckpasser was guided back to the winner’s circle by Shoemaker, and continuing when owner Phipps was presented his trophy by none other than Bing Crosby, the subsequent media critique proved unsparing. While according Buckpasser and Shoemaker their just due, the press corps, in no mood to suffer fools gladly, teed off on the Moris. In The Thoroughbred Record of March 12, 1966, Florida correspondent Russ Harris quoted Crosby as saying, “Bob Hope must have hired this mob.” Joe Hirsch, reporting the proceedings for Daily Racing Form wrote, “Owner Phipps, chairman of The Jockey Club, shook hands with Shoemaker and grinned: ‘You scared the hell out of us.’ ” Calling the race “the Chicken Derby,” a characterization that served to immortalize the 1966 Flamingo Stakes forever, Smith’s piece (titled, “The Flamingo Stakes, Booo”) reported matters as he saw it: Conspicuously absent from the presentation ceremonies was Gene Mori. He should have been there to receive his proper reward for taking the class out of one of the American turf’s traditional feast days, a famous race at a splendid race course, annually the first major Eastern test of 3-year-old candidates for the Triple Crown. BENOIT & ASSOCIATES PHOTO
THE RACE
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Though the race had no class in the office, it had to amass over $1 million in purse earnings before age 4. nothing else on the track. Going a mile and an eighth Though the discovery of a quarter crack caused him to for the second time in his life, Buckpasser lived up nobly miss the 1966 Triple Crown, at season’s end he was to his credentials as the 1965 2-year-old champion. He named Horse of the Year, 3-year-old male champion, has that dangerous habit of pulling himself up when he and top handicap horse by Morning Telegraph and gets the lead, but the way he came again when he saw Daily Racing Form. Interestingly, several of the Flamingo’s also rans Abe’s Hope go past him was eloquent testimony to his would make noise of their own, in short order. courage, his class and his great ability.” With Fires on the sidelines serving a suspension, in “I became a great friend of Red Smith’s,” Dinny Phipps said. “I would watch him write his columns. his next race, the Florida Derby, Abe’s Hope finished There were some days that he could write it in five first with Baeza in the irons, but was disqualified in minutes. On other days it might take two hours. He what proved to be a roughly run race. Williamston Kid, could write 10 articles praising something. But if you who had finished second by a neck, was declared the were one of the articles where he didn’t, he would re- winner and paid a stunning $183.60 for a mere $2 bet. He was the first winner of the Florida Derby via DQ in ally give it to you.” Accompanying Joe Nichols’s race coverage in the its history. Abe’s Hope would redeem himself soon enough. ReNew York Times was a column by sportwriter Arthur united with Fires, he won the Blue Grass Stakes at Daley – “Hialeah Dresses in Blushing Pink”: “Only this sparkling heads-on-the-wire denouement Keeneland Race Course in Lexington when Graustark saved this race from being an equine bomb. The Moris broke down. “Abe’s Hope never got beat at Keeneland were so timid about the possibility of a minus pool and because he knew where the finish line was,” Fires said. a loss of what they feared might be $90,000 – they net- Fires did not ride Abe’s Hope in the Kentucky Derby, ted $2 million at Hialeah last season – that they elimi- however; Shoemaker piloted him that day, finishing nated betting on their biggest (rider) there ever was. Buckpasser attraction and thereby put a dent in Hialeah’s image.” beaten but Shoe got him going again. —Allen Jerkens Art Grace, writing for The Blood-Horse, quoted Eugene Mori as saying, “There is fifth. Instead, Fires picked up third money – behind too much emphasis on the betting and not enough on Brumfield and Kauai King – on Blue Skyer, Brumfield’s Flamingo mount. the sport.” Brumfield’s Derby triumph commenced the greatest George F.T. Ryall, who penned his column, “The Race Track,” in The New Yorker for 52 years from 1926- fortnight of his career. If anything, his winning ride on Kauai King in the Preakness Stakes was more compre1978, summed up the contretemps this way: “From all accounts, when the nine 3-year-olds in the hensive in every way. It served to win over the critics Flamingo paraded to the post, the crowd of thirty thou- who were not impressed by Kauai King’s wire-to-wire sand that turned out for the race booed the way the Derby win in 2:02. After Lawrin in 1938, the Flamingo produced eight Brooklyn Boys do at the Big A [Aqueduct Race Track]. . . .But the customers still had ten races to bet on – and additional winners of the Kentucky Derby. The most ilthey did, tossing $2,334,911 into the tote. So the track lustrious was Citation, who in 1948 became racing’s really didn’t do badly; its take of seven per cent for eighth Triple Crown winner. The last was Spectacular handling the wagers that day amounted to Bid in 1979. The $250,000 Flamingo Stakes, then a Grade 3 race, $163,443.77. And you can bet that attendance at Hialeah next season will be as big as ever. Horseplay- was contested for the final time in 2001, with Thunder Blitz ridden to victory by Edgar Prado for Stronach Staers love to be pushed around.” But the day belonged to Buckpasser, the deserved ble and owner Frank Stronach. It was on March 3, 1966, though, that Hialeah served Star of the Show. It was his second consecutive victory in a streak that would reach 15 (and continue into 1967). up a helping of Flamingo to its patrons . . . with a side The streak enabled Buckpasser to become the first horse of “Chicken.” ■
“Shoe was about the best
was
”
THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2016 49
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Though certainly not a surprise, it is still always amazing to see our in-state thoroughbred industry numbers in terms of how they fit with and relate to Florida’s economy. A recent 2013 conservative study conducted by nationally acclaimed pari-mutuel and gaming economists Cummings & Associates of horse breeds from the pari-mutuel industry based in the Sunshine State provided a handful of very impressive equine economic impacts including:
■ $1 billion per year of Economic Impact ■ More than $400 million expended per year in local salaries and payroll taxes ■ More than 12,000 jobs ■ An annual economic impact state-wide far in excess of coveted baseball spring training
Florida...the Best State for Business
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FLORIDA THOROUGHBRED BREEDERS’ AND OWNERS’ ASSOCIATION Lonny T. Powell, CEO and Executive Vice President 801 SW 60th Ave. • Ocala, FL 34474 • 352-629-2160
SALLY MOEHRING PHOTO
Fax: 352-629-3603 • www.ftboa.com • info@ftboa.com www.ftboa.com • www.facebook.com/thefloridahorse
FLORIDA DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER SERVICES Adam H. Putnam, Commissioner • 850-617-7341 • Fax 850-617-7331 e-mail: Christopher.denmark@freshfromflorida.com 407 S. Calhoun • 416 Mayo Building, Tallahassee, FL 32399
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ClubFoot in Equine Care
By HEATHER SMITH THOMAS
M
ost horsemen define club foot as hoof and pastern angle of more than 60 degrees, making the foot more upright than normal. The affected hoof is usually stumpy with a short toe and long, upright heel. Contracture of the flexor muscles and deep digital flexor tendon (which attaches to the bottom of the coffin bone inside the hoof) results in the horse walking on the toe; the heel area doesn’t get much wear. The hoof may have a steeper angle than the pastern; the hoof/pastern axis is often broken forward rather than straight. Paul Goodness, Chief of Farrier Services at Virginia Tech’s Equine Medical Center in Leesburg, Virginia says club feet can be congenital (present at birth) or acquired. “Sometimes it seems to be inherited, but we are not sure. Some young horses develop this condition at some point between 6 weeks and 8 months of age; this is the time frame in which we often start noticing it,” he says. “It can be a pain-related response to an injury or a condition in which certain leg muscles cramp or become tense. The horse may favor the limb and not put much weight on the heel. In the young horse, we think it sometimes happens when they are growing
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the horse walks—maybe not at every step, but they tend to stay up in the air,” he says. “The Grade 4 club foot is in serious trouble. The dorsal (front) wall of the hoof is about 80 to 90 degrees of angle to the ground and the hair line at the coronary band is almost parallel to the ground. The hoof is almost as tall at the heels as it is at the toe. The foot may buckle forward. When the heels are trimmed, they do not touch the ground. The tendon is very tight and has a tremendous amount of stress on it. This is the grading system we commonly use, but in some foals GRADING SYSTEM it can be even worse. The dorsal wall may be “We now use a grading system to classify beyond 90 degrees. The feet may knuckle club feet, from 1 to 4. Grade 1 is the mildest over, and the foal is walking on the front of form and Grade 4 the most severe. A Grade the hoof wall. This is sad to see, because not 1 might have a 3 to 5 degree difference be- all of these foals can be corrected,” he says. The Grade 3’s and 4’s can often be suctween the two feet—with a taller heel on the one foot compared with the opposite foot. cessfully dealt with, however. “In one way You also start to see some changes in the these are the easiest ones to deal with because coronary band with a little flattening in the they are obvious; you know you must deal front and some puffiness between the bulbs with them or manage them right away. By contrast, sometimes the milder ones are not of the heels,” says Goodness. “The Grade 1 club foot is not very dra- noticed by the owners, or the farrier is not sure what to do about them, so they are matic, but farriers notice a differnot effectively controlled,” says ence between the two feet. By Goodness. contrast, the Grade 2 is more no“The problem with not doing ticeable—at about 5 to 8 degrees anything about them is that these of difference between the two horses end up with varying defeet. Pastern angle may be brogrees of hoof capsule deformity. ken backward, instead of being in This puts extra stress on the cofa straight line. You start to see difin joint, navicular ligaments, vergent growth rings, where the hoof wall and sole—and on up heel is growing faster than the Paul Goodness, Chief of the leg, through various joints toe. The wall at the toe is actually Farrier Services at being compressed as it grows Virginia Tech’s Equine and shoulder, and probably afMedical Center in fects vertebral alignment. It afout. Growth rings are uneven— Leesburg, Virginia fects the whole body. These they are thinner at the toe and tend to be problematic because they are not wider at the heel,” he explains. “The Grade 3 foot has a significant dish effectively dealt with when they are young.” at the toe and the growth rings are clearly twice as wide at the heel as they are at the MANAGING CLUB FOOT toe. Sometimes after the farrier trims the “Goals are generally the same in managfoot, the heels may not touch the ground as ing these feet, at any stage of development, too rapidly. We may try to slow down that fast growth as part of the treatment,” he says. “It may be a bigger issue in horses that are more intensively managed, like the horses kept in stalls or more closely confined than horses roaming over large areas,” says Goodness. Nutrition may be a factor when club feet are more frequently seen in fast-growing foals from dams on lush green pasture, being fed grain. It is seen less frequently in free-roaming range horses with a lower plane of nutrition.
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Horses
medical or surgical intervention. For the owner who doesn’t want to have a club-footed horse (and conservative treatment is not enough), we can surgically cut the inferior check ligament to temporarily release the tension so the foot can have a normal angle. The ligament will heal, and function almost completely normal,” says Goodness. “Sometimes young foals are given a dose or two of oxytetracycline, which tends to relax tight muscles by interfering with their chemical balance. If done carefully, I’ve seen successes with this medical intervention, to get things going the right direction.” In adult horses, the mechanical approach to the foot is similar. “My protocol is to slowly and carefully lower the heels, until we can see the sole just barely start to flatten a little. When you lower the heels, you put more tension on the deep flexor tendon, which tends to rotate the coffin bone and push the sole down. From that point— where the sole starts to flatten—you have to be very careful about pushing the heels down any more, or you may distort the hoof capsule even farther, unless you use some kind of mechanical assist (from a shoe),” he explains. “From there, you must assess whether you’ve accomplished enough, or whether you still need to try to get the hoof a little healthier—a little more mechanically sound. If that’s the case you might consider going farther, which would entail continuing to trim the heels of the hoof down to where it is approaching normal range, which would be at about the same level as the frog,” he says. “You then have to use some kind of shoe to wedge the heels and the frog back up to the point where they were when the sole began to flatten. By doing that, you have increased the weightbearing surface of the foot, but you haven’t reBURNS PHOTOS
and any stage of severity. The main goal is to try to achieve alignment of the phalanges as close to normal as possible in the respective joints (pastern joint, coffin joint) without causing any further hoof capsule distortion,” says Goodness. “It’s one thing to rasp the heels down to where the pastern lines up and the angle is unbroken and it looks a lot better, but four weeks later that horse will have a bigger dish in the foot at the toe and the sole will be thinner. If this tactic is continued, it will become more uncomfortable for the horse. So we try to work with these horses without overdoing it. We don’t want to compound the problems,” he says. “Generally we accomplish our goal by lowering the heels a bit (varying degrees, depending on the individual case) but simultaneously easing tension on the deep flexor tendon by adjusting the point of breakover. We can do that by trimming, and rolling the toe, or with a shoe if it’s an older horse (not a foal), using a rocker toe or rolled toe shoe— grinding the toe of the shoe away. There are several ways to adjust the breakover.” With those two strategies a person can often get the foot to the point where it functions better. “It may not look exactly like the other hoof, but mechanically it can function more normally, and the horse is traveling with a more even stride,” he says. “With foals, we can often correct them with frequent trimming and restricted exercise. You don’t want the foal running around and getting stronger, and tightening the muscles and tendons. You actually want the muscles to get a little weaker for a while, to relax the tendons. This can be done by keeping the foal more confined, restricting the diet a bit to slow down the foal’s growth,” he explains. In some cases this might mean not feeding the mare such a high-nutrient diet, so she decreases her milk production. “Usually this is how we start dealing with the problem in a young foal, and it often works well, with or without the addition of
ally changed the angle or put any more tension on the tendon apparatus,” he explains. “When doing this, it makes sense to protect the sole with a pad of some kind. You are pushing the hoof capsule around (changing the stresses on it), so you have to be a little careful as you do it. With this strategy, however, many horses improve and can go on to be successful in their careers. There have been some tremendous athletes, with a good long career, managing very well with some degree of club footedness. When properly dealt with by the farrier, with continual management, these horses can continue on with the best of them.” If the horse has the heart and ability to do the job, this defect won’t hinder success. And in some sports it doesn’t matter if the horse has a slightly uneven stride, if it can still go over the jumps, or travel 100 miles in an endurance ride or win a race. CAUSES
We still have a lot to learn about club feet, in determining the causes. Some people think it is due to young horses growing too fast. And if a foal tends to be right or left footed as he grazes, he may always put the same foot out in front (with heel pressed down against the ground) and the other one behind (heel lifted more off the ground), in the typical foal stance to get his short neck down far enough to reach the grass. “This can predispose the rearward foot to being club-footed, over time, and the foal keeps doing it this way, because it’s more comfortable,” says Goodness. The important thing is to recognize it early. “As farriers we are getting better at jumping in early and reducing the impact of club feet. The neglected or unrecognized ones are often harder to deal with as the horse matures.” ■ THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2016 53
AcceleratedEarningPower.qxp_Florida Horse_template 2/18/16 3:32 PM Page 54
Increased Purses
and Opportunities in 2016 2016 TWO-YEAR-OLD FILLY DIVISION August - Desert Vixen Stakes - 6 furlongs-Dirt - $200,000 September - Susan's Girl Stakes - 7 furlongs-Dirt - $300,000 October - My Dear Girl Stakes - 11/16 miles-Dirt - $500,000
2016 TWO-YEAR-OLD COLT DIVISION August - Dr. Fager Stakes - 6 furlongs-Dirt - $200,000 September - Affirmed Stakes - 7 furlongs-Dirt - $300,000 October - In Reality Stakes - 1 1/16 miles-Dirt - $500,000
2016 THREE-YEAR-OLD FILLY DIVISION August - Three Ring Stakes - 6 furlongs-Dirt - $150,000 September - Jewel Princess Stakes - 7 furlongs-Dirt - $150,000 October - Meadow Star Stakes - 1 mile-Dirt - $150,000
2016 THREE-YEAR-OLD COLT DIVISION August - Unbridled Stakes - 6 furlongs-Dirt - $150,000 September - Prized Stakes - 7 furlongs-Dirt - $150,000 October - Foolish Pleasure Stakes - 1 mile-Dirt - $150,000
AcceleratedEarningPower.qxp_Florida Horse_template 2/18/16 3:32 PM Page 55
Advertisement
For more information go to www.ftboa.com or e-mail floridasirestakes@ftboa.com
COGLIANESE PHOTO
FSS Bonus Races
AcceleratedEarningPower.qxp_Florida Horse_template 2/18/16 3:33 PM Page 56
Florida Sire Stakes Program (FSS) FSS purse supplement will be awarded to the
The FSS program consists of over $3 million in purse awards for 2-year-old, 3-yearold and older horses and includes the lucrative Florida Sire Stakes – a twelve race series for two-year-olds. In 2015, a six race series for three-year-olds was added.
winner of a maiden special weight race if the winner is fully FSS eligible. Foals are eligible for the Florida Sire Stakes series, and the two-year-old, three-year-old and up supplemental stakes program if:
Also included are a $5,000 FSS purse sup- 1. The foal’s sire was an FTBOA-registered stallion standing in Florida when the foal plement for each of 30 two-year-old maiden was conceived, AND special weight races, with 15 races for fillies and 15 races for colts/geldings. These 2. The foal is a Florida-bred registered with the FTBOA, AND 30 races typically start in April with at least two races per week, and each race at a dis- 3. The foal is kept eligible with payment of tance of at least 4.5 furlongs. The $5,000 eligibility fees by the deadline(s) required
FLORIDA DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER SERVICES
Adam H. Putnam, Commissioner • 850-617-7341 • Fax 850-617-7331 e-mail: Christopher.denmark@freshfromflorida.com 407 S. Calhoun • 416 Mayo Building, Tallahassee, FL 32399
www.facebook.com/thefloridahorse
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
AcceleratedEarningPower.qxp_Florida Horse_template 2/18/16 3:33 PM Page 57
Advertisement
2016 Florida Sire Stakes Program Deadlines & Payments (Foals of 2014) Includes eligibility in Florida Sire Stakes series, two-year-old and 2017 three-year-old supplemental stakes
2013 – Stallion registered with FTBOA 2014 – No weanling payment required
Before/on May 15 - $250; May 16 through Nov. 15 - $500
2015 – Yearling payment required:
Before/on Jan. 15 - $250; Jan. 16 through Feb. 28 - $500
2016 – Two-year-old payment required:
If yearling payment was not paid in 2015, a one-time payment of $5,000 can be made by Jan. 15, 2016 for eligibility. Last chance payment – Option to pay $10,000 by May 1 of the horse’s 2-year-old year regardless of any previous payment (horse must not have started).
COGLIANESE PHOTO
For more information go to www.ftboa.com or e-mail floridasirestakes@ftboa.com
stallionshows.qxp_Florida Horse_template 2/23/16 11:16 AM Page 58
2016
Stallion
Ocala/Marion County Thoroughbred farms opened their doors to prospective breeders last month as the area’s popular stallion shows got underway. More shows are slated for this month, and they will be featured in future issues. PHOTOS BY SERITA HULT
1
Woodford
Thoroughbreds
2
3 1) Soldat stands at stud for $5,000
2) He’s Had Enough stands at stud for $5,000 3) Currency Swap stands at stud for $2,500
58 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MAECH 2016
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Showcase 5
6
7
8
5) Mark Valeski stands at stud for $2,500
6) Biondetti stands at stud for $4,000
7) Crown Of Thorns stands at stud for $2,000 8) Vineyard Haven stands at stud for $2,000
THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2016 59
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2016
Stallion Showcase
Hartley/DeRenzo 1
2
1) Rattlesnake Bridge stands at stud for $7,500 2) The Green Monkey stands at stud for $5,000 3) With Distinction stands at stud for $7,500
3 60 THE FLORIDA HORSE • FEBRUARY 2016
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1
Adena Springs
1) Capo Bastone stands at stud for $4,000 2) Hunters Bay at stud for $4,000
3) Fort Larned stands at stud for $7,500 4) City Wolf stands at stud for $4,000
2
3
4 THE FLORIDA HORSE • FEBRUARY 2016 61
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2016
Stallion Showcase
Double Diamond Farm
1
1) First Dude stands at stud for $7,500
2) Bahamian Squall stands at stud for $5,000
2
Solera Farm
1) Field Commission stands at stud for $2,500
1 62 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MAECH 2016
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1
2
3
Stroud’s Lane Farm 1) Admiral Kitten stands at stud for $4,000 2) Daddy Long Legs stands at stud for $4,000 3) Seek Again stands at stud for $8,500
THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2016 63
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■FLORIDA-BREDS AROUND THE COUNTRY ————By Race Type/Grade ————
■FLORIDA-BRED FINISHERS—STAKES RACES Win/Place/Show Horse Name
Sex Age Sire
Dam
Breeder
Date
Track Off ID Pos Race Name 1
Grade/ Value
Earngs
Awesome Banner
C
3
Awesome of Course
Miranda Stands
Jacks or Better Farm Inc.
1/30/16
GP
Swale S.
2/$200,000 $122,760
Mewannarose
G
6
Bwana Charlie
Darby Rose
Heiligbrodt Racing Stable
1/30/16
AQU 2
Toboggan S.
3/$150,000
Ballet Diva
F
3
Hear No Evil
Dame Sylvieguilhem Jacks or Better Farm Inc.
1/30/16
GP
Forward Gal S.
2/$200,000
$19,800
Big John B
G
7
Hard Spun
Baldomera
Brylynn Farm Inc.
1/30/16
HOU 3
John B. Connally Tf Cup S. 3/$200,000
$22,000
Fellowship
C
3
Awesome of Course
Go Girlfriend Go
Jacks or Better Farm Inc.
1/30/16
GP
Lambholm Sth Holy Bull S. 2/$350,000
$34,650
Danbury
C
3
Kantharos
Rosiesuptown
Robert C. Roffey Jr.
1/26/16
OTC 1
OBS Sprint S.
$30,000
3 3
$50,000
$30,000
Kandoo
F
3
Kantharos
Sandra's Day
Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC
1/26/16
OTC 2
OBS Sprint S.
Two Step Time
C
3
Two Step Salsa
Money Peg
Chessmate Thoroughbreds International LLC & Peter Halsall
1/26/16
OTC 2
OBS Championship S.
$50,000
$10,000
$100,000
$20,000
Drama Club
C
3
Big Drama
Charity Event
Carl Bowling
1/26/16
OTC 3
OBS Sprint S.
$50,000
$5,000
R Girls a Charmer
F
3
In Summation
Velvet Charm
Ocala Stud
1/23/16
TAM 1
Gasparilla S.
$82,500
$60,000
Epic Journey
G
3
J P's Gusto
Golden Horseshoe
Brent Fernung & Crystal Fernung
1/23/16
TAM 2
Pasco S.
$63,500
$20,000
Karen''s Silk
F
3
High Cotton
Stay On Track
Juvenal Diaz
1/16/16
LRL
1
Marshua S.
$74,250
$45,000
Lori''s Store
M
6
El Prado (IRE)
Big Promise
Glen Hill Farm
1/16/16
GP
1
Sunshn Million Filly/Mre Tf $150,000
$92,070
X Y Jet
G
4
Kantharos
Soldiersingsblues
Didier Plasencia
1/16/16
GP
1
Sunshn Million Spt S.
$150,000
$90,210
Amelia''s Wild Ride H
5
D'wildcat
Amelia Island
Red Oak Stable
1/16/16
GP
1
Sunshn Million Turf Spt S. $150,000
$88,350
Manchurian High
G
8
The Daddy
Corredor's Wind
Greg Norman
1/16/16
GP
1
Sunshn Million Turf S.
$150,000
$87,420
Mom''z Laugh
F
4
Leroidesanimaux (BRZ) Cajun Dawn
Curtis Mikkelson & Patricia Horth
1/16/16
GP
1
Sunshn Million Distaff S.
$200,000 $119,040
Mexikoma
H
5
Birdstone
Toccet Over
Hickstead Farm
1/16/16
GP
1
Sunshn Million Classic S.
$250,000 $147,250
E B Ryder
M
6
Bluegrass Cat
Back to Earth
Farnsworth Stables LLC
1/16/16
GP
2
Sunshn Million Filly/Mre Tf $150,000
$29,700
Wildcat Red
H
5
D'wildcat
Racene
Moreau Bloodstock International Inc. & Winter Racing Enterprise 1/16/16
GP
2
Sunshine Millions Sprint S. $150,000
$29,100
Summation Time
H
5
In Summation
Load Up
Oakleaf Farm
1/16/16
GP
2
Sunshn Million Turf Spt S. $150,000
$28,500
Reporting Star
G
6
Circular Quay
Classic Beauty
Gilbert G. Campbell
1/16/16
GP
2
Sunshn Million Turf S.
$150,000
$28,200
You Bought Her
M
6
Graeme Hall
Striking T
CLDelaplane & RGDelaplane Trust UA 6/1/92 & Shade Tree TB 1/16/16
GP
2
Sunshine Millions Distaff S. $200,000
$38,400
Mr. Jordan
C
4
Kantharos
Miss Skeetd
Philip Matthews & Karen Matthews
1/16/16
GP
2
Sunshn Million Classic S.
$250,000
$47,500
Pink Poppy
M
5
Tiznow
Boa
Arindel Farm LLC
1/16/16
GP
3
Sunshn Million Filly/Mre Tf $150,000
$14,850
C. Zee
H
5
Elusive Bluff
Diamondaire
Jacks or Better Farm Inc.
1/16/16
GP
3
Sunshn Million Spt S.
$150,000
$14,550
Simon Bar Sinister G
5
War Front
Christmas Jones
Luisa Degwitz & Ric-Deg Farm
1/16/16
GP
3
Sunshn Million Turf Spt S. $150,000
$10,687
Jewel of a Cat
M
6
Wildcat Heir
Marbleous Routine
Mr. & Mrs. Marty Hershe
1/16/16
GP
3
Sunshn Million Turf Spt S. $150,000
$10,688
Fundamental
C
4
Arch
Halo's Verse
Glen Hil Farm
1/16/16
GP
3
Sunshn Million Turf S.
$150,000
$14,100
Legal Laura
M
5
Wildcat Heir
Arealhotlover
Gilbert G. Campbell
1/16/16
GP
3
Sunshn Million Distaff S.
$200,000
$19,200
3
Sunshn Million Classic S.
$250,000
$23,750
$90,000
$60,000
3/$150,000
$15,000
$65,000
$39,000
Catholic Cowboy
G
6
Heatseeker (IRE)
Kombat Lake
Luis de Hechavarria
1/16/16
GP
Fast Flying Rumor
G
4
West Acre
Silver Scandal
Gilbert G. Campbell
1/9/16
TAM 1
Turf Dash S.
Grande Shores
H
8
Black Mambo
Sexy Stockings
Jacks or Better Farm Inc.
1/9/16
GP
Hal's Hope S.
African Rose
M
7
Bwana Charlie
Darby Rose
Heiligbrodt Racing Stable
1/2/16
SUN 1
Bold Ego H.
3
C
3
Awesome of Course
Miranda Stands
Jacks or Better Farm Inc.
1/2/16
GP
1
Hutcheson S.
3/$100,000
$60,760
Life Imitates Art
C
3
More Than Ready
Habiboo
Hardacre Farm LLC
1/2/16
GP
1
Dania Beach S.
3/$100,000
$58,900
64 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2016
Life Imitates Art/Dania Beach S. (G3)
KENNY MARTIN PHOTO
Awesome Banner/Hutcheson S. (G3)
COGLIANESE PHOTO
Awesome Banner/Swale S. (G2)
LAUREN KING PHOTO
Awesome Banner
AroundCountry.qxp_Layout 1 2/23/16 11:22 AM Page 65
■FLORIDA-BRED FINISHERS—STAKES RACES Win/Place/Show Horse Name
Sex Age Sire
Date
Track Off ID Pos Race Name
Dam
Breeder
Bayou Mist
Orlando Martinez
1/2/16
GP
2
Old Hat S.
Grade/ Value
Earngs
3/$100,000
$19,800
My Dear Venezuela F
3
Wildcat Heir
El Charro
C
3
Put It Back
Fairy Valley
Cherie M. Abner & Michael A. Bossio
1/2/16
GP
2
Mucho Macho Man S.
$100,000
$19,600
Code Warrior
F
3
Society's Chairman
Lady Natalie
Pamela Edel
1/2/16
SA
2
Santa Ynez S.
2/$200,500
$40,000
Sheikh of Sheikhs
C
3
Discreetly Mine
Homesteader
Manuel Andrade
1/2/16
GP
3
Hutcheson S.
3/$100,000
$9,800
Ballet Diva
F
3
Hear No Evil
Dame Sylvieguilhem Jacks or Better Farm Inc.
1/2/16
GP
3
Old Hat S.
3/$100,000
$9,900
Bullet Gone Astray
C
3
Gone Astray
Permanent Makeup Joe Carroll & Kris Carroll
1/2/16
GP
3
Mucho Macho Man S.
$100,000
$9,800
■FLORIDA-BRED FINISHERS—ALLOWANCE Win/Place/Show Horse Name Sex Age Sire
Dam
Breeder
Date
Track ID
Off Pos
Grade/ Value
Earngs
Truly Mizzed
M
5
Mizzen Mast
Sacred Charm
Castletop Stable & Shadybrook Farm Inc
1/30/16
LRL
2
$42,000
$8,820
Leroi''s Thrill
C
3
Leroidesanimaux (BRZ)
Awesome Thrill
Ponder Hill Inc.
1/30/16
TP
3
$23,900
$1,400
Wildcat Runner
C
4
Wildcat Heir
Pretty Springs
Ponder Hill Inc.
1/29/16
PEN
2
$29,500
$5,900
Charleston Pier
C
4
Circular Quay
Perfectly Wild
William P Sorren
1/29/16
PEN
3
$29,500
$3,245
Idon''tknogoaskanni M
8
The Daddy
Sweet Davia
Henry C. Follette
1/29/16
LRL
3
$42,000
$4,620
Joe Pike
H
5
Benny the Bull
Allofeverything
Joanna Reisler
1/28/16
CMR
1
$8,830
$5,226
Stormy Sky
F
4
Sky Mesa
Sweetness 'n Light
Y-Lo Racing Stables LLC
1/28/16
AQU
1
$67,000
$40,200
Pursuing Fate
F
4
In Summation
Flirting With Fate
Best A Luck Farm LLC
1/27/16
GP
1
$42,200
$27,000
Indian Rocket
F
4
Indian Charlie
Yellow Heat
E Paul Robsham Stable LLC
1/23/16
TP
2
$15,950
$2,000
Marketplace
F
4
Stormy Atlantic
Indy Blaze
Glen Hill Farm
1/23/16
TP
3
$15,950
$1,000
Wildcat Doll
F
4
Wildcat Heir
Doc's Doll
Dr. & Mrs. James Gamble
1/22/16
SUN
3
$27,876
$2,660
Musket Mary
F
4
Musket Man
Smokin Mary
Gerald Bennett & Mary Bennett
1/21/16
PEN
1
$30,149
$17,700
Unbridled Candy
G
4
Candy Ride (ARG)
Restraint
Haras Santa Maria de Araras S.A.
1/18/16
GG
3
$32,337
$3,240
Piloting
G
5
Tapit
Silver Clipper
Alfonso N. Figliolia
1/17/16
AQU
3
$67,000
$6,700
Astro Lady
F
3
Exclusive Quality
Klairan
Louie Rogers Thoroughbreds LLC
1/16/16
CMR
1
$9,505
$5,625
Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’s Association •Lonny Powell – CEO, Executive Vice President •Brock Sheridan – Editor-in-Chief •Tammy Gantt – Assistant Vice President, Membership Services, Events Director, Contributing Editor, Industry and Community Affairs Adena Springs South •Declan Doyle – Director of Stallion Seasons & Sales
Gulfstream Park •Michael Costanzo – Claims Clerk
Tampa Bay Downs •Allison DeLuca – Racing Secretary
Hialeah Park •R. Peter Aiello IV – Director of Simulcasting, Track Announcer
Breeder •Rick Heatter
Isle Casino Racing Pompano Park •Heather Belmonte – Executive Assistant Ocala Breeders’ Sales •Tom Ventura – President •Kevin Honig – Mutuels
Trainers •Todd Pletcher •Chuck Simon
THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 201665
und The Country
Florida-Breds Aro
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Florida-Breds Aro
The Country und
■FLORIDA-BRED FINISHERS—ALLOWANCE Win/Place/Show Date
Track ID
Off Pos
Grade/ Value
Earngs
Ponder Hill Inc.
1/16/16
MVR
3
$17,500
$1,750
My Allegiance
Brent Fernung & Crystal Fernung
1/11/16
LRL
2
$42,000
$8,820
Killisnoo
Lambholm
1/10/16
CMR
1
$10,959
$7,223
Awesome Medicine
R. C. Van Voorhees & Liz Steinbach
1/10/16
CMR
2
$12,204
$2,491
Montbrook
Digital Delight
Grantland J. Johnson & Gary Caple
1/9/16
DED
2
$31,310
$6,100
4
Wildcat Heir
Sayes Court
Bill Rasco & Ben-D Farm South LLC
1/9/16
DED
3
$31,310
$3,355
Razzle Dazzle Man G
5
Parading
What a Lady
Gilbert G. Campbell
1/7/16
CT
1
$24,500
$14,460
Seventyseven
G
6
Halo's Image
Showmethegreencard
Guilherme Bombonato & Angela Bombonato
1/4/16
MVR
2
$17,500
$3,500
Forest Mist
G
4
Forestry
Misty Tab
Michael Anthony Rodriguez
1/4/16
MVR
3
$17,500
$1,750
Horse Name Sex Age Sire
Dam
Breeder
Leroi''s Thrill
C
3
Leroidesanimaux (BRZ)
Awesome Thrill
To the Flag
M
5
Circular Quay
Runaway Que
G
5
Leading the Parade
Awesome Warrior
F
4
A. P. Warrior
Smoltz
G
4
Not Guilty
C
Wildcat Runner
C
4
Wildcat Heir
Pretty Springs
Ponder Hill Inc.
1/4/16
LRL
3
$44,646
$4,620
Back Lite
G
4
Put It Back
Fashionably Lite
Janet Erwin
1/2/16
HAW
1
$22,860
$12,600
■FLORIDA-BRED FINISHERS—MAIDEN SPECIAL WEIGHT Win/Place/Show Horse Name Sex Age Sire
Dam
Breeder
Date
Track ID
Off Pos
Grade/ Value
Earngs $13,900
Tiger Blood
C
3
Cowtown Cat
Sarah Cataldo
Brent Fernung & Crystal Fernung
1/30/16
TAM
1
$22,100
Wild Impulse
C
3
Wildcat Heir
Just Call Me Berty
Lambholm
1/30/16
AQU
2
$60,000
$12,000
Fashion Designer
C
3
Old Fashioned
Fusaichi Valentine
Dr. K. K. Jayaraman & Dr. V. Devi Jayaraman
1/30/16
OP
2
$68,000
$13,600
Something Naughty F
3
Into Mischief
Gracious Assault
Christy Whitman
1/26/16
MVR
2
$17,000
$3,400
Hola Charlotte
F
3
Adios Charlie
Betsy Blue
Michael T Beach
1/24/16
GP
1
$49,000
$31,000
Zena Rules
F
3
A. P. Warrior
Tiger On the Green
Linda S. Rosenblatt
1/24/16
GP
2
$49,000
$10,800
Annie Rocks
F
3
A. P. Warrior
Five Star Annie
Brenda Jones & Silver Oaks Farm
1/23/16
TAM
1
$22,100
$13,500
Silent Movies
C
3
Chapel Royal
Magic Show
Steve Prather
1/23/16
SA
3
$57,500
$6,720
Ray''swarrior
C
4
Majestic Warrior
Mary Alex
Alex Lieblong & JoAnn Lieblong
1/23/16
OP
3
$68,000
$6,800
Ms. Scarlet Fever
F
3
Value Plus
Frontier Franny
Arboritanza Racing LLC Jolane Weeks & Barbara Rehbein
1/22/16
TAM
2
$20,600
$4,800
My Good Venezuela F
3
Wildcat Heir
Gold Point Gal
Orlyana Farm
1/21/16
GP
1
$32,000
$19,200
Determined Lady
F
3
Big Drama
Lemon Pie
Hal Queen Farm
1/21/16
GP
2
$32,000
$6,400
Miss Knucklehead
F
3
Big Drama
Groove Maker
Debora Corral Morgan
1/21/16
TP
3
$17,720
$1,000
Shakin All Over
F
3
Maimonides
Shake Off
Arindel Farm
1/21/16
GP
3
$32,000
$3,200
Animal Instinct
G
4
Leroidesanimaux (BRZ) Silver Lisa
Anthony Robinson
1/21/16
GP
3
$36,400
$4,000
My Pisano
G
5
Yesbyjimminy
Bridlewood Farm
1/20/16
MVR
1
$17,000
$10,200
Diplomatic Angel
Sound Check
C
3
Pomeroy
Ariel Rose
Rustlewood Farm Inc.
1/18/16
LRL
3
$40,000
$4,400
Spezia
C
3
Speightstown
Via Veneto
Dizney Double Diamond LLC
1/17/16
OP
1
$68,000
$40,800
Howling Wolf
G
3
Yesbyjimminy
Righteous Wolf
Constance E. Stawasz
1/17/16
TP
2
$16,417
$2,000
Another Cougar
F
4
With Distinction
East Long Lake
Mary K. Haire
1/17/16
TAM
3
$20,300
$2,300
Adens Dream
C
3
Wildcat Heir
Missunitednations
Laurence Leavy
1/17/16
FG
3
$37,000
$4,070
Instant Drama
F
3
Big Drama
Zale
Eico Stable
1/16/16
SA
1
$57,250
$33,600
Majestic Maiara
F
3
Majestic Warrior
Maiara
Just For Fun Stable
1/16/16
GP
3
$41,000
$5,000
Mystic Sky
G
3
Sky Mesa
Mystical Woman
Vegso Racing Stable
1/14/16
GP
1
$32,000
$19,200
Second Mate
C
3
Mizzen Mast
Second Offense
El Batey Farm LLC
1/14/16
GP
2
$32,000
$6,080
Leonardo Da Vinci
C
3
Leroidesanimaux (BRZ) Top of the Noggin
Wendy Christ Kathie Haines & Elderbreds Inc.
1/14/16
GP
3
$32,000
$2,560
Benny''s Compass F
3
Benny the Bull
Sextant
Clyde Rice
1/12/16
MVR
2
$17,000
$3,400
Faction Cat
C
3
Wildcat Heir
Zooming By
Ann Ferrentino
1/9/16
TAM
2
$20,600
$4,600
Katy''s Duchess
F
3
High Cotton
Shining Moment
Ocala Stud
1/9/16
FG
3
$40,000
$4,400
Back Beauty
F
4
Hold Me Back
Proud Beauty
Bridle Oaks Farm Inc.
1/8/16
SA
1
$56,250
$33,600
Fugacious Dancer
F
4
Afleet Alex
Toccet Over
Hickstead Farm
1/8/16
SA
3
$56,250
$6,720
Difference Maker
C
4
Wildcat Heir
Provocative
GoldMark Farm LLC
1/7/16
GP
3
$36,400
$4,360
Morena Mia
F
3
A. P. Warrior
Ultra Empire
Carlos D. Ruiz & Lilliam Ruiz
1/6/16
TAM
3
$20,300
$2,300
Ray''swarrior
C
4
Majestic Warrior
Mary Alex
Alex Lieblong & JoAnn Lieblong
1/3/16
AQU
3
$60,000
$6,000
R Girls a Charmer
F
3
In Summation
Velvet Charm
Ocala Stud
1/2/16
GP
1
$47,000
$31,000
Bold Salsa
G
3
Two Step Salsa
Tequila Sunset
Drake Smith
1/2/16
TAM
2
$20,600
$4,600
Extreme Justice
G
6
Omega Code
Lavender Twist
George Douglas Finora & Robin Finora
1/1/16
TAM
2
$20,600
$4,600
Atlantis Romance
F
3
Cowtown Cat
Command the Waters Red Oak Stable
1/1/16
LRL
2
$40,000
$8,400
Liana Star
F
3
Line of David
Colcon
1/1/16
LRL
3
$40,000
$4,400
66 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2016
Chris Compton
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FTBOA MEMBER UPDATE
Keeping members informed
TALLY BUS RALLY
Scenes from Gala DIMARCO PHOTOS
Thank you to those who were able to come up for the senate hearing on Feb. 17. We had many more who made plans to do so, but in the end could not. We want to still thank you also as it is hard to pull away from the farms during foaling and breeding season. Also, a thank you for all the letters that have been brought into the office and written to legislators. It is greatly appreciated and shows the strength of the industry. In addition, a huge thank you goes to Laurine Barriera who took the petitions with thousands of signatures to Tallahassee in a jumbo binder and presented to the speaker of the house and to the speaker of the senate. GALA FEATURES HISTORY THEME
The FTBOA Gala this year features a Flashback theme as we pay tribute to the champions of the past, present and future. Last year the sold out event included 400 industry members, trainers, owners, breeders, fans and their guests. This year, the event is coming back to the Circle Square Cultural Center ballroom in Ocala again and is on Monday, March 14 and begins at 5:30 p.m.. Cocktail attire or fancier is recommended (no jeans). Enjoy the cocktail party starting at 5:30 p.m. along with the Florida Thoroughbred Charities extensive silent auction, followed by a lavish dinner and a short live auction of packages including World Series tickets and a trip for four for fishing in the Keys among other items. The night culminates with the awards ceremony. Come
honor Florida’s champions both human and equine and find out who will be crowned Horse of the Year. Tickets are $100 for members and up to three of their guests and $125 for nonmembers. A table of ten including a gold sponsorship package is $1,500 and a party of two for dinner with a silver sponsorship is $750. ■
Tammy Gantt, Assistant Vice President, Director of Membership Services & Events, Contributing Editor and Industry & Community Affairs
68 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2016
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FARM M a n a g e M e n t
Spreading the Manure
A
s 2016 begins and farm chores continue as usual, it’s always important to reeducate oneself about practices that have been done the same way for years. New improvements to old practices can make big differences for the farm, horses, the amount of effort and money spent and for protection of the water and environment. Spreading horse manure/spent bedding is a practice that has been utilized for years as a means of managing the farm’s manure. Although ideal for manure to be fully composted prior to spreading, fresh manure and spent bedding continue to be spread, so careful considerations can help improve this practice. Use how, where, why and when questions to help spreading be its best. Perhaps the first and most important question to ask oneself is, “does the farm have enough land to spread correctly?” One must first consider HOW manure can be spread in such a way that it won’t negatively affect pasture grass, neighboring properties or cause potential nutrient leaching into ground and surface waters. If lacking enough spreadable acres, consider those neighboring properties as potential spreading areas. For example, if using Bahia grass as bedding, neighboring cattle farms often welcome the spreading as a supplemental feed for the cattle; they will literally run after the spreader to get the Bahia bedding/manure. Crop farmers will also often allow spreading on their land during certain times of the year. Ideally, manure will get spread on a field just heavy enough to help pastures or crops grow and no more. When too much manure is applied, nutrients can seep down and pollute ground water and stifle grass. For this reason, rotating pastures where manure is spread is critical to help grasses and water. WHERE to spread is another important consideration: observe the slope and layout of the property. To avoid run-off and leaching, manure should not be spread too close to any waterways (200 feet away), nor should it be spread in areas with too great a slope. If the property features prohibit safe spreading, careful storage and removal is recommended. WHY spread composted manure versus fresh manure? Two of the biggest negatives of fresh spreading are 70 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2016
parasites and increased weed growth. If spreading uncomposted manure, internal parasites haven’t been killed, allowing for pasture soil and/or water infestation. Regardless the hay quality, weeds can be contained in the bales. Consumed weed seeds then go completely undigested through the horse, ultimately getting deposited in spread manure, creating a perfect growth situation for weeds to proliferate. Composting manure can control both effectively because temperatures needed for proper composting kill internal parasites and up to 90% weed seeds. WHEN? Spring or fall are often the best spreading times so manure nutrients can be best utilized by grasses and other plants, depending on the grass/crop. Ever wonder why the pastures sometimes look yellow after spreading? Interestingly, spreading fresh manure often doesn’t allow all nutrients (N) in the manure to be available for grass/plant use. High carbon amounts in bedding cause nitrogen to get “tied-up”, forcing tremendous amounts of nitrogen to be needed for breakdown of the shavings. Also, plant available nitrogen amounts are dependent on chemical compositions of manure, its application, and management. To increase available nitrogen ranges by almost double, manure should be worked into soil within a day versus just spreading it on top to sit idle. Lastly, be sure that spreading manure isn’t done on wet soils, as this leads to soil compaction and tearing of the top soil. Spreading composted manure is always best, but hopefully these tips will help better preserve pastures, protect the water and still manage the manure. Please don’t hesitate to contact me or your local Extension agent to learn more about spreading, or to schedule a FREE, non-regulatory farm visit. As always, keep up the good management practices! ■
Jamie Cohen • 352-671-8792 Farm Outreach Coordinator UF IFAS/Marion County Extension Service jamiecohen@ufl.edu.
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A 12 race series, with 2-year-old & 3-year-old stakes, plus 2-year-old and up supplementals
Yearling Payment - $250 by May 15 Late Yearling Payment – $500 by Nov. 15 Missed Nov. 15? – $5,000 by Jan. 15
2-Year-Old Payment* - $250 by Jan 15 Late 2-Year-Old payment* – $500 by Feb. 28 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
40796
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DRIFTING Out
Changing Hands by Mike Mullaney
Managing Editor for Florida Equine Communications
K
athleen O’Connell long ago established her reputation as a highly skilled trainer, an estimation matched by her reputation for intelligence, integrity and dignity. Falling back on those virtues served her well after she learned that the multiple stakes-winning Lady Shipman would be leaving her to go to Kiaran McLaughlin’s barn. Lady Shipman had won eight of 12 starts for “KOC,” and missed winning the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, against older males, by a diminishing neck. Owner Randall Lowe has his sights set on Dubai’s $1 million Al Quoz Sprint on March 26, and, for that reason, McLaughlin’s lengthy experience there came into play. Lowe and Lowe’s stable manager, Reddick’s Ryan Barbazon, were exhaustive in their praise of O’Connell. Lowe used the word “fabulous” in evaluating her performance and Barbazon is liberal in describing both her abilities and her character as “great.” And this from McLaughlin: “Kathleen O’Connell obviously did a great job with [Lady Shipman]. We just hope we do as good a job as she did.” Still, Lady Shipman’s departure left O’Connell in situations experienced by other notable South Florida-based horsemen – Frank Gomez and Manny Tortora come to mind – who had considerable success with young horses until the day those horses were sent to other horsemen, in pursuit of bigger game. Gomez and Tortora each developed fillies – Hall of Famer Princess Rooney and the Florida-bred Eclipse champion Hollywood Wildcat, respectively – who went on to enhance the resume’ of Neil Drysdale, who would be inducted into racing’s Hall of Fame in 2000. Another star from the Gomez barn, Florida-bred Smile, swept what would become the Florida Sire Stakes. The horse then went to Carl Nafzger, then to Scotty Schulhofer, for whom he won the BC Sprint and an Eclipse Award. The premise behind the claiming game is moving horses in and out of different trainers’ hands, but it isn’t unusual for higher-quality stock to be moved from one trainer to another: Three-time Horse of the Year Forego was trained from 3-5 years old by Sherrill Ward, then,
72 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2016
when that Hall of Famer retired, he was sent to the barn of another, Frank Whiteley, who had him until the great gelding’s retirement as an 8-year-old. It was a seamless transition, but that wasn’t the case with the horse whose Triple Crown denied Forego a fourth overall championship. In the history of the sport it’s difficult to find a more acrimonious swap than that made by Slew’s owners, who dropped Billy Turner, who had trained the horse through an undefeated campaign that lasted through his classic sweep, in favor of Doug Peterson, who trained the horse to victories over Affirmed and Exceller. Coincidentally, Slew’s best son, Slew o’ Gold, underwent only a slightly less turbulent change: Sid Watters won a championship with him at 3; John Hertler won a championship with him when he was 4. While good horses typically stay good horses when they change hands, there have been some instances of radical improvement of not-so-good horses: The previously undistinguished Prove Out set track records and beat Forego, Secretariat and Riva Ridge his first two months in Allen Jerkens’ barn, and Oscar Barrera took a former claimer named Shifty Sheik and came within a half-length of beating Slew o’ Gold in the Woodward. The Seabiscuit that raced for Wheatley Stables and “Sunny Jim” Fitzsimmons wasn’t near as good as the horse who beat Triple Crown winner War Admiral in a match when racing in Charles Howard’s silks and under the training of Tom Smith. Rivaling that transformation is the metamorphous undergone by the first American Triple Crown winner: In his first four starts for owner John Madden and trainer Bill Walker, Sir Barton finished fifth, ninth, ninth and seventh. When new owner J.K.L. Ross sent him to trainer H.G. (“Harvey Guy” to his parents, “Hard Guy” to others) Bedwell, he became not only good enough to sweep the classics but also good enough to win a $50,000 personal bet between Ross and noted gambler and racketeer Arnold Rothstein. To McLaughlin’s credit, he recognizes that – with KOC’s solid foundation in place – he won’t need to pull similar rabbits out of his hat in order to get Lady Shipman to the winner’s circle, wherever she races. ■
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PHOTOGRAPHY
Louise E. Reinagel
HORSE PHOTOGRAPHER
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BY
JOSEPH DIORIO
O F
INDEX
A DV E RT I S E R S
ADENA SPRINGS SOUTH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
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ARIZONA RACE TRACK INDUSTRY PROGRAM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65 DOUBLE DIAMOND FARM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 EPO EQUINE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75 EQUUS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69 FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50, 51 FLORIDA HORSE PARK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 FLORIDA THOROUGHBRED BREEDERS’ & OWNERS’ ASSN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71, 76 NTRA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67 OCALA BREEDERS SALES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35 OCALA STUD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 OCD EQUINE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 SOUTHERN STATES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39 STONEHEDGE FARM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41, 43
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PlayersPage_West.qxp_Florida Horse_template 2/19/16 1:55 PM Page 1
WAYS OF The 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 Star-Telegram. He currently writes for ESPN.com and several other publications on a freelance basis.
Pursuing the Initiative N
ot so very long ago, reporters and jority of Americans had access to the Intercolumnists from all over America net, most people, especially casual fans, dewould still converge on Gulfstream pended on newspapers for their horse racing Park for the Florida Derby. By the time I en- information. If they wanted results, even from rolled in this tradition, Andy Beyer of the Wash- racetracks in other cities, they turned to the ington Post and Paul Moran of Newsday were newspaper. Many newspapers ran full charts already pressbox fixtures. At least two others of races at the local racetrack. For several and probably more would be there from New years, some newspapers, such as those in York, along with turf writers from both Boston Kentucky, published a summary of results newspapers. Detroit, Baltimore and Chicago from major racetracks across the country. For entries, fans looked in the newspahad eyes and ears there as well. Even per. For stories about upcoming without his cushy West Coast deadstakes and potential stars and interline, Bill Christine of the Los Angeles esting personalities, fans relied on Times probably would have been one the newspaper. To look back even of the coolest of the cucumbers, while further to those days when the offiJennie Rees of the Louisville Couriercial morning line wasn’t available Journal trailed threads of enthusiasm until the day of the races, when the that if followed could lead to some of by Gary West track printed its program, fans dethe week’s hottest stories. Joe Tanenbaum, Gulfstream’s communica- pended on the newspaper for informed handtions panjandrum in those days, treated media icapping and selections. In other words, for folks as though we were somehow important, any horse racing fan in a major market, a and in doing so he contributed to the precious newspaper subscription was essential. Theirs was a peculiar marriage and delusion that the stories we wrote just might be important, too. And so we all thought, or should have been nurtured, but both negmaybe hoped, that at Gulfstream Park we could lected it: Horse racing and newspapers never witness something significant, maybe even fully appreciated how important they were to something grand, and many of us believed, each other. Both contributed to their breakhowever quaintly, in a responsibility to report, up, and since then both have declined. With interpret and analyze whatever happened as Rees accepting a buyout in 2015, only one best we could for all those readers not lucky American metropolitan daily, the Lexington enough to be there, transfixed by the moment Herald-Leader, has a full-time turf writer, and the possibilities and the Florida sunshine. Alicia Wincze-Hughes. Just as it eliminated many middlemen in The memory still tingles, like a phantom limb. But the aim here is not self-indulgent nos- other industries, the Internet allowed racetracks talgia. Horse racing once had a beautiful, mu- to bypass newspapers and deliver their results tually rewarding relationship with newspapers. and entries directly to the fans days in advance. But in most markets, that relationship either has And so when newspapers began taking on disappeared entirely or has shriveled up until water, they tossed horse racing coverage. The result is that there’s almost no place it’s unrecognizable and little of it remains, like a thin slice of bacon on a hot skillet, and that’s where a casual sports fan might stumble upon the point. Even more, can horse racing do any- an interesting story on horse racing, no place thing to restore the relationship, and, given where a general reader might discover somenewspapers’ moribund condition, is any sem- thing so entertaining and intriguing that he’s compelled to learn more and perhaps even blance of a restoration even worth pursuing? Until 2002, when for the first time a ma- tempted to go out to the racetrack. In today’s 74 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2016
media environment, a general reader would never have heard about Rosie Napravnik until she won the Kentucky Oaks, or about Cigar until he won his 16th consecutive race or about Zenyatta until she captured the Classic. Of course, the sport’s dedicated fans know where to go for the information they need and the stories they want. But those websites and publications aren’t aimed at a general audience; typical sports fans seldom if ever wander into those neighborhoods. And even if they did, they’d hardly find anything inviting. Largely excluded, except for a few days each year, from mainstream print media, horse racing has few opportunities to spark new interest. That’s why the sport should take the initiative, possibly through the NTRA or the Jockey Club, and create a national office that generates media content. Not press releases, or jargon-filled stakes advances, or polls, or stats or fluff pieces, but actual journalism, maybe even columns charged with opinion. Because of concerns about conflicting interests, this never would have happened a decade ago, but ESPN recently aired a feature that was produced by the NBA. And it was terrific. Other sports have taken the initiative, and so why can’t horse racing create outstanding content and then, yes, give it away? Newspapers are especially desperate for quality content. Before they realized they were shackled to a dead business model that depended on selling circulation numbers to advertisers, newspapers “dumbed down” in an effort to reach a wider and younger demographic. It didn’t work; circulation didn’t improve but instead declined. And by the time newspapers realized they actually had to sell content, not numbers, they hardly had any content people wanted to buy. Horse racing could help by supplying some quality content, and newspapers could help horse racing by reaching general readers. They were a dynamic couple not so very long ago, and surely that’s a foundation that could support a new relationship. ■
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