Fhmarch2014

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You are invited !

Honor our 2013 Florida-bred Champions and Their Breeders, Owners and Trainers 6 p.m. Sunday, March 9 Circle Square Cultural Center Ballroom 8395 SW 80th Street, Ocala FL 34481

Our Evening of Elegance includes: Cocktail Reception Silent Auction for Florida Thoroughbred Charities Dinner and Awards Ceremony

Tickets $100 Members Members can extend their discount to up to 3 guests $125 Non-Members

Sponsorships from $500 to $5,000 Available Early RSVP recommended by March 3.

Visit www.ftboa.com for a full weekend event schedule and hotel/car rental partner discounts Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Assn., Tammy Gantt•tgantt@ftboa.com, 352-629-2160

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March • 2014 • VOL 57/ISSUE 3

FEATURES 18 MUCHO THE BEST

Mucho Macho Man dominates on Sunshine Millions Day —By Brock Sheridan

34 VOICES: RICHARD GRUNDER

Tampa Bay Downs announcer recalls 30 years behind the microphone at the Oldsmar oval —By Reg Lansberry

62 10 “UNORDINARY QUESTIONS”

With Brent Fernung, president of Journeyman Stud and Journeyman Bloodstock —By Brock Sheridan

66 STALLION SHOWCASE —Photos by Serita Hult 70 TRIPLE CROWN NOMINATIONS Florida-breds nominated to the Triple Crown

DEPARTMENTS/COLUMNS 6 THE BROCK TALK 8 FLORIDA FOCUS 26 FLORIDA NEWS:

Asia Express, pari-mutuel barrel racing decision

30 FTBOA MEMBER UPDATE —By Tammy A. Gantt

32 DOWN MEMORY LANE—1972 42 FLORIDA NEWS:

Economic impact study released

44 MAKING HORSE SENSE 46 FLORIDA-BREDS AROUND THE COUNTRY 52 REPEAT OF A THREE-PEAT —By Brock Sheridan

54 RETIRED THOROUGHBREDS —By Sally Moehring

56 ECLIPSE AWARDS & PARTY 74 FARM MANAGEMENT —By Jamie Cohen

78 WILL’S WAY —By Will E. Cummings

4 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2014

COVER PHOTO OF MUCHO MACHO MAN: COGLIANESE

CONTENTS PHOTO OF WISE DAN: MICHAEL BURNS

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801 SW 60th Avenue Fax: (352) 867-1979 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF BUSINESS MANAGER ASSOCIATE EDITOR CONTRIBUTING EDITOR ART DIRECTOR ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT PRODUCTION CEO & PUBLISHER CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

Ocala, Florida 34474 • (352) 732-8858 www.ftboa.com Brock Sheridan Patrick Vinzant Dave Allen Tammy A. Gantt John D. Filer Beverly Kalberkamp Emily Mills, Nancy Moffatt LONNY TAYLOR POWELL CAROLINE T. DAVIS Florida Equine Publications, 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 Publications 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 BRENT FERNUNG, 1ST VICE PRESIDENT PHIL MATTHEWS, 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 Boyd Brothers, Inc.

BOYD

AMERICAN HORSE PUBLICATIONS • FLORIDA MAGAZINE ASSOCIATION • MEMBER BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU

FLORIDA THOROUGHBRED BREEDERS’ AND OWNERS’ ASSOCIATION George Russell Lonny Taylor Powell FIRST VICE PRESIDENT Brent Fernung SECOND VICE PRESIDENT Phil Matthews SECRETARY Sheila DiMare TREASURER Fred Brei DIRECTORS Joe Barbazon, Gilbert Campbell, George Isaacs, Milan Kosanovich, Roy Lerman, Joseph M. O’Farrell III, Diane Parks, Jessica Steinbrenner, Charlotte C. Weber, Greg Wheeler CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Caroline T. Davis BUSINESS & OPERATIONS MANAGER Patrick Vinzant MEMBER SERVICES & EVENTS DIRECTOR Tammy A. Gantt PRESIDENT

CEO & EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT

MEMBERSHIP SERVICES & EVENTS ASSISTANT DIRECTOR EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT AWARDS,REGISTRATION & PAYMENTS

Sally Moehring Becky Robinson Sheila Budden THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2014 5

BrockTalk_March_EditorWelcome 2/27/14 11:09 AM Page 6

the Brock talk

Brock Sheridan

Editor-in-Chief Florida Equine Publications

JOHN D. FILER PHOTO

Florida-breds Ready for Triple Crown

I

Perhaps the favorite among Florida-breds is Wildn this issue of The Florida Horse on pages 70-73 we have provided you with the 27 Florida-breds cat Red, a bay colt by D’wildcat out of Racene, by that have been nominated to the Triple Crown: the Miner’s Mark. At the time of this writing, Wildcat Red Kentucky Derby presented by Yum! Brands (Grade 1), had won the Grade 3 Hutcheson Stakes and finished the Preakness (G1) and the Belmont Stakes (G1). second in the Gulfstream Park Derby in his only two Somewhere in that group we may have another starts of the year, both at Gulfstream Park. Trained by Florida-bred that will become the seventh from the Jose Garofflao for Honors Stable Corp., Wildcat Red Sunshine State to take the Run for the Roses at earlier missed the Jan. 25 Holy Bull Stakes (G3) because of a throat infection but seems to have bounced Churchill Downs, this year to be run on May 3.

Behind only Kentucky, Florida ranks second among back in good fashion.

Second to Wildcat Red in the Hutcheson was Jacks states to have produced Kentucky Derby winners as six of the Kentucky Derby champions have hailed from the or Better Farm’s homebred C. Zee from the Stanley Sunshine State including Needles (1956), Carry Back Gold barn. By Elusive Bluff and out of Diamondaire, (’61), Foolish Pleasure (’75), Affirmed (’78), Unbridled by Distorted Humor, C. Zee was also second in the Spectacular Bid Stakes at Gulf(’90) and Silver Charm (’97).

Closest to Florida in produc- Florida ranks second among stream Park this winter.

Another Florida-bred sophing Kentucky Derby winners is states to have produced Kentucky omore who is not nominated to Virginia with four including Derby winners as six of the the Triple Crown but looks Reigh Count (’28), Secretariat (’73), Pleasant Colony (’81) and Kentucky Derby champions have every bit the part of a possible Sea Hero (’93). Following Virhailed from the Sunshine State Derby contender is Dance With ginia is California and Tennessee including Needles (1956), Carry Fate. Bred by Best A Luck Farm LLC, Dance With Fate with three Derby winners each Back (’61), Foolish Pleasure was second in a pair of Grade 1 with Morovich (’22), Swaps (’55) and Decidedly (’62) being (’75), Affirmed (’78), Unbridled races as a juvenile as the runner-up in the Del Mar Futurity from California and Lord Mur(’90) and Silver Charm (’97). at Del Mar and the FrontRunphy (1879), Kingman (1891) and Typhoon II (1897) coming from the Volunteer State. ner Stakes at Santa Anita, both run in September.

By Florida’s leading Freshman Sire of 2013 Two New Jersey (Regret [1915], Calvacade [1934]), Pennsylvania (Lil E. Tee [1992], Smarty Jones [2004]) Step Salsa, who stands at Manuel Andrade’s Get Away and Texas (Assault [1946], Middleground [1950]) Farm in Reddick, Fla., Dance With Fate has two starts each have produced a pair of Derby winners while Illi- in 2013. His first start of the year was a nice allowance nois (Dust Commander [1970]), Kansas (Lawrin victory at Santa Anita in late January before finishing [1938]), Maryland (Kaui King [1966]), Missouri (El- a second to Tamarando in the El Camino Real Derby wood [1904]), Montana (Spokane [1889]), New York (G3) at Golden Gate on Feb. 15. So we know that (Funny Cide [2003]) and Ohio (Wintergreen [1909]) Dance With Fate, who is out of the Saint Ballado mare Flirting With Fate, has started his sophomore year, we each have produced one Derby winner.

So who are the Florida-breds whose connections just don’t know if he will pay the $6,000 before Mar. have paid the $600 to nominate this year and currently 22 to nominate to the Triple Crown and have a shot at appear as if they have a chance to join this group of becoming the seventh Florida-bred to win the Kentucky Derby. ■ elites among thoroughbreds?

6 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2014

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First Dude out of Heart of a Champion

Celebrate by submitting photos of your little Shamrocks!

How to Enter:

Good luck to all!

■ Submit pictures to First Dude's Facebook page ■ Winner will be determined by # of likes a pictures gets ■ All pictures submitted maybe be used in future advertising ■ FIRST PRIZE: $100.00 certificate to Bonefish ■ SECOND PRIZE: $50.00 certificate to Bonefish ■ THIRD PRIZE: $25.00 certificate to Bonefish

SERITA HULT PHOTOS

Start date: Feb 28th - End (noon) March 20th https://www.facebook.com/pages/First-Dude/130049330338431

Donald R. Dizney

A history of success begins with attention to the individual.

Standing: First Dude • American Spirit • 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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Florida FOCUS Compiled by Dave Allen & Brock Sheridan

Tanzanite Cat Rock solid in the

COADY PHOTO

Owned by James L. Driver and Ywatchetta H. Driver, Tanzanite Cat came into the Smarty Jones Stakes off a fourlength victory in a fiveand-a-half furlong, $40,000 maiden special weight contest that was taken off the turf at the Fair Grounds on Dec. 8.

Only making his third career start, trainer Autrey Cody decided to stretch out the FloridaFlorida-bred Tanzanite Cat bred son of Graeme Florida-bred Tanzanite Cat dug down Hall out of Gentle Wave, by Mt. Livermore. late to pull out a game victory by a length- Bred by Charles H. Deters and John Peterson, and-a-half over rival Walt in the $150,000 Tanzanite Cat was trying to outrun his Smarty Jones Stakes on Jan. 20. The mile- trainer’s history of being 0-for-7 in the last long stakes race over the dirt at Oaklawn Park five years when stretching a sprinter out in a for 3-year-olds had a field of ten. non-graded stakes route race. At 6-1 on the

morning line, Tanzanite Cat was loaded into the gate in post eight with 9-1 odds and jockey Norberto Arroyo, Jr., aboard.

Breaking from the far outside, Tanzanite Cat was hustled forward and made his way across the pack to find himself just outside the leader, Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company graduate Walt. As they went around the clubhouse turn, Tanzanite Cat gained the advantage and went to the lead, keeping Walt a length-and-a-half behind on the rail as he reached the quarter-mile in :23.17. Post time favorite and winner of the $61,000 Street Sense Stakes, Coastline, was in third place by a head.

Going down the backstretch, Tanzanite Cat held the lead for the next sixteenth-ofa-mile; however, Ken Tohill urged Walt forward along the rail and he overtook the Florida-bred by three-quarters-of-a-length.

Tanzanite Cat closed the distance to only a half-length when Walt cleared the half-mile

Palace Barista Regal in Pelican Stakes Late blooming Florida-bred Palace Barista ran down his rivals in the final furlongs of the $60,000 Pelican Stakes to win his first stakes in only his third career start Jan. 25. The six furlong race over the Tampa Bay Downs main track had a field of eight.

A homebred trained by Lynne M. Scace of Ocala, Palace Barista is a 4-year-old dark-bay or brown colt who was unraced at age 2 and didn’t make his first start until December 2013.

“He was a big colt and we just wanted to make sure everything was right with him, so we just let him grow up,” Scace said. “He has never given us any hassle from the time he was a baby. I used to watch him run around the field and I thought, ‘This horse runs so nice.’ That’s why we didn’t break him so quick—just give him time to mature.”

8 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2014

Scace’s patience was rewarded when her Florida-bred finally arrived at the track in the last month of his sophomore year. Palace Barista broke his maiden by two lengths in his debut, a six furlong, $22,000 special weight contest at Tampa Bay Downs on Dec. 4. The son of Lido Palace (CHI) out of Lay of Prestige, by Unreal Zeal, would make his next start in a seven furlong, low-level allowance/optional claiming race at the Oldsmar oval on Jan. 3. Despite being four-wide, Palace Barista closed well and gained second in that race.

Jockey Harry Vega was hoping that his mount had learned from his last experience when they loaded into the gate for the Pelican Stakes in post two.

Palace Barista broke well, but it was 9-5 favorite Sneaking Uponyou who broke best

of all as the field of eight charged down the Tampa Bay Downs backstretch. One Buck Roma, ridden by Ronnie Allen, Jr., and W. B. Smudge, ridden by Quincy Hamilton, found their rhythm early and began a speed duel up front as they cleared the opening quarter in :21.99. Palace Barista was in third, a length behind the pair.

One Buck Roma and W. B. Smudge were locked together, only separated by a head as they rounded the far turn and reached the quarter-pole in :44.61. A length-and-a-half behind them, Palace Barista ranged in the clear, waiting for Vega to give the signal to go.

After dueling for over a half-mile, One Buck Roma was finally beginning to put away his rival W. B. Smudge as they made their way down the stretch. Despite going

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First Foal is a Colt for G2 Winner Overdriven

Smarty Jones Stakes

Florida-bred Overdriven

stretch, Walt finally gave way as Tanzanite Cat opened up a length-and-a-quarter lead when he stopped the clock in 1:38.69. Walt finished second, a length-and-a-quarter ahead of Coastline in third.

Completing the order of finish in the Smarty Jones Stakes were Son of a Preacher, Fire Starter, A Step Ahead, Unstoppable Colby, Denali Rahy Ruler, D’cajun Cat, and Whyruawesome.

At 9-1, Tanzanite Cat pulled off a mild upset and paid $20.20 to win, $8.40 to place, and $5.60 to show. Walt paid $8.00 and $4.40, while beaten favorite Coastline returned $2.80 to show.

Tanzanite Cat earned $90,000 for his win in the Smarty Jones Stakes, considered the first race on the trail to the Grade 1, $1million Arkansas Derby on April 12. Sold at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company in March 2013, Tanzanite Cat has earned $123,000 to date. ■

Overdriven, the Grade 2-winning son of Tale of the Cat, sired his first foal when a colt was born Jan. 12th at J. Michael O’Farrell Jr.’s Ocala Stud in Ocala, Fla. The bay colt is out of stakes-producing Gate Dancer mare Call Me Dancer, who was the first of 110 mares covered by Overdriven in his first book at stud in 2013. The breeder of the Florida-bred colt is Ocala Stud.

Overdriven was arguably the top 2-year-old in New York in 2011 after impressively breaking his maiden first-time out in :56 2/5 at Belmont, earning a 100 Beyer. Out of the multiple graded stakes-producing French Deputy mare Air France, Overdriven closed out an undefeated juvenile campaign with a four-length victory in the Sanford S. (G2) at Saratoga. He’s set to stand his second season in 2014 for a fee of $3,000 at Ocala Stud. ■

wide on the turn, Palace Barista handled it well and entered the stretch in the center of the lane. One Buck Roma was a half-length ahead of W. B. Smudge when he reached the eighth-pole in :57.05, while Palace Barista and Vega were gaining ground with every stride, only a length back in third.

Palace Barista steadily advanced on the leaders, running them down on the outside

in the deep stretch. When he crossed the wire in 1:09.94, Palace Barista was ahead of W. B. Smudge by a length-anda-half, while early pacesetter One Buck Roma was a Florida-bred half-length back in third.

Palice barista “We were inside early, then between horses getting to the turn, and nothing bothered him,” Vega said.

“The last race, he didn’t know how to handle those things, but he still finished up like a good horse.”

Completing the order of finish in the Pelican Stakes were Lawyer Daggett, Lack of Judgment, Action Andy, Good Lord, and post time favorite Sneaking Uponyou.

Sent to the gate with 12-1 odds, Palace Barista returned $26.60 to win, $10.60 to place, and $6.00 to show. W. B. Smudge paid $6.20 and $4.20, while One Buck Roma returned $6.00.

For Scace, the win in the Pelican Stakes was a moving validation of the breeding decision she made five years ago.

“It is emotional, especially when they are homebreds,” Scace said. “When you are there when you breed the mare, and you are there when they foal, and everything goes according to plan, as we all know it usually doesn’t.”

For his win in the Pelican Stakes, Palace Barista picked up a check for $36,000, bringing his lifetime earnings to $55,410 from three career starts. ■

SV PHOTOGRAPHY

in :47.37. Coastline was a length-and-a-half behind Tanzanite Cat in third.

Walt was still in charge when he took the pack around the far turn; however, Tanzanite Cat was slowly creeping up on the leader on the outside the whole way. By the time they reached the quarter-pole in 1:12.31, Walt’s lead had diminished to only a head over Tanzanite Cat, who was still a length-and-a-half ahead of Coastline in third.

As they came out of the turn at the top of the stretch, the battle was on. With Walt holding the rail and Tanzanite Cat moving up on the outside, it looked like the Florida-bred was going to overtake his rival. Walt would not relent, and the two battled side-by-side the whole way, with neither horse willing to concede defeat. Digging down for something more, Tanzanite Cat was able to edge forward by a head when he passed the eighthpole in 1:25.52.

Watching his rival pass him in the deep

THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2014 9

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Florida FOCUS

Evolution Rocks Scintillating in Thrillin Discovery Win Florida-bred Evolution Rocks went to the lead and never looked back, going wire to wire in the $65,000 Thrillin Discovery Handicap at Calder Casino and Race Course Jan. 25. The six furlong contest over the dirt had a field of seven.

Owned by Jennifer Harries, Evolution Rocks was bet down to 3-5 odds after finishing second in his last start, a six furlong, low level allowance/optional claiming race at Gulfstream Park on Dec. 13. The 5-year-old bay gelding earned a 101 Beyer Speed Figure for that performance, putting him heads and shoulders above the competition in the Thrillin Discovery

COADY PHOTO

Florida-bred Evolution Rocks

third, but would soon give way to Jay Eye See and Orlando Bocachica.

While Delgado was holding Dad’z Laugh under wraps for much of the way, Evolution Rocks set the half-mile split in :45.21 as he took the pack down the backstretch and around the far turn.

As they turned for home, Delgado finally let Dad’z Laugh run and it looked for a moment like it was going to battle down to the wire; however, Zayas gave his mount the encouragement that he needed late and Evolution Rocks began to draw away from his rival.

By the time Evolution Rocks reached the eighth-pole in :57.86, he was already a length-anda-half ahead of Dad’z Laugh, who was holding second place over Jay Eye See by two-and-ahalf lengths.

Zayas and Evolution Rocks poured it on, and they drew away to a twoand-a-quarter length lead when they hit the wire in 1:09.33. Dad’z Laugh took second, five-and-ahalf lengths ahead of Jay Eye See in third.

The blazing performance by Evolution Rocks was just two-fifths off of the track record of 1:08.95 for six furlongs, set by Forty One Carats in the 2000 Smile Sprint Handicap.

Completing the order of finish in the Thrillin Discovery Handicap were Rockyshomerun, Mel Beach, Trinni Heart, and Stat. Songa was scratched.

The odds-on favorite paid $3.20 to win, $2.60 to place, and $2.10 to show. Dad’z Laugh returned $4.20 and $4.60, while Jay Eye See paid $3.60.

Trained by Jorge Navarro, Evolution Rocks was a $5,000 claimer at Monmouth Park in 2013. He now has eight wins from 23 career starts, and has earned $148,110 to date. ■

Handicap. Bred by Charles Floyd Cantrell, Beth Bayer, Brett Brinkman, and Dr. Kent Cantrell, the son of City Zip out of The Final Toy, by Fortunate Prospect, had two more advantages going for him in the race: a hot jockey and a low weight assignment. Carrying only 112 pounds, Evolution Rocks had Edgard Zayas aboard when he was loaded into post five.

“The game plan was to just go to the lead and save as much horse as I could for the end,” said Zayas, the leading rider at Calder so far this year.

Zayas stuck to the plan as his mount charged out of the gate and gained the lead at the start. With Dad’z Laugh and jockey Juan Delgado a length behind him, Evolution Rocks covered the first quarter-mile in :22.21.

Mel Beach was a length-and-a-half back in 10 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2014

Thoroughbred Incentive Program Announces 2013 Performance Awards Winners The Jockey Club Thoroughbred Incentive Program (T.I.P.), which encourages the retraining of Thoroughbreds into other disciplines upon completion of careers in racing or breeding, announced the winners and other placings from its 2013 performance awards pilot program.

The performance awards recognize thoroughbreds accumulating the most points at all horse shows in each of the award categories and divisions throughout the year.

“We had an excellent response to the pilot program,” said Kristin Leshney, legal associate for The Jockey Club and the administrator of T.I.P. “We received 150 applications representing 78 thoroughbreds, and 25 states and Ontario.”

Because the pilot program was so successful, performance awards will be available once again in 2014 and will include shows from Dec. 1, 2013, through Nov. 30, 2014. Category winners in 2014 will receive a ribbon and leather lead shank and division winners will receive a ribbon and T.I.P. customized lead rope.

The 2014 performance award information will be collected online through the T.I.P. website at tjctip.com. The deadline for submission is Dec. 20, 2014.

Over the next few weeks, the 2013 performance award winners’ photos will be posted on the T.I.P. Facebook page at facebook.com/tjctip. ■

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Florida FOCUS

A trifecta of Florida-breds led by favorite Wildcat Red charged late to take the top spots in the Grade 3, $215,000 Hutcheson Stakes on Feb. 1. The seven furlong race for 3-year-olds at Gulfstream Park had a field of nine.

Owned by Honors Stable Corp., Wildcat Red was made the 2-1 post time favorite for the Hutcheson following his defeat by a mere head to General a Rod in the mile-long, $100,000 Gulfstream Park Derby on New Year’s Day. Considering that he was in the lead late in that performance, bettors felt that the bay colt trained by Jose Garoffalo would relish the shorter distance of the Hutcheson.

Bred in Florida by Moreau Bloodstock International, Inc., and Winter Racing Enterprise I, the son of D’wildcat out of Racene, by Miner’s Mark, had Gulfstream Park’s leading rider Javier Castellano in the irons when he was loaded into post five.

When the bell sounded, it was speedball Gambler’s Ghost who broke best of all, with Wildcat Red and Might Brown right behind.

As Gambler’s Ghost and Corey Lanerie led

12 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2014

the way down the backstretch, Mighty Brown and Jersey Joe Bravo moved forward to take second place from Wildcat Red. Fred Brei’s Jacks or Better Farm homebred C. Zee found his footing after breaking in fifth and was a half-length behind Mighty Brown in third when Gambler’s Ghost reached the first-quarter in a swift :22.30. Wildcat Red was in fourth place, running head-to-head with C. Zee and jockey Edgard Zayas.

As the horses made their way around the far turn, Gambler’s Ghost was still in the lead by a diminishing half-length over Wildcat Red, who had started to roll after stalking the leader in the second flight of horses. C. Zee and Zayas were now in third, a half-length behind Wildcat Red, when Gambler’s Ghost reached the half-mile in :44.87.

Coming around the far turn, Gambler’s Ghost’s speed had finally run out and the bay son of Ghostzapper was caught by Wildcat Red as he reached the top of the stretch. C. Zee came around the turn behind Wildcat Red and Gambler’s Ghost, while Pablo Del Monte, bred

Florida-bred Wildcat Red

KENNY MARTIN PHOTO

Wildcat Red, FL-breds Dominate G3 Hutcheson

and trained by Wesley Ward, moved up into position to make a run at the leaders after rating the field throughout the race along the rail.

Despite their best efforts to stay within striking distance of the new leader, C. Zee and Pablo Del Monte would be forced to battle for second place as Castellano and Wildcat Red began to widen their lead over the field as they made their way down the lane. By the time he reached the eighth-pole in 1:09.57, Wildcat Red was a solid three-lengths to the good of Pablo Del Monte and C. Zee. Wildcat Red’s rivals would not get any closer to him as he stretched his lead out even further to four-and-three-quarter lengths when he crossed the wire in 1:22.21. C. Zee and Zayas proved to be the “best of the rest”, gaining second by a half-length over Pablo Del Monte and Paco Lopez in third.

Completing the order of finish in the Hutcheson were Long on Value, Spot, Tashir, Mighty Brown, Trail Blaze, and early pacesetter Gambler’s Ghost. Vinceremos was scratched.

For his efforts, Wildcat Red paid $6.00 to win, $3.80 to place, and $2.60 to show. C. Zee returned $6.40 and $3.60, while Pablo Del Monte $3.00 to show.

Wildcat Red earned $135,000 from the Hutcheson, bringing his lifetime earnings to $235,850 from his five career starts. He was sold at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company at its 2013 Open Sale for $30,000. ■

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Unchallenged Parranda Wires Suwannee River After setting pedestrian fractions throughout the race, Florida-bred Parranda had more than enough kick to hold off all challengers in the Grade 3, $150,000 Suwannee River Stakes at Gulfstream Park on Feb. 8. The

COGLIANESE PHOTO

Florida-bred Parranda

JOE DIORIO PHOTO

mile-and-an-eighth turf race for fillies and mares, 4-years-old and up had a field of eight.

Breaking from post position two, Parranda and jockey Jose Lezcano went to the rail and gained the lead early. Going down the grandstand side for the first time, the 5-year-old daughter of English Channel out of Dynamic Feature, by Rahy, was challenged on the outside by 50-1 longshot Abbey Street. To say that Parranda was “pressured” at any point in the Suwannee River Stakes would be a stretch. She set a relaxed pace throughout the race, holding Abbey Street and rider Paco Lopez a half-length behind her through frac-

tions of :25.12, :51.27, and 1:15.33. Abaco and rider Javier Castellano raced behind Abbey Street in third, while Malibu Yankee was a half-length behind in fourth.

As Parranda came around the far turn, the pace began to quicken; however, the crawling fractions set by Parranda left the mare trained

by Rodolfo Garcia with more than enough energy for her stretch run. When the other riders began to urge their fillies and mares forward, Lezcano simply pushed the button on Parranda and she took off.

Parranda had drawn away by two lengths by the time she reached the mile in 1:37.93.

By that point, it was clear that the only battle left in this race was to determine who would be the best of the rest. After Abbey Street finally gave way, Malibu Yankee was in second by a half-length over Abaco in third, and the closing Riposte (GB) a length back in fourth.

The rest of the field could only watch helplessly as Parranda cruised the last eighthof-a-mile and stopped the clock in 1:49.07, two lengths ahead of Riposte (GB), who had passed Abaco by a half-length.

After a quick review of the past performances, Lezcano said that he knew just what he wanted to do with Parranda in the Suwannee River Stakes.

“I checked out the race and did my homework, and didn’t see any speed,” Lezcano

FTBOA and FEP staff members Brock Sheridan, Tammy Gantt, Patrick Vinzant and Lonny Powell enjoy a day at the races at Tampa Bay Downs.

said. “She broke clean and I tried to slow down the pace as much as I could. She’s the kind of filly, no matter what position she’s in, she’s going to finish. She has a lot of talent.”

Owned by Lone Stable, LLC, Parranda was bred in Florida by Jessica Steinbrenner’s Kinsman Farm of Ocala. With eight wins from 20 lifetime starts, Parranda has now earned $448,655 to date. ■

Corfu, Record Saratoga Special (G2) Winner by Malibu Moon, Retires to Bridlewood Corfu, Malibu Moon’s top juvenile of 2013 who set a new stakes record in the Saratoga Special S. (G2), has been retired from racing and will stand the 2014 breeding season at John & Leslie Malone’s Bridlewood Farm in Ocala. Corfu’s introductory fee is $3,500 stands and nurses, and he’s available immediately for inspection at Bridlewood upon appointment.

“We are very excited about Corfu and his tremendous potential as a stallion at Bridlewood,” said George G. Isaacs, Bridlewood general manager.

“Corfu demonstrated precociousness and brilliance on the track, and he’s a very good physical by a current top sire. I firmly believe Florida breeders are going to love him. Corfu is available for inspection immediately, and I invite people to come out to the farm and see just how impressive he is.”

Corfu was a leading 2-year-old both in the sales ring and on the racetrack in 2013. The handsome son of leading sire Malibu Moon topped the Barretts March Select Sale for 2-year-olds in training earlier in the year, commanding $675,000 from Demi O’Byrne after breezing a quarter-of-a-mile in :20 4/5 seconds.

Corfu was given to trainer Todd Pletcher and pointed for the prestigious Saratoga summer meeting where he impressively broke his maiden in July at first asking in :58 1/5 seconds for the five-furlong Maiden Special heat. Coming back just 17 days later, Corfu led at every call to score his biggest career win in the Saratoga Special S. (G2) in a dazzling 1:15.57, setting a new stakes record in the six-and-a-half furlong event that has been contested at that distance since 1994.

The speedy Corfu was also runner-up in the Futurity S. (G2) at Belmont in September after setting a blazing opening half-mile in :44 3/5 seconds.

An earner of $214,200 on the track, Corfu is out of the Forest Wildcat mare Fashion Cat, a half-sister to the three-time Grade 1-winning and $3 millionearning Florida-bred, Peace Rules.

For more information about Corfu or to schedule an inspection appointment, please contact George at (352) 622-5319 or visit BridlewoodFarm.com. ■ THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2014 13

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Florida FOCUS

Wicked Tune Fierce Along the Rail in Gulfstream Turf Sprint

KENNY MARTIN PHOTO

Florida-bred Wicked Tune shot the rail coming down the stretch to prevail by threequarters-of-a-length in the $90,000 Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint on Feb. 1. The five-furlong race had a field of ten.

A homebred owned by Patricia Generazio of Osterville, Mass., Wicked Tune had a four-race winning streak in 2013 that included a win by a neck in the five-and-a-half furlong, $61,000 My Frenchman Stakes over the yielding turf at Monmouth Park on Aug. 3. Trained by Jane Cibelli, the 7-year-old son of Concorde’s Tune out of Pretty Wicked, by The Wicked North, returned to the track after a two month layoff and finished third in a five furlong, $52,650 allowance race at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 3. Wicked Tune had Elvis Trujillo, who was his pilot in the My Frenchman victory, in the irons again when they were loaded into post four.

At the sound of the bell, the ten horses broke from the gate. Travelin Man and Joel Rosario exchanged bumps at the break with Bold Thunder and Buongiorno Johnny, while Spring to the Sky bobbled and bumped Florida-bred Tightend Touchdown. Despite the extra pushing and shoving, Bold Thunder and Paco Lopez were able to recover and went to the lead. Bold Thunder was three-quarters-of-a-length in front of Wicked Tune and Florida-bred Determinato, who were battling gamely for second.

As they made their way down the backstretch and into the turn, Determinato and rider Jesus Rios pulled away from Wicked Tune by a length, but he was still a half-length behind Bold Thunder, who reached the first quarter in :21.59.

Going around the turn, Bold Thunder kept the pace hot as he held the inside spot along the rail. Determinato challenged the leader on the outside, while Trujillo tried to keep Wicked Tune as close to the rail as possible. Bold Thunder was still a half-length in front of Determinato when he reached the quarter pole and took the pack into the top of the stretch. Wicked Tune and Trujillo continued to rate the field in third, waiting for their moment to strike.

As Determinato pushed Bold Thunder 14 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2014

from the outside, Wicked Tune hugged the rail and waited for it open up. Coming down the lane, Bold Thunder tried to hold on for a runaway score; however, he began to weaken and was far enough off the rail that Wicked Tune now had a clear shot to the wire. Under steady urging from Trujillo, Wicked Tune chewed up the turf and caught the leader midstretch as Bold Thunder reached the eight-pole in :44.64.

With Bold Thunder giving way, it looked like it was going to be a battle between Wicked Tune and Determinato; however, Travelin Man came charging out of the second flight of horses late and made a furious bid for the wire.

Although Joel Rosario coaxed as much speed as he could out of the 14-1 longshot, Travelin Man would have to settle for second place as Wicked Tune crossed the wire in :56.98, threequarters-of-a-length ahead of the bay son of Trippi. Determinato held third, three-quartersof-a-length behind Travelin Man, and Partyallnightlong with Gabriel Saez finished fourth by a neck.

Completing the order of finish in the Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint were Spring to the Sky, Berlino Di Tiger (BRZ), Night Officer, Tightend Touchdown, Bold Thunder, and Buongiorno Johnny.

Wicked Tune’s performance could not have been better, according to jockey Trujillo.

“It was a perfect trip,” Trujillo said. “The two horses were on the lead and he just sat behind. When we came into the stretch, I was

Florida-bred Wicked Tune

just waiting for a spot to open. The other horses swung over a little bit and I went inside to the rail, and away he went.

“I didn’t have a lot of room, but I had a lot of horse, and he ran big.”

For his perfect trip, Wicked Tune rewarded his supporters with $21.40 to win, $10.20 to place, and $6.40 to show. Closer Travelin Man returned $13.60 and $8.80, while Determinato paid $6.80 to show.

With the $60,000 he earned in the Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint, Wicked Tune now has $348,083 from 33 career starts. ■

Wild Dude Ferocious Florida-bred Wild Dude was crazy-fast when he needed to be, chasing down the Breeders’ Cup Sprint champion Secret Circle to win the Grade 2, $200,000 Palos Verdes Stakes by a neck on Feb. 2.

The six furlong race for 4-year-olds and up at Santa Anita Park had a field of five.

Owned by trainer Jerry Hollendorfer and Green Smith, Jr., of Bryan, Tx., Wild Dude was one of three horses entered by Hollendorfer in the Palos Verdes Stakes. Despite coming into the race off a lengthand-a-quarter win in a six-and-a-half furlong, $57,360 allowance race at Santa Anita Park on Jan. 3, bettors gave their preference to Wild Dude’s stablemate, fellow Florida-bred Sahara Sky. Wild Dude was sent to the gate with 8-1 odds, while Sahara Sky, who was making his first start since winning the Metropolitan Mile (G1) by a neck at Belmont Park in May 2013, was bet down to 5-2 odds.

Hollendorfer’s third entry was 16-1 longshot Moonshine Bay, ridden by Gary Stevens. The 1-2

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Florida-bred African Rose dueled Cottagecupcake throughout the $50,000 El Diario Handicap at Sunland Park on Feb. 8 before pulling away for a commanding two-length win.

The six-and-a-half furlong race for fillies and mares, 3-years-old and up, had a field of eight.

Owned by McKenna Thoroughbreds’ Judge Lanier Racing, African Rose had three wins in 2013, including a two length win in the mile-long, $75,000 Harry Henson Handicap at Sunland Park on March 24. Bred by Heiligbrodt Racing Stable, the 5-year-old bay mare won her first start of 2014 when she beat a six furlong, low-level allowance/optional claiming race by a length-and-a-half at Sunland Park on Jan. 24. The daughter of Bwana Charlie out of Darby Rose, by Red Bullet, was sent to the gate with 9-2 odds when she loaded into post five carrying 118 pounds and jockey Alfredo J. Juarez, Jr. At the sound of the bell, African Rose broke best of all and quickly gained her position ahead of the field. Joining her up front was the 8-5 post time favorite Cottagecupcake, ridden

by Carlos Madeira. The two hooked together early and began a speed duel that wouldn’t be resolved until the final strides of the race.

While it may not have been a match-race, the El Diario Handicap sure had the feel of one. Cot-

COADY PHOTO

African Rose Outlasts Cottagecupcake in El Diario ‘Cap

Florida-bred African Rose

tagecupcake, along the inside, battled African Rose head-to-head over the first quarter. When they reached the two furlong mark in :22.67, it was Cottagecupcake’s muzzle who was in front of her rival, while Joyful Tap and rider Jose L. Torres were a half-length back in third.

It looked for a moment like Cottagecupcake was going to draw away from African Rose after they passed the first quarter-mile; however, the Florida-bred rallied back as they raced down the backstretch. As they came around the far turn, it was African Rose who was in front by a head, while Cottagecupcake

was in second along the rail. When they reached the half-mile in :44.88, the two “duelists” were a length-and-a-half clear of Lunch Time Diva and rider Aldo Arboleda in third.

As the pair came out of the far turn and entered the stretch, neither African Rose nor Cottagecupcake would relent. They battled stride-for-stride as they came down the grandstand side, head-to-head and neck-and-neck.

It was a test of wills, and African Rose was barely in front by a head when the two reached the eighth-pole in 1:09.37. Wine Thief and Ray Eikleberry had gained third place from Lunch Time Diva; however, they were merely spectators to the duel happening two lengths in front of them.

Showing her mettle, African Rose dug down deep inside herself and found the extra determination she needed to put away her rival. The Florida-bred unleashed a late closing kick as they reached the sixteenth-pole and opened up a two length lead over Cottagecupcake when she crossed the wire in 1:16.05. Wine Thief closed the gap on Cottagecupcake but still finished a half-length behind her in third. Completing the order of finish were Lunch Time Diva, Joyful Tap, Derby Hat, Diamond Lil Who, and Funnyoushouldask. ■

post time favorite was the Breeders’ Cup Sprint champion Secret Circle, who was making his first start as a 4-year-old.

Bred by Versatile Thoroughbreds, LLC, Wild Dude is the 4-year-old son of Brent and Crystal Fernung’s Journeyman Stud stallion Wildcat Heir out of Courtly Choice, by Doneraile Court. The bay colt had Rafael Bejarano back in the irons when they were loaded into post one for the Palos Verdes Stakes.

With a trio of horses (including a longshot rabbit in Moonshine Bay), Hollendorfer was loading up to make a run at the Breeders’ Cup champion in the Palos Verdes Stakes.

Hollendorfer’s plan began to come together as soon as the gates sprung open and Moonshine Bay went to the front.

“Gary [Stevens] wouldn’t have gone quite so hard if the horse didn’t break as good as he did, but he was right out there. Secret Circle went for it. I thought Jeff Bonde’s horse [Majestic Stride] would

BENOIT & ASSOCIATES PHOTO

in G2 Palos Verdes

Florida-bred Wild Dude

go for it, but maybe he came away a step slow and couldn’t get the lead,” Hollendorfer said.

Moonshine Bay set a respectable opening quarter of :21.95, while trying to fend off Secret Circle on the inside. The two horses were locked in a speed duel, while Majestic Stride and Edwin Maldonado were two lengths back in third. Wild Dude was second-last, rating the field another two lengths back in fourth.

Secret Circle continued to battle Moonshine Bay as they made their way into the far turn. Going around

the turn, Moonshine Bay began to pull away from Secret Circle, who was still hugging the rail. Strung out behind the leaders were Majestic Stride, Wild Dude, and Sahara Sky. By the time they reached the quarter pole in :44.27, Moonshine Bay was a head in front of Secret Circle, who was a length-and-a-half ahead of Majestic Stride in third. Wild Dude was still in fourth, two lengths behind Majestic Stride, riding the rail around the turn.

As they came into the top of the stretch, Secret Circle’s spot along the rail put him briefly in the lead while Moonshine Bay came out of the turn threewide. Majestic Stride was creeping up on the outside of Moonshine Bay in third, while Wild Dude remained in the hunt close to the rail just behind the leaders. ■ THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2014 15

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Florida FOCUS

Devil’s Cave Wicked-Fast in Sabin

16 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2014

them around the clubhouse turn and down the backstretch. Through the half-mile, Devil’s Cave remained effortlessly a length in front of Kiplings Joy. While post time favorite Rose to Gold held third after the first quarter, she was passed by Triple Arch as the pack made their way down the backstretch. All the while, Devil’s Cave was getting an easy hand ride from Castellano up front.

Devil’s Cave remained in control as she took the pack through six furlongs, and she was a length in front of Triple Arch, who was a lengthand-a-half ahead of the tiring Kipling’s Joy. Looking through the binoculars, Devil’s Cave’s performance looked like any other race where a front runner was setting a comfortable pace; however, the clock was telling a much different story. The Florida-bred had set fractions of :23.52, :46.98, and 1:10.62 through six furlongs.

According to Wolfson, even her rider may have been oblivious to the sizzling pace his mount was setting.

“She’s got a high cruising speed,” Wolfson said. “I don’t think Javier knew she was going that fast, but she’s fast . . . It didn’t look like she was going that fast, but she really does. She’s just a freaky type of filly for her pedigree.”

The scary thing is that Devil’s Cave set a

KENNY MARTIN PHOTO

Florida-bred Devil’s Cave set a new track record in a deceptively fast performance when she won the Grade 2, $200,000 Sabin Stakes by three-and-a-half lengths on Feb. 16 at Gulfstream Park. The mile-and-a-sixteenth race for older fillies and mares had a field of eight.

Owned by Alpha Delta Stable, LLC, of Bronxville, N.Y., Devil’s Cave was sent to the gate with 4-1 odds following her secondplace finish to fellow Florida-bred Sweet N Discreet in her last start, the mile-and-aneighth, $294,000 Sunshine Millions Distaff on Jan. 18. Despite leading throughout most of the race, Devil’s Cave was caught by Sweet N Discreet in the stretch and could only settle for the silver medal.

According to trainer Marty Wolfson, the sluggish pace (:49.31, 1:14.38) demanded by her jockey in the Sunshine Millions Distaff compromised Devil’s Cave’s performance.

“I think the jockey made a huge mistake last time. He told me he did,” Wolfson said. “She has high speed, and to make a horse go 1:14and-2 [for six furlongs] really discourages her.

She still came back again, that’s why I knew she was a better horse than Sweet N Discreet.”

Bred in Florida by Circle S Ranch, the 4year-old dark-bay or brown daughter of Put It Back out of Wabash Gal, by Jungle Express, was seeking her fourth win from 10 career starts in the Sabin Stakes.

While Devil’s Cave had all the confidence of Marty Wolfson, bettors sent her to the gate as the third choice on the board.

Devil’s Cave and jockey Javier Castellano broke second best at the start, just behind Triple Arch, ridden by Orlando Bocachica, and just in front of Sweet N Discreet and rider Joe Bravo. As the pack quickly entered the clubhouse turn, Castellano moved Devil’s Cave over to the rail to grab the lead in front of 46-1 longshot Kipling’s Joy and Paco Lopez.

To the naked eye, Devil’s Cave did not appear to be going that fast. She sat comfortably a length ahead of her rivals as she carried

Florida-bred Devil’s Cave

hot pace, and then poured it on even more when she entered the stretch. Asked for her late kick, Devil’s Cave began to draw away, reaching the mile in 1:34.80, two lengths ahead of Triple Arch. She added another length-and-ahalf as she zipped the final sixteenth-of-a-mile in 6.20 seconds, stopping the clock at 1:41 flat.

The scorching performance was faster than the 1:41.17 track record that was set by Golden Lad in a high-level, allowance/optional claiming race just 11 days before on Feb. 5.

“I’m surprised about [the new track record]. She gave me a great performance today,” jockey Castellano said. “The way she did it was very comfortable. She was relaxed in the first part of the race and I liked the way she finished. She gave me everything she had today. I was very impressed.”

Sweet N Discreet was the best of the rest, followed by Triple Arch and Angelica Zapata.

Completing the order of finish were Gamay Noir, Kipling’s Joy, Rose to Gold, and Private Ensign.

Devil’s Cave picked up $135,000 for her record-shattering performance, bringing her career earnings to $327,647. She was sold for $180,000 at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company in April 2012. ■

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Mucho Best THE

HALLANDALE BEACH, FLA.

By BROCK SHERIDAN n paper it did not look like Mucho Macho Man had much competition in the $400,000 Florida Sunshine Millions Classic at Gulfstream Park on Jan 18. He was coming off of two impressive wins in Grade 1 company, including his victory in the prestigious Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita on Nov. 2 and another in the Awesome Again on Sept. 28, also at Santa Anita. His bankroll of $5,340,410 towered over his opponents as Bernie the Maestro had the second largest bankroll in the Sunshine Millions Classic with just more than $600,000 to his credit.

The wagering public had it figured much the same as they made Mucho Macho Man the odds on favorite at 110 and the big Florida-bred did not disappoint on the track.

Ridden by Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens from post four, Mucho Macho Man broke alertly and went to the lead going into the first turn of the mile-and-oneeighth Classic with Bernie the Maestro and Joshua’s Comprise also right there. Around the first turn however, Stevens allowed Mucho Macho Man to hit a comfortable stride while Bernie the Maestro and jockey Joel Rosario

O

The wagering public had it figured much the

same as they made Mucho Macho Man the odds on favorite at 1-10 and the big Florida-bred did not disappoint on the track.

18 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2014

COGLIANESE PHOTOS

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Mucho Best THE

Parranda

put daylight between him and Mucho Macho Man before they straightened away down the backstretch. After a first quarter-mile in :23.08, Bernie the Maestro put three lengths of daylight on Mucho Macho Man, who was two lengths ahead of Rule Number Six in third. They changed little before going the half-mile in :46.25 but before they hit the second turn, Stevens let out a notch on Mucho Macho Man who quickly caught Bernie the Maestro and began to draw off with every stride.

Mucho Macho Man came out of the turn in complete command as the Gulfstream Park crowd of 11,000 roared with approval. He was soon ten lengths in front of a tiring Bernie the Maestro with Joshua’s Comprise trying to get second but was far from a threat to Mucho Macho Man who eventually crossed under the finish, 14 lengths in front of Joshua’s Comprise in second and Decaf Again another length-and-three-quarters back in third. Mucho Macho Man completed the Classic course in 1:48.76.

“It was good to have him back,” trainer Kathy Ritvo said of Mucho Macho Man. “We put him in because he was ready to run. It was fun.

“It’s nice to win at home. We have total confidence in Gary [Stevens], so the whole race was fun. I was very comfortable today.

Stevens, on the other hand, knew anything could happen in a horse race and was a bit more cautious going into the race.

20 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2014

“I actually felt more pressure today than I did in the Breeders’ Cup Classic,” he said. “On paper, they can’t get beat but they all can get beat. Kathy had him spot on for what we needed today. I suppose it was more like a workout than a race. He won very, very easy. He ran fast and I geared him down at the end and tried not to overdo it.”

Owner Dean Reeves, who races Mucho Macho Man along with his wife Patti under their banner of Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, agreed with Stevens.

“That was strong,” Reeves said. “Very impressive. It was great to see him do that today and Kathy had him ready to go. I think he continues to surprise me because he goes on to bigger heights.

Mucho Macho Man earned $240,000 for the victory which increased his career earnings to $5,580,410 with his ninth victory from 24 starts.

PARRANDA’S PACE KEY IN SUNSHINE MILLIONS FILLY AND MARE TURF

There was a time earlier this year when Parranda liked to come from off the pace to win her races. As recent as July, the 5-year-old mare won a second-level optional claiming race at Monmouth Park after running in eighth place for much of the race.

But since returning home to Florida in September, Parranda has been staying much closer to the front runners and the change in strategy has paid off. On Sept.

28, she won the $100,000 Our Dear Peg Stakes after sitting second in the early stages before winning the $125,000 Sunshine Millions Preview Filly and Mare Turf on Nov. 9 after laying fourth early on. She finished fourth, beaten only a length-and-one-quarter by Valiant Girl when she stepped up to graded stakes company in the Dec. 7 My Charmer Handicap at Calder while racing in fourth early.

So that seemed to be the strategy in the $150,000 Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf, set for a mileand-one-eighth on the grass.

Breaking from the inside post, Parranda started last in the field of eight distaffers as 37-1 longshot Sharapova Slams went to the lead with 4-5 shot Wishing Gate right alongside as they went into the clubhouse turn.

Meanwhile jockey Jose Lezcano let Parranda settle into fourth as they went the first quarter mile in :23.46.

Sharapova Slams and Wishing Gate kept at it down the backstretch while Lezcano continued to be patient while racing four-and-one-half lengths back as they approached the far turn and went the first half-mile in :47.68. Around the second turn, Sharapova Slams and Wishing Gate began to tire as Parranda was hitting her best stride while racing three-wide. Parranda took the lead at the top of the stretch and the race was all but over

MuchMachoMan_Florida Horse_template 2/26/14 1:20 PM Page 21

as she began to pull away, eventually hitting the finish line three lengths in front of E B Ryder in second and Nicki Starshine in third.

“It was excellent,” trainer Rodolfo Garcia said. “[Jockey Jose Lezcano] did everything right. She finished great. As of late, she wants to be closer. She used to [come from] way off the pace. She likes to be on the outside. [Lezcano] waited until he could go to the outside and from there I knew she was going to close like she did. We got an A-effort ride and a perfect win.”

While Garcia gave much of the credit to Lezcano, the winning jockey said that Parranda was firing on all cylinders.

“I had a very good trip,” Lezcano said. “She broke perfect, like never before. I let her sit and relax in fourth and at the half-mile, I let her move a little early because I didn’t want to leave her too much to do. When I really asked her, she just took off and won the race.”

Parranda stopped the clock in 1:35.88 and returned $7.60 to win, $4.60 to place and $3.80 to show. The daughter of English Channel and the Rahy mare Dynamic Feature was bred in Florida by Kinsman Farm of Ocala.

E B Ryder returned $14.80 to place and $8.20 to show while Nicki Starshine returned $16.60 to show.

Felix Fuertes of Coral Gables, Fla., whose Lone Stable Inc., owns Parranda, was proud of his mare and excited to win with another Florida-bred.

“She has had a good summer. She has improved every race. We learned a lot from the My Charmer. But she is really coming into her own and I think today she gained a lot of respect.

“I really like to buy Florida-breds. I like to be the underdog against the Kentucky-bred horses and beat them with my Florida-breds. I’ve always enjoyed that. It’s something I’ve very much enjoyed in this game and that’s why I like the Florida-breds.”

Star Channel (center with blinkers)

STAR CHANNEL SURVIVES OBJECTION, WINS SUNSHINE MILLIONS TURF

Star Channel was a very popular Florida-bred in 2013 and has started the new year in much the same fashion. Claimed twice and a winner three times last year, Star Channel began 2014 by winning the $150,000 Sunshine Millions Turf at Gulfstream Park, surviving a claim of foul in deep stretch.

THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2014 21

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Mucho Best THE

Sweet N Discreet

Ridden by Jose Lezcano, who was looking for his third stakes win on the day after taking the Florida Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf with Parranda and the Florida Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Sprint with Ullapool, Star Channel broke best of all from post five but Lezcano allowed Star Channel to settle into third behind long shot Racing Aptitude and Old Time Hockey as they went around the first turn in the mileand-one-eighth Turf. Those three kept that running order as they went the first quarter-mile in :23.51 and the first half-mile in :48.04. Old Time Hockey got the lead around the far turn, but Lezcano was not about to let him get loose and started to move while racing three-wide entering the stretch. As they began to battle down the lane, Star Channel took a brief lead on the outside as Old Time Hockey fought back on the inside. Those two battled to the wire, bumping repeatedly down the stretch but Star Channel put a head in front at the finish, stopping the clock in 1:47.64.

Jockey Gary Stevens on Old Time Hockey lodged a claim of foul against Lezcano and Star Channel but the stewards did not change the order of finish, giving Star Channel the win. Star Channel and Old Time Hockey finished a half-length ahead of Bad Debt in third.

“Yeah that was close,” said trainer Eddie Kenneally after the race. “There was not much between the photo

22 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2014

and the fact that there was a lot of contact, plenty of contact when I saw it on the head-on [replay]. I wasn’t sure what way it was going to go.

“He showed up and ran a big race, absolutely. The distance is exactly what he wants to do. That’s how he likes to run and he had a big day.”

Lezcano was also very pleased with the results and with the effort Star Channel put in throughout the race.

“He broke really good,” Lezcano said. “He tried hard the whole way and never quit. It was my first time riding him but I watched a few of his replays.”

Star Channel races for Alastar Thoroughbred Company, LLC, and was bred in Florida by Mr. and Mrs. Samuel H. Rogers Jr. Let go at 8-1, Star Channel returned $19.20 to win, $9.40 to place, and $4.60 to show.

It was his seventh win from 21 career starts and he now has earnings of $394,855.

Old Time Hockey paid $4.80 and $3.20 while Bad Debt was responsible for a $2.20 show price.

STRETCHING OUT, SWEET N DISCREET TAKES SUNSHINE MILLIONS DISTAFF

E. Paul Robsham Stable’s homebred Sweet N Discreet went into the mile-and-an-eighth Sunshine Millions Distaff without having raced longer than a mile or racing around two turns.

In the $300,000 stakes for Florida-bred fillies and mares, the 4-year-old daughter of Discreet Cat won in a way that removed any doubts about whether she can handle that added distance.

Sweet N Discreet took the lead from Devil’s Cave coming out of the final turn and went on to beat that rival by one-and-ahalf lengths.

The result reversed the outcome of the one-mile Ocala Stakes, also restricted to Floridabreds, on Dec. 29 at Gulfstream.

Devil’s Cave beat Sweet N Discreet by two lengths in that race.

But trainer Todd Pletcher said he had wanted to see if Sweet N Discreet could be more than a sprinter. The Distaff purse provided incentive to try.

Jockey Joe Bravo kept Sweet N Discreet in third place through the first six furlongs. Devil’s Cave led at that call in 1:14.39.

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The win came in the 2014 debut for Ribo Bobo, folSweet N Discreet, at 3-1 in the five-horse field, then pulled ahead and held off Devil’s Cave, who attempted lowing an amazing 2013 that began in an $8,000 claiming race Gulfstream. In 2013, he won 10 of 11 starts to re-rally.

Sweet N Discreet covered a mile in 1:37.82 and finished with three of the wins in stakes.

Last year’s story opened on Jan. 9. Ron Lombardi, in a solid 1:50.21 on a track listed as fast.

Toasting, the 4-5 favorite, finished third—six lengths owner of Mr. Amore Stables, put in an $8,000 claim for Ribo Bobo in a five-and-a-half furlong race at behind Devil’s Cave.

“I was concerned (about the distance), until about the Gulfstream.

Ribo Bobo won, and owner Rancho Alegre Stables three-eighths pole and then I felt pretty good about it,” Pletcher said. “It took her a little while to get everything and trainer Dave Braddy then transferred him to together, and it took her trainer about two years to fig- Franklin and Servis.

On Feb. 21, owner Dan Hurtak and trainer Donna ure out that she wanted to run longer.”

When asked when Sweet N Discreet might race next, Green claimed Ribo Bobo for $6,250.

Ribo Bobo next raced on March 8 at Gulfstream for Pletcher smiled and said wishfully, “Do they have ana $6,250 tag. Franklin and Servis won him back in a other $300,000 stakes for Florida-breds?”

The Sunshine Millions win was Sweet N Discreet six-way shake. fourth in 11 starts. The $180,000 winner’s check raised her earn(about the distance), until about the three-eighths ings to $326,441. pole and then I felt pretty good about it. It took her a little while to get Sweet N Discreet is a daughter of the Gone West mare West everything together, and it took her trainer about two years to figure out that she wanted to run longer. —trainer Todd Pletcher on Sweet N Discreet Side Dancer.

Sweet N Discreet is a full sister He went on to a season that ended on Dec. 7 with a to Discreet Dancer, the winner of last year’s Gulfstream win in the Claiming Crown Express at Gulfstream.

Park Handicap (Grade 2).

“Nobody expects anything like this,” Lombardi said E. Paul Robsham Stable is run by Joyce Robsham, the widow of E. Paul Robsham. Anna Ford is the stable following the win.

“Jason has done a great job,” said Lombardi, who manager. lives in New Jersey and owns a chain of physical therRIBO BOBO REMAINS apy centers. “I’ve been in the business for six years and UNSTOPPABLE IN SUNSHINE MILLIONS SPRINT been with him the whole time. He’s a little more conIf the Eclipse Awards held at Gulfstream Park after servative than I am so it’s a great partnership.”

Servis said he will consider running Ribo Bobo in the Florida Sunshine Millions included a “Claimer-toChampion” category, Mr. Amore Stable’s Ribo Bobo sprint stakes in Florida.

He and Lombardi have nominated the horse for the would have been a deserving winner for his 2013 ac$2-million Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1), on March 29 complishments.

Ribo Bobo showed why with a dominating vic- in Dubai on Meydan’s Tapeta racing surface.

“We’ll have to see about that one,” Lombardi said. tory in the $150,000 Sunshine Millions Sprint for “I’ll leave the decisions to Jason. We’ll evaluate him Florida-breds.

Just ten months removed from the claiming ranks, after this race and get together. That’s (Dubai) my the 6-year-old gelding beat Happy My Way by a length- dream.”

The Sunshine Millions victory was Ribo Bobo’s and-three-quarters, while running six furlongs in 16th in 49 career starts. The $90,000 winner’s check 1:09.16 under Paco Lopez.

Ribo Bobo, trained by Jason Servis, was the 6-5 fa- raised his earnings to $659,655.

Ribo Bobo was bred by Rapputi Stables. He is a son vorite in a nine-horse field.

He tracked Star Harbour through the early splits. of Louis Quatorze, out of the Private Terms mare PriStar Harbour led after a half-mile in 44.03 seconds with vate Prom Party.

He began his career in the summer of 2010 with Ribo Bobo second by a half-length and Happy My Way Manny Azpurua training him for a partnership headed another length-and-a-half behind in third.

Ribo Bobo took the lead entering the stretch and by Rapputi Stables.

On Sept. 25, 2010, Ribo Bobo won the Foolish Pleaspulled away. Star Harbour finished third, a half-length ure Stakes at Calder Casino & Race Course. behind Happy My Way.

“I was concerned

”

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Mucho Best THE

Azpurua kept the horse in stakes races through 2011 and then gradually moved him down in class.

Braddy and Rancho Alegre claimed him for $25,000 at Calder on Oct. 21, 2012.

Two races later, Franklin and Servis claimed Ribo Bobo and gradually moved him back to the stakes ranks.

“He’s happy, and I think a lot of it has been learning what he needs to do to win,” Servis said.

ULLAPOOL WIRES SUNSHINE MILLIONS FILLY AND MARES SPRINT

Ullapool

Florida-bred Ullapool ran her winning streak to four with a gate to wire victory in the $150,000 Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Sprint.

Ullapool defeated the late-running 7-5 favorite My Pal Chrisy by one-and-a-quarter lengths in the six-furlong stakes for Florida-breds, 4-years-old and up.

Jose Lezcano rode the 5-year-old Ullapool, who won in 1:10.41. She was the second betting choice, at 2-1, in the six-horse field.

Ullapool began her streak on Sept. 23, 2012, at Belmont Park.

She then had a 13-month absence from racing due to what her trainer and co-owner Eddie Kenneally said

24 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2014

was a case of pneumonia and a lung infection.

Her comeback has included a win in the $100,000 Garland of Roses at Aqueduct.

“We’ll look at all the options across the country,” Kenneally said of plans for the still lightly raced Ullapool.

She began her career in 2011, racing for her breeder Peachtree Stable.

Kenneally and Marc Detampel claimed her for $25,000 at Belmont Park on May 24, 2012.

“She had run against some class horses and ran OK against some class horses. We felt there was an avenue for the filly to hopefully be an allowance filly at the time, and as it turned out, she was,” Kenneally said. “As she’s continued to mature, develop and improve. She’s certainly a quality filly to have.”

The Sunshine Millions win was Ullapool’s seventh victory in 14 starts. The $90,000 winner’s check boosted her earnings to $361,911.

Ullapool is a daughter of Langfuhr, out of the Numerous mare Grey Traffic. She was bred in Florida by Peachtree Stable of Camden, S.C. ■ Jim Freer also contributed to this story.

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Ocala Stud Grad Asia Express Named Japan’s Champion Juvenile Colt

By DAVE ALLEN hree races, three wins, ¥88,000,000, and a history making performance all led to Ocala Stud graduate Asia Express being named the champion 2-year old colt in Japan for 2013.

Asia Express, a 3-year-old Florida-bred son of Henny Hughes out of Running Bobcats, by Running Stag, started his juvenile season very late in the year in a 1,400 meter race over the dirt at Tokyo Racecourse, where he broke his maiden in his debut. Trained by Takahisa Tezuka, Asia Express returned to action later that month when he dominated the 1,600 meter Oxalis Sho Stakes at Tokyo Racecourse by seven lengths in 1:37.9.

Following the victory in the Oxalis Sho Stakes, Tezuka and owner Yukio Baba had originally planned to run Asia Express in the 2-year-old championship race of the second-tier National Association of Racing (NAR); however, only five Japan Racing Association 2-year-olds were eligible to run in the NAR championship race and Asia Express had been excluded. While the higher level Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes was the trainer’s second choice, Asia Express had qualified for the mile-long race at

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COURTESY JAPAN RACING ASSOCIATION

FLORIDA NEWS

Nakayama Racecourse because of his victory in the Oxalis Sho. Believing that the promising Florida-bred had the speed and power to take on a field of 16 colts and fillies over the turf, the connections entered Asia Express and sent him to the gate in the $1.6 million race with British jockey Ryan Moore aboard.

Making his first start over the turf and going clockwise, Asia Express did not disappoint. The lone American horse cruised along the rail in ninth place early, before moving up to be in the second flight of runners behind the leader, Bel Canto (JPN). While Bel Canto (JPN) tried to take the Group 1 race in front-running fashion, Asia Express came off the rail as the pack went around the far turn and angled himself out to the middle of the track as they entered the stretch. Once he was free and clear of his competition, Moore pushed the button on Asia Express and he took off, running down the leaders late and crossing the wire a length-and-a-half ahead of Shonan Achieve (JPN) in second and Win Full Bloom (JPN) in third.

Following the race, jockey Moore was impressed with his mount’s versatility.

“He surprised me, he quickened up so well,” said Moore. “When I rode him before, he looked like he was a horse with lots of gears.

He’s a special horse, because not many do both dirt and grass.”

Reinforcing Moore’s assessment about how rare a good turf-anddirt horse is, Asia Express made JRA history with his performance in the Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes. Asia Express became the first dirt runner to win a Group 1 turf race while making their debut on the turf.

Moore is already looking forward to the future of Asia Express.

“His future should be bright. He feels like he hasn’t gotten to the bottom yet—like there’s more to come—so it’ll be interesting to see how much progress he makes.”

With such versatility, Asia Express’s connections have many options on which way they want to take the 3-year-old Florida-bred; however, it is likely that his first start in 2014 will come over the turf again.

Bred by J. Michael O’Farrell, Jr.’s Ocala Stud, Asia Express was sold at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company for $230,000 in March 2013.

Converting the ¥88,131,000 that he has earned in the “Land of the Rising Sun”, Asia Express has earned about $853,000 from his three starts.

Like Mucho Macho Man in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, Asia Express proved that Florida-bred horses can be champion caliber wherever they go. ■

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FLORIDA NEWS

Florida’s First District Court of Appeal:

“Pari-mutuel Barrel Racing” is an “Unadopted Rule” TALLAHASSEE, FLA. n a short opinion issued Feb. 10, the First District Court of Appeal (“First DCA”) affirmed last year’s lower court ruling that Florida pari-mutuel regulators’ licensing of “pari-mutuel barrel racing” failed to follow proper rulemaking procedure. “ . . . the narrow issue in this case is whether the (Florida Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering’s) policy of treating barrel match racing as an authorized form of quarter horse racing is an unadopted rule,” the First DCA judges wrote.

“The irony is that, during the years of litigation on this case, the professional riders who actually compete in real barrel racing have come to learn that the empty promises made by ‘pari-mutuel barrel racing’ were not about promoting their sport, but about Gretna Racing LLC using them as a means to run a cardroom 365 days a year,” said Kent Stirling, Executive Director of the Florida Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association, a statewide organization comprising over 6,000 thoroughbred owners and trainers that supported the Florida Quarter Horse Racing Association in the litigation.

“The unfortunate aftermath of ‘parimutuel barrel racing’ is that the Florida Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering immediately pivoted and issued a license to Gretna for ‘flag drop racing’—another contrived event conjured up for the same exploitative purpose,” Stirling added. “The collateral damage for this and other statewide misuses of American Quarter Horse pari-mutuel permits is that the State of Florida cannot fully realize the immense positive economic benefit that legitimate horse racing actually brings.”

Hialeah Park, the only venue in Florida that hosts AQHA-accredited American Quarter Horse racing under the stewardship of the Florida Quarter Horse Racing Association, has seen record crowds and growing wagering handle each year.

“This case is not about the merits of one sport over another,” explained Trey Buck, Executive Director of Racing for the American Quarter Horse Association. “It’s about following the rules. The fact is, legitimate American Quarter Horse racing is a proven economic driver nationwide. By ensuring AQHA accreditation of American

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Quarter Horse racing, the State of Florida can be assured it is not only maximizing the revenue-generation of its pari-mutuel permits, but ensuring the integrity and safety of the events for fans and participants alike.”

ABOUT THE AMERICAN QUARTER HORSE ASSOCIATION

AQHA is the world’s largest breed registry and equine organization with its international headquarters located in Amarillo, Tx. AQHA issues and maintains the pedigrees, registration and performance records of American Quarter Horses. AQHA also promulgates rules and regulations that govern AQHA-approved events and competition including competition involving the pari-mutuel racing of American Quarter Horses and the showing of American Quarter Horses.

The AQHA rules and regulations that govern the pari-mutuel racing of American Quarter Horses are contained in the Racing Rules and Regulations section of the AQHA Official Handbook of Rules & Regulations.

AQHA does not recognize barrel racing as a pari-mutuel racing event. Instead, barrel racing is considered a “show” event and as such is governed by the show rules and regulations set forth in Show and Performance sections of the AQHA Official Handbook of Rules & Regulations.

While rules of Racing Authorities take precedence, AQHA, for purposes of AQHA records and programs, reserves the right to deny or revoke recognition of a race which does not observe the rules and regulations contained herein. American Quarter Horse racing is defined as two or more American Quarter Horses registered with the American Quarter Horse Association, entered and competing in the same race at the same time from a regulation starting gate, at distances and conditions recognized by AQHA and running at full speed, unimpeded by obstacles, through a common finish line.

In short, AQHA supports both types of disciplines as competition for American Quarter Horses. Horse racing is conducted on a traditional oval racetrack covering distances between 110 and 1,000 yards without obstacles. Barrel racing is an individually timed contest conducted in a pen or arena running around three evenly spaced barrels or obstacles. ■

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FTBOAMEMBERSHIP UPDATES Feels like Ocala Week is Back!

Ocala Week was a popular week for the Florida horse industry that occurred every October. Over the last few years, October events began to shift as interest in the March and April two-year-olds in training sales gained popularity. So, once again there is a week of popular events promoting the industry, so it feels like Ocala Week. If you’ve been to Ocala before, welcome back and if you haven’t been to Ocala, we invite you to come and experience the Horse Capital of the World. Here’s a few happenings: Thursday, March 6 and Friday, March 7 - 8 a.m. Ocala Breeder’s Sales Under Tack shows

Horses are working on the track that will be in the upcoming two-year-old in training select sale on the OBS grounds. Plus, visit the table hosted by the Ocala/Marion County Visitor’s Bureau and Equine Alliance of Marion County for those in the community or with businesses who are novices to the thoroughbred industry. Experts will be on hand to share knowledge and offer resources.

Thursday, March 6 and Friday, March 7 8 a.m. - Pedigree & Conformation Clinic

Hosted by the Thoroughbred Owners’ & Breeders’ Association and sponsored in part by FTBOA, at Ocala Breeders' Sales in Ocala, Fla., the program includes observing the OBS breeze show with experts, a guided farm tour of Goldmark, and learning what consignors, trainers and veterinarians look for in pedigree and conformation with expert guest speakers.

FTBOA members receive a $50 discount.

Contact TOBA's Carrie Vaught or 859-2762291 for more information.

Friday, March 7 - 9:30 a.m.

Horse Sense radio show

Tune in to WOCA 96.3 FM and 1370 AM radio to hear Horse Sense highlighting equine events happening in Central Florida 30 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2014

of all disciplines. It is hosted by the Marion County Equine Alliance and sponsored in part by the FTBOA. Saturday, March 8 - Casino Night Fundraiser

Join the Florida Thoroughbred Farm Managers to enjoy casino games, play in the poker tournament, win prizes and enjoy the live auction held at the Holiday Inn. Contact FTFM at 352-401-3535. The Florida Farm Managers is a non-profit organization for benevolence and charity supporting the thoroughbred community.

Saturday, March 8 – 5:30 p.m.

Goldmark Farm Tour and Benefit Dinner

At the home of T. Paul Bulmahn, the event supports the Retired Racehorse Training Project and the program includes dinner, a movie preview, special guest renown artist Robert Clark and presentation by RRTP with a $150 contribution. Seating is limited and by invitation. Contact Kelly Moore at 352528-9713 and Steuart Pittman at 410-5073351.

Keeping members informed Florida Thoroughbred industry leaders, award winners, FTBOA members and business leaders, and is open to the general public with RSVP. The Glitz and Glamour evening consists of a Veranda Terrace cocktail reception, a large silent auction for Florida Thoroughbred Charities, a short live auction, dinner in the ballroom and the awards ceremony. Cocktail attire is suggested for the evening. The large silent auction features hospitality packages at restaurants, attractions and hotels from across the state; trips, limited edition signed memorabilia, World Series tickets and a variety of business services. The Florida Thoroughbred Charities benefits from the fundraiser. The FTC funds scholarships and the Florida Thoroughbred Retirement Farm at the Lowell Correctional Institute, along with other industry and local community charity programs. Contact FTBOA at 352-629-2160 or tgantt@ftboa.com.

Monday, March 10 and Tuesday, March 11 - 11 a.m. - OBS March Select Sale of 2-year-olds in training at the OBS Sales Pavilion.

Sunday, March 9 – 8:30 a.m. to 9 a.m.

- Thoroughbred Week Florida on WOGX- TV Fox 51

Monday, March 10 and Tuesday, March 11 - Florida Thoro-Fillies Sweets Table

Watch this weekly recap of the nation’s top races and their connection to Florida, sponsored by the FTBOA and Florida Department of Agriculture.

Buy homemade cakes, pies and desserts at OBS behind the sales pavilion. The Fillies raise funds to distribute to charities throughout the year.

Sunday, March 6 to 10 p.m.

Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ & Owners’ Gala

Also, March 10-11 is Marion County Days in Tallahassee–Sponsored in part by the FTBOA. Also a number of other horse events are happening during the week also including Horse Shows in the Sun (HITS) with action at Post-Time Farm featuring top Grand Prix events in a new large-scale stadium.

The biggest gala of the Florida Thoroughbred industry is the annual FTBOA Florida Champions Awards Gala held on Sunday, March 9 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Circle Square Cultural Center Ballroom, in Circle Square Commons at 8395 SW 80th Street, Ocala FL 34481. The event honors the 2013 Florida Horse of the Year and Florida-bred champions, their breeders, owners and trainers. Attendees include

Tammy Gantt, Director of Membership Services and Events, Contributing Editor

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Down

Memory Lane 1972

By JOANN GUIDRY

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Florida-bred Susan’s Girl

he year belonged to the ladies – Florida-breds Susan’s Girl and Convenience. Susan’s Girl garnered her first of several Eclipse titles when she was named the 1972 champion 3-year-old filly. Convenience shone brightly in capturing a winner-takes-all match race over Typecast.

Bred by Fred W. Hooper Jr. and raced by the elder Hooper, Susan’s Girl fashioned a stellar season. She won nine stakes races, including six consecutive, in 13 starts on her way to earning $352,678 on the year. Trained by John W. Russell, Susan’s Girl appeared unbeatable as she opened the season with six straight stakes victories: Pasadena Stakes, Santa Ynez Stakes, Santa Susana Stakes, La Troienne Stakes, Kentucky Oaks and Acorn Stakes.

By Quadrangle out of Quaze, by *Quibu, Susan’s Girl then posted a quartet of stakes-placing in some of the most prestigious races in the country. She was second in the Mother Goose Stakes, third in the Coaching Club American Oaks, second in the Princess Stakes and third in the Hollywood Oaks.

But she proved her championship mettle, closing out the season with a trio of stakes win.

After winning the Cotillion Handicap and Gazelle Handicap, Susan’s Girl wrapped up the Eclipse Award with a stirring victory in the Beldame Stakes. In addition to Susan’s Girl, the field included Summer Guest, Chou Croute, Typecast, Numbered Account, Manta, Blessing Angelica, Sea Saga and Lauries Dancer. Collectively, the field had won 59 stakes and $3 million.

It would be Susan’s Girl who would prevail by a length over Summer Guest with Chou Croute in third. The victory was worth $67,680 and more importantly earned Susan’s Girl the Eclipse Award as champion 3-year-old filly.

Convenience, bred by Caper Hill Farm and raced by Leonard Lavin’s Glen Hill Farm, proved to be one of the best distaff runners of the season. On her way to the headline-making match race with Typecast, the Willard Proctor-trained 4-year-old filly won the Santa Barbara County Fair Handicap, Santa

32 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2014

Paula Handicap, Sequoia Handicap and Vanity Handicap.

Typecast had beaten Convenience, who finished third, in the Milady Handicap on May 18. Convenience then rebounded to defeat Typecast in the Vanity Handicap on June 3.

The stage was set for the $250,000 match race, going nine furlongs at equal weights of 120 pounds at Hollywood Park on June 17. Typecast broke on top, but Convenience quickly gained the lead in front of the grandstand, opened up two lengths and held on to win by a head.

By Fleet Nasrullah out of Moment of Truth II, by Matador, Convenience closed out the season with $397,050 in earnings. In an ironic twist and despite losing to Convenience, Typecast would go on to be named the champion older female at the end of the season.

Florida was also well-represented in the several other divisions that year. Shecky Greene, a 2-year-old colt by Noholme II out of Lester’s Pride, by Model Cadet, won the Arch Ward Stakes and Arlington-Washington Futurity. In the latter, Shecky Greene won by nine lengths, covering the six furlongs in 1:10 2/5. Duck Dance, bred and raced by Jack Dreyfus Jr.’s Hobeau Farm, was burning up the sprint division. The 5-yearold horse won the New Era Handicap (6 furlongs in 1:09), Paumonok Handicap (6 furlongs in 1:08 4/5) and Old Line Handicap (6 furlongs in 1:09 1/5). Sophomore colt Freetex, bred by Meadowbrook Farm, captured the Gotham Stakes, Ohio Derby and Monmouth Invitational Handicap.

The January Hialeah Florida-bred juvenile sale set a record gross of $4,341,000. At the March Hialeah sale, Harry T. Mangurian Jr. paid $92,000 for Desert Trial in foal to In Reality; the resulting foal became Valid Appeal. At the same sale, Mangurian paid $40,000 for Desert Trial’s 2-year-old In Reality filly named Desert Vixen.

Leading Florida sire Bolinas Boy died on April 29. While standing at Farnsworth Farms, he was the leading juvenile sire in North America by winners in 1969. Among his many stakes winners were Faneuil Hall, Biller, Famed Prince, Ahira, Fast Royalty and Finance Minister.

Ocala-based Hobeau Farm was the second-leading breeder in North America, a mere $23,118 behind leader Leslie Combs III. The Hobeau Farm-bred runners won $1,555,733. Louis Wolfson’s Harbor View Farm was the leading breeder for the third consecutive year by total number of races won with 326. ■

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RICHARD GRUNDER Birthdate: August 15, 1952

Birthplace: Dodge City, Kansas

Residence: Oldsmar, Florida

Racetracks Worked: Ag Park, Assiniboia Downs, Ak-Sar-Ben, Arapahoe Park, Atokad Downs, Canterbury Downs, Delta Downs, Exposition Park, La Mesa Park, Marquis Downs, Portland Meadows, Prairie Meadows, State Fair Park, Tampa Bay Downs, Waterford Park. Filled in as announcer at Calder Race Course, Canterbury Park, Lone Oak Race, Louisiana Downs.

Family: Wife, Diana; Son, Chad

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Voi c es: Richard Grunder

By REG LANSBERRY

COURTESY TAMPA BAY DOWNS

N

ow in his 30th year behind the microphone as race caller at Tampa Bay Downs in Oldsmar, Fla., Richard Grunder has enjoyed a front row seat as the little track on Florida’s Gulf Coast has become an important stop on the Triple Crown trail. Along with industry watchers and racing fans nationwide, he has marveled at the way management has enabled Tampa to become a shining example of how to grow both the ontrack and simulcast wagering product intelligently while also upgrading the physical facility and amenities to make a day at the races a “must” for its customers.

The crown jewel of its 88th season is the $350,000 Tampa Derby (G2) for 3-year-olds, whose illustrious roster of winners includes 2007 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) victor Street Sense. The Tampa Bay Derby headlines a sterling Festival Day card offering three graded stakes races totaling $700,000 in purse money, a track record. The card’s other stakes, both on turf, are the $200,000 Florida Oaks (G3) for three-year-old fillies and $150,000 Hillsborough Stakes (G3) for older fillies and mares.

The track has initiated the Tampa Bay Downs Million Dollar Derby Bonus which will pay $1 million to the owner continued on pg. 38

THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2014 35

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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 Fax: 352-629-3603 • www.ftboa.com • info@ftboa.com www.ftboa.com • www.facebook.com/thef loridahorse

MakeTheJump_FH_Size_Spr_Layout 1 2/3/14 3:08 PM Page 2

Florida’s tax-friendly, pro-business environment is poised and ready to attract new companies and create new employment opportunities.

No tax on stallion seasons No personal state income tax No individual capital gains tax National leader in veterinary and equine research Ranks second in the U.S. for number of thoroughbred horses Feed and animal health items, along with other specific items, are also exempt Horses are exempt from sales tax when purchased from their original breeder Florida’s greenbelt exemption provides property tax breaks for Florida horse farms Physical climate allows for year-round training, racing, showing and business opportunities 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 Florida...the Best State for Business

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Voices:

Richard Grunder

he was also among a number of racing officials who would play a key role in his chosen career.

Heading west, he “cut his teeth” in Western Canada. of a horse that sweeps the $250,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes That region proved fortuitous in a number of ways be(G3), the Tampa Bay Derby, and the Kentucky Derby.

“Personally, I will never forget Richard’s stirring call cause it brought Grunder into the orbit of several key exof our 2007 Tampa Bay Derby when Street Sense edged ecutives. He not only gained valuable experience but Any Given Saturday, arguably our most memorable eventually was able to meet several racing announcers, race,” said Peter Berube, vice president and general each of whom left a lasting imprint on the sport’s history.

Needless to say, Grunder had progressed from pracmanager. “But Richard brings that same level of enthusiasm and professionalism every day which is no sur- ticing race calls into a tape recorder when he was in grade school to going up into the stands at the track to prise given his extensive background in racing.”

Grunder’s love for all things racing was cemented at an practice calling them “live” during the running of a race. early age. His parents, Dean and Fayola Grunder, oper- “I am sure I annoyed people around me many times over ated a small family racing stable in-and-around dad’s job many years,” Grunder said.

It was at Marquis Downs in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, working for the Santa Fe railroad while mom worked for the federal government. In tandem with older brother, in 1973 where Grunder made his announcing debut. A Larry, there were the requisite daily barn chores on the big fan of Daryl Wells, Sr., an announcing legend in backside, but the clan’s youngest member already had his Canada, he was the recipient of a “leg up” from Wells’s interest piqued by what was occurring on the frontside. friend Dave Sommerfeld, a state racing steward. SomAt the first bugle call he would scamper to where the ac- merfeld helped lay the groundwork for Grunder to call tion was (“I always liked the Grandstand part of it better”) his first race.

Two other colleagues that advanced his career were and indulge a passion for racing that was part of his DNA. “From the time I was in first grade I lived and died Craig McDonald, director of racing and racing secretary by the racing season,” the native of Dodge City, Kansas, at Assiniboia Downs in Winnipeg, Manitoba, who in said. “I would spend summers at the track when my dad turn put him together with Tommy McLeod, the general manager for a 30-day fair meet in Saskatoon. took a leave of absence from the railroad.”

After spending five years behind the microphone at The Grunders would race at various tracks (“Kind of all over”) including now defunct La Mesa Park in Raton, Assiniboia Downs, another stop on Grunder’s eventual path New Mexico, Albuquerque State Fair, and Sportsman’s to Tampa was Portland Meadows in Portland, Oregon. An Park in Cicero, Illinois, plus periodic treks north of the important influence during his seven years there was racing executive Arthur McFadden.

“I was just bouncing around all over the country, basically,” Grunder said. “I was fortunate enough to be able to make a living all those years and lucky to be able to —Peter Berube, vice president and general manager. meet announcers that I spent time border. Labor Day meant it was time to return to school around and wanted to learn from.”

In his low-key way, Grunder’s travels had enabled for the youngest, and to the railroad for the eldest. The stable would be dispersed, temporarily, among other him to rub elbows, at various times, with a trio of antrainers, one of whom was Don Von Hemel, whose son, nouncing legends: Phil Georgeff in Chicago, Harry Donnie K. Von Hemel, trained Caleb’s Posse to win the Henson at the long departed Longacres Race Track in Renton, Washington, and the iconic Chic Anderson, the 2011 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1).

Grunder did not hesitate to gain a handhold in rac- voice of the Kentucky Derby. Grunder was rubbing ing. At age seven, a second-grader, he became the horses for trainer Red Payne at Oaklawn Park in Hot youngest member of La Mesa Park’s film patrol, liter- Springs, Arkansas, where he was able to get up in the ally the “photo finish runner.” Once a race had con- announcer’s booth with Anderson on a couple of occacluded he would dash down from the Press Box, scoop sions prior to the superb Terry Wallace assuming those up the just-developed photo, and run to post it behind chores at Oaklawn.

The well-traveled route that led to Oldsmar and glass in the clubhouse. By happy coincidence the track announcer, Richard Irwin, would not just become an Tampa Bay Downs came to fruition in December 1984. important influence during Grunder’s formative years, Grunder had taken a job in 1980 working in the racing continued from pg. 35

Personally, I will never forget Richard’s stirring call of “ our 2007 Tampa Bay Derby when Street Sense edged Any Given Saturday, arguably our most memorable race. ”

38 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2014

office at Ak-Sar-Ben in Omaha, Nebraska, while also serving as Wallace’s backup. It was there he met John Hanley, who would supply a helpful recommendation to Tampa management.

Another ally who boosted his stock in the Sunshine State was the late Mike Mackey, for whom Grunder worked at Arapahoe Park in Aurora, Colorado. His years of hard work paid off when general manager Lorraine King hired him in December 1984 as the new voice of Tampa Bay Downs.

Surveying the vast changes that have occurred since his arrival more than three decades ago, Grunder is –to coin a phrase– Off and Running.

Grunder instantly mentions how appreciative he is that Tampa’s entire management team, beginning with owner and president Stella F. Thayer, who owns and races thoroughbreds, “Really loves thoroughbred racing. In this day and age many states have gaming which has led to jurisdictional disputes and racing taking a back seat,” Grunder said. “But here the ownership really cares about the racing product and its quality.”

He vividly recalled the early days of simulcasting when Tampa surpassed $1 million in wagering handle for a single day for the first time. “We all went down to the V.I.P. Room to celebrate,” he said. “The thought of hitting $1 million was amazing.”

Long known for its deep, safe mile dirt track that will get a horse “dead fit” and ready to run anywhere in the country once they leave, Grunder said a key point in the track’s ascendancy occurred when management rebuilt the turf course in 1998, and then decided to let it lay dormant for a year. Featuring a seven furlong oval with a quarter-mile chute, he lauded the $150,000 Endeavor Stakes (G3) on the grass for older fillies and mares for its many memorable finishes over the years.

Another masterstroke was the addition of a seven-furlong chute for dirt racing. That provided an added degree of flexibility for Allison DeLuca, Tampa’s director of racing and racing secretary, who could now write races at both six-and-a-half and seven furlongs. Grunder considers the seven-furlong distance to be a lot “kinder” to horses because they have a longer run into its only turn.

The chute’s noteworthy result was management’s creation of a perfect four-race series on dirt for aspiring 3-year-olds whose owners have dreams of the Kentucky Derby dancing in their heads. The progression begins with the $100,000 Inaugural Stakes for juvenile runners in December at six furlongs. It is followed by –for newly minted 3-year-olds— the $100,000 Pasco Stakes at seven furlongs and the Sam F. Davis Stakes and Tampa Bay Derby, both at a mileand-one-sixteenth.

COOLEY PHOTO

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It should come as no surprise that Grunder’s vast and still accumulating storehouse of Tampa highlights is comprised of not just great horses and great races but their human connections, too. Asked about the emergence of the Tampa Bay Derby during the last decade in particular, Grunder instantly rattles off a list of horses that continued to make their mark elsewhere: Street Sense, Any Given Saturday, Limehouse, General Quarters, Menifee, Musket Man, Bluegrass Cat, Deputy Glitters, and Sun King. By way of a reminder, Grunder added that Super Saver, who finished third in 2010, validated his abundant quality by capturing the Run for the Roses at Churchill Downs for owner WinStar Farm and trainer Todd Pletcher.

A year after Street Sense set the Tampa Bay Derby stakes record of 1:43.11, the 2008 edition boasted War Pass, the Eclipse Award Juvenile champion. It was the second consecutive year the race had attracted the reigning 2year-old champion and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) winner. Street Sense became the first B.C. Juvenile titlist to go on and win the Kentucky Derby the following spring.

Street Sense and Any Given Saturday at Tampa Bay Downs.

THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2014 39

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Voices:

Richard Grunder

“People forget that War Pass came into the Tampa Derby having done unbelievable things as a 2-year-old,” Grunder said. “In addition to hanging some big numbers (speed figures), he never had a horse in front of him in a race. Unfortunately, he bobbled coming out of the gate and was a little rank going into the first turn for (jockey) Cornelio Velasquez. It just wasn’t his day.”

“Richard’s love of racing comes through in each and every race he calls,” said Margo Flynn, vice president of marketing and publicity. “He is a true student of the game and a lifelong supporter of the industry. They simply don’t come any better than Richard.”

Asked to provide a couple of Tampa Derbies that stand out among the 29 he has called, Grunder plucks a pair out of his personal pantheon. One he labeled the 2007 Street Sense-Any Given Saturday “slugfest.”

“I had been around Carl Nafzger (Street Sense’s trainer) a lot in the old days,” Grunder said. “So to see Street Sense come off the shelf without a prep race and

There is just so much history here at “ Tampa. I love the game and it is enjoyable to go to work. As my father told me many years ago, ‘If you ever get a job you love to do, you’ll always be a millionaire.

”

—Richard Grinder run as well as he did was just an amazing training job. I told Carl that afterwards. I will never forget Calvin Borel ducking to the rail with Street Sense and Johnny V. (Velazquez) on Any Given Saturday, coming over to intimidate him, and then both riders getting down on their bellies for that sensational stretch run to the wire. It was just quite a day.”

His other choice was the 1988 renewal when Hall of Fame conditioner Woody Stephens entered his namesake, Cefis (the trainer’s middle name). Cefis was a son of Caveat, who in 1983 provided Stephens with the second of his five consecutive Belmont Stakes (G1) triumphs, a record unlikely to be broken.

At the risk of understatement, in the early part of the race Stephens’s charge was unhurried. “Cefis was so far back that I almost bobbled the call and said, ‘Cefis is being taken out of the race.’ He was that far back. I thought there was just no possible way,” Grunder said.

“Then at the quarter pole he starts rolling up a little bit with Eddie Maple, but he was still just light-years away.

And then when he switched leads he just exploded.”

That burst got Cefis to the wire in 1:44 2/5 with Buck Forbes securing the place money. Cefis would

40 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2014

finish fourth to dual classic winner Risen Star in the Belmont Stakes that June.

Grunder’s thoughts then turned to his very good friend, the late Don Rice, who led Tampa’s trainer’s standings an astonishing eight times.

“I was just a kid at Assiniboia Downs back before I worked in the office there as a senior in high school,” Grunder said. “Don and his brother, Clyde, were both up in Winnipeg. Don was an amazing trainer in that he could get a lot of mileage out of a cheap horse. He could keep that horse at the top of his game for a long time.

Just a true horseman.”

Not Surprising, a son of Florida stallion Medieval Man, spilled forth next. He captured the 1995 Eclipse Award as champion sprinter for the Van Worp family.

“What an absolute runner he was! He was home grown right here out of Tampa,” Grunder said.

A split second later it was jockey Willie Martinez’s turn to enter the conversation.

“Willie started out right here; Tampa born and raised. I’ll never forget that each of the first three races he won here his number was taken down every time!” Grunder chuckled. “Willie has had a great career. I was so happy when he won the 2012 Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) on Trinniberg.”

Without question, Grunder’s enthusiasm for racing has made him the ideal host of the track’s weekly Saturday morning soiree, the Morning Glory Club. Emceed

by Graham Ross, the track’s director of publicity when Grunder first arrived, he has been its beloved impresario for more than two decades. Grunder and a prominent racing guest hold court and inform, entertain and educate racing fans about all manner of topics.

“Courtesy of Richard’s knowledge of the sport, he is able to give our fans and bettors insights they often can’t get anywhere else – especially on Saturdays with the eclectic mix of personalities and viewpoints he elicits at the Morning Glory Club,” Berube said.

Grunder is avidly anticipating March 8 and the opportunity to call his 30th Tampa Bay Derby given the likelihood that the winner, if not several horses, will go on to “make some noise” later in 2014.

“There is just so much history here at Tampa. I love the game and it is enjoyable to go to work,” Grunder said. “As my father told me many years ago, ‘If you ever get a job you love to do, you’ll always be a millionaire.’ ” Clearly, Grunder relishes basking in his own Tampa Bay Downs bonus – a million times over. ■

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FLORIDA NEWS Dedicated to growing the industry, the FTBOA is encouraged by their recent agreement with Gulfstream Park, the Florida Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association and Resorts World Omni/Genting.

New Study on Florida Horse Industry Shows Major Economic Benefits to the State TALLAHASSEE, FLA. t a February Senate Gaming Committee hearing in Tallahassee, members of the Florida horse industry unveiled impressive new economic impact figures from a just released statewide study. A coalition of Florida horse racing and breeding organizations retained Cummings Associates to develop a comprehensive estimate of the economic impacts of the horse racing industry in Florida.

A

MAJOR FINDINGS OF THE STUDY UNVEILED INCLUDED:

• The horse racing industry supports more than 12,000 jobs statewide.

• The industry pays those workers more than $400 million in wages and benefits each year.

• The industry generates an annual economic impact of more than $900 million each year – a larger impact than spring training baseball in the state.

“The thoroughbred horse industry is a major agri-business for Florida and has a historic and enormous positive economic impact that the state must continue to embrace,” said Lonny Powell, CEO of Florida Thoroughbred Breeders & Owners Association (FTBOA). “We must move beyond the status-quo for this industry in Florida where we risk losing ground to other states on jobs created and dollars invested.

We ask the legislature to work with us in the pursuit of credible and forward-looking strategies to build this industry, to increase the global and local investment and to hire more workers.”

When measuring the economic impact, Florida’s horse breeding industry ranks second in all of North America. Horse racing and breeding generates a wide range of jobs for those engaged in the care, feeding, training and transportation of horses; those engaged in race42 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2014

track operations serving the horses, horsemen and visitors and maintaining the pari-mutuel wagering industry; and those monitoring and regulating the industry in fees and tax collection.

Dedicated to growing the industry, the FTBOA is encouraged by their recent agreement with Gulfstream Park, the Florida Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association and Resorts World Omni/Genting. This agreement would include relocating an existing nonprofit thoroughbred permit to Resorts World Omni which will help generate additional funds that would give an enormous boost to this historic industry in Florida.

The additional funds to the industry could be used in many ways, including to significantly increase thoroughbred purses, greatly expand stakes and prize money for Florida-bred stakes races and winners, and provide a needed boost to Florida-bred awards and incentives – helping make the owning of a world renowned Florida horse farm, training center, horse or track even more attractive to local and global investment.

“The agreement proposed between Resorts World Omni/Genting and the industry is ground breaking for us and will provide great economic benefit to the state. It represents the potential to take Florida to the highest levels of racing, breeding and global investment with impact reaching from the beaches of South Florida all the way to the green-space and farm country of Marion County,” said Powell. “We commend the Florida Legislature for taking a close look at the gaming issue in our state. We strongly encourage them to take appropriate legislative action regarding this game changing agreement between the industry and Resorts World Omni/Genting.”

The agreement between the parties and nonprofit nature of the permit allows for a portion of the funds to be used to support the retired thoroughbred aftercare programs. Funds will also be made available to other participant related causes, such as such as care and insurance programs for stable area workers and disabled jockeys. ■

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Making Horse Sense with the Equine Alliance of Marion County

F

rom its humble beginnings in the early 1940s, at the hands of thoroughbred racing visionaries like Carl Rose (Rosemere Farm), Bonnie Heath (Bonnie Heath Farm) and Fred Hooper (Hooper Farms), the Marion County equine industry has grown to include nearly every breed imaginable. Presently home to more horses and ponies than any other county in the United States, Ocala/Marion County has become the Horse Capital of the World®. Even though most equine and agricultural professionals recognize the economic opportunities associated with the local horse industry, many of our local business owners and residents do not.

“Born of a desire to share our industry with the community at large, this “disconnect” between the Marion County equine industry, its businesses and residents is the driving theme of the Equine Alliance of Marion County,” said chairwoman Crystal Fernung (Journeyman Stud). Other members of this group include: Barbara Fitos (The Community Foundation for Marion County), Dori Morgan (Farm Credit of North Florida), Karen Grimes (Farm Tours of Ocala), Tammy Gantt (FTBOA), Frank Hennessey (Hennessey Arabians) and (Mark Shuffitt (UF/IFAS Extension Marion County).

Essentially, our goal is to connect, communicate and educate. The local equine industry is directly tied to an extremely lucrative world-wide marketplace that generates billions of dollars for the state of Florida. Accounting services, hotel accommodations, dining, entertainment, transportation and catering are just a few of the services needed by equine industry professionals.

Results of an economic impact study released early last month by FTBOA indicate the racing industry generates an annual economic impact of more than $900 million each year – a larger impact than spring training baseball in the state. But, when we asked local business owners if they market their goods and services to the equine community, most (even those familiar with the term 44 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2014

“Horse Capital of the World”) answered they did not because they did not know how.

We strive to achieve a seamless connection for business owners looking for ways to market and residents to participate in the many different equine breeds, disciplines, sales, events and organizations that bring an economic impact of millions to Ocala/Marion County. Focused on economic opportunity, we are currently attempting to assist local business owners learn how to market themselves to the local equine community.

Since 2012, in an effort to provide business owners and managers with a personal connection to the local equine industry, the Equine Alliance of Marion County has conducted two “Equine Industry Short Courses” for Ocala/Marion County businesses owners, two “Power Luncheons” during the Ocala Breeders’ Sales March and April 2-year-old in-training sales and two “Horse $ense” business exchange meetings. Several local business owners have reported an increase in sales as a direct result of taking advantage of what they learned during our educational events. Many of them have expressed their personal satisfaction and excitement of not only increasing sales, but also understanding how to enjoy and be a part of the Ocala/Marion County equine community.

The Equine Alliance of Marion County continues to grow and expand our reach and influence in the community. Earlier this year, we began a “Horse $ense” radio show Friday mornings at 9:30 a.m. on WOCA 1370AM/96.3FM. This program is designed to introduce the nonequestrian familiar public to our fascinating world through live interviews and discussions with local equine industry professionals. We really want everyone to feel they are welcome and can be a part of the local horse industry. Recently, we have published a brand new website EquineAllianceOfMarionCounty.com, Facebook page (Horse Sense Ocala) and Twitter account @HorseSenseOcala. Currently, the website features an Equine Community Calendar, Equine Event Videos and Economic Impact information as well as links to our Horse $ense radio show.

Additionally, we are conducting an Equine Alliance of Marion County logo contest. We are looking for a logo that embodies our mission to connect, communicate and educate while highlighting the equine in Marion County. Check out the website for complete rules and submittal directions.

Many horsemen and women visionaries have walked before us, and now it’s our turn to perpetuate our fantastic Florida horse industry into the future. “What they’ve got to do,” Fred Hooper said, with all the assurance of a man who has lived a full century, “is educate people to the beauty of racing.” We got some pretty big shoes to fill. ■ Contact us at HorseSenseOcala@gmail.com

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

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

Breeder

Palace Barista Evolution Rocks Prudhoe Bay Here''s Johnny Hot Heir Skier Tanzanite Cat Parranda Ullapool Star Channel Ribo Bobo Sweet N Discreet Mucho Macho Man Nesso Light Bringer Jeranimo Lucrecia Dad''z Laugh Breitling Flyer Babe''s Ruler Enterprising Adios Nardo E B Ryder My Pal Chrisy Old Time Hockey Happy My Way Devil''s Cave Joshua''s Comprise Cor Cor Jackson Bend Flutterby C. Zee Jump Two Jessethemarine Kodiack Kutie She''s Spooky Full Ransom Wildcat Red One Buck Roma Epic Story Can''t Stop the Kid Holiday Magic East Hall Ondine Nicki Starshine Salamera Bad Debt Star Harbour Toasting Decaf Again East Hall

Lady of Prestige The Final Toy Cameron Crazies Bon Caro Uphill Skier Gentle Wave Dynamic Feature Grey Traffic Reach the Top Private Prom Party West Side Dancer Ponche de Leona Devotedness Apt to Star Jera Sweetness Whispered Love Starbuster Leo's Gypsy Dancer Indy Blaze Tambien Me Voy Back to Earth Strike South Grat Holy Queen Wabash Gal Princess Alert Babe's Flair Sexy Stockings Zoobie Diamondaire Twice Lucky Greek Key Sassy Bear Silver Spook Retroesque Racene One Buck Coyote Justtellthestory Halo Reality Harliday East Long Lake Arrow in Flight Etaria Autumn Music Pleasant Ring Snug Harbour Ponderway Pot of Coffee East Long Lake

Lynne M. Scace Charles Floyd Cantrell Beth Bayer Brett Brinkman & Dr. Kent Cantr Rustlewood Farm Inc. Rick Sutherland New Farm Charles H. Deters & Dr. John Peterson Kinsman Farm Peachtree Stable Mr. & Mrs. Samuel H. Rogers Jr. Rapputi Stables LLC E. Paul Robsham Stable LLC John D. Rio & Carole A. Rio Donald R. Dizney Vegso Racing Stable Brylynn Farm Inc. Jimmy Randolph Gilbert G. Campbell Bathen Thoroughbreds LLC & Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC Bryan Hicks Glen Hill Farm Ups and Downs Farm Farnsworth Stables LLC Shade Tree Thoroughbreds Inc Glen Hill Farm Mayo West Farm & Liam Benson Circle S Ranch Inc Rose Family Stable Ltd A. Francis Vanlangendonck & Barbara Vanlangendonck Jacks or Better Farm Inc. The Jerome G. Bozzo Trust Jacks or Better Farm Inc. Edward A. Seltzer & Murrray Stroud Dream Builder Racing LLC Brent Fernung & Crystal Fernung Tim James Mawhinney & Karen Faye Mawhinney Gregg James Moreau Bloodstock International Inc. & Winter Racing Enterprise I Gerald Bennett & Mary Bennett Mr. & Mrs. Marty Hershe Centaur Farms Inc. NTS Stable Inc. Mary K. Haire Gilbert G. Campbell Sunshine Thoroughbred Corp.

Tanourin Stable Pennston Farms Inc. Peter Vegso & Anne Vegso L & D Farms Inc. J D Farms Mary K. Haire

4 5 3 3 3 3 5 5 5 6 4 6 3 3 8 3 4 3 3 3 5 4 6 5 4 4 4 4 7 3 3 3 3 3 4 3 3 4 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 7 6 4 8 3

Lido Palace (CHI) City Zip Songandaprayer Colonel John Wildcat Heir Graeme Hall English Channel Langfuhr English Channel Louis Quatorze Discreet Cat Macho Uno Roman Ruler Northern Afleet Congaree Flower Alley Black Mambo Ghostzapper Roman Ruler Elusive Quality Invisible Ink Bluegrass Cat Alex's Pal Smarty Jones Wilko Put It Back Comprise Smoke Glacken Hear No Evil Congrats Elusive Bluff Jump Start With Distinction Saint Anddan With Distinction Full Mandate D'wildcat Burning Roma Mass Media Montbrook Congrats Graeme Hall Medaglia d'Oro Milwaukee Brew Successful Appeal Grand Reward Indian Charlie Congrats Wised Up Graeme Hall

BENOIT & ASSOCIATES PHOTO

Jeranimo/San Gabriel S. (G2)

46 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2014

Track Off ID Pos Race Name

1/25/14 1/25/14 1/21/14 1/21/14 1/20/14 1/20/14 1/18/14 1/18/14 1/18/14 1/18/14 1/18/14 1/18/14 1/4/14 1/4/14 1/4/14 1/1/14 1/25/14 1/21/14 1/21/14 1/18/14 1/18/14 1/18/14 1/18/14 1/18/14 1/18/14 1/18/14 1/18/14 1/11/14 1/11/14 1/4/14 1/4/14 1/4/14 1/4/14 1/1/14 1/1/14 1/1/14 1/1/14 1/25/14 1/21/14 1/21/14 1/21/14 1/21/14 1/19/14 1/18/14 1/18/14 1/18/14 1/18/14 1/18/14 1/18/14 1/1/14

Sweet N Discreet/Fl. Sunshine Millions Distaff

COGLIANESE PHOTO

C G C G C C M M R G F H F F H F C C F C G F M G G F C F H F C F C F F F C G F C F G F F F G H F G G

Date

TAM CRC OTC OTC AQU OP GP GP GP GP GP GP TAM CRC SA CMR CRC OTC OTC GG FG GP GP GP GP GP GP TAM GP CRC GP LRL LRL CMR GP SA GP TAM OTC OTC OTC OTC SA GP GP GP GP GP GP GP

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3

Grade/ Value

Earngs

Pelican S. $60,000 Thrillin Discovery H. $65,000 OBS Sprint S. $50,000 OBS Championship S. $100,000 Jimmy Winkfield S. $100,000 Smarty Jones S. $150,000 FL Sunshine Millions F&M Turf S. $150,000 Fl Sunshine Millions F&M Sprint S. $150,000 Fl Sunshine Millions Turf S. $150,000 Fl Sunshine Millions Sprint S. $150,000 Fl Sunshine Millions Distaff S. $294,000 Fl Sunshine Millions Classic S. $400,000 Gasparilla S. $51,500 Chispiski S. $65,000 San Gabriel S. 2/$200,500 Clasico Ano Nuevo S. 3/$32,400 Thrillin Discovery H. $65,000 OBS Sprint S. $50,000 OBS Championship S. $100,000 California Derby $100,315 Colonel E. R. Bradley H. 3/$123,750 Fl Sunshine Millions F&M Turf S. $150,000 Fl Sunshine Millions F&M Sprint S. $150,000 Fl Sunshine Millions Turf S. $150,000 Fl Sunshine Millions Sprint S. $150,000 Fl Sunshine Millions Distaff S. $294,000 Fl Sunshine Millions Classic S. $400,000 Minaret S. $50,000 Hal's Hope S. 3/$100,000 Chispiski S. $65,000 Spectacular Bid S. $100,000 Marshua S. $100,000 Frank Whiteley Jr S. $100,000 Clasico Ano Nuevo S. 3/$32,400 Voodoo Dancer S. $75,000 Blue Norther S. $79,000 Gulfstream Park Derby $100,000 Pelican S. $60,000 OBS Sprint S. $50,000 OBS Sprint S. $50,000 OBS Championship S. $100,000 OBS Championship S. $100,000 La Canada S. 2/$200,500 Fl Sunshine Millions F&M Turf S. $150,000 Fl Sunshine Millions F&M Sprint S. $150,000 Fl Sunshine Millions Turf S. $150,000 Fl Sunshine Millions Sprint S. $150,000 Fl Sunshine Millions Distaff S. $294,000 Fl Sunshine Millions Classic S. $400,000 Gulfstream Park Derby $100,000

$36,000 $39,494 $30,000 $60,000 $60,000 $90,000 $90,000 $90,000 $90,000 $90,000 $180,000 $240,000 $30,000 $38,440 $120,000 $18,792 $12,740 $10,000 $20,000 $20,000 $25,000 $30,000 $30,000 $30,000 $30,000 $60,000 $80,000 $10,000 $20,000 $12,400 $20,000 $20,000 20000 $6,480 $15,000 $15,700 $20,000 $6,000 $5,000 $5,000 $10,000 $10,000 $24,000 $15,000 $15,000 $15,000 $15,000 $30,000 $40,000 $10,000

Mucho Macho Man/Fl. Sunshine Millions Classic

COGLIANESE PHOTO

Horse Name Sex Age Sire

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Florida-Breds Aro

The Country und

■FLORIDA-BRED FINISHERS—ALLOWANCE Win/Place/Show Horse Name Sex Age Brilliantlee Professor Palmer Drover Crazy Shy''s Aly Card Maravillosa Pena Winkatdawat Laugh At Life Neil Healy Flash Encounter Myrosapozzi Tipthetrolleygirl Wild Dude Green Money One Buck Roma Tapit''s World Indian Pepper Copa Del Rey It''sapossibility Tea Riffic Rapid Runner Leslie Two Step Era''s Boy I''m Steppin'' It Up Saturday Storms Ek Haseena Brother Pete I Cat Pierre Bear Black Label Gaelico Tenthstreet Prince Lion Form Fitting Tanasi Dream Come True Correspondent Copa Del Rey Talent N Passion Your in for Half Vanessak The Fed Eased Boheme de Lavi Son of Dixie Great Red Beauty Special Congrats Professor Palmer Wicked Tune Gabbywitha G Diana''s Daisy

G G G F G F H G G F M F C F G F M G H G G F G H F F C G G C H G G F M F M G F G M G F C F G G H M F

3 6 4 3 4 3 6 4 4 3 7 4 4 4 4 4 7 3 6 3 7 3 8 6 3 4 4 5 7 3 5 4 4 4 5 3 6 3 4 7 6 6 3 3 4 5 6 7 5 4

Sire Lemon Drop Kid Mr. Livingston Cowtown Cat Too Shy Will Fly Spring At Last Teuflesberg Gimmeawink Got the Last Laugh Congrats Flatter Halifax Put It Back Wildcat Heir The Green Monkey Burning Roma Tapit Macho Uno With Distinction Closing Argument El Corredor Rationalexuberance Two Step Salsa Straight Man Congrats Any Given Saturday Songandaprayer Broken Vow Bluegrass Cat French Envoy Exclusive Quality War Front Spanish Steps Purge Tapit High Cotton Congrats Rock Hard Ten With Distinction City Place Snuck In Lightnin N Thunder Montbrook Graeme Hall Dixie Union Greatness Congrats Mr. Livingston Concorde's Tune Trippi Langfuhr

Dam

Breeder

Date

Track ID

Off Pos

Grade/ Value

Earngs

Good Cause Drumsticks Her She Shawklit Miss Aly Pie Fond East Lake Classic Lac Dawat Naturally Clever Red Hot Renee Blue Flash Truth Or Dehere Keepondealing Courtly Choice Take Into Account One Buck Coyote Higher World Vividly Madama Butterfly Pat's Possibility Chado Satine Rouge Po Po Au Pooh Roses for Avie Cindy Woo Who Proud Lightning Deed Andrea Gail Talullah Due to Shine Black Bottom Global Gold Litter the Glitter Princess Lana Fashion Girl Apache Pines Dreaminadream Uplifting Madama Butterfly Anythingispossible Dead Ender Fo Fifty Fo Valid Invitation Salty N Sassy Jeanne's Honor Golden Billie Frisky Cheerleader Drumsticks Pretty Wicked Beafleet Oglala Sue

Vegso Racing Stable David J. Palmer & Teresa C. Palmer Gulf Coast Farms Bloodstock LP Dodie Duys Bridlewood Farm Sherry R. Mansfield Kenneth H. Davis & Adele E. Mansfield Carl Bowling Marie Montgomery-Riggs John Liviakis Shadybrook Farm Inc & William Lussky University of Florida Foundation Stonecliff Farm Versatile Thoroughbreds LLC Richard Thompson & Linda Thompson Gerald Bennett & Mary Bennett Sienna Farms LLC Adena Springs Kathleen Amaya Sienna Farms LLC Lynne Boutte & Chris Boutte Francis McDonnell University of Florida Foundation E & D Enterprises Thomas L Croley Destiny Oaks of Ocala Devil Eleven Stable A. Francis Vanlangendonck & Barbara Vanlangendonck Craig L. Wheeler Mark S Raney Marti Erin Haught Mr. & Mrs. Marty Hershe Haras Paso Nevado Circle S Ranch Do Little Farm LLC & Leon Sniadecky Donarra Thoroughbreds LLC Harold J. Plumley Sunshine Thoroughbred Corp.

Glen Hill Farm Kathleen Amaya Hartley/De Renzo Thoroughbreds Charlie Dobbs & Frank Berris Mr. & Mrs. Marty Hershe William H Stewart Ocala Stud Farm III Enterprises LLC Sienna Farms LLC Collins Training Stables LLC & Mildred Arent Elizabeth H. Muirhead David J. Palmer & Teresa C. Palmer Patricia Generazio Peter Gonzalez & Jorge Herrera Anthony Lenci

1/25/14 1/25/14 1/25/14 1/19/14 1/18/14 1/17/14 1/17/14 1/14/14 1/12/14 1/10/14 1/4/14 1/3/14 1/3/14 1/2/14 1/1/14 1/30/14 1/29/14 1/25/14 1/25/14 1/25/14 1/20/14 1/17/14 1/12/14 1/11/14 1/11/14 1/9/14 1/5/14 1/4/14 1/4/14 1/25/14 1/24/14 1/23/14 1/20/14 1/20/14 1/20/14 1/19/14 1/18/14 1/17/14 1/16/14 1/13/14 1/11/14 1/10/14 1/10/14 1/10/14 1/8/14 1/6/14 1/5/14 1/5/14 1/2/14 1/1/14

CRC TAM GG CRC OP CMR OP SUN PM CRC SUN FG SA CMR TAM OP BEU CRC CT PEN CMR CMR CMR CRC OP LRL SA TAM SUN CRC FG PEN CMR LRL PRX CRC TAM CRC AQU BEU CT CRC CRC OP TAM PRX TAM GP CMR TAM

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3

$23,800 $23,800 $32,115 $21,550 $56,000 $8,910 $56,000 $26,600 $8,500 $23,300 $29,100 $41,000 $57,360 $9,709 $23,800 $57,000 $7,100 $23,800 $28,400 $33,689 $6,472 $8,910 $10,329 $30,640 $56,000 $46,190 $61,588 $21,800 $26,675 $23,800 $42,300 $29,500 $6,472 $43,544 $51,680 $21,550 $21,400 $21,550 $62,000 $7,100 $28,200 $21,550 $23,300 $56,000 $21,400 $47,000 $21,400 $52,650 $9,709 $21,400

$14,530 $15,190 $18,000 $12,780 $33,600 $5,168 $33,600 $15,960 $4,675 $14,530 $17,460 $24,600 $36,000 $5,990 $15,400 $11,400 $1,420 $5,186 $5,600 $6,549 $1,377 $1,782 $2,066 $7,396 $11,200 $8,820 $11,600 $5,000 $5,852 $2,593 $4,510 $3,245 $689 $4,620 $5,060 $2,380 $2,500 $2,806 $6,200 $710 $2,800 $2,380 $2,593 $5,600 $2,500 $5,060 $2,500 $5,850 $1,033 $2,920

■FLORIDA-BRED FINISHERS—MAIDEN SPECIAL WEIGHT Win/Place/Show Horse Name Sex Age

Sire

Dam

Breeder

Proud to Be Wild Paltarrevenge Condestable Edison Daring Kathy Enchanted River Kulboyz Bitters ''n Bourbon Tyler Darling Only Simon Warmhearted Windy Presenceofagenius Schivarelli Tragedy''s Triumph Fantasmagorico Thundergram J''s Two Step Halo Dave the Usher Princess Marcela Mystical Myles Can''t Stop the Kid Xtra Luck Bama Bound Rubytheheartstealr

Wildcat Heir Milwaukee Brew Rock Hampton Bernardini Wildcat Heir War Chant Bring the Heat Old Fashioned Omega Code Simon Pure Put It Back Sky Mesa Montbrook With Distinction Speightstown Graeme Hall Two Step Salsa Cowtown Cat High Cotton Concorde's Tune Montbrook Exchange Rate Rock Hard Ten Henny Hughes

Rainbow Pride Bang Up Play Incontestable Heart of Grace Dare to Mambo Island Fire Shadow Belle Flexible Princess Caught Kissing Only an Answer Wild Warm Wind Mystical Woman Alotofappeal Apache Dancer Miss Tizzynow Parental Uproar J's Happy Halo Forest Mystery Revealing Blush Orchid Isle Halo Reality Miu Miu Leo's Gypsy Dancer Polish Ruby

New Farm Harold J. Plumley Luisa Degwitz & Ric-Deg Farm Destiny Oaks of Ocala John Eaton & Steve Laymon Peter Vegso Racing Stable Stephen Screnci Farm III Enterprises LLC & Off The Hook Partners LLC Helen Marie Napolitano Mr. & Mrs. Richard V. Thompson Maurice Miller LLC Vegso Racing Stable Ocala Stud Ebert Vans Inc. & Edward Wiest Charlie Dobbs St. George Stables LLC Stanley Boileau Janis Maitlen Brenda Jones Oakleaf Farm Myles I. Neff Centaur Farms Inc. Haras Santa Maria de Araras S.A. Bryan Hicks William F. Murphy & Annabel Murphy

F G G C F F C C G C F R C F C C F C F C C C G F

3 4 3 3 3 4 3 3 4 4 4 4 3 4 4 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 3

48 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2014

Date

Track ID

Off Pos

Grade/ Value

Earngs

1/29/14 1/26/14 1/26/14 1/26/14 1/24/14 1/23/14 1/23/14 1/18/14 1/17/14 1/17/14 1/17/14 1/16/14 1/13/14 1/12/14 1/10/14 1/10/14 1/8/14 1/8/14 1/5/14 1/4/14 1/4/14 1/3/14 1/1/14 1/30/14

LRL TAM CRC GP GP FG GP OP SUN CT GP SA AQU FG CRC OP TAM LRL GP CRC GP FG PRX GP

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2

$40,000 $22,800 $23,550 $44,900 $40,000 $40,000 $40,000 $55,000 $20,640 $26,200 $47,000 $56,250 $60,000 $40,000 $23,550 $55,000 $23,600 $40,770 $47,000 $23,550 $47,000 $40,000 $48,480 $41,400

$22,800 $14,600 $14,530 $28,900 $24,000 $24,000 $24,000 $33,000 $12,300 $15,600 $28,700 $33,600 $36,000 $24,000 $14,530 $33,000 $14,600 $22,800 $28,200 $14,530 $28,200 $24,000 $27,000 $10,200

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Florida-Breds Aro

The Country und

■FLORIDA-BRED FINISHERS—MAIDEN SPECIALWEIGHT

Continued Win/Place/Show

Horse Name Sex Age

Sire

Dam

Breeder

Date

Track ID

Off Pos

Grade/ Value

Earngs

Awarding Pio''s Passion Tuneintobow Vale Ridge Signora Gina Oration Cowgirls in Heaven Nagua''s Star Pantera Rojo Faith Hope Love Donegal Hall Justa Little Evil Transpire Opequon Creek Street Trick I Will Facundo Flirting Clara Discreetly Elusive Gimme a Reason Do Not Enter Cinnamonjellybean Wild Winter Time Jumper Time Jumper Grand Humor Remarkable Teresa Do Not Enter Hojas Black Fire Talentnspeed Gimme a Reason Gibson''s Bullet A Storm Is Brewing Zamquick Passion for Money Boss Man Speedy Girl Gourmet Delight Puntrooskie

Keyed Entry Mr. Livingston Concorde's Tune Cactus Ridge Belong to Me Spring At Last Gottcha Gold Montbrook Sweet Return (GB) Chapel Royal Graeme Hall Hear No Evil Graeme Hall Concorde's Tune Street Sense Yes It's True Almuhathir Exclusive Quality Discreet Cat Gimmeawink Keyed Entry Candy Ride (ARG) Wildcat Heir Denis of Cork Denis of Cork Sharp Humor Concorde's Tune Keyed Entry Two Step Salsa Full Mandate Genuine Talent Gimmeawink Montbrook Yesbyjimminy Pomeroy Circular Quay English Channel Benny the Bull Gottcha Gold In Summation

All My Dreams Master Prospect Clara Bow Merryvale Twinkle Twinkle Miz Betty Grace Glitter Lady Star Rainbow Thunderous Gal Defrills Cedar Rose Spinning Jolie Royal Inspiration Valid Pro Brief Bliss Chacana Pulpit Baby Clarabella Pretty Elusive Relic's Hope My Favorite Rose Jb's Golden Regret Tchopitioulas Adorable Heidi Adorable Heidi Happybirthdaygirl Shimmering Brook My Favorite Rose Do I Make Ya Randi Infernal Dancer Genuine Speed Relic's Hope Catch the Ghost Stay for the Storm Zamsweet Avenging Passion Jenny Joy Glass Slipper Western Tornado Siren Cove

Lori A. Smock Tey-Marie Stables Inc. Shadybrook Farm Inc & William Lussky Four Horsemen''s Ranch Sienna Farms LLC Donarra Thoroughbreds LLC Ocala Stud Ocala Stud Red Oak Farm Inc. Sharon Biamonte & Al Milano Mary Robinson Equest Thoroughbreds Inc. Shade Tree Thoroughbreds Inc Geoff Roy & Tom Fitzgerald Ocala Stud Sally Andersen Rustlewood Farm Inc. St. George Stables LLC Louie Rogers Thoroughbreds LLC E. Paul Robsham Stables LLC Gerald Colwell Linda Schroetlin Sienna Farms LLC Harold J. Plumley Faraway Farm Faraway Farm Deborah M. Brozio Patricia Generazio Linda Schroetlin Kathleen A Taylor Jorge Haddock North Star Equine Gerald Colwell Centaur Farms Inc. & Ocala Stud Mary George Arlene M. Powell Jolane McAlister & Joseph Arboritanza Kinsman Farm Greg James Ocala Stud John David O''Farrell J. Michael O''Farrell Jr. & Our Sugar Bear St

1/26/14 1/26/14 1/25/14 1/25/14 1/24/14 1/23/14 1/22/14 1/20/14 1/20/14 1/19/14 1/18/14 1/17/14 1/17/14 1/17/14 1/17/14 1/12/14 1/10/14 1/8/14 1/5/14 1/4/14 1/4/14 1/1/14 1/26/14 1/26/14 1/26/14 1/26/14 1/24/14 1/23/14 1/21/14 1/20/14 1/20/14 1/18/14 1/18/14 1/17/14 1/17/14 1/11/14 1/10/14 1/5/14 1/4/14 1/4/14

TAM CRC GP GP GP GP TAM CMR SA SA CRC CMR CRC CT GP TAM CRC TAM GP CRC GP PRX TAM GG GG SA GP GP HOU CMR HOU CRC GP CMR GP CT GP GP PRX GP

2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3

$21,200 $23,550 $41,400 $41,400 $40,000 $40,000 $20,800 $7,573 $57,000 $57,750 $22,050 $7,573 $21,800 $26,200 $47,000 $20,800 $23,550 $23,600 $47,000 $23,550 $47,000 $47,000 $21,200 $32,660 $32,660 $56,750 $40,000 $40,000 $19,000 $7,573 $19,000 $22,050 $42,500 $7,573 $47,000 $26,100 $42,500 $47,000 $46,000 $47,000

$5,000 $4,760 $10,200 $9,400 $8,400 $8,400 $5,000 $1,515 $11,200 $11,200 $5,186 $1,515 $4,760 $5,200 $9,400 $4,800 $4,760 $4,800 $10,340 $4,973 $9,870 $9,000 $2,600 $3,120 $3,120 $6,720 $4,000 $4,400 $2,035 $757 $2,024 $2,806 $4,280 $757 $4,280 $2,600 $4,700 $5,170 $4,950 $5,170

C G C F F G F F C F C G C C F C G F F G C F C G G G F C C F F G C C M F G F C G

4 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 4 3 4 3 3 3 3 3 4 3 3 4 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 5 3 4 3 3 3

Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’s Association •Lonny Powell – CEO, Executive Vice President •Brock Sheridan – Editor-in-Chief •Tammy Gantt – Membership Services, Events Director •Dave Allen – Associate Editor Calder Race Course •Bobby Neuman – Track Announcer •Sean Perl – Stakes Coordinator •David Osojnak – Placing Judge 50 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2014

Gulfstream Park •Michael Costanzo – Claims Clerk •Peter Aiello IV – Track Announcer Hialeah Park •R. Peter Aiello IV – Director of Simulcasting, Track Announcer •Scott Hinckley – Asst. Mutuel Manager Isle Casino Racing Pompano Park •Heather Belmonte – Executive Assistant

Ocala Breeders’ Sales •Tom Ventura – President Orlando Jai Alai •Kevin Honig – Asst. GM/Director ITW Tampa Bay Downs •Allison DeLuca – Racing Secretary •Doug Murray – TRPB Agent Trainer •Todd Pletcher

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NATIONAL NEWS

52 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2014

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Repeat Three-peat of a

By BROCK SHERIDAN

MICHAEL BURNS PHOTO

L

ast year Wise Dan became the first horse since John Henry in 1981 to win three Eclipse Awards in the same year and on Jan. 18 he repeated that feat becoming the first horse in history to do so. Wise Dan took home Female Turf Horse: Dank honors for 2013 Horse of Male Turf Horse: Wise Dan the Year, Champion Steeplechase Horse: Divine Fortune Older Horse and ChamMoment of the Year: Mucho Macho Man, Breeders’ Cup Classic pion Turf Horse, just as Older Female: Royal Delta he did a year ago.

Older Male: Wise Dan Owned by Morton Fink Live Television: NBC Sports, Kentucky Derby Telecasts Television Feature: HRTV, Saratoga War Horse of Northbrook, Ill., and Special Eclipse Award: Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance trained by Charles LoFemale Sprinter: Groupie Doll Male Sprinter: Points Offthebench Presti, Wise Dan dashed Breeder of the Year: Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey through 2013 with six Feature Commentary Writing: Marty McGee wins from seven starts Outstanding News/Enterprise Writing: Marcus Hirsch Trainer: Todd Pletcher including a repeat perChampion Three Year Old: Will Take Charge formance with a victory Champion Three Year Old Filly: Beholder in the Breeders’ Cup Champion Two Year Old Male: Shared Belief Champion Two Year Old Filly: She’s A Tiger Mile (Grade 1) at Santa Outstanding Audio/Multi-Media Internet: New York Times Anita on Nov. 2.

Photography Jamie Radosevich-Hernandez “To get a horse like Award of Merit: D. Wayne Lukas this is a miracle,” Fink, Champion Apprentice Jockey: Victor Carrasco Champion Jockey: Javier Castellano who also bred Wise Dan, Horse of the Year: Wise Dan said. “I can’t get into everything that he has accomplished because he has done so much.”

Florida-bred Mucho Macho Man missed as a nominee for Champion Older Horse and Horse of the Year but was honored with an Eclipse for providing the industry their Moment of the Year when he took the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at Santa Anita on Nov. 2.

Benjamin Leon and his Florida farm Besilu Stables took home an Eclipse Award as their Royal Delta was named the Champion Older Mare. It was the second straight year that Royal Delta was so honored as Champion Older Female and the third year in-a-row that she earned an Eclipse trophy having won as Champion Three Year Old Filly in 2010.

Other stars on the night included Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey who took home two Eclipse Awards as the Champion Owner and Champion Breeder. It was the third Eclipse Award as Champion Owner for the couple who were also honored as outstanding owners in 2004 and 2011. However, 2013 was a banner year for the couple whose horses won more than $12 million, $5 million more than Midwest Thoroughbreds, who finished second in that category.

Groupie Doll kept the repeat theme further alive during the evening as she was once again named the Champion Female Sprinter after she won the Breeders’ Cup Female Sprint (G1) for the second straight year. ■ THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2014 53

RetiredT_Bred_March_Florida Horse_template 2/26/14 1:55 PM Page 2

An inside look into Florida’s retired thoroughbreds

Darkside A Retired Racehorse’s Successful Journey from Star Wars’ Darkside to Stateside

to Stateside

By SALLY MOEHRING e called him Chewbacca in the barn,” said Sandy Gruninger of Cambridge Star Farm in Anthony, Fla., who along with her husband Patrick bred Darksideoftheforce, a registered Florida-bred thoroughbred born in March of 2003. The dark bay colt by Weekend Cruise out of R Fair Dee by Waki Bob, got his name because Gruninger’s husband was an avid Star Wars fan. “We named all of ‘R-Dee’s’ babies with a Star Wars reference,” said Gruninger.

Selling at the Ocala Breeders Sales as a yearling, the colt ended up in Canada for many years. Eventually owner Jane Withstandley contacted the Gruningers to ask if they had any foal photos of the horse. They did. They were thrilled to hear Chewbacca had landed in a soft spot. “It’s always great to find out that the horses you breed end up having a great home,” Sandy enthusiastically said.

During Chewbacca’s many years away from the Gruningers, he raced a total of 20 times at Monmouth and Philadelphia Park. Earning just under $20,000, he won once with a few seconds and thirds.

W

CONKLIN PHOTOGRAPHY

Florida-bred Darksideoftheforce

54 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2014

Somehow, after his racing career, he landed at Leigh Berman's Two Bit Farm in Boyertown, Penn., where Withstandley found and bought him in 2010.

Renamed Calvin for his barn name, his official show name became Stateside. His training was slow going. According to his new owner, he was hot to the leg. It took a lot of patience, time and help from trainer Diane Little until Calvin learned to soften and bend to her leg pressure. Even through the tougher moments, Calvin’s outstanding jumping ability kept his owner persevering with him. Finally, last year, everything really seemed to come together.

He was champion at his last two shows of the year.

Withstandley commented, “I compete him in the high adult jumpers and even though he only competed in the division for half the year in 2013 he ended up 12th in USEF zone 2 covering New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Zone 2 is the largest of the 12 USHJA zones.

Owner and horse are currently on target to qualify for Devon Horse Show of 2014 and also the North American League (NAL), a series of shows that offer events for children’s hunters and jumpers, adult hunters and jumpers, and pony jumpers. Another goal on the horizon is the Washington International Horse Show, established in 1958, the WIHS is the country's leading metropolitan indoor horse show. Every October, hundreds of the top national and international horses and riders, including Olympic veterans, travel to Washington D.C., to compete in a week long competition.

“He has been an absolute dream come true for me. He will never be for sale. He is definitely part of the family. My almost three-year old daughter has a little saddle and loves to ride him. Of course riding for her just means I lead her around the ring but he is so very good with her. Very impressive for a thoroughbred off the track (OTTB),” said Withstandley. ■

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On Jan. 18, Gulfstream Park again played host to the Eclipse Awards and the Eclipse Awards party and celebration the night before in the saddling paddock.

Pictured are: 1.) Frank Stronach, Karen Russell and FTBOA President George Russell at the party. 2.) Benjamin Leon of Besilu Stables in Ocala accepts the Eclipse Award for Royal Delta. 3.) FTBOA CEO Lonny Powell, Karen Powell, Fred Brei, Jerry Campbell, George Russell and Karen Russell at the Eclipse party.

4.) Gulfstream Park General Manager Tim Ritvo welcomes the guests to the Eclipse Awards. 5.) Pattie Reeves, Kathy Ritvo and Dean Reeves of the Mucho Macho Man team. 6.) Lonny Powell and lifelong friend and Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens. 7.) National sports commentator Jim Rome accepts the Eclipse Award for Shared Belief.

8.) Lonny and Karen Powell 9.) Jonathan Sheppard accepts the Eclipse Award for Divine Fortune 10.) Lonny Powell and Frank Stronach

1

2 3

4 56 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2014

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& 5

8

7

6

PHOTOS 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10 AND BACKGROUND BY JOE DIORIO PHOTOS 2, 4, 9 BY LIZ LAMONT

9

10 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2014 57

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he Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association supplements annually the stakes schedules at each of the Florida race tracks in an effort to further promote the Florida thoroughbred. The Florida Sire Stakes Program is part of this overall promotion.

The Sire Stakes program is open to horses registered with the FTBOA and by Florida stallions registered with the FTBOA who have met all eligibility requirements and made all required payments. The program consists of more than $2.2 million in purse awards supplemented by FTBOA for two-year old and three-year old races and includes the lucrative Florida SIRE Stakes – a six race series for two-year olds. In 2013, the program represents $640,000 in purses at Gulfstream Park and $150,000 at Tampa Bay Downs. In 2012, it represented the $1 million Florida Stallion Stakes and $430,000 in purses at Calder Race Course.

The $1 million Florida Sire Stakes consists of six 2-year-old races for Florida-bred colts and fillies. The races are: two 6 furlong races, two 7 furlong races, and two races at 1 1/16th.

Rewarding Excellence The Florida Sire Stakes Program Promotes Florida-breds The series runs summer through fall at a Florida race track.

Starting with foals of 2012 that are eligible for the 2014 Florida Sire Stakes, the FTBOA will serve as the administrator for the Florida Sire Stakes series.

Foals are eligible for the Florida Sire Stakes series and twoyear old and three-year old supplemental stakes program if: 1. The foal’s sire was an FTBOA-registered stallion standing in Florida when the foal was conceived, AND,

2. The foal is a Florida-bred registered with the FTBOA 3. The foal is kept eligible with payment of eligibility fees by the deadline(s) required

2014 Florida Sire Stakes Program Deadlines & Payments (Foals of 2012) Includes eligibility in Florida Sire Stakes series, two-year old and 2015 threeyear old supplemental stakes

2011 – Stallion registration: Before/on June 1 - $1,000; June 2 through August 1 - $2,000

2012 - No weanling payment required

58 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2014

2013 – No yearling payment required

2014 – Two-year-old payment required: Before/on January 15- $500; Before/on Jan. 15- $300 and another $300 by May 17; January 16 through February 28 - $1,000 2015 Florida Sire Stakes Program Deadlines & Payments (Foals of 2013) Includes eligibility in Florida Sire Stakes series, two-year old and 2016 threeyear old supplemental stakes 2012 – Stallion registration: Before/on February 15 $2,000; February 16 through August 1 - $3,000; August 2 through November 15 - $10,000 2013 - No weanling payment required

2014 - Yearling payment required: Before/on May 15 - $250; May 16 through November 15 - $500

2015 – Two-year-old payment required: Before/on January 15- $250; January 16 through February 28 $500 If the yearling payment or supplemental yearling payment was not paid in 2014, a one-time payment of $5,000 can be made by January 15, 2015 to maintain eligibility.

2016 Florida Sire Stakes Program Deadlines & Payments (Foals of 2014) Includes eligibility in Florida Sire Stakes series, two-year old and 2017 threeyear old supplemental stakes 2013 – Stallion registration: Before/on February 15 - $2,000; February 16 through August 1 $3,000; August 2 through November 15 - $10,000 2014 – No weanling payment required

2015 - Yearling payment required: Before/on May 15 - $250; May 16 through November 15 - $500

2016 – Two-year-old payment required: Before/on January 15- $250; January 16 through February 28 - $500 If the yearling payment or supplemental yearling payment was not paid in 2015, a one-time payment of $5,000 can be made by January 15, 2016 to maintain eligibility.

2017 Florida Sire Stakes Program First Deadline

2014 – Stallion registration: Before/on February 15 - $2,000; February 16 through August 1 $3,000; August 2 through November 15 - $10,000

continued on next spread

AcceleratedEarningPower_Feb_Florida Horse_template 2/25/14 10:42 AM Page 59

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JOE DIORIO PHOTO (TAMPA BAY DOWNS / COGLIANESE PHOTO (GULFSTREAM PARK) COADY PHOTO (CALDER CASINO & RACE COURSE)

THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2014 59

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2013 FTBOA REGISTERED FLORIDA STALLIONS (for FTBOA registered foals of 2014) A.P. Warrior Adios Charlie American Spirit Awesome of Course Backtalk Belgravia Benny The Bull Big Bad Barnie Big Drama Biondetti BL's Appeal Brooks 'N Down Circular Quay City Place Cliff’s Catch Cool Coal Man Cowtown Cat Crown of Thorns Double Honor Exclusive Quality Factum Field Commission First Dude Flashstorm Forty Grams

General Quarters Get Rich Quick Gone Astray Gottcha Gold Graeme Hall Greatness Hal’s Image Hear No Evil High Cotton Imperialism In Summation Indy Wind Iqbaal J P's Gusto Kantharos Keyed Entry Kiss The Kid Leroidesanimaux Lifestyle Mach Ride Maltese Dog Mass Media Montbrook Motovato Overdriven

Personal Interest Pleasant Strike Put It Back Repent Revolving Saint Anddan Seeking Beauty Seeking the Dia Silver Tree Stratford Hill Sweet Return Telling Tequilazo The Green Monkey Threeandoh Thunder Moccasin Two Step Salsa United States Vineyard Haven Wagon Limit Wildcat Heir With Distinction Yesbyjimminy

2012 FTBOA REGISTERED FLORIDA STALLIONS (for FTBOA registered foals of 2013) A. P. WARRIOR ACT OF DUTY ADIOS CHARLIE AMERICAN SPIRIT AWESOME OF COURSE B L'S APPEAL B L'S A RUNNER BACK TALK BELGRAVIA BENNY THE BULL BIG BAD BARNIE

BIG DRAMA BRING THE HEAT BROOKS 'N DOWN BURNING ROMA CAUSEWAY'S KIN CHAPEL ROYAL CIRCULAR QUAY CITY PLACE COOL COAL MAN COWTOWN CAT CROWN OF THORNS

DA STOOPS DONERAILE COURT D'WILDCAT EXCLUSIVE QUALITY EXPRESS TOUR FACTUM FIELD COMMISSION FIRST DUDE FORTY GRAMS FULL MANDATE GENERAL QUARTERS

GET RICH QUICK GONE ASTRAY GOTTCHA GOLD GRAEME HALL GREATNESS HAL'S IMAGE HEAR NO EVIL HIGH COTTON HULL IMPERIALISM IN SUMMATION

INDIAN EXPRESS INDY WIND IT'S NO JOKE J P'S GUSTO KANTHAROS KEYED ENTRY KISS THE KID LEADING THE PARADE LEROIDESANIMAUX LOVE BULLY MACH RIDE

MAIMONIDES MASS MEDIA MONTBROOK MOTOVATO PLEASANT STRIKE POMEROY PUT IT BACK REPENT SAINT ANDDAN SARAVA SEEKING BEAUTY

SILVER TREE SIMON PURE SPELLBINDER STRAIGHT MAN STRONG CONTENDER SWEET RETURN TEUFLESBERG THE GREEN MONKEY THIS IS THAT THREEANDOH TWO STEP SALSA

UNFORGETTABLE MAX UNTUTTABLE VALUE PLUS VINEYARD HAVEN WAGON LIMIT WEKIVA SPRINGS WEST ACRE WILDCAT HEIR WITH DISTINCTION YESBYJIMMINY

2011 FTBOA REGISTERED FLORIDA STALLIONS (for FTBOA registered foals of 2012) A. P. WARRIOR ACT OF DUTY ADMIRAL'S CRUISE AMERICAN SPIRIT AWESOME OF COURSE B L'S A RUNNER B L'S APPEAL BELGRAVIA BENNY THE BULL BRING THE HEAT BURNING ROMA

BWANA CHARLIE CHAPEL ROYAL CIRCULAR QUAY CITY PLACE COMPRISE CONCERTO CONSOLIDATOR COOL COAL MAN COWTOWN CAT D'WILDCAT DA STOOPS

DONERAILE COURT EXCLUSIVE QUALITY EXPRESS TOUR FULL MANDATE GOTTCHA GOLD GRAEME HALL GREATNESS HAL'S IMAGE HE'S CRAFTY HEAR NO EVIL HIGH COTTON

IMPERIALISM IN SUMMATION INDIAN OCEAN INDY WIND IT'S NO JOKE J BE K KANTHAROS KEYED ENTRY KISS THE KID LEADING THE PARADE LEROIDESANIMAUX

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 60 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2014

LOVE BULLY MACH RIDE MAIMONIDES MARK'S MIRAGE MASS MEDIA MONTBROOK MR. SEKIGUCHI MUSKET MAN PLEASANT STRIKE POMEROY PUT IT BACK

REY DE CAFE' SABRE D'ARGENT SAINT ANDDAN SARAVA SEEKING BEAUTY SHAKESPEARE SILVER TREE SIMON PURE SPELLBINDER STRAIGHT MAN STRONG CONTENDER

STRONG HOPE SUAVE SWEET RETURN TAKE ME OUT JOHN TEUFLESBERG THE GREEN MONKEY THREEANDOH TWO STEP SALSA UNTUTTABLE VALUE PLUS WAGON LIMIT

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

WEST ACRE WESTERN PRIDE WILDCAT HEIR WITH DISTINCTION YESBYJIMMINY

AcceleratedEarningPower_Feb_Florida Horse_template 2/25/14 10:44 AM Page 61

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32 YEARS OF THE FLORIDA STALLION STAKES

Jackson Bend

LISA PHOTO

In its 32 years, the Florida Stallion Stakes hosted 1,532 total individual runners in 220 races and awarded over $38.9 million. Florida-breds won 217 of the races. Just like other racing triples, the Florida Stallion Stakes three race sweep is a difficult feat. In its 32 year history, only 12 horses have won all three, while 37 horses won two of three.

Fort Loudon

LISA PHOTO

Number of Runners/Races Won

Series Sweeps 2013 .................Scandalous Act 2011 ......................Fort Loudon 2010.............Awesome Feather 2009 ...................Jackson Bend

1997...................Nancy’s Glitter 1995............................. Seacliff 1991.....................Naked Greed 1984 ............................... Smile

2008........................ Big Drama 2004.............Aclassysassylassy 2003...........................Sir Oscar 2000 .................... Express Tour

Eclipse Awards and Florida Stallion Stakes Winners Awesome Feather: swept 2010 FSS series; named 2-Year-Old Filly Champion Big Drama: swept 2008 FSS series; named 2010 Male Sprint Champion Holy Bull: won 1993 In Reality; named 1994 3-Year-Old Champion and Horse of the Year Not Surprising: won 1992 Dr. Fager; named 1995 Sprint Champion Brave Raj: won 1986 Susan’s Girl and My Dear Girl; named 1986 2-Year-Old Filly Champion Smile: swept 1984 FSS series; named 1986 Sprint Champion

Keeping it in the Family PALMER PHOTO

•My Nichole (1986 Desert Vixen winner) is the dam of Three Ring, who won the 1998 Susan’s Girl and My Dear Girl.

•Smile (swept the 1984 series) sired What A Cooker, who went on to win two-thirds of the 1990 series, the Dr. Fager (2nd div.) and the Affirmed.

•My Sweet Baby (1982 My Dear Girl winner) is the dam of 1987 Dr. Fager winner Break Par. •Lightning Forbes is the dam of Valid Forbes (2000 Desert Vixen and My Dear Girl) and Pharmstar (2001 Desert Vixen).

•Rive Gauche is the dam of French Gold (1984 Desert Vixen) and American Dreamer (1989 Dr. Fager).

•Riveting Drama is the dam of Big Drama (2008 In Reality, Affirmed, and Dr. Fager) and Queen Drama (2011 Susan’s Girl).

Awesome Feather

Record Times

LISA PHOTO

Dr. Fager Division – 6 furlongs - 2005 - In Summation 1:10.90 Desert Vixen Division – 6 furlongs - 2000 - Valid Forbes 1:11.26 Affirmed Division – 7 furlongs- 2000 - Express Tour 1:23.95 Susan’s Girl Division – 7 furlongs - 2000 - Silk Concorde 1:23.49 In Reality Division – 1 1/16 miles - 2000 - Kiss a Native 1:44.52 My Dear Girl Division – 1 1/16 miles - 2002 - Ivanavinalot 1:45.92

Big Drama

Top Owners Jacks or Better Farms, Inc. .....12 Gilbert Campbell ....................11 Frances Genter Stable...............7 Elkins, Herb J. & Ione ................6 Centaur Farms Inc.....................5 Bee Bee Stables Inc. .................4 F. & Garazi, S. Berens ................4 John Franks ..............................4 James Lewis, Jr. .......................4 Harry T Mangurian, Jr................4 Harold L. Queen.........................4 Dominic Vittese .........................4

Top Breeders of winners Farnsworth Farm .................*13 Jacks Or Better Farm, Inc. .....12 Ocala Stud Farm ....................11 Gilbert Campbell ....................11 Harry T Mangurian, Jr. ..............9 Arthur Appleton ........................9 Frances Genter Stable ..............7 Centaur Farms Inc. ...................6 John Franks .............................5 Lasater Farm ...........................5

* 2 in partnership

FSS historical data provided by Michele Blanco and Michael Costanzo of Calder Race Course.

Top Trainers of winners

Top Sires

Frank Gomez .........................14 Edward Plesa, Jr. ...................12 Stanley Gold ...........................12 Emanuel Tortora .....................11 Kathleen O’Connel ..................10 Luis Olivares ............................7

Valid Appeal ...........................10 Awesome of Course .................8 Baldski .....................................8 Notebook .................................7 Montbrook ...............................6

Top 5 Jockeys atop winners Jose Velez Jr. .........................14 Manoel Cruz ..........................12 Julio Garcia ..............................9 Gene St. Leon ..........................9 Gary Boulanger ........................7 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2014 61

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An ongoing series where The Florida Horse editor Brock Sheridan poses 10 “away from ordinary” business questions to a variety of Florida thoroughbred industry leaders

Unordinary “ ” 10 Questions With Brent Fernung / President, Journeyman Stud & Journeyman Bloodstock Name: Brent Fernung

Title: President

Organization: Journeyman Stud, Journeyman Bloodstock

In a nutshell, describe your organization and your responsibilities.

We have a full service organization at Journeyman. We stand stallions. We board broodmares, weanlings, yearling and we prepare horses for 2-year-old sales as well as to race. I’m kind of the glue that holds everything together but I’m very fortunate to have a very good group of people working for us.

The man that runs the breeding shed has been with me for 15 years. The horseman that takes care of the broodmares has been in the business for 40 years. My nephew, Andrew, is running the training barn and of course my wife Crystal runs the office.

What specifically got you involved in the Florida thoroughbred industry?

I grew up around horses and my brother went to the track to eventually train horses.

Then a high school friend of his, Dan Lasater, wanted to buy a race horse. Next thing you know he was the leading stable in the country and he had purchased a farm in Kentucky, where I migrated to while in college. Before you know it, he bought a farm in Florida which became Lasater Farm then

62 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2014

Franks Farm. Eventually, I took a job down there as a groom, then became barn foreman, broodmare manager and eventually to farm manager over a 12-year-period.

What are your favorite sports outside of horse racing?

Baseball. I’m a big Yankees fan.

What is one of your more fond memories to date in the Florida thoroughbred industry?

My favorite memories are of Pennsylvania-breds winning the Kentucky Derby while their dams were down in Florida on my farm. When Lil E. Tee won the Kentucky Derby, I had just purchased his dam sixty days earlier and I had stood his father At The Threshold.

Then 12 years later, Smarty Jones wins the Kentucky Derby and I had purchased his dam for Cloverleaf Farm when he was a weanling.

I’m not sure those are totally Floridabred stories so I’ll say I’m very proud that I brought Congrats [to Florida] and he became a national first crop leading sire. continued on pg. 64

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$2.5 Million

Florida Sire Stakes Program Foals of 2013 Florida Sire Stakes Deadline 1st Payment - $250 by May 15, 2014 2nd Payment - $250 by Jan 15, 2015

FLORIDA THOROUGHBRED BREEDERS’ AND OWNERS’ ASSOCIATION 801 SW 60th Ave. • Ocala, FL 34474 • 352-629-2160 • Fax: 352-629-3603 Download form online at www.ftboa.com • e-mail FloridaSireStakes@ftboa.com

LOUISE REINAGEL PHOTO

consisting of the 6 race series, plus 2-year-old and 3-year-old and upward supplementals

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“Unordinary” continued from pg. 62 That same year Wildcat Heir, another horse I’d brought down here, was the national second crop leading sire. I’m very proud of that.

When I was young and working at Lasater Farm, we had Nodouble, who was the leading sire in North America and that is something that still sticks with me.

What are your favorite songs or musical artists?

I’m a big Bob Dylan fan. I have been all along. I’ve always been able to enjoy his music on a couple of different levels. From just the standpoint of lyrics, he has always been very impressive.

What are your favorite movies or television programs?

My favorite movie of all time was the original Godfather movie.

What are your favorite reads?

I have been a Stephen King fan from time to time. I used to scare myself reading books like The Shining.

What are your favorite foods?

I’m a steak and potatoes guy.

MIKELL PHOTO

Why do you think people should breed, own and race Florida-breds?

Because they can outrun the same quality of horse from anywhere else.

Brent and Crystal Fernung

64 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2014

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RETURN TO: THE FLORIDA HORSE • 801 SW 60TH AVE., • OCALA, FL 34474 For more information: 352-732-8858 • Fax: 352-629-3603 or 352-867-1979 Attention: Beverly Kalberkamp

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THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2014 69

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Triple Crown Florida-Breds nominated to the Triple Crown (27)

70 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2014

Best Plan Yet

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Nominations Stakes Information Through Feb. 17, 2014

ARTEMUS COALMINE

Trainer Jockey Owner Michael Maker Albin Jimenez Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey Mineshaft-Hold Your Hush, by Alwuhush, James Kenneth Chapman Second: 96ROCK Stakes, TP

BEST PLAN YET

Trainer Jockey Owner Stanley Gold Edgard J. Zayas Jacks or Better Farm Inc. Hear No Evil-Bayou Plans, by Bayou Hebert, Jacks or Better Farm Inc. Won: Foolish Pleasure Stakes, CRC; Florida Stallion Stakes In Reality, CRC Fifth: Holy Bull Stakes (G2), GP

BITTERS ‘N BOURBON

Trainer Jockey Owner Ron Moquett Channing Hill Robert Land and Becky Brockway Old Fashioned-Flexible Princess, by Honour and Glory, Farm III Enterprises LLC & Off the Hook Partners LLC

BREITLING FLYER

Trainer Jockey Owner Leo Azpura Jr. Jonathan Gonzalez Rontos Racing Stable Corp Ghostzapper-Starbuster, by Housebuster, Bathen Thoroughbreds LLC & Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC Second: OBS Sprint Stakes, OTC Third: Calder Turf Dash, CRC Fifth: Frank Gomez Memorial Stakes, CRC

C. ZEE

Trainer Jockey Owner Stanley Gold Edgard J. Zayas Jacks or Better Farm Inc. Elusive Bluff-Diamondaire, by Distorted Humor, Jacks or Better Farm Inc. Second: Spectacular Bid Stakes, GP; Hutcheson Stakes (G3), GP

CELTIC MOON

Trainer Jockey Owner Peter Miller Garrett Gomez Richard C. Pell Denis of Cork-Beastlie Moon, by Three Wonders, Suzanne Sharra-Maxwell & Kay Dennis Second: Best Pal Stakes (G2), DMR Tenth: Del Mar Futurity (G1), DMR

COADY PHOTO

PHOTO CREDIT

D’CAJUN CAT

Trainer Jockey Owner Steven Asmussen Ricardo Santana Whispering Oaks Farm (Castille) D’wildcat-Rabiadella, by Dynaformer, Eico Stable Third: Sugar Bowl Stakes, FG Fifth: Bashford Manor Stakes (G3), CD Ninth: Smarty Jones Stakes, OP THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2014 71

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Triple Crown Nominations

EAST HALL

Trainer Jockey Owner William Kaplan Juan Leyva Jack Hendricks and Roger Justice Graeme Hall-East Long Lake, by Sultry Song, Mary K. Haire Second: Seacliff Stakes, CRC Third: Gulfstream Park Derby, GP; OBS Championship Stakes, OTR Fifth: Foolish Pleasure Stakes, CRC Seventh: Juvenile Stakes, GP

EDISON

Trainer Jockey Owner Todd Pletcher Luis Saez Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith Bernadini-Heart of Grace, by Exploit, Destiny Oaks of Ocala

ENTERPRISING

Trainer Jockey Owner Thomas Proctor Aaron Gryder Glen Hill Farm Elusive Quality-Indy Blaze, by A.P. Indy, Glen Hill Farm Won: Eddie Logan Stakes, SA Second: California Derby, GG Third: El Camino Real Derby (G3), GG

HEAT STAR Bernardini-Thunder Bayou, by Thunder Gulch

HIGH BIDDER

Trainer Jockey Owner Stephen DiMauro Jonathan Gonzales Donna Ellison Favorite Bid-Reuben’sfancypants, by Reuben’s Grand, Donna Ellison

KULBOYZ

BENOIT & ASSOCIATES PHOTO

Trainer Jockey Owner Angel Rodriguez Hugo Sanchez Stephen Screnci Bring the Heat-Shadow Belle, by Halo’s Image, Stephen Screnci

LOUIES FLOWER

Enterprising

Trainer Jockey Owner Bret Calhoun Luis S. Quinonez Wesley Melcher Flower Alley-Tembisa, by Johannesburg, Shadybrook Farm Inc. & Castletop Stable Won: Remington Park Springboard Mile, RP

MEXIKOMA

Trainer Jockey Owner Richard Mette Alan Garcia Team Valor International Birdstone-Toccet Over, Toccet, Hickstead Farm Sixth: Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1), SA

PABLO DEL MONTE

Trainer Jockey Owner Wesley Ward Paco Lopez Mrs. John Magnier, Derrick Smith, Michael Tabor, Wesley Ward Giant’s Causeway-One Hot Wish, by Bring the Heat, Wesley Ward Third: Hutcheson Stakes (G3), GP Fourth: Gulfstream Park Derby, GP Fifth: Generous Stakes (G3) BHP

SCHIVARELLI

Trainer Jockey Owner Eddie Kenneally Cornelio Velasquez Pike Place Racing and Homewrecker Racing LLC Montbrook-Alotofappeal, by Trippi, Ocala Stud, Ebert Vans Inc & Edward Weist 72 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2014

REMINGTON PARK PHOTO

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SON OF A PREACHER

Louies Flower

Trainer Jockey Owner Bret Calhoun Cliff Berry Terra Di Sienna Stables Pulpit-Kimchi, by Langfuhr, Sienna Farms LLC Fourth: Smarty Jones Stakes, OP

SON OF DIXIE

Trainer Jockey Owner Bret Calhoun Miguel Mena Terra Di Sienna Stables Dixie Union,Jeanne’s Honor, by Honour and Glory, Sienna Farms LLC

STRIKING FORCE Exclusive Quality-Andria’s Forest, by Forestry

TANZANITE CAT

Trainer Jockey Owner Cody Autrey Norberto Arroyo, Jr. James L. Driver and H. Ywachetta Driver Graeme Hall-Gentle Wave, by Mr. Livermore, Charles H. Deters and Dr. John Peterson Won: Smarty Jones, OP

Tanzanite Cat

THUNDERGRAM

Trainer Jockey Owner Mark Casse Eurico Rosa Da Silva John Oxley Graeme Hall-Parental Uproar, by Future Storm, Stanley Boileau

VEGAS STRIP Harlan’s Holiday-Untamed Passion, by Pulpit

WE’RE ALL SET

WILDCAT RED

COADY PHOTO

Trainer Jockey Owner William Kaplan Edgar Prado Ione Elkins and J. Hebert Elkins With Distinction-True Glitter, by Robin des Pins, Curtis Mikkelsen & Patricia Horth, Gordon Reiss & Linda Reiss Third: Florida Stallion Stakes In Reality, CRC Sixth: Seacliff Stakes, CRC Eighth: Juvenile Turf Stakes, GP Trainer Jockey Owner Jose Garoffalo Javier Castellano Honors Stable Corp.

D’wildcat-Racene, by Miner’s Mark, Moreau Bloodstock International Inc. & Winter Racing Enterprise, I Won: Hutcheson Stakes (G3), GP Second: Juvenile Stakes, GP; Gulfstream Park Derby, GP

XTRA LUCK

Trainer Jockey Owner Danny Pish Roman Chapa Michele and Cliff Love Exchange Rate-Miu Miu, by Kris S., Haras Santa Maria de Araras S.A.

ZAHADOOM Bernardini-Flambe’, by Fortunate Prospect THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2014 73

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Planning topics to keep your farm managed to stay its best

FARM MANAGEMENT

Devise A Pasture Management Plan Now! H

ello to all! Recently I had a consultation with a couple who had just purchased a property with the intent of building a barn and developing the land into pasture. I applauded them for their interest in seeking proper education to help develop a pasture management plan right at the start. A pasture management plan is something that every farm owner and manager should consider implementing to maintain the long-term health of grass and soils. It’s an organized way to maintain a basic routine, achieve maximum forage productivity and manage weeds, as well as a smart way to most economically maximize and maintain pastures year-round. Not only does this benefit the horses, but forages utilize needed nutrients (like nitrogen and phosphorous), so strong pastures are also a great first defense against preventing excess nutrients from reaching the ground and surface waters. Each year, a few topics should always be included as part of a strong management plan.

WATER: Last year, Mother Nature generously provided rains in Florida; pastures generally welcome this needed staple.

On rare occasion, however, soils can get too much moisture, reducing oxygen in the soils and hindering root and shoot growth.

This also promotes run-off, which allows water to carry anything in the grass (sediments, fertilizer or manure) into the water bodies. Maintaining good grass cover (especially important around water bodies) helps to curb this problem. Typically though, not enough water tends to be a more common problem; fortunately Bahia grass, a common Florida pasture grass, is extremely tolerant to both sporadic drought and floods.

GRASS HEIGHT: Grass height (from mowing and grazing) and rotational grazing are all topics that have been discussed in the past; all are crucial elements to use and manage carefully each year to maintain the health of pastures.

Managing repeated grazing and mowing will go a long way to protect grass density, health and vigor, even if no other management steps are ever taken for pastures. Erosion can quickly take over a denuded pasture that has not been properly managed and once grass has been depleted, restoring the pasture can be both expensive and lengthy to repair. The

74 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2014

golden rule is to completely rest pastures having 3 or fewer inches in height. Also, always mow pastures no lower than 5”. A 6” to 8” pasture cut is ideal.

FERTILIZATION: Proper fertilization is an important step, but accurate application involves first doing routine soil testing to accurately determine soil makeup (fertilization/needed nutrient recommendations) and soil pH (this determines the lime amounts/types, if needed). Soils having baseline numbers established can be tested every two to three years. Fertilization is best utilized by the soil and grass using slow-release fertilizers, or by using smaller, more frequent applications. Remember, while fertilization can be an important step in grass health, it WON’T replace poor management.

SACRIFICE LOT: When needed, small areas that are completely denuded of any grass can actually be life savers for over-grazed pastures. They’re also ideal for animals getting limited caloric intake, as hay can be fed accurately, but it still allows animals time out of the stall. It is important that manure not be spread in these areas. They are meant to be sacrificed for animal activities in order to protect the remaining pastures. Picking the manure from these paddocks and managing runoff from these areas is essential; this enables the rest of the property to thrive and not create a serious problem on the farm for the ground and surface waters.

Hopefully, this provides some planning topics to keep your farm managed to stay its best. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have questions on any topics. To schedule a FREE, non-regulatory farm visit, contact me or your local Extension agent. 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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MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION/RENEWAL Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association 801 SW 60th Ave. • Ocala, FL 34474; Phone 352-629-2160 • Fax 352-629-3603 e-mail: info@ftboa.com • www.ftboa.com

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INDEX

A D V E R T I S E R S

BRIDLEWOOD FARM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5, 29 DOUBLE DIAMOND FARM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36, 37 FTBOA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2, 49, 63, 75, 77 GET AWAY FARM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41 JERRY PARKS INSURANCE GROUP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51 JOURNEYMAN STUD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25, 31, 43, 45, 80 NTRA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55, 79 OCALA BREEDERS SALES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 OCALA STUD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11, 27 OCD EQUINE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 PLEASANT ACRES STALLIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33 RACE TRACK INDUSTRY PROGRAM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50 STONEHEDGE FARM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47

www.facebook.com/thefloridahorse WOODFORD THOROUGHBREDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

WIRE TO WIRE RACING DIGEST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65

5 $7

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-I C nt ern 00 1 ati r$ ona a l u l $10 g e R 0 - Student $25 -

Membership and Benefit Details at www.ftboa.com

FLORIDA THOROUGHBRED BREEDERS’ AND OWNERS’ ASSOCIATION Tammy Gantt, Director of Membership Services/Events 801 SW 60th Ave. • Ocala, FL. 34474 • 352-629-2160 • Fax: 352-629-3603 • www.ftboa.com • tgantt@ftboa.com 40631

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WILL’S WAY

The Economic

by Will E. Cummings

Impact T

he horse racing industry, including in particular the breeding and training of horses that race, is a Big Business in Florida – bigger than Major League Baseball’s Spring Training, for example. A study that I helped direct found that it contributed $905 million in total economic output in 2012 and employed more than 12,000 people. The race tracks, where the industry sells itself to the public, were directly responsible for a little less than half of that – even when you include the gaming operations that some of them have in the form of slot machines and card rooms. The majority of the economic impact arises from the thousands of hard-working people who breed, raise and care for race horses on farms, at training centers, and on the backstretch. This agribusiness aspect of horse racing creates impacts that reach all corners of the Sunshine State.

Racing’s roughly a billion-dollar industry in the State of Florida today, and it has great potential to prosper in the increasingly competitive world ahead. Give it the proper care and feeding, and it will grow That’s the first half of the testimony I gave to the Florida Senate Committee on Gaming in Tallahassee on Feb. 3. You’ll find more detail regarding the study elsewhere in this issue, and of course, in the full report which the FTBOA has on file. Your organization was one of the sponsors of our study, along with the FHBPA, the FQHRA and the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company. Dan Houston and Matt Cunningham of Civic Economics were my partners in this effort.

But, as I continued with the Committee, there are several key features of the industry that we didn’t address in our study that are critical to understanding it. I’d like to elaborate on those here.

First, the horse-racing industry is not “dying.” That’s a tag often placed on it by people who would like, for

78 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2014

one reason or another, to consign it to the dustbin. They are, however, wrong. It’s not the only game in town any more with respect to legal wagering, and it has had some difficulties adjusting to that, but it has responded vigorously to the new competition. It’s in the midst of totally restructuring itself as a televised game, first at the track, then on the internet, and now on the smartphone. True, we don’t need as many race tracks (or race horses) for this new way of doing business as we used to, but there will be winners in this restructuring. With its favorable climate, established infrastructure, and depth of human capital, Florida should be among them.

As a corollary, racing has to stop “pleading poverty” at the State House. This is a habit that many fell into when race tracks were overtaxed compared to the new competition, but it’s past time to stop.

Legislators are far more willing (and able) to back winners than to “save” losers.

Racing needs tools from politicians, not handouts, and those tools need to be targeted toward moving forward, not preserving the good old days.

Finally, our study focused on the industry’s spending, not the industry’s receipts. The latter are, of course, far more important to its health. I’m fond of saying, make enough revenue and all your other problems will go away (or at least shrink to manageable size). And here Florida’s horse industry has another advantage: it’s already an export industry. Your tracks sell their races to retail outlets and account wagering systems across the nation, and your breeding farms and training centers sell their best products all over the world. That’s what it will take to succeed in this new, even more competitive environment. You’ve got a leg up on most other states, and should look for policies to extend that advantage.

In short, racing is roughly a billion-dollar industry in the State of Florida today, and it has great potential to prosper in the increasingly competitive world ahead.

Give it the proper care and feeding, and it will grow. ■

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