FloridaHorse.August2010.pdf

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41 GOOD CONNECTIONS Darin Lamoureux joins the list of Ocala-based horsemen who have broken and trained a Kentucky Derby winner. —By Jo Ann Guidry

42 CANDIDATE PROFILE: ADAM PUTNAM

AU G U S T 2 0 1 0 • VO L 5 3 / I S S U E 7

44 EDITOR’S NOTE —By Summer Best 46 WORLD EQUESTRIAN GAMES Next month, the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games come to the U.S. for the first time in history.

10 FLORIDA FOCUS

52 EQUINE CARE: PIGEON FEVER RESURFACES

16 GEORGE STEINBRENNER PASSES AWAY

55 NEWS BITS

By Michael Compton

18 POISED FOR RECOVERY With recent legislative victories paving the way for change, a strong juvenile sale season at OBS and increased earning opportunities this year for Florida-breds, the future looks bright in the Sunshine State. —By Michael Compton

26 OBVIOUS IMPACT The OBS August Yearling Sale continues to produce graded stakes winners. —By Jay Friedman

34 ONCE A JOCKEY Ocala’s Mary Russ Tortora, a record-setting jockey, returned to the saddle for the Lady Legends For the Cure Race at Pimlico.

By Denise Steffanus

58 PRACTICALLY SPEAKING: HORSE SENSE (S)

By Mark Shuffitt

59 HORSE COUNCIL NEWS 61 YOUR FLORIDA HORSE PARK: ONWARD AND UPWARD

By Connie Duff Wise

62 FARM MANAGEMENT: BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES

By Jamie Cohen

63 FTBOA CHASE TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP

By Jo Ann Guidry

64 FLORIDA’S LEADING SIRES 38 DOMINANCE AT THE SUMMIT OF SPEED Florida-breds won six of seven stakes races during Calder Casino and Race Course’s Summit of Speed. —By Nick Fortuna COVER AND CONTENTS PHOTOS BY JIM LISA

66 PLAYER’S PAGE: FOREVER A YANKEE

By Paul Moran

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801 SW 60th Avenue • Ocala, Florida 34474 (352) 732-8858 • Fax: (352) 867-1979 • www.ftboa.com EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Michael Compton BUSINESS MANAGER

Patrick Vinzant MANAGING EDITOR/ADVERTISING MANAGER

Summer Best ART DIRECTOR

John Filer CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

JoAnn Guidry WRITER

Nick Fortuna ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

Beverly Kalberkamp CORRESPONDENTS

Jay Friedman, Doug McCoy, Cynthia McFarland, Mark Shuffitt PUBLISHER 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 Gilbert Campbell, President/Board Chairman Fred Brei, 1st Vice President J. Michael O’Farrell, Jr., 2nd Vice President George G. Isaacs, Secretary Diane Parks, Treasurer EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Richard E. Hancock CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

Michael Gilliam

© 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 Breedersʼ and Ownersʼ Association. Publication of any material originating herein is expressly forbidden without first obtaining written permission from THE FLORIDA HORSE©.

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.

A dvertisin g co py d ead lin e 5th o f mo n th p recedin g p ub licatio n. Su bscrip tio ns and ch ang e of add ress: Please m ail to – Circulation s D ep artment. T HE FL ORIDA H ORS E, 801 SW 60th Ave., O cala, Florida 34474.

Printed by Boyd Brothers, Inc.

BOYD

American Horse Publications • FLORIDA MAGAZINE ASSOCIATION • MEMBER BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU

FTBOA OFFICERS AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS Gilbert G. Campbell, President Fred Brei, First Vice President J. Michael O’Farrell, Jr., Second Vice President George G. Isaacs, Secretary Diane Parks, Treasurer

DIRECTORS Joe Barbazon Dean DeRenzo Sheila DiMare Donald Dizney Barry W. Eisaman

Brent Fernung Bonnie M. Heath III Phil Matthews Jessica Steinbrenner Peter Vegso

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT

Richard E. Hancock THE FLORIDA HORSE • AUGUST 2010 5

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editor’s

welcome

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Impacting

The Industry lorida’s thoroughbred industry said goodbye last month to John Sellers and George Steinbrenner, two individuals whose unbridled passion for the industry brought national recognition to the Sunshine State.

John Sellers, who rode Florida-bred Carry Back to victories in the 1961 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, died in July at age 72. Originally from Los Angeles and raised in Oklahoma, Sellers spent much of his time in recent years working as a bloodstock agent in Hallandale Beach.

George Steinbrenner leading Dream Supreme into the winnerʼs circle at Calder.

6 THE FLORIDA HORSE • AUGUST 2010

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F

While he will forever be remembered for his stirring ride aboard Carry Back in the Derby, Sellers was among the nation’s leading jockeys in the 1960s. His accomplishments earned him a place among racing’s elite and he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs in 2007.

George Steinbrenner, best known as “The Boss” and principal owner of the New York Yankees, also passed away in July at the age of 80.

Steinbrenner’s Kinsman Farm produced many graded stakes winners through the years. Steinbrenner bred and/or raced the likes of Eternal Prince, Steve’s Friend, Al’s Helen, Concerto, Dili-

gence, Dream Supreme and in recent years Bellamy Road and Majestic Warrior.

His significant contributions to Florida’s thoroughbred industry reach beyond the accomplishments of his runners on the track. Steinbrenner served as president of the FTBOA, as well as a board member of the association, led the charge for important legislation for the state, owned a racetrack and gave generously to industry causes. His presence in our industry will be sorely missed.

As these chapters came to a close in July, the month also marked a new beginning for the industry. Recent legislative victories, which became law July 1, should help renew confidence for the future of breeding and racing in Florida.

By implementing components of FTBOA’s economic stimulus plan, recent purse increases at Calder and strong juvenile sale results at OBS, Florida appears as well-equipped as any state in the country to rebound from the recession. For a closer look at the legislation and an overview of where we stand as an industry, see page 18.

Also in July, Florida-bred runners shined during Calder’s Summit of Speed. One of the highlights of the day featured brothers Big Drama (pictured on the front cover) and Little Drama both notching stakes wins on the card for owner and breeder Harold Queen. Big Drama, a son of Ocala Stud stallion Montbrook, captured the $350,000 Smile Sprint Handicap (G2), while Little Drama, by Rising Hill Farm stallion Burning Roma, won the Frank Gomez Memorial Stakes.

Nick Fortuna recaps the Summit of Speed beginning on page 38.

Looking ahead: On tap this month is the OBS August yearling sale. The sale has been a prime source of producing leading stakes horses. This year’s offering should be no exception. Sire power at this year’s sale is stronger than ever, according to Jay Friedman, who previews the sale on page 26. ■

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Compiled by Nick Fortuna

BENOIT & ASSOCIATES PHOTO

Dawnie Macho Wires Field Dawnie Macho made a brilliant career debut at Arlington Park in June, setting a track record for 51.16 seconds for 4 ½ furlongs and winning a $28,000 maiden special weight race by five lengths. The Florida-bred filly earned a 90 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort and stamped herself as a filly to watch.

But Gary and Cecil Barber did more than watch the filly – they bought her privately from Wayne Granger and transferred her from trainer Wayne Catalano to John Sadler.

Last month, Dawnie Macho rewarded her Dawnie Macho wins first stakes race for new connections.

Vanquisher Wins Kitten’s Joy for Steinbrenner

COADY PHOTO

Florida’s thoroughbred industry lost timore Bob in the $50,000 Da Hoss Stakes of 10 3-year-olds and up as Target Sighted carved out fractions of 25.17 seconds for a influential owner George Steinbrenner last at Colonial Downs last month. month, but his horses continue to run for his Vanquisher ran in the middle of the pack quarter-mile and 50.00 for a half-mile.

Kinsman Stable, and at Colonial Downs on July 17, Florida-bred Vanquisher paid tribute to his late owner with a win in the $50,000 Kitten’s Joy Stakes.

Vanquisher, a 6-year-old, gelded son of Gulch, snapped a 12-race losing skid by rallying to defeat Target Sighted by a neck in the 1 1/16-mile race on firm turf. It was his first win since beating Florida-breds in the $75,000 Tallahassee Stakes on the Gulfstream Park lawn in February 2009.

Though Vanquisher hadn’t found the winner’s circle in more than a year, he had run well during that span, finishing in the money six times during his losing streak.

He finished third behind El Caballo in the Col. E.R. Bradley Handicap (G3) at Fair Grounds in January and was second to Bal8 THE FLORIDA HORSE • AUGUST 2010

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Trappe Shot Gets First Stakes Win in Long Branch

in Landaluce

Florida-bred Trappe Shot remained perfect in four starts as a sophomore and earned his first stakes victory last month at Monmouth Park, capturing the $167,500 Long Branch Stakes by 2 ½ lengths.

The victory made him a leading candidate to take on Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver in the New Jersey track’s biggest race, the $1 million Haskell Invitational (G1) on Aug. 1.

Trappe Shot,a son ofTapit bred by Ocala’s Hobeau Farm,rallied from last place in the field of four 3-year-olds, drawing clear down the stretch under a vigorous hand ride from Alan Garcia.

Southern Ridge had set fractions of 23.82 seconds for a quarter-mile and 48.80 seconds for a half-mile on a track rated “good,” as Trappe Shot recovered from a stumble at the break and saved ground by hugging the rail along the backstretch. Trappe Shot made his move entering the far turn of the 1 1/16-mile race and got to the top of the lane with a half-length lead before stopping the clock in 1:43.48.

“We wanted to play the race by how everyone broke,” Garcia said. “We did think we would be behind horses and make one run. I had a lot of horse the whole way, and I had to move inside the leader (Southern Ridge), but I knew the only way someone was going to beat me was to run a big race. Two turns was no problem for him.”

Trappe Shot, trained by Kiaran McLaughlin for owner by Mill House, began his four-race winning streak with a 10 ¼-length romp in a $35,000 maiden special weight race at Gulfstream Park in February. He then captured a $37,000 allowance by

new connections for their confidence in making her career debut. Dawnie Macho her by wiring the $100,000 Landaluce stopped the clock for six furlongs in 1:10.75.

Stakes by three-quarters of a length at Hol“She not only has speed, but she’s ratlywood Park to remain able,” Talamo said. perfect in two starts.

She broke so sharp, then “She broke so sharp, With Joe Talamo just came right back to me. then just came right aboard, Dawnie Macho When I shook the reins at her, back to me. When I led every step of the she just took off. She won easy shook the reins at her, way in the Landaluce, she just took off. She going 41⁄2 (furlongs), and for covering the a quarter won easy going 4 1/2 her first time moving forward, (furlongs), and for her of a mile in 22.41 secit was unbelievable. onds and a half-mile in first time moving for—jockey Joe Talamo ward, it was unbeliev46.04 seconds while opening up a 1 ½-length lead. She got to the able. John said they just bought her and top of the lane with a 2 ½-length lead and worked her one time. I talked to John and held off a hard-charging Izshelegal, who was he gave me all the confidence in the world. He said she’ll do whatever you want, and she did. We’ll have some fun at Del Mar with her.”

With Rosemary Homeister Jr. Sadler said he felt aboard, Vanquisher advanced between rivals while going around the far turn Dawnie Macho was sitto reach the top of the lane in third ting on a big race when she breezed five furplace. He then split horses three-wide longs handily in 1:01 in upper stretch and steadily gained on 2/5 seconds at Hollythe leader, overtaking him in the final wood Park on July 5. strides and stopping the clock in Trappe Shot remains perfect in four starts.

“We put a deal to1:43.81. gether about a week Vanquisher, trained by Dennis Grif12 ¾ lengths at the Hallandale Beach oval in March. after her first race,” he said. “We had a fith, has won seven of his 31 starts for Trappe Shot earned a 105 Beyer Speed Figure for a little trouble getting a plane out for her, $312,441. He was bred at Kinsman four-length victory in a $62,000 allowance at Belmont Park but when I got her back, she really Farm, the Ocala farm owned by Steinlast month. He’s earned $187,050 through five starts. His breezed well.” brenner, best known as the principal lone loss came in his only race as a juvenile, a fifth-place finish at Saratoga last summer.

Sadler said Dawnie Macho likely owner of the New York Yankees. SteinMcLaughlin said he thinks Trappe Shot will return in the will make her next start in the $150,000 brenner died at age 80 in Tampa after nine-furlong Haskell.

Sorrento Stakes (G3), a 6 ½-furlong test suffering a heart attack.

“He’s obviously a very nice horse,” McLaughlin for juvenile fillies Aug. 6 at Del Mar. Vanquisher split horses said. “We’ll talk it over with the owners, but going into this She’s earned $76,800 through two three-wide and won the Kittenʼs race, we thought if he ran well, we’d bring him back in three starts. Bred by Williston’s Maurice Joy Stakes at Colonial Downs weeks for the Haskell. I don’t think this race took too much in the final strides.

Miller, the filly was a $5,000 purchase out of him. He’s certainly bred for the distance and handled as a yearling at OBS last August. everything perfectly.”

“

BILL DENVER PHOTO

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THE FLORIDA HORSE • AUGUST 2010 9

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Stradivinsky Gets First Graded Win in Jaipur

COGLIANESE PHOTO

Stradivinsky proved that it’s never too him get in front of me because I don’t know late to earn a career-defining victory when he where he’s going to go after he gets in front of wired the $195,000 Jaipur Stakes (G3) by 1 ¼ me,’ so, I pinched him a little bit to get him lengths at Belmont Park on July 17, earning out of there, and from there, my horse ran his eyeballs out. He really did.” his first graded win at age 7.

Stradivinsky was making his first start for The Florida-bred gelding by Stravinsky was sent off as the second choice in a field of trainer Rick Dutrow Jr. and owners Michael seven 3-year-olds and up in the six-furlong Dubb, Jack Mandato and Bethlehem Stables race on firm turf. Stradivinsky got a break LLC. The horse had been claimed from when 6-5 favorite Formidable stumbled badly trainer Larry Rivelli and owner Richard Ravin out of a 2 ¼-length vicat the break and threw tory in a $50,000 jockey Jose Lezcano to claimer going five furthe ground. longs on the Churchill The rest of the field Downs lawn in May. found it hard to keep up Prior to that, Stradiwith Stradivinsky, who vinsky began his winearned his fourth ning streak with a straight victory and the four-length victory in a second stakes win of $25,000 claimer on the his career. The horse, Gulfstream Park lawn bred by Ocala’s Live in March and a threeOak Stud, got his other length score in a black-type victory in Stradivinsky wired the Jaipur Stakes $35,000 claimer on the the $126,000 Jacques at Belmont Park.

Arlington Park turf Cartier Stakes on the course in May, both in front-running fashion. synthetic surface at Woodbine in 2007.

Though Formidable was without his rider, For his career, the horse has won 13 of 32 he ran like he still wanted to win, battling starts and earned $508,837.

“He loves running fresh, and C.C. gave Stradivinsky for the early lead through a quarter-mile in 22.49 seconds and a half-mile him a great ride,” Dutrow said. “I told C.C. to 44.41 seconds. Formidable ran along the rail concentrate on getting him out of the gate. for most of the early going, with jockey C.C. This horse runs well with spacing, and he Lopez trying to keep Stradivinsky out of trou- likes Churchill Downs, so we’ll run him one more time and then point to the Breeders’Cup ble just outside of him.

Stradivinsky had Formidable close behind Sprint.”

Dubai Rainbow, a 4-year-old, gelded son throughout but built a five-length advantage over the rest of the field with a quarter-mile to of Essence of Dubai, was bred by Pembroke go and extended that lead to six lengths at the Pines’ Grace and Jeremy McNeill and is top of the lane. He never was threatened down owned by Paul H. Saylor. He was a $20,000 purchase as a 2-year-old at OBS in April the stretch, stopping the clock in 1:07.74.

“He broke really, really well, and I didn’t 2008. Dubai Rainbow was making his stakes realize that there was a loose horse until I saw debut for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin. He’s him inside of me going to the half-mile pole,” won three of his 18 starts and earned Lopez said. “I said to myself, ‘Well, I can’t let $157,275.

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Wingedlie Gives Trainer a Meaningful Win

Florida-bred Wingedlie earns his first stakes victory.

12 THE FLORIDA HORSE • AUGUST 2010

feels awesome. I have no words to describe it.

That horse made my name, my career. He was the one who made the trainer. What can I say? I’m very happy.”

Like Finallymadeit, Wingedlie was bred by Rolando Rodriguez at Eclipse Farm in Ocala.

The son of Winged Foot Willie had made a living running on wet tracks, with four wins in 10 such starts heading into the Finallymadeit.

On a track made sloppy by rain, Wingedlie seemed right at home.

With jockey Luis Jurado aboard for the

first time, Wingedlie ran in third place early in the race as Florida-breds Cinnamon Road and Barry’s Money battled for the early lead, carving out fractions of 23.59 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 48.08 seconds for a half-mile. As the pacesetters tired, Wingedlie rallied three-wide around the far turn to gain a half-length lead at the top of the lane and drew clear down the stretch, stopping the clock for the one mile and 70 yards in 1:45.18.

“The race went as I expected,” Negrete said. “I thought those two horses were going to fight on the lead, and by the half-mile, when I saw that they were still going headto-head, I knew they were mine. I was third at that point, and he was going at his own pace. I knew I had a good chance. He finished up as expected because the stretch is when he starts moving faster.”

Florida-bred Dream Maestro rallied to be second, 2 ½ lengths ahead of the favored Cinnamon Road.

Wingedlie has won seven of his 23 starts for $159,836, with five of those wins coming in the slop.

“I was hoping for rain,” Negrete said “He’s a monster in the slop. He loves the slop, so when I saw it was raining, I said, ‘This is my time.’”

Negrete said he hasn’t picked out a race for Wingedlie’s next start.

Like Finallymadeit, runner-up Dream Maestro is a son of Concerto. Bred by William Lussky, the 5-year-old gelding has won three of his 32 starts for $419,850. He’s trained by Bill Kaplan for Ione and Herbert Elkins.

Cinnamon Road, a son of Delaware Township bred by Steve Tucker and Lynne Boutte, entered the race off a third-place finish behind Mambo Meister in the Memorial Day Handicap (G3) at Calder. He’s won eight of his 28 starts for $204,057.

JIM LISA PHOTO

The Finallymadeit Stakes was only worth $55,000, but after winning the race named for his favorite horse, trainer Javier Negrete was feeling like a million bucks last month at Calder Casino & Race Course.

Negrete was the trainer of Finallymadeit, the gutsy, front-running Florida-bred who earned $1.03 million before breaking a cannon bone and being euthanized. Finallymadeit, a son of Ocala Stud Farm stallion Concerto who became a fan favorite at Calder, was injured while preparing to run in the Whitney Handicap (G1) at Saratoga last August.

Florida-bred Wingedlie picked a most meaningful spot for his first stakes victory, winning the inaugural running of the Finallymadeit last month by 1 ¼ lengths for Negrete, his trainer and owner.

“I really wanted to win this race, not for the money but because of what he meant to me,” Negrete said of Finallymadeit. “It just

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FTBOA, FHBPA and Churchill Downs are raising purse money in the juvenile racing program at Calder this year and making the program more lucrative

than ever in 2010!

$41,000 minimum purses for maiden special weight, which includes $5,000 FSS supplements and $7,000 Florida Owners’ Awards.

Take advantage of your next opportunity to purchase a Florida-bred at the OBS August sale in Ocala!

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Horseman, Actor James Gammon Dies at 70 Horse breeder and longtime actor James Gammon, best known for playing grandfatherly manager Lou Brown in the “Major League” baseball movie, died last month at his home near Los Angeles after a battle with cancer. He was 70.

Gammon had roles in many notable movies, including “Cool Hand Luke,” “Cold Mountain,” “Urban Cowboy” and “Silverado,” and had roles on television in “Nash Bridges,” “Gunsmoke,” “The Waltons” and “Grey’s Anatomy,” among many others.

Gammon and his wife of 38 years, Nancy, bought the nine-acre Milagro Farm in Ocala in 1988 and bred thoroughbreds. In 2000, Penny Blues, a horse he bred and co-owned, won the SantaYnez Stakes (G2) at SantaAnita Park.

Gammon is survived by his wife; daughters, Allison Mann and Amy Gammon; two grandchildren; and a brother and a sister.

FTBOA Board Candidates Chosen The nominating committee of the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’Association selected the following five individuals as candidates for the 2010 election of the FTBOA Board of Directors: Linda Appleton Potter, Bonnie M. Heath, III, Roy Lerman, Francis Vanlangendonck and Charlotte C. Weber.

According to Article XIII, Section 1, of the Association Bylaws, additional nominations may be made at least 45 days prior to the FTBOA annual membership meeting, which is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 16, at the Golden Hills Golf and Turf Club. A petition nominating a FTBOA regular member must be signed by 50 regular FTBOA members in good standing. This petition must be received by the nominating committee at 801 SW 60th Ave., Ocala, Florida, 34474, before 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept 1, 2010.

Voting packets will be mailed to the FTBOA membership 30 days prior to the annual meeting. For further information, contact FTBOA at (352) 629-2160.

Hall of Fame jockey John Sellers, who piloted Florida-bred Carry Back to a Kentucky Derby victory in 1961, died July 2.

Sellers,borninLosAngeles,Calif.,andraised in Oklahoma, was a jockey from 1955-77. During that span, he captured many of the nation’s biggest stakes races, including the Belmont,Alabama, Travers, Blue Grass, Kentucky Oaks, Florida Derby and Hollywood Derby.

After guiding Carry Back to his Kentucky Derby win in 1961, Sellers got the Sunshine State product back into the winner’s circle two weeks later with another impressive victory in the Preakness Stakes.

In recent years, Sellers worked as a bloodstock agent in Florida. In a 2004 article published in The Florida Horse, Sellers commented on staying immersed in the sport he loves: “I keep an eye out for a good horse every day I’m at the track,” he said, “of course, we know a little fellow like Carry Back comes along only once. Really from the first time I rode him, I knew we were a perfect fit.”

Sellers was inducted into the National Racing Hall of Fame in 2007. He is survived by two sons—Mark and John Michael Sellers.

14 THE FLORIDA HORSE • AUGUST 2010

FILE PHOTO

John Sellers Passes Away

Hall of Fame jockey John Sellers (above right) rode Carry Back in the 1961 Kentucky Derby.

LOUISE REINAGEL PHOTO / INSET: NYRA PHOTO

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George Steinbrenner dies at age 80

BY MICHAEL COMPTON eorge M. Steinbrenner III, who is best known as the principal owner of the New York Yankees but had an all-encompassing involvement in Florida’s thoroughbred industry, passed away July 13 in Tampa. He was 80. Steinbrenner had a heart attack and died at St. Joseph’s Hospital.

The Steinbrenner family said funeral arrangements will be private, but details about an additional public service will be announced at a later date.

“It is with profound sadness that the family of George M. Steinbrenner III announces his passing,” the family said in a statement. “He was an incredible and charitable man. First and foremost, he was devoted to his entire family – his beloved wife, Joan; his sisters, Susan Norpell and Judy Kamm; his children, Hank, Jennifer, Jessica and Hal; and all of his

G

He was one of the most “ influential people I’ve ever met and had the pleasure of knowing for the past 22 years. He left a great legacy in Florida’s thoroughbred industry and was responsible for many of the association’s accomplishments.

”

—Richard Hancock, executive vice president of the FTBOA

grandchildren.

“He was a visionary and a giant in the world of sports. He took a great but struggling franchise and turned it into a champion again.”

Steinbrenner, who owned Kinsman Farm in Ocala, was instrumental in the passage of key legislation for the horse business in Florida. Inter-track wagering, workers’ compensation reform, the family bill and Sunday racing all were passed with his leadership and 16 THE FLORIDA HORSE • AUGUST 2010

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Influential And Visionary

during his involvement with the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association. He served as president of the association and was a board member.

“He was one of the most influential people I’ve ever met and had the pleasure of knowing for the past 22 years,” said Richard Hancock, executive vice president of the FTBOA. “I know it is a tough time for the family right now. We want them to know how much we share their loss. He left a great legacy in Florida’s thoroughbred industry and was responsible for many of the association’s accomplishments.”

A native of Ohio, Steinbrenner bred and owned many top horses under the Kinsman Farm banner dating back to Whippendeal, foaled in 1970 and winner of three graded stakes races. The list also includes Eternal Prince, Steve’s Friend, Al’s Helen, Spinning Round, Concerto, Diligence, Acceptable, Dream Supreme, Ebony Breeze, Bellamy Road and Majestic Warrior.

In addition to his horses, Steinbrenner owned Florida Downs, which later became Tampa Bay Downs, from 1980-86.

“The thoroughbred racing world joins the rest of the sporting community in mourning the death of George Steinbrenner,” said Alex Waldrop, president and CEO of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association. “He was a devoted owner and breeder and philanthropist for more than 40 years, and his Kinsman Farm near Ocala produced numerous stakes winners. His many contributions to our sport are greatly appreciated, and he will be sorely missed.”

While his involvement in the thoroughbred industry was among his passions, he is best known as the owner of the Yankees. During Steinbrenner’s ownership from 1973 to his death, the longest in club history, the Yankees earned 11 pennants and seven World Series titles.

Steinbrenner was actively involved in the U.S. Olympic Committee, was a member of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame Board of Trustees, was on the NCAA Foundation Board of Directors and was a board member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame.■ —Patrick Vinzant contributed to this report.

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With recent legislative victories paving the way for change, a strong juvenile sale season at Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. and increased earning opportunities this year for Florida-breds at Gulfstream Park and Calder Casino and Race Course,

the future looks bright for Florida’s thoroughbred industry.

By MICHAEL COMPTON

or thoroughbred breeders and owners in Florida, passage of the pari-mutuel legislation in April was welcome news. Officials at the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’Association now fix their sights on implementing components of the economic stimulus package first put before FTBOA members two years ago.

“This legislation sets the plate for us as an industry where we are poised for recovery as the economy bounces back,” said Richard Hancock, FTBOA executive vice president.

“We now have as good a framework for the future as any state-bred program in the country.”

F

CINDY MIKELL PHOTO

very

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The push for the landmark legislation, which took effect July 1, required cooperation from all segments of Florida’s thoroughbred industry.

“It’s been a demanding couple of years dealing with the economy and working to help get this legislation passed and enacted,” said Hancock. “It has proved to be a marathon, not a sprint. Through the ups and downs of the process and with a heightened sense of urgency, we re-

Components of the FTBOA’s economic stimulus package included in the legislation are: ■ Reduction in the tax on slot-machine revenue at Gulfstream Park, Calder Casino and Race Course and other pari-mutuels from 50 percent to 35 percent. Revenue for purses and breeders’ incentives generated from slots should increase by about 60 percent; ■ Breeders’ flexibility bill allowing more freedom in structuring the state’s incentive awards program; ■ Not-for-profit thoroughbred racing permit for Ocala/Marion County; ■ Extended card-room hours for pari-mutuel facilities and unlimited pots to help pari-mutuels better compete in a crowded gaming landscape

20 THE FLORIDA HORSE • AUGUST 2010

mained focused on the objectives, kept to task and achieved our goals. We made sure that the voices of Florida’s breeders and owners were heard.This should help restore hope and optimism for the future of our industry.”.

“The legislation will go a long way in helping the majority of the thoroughbred industry in Florida,” said Hancock. “The reduction in the slots tax will put us more in line with casinos in other states. The breeders’ flexibility bill will allow our breeders’ incentive programs to be more competitive with other states as well, and it also allows us to not have to go back to the legislature to make changes to the program in the future.”

The legislation creates the prospect for live racing in Ocala/Marion County. The FTBOA has been granted a quarter horse racing permit that can be converted to a non-profit thoroughbred racing permit. FTBOA board members have discussed the operating requirements and rights applicable to the two different types of permits, and the board has approved a motion for the association to begin exploring pos-

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sible means to pursue the transfer and conversion.

The FTBOA has until June 30, 2011, to request the transfer of its quarter horse permit to a non-profit corporation. The non-profit must be formed to serve the following purposes: the enhancement of thoroughbred purses, breeders’, stallion and special racing awards; the general promotion of the thoroughbred breeding industry; and the care of retired thoroughbreds in the state.

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FTBOA: The Voice of Florida’s Thoroughbred Industry

Since its inception, the Florida Thoroughbred Breedersʼ and Ownersʼ

Association has been responsible for Florida-bred registration and administration and distribution of the industryʼs incentive awards program, which encourages individuals to breed, train and race thoroughbreds in Florida.

Expanding its scope and reach over the last two decades, the FTBOA also has taken on the roles of promoting and marketing the Florida thoroughbred industry throughout the country and around the world. During this time, the FTBOA has utilized its monthly magazine, The Florida Horse, its daily publication, Wire to Wire, and seasonal Horse Capital Digest to cover all aspects of the horse business and market the industry to FTBOA members and industry participants.

In addition to the above roles, the FTBOA supports the industry through its charitable arm, Florida Thoroughbred Charities Inc. (FTC), and Florida Thoroughbred Retirement Farm (TRF).The FTC, which is committed to strengthening the industry and community, supports benevolent issues that affect members. Florida TRF provides a home to Florida-bred horses retired from the racetrack. The Florida farm, which opened in 2001, provides characterbuilding inmate training and prepares retired Florida-bred horses for second careers or adoption.

The FTBOA is dedicated to ensuring a prosperous business climate for Floridaʼs thoroughbred industry. With Floridaʼs low taxes and smart growth policies, basing a thoroughbred operation in the Sunshine State makes business sense.

GOING GLOBAL

In recent years, the FTBOA, in conjunction with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, has placed an emphasis on building relationships with horsemen from around the globe. Through trade missions, the association has been able to introduce

We remained focused on the objec“tives, kept to task and achieved our goals. We made sure that the voices of Florida’s breeders and owners were heard. This should help restore hope and optimism for the future of our industry. — Richard Hancock

”

Horses are exempt from sales tax when purchased from their original breeder. Breeding stock also is exempt, as are feed and animal-health items.

Certain farm equipment may be exempt from state sales tax or receive special treatment.

Florida’s greenbelt exemption provides property tax breaks for Florida horse farms.

No state personal income tax.

JIM LISA PHOTO

No tax on stallion seasons.

Thoroughbred breeders, owners and trainers are drawn to Ocala/Marion County, Floridaʼs year-round moderate climate, mineral-rich soil, outstanding facilities and strong support industries. There are more than 500 farms and training centers in the region and surrounding areas, preserving more than 70,000 acres of Floridaʼs most pristine farmland.

The FTBOA takes great pride in Florida-bred racehorses, the stateʼs breeding farms and training centers, racetracks and sales company, OBS. —Michael Compton For more information on Florida’s thoroughbred industry, visit the FTBOA’s website at www.ftboa.com.

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Florida’s thoroughbred industry to horsemen around the John Marshall, general manager of racing at Calder, said world. The effort has developed new markets for the hike, which boosts average daily purse distribution at Florida-breds in England, Ireland, Italy, Russia and the track to more than $180,000, was due to projected increases in gaming revenue resulting from the state tax South Korea as well as South America.

As testament to the value of building global rela- decrease that went into effect July 1.

“The purse increase should be a signal to owners and tionships, buyers from Italy and South Korea have proved especially important to the success of the Ocala trainers that South Florida remains a viable place to run Breeders’ Sales Co.’s auctions in recent years. In fact, horses,” said John Marshall, vice president and general Korean buyers at the June sale spent $754,700 on 39 manager of racing at Calder. “In an environment where head. The June sale, which showed increases in gross most tracks are cutting purse money, we are increasing sales and average price, followed March and April juve- purses. I hope that it injects some confidence into horsenile offerings at the Ocala venue that also demonstrated men here and helps us attract even more business.”

“We have some of the best bred horses increases over the previous year. in the world in Florida,” he added. “From “FTBOA’s trade missions have FTBOA’s trade a track operator’s prospective, not only do certainly been successful in attractmissions have certainly been successful in we have racing opportunities such as ing buyers to our area and our sales,” attracting buyers to our Breeders’ Cup qualifying races, we have said Tom Ventura, general manager area and our sales. a two-year-old program that should be a and director of sales at OBS. “The —Tom Ventura, general major draw for serious horseplayers.”

Korean buyers have been important manager/director of OBS sales.

Calder is the place to be this sumto our 2-year-old sales, while the Italian buyers have been more active at our yearling sales. mer for owners of Florida-bred juveniles. Two-year-old “Over time, the relationships we’ve established with Sunshine State products are running for purses up to international buyers have been very effective in introduc- $41,700 (including $7,000 in Florida Owners’ Awards ing what we do here in Ocala to a new audience. It’s been and $5,000 in Florida Stallion Stakes supplements) in important for us to expand our market and get exposure maiden special weight races. As purses increase, breeders’ incentives also rise. for our industry.”

The juvenile program at Calder is among the INCREASING OPPORTUNITIES strongest in the country. By comparison, CaliforniaAt a time when racetracks around the country are bred maiden special weight races carry purses of having trouble filling programs and trimming purses, $41,000; at the most recent Fair Grounds meet, Calder announced a 10 percent purse increase June 12. Louisiana-bred maiden special weight races also had

“

”

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purses of $41,000. New York-bred maiden special weight races at Belmont Park are $36,000.

“Thanks to our Florida Stallion Stakes Committee and Chairman Fred Brei, we were able to bolster the juvenile program at Calder last year by pledging an additional $300,000 for juvenile purses, turning it into one of the best juvenile racing programs in the country,” said Hancock.

“The program continues to develop, and the purse money is certainly headed in the right direction. We look forward to improving the 3-year-old program at Calder next.”

The juvenile stakes program at Calder also is strong.

Fast approaching is this year’s renewal of the lucrative Florida Stallion Stakes series, which starts Aug. 7 with the $75,000 Desert Vixen and Dr. Fager divisions. The $125,000 Susan’s Girl and Affirmed divisions follow Aug. 28. The $375,000 finales – the My Dear Girl and In Reality divisions – are slated for Oct. 16, along with two $65,000 supporting stakes that day, the Birdonthewire and Cassidy stakes.

Earning opportunities for Florida horsemen also were better at Gulfstream Park. Earlier this year, the FTBOA, Florida Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association and Gulfstream Park increased Florida Owners’ Awards for Florida-breds to the tune of $1.4 million. All races at the Hallandale Beach track, with the exception of stakes and races restricted to Floridabreds, offered FOAs totaling 30 percent of the race’s gross purse, up to $30,000 per race. The contract provided more opportunities for Florida-bred runners with an emphasis on the large percentage of horses that run in allowance and claiming races.

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Quick Returns For Florida-bred Juveniles at Calder 2010 RACE

DATE VALUE

Ponche Handicap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6/12/10 U Can Do It Handicap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6/12/10 Frank Gomez Memorial Stakes . . . . . . . . . .7/10/10 J J’s Dream Stakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7/10/10 Nancy’s Glitter Handicap . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7/24/10 FSS Desert Vixen Division . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8/7/10 FSS Dr. Fager Division . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8/7/10 FSS Susan’s Girl Division . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8/28/10 FSS Affirmed Division . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8/28/10 Seacliff Stakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8/28/10 Lindsay Frolic Stakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8/28/10 Fasig-Tipton Turf Dash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8/28/10 Catcharisingstar Stakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8/28/10 Judy’s Red Shoes Stakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9/25/10 Needles Stakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9/25/10 FSS My Dear Girl Division . . . . . . . . . . . . .10/16/10 FSS In Reality Division . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10/16/10 Cassidy Stakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10/16/10 Birdonthewire Stakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10/16/10

DIST.

$65,000 (including $15,000 FTBOA Stakes Fund) $65,000 (including $15,000 FTBOA Stakes Fund) $100,000 (including $50,000 FTBOA Stakes Fund) $100,000 (including $50,000 FTBOA Stakes Fund) $65,000 (including $15,000 FTBOA Stakes Fund) $75,000 FSS $75,000 FSS $125,000 FSS $125,000 FSS $100,000 (including $50,000 FTBOA Stakes Fund) $100,000 (including $50,000 FTBOA Stakes Fund) $100,000 (including $50,000 FTBOA Stakes Fund) $100,000 (including $50,000 FTBOA Stakes Fund) $65,000 (including $15,000 FTBOA Stakes Fund) $65,000 (including $15,000 FTBOA Stakes Fund) $375,000 FSS $375,000 FSS $65,000 (including $15,000 FTBOA Stakes Fund) $65,000 (including $15,000 FTBOA Stakes Fund)

6 furlongs 6 furlongs 5-1/2 furlongs 5-1/2 furlongs 1-1/16 miles 6 furlongs 6 furlongs 7 furlongs 7 furlongs 1 mile 1 mile 5 furlongs 5 furlongs 1-1/16 miles 1-1/16 miles 1-1/16 miles 1-1/16 miles 6 furlongs 6 furlongs

$125,000 (including $50,000 FTBOA Stakes Fund) $125,000 (including $50,000 FTBOA Stakes Fund) $125,000 (including $50,000 FTBOA Stakes Fund) $125,000 (including $50,000 FTBOA Stakes Fund) $150,000 (including $50,000 FTBOA Stakes Fund) $150,000 (including $50,000 FTBOA Stakes Fund) $100,000 (including $50,000 FTBOA Stakes Fund) $100,000 (including $50,000 FTBOA Stakes Fund) $3,205,000

7 furlongs 7 furlongs 6 furlongs 1-1/8 miles 1-1/16 miles 1-1/8 miles 1-1/16 miles 1-1/16 miles

FLORIDA MILLION Joe O’Farrell Juvenile Fillies . . . . . . . . . . .11/13/10 Jack Price Juvenile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11/13/10 Jack Dudley Sprint Handicap . . . . . . . . . .11/13/10 Bonnie Heath Turf Cup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11/13/10 Elmer Heubeck Distaff Handicap . . . . . . . .11/13/10 Carl G. Rose Classic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11/13/10 John Franks Juvenile Fillies Turf . . . . . . . .11/13/10 Arthur I. Appleton Juvenile Turf . . . . . . . . .11/13/10 Stakes Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

30 Maiden Special Weight 2YO races - $41,700 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (including $5,000 FSS & $7,000 FOA)

$1,170,000 $4,375,000

Buy a Florida-bred to take advantage of these opportunities.

“These programs have proved beneficial for the industry,” Hancock said. “We look forward to continued cooperation between horsemen and racetracks as we create earning opportunities for breeders and owners of Florida-breds. We all share the same commitment of putting Florida first and providing a quality racing product. We have the tools to effectively answer the tough times we face with new avenues for growth.”

In addition to increased earning opportunities for owners of Florida-breds in the last year, Florida’s racing calendar traditionally is highlighted by signature racing days. The lucrative Sunshine Millions at Gulfstream Park and Santa Anita, the Florida Million at Calder and Florida Cup Day at Tampa Bay Downs have proven to be ideal events to showcase Sunshine State products.

“We strive to create an economic climate for breeders and owners to make a return on their substantial investment in the industry,” said Hancock. “By staying the course and facing the industry’s challenges together, opportunities exist for the thoroughbred industry here to gain a competitive advantage over other states and ensure that in Florida, the dreams of breeding, raising, selling and owning racehorses are worth the investment.” ■

THE FLORIDA HORSE • AUGUST 2010 23

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2010 OBS AUGUST YEARLING SALE

Looking for pinhook prospects or graded stakes winners for your racing stable?

Kaizen Sales’August draft is where you need to look!

SEX

SIRE

DAM

HIP# SEX SIRE

DAM

19 38 54 55 80 88 89 103 107 125

F C C C C C F F C C

Petionville Pomeroy Trippi Trippi Trippi High Cotton Congrats Pomeroy With Distinction Purim

Cinnful Bride Elbow Great Looking Miss Great Majesty Luricon Monday Saint Morning Kiss Phaedra Pretty Indian Sanibel Breeze

143 153 192 202 238 265 270 278 285 287 358 366 370 403 412 454 462 495 500 515 523 524 533 546 601 603 612 613 644 658 689 695 733 787 809 820 830 885

Sofisticada Summit Lite Always On the Go Bang Up Play Celtic Rhapsody Countess Marq Cozy One Crystal Clipper Dame Sylvieguilhem Dance Forthe Green Fast Profit Flyinghannah Four Point Play Gold Gram Greek Code Jollytrix Just Bimi Limma Little Monday Magical Magdalene Margaret Anne Margarita Nites Mesmerizing Lady Miss Laken Opal’s Notebook Our Lady Hennessy Pearlwood Pentera Puff the Magic Quiet Touch Runaway Ab Salty Lady Slice Off the Top Tchopitioulas Tranquility Bay Unicorn Kid Victorious Gal Apache Pines

ACTION IMAGES/ZUMA PRESS PHOTO

HIP#

BENOIT & ASSOCIATES PHOTO

Jealous Again

Brooke’s Halo

F C C F F C C F C C F C C C F F C F C F C C F C F F C C C C C C C C F C C F

Sweetsouthernsaint High Fly Simon Pure Sweetsouthernsaint High Cotton Invisible Ink Stormin Fever Sweetsouthernsaint Trippi With Distinction Thunder Gulch Alphabet Soup Trippi Trippi Imperialism Put It Back Saint Anddan Purim High Cotton Purim Trippi Bandini Congrats Offlee Wild Sweetsouthernsaint Purim Trippi Double Honor Stormello Olmodavor Alphabet Soup Sweetsouthernsaint Drewman Trippi Trippi Friends Lake With Distinction High Cotton

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AUGUST 24–26, 2010 Plumley Farm will offer at OBS August our

entire yearling crop featuring half brothers to D’Funnybone (G2) and Dubai Majesty (G3).

All yearlings will be sold without reserve.

HIP# SEX

SIRE

38

DAM

C

P om e ro y

Elbow

C

Trippi

Great Looking Miss

55

C

Tr i p p i

G re a t M aj e st y

80 88 107 143 153 202 238 265 278 285 287 358 370 403 500 523 601 612 658 689 695 787 809 820 830 885

C C C F C F F C F C C F C C C C F C C C C C F C C F

Trippi High Cotton With Distinction Sweetsouthernsaint High Fly Sweetsouthernsaint High Cotton Invisible Ink Sweetsouthernsaint Trippi With Distinction Thunder Gulch Trippi Trippi High Cotton Trippi Sweetsouthernsaint Trippi Olmodavor Alphabet Soup Sweetsouthernsaint Trippi Trippi Friends Lake With Distinction High Cotton

Luricon Monday Saint Pretty Indian Sofisticada Summit Lite Bang Up Play Celtic Rhapsody Countess Marq Crystal Clipper Dame Sylvieguilhem Dance Forthe Green Fast Profit Four Point Play Gold Gram Little Monday Margaret Anne Opal’s Notebook Pearlwood Quiet Touch Runaway Ab Salty Lady Tchopitioulas Tranquility Bay Unicorn Kid Victorious Gal Apache Pines

54

D’Funnybone

PALMER PHOTO

ble?

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Dubai Majesty

KAIZEN

SALES Come visit Richard Kent our consignment Consignor at barn 7 352-804-7995

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Obvious The OBS August Yearling Sale, set for Aug. 24-26,

By JAY FRIEDMAN

he Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s August Yearling Sale gets a new starting time for 2010, but its graduates have been right on schedule with their impact at the races.

Two hundred horses have been cataloged for the Selected Yearling Sale, which will get underway at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 24, a day later than previously announced. The 701 horses in the Open Sale will sell on Wednesday, Aug. 25 and Thursday, Aug. 26, with both sessions beginning at 10:30 a.m. The changes give

26 THE FLORIDA HORSE • AUGUST 2010

NYRA PHOTO

T

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Impact continues to produce

stakes winners.

PALMER PHOTO

horsemen additional travel time to Ocala after weekend stakes races and provide extra inspection time prior to the sale.

Unchanged is the high quality of the catalog. In fact, the sire lineup is stronger than ever, featuring the offspring of leading sires Unbridled’s Song and Tiznow as well as Indian Charlie, Tapit, Empire Maker, Malibu Moon and Candy Ride (ARG).

The roster of Florida-based stallions includes D’wildcat, Wildcat Heir, Montbrook, Put It Back, With Distinction, Trippi and Congrats.

Kodiak Kowboy (far left) and Florida-bred Macho Again

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Nobleʼs Promise

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Racetrack rivals Street Sense, Hard Spun and Any beat the world’s best sprinters in the $2 million Dubai Given Saturday are joined by Scat Daddy at the head Golden Shaheen (G1) on his way to over $1.5 million of the list of first crop sires represented in the sale, as in earnings. Macho Again, sold for $85,000 by Beth well as promising second crop sires Bluegrass Cat, Bayer, Agent, before being resold at the 2008 OBS February Sale, banked over $1.8 million. His credits Silver Train and Rockport Harbor.

The upgraded stallion roster follows on the heels of include a victory in Churchill’s Stephen Foster Handthe tremendous racetrack performance of recent OBS icap (G1) as well as pushing Horse of the Year Rachel graduates. Since the beginning of 2009 through July 19, Alexandra to her limits in the Woodward Stakes (G1) OBS August graduates have won or placed in 239 stakes at Saratoga, just missing a major upset by a head.

In all, 19 OBS August gradraces, including 52 stakes winners uates have topped the millionscoring 77 stakes victories, a pace In all, 19 OBS August dollar mark, a list that also of nearly one a week. During this period, August graduates won or graduates have topped the includes champions Groovy, Not Surprising, Silver Charm placed in 58 graded stakes, sevenmillion-dollar mark. and Xtra Heat. teen in grade one races including OBS August graduates prothe Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, Carter, CashCall Futurity, Cigar Mile, Florida Derby, vided devotees of exotic wagering some fun and profit, Forego, Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash, Hopeful, with 2008 alumni Noble’s Promise and Aikenite running one-two in Keeneland’s prestigious Breeders’ Futurity Santa Anita Oaks (2009 & 2010), and Vosburgh.

Heading the roster of recent August stars is cham- (G1) last fall. Noble’s Promise, consigned by Ballinswood pion Kodiak Kowboy, who went to stud with eight Farm, Agent, has earned over $800,000 to date, while graded stakes victories and earnings of better than $1.6 Aikenite, consigned by On Course Sales, Agent for Brymillion. A graded stakes winner each of the three years lynn Farm, Inc, has earned over $300,000.

Topping that was Hurricane Ike’s Derby Trial (G3) he raced, the son of Posse was sold by Burleson Farms LLC, Agent, for $70,000 at the 2006 OBS August Sale. win at Churchill Downs. The son of Graeme Hall, sold At four, he racked up three grade one wins en route to for $115,000 by Southern Breeze Ranch, Agent, bested Aikenite, with Pleasant Prince, sold for the Eclipse Award as 2009’s sprint champion.

The 2006 sale produced two more millionaires. Big $30,000 by Adena Springs, Hidden Brook, Agent, City Man, sold for $45,000 by Summerfield, Agent, completing the August trifecta.

If there was a sentimental moment in the past year it had to be when then 7-year-old 2003 graduate Interpatation lowered the colors of champion Gio Ponti in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (G1) at Belmont last October. Still racing for Elliot Mavorah at eight, the son of Langfuhr, consigned by Gregory Equine, Agent, has earned over $1.1 million to date.

According to a study in the June 25, 2010 TBH MarketWatch, this kind of racing performance is why graduates of the 2005-2007 OBS August Yearling Sales earned $83.6 million more than their purchase price. The study also showed that OBS August was the only Selected yearling sale whose graduates earned more

28 THE FLORIDA HORSE • AUGUST 2010

COADY PHOTO

OBVIOUS IMPACT

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D.W. Frazier homebred Bernie Blue (pictured) is a multiple stakes winner of nearly $1 million.

CO

OL

EY

PH

OT O

Consigned by Lynne Boutte, agent for D.W. Frazier (Complete Dispersal) Offered at OBS August Sale Aug. 25 & 26 red OH B

ed PA Br

Hip No. 218-c., Bernstein–Blue Sword

372-f., Burning Roma–Frame of Mind

My Blue Sword, a full brother to BERNIE BLUE, a mul- A half-sister to stakes-placed Pyrite on my Mind, from the family of millionaire and Eclipse champion tiple stakes winner and an earner of $943,045, and graded stakes placed Cosmo Bell, from the family of ITSALLGREEKTOME. ed BLUES COURT and SAFFRONISTA. PA Br

380-g., Burning Roma–Frozen Dinner

ed FL Br

222-c., Burning Roma–Bower’s Way By the sire of impressive juvenile stakes winner LITTLE DRAMA from the family of stakes winners FERVENT AFFAIR, ALICE’S MAGIC, PYRITE DINNER and CONNIE’S FANTASY. ed FL Br

276-f., Five Star Day–Crossing Over From the family of graded stakes winner TAHKODHA HILLS ($548,274). ed FL Br

359-c., Burning Roma–Feed for Speed

A half-brother to stakes winner SNEAK A COLD TREAT. ed FL Br

451-f., Formal Dinner–Jet Ready A half-sister to stakes-placed runners Oh Gleg, Miss Vermont Jet and Oh Baby Oh Baby. ed FL Br

ed FL Br

648-f., Formal Dinner–Pyrite Lady Out of stakes-placed Pyrite Lady, from the family of Puerto Rican champion CRIADOR. ed FL Br

649-c., Gimmeawink–Pyrite of Way red OH B

650-f., Gimmeawink–Pyrite Rain ed FL Br

651-c., Formal Dinner–Pyrite’s Beaut ed FL Br

846-f., Formal Dinner–Wild in Manila ed FL Br

872-c., Gimmeawink–Alice in Wonder

red 468-c., Burning Roma–Karen’s Supper OH B d e r B 873-f., Gimmeawink–Alice’s Magic FL 556-f., Formal Dinner–Moon Over Pyrite Out of multiple stakes winner ALICE’S MAGIC. d e r B OH red 647-c., Formal Dinner–Pyrite Grand Slam OH B 890-f., Formal Dinner–Arctic Dove A full brother to stakes-placed Pyrite Score.

Visit our consignment at OBS barn 13

Our goal is to put you in the winner’s circle

Lynne Boutte • (352) 266-7841

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OBVIOUS IMPACT

PALMER PHOTO

Hurricane Ike (left), a son of Florida stallion Graeme Hall, won the Derby Trial (G3) at Churchill Downs.

than their purchase price.

In terms of value, while the average price of 2005-07 OBS August Selected graduates was considerably lower than that of Keeneland and Fasig-Tipton

Selected Sale graduates, the OBS Sale led all yearling sales in percentage of starters (88%), winners (69%), and two-year-old winners (25%). Despite the wide disparity in average price compared with its competitors, the OBS August Selected Sale was also the leader in percentage of Grade 1 stakes winners. Additionally, one out of every six August Selected graduates of the 2005-07 sales became stakes horses to date.

So, whatever the date or starting time, the record shows that the OBS August Yearling Sale has been and remains a prime source of important race horses. And who knows, perhaps this year’s sale will produce an August superfecta in a major race in the future. ■

Tampa’s Frazier to Disperse His Pyrite Stables

Among the yearlings Frazier will sell at OBS is a full brother of Bernie

Dr. D.W. Frazier recently sat down to decide which stallions heʼd

Blue, a son of Bernstein out of the Crusader Sword mare Blue Sword.

mandatory retirement age in the thoroughbred industry, but at 68, Fra-

they were only going to give me $7,500 for him,” he said. “Heʼs been

By NICK FORTUNA

breed his mares to when the thought hit him: By the time those horses were ready to run in three years, heʼd be 71 years old. There may be no zier felt it was time to end his 25-year run as a breeder and owner.

Frazier, a native of Louisville, Ky., who has lived in Tampa since 1971,

helps to run GMS, a primary physician group practice near his home that

has 40 doctors and 500 employees. He breeds and races under the Pyrite

Stables name and has had many solid runners, including Florida-bred Bernie Blue, who successfully defended his crown in the $75,000 Dale Baird Me-

Frazier said Bernie Blue always will have a special place in his heart.

“Bernie Blue was one that I had to buy back from a sale because

such a hard knocker for me. Heʼs raced forever and has done very well.”

FrazierʼsAugust yearlings also include a Florida-bred filly by Five Star Day;

a Florida-bred Formal Dinner filly whoʼs a half-sister to Oh Oleg, an earner of $204,249; and a full sister to the late Florida-bred Paizano, who set a Gulf-

stream Park track record for 5 ½ furlongs with a time of 1:03 last winter.

Paizano was a son of Formal Dinner out of the Dove Hunt mare Arctic Dove.

morial Stakes at Mountaineer Park in

In October, Frazier will sell weanlings

July. It was the 8-year-old geldingʼs 12th

by and mares in foal to such stallions as

stakes win and pushed his earnings to

Bridlewood Farmʼs Gimmeawink, Hart-

$943,045.

ley/De Renzo Thoroughbredsʼ City

With the help of Williston consignor

Place and Vineryʼs Benny the Bull.

Lynne Boutte, Frazier will disperse his

stable over the next few months. Heʼll

“Weʼve sold a lot of Docʼs horses

COOLEY PHOTO

over the years, and heʼs just bred run-

have about 18 yearlings in the OBS sale

ner after runner,” Boutte said.

Aug. 24-26 and about 10 mares in foal

Frazier said that when he was a kid, he Bernie Blue has earned $943,045 and won 12 stakes races and eight weanlings in OBSʼs fall mixed sale frequently would go to the track with his fain a stellar career.

Oct. 18-21. He also plans to sell another dozen horses at the Fasig-Tip- ther. “We had a couple of horses over the years,” he said, “and when I got older ton Midlantic December mixed sale in Maryland.

and got some money, I got a claimer and said, ʻIʼm going to try this.ʼ”

that for the next 20 years. Iʼve enjoyed it a lot. I grew up around horses

him to devote more time to other pursuits, but he does expect to miss it.

“Itʼs kind of like retiring,” Frazier said, “but I will watch these horses

go on and follow them on the computer, and Iʼll have a lot of fun doing and have always been around them, but Iʼve been doing this since 1985.

Thatʼs 25 years, and I think thatʼs probably enough.”

30 THE FLORIDA HORSE • AUGUST 2010

Frazierʼs top runners include Pay the Man, a stakes-winning daughter of

Bernstein who has earned $581,131. Getting out of the business will allow

“Itʼs really a sad time for me, to tell you the truth,” he said. “Iʼm not

very happy to do this.”

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Florida... the Best State for Business

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

“Florida Once Again Named a Top State for Business…”

The Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council ranks Florida’s state tax system among the nation’s Top 10 on its “Business Tax Index 2010: Best to Worst State Tax Systems for Entrepreneurship and Small Business.” The index ranks the 50 states and District of Columbia according to the costs of their tax systems for entrepreneurship and small business. Florida ranks sixth for the best business tax system, when compared to all 50 states.

ELEANOR HANCOCK PHOTO

Florida’s recent legislative changes now allow for improved racing structures, higher breeders’ awards, more lucrative purses at racetracks, and the excitement of live racing in Ocala/Marion County – Horse Capital of the World ®.

• No personal state income tax.

• No individual capital gains tax.

• Ranked third in the U.S. for number of horses and size of horse industry.

• National leader in veterinary and equine research.

• Horses are exempt from sales tax when purchased from their original breeder.

• Feed and animal health items, along with other specific items, are also exempt.

• Florida’s greenbelt exemption provides property tax breaks for Florida horse farms.

• No tax on stallion seasons.

• Physical climate allows for year-round training, racing, showing and business opportunities.

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Ocala’s Mary Russ Tortora, a record-setting jockey, returned to the saddle for the Lady Legends For The Cure Race.

By JO ANN GUIDRY

Once a jockey, always a jockey.

Mary Russ Tortora may have wrapped up a stellar career as a jockey in 1993, but she never lost her competitive drive. After not having ridden in a pari-mutuel race in 17 years, Tortora finished a strong third aboard Rasher in the Lady Legends For The Cure Race on May 14 at Pimlico Race Course.

“It felt great to be in the starting gates again,” said Tortora, 56, who has continued to gallop horses since retiring from racing. “We stayed right off the pace and I tried to stay close to the leaders. My horse tried really hard, but we just couldn’t catch the top two. It was a great experience and an honor to be asked to participate in the race.”

Sponsored by a partnership between Pimlico and the Susan G. Komen For The Cure organization, the Lady Legends race raised money for breast cancer awareness and research. Tortora competed against seven other top retired women jockeys, whose ages ranged from 43 to 60: Patricia Cooksey, Gwen Jocson, Andrea Seefeldt Knight, Barbara Jo Rubin, Jennifer Rowland Small, Mary Wiley Wagner and Cheryl White. Jocson, the youngest at 43, won the 6-furlong, $30,000 allowance race aboard Honor in Peace; Knight, 47, finished second on Chapel of Love.

34 THE FLORIDA HORSE • AUGUST 2010

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The Lady Legends race was also filmed by producer/director Jason Neff and producer Linda Ellman for their documentary about the pioneering women jockeys of the 1970s and 80s. The Lady Legends race is tentatively planned as the climatic end of the documentary titled JOCK. Neff had already traveled to Ocala to interview Tortora for the documentary and he was the one who submitted her name for the Lady Legends race. Tortora definitely qualified for both the

stakes and $1.4-million in purse money. But the year and her career ended with a bad spill and an injured shoulder. In seven years of riding, Tortora posted 520 wins, including 25 stakes wins, and her mounts earned more than $5.9 million. In 2003, she was inducted into the Calder Race Course Hall of Fame, joining previous inductee and her father-in-law trainer Manny Tortora.

“I enjoyed my riding days,” said Tortora. “It was a great time in my life, but after that last spill, I knew it was time to stop. I had a family to take care of, so things were different. It all worked out the way it was supposed to and I was very fortunate to have the career that I did.”

STRIKING A SPARK

Russ (between horses) during the Lady Legends Race at Pimlico.

CAROL WATTS PHOTOS

Mary Russ (above and far right) with some of the crew during the day of the Lady Legends Race, including Jason Neff, Director/Producer of the movie Jock (left).

Once her riding career was over, Tortora stayed busy raising her family and helping run Equitor Farm. In 1989, the partnership of Manny and Jackie Tortora, Steve and Beverly Tortora, and Rick and Mary Tortora established Equitor Farm, which went on to breed and race many outstanding Florida-breds over the next two decades. Steve and Rick, Manny’s sons, co-managed the Thoroughbred operation; Mary took a hands-on approach, galloping horses in the morning. When Equitor Farm was sold last year, Rick set up a training stable at Gunn Farm where Mary continued to gallop their horses as well a few head for trainer Monty Thomas. While the Tortoras were building a new house, Mary also got an evening job working at a nearby grocery deli.

While her life was full and fulfilling, Tortora’s outstanding career as a jockey was still a part of her. And it was Tortora’s record of riding firsts that led Neff to her for the JOCK documentary. And then came the invita-

JOCK documentary and the Lady Legends race.

In 1982, Tortora became the first female jockey to win a Grade 1 race when she rode Lord Darnley to a victory in the Widener Handicap (G1) at Hialeah Park. She and Lord Darnley encored that record-book win with a victory in the 1982 Gulfstream Park Handicap (G1). And Tortora continued to add to her list of firsts: she became the first female jockey to win a major race meet, the 1981-82 Tropical-at-Calder meet, and she was the first woman jockey to earn $1 million in purses with $1,319,363 in 1982.

After riding from 1980 to early 1986, Tortora took a break from riding to start a family with husband Rick.

After three children, including a set of twins, she returned to riding in 1993. On the year, she won nine

36 THE FLORIDA HORSE • AUGUST 2010

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tion to participate in the Lady Legends race.

“I wasn’t going to do the race at first,” said Tortora. “We had just sold the farm, were building a new house and I had three jobs. I wasn’t sure I could find the time to get race-riding fit. But since it was for such a good cause, I decided to do it. My older sister Rosemarie died of breast cancer in 1987.”

Once that competitive fire had been sparked, there was no turning back for Tortora. She agreed to ride in the Lady Legends race and, sans time to go to the gym, began an impromptu training regime five months out. Whenever she could, Tortora began doing deep knee bends to simulate race-riding position and push-ups to build up her overall core strength.

“I started out slowly with 10 deep-knee bends and 10 push-ups,” said Tortora. “I kept adding on It was an all-around until I was doing 50 deep-knee great experience, espe- bends and 25 push-ups three times a day.And I started gallopcially since I got to share ing as many horses as I could in it with my daughter. It the mornings.A couple of weeks was great to race again, before the race, I started breezbut the best part was get- ing race- ready older horses and ting to ride with all those that helped a lot too.”

Tortora also dusted off her great women riders. That was truly a special once- old racing saddle, using it to breeze horses and accustom in-a-lifetime honor. herself to short stirrups and —Mary Russ Tortora being in the racing position again. As fit as she already was from galloping horses, Tortora was surprised that sitting in her racing saddle again “made me feel muscles I had forgotten I even had.” While always fit and slim, Tortora even dropped about nine pounds and got down to riding weight of 109.

Ready as she was ever going to be, Tortora and her 23-year-old daughter Barbara left for Baltimore the Monday before the Lady Legends race.

“I wanted time to settle in, visit with the other women, and gallop a few horses over the Pimlico track,” said Tortora. “The horse, Rasher, that I was going to ride was going to be shipped in the day of the race. But I did get to gallop a few horses there in the mornings and that was a big help.”

Come race day, Tortora admitted she was “a little nervous,” but once the call came for ‘riders up,’ and she was on Rasher, she settled right down.

“When we got in the starting gates, then I got excited,” said Tortora.

“And I was ready to race and I wanted to win. We didn’t win, but I felt like I rode a good race and had some fun too.”

Tortora and the other riders stayed as guests of Pimlico for the next day’s Preakness Stakes (G1), enjoying the race and each other’s company.

“It was an all-around great experience, especially since I got to share it with my daughter” said Tortora. “It was great to race again, but the best part was getting to ride with all those great women riders. That was truly a special once-in-a-lifetime honor.” ■

“

”

THE FLORIDA HORSE • AUGUST 2010 37

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Dominance Florida-breds won six of seven stakes races during Calder Casino & Race Course’s Summit of Speed.

By NICK FORTUNA he Sunshine State’s top sprinters successfully defended their home turf at Calder Casino & Race Course’s Summit of Speed on July 10, with Floridabreds winning six of the seven stakes races and top local trainers Marty Wolfson and David Fawkes getting two wins apiece.

In Calder’s lone Grade 1 event, the $350,000 Princess Rooney Handicap, Florida-bred Jessica Is Back broke through for her first graded victory, rallying from just off the pace to win by two lengths. The 6-year-old daughter of Bridlewood Farm stallion Put It Back usually can be found on the lead, but in the Princess Rooney, she looked to save energy for the stretch run.

Jessica Is Back, trained by Wolfson and owned by Farnsworth Stables, ran in fourth place as the favored Warbling and Dr. Zic battled for the early lead, covering the opening quarter-mile in 21.87 seconds and a halfmile in 45.44. She angled outside the leaders at the top of the stretch and surged past Warbling inside the sixteenth pole, stopping the clock for six furlongs in 1:11.48.

“I think this mare had a little bit of an advantage over some of the others since she has run very well at this track all of her life,” winning rider Elvis Trujillo said. “The two horses that set the pace went fast early, and that played into our hands.

T

Florida-bred Big Drama (below) remained perfect in four starts at 6 furlongs in winning the Smile Sprint Handicap.

It paid to just sit and wait, so around the turn I knew I had a lot of horse, and I sat chilly until we straightened out, then let her go on from there.”

Jessica Is Back, bred byTamarac’s Larry Perkins, had placed in two straight graded events heading into the Princess Rooney, finishing third behind 2009 Horse of theYear RachelAlexandra in the Fleur de Lis Handicap (G2) at Churchill Downs last month and second behind Life At Ten in the Sixty Sails Handicap (G3) at Hawthorne in April – both at nine furlongs.

For her career, Jessica Is Back has won 12 of her 44 starts for $771,765. She’s 7-for-18 at Calder, including a win in the $72,000 Nancy’s Glitter Handicap last summer, and she added as second stakes win at Gulfstream Park in March in the $75,000 Ocala Stakes. She finished sixth in last year’s Princess Rooney after getting bumped and hitting the rail along the backstretch.

“I was confident she’d run good today turning back (in distance), but she had run some good races sprinting as a 4-year-old, and in this race last year, she just about got pushed over the fence,” Wolfson said. “You have to see the replay to see how bad it was. She can’t run with Rachel, although she did for a little while in that last race.

I’ll keep her here and look around for the right spot. She’s very versatile, so there are plenty of options.”

Jessica Is Back was followed by Warbling and Floridabred Dubai Majesty.

•

In the $350,000 Smile Sprint Handicap (G2), Florida-bred Big Drama earned the second graded victory of his career and remained perfect in four starts at the six-furlong distance by powering his way to a 1½-length victory in 1:10.93.

Big Drama, a son of Ocala Stud Farm stallion Montbrook and a homebred for Ocala’s Harold Queen, improved to 6for-7 at Calder. He swept the three-race Florida Stallion Stakes series at the Miami Gardens track in 2008 before returning last month to win the $63,000 Ponche Handicap.

Big Drama chased the pace three-wide as Florida-bred Go Go Shoot covered a quarter-mile in 21.68 seconds, then stuck his head in front with a quarter-mile remaining. He 38 THE FLORIDA HORSE • AUGUST 2010

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reached the top of the lane with a 2 ½-length advantage and held off a hard charging Mambo Meister, who was shortening up in distance after winning the 1 1/16-mile Memorial Day Handicap (G3) at Calder in May. “He certainly ran the way I expected him to run,” winning rider Eibar Coa said. “That last race in the Ponche set him up perfectly, and Mr. Fawkes has him right where he needs to be.

I know this horse quite well, and he feels as good as ever.”

Big Drama earned his first graded win in the Delta Jackpot (G3) at Delta Downs in December 2008. He’s won eight of his 13 starts for $1.46 million.

“He’s grown up since last year,” Fawkes said. “He’s a bigger, stronger horse. We’ll keep him sprinting and hope to get him to the Breeders’ Cup (Sprint). He’ll probably run once at Saratoga, and we’ll see where we are at that time.”

Mambo Meister, bred and owned in part by Ocala’s J.R. Cavanaugh, finished 3¼ lengths ahead of third-place runner How’s Your Halo, a Florida-bred who was running in the Smile Sprint for the third straight year.

strides of the six-furlong sprint and winning in 1:11.55.

Coffee Boy, a son of Yonaguska bred at Get Away Farm in Lowell, had won the local prep for the Carry Back, the $82,000 Unbridled Stakes, last month. He’s won three of his five starts and earned $207,750 for Wolfson and owner Gary Barber.

“We were fortunate enough to be sitting in a perfect spot going down the backstretch,” Bridgmohan said. “I knew I had a lot of horse around the turn, so it was just a matter of whether or not we could run down the leader. The rail opened up, and when I asked him for more, he fired up in there.”

“No excuses,” said Edgar Prado, who rode D’ Funnybone. “He ran his race. We were sitting forwardly placed, made our move around the turn into the lead, and in the stretch he kicked on for me. The other horse just had a little more than we did at the end of it.”

Florida-bred Coffee Boy (left) surprised DʼFunnybone in the Carry Back Stakes.

•

In the $150,000 Azalea Stakes (G3), Florida-bred Pica Slew cemented her status as a budding superstar by winning her third straight race, winning by two lengths and stopping the clock for six furlongs in 1:11.12.

The 3-year-old daughter of Pico Central broke her maiden by 10 ½ lengths for trainer Joseph Calascibetta in May, then won the local prep for the Azalea, the $82,000 Leave Me Alone Stakes, by 1¾ lengths while never being asked for run by jockey Manoel Cruz.

In the Azalea, she settled into second place as Rapport opened up a big lead and set fractions of 21.31 and 44.79 sec-

Florida-bred Jessica Is Back notched her first graded victory in the Princess Rooney Handicap.

•

JIM LISA PHOTOS

In the $194,000 Carry Back Stakes (G2), Coffee Boy stunned 1-10 favorite and fellow Florida-bred D’ Funnybone by rallying for a one-length win.

D’ Funnybone, a son of Vinery stallion D’wildcat bred by Ocala’s Harold J. Plumley, had won five Grade 2 races, including the Woody Stephens Stakes at Belmont Park last month.

The colt led the field of four 3-year-olds most of the way in the six-furlong sprint, covering a half-mile in 45.76 seconds.

Coffee Boy and jockey Jermaine Bridgmohan rallied resolutely along the rail, chasing down the leader in the final

THE FLORIDA HORSE • AUGUST 2010 39

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onds. Nearing the quarter pole, Pica Slew took a half-length lead over the tiring pacesetter and drew clear, holding off a late bid from runner-up Buckleupbuttercup, the winner of the Eight Belles Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs in May. “This filly broke very sharp once again today, but I was ready to keep her in hand,” Cruz said. “When Rapport went to the lead very fast, I was a little concerned that she wouldn’t stop, but there was no way I wanted to go with her that fast.

Pica was impressive last time out and even more so today.”

Pica Slew, a homebred for Belleview’s Sal and Colleen Simeone, who race under the Terra Di Sienna Stables name, has won three of her four starts for $160,487.

•Fawkes and Queen teamed up for another win in the $97,000 Frank Gomez Memorial Stakes with Florida-bred Little Drama, a half-brother of Big Drama.

The 2-year-old son of Rising Hill Farm stallion Burning Roma drew off for a 9 ½-length win over Florida-bred Alley Oop Oop, who had beaten him by a half-length last month in a $39,000 maiden special weight race.

length in 1:06.50 for 5 ½ furlongs.

Awesome Feather is a 2-year-old daughter of Awesome of Course and a homebred for Fred Brei of Jacks or Better Farm in Reddick. She won her career debut at Calder in May, capturing a $39,000 maiden special weight race by 5¾ lengths for trainer Stanley Gold.

Because I Like It, a homebred for Micanopy’s Sabine Stables and a daughter of Lion Heart, had a half-length lead at the top of the lane but came up short in the stretch duel.

“She’s a very easy filly to ride,” winning jockey Jeffrey Sanchez said. “I ride her in the mornings, and she’s just as relaxed in the afternoons as she is in the mornings. Coming up the rail, we battled, but I knew my filly had it. She’s a very nice filly. I feel like the longer distance she runs, the more relaxed she will be.”

Awesome Feather has earned $88,200.

•In the $100,000 Bob Umphrey Turf Sprint HandFlorida-bred Little Drama, a halfbrother to Big Drama, won the Frank Gomez Memorial Stakes by 91⁄2 lengths.

Florida-bred Awesome Feather captured the J Jʼs Dream Stakes.

In that June 12 race, Little Drama was forced to check sharply along the backstretch, but in the Frank Gomez Memorial, he went right to the front and left all the traffic behind him. Little Drama and jockey Coa set fractions of 22.44 and 46.76 seconds, got to the lane with a five-length lead and never were challenged.

“He was unlucky not to win his first start,” Fawkes said.

“He clipped heels in the race and still just got beat. He indicated from the beginning that he was going to be a nice horse.

He always did everything right. He’s eligible for the (Florida) Stallion Stakes series, and we’ll keep him right here for that.”

Little Drama has earned $65,400 through two starts for owner/breeder Queen. He finished the 5 ½-furlong Frank Gomez Memorial in 1:05.59.

•In the $100,000 J J’s Dream Stakes, Awesome Feather remained perfect in two starts, rallying to beat fellow Florida-bred Because I Like It by a half-

40 THE FLORIDA HORSE • AUGUST 2010

icap, Tahoe Warrior earned his second straight win, prevailing by 2¾ lengths with Prado aboard for trainer Rudy Rodriguez. His final time for the five furlongs on a firm turf course was 56.28 seconds.

Tahoe Warrior had won a $20,000 claimer at Belmont Park last month by 1 ½ lengths. The 7-year-old gelding by Carson City has nine wins in 48 career starts for $333,654.

Chihulykee finished second and Florida-bred Lord Robyn third. ■

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Darin Lamoureux joins the list of Ocala-based horsemen who have broken and trained a Kentucky Derby winner.

Connections

Derby (G3) and second by a neck to Florida-bred Line of David in the Arkansas Derby (G1). In the Kentucky Derby (G1), Super Saver relished the sloppy Churchill

By JO ANN GUIDRY gave me any trouble at all. Every step of the Downs track and jockey Calvin Borel gave cala-based horseman Darin Lam- way he progressed just the way he was sup- him one of his perfect skimming-the-rail rides. oureux credits good connections with posed to and gave me every reason to believe The result was a stunning two-and-a-half length victory in the 136th Run for the Roses. leading him to breaking and training he’d be a nice racehorse.”

“I watched the Kentucky Derby at home When Walden and Doug Cauthen, who 2010 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Super Saver. serves as president of WinStar Farm, came to with friends and family,” said Lamoureux.

And throw in a little serendipity in there too.

Not long after retiring from a nearly 20-year inspect the youngsters prior to the sale, they “And when Borel made his move on the inside, career as a jockey, Lamoureux put in a stint as agreed with Lamoureux’s assessment of the I started yelling and jumping all the way until trainer Elliott Walden’s shedrow foreman. Maria’s Mon colt. While the other three colts he crossed the finish line. I was so loud that I Right around the same time, he became friends were sold as planned, the Maria’s Mon colt scared my little boy Adam, who’s only a year with veterinarian Dave Lambert. A short time was scratched from the Keeneland April sale. and half old, and had no idea why his daddy had gone crazy. He started crying, but later, Lamoureux began dating his once I calmed down, he did too.” eventual wife Katie. There’s the players For Lamoureux, who is the son of vetand here’s the connections: Walden is eran horseman Bruce Lamoureux, having now the vice president and racing manbroken and trained a Kentucky Derby winager for WinStar Farm; Lambert is a ner is something he’ll always appreciate. primary vet for WinStar Farm; and “I consider myself very fortunate that Katie is Bill Casner’s cousin, the latter is everyone at WinStar Farm took a chance the chairman and co-owner along with and sent me those yearlings to break,” Kenny Troutt of WinStar Farm. And, of said Lamoureux. “WinStar is a class act course, WinStar Farm is the breeder and on every level.” owner of Super Saver.

Lamoureux, who operates as Mountain “I was just getting my training opView Racing Stable, currently leases stalls eration here in Ocala going,” said at Lucky Warrior Farm in southeast MarLamoureux, who recalled galloping ion County. He’ll spend the latter part of Distorted Humor when he worked for the summer with a string of horses at Walden. “WinStar had some yearlings Hoosier Park before coming back home to they needed to get broken and ready Ocala in the fall for the breaking and trainfor the two-year-old sales, so Dr. LamDarin Lamoureux broke and trained Kentucky Derby ing season. His wife Katie is currently bert brought up my name. I got a call winner Super Saver (above). going to college, majoring in business. In and then they shipped four yearlings “Elliott and Doug liked the colt and with the addition to Adam, the couple’s family also indown to me in September, 2008.”

Three of the quartet was slated to be sold at sales being down, they didn’t think they’d get cludes Jonathan,5, and two-month old Zoey.

“I enjoy being on the racetrack,” said Lamthe Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s 2009 what he was worth, so the decision was made to March juvenile sale; one was scheduled for that race him,” said Lamoureux, who shipped the oureux, who as a jockey rode Thoroughbreds year’s Keeneland April juvenile sale. The latter colt to Kentucky in March. “Of course, none of and Quarter Horses mainly in the Midwest was a bay colt by Maria’s Mon out of the un- us were predicting he’d win the Kentucky Derby, but also traveled to the East Coast, Texas and Florida. “But I like breaking and training the raced A.P. Indy mare Supercharger and who but we thought he’d be a good racehorse.” young horses too. It’s always nice to see them Turned out, they were right. would soon make an impression on Lamoureux.

As a two year old, the colt now named develop and then watch how they do on the “From day one, that colt had a quiet confidence about him,” said Lamoureux, 45, who Super Saver won the 2009 Kentucky Jockey racetrack. There’s a lot of satisfaction in that.”

Especially if one of them happens to win is a hands-on trainer, including galloping his Club Stakes (G2). He came back in 2010 to horses. “He did everything right and never finish third to Odysseus in the Tampa Bay the Kentucky Derby. ■ HORSEPHOTOS.COM

O

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Getting to know

Adam Putnam Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2010.

The final day to register to vote in primary elections was July 26.

The last day to register to vote in the general election is Oct. 4.

CandidateProfile: Adam Putnam n early 2009, Congressman Adam Putnam of Polk County announced his candidacy for Florida’s Commissioner of Agriculture.

Putnam, a conservative voice in both the Florida House of Representatives and the U.S. Congress, was elected to the state House at the age of 22 and quickly became the Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, where he led on the many issues facing Florida’s agriculture industry, including property rights, water and the Everglades.

I

Q: As Florida tourism has realized a downturn in recent years and agriculture has become the state’s No. 1 industry, Florida’s Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services holds one of the highest-echelon positions in the cabinet. If elected to this status, what is your overall vision for Florida’s changing agricultural landscape?

A: The current economic downturn gives agriculture an opportunity to raise awareness of its economic and job creation role in the state; something that is often taken for granted in a booming economy.

Florida agriculture is a $100-billion-a-year economic engine, employs more than 100,000 people and is dynamic in nature; and therefore, is not the stereotype many harbor. Through research and innovation, new varieties and commodities are changing the crop and livestock diversity in Florida, as well as opening new opportunities in re42 THE FLORIDA HORSE • AUGUST 2010

newable energy and the life sciences. The next Commissioner of Agriculture should be rooted in the land and have a vision for agriculture’s role in the 21st century that provides for a stronger agriculture industry, increased consumer protection and a vibrant future for all those who call Florida home.

Q: The equine industry is perpetually concerned about preserving and protecting farmland and green space, while understanding different needs for growth in our state. How will you tackle the sensitive balance between preservation and growth?

A: The bursting of the real estate bubble in Florida has given agriculture lands a reprieve from the development pressures of the last decade. We must utilize this opportunity to develop new policies and innovative strategies like conservation easements and rural land stewardship to balance the need for agriculture, open spaces, wildlife habitat, water recharge and the growth pressures that will inevitably return. These types of programs allow land owners to receive conservation incentives while keeping the land in production and on the tax rolls.

Q: You’ve been very involved in food safety issues and traceability. In the horse industry, traceability often relates to potential equine disease outbreak and containment.

Where do you weigh in on tracking interstate and intrastate equine travel, as our horses routinely commute for breeding, competition and recreational purposes?

A: Florida is ground zero for the introduction and establishment of new, exotic

pests and disease. We must maintain a robust detection capability, port security and inspection regime in order to prevent devastating effects. New technologies, however, allow us the ability to more accurately and rapidly inspect and clear livestock and cargo.

These technologies provide for a more efficient operating system that encourages a quick and efficient movement of livestock and other goods. The Department of Agriculture needs to be cognizant of the timesensitive nature of industries, such as livestock and perishable commodities. We must continue to work with IFAS and the agriculture industry to develop more efficient techniques to increase efficiency and protection.

Q: Water quality is a massive issue for all agricultural entities, and the horse industry has sometimes been targeted. What are your thoughts on this topic?

A: Water is one of the greatest longterm issues Florida faces. In terms of water quality, maintaining a high standard must remain the mutual goal of policy makers, industry and environmental groups. Ultimately, water quality impacts ecosystems, supplies, health and tourism, which should provide significant incentive to focus on the quality of Florida’s waters. At this moment, the single greatest water quality policy debate in Florida is the EPA numeric nutrient rule. While Florida needs a numeric nutrient standard in order to control the nitrogen and phosphorous in Florida’s water bodies, the standard must be based on sound science, have comprehensive cost-benefit analysis and be attainable by those responsible for the quality of the water. The proposed EPA standard does not meet that test. I firmly believe that this process needs to return to state con-

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Adam Putnam: Candidate for Florida’s Commissioner of Agriculture mote the industry, protect its tax status and be an advocate for it in the debates concerning gaming in Florida. I will continue to build strong partnerships with industry and IFAS for research, pest and disease control, and protection of current incentives. I am also excited about work being done to improve infrastructure for regional and national events. The breadth of this industry and benefits to our state make it an easy sell – and an important one.

Q: Florida’s current tax structure is highly favorable for overall agriculture and horse farms. Still, we continually strive to keep and attract business. How can the Commissioner of Agriculture offer incentives and opportunities to maintain and grow this segment of the industry?

A: In addition to protecting the current industry tax incentives, I will tirelessly advocate for the industry in the current debate over gaming in Florida. The horse industry

will be assured a voice at the table as decisions are made. I will also convene an Equine Advisory Panel to evaluate how we can improve our competitive position and review what other states are doing.

Q: Can you tell us more about AgJOBS and how this legislation affects the equine industry?

A: Florida agriculture continues to depend heavily on manual labor rather than mechanization for a number of its crops and animal industries, including horses. For the future of American agriculture, we must maintain a stable, legal workforce. AgJOBS provides for industries to utilize a temporary and legal guest-worker program to attract the skills needed for America to continue to produce its own food, fiber and natural resources.

I have long been an advocate for solving the immigration challenge, and the AgJOBS bill offers the most bipartisan, common sense solutions and does not include amnesty. ■

COURTESY ADAM PUTNAM

trol in order to ensure the appropriate regulation is adopted. Restoring control to Florida will improve the likelihood of a fuller understanding of the water quality issues we are all concerned with and the attainability and costs associated with implementation for farmers, ranchers and consumers alike.

Q: Florida is the U.S.’s third-largest equine state, with more than 500,000 horses (behind only Texas and California), producing a total economic impact of $5.1 billion, according to the most recent American Horse Council’s study. As our economy changes, will the Commissioner of Agriculture be in a position to help the horse industry continue on as an economic driver and employer?

A: If elected, I am committed to not only maintain Florida’s strong equine position nationally, but to also expand its role as a leader in the horse industry. I will aggressively pro-

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Summer Best/COOKIE SERLETIC PHOTO

Youth...Energy...

Promise t was my good fortune on a recent afternoon to visit with a small group of delightful, lively young riders. They buzzed around the barn, grooming their ponies and horses, chattering nonstop about friends, plans for an upcoming trail ride, hopes for a weekend horse show, and the joy of being out of school for the summer. It was a sorority of sorts, and their energy was contagious.

After an hour, my face hurt from smiling.

“Age is foolish and forgetful when it underestimates youth,” wrote J.K. Rowling. Of all people, Rowling should know. Her ability to connect with young people, thanks to the Harry Potter series, has made her the second-richest woman in the world, right next to Oprah Winfrey.

We might take a cue from Rowling as we reach out to young equine enthusiasts today. No, not solely to make money, but to bolster our communities, schools, families and overall industry. To teach and to share, and to continually enhance quality of life. And I have to think: aren’t horses the perfect conduits?

In the past few months, summer horse camps from South Florida to North Florida were booked solid with kids. Nighttime barrel racing, drill team demonstrations, jackpots and other events filled the calendar. Family-friendly activities connected to horses are as popular as ever.

And don’t forget youth championship horse shows, which tend to be held during summer months. Here are just a few: •The Florida State 4-H Horse Show was held July 8-10 at the Bob Thomas Equestrian Center, Florida State Fairgrounds. Fifty seniors, riding in western, English and saddleseat classes (in addition to winners in hippology, horse bowl, public speaking, demonstrations and horse judging) qualified to compete at the Southern Regional 4-H Championships in Clemson, S.C., July 28-Aug. 1.

•The United States Equestrian Federation’s Pony Finals is scheduled for Aug. 10-15 in Lexington, Ky. Florida young riders and their ponies have a long history of winning at this prestigious event.

•The American Quarter Horse Youth World Championships, held July 30-Aug. 7, is a pinnacle, invitation-only event each summer, and youth from Florida always make our state proud.

•The National Junior High Rodeo Finals, held in Gallup, N.M., June 26-July 3, was a highlight for many of our Florida young riders, including qualifier Jessica Gray of Sparr, Fla., who won the goat tying event and placed third in the girls’ all-around.

•The American Paint Horse Association’s Youth World Show, held June 23-July 3 in Fort Worth, Texas, is a spectacular horse show with many local winners every year.

I love the energy of youth, and I’m excited about the promise they will bring to our industry and our world.

I

It’s a privilege to journey with you.

Summer Best 44 THE FLORIDA HORSE • AUGUST 2010

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50 Qualify for Southern Regional

4-H Championships Victoria Lemmon, Duval Kendall King, Gadsden Hayley Smith, Gulf Tucker Smith, Gulf

Haley Clendening, Hillsborough

Morgan Goodman, Hillsborough Carrie Hays, Hillsborough

Delaney Cooksey, Indian River Aleah Lintereur, Lee

uring the 2010 Florida State 4-H Horse Show, held July 8-10 at the Bob Thomas Equestrian Center/Florida State Fairgrounds, youth from throughout the state competed in a variety of western, English and saddleseat events. Each year, senior competitors (age 14-18) vie for a chance to qualify for the the Southern Regional 4-H Horse Championships, held in 2010 July 28-Aug. 1 at the T. Ed Garrison Arena in Clemson, S.C. Below, we congratulate and wish the best of luck to the 50 regional horse show qualifiers, as well as horse judging, hippology, horse quiz bowl, individual and team demonstration, and horse public speaking qualifiers.

D

Catherine Bowman, Alachua

■ Qualifiers by County:

Megan Whitehurst, Alachua Allie Bost, Brevard

Tawny Cox, Brevard

Megan Devoe, Brevard Chloe Evetts, Brevard Cori Hudson, Brevard

Deanna Metzger, Brevard

Melanie Reinhold, Brevard Jennifer Axler, Broward

Meagan Davis, Broward

Audrey May, Manatee

Sierra Oliver, Manatee Emily Anthony, Marion Olivia Dodd, Marion

Katelyn Ludington, Marion

Elizabeth Tirado Perez, Marion Ashley Dixon, Orange

Hannah Smith, Orange

Hillsborough – 1st Ashlyn Rhyne Logan Renew Jessica Gaskin Meredith Mathews

Seminole – 2nd Jodie Bodeker Alex Fisk Gabrielle McGee

Horse Quiz Bowl Qualifers Seminole Rachel Roberson Meredith Mathews Kaily Benedict Dana Roberson

Ashley Levengood, Osceola Emily Arrington, Polk Kelsey Friend, Polk

Team Demonstration Qualifers

Angel Albanese, Palm Beach Lauren Hammond, Polk Leigha Heverly, Polk

Shelby McLauchin, Polk

Amy Kate Besio, Sarasota

Maggie LaFrance, Sarasota Casey Presler, Sarasota

Mariel Wrench, Sarasota

Amanda Bellamy, Seminole Brittany LaMay, Seminole

Rachel Roberson, Seminole

Emily Kathryn Wilson, Seminole Alicia Porter, Wakulla

Michael Imparato, Citrus

Cortney Harris, Gadsden

Ashley Abernold, Duval

Hippology Qualifers

Hillsborough – 2nd Ashlyn Rhyne Logan Renew Jessica Gaskin

Individual Demonstration Qualifers

■ Alternates:

Hannah Huntington, Citrus

Brevard – 1st Delaney Metzger Joanna Reeg Melanie Reinhold Cari Longhofer

Kailey Brooks, Osceola

Samantha Gomez, Broward Morgan Kohrt, Broward

Horse Judging Qualifiers

Sarah Gillespie, Brevard

Zachery Maines, Hernando

Lindsay Partridge, Hernando Danelle James, Hillsborough

Rachel Wise, Pasco – 1st Colleen McNelis, Pinellas – 2nd

Tori Evans & Abigail Hunger, Duval – 1st Kaily Benedict & Rachel Roberson, Seminole – 2nd Sophia Curkovic, Collier – 1st Amye Francis, Alachua – 2nd

Horse Public Speaking Qualifers

The following senior youth also qualified in the top 50, but not all were able to attend Regionals: Cari Longhofer, Brevard Joanna Reeg, Brevard Kalin Riley, Charlotte Cassidy Spurgeon, Clay Caitlin Ryen, Highlands Shana Marshall, Indian River Elizabeth Kaltenbach, Indian River Katherine Kaltenbach, Indian River Amanda Benedict, Pinellas Sierra Bowling, Polk Brie Bird, Polk Tori Stonebreaker, Seminole Samantha Watkins, St. Lucie Chrissy Long, St. Lucie

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Equestrian

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Games Next month, the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games come to the U.S. for the first time in history. n Sept. 25, 2010, the world will be watching as 800 athletes and 800 horses representing 60 countries convene in Lexington, Ky., at the Kentucky Horse Park for 16 days of competition.

Like the Olympics, the World Equestrian Games are held every four years and are the world championships for eight equestrian disciplines: dressage, driving, endurance, eventing, jumping, para dressage, reining and vaulting. Previous host cities of WEG include Stockholm, The Hague, Rome, Jerez, and, most recently, Aachen.

PHEBUS PHOTOGRAPHY.COM

O

“The smartest, most stupid decision I’ve ever made was to be the title sponsor of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games,” said Alltech founder and president Dr. Pearce Lyons. “On my travels around the world, the language and phrasing may differ, but the most prevalent question I receive is always ‘Why did Alltech become the $10 million title sponsor of the World Equestrian Games?’ Sometimes this question is rooted in a misunderstanding of Alltech’s business. ‘Why is a phone company sponsoring the World Equestrian Games?’”

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NBC Sports has committed to 61⁄2 hours of primetime coverage over three weekends during the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

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The answer is simple, Lyons says. Alltech is not a phone company. It’s an animal health and nutrition company sponsoring the upcoming global, championshiplevel event celebrating animals performing at their peak.

For 30 years, Alltech has had a passion for creating natural nutritional products.

“To those who know us well, the sponsorship is still somewhat surprising,” Lyons said. “Only 2 percent of Alltech’s business is equine and only 1 percent of the company’s business is in Kentucky. Why then did we place a $10 million bet on the World Equestrian Games?

One simple word: branding.”

The New York Times referred to the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games as “the largest sporting event to come to the US since the 2002 Winter Olympic Games.”

NBC Sports made television history when it committed to 6½ hours of primetime coverage over three weekends. On one of those weekends, they will lead in to coverage from their broadcast of the Ryder Cup, the second most globally-watched television program.

To prepare for WEG, the Kentucky Horse Park has been enhancing its facilities, including the construction of two new arenas.

The ribbon was cut in July 2009 on a new state-ofthe-art indoor arena featuring nearly 6,000 seats, nine suites, an event floor with special equine surface, exhibitor space, six concession areas, a warm-up barn,

Chester Weber (above inset) and Phillip Dutton are likely to qualify for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

48 THE FLORIDA HORSE • AUGUST 2010

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and an outdoor warm-up ring. A three-barn complex with 312 stalls will be located directly adjacent to the arena to provide stabling for the equine athletes. The climate-controlled indoor arena will host the reining and vaulting championships during the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

As many as 600,000 global spectators and 1,200 journalists are expected to travel to Lexington to witness

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first-hand the excitement and pageantry of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. This event, however, is not limited to the seats of the stadiums.

THE ALLTECH EXPERIENCE PAVILION

Located at the entrance to the Kentucky Horse Park, the four-acre Alltech Experience will welcome visitors in a variety of languages that will serve as a tribute to both the international nature of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games and the title sponsor’s global business in 120 countries.

In a central acropolis dedicated to experiencing Alltech’s global initiatives, visitors will explore the future of Alltech pharma and the innovative products that will meet tomorrow’s challenges. The company will overview the foundation of genetic study with Watson and Crick’s “In the Alltech Experience Pavilion, visitors of all ages will have discovery of DNA, as well as the opportunity to both learn and play through a variety of interideas on curing today’s active exhibits, including a Kidzone area, exploring agriculture Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, and animal health with special guests - penguins and petting and HIV/AIDS through the sharks courtesy of Newport Aquarium; Dippin’ Dots ice cream; science of nutrigenomics. daily workshops led by animal health experts, including personBeyond health and wellnel from Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital; a sneak peek at the ness, displays will outline 2014 Games in France, which will coincide with the 70th anideas on how the earth will niversary of the Allies’ landing on Normandy’s coast; a special sustain nine billion people in photographic exhibition from the FEI; and much more!”

2050. Alltech will explain its – Erika Rachal, Alltech Regional Marketing Coordinator ideas about being smarter with energy and agriculture.

A scale model biorefinery, solid state fermentation Kentucky Horse Park will provide guests with a luxury plant, and cogeneration plant surrounded by working shopping experience as nearly 270 professional retailwindmills, solar panels, algae farms, and cows will ers offer a wide range of products for purchase. transport guests into the future of farming.

“The global excitement for these games has beAfter guests learn about Alltech’s roots in brewing come even greater than what we could have ever and distilling, they can savor an ice cold Kentucky Bour- anticipated, and the games represent a once-in-abon Barrel Ale, the Official Beer of the Alltech FEI lifetime opportunity for Alltech and Kentucky to World Equestrian Games, while meandering through an showcase their brands on an international level,” open-air garden designed by world-renowned landscape Dr. Lyons said. artist Jon Carloftis and Alltech’s director of corporate “As a global championship-level event celebrating image and design Deirdre Lyons. animals performing at their peak, the World Equestrian Games are an ideal fit for the Alltech brand. Suffice it to EQUINE VILLAGE say that I consider title sponsorship of the Alltech FEI The equine industry will have an unprecedented op- World Equestrian Games to be the single best decision portunity to showcase its variety to global spectators in I’ve made in my career.” ■ this special space dedicated to providing equine organizations with a presence and educating guests through daily demonstrations.

Floridian Lauren Hough is likely to be a show-jumping contender for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

Purchase Your Tickets to the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games

2010 GAMES TRADE SHOW

There will be plenty of shopping available to the spectators of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

The 2010 Games Trade Show on the grounds of the

Ticket prices start at $25. To learn more, visit the official Website:

www.alltechfeigames.com.

THE FLORIDA HORSE • AUGUST 2010 49

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By DENISE STEFFANUS n abnormally cold, dry, Florida winter with blowing sand set the stage for the recurrence of a disease this spring that causes abscesses in a horse’s breast that make it look like a puffed-up pigeon.

The disease, nicknamed pigeon fever, resides in soil contaminated with Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis. It is not contracted by exposure to pigeons.

Michelle LeBlanc, D.V.M., discovered pigeon fever in several horses at a Florida farm this spring. The disease is common on the West Coast, but LeBlanc said she hadn’t seen pigeon fever – also called dryland distemper – in Florida since an outbreak 20 years ago when she was a clinician at the University of Florida.

“I had been doing some work on the farm, and they presented me with some horses that had the classic [abscessation],” LeBlanc said. She immediately cultured the abscess content and sent it off to a microbiologist. The report came back positive for C. pseudotuberculosis.

LeBlanc found pigeon fever in three Thoroughbred yearlings sharing a paddock on that farm; on two unrelated premises, a Thoroughbred mare with a foal at her side was diagnosed with pigeon fever, and two riding horses also had contracted the disease. More cases occurred in June.

“There were three on one farm, and the rest have been in north-central Florida,” she said.

A Flying insects and parasites like habronema have been implicated in mechanical transmission of the bacteria.

“Did it come from a horse in California? I don’t think so,” she said. “Not the way we’re seeing it. Some of these cases are in pleasure horses that live outside.

So I find it very odd that we’re seeing it again.”

C. pseudotuberculosis, like other corynebacteria, reside in the soil, lying dormant until environmental conditions are conducive to its emergence. The bacteria gain entry to the horse’s body through wounds or its mucous membranes, usually while the horse is grazing or nuzzling the dirt.

Not every horse exposed to the bacteria will develop pigeon fever, so strength of the individual horse’s

Soil-borne disease has been rare in the state of Florida for 20 years.

HOW IT SPREADS

Because pigeon fever is prevalent in the western United States, the first thought is that it might have been carried to Florida and introduced into the population by an infected horse, but LeBlanc said she does not believe this is the case.

52 THE FLORIDA HORSE • AUGUST 2010

immune system, together with the effectiveness of management hygiene practices to reduce the bacterial load to which horses are exposed are important.

Direct contact with exudate from a broken or lanced abscess is capable of transferring the disease between animals. It also can be spread from one animal to another by flies that carry the bacteria from the abscess to their next host.

If pigeon fever is suspected, the horse in question should be isolated immediately, even before laboratory work confirms the diagnosis.

Contaminated brushes, stalls, pitchforks, buckets, and other equipment, along with surfaces of fences and water troughs can spread the bacteria through contact from one horse to another for up to two months. Anything that comes in contact with an infected horse should be thoroughly disinfected before it is placed into service again for the general horse population.

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Bedding and manure from infected horses should be carefully disposed of and disinfectant solutions should be utilized, as bacteria present in pus from draining absesses can contaminate the environment. A footbath with a bleach solution can also be utilized for traffic in and out of the stall. Additionally, insect control should be implemented to reduce insect vectors.

Humans also can spread the bacteria between horses, so handling sick horses last and frequent hand washing are important strategies to reduce the spread of pigeon fever.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

Horses may have pigeon fever yet show no symptoms in the early stages while the bacteria are forming abscesses, which can take weeks to months before they are prominent enough to recognize. When the infection begins to cause problems for the horse, signs can include lameness, fever, lethargy, depression, and weight loss.

Infections can range from mild, small, localized abscesses to a severe disease with multiple, large abscesses.

Abscesses, swelling, and multiple sores most commonly occur in the pectoral muscles, along the abdomen, and near the sheath or udder. If the abscess occurs in the pectoral muscles, when viewing the horse from the side, it may appear to have been kicked in the chest. An abscess near the sheath or the udder may cause those structures to swell greatly.

Some horses will develop a fever in response to the infection and the formation of abscesses, but administration of antibiotics is discouraged because they seem to hinder the “ripening” of the abscesses and prolong the episode.

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mediate veterinary attention. Based on the individual case, more aggressive treatment, including antibiotics, may be indicated. In rare cases, pigeon fever can cause internal abscesses that affect the major organs.

Because the abscesses occur deep in the muscle, most horses will become lame from pigeon fever. The lameness increases as the abscesses mature and burst or are lanced. Lameness and swelling of the groin and one or both hind legs also are red flags. These horses need immediate veterinary care because pigeon fever could turn into a chronic, swollen condition affecting usually just one hind leg, ulcerative lymphangitis.

LANCE AND LAVAGE

The veterinarian will check the abscesses regularly until he or she determines they are soft enough to lance. Depending on the veterinarian’s experience and preference, this can be done by palpating the abscess or by ultrasounding it to see the precise location and delineation of the edges of the pocket.

Drawing poultices or hot compresses can be applied to abscesses to encourage them to mature.

As much as a quart of foul-smelling pus will ooze from a lanced or burst abscess, which will continue to drain until the infection is resolved. When the abscess is lanced or bursts, it is important to catch the drainage in a container and dispose of it properly because it is highly infective. After the abscesses are open, the veterinarian will lavage the wound with a mild solution of povidone iodine and saline as often as needed over the course of recovery. The veterinarian may instruct the horse owner to keep the wound packed with antiseptic-soaked gauze.

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Horse with Pigeon Fever exemplifies “Pigeon Breast”

Pigeon Fever

REPRINTED FROM ALL HORSE SYSTEMS GO BY NANCY LOVING, DVM, WWW.HORSEANDRIDERBOOKS.COM.

Horses recovering from pigeon fever will need two weeks to three months for the infection to resolve and the wound to heal.

Although the disease rarely affects humans, the Oregon Veterinary Medical Association reported in 2008 that one of its member veterinarians had contracted the bacteria while treating horses with pigeon fever.

“This case highlights the importance of wearing gloves while caring for infected horses and following disinfection protocols,” the association warned.

Although the word tuberculosis is in the bacterium’s name, LeBlanc said pigeon fever is not closely related to another soil-borne bacterium with a similar name,

Abscesses, swelling, and multiple sores most “ commonly occur in the pectoral muscles, along the abdomen, and near the sheath or udder. If the abscess occurs in the pectoral muscles, when viewing the horse from the side, it may appear to have been kicked in the chest. An abscess near the sheath or the udder may cause those structures to swell greatly.

”

Sores most commonly occur in the pectoral region.

54 THE FLORIDA HORSE • AUGUST 2010

PHOTO COURTESY SHARON SPIER

Corynebacterium equi (Rhodoccus equi), that causes a foal’s lungs to abscess and develop rhodococcal pneumonia, which is life threatening but generally very treatable. Horses with pigeon fever rarely succumb to the disease and can have a full recovery, although some may have relapses months later. Horses with systemic complications from the disease such as internal abscesses have a higher mortality rate (up to 40 percent).

Pigeon fever affects horses of all ages and breeds, but it is more common in horses less than 5 years old, but not usually foals.

Previous outbreaks have occurred in Colorado, Wyoming, Utah and California. Colorado State University issued an advisory to horse owners in August 2009 to be on the lookout for pigeon fever when the number of cases in that state spiked.

California is considered an endemic state for pigeon fever, which was at an all-time high there in 2009. The most recent occurrence of the disease was reported in Nevada between December 2009 and February 2010, when about 40 wild mustangs at the Calico Complex showed signs of pigeon fever. ■

Editor’s Note: Special thanks to Amanda House, DVM, DACVIM, for her contributions to this article. For more information, contact vetmed.ufl.edu/extension/equine or call (352) 294-4380.

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NEWS BITS

The Florida Horse Magazine Named Best Regional Equine Publication

2020 FARM-TO-FUEL SUMMIT TO BE HELD AUG. 11-13

As the nation’s worst oil spill in history threatens the Gulf Coast and its energy, tourism and fishing industries, Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Charles H. Bronson is

continuing his efforts to promote the production of renewable energy from Florida’s vast biomass resources.

Bronson is hosting the 2010 ‘Farm to Fuel’ Summit from Aug. 11-13 at the Rosen Shingle Creek in Orlando to bring together hundreds of industry leaders in agriculture, energy, academia and government who want to make Florida a leader in the production of renewable energy.

“Florida has the greatest potential for biomass production in the country, and the technology exists to convert our natural resources to clean, renewable energy,” Bronson said. “This event will bring together all the stakeholders so we can continue work-

ing toward the goal of reducing our dependence on foreign oil while at the same time providing another source of income for our farmers.”

For the fifth year in a row, hundreds of industry leaders in agriculture, energy, academia, banking and finance, and government will gather to hear from a broad array of experts.

Highlights of the summit include more than 40 speakers and 50 exhibitors. Last July, Bronson’s fourth Florida ‘Farm to Fuel’ summit attracted more than 500 participants.

Attendees of this year’s summit will hear about various feedstocks and technologies for renewable energy production, challenges relating to project financing, permitting and infrastructure, and state and federal energy policy.

Queen of Speed Retires at 14 Shakira do Jacare, the 14-year-old grand prix mare owned by Sarah Owen and Muny Sunk Stables, officially retired from the sport of show jumping in an emotional ceremony during the 2010 Atlanta Summer Classics. Nicknamed the “Queen of Speed,” the mare made a memorable mark on the grand prix scene with her debut in 2005, winning four grand prix events with Florida’s Sergio Campos in the irons.

The mare, bred by Campos at his family’s ranch in Campo Grande, Brazil, was originally owned by Campos and Longwood Equestrian Center.

“She [Shakira] was very tough to break; it took a lot longer than most normal horses,” Campos said. “I remember when she was a 3-year-old she jumped out of one of the paddocks…over 6Shakira do Jacare foot tall fencing! She always showed signs of being a champion.”

Owen purchased the mare in 2007 and showed her successfully for the final years of her career.

The family expects to breed Shakira do Jacare next year.

FLASHPOINT PHOTO

The Florida Horse magazine received one of the highest accolades in equine publishing on Saturday, June 19, at the American Horse Publications’ annual awards ceremony in Lexington, Ky. Competing against multiple state and regional magazines, The Florida Horse was recognized for overall general excellence for work published in 2009. The Florida Horse also received this mark of distinction in 2006, 2007 and 2008.

In addition to general excellence, the magazine won two first-place awards for editorial design, a second and third place for editorial design, a third place for advertising design, and honorable mention for editorial design.

“I’m extremely proud of our publishing team,” said Michael Compton, editor-inchief at Florida Equine Publications. “It’s a great honor to be singled out as the best regional equine magazine in the country. Our passion every day is to provide the most professional and thorough media for Florida’s horse industry, and it all comes together with the support of our publisher, our board, our advertisers and readers.”

The Florida Horse is a division of Florida Equine Publications, which also publishes Wire to Wire and Horse Capital Digest.

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NEWS BITS “The summit will bring representatives of all of the key industries together so we can move forward as a state in creating renewable energy in Florida,” Bronson said.

“Thanks to our mild climate, ample sunshine and abundant rainfall, there’s no reason why Florida cannot out produce every other state in renewable energy production and be a model for others to follow.”

Florida’s ‘Farm to Fuel’ initiative, inspired by the bi-partisan national organization “25x’25,” seeks to enhance the market for and promote the production and distribution of renewable energy from Florida-grown crops, agricultural wastes and residues, and other biomass. In the process, it is designed to give Florida agricultural producers alternative crops to grow to keep their farms and ranches viable.

For more information about the Farm to Fuel Summit visit http://www.floridafarmtofuel.com.

56 THE FLORIDA HORSE • AUGUST 2010

FEI to Review NSAIDs Timetable announced for FEI Congress on in-competition use of NSAIDs. Leading world experts on Non-Steroidal AntiInflammatory Drugs (NSAID) research in equestrian sport will be joined by prominent speakers from the non-scientific field at the FEI global Congress on NSAID Usage and Medication in the Equine Athlete which will be held at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland, Aug. 6-17, 2010.

Roly Owers (GBR), Chief Executive of World Horse Welfare, will talk on ethical and welfare implications of permitting the use of NSAIDs in competition and Dr. Lynn Hillyer (GBR), veterinary adviser to the British Horseracing Authority, will address the conference on the topic of why racing authorities have banned NSAIDs in racing.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) perspective on the in-competition use of NSAIDs will be presented by Dr Martial Saugy (SUI), Director of the WADA Laboratory in Lausanne, while the equine veterinary angle will be further boosted by recently confirmed speaker Peter Kallings (SWE), who will talk about the effects of NSAIDs use on equine performance.

Former FEI Veterinary Department Director, Alex Atock (IRL), will present an overview of the history of NSAIDs in the FEI and the situation before 1993.

FEI President HRH Princess Haya will give the opening address at the two-day Congress, which will be chaired by Sven Holmberg, FEI First Vice President. Both days will include panel discussions, when National Federations, vets, officials, Riders Clubs, Organisers, FEI Laboratories, racing and breeding authorities, sponsors, the IOC and the media will have the opportunity to debate the issue further. Registration for the Congress is still open to representatives from all stakeholder groups. There is a discounted rate for early registration.

The vote on the use of NSAIDs in competition will not be taken until the FEI General Assembly in Chinese Taipei (Nov. 1-6), but all interested parties are advised to register for the Congress to book their places and ensure that their voices are heard in this important debate.

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NEWS BITS Dr. Dana Zimmel has been named interim chief of staff of the University of Florida’s Veterinary Hospitals.

Zimmel Holds The Reins COURTESY DR. DANA ZIMMEL

Dana Zimmel, D.V.M., a clinical associate professor at the University of Florida’s College of Veterinary Medicine, has been named interim chief of staff of UF’s Veterinary Hospitals.

Zimmel has served as associate chief of staff for the UF Large Animal Hospital since Jan. 26, 2010. Because of recent administrative restructuring, both the large and the small animal hospitals will now be supervised by a single chief of staff.

The UF Veterinary Hospitals function as a major referral center, treating more than 18,700 animals annually. A new $58 million small animal hospital is currently under construction and will be unique among veterinary colleges nationwide when it opens this fall. The new hospital will include a linear accelerator, a cardiology catheterization laboratory and state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment, including MRI and CT. Patients seen in both hospitals are referred by veterinarians throughout the state. Routine wellness and outpatient medicine clinics are also available.

In her new role, Zimmel will be responsible for all issues relating to patient care as well as managing hospital operations.

A 1995 UF veterinary school graduate, Zimmel is certified in equine practice by the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners and in large animal medicine by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine. She performed an internship in equine field services at North Carolina State University and subsequently completed her residency there in large animal internal medicine and equine practice.

After working in private practice, then teaching for two years on the large animal medicine faculty at the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, Zim-

mel joined UF’s faculty in 2002 as an assistant professor of equine health extension.

She was the college’s equine extension agent and chief of extension services until 2006. She became a clinical assistant professor of large animal medicine at the college in 2006, and has served as large animal medicine service chief since 2007.

Zimmel has received two UF Superior Accomplishment Awards for her service,

in 2010 and in 2006, as well as numerous other awards for her contributions to equine health. She has served on the boards of the American Association of Equine Practitioners and the Florida Association of Equine Practitioners, and has performed committee work for AAEP, the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine and the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners.

THE FLORIDA HORSE • AUGUST 2010 57

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PRACTICALLY SPEAKING

Marion County livestock agent Mark Shuffitt

Horse Sense(s) ebster defines horse sense as the ability to make intelligent decisions especially in everyday matters. You eat when you’re hungry. You drink when you’re thirsty. You put fuel in the truck before it runs out, and you don’t bale hay when it’s raining.

Within the horse industry, horse sense can be defined as the innate ability to “read” and “get along” with a horse. True horsemen and women seem to be able to get a positive response with little or no effort. I knew such a trainer when I was younger and remember asking him how he got his horses to perform so well. He told me he wasn’t sure. He said, “I just ask them to do something and they do it.” He had plenty of horse sense.

Even if they find it difficult to explain, trainers of racehorses such as Affirmed, the last Triple Crown winner, bridle-less demonstrations like those of Rugged Lark, and trainers of other disciplines from dressage to ranch work; true horsemen and women understand the fundamental senses of horses.

Like other prey animals, horses are herd animals.

W

Webster defines common sense as sound and “ prudent judgment based on a simple perception of the situation or facts. To make intelligent everyday decisions relating to human-horse interactions, it is necessary for horse handlers to have horse sense.

”

Herd animals find safety in numbers. Most horses prefer to be with other horses. They don’t want to be alone.

It’s not uncommon to see a goat as a stable mate at the racetrack or horse show grounds. Additionally, many barn-sour horses aren’t barn sour at all when accompanied by another horse.

Horses have both monocular and binocular vision.

Their large eyes evolved for detection of predators, and most horses are very sensitive to movement. With their

58 THE FLORIDA HORSE • AUGUST 2010

eyes set high and wide on their face, monocular vision allows horses to see 360 degrees around them with a few small movements of their head and neck. To use their binocular vision, horses must raise their head. Horses have a blind spot directly behind them and in front under their neck. When approaching a horse from the rear, speak in a calm voice to let the horse know you are behind him. A horse’s vision is also useful for communication such as visual cues, hand gestures and body language.

Horses can hear almost 360 degrees (10 muscles control each ear). They can hear both higher and lower pitched sounds than humans. Horses can localize the direction of a sound before they can see the source of the sound. They detect predatory sounds and communicate with each other within the herd.

Horses communicate by rubbing, head touching and mutual grooming. They are responsive to light touch and can feel a fly land on a hair. When handling horses, you will transmit either confidence or nervousness through your touch. If the horse seems nervous, don’t “push.”

Relax and let them come to you. This might take some time so be patient. Calm the horse by rubbing or stroking, not patting.

Horses have an excellent sense of smell. They use scent to identify each other, people, feed, forage and water. Stallions also use scent to help determine when a mare is in heat and ready to be bred.

Horses are “fight” or “flight” animals. Most would prefer to flee, but will fight when they can’t run away.

Think ahead and give yourself an “out” when working with horses.

Learn the 3 A’s of Horse Behavior. 1. Awareness – the horse knows you have entered the stall or paddock.

2. Alertness – the horse is interested in your presence.

3. Action – the horse will flee, fight or submit to you.

Webster defines common sense as sound and prudent judgment based on a simple perception of the situation or facts. To make intelligent everyday decisions relating to human-horse interactions, it is necessary for horse handlers to have horse sense. ■

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HORSE COUNCIL NEWS

Crystal Brumme-Kimball Wins 2010 Van Ness Award Crystal Brumme-Kimball of Lisbon, Md., received the 2010 Van Ness Award at the American Horse Council’s annual meeting this past June in Washington, D.C. Each year the Van Ness Award is given to a person who embodies the dedication and service of the late Mrs. Marjorie Van Ness. Van Ness was a vital force in the formation of the New Jersey Horse Council and in the formation of the AHC State Horse Council Committee. As in years past, this year’s Van Ness award was sponsored by the New Jersey Horse Council.

In presenting the award, AHC President Jay Hickey noted that Brumme-Kimball started working for the Maryland Horse Council 19 years ago. “She believed that the horse people in Maryland could be brought together as a community to have a voice in the state capitol and she made it happen,” Hickey said.

Brumme-Kimball started a monthly magazine called the Equiery in 1990. The first edition had 12 pages; it has grown to over 100 and is still flourishing today. As the secretary of the Maryland Horse Council, she has generously donated her time and her services at the Equiery. Brumme-Kimball has overseen every transition of leadership in the Maryland Horse Council and played a major role in the legislative, regulatory, and public education accomplishments that few state horse councils can match.

“It is obvious that the Maryland equestrian community has benefited greatly from Crystal’s loyalty and dedication,” Hickey said.

Brumme-Kimball has been active on many committees and boards, donating her time not only to the Maryland Horse Council, but to the Maryland Steeplechase Association, the Maryland Horse Industry Board, the Maryland Department ofAgriculture, the University of Maryland and Howard County/Iron Bridge Hounds.

“The Maryland Horse Industry Board would not be the major force within the Maryland Department of Agriculture that it is today without her work in passing the state feed fund bill that pays for its activities and without Crystal’s presence on the board as a technical advisor,” said Maryland Horse Council President Steuart Pittman.

AMERICAN HORSE COUNCIL HIGHLIGHTS RECREATIONAL RIDING

On Tuesday June 22, AHC held its first Recreation Forum in Washington, DC to highlight issues of importance to recreational riders. The forum was attended by representatives from national equestrian organizations, state horse councils from around the country, as well as individual recreational riders.

The forum began with a presentation by Stephanie McCommon of the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA). McCommon briefed attendees on AQHA’s Stewards for Trails, Education and Partnerships (STEP) program which seeks to “increase participation in trail stewardship among equine enthusiasts.” The forum continued with a presentation by Dennis Dailey of Backcountry Horsemen of America (BCHA). Dailey spoke on the U.S. Forest Service’s Trail Classification System and its impact on equestrians in National Forests.

The forum also included two enlightening panel discussions. The first panel focused on the benefits of equestrians building better partnerships with other traditional recreational users and conservationists. The panel featured Kim Hutson de Belle of the American Hiking Society (AHS) and Anne Merwin of the Wilderness Society (TWS) as well as Dennis Dailey, BCHA. The panel discussed many important issues including declining numbers of

Americans recreating in the outdoors and its impact on conservation, the need to link public and private lands with trail easements, and the challenges equestrians, hiking and conservation groups face when working together.

“The equestrian, hiking and conservation community have many shared interest.

I believe Tuesday’s discussion demonstrated that these shared interest are being recognized and great progress is being made in efforts to work together,” said Ben Pendergrass, Legislative Director of the AHC. The second panel focused on building better relationships between equestrians and federal land mangers. The panel included Rick Potts, Conservation and Outdoor Recreation Division Chief, National Park Service (NPS), Bob Ratcliffe, Division Chief, Recreation and Visitor Services, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and Jonathan Stephens, Program Manager, Congressionally Designated Areas and Trails, National Forest Service (FS). Topics included the need for equestrians to build relationships with their local federal land mangers before problems arise, the backlog of trails and facility maintenance, the Presidents America’s Great Outdoors Initiative, and efforts to preserve traditional recreational uses.

The forum wrapped up with Ginny Grulke of the Kentucky State Horse Council discussing the challenges faced by trail riders in Kentucky on the state level and how they have been responding.

“Recreational riding is important to millions of Americans and these Americans rely on public lands and trails to ride. The AHC believes it was important to bring equestrians, leaders from NPS, FS, BLM, and AHS, TWS together in Washington to talk about recreational riding and our public lands,” said AHC Legislative Director Ben Pendergrass. “We are very happy with the outcome of the Recreation Forum and believe it is a positive step in ensuring recreational riders continue to support and have access to our nation’s public lands.”

THE FLORIDA HORSE • AUGUST 2010 59

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HORSE COUNCIL NEWS 2010 AHC NATIONAL ISSUES FORUM FOCUSED ON THE IMPACT OF EQUINE DISEASES

This year’s American Horse Council’s National Issues Forum focused on infectious equine diseases and the impact those diseases have on our horses’ welfare and our industry’s health. The annual meeting was held from June 20 to 23 and also included a Trails Forum, the annual Congressional Ride-In, AHC committee meetings, and a Congressional Reception.

The highlight of this year’s forum was a workshop co-hosted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS) and the AHC which provided an opportunity for the horse industry, key federal and state authorities, and others to discuss how each sector can protect the health of our horses and the commercial viability of our industry in the face of emerging and re-emerging diseases.

“This year’s meeting provided a framework for the equine industry, USDA, and state health officials to discuss the impact equine infectious diseases have on our horses and our industry,” said AHC President Jay Hickey.

“We appreciate USDAAPHIS taking the initiative on this workshop.”

During his opening remarks, Dr. Jere Dick, Associate Deputy Administrator and Chief of Field Operations for USDA-APHIS-Veterinary Services said, “This workshop is a unique opportunity to bring together diverse segments of the equine industry to discuss how to address preparedness for, and response to, equine infectious diseases in this country…and to identify priorities related to equine infectious diseases, to explore the critical support functions that could be performed by each segment of the industry, and to discuss funding issues.”

Recent outbreaks involving Conta60 THE FLORIDA HORSE • AUGUST 2010

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gious Equine Metritis, Equine Piroplasmosis, Vesicular Stomatitis, Equine Herpesvirus, and others continue to affect every aspect of the horse industry. These outbreaks have caused USDA-APHIS and state authorities to spend a great deal of money and resources to identify the diseases, trace the horses potentially affected, and contain the outbreak. The cost of these diseases is difficult, if not impossible to quantify, in terms of fatality rates, veterinary care, the effect on sales, breeding, racing, competitions, recreation, and the interstate and international movement of horses.

These outbreaks have affected and continue to affect the interstate and international movement of horses, which is critical to the horse industry.

When barriers to movement are raised by states and foreign countries concerned about the spread of infectious diseases, this affects sales, breeding, racing, competitions, and recreation.

“Restrictions on horse movement results in restrictions on our entire industry,” Hickey said.

On June 22, there was an open session that included presentations by USDA-APHIS personnel on specific infectious diseases, epidemiological updates, and a summary of the issues identified during the previous day’s workshop.

“This year’s National Issues Forum provided a platform for national organizations and representatives of federal and state authorities to identify priority issues and discuss a coordinated approach on how best to respond and limit the impact these diseases have on our horses and our industry.

Major equine diseases continue to have dramatic consequences for our horses’ welfare and affect every aspect of our industry,” Hickey said. “This year’s forum does not conclude our focus on how to deal with these diseases.

Rather, it is only the beginning.”

AHC’s Welfare Code of Practice Continues to Garner Support The AHC’s National Welfare Code of Practice continues to garner support from the horse community. The Welfare Code outlines in generic terms what it means for an organization to be committed to the responsible breeding, training, care, use, enjoyment, transport, and retirement of horses. Many associations have undertaken studies, reviews, and initiatives that show their commitment to the welfare of their horses.This generic code is simply a continuation of that effort.

The latest groups to support the National Welfare Code include the Arabian Horse Association, Florida Thoroughbred Breeder’s and Owner’s Association, League of Agricultural and Equine Centers, Master of Foxhounds Association, Pinto Horse Association of America, The Pyramid Society, U.S. Dressage Federation, and U.S. Equestrian Drill Team.

They join 10 other national groups that have already endorsed the Welfare Code. They include the: American Association of Equine Practitioners, American Endurance Ride Conference, American Paint Horse Association, American Quarter Horse Association, Kentucky Thoroughbred Association, National Cutting Horse Association, National Thoroughbred Racing Association, Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, U.S. Equestrian Federation, and U.S. Trotting Association.

“We are pleased with the positive feedback and continued interest we have received from a broad spectrum of equine organizations since the Welfare Code of Practice was announced this past November,” said AHC President Jay Hickey. “This latest round of endorsements further demonstrates to the public the industry’s unified commitment to the welfare and safety of horses, and we hope to build upon this momentum to bring in as many organizations as possible to further reinforce the industry’s commitment to safety, health, care and welfare of all horses.”

The Code is not intended to replace or preempt any activities, rules, or regulations specific to any segment of the industry. Rather it is another indication to the public, the media, federal and state officials, and the horse community that the equine industry “Puts the Horse First.”

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Your Onward and Upward FLORIDA HORSE PARK

he Florida Horse Park is moving onward and literally moving upward.

This summer marks the start of our first permanent, vertical construction. Our hospitality center is slated for completion this fall and we will be pleased to have it open for business this winter show season.

We are pleased to announce that the “Discover Florida’s Horses” license plate has been signed into law by the governor. By the end of this year, they should be available for purchase – make sure you get one for the trucks and horse trailers!

We would like to extend congratulations to participants and winners of the Southern Gold Cup Series. This is a grassroots campaign to draw lower-level competitors to the sport of eventing by offering a series of shows at venues in Central Florida. One of the stops was here at the horse park where competitors earned scores for the final prize.

The series will be offered again this fall with the culminating at the Partners of the Park Schooling Show here at the Florida Horse Park Nov. 27.

The Memorial Tree program is growing, too, with the donation of trees from a generous local grower. Purchase a tree in honor of a loved one, pet, equine competitor, business or farm. The trees will be planted throughout the park in accordance with the master plan.

These trees will add to the natural beauty of the park and memorialize important loved ones in our lives and yours.

This fall we are looking forward to our exclusive Farm Tour of southwest Ocala/Marion County, with proceeds benefiting the Florida Horse Park. Nov. 18, Oak Lake Farm, New Chance Polo Farm, Charlie Horse Polocrosse

T

Farm and AbraCadabra Training Center will open their doors to the public for close-up, behind-the-scenes tours. This is a once-in-alifetime experience showcasing these diverse local farms. Tickets will go on sale in September. Check www.FlHorsePark.com for ticket purchase locations.

November will welcome the PeopleChase.

This is a unique cross country run fit for the whole family. It will take place Saturday, Nov. 20, the same day as our Fall Horse Trials.

Runners will tackle some of the same cross country fences the horses will jump later in the day in the course of this 5K foot race.

In conjunction with the PeopleChase and Fall Horse Trials will also be the Fitness Fair.

Learn about cardiovascular health, enjoy some fresh produce and learn about the care and maintenance of horses and ponies. Plenty of activities for the kids will be available – from hands-on educational horse experience to arts and crafts! Adults, make sure to stop by vendors and learn about local agriculture and fitness programs.

Be sure to find us on Facebook to keep up-to-date on events happening at the Florida Horse Park. ■

Happy trails, Connie Duff Wise, Chairman Florida Horse Park THE FLORIDA HORSE • AUGUST 2010 61

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A BMP manual for Florida’s Equine Operations is expected to be released this winter.

FARM MANAGEMENT

Update: Best Management Practices s we experience heat and humidity during our Florida summers, it is hard to think of the winter months. It is in this time frame, however, when the state’s Best Management Practices Manual is expected to be

by Jamie Cohen, published for equine operations. It has been worked and reFarm Outreach worked through the past several years in an effort to make it Coordinator as effective and usable as possible for all types of equine facilities. Clegg Hooks, Environmental Administrator at Florida’s Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) Office of Agricultural Water Policy reported recently that, “We hope to have it completed by late winter 2010, or early 2011.”

Tips and guidelines for manure handling, storage, removal and spreading will be detailed in the manual. Composting and tips for successful waste management, pasture management, sediment and erosion control will be discussed. The pasture management section, as an example, touches on tips for weed management, fertilization guidelines and rotational grazing recommendations. Pest issues are addressed, and there’s even a section on animal mortality handling.

There will be two levels of BMPs in the manual. Level I BMPs can be easily used by all and are generally able to be started at little to no additional cost to the farm. For more waterquality risk features, Level II BMPs may need to be implemented; cost-share monies may be available for some of these

A

62 THE FLORIDA HORSE • AUGUST 2010

additional BMPs. Level I and Level II assessment questions will determine which levels are needed for a farm.A checklist, by which anyone can make a self-assessment, will be included, making a farm evaluation easy and straight-forward.

There is a simple and positive reason for a farm using the manual and registering with the state. Registration with the state recognizes that a farm needing these practices is adhering to, and using them on the horse farm. This entitles the farm to a “Presumption of Compliance” with state water quality standards. It’s important to note that registering with this manual only applies to farms having an agriculture exemption from the property appraiser’s office or those farms having a “Profit and Loss from Farming” Form 1040.

BMP manuals have been utilized by other Florida groups, such as the cow/calf, citrus and nursery industries, for years.

Using BMPs on the farm doesn’t necessarily have to be difficult or expensive. Please remember that by carefully following these guidelines, your farm will also be in compliance with all legislation standards. Please contact me with any questions or concerns. I welcome ideas and suggestions and look forward to visiting with you on your farms. ■ Jamie A. Cohen Farm Outreach Coordinator UF IFAS/Marion County Extension Service 352-671-8792 • jamieacohen@ufl.edu

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Following are the “FTBOA Chase to the Championship ” Point Standings through July 26, 2010.

Two-Year-Old Colt/Gelding Owner

Breeder

Owner

Trainer

Little Drama (Burning Roma) - 2 Madman Diaries (Bring the Heat) - 2 Western Mood (West Acre) - 2

Harold L Queen Wesley A Ward Gilbert G. Campbell

Harold L Queen Wesley A Ward “Jerry, George & Todaro Hollendorfer”

David Fawkes Wesley A Ward Jerry Hollendorfer

Jacks or Better Farm Inc Maurice Miller Michelle Redding Heiligbrodt Racing Stable

Jacks or Better Farm Inc Gary & Cecil Barber David W & Holly F Wilson Heiligbrodt Racing Stable

Stanley I Gold John W Sadler Vladimir Cerin Steven M Asmussen

Donald R Dizney Jacks or Better Farm Inc Harold J Plumley Sabine Stable

Donald R Dizney Jacks or Better Farm Inc & Robert LaPenta Paul P Pompa Jr Ike & Dawn Thrash

Dale L Romans Nicholas P Zito Richard E Dutrow John W Sadler

Thorobeam Farm Lau-Mor Farms Kristine L Mitchell

IEAH Stables & Whizway Farms Al & Saundra S Kirkwood Robert D Hutton

Richard E Dutrow Kathy Walsh Dan L Hendricks

Carol Nyren “Alex & Joann Lieblong, M McMaster & David Fawkes” RNB Racing LLC Harold L Queen

Barclay Tagg David Fawkes Terrel Gore David Fawkes

Farnsworth Stables LLC Martin Racing Stable LLC & Dan Morgan

Martin D Wolfson W Bret Calhoun

Two-Year-Old Filly Awesome Feather (Awesome of Course) - 2 Dawnie Macho (Macho Again) - 2 She’ll Heir (Wildcat Heir) - 2 Tristanme (Bwana Charlie) - 2

Three-Year-Old Colt/Gelding First Dude (Stephen Got Even) - 20 Jackson Bend (Hear No Evil) - 20 D’Funnybone (D’Wildcat) - 18 Line Of David (Lion Heart) - 15

Three-Year-Old Filly Amen Hallelujah (Montbrook) - 23 All Due Respect (Value Plus) - 12 Tanda (Sweetsouthernsaint) - 11

Older Male (Four-Year-Olds and up Colt/Gelding) Dry Martini (Slew Jin Fizz) - 10 Duke of Mischief (Graeme Hall) - 9 Shadowbdancing (Montbrook) - 9 Big Drama (Montbrook) - 7

Carol & Marty Hershe Marilyn McMaster Ocala Stud Farm Harold L Queen

Older Female (Four-Year-Olds and up Filly/Mare) Jessica Is Back (Put It Back) - 24 Dubai Majesty (Essence of Dubai) - 21

Larry Perkins Harold J Plumley

Sprint (Three-Year-Olds and up, male and female, race distances one mile and less) Dubai Majesty (Essence of Dubai) - 21 Amen Hallelujah (Montbrook) - 20 D’Funnybone (D’Wildcat) - 18

Harold J Plumley Thorobeam Farm Harold J Plumley

Martin Racing Stable LLC & Dan Morgan IEAH Stables & Whizway Farms Paul P Pompa Jr

W Bret Calhoun Richard E Dutrow Richard E Dutrow

Robert Smithen Farnsworth Farm “Winstar Farm, LLC” Live Oak Plantation Harvey A Clarke & Ron Winchell Lael Stables Patricia Generazio Farnsworth Stables LLC E J Sukley

Brian A Lynch Martin D Wolfson Todd A Pletcher Seth Benzel Kiaran P McLaughlin Barclay Tagg Mary Hartmann Martin D Wolfson Thomas F Proctor

Turf (Three-Year-Olds and up, male and female, races run on the turf) Bay to Bay (Sligo Bay) - 6 Jet Propulsion (Double Honor) - 6 Doubles Partner (Rock Hard Ten) - 5 Dynaslew (Dynaformer) - 5 Krypton (Rock Hard Ten) - 5 My Princess Jess (Stormy Atlantic) - 5 Presious Passion (Royal Anthem) - 5 Speak Easy Gal (West Acre) - 5 Tight Precision (Pure Precision) - 5

Adena Springs Farnsworth Farm Arthur I Appleton Live Oak Stud Jacks or Better Farm Adena Springs Joseph & Helen Barbazon William F & Annabel Murphy Charles Patton

■ Selection Criteria for Florida-bred champions Year-end divisional champions will be determined using the “FTBOA Chase to the Championship” point system, a ranking that awards points for success in stakes races.

The “FTBOA Chase to the Championship” allocates points for stakes wins in graded races, open-company stakes and Florida’s signature racing days, with the number of points awarded based upon the classification of the race. International stakes race status is governed by the International Cataloguing Standards Committee. The first three finishers in all Group/Graded and listed races appearing in Part I of the International Cataloguing Standards and International Statistics Book printed by The Jockey Club receive “black-type” designation.

The Florida-bred with the most points in each division on December 31 is deemed champion of that division. Horse of the Year, Broodmare of the Year and Breeder of the Year will be voted on by the FTBOA Board of Directors and announced at the FTBOA’s annual awards dinner.

In the case of a year-end tie in points in any division, earnings will be used to decide the tiebreaker.

Points are assigned as follows:

■ World Thoroughbred Championship Breeders’ Cup Race: Win: 20 points Place: 15 points Show: 10 points

■ Grade 1 Stakes Race: Win: 15 points Place: 10 points Show: 5 points

■ Grade 2 Stakes Race: Win: 5 points Place: 3 points Show: 2 points

■ Grade 3 Stakes Race: Win: 3 points Place: 2 points Show: 1 point

■ Sunshine Millions (equivalent to a Grade 2 Stakes Race): Win: 5 points Place: 3 points Show: 2 points

■ Other Florida-bred Signature Race Days (equivalent to a Grade 3 Stakes Race):

(The Florida Million, Florida Cup, Florida Stallion Stakes Series): Win: 3 points Place: 2 points Show: 1 point

■ Open-Company Stakes ($50,000 + Purse) Points for WIN ONLY: Win: 2 points THE FLORIDA HORSE • A UGUST 2010 63

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Leading Florida Sires The following list includes currently active, deceased, and pensioned stallions, with racing results updated through July 23, 2010. Statistics provided by The Jockey Club Information Systems Inc.

GRAEME HALL Farm Name

MONTBROOK

WILDCAT HEIR NA Earnings

Stk Gr Strtrs Wnrs SW's Wins SW's

Earnings

Leading Earner

2

$2,318,620

Duke of Mischief

$416,717

16

$7,430

8

1

$1,990,561

Derwin's Star

$124,651

56

$20,423

27

$69,396

3

$1,708,416

Amen Hallelujah

$285,843

9

$10,856

13

$50,462

5

1

$1,674,740

D' Funnybone

$377,500

13

$15,523

11

$68,045

6

1

$1,646,889

Jessica Is Back

$370,380

11

$38,282

11

$23,818 $22,500

Name

Sire Name

Graeme Hall

Dehere

Winding Oaks

$2,316,806

122

60

5

6

Wildcat Heir

Forest Wildcat

Journeyman

$1,989,299

82

45

3

4

Montbrook

Buckaroo

Ocala Stud

$1,708,416

96

34

4

8

D'wildcat

Forest Wildcat

Vinery

$1,506,438

87

43

2

Put It Back

Honour and Glory Bridlewood

$1,547,651

116

49

3

Leading Earnings

Yrlg Sold

Yrlg 2yo Avg Sold

2yo Avg $27,625

Chapel Royal

Montbrook

Signature

$1,431,724

135

62

2

2

0

$1,601,443

Blyde River Boy

$51,191

43

$13,263

14

Full Mandate

A.P. Indy

Hartley/De Renzo

$1,520,529

131

59

2

2

1

$1,522,418

Kissa Melissa

$86,250

8

$2,325

7

$6,957

Concerto

Chief's Crown

Ocala Stud

$1,127,972

87

43

1

2

0

$1,127,972

Concert Music

$75,586

2

$4,750

9

$20,889

Concorde's Tune

Concorde Bound Ocala Stud

$1,031,350

87

35

1

1

0

$1,043,096

Shimmering Tina

$94,070

2

$23,600

5

$22,600

Double Honor

Gone West

$935,350

91

37

1

1

0

$935,541

$194,330

2

$1,850

1

$5,000

Get Away

Jet Propulsion

Leading Florida Juvenile Sires The following list includes currently active, deceased, and pensioned stallions, with racing results updated through July 23, 2010. Statistics provided by The Jockey Club Information Systems Inc.

WILDCAT HEIR

GIBSON COUNTY Name

Sire Name

Farm Name

Bring the Heat

In Excess (IRE)

Ward Ranch

NA Stk Gr Earnings Strtrs Wnrs SW's Wins SW's $178,631

4

1

1

1

0

Earnings $178,631

Leading Earner Madman Diaries

Leading Earnings

Yrlg Sold

$157,822

1

Yrlg 2yo Avg Sold

2yo Avg

$1,000

Gibson County

In Excess (IRE)

deceased

$175,964

14

5

0

0

0

$175,964

Brock N Rock

$56,111

8

$3,725

16

Wildcat Heir

Forest Wildcat

Journeyman

$169,938

14

5

1

1

0

$171,200

She'll Heir

$68,580

56

$20,423

27

$11,281 $69,396

Chapel Royal

Montbrook

Signature

$165,508

13

5

1

1

0

$165,508

Aroyalsweet

$42,727

43

$13,263

14

$22,500

West Acre

Forty Niner

Stonehedge

$159,627

7

5

0

0

0

$159,627

Western Mood

$44,600

4

$24,750

Congrats

A.P. Indy

Vinery

$138,467

18

5

0

0

0

$138,467

Check My Cheeks

$27,600

38

$23,047

33

$49,636

Bwana Charlie

Indian Charlie

Journeyman

$113,331

7

4

0

0

0

$113,331

Tristanme

$59,090

4

$7,600

10

$19,650

With Distinction

Storm Cat

Hartley/DeRenzo

$105,455

15

6

0

0

0

$106,868

Pretty Extravagant

$31,200

47

$21,591

38

$47,874

Mass Media

Touch Gold

Journeyman

$95,701

7

4

1

1

0

$95,701

Miss Sarah Brown

$28,200

13

$5,008

8

$13,000

Burning Roma

Rubiano

Rising Hill

$87,862

9

2

1

1

0

$87,862

Little Drama

$65,400

6

$7,809

1

$3,000

64 THE FLORIDA HORSE • AUGUST 2010

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PLAYER’S PAGE

Forever A Yankee is luck at Churchill Downs on the first Saturday of May had never been good.

George Michael Steinbrenner, III, began the quest with Steve’s Friend in 1977, the wrong year perhaps to set your sights on the Kentucky Derby. There was only one Seattle Slew. But, though it became a clear and certain goal, Derby fever would not consume the master of Kinsman Stud.

In 1985, a partner in a very fast horse who won the Wood Memorial named Eternal Prince, he would see his next Derby hope, the anticipated pacemaker, eliminated at the starting gate. Almost two decades after Steve’s Friend, he returned with Diligence and a year later Concerto carried his colors. Both finished ninth and Blue Burner would report home 11th in 2002.

Steinbrenner and success in any endeavor were synonymous, and while his name will always be first connected to the New York Yankees dynasty that flourished during his long, colorful and often controversial stewardship, he left the impression when talking about his horses on those early spring visits to the Churchill Downs backstretch that he would happily have traded a World Series title for a victory in the Kentucky Derby.

In business, baseball and racing, Steinbrenner set his goals at the very highest level of achievement.

Two years after he was named the “Most Powerful Man in Sports” by the Sporting News, Steinbrenner’s best chance to win the Derby emerged in the big, imposing Wood Memorial winner of 2005. Florida-bred Bellamy Road was the 5-2 betting favorite after having won his final prep by more than 17 lengths. He looked the part and appeared to be a colt of boundless potential not yet fully realized.

A disappointed Steinbrenner left Churchill Downs quietly that day. His health already on the wane and shielded by a small group of friends and family, he avoided meeting the media afterward, leaving that chore to trainer Nick Zito. Bellamy Road, his effort compromised by an extremely fast pace and impatient ride, finished seventh and suffered an injury that would keep him sidelined until midsummer.

Dream Supreme, Majestic Warrior, Sweet Symphony, Spinning Round and others would contribute

H

by Paul Moran

Steinbrenner’s best chance to win the Derby emerged in the big, imposing Wood Memorial winner of 2005.

Florida-bred Bellamy Road was the 5-2 betting favorite after having won his final prep by more than 17 lengths.

He looked the part and appeared to be a colt of boundless potential not yet fully realized.

66 THE FLORIDA HORSE • AUGUST 2010

mightily to the trophy case at Steinbrenner’s Kinsman Farm in Ocala, winning races that would be the crowning glory of many lifetimes. But it seemed inevitable that day to those who watched his silent, somber exit from Churchill Downs, that racing’s ultimate prize had eluded the man known as “The Boss.” His legend and legacy in baseball would continue to grow in ground he made fertile, but there would be no Kentucky Derby for George Steinbrenner.

“I think that was the one jewel that was missing for him,” long-time Yankees manager Joe Torre said to the Associated Press after Steinbrenner’s death at age 80 last month.

Steinbrenner’s involvement in racing was, unlike many facets of his public life, removed from his blusterous image. His four-decade career as a breeder and owner were marked by a term as president of the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association and another as a member of the New York Racing Association Board of Trustees. He was for a time a partner in Tampa Bay Downs and later Balmoral, a harness track in Illinois. Steinbrenner for a time was also active in racing standardbreds.

Much of his effort on behalf of both sports was conducted behind the scenes and without public notice. He gave back more than he took and his friends in both forms of racing were countless as were those who were beneficiaries of his well-documented personal generosity.

The lack of a Kentucky Derby that Steinbrenner took to the next life is lamented even now by those who trained his horses. Even now, Zito, who forged a close personal relationship with Steinbrenner, laments Bellamy Road’s misfortune in the most important quest on which he was sent. The Boss, however, understood.

“He gave me a World Series ring with my name on it,” Zito said in an interview in the days immediately after Steinbrenner’s death. “I always felt funny about wearing it. Maybe I will wear it this summer at Saratoga to honor him. He wanted to give me another ring when they won the Series again the next year.

Can you imagine that?”

Yes. Every friend of Steinbrenner was a Yankee. ■

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