December 2010 Florida Horse

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Dubai Majesty Awesome Feather

Big Drama

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DECEMBER 2010 •VOL 53/ISSUE 11

CONTENTS FLORIDA FOCUS 8 FTBOA CHANGES BREEDERS’ AWARDS PROGRAM 18 STARS ALIGN 20

Florida-breds shine on Ladies at Breeders’ Cup.

By Michael Compton & Patrick Vinzant

‘DRAMA’ RULES 30

Florida-bred Big Drama wires Breeders’ Cup Sprint.

By Michael Compton & Patrick Vinzant

SMALL BREEDERS, BIG DREAMS 38

A trio of small Florida breeders tally triumphs on Thoroughbred industry’s biggest stage. By Jo Ann Guidry

MILLION SURPRISES 44

Florida-breds Birdrun and Joanie’s Catch win the richest events at Florida Million. By Nick Fortuna

STALLIONS MONTBROOK, AWESOME OF COURSE SIRE BREEDERS’ CUP WINNERS 50

By Jo Ann Guidry

EDITOR’S NOTE 52

By Summer Best

FLORIDA HORSE PARK LICENSE PLATE UNVEILING 54 Photos by Eleanor Hancock

EASTERN AND WESTERN MEDICINE 56

By Dr. Sandra TenBroeck

PRACTICALLY SPEAKING: COLD SNAP—IS YOUR FARM READY? 59

By Mark Shuffitt

HORSE COUNCIL NEWS 60 NEWS BITS 62 FARM MANAGEMENT: PROTECTING FLORIDA’S GEMS 66

By Jamie Cohen & Peter Colverson

FLORIDA’S LEADING SIRES 67 FLORIDA’S LEADING BREEDERS 68 PLAYER’S PAGE 70

4 THE FLORIDA HORSE • DECEMBER 2010

COVER & CONTENTS PHOTOS BY JOE DIORIO

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 Fred Brei, President/Board Chairman Brent Fernung, 1st Vice President Phil Matthews, 2nd Vice President Sheila DiMare, Secretary Bonnie M. Heath III, 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.

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

FTBOA OFFICERS AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS Fred Brei, President Brent Fernung, First Vice President Phil Matthews, Second Vice President Sheila DiMare, Secretary Bonnie M. Heath III, Treasurer

DIRECTORS Linda Appleton Potter Joe Barbazon Dean DeRenzo Donald Dizney Barry W. Eisaman

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Richard E. Hancock THE FLORIDA HORSE • DECEMBER 2010 5

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welcome

Going Out

Michael Compton/JOE DIORIO PHOTO

We’re usually not “ real excitable people,

AWinner better script could not have been conceived.

In front of a worldwide audience, three Florida-breds—Dubai Majesty, Awesome Feather and Big Drama—scaled new heights last month to capture Breeders’ Cup events on racing’s biggest stage. Make no mistake about it, the winners and their connections brought pride to each and every person involved in Florida’s Thoroughbred industry.

The three winners are ideal representatives of Florida’s breeding program. It would be impossible for any other state to claim ties to Florida’s Breeders’ Cup winners this year. All of them are by stallions that stand or stood in the state and were bred by individuals that have long supported the breeding industry in the Sunshine State.

For Harold J. Plumley of Plumley Farms in Ocala, and breeder of Breeders’Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1) winner Dubai Majesty, this year’s Breeders’ Cup provided the thrill of a lifetime.

“This is an experience I never expected to have,” said Plumley, who has been winding down his in-

A

but Opal was jumping up and down during the stretch run. It was fun for me just to see her that excited.

”

Harold J. Plumley (inset) and Dubai Majesty after winning the Filly and Mare Sprint

6 THE FLORIDA HORSE • DECEMBER 2010

JOE DIORIO PHOTOS

—Harold J. Plumley

volvement in the industry over the last year or so.

“I’m 83 years old now and this ranks right up there as one of the greatest experiences in my life.

“I give all the credit to our general manager Richard Kent and all of the employees at Plumley Farms,” he added. “Getting a healthy foal on the ground is only a part of it. There’s so much more to raising and training these horses and getting them to this level of success. Our employees have been wonderful and this win has really perked up everyone at the farm.”

Plumley recently had heart surgery and watched the Breeders’ Cup from the safe confines of home in Ocala. When Dubai Majesty made her move to the lead at the top of the stretch, however, Plumley and his wife, Opal, rooted her home as if they were perched in a box seat overlooking the track.

“We’re usually not real excitable people,” Plumley related, “but Opal was jumping up and down during the stretch run. It was fun for me just to see her that excited.”

Dubai Majesty is not the only top runner produced at Plumley Farms to make headlines in recent years, just the latest. Leading Plumley-bred runners include D’Funnybone, Jealous Again and Brooke’s Halo. D’Funnybone established himself as one of the leading sprinters in the country over the last couple of years. Jealous Again took her Florida foundation across the pond to win a stakes race at Royal Ascot in England, and Brooke’s Halo was a graded stakes winner in California.

“When I first got involved in the Thoroughbred industry as a sidelight to my career I never dreamed of having horses like this,” he said. “Of course, in the back of my mind I always thought it would be nice to breed a Kentucky Derby winner, but to actually produce the horses we have is just unbelievable. It goes beyond anything I ever dreamed. The best part is, unlike so many athletes today, we’re going out a winner.” ■

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Written by Nick Fortuna

Briecat Scores Upset in Grade 2 Las Palmas Briecat showed the heart of a champion on Oct. 31 at Hollywood Park, gamely holding off Westwood Pride by a neck for a 14-1 upset in the $150,000 Las Palmas Handicap (G2).

It was the second graded stakes victory for the 5-year-old, Florida-bred mare, who also won the Bayakoa Handicap (G2) at Hollywood last December. The daughter of Adcat has won eight of her 24 career starts and earned $467,805 for trainer Vladimir Cerin and owners David and Holly Wilson.

In the closing-day feature of the Oak Tree

Racing Association’s first meeting at Hollywood, Briecat was the quickest out of the gate in the field of eight fillies and mares. She built a two-length lead while carving out fractions of 24.20 seconds for a quarter-mile and 47.93 for a half-mile on a firm turf course.

With Patrick Valenzuela aboard for the first time, Briecat reached the top of the lane with a one-length lead over Westwood Pride and jockey Rafael Bejarano. Westwood Pride gradually gained on Briecat and made her fight hard through the wire but never was able

to get past the leader. The final time for the one mile was 1:34.77.

“She’s very, very tough on the lead,” Cerin said. “The key with her is to open up when she turns for home and hope they can’t get her. They couldn’t. (Valenzuela) is just unbelievable. I told him if he was in a bank, they’d arrest him for stealing.”

“She ran a good race,” Valenzuela said. “(Cerin) had her plenty fit. She paced her own pace and picked it up nice on the turn. I think she won it on the turn when she got away

Florida-breds Deliver in Belmont Stakes

COGLIANESE PHOTOS

Two Florida-bred juveniles dominated their stakes debuts at Belmont Park on Oct. 31 with Promise Me a Cat romping to a five-length score in the $70,000 Sweet Patootie Stakes and Royal Currier posting a 2½-length victory in the $66,500 Grey Planet Stakes.

Promise Me a Cat, a daughter of Vinery stallion D’wildcat, drew off under hand urging from jockey Javier Castellano, finishing the six-furlong Sweet Patootie Stakes in 1:11.09.

Promise Me a Cat bumped with Sky Hosoya several times immediately after the break, then ran in the middle of the pack of seven 2-year-old fillies as Floridabred Miss Sarah Brown carved out frac-

8 THE FLORIDA HORSE • DECEMBER 2010

Florida-bred Royal Currier

tions of 22.32 seconds for a quarter-mile and 45.78 for a half-mile.

Castellano went to work aboard Promise Me a Cat around the turn, and the filly responded, claiming a one-length lead at the top of the stretch and widening her advantage down the lane.

Promise Me a Cat, bred at Big C Farm in Reddick, has two wins and a pair of runnerup finishes in four career starts, with $94,600 in earnings. The filly, out of the Pentelicus mare Promise Me Magic, cruised to an 8 ¼length win in a $49,000 maiden special weight Florida-bred Promise Me a Cat

race at Belmont on Sept. 26, her third start.

Promise Me a Cat is trained by Carlos F. Martin for Blue Devil Racing Stable and was a $70,000 purchase at OBS in February.

Earlier on the card, Royal Currier scored in the Grey Planet Stakes. The Red Bullet gelding, bred at Adena Springs South in Williston, led every step of the way and stopped the clock for six furlongs in 1:10.41.

Royal Currier, trained by Patricia Farro, covered a quarter-mile in 22.21 seconds and a half-mile in 45.34 while building a three-length lead. He stretched his lead to four lengths at the top of the stretch and had more than enough left to hold off the favored Poseidon’s Warrior. Shmooz Talker and Brother in Arms completed the order of finish.

Royal Currier has three wins and a pair of runner-up finishes in five career starts, with $94,150 in earnings for Mat Stables.

The horse, out of the Lite the Fuse mare Top of the League, won a $50,000 optional claimer by 4 ½ lengths at Delaware Park on Sept. 22. He then finished second in a $40,000 starter allowance at Monmouth Park on Oct. 9. ■

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Pensioned Stallion Sword Dance Dies at 26

from the horses because when she picked it up, everybody else had to pick it up.

Through the stretch they didn’t have as much finish when she did that. She stuck her head down and fought them off.”

Briecat improved to 2-for-8 on turf, with the other win coming in the $50,000 Chandler Stakes at Turf Paradise in No-

vember 2008. The mare also earned stakes victories in the $50,000 Las Madrinas Handicap on Fairplex Park’s dirt track in September, the $94,000 Adoration Stakes on Del Mar’s synthetic surface in September 2009 and the $75,000 Arizona Oaks on Turf Paradise’s dirt track in February 2008.

Briecat, out of the Marlin mare Silk Briefcase, was bred by Ocala Oaks Inc. and Don R. Graham. ■

Awesome of Course to Journeyman Stud Awesome of Course, sire of undefeated Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) winner and Fasig-Tipton November Sale Topper Awesome Feather, will stand the 2011 season at Brent and Crystal Fernung’s Journeyman Stud, it was announced last month. His stud fee will be $5,000.

The nation’s No. 3 Juvenile Sire with progeny earnings just shy of $1.5 million, Awesome of Course has had exceptional results from limited opportunity. From just 26 named foals, he has 20 starters, 15 winners, and four stakes horses.

Awesome of Course shot onto the national radar this year due to the accomplishments of Awesome Feather. Bred in Florida by Fred and Jane Brei’s Jacks or Better Farm, the twoyear-old filly is undefeated in six starts this year, five of them stakes. On Nov. 5, Awesome Feather scored a decisive victory in the $1.8 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1).

Two days later, she sold for $2.3 million to Frank Stronach at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky November Breeding Stock Sale. One of just four fillies in history to sweep the Florida Stallion Stakes Series, Awesome Feather is the front-runner for Champion TwoYear-Old Filly honors.

“We are delighted to welcome Awesome of Course to the Journeyman stallion roster,” said Brent Fernung. “He’s from Awesome Of Course the first crop by Awesome Again, and we had followed his career from his stakes victory at two to his multiple stakes wins at three.

He sired a pretty good stakes winner in his first crop, Honey Honey Honey. But Awesome Feather is in another league all together, and her sale price proves he can be commercial as well. We expect he’ll draw plenty of interest from breeders.” ■

Sword Dance (Ire), one of Florida’s leading sires for more than a decade, died last month of natural causes at Gil and Marilyn Campbell’s Stonehedge Farm South in Williston. The son of Nijinsky II out of Rosa Mundi, by Secretariat, was a pensioner at the farm since standing his last season there in 2004. He was 26.

Sword Dance was a winner in Ireland and the United States,taking the Del Mar Handicap (G2) in 1988 over subsequent Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) winner Great Communicator. Retired to stud in 1990, he would sire Sword Dance

LOUISE REINAGEL PHOTO

BENOIT & ASSOCIATES

PHOTO

Florida-bred Briecat wins the Las Palmas Handicap.

23 black-type winners on dirt and turf, including Arlington Million (G1) winner Marlin, multiple graded stakes winner Blazing Sword and Rampart Handicap (G2) winner Dance For Thee. His progeny earned more than $2 million in eight separate seasons.

Sword Dance also became a good broodmare sire, with his daughters producing champions Smoothability andToughWin and numerous other stakes winners, including Grade 2 winner DawnAfter Dawn and Floridabred Red Jazz a recent Group 2 winner in England.

Stonehedge Farm South manager Larry King commented on the impact Sword Dance had on the Florida breeding industry and Stonehedge in particular: “Sword Dance was the first big stallion we purchased, and he brought Stonehedge and Mr. & Mrs. Campbell a lot of success. He was a foundation horse in Florida, one of the few to sire an Arlington Million winner. He had a foundation pedigree, and he was such a consistent sire for so long.

“Sword Dance was the farm favorite,” he added.

“He just did everything right while he was with us, was a great breeder and an easy horse to care for.

He’s made a significant impact as a broodmare sire, and his legacy lives on through his daughters.

Stonehedge’s success as a breeder has a lot to do with Sword Dance. He will be missed.”

Sword Dance will be buried at farm. ■

THE FLORIDA HORSE • OCTOBER 2010 9

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Sarava, the winner of the 2002 Belmont Stakes (G1), will move to Bridlewood Farm in Ocala for the 2011 breeding season after previously standing at Double Diamond Farm in Ocala. He stood for $3,000 this year, but a stud fee for 2011 has not been set.

By Wild Again out of the Deputy Minister mare Rhythm of Life, Sarava is Florida’s ninth-leading third-crop sire with $578,359 in progeny earnings this year.

Sarava’s biggest win as a racehorse came in the Belmont Stakes over Medaglia d’Oro, also famously spoiling the Triple Crown bid of War Emblem. He won three of his 17 starts overall from ages 2 to 5 and retired with $773,832 in earnings.

“Sarava is the only Belmont winner at stud in Florida, and the success of Belmont winners as sires has been proven time and time again,” said Bridlewood General Manager George Isaacs. “Sarava has already enjoyed some success with his young runners,

Sarava

LOUISE REINAGEL PHOTO

Belmont Winner Sarava to Stand at Bridlewood

and they only figure to get better.

“He promotes soundness and versatility, and he has the added bonus of being Florida’s only son of Wild Again, sire of last year’s champion freshman sire, Offlee Wild, and of the very versatile sire Milwaukee Brew. We are confident Sarava will do well at Bridlewood.”

Wild Again, the winner of the inaugural Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) in 1984, retired with $2.2 million in earnings. Sarava’s dam, Rhythm of Life, wasn’t raced. ■

Kiss the Kid to Stand at Journeyman Stud

10 THE FLORIDA HORSE • DECEMBER 2010

COGLIANESE PHOTO

Kiss the Kid, a multiple graded stakes winner and earner of $820,873, has been retired and will stand stud in 2011 at Brent and Crystal Fernung’s Journeyman Stud in Ocala.

A versatile performer by Lemon Drop Kid, Kiss the Kid held stakes-level form for five seasons on dirt, turf and synthetic surfaces, winning four stakes – two graded – with an impressive 17 stakes placings. He won the Appleton Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park and the Cliff Hanger Stakes (G3) at The Meadowlands on turf. He also placed on dirt in the Donn Handicap (G1) at Gulfstream and on Polytrack in the Ben Ali Stakes (G3) at Keeneland.

Trained by Amy Tarrant for owners Hardacre Farm LLC, Kiss the Kidd compiled 10 tripledigit Beyer Speed Figures before retiring sound. He enters stud as the only son of Lemon Drop Kid standing in Florida, and he hails from a solid female family, as his dam, Black Tie Kiss, is a half-sister to 1991 Horse of the Year Black Tie Affair (IRE).

“Kiss the Kid is a throwback. He was fast, honest and sound for so long as a racehorse, and he ran on absolutely anything,” said Brent Fernung. “He also has a sire’s pedigree and is part of a sire line that you can’t get to in Florida.

We’re excited to have him at Journeyman.” ■ Kiss The Kid

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Unbridled Humor Wins Memories of Silver H. Graham Motion was happy to see that Ultimate Class set the pace. Ultimate Class Unbridled Humor had made it into the field took the field of 10 3-year-old fillies through for the $60,000 Memories of Silver Stakes off an opening quarter-mile in 24.46 seconds and the also-eligible list, but he wasn’t pleased a half-mile in 48.95.

Leaving the five-sixteenths pole, Ultimate that she’d have to start from the far-outside No. 10 post. The veteran trainer feared that Class began to draw off from the field, openthe obstacle might lead to the first defeat of ing up a four-length lead under Rajiv Maragh.

Meanwhile, the Florida-bred filly’s I wasn’t sure she was going Unbridled Humor adyoung career.

But after an exhilarating to get there, to be honest. I was a vanced three-wide and little concerned about the race reached the top of the stretch run under jockey John Velazquez, Unbridled because we were shortening her lane in second place.

After straightening Humor emerged with her up from 1 1⁄8 miles to a mile, for home, Unbridled perfect record intact, beatwhich wasn’t something I was ing Ultimate Class by a looking to do, but it was just such Humor unleashed a furious stretch drive to nose in her stakes debut a good opportunity for her, and I chase down Ultimate Nov. 14 at Aqueduct. Unthought she could handle it. She Class and get up in the bridled Humor, a homewas very impressive. final jump, stopping the bred for Ocala’s Live Oak —H. Graham Motion clock for one mile on a Plantation, improved to 3firm turf course in 1:38.21. for-3 and boosted her earnings to $91,620.

“I wasn’t sure she was going to get there, “I thought it was a huge performance, considering she had such a lousy post posi- to be honest,” Motion said. “I was a little tion,” Motion said. “I was talking to Johnny, concerned about the race because we were and he said the post position made it tough shortening her up from 11⁄8 miles to a mile, for her because it’s such a tight course here at which wasn’t something I was looking to do, Aqueduct.” but it was just such a good opportunity for Unbridled Humor, a daughter of Distorted her, and I thought she could handle it. She Humor and the Unbridled mare Devotion Un- was very impressive.” bridled, ran in the middle of the pack early as Unbridled Humor came into the race off a five-length victory in a $44,380 allowance going 11⁄8 miles on the Keeneland lawn in October. Prior to that, she won a $51,000 maiden special weight race by 2½ lengths on the Saratoga turf in September. Motion said Unbridled Humor likely will get a break and make her next start at GulfFlorida-bred stream Park, possibly as Unbridled Humor late as February. ■

“

12 THE FLORIDA HORSE • DECEMBER 2010

NYRA PHOTO

”

The S cience of S uccess

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Oscar Wilde wasn’t addressing thoroughbred breeders when he said, “Success is a science; if you have the conditions, you get the result,” but Florida’s thoroughbred breeders know Wilde’s words to be true.

Breeding thoroughbred champions may not be an exact science, but Florida’s breeders lay claim to some key ingredients as they continue to produce winners at the highest levels.

Florida’s strong stallion base, year-round moderate climate, mineral-rich soil and water, outstanding facilities and strong support industries are conducive to breeding world-class racehorses. Florida also provides an exceptional agriculture and business climate for breeding, training and racing thoroughbreds.

This year’s results on the racetrack demonstrate what the proper conditions can do, as 4 of the top 5 juvenile fillies of 2010 by earnings were bred in Florida and 3 were by Florida stallions.

1. Awesome Feather, by Awesome of Course

$1,495,746 Owned by Jacks or Better Farm • Bred by Jacks or Better Farm

2. R Heat Lightning, by Trippi

$612,800 Owned by Bobby Flay • Bred by E. Paul Robsham Stable LLC

3. More Than Real $609,384 4. Wickedly Perfect, by Congrats

$404,600 Owned by STD Racing Stable and Peter Moehrke Bred by Y-Lo Racing Stables • $70,000 OBS graduate

5. Delightful Mary, Limehouse

www.facebook/thefloridahorse.com

FLORIDA THOROUGHBRED BREEDERS’ AND OWNERS’ ASSOCIATION 801 SW 60th Ave. • Ocala, FL 34474 352-629-2160 • Fax: 352-629-3603 www.ftboa.com • info@ftboa.com

FLORIDA DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER SERVICES Charles H. Bronson, Commissioner 850-488-4366 • Fax 850-922-0374 • e-mail: davisp@doacs.state.fl.us 407 S. Calhoun • 412 Mayo Building, Tallahassee, FL 32399

JOE DIORIO PHOTO

$310,377 Owned by John Oxley • Bred by Hobeau Farm Ltd $500,000 OBS graduate We encourage you to visit Florida’s horse country, its racetracks, its sales company and training centers and see for yourself why Florida is the ideal location to breed, raise, train and sell champions.

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With a talented horse like Manicero to brag about, Journeyman Stud stallion Mass Media is certain to get plenty of positive press coverage.

Manicero, a Florida-bred colt trained by Leo Azpurua Jr. for owner Leo Azpurua Sr., gave the stallion his first black-type winner Nov. 13 at Calder Casino & Race Course, drawing off for an 8 ¼-length score in the $125,000 Jack Price Juvenile Stakes.

Manicero, bred by Gainesville’s Roberto Sanson, is out of the Kris S. mare Ritzy Blitz. He has won two of his three starts and earned $99,008.

He finished third in a $36,000 maiden special weight race at Calder to start his career Oct. 2, then came back to score by 7¾ lengths in a $34,000 maiden special weight race Oct. 30.

“That’s a good horse. He looks like he could be any kind,” Brent Fernung, who stands Mass Media at Journeyman Stud in Ocala, said of Manicero. “I think we haven’t heard the last of him. He just dominated that race.”

Manicero’s performance was the highlight of a solid day for Mass

14 THE FLORIDA HORSE • DECEMBER 2010

Mass Media

LOUISE REINAGEL PHOTO

Manicero Gives Mass Media First Black-type Winner

Media at Calder’s Florida Million, which featured eight stakes races for Florida-breds. A filly by Mass Media, Beso Grande, finished second to Devilish Lady in the $125,000 Joe O’Farrell Juvenile Fillies Stakes, and a colt, The Waco Kid, ran fourth in the $100,000 Arthur I. Appleton Juvenile Turf.

Those performances lifted Mass Media to No. 12 on the list of North America’s leading freshman sires with $459,865 in progeny earnings. He’s the fourth-leading freshman sire in Florida, trailing Vinery’s Congrats ($1.21 million in progeny earnings), who is relocating to Vinery Kentucky, Vinery’s Pomeroy ($536,451) and Hartley/De Renzo Thoroughbreds’ With Distinction ($523,924).

Mass Media’s first crop consists of just 49 juveniles, easily the smallest crop among North America’s 13 top freshman sires. He’s had 19 runners, including 10 winners. Among them is Florida-bred Alert the Press, who captured the $29,350 Capitol City Futurity at Lincoln Race Course in July.

“He doesn’t have the advantage that some of the horses in front of him have with these huge crops, but this horse is a very consistent horse,” Fernung said of Mass Media. “He’s going to be a real sleeper stallion, and I’m excited about him. The horse is doing awfully well.”

To get the word out about Mass Media, Journeyman Stud is offering breeders big incentives to breed to him in 2011. The stallion’s stud fee will remain unchanged from 2010 at $2,000, and breeders who pay that stud fee will be eligible for the following bonuses that apply to horses from Mass Media’s 2012 crop: ■ If the resulting yearling doesn’t sell for at least $10,000 in 2013, the breeder will have his $2,000 stud fee returned to him.

■ The breeder of the first 2-year-old by Mass Media to win a maiden special weight race in Florida in 2014 will receive a $10,000 bonus.

■ The breeder of the first horse from Mass Media’s 2012 crop to win a Grade 3 race will receive $50,000. That bonus jumps to $100,000 for a Grade 2 win and $200,000 for a Grade 1.

Mass Media, a 9-year-old son of Touch Gold, won six of his 21 career starts from ages 2-5 and earned $569,740. He won the Sport Page Handicap (G3) at Saratoga and the Fly So Free Stakes at Belmont Park as a 3-year-old and earned the biggest victory of his career the following year at Saratoga in the Forego Stakes (G1). ■

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FLORIDA NEWS

Gourmet Dinner Hits Jackpot

At Delta Downs $809,660 through five starts for Terrill’s Our Sugar Bear Stable.

Decisive Moment, a son of Hartley/De Renzo Thoroughbreds stallion With Distinction, had finished third in the In Reality division and fourth in the Dr. Fager, where he was promoted to third place following the disqualification of Florida-bred Grande Shores. Out of the Dehere mare Lady Samira, the colt has one win from five starts and has earned $276,330 for owner and breeder Just For Fun Stables.

BY NICK FORTUNA

Florida-bred Gourmet Dinner

•

A

Florida-bred Briecat

COADY PHOTOS

pair of Florida-bred juveniles overcame a lack of respect to get the biggest paydays of their young careers Nov. 20, with Gourmet Dinner finishing 2 ¼ lengths ahead of runner-up Decisive Moment in the $1 million Delta Downs Jackpot Stakes (G3).

Though the pair had run well at Calder this year, both runners were dismissed by the betting public, with Gourmet Dinner going off as the 20-1 seventh choice in the field of 10 2-year-olds and Decisive Moment the 48-1 ninth choice.

Steve Standridge put blinkers on Gourmet Dinner to get the horse to focus, while Juan Arias removed the blinkers from Decisive Moment, and in the end, both trainers got exactly what they wanted from their talented runners.

Gourmet Dinner, a son of Trippi bred by Ocala Stud Farm and William J. Terrill, ran in sixth place early in the 1 1/16-mile contest, tracking the pacesetting Bug Juice three-wide through opening fractions of 22.66 and 46.56 seconds. Decisive Moment, meanwhile, was far closer to the pace in second place.

Using his usual late-running style, Gourmet Dinner advanced three-wide around the final turn under jockey Sebastian Madrid and reached the top of the lane with a 1 ½-length lead over Decisive Moment and jockey Kerwin Clark. Gourmet Dinner increased his lead down the stretch and finished in 1:45.23 on a fast track.

Gourmet Dinner erased any doubts about whether he could handle two turns. The colt had suffered his first defeat in his first route race, finishing second to Florida-bred Reprized Halo in the $365,000 In Reality division of the Florida Stallion Stakes at Calder on Oct. 16.

Prior to that, Gourmet Dinner had won all three of his starts, including the first two legs of the FSS – the $75,000, six-furlong Dr. Fager division and the $100,000, seven-furlong Affirmed division.

Gourmet Dinner, out of the Pentelicus mare Potluck Dinner, has earned

Briecat once again showed her versatility, wiring the $125,000 Treasure Chest Stakes by 5 ½ lengths at Delta Downs on the same program. It was the third stakes win of the year for the Florida-bred mare, who has excelled on dirt, turf and synthetic races surfaces.

Briecat, a 5-year-old daughter of Adcat bred by Ocala Oaks Inc. and Don R. Graham, flashed her trademark speed to claim the early lead in the Treasure Chest. Under Patrick Valenzuela, she built a one-length lead while carving out fractions of 22.50 seconds for a quarter-mile and 47.33 for a half-mile.

Briecat drew off while rounding the second turn, reaching the head of the stretch with a 2 ½-length lead and drawing off down the lane, stopping the clock for one mile on a fast main track 1:38.78. She returned $7.40, $3.40 and $3 as the second choice in a field of eight fillies and mares.

Briecat improved to 3-for-6 on a fast dirt track, having also won the $50,000 Las Madrinas Handicap at Fairplex Park in September. For her career, she has nine wins from 25 starts and $542,805 in earnings for trainer Vladimir Cerin and owners David and Holly Wilson. ■

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JOE DIORIO PHOTO

Florida-bred Big Drama leads the field into the home stretch in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) at Churchill Downs last month en route to an impressive wireto-wire triumph. The Harold Queen homebred is a son of Ocala Stud stallion Montbrook out of the Notebook mare Riveting Drama.

The Calder-based runner, trained by David Fawkes, covered the six furlongs in 1:09.05.

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FLORIDA NEWS

FTBOA Changes Breeders’ Awards Program

BY MICHAEL COMPTON istered with the FTBOA that finishes in first, second or third he board of directors of the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ place in a race at a Florida thoroughbred track as follows: and Owners’Association announced last month a change in ■ For first place – Ten percent of the announced gross the manner in which Breeders’Awards will be paid in 2011.

This decision comes after the board reviewed numerous ex- purse, less any Florida Owners’ Awards included therein, with amples of possible payment scenarios for the program, which each such Breeders’Award limited to no more than $10,000. underscored the need to ensure the program’s continued solvency, as well as polling of the mem■ For second place – Three perbership to determine whether to cent of the announced gross purse, less This is another compokeep the program the same – paying nent of our economic stimulus plan any Florida Owners’Awards included only on winners in Florida – or therein, with each such Breeders’ being implemented. We appreciate changing the program to pay all the input we received from Florida’s Award limited to no more than $3,000.

Florida-bred first- second- and thirdbreeders on this important decision for place finishers in the state.

■ For third place –Two percent of our industry. —FTBOA President Fred Brei the announced gross purse, less any Subject to the terms of the FTBOA’s annual awards plan, which must be filed with and ap- Florida Owners’ Awards included therein, with each such Breeders’ proved by the state, the FTBOA board voted unanimously to pay Award limited to no more than $1,500. a Breeders’Award to the breeder of a Florida-bred lawfully regThe FTBOA’s annual awards plan for 2011 has been submitted to the Department of Business and Professional Regulation’s parimutuel division.

“This is another component of our economic stimulus plan being implemented,” said FTBOA President Fred Brei. “We appreciate all the input we received from Florida’s breeders on this important decision for our industry.”

In addition to paying three places for Florida races, FTBOA officials anticipate being able to pay out-of-state Breeders’ Awards for Florida-breds that win in the Sunshine Millions in California for 2010 and 2011.

Other key components of the economic stimulus plan, which was originated in 2007, rolled out in 2008, passed by the State Legislature in 2009 and went into effect July 1, were extended card-room hours for pari-mutuel facilities and a reduction in state taxes on slot machine revenue from 50 percent to 35 percent.

Also progressing is the conversion of the FTBOA’s quarter horse racing permit into a nonprofit thoroughbred racing permit in Marion County. At the present time, articles of incorporation have been filed and bylaws are being put together for the purposes of making the conversion application to the state.

“The bottom line in this business, and what matters most, is the accomplishments of our Florida breeders,” said Richard Hancock, executive vice president of the FTBOA. “Three Florida-breds winning races at the Breeders’ Cup is a powerful reminder to the thoroughbred industry just how strong the Florida-bred program is.”

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–Patrick Vinzant contributed to this report.

18 THE FLORIDA HORSE • DECEMBER 2010

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Stars Florida-breds shine on Ladies Day at Breeders’ Cup

By MICHAEL COMPTON & PATRICK VINZANT

20 THE FLORIDA HORSE • DECEMBER 2010

he path to the Breeders’ Cup World Thoroughbred Championships is sometimes winding. Breeders, owners and trainers are faced with the Herculean challenge of plotting a year-long course to have their

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charges ready to summon exceptional efforts on Breeders’ Cup day.

For a record 23 Florida-breds entered in this year’s Breeders’ Cup, simply arriving at the event in good order was a victory for all in-

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Align Dubai Majesty winning the Filly and Mare Sprint (right) and Awesome Feather taking the Juvenile Fillies over fellow Florida-breds R Heat Lightning and Delightful Mary (opposite page).

program.

“This year’s Breeders’ Cup just shows the entire industry that despite the difficult times facing our business, that you can breed, raise and race a world-class champion in Florida,” said Richard Kent of Plumley Farms, breeder of Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1) winner Dubai Majesty.

Kent is spot on. All three Florida-bred Breeders’

PHOTOS BY PAM DIORIO (LEFT) AND JOE DIORIO

volved. After two days of competition and 14 prestigious events with competitors from all points on the globe, Florida-breds emerged victorious in three races, finished second twice and third once, securing the Sunshine State’s place among the thoroughbred industry’s elite.

This year’s showing by Florida-breds was the state’s best ever since 1985 when four Floridabreds—Precisionist, Cozzene, Tasso and Twilight Ridge—combined for four victories on a single

THE FLORIDA HORSE • DECEMBER 2010 21

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Stars Align

Win she did. Still undefeated in Cup winners—Awesome Feather, six starts ranging in distance from Dubai Majesty and Big Drama— are squarely in line for Eclipse Awards in their respec- 4½ furlongs to 11⁄16 miles, Awesome Feather proved she tive divisions at season’s end. is the best of her division, not just at Calder, but in the The Sunshine State’s success began on Ladies’ Day world, with her sparkling win in the Breeders’ Cup Juat the Breeders’ Cup on Nov. 5. Awesome Feather all venile Fillies (G1). but cemented a juvenile filly championship, while Under regular rider Jeffrey Sanchez, Awesome Dubai Majesty showed why she is Feather tracked the early pace in the best filly and mare sprinter in third place down the backstretch as That’s the horse the world.

Florida-bred R Heat Lightning led (Awesome Feather) I Fred Brei of Jacks or Better the field of 12 into the far turn.

Farm in Reddick and trainer Straightening in the lane, Aweknew we had to beat.

Stanley Gold heard all the comsome Feather drew alongside R She’s tough. If I could ments questioning their undeHeat Lightning. The two Sunshine feated Florida-bred Awesome State products dueled through most have eliminated one Feather in the days leading up to of the stretch, with Awesome horse in the field, it the Breeders’ Cup. Feather gaining the upper hand late would have been her.

But While many wondered about in the 11⁄16-mile event, stopping the quality of the company she kept my filly did run a good the clock in 1:45.17. Florida-bred at Calder while sweeping the Delightful Mary rallied for third, race. I’m proud of Florida Stallion Stakes series there, securing a Florida-bred sweep of Brei and Gold just shrugged it off the top three places. her. —Mark Casse, heading into the biggest test of their “I guess I had the same doubts as trainer of Delightful Mary runner’s young career. Under a a lot of the people,” said Gold, “but I blanket of darkness at the barn early in the day before knew she was ready to run the best race she could, and I the race, Brei addressed the naysayers. was confident she’d give us 100 percent. I thought we’d “They say she hasn’t beaten anyone at Calder,” he see if she was up to the task, and she was. said. “Well, I’m sure they’ll say the same thing after she “I knew she’d finish,” he added. “I saw she was wins tomorrow.” strong. Jeffrey knows her so well. He had confidence in

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More Than Real winning the $1 million Juvenile Fillies Turf.

22 THE FLORIDA HORSE • DECEMBER 2010

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her, and it showed. She didn’t disappoint anybody. She them, get them ready to go to Stanley at Calder. And we did what we thought she could do, and she is of that do it year after year, hoping we’re going to get the good class. We brought a fresh horse here, and we figured she ones. So far, we’ve been very fortunate in doing exactly was ready to run her best race against the best company.” that. When I send them down there to Stanley, they’re R Heat Lightning, a daughter of former Florida sire fit, and then he has to teach them manners.”

Trippi bred and owned by E. Paul Robsham Stables, AWESOME FEATHER FLASHED was game in defeat.

“The filly ran a fantastic race,” said Mike McCarthy, HER PROMISE EARLY. an assistant to trainer Todd Pletcher. “It’s a bit unfortu“I’ve never put a horse alongside of her that can outnate that she didn’t have a target to run at, but she put up gallop her, which we do a lot in original training,” Brei a good fight down the lane; a very respectful effort.” said. “You know, she’s just been that kind of filly. I’ve Trainer Mark Casse, who sent out third-place finisher always felt this was a very special filly.”

Delightful May, owned by John Oxley and bred by Awesome Feather was sold two days later at the Hobeau Farm, was pleased with his charge’s effort.

I’ve gotten pretty excited before and then she’s gotten beat, but this “That’s the horse (Awetime she got there. She did great. —Bret Calhoun, trainer of Dubai Majesty some Feather) I knew we had to beat,” Casse said. She’s tough. If I could have eliminated one horse in the field, Fasig-Tipton November sale for $2.3 million. Conit would have been her. But my filly did run a good race. signed by Hidden Brook as agent for the Breis, she was I’m proud of her.” purchased by Frank Stronach of Adena Springs Farm. It Brei and his wife, Jane, breed and race Florida-breds was announced the following day that Awesome Feather under the banner of their Jacks or Better Farm in Red- will be trained by Chad Brown. She will join his string dick. Awesome Feather is a daughter of their stallion, at Palm Meadows in Boynton Beach and possibly point Awesome of Course, out of another homebred, the stakes- for the Gulfstream Park winter meet. winning mare Precious Feather, by Gone West.

“Our reason for selling her is quite simple: I prefer “We’re a small breeder,” Brei said. “We only have to race in South Florida. Stanley doesn’t prefer to run Eldaafer winning 14 to 16 foals a year. We foal the mares on the farm, all over the country, and so we’re better off to let some- the $500,000 raise the foals, take them to our training barn, break body own her that will run her where she needs to run,” Marathon.

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PALMER PHOTOS

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THE FLORIDA HORSE • DECEMBER 2010 23

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Majesty was produced by the Great Brei said prior to the sale. “WatchAbove mare Great Majesty and was ing her go will be very rough.”

In the $1million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare bred in Ocala by Harold J. Plumley.

“I’m just so happy for Mr. and Mrs. Plumley,” said Sprint (G1), Dubai Majesty showed her heels to the competition in an impressive performance against 12 Richard Kent of Plumley Farms. “I couldn’t be happier rivals, justifying owners Martin Racing Stable for them and all of the staff at the farm. Of course, it’s an unbelievable feeling.”

(William and Stephanie Like Awesome Feather, Martin) and Dan Morgan’s She made an explosive move Dubai Majesty also sold at decision to pay the $90,000 around the turn, leaving the three- the Fasig-Tipton sale. Consupplemental nomination eighths pole, and just took the lead signed by Taylor Made to enter the race. away from everybody.

Sales Agency, agent, she Under jockey Jamie —Bill Mott, trainer of Unrivaled Belle brought $1.1 million from Theriot, Dubai Majesty broke beautifully and settled into third place early in Katsumi Yoshida, who owns Northern Farm in Japan. the seven-furlong race. Theriot took her back off the She will be sent there to be bred.

■ Boca Raton resident and Ocala farm owner Peter early pace of Gabby’s Golden Gal and Champagne d’ Oro down the backstretch and moved comfortably to Vegso and Gary Seidler took down the biggest prize the leaders around the turn. In a matter of strides, she on Ladies Day, winning the $2 million Ladies’ Clasopened up three lengths on the field, hitting the wire sic (G1) with Unrivaled Belle. The homebred daughter 2 ¼ lengths clear of a fast-closing Switch in 1:22.31. of Unbridled’s Song, ridden by Kent Desormeaux, beat favored Blind Luck by 1¾ lengths and covered the 11⁄8 Evening Jewel finished third.

“She loves this racetrack,” said trainer Bret Cal- miles in 1:50.04. Havre de Grace finished third. houn. “She made a great move, and Jamie rode a “She made an explosive move around the turn, leavgreat race. She was making an easy move, and then ing the three-eighths pole, and just took the lead away she got in gear and I got really excited. Jamie did a from everybody,” said winning conditioner Bill Mott. great job of getting her settled back, and then she “I give Kent all the credit. We opened up on the field, dragged him up there. I’ve gotten pretty excited be- and she left them in the dust.” fore and then she’s gotten beat, but this time she got Vegso and Seidler are partners in Florida-based Health there. She did great.”

Communications, the publisher of the “Chicken Soup for By former Florida sire Essence of Dubai, Dubai the Soul” series of books.

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Unrivaled Belle winning the $2 million Ladiesʼ Classic.

24 THE FLORIDA HORSE • DECEMBER 2010

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■ The $500,000 Marathon, won by Eldaafer, at- Gomez for trainer Todd Pletcher, More Than Real got tracted plenty of post-race coverage, not so much for first run on Winter Memories and made it count. She the result of the race but for the fisticuffs between jock- cleared the field in the stretch and held the late charge of Winter Memories at bay. eys Calvin Borel and Javier Castellano.

Jockey Jose Lezcano, riding Winter Memories, Prince Will I Am, ridden by Castellano, originally crossed the finish in second place but was dis- lodged a claim of foul against the winner for interference in the upper stretch, but the claim qualified for interference near the was not allowed. More Than Real covquarter pole. Stewards determined What racing ered the one mile on turf in 1:36.61. that Prince Will I Am veered out and needs right now Kathmanblu rallied late for third. bumped Romp (ARG), causing a are great stories, ■ The $2 million Filly and Mare chain reaction. Borel took exception and great stories Turf (G1) was the first race in Breedto Castellano’s race riding and apers’ Cup history under the lights. proached him near the winner’s cirare bred from Shared Account prevailed in a stretchcle, where the two riders had to be great wins. long duel with odds-on favorite and separated.

—Kevin Plank, owner of As for the race, Eldaafer broke the Shared Account defending Filly and Mare Turf champion Midday (GB). The two hit the track record for 1¾ miles, covering the distance in 2:59.62. The 5-year-old son of A.P. Indy won wire together, with Shared Account getting the best in the colors of IEAH Stables and Mansour Albaroudy, of the Juddmonte Farms colorbearer by a neck. Keerlessor. Diane Alvarado saddled Eldaafer. Long shot tana, trained by Tom Proctor, was another neck back Gabriel’s Hill was moved up to second following the in third.

Trained by H. Graham Motion for Kevin Plank’s disqualification, and A. U. Miner, Borel’s mount, was Sagamore Farm, Shared Account stopped the clock moved up to third.

Following the race, Eldaafer was sent to Ocala to in 2:17.74 for the 11⁄8 miles on grass. take a break from racing, according to Alvarado. She “My job is to support and make sure we have the said Eldaafer will be pointed to the Gulfstream meet- best resources in the world to go out and just breed ing in January. champions,” said Plank, the CEO of athletic apparel ■ Celebrity chef Bobby Flay’s More Than Real company Under Armour. “What racing needs right upset even-money favorite Winter Memories in the $1 now are great stories, and great stories are bred from million Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1). Ridden by Garrett great wins.” ■

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PALMER PHOTOS

Shared Account winning the $2 million Filly and Mare Turf.

THE FLORIDA HORSE • DECEMBER 2010 25

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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.

• 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.

Florida... the Best State for Business

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LIZ LAMONT PHOTO

Florida-bred Awesome Feather became the third filly in history to sweep the Florida Stallion Stakes series and the first to go on and win the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1). www.facebook/thefloridahorse.com

FLORIDA THOROUGHBRED BREEDERS’ AND OWNERS’ ASSOCIATION 801 SW 60th Ave. • Ocala, FL 34474 352-629-2160 • Fax: 352-629-3603 www.ftboa.com • info@ftboa.com

FLORIDA DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER SERVICES Charles H. Bronson, Commissioner 850-488-4366 • Fax 850-922-0374 • e-mail: davisp@doacs.state.fl.us 407 S. Calhoun • 412 Mayo Building, Tallahassee, FL 32399

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Following are the “FTBOA Chase to the Championship ” Point Standings through November 18, 2010.

Two-Year-Old Colt/Gelding Gourmet Dinner (Trippi) - 8 Ribo Bobo (Louis Quatorze) - 6 I’m Steppin’ It Up (Congrats) - 5 Madman Diaries (Bring the Heat) - 5

Breeder

Owner

Trainer

Ocala Stud & William J Terrill Rapputi Stables LLC Thomas L Croley Wesley A Ward

Our Sugar Bear Stable Rapputi Stables LLC, Dimitar Pencheff & Carlota Stable” Roman Hill Farm Wesley A Ward

Peter Gulyas Manuel Azpurua Anthony Pecoraro Wesley A Ward

Jacks or Better Farm Inc E Paul Robsham Stable LLC Y-Lo Racing Stables LLC

Jacks or Better Farm Inc E Paul Robsham Stable LLC STD Racing Stable, Peter Moehrke & JR Rafter Ranch”

Stanley I Gold Todd A Pletcher Doug F O’Neill

Donald R Dizney Jacks or Better Farm Inc Harold J Plumley

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

Dale L Romans Nicholas P Zito Richard E Dutrow

Thorobeam Farm Lau-Mor Farms Rose Family Stable Ltd

IEAH Stables & Whizway Farms Al & Saundra S Kirkwood Rose Family Stable Ltd

Richard E Dutrow Kathy Walsh Barry R Rose

Harold L Queen Preston Stables LLC Spendthrift Farm LLC Alex & Joann Lieblong, M McMaster & David Fawkes”

David Fawkes Ronny W Werner Richard E Mandella David Fawkes

Martin Racing Stable LLC & Dan Morgan Farnsworth Stables LLC Live Oak Plantation

W Bret Calhoun Martin D Wolfson Seth Benzel

Two-Year-Old Filly Awesome Feather (Awesome of Course) - 41 R Heat Lightning (Trippi) - 40 Wickedly Perfect (Congrats) - 28

Three-Year-Old Colt/Gelding First Dude (Stephen Got Even) - 33 Jackson Bend (Hear No Evil) - 20 D’Funnybone (D’Wildcat) - 18

Three-Year-Old Filly Amen Hallelujah (Montbrook) - 23 All Due Respect (Value Plus) - 14 Joanie’s Catch (First Tour) - 13

Older Male (Four-Year-Olds and up Colt/Gelding) Big Drama (Montbrook) - 47 Central City (City Place) - 20 Crown of Thorns (Repent) - 20 Duke of Mischief (Graeme Hall) - 14

Harold L Queen Charlie Dobbs & Frank Berris Clover Leaf Farms II Inc Marilyn McMaster

Older Female (Four-Year-Olds and up Filly/Mare Dubai Majesty (Essence of Dubai) - 50 Jessica Is Back (Put It Back) - 29 Dynaslew (Dynaformer) - 10

Harold J Plumley Larry Perkins Live Oak Stud

Sprint (Three-Year-Olds and up, male and female, race distances one mile and less) Dubai Majesty (Essence of Dubai) - 50 Big Drama (Montbrook) - 47 Jessica Is Back (Put It Back) - 22

Harold J Plumley Harold L Queen Larry Perkins

Martin Racing Stable LLC & Dan Morgan Harold L Queen Farnsworth Stables LLC

W Bret Calhoun David Fawkes Martin D Wolfson

Preston Stables LLC Ronald Arculli Live Oak Plantation

Ronny W Werner Barry Hills Seth Benzel

Turf (Three-Year-Olds and up, male and female, races run on the turf) Central City (City Place) - 20 Red Jazz (Johannesburg) - 16 Dynaslew (Dynaformer) - 10

Charlie Dobbs & Frank Berris William F & Annabel Murphy Live Oak Stud

■ 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. Ten point bonus to be awarded to any 2-year-old colt or filly sweeping all three legs of the Florida Stallion Stakes in determining the Champion 2-year-old Florida-bred.

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: 28 THE FLORIDA HORSE • DECEMBER 2010

■ World Thoroughbred Championship ■ Sunshine Millions (equivalent to a Grade 2 Stakes Race): 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

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

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NYRA PHOTO

Experience the thrill of victory in Florida's Thoroughbred industry.

To learn more about breeding and owning racehorses in the Sunshine State, call us today or visit us on the web at www.ftboa.com www.facebook/thefloridahorse.com

FLORIDA THOROUGHBRED BREEDERS’ 801 SW 60th Ave. • Ocala, FL 34474 www.ftboa.com

AND OWNERS’ ASSOCIATION 352-629-2160 • Fax: 352-629-3603 info@ftboa.com

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Florida-bred Big Drama wires Breeders’Cup Sprint

By MICHAEL COMPTON & PATRICK VINZANT

lorida’s winning ways at this year’s Breeders’ Cup continued on day two in front of more than 72,000 fans at Churchill Downs Nov. 6, as Big Drama, who had been training in sensational fashion for David Fawkes at his Calder base leading up to the event, left little doubt who rules the division, dispatching 11 rivals in the $1.82 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1).

Big Drama broke running from the rail and led virtually wire to wire in the six-furlong test under Eibar Coa. Following brisk fractions of 21.34 and 44.45 seconds, Big Drama led the field by a length. When asked for his best by Coa at the head of the lane, Big Drama responded gamely and held his advantage to the wire to defeat Hamazing Destiny by 1½ lengths in a time of 1:09.05.

Smiling Tiger finished third.

“I was pretty confident in him following his last work at Calder,” said Fawkes. “Calder is a deeper, more tiring track. I think the foundation comes from Calder.

It gets horses ultra-fit.

You see a lot of horses come out of there and go Owner Harold Queen on to win all kinds of leads Big Drama and races. Blind Luck, for Eibar Coa to the winner’s circle. example. There’s a lot of

30 THE FLORIDA HORSE • DECEMBER 2010

JOE DIORIO PHOTOS

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THE FLORIDA HORSE • DECEMBER 2010 31

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PALMER PHOTOS

Breeders’ Cup Drama

Goldikova (above) won an unprecedented third Breedersʼ Cup Mile.

Ocala-trained Uncle Mo (right) cruised to an easy win in the Breedersʼ Cup Juvenile.

horses that come out of there. That’s a great track to get a foundation on a horse.”

Big Drama is a homebred for Ocala’s Harold Queen and a son of Ocala Stud Farm stallion Montbrook, out of the Notebook mare Riveting Drama. Big Drama’s win, his third of the season in five starts, provided the first

32 THE FLORIDA HORSE • DECEMBER 2010

Breeders’ Cup victory for Coa, Fawkes and Queen. The winner’s share of the purse was $1.08 million.

■ Goldikova (IRE) made Breeders’ Cup history this year when she won the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) for the third consecutive year. With an explosive turn of foot, the world’s best turf miler for the

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three years running closed from seventh position after after an exciting 1 ¼ miles. A hush came over the Zenyatta lost for the first a quarter-mile to run down pacesetter Sidney’s Candy crowd as stunned fans watched Blame beat the popu- time in 20 races, falling by a head to Blame near the sixteenth pole and pull away for a 1 ¼-length lar mare by a head in 2:02.28. in the Classic.

Jockey Mike Smith allowed Zenyatta to settle far bewin over Gio Ponti and The Usual Q.T. “She’s amazing – she can do anything,” said trainer hind the field around the first turn, while Florida-bred Freddie Head. “It’s too good to be true. I’m very emo- First Dude took command through six furlongs. She tional. I was the first jockey to win this race twice with improved her position down the backstretch as Smith a mare (Miesque), and now I am the trainer of a mare moved her closer into contention. As has become her winning this race three times. It’s unreal. We don’t custom, she weaved her way through traffic down the know how good this filly is. She’s extraordinary. I lane, and once wheeled outside horses, kicked into another gear. In deep stretch she set her sights on Blame, don’t have the words.”

Trainer Christophe Clement summed up what most who grabbed the lead entering the stretch, but she simrival trainers must have felt following Goldikova’s dis- ply ran out of real estate to catch him. play of sheer class.

“I wish Goldikova was not in She ran her heart out. She ran her race, and congratulations to Blame. the race,” he said. “Unfortunately, The fans were behind her win or lose, and I think she represented them we were second best. The filly is a freak. She’s the best miler we’ve well. She ran an excellent race. —John Shirreffs seen in a long, long time.”

Early in the week following Goldikova’s milestone “I feel like I let her down,” said Smith. “I left her triumph, her connections announced that she will remain too much to do. I had to put on the brakes at the quarin training next season and possibly seek an unprece- ter pole when Quality Road started backing up. I think that cost me the race. In the beginning, she struggled dented fourth Mile victory.

■ Zenyatta, trying to emulate Goldikova’s feat and with the track. She didn’t like all the dirt flying at her. win her third consecutive Breeders’ Cup race and I needed a little better position for her early. I just back-to-back Classics and possibly conclude her bril- know she was the best horse in the race. It was another liant career undefeated in 20 starts, fell just inches shy gallant effort for her.”

“

”

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Breeders’ Cup Drama

Dakota Phone pulled an upset in winning the Breedersʼ Cup Dirt Mile.

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Trainer John Shirreffs, who has orchestrated Zenyatta’s career for Jerry and Ann Moss, was gracious in defeat.

“She ran her heart out,” he said. “She ran her race, and congratulations to Blame. The fans were behind her win or lose, and I think she represented them well.

She ran an excellent race.”

Zenyatta, a winner in 19 of 20 career starts, received her early training in Ocala at Mayberry Farm. Classic third-place finisher Fly Down also received his early lessons in Florida at Ocala Stud.

■ Florida-bred Central City set the pace in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G2) but could not hold off Chamberlain Bridge in deep stretch of the five-furlong dash and wound up second. Owned by Art Preston’s Preston Stables, the son of Hartley/De Renzo Thoroughbreds stallion City Place, was bred by Charlie Dobbs and Frank Berris. He is trained by Ronny Werner.

“I hate running second,” said Werner, “but it’s better than third, I guess. He ran a big race and just got beat.”

The winner, bred by Eugene Melnyk and owned by Carl Moore Management, covered the distance in 56.53 seconds and gave trainer Bret Calhoun his second Breeders’ Cup victory of the weekend. He also saddled Florida-bred Dubai Majesty, a daughter of former Hartley/De Renzo stallion Essence of Dubai, to win the Filly and Mare Sprint the day before.

Florida-bred Bridgetown was in the thick of the battle at the top of the stretch but faded to finish fourth

34 THE FLORIDA HORSE • DECEMBER 2010

for Melnyk Racing Stables.

■ Team Valor’s Pluck closed from last to win the $1 million Juvenile Turf (G2) over Soldat at one mile.

The son of More Than Ready was ridden by Garrett Gomez for trainer Todd Pletcher.

“We knew he had an explosive turn of foot,” said Pletcher. “To me, he’s been a colt that is very talented but is still learning. It was just a matter of putting it all to-

PALMER PHOTOS

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Dangerous Midge (left) was best in the Breedersʼ Cup Turf.

Chamberlain Bridge edged Florida-bred Central City in the Breedersʼ Cup Turf Sprint (below).

gether and focusing on running straight. He was doing a lot of things on natural talent, but he really polished off the race at the end.”

For Team Valor’s Barry Irwin, this was the second Breeders’ Cup winner he has been associated with. He co-owned Florida-bred Prized, the winner of the Breeders’ Cup Turf in 1992.

Florida-bred Madman Diaries, owned by Robert Teel

and Wesley Ward, finished fourth.

The son of Ward’s Florida stallion Bring the Heat dictated terms early and led the field into late stretch before grudgingly giving way in the final yards.

■ Pletcher notched his second Breeders’ Cup win of the day and his third for the weekend when Uncle Mo, owned by Repole Stable, cruised to a facile victory in the $2 million Juvenile (G1).

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Breeders’ Cup Drama

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The son of Indian Charlie rated kindly for jockey John Velazquez in the early stages. On the far turn, Velazquez took a confident peak behind him and pushed the button on his mount. Uncle Mo responded immediately, gathered in the long-shot pacesetter and opened up daylight on the field. Boys At Tosconova offered game chase through the lane but proved no match for the winner.

gone from surreal to real. So many “It’skidsbasically growing up want to be baseball players, want to be football players, and I just wanted to own a special horse. —Mike Repole

”

Pluck closed from last to win the $1 million Breedersʼ Cup Juvenile Turf for owner Barry Irwin.

Uncle Mo, broken in Ocala by James Crupi, crossed the finish line 4 ½ lengths in front of Boys At Tosconova and covered the 11⁄16 miles in 1:42.60. Rogue Romance finished third. Uncle Mo’s win stamped him as an early Kentucky Derby (G1) favorite.

“It’s basically gone from surreal to real,” said winning owner Mike Repole. “I’ve thought about this moment for 30 years – 25 years as a racing fan and five or six years as an owner – to just one day own a horse like this. So many kids growing up want to be baseball players, want to be football players, and I just wanted to own a special horse.”

■ The biggest upset of the day came in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, where California shipper Dakota Phone tagged Morning Line on the wire to win by head in 1:35.29. The 5-yearold son of Zavata returned $77.40 for a $2 win wager.

Trained and co-owned by Jerry Hollendorfer for partners Halo Farms, John Carver and George Todaro, the winner was ridden by Joel Rosario. Godolphin Racing’s Gayego finished third.

■ In the $3 million Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1), Dangerous Midge prevailed over six others in a field that was without morning-line favorite and

36 THE FLORIDA HORSE • DECEMBER 2010

Arc de Triomphe (G1) winner Workforce (GB), who was withdrawn earlier in the day by his connections.

Trained by Brian Meehan, Dangerous Midge beat Champ Pegasus by 1¼ lengths and covered the 1½ miles in 2:29.40.

Attendance and handle for the 2010 Breeders’ Cup increased over the 2009 event at Santa Anita, Breeders’ Cup officials announced. After an 11 percent increase in attendance Nov. 5, 72,739 were on hand at Churchill Downs on the following day for the 11-race card.

The two-day common pool total was $164 million, an increase of 13 percent over the $145 million wagered in 2009.

“While her story didn’t have the perfect ending, our entire sport was truly blessed by Zenyatta’s amazing career,” said Greg Avioli, president and CEO of the Breeders’ Cup. “Congratulations to Blame, to the incomparable Goldikova and to all of our champions whose performances this weekend were spectacular.” ■

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In the Thoroughbred business, there’s no substitute for victory.

At this year’s Breeders’ Cup Nov. 5 and 6, Floridabreds accomplished victories at the highest level against the world’s best. Big Drama, Awesome Feather and Dubai Majesty proudly carried the state’s banner into the winner’s circle during World Championship weekend, and all three runners are now in line for Eclipse Awards at season’s end.

Winner

Stallion

Race

Breeder

Owner

Big Drama Montbrook Sprint Harold Queen Harold Queen Awesome Feather Awesome of Course Juvenile Fillies Jacks or Better Farm Jacks or Better Farm Dubai Majesty Essence of Dubai Filly & Mare Sprint Harold J. Plumley Martin Racing Stable & Dan Morgan

A total of 264 Florida-breds have started in Breeders’ Cup World Thoroughbred Championship races, recording 23 wins, 25 seconds, and 21 thirds for purse earnings of more than $30 million.

Of the 23 Florida-bred Breeders’ Cup champions, 15 went on to earn Eclipse Awards in their respective divisions.

Find your next champion in the Sunshine State.

Call the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association for more information or check us out online at www.ftboa.com for the latest industry news.

FLORIDA DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER SERVICES Charles H. Bronson, Commissioner 850-488-4366 • Fax 850-922-0374 • e-mail: davisp@doacs.state.fl.us 407 S. Calhoun • 412 Mayo Building, Tallahassee, FL 32399 www.facebook/thefloridahorse.com

From Top: Dubai Majesty, Big Drama and Awesome Feather Joe DiOrio Photos

FLORIDA THOROUGHBRED BREEDERS’ AND OWNERS’ ASSOCIATION 801 SW 60th Ave. • Ocala, FL 34474 352-629-2160 • Fax: 352-629-3603 www.ftboa.com • info@ftboa.com

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SmallBreeders, BigDreams A trio of small Florida breeders tally triumphs on Thoroughbred industry’s biggest stage

By JO ANN GUIDRY he 2010 Breeders’ Cup victories by Florida-breds Awesome Feather, Big Drama and Dubai Majesty brought big smiles to the faces of small breeders everywhere. The accomplished trio were bred by small breeders who reaped the rewards of emphasizing quality over quantity. In addition,Awesome Feather and Big Drama were also raced by their breeders to double the gratification.

T

SERITA HULT PHOTO

Jane and Fred Brei of Jacks or Better Farm

38 THE FLORIDA HORSE • DECEMBER 2010

In terms of foal production, the three breeders of the Breeders’ Cup winners registered a combined total of 39 Florida-bred foals. It breaks down individually like this: Fred and Jane Brei’s Jacks Or Better Farm, 12; Harold Queen, 6; and Harold J. Plumley, 21. Small breeders by any standard.

Here’s a look at the three small breeders who had big dreams come true.

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Jacks or Better Farm Awesome Feather

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Memorable Moment

By MICHAEL COMPTON

Call it a win—a big win—for the house. or Don “Peanut Butter” Brown, Awesome Feather’s victory in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) was definitely a career highlight he will not soon forget.

Brown, who works with Calder track photographer Jim Lisa, begins each day working in the barn of Stanley Gold. Brown has been a photographer at Calder for 17 years and at Gulfstream Park for 20 years.

Given three days off from his photographer duties last month, Brown shipped with Awesome Feather and the Gold barn to Churchill Downs for the Breeders’ Cup. “I’ve photographed many champions and been to six Breeders’ Cups, four with horses and two as a photographer,” Brown said. “But to finally win a Breeders’ Cup race with a horse you’re working with and around all the time is the most thrilling moment to experience.”

A native of Hamilton, Ontario, Brown’s first love was not racing, but hockey. He once donned a legendary Montreal Canadians jersey in training camp in 1970. He also played goalie for the 1973 Stanley Cup champion Philadelphia Flyers in the team’s first exhibition game of the 1974 season against a group of college all stars.

In between working as a goalie instructor at hockey camps at age 18, he found his way to Fort Erie racetrack. He arrived with $4 in his pocket. A license to work at the track cost $2 and Brown was left with $2 to make it a week until his first paycheck. He bought a jar of peanut butter and a loaf of bread with what was left and ate sandwiches all week, thus his nickname, “Peanut Butter.”

Since that first job at Fort Erie with future Hall of Fame trainer Andy Smithers, Brown has Don “Peanut Butter” worked for other industry greats, all now Hall of Famers Brown and Awesome Feather in Jimmy Croll, Sonny Hine and Nick Zito.

Brown has worked with Gold at Calder for the last two years, although their friendship dates back to the 1970s when they both worked for Croll. Gold is not yet a Hall of Fame trainer, but he has made some history of his own.

He is the only trainer in Florida Stallion Stakes history to sweep back-to-back editions of the series. He trained Florida-bred Jackson Bend to a sweep of the open division last year and swept the filly division this year with Awesome Feather, who remains undefeated folSee “Peanut Butter” Brown next spread

F

COURTESY DON BROWN

When card players Fred and Jane Brei established their Ocala-based Thoroughbred operation in 1997, Jacks Or Better Farm seemed like a fitting name. And over the subsequent 13 years, the farm has played many winning hands in the Thoroughbred industry.

The Breis have bred and/or raced such outstanding Florida-breds as stakes winners Midas Eyes, Bayou’s Lassie, Radical Riley, Hear No Evil. Scrubs, Ladyinareddress, Awesome of Course, Jackson Bend and Krypton. In 2009, their homebred Jackson Bend swept the Florida Stallion Stakes series open division. That same year, they sold a colt by Medaglia d’Oro out of multiple stakes-producer Bayou Plans, by Bayou Hebert, for $1.6 million at the Fasig-Tipton Calder selected juvenile sale.

The winning cards just kept coming for Jacks Or Better Farm in 2010. Homebred Awesome Feather swept the fillies division of the Florida Stallion Stakes, becoming only the third filly to do so in the 29-year history of the series. Undefeated in five starts, Awesome Feather next took on the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at Churchill Downs on Nov. 5. She closed with a rush to win in dominating fashion, leading a 12-3 Florida-bred sweep with R Heat Lightning second and Delightful Mary third. The winner’s share of the $2-million race was worth $1,080,000 to pad Awesome Feather’s bankroll to $1,495,746. As breeder/owner, the Breis also collected foal, owner, and stallion nominator awards as well. They also own Awesome of Course, the sire of Awesome Feather, who will stand the 2011 breeding season at Brent and Crystal Fernung’s Journeyman Stud in Ocala.

After she had swept the Florida Stallion Stakes series, Awesome Feather had been entered in the FasigTipton Kentucky November breeding stock sale on Nov. 7. Two days after her BC Juveniles Fillies triumph, Awesome Feather sold for $2.3 million to Frank Stronach. That brought the Breis’ winning pot over a two-day span to $3.5 million.

“Of course, it was all very exciting,” said Fred Brei, 68, who currently serves as president of the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association.

“But I have to say that I really wasn’t that surprised.

After Awesome Feather won the My Dear Girl Stakes by more than eight lengths and came back not even breathing hard, then I felt pretty confident that she had

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SmallBreeders, BigDreams

Harold Queen bred and owns Big Drama

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a good shot to win the Breeders’ Cup race.”

As for selling the Breeders’ Cup champion and likely national champion 2-year-old filly, Brei said, “I’ve always run our farm as a business, so it was a good business decision. Also we race in Florida and I thought it was good for Awesome Feather to pass on to someone else who could race her out of the state. We sold 75 percent in Jackson Bend for the same reason and that was good business too. And we still have the dams of both those horses.”

Precious Feather, the dam of Awesome Feather, was bought privately as a yearling in 1998 and raced

by Jacks Or Better Farm. By Gone West out of the *Vaguely Noble mare Last Feather, Precious Feather was a multiple stakes winner and graded stakes-placed earner of $257,441. As a broodmare, Precious Feather has also produced stakes-placed winner Brooks ‘n Down. She had a 2010 colt by Awesome of Course and is in foal to Consolidator.

The 88-acre Jacks Or Better Farm is home to two dozen broodmares and their offspring. The farm’s training operation is based on 13 acres at Nelson Jones Farms and Training Center, where the 24-stall training barn stays full. At the racetrack, Jacks Or Better Farm horses are trained by Calder Race Course-based Stanley Gold, who saddled Awesome Feather to her BC Juvenile Fillies victory.

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Harold Queen Big Drama The pun is too hard to resist: Harold Queen is The Drama King.

Queen is the breeder/owner of Florida-bred Big Drama, who cruised to a sizzling Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) victory.Then there’s Queen’s silks—red with a big gold crown on the front and smaller ones on the sleeves. SoThe Drama King moniker seems to fit, well, like a crown.

As it turns out, Big Drama, like fellow Florida-bred BC champion Awesome Feather, also has a Florida Stallion Stakes sweep to his credit. In 2008, Big Drama swept the FSS open division. And for Queen, who has been an owner, breeder and trainer for nearly five decades, that was up until then a major highlight of his career. Following his FSS sweep, Big Drama went on to become a multiple graded stakes winner for Queen.

Then on July 10, Big Drama and his half-brother Little Drama both won stakes races at Calder Race Course for Queen. Chalk up another memorable moment for Queen. But the BC Sprint win was the biggest thrill yet.

“I’ve never had a horse like Big Drama,” said Queen, 74, who was at Churchill Downs for all the excitement. “He was training so well at Churchill Downs that we felt like he was going to run a big race and that’s just what he did.”

CINDY MIKELL PHOTO

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Already a millionaire going into the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, Big Drama doubled his career bankroll to $2,639,560. The BC Sprint was his first Grade 1 victory, having finished second in the Forego Stakes (G1) and Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap (G1) earlier in the season. The 4-year-old colt by Montbrook out of the Notebook mare Riveting Drama won the 2010 Smile Sprint Handicap (G2) and 2008 Boyd Gaming’s Delta Jackpot Stakes (G3).

Queen purchased Riveting Drama, the dam of Big Drama, for $36,000 at the 1996 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s March juvenile sale. The unraced mare has also produced the aforementioned stakes winner Little Drama, stakes winner Drama’s Way and stakes-placed Coffee Can. Currently not in foal, Riveting Drama produced 2009 and 2010 fillies by Burning Roma. By Rubiano, Burning Roma is a Grade 1 millionaire raced and still owned by Queen, Burning Roma currently stands at Jim and Shelia DiMare’s Ocala-based Rising Hill Farm.

“Of course, after the Breeders’ Cup, I got offers to sell Big Drama and Riveting Drama,” said Queen, who has been married to wife Jean for 56 years. “But I plan to race Big Drama next year and Riveting Drama has a home with me for the rest of her life.”

The 82-acre Hal Queen Farm is based at Nelson Jones Farms and Training Center, where Queen trains his horses and those of a few select clients. Also at the farm are Queen’s nine broodmares and their offspring.

In addition to being represented as a breeder/owner this season by Big Drama, Little Drama and Perf, Queen is also represented as a co-breeder of Florida-bred graded stakes winner Askbut I Won’ttell. Co-bred by Queen and Peter Rosbeck’s Hidden Point Farm, Askbut I Won’ttell won the Cardinal Handicap (G3) on Nov. 7 at Churchill Downs. The partners still own Zarbo, a 2year-old half-brother to Askbut I Won’ttell. Zarbo is by Burning Roma and out of the deceased Green Dancer mare Silver Dollar Kate.

Harold J. Plumley Dubai Majesty Breed well and do well for others As a commercial breeder, Harold Plumley has always enjoyed seeing horses he bred and sold do well for others. It’s no surprise then that he was a happy man when Florida-bred Dubai Majesty captured the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1) on Nov. 5 at Churchill Downs.

“We watched the races at home in Ocala,” said Plumley, 84, and who was still recovering from recent heart surgery. “I’m sort of a calm person, but my wife Opal

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“Peanut Butter” Brown continued lowing her sparkling Breeders’ Cup triumph.

“I’ve walked some great horses and champions,” Brown said. “I’ve worked with Droll Role, John Henry, Mr. Prospector, Bet Twice, Housebuster, Skip Away and Holy Bull. But since Awesome Feather’s first work, Stanley told me she’s a freak. We’ve always known she is special.

“Over the summer, I told anyone that would listen that she was going to win the Breeders’ Cup,” Brown added.

“It was such a thrill when I was walking Awesome Feather back around the turn and TVG analyst, horse owner and my friend Paul Lo Duca yelled congratulations to me.”

In 1998, Brown was honored with Dogwood Stable’s Dominion Award, which honors a man or woman who is an unsung hero of the Thoroughbred racing industry.

Given by Cot Campbell’s Dogwood Stable, the award recognizes the behind-the-scenes men and women who work to create a positive influence in their work environment.

“Being honored with that award is probably the greatest moment in my career,” Brown said. “In racing and in hockey you set out to win. To receive an award like that for something Trainer Stanley Gold and Awesome Feather when you’re not setting out to win is very gratifying.”

Brown’s Breeders’ Cup experience last month was put in perspective not long after the race back at his Calder base.

“A few days after we got back, Stanley was pulling weeds around the flowers at the barn to make sure the area looked nice,” Brown related. “Now how many trainers do something like that days after winning a Breeders’ Cup race? Stanley tells me, ‘we’ve come a long way since the 1970s to winning the ultimate prize in horse racing, a Breeders’ Cup race.’

“I really want to thank Stanley for having the trust in me and allowing me the opportunity to fulfill a great moment in my Thoroughbred racing career,” he added. “I’d also like to thank Jim Lisa for allowing me the time away from work to have this experience.”

When asked about Awesome Feather’s future, Brown’s confidence brims to the top. He still expects big things from the Florida-bred filly, who will next race in the colors of Frank Stronach who bought her at Fasig-Tipton two days after her Breeders’ Cup victory.

“She’ll be a great filly,” Brown said. “She only needs 13 more wins in a row to catch Zenyatta.” ■ COURTESY DON BROWN

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SmallBreeders, BigDreams

JOE DIORIO PHOTO

42 THE FLORIDA HORSE • DECEMBER 2010

was jumping up and down and cheering for Dubai Majesty. It was a great win and a great Breeders‘ Cup for Florida.”

Bred by Plumley, Dubai Majesty is a 5-year-old mare by former Hartley/DeRenzo stallion Essence of Dubai out of the Great Above mare Great Majesty.

The BC Filly and Mare Sprint win was the first Grade 1 victory for the multiple graded stakes winner. She had previously notched tallies this season in the Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes (G2) and Winning Colors Stakes (G3). The BC win increased her career bankroll to $1,509,243.

Raced early in her career by Plumley, Dubai Majesty was sold privately to Martin Stables (Bill and Stephanie Martin) and Dan Morgan as a three year old. She developed into a multiple graded stakes winner and after her Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes win, the partners decided to supplement her for $90,000 to the BC Filly and Mare Sprint. The investment more than paid off: Dubai Majesty earned $540,000 for the BC win and then on Nov. 7, she sold for $1.1 million to Katsumi Yoshida at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky November breeding stock sale.

Plumley purchased Great Majesty, the dam of Dubai Majesty, for $7,000 at the 1998 OBS October Mixed Sale. Great Majesty was in foal to Birdonthewire at the time. In addition to Dubai Majesty, she has produced stakes winner Majestic Dinner. Great Majesty had a 2009 colt by Trippi and is in foal to A.P. Warrior.

Plumley established his Ocala-based Plumley Farms in 1996, after selling his Paris, Tennesseebased automotive rubber manuBred by Plumley, Dubai facturing business. Plumley has Majesty is a 5-year-old mare also raised Hereford and Angus by former Hartley/DeRenzo cattle for more than 30 years.

The first racehorse Plumley stallion Essence of Dubai out bought was Florida-bred Sweetof the Great Above mare southernsaint, who became a Great Majesty. The BC Filly Grade 3 stakes winner. Since then and Mare Sprint win was the Plumley has bred many outstandfirst Grade 1 victory for the ing Florida-breds, including multiple graded stakes winner. stakes winners Brooke’s Halo, Dr. Kathy, Worldly Victor, Midwife, Saint Knows, R Brown Sugar and Jealous Again. In addition to Dubai Majesty, Plumley is represented as a breeder in 2010 by graded stakes winner D’Funnybone and stakes winners Storming Saint, The Nutz, Concert Music, Flying Trip and Salsa Bullet. ■

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By NICK FORTUNA

eading into the Florida Million card Nov. 15, it was a

H

given that talented Florida-breds would earn big paydays, but for racing fans, picking a winner proved to be a

daunting task. During a day of close finishes and impressive performances at Calder Casino & Race Course, only two of the eight

Million

stakes races for products of the Sunshine State were won by favorites.

Surprises

Birdrun pulled off a mild upset in the day’s featured event, the $150,000 Carl G. Rose Classic Handicap, drawing off for a 4 ½-length win over the favored Duke of Mischief, who won three graded events this year.

Birdrun, a 4-year-old son of Birdstone bred by the late Arthur I. Appleton at Bridlewood Farm in Ocala, ran in second place for most of the 1 1/8-mile contest as Riversrunrylee took the field through fractions of 23.49 and 48.33 seconds. With Rajiv Maragh aboard, Birdrun gained a slim lead at the three-eighths pole and surged clear, stopping the clock in 1:54.47 on a fast main track.

“It looked like a two-horse race from a handicapping angle, and I think Eibar Coa was thinking the same thing with the favorite (Duke of Mischief),” Maragh said. “My horse has a high cruising speed, and he’s able to maintain it a long ways, very easy to rate, and that’s going to make a difference when running against very good horses.

“When I let him move to the lead, I wanted him to get the jump on the favorite and just try to hold him off because I knew he would be coming in the stretch. He tested us real good, but my horse just got the better of him.”

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JIM LISA PHOTOS

Florida-breds Birdrun (above) and Joanie’s Catch (below) win day’s richest events

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MillionSurprises

Salsa Bullet winning the $100,000 John Franks Juvenile Fillies Turf (below) and Manicero taking the the $125,000 Jack Price Juvenile (at bottom).

Birdrun was the second choice in the field of six 3year-olds and up. Duke of Mischief finished a head in front of Dream Maestro for second.

It was the first stakes win for Birdrun, who is trained

by Bill Mott for Oxbow Racing LLC. The colt has won five of his 15 starts and earned $259,194. Birdrun entered the race off a win in a $75,000 optional claimer at Belmont Park in September for which he earned a 105 Beyer Speed Figure.

Duke of Mischief, bred and co-owned by Marilyn McMaster, won the Ft. Lauderdale Stakes (G3), the Oaklawn Handicap (G2) and the Philip H. Iselin Stakes (G3) this year. The 4-year-old son of Winding Oaks Farm stallion Graeme Hall has six wins in 17 career starts for $955,642.

■ In the $150,000 Elmer Heubeck Distaff Handicap, the hard-knocking Joanie’s Catch rallied to catch the

middle of the pack. Amazing got to the head of the lane with a three-length lead, but Joanie’s Catch found running room on the outside and gradually reeled in the leader, finishing the 1 1/16-mile test in 1:48.73.

“This filly always runs well, and she tries hard every time,” Santiago said. “What made the difference (Saturday) was that the two heavy favorites were knocking each other out on the front end. Even though the pace wasn’t fast, they were pressuring each other. I just sat back and waited, and when I saw they were ready to back up, I asked my filly to go.

“I put her towards the outside because she finishes better when she is on the outside of the other horses. She ran hard in the stretch and was game enough to catch Amazing at the wire.”

Amazing, a 5-year-old Greatness mare bred by Golden Beach’s Marilyn Fazio Seltzer, has won five of her 25 starts for $349,127.

■ Salsa Bullet proved impossible to catch in the $100,000 John Franks Juvenile Fillies Turf, wiring the field by three-quarters of a length in her stakes debut.

The daughter of Omega Code, bred

by Ocala’s Harold J. Plumley, has proven to be a real bargain for owner Commonwealth Stable. She was pur-

pacesetting Amazing in the final strides to win by a neck. It was the second stakes win for the 3-year-old daughter of First Tour, who won the $51,000 Brave Raj Stakes in September 2009.

Joanie’s Catch, bred, trained and owned by Barry Rose, has won four of her 29 starts for $514,546.

With the Brave Raj last year, she began a streak of 10 consecutive finishes in the money in stakes races, including five graded events.

Amazing led the field of eight fillies and mares through fractions of 24.49 and 49.06 seconds, with Joanie’s Catch and jockey Javier Santiago running in the

46 THE FLORIDA HORSE • DECEMBER 2010

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chased for just $2,800 as a yearling at OBS in August 2009. She has two wins and a second-place finish from three career starts and has earned $80,460 for trainer Seth Benzel.

With Eibar Coa aboard, Salsa Bullet led the field of nine 2-year-old fillies through slow fractions of 25.51 and 52.97 seconds on a turf course labeled “good.” She reached the top of the lane with a two-length lead and was able to hold off the favored Holidaysatthefarm, who rallied from eighth place under Jose Lezcano to finish second.

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“I didn’t know exactly what to expect in this race pace-wise,” Coa said. “As it turns out, we went so slow in the beginning of the race, I couldn’t help but to be on the lead. As a matter of fact, I was laughing to myself when I got to the backstretch and the rest of them were letting me get away with those easy fractions. I was expecting someone to challenge me at that point, but it never happened, so, better for me. I was lucky to have the right horse in the right place.”

■ Plenty of late money flowed into the pool to make Manicero the favorite in the $125,000 Jack Price Juvenile, and the son of Journeyman Stud stallion Mass Media proved to be a safe bet, drawing off for an 8 ¼-length score.

Manicero entered the race off a front-running, 7 ¾length score in his second start, a $34,000 maiden special weight race at Calder on Oct. 30. He turned in a similar effort Saturday under Luis Saez, leading almost every step of the way and finishing the seven-furlong test in 1:25.77.

He set fractions of 22.44 and 45.68 while building a 1 ½length lead, then spurted away from the field to reach the head of the lane with a five-length advantage.

“After I rode this horse the first time, I suggested we put blinkers on him; he was just a little bit green that day,” said Saez, who has ridden the horse in all three of his starts. “It turns out they improved this horse more than I expected. He broke a little bit slower than I thought he would, but he got in stride quick enough, and once he did, it was all over. They weren’t going to catch him.”

Runner-up Ribo Bobo, a Louis Quatorze gelding bred and co-owned by Rapputi Stable, won the

Tackleberry won easily in the $125,000 Jack Dudley Sprint Handicap.

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MillionSurprises $85,000 Foolish Pleasure Stakes at Calder in September and finished second to Astrology in the Iroquois Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs in October. He’s won two of his six starts and earned $127,406 for trainer Manny Azpurua.

Pickapocket takes the $125,000 Bonnie Heath Turf Cup Handicap by a nose over Bim Bam.

■ Tackleberry came out guns blazing in the $125,000 Jack Dudley Sprint Handicap, leading most of the way for a 5 ¼-length score in his stakes debut.

Starting from the rail under Javier Santiago, Tackleberry set fractions of 22.28 and 45.58 seconds while being pressured by Ju Jitsu Jax, who would tire to finish third.

Tackleberry reached the top of the stretch with a 3 ½-length lead and wasn’t challenged the rest of the way, finishing the six-furlong sprint in 1:11.80.

Tackleberry has won three consecutive races, including a 1 ¾-length score in a $25,000 optional claimer at Calder on Nov. 6. The 3-year-old, gelded son of Ocala Stud Farm stallion Montbrook has four wins and a pair of runner-up efforts from seven starts and $147,085 in earnings for owner and trainer Luis Olivares. He was bred by Ocala Stud Farm.

“The only thing I was concerned about was that my horse was coming back in only one week after running so hard winning at a mile last time out,” Santiago said. “What I like about him is that he gives you everything he has when you ask him.You just have to be ready so that you can keep control of him; if you say, ‘Go,’ he’s going to pour it on. We used that to our advantage. The horse outside of us (Ju Jitsu Jax) had the early speed, but knowing my horse, I wasn’t afraid to challenge him early.”

Runner-up Hear Ye Hear Ye, a son of Journeyman

48 THE FLORIDA HORSE • DECEMBER 2010

Stud stallion Hear No Evil and a homebred for Fred Brei of Jacks or Better Farm in Reddick, has won two of his 16 starts for $174,337.

■ In the $125,000 Bonnie Heath Turf Cup Handicap, the game Bim Bam suffered a second consecutive heartbreaking defeat, coming up just a nose short of Pickapocket as the favorite in a field of six 3-year-olds and up.

Bim Bam, a homebred for Ocala’s Jim and Sheila DiMare, who race under the J D Farms name, had lost the $75,000 Calder Derby last month by a nose to Tannersville, who returned to finish third in the Bonnie Heath Turf. Bim Bam, a son of Deputy Wild Cat, has won three stakes races on turf, and for his career, he has five wins from 17 starts for $404,635 in earnings.

Mean Sax lead the field through fractions of 25.26 and 51.62 seconds, with Pickapocket in second place and Bim Bam right behind him in third. As Mean Sax tired, Pickapocket stuck his head in front, and Bim Bam angled out three-wide to find running room. That pair dueled for the length of the stretch, with Pickapocket holding off his rival and finishing the 1 1/8-mile test in 1:51.39.

Pickapocket finished second to Soldier’s Dancer in this race last year.

Pickapocket, trained by Marty Wolfson for owner and breeder Martin Cherry of Palm Beach Gardens, has won seven of his 32 starts $455,434. The 6-year-old Mecke gelding owns stakes victories in the $97,000 Sussex Stakes at Delaware Park in July and the $55,000 World Appeal

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“This is my first stakes win in this country,” said trainer Antonio Sano. “I’ve been here for 10 months. I’ve won over 3,500 races in Venezuela and over 200 stakes there, but this is my first stakes win in this country. The owner is my cousin, and he is in Venezuela.

“I claimed her two races ago after watching her campaign this year. I liked her very much. After her last race, I discussed her with Centeno, and we agreed to take the blinkers off for this race. She really took off in the stretch, which did not surprise me. I knew she would run well.”

■ In the $100,000 Arthur I. Appleton Juvenile Turf, RacingAptitude delivered as the favorite in a field of seven 2-year-olds, posting a 2½-length victory under Luis Saez.

Stakes at The Meadowlands in 2006.

“I was able to execute the plan that Mr. Wolfson mapped out for us,” winning rider Jermaine Bridgmohan said. “He said the pace would be kind of slow, and it was. This horse gives you enough early on that you can put him close if need be, and the fractions were so slow that we did need to be close to the lead. He still had a big kick in the stretch, but that’s a sign of his class and how game he is.”

■ Devilish Lady proved much the best in the $125,000 Joe O’Farrell Juvenile Fillies, cruising to a 7 ¾-length victory in her stakes debut.

The daughter of Ocala Stud Farm stallion Sweetsouthernsaint ran in second place early in the seven-furlong test, took the lead from Come a Callin after a half-mile in 46.67 seconds and drew off, reaching the top of the lane with a four-length advantage under Daniel Centeno. Devilish Lady stopped the clock in 1:25.39 and paid $36.20, $12.20 and $6.40 as the sixth choice in a field of nine juvenile fillies.

Devilish Lady entered the race off a third-place finish behind Flying Trip in the $65,000 Cassidy Stakes at Calder in October. Bred by the Lewis Family Stables Partnership Ltd. and owned by Cairoli Racing Stable, the filly has won three of her seven starts for $111,820.

Racing Aptitude, a homebred for Donald Dizney of Double Diamond Farm in Ocala, entered the race off a 4 ¾-length victory in his fourth career start, a $34,000 maiden special weight race on the Calder lawn in October. The son of Aptitude has earned $85,790 through five starts for trainer Howard Tesher.

Racing Aptitude stalked the pace of Oligarch, who set fractions of 23.14 and 48.04 seconds. He entered the top of the lane in second place, angled out four-wide while making a bid near the quarter pole, gained a slim lead with a furlong remaining and edged clear, stopping the clock for 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.72.

“We broke second, and I was content to keep him running in that position early in the race and down the backstretch,” Saez said. “I gave him a little breather around the three-eighths and then took him outside for the turn for home. He was very powerful in the stretch. I think he’s going to be a very nice horse.” ■

Devilish Lady proved much the best in the $125,000 Joe OʼFarrell Juvenile Fillies (at top) and Racing Aptitude won as the favorite in the $100,000 Arthur I. Appleton Juvenile Turf (above)

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Montbrook,

Sire BC Winners

By JO ANN GUIDRY

ot only did three Florida-breds win 2010 Breeders’ Cup races, but all three were by stallions with Florida connections.

BC Sprint (G1) winner Big Drama is by Florida-bred Montbrook, who has stood his entire stud career at Ocala Stud. It should also be noted that Big Drama is out of the Notebook mare Riveting Drama; the deceased Notebook also stood his entire stud career at Ocala Stud.

Awesome Feather, who captured the BC Juvenile Fillies (G1), is by Florida-bred Awesome of Course. By Awesome Again, Awesome of Course began his stud career in Florida, spent the 2010 season in Oklahoma, and is now back in Florida for the 2011 season.

Dubai Majesty, who won the BC Filly and Mare Sprint (G1), is by Essence of Dubai. He stood at Hartley/DeRenzo Thoroughbreds prior to being relocated to Venezuela.

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great win for the Florida Thoroughbred industry,” said Mike O’Farrell, president and general manager of Ocala Stud. “It was nice to have an established stallion like Montbrook get a Breeders’ Cup winner. He’s been a good stallion for us and for Florida.”

Big Drama’s winning paycheck of $1,080,000 vaulted Montbrook from the sixth-leading Florida sire on the year to the second-leading. At this writing, Montbrook has current progeny earnings of $3,738,073.

He is second only to Wildcat Heir, who stands at Journeyman Stud and has to date progeny earnings of $3,949,433.

In addition to Big Drama, Montbrook is also represented this season by graded stakes winners Amen Hallelujah and Shadowdancing. Amen Hallelujah won the Santa Ynez Stakes (G2) and Davona Dale Stakes (G2) while Shadowdancing posted a win in the Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap (G2).

Montbrook is also represented by 2010 stakes

winners Tackleberry and Christmas Ship.

By Buckaroo out of Secret Papers, by Jet Diplomacy, Montbrook was bred and sold by Ocala Stud for $250,000 at the 1992 OBS February juvenile sale. Unraced as two year old, Montbrook won four stakes in five starts as a sophomore runner. He captured the Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash (G3), Riva Ridge Stakes (G3), Jersey Shore Budweiser Breeders’ Cup Stakes and Hirsch Jacobs Stakes. In just that one season of racing, Montbrook banked $373,728. Purchased privately at the end of his racing career, Montbrook entered stud at Ocala Stud in 1995.

AWESOME RETURN

Thanks to Awesome Feather, stallion Awesome of Course has returned to Ocala just in time to miss the nasty Oklahoma winter. After having begun his stud career in Ocala, Awesome of Course had been relocated by his breeder/owner Fred Brei to the Montbrook

Florida stalwart stallion Montbrook has sired stakes winners, graded stakes winners, Floridabred champions, millionaires, and been the leading Florida sire four times. One of the few things missing from his impressive stallion resume was a Breeders’ Cup champion. Montbrook had come close:Thunderello was second in the 2002 BC Sprint; Shake You Down finished third in the 2003 BC Sprint; and Chapel Royal posted a third in the 2003 BC Juvenile.

Then on November 6, 2010, the aptlynamed Big Drama filled in that missing entry with his scintillating BC Sprint victory. Montbrook finally had his Breeders’ Cup champion.

“It was a great win for Montbrook and a 50 THE FLORIDA HORSE • DECEMBER 2010

LOUISE REINAGEL PHOTO

MONTBROOK MOMENT

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Awesome of Course Sooner State. He stood the 2010 season at Legend Farm in Coleman, Oklahoma. Then came Awesome Feather.

First the precocious filly swept through the Florida Stallion Stakes series like it was a trail ride in a park. Awesome Feather became only the third filly in the 29-year history of the FSS to score a filly division sweep. And Brei, who bred and raced Awesome Feather in the name of his Jacks Or Better Farm, was beginning to think of bringing her sire back to Ocala.

“I decided to wait and see what Awesome Feather did at the Breeders’ Cup,” said Brei.

What Awesome Feather did at the Breeders’ Cup was win the BC Juvenile Fillies (G1), remain undefeated and become a millionaire all at once. Needless to say, Brei quickly booked a van ride back to Ocala for Awesome of Course.

“I think it’s a good move to bring Awesome of Course back to Ocala,” said Brei. “He’s a well-bred horse who was a good racehorse. I would think the breeders here will want to breed their mares to a stallion like that.”

Awesome of Course is by Awesome Again and out of the Lyphard mare Mais Oui. Brei bought stakes winner and Group 3-placed

Mais Oui for $200,000 at the 1997 Keeneland November breeding stock sale. She had already produced Group 3 stakes winner Imperfect World, by Carson City. For Brei, she produced stakes winner and graded stakesplaced Monsieur Cat, by Tabasco Cat, and then Awesome of Course.

Racing for Jacks Or Better Farm, Awesome of Course won the Inaugural Stakes, Western Borders Stakes and Heckofaralph Stakes to earn $152,440. Retired to stud in 2000, Awesome of Course stood first in Ocala at Jubilee Farm and then at Rising Hill Farm before relocating to Oklahoma for the 2010 season.

With his return to the Sunshine State, Awesome of Course is at this writing the current leading Florida juvenile sire with progeny earnings of $1,498,716. Also at this writing, he has overall progeny earnings of $1,573,414 to rank as the 16th-leading Florida sire. In addition to Breeders’ Cup champion Awesome Feather, he is also the sire of stakes winner Honey Honey Honey and stakes-placed Heaven’s Awesome. Awesome of Course will stand the 2011 season at Brent and Crystal Fernung’s Journeyman Stud. ■ Awesome of Course

Pedigree, Performance, Conformation

REY DE CAFÉ King mambo—Commodit ies, b y Pr ivate Account

Impeccably bred, Rey de Café is by sire of champions Kingmambo, out of a stellar female family that includes perennial leading sire Seeking the Gold.

Rey de Café won sprinting and routing on both dirt and turf, suggesting his offspring will relish today’s synthetic surfaces.

First foals are 2 this year!

Watch for them at the races. iamond’s Double D tude wins ti p Racing A Juvenile Turf Appleton da Million! at Flori

COURTESY JACKS OR BETTER FARM

NOMINATED TO Florida Stallion Stakes 899 S.W. 85th Ave., Ocala, FL 34481 (352) 237-3834 Fax: (352) 237-6069 www.doublediamondfarm.com Also standing: AMERICAN SPIRIT WEKIVA SPRINGS THE FLORIDA HORSE • DECEMBER 2010 51

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Sharing,

Investing t was a clear Tuesday morning on Nov. 16 as I cruised down I-75, and my mind was traveling in varied directions.

I was probably on mental autopilot and working through the random flow of ideas that seem to come mostly when driving. I thought about ideas for the office and upcoming deadlines for our publications. I made invisible lists for my next trip to the feed store: electrolytes, hoof oil, hay and feed, cat food...shavings, straw. And did I remember to turn off the water at the water trough this morning? I was thinking I needed to call the farrier, and I needed to email some clients. I was thinking I’ll call my mom that afternoon. Then, as I made my final lefthand turn into the Florida Horse Park, I caught my breath.

It was a scene that still strikes me to smile.

More than 300 people – most of whom were completely unfamiliar with horses and our horse industry – were lining up and gathering around seven charter buses, which were scheduled to tour four premier horse farms in Marion County. Their plan that day was to visit a Thoroughbred training center, a polocrosse and trail riding location, a high-end polo facility and a private dressage farm.

I had agreed to guide one of the buses for this particular Florida Horse Park fundraiser, and it suddenly occurred to me that this is exactly the sort of exposure that our industry cannot live without. The 300 attendees bought tickets at $45 a pop, and that included lunch. It was a steal.

Our caravan set out at 8:30 that morning with police escorts, bells and whistles and a beautiful energy. At each stop and during every segment of the bus ride along the way, the 300 folks asked thoughtful questions about

I

The Florida Horse Park has already made plans to host its next farm tour in March of 2011, and you’d better believe it will sell out. I tip my hat to the farms, volunteers, organizers and sponsors who have a heart for continually sharing our world with others.

52 THE FLORIDA HORSE • DECEMBER 2010

editor’s

note

Summer Best/COOKIE SERLETIC PHOTO

horses, farms, fencing, foaling, breeding, feeding, showing, training, racing and so much more. I treasured the opportunity to professionally field these queries and share with an audience so grateful to see a slice of life in the horse industry.

It’s no secret that many of the attendees came from retirement communities, and that might just be a bonus. I’m learning every day to appreciate every demographic, and whether my friends are 8 or 80, it’s a delight to spread the magic of horses. Perhaps someone who enjoyed the tour will buy into a syndicated racehorse and fall in love with racing. Maybe another will tell their sons or daughters, or grandsons or granddaughters, about these stunning animals we know and love…and a family will begin to invest time and dollars in reining or roping…or maybe someone will just saddle up a good horse and enjoy our famous Florida Greenways. Maybe there’s a generation to come that will put the whole puzzle together and keep our industry thriving. I guess, in short, we’ll never know unless we make and take time to reach outside and invite new friends to come in.

Our tour finished up just after 2 p.m., yet it could have gone on for days if our attendees had gotten a vote. The Florida Horse Park has already made plans to host its next farm tour in March of 2011, and you’d better believe it will sell out. I tip my hat to the farms, volunteers, organizers and sponsors who have a heart for continually sharing our world with others.

May your holidays be a blessing and a delight!

Summer Best It’s a privilege to journey with you.

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5 6 7 8

9

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1) Becky Schatt, Polly and Gary Wimberly 2) Susanne Rosinski, Darren Chiacchia, Chris Machen 3) Jaye Baillie and C.J. Marcello 4) Nancy Ledding and Barbara Fitos 5) Katie Wimberly 6) Talia Rowles, Vanessa Sharp, Ken Standlee, Marty Dunwoody 7 Connie Duff Wise 8) John Wise, Connie Duff Wise and Damian Guthrie 9) Mary Verrandeaux 10) Jim Payton ELEANOR HANCOCK PHOTOS

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EastMe

considering equine management practices, eastern medicine can be a useful option.

By Saundra TenBroeck, Ph.D omplementary and alternative medicine has long been considered unconventional medicine. In recent years, more and more doctors and veterinarians are embracing alternative therapies as an adjunct to traditional treatment modalities.

Though adoption has been gradual, as more practitioners and clients experience positive outcomes, they become advocates, even promoters. With increased interest and case loads, opportunities for research arise, which in turn bring greater understanding and acceptance of the applications of various therapies.

Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM) is based on the idea that the indi-

C

vidual parts of the animal work in concert, and healing is best accomplished when the whole body system is brought into balance.

Both eastern and western medicine rely on medical history and examination for diagnosis. While western practitioners may recommend surgery and pharmaceuticals, the TCVM practitioner may recommend acupuncture, herbs or management changes. Ultimately, both eastern and western medicine have the goal of promoting animal health and preventing disease.

NEEDLES? OH, MY!

The most widely known alternative therapy is acupuncture. In acupuncture, specific points on the body called acupoints are stimulated, resulting in endor-

phin release, increased blood flow, improved immune function and blood pressure regulation. Stimulation of acupoints may be accomplished with tiny needles, pressure, low level electricity, warmth, laser, fluid or air. Veterinary acupuncture is most commonly used for pain management, geriatric medicine and sports medicine. A lesser known value of acupoints is their use in diagnostics. In the hands of a certified veterinarian, acupuncture can provide horses with relief from chronic conditions and a much improved quality of life.

HERBAL APPROACH

Herbal medicine is an integral component of TCVM, often used in conjunction with acupuncture. Most herb blends are developed for the specific needs of the individual based on the properties of the plants and actions in the body. Herbal medicine utilizes the whole plant or defined portions of a plant compared to a single active ingredient isolated as in western pharmacology. There are risks associated with inappropriate use of herbs so erring on the side of caution and seeking expert advice is warranted.

CHIROPRACTIC, MASSAGE, ENERGY & ENVIRONMENTAL MEDICINE

Tui-Na is a manual therapy that combines chiropractic and massage to prevent and treat disease. Manipulations applied to acu-points and meridians or limb-stretching movements are employed to soothe joints, promote circulation and strengthen the body’s resistance.

These techniques are particularly effective in treatment of musculoskeletal conditions.

Chiropractic care involves manipulations of joints of the spine to treat biomechanically related musculoskeletal disorders. It is particularly helpful as an adjunct treatment for 56 THE FLORIDA HORSE • DECEMBER 2010

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etsWest INTAKE, OUTTAKE

Nutrition and diet are another major component of holistic medicine (treating the whole animal rather that the disease).

Classical nutritional requirements are based on the average of a whole population, not the individual. Additionally, certain types of feeds can serve to promote wellness and provide adjunct therapy for other forms of treatment. Nutraceuticals are nutritional supplements used as therapeutic agents.

Homeopathy is based on the concept of like heals like. Homeopathic remedies are extreme dilutions of substances that are known to cause disease symptoms.

Conceptually, dilutions of these substances promote healing. Little research has been done in horses treated with homeopathy.

Alternative therapies are not intended to replace conventional medicine for diagnosis and treatment of acute conditions.

COURTESY OF HUISHENG XIE, D.V.M.

lameness and is intended to correct vertebral alignment and restore full nervous function so the animal can heal.

Massage therapy for horses is similar to massage in humans. The therapist is not providing a diagnosis but rather providing relief of muscle tension and spasms. Massage therapy can improve muscle tone, increase range of motion, relieve pain and increase circulation for more rapid healing of injuries.

Energy medicine is based on the concept that life relies on energy and disease occurs when there is an imbalance of a bioenergetic field. Some types of energy used therapeutically are electric, magnetic, sonic, acoustic, microware and infrared.

Environmental medicine advocates improvement in the environmental conditions that are contributing to disease. Factors may include mold, dust, chemicals and certain foods. Heaves is a prime example of a disease in which environmental modifications might bring relief.

However, the use of eastern medicine in concert with western medicine enhances quality of life and provides a more whole animal approach to health and well being.

Alternative and complementary medicine is becoming an integral part of veterinary training and is requested by an increasing number of horse owners. ■Author’s Note: My first real experience with alternative therapies came in 1995 when teaching a brand new animal sciences undergraduate course called equine health management.

One week was dedicated to the topic and a new Ph.D. student named Huisheng Xie was serving as my teaching assistant. Dr. Xie came to the United States to pursue his doctorate in Animal Sciences with Dr. Richard Asquith. His dissertation work focused on the use of acupuncture therapy on horses with chronic back pain. Once the students adjusted to his accent, they were mesmerized by the subject matter. The alternative therapies and acupuncture week remains one of the favorites in the health management course. (above) Electroacupuncture (left) Huisheng Xie, D.V.M., practices traditional Chinese medicine via acupunture on this horse.

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Looking Back And Moving Forward t is unbelievable to think how quickly this year has passed! It seems just a few weeks ago we were ringing in 2010 and setting goals for what was to be the “new” year. As we start setting goals for 2011, we can honestly say we met many goals and reached many new heights in 2010.

Our most recent accomplishments were all tucked into a nice package the week of November 16. That Tuesday evening the Florida Horse Park Foundation celebrated the release of our new specialty license plate at a special reception held at Gateway Bank. We had a wonderful night of festivities, including live and silent auctions, a live band, a display of acclaimed artist and license plate designer Mary Verrandeaux’s exquisite work, and the ability to reserve your new “Discover Florida’s Horses” license plate through the Department of Motor Vehicles.

Thursday, Nov. 18, we hosted 300 people for our first Fall Farm Tour, which was sponsored by Great American Insurance. The hospitality from our farm owners at Abracadabra Race Training Center, Charlie Horse Polocrosse Farm, New Chance Polo Farm and Oak Lake Dressage Farm was incredible! It took a considerable amount of planning and preparation to host that volume of people. They did, and they did it with class! Each demonstration or presentation was unique and well thought to give our guests an unforgettable experience. We are looking forward to partnering with Great American to continue this effort for the community.

That same day, we received our Certificate

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58 THE FLORIDA HORSE • DECEMBER 2010

of Occupancy on our Welcome Center, which has been constructed by Tallen Builders and designed by KP Studio, both of Ocala. It was paid for by a $1 million grant from the Office of Trade Tourism and Economic Development.

That grant also funded basic infrastructure that will aid in the continued development of the Florida Horse Park.

The week came to an end with the Ocala Horse Properties Fall Horse Trials, produced

by Equiventures LLC. The weather was delightful and the show served as an excellent start to the upcoming recognized shows for 2011.

As we move into the holiday season this year, enjoy your own successes in the goals you reached. Those of us at the Florida Horse Park will do the same. Many hours of hard work and dedication from a variety of people have moved the park forward. We have seen a lot of met goals in 2010. In 2011, we plan to reach even more. To do that, we continue to need your support. Come to the Florida Horse Park and get a tangible feel of what we have done this year. We are moving forward and you should be a part of that in 2011.

Happy Holidays and Happy Trails,

Connie Duff Wise Chairman of the Board

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PRACTICALLY SPEAKING

Cold Snap– Is Your Farm Ready? eginning with one of the Florida Thoroughbred industry’s pioneers Carl Rose in the early 1940s, Marion County has grown to become “Horse Capital of the World” – home to more horses than any other county in the United States. Naturally occurring calcium and phosphorus, abundant grass, a temperate climate and plenty of sunshine make Marion County an ideal place to breed, raise and train horses.

When my wife and I moved to Marion County from Kentucky, I left my Walls insulated coveralls behind.

One of the guys on the broodmare crew had been wanting some, so I gave him mine. I figured I wasn’t going to need insulated coveralls in Florida. What I didn’t know was even though the average low in Ocala in January is 46° F, the temperature does drop below freezing occasionally.

In colder climates, where many days of freezing or lower temperatures are expected, farms are built to withstand winter weather. Water lines are buried below the frost line. Wells are enclosed in well houses and pressure tanks are often insulated. Barns are built so doors and windows can be closed to keep out the cold winter wind, rain, sleet and snow. Most farm tractors and diesel trucks are outfitted with engine block warmers that keep oil and coolant from becoming thick and viscous when the equipment is not in use. And, many farms even have heated indoor arenas.

It was during the Christmas freeze of 1989 when I realized Marion County farms were not built for extended periods of below-freezing temperatures. In Florida, wells and pressure tanks are usually out in the open and exposed water lines are seldom insulated. The exposed, un-insulated PVC water lines that ran along the eaves of the training and broodmare barns froze and burst. Three of four wells on the farm also froze solid.

All the water troughs in the pastures were frozen and we had to haul water to each one.

Even though we don’t normally experience extended periods of below-freezing temperatures, it is still wise to have a plan beforehand. Last winter a local farm owner

B

called me and asked what she could do to prevent her water lines from freezing. The following tips should help you keep the water running.

• Protect wells. Provide temporary barrier from north winds. Then use heat lamp or heat tape. Insulate pressure tank.

• Install frost-free outdoor faucets and spigots. Insulate other faucets.

• Keep water moving. Lukewarm water trickling through a pipe can help prevent pipes from freezing. Let water drip from a faucet served by exposed pipes. To keep water moving through all the pipes, the faucets left on should be located farthest from the well or main water supply.

• If extremely cold temperatures are expected for several hours, consider using an indoor valve to shut off and drain water from pipes leading to outside faucets.

• Disconnect garden hoses. Drain hoses and leave them stretched out. Do not drive over a frozen water hose.

• Insulate exposed water lines. Most home supply stores have precut, ready to use foam insulation. Newspaper can also be used to provide temporary protection to exposed pipes in areas that don’t have prolonged below-freezing temperatures.

• Keep pipes warm. Heat tape installed according to manufacturer’s instructions can be used to help keep water lines from freezing.

• Prevent heat leaks. Use caulking or insulation to seal leaks where pipes enter the barn. Look around wiring, dryer vents, water meters, and plumbing to find places to insulate.

by UF/IFAS Marion County Livestock Agent Mark Shuffitt

TOP OF FORM

As a native of Kentucky, I remember looking forward to any 60-degree day after mid-November so I could wash my truck. Since coming to Florida, I’ve learned how to layer for the morning to afternoon temperature changes and I always carry a jacket in my truck. You never know when it’s going to be in the 70s. ■

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HORSE COUNCIL NEWS Equine Care Facilities: Helping Our Nation’s Unwanted Horses A considerable amount of research has been done in the past few years regarding the importance of equine care facilities within the equine industry. With the number of unwanted horses currently growing at an estimated 100,000 per year, increasing the ability of current facilities to care for horses and starting additional facilities will help to alleviate the burden.

The Unwanted Horse Coalition’s 2009 Unwanted Horses Survey, with 2,245 participants representing equine care facilities out of a total of more than 27,000 respondents, found that many of our nation’s rescues are at or near capacity and must turn many horses away. The survey found that 39 percent of facilities have reached their maximum capacity, 30 percent are at 75-99 percent capacity, and

26 percent are at 50-74 percent capacity. Rescue/adoption/rehabilitation facilities reported turning away 38 percent of the horses that are brought to them. One solution to this problem, as cited by the 27,000 respondents, is to increase the ability of private care facilities to care for unwanted horses.

A recent survey conducted by experts at the University of California, Davis, estimated that there are 326 registered nonprofit equine rescue facilities in the U.S. The maximum capacity of these rescues is approximately 13,400, well below the estimation of 100,000 unwanted horses in the U.S. every year.

Because of the number of unwanted horses and the limited capacity of our nation’s current equine care facilities, it is ex-

tremely important to increase the ability of our current facilities to gain more funding, adopt out more horses, and care for additional horses. Creating new rescue/adoption/rehabilitation facilities to help take in more unwanted horses will also help alleviate the issue of unwanted horses the equine industry is facing. The more our equine care facilities are informed about issues such as volunteer management, fundraising mechanisms, database management, and nonprofit status, the more horses will be given a second chance at a new career.

Days End Farm Horse Rescue, located in Lisbon, Md., has created a manual that will help guide those who wish to start their own equine care facility. Guidelines for Establishing a Non-Profit Horse Rescue Facility

Unwanted Horse Coalition’s Operation Gelding Clinics Successful program takes place across the U.S. The UHC’s Operation Gelding program was launched in August 2010 with the help of seed money from the American Association of Equine Practitioners Foundation and the UHC. The program is designed to offer funding assistance to organizations, associations, and events that wish to conduct a public gelding clinic under the name and guidelines of Operation Gelding. An organization that has completed an Operation Gelding clinic will receive funding of $50 per horse, $1,000 maximum, to aid in the costs associated with the clinic.

Currently 14 Operation Gelding clinics are scheduled to be held across the country before the end of 2010, with locations including Colorado, Ohio, Texas, Georgia, and Kansas. With three Operation Gelding clinics already completed, the UHC and the AAEP have helped aid in the castration of approximately 30 horses.

Alison Lacarrubba, of the University of Missouri Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, organized an Operation Gelding clinic in which the University’s veterinary students were able to perform castrations on 11 horses while under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian.

On Oct. 4, an Operation Gelding clinic held by Dr. Mark Korb and the Barnesville Animal Clinic of Barnesville, Ga., was able to geld 12 stallions. “I think we castrated several horses that probably would have never been castrated due to financial reasons,” Korb said.

60 THE FLORIDA HORSE • DECEMBER 2010

Four Corners Equine Rescue of Aztec, N.M., completed a successful Operation Gelding clinic on Oct. 16. Seven horses were castrated with the help of the program.

Dr. Douglas Corey, UHC president, said, “I am excited about the success of the UHC’s Operation Gelding program and that it is already so widely accepted and used. The UHC wanted to further its mission of educating the horse industry, and by creating action-oriented programs such as Operation Gelding, we can be more hands-on within the community.”

For more information on Operation Gelding, how to conduct a clinic, or to locate the schedule of Operation Gelding clinics, please contact Ericka Caslin, UHC director, at ecaslin@horsecouncil.org or (202) 296-4031.

UHC Involvement The UHC has published a handbook entitled Best Practices: How Your Organization Can Help Unwanted Horses, which details the efforts, initiatives and activities organizations can undertake to help reduce the number of unwanted horses. It is important that breed organizations assess the number of unwanted horses produced within their breed and, in turn, implement programs that will help give horses a chance at adoption and/or rehabilitation.

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was created to inform individuals interested in starting a horse rescue about the expense and the time involved in such an endeavor, and to provide additional useful information collected over the years by an established rescue facility. Kathy Howe, president of Days End Farm Horse Rescue, said, “A horse rescue facility is foremost a business and needs to be run like a business. The horses’ lives are in your hands. Love the horses with your heart but protect the horses with your mind!”

Jennifer Williams of Bluebonnet Equine Humane Society also published a book about

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the proper way to start and run a horse rescue facility. Williams stated, “The number of rescues in the country increases almost daily, yet many people who decide to run a rescue organization have never been involved with non-profits. Although they have the heart to dedicate to the cause, they often do not know how to put together a rescue or how to run the organization once it is set up. Because of this, many rescuers get overwhelmed and close their doors. This book is designed to help assist those who are trying to start a rescue and to provide advice for the long-term management of their organization.” The book, How to

AQHA & USTA Efforts The American Quarter Horse Association has developed a unique plan entitled Full Circle Program. This project enables Quarter Horse owners and breeders to enroll their horses at no cost to ensure that these horses, even if sold, will never become unwanted.

The United States Trotting Association has also implemented a program to help assist their Standardbred horses in need. The Support Our Standardbreds program is designed to provide financial aid for the care of abused or neglected Standardbred horses.

For more information on how your organization can get involved in the effort to help unwanted horses, please contact UHC Director Ericka Caslin at ecaslin@horsecouncil.org or (202) 296-4031.

Start and Run a Rescue, gives an insight into how established rescue organizations operate, and also how one can get involved in volunteering or assisting rescues. ■

Thoroughbred Commitments The National Thoroughbred Racing Association has created a Safety and Integrity Alliance, which has a large focus on aftercare for retired racehorses. Because of this program, many racetracks around the country are developing on-track adoption programs to assist racehorses in finding new homes and second careers. The Jockey Club created the Retirement Checkoff Program, which enables owners to make donations at the time of registration that benefit the Thoroughbred Charities of America and the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation. The Jockey Club also provides tattoo research free of charge through its Tattoo Identification Services. With tattoo information, more Thoroughbreds can be identified, which helps in the planning for the horses’ welfare.

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Expansion of The Sanctuary Throughout Florida Wellington Equestrian Partners and The Sanctuary partner to create an equine sport conditioning and performance facility at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center.

Horses living in the Wellington area or competing in the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival will now be able to receive treatment from the world-class Sanctuary Equine Sports Conditioning and Performance Center, thanks to a new Sanctuary facility opening on the show grounds of the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, Fla. The new Sanctuary at

Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) will be open for the 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival.

“For the past three years, we have been interested in creating a world-class conditioning and performance enhancement facility to complement our world-class competition and venue,” said Mark Bellissimo, CEO of Equestrian Sport Productions. “The Sanctuary is a great partner for us and we hope this facility will offer a great opportunity for preventative maintenance and performance conditioning for the equine athlete.”

The Sanctuary’s commitment to serve

this additional market has resulted in job creation and more exposure for the company.

“There is an exceptional level of highperformance horses that live and compete in Wellington, and opening a Sanctuary facility is on par with what owners, trainers and competitors need and expect for their horses,” said Brenda McDuffee, General Manager of The Sanctuary. “It will be a meeting of a world-class therapy and performance conditioning center with a worldclass show area. The Sanctuary in Ocala, our main facility, features some of the most advanced conditioning and therapy equipment in the world, and we will have that same equipment in Wellington.”

Horses n Heroes Partners with Local PR Firm Susan Benson, CEO of the Florida-based equestrian marketing firm Somerset SportArt, is pleased to announce her association with Horses n Heroes of Marion County. Horses n Heroes is a 501(c)3 non profit organization bringing disadvantaged children and horses together in a mentoring program, founded and directed by Mindy Nolan-Morrow.

“I was immediately impressed by Mindy’s straightforward, no-nonsense approach with the girls,” Benson said.

Morrow – part drill sergeant, part knowledgeable horseman and part nurturing maternal figure – guides her girls, through the daily chores and riding lessons to success in the local show ring. More importantly, she fosters self-esteem, responsibility, team work, kind heartedness, commitment, independence and much more though the program. The girls come from economically and socially deprived backgrounds and are given the opportunity to work with and ride the horses that are often given to the program after successful show careers.

“There are so many success stories to tell,” Morrow said. “My girls may not come from money but they are intelligent and talented. All they need is a chance and some 62 THE FLORIDA HORSE • DECEMBER 2010

guidance. For some, they need positive role models and someone who cares about them and makes them feel a part of something.”

Horse n Heroes is a positive, safe environment where girls ages 7 and up can bond with people and horses in a positive and productive way. The program is expanding and always welcomes new volunteers, sponsors for horses and specific equipment as well as in kind services. Benson, through her mar-

keting and PR firm, will be creating structured programs and events to facilitate giving to the program. She and Nolan have even discussed fostering new organizations to form under the Horse n Heroes umbrella as there have been several interested parties. For more information about volunteering or donating, contact Mindy Nolan Morrow, Founder/Executive Director at (352) 629-5280 or visit www.Horsesnheroes.org.

FEI unveils iPhone app for Equine Prohibited In early November, the FEI has launched a mobile phone application that gives those involved in horse sport much faster and easier access to crucial information on prohibited substances.

The Clean Sport app allows immediate access to the FEI Equine Prohibited Substances online database, which was developed early in 2010.

The app will initially be available for iPhone users only, however the FEI is investigating how the technology could be

adapted for other smart phones.

The app is available to download Free of Charge at the iTunes Store .

Not only does this technology enable users to easily navigate the Equine Prohibited Substances database, the app includes short definitions on each substance as well as a selection of common trade names to avoid confusion.

There is also a feedback function which will allow users to seek further advice or clarification.

The database was initially

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NEWS BITS

HRH Princess Haya Re-Elected as FEI President Q&A wrap-up from a Nov. 5 press conference held in Taipei Q: What plans do you have for the next four years?

“The plans that I outlined to the National Federations in my programs are that I would like the next four years to be remembered for huge strides forward in the areas of development, transport and quarantine and related to development, I would like the FEI to be remembered for excellent service. There is much for us to continue from the work we’ve started of the old program and it would be my biggest pledge to unify the FEI and to look forward to a future of growth and prosperity for horse sport.”

Q: How do you answer the criticisms of your leadership over the last four years?

“I know I was very hands on in the first four years and probably more so than many would have liked and while I admit to that and I have said there are things that I could have done things differently, I felt that I had little choice in order to deliver

Substances List launched on the FEI website earlier in 2010. Since then a number of small improvements have been made to its functionality, including optimization of the search function and automatic email acknowledgement.

“This is a truly ground-breaking service for those involved in horse sport. It will enable users to have finger-tip access to often crucial information about prohibited substances which is another huge asset in the FEI’s Clean Sport campaign,” said Harald Muller, FEI Director of Education & Standards.

the mandate which I had been elected on and to deal with the issues that I had to deal with which required that kind of energetic approach. I don’t feel that the issues we have to deal with looking ahead are of the same nature at all so I feel that there will definitely be a period of calm and consolidation and of growth.”

Q: It has been a busy year, do you feel you had the time you needed to focus on the election?”

“The most important thing to me and the team I was working with that was that I was very conscious that I was an incumbent President with responsibilities to fulfill and my campaign efforts took a lesser place to the job that we had to do. We had one of the busiest years in FEI history this year we had the Youth Olympic Games, we had the global congress of anti-inflammatories in August and the World Equestrian Games, so it has been a whirlwind of a year and one where it was necessary to put our responsibilities as a priority. In the last three weeks I concentrated on my campaign and put my program out and started contacting the National Federations to outline my plans and I am very, very glad that I have had such overwhelming support for my mandate that I presented to them.”

Q: One of the criticisms leveled at you in your last terms was an appearance that democratic processes were not followed.

In the next four years what can the equestrian world expect from you in that regard?

“I think that while there are a number of areas where I had to act in order to fulfill the mandate that I was given, and I do accept that there were very harsh criti-

cisms made and I took them entirely seriously. I learnt lessons along the way, but going forward we really do look forward to a period of consolidation and calm and that really is also due to the fact that we have dealt with some very serious issues head on, we dealt with them in a positive manner, we faced our issues and I do think we buried them. From now on some of those very serious issues like Clean Sport, which was our answer to doping, will hopefully not come back and I do look forward to a period of calm and consolidation and look forward to bright days ahead.”

Q: What lessons have you learned from your first four years and how will your second term by different from your first?

“I have learned many lessons, one of the basic lessons was to try to deal with the diverse cultural differences of this organization and with people and to understand that this job in the end, whilst it celebrates the horse, is about people and tolerance is something you get reminded of and the fact that while it is a global organization it is actually about individuals and you should celebrate each and everyone of them and try to find the key to each individual and that’s what success is all about.”

Q: How did it feel to get the 2011Prohibited Substances List past today?

“It was absolutely the best. I know for so many people the Presidential election is what will grab people’s attention but for me and for all of us in the FEI the greatest win we had today was passing the Equine Substances List, it really was.”

THE FLORIDA HORSE • DECEMBER 2010 63

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Ocala Arabian Horse Farm Tour

On Nov. 16, three prominent Ocala farms opened their gates to showcase their facilities and fine horses to community leaders and attendees of the Arabian Horse Association’s annual convention, held this year in Orlando from Nov. 17-21. Hennessey Arabians, Foxview Farm and Rohara Arabians each hosted hundreds of visitors throughout the day. Special entertainment included the Ocala Symphony Orchestra, premier brunches, lunches and dinners, and exquisite Arabian exhibitions.

1 2

4

64 THE FLORIDA HORSE • DECEMBER 2010

3

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1

7 8

6 9

10 11

1) Hennessey Arabians showcased mares and colts at their farm off N.W. 35th Ave. in Ocala.

2) Greg and Carla Lord 3) Arabian demonstrations took center stage at Foxview Farm 4), 5), 6), 9) Hennessey Arabians 7) Rohara Arabians hosted dinner and showcased the Arabian breed 8) George Z. and Frank Hennessey at Hennessey Arabians 10) Draft horses provided entertainment at Foxview Farm 11) Roxann Hart of Rohara Arabians COOKIE SERLETIC PHOTOS

THE FLORIDA HORSE • DECEMBER 2010 65

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Springs and Horse Farms FARM MANAGEMENT

Protecting Florida’s Gems arion County is home to two world-class resources: equine farms and freshwater springs. From the Ocala National Forest west to Levy County there is a patchwork quilt of fenced pastures and woodlands. The

by Jamie Cohen county is underlain by a thick layer of limestone that soaks up and Peter water like a sponge and releases it under pressure as springs Colverson … and your wells. Rainbow Springs and Silver Springs are two of the largest springs in the world; Florida has more artesian springs than anywhere in the world (artesian springs emerge at the surface under their own pressure).

From the standpoint of fellow horse people, it is this amazing “karst” topography and limestone which makes the mineral-rich soils produce the grass we have in abundance in Marion County. Because karst features also support world famous springs, we in the horse industry need to treasure both our horses and our water resources. Regardless of where you are in the state, springs protection is essential, not only because they are worth protecting, but also because the springs are merely openings to our aquifers, the water we all need to drink.

It is common to ignore the riches in our own backyard in favor of the exotic and interesting elsewhere. How often do you visit an art museum while traveling, but fail to have time to visit one of your neighborhood museums? Visit any spring on a cold, November morning and watch the mist swirl, or take a glass bottom boat ride at Silver Springs to see the gaping chasm which provides an eerie view down into the abyss.

Nitrate is naturally very low in spring water, but at Rainbow Springs alone the present level is now 40 times what it was 50 years ago. Animals release nitrogen in urine and manure, which converts to nitrate in the soil. Evidence shows that increased nitrate is also caused by several other factors: excessive fertilizer application and malfunctioning septic tanks. Nitrogen, as nitrate, is a nutrient that is important in both plants and animals and is an important component of fertilizers. However, excessive levels can lead to plant and animal death and make water undrinkable to all. Nitrate in spring water can cause the uncontrolled

M

66 THE FLORIDA HORSE • DECEMBER 2010

growth of unwanted plants that significantly impacts the value of people’s experiences and the ability of the spring to support fish and wildlife.

Each spring has a catchment area or “spring basin,” which represents the area from where rainwater is captured and then makes its way to the spring. A drop of rainwater will percolate through the soil to the limestone aquifer below and then “flow” underground along a pressure gradient until it reaches a release point = a spring. Unfortunately, the soil is often a very thin layer that allows the water to potentially transport much of what is dissolved in it; this can include many pollutants such as nitrate. Do you know which spring receives water from your land?

So, what can the equine community do to help protect our most important natural resource, our water? Best Management Practices (BMPs) are science-based, practical, common sense practices that apply to all horse farms, no matter their location. These practices help protect all from adding unneeded elements, like excess nitrogen, to the water. Practices involving proper manure handling and careful fertilization based on regular soil-testing results. Besides, using less fertilizer will save you money. Just being careful to keep grass to a minimum of three inches and maintaining at least 80 percent ground coverage in paddocks are steps we can all practice to eliminate excess nitrogen from seeping into the aquifer and springs.

Treasure and enjoy all your resources and keep up the good management practices. ■

Peter Colverson, Coordinator Rainbow and Silver Springs Basin Working Groups Pandion Systems 102 NE 10th Ave., Gainesville, FL 32601 (352) 372-4747 ext. 7017 • (352) 359 2769 (cell) www.pandionsystems.com Jamie A. Cohen Farm Outreach Coordinator UF IFAS/Marion County Extension Service 352-671-8792 • jamiecohen@ufl.edu

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Leading Florida Sires The following list includes currently active, deceased, and pensioned stallions, with racing results updated through November 17, 2010. Statistics provided by The Jockey Club Information Systems Inc.

WILDCAT HEIR

GRAEME HALL

MONTBROOK

Sire Name

Farm Name

NA Earnings

Wildcat Heir

Forest Wildcat

Journeyman Stud

$3,946,698

123

81

7

8

1

$3,949,433

Derwin's Star

Montbrook

Buckaroo

Ocala Stud

$3,737,484

110

53

5

12

3

$3,738,073

Big Drama

Graeme Hall

Dehere

Winding Oaks

$3,597,830

141

82

5

8

2

$3,601,183

Duke of Mischief

Name

Stk Gr Strtrs Wnrs SW's Wins SW's

Earnings

Leading Earner

Leading Earnings

Yrlg Sold

Yrlg 2yo Avg Sold

$357,840

19

$28,200

26

$67,642

$1,420,810

5

$13,500

13

$50,462

8

$27,625

$641,717

2yo Avg

Put It Back

Honour and Glory Bridlewood Farm

$2,695,343

152

77

6

9

1

$2,914,571

Jessica Is Back

$395,380

30

$11,633

11

$23,818

D'wildcat

Forest Wildcat

$2,611,757

104

60

4

7

1

$2,830,970

D' Funnybone

$380,000

28

$18,954

11

$68,045 $22,500

Vinery

Chapel Royal

Montbrook

Singature Stallions $2,464,291

176

90

2

2

0

$2,738,749

Gold Dust Lady

$109,921

37

$5,859

14

Full Mandate

A.P. Indy

Hartley/De Renzo

$2,215,251

148

74

2

2

1

$2,217,858

Amazon Holly

$97,390

6

$8,550

7

$6,957

Concerto

Chief's Crown

Ocala Stud

$2,070,777

100

58

5

7

1

$2,072,226

Rigoletta

$180,820

2

$6,000

9

$20,889

Consolidator

Storm Cat

Journeyman Stud

$1,836,373

116

55

4

5

0

$1,927,437

Bank Merger

$231,200

38

$5,932

18

$33,661

Concorde's Tune

Concorde Bound Ocala Stud

$1,757,165

90

56

2

2

0

$1,771,963

Musical Romance

$154,751

3

$9,267

5

$22,600

Leading Florida Juvenile Sires The following list includes currently active, deceased, and pensioned stallions, with racing results updated through November 17, 2010. Statistics provided by The Jockey Club Information Systems Inc.

WILDCAT HEIR Name

Sire Name

Wildcat Heir

Forest Wildcat Journeyman Stud

FRESHMAN

Pomeroy

FRESHMAN

With Distinction Storm Cat

Boundary

Farm Name

POMEROY

WITH DISTINCTION

NA Stk Gr Earnings Strtrs Wnrs SW's Wins SW's Earnings $721,930

40

16

3

3

0

$724,665

Leading Earner

Yrlg 2yo Avg Sold

2yo Avg

$95,730

19

$28,200

26

$67,642

Vinery

$528,230

42

20

0

0

0

$536,451

Winking Star

$56,626

21

$18,522

36

$24,881

Hartley/De Renzo

$521,113

45

18

0

0

0

$529,809

Decisive Moment

$76,330

47

$17,434

38

$47,874

$44,000

37

$5,859

14

$22,500

$167,753

1

$1,200

4

$24,750 $11,644

Montbrook

Signature Stallions $461,767

42

17

1

1

0

$470,193

Avery Rose

West Acre

Forty Niner

Stonehedge

13

7

2

3

0

$462,473

Blue Eyed Sweetie

Touch Gold

Journeyman Stud

Mass Media

Yrlg Sold

Breathoffreshheir

Chapel Royal

FRESHMAN

Leading Earnings

$462,473 $460,217

19

10

2

2

0

$460,217

Beso Grande

$109,492

6

$16,417

9

Gibson County

In Excess (IRE) deceased

$453,671

27

14

1

1

0

$453,671

Ayoumilove

$125,367

1

$1,500

17

$12,676

Concerto

Chief's Crown Ocala Stud

$431,997

15

9

2

3

1

$431,997

Rigoletta

$180,820

2

$6,000

9

$20,889

Halo's Image

Halo

$374,609

17

7

1

1

0

$374,609

Reprized Halo

$254,016

7

$10,900

12

$20,750

Bring the Heat

In Excess (IRE) Ward Ranch

$346,459

4

2

1

2

1

$346,283

Madman Diaries

$307,822

deceased

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LEADING

Florida Breeders Statistics (through Nov, 16, 2010) provided by The Jockey Club Information Services.

Adena Springs

STARTS

FIRSTS

SECONDS

THIRDS

MONEY

1563

224

206

199

$4,862,640

Jacks or Better Farm Inc.

STARTS

FIRSTS

SECONDS

THIRDS

MONEY

290

40

40

44

$2,764,324

STARTS

FIRSTS

SECONDS

THIRDS

MONEY

355

69

63

33

$2,664,532

STARTS

FIRSTS

SECONDS

THIRDS

MONEY

604

99

101

84

$2,656,088

STARTS

FIRSTS

SECONDS

THIRDS

MONEY

808

132

115

110

$2,517,088

STARTS

FIRSTS

SECONDS

THIRDS

MONEY

587

104

81

74

$2,364,728

STARTS

FIRSTS

SECONDS

THIRDS

MONEY

177

33

19

25

$2,010,337

STARTS

FIRSTS

SECONDS

THIRDS

MONEY

592

74

82

71

$1,912,338

STARTS

FIRSTS

SECONDS

THIRDS

MONEY

825

97

105

106

$1,866,795

STARTS

FIRSTS

SECONDS

THIRDS

MONEY

390

58

54

58

$1,556,063

STARTS

FIRSTS

SECONDS

THIRDS

MONEY

289

41

34

35

$1,501,654

STARTS

FIRSTS

SECONDS

THIRDS

MONEY

407

64

76

63

$1,491,649

STARTS

FIRSTS

SECONDS

THIRDS

MONEY

529

92

71

63

$1,372,006

STARTS

FIRSTS

SECONDS

THIRDS

MONEY

148

27

25

26

$1,339,079

STARTS

FIRSTS

SECONDS

THIRDS

MONEY

265

43

40

23

$1,296,756

STARTS

FIRSTS

SECONDS

THIRDS

MONEY

803

87

96

95

$1,289,887

STARTS

FIRSTS

SECONDS

THIRDS

MONEY

347

58

37

41

$1,017,381

STARTS

FIRSTS

SECONDS

THIRDS

MONEY

63

14

STARTS

FIRSTS

SECONDS

THIRDS

MONEY

653

57

70

72

$955,321

STARTS

FIRSTS

SECONDS

THIRDS

MONEY

Plumley, Harold J. Ocala Stud Campbell, Gilbert G. Cloverleaf Farms II, Inc. Queen, Harold L. Appleton, Arthur I. Padua Stables Live Oak Stud Dizney, Donald R. Hidden Point Farm Inc. Melnyk, Eugene Hobeau Farm Ltd. Brylynn Farm, Inc. Farnsworth Farms Generazio, Patricia Sabine Stable J D Farms E, Paul Robsham Stable LLC

50 68 THE FLORIDA HORSE • DECEMBER 2010

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Classified ADS Call (352) 732-8858 LEGAL SERVICES

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he announcement of Zenyatta’s retirement sounded like a door slammed on a year of racing that held the unwavering attention of both her fans and detractors from flag-fall to finish. It was a season marked by great performances on several fronts, punctuated by disappointment and carried on the shoulders of a truly memorable mare and her unwavering pursuit of perfection.

The year just passed began with the Zenyatta-Rachel Alexandra debate in full throat and the realization that this pair inspired unprecedented zeal in legions of fans, emotion seldom seen in the racing faithful. There was no middle ground and what developed, until her connections elected to retire Rachel Alexandra in late summer, was the most heated if entirely abstract rivalry ever of horses that never met.

Suddenly, in a space more familiar with an apathetic murmur and general discontent, there was unmistakable passion in the racing dialogue and that is a very good if not always a civil thing.

In the disappointing absence of Rachel Alexandra as

T

by Paul Moran

The buzz that spanned last winter in anticipation of what seemed then to be the inevitable showdown between the filly and mare that dominated 2009 will not soon be replaced. The best horses of 2010, never again to appear under colors, await the next breeding season. The conversation is suddenly muted in the absence of passion that is inspired only by a horse. a major player in 2010, the successes of Quality Road and then Blame propelled the debate to the final stride of the Breeders’ Cup Classic and beyond. Though her quest for perfection fell inches short of a 20th victory in the Classic, Zenyatta cemented her position in history and extended the debate into yet another Horse of the Year discussion.

By dusk on that Breeders’ Cup day, the focus, from Louisville to Europe and Asia, was fixed upon the huge, heroic mare and her unprecedented if ultimately shortfallen quest. The anticipation that began to build as the field approached the starting gate was palpable, almost surreal and the 10 furlongs that followed defied a deep 70 THE FLORIDA HORSE • DECEMBER 2010

breath until Blame reached the wire perhaps six inches in front of Zenyatta and a stunned silence engulfed what seemed like the entire planet.

If Zenyatta’s pre-Breeders’Cup breakthrough into the mainstream media consciousness was perhaps too late to sustain meaningful new public interest, her legacy will endure nevertheless. Whatever the individual view of her standing among the great names in racing history, she is the first Thoroughbred in years to command, build and sustain celebrity over an extended period.

Even before the mid-November announcement that Zenyatta would be sent to a new Kentucky home, Blame, the only horse to defeat her, and Quality Road, the distance challenged second-best older male of 2010, were retired and it was immediately evident that there is suddenly a yawning void in the wake of the Breeders’ Cup. With the winners of 11 Grade 1 races during 2010 retired at the same time, there is a deafening silence as 2011 approaches.

The buzz that spanned last winter in anticipation of what seemed then to be the inevitable showdown between the filly and mare that dominated 2009 will not soon be replaced. The best horses of 2010, never again to appear under colors, await the next breeding season.

The conversation is suddenly muted in the absence of passion that is inspired only by a horse.

Zenyatta’s departure from the competitive arena and public eye is a reminder of the one thing that can change the sport’s landscape, capture the public imagination and strengthen its foundation. Great horses and the mystique that accompanies the transcendent animal make the game. The issues that typically dominate the conversation – regulation, medication, lack of effective national leadership, taxation – are of little interest to those whose interest is casual until it becomes fixed upon a horse capable of capturing first the attention, then the affection.

In this regard, Zenyatta has done more for the sport than any horse in recent decades. She was, even in defeat, unbent. It is unlikely that we will see a mare of this class and longevity any time soon if ever. She will undoubtedly be missed.

The lingering question: What now?

BENOIT & ASSOCIATES PHOTO

Now What?

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