FLORIDA FOCUS

Thousand Words Wins Robert B. Lewis to Give Baffert 3,000 Wins

Florida-bred Thousand Words remained undefeated in three tries and added to his Road to the Kentucky Derby point total with an enduring victory in the Grade 3 Robert B. Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita on Feb. 1. The victory against five other 3-year-olds going a mileand-one-sixteenth for a purse of $100,500 also gave Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert 3,000 career wins in North America.

Ridden by Flavien Prat from post two, Thousand Words broke evenly and went into the clubhouse turn behind stablemate High Velocity and fellow Florida-bred Zimba Warrior before settling into a comfortable position in fourth as the field sorted themselves for the run down the backstretch. Bob Hope Stakes (G3)-winner High Velocity clicked off a first quarter-mile fraction in an honest :23.65 while leading recent maiden-winner Tizamagician and 18-1 choice Royal Act by three-quarters of a length with Thousand Words tucked along the rail in fourth. They raced in that order through a half-mile in :47.20 and around the far turn where Prat began looking for racing room for Thousand Words, who was still on the inside.

High Velocity and Tizamagician turned for home together as Thousand Words pushed through a narrow opening between those two to launch his assault.

High Velocity hastened to a length-and-a-half advantage at the top of the stretch, however, Thousand Words began to wear down his rival with each stride as Tizamagician could not keep pace. Thousand Words took the lead inside the final sixteenth when Royal Act made a big late run on the far outside. But the rally was to no avail as Thousand Words won by three-quarters of a length ahead of Royal Act in second in a time of 1:43.64 over the fast track. High Velocity held on for third, just a neck behind Royal Act as Tizamagician, Encoder and Zimba Warrior completed the order of finish.

In addition to the winner’s share of $60,000 first prize, Thousand Words earned 10 points towards earning a spot in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve which will be run May 2 at Churchill Downs.

Royal Act earned four Derby points while High Velocity and Tizamagician picked up two and one points respectively.

“[Thousand Words] ran very well,” Prat said. “He put me in a good spot and he was comfortable down there. He took the dirt [in his face] well and when I asked him to run, he really accelerated.”

Baffert, however, said he was more concerned about Thousand Words’ lack of racing room coming out of the far turn.

“Being stuck down on the inside, he got the worst of it,” said Baffert, who also collected his record eighth Lewis win. “Usually, a young horse like that, they won’t run that well and they don’t respond. But he’s got that Florida-bred Thousand Words BENOIT & ASSOCIATES PHOTO

big long stride and the further the better with him. You could tell about the last 50 yards, he was really getting going. He came back and he wasn’t even tired, so that is a good sign. He is progressing with every race and to win three in a row like that is pretty impressive.”

Thousand Words also showed his tenacity in his previous race after winning his debut against special weight maidens at Santa Anita on Oct. 26. He then won the Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity on Dec. 7 at Los Alamitos where he courageously held off a late assault from favored Anneau d’Or to win by a neck. Baffert then spoke of winning his 3,000th thoroughbred race in North America.

“I had a feeling it was gonna happen in this race,” he said. “I’ve had a lot of good people work for me through the years. The first 50 wins were probably the hardest— [the next] 100 were life changers. I feel very blessed and fortunate that I’ve been able to last in this business and do so well after coming from the quarter horse business.”

Before his racing career began, Thousand Words was notable as a $1,000,000 purchase by current owners Albaugh Family Stables LLC and Spendthrift Farm LLC at the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. By Pioneerof the Nile out of Pomeroys Pistol, by Pomeroy, Thousand Words was bred in Florida by Amy Tarrant in the name of her Hardacre Farm located in Ocala.

Pomeroy’s Pistol also has a yearling colt by Hard Spun and was bred to Arrogate in 2019.

Thousand Words paid $3.20 as the 3-5 favorite and his earnings now stand at $211,000. ■ and the FTBOA. The three photos were chosen as the finalists for public voting from a large number of wide ranging entries by the Farm City Week coalition.

Aspiring Florida photographers of all ages were encouraged to enter striking images that celebrated Farm City week and what it represents. The goal of the contest is to highlight the diversity of farm life in Marion County and Central Florida. A prize winner in each category was chosen in November and the finalists were put on display in December for public voting. It is fitting a thoroughbred horse was in the photo that won, since Ocala/Marion County’s moniker is the registered trademarked phrase of Horse Capital of the World ® due to having more horses and ponies than any other county in the United States.

The winning photos will be published throughout the year in Florida Equine Communications publications and other agriculture publications. The winners each received a gift basket full of Florida foods and gardening items courtesy of the Marion County Farm Bureau. This year’s finalists all had not won previously in the contest which is now in its sixth year. ■ First Foal is a Colt for Long On Value

Long On Value – standing at Pleasant Acres Stallions – sired his first reported foal Jan. 22, 2020, when a colt was born in Ocala, Fla., at Hidden Oaks Farm, for Just For Fun Stables.

The colt is out of Valid Meadow, by Valid Appeal. Valid Appeal BENOIT & ASSOCIATES PHOTO Trainer Bob Baffert

Local Thoroughbred Breeder Wins Farm City Week Photo Contest

The Farm City Week coalition and the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ & Owners’ Association announced the grand prize winner in the annual Farm City photo contest Jan. 15. Jan Cubbage of Cubbage Patch Farm in Dunnellon, Fla., won the grand prize for her photo of a thoroughbred mare and foal. Cubbage’s entry titled ‘Mama gives her newborn colt a lickin’ featured the foal Brio and his dam Bailey.

Bailey’s registered name is Queen Bailey and she is the last mare in the broodmare band of prominent breeder, owner and industry leader Fred Hooper. Hooper lived until 102 passing away Aug. 4, 2000.

Second place went to Karolina Wignall, a student at the College of Central Florida. Wignall submitted a photo of an American flag hanging atop a flagpole amid a typical Central Florida landscape of Spanish moss and sunshine. The photo titled ‘American Farmland’ was taken at the CF Vintage Farm in Ocala. Melinda Kimball of Horizon Academy at Marion Oaks received third for her photo of a youth tagging a pig for the fair.

The three photos were voted upon by the public at the Dunnellon Library, the Agriculture Extension Service on grounds of the Southeast Livestock Pavilion, Forest Library, Reddick Library, the Ocala Main Library, Sparr Building Supply, the College of Central Florida TAMMY GANTT PHOTO Jan Cubbage

won the Grade 2 Dwyer Handicap at Belmont Park, and placed in the Grade 2 Saratoga Special Stakes at Saratoga, the Grade 2 Futurity Stakes, the Grade 2 Saranac Stakes, and the Grade 2 Jerome Handicap, the latter three of which were all run at Belmont Park. Valid Meadow’s sire, Meadowlake, broke his maiden by 22 lengths at the Grade 1 Arlington-Washington Futurity at Hawthorne, and raced undefeated in his career. Meadowlake was the sire of 54 stakes winners.

“Like father like son. This colt has a great shoulder, strong hip, and a lot of leg,” said Charles Weston of Hidden Oaks Farm. “We are expecting another Long On Value foal in two weeks and I’m confident it will be as good as this one.”

Long On Value is a multiple graded stakeswinner and millionaire. With 32 starts, Long On Value finished in the top four in 22 races, including 12 graded stakes. During his long career, Long On Value won eight stakes, including the $300,000 Highlander Stakes (G1) at Woodbine at age seven, the $200,000 Twilight Derby (G2) at Santa Anita as a 3-yearold and the $150,000 Canadian Turf Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park as a 4-year-old. He was second – by a nose – in the $1,000,000 Al Quoz Sprint (Group 1) in Dubai in 2017, and third in the Grade 1 Ricoh Woodbine Mile Stakes and Grade 1 Maker’s 46 Mile Stakes at Keeneland.

Campaigning at 15 tracks in four countries (U.S., Canada, England, Dubai) Long On Value won on dirt and turf, while going short and long, and earning more than $1.13 million. With a long racing career that spanned six seasons, Long On Value received seven triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures and was 60% in the money.

The son of Value Plus, by Unbridled’s Song, Long On Value stands at Pleasant Acres Stallions for $2,500. Established in 1983, Pleasant Acres Farms, owned by Joseph and Helen Barbazon, was honored by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association as the 2009 Florida Breeder of the Year, in addition to being awarded the 2008 Needles Award for Outstanding Small Breeder. The Pleasant Acres Stallions stallion division was launched in 2014. Besides Long On Value, Amira’s Prince, Beau Choix, Bucchero, Handsome Mike, Neolithic, Ride On Curlin, and Treasure Beach stand at the farm. ■ Greatness Returns Home to Stand at Solera Farm

Dr. Krista Seltzer has announced that the highly successful sire Greatness has returned to his roots and will stand the 2020 season at Solera Farm in Williston, west of Ocala, Fla. He will join Field Commission, Florida's eighth-leading active sire of 2019 with progeny earnings of more than $1.6 million. “He [Greatness] has a home here for life beyond his breeding career. My dad [Edward Seltzer] bred him, raised and raced him and now he is back with us forever.” The 21-year-old Greatness is one of the last sons of super sire Mr. Prospector still at stud and still going strong, as witnessed by Lady's Florida FOCUS

Pleasant Acres stallion Long On Value’s first foal FILE PHOTO

Brian Jeffrey Abel (1961 - 2019)

Brian Jeffrey Abel of Morriston, Fla., passed away on Thursday, Dec. 26, 2019 at his home surrounded by his loving family. He was 58. Born in Melbourne, Fla., he came to Levy County 25 years ago from Lecanto, Fla. Mr. Abel worked on a farm in the maintenance department. He was a member of the Lighthouse Ministries Church in Romeo. He loved horses and visiting with friends but his top priority was his family. He just loved life and was always smiling. Brian is survived by his mother, Alice Joy Abel; wife of 24 years, Mary Leann Abel; daughter, Jessica Abel; two brothers, Glen and Eric (Claudia) Abel; three nieces, Emma (Tommy) Loach, Erin and Elise Abel. He is predeceased by his father, Ralph and brother, Ken both in 2012. ■ IN MEMORIAM

Island, six-and-three-quarter-length winner of the $100,000 Sugar Swirl Stakes (Grade 3) at Gulfstream Park on Dec. 14, followed by a runner-up finish in the $100,000 Sunshine Millions Sprint Stakes on Jan. 18. Now six, Lady's Island has compiled a record of 13 wins in 27 starts with earnings of $404,195, and has eight wins in 10 starts since Jan. 4 of 2019.

Greatness has sired a long string of solid runners who have posted impressive statistics in all departments, including stakes performances, victories, and number of starts. They include 13-time stakes-winner Immortal Eyes (59-19-15-5, $1,172,846); nine-time blacktype or listed winner Good Lord (84-15-10-14, $803, 305); graded stakes-winner Great Attack (48-11-12-7, $717,952); graded stakes-winner Jenny's So Great (31-7-5-5, $678,438); Lord of Greatness (74-18-9-14, $591,327); and the incredible claimer, Blizzard Buddy Ben, who compiled a record of 24-13-12 in 89 starts with earnings of $407,466, winning at six tracks.

Greatness will stand for $2,500, stands and nurses. Call Dr. Krista Seltzer at (352) 804-0333 for more information, or email: solerafarm@gmail.com. ■

Stakes Streak to Six for Jean Elizabeth Jean Elizabeth, already a multiple stakeswinner on dirt and synthetic surfaces, added a black type victory on grass to her resume in her first try Jan. 25 to extend her consecutive stakes-winning streak to six.

The gray 5-year-old Illinois-bred broke best of all from post five and sat second behind pacesetter Girls Know Best through fast fractions of :21.68 and :43.70. Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. began to ask the 5-year-old gray or roan mare at the top of the stretch before Jean Elizabeth ran down that rival in the stretch to win by a half-length. She completed the five furlongs in :55.26.

The daughter of Ocala Stud’s leading sire Adios Charlie trained by Larry Rivelli paid $7.60 to win. Jean Elizabeth has won 13 of 19 career starts and has never been worse than third while earning $562,668.

She is out of Rooney Doodle, by Lit de Justice and was bred by Rivelli and Richard Ravin. “I rode her last time and she beat the favorite on dirt,” Ortiz said. “I was told the filly would like the turf, so I rode her with confidence. Today, I let her settle a little bit and at

the quarter-pole, I asked her and she was there for me.”

Her winning streak began Sept. 21 when she won the Sweet Briar Too Stakes and the Oct. 19 Ontario Fashion Stakes, both at Woodbine. She then won the Powerless Stakes at Hawthorne on Nov. 15, the Holiday Inaugural Stakes at Turfway Park on Dec. 6 and the Dec. 28 Abundantia Stakes at Gulfstream before taking the Ladies’ Turf Sprint. ■ Starship Jubilee Makes Easy Work of Suwannee River

Florida-bred Starship Jubilee ran away from her rivals in deep stretch and took her second stakes-race of the year Feb. 8 at Gulfstream Park when she won the Grade 3 Suwannee River Stakes by four-and-a-half lengths as the 6-5 second choice. The Suwannee River saw a field of six fillies and mares going a mile-and-one-eighth on the turf and gave the Kevin Attard trainee her fourth graded-stakes win in her last five tries going back to a victory in the Grade 2 Canadian Stakes presented by Japan Racing Association (G2) at Woodbine on Sept. 14.

With jockey Luis Saez aboard for the first time since February of 2017 when she was claimed from a second-place effort by Attard and current owner Blue Heaven Farm, Starship Jubilee broke from post five in the Suwannee River before establishing a comfortable spot in third behind Florida-bred Kelsey’s Cross and 11-2 third choice Tapit Today. After a prompt two furlongs in :22.60, Kelsey’s Cross was a length-and-a-half in front of Tapit Today, who was another two-and-a-half lengths in front of Starship Jubilee as they left the clubhouse turn and made their way down the backstretch where the paced slowed to a :46.93 half-mile. Around the second turn, Tapit Today moved up to join Kelsey’s Cross as Starship Jubilee also joined in from three-wide while even money favorite Magic Star looked for racing room behind those three. Saez had Starship Jubilee in front with little urging when they turned for home as Kelsey’s Cross tired and Tapit Today chased in second. Meanwhile, Magic Star finally found room to run between horses but to little avail as Starship Jubilee drew clear under a confident hand ride from Saez as they finished the mile in 1:35.59.

Starship Jubilee crossed the finish in a time of 1:47.54 on the firm turf as Magic Star finished a neck in front of Tapit Today to get second. They were followed in order by Smart Shot, Kelsey’s Cross and Great Sister Diane.

“What a perfect trip. I know they’re going to send someone to kill the speed. Everything was so perfect. Speed was great,” Saez said. “When I hit the stretch I had plenty of horse. She is pretty easy to ride.”

While Saez spoke of the effortless victory by Starship Jubilee, Attard said he was surprised by her dominant performance.

“Today, just to see her accelerate and win by open lengths, I wasn’t expecting that. I thought it was going to be a dogfight to the wire. I was pretty impressed with her today, no doubt about it,” Attard said. “The last race, she was against restricted company so there’s a lot to be said about that. Today, it’s open company and she proved she’s quality.”

“She just keeps getting better. Today, I was a little worried with Magic Star. She looks like a good up-and-coming filly. To win a graded race in her [Magic Star’s] third start, I thought that was pretty impressive. I knew we’d have to have our running shoes on to beat her, but the trip worked out really well,” Attard said. “Saez gave her a great trip. I know Magic Star got kind of trapped inside there and lost a little momentum, but my filly kicked on and she accelerated down the lane. She just proved she’s one of the top turf fillies in the country right now.”

Starship Jubilee is a Sovereign Award finalist in the female turf category in Canada and Jean Elizabeth RYAN THOMPSON RYAN THOMPSON PHOTO Florida-bred Starship Jubilee Florida FOCUS

will be named the Florida-bred champion older female and champion turf female of 2019 by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association at their March 16 Awards Gala in Ocala, Fla., while Attard is a finalist for the Sovereign Award as Canada’s top trainer.

Last year, Starship Jubilee also won the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor Stakes at Woodbine on Oct. 12 before finishing second to Kallio in the Grade 3 Cardinal Stakes at Churchill Downs on Nov. 28.

With the victory in the 71st running of the Suwannee River, Starship Jubilee now has 15 wins from 33 career starts with earnings of $1,261,597. She is a 7-year-old bay daughter of Indy Wind out of Perfectly Wild, by Forest Wildcat and she was bred in Florida by William P. Sorren of Ocala.

Starship Jubilee paid $4.40 on a $2 win ticket.

Perfectly Wild has also produced stakesplaced runners The Flying Whizzer and Starship Nala and was bred to Malibu Moon in 2019.

Starship Jubilee is a two-time graduate at Ocala Breeders’ Sales. She was a $34,000 RNA from the Halcyon Hammock Farm consignment at the 2015 April Sale of 2-YearOlds in Training and sold as their 2014 August Yearling Sale to Laurence F. Leavy for $6,500 from the consignment of William T. and Lyn Rainbow’s The Acorn consignment. ■

Saurbier, Edwin R.

Edwin R. Saurbier, age 89, of Ocala, Fla., passed away on Jan. 18, 2020.

He is preceded in death by his parents; and his sister, Evelyn Baumel. He is survived by his partner of 41 years, Kaye Teater; his brother, Marvin R. Saurbier; nieces, Andrea Baumel, Janet Saurbier; and nephew, Lonnie Baumel; great nephews, Derrick, Dillon and Mason; and other family in Michigan.

He was the owner of The Stallion Barn in Ocala since 1967. He was a member of AA, FTBOA, and past member of The Elks Club. Edwin enjoyed traveling and antique cars.

Those who wish to donate in Edwin's memory may do so to Horse Protection Association of Florida, 20690 N.W. 130th Ave, Micanopy, Fla. 32667. ■ IN MEMORIAM Ed Saurbier FILE PHOTO

The Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ & Owners’ Association

Monday Evening, March 16 Circle Square Cultural Center Ballroom 8395 SW 80th St., Ocala, FL Cocktail reception 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. Florida Thoroughbred Charities Silent/Live Auctions 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. Three-Course Dinner with beef and chicken entrees 6:30 p.m. Awards Program Ceremony 7:45 p.m. Emerald & Gold Gala Honoring our champions, breeders, owners, trainers and connections

Dress code in honor of the 75th Anniversary Suits of any color or gowns & cocktail dresses in suggested colors of emerald, gold, champagne, white or black For more information, call 352-629-2160 $125 FTBOA Member Attending member can extend the discount to one guest $150 Non-Member RSVP with payment by Monday, March 2