w w w . s o uthernracehorse.co m SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2013
COVERING THE THOROUGHBRED INDUSTRY IN Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana
In This Issue: H A Texas-bred in Panama H Louisiana-bred Wins Big at Saratoga H Understanding Stallion Statistics H Hauling Horses Safely
A Division of Center Hills Farm
THANK YOU TO ALL THE MARE OWNERS WHO BRED TO MIGHTY ACRES STALLIONS LAST SEASON! We look forward to the 2014 breeding season
There are $3,500,000 reasons to breed in Oklahoma – that’s the total amount of breeder awards paid last year for Oklahoma-bred Thoroughbreds!
Check out what Mighty Acres stallions have done recently:
• KIPLING’s daughter KIP BERRIES won the $100K Isaac Murphy Handicap in June at Arlington Park to push her earnings to nearly $400K!
• TOCCET, last year’s leading Oklahoma sire by earnings, went over the $11 million mark in lifetime progeny earnings in August!
• SAVE BIG MONEY, this year’s leading freshman sire in Oklahoma,
had a stakes winner with his first starter in July with MAMA’S MAD MONEY!
• THE VISUALISER, also a freshman sire, got his first winner when Color of Truth won a MSW at Lone Star Park!
• AIR COMMANDER ranked as the leading second-crop sire in Oklahoma by both winners and earnings!
STANDING AT MIGHTY ACRES
Kipling • Toccet • Air Commander • Save Big Money • The Visualiser All stallions are nominated to the Oklahoma Bred Program, Iowa Stallion Stakes and the Breeders’ Cup
Mighty Acres
675 W. 470 Rd. • Pryor, Oklahoma 74361 Phone: 918-825-4256 • Cell: 918-271-2266 • Fax: 918-825-4255 www.mightyacres.com
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EARLY FLYER Gilded Time – Bistra, by Classic Go Go EARLY FLYER is the leading 2-year-old sire in Texas with six winners from eight starters through 8/31, including four stakes horses! He is the sire of undefeated 2yo stakes winners SOLID SENDER (won D.S. “Shine” Young Memorial Futurity at Evangeline) and CIRCUSTOWN FLYER (won TTA Sales Futurity at Lone Star), plus 3yo Texas Stallion Stakes winner TASTEFULLYXCESSIVE.
$15 Ave ,000 r at 2 age F-T 013 Yea Texas rl Sal ing e!
CROSSBOW BERNARDINI – FOREST HEIRESS, BY FOREST WILDCAT
bernardini
6 Grade 1 stakes winners and 12 graded stakes winners in 4 crops with total earnings of over $16 million.
Out of multiple graded SW FOREST HEIRESS (earner of $419,201 w/ a 105 Beyer), who is a full sister to WILDCAT HEIR from the family of LOUIS QUATORZE and AWESOME GEM.
wildcat heir
Leading sire in Florida the past three years and sire of earners of almost $18 million.
CROSSBOW PHOTO: ADAM COGLIANESE; BERNARDINI: COURTESY DARLEY; WILDCAT HEIR: LOUISE REINAGEL Clarence Scharbauer, Jr. Ken Carson, General Manager Donny Denton, Farm Manager • David Unnerstall, Attending Veterinarian Post Office Box 966 • Pilot Point, Texas 76258 (940) 686-5552 • Fax (940) 686-2179 2 Southern Racehorse • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2013 www.valorfarm.com
INDYGO MOUNTAIN A.P. Indy – Mountain Girl, by Mountain Cat A winning son of the great A.P. INDY, INDYGO MOUNTAIN brings an impeccable pedigree to the Lone Star State. His female family includes Grade 1 winners SIPHONIC and LARAGH and millionaire DIXIE DOT COM.
SILVER CITY
Unbridled’s Song – Proposal, by Mt. Livermore From a family loaded with speed and soundness, SILVER CITY was a brilliant sprinter who had the stamina to go around two turns (second in the G3 Southwest Stakes at a mile). His dam’s full brother, G3 winner and G1-placed MULTIPLE CHOICE, raced until age 8! His first foals hit the track in 2014!
JET PHONE Phone Trick – Jet Route, by Alydar
JE PHO T NE co for lt so 2013 $29,00 ld 0 F Yea -T Texaat rlin s Sale g !
JET PHONE’S first runner, 2010 Texas Champion 2-Year-Old Colt/Gelding ACES N KINGS, has four stakes wins and earnings of more than $245,000. JET PHONE has the speed and pedigree to get you a runner!
ny Proge gs n i n r ea re of mo than n! lio $2.1 mil
WIMBLEDON
Wild Rush – Strawberry Clover, by Darn That Alarm
Formerly Texas’ leading freshman and second-crop sire, WIMBLEDON has nine stakes horses, including 2012 Texas Champion 2-Year-Old Colt/Gelding WORLDVENTURER, who just won the 1 1/8-mile Emerald Downs Derby by seven lengths to increase his earnings to $263,182. Clarence Scharbauer, Jr. Ken Carson, General Manager Donny Denton, Farm Manager • David Unnerstall, Attending Veterinarian Post Office Box 966 • Pilot Point, Texas 76258 (940) 686-5552 • Fax (940) 686-2179 www.valorfarm.com
Southern Racehorse • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2013 3
Southern Racehorse Advertisers Index 5B Farm.............................................37 7S Racing Stables............................58 Asmussen Horse Center....................8 Betty Matthews Racing Silks...........58 Biomedical Research Laboratories......9 Ellen Caines, Agent.........................59 Century Acres Farm........................28 Delta Downs....................................29 Diamond G Ranch Inc.....................6 Dynameaux/Stock for Sale............35 Larry Dyson/Horses for Sale............20 DRF Breeding...................................57 Equine Sales Co...............................28 Flashpoint.........................................11 Harmony Training Center.................6 Heritage Place................................13 JEH Stallion Station.........................BC John Deere......................................55 Johnny Keefer Racing & Training.......56 Lane’s End Texas...............................1 LOPE Texas.......................................15 Mighty Acres.................................. IFC Mojo Racing Partners.....................21 palaMOUNTAINS..............................19 Prime Ltd. Horse Transport..............58 Silver Spur Ranch Services..............58 SureBet Racing News......................36 Summer Hill Farm.............................10 Texas Horse Racing Hall of Fame.....51 Thoroughbred Athletes Inc............16 Thoroughbred Racing Association of Oklahoma...........................18, 52 Unbridled’s Heart............................56 Univ. of Arizona Racetrack Industry Program..........................12 Valor Farm.............................. 2, 3, IBC Winner’s Circle Thoroughbred Trainers Test...................................59
ADVERTISE IN SOUTHERN RACEHORSE! Southern Racehorse magazine is the most effective and affordable way to reach owners, breeders, trainers and others involved in the horse racing industry in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and the surrounding region. Southern Racehorse goes to more than 6,000 horsemen, including all members of the Texas Thoroughbred Association (TTA) and Thoroughbred Racing Association of Oklahoma (TRAO), plus more than 1,200 Louisiana horsemen, making it the region’s largest racing and breeding magazine by far. For more information about advertising in Southern Racehorse, including ad rates, deadlines and specifications, go to www.southernracehorse.com/advertising or contact Denis Blake at (512) 695-4541 or info@southernracehorse.com. Published by Pangaea Enterprises LLC d/b/a Southern Racehorse Southern Racehorse P.O. Box 8645 Round Rock, TX 78683 (512) 695-4541 www.southernracehorse.com Physical Address Southern Racehorse 1341 Meadowild Drive Round Rock, TX 78664 Editor/Publisher Denis Blake info@southernracehorse.com Art Director Amie Rittler arittler3@gmail.com
Contributing Writers Jason Hall Claire Novak Photographers Action Sports Photography/ Shutterstock.com Blackdogpictures.com Denis Blake Adam Coglianese/NYRA Coady Photography Four Footed Fotos Claire Novak Dustin Orona Photography Reed Palmer Photography Steve Queen Copyeditor Judy Marchman Cover Photo Horsephotos.com
Copyright ® 2013 Southern Racehorse All rights reserved. Articles may not be reprinted without permission. Southern Racehorse reserves the right to refuse any advertising or copy for any reason. Southern Racehorse makes a reasonable attempt to ensure that advertising claims are truthful, but assumes no responsibility for the truth and accuracy of ads.
CONNECT WITH SOUTHERN RACEHORSE ONLINE! HHH
For the most up-to-date racing and breeding news for Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana, visit Southern Racehorse online at www.southernracehorse.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/southernracehorse. You can also sign up for the free monthly email newsletter, the Southern Racehorse Express. 4
Southern Racehorse • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2013
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WHAT’S INSIDE
Southern
Racehorse September/ October 2013
31
Texas-bred Ojos de Hielo’s Panamanian journey
Departments Letter from the Editor Fast Furlongs TTA News TRAO News The Marketplace Classifieds
7 14 25 27 58
Features All Around the World
31
Southern Invasion
38
The Calhoun & Berry Show
40
Shining Stars at Evangeline
41
Summer Stakes
42
The Language of Numbers
44
Super Sales
46
The Long Haul
53
Texas-bred Ojos de Hielo cut his teeth in Panama and is now looking to make an impact in the United States
38
Louisiana-bred Designer Legs struts her stuff at Saratoga
Louisiana-bred Designer Legs takes Grade 2 Adirondack at Saratoga, Texas-bred Fiftyshadesofgold finishes third Jockey and trainer team to win three of four stakes on Stars of Texas Day at Lone Star Park
Le Gris, Solid Sender win divisions of the historic D.S. “Shine” Young Memorial Futurity in Louisiana A pictorial review of the early meet stakes at Remington Park, plus Texas-breds and Oklahoma-breds winning stakes around the country
53 Trailer tips to
save you money
Understanding stallion statistics can help you make the right selection The region’s first three yearling sales post significant gains across the board Safety and efficiency are important when towing racehorses in a trailer
Southern Racehorse • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2013 5
HARMONY TRAINING CENTER Where winners train!
HTC, centrally located in Inola, Oklahoma, is the premier location for your Thoroughbred and American Quarter Horse training needs. In 2012, HTC-trained horses earned over $1-million. Since March 2013, HTC-trained horses have already earned $2,274,748, including Iowa Stallion Stakes winner BIG SUGARUSH!
• Why choose HTC? • • HTC is located near Tulsa and an easy haul of less than 12 hours to 12 tracks, including Remington Park, Will Rogers Downs, Fair Meadows, Lone Star, Sam Houston, Retama and Oaklawn • Approved for official timed workouts • Completely railed, professionally-maintained training track is 40’ wide and 6 furlongs with a 200-yard chute • 152 stalls, each 11’ by 12’ • Round pens, sand pen, walkers and starting gate usage included with stall rental
HARMONY TRAINING CENTER
34396 S. 4220 Road • Inola, OK 74036 • 918-843-2301 (cell) • 918-543-6940 (office) info@HarmonyTrainingCenterOK.com • www.HarmonyTrainingCenterOK.com
Leading Oklahoma Stud Farm
By both earnings and number of wins at Oklahoma tracks
TACTICAL CAT Storm Cat – Terre Haute, by Caro (Ire)
Standing
LUCKY LIONEL Mt. Livermore – Crafty Nan, by Crafty Prospector
AFFIRMATIF
Unbridled’s Song – Wichitoz, by Affirmed Edmond, Oklahoma Contact R.G. Gammill (405) 359-5712
6
Southern Racehorse • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2013
Letter from the EDITOR Normally this page of the magazine is where I would tell you a years I’ve been involved. While there have always been places for little more about the articles on the pages that follow, but if you retired racehorses, it seems to me that there are many more turn back to the table of contents that should do the job. Instead, options now and a much greater acceptance from horse I want to touch on two somber but important topics, one equine people outside of racing that Thoroughbreds can indeed go on to and one human. productive second careers in a variety of disciplines. But of By now, most people inside and many outside of the horse course there is room to improve. racing industry have heard about the death of Monzante, One other thing that bothers me about this story is how a regally bred former Grade 1 winner who was pulled up during some of the outrage seemed to focus on the fact that Monzante a $4,000 claiming race at Evangeline Downs on July 20 and was running in a low-level claiming race in Louisiana of all euthanized shortly thereafter. There are plenty of opinions places. It was as if Louisiana (and by association and proximity, on who or what is to blame, in no particular order: the racing Texas and Oklahoma) is some kind of Wild West territory where commission, racetrack, breeder, veterinarians, current and anything goes in racing. And some of the commentators, both former owners and trainers, the use of medication in racing, etc. professional and amateur, seemed incredulous that Monzante I don’t really know who is to blame. Since I doubt I could even was at the “bottom of the barrel.” train a horse to do much of anything, I’m not qualified to deterLast time I checked, save for a few boutique meets like mine or understand the condition of the horse before, during Del Mar and Saratoga, every track runs low-level claiming or after the race and the many factors and events that ultimately races and many for lower purses than in this region of the caused his demise. country. It serves as another example of those from the “big” Instead, I want to bring up another point racing states looking down on any tracks that • that seems to have been missed in all of this. don’t happen to be located in Kentucky, New There was widespread outrage about MonzYork, California or Florida. Racing lost ante’s death, from racing journalists and longI’m not going to offer any great solutions to time fans to people on Facebook and Twitter this problem, partly because I’m sure there are a special who have probably never been to a horse race people smarter than me who can do that, but signing a petition demanding that the National person with I would like to encourage anyone who enjoys Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) inracing and enjoys reading Southern Racehorse vestigate his death (despite that the NTRA has magazine to contribute, either money or time, the passing no power or authority to do anything in this to one of the many horse retirement programs of track area). I can certainly understand the outrage, that are working to combat this problem. There both from those within the industry and casual are several good national programs, and we are observers, but I have to question why there is so photographer also blessed with many excellent ones in this much outrage about this particular horse. Just region of the country. To name just a few Jeff Coady. because Monzante won a Grade 1 race and had in Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana, please a million-dollar pedigree, does that make him consider LOPE, Remember Me Rescue, the • more deserving of a happy retirement? Does a Oklahoma Thoroughbred Retirement Progelding by a stallion who stands for $1,000 and who “only” won gram, Thoroughbred Athletes Inc., Thoroughbred Retirement a couple of claiming races, or never won a race at all, not deserve Network of Louisiana or another program of your choice. You to be treated with respect after his racing days are over? Some can also find out more about helping at the national level through of my favorite horses have been “cheap claimers.” Maybe they the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance at www.thoroughbredaftercare. didn’t have the pedigree to win the Kentucky Derby, or even an com. This is not something we can fix overnight, but we can’t fix it allowance race, but they still went out on the track and ran their unless we try harder. On an even sadder note, racing lost a special person with the hearts out for us to watch and enjoy. So I would submit that it doesn’t really matter if a horse was a Grade 1 winner or not a passing of track photographer Jeff Coady in late August (see winner at all, we still need to find a way to care for them when page 14). Besides being a great photographer—and trust me, they leave the track. Clearly Monzante deserved better, but so do it’s not nearly as easy as it might look to get a good finish line shot, especially at tracks that run at night—Jeff was one of the all the others. An argument could be made that Monzante enriched (literally) nicest guys you could ever meet. It can be a tiresome process for the lives of his breeders and former owners and trainers much a publication like this to get photos from many track photogmore than the average racehorse, and that some of the profits raphers, partly because they are supposed to provide them from his nearly $600,000 in earnings should have been used to for editorial use at no charge. But with Jeff and everyone at Cogive him a retirement party and a place to live out his life once ady Photography, they were always happy to provide whatever his best races were behind him. Certainly there have been some photos were needed, because it was for the good of the sport. Even cases where that has happened, and maybe there is some validity if you didn’t know Jeff, you were happy to see him because that to that idea, but the fact is that most horses will not earn enough meant you were in the winner’s circle. And if you did know Jeff, then money to set aside a significant amount for retirement, and most you know that racing did indeed lose a great friend. Our condolences owners, trainers and breeders are not the millionaires portrayed go to his brother Jack and the entire Coady family. in movies about the “sport of kings.” Denis Blake I don’t know what the answer is to fix this problem, but I Editor/Publisher, Southern Racehorse do know that the industry has come a long way in the 20 or so
Southern Racehorse • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2013 7
WE BREAK, CONDITION AND EDUCATE YOUNG THOROUGHBREDS TO RACE
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Southern Racehorse • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2013
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H ILLEGAL DOPING MEETS ITS MATCH Trainers Praise Natural Alternative By: Mark Hansen
The pressure to win is so enormous that many horsemen resort to whatever it takes to get a piece of the purse or a decent sale…even if it means putting their horses’ lives in mortal danger by doping them with illegal synthetic erythropoietin (EPO) drugs to boost endurance. Veterinarian Gary Smith said, “It’s a problem all over the industry. There is no way horses should be put on (synthetic) EPO.” So how do racers win? How do you gain a competitive edge without harming your horses or risking your livelihood? The answer may be found in a safe all-natural horse supplement that supports natural EPO function. Why is EPO boosting so critical? Just like in people, a horse’s muscles require oxygen for fuel. Red blood cells are the body’s oxygen-carrying cells. A higher red blood cell count = more oxygen = more muscle energy. Elevated muscle energy helps the horse perform harder, faster and longer during endurance events. All horses naturally produce EPO in their kidneys to stimulate production of new red blood cells from bone marrow. In short, EPO is a natural “blood builder.” With EPO doping, trainers try to boost the EPO effect to get a winning performance every time. They use a synthetic EPO (recombinant human EPO), even though the side effects can harm the horse. That’s one reason why it’s illegal. Fortunately there’s another option. EPOEquine® is a safe, highly effective natural dietary supplement scientifically engineered for performance horses. A Kentucky trainer who refused to give out his name, said, “I don’t want my competition to know about this.” He found EPO-Equine® to be
so effective that he’s dead set against disclosing who he is, who his horses are, or even where he trains and races. He first started ordering a single jar of EPO-Equine® once a month. Now he’s ordering several CASES each month. And he won’t tell BRL exactly why. He said respectfully, “Sorry – no way.” Bioengineers at U.S. based Biomedical Research Laboratories (BRL), first discovered a completely natural EPO-booster for human athletes (and it’s working miracles for top athletes and amateurs around the world). Seeing these results, horse trainers contacted BRL and asked about using this natural formula for their animals. That’s when the BRL team dug deeper and discovered a proprietary, horse-friendly strain of a common herb that promotes optimal bloodbuilding results. EPO-Equine® is based on the blood-boosting abilities of a certain strain of Echinacea that’s astounding researchers and trainers alike. (It’s not a strain you can find at the local health store.) Veterinarians at the Equine Research Centre in Ontario, Canada ran a double-blind trial investigating the blood building properties of the active ingredient in EPO-Equine® in healthy horses. For 42 days, one group of horses was supplemented with the active ingredient in EPOEquine® and another group of horses was given a placebo. The supplement delivered significant blood building results, increasing red blood cell count and hemoglobin levels. Researchers also observed improved blood quality and increased oxygen transport in the supplemented horses. Improved blood levels leads to elevated exercise physiology and performance. The patent-pending formula in EPO-Equine® contains a dozen different herbs, antioxidants and anti-inflammatory components combined to promote natural red blood cell production…for remarkable speed, strength and stamina right out of the gate. Trainers find it easy to add just 1 scoop (3.2 grams) of EPO-Equine® to the horse’s daily feeding routine in the barn or on the road. Within a few weeks of daily use, you can expect to see increased red blood cell levels with no undesirable side effects. An increase in red blood cell levels can improve muscle performance, supercharge endurance, and enhance recovery after hard exercise. Nothing else is scientifically proven to deliver these benefits in a completely safe and natural formula. Compared to the cost of veterinarians, drugs, icing, tapping the knees, and putting the horse on Bute; or even the consequences of being banned for synthetic doping, EPOEquine® is very affordable at the low price of just $59.95 per jar. Or save $180 if you are ready to commit to a larger trial of 12-jar case for just $539.55 with FREE shipping. EPOEquine® can be ordered at www.EPOEquine.com or 1-800-557-9055, and comes with a 100% money-back satisfaction guarantee.
Louisiana’s Premier Annual Yearling Sale Tuesday, September 24 Breeders Sales Co. of Louisiana / Ike Hamilton Expo Center / West Monroe, LA Hip 49 YES IT’S TRUE Colt o/o DYNAMIC BROAD, by Broad Brush
By G2 SW YES IT’S TRUE, proven sire of 13% Stakes Performers/Runners Half-brother to 9 winners, 3 SWs, incl. AMANECER DE ORO ($389,493), DYNAMIC TIME ($243,840) and TACTICAL BRUSH ($187,131)
Hip 57 OLD FORESTER filly o/o FINANCINGAVAILABLE, by Kiridashi
By GSW OLD FORESTER, Leading Sire in 2010, 2011 & 2012 with 14% Stakes Horses Out of three-time Champion FINANCINGAVAILABLE (101 Beyer, $1,257,832, 6 furlongs in 1:082⁄5), a granddaughter of Grade 1 mare FASCINATING GIRL
Hip 92 HALF OURS Colt o/o LADY’S KISS, by Kissin Kris
Registered Ontario-bred Eligible Ontario Sires Stakes
By UNBRIDLED’S SONG’s 2YO SW HALF OURS, sire of three 1st crop SWs Out of a half to FOUR SWs, incl. Louisiana Champion BLISSFUL UNION ($473,410, dam of BLISSFUL KISS, $340,836) & ALTA’S PRINCESS (dam of SMOOCHER, G2, 103 Beyer)
Hip 115 TENPINS Filly
o/o MISS COMMANDANT, by Deputy Commander
By G2 SW with a 113 Beyer TENPINS, sire of Classic Champion BIG RED MIKE First dam is a producing sister to SPW Commanding Lady and half to the dam of G2pl Latin Gipsy; family of G1pl GSW BILL E. SHEARS ($487,065)
Hip 145 Half Ours FILLY o/o QUADRIGA, by Grand Slam
By G2 SW with a 105 Beyer HALF OURS, sire of 74% Wnrs/Rnrs in his 1st two crops First foal from a record-setting allowance winner and the family of CAPTAIN COUNTDOWN (104 Beyer), VALID STRIPES (100 Beyer), etc.
Hip 146 MY PAL CHARLIE COLT o/o QUISTA, by Conquistador Cielo
By G2 Super Derby SW MY PAL CHARLIE, Louisiana’s Leading Freshman Sire of 2013 Immediate family of Classic-winning Champion STREET SENSE (111 Beyer, $4,383,200) & Leading Sire MR. GREELEY (111 Beyer, $474,452)
Winning Thoroughbreds 10
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Southern Racehorse • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2013
Southern Racehorse • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2013 11
RACE TRACK INDUSTRY PROGRAM
What Career Track Are You On?
TM
2nd Annual Thoroughbred Sale Mixed Sale, for horses of all ages
Saturday, December 14, 2013 •11:00 a.m. Entries must be received no later than Nov 15th. This is the closing weekend of the Remington Park Fall meet. Consignment contracts available on our website www.heritageplace.com or call Heritage Place
Serving The Horse Industry For 35 Years! (Located just 2 miles from Will Rogers International Airport)
2829 South MacArthur Blvd. • Oklahoma City, OK 73128 (405) 682-4551 • Fax (405) 686-1267 To find the latest sales results, catalogs and entry contracts, please check out the Heritage Place website. www.heritageplace.com • E-mail: info@heritageplace.com Southern Racehorse • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2013 13
fastfurlongs Track Photographer Jeff Coady Dies at 62 Longtime track photographer Jeff Coady, a familiar face in the region and at tracks across the country, died August 26 in Luling, Texas, after a battle with cancer. He was 62. Jeff, with his older brother Jack, operated Coady Photography, which was founded in 1962 by their father Jack Coady Sr. Among the tracks covered by Coady Photography are Delta Downs, Retama Park, Sam Houston Race Park and Will Rogers Downs, plus more than a dozen others. Jeff started working for his father at the age of 14, and, together with Jack, dedicated his life to Coady Photography and the horse racing industry. Jeff followed his passion of horse racing photography and traveled around North America working at various racetracks. He began with Turf Paradise in Arizona and racetracks throughout western Canada and continued to some of the most prestigious tracks in the country, including Oaklawn Park and Keeneland Race Course. Three of his four boys-—Shawn, Kevin and Kurtis-—also work for the company. “He wasn’t just willing to help publications-—large and small-—he was eager to do it,” wrote Ray Paulick at PaulickReport.com. “He and his family staked their livelihoods and their future on horse racing. He loved the game and loved his family. It showed in his work-—the beautiful images that brought the game to life-—and it showed in how he went
about it.” In November, Coady will be posthumously honored with the Joann Weber Distinguished Service Award from the Texas Horse Racing Hall of Fame. Jeff is survived by his wife, Nelda; brothers Jack (Mary Lou) of Iowa and Clay (nephew Ryan) of Arizona; and his four boys, Shawn of Arizona, Kevin (Robin and his grandCourtesy Coady Family son Ethan) of Arizona, Kurtis Jeff Coady (Linda) of Texas and Christopher of Arizona. He is also survived by his stepmother, Jane Coady of Arizona; mother-in-law Malvonee Hall of Texas; daughters Genia Zamora (Henry and grandchildren Corey and Crista) of Texas and Shanna Swinney (Drew) of Florida; and sister-in-law Sharon Grimes (Mike) of Texas. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to either the Oaklawn Park Chaplaincy or the First Baptist Church in Luling.
Wells Named VP and General Manager at Lone Star Park, Replaces Shubeck
Scott Wells
Courtesy Remington Park
Following a four-year stint as general manager of MEC Pennsylvania Racing at The Meadows, Drew Shubeck was named vice president and general manager for Lone Star Park at Grand Prairie in February 2006. One year later, he was elevated to president and GM and shepherded the track through challenging times. Now, Shubeck has announced his resignation to pursue other opportunities, and a familiar face
will be taking over the position. Scott Wells, president and GM of Remington Park, will now serve 14
Southern Racehorse • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2013
in that capacity for both tracks, which are owned by Global Gaming Solutions. Wells, the son and grandson of noted horsemen, served as assistant trainer to two Hall of Famers in D. Wayne Lukas and Jack Van Berg and trained horses himself in the 1970s and 1980s before taking an entry-level job in the Remington Park press box in 1990. By 1993, he was assistant general manager at Hollywood Park and soon became general manager of Ruidoso Downs. Working previously for Lone Star, Wells was instrumental in the reopening of the Hipodromo de las Americas in Mexico City and oversaw the reopening of Maronas, the national racetrack of Uruguay. He returned to Remington Park in 2005 and led the track through construction of a casino and eventually through the transition to new ownership, as Remington was acquired by Global Gaming Solutions in 2010. Wells was also recently elected as the 36th president of the Thoroughbred Racing Associations.
s
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Southern Racehorse • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2013 15
ff
Former NFL Quarterback Jake Delhomme Elected President of LTBA
Action Sports Photography / Shutterstock.com
Jake Delhomme was elected as the president of the board of directors for the Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association (LTBA) at the annual election of officers on August 17. The meeting was held at Harrah’s Louisiana Downs as part of Louisiana Cup Day, one of the four state-bred championship race days. Dexter Gary, who led the board as its president for two years, nominated Delhomme for the position. In nominating Delhomme, Gary spoke of Delhomme’s leadership, national recognition and positive image throughout the industry. After his election, Delhomme took the gavel to lead the meeting and commented, “I will do the best that I can in leading this organization. “I am all about moving forward for the best of this industry,” added Delhomme. “We have strong members on this board and I want us to use our best qualities to go forward.” Delhomme is a retired quarterback who played for the University of Louisiana-Lafayette before being signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent after the 1997 NFL Draft. Delhomme began his professional career as a practice squad player with the Saints in 1997 and played in NFL Europe for two
Jake Delhomme
years in between NFL seasons. Returning to the Saints, Delhomme played his first NFL game in 1999. Delhomme played as the Carolina Panthers starting quarterback from 2003 to 2009 and led the team to Super Bowl XXXVIII in his first season with Carolina. After his departure from Carolina, Delhomme also played for the Cleveland Browns in 2010 and Houston Texans in 2011. Jake’s brother Jeff was a top wide receiver at McNeese State and also serves on the LTBA board. Jake and the Delhomme family share a lifelong love of racing with Set-Hut Stables in south Louisiana. Long before Delhomme learned to throw a football, he learned about caring for the horses his father raced at Louisiana tracks. “The values I learned while training horses as a child showed themselves in my development as an athlete,” said Delhomme. “I found in horse racing an outlet for my competitive juices in retirement.” Elected as first vice president was Keith MyWhat if you could ensure a safe retirement for your racehorse ers. Myers and his wife, Ginger, own Coteau Grove while helping the next generation of horsemen and horsewomen? Farms in Sunset, Louisiana. Myers is also CEO of LHC Group, a preferred post-acute care partner for Thoroughbred Athletes Inc., an Oklahoma-based 501(c)(3) organization, is dedicated hospitals, physicians and families nationwide. LHC to rehabilitating, retraining and rehoming former Thoroughbred racehorses so that they can lead happy and productive lives after leaving the track. At the same time, Group has 8,500 employees in 26 states. our program allows young people to interact with these wonderful animals and Trainer and breeder Brett Brinkman was elected develop character, a strong work ethic and a passion for horses AND horse racing second vice president. He is the owner of Le Mesa by involving them in activities on the backside and during the races! Join us on Stallions in Carencro, Louisiana. He stands some of the June 20-21, 2014, at Remington Park for the Sport of Kings Challenge! top stallions in the state and is recognized as a top racehorse trainer. Accepting donations of all kinds! Also serving on the board are Jay Adcock, Thoroughbred Athletes Inc. Charlotte Stemmans Clavier, Jeff Delhomme, Tom 2851 South Midwest Blvd. • Guthrie, OK 73044 (405) 802-1312 • www.thoroughbred-athletes.com Early, Dexter Gary, Nathan Granger, Michelle www.facebook.com/thoroughbredathletes LaVoice, Neal McFadden, Val Murrell, Lora Pitre and lynn@thoroughbred-athletes.com Michele Rodriguez.
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Southern Racehorse • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2013
Jackpot to Anchor $4.6 Million Stakes Schedule at Delta Downs
Coady Photography
Goldencents won last year’s Delta Downs Jackpot and went on to capture this year’s Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby.
Delta Downs has released its 2013-14 Thoroughbred stakes schedule, which includes 32 races and $4.6 million in total purse money. “We are extremely excited about the upcoming season at Delta Downs,” said Steve Kuypers, Vice President and General Manager of Delta Downs Racetrack Casino & Hotel. “The tremendous support we receive from the horsemen each year along with the tireless work of our team members make Delta Downs racing something special.” The highlight of the upcoming 88-day season, which runs from October 11 through March 15, will come on Saturday, November 23. On that day the track will host eight
stakes races and offer $2.25 million in total purse money during the 11th running of the $1 million Delta Downs Jackpot (G3). The program will have a special post time of 1:15 p.m. CST. Last year’s Delta Downs Jackpot Day program produced the second-highest single-day handle in track history of $4,359,362, only 1.57 percent less than 2011 when fans poured a record $4,434,099 through the wagering windows. Other highlights of the new stakes schedule include a pair of prep races on the third weekend of the meet. On Friday, October 25, the $150,000 My Trusty Cat will serve as a prelude to the $500,000 Delta Downs Princess (G3), and on Saturday, October 26, the $200,000 Jean Lafitte will be a steppingstone to the Delta Downs Jackpot. The Delta Downs Princess also takes place on the Delta Downs Jackpot program in November. The richest night program of the season will take place on Saturday, February 1, when another edition of Louisiana Premier Night takes place. The card features 10 stakes for Louisiana-bred horses and more than $1 million in total purse money. The evening’s highlight will be the $200,000 Louisiana Premier Night Championship for older horses competing at 1 1/16 miles. Live racing will begin each night during the season at 5:45 p.m. CST. For more information about the upcoming Thoroughbred season at Delta Downs and to view the entire stakes schedule, visit the track’s racing website at www.deltadownsracing.com.
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Houston Ladies Classic Highlights Sam Houston Stakes Schedule
Sam Houston Race Park will kick off its 21st racing season on Friday, January 17. The Texas Racing Commission recently granted approval for the 2014 schedule, which begins with Thoroughbreds returning for a 32-day meeting through March 11. The 2014 stakes schedule includes 22 Thoroughbred events, offering total purses of nearly $1.7 million. The 2014 Thoroughbred season will begin with Texas Champions Weekend, which will continue in its two-day format for the third consecutive year. Texas-breds will take center stage on opening night with three stakes for fillies and mares: the $50,000 San Jacinto Stakes, $50,000 Yellow Rose Stakes and $50,000 Bara Lass Stakes. On Saturday, January 18, their male counterparts star in four events: the $50,000 Star of Texas Stakes, $50,000 Richard After winning the King Stakes, $50,000 Spirit of Texas Stakes and Houston Ladies Classic in January, $50,000 Groovy Stakes. Sam Houston Race Park President Andréa Joyful Victory scored Young confirmed that the Houston Racing a Grade 1 win in the Festival will return on Saturday, January 25. Santa Margarita The evening will feature four stakes, including Stakes at Santa the $400,000 Houston Ladies Classic, $200,000 Anita Park. Connally Turf Cup (G3), $75,000 Champion
Energy Stakes and $50,000 Allen’s Landing Stakes. Proceeds from the richest day in Texas Thoroughbred racing will again benefit the Houston chapter of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Other significant dates include Texas Stallions Weekend on Saturday, February 15, with the $75,000 Two Altazano division and $75,000 Jim’s Orbit division of the Texas Stallion Stakes, plus the $50,000 Jersey Village Stakes. The Maxxam Gold Cup Racing Festival will take place on Saturday, March 1, and feature the $100,000 Maxxam Gold Cup, $50,000 Jersey Lilly Stakes and $50,000 Texas Heritage Stakes. The final weekend of the live Thoroughbred racing season will be highlighted by the HH Sheikh Zayed Arabian Racing Festival on Saturday, March 8, and will feature the return of the popular camel and ostrich races. Track officials also announced that Tuesday afternoons will replace Sundays in the 2014 Thoroughbred meet. Post times for live Thoroughbred racing will be 7 p.m. for Fridays and Saturdays and 1 p.m. for Mondays and Tuesdays. “We have been really pleased with the growth of Mondays since we added them in 2011,” Young said. “We are hoping to replicate some of that success with the addition of Tuesdays this coming season.” For more information and a complete stakes schedule, go to www.shrp.com. Southern Racehorse • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2013 17
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Lone Star Park Meet Concludes with Slight Increases
Lone Star Park concluded its 17th spring Thoroughbred season on July 6 with slight increases in average daily attendance, average live product handle and average all-sources handle. Average daily attendance during the meet, which was conducted over 50 dates between April 11 and July 6, increased 2 percent. A total of 372,584 customers attended for a daily average of 7,452, compared to the 7,325 daily average in 2012. Average daily on-track live handle declined 3 percent on Lone Star races. Overall, $13.6 million was wagered during the 50-day meet. The 2012 season ran 53 days and totaled $14.9 million in live on-track wagering handle. Average daily simulcast-out handle showed a positive gain from $669,811 in 2012 to $685,396 in 2013, a 2.3 percent increase. The total live product average increased 1 percent from 2012. While off to a slow start, due in part to the inclement Texas weather which kept races off the turf course for the first 17 days of the meet (only 88 total turf races were held vs. 155 in 2012, a 43 percent decline), positive trends were visible throughout the final weeks of the season. A total of 86,203 fans attended Lone Star’s final seven days of live racing, an increase of 4.3 percent over the 82,675 for the equivalent period last year. This year’s Lone Stars and Stripes Fireworks Celebration showed a huge increase on July 4 due to an enhanced media plan, including new social media efforts, and a revised parking and transportation plan that contributed to a 25 percent increase in attendance from 20,061 in 2012 to 25,083 this year. Overall, the two-day fireworks total of 38,028 represented a 14 percent increase over the 33,363 who attended a Pat Green concert and one day of fireworks in 2012. The nine-concert Lone Star Music Series, presented by Bud Light, finished strong on closing weekend with Pat Green and Billy Currington attracting more than 24,000 people for shows on Friday and Saturday. A total of 115,731 people attended post-race concerts this year, representing 30 percent of the total attendance. Average attendance for the concert series was 12,859, a 72 percent increase over the 7,452 daily average attendance in 2012. On the track, a total of 3,820 starters competed in 461 races compared to 4,086 runners in 488 races during the 53-day meet in 2012. Average field size was 8.29 compared to 8.37 from last year, a decrease of 1 percent. Average daily purses were $143,451
compared to $141,479, an increase of 1 percent. Newcomers dominated in all categories in this year’s standings as the top jockey, trainer and owner each earned their first Lone Star titles. Jockey Lindey Wade won 54 races from 183 starts. His mounts earned $715,668. Trainer Allen Milligan had 46 wins from 205 starts with $504,412 in earnings for his stable. Owner Danny Keene captured 22 wins from 84 starters. His runners earned $230,075. Alfredo Sanchez Sigala earned top apprentice jockey honors with 24 wins from 249 starts and earnings of $366,932. Horse of the Meet honors were bestowed on Master Rick. He became the second horse in Lone Star history to sweep the $200,000 Texas Mile Stakes (G3) and the $300,000 Lone Star Park Handicap (G3) in only two appearances at the track. Dixie Dot Com swept both races in 2001 in only two appearances. The other horses honored were Lasting Bubbles as Champion Texas-bred and Black Ida’s Jo Jo as Champion Claiming Horse.
QUALITY HORSES FOR SALE
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2-in-1 package • 5-year-old Posse mare out of a daughter of Secretariat • In foal to Crossbow (young son of Bernardini) Also selling yearling filly by Magic Cat out of Hadif mare with a great family, ready to break Both are Texas-accredited and priced to sell Contact Larry Dyson (903) 583-3261 larry@dysonmotors.com
Oklahoma Stallion Podium Gets First Winner Storm Cat mare. The 9-yearold stallion is a half brother to Grade 2 winner and leading Louisiana sire Half Ours, and his second dam is Grade 1 winner Key Phrase, who Podium is the dam of another top Louisiana sire in Yankee Gentleman. Podium stood the 2013 breeding season for a $1,000 fee as property of Bigheart Thoroughbreds and Scott L. Pierce. For more information, go to www.cainesstallionstation.com.
Bigheartthoroughbreds.com
Freshman Oklahoma stallion Podium, a son of Pulpit who stands at Caines Stallion Station near Wynnewood, was represented by his first winner on September 11 as his daughter Party Cove captured a $34,300 maiden special weight contest at Remington Park. Bred in Oklahoma by Bigheart Thoroughbreds and owned by Southern Okie Boys LLC, Party Cove nearly led from gate to wire before crossing the finish line 1 ½ lengths in front with a time of 1:05.11 for 5 ½ furlongs. Bryan McNeil rode for trainer Roger Engel. Party Cove, who is out of the Baldski mare Dear Sweet, finished a close third in her racing debut and has now banked $23,877 in two starts. Podium is an unraced son of successful sire of sires Pulpit out of a
Oklahoma Stallion Mr. Nightlinger Gets First Winner record for 5 ½ furlongs at Arlington Park in winning the Arlington Sprint Handicap in 1:01.89. Mr. Nightlinger retired with 10 wins in 25 starts for earnings of $644,355. He was trained by Bret Calhoun for owners Martin Racing Stable and Carl R. Moore Management. For more information, go to www.jehstallionstation.com.
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Mr. Nightlinger Multiple Grade 3 winner and Oklahoma stallion Mr. Nightlinger was represented by his first winner on August 23 when E Z Glider won a maiden race at Evangeline Downs by 2 ¾ lengths. The dark bay or brown filly completed the five-furlong affair in 1:00.53 over a fast main track for owner The Five Horsemen LLC and trainer Carl Deville. Bred in Louisiana by Cantrell Family Partnership Ltd., E Z Glider is the first foal out of the winning El Prado (Ire) mare Adayinspain. Mr. Nightlinger, a 9-year-old son of Indian Charlie, stands at JEH Stallion Station’s Oklahoma Division in Wynnewood for an advertised fee of $1,500. His debut crop of juveniles consists of 30 Thoroughbred foals. Bred in Kentucky by Brereton Jones, Mr. Nightlinger made his mark in turf sprints during his threeseason racing career, winning the Aegon Turf Sprint (G3) at Churchill Downs and the Shakertown Stakes (G3) at Keeneland Race Course. He also set the course
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El Corredor to Stand at The Stallion Station @ Copper Crowne in Louisiana Grade 1 winner and multiple Grade 1 sire El Corredor has been relocated from New York to stand at The Stallion Station @ Copper Crowne in Opelousas, Louisiana. El Corredor joins Louisiana’s leading stallion, Songandaprayer, at Copper Crowne. On the track, El Corredor won seven of 10 starts with victories in the Cigar Mile Handicap (G1), Del Mar Breeders’ Cup Handicap (G2, twice) and Pat O’Brien Handicap (G2). The son of Mr. Greeley retired with earnings of $727,920. As a stallion, El Corredor has sired three champions, 14 graded stakes winners, 34 El Corredor stakes winners and the earners of more than $32 million with average earnings per starter of $51,756. Among his six Grade/Group 1 winners are Santa Anita Oaks winner Crisp, Frizette Stakes winner Adieu, Garden City Stakes winner Backseat Rhythm and Blue Grass Stakes winner Dominican. El Corredor has already had success in the state as the sire of Louisiana-bred champion Little Ms Protocol, an earner of $583,890 who
has dominated the state-bred distaff ranks with six stakes victories. The 4-year-old filly, bred and owned by Coteau Grove Farms, also proved she could compete in open company with a third-place finish in the $200,000 Sixty Sails Handicap (G3) at Hawthorne Race Course. El Corredor is the broodmare sire of Louisiana-bred Le Gris (by Half Ours), who won the colts/geldings division of the D.S. “Shine” Young Memorial Futurity this year. The progeny of El Corredor have also proven popular in the sales ring as his yearlings have sold for an average of $60,710 with his 2-year-olds fetching an average of $79,600. He has a crop of 71 2-year-olds on the track for 2013. El Corredor, who is a half brother to Grade 1 winner, millionaire and leading sire Roman Ruler, will stand the 2014 breeding season for a $3,500 fee if paid by November 15, or $4,000 stands and nurses. The El Corredor Syndicate also has options for ownership shares or lifetime breeding rights available. For more information, visit www.coppercrowne.com or call (337) 942-2401.
Flashpoint to Le Mesa Stallions in Louisiana
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Later that year, Flashpoint produced another dominating performance with a seven-length victory in the Jersey Shore Stakes for trainer Wesley Ward and owner Peachtree Stables. He finished his career with trainer Steve Flashpoint Asmussen, who guided the sprinter to a victory in this year’s Sam Houston Sprint Cup Stakes with a 99 Beyer Speed Figure and career earnings of $361,722. Flashpoint is by multiple Grade 1 winner Pomeroy and out of two-time stakes winner Two Punch Lil. “Flashpoint was one of the best American 3-year-old sprinters of the last decade,” said Ken Wilkins, Spendthrift Stallion Director. “His race record is filled with several dominating wins, and he finished on the board in 12 of his 15 starts. But more than anything, we are excited to bring Louisiana breeders the Share the Upside program for the first time. We look forward to Flashpoint bringing the same kind of results that Into Mischief did for breeders who got involved in our first Share the Upside program.”
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Spendthrift Farm has purchased Flashpoint, winner of the 2011 Hutcheson Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream Park and Jersey Shore Stakes (G3) at Monmouth Park. The multiple graded stakes-winning son of Pomeroy will take up stud duty at Le Mesa Stallions in Carencro, Louisiana, for the 2014 breeding season. “Spendthrift is thrilled to bring the Share the Upside program to Louisiana breeders for the first time with this promising young stallion prospect,” said Ned Toffey, Spendthrift Farm General Manager. “We remain committed to offering breeders exciting young stallion prospects in our Share the Upside program. And bringing this program to Louisiana allows us to continue our commitment to bringing breeders the best deals in the stallion business.” The Share the Upside program allows breeders to earn lifetime breeding rights for a one-time deposit. “I think he’s an exceptional addition to the Louisiana program,” said Brett Brinkman of Le Mesa Stallions. “For the land of the futurities, his fast and precocious form is a great fit for our breeders.” Flashpoint began his racing career at three at Aqueduct where he broke his maiden first time out by 6 ¼ lengths in a six-furlong maiden special weight on the inner track. He followed up that impressive performance with a dominating 7 ¼-length victory in the Hutcheson Stakes in only his second race. He then defeated Grade 1 winner Stay Thirsty and multiple graded stakes winner Soldat in the Florida Derby (G1) while finishing a game fourth.
My Pal Charlie Sires First Winner
Lou Hodges Photography
Freshman sire My Pal Charlie, record-setting winner of Super Derby XXIX (G2), sired his first winner when 2-year-old My Charlie Ray captured his debut in a $30,000 five-furlong maiden special weight race at Evangeline Downs on July 25. Trained by Bret Calhoun, My Charlie Ray earned $18,000 for his owner Chuck Ogle, who also bred the bay gelding in Louisiana out of the Fusaichi Pegasus mare Pegasus Rose. My Charlie Ray was also his sire’s first foal when he was born on January 11, 2011. By Indian Charlie, My Pal Charlie established a stakes record in winning the 2008 Super Derby, running 1 1/8 miles in 1:48.36 at Louisiana Downs. He is the most accomplished performer from the Halo mare Shahalo, a multiple graded stakes producer. My Pal Charlie is a full brother to Bwana Charlie, a Grade 2 winner and Grade 1 sire, and half brother to Grade 3 winner Bwana Bull. My Pal Charlie retired to Elite Thoroughbreds in Folsom, Louisiana, in 2010 with earnings of $762,519. He completed the 2013 breeding season at Elite for a fee of $3,000 stands and nurses.
My Pal Charlie My Pal Charlie is owned by Spendthrift Farm and is a participant in Spendthrift’s Breed Secure program, which allows a mare to be bred with no stud fees due until the foal is sold as a weanling or yearling.
Scarlet Mist, Stickrossmountain Score in Fair Meadows Stakes Fair Meadows in Tulsa wrapped up its live racing season on August 2 with the only two Thoroughbred stakes of the meet, both of which were for Oklahoma-breds. In the $47,500 Muscogee (Creek) Nation Stakes for fillies and mares, Ronald and Lynn Mock’s homebred Scarlet Mist pulled off a 13-1 upset to earn her first stakes victory. Piloted by Travis Cunningham for conditioner Mark Buehrer, the 5-year-old daughter of Pure Prize prevailed by a half-length and traveled six furlongs in 1:12.40. Scarlet Mist has now won four of 23 career starts with two seconds and three thirds. Her earnings stand at $125,729. Pat Sheetz and Phil Hoedebeck Jr.’s Crhossgo, a daughter of Lucky Lionel, set the early pace and finished second. Lesley Be Judged, a Devil His Due mare running for Gar Oil Corp., finished third as the favorite.
The $47,250 Route 66 Stakes went to H and H Ranch’s Stickrossmountain, who drew clear to a 4 ¾-length win under jockey Jose Medina. The Karl Broberg-trained gelding stopped the timer at 1:18.60 for 6 ½ furlongs. Bred by Joyce Tackett and John Wartchow out of the Cutlass Reality mare Luci’s Reality, Stickrossmountain is a 6-year-old son of National Saint. The gelding now has two stakes wins after taking the TRAO Classic Sprint Stakes last year at Will Rogers Downs. All told, he has banked $206,511 with seven wins in 23 starts. George W. Straw Jr.’s Johnny Whip, a stakes winner during the Will Rogers meet, finished second as the favorite. Rumor Can Fly crossed the wire third for owner and trainer Betty Lou Dennis.
Solar Charge, Wild Slew Win Gillespie Stakes The Gillespie County Fairgrounds in Fredericksburg, Texas, presented a pair of Texas-bred stakes during its eight-day mixed meet this summer with Solar Charge taking the $12,700 Texas Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes and Wild Slew prevailing in the $17,900 Gillespie County Fair Association Texas-Bred Stakes. Solar Charge, who set a six-furlong track record at Gillespie in last year’s Texas Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes, gave an encore performance in this year’s edition on July 20 as he rolled to an easy 7 ½-length win under Roman Chapa. The 6-year-old gelding by Authenticate sprinted the distance in 1:13.22, compared to his 1:11.40 time last year. Bred by Carolyn Barnett, owned by H and H Ranch and trained by Danny Pish, Solar Charge has won 13 of 41 career starts with earnings of $340,386. He also has stakes wins at Remington Park and Sam Houston Race Park.
Pish also saddled runner-up Ammann Rd, a Shaquin gelding running for owner Carol Heltzel. Michael Valenzuela’s Bien d’Or, a gelding by My Golden Song, closed for third. Solar Charge was favored to sweep the Gillespie stakes in the August 25 GCFA Texas-Bred Stakes, but he finished fourth as the 1-2 favorite with 9-1 shot Wild Slew earning the victory. Ridden by David Cabrera for trainer Allen Dupuy and owner Sonja Dupuy, Wild Slew got up to win the seven-furlong race by a nose in 1:26.41. The 3-year-old Doneraile Court gelding, bred by Bridget Kerbel, picked up his third career win from 17 starts and improved his bankroll to $38,162. The gelding broke his maiden at Lone Star Park and scored a claiming win there before shipping to Gillespie. The Seeking a Home gelding Tater Red, owned by Jose Dolores Camacho, took second at odds of 20-1, and Karen Jacks’ Only Man in Town, by New Trieste, closed for third. Southern Racehorse • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2013 23
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Texas Horse Racing Hall of Fame Announces 2013 Class
The Texas Horse Racing Hall of Fame will once again honor horses and people that have enriched the tradition of horse racing in the Lone Star State on November 16 at Retama Park. The 13th annual Texas Horse Racing Hall of Fame Gala will be held before and during the races starting at 5 p.m. The gala includes valet parking, cocktails, a gourmet buffet dinner, induction of the honorees, a silent auction and live Thoroughbred races. All proceeds from the gala, which is open to the public, will benefit the Texas Horse Racing Hall of Fame, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the legacy of the horse racing industry and those individuals who have influenced and contributed to its growth and development. Proceeds from the 2012 gala benefited the Texas A&M Foundation Equine Initiative and the Retama Park Racetrack Chaplaincy. Serving as the emcee and auctioneer for the evening will be National Hall of Fame trainer and horse racing legend Jack Van Berg, who became the first trainer to win 5,000 races when he saddled Art’s Chandelle to victory at Arlington Park on July 15, 1987. Van Berg was the leading trainer at Ak-Sar-Ben Racetrack in Omaha, Nebraska, for 19 straight years. In 1976, he set a record for the most wins in a year with 496 and was also the nation’s leading trainer by earnings. He is best known for training Kentucky Derby (G1) and Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) winner Alysheba. For more information or to purchase tickets for the gala at $125 per person, please contact Sharolyn Grammer at (210) 651-7000 or retama@flash.net. Generous sponsorship packages are available. The 2013 inductees are the late Arthur A. Seeligson Jr., Dr. Glenn Blodgett, Tami Purcell Burklund and horses Hadif, Kontiki and Dashingly. The Joann Weber Distinguished Service Award will be presented posthumously to Jeff Coady of Coady Photography. Following is a look at the inductees: Arthur A. Seeligson Jr. A San Antonio native, Arthur A. Seeligson Jr. was an oilman, rancher and Thoroughbred racehorse owner and breeder. Seeligson was involved in Thoroughbred horse racing for more than 40 years. He had stakes winners both in the United States and Europe. He most notably bred and raced Avatar, winner of the 1975 Belmont Stakes (G1) and Santa Anita Derby (G1) and runner-up in the Kentucky Derby (G1). For a time, Seeligson was a co-owner of Hialeah Park in Florida, and he was a member of the board of directors of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs, New York. Dr. Glenn Blodgett Dr. Glenn Blodgett is an award-winning veterinarian and longtime breeder of American Quarter Horses. He began representing Texas as an American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) director in 1991. In 2011, he was elevated to director-at-large and in 2012 was elected to the AQHA Executive Committee. In 1982, Blodgett became the resident veterinarian and manager of the horse division at the 6666 Ranch in Guthrie, Texas.
Hadif
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During his tenure at the 6666, the ranch has become the AQHA’s all-time leading breeder of performance horses and race money-earners and winners. Tami Purcell Burklund During her stellar career as a Quarter Horse jockey, Tammy Purcell Burklund rode more than 9,475 horses and won on 2,143 of them. She earned 87 stakes wins, including the prestigious All American Futurity at Ruidoso Downs—the richest Quarter Horse race for 2-year-olds in North America. She remains the only woman rider to win that race. Burklund is a two-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier and a recipient of the WNFR Rising Star Award. Burkland now tours the nation teaching barrel racers. Hadif Prominent southwestern sire Hadif was bred and foaled at Alice Chandler’s Mill Ridge Farm near Lexington, Kentucky. The bay son of Clever Trick was purchased by Sheikh Hamdan’s Shadwell Estate Co. for $200,000 at the 1987 Keeneland September yearling sale. A major stakes winner in England, Canada and the United States, Hadif retired with a record of eight wins from 34 lifetime starts and earnings of $403,412. In 1991, Hadif was purchased by Dorothy Scharbauer and sent to Dorothy and husband Clarence’s Oklahoma Stud Ranch, near Purcell, to begin his stud career. After one season he was moved to the Scharbauers’ newly established Valor Farm near Pilot Point, Texas. During his stud career he sired 22 stakes winners and 30 other black-type horses and had earners of more than $12.5 million with four Texas champions. He ranks at No. 10 on the list of the top 50 Texas sires by lifetime progeny earnings and is the only one of the 10 that did not start his career in Kentucky or Florida. Kontiki Named U.S. National Champion Arabian Racehorse and a member of the Arabian Horse Trust Hall of Fame, Kontiki was a racing legend and the most significant sire in the foundation racing pedigrees in America for his breed. He established a dynasty in foundation American racing bloodlines before dying at age 10 of colic. Beaten only once in nine races, Kontiki was honored by The Jockey Club for the Thoroughbred breed as the 59th entry in a list of “100 All-Time Greatest Racehorses of the World Regardless of Breed,” along with Man o’ War, Native Dancer, Kelso, Secretariat and John Henry. Dashingly The 1979 mare Dashingly won $1.75 million on the track during her Quarter Horse racing career, making her one of the richest mares in AQHA history and one of the few millionaires who earned that much money without winning the rich All American Futurity. During her racing career, the sorrel mare was owned first by Windi Phillips, who was 15 at the time, and later by J.E. Jumonville Jr. The mare was trained by American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame member Bubba Cascio. At the time of her death, Dashingly was owned by J. Baxter Brinkmann of Dallas. In 2014, she will enter the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame.
texas Thoroughbred Association News for more, visit www.texasthoroughbred.com
Adopting Change and Using Social Media By Fred Taylor Jr.
The following was presented to the Texas Thoroughbred Association Board of Directors at its August 25 meeting at Lone Star Park. I realize that many of you don’t know me. And, some of you know very little about me. I work for Southwest Airlines—I’ve been with the company over 16 years and currently am a customer service and communications leader. My specific title is Manager Proactive Customer Service Communications. My team’s job is to try to come up with ways that our company can contact and assist our customers when our service could be, is or has been significantly disrupted. My team’s challenge is to do this before our customers ask for it. I am also a Thoroughbred owner and a TTA member. And, I was recently selected to serve on our Marketing and Membership committees. I have a small business called Mojo Thoroughbred Holdings LLC, and we race under the name Mojo Racing Partners. I started Mojo in 2006 following Ken Carson’s advice. Back then, Ken told me: If you can put together a group that’s fun, affordable and easy to get involved with, then you’ll be on to something. As I’m a proactive customer service and communications guy who also owns racehorses, Ken asked me to talk to you about two things: adapting to change and using social media to help this organization think about broadening its horizon.
Adopting Change There is one constant in life—change. Change is inevitable, and successful organizations know they either change or they will die. In fact, at Southwest Airlines, we’ve not only come to terms with change, we believe change occurs like waves on the ocean and the cycle of change continues decade after decade. We also know that change is very difficult to accept—especially when things are good. No one wants to rain on the best parade. But, the truth of the matter is, the rain will come, and how well you get through the storm, before happy days are here again, depends on your strategic vision.
and how you want to do it (your mission). At Southwest Airlines, we know we have to adjust our business strategy every five years in order to stay ahead of change. In fact, we are in the midst of a five-year transformation. Why? Because the way the world is doing business and the cost of doing business is changing. Thus, in order to attract and support new interests, we changed our frequent flyer program. We bought another airline. We included a bigger 737 in our fleet. And, we are going to fly to international destinations in the near future.
Be Proactive In my department at Southwest Airlines, we are also in the middle of a strategy transformation. Why? Because we didn’t want to become complacent—we wanted to be a proactive example for the rest of the company to follow. To this end, the department leadership (myself included) decided to be different. We wanted to establish a change leadership mindset within our department. We wanted to provide internal and external services to our company and our customers. We wanted to rightsize our talents and teams. And, we set SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely) to help us achieve our objectives.
Be Ready The truth of the matter is: Change will happen whether you like it or not. And, you can either prepare for it or you can sit around and wait for it to happen and hope you are nimble enough to react to it. At Southwest Airlines and in my department, we prefer to control our own destiny—so, we try to proactively prepare for it. And, our vision, our mission and our goals are designed to forecast, adjust and deliver the desired results before the intended delivery dates.
Be Intentional
Using Social Media
Once you accept the reality and the frequency of change, then you have to be intentional about implementing it. You have to know the reason you exist (your purpose), what you want to do (your vision)
One of the things that have changed the way organizations do business in the last five years is social media. Social media is an Internet-based technology that, essentially,
Southern Racehorse • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2013 25
texas Thoroughbred Association News for more, visit www.texasthoroughbred.com
connects people. Social media connects people with people, connects people with businesses, and most importantly for our sport, connects people with their dreams. Social media helps people stay in touch and interact—for free! A recent consumer survey conducted by Chadwick Martin Bailey reported that 75 percent of people are likely to share content that they like with their friends, co-workers or family. And, 49 percent do so weekly. And, the primary way they are doing it these days is via social media.
Individual Value The members of the TTA need to get to know each other, we need to trust each other, we need to count on each other and we need to stay in touch with each other. But, we don’t need to call everybody every day. We don’t need to email everybody every day. And, we don’t need to visit each other’s websites every day. So, how do you know when to pay attention? One of the best things about social media is that, in conjunction with smartphone technology, we can have late-breaking news about the things we like directly delivered to our mobile devices—for free! In addition to having information sent to us, social media also allows us to organize and share our own photos, videos, meeting notes and special events so they are interactive with the people who like us. So, I like to think of social media as a personal concierge service.
Value to the TTA From a business point of view, social media has evolved in the last three years and now allows organizations to place their products and services in front of the people they want to attract. Social media platforms, like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, etc. are now being used like store fronts for the public. Having pages in these social media spaces is like having branch offices, multiple shops or billboards in different locations. As an organization, we want as many people as we can get to follow the TTA. Any age, gender, race, religion, political belief and
income level—we’ll take ’em all as long as they express an interest in the sport. With social media, we can acquire followers via traditional word of mouth advertising, and we can also promote our services to specific demographics and measure the results through affordable targeting campaigns.
Personal Value But, social media is more than a diary, it’s more than a place to chat and it’s more than a sales pitch. Most importantly to this organization, social media is a way to communicate real-life experiences. Social media is our opportunity to post personal interest stories. Social media platforms allow us to share stories about the fun side of our sport, the educational side of our sport and the human side of our sport. What we share or promote is up to us and what our followers like. It could be full articles or it could be short snippets about what someone has accomplished. It just needs to be relevant to what we stand for and what our followers want to see. Trainer John Ward recently said, “Our business is supported by dreams.” Social media can help us tell the stories about how dreams really do come true in Texas. Social media is not the end game; it is, however, an effective tool that can help the TTA connect with more people on their terms in a personal way. In Ken Carson’s letter to TTA members last issue, he outlined the challenge and makes the case for adopting change. Ken asked us to focus on three key objectives: more involvement from our current members, enhancing our stakes program and bringing in more members. Ken also gives us something crucial to our efforts— hope. He encourages us that there are promising opportunities in our immediate future and to focus our energies on embracing them. I’m excited about being involved with the TTA. I’m looking forward to getting to know each of you better this year. And, I want to help us chart the course for the future of this organization. I’m confident that, if we pool our talents and resources, together, we can accomplish our top three objectives.
The TTA Facebook page is at www.facebook.com/texasthoroughbredassociation and Southern Racehorse is at www.facebook.com/southernracehorse.com.
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Southern Racehorse • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2013
Thoroughbred Racing Association of Oklahoma News
Congratulations to the 2012 Oklahoma-bred Champions The second annual TRAO Thoroughbred Champion Awards Banquet was held August 9 at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City. The event honored the Oklahoma-bred champions of 2012 and the Oklahoma Thoroughbred industry. The TRAO wants to send out a big “Thank You” to all the winners and participants who donated to the silent auction. The 2013 TRAO Thoroughbred Champion Awards Banquet will be held at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. The date will be announced after the first of the year. The TRAO would like to congratulate all of the 2012 Oklahoma-bred champions: 2-Year-Old Filly: Motivare, Owned by Phil Hoedbeck Jr. and Pat Sheetz 2-Year-Old Colt/Gelding: Jump and Go, Owned by Beverly Lewis 3-Year-Old Filly: Lady Jensen, Owned by Kelly Thiesing 3-Year-Old Colt/Gelding: Z Rockstar, Owned by Robert H. Zoellner Thoroughbred Racing Stock: Lady Jensen, Owned by Kelly Thiesing Thoroughbred Mare: She’s All In, Owned by Robert H. Zoellner Thoroughbred Stallion/Gelding: Fifth Date, Owned by Danny Caldwell Oklahoma-bred (Mixed Meet): Line Piper, Owned by P.D. Whittenburg Female Sprinter: Miss Natalie, Owned by Gar Oil Corp. Male Sprinter: Okie Ride, Owned by Richter Family Trust Female Turf Runner: Skedee, Owned by Poteet & Lowder Male Turf Runner: Ridge Road, Owned by Boyd Caster Leading Sire of Thoroughbred Racing Stock: Evansville Slew Leading Owner of Thoroughbred Racing Stock: Richter Family Trust Leading Dam of Thoroughbred Racing Stock: Miss Owl’s Affair Leading Breeder of Thoroughbred Racing Stock: Robert H. Zoellner Leading Owner of Sires of Thoroughbred Racing Stock: Stallions LLC Claimer of the Year: Fifth Date, Owned by Danny Caldwell The Tenacious Award: Steven Foster
OHRC Scheduled Meetings for 2013 October 17 • November 21
TRAO Scheduled Board Meetings
Oklahoma Derby on Tap for September 29 The Grade 3, $400,000 Oklahoma Derby, the state’s most important Thoroughbred race, will be renewed for the 25th time on Sunday, September 29, at Remington Park. The Oklahoma Derby headlines a stakes-laden card of racing that begins at 1:30 p.m. Also on the program, worth more than $1 million in purses, is the $200,000 Remington Park Oaks, $150,000 Remington Park Sprint Cup, $100,000 Remington Green Stakes, $75,000 Kip Deville Stakes and $50,000 Ladies on the Lawn Stakes. Oklahoma Derby Day consists of plenty of festivities, making it the top racing event of the Thoroughbred season at Remington Park. The schedule includes: 9 a.m. — Sunrise at Remington: Special morning program featuring connections in the biggest races on Oklahoma Derby Day, morning workouts and more. Stable tour offered after the program ends at 10 a.m. Noon — Oklahoma Derby T-shirt Giveaway begins in racing entrance lobby while supplies last. Noon — HorseplayerNow.com Night School Tour at the Oklahoma Derby with racing and wagering education provided by nationally renowned handicapping professionals such as Jeremy Plonk, Caton Bredar and Jerry Shottenkirk. The Night School Tour stop will provide new and regular handicappers with the information needed for a successful Oklahoma Derby wagering experience. Guests are encouraged to visit the Night School venue on track level north. Noon — Charitable Wine Tasting Event begins on track plaza north. Oklahoma’s finest wineries will be on hand. Guests may purchase a commemorative wine tasting Oklahoma Derby glass. 1 p.m. — National Anthem performed by the Sweet Adelines. 2 p.m. — Hat Contest & Tea Party: More than $2,000 in prizes will be awarded in multiple categories during the free contest to be judged by local celebrities. Visit clubhouse north to attend and compete. Oklahoma! — Performed by the Sweet Adelines as a crowd sing-along after the post parade for the Oklahoma Derby.
October 10 at Remington Park • December 5 at Remington Park
TRAO Member Pete Jones Dies
Oklahoma Classics Night Sponsored by the TRAO
The TRAO lost a valued member when former trainer Orville Kenneth “Pete” Jones of Wagoner, Oklahoma, passed away in August at the age of 80. Our condolences go out to his family.
Mark your calendars for October 18 as accredited Oklahoma-breds will compete for nearly $1 million in purse money at Remington Park. For more information, go to www.traoracing.com.
for more, visit www.traoracing.com
Southern Racehorse • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2013 27
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Equine Sales is THE PLACE to buy and sell the top Thoroughbreds in the region! THANK YOU BUYERS AND CONSIGNORS! This year’s Consignor Select Yearling Sale posted record numbers in every category! Average up 56%! • Median up 114%! • Gross up 35%!
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Louisiana-bred Colt by Eskendereya out of Tortuga Flats, consigned by Red River Farm, was purchased by Brian House for a record $140,000. Congratulations to all!
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Southern Racehorse • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2013
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Southern Racehorse • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2013
All Around the World Texas-bred Ojos de Hielo cut his teeth in Panama and is now looking to make an impact in the United States
H
By Claire Novak
If it weren’t for a trainer named Marco Salazar, the Texas-bred colt they call Ojos de Hielo might still be training in a bareback pad every morning—no saddle, no stirrups—around and around a dusty old oval along the outskirts of Juan Diaz, Panama. If it weren’t for a horseman named Roberto Arango, “Ice Eyes” could have stayed in the U.S. in the first place, no shipping to Central America, no 13-race campaign at Hipodromo Presidente Remon—the lone major track in Panama, “Crossroads of the Americas.” If it weren’t for a racing manager named Steve Leving, perhaps the son of Songandaprayer would have never found his way back to North America, where this year trainer Larry Rivelli went about showing him the ropes of his native land. If it weren’t for the partnership of Richard Ravin and Patricia’s Hope LLC, Ojos de Hielo might not be coming soon to a racetrack near you.
From Texas to Panama The eventful life of this flashy chestnut began when breeder John T.L. Jones Jr. sent Southern Racehorse • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2013 31
Claire Novak
As Panama’s only major racetrack, Hipodromo Presidente Remon draws big crowds for the races.
a daughter of Cat Thief named Passionate Dancer—the lone remaining member of his once-extensive broodmare band—to Louisiana-based stallion Songandaprayer, who stands at The Stallion Station @ Copper Crowne in Opelousas. In the fall of 2009, just seven months after his April 3 arrival into this world, young Ojos de Hielo was shipped from Texas to be offered as a weanling at the Keeneland November breeding stock sale. But those who viewed the colt at the Four Star Sales consignment were not sufficiently impressed; at $12,000, he failed to meet his reserve. “He was kind of a lighter-bodied horse, and I actually had my appraisal at $20,000 on him, so he obviously undersold,” recalled Four Star’s Kerry Cauthen. “I had him as a nice enough kind of horse; I thought he was an improving type.” “We bought him back and kept him in Kentucky for a while,” recalled Jones, who in 2004 sold Walmac Farm in Lexington to his son John Jones III and partner Bobby Trussell. “He was at Walmac before he went down to the 2-year-old sale.” In 2011, Hartley/De Renzo Thoroughbreds consigned Ojos de Hielo for Jones to the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s April sale of 2-year-olds in training. That was when Roberto Arango, one of the most successful trainers in Panama
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Southern Racehorse • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2013
Claire Novak
Haras Cerro Punta, one of the two leading Thoroughbred breeding operations in Panama, features some remarkable scenery near the Costa Rican border.
in recent years, picked him up for $10,000—and shipped him out of the country. The horsemen of Latin America greatly respect North American bloodlines, and Panamanians are no exception. There has been a fair bit of cross traffic between the United States and Panama in recent years, especially thanks to the sharp eyes of experts like former jockey Rene Douglas, who successfully brought a horse named Private Zone back to the States to compete in graded stakes last year before taking a trip to Dubai to run him in the Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen Sponsored by Gulf News. As it just so happens, Private Zone’s name pops up on Ojos de Hielo’s past performances—the hero of our story was third behind him in the Group 1 Clasico Francisco Arias Paredes y Alberto Arias Espinosa in April 2012, a race Private Zone won. In his final start in Panama, Ojos de Hielo finished second behind another talented import—a Kentucky-bred son of Smarty Jones named Smart D N A, widely regarded as the division leader at the time. The most interesting thing about Ojos de Hielo, in fact,
Courtesy Hipodromo Presidente Remon
was his race record. A winner of six races, he spent a great deal of time sprinting—but when they first ran him long, in a 1 1/8-mile handicap at Presidente Remon, he rumbled by five lengths. He went even longer in his runner-up finish by two lengths to Smart D N A in the Group 1, 1 ¼-mile Clasico Independencia Cerveza Atlas. Although he was second, he finished 20 ½ lengths ahead of the horse in third place. It seemed as though he could run all day.
part of a group of 3-year-olds in Panama that were believed to be well above the quality of a normal 3-year-old division. In Panama the track is dirt, they turn left and he was running against horses that are expatriates. Why not bring him back? It isn’t as if it can’t be done; good horses come from everywhere, everybody knows that. Considering this horse could also run against Texas-breds, he seemed suited to come back to North America.” Although Leving currently works as the racing manager for Coming back home Louie Roussel and before that was an employee of Frank CalaOf course, people here know about Private Zone, “the Rene brese, from time to time, he’ll act as a liaison on independent Douglas horse,” especially in Chicago, where Douglas was re- bloodstock purchases and transactions; a little freelancing on spected and loved for much of his great riding career. And so, the side, as it were. The deal was done with Leving’s help and with the aid of Salazar, and Ojos de Hielo—purchased for an undisclosed sum but “obtained very reasonably,” according to Leving—shipped up to trainer Larry Rivelli’s winter base at Gulfstream Park to prepare for a U.S. racing career for new owners, Richard Ravin and Patricia’s Hope LLC. “You always have owners interested in buying made horses, but it’s hard to buy a made horse for a number of reasons,” the trainer said. “Usually the Ojos de Hielo, shown people that have them don’t want to here winning an allowance race, sell them, and if they do, you wonder visited the winner’s why. But this horse was intriguing, so circle six times in Panama and placed in we took a shot.” two Group 1 races. Ojos de Hielo was a bit of a handful when Marco Salazar—a Panama native who has been training when he first came into Rivelli’s care, but soon adjusted to the on the Chicagoland circuit since 1986—mentioned there was North American way of training. a good colt racing in his country of origin to Steve Leving, the “He was a little high-strung, but he’s under control racing manager jumped at the chance to potentially reintro- now,” Rivelli said. “By the time he was ready to run the first duce another talented runner to the States. time, we’d already come up to Arlington, so I entered him The moneymaking prospects with Ojos de Hielo were obvi- there.” ous. Although he had a 6-1-2 record at the time, including Ojos de Hielo did not disgrace himself in his U.S. debut those placings in Group 1 company, he had only registered and first start of 2013, running third in a June 19 one-mile $42,150 in earnings thanks to low purses in Panama. As a allowance on the all-weather track, marking his synthetic surresult, he was eligible to run under primary allowance condi- face debut, as well. After setting the pace, he just got nosed out tions at several U.S. tracks. It was an opportunity to take a from the place. “made” horse and run him in company that, provided he stuck “I think the horse showed he was capable,” Leving said. “He to his Panama form, almost guaranteed success. had an inside draw and got pushed along on the lead, and who “Here’s the deal,” Leving said. “This particular horse was knew whether he was going to handle the synthetic anyway.
Southern Racehorse • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2013 33
Reed Palmer Photography
Coady Photography
Ojos de Hielo (inside) gave reigning Texas Horse of the Year Coyote Legend a run for his money in the Assault Stakes at Lone Star Park before finishing second by a neck. If you’re going to import a horse, one of the things you have to be concerned with is how they’re going to acclimatize to North America, and in that race he showed he could duplicate his form.” Ojos de Hielo turned in his best effort to date, however, back home in the Lone Star State. Shipped to Texas for the July 6 Assault Stakes at Lone Star Park, he set the pace inside and dueled gamely under jockey Quincy Hamilton in the one-mile race for accredited state-breds before getting beaten a neck by Coyote Legend, a hard-knocking 6-year-old who has earned more than $700,000 and is widely considered one of the best Texas-breds in recent memory. Despite the defeat, Ojos de Hielo’s effort caught the attention of Cliff Berry, who rode Coyote Legend. “I got by him (Ojos de Hielo) and usually they’ll give up, but he didn’t give up,” said Berry. For a world traveler like Ojos de Hielo, a trip from Chicago to Dallas is no big deal, and he was soon on his way back to the Windy City after his Texas visit. “That was also the fall-back plan in buying the horse, that he could probably run out a substantial amount of money in Texas,” Rivelli said. “He ran really good in that race and galloped out much better than the horse in front of him.”
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Southern Racehorse • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2013
Ojos de Hielo’s connections took a big shot in his next and most recent start, one that didn’t play out as well. Entered in the $400,000, 1 11/16-mile American St. Leger Stakes at Arlington on August 17, the colt found himself in over his head. Turf for the first time and the 1 11/16-mile distance did him in, and after showing the way early on under jockey Jeffrey Sanchez, he was outdistanced and eased heading into the stretch. The chart caller gave him a DNF, although he did not appear to be injured and walked off the course under his own power. “He didn’t like the turf at all,” Rivelli said. “It was kind of an experiment; I figured if he did it, it would be a good thing to have on his résumé. But he never got a hold of it and Jeffrey said he felt him getting a little tired, so he took it easy on him.” The well-traveled runner is expected to run back at Arlington before the end of the meet in a first-level allowance race; he returned to training following the St. Leger escapade apparently none the worse for wear. His connections also have their sights set on a trip back to Texas, and after all of his adventures, perhaps Ojos de Hielo will find his greatest success at his first home. “Texas-bred stakes don’t really start back up till the beginning of the year, but we’ll definitely try to make that circuit,” Rivelli said. H
Retiring from the Breeding Business Quality Bloodstock and Racing Stock For Sale!
• Stallion DYNAMEAUX
(Dynaformer – Moving Picture, by Alysheba) A talented and sound racehorse, DYNAMEAUX ran until age 5 with a record of 21-6-4-3 and earnings of $280,645. He won or placed in eight stakes races, including a third in the Grade 3 Crown Royal American Turf at Churchill Downs. DYNAMEAUX has sired Dynamic Cowgirl, an eight-time winner of nearly $100K, and Meaux Speed, second in the $150K Happy Ticket Stakes at Louisiana Downs. • 11-year-old broodmare Naughty Gal (Diesis [GB] – Araadh, by Blushing Groom [Fr]) Well bred mare is the dam of two winners. • 2-year-old filly Retained Asset (Dynameaux – Spin Jazz Baby, by Spinning World) Broke maiden by daylight in May on Lone Star main track, bred to love turf. • 11-year-old broodmare The Way She Moves (Belong to Me – Screen Prospect, by Rare Performer) Sire is a multiple G3 winner and dam won 12 of 22 starts with two graded wins and three G1 placings and earnings of $575,747. • 11-year-old broodmare Spin Jazz Baby (Spinning World – Jazzitup, by Dixieland Band) A 3-time winner on the turf with earnings of $36,790, she is the dam of two winners from her first two starters. In foal to Dynameaux for 2014 foal. Priced to sell! Contact George Wolff • (830) 324-6778 • gawlobo@netscape.net
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Southern Racehorse • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2013
Your foal will start out in our NEW 52 x 52 barn with NEW foaling stalls and will be raised with hands-on attention from birth. We can even handle your sales prep and representation when the time comes if you wish. We offer on the farm breaking and training with our 60 foot round pen and 5/8-mile breaking track with 4 stall starting gate. Also should your horse need to come back for R&R or freshening up we can handle that as well. All of our horses receive Platinum Performance, Biotin Cooked Oats and Sweet Feed, regular vet services, 24 hour security, and the care you expect for your investment.
Southern Racehorse • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2013 37
Adam Coglianese/NYRA Photo
Designer Legs came up just short at the wire but ended up in the winner’s circle due to the disqualification of Who’s in Town for interference.
Louisiana-bred Designer Legs takes Grade 2 Adirondack at Saratoga, Texas-bred Fiftyshadesofgold finishes third • By Denis Blake
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Southern Invasion It’s fairly rare to see a Louisiana- or Texas-bred running at Saratoga Race Course in New York, so the odds of having Louisiana-bred Designer Legs and Texas-bred Fiftyshadesofgold in the Grade 2, $200,000 Adirondack Stakes on August 11 were exceptionally long. Perhaps even more surprising is that Designer Legs landed in the winner’s circle as a 16-1 longshot, while heavily favored Fiftyshadesofgold ended up third in a trouble-filled race that ended her promising 2-yearold campaign. Maryland-bred Who’s in Town actually crossed the wire first in the Adirondack in a time of 1:16.42 for 6 ½ furlongs, but the filly was disqualified and placed fourth for interference. That elevated Designer Legs to first after the daughter of Graeme Hall put forth a winning effort while going four-wide and enduring a bumpy trip before coming up a neck short. Designer Legs runs for Murray Valene’s Valene Farms and was bred by Tommy Hewett out of the Suave Prospect mare Elegant Designer. “Well, I thought I was sitting on a good trip down the backside; turning for home, me and [Joel] Rosario [on Who’s in Town] were kind of fighting it out,” said Shaun Bridgmohan, who rode Designer Legs for trainer Dallas Stewart. “He kind of bumped [Fiftyshadesofgold] a little bit and she hesitated just enough. His filly was game, but we got lucky and got put up.” “She ran a great race,” Stewart said. “Very nice filly. She’s going to get better. I give a lot of
Southern Racehorse • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2013
Adam Coglianese/NYRA Photo
Texas-bred Fiftyshadesofgold (on rail) and Louisiana-bred Designer Legs (third from rail) race into the historic Saratoga Race Course stretch. credit to Murray. I had her early and he sent her to Minnesota because his father is up there. She ran up there, and of course she ran in a stake in Iowa. Murray called me and said, ‘Hey, we’re going to get that filly back. She’s the real deal.’ A lot of credit goes to Murray and [former trainer] Gary Scherer. She was ready to run; I tried just not to mess her up.” Designer Legs launched her career with a maiden win at Canterbury Park near Minneapolis, Minnesota, and then upset the $75,000 Prairie Gold Lassie Stakes at Prairie Meadows in Iowa before heading to historic Saratoga. She remained at Saratoga after her Adirondack victory and finished fifth in the Grade 1, $300,000 Spinaway Stakes to push her bankroll to $189,000 after four starts. That’s a big return on the $10,000 investment it took to get her in the Breeders’ Sales Company of Louisiana yearling sale last year. Fiftyshadesofgold, a filly by Texas stallion My Golden Song who won the $113,400 Debutante Stakes at Churchill Downs by eight lengths for breeder/owner Clarence Scharbauer Jr., never got the chance to run her race after being steadied twice under jockey Corey Lanerie. The Bret Calhoun trainee was put up to third and earned $20,000 for the effort, but after the race it was reported that she suffered a fractured left shin and a chip in her right knee. “When you have a race like that, you don’t end up winning, and then she comes out of it with an injury, it’s very disappointing,” Calhoun told Daily Racing Form. “It was a roughly run race. I thought right after the race we were OK, but then the third or fourth day, we realized we had a problem.” The filly underwent surgery for her injuries and could return to the races next year. H Southern Racehorse • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2013 39
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Southern Racehorse • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2013
Reed Palmer Photography
by denis blake
Calhoun also took second and third in the fillies division as Larry Hirsch and Wayne Sanders’ Scooter’s Choice, a $13,000 Fasig-Tipton Texas yearling sired by Lane’s End Texas stallion Too Much Bling, finished a clear second. The filly shipped in from Churchill Downs after twice hitting the board against maiden special weight company there. Ed Few’s homebred Discreet Girl, by Discreet Cat, was third. Calhoun and Berry struck again with reigning Texas Horse of the Year Coyote Legend in the $50,000 Assault Stakes for older Texas-breds going one mile. The even-money favorite had to work for his victory as Ojos de Hielo, Coyote Legend a son of Songandaprayer who last year competed against Group 1 company in Panama, battled him all the way to the wire before Coyote Legend prevailed by a neck in 1:37.59. Coyote Legend, bred and owned by Scharbauer and sired by former Valor Farm stallion Gold Legend, boosted his career bankroll to $717,467 with 18 wins in 34 starts. This marked the third Assault Stakes win for the 6-year-old gelding. Richard Ravin and Patricia’s Hope LLC’s Ojos de Hielo, making just his second start in the United States, picked up $10,000 for running second with Quincy Hamilton up for trainer Larry Rivelli. Joey Keith Davis’ Cat’s Classy Rider, by Day of the Cat, finished third. The only stakes Calhoun and Berry did not win was the $50,000 Valor Farm Stakes for fillies and mares as Judy Peek’s homebred Lasting Bubbles dominated the field by 7 ¼ lengths as the even-money favorite. Fabio Lasting Bubbles Arguello Jr. rode for trainer Kevin Peek and got the six-furlong distance in 1:09.63. Lasting Bubbles, a 5-year-old mare by Pulling Punches, capped off a great Lone Star meet in which she also won the JEH Stallion Station Stakes and took second in the Lane’s End Stallion Scholarship Stakes. Her record now stands at 15-5-5-0 with earnings of $158,402. Joey Keith Davis’ Molly’s Honour, an Etesaal filly trained by Karl Broberg, closed to take second with Michael Catalano and Richard Boyer’s Wimbledon Star, a mare by Wimbledon, crossing the wire third. H
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Even though trainer Bret Calhoun and jockey Cliff Berry did not finish the meet atop their respective standings at Lone Star Park, they teamed to finish in a big way with three stakes wins on Stars of Texas Day on closing day July 6. The Calhoun-Berry trifecta kicked off in the $86,480 Texas Thoroughbred Association Sales Futurity for colts and geldings as Valor Farm stallion Early Flyer sired the top three finishers. First across the wire was Phil Louis Circustown Flyer Adams’ Circustown Flyer, an $18,000 graduate of the Fasig-Tipton Texas summer yearling sale. The TTA Sales Futurity is restricted to Fasig-Tipton Texas sale graduates or horses made eligible through a transferable berth. The Texas-bred colt battled for the early lead and then edged clear in the lane to prevail by 1 ¼ lengths, clocking five furlongs in :58.30 as the 9-5 second choice. Circustown Flyer, who was bred by Clarence Scharbauer Jr. out of the Gold Regent mare Rockin Regent, broke his maiden at first asking by 6 ¼ lengths at Lone Star on June 6. He has now earned $63,888 in two starts. Scharbauer, who stands Early Flyer at his Valor Farm near Pilot Point, Texas, also bred the second- and third-place finishers. Danny Keene’s Time Iz Flyin, a 12 ¾-length maiden winner at Lone Star who sold for $40,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Texas yearling sale, put in a game effort to take the runner-up spot for trainer Allen Milligan. Scharbauer’s homebred Check Ride, also trained by Calhoun, took third. In the $93,780 fillies division of the TTA Sales Futurity, Calhoun sent Berry out aboard Stephen Brown’s Closing Report to a three-length victory as the 1-2 choice. A $95,000 purchase at the Fasig-Tipton Texas 2-yearClosing Report olds in training sale from the consignment of Inside Move Inc., agent, Closing Report got the fivefurlong distance in :58.27 and maintained her perfect record after breaking her maiden by 4 ½ lengths at Lone Star in her debut. Her earnings now stand at $68,028. The daughter of Closing Argument was bred in Louisiana by Brett Brinkman and Allen Chiasson out of the Corporate Report mare Majestic Report.
Reed Palmer Photography
Reed Palmer Photography
Reed Palmer Photography
Jockey and trainer team to win three of four stakes on Stars of Texas Day at Lone Star Park
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The Calhoun Berry Show
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Shining Stars at Evangeline
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Longshot Le Gris came from post 12 to win the colts and geldings division going away.
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Evangeline Downs
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Solid Sender closed with a rush to earn her first stakes victory in the fillies division.
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Evangeline Downs on July 27 presented the D.S. “Shine” Young Memorial Futurity for Louisiana-breds in two divisions with Solid Sender taking the fillies race to become the first stakes-winning graduate of the Equine Sales Company yearling auction and Le Gris upsetting the colts and geldings division at odds of 16-1. Solid Sender, a daughter of Texas stallion Early Flyer running for owner Scott and Company, closed with a rush to win her trial race at first asking and then took the $128,425 stakes in similar fashion as she launched a six-wide move before drawing away by 2 ¼ lengths. She was timed in 1:04.15 for 5 ½ furlongs with Gerard Melancon aboard for trainer Samuel Breaux. Bred by Tom Curtis and Wayne Simpson out of the Texas-bred Spend a Buck mare Miss Ritz, whose five career stakes wins included the 2001 Friendship Stakes at Louisiana Downs, Solid Sender improved her earnings to $86,055 with the win. The filly sold at the Equine Sales Company’s inaugural yearling sale last year for $10,500 and then was bought back at the John Franks Memorial 2-year-olds in training sale earlier this year. She added to what has already been a remarkable year for Valor Farm stallion Early Flyer, who through late August had six juvenile winners from eight starters with four of those being stakes horses. Solid Sender went on to add to her earnings with an easy victory in the $50,000 John Franks Memorial Sale Stakes on September 7 at Evangeline. Whata Friend, a filly by My Friend Max running for Gene Patin and I. Lee Lange who sold for $12,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Texas yearling sale, set the early fractions and held on for second while going over the $50,000 mark in earnings. Terrell Jarrett Jr.’s Lady Notional, another graduate of the Equine Sales Company auction and a daughter of Notional, closed to take third. In the division for males, Coteau Grove Farms LLC’s Le Gris, a longshot breaking from post 12 in a full field of Louisiana-breds, scored by 2 1/4 lengths with Richard Eramia up for trainer Patrick Devereux Jr. The gray or roan gelding by Louisiana stallion Half Ours picked up his second career victory and nearly reached the $100,000 mark in earnings while taking the winner’s share of the $125,000 pot. HHZ Equine Arrowhead Farm LLC bred Le Gris out of the El Corredor mare La Flamenco. Le Gris, who covered the 5 ½ -furlong distance in 1:04.04, became the fourth stakes winner for young stallion Half Ours, a son of Unbridled’s Song who stands at Clear Creek Stud in Folsom, Louisiana. Half Ours also flashed talent as a juvenile by breaking his maiden at Keeneland by nearly 11 lengths and then taking the Three Chimneys Juvenile Stakes. He later won the Grade 2 Richter Scale Sprint Championship. 5B Farm LLC’s Pioneer’s Era, a gelded son of Time Bandit, ran on well to take second. Whispering Oaks Farm LLC’s Senior Rapidor, by Heckle, took third. The “Shine,” formerly run as both the Cajun Futurity and the Southwest Futurity, has been held every year during the 48-year history of racing at Evangeline Downs. Since its inception, the race has anchored the 2-year-old stakes program in South Central Louisiana and has featured some powerhouse performances, starting with the inaugural running back in 1966 when Tellike stormed home to win the thennamed Cajun Futurity. In 1978, the race was known as the Southwest Futurity, and in that year’s renewal, A Toast to Junius romped home under jockey Randy Romero to run his unbeaten streak to four. Trained by Junius Delahoussaye, A Toast to Junius would go on to win the first eight races of his career and 11 of 16 starts overall before entering the breeding shed. In 1999, Hallowed Dreams, who earned national acclaim while winning the first 16 races of her career, had her coming out party on a humid July evening as the Lloyd Romero-trained filly won the “Shine” by eight lengths and set a track record while completely dominating her rivals under jockey Sylvester Carmouche Jr. The daughter of Malagra would go on to win 25 times from just 30 starts while finishing worse than third just one time during her four-year career. H
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Le Gris, Solid Sender win divisions of the historic D.S. “Shine” Young Memorial Futurity in Louisiana By Denis Blake
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Summer Stakes
Pataky Kid
$67,500 Coach Jimi Lee Stakes • Arlington Park 7 Furlongs, Synthetic • 1:24.88 • July 13 3-year-old colt by Rockport Harbor out of Prom Princess, by Gold Case Breeder: H. Allen Poindexter (Oklahoma) Owner: Swifty Farms Inc. Trainer: Thomas Proctor Jockey: Eddie Castro
Steve Queen
Four Footed Fotos
A pictorial review of the early meet stakes at Remington Park, plus Texas-breds and Oklahoma-breds winning stakes around the country
Pure Tactics
$50,000 Barksdale Stakes • Louisiana Downs 1 Mile, Turf • 1:34.14 (New Course Record) • August 3 4-year-old colt by Pure Prize out of Dixie Tactics, by Native Tactics Breeder: Donald Eberts (Texas) Owner/Trainer: Morris Nicks Jockey: Jamie Theriot
Emerald Downs Photo
Worldventurer
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Southern Racehorse • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2013
$65,000 Emerald Downs Derby Emerald Downs 1 1/8 Miles • 1:49.79 • August 11 3-year-old gelding by Wimbledon out of Better Than Most, by Elusive Quality Breeder: Clarence Scharbauer Jr. (Texas) Owner: Peter Redekop B.C. Ltd. Trainer: Blaine Wright Jockey: Julien Couton
Prayer for Relief
Dustin Orona Photography
$175,000 Governor’s Cup Stakes • Remington Park 1 1/8 Miles • 1:50.42 • August 17 5-year-old horse by Jump Start out of Sparklin Lil, by Mr. Sparkles Breeder: G.R. Aschinger (Kentucky) Owner: Zayat Stables LLC Trainer: Steve Asmussen Jockey: Ricardo Santana Jr.
Sooner Superstar
$75,000 Edward J. DeBartolo Memorial Handicap Remington Park 1 1/8 Miles, Turf • 1:48.45 • August 24 4-year-old colt by Scat Daddy out of Follow Your Bliss, by Thunder Gulch Breeder: Patricia Ann Elia Trust (Kentucky) Owner: Cathy and Bob Zollars Trainer: Steve Asmussen Jockey: Ramon Vazquez
Dustin Orona Photography
Dustin Orona Photography
Daddy Nose Best
Dustin Orona Photography
$50,000 Red Earth Stakes • Remington Park 7 ½ Furlongs, Turf • 1:28.40 • August 23 4-year-old filly by Ra Ra Superstar out of Skip a Dare, by Skip Away Breeder: H. Allen Poindexter (Oklahoma) Owner: Dwayne Scruggs and Marti Rodriguez Trainer: Marti Rodriguez Jockey: Ken Tohill
Rudy’s Edge
$50,000 Ricks Memorial Stakes • Remington Park 1 Mile, Turf • 1:35.12 • August 30 4-year-old filly by Added Edge out of Rudy’s Delight, by Blumin Affair Breeder: Roger Pelster and Leroy Bowman (Iowa) Owner: Poindexter Thoroughbreds LLC Trainer: Lynn Chleborad Jockey: Alex Birzer Southern Racehorse • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2013 43
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The Language of Numbers
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Understanding stallion statistics can help you make the right selection By Jason Hall
Like most disciplines, the science of breeding Thoroughbred racehorses has its own language of descriptive statistics aimed at analyzing and predicting performance and subsequent value. Though a full understanding of this language may seem daunting, there is a core group of statistics that, if understood fully, can shed light on potential pitfalls and help breeders sift through the hype and improve the performance of their bloodstock portfolio. Perhaps the most important aspect to understanding statistics in the Thoroughbred industry is that numbers are just that, numbers. Mark Twain said it best when he said, “There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics.” Regardless of what statistics may or may not infer, in the end, the owner with a good individual will have more success than the owner with a poor individual whose only credentials are statistics. Statistics are best used as supporting evidence of quality individuals, rather than a starting point for developing a successful bloodstock portfolio. One of the most commonly used descriptive statistics is a stallion’s average earnings per starter. It is also one of the least discriminating and most easily skewed of all the breeding statistics. A simple computation, it is derived by taking a sire’s total progeny earnings and dividing that number by the number of starters. Mildly effective as a starting point for evaluating stallions, the average earnings per starter allows mare owners to get a general idea of how a sire compares to his counterparts. But because such a large portion of the stallion population falls into the $25,000 to $40,000 average earnings range, this statistic is often nondescriptive, telling mare owners little about the class of a sire’s progeny. Also, it is subject to being heavily skewed by the sire’s top earner, best illustrated in the case of Skip Trial, where Horse of the Year Skip Away and his nearly $10 million bankroll accounts for nearly 30 percent of the total progeny earnings. Knowing this, Skip Trial’s average earnings per starter of $91,704 can hardly be taken as an accurate indicator of his runners’ quality. The numbers can also be skewed when comparing a stallion who has a majority of his runners in a lucrative state-bred program fueled by slots revenue and one who does not. A more useful number for breeders wanting to delve into the quality of a sire’s progeny from top to bottom, rather than just those in the headlines, the median earnings per starter is the amount that 50 percent of a sire’s progeny have earned more than and 50 percent have earned less than. To understand this, imagine a hypothetical situation where a sire has only 11 starters. Individually, they have earned the following amounts: Starter #1 $100,000 Starter #2 $85,000 Starter #3 $80,000 Starter #4 $79,000 Starter #5 $68,000 Starter #6 $40,000 Starter #7 $21,000 Starter #8 $18,000 Starter #9 $7,000 Starter #10 $6,000 Starter #11 $3,000
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In this scenario, the median earnings per starter is $40,000. Exactly half of his progeny have earned less than $40,000, and half have earned in excess of $40,000. A sire’s median earnings is an effective indicator of a sire who gets a large number of poor individuals, assuming we’re dealing with a significant sample size much larger than the example above. If we’re researching a sire and discover his median earnings to be just $7,500, we know that at least 50 percent of that sire’s progeny fail to pay their way, a strong indication that investors should look elsewhere. The obvious benefit is that median earnings are immune to heavy skewing by a single runner. The one shortcoming is that a sire lacking racing class in his progeny can achieve an inflated median earnings if he sires durable progeny (although that can also be a strong attribute). Though they’re not fast enough to possess class, they aren’t fast enough to hurt themselves either, leading to longer careers that inflate a sire’s median earnings, convincing some that a sire’s foals have greater ability than they actually have. Commonly used to measure the earning power of a sire’s progeny relative to the progeny of other stallions, the Average Earnings Index (AEI) is the average earnings for a sire’s progeny during a calendar year, with 1.00 being the average for the breed. Like the Standard Starts Index (SSI), which compares average earnings per start, the AEI allows comparisons of stallions from different time periods but is subject to skewing by a leading runner. Also, the AEI favors sires who throw durable types who can make more starts during the year, even if they are competing on weaker circuits. An attempt to measure the quality of mares bred to a particular stallion, the Comparable Index (CI) is the average earnings in a calendar year for foals out of the same mares but sired by different stallions. For instance, if a group of mares sent to a first-year stallion had previously produced foals with an AEI of 1.50, that same number would represent the new sire’s CI. The idea here is to assess the quality of mares being sent to any given sire, thereby allowing future interpretations as to whether a sire is improving on his opportunities or simply riding the coattails of his mares. The primary shortcoming of the CI is that we never know the quality of sires previously bred to a group of mares. Such is likely the case of highly touted but unproven stallion prospects. Many of the mares in such a stallion’s first two books might have previously seen the likes of the industry’s top sires. Those opportunities are sure to raise the earnings power of the resulting foals, creating a disproportionately high CI that may create the illusion that a new stallion is dragging his mares down. But just because he can’t raise his mares to the extent of a prolific sire like Storm Cat or A.P. Indy shouldn’t be held against him. The Sire Index (SI) is similar to the AEI except that it measures earnings power based on average earnings per start and not over a calendar year. Like the AEI, the SI categorizes according to sex and year of birth, but it does not allow a group of cheaper, durable types to skew the figure. Used in conjunction with a stallion’s SI to measure the quality of mares being sent to a stallion, the Comparative Sire Index (ComSI) is based on average earnings per start of foals out of mares bred to a particular stallion but sired by different stallions. Like the CI, it is intended to help breeders decide if a stallion is improving his mares or vice versa. The same problems that exist within the CI also pertain to the ComSI in that we don’t know the caliber of the stallions who sired the mares’ other foals. As in the case of the AEI and SI, the primary difference between the CI and ComSI is that the ComSI is based on average earnings per start and not over a calendar year.
Handicapping tools and vocabulary are slowly permeating the psyche of breeders, consignors and buyers. Sales catalog supplements are at the forefront of this trend, offering buyers standardized ratings for individuals in the immediate female family. After all, the same information that helps handicappers predict the outcome of a race should help breeders in assessing racing ability in potential breeding stock. Beyer Speed Figures (created by Washington Post columnist Andrew Beyer) aim to interpret a horse’s performance as functions of class and track variants. Average winning times within a certain class at a specified track ($40,000 open claimers at Del Mar, for example) are computed to establish a baseline whereby horses running below or above the average are assigned corresponding speed ratings. Track variants are added to the equation to account for time periods where a track was particularly fast or slow. Beyer Speed Figures range from the 120s for Grade 1-caliber horses down to the 40s and 50s for horses at the lowest levels of American racing. Len Ragozin’s Ragozin numbers are probably the least understood of all the statistics currently available to breeders, even though handicappers and trainers have been using them for decades under their more commonly known name, The Sheets. Ragozin numbers calculate an individual horse’s effort in a particular race as a function of time, track condition, weight carried, wind and traffic difficulties (such as being boxed in or forced to run wide). Ragozin numbers are unique in that lower numbers correspond with higher racing class. Ragozin numbers in the 20s are commonly associated with bottom-level claiming horses, while the best horses in this country usually post Ragozin numbers in the low single digits. The average Ragozin number for Grade 1 races in this country is -1 to 1. Two commonly interchanged terms in the business are stakes winners and black-type winners. Black-type earners are horses who have won or placed in stakes events that qualify for bold type under current cataloguing standards. Since January 1, 2004, only races with a minimum purse of $50,000 have been credentialed as true black-type events, and recently a minimum “Race Quality Score” has been added as a requirement for some black-type races. A complete explanation can be found at www. northamericanicsc.com, the website for the North American International Catalogue Standards Committee. Black-type should not be confused with the more loosely used terms, stakes winner or stakes-placed. These terms do not adhere to domestic cataloguing standards and can apply to events run for as little as $5,000 on small regional circuits. This is typically one of the most abused numbers in the industry. Depending on what publication you’re reading, the percentages may or may not include only black-type races. If an industry newcomer can learn just one thing early on, it would be to understand what actually constitutes a black-type event and how stakes production numbers are often inflated. As is the case with all statistical inferences, it is the responsibility of the user to become familiar with the methodology and language behind the numbers, as well as the strengths and weaknesses in accurately describing a phenomenon. Only after breeders have familiarized themselves with the appropriate statistical language, can they start using that knowledge to effectively make solid bloodstock investments. H Jason Hall is a bloodstock consultant based in Boise, Idaho. More of his work can be viewed at www.ThoroughbredReview.com.
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Super Sales
The strength of the auction market is generally a good indicator of the overall health of the racing and breeding industry, and based on recent results of yearling sales in Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma, things are looking up in the region. In virtually every important category, this year’s auctions run by Fasig-Tipton Texas, Equine Sales Company and Carter Sales Company recorded major advances compared to the previous year. Following are recaps of all three auctions.
Smaller but Better in Texas
The region’s first three yearling sales post significant gains across the board
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By Denis Blake
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The Fasig-Tipton Texas summer yearling sale, held August 26 on the grounds of Lone Star Park near Dallas, continued its trend with a smaller catalogue but posted substantial increases in average and median and a much lower buy-back rate compared to last year. All told, 97 yearlings from 116 offered were sold for a gross of $1,255,100, an increase of 9.1 percent from last year’s gross receipts of $1,150,000 when 113 sold from an offering of 155 head. While those figures pale in comparison to just five years ago, when the auction boasted nearly 450 head over a two-day format, this year’s average of $12,939 represents a jump of 27.1 percent from last year’s $10,177 and marked the highest average since the 2007 auction. The median took a similar jump of 33.3 percent from $6,000 to $8,000, and the buy-back rate improved to 16.4 percent from 27.1 percent. “We were pleased, and many consignors told me they were happy with the buy-back rate being so low,” said Tim Boyce, director of sales for Fasig-Tipton Texas. “I can’t remember the last time we had a buy-back rate that low, so that was encouraging. When you add in the average and median both being up about 30 percent, and the gross being up with a smaller catalogue, it all adds up to a solid sale.” The number of entries in the sale has steadily declined since 2008, as the Texas breeding and racing program has struggled and new yearling auctions have sprung up in Oklahoma and Louisiana. One benefit of the reduction in entries has been the ability to hold the auction in the evening, rather than its traditional mid-morning start. Last year’s auction was the first to be held with a 5 p.m. start time, and that format was repeated this year with a cocktail party preceding the auction. “Our Texas-bred average was around $11,000, which is pretty strong especially considering we had more of them this year, and the Louisiana-bred average was strong at around $16,000,” Boyce added. “I think we ran out of good horses before we ran out of money.” A pair of fillies sold for $65,000 apiece to top the sale, with both going to leading Texas owner Tom Durant from the consignment of Lane’s End Texas, agent. A Texas-bred from the first crop of Grade 1 winner Discreetly Mine was the first through the ring. The March foal is the first out of the Mineshaft daughter Sign Up, a half sister to Group 1
Southern Racehorse • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2013
winner Certify and Grade 1 winner Cry and Catch Me. “She’s very sound,” said Danny Shifflett, farm manager at Lane’s End Texas, which topped the consignor list with 27 sold for $358,100. “She’s a good, honest filly with a good body and by a young sire that has a lot of opportunity in the future.” Joining her as the sale-topper, consigned by Lane’s End Texas for La Bahia Stud Inc., was a Kentucky-bred filly by Birdstone out of Golden Sheba, an unraced Coronado’s Quest mare. Golden Sheba is a half sister to Grade 1 winner Congaree, and her first starter is the 3-yearold Wedding Toast, who captured a 1 1/8-mile maiden special weight contest at Saratoga Race Course on July 29 in her second career start. “She did that very impressively,” Shifflett said about Wedding Toast, a Darley Stable homebred by Street Sense. “She’s a graded stakes potential filly.” Durant, who led all buyers with four purchases for $169,000, said the two fillies, along with two colts he bought at the sale, will be pointed to the Texas Thoroughbred Association Sales Futurity next summer at Lone Star Park, where he is the track’s all-time leading owner. “They both looked like racehorses and to me they were the two best horses in the sale,” Durant said. “I was happy to be able to get them at that price. Had it been any other sale, they might have been more expensive horses.” Another prominent owner, Maggi Moss, purchased the thirdhighest seller, an Arkansas-bred filly by Eddington out of a stakesplaced Boston Harbor mare, for $52,000. The top-selling colt, also an Arkansas-bred, was a son of Old Fashioned out of a stakes-winning and multiple stakes-producing mare who sold for $50,000 to Terry Gabriel. Inside Move Inc., agent, consigned both. For hip-by-hip results, go to www.fasigtipton.com.
Record Results in Louisiana Equine Sales Company held its second-ever auction on September 4 in Opelousas, Louisiana, and this year’s consignor select yearling sale recorded large increases over last year’s inaugural open yearling sale according to figures released by the auction company. For this year’s auction, total sales of $1,714,300 were reported with 132 of 161 head selling for an average of $12,987 and a median of $9,000. Last year’s open sale reported 152 of 264 sold for a total of $1,268,700, with an average of $8,347 and median of $4,200. While the two sales did have different formats, with last year’s being open and this year’s being select, the figures show a big increase in average of 55.6 percent, a jump in median of 114.3 percent and a gain in gross sales of 35.1 percent. Buy-backs also showed great improvement this year at 18 percent compared to 42.4 percent last year. “We had an outstanding sale, very well-attended by buyers, consignors and pinhookers from both regional and national markets,” Sales
Director Foster Bridewell said. “With our new on-site sale barns, consignors reported they felt Equine Sales Company’s new venue was as accommodating and comfortable for horses as any venue in the South. “We were truly proud to offer this exciting new regional sale and wish to thank consignors, breeders, owners and buyers for their continued high level of support,” he added. “We wish to also thank members, employees, consultants and helpers for all their hard work put in to make our new barns and this sale a success.” A Louisiana-bred colt from the first crop of Grade 1 winner Eskendereya topped the sale at $140,000. The April 3 foal is out of the Wild Zone mare Tortuga Flats, who earned $594,064 during her career with 16 wins and the title of champion 2-year-old filly in Louisiana. She has one other registered foal, a 2-year-old who has not started. Brian House purchased the colt from the consignment of Red River Farm, agent. House was the leading buyer with his one purchase, and Red River Farm topped the consignor list with 31 sold for $521,800. Next up on the schedule for Equine Sales Company is an open yearling and mixed sale on October 28. For more information and hip-by-hip results, go to www.equinesalesofla.com.
Big Numbers in Oklahoma Carter Sales Company saw record increases at the Oklahoma City Summer Thoroughbred Sale held at the Oklahoma City Fairgrounds on August 19. The sale recorded a best-ever total gross sales of $448,600, and the average of $8,011 rose 41.6 percent from $5,654 last year. The median was $6,000 this year, up 36.4 percent from last year. The buy-back rate fell from 28 percent in 2012 to 22 percent. “We expected a better sale, but these numbers really signal a turn,” Sale Manager Terri Carter said. “Our racing is really strong, but like sales across the country the last couple of years, it has been a little tough. It was exciting to see the value of these horses rise and the people at the sale really had a good time.” The top seller at $27,700 was an Oklahoma-bred Primary Suspect colt out of the stakes-placed Saint Ballado mare Spirited Maiden. The colt was purchased by Randy Patterson of Anthony, Kansas, and was consigned by Mighty Acres, agent for Center Hills Farm. Buena Madera was the leading consignor with $122,700 in gross sales and an average of $11,155 for the 11 head sold. The summer sale also added a session this year for horses of racing age. Twelve were offered with five selling for an average of $10,200. The average sales price for the yearling session was $7,796. “The buyers were able to buy a horse Monday and enter him on Wednesday. It doesn’t get much more fun than that,” Carter said. For hip-by-hip results, go to www.cartersalesco.com.H Southern Racehorse • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2013 47
WWW .SOU THER NRA
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HOM A IN TEXA S AND OKLA ROU GHB RED INDU STRY COV ERIN G THE THO
TER LION REGIS • 2 0 1 3 S TA L RACEHORSE SOUTHERN
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DON’T MISS THE CHANCE TO HIGHLIGHT YOUR STALLION IN THE 2014 SOUTHERN RACEHORSE STALLION REGISTER!
Deadline to Advertise:
October 11, 2013
Why should you advertise in the Southern Racehorse Stallion Register? • Advertising options for almost any budget with FREE ad design services • Reach more than 6,000 horsemen and women in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, New Mexico and the surrounding states, plus Kentucky and Florida. That makes Southern Racehorse the largest publication in the region by far! • Full color, professionally designed publication • Delivered to all members of the Texas Thoroughbred Association (TTA) and Thoroughbred Racing Association of Oklahoma (TRAO), plus more than 1,200 horsemen and women in Louisiana • Advertised stallions are included in the online Stallion Register at SouthernRacehorse.com and featured in the hypomating section For more information, contact Denis Blake at (512) 695-4541 or info@southernracehorse.com 48
Southern Racehorse • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2013
2014 Stallion Register STATISTICAL PAGE RESERVATION FORM
DEADLINE – October 11, 2013 Advertising Packages A [ ] (1) Stallion Statistical Page or Display Ad
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Mail, Fax or Email to: Southern Racehorse Attention: Stallion Register P.O. Box 8645, Round Rock, TX 78683 Fax: 512-251-2858 * Phone: 512-695-4541 * Email: info@southernracehorse.com Southern Racehorse • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2013 49
2014 Stallion Register DEADLINES Stallion Statistical Page Reservations: Friday, October 11, 2013 Display Ad Space Reservations: Friday, October 18, 2013
ONE FORM PER STALLION (please type or print) Stallion
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)
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)
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)
2014 Fee
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[ ] Accredited Texas Stallion [ ] Nominated to Texas Stallion Stakes [ ] Nominated to Breeders’ Cup [ ] Accredited Oklahoma Stallion [ ] Nominated to Oklahoma Stallion Stakes [ ] Accredited Louisiana Stallion [ ] Nominated to Louisiana Stallion Stakes
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Mail, Fax or Email to: Southern Racehorse Attention: Stallion Register P.O. Box 8645, Round Rock, TX 78683 Fax: 512-251-2858 * Phone: 512-695-4541 * Email: info@southernracehorse.com To submit a free text-only listing for the alphabetical index, please provide Southern Racehorse with the stallion’s name, stud fee and farm contact information by October 11. 50
Southern Racehorse • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2013
Southern Racehorse • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2013 51
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Southern Racehorse • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2013
© Ford Motor Company
The Long Haul Safety and efficiency are important when towing racehorses in a trailer By Denis Blake
When the first Ford Model T rolled off the then-innovative assembly line in Detroit back in 1908, it signaled the beginning of the end for the horse and buggy era in America. Despite the modern automobile making equine-powered transportation obsolete in less than a decade, Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and the surrounding states have long enjoyed both kinds of horsepower. Chances are, your horse is hauled from farm to track or from track to track by a distant descendant of Henry Ford’s famous “Tin Lizzie,” perhaps the Ford F-150, or maybe by one of Dodge, Chevrolet, Toyota or GMC lineage. No matter what make of truck you drive or whether it’s the newest model with Wi-Fi and GPS navigation or a vintage model that predates pari-mutuel wagering on either side of the Red River, every horse owner shares the same concerns when hauling a horse—safety and fuel economy. Even if you’ve been hauling horses for decades or if you are just getting started, it’s always a good time to go over some basic safety tips while also looking for ways to save a little money at the pump. Mark Lapine, Ford F-150 Marketing Manager out of Dearborn, Michigan, shared some tips on both topics with Southern Racehorse.
Know Your Limits “First up, you want to know what the tow capability is on your truck,” Lapine advised. “For the F-150, as long as you have a Class IV hitch, you can tow from 7,500 pounds up to 11,300 pounds depending on how your truck is configured. “If you are over 5,000 pounds, which is generally what you are going to be with a horse and trailer, you want to use a load-disturbing hitch,” he added. “It moves some of the weight from the tongue of the trailer and distributes it more evenly and reduces some of the squatting you might see. If your trailer doesn’t already have that, you can generally
get that added on. It makes for a better tow experience as well. And of course make sure the trailer is loaded properly.” The newer Ford models, just like many other brands, feature trailer sway control and other technology to help you haul safely. “The F-150 comes with trailer sway control and most of them have a productivity screen (on the in-dash display) which has a trailer brake controller in it,” Lapine said. “It’s also an aftermarket accessory you can add. It helps apply brake force to the brakes on the trailer so you are not getting bumped by the trailer. We also have a trailer checklist in the productivity screen that will run you through all the things to help remind you.”
Reducing the Pain at the Pump There is no way around that fact that your fuel economy will suffer when you are towing a trailer; it simply takes more fuel to haul a heavy load. But there are some ways to reduce the cost, including looking at using premium fuel, even if that seems counterintuitive. “Our engines don’t require premium fuel, but if you are hauling, you will see a fuel economy benefit just because of how premium fuel works,” Lapine said. “While towing, you might see even more of a benefit and it might pay off, but obviously premium fuel is more expensive.” It requires a bit of math but nothing too difficult. Simply fill up the tank with regular gas (this does not apply to diesel engines because different grades are generally not available), take note of the mileage or press the trip odometer, and then see how many miles you get before it’s time to fill up again. Then take the total mileage driven and divide that by the number of gallons it takes to get back to full. The second time use premium gas and do the same calculations. That will give you the miles per gallon for each type of fuel. Just don’t Southern Racehorse • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2013 53
forget to consider the higher cost of premium fuel when comparing numbers. Even if you get a 10 percent increase in gas mileage with premium, it does not make financial sense if that fuel costs 15 percent more, for example. “Also look at the rolling resistance of the tires, especially if you’ve had a truck for a while and are on the second or third set of tires,” Lapine suggested. “Some truck owners really like a nice aggressive tread, and while that might look good, that also might hurt your fuel economy.” Reducing the rolling resistance of your tires will not result in huge savings overnight—studies have shown the cost savings are in the neighborhood of a few percent—but over time it can add up to a significant amount for a truck that logs big miles. The rolling resistance of tires can be measured in different ways, but an experienced tire retailer, truck dealer or a bit of online research can provide guidance. It’s also important to check for the proper tire pressure, which can be found in your owner’s manual and is often listed on the inside of the driver’s side door. Lapine also advises to know and understand any applicable towing features of your truck. For instance, many models have a tow/haul mode, but in certain cases, it might make sense to not use it. “The F-150 has a standard tow/haul mode, which changes the shift points and can help with going over hills, but if you are driving over a flat area, like you’ll find in many parts of Texas and Oklahoma, you might not actually need to engage it and you can stay in sixth gear more frequently and that can help with fuel economy,” he said. Lapine also explained that changes in technology mean that newer gaspowered trucks can now be used just as efficiently as their diesel-powered cousins. “Truck customers are very familiar with diesel technology and why it is desirable with the turbo-charging and direct injection that is very common in diesel engines,” Lapine said. “That allows you to get a really nice torque curve, which is optimal for towing, hauling and work like that, and it helps with fuel economy and power. The EcoBoost engine on the F-150 basically takes those technologies from diesel engines and applies them to a gas engine, so you get all those same benefits.” The EcoBoost engine, like similar offerings from other truck brands, also generates reduced greenhouse emissions to help the environment. The ultimate goal of any trip with a horse trailer is to get to your destination safe and sound, plus saving a few bucks can be a nice bonus. Taking a little extra time for a safety check and a bit of forethought about how to conserve fuel can help get you on the right track to achieving that goal. H A dually, such as the Ford F-450, can tow even larger loads compared to an F-150 or similar truck. © Ford Motor Company
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© Ford Motor Company
For more than a decade, Ford has produced the King Ranch edition to honor the 160-year-old operation that bred and raced Texas-bred icons Assault and Middleground.
According to Ford’s Mark Lapine, about one in five Ford F-150 trucks sold nationally is in the state of Texas. The truck has proven to be so popular that local dealers developed a Texas edition about 10 years ago, as well as an Oklahoma edition. Those models originally had the special badges added at the local level, but now it’s done inside the Michigan plant. Ford also introduced the King Ranch line of trucks in 2001 thanks to a partnership with the legendary 825,000-acre operation in Kingsville, Texas, that bred and owned Texas-bred Assault, winner of the 1946 Triple Crown, and Middleground, who won the 1950 Kentucky Derby. “There’s so much history with the ranch there,” Lapine said. “It’s been a great partnership for us over the past 13 years.” The King Ranch model includes luxury features such as Chaparral leather and heated and cooled seats, along with the iconic “Running W” logo, but as you might expect for a vehicle named after one of the largest ranches in the world, it is still ready to get to work hauling and towing. “King Ranch is built on the heritage, hard work and innovation of seven generations of King family descendants and employees, just like what Ford has built into its F-Series pickup trucks,” said King Ranch Chairman Jamey Clement. “It’s why we trust Ford as a genuine partner and why we depend on a fleet of 260 Ford trucks to get the job done every day at King Ranch.”
Southern Racehorse • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2013
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Southern Racehorse • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2013
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Southern Racehorse covers the racing and breeding industry in Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana and provides you with the news and information you need to know! Each issue features articles on horse health, second-career racehorses, horsemen and horses in the region and more, plus breeding, racing and sales news.
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Southern Racehorse • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2013
MY GOLDEN SONG THE ONLY TEXAS STALLION WITH FIVE STAKES WINNERS THIS YEAR! MY GOLDEN SONG is siring an incredible 14% STAKES WINNERS! His runners go short or two turns, on the dirt or the turf. He was Texas’ leading freshman sire in 2011 and the leading second-crop sire last year. He is from female family #4-m, one of the soundest and most prolific in the stud book. This family is known for producing the top sires COZZENE, DUBAI MILLENNIUM, DIXIE UNION, HARLAN’S HOLIDAY, BERNARDINI and UNBRIDLED’S SONG. my golden song MY GOLDEN SONG
Unbridled’s Song Par, by Gold Meridian Unbridled’s Song – Golden Par, –byGolden Gold Meridian First foals arrive in 2009! MY GOLDEN SONG retired with earnings of $101,050 from six starts with two wins at Aqueduct and Belmont Park. MY GOLDEN SONG finished third to Kentucky Derby (G1) winner BARBARO in the Holy Bull Stakes (G3) and fourth the G1 winner FIRST SAMURAI in the Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2).
Reed Palmer Photography
Coady Photography
By proven sire UNBRIDLED’S SONG, winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) and sire of 71 stakes winners, including G1 winners UNBRIDLED ELAINE, OCTAVE, SPLENDID BLENDED, POLITICAL FORCE, FIRST DEFENCE, BUDDHA, MAGNIFICANT SONG and SONGANDAPRAYER, and 2008 Kentucky Derby (G1) runner-up EIGHT BELLES. From a female family known for its soundness – dam is GOLDEN PAR ($318,636), a multiple stakes-winner and graded stakes producer who won nine of 26 starts.
COWGIRL N UP
VALOR FARM TRIUMPH AND SONG Inquiries to Ken Carson P.O. Box 966, Pilot Point, Texas 76258
A stakes winner at ages 2, 3 and 4 with earnings of $204,966
PhonePremiere (940) 686-5552 • Fax (940) 686-2179 WinnerE-mail: of kencarson@valorfarm.com the Stakes with a 99 Beyer • Website: www.valorfarm.com Accredited Texas Stallion • Nominated to the Texas Stallion Stakes Series and Breeders’ Cup
Reed Palmer Photography
Reed Palmer Photography
PLATINUM SONG
Fiftyshadesofgold
Last year’s Texas Champion 2YO Filly and a two-time stakes winner
Grade 2-placed and eight-length winner of Debutante Stakes at Churchill Downs
THEGIRLINTHATSONG Won $100,000 Happy Ticket Stakes on turf at Louisiana Downs
Lou Hodges
Clarence Scharbauer, Jr. Ken Carson, General Manager Donny Denton, Farm Manager • David Unnerstall, Attending Veterinarian Post Office Box 966 • Pilot Point, Texas 76258 (940) 686-5552 • Fax (940) 686-2179 www.valorfarm.com