News from the WTBOA
May 5, 2010
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In Memoriam
Patricia Louise Christian
Owner and trainer Patricia Christian, 51, passed away on April 23, 2010, at her home in Auburn after a short, yet courageous battle with gliobastoma.
Born on November 16, 1958, to Donald and Carolyn Wissinger in Dayton, Ohio, her family moved to Renton when she was four. She attended Lindbergh High School in Renton.
Patty married jockey William Christian and they had two children, Michael and Billy.
In 1985, she moved to Yakima where she was a trainer at Yakima Meadows. Besides Yakima Meadows, Patty also owned and/or trained winners at Longacres, Emerald Downs, Playfair and Portland Meadows. She is probably best remembered for Lumbering Jack, who she conditioned to win several races in a row. She lost him to a claim, but later repurchased the son White Fir who would wina total of nine races and finish his career at Emerald Downs. Patty also owned and/or trained winners Sea Rage, Mr. Hardball, Respect Your Mama, Lao's Honor, I Want It All, Seattle Tornado, Initial Melody, Howie's Wild Rose, Firey Shadow and Bulldog Fritz.
When Yakima Meadows closed in 1988, Patty pursued another passion, collecting antiques and unique treasures. This led to her opening the Country Cottage in Yakima.
In 2007, she moved to Auburn to once again pursue her first love - horses. She both worked for the Lazy K Tack Shop and trained runners at Emerald. Patty had a long and abiding love of all animals.
She is survived by her sons, Michael and Billy; father and stepmother, Donald and Jeanie Wissinger; brother, James Wissinger and his daughter Danielle; sister Jeanie Carlson and her children Shawna, Carrie and Dongie; and her loving friend and soul mate Rolando "Mole" Velez.
James H. Hill
Former longtime Pacific Northwest trainer Jim Hill, 72, passed away in Kingman, Arizona, on April 17, 2010.
Born in Renton on June 25, 1937, Hill was raised in nearby Kent. When his father, Howard H. Hill, died in 1967 Jim took over his small string of racehorses at Longacres. In 1971, he saddled G-R Stables' Silver Mallet to win the Longacres Mile. Among the other good horses he trained at Longacres was 1972 Seafair Queen Stakes winner Falecia.
Jim retired from training in 1975 and moved to Kingman where he opened 66 Auto Sales, a used car dealership he ran for 35 years. He was awarded the AIADA National Quality Dealer of the Year and Lifetime Achievement Awards.
Jim returned to training at Turf Paradise in the early 1990s and continued to train until 2009 when he turned his horses over to Mike Chambers. Before giving up training for good, Jim saddled 1998 Captain Condo Stakes winner Bay Runner and 1999 Washington State Legislators Handicap winner Boca Fast at Emerald Downs.
He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Lavonne A. Hill, of Kingman; brother, William H. Hill of Bullcity, AZ; three daughters, Renai Hill (Brad Suing), of Kingman; Kathy Cutshaw (Curtis) of Kingman, and Carrie Walker-Hill of Kingman; son Mike Hill (Kari Jo) of Kingman; 11 grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren. |
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Equine Memoriam
Racehorse, Broodmare, Cover Horse Dynamatch
Bred in Kentucky by the Estate of W. R. Hawn, Dynamatch (1996, Septieme Ciel-Kind of Beauty, by Private Account), won two of her 17 starts and earned $25,334 during her three seasons while racing for Warrior Racing Stables at Emerald Downs.
After being retired to the breeding ranks, Dynamatch's first three foals were all fillies sired by Katowice. The best of the trio is five-race winner Sunshine Shelli, who has earned $31,019. Dynamatch produced a colt by High Brite in 2008 and a colt by Flying With Eagles in April. All of her foals were bred in Washington in the name of Erv Wicklund's Warrior Racing Stables.
Unfortunately, Dynamatch succumbed to post partum colic on April 29, but not before leaving a legacy of wonderful photos due to the talent of Cheri Wicklund, Erv's daughter-in-law and a frequent contributor to WTBOA publications. Readers have enjoyed photos of Dynamatch on the January 2007 cover of Washington Thoroughbred, the 2008 WTBA Winter Mixed Sale catalog, the 2007-08 Farm Directory and more recently as the "cover eye" on the 2010 WTBOA calendar. Due to Cheri's talents and eye for composition, Dynamatch's foals have also been featured in various WTBOA publications.
Cheri reports that Dynamatch's orphan colt is doing well thanks to Debbie Pabst and Nina Hagen, who found the foal a substitute mother through the Washington Nurse Mare Network.
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WTBOA Summer Yearling and Mixed
ONE-DAY SALE
to be held on
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Entries Due by May 17
for Mixed Sale Portion
(broodmares/prospects, mares with foal at side, weanlings, yearlings, horses of racing age, stallions and shares)
REDUCED ENTRY FEES!
Entries open to ALL WTBOA members (no other restrictions)!
Reminder: There will be NO
WTBOA Winter Mixed Sale in 2010
Click here for
Click here for information on
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Calendar
Saturday & Sunday, May 8 & 9, 2010
WALLA WALLA FAIR & FRONTIER DAYS
Walla Walla, WA
(509) 527-3254, race office
Saturday & Sunday, May 15 & 16, 2010
WAITSBURG DAYS OF REAL SPORT
Waitsburg, WA
(509) 337-6241, race office
Monday, May 17, 2010
WTBOA MIXED SALE ENTRY DEADLINE
Saturday & Sunday, May 29 & 30, 2010
DAYTON DAYS
Dayton, WA
(509) 382-2377
Saturday & Sunday, June 26 & 27, 2010
CELEBRATE THE HORSE
Puyallup, WA
Saturday, July 10, 2010
WTBOA BOARD & ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS (253) 288-7878, maindesk@washingtonthoroughbred.com
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Foal Reports - Submit your foal reports by Monday, May 10, for inclusion in the next print edition of Washington Thoroughbred.
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WTBOA Mission Statement
The Washington Thoroughbred Breeders and Owners Association seeks to unite and represent those who are interested in breeding, owning, racing and improving Thoroughbreds in the state of Washing-ton and the Northwest. To generate positive growth, interest and appreciation of Washington Thoroughbreds, the WTBOA is dedicated and committed to education, communication and collaboration, as well as marketing and promoting the nobility, history and benefits of Thoroughbreds.
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Atta Boy Roy Impressive in Grade 2 Churchill Downs Stakes
Atta Boy Roy with Calvin Borel up and trainer Valorie Lund (Skip Dickstein photo).  | Those watching the Kentucky Derby (G1) card live at Churchill Downs last Saturday saw Washington-bred (and WTBOA sale graduate) Atta Boy Roy bring out a bit of Pacific Northwest sunshine on a stormy Kentucky day.
A field of 12 contested the seven-furlong Churchill Downs Stakes (G2), the day's ninth race on the 13-race card. With one exception, all the runners were coming off races at major tracks throughout the country. The rarity was 2009 Washington champion handicap horse and sprinter Atta Boy Roy, who was coming off a 4 1/2-length tally at Turf Paradise in his first start of the season.
Besides his mach-speed, Atta Boy Roy had another ace card, the services of Calvin "Bo-rail" Borel, who would later in the day win his third Kentucky Derby in four years with Super Saver. After breaking from the nine post, Atta Boy Roy, who was the recipient of one of Borel's patented rail trips, was in command by the quarter pole (:22.23) and continued to lead through fractions of :44.73, 1:09.16 over the sloppy track. Nearing the wire, Atta Boy Roy held off the late charge of Warrior's Reward to win by a half-length. Race favorite Musket Man, who had placed in two of the 2009 classics, finished another 2 3/4 lengths back in third. Final race time was 1:22.54. Atta Boy Roy offered a $22.20 win payoff.
Atta Boy Roy more than doubled his earnings with his $167,214 payday. The five-year-old ridgeling has now earned $312,999 for Roy and Ellie Schaefer's R. E. V. Racing. The Port Orchard residents had purchased their future stable star for $4,500 out of the 2006 WTBA Summer Yearling Sale.
Atta Boy Roy, who equaled or lowered the Emerald six-furlong mark twice last year, is trained by Valorie Lund. The runner is the first graded stakes winner for Northwest regular Lund.
Atta Boy Roy is the second graded stakes winner and champion produced out of the stakes-placed Synastry mare Irish Toast, who was named Washington broodmare of the year in 2009. A daughter of the brilliant Washington champion Bix's Bet, Irish Toast is also the dam of 2007 Washington horse of the year and Longacres Mile (G3) winner The Great Face. Bix's Bet and Irish Toast were both bred and raced by Patricia Murphy, of La Center, and Murphy co-bred Atta Boy Roy with Rick and Debbie Pabst, at whose Blue Ribbon Farm in Buckley he was raised. |
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Blind Luck Captures Exciting Kentucky Oaks
Mark Dedomenico, John Carver, Peter Abruzzo and trainer Jerry Hollendorfer's top filly Blind Luck, coming out of the number five post in the field of 14 sophomore distaffers, rallied from her favorite position at the back of the pack to win the $500,000 Kentucky Oaks (G1) in dramatic fashion on April 30 by a nose over Evening Jewel.
With Rafael Bejarano aboard, the chestnut daughter of Pollard's Luck-Lucky One, by Best of Luck, who was coming off a 2 1/2-length tally in the Fantasy Stakes (G2), finished the nine-furlong test in 1:50.70 over a fast track. Bred in Kentucky, Blind Luck increased her earnings to $1,398,712 and now has a record of 7-1-2 from ten lifetime starts. It was the fourth Grade 1 victory for the pro tem leader of her division.
"I do not have to do much on her - just leave her alone and let her relax," said Bejarano. "From the five-eighths I had to do a little middle move to get into position going into the second turn. She showed me a big kick in the stretch, but (Evening Jewel) was still running strong, so my filly was always fighting, and this was the first time she gave me an extra finish, and it made the difference."
"It was tense enough for a few minutes waiting (for the race to be declared official), but I thought we got it on the head-bob, and we were right," stated Hollendorfer. "A great ride by Rafael got her there."
Blind Luck is the third Oaks winner for Hollendorfer, who also trained 1991 winner Lite Light and 1996 winner Pike Place Dancer, who raced for Seattleite Dr. George Todaro. |
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No Flies On Doodle Scores in First 2010 Emerald Downs Stakes Swag Stables and Appassionato Stables four-year-old No Flies On Doodle made a strong move to take command near the half-mile marker and scored a 1 3/4-length victory in the $50,000 Hastings Handicap run on May 2. John and Janene Maryanski's Hallelujah Trail ran second. Finishing third in the six-panel race was Nina L. Egbert's Clair Annette, who had taken the 2009 renewal of the stakes.
Gallyn Mitchell, in his record-breaking 63rd stakes win at Emerald, was aboard No Flies On Doodle, the $3.60-to-one second betting choice, for her victory. Final time for the race was a new stakes record of 1:08.20 over a wet, but fast track.
"Vann (Belvoir) called me in the morning and asked me what I thought of the race," recounted Mitchell. "I told him I thought Clair Annette had a lot of speed and I didn't want to go with her on the lead. It was like she (No Flies On Doodle) read our minds because she did exactly what we wanted. She's just an awesome filly and always gives 110 percent."
Bred by Keith and Jan Swagerty, who race under Swag Stables, No Flies On Doodle was recording her second start and win during the young meet. Last year the Washington-bred daughter of Storm Blast-Chedoodle, by Slewdledo, won four of seven starts, including the Washington Oaks and Washington Lottery Handicap. The Belvoir trained filly improved her lifetime totals to 6-2-0 from nine starts and has earnings of $133,552.
Race favorite Hallelujah Trail, a four-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Gilded Time-Runaway Aly, was making her first start at Emerald after a California campaign which saw her finish fourth in the Grade 3 Las Flores Handicap in her previous start.
Egbert's homebred Clair Annette, Emerald's claimer of the meet in 2008 and a two-time stakes winner at the Auburn track last year, is a seven-year-old Washington-bred daughter of Beau Genius out of Windsong Maria.
The Belvoir-Mitchell team also was victorious with 2009 stakes winner Peaceful Reign in the ninth race on the Sunday card. The four-year-old Washington-bred son of Liberty Gold-Peaceful Wings scored an impressive 4 1/2-length tally in a 5 1/2-furlong allowance/optional claiming race. The Howard Maggard-owned runner needed only 1:01.40 to get the job done, a time only one tick off the record shared by Willie the Cat and The Great Face.
Belvoir's double puts him on par with Frank Lucarelli in the early training standings, as both have recorded nine wins.
2008 Washington plater of the year Polo Bender recorded his 18th career win, and eighth at Emerald Downs, after winning the second race on the Sunday card for Rancho Viejo. The now nine-year-old son of Cahill Road-Force Within is trained by Rigoberto Velasquez and was bred by George Dill.
For more Emerald Downs news go to: http://www.emeralddowns.com. |
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Oregon Derby and Portland Mile Highlight End of 2009-10 Portland Meadows Season The 63rd season of racing at Portland Meadows ended with three exciting stakes races run during the final two days of the meet which started last October.
The final day of the meet, and the only card run on a Saturday, featured the $25,000 Oregon Derby. A field of seven left the gate in the nine-furlong race with most of the fans' money on Seven Torrents, who was coming into the race after winning three consecutive Portland stakes this spring. With Juan Gutierrez aboard, Seven Torrents took command at once, leading with fractions of :23.73, :47.79, 1:12.80 and 1:39.1. But unfortunately for the Remmah Racing Inc.-owned runner, the race still had a furlong to run, and just inside the furlong marker a new and unexpected leader emerged in the form of California ship-in Brickyardtradition. With Marijo Terleski aboard, the Wendall McDaniel-owned and -trained runner drew clear of Seven Torrents to win by two lengths. A Kentucky-bred son of Olmodavor-Cincinnatti (Brz), by Midnight Tiger, Brickyardtradition paid $39.60 in his first victory in what would be his eighth outing. Seven Torrents, an Oregon-bred son of Cascadian-Seven Affairs finished second, seven lengths the better of Root and Vogt Stable's Promiscuous Lad, an Oregon-bred son of Klinsman (Ire) and 2009 Oregon broodmare of the year Forty Romances.
Christmas in April
Two stakes races were featured on Wednesday, April 28, including the richest race of the meet, the $50,000 Portland Mile. But before that revered feature, older fillies and mares took to the track for the $18,000 Donna Jensen Handicap.
Northern California stakes winner Christmas Ship proved to be the easiest kind of winner, as the five-year-old Florida-bred mare drew off to win the 1 1/16-mile race by 13 1/2 lengths. A half-sister to Washington stallion and $701,224 graded stakes winner Trickey Trevor, Christmas Ship was ridden to the impressive win by Joe Crispin. The daughter of Montbrook-Show Your Pride, by Silver Deputy, has won four races and earned $222,120 for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer and his longtime partner Dr. George Todaro. Mylon Buck's Monarchos Cassie (Monarchos-Casanova Marker), who had won the City of Roses Handicap earlier in the meet, finished second best with Derby Connection's Joe's Plum (Proud Citizen-Inoma Slew) coming in third in the field of seven. Final race time was a good 1:43.65, only .45 of a second over the 1969 track mark set by Me Brave.
Great Claim!
When a horse goes from being claimed for $2,500 to $50,000 stakes winner in exactly four months, that must be considered a great success.
For the past couple of years or so, perennial leading Northern California trainer and astute horseman Jerry Hollendorfer has brought a few horses north to run for substantially less money at Portland Meadows. It seemed a good way to tally wins and "let go" of a few runners who were having trouble competing successfully on the California circuit. Among those that Hollendorfer brought north to Portland was a four-year-old colt named Coronas At Delmar, who had last won at Santa Rosa for a $5,000 tag and who raced under the ownership of Hollendorfer and Todaro.
After winning his first start by 4 1/2 lengths at the Rose City track in mid-December at the $3,500 level, Coronas At Delmar was dropped to $2,500. He won that race by an easy 7 1/2 lengths and was claimed by trainer Jonathan Nance to race for Nance's wife Shelly. And up the ladder Coronas At Delmar moved. On January 13, Nance had set a Portland record by winning six races on one card. The last of those winners on that memorable day was with the newly claimed Coronas At Delmar for a $6,250 tag. That was followed by a victory at the $16,000 level. Then on St. Patrick's Day, Coronas At Delmar came home first in the Governor's Speed Handicap.
The Kentucky-bred son of Zavata-Kara Young, by Gulch, then put his five-win streak on the line in Portland's top race, the Portland Mile, which had been raised from a $40,000 affair to a $50,000 pot. Coronas At Delmar opened up an early lead and was never headed, as he and rider Juan Gutierrez cruised through fractions of :23.21, :46.15, 1:10.55, 1:23.38 to reach the wire in a quick 1:36.59, a mere .66 second off Crafty Power's 2009 track record. Steve Smith and Hartwick Farm's Overtime Victory (Victory Gallop-Hanselina) finished two lengths behind the winner with Jim Gilmour's seven-year-old Stealth Attack (Flying With Eagles-Sarna) another four lengths back in third. Finishing eighth in the field of nine was race favorite Saratoga's Magic, owned by Hollendorfer and Todaro
Meet End Stats
Joe Crispin conquered the jockey ranks with 148 wins from 410 mounts, $526,899 in earnings and a 67 percent in-the-money figure. Troy Stillwell was second with 77 victories and $349,587 won. J. Luis Torres rounded the top three riders of the meet with 63 wins and $300,897 in purses. Leonel-Camacho Flores, who finished seventh overall, was the leading apprentice rider with 32 wins from 308 mounts.
For the third consecutive year, Jonathan Nance won the training title. The Oregon horseman saddled 51 winners among his 234 starters and had earnings of $231,094. California-based Jerry Hollendorfer finished second in the standings with 44 winners from 89 starters. Hollendorfer earned the highest in-the-money figure of the meet at 76 percent. Jim Fergason finished third in wins with 32. Ben Root saddled 28 winners, but was second in purses earned with $185,613.
The leading owner title went to the partnership of Hollendorfer and Todaro, who won 21 races from 38 starts and earned $47,070. Nance, Floyd, Smith and Hartwick Farms finished in second place with 16 wins with Moreno Racing Stables LLC just one behind with 15 wins.
Trainer/owner Howard Belvoir topped all owners by money won with $68,698, just $352 ahead of Moreno Racing Stable.
Portland Mile winner Coronas At Delmar was unbeaten in five starts to lead all Portland runners. He also topped all earners with $23,925. Nine runners finished with four wins apiece. |
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Sun Downs 2010
Sun Downs ended its current meet on May 2 with an estimated crowd of 1,100 people betting just over a $50,000 on the final card. The handle for the ten-day meet was unofficially $466,000.
On Saturday, May 1, James Craig-owned and -trained Nothing in Common went gate-to-wire under Connie Doll to take the $3,200 Jim Smith Ribbons and Lace Handicap. The five-year-old Florida-bred daughter of Gulf Storm-Houston Parade, by Houston, defeated Cliff Balcom's T J Timber (Timber Legend-T J Chrissy) by 2 3/4 lengths in the field of six older fillies and mares. John Thraser's Moments in May (Zayzoom-Precise Moment) finished third in the six-furlong race.
Sunday racing featured the $2,900 Au Revoir Handicap for Thoroughbreds and the meet ending AQHA Merial Distaff Challenge Stakes, a $30,780 event for Quarter Horse fillies and mares.
Elizabeth Lee's Air Pegasus, one of five winning rides for jockey Hugo Herrera on the ten-race card, narrowly held on to defeat Jon Freeze's Cougar Defense (Defensive Play-Walkin' With Angie) by a neck in the seven-furlong Au Revoir. Alice Stitzel's veteran performer Gassan Royal (Royal Academy-Catatonic), now 10, finished another 4 3/4 lengths back in third place in the field of six runners.
Trained by David Lee, Air Pegasus is a five-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Fusaichi Pegasus out of Rachel's Halo, by Sunny's Halo.
A field of nine distaffers went to the post in the 400-yard Distaff Challenge which saw Alvin B. Jonas' Sheza Bad Habit come up in the last strides to defeat even-money favorite Daddies Little Girl by a half-length.
Nikeela Black, even though she was winless on Sunday, was the leading rider for the meet with 22 victories. Herrera, after his huge rush on the closing day, finished in second place with 11 winners. Ruben Camacho rode nine winners. Ben Chavos and Connie Doll tied at six apiece.
A. Lynn Homer topped the trainer's list with ten wins. Two conditioners tied for second with six wins apiece, Kurt Calton and David Lee. Bill Hoburg, Gary Klinger, Mike DeMatteis and Buckey Stockwell each saddled five winners. |
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More News 2008 WTBOA Summer Yearling Sale graduate City to City finished third in the $100,000 Senorita Stakes (G3) run at Hollywood Park on May 2. The three-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of City Zip-Stormbow, by Storm Cat, who had won the Grade 2 Providencia Stakes in her last start, was beaten a little over a length by Cozi Rosie in the mile turf event. City to City earned $12,000 for owners Mark Dedomenico LLC, William DeBurgh and trainer Jerry Hollendorfer.
Mike Chambers won the 2009-10 Turf Paradise training title by a 62-49 margin over Keith Bennett and veteran rider Vicky Baze finished sixth among the riders at the Arizona track with 73 wins.
Four-year-old Belarus, a daughter of St. Hilaire Thoroughbreds' Polish Miner, took a five-furlong maiden race over Pimlico Race Track's turf course on April 30. The new winner, out of North of Hope, by Moment of Hope, was bred in Maryland.
Dynaslew, the four-year-old daughter of Dynaformer who won the Beaugay Stakes (G3) at Belmont Park on May 1 for Live Oak Plantation, is out of the $358,567 stakes-winning Seattle Slew daughter Slews Final Answer, who was bred by Ty Schuemann's Grousemont Farm. The race marked Dynaslew's fourth win in ten starts and upped her earnings to $191,252.
Strawberrydaiquiri, the English-bred four-year-old filly who took the May 2, Stanjames.com Dahlia Stakes (G3) - a nine-furlong turf race at Newmarket - is out of $501,720 stakes winner Strawberry Morn (by Travelling Victor), winner of the first stakes race ever run at Emerald Downs, the 1996 US Bank Stakes. It was the fifth win in seven starts for the Michael Stoute-trained filly.
Also on the Sunday card at Newmarket was the first classic of the English racing season, the Stanjames.com 1,000 Guineas Stakes (G1). Khalid Abdullah's Special Duty, a daughter of Hennessy, was promoted to the win after the race stewards disqualified Jacqueline Quest to second place. Special Duty's third dam, Nijinsky Star, was a half-sister to stakes winner Six Crowns, dam of champion Chief's Crown and top Washington sire Tribunal.
Through the end of April, El Dorado Farms LLC's Matty G, whose first Washington crop reaches the races this year, continues to lead the state sire rankings with 21 winners and $454,333 in earnings. Gibson Thoroughbred Farm's Parker's Storm Cat is in second place with earners of $303,891 and St. Hilaire Thoroughbred's Polish Miner rounds out the top trio with $235,988 in 2010 progeny earnings.
Thorough the same period of time, the deceased Seattle Shamus tops the Oregon standings with ten winners and $90,127. Oakhurst Thoroughbred's newcomer, Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Grindstone, is in second place with $72,141 and Bar C Racing Stables' Soft Gold (Brz) fills the third position with a $58,018 total. |
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