The catalog for the 45th WTBOA Summer Yearling and Mixed Sale is now available for online viewing at www.washingtonthoroughbred.com. The print edition of the catalog will be available in early August.

  Previous sales graduates of "The little sale company that could!" (Ray Paulick's 2010 Paulick Report) include graded stakes winners such as Smiling Tiger, Rings a Chime, Tali'sluckybusride, Atta Boy Roy, City to City, Fast Parade , Classy Cara, The Great Face and Classy Cara to name but a few.

  For the second year, the summer yearlings will be joined by mixed session yearlings, broodmares and horses of racing age for the September 6 auction, which will once more be held at the Morris J. Alhadeff Sales Pavilion located at Emerald Downs in Auburn, Washington.

  For further information or to request a catalog, call (253) 288-7878 or e-mail maindesk@washingtonthoroughbred.com.

  After placing in seven previous Northern California and Emerald Downs stakes races, Jack and Ivor Jones' homebred Point of Reference earned upper case black-type when the five-year-old Washington-bred won the $75,000 California State Fair Sprint Handicap at Sacramento on July 16.

  Point of Reference, who was ridden by Inoel Beato and is trained by Frank Lucarelli, raced eighth and last for the first half-mile before angling outside nearing the furlong pole and "offering a bold rally" to defeat Whispering Express by a neck. The $1.30-to-one favorite in the six-panel sprint, Point of Reference finished the race in 1:10.42 over a fast track.

  The 31st stakes winner sired by Benchmark, Point of Reference was produced out of the Quiet American mare It's Stevie's Time, a daughter of the Jones brothers' multiple Washington champion racemare Run Away Stevie.

  Point of Reference, who won two allowance races at Golden Gate Fields earlier this year, improved her record to 9-4-7 from 26 starts and has earned $288,237.

  Mark Dedomenico LLC, John Carver, Peter Abruzzo and trainer Jerry Hollendorfer's 2010 champion Blind Luck earned her 10th graded stakes victory and went over the $3-million mark on July 16 when she again squeaked by Havre de Grace to earn her second consecutive Delaware Handicap (G2) tally at Delaware Park. The four-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Pollard's Vision-Lucky One, by Best of Luck, improved her record to 12-7-2 from 21 starts and has earned $3.279,520.

  On June 22, 2011, the NTRA Safety and Integrity Alliance named eight-year-old Tattle their aftercare horse of the month. The California-bred daughter of now Oregon-based sire Soft Gold (Brz)-Snowy Lady, by Snow Chief, finished her race career at Emerald Downs under trainer Neil Knapp's care with a record of 1-3-2 in 25 starts and earnings of $12,440.

  The small mare was retired from racing after developing ankle problems and spent a year recovering at a farm in Oregon before being offered to Cowgirl Spirit Rescue Drill Team, a Fall City-based organization which started in 2005.(www.csrdt.org). Eileen Carrell, a CSRDT volunteer, purchased Tattle and is training her to be a show horse.

  For more information on this "happy ending" and other information about the NTRA Safety Alliance go to http://www.ntra.com/content/safetyalliance.

  Steve Meredith announced in mid-July that he is adding newcomer Gold Aly to stand alongside Beefchopper, Flying With Eagles, Free At Last, Kentucky Lucky and Vitesse at his Yakima-based Lucky Acres for the 2012 breeding season.

  From the first crop of three-time Grade 1 winner and $5.7-million earner Medaglia d'Oro, who also sired 2009 Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra in his initial crop and has so far sired 24 other stakes winners in his first four crops, including 2011 Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner Plum Pretty, his second winner of that prestigious event. Medaglia d'Oro stood the 2011 breeding season for a fee of $100,000.

  A $120,000 Barrett's two-year-old purchase, Gold Aly won two of his 12 starts and placed in three other races to earn $80,160. His first win came at four in a mile maiden special weight race over Santa Anita's turf course, a race which he annexed by 1 1/4 lengths. He also was victorious in a 1 1/16-mile allowance race over Hollywood Park's all-weather track in 2010. He took that race by 4 1/2 lengths over a fast track.

  Gold Aly is one of six winners produced out of the unraced Alysheba mare Bangled, a half-sister to Grade 1 stakes winner Grecian Flight and stakes winners Grecian Comedy and Evzone. In addition to Gold Aly, Bangled is also the dam of Grade 3 stakes winner and Grade 1-placed Anklet, a $486,451 winning daughter of Wild Again; French stakes winner Spangled; and stakes-placed, graded stakes producer Awe That.

  Pulse Ranches' multiple graded stakes winner Preachinatthebar officially became a sire when his two-year-old daughter Skyline Dawn Too earned a 4 3/4-length victory in her first outing, a four-furlong maiden special weight race at Fair Meadows at Tulsa on July 23. One of only nine juveniles in $836,339 earner Preachinatthebar's first crop, Skyline Dawn Too is an Oklahoma-bred filly out of Skyline Dawn, by Beat the Feet.

  Preachinatthebar, who moved to the Pulse family's Union Gap farm from JEH Stallion Station in Oklahoma for the 2011 breeding season, is a son of classic winner Silver Charm out of the stakes-winning Silver Deputy mare Holy Nola.

  Through July 22, Gibson Thoroughbred Farm's Parker's Storm Cat continues his reign at the top of the Washington sire list with earnings of $813,470 from his 22 winners, via 55 starters.

  El Dorado Farms LLC's Matty G, who led the state sire ranks for the previous four years, sits in second with 34 winners from 94 starters and $522,990 in earnings.

  St. Hilaire Thoroughbreds' Polish Miner holds down the number three spot with $405,203 tallied by 15 winners and 38 starters.

  The late Tribunal ranks fourth with 25 winners from 61 starters who have earned $343,982.

  Pensioned You and I is in fifth place with 20 winners from 49 starters and $306,757 in earnings.

  Rounding out the top ten are, in order: El Dorado Farms' Private Gold ($294,016), Woodstead Farm's He's Tops ($289,129), the late Cahill Road ($256,982) and Sherri Mellot's recently acquired Liberty Gold ($209,403).

Wayne Nagai Photo

Flying High with Ema B

  Seven-to-one shot You Me and Ema B atoned for her lone defeat by returning to take the 16th running of the $50,000 Boeing Handicap by two lengths on July 16. After pressing the pace behind Michael and Amy Feuerborn's Sis's Sis (Cahill Road-Carni Gal) for the first half-mile You Me and Ema B and regular rider Deborah Hoonan-Trujillo moved up to take command nearing the quarter pole and drew off to win the mile race in a time of 1:37.48. Ron Crockett Inc.'s Rewritten (El Corredor-Pleas Write) finished another half-length behind in third place in the field of nine older fillies and mares. 2010 Washington Oaks winner Zenovit, the race favorite, ended up sixth, less than four lengths behind the winner.

  "(You Me and Ema B) looks like a sprinter, but she is very efficient," said Hoonan-Trujillo after the filly's second stakes victory. "It was a blessing that (Sis's Sis) took the lead in the first turn. It allowed my horse to relax on the outside, which is what she liked better. Once we took the lead, I thought we had it won. She is just too hard to pass."

  An $8,700 2008 WTBOA Winter Sale graduate, the four-year-old daughter of You and I-Carrie Ann, by Son of Briartic, was bred in Washington by Jennifer Webber and Ken Jochimsen. The filly, who races for trainer Margo Lloyd's Monogram Stable and partner Patrick Hoonan, has won four out of her five lifetime starts and earned $72,765.

Docked in Kent

  A two-time Emerald stakes winner as a juvenile, Carrabelle Harbor became the most successful Oregon-bred to win stakes at Emerald when she and rider Gallyn Mitchell defeated Mike and Amy Feuerborn's odds-on favorite Class Included (Include-A Classic Life) by a length in the July 17 Kent Handicap. Robert A. Clary's Playful Argument (Closing Argument-Play Misty) took the number three spot in the field of six, 5 3/4 lengths behind the runner-up. Carrabelle Harbor recorded a 1:42.73 timing for the 1 11/6-mile race over a wet fast track.

  "I thought she would be able to get the distance because (trainer) Doris (Harwood) and I have been working her for this distance in the mornings," said Mitchell. "I can't believe (her) opening faction was :22 and change because she was going so easy."

  With the winner's share of the $50,000 purse, Carrabelle Harbor has taken $93,401 of her $98,391 total around the Auburn oval. A full sister to Oregon champion Catalina Harbor, Carrabelle Harbor is a daughter of 2010 Oregon leading sire Harbor the Gold out of 2010 Oregon broodmare of the year Silver City Lilly, by Tiffany Ice. The triple stakes winner is raced in partnership by Melodie Bultena and Doak Walker's Desert Rose Racing LLC and her breeders Pam and Neal Christopherson's Bar C Racing Stables.

Kristy Batie Photo

Big Z

  Nelson Family Racing's Zayda went from last to first to earn his second stakes victory, and in doing so proved that his first added money win in the Pepsi-Cola Handicap, which had come via a stewards' decision, was not a fluke. A full field of 12 sophomore colts and geldings entered the gate for the July 17 $50,000 Seattle Slew Handicap. Friendship Sables, Longshot Racing and Craig and Stanley Fredrickson's 2010 Emerald and Washington champion Couldabenthewhisky (Harbor the Gold-Bahati) was bet down as the $2.40-to-one favorite in the 1 1/16-mile event.

  Leslie Mawing rode the Blaine Wright-trained Zayda, who was almost a dozen lengths behind the leader after the first quarter.After reaching the leaders in deep the stretch, Zayda - the third betting choice - drew off to defeat Couldabenthewhisky by 2 1/4 lengths in a time of 1:42.75. Highland Yard LLC's Northern Indy (A.P. Indy-Polish Nana) finished another length back in third place.

  "My horse was just free running on the backside," said Mawing. "He was already gaining on the field before I asked him. I had so much horse under me, and he has such a humungous stride. He was a true professional today."

  A Kentucky-bred son of Bluegrass Cat-Winter Solstice, by Unbridled, Zayda improved his record to 3-0-1 from eight starts and the $90,000 Keeneland purchase has earned $81,690.

Reed Palmer Photography

Record Highs 

  Defending horse of the meet Noosa Beach put all on notice, if they hadn't been paying attention, that he is one of the best runners to ever set hooves on Emerald Downs. Not only is the five-year-old Washington-bred gelding unbeaten in four stakes this season, with his latest stakes tally Noosa Beach becomes the all-time leading stakes race winner at the Auburn track.

  Stakes win number 11 came in the July 24 Mt. Rainier Handicap. The 2010 Mt. Rainier marked the start of Noosa Beach's now seven-race win streak, and although the finishing margin wasn't as impressive as last year, when he defeated Senor Rojo by 4 1/2 lengths, Jeff Harwood's mighty gelding held off Fleur de Lis Stable's hard-trying Winning Machine (Toccet-Dance With Carson) by a half-length to take the 1 1/16-mile stakes. Tice Ranch's 2009 Longacres Mile winner Assessment (Jump Start-Native Ghost) finished third in the field of five. Gallyn Mitchell once again partnered Noosa Beach for the historic victory in a final time of 1:41.13.

  It should be noted that four of the last five winners of the Mt. Rainier have gone on the take the marquee Mile.

  "There was a lot of pressure to win today, especially since we were spotting the field nine pounds," said Mitchell. "Luckily, (Noosa Beach) is such a big horse that the weight didn't bother him.

  "I think he's on the top of his game," added Mitchell, who currently only needs only one more stakes win to tie Ricky Frazier's Emerald record of 72 wins.

  The victory also gave trainer Doris Harwood, who co-bred the multiple champion with her husband Jeff, her record 52nd Emerald stakes win.

  Noosa Beach, who has now taken a dozen of his 14 wins in stakes races, improved his record to 14-3-2 from 20 starts. With the $27,500 winner's share, Noosa Beach overtook Eclipse Award winner Chinook Pass ($480,073) as the eighth leading Washington-bred earner of all time with $480,722 (Noosa Beach had started the year in 36th place on the list.)

Gemstones

  Mike and Amy Feuerborn's five-year-old Cliff's Secret, a Kentucky-bred daughter of The Cliff's Edge, has now run both the fastest six furlongs (1:08.21 on July 24) and 5 1/2 furlongs (1:02.33 on April 29) of the meet. The Jim Penney trainee has a record of six wins in eight lifetime starts.

  Elttaes Stables' two-time Washington champion Margo's Gift has been retired from racing. The six-year-old gelding will now begin a career as a show horse in Oregon.

  Purchased by Ken Alhadeff for $10,000 out of the 2006 WTBOA Winter Mixed Sale, Margo's Gift, who was named after a close family friend, won four stakes, including the $250,000 Favorite Trick Breeders' Cup Stakes at Monmouth Park, as a juvenile. The son of Polish Gift-Burgandy Jones, by Knights Choice, who was bred by the late Barbara Nelson, added a victory in the Pepsi-Cola Handicap at three. In a career that spanned five seasons and 28 races, the Doris Harwood trainee retired with a record of 9-3-4 and earnings of $356,507.

  Margo's Gift, whose final race came in an allowance/optional claiming race on May 28 in which he finished fourth, retired sound.

  "I was sad to see him leave," said Harwood. "There is no way you can replace a horse like that, but it was time.

  "Both Kenny and I appreciate everything that he has done, and the abilities that he had," added Harwood.

Leaders

  Through July 25, Leslie Mawing , with 70 winners and $649,150 in monies earned, held a nine win lead over Joe Crispin with 61. Crispin also sits fourth in earnings with $468,019. Juan Gutierrez's mounts have earned $528,751 to place him second in earnings, and the rider ranks third in wins with 59. Rounding out the top five by wins are Deborah Hoonan-Trujillo, with 53 wins and $437,106 in money won, and Gallyn Mitchell, whose 40 wins and $471,785 include a trio of stakes wins with 2010 Longacres Mile (G3) winner Noosa Beach.

  Howard Belvoir leads all trainers with 33 wins and he's ranked fourth in earnings with $254,779. Tied in the second spot, with 27 wins apiece, are Tim McCanna ($274,237) and Frank Lucarelli ($242,033). Vann Belvoir ranks fourth with 23 victories, while Doris Harwood (the leader in money won with $296,404), Chris Stenslie and Tom Wenzel are tied in fifth with 18 wins each. Of the leaders, Wenzel ranks first in winners from starters with 31.6 percent. 

  Blue Mtn. Stables' Untilifindyou became the first runner to win five races (from six starts) at the meet when the four-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Souvenir Copy, who is trained by Mary Pirone, won the fourth race on July 17. Touch of Elegance and Rossi Reserve have each won four of their five outings, while a dozen runners have each earned three trips to the winner's circle.

  Kellsie Mullikin, a student at Mountain Vista Governor's School in Warrenton, Virginia, is participating in a two-year research class in which participating students are to choose and develop a research question and then collect and evaluate data. 

  "My project is on the relationship between conformation and navicular syndrome, and I am, therefore, evaluating the conformation of horses that have been diagnosed with this disease. I am hoping horsemen in the Pacific Northwest would be willing to assist me in my research by submitting photos of their horses that have been diagnosed with navicular syndrome. I would need side, front and back photos of these horses  I would also like to have some general information about each affected horse, such as the age, breed, height, when they were diagnosed, and whatever else the owner feels is important. I know there are several conformation faults that are associated with navicular already, but I hope to verify these faults and possibly discover new ones."

  If you are interested in participating in this project, Kellsie may be reached by e-mail at kmullikin@mvgshome.org.

  Mike Pegram and John Sikura's Irish Gypsy earned her first graded stakes win in the $200,000 Grade 2 A Gleam Handicap run at Hollywood Park on July 16 and improved her record to 6-4-1 from 14 starts. She has earned $359,420. The five-year-old daughter of Hennessy is out of Rayelle, a stakes-winning daughter of Relaunch out of Washington horse of the year and Grade 1 stakes winner Delicate Vine.

  Two-year-old Outrageous Belle, a California-bred daughter of In Excess (Ire) and half-sister to stakes winner and Oregon freshman sire Slew's Saga, won a $40,000 maiden claiming race at Hollywood Park on July 15 in her initial start. Bred and owned by Karen and Mickey Taylor, the new winner was claimed out of the race by trainer Kathy Walsh for Al and Saundra Kirkwood.

  Let's Get Crackin, a two-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Eddington who is out of Washington-bred stakes winner I'maknightschoice, a daughter of Knights Choice bred by Jerry and Carol Many, finished third in the July 16 $75,000 Prairie Gold Juvenile Stakes at Prairie Meadows.

  Thanks Be to God, a five-year-old son of El Dorado Farms LLC's Matty G won a mile allowance race at Indiana Downs on July 11. It was the third win for the Indiana-bred gelding out of Trading Rights, by Red Ransom, who has earned $76,287.

  On July 17, Wesley Ward-owned and -trained juvenile filly Judy the Beauty, by Ghostzapper, took the Shady Well Stakes at Woodbine to remain unbeaten in three starts.

  Paul Hagemann's homebred 2011 Portland Meadows Mile winner Deacon Speakin' won a mile allowance race at Sacramento on July 24, pushing the five-year-old Washington-bred son of Timber Legend-Hail the Minister, by Mane Minister, earnings to $143,740.

  On July 23, retired Woodstead Farm stallion You and I sired his 22nd stakes winner, and fourth in 2011, when five-year-old Dr Hoodoo won the $5,276 Commadore Allen Memorial Stakes at Alberta Downs. The California-bred son of Tipiary, by Dumaani, has won seven of his 20 starts.

Richard Maurice Hitchcock