2008 WTBOA September sale graduate S S Shelby won her seventh race, an allowance/$20,000 optional claiming race, over Turf Paradise's turf course on April 1. Owned by R.E.V. Racing and trained by Valorie Lund, the five-year-old mare by Tribunal-Artic Mist, by Son of Briartic, bred in Washington by Elaine Parks has earned $57,622.

  In early April word was received that Washington and National Racing Halls of Fame inductee Russell Baze, the all-time leading rider by winners, will be inducted into the State of Washington Sports Hall of Fame, with induction ceremonies to take place at Emerald Downs on Longacres Mile (G3) day, August 19. As of April 8, Baze had ridden 11,546 winners from 49,094 mounts, including 109 wins in 2012, which have earned over $178-million.

  For the second consecutive season Comcast Sports Network (CSN), hosted by Emerald Downs Director of Broadcast Publicity Joe Withee, will cover Emerald Downs's Saturday live racing cards. Emerald race replays will also be available on XFINITY TV On Demand from Comcast.

  Two Washington-based writers were among the top three awardees in the 2012 Thoroughbred Times fiction contest. Nancy English Perry, of Washougal, wrote the first place entrant "Ode to Jefferson Downs," which appeared in the March 31, 2012, edition of Thoroughbred Times. Julie June Stewart, of Vancouver, wrote the third place story among the 82 entries. The piece, titled "Moses Finds a Jockey," will appear in a future edition of the national trade journal. Both women were submitting their first pieces to the biennial contest.

  Stakes-placed Fu Peg He Rat, a six-year-old gelded son of Fusaichi Pegasus and half-brother to El Dorado Farms LLC's stakes-winning stallion Houseofroyalhearts - whose first foals race in 2012 - won his 12th race, a $25,000 claiming race at Golden Gate, and improved his earnings to $247,160.

  In Orario, the seven-year-old son of Holy Bull who won the $466,539 Coral Stakes on March 31 at Hanshin in Japan, is out of $236,825 Grade 3 stakes winner Knight Prospector, a daughter of Native Prospector and Washington-bred winner Knights Crozier, a 1982 daughter of Knights Choice bred by Northwest Farms. Kentucky-bred In Orario improved his record to 6-3-1 from 20 starts and has earned $1,173,084.

  In a dead heat in the owners' category for a 2011 Sovereign Award were British Columbia-based Glen Todd and Patrick Kinsella, who race 2011 Washington champion three-year-old filly Castinette Dancer, and the Dover Stable of Donna and Verne Dubinsky, who raced 2011 Canadian champion three-year-old filly Inglorious.

  Southern Hemisphere two-year-old Winning Prize, an Argentine-bred son of Pure Prize, added his second win in three starts when he won the Gran Premio Raul y Raul E. Chevealier (Arg-G1) at San Isidro on April 7. Winning Prize is out of Winning Ways, a Peruvian-bred daughter of now retired Washington sire You and I.

  Pagan Cat, a six-year-old West Virginia-bred son of Gibson Thoroughbred Farm's Parker's Storm Cat, increased his earnings to $267,239 after he won a seven-furlong allowance test at Charles Town on April 3. He is one of three stakes horses out of the Pentelicus mare Pagan Love.

  Trainer Gennadi Dorochenko, 53, who rode at Emerald Downs shortly after the track opened in 1996, scored a major win when his charge Hero of Order won the $1-million Louisiana Derby (G2) at Fair Grounds on April 1 at odds of $109.40-to-one. It was the second win in 14 starts for the son of Sharp Humor who has now earned $645,605. As a rider, the Russian native won 12 of 305 starts with $166,932 in mount earnings, but as a trainer he has made 116 trips to the winner's circle from 1,438 starts and earned $2,722,711.

  Five-year-old Upperline, in her first start back since October 23, 2011, finished second by a neck to Artemus Kitten in the $100,000 Bayou Handicap run at Fair Grounds on March 31. A Grade 3stakes winner of $407,108, Upperline, a daughter of Maria's Mon, races for the partnership of Oakcrest Farm, John Agar, Stone Farm and trainer Michael Stidham.

  Pearlz Girl, a three-year-old Texas-bred daughter of Pulse Ranches' Preachinatthebar out of Pearls O'Plenty, by Wild Rush, improved her record to two-for-two after she won a six-panel allowance race by 1 3/4 lengths at Turf Paradise on April 3.

  Second-time starter Splendid Fortune, a three-year-old daughter of Giant's Causeway, was an impressive 7 1/4-length winner of a six-furlong maiden special weight race at Santa Anita on April 5. Bred and owned by Arnold Zetcher LLC, the Kentucky-bred filly is out of $989,185 graded stakes winner House of Fortune, whose unraced dam, So Fortunate, is a daughter of Washington horse of the year and Grade 1 winner Delicate Vine.

  Edward and Theresa DeNike's homebred Dimyana, a four-year-old California-bred daughter of Powerscourt (GB), won a mile maiden special weight race over Golden Gate's turf course on April 6 with Russell Baze in the saddle. The following day, the DeNikes' three-year-old filly Jewel Seeker won her second race in two outings when the California-bred daughter of Sought After took a mile turf starter allowance at the Albany track and increased her earnings to $20,976.

  2011 Washington plater of the year Chukchi Sunrise, a six-year-old daughter of Russellthemussell-Kalowna Sunrise, by Aloha Prospector, finished third in an allowance/$62,500 optional claiming race at Santa Anita on April 5. Bred by Seawind Stables LLC, she has earned $121,324.

  Equibase Company LLC has introduced Owner Profile pages in the Stats Central section on equibase.com.  These pages consolidate and present in one convenient location the most current racing statistics for individual owners, owners who race in partnerships and stables, syndicates and other racing entities.
  "During 2011, a total of 64,670 Thoroughbred starters in the USA and Canada were raced under 32,124 unique ownerships," said Hank Zeitlin, president and COO of Equibase Company. "Owners make a tremendous commitment to this sport every time they breed or purchase a Thoroughbred to race. TheseOwner Profile pages provide not only information but well-deserved recognition for the owner."
  Owner names listed throughout equibase.com will now include links that will take the user to that owner's or partnership's specific stat profile page. The owner profiles are also searchable from 2010 to present and provide current year statistics as well as entry and result information.

  The Owner Profile pages are the latest addition to the Stats Central section of equibase.com, which includes expanded horse, jockey, trainer and track statistical profiles in one central location.

  The Jockey Injury Database, a new program aimed at preventing rider injuries in the future, has been developed by The Jockeys Guild.

  The Jockey Injury Database will collect information on jockey injuries at racetracks, including where, when and how injuries occurred, what type of equipment riders were wearing at the time, and the nature and severity of the injuries.

  "We constantly work with tracks and the industry to ensure the safety of jockeys," said Terry Meyocks, National Manager of the Jockeys' Guild. "This program was first conceived at the Welfare and Safety of the Racehorse Summit and it has been in the works for several years. We are thrilled to see it come to fruition. Its goal is to find ways to reduce racing injuries and create a safer racing environment."

  The new data collection system has been created with the assistance of Keeneland, The Jockey Club and the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) Safety and Integrity Alliance. Keeneland will be the first racetrack in the country to start collecting the data at their April 2012 meet.

  "Once we are comfortable with the process, we will be sending information packets to each racetrack further explaining the goals and design of the project while encouraging their participation," said Meyocks.

  As data is collected, it will be analyzed for trends. There is no cost to tracks to participate in this project, and those providing data will be recognized when the analysis is ultimately published in the medical literature.

  "This prospective collection of information will allow us to better evaluate rider safety equipment, racetrack surface type, first-responder options, and a host of variables just as other professional sports do on behalf of their athletes both in the U.S. and abroad," said Dr. Barry Schumer, Keeneland medical director and co-creator of the program.

  The NTRA Safety and Integrity Alliance will advocate participation in the Jockey Injury Database when tracks seek accreditation in the alliance. "Anything we can learn from accidents that happen on the racetrack to help improve the safety for our human and equine athletes is a plus for the sport, said Mike Ziegler, Executive Director of the NTRA Safety and Integrity Alliance.  "We will encourage tracks applying for accreditation to participate in the database."

  The Jockey Club and The Jockey Club Technology Services, Inc. provided complimentary software development in the creation of the Jockey Injury Database as a service to the industry. Data collection and analysis will be performed by a research team from the University of Kentucky headed by Drs. Christian Lattermann and Carl Mattacola from the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine.

Ivan Franklin Christianson

Ivan Christianson, 75, of Kent, died April 5, 2012. Born April 14, 1936, he moved from North Dakota to Washington in 1954. Since 1959 he worked in the underground utility business, Kohl Excavating Inc.

  Ivan and his wife Delores, who raced and bred under Shady Valley Farm, claimed their first horse at Yakima Meadows in 1978. Ivan was one of the original investors in Emerald Downs and the longtime WTBOA member also served on the WHBPA board of directors. Through end of 2011, the couple had 37 wins at Emerald Downs, including a victory with homebred Silver Boxcar in the 2011 Premio Esmeralda Stakes.

  A celebration of Ivan's life will be held Tuesday, April 17, 2012 at Emerald Downs in Auburn.

  A more extensive obituary will appear in the next issue of Washington Thoroughbred.

Shauna (Van Oostram) Ferguson

Longtime British Columbia horsewoman Shauna (Van Oostram) Ferguson, 58, died on April 9, 2012, as the result of head injuries suffered when she fell from a horse at Keenebridge Farm in Langley.

  She first arrived at Exhibition Park (now Hastings Racecourse) in 1972, working as a groom for trainer Alan May. Four years later she took out her trainer's license and saddled 188 winners from 1,606 starters through October 2, 2011. The best horse she trained was 1997 Emerald Downs horse of the meeting and Longacres Mile (G3) winner Kid Katabatic, who she also co-bred and co-owned. The two-time B C champion earned $626,815 and was later inducted into the B C Racing Hall of Fame.

  She is survived by her husband Keith Ferguson.

Larry Dean Harding

  Former Quarter Horse and Appaloosa jockey Larry Harding, 70, died on March 21, 2012, in Spokane after a long battle with cancer. He was the middle of 11 children Emil and Mary Harding.

  During his time in the military, the Colville native taught entire companies of men to ride and jump for the US Pentathlon Team and upon his discharge became a jockey. His final winning ride came at Sun Downs in 1986.

  He leaves behind sons, Shane, Steven (Sarah), Miah (Willow) and Trapper (Michelle); and seven grandchildren.

Louis Earl Tice

  Business leader, educator and horseman Lou Tice, 79, died on April 1, 2012, after a short illness.

  He was born in Seattle on November 19, 1935, to Malcom and Lois Kime Tice. Lou graduated from West Seattle High School before receiving a bachelor's degree from Seattle University. He later added at an MA in education, with a major focus in mental health sciences, while attending the University of Washington.

  Lou began his professional career as a high school athletics coach. He was the assistant football and wrestling coach at Highline High School and later, while working as the football coach at Kennedy High School in Burien, he attended a summer course by a visiting professor at the University of Washington which inspired him to found, with his wife Diane, The Pacific

Institute (TPI) in 1971, of which he chairman at the time of his death.

  The Seattle-based Pacific Institute, with its belief in "no limits" and varied curricula have been translated into 21 languages, has offices world-wide and has spread its message to approximately 33-million people.

  Among the popular Tice quotes are: "All meaningful and lasting change starts from the inside" and "Life is about choices, and you have the ability to choose. You always have this ability. I suggest that not only do you have the ability, you have the responsibility to make choices for Yourself. It is your life and you are in the driver's seat, if you choose to be."

  Tice was a renowned motivational speaker. Among those he worked with were UW football coach Steve Sarkisia, Seattle Seahawks coach Peter Carroll and former Washington coach Jim Lambright. Tice was also a noted author, founder of Tice Ranch in Twisp, and was a patron of the West Seattle Loghouse Museum. In 2002, he and Carroll founded "A Better LA," a nonprofit

foundation aimed at reducing violence among young people in the Los Angeles area. A similar project was started in Seattle in 2011.

  The Tices' first runners, Tawny Dawn and Mighty Great, raced in the names of their daughters. Another early runner was stakes-placed B.N. Ticed. Tice Ranch's Hoodoo Peak was a stakes winner at Playfair, but the Tices had their greatest success in racing with multiple stakes winner Assessment, who won the 2009 Longacres Mile (G3) in their colors and was named horse

of the meet. The Tices' final starter at Emerald Downs was the appropriately named Leadership, who ran third in the 2011 Gottstein Futurity. Through the end of 2011, Tice Ranch runners had earned $834,484 at Emerald Downs, to rank 14th in earnings.

  He was preceded in death by his sister, Carol Ehrl; brother, Hugh Tice; and adopted son, Joseph Tice. He is survived by his wife, Diane Bayley Tice; adopted children, Mary Adlam, Michael Tice, Bonnie Matheu, Edward Tice and Nancy Tice; brothers, Wally Tice and T. R. Blackford; foster daughter, Kaddy Fidler; and 13 grandchildren.

  A memorial service celebrating Lou's life will be held on April 13, at 10:00 a.m. at St. Edward's Catholic Church, 4212 S. Mead St., Seattle.