A few years ago longtime Washington breeders Carey and Sue Walt lost almost everything when severe flooding hit Central Western Washington. Their only horse to survive was the recently off-the-track filly Dancing Target. Sent to Dean and Anne Essex's Granite Falls Thoroughbred Farm to recover, she was bred to the farm's new stallion Sam's Ace.

   A two-race winning daughter of On Target, Dancing Target produced two foals by Sam's Ace for the Walts before the now 12-year-old mare was retired from the breeding shed due to health issues resulting from swimming in the contaminated water.

   I'll Have Another's fourth dam Last Bird, a 1973 daughter of *Sea-Bird, produced Grade 2 stakes winner Roanoke and a pair of stakes-placed fillies. One, Last Cause, is the third dam of the 2011 dual classic winner; the other is One Last Bird, by One for All.

   El Dorado Farms LLC's Matty G is in second place with 21 victories and $245,243. Deceased Tribunal, who stood his entire career at El Dorado before his premature death, is ranked third with $143,062.

  Michael and Amy Feuerborn's Class Included and Debbie Paxton and Northwest Farms LLC's Elusive Noise showed their fighting spirit and high-quality with a rousing stretch battle in the Hastings Handicap on May 13. The first stakes of the 17th Emerald Downs season drew a strong field of stakes class fillies. Odds-on favoritism in the six-furlong Mother's Day stakes was accorded to Class Included, who had never finished farther back then second in her ten-race career.

   Ridden by Juan Gutierrez and trained by Jim Penney, Class Included stalked the pace set by Elusive Noise (Elusive Quality-Noisette), before applying pressure to that rival in the final furlong and won by a head in a "stiff drive." Class Included earned her fourth stakes victory in 1:07.17. David Taylor's latest acquisition, Special Holiday, a Washington-bred daughter of Private Gold who formerly raced for Billie Klokstad, finished another 1 3/4 lengths back in third.

   "Once I swung her to the outside, she really started to move," recounted Gutierrez. "I thought this would be an easier race to win, but I know Elusive Noise, and she has a lot of class. I didn't know if we were going to get by her, but my horse did just enough."

   Class Included, who won both the Washington and British Columbia Oaks last year, improved her record to 6-5-0 from eleven starts. The Kentucky-bred daughter of Pimlico Special Handicap (G1) winner Include out of 2004 Emerald champion A Classic Life, a daughter of Sky Classic who also raced for the Feuerborns, has earned $219,323. The Maple Valley couple was Emerald's leading owners in both earnings and stakes wins in 2011.

   Class Included provided Washington Racing Hall of Fame trainer Penney with his 42nd stakes win around the Auburn oval, just one behind late fellow Hall of Famer Bud Klokstad, who ranks second to Doris Harwood's 54 victories. Gutierrez also ranks in the number three spot among riders for Emerald stakes wins with 39.

Fleur De Lis Ferrari

  The second hotly-contested stakes of the meet, the $50,000 Governor's Handicap, drew a superior field of older male runners, each who had earned one or more Washington and/or Emerald Downs champions titles. Going into the race, the five geldings had won a total of 36 races (24 stakes) and earned just over $1.32-million between them, led by two-time Washington horse of the year Noosa Beach's $520,722.

   After hopping at the break, One Horse Will Do Corporation and Chris Stenslie's Hollywood Harbor (Harbor the Gold-Miss Slewette) rushed to take the early lead at the quarter pole in the 6 1/2-furlong race, but after a few more yards, rider Javier Matias had Winning Machine rolling along in first. The Fleur De Lis Stable homebred reached the wire in 1:13.97 - tying the stakes record - 1 3/4 lengths in front of R and R Warren LLC's Jebrica (Liberty Gold-Peaceful Wings), who finished a half-length better than show horse Hollywood Harbor. Odds-on choice and 122 pound highweight Noosa Beach, in his 2012 bow, ran fourth after "failing to gain late."

   "The plan was to sit behind the leaders, but nobody sent their horses, so I changed my plans and said 'let's go,'" explained Matias. "He has so much heart for being such a little man of a horse."

   "He's a good horse and has had some good race," said trainer Frank Lucarelli of the six-year-old Toccet gelding who had won both the Emerald and British Columbia (G3) derbies in 2009. "But he's had some tough beats over the years too," added Lucarelli after his 29th Emerald stakes victory.

Fleur De Lis Stables is the nom de plume for Raymond Kwik of Spokane and Paul Goldberg of Westport, Connecticut. The partners also bred Winning Machine's winning dam, Dance With Carson, a 1999 daughter of Carson City out of 1992 Washington champion three-year-old filly Ladies Excuse Me, who the partners also campaigned.

   Kentucky-bred Winning Machine's record now stands at 8-7-3 in 28 starts and with his $27,500 winner's share, has earned $390,278. He earned a career-high 94 Beyer Speed Figure for his stakes-equaling performance, a record which he now co-holds with Washington Racing Hall of Fame runner Trooper Seven.

Gemstones

   Two-time Emerald Downs stakes winner and Grade 2 winner Ema Bovary (Chi)'s three-year-old daughter Reliable Ema, a daughter of Smarty Jones, won her racing debut on May 12 for her breeder Northwest Farms LLC and was claimed for $20,000 out of the race by Wally Thompson's Crystal Ridge Farm. A half-sister to Seeking Ema, who placed in three Emerald stakes in 2009, she is the first winner for her dam who won ten of her 12 North American starts and earned $706,120. Ema Bovary is also the dam of a two-year-old colt by Unbridled's Song, a yearling filly by Smart Strike and a 2012 filly by Elusive Quality. On the same card, Crystal Ridge Farm's Allison Ridge, a Washington-bred daughter of Matty G, became the first three-time winner of the season.

Stats for April and May

   Through May 20, the first 18 days of racing, there is a three-way tie for wins, with 18 apiece, between riders Juan Gutierrez - the money leader at $164,746, apprentice Eliska Kubinova and Joe Crispin. Leonel Camacho-Flores sits one behind them with 17 tallies.

  Thisizsparta, a three-year-old daughter of Corinthian, won a nine-furlong maiden special weight race over Belmont's turf course on May 10. The filly, who has earned $76,910, is the fourth winner out of $231,226 stakes winner and 1996 WTBOA September sale graduate Deputy Sue, a daughter of Silver Deputy bred by Tod Manley.

   Both of the 2011 Oregon Fair Circuit champions were WTBOA winter sale yearling graduates: Mister Stewart, a 2007 horse by Seattle Shamus out of Citadella, who sold at the 2008 sale; and stakes winner Miss Slewledo, a 2006 mare by Slewdledo out of Casa Luisa, who was purchased out of the 2007 sale.

   2010 WTBOA sale graduate Cruzin the Harbor, a full brother to Washington champion and $120,286 earner Hollywood Harbor, finished second in a six-panel allowance at Golden Gate Fields on May 12. The Frank L. Gaunt-owned runner now has one win and two seconds in three starts. The Washington-bred son of Harbor the Gold and stakes winner Miss Slewette has earned $29,100.

  Three-year-old Right to Vote, who had finished third in the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes at two, ran second to Mark Valeski in the $200,000 Peter Pan Stakes (G2) run at Belmont on May 12, improving his record to 2-2-1 from five starts. Both Right to Vote, a Kentucky-bred son of Political Force, and his unbeaten Grade 2-winning half-brother What a Song, are sons of 1991 WTBOA Sales graduate and stakes winner What a Knight, a Washington-foaled daughter of Tough Knight bred by Northwest Farms.

   2009 WTBOA Summer Sale graduate Put'em On Ice, a four-year-old Washington-bred filly by Ministers Wild Cat out of Climb Every Wave bred by John Roche, won a five-furlong allowance test at Lethbridge on May 21.

   2010 September sale graduate Awesome Echo, a half-sister to 2011 Emerald Downs champion You Me and Ema B and stakes-placed Galley Bay, became the sixth winner for her dam Carrie Ann, after winning a six-furlong maiden special weight race at Northlands Park on May 19. The three-year-old daughter of Woodstead Farm stallion Katowice was bred in Washington by Jennifer Webber and Ken Jochimsen.

   2010 WTBOA-sold two-year-old Formal Plan, who was stakes-placed three times in 2011, returned to the races after an 11-month hiatus with an impressive 2 1/4-length victory in a five-furlong grass allowance race at Churchill Downs on May 20. Bred in California by Dr. Jack and Claire Lien's Willow Creek Farm, the daughter of Formal Gold-Choice Plan (a daughter of Washington champion Money by Choice) improved her record to 2-2-2 from nine starts. The $400 buy has earned $83,529 for Brooley Racing LLC and trainer Jennifer Tooley.

   Multiple stakes winner and 2008 WTBOA sale graduate Notoriously, a Kentucky-foaled daughter of Cherokee Echo-Silver Echo bred by Northwest Farms LLC, finished third in the $48,915 Brighouse Belles Stakes run at Hastings Racecourse on May 21. Her record now stands at 8-4-3 from 21 starts and she has bankrolled $237,012.

   2010 WTBOA Summer Yearling Sale alumni Mel and Al, by Matty G, a half-brother to 2010 Washington champion three-year-old colt Slew the Man and 2011 Washington claimer of the year Indian Weaver, became the eighth winner for his stakes-placed dam, El Dorado Farms LLC's top broodmare Go for Jackie, after winning for Pegasus Syndicate One at Emerald Downs on May 20.

   2009 WTBOA sale graduate and 2011 John and Kitty Fletcher Stakes winner E Z Kitty, a four-year-old daughter of Woodstead Farm's He's Tops out of Envision the Cat who races for Tige Too Racing Stable, won for the fifth time in eight tries when she scored a 3 1/4-length win in an allowance/$32,000 optional claiming race at Emerald Downs on May 20. Bred by Jerry and Peggy Woods, she has earned $47,516.

  2012 Kentucky Derby winning rider Mario Gutierrez's agent is 80-plus-year-old Ivan Puhich, one of the many successful members of that Pacific Northwest racing family. Puhich was the subject of an article "Gutierrez Provides Agent a Boost," written by Jay Hovdey, in the May 12, 2012, issue of the Daily Racing Form.

  Three-year-old first-time starter Demonaire, a daughter of Roche Farm's Demon Warlock out of stakes winner Sendie's Value, by Lasting Value, won a waiver maiden claiming race at Emerald Downs on May 6. Bred by Allaire Farms, the new winner races for Horseplayers Racing Club 007, Warlock Stables and Renee Shadei and is trained by Robert Meeking.

  Four-year-old Burban won for the second time in three outings when the daughter of Speightstown took a six-furlong allowance race at Churchill Downs on May 1. A $90,000 Keeneland September yearling, she is the first foal out of Washington-bred stakes winner Horse B With You, by Slewdledo, who won three races, including the Scottsdale Handicap and also ran third in the Grade 3 Santa Ysabel Stakes. Burban, who has been away from the races since winning a maiden special weight race in June 2011 at Churchill Downs had finished second to Groupie Doll - who has won consecutive Grade 1 races this spring, including the Humana Distaff Stakes on May 5 - in her first outing.

  Steve Zerda was one of horsemen interviewed in article "Finding the Right Fit," - on the values of racing partnerships - published in the May 5, 2012, issue of The Blood-Horse.

  Three-year-old Crystal Copy, a half-sister to 2011champion Castinette Dancer, became the third winner out of $134,635 stakes winner Premo Copy when she won a maiden race at Les Bois Park. The daughter of Cahill Road was bred in Washington by John Roche, is owned by Team Gibson and trained by Charles Gibson.

  Luigi and Diana DiPierto's four-year-old Hayjax, a California-bred half-brother by Souvenir Copy to 2003 Washington horse of the year and nearly $400,000 earner Taiaslew, won for the fourth time on May 20 at Emerald Downs when he scored a 4 1/4-length win in an allowance/$40,000 optional claiming race. The DiPietro Thoroughbreds-bred gelding has earnings of $49,619.

  Mark Dedomenico, John Carver and trainer Jerry Hollendorfer's three-year-old filly Hard Spun Secrets won a six-furlong allowance/$32,000 optional claiming race by a nose over Jethorse LLC's 2010 Washington-bred stakes winner Youtheprizeandi, a sophomore daughter of You and I, at Golden Gate Fields on May 19. The Kentucky-bred daughter of Hard Spun-No Secrets improved her record to 2-3-0 from five starts and has earned $52,800. Youtheprizeandi, who won the 2011 Northwest Stallion Knights Choice Stakes, has a record of 2-1-1 from four outings and the daughter of Misty Knight, bred by Dunn Bar Ranch LLC, has earned $32,500.

  Also on May 19 at Golden Gate, Edward and Theresa DeNike's four-year-old California-bred Bailouttheminister, a four-year-old gelded son of Minister's Wild Cat-T G.'s Girl, won his fifth race, an allowance/$62,500 optional claiming race, by 1 3/4 lengths and has now earned $153,124. The DeNikes' homebred Quarter Horse runner Separate Thoughts, a four-year-old Washington-bred daughter of Separatist, won the $25,000 La Pacific Handicap at Los Alamitos on May 12. The following day at Los Alamitos, Abigail K. Kawananakoa's Washington homebred filly Perrier Cartel scored her fifth win in the $35,000 Miss Princess Handicap Stakes for older Quarter Horse fillies. Kawananakoa, who won the 1993 All American Futurity (G1) with A Classic Dash, is a prominent Quarter Horse breeder in both Washington and California. Known formally as Princess Abigail Kinoiki Kekaulike III Kawananako, she is a surviving member of Hawaii's native monarchy. 

  Vann Belvoir-owned and -trained Heartless Honey, a three-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Holy Bull-Runaway Aly, won a 6 1/2-furlong $30,000 maiden claiming race by 6 1/4 lengths at Betfair Hollywood Park on May 20.

  2012 stakes-placed three-year-old Summer Hit, a California-bred half-brother to Washington-bred stakes winner and Emerald Downs champion Starbird Road, won a six-furlong starter allowance at Golden Gate on May 13. Bred by Ken and Jan Heidt, the gelded son of Bertrando-Mia F Eighteen, by Tough Knight, has a record of 3-1-1 from five starts and has earned $43,747.

  Limo, a four-year-old Minnesota-bred son of Gibson Thoroughbred Farm's Parker's Storm Cat out of Prom, won a 5 1/2-furlong maiden special weight race at Canterbury Downs on May 18.

  In Lingerie, the Empire Maker filly who won the $300,000 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (G2) at Pimlico on May 18, is out of Grade 2 stakes winner Cat Chat. The daughter of Storm Cat was bred by Herman Sarkowsky out of his two-year-old champion mare Phone Chatter, whose dam was an unraced daughter of Washington Horse of the Year Hooplah. A daughter of Reine-des-Course Beadah,Hooplah won the 1968 Hollywood Oaks for her breeder Ned Skinner's Swiftsure Stables and went on to produce four stakes winners.

  Scott Gruender's racing syndicates, Horseplayers Racing Club LLC, had two winners on May 18. The first came at Lone Star Park where three-year-old Texas-bred Goldandsilver, a son of Gold Legend who was also bred by Horseplayers Racing Club, won for the third time in nine starts. At Golden Gate, the syndicate and partners Randy Randazzo, Stuart Tsujimoto and trainer Ed Moger Jr., scored a turf victory with four-year-old Liquid Asset, a Kentucky-bred son of Consolidator. It was the gelding's fourth victory. As of May 20, Horseplayers Racing Club horses, which first went to the post in August 2007, have passed the $1-million mark in earnings. On May 24, Horseplayers Racing Club, Pam Dionese, Randy Moore and Moger's Birdiebobtoo, a three-year-old California-bred son of former Washington sire Game Plan, won a race at Golden Gate in his first start since being claimed by the partners.

  Jacqueline Smith's homebred Fuzzy Pitch, a four-year-old Washington-bred gelding by Cascadian out of Touched by N Angel, won a 5 1/2-furlong allowance race at Lethbridge by two lengths on May 19 in his second straight allowance win at the Canadian track.

  Dr. George Todaro's homebred stakes winner Cell Line Forever, a five-year-old California-bred daughter of Globalize-Three Tee Three, scored her sixth win in a 5 1/2-furlong allowance race at Assiniboia Downs on May 19 and pushed her earnings to $96,462.

  The Spokesman-Review featured an article on former Washington reinsman Aki Kato in their May 12, 2012, issue titled "A Jockey's Odyssey" in recognition of his recent 2,000th winner.

  The May 19, 2012, issue of Thoroughbred Times showcased 1942 Preakness Stakes winner Alsab in an article titled "The Little Horse That Could." Pictured with the article written by Mary Simon was a photo taken in the winner's circle after the classic which shows Washington Racing Hall of Famer, and winning rider, Basil James sitting on entertainer Al Jolson's lap.

The Jockey Club and TOBA Launch Advocacy Website for Medication Reform

   The Jockey Club and the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA) have launched an advocacy website, cleanhorseracing.org, which is dedicated to the reform of medication rules.

   Features of the new educational website include news, videos, scientific studies and commentary in support of medication-free racing, as well as several action-oriented sections that enable industry participants to pledge their support for clean racing by contacting state racing commissions and signing petitions regarding medication reform.

   The site will also maintain a substantial social media presence, including Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

   "As the momentum continues to grow for a ban on the use of race-day medication in this country, we want to keep all industry stakeholders properly informed," said James L. Gagliano, president and chief operating officer of The Jockey Club. "This website provides a platform for advocates of medication reform to receive the latest updates and take action. It should also prove to be an invaluable information resource for regulators as they reconsider current medication rules in their respective jurisdictions."

   "More than 75 percent of TOBA members support a measured phase-out of race-day medication," said Dan Metzger, president of TOBA. "Those members, as well as sales companies, prospective buyers and sellers, fans and international organizations, all want to see a true representation of quality that is based solely on a horse's natural athletic ability."

   Additional information about cleanhorseracing.org can be obtained by contacting info@cleanhorseracing.org.

Equibase Past Performance App Introduced for iPad

   Equibase Company LLC has unveiled the Equibase iPPs™ Past Performance app for the iPad, the company's first product specifically customized for Apple's popular tablet.

   The Equibase iPPs app, which can be downloaded free from the App Store on an iPad, enables customers to download past performances to their iPad and then "mark-up" the program as if handicapping with a traditional pen and paper.

   "The Equibase iPPs app displays past performance information in a format that can be easily personalized simply by touching the iPad screen," said Hank Zeitlin, president and COO of Equibase. "Whatever marks you make while handicapping using a traditional print program or Daily Racing Form - whether it's circling, highlighting or making specific notes - you can now make and save right on your iPad."

   Users can select from a variety of past performance program formats for every North American racetrack for as little as $2. In addition to Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse programs, harness past performances are also available for download to the app.