The catalog for the upcoming WTBOA September 4 sale is now available for online viewing on the WTBOA website at washingtonthoroughbred.com. Printed catalogs will be available in early August. You may contact our offices to receive a printed copy by calling (253) 288-7878 or e-mailing maindesk@washingtonthoroughbred.com.

   This year's strong catalog features 140 horses, led by 116 summer sale yearlings.

  A two-time Grade 2 winner at two, John and Mary Roche's homebred Hilco Scamper won seven stakes and placed in three others in a career that spanned six years and 34 starts. Foaled in 1983, the gelded son of Knights Choice-Lucky Sport, by *Snow Sporting, won $514,238 with a record of 14-10-0. In addition to earning Washington horse of the year and juvenile honors in 1985 after taking stakes at Monmouth Park, Hollywood Park and Golden Gate Fields, the Mike Chambers trainee won both the National Sprint Championship Stakes (G2) and Speed Handicap en route to being named Washington's champion sprinter of 1987. He was also the Pacific Coast Quarter Horse Racing Association's champion distance horse in 1989.

  One of only seven Washington-breds who have earned a Grade 1victory, Rings a Chime was a stakes winner at two in Northern California before hitting the "big time" as a three-year-old with her victory in Keeneland's Ashland Stakes. The 1997 daughter of Metfield-Outofthebluebell, by Red Ryder, further solidified her status as one of the top sophomore fillies in the country by finishing second in the Kentucky Oaks (G1). Bred by Terry and Mary Lou Griffin, Rings a Chime earned $606,315 and had a record of 4-5-2 from 13 starts. She earned her first state championship as a two-year-old for Dave and Trish Currie and trainer Lloyd Mason, who had purchased her for $26,000 at the WTBOA September sale. She was then sold privately to Turf Side Stable and trainer Lonnie Arterburn guided her to titles of Washington horse of the year and champion three-year-old filly. 

  A native of Saskatchewan, the late Paul Frey rode 2,479 winners over his 20-year career which spanned from 1953-72. He was twice the leading rider at Longacres (1964 and 1966), and his 810 victories, which were highlighted by 41 stakes wins, place him fourth among all Longacres riders. On two occasions he rode six winners and he was the 33rd North American rider to reach 2,000 wins. On the national scene, he was aboard On My Honor for his win in the California Derby and was again astride the colt when he finished fourth in the 1963 Kentucky Derby. Among his best Washington mounts were Grey Papa, Lak Nak, Sparrow Castle and Dr. John H.

  Wayne Branch, who was the leading conditioner at Longacres for five years, was the firsttrainer in Longacres history to win three straight training titles (1961-63).His other titles came in 1959 and 1966. "The Master," as he was affectionately known, first started training horses at age 12 off his father's Montana ranch. During his long career he was among the leading trainers in North America by wins. Among the many good horses he developed in Washington were Lak Nak, Flashlite Boy, Te Amo Weep, Ocean Bridge, Hannaford, Boundaway, Flying Gem and Splendored Thing. Branch was also a successful trainer on the Arizona circuit.

  George C. Newell began breeding Thoroughbreds in Washington in 1938. His first winner came in 1942 and the master of Newellhurst Farm bred and raced top runners up and down the West Coast, many in partnership (Breel Stables) with fellow Hall of Fame breeder Frank Brewster. Newell bred and raced 1953 Washington three-year-old colt champion New Miracle and also bred 1958 Washington Futurity winner Jerry's Gal, who is probably the only Washington-bred two-year-old to ever break her maiden on New Year's Day. One of the 16 founding members of the WH BA, and its first president, Newell stood leading Washington sires Black Forest (1944, 1946-48) and Better Bet (1950). He was also one of the founders of the Yakima Turf Club and the first managing editor of The Washington Horse.

  Among the original investors in Emerald Downs, Jack Hodge Jr. and his wife Theresa own Oakcrest Farm where they have bred several Washington champions, including two distaffers (Peterhof's Patea and Guinevere) who would be name Washington horse of the year. The Hodges also bred state champions Colonel Stevens and Finally Free. The most recent Oakcrest-bred stakes winner was 2011 Diane Kem Stakes winner Kit Cat Kitty. A successful commercial real estate developer, Hodge served as the on-site coordinator for permitting, design and construction of Emerald Downs and currently manages the day-to-day facility operations. Successful owners as well, the Hodges are partners in recent stakes winners Upperline and Willcox Inn.

Kristy Batie Photo

Seattle Slew Handicap

  Although he had won his last three starts by a combined 20 1/2 lengths, Luigi DiPietro and Diana DiPietro's Italian Boy left the gate as the fourth pick in the field of seven sophomore colts and geldings vying in the Seattle Slew Handicap. To that point in time the Emerald sophomore male division been dominated by Makors Finale and D'honorable One, but Italian Boy - in his first black-type event -- set the pressured pace for the entire 1 1/16-mile race and held off the late charge of Nelson Family Racing's D'honorable One (D'wildcat-Silver Shannon) to win the $50,000 race by a scant head. Jack and Ivor Jones' homebred Edge Forward (Honour and Glory-Stevies Lilwonder) - also in his stakes debut -- finished another 4 1/2 lengths behind, but 1 1/2 lengths the better of race favorite Makors Finale. Italian Boy was ridden to his 1:41.61 victory by William Antongeorgi III, though much of the hoopla on the Sunday, July 15 card was created by the presence of 2012 classic-winning rider Mario Gutierrez, who was aboard Edge Forward and who would later in the day finish in the same spot with Regal Betty in the Kent Handicap.

  "I wanted to give my horse an easy lead, but we had to go a little quicker than I wanted," said Antongeorgi. "I was a little surprised he was able to hold on after going fast so early in the race, especially since it was his first time going around two turns, but like a good horse, he dug in."

  Italian Boy, who is conditioned by Tim McCanna, is a Washington-bred son of Tizbud out of the Hennessy matron Cordial Russian. He is the first stakes winner bred by Joseph and Rosalie DiPietro's DiPietro Thoroughbreds. Originally consigned to the 2010 WTBOA summer sale, the colt was brought home after being a $5,000 RNA and has now earned $59.230 with a 4-1-1 record from six outings.

  D'honorable One narrowly missed giving trainer Blaine Wright his third Seattle Slew winner in a row. The young horseman saddled Newfound Man for the 2010 win and also won with Nelson Family Racing's Zayda in 2011.

Reed Palmer Photography

Kent Handicap

  Paul Goldberg and Raymond Kwik's homebred Champagneandcaviar had a lot to live up to in the $50,000 Kent Handicap, after all her granddam was Washington champion Ladies Excuse Me and her older half-brother Winning Machine was not only the 2009 Emerald Downs Derby winner, but he the pro tem leader of the 2012 handicap division at the Auburn oval after scores in the Governor's and Budweiser handicaps. And then there was the fact that she was going into the race with a one-in-nine record and would be facing Exclusive Diva, who was the odds-on choice after convincing back-to-back scores in the Seattle and Irish Day handicaps.

  With Javier Matias onboard for her initial stakes excursion, Champangeandcaviar and Lady Hokulea vied for the early lead in the 1 1/16-mile race. As Lady Hokulea weakened as the twosome passed the six-furlong marker, Champangeandcaviar next was faced with a strong challenge from Northwest Farms LLC's Exclusive Diva (Bernardini-Puxa Saco), who took the lead briefly, but would end up three-quarters of a length behind the strong late re-rally of Champagneandcaviar. The Kent winner, who crossed the wire in 1:42.02, hails from Howard Belvoir's stable. Michael Talla's Arizona Oaks winner Regal Betty (Congrats-Singsingasong), who had shipped in from Sunland Park where she'd run fifth in the $200,000 Sunland Park Oaks, another 6 3/4 lengths behind in third in the field of six three-year-old fillies.

  "There really wasn't a plan going into the race," said Matias. "I wanted to break fast this time because last time she didn't break well. I saw nobody was going to the lead, so I just took it. I really wanted to beat that horse (Exclusive Diva), because she was the class of the race."

  A Kentucky-bred daughter of Van Nistalrooy-Dance With Carson, by Carson City, Champagneandcaviar races in the colors of Goldberg and Kwik's Fleur de Lis Stables. In ten starts, the chestnut filly has a record of 2-2-2 and with her $27,500 winner's share, has more than doubled her earnings to $47,775.

Wayne Nagai Photo

Mt. Rainier Handicap

  The joust for the 77th Longacres Mile (G3), along with the weather, is heating up. The last major local hurdle for the August 19 marquee event was the July 22 running of the Mt. Rainier Handicap. In recent years Noosa Beach (2010), Assessment (2009), The Great Face (2007) and Flamethrowintexan (2006) have all used a win in the Mt. Rainier as a stepping stone to their Mile victories.

  Topping the field of seven for the 2012 edition of 1 1/16-mile stakes were Chappell Alpine Farms LLC's excellent $50,000 claim Hudson Landing, two-time Hastings Racecourse stakes winner St Liams Halo and Winning Machine, who had taken both the Governor's and Budweiser handicaps by open lengths.

  Rainier Ice broke first and led through the first half-mile with fractions of :23.71 and :47.04. Winning Machine, who had been pressing that pace, was narrowly in front at the six-furlong pole, but in an exciting drive to the wire, Hudson Landing would prevail by a head over North Americans Thoroughbred Horse Company Inc.'s St Liams Halo (Saint Liam-Foolishly) - ridden by Mario Gutierrez - who finished another head over Fleur de Lis Stables' Winning Machine (Toccet-Dance With Carson). By coincidence the top three runners finished in both post position and betting choice order.

  Hudson Landing, carrying the 122 race highweight, was ridden to his latest win, which was clocked at 1:40.77, by Frank Alvarado.

  "I talked to Blaine, and he told me just to play it by ear," said Alvarado. "We knew there would be plenty of speed in the race, we figured to sit off the pace and save ground. I felt I had a good position on the rail, but I had to move a little early to keep my position. I wanted to keep him close to (Winning Machine) because my horse is very competitive."

  It marked the fourth win in six starts since Hudson Landing had been claimed in February. Trainer Blaine Wright had spotted his potential, and the five-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Maria's Mon-Morning Star, by Stotiche, has earned $176,500 of his $413,188 total, which includes a win in the Grade 3 San Francisco Mile Handicap, for his Jared Chappell of Alpine, Utah. 

Gemstones

  Mario Gutierrez, whose star rose visibly higher after winning both the 2012 Kentucky Derby (G1) and Preakness Stakes (G1) with I'll Have Another, also rode Starlight Gem to a 5 1/4-length win in the third race on the July 15 card in addition to his two stakes thirds from five mounts. The affable 25-year-old rider, who has returned to his former Hastings Racecourse home for the summer, signed an estimated 1,200 autographs for fans during his Emerald sojourn. The track provided color posters of Gutierrez and I'll Have Another's Derby stretch run and asked fans to make a donation to the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund.

  "It's been so nice to be back at Emerald Downs," said Gutierrez. "Being in the jockeys' room and talking with everybody has been great. It's been such a great year, I'm glad I can share my happiness with everyone."

  As of July 19, Emerald began the first of six twilight Thursday cards, with racing starting at 6:00 pm.

  Two promising two-year-olds made impressive bows in maiden allowance company over the July 21-22 weekend. On Saturday, Northwest Farms LLC's homebred Blueberry Smoothie drew off to score a nearly five length tally in a 5 1/2-furlong contest. The Kentucky-bred daughter of Giant's Causeway is the first foal out of $213,075 stakes winner and Emerald champion filly Shampoo, by Gulch. Shampoo's dam, Taste the Passion, was also a multiple stakes winner and Emerald champion for Jerre Paxton's Yakima-based farm. Blueberry Smoothie is trained by Tom Wenzel.

  The week six title went to Jody Peetz (One Horse Will Do Corporation) and trainer Chris Stenslie's 2009 Washington champion two-year-old Hollywood Harbor, who nearly broke the six-furlong track record in winning an allowance race on July 8. Bred by Pam and Neal Christopherson, who own Bar C Racing Stables Inc. in Hermiston, Oregon, the five-year-old son of Harbor the Gold-Miss Slewette, by Slewdledo, has now won seven of his 12 starts and earned $132,702.

  In week seven, Coal Creek Farm homebred Eyes On My Heart earned the nod after taking a mile claiming race on July 13. The five-year-old daughter of Midas Eyes-Country Heart, by Country Light, was earning her fifth trip to the winner's circle. Coal Creek Farm, the nom-de-plume of Bellevue resident Barbara Ratcliff and her son Eric, also had a maiden tally with three-year-old homebred Like I Said on July 15 at the Auburn oval. Larry Ross trains both runners.

  Two former leading Washington sires - You and I (2006 title) and Defensive Play (who shared the title with Slewdledo in 2001) - who ended their stallion careers at the Woods' family's Woodstead Farm in Chehalis have had their influence continue significantly through their daughters this year.

  Both stallions were Grade 1 winners at the track and have sired Washington and other champions.

  You and I, who is pensioned at Old Friends in Kentucky, sired 18 stakes winners, including two state juvenile champions. Among the stakes winners produced by his daughters this year are two-time Grade 1 Argentine winner Winning Prize, a juvenile colt by Pure Prize out of Winning Ways; Beeker Street, a sophomore son of Belong to Me out of Carah Five who won the $150,704 Queenston Stakes at Woodbine in May; and most recently, Morrow Cove, a three-year-old daughter of Yes It's True out of Once Around who took the $75,000 Serena's Song Stakes run at Monmouth Park on July 15.

  Blister beetles, a highly poisonous insect for horses, are becoming a problem in alfalfa hay in both Southwest Idaho and Eastern Washington.
  Highly toxic to horses: the bodies of living or dead blister beetles can in some cases lethal to horses, sheep, and cattle. Horses seem to be particularly sensitive to them. Most commonly horses are poisoned by eating crushed beetles in hay.

  Bodies of adult beetles contain the chemical cantharidin, a toxic chemical that protects them from predators. Accidentally crushing a beetle against the skin can result in a painful blister, the source of the insect's common name. Blister beetles have long (3/4 to 1-1/4 inch) narrow bodies, broad heads, and antennae that are about one-third the length of their entire bodies. The front wings are soft and flexible in contrast to the hard front wings of most beetles. The punctate blister beetles is black, however other blister beetle species that are tan to gray also occur. A photo of a blister beetle can be found at: http://www.pnwpestalert.net/uploads/894_1.pdf
  Blister beetles are associated with grasshoppers: the larva stage of the blister beetle feeds on grasshopper eggs. One way to avoid an infestation of blister beetles is to not have grasshoppers or at least not have them in excessive amounts.
  Unfortunately, grasshopper numbers have been trending on the rise in recent years, so looking at grasshopper control methods might be an option. Sage-grouse do eat grasshoppers, as do many other birds, reptiles and mammals. A biological control protozoan, Nosema locustae, has been primarily used by homeowners for small grasshopper infestations.
  There are also chemical controls for grasshoppers, such as carbaryl and malathion. Perhaps these products might also work on blister beetles, but a disadvantage of using these pesticides is that they also destroy beneficial insects. If you choose this control method I suggest contacting Extension or another knowledgeable resource to find out their advice on chemical handling and application methods.
  If you think your horse may have ingested a blister beetle, contact your veterinarian immediately. If you discover blister beetles in your alfalfa, or have a question on identifying blister beetles, contact your nearest county extension office.

Things an Alfalfa Buyer Should Do

  Know your alfalfa supplier;
  Ask producers what precautions were taken to avoid presence of blister beetles in forage;
  Inspect hay before feeding if presence of blister beetles is suspected;
  If feeding small amounts of alfalfa, examine each flake for concentrations of dead blister beetles; and
  Purchase hay harvested before May or after September. This will not guarantee a lack of problems with blister beetles, but will reduce the risks significantly; and

  If symptoms appear (see below), call your veterinarian immediately.

Blister Beetle Poisoning in Horses

  Symptoms in horses are dependent on the amount of cantharidin eaten. If a large amount of cantharidin is consumed, a horse may die within six hours. If a small amount is consumed, only depression or mild colic (pawing, looking to the side, stretching) may occur. A frequent symptom of cantharidin illness is placing the muzzle in water and playing in the water with the lips and tongue. Severe poisoning may result in low blood calcium and magnesium. These low electrolyte levels may cause stiffness or an exaggerated "goose-stepping" gait. An exaggerated contraction of the diaphragm may also occur. Horses that survive at least 24 hours may strain frequently and void small amounts of darkened urine (blood in urine). Any horse showing these symptoms should be promptly examined by a veterinarian and the forage inspected for presence of blister beetles. Autopsies may be performed on animals that die after consuming legume hay.
  To view the full alert, and to download any attached files, go to pnwpestalert.net
  Information courtesy of Alayne Renee Blickle, Creator and Program Director of Horses for Clean Water. 

  The Jockey Club and Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation announced today that a fourth Welfare and Safety of the Racehorse Summit will be held Tuesday, October 16, and Wednesday, October 17, 2012, in Lexington, Kentucky.

  Like the three previous summits, held in October 2006, March 2008 and June 2010, the fourth summit will be underwritten and coordinated by The Jockey Club and Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation and hosted by Keeneland Association in the sales pavilion.

  The two-day workshop will bring together a wide cross-section of the breeding, racing and veterinary communities.

  "These conferences have served as a 'think tank' for our industry, and several initiatives that have improved the safety and integrity of Thoroughbred racing, including the Equine Injury Database, grew out of discussions at previous editions of the Welfare and Safety of the Racehorse Summit," said Edward L. Bowen, president of Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation. "We are once again particularly grateful to Keeneland for hosting this important event and for once again producing a live video stream of the open sessions on its website so that anyone with an interest in equine safety can follow the proceedings."

  Bowen said that a formal agenda and additional details about the event will be announced in the near future. "For now, we wanted primarily to get the date out there so people would be aware of it," he said.

  "As traditions go, playing host to the Welfare and Safety of the Racehorse Summits is one of our newer ones here at Keeneland, but we are immensely proud of our association with the event," said Bill Thomason, who will succeed Nick Nicholson as president and chief executive officer of Keeneland Association Inc. in September. "Keeneland strives to improve the Thoroughbred industry in any way it can and these summits certainly do that."

  Among the major accomplishments that have evolved from the previous three summits are the creation and launch of the Equine Injury Database, the first North American database of racing injuries; the creation and launch of the Racing Surfaces Testing Laboratory, which provides science-based testing of racing surfaces to enhance safety for horse and rider; the incorporation of proposed safety and welfare recommendations from the first two summits into the NTRA Safety and Integrity Alliance Code of Standards; the production and widespread distribution of an educational DVD on shoeing and hoof care; and the publication of stallion durability statistics.

  Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation is traditionally the nation's leading source of private funding for equine medical research that benefits all breeds of horses. In 2012, the foundation is allocating $845,646 for 16 research projects that address a broad spectrum of issues, including foal pneumonia, laminitis, vitamin D's role in immunity, and stem cell therapy.

  Herman Sarkowsky's homebred first-time starter Ballard Ruler won a five-furlong maiden special weight race by 2 3/4 lengths on the July 18 opening card at Del Mar. The two-year-old California-bred colt is a son of Tribal Rule out of stakes-placed Miss Ballard. Sired by Bertrando, Miss Ballard is a half-sister to two of Sarkowsky's homebred Washington champions, No Giveaway and stakes producer Youcan'ttakeme.

  Point of Entry, the four-year-old Dynaformer colt who won the Grade 1 Man o' War Stakes at BelmontPark on July 14 and has earned $666,800, is another top runner from the female line of champion sprinter Gold Beauty. A half-brother to Alabama Stakes (G1) winner Pine Island, their dam Matlacha Pass is a granddaughter of Alabama Stakes (G1) winner Maplejinsky - a half-sister to champion Dayjur, Dayjur's full sister Elhasna is the dam of Emerald Downs champion racemare Karis Makaw and her $181,820 stakes-winning half-brother Nationhood, who holds court at Blue Ribbon Farm and whose first foals are yearlings of 2012.

  Stone Farm, John H. Agar, Oakcrest Farm (Jack and Theresa Hodge) and trainer Michael Stidham's consistent stakes mare Upperline placed in her 13th stakes event when the five-year-old daughter of Maria's Mon ran third in the $200,000 Modesty Handicap (G3) run at Arlington Park on July 14 and pushed her earnings total to $626,388.