Smiling Tiger (John Kaiser photo)

   The 29th Breeders' Cup World Championships were held at Santa Anita Park on November 2 and 3, 2012. The two-day racing extravaganza featured seven stakes - six BC races - on the ten-race Friday card and a full 12 stakes on Saturday, including nine which were BC championship features and two juvenile "preview" stakes which had the benefit of additional Breeders' Cup funds.

   Unfortunately, Washington-owned Class Included and Stormy Lucy each finished unplaced in their efforts. Stormy Lucy, who races for Frank L. Gaunt and is trained by Frank Lucarelli, weakened and finished last in the $2-million Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1).

   Michael and Amy Feuerborn's homebred Class Included finished seventh out of the eight fillies and mares who contested the $2-million Breeders' Cup Ladies Classic (G1) which was won in a repeat performance by 2011 champion three-year-old filly Royal Delta. Class Included, Emerald Downs' 2012 horse of the meet came out of the race in good order and the Jim Penney-trained four-year-old is may be pointed to the December 8 Bayakoa Stakes (G2), a 1 1/16-mile feature at Hollywood Park. The October 27, 2012, issue of The Blood-Horse "Breeders' Cup Preview Issue" featured a story of the Feuerborns and Class Included in their "Winner's Circle" column titled "Dreams Included."

   The best finish of any major Pacific Northwest-connected horse was the finish of 2009 WTBOA sales horse Smiling Tiger, who with his third place effort in the $1.5-million Xpressbet Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) emulated his stellar finish in the 2010 Sprint. The multiple Grade 1-winning son of Hold That Tiger-Shandra Smiles, by Cahill Road, who was bred by Dr. Rodney Orr of Oregon, added $148,500 to give him a $1,420,704 total in 22 starts. The consistent five-year-old horse, who races for Alan Klein and Philip Lebherz and is trained by Jeff Bonde, has 15 graded stakes placements, including six graded wins.

   The first and third place finishers in the $1-million Grey Goose Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) also sport some connections to Washington. The winner, Beholder, by Henny Hughes, is out of a stakes-winning granddaughter (Leslie's Lady) of former Washington broodmare One Last Bird. The 1980-foaled daughter of One for All is also the fourth dam of 2012 dual classic winner I'll Have Another (see page 177 of August 2012 Washington Thoroughbred). Frizette Stakes (G1) winner Dreaming of Julia, by A.P. Indy, is the first foal out of Darley Test Stakes (G1) winner Dream Rush, by Wild Rush. Dream Rush's half-sister Dream Sweeper ran third in the 2011 Washington State Legislators Handicap for Dr. Rodney Orr.

   Washington native Wesley Ward had a successful trip to California. On Friday, Ward-trained filly Sweet Shirley Mae, by Broken Vow, ran third in the $500,000 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Sprint. On Sunday, Ward saddled Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey's Politically Correct, a three-year-old son of Kitten's Joy, for his victory in the $100,000 Damascus Stakes.

   Also on Friday, the Mark Glatt-trained filly Big Tiz - who races for Allen and Susan (Konecny) Branch and Cory Wagner - won a 6 1/2-furlong allowance.

   Northwest Farms LLC-bred Super Ninety Nine, by Pulpit, was scratched from the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Sprint after the Bob Baffert trainee got cast in his stall early Friday morning. The trainer confirmed the chestnut colt was just scrapped up and will be OK.

   On Sunday, four-year-old Groupie Doll, by Bowman's Band, won the $1-million Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1) by an easy 4 1/2 lengths. On November 24, Groupie Doll finished a nose behind Stay Thirsty in the Cigar Mile Handicap (G1) at Aqueduct. The $1,657,850 winner's dam, Deputy Doll, is a half-sister to Washington stakes winner and stallion Russellthemussell.

   The Washington Horse Racing Commission (WHRC) mailed out the breeders' awards and owners' bonuses for the 2012 Emerald Downs meet in early November.

   A total of 216 breeders' awards totaling $371,504.83 were mailed out. The breakdown is as follows: first place (75 percent) finishes, which had a 13.5266 percent payment factor, totaled $278,628.62; second place (15 percent) finishes, which had a 7.6657 percent payment factor, totaled $$55,725.72; and third place (10 percent) finishes, which had a 6.1520 percent payment factor, totaled $37,150.49.

   The 2012 one percent Washington-bred owners' bonus totaled $477,554.54 with a 15.1686 percent allocation factor. There were 330 bonus awards this year.

   If you have questions about either your breeders' awards or owners' bonuses, please contact the WHRC at (360) 459-6462 or e-mail whrc@whrc.state.wa.us. Further information is available on the WHRC website at www.whrc.wa.gov.

    At its November 2012 meeting in Louisville, Kentucky, the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium (RMTC) board of directors addressed a number of important initiatives including therapeutic medications, laboratory proficiency, corticosteroid regulation and penalties for rule violations. 

   Among the board's actions were approvals of thresholds and withdrawal guidelines for six medications that were presented with the recommendation of RMTC's Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC). These thresholds and withdrawal guidelines were approved for medications identified as having therapeutic purposes by the American Association of Equine Practitioners, and were based upon scientific research conducted by laboratories associated with the RMTC.

   "We have eagerly anticipated the conclusion of these administration studies and applaud the work of the University of California-Davis Kenneth L. Maddy Laboratory in providing research on the majority of medications we addressed today," said RMTC Chairman Dr. Robert Lewis.  "This should help veterinarians and trainers avoid rule violations." 

   The board approved recommendations on the following medications: acepromazine, butorphanol, clenbuterol, dantrolene, detomidine and mepivacaine.

   "The recommendations will provide veterinarians, trainers and owners useful guidelines when developing therapeutic medication plans for horses in training," said Dr. Rick Arthur, chair of the RMTC SAC and equine medical director for the California Horse Racing Board.

   "With the completion of these administration studies, the RMTC can now move forward with its imperative initiative to focus on the detection of prohibited drugs," Arthur added.

   The RMTC board also heard important updates from its drug testing initiatives committee regarding laboratory accreditation. Dr. Dionne Benson, RMTC executive director and COO, reported that the committee is in the process of reviewing RMTC Laboratory Accreditation applications from three laboratories - The University of California-Davis Kenneth L. Maddy Laboratory, the Ohio Department of Agriculture Laboratory, and HFL Laboratory - Kentucky. Additionally, Benson noted that the RMTC Quality Assurance Program has begun for these laboratories.   

   In other business, RCI President Ed Martin requested that the RMTC board support RCI's effort to streamline medication rules. The RMTC board agreed to review the request and provide the RCI with a response prior to RCI's next Model Rule Committee meeting. Additionally, the board formed a group to assist the RCI in developing a simplified and updated set of penalty guidelines.

   Additionally, RMTC board members reviewed the New York Task Force on Racehorse Health and Safety Report and The Jockey Club Reformed Racing Medication Rules.

   For additional information, visit the RMTC website at rmtcnet.com or contact Hallie Lewis, RMTC director of communications, at (859) 224-2848.

   If you are considering Thoroughbred ownership pay a visit to OwnerView to begin your research. One area to be sure to examine is the managed racing syndicates. Many successful Thoroughbred owners have gotten started through a managed syndicate.
   OwnerView has a majority of the most successful syndicates listed. With each syndicate you will find complete statistics for the past two years, top 10 horses over the past 12 months, and profiles for each syndicate. The profiles include contact information, links to the syndicate website, racetracks, trainer names, where horses compete, and a bio about the syndicate.
   Included on the OwnerView site at www.ownerview.com is a story produced by CNBC about "Small Investors joining Racing Syndicates." Also on OwnerView you can view a video interview that explains the benefits of a managed racing syndicate.
   If you are considering Thoroughbred ownership, take a moment to visit OwnerView, and as always, we welcome your feedback and comments.

   Thoroughbred OwnerView, an information website developed by The Jockey Club and TOBA for new, prospective and current Thoroughbred owners.

   Jerry Hollendorfer and Dr. George Todaro's multiple stakes winner Lady of Fifty scored her fifth win in ten starts when she won the $65,000 Palm Springs Handicap at Santa Anita Park on November 1. The daughter of After Market out of graded stakes-placed K.D.'s Shady Lady has earned $210,000.

   On November 21 Parker's Storm Cat's multiple Maryland champion son Ben's Cat added his 19th victory after he won the $200,000 Fabulous Strike Stakes at Penn National by a head and pushed his money total to $1,357,290, of which $557,060 has been earned in 2012.

   Homer Thoroughbreds bred and owns three-year-old Pick One for Me, a Washington-bred daughter of Chumaree-Water to Wine, by Desert Wine, who won a mile maiden special weight race at the Portland oval by nearly seven lengths on November 14. Homer Thoroughbreds' first-time two-year-old starter, Proudest of All (Chumaree-Proud Dora, by Proud Irish), came home by three lengths in a maiden special weight race at Portland Meadows on November 25.

   Tim Floyd and his Warlock Stables homebred two-year-old Colethan's Cat, a Kentucky-bred daughter Bluegrass Cat out of Washington-bred stakes winner Silent Pine, by Pine Bluff, won a 5 1/2-furlong maiden special weight race by 2 1/4 lengths at Portland Meadows on November 3.

   Other Washington-bred maiden special weight winners at Portland Meadows in November include Horseplayers Racing Club LLC's homebred Maximatic, a two-year-old son of Matty G-Maxie's Night Cap, by Capsized, who won on the 10th, and Margaret Johnson's homebred three-year-old Kamalche Magic, a gelded son of Private Gold-Aquarius Miracle, by Elocutionist, who won the 14th.

   2011 Washington most improved plater of the year Chuluki Sunrise , asix-year-old daughter of Russellthemussell-Kalowna Sunrise, by Aloha Prospector, who was bred by Russell Moore's Seawind Stables LLC, finished second, by a head to Lil Angelina, in a $25,000 claiming sprint at Golden Gate Fields on November 2, improving her 2012 record to 3-2-2 from nine starts and her lifetime record to 10-6-5 from 34 starts. She has earned $157,374.

   Ken Miles' homebred four-year-old Slim Pickens (Giacomo-Time for Magic) , who had finished third in the 2012 Budweiser Handicap at Emerald Downs, earned his third win in a mile turf race at Golden Gate on November 24 and improved his race record to 3-2-2 from 13 starts and his earnings to $61,310.

   The $948,000 Los Alamitos Super Derby (G1) for Quarter Horses run on November 3 was won by Washington-bred Deniro.

   Four-year-old Some Kinda Boy took a five-furlong allowance race by 21/2-lengths at Turf Paradise on October 29. Bred in Washington by Pete Axmaker and trained by his son Cody Axmaker, the gelded son of Our Boy Harvey-Somekindoflady, by Taj Alriyadh, has a record of 3-2-3 from 12 starts and has earned $30,781. On November 26, Some Kinda Boy added another $1,709 to his totals after finishing second in a starter stakes at the Arizona track.

   Jill Heerensperger's Sacred Ovation, a two-year-old Florida-bred son of Congrats, won a $30,000 maiden claiming race at Betfair Hollywood Park on November 22 and was claimed out of the race by Cecil and Gary Barber.

   Charles B. Case's homebred Fable Haven, a three-year-old Washington-bred son of Pulse Ranches' Stolen Gold out of Umbrella Girl, by Slewdledo, finished second in the $35,000 Jack Coady Sr. Stakes run at Turf Paradise on November 17. The Vann Belvoir trainee has earned $50,290.

   Mike Bolduc's three-year-old filly Smokin' Grey, by Smoke Glacken, finished second in the $35,000 Chandler Stakes to Vicky Baze-ridden Smarty B at Turf Paradise on November 17. Smokin' Grey is trained by Frank Lucarelli.

   Three-year-old Desert Fun, a New Mexico-bred daughter of Desert God out of $165,223 multiple stakes winner Fun'ngames Toknite, by Game Plan, won for the fourth time after she took a mile allowance at Zia Park on November 13. Desert Fun's second dam is stakes winner and Washington champion two-year-old filly Candles n Moonlite.

   Dan J. Agnew's three-year-old Landonmav, by Tizbud, won an about seven-furlong allowance over Turf Paradise's grass course by 9 1/4 lengths on November 10. It was the second win for the Mike Chambers trainee.

   2012 Pegasus Two-year-old in Training Sale graduate Strange Luck, who races for Mark Dedomenico LLC and Michael Pegram, won a $30,000 maiden claiming race at Betfair Hollywood Park by 3 1/4 lengths on November 16. The new winner is a Kentucky-bred daughter of Songandaprayer-Glitter Star, by Glitterman.

   On November 22, Mohijo, a two-year-old filly by Yonaguska who was bred in Louisiana by Horseplayers Racing Club LLC and Above the Crowd Stables, won a maiden special weight race at Fair Grounds by two lengths. Horseplayers Racing Club LLC's Spark Plug upped his totals to $181,647 after he won at Retama on November 24. Horseplayers Racing Club LLC and Above the Crowd Stable LLC also had a winner on November 29 when their four-year-old Kidding, by Lemon Drop Kid, won a $15,500 claiming race at Fair Grounds. The Kentucky-bred filly improved her record to 5-10-4 from 26 starts and has earned $127,376.

   Goldencents, the son of Into Mischief who won the $1-million Delta Downs Jackpot Stakes (G3) on November 17, was ridden to his 1 4/4-length win by 2005 Emerald Downs leading rider Kevin Krigger.

   Ijigin, the three-year-old son of Empire Maker who won the Tokyo Chunichi Sports Hai Musashino (G3) at Tokyo on November 11 - in his fifth win and first stakes victory in eight starts - descends from the family of Washington horse of the year Rock Bath. His third dam is stakes winner Future Bright, a daughter of Lyphard's Wish (Fr) bred by Washington hall of fame breeder Grousemont Farm. Future Bright's dam, stakes winner Pro Tab, was a half-sister to Rock Bath.

   The National Turf Writers and Broadcasters named jockey Mario Gutierrez and his agent Ivan Puhich as the 2012 winners of the Mr. Fitz Award at their November awards banquet.

   Freshman sire and $173,802 stakes winner Bound to Be M V P has three foals in his initial crop of which two are winners. On November 21, Bound to Be M V P's second winner and first-time starter returned to the winner's circle at Portland when James Craig-owned, -bred and -trained Lady's M V P won a 5 1/2 -furlong maiden claimer by nearly two lengths. The new Washington-bred winner is out of Raini Day Slew, by Slewdledo.

Quality Control Requirements Added for North American Non-Listed Black-Type Races

   The North American International Catalogue Standards Committee (NAICSC) announced that effective January 1, 2014, additional quality control requirements will be implemented for races in North America eligible for non-Listed black-type in SITA catalogues (those compliant with guidelines required by the Society of International Thoroughbred Auctioneers).

   Non-Listed black-type races include open stakes races with a purse between $50,000 and $74,999 and all stakes races with a purse of $50,000 or more that have a restriction allowed by NAICSC (i.e., state bred, stallions' progeny, sales graduates or non-winners of a sweepstakes).

   The new requirements include the addition of a minimum Race Quality Score (RQS) for individual age/sex divisions. Statistics used in the evaluation of Graded and Listed races, including ratings provided by the North American Rating Committee, are not available for non-Listed black-type races. The RQS provides an alternative quality control measurement for these races.

   In January of 2013 a website (northamericanicsc.com) will be made available that will include a listing of non-Listed black-type races with their RQS and the minimum RQS requirements for each age/sex division.

   Current North American black-type rules will stay in effect for 2013, and the minimum purse requirement for SITA black-type races will remain at $50,000.

   Also, as announced last year, the American Graded Stakes Committee and the Canadian Graded Stakes Committee will evaluate eligible races for Listed status at their upcoming grading sessions using the same technique and information, including fact-based statistical analysis, that is used during their annual evaluation of Graded Stakes races. Races not deemed to be of Listed quality using this process will lose their Listed status beginning in 2013 and be treated as other non-Listed black-type races.

   The document below provides an overview of North American black-type requirements that will become effective January 1, 2014.

 

North American Black-type Requirements effective January 1, 2014

   In 2014, for a stakes race in the United States and Canada to receive black type in SITA catalogues, it must:

• have a minimum purse value of $50,000 distributed on the day of the race
• have a Black-Type Race Quality Score equal to or above the established minimum Race Quality Score for its age/sex division
• close at least 72 hours in advance of its running, have a fee paid by the owner of the entrant, and have a total purse value distributed on the day of the race equal to or greater than the established minimum
• have all entries be eligible for the purse monies used to determine the minimum purse value for black type or Listed status
• not have restrictions other than state-bred, non-winners of a sweepstakes, sales graduates or stallions' progeny
• not contain a preference clause(s) based on criteria unrelated to the quality of the horse if such preference clause(s) could possibly exclude any horse(s) of superior quality from competing

   A Black-Type Race Quality Score is the average of the Annual Race Quality Score for each of a race's last three renewals. The Annual Race Quality Score is the combination of the speed figures assigned to a race by Bloodstock Research Information Systems (BRIS), Daily Racing Form (Beyer), Equibase and Thoro-Graph. The speed figure assigned to a race is the average of the speed figure assigned to the top four finishers in the race.

   If a race has a Black-Type Race Quality Score and an Annual Race Quality Score for the most current renewal below the established minimum Race Quality Score for its age/sex division, then it will lose its black-type status.

   A race that is not conducted for two consecutive years will lose its black-type status. For turf races the three most current turf renewals will be used to calculate the Black-Type Race Quality Score.

   A race that has lost black-type status must be conducted two times subsequent to losing its black-type status before being evaluated for reinstatement of black-type status. The race must have a Black-Type Race Quality Score and an Annual Race Quality Score for the most current renewal equal to or above the established minimum Race Quality Score for its age/sex division in order for black-type status to be reinstated.

   Starting in 2014 and thereafter, new races created and existing races with material changes to their conditions will be submitted to a committee of the International Catalogue Standards Committee (ICSC) for review prior to the inaugural running to determine if the inaugural

running will receive black-type status. To be eligible for review by a committee a new race must have a minimum purse of $75,000 available to all entries and appear in the track's published stakes book. New races eligible for review and existing races with material changes to the conditions must be submitted to the committee no less than 30 days prior to the start of a track's race meet in which the new race is to be run.

   A race granted black-type status for its inaugural running will need to run under essentially the same conditions for each of its first two renewals, including having a purse of no less than $75,000 available to all entries, and achieve an Annual Race Quality Score for each of its first two renewals equal to or above the minimum Race Quality Score for its age/sex division. The inaugural running must achieve an Annual Race Quality Score equal to or above the minimum Race Quality Score for its age/sex division for the second running to maintain black-type status. New races created in 2014 and thereafter with a purse of less than $75,000 available to all entries must run twice under essentially the same conditions before being evaluated for black-type status. To receive black-type status for its third running a new race will need to achieve an Annual Race Quality Score for each of its first two renewals equal to or above the minimum Race Quality Score for its age/sex division.

   Notice of race name changes must be submitted to a committee of the ICSC no less than 30 days prior to the start of a track's race meet in which the race is to be run.

 

Thoroughbred Incentive Program Approved for 2013

   The Jockey Club's Thoroughbred Incentive Program (T.I.P.), which encourages the retraining of Thoroughbreds into other disciplines upon completion of careers in racing or breeding, has been renewed for the 2013 show season.

   "TIP sponsors Thoroughbred classes and awards at horse shows, horse trials and other events to motivate riders to showcase their Thoroughbreds and to remind people of the versatility of the Thoroughbred as a sport horse," said Kristin Leshney, legal associate with The Jockey Club. "The Jockey Club also sponsors a Thoroughbred of the Year Award for Thoroughbreds that excel outside of the show ring and a Young Rider of the Year Award."

   During a pilot program in 2012, $100,000 was committed to TIP for horse show sponsorships and non-competition awards, and 190 horse shows signed up for TIP sponsorship. To date, more than 1,700 Thoroughbreds have competed for TIP prize money, ribbons, and saddle pads.

   "We were delighted with the level of interest and participation in the TIP program in 2012, and, with greater awareness of it now, 2013 should be even more successful," Leshney said.

   The deadline for shows to apply for TIP classes and awards for 2013 is December 15, 2012. Applications received prior to December 15 might be considered for awards prior to the deadline. Only shows being held from March 2013 through December 2013 will be considered for sponsorship.

   For more information, which included the complete schedule of TIP-sponsored shows, go to www.tjctip.com or visit TIP on Facebook at facebook.com/tjctip and share stories and photos about your Thoroughbred.

Mary Nicholls

   Mary Nicholls, 91, passed away at her Woodinville home on October 31, 2012. Born in southern Washington, she graduated from Renton High School and Central Washington College. She taught for several years and then helped her husband Dr. Max Nicholls start the Redmond Animal Hospital and later the Blue Spruce Veterinary Hospital where she ran the office.

   Blue Spruce was also the name of the Nicholls' Thoroughbred Farm and nursery where they and bred 1974 Washington champion two-year-old male and Joe Gottstein Futurity winner Sing a Roni.

   She was preceded in death by her husband Max and is survived by children, Chris, Penny and Nancy; grandchildren, Sandy, Beau and Sam Nicholls and Jennifer MacDicken; and three great-grandchildren.