Among the seven other stakes on the May 18 Preakness Stakes (G1) undercard was the Grade 3 Gallorette Handicap, for three and up fillies and mares going 1 1/16 miles on the turf. Three-year-old Pianist earned her second stakes win and first graded victory when she went gate-to-wire to take the $150,000 race by 2 3/4 lengths for Hidden Brook Farm and Dan Zucker. A winner of half her ten starts, the Kentucky-bred daughter of More Than Ready has earned $300,950.

   2013 Washington Racing Hall of Fame trainer nominee Wesley Wardadded a new stakes winner to his totals when Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey's three-year-old Redwood Kitten won the $100,000 James W. Murphy Stakes at the Maryland track.

   Also at Pimlico on the Preakness undercard was the $300,000 Dixie Handicap (G2), which was taken by the Gary Stevens-ridden, D. Wayne Lukas-trained longshot Skyring. Finishing a half-length back in second in the nine-furlong turf stakes was All In Stables - of which Jack and Teresa Hodge are partners - and Lael Stables' Willcox Inn. A five-year-old son of Harlan's Holiday, Willcox Inn, who has won three stakes, two of which were graded, and is Grade 1-placed, has earned $835,443. Both Stevens and Jack Hodge are Washington Racing Hall of Fame inductees.

   The National Racing Hall of Fame team of Stevens and Lukas would return to the winner's circle for the next race too, with a nearly two-length upset win with Oxbow in the $1-million middle classic. Oxbow is out of Tizamazing, a full sister to 1999 Longacres Mile winner Budroyale, who was raced by British Columbia resident Jeffrey Sengara

   Nine-year-old Olympic Lights, who has recorded 15 of his 16 victories at Emerald Downs, was named Washington-bred of week three (May 3-5). Bred by Anne and David Perrigoue, the son of Tropic Lightning's most recent win came in a six-furlong $5,000 waiver claiming race on May 4, which he won by one-length for owner KLG Racing and trainer Blaine Wright. Olympic Lights, is one of two winners out of Maria Michele, a $75,946 winning daughter of Olympic Native. Isaias Enriquez was aboard Olympic Lights, who was making his 2013 debut. On May 18 Olympic Lights added his 16th Emerald win and is now tied with Market Master and Bob Stories for second place on the track's all-time win list.

   Week four Washington-bred of the week honors go to Michael Pollowitz and Jeff Wilson's Roarified, who went gate-to-wire to win a $10,000 claiming race by four lengths. Bred by Carleen and Dan Belton, the five-year-old daughter of Roar-Sugar Sleet, by Seattle Sleet, has now won nine of her 13 starts and earned $41,382. Roarified, who was also ridden to victory by Enriquez and is trained by Doris Harwood, earned a career-high 71 Beyer rating for her 1:09.42 win. A 2009 WTBOA sale RNA, Roarified had been claimed by Pollowitz and Wilson for $5,000 on April 21 in her previous start from the partnership of One Horse Will Do Corporation and Tina and Scott Saxwold.

   Jim and Mona Hour's Stryker Phd earned top Washington honors in week five after coming from off the pace to finish second behind Hoist in the Governor's Handicap on May 19. It was the first stakes outing for the four-year-old son of Bertrando who is trained by Margo Lloyd and was ridden by Deborah Hoonan. WTBOA Sales graduate Stryker Phd is one of two foals and two stakes-placed runners produced out of the Smart Strike mare Striking Scholar, whose half-sister Home School produced Washington champion two-year-old colt Schoolin You. Stryker Phd, who improved his record to 1-1-4 from seven starts and has earned $39,466, was bred in partnership by Char Clark and Todd Havens of Spokane.

Ben's Cat Takes 16th Stakes Victory

Portland Meadows 2013-14 Meet

Applications Being Taken for 100-Day Prodigious Fund Trainer Challenge

   If you've ever dreamed about training a Thoroughbred, The Prodigious Fund might make that dream come true.

   Applications are now being taken for the 100-Day Trainer Challenge, in which five off the track Thoroughbreds (OTTBs) will be prepared for second careers. The horses used in the program are ex-racehorses chosen by The Prodigious Fund selection committee.

   Trainers must identify the equestrian disciplines in which they have achieved recognition, list experience working with racehorses and ex-racehorses, list references, describe the facilities where the training will take place and share additional resources demonstrating their background and experience. Professionals, amateur adults and juniors are all welcome to apply.

   To request a trainer application, e-mail Sophia Mckee at sophiam@emeralddowns.com. McKee, Director of Marketing at Emerald Downs and developer of the 100-Day Trainer Challenge, says the event is a showcase for the diversity of Thoroughbreds. The deadline for submitting an application is June 1.

   "The racing industry is making great strides in the transition of Thoroughbreds into second careers," McKee said. "In addition to racing, it's extremely important that people understand the many wonderful things Thoroughbreds are capable of doing."

   The 100-Day Trainer Challenge culminates at the Thoroughbred Only Horse Show on October 5 at Emerald Downs, with the winner decided by a combination of public voting on social media and the judges' score in three categories: In-Hand, Flat Class, Freestyle Class.

The end goal is placement of the five horses into permanent homes through a private sale.

   In the process of following their journey through the 100-days, The Prodigious Fund hopes to educate the public on the athleticism and intelligence of the Thoroughbred and their suitability as a sport horse and useful riding horse.

   In its first year, the goal is to showcase OTTBs from a variety of backgrounds, i.e. straight off the track, turned out for a year, broodmare, etc. All horses will be evaluated by the Prodigious Fund for soundness and athleticism prior to being placed in the program.

   Trainers will draw straws from a pool of five horses. One horse will be kept as a backup in case of injury.

   The Prodigious Fund is an organization dedicated to recognizing and supporting positive efforts made within the Thoroughbred aftercare community for the re-homing, promotion and care of retired racehorses.

Dr. L. Everett Macomber Appointed to WHRC

   Governor Jay Inslee has appointed Dr. L. Everett Macomber, of Centralia, to fill the position left vacant by the resignation of Dr. A. L. "Bud" Hallowell on the Washington Horse Racing Commission. Macomber joins commission members Paul George and Jeff Colliton .

   A longtime industry member and equine surgery and reproductive specialist, Macomber retired as a senior partner in Cascade West Veterinary Hospital in 2007. A member of  the American Association of Equine Practitioners since 1964. Macomber served on the AAEP executive board from 1984 to 1989.

   Macomber and his wife Barbara operated Talome Farm, a Thoroughbred breeding operation, for over 30 years. In the past several years he has been employed by the WHRC as a back-up regulatory veterinarian at Emerald Downs.

   Macomber has been published in several professional trade magazines and both testified and given professional presentations at numerous seminars and congressional hearings.

   It was announced on May 8, 2013, that Hollywood Park, which opened its doors to racing in 1938 in Inglewood, will close at the end of its fall meeting on December 22. Home of the first Breeders' Cup World Championships in 1984, the historic racing oval with its lovely grounds has become prime real estate due to its closeness to the Forum sports arena and location only three miles from Los Angeles International Airport.

   Many Hollywood luminaries were among the early founding shareholders, including Harry Warner (Warner Brothers) -- its first chairman - and directors Al Jolson, Mervyn LeRoy and Raoul Walsh. The tradition of featuring Hollywood stars during stakes winner's circle celebrations continued throughout the years.

   In addition to holding the inaugural Breeders' Cup, Hollywood saw Citation become racing's first millionaire after taking the 1951 Hollywood Gold Cup and Laffit Pincay Jr. break Bill Shoemaker's record for winning mounts in 1999. It was also at Hollywood Park in 1977 were Triple Crown Seattle Slew met his first defeat in the Swaps Stakes.

   Among the Washington champions who won graded stakes at Hollywood were Table Hands, Hilco Scamper, Delicate Vine, Gallant Sailor, Favored One, Let Bob Do It, Classy Cara and Slewsbox. Before stakes were graded, Hooplah won the 1968 Hollywood Oaks and the grand troika of Mustard Plaster (1964), Travel Orb (1966) and Biggs (1967) dominated the Californian Stakes. Smiling Tiger, the leading WTBOA sales graduate of all time, took Hollywood Park's Grade 1 Ancient Title and Triple Bend handicaps en route to earnings of nearly $1.5-million.

   Former Playfair director of publicity and noted racetrack photographer Bob Benoit was Hollywood Park's chief operating officer and general manager in 1977.

   In 1999 the Southern California track, which was renamed Betfair Hollywood Park in 2011, was purchased by Churchill Downs Inc., who then resold it to Bay Meadows Land Company in 2005. That same year development of part of the track property for a housing community began.

Krazypapaya, the three-year-old California-bred daughter of Unusual Heat who won a mile maiden special weight race by 1 1/2 lengths over Betfair Hollywood Park's turf course on May 9, is out of $136,451 stakes winner Coke's Melody, one of four stakes horses produced out of Bint Alriyadh, a six-race winning daughter of Taj Alriyadh-Apalachee Music bred in Washington by John and Doris Konecny.

   Dr. George Todaro and Jerry and Janet Hollendorfer's homebred Life Is a Stone, a three-year-old California-bred daughter of Globalize, won for the third time in eight starts in an allowance/$50,000 optional claiming (N) race at Golden Gate on May 10. Finishing third in the mile turf race was Ernest Sherman's Washington homebred Beautranda. It was the second start for the winning daughter of Bertrando out of Sherman's stakes-winning Beaulena.

   Two Washington owners had maiden winners at Golden Gate on May 16. Sylvia Kenney's two-year-old Purim Faith, a Kentucky-bred daughter of Purim-Secret Humor, by Yes It's True, won a four-furlong maiden special weight race by 1 3/4 lengths. The new winner is trained by Ryan Kenney. Two races later Todd and Shawn Hansen's first-time starter Happybirthdaybaby took a $20,000 maiden claimer by three lengths. The three-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Successful Appeal-Javana, by Sandpit (Brz), is conditioned by Blaine Wright.

   Dr. George Todaro and trainer Jerry Hollendorfer's Grade 2 stakes winner Lady of Fifty, a four-year-old filly by After Market, finished second to Open Water in the $150,000 Marjorie L. Everett Handicap (G2) run at Betfair Hollywood Park on May 18 to increase her earning totals to $383,000.

   Four-year-old Pass You Bye Bye became the second stakes winner out of the You and I mare Pie I'd when he took the $76,500 Decathlon Stakes at Monmouth Park on May 11. The Maryland-bred son of Rock Slide, who has a 4-3-0 record from eight starts, upped his earnings total to $135,790.

   Mark Dedomenico LLC and North American Thoroughbred Horse Company's I Think So took her initial stakes victory in the $49,490 Ross McLeod Stakes at Hastings Racecourse on May 11. It marked the second win for the three-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Proud Citizen-Steve's Lil Girl, by Catienus, who has won a maiden $40,000 race at Fair Grounds last February. The Troy Taylor trainee took the British Columbia stakes by five lengths and has earned nearly $65,000.

   Cho Cho Cat, the five-year-old daughter of Tale of the Cat who won the $50,000 Tellike Stakes at Evangeline Downs on May 18, is the second stakes winner out of Cho Cho San, a daughter Deputy Minister who had been purchased by Gibson Thoroughbred Farm in 2011. Cho Cho San, who has earned $137,187, is a half-sister to 2012 Swaps Stakes (G2) winner and $296,282 earner Blueskiesandrainbows, a son of English Channel. Cho Cho San is also the dam of a Washington-bred two-year-old filly by Street Boss. After foaling a filly by Parker's Storm Cat for the Thorp farm last year, Cho Cho San was sold to Calumet Farm, whose Oxbow won the 2013 Preakness Stakes (G1).

   Two runners with connections to Washington won at Lethbridge on May 16. Washington-bred Russell Creek, a five-year-old son of Lucky Acres' Kentucky Lucky out of Cason's Co Ed, by Carson City, bred by Steve and Sally Meredith, took a five-furlong allowance; and Snowboundbeast, a three-year-old California-bred son of former Washington sire Snowbound won the $24,273 AQHA Maiden Challenge Stakes, a 350-yard event, by one length.

   Five-year-old Herbie D recorded his seventh win in nine starts after taking the $48,630 John Longden 5000 Stakes by nearly two lengths over Shrug at Hastings Racecourse on May 20. The son of Orchid's Devil out of the Katowice mare Chilli Chines has earned $166,510.

   Also on May 20 at Hastings, Mark Dedomenico LLC and North American Thoroughbred Horse Company's Evelyn's Dancer earned her sixth stakes victory in the $48,630 Strawberry Morn Handicap. The Kentucky-bred daughter of Songandaprayer has earned nearly $300,000 for the partnership.

   Dominated, a 32-year-old half-brother to two-time Washington champion and sire Crafty Native and stake-placed fillies Little Bit Quick and Debro, was euthanized on April 18 due to the infirmities of old age at Tomorrow Bloodstock in New York. Bred and raced by Louis and Patricia Wolfson's Harbor View Farm, the son of Exclusive Native-Quick-n-Crafty, by Crafty Admiral (the same cross that produced the Wolfson's Triple Crown winner Affirmed), earned $132,465 before retiring to stud at Bourbon Hills in New York.

   Featured in the May 2013 issue of California Thoroughbred's "CTBA Member Profile" is longtime Seattle businessman and horseman Herman Sarkowsky, titled "Herman Sarkowsky: A Serious Player for 50-Plus Years."

Richard (Dick) Bisiack 
   Dick Bisiack passed away April 5, 2013, after a courageous battle with multiple myeloma. He was one month shy of 70 years old.
   A lifetime Renton resident, he was proud owner of the Lumber Market until his retirement.

 Dick enjoyed the simple things in life: looking out on the lake he loved, being with his adored granddaughter Elizabeth, having a cheeseburger with good friends and travelling to the Philippines, Arizona and the Panama Canal. He loved life and often said he was a blessed man.    

   Among the racehorses he campaigned in partnership were former stakes winners Five Star General and Luv a Roni, with Mike Chambers as his trainer.

   He will be remembered for his integrity, his sense of responsibility to his loved ones and having a fun, playful personality that was larger than life.

   He was predeceased by his parents and his brother, Don. Dick is survived by daughter, Dana (B.J.); son, Bryan; and granddaughter, Elizabeth. He also leaves behind his long-time girlfriend Teresa, and her family (Kevleen, Courtney and Lexi); and his former wife, Gail (John).

Chuck Findlay

   Former longtime Washington horseman and trainer Chuck Findlay, passed away on May 16, 2013, in California where he had worked as a groom at Hollywood Park for the past few years.

   He was a son of noted Washington trainer William "Bill" H. Findlay.

   From 1977 through July 2007,when Chuck had his last starter at Emerald Downs, his trainees finished in the top three spots over 33 percent of the time with a record of 188-204-198 from 1,751 starts with $1,090,698 in earnings. He saddled 34 winners at Emerald Downs. His last winner at the Auburn track was Galactic Fire in 2004.

   His most successful years come during a five-year period from 1989-1994. His best runners include Super Seven, who won stakes at Portland Meadows, Longacres, Exhibition Park and Yakima Meadows from 1987-1991 and earned over $300,000; and Amber Jett, who won the 1993 Playfair Mile Handicap and 1994 Baze and Penney handicaps at Yakima Meadows.

   He leaves a daughter, former Emerald trainer Julie Findlay; and a son.

Harley H. Hoppe

   Former King County assessor and longtime horseman Harley Hoppe, 82, passed away peacefully in his sleep on May 13, 2013, at his Mercer Island home.

   Born on September 15, 1930, in Hamilton, Montana, he was raised in Aberdeen, Washington. He attended Washington State University and graduated from Willamette University in 1952. After teaching briefly, he was hired as a regional sales representative for Texaco.

   Harley met and married Teresa DeLorenzo in 1957.

   His interest in taxation issues began when the taxes on his Sea-Tac service station went from $1,000 to $8,000 in 1969. The following year, Harley founded Overtaxed, Inc., an organization that successfully challenged increases in the gas tax.
   His involvement in political movements led him to run for King County assessor, where he served three terms (12 years), before running for state governor in 1974. He had also run for King County Executive.
   After leaving public life, he founded the Mercer Island-based Harley H. Hoppe and Associates, which dealt with property tax consultation and appeals.

   Upon his retirement, Harley continued his taxpayer advocacy by founding, We the People Will, dedicated to limited government, lower taxes and government accountability.
   Harley first became active in horse racing in 1959. Among the horses he campaigned was 2007 Washington champion Mulcahy with his longtime trainer Howard Belvoir, a partnership which began in 1964. Teresa and the late Patti True campaigned the popular multiple stakes winner Red Eyed Express in the early 1970s.

   Harley, who was known for his flamboyant clothes, also had a fondness for flowers, which he loved to distribute to friends, neighbors and fellow office workers.

   He leaves his wife, Teresa; daughters, Elizabeth, of Chicago, Susan, of Bellevue, and Amy (Ty) Henderson, of Mercer Island; grandchildren, Justelle, Brayden and Alia, all of Mercer Island; and half-sister, Rosemary Andrews, of Washougal.