Final Notes for 2013 Emerald Downs Season

  In a close battle for meet honors, Longacres Mile (G3) winner Herbie D. was awarded horse of the meet and top older male runner over three top distaffers: unbeaten three-year-old filly Shopstoppingdebbie, three-time stakes-winning older mare E Z Kitty and the triple stakes-winning juvenile Chu and You.

2013 Lindy and Durkan Award Winners

   Voted on by the Emerald riders, the 2013 Lindy Award, which honors accomplishment and sportsmanship throughout the meet, was given to Connie Doll, 53, a native of Ravensdale who has ridden since 1976. Doll has won multiple riding titles at many Washington fair meets and partners Quarter Horse and Arabian mounts, in addition to Thoroughbred runners,

   There was a tie for this year's Martin Durkan Award, which is annually given to a trainer who exhibits leadership, cooperation sportsmanship and excellence, both on and off the track. Chosen by Emerald director of racing Bret Anderson and his staff, this year's honorees are David Martinez, 35 - who saddled Seattle Slew Handicap winner Mike Man's Gold - and Martin Pimentel, 46, who had been a longtime assistant to Craig Roberts and helped with the track's Quarter Horse program.

Other 2013 Emerald Downs Seasonal Honors

Horse of the Meeting                           Herbie D.

Top older horse                                   Herbie D.

Top older filly or mare                          E K Kitty

Top sprinter                                         Polish Dollar

Top three-year-old male                      Worldventurer

Top three-year-old filly                         Stopshoppingdebbie

Top two-year-old male                         Del Rio Harbor

Top two-year-old filly                            Chu and You

Top Washington-bred                          Stryker Phd

Claimer of the meet                             Kind of Naughty

Top riding achievement                       Isaias Enriquez

Top training achievement                    Tom Wenzel

Race of the meet                                 Longacres Mile (G3)

Leading owner (by wins)                     Saratoga West (20 wins)

Leading owner (by money)                  Debbie Paxton and Northwest Farms LLC ($149,933)

Leading trainer (by wins)                     Jeff Metz (42 wins)

Leading trainer (by money)                 Doris Harwood ($494,025)

Leading jockey (by wins)                     Isaias Enriquez (101 wins)

Leading horse (by money)                   Herbie D. ($137,500)

Golden Opportunity

   Even with a bad break, Dallon's Gold set the pace at

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every call to draw off by 3 1/2 lengths in the $50,000 Northwest Stallion Cahill Road Stakes. One of two stakes races run the meet-ending September 29 card, Dallon's Gold was one of six juvenile runners to line up for the six-panel stakes and one of two unbeaten two-year-olds going into the race, the other being the three-time stakes-winning filly Chu and You, the five-to-one favorite.

   Trained by Dave Bennett and ridden by Ronald Richard, Dallon's Gold sped to fractions of :21.65, :44.24 and :56.55 before finishing over the sloppy track in 1:09.48. The new stakes winner is owned by the partnership of Dixie Hitchcock, of Bonney Lake, Delwyn Ellis, of Blackfoot, Idaho, and Debra Larson, of Phoenix, Arizona, who purchased him for $5,500 (and have now earned a $42,536 return) out of his breeders Nina and Ron Hagen's El Dorado Farms LLC' consignment in the 2012 WTBOA summer sale. In fact all three of the top finishers went through the WTBOA sales arena.

   "I had the outside post position and I was planning to break it out of the cage and get on top of the favorite," said Richard. "Nothing is ever for sure, but I definitely loved my chances from there. The only proven horse I was really scared of was Chu and You..."

   Dallon's Gold, a Washington-bred colt by Private Gold and the first foal out of the Basket Weave mare Winning Weave, reminds one of the old nursery rhyme "That Little Girl, " for when he is good, he's very, very good; but when he is bad, he is horrid. For though he has won all three races which he actually started in, and by a combined 17 lengths, in the other two attempts to run him his bad behavior has led to him being scratched.

Party in Rio

   Almost in every year, the winner of the Gottstein Futurity is crowned meet champion two-year-old and often the state champion as well. This year's winner should prove no exception, as Del Rio Harbor edged clear by 1 1/4 lengths to defeat REV Racing's maiden Mebossman (Petionville-Peaceful Wings) and eight other juveniles in the 76th running of the race named to honor early industry leader Joseph Gottstein. Race favorite Noosito (Harbor the Gold-Julia

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Rose), a full brother to 2012 Gottstein victory Music of My Soul, finished two more lengths back in third place in the 1 1/16-mile race.

    Mebossman led for the first half-mile, but was being pressed throughout by Del Rio Harbor, ridden by Julien Coulton. Del Rio Harbor then began to edge by Mebossman nearing the three-quarter marker to take the winner's share of the $75,000 stakes in 1:43.85 on a sloppy track.

   "He's a good two-year-old," said Coulton. "He has a nice stature and makes big, long strides, and he can go long.

   "We didn't want to rush him too much. When I asked him, he just took off."

   Bred and raced by Pam and Neal Christoperhson's Bar C Racing Stables Inc. and Melodie and Doak Walker's Desert Rose Racing LLC, Del Rio Harbor, a full brother to 2010 Gottstein winner and champion Couldabenthewhisky, has now won the top three races in his Emerald division and was a close second in the restricted Daily Racing Form Dennis Dodge Stakes. With a 4-1-0 record in six starts, Del Rio Harbor has earned $108,293.

   The 2013 Gottstein victory gives trainer Doris Harwood four wins in the prestigious race since 2007. Three of the victories have come with colts, all sons of Harbor the Gold. Emerald Downs all-time leading stakes trainer has now won 61 stakes at the Auburn track.

Ashbaugh Beal Claiming Challenge Finales

   The tradition meeting-ending Ashbaugh Beal Claiming Challenge featured six starter allowance races, each named to honor a past popular claimer. All horses running in the series must have meet conditions run at Emerald this year.

 The $16,000 Toobusytoocall, for three-year-olds and up which have started for $15,000 or less, was won by Michael and Amy Feuerborn's Kentucky homebred Scat Daddybaby, who defeated Beer Meister by a neck in the mile race. Robert Baze trains the winner who was ridden by Julien Coulton.

   Next was the $10,000 Last Thoughts, a 1 1/16 mile race for older fillies or mares which have started for $3,500 or less. Blue Diamond Stales' Lizzy Lass defeated race favorite our Little Hen by a nose. A five-year-old mare bred in Washington by Jon Malco, Lizzy Lass is a daughter of Outing-Margarita Mabel, by Cahill Road, who is trained by Roy Lumm and was ridden by Eliska Kubinova.

   Former stakes winner Koala Beach took the 1 1/16 miles, $10,000 Kimos Friend, for three-year-olds and up who have started for $3,500 or less, in gate to-wire fashion, winning by 4 1/4 lengths under Ronald Richard. Owned by trainer Terry Gillihan and partners William and Dimitri Sandeman, Koala Beach, a six-year-old gelded son of Harbor the Gold-Kittyzallwet, by Distinctive Cat, was bred in Washington by Bar C Racing Stables Inc.

   Race four in the series was the $12,000 Chickasaw Park, a 6 1/2-furlong race for three-year-olds and up which have started for $7,500 or less. Shady Valley Ranch homebred Ontheshadyside, a five-year-old Washington-bred gelding by Matty G out of Madam Shady, by Our Emblem, trained by Doris Harwood and ridden by Isaias Enriquez, took the race by a half-length over Bleu Tarp.

   Race five, the $12,000 Hit a Star, mimics the Chickasaw Park race except being for distaffers and marked trainer Lumm and rider Kubinova's second Challenge winner as three-year-old Table With Gold came home first by a head. The California-bred daughter of Formal Gold-Tabled With Saros, by Never Tabled, races for her co-breeder Patricia A. Zacker.

   The final challenge race was the $16,000 If Not Why Not for older fillies and mares which have started for a $15,000 claiming price or less. Former stakes filly Sweet Nellie Brown gave Kubinova her third win in the series as the six-year-old Washington-bred daughter of Cape Canaveral-Brown, by Demons Begone, drew off to a 6 3/4 length score in the mile race. Bred by Rick and Debbie Pabst, the Jim Penney-trained mare races for Grasshopper Stable.

Gemstones

   Oak Crest Farm LLC homebred Guinevere's Finale, a two-year-old Tale of the Cat filly, won her first race, a six-furlong maiden special weight race at Emerald, on September 21 by a neck. She is out of

100 percent producer Guinevere, a daughter of Fit to Fight, who also raced as a homebred for Jack and Theresa Hodge's Oak Crest. A graded stakes winner of nearly $250,000, Guinevere was Washington horse of the year in 1998.

   Chris Randall and Nick Rossi's King of Naughty became the first five-time winner at the meet when the four-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Songandaprayer won an allowance/$32,000 optional claiming (N) feature on September 22. It was the fifth win in eight starts this year for the Frank Lucarelli trainee.

  After being sidelined the majority of the meet due to a heart attack, Emerald's all-time leading rider Gallyn Mitchell returned to the winner's circle, with tally number 1,348, after escorting owner-trainer Preston Boyd's Chaching Pete, a six-year-old Washington-bred son of Petersburg, to a gate-to-wire win on September 27.

   Also on the final Friday card, three-year-old Southern Solution became the second five-time winner at the meet after the Washington-bred son of Southern Africa won a $15,000 mile claimer for Remmah Racing Stable Inc. and trainer Blaine Wright. Isaias Enriquez, who would win the 2013 jockey title, was aboard the winner.

   Faustino "Coco" Lopez was named Emerald Downs 2013 Exercise Rider of the Year. Lopez works out of Blaine Wright's barn.

   2013 Washington Racing Hall of Fame trainer inductee Howard Belvoir became the second trainer this season, after Chris Stenslie's triumphs in
April, to win four races on one card when he went 4-2-0 from six starters on September 28. Belvoir's wins came with Dark Heat, Advancement, Royal Shrine and Forin Sea.

Statistics through End of Meet (75 days of racing)

Number of horses entered: 4,787

Number of Washington-breds entered: 2,905 (61%)

Number of races: 665 

Number of Washington-bred races: 63

Number of Washington-bred optional conditions: 5

Number of Washington-bred winners: 397 (60%)

Number of Quarter Horse races: 13

Washington-breds of the Week at Emerald Downs

   Cinbar Stables' homebred Tichit was the pick for Washington-bred of week 21. The three-year-old gelded son of Outing won a mile $5,000 maiden claiming race by a half-length on September 14. Trained by Dale Koler and ridden by Eliska Kubinova, Tichit is the first foal out of seven-race winner Impressionable One, a $30,823 earning daughter of Abaginone.

   Two-year-old Jose Sea View, a son of Badge of Silver, is now two-for-two after winning the $100,000 Fitz Dixon Jr. Memorial Juvenile Stakes at Presque Isle Downs on September 26. He is the eighth winner from nine foals for 1996 WTBOA sale yearling and $179,890 stakes winner Stirling Bridge, whose other three stakes horses include graded stakes winner Washington Bridge.

   Six-year-old Green Dolphin, a gelding by Seattle Shamus out of Gowestforluck, by Gone West, bred by Dr. Duane and Sue Hopp, won a six-furlong $20,000 maiden claiming race by 4 1/2 lengths at Barretts Race Meet at Fairplex on September 13.

   After finishing second in his first start, Ron and Debbie Maus's Patches Pal Stables' Patches Pal, a two-year-old Kentucky-bred gelding by El Corredor-Weekend Star, by Confide, won a six-furlong allowance at Emerald Downs on September 15 to record his first win. The new winner, who is trained by Terry Gillihan, earned the meet's highest Beyer two-year-old rating, 71.

   2012 Wheat City Handicap winner Lake Sawyer added his sixth victory after the five-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Include-Tee Off, by Thunder Gulch, won a $15,000 optional claiming race at Assiniboia Downs on September 21 to up his earnings to $80,968. Lake Sawyer's three-year-old half-brother Five Iron had won the Grade 3 Saranac Stakes at Saratoga on September 1. It was the son of Sharp Humor's third stakes victory.

   Two 2012 sale graduates made winning debuts in late September. On the 22nd, Battle Jet, a colt by Jet West out of Battle Shout, by War Deputy, bred in California by Rainbow Meadows Farm, won an about four-furlong maiden $32,000 claiming race by 2 1/2 lengths at Barretts Race Meet at Fairplex, and on September 25, Lionized, a filly by Flashy Bull out of Jacolatt, by Twining, bred by Dr. Rodney Orr in Kentucky, won a 3 1/2-furlong $12,000 maiden claimer by 3 3/4 lengths at Northlands Park for Curtis and Darrell Landry.

   Washington-bred sales alumni won the two allowance features run at Emerald on September 28. Coal Creek Farm homebred Until You, a four-year-old gelding by Jazil-One for You, by Dayjur, trained by David Martinez and ridden by Javier Matias, took a mile test, his fourth win in 11 starts, and increased his earnings to $87,086. Finishing narrowly behind him was fellow sales graduate Rocky's Quest. Earlier on the card, Ron Crockett Inc.'s stakes-winning Cielator, ridden by Ronald Richard, defeated multiple stakes winner Exclusive Diva by nearly two lengths in a six-furlong race. A five-year-old daughter of Delineator out of multiple stakes winner Cielo Otono, by Conquistador Cielo, Cielator has won five of her nine starts for trainer Junior Coffey and earned $82,369. Also on September 28, Graydar, a four-year-old Unbridled's Song colt out of Cielator's half-sister Sweetest Smile, won the $400,000 Kelso Stakes (G2) at Belmont Park. It was the Grade 1 winner's first start back since taking the New Orleans Handicap (G2) on March 30 and improved his record to 5-0-1 from six starts and upped his earnings to $851,560.

   John and Janene Maryanski's two-year-old Can't Get Enough won a six-furlong maiden special weight race on the closing Emerald card on September 29. A full brother to stakes winners Carrabelle Harbor and Catalina Harbor and stakes-placed Silver City Sizzle, the gelded son of Harbor the Gold is the fourth foal and fourth winner out of Bar C Racing Stables' broodmare Silver City Lilly, by Tiffany Ice. Can't Get Enough is trained by Blaine Wright.

   Four-year-old Chelan Echo, a half-sister to stakes winners Cherokee Echo and Notoriously and $111,799 and seven-time Emerald Downs winner Rocky's Quest, all bred by Northwest Farms LLC and sold through WTBOA sales, won a mile and 70-yard $15,000 maiden claiming race at Indiana Downs on September 30. The Kentucky-bred daughter of Lion Heart out of stakes-placed Silver Echo, by Eastern Echo, has earned $42,631.

   Liarliarpantsonfire, a two-year-old gelding bred in Washington by Vernon King Jr., won a maiden $12,000 claiming race at Northlands Park by 8 1/ 2 lengths on October 2. Trained by Greg Tracy for Riversedge Racing Stables LLC, the new winner is a son of Harbor the Gold out of Sheets Don't Lie, by Dance Floor.

 Of the 646 Thoroughbred races offered at Emerald Downs during the 2013 season, 157 races (24.3 percent) were won by WTBOA sales graduates.

   Early last spring, Ken and Marleen Alhadeff generously pledged to give 10 percent of all money earned by Elttaes Stable horses racing at Emerald Downs during the 2013 meet to the newly created MOJO Fund, which honors the memory and contributions of Ken's father and mother, Morrie and Joan Alhadeff, and his grandfather Joseph Gottstein.

   The funds, which totaled $6,000, will be divided between the Washington Thoroughbred Foundation (WTF) (50 percent), Emerald Downs Backstretch Clubhouse Learning Center (25 percent)and the Emerald chaplaincy program (25 percent).

   "The purpose of the Alhadeffs' generosity was to provide support, in the broadest terms, for those individuals involved in the industry," said MOJO Fund administrator Ralph Vacca.

   The Washington Thoroughbred Foundation will distribute their portion of the MOJO Fund as follows: $1,000 will be given to the Rainier Therapeutic Riding in Yelm (http://www.rtriding.org), which "uses horses to facilitate physical and emotional healing for our military heroes and their families"; $1,000 to the Redmond-based Little Bit Therapeutic Riding Center (http://littlebit.org) whose "mission is to improve the lives, bodies, and spirits of children and adults with disabilities through equine-assisted therapies, and to be an inspiration and educational resource to the therapeutic riding profession both regionally and nationally"; and $1,000 will be available to add to worthy THRUST industry grant winners who want to continue their education in an equine-related field of study.

   Funds donated to the chaplaincy have been earmarked for recreational equipment, Bibles and to provide welcome bags for grooms for the 2014 Emerald meet. The Emerald council is a member of the Racetrack Chaplaincy of America (http://rtcanational.org), whose "overall mission, through its councils and chaplains, is to make disciples for Jesus Christ through teaching, preaching, and ministering to the spiritual, emotional, physical, social, and educational needs of those persons involved in all aspects of the horse racing industry."

   The clubhouse learning center, whose "mission is to provide a safe, affordable, high quality childcare for the families of Emerald Downs and surrounding community," will use the monies for repair to the daycare center's roof, items for the children and cookware (http://www.backstretchclubhouse.com).

Dr. Mike Mason Honored with 2013 White Horse Award

   Emerald Downs veterinarian and longtime Washington Thoroughbred industry supporter Dr. Michael Mason, of Auburn, has been named the 2013 recipient of the White Horse Award for his efforts to protect a loose horse and others from harm this past summer at Emerald Downs.

   The award, which has been given annually since 2003 by the Race Track Chaplaincy of America, is "given to an individual who has done something heroic on behalf of human or horse. It is our way of recognizing those unsung heroes of horse racing, whether their actions are of a headline-grabbing, or the quiet and not-so-obvious, kind of heroism."

   On June 27, 2013, Mason, 78, heard the alarm that a horse had thrown its rider and was running loose. Seeing that the gate at the gap wasn't closed, Mason ran to close the gate, but the horse plowed through, throwing Mason to the ground. The unconscious man was rushed to an area trauma unit where he remained in a comma for five days and then spent nearly six weeks in rehabilitation.

  Mason said he plans to attend the October 31 White Horse Award luncheon, which will be held at the Derby Restaurant in Arcadia, California, prior to the Breeders' Cup World Championships.

Ben's Cat Adds Another Stakes Tally

    Seven-year-old turf sprint specialist Ben's Cat, a two-time Maryland horse of the year out of stakes-placed Twofox, by Thirty Eight Paces, won the $100,000 Laurel Dash Stakes on September 21 by a neck even after being pushed to the extreme outside throughout the stretch by eventual second place runner Mr. Online. With his latest win in the six-furlong turf stakes, for which he earned at 106 BRIS Speed Rating -- the second highest among the week's stakes races - Ben's Cat has earned $1,695,640 while racing for owner-breeder-trainer King Leatherbury's The Jim Stable.

   The multiple graded stakes winner is a son Gibson Thoroughbred Farm's leading Washington sire Parker's Storm Cat.

Portland Meadows Report

    Portland Meadows concluded the summer portion of their 2013-14 meet, which had begun on July 21, on September 29.

    According to a Portland Meadows' press release, changes to the purse structure made the races more enticing for horsemen and the average field size grew to 7.4 horses per race, up from 6.4 horses per race for the same time frame last season.

   "With our increased purses and raising the bottom purse to $5,000, as well as the change in our schedule from last season, we've been able to put out a much better product," said director of racing Jerry Kohls. "Field size is up a full horse per race."

    Wagering at Portland Meadows averaged $43,831 per racing day, an increase of just over 38 percent last year's average. Including off-track betting sites in Oregon, all in-state wagers were up 39.21 percent. Out of state handle also grew sharply, as players outside of Oregon sent in an average of $361,519 per racing card, an increase of 73.97 percent.

    All sources handle averaged $410,607 per race card for the summer portion of the season, up 68.93percent over last year's $243,062 per card.

   The fall/winter portion of the meet, which will continue with racing on Wednesdays and Sundays and a first post time of 12:00 pm (Pacific), began on October 2.

Other News

    David Heerensperger's Fire With Fire, a five-year-old Kentucky-bred gelding by Distorted Humor out of graded stakes-placed Cosmic Fire, by Capote, finished second in the $100,000 Ralph M. Hinds Handicap at Barretts Race Meet at Fairplex on September 22, upping his earnings to $290,594.

    2012 champion two-year-old filly Beholder, whose third dam is former Washington broodmare One Last Bird, won the $250,500 Zenyatta Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita and improved her record to 7-3-0 from 11 starts and earnings to $1,975,000. The daughter of Henny Hughes is out of stakes winner Leslie's Lady was ridden by Gary Stevens.

   Rozamund Barclay's Hi Fashioned, a two-year-old colt from the first crop of Old Fashioned out of Zamsweet, by Zamindar, broke his maiden in the $100,000 Barretts Juvenile Stakes held at Barretts Race Meet at Fairplex on September 15. The Mike Chambers trainee had finished second in his other two starts and has nearly $85,000, $15,000 more than his purchase price at the 2013 Barretts January sale.

   Clemans View Farm broodmare Kaaaching, by River Special, is the dam of $247,290 multiple stakes winner Follow the Lite (by Lite the Fuse), whose two-year-old daughter Miss Scatalious, by Scat Daddy, won the $50,000 Phil D. Shepherd Stakes at Barretts Race Meet at Fairplex on September 13 to remain unbeaten in two starts. The juvenile filly has earned $73,000. Kaaaching has a two-year-old Harbor the Gold colt, a yearling colt by Abraaj and a weanling colt by Coast Guard.

    Dr. George Todaro and partners' Ruby Pumps won the $50,000 Las Madrinas Handicap by 1 1/2 lengths on September 21 at Barretts Race Course at Fairplex. It was the first stakes win for the five-year-old British Columbia-bred daughter of Finally-Guinevere's Folly, by Naevus, who has a record of 6-5-2 from 13 starts and has earned $134,505.

   Quadrun Farm LLC's homebred two-year-old Pele's Slew, a Washington-bred son of Lucky Acres' Matty G and the third winner from four foals out of 2001 John and Kitty Fletcher Memorial Stakes winner Whatdidshesay, by Knight in Savannah, won his first start, a $25,000 maiden claiming race at Stockton by nearly two lengths. The new winner hails from Tim McCanna's barn.

   Mr Hall's Opus, the three-year-old filly by Officer who finished third in the $400,000 Charles Town Oaks on September 21, is out of 2003 Barbara Shinpoch Stakes winner Sala De Oro, a daughter of Expelled bred by Barbara Ratcliff's Coal Creek Farm and raced by Dave Mowat's Ten Broeck Farm.

  The Jeff Bonde trained She's a Tiger, a two-year-old filly who races for Mark Dedomenico LLC, Allen J. Aldrich, Lisa Hernandez and Stuart Downey, nearly won the $250,500 Chandelier Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita on September 28, going down by a head to Secret Compass. She's a Tiger, who was ridden by Gary Stevens, has three wins and two seconds from five starts and has earned $365,650. The three-quarter sister to three-time Grade 1 winner Smiling Tiger was bred, like her brother, by Dr. Rodney Orr out of his stakes-winning Cahill Road mare Shandra Smiles.

   Five horses with connections to Washington won or placed in the B Cup stakes run at Lethbridge on September 28. Ann's Seven, a six-year-old California-bred daughter of Lucky Acres' Free At Last out of former Washington Thoroughbred Foundation Youth Project mare Big Headache, by Chequer, won the $7,766 B Cup Fillies and Mares Sprint Stakes. It was her fifth win this year and 13th overall, giving her $77,609 in earnings. Finishing behind her in second place was Washington-bred Up Your Plan, six-year-old daughter of Moon Up T.C.-Have a Plan. Washington-bred geldings Eighty Eight (He's Tops-Girls Nite) and Skimming Song (Skimming-Hit Song) ran two-three in the $8,443 B Cup Sprint Stakes. Promiscuous Lad, a six-year-old Oregon-bred gelding sired by now Washington sire Klinsman (Ire) out of Forty Romances, by Forty Niner, ran second in the $8,443 B Cup Three-year-old and Up Classic Stakes. The multiple stakes winner has a record of 10-11-6 from 34 starts and has earned $66,283.

   Two-year-old first-time starter Comme Chez Soi, a Kentucky-bred daughter of Empire Maker, won a mile maiden special weight race at Laurel Park on September 28. The $325,000 Keeneland September yearling was bred by Grousemont Farm out of Grade 1 winner Downthedustyroad, by Storm and a Half.

   The October 2013 issue of Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred monthly column "Pensioners on Parade" featured 30-year-old retired broodmare Foufa, the dam of five stakes winners and Maryland broodmare of the year in 2003 for Jack and Sondra Bender. Bred in Kentucky by Seattle's Ned Skinner's Swiftsure Stable, Foufa is a winning daughter of Storm Bird out of Grade 1 winner Afifa, who is out of 1968 Washington horse of the year Hooplah, who along with Afifa were also bred by Skinner.

Keeneland September Sale

   Mike Puhich, director of operations for Dr. Mark Dedomenico's Pegasus Thoroughbred Training and Rehabilitation Center in Redmond ,who went to $1-million to sign for a Smart Strike colt out of Canadian champion Serenading, by A.P. Indy, also signed as agent for 19 other yearlings, ranging in price from $300,000 to $22,000. Among them were a Bernardini-sired half-brother to Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) winner Real Cozzy, whose dam is a half-sister to champion and classic winner Real Quiet, for $300,000; a Divine Park colt out of a stakes-winning and stakes-producing daughter of End Sweep for $115,000; a Majestic Warrior filly for $100,000, a full sister to stakes winner Softly Lit, both sire by Latent Heat, for $85,000; a Zensational filly for $80,000; an Afleet Alex filly for $77,000; a City Zip filly out of a stakes-placed Langfuhr mare for $75,000; and a Scat Daddy colt for $70,000.

   In his own name Dedomenico signed for two: a Super Saver colt who is a half-brother to two stakes-placed runners for $70,000; and a Tiz Wonderful filly out of a half-sister to Grade 1 winner No Matter What - dam of three stakes winners including English and Irish champion and/or highweight Rainbow View - and Grade 2 winner E Dubai, for $35,000.

   Other Washington horsemen noted who were active at the sale were Al and Sandee Kirkwood, Chris Randall, Tim McCanna, Kathy Schenk, Bryan Porter and Dana Halvorson.

   The Kirkwoods went to $260,000 to purchase a colt by Distorted Humor out of Grade 2 stakes winner Skipping Around, who is the dam of Grade 1 winner Sugar Shake and $224,085 stakes-placed Explosive Heat.

   Randall's name appeared on contracts for colts by Big Brown and Majestic Warrior and fillies by Divine Park, Warrior's Reward and Mizzen Mast.

   Trainer McCanna bought colts by Macho Uno and Elusive Quality, the later out of Grade 2-placed Truart; and a filly by Sky Mesa, whose third dam is four-time Grade 1 winner Versailles Treaty.

   Schenk signed for a filly by Group 1 Australian winner All American, the first foal out of a Horse Chestnut (SAf)-sired half-sister to Grade 1-placed Heart of Destiny and Grade 2-placed Brother Bobby and two other yearlings for a Montana client.

Porter purchased fillies by Latent Heat and Tale of the Cat out of young daughters of Ascot Knight and Roman Ruler.

   Halvorson bought a Tale of the Cat filly privately after the sale for Dr. Rodney Orr. Out of a $81,284 winning daughter of Kingmambo, the new purchase is a half-sister to two-time graded stakes-placed Mambo Fever.

   Among the successful sellers were Jerre Paxton's Northwest Farms LLC and Theline Schuemann's Grousemont Farm.

   Northwest Farms LLC sold several top yearlings. Leading the way was a colt by hot sire War Front out of an unraced A.P. Indy-sired half-brother to Emerald Downs stakes-placed Rainier Ice for $550,000, though Paxton RNAd Rainer Ice's half-brother by Indian Charlie for $180,000. The Yakima-based farm also sold a filly from the first crop of Quality Road and a half-sister to grade three stakes winner Super Ninety Nine and five-time Emerald stakes winner Elusive Horizon for $435,000.Emerald champion Smarty Deb's Tapit colt, a half-brother to 2013 stakes winner Finallygotabentley, sold for $270,000. US Bank Stakes winner Bisbee's Prospect colt from the firs crop of Blame sold for $150,000 and a half-sister to 2012 Emerald champion Goin to the Window, sired by Smart Strike, brought $100,000. An Arch colt out of a daughter of seven-time stakes winner Lasting Code sold for $90,000, while another daughter's Eskendereya colt was a $105,000 RNA. Elusive Diva's half-sister by Blame sold for $60,000. An Arch colt out of Grade 2 winner Ema Bovary (Chi)'s two-time Emerald stakes-placed daughter Seeking Ema sold for $50,000, while Ema Bovary's filly by Elusive Quality was an out. Another filly sold was by Candy Ride (Arg) out of Emerald stakes winner Dinner At Arlene's.

   Though not sold by Paxton, a Quality Road colt out of a half-sister to stakes winners Taste the Passion and Bisbee's Prospect sold for $125,000.

   Grousemont Farm sold a colt by Malibu Moon, the first foal out of a daughter of champion Golden Attraction for $250,000; a Hard Spun filly, the first foal out of an A.P. Indy-sired half-sister to stakes winners Palmeiro and Slews Final Answer for $160,000; and a Tale of the Cat colt out of three-time stakes winner Sweet Monarch for $145,000.

   Others with connections to our state included Canadian Glen Todd, who sold eight-time stakes winner Holy Nova's first foal, a colt by Speightstown, for $200,000.

   Leading sire Parker's Storm Cat's half-brother by Indian Charlie sold for $100,000.

   Washington-bred Our Dani, dam of five-time Grade 1 stakes winner and $2.1-million earner You, had a Unbridled's Song filly sell for $200,000. A filly by Lookin At Lucky out of Our Dani's daughter Saravti sold for $160,000.

   Herman Sarkowsky sold an Arch filly out of Washington champion Youcan'ttakeme, who already has produced two stakes winners Hard Way Ten and Super Dixie, for $275,000. Super Dixie's Broken Vow filly brought $47,000.

   Sweetest Smile, who was bred by Gerald and Gail Schneider and was the first foal out of their Washington and California stakes winner Cielo Otono, had her Curlin filly - a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Graydar and two graded stakes-placed runners - bring $140,000.

   A Quality Road filly out of Washington champion and Grade 2 winner Classy Cara's stakes-winning daughter Classy Charm brought $75,000 and a Medaglia d'Oro colt out of Washington-sold Grade 3 stakes winner and Grade 2 stakes producer Collect Call was a $220,000 RNA.

   Brookynsangel, who was bred in Washington and sold by Griffin Place at the 2002 WTBOA sale, had a full brother to Grade 2-placed Tiny Woods, both by Roman Ruler, sell for $65,000.

   Winner Pure Refinement, a half-sister to Washington horse of the year and Grade 1 winner Pure As Gold, has a Dunkirk filly go for $45,000.

   Yearling stemming from the Konecny family's Washington broodmare of the year Whimsical Aire cataloged were a More Than Ready colt out of Grade 3 winner Elusive Diva who sold for $115,000; a Harlan's Holiday colt out of Elusive Diva's stakes-placed half-sister Diva's Seastar who was a $70,000 RNA; and Washington champion Enumclaw Girl's first foal, a colt by Congrats who was an out.

   Two yearlings stemming from 1979 Washington broodmare of the year Hold Hands were cataloged, both our of granddaughters of Hold Hand's stakes-winning granddaughter Shapiro's Mistress; a filly by Mineshaft sold for $60,000 and a filly by Tapit who is a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Gozzip Girl was a $675,000 RNA.

   2007 Canadian champion two-year-old filly, whose dam High On Believen was a WTBOA sale yearling and stems from the family of two-time Washington horse of the year Saratoga Passage, had her first foal, a colt by City Zip, go unsold at $57,000.

   Dale Mahlum's Forestry filly, a half-sister to Washington champion Marva Jean and several other stakes winners out of his "Blue Hen" stakes winner Chasseur Dame, was a late out.

   A Discreet Cat filly, the first foal out of a granddaughter of Washington horse of the year Delicate Vine, sold for $40,000.

   Five yearlings from the family of Washington broodmare of the year were noted, selling from $210,000 for a Malibu Moon brother to Grade 1 winner Life at Ten, a $70,000 El Corredor filly and a $70,000 Lookin At Lucky colt.

   A filly by Smart Strike out of a young daughter of Grade 1 winner Runup the Colors - dam of 2013 Grade 2 winner Revolutionary and a half-sister to stakes winner and Little King Ranch stallion Top Account - sold for $280,000.

   2002 Washington Oaks winner Erica's Smiles' Summer Bird colt sold for $32,000.

   Other outs noted were a Congrats filly out of 2001 Washington champion Graceful Cat and a Distorted Humor colt out of a sister to Washington horse of the year and Grade 1 winner Tali'sluckybusride.

   Overall, 2,744 yearlings were sold for a $280,491,300 total over the 12 day sale with a $103,220 average - the third highest in September sale history, The median rose 11.1 percent from 2012's $45,000 to $50,000 this year and the 2013 RNA rate was 19.9 percent.

    The Jockey Club reported in mid-September that 2,392 stallions covered 37,908 mares in North America during 2012, according to statistics compiled through September 9, 2013. These breedings resulted in 22,001 live foals of 2013 being reported to The Jockey Club on Live Foal Reports received. They estimate that the number of live foals reported so far is approximately 90 percent complete. The reporting of live foals of 2013 is down 2.2 percent from last year at this time when The Jockey Club had received reports for 22,500 live foals of 2012.

    In addition to the 22,001 live foals of 2013 reported through Sept. 9, The Jockey Club had also received 2,891 No Foal Reports for the 2013 foaling season. Ultimately, the 2013 registered foal crop is projected to reach 23,000.

   The number of stallions declined 8.7 percent from the 2,620 reported for 2011 at this time last year, while the number of mares bred decreased 4.8 percent from the 39,838 reported for 2011.

   The 2012 breeding statistics are available alphabetically by stallion name through the Publications and Resources link on The Jockey Club homepage at jockeyclub.com.

   Kentucky annually leads all states and provinces in terms of Thoroughbred breeding activity. Kentucky-based stallions accounted for 41.1 percent of the mares reported bred in North America in 2012 and 48.8 percent of the live foals reported for 2013. The 15,569 mares reported bred to 249 Kentucky stallions in 2012 have produced 10,726 live foals, a 2.1 percent decrease from 2012. The number of mares reported bred to Kentucky stallions in 2012 declined 2.2 percent.

   Among the 10 states and provinces in which stallions covered at least 1,000 mares in 2012, only Florida and New York stallions produced more live foals in 2013 than in 2012 as reported at this time last year. The following table shows the 10 states and provinces, ranked by number of state/province-sired live foals of 2013 reported.

   The statistics include 322 progeny of stallions standing in North America but foaled abroad, as reported by foreign stud book authorities at the time of publication. In this category, 103 live foals by North American stallions were reported from Republic of Korea, 60 from Great Britain, and 42 from Ireland. The report also includes 75 mares bred to 30 stallions in North America on Southern Hemisphere time. The majority of these mares have not foaled.

Pacific Northwest Stats

   As of the same September date, of the 402 mares bred in Washington in 2012, so far 171 foals (42 percent) have been reported. During the same period for Oregon, there were 142 mares bred last year and 73 (51 percent) foals have been reported. In Idaho, f rom 134 mares bred last year, 39 (29 percent) have been filed and for British Columbia, of the 286 mares bred, 166 (58 percent) have reported foals in 2013.

   Among the Washington and Oregon stallions with nine or more live 2013 foals are, in alphabetical order and then by number of mares bred, reports received, 2012 live foal (percentage), 2011 live foal (percentage) and 2010 live foal (percentage):

Abraaj - 21-12 - 10 (48%) - 10 (66%) - 30 (62%)

Grindstone - 50-31 - 29 (58%) - 49 (81%) - 56 (70%)

Harbor the Gold - 51-32 - 27 (53%) - 57 (70%) - 44 (60%)

He's Tops - 13-10 - 10 (77%) - 8 (80%) - 9 (81%)

Nationhood - 16-13 - 12 (75%) - 12 (75%) - 15 (65%)

Parker's Storm Cat - 56-32 - 27 (48%) - 39 (56%) - 35 (60%)

Preachinatthebar -44-14 - 13 (30%) - 34 (56%) - 9 (47%)

Private Gold - 26-14 - 12 (46%) - 27 (71%) - 14 (70%)

Rallying Cry - 26-14 - 13 (50%) - n/a - n/a

Well Informed - 30-16 - 13 (43%) - n/a - 1 (50%)

Statistics gathered from The Jockey Club's Thoroughbred Live Foal Report 2013 published by The Blood-Horse. The entire document can be reviewed at www.BloodHorse.com.

In Memoriam

 Lloyd Robert Loop

   Lloyd Robert Loop, a lifetime resident of Skagit County, died at his home in Bow on September 18, 2013, at the age of 90.
   He was born on June 27, 1923 in Bow to Marion and Susie Loop and graduated from Edison High School in 1941. Three years later he moved two miles east to his beloved Poplar Farms where he lived for 70 years until he passed away.
   In 1947 he married Francesca Emelia Cugini. They had a son Rick Robert Loop. Later they divorced. He married Deanna Mary Andersen and lived happily together for 47 years until her death in 2006. They had three daughters, Tana Loop-Ruyle, Linda Sue Loop, Rhonda Lee Romano, and stepson Bradley Alfred Loop.
    Lloyd was a dairy and agricultural farmer. After a tragic barn fire, he changed directions and left the cows behind and started raising, breeding, and training Thoroughbred race horses.

   For many years, he was one of the top Thoroughbred breeders in the state, ranking in the number 10 spot in both 1973 and 1974. The first runner he bred reached the races in 1960 and he had his first winner in 1963. Among the stallions he stood at his 145-acre main farm were Amblingorix, French Fox, Little Mustard and Prince Murk.

   Among the stakes winners he bred were Frenchie's Kay, Miss Kayjo and Sharp Favor. He also bred four stakes horses, including six-time California and Longacres stakes-placed Toss the Dice, out of the Succession mare Miss Washington.

   A longtime WTBOA member, he served on the association's board of directors.

   Lloyd was also an avid hunter all of his life. He had a vast collection of trophies from his hunts, ranging from North America to Africa.
   Many people will remember him for his opinionated editorials in the Skagit Valley Herald.
   Lloyd was a member of the Skagit County Sheriff's Posse in his younger years. He was also a member of the Elks Club, Edison Sportsmen Club, Safari International, and a life member of the National Rifle Association.
   He is survived by three of his four children, a stepson, eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

John McCamey Sweet
  John M. Sweet, 88, a longtime resident of Boulder, Colorado, died on September 11, 2013.
   John was born September 29, 1924, in Parker, Pennsylvania, to John K. and Jane (Harkless) Sweet. He married Mirabel "Mo" Digel on June 10, 1948, and the couple had six children, three grandchildren and he lived to welcome two great-grandchildren into his life.
   During World War II he served in the United States Marine Corps in the Pacific from 1943-1946. In the 1960s, he was elected to the Alaska State House of Representatives.
   During his career as a geologist with Atlantic Richfield Company (ARCO), John was actively involved in the discovery of oil in Alaska. Later in his lifetime, he wrote a book, Discovery at Prudhoe Bay: OIL, to honor the people and document the events that led to that discovery.

  In the 1990s, John and friends Harold and Lorraine Baynton purchased two yearlings out of the WTBOA sales, winners Alydar's Word and Belle Etoile. At the time, his daughter Anne Sweet - now WTBOA general manager and editor - was the Washington Thoroughbred magazine art director.
   He will be remembered as a craftsman, an outdoorsman, a camper, hunter and fisherman. He was an avid biker and golfer. At age 70, he participated in the Ride The Rockies Colorado Bicycle Tour.

   He was dedicated to family and friends and to his church and his community. He gave of himself unselfishly, never seeking the spotlight or requiring accolades. His morals and integrity will live on in the lives of his children and grandchildren, as well as anyone who knew him.
   He was an active member of St. Andrew Presbyterian Church of Boulder and active in the Valley Presbyterian Church in Green Valley, Arizona.
   John is survived by his wife, Mirabel D. Sweet of Boulder; daughters, M. Anne (George Hopkins) Sweet, of Des Moines, Washington, and Patricia J. (Aiya John) Nakornthap, of Bakersfield, California; sons, John H. (Dorothy) Sweet, of Bend, Oregon; Robert M. (Sharon) Sweet, of Silverthorne, Colorado; Thomas A. (DJ) Sweet, of Lander, Wyoming; and Timothy F. Sweet of Vancouver, BC; grandchildren Patra and Jillian Nakornthap and Kelly (Christian) Booth; and great-grandchildren Elliott and Amelia Booth.