Dedomenico-owned Runners Win Two California Stakes on December 7 

   It's been a very good year for Dr. Mark Dedomenico, his trainer Jerry Hollendorfer and his many racing partners. In addition to co-owning one of the top, if not the best two-year-old filly in the country in She's a Tiger, the Pegasus Thoroughbreds Training and Rehabilitation Center owner scored two stakes victories in California on December 7 when Broken Sword - who is also owned by Seattleite Dr. George Todaro - won the Grade 2 Bayakoa Stakes at Betfair Hollywood Park and Exit Stage Left took his second stakes win in two starts in the $75,000 Gold Rush Stakes at Golden Gate Fields.

   A field of nine three and up fillies and mares entered the gate for the 1 1/16-mile Bayakoa. Three-year-old Broken Sword, ridden by Joel Rosario, led from start to finish defeating favorite Fiftyshadesofhay by 4 1/4 lengths in a time of 1:42.98. Finishing fourth in the $150,000 race was Fleur de Lis Stables' 2012 Emerald Downs champion Champagneandcaviar.

   Broken Sword, a three-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Broken Vow out of New Zealand highweight two-year-old filly Katana (NZ), by Volksraad (GB), improved her record to 3-0-3 from eight starts and has earned $156,660. A $20,000 2011 Keeneland September yearling sale purchase, the filly went through the 2012 Pegasus Training Center Sale for $60,000.

Exit Stage Left, a two-year-old New Jersey-bred son of Noonmark-Hana J, by Peaks and Valleys, won the mile Gold Rush Stakes, with Russell Baze in the saddle, by one length and upped his earnings to $75,350. 

WTBOA Sales Graduates in the News

   Four-year-old Quinnette finished second in a 1 1/16-mile allowance at Betfair Hollywood Park on December 7. Bred in California by Petra Lewin's Rainbow Meadows Farm, the daughter of Stormy Jack-Unaflame, by Far Out East, who won the 2012 Silver Patrona Invitational Stakes at Portland Meadows, improved her record to 7-4-2 from 23 starts and has earned $84,378

   Two-year-old Jose Sea View earned his second stakes victory and third win in four starts when the Kentucky-bred gelding by Badge of Silver won the $126,195 Display Stakes at Woodbine on December 8. The $170,601 earner is the third stakes winner out of stakes winner and WTBOA sale yearling Stirling Bridge, a daughter of Prized who earned $179,890.

    Four-year-old Better to Be Lucky finished second by a half-length in a 5 1/2-furlong allowance test at Turf Paradise on December 10. The Kentucky-bred daughter of Limehouse-Hey Seattle, by Seattle Slew, had broken her maiden at Emerald Downs in June for Tim and Sue Spooner before being claimed for $20,000 by her current owner, REV Racing and trainer Frank Lucarelli. She has a record of 2-4-2 in 12 starts and has earned $26,687.

Brandys Secret Runs Third in Tiara Claiming Crown

   Brandys Secret, a six-year-old Florida-bred daughter of Southall Farm's Secret Romeo, ran third in the $125,000 Tiara Claiming Crown Stakes at Gulfstream Park on December 7. Deanallens'kitten, by 2013 leading national sire Kitten's Joy, won the 1 1/16-mile turf race.

   Brandys Secret, who is out of the winning Quiet Enjoyment mare Money for Brandy, has won 20 races around seven different racetracks, including Keeneland, and earned $375,195. Of that total, $187,172 has been earned in 2013 with a record of 6-3-2 from 11 outings. 

Entrapment Enters Stud at Monroe Equestrian Park

   Entrapment, an unraced son of sire maker Gone West, will stand the 2014 breeding season at Andy Reaves' Monroe Equestrian Center in Monroe.

   Entrapment, whose first foals will be yearlings in 2014, is 2004 son of Dwyer Stakes (G1) winner Gone West. A son of leading sire Mr. Prospector out of the stakes-winning and multiple stakes-producing Secretariat mare Secrettame -- a half-sister to four stakes winners, including major runners and sires Tentam and Known Fact - Gone West has sired 101 stakes winners. Among his best are champions and major sires Speightstown and Zafonic. He is also the sire of Grade 1 winners Commendable (Belmont Stakes), Da Hoss, Johar, West by West, Grand Slam, Changeintheweather, Lassingy, Came Home, Zaftig and Link River. West by West and Grand Slam are both highly successful sires, as are his Elusive Quality (2004 leading North American sire and sire of champion and classic winner Smarty Jones), Zamidar, Mr. Greeley and Proud Citizen.

    Entrapment's dam, the $73,520-earning Dr. Blum mare Critical Crew, was named New York broodmare of the year in 2002. Among her first 11 named foals are two-time Grade 1 winner and millionaire Critical Eye, a filly by Dynaformer; Grade 2 stakes-placed Glamorista, by Unbridled's Song; and $245,648 stakes-placed Personable Pete, by Personal Flag. Critical Care's 2012 colt by Unbridled's Song sold for $140,000 at the 2013 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

   Critical Crew is a half-sister to Hill Prince Stakes (G3) winner Time Off.

   Leased by Andria Mengucci, Entrapment will stand for a $500 (live foal, stands and nurses) introductory fee, with consideration to approved mares and a multiple mares discount.

    On Saturday, January 18, 2014, starting at 1:00 pm, Mengucci will be holding an open house at the Monroe facility, which features 51 stalls and a half-mile training track. Located at 21326 Woods Creek Rd, Monroe, WA 98272, for further information contact Mengucci at (503) 930-9078. 

End-of-Year Deadline for Foal Registration Applications Approaching

   The Jockey Club reminds owners of unregistered yearlings and two-year-olds that the requirements for foal registration must be completed by December 31, 2013, to avoid additional late registration fees.

   The late registration fee increases from $550 to $800 after December 31 of the yearling year and from $800 to $2,025 after December 31 of the two-year-old year.

JACK, from Grit to Glory, A Biography of Jack Van Berg

  JACK, from Grit to Glory: A Lifetime of Mentoring, Dedication and Perseverance, written by television horse racing analyst Chris Kofulak, is the story of Racing Hall of Fame trainer Jack Van Berg and how the discipline, respect and commitment he learned from his father, trainer Marion Van Berg, led to his success in horse racing and life.

    With a December purchase of the book, Van Berg will make a $2 donation to the racehorse retirement/adoption program of your choice. Just identify your preference upon purchase of the book at www.jackfromgrittoglory.com  

And Just for the Fun of It - Breeders' Cup to Be Featured on Cupcake Wars

   An episode of the Food Network's Cupcake Wars, which will air on Saturday, December 28, 2013, will feature a competition between four cupcake makers hoping to have their baked creations at the center of the Breeders' Cup World Championships. The four contestants, who will also vie for first prize money of $10,000, are:

Tan's Tasty Cakes of Trenton, New Jersey (www.tanstastycakes.com);

Lou's Guiltless Goodies of Del Rio, Texas (Facebook page);

Frost Me Gourmet Cupcakes of San Diego, California (www.frostmegourmet.com);

and Tiffany=s Sweet Spot of La Quinta, California (www.tiffanyssweetspot.com)

   Cupcake Wars airs at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT December 28 and will be repeated Sunday, December 29 at 3:00 a.m. ET/PT. Check local listings for channel information. 

Other News

   Lawrence O'Brine and breeder Marvin Pietila's Society Girl became the third stakes winner and fourth stakes horse produced out of 1996 Diane Kem Stakes (at Portland Meadows) winner Crimson Date when the three-year-old Washington-bred daughter of Soft Gold (Brz) won the $15,000 Oregon Stallion Stakes at Portland Meadows on December 8. Eric Jensen's Calypsonoted and Larry Welliver's Cantchaco, both 2012 Oregon-bred stakes winners, finished behind the first-time stakes winner in the field of three. Trained by Jim Fergason and ridden by Jorge Rosales, Society Girl is a half-sister to Emerald Downs and Portland Meadows stakes winner Crimson Design, an $114,035 earner by Cisco Road, and to 2005 Oregon Derby winner J D's Date, by Taj Alriyadh. Unraced at two, Society Girl has won four of her seven starts this year and earned $23,929.

    After finishing second in three consecutive Portland Meadows allowance races, Inittowinit's Big Black Cat took a six-panel allowance at the Rose City racetrack by 2 1/4 lengths on December 18. Trained by Roberto Velasquez, ridden by Leonel Camacho-Flores and bred in Washington by Robert Glover, the three-year-old gelded son of Gibson Thoroughbred Farm's Parker's Storm Cat out of the Basket Weave mare Monacas Baby, improved his record to 2-3-4 from nine starts.

    Karl Krieg's homebred Love Makor, a stakes-placed sister to 2012 Washington horse of the year Makors Finale, ran second in the $35,000 City of Phoenix Stakes at Turf Paradise on December 14. Trained by Valorie Lund and ridden by Rocco Bowen, the five-year-old mare by Makors Mark out of 2012 state broodmare of the year Coup de Foudre, by Basket Weave, improved her record to 5-8-4 from 25 starts. The Washington-bred distaffer has earned $90,313.

    Twice Emerald Downs stakes-placed The Gang and I won a mile turf $25,000 claiming race at Golden Gate Fields on December 6. Bred in Washington by Homestretch Farm, the five-year-old daughter of pensioned You and I out of stakes-placed R C Gangster, by Vying Victor, now races for Rotator Thoroughbreds LLC and is trained by Frank Lucarelli. The $135,357 earner improved her record to 8-5-4 from 30 starts.

    Three-year-old Sagebrush Queen, the California-bred daughter of Unbridled Energy who won a six-furlong maiden special weight race at Betfair Hollywood Park on December 6, is the first foal out of Nite Moon, a Washington-bred daughter of Tough Knight. Bred by Allaire Farms, Nite Moon ran second in both the 2005 Angie C. and Northwest Stallion Knights Choice Stakes and earned $42,213.

    Boat Trip, a half-brother to Allaire Farms' graded stakes-placed stallion Rallying Cry - whose first foals reach the races in 2014 - won the $100,000 Hollywood Turf Express Handicap on December 8 to record his second Betfair Hollywood Park stakes win. The four-year-old son of Harlan's Holiday-Turning Wheel, by Seeking the Gold, won the six-furlong turf stakes by a half-length. He has now won five races and earned $253,196. In a highly unusual finish, there was a three-way tie for the second spot between No Silent, Chips All In and Unbridled's Note in the five-horse field.

    2012 Washington champion handicap horse Absolutely Cool earned his 12th stakes placement for owner/breeder Karl Krieg when he finished third in the $35,000 Caballos Del Sol Stakes run at Turf Paradise on December 7. Trained by Valorie Lund and ridden by Rocco Bowen, Absolutely Cool had won the 2012 edition of the race and finished second in the six-panel stakes in 2011. The 2007 son of Absolute Harmony out of 2012 Washington broodmare of the year Coup de Foudre, by Basket Weave, has earned $153,603 in 24 starts. Krieg homebred Lady Roseberg, a three-year-old Washington-bred daughter of Roseberg-Enter Laughing, by Distorted Humor, went gate-to-wire to win a maiden/$30,000 optional (N) claiming race at the Arizona track on December 11. Ridden by Gallyn Mitchell in the mile turf race and also trained by Lund, Lady Roseberg took her first win by 1 1/2 lengths.

    Dr. Rodney Orr's homebred Ankeny Hill, who had won a maiden special weight by nearly four lengths last April at Emerald Down in his first start, went gate-to-wire to take a $50,000 claiming race at Betfair Hollywood Park on December 13. Now trained by Mark Glatt, the three-year-old Kentucky-bred is by Sharp Humor and out of 2001 Emerald champion two-year-old filly Ashbecca. On December 21, Ankeny Hill led at every call to win a six-furlong turf allowance at Betfair Hollywood Park by a half-length. In eight starts he has earned $81,945 with a 3-1-1- record.

    Dr. George Todaro, trainer Jerry Hollendorfer and partners' Shared Belief, a two-year-old Kentucky-bred gelding by Candy Ride (Arg)-Common Hope, by Storm Cat, won the Grade 1 CashCall Futurity by 5 3/4 lengths at Betfair Hollywood Park on December 14. Unbeaten in three starts, the half-brother to $217,430 graded stakes winner Little Miss Holly and $157,439 stakes-placed Double Major has now earned $451,200.

    On December 22, Todaro and Jerry and Janet Hollendorfer's homebred stakes-winning two-year-old finished second on the $200,500 King Glorious Stales to California Chrome in what was to be the final stakes race at Betfair Hollywood Park. The California-bred son of Globalize-Tadita, by Indian Charlie, improved his record to 3-1-0 from eight starts and has earned $131,330.

   On December 7, French classic winner Macoumba, dam of three-time leading Washington sire Parker's Storm Cat, had her seventh winner when her two-year-old daughter Fiji Moon, by Indian Charlie, won her debut, a six-furlong maiden special wright race at Laurel Park .

   On December 14, two-year-old stakes winner Lexie Lou, who is out of $143,695 winner Oneexecssivenite, a daughter of 1994 and 1995 Washington champion and graded stakes winner Favored One, by Son of Briartic, finished third, a neck and a nose behind Paladin Bay and Splashy Gizmo, in the $141,705 Ontario Lassie Stales at Woodbine. Ridden by former three-time leading Longacres rider Gary Boulanger in each of her eight starts, Lexie Lou has earned $310,244. Ontario-bred Lexie Lou is by Sligo Bay (Ire).

   2012 Emerald Downs' horse of the meet Class Included earned her second stakes victory since being sold by her breeders Michael and Amy Feuerborn when she took the $73,500 Blushing K. D. Handicap at Fair Grounds on December 22. Now racing for Brittlyn Stable Inc. and trained by Ron Faucheux, the five-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Include-A Classic Life, by Sky Classic, has won 12 of her 23 starts, with seven seconds, and has earned $552,146.

   Finishing second in the about 1 1/16-mile turf race was four-year-old Bluegrass Sapphire, a Kentucky-bred daughter of Bluegrass Cat-Radiant Ring who was a 2011 Pegasus Thoroughbred Sale graduate. The now two-time stakes-placed filly has earned $89,162.

In Memoriam

William L. Booker

   William Booker, 90, one of the last of the original Tuskegee Airmen in the Puget Sound area, died on November 30, 2013. Booker had been a flight engineer and navigator for the 477th Bombardment Group from Goodman Field, Kentucky.

   After the war he graduated from the University of Denver and became an electrical engineer, a patent-granted inventor and a father who hunted, fished, raised Thoroughbred racehorses and was a horseman at Longacres, built a boat, taught aviation workshops at schools, coached golf and had a 34-year career at The Boeing Company.

    He later traveled across the Pacific Northwest to inspire youth to take advantage of what opportunities lay before them, and he raised thousands of dollars for scholarships every year.

   The Bookers raised their children in the Montlake neighborhood in Seattle and later in Kirkland's Bridle Trails neighborhood. Their Kirkland neighbors knew they could call upon him for help in the middle of the night if one of their horses fell sick.

   About five years ago, Parkinson's disease started sapping his health and energy, but his wife said he enjoyed a full life.

   In addition to his wife, Dolores, he is survived by children, Cliff Mitchell, of Los Angeles, Larry Booker of Seattle, Paula Hatcher, of Kennewick, and Leslyn Jones-Petitt, of Seattle; and seven grandchildren.

   Taken from the obituary written by Alexa Vaughn which appeared in the December 9, 2013, Seattle Times. 

Equine In Memoriam

Basket Weave

    Top Washington stallion Basket Weave passed away in his sleep on December 10, 2013. The son of Best Turn was 32.

   Bred in Kentucky by the historic Greentree Stud Inc., the dark bay won his only start at two, a maiden special weight race at Belmont Park. At three, he would win five races, the Bull Lea Stakes at Hollywood Park, three allowance tests at Belmont and an Aqueduct handicap. At four, he added a mile handicap win at Belmont and finished second in the True North Stakes (G2) and a third in the Hallendale Handicap at Gulfstream Park.

   His next win came as a five-year-old in the Grade 3 Jaipur Stakes, which was followed by a trio of stakes placements - including at third in the Grade 2 Tom Fool Stakes - and another Belmont handicap win.

   At six, after finishing third in the Kendal Stakes at Hialeah, followed by a few minor placements both in Florida and New York, Basket Weave made his Longacres debut in the August 2 Governor's Handicap. After four more starts, he was retired to stand at Doug Wohlman's Wohlman Farms in Enumclaw for the 1988 breeding season. He returned to racing in 1989 for a brief four-race career in late summer at Longacres, but after finishing no better than fourth, was retired permanently to stud with nine wins and earnings of $355,312.

In 1993 he was moved to Ron and Nina Hagen's El Dorado Farms where he stood for 11 years before moving to his final home at Buzz and Kathy King's Little King Ranch in Quincy, where he was pensioned in 2008.

   Basket Weave was one of six winners produced out of unraced Pass the Basket, a daughter of Buckpasser out of stakes-placed Royal Picnic. Pass the Basket also produced two stakes-placed horses, $484,014 earner Tamarillo, by Talinum, and $40,461 earner Nomo Robbery, a filly by No Robbery who would produce a trio of stakes winners, including Grade 3 stakes winner and $1.1-million earner Chorwon and $456,421 stakes winner Yukon Robbery.

   Basket Weave sired 402 foals in 18 seasons with 267 winners of nearly $9-million. Best among his 42 stakes horses (21 stakes winners) were Washington horse of the year and Longacres Mile (G3) winner L. J. Express, Washington champions Hoopstar and Weaving Justice and Longacres Mile winner Want a Winner.
   Basket Weave has also been making a name for himself in recent years as a damsire. Among the 12 stakes winners are five Washington champions: two-time horse of the year Noosa Beach and his full brother, 2012 champion two-year-old Music of My Soul; 2012 horse of the year Makors Finale and his 2012 handicap champion half-brother Absolutely Cool; and two-year-old filly champion Knight Raider. Absolutely Cool, along with juvenile runners Dallon's Gold and Noosito, have all won stakes in 2013. In addition, Coup de Foudre, dam of Makors Finale and Absolutely Cool, was named Washington broodmare of the year in 2012.