The 2013 Eclipse Awards finalists were announced on January 8 with Mucho Macho Man, Will Take Charge and Wise Dan topping the finalists for Horse of the Year honors.

   Among those finalists with connections to Washington are: Washington Racing Hall of Fame rider Gary Stevens, who made a spectacular racing comeback in 2013; Mark Dedomenico, Allen Aldrich, Lisa Hernandez, Stuart Downey and Philip Lebherz-owned two-year-old Grade 1 winner She's a Tiger, who was bred by Oregon physician Dr. Rodney Orr; female sprinter Groupie Doll, whose dam Deputy Doll is a half-sister to Seawind Stables LLC's 1997 Emerald Downs stakes winner and sire Russellthemussell; 2012 two-year-old filly champion Beholder, who is out of $187,014 stakes winner Leslie's Lady, a granddaughter of Washington broodmare One Last Bird, who is vying for sophomore filly honors; and Champagne Stakes (G1) winner Havana, who is out of $103,283 winner Missy Turtle, a half-sister to two stakes winners and $51,367 earner Follow Your Shot, a broodmare owned by Pat and Mullen Chinn's Vital Signs Stable.

   The 43rd Eclipse Award celebrations, which will be held at Gulfstream Park in Hallendale, Florida, will kick off with a charity golf tournament - benefiting the Grayson-Jockey Club Foundation - on January 14. That event will be followed by a ladies luncheon - benefitting the Race For Education - and a charity poker tournament - benefitting the Permanently Disabled Jockey Fund - on January 16. On January 17, the ThoroFan annual awards breakfast honoring Cot Campbell will be held and will be followed that evening by a benefit for the Gulfstream Park Thoroughbred Aftercare. Saturday, January 18, will begin with a VIP welcome breakfast and conclude with the Eclipse Award ceremonies. 

E Z Kitty Draws Off to Take Ninth Stakes Win

    Highlander Racing Stable LLC's E Z Kitty got the year off on a high note when the six-year-old Washington-bred mare drew off to a two-length win in the $35,000 Kachina Handicap run on New Year's Day at Turf Paradise.

   The even-money favorite in the field of nine older distaffers going a mile, E Z Kitty, ridden by Scott Stevens and trained by Jeffrey Metz, defeated Randall and Rossi LLC's 2013 Emerald Downs claimer of the meet Kind of Naughty, a five-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Songandaprayer-Daintree, who is trained by Frank Lucarelli. She was partnered on the track by Gallyn Mitchell. Arizona-bred Lady Jila finished third, 1 3/4 lengths the better of Karl Krieg's homebred multiple stakes-placed Love Makor.

  Voted 2012 Washington champion older distaffer and 2013 top Emerald older mare, E Z Kitty had won the 2013 edition of the Kachina by nearly five lengths for partners Mike Chambers, John Xitco and Dan Agnew, who sold her to Bruce and Cass Maller's Highlander Racing Stable at the end of the 2012-13 Turf Paradise meet.

  A daughter of Woodstead Farm stallion He's Tops, the now $302,174 earner was bred by Jerry and Peggy Woods out of the Lost Code mare Envision the Cat. The 2009 WTBOA Summer Yearling Sale RNA has an enviable record of 14-3-4 from 26 lifetime starts.

Other WTBOA Sales Graduates in the News

   R and R Warren LLC's Diner's Diva, a 2010 filly by Dehere out of the $219,817-earning Crafty Prospector mare Crafty Diva, placed for the fifth time in nine starts when the Jim Penney-trained filly finished second by a head to Sheza Trip in a 1 1/16-mile turf $18,000-$20,000 maiden claiming race at Golden Gate Fields on December 27. Diner's Diva was bred in Washington by Jean M. Welch and sold through her and her husband Ed Welch's Tall Cedars Farm. Sheza Trip is a three-year-old California-bred daughter of Good Journey out of Washington-bred Run Kaitlyn Run, by Rio's Lark. She is the sixth winner from the first six foals, which includes stakes-placed Game to Run (by Game Plan) out of Run Kaitlyn Run, who was bred by Justin Lynn and is a half-sister to the two-time stakes winner Run Nicholas Run, by Free At Last.

  Fred and Cindy Desimone, Glyn C. Kelly and Anne MacLennon's first-time starter Saint Lemone, a three-year-old daughter of Lemon Drop Kid-Saintly Slumber, by Saint Ballado, bred in California by Al and Sandee Kirkwood and trained by Dan Markle, finished second in a maiden $32,000 claiming race at Golden Gate Fields on January 2.

   Seven-year-old Appealing Resume added her 13th victory when the Kentucky-bred daughter of Successful Appeal-Strong Credentials, by Carson City, won a $25,000 claiming race at Santa Anita on January 5. Bred by Northwest Farms LLC, Appealing Resume had earned most of her $218,407 while racing for Horseplayers Racing Club and Scott McKenzie and trainer Ed Moger Jr. She was claimed out of the 6 1/2-furlong race by clients of trainer Mike Puype.

Washington Connections Come Out Strong on Santa Anita Opening Card

   Battled, a three-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Master Command out of 2004 Washington champion three-year-old filly and $164,284 earner Grinch - a daughter of Salt Lake bred by Tod C. Manley - won a six-furlong maiden special weight on December 26, the opening day of the winter Santa Anita meet. Bred by WinStar Farm LLC and trained by Bob Baffert, Battled had topped the 2012 Barrett's May sale when he was purchased by Kaleem Shah Inc. for $300,000.

   Baffert also saddled Mike Pegram and partners' Five Palms and Shakin It Up to wins on the Thursday card.

   Five Palms, a three-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Unbridled's Song, won his second of three starts in an allowance/$40,000 optional (N) claiming race by 1 1/4 lengths. Bred by Northwest Farms LLC, he is out of graded stakes winner and Emerald Downs champion Ema Bovary (Chi). The $80,000 Keeneland September sale yearling has earned $64,680 for Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman.

   Pegram and Dennis Cardoza's Shakin It Up, a son of champion sprinter Midnight Lute bred by Pegram in Kentucky, won the Grade 1 $300,000Malibu Stakes by a half-length over Central Banker. Shakin It Up's dam, Silver Bullet Moon, is a daughter of Pegram's two- and three-year-old champion race filly Silverbulletday. Dr. George Todaro and trainer Jerry Hollendorfer's stakes winner Zeewat, by Harlan's Holiday, finished three-quarters of a length back in third place in the seven-furlong stakes.

Other Racing News

   Two-year-old Tricky Person, a Washington-bred filly who is owned and trained by Charles Essex and was bred by Homestretch Farm, won a five-furlong maiden special weight race at Portland Meadows by nine lengths on December 29. The new winner is a daughter of Allaire Farms' Trickey Trevor and out of Bag Person, by Diablo,

   Two runners trained by Frank Lucarelli placed in two $100,000 Grade 3 races at Santa Anita Park over the final weekend in December. On December 29, Randall & Rossi LLC's seven-year-old campaigner Gallant Son finished third in the about 61/2-furlong turf Daytona Stakes. The 2006 Kentucky-bred son of Malabar Gold earned $12,000 for his efforts and now has a $520,075 total, of which $120,000 was earned in 2013. The following day Erica Gaunt's Stormy Lucy finished second by a nose to Unbridled's Note in the Robert J. Frankel Stakes, a nine-furlong turf race. A 2009 Kentucky-bred daughter of Stormy Atlantic-Here Comes Lucinda, multiple stakes winner Stormy Lucy has earned $268,200. On January 3, Gaunt and Lucarelli teamed to win a $20,000 maiden claiming race at Golden Gate with three-year-old Shescurlinmytoes, a Kentucky-bred filly by Curlin out of Café Concerto.

   After finishing second in three consecutive starter allowance tests at Golden Gate Fields, Savario Farm's English Lace, a 2009 Kentucky-bred daughter of English Channel-Sandi M, won a mile turf starter allowance at the Albany track on December 29 to record her third win. Trained by Diane Garrison, English Lace had broken her maiden at Emerald Downs last June and has now earned $33,214.

   Dr. George Todaro, William E. Myers Jr. and trainer Jerry Hollendorfer's 2011 colt Puppy Manners, who won a maiden special weight race at Golden Gate on December 7, took his second victory on December 29 in a six-panel allowance/$50,000 optional claiming (N) race. The Kentucky-bred son of Kitten's Joy-Clear Decision has earned $45,540 in seven starts. Todaro also co-owns Rever de Vous, a three-year-old daughter of Distorted Humor-Dreaming of Liz who ran third in the $79,000 Blue Norther Stakes at Santa Anita Park on January 1, with Mark Dedomenico LLC, Green Smith and trainer Jerry Hollendorfer. Todaro, Hollendorfer and Rick Awtrey's Grade 1-placed four-year-old Fury Kapcori (Tiznow-Gin Running) took his third win on the same Santa Anita card when he came home first in an allowance/$62,500 optional (N) claiming race and increased his earnings to $337,080. On January 2, Dedomenico, Hollendorfer, Jason Litt and Alex Solis II's four-year-old Kentucky-bred filly Scherzinger (Tiz Wonderful-Dancinandsingin) won a six-furlong allowance/$62,500 optional (N) claiming race at Santa Anita to improve her record to 3-1-1 from six starts and earnings to $125,374.

   Lady Roseberg, a 2010 Washington-bred daughter of Rosberg-Enter Laughing, by Distorted Humor, won a mile allowance test at Turf Paradise on December 31 for her owner/breeder Karl Krieg and trainer Valorie Lund. It marked the filly's second win in December and upped her earnings to $20,251.    Abigail K. Kawananakoa's Native Tea Rose won the $100,000 Charge Bar Handicap (G2) at Los Alamitos on January 5. It was the third handicap stakes win, and fifth in ten starts, for the four-year-old Texas-bred Quarter Horse filly who has earned $237,430.

   Three-year-old Happy Idea, a Washington-bred daughter of El Dorado Farms LLC's Private Gold out of Exclusive Molly, by La Saboteur, bred by Billie Klokstad, won for the second time in three starts when the filly took a $25,000 claiming race at Santa Anita by 7 1 /2 lengths on January 3. Now trained by Vann Belvoir, she earned her second tally for Michael Pollowitz and Jeffrey M. Wilson, who had claimed her for $16,000 in her previous start from Tim and Ray McCanna. She has earned $24,670, of which $19,200 was added after her impressive 2014 win.

   Just turned six-year-old Royal Lahaina (Chapel Royal-Fabulous Bonus, by Bonus Money [GB]), finished third in the $95,0000 Affectionately Stakes run at Aqueduct on New Year's Day. The Grade 2 winner, who is a half-sister to Carnation Racing Stables and Ron Crockett Inc.'s young broodmare Laurelhurst Lauren, upped her earnings to $523,830.

   Six-year-old Naples Bay finished her racing career with  a one-length tally in the $100,000 Marshua's River Stakes (G3) run at Gulfstream Park on January 4. Plans for the daughter of Giant's Causeway include a trip to Ireland to be bred to European Horse of the Year Frankel. Naples Bay, who earned $338,770 with a record of 5-3-1 from 18 starts, was bred in Kentucky by Al and Joyce Bell. Both she and multiple Grade 1 winner and leading sire Medaglia d'Oro are products of Washington-bred stakes winner Cappucino Bay, a daughter of Bailjumper who was also bred by the Bells.

   2013 Washington Racing Hall of Fame rider Gallyn Mitchell was the subject of the "Three Chimneys Presents Good News Friday: All About Heart" on the December 27, 2013, Paulick Report.

   "The Jockey," a profile of Russell Baze which appeared online in the August 13, 2013, New York Times, written by Barry Bearak, was awarded the 2013 Media Eclipse Award in the audio/Internet category.

Car Talk (Ire) Enters Stud in 2014 

   Neil Knapp announced in late December that he has acquired the well-bred Car Talk (Ire) to stand in Washington for the 2014 breeding season.

   Foaled in Ireland in 2009, Car Talk is a son of top North American and international sire Bernardini. Voted the Eclipse Award-winning three-year-old colt of 2006 after winning the Grade 1 Preakness and Travers stakes and Jockey Club Gold Cup, Bernardini also won two other graded stakes and finished his race career with a second to Horse of the Year Invasor (Arg) in the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) and with earnings of over $3-million.

   One of over 150 stakes winners sired by 1992 Horse of the Year and leading sire A. P. Indy, Bernardini has sired 24 stakes winners in his first four crops led by New Zealand champion two-year-old filly Ruud Awakening and Grade or Group 1 winners Stay Thirsty, Alpha (both Travers Stakes winners), To Honor and Serve, Boban, Biondetti and A Z Warrior.

   The first mate for the mighty Zenyatta, Bernardini will stand the 2014 breeding season for $100,000.

   Car Talk's female side is equally illustrious. Though Car Talk's own race career was cut short early on due to a broken coffin bone, which then led to further injuries, he is a half-brother to the Grade 1-winning two-year-old Dixie Chatter - who ranks second in California and 12th nationally among all 2013 freshman sires - and multiple Southern California stakes winner Rumor.

   His dam, Mini Chat, by Deputy Minister, is an unraced half-sister to Grade 2 winner Cat Chat, who in turn produced Grade 1 winner In Lingerie.

   Mini Chat and Cat Chat are both daughters of 1993 champion and Breeders' Cup Fillies (G1) winner Phone Chatter, whose dam Passing My Way is a daughter of 1968 Washington horse of the year and multiple graded stakes producer Hooplah. Hooplah is a daughter of the *Djeddah mare Beadah, Washington's broodmare of the year and only Reine-des-Course.

Ada County Agreement to Allow Instant Betting at Les Bois Park

    A report in the December 24, 2013, Idaho Statesman, "Ada County Finalizes Agreement to Allow Instant Horse Race Betting, written by Cynthia Sewell, states that, under a five-year lease agreement, "the board of Ada County commissioners unanimously approved a new lease agreement with Treasure Valley Racing (TVR) to allow instant horse race betting at Les Bois Park." The agreement went into effect on January 1, 2013. TVR will pay $100,000 a year to lease the 63-acre facility and turf club for 2014 and the lease rate will increase by $15,000 each year with a $200,000 cap.

  Beginning on January 1, 2015, TVR must also pay the country .05 percent of the gross daily receipts from all racing - live, simulcast and instant racing. Additionally, TVR must make a yearly $5,000 donation to the Western Idaho Fair Agricultural Excellence Scholarship Fund.

   According to the report, TVR plans to remodel the club house and install 200 instant racing betting terminals by May or June, 2014 and must also pave and light the turf club parking lot.

  In addition to Les Bois Park, eight other state-licensed pari-mutuel facilities will be able to offer instant horse race betting, including Greyhound Park in Post Falls.

Retired Racehorse Training Project Releases First National Study of Thoroughbred Racehorse Placement

    A report released on January 9, 2014, by Retired Racehorse Training Project (RRTP) is the first nationwide study of how Thoroughbred ex-racehorses are transitioned into second careers. It is based on a survey conducted in late 2013 titled Exploring the Bridge To Second Careers in which owners of 4,200 ex-racehorses from 47 states and Canada responded to 23 questions.

   "The public believes that racing owners dump their retiring horses into auctions and that a lucky few get rescued and adopted," said RRTP president Steuart Pittman.

   "Our survey tells a different story. Most of these horses were not rescued. They were sold or donated through networks of people both inside and outside of racing who work very hard to transition these animals."

• 34 percent of these horses were acquired directly from racing owners.
• 31 percent were acquired from non-racing private owners.
• 13.5 percent were acquired from non-profit placement or rescue organizations, although that share increased from 11 percent to 19 percent over the last ten years.
• 9 percent were acquired from professional training or sales businesses.
• 2.3 percent of horses came through auctions.

   The survey also revealed that prices for horses increased with training, but are still far below what it costs to transition racehorses to new careers.

   The average adoption fee at nonprofit placement organizations was $1,001 (22 percent were free). These organizations were most likely to have horse protection terms in contracts.

   Horses acquired through racing owners were purchased for an average price of $1,265 (30 percent were given away).

   Horses sold through private non-racing owners had an average price of $2,618, not including the 19 percent that were free.

   Horses sold through professional training or sales businesses had an average sale price of $4,646, not including the four percent given away.

   The average price at public auction was $839.

   The survey respondents identified the sport of eventing as their primary riding discipline most often (37 percent). Hunter/jumper was second at 27 percent, dressage third at 13 percent, and then trails and recreation (English) at nine percent.

   The following conclusions are taken from the full survey report:

   Racehorses are placed in second careers with long-term owners through a marketplace that lacks networks and forums through which the sellers, trainers, and buyers can find one another.

   Prices and adoption fees are depressed to a level that makes subsidies for those providing transition services essential until demand rises significantly.

   The financial incentive to retire horses sound from racing does not exist until increased demand raises prices for retiring horses.

    Retired Racehorse Training Project (RRTP) will respond to the results of this study with a major expansion of its work in 2014, including:

    A second Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium at Pimlico Racecourse on October 4 and 5 that will include more horses, more trainers, and more racing stables;

   Contracts for professional services that will re-launch its heavily trafficked web site, develop partnerships with racing and riding institutions, explore the feasibility of a publishing venture; and

   Compile, print, and distribute the first state-by-state resource directory for Thoroughbred placement.

   A full copy of Exploring the Bridge to Second Careers is available through RRTP and can be read online at http://www.retiredracehorsetraining.org/documents/OTTBSurveyReport.pdf.

Retired Jockey Frank Lovato, Jr. Completes 365 Days of Racing Terminology Video Series

   Retired Eclipse Award-winning jockey Frank Lovato, Jr. has achieved the goal he established for himself at the beginning of 2013:  In an effort to better educate racing fans and those who aspire to work in the Thoroughbred racing industry, he vowed to produce a 365 Days of Racing Terminology video series. It has been among the most challenging and extensive endeavors Lovato has tackled in demonstrating the mission of his 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, Jockey World Inc., which is to provide education and promote safety in the racing world.

   The project required Lovato to write and create a video every day of the year, each one explaining and illustrating a term or phrase pertinent to the sport of racing. Aided by his Jockey World Inc. assistant, Kayla Jarvinen, and sponsored by various organizations, businesses and individuals in the racing community, Lovato devoted an average of four hours per day to writing and producing each two- to three-minute segment. 

   "My idea behind this series was to offer a fun way to learn more about the world of horse racing, and this is all a part of my mission with our Jockey World organization.  I decided to commit myself to taking a term every single day of the year and bringing it to life, embellishing on it, adding photos and video," Lovato stated.  "I believe the better you understand something, the better chance you will enjoy it, and this brings us all together to share our love for horses and horse racing. The response has been amazing.  Fans from all over the world have been responding on social media, and the series will always be available for the public to refer to and enjoy forever."

   The complete series is now available free of charge to viewers at http://jockeyworld.org/racing-term-videos.htm.

2013 Year-end Thoroughbred Racing Economic Indicators

* Includes worldwide commingled wagering on U S races.

   The Jockey Club has unveiled a redesigned website, jockeyclub.com, which focuses in large part on the industry service activities and advocacy efforts the organization leads or supports in addition to providing information about industry events and the organization's affiliated companies and charitable foundations.

   The site features horizontal navigation and a responsive-design architecture that optimizes presentation on mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones.

   Designed and developed by The Jockey Club Information Systems, the website prominently displays and describes activities relating to aftercare, integrity, safety initiatives and promotion of the sport. It also features a steady stream of "tweets" from Twitter accounts of The Jockey Club companies and a link to The Jockey Club's Facebook page.

   "The Jockey Club routinely embraces a wide range of initiatives that benefit all segments of the Thoroughbred industry - from new fan development to aftercare for retired horses," said James L. Gagliano, president and chief operating officer of The Jockey Club. "The redesigned site makes it easier for industry leaders, fans, and horse lovers to see what's being done and find out how they can get involved."

   The Jockey Club's Registry website, registry.jockeyclub.com, has also been redesigned to facilitate navigation for customers conducting registration-related business with the Registry. Registration information and services, including registering foals and naming and identifying horses, are available on the Registry website.

   Also, to help consolidate information, the report of mares bred and breeding statistics have been moved to the Breeding section of the Fact Book, and the rule book and fee schedule have been moved to The Jockey Club Registry website, registry.jockeyclub.com. Additional statistical information will be added to the Fact Book section in the near future.

   "With two separate websites, owners and breeders can go directly to the Registry site to conduct registration-related business electronically while those seeking information about The Jockey Club or the Thoroughbred industry can go directly to The Jockey Club site," Gagliano added.

In Memoriam

Veronique Lynn Linebaugh Alvarado

   Veronique Alvarado, 32, passed away in Seattle on December 24, 2013. The only daughter of John and Deborah Kay Linebaugh, of Federal Way, Veronique was an accomplished dressage rider and had been a member of the North America Young Riders Team. She had also worked in the Thoroughbred industry as an exercise rider, was a former WTBOA staff member, and worked alongside Drs. Robert Schneider and John Stenslie at the Emerald Equine Diagnostic Clinic. Veronique had most recently worked for the Bank of America.

  Veronique was the widow of Emerald Downs and California horseman Arturo Alvarado, who was the brother of Pacific Northwest jockeys Felimon and Pedro Alvarado.

William "Bill" Cunningham

   William Cunningham, 70, passed away on December 30, 2013. Bill was born in Spokane, on October 18, 1943.

   Starting at an early age, he started his own company, Cunningham Construction, with the help of his wife Diane. In his prime, he was considered a premier builder of high-end homes in the Seattle and Bellevue area.

  Bill enjoyed fishing, farming and hanging out with friends at The Pancake Chef.

  His true passion, however, was Thoroughbred horse racing. He considered himself a "Horse Developer" and shared racing partnerships with many family and friends, including Charlene Keys, George Colello and trainer Mike Jones. Among his favorite horses were stakes winner Nail Bender and Wacky Joe Wacky.

   Bill is survived by his two children, Danette (Reed) Haisch and Jeff Cunningham; and grandchildren, Dillon, Ryan and Allison.

Also, James D. Blasingame, 81, who was raised in Salmon, Idaho, and was formerly of Spokane, passed away in Sun City, Arizona, on December 19, 2013 As a youth he had helped his granddad raise racehorses  which he trained and rode as a jockey until the Korean Conflict.