WASHINGTON THOROUGHBRED BREEDERS AND OWNERS ASSOCIATION
 
Gate-to-Wire Newsletter
News from the WTBOA
May 1, 2014

The 2014  

Stallion Register  

is now online!

 

Click here for Stallions (alphabetical)

Click here for Stallions

(by farm)

 

Photo pages now online!

Print version now available!

Call 253-288-7878


Calendar

REMINDER: 
 

Saturday, May 3, 2014

KENTUCKY DERBY (G1)

Churchill Downs, Louisville, KY

(502) 636-4400; churchilldowns.com

 

Monday, May 12, 2014

BARRETTS MAY SALE OF TWO-YEAR-OLDS IN TRAINING

Pomona, CA

(909) 629-3099; barretts.com

 

Thursday, May 15, 2014

WTBOA SUMMER YEARLING and MIXED SALE (MIXED SALE DEADLINE)

WTBOA, Auburn, WA

(253) 288-7896; wtboa.com 
 

Saturday, May 17, 2014

PREAKNESS STAKES (G1)

Pimlico, Baltimore, MD

(410) 542-9400; marylandracing.com

 

Saturday, May 31, 2014

NORTHWEST RACE SERIES FINAL EXTENDED

NOMINATION DEADLINE FOR TWO-YEAR-OLDS OF 2014

WTBOA, Auburn, WA

(253) 288-7878;  
  

Friday, June 6, 2014

WTBOA SUMMER YEARLING and MIXED SALE (FINAL ENTRY FEE DEADLINE FOR SUMMER YEARLINGS)

WTBOA, Auburn, WA

(253) 288-7878;  
 

Saturday, June 7, 2014

BELMONT STAKES (G1)

Belmont Park, Elmont, NY

(516) 488-6000; [email protected]

 

Thursday, July 10 - Sunday, July 13, 2014

EQUINE ART 2014

Emerald Downs, Auburn, WA

WTBOA (253) 288-7878;

[email protected]

 

Saturday, July 12, 2014

WTBOA ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING

Emerald Downs, Auburn, WA

WTBOA (253) 288-7878;

[email protected]

 

Monday, July 14, 2014

FASIG-TIPTON JULY SELECTED YEARLING SALE

Lexington, KY

(859) 255-1555; [email protected]; fasigtipton.com

 

Sunday, July 20, 2014

THE PADDOCK SALE AT DEL MAR

Del Mar Racetrack, Del Mar, CA

(909) 629-3099; barretts.com 

 

Thursday, July 31, 2014

WASHINGTON THOROUGHBRED FOUNDATION INDUSTRY GRANT DEADLINE

WTBOA, Auburn, WA

(253) 288-7878; [email protected]

 

Friday, August 1, 2014

2014 BREEDERS CUP EARLY FOAL DEADLINE

Lexington, KY

(800) 722-3287 or (859) 223-5444; breederscup.com

 

Friday, August 8, 2014

WASHINGTON HORSE RACING COMMISSION

MEETING

Auburn City Council Chambers, 25 W. Main St.

Auburn, WA (360) 459-6462

 

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA YEARLING AND HORSES OF RACING SALE 

Alameda County Fairgrounds, 

Pleasanton, CA

(800) 573-2822, x 243

 

Monday, August 17, 2014

WTBOA SUMMER YEARLING and MIXED SALE
PADDOCK SESSION DEADLINE

WTBOA, Auburn, WA

(253) 288-7878; [email protected]

wtboa.com 

 

Saturday, August 23, 2014

WASHINGTON RACING HALL of FAME INDUCTIONS

Emerald Downs, Auburn, WA

(253) 288-7000; emeralddowns.com

 

Sunday, August 24, 2014

$200,000 LONGACRES MILE (G3) - 79th RUNNING

Emerald Downs, Auburn, WA

(253) 288-7000; emeralddowns.com

 

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

WTBOA SUMMER YEARLING and MIXED SALE

WTBOA, Auburn, WA

(253) 288-7878; [email protected]

wtboa.com   

 

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Mission Statement
The Washington Thoroughbred Breeders and Owners Association seeks to unite and represent those who are interested in breeding, owning, racing and improving Thoroughbreds in the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest.

 

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Reminder:
 
WTBOA Mixed Session
Entries Due May 14
Click here for entry form
 

Washington Partners in 2014 Kentucky Derby Challenger Wicked Strong

   Wood Memorial (G1) winner Wicked Strong, who took the April 5 Kentucky Derby (G1) prep by a convincing 3 1/2 lengths, is certain to be among the favorites for the mile and a quarter Churchill Downs classic on May 3. The son of Hard Spun-Moyne Abbey, by Charismatic, who is trained by James Jerkins, is raced by a 20-person partnership under the Boston-based Centennial Farms.

  Among the owners in the now $704,610 earner - who was a $375,000 Keeneland September yearling - are Ed Barker, owner of the Bellevue-based Capital Benefit Services; and Peter Horvitz, chairman of the Bellevue's Tateuchi Center and former chairman of Pacific Northwest Ballet. Horvitz was also the chairman, president and CEO of Horvitz Newspapers Inc., which published the King County Journal Newspapers.

   Horvitz, who has been involved with racehorse ownership with Centennial for over 25 years, is joined in his most recent Thoroughbred venture by his wife Peggy Horvitz and mother Lois Horvitz.

   Wicked (slang for very) Strong was named to honor the victims of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings. Five percent of the runner's possible Triple Crown earnings have been pledged to the One Fund, a charity which helps those affected by the Boston tragedy.

   At the Wednesday draw, Wicked Strong drew the outside post in the 20-horse Derby field.

   Another Derby runner with a Seattle connection is Medal Count, the son of Dynaformer who won the Grade 3 Transylvania Stakes at Keeneland last month. The colt will race for Spendthrift Farm out of the 14 position in the Derby field of 19. Both Medal Count's first two dams Grade 3-placed Brisquette and G1-placed Pirate's Glow were bred or co-bred by Seattle businessman Herman Sarkowsky.

Other Horses to Watch at Churchill Downs over the First Weekend in May

   The Kentucky Derby/Oaks double always provides an exciting two days of racing Americana.

   On Friday, May 2, in addition to the $1-million Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1), the 12-race card will also feature five other stakes and a couple maiden special weight races. 

   Among the nine distaffers in the second race, a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight race, is Oak Crest Farm LLC (Jack and Theresa Hodge) homebred Partyinslowmotion. The three-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Bernardini is out of the winning Woodman mare Desert Liaison, who was also bred by the Hodges.  The Hodges had purchased Desert Liaison's $137,028 stakes-placed dam Valid Allure from the dispersal of the late Diane Kem at the 1995 WTBA Winter Mixed Sale.

   Selah native and prominent international trainer Wesley Ward also has a runner in the race, three-year-old Richiesredhothoney, a daughter of Malibu Moon. On Saturday, Ward's Grade 1 winner Judy the Beauty faces a field of seven other older distaffers, including Mark Dedomenico and partners graded stakes winner Scherzinger in the $300,000 seven-furlong Humana Distaff Stakes (G1). Dedomenico's stakes winner Carving is entered in the 12th race on the Derby card, a six-panel allowance/$62,500 optional claiming race.

   In Friday's eighth race, Dedomenico, Allen Aldrich, Lisa Hernandez, Stuart Downey and Philip Lebherz's 2013 Eclipse Award winning two-year-old filly She's a Tiger will make her 2014 debut in the $175,000 Eight Belles Stakes (G3) at seven furlongs. The daughter of Tale of the Tiger is one of two Grade 1 winners Oregon's Dr. Rodney Orr has bred out of his Emerald Downs stakes winner Shandra Smiles, a daughter of former Washington leading sire Cahill Road (whose full brother Unbridled won an emotionally laded 1990 Kentucky Derby).

   The big event of the day, the nine-furlong Oaks, has a field of 13, including 2014 Gazelle Stakes (G2) winner My Miss Sophia. The daughter of Unbridled's Song is out of the stakes-winning Langfuhr mare Wildwood Flower, who is a 100 percent producer with three other winners. Among them is the Giant's Causeway mare Lillies So Far. Among the seven-year-old mare's owners is Yakima attorney and former WTBOA president David Thorner. Lillies So Far produced a filly by Smoke Glacken in 2013 and a colt by Proud Citizen in 2014. She is currently in foal to two-time Horse of the Year Curlin.

Emerald Downs - Weeks Two and Three

Scat Daddybaby
Reed Palmer Photography

   Week two was a mixed blessing,weather-wise. Saturday was just plain wet, while the sun came out for a pleasant Easter Sunday.

   Two allowance races were featured on the April 20 card. One, a six-panel race targeted at attracting older male runners aiming for the 2014 Longacres Mile (G3) series, drew a strong field of ten runners.  The race was dominated by Michael and  Amy Feuerborn's homebred Scat Daddybaby, who went gate-to-wire - with Gallyn Mitchell aboard - to win his fourth straight race by 2 1/4 lengths. Mild race favorite Mr. Bowling ran second, two lengths the better of Finallygotabentley in third. Scat Daddybaby, a four-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Scat Daddy out of the Feuerborns' 2004 Emerald champion three-year-old filly Bianconi Baby, by Bianconi, from the Robbie Baze stable, improved his record to 5-2-0 from 11 outings and has earned $57,487. Final race time was 1:08.20. Mitchell's win gave him his 1,349th victory around the Auburn oval and he is the only jockey to win in each of the track's 19 seasons.

   Also over week two, Washington Racing Hall of Fame trainer Jim Penney earned his 600th victory at Emerald Downs with first-time starter Wedgey Time in the third race on April 19. The date also marked longtime Washington trainer Arturo Arboleda's 90th birthday, though his lone starter that day, Regazze Cat, could finish no better than fifth.

   2013 leading trainer Jeff Metz added another trio of wins, two seconds and one third from ten starts to his already impressive seven wins and two seconds gained over the opening weekend. Both Metz runners Vegas Burn and Cha Cha Latte were returning to the winner's circle for the second time in the young meet.

   Early riding leader Rocco Bowen added four more wins, to give him ten total. Isaias Enriquez added a trio of victories to give him a seven-win total. Both Leslie Mawing, with four wins added to the previous weekend's single, and Eliska Kubinova, with one additional win, have five winners in the early standings. Mawing scored Emerald win number 500 with Claudia's Cahill on Sunday.

   Five-time leading Emerald trainer Frank Lucarelli is second in the standings with a record of 8-2-5 from 17 starters, including wins with Tsarina Haven, La Pearla, Songandabullit, Ms P K Blue and Star of the Dia over the second week.

 

Week Three

Mike Man's Gold
Reed Palmer Photography

  Two higher level claiming races were featured on the Saturday, April 26 card. Trainer Roddina Barrett and her partner Wayne Williams won a race for older fillies and mares running for a $32,000 to $40,000 tag with Ms. Sutherland, a five-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Sir Shackleton. Jose Zunino was aboard the mare for the win in her first start since winning a maiden special weight race at Portland Meadows last September. One race later Swag Stables and Gallo Stables' multiple stakes winner Mike Man's Gold took his sixth Emerald victory in a $32,000 claiming race, upping the four-year-old Washington-bred's earnings to $128,799. The son of Liberty Gold-Chedoodle, by Slewdledo, was ridden to his half-length win by Javier Matias and is trained by David Martinez. Keith Swagerty, breeder of Mike Man's Gold, reported that a full brother to the runner had been foaled earlier that day.turd

   The meet's first three-time winner appeared in the fifth race when Always the Same scored a win. Always the Same was one of a trio of winners on the card for the winning team of owner Saratoga West, trainer Jeff Metz and rider Rocco Bowen.

   Leaders Metz, Bowen and Saratoga West added a fourth on Sunday Seattle Game. In six days of racing, Metz and Bowen have won 14 races and Saratoga West ten. Enriquez has ten victories and Mawing sits in third place with seven winning rides and conditioner Lucarelli added his ninth tally.

 

Statistics through April 27

Total Races: 58

Total Starters: 376

Total Washington-bred Races: 4

Total Washington-bred Starters: 241 (64%)

Total Washington-bred Winners: 28 (48%)

Total WTBOA-sold Winners: 16 (28%)

Average Starters per Race: 6.48


Washington-bred of the Week at Emerald Downs

    Week two Washington-bred of the week honors go to One Horse Will Do Corporation, Tina and Scott Saxwold and trainer Chris Stenslie's talented Stikine Slough. Bred by Pam and Neal Christopherson's Bar C Racing Stables Inc., the former WTBOA sale yearling's win in the Sunday allowance gave Stikine Slough his second victory. His first had come last year as a two-year-old when the son of Harbor the Gold-Bluledo, by Slewdledo, had scored nearly a 19-length maiden win in a 5 1/2-furlong allowance.  Stikine Slough, who is named after the Stikine (or Stickeen) River - a wild, 379-mile major waterway which runs from Northwest British Columbia to Southeast Alaska - will now be headed to the May 28 Auburn Stakes.

   Week two people awards were given to jockey Leslie Mawing, trainer Frank Lucarelli, owner W. Quinn Chin and groom Maura Avila, who works for Robbie Baze.

   Washington runner of the week for Emerald's third week of racing was trainer Pat Mullens, R.A. Larson and Ed Zenker's six-year-old mare Stephanie Plum. Named after popular author Janet Evanovich's fictional female bounty hunter, Stephanie Plum - the horse - was bred by Dr. Duane and Susan Hopp and sold in the name of their Castlegate Farm at the 2009 WTBOA summer sale. It marked the sixth win for the daughter of Memo (Chi)-Almost Skint (Ire), by Last Tycoon (Ire), whose latest win came in a $25,000 claiming race on April 27 and has now earned $62,722.  Leonel Camacho-Flores, who was about the chestnut mare for her half-length tally, was named jockey of the week.

  Others earning honors in week three were trainer Howard Belvoir, owner Karen Kirshner and groom Ismael Gutierrez, who works for Jeff Metz. 

WTBOA Sales Graduates in the News

   Seven-year-old Newfound Gold, a 2008 WTBOA sale RNA, increased his earnings to $132,589 after he ran second by a half-length in a $12,500 claimer, in which he changed hands, at Santa Anita on April 25.

   Three-year-old Among the Stars took her second win in a mile turf starter allowance at Santa Anita on April 10. Owned by leading California owner Hronis Racing LLC, the daughter of Harbor the Gold-Sweethrtofsigmachi, by General Meeting, was bred and consigned by Dr. Duane and Susan Hopp's Castlegate Farm.

   Among the Washington-bred sale horses winning over Emerald Downs' second weekend of racing were Preston Boyd-owned and -trained first-time starter My Chief, a three-year-old son of Harbor the Gold-Ms Melange, by Slewdledo, who took a $15,000 maiden claiming race; Ron Crockett Inc.'s Belt, a four-year-old son of Cahill Road-La Mariah, by Country Light, who in taking a $25,000 claimer by 2 3/4 lengths has now finished first or second in five of his seven lifetime starts; and One Horse Will Do Corporation, Tina Saxwold, Scott Saxwold and trainer Chris Stenslie's Stikine Slough, a three-year-old son of Harbor the Gold-Bluledo, by Slewdledo, who went gate-to-wire to win an allowance race by 2 1/2 lengths. My Chief and Stikine Slough were bred by Bar C Racing Stables Inc. and Belt was bred by Tom and Becky Birklid.

   Four-year-old Little Jack, a California-bred son of Tribal Rule-Spring Festival, by Bertrando, who had been a member of the 2011 Halvorson Bloodstock Services LLC's consignment, went gate-to-wire to take a $25,000 claimer at Golden Gate on April 27. It marked his third win and upped his earnings to $70,515.

   On April 27, REV Racing's 2013 Gottstein Futurity runner-up Mebossman won a 5 1/2-furlong maiden special weight race. The gelded son of Petionville is the 11th Emerald Downs winner for 2011 Washington broodmare of the year Peaceful Wings, a winning daughter of Halo owned by Rick and Debbie Pabst's Blue Ribbon Farm. The win gave trainer Frank Lucarelli his ninth win at the 2014 meet. 

Washington-connected Horses Place in Late April California Stakes

   Several runners with Washington connections placed in California stakes during the final days of April. Beginning on Friday, April 25, David Heerensperger's multiple graded stakes winner Fire With Fire, a six-year-old gelding by Distorted Humor out of Cosmic Fire, finished second by a head to Quick Casablanca (Chi) in a blanket four-horse finish in the $100,000 Last Tycoon Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita.  The Neil Drysdale trainee upped his lifetime total to $535,354, of which $187,710 has been earned this year.

   On Saturday, Russell Baze-ridden Summer Hit, a five-year-old gelded son of Bertrando out of the multiple stakes-producing Tough Knight mare Mia F Eighteen, finished second in the $100,000 San Francisco Mile Stakes (G3) held at Golden Gate. Bred in California by Washingtonians Ken and Jan Heidt, two-time G3 stakes winner Summer Hit, who had also finished second in the 2013 renewal of the San Francisco Mile, improved his standing to 10-3-3 from 19 starts and earnings to $472,219.  Finishing third in the race was 2012 Mt. Rainier Handicap winner Hudson Landing, a seven-year-old gelding by Maria's Mon who is trained by Blaine Wright.

   Dr. George Todaro and partners' multiple graded stakes winner Halo Dolly, a six-year-old daughter of Popular, added a third in the $100,000 Fran's Valentine Stakes run at Santa Anita on April 26 to push her earnings to $994,316.

   2012 Washington champion three-year-old filly Quizzical, a daughter of Cindago out of Washington champion Mahaska, by Just the Time, bred by Doris Konecny, raced by her daughter and son-in-law Susan and Allen Branch and trained by Mark Glatt, finished fourth in the $125,000 Spring Fever Stakes at Santa Anita on April 26 and has now earned $192,900.

Washington Thoroughbred

Among AHP 2014 Awards Finalists

   Among the 64 American Horse Publication members named finalists for the 2014 AHP Annual Awards Contest (material published and dated 2013) is the Washington Thoroughbred. A total of 736 entries, in over 50 classes, were submitted for an AHP awards contest, which has been held since 1974. Over two-thirds of the 97 AHP members who submitted entries will receive 171 awards for placing first, second, third or honorable mention. The AHP Annual Awards Contest provides members with an opportunity to be recognized for excellence in equine publishing.

   The Washington Thoroughbred entries sent in for 2013 were: "Female Riders Hold Their Own at Emerald Downs," Summer 2013, by Lezlie Wolff, Feature Single Article circulation under 10,000 (print);

"The Prodigious Fund Steps Up to the Challenge," by Lezlie Wolff, Fall 2013, Editorial Event Coverage Single Article circulation under 20,000 (print); Stallion Racing in the Snow, taken by Roger Hoff, Winter 2013, Editorial Action Photograph (print or online); 35-year-old Peterhof and His Biggest Fan, taken by Kristy Batie, Winter 2013, Editorial Human-Animal Bond Photograph (print or online); Running on Air, artist Joe MacKechnie, Fall 2013, Illustration (print or online); and "Second Chances: Angel," by Jessica Dawn Eskelson, Winter 2013, Valliant Human-animal Bond Award.

   Since 2003, the Washington Thoroughbred has had at least one finalist every year and were award winners in 2006, 2008 and 2009 (two), as well as in 1979.

   Among the other Thoroughbred entities among the print publication finalists are: Daily Racing Form, Keeneland Magazine, Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred, The Blood-Horse, The Florida Horse and The Saratoga Special.

   This year saw 25 professional judges place the classes and provide critiques for all entries to encourage members to strive for journalism excellence.

   The Awards Presentation will be held on Saturday evening, June 21, 2014, in Charleston, South Carolina, during the AHP "Gallop n' Grits" Seminar and results will be available on the AHP website after the awards presentation in June as a PowerPoint presentation and as a digital edition of the awards program provided by Publishers Press.

WHRC Steward Thelma Lynn Retires

   Longtime Pacific Northwest horsewoman and regulator Thelma Lynn has retired from her position as Washington Horse Racing Commission steward, which was effective March 31, 2014.

   Lynn was a successful owner/trainer starting in the early 1970's and saddled numerous Northwest stakes winners including Can't I Call, Rene's Song and Just a Dollar.

   In 1994, she was hired by the WHRC and throughout the years served in many capacities including paddock judge, clocker/identifier, mutuel inspector and assistant steward. In 2006, Lynn was named a member of the board of stewards at Emerald Downs.

   Lynn was also instrumental in the construction and opening of the Backstretch Clubhouse at Emerald Downs, one of the first on-site day cares in the nation. She also served on the board of the Racetrack Chaplaincy program and has donated much of her time and energy to the industry throughout the years.

   Gary Baze, the Northwest's all-time leading rider, has been named as her the replacement. Baze has recently been working in Arizona as a safety steward and fill-in at Turf Paradise and was on the board of stewards at Rillito Downs in Tucson the past three years. He brings tremendous experience in the industry and will be a welcome addition to the Commission's staff.

Sun Downs 2014

   The first two days of the Sun Downs meet in Kennewick got underway on Easter weekend, April 19-20 with 18 races split over the two days. On Saturday, three of the eight races carded were written for Thoroughbreds and Sunday's ten races were highlighted by five Quarter Horse Futurity trials and two stakes trials for Quarter Horse distaffers. The major event on Sunday was four-furlong handicap for three and up Thoroughbred mares which was won by Jaqueline Smith-owned and -trained Up Your Plan, a seven-year-old Washington-bred daughter of Moon Up T.C. bred by Larry O. Hillis.  It was the ninth victory for the mare who took her latest win by 2 1/2 lengths with Ruben Camacho in the saddle.

   Week two offered seven races (four Thoroughbred and three Quarter Horse) on April 26 and seven (five Thoroughbred and two Quarter Horse) on April 27. The Saturday feature was a $2,700 Quarter Horse handicap won by General Day, an Oregon-bred son of For Really. Sunday's card started out with two maiden special weight races for Thoroughbreds, with the first race being taken by Tom Grether Farms' homebred El Tecolote, a three-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of the late Bertrando; and the second was won by Johnny Dickinson's Washington homebred Ashlee Echo, a four-year-old filly by Prospected. Ann Juarez's Thoroughbred Epic Cast, a California-bred six-year-old son of Freespool won a four-furlong allowance by five lengths and the $4,800 Bill Kelly Memorial Quarter Horse Derby was won by Bill Hof-bred, -owned and -trained Washington-bred Bh Country Chrome.

   Through the first four days of the Eastern Washington meet there is a three-way tie among both the jockeys and trainers, each with a trio of wins, between riders Connie Doll, Jose Antonio Figueroa and Pablo Madrigal and conditioners Billy Christian, Silvester Jones and Robert L. Lawrence. 

Oregon Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association Scholarship

   The Oregon Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association is "Investing in the Future" by now offeringa $1,000 scholarship to Oregon students or students who hold a current Oregon Racing Commission (ORC) license or whose family members hold a current ORC license. Students entering an equine field of study are preferred.

   Applications, which are to be mailed to the OTOBA at the address below, must be submitted by June 1, 2014.

  For further information or to obtain an application, contact the OTOBA at PO Box 17248, Portland, OR 97217, go to their website at www.OTOBA.com, call (503) 285-0658 or e-mail [email protected].

Keith Swagerty Inducted Into 2014 West Coast Conference Hall of Fame

   Keith Swagerty, who with his wife Jan were recently named Washington's TOBA winner for 2013, was inducted into the West Coast Conference Hall of Honor class on March 8, 2014. Ten individuals, one from each member institution were honored with Swagerty representing California's University of the Pacific.

   Swagerty led the University of the Pacific Tigers to two conference championships and a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances from 1964 to 1967

     Click here to read the full article from the Pacific Tigers site.

Breeders' Cup Ltd Announces Changes for 2014

   In late April, the Breeders' Cup Ltd announced that after six years of running the Breeders' Cup Marathon during their World Championship event, they have decided to drop the 14-furlong $500,000 race.

   The Lexington, Kentucky-based organization also has decided to reduce the foal nomination fee for North American foals to $400, if paid by October 15 of their year of birth. Since 2008 Breeders' Cup has offered a $100 discount off their regular October 15 $500 fee if breeders paid to nominate their weanlings by August 1.

   In addition, Championship foal and stallion nominator awards will be expanded from first to third to first through fourth place. Earlier, the Breeders' Cup board had agreed to establish awards at a standard that will be equal to ten percent of the total foal and stallion nomination revenue paid the previous year, starting with the 2014 World Championship races held this year at Santa Anita Park. 

Breeders' Cup Challenge Races to Be Televised

    A total of 18 stakes races, over 11 telecasts, of the "Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win, and You're In" will be televised from June until the Breeders' Cup World Championship races are held at Santa Anita Park on October 31 and November 1.

   The June 7 Metropolitan Handicap (G1), Belmont Park; July 27 Haskell Invitational (G1), Monmouth Park; August 2 Whitney Handicap (G1), Saratoga; August 23 Ballerina Stakes (G1), Saratoga; October 5 Spinster Stakes (G1) and Bourbon Stakes (G3), both at Keeneland, will all air on NBC.

   The remaining 12 races will all be shown on NBC's sister station NBSCN: June 7 Ogden Phipps Stakes (G1), Belmont; June 28 Gold Cup (G1), Santa Anita; July 5 Belmont Oaks, Belmont; August 24 Pacific Classic (G1), Del Mar; August 30 Forego Stakes (G1), Saratoga; September 27 Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1), Belmont, Awesome Again Stakes (G1) and two yet to be determined races, all at Santa Anita; and October 10 Shadwell Turf Mile (G1), Breeders' Futurity (G1) and Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes (G2), all at Keeneland.

   All races will also be available on NBC's digital and mobile applications.

   According to an April 22, 2014, news release on TDN, "The Breeders' Cup will be utilizing their celebrity ambassadors, as well as horse owners who are trying to win their way into the Breeders' Cup, in a series of custom content pieces, to run on SportsIllustrated.com and People.com, to attract new fans by giving them a behind the scenes look into horse racing at its finest. NBCUniversal and Time Inc. properties, such as E!, CNBC, Esquire and Golf Channel, will support and raise awareness of the series on their various print and online platforms.

   "Other additions to the Challenge Series marketing campaign include: a website with unique content,

produced by a team of professionals, focused on racing and human interests pieces; the Breeders' Cup Million Dollar Finish, which allows fans to play along at home for prizes; and an on-site program bringing luxury elements unique to the Breeders' Cup to major U S racing markets from New York to California."

News from the Retired Racehorse Project

   The Retired Racehorse Training Project, which was recently been renamed the Retired Racehorse Project (RRP), has launched a new website to serve racing owners, service providers, horse shoppers and off-track Thoroughbred owners. It is also producing a state-by-state Retired Racehorse Resource Directory.

   "When we chose a name in 2010 our work was limited to educating riding people about training Thoroughbreds off the track," organization founder and president Steuart Pittman said in a release. "We still believe that effective training is the key to moving these horses into second careers, but the popularity of last year's Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium at Pimlico showed our board that we must do more to connect the racing side, the riding side, and all the good people who do this work."

   The new RRP website resource directory will offer how-to articles, resources and geographically mapped placement organizations, racetracks, farms, trainers, agents and online horse listings with entry portals for racing owners, horse shoppers, OTTB owners and service providers. RRP will be accepting additions to the database until early June. Later this summer RRP will have 10,000 copies printed for distribution through racetracks and equestrian venues nationwide.

  "This resource directory will offer placement and sale options to thousands of racing owners who might otherwise lack the connections to find the best options for their retiring horses," Dan Rosenberg, president of Thoroughbred Charities of America, said in a statement. "Retired Racehorse Project's approach to facilitating placement of Thoroughbreds after racing is effective, efficient, and respectful of Thoroughbred horses as versatile and valuable mounts for multiple riding disciplines." 

Ranking Feature Introduced on equibase.com

   In late April 2014, Equibase Company LLC announced the introduction of an interactive "ranking" feature on individual horse and people profile pages in the Stats Central section on equibase.com.  

   "Fans of any sport derive immense enjoyment from the study of statistics, and racing fans now have another method to slice, dice and explore free data," said Hank Zeitlin, president and COO for Equibase Company. "The ranking tool provides an informative way to look at how any horse or person measures up to their competition."

   When fans visit equibase.com to view profiles for horses, jockeys, trainers and owners they can now see where a horse or person currently ranks in a wide variety of ways by earnings and by wins. The rank is displayed immediately once the user filters for the categories they want to see.

   This interactive feature follows the introduction last year of customizable leaders' lists and periodic updates of the data throughout all of Stats Central, which gives fans the ability to follow the sport in a more real-time fashion.

   Another recent addition to the Stats Central section of equibase.com is a listing of all North American record times for dirt, turf and all-weather surfaces for each distance raced.

Worms and Germs Animal Disease Tracking Map

   Infectious disease researchers in Canada have launched an interactive online map designed to track diseases in dogs, cats and horses in North America, the "Worms and Germs Map."

   Horse diseases tracked will include anthrax, Eastern equine encephalomyelitis (EEE), equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) abortion, EHV-1 myeloencephalopathy, equine infectious anemia (EIA), influenza, rabies, and strangles. The map can also provide information regarding when the case(s) were confirmed and, when supplied, how they were confirmed, whether the affected animal has a history of travel, and the affected horse's signalment (age, breed, sex, etc.).

   The map was developed by Scott Weese, DVM, DVSc, Dipl. ACVIM, a professor in the Department of Pathobiology and Centre for Public Health and Zoonoses at the University of Guelph's Ontario Veterinary College, and Maureen Anderson, DVM, DVSc, PhD, Dipl. ACVIM, lead veterinarian of animal health and welfare at the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food.

   Cases are largely submitted for inclusion by the veterinarians and veterinary technicians who are seeing cases in the field.

   For more information and to see what diseases are being reported, go to wormsandgermsmap.com

Oregon Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association Scholarship

   The Oregon Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association is "Investing in the Future" by now offeringa $1,000 scholarship to Oregon students or students who hold a current Oregon Racing Commission (ORC) license or whose family members hold a current ORC license. Students entering an equine field of study are preferred.

   Applications, which are to be mailed to the OTOBA at the address below, must be submitted by June 1, 2014.

  For further information or to obtain an application, contact the OTOBA at PO Box 17248, Portland, OR 97217, go to their website at www.OTOBA.com, call (503) 285-0658 or e-mail [email protected].

Other News

   Dr. George Todaro and his trainer Jerry Hollendorfer have two stakes-winning entries in the May 3 Precisionist Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita: Zeewat and Fury Kapcori.

   David P. Taylor and trainer Frank Lucarelli's stakes winner Ronda Rocks went over the $100,000 mark when the five-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Rockport Harbor won a mile turf starter handicap at Santa Anita on April 19.

   On April 20, Michael Pollowitz and Jeffrey M. Wilson's three-year-old Happy Idea took his third win in a $25,000 claiming race at Santa Anita. The Vann Belvoir trained gelding, a son of El Dorado Farms LLC's Private Gold-Exclusive Molly, by La Saboteur, bred by Billie Klokstad, has earned $44,825.  He was haltered out of the race by trainer Robert Hess Jr. for Ron Berry, George Carter and David Medina.   

   Four-year-old Arizona-bred Red Zeus won his seventh Turf Paradise stakes race after coming home first by 5 1/4 lengths in the $35,000 Dwight G. Patterson Handicap on April 26. Bred by Dick and Peggy Hopwood and owned by Peggy, the gelding out of Washington-bred Crimson Cricket, by Crimson Slew, has earned $202,511.

   The April 27, 2014, opening at Vancouver, Canada's Hastings Racecourse marked the 125th anniversary of racing in the Canadian province. The track will featured two $50,000 stakes - the George Royal and Brighouse Belles - on the Sunday card, which were won by Title Contender and Hollywood Miss.

   2008 Angie C. Stakes winner Super Dixie, by Dixie Union, a half-sister to 2011 Emerald Downs Distaff Handicap winner Hard Way Ten, by Rock Hard Ten, produced a filly by Proud Citizen on March 19 and has been bred back to Colonel John. Both stakes winners are daughters of two-time Washington champion filly Youcan'ttakeme, by Woodstead Farm stallion He's Tops.

   Petra Lewin and Rainbow Meadows Farm's stakes producing mare Express Edition, a 31-year-old daughter of Staff Writer, was humanely put down due to the infirmities of old age in April. Out of the Rough'n Tumble mare Fun Bun, the half-sister to eight winners, including $85,667 stakes-placed Fun to Dance, produced nine winners, including Turf Paradise stakes winner Expressinator, a 2000 son of Delineator; and stakes-placed Midnite Edition, a 1997 mare by Basket Weave. Lewin had purchased Fun Bun from Packy and Julie McMurry. Another of Fun Bun's daughters, unraced Sunday Fun, by Sunday Guest, produced Washington champion Funboy and his winning full sister Royal Fun, who in turn is the dam of the 2009 filly Underfunded Fun, by Under Caution, who was one of the first Thoroughbreds in the inaugural The Prodigious Fund's 100-day Challenge last year.

  The Blood-Horse's "Pedigree Weekly" of April 17, 2014, focused on Beadah descendent Ruby Slippers. It was noted that the two most expensive stallions standing in North America in 2014 - Tapit and War Front - both have Ruby Slippers, a 1982 daughter of Nijinsky II whose fourth dam was Beadah, in their pedigrees.