After what proved to be another banner year of racing, the 2014 Washington champion racehorses and other deserving industry members will be given their due at the 2014 annual awards banquet to be held at Emerald Downs on February 28. This year's theme is "Silver and Gold - Making New Friends and Keeping the Old." The festive dinner and awards ceremony will again also feature silent and live auctions and a raffle.

John Kaiser Photo

  Oak Harbor residents Karl and Darlyne Krieg had one of those rare magical racing experiences over the Valentine's Day weekend. They started three of their talented homebreds and came away with a like number of wins, including two stakes tallies.

  Making the first trip to the winner's circle was their turf specialist Lady Rosberg. The five-year-old Washington-bred daughter of Rosberg-Enter Laughing, by Distorted Humor, who was partnered with rider Gallyn Mitchell, came from off the pace to draw clear with a one-length victory in the Sun City Handicap. Her final time in the mile grass event was 1:36.07. Winner of the Queen of the Green Stakes last November, Lady Rosberg has now won or placed in four consecutive stakes at the Phoenix track, improved her record to 5-2-2 from a dozen starts and has earned $85,506.

  The feature race of the day, and one of only two $75,000 stakes during the 2014-15 meet, was the six-furlong Phoenix Gold Cup Handicap, which drew a field of six Turf Paradise runners and two Southern California ship-ins. Race favoritism went to the Bob Baffert-trained and Juddmonte Farms-owned Pimpernel, whose previous start had garnered him a win in an allowance/optional claiming race last October at Santa Anita. Krieg's Absolutely Cool, who had won the 2014 Gold Cup after finishing second in the 2013 and 2013 versions of the sprint stakes, went off at a generous $13.30-to-one, mainly due to his seventh place finish in the Swift Stakes in late January. After racing at the back of the pack for the first three calls and "going nine-wide entering the stretch," jockey Rocco Bowen had Absolutely Cool primed and ready to "close willingly and get up in the final strides" to defeat REV Racing-owned and Frank Lucarelli-trained Valiant Flame by a half-length. Omar ran a head back in third in a race run in 1:08.75.

  Now eight, multiple Washington champion Absolutely Cool (Absolute Harmony-Coup de Fondre, by Basket Weave) - a half-brother to Washington horse of the year Makors Finale - has now earned $269,803 with a record of 8-9-8 in 33 lifetime starts.

  On Sunday, Lady Rosberg's year-younger full sister put her unbeaten record on the line and came away with win number four. Partnered by Bowen, the filly won the 5 1/2-furlong allowance test by three-quarters of a length. Her earnings stand at $38,291.

  All three of the Kriegs' winners are ably conditioned by Valorie Lund.

  The 2015 WTBOA officers were elected at the WTBOA board of trustees meeting held on February 19. Will Brewer will serve his first year as president, supported by Darrin Paul as first vice president and Candi Tollett as second vice president. Steve Zerda will be the new secretary and Debbie Pabst is the new treasurer. In prior years the secretary/treasurer was one position, but that was changed after the recent bylaws revisions.

  The executive committee will consist of Brewer, Paul, Tollett, Zerda and Pabst.

  The finance committee will be headed by treasurer Pabst, along with Brewer, Paul, Zerda and rounded out by additional finance committee member Mary Lou Griffin.

  The board would also like to welcome John Parker to the board. Parker stepped in to fill out the remaining board term (through 2016) after the resignation of Rosalia DiPietro.

  Thanks to all the past and present officers for their service and a special thanks to Dana Halvorson for his eight years of leadership as WTBOA president.

  National and Washington Racing Hall of Fame rider Gary Stevens, who has successfully made two comebacks to race riding, had his 5,000th win on these shores, when he booted home Haras Santa Marie de Ararass' Catch a Flight (Arg) to a neck tally in the fourth race on the February 13 Santa Anita card. The five-year-old son of Giant's Causeway, who is trained by Richard Mandella, was scoring his first North American win in the nine-panel allowance/$40,000 optional claiming (N) race.

  The now 51-year-old reinsman, who has also ridden with great success in England, France and Hong Kong, had reached the 5,000 win mark internationally in 2005.

  The second season of the highly successful Emerald Racing Club (ERC) is now open for new members.

  The Emerald Racing Club will acquire one or more racehorses privately or via claim for the 2015 racing season. The horse will be trained by Emerald Downs' trainers Larry and Sharon Ross. Their other notable runners include 2013 Washington Racing Hall of Fame inductee Military Hawk and 2014 Longacres Mile (G3) winner Stryker Phd.

  Updates will be posted weekly and via e-mail so you can follow your racehorse. While your club membership is only $500, monthly financials will be shared with the group to provide a transparent and behind-the-scenes look into the real costs of owning a racehorse. All aspects of racehorse ownership will be explained from acquiring a horse, to finding the right trainer, to preparing for its first race, and hopefully, getting to the winner's circle.   Racehorse costs can be prohibitive to many new owners. This is a way for you to get your toes wet without taking a major financial plunge into the proverbial racing pool!

  2015 ERC membership includes: membership in the Emerald Racing Club for the 2015 season; a racehorse;  official owner license issued by the Washington Horse Racing Commission ($108 value); free admission for the entire season ($490 value);  owner parking pass ($490 value); access to the restricted backstretch area to watch your racehorse train; paddock access on race day; guest passes to bring your friends and show off your racehorse; and there are no hidden costs and no additional training fees or bills.

  Portland Meadows ran five stakes, led by the $20,000 Oregon Derby, on their February 8 card.

  First up was the $6,500 Sta-Sound Battle of the Breeds Handicap. The 870-yard event was won by Quarter Horse runner Chanac, a seven-year-old Oregon-bred gelding who races for Danni S. Yarbor. Margaret J. Johnson's five-year-old Thoroughbred mare Kamiche Gold, a Washington-bred daughter of Private Gold-Salish Smoke, by Smokester, ran third.

  The Portland Meadows Championship Bonus Challenge Stakes, a $14,110 purse for Quarters Horses three and up, was taken by Silvestre Delapaz Sanguino's six-year-old Oregon-bred gelding Cascade Dynamite, who won the 440-yard race by a neck.

  The first of the two $7,500, six-furlong Thoroughbred starter stakes was the Revillew Slew Starter Handicap for older Oregon-bred fillies and mares. Dana Pettibone and Patti Harris' seven-year-old My Ginny N Tonic, a daughter of the late Dr. Litin out of Cherishing Duke, by Go for Gin, went gate-to-wire to score a nearly two-length win over Margaret Root's Truly a Gem, by Grindstone, with Hurliman Enterprises LLC's Sea Harbor Go, by Harbor the Gold, third. John Harris trains the first-time stakes winner who was ridden by Leonel Camacho-Flores and was bred by Carolyn and Selmer Dronen.

  Rancho Viejo's four-year-old Carl Command, who had won the Lethal Grande Sprint Championship Handicap last December, added a 2 1/4-length win in the Mioland Starter Handicap. The Oregon-bred son of Rogue S.-Commadora, by Sultry Song, who was bred by James E. Lea Jr., is trained by Rigoberto Velasquez and was ridden by Jennifer Whitaker, has now won seven of 17 starts and earned $34,168. Gilbert Daniels-owned and -trained Midda's Gold Touch, a seven-year-old son of Harbor the Gold, finished second, nearly four lengths the better of Rancho Viejo and Marilyn Hughes' third place Suesawme, a six-year-old gelding by He's Tops.

  On the final day of the 2014-15 meet, a field of seven went forward in the main event - the mile Oregon Derby which replaces the Os West Oregon Futurity on the Portland racing calendar. Even-money favorite Three Sixteen, who races for Hurliman Enterprises LLC and is trained by Debora Fergason, became the first Thoroughbred stakes winner from the first crop of Bar C Racing Stables' Sixthirteen with his gate-to-wire, 3 1/2-length tally. Ridden by Matthew Werner-Hagerty to his 1:41.51 clocking, Three Sixteen who has a record of 2-0-1 from five starts and $17,675 in earnings, was bred by Keith Marks. Finishing second in the Oregon-bred race was Dr. Ryland and Jo Ann Harwood's Fearless Felix, a son of Grindstone, as was Adrianne Gabis's third place runner Funny Stone.

  Portland Meadows concluded the 36-day meet with increases in overall and in-state handle and a slight decrease in purses.

  The Oregon track, which also offers Instant Racing, reported average all-sources handle was $490,610 per race day, a 7.14 percent increase over the daily average of $457,924 during its 49-day meet in 2013-14. In-state handle was up 8.08 percent to $42,634, compared to last year's average of $39,445 per race day. Export wagering increased 7.05 percent each race day to $447,976 from last year's average of $418,479.

  "We had success with large crowds on big event days and we are very pleased with the year over year increases in daily average in-state handle," said general manager Will Alempijevic. "It was also great to see horseplayers from all over respond to our new schedule as export sales were strong on both Tuesday and Sunday race days."

  A total of $2,016,800 was paid in out in purses during the season for an average purse payout of $56,022 per race day, a slight decrease from last season's per race day payout of $56,372.

  The average number of starters per race increased for the second straight season to 7.61 horses per race, up from 7.55 last season and 6.72 in 2012.

  At their February meeting, the Washington Horse Racing Commission granted 2015 live racing dates to Sun Downs racetrack in Kennewick. The six-day meet will fall over three weekends: April 18 and 19; April 25 and 26; and May 2 (Kentucky Derby Saturday) and 3.

  Council Member, one of the final stakes winners sired by Triple Crown winner and leading sire Seattle Slew, has been purchased by Brian Lusk to stand at his Dream Star Farm in Wapato.

  An $800,000 Keeneland November weanling in 2002 - the highest of five Slew weanlings sold that year - Council Member made his debut in England at two. In addition to winning a five-furlong maiden weight for age at Newcastle, Council Member placed second in a trio of six-furlong group races: Tnt July S. (Group 2) at Newmarket, by a nose to Captain Hurricane; Coventry Stakes (Group 2) at Ascot; and Pentax Sirenia Stakes at Kempton Park. At three, Council Member won two seven-furlong English stakes: the Weathersby Bank Guisborough Stakes at Redcar and the Cheveley Park Stud King Charles Stakes at Newmarket. Among those he defeated in the King Charles was future $1.5-million earner and Grade 1 stakes winner Aragorn (Ire).

   Shipped back to North America, Council Member added six-furlong allowance tallies at Saratoga and Belmont Park at five, as well as running second in the six-panel James B. Moseley Sprint Handicap at Suffolk Downs and a third in the seven-furlong Sport Page Handicap (G3) at Aqueduct. He retired from racing with a record of 5-5-1 from 24 starts and earnings of $347,306.

  Council Member is one of four winners produced out of the unraced Seeking the Gold matron Zoe Montana, a half-sister to three-year-old English highweight (7-9 1/2 furlongs) and sire Half a Year, Del Mar Futurity (G2) victor Winning Pact, Group 3-placed and sire Half Term, stakes-placed Comical Cat - dam of Grade 3 winner Cat's Career, Grade 3-placed Mexican Summer, stakes-placed and sire Ariant and Classic Event - dam of multiple Grade 2 winner and sire Event of the Year, a $1-millionaire son of Seattle Slew.

  From Council Member's first 72 foals of racing age in four crops have come 40 winners of 53 races and the earners of $834,519. Among his top runners are $126,600 earner He's Not too Shaby, $70,726 earner Bobo, $58,149 earner Epic Electorate and stakes-placed Libby. Council Member was the fourth leading second crop sire in California in 2013.

  At the recent Barretts January sale, two Council Member-sired horses of racing age brought $40,000 or more. His three-year-old daughter Council Rules, who had just won a $32,000 maiden claimer by Golden Gate Fields by 2 1/4 lengths, was purchased by trainer Jeff Bonde for $43,000; and his five-year-old gelding They Call Me Mr. P, sold for $40,000. On February 16, Council Rules worked five furlongs in :59 at Santa Anita, the best of 59 works at that distance.

  On February 15, Council Member's five-year-old son Relatively Correct made it three-in-a-row when the California-bred gelding out of Felling, by Woodman, won a 6 1/2-furlong starter allowance at Turf Paradise. Relatively Correct has a record of 6-3-4 from 20 starts and has earned $51,588.

  Through the years, Seattle Slew sons have had a strong influence in the Pacific Northwest. Among them are four-time leading Washington sire Slewdledo - the sire of ten Washington champions, including two horses of the year; He's Tops, sire of a trio of Washington horses of the year among his five state champions; La Saboteur - sire of Washington horse of the year Happy La; and others such as Taj Alriyadh, Seattle Shamus, Slew's Saga and Personable Joe. In addition, Slew grandson Matty G led the Washington sire ranks from 2007-10.

  Council Member will stand property of Brian Luck who will offer a choice of two fees: $1,500, including a $150 booking fee, with the balance due when foal stands and nurses; or $1,000, if paid at time of breeding, again with a live foal guarantee.

  In her second start, three-year-old Rachae Leigh won a six-furlong maiden special weight race at Golden Gate Fields by 1 1/4 lengths on February 8 for owners Mona and Jim Hour and trainer Larry Ross. The daughter of Stormin Fever-Striking Scholar, who was bred in Washington by Char Clark Thoroughbreds, is a half-sister to Washington champions and fellow sale alumni Stryker Phd and Madame Pele.

  In her second start, Todd and Shawn Hansen's three-year-old Sweet Renata won a mile, $75,000 maiden claiming race at Santa Anita on February 5. Bred in California by Stormy Hull and Ginger Samples and trained by Craig Dollase, the filly is a daughter of Stormin Fever and one of two winners from foals - the other being Barbara Shinpoch Stakes winner Sweet Saga -  out of the winning Cahill Road mare Cielo Dulce. Finishing a half-length behind her in second was Dan Agnew, John Xitco and William Branch's Vow Me Over, a daughter of Broken Vow trained by Mark Glatt. Agnew, Xitco and Branch also race I B Mike, a five-year-old California-bred son of Sky Terrace who won a 5 1/2-furlong allowance/$20,000 optional (N) claiming race at Santa Anita by 2 1/2 lengths on February 8. Claimed by the trio out of a third place finish in a $25,000 claiming event at Golden Gate in late December, I B Mike, who is also trained by Glatt, has a lifetime record of 5-3-5 from 19 starts and has earned $111,718.

  2014 Washington claimer of the year Touch the Sun was claimed by trainer/owner Kenneth A. Person for $8,000 out of his February 7 win at Turf Paradise. The now seven-year-old gelding by Bertrando-Sweethrtofsigmachi, by General Meeting, has a record of 16-8-8 from 51 starts and has earned a total of $136,883. Bred by Dr. Duane and Susan Hopp, he had most recently raced for Charles Garvey and TG Racing LLC and was trained by Robertino Diodoro.

  Four-year-old Articulate earned her second victory for Dr. Rodney Orr in a mile $12,500 claimer at Golden Gate on February 7 by one length. The Kentucky-bred daughter of Dunkirk-Mia Gatto, by Cat Thief, has earned $22,614.

  Lotta Attitude scored her second 2015 victory after she took a $40,000 claiming sprint at Santa Anita by 5 3/4 lengths on February 15. The four-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Sharp Humor-Kickin' the Clouds, by Dixieland Band - who was haltered out of the impressive win by trainer Ted West for Gulliver Racing LLC - improved her record to 4-3-2 from a dozen starts and is only $57 away from the $100,000 mark.

  WTBOA Sale poster boy and multiple Grade 1 winner Smiling Tiger's first reported foal is a colt out of 2002 Washington Breeders' Cup Oaks winner Erica's Smile, a multiple graded stakes-placed daughter of  Williamstown. Born on January 29, the foal is owned by Phil Lebherz, who campaigned the $1.4-million earner with Alan Klein and stands him at Harris Farms in California.

  It was announced on February 18, 2015, that TVG will merge with HRTV. The two former competitors will feature races from The Stronach Group-owned Santa Anita Park, Gulfstream Park, Pimlico, Laurel and Golden Gate Fields over a seven-year period, as well as feature other top domestic and international races.

  Dependent on TVG's future handle, Betfair will make payments totaling nearly $48-million over the next seven years. Betfair will then own 100 percent of the equity of the unified television operation, which will not include The Stronach Group-owned advance wagering company Xpressbet.

  On February 7, Jungle Racing LLC, KMN Racing LLC, Dr. George Todaro, trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, et. al's 2013 champion two-year-old Shared Belief helped take the sting out of his only loss with a 1 1/2-length victory over 2014 Horse of the Year California Chrome in the $500,000 San Antonio Invitational Stakes (G2) run at Santa Anita. The four-year-old gelded son of Candy Ride (Arg)-Common Hope, by Storm Cat, who was ridden by Mike Smith, fine-tuned his record to nine wins in ten starts and earnings to $2,332,200. Final race time for the nine-furlong feature was 1:48.45. Hoppertunity finished another 6 1/2 lengths back in third in the field of nine

  Owner, breeder, trainer Howard Belvoir's five-year-old Everydayimhustlin went gate-to-wire to take a six-furlong maiden special weight race at Portland Meadows by 1 1/4 lengths on February 10. The five-year-old Washington-bred gelding by Katowice-Placer Creek, by Personable Joe, was ridden by Leonel Camacho-Flores.

  Horseplayers Racing Club's Papa G, a California-bred son of Papa Clem trained by Tim McCanna, earned his second 2015 win in two starts when he took a $12,500 claimer at Golden Gate on February 6.

  Above the Crowd Stable LLC and Horseplayers Racing Club LLC's Jslookovrurshoulda remained unbeaten in his three 2015 outings and also became a stakes winner after the five-year-old Louisiana-bred son of Grand Appointment won the five-furlong La Bred Premier Night Ragin Cajun Starter Stakes by nearly four lengths at Delta Downs on February 7. He has earned $129,670 with a 7-4-3 record in 24 starts, of which $69,000 was added this year.

  In his first start back since winning the California Derby on January 18, 2014, Mark Dedomenico LLC and trainer Jerry Hollendorfer's Exit Stage Left, a four-year-old New Jersey-bred son of Noonmark, ran second in the $60,460 Lost in the Fog Stakes at Golden Gate on February 16. All three of his previous starts and wins all came in stakes races and he has earned $145,350.

  Three-year-old Kentucky-bred gelding Percy Fawcett, a son of Big Brown who races for Randall and Rossi LLC and trainer Frank Lucarelli, won a mile maiden special weight race at Golden Gate by six lengths on February 7.

  Trainer Mark Glatt and John Xitco's My Secret Affair, a four-year-old Florida-bred gelding by Broken Vow, earned win number three in a six-panel allowance race at Turf Paradise on Valentine's Day, upping his earnings to $54,777.

  Three-year-old Herecomesakat won her debut, a maiden $50,000 claiming race at Santa Anita on February 8. The daughter of Street Sense is the third winner out of 2004 Washington champion three-year-old filly Grinch, by Salt Lake, whose Whoville has earned $177,380 and Battled has earned $141,060.

  War Correspondent, a five-year-old son of War Front, earned his second graded stakes placement after finishing third - a nose and a length behind winner Mshawish - in the Grade 1 Gulfstream Park Handicap on February 7. In seven starts in France and North America, War Correspondent has a record of 3-2-2, including a third in the Grade 2 Autumn Stakes at Woodbine last fall. War Correspondent, who is out of a half-sister to Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Union Rags, is a half-brother to Group 1 winner and European highweight older horse Declaration of War, stakes winner and Grade-2-placed Vertiformer, French stakes-placed War Pact and Gibson Thoroughbred Farm stallion War Power, whose first foals are three-year-olds of 2015.

  Valid, a five-year-old gelding by Medaglia d'Oro, scored his second graded win and eighth stakes placement when he won the Fred W. Hooper Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park on February 7. The $495,697 earner and Grade 1 stakes winner Malibu Prayer are out of stakes winner Grand Prayer, whose dam Lyrical Prayer is a half-sister to Rick and Debbie Pabst's 2011 Washington broodmare of the year Peaceful Wings, the dam of four stakes winners.

  Multiple Grade 1 winner and millionaire Belle Gallantey, a graduate of the 2011 Pegasus Thoroughbred Two-year-old Sale, has been retired from racing after finishing second in the $100,000 Lady Handicap run at Aqueduct on February 6. Plans are for the daughter of After Market to be bred to Pioneerof the Nile.

  A Group 3 winner at Newmarket at two, Godolphin's Maftool defeated favorite Mubtaahij (Ire) by a head in the UAE 2,000 Guineas (sponsored by Al Tayer Motors) (G3) at Meyden on February 12. Nearly 11 lengths separated Mubtaahij from third placed Ajwad (Arg) in the 1,600-meter race. Maftool, a Kentucky-bred son of Hard Spun, is the first foal out of With Intention, an unraced half-sister to Grade 2 winner and El Dorado Farms LLC's stallion Abraaj, Grade 3 winner Leelanau and stakes winner All Trumps. Maftool has a record of 3-2-1 from seven starts and has earned $251,001.

  2013 Washington horse of the year E Z Kitty is expecting her first foal - to the cover of Exchange Rate - around April 10. According to her owners Bruce and Cass Maller, they had originally planned to bring the daughter of He's Tops back to Washington to foal in 2015, but after their multiple champion mare had to have two sinus surgeries, it was decided to keep her in Kentucky where she is booked to champion Blame for her second foal. Once declared in foal, the Mallers have plans to bring the seven-year-old mare back to the Evergreen State.

   Selah native, Eclipse Award-winning apprentice jockey and now highly successful international trainer Wesley Ward is featured on the cover and in an article titled "Wesley Ward, Taking an Alternative Route to Success Across the Globe," written by Bill Heller, in the February-April 2015 issue of North American Trainer.