News and Notes for Dec. 6, 2019

MR MONEY BAGS LIKELY 2019 TEXAS CHAMPION HORSE OF THE YEAR
Mr Money Bags was a five-time stakes winner in 2019 and wrapped up his 3-year-old season by winning the biggest race of his career in the $250,000 Zia Park Derby. He returned to the North Texas farm of trainer Mike Neatherlin on Thanksgiving and will be heading to his winter base of Sam Houston Race Park.

Mr Money Bags won five stakes for breeder and owner Roy Cobb in 2019 and is a front-runner for Texas-bred of the year. The horse registered his first three stakes wins against restricted foes by a combined margin of 30 lengths. His win in the Zia Derby came by a neck, and before that he was a nose winner of the track’s $50,000 Roadrunner.

“He’s been in dog fights the last two races,” Neatherlin said. “I know his heart now.”

Neatherlin said the Texas Champions Day program on March 21 at Sam Houston is an objective for next season. There are sprint and route options on the card. Before then, Neatherlin said races being discussed include the Grade 3, $200,000 John B. Connally Cup at 1 1/2 miles on turf and the $75,000 Stonerside Sprint at six furlongs, both January 26 at Sam Houston.

March 21 is also the date for the TTA Annual Meeting and Awards Banquet to held at the track, so save the date and plan to attend.

During the awards ceremonies, the Texas Champion “Horse of the Year” and the owners and breeders of the champions of each racing division will be honored, along with the recipients of the Allen Bogan Memorial Award for TTA Member of the Year, the T. I. “Pops” Harkins Award for Lifetime Achievement, the Leading ATB Money Earner and recognition of the TIP Horse of the Year.  Current Texas Thoroughbred Educational Fund scholarship recipients will be introduced, along with an update on the activities of The Paddock Foundation, a non-profit corporation dedicated to the lifelong welfare of the Thoroughbred horse.

2020 AMERICAN RACEHORSE STALLION REGISTER NOW ONLINE
The 2020 American Racehorse Stallion Register is now online and will be mailing soon. This year’s edition features more than 60 stallions from around the Midwest and Southwest region.

To view the online edition, – www.americanracehorse.com/stallion-register.

If you are not an American Racehorse subscriber and not a member of one of the state breeder associations we cover, you can order a printed copy or subscribe to the magazine by – www.americanracehorse.com/subscribe.

MAKE A TAXABLE DONATION TO HONOR A SPECIAL PERSON OR HORSE
Contributions are an especially meaningful way of paying tribute to a special person or a beloved horse and there are two worthy non-profit associations to consider: The Paddock Foundation and the Texas Thoroughbred Educational Fund.

The Paddock Foundation is a non-profit corporation with a mission to support and advance the care of Thoroughbred racehorses after their racing careers by supporting rescue, retirement, rehabilitation, retraining and rehoming.

You can help a young Texan on the road to success with a donation to the Texas Thoroughbred Educational Fund, a non-profit 501C3 Charitable Organization established to provide grants and awards to benefit TTA members and their children to further their educational opportunities. 

The address for both organizations is 192 Cimarron Park Loop, Suite A, Buda, TX 78610.

NOTES: New stallions have been added to the TTA online auction of 2020 breedings at special prices.  Check out the stallion breedings available at texasthoroughbred.com.  Bidding closes at 5pm CST on December 20…The Texas Racing Commission will meet in Austin on January 21.