ATB’S IN WEEKEND STAKES
No less than five Accredited Texas-breds are running in stakes on Saturday at Louisiana Downs and Assiniboia Downs, with three of them owned by Keene Thoroughbreds LLC. At the top of the list is Texas Chrome (Grasshopper – Margarita Mistress), who will run in the $400,000 Gr. 3 Super Derby for 3-year-olds going a mile and an eighth at Louisiana Downs. 

He earned a fees-paid berth in the Super Derby by virtue of his win in last month’s $100,000 Prelude at Louisiana Downs. He battled for a half-length win over Grade 3 winner and odds-on favorite Sharp Azteca, and the 95 Beyer that he earned is the best last-race number in the Super Derby.

Bred by Craig Upham, and trained by J. R. Caldwell, the colt has been given odds of 7/2.

Danny Pish will send out Keene’s homebred My Golden Aura (My Golden Song – Cat Tale) in the $75,000 Sunday Silence Stakes for 2-year-olds going a mile on the turf at Louisiana Downs, which is his first out after being gelded. He has odds of 10/1.

Tickled by Elmo (Grasshopper – Proudtobeaprado) will take on seven foes in the $75,000 Happy Ticket Stakes for 2-year-old fillies going a mile on the turf. The filly was bred by Danny Shifflett and is trained by Brandon Creighton for Keene Thoroughbreds LLC.  Her morning line odds are 20/1.

Whiskey Eyes (Special Rate – Hay Costa) will compete in the $75,000 River Cities Stakes for fillies and mares, 3 and up, going a mile and a sixteenth. With odds of 15/1, the 5-year-old mare was bred by H L. Southard and runs for Lisa Macalik.

Henry Witt’s homebred Witt Six (Drums of Thunder – Taitt Hill) has done very well at Assiniboia Downs this year, and will compete in the $25,000 Gold Cup Stakes for 3-year-olds and up going a mile and an eighth. He is the favorite once again at 3/2.

Best of luck to all!

GIANT’S CAUSEWAY STALLION STONERSIDE RELOCATED TO VALOR FARM IN TEXAS
Valor Farm in North Texas has picked up a new stallion recently, when Bob and Janice McNair’s Stonesider arrived from New York.

The winning son of Giant’s Causeway entered stud at Doc and Suzie O’Cain’s Highcliff Farm in 2008 and most recently stood in the Empire State at Keane Stud. He was relocated as part of a desire by the McNairs to consolidate their stallion interests.

“New York is wonderful if you have the mares and are breeding for that program,” said John Adger, a longtime bloodstock adviser to the McNairs. “They don’t have mares anymore, but their son, Cary, has a dozen mares in Texas. With Lane’s End Texas closing, they decided just to consolidate their stallions in one place, and Valor does a wonderful job.”

The McNairs wholly own Congaree, who was relocated from New York to Lane’s End Texas in 2015. They also have a sizable interest in Too Much Bling, who also stood at Lane’s End Texas until William S. Farish decided to shut down the farm earlier this year. Lane’s End Texas’ sires Too Much Bling, Congaree, and Grasshopper have since been relocated to Valor Farm, which is being run by Doug Scharbauer, whose late parents, Clarence and Dorothy, built the farm. Scharbauer owns part of Too Much Bling as well.

Ken Carson, general manager of Valor, said he is tickled to have Stonesider on the roster, because Valor has not had a Northern Dancer-line stallion since the farm stood Magic Cat, a son of Storm Cat. Magic Cat was sold and relocated to Minnesota in 2011.

What is promising about Stonesider for Valor’s breeding program in particular is the large number of Early Flyer daughters it owns. Valor has stood Early Flyer, a son of Gilded Time, since he retired to stud in 2004.

The cross of Storm Cat-line sires with Gilded Time daughters has already produced graded stakes winners Bye Bye Bernie and West Side Bernie, and stakes winners Ruler of Dubai, who is also Grade 1-placed; Valentine Fever, who is Grade 3-placed; and Roll Bloomers Roll.

Injury curtailed Stonesider’s racing career, which included winning his first start in June 2005 at Belmont Park. He won as the favorite in a field that included future Grade 1 winner Flashy Bull and Grade 3 winner Tasteyville.

“He had a world of talent, but we just had back luck when he got hurt,” Adger said.

To date Stonesider has sired four black-type stakes winners, including multiple stakes winner Galiana, who earned $641,861; and Hey Kiddo, winner of the Roamin Rachel Stakes and earner of $361,768.

TOO MUCH BLING COLT TOPS SUCCESSFUL TEXAS SALE
A Texas-bred colt by Too Much Bling sold for $105,000 on August 29 to top the Texas Summer Yearling and Mixed Sale held at Lone Star Park. The auction, held by the Texas Thoroughbred Association in partnership with Lone Star Park, marked the first Texas yearling sale since Fasig-Tipton held one at the same location in 2014.

The yearling session recorded gross sales of $611,800 with 63 of 92 head sold for an average of $9,711 and median of $2,500. The buyback rate was 31.5 percent. Those results compare favorably to the last Texas yearling sale, when 79 of 120 yearlings sold for $578,600 with an average of $7,324 and median of $4,200.

The mixed session this year, which included a dispersal of stock from Lane’s End Texas, recorded 28 sold for $167,000 with an average of $5,989 and median of $2,700.

The Texas 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale will return in the spring with a date to be announced. For complete results, go to www.ttasales.com.

NEW TRC NOTICES
The Texas Racing Commission has posted the following notices:

FBI-DPS Fingerprint Fee Changes – Effective October 1, 2016 – The FBI announced a reduction in its fingerprint fees effective October 1, 2016. The combined FBI-DPS fingerprint fee for all new applicants (ages 17-69) will be $40.75.  All others (ages 17-69) will pay a three year resubmit fingerprint fee of $27.00

Amendment Adopted to Health Inspection Requirement Change – The Commission adopted the change to TRC Rule 319.110 as discussed in posting dated 05/03/16. The rule now reads:
Sec. 319.110. Requirements to Enter Association Grounds. To be admitted on to an association’s grounds, a horse must be accompanied by a current certificate of veterinary inspection and meet any other health inspection requirements established by the Texas Animal Health Commission.

ANOTHER WAY TO HELP HORSES IN FLOOD-SOAKED LOUISIANA
Brennan Lee, DVM of Double Diamond Equine Veterinary Services in Amite, Louisiana is donating her services to help horses suffering as a result of standing in water.  Some horses were in water so long that they are sloughing skin and are in desperate need of antibiotics.

Now you have the opportunity to be a part of this rescue effort, by making a tax deductible donation for the purchase of antibiotics.

Go to https://www.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_flow&SESSION=lg-qm1pDTHAxthpg885O7yOuNZci-p1bqY-V9x0AXzAy_LMjVsZY1BLWNXi&dispatch=5885d80a13c0db1f8e263663d3faee8d4fe1dd75ca3bd4f11d72275b28239088 to make your donation.

Dr. Lee can be reached at 985.974.0229 and the mailing address is 19107 W. Hwy 1061, Amite, LA, 70422.

NOTES: Rep. Richard Peña Raymond, D-Laredo, has drafted a bill for the upcoming legislative session that would classify fantasy sports as games of skill, not of chance. The move follows a non-binding opinion Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office released in January that suggests paid fantasy sports sites like DraftKings and FanDuel — which offer Texans the potential to win money off of their virtual teams — violate the state’s prohibition on betting on games of chance. See the full article at https://www.texastribune.org/2016/09/08/lawmaker-hopes-secure-fantasy-sports-games-skill/ … The Texas Attorney General’s Office must file a new court case against El Paso’s Tigua Indians if it wants to object to bingo games the tribe is offering at its entertainment centers.  Read more at http://www.elpasotimes.com/story/news/local/el-paso/2016/09/07/tiguas-want-state-file-new-case-bingo-fight/89972472/