News and Notes for August 26, 2016

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TEXAS SUMMER YEARLING AND MIXED SALE; PRE-SALE PARTY
The Texas Thoroughbred Association and Lone Star Park are pleased to announce the return of the annual Pre-Sale Party on Sunday, August 28 in conjunction with the Texas Summer Yearling and Mixed Sale set for the following day. This event provides a casual atmosphere in which to enjoy drinks and hors d’oeuvres in the company of other consignors and buyers.

We invite you to join in the fun and also to participate with door prize donations, such as books, pens, koozies, hats, t-shirts or other logo/promotional items.

Many thanks to our table sponsors: American Racehorse, Asmussen Horse Center,  Bluebonnet Feeds and Stride Animal Health, Cameron Training Center, Cinder Lakes Ranch/Rick Ford, Double Infinity Ranch, Ronald A. & Margaret Ellerbee, Glorianna Farm (Ed Few); Ivy Rose Equestrian, Keene Thoroughbreds LLC, Lon Wiggins Racing Stable, PonyUp Technologies, Inc., Stanton Stables (Stan & Marcy Huntsinger), Stoneview Farm (Sue Dowling & Craig Upham), and Valor Farm.

The party starts at 6 pm, and we look forward to seeing you there.

The Texas Summer Yearling and Mixed Sale commences at 12 noon on Monday, August 29 in the Thoroughbred Sales Pavilion at Lone Star Park.  Yearlings will sell first, with broodmares, weanlings and horses of racing age to follow.

Check out the interactive catalog with photos at www.ttasales.com.  A link to view the sale will be posted on the website, as well as Buyer Application forms and Agent Authorization forms.  The Sale Office phone number is 972.237.4886 and fax number is 972.237.5257.  Sales Director Tim Boyce may be reached at 972.523.0332.

TTA office staff will be traveling to the Sale on Saturday, August 27 and will be back in the Austin office on Wednesday, August 31.

ATB’S IN WEEKEND STAKES
There are two Accredited Texas-breds entered in the $60,000 Evangeline Downs Princess Stakes for 2-year-olds going six furlongs on Saturday.  Bret Calhoun will saddle 5/1 Gold Shock (My Golden Song – Shocktime) for owner Douglas Scharbauer.  Bred by the late Clarence Scharbauer Jr., the stakes-placed filly is coming off a second place finish in the $93,903 Texas Thoroughbred Futurity at Lone Star Park on July 9th.

Keene Thoroughbred LLC’s multiple stakes-placed Country Candy (Intimidator – Trifolium) is the 5/2 favorite.  Bred by Keith Asmussen and trained by J. R. Caldwell, the filly finished second in the $65,000 Prairie Gold Lassie Stakes on July 28th.  With a record of 3-1-1-1, she has $34,780 in earnings.

GCFG RACING
This is the last weekend of live racing at Gillespie County Fair Grounds in Fredericksburg.  Thoroughbreds may compete in 4 of the 12 races carded for Saturday, including a 4-furlong starter allowance, a 5 ½-furlong maiden claiming, an 870-yard all-breeds stakes race and the G. C. F. A. Texas-bred Stakes for 3-year-olds and up going 7 furlongs.  The 9/5 favorite in the 6-horse field is Ring Necked (Too Much Bling – Wood Duck), bred by W. S. Farish, Hugh Fitzsimons Jr. and E. J. Hudson Irrevocable Trust.  The 5-year-old gelding is trained by Danny Pish for owners GFB Racing LLC.

Kitty Blonde (Magic Cat – Katy Blonde), a 7-year-old gelding bred by Ken Murphy and running for trainer Karl Broberg’s End Zone Athletics, has been given odds of 2/1.

Terry Eoff will saddle F J Uncle Vic (Uncle Abbie – Let Her Reign), who he owns in partnership with Johnny Evans.  The 5-year-old gelding has odds of 3/1 and was bred by Mr. and Mrs. Frank Prifitera.

Completing the field are Midway Tap (Midway Road – Tap Danzig); Everything’s a Bet (Everything Free – Colmena), and Valid Silver Charm (Valid Performance – Sail On Silvergirl).

There are no Thoroughbred races on Sunday.

EXAGGERATOR DRAWS POST SEVEN OF 14 IN TRAVERS STAKES  
Big Chief Racing, Rocker O Ranch and Head of Plains Partners’ Exaggerator drew the center post number 7 of the 14-horse G1 Travers field at Saratoga this Saturday. Trained by Keith Desormeaux and ridden by jockey Kent Desormeaux, the sophomore son of Curlin enters the Travers off a strong victory in the Haskell Stakes at Monmouth last month, and was given morning-line favoritism of 3-1 by Travis Stone. Texans Ronald and Cody Ortowski of Gainesville are part of the ownership group for Exaggerator.

RETAMA PARK THOROUGHBRED MEET BEGINS SEPTEMBER 2
Live racing returns to Retama Park on Friday, September 2, and the opening day of the 2016 Thoroughbred Meet will be a fund raiser to help the flood victims in southern Louisiana. Pay $1, $5, $10 or whatever amount you choose to be admitted to the park (Minimum $1), and half the proceeds will go to aid in flood relief in Louisiana.

There will be live racing every Friday and Saturday through November 26, with gates opening at 5:30 and post time for the first race at 6:45pm.  Check out www.retamapark.com for more info.