News and Notes for December 12, 2014

NEWS AND NOTES FOR DECEMBER 12, 2014

TEXAS A&M PROFESSOR TO LEAD THE AAEP IN 2015
Longtime Texas A&M University professor G. Kent Carter, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM was installed as president of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) during the Dec. 9 President’s Luncheon at the association’s 60th Annual Convention, taking place Dec. 6-10 in Salt Lake City, Utah.

A native of Levan, Utah, Carter entered private practice in Reno, Nevada, after graduating from Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1979. He completed a residency in large animal medicine at Texas A&M University in 1982. While working on faculty at Purdue University for two years, he became board certified in internal medicine. In 1984, Carter joined the faculty of Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, where he later served as section chief of internal medicine.

For the past 20 years, Carter has collaborated with farriers to resolve equine hoof disorders and lameness. He founded an instructional rotation for students at Texas A&M dedicated to foot care and its ties to lameness. He is a member of the International Equine Veterinarians Hall of Fame and the International Horseshoeing Hall of Fame.

An AAEP member since 1980, Carter has served on the Abstract Review, Farrier Liaison, Infectious Disease, Leadership Development, Nominating, and Student Relations committees as well as a term on the board of directors from 2006-07.  He also served on various Texas Thoroughbred Association committees in past years.

SADDLE BROOK JOCKEY CLUB TO CLOSE
Saddle Brook Jockey Club in Amarillo, which has conducted simulcasting since December 2012, will close down tonight.

Co-owners Lynn and Drew Alexander had planned to build a racetrack in the county and had been authorized to simulcast from the 6,300-square-foot center for up to two years before the track opened.

The brothers hold a Class 2 racing license for the area but have not yet built a track. “We’re taking a wait-and-see attitude to see if anything develops that makes it more economically feasible to build a racetrack,” said Lynn Alexander.

They have been monitoring the prospects in Texas for implementation of pari-mutuel wagering on historical races.

Alexander said Saddle Brook Jockey Club had about $5 million in simulcast handle over the past two years and raised about $500,000 in purses for other tracks in the state.

Alexander also said that while simulcast center property in the city of Amarillo would be put up for sale, they plan to maintain the racing license.

TTEF SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS NOW AVAILABLE
The Texas Thoroughbred Educational Fund (TTEF) helps place young Texans on the road to success by providing grants and awards to benefit Texas Thoroughbred Association members and their children and further their educational opportunities. More than $261,000 has already been awarded through the TTEF.

Application forms are available now, with a deadline date of February 15, 2015. Contact Mary Ruyle at 512.458.6133 for details.

You can also make a tax-deductible contribution to the Texas Thoroughbred Educational Fund using the following form:
https://texasthoroughbred.com/wp-content/uploads/Donation-Form-Banister-Ln-Address.pdf

RETAMA PARK THOROUGHBRED MEET HONORS
Now that the Thoroughbred season has concluded at Retama Park, the track has announced winners in four Honor List categories.  Meme Jo (Too Much Bling – Honey Gold) took Horse of the Meet, with three wins – two on turf and one on dirt.  He also had two seconds and a fourth from six season starts.

Claimer of the Meet was awarded to Valid Cien (Valid Performance – Miss Dynaflo), who won three $5,000 claiming races and one SOC $5/10K race.

Arkansas-bred Miss Karber (Eddington – Onima) took the title of Best Filly/Mare, winning three of five starts on the turf – two at $15,000 claiming and one at AOC $18,000.  She also finished third in one of her other two starts.

The undefeated Promise Me Silver (Silver City – Uno Mas Promesa) was named Top Two-Year-Old.  The winner of the Darby’s Daughter division of the Texas Stallion Stakes has a career record 0f 3-3-0-0 and earnings of $123,355.

TEXAS CONNECTIONS IN REMINGTON PARK STAKES ON SUNDAY
The $250,000 Springboard Mile headlines closing day at Remington Park on Sunday, with two Accredited Texas-breds in the field.  Trainer Danele Durham will send out Hall’s Family Trust homebred Runaway Bling (Too Much Bling – Runaway Cater), seeking to improve his career record of 5-1-1-0 with $22,957 in earnings.  Bret Calhoun trainee Supermason (Grasshopper – Folksy), runs for owner Brad Grady.  Bred in partnership by W. S. Farish, the gelding has a record of 6-2-1-1 and earnings of $38,755.

Bred by Charles and David Yochum, Zooming (After Market – Dance Studio) will start in the $100,000 Trapeze Stakes.  The 2-year-old Accredited Texas-bred filly is owned by Carl Moore Management and trained by Bret Calhoun.

Calhoun will also saddle Oklahoma-bred Ibaka (Uncle Abbie – Synersis) for the $50,000 Jim Thorpe Stakes.  Owned by Doug Wall, the 3-year-old gelding showed up in the Winners Circle for the Stymie division of the $75,000 Texas Stallion Stakes at Lone Star Park in June, as well as the Texas Heritage Stakes at Houston in March and the Jim’s Orbit division of the Texas Stallion Stakes in February.  Ibaka boasts a career record of 10-6-0-2 with $204,800 in earnings.

NOTES: Beginning Sunday, in an effort to provide more options to local horsemen, Fair Grounds will begin carding and running one-mile races on the main track.  Owing to the layout of the Fair Grounds dirt course, one-mile races will begin and end at the sixteenth pole in order to avoid a short run into the first turn…Oaklawn Jockey Club is waiving its $2.00 general admission fee for the Thoroughbred racing season beginning next month…The Texas Thoroughbred HBPA would like to announce that the nominating period for the upcoming 2015 board of directors election has been extended through December 20, 2014. If you know of a qualified, eligible member who would like to be considered for nomination, please contact Kathy Stevens-Arnold at (210)219-2242 or (830)947-3030, or email the THP office at cmartin@texashorsemen.com…Ballots in the TTA Board of Directors election must be received by 5pm on Monday, December 15th.