NEWS AND NOTES FOR MARCH 20, 2015
TRAINERS’ EXAM PREP CLASS SET FOR APRIL 1-3 AT LONE STAR PARK
Dr. C. Reid McLellan, an experienced teacher and former trainer who served on the committee that wrote the current National Trainers’ Exam, has scheduled a Trainers’ Exam Prep Class for April 1-3 at Lone Star Park. The class includes an intensive 20 hours of focus on material covered on National Trainers’ Exam Barn and Written exams. It will include an emphasis on Texas Rules of Racing and comparison of rules from other states represented. This class is also beneficial for individuals interested in learning about the Rules of Racing, whether you want to take Trainers’ Exam or not. For more information, call (859) 321-4377, go to purplepowerracing.com.
BATTLE OF THE X’S, THE OTTB TRAINER CHALLENGE & ALL BREED HORSE SHOW
Join us in the John Justin arena at the Will Rogers Memorial Center for a fun-filled weekend of horse shows and competitions with free admission for all spectators.
The all-breed horse show begins at 8am on Saturday, with classes in Leadline, Halter, English Hunter, Western Halter, English Pleasure, Western Pleasure, Dressage and Sport Horse – In Hand, as well as junior, amateur, and professional divisions for Hunter, Jumper and Eventing, with cash prizes. There will also be a $300 cash prize for overall Hi-Point Thoroughbred.
On Sunday at 2pm, the Battle of the X’s OTTB Trainer Challenge will showcase 8 retired Thoroughbred racehorses with 4 months of professional training in a new discipline, competing for a $10,000 prize.
After the Challenge the participating horses will be auctioned and the proceeds will benefit the Remember Me Rescue. Only pre-approved adopters will be allowed to bid on the horses from the Challenge. This will be a great opportunity for students, weekend trail riders or anyone else wanting to purchase a thoroughbred that has been professionally retrained to another discipline. It is not too late to get approved to bid on one of these fantastic horses. Horses can be ridden on Friday and there will be a vet on site for pre-purchase exams all weekend.
Email remembermerescue@live.com for more information.
SULTAN OF SLAM VOTED TEXAS CLAIMER OF THE YEAR
After more than 300 online votes were cast, Sultan of Slam was named the 2014 Texas Claimer of the Year. The award is designed to honor the hard-working claiming horses who fill race cards across the country every day.
Sultan of Slam and his connections will be honored alongside the divisional champions and Texas Horse of the Year during the Texas Thoroughbred Association’s awards banquet and annual meeting on June 20 at Lone Star Park. The TTA held the online poll among all accredited Texas-breds with three or more claiming victories at tracks in the Lone Star State.
Bred by La Bahia Stud Inc., the now 4-year-old Sultan of Slam made 10 starts last year and visited the winner’s circle four times. The Texas-bred broke his maiden at Oaklawn Park in April and then returned to his home state, where he recorded a win against $12,500 claiming company at Lone Star and then consecutive wins at the $7,500 claiming level at Retama Park. The gelded son of Grand Slam banked $24,032 on the year for owner Champion Racing Stable Inc. and trainer Allen Milligan.
EMERALD UNVEILS ‘SHIP AND RUN’ BONUS
Emerald Downs has announced a “Ship and Run Incentive Program,” in which a $400 bonus for horses whose most recent start was outside the state and have not previously raced at Emerald Downs. In addition, horses must have started for a claiming price of $3,000 or more in each of its three previous starts. First-time starters are not eligible.
Emerald Downs previously announced that daily purse distribution would increase approximately 20% in 2015, along with several other horsemen incentives, including an early-bird move-in bonus, reduced start-up costs, and lower fees on both dorm rentals and mechanical hot-walkers. Trainers also have the opportunity to recover up to 100% of per-stall, per-day costs based on a stall efficiency factor and conservation of utilities.
In addition, every unplaced starter will receive a $200 participation fee (up from $125) and horses competing in races at 1 1/16 miles or longer will be offered additional purse money.
The 70-day live racing schedule runs April 18-Sept. 27 and includes 29 stakes worth $1.62 million.
‘SHIP AND WIN’ PROGRAM EXPANDS IN SOCAL
An incentive program to attract out-of-state horses to race in California that has had success over the past four seasons at Del Mar will expand to the entire Southern California racing circuit April 2.
The “Ship and Win” program will apply to horses that have not raced in the past 12 months in California. At Santa Anita Park, Los Alamitos Race Course, and Del Mar, the program will guarantee a $1,000 appearance fee and a 30% enhancement to all purse money earned in the horse’s initial start in the state.
Funding for the program will come from the three Southern California racetracks, the Thoroughbred Owners of California, and the California Marketing Committee, which is tasked with promoting racing in the state.
The program, however, is not only for out-of-state horsemen. Local trainers and owners have also tapped into the benefits by bringing back runners from beyond California’s borders.
Santa Anita will kick off the “Ship and Win” program April 2 and offer it through June 28. Los Alamitos picks it up from July 2 to July 12. Del Mar’s summer season then covers July 16 through Sept. 7. Each of the tracks also finishes the year with additional meets in the fall.
NOTES: Best of racing luck to David Davis’ 3-year-old homebred Accredited Texas-bred gelding A M Milky Way (Elusive Bluff – Actress E), trained by Karl Broberg, who is entered in Saturday’s $100,000 Gazebo Stakes at Oaklawn… The head of the Association of Racing Commissioners International has reiterated the organization’s intention to push for a uniform approach for regulation of cobalt, a substance that is endogenous to the horse but could have blood-doping characteristics in high volumes…The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission is considering a proposal that would permit the state’s racetracks to card races that would prohibit the administration of furosemide, also known as Salix or Lasix, within 24 hours of post time…The Jockeys’ Guild has reached an agreement with Parx Racing, resolving their dispute in a manner that will not alter the current on-track accident policy at the Pennsylvania track.