Page 61 - January 2017

2016 A YeAr In revIew
March 30
A tornado injured
multiple horses and
damaged several
stables, including
the receiving barn,
at the Cherokee
Casino-Will Rogers
Downs in Claremore, Oklahoma. Loose horses were being corralled as destruction showed debris and metal missing from several buildings next to the track. No one at the facility was injured, but seven people were taken to hospitals in the greater Tulsa area.
March 30
Los Alamitos Racecourse owner Ed Allred stated that plans were underway to develop property adjacent to the track for retail space and senior housing. Allred said as much as 70 acres could be developed without disruption to live racing.
April 9
Jockey James Flores, who won the $440,000 Oklahoma Futurity-G3 aboard Coronas First Diva on March 26, was named the AQHA/Jockeys’ Guild Jockey of the Month for March. Flores won his
first race in 2011 and had his best season in 2015, winning 78 races and 14 stakes. For the month of March 2016, Flores had four wins, three seconds, and five thirds, and led the leading jockey list by money with $240,472.
April 9
The Louisiana Quarter Horse Breeders Association (LQHBA) Hall of Fame inducted its first members at the annual LQHBA Membership Meeting & Awards Banquet at Evangeline Downs. Inductees included Louisiana Quarter Horse breeders/owners Leverne Perry and Claude & Bessie Lea Jeane, and horses Oh Black Magic, Rocket’s Magic and Royal Bushwhacker. The new Hall of Fame coincides with LQHBA celebrating its 50th anniversary.
March 31
April
April 11
Coady Photography added Churchill Downs to their list of tracks as they were chosen to be
the official photographer of the 2016 Kentucky Derby. Coady Photography began in Phoenix, Arizona, was founded by Jack Coady, Sr. in 1962, and is now
run by his sons and grandsons. In addition to Turf Paradise in Arizona, Coady Photography is the official photographer for more than 20 other tracks across the country.
April 18
April 15
Ed Allred, owner of Los Alamitos Race Track, said he plans to run races at the track for at least 10 more years. Allred wrote in a letter to “employees and participants” that Los Alamitos plans to present a local ballot measure to develop portions of the property. According to Allred in the letter, “Fifty to 60 acres could be developed of the 170 acres without disrupting the Quarter Horse program,” and “alternative gaming” could be beneficial.
The AQHA announced that the Executive Committee amended the conditions to the Bank of America Racing Challenge Championship races by no longer requiring hair testing in the regional qualifying races, which are held at numerous tracks. The hair testing requirement of pre-race testing three weeks prior to race remained in place for the Challenge Championship races held at Los Alamitos. Any fees for hair testing which had been collected by AQHA from 2016 Challenge participants were refunded, and there were no hair test fees owed by participants in the Challenge Championship races.
March 31
Leading Broodmare Oh La Proud (Shirley’s Champion TB-Oh La Ree, Jet Spice)
was euthanized at the age of 30 due to complications of old age. The 1986 mare, who was owned by Erin Chrisman Goings, is one of only four mares to ever produce three AQHA Running Champions – the others are Garrettsmisspawhuska, Our Third Delight and Trippy Dip TB. Bred by Ed Allred,
Oh La Proud won the Golden West Stakes and earned $52,873. As a broodmare, she produced 29 starters, 19 winners, 22 ROM, 7 stakes winners, 2 stakes placers, and the earners of $2,295,812, including Racing Champions Flame N Flash, Hawkinson, and Hawkish, as well as Chariot Racing Champion Pride Of Katella.
Officials at Canterbury Park announced a reduction in pari-mutuel takeout that will allow the track to offer a wagering product priced lower, on average, than any track in the country. Win, place and show takeout rates were set at 15%, while exotic-wagering takeout rates were set at 18%. Racing and gaming industry economists believe the handle will increase substantially with this change.
SPEEDHORSE, January 2017 59