Page 209 - November_2023

Texas Hall of Fame
Five individuals and one horse will be inducted into the Texas Horse Racing Hall
of Fame at Sam Houston Race Park on Jan.
27, 2024, including veterinarians Johanna
and Tommy Bullard, Quarter Horse trainer Leon Bard, Valor Farm manager Ken Carson, former Thoroughbred trainer Tommie Morgan, Will Farish farm manager Danny Shifflet, and multiple stakes winner Triple Sec TB (Tri Jet- Lovely Pond, Duck Dance).
this event and the handicappers involved
raised a record amount for Grayson,” said
Eric Halstrom, Vice President and General Manager of Racing. “Grayson came to us a few years ago about partnering on a promotion and this special contest emerged as a result. We are elated to donate a total of $9,674.60 to Grayson this year and truly thank all the handicappers who donated their time for this promotion.”
Horseshoe Indianapolis 2024 Dates Approved
The Indiana Horse Racing Commission approved the 2024 racing dates for Horseshoe Indianapolis at their monthly meeting. The track will run from April 8 through Nov. 14, with
a total of 124 racing dates. The season will be held on a Monday through Thursday schedule with 12 race dates on Saturdays, including six
all Quarter Horse racing dates starting on June
1 and concluding Oct. 5. “Our season will kick off with a unique opportunity to race during
the total Solar Eclipse,” said Vice President and General Manager of Racing Eric Halstrom,
with the opening date of Monday, April 8. “Horseshoe Indianapolis is in the epicenter zone of the eclipse, which will begin in mid-afternoon. Thousands of people have already made plans to visit the area for the phenomenon, and we plan to offer a fun day at the track with racing conducted literally around the total solar eclipse.”
AQHA Transitioning to Microchip Identification
The American Quarter Horse Association will begin the transition to microchips in place of lip
tattoos to identify racing American Quarter Horses effective Jan. 1, 2024. Horses who were identified by tattoo before Jan. 1, 2024, will be allowed to continue to utilize their tattoo as a means of identification. Visit AQHA.com for more information.
Sam Houston 2024 Dates Set
The Texas Racing Commission approved
the 2024 live race dates for Sam Houston Race Park. Michael Acton will return as Director of Racing for the 2024 meet, which includes a 25- day Quarter Horse meet running from April 19 through June 15. Sam Houston, which opened in 1994, will celebrate their 30th anniversary in 2024. Sam Houston Race Park’s Vice President and General Manager Bryan Pettigrew attended the Commission meeting and is looking forward to a season filled with quality racing and an enhanced promotions and event schedule.
Canterbury Park $15 Million Backstretch Redevelopment
Canterbury Park in Shakopee, Minnesota,
is continuing their $15 million stable area and racing infrastructure improvement project with construction work beginning on three new barns that will be home to more than 300 horses for the 2024 racing season which begins in May. The three barns will include 10 tack rooms, 10 feed rooms and 10 wash stalls with 108 horse stalls that are 12’x12’, and will feature open-air sides and
roof vents for maximum ventilation with a fabric roof for natural lighting. They will also include the installation of a new safety rail on the main track, the relocation of the stable gate entrance, and new circulation roads. In 2025, a new horsemen RV park will be ready to accommodate at least 25 units. Last year, they constructed a 36-unit dormitory
and completely remodeled the receiving barn area, converting it to stabling for 80 horses. The main track lighting system was completely replaced, and the training track was reconfigured prior to the 2023 season. “We will continue to invest in the racetrack and backstretch, making improvements that are beneficial to both horsepersons and
horses,” said Canterbury CEO Randy Sampson.
Haddad Ranch Purchases Interest In KJ Mucho Macho Man
Haddad Ranch announced they have purchased an interest in KJ Mucho Macho Man SI 96 (Apollitical Jess-Wild Six, Tres Seis). The 2017 stallion was the New Mexico Hi- Point 3-Year-Old Colt and earned $293,474. He won or placed in 14 of 19 starts, with a second in the Texas Classic Derby-G1 and
the Texas Classic Juvenile. His first sale crop
in 2023 averaged $11,250 with his high-
seller being Ooh Yeah selling for $45,000
at the Ruidoso New Mexico-Bred Sale. KJ Mucho Macho Man, whose first crop will race in 2024, will stand the 2024 season at the Haddad Ranch in Seguin, Texas for a fee of
Horseshoe Indianapolis Donates Over $9,000
Horseshoe Indianapolis hosted a fundraiser and donated $9,674 to benefit Grayson Jockey
Club Equine Research. Grayson-Jockey Club Equine Research is the leading source of private funding for equine medical research, assisting all disciplines of equine performance and wellness since 1940. More than $40 million has been assigned so far through more than 426 projects at 45 universities internationally. “We just completed our fourth year hosting
NEWS BRIEFS
SPEEDHORSE November 2023 207
Photo Provided
SPEEDHORSE PHOTO ARCHIVES
Speedhorse Archives
Can you identify the horse in this photo? Here’s a hint: This stallion won the first Texas Classic Futurity and was named Champion Three-Year-Old Colt in 1994. The answer is on page 209.