Page 174 - January 2016 Speedhorse

Claim-Void Rule Expanded In California
The California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) approved an expansion of conditions for the
claim void rule, allowing claims to be voided in cases where the horse is visibly bleeding from the nostrils. Previously, claims could be voided for unsoundness or if a horse suffered a fatality during a race or was euthanized before leaving the track. An official veterinarian will make the determina- tion as to whether a horse has bled from the nostril.
Texas Horsemen’s Partnership Takes Legal Action
Attorneys for the Texas Horsemen’s Partnership, LLP (THP) on Jan. 7 filed an “Original Petition for Declaratory Judgment and Application for Temporary and Permanent Injunction” in the District Court of Travis County, Texas, against Glen Hegar in his offi- cial capacity as Comptroller of Public Accounts for the State of Texas. The THP is requesting
a judgment from the District Court of Travis County declaring Rider 7 unconstitutional. Rider 7 is a Legislative Budget Board appropria- tions rider that currently limits funding of the Texas Racing Commission (TRC). Temporary funding is scheduled to run out in February and if that happens, horse racing at Sam Houston Race Park and other tracks around the state of Texas will be forced to cease operations.
Rillito Park Opening Delayed
Rillito Park, which was originally scheduled to run from Jan. 30-March 13, will open its 12-day season on Feb. 13 and run through March 20. Racing at the historic park in Tucson, Arizona, was in jeopardy after Pima County supervisors opted to delay making a decision on how the county-owned facility should be managed.
Congress Passed H-2B Provisions
On Dec. 11, the U.S. Congress passed a
bill that offers relief for H-2B visa employers, including racehorse trainers. The bill includes a provision that allows taxpayers to depreciate on a three-year schedule racehorses 24 months of age and younger when purchased and placed into service. This advanced schedule better reflects the length of a common racehorse’s career and is more reasonable for owners.
Evangeline Downs Announces 2015 Leaders
Evangeline Downs ended its 46-day Quarter Horse racing season on Dec 19. Robert Touchet was named leading trainer with 30 wins as well as leading owner with 14 wins from 30 starters. John Hamilton & David Alvarez tied for lead- ing jockey after each winning 40 races.
Los Alamitos Announces 2015 Meet Leaders
Los Alamitos Racecourse ended its 150- night Quarter Horse racing season on Dec. 20 as the track honored its 2015 meet leaders.
AQHA Hall of Fame Owner & Breeder Ed Allred was the leading owner with 69 wins from 403 starts; Paul Jones was named leading trainer for the 17th time in 18 years with 101 wins; and Cruz Mendez won 119 races, making him the leading jockey for the fourth consecu- tive year.
Hialeah Park Marks Record Mutuel Handle
Hialeah Park began its 2015-16 live racing season Dec. 26 with a record-breaking start, posting an all-time high of $597,070 in all- sources handle on a single Quarter Horse card in Florida. This amount was almost $17,000 more than the previous record.
FQHRA, Speedhorse Host Horsemen’s Barbeque At Hialeah
The Florida Quarter Horse Racing Association (FQHRA) and Speedhorse Magazine on Dec. 26 co-sponsored a welcome barbeque for horsemen at Hialeah Park to kick off the track’s 40-day season.
NMRC Search For New Equine Medical Director
The New Mexico Racing Commission (NMRC) began accepting applications for a New Mexico-licensed veterinarian to work as the NMRC Equine Medical Director. The
job will include advising the commission on security measures, monitoring the drug-testing program, enforcing the NMRC rules and regu- lations relating to veterinary practices, having jurisdiction to supervise the practicing licensed veterinarians and other licensees involved in veterinary care, as well as many other tasks.
Greater Kansas Racing Alliance Announces Incentive
The Greater Kansas Racing Alliance announced Race For Kansas, an initiative to create jobs and restore the horse racing and Greyhound racing industries in the state. The Alliance will encourage lawmakers to update Kansas statutes to allow state racing venues to operate at a sustainable tax rate.
Heza Dasha Fire Named AQHA Supreme Racehorse
2012 sorrel gelding Heza Dasha Fire
(Walk Thru Fire-Dasha Freda, Mr Jess Perry) became the 35th horse since 2002 to be named an AQHA Supreme Race Horse and the
106th horse overall to earn the award, which recognizes racing Quarter Horses who earn $500,000 or more, win two or more open Grade 1 events and at least 10 races. Heza Dasha Fire has won 11 races with earnings of $1,689,388 so far, winning four Grade 1/Grade 2 races. Heza Dasha Fire, who is bred/owned by S-Quarter K LLC, was the 2014 Champion Two-Year-Old Gelding and is a leading con- tender for championship honors this year.
Dasha Freda Named AQHA Dam of Distinction
Dasha Freda (Mr Jess Perry-Fearless Freda, Dash For Cash) has been named an AQHA Dam of Distinction, awarded to mares who meet one or more of the following crite-
ria: dam of two or more individual AQHA Champions; dam of at least three Grade 1 stakes winners; produced at least two foals ranked in the top 10 money earners of any year, and two Grade 1 winners; or produced at least three foals ranked in the top 10 money earners of any year. Dasha Freda is now in a prestigious group of only 49 mares to earn the award. Bred by Robert Gentry and owned by S-Quarter K LLC, Dasha Freda earned $111,741, is the dam of Champion Heza Dasha Fire, and is currently #7 on
the list of all-time leading dams by money earned. Dasha Freda, 14, is the third-young- est mare to earn the award and is among the mares with the fewest starters with only 6, who have earned over $2.7 million. Dasha Freda and her dam Fearless Freda are only the 4th mother-daughter pair to earn the award.
Lilly Is First DQ’d From Mountain Top Futurity
Lilly Is First, who won the $337,186 Mountain Top Futurity-RG3 at Ruidoso Downs on June 13, 2015, was disqualified for a positive clenbuterol test in winning
her trial to the race. Lily Is First was one of four horses trained by Michael Joiner to test above the permitted levels for clenbuterol. In addition to Lilly Is First, New Mexico stewards also disqualified Thunderball B and Koby’s Wagon. The fourth horse was not disqualified. Joiner was fined $1,000 for each of the three violations and suspended for 60 days, with the suspension “waived by the commission per Section 3, provided Mr. Joiner is compliant with the full terms of the stipulated settlement agreement.” The three violations will be treated as a “first- offense positive test violation in the past 365-day period.”
Cruz Mendez AQHA December Jockey Of The Month
Jockey Cruz Mendez was named the AQHA/Jockeys’ Guild Jockey of the Month for the month of December. Mendez had a dream weekend on Dec. 12-13, winning the $600,000 Champion of Champions-G1 aboard Heza Dasha Fire as well as the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity aboard Ima Fearless Hero. Cruz led riders in earnings with $1,127,918 for the month of December with 3 winners from 15 mounts.
Dr. Reno Petry Jr. Passes Away
Dr. Reno Petry Jr., 82, died at his home in Jennings, Louisiana on Jan. 1. Dr. Petry was a graduate of Texas A&M
172 SPEEDHORSE, January 2016
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