Page 36 - January 2016 Speedhorse

2015 A YEAR IN REVIEW
January 7
Ruidoso Downs announced
that the 2015 All American Futurity-G1 would carry a purse
of $3 million, the largest purse for any two-year-old horse race in the world and believed to be in the top-10 purses for any horse race in the world. The winner of the race will receive half of the total purse. “This is a monumental event in the history of Quarter Horse racing,” said Ruidoso Downs’ general manager Shaun Hubbard. “All of our fans, horsemen and Quarter Horse racing will benefit. We especially appreciate the owners and trainers who participate in these races. This is very special and exciting during a time of decreasing foal crops and a general downward business trend nationwide.”
January
January 10
Kay Helzer was elected President of the Texas Quarter Horse Association (TQHA) at their annual meeting. Helzer is the daughter of former AQHA and TQHA President Jim Helzer and Marilyn Helzer. Kay is a long-time member of the TQHA and is involved with the horse operations of JEH Stallion Station.
January 10
The annual Oklahoma Quarter Horse Hall of Fame Banquet and Induction Ceremony, co-sponsored by the Oklahoma Quarter Horse Association and the Oklahoma Quarter Horse Racing Association, was held at the Hyatt Regency of Tulsa. Past Presidents of both associations met to select the individuals and horses to be honored for their place in history based on their contributions and accomplishments to Oklahoma’s Quarter Horse industry. Individual inductees included Terry Bell, G. David McCarroll DVM, Chet Robertson, Dale Robertson, Rowland D. Stanfield, Sr., and Jeff Terpstra. Horse inductees included Bully Bullion, Johnny Dial, Kid Meyers, Mr Bar None. The ranch inductee was Drummond Ranch, and Betty Wells received the Bud Breeding Oklahoma Spirit Award, which recognizes individuals who exemplify the spirit of Oklahoma Western Heritage by involvement in equine activities.
January 13
The Indiana Horse Racing Commission released results from their first-in-the nation rules to regulate cobalt levels in racehorses. The threshold level of 25 parts per billion (ppb) began Sept. 30 and was instituted based on a report indicating tests from horses at Hoosier Park and Indiana Grand had excessive levels of cobalt, jeopardizing the integrity of racing and endangering the health and welfare of horses. Since the new regulation has been in effect, testing shows substantial decreases in cobalt abuse with an 83% decline in cobalt concentration over the regulatory 25 ppb threshold, a virtual elimination of cobalt levels over 100 ppb, and 93% of all horses testing less than 10 ppb.
January 17
Former jockey Jesse Godinez
passed away. Godinez rode
his first pari-mutuel race in
Nevada aboard a Quarter
Horse and became a top
jockey at Los Alamitos,
winning the 1990 Los
Alamitos Derby. Godinez became a Quarter Horse and Thoroughbred trainer, training along side his wife Linda, when his riding career was cut short due to a serious back injury he sustained in 2003. Among the many horses he rode over the years were Takin On The Cash and Refrigerator.
January 15
AQHA won its appeal
in a cloning lawsuit
when the U.S. Court
of Appeals for the Fifth
Circuit ruled in favor
of the organization
and reversed the District Court judgment. “We have not yet had time to fully absorb the written opinion of the appellate court, but we are grateful for our legal system and for the tremendous support we continue to receive from our valued members and, of course, our employees,” stated AQHA Executive Vice President Don Treadway.
January 15
The Oklahoma Horse Racing
Commission (OHRC) unanimously approved a revision to current levels for permitted medications, prohibiting Clenbuterol
and Albuterol in the biological samples of racehorses when they go to the test barn after a race. This action means both drugs are considered a positive test if detected at
any level. This change only affected Quarter Horses, Paints, and Appaloosas, but did
not change the level currently in place for Thoroughbreds.
January 20
The Jockeys’ Guild Assembly concluded after two days of sessions in Florida, with the underlying theme being the importance of unity between the Guild and the racing industry to advance
the safety of jockeys. Among items
discussed were helmet and vest safety, the
“ImPACT” Protocol urging riders to get a
baseline test as a reference in the event of a concussion, and
a financial update of the organization with a call for riders to contribute to the “$1 start” donation program. Eddie Garcia, the all-time leading Quarter Horse rider by wins at Los Alamitos, received the Jacky Martin Award for exceptional performance during the 2014 season.
January 20
Fishers Dash (First Down Dash-Fishers Favorite, Beduino TB), who had been standing at Rancho Das Americas in Brazil, died. The 1993 gray stallion earned $123,495, finishing 2nd in the Governor’s Cup Futurity-RG1, 3rd in the Governor’s Cup Derby-RG1, and fourth in
the All American Futurity-G1. Fishers Dash is a leading
sire with over $11.6 million
in earners, including 2002 Champion 2-Year-Old Gelding Dashing Knud ($1,080,048) and 2004 Champion 2-Year-Old Filly Hardly Hateful.
34 SPEEDHORSE, January 2016
Los Alamitos