Page 13 - July 2016

RACING BEGINS AT
THE DOWNS AT ALBUQUERQUE
The Downs at Albuquerque opened its 2016 Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse meet on June 25 with a new grandstand and night- time racing.
Approximately $1.3 million in Quarter Horse stakes purses will be on the line during the 60-day meet. The track’s richest race for any breed, the inaugural running of the 400- yard $350,000-estimated La Fiesta Futurity for 2 year olds will be run on closing day, September 25.
Other Quarter Horse stakes highlights include the 400-yard $250,000-estimated New Mexico State Fair Futurity-RG3
for state-bred 2 year olds on September 24; the second running of the 440-
yard $250,000-guaranteed Downs
at Albuquerque Fall Championship
on September 25; and the 400-yard $200,000-estimated New Mexico State Fair Derby-RG3 for state-bred 3-year-olds on September 25.
Last year’s inaugural Downs at Albuquerque Fall Championship was won by 2014 AQHA World Champion JRC Callas First. The winner of this race earns a berth in this year’s 400-yard $350,000 Championship at Sunland Park.
In addition to the eight Quarter Horse stakes races on the calendar, the Downs will also offer a 12-race Thoroughbred stakes sched- ule worth approximately $1 million.
“We’re pleased with the quality and variety of our 2016 stakes schedule,” said Downs’ director of racing Don Cook, who added that he expects the track’s purse dis- tribution to average approximately $170,000 per day during the 60-day season. “We think it’ll bring in the best Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses to race with us this summer.
“We’ve added $50,000 to the purse of our Fall Quarter Horse Championship
and $25,000 to our Downs at Albuquerque Handicap for Thoroughbreds,” Cook
said. “Our goal is to eventually get these races graded.”
For more information, visit www.abq- downs.com and click on the “Racetrack” link at the top of the homepage.
VANBEBBER TAKES AQHA RACING REINS
Janet VanBebber began her new duties as the new Chief Racing Officer at the American Quarter Horse Association on June 23.
The former
Quarter Horse
trainer will be
responsible for plan-
ning, directing and
coordinating the racing department, Bank of America Racing Challenge, and related pro- grams. She will also play a key role in develop- ing and implementing programs and objectives to promote the advancement of Quarter Horse racing around the globe.
The former owner of VanBebber Racing Stables in Ledbetter, Texas, she has a long history of involvement with American Quarter Horses and Quarter Horse racing and is well known as being one of the industry’s most accomplished trainers. In 2011, she became the first female trainer to eclipse the 1,000 career win mark and she is the leading female trainer by money earned. Her resume also includes being the recipient of the 2002 AQHA Mildred N. Vessels Special Achievement Award. Her career includes training World Champion Tailor Fit, who remains ranked as one of the breed’s top money earners – 15 years after his final race. With additional experience and knowledge of track administration and state racing affiliate involvement, her background makes her an excellent candidate to spearhead AQHA race initiatives.
In addition to owning VanBebber Racing Stables of Ledbetter, Texas, Janet has been
on the board of directors for both the Texas Quarter Horse Association and the Texas HBPA, while also owning and managing other horse related enterprises. These various experi- ences will assist in her new role as she deter- mines and formulates policies and procedures and provides overall direction for AQHA’s racing department.
VanBebber received her bachelor’s degree in liberal studies from California State University, Fullerton.
EHV-1 OUTBREAK UPDATES
The New Mexico Livestock Board and the New Mexico Racing Commission are working with officials at Ruidoso Downs Racetrack
to ensure that a horse-specific virus is limited to the one racehorse confirmed positive for EHV-1 on June 17. The infected horse was euthanized that same day.
The barn in which the horse was located at the racetrack went under quarantine – no horses in, no horses out – following confirmation of Equine Herpes Virus (EHV), specifically EHV-1. An adjoining barn is also under quarantine, pending
test results.
In addition to the one-barn quarantine, human foot traffic to and from that barn is being strongly discouraged. Officials will work with horsemen and women to imple- ment other biosecurity measures, including cleaning and disinfecting any surfaces or items horses have or may come into contact with; wearing plastic boot covers, gloves, and other disposable personal protective equipment (PPE); and sanitizing footwear and clothing with Lysol or a similar disin- fectant spray.
The New Mexico Horsemen’s Association and Ruidoso Downs are providing disin- fectant to horsemen and women at the race track at no cost.
As of press time, Ruidoso Downs’ website stated that the New Mexico Livestock Board
is requiring temperature logs be taken on
all horses twice daily, morning and evening. These logs must be turned in daily to the main stable gate by 5:00 p.m.
Fever is a primary indicator of EHV-1 and early detection can help prevent the disease from spreading.
“Because the virus was found in just one horse in one barn, right now there is no reason to discontinue racing at Ruidoso Downs,” said Shaun Hubbard, general manager of Ruidoso Downs Racetrack.
“All I can say is sanitize, sanitize, sanitize, and disinfect, disinfect and disinfect. All bios- ecurity measures must be in place and enacted.
“With everyone’s help and cooperation, I feel adamant we will continue to have a suc- cessful meet,” he added.
Ruidoso Downs lifted a 14-day quarantine on July 1, and there have no additional positive tests at the track.
A quarantine at Arapahoe Park in
Colorado was lifted on June 29. The Colorado Department of Agriculture and the Colorado Division of Racing Events lifted the quarantine on Arapahoe Park’s stable area in response
to a positive test result for Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA). Movement in and out of the track’s stable area had been restricted from June 23 to June 28.
“We’re pleased that all the organizations and horsemen involved responded strongly to ensure that the situation remained under con- trol,” Arapahoe Park executive director Bruce Seymore said.
EIA is a viral disease that affects equine animals only and does not affect humans.
SPEEDHORSE, July 2016 11
TRACK CHATTER