Page 202 - Speedhorse November, 2018

Apollitical Jess Shatters Record
Owned by Rancho El Cabresto Inc., Apollitical Jess broke the single-season earnings record for a North American Quarter Horse sire when High Time To
Fly won the $149,746 Jim Bader Futurity at Prairie Meadows. The young sire with only 4 crops to race, hit $6,695,169 and broke the previous record of $6,565,859 set by all-time leading sire First Down Dash in 2006. Apollitical Jess is also the #3 leading yearling sale sire for 2018 with 47 year- lings selling for $2,572,000. The World Champion stood the 2018 season at James Ranch for $16,000. His 2019 fee has not yet been announced as of press time.
Racing Women to be Honored at World of Rodeo Reunion
AQHA Chief Racing Officer Janet VanBebber, Oklahoma Quarter Horse Racing Association Executive Director Debbie Schauf, Donna McArthur, Robyne Draper, Bonnie Vessels, Jo Burns and Shirley Schvaneveldt will be among those being honored at the Wrangler World of Rodeo Reunion and Gold Card Gathering to be held at the Orleans Casino and Hotel in Las Vegas on Dec. 13-14. The event will celebrate famous women of pro rodeo, the horse industry and the West. There will also be a conference and symposium, with a panel discussion overseen by VanBebber and including experts such as Schauf, Ruidoso Downs president and general manager Jeff True, AQHA all-time leading trainer Paul Jones, and AQHA Racing Commission Chairman Mark Brown. Visit www.aqharac- ing.com for more information.
Lone Star Park Racing Club Donates To PDJF
The Lone Star Park Racing Club on Sept. 29 presented the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund (PDJF) with a check for nearly $12,000. In the winner’s circle accepting the donation were 10-time World Champion jockey/PDJF board member G.R. Carter Jr. and former jockey/Texas Racing Commission Steward Jerry Burgess. The Lone Star Park Racing Club is a not for profit club that provides insight into race horse ownership.
Texas Cowboy Hall Of Fame Inductees
The Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame announced its 2019 Hall of Fame inductees
on Sept. 18. They are AQHA past president Dr. Glenn Blodgett, the Cavender Family, the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo, and the King Ranch. The Hall of Fame also announced that Robert Earl Keen will receive the 2019 Rick Smith Spirit of Texas Award. The event is scheduled to take place prior to the Fort Worth Stock Show on Jan. 17, 2019.
AQHRA Annual Sale Results
The Alberta Quarter Horse Racing Association held their annual sale and stal-
lion auction on Sept. 21 at Century Downs Racetrack & Casino. The top three sellers sold for $7,000 each: Hip #8 RJ Fly Bye (Special
Fly Bye-RJ Bitterroot Baby, El Mistral),
a 2017 chestnut colt consigned by Glenn
Wills and purchased by Tom Pick; Hip #11 First Pulse (First Timber-Snowbound Star Lady, Snowbound TB), a 2017 chestnut filly consigned by Wesley Oulton and purchased
by Teagan Goodsell; and Hip #15 Suits (First Timber-Burners Beauty, El Rey Burner), a 2017 brown gelding consigned by Wesley Oulton and purchased by Paige Oberholtzer.
Trainer Nunez Recovering From Triple Bypass Surgery
Trainer Jesus Nunez is recovering after undergoing triple bypass surgery on Sept.
30 at Anaheim Regional Medical Center in California. Most recently, Nunez saddled
Jess Ravin to victory in the Mildred Vessels Memorial Handicap-G1 on Sept. 23 for owner EG High Desert Farms.
Florida Racing Laboratory Fully Accredited By RMTC
The Horseracing Testing Laboratory Committee of the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium (RMTC) voted to fully accredit the University of Florida Racing Laboratory (UFRL). The laboratory is the tenth to become accredited by the RTMC since 2013. These laboratories are responsible for the testing of samples for 32 pari-mutuel racing jurisdictions in the U.S.
James Doolin Passes Away
Oklahoma trainer James “Jimmy” Doolin, 68, passed away on Sept. 26. Jimmy condi- tioned the earners of more than $1.27 million in earnings, including such horses as Grade
1 winners Spit Curl Jess, Turbine Jet and Imafastermaster. Doolin is survived by his daughter Jamie Griffin, son Jimmy and many more family members and friends.
John Smicklas Passes Away
Owner/breeder John Earl “Smick” Smicklas passed away on Sept. 23 at the age of 81. John was aa well-known member of the auto indus- try, a member of the Oklahoma Horse Racing Commission, was instrumental in the formation of the Oklahoma Thoroughbred Retirement Programs, and was the founder of dog and cat rescue organization “Friends For Life.” Smicklas is survived by his wife Barbara, three sons and many other family members and friends.
50 Year: A Celebration In Photos Correction
Thank you to Andy Golden for letting us know the correct names of two individuals in our special feature 50 Years: A Celebration In Photos. In our Aug. 2018 issue on page 143, the gentleman in the lower left is Bill Hedge; and in our Oct. 2018 issue on page 151, the gentleman in the upper left is Roy Browning.
200 SPEEDHORSE, November 2018
NEWS BRIEFS
2018 Albuquerque
Downs Meet Ends
Albuquerque Downs ended its Quarter Horse meet on Sept. 23 with increases in total wagering handle and average per-race purse distribution. Pedro Carrillo was the track’s leading owner with nine wins from 25 starters, the leading trainer for the meet was Jesus Carrete with 30 wins from 125 starters, and Alonso Rivera and Joseph Belloc Jr. were named co-leading jockeys with 22 victories each.