Page 40 - Speedhorse July 2018

LENA’S BAR
by Larry Thornton
R
A Matriarch of the Breed
Ihave had the privilege of interviewing many of the legends that helped build the American Quarter Horse into the great breed it has
become. One of those interviews was with AQHA Hall of Fame member Bud Warren of Perry, Oklahoma. Another interview was with Hank Wiescamp of Alamosa, Colorado who was also an AQHA Hall of Fame member.
I learned a great deal from these interviews, but one of the things I remember from both was the observations they made about the Thoroughbred mare Lena’s Bar. What they said has stuck with me over the years.
Bud Warren started out as a dairy farmer who loved short horse racing, a term that applied to Quarter Horse racing from the 200- to 350-yard distances. Warren became a well known breeder of short horses including Champion Jet Charger, Leo, Leota W, Flit, Swamp Angel and Julie W.
Leota W won the first Oklahoma Futurity in 1947 at 220 yards. Her sister, Flit, was second in this race, but was disqualified. Leota W and Flit were by Leo. Leota W is out of Swamp Angel by Grano de Oro, and Flit is out of Julie W by Joe Hancock. “Leota
Three Bars
Percentage
Myrtle Dee
Lena Valenti
Gray Dream
Perhobo
Ballot Midway
Thirty-Third
Bulse Gossip Avenue
Rosewood
Ultimus Luke McLuke
Midge
Patriot Civil Maid
Voter
Cerito
Sir Dixon
High Degree Disguise Nethersole Magneto
Rose Tree Commando Running Stream Trenton
Sandfly
Ben Brush Sandfly Carlsbad Semper Victoire The Tetrarch Scotch Gift Tracery
Blue Tit
Dark Ronald Taormina
Sun Briar Lovelight
Ballot Thirty-Third
Bulse Rosewood Sweep Polistena
Le Melior Tangle
Gino
Dark Love
Percentage
Homebody
Civil Rule Tetratema Teresina Traumer Sunny Love Midway
Gossip Avenue General Thatcher Scramble
38 SPEEDHORSE, July 2018
SPEEDLINES
Lena’s Bar became a blacktype winner in the Buttons and Bows Stakes on 9/30/58 for owner Walter Merrick, trainer Don Akins and jockey Jack Brown.
LENA’S BAR TB