Page 25 - 28 September 2012

will be short around $275,000 in purse money for the racing season that runs through Nov. 4 and that includes the 17-day New Mexico State Fair Meet. New Mexico Horsemen’s Association executive director Jack McGrail speculated that the reason for the falling revenue could be delays in the construction of a new casino, which is set to open mid-2013, and the fact that the current casino’s air conditioning has not been working much of the summer. The New Mexico Racing Commission unanimously voted to approve the stakes cuts rather than other options, such as reducing stakes purses by $15,000 each, cutting the number of live weekday races from ten to nine per day, or cutting purses 10% across the board.
Merial Issues Mosquito/Disease Alert
Merial has issued a mosquito/disease alert
on the heels of multiple confirmed equine cases of equine West Nile Virus (WNV) and Eastern Equine Encephalomyelitis (EEE). Through Sept. 4 the United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) reported 181 cases of equine WNV and 112 cases of EEE across the country, and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) confirmed 2012 has the highest number of human WNV cases since 2004. Horse owners can visit www.
outbreak-alert.com where reported cases of WNV, EEE, WEE, Equine Herpesvirus, rabies, equine influenza and Potomac horse fever are tracked as they are confirmed. Enter your zip code to see what outbreaks are in your area.
New EPM Medication Approved
The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has approved ReBalance, a new medica- tion for the treatment of Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis (EPM). ReBalance combines two antimicrobial agents that have previously been used to treat EMP and is less expensive than using the two agents separately.
GOP Platform Would Prohibit Online Horse Race Betting
The Republican Party’s national platform was released Sept. 11 and contains an opposition to online gambling. Under the heading “Renewing American Values to Build Healthy Families, Great Schools and Safe Neighborhoods” the platform states, “Millions of Americans suffer from problem or pathological gambling that can destroy families. We support the prohibition of gambling over the Internet and call for reversal of the Justice Department’s decision distorting the formerly accepted meaning of the Wire Act that could open the door to Internet betting.”
House Passes Livestock Disaster Bill
The House of Representatives recently passed the Agricultural Disaster Assistance Act of 2012, which will provide assistance to livestock producers impacted by drought. The bill will provide com- pensation for the loss of animals and help produc- ers who have lost grazing land from drought pay for feed by reauthorizing several disaster aid pro- grams for livestock producers that expired last year. Horse breeding farms and ranches that breed, raise and sale horses as a business and are in a declared disaster area would be eligible for the programs. The bill moves on to the Senate for approval.
ASPCA Hay Bale-Out Program
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Hay Bale-Out program is offer- ing support to qualified non-profit equine welfare organizations to help feed horses during the hay shortage caused by the recent drought that stretches across over 65% of the U.S. The ASPCA Equine Fund is also offering financial support to groups that care for equines. Qualified organizations can apply for an emergency hay/feed or financial relief grant by visiting www.aspcapro.org/equine, or by emailing Jacque Schultz at jacque.schultz@aspca. org. Applications will be accepted through Nov. 9, 2012 or until funding is depleted.
Chicks Regard
Chicks Regard si 107 (Chicks Beduino-First Regard, First Down Dash) will stand the 2013 breeding season at Double LL Farm in Bosque, New Mexico. Chicks Regard is the earner of $52,693 and the winner of six races, including
the Head Pin Handicap. He was also fourth in the Sunland Park Fall Futurity-G2 and a finalist in the Spencer Childers California Breeders’ Championship-G1. The gray stallion is the sire of nearly $3 million in earners from six crops, includ- ing top money earner A Streak Regard ($381,190). Bred by Blane Schvaneveldt, Chicks Regard is owned by Killer Humberto Lopez Gaxiola.
Its All About Speed
Its All About Speed si 109 (Streakin La Jolla-Rosas Special, Special Task) will stand
the 2013 season at AVS Equine in Tallahassee, Florida. A winner of 14 races and $175,866,
Its All About Speed was named the Canadian Champion in 2006 and 2008. The 2004 sor- rel stallion won seven stakes races and placed
in another four, and set a track record at Lethbridge for 400 yards. Its All About Speed is the sire of 100% money earners and multiple winners from his first crop to race. He was bred by Shady Lane Stables and is owned by Shady Lane Stables and Lucas Racing.
Mighty B Valiant
Mighty B Valiant (Valiant Hero-Mighty
B Doll, On A High) will stand his first year
at stud in 2013 at Lazy E Ranch in Guthrie, Oklahoma. The 3-year-old is the winner of four races and $543,583. He won the 2011 Remington Park Oklahoma Bred Futurity, was second in the Heritage Place Futurity-G1 and fifth in the Rainbow Futurity-G1. As of press time, Mighty B Valiant is at Lone Star Park and is expected to run in the Texas Classic Derby-G2 trials this fall. Mighty B Valiant was bred by Homer Hill and is owned by You And Me Partners.
SPEEDHORSE, September 28, 2012 25
news briefs
Lazy E Ranch
Coady Photography
Andy Golden