Page 64 - January 2019

Dan Fick, a ROAP-accredited steward and previously ROAP vice chairman, was elected ROAP Chairman
March 9
Breeder/owner Richard “Dick” Herrman passed away at the age of 83. Herrman raced horses
in California, Texas, Arizona, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Colorado, winning numerous Superior Racehorses titles from the American Quarter Horse Association. He was a member of the AQHA and Pacific Coast Quarter
Horse Racing Association. He was also a board member of the Rocky Mountain Quarter Horse Association, received many Champion awards from the association, and was inducted into their Hall of Fame in 2017.
March 22
Multiple Grade 1 winner and sire Azoom (Shazoom-Crystalinas, Beduino TB) died
from an acute liver disease. The 2002 stallion stood for the last five years at Granada Farms. Azoom began his career racing in Mexico, with 4 wins from 5 starts including the Mexico Juvenile Challenge. He moved to the U.S.
and won 7 of 9 starts, including the Texas Classic Futurity-G1, Sam Houston Futurity and TQHA Sale Futurity-RG1. He was retired to stud after his two-year-old season with $738,136 in earnings and a New Track Record for 400 yards at Sam Houston Race Park. Azoom first stood at Lazy E Ranch before moving to Granada. From 11 crops to race, Azoom is the sire of $7.7 million in earnings.
March 27
The Racing Officials Accreditation Program’s (ROAP) board of directors elected its 2018-20 officers and appointed two new board members. Dan Fick, a ROAP-accredited steward and previously ROAP vice chairman, was elected ROAP Chairman. Fick served as AQHA executive director of racing from 1984-2003. Also elected were Wendy Davis as ROAP vice chairman, Jennifer Durenberger as ROAP Secretary, and Kristin Leshney was re-elected treasurer. In addition, two board members
were appointed: John Campbell as an at-large director and Dr. Camie Heleski representing the University of Kentucky’s Ag Equine Department.
March 14
2007 Champion 2-Year-Old Gelding Illegal Memories (Illegal Runaway-Good Ole Memories, Leaving Memories) died. The 2005 sorrel gelding won six of his 21 starts, including the 2007
Texas Classic Futurity-G1, the 2009 Oklahoma Championship Challenge-G1, and the 2010 Delta Championship Challenge-G3. He was retired after his five-year-old season with $717,182 in earnings.
March 21
Louisiana Downs in Bossier City ended their meet and declared their meet leaders: Leading Owner Joe Davis, Co-Leading Trainers Carlos Saldivar and Lanny Keith, and Leading Jockey Everardo Rodriguez.
March 25
Jockey Cesar Gomez was among two people who died in an airplane crash in rural Oklahoma. Due to inclement weather, the plane was headed toward an airport in El Reno, which was not its scheduled destination, but was reported missing after air traffic controllers lost radio and radar contact with the aircraft. Since 2014, Gomez has ridden 1,401 Quarter Horses with 246 wins. He is an all-time leading jockey with over $5.4 million in earnings, riding such horses such as 2017 Champion The Fiscal Cliff and One Fabulous Eagle.
April 5
After nearly 70 years, Hazel Park Raceway
in southeast Michigan announced that the property was in the process of being sold. The announcement came just one month before the scheduled opening day and one day after horsemen were turned away at the backstretch gate during the track’s scheduled ship-in day.
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