Page 23 - 22 June 2012

Championship on May 27, Cold Cash 123 earned his Superior Race Horse award, which is given to horses who accumulate 200 points in their career. Trained by Sleepy Gilbreath, Cold Cash 123 has earned $1,190,281.
Remington Park Ends Quarter Horse Meet
Remington Park ended their 2012 Quarter Horse and mixed-breed meet on May 28, registering a 15.4% increase in attendance over the prior year, with 470,125 patrons visiting the track. The Oklahoma City track contested 563 races, seven less than 2011, contributing to a slight 2% decrease in on-track pari-mutuel han- dle. Total wagering on Remington Park races, including off-track locations, was 9.2% lower than 2011. Remington ran 563 races with 5,151 starters for an average field size of 9.2 per race. Total purses reached over $13.2 million for a daily average of nearly $265,000.
FQHRA Names 2011/2012 Leaders
The Florida Quarter Horse Racing Association named their leading 2011/2012 race leaders. The Hialeah Champion of the Meet and Champion Filly was South Florida Derby win- ner Ima Gator Fan (City Place TB-Ima Special Rose), a 2009 filly owned and bred by J. L. Gladwell III. Gladwell also received the award as Champion Accredited Florida Bred Owner and Breeder. Other honors went to: Overall Champion of Foals of 2008, Foals of 2008 Champion Gelding Mr Speed Wrench (First Down Straw-Eyes Like Rapid); Foals of 2009 Champion Colt Feature My News (Feature
Mr Jess-Goodnews Montanna); Foals of 2009 Champion Gelding Country Boy Deluxe (Country Chicks Man-Corona Deluxe); Foals
of 2008 Champion Filly Love The Lady (The Future Cash-Honor Jet Fire); and Foals of 2008 Champion Colt Mr First Down Straw (First Down Straw-Bennie Bar Babe). The Champion Accredited Florida Stallion was First Down Straw (Strawfly Special-First Prize Dash).
ELCR Receives Vision Award
Pfizer Animal Health and American Horse Publications (AHP) on June 1 announced Equine Land Conservation Resource (ELCR)
as the winner of the eleventh annual Equine Industry Vision Award, which recognizes innovation, ingenuity and service across the entire equine industry. According to an Equine Resources International, LLC release, ELCR was selected because of their dedication to the preser- vation of land for the future of equestrian sports, recreation and industry. ELCR is the only national organization that helps educate horse owners regarding issues relating to land con- servation. ELCR has 122 equine organizations
and corporations as Conservation Partners, representing 1.2 million members. Other final- ists for the award included founder and president of Old Friends retirement farm for pensioned race horses, USEA Hall of Fame member and USET past president Denny Emerson, and the American Paint Horse Association.
Ontario To Offer $50 Million In Transitional Funding To Tracks
The Ontario government on June 5 said it plans to provide up to $50 million over three years in transitional funding to help province racetracks cope with the loss of slot machine revenue, and that Employment Ontario will help displaced workers find jobs and training. The exact nature of the funding is unknown, but the government plan is to move the horse racing industry toward self-sufficiency. This comes following an announcement by the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation that 20% of slot revenue, which had been split between racetracks and horsemen, would be phased out on March 31, 2013.
The Ontario Horse Racing Industry Association has created a task force that will lead discussions with the government and help them understand the needs of the indus-
try. And, according to Bloodhorse.com, the Ontario government has put together a panel
to lead the consultation with the industry. Interested individuals are encouraged to submit comments over the summer, specifically regard- ing challenges business are facing during the transition time, issues facing displaced workers and their training needs, suggestions on the delivery and allocation of transition fund-
ing, and suggestions/considerations regarding equine welfare. Submit your comment through email to horseracingtransition@ontario.ca, or mail Horse Racing Industry Transition, c/o Ontario Ministry of Agriculture Food & Rural Affairs, 1 Stone Road West, 2nd Floor, Guelph, Ontario N1G4Y2.
Fort Erie To Close
Historic Fort Erie Race Track in Ft. Erie, Ontario, Canada will cease operations on Dec. 31. The decision was made following the June 5 board meeting of the Fort Erie Live Racing Consortium, which decided the track could no longer continue without needed funding of nearly $6 million. The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation last winter announced that slot operations would be
shut down at Ontario racetracks by March, 2013, and that slots would be removed from the province’s three tracks on April 30, 2012. Fort Erie submitted a plan to privatize the track’s slots, but that was erased when the
Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation announced that Fort Erie was not among the provinces 29 gaming zones. Fort Erie opened in June of 1897, and is in the midst of its 115th year of operation.
Separatist Does Double Duty In Brazil
Three-time Champion Separatist (Chicks Beduino-Separate Ways, Hempen TB) will stand at Rancho das Americas International Reproduction Center for the Southern Hemisphere season, and is expected to return to the United States for the 2013 Northern Hemisphere breeding season. Separatist, who has stood his entire breeding career at Burns Ranch in California, will be presented dur-
ing the Ana Dantas Ranch 5th Annual “The Dream Of Speed Sale” on June 30. Separatist is the sire of nearly $16 million from nine crops, including World Champion DM Shicago and Champion Inseperable.
Little Bear Fire Burns In Ruidoso
The Little Bear Fire did not threaten Ruidoso Downs, but several horsemen lost homes.
A massive fire near Ruidoso Downs in New Mexico began June 5 and was thought to be out on June 7, but exploded over the June 9 weekend. As of June 12, the fire is 36% contained and has burned over 36,000 acres, but the track has not yet been affected. There has been no interference with operations at Ruidoso Downs thus far, and no horses at the facility have been evacuated as there is no immediate danger. The “Little Bear” fire is approximately 15 miles north of the race- track with the wind blowing away from the track. According to reports, however, 224 residences and 10 other structures have been damaged or destroyed. Horsemen remain alert to the chang- ing situation. Shelters have been set up through- out the area. Several fires have been raging in New Mexico and Colorado due to high winds and low humidity, and extreme terrain conditions are making them difficult to battle.
SPEEDHORSE, June 22, 2012 23
NEWS BRIEFS
Ty Wyant