Page 150 - January 2018

Multiple Champion producers Your First Moon & Jess Sass Me earned AQHA Dam of Distinction awards.
February 1
February 9
The AQHA Dam of Distinction award was
given to Your First Moon and Jess Sass Me. Both mares earned this accomplishment by producing multiple racing Champions. The 1999 mare Your First Moon (First Down Dash-Moon Arisen, Beduino TB), who was bred by Vessels Stallion Farm LLC and now owned by Ramon Vega,
is 2-time Champion and dam of Champions Moonin The Eagle and Moonist. Your First Moon has produced earners of $2,174,115. The 2004 mare Jess Sass Me (Mr Jess Perry-Sassy Smith, Corona Cartel), who was bred by Mike Abraham and owned by Gary and Max Anderson of Speed LLC, is the dam of Champions Jess Walking Thru and Sass Me Blue. Jess Sass Me has produced earners of $1,238,843.
February 10
The Rillito Park Foundation announced that advanced deposit wagering service PariBet LLC is partnering with Rillito Park Racetrack to sponsor students in the University of Arizona’s Race Track Industry Program (RTIP) to work at the track during the 2017 winter meet. The PariBet Racetrack Industry Student Experience (PRISE) will allow students to work in the racing industry and learn about racetrack operations. The list of jobs that will be filled by student employees include entry clerk, photo finish operator, track handicapper, assistant clocker, chart caller, and social media manager.
February 15
Tommy Ray Barber passed away at the age of 13. Tommy attended his first horse race at just three weeks of age and very much enjoyed the world of horse racing. He was a familiar face at races in New Mexico, and had many good friends. His father Mike is a trainer, his mother Mary is the NMHBA registrar, his grandfather Lonnie Barber is the director of racing at SunRay Park, and his grandmother Doris works in the racing office during the SunRay meet.
March 2
9:29 AM
The Association of Racing Commissioners International (ARCI) formed an independent panel of 3 former racing regulators to certify compliance with integrity standards. The panel includes: Steve Barham, Bennett Liebman, and Allan Monet. The panel
will report at the annual ARCI meeting
on whether justifications are “Compliant”, “Substantially Compliant” or “Non Compliant” with select integrity standards embodied in the Model Rules.
February 7
Quarter Horse trainer Maddox “Matt” Lafayette Baker passed away. Baker saddled 4,088 horses with 790 wins, including 17 stakes victories. His top earner was 2006 LQHBA Breeders Futurity winner First
Down Toro. In 2005, Baker received the Texas Department of Public Safety’s Director’s Award after rescuing a toddler from a submerging car.
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Your First Moon (left), dam of Champions Moonin The Eagle, Moonist; and Jess Sass Me (right), dam of Champions Jess Walking Thru and Sass Me Blue, both were awarded AQHA Dam of Distinction titles.
Juanita Crone, the wife of the late Gordon Crone, passed away at the age of 92. Juanita was married to longtime horseman Gordon Crone, who was an AQHA director from 1985-1992. The couple raced Champion Vespero in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s. Gordon, who passed away at the age of 74
in 1994, is honored with the Gordon Crone Special Achievement Award that is given yearly to an outstanding man in the AQHA racing industry to recognize his achievements.
March 18
Loretta Brasher, executive director of the Arizona Quarter Racing Association, was inducted into the association’s Hall of Fame during the AQRA annual awards banquet
at Rillito Park. Cats Policy, one of the top Arizona-breds of his day, was also inducted. Cats Policy (Reb’s Policy TB-Catspaw, House Cat TB) won 22 of 49 races over seven seasons. The 1979 gelding was bred by Dr. F.I. Skinner and Bill Byrne and raced under Byrne’s name.
March 21
Los Alamitos Race Course announced
a $150,000 purse increase for the 2017 Champion of Champions-G1 to $750,000 compared to the $600,000 offered last year. The race is considered one of the most prestigious in the nation for older Quarter Horses.
March 22
The leading owner, trainer, and jockey of the 2017 Louisiana Downs Winter Quarter Horse meet were honored on closing day. Manuel Alvarez and Julien R. Stevens III were the co-leading owners
148 SPEEDHORSE, January 2018
Detailed Coverage Inside:
2016 PAINT & APPALOOSA CHAMPIONS
SPEEDHORSE MARCH 2017
SPEEDHORSE FEBRUARY 2017