Page 63 - January 2018

the Blue Ribbon Futurity in seven southwest predominant cities including Oklahoma City, Houston & Amarillo. Centennial Race Track in Littleton, CO, was sold to an unidentified private developer for $12.5 million. Queens City Downs in Hastings, NE, ran its first annual meet. Speedhorse entered the digital age by announcing the purchase of a Digital Systems computer from Bloodstock Research Information Services in Lexington, KY, which was programmed to hold all information concerning the American Quarter Running Horse since the origin of the AQHA Registry and before. Walter Merrick was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame. Pre-race blood testing was implemented at Fair Grounds in Louisiana. Undefeated two year old Special Effort was featured in a 2-page spread in Sports Illustrated.
1982
Special Effort was named 1981 World Champion. League Inc. of Dallas, Texas, purchased all of the stallions & stallion syndicate shares owned by Buena Suerte, including shares in Easy Jet. Harriett Peckman announced she sold her interest in Buena Suerte Ranch to Leonard Blach, DVM. The Ruidoso Super Select Sale gave a $20,000 guarantee return on 100 selected yearlings selling at the sale. AQHA approved a graded stakes system. Ted Simon became the first trainer in over 30 years of Quarter Horse racing to take the top 3 places in a stakes
race in the $34,000 Springtime Futurity at Centennial Park. The Ruidoso Super Select Sale was held at Triple Crown Farms in Purcell, OK. Don Tyner bought an unnamed TB son by Alydar and out of Champagne Woman for $1.7 Million, the most ever
paid by a horseman, to cross on QH mares. Tyner also purchased Sail On Bunny for $4.5 million. Oklahoma approved pari-mutuel racing. Queen For Cash topped the Phillips Ranch Dispersal sale at $1,125,000. In Memoriam: Ettabo died due to enteritis; Hot For Cash, who sold for a record $500,000 as a yearling, died unexpectedly at 2 years old; Miss Olene was put down following complications from founder at the age of 25.
1983
Sgt Pepper Feature was named 1982 World Champion. A $100,000 bonus incentive was added to the All American Futurity for qualifiers who went through the All American Sale
ring. The 1st running of the Graham Farms Futurity ran at Val Verde Race Track. Oklahoma Pari-Mutuel racing was signed into law. Iowa passed a bill legalizing pari-mutuel racing. The American Association of Equine Practitioners presented recommendations concerning the usage of Lasix and Phenylbutazolidium as race day medications. All three Triple Crown races for two-year-old Quarter Horses at Ruidoso Downs were televised live for the first time. The Texas Senate approved pari-mutuel racing. Kansas vetoed pari-mutuel racing. Gambling legislation was proposed to legalize off-track betting. The Louisiana legislature approved simulcasting. Los Alamitos became the first Quarter Horse meet
to surpass $2 million in added money. Angel Cordero was elected to the Jockey Hall of Fame; he was the first Puerto Rican jockey to win all
3 of the American Classic Races and also won the Kentucky derby 3 times in 1974, 1976, & 1985. AQHA broke ground on new facilities
in Amarillo, TX. Governor Terry Branstad appointed the members of the first Iowa Racing Commission. The country’s first twin horses were produced from one split embryo, due to
be foaled in1984. In Memoriam: The first fatal accident at Turf Paradise in the 27-year history of the track occurred when veteran jockey Nels Petersen died after being thrown from his mount.
1984
Dashingly was named 1983 World Champion. Blue Ribbon Downs in Sallisaw became the first Oklahoma track approved for legalized betting. Owned by Sen. J.E. Jumonville, Jr., the first embryo transfer baby (by Streakin
Six and out of Justanold Love surrogate)
to be recognized by the AQHA was foaled
at Ridgeleigh Farms in Purcell, OK. Vet examinations at the border began as Juarez Racing, which was deemed a “quarantine area” to allow horses greater ease of entry into Mexico, returned after a 3-year hiatus. The
first ever Quarter Horse in Training Sale was held in Pomona, CA. The AQHA moved from Fort Worth to a new facility in Amarillo, TX. The AQHA announced that there will be
no Racing Register of Merit awarded on the point system, but rather a horse will have to run a speed index of 80 or better to receive his ROM. James H. Minnick, Albert K. Mitchell and Melville Haskell were inducted into the AQHA Hall of Fame. The Ohio State Racing Commission issued an honorary lifetime owners’ license to Forrest “Pappy” Cone, who was 102. In Memoriam: 4-time Champion Town Policy was euthanized following an injury in what was to be his final race.
Jockey Hall of Famer Angel Cordero was the first Puerto Rican jockey to win all 3 of the American Classic Races (Kentucky Derby, Preakness and
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SPEEDHORSE, January 2018 61