Page 12 - March 2020

TRACK CHATTER
THE MONTH IN REVIEW
by Jennifer K. Hancock
2020 LQHBA HALL OF FAME
Louisiana Quarter Horse breeder and owner Dale Rogers and racing Champion Vals Fortune will be inducted into the Louisiana Quarter Horse Breeders Association Hall of Fame as the 2020 class. This is the fifth year that LQHBA has named its recipients, who will be honored
in conjunction with the annual LQHBA Membership Meeting & Awards Banquet that will be held on Apr. 3 at the Evangeline Downs Event Center in Opelousas, Louisiana.
Rogers has been a prominent Louisiana Quarter Horse breeder and racehorse owner for 50 years. When settling down in Lettsworth, Louisiana, Rogers met Curtis Bordelon, who trained for Jumonville Farms. Bordelon was instrumental in helping Rogers explore Louisiana breeding and racing. One of Rogers’ first horses was Jet Meyers, an accomplished 870-yard runner, but many stakes winners followed, including Above The Clouds, Sayin Adios and Adios Movin On. Each were Superior Racehorse honorees from AQHA. He also bred multiple-stakes winner Clouds Sayin Goodby.
Rogers owned Whathaveigottado, who became a successful stallion and is the sire of Igottarampage, runner-up in the 2019 Louisiana Champions Day Derby-RG3, and Rogers’ top earner, Im For Real, winner of the 2018 Lassie Futurity-RG2, who has banked $262,912 in 12 career starts.
Rogers is a lifetime member of the American Angus Association and the Duroc Hog Association. He will celebrate his 90th birthday on Dec. 11 and is the proud father of 12 children, including LQHBA board member Tim Rogers.
Vals Fortune was one of the most accomplished Louisiana-bred racing champions. The son of Dashing Val and out of the Six Fortunes mare Somthinlikabreeze was bred in Louisiana by JoBaya Foreman and Joseph P. Irvine. Foaled on Jan. 14, 2001, he was owned
by Teddy Abrams Jr. and trained by M. Heath Taylor. The chestnut gelding made his racing debut on Mar. 3, 2003, in the 13th Mardi Gras Futurity trial. Maybe “13” was an unlucky number as he ran second that day under rider Gilbert Ortiz, but showed speed and perhaps a glimpse of what was to come in his exceptional career. He went on to win the Mardi Gras Futurity-RG2 on Mar. 20, which began a 10-race
win streak. In his 2-year-old season, he won each futurity in Louisiana: the Mardi Gras, Laddie- RG3, Lee Berwick-RG3, LQHBA Sale-RG1
and LQHBA Breeders-RG1 (now called the LQHBA Louisiana Million). Not surprisingly, he capped his year with a victory in the Louisiana Champions Day Juvenile.
In 2003, he was named AQHA Champion 2 Year Old and Champion 2-Year-Old Gelding.
Vals Fortune began his 3-year-old campaign in similar fashion, running second in the Louisiana Purchase Stakes at Delta Downs before reeling
off six stakes wins, most notably the Delta Downs Derby and the Louisiana Champions Day Derby.
“He had phenomenal durability and consis- tency,” stated Taylor. “It didn’t matter if it was raining, he got a bad post position or didn’t break well, he always found a way to win.”
His racing career continued in 2005 with victories in the John Alleman Memorial Stakes-G3,
Vals Fortune set track records at Fair Grounds (300, 350 and 400 yards), Louisiana Downs (350 yards) and Delta Downs (400 and 440 yards).
He became the first Louisiana-bred millionaire, winning 20 of 23 career starts and earning $1,111,591 in his illustrious career.
Sadly, Teddy Abrams lost his battle with cancer and passed away on Dec. 26, 2019. Taylor will certainly pay tribute to both Vals Fortune and Abrams on Apr. 3.
“Teddy was always involved and so easy to train for,” acknowledged Taylor. “He always al- lowed me to do what was right for the horse. Vals Fortune took me, Teddy and a whole group of people on a ride of a lifetime.”
Bruce Salard, LQHBA executive director, looks forward to this year’s induction ceremony.
“We are looking forward to inducting Mr. Dale Rogers and Vals Fortune into the LQHBA Hall of Fame,” stated Salard. “Our association takes tremendous pride in the selection of both the individuals and equine champions who
have contributed to the excellence of Louisiana breeding and racing. These inductees will forever be recognized for what they have accomplished, both in our state and on a national level.”
This will be the fifth class inducted into the Louisiana Quarter Horse Breeders Association Hall of Fame, which was launched in 2016 in celebration of the association’s 50th anniversary.
SOKOL PROMOTED TO RACING OPERATIONS MANAGER AT LOUISIANA DOWNS
David Heitzmann, director of racing at Harrah’s Louisiana Downs, announced Jennifer Sokol accepted the position of racing operations manager at the Shreveport racetrack. Sokol has been employed at Louisiana Downs since 2007,
joining the racing office in 2012. She most recently served as racing office manager.
Her new duties will include supervision
of the racing staff as well as overseeing handicapping seminars, racing promotions and other duties associated with the live Quarter Horse and Thoroughbred race meets.
“Jen Sokol has been a hard-working team member at Harrah’s Louisiana Downs and has served the racing office in many capacities,” said Heitzmann. “She has done a tremendous job for us and is very deserving of this promotion.”
Sokol’s duties were effective Feb. 14.
“Working with the horsemen and entire team at Harrah’s Louisiana Downs has been a very rewarding experience,” said Sokol, who is a native of Greenwood, Louisiana. “Most people have no idea how much coordination is involved each day in organizing race cards and the chari- table work we do, but I love it and am thrilled to continue my career with this great organization.”
TEXAS HORSE RACING HALL OF FAME ANNOUNCES 2020 INDUCTEES
AQHA Past President Dr. Jim Heird and leading trainer Mike Robbins are among the inductees for the Texas Horse Racing Hall of Fame class of 2020. Tommy Azopardi, Kenny Trout and Hal Wiggins will join the two to complete the 2020 class of inductees. They will be inducted in a ceremony on August 7 at Retama Park. The Texas Horse Racing Hall of Fame memorializes the horses, jockeys, trainers and breeders who have significantly influenced and contributed to the history of horse racing in Texas.
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10 SPEEDHORSE March 2020