Page 198 - Speedhorse December 2019

INDIANA GRAND NAMES 2019 LEADERS
Indiana Grand Racing & Casino ended their 2019 meet on Nov. 6. Owner Tony Cunningham (right) won his fourth consecutive leading Quarter Horse owner title and was also named the all-time leading Quarter Horse owner with 54 career wins. Trainer Randy Smith snagged his fifth consecutive leading trainer title this year with 37 wins from 271 starts and total earnings of over $815,000. Berkley Packer (left) earned his third leading Quarter Horse jockey title in the last four years with the most purse earnings at just over $487,000 from 28 winners.
Gerald D. Libersat Sr. Passes Away
Gerald D. Libersat passed away at the
age of 79 on Nov. 4. With a deep passion
and devotion to his family, Gerald also had a longtime love for horse racing and was a leader in the industry. He served as president of the Louisiana Quarter Horse Breeders’ Association and has been recognized as a leading owner and breeder with a career that includes 159 wins, 147 second and 167 third place finishes. Libersat earned a 30+ year Breeder Award,
and with the help of his son and trainer, Kevin Broussard, set numerous track records. Libersat is survived by his wife of 37 years, Julie, son Kevin, daughters Keri, Shannon and Lisa, and numerous other family members and friends.
Longtime Trainer Larry Sharp Passes Away
Horseman Larry Sharp passed away on Dec. 16 at the age of 79. Training horses since the late 80’s, his top trainee’s include 1974 World Champion Tiny’s Gay, 1978 Champion Osage Juana as well as multiple graded stakes winners Sweet Bye And Bye, multiple stakes winner Tommy The Train and Grade 1 winner Sudden Separation, among many others. Throughout his career, horses trained by Larry made 1,256 starts with 180 first place finishes, 188 seconds and 167 thirds with eight graded stakes wins. Cherished by his family and friends, Larry was laid to rest in Springfield, Missouri, on Dec. 20.
World Champion Whosleavingwho Dies
2001 Champion 3-Year-Old Gelding
and 2002 Co-World Champion Whosleavingwho (Chicks Beduino-Lil Bit Rusty, Easily Smashed) died at the age of
21 in Colorado. The AQHA Supreme Race Horse and #1 all-time leading money earner by Chicks Beduino earned $1,334,842 on the track winning the 23 races, including 10 stakes events and eight Grade 1 events. Bred by Gordon R. Haslam, Whosleavingwho raced for owners Jim Geiler and Kim Kessinger and was trained by John Bassett and Paul Jones. Whosleavingwho was bur- ied on the Kessinger’s ranch in Colorado on Oct. 28.
CODY JENSEN RETIRES
“It’s time to cheer them on from the grandstands,” said 3-time AQHA Champion Jockey Cody Jensen in a bittersweet goodbye at Los Alamitos on Dec. 15. The #3 all-time leading jockey with nearly $42 Million rode 2-time Champion Flash And Roll in the Champion Of Champions-G1 and Up And Coming in the Los Alamitos $2 Million Futurity-G1 in the final races of his career. Jensen ended his career with wins in 1,662 Quarter Horse races, 101 graded stakes races, 50 Grade 1 stakes races and has ridden five different millionaires and multiple Champions to their greatest career wins. Congratulations, Cody, on a long and prosperous career. Enjoy retirement!
194 SPEEDHORSE, December 2019
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