Page 84 - 2 March 2012

Oklahoma Racing Commission Asked To Drop Clenbuterol Levels
On Feb. 2 a letter was sent to the Oklahoma Horse Racing Commission by Trey Buck, Executive Director of Racing at the American Quarter Horse Association. In the letter he asks the Commission to establish a 30-day withdrawal of clenbuterol for Quarter Horses racing at Oklahoma tracks, and recommends a threshold level of 1-2 pg/ml in the blood.
The OQHRA directors and many of the members that attend the board meetings have discussed and deliberated the issues sur- rounding clenbuterol for over a year now, and the topic has been on the meeting agenda at board meetings over the past several months. Recently New Mexico, Indiana, and Texas racing commissions have started the process to adopt the AQHA recommendations and several other states have or are in the process of imple- menting changes to reduce their levels also.
At the February board meeting, the OQHRA directors approved the following motion
MOTION: OQHRA should send a letter to the Oklahoma Horse Racing Commission asking the issue of clenbuterol thresholds for Quarter Horse, Paint, and Appaloosa racing in Oklahoma be placed on the agenda for the OHRC March meeting, and further that the OHRC adopt the recommended 1-2 pg/ml level as proposed by the American Quarter Horse Association with an effective date not less than 45 days after the date the new level is adopted by the OHRC. Motion carried.
The OHRC Medication is set to consider the request in a meeting the week of Feb. 24, and will determine at that time what action will be recommended to the Racing Commission.
Jaime Gomez Gets 1,000th Win At Los Alamitos
Trainer Jaime Gomez won his first Quarter Horse race in 1992, and scored his 1,000th Quarter Horse win at Los Alamitos on Feb. 11 with Separate Card in an allowance race. He is now the seventh trainer to win 1,000 Quarter Horse races at Los Alamitos, behind Blane Schvaneveldt (3,982), Paul Jones, Jr. (2,964), Charles Treece (1,368), John Cooper (1,292), Adan Farias (1,085) and Rodney Hart (1,035).
Ronnie Stewart Elected President of TQHA
Beulah Park May Move
Penn National Gaming, Inc. (PNGI) plans to seek permission from the Ohio State Racing Commission to move two of its racetracks to new locations in order to avoid competing with two casinos PNGI is building in Columbus and Toledo, Ohio. The company would like to move Beulah Park, which is currently located near Columbus, to a site near Youngstown, and harness track Raceway Park, which is in Toledo, to Dayton.
ApHC Announces Hall of Fame Inductees
The Appaloosa Horse Club announced its 2011 Hall of Fame Inductees. The inductees will be honored at the 2011 Year-End Awards Banquet, which will be held in conjunction with the 65th National Championship Appaloosa Show in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on July 15. Individuals to be inducted are Royce Crosby and Sylvia Haines; horses to be inducted are Blazing Hot Spots, I Love Willie, Joker’s Sleepy, Ms Gunsmokes Doll and Ms High Five; and Race Hall of Fame inductees are individual Cheryl White and horse Nellies Girl.
Corrections
or insects may be the cause. Drought distem- per, or pigeon breast, can be deadly if it spreads to the liver and kidneys. There is no vaccine available, but it is treatable if spotted. Drought distemper usually shows itself on a horse’s chest. Shawnee Animal Hospital veterinarian Mike Steward said he has seen 60 cases in the Shawnee area, and the Oklahoma Humane Society said three of the 20 horses they recently rescued have the disease.
Dr. Thomas Latour Dies
Dr. Thomas G. “Doc” Latour Sr., 75, passed away Feb. 12 following a short illness. Dr. Latour and his wife Roxie were involved in both Quarter Horse and Thoroughbred racing for many years in Louisiana.
Language Banning Double-Deck Trailers Upheld
The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure rejected an amendment to take out language banning the transport of horses in double-deck trailers from the American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act. The U.S. Department of Agriculture declared, “We
do not believe that equines can be safely and humanely transported on a conveyance that has an animal cargo space divided into two or more stacked levels.” The massive transporta- tion bill will now go to the House for a vote.
Flood Damages LOPE
Texas non-profit racehorse rescue LoneStar Outreach to Place Ex-Racers (LOPE) was covered in nearly six feet of water when massive flooding occurred in parts of south Texas after 7-9 inches of rain fell on Jan. 25. Founder Lynn Reardon, her husband Tom, and their pets were evacuated by rescue boat, and four LOPE horses were removed from a flooded pasture. Although the barn remains intact, much of
the ranch sustained serious damage. All stored hay was ruined, the ranch truck was totaled, and other equipment and tools were damaged or destroyed. All LOPE horses were saved and arrangements have been made to foster them at other facilities while repairs are made. Flood insurance will cover many repairs, but not oth- ers including fencing and barn contents. Call (512) 565-1824 or visit www.lopetx.org to help or for more information.
NMHRC Suspends Licenses Over Drug Bust
The New Mexico Horse Racing Commission suspended the licenses of owner/trainer Ramon Gonzalez, son Ramon Gonzalez, Jr., and nephew Andres Gonzalez, as well as owner Homero Varela, whom federal agents say are part of a mas- sive drug operation tied to the world’s largest and
Longtime breeder and owner Ronnie Stewart was elected president of the
Texas Quarter Horse Association at their meeting on Feb. 11. Stewart and his wife Bonnie own Double S Farm in Holland, Texas.
Ronnie Stewart
On page 108 of our Feb. 3 issue, the produce record of Eyeontheline’s dam Bobbie Lou-TB was incorrect. Bobbie Lou is the dam of Thoroughbred foal/
starter/winner Bobbie
Sue ($11,721) and
two Quarter Horse
foals/starters/winners/
ROM: stakes winner
Eyeontheline si 98
(2012, $37,125) and
winner Shake Em Lu
Lu si 98 (2011, $5,769).
On page 24 of our
Feb. 17 issue, the photo of 2011 Appaloosa Leading Trainer Leslie Padilla was actually of her husband Javier.
Oklahoma Horsemen Willie Hunt In Coma
Former jockey and trainer Willie Hunt, 78, lapsed into a coma on Feb. 12. Hunt helped keep former Blue Ribbon Downs open as a training center. He and his wife Shirley, who ran the track kitchens at Sunland Park and Ruidoso Downs, have been involved in racing for many years.
Cases Of Drought Distemper Increasing
Veterinarians in Oklahoma are reporting increased cases of equine drought distemper. Drought distemper is likely caused by the dry conditions in the state that can lead to contam- inated soil, although some studies indicate flies
Leslie Padilla
82 SPEEDHORSE, March 2, 2012
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