Page 220 - April_2023

NEWS BRIEFS
Triple Dead Heat at Remington Park
There was a rare triple dead heat in the trials
to the 300-yard Oklahoma Futurity at Rem- ington Park on March 11. In the 11th race,
the following horses dead heated for the win: Midnight Ryde (One Valiant Hero-Midnight Cartel) owned by Dunn Ranch, trained by Monty Arrossa and ridden by Bryan Candanosa; Sausalito 100 (Apollitical Spirit-Sheachewchew) owned by Rita Cox, trained by Jose Villafranco and ridden by Edwin Escobedo; and Favorite Movie (Favorite Cartel-Movie Star K) owned
by Ramiro Jaime Flores, trained by Robi Meche and ridden by Oscar Andrade Jr. The three scored in :15.764, with the other six horses in the field close behind. The previous triple dead heat in Oklahoma occurred in the Iron Horse Handicap at Blue Ribbon Downs on March 8, 1998. There was a triple dead heat for first place at Evangeline Downs on April 11, 2014, and a triple dead heat for second place at Los Alamitos on June 6, 2022. The most recent triple dead heat for the win happened in a harness race at Hawthorne on Jan. 7, 2018.
who has won four of 17 starts with $208,312
in earnings, is owned by Cavenaugh Quarter Horses LLC, trained by Clinton Crawford, and was ridden by Jorge Torres. The gelding was second in the Oklahoma Derby-G3 and Eastex Stakes-G2, third in the Leo Stakes-G1, and a finalist in the All American Derby-G1, Ruidoso Derby-G1, Ruidoso Futurity-G1, Prairie Mead- ows Championship Challenge-G2, and the All American Juvenile. The previous Remington Park 330-yard record was :16.323 set in 2014 by Pure D Spit.
2023 AQHA Hall of Fame
The 2023 American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place in September in Amarillo, Texas. Oklahoma native and AQHA’s #1 leading jockey by earnings G.R. Carter Jr., longtime Louisiana Quarter Horse Breeders’ Association Executive Director Lever- ne Perry, past AQHA President Ralph Seekins, and the late National Reining Horse Association past president Clark Bradley, along with horses High Brow Cat, Okie Leo and Harley D Zip will all be inducted during the ceremony.
Future of Racing in Kansas
In 2022 the Kansas legislature passed a sports betting bill with language that allows Historical Horse Racing (HHR) to be operated in Sedg- wick County, changing the definition of a race- track facility, and taking away the requirement for the licensee to conduct live racing. House Bill 2434 is working its way through the House and Senate that would revert the 3% state tax on HHR back to horsemen via the Kansas Breeders Development Fund and the County Fair Horse Racing Fund. This money would allow for im- provements at Eureka Downs, in which a group has expressed interest in operating the facility
if the bill passes. The Kansas Quarter Horse Racing Association is encouraging horsemen to contact Executive Director Rita Osborn with any questions at (620) 750-0118, as well as to contact Kansas Senators and Representatives to ask for their support of HB 2434.
Noffsinger New PRM Track Superintendent
Ryan Noffsinger has been hired as the new Track Superintendent at Prairie Meadows in Altoona, Iowa. Noffsinger has worked at tracks in Arizo- na, California, Florida, and New Mexico. “Ryan brings so much to the table with his experience, dedication and love of the industry as a third- generation horseman and having worked in vari- ous roles in track maintenance, I feel confident in his abilities to provide a solid and consistent racing surface for the horses, jockeys and racing industry participants that come to race in Iowa,” said Prairie Meadows Vice President for Racing Darron Heldt. The Prairie Meadows Quarter Horse mixed meet runs from June 18-Sept. 30.
Horsemen’s Guide to Sandy Ridge at the Red Mile
Sandy Ridge at the Red Mile, along
with StallioneSearch.com, has formulated a Horsemen’s Guide for the April 1-6 Quarter Horse meet in Lexington, Kentucky. The meet will provide free pony services to all trainers. Horsemen who put in a stall applica- tion should contact the racing office regard- ing stall allotment. Stalls are still available
for the 6-day meet. Vendors will be available for feed, hay, and shavings. Horses must be bedded on shavings. The backside opened to horses on March 25. Training hours are from 6:30-10:30 each day from March 26-April
6. Starting gate training will be from 7:30- 10:00 daily. Sleeping quarters are available to grooms on the trainers list. All horses must have proof of health certificate and required vaccinations, which include (1) Certificate
of veterinary inspection (Health Certificate) within the prior 3 days; (2) Verification of EEE/WEE/WNV (encephalitides), rabies, and tetanus vaccinations within the prior 12 months; (3) Verification of Influenza and Rhinopneumonitis vaccinations within the prior 120 days; and (4) Verification of Nega- tive Equine Infectious Anemia (Coggins)
Test valid through the meet. Two-year-olds and horses running in stakes races are not allowed to use Lasix. Licensing is available at the track or at Kentucky Racing Commission website at www.khrc.ky.gov. For more information, visit: http://stallionesearch.com/dfaultasp?section=6& area=1&story=33380
or revolutionaryracingkentucky.com.
Veterinarian Justin Robinson Charged
Veterinarian Justin Robinson, who was criminally charged in 2017 with multiple counts of illegally influencing the outcome of a horse race, on Feb. 28 was given a $500 fine and probation in a deferred adjudication agreement approved in Bexar County Dis- trict Court in San Antonio, Texas. Robinson was the attending veterinarian in connection with a series of Class 1 positive drug tests from horses trained by then-reigning AQHA Champion Trainer Judd Kearl and two oth- ers. The drug detected was nomifensine, an anti-depressant that has not been legal in the U.S. since the 1980s. Kearl was suspended 19 years, trainer Jose Sanchez was suspended 4 years, and Brian Stroud was suspended 1 year. The deferred adjudication for Robinson includes three years of probation, during which time he will not be allowed to practice veterinary medicine in the state of Texas.
He was also required to submit to 80 hours of community service, though as an option could make a $500 donation to the Haven for Hope homeless shelter in San Antonio.
Apollitical Redflash Sets 330-yard NTR at Remington
Apollitical Redflash (Apollitical Jess-Chalala, Chicks Beduino Jr) set a New Track Record for 330-yards in the eighth race at Remington Park on March 16. In the $34,000 allowance, the 5-year-old gelding broke second from the 6-gate and had the lead by the first call. Apollitical Redflash led the remainder of the race, finish- ing with a 1/2-length victory in :16.295 for a 107 speed index over a muddy (sealed) track with a 30 mph tail wind. Apollitical Redflash,
218 SPEEDHORSE April 2023
Dustin Orona Photography