Month: October 2016

#LouisianaBred Warren Harang, III

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warren“If we all work together, I am optimistic that we will have a brighter future ahead.”

Warren Harang, III is currently the President of the Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association (LTBA) Board of Directors.
Harang has been a thoroughbred breeder and member of the LTBA for over 30 years. A graduate of University of Southwestern Louisiana, Lafayette, with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Animal Science, Harang owns and manages B&W Farms, Inc., a sugar cane farm in Donaldsonville where he resides with his wife Becky. He has served as a member of the Board of Directors of Lafourche Sugars, LLC, Past President of Ascension Parish Farm Bureau, Past Chairman of the Board of the American Sugar Cane League, and Past President of the Ascension Parish Cattleman’s Association among others.

Harang’s goal is to do the best job he possibly can to represent the interests of all who work in and enjoy the Louisiana thoroughbred industry.

His favorite Louisiana Bred is Happy Ticket. Happy Ticket remains one of the richest Louisiana-breds of all time, with earnings of $1,688,838.

Happy Ticket won or placed in 16 stakes. Outside of Louisiana, where she won seven stakes, she captured the Ballerina Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga, the Fleur de Lis Handicap (gr. II) at Churchill Downs, and the Chicago Breeders’ Cup Handicap (gr. III) at Arlington Park.

Happy Ticket placed in six graded stakes, including the Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Distaff (gr. I), Beldame Stakes (gr. I), and Apple Blossom Handicap (gr. I).

Unraced at 2, Happy Ticket was a divisional champion in Louisiana all three years she raced. She also was voted 2006 Louisiana Horse of the Year at 5.

 

BIG WORLD WINS MAGNOLIA STAKES

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– TOM AMOSS TRAINEE WINS HER LOCAL DEBUT WITH GERARD MELANCON UP –

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 VINTON, LA. – Delta Downs hosted the $100,000 Magnolia Stakes for Louisiana-bred fillies and mares on Friday night and it was Big World who came away with the victory under jockey Gerard Melancon. The Tom Amoss trainee was one of two graded stakes winners in the field and used her class to win her local debut for owner Maggi Moss.

After breaking from the gate in ninth position out of 10 starters, Big World began methodically moving up through the field as Kinky Vow set early fractions of 23.20 for the quarter-mile and 47.54 for the half. As the field entered the second of two turns Melancon struck the front with his mount who proceeded to pull clear after running three-quarters of a mile in 1:12.52. In the stretch Big World drew clear and was never threatened, reporting home 3-1/4 lengths in front of runner up Sunny Oak while Forest Lake rallied belatedly for third another ¾ of a length behind the top pair. Big World covered the one-mile distance over a fast track in 1:39.29.

The win by Big World was her third from six lifetime starts. She broke her maiden at Saratoga in September of 2015 before winning the Tempted Stakes (Gr. 3) at Aqueduct in November of last year. Friday’s score added another $60,000 to her bankroll which now stands at $253,600.

Bred in Louisiana by Curt Leake & Elm Tree Farm, LLC, Big World is a 3-year-old bay runner by Custom for Carlos, out of the Broken Vow mare Tensas Wedding. She was purchased as a yearling in 2014 at the Ocala Breeders’ Sale in Florida for $98,000.

Sent to the gate as the wagering favorite at odds of just over even money, Big World returned $4.20 to win, $2.80 to place and $2.20 to show. Sunny Oak was worth $3.80 to place and $2.80 to show. Forests Lake paid $3.20 to show.

For more information about racing at Delta Downs visit the track’s website at www.deltadownsracing.com. Fans can also get information about through Facebook by visiting the page ‘Delta Downs Racing’. The track’s Twitter handle is @deltaracing.

Delta Downs Racetrack Casino and Hotel, a property of Boyd Gaming Corporation (NYSE:BYD), features exciting casino action, live horse racing and fun dining experiences. Delta Downs is located in Vinton, Louisiana, on Delta Downs Drive. From Lake Charles, take Exit 7 and from Texas, take Exit 4.

SUNBEAN WINS THIRD GOLD CUP

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RON FAUCHEUX TRAINEE RALLIES LATE TO SCORE IMPRESSIVE VICTORY –

sunbean-gold-cup-stake-the-14th-running-10-29-16-r09-ded-01VINTON, LA. – Delta Downs hosted the 14th running of the $100,000 Gold Cup on Saturday night and the result was a familiar one as Brittlyn Stable, Inc.’s Sunbean took the race for the third time in his career. Overall, the Ron Faucheux trainee has won 16 races from 26 starts and earned a total of $1,172,250. Saturday’s victory in the one-mile affair for Louisiana-bred horses was worth $60,000. Sunbean’s previous wins in the Gold Cup came in 2013 and 2014.

Breaking from the outside post in a field of nine, Sunbean was taken back off the early pace by jockey Richard Eramia as Sir Genghis set fractional times of 23.60 seconds for the opening quarter-mile, 47.26 for the half, and 1:11.57 for three-quarters. Sir Genghis held the lead by a length in the upper-stretch before Sunbean began a strong rally that got him to the finish line a half-length in front of favored Mobile Bay. Sir Genghis stayed on well to be third, another head behind the runner-up.

Sunbean covered the eight furlongs of the Gold Cup in a time of 1:38.39 while running on a fast track.

Sunbean is a 6-year-old bay gelding by Brahms, out of the Malagra mare X Strawdnair. He was bred in Louisiana by his owner.

Sent to the gate at odds of just over 3-1, Sunbean rewarded his backers with payoffs of $8.60 to win, $4.20 to place and $2.60 to show. Mobile Bay was worth $3.60 to place and $2.60 to show. Sir Genghis paid $2.60 to show.

For more information about racing at Delta Downs visit the track’s website at www.deltadownsracing.com. Fans can also get information about through Facebook by visiting the page ‘Delta Downs Racing’. The track’s Twitter handle is @deltaracing.

Delta Downs Racetrack Casino and Hotel, a property of Boyd Gaming Corporation (NYSE:BYD), features exciting casino action, live horse racing and fun dining experiences. Delta Downs is located in Vinton, Louisiana, on Delta Downs Drive. From Lake Charles, take Exit 7 and from Texas, take Exit 4.

ARCI Survey Hopes To Find ‘Consensus’ On Horse Racing’s Issues, Future

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The agencies regulating American horse racing want to know what issues the sport’s participants and patrons believe most urgently need addressing and the best way to do so.

The Association of Racing Commissioners International (ARCI), a not-for-profit trade association representing the regulatory bodies for horse and greyhound racing in North America and parts of the Caribbean, has crafted an online survey to solicit input from the industry’s varied stakes-holders, including the bettors who make the horse racing possible. The goal is to find consensus that will allow the industry to take constructive measures to improve the sport.

Here’s the link:  https://racingintegrity.wufoo.com/forms/s14gaigp1rz4y3m/

“Racing is a great sport – perhaps the greatest,” said ARCI president Ed Martin. “It’s the thinking person’s sport.  But because there are literally thousands of owners, hundreds of tracks and countless participants, there has been no consensus as to what our biggest problems and challenges are and how to address them.”

 

In that effort, the ARCI on Wednesday at Los Alamitos will conduct the last of 28 focus groups at tracks across the country, with participants including horse owners, trainers, jockeys, fans, veterinarians, track management, breeders, racing officials and regulators.

“We appreciate that issues can only be addressed if people work together,” Martin said. “We seek to assess what problems people need to have addressed, the options to do that, and the path that a consensus can be built around.”

The online survey is designed to augment the focus groups. Martin encourages industry organizations, including those for fans and handicappers, to circulate the survey among their memberships and beyond.

“The questions are deliberately designed to probe where people are at on ideas currently being proposed, as well as giving respondents the opportunity to tell us what they think the major changes should be,” Martin said. “The more responses the better.

“The racing industry is currently divided, and those divisions are generating negative publicity and ill will. Unless we get everyone on a common path, these divisions will continue to the detriment of the sport. Nobody can solve all of racing’s problems overnight, but we are going to try to get people on a path that will result in positive change.”

Calibrachoa has First Winner

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By , BloodHorse Daily

Louisiana freshman sire Calibrachoa had his first winner Oct. 20 when Shy Ruston got up in the final strides of a six-furlong maiden special weight at Delta Downs.

The filly is the third winner from three foals of racing age produced by Shy Baby, a winning daughter of Out of Place. Owned by Brava Stables and trained by Patrick Devereux, Shy Ruston is a half sister to stakes winner Governmentshutdown  and stakes-placed winner Ganges .

Shy Ruston was bred in Louisiana by Neal McFadden, who bought Shy Baby for $16,000 out of the 2012 Keeneland November breeding stock sale out of the Denali Stud consignment. Brava Stables bought Shy Ruston for $4,500 at this year’s Equine Sales of Louisiana 2-year-olds and horses of racing age sale out of the 5B Farm consignment. She has now earned $25,770.

Calibrachoa (Southern Image) is a multiple grade III stakes winner bred and raced by Nelson Bunker Hunt until November 2010 when trainer Todd Pletcher claimed him for owner Mike Repole. He went on to win the Tom Fool Handicap and the Toboggan Stakes in 2011 and 2012 and finished third in the 2011 Cigar Mile Handicap (gr. I) behind To Honor and Serve and Hymn Book. He achieved a solid record of 10-3-4 in 20 starts.

Calibrachoa stands at Red River Farms in Louisiana with a 2016 fee of $2,000.

NOMINATIONS CLOSE SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22 FOR THE $1,000,000 DELTA DOWNS JACKPOT

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14TH RUNNING OF AMERICA’S SECOND RICHEST RACE FOR 2-YEAR-OLDS

CARRIES $600,000 FIRST PLACE PRIZE ON SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 19

 

VINTON, LA. – Nominations to this year’s $1,000,000 Delta Downs Jackpot close on Saturday, October 22. The race offers a $600,000 first place prize as well as qualifying points in the ‘Road to the Kentucky Derby’ series.

Delta Downs Racetrack Casino & Hotel will host the 14th running of the grade III race for 2-year-olds competing at 1-1/16 miles over a dirt surface on Saturday, November 19, along with seven other stakes races. The entire program will feature more than $2.3 million in total purse money. There will be a special first race post time on Jackpot Day of 1:15 pm CT.

There were 191 horses nominated to the $1,000,000 Delta Downs Jackpot last year including that of Exaggerator, who won the race under Hall of Fame jockey Kent Desormeaux. Exaggerator would go on to win three grade I races after his trip to Vinton including the Santa Anita Derby, the Preakness Stakes and the Haskell Invitational while becoming the highest earning winner of Delta Downs’ richest annual offering at more than $3.5 million. It was announced last week that the son of Curlin has been retired and will now stand at WinStar Farm in Kentucky. This year’s race is once again expected to attract another high number of quality nominations from horsemen throughout the country.

In addition to Exaggerator, the $1,000,000 Delta Downs Jackpot has launched the careers for several other top horses. Goldencents, who took the race in 2012, tallied over $3 million in career earnings while winning three grade I races before his retirement a couple of years ago. The 2008 Jackpot winner, Big Drama, went on to take the Breeders’ Cup Sprint in 2010 and earned over $2.7 million during his time on the racetrack.

The $1,000,000 Delta Downs Jackpot has also been a proven path to the Kentucky Derby. Last year’s race produced two starters for ‘Run for the Roses’ at Churchill Downs in May. There have been eight Kentucky Derby starters come out of the Jackpot in the past four years, and since its inception in 2002 the race has seen 14 of its participants make it to the big dance in Louisville.

This year the ‘Road to the Kentucky Derby’ series will include 35 stakes leading up to the big race at Churchill Downs on Saturday, May 6. The top four finishers in this year’s $1,000,000 Delta Downs Jackpot will be awarded points on a 10-4-2-1 scale toward a possible starting position in the first leg of the 2017 Triple Crown.

To nominate a horse to this year’s $1,000,000 Delta Downs Jackpot, contact the track’s racing office at 888-589-7223. For more information about the big race, as well as Delta Downs’ upcoming 86-day season which begins on October 19, visit www.deltadownsjackpot.com or www.deltadownsracing.com.

Horsemen and fans can also follow developments for this year’s $1,000,000 Delta Downs Jackpot and the new Delta Downs season through social media. The track’s Facebook page is ‘Delta Downs Racing’, and the Twitter account to follow is @deltaracing.

Delta Downs Racetrack Casino & Hotel, a property of Boyd Gaming Corporation (NYSE:BYD), features exciting casino action, live horse racing and fun dining experiences. Delta Downs is located in Vinton, Louisiana, on Delta Downs Drive. From Lake Charles, take Exit 7 and from Texas, take Exit 4.

KEEP Conference: Facilitate Horse Encounters

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By , BloodHorse Daily

 

With the continued urbanization of the United States, speakers at the first Kentucky Equine Education Project industry conference Oct. 18 in Lexington said it’s more important than ever for industry participants to reach out to the general public to help facilitate a connection to horses.

“We sometimes forget that while we get to see horses every day, the vast majority of the world does not,” said Price Bell of Mill Ridge Farm and Nicoma Bloodstock. “They want to see how horses live, how they are cared for each day.”

Bell, who participated on a panel discussing growth opportunities for the industry at the two-day conference, is the board president of Horse Country Inc., a not-for-profit organization that provides tours of Central Kentucky Thoroughbred farms.

KEEP works to promote horse industry awareness in Kentucky.

Bell noted that the original economic engine for horse racing, pari-mutuel wagering, faces more and more competition. He said it’s important for the industry to create new experiences for customers. He said the thing that makes racing unique compared with other gaming is the horse, and providing access to horses at tracks and farms can create unique experiences that will create new fans.

“Our consumer has changed a lot in my lifetime. Now that you can bet on anything, people want an experience. They want to touch a horse, they want a nice place to go for the races,” Bell said. “The horse is the differentiator… Demands of the horse racing consumer have dramatically changed from a sort of betting commodity to an experience. We need to drive more experience-based exposure to the horse for people.”

Bell said it’s hugely important to fans that the horse is treated well during its racing career and will be treated well after it’s retired. Bell said bringing people into contact with horses and allowing them to see first-hand how well they are treated can help when animal rights groups assail the sport.

“I believe in promoting transparency and promoting horses. The more you bring people into your barns, it helps affect the conversation,” Bell said. “Through social media, initiatives like Horse Country that celebrate the horse, its care, and its love; it can help change the conversation.”

Kentucky commissioner of agriculture Ryan Quarles, also participating on the panel, said strides have been made in educating legislators about the breeding industry. He said more of them understand that the backbone of the industry are family-owned farms. But he encouraged farm owners to continue to reach out to lawmakers and invite them to see the operations first-hand.

Quarles, a Republican who was elected in November 2015, said he is committed to working with the equine industry.

“Over the years Agriculture has had a limited relationship with the equine industry,” Quarles said. “I want to change that. I believe we need a more active role. You are going to have to educate me and the Department of Agriculture, because of that limited previous interaction.”

Justin Phillip Colt Tops Equine Sales Company Open Yearling and Mixed Sale

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A colt from the first crop of Grade 1 winner Justin Phillip topped the Equine Sales Company Open Yearling and Mixed Sale on Sunday in Opelousas, Louisiana. A total of 114 head sold from 181 offered for $305,000. The average was $2,675 with a median of $1,550. Those numbers were off from last year’s auction when 127 of 190 sold for $414,700 with an average of $3,265 and median of $1,400.

Consigned by Select Sales, agent, and purchased for $22,000 by Scott Gelner, the sale-topper is a Louisiana-bred yearling out of the stakes-placed A. P Jet mare Jet’s Tradition. She is the dam of two starters, including $227,806 earner Jet Majesty.

“After setting a record yearling price of $145,000 in our select yearling sale in September and also posting big increases in gross sales, average and median, it’s not surprising that the numbers for this auction were down a little,” said Foster Bridewell, sales director for Equine Sales Company. “We had a mare in foal to Uncle Mo last year that brought $55,000 and another mare go for $48,000, so that kind of skewed the average for that auction. When you discount those, we were pretty much on par with that sale.”

Next up for Equine Sales Company is the 2-year-olds in training sale next year on May 9 with the breeze show on May 7.

For hip-by-hip results, go to equinesalesofla.com.

Equine Sales of Louisiana 2016 Open Yearling & Mixed Sale Results

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Results for the Equine Sales of Louisiana 2016 Open Yearling & Mixed Sale which was held Sunday, October 16, 2016 are available. They can be accessed through this link:  2016 Open Yearling & Mixed Sale Results, or by going to the Equine Sales website. www.equinesalesofla.com

For more information please contact:  Equine Sales Company by email (sales@equinesalesofla.com) or call:  337-678-3024.

Equine Sales of Louisiana 2016 Open Yearling & Mixed Sale, Sunday, Oct. 16, 10:00 a.m.

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Over 200 Head Consigned to Equine Sales Company Open Yearling and Mixed Sale to be held Sunday, October 16, at 10 a.m. in Opelousas, Louisiana.
This year’s initial catalog includes 65 yearlings and 39 weanlings, up from final totals of 50 yearlings and 35 weanlings last year. There are also 78 broodmares and four horses of racing age consigned this year.  A supplement to the catalog consisting of an additional 22 consignments is currently available and can be viewed on line.
To view the catalog,  you can click this link:
  To view the supplements in the sale, you can click this link:
To view the online catalog, supplement book  or for more information, go to www.equinesalesofla.com.

 or you can contact Equine Sales Company by email (sales@equinesalesofla.com) or call:  337-678-3024.
TO VIEW THE SALE LIVE ON THE INTERNET FOLLOW THIS LINK (Active at the start of the sale)