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A group of five highly-successful businessmen who are heavily vested in the breeding and racing of American Quarter Horses and R.D. Hubbard have all signed a letter of intent that involves Hubbard selling Ruidoso Downs Race Track and the Ruidoso Horse Sale Company to the group.
The individuals in the group are Stan Sigman, Gary McKinney, Narciso (Chicho) Flores, Johnny Trotter (all from Texas) and John Andreini of California.
Hubbard, 81, bought Ruidoso Downs in 1988 with Dr. Ed Allred, who also owns Los Alamitos Race Course in California. Hubbard later purchased Allred’s interest in the Ruidoso facility.
The prospective ownership group met Saturday morning in Oklahoma City and elected Sigman as its chairman.
“We are about to start our due diligence, and in due time we will start the process of gaining regulatory approval,” said Sigman. “It is our goal to close the deal in the fourth quarter of 2017.
“It was five people who did this,” said Sigman. “I’m just the spokesperson because I’m the chairman and speak on behalf of the five people. These five people have a passion for horseracing. They have a passion for the horses and all of the people in the industry. The best example I can give is that when we are in Ruidoso we worship at the (race track) Chapel because we want to worship with the people.”
On Sunday morning, Ruidoso Downs president and general manager Shaun Hubbard said, “These men know Ruidoso Downs, and they are committed to keeping it as the best place in the nation for Quarter Horse racing.”
R.D. Hubbard, an internationally acclaimed businessman, has been a leading Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse owner and breeder for decades and has had ownership in such other tracks as Hollywood Park, Los Alamitos, Zia Park, Turf Paradise and The Woodlands in addition to Ruidoso Downs. Hubbard owned a farm in Kentucky for many years and now has his Crystal Springs Farm located just a short drive from Ruidoso Downs. “Nothing will change at Crystal Springs, except maybe putting an All American Futurity winner in one of the paddocks,” Hubbard said.
“I’m not about to quit racing. I still need to win the All American Futurity. We’re still breeding mares and still making babies” said Hubbard. “I’ll be at the sales this year buying horses.”
During Hubbard’s ownership, the Grade 1 All American Futurity grew from a $2,000,000 purse in 1989 to $3,000,000 last year. The Grade 1 All American Derby went from $330,812 in 1989 to $2,415,984 last year.
The Grade 1 Ruidoso Futurity zoomed from $357,172 in 1989 (when it was the Kansas Futurity) to $1,000,000 in 2016. The Grade 1 Ruidoso Derby (formerly the Kansas Derby) went from $44,986 in 1989 to $1,068,631 in 2016.
The Grade 1 Rainbow Futurity was $447,630 during the first year Hubbard owned the track. In 2016, it was $1,000,000. In the same time the Grade 1 Rainbow Derby jumped from $398,231 to $1,324,488.
Under Hubbard’s ownership, the Ruidoso Horse Sales Company has become the nation’s number-one seller (in dollar volume and average price) of racing bred American Quarter Horse yearlings.
Horses began entering the grounds this morning at Ruidoso Downs and the track opens for training on Friday. The Quarter Horse gates will be set next Monday (May 1), which is also the date for entry into the May 8-10 two-year-old training races. The meet opens on May 26.
by Paulick Report Staff | 04.26.2017 | 2:10pm
In a push to finally get a gambling bill approved during the current legislative session, the Florida House of Representatives made a few major offers during a session held Wednesday morning.
The SaintPetersBlog reports that the House has agreed to allow ‘decoupling’, which would permit pari-mutuel racetracks to stop offering live horse or dog racing, but keep their slots licenses if approved by local voters.
Only Calder among Florida’s Thoroughbred tracks would be allowed to decouple, according to current language in the negotiations, which also includes Thoroughbred “purse pools” created through contributions of other gambling entities.
The House bill does not appear to expand slots to eight counties with pari-mutuel wagering (including the flag-drop racing in Gretna and Hamilton county), and where local voters have already approved via referendum. It does permit a new South Florida slots parlor, provided it is at least five miles from an existing casino, and allows the Seminole tribe to add caps and roulette to its seven casinos throughout the state.
The Florida Senate’s gambling bill also permits decoupling but expands gambling dramatically by permitting slots in eight counties north of Dad and Broward counties.
Republican Senator and conference chair Bill Galvano called the House proposal “serious” and “substantial”.
Read more in the SaintPetersBlog
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Jockey Robby Albarado sustained a fracture of his lower left tibia and fibula after falling from Chiltern Street at the beginning of the eighth race at Keeneland April 23 and will be off mounts for approximately three to four weeks, including Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) hopeful J Boys Echo, agent Rob Ebanks said.
The 5-year-old horse stumbled at the start of the 5 1/2-furlong race on turf unseating Albarado, who was immdiately attended to on the track. After being taken to first aid at Keeneland, he was then transported to UK Chandler Hospital.
In an official statement, Keeneland medical director Dr. Barry Schumer said: “Robby’s horse stumbled at the start of the race and Robby was thrown to the ground. He braced himself. He suffered an injury to his left ankle. He is being transported to UK Chandler Hospital (at the University of Kentucky in Lexington) for X-rays and further evaluation.”
Albarado underwent surgery April 24 at UK Chandler Hospital and had a rod and two pins inserted in his lower left leg, per Ebanks.
And a resident of Mt. Hermon died at 7:15 pm Tuesday April 18, 2017 at Lakeview Regional Medical Center. He was a farrier for 38 years, shoeing horses for about 100 clients throughout southeast Louisiana and nearby Mississippi counties. Roger loved trail riding with his covered wagon and horses, his favorite of which was Chic, that passed on a few years before. He was known as Roger Buck to many of his friends and he enjoyed the outdoors and spending time at the campfire. He loved to visit Tennessee regularly and visit the Amish country there. He adored his grandchildren and family. Roger and his wife had a special saying to each other…
“I Love You a whole bunch, and more every day.”
Survived by:
Wife of 45 years: Dody Hunt of Mt. Hermon
Son and Daughter in law: Roger Hunt, Jr. and Kelly Hunt of Franklinton
5 Grandchildren: Cody Winget,
Wyatt Winget,
Gage Winget,
Blaze Winget,
Tyler Hunt
Parents: Dee and June Hunt of Covington
Brother and Sister in law: Richard and Samantha Hunt of Covington
2 Sisters and Brothers in law: Brenda and Raymond Clelland of Covington,
Diane and Hershel Dunn of Carriere, MS
Also numerous nieces, nephews, brothers in law, sisters in law and many friends.
Visitation will be at Crain Funeral Home Saturday April 22nd from 10 am until 2 pm. A funeral service will be held at 2 pm Saturday in the funeral home chapel. Burial will follow in the Mt. Hermon Cemetery.
Pallbearers: Gage Winget, Raymond Clelland, Bruce Clelland, Brian Clelland, Jamie Ladner, Floyd Magee
Honorary Pallbearers are grandchildren Cody, Wyatt, Blaze and Tyler
Obituaries can be viewed online at www.crainfh.com
To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Roger Hunt, Sr. please visit our Sympathy Store.
The following horses are eligible for the Equine Sales Oaks and Equine Sales Derby which will run May 5th and May 6th respectively at Evangeline Downs in Carencro, Louisiana.
EQUINE SALES DERBY ELIGIBLES
3 YR OLD COLTS AND GELDINGS
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Derby division:
A restricted stake for 3-year-old Colts and Geldings which are sales graduates from any Equine Sales Company of Louisiana sale or have passed through the 2015 Louisiana Breeders Sale Company auction.
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EQUINE SALES OAKS ELIGIBLES
3 YR OLD FILLIES
Oaks division:
A restricted stake for 3-year-old Fillies which are sales graduates from any Equine Sales Company of Louisiana sale or have passed through the 2015 Louisiana Breeders Sale Company auction.
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Equine Sales Company
REMINDER
MAKE PLANS TO ATTEND THE UPCOMING
2017 TWO YEAR OLD IN TRAINING SALE WITH RACE AGE HORSES
SALE DATE: MAY 9, 2017
BREEZE SHOW: MAY 7, 2017
Young Sires Highlight Equine Sales Company 2-Year-Old Catalog
Equine Sales Company has released a catalog of 67 head for its 2-Year-Olds in Training and Horses of Racing Age Sale set for May 9 in Opelousas, Louisiana. The breeze show is scheduled for May 7.
While the catalog has a strong offering of established stallions, it also stands out for its selection of young sires with promising futures like Orb, Violence, Bullet Train, Power Broker, Jimmy Creed, Flashpoint, Data Link, Flat Out, To Honor and Serve, Tapizar, Point of Entry, Bind, Dialed In and Redding Colliery.
The catalog also includes many of the leading juvenile and overall sires in Louisiana, including Yankee Gentleman, Songandaprayer, Star Guitar, Custom for Carlos, D’Wildcat, Closing Argument and Run Production. Prominent national sires are also represented, including Tale of the Cat, Eskendereya, Dunkirk, Discreet Cat, Lookin at Lucky and El Corredor, a former leading stallion in Louisiana.
“The catalog is comprised mainly of Louisiana-breds, and that remains the main focus of the sale, but we also have some nice Kentucky-breds this year,” said Sales Director Foster Bridewell. “We are still accepting supplements, and I expect several more horses to be added in the coming weeks.”
All graduates of the sale will be eligible for the $75,000 Equine Sales Derby and $75,000 Equine Sales Oaks to be run in 2018 at Evangeline Downs.
For more information and to view the online catalog, go to our website:
or contact us
EQUINE SALES COMPANY
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Thomas “T.E.” Vinci passed away on Sunday, April 16, 2017. A native of New Orleans, he was born on Saturday, February 21, 1942 to Sybil de la Houssaye and Salvador “Ike” Vinci and was a resident of Covington, LA since 2000. T.E. was a cowboy and had a long, rewarding career of 50+ years working with horses. A long time cutting horse competitor, and a judge for more than 40+ years, and most recently served as a steward at the All American Quarter Horse Congress and the AQHA World Show for the last several years. He was also very active in his local Louisiana Quarter Horse Association.
The beloved husband of 39 years to Jane Trimble Vinci, he is survived by his daughter – Tiffany Vinci White (Mike); two sons – James Salvador Vinci and Michael Vinci(Katy); his mother – Sybil Vinci Johnson; sister – Dianne L. Vinci; two brothers – Donald W. and David L. Vinci; and three grandchildren – Kaitlyn V. McGlothren, Michael “William” Vinci and Kaffey Elizabeth Vinci.
He was preceded in death by his father and one brother – Robert A. Vinci.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend a memorial services at 11:00 AM on Saturday, April 29, 2017 at E.J. Fielding Funeral Home, 2260 W. 21st Ave. Covington, LA 70433.
Visiting hours on Saturday will begin at 9:00 AM.
Following the service everyone is invited to a Celebration of Life at the home of Mike & Tiffany White, 420 Moonraker Drive. Slidell, La 70458.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to American Quarter Horse Foundation, Professional Horsemens Crisis Fund, Catherine Meck, 806 220-3322.
Please offer condolences or visit the Tribute Wall at www.ejfieldingfh.com
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