Month: April 2023

2023 Texas Summer Yearling Sale Will Be Held On August 28th

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(Austin, TX) – The Texas Thoroughbred Association will hold its 2023 Texas Summer Yearling Sale on August 28th. The sale will be held at the sales pavilion at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas.

“We’re fresh off the successful 2023 Texas Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale, so now we turn our attention to our yearling sale,” TTA sales Director Foster Bridewell said. “We’ve already had a lot of interest from our owners and breeders about our 2023 Texas Summer Yearling Sale. This announcement of our date on August 28, 2023 is just the start of our planning process as we work to continue to put on successful sales in the Texas region.”

The 2022 Texas Summer Yearling Sale set records for the TTA Sales company. One-hundred-sixty-one horses sold for $3.41M in total sales, up from $3.2M at the 2021 sale. The average sale price in 2022 increased and the median price was also up year to year.

“We are proud of the gains made at our 2022 Texas Summer Yearling Sale,” Bridewell added. “In 2023, we have an opportunity to continue to grow our sales operation and provide a strong marketplace for our buyers to shop for and our sellers to showcase quality horses in the region.”

The Entry Deadline for the 2023 Texas Summer Yearling Sale is June 30, 2023 and consignment forms are now available at www.ttasales.com.

Accredited Texas Bred Deadline May 31

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TTA

ATTENTION: MAY 31 ACCREDITATION DEADLINE
ACCREDITATION DEADLINES:
The deadline for accrediting Texas-foaled yearlings (foals of 2022) at the TTA Member rate of $75 is a postmark, fax or email date of May 31, 2023. The non-member fee to accredit foals of 2022 is $125. Membership packages begin at $60 for a full year. If you are not a TTA member or your membership has expired, you may pay the $60 to become a current member and then pay the $75 accreditation fee. If you are not sure of your membership status, call the TTA office.
Please submit a completed application along with the appropriate fee. TTA will apply a virtual Accredited Texas-Bred stamp to your digital Jockey Club certificate once the foal’s registration is complete.
Yearling applications after the May 31 deadline will require an accreditation fee of $200 (members) or $250 (non-members).
NOTE: A yearling nominated to the Texas Stallion Stakes Series has not necessarily been accredited. To verify accreditation status, contact the TTA office.
Thank you!
Dominique Oxner
Racing/Accreditation Manager
Texas Thoroughbred Association
192 Cimarron Park Loop, Suite A
Buda, TX 78610
Phone: 512-458-6133
Fax: 512-453-5919

A G’S CHARLOTTE WINS CONVINCINGLY IN THE $60,000 SPOTTED HORSE

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The 2023 Evangeline Downs Thoroughbred season kicked off with a pair of stake races Friday night.  A G’s Charlotte picked up a stylish looking victory in the Spotted Horse, while Taylors Tap rallied in the final yards to capture the Acadiana.  The opening night card was contested over a track listed as muddy after substantial overnight rains.

A G’s Charlotte, owned by Thomas Galvin, broke alertly from her inside post position and was quickly in front as the field entered the first turn.  Sassy Beast was her closest pursuer in the early stages, with Another Hot Mess saving ground along the rail in third.  Jockey C.J. McMahon had A G’s Charlotte traveling comfortably through an opening quarter-mile in 24.35 seconds and a half-mile in 48.61.  As the field entered the far turn, the Patricia West trainee was a half-length in front of Sassy Beast, with Majestic Ways splitting rivals to move into contention alongside Another Hot Mess.

Through six furlongs in 1:13.49, A G’s Charlotte, still traveling smoothly, continued to fend off a stubborn Sassy Beast, as the pair kicked clear of the rest.  Inside the final furlong A G’s Charlotte spurted clear with a burst to finish 4-1/4 lengths clear of Sassy Beast.  It was another 2-1/2 lengths back to Another Hot Mess in third.  The final running time for the mile distance for the 3-year-old and upward fillies and mares was 1:39.10.

A G’s Charlotte earned $36,000 in capturing her sixth victory from 16 career starts.  Her career bankroll now stands at $263,160.

The winner is a 4-year-old bred in Louisiana by the owner.  The dark bay or brown filly was sired by Mo Tom and is out of the Indygo Shiner mare Adrianne G.

A G’s Charlotte returned $4.80 to win as the wagering favorite, $2.80 to place and $2.20 to show.  Sassy Beast paid $6.40 to place, $3.60 to show and Another Hot Mess paid $2.60 to show.

Tapwrit Filly Tops the 2023 Texas Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale

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Sales topper Hip 167. Photo Olivia Friesen/TTA

 

 

(Grand Prairie, Texas) The hammer dropped on the gray filly by Tapwrit at $300,000 Wednesday to lead the way at the 2023 Texas Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale.

Consigned by Pike Racing as Hip 167, the Tapwrit filly, who is out of the winning and producing Henny Hughes mare Sky O’Blue, walked into the sales ring with much anticipation. Randy Morse, as agent, signaled the winning bid, signing the ticket on the filly who breezed the 9.4 bullet for 1/8th of a mile at Lone Star Park on Monday. 

“The Tapwrit filly certainly didn’t disappoint at any point this week,” TTA Sales Director Foster Bridewell said. “She breezed in 9.4, showed well at the barn, and presented herself beautifully in the ring. We’re lucky to have had her in our sale and thankful to all parties involved.”

A Bolt d’Oro colt brought $160,000 marking the second highest priced horse to leave the ring Wednesday and the highest priced colt. The Oklahoma bred son of Bolt d’Oro, out of a producing Street Sense mare, was consigned by Bryan Ford Training Stable. Larry Hirsch signed the ticket. Hirsch also bought Hip 190, a colt by Lord Nelson out of the stakes-placed mare Malibu Party, for $155,000 from the Oak Creek Thoroughbreds consignment. Hip 193, a filly by Nyquist consigned by Clary Bloodstock, sold for $150,000 at the very end of the sale to Hirsch as well.

“We’re truly fortunate to have had such quality offerings in our 2023 sale,” Bridewell said. “It’s a testament to the hard work and time put in by our sellers and teams behind these athletes. And we’re grateful to our buyers locally, nationally, and internationally for supporting our sale.”

In total, 103 hips sold Wednesday at the 2023 Texas Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale for a total of $3,420,000, an increase from last year. 

Full results are posted at TTAsales.com.

EVANGELINE DOWNS 2023 THOROUGHBRED SEASON SPRINGS TO LIFE APRIL 7

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THE 61-DAY SEASON RUNS FROM APRIL 7 THROUGH AUGUST 12

 

 

OPELOUSAS, LA –The 2023 Thoroughbred season opens at Evangeline Downs on Friday, April 7.  The meet will consist of 61 racing days running through August 12.  First post each night will be at the new time of 5:30pm Central.  The racing schedule will feature racing on Wednesday through Saturday for the first five full weeks of the meet.  Beginning the week of May 18, racing will switch to a Thursday through Saturday schedule.

Vicente Del-Cid has taken the Louisiana racing scene by storm and will be the top returning rider in 2023.  Del-Cid captured his first riding title at Evangeline Downs last summer and followed that up with a runaway championship at the recently concluded Delta Downs meet.  C.J. McMahon, Tim Thornton, and Joe Stokes are among some of the other riders looking for a big season.  Jose Luis Rodriguez joins the jockey colony and will be represented by former trainer Ron Faucheux.

Karl Broberg regained his spot at the top of the trainer standings in 2022 following a runner-up finish in 2021.  The Broberg barn connected with 44 winners from 228 starters to take top honors last season.  Eduardo Ramirez, the 2021 training champ, is among the trainers looking to unseat Broberg.  Robertino Diodoro will bring a division of his stable to the Opelousas oval this year. Trainers Justin Jeansonne, Isai Gonzalez and Allison Escobar will also be new additions to the backside.  Other notable trainers include Keith Bourgeois, Sam David, Sam Breaux, Rylee Magnon, and Allen Landry.

The popular “Exotic Animal Racing” will make a return to Evangeline Downs on April 22.  The Saturday card will include a couple of non-wagering events featuring racing camels and zebras sure to delight and entertain the crowd.

The 2023 season will feature an expanded stakes schedule, starting with a pair of stakes on opening night.  The $60,000 Spotted Horse and $60,000 Acadiana are the main events.  The first Saturday card includes the $60,000 Lafayette and Strong Eagle will look to defend his title in the $100,000 Evangeline Mile.

Racing fans will want to make plans to attend the races the first weekend of May for simulcasting of the Kentucky Oaks on Friday and the 149th Kentucky Derby on Saturday from Churchill Downs.  The EVD Classic highlights the live Derby Day card.

The marquee night of the season will take place on Saturday, June 3 with Louisiana Legends Night.  The program will feature six stake races for Louisiana-bred runners, with each purse increased to $100,000 guaranteed this year.  Free Like a Girl and Net a Bear were popular winners on the 2022 Legends Night.

The Friday, July 7 card features the $75,000 Louisiana Stallion Stakes presented by Coteau Grove Farms and the filly division of the $60,000 Shine Young Futurity.  Saturday, July 8 will have the $60,000 Shine Young colts and gelding division, along with the $75,000 Louisiana Stallion Stakes presented by Coteau Grove Farms.

For more information on Evangeline Downs, including a full stakes schedule, visit the track’s website at www.evdracing.com.  Evangeline Downs information can also be found on Twitter @EVDracing and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/EvangelineDownsRacing.

Evangeline Downs Racetrack Casino and Hotel, a property of Boyd Gaming Corporation (NYSE:BYD), features exciting casino action, live horse racing, the Fan Duel sportsbook and fun dining experiences. Evangeline Downs is located in Opelousas, Louisiana, off I-49 on Cresswell Lane at Exit 18.

Tee Off for Thoroughbreds Golf Tournament Supports TRF

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Celebrating the organization’s 40th anniversary in 2023, the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (TRF) will be hosting a charity golf event at the Nevel Meade Golf Course in Prospect, Kentucky on April 18th. This will be the first year for this fundraiser which has been organized by Goshen-based TRF volunteers, Robin and Ted Mizerak, who are the event Co-Chairs along with Honorary Co-Chairs Dale and Tammy Romans. Celebrity golfers will include Brian Hernandez, David Cohen, Joel Rosario and Joe Rocco Jr. among others.

The “Tee Off for Thoroughbreds” event has been generously underwritten by Platinum Sponsor, BMW of Louisville; Gold Sponsor, Restaurant Depot; and hole sponsors See Spot Grooming, State Farm, Hermitage Farm, Brook Ledge Horse Transportation, Oldham County Tourism, Dark Horse CPAs, John and Kelly Boyd, Joe Kemetz and Ted Mizerak, Puritan Bakeries and Churchill Downs Incorporated.

The event will begin with 12:30 p.m. (ET) registration and Chick-fil-A lunch, followed by a shotgun start at 2:00 p.m. An award ceremony will follow the conclusion of play. Included in the registration fee are greens fees, cart, lunch, range balls, a sleeve of TRF logo golf balls, an embroidered green golf shirt with TRF logo, a TRF baseball hat and more.

Prizes will be given for the 1st, 2nd and last place foursomes along with the longest drive and closest to the pin. Raffle tickets will be sold for the Justin Thomas line drive, mulligans, and a variety of fun and popular pet, golf and dining-themed raffle baskets. A silent auction of unique horse-racing themed items including a jockey-signed Woodford Reserve bourbon barrel and a morning on the backstretch with Dale Romans will help raise funds to support the TRF herd of 425 retired Thoroughbreds.

Breeders’ Cup Dirt Dozen Series Returns in 2023

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The Breeders’ Cup Dirt Dozen, an incentive-based participation bonus program for horsemen pointing runners to the dirt races in the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, will return this season. Launched in 2022, the series awards bonus credits funded by the Breeders’ Cup for first through third-place finishes in each of 12 existing graded stakes races scheduled from May through October at six tracks throughout the United States. Horsemen can use those credits toward entry fees for one of the six Breeders’ Cup World Championships dirt races.

In Dirt Dozen races in the $2-million Breeders’ Cup race divisions–which includes the GI Longines Distaff, GI Qatar Racing Sprint, GI FanDuel Juvenile and GI NetJets Juvenile Fillies–the bonus tier is allocated at $30,000 for first, $15,000 for second, and $7,500 for third.

In Dirt Dozen races in the $1-million Breeders’ Cup race divisions–the GI PNC F/M Sprint and the GI Big Ass Fans Dirt Mile–the bonus tier will award $15,000 for first, $7,500 for second, and $3,750 for third.

The Dirt Dozen program begins May 6 with the GI Derby City Distaff at Churchill Downs. The first three finishers in the race will earn credits toward entry fees for a potential start in the F/M Sprint. The program concludes Oct. 1 with the GI Zenyatta S. at Santa Anita, where the first three finishers in the race will earn credits toward entry fees for a potential start in the Distaff.

“After a successful launch in 2022, we are happy to again present our innovative Dirt Dozen program,” said Dora Delgado, Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Officer of Breeders’ Cup Limited. “Last year, many horsemen who took advantage of those credits toward entry fees for our dirt races were rewarded at the World Championships, and we look forward to extending the same incentive to connections who are targeting a start at Santa Anita Park in November.”

No Injuries Reported in Oaklawn Barn Fire

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An April 11 fire in Oaklawn Park‘s Wild Again barn detected shortly before 7 p.m. CT resulted in no injuries to horses or people after a safe evacuation, the Arkansas track said in a late Tuesday press release. The cause of the fire is currently unknown.

The Hot Springs Fire Department along with Oaklawn’s security and staff worked quickly to extinguish the fire within minutes. The north end of the Wild Again barn was destroyed by the fire. All horses and humans have been relocated to nearby barns for the remainder of the season, which ends May 6. Trainer Ron Moquett posted a photo on twitter after the fire had been extinguished showing much smoke damage to the upper portion of the Wild Again barn.

Oaklawn expressed its appreciation to the Hot Springs Fire Department, Hot Springs Police Department, Garland County Sheriff’s Department, the horsemen, and the Oaklawn team members for their quick response and diligence in ensuring all horses were safe and sound and no other barns were affected.

LSU Vet Med plays major role in detecting toxin affecting Louisiana horses

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Discovered Clostridium toxin found in alfalfa cubes was causing serious illness and even death in horses

The Louisiana State University (LSU) School of Veterinary Medicine played a significant role in diagnosing and treating several horses in Louisiana infected with Clostridium botulinum type C, which causes botulism. They discovered that alfalfa cubes were infected with the toxin that originated from one source and were sold in various states, with horses in Louisiana, Texas, Colorado, and New Mexico reportedly falling ill and many even dying from the toxin.

According to the university release, “botulism is a rare but serious illness caused by toxins released by a bacteria. That toxin then binds to nerves that affect muscles throughout the body and causes difficulty breathing, muscle paralysis, and even death.” The toxin that causes Type C Botulism usually is ingested from contaminated feeds and binds to nerve receptors. After this happens, it cannot be reversed, however, if it’s discovered early, an anti-toxin can be used to keep free, unbound toxins from binding to the nerve receptors.

On December 3, 2022, a horse from a breeding farm in Vermilion Parish came to the LSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital and was seen by the equine emergency service, and a second horse came the following day; both were presenting with neurological issues. The horses were tested for infectious agents, including Eastern Equine Encephalitis, West Nile virus, herpes virus, and rabies. On December 5, additional horses from the same farm arrived with the same symptoms. In total, LSU saw 15 horses, while others were treated at the farm, with about 20 horses in Louisiana suffering from the toxin.1

The first round of horses was treated by Mustajab Mirza, DVM, DACVS, associate professor of equine surgery. Then, Rose Baker, BVMS, DACVIM (LAIM), assistant professor of equine medicine, took over the care of the horses. On December 6, Matthew Welborn, DVM (LSU 1987), MPH, DACVPM, professor of food animal health maintenance at LSU Vet Med; and Christine Navarre, DVM (LSU 1990), DACVIM, professor of veterinary science, visited the farm in search of potential toxins.

So far, LSU Vet Med has successfully treated 5 horses and sent them home and is still currently treating 2 horses. These horses came in on an emergency basis and were triaged and because of herd outbreak concerns, various diagnostic tests and intensive nursing care were required immediately. Management of the ill horses required round-the-clock care, and a committed nursing staff and veterinary students.

On December 17, 2022, the USFDA issued a warning regarding recalled lots of alfalfa cubes that seemed to have caused illness and death in horses. At this time, the FDA reported that horses in Louisiana, Texas, New Mexico, and Colorado have displayed neurological signs that may be associated with the toxin found.

An updated advisory on January 5, 2023, the LDAF released confirmed the cause of the illness and death to be botulism. Thanks to the tremendous efforts of farm owners and staff, LSU Vet Med, LADDL, LDAF, UC Davis, and the FDA, they got to the root of the issue quickly.

If you believe that your horse has been affected, contact your veterinarian immediately or the LSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital at 225-578-9500.