In 2004, after 18 years as a professional jockey, Kent Desormeaux was inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. He was 34.
Desormeaux’s induction into the Hall was earned after winning three Eclipse Awards, two Kentucky Derbies, a Preakness and setting a North American record for wins in a season. In 1989, Desormeaux rode a whopping 598 winners. It ranks as one of most unbreakable records in the world of sports.
Now age 53, Desormeaux on Saturday displayed that Hall of Fame form with a master classin the saddle at Santa Anita. With an ideal ride stalking the pace in the opener, plus two exquisitely timed rallies from last on the back-half of the 10-race card, he finished with three wins on the 10-race card.
In addition to the quarterly update to its Online Fact Book, The Jockey Club June 8th, announced two new pages to the Fact Book breeding section: Number of Unique Sires by Position in the Pedigree Top Line and Percent of Mares Bred Categorized by Stallion Book Size.
“As the Thoroughbred breed registry for the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico, The Jockey Club strives to provide statistics that are valuable and that help shine a light on what is happening in our industry, especially with respect to breeding,” said Matt Iuliano, executive vice president and executive director of The Jockey Club.
The unique sires by position table shows the number of unique sires by position within the top line of the pedigree and enables users to drill down by year and generation. Those links provide stallion names and the number of registered Thoroughbreds for that generation’s sires on the top sire line pedigree for the registered foals of the specific year.
The percent stallions and mares bred statistics display how the number of stallions and mares have changed over time based on stallion book size.
Other updates to the Fact Book, which were announced in March, include Reports of Mares Bred statistics’ being sortable by stallion name, number of mares bred, and state, and the Breeding Statistics’ being sortable by year and then by stallion name, mares bred, reports received, live foals, percent of live foals, and state.
The online Fact Book is a statistical and informational guide to Thoroughbred breeding, racing, and auction sales in North America and is updated quarterly. It also features a directory of Canadian, international, national, and state organizations. Links to the Breeding Statistics report that is released by The Jockey Club each September and the Report of Mares Bred information that is published by The Jockey Club each October can be found in the Breeding section of the Fact Book.
The 2023 edition of the Fact Book is available in the Resources section of The Jockey Club website at jockeyclub.com.
The Jockey Club, founded in 1894 and dedicated to the improvement of Thoroughbred breeding and racing, is the breed registry for North American Thoroughbreds. In fulfillment of its mission, The Jockey Club, directly or through subsidiaries, provides support and leadership on a wide range of important industry initiatives, and it serves the information and technology needs of owners, breeders, media, fans, and farms. It is the sole funding source for America’s Best Racing, the broad-based fan development initiative for Thoroughbred racing. You can follow America’s Best Racing at americasbestracing.net. Additional information is available at jockeyclub.com.
Join us for an exclusive fundraiser in partnership with Louisiana Stallion Stakes on July 8 in Mojos at Evangeline Downs Racetrack & Casino!
JOIN US FOR AN EVENING OF MUSIC, FUN, DANCING, LOUISIANA BRED RACING AND SUPPORT THE RACING EMPLOYEES ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (REAP)
REAP is excited to announce our upcoming fundraiser in partnership with Louisiana Stallion Stakes! This exclusive event will take place on Saturday, July 8, 2023. The Stallion Stakes is sponsored by Coteau Grove Farms featuring Louisiana accredited three-year-old and up colts & geldings restricted to horses that were sired by a stallion domiciled in Louisiana. This is also the same evening for the D.S. Shine Young Futurity featuring Louisiana accredited two-year-old colts and geldings.
We invite you to join us for an unforgettable day of horse racing, while also supporting our cause to raise funds for our organization. All proceeds from this event will go towards supporting our mission to make a positive impact in our community. Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity to support a great cause and enjoy a day at the races!
Keith and Ginger Myers are generously donating the fees to pay the band to ensure that all proceeds from ticket sales and sponsorships are maximized for the benefit of REAP.
We have on level of Signature Sponsorships for $1,000 and individual tickets for $25.
The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) recommended to Churchill Downs Incorporated (CDI) that racing be temporarily suspended to allow for additional comprehensive investigations into the cause of recent equine fatalities at the track; CDI has agreed with and accepted this recommendation.
Churchill Downs Incorporated announced Friday that the it will suspend racing operations at Churchill Downs Racetrack beginning June 7, 2023, through the remainder of the Spring Meet, scheduled to run to July 3. Live racing at Churchill Downs will be conducted as scheduled this weekend on Saturday, June 3 and Sunday, June 4. The remainder of the race meet will be relocated to Ellis Park Racing & Gaming in Henderson, Ky., beginning on Saturday, June 10.
“HISA’s highest priority is the safety and wellbeing of equine and human athletes competing under our jurisdiction,” said HISA CEO Lisa Lazarus. “Given that we have been so far unable to draw conclusions about the cause of the recent equine fatalities at Churchill Downs, and therefore have been unable to recommend or require interventions that we felt would adequately ensure the safety of the horses running there, we made the decision to recommend to CDI that they temporarily suspend racing at Churchill Downs while additional reviews continue. We know that CDI and the KHRC share our goal of ensuring safety above all else, and we appreciate their thoughtfulness and cooperation through these challenging moments. We will continue to seek answers and work with everyone involved to ensure that horses are running safely at Churchill Downs again in the near future.”
BIG FAMILY NIGHT CROWD ON HAND FOR MARQUEE NIGHT OF RACING
OPELOUSAS, LA –Evangeline Downs hosted the annual celebration of the Louisiana-bred Thoroughbreds with an exciting Louisiana Legends Night card on Saturday. The card featured six stake races each worth $100,000 for state-bred runners and were contested over courses rated fast and firm.
Evangeline Downs honored some past Louisiana Legends throughout the evening. Race fans were asked to nominate their own legends on Facebook. Merrill Scherer, Ray Sibille, Ron Ardoin, Doris Hebert, Buster Leger and Harold Delahoussaye were the top nominees by the fans and were recognized during the card.
FREE LIKE A GIRL STAYS UNBEATEN AT EVANGELINE DOWNS IN MADEMOISELLE VICTORY
Free Like A Girl wins the Louisiana Legends Mademoiselle Stakes. Kimmy Burrow, Coady Photography.
Free Like a Girl again showed her fondness for the local racing strip in her Mademoiselle win. With Jockey Tim Thornton aboard, Free Like a Girl was in midpack running down the backstretch as Wupkar and Beleout sped through early fractions of 22.50 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and a half-mile split in 46.22. Moved outside to produce a four-wide bid, Free Like a Girl was able to collar the leaders nearing the furlong pole and pulled forward in the final 100 yards. The winning margin was 1-3/4 lengths at the wire, with Beleout second and First I’ve Seen another 1-1/4 lengths back in third. The Chasey Deville Pomier trainee moves to a perfect five for five over the local strip. The final time for the 5-1/2 furlongs was 1:05.17.
Bred by Kim Renee Stover and Lisa Osborne, the 4-year-old bay filly was sired by El Deal and is out of the Flashy Bull mare Flashy Prize. Owned by the partnership of Gerald Bruno, Jr., Carl Deville, Chasey Deville Pomier and Jerry Caroom, she wins for the thirteenth time in 27 starts and earns $60,000. Her career bankroll now stands at $930,378.
Free Like a Girl returned $3.80 to win as the wagering favorite, $3 to place and $2.10 to show. Beleout paid $7.60 to place, $6 to show and First I’ve Seen paid $4.40 to show.
Keith Plaisance’s Cheapskate Diva made a sharp bid for the lead turning for home and held off favored A G’s Charlotte to capture the Turf Distaff. Away in good order under jockey Carlos Marquez, Cheapskate Diva tracked the early lead of Eve’s Delight through fractions of 24.08 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 47.43 seconds for the half-mile. Cheapskate Diva made a move to take the lead at the top of the stretch and remained clear in the run to the wire to win by 2-1/2 lengths. A G’s Charlotte made a mild bid without threatening the winner and won a photo for second by a nose over a late closing Wholelottamo. The winner stopped the clock in a time of 1:35.80 for the mile distance.
The Joseph Felks trained runner is a 5-year-old bay mare sired by Animal Kingdom and is out of the Candy Ride (ARG) mare Beautiful Liar. Bred by the owner, Cheapskate Diva wins for the fifth time from 15 career starts. Earning $60,000 in the victory, her career bankroll increases to $176,640.
Cheapskate Diva returned $11.40 to win, $4.80 to place and $2.80 to show. A G’s Charlotte returned $2.80 to place, $2.20 to show and Wholelottamo paid $2.40 to show.
ALLNIGHT MOONLIGHT GETS NECK VICTORY OVER MANGUM IN CHEVAL STAKES
Roger Smith’s Allnight Moonlight dug in late to win a spirited stretch battle over Mangum in the Cheval. With Tim Thornton in the irons, Allnight Moonlight broke smoothly but was caught with a wide trip through the clubhouse turn as Calibrachoa Kid set the pace with Macho Beanie and Clear as a Bele the closest pursuers. Mangum made a bid to take the lead at the top of the stretch, as Allnight Moonlight ranged up while still covering extra ground. The pair squared off and battled to the wire with Allnight Moonlight winning by a neck. It was a big gap of ten lengths back to The Boss Soss in third. The running time for the mile was 1:39.59.
Bred by Coteau Grove Farms LLC and trained by David Terre, the winner is a 3-year-old colt sired by Ransom the Moon and out of the Medaglia d’Oro mare Gingertini. A winner for the fourth time from eight career starts, the $60,000 winner’s share pushes his career bankroll to $229,000.
Allnight Moonlight rewarded his backers with a $6 win price, $4.80 to place and $3.60 to show. Mangum paid $6.80 to place, $5.20 to show and The Boss Soss returned $6 to show.
LOUISIANA LIBERTY TAKES SOIREE STAKES IN DRAMATIC FASHION
Louisiana Liberty wins the Louisiana Legends Soiree Stakes. Kimmy Burrow, Coady Photography.
Jockey Gerard Melancon and Louisiana Liberty sustained a wide rally in a last to first move to capture the Soiree. The early fractions were steady as Highly Wicked set the pace with New Destiny and Sixth Anniversary close behind through an opening quarter mile in 24.08 seconds and a half-mile in 48.38 seconds. Louisiana Liberty was wide down the backside at the tail of the field and began to make some headway with a bid entering the far turn, as favored Star Moment also moved into contention. The duo moved in tandem to battle for the lead inside the final furlong, with Louisiana Liberty edging clear in the final yards to win by a half-length. It was another 1-3/4 lengths back to Highly Wicked holding on for the show spot. The final time for the mile was 1:40.79.
Bred by Coteau Grove Farms LLC and owned by Whispering Oaks Farm LLC (Carrol Castille), Louisiana Liberty is a 3-year-old filly sired by Cloud Computing. She is out of the Pleasant Tap mare Pleasantly Blessed. Winning for only the second time in 11 career starts, her career bankroll increases to $135,230.
Louisiana Liberty, trained by Steven Flint, paid $23.20 to win, $6.80 to place and $4 to show. Star Moment returned $2.60 to place, $2.20 to show and Highly Wicked paid $4.60 to show.
WOODS N WATER VICTORIOUS IN TURF STAKES
Woods N Water wins the Louisiana Legends Turf Stakes. Kimmy Burrow, Coady Photography.
Jockey Tommy Pompell sent Woods N Water through a narrow opening on the far turn to battle for the lead and edged clear to win the Turf. Always in close attendance to the early pace being set by Carlea’s Dream, Woods N Water was caught in some traffic as longshot Double on the Red made a bid nearest the rail entering the far turn. As the field approached the top of the stretch, Woods N Water kicked into another gear and burst through the pack to take the lead. The Lee Thomas trainee pulled away to win by 1-1/2 lengths in the end, with late closing Budro Talking running second and Deer Crossing another length back in third. The running time for the mile and a sixteenth on the turf was hand timed in 1:42.28.
Owned by Richard Painter and Dewberry Farm (John Kent III), the winner was sired by Palace and is out of the First Samurai mare Said and Done. Bred by Orange Grove Thoroughbreds, Inc. and Richard Painter, Woods N Water is a 4-year-old bay gelding. A winner for the sixth time in 17 starts, his career bankroll increases to $186,255.
Woods N Water returned $5.80 to win, $3.20 to place and $2.60 to show. Budro Talking paid $4.40 to place, $3.40 to show and Deer Crossing paid $3.80 to show.
DEL-CID PILOTS BLACK SWORD TO SPRINT VICTORY
Black Sword wins the Louisiana Legends Sprint Stakes. Kimmy Burrow, Coady Photography.
Black Sword captured his second stakes win of the season in the Sprint. Jockey Vicente Del-Cid was able to work out a trip similar to his triumph in the King Creole last month with a sharp start. Sitting just off the early fractions of 22.27 and 46.15 being set by Grunt, Black Sword ranged up to take the lead at the top of the stretch and pulled away to a convincing two-length margin over Big Chopper. Grunt held on well to finish third just a nose better than Mike J. The final time for the 5-1/2 furlongs was 1:04.84.
Trained by Ronnie Averett and owned by Treanor MD LLC (Leonard Treanor, MD), Black Sword is a 6-year-old dark bay or brown gelding. Bred by Margie Averett, he was sired by Awesome Sword and is out of the Devil His Due mare Black Mariah. A winner for the eighth time from 25 starts, his career bankroll increases to $274,705.
Black Sword returned $6.40 to win, $3.40 to place and $2.60 to show. Big Chopper paid $4.80 to place, $3.40 to show and Grunt paid $6.80 to show.
For more information on racing at Evangeline Downs, visit the track’s website atwww.evdracing.com and on Twitter @evdracing. Live racing resumes Thursday with a 5:30pm Central first post. The racing calendar for the remainder of the 2023 season is Thursday through Saturday schedule until the end of the meet on August 12.
You must be logged in to post a comment.