The Florida Horse - March 2023

FLORIDA THOROUGHBRED BREEDERS’ AND OWNERS’ ASSOCIATION

PRESIDENT

George Isaacs

CEO & EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT

Lonny Taylor Powell

FIRST VICE PRESIDENT

George Russell

SECOND VICE PRESIDENT

Francis Vanlangendonck

TREASURER

Joseph M. O’Farrell III

SECRETARY

Nick de Meric

IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT

Valerie Dailey

DIRECTORS

Fred Brei, T. Paul Bulmahn, Jerry D. Campbell, Marilyn Campbell, Laurine Fuller-Vargas, Mike Hall, Bobby Jones, Milan Kosanovich, Mary Lightner, Dr. Fred Yutani

PAST PRESIDENTS

Phil Matthews, DVM, Brent Fernung, Greg Wheeler, Don Dizney, John C. Weber, MD

ADMINISTRATIVE VICE PRESIDENT & CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER & ASSISTANT TREASURER

Peggy Yost

ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENTMEMBER SERVICES & EVENTS

Tammy A. Gantt

ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENTOPERATIONS

Steve Koch

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT & OFFICE MANAGER & ASSISTANT SECRETARY

Elaine K. Ansbacher

REGISTRATIONS & PAYMENTS COORDINATOR

Sheila Budden

STAFF ACCOUNTANTS

Liz Adorno

Kerrie Riber

ADMINISTRATIVE/MEMBERSHIP ASSISTANT

Vicki Davis

Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association Executive Office – 801 SW 60th Avenue Ocala, Florida 34474

(352) 629-2160 • Fax: (352) 629-3603 • e-mail: info@ftboa.com • www.ftboa.com

Office Hours: Monday - Friday 8:30 am - 4:30 pm. Closed 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm & Federal Holidays

World®

FLORIDA EQUINE COMMUNICATIONS

PRESIDENT/BOARD CHAIR

George Isaacs

FIRST VICE PRESIDENT

George Russell

SECOND VICE PRESIDENT

Francis Vanlangendonck

TREASURER

Joseph M. O’Farrell III

SECRETARY

Nick de Meric

CEO & PUBLISHER

Lonny Taylor Powell

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

Peggy Yost

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Brock Sheridan

ASSISTANT EDITOROPERATIONS & DEVELOPMENT

Steve Koch

CONTRIBUTING EDITORINDUSTRY & COMMUNITY AFFAIRS

Tammy A. Gantt

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

Antoinette Griseta

SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Nancy Moffatt

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Cynthia M. Harper

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Mari Black

© THE FLORIDA HORSE (ISSN 0090-967X) is published monthly except July by THE FLORIDA HORSE, INC., 801 SW 60th Ave., Ocala, Florida 34474, including the annual Statistical Review in February. Opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of Florida Equine Communications or the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association. Publication of any material originating herein is expressly forbidden without first obtaining written permission from THE FLORIDA HORSE©. Statistics in the publication relating to results of racing in North America are compiled from data generated by Daily Racing Form Equibase, Bloodstock Research Information Services, and The Jockey Club Information Systems Inc., the copyright owners of said data. Reproduction is prohibited. Advertising copy deadline 5th of month preceding publication. Subscriptions and change of address: Please mail to – Circulations Department. THE FLORIDA HORSE, 801 SW 60th Ave., Ocala, Florida 34474.

Florida Numbers in Kentucky Derby

Although winter weather continues throughout much of the country this time of year, spring typically comes to Florida much earlier and with it the excitement of the road to the Kentucky Derby and trail to the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred racing.

Whether one owns, trains or bred a contender for the Run for the Roses; or a potential Kentucky Derby runner or runners are graduates of your early training program or auction consignment, the thrill of participating in—or winning—an iconic sporting event such as the Kentucky Derby is without comparison.

According to the Kentucky Derby media guide, Florida breeders have produced 114 Kentucky Derby starters going back to 1966, but that does not include Needles (1956) and Carry Back (1961), both of whom won the Kentucky Derby; and Ishkoodah (1964), Roman Brother (1964), Flag Raiser (1965), Mr. Pak (1965) and Hail to All (1965). In total, there have been 121 Florida-bred starters in the Kentucky Derby.

By comparison, since 1966, California has produced 36 Kentucky Derby starters, New York (25), Maryland (21) and Pennsylvania (14).

In addition to Needles and Carry Back, Floridabred winners of the Kentucky Derby include Foolish Pleasure (1975), Affirmed (1978), Unbridled (1990) and Silver Charm (1997). Florida-bred Medina Spirit won the 2021 Kentucky Derby but was disqualified and placed last because of a medication violation. That case remains in court as of this writing.

There are also a dozen other Florida-breds who finished in the first three in their respective Kentucky Derby. They include Francie’s Hat (third, 1968), My Dad George (second, 1970), High Echelon (third, 1970), Honest Pleasure (second, 1976), Reinvested (third, 1982), Laser Light (second, 1982), Captain

Bodgit (second, 1997), Peace Rules (third, 2003), Afleet Alex (third, 2005), Closing Argument (second, 2005), Denis of Cork (third, 2008) and Mucho Macho Man, (third, 2011).

Outside of Kentucky, which has produced 114 winners with Last Strike’s victory in 2022, Virginia and California are closest to Florida in producing Derby winners with four each followed by Tennessee with three. Canada, England, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Texas have each produced two Derby winners.

Florida does not just send numbers to Kentucky for the first Saturday in May but quality as well. Sunshine State breeders have also produced Derby post time favorites Needles (1.6-1 odds in 1956), Carry Back (2.5-1 odds in 1961), My Dad George (2.8-1 odds in 1970), Foolish Pleasure (1.9-1 odds in 1975) Honest Pleasure (2-5 odds in 1976), Proud Appeal (2.3-1 odds as part of an entry in 1981), Total Departure (2.4-1 odds as part of an entry in 1983), Mister Frisky (1.9-1 odds in 1990), Holy Bull (2.2-1 odds in 1994), Captain Bodgit (3.1-1 odds in 1997) and Bellamy Road (2.6-1 odds in 2005).

Other Florida-breds who were highly regarded (with post time odds less than 5-1) going into the Kentucky Derby starting gate but were not the favorites include Hail to All (3.8-1 odds in 1965), Top Knight (2.3-1 odds in 1969), J. R.’s Pet (3.4-1 odds in 1974), Affirmed (1.81 odds in 1978), Muttering (4.2-1 odds in 1982) Brocco (4.3-1 odds in 1994) Silver Charm (4-1 odds in 1997) and Afleet Alex (4.5-1 odds in 2005).

As the weather continues to warm and this class of sophomore Thoroughbreds pursue points for a place in the Kentucky Derby starting gate, this year set to run on May 6, we will see if those Florida-bred numbers grow. TFH

Florida Focus

Stubborn Zydeceaux Upsets Pasco

Florida-bred Earns $50,000 FSS and $25,000 Florida-bred Win Bonuses

began to give chase in third. Zydeceaux finished the half-mile in :46.20 while still a length in front of Champions Dream to his outside as Loco Abarrio started to surrender on the rail.

A determined Zydeceaux fought off several challenges from 7-5 favorite Champions Dream in a stretch-long battle to win the $125,000 Pasco at Tampa Bay Downs on Jan. 14. A field of six 3-year-olds went seven furlongs in the Pasco for a purse of $50,000 plus a $50,000 Florida-bred win supplement and a $25,000 Florida Sire Stakes win supplement. Zydeceaux earned

Turning for home, jockey Sammy Camacho dropped Champions Dream to the inside of Zydeceaux and those two began their stretch-long battle. Champions Dream tried to draw even at the eighth-pole but Zydeceaux found more and spurted away before Champions Dream made another run at the leader approaching the sixteenth-mile marker. Twice more inside the last 100 yards, it appeared as if Champions Dream might threaten, but Zydeceaux continued to fight off his rival and eventually finished with a neck margin under the wire in 1:24.64 on the fast track.

Champions Dream was nearly nine lengths ahead of thirdplace finishing Florida-bred Shaq Diesel with Florida-breds Handsome Playboy and Loco Abarrio fourth and fifth respectively. Armstrong was sixth.

“He’s a very, very fast horse,” trainer Ramon Minguet said of Zydeceaux.

“I believed in my horse. I knew he was getting good and that he was going to try hard,” the 21-year-old Marin said. “He was strong from the beginning and I knew I had a lot of horse in my hands. When I asked him [at the top of the stretch], I knew he was going to roll.”

Zydeceaux paid $21.40.

the two supplements, both presented by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association.

Zydeceaux, who was the longest shot in the field at 9-1, broke best of all from post six with jockey Samuel Marin aboard and led the field out of the chute and onto the main track where he was joined to his inside by Loco Abarrio. Those two had a length-anda-half lead on Shaq Diesel in third down the backstretch where they sped through a quarter-mile in :22.75.

Loco Abarrio stuck a head in front before they reached the half-mile marker but Zydeceaux fought back and began to separate from his rival going around the turn as Champions Dream

Despite the long odds, it was the second consecutive victory for Zydeceaux, who had won a $25,000 optional claiming starter allowance at Gulfstream going seven furlongs in his previous start on Dec. 24. He has now won three with one second and one third from five career starts and the $105,000 payday pushed his career bankroll to $153,540.

Zydeceaux was impressive from the start of his career as he broke his maiden by nine lengths going five-and-a-half furlongs at Gulfstream in August. He was then second in a $25,000 optional claiming starter allowance won by Shaq Diesel in October before finishing third in an allowance race won by Carabinero at Gulfstream on Dec. 4.

Zydeceaux is owned by Stud Carmen Cristina LLC and was bred by Dee Ellen Cook and Suzette Parker. The bay gelding is by Stonehedge Farm South stallion Cajun Breeze out of Wink At The Boys, by Graeme Hall.

He was purchased by Jose Carrillo Pujol at the 2021 Ocala Breeders’ Sales October Sale where he was consigned by Francis and Barbara Vanlangendonck’s Summerfield Sales, LLC.

Zydeceaux is the first stakes winner for Wink At The Boys, whose four starters are all winners. She also has a 2-year-old full-sister to Zydeceaux in Cajun Calypso. n

First Foal Born for Uncle Chuck

Journeyman Stud announced Jan. 10 the first reported foal for stallion Uncle Chuck. Bred in Florida by Daniel Pita, the filly is the first foal out of the unraced Mineshaft mare, Oceana and was born on Jan. 4.

“We’re excited to see the first of the Uncle Chuck babies this year. If his foals all look like this filly, we’re golden,” Journeyman Stud’s Brent Fernung said. “Uncle Chuck bred 133 mares in 2022.

Lightening Larry Goes Gate to Wire in Sunshine Sprint

Lightening Larry shot out of post one with jockey Jose Morelos aboard for the first time and the new team proved successful with a dominant two-and-a-half-length victory in the $75,000 Sunshine Spr int at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 14. The six-furlong Sunshine Sprint featured a field of seven Florida-breds, 4-yearsold and older.

It was the first victory in four starts for the Jorge Delgado trainee, who last won on the Preakness undercard when taking the Grade 3 Chick Lang at six furlongs on May 21.

“To me, he’s always been the same. I never lost any hope with him,” Delgado said. “He’s a great horse. Sometimes, they get bad trips. Sometimes, everything goes their way. He is a great horse and he showed it today.

That not only made him the runaway leader in Florida by number of mares bred, but Uncle Chuck also led all stallions in the United States that stood outside of Kentucky in the same category.”

Uncle Chuck entered stud in 2022 at Journeyman Stud.

Sired by champion 2-year-old and leading sire Uncle Mo, Uncle Chuck is out of the brilliantly fast Forest Music, a Grade 2-winning daughter of Unbridled’s Song.

As good as Forest Music was on the racetrack, she has proven to be an even better producer as she is also the dam of outstanding sire, Maclean’s Music, and graded stakes-winners Kentuckian and Electr ic Forest.

A tremendously talented racehorse, Uncle Chuck broke his maiden as a 3-year-old in his first start, running a mile in 1:36.78 while blowing away his competition by seven lengths. Returning three weeks later, Uncle Chuck soundly defeated graded-winner Thousand Words by four lengths in the Grade 3 Los Alamitos Derby, running the mile-and-an-eighth in 1:47.65, just .60 of a second off Shared Belief’s track record. In his final start in the Travers (G1) a month later, Uncle Chuck went off as the second choice to Tiz the Law but finished off the board when injured in the race and subsequently retired.

“We’ve had a lot of success with royally-bred, lightly-raced horses in the past like Wildcat Heir and Khozan,” Fernung said. “Uncle Chuck is in that mold.”

Uncle Chuck stands for $6,500 as the property of a syndicate.

--Journeyman Stud Press Release n

Gatsby, in post two, broke a step faster than Lightening Larry to start the Sunshine Sprint but Morelos had his 5-year-old mount in front by a length in just a few strides. Lightening Larry continued with his length advantage down the backstretch while comfortably clicking off the first two furlongs in :22.46 as Boca Boy, Unsociable and Gatsby gave pursuit in a joint second.

Lightening Larry raced around the far turn with the same onelength margin on his three foes while completing the half-mile in :46.85, but Gatsby was the only one to keep up as they began coming out of the turn. Cajun’s Magic suddenly made an appearance from last on the far outside and Gatsby finally surrendered on the rail as Lightening Larry began to race away from the competition.

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Lightening Larry finished up two-and-a-half lengths the better of Cajun’s Magic in second in a final time of 1:12.61 on the fast track. Gatsby was another four-and-three-quarters lengths back in third with Legal Deal, Boca Boy, Legends Can’t Die and Unsociable completing the order of finish.

“I’ll plan another handicap or another [Florida-bred] stakes and then I’ll go back with the big dogs with him,” Delgado continued.

Lightening Larry paid $7 to win.

After winning the Chick Lang, Lightening Larry was fifth in the $108,000 Jersey Shore won by Provocateur at Monmouth Park in August and ninth in the Grade 2 Gallant Bob won by Scaramouche at Parx in September. Delgado gave him two months off before bringing him back to finish third in a high level, $62,500 optional claiming won by No Que No over six furlongs at Gulfstream on Nov. 26 in his last start before the Sunshine Sprint.

Lightening Larry races for Lea Farms LLC, the nom de course of Bill Cosgrove of Cleveland, Ohio, who purchased the son of Uncaptured for $50,000 out of the Pick View consignment at the 2021 OBS March Sale.

He has now won five with four seconds and a third in 13 career starts while earning $363,360.

Bred by Michelle Redding, Lightening Larry is out of Moon and Sun, by Malibu Moon. Moon and Sun has three winners from five starters with Lightening Larry as her only black type earner. Lightening Larry has an unnamed 3-year-old half-brother by The Big Beast; and a 2-year-old, unnamed half-brother by Enticed. n

Exercise Rider Dies at Tampa Bay Downs

Exercise rider Daniel Quintero, 19, died as a result of a training accident in the pre-dawn hours of Jan. 21 at Tampa Bay Downs.

According to several reports, Quintero was exercising a horse at Tampa Bay Downs for trainer Robert Werneth with his feet out of the irons. His horse wheeled and turned into the path of an oncoming horse and collided, killing Quintero.

Quintero was a native of Venezuela and had come to the United States last year with his father Ivan Quintero and brother Darwin Quintero, both of Miami. Daniel’s mother, Jaquelys Rivera, lives in Caracas. An older brother, Diego, resides in Colombia, and a sister, Samantha, and another brother, Juan Pablo, live in Venezuela.

Daniel Quintero was aspiring to become a jockey.

He had also recently galloped horses at Palm Meadows Training Center in Boynton Beach, Fla. before traveling to Tampa Bay Downs to work. n

Sweet Dani Girl Takes Sunshine Filly and Mare Turf

J & J Stables LLC and Nicholas Vaccarezza’s Sweet Dani Girl won for the first time since her victory in the $150,000 Myrtlewood at Keeneland in October as she took the $75,000 Sunshine Filly and Mare Turf Saturday at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 14. The Sunshine Filly and Mare Turf featured a field of nine Florida-bred fillies and mares who went a mile on the grass.

Ridden by Joel Rosario from post three, Sweet Dani Girl took the field of nine Florida-bred fillies and mares into the clubhouse turn while racing just to the inside of Sugar Fix in second.

Coming out of the turn, Sweet Dani Girl jumped out to a solo lead to finish the first quarter-mile in in :24.92 while a length in front of Crystal Coast in second with Sugar Fix third. They stayed in that order down the backstretch to finish the half-mile in :48.84. In the far turn, Crystal Coast raced up to challenge Sweet Dani Girl from between horses as Sugar Fix moved into contention while three-wide. Crystal Coast and Sugar Fix appeared to move past Sweet Dani Girl coming out of the turn before the latter jumped away from her rivals after six furlongs in 1:12.70.

Sweet Dani Girl kept clear down the stretch and held off a late run by Mona Stella to win by a length in 1:35.67 on the firm turf. Mona Stella was second, three-quarters of a length faster than Sugar Fix in third. They were followed, in order, by Sonar, Don’t Get Khozy, Crystal Coast, Extravagant Rosie and Lookinglikeaqueen.

“I had a very good trip,” Rosario said. “She broke sharp and

[assistant trainer] Reynaldo [Abreu] told me to just let her get into her stride and go from there. It looked like we were going to be on the lead but the outside horse [Crystal Coast] had some speed. My filly was there and she was able to keep coming at the end. She was digging in there at the end and getting better.”

Sweet Dani Girl paid $8 to win after making her first start in eight months.

She last raced at Churchill Downs in May when fifth behind winner Matareya in the Grade 2 Eight Belles. Between her victory in the Myrtlewood, which came in her second career start, Sweet Dani Girl was third in the $193,000 Fern Creek won by Marissa’s Lady at Churchill in November of 2021 and fourth in the Grade 2 Davona Dale won by Kathleen O. at Gulfstream Park in March.

Trained by Carlo Vaccarezza, Sweet Dani Girl has now won half of her six career starts with one third and earnings of $209,565.

Sweet Dani Girl is by Ocala Stud stallion Jess’s Dream out of My Sweet Dani Girl, by Scat Daddy and was bred by J & J Stables LLC and Carlo Vaccarezza. Sweet Dani Girl is the only winner from three starters for My Sweet Dani Girl who has an unnamed 2-year-old colt by Adios Charlie and an unnamed yearling colt by Dak Attack. She was bred to Code of Honor in 2022. n

First Foal Arrives for Chance It

Shooting Star Thoroughbreds’ first-year stallion Chance It, who is Grade 1-placed and was the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association champion 2-year-old male of 2019, was represented by his first reported foal Jan. 4 at Jeff Crooks’ Olsen & Crooks Acres in Ocala, Fla.

Bred by Jeff Crooks, the bay filly is out of the multiple winning mare Jost Sayin, by Big Drama, who hit the board in 12 of 30

career starts with three wins, four seconds and five thirds while banking $93,965.

Chance It, second in his first start as a 2-year-old, won his second start at Gulfstream Park, garnering the highest Beyer Speed Figure of any 2-year-old in the country at that time. He then won the $100,000 FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes Dr. Fager; was second, beaten a head, in $200,000 FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes Affirmed and romped by more than seven lengths in the $400,000 FTBOA Florida Sires Stakes In Reality at a mile-and-a-sixteenth—all at Gulfstream Park.

He went on to win the $100,000 Mucho Macho Man at Gulfstream in the first start of his 3-year-old year before sustaining an injury in the Grade 2 Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby at Tampa Bay Downs. In his 4-year-old year, he was second in the Grade 3 Smile Sprint at Gulfstream and third in the Grade 1 Forego at Saratoga.

Chance It retired in 2021 with earnings of $583,330.

Chance It is by Currency Swap out of Vagabon Diva, by Pleasantly Perfect and stands at Journeyman Stallions. His advertised fee this year remains at $2,000, live foal, stands and nurses.

Shooting Star Thoroughbreds Press Release n

Colonel Liam Heads to Ocala Stud

Trained by Todd Pletcher for Robert and Lawana Low, Colonel Liam retires with earnings of $1,812,565 from seven wins and a third in 12 starts.

In addition to his two victories in the prestigious Pegasus World Cup Turf in 2021 and 2022, the son of Liam’s Map out of the Bernardini mare Amazement won the Grade 1 Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic at Churchill Downs, the Grade 2 Muniz

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Memorial Classic at Fair Grounds and the $75,000 Tropical Park Derby at Gulfstream.

He was a $1.2 million purchase by the Lows at the 2019 OBS Spring Sale where he was consigned by Ciaran Dunne’s Wavertree Stables.

Colonel Liam will stand for a fee of $6,500 S&N. For more information on Colonel Liam, contact Ocala Stud at (352) 237-2171.

–Ocala Stud Press Release n

Tyler Gaffalione Reaches 2,000-Win Milestone

Jockey Tyler Gaffalione rode his 2,000th winner Jan. 20 at Gulfstream Park, where his burgeoning riding career began back in 2014.

The 28-year-old native of Davie, Fla., had closed to within one victory of 2,000 wins earlier in t he day aboard pick-up mount Temerity ($8), a Florida-bred daughter of Ocala Stud stallion Adios Charlie, before reaching the milestone aboard Megacity ($10) in Race 6.

“I feel so blessed. I just want to thank the people who have gotten me to this point, all the people who put in numerous hours in the mornings to make my job easier,” Gaffalione said. “I love what I do. I love being here. It couldn’t have happened at a better place, my home track.”

Gaffalione, who won his first race on only his third mount, Holdin’ Bullets Sept. 5, 2014 at Gulfstream, enjoyed considerable success right from the start, being honored with an Eclipse Award for the outstanding apprentice jockey in 2015.

“I was a little worried we weren’t going to get it done today and then we’re going out of town tomorrow,” Gaffalione said about his scheduled mounts at Fair Grounds Saturday. “But it all worked out.”

Gaffalione notched Win No. 2,001 aboard Concrete Glory ($5.20) in Race 9.

Gaffalione, whose father and grandfather were jockeys, is coming off a career-best 2022 season, during which he won seven Grade 1 races, including the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (Grade 1) aboard White Abarrio. He also won his first two Breeders’ Cup races with Wonder Wheel in the NetJets Juvenile Fillies (G1) and Caravel in the Turf Sprint (G1).

Wonder Wheel’s Hall of Fame trainer Mark Case provided Gaffalione with his first success in a Triple Crown race with 2019 Preakness Stakes (G1)-winner War of Will.

Gaffalione has established himself as Kentucky’s most dominant jockey for the past several years while annually ranking among t he top jocks during Gulfstream’s Championship Meet.

Gulfstream Park Press Office n

Alvarado Hits 2,000-Win Mark

Jockey Junior Alvarado rode Broadway Force ($7.80) to victory in Race 5 at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 21 to reach the 2,000-win career milestone.

“It hasn’t come easy for me—I’ve had a lot of injuries—but that’s what makes every win worth it,” Alvarado said following a winner ’s circle celebration for his career r iding feat. “A Grade 1 or a claiming race, I’m grateful for each win. I don’t take anything for granted.”

“It seems like a whole year since winning a race. I wanted it so bad. It seems like I was riding against 10 horses for each horse I was riding,” Alvarado said after going winless in his 10 starts since winning his 1,999th race on Jan. 18. “Maybe I was over-trying. Today, I had a mindset to take it race by race, take it easy and not overdo anything.”

Alvarado is coming off a memorable and successful 2022 racing season, during which he rode Mott-trained Olympiad to four graded-stakes victories, including a win in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1). He finished second on Olympiad in the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) behind Flightline but found the Keeneland winner ’s circle aboard Mott-trained Cody’s Wish, who scored a feel-good triumph in the Big Ass Fans Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1).

Alvarado, who rode his first career winner at La Rinconada, Venezuela in 2005, rode his first U.S. winner (Rodolfo Garcia-trained Satira) at Gulfstream Feb. 17, 2007, 15 days after making his U.S. debut at the Hallandale Beach track.

Gulfstream Park Press Office n

Veteran Roaring Forties Gets First Stakes Win in Sunshine Turf

Borders Racing Stable Ltd.’s Roaring Forties won his first career stakes at the age of seven on Jan. 21 at Gulfstream Park as the determined veteran captured the $75,000 Sunshine Turf against older Florida-breds going a mile-and-a-sixteenth on the turf.

Florida after shipping from Woodbine Racecourse, where he had made all 23 of his career starts.

He was most recently sixth, beaten just three lengths by winner Candy Overload in the Grade 2 Kennedy Road going six furlongs on the all-weather main surface at Woodbine on Nov. 27. His last victory came three starts prior to the Sunshine Turf in a high level, $80,000 optional claimers going six-and-a-half furlongs on the grass on Sept. 5 before finishing fifth in the Grade 2 Neartic won by Cazadero going six furlongs on the turf on Oct. 8.

Roaring Forties is by Stormy Atlantic out of Sweet Tart, by Lemon Drop Kid and was bred by Stroud Lane Farm. He is a half-brother to River Rush, winner of the 2012 Plate Trial; and six other winners from eight starters produced by Sweet Tart. Sweet Tart has an unraced yearling filly, La Mentirosa, by Almasty. n

Maryquitecontrary Grows to Grade 2 Status With Inside Information Victory

Rodney G. Lundock’s Florida homebred Maryquitecontrary took her fifth consecutive race and has now won six of seven career starts with her score in the Grade 2 Inside Information at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 28. The $200,000 Inside Information, at seven furlongs, had a field of 10 fillies and mares, 4-years-old and older, including 4-5 favorite Obligatory, winner of the Grade 1 t

Trained by Katerina Vassilieva and ridden by Shaun Bridgmohan, Roaring Forties went straight to the front from the outside post seven in the Sunshine Turf and never relinquished the lead on his way to a half-length victory ahead of Hot Blooded in second with Me and Mr. C third. Lure Him In was fourth followed by 2-1 favorite Max K.O. and Braccio Di Ferro. Indy Lyon was scratched.

Roaring Forties led by two lengths while finishing the first quarter-mile in :23.10 with Max K.O. in closest pursuit in second. Max K.O. kept Roaring Forties within striking distance down the backstretch and pulled within a length-and-a-half of the frontrunner while they finished the half-mile in :47.69.

Max K.O. continued to close the gap around the far turn as Hot Blooded began to race into contention while three-wide but Roaring Forties found another gear turning for home and extended his lead to two lengths in mid-stretch. Hot Blooded made a late run but ran out of turf while Roaring Forties finished in 1:40.57 on the firm course.

Roaring Forties paid $17 to win.

Roaring Forties was making his first career start in his native

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Continued from page 13

Derby City Distaff at Churchill and fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1) won by Goodnight Olive most recently.

Sent off as the second choice at 5-2 in the Inside Information, Maryquitecontrary also won her second straight and third career stakes having won the $125,000 Rampart going a mile at Gulfstream on Dec. 31 and the $65,000 Sheer Drama against Florida-bred fillies and mares going seven furlongs at Gulfstream on Sept. 10.

With her regular rider Luca Panici aboard, Maryquitecontrary broke from post seven and was sandwiched a bit at the start when longshot Jag Warrior drifted out from post six. Panici and Maryquitecontrary appeared unfazed as they then dropped back to last early while Florida-bred R Adios Jersey and Fire On Time sprinted clear to lead the field through the first quarter-mile in :22.41. Fire On Time took a three-quarter-length advantage on R Adios Jersey around the far turn as Maryquitecontrary began to pass horses from far back.

After a half-mile in :45.38, Fire On Time continued with her same one-length margin on R Adios Jersey leaving the far turn but drew clear at the top of the stretch. R Adios Jersey chased in second on the rail from two lengths back as Maryquitecontrary was now third on far outside but still had more than three lengths to make up.

Fire On Time held on until they hit the sixteenth pole when Maryquitecontrary jetted to the lead and drew clear to win by two-and-a-half lengths in 1:23.46 on the fast track. Colorful Mischief was second, a length in front of Fire On Time in third. Florida-bred R Adios Jersey held on for fourth followed by Last Leaf, Obligatory, Famed, Jag Warrior, Diamond Wow and Miss Speedy.

“I was squeezed after the break. [Maryquitecontrary] was a little bit nervous and I lost a half-length after the break. But they were running in front and I was sitting confident like always with her,” Panici said. “When I got to the clear, she started to kick and she kicked until the end. She’s improving race after race and today she showed what she can do.”

Trainer Joseph Catanese III also noted that Maryquitecontary appears to be progressing with each race and doing so with enthusiasm.

“[Mar yquitecontrary] keeps getting better and better. She’s a pleasure. We’ll keep finding races for her here,” Catanese said.

Maryquitecontrary paid $7.20 on a $2 win ticket.

Maryquitecontrary is by Double Diamond Farm’s First Dude out of Mary Kate ‘n Kelly, by Mecke and now has earnings of $338,580 from her seven starts. Mary Kate ‘n Kelly has four winners from five starters with Maryquitecontrary being her only black type earner. She was bred to Ocala Stud stallion Adios Charlie in 2022. n

Havnameltdown Makes Easy Work of San Vicente

Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman’s Havnameltdown appeared to have an easy time of winning the $196,000 San Vicente (Grade 2) at Santa Anita on Jan. 29 as the Florida-bred colt cruised to a length-and-a-half victory against three other sophomores going seven furlongs.

Ridden by Juan Hernandez for trainer Bob Baffert, Havnameltdown broke best of all from the inside post in the San Vicente and used the fast start to assume control of the short field. The pair never looked back as they led by a length ahead of Man Child in second while clicking off the first two furlongs in :22.46 on the fast track.

Havnameltdown extended his lead around the far turn as Faustin joined Man Child in second after a half-mile in :45.46 and began to pull clear as they turned into the stretch. Havnameltdown was three in front mid-way from home before Faustin made a mild run to get second. Fort Warren was another eight-and-three-quarters-lengths back in third while Man Child finished last.

“I felt out of the gate with the first jump, [Havnameltdown] broke really fast and strong then after that I felt like I was just cruising,” Hernandez said. “He was having fun out there. He was kind of waiting for horses. I was doing the same thing. I was just waiting for him and waiting for the competition to get close to me so I could start making my horse run. At the three-eighths, I felt the pressure a little bit and I asked him and he responded really well. Turning for home he switched leads and he picked it up by himself.”

Continued on page 16

Florida Focus

Continued from page 14

The final time on the fast track was 1:22.29 and Havnameltdown paid $4 to win as the even-money favorite.

“ This horse is built for this distance,” Baffert said. “That’s him. One turn. He will stay one turn.”

It was the second straight graded stakes victory for Hernandez and Havnameltdown, who won the Grade 3 Bob Hope, also at seven furlongs, at Del Mar on Nov. 20. Hernandez also rode Havnameltdown to victory in the Grade 3 Best Pal at Del Mar in August. Mike Smith rode Havnameltdown in his only career defeat when second to Cave Rock in the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity in September.

Havnameltdown has now won four of five starts with the one second and the $120,000 first-place check in San Vicente im-

Remi Cartoon

proved his earnings to $408,000.

Havnameltdown was a $200,000 purchase by The Three Amigos out of the Blas Perez Stables, LLC consignment at OBS April last year. Perez took him for $16,000 out of the Beth Bayer Consignment, LLC at the 2021 OBS October Sale. He is by Uncaptured out of Ashley’s Babe, by Put It Back and was bred in Florida by Katherine S. Devall.

Ashley’s Babe has produced six foals but only three starters and Havnameltdown is the only winner. However, she is a half-sister to stakes winners Jay’s Way, Who What Win and Ayoumilove and stakes-producer Jim’s Lonesa, the dam of Florida Sire Stakes My Dear Girl-winner Two Sixty. TFH

FTBOA, FTHA, Gulfstream Park Announce 2023 Florida-Bred 2-Year-Old Incentives

FTBOA, FTHA and Gulfstream Park today announced 2023 Florida-bred racing incentives at Gulfstream Park totaling $1.75 million.

The renewed Florida-Bred Incentive Fund will distribute a total of $450,000 in bonuses to Florida-bred 2-year-old maiden winners. The 2023 Florida Sire Stakes series, to be run at Gulfstream for the tenth consecutive year, offers $1.2 million in purses.

The FBIF program offers Florida-bred 2-year-old open maiden winners a minimum bonus of $2,500 for maiden claiming races and up to $10,000 for a Florida-bred 2-year-old winning an open maiden special weight race at Gulfstream.

This program was created thanks to a joint “Tri-party” Agreement between 1/ST RACING, the Florida Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association and the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ & Owners’ Association. FTHA has pledged additional funds from the purse account to ensure that FBIF bonuses are available the entire 2023 racing year.

“It’s imperative that we all work together to promote and build a robust breeding and racing industry in the state of Florida,” Billy Badgett, 1/ST RACING’s Executive Director of Flori da Racing Operations, said. “To that end, it’s important to attract new owners to our sport throughout Florida and the industry. These incentives, and the change in dates of the pop ular Florida Sire Stakes program, gives us a great opportunity to fulfill these goals.”

The FTBOA offers an additional $100,000 of win bonuses for eligible Florida-sired winners of open maiden special weight overnights, paying $5,000 for up to 10 filly races and 10 colts/geldings races. Combined with the FBIF and FTHA contributions, registered Florida-sired Florida-bred winners in open maiden special weight races collect as much as $15,000 in added incentives.

The dates of the $1.2 million FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes series move later in the calendar to provide owners and trainers more time to prepare for these important races. The 2023 dates of the FSS races will be:

Sept. 9 – $100,000 FSS Desert Vixen S. and $100,000 FSS Dr. Fager S. at six furlongs

Oct. 21 – $200,000 FSS Susan’s Girl S. and $200,000 FSS Affirmed S. at seven furlongs

Dec. 2 – $300,000 FSS My Dear Girl S. and $300,000 In Reality S. at 1 mile 1/16th “Florida’s stakeholders are aligned with one focus – what can we do to help our breeding and racing industries?” FTHA President Joe Orseno said. “We need to find ways to make it worthwhile for breeders and owners to invest in our state. We believe that the new Bonus Program will encourage greater interest in buying and breeding Florida-breds. By moving the dates of the FSS races, late-developing 2-year-olds will have a better chance of participating. We are excited about the future of the

FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER SERVICES

Wilton Simpson, Commissioner www.FDACS.gov

Tapit Colt Tops OBS Winter Mixed Sale

The Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company started their 2023 auction season Jan. 24 with their two-day Winter Mixed Sale that saw even trading of yearlings, broodmares and horses of racing age. The two-day auction began with a Preferred Session and Horses of Racing Age Session on the first day and continued the following day with an Open Session.

A bay colt by Tapit got the auction off to a good start during the Preferred Session when Dave Cannizzo as agent went to $225,000 to obtain the half-brother to stakes-placed runner Miss Boom Boom. Consigned by Stuart Morris as agent, the colt is out of Heat Street, by Street Cry (Ire) and was catalogued as Hip 42.

Cannizzo was the sale’s leading buyer with the lone purchase. Fire at Will Syndicate was the second leading buyer having purchased six head for $185,000 while Machmer Hall bought two head for $180,000.

Kaizen Sales topped all consignors with $728,900 in gross sales from 42 head while Summerfield sold 40 horses for $537,000. Beth Bayer consigned 22 horses that generated $449,000 in gross sales.

The Preferred Session sold 96 head for $2,601,700 for an average of $27,101, the highest average for the first day of the Winter Mixed Sale since 2007 when the average was $33,900. The average also represented a 29.7% increase compared to last year’s Preferred Session when 147 head averaged $20,893. The $19,000 median price nearly doubles last year’s $10,000 median.

The Horses of Racing Age Session produced $1,466,800 from selling 89 head for an average

price of $16,481. Last year during the corresponding session, 81 head sold for $1,499,700 for an average of $18,515. The median price dropped from $11,000 last year to $10,000 for the Horses of Racing Age Session.

During the Open Session, 183 head sold for $2,072,200 compared to last year’s Open Session when 186 horses generated $2,075,600 in gross sales. The average was $11,323, a 1.47% jump from the $11,159 average last year. The median of $7,500 Wednesday compares to $7,000 last year, equating to a 7.14% increase.

The average for both days was $16,711, an increase of 4% compared to the two-day average during last year’s January Sale. Gross sales were down slightly in 2023 as 383 head sold for $6,400,200 compared to 414 selling for $6,646,600 last year.

Pleasant Acres Stallions resident Gunnevera was represented by a $100,000 Florida-bred yearling from his first crop as Hip 29 went to new owner Machmer Hall. Consigned by Danielle Loya’s Silver Oaks Farm as agent, the dark bay or brown colt is out of Emotional Roar, by Roar of the Tiger, a half-sister to Grade 3 Gotham-winner Mayakovsky and graded-stakes producers Uniquely Appealing and Emotional Outburst. The colt was bred by Ivan Car rera.

Hip 53, a Florida-bred colt by Instilled Regard, went for $90,000 on a final bid by H.H. as agent. Consigned by breeder Beth Bayer as agent, the colt is out of the stakes-placed Know It All Anna, by Midnight Lute, a half-sister to stakes-placed Street Icon. Instilled Regard’s first foals are yearlings this year.

Also garnering a bid of $90,000 was Hip 54, a bay filly by

Practical Joke out of La Milanesa, by Mr. Greeley. Purchased by Hanibal Smith and consigned by Noble Oaks Farm LLC as agent, the filly is a half-sister to Smart N Fancy-winner Ginger N Rye. La Milanesa is a half-sister to Grade 2 Meadowlands Breeders’ Cup-winner Bowman’s Band, stakes-placed College Hill and graded-stakes producers Lianda and Etats Unis.

Hip 321 also sold for $90,000 to Wayne Catalano as agent. Clever Joke is a 3-year-old filly by Practical Joke out of the Looking at Lucky mare La Piba, winner of the West Virginia Senate President’s Cup and a half-sister to stakes-winner Mobil Solution and stakes-producers Splendid Solution and Queen of Empire.

H.H. as agent also purchased Hip 61, a Florida-bred colt by first crop sire Global Campaign, for $82,000 from the consignment of Richard Kent’s Kaizen Sales as agent. The colt is out of the Yes It’s True mare Maid in Heaven, a full sister to Grade 3 Kenny Noe-winner Yesbyjimminy and stakes-placed Qureall; and a half-sister to stakes-winners Magic Mecke and A.J. Melini. The colt was bred in the Sunshine State by Katherine Nielsen and Gem Racing Inc.

Hip 113 also generated a bid of $82,000 from First Finds. Consigned by Beth Bayer as agent, the dark bay or brown colt is by first crop sire McKinzie out of Speedy Bird, by Birdstone, a half-sister to Grade 3 Allaire DuPont Distaff-winner Super Quick and graded stakes-placed, stakes-winner Viva Majorca and stakes-winner Quick Quick Quick.

The next sale on the OBS calendar is the prestigious March Sale of 2-year-olds in training, which has been expanded to three days this year. The March Sale will run March 20-22 and the Under Tack program will be conducted Tuesday-Friday, March 14-17. TFH

1) The Board reviewed a recently issued Independent Auditors’ Report regarding the financial statements of the FTBOA and its subsidiaries for the year ended June 30, 2022, including statements of activities and cash flows and related notes. The Independent Auditors’ Report was prepared by the accounting firm of Pur vis, Gray & Company, a regional accounting firm founded in 1946 that has extensive audit experience with nonprofit organizations.

Af ter the auditors’ presentation, the FTBOA Board of Directors voted to accept the Independent Auditors’ Report as presented. This Report was previously presented by the auditors to the FTBOA Audit Committee and the FTBOA Executive Committee.

2) In his remarks, FTBOA CEO Lonny Powell updated the Board on HISA implementation and the recent public comments submitted by the Association to the Florida Gaming Control Commission, urging the state to find ways to fund HISA regulatory costs (see Wire to Wire, Nov. 12-13, page 7). Lawsuits challenging the validity of HISA are working their way through the courts.

Powell also noted that the portion of the Nov. 29 Executive Committee meeting dealing with the Executive Committee’s consideration of the 2023 Florida-Bred Stakes Agreement for Tampa Bay Downs will be open to the public to provide comments and/or observe the proceedings.

Powell briefed the Board on the current status of communications with Gulfstream and the FTHA on ADW and on the 2023 Flor ida-Bred Stakes Agreement for Gulfstream Park.

3) President George Isaacs thanked the Board for their service and stated his goals for his presidency, including more PAC fundraising. He emphasized the importance of continuing the Association’s legislative efforts and the need to focus on growing the industry’s PAC.

4) Matt Bryan (outside lobbyist) briefed the Board regarding the results of the recent general election and the make-up of the

Florida Legislature and executive branch, to include incoming Dept. of Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson who has been a supporter of the Thoroughbred industry. He highlighted 2023 legislative goals.

5) Warren Husband (outside legal counsel) briefed the Board on legal and regulatory developments surrounding: (a) the pending federal court challenge to the new Seminole Gaming Compact, which is currently on appeal; (b) the state court case brought by the Florida Standardbred Breeders to challenge the “decoupling” provisions of the 2021 pari-mutuel law; (c) the ongoing implementation of HISA, the funding challenges it presents and possible state legislative action, and the pending federal court challenges to the law creating HISA; (d) recent activity at the new Florida Gaming Control Commission; and (e) the recent election defeat of two well-financed sports wagering ballot initiatives in California.

6) Tammy Gantt (Assoc. VP Membership/Events) provided the Board with important dates and deadlines, including the Jan. 15 Florida Sire Stakes two-year-old payment deadline for $250, which increases to $500 from Jan. 16 - Feb. 28, and the last chance deadline for yearlings that may have missed the earlier payment deadlines (Jan. 15 for $5,000).

Additional dates included the Florida Sire Stakes races at Tampa Bay Downs on Dec. 10 and the FTBOA Member Charity Open House on Dec. 2.

Gantt highlighted the Ocala downtown Walk of Fame, which will feature bronze stars memorializing famed Florida-breds who are in the National Racing Hall of Fame or are Eclipse Award national champions. George Isaacs is the chair for the committee.

7) Board member Laurine Fuller-Vargas briefed the Board on the Run for the Ribbons horse show series that she founded to publicize the versatility of retired thoroughbreds. She also shared her vision for the 6th Florida Thoroughbred Transformation Expo at the Florida Horse Park to be held Dec. 9-11. TFH

At its regularly scheduled meeting on Nov. 18, 2022, the board of directors of the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association considered the following:

No tax on stallion seasons

No personal state income tax

No individual capital gains tax

National leader in veterinary and equine research

Ranks second in the U.S. for number of thoroughbred horses

Feed and animal health items, along with other specific items, are also exempt

Horses are exempt from sales tax when purchased from their original breeder

Florida’s greenbelt exemption provides property taxbreaks for Florida horse farms

Physical climate allows for year-round training, racing, showing and business opportunities

FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER SERVICES

Editor’s Note: It has been 55 years since Florida-bred Dr. Fager was named the 1968 Horse of the Year, champion older horse, champion sprinter and champion grass horse. No Thoroughbred since has earned four titles in one year. Author JoAnn Guidry remembers the famous champion in her book Winner’s Circle: The Legacy of the Florida Thoroughbred Industry which can be purchased at the FTBOA headquarters, 801 SW 60th Avenue, Ocala; 352-629-2160. The following is printed with permission from Ms. Guidry.

Dr.Fagerwinning1968WashingtonParkHandicap©KeenelandLibraryTbredTimesCollection

While some racehorses are said to defy description, Dr. Fager inspired a barnful of them. Take your pick: speed demon; runaway train; fire-breathing dragon; freak of nature; suicidal speedster; heat-seeking missile. All those nicknames and more suited the 16.2 hands, rangy dark bay with just a speck of white on his forehead; his long flowing mane and tail giving him the air of a wild stallion. But it was his undeniable talent, his eyebrow-raising speed that made him a racing legend.

In but 22 starts, Dr. Fager was never worse than third and that only happened once. It should be noted that he won the Jersey Derby but was disqualified to fourth. He posted 18 wins, 16 of those stakes wins, two seconds and one third—all in stakes—and banked $1,002,642. Dr. Fager carried 130 pounds or more in his last eight starts, winning seven of them. And just to round out his resume, he won a stakes race on the grass too. Dr. Fager raced before the 1973 implementation of the North American graded stakes system.

Dr. Fager was an equine sports car with three speeds—fast, faster and record-setting. He set three track records, equaled another and set a world record that at this writing still stands 55 years later. A sprinter at heart, Dr. Fager could also carry his speed, winning beyond a mile with aplomb. No matter the racetrack or the distance, when Dr. Fager broke from the gates, his was a scorched-track racing style.

Dr. Fager raced from 1966-1968, prior to the advent of the Eclipse Awards in 1971 to designate national champions. Beginning in 1950, Daily Racing Form and the Thoroughbred Racing Association each named year-end champions. Usually they coincided, but occasionally there were different divisional champions. Of course, that was not the case with Dr. Fager as he was a unanimous choice by both polls.

In 1967, Dr. Fager was named the North American champion sprinter. And in 1968, he accomplished something no horse has since when he ear ned four North American racing honors: Horse of the Year, champion older horse, champion sprinter and champion grass horse. The proverbial cherry on the top of Dr. Fager’s legacy was his 1971 induction into the National Museum of Racing’s Hall of Fame.

THE BACKSTORY

In late 1960, William L. McKnight, chairman of Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing (3M), established a Thoroughbred farm in Ocala. In honor of his Scottish heritage, he named it Tartan Farms. John Nerud, who had been training McKnight’s racehorses for a few years, became the operation’s general manager and trainer. Nerud also owned 25% of the farm and was involved in every major decision that concerned the operation. And that included which stallions the farm’s broodmares would be bred to each year.

For the 1963 breeding season, Nerud decided to send several Tartan mares to Rough’n Tumble, who stood at Ocala Stud. Rough’n Tumble, a stakes winner raced by Harold and Frances Genter, had been brought from Maryland to stand at Ocala Stud by Joe O’Farrell. Rough’n Tumble was t he hot stallion in Ocala at the time, having already sired Florida-bred My Dear Girl, 1959 North American champion 2-year-old filly, and several other stakes winners. One of the Tartan mares sent to Rough’n Tumble that year was Aspidistra, by Better Self out of Tilly Rose, by Bull Brier. t

In 1957, a group of 3M employees had pooled their money, claimed Aspidistra for $6,500 and then given her to McKnight for his 70th birthday. As a racehorse, Aspidistra won a mere $5,115. As a broodmare, she proved to be a gold mine. On April 6, 1964, Aspidistra foaled a dark bay colt by Rough’n Tumble in the afternoon instead of the usual nighttime. Rough’n Tumble had a club foot and Aspidistra’s long-legged foal was born with two. While Rough’n Tumble’s club foot had given him issues all through his life, especially as a stud, that would not be the case for the big bay colt.

When Aspidistra’s colt was a yearling, Nerud suffered a head injury after being thrown from his pony horse while chasing a runaway at Aqueduct. A month later he underwent emergency brain surgery to remove a blood clot that had formed in the aftermath. Then a second operation had to be performed to relieve pressure on Nerud’s brain. Only then did Nerud begin to fully recover. And the rest of the story is that the neurosurgeon who twice saved Nerud’s life was Dr. Charles Fager.

A CHAMPION IN THE MAKING

On July 15, 1966, Dr. Fager, carrying the Tartan Stable silks and trained by Nerud, broke his maiden by seven lengths at Aqueduct. He followed that with an eight-length score in an allowance race on Aug. 13 at Saratoga. Nerud dropped Dr. Fager into the World Playground Stakes on Sept. 10 at Atlantic City and he won by 12 lengths. Back to Aqueduct for the Cowdin on Oct. 5 and Dr. Fager won by three-quarters of a length.

Dr. Fager reportedly came out of the Cowdin with a filling in a knee. Nonetheless, Nerud paid the $10,000 supplemental fee and entered the Tartan Stable runner in the Champagne on Oct. 15 at Aqueduct. After setting sizzling opening fractions of :22 2/5, :44 4/5 and 1:09 2/5, Dr. Fager drifted out deep stretch in his first mile test. That cost him the win and he finished second by a length to Successor, the 1966 champion 2-year-old colt. Successor would be one of only two horses to ever beat Dr. Fager in his career. The other horse was the great Damascus, the 1967 Horse of the Year, who managed to best Dr. Fager twice. And in turnaround is fair play, Dr. Fager also beat Damascus twice. Seven months to the day after his loss in the Champagne, Dr. Fager began his 3-year-old campaign.

On April 15, 1967, he entered the starting gates for the Gotham at Aqueduct. Also in the nine-horse field was Damascus, who was the early favorite for the Kentucky Derby. The race was basically a twohorse race with Damascus leading until Dr. Fager engaged him in deep stretch. Dr. Fager bested Damascus by a half-length, finishing the mile in 1:35 1/5.

A little less than a month later, Dr. Fager signaled what the future held in the Withers on May 13 at Aqueduct. He cruised to a six-length victory, winning in 1:33 4/5 for the mile. His six-furlong time in the race of 1:08 was faster than the track record for that distance and his mile time was the fastest mile ever run at a New York racetrack by a 3-year-old.

Then a still controversial incident happened in the Jersey Derby on May 30 at Garden State Park. Dr. Fager was leading a four-horse field going into the clubhouse turn when Air Rights and Gallant Moment bumped twice. In Reality, just inside Dr. Fager, was forced to steady and then came in on the former transgressors. Meanwhile, Dr. Fager had seemingly avoided the traffic jam and rolled on to win by six-and-a-half lengths. Yet a steward’s inquiry inexplicably disqualified Dr. Fager to fourth with fellow Florida-bred In Reality awarded the win. In an interesting note, In Reality, bred and raced by Frances Genter, had been foaled at Tartan Farms in 1964.

That disqualification would only be a speed bump as the fire had been stoked in Dr. Fager as he then went on a tear beginning with a 10-length win in the Arlington Park Classic on June 24. He then produced a four-and-a-quarterlength victory in the Rockingham Special on July 15; and a win by a length-and-a-quarter in the New Hampshire Sweepstakes Classic on Sept. 2. In winning the Rockingham Special, Dr. Fager set a track record of 1:48 1/5 for the mile-and-an-eighth. He encored that with a track record of 1:59 4/5 for a mile-and-a-quarter in winning the NH Sweepstakes Classic.

Dr. Fager would next face Damascus again, this time in the Woodward on Sept. 30 at Aqueduct. Damascus had been upset in the Kentucky Derby, finishing third to Proud Clarion, but had rebounded to win both the Preakness and Belmont. Also in t he field was Buckpasser, the 1966 Horse of the Year, and Hedevar, who was Damascus’s stablemate and rabbit.

Hedevar and Dr. Fager got into a speed duel, going 1:09 1/5 for the opening six furlongs of the mile-and-a-quarter Woodward. Damascus rolled on past t hem, winning by 10 lengths ahead of Buckpasser with Dr. Fager third. Dr. Fager and Damascus were now even with each posting a victory over the other.

Dr. Fager shook off the loss like it had never happened.

On Oct. 21, he won the Hawthorne Gold Cup by two-and-a-half lengths. Two weeks later, he sped to victory in the Vosburgh Handicap on Nov. 7 at Aqueduct. His winning time for the seven furlongs was 1:21 3/5.

In his 1967 season, Dr. Fager had posted seven stakes wins and a third in a stakes in nine starts. He had set two track records at two different distances on his way to banking $484,194. Dr. Fager was named the 1967 North American champion sprinter.

A RECORD-SETTING SEASON

Dr. Fager began his 4-year-old season on May 4, 1968, in the Roseben Handicap at Aqueduct. He was assigned 130 pounds, the highest weight at that point in his career, and he would never carry less the rest of the season. Dr. Fager cruised to a three-length victory over the outstanding sprinter Tumiga, stopping the clock at 1:21 2/5 for the seven furlongs. Nerud then flew him West for the Californian at Hollywood Park on May 18. Again carrying 130, Dr. Fager rolled to another three-length tally, this time besting champion filly Gamely, who toted 116 pounds. The final time for the mile-and-a-sixteenth in the Californian was 1:40 4/5.

Sent back to his Aqueduct home base to prepare for the Metropolitan Mile, Dr. Fager suffered a serious setback. Like his dam Aspidistra, Dr. Fager had always been prone to bouts of colic and he was struck with a case so severe that he had to be given three times the normal dose of relaxant to recover.

It would cost Dr. Fager a start in the Met Mile and a slow return to training.

Seven weeks after his colic bout, Dr. Fager started in the Suburban Handicap on July 4 at Aqueduct. He was assigned 132 while arch rival Damascus carried 133. Right out of the gates, Dr. Fager sped to the lead with Damascus racing right alongside. The grand duo remained inches apart, hitting the mile mark in 1:34 3/5 when Damascus, who eventually finished third, conceded to Dr. Fager, who rolled on to win by two lengths. Dr. Fager’s winning time of 1:59 3/5 for the mile-anda-quarter equaled the track record. And Dr. Fager now had a 2-1 advantage over Damascus.

A mere two weeks later, Dr. Fager and Damascus faced each other again in the Brooklyn Handicap on July 20 at Aqueduct. Dr. Fager was assigned 135 pounds and Damascus 130. Also entered was Damascus’s rabbit Hedevar to ensure a speed duel with Dr. Fager. Although under a strangle hold, Dr. Fager engaged Hedevar, the latter going the first half-mile in :45 4/5 before Dr. Fager took the lead at the six-furlong mark in 1:09 2/5.

But when Damascus came charging, Dr. Fager couldn’t respond. Damascus won by two and a half lengths in track record time of 1:59 1/5 for the mile-and-a-quarter. It would be the last time that Dr. Fager and Damascus met, ending their splendid rivalry at a two-two draw.

A LEGENDARY MOMENT

Dr. Fager shook off the Brooklyn Handicap loss like it was an annoying barn fly. Two weeks later, he embarked on a four-race winning skein for the ages. On Aug. 3 at Saratoga, Dr. Fager, carrying 132 pounds, romped to a dominating eight-length win in the Whitney. His winning time for the mile-and-an-eighth was 1:48 4/5.

As impressive as that win was, something legendary was to come in the Washington Park Handicap on Aug. 24 at Arlington Park. In a

vain attempt to slow him down, Dr. Fager was assigned to carry 134 pounds but it would prove inconsequential.

Breaking from the nine post, Dr. Fager raced five-wide down the backstretch while Hedevar posted :22 4/5 for the first quarter. But in the blink of an eye, Dr. Fager overtook Hedevar and the clock flashed :44. The latter fraction meant that Dr. Fager had run an astonishing :20 3/5 quarter. Still four-wide on the turn, Dr. Fager’s six-furlong time was a take-your-breath-away 1:07 3/5. There was no catching and no stopping Dr. Fager as he rocketed across the finish line to win by 10 lengt hs.

On the tote board, a winning time of 1:32 1/5 for the mile seemed like an error. But it wasn’t. It was correct and a world record for a mile on the dirt, one that endures nearly 55 years later.

A world record could be a good stopping point for a racehorse’s career. But Nerud knew Dr. Fager had plenty left in the tank and he was right.

In a sur prise move, Nerud next entered Dr. Fager in the United Nations Handicap on the grass. Despite never having run on the grass, Dr. Fager was assigned 134 pounds. Particularly noteworthy because it was 16 more pounds than the 118 assigned to Fort Marcy, the 1967 grass champion. Advocator, the other top horse in the race, was assigned 112.

As expected, Dr. Fager was up to the challenge.

He battled with Advocator down the stretch before prevailing by a neck. Fort Marcy finished third. Winning time for the mile and three-sixteenths was 1:55 1/5.

Nerud had one card left to play, retiring Dr. Fager as a millionaire. Given a much-deserved break following his United Nations Handicap win, Dr. Fager would make the last start of his career in the Vosburgh Handicap on Nov. 2 at Aqueduct. He was assigned 139 pounds but again the weight didn’t matter. Dr. Fager led gate to wire, winning by six lengths in new track record time of 1:20 1/5 for the seven furlongs.

And as a bonus, he became a millionaire to close out one of the most remarkable careers in racing history.

Dr. Fager was named the North American Horse of the Year, champion older male, champion sprinter and champion grass horse. A record four-championships mantle he still wears to date.

THE FINAL CHAPTER

Syndicated for a reported $3.2 million, Dr. Fager entered stud at Tartan Farms in 1969. In 1971, Dr. Fager became the first Florida-bred to be inducted into the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame.

Unfortunately, he was only 12 when he died on Aug. 5, 1976, from a lethal bout of colic.

In his short stud career, he sired 35 stakes winners, including Florida-bred national champions Dearly Precious (1975 champion 2-year-old filly) and Dr. Patches (1978 champion sprinter). The year after his death, Dr. Fager was the 1977 leading general sire by progeny earnings in North America. One last honor for a true oncein-a-lifetime champion. TFH

1964 BAY COLT BY ROUGH’N TUMBLE –ASPIDISTRA, BY BETTER SELF

BREEDER: TARTAN FARMS CORP.

OWNER: TARTAN RACING STABLE

TRAINER: JOHN NERUD

CAREER RACE RECORD/EARNINGS

22-18-2-1/$1,002,642

CAREER STAKES WINS

1966 WORLD’S PLAYGROUND STAKES

COWDIN STAKES

1967 GOTHAM STAKES

WITHERS STAKES

ARLINGTON PARK CLASSIC

ROCKINGHAM SPECIAL

NEW HAMPSHIRE CLASSIC

HAWTHORNE GOLD CUP HANDICAP

VOSBURGH HANDICAP

1968 ROSEBEN HANDICAP

CALIFORNIAN STAKES

SUBURBAN HANDICAP

WHITNEY STAKES

WASHINGTON PARK HANDICAP

UNITED NATIONS HANDICAP

VOSBURGH HANDICAP

HIGHEST HONORS

1967 CHAMPION SPRINTER

1968 HORSE OF THE YEAR/CHAMPION

OLDER MALE/CHAMPION SPRINTER/ CHAMPION GRASS HORSE

1971 NATIONAL MUSEUM OF RACING HALL OF FAME INDUCTION

From coast to coast, Florida’s tax-friendly, pro-business environment is poised and

n No tax on stallion seasons n No personal state income tax n No individual capital gains tax

n Florida’s greenbelt exemption provides property tax breaks for Florida horse farms

n Physical climate allows for year-round training, racing, showing and business opportunities

FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER SERVICES

Wilton Simpson, Commissioner www.FDACS.gov

n n

Florida-breds Around The Country

January/2023

By Race Type/Grade

Stakes, Allowance, Allowance Optional Claiming and Maiden Special Weight statistics below are listed for the month of Jan. 2023 for win, place and show, alphabetically by horse name.

FLORIDA-BRED FINISHERS – STAKES RACES

FLORIDA-BRED FINISHERS – ALLOWANCE

FLORIDA-BRED FINISHERS – ALLOWANCE (cont’d)

FLORIDA-BRED FINISHERS – ALLOWANCE OPTIONAL CLAIMING

FLORIDA-BRED FINISHERS – ALLOWANCE OPTIONAL CLAIMING (cont’d)

FLORIDA-BRED FINISHERS – MAIDEN SPECIAL WEIGHT

Is it Estrus or Something Else?

Mares often exhibit changes in behavior during estrus cycles and sometimes the behavior interferes with their management, training or performance. Often when a mare behaves badly, her attitude and actions are blamed on estrus, but in some instances, the unwanted behavior may stem from another problem. Figuring out what is causing the behavior should be the first step in trying to address it.

Normal Versus Abnormal Behavior

Dr. Ryan Ferris, Summit Equine Inc. at Gervais, Oregon, says a normal cycle consists of roughly seven days of estrus and a 14 day period of diestrus (when she is not in heat).

“The behavior of a mare in diestrus generally is not objectionable. During the seven-day period of estrus, however, she may sq ueal at other horses, urinate small amounts frequently, and be easily distracted by other horses; her mind isn’t on her job.”

Behavior is often most frustrating during spring transition out of anestrus, when mares start cycling again.

“The mare is growing follicles and there is a lot of estrogen circulating,” Dr. Ferris said. “This causes estrus behavior but there is no progesterone—no diestrus phase—because the mare doesn’t ovulate until the end of this transitional phase,” he says.

Is It Estrus?

Dr. Peter Sheerin, Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Ky., says it’s important to determine if unwanted behavior is related to estrus or not.

“If it is related to the estrus cycle it should be happening every 21 days or so, and if the bad behavior continues in winter, it’s likely not related to reproductive cycles,” Sheerin said. “We need a description of the behavior. Many mares, when in pain or angry, may urinate and swish their tails repeatedly. And people think they are heat. Posture and presentation of a mare that is urinating when she is in heat is different from a mare that is upset.

“The mare in heat will squat, with tail raised, pass a little urine and may also ‘wink’ the clitoris.”

By contrast, the angry mare usually has her tail swinging like a windmill and there is urine everywhere. She may also clamp her tail.

“After evaluating behavior, we look at the mare’s reproductive tract via palpation and ultrasound—to see if there are any abnormalities.

Do t he ovaries look normal? During breeding season, she should either be in heat or out of heat and her ovaries would contain appropriate structures related to the stage of her cycle,”

Sheerin said. “If she’s in heat, she should have a big follicle and estrus edema, and her cervix would be relaxed. If she is out of heat she should have a corpus luteum (CL) in the ovary and her cervix tightly closed, with no edema in the uterus. We can also pull blood and look at progesterone levels. A mare that is in diestrus should have elevated progesterone.”

Problems That May Produce Bad Behavior

“Abnormal behavior can also be associated with an ovarian tumor,” Ferris said. “These tumors secrete a range of hormones that may cause the mare to exhibit signs of persistent estrus, or she may never show estrus. Some of these mares may have stallion-like behavior and become aggressive toward other horses,” he said.

In a group, these mares may try to herd other horses around or mount other horses.

Mares with an ovarian tumor that exhibit stallion-like behavior, will act and sound like a stallion and often develop a cresty neck.

“With those traits, we’d suspect a granulosa cell tumor or a granulosa theca cell tumor,” Ferris said. “The ovaries should be evaluated with ultrasound and hormone testing, to determine if that mare has a tumor on her ovary.

“We can pull blood to check for progesterone, testosterone, inhibin, etc. There’s also a test to check for AMH (anti-mullerian hormone); if this hormone is at a certain level we would suspect the mare has a granulosa theca cell tumor.”

Various tests can be used in combination to determine if this is the problem.

“If a tumor is detected, removal of that ovary will stop the behavior,” Ferris said.

The owner may opt to have both ovaries removed, depending on whether there are future plans to breed her. If racing will be her only career, the owner might elect to have the second ovary taken out as well.

If you want foals, a mare can have normal reproduction with just one ovary. It takes a few months, however, for the second ovary to recover from effects of the abnormal hormones produced by the tumor.

“Usually, a mare won’t start cycling again for at least six to nine months, following removal of a granulosa cell tumor,” Ferris said.

“If the tumor has been there very long, the good ovary will be small and non-functional,” Sheerin said. “Removing the ovary with the tumor will allow the remaining ovary to return to functionality. The tumor secretes inhibin, suppressing the hormones of t he normal ovary. If it’s been going on awhile it will take a while for the ovary to return to function.” t

Other medical problems may cause behavior mistaken for heat. A urinary tract/bladder infection might cause frequent urination, due to discomfort and irritation. Appropriate antibiotics would be necessary to resolve the infection. It is important to have a thorough examination, including vaginal inspection.

“Mares with a urinary tract infection may have an inflamed vagina, as will mares that are windsuckers,” Sheerin said. “This may cause them to posture and urinate frequently.”

Mares that pool urine in the vagina or uterus will do the same thing, because the vagina is inflamed.

“Checking with a vaginal speculum can help rule these problems in or out, along with looking at perineal conformation— whether the vulva is normal [relative to the anus] with a good seal to the lips.”

A mare with poor vulva conformation may aspirate air (windsucking) and if the anus is tipped forward there may be fecal contamination falling into the vulva.

“A mare with a uterine infection may short-cycle, instead of having a regular 21-day cycle,” Sheerin explains. “The uterus is inflamed, and releases prostaglandin; these mares may release enough to come into heat more frequently.”

Some mares occasionally have painful ovulation and show colic symptoms.

“They may do it repeatedly, or just now and then,” Sheerin said. “A mare might have a painful ovary at the beginning of breeding season and then be fine. Another mare might have this painful condition in the middle of the breeding season and then do okay. It helps to keep track of when it occurs, to figure it out. Not all mares that colic are examined via rectal palpation so it may be hard to link the two things [painful ovulation and colic] if the mare is simply treated for colic and her ovaries are not examined.”

Colic medication will generally ease pain in the ovary, but if she colics again in 3 weeks you might suspect the cause.

Halting Estrus in the Mare

There are several methods for halting estrus behavior. The classic one is daily oral administration of altrenogest, a progestin (such as Regumate or a generic product).

“If an owner or trainer is wondering if behavior is associated with estrus, I often recommend a 30-day trial of Regumate, to see if that behavior ceases,” Ferris said. “If it doesn’t take away the behavior, it’s probably not associated with the estrus cycle.

Using Regumate is an inexpensive, easy way to make a diagnosis in these mares, to know if the behavior is truly estrus-related.”

Other options include injectable progesterone products.

“To inhibit estrus signs you’d give the injection daily or weekly, depending on the formulation. The downside, as with any injection given repeatedly, is that some mares might develop soreness at the injection sites. This could inhibit performance or the ability to train, so these medications are not routinely recommended,” Ferris said.

“Ot her synthetic progestins besides altrenogest have been tried in horses. The one most commonly used is Depo Provara. A study at CSU showed that it does not stop mares from cycling and they show signs of estrus behavior to a stallion. Progesterone and progestins do have a calming effect, however, and even though Depo Provara doesn’t stop mares from cycling [like altrenogest will], a calming effect in some mares may alter behavior enough to be more tolerable,” Ferris says. Another option is putting a glass marble into the mare’s uterus.

“About 40% of those mares will be kept out of heat for about two to three months. The idea is that the uterus thinks the mare is pregnant, which causes her to maintain her CL (corpus luteum) which would continue to secrete progesterone for 60 to 90 days. After that she would generally come into heat again, but with the marble still in place she would reform another CL.”

The drawback to this method is that it only seems to work in about 40% of mares.

“Also, a small percentage of mares have experienced major long-term ramifications after having marbles in their uterus for several years [such as breaking of the marble or chronic uterine fluid accumulation], negatively affecting their ability to become broodmares later,” Ferris said. “Another drawback is that some mares eject the marbles; they don’t stay in the uterus long enough to keep them out of heat. Inserting marbles was popular some years ago, but no longer used very much.”

Another option is to administer oxytocin by intramuscular injection. One method is to give the mare 60 units (3 ml) of oxytocin once a day, starting day seven after ovulation and continuing until t he day 14 post-ovulation (about a week).

The oxytocin induces a persistent CL (and the mare continues producing her own progesterone), for about 60 to 90 days.

The downside is that you have to determine when she ovulates, to know when to start daily injections.

“This research was followed up with a second study, in which mares were given the same treatment—three ml oxytocin—but for 29 days in a row,” Ferris said. “This worked just as well and you don’t have to pinpoint the time of ovulation; you can start the mare on this protocol at any time. About 80% of mares will maintain their CL for 60 to 90 days. The nice thing about this program is there are no adverse side effects, and it is easily reversible.

“One issue with the oxytocin is that the mare’s CL has a life span of 60 to 90 days and we can’t predict exactly how long it will

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last,” explains Ferris.

This is a good method to keep the mare out of heat, however, without having to give her Regumate all summer and fall.

Some horse owners prefer to not give Regumate continually, since it has health risks for both men and women if accidentally spilled on the skin. It is readily absorbed, and may cause disruption of the menstrual cycle or a miscarriage in women, and may also have adverse effect on men.

Ferris suggests discussing estrus problems with a veterinarian, to go through all the treatment options and try to figure out which one might be best for the individual mare. TFH

Membership Update

Upcoming Events and Deadlines

FTBOA Champions 75th Award Gala

The FTBOA will be once again hosting an in-person event on April 24 in Ocala at the Circle Square Cultural Center. The event includes a cocktail reception, silent auction, dinner, and awards ceremony. The event is capped at 250 people. Award winners, gala sponsors and distinguished VIPs receive priority. The evening attire is a cocktail dress, gown, or suit and tie in the suggested colors of dark to turquoise blue, gold, black or silver.

Sponsorship packages include onsite event packages, a publication package, and a TV show package. Sponsorships packages starting at $500 are available online at ftboa.com/Member-Benefits/Events or contact 352-629-2160 by March 15.

FTBOA Partners for Seminars

The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association is hosting a Pedigree & Conformation Clinic on Sunday and Monday, March 19-20, in Ocala, Fla. The clinic will be held at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales and Ocala Stud, in conjunction with the OBS March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training.

Speakers include the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association president George Isaacs; Dr. Johnny Mac Smith, DVM; Marette Farrell (bloodstock agent); Tod Wojciechowski, director of sales for Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company; David O’Farrell from Ocala Stud, Tami Bobo, and more. Attendees will receive insights on pedigree and conformation evaluation from industry professionals and observe conformation evaluations.

The TOBA Pedigree & Conformation Clinic is for beginners to knowledgeable owners and breeders

looking to continue their education. The clinic is open to the general public, with a special discount for TOBA and FTBOA members. FTBOA members receive a $25 discount. Meals, educational materials, and a TOBA gift bag are included in registration. Registration is available online at: toba.memberclicks.net/seminarsclinics.

Breeding Season Podcasts

Recent Florida Horse podcasts are available that focus on stallion selection for the breeding season. Stallion selection episodes include guests: David O’Farrell, Ocala Stud; Brent & Crystal Fernung, Journeyman Stud; Harlan Malter, Bucchero standing at Pleasant Acres; Krista Seltzer, Solera Farm; and Mary Lightner, Chance It standing at Journeyman Stud. The podcasts are available on popular audio or video podcast platforms, the FTBOA Youtube channel, and on FTBOA’s social media channels.

IMPORTANT DATES AND DEADLINES

FSS Update

The Florida Sire Stakes races are scheduled as follows:

Sept. 9 - $100,000 FSS Desert Vixen Stakes and $100,000 FSS Dr. Fager Stakes, both at six furlongs

Oct. 21 - $200,000 FSS Susan’s Girl Stakes and $200,000 FSS Affirmed Stakes, both at seven furlongs

Dec. 2 - $300,000 FSS My Dear Girl Stakes and $300,000 In Reality Stakes, both at 1 1/6 miles

Florida Sire Stakes last chance 2-year-old payment – May 1 (if no other payments have been made and horse is unraced)

Florida Sire Stakes yearling payment – May 15 TFH

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