FIVE-TIME DERBY WINNER HARTACK DIES

(By Marcush Hersh, Daily Racing Form)

Bill Hartack, a mid-century sports icon during his heyday as a jockey, and one of only two five-time Kentucky Derby winners, died Monday at 74.

Hartack died of natural causes due to heart disease, according to Dr. Corinne Stern of the Webb County medical examiner's office in Laredo, Texas. Stern said she had pronounced Hartack dead at about 9:30 Monday evening. Funeral arrangements are pending.

Hartack's body was found in a cabin at a camp near the town of Freer, in southern Texas, where he has journeyed the last several winters to hunt, according to the trainer Mike Stidham. The hunting camp is the property of the Thoroughbred owner Greg Goodman, a friend and client of Stidham's, whose father, George, was Hartack's agent at the end of the jockey's career.

Hartack hadn't been seen since sometime Sunday, and security personnel were called Monday evening to check on Hartack, at which time his body was discovered.

Hartack would have been 75 on Dec. 9. He has remained active in racing as a steward, and recently finished working the race meet at Louisiana Downs.

Hartack won 4,272 races during his U.S. career, which ended in 1974. He won with nearly 20 percent of his mounts. From 1978 to 1980 he rode in Hong Kong, retiring for good in 1981.

Hartack and Eddie Arcaro are the only two riders with five Kentucky Derby wins. Hartack's first Derby came with Iron Liege in 1957, his last with Majestic Prince in 1969. In between, he won North America's biggest horse race with Venetian Way (1960), Decidedly (1962), and the great stallion Northern Dancer (1964). Hartack also won the Preakness three times, and the Belmont once. His Derby total might have numbered six had he not gotten injured and lost the mount on Tim Tam, the Derby winner in 1958.

"He was the greatest Derby rider in history, won five of 12," said Joe Hirsch, a retired Daily Racing Form executive columnist, and a friend of Hartack's. "He could make a judgment that was just genius, and make it quickly. He moved before most of the fellows had decided what to do."

For additional information: www.racingmuseum.org/hall/jockey.asp?ID=189

DISGRACEFUL

By Gillian Gordon-Moore ( jill@dishmail.net)
The view from our bedroom window is quite spectacular with the Blue Ridge Mountains as a backdrop to an historical pre-Civil War Wickliffe Church. But this very cold night, the feeling was heart wrenching since I had just heard that there were eight horses starving to death just out of sight over the crest of a hill.

Meanwhile our fat and happy horses were casually sifting through the orchard grass to get to the tasty alfalfa leaves. If only they knew that their cousins were dying less than half a mile away. I felt like sneaking up there to throw them some hay, but realistically I had to wait until morning when Holly Tomlinson and the US Equine Rescue League planned a rescue. Mitchell Rode, our Veterinarian had contacted me to help with the transport.

It was obvious that these were all Thoroughbreds, most with tattoos and some with outgrown racing plates and all with soulful eyes. These poor creatures were racks of bone covered with rain rot and open sores. Someone had loved them once in their lives since they all knew about carrots and were willing to load on the waiting trailers.

The eerie part was that as we stood there, no noise like kicking, whinnying or trailer springs could be heard. Eight heads were buried in hay nets and the munching sound was slightly satisfying. The ninth horses had died the day before, struggling in a ditch.

We transported the horses and settled them into a luxurious barn at REACH, where the Vets and their assistants started the evaluation process. With some luck they will all survive and homes will be found for them.

Our farm is in a rural horse friendly county and I find it hard to believe that this atrocity was going on right under my nose. Some despicable person was leasing property and was simply letting these young Thoroughbreds die. He needs to go to jail or perhaps a concentration camp like the one he was running. We are all struggling with a hay shortage and high prices due to the drought, but these people could have stopped the suffering by contacting the appropriate authorities.

We all need to be more realistic and think through what we are doing. Breeders should not be so indiscriminate and just continue to produce bodies. Those who race should exercise their consciences when they push the young horses too hard and then discard them like paper plates. Owners need to pay attention and educate themselves about reality. Those who care must be vigilant and help the helpless beasts who give us their hearts and lives. Their ancestors died on this very same land while working for humans during the civil war. These shouldn’t have to.

My eyes are open, I hope I can encourage others to pay more attention and be kind. Please do your best to help stop disgraceful situations like this from happening in the first place.

P.S. If you can help, donations are being accepted at
USERL Administration Office http://www.userl.org/
P.O. Box 317
Pendleton IN 46064 “For Clarke County, VA horses”

(Photos of the author with rescued horses courtesy of USERL)

EVANS' HOMEBRED WINS TOP FLIGHT

(From BloodHorse.com)

A head bob determined the winner of the $150,000 Top Flight Handicap Gr.II at Aqueduct Nov. 23 when Mini Sermon prevailed by a nose over pacesetter Lady Marlboro in the one-mile race for fillies and mares.

Mini Sermon, ridden by Eibar Coa, raced on the rail in third down the backstretch. The eventual winner was in behind horses around the far turn, but Coa found running room, and swung Mini Sermon to the outside at the top of the stretch. Lady Marlboro, who set the pace through fractions of :23.38, :46.98, and 1:11.96, had the lead turning for home. Mini Sermon joined her from the outside for a prolonged stretch duel.

Golden Velvet, the 2-1 favorite in the field of eight, 2 1/4 lengths back in third behind Lady Marlboro. The order of finish was completed by Cindy’s Mom, Altesse, Pool Land, Lost Etiquette, and Baby Bird.

The winner returned $15.60. The exacta paid $106, and the trifecta, $414.Mini Sermon, who carried 116 pounds, completed the distance in 1:37.29 on a track labeled good.

“I was trying to bide my time,” Coa said. “At the three-eighths pole, I knew I had some horse, but I didn’t know how much horse. My horse was running, but (Lady Marlboro) wasn’t stopping. (Mini Sermon) kept digging and digging and digging, and finally put a head in front.”

Mini Sermon, a 3-year-old by Pulpit, out of the Storm Cat mare, Ministorm, was bred by her owner, Edward P. Evans. She is trained by Todd Pletcher.

Pletcher’s assistant, Seth Benzel, saddled the winner.“Coming into this race, she was doing everything right,” Benzel said. “(Coa) put a perfect ride on her. He saved ground and let her relax. He was able to move her out, and wear them down after that. I don’t know what they are going to do with her. I certainly think she would be very useful (at Aqueduct).”

The Top Flight was Mini Sermon’s first win in a graded race. She has a record of 5-1-2 from nine starts and earnings of $256,100.

(Photo: Coglianese Photos)

PRADO WINS DASH

(From the Baltimore Sun)

Last month, Benny the Bull had all his hooves could handle in the Breeders' Cup Sprint at New Jersey's Monmouth Park. Heavy rain had produced a slick and sloppy track, and the best sprinters in the world had gathered at the six-furlong course.Benny finished fourth, nine furlongs behind Midnight Lute.

But yesterday at Laurel Park in the $250,000 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash, Benny turned the tables on Talent Search, who had finished third at the Breeders' Cup, and came from sixth place to win by 1 1/4 lengths on a fast track.

With jockey Edgar Prado on board, Benny beat Talent Search and third-place finisher Miraculous Miss, the only filly in the eight-horse field. It was Benny the Bull's first Grade I victory, and the 4-year-old paid $4.60.Benny the Bull is trained by Richard Dutrow Jr., whose father, Dick, won the De Francis Dash twice with Lite the Fuse in 1995 and 1996.

An announced 11,807 turned out for the day billed as the Fall Festival of Racing and bet $3,991,327 on the 10-race card that included four stakes races.

(Sun photo by Monica Lopossay)

MEANWHILE, BACK IN JAPAN...

Admire Moon took the lead in the stretch and then held off three rivals to win the $4.6 million Japan Cup Turf at Tokyo Racecourse on Sunday.

Chosan held the lead before tiring with just over 200 yards remaining, with Admire Moon taking charge and finishing a head in front of Pop Rock, who was a neck ahead of Meisho Samson. Vodka was fourth in the 18-horse field.

Admire Moon was sent off at odds of 11-1, with the 4-year-old colt owned by Darley Japan Farm coming into the race off a sixth-place finish in his last race.

U.S.-based Ariste Royal, winner of the Clement L. Hirsch Handicap at Santa Anita on Oct. 6, was eighth.

Admire Moon, a 4-year-old son of End Sweep, is trained by Hiroyoshi Matsuda. The colt was bred by Northern Farm,

(Photo by Koichi Kamoshida/Getty Images)

PICTURE OF THE DAY

MAKING SURE...Virginian and horse identifier Stirling Young checks to see if McDynamo is really McDynamo.

(Photo by Tod Marks/Steeplechase Times - www.ST-Publishing.com)

PICTURE OF THE DAY 2

HOW ABOUT ONE MORE LOOK at the Colonial Cup Winner -- the Via's Good Night Shirt?

Mary McGlothlin leads Good Night Shirt to the paddock prior to the big race.

(Photo by Tod Marks/Steeplechase Times - www.ST-Publishing.com)

GOOD DAY FOR GOOD NIGHT SHIRT

Good Night Shirt faced multiple champion McDynamo three time this year, and he won two out of the three. He did it again with a late surge to win the Colonial Cup Steeplechase (NSA-I) at Springdale Race Course in South Carolina. In doing so, he may well have clinched the 2007 Eclipse Award as champion steeplechaser.

Good Night Shirt is owned by VTA members Sonny and Ann Via of Waynesboro. A 6-year-old son of Concern, Good Night Shirt won for the third time in five starts (all Grade 1) this year. His $314,163 in earnings set a single-season National Steeplechase Association record.

McDYNAMO RETIRED

Following the Colonial Cup, Michael Moran announced the retirement of his superhorse McDynamo. McDynamo retires sound with a record $1.3 million in career earnings from 15 wins in 25 lifetime starts over jumps for owner Moran and trainer Sanna Hendriks. The 10-year-old won five consecutive grade I Breeders’ Cup Grand National races.

“I’m happy to retire him, and proud to own him,” Moran said. “There were so many years where we felt that degree of confidence because he’s so good, but now as he has gotten older, it’s not that you’re not confident in the horse, but you’re not confident in the decision you’re making.

“It would be greedy to ask him to do more. He has been so good to everybody that I wouldn’t want anything to happen to him.”

(Photo by Tod Marks/Steeplechase Times)

BIT OF WHIMSY WINS G2 STAKE

Grade 1 winner and Colonial Downs grad Bit of Whimsy seized command in early stretch and gamely held on for a half-length win in the $174,900 Mrs. Revere Stakes (G2) on November 10 at Churchill Downs.

Virginians Joyce Young’s and Gerald McManis’s Bit of Whimsy entered off a win in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes (G1) on October 13 at Keeneland Race Course. Bit of Whimsy is a Kentucky-bred by Distorted Humor, out of Kristi B. by El Prado.

Barclay Tagg trains the filly just as he trained her dam and all of her dam’s brothers and sisters including the graded stakes winners Miss Josh, Royal Mountain In, Highland Springs and Highland Crystal.

According to the Blood-Horse, “She had ouchy shins as a two-year-old,” said co-owner Young. “Instead of going on with her, we gave her some time off, shipped her down to Ocala, and let her get over that. I think sometime time is a smart thing to give them. This family really doesn’t get good until they get a little older anyway.”

Young bred Bit of Whimsy with her mother, Joyce Rowand. Bit of Whimsy’s dam, Kristi B, is named for Young’s daughter.

Kristi B. had an abbreviated racing career when she broke her leg in a workout. “I was there when Kristi B. was born. I was there when she shattered her leg at Saratoga, and I was there when they put the cast on her,” said Young. “She’s like my child. She’s a very special mare to me."

Bit of Whimsy has now earned $551,533 from seven starts at three.

(Photo by Reed Palmer/Blood-Horse)

RICHMOND WRITER PUBLISHES THIRD BOOK

VTA member, Dr. Francis Bush of Richmond has just released his third book titled Famous Horsewomen of Virginia. The 165 page coffee table book features the accomplishments of 23 women associated with Thoroughbred horse racing. The book shares their stories and recognizes their respective contributions to the industry.

Dr. Bush has also written a book about horse racing in Virginia and one about Paul Mellon.

A book release celebration reception will be held on Novermber 27 at 6 pm at Saddlery Trade Associates in Centerville, VA.

For more information contact: Wayne Dementi, Dementi Milestone Publishing, 804-784-5151 or 804-363-0160 cell. Dementi@aol.com.

PICTURE OF THE DAY

IT'S RUN EVERY YEAR, so it must be difficult to come up with a logo year after year.

Let's leave it at that.

PICTURE OF THE DAY 2

GETTING READY...Dual Grade 1-winner Good Night Shirt streaks across Springdale Race Course with regular rider Willie Dowling aboard prior to the Colonial Cup.

(Photo by Tod Marks/Steeplechase Times)

PICTURE OF THE DAY 3

LIKE THE BREEDERS CUP, CHELTENHAM ENDURED SOME RAIN...Sizing Europe (the grey) won the Greatwood Handicap at Cheltenham over the weekend in a rain soaked and accident marred race meet. The atrocious conditions didn’t phase Sizing Europe and his rider Timmy Murphy as they got the best of 17 other starters in the Group 3 $200,000 stake.

(Group shot by Julian Herbert/Getty Images)

PICTURE OF THE DAY 4

'TIS THE SEASON TO GIVE THANKS...which reminds us of John Henry who recently passed away.

(Photo by Lydia Williams)

PICTURE OF THE DAY 5

THINGS TO BE THANKFUL FOR...How about Secretariat seen here in a rare photo at Saratoga?

A JOB WELL DONE...

VA AGENT EASTER SIGNS FOR $3.3 MILLION MARE

Virginia bloodstock agent and former VTA president Debbie Easter signed the ticket for the third highest priced broodmare or broodmare prospect when she purchased multiple graded stakes winner Dream Rush on behalf of Halsey Manor for $3.3 million at the Fasig-Tipton November Mixed Sale.

Dream Rush was only out sold by 2007 Mother Goose Gr.1 and Coaching Club American Oaks Gr.1 winner Octave who fetched a final bid of $4 million and 2006 Breeders Cup Distaff Gr. 1 and earner of $1.9 million Round Pound who sold for $5.75 million. Round Pound brought the highest price for a horse sold by Fasig-Tipton Kentucky since Virginia-bred Miss Oceana topped the Newstead Dispersal in 1985. She was in foal to Northern Dancer at the time.

Dream Rush, by Wild Rush out of Turbo Dream by Unbridled, is a model of consistency. She has posted six wins and two seconds in eight career starts at two and three. Her $599,739 in earning include wins in the Prioress Stakes Gr.1 and the Darley Test Stakes Gr.1 at Saratoga.

“She was just a gorgeous filly,” Easter told the Blood-Horse. “We hope she can keep running like she did this year.”

Dream Rush will race in 2008 for Halsey Manor’s Manor Racing Stable.

(Auction photo by Marc Manning/The Blood-Horse)

KEENELAND UP

Sales at Keeneland's November breeding stock auction remained higher than last year after Thursday's session, where $4.6 million was paid for 259 horses, a 20.9 percent climb from the comparable session in 2006.

The day's top price went for Whole Emblem, a 3-year-old filly by Our Emblem sold as a broodmare prospect. She sold for $130,000 to Big D Stables and was consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency as agent. The filly is a half-ssiter to Grade II Monmouth Breeders' Cup Oaks and Grade II New York City Astarita winner Top Secret.

Gross sales Thursday of $4,622,200 compared with last year's $3,824,500 for 226 horses. The day's average of $17,846 increased 5.5 percent from $16,923 in 2006.

Overall, 2,666 horses have been sold compared with 2,635 in 2006, for gross sales of $332,692,100, an increase of 7.8 percent from last year's $308,580,000. The average rose 6.6 percent from $117,108 a year ago to $124,791.

Keeneland's 15-day November Breeding Stock Sale continues through Monday.

DICKINSON WON'T TRAIN IN '08

Trainer Michael Dickinson won't take out a thoroughbred training license in 2008 so he can focus on a synthetic racing surface that he developed. Dickinson created the Tapeta surface that was installed at Fair Hill Training Center in Elkton, Md.

The 57-year-old Englishman (pictured here early in his career in England) didn't say specifically that he was retiring, but he spent most of last winter overseas and half of his time last summer visiting Tapeta installations in five countries, leaving him little time for training.

He won't designate a successor for his stable because the number of horses has been diminishing gradually since last summer.

"I have been concerned for some time about the welfare of horses racing on unsuitable surfaces and really want to repay the horse in my own small way," Dickinson said in a statement released Tuesday by the Maryland Jockey Club.

Dickinson was a top steeplechase jockey and three-time champion jumps trainer in England before relocating to the United States in 1987. He trained winners of 85 stakes races in the United States. He made headlines in 1998 when Da Hoss won the $1,000,000 Breeders Cup Mile after a two-year layoff and only one win – in an allowance race at Colonial Downs.

Da Hoss (on the inside) was a $6,000 Keeneland yearling who was undefeated in his three starts at two.
At three, he took the Gr.3 Best Turn Stakes, the Gr. 2 Jersey Derby, the Gr.2 Del Mar Derby. At four, he won his first Gr.1 $1,000,000 Breeders Cup Mile under Gary Stevens as well as the Gr.1 Fourstardave Handicap at Saratoga.

And at six he again won the Breeders' Cup Mile.

The BC Mile at six was done with serious true grit since Da Hoss had always suffered from foot problems, and after his win in the 1996 Mile by one and a half lengths, he was out of racing for almost two years: 1997 and 1998. He had only one prep race for the 1998 Mile and that was an allowance race at Colonial Downs which he easily won.

Under John Velazquez, Da Hoss took his second Breeders' Cup by a nose over Hawksley Hill in a truly thrilling stretch battle. NYRA and Breeders Cup announcer Tom Durkin, yelled, "Oh my, this is the greatest comeback since Lazarus. He's had one race in two years."

The comeback of Da Hoss is considered by most sports writers as the biggest comeback of all time.

In his twenty starts, Da Hoss won 12, placed in 5, and came home third twice. His career earnings amount to $1,931,558.

His Breeders Cup win helped put Colonial Downs on the national horse racing map.

PICTURES OF THE DAY

In a photo provided by the Maryland Jockey Club, Mario Pino celebrates his win aboard Pass Play in the seventh race at Laurel Park on Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2007, in Laurel, Md. The win was the 6,000th of Pino's career. After the race, Pino got a lift from his colleagues.

(AP Photos/Maryland Jockey Club, Jim McCue)

PICTURE OF THE DAY 2

In this photo provided by Benoit Photo, jockey Garrett Gomez poses atop Spring Awakening after their victory at the Moccasin Stakes, Sunday, Nov. 11, 2007 at Hollywood Park, Inglewood, Calif. The win gave Gomez his 71st stakes win of the year, eclipsing Jerry Bailey's record of 70 set in 2003.

(AP Photo/Benoit Photo)

PICTURE OF THE DAY

Horses and jockeys clear a hurdle during the Conditional Novices Handicap Hurdle at Wetherby racecourse at Wetherby, England, Friday, Nov. 2, 2007.

(AP Photo/John Giles-pa)

PICTURE OF THE DAY 2

Jockey Michael Rodd riding Efficient #6 crosses the line ahead of Purple Moon riden by Damien Oliver during the Emirates Melbourne Cup at The Melbourne Cup Carnival meeting at Flemington Racecourse November 6, 2007 in Melbourne, Australia.

(Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

HAPPY HALLOWEEN...

A FIELD OF GREYS...A field of all grey thoroughbreds breaks from the gate in the annual Grey Ghost Starter Handicap at the Meadowlands Racetrack in East Rutherford, N.J. on Halloween night.

(AP Photo/Equi-Photo, Bill Denver)

SLOTS IN MARYLAND?

(from the MD Thoroughbred Breeders Weekly Bulletin)

Hundreds of people whose livelihood depends on Maryland’s racing industry rallied in Annapolis on Nov. 2, urging lawmakers to take action to preserve racing in this state. Governor Martin O’Malley has presented a plan that would allow up to 15,000 slot machines and allocate $100 million of the annual revenue to purses and breeders funds.

Slots are part of the governor’s sweeping proposals aimed at dealing with the state’s projected $1.7 billion budget shortfall. The rally took place in a courtyard in front of the building where slots were under debate, in a joint hearing of the House Ways and Means and Senate Budget and Taxation committees. Under O’Malley’s proposal, a commission would award slots licenses at fi ve locations—one each in Anne Arundel, Allegany, Cecil and Worcester counties and Baltimore City.

The measure would allow slots at Laurel Park in Anne Arundel County and Ocean Downs in Worcester County, but not at Pimlico in Baltimore. The city is advocating for a slots parlor off Interstate 95 near Route 295.