CASH BROKER

Richard P. Harris, Jr.’s homebred Cash Broker got the VHBPA Spring Point-to-Point series off to a fast start winning the $2,000 VHBPA Virginia Bred/Sired Flat race at the Casanova Hunt Point-to-Point on Saturday.

(Photo by Douglas Lees)

JOCK: THE MOVIE

Ocala native Jason Neff is raising funds for JOCK, a feature-length documentary that will explore how horseracing’s first female jockeys (including Barbara Jo Rubin, pictured left) broke down barriers forty-years ago.

The Florida State grad is hoping to complete the film next year and have it appear in movie theaters in time celebrate the 40th anniversary of Diane Crump’s history-making ride at Hialeah on February 7, 1969.

JOCK about the first generation of female jockeys who in the late 60's and early 70's fought for the right to ride as professional jockeys. This year marks the 40th anniversary of their equal rights victory and their first historic races as professionals. Production on JOCK will begin in February with Barbara Jo Rubin's 40th Anniversary event at Charles Town Races & Slots on Feb. 21st.

JOCK was recently the cover story in the "Florida Horse" Magazine. Director, Jason Neff was a guest speaker at the FTBOA meeting in Florida and the HBPA meeting in Pennsylvania, where he presented a 13 minute archival reel to the their Board of Directors.

During the Kentucky Derby, Jason appeared live on NBC with Barbara Jo Rubin and PJ Cooksey to talk about the film.

To learn more, click here.

PICTURE(S) OF THE DAY

The folks in Switzerland think it's a great idea to run races and play polo in the ice and snow. We've go no beef with that, but what would worry us is the simple fact that they do it on a frozen lake.

Here, polo players for the Cartier (red) and Maybach teams compete in the "Cartier Polo World Cup on Snow" which is held on the frozen Lake of St. Moritz.

Franco Moro, pulled by Peredur, right, and Harald Kronseder, pulled by Luberon, compete in the Skjoering Grand Prix race on Lake of St. Moritz, during the second weekend of the White Turf races in Switzerland.

(Photos by Arno Balzarini-AP and Getty Images)

2009 COLONIAL LIVE MEET SET(?)

On last Wednesday, the Virginia Racing Commission assigned 40 days of live racing to Colonial Downs for 2009. The track had requested 25, and the Virginia H.B.P.A. had countered with a 45 day request (the same as in 2008).

The VRC, at its meeting in January, had suggested two possible compromises. While Colonial Downs did not embrace either compromise, they are required to run the mandated days. The agreement calls for the VA HBPA to provide the "gap funding" which is required at the beginning of the race meet to insure all purses will be paid. This bridge loan covers the purse dollars that will be generated from the start of the live meet until December 31, 2009.

As part of the agreement, the VA HBPA also agreed to pay Colonial Downs $115,000 to offset additional expenses incurred during the 40 day meet.

The meet is scheduled to be run from June 12 to August 4 with the same five day a week schedule.

However, Colonial Downs and the VA HBPA still have not reached an agreement on a 2009 purse contract. The VRC told the parties that they were required to reach an agreement prior to the March VRC meeting. If the two parties fail to reach an agreement, the 2009 meet will be run from Memorial Day to Labor Day on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Neither the racetrack or the horsemen support such a schedule for a variety of reasons. VRC Chairman Peter Burnett said he believed the modified schedule would “inflict enough pain” on each party to motivate them to reach an agreement. It would seem likely that Chairman Burnett is correct.

The key issue in the contract negotiation is the amount of the purses for the Virginia Derby and the Colonial Turf Cup. The track would like the purses to be $750,000 and $600,000 respectively, and the horsemen would like the purse for the Derby to be reduced to $600,000 and the Turf Cup reduced down to $500,000.

WHAT’S GOING ON HERE?

Maybe it would be better titled “What the hell is going on here?”

Simply put, Halsey Minor is suing the city of Hialeah.

At first blush, that doesn’t make much sense. However, a closer look reveals an interesting strategy by the entrepreneur and horse racing fan.

Minor, the techo-millionaire who owns and operates Carter’s Grove Plantation in Williamsburg, has been unable to make a deal to purchase Hialeah Park from owner John Burnetti, so now he’s suing the city of Hialeah.

Evidently, Minor believes that the city of Hialeah had no right to transfer the property to Brunetti back in 2004. Minor’s Save Hialeah Racing Inc., which was formed to “educate the public regarding the value of continued Thoroughbred racing in South Florida,” filed a lawsuit claminig the city can’t transfer its property without an “approval of the electorate in a referendum.” Minor’s lawsuit suggests that Brunetti only operates Hialeah as a lessee, and Brunetti may be in default.

Hey, maybe he’s on to something.

In 2008, Minor was unable to make a deal with Brunetti who has been a controversial figure in racing since his purchase of the South Florida fixture back in 1977. Once one of the most beautiful racetracks in America, Hialeah ceased live racing in 2001 and is now in a collapsing state of disrepair. The barn area has been torn down, and the remaining facility suffered major damage from Hurricane Wilma in 2005.

Frustrated with Brunetti, Minor has turned to the courts in his bid to purchase and renovate the 206-acre property that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is an official sanctuary for the American Flamingos that helped make the track famous.

It would seem logical that the city would be easier to deal with than Brunetti.

(Thanks to the Paulick Report for the copy of the lawsuit linked above.)

VTA STALLION AUCTION PROGENY

Russel Road winning the $50,000 Dancing Count Stakes at Laurel in January.

His breeder, Robert H. Lloyd, purchased a season to Wheaton in the 2005 VTA Stallion Season Auction, and the resulting foal won five out of six races last year and $202,530.

In his only start at three, Russell Road won the Dancing Count to up his total career earnings up to $232,905.

(Photo by Jim McCue/Maryland Jockey Club)

NICE MUG

Colonial Downs' all-time leading trainer, Ferris Allen, is featured in the Breeders Fund's full page ad in the February Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred.

PICTURE OF THE DAY

Riders jump a fence during the Williamhill.com Play Poker Graduation Steeple Chase during the race meeting at Kempton Racecourse on February 7, 2009 in Sunbury-on-Thames, England.

(Photo by Tom Shaw/Getty Images)

JOCKEYS DEBUTS FRIDAY NIGHT

This is a great example of guerrilla marketing. Here is a spoof handicapping video put up on YouTube by Animal Planet to promote the series "Jockeys."

"Jockeys" premieres Friday, February 6 at 9 pm e/p.

NO CHARITY CASE

Edward P. Evans' homebred Charitable Man, by Lemon Drop Kid, out of Charitabledonation by Saint Ballado, is the highest ranked Virginia-bred (117 lbs.) on the Jockey Club's Experimental Free Handicap.

Charitable Man raced twice in 2008, breaking his maiden impressively at Saratoga and then winning the $250,000 Belmont Futurity Gr. 2. He finished the year with earnings of $187,200.

(Photo by Adam Coglianese/NYRA photo)

TRF - JAMES RIVER UPDATE

by Robin Williams

Graduation of our second class – On January 8, 2009, Reid McLellan of Groom Elite certified four new graduates of our program. This week we are welcoming three new trainees. These men will join three others who have been in the program several months under the direction of Officer Jesse Barker and our graduate teaching assistants. We are finding that each group learns faster than the previous group, thanks to having so many trained professionals in the barn every day. Our next graduation will be in May or June.

Graduates going out on work-release – We have two graduates who are seeking work-release employment, one in Tidewater and one in the Richmond area. We will have others later in the year. TRF-James River herd manager Polly Bauhan has worked closely with these men, and we both feel they are good representatives of the goals of the program. If you know anyone who is looking for trained help, please let us know. There is a tax break associated with hiring these men post-release.

Weathering the cold – During the weekend of Jan. 16-18, when the temperature went as low as five degrees, we had a serious problem keeping the horses watered. With no power in the fields, we can’t put heaters in the troughs. The men went out every few hours to break the ice and rotate the herds so that every horse had periodic access to the one trough with a heater. The horses who have been stall-bound and have thin coats and less body fat also received blankets during the three days of hard freeze. Everyone came through fine.

New pasture, paddocks and classroom – JRWC is fencing a new pasture of 8-10 acres along Route 6. This will enable us to keep about 20 horses and still rotate and “rest” our paddocks. We are doing some re-training for adoption, but we are finding that our labor force and our facilities are especially well-suited for lay-ups and rehabilitation cases. So, additional fencing has been installed near Barn 4 to provide a number of small pens for turning out horses that are coming off of injuries or being let down from racing fitness. In other news, JRWC is building a heated classroom in Barn 4 – a big deal for the volunteers and men who have shivered through classes in the cold open barn. Also be sure to check out our new sign when you drive by the entrance to JRWC.

Adoption and training – Adoption is an important part of our progam. We want to move all the sound horses with good dispositions into second careers to make room for more rescues. Our part-time employee with full-time enthusiasm, Debbie Hamman, has been evaluating the herd and working with Jessica Bowen to initiate a training program for the best adoption prospects. We have five horses being ridden and we are scheduling visits by people interested in acquiring a nice horse ready to be schooled in a new discipline. Pictures and video will be posted at www.thoroughbredadoption.com as available.

Wish list – Horse trailer – need not be road-worthy. We would like to have a trailer that we can park permanently in the stable yard and use for practice to train the men (and the horses!) in loading and unloading. Donation is tax deductible, of course. We can pick it up if necessary.

Herd update – We have 17 horses now, but we are hopeful that a couple will be going to new homes shortly. In this economic climate, there is a lot of pressure for all the rescue organizations to accept more horses, and we are preparing to save all that we can. Meanwhile, we don’t want to warehouse attractive, useful horses, so we are actively seeking good homes for our horses who are suitable for adoption. If you want a pasture buddy or a good prospect for trails, hunting or showing, check with us first.

Wild Eyed Dreamer, a handsome bay gelding, came to us with a badly bowed tendon in May and could not walk out of his stall. Will Washington spent months treating him daily with ice and poultices. In October after the tendon was set, the men began hand-walking him.

By Christmas Dreamer was telling us he was going to kick down the barn if he didn’t get a little free time outside. The men set up a small round pen with the sides pushed in at angles to prevent the horse from galloping around, gave him some Ace and turned him out. A grateful Dreamer kicked up his heels a few times but settled down quickly, becoming the happy horse we all knew he was inside. He will be ready to go out with the herd in another month. In six months, we will evaluate this good mover and terrific athlete for a second career.

Patti’s Storm is a sweet chestnut mare who is willing to try anything, including jumping. She is being ridden and has folks lined up to come see her. Dr. Miller is a chestnut gelding with a quiet disposition and a willing manner. A nice mover, he should have a good second career.

Dr. Pamela is our newest member and our first grey or roan. She is five and recuperating from surgery to put screws in her ankle. A very very attractive mare, we expect her to come sound and be a great candidate for a second career after six months of rest and rehabilitation. She raced in the colors of former state Senator Elmon T. Gray, who has made a very generous gift to the TRF in her honor.

Photos: Top - Sean w/ the logo he painted for the program. Middle - Shawn w/ Pro Trader. Bottom - Bruce w/ Dr. Miller.

See more photos at our website, JamesRiverHorses.org.
Keep in touch with us by emailing StateFarmHorses@aol.com.

LONG AGO, BUT NOT SO FAR AWAY

While recently researching an newsletter article for the Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred about Good Night Shirt and other Virginia-connected steeplechase horses that managed to win back-to-back titles, we came across this advertisement in the 1942 edition of the American Racing Manual.

Some 17 years later, Brookmeade would produce the 1959 Horse of the Year Sword Dancer.

CONTEST WINNER HONORED AT MARE CENTER EVENT

By Donna M. McDonald
Middleburg, Va., January 22, 2009 - Despite the cold, windy, day about 100 people turned out for Virginia Tech’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Middleburg Agricultural Research and Extension Center’s holiday card recognition and educational event on Saturday, January 17, 2009. Sara L. Withrow, 17, of Spotsylvania County’s Stars ‘n’ Blazes 4-H horse and pony club, was recognized for her award winning artwork. Displayed above, the design appeared on the center’s 2008 holiday card. Following the award presentation, Virginia Tech alumni and faculty shared their educational and career journeys with the audience.

Sara Withrow lives with her parents, Jennifer and Scott, and her 14-year-old brother, Kenny, in Spotsylvania County. Withrow began riding horses when she was nine years old and learned to ride on her now retired mare, a 28-year-old Hungarian Warmblood named Maggie.

Currently, Withrow rides her seven year old Morgan Thoroughbred cross, Lady. She enjoys participating in Gymkhana classes, which are “games on horseback”. An active member of the Spotsylvania County 4-H horse and pony club, Stars ‘n’ Blazes, Withrow was accepted to be a 4-H All Star this year. The Stars ‘n’ Blazes 4-H horse and pony club is part of the comprehensive youth development program of Virginia Cooperative Extension. The club’s website is http://www.starsnblazes.com/.

Everyone enjoyed the educational journeys of Becky Carter, postdoctoral researcher at New Bolton Center, Shea Porr,superintendent at the MARE Center and Crystal Smith, animal science agent for Warren County, Va., and how each of these inspiring women became associated with Virginia Tech, the college and the MARE Center.

The audience, comprised mostly of 4-H horse and pony club members from throughout the State of Virginia, listened with eagerness and enthusiasm as these women shared their experiences. Becky Carter, a past graduate of the MARE Center, studied the effects of equine obesity and its relation to laminitis. Carter grew up in the suburbs of Reading, Pa., and began riding lessons at the age of eight. Always a horse fan, she became involved in endurance riding and in 2001 competed in the Pan American Games where she rode a 100-mile endurance race.

Carter, who was always interested in science during her early school years, decided to pursue her educational degree at the University of Delaware where she studied biochemistry and was a member of the equestrian team. After receiving her bachelor’s degree, she became a graduate student studying equine nutrition through Virginia Tech’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

Soon after Carter enrolled in the college, she came to the MARE Center to live and conduct research on the horses that live at the center. In the summer of 2008, she applied to the University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center as a post-doctoral researcher where she is continuing her devoted study of the horse.


Crystal Smith was born and raised on a horse farm in central Pennsylvania and she was active in 4-H and in her local horse and pony club. She showed her horses at the national level and this, combined with her 4-H experience, led her to pursue a B.S. in animal science at Penn State.

During college she was a member of Block & Bridle and Ag Advocates eventually pursuing her master’s degree. Smith often gives presentations at equine seminars and events across the state. Her on-going excitement for all that she does made Smith’s presentation exceptionally enjoyable, as was evident by the many comments from the audience. Smith is currently working as the animal science Extension agent in Northwest Virginia.

The MARE Center’s superintendent, Shea Porr, bought her first horse only after much lobbying of her parents. Her first horse was a Morgan/Thoroughbred Hunter that she rode and showed throughout high school. During college, Porr bought an Appendix Quarter Horse that she trained and showed.

She considered becoming a vet but decided against a career where she would deal constantly with sick and injured horses. Porr graduated from Texas A&M University in 1990 with a bachelor’s degree in animal science. Then in 1993, she graduated from the University of Florida with a master’s degree in equine nutrition and physiology, and in 1996 she received her doctorate degree in equine nutrition and exercise physiology from Virginia Tech.

She began her career as a teacher, researcher, and Extension agent at Ohio State University, then spent some time as a nutritional and sales consultant for Buckeye Nutrition before accepting employment with Virginia Tech. Porr is a board member of the Virginia Forage and Grassland Council, and an active member of the Equine Science Society, the Virginia Horse Council, and the Virginia State Animal Response Team.

The event ended with a wonderful catered lunch by Mill Valley, Inc. (http://www.millvalleybbq.com/) and with tours of the MARE Center and Lazy Lane Farm in Upperville, Va.

Virginia Tech’s Middleburg Agricultural Research and Extension Center’s mission is to advance the health and well-being of the horse through graduate education for equine professionals, nutritional and pasture management research, and community educational programs. Located in Middleburg, Va., the center is one of 13 Agricultural Research and Extension Centers located across the state that serves the commonwealth's agricultural needs.

Contact Donna McDonald at dmcdo05@vt.edu or (540) 687-3521 ext.22

FEELING CLEVER?

This grey filly was born on Inaugration Day (1/20). She is by Political Force, out of Intellectual.

Email name suggestions to VTA@vabred.org

PICTURE OF THE DAY

Nicanor, with jockey Edgar Prado up, is led out to the eighth race at Gulfstream Park, in Hallandale Beach, Fla., on Saturday, Jan. 31, 2009. Nicanor, the 3-year-old full brother of 2006 Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro, finished 10th of 12 horses in a one-mile maiden race.

“The back of his foot grabbed his quarter coming out of the gate,” said co-owner Roy Jackson. “It’ll be a bit painful. … But we got the first race in him, and we’ll go from here.”

(AP Photo/Gulfstream Park, Adam Coglianese)