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Gold SponsorsAwesome of Course,Hear No Evil & Brooks 'n DownCommunity Bank & Trust of FloridaDuggan, Joiner & Company, PAEquine Medical Center of OcalaHartley/DeRenzo ThoroughbredsJerry Parks Insurance GroupJourneyman Bloodstock Services Inc.Kinsman FarmLive Oak StudMass Media at Journeyman StudNTRA AdvantageOcala Breeders' Sales CompanyOcala StudPeterson & Smith Equine Hospital LLCRustlewood FarmSmith, Bryan and MyersStonehedge Farm SouthWildcat Heir - Florida's Leading Sire
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4 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2012
COVER PHOTO: BREEDERS’ CUP LIMITEDCONTENTS PHOTO OF BRILLIANT SPEED: COGLIANESE
M a r c h 2 0 1 2 V O L 5 5 / I S S U E 3
CONTENTS
DEPARTMENTS/COLUMNS6 THE BROCKTALK8 FLORIDA FOCUS16 OBS CHAMPIONSHIP DAY
By Michael Compton
18 OBSMARCH SALE RECAPBy Brock Sheridan
57 FARMMANAGEMENT:LIMINGYOUR PASTURESBy Jamie Cohen
58 CELEBRATING SECRETARIATConnection of Secretariat gather atGoldMark Farm in Ocala for afundraiser for the Florida Horse Park.
60 PRACTICALLY SPEAKING:HORSESHOES RECYCLED By Mark Shuffitt
62 PLAYER’S PAGE:RESTORINGTHE PAST?By Paul Moran
22 2011 FLORIDA-BRED CHAMPIONSThe 2011 season for Florida’sThoroughbred industry read likea romantic novel.By Jo Ann Guidry
36 FTBOAAWARD PICTORIALPhotos of the 2011 Awards banquet
38 ‘GREEK’ ROLLS BIGFlorida-bred Ron the Greek becomesthe first since Southern Image to winthe Santa Anita Handicap.By Michael Compton
46 SUNSHINE STATE OF SUCCESSKathleen O’Connell continues to winwith Florida-breds. By Mike Henry
78 EQUINE CARE:UNDERSTANDING EQUINE STRANGLESUnderstanding and recognizingthe signs of disease,Managementand prevention.By Amanda M.House,DVM,DACVIM
FEATURES
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FTBOA OFFICERS ANDBOARD OF DIRECTORS
Phil Matthews, PresidentBrent Fernung, First Vice President FrancisVanlangendonck, SecondVice President
Sheila DiMare, Secretary Bonnie M. Heath III, Treasurer
DIRECTORS
CEO & EXECUTIVEVICE PRESIDENTLonny T. Powell
801 SW 60thAvenue • Ocala, Florida 34474(352) 732-8858 • Fax: (352) 867-1979 • www.ftboa.com
American Horse Publications • FLORIDA MAGAZINE ASSOCIATION • MEMBER BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU
© THE FLORIDA HORSE (ISSN 0090-967X) is publishedmonthly except July by THE FLORIDA HORSE, INC., 801SW 60th Ave., Ocala, Florida 34474, including the annual Sta-tistical Review in February.
Opinions expressed herein are those of the authors anddo not necessarily reflect those of Florida Equine Publicationsor the Florida Thoroughbred Breedersʼ and Ownersʼ Associa-tion. Publication of any material originating herein is expresslyforbidden without first obtaining written permission from THEFLORIDA HORSE©.
Statistics in the publication relating to results of racing inNorth America are compiled from data generated by Daily Rac-ing Form, Equibase, Bloodstock Research Information Serv-ices, and The Jockey Club Information Systems Inc., thecopyright owners of said data. Reproduction is prohibited.
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THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2012 5
Joe Barbazon Linda Appleton PotterCraig Bernick George RussellDean DeRenzo Jessica SteinbrennerRoy Lerman Charlotte C. WeberDiane Parks Eddie Woods
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Brock Sheridan
BUSINESS MANAGER
Patrick Vinzant
ART DIRECTOR
John Filer
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
JoAnn Guidry
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
Beverly Kalberkamp
CORRESPONDENTS
Jay Friedman, Doug McCoy, Cynthia McFarland, Mark Shuffitt, Michael Compton
PUBLISHERFlorida Equine Publications, Inc.
(A corporation owned by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association)
Executive Office - 801 SW 60th Avenue • Ocala, Florida 34474
BOARD OF DIRECTORSPhil Matthews, President/Board Chairman
Brent Fernung, 1st Vice PresidentFrancis Vanlangendonck, 2nd Vice President
Sheila DiMare, SecretaryBonnie M. Heath III, Treasurer
CEO & EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT Lonny T. Powell
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
Caroline T. Davis
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Writingmy first column for The FloridaHorseis muchmore of an honor than I ever expected.
Ihave been a part of the horse industry my
entire life as my father Phil Sheridan was an
accomplished rodeo cowboy and later a suc-
cessful trainer of racing Quarter Horses in Ari-
zona, Colorado and New Mexico. I put myself
through a private high school and the University
ofArizona working on the starting gate crews at
tiny Rillito RaceTrack and other tracks and fairs
in Arizona, Idaho and California. When I was a
youngster, the big time was the now defunct
Centennial Race Track outside of Denver, Turf
Paradise in Phoenix, Arizona and Ruidoso
Downs in NewMexico. But as a professional in
this business, I have been a part of management
teams at tracks as small as Manor Downs near
Austin, Texas, to facilities as large as Hollywood
Park in Southern California.
In moving to Ocala, Florida and accepting
the position as editor-in-chief of Florida Equine
Publications, I was not expecting to be over
whelmed. Yes, I was aware of the small staff at
the Florida Equine Publications and how they
had maintained the high quality of performance
under adverse conditions during the recent
months. And I am aware of the expectations of
maintaining that level of excellence. But I was
naïve as to the high level and standards of thor-
oughbred breeding, training, racing and sales
of thoroughbreds in Marion County.
I thought of Florida-breds as good, solid and
competitive. Florida-bred and Ocala Breeders
Sales Company was a leader in the industry
and that was obvious to even the casual ob-
server. No question that I was keenly aware of
the significance of central Florida in the thor-
oughbred industry.
But I was less informed as to the greatness
of this thoroughbred community. I’m not
ashamed of that previous perception, but
rather astonished at what I had not previously
known. Even as a self-defined enthusiast and
historian of thoroughbred racing and breeding,
I was amazed at what I have come to be a part
of and experience as I have settled into Ocala.
I am very much looking forward to publishing
and promoting the so many different aspects
of this wonderful community and the Florida-
bred industry.
There is no doubt that I am a “rookie” in
what is Ocala. I’m the new guy in town and just
now starting to meet many of you, the members.
I will be visiting more members soon at your
farms, at sales and at the track to introduce my-
self personally. The door to my office is also al-
ways open, so also consider this a standing
invitation to stop by the FTBOA and FEP of-
fices here in Ocala and say hello.
Which brings me back to my first proclama-
tion-I am honored to be here. Not only am I hon-
ored, but excited to be a part of the Florida
breeding, racing and sales. I am excited and
privileged to be entrusted by the board of direc-
tors, staff and members of the FTBOA and FEP
to communicate that greatness. �
Even as a self-defined enthusiast and historian ofthoroughbred racing and breeding, I was amazed at what Ihave come to be a part of and experience as I have settledinto Ocala. I am very much looking forward to publishingand promoting the so many different aspects of this won-
derful community and the Florida-bred industry.
6 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2012
the Brock talk
Brock SheridanEditor-in-Chief
Florida Equine Publications
AmazedAndHonored
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By MICHAEL COMPTON
The four-race stakes program at Gulf-
stream Park on Feb. 11 offered a little some-
thing for everyone.
Trainer Todd Pletcher saddled his 3,000th
career winner; Thunder Moccasin, a promis-
ing 3-year-old colt by Florida sire A.P. War-
rior, stormed onto the scene with a rousing
victory in the Hutcheson Stakes (G2); Snow
Top Mountain proved best in the Suwannee
River Stakes (G3); Hymn Book stole the
spotlight in the Donn Handicap (G1); and
millionaire veteran Get Stormymade his first
start of the year a winning one in closing out
the stakes action in the Gulfstream Park Turf
Handicap (G1).
One of themore impressive performances
of the day was turned in by Thunder Moc-
casin in the $150,000 Hutcheson Stakes. A
son of Stonewall Farm Ocala stallion A.P.
Warrior, Thunder Moccasin stormed down
the stretch under JohnVelazquez to pull away
to a 6¾-length score in the 7-furlong Hutch-
eson over a good track, scoring his first
graded stakes victory in his second start and
remaining undefeated.
“He broke half a step slow but it worked
out perfectly because I was able to get great
position outside of the other speed. I wanted to
make a quick move on the turn to try to sur-
prise the other horse and it worked,”Velazquez
said. “He runs so hard every step of the way.”
Fractional times for the race were :23.34,
:46.89, and1:11.17,with a final timeof1:24.16.
Bred by Stonewall Farm and owned by
Starlight Racing, Thunder Moccasin won his
career debut at Gulfstream Park on Dec. 24,
earning a whopping Beyer Speed Figure of
97. He covered 6½ furlongs that day in a
sprightly 1:154⁄5. The maiden-breaking effort
has proved to be a key race.The second-place
finisher Ender Knievel, third-place finisher
Panthro, and fourth-place finisher Stealcase
all won their next races.
“He’s a very talented colt,” Pletcher said.
“His first race was so impressive with the
move hemadewe thoughtwe’d take a shot and
go right into theHutcheson.The race came up
just the waywe talked about where we sat just
off the five (IlVillano), a horsewithmore sea-
soning, and he handled it beautifully.”
The win with Thunder Moccasin in the
Hutchesonmarks the seventh timePletcher has
won the Hutcheson, with previous victories
coming in a dead-heat in 2000, and five
straight from2003-2007. In 2011, Pletcher fin-
ished second in the Hutcheson with Travelin
Man, who returned to win the Swale Stakes.
The victory became career win no. 3,002
for Pletcher, who earlier in the card earned his
3,000th career victory when Triple Crown
nominee Spring Hill Farm dominated the
third race going wire-to-wire to remain un-
defeated and sentMajestic Number to victory
in the race right after.
8 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2012
Thunder Moccasin Dominates Hutcheson
Northwest Stud stallion Pleasant Strike
sired his first foal recently when a filly was
born at Alfredo Ronso’s MightyWhite Stal-
lion Farm. The filly was produced from the
Storm Boot mare Love Boot, dam of stakes
winner Made to Love Her.
Pleasant Strike is a graded stakes winning
son of Smart Strike. He won the Arlington
Classic (G3) and amassed career earnings in
excess of $450,000. He is from the family of
2005 Older Male Eclipse Champion and
Horse of theYear Saint Liam.
Pleasant Strike will stand his second sea-
son in 2012 for a fee of $2,500.
For more information on Pleasant Strike
contact Northwest Stud at (352) 512-1134.
Northwest Stud StallionPleasant Strike Sires First Foal
Thunder Moccasin (above), a son of Stonewall Farm Ocala stallionA.P. Warrior, storms to victory in the Hutcheson Stakes (G2)
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Florida-bredThunder Moccasin
Pleasant Strike
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THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2012 9
Kiss the Kid SiresFirst Foals
Multiple graded stakes winner and
record setter Kiss the Kid sired his first
reported foals recently in Florida when a
filly and colt were both born within a
few days of one another at Hardacre
Farm.
A bay filly was the first to be born on
Jan. 26 out of the Came Home mare
Came Through, a half-sister to Grade 1-
placed Noble Causeway. On Jan. 29, a
bay colt was born out of the Hennessy
mare Firefly Fancy, a half-sister to mul-
tiple graded stakes winner Fire Slam.
Both were bred by Hardacre Farm.
Kiss the Kid was a multiple graded
stakes winner on turf and Grade 1-placed
on dirt. He won theAppleton Stakes (G3)
and Cliff Hanger Stakes (G3) on grass, a
surface he also set a new course record on
at Monmouth Park. Kiss the Kid placed
in the Donn Handicap (G1), Gulfstream
Park Handicap (G2), Meadowlands Cup
Stakes (G2) and Iselin Stakes (G3) and
dirt, and also placed in the BenAli Stakes
(G3) at Keeneland on Polytrack.
By Lemon Drop Kid, Kiss the Kid re-
tired to Brent & Crystal Fernung’s Jour-
neyman Stud in Ocala in 2011 after
amassing career earnings of $820,873 on
the racetrack. He is out of a full sister to
Horse of theYear Black Tie Affair.
Kiss the Kid will stand his second
season in 2012 for a fee of $3,500 stands
and nurses.
Frank Calabrese’s Florida-bred Sab-
rina’s Dance avenged a recent allowance
loss toAlydarla and became a stakes winner
in the process Feb. 12 at Gulfstream Park,
capturing the $60,000 Madcap Escapade
under jockey Jose Lezcano.
The 3-year-old daughter of former Hart-
ley/DeRenzo stallion Werblin, Sabrina’s
Dance lost to Alydarla by a neck in Janu-
ary, held off that rival by 1¼ lengths after
again setting the pace in the five-furlong
turf stakes.
Sabrina’s Dance broke well from her in-
side post position to contest the pace with
Red Hot Doll along the backstretch and into
the far turn. After shaking free of Red Hot
Doll, she quickly opened a clear lead that she
would not relinquish through the stretch run.
Alydarla, who raced off the pace under Kent
Desormeaux, saved ground on the turn into
the homestretch to enter contention but the
2-1 favorite proved nomatch for the winner.
“The plan was go to the front and we
were able to go a little slower than last time
when the other horse [Alydarla] beat us,”
Lezcano said. “We were able to get clear on
the lead after a while and she relaxed really
nicely.When I asked her she kicked away.”
Sabrina’s Dance ran five furlongs in
58.19 seconds while posting her third vic-
tory in five career starts. Alydarla, who
closed from far back to catch Sabrina’s
Dance in their previous meeting, had to set-
tle for second, a half-length ahead of third-
place finisher My Due Process.
Bred by Joanne Crowe and Kristina
Stein, the Florida-bred filly defeatedmaiden
claimers by more than five lengths in her
debut last May over Calder’s main track.
Calabrese purchased her shortly after the
impressive debut and sent her to trainer Nick
Canani. She returned to action at Calder in
November with a two-length victory in a
turf allowance. After a seventh-place finish
in the Old Hat (G3) on Gulfstream’s main
track on Jan. 1, Sabrina’s Dance was put
back on turf on Jan. 19, when Alydarla
caught her late.
“She obviously likes turf, but we tried
her in the Old Hat just to see what our op-
tions are with her,” Canani said. “I think
we’ll stick to turf with her from now on.”
Sabrina’s Dance Back On TopIn Madcap Escapade
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Florida-bredSabrinaʼs Dance
Kiss The Kid
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10 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2012
By MICHAEL COMPTON
With all the success Florida-bred Great
Attack enjoyed sprinting on the turf last year,
it’s hard to believe he headed into action Feb.
18 winless in black-type races. That was
quickly remedied, though, as GreatAttack fi-
nally notched the first stakes win of his ca-
reer in winning the $75,000 Turf Dash at
Tampa Bay Downs.
The 5-year-old son of Stonewall Farm
Ocala stallion Greatness rallied from mid-
pack to hit the wire just ahead of fellow Sun-
shine State productWestern Prospector in the
five-furlong turf fixture, stopping the clock in
:55.93 over a course labeled good.
Argentine-bred Private Jet, the 2-1 favorite
based on the strength of his victory over Great
Attack last time out at Gulfstream Park, fin-
ished a fast-closing third. Florida-bred Little
Nick, after menacing around the turn, wound
up fourth. Jeffrey Sanchez piloted the winner.
“We were farther back than I hoped to be
early, and he seemed to be uncomfortablewith
the ground – maybe it was too soft for him,”
Sanchez said. “But he seemed to get more
confident as we got into the turn, and by the
timewe got to the stretch hewas really firing.”
The winner was sent out by trainer Dennis
Ward, deputizing for his son,Wesley. Bred by
Edward Seltzer and Murray Durst, Great At-
tack races in the colors of HouyhnhnmStable.
GreatAttack is now a winner in five of 15
career starts. Although he is graded-stakes
placed and finished fourth in last year’s Breed-
ers’ CupTurf Sprint (G2) at Churchill Downs,
the Turf Dash score was his initial victory.
Based at Wesley’s Gulfstream Park barn,
Great Attack arrived in Oldsmar at the elder
Ward’s barn at 9 a.m. themorning of the race,
and the trainer said he looked to be in superb
shape. He was confident Great Attack was
primed to improve on his narrow defeat by
fellow Sunshine State product Bridgetown in
last year’s Turf Dash.
“I think (Great Attack) is better than last
year. He is a little more seasoned,” Dennis
Ward said. “He hasn’t run that many times.
Wesley picks his spots with his good ones.
And this was no easy spot, believeme.This is
as tough as any place in the country.”
Wesley Ward also entered Madman Di-
aries, a 4-year-old gelding he owns in part-
nership with Robert Teel, but scratched him
the morning of the race.
“(MadmanDiaries) has a little more speed
than Great Attack, and we thought there was
enough speed in this race,” Dennis said. “I
don’t like running first and second in any
race; what good does that do you? Just win,
and save the other horse for another race.”
Runner-up Western Prospector suffered
his second tough beat in a row. He also fin-
ished second last time out over theTampa turf
in an allowance dash. Jockey Leandro
Goncalves thought he might be the winner in
deep stretch until Great Attack roared past.
“When I asked him to run, he came away
really nicely. I thought we had won it,”
Goncalves said.
Western Prospector is a 6-year-old son of
Stonehedge Farm South stallion West Acre
out of the Premiership mare Pleasant
Dilemma. He was bred by Gilbert Campbell
and is owned byMidwestThoroughbreds Inc.
Florida-breds Sweep Tampa’s Turf Dash
First Mare ReportedIn Foal to Big Drama
Florida-bredGreat Attack
Stonewall Farm Ocala announced
Feb. 16 that Eclipse Champion Big Drama
had impregnated his first mare.The Silver
Buck mare Be Silver owned by Pete Gon-
zalez was confirmed in foal to Big Drama.
The son of Montbrook amassed more
than $2.7 million on the race track includ-
ing the 2010 Breeders’Cup Sprint (G1) at
Churchill Downs. Big Drama won 10
stakes during his four year racing career.
For more information onBigDrama contactStonewall FarmOcala at (352) 620-0907.
Great Attack, a son of Stonewall Farm Ocala sire Greatness,earns initial stakes victory
PALM
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Florida-bred Big Drama
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12 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2012
Bridlewood Farm stallion Mach Ride sired his first reported foalFeb. 12 when a filly was born at Mitchell Broussard’s BroussardFarm. The nearly black filly was produced from the Milwaukee Brewmare Lil Brewski. She is the second foal out of the mare which hada Roar of the Tiger colt in 2011.
Mach Ride was a three-time stakes winner during his five year rac-ing career. The son of Pentelicus won the Smile Sprint Handicap (G2),Champali Stakes and Valid Video Stakes at Calder Race Course. Hewas also graded stakes placed in the Mr. Prospector Stakes (G3) twiceand the Carry Back Stakes (G2). Campaigned by George and KarenRussell’s Rustlewood Farm, Mach Ride amassed career earnings of$640,050. He is out of the Formal Dinner mare April Invitation and is
a half-brother to stakes win-ner Blue Pepsi Lodge.
Mach Ride will stand hissecond season in 2012 for afee of $2,000.
For more information on MachRide contact Bridlewood Farmat (352) 622-5319.
Mach Ride Sires First Foal
BY PATRICK VINZANT
Trainer Todd Pletcher con-
tinued his hot streak at Gulfstream
Park with E. Paul Robsham’s
Florida-bred R Holiday Mood
capturing the $150,000 Hurricane
Bertie Stakes Feb. 19 at the Hal-
landale oval. Her victory marked
the 11th win from 18 starters for
the owner/trainer combo at the
current meet.
The daughter of former Ocala
Stud stallion Trippi entered the
Hurricane Bertie off a dead heat performance in the Ocala Stakes
on Jan. 8. Ridden by John Velazquez, R Holiday Mood set a con-
tested pace from the start. She was hounded by Funny Sunny from
the onset and the duo battled head and head until deep stretch when
R Holiday Mood prevailed by a neck.
The 4-year-old filly covered
the 6 ½ furlongs in 1:15.85 over
a track labeled fast. Funny
Sunny finished 2 ½ lengths clear
of race favorite Her Smile.
Florida-bred Belle of the Hall
finished fourth followed by
Florida-bred Pica Slew, Strike
the Moon and Ms. Vanenzza.
“I really didn’t expect her to
be on the lead today. I thought
the one (Pica Slew) would go to
the front and we’d follow her. I
felt reasonably confident that she would run well today coming off
the mile race,” said trainer Todd Pletcher. “That was a demanding
race and the mile is about her limit, but she’s a big strong filly and
came out of it well.
“I’d say if she comes out of this okay we’ll look at the next one,
the Inside Information,” Pletcher said. “The seven-eighths is just right
for her.” The Inside Information (G2) is scheduled for March 17.
The Hurricane Bertie score was her fifth win in eight starts and
brought her career earnings to $217,800.
R Holiday Mood Holds on in Hurricane Bertie
Florida-bred R Holiday Mood
COGL
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Florida-bredMach Ride
RutherfordMulhall, P.A.Our legal services to the equine industry include:•Sale and purchase of equestrian businesses, farms and horses
•Litigation involving equine related matters•Tax and business structuring advice
•Preparation of partnership and syndication agreements•Preparation of training and boarding agreements
•Banking and finance specific to farm and equine assets•Estate planning and probate•Bankruptcy and related issues
Please contact:
DavidA.McKibbin, Esq.Ocala office
118 S.W. Fort King Street • Ocala, FL 34478Boca Raton Office
2600 No.MilitaryTrail • Boca Raton, FL 33431-6348
Phone: 561-241-1600•Cell: 561-818-0050•Fax: [email protected] • www.rmlawyer.com
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14 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2012
By MICHAEL COMPTON
Florida-bred Yara pushed by a stubborn
Grace Hall late to emerge victorious in the
$350,000 Davona Dale Stakes (G2) at Gulf-
stream Park on Feb. 25. The 3-year-old
daughter of Bridlewood Farm stallion Put It
Back lit up the tote board, scoring by a neck
at odds of 60-1 under Jesus Castanon. She
paid $131 for $2 to win after being timed for
the 11⁄16 miles in 1:43:41 over the fast track.
“My instructions were to put her right up
there and she broke good,” said Castanon. “I
saw the two [Grace Hall] right next to me and
when she went ahead and took the lead, my
horse settled really nicely. My filly was just
waiting for me to push the button and when I
did, she ran on really well. I was actually very
confident coming into the race. I saw her race
last time going a mile and I knew she had run
some good races before that.”
Trainer Jose Garoffalo saddled the winner
for Peras International. The winner was bred
by Brambly Lane Farm and Steve Dwoskin.
“This is the biggest win ofmy career,” said
Garoffalo. “I knew it was a tough field, but I
was always confident that she would handle a
distance. She broke well and that was a key
to the race. The owner (Anderson Castro) is
from Venezuela and is investing in several
horses over here, including some I have com-
ing up. I picked this one out ($24,000 OBS
April 2-year-old sales). The goal is the Ken-
tucky Oaks (G1) with maybe a race before
then. I usually wait to see how they come out
of a race to make more immediate plans.”
Yara broke her maiden at Calder last Sep-
tember. She finished fourth in the Cassidy
Stakes in October and returned the following
month to win the Joe O’Farrell Juvenile Fil-
lies in wire to wire fashion. In her start prior
to the Davona Dale, Yara finished fourth,
beaten 22½ lengths by Broadway’s Alibi in
the Forward Gal Stakes (G2) over a sloppy
Gulfstream surface.
Grace Hall was game in defeat for trainer
Anthony Dutrow and owners Michael Dubb,
Bethlehem Stables and The Elkstone Group.
Grace Hall finished second in last year’s
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) behind
eventual Eclipse championMyMissAurelia.
Winner of the Spinaway Stakes (G1) at
Saratoga last September, Grace Hall was
making her first start of the year in the
Davona Dale.
“She’s a very forward filly and today off the
short layoff she was a little sharp,” said jockey
Ramon Dominguez. “She broke forward and
when I saw the six horse [Yara] break sharp
too, I had all intentions of sitting right off her.
When that horse slowed it down even more, I
decided to go to the front and I don’t regret it.
My filly is a great filly and I think she’ll just
get better coming out of this race.”
Darley Stable’s Captivating Lass finished
third, 3 ½ lengths behind Grace Hall.
In an unprecedented move designed to re-
ward owners of Florida-bred horses and in-
crease the value of Sunshine State products,
the FTBOA, FHBPA and Gulfstream Park
have designed “Win It to Get It.”The Davona
Dale is one of six stakes races at the current
Gulfstream Park meet with a supplement of
$100,000 to the winning owner of a Florida-
bred registered with the FTBOA.
Yara Upsets Davona Dale Field
Factum to Stand atStonehedge Farm SouthGilbert andMarilyn Campbell, owners
of Stonehedge Farm South in Williston,
have announced that Factum will enter
stud at the farm in 2012. The 4-year-old
son of Storm Cat is a half brother to lead-
ing sireWar Front.
As a 2-year-old in Ireland, Factumwas
a winner and a group 2 performer finish-
ing fourth in the Juddmonte Beresford
Stakes (G2). Out of the stakes-winning
Rubiano mare Starry Dreamer, Factum is
also a half brother to stakes winners Ec-
clesiatic, Riviera Cocktail andTeammate.
Factumwill join fellow siresWestAcre
andUntuttable at Stonehedge Farm South.
A fee will be announced at a later date.
For more information on Factum contact
Larry King at (352)528-4951.
Florida-bred daughter of Bridlewood Farm stallion Put It Backsprings surprise in Davona Dale
Florida-bred Yara
COGL
IANE
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16 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2012
FLORIDANEWS Florida-bred Crafty Unicorn breaks his maiden in Championship Stakes;Local operations Double Diamond Farm and Stonewall Farm also represented with stakes winners
By MICHAEL COMPTON
Ocala is justly celebrated as “The
Horse Capital of theWorld.TM” On a
sun-splashed, Chamber of Com-
merceMonday afternoon, Ocala proved a rac-
ing center as well with the annual OBS
Champions Day of racing Mar. 12.
Florida-bred Crafty Unicorn won the
$100,000 Championship Stakes to close out
the festive day of racing. The son of Friends
Lake—Unicorn Kid, by Lemon Drop Kid,
bred by Sabrina and Harold Plumley, broke
his maiden in style for owner-trainer Dennis
Manning.
Crafty Unicorn raced in close attendance
of the early pace in the 23rd running of the
race, surged to the lead along the inside in the
stretch and edged away from Ken and Sarah
Ramsey’s Burn the Mortgage late to win the
11⁄16-mile event by 1¾ lengths. John Oxley’s
Moon Traveler checked in third. Crafty Uni-
corn covered the distance in 1:454⁄5.
Crafty Unicorn went through the ring at
OBS three different times. He was sold as a
yearling by Richard Kent’s Kaizen Sales,
agent. He failed to meet his reserve at the
2011April sale and then sold for $20,000 by
Nickajack/Rey de Oros, agent at the 2011
June Sale.
“He was a really
nice-looking yearling
when I had him,” Kent
said. “He had good size
to him, but offspring of
Friends Lake weren’t
too popular at the time.
I’m glad he broke his-
maiden in a stakes race.
What a pleasant surprise.”
Marc Haisfield’s Andrew’s Girl remained
undefeated after two career starts, rolling to
an impressive score in the $100,000 filly di-
vision of the OBS Championship Stakes.
Bred by Stonewall Farm, the daughter of
Lawyer Ron—Pondering, by Storm Cat,
broke her maiden at first asking on Feb. 18,
winning a one-mile maiden special weight
race on the grass at Tampa Bay Downs. She
closed from last to first that day. Her strong
closing kick carried her to victory once
more on Monday as she circled the field in
the stretch under Leandro Goncalves to
beat Oaks Lily by 1½
lengths. She ran the
11⁄16 miles in 1:473⁄5.
The filly was con-
signed to the 2011
OBS March sale by
EddieWoods, agent.
“It’s amazing to
come home here to
Ocala and win a stakes
race in your backyard,”
said Haisfield. “What a great day of racing
and I’m proud that we were able to win one
here today. This victory is a credit to the en-
tire Stonewall team.”
Haisfield related that a full sister to An-
drew’s Girl will go through the ring at the
OBSApril sale.
DonaldDizney’sDevotedWildcat grabbed
the lead around the far turn of the $50,000
OBS Sprint Stakes and
never relinquished com-
mand. Ridden by Kent
Desormeaux, Devoted
Wildcat crossed the
wire one length clear of
a fast closingMakingA-
mends, running six fur-
longs in 1:104⁄5.
It was the third con-
secutive win for the gelding. He broke his
maiden at Gulfstream Park in December and
returned to annex an allowance race on Jan. 29
in Hallandale Beach.
Trained by Bob Hess Jr., Devoted Wildcat
is a Kentucky-bred son of Forest Wildcat—
Devotedness, byAnet.Thewinner’s halfbrother
is selling this week at OBS as hip No. 292.
“This is special,” said Roger Brand of
Double Diamond Farm. “We drove down to
Gulfstream Park for Apriority’s race yester-
day.We didn’t win that race (finished second)
and had a long drive home last night.We have
a short trip today and win a stakes race. You
can’t beat that.
“This horse has
done really well since
he’s been with Hess,”
Brand added. “He re-
ally seems to be com-
ing into himself now.
His future looks
bright.” DevotedWild-
cat was consigned to
the 2010 OBS August
sale by Summerfield, agent.
The afternoon’s first race went to Ron
Hendrickson’sWho Is Camille. The 3-year-
old daughter of Dixie Union drew clear in
the final strides to win the $50,000 OBS
Sprint for 3-year-old fillies. Raroma Sta-
bles Runfor Ro closed late to secure the
runner-up spot. Pacesetter Quality Lass, a
West Point Thoroughbreds colorbearer, had
to settle for third. The winner ran six fur-
longs in 1:11.
Hendrickson and trainer Marcial Navarro
supplemented Who Is Camille to the race.
Jockey JohnVelazquez piloted the winner.
“She beat some pretty nice horses when
she broke her maiden,” said Hendrickson,
who owns Dairy Queen franchises and has
eight horses in training with Navarro at
Calder. “That is what encouraged us to try this
spot.
“What a wonderful day of racing here in
Ocala,” he added. “It’s a nice event to be a part
of. I’m thrilled with the victory.”
Kings Equine sold Who Is Camille for
$15,000 at the 2011 OBSApril sale.�
Andrewʼs Girl won the $100,000 OBSChampion Filly Division
Crafty Unicorn won the OBS ChampionsColt/Gelding Division
Picture Perfect
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18 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2012
FLORIDANEWS
By BROCK SHERIDAN
Consignors Mary and Robert Harris had a banner Ocala
Breeders’ Sales Company March Sale of Selected 2-Year-
Olds as they consigned the top seller on both days of the two-day
auction Mar. 13-14. Through their Harris Training Center LLC,
Agent II they consigned Hip No. 342, a colt by War Front and
out of the Horse Chestnut mare Henna that sold for $800,000 to
Frank Fletcher Racing Operations. Timed in :10.0 over an eighth
of a mile during the under tack program, the top selling colt is
out of an unraced dam who is a half-sis-
ter to multiple grade 1 stakes winner
Pomeroy.
On the first day of the sale, they sold
Hip No. 180, Ado, a filly by Empire
Maker, who went to Frank Fletcher Rac-
ing Operations for $485,000. The bay
filly, a half sister to stakes winner Pass-
port out of graded stakes winnerTrip, by
Lord at War, worked an eighth in :101⁄5 at
Thursday’s Under Tack session.
For the first day, 91 horses sold for a
total of $11,877,000, compared with
119 horses bringing $10,333,000 at last
year’s opening session. The average
price was $130,516, up 50.3% com-
pared to $86,832 last year, while the me-
dian price soared to $100,000 from
$57,000 in 2011. The buyback percent-
age was 26.6%, it was 30% a year ago.
Forty six horses sold for $100,000 or more compared with thirty
a year ago on the first day alone.
The success of the sale was again widely felt on day two as
both the average price and median price saw significant gains
over the second day of this sale a year ago. The average price of
the 84 two-year-olds sold was $149,762 this year, nearly 23%
higher than the average price on the same day last year. The
$110,000 median price was nearly 28% higher than the median
price of the second day of the sale last year. The buyback per-
centage was 27.6%; it was 21.9% last year.
For the two days, the average price was $138,656, nearly 33%
higher than last year while the $105,000 median was a full 50%
higher than the 2011 sale. Gross receipts for the 179 horses sold
this week was $24,819,500 compared to the 237 horses that
went through the sale ring last year that generated $24,711,00 in
gross sales. For the entire sale, the buyback percentage was
25.4% compared to 26.2% last year.
Florida-breds were not kept out of the spotlight as the second
highest seller was a product of breeding program in the Sun-
shine State. Hip No. 323 was a Florida-bred colt by Tiz Won-
derful out of the Kissin Kris mare Foolish Kiss and left the sale
ring after running up the lights to $525,000. Consigned by Paul
Sharp, Agent IV, the colt was purchased by Stonestreet Stables,
best known as the owners of Curlin and RachelAlexandra, both
winners of the golden Eclipse Award as
Horse of theYear.
Hip No. 350 is a chestnut colt by the
Stonewall Farm Ocala stallion Leroidesan-
imaux, sire of 2011 Kentucky Derby pre-
sented by Yum! Brands (G1) winner
Animal Kingdom. Out of the Sefapiano
mare Humoristic, the EddieWoods,Agent
IX consignee was purchased by Deuce
Greathouse, Agent for $490,000.
Another top selling filly was con-
signed by Ocala Stud and dropped the
gavel at $475,000 as Hip No. 188. The
Florida-bred daughter of Street Sense out
of the Valid Appeal mare Unlimited
Pleasure was purchased by Todd
Pletcher, Agent for Repole Stables.
A colt also sold for $475,000 later in the
sale as Hip No. 298 went to Toyomitsu
Hirai. ByRead the Footnotes and out of the
Dixie Union mare DixieTalent, the chestnut colt was consigned by
Southern Chase Farm, Inc. (Greg and Karen Dodd),Agent.
The top selling colt on the first day was Hip No. 58, a
Florida-bred by Montbrook consigned by Ocala Stud, Agent,
and was sold to Toyomitsu Hirai for $470,000. The dark bay or
brown colt, whose quarter in :20 4/5 was co-fastest at the pre-
vious Thursday’s session of the Under Tack Show, is out of
stakes placed My Golden Quest, by Coronado’s Quest, a half
sister to graded stakes placed My Golden Song.
Hip No. 126, an A.P. Indy colt consigned by Hartley/De
Renzo Thoroughbreds LLC, Agent, was sold to Mark Casse,
Agent, for $425,000. The dark bay or brown colt, who worked
an eighth in :10 flat at the Under Tack show, is out of graded
stakes winner Sharp Susan, byTouch Gold, and is a half brother
to grade one winner Spring at Last. �
Harris Tops Both Days of OBS March SaleOBS March Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale
LOUISE
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OTO
Mary and Robert Harris consigned the top selleron both days of the OBS March sale.
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This 413.55 acre turn-key Thoroughbred trainingcenter is being offered for sale for $5,900,000.The property is bank owned and the seller ishighly motivated. Will divide.
This immaculate property offers a 7/8 mile dirt trainingtrack with enclosed viewing stand, 6 barns with a totalof 144 stalls, a 2,088 square foot office building,2 maintenance buildings, 2 covered Europeanwalkers, a spring fed swimming pond, great soil,scattered oaks, and a 4,599 square foot residencewith swimming pool and detached garage.
Graduates of this track include:My Miss AureliaLookin At LuckyHenny Hughes &
The Factor
15 minutes from the Ocala International Airportand Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company
45 minutes from Gainesville
1.5 hours from Orlando
State-of-the-arttraining facilityin sunnyMarion County
See our video online at www.cbtfl.comTo schedule your visit today, call Yvonne Whitler, VP at 352-369-1000or Dwayne Carlton, CPM at 352-351-0055
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Please check the category/categories (maximum of 2 please)you would like listed for your farm/business inTHE FLORIDA HORSE FARM & SERVICE DIRECTORY:
THOROUGHBRED FARMOTHER BREED FARMPlease identify the breed -For example - QUARTER HORSE
ACCOUNTANTSAPPRAISAL SERVICEATTORNEYSBANKS & INSURANCEBLACKSMITHSBLOODSTOCK AGENTSEQUINE CHIROPRACTORSEQUINE DENTISTSEQUINE SERVICEEQUIPMENTFEED/TACK
GIFTS & COLLECTIBLESIDENTIFIERSLODGINGMEDIA & DESIGN ARTISTSMISCELLANEOUSNURSE MARESORGANIZATIONSPEDIGREESPRODUCTSRACETRACKSREALTORSRESTAURANTSSALES COMPANIESSCHOOLSTRAINING CENTERSTRANSPORTATIONVETERINARIANS
FARM/BUSINESS NAME: ____________________________________________________________________________
ADDRESS: ______________________________________________________________________________________
FARM/BUSINESS PHONE: ________________________ FARM/BUSINESS FAX: ________________________________
WEBSITE: ____________________________________ EMAIL: ____________________________________________
OWNER OF FARM/BUSINESS: ________________________________________________________________________
MANAGER OF FARM: ____________________________ MANAGER’S PHONE: ________________________________
BARN PHONE: ____________________________________________________________________________________
ACREAGE: ______________________________________________________________________________________
SIZE OF TRAINING TRACK: __________________________________________________________________________
SERVICES OFFERED: ________________________________________________________________________________
STALLIONS STANDING: ____________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
VISITING POLICY: __________________________________________________________________________________
VISITORS WELCOME FROM ________________ TO ______________
VISITORS PLEASE CALL FOR APPOINTMENT � NO VISITORS �
DATE __________________________ SIGNATURE________________________________________________________________________
RETURN TO: THE FLORIDA HORSE • 801 SW 60TH AVE., • OCALA, FL 34474For more information: 352-732-8858 • Fax: 352-629-3603 or 352-867-1979
Attention: Beverly Kalberkamp
RESPONSE DEADLINEApril 20, 2012
Years of Service
THE FLORIDA HORSE
.................
....................................................
50Serving Florida’sThoroughbred Industrysince 1958
50
YE
ARS OF SERV
ICE
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LOR IDA HO
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RESPONSE DEADLINEAPRIL 20, 2012
Farm Service Directory Free Listing
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By JOANN GUIDRY
or the FloridaThoroughbred industry, the 2011
racing season read like a romantic novel.With
a record-setting 11Grade 1 Florida-bred stakes
winners, there were plenty of intriguing characters and
excitement in every chapter.And at the heart of the story
was the aptly-namedMusical Romance, but she was no
damsel in distress. In fact, when all was said and done,
Musical Romance emerged as the heroine. She garnered
the EclipseAward as champion female sprinter and was
named the 2011 Florida-Bred Horse of theYear.
Musical Romance, who races for the partnership of
Pinnacle Racing Stable and Bill Kaplan, began the sea-
son bywinning a trio of stakes at her Calder RaceCourse
homebase. Also trained by Kaplan, the 4-year-old filly
scored victories in the Ema Bovary Stakes, U Can Do It
Stakes andBarb’s Dancer Stakes. She then gave a hint of
something special to come, finishing second by a neck to
Sassy Image in the Princess Rooney Handicap (G1).
Shipped to Presque Isle Downs in northern Pennsyl-
vania, Musical Romance showed off her flirtatious side
again in graded-stakes company. This time around, she
scored a neck win over favoredAriana D in the Presque
Isle Downs Masters Stakes (G2) for her initial career
graded stakes victory. Next stop was Keeneland, where
Musical Romance was second by a head to Holiday for
Kitten in theThoroughbredClub ofAmerica Stakes (G2).
The next big dance was the Breeders’ Cup Filly &
Mare Sprint (G1) on November 4 at Churchill Downs.
Musical Romance’s connections came up with the
$130,000 supplement fee to put her on the dance card.
She turned it into her own personal waltz, winning the
22 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2012
RomanticROMP
BREE
DERS
ʼCUP
LIMITE
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ATale of Romance
F
2011FL_BredChampions.qxd:Florida Horse_template 3/19/12 1:38 PM Page 22
THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2012 23
BC Filly &Mare Sprint (G1) by a length and a quarter.
On the season, Musical Romance banked $1,040,734.
Bred by Ocala Stud, Musical Romance is by de-
ceased Concorde’sTune out of multiple stakes-producer
Candlelightdinner, by Slew Gin Fizz. Ocala Stud con-
signed and sold Musical Romance for $22,000 at the
2009 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s April juvenile
sale to Bill Kaplan, agent, for Pinnacle Racing Stable.
South Florida businessmanAdamLazarus is the found-
ing and managing partner of Pinnacle Racing Stable.
At the 52ndAnnual FTBOAAwards Dinner on Sun-
day,March 11, at theOcalaHilton,MusicalRomancewas
honored as the 2011 Florida-BredHorse of theYear.Also
in the spotlight for the night were all the 2011 Florida-
Bred champions and their breeders, owners and trainers.
The 2011 Florida-bred champions article was published
in the 2012 January issue of The Florida Horse.
Ocala Stud, J. Michael O’Farrell Jr., president, was
recognized as 2011 Florida Breeder of theYear and col-
lected numerous other awards. Ocala Studwas also hon-
ored as the breeder of Musical Romance, the
Florida-Bred Horse of theYear, champion older female
Florida-bred MusicalRomance winningthe Breedersʼ CupFilly & Mare Sprint
2011FL_BredChampions.qxd:Florida Horse_template 3/19/12 1:38 PM Page 23
and champion female sprinter; Candrea, the Florida-
Bred champion 2-year-old filly; andTurbulent Descent,
the Florida-bred champion 3-year-old filly. Ocala Stud
owns Candlelightdinner, the 2011 Florida Broodmare of
the Year, and stands High Cotton, who was the 2011
Leading Florida Freshman Sire. Ocala Stud also gar-
nered the Joe O’Farrell Memorial Award.
CharlotteWeber’s Live Oak Plantation was honored
as the 2011 Leading Owner by Florida-bred earnings.
Wildcat Heir captured the 2011 Florida Stallion of
the Year Award and Awesome of Course claimed the
2011 Leading Florida Juvenile Sire title. Both Wildcat
Heir and Awesome of Course stand at Brent and Crys-
tal Fernung’s Journeyman Stud.
2011 FLORIDA BREEDER OF THE YEAROCALA STUD(J. Michael O’Farrell Jr., President)
There are good years and then there are very good
years. Such was the case with Ocala Stud. In 2010,
Ocala Stud posted an outstanding season and was
named the Florida Breeder of theYear. For an encore,
Ocala Stud followed with another stellar season and
claimed the title of 2011 Florida Breeder of theYear.
In 2011, Ocala Stud, the historic Thoroughbred op-
eration that was established in 1956, posted record
earnings as a breeder of $4,135,381. And it was truly
Ocala Stud’s year as the operation collected a slew of
other year-end awards. Ocala Stud was the breeder of
three Florida-bred champions in Musical Romance
(Florida-bred Horse of the Year, champion older fe-
male, champion female sprinter); Candrea (champion
2-year-old filly); andTurbulent Descent (champion 3-
year-old filly). Musical Romance also garnered the
Eclipse Award as North American champion female
sprinter. She joined My Dear Girl (1956 NorthAmer-
ican champion 2-year-old filly), Roman Brother (1965
North American Horse of the Year and champion
handicap horse) and Office Queen (1970 NorthAmer-
ican champion 3-year-old filly) as national champi-
ons bred by Ocala Stud.
As the consignor of Musical Romance, who sold
for $22,000 at the OBSApril juvenile sale, Ocala Stud
picked up the Joe O’Farrell Memorial Award. In ad-
dition, Ocala Stud owns Candlelightdinner, named the
2011 Florida Broodmare of theYear, and stands High
Cotton, the 2011 leading Florida freshman sire.
Ocala Stud was represented by six Florida-bred
stakes winners, including the aforementioned Grade 1
stakes winner and Eclipse champion Musical Ro-
mance. Also in that latter number was previously
noted Grade 1 stakes winner and Florida-bred cham-
pion Turbulent Descent and Grade 2 stakes winner
Tackleberry. Rounding out the group of Ocala Stud-
bred stakes winners were Candrea, Shadowdancing
and Vuelve Ruben M.
Turbulent Descent, a 3-year-old filly Congrats filly,
won the Santa Anita Oaks (G1), Test Stakes (G1) and
Beaumont Stakes (G2). She was also second in the
Acorn Stakes (G1) and Las Virgenes Stakes (G1) to
earn $530,000 on the year. Ocala Stud sold Turbulent
Descent for $160,000 to current owner Blinkers On
Racing Stable at the 2010 OBSApril juvenile sale.
Tackleberry won the Gulfstream Park Handicap
(G2), Gulfstream Park Sprint Championship Stakes
(G2) and Sunshine Millions on his way to banking
$599,667. Owner/trainer Luis Olivares purchased
Tackleberry privately as a two year old from Ocala
Stud.
Candrea won the Phil D. Shepherd Stakes and was
second in the Oak Leaf Stakes (G1).Vuelve Ruben M,
a half-brother to Musical Romance, won a trio of
stakes in Puerto Rico while Shadowdancing won the
Mountaineer Mile Stakes.
24 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2012
RomanticROMP
J. Michael OʼFarrell(center) with sons
Joe (left) and David.
CIND
YMI
KELL
PHOT
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26 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2012
2011 FLORIDA STALLION OF THE YEARWILDCAT HEIR2000 bay horse by ForestWildcat – Penniless Heiress,by Pentelicus
Wildcat Heir garnered the Florida Stallion of theYear
title for the second consecutive year. In 2011, Wildcat
Heir led all Florida-based stallions by progeny earnings
with $5,066,293. He was also the leading Florida sire
by number of stakes winners (8) and stakes wins (13).
The leading 2011 NorthAmerican earner forWildcat
Heir was Florida-bred stakes winner John Johny Jak, a 4-
year-old colt out of the Saint Ballado mare PureAdrena-
lin. John Johny Jak won a trio of stakes races at three
different tracks to earn $215,061 on the season. Bred by
Murray Smith, John Johny Jak won the Carterista Starter
Stakes atGulfstreamPark, theHarryF.Brubaker Stakes at
DelMar and the Lure Stakes at SantaAnita Park. In addi-
tion, he was also third in the Oak Tree Mile (G3) while
posting seconds in theWicker Stakes andMecke Stakes.
WildcatHeirwas also represented by a pair of Florida-
bred graded stakes winners inVexor andWildcat Marie.
Vexor, a 2-year-old colt out of theYes It’sTruemare Real
CleverTrick, captured theNashua Stakes (G2) atBelmont
Park. Bred by Carlos Rafael and Briggs & Cromartie
Bloodstock,Vexor earned $135,000 on the year.Wildcat
Marie, a 4-year-old filly out of theWild Rush mareMiss
Rachel Marie, won the Whimsical Stakes (G3-Can) at
Woodbine. Bred by Clover Leaf Farms and Brent Fer-
nung,WildcatMarie was also third in theHendrie Stakes
(G3-Can) and banked $129,182 on the season.
Rounding out the group ofWildcatHeir stakeswinner
in 2011 were: Wild About Marie (Dr. A.B. Leggio Me-
morial Stakes, Bienville Stakes&BuffaloTrace Franklin
County Stakes); BlackDiamondCat (BobUmphreyTurf
Sprint & Major Moran Stakes); Wild Mia (Redondo
Beach Stakes); Breathoffresheir (Ruthless Stakes) and
Karmageddon (Jersey Girl Handicap).Wildcat Heir was
also represented by nine stakes-placed runners in 2011.
Wildcat Heir, a Florida-bredGrade I stakes winner of
$424,460, was bred by New Farm. He won the Frank J.
De Francis Memorial Dash (G1), Icecapade Stakes and
Drone Stakes.Wildcat Heir, who was also second in the
Sanford Stakes (G2), is a full brother to graded stakes
winner Forest Heiress and stakes winner Forest Heir.
Wildcat Heir entered stud in 2006 at Brent and Crys-
tal Fernung’s Journeyman Farm. In 2009, he was the
2009 leading Florida freshman and juvenile sire. In
2010, he was the Florida leading general sire and juve-
nile sire. Wildcat Heir stands as property of Taylor
Made/WinStar Venture and New Farm.
2011 FLORIDA BROODMARE OF THE YEARCANDLELIGHTDINNER2002 bay mare by Slew Gin Fizz – Romantic Dinner,
byWho’s for Dinner
Candlelightdinner, the dam of Florida-bred Eclipse
champion Musical Romance and Florida-bred stakes
winner Vuelve Ruben M., was named the 2011 Florida
Broodmare of theYear.
MusicalRomance,a 4-year-old filly by deceasedOcala
Stud stallionConcorde’sTune, sangawinning songall sea-
son long.Campaigning for owners PinnacleRacingStable
andBillKaplan,MusicalRomance quickly reeledoff a trio
of stakes wins and posted a second in the Princess Rooney
Handicap(G1)atherhomebaseofCalderRaceCourse.Also
trained by Kaplan, Musical Romance won her first graded
stakes when she captured the Presque Isle Downs Masters
Stakes (G2). After a second in the Thoroughbred Club of
America Stakes (G2) at Keeneland,Musical Romance was
then supplemented for $130,000 to the Breeders’Cup Filly
& Mare Sprint (G1) at Churchill Downs. It proved to be
moneywell spentasMusicalRomancecaptured theBCFilly
& Mare Sprint (G1) by a length and a quarter to boost her
seasonal bankroll to $1,040,734.At year’s end,MusicalRo-
mancegarnered the2011EclipseAwardasNorthAmerican
champion female sprinter. She was also named the 2011
Florida-Bred Horse of the Year, as well as Florida-Bred
champion older female and champion female sprinter.
Candlelightdinner was also represented in 2011 by
Florida-bred stakes winner Vuelve Ruben M. The 3-
year-old Concerto gelding won a trio of stakes races in
Puerto Rico: ClasicoWashington, ClasicoAngel T. and
LOUISE
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Wildcat Heir(above) has won twoconsecutive Stallionof the Year awards.
RomanticROMP
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Copa 4 De Julio. In 2010,
Vuelve Ruben M. had been
named the imported champion
2-year-old colt in Puerto Rico.
Candlelightdinner was bred
and is owned byOcala Stud. Out
of Romantic Dinner, who was
bred by Ocala Stud Farms, J.
Michael O’Farrell & Ed Wiest,
Candlelightdinner is a half-sister
to stakes winners Lady Gin and
Sea of Green, as well as stakes-
placed Decennial. Candlelight-
dinner had a 2010 Montbrook
colt, a 2011Montbrook filly and
was due a 2012 Circular Quay
foal.
2011 LEADING FLORIDA JUVENILE SIREAWESOME OF COURSE2000 ch. horse byAwesomeAgain – Mais Oui, by Lyphard
Awesome of Course was the 2011 leading Florida
juvenile sire by progeny earnings with $781,579. He
was represented by three Florida-bred juvenile stakes
winners in Fort Loudon, Awesome Belle and Redbud
Road. The trio were all homebred runners for Fred and
Jane Brei’s Jacks Or Better Farm and all were trained
by Stanley Gold.
Fort Loudon, a bay colt out of Lottsa Talc, by Talc,
became the third Jacks Or Better homebred in a row to
sweep a division of the Florida Stallion Stakes. In
2009, Jackson Bend swept the FSS open division and
was then followed byAwesome Feather who swept the
FSS fillies division. Fort Loudon’s FSS sweep in-
cluded impressive wins in the Dr. Fager Stakes, Af-
firmed Stakes and In Reality Stakes. He earned
$333,485 on the season. Fort Loudon was named the
2011 Florida-bred champion 2-year-old colt.
Awesome Belle, a chestnut filly out of the Bayou
Hebert mare Bayou Plans, won the My Dear Girl
Stakes of the Florida Stallion Stakes. She was also
second in the J J’s Dream Stakes on her way to bank-
ing $244,497.
Redbud Road, a chestnut filly out of Lady-
inareddress, by Tactical Advantage, captured the
Desert Vixen Stakes of the Florida Stallion Stakes
and the J J’s Dream Stakes. She was third in the My
Dear Girl Stakes and earned $191,755.
Awesome of Course, bred and raced by Jacks Or
Better Farm, was a stakes winner of $152,440. He is
the sire of Florida-bred millionaire and Eclipse cham-
pion Awesome Feather, who won the 2010 Breeders’
Cup Juvenile Fillies and the 2011 Gazelle Stakes.
Awesome of Course is also the sire of Florida-bred
stakes winner Honey Honey Honey, as well as stakes-
placed Heaven’s Awesome and Sacred Psalm. Awe-
some of Course, stands as property of Jacks Or Better
Farm at Brent and Crystal Fernung’s Journeyman
Stud.
2011 LEADING FLORIDA FRESHMAN SIREHIGH COTTON2003 bay horse by Dixie Union – Happy Tune, byA.P. Indy
High Cotton was the 2011 leading Florida freshman
sire by progeny earnings with $644,743. He was rep-
resented by 15 winners from 30 starters to race in his
initial crop. Included in that group were Florida-bred
28 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2012
RomanticROMP
(above)Awesome Of Course
and High Cotton (below)
LOUI
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LOUI
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30 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2012
Grade I stakes winner Currency Swap, graded stakes-
placed Tarpy’s Goal and stakes-placed Happy High.
Graded stakes winner Currency Swap was High
Cotton’s leading earner with a bankroll of $180,000.
Currency Swap, a bay colt out of the Pine Bluff mare
Echo Bluff, won the Hopeful Stakes (G1) at Saratoga.
Bred by Bill and Cindy Nassal’s Stonecliff Farm, Cur-
rency Swap raced for Klaravich Stables
and William Lawrence.
Tarpy’s Goal was third in the Futurity
Stakes (G2) at Belmont Park while Happy
High was third in the Southhampton
Stakes.
High Cotton, a graded stakes winner
and earner of $462,574, won the Northern
Dancer Breeders’ Cup Stakes (G3) at
Churchill Downs. He was also second in
the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2), Ohio Derby
(G2) and Iroquois Stakes (G3). Purchased privately
from owner John Fort (Peachtree Stable), High Cotton
entered stud in 2008 at Ocala Stud. He stands as prop-
erty of the partnership of Ocala Stud, Mrs. E. Paul Rob-
sham andVernon Heath.
2011 LEADING FLORIDA TRAINERSOF FLORIDA-BREDS
BY EARNINGS & STAKES WINS(Tied with Stanley Gold By Stakes Wins)DAVID FAWKESDavid Fawkes trained Florida-breds to earnings of
$1,538,557 and seven stakes wins at Florida race-
tracks in 2011. Fawkes trained six Florida-bred stakes
winners, which won four stakes at Calder Race Course
and three at Gulfstream Park.
In an odd twist, Fawkes trained two different
Florida-bred stakes winners to victory in the Mr.
Prospector Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park. Big
Drama won the Mr. Prospector Stakes (G3) on Janu-
ary 15, 2011 and Apriority captured the Mr. Prospec-
tor Stakes (G3) on December 31, 2011. Although in
the same year, the Mr. Prospector Stakes wins came in
two different Gulfstream Park meets. Big Drama also
won the Whippleton Stakes at Calder Race Course.
Rounding out Fawkes’ 2011 Florida-bred stakes
winner were: Conway Two Step (Brave Raj Stakes at
Calder); Burning Time (Foolish Pleasure Stakes at
Calder); Queen Drama (Susan’s Girl Stakes at Calder)
and Master Dunker (Hallandale Beach Stakes at Gulf-
stream Park).
BY STAKES WINS(Tied With David Fawkes)STANLEY GOLDStanley Gold trained four Florida-bred stakes win-
ners to seven stakes wins, all coming at Calder Race
Course. Leading the way for Gold was Fort Loudon,
who won the Dr. Fager Stakes, Affirmed
Stakes and In Reality Stakes on his way to
sweeping the Florida Stallion Stakes. Fort
Loudon was named the 2011 Florida-bred
champion 2-year-old colt.
Redbud Road captured the Desert
Vixen Stakes and the J J’sdream Stakes.
Awesome Belle won the My Dear Girl
Stakes and Hear Ye Hear Ye scored a vic-
tory in the Sumter Stakes.
BY RACES WONKATHLEEN O’CONNELLKathleenO’Connell trained Florida-breds to 60wins
at Florida racetracks in 2011.Among O’Connell’s win-
ners was Florida-bred graded stakes winner Watch Me
Go. Bred and raced by
Gilbert G. Campbell, Watch
Me Go won the Tampa Bay
Derby (G2). By West Acre
out of the Deputy Minister
mare Sabbath Song, Watch
Me Go was also third in the
Sam F. Davis Stakes (G3).
Watch Me Go earned
$258,070 on the season.
David Fawkes (above),Stanley Gold (center) and
Kathleen OʼConnell LIZLA
MONT
PHOT
O
BILL
DENV
ERPH
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JIMLIS
APHO
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RomanticROMP
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2011 NEEDLES AWARDJOHN & CAROLE RIO
The Needles Award was established by the
FTBOA to honor Florida breeders who own small
Thoroughbred operations and have made outstanding
contributions to the Florida Thoroughbred industry.
The 2011 Needles Award recipients were John and
Carole Rio, who were represented as a breeder by
Florida-bred graded stakes winner Mucho Macho
Man and Florida-bred stakes-placed Special Kid.
Mucho Macho Man and Special Kid were the only
two foals bred by the Rios’ in 2008.
By Macho Uno out of Ponche de Leona, by
Ponche, Mucho Macho Man garnered national atten-
tion by winning the Risen Star Stakes (G2) at Fair
Grounds. Going into the Louisiana Derby (G2) as the
favorite, the 17-hand bay colt finished a game third to
Pants On Fire after losing a shoe coming out of the
gates.
Next stop was the Kentucky Derby presented by
Yum! Brands (G1) at Churchill Downs, where Mucho
Macho Man and his trainer Kathy Ritvo became the
focus of national media attention. Three years earlier,
Ritvo had had a heart transplant at age 38 and now
here she was saddling a horse in the Kentucky Derby.
In the Run for the Roses, Mucho Macho Man rallied
in deep stretch to finish third toAnimal Kingdom. On
seven starts, Mucho Macho Man posted two wins and
two thirds to bank $533,000 for Reeves Thorough-
bred Racing and DreamTeam One Racing Stable. The
Rios, who sold Mucho Macho Man privately as a two
year old, retain a small ownership share in the colt.
Special Kid, a bay gelding by Lemon Drop Kid out
of Little Tom Cat, by Tomorrows Cat, was third in the
Borderland Derby on his way to earning $65,480 on
the season. Special Kid races for B G Stable and Hec-
tor Palma. Through Castle Park Farm, agent, the Rios
sold Special Kid for $25,000 toAffirmed Investment
Corporation at the 2009 Keeneland September year-
ling sale. At the 2010 OBS June juvenile and horses
of racing age sale, Wavertree Stables, agent, sold the
colt for $80,000 to Dennis O’Neill.
The Rios lease 40-acre RoseGrove Farm for their
breeding operation, lease stalls at the Ocala Horse
Farm Complex for their training division and sell
under the consignor name of Caballo Grande.
2011 JOE O’FARRELLMEMORIAL AWARDCONSIGNOR: OCALA STUDHORSE: MUSICAL ROMANCE
The 2011 Joe O’Farrell Memorial Award was pre-
sented to Ocala Stud, agent, as the original consignor
of Florida-bred Grade I stakes winner and Eclipse
champion Musical Romance. Ocala Stud bred and
then sold Musical Romance for $22,000 at the 2009
OBS April juvenile sale. The 2007 bay filly by Con-
corde’s Tune out of Candlelightdinner, by Slew Gin
Fizz, was purchased by Bill Kaplan, agent for Pinna-
cle Racing Stable.
Racing for Pinnacle Racing Stable and trainer Bill
Kaplan, Musical Romance won five stakes in 2011,
including the Breeders’Cup Filly &Mare Sprint (G1)
and Presque Isle Downs Masters Stakes (G2). On five
wins, three thirds and one second in 14 starts, Musi-
cal Romance banked $1,040,734 on the season. At
year’s end, she was named the 2011 Florida-bred
champion older female and female sprinter. Musical
Romance also garnered the Eclipse Award as North
American champion female sprinter.
The Joe O’Farrell MemorialAward is presented an-
32 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2012
RomanticROMP
John, Isabella and CarolRio (center) and
Florida-bred MusicalRomance (below)
COUR
TESY
THE
RIOʼ
S
BREE
DERS
ʼCUP
LIMITE
DPH
OTO
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34 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2012
nually by the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company to the orig-
inal consignor of the year’s best Florida-bred racehorse of-
fered at public auction in Florida. The award is named after
Joe O’Farrell, who was part of a syndicate that founded
Ocala Stud in 1956 and who was a pioneer in establishing
public Thoroughbred auctions in Florida.
2011 LEADING OWNER BYFLORIDA-BRED EARNINGSLIVE OAK PLANTATIONCharlotte Weber’s Live Oak Plantation led all owners
by Florida-bred earnings with $1,944,329. Live Oak Plan-
tation raced four Florida-bred stakes winners, including
Grade 1 stakes winner Brilliant Speed and Grade 3 stakes
winner Unbridled Humor. The quartet was also bred by
Weber’s Live Oak Stud.
Brilliant Speed, a 3-year-old colt by Dynaformer out
of the Gone West mare Speed Succeeds, won the Blue
Grass Stakes (G1) and Saranac Stakes (G3). He was also
stakes-placed five times, including finishing second in the
Jamaica Handicap (G1) and third in both the Belmont
Stakes (G1) and Travers Stakes (G1). He banked
$1,022,000 on the season and was named the 2011
Florida-bred champion 3-year-old colt.
Unbridled Humor, a 4-year-old filly by Distorted
Humor out of the Unbridled mare Devotion Unbridled,
captured the Noble Damsel Stakes (G3) at Belmont Park.
She was also second in the Athenia Stakes (G3) and
earned $120,900 on the year.
Slews Answer won the Vinery Turf Classic Stakes at
Tampa Bay Downs while Successful Song scored a vic-
tory in the Bea Oxenberg Memorial Stakes at Calder. �
NYRA
PHOT
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Live Oak Plantation’s Florida-bredBrilliant Speed
RomanticROMP
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36 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2012
It was a celebratory nightfor all as The Florida ThoroughbredBreeders’ and Owners’Associationheld it’s 2011Awards banquetMarch 11 at the Ocala Hilton.
ELE
AN
OR
HA
NC
OC
KP
HO
TOS
FTBOA Awards
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THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2012 37
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By MICHAEL COMPTON
lorida-bred Ron the Greek
had always flashed plenty of
promise. It wasn’t until he joined trainer Bill
Mott’s barn last year that the 5-year-old son of
Hartley/De Renzo stallion FullMandate began to
truly blossom.
Ron the Greek delivered in dramatic fashion
on March 3, closing from the clouds to win the
$750,000 Santa Anita Handicap (G1) for owners Nils
Brous of NewYork City, Jack Hammer (who also bred
the horse) of Miami Beach, andAdamWachtel of Bri-
arcliff Manor, N.Y.
Ridden by Jose Lezcano, Ron the Greek weaved his
way through the traffic down the backstretch behind a
torrid early pace in the 1 ¼-mile marathon. Approach-
ing the far turn, Lezcano had Ron the Greek poised to
pounce as he followed Setsukowho also began a strong
charge after race favorite Ultimate Eagle.
38 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2012
Son of Hartley/De Renzostallion Full Mandate
becomes first Florida-bredsince Southern Image in
2004 to win the prestigiousSanta Anita Handicap.
F
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THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2012 39
BE
NO
IT&
AS
SO
CIA
TES
PH
OTO
S
Florida-bredRon the Greek
RonTheGreek.qxd:Florida Horse_template 3/16/12 11:09 AM Page 39
When the real running began at the quarter pole, it
was evident that this year’s Big ‘Cap was boiling down
to Setsuko and Ron the Greek. In a matter of strides,
however, Ron the Greek quickly put to rest any notions
that Victor Espinoza aboard Setsuko might have enter-
tained about winning the race (after finishing second to
Game on Dude in last year’s renewal). Ron the Greek
rolled by Setsuko in the stretch and rambled to the wire
to win by 3 ½ lengths, stopping the clock in 2:00.41.
“I didn’t want to be on the inside so I had to use
him the whole way to make him keep going,” said
Lezcano. “At the half-mile pole I had a lot of horse,
but I had to keep asking my horse. My horse is like a
bicycle, you keep asking and he will keep running.
The last three races he has been improving. His last
race in Florida he was racing a shorter distance and
the other horse opened up early and I couldn’t catch
him. He was really coming the last three-sixteenths,
but the other horse opened up too early.”
Lezcano referred to Ron the Greek’s second-place
finish behind Florida-bred Mucho Macho Man in the
Sunshine Millions Classic at Gulfstream Park in his
last start. It appears that race proved a perfect prep for
the Big ‘Cap.
The winner was saddled by Mott assistant
Rodolphe Brisset.
“There was a lot of speed in the race,” said Brisset.
“We just wanted to stalk the pace and see what hap-
pens. We were not expecting :44 on the lead. That’s
sprinting. He (Lezcano) did very good to make a move
on the backside and give him a little break on the turn
and he just came running again, so it was a very good
race.”
Co-Owner AdamWachtel said he knew he needed
to fly to California for the race following a text from
Mott earlier in the week.
“Bill said the horse had been doing great leading
up to the race,” Wachtel explained at the post-race
press conference. “He sent me a text during the week
and said that I might want to be here for the race.
That’s all I needed to hear from him. Bill did a won-
derful job with this horse.”
For breeder and co-owner Jack Hammer, the Big
‘Cap victory was extra special. Ron the Greek is
named for a late friend, Ron Skrumbellos.
“Ron, I know you’re watching,” Hammer said.
“The greatest thing for me is that I always thought this
horse was special, even when he was a baby,” Hammer
said. “I’m glad he got in the right hands. Mott and his
team have done a fabulous job with him.”
Ron the Greek, now a winner in 6 of 17 starts, was
expected to ship back to his base at Payson Park in In-
diantown. The $450,000 winner’s share of the purse
boosted his career bankroll to $769,665.
40 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2012
Ron the Greek ROLLS IN BIG ‘CAP
JockeyJose Lezcano
enjoys the win.Florida-bred
Edenʼs Moon(below) winning the
Las Virgenes
RonTheGreek.qxd:Florida Horse_template 3/19/12 1:46 PM Page 40
Runner-up Setsuko remains winless in 18 starts in
stakes races. Trainer Richard Mandella decided to geld
the 5-year-old after Setsuko finished ninth in the Pa-
cific Classic last August.
“He ran a good race,” Mandella said. “There was-
n’t much question. The winner was just too good.”
As for Ultimate Eagle, he was a part of the sizzling
early pace, along with Florida-bred Gladding. The pair
blazed through an opening quarter in :22.26, hit the
half-mile in :44.55 and ran six furlongs in a sprightly
1:09.08. Ultimate Eagle finished 10th and Gladding
wound up 11th.
“When you go :44 (seconds) and change going a
mile and a quarter, like we said, anybody who tries to
chase us is going to pay the price,” Mike Pender, Ul-
timate Eagle’s trainer said, “and Gladding was hitting
the reverse button at the three-eighths pole. We kept
on going, credit to our horse. You can’t go a mile and
a quarter in :44 and change. It’s literally impossible
unless you’re Secretariat.” �
THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2012 41
By MICHAEL COMPTONFlorida-bred Eden’s Moon made the transition from the maiden ranks toGrade 1 winner look easy on March 3 as she powered to a 3¼-length victoryin the Las Virgenes Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita.
Under Martin Garcia, Edenʼs Moon broke sharply and assumed com-mand heading into the first turn. Reneesgotzip gave chase but went widearound the clubhouse turn in her first attempt around two turns. Withoutany significant early pressure, Garcia was able to get Edenʼs Moon to relax
on the lead through solid fractions of :23.16 and :46.47.At the top of the stretch, Edenʼs Moon received a stern challenge from
Reneesgotzip. There was a slight bump between the two runners as Gar-cia aggressively asked his mount for run. Edenʼs Moon responded gamelyand powered away from Reneesgotzip in the late stages. Edenʼs Moon hitthe wire clear of the runner-up and stopped the clock in 1:35.27.
“Sheʼs a really good filly,” said Garcia. “Even though they put pressureon her right out of the gate, she relaxed for me. The seven (Reneesgotzip)pressed me real hard going to the far turn and she bumped my fillyʼs hindend which turned her a little sideways and she switched leads.”
Trainer Bob Baffert was pleased with his chargeʼs performance.“I was hoping weʼd be on the lead, get her out there and get her into a
groove,” said Baffert. “I felt we could handle the distance. When Reneesgotzipwent wide on the (first) turn, she eased off of us, so that was good.
“Sheʼs getting better and better at a distance,” he added.” Distance is nota problem for her. I donʼt know if it (Grade 1, $300,000 Santa Anita Oaks at1 1/16 miles on March 31) will be next. Weʼll see how she comes out of thisand keep her happy. We want to take her to the Kentucky Oaks (May 4), sothatʼs what weʼre pointing for.”
The win provided owner Kaleem Shah with his first Grade 1. EdenʼsMoon is a daughter of Malibu Moon out of the Giantʼs Causeway mareEdenʼs Causeway. She was bred by Bridlewood Farm.
The race wasnʼt without controversy. Trainer Peter Miller, who saddledrunner-up and race favorite Reneesgotzip, lodged an objection against thewinner after the race for interference in the stretch. Following a stewardsʼreview, the objection was not allowed.
“She got hit with the whip in the face,” said Miller. “Weʼll point her to-ward the Santa Anita Oaks. I donʼt see any reason why not. She got hit. Itwas obvious she got hit over the nose with the whip.”
Jockey Corey Nakatani saw the bumping incident in the stretch a little dif-ferently than Garcia.
“You can see where she shifts out and Martin hits my horse across theface with the whip twice,” he added. “My filly just popped her head up. Whena horse gets hit in the face, the tape shows that, and you can see it. As faras I know, the rules state that youʼre supposed to take the horse down whenthat happens. I was going two to his one at that point, and Martin shifted out,and we bushed a little bit, and when he hit his filly, he hit my horse twice inthe face with the whip.”
Eden’s Moon Powers Home in Las VirgenesBridlewood Farm-bred 3-year-old filly notches Grade 1 win; connections eyeing Kentucky Oaks.
Ron The Greek winningthe Grade I $750,000Santa Anita Handicap.
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By MICHAEL COMPTON
When it comes to deciding where to base
your Thoroughbred operation and
campaign your racehorses, taking a
closer look at the unprecedented opportunities awaiting
Florida-bred runners in the Sunshine State will go a
long way in helping you design a road map to success.
The Florida-bred Stakes and FOA Program stands
out in a competitive landscape. Working closely with
Gulfstream Park and Tampa Bay Downs, the Florida
Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association
has put together an innovative program that is cer-
tain to accelerate the earning power of Florida-bred
runners this season.
42 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2012
Accelerated
With a robust Stakes and FOA Program
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THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2012 43
FTBOA Stakes Funds for distribution for the
2011/2012 Gulfstream Park meet are estimated to be
$416,000, based upon 2010/2011 figures, which the
FTBOA will use for the Florida Sunshine Millions
($350,000) and “Win It to Get It.”
FTBOA Stakes Funds available for distribution at
Tampa Bay Downs are estimated to be $350,000
based upon 2010/2011 figures and include the
Florida Cup Day ($150,000) and the Florida-bred
Stakes Fund ($200,000).
SUNSHINE MILLIONS
The annual SunshineMillions, a collaborative effort be-
tweenFTBOA,FHBPAandGulfstreamPark, is set this year
for Jan. 28.While the previous editions of the popular day
of racing featuredFlorida-breds vs.California-breds in races
split between Gulfstream Park in Florida and Santa Anita
Park inCalifornia, this year’s renewal features only Florida-
breds in races atGulfstreamPark.Only Florida-bred horses
registered with the FTBOAwill be eligible for entry.
THE SUNSHINE MILLIONS RACES, CARRYING TOTALBPURSES OF $1.3 MILLION, ARE:
$400,000 Classic for 4-year-olds and up and
set at 1 1/8 miles.
$300,000 Distaff for fillies and mares,
4-years-old and up at 1 1/8 miles.
$150,000 Turf for 4-year-olds and up on the
turf at 1 1/8 miles.
$150,000 Filly and Mare Turf on the turf
at 1 1/8 miles.
$150,000 Sprint for 4-year-olds and up at
six furlongs.
$150,000 Filly and Mare Sprint at six furlongs
The event is funded in the following amounts: Gulf-
stream Park, $600,000; FHBPA, $350,000; FTBOA,
$350,000.
“WIN IT TO GET IT”
In an unprecedented move designed to reward own-
ers of Florida-bred horses and increase the value of
Sunshine State products, the FTBOA, FHBPA and
Gulfstream Park have designed “Win It to Get It.”
FTBOA Stakes Funds will supplement purses (for eli-
gible winner only) for six stakes races for 3-year-olds
during the 2012 Gulfstream Park meet with a supple-
ment of $100,000 to the winning owner (s) of Florida-
breds registered with the FTBOA. The $100,000
supplement will go to the owner of a Florida-bred who
wins any of the following races:
$500,000 Holy Bull Stakes (G3)
to be run on Jan. 29
(including FTBOA fund supplement of
$100,000)
$300,000 Forward Gal Stakes (G2)
to be run Jan. 29
(including FTBOA fund supplement of
$100,000)
earning powerAdvert isement
in place at GulfstreamPark and Tampa Bay Downs,starting 2012 on the righttrack is as easy as owninga Florida-bred
BILL
DENV
ERPH
OTO
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44 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2012
Accelerated
FTBOA:THE VOICE OF FLORIDA’S THOROUGHBRED INDUSTRY
Since its inception, the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’Association has been re-sponsible for Florida-bred registration and administration and distribution of the industry’s incentiveawards program, which encourages individuals to breed, train and race Thoroughbreds in Florida.
The FTBOA is dedicated to ensuring a prosperous business climate for the industry.With Florida’slow taxes and smart growth policies, basing a Thoroughbred operation in the Sunshine State makesperfect business sense. For more information, contact the FTBOA at (352) 629-2160.
FLORIDA DEPT. OF AGRICULTUREAND CONSUMER SERVICES
Adam Putnam, Commissioner 850-921-7916 • Fax 850-922-0374e-mail: [email protected]
407 S. Calhoun • 427-A Mayo Building, Tallahassee, FL 32399
FLORIDA THOROUGHBRED BREEDERS’AND OWNERS’ ASSOCIATION
Lonny T. Powell, CEO and Executive Vice President801 SW 60th Ave. • Ocala, FL 34474 • 352-629-2160Fax: 352-629-3603 • www.ftboa.com • [email protected]
www.facebook.com/thefloridahorse
GulfstreamTampaBay.qxd:Florida Horse_template 3/16/12 2:14 PM Page 44
$300,000 Davona Dale Stakes (G2)
to be run Feb. 25
(including FTBOA fund supplement of
$100,000)
$500,000 Fountain ofYouth Stakes (G2)
to be run Feb. 26
(Including FTBOA fund supplement of
$100,000)
$1.1 million Florida Derby (G1)
to be run March 31
(Including FTBOA fund supplement of
$100,000)
$400,000 Gulfstream Oaks (G2)
to be run March 31
(Including FTBOA fund supplement
of $100,000)
To earn the FTBOA sup-
plement the winner must be
a Florida-bred registered
with the FTBOA prior to
becoming a 2-year-old. It
must also be by a sire regis-
tered with the FTBOA and
standing in Florida when
the foal was conceived in
2008.
FOAS
It is estimated that the
2012 Gulfstream Parkmeet
will generate approximately
$1.4 million for FOAs (es-
timated from 1 percent of
on-track exotic wagers and 8.5 percent of the purse ac-
count generated through intertrack wagering and inter-
state simulcasting).
FOAS MAY BE PAID AS FOLLOWS:
70 percent of the FOA to the Florida-bred
finishing in the first position.
20 percent of the FOA to the Florida-bred
finishing in the second position.
10 percent of the FOA to the Florida-bred
finishing in the third position.
FLORIDA-BRED PREFERREDRACES AT GULFSTREAM PARKAND TAMPA BAY DOWNS
The requirement of one Florida-bred preferred or re-
stricted race daily shall be changed to three Florida-bred
Preferred races offered daily.The three Florida-bred pre-
ferred races required daily shall be included within the
first 10 races offered daily. The designated races shall
be a mix of all conditions and types of races.
FLORIDA CUP DAY
Florida CupDay atTampa BayDowns has proved to
be one of the more popular signature racing days on the
calendar. The event is set this year for Saturday,April 7,
and will feature six guaranteed restricted Florida-bred
stakes races for $75,000 each. Only Florida-breds reg-
istered with the FTBOA will be accepted.
Tampa Bay Downs, Tampa Bay Downs HBPA and
FTBOA each will contribute $150,000 to fund Florida
CupDay.All fees will be added to the respective purses.
FEES ARE AS FOLLOWS:
$50 nomination fee
$350 entry fee
$350 starting fee
Nominations will close on March 24.
Entries will close onApril 5.
THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2012 45
earning powerAdvert isement
COOL
EYPH
OTO
GulfstreamTampaBay.qxd:Florida Horse_template 3/16/12 10:47 AM Page 45
Trainer Kathleen OʼConnell has en-joyed success with Florida-bred suchas Ivanavinalot (pictured) who wonthe Florida Stallion Stakes My DearGirl division by almost 14 lengths.
StateThe Sunshine
46 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2012
PHOT
OOF
KATH
LEEN
OʼCO
NNEL
L:JIM
LISA/
RACE
SHOT
:BILL
DENV
ER
KathleenO'Connell.qxd:Florida Horse_template 3/19/12 1:51 PM Page 46
THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2012 47
By MIKE HENRY
As someone who stresses the importance of real-
istic expectations, trainer Kathleen O’Connell
looks backwith amusement on howshe planned
to spend a portion of Kentucky Derby week 2011.
“It sounds ridiculous now, but I thought I was
going to have all this free time because I was dealing
with one horse,” O’Connell said recently from Barn
25 at Tampa Bay Downs, where she oversees about 40
Thoroughbreds in training.
Her one horse was Gilbert Campbell’s homebred
Watch Me Go, a son of West Acre, who finished
18th in Louisville after scoring a major upset in the
Grade 2, $350,000 Tampa Bay Derby.
More on him later.
“I brought a book to read, but I never opened it be-
cause there was so much going on,” O’Connell recalled.
“It’s non-stop action all week, with the media and events
and dinners and people coming by your barn. I saw a
couple who galloped for me 20 years ago – they have a
Kathleen O’Connell continuesto win with Florida-breds
ofSuccessKathleenO'Connell.qxd:Florida Horse_template 3/19/12 1:51 PM Page 47
kid in college now, and she wasn’t even pregnant then.
“My normal training pattern didn’t really change,
though. I was honored and happy to be there and I was
consumed withWatch Me Go. But I still did the charts
for our horses atTampa and Calder and did the entering
and scratching, so that part of my world didn’t change.”
That consistancy is a trait
valued by her owners, even
if they wonder how she finds
the time and energy to keep
abreast of 50 or more horses
in training. O’Connell – who
started her own stable in
1981 and has trained more
than 1,400 winners, many
for Campbell and the late
John Franks – flies back
and forth constantly between Tampa and south
Florida, ensuring both stables are running smoothly.
“I’ve asked her to take a little time off, but those
horses are her kids. That’s her life,” said Larry King,
the farm manager of Campbell’s 500-acre Stonehedge
Farm South inWilliston. “The dedication she shows to
her horses is pretty special.
“She is not a person who goes to the movies or takes
trips. Anyone who followed her for a week would be
amazed,” King said. “She is a little like me – a control
freak – but I think she figures if she is there, she doesn’t
have to worry about the horses not being checked on.”
Larry and Vicki Stumpf, who own and operate
Blackacre Farms in Davie, have kept horses with
O’Connell for six years, including stakes winner Flat-
ter This. “We’ve gotten very close to her. She is a
friend as well as our trainer,” Vicki said.
The Stumpfs say O’Connell is an intuitive trainer,
quick to pick up how a horse is feeling and wise and
precise in her placement of their runners. “We’ve been
in this business more than 25 years,” said Larry, an at-
torney, “and she is absolutely the best horse person
I’ve ever come close to.
“She may have 40 or 50 horses under her care at
any one time, and if you ask her what is going on
with A, B or C, she’ll tell you every detail. The
horses come first with her, completely. I bought a
horse in Ocala recently, and when I mentioned it
would eventually end up in Kathleen’s barn, the
seller was thrilled and said she couldn’t ask for a bet-
ter situation for her horse,” Larry Stumpf said.
“Horses need you to be there to take care of them
and know if they’re sick, because they can’t tell you,”
said jockey Rosemary Homeister, Jr., who rides many
of O’Connell’s horses, “and ‘Kit-Kat’ cares about all
her horses’ well-being.
“As a rider, she’ll tell you every detail about a
horse, and even if you’ve never sat on it, it will break
and run almost exactly like she says. She is really in
tune with them.”
48 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2012
“She may have 40 or 50 horses under her care at any
one time, and if you ask her what is going on withA, B or
C, she’ll tell you every detail. The horses come first with
her, completely. I bought a horse in Ocala recently, and
when I mentioned it would eventually end up in Kath-
leen’s barn, the seller was thrilled and said she couldn’t
ask for a better situation for her horse.”—Larry Stumpf
State ofSuccess
COOL
EYPH
OTO
Watch Me Go lost hisfooting at the start of the
2011 Kentucky Derby, butOʼConnellʼs patience paidoff with his second place
finish to sprinterAction Andy in the Super
Stakes at Tampa BayDowns in February.
KathleenO'Connell.qxd:Florida Horse_template 3/19/12 1:52 PM Page 48
O’Connell has been forced to sacrifice much in the
way of personal relationships for her career. For the
past 10 years, she has been seeing a south Florida
triathlete, but their time together is limited. She re-
grets not seeing more of her parents, who live in
Michigan and drove to Tampa recently to visit.
“They’re in pretty good shape for their age – Dad
is 87 and my mom is 84 – but I wish I lived closer to
spend more time with them,” she said.
That caring spirit shines through to friends at the
racetrack.
“If someone has a problem, they come to ‘K.O.,’ ”
said long-time assistant trainer, Brian Smeak. “Em-
ployees and even people who don’t work for her have
had medical problems or gotten hurt, and she has
taken them to the hospital and made sure things are
taken care of.”
O’Connell values all of her clients, but has a deep
regard for Gilbert and Marilyn Campbell, clients for
more than 20 years.
Their list of homebred success stories includes
Watch Me Go; Blazing Sword (Sword Dance–
Demetroula), a gelding who won three graded stakes
and almost $1.2 million; Ivanavinalot (West Acre–
Beaty Sark), who won the Florida Stallion Stakes My
Dear Girl division by almost 14 lengths and the
Grade 2 Bonnie Miss as a 3-year-old; her half-sister
Shananie’s Beat, a multiple stakes winner by
Shananie; Grade 3Tropical Park Derby winner Fly by
Phil (Act of Duty–True Mood); and stakes winner
THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2012 49
KathleenO'Connell.qxd:Florida Horse_template 3/19/12 1:52 PM Page 49
Shananie’s Finale (Shananie–Femme Fatale), a geld-
ing who raced 94 times, earning $316,693.
Lesser known are those who didn’t reach expecta-
tions, or were sidelined by illness or injury, or never
made the track. O’Connell says her relationship with
the Campbells has endured because they are realistic
about the pitfalls endemic to racing.
“Mr. Campbell knows
horses are going to get
sick or hurt and things are
going to happen,” O’Con-
nell said. “Some people, I
think, get in this business
and don’t understand you
are dealing with flesh and
bone and blood. You
might be the best caretaker, the best feeder, have the
best blacksmith and everything else, and something
unforeseen happens.
“We try to communicate and have a game plan for
every horse. They are breeders, and they want good
horses, big horses. But just because you breed them
and they are by something, out of something, doesn’t
always make them a top-notch horse,” she said.
“We all work together as a team. If a horse isn’t
going to fit in their program here in Florida, they can
send it to NedAllard up north, if that is what is needed
for the horse to be productive.You’ve got to have some
kind of plan in this business,” O’Connell added.
“That’s all there is to it.”
O’Connell’s ability to place horses in the right
spots borders on legendary. Smeak jokes that she has
a future as a racing secretary, once she gets this train-
ing thing out of her system.
“She knows where horses belong. If more owners
would listen to her, they’d make more money,” Smeak
said.
Her consistency has been astounding. Her runners
have earned more then $1 million for 13 consecutive
years, and last year she sent out 60 Florida-bred win-
ners with state-bred earnings of $1,269,238.
Although O’Connell wouldn’t view it as such, her
presence on the Churchill Downs backside withWatch
Me Go last May was a validation of her career.
In 1997, she almost made it to the Kentucky Derby
with Blazing Sword, who finished second to Pulpit in
the Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream. But the
horse was stricken with an intestinal blockage – the
origin of which O’Connell was never able to pinpoint
– that derailed his Triple Crown hopes.
Upon his return to health, O’Connell made up for
lost time. She trained him to finish second in the Rem-
ington Park Derby, fourth in the Travers and third in
the Super Derby, Hawthorne Derby and Hollywood
Derby. Blazing Sword also won the Grade 3 Calder
Derby, and as a 6-year-old in 2000 achieved greater
heights by winning the Grade 3 Widener and the
Grade 2 Washington Park Handicap.
50 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2012
State ofSuccess
“We try to communicate and have a game plan for
every horse. They are breeders, and they want good
horses, big horses. But just because you breed them and
they are by something, out of something, doesn’t always
make them a top-notch horse.”—Kathleen O’Connell
EQUI-PHO
TO
Blazing Sword, a gelding,won three graded stakesand almost $1.2 million
KathleenO'Connell.qxd:Florida Horse_template 3/19/12 1:52 PM Page 50
A similar scenario played out with Ivanavinalot,
who developed a slight infection on the eve of the
2002 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1). O’Connell
was forced to make the call to her boss that Ivanav-
inalot was less than 100 percent, resulting in her being
withdrawn.
As a 3-year-old, the filly rewarded O’Connell’s
cautious handling by running second in the Davona
Dale Stakes and winning the Bonnie Miss (G2) at
Gulfstream.
In the 2011 Kentucky Derby, Watch Me Go was
saddled with the outside No. 19 post, lost his footing
at the start and never entered contention. His two sub-
sequent starts, in the Grade 2 Virginia Derby on the
turf and the Select Stakes at Monmouth, were subpar,
and he exited the latter race with sore feet. So the
Stonehedge team decided time was the best option.
Watch Me Go made his next start as a 4-year-old
Feb. 10 in the $75,000, seven-furlong Super Stakes at
Tampa Bay Downs, finishing second to the red-hot
Maryland-bred sprinter Action Andy. Once again, it
appears O’Connell’s attention to detail and TLC is
paying off.
“There is nothing like getting a race under their
belt, and he was real game for second,” O’Connell
said, smiling. “He’ll be better going a flat mile. He’s a
fighter.
“As long as we’re healthy, we can make another
battle. We didn’t lose the war today, we only lost the
battle.” �
THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2012 51
KathleenO'Connell.qxd:Florida Horse_template 3/19/12 1:52 PM Page 51
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54 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2012
AMANDA M. HOUSE, DVM, DACVIM
Strangles is caused by bacterial infection with Strep-
tococcus equi subspecies equi (referred to as S.
equi).The bacteria typically infect the upper airway
and lymph nodes of the head and neck. The disease has
been in the equine population for centuries, and was first
reported in 1251. The infection is highly contagious in
horse populations and can recur on farms with previous
outbreaks of the disease. It is one of themost commonly di-
agnosed contagious diseases of the horse worldwide. The
persistence of this infection on farms is multi-factorial.The
bacteria can survive onwater sources (buckets and troughs)
for over a month, but the primary source of recurrent in-
fections is most likely asymptomatic car-
rier horses, that can shed the bacteria to
other horses for months to years.
CLINICAL SIGNS OF DISEASE
Historically, strangles got its name be-
cause affected horses were sometimes suf-
focated from large, infected lymph nodes that obstructed
their upper airway or trachea. The hallmark clinical signs
of infection are fever (temperature >101.5ºF), nasal dis-
charge, and enlarged submandibular lymph nodes (in the
space between the lower jaw bones) which ultimately ab-
scess. Purulent nasal discharge is typically present, al-
though it may initially be clear.The retropharyngeal lymph
nodes, which are behind the throatlatch, may also become
enlarged and abscess. These will sometimes drain into the
guttural pouches, which are air-filled spaces within the
head that are an expansion of the Eustachian tubes. Gut-
tural pouch infection and pus accumulation (empyema) are
often the result of retrophayngeal lymph nodes that abscess
and rupture into the guttural pouches. Guttural pouch in-
fectionmay also occur from bacterial entrance through the
pharynx (throat).Anorexia, depression, and difficulty swal-
lowing may also accompany signs of infection.
COMPLICATIONS OF DISEASE
Fortunately, althoughstrangles ishighlycontagiousandcan
affect many horses on a farm, most horses with infection re-
cover without complication.The occurrence of complications
will increase the likelihood of death from the infection (from
8% to 40% of cases). Complications from infection with S.
equi include spread of the infection to lymph nodes other than
the head and neck (also known asmetastatic infection or bas-
tard strangles), immunemediateddisease (suchaspurpurahe-
morrhagica), muscle disease and pain, and lack of milk
production. Studies report complications to occur in approxi-
mately 20% of strangles cases. Horses that develop compli-
cated infection typically require antibiotic and additional
therapies basedonveterinary examination.
DIAGNOSIS
Clinical signs of strangles strongly sug-
gest the diagnosis.However, definitive di-
agnosis is made by culture of the bacteria
froma sample of purulent discharge (from
the nose or guttural pouch), a lymphnode abscess, or a nasal-
pharyngealwash.Another available test, polymerase chair re-
action (PCR), is very sensitive test anddetects bacterialDNA.
PCR cannot tell the difference between live and dead bacte-
ria, so is typically used in conjunctionwith culture.However,
if consecutivePCRs are negative, the horse is unlikely to have
strangles. The real challenge is diagnosing horses that are
asymptomatic carriers.Anywhere from 4-50% of the horses
on farms with recurring strangles are carriers of the infec-
tion.Most horses will begin shedding (bacteria can be trans-
mitted fromnasal secretions to other horses) the bacteria from
their nasal passages a couple of days after the onset of fever.
Bacterial shedding occurs intermittently for several weeks.
Somehorsesmay continue to shed the bacteria formonths to
even years, functioning as a continual source of new infec-
tions on the farm. All diagnostic tests and treatment of af-
fected cases should be done under veterinary supervision.
EquineCare
Signs of Disease,Management and Prevention
Guttural pouchendoscopy
with strangles
EquineCare_Strangles.qxd:Florida Horse_template 3/16/12 1:29 PM Page 54
TREATMENT
Antibiotic therapy for the treatment of strangles re-
mains controversial. Uncomplicated cases of sub-
mandibular lymph node abscessation do not require
antibiotic therapy in this author’s opinion. Complicated
cases and those requiring tracheostomy formanagement
of respiratory distress generally do require antibiotic and
other supportive therapies. There is some evidence that
treatment with antibiotics (such as penicillin) at the first
sign of fever and in horses with no lymph node enlarge-
ment may prevent infection. However, early antibiotic
treatment will also prevent these cases from developing
immunity to the infection, and subsequentlymakes them
susceptible to reinfection earlier.
MANAGEMENT OF AN OUTBREAK
The first and most important thing to remember in a
suspected outbreak of strangles is to contact your vet-
erinarian right away to determine the diagnosis and the
best control practices for your particular farm. Strangles
is a reportable disease in some states, and the state vet-
erinarian may need to be notified as well. Movement of
any horses on or off the farm should be stopped, and
new horses should not be introduced. Take the temper-
ature of all horses on the farm twice daily. Normal rec-
tal temperature is 99-101.5°F. Monitoring the rectal
temperature and isolating horses at the first sign of fever
is one of themost effective ways to stop the spread of in-
fection. Infected horses can transmit the bacteria to
healthy horses 1-2 days after they develop a fever.
An isolated area should be set up for horses with
fever and any other signs of illness (nasal discharge, etc).
Extreme care should be taken not to mix horses with in-
fection, horses exposed to horses with strangles, and un-
exposed horses. Ideally, three groups of horses should
be created: 1) infected horses 2) horses that have been
exposed to or contacted infected horses and 3) clean
horses with no exposure. No nose to nose contact or
shared water buckets should occur among the groups!
Unexposed horses should be kept in a “clean” area, and
should ideally have separate caretakers, cleaning equip-
ment, grooming equipment, water troughs and pasture.
People and equipment can transfer the infection from
horse to horse. Extreme care, handwashing, and disin-
fection of supplies must be observed by everyone in-
volved. If different individuals cannot care for infected
and healthy horses, then healthy horses should always
be dealt with first. Dedicated protective clothing such
as boots, gowns or coveralls, and gloves should be uti-
lized when dealing with infected horses.
Thorough cleaning and disinfection is critical when
dealing with any infectious disease. All water troughs
should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected daily dur-
ing an outbreak. Read the label instructions on disin-
fectants to be sure they are used at the correct dilution
and are active against S. equi. All surfaces and stalls
should be disinfected following removal of manure and
organic material. Manure will inactivate bleach and io-
dine type solutions. Manure and waste feed from in-
fected horses should be composted in an isolated
location, not spread on the pastures. Pastures that were
utilized for sick horses should be rested for a minimum
of 4 weeks. Fortunately, S. equi does not live for a pro-
longed time in the soil (about 3 days).
A serious challenge when dealing with an outbreak
of strangles is identifying the horses that are carriers of
the bacteria but are not showing any signs of illness.
These horses can shed the bacteria for weeks, months, or
even years, and serve as a continual source of reinfection
for your farm. Ideally, all horses on the farm should be
tested for strangles.The bacterial culture combinedwith
PCR identifies carriers with a 90% success rate. Nasal
pharyngeal swabs or washes can be done to sample the
horses for infection. The washes improve the chance of
identifying carrier horses. Additionally, all sick horses
should test negative 3 consecutive times before being
put backwith healthy horses. Previously infected horses
can shed the bacteria for weeks tomonths, or even years
in rare cases. That is the reason 3 negative test samples
are recommended prior to reintroduction to the healthy
herd. For the most accurate diagnosis of carriers and
horses without obvious clinical signs, upper airway and
guttural pouch endoscopy can be performed. This pro-
THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2012 55
PHOT
OSCO
URTE
SYOF
UF/K
ATHY
GATIE
NCA
RTER
The first and most important thing to remember in a
suspected outbreak of strangles is to contact your veteri-
narian right away to determine the diagnosis and the best
control practices for your particular farm.
Enlargedlymph nodes
EquineCare_Strangles.qxd:Florida Horse_template 3/16/12 1:29 PM Page 55
cedure allows for identification and culture of infections that can de-
velop in the guttural pouch. Although disinfection, isolation proce-
dures, and diagnosis can be costly; they are certainly cheaper than
additional outbreaks on your farm.
VACCINATION
Vaccination is one method for prevention and control of infection
with S. equi. However, vaccination cannot guarantee disease preven-
tion. With strangles, vaccination will most likely reduce the severity
of disease in the majority of horses infected after they are vaccinated.
Available vaccines can be administered by intramuscular and in-
tranasal routes. Improper administration of the vaccination can result
in poor protection against infection and/or complications at the site of
injection; therefore, administration by your veterinarian is recom-
mended.The intranasal vaccination results in the best local immunity.
Vaccination is generally not recommended during an outbreak of
strangles. If there are horses on the farm with no clinical signs of in-
fection (fever, nasal discharge) and no known contact with sick horses,
vaccination may be considered. Horses that have had the disease
within the previous year also do not need to be vaccinated. Once re-
covered from an active infection, 75% of horses have immunity for 1-
2 years.Vaccination of horses recently exposed to strangles (that have
high antibody levels) may result in purpura hemorrhagica. Purpura
hemorrhagica is caused by an over-active immune response within the
horse, which can result in limb swelling, swelling of the head, and
small hemorrhages on the gums.Vaccination is only recommended in
healthy horses with no fever or nasal discharge.
So should you vaccinate your horse? The answer to that question
depends on your horse’s chance of exposure to infection, and your
personal comfort with the level of risk. The decision should be made
in conjunction with your veterinarian. Generally, if your horse travels
routinely and is exposed to varied or new populations of horses regu-
larly, vaccination should be considered. Broodmares on farms with a
history of strangles should also be vaccinated prior to foaling. Re-
member that the initial vaccination requires a booster dose before
being effective against infection. It takes about one month from vac-
cination for immunity to develop. Therefore, be certain to vaccinate
your horse in advance of transport or potential exposure to new horses.
Additional Preventative Measures
If you have never had strangles on your farm or in your horse, you
probably don’t want it either. Here are some additional suggestions
for reducing your horse and your farm’s risk for infection:
� Require a current health certificate for new horse arrivals onthe farm.
�Ask owners of new horses about a history of strangles and con-sider testing new horses to see if they are shedding the bacteria.
� If feasible, quarantine new arrivals for 2-3 weeks and monitortheir temperature.
� All horses should have individual water buckets that are rou-tinely disinfected.
� If shared water troughs are utilized, they should be routinely dis-infected.When traveling to shows, minimize your horse’s exposureby bringing your own feed, buckets, and equipment. Minimize useof shared stalls or pastures at show grounds.
� If horses are pastured together, group them according to theirage and risk level (for example, all weanlings together, all brood-mares together).
In summary, reducing your horse’s exposure to unknown horses
and utilizing routine disinfectionmeasures will decrease the chance of
infection with strangles. If your farm does have an outbreak, isolation
and containment of sick horses will help reduce the spread of infec-
tion.TheAmerican College ofVeterinary InternalMedicine (ACVIM)
has developed strangles control guidelines whichwere the basis for the
recommendations here. That document can be downloaded at
http://www.acvim.org/websites/acvim/index.php?p=22 to assist own-
ers and veterinarians with detailed recommendations for diagnosis,
treatment, and control of infection.
Further Reading:Sweeney CR, Timoney JF, Newton JR, and Hines MT. Streptococcus equi Infectionsin Horses: Guidelines for Treatment, Control, and Prevention of Strangles. J Vet In-tern Med 2005; 19: 123-134.Loving, NS. Strangles. The Horse; Nov 1 2007, Article #10688.Link to AAEP Infectious Disease Guidelines for S. equihttp://www.aaep.org/pdfs/control_guidelines/Streptococcus%20equi%20var.pdf
56 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2012
EquineCare
EquineCare_Strangles.qxd:Florida Horse_template 3/16/12 11:15 AM Page 56
Hello to all! I know that we have been having a
warm winter for the most part, so it’s hard to
believe that spring is “just around the corner”,
but now is the perfect time to start helping the pastures
reach their highest potential. Although the grass has
tried to start growing already from some (but definitely
not enough) rains and warm weather, the growing sea-
son has not truly started, since frost still hits now and
again. Regardless, fertilization and limingmay be some-
thing that a farm should be considering during this time
of the year. People often say, “You need to add lime to
your pastures”, but what does that really mean andwhat
is the benefit of its addition to the soils?
Fertilizer contains nitrogen, potassium (potash) and
phosphorus (phosphoric acid); nitrogen is a main in-
gredient needed by grass to help it achieve the desired
nutrient value and health, but repeated applications of
nitrogen fertilizer tend to cause soils to become more
acidic. When soil becomes too acidic, nutrient uptake
is severely limited, causing a reduction in the produc-
tion of the forage (meaning less grass in the pasture).
Raising the pH to a more desirable level will also help
enhance fertilizer efficiency, always ideal in these tough
financial times. Often, parts of Florida also tend to nat-
urally have a more acidic soil, even when nothing has
been done. And due to the fact that Florida’s soils tend
to also have low organic matter because of the naturally
sandy base, proper buffering is not possible by just the
soils alone. Although adding compostedmanure to your
pastures is an excellent way to increase the amount of
organic matter in the soils, liming is still often neces-
sary when the pH of a soil falls below 5.5 (the ideal pH
to get the best from Bahia grass).
Soil testing is an important first step used to determine
a soil’s pH and whether or not any nutrients need to be
added. A test kit can be obtained at your county’s Uni-
versity of Florida/IFAS Extension office. Soil testing is
recommended every two to three years, unless you have
not already established a baseline of the soil’s general data
(obtained from previous year’s test results). If not, then
an annual soil test should be done until a soil’s normal or
average nutrient range and pH has been determined.
Once test results have been obtained, then fertiliza-
tion and liming needs can be determined. If the soil tests
show that the soil is too acidic (a pH BELOW the 5.5)
for Bahia to grow at its best, then the pastures should be
limed. Calcitic lime or dolomite can be added to soils to
raise pH. Dolomite may be preferred, because it has
goodmagnesium (Mg) content, so it can raise lowmag-
nesium content when needed, but both contain calcium
(calcium carbonate) and will increase the soil’s pH.
It is important to note that the benefits of liming will
not be seen immediately. It generally takes about three
to six months for the soil’s pH to become less acidic.
Thatmeans that if lime or dolomite is applied now, it can
be some time until the benefits of liming become effec-
tive. The good side is that it’s seldom necessary to lime
more often than every three years when growing pasture
grass. Be sure not to over-lime the pastures, as excessive
liming can lead to a reduction of manganese (Mn) and
many Florida soils already start a bit low in that nutrient.
Finally, remember not to cut the pastures lower than
five inches, allowing the roots to stay strong.With all this
knowledge and a little rain, thismay be the best year ever
for the pastures! As always, keep up
the good management practices!
FARM MANAGEMENT
Schedule a Farm Call:
JamieA. CohenFarm Outreach CoordinatorUF IFAS/Marion County Extension Service352-671-8792 • [email protected]
THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2012 57
It is important to note that the benefits of liming willnot be seen immediately. It generally takes about three tosix months for the soil’s pH to become less acidic. Thatmeans that if lime or dolomite is applied now, it can besome time until the benefits of liming become effective.
LimimgYour PasturesWhat’s itAllAbout?
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58 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2012
Celebrating SecretariatAuthor Kate Chenery Tweedy and artist Robert Clark, Seattle Slew jockey Jean Crugeut and Secretariat exerciserider Charlie Davis visited Ocala for a spectacular evening of history, entertainment, friends and fun at theexquisite GoldMark Farm during a Feb. 25 fundraiser for the Foundation for the Florida Horse Park.
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1) Kate Chenery Tweedy visits with E. Kelly Moore, who purchased a beautiful framed portrait of Sec-retariat – one of the evening’s silent auction items donated by the Secretariat Foundation. 2) A stringquartet organized by the Ocala Symphony Orchestra provides a background of beautiful Baroquemusic at the entrance to the GoldMark training facility as guests arrive. 3) Jeanne Hays and SenatorAlan Hays, longtime supporters of the Florida Agriculture Center and Horse Park, were among themany distinguished guests enjoying Celebrating Secretariat at GoldMark Farm. 4) Volunteers greetguests at the host table, where each attendee received a personally autographed copy of Kate Chen-ery Tweedy’s book, “Secretariat’s Meadow.” 5) Kate Chenery Tweedy gave two personally engaging,high-energy talks in the GoldMark downstairs theatre, where more than 150 guests were captivatedwith her account of the history and magic of growing up with Secretariat. 6) During the tour of thetraining facility, some horses enjoyed a friendly rub on the nose. 7) Upstairs, renowned equine artistRobert Clark hands the brushes over to guest Pam Astrom, who makes a few strokes on the canvasof Animal Kingdom, winner of the 2011 Kentucky Derby. 8) Silent auction items – as well as limitednumbers of special label GoldMark/Secretariat Maker’s Mark Bourbon – sold out during the evening.9) Jean Crugeut, triple crown jockey of Seattle Slew, visits and shares stories with guests RebeccaTenBroeck and Dr. Saundra TenBroeck. 10) GoldMark Farm Manager Todd Quast (far left), gives in-depth tours of the exquisite GoldMark Farm to guests in the early hours of the evening.
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PHOTOS BY DANETTE PHILPOT
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THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2012 59
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60 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2012
Horseshoes have been associated with good luck
for a long time. One popular explanation of
horseshoe “luck” is the story of theArchbishop
ofCanterbury (959AD)SaintDunstan and theDevil.The
story goes that Dunstan once nailed a horseshoe to the
Devil’s hoof, which caused the Devil a lot of pain. Dun-
stan agreed to remove the horseshoe and stop the Devil’s
pain only after the Devil promised to never enter into a
place where a horseshoe is hanging outside the door.
Horseshoes are still considered “lucky” and are hung
inmany homes and barns to protect and attract good for-
tune for the people and horses living andworking inside.
Many believe that to hang it with the ends pointing up is
“lucky” because the horseshoewill hold all sorts of good
luck. To hang a horseshoe with the ends pointing down
is bad luck because all the good luck will fall out. Some
believe that nomatter which way you hang a horseshoe,
good luckwill come.Yet, others believe if the horseshoe
is hung ends up it will catch good luck and
ends down will let the good luck spill
over the door and stop evil from
entering.
From the first simple
horseshoes, made of woven
grass and reeds and tied
horses’ feet, to the latest
composite shoes, acrylics
and epoxies, horsemen
have been improving
methods of hoof protec-
tion for more than 3,000
years. Egyptians fashioned
something similar to moc-
casins out of animal skins to pro-
tect their horses’ feet. The Romans
and Greeks made horse sandals, boots and
socks of leather, woven fiber and coarse cloth. The Ro-
mans are also creditedwith inventing the “hipposandal”
a leather horse sandal with an iron sole. Additionally,
archeologically evidence suggests horseshoes with nails
have been used in China for more than 2,000 years.
Prior to 1000A.D., horseshoes were used primarily
for decoration and war horses. The Roman ruler Nero
(37 – 68 A.D.) had his horses shod with silver and his
wife’s horses with gold. During 500 and 600A.D., Eu-
ropean riders began using nailed-onmetal shoes and by
1000A.D. bronze horseshoes were used across Europe.
During 1200A.D. and 1300A.D., numerous iron horse-
shoes were widely manufactured andmade available to
more and more horse owners. The first United States
horseshoe patent was given to Henry Burden of New
York in 1835. Burden’s machine could make 60 horse-
shoes an hour.
Blacksmiths were both workers of iron and also the
horseshoer, particularly in rural communities.The word
farrier is taken from Wakelin von Ferrariis commis-
sioned “Master of the Horse” by William the Con-
queror. Ferrariis was promoted to Count of Ferrers and
was entrusted with the inspection and regulation of the
Kingdom’s farriers.
Living in “Horse Capital of The WorldTM” we in
Ocala have access to some of the best farriers and hoof
care specialists in the world. The art and science of
horse shoeing has come a long way since those first
shoes made of woven reeds and grass. From glue-on
and corrective shoes, to therapeutic pads and pours, to
shoeing methods and foot care treatments, improved
hoof care products and technologies are being intro-
duced annually.
With Marion County being home to more horses
than any other county in the United Sates, it would
seem logical we would also have more used horse
shoes than anyone else. With that thought in mind, the
UF/IFASMarion County Extension Service along with
Ocala Recreation and Parks Discovery Center will pro-
vide horse farmers with an opportunity to recycle their
used horse shoes. Help set the record for most horse
shoes recycled. Bring your used shoes to Earth-
Fest/Arbor Day Saturday,April 28 and enjoy all the ac-
tivities and live entertainment. If you can’t make it to
EarthFest, call the Extension Service at 352-671-8400
and we’ll make arrangements to pick up your used
shoes. Used horseshoes (aluminum or steel) can be
dropped off at any of our “Lucky U’ collection sites
aroundMarion County: Marion County Extension Of-
fice, T.T. Distributors, HITS@ Farrier’s Station, Start-
ing GateTraining Center and Farrier’s Depot. Proceeds
will benefit the Ocala Farm Ministry. Since Ocala is
“Horse Capital of The World”, we might as well be
horse shoe recycle capital too. �
PRACTICALLY SPEAKING
by UF/IFAS MarionCountyLivestock Agent
Mark Shuffitt
HorseshoesRecycled
From the first simplehorseshoes, made of woven
grass and reeds and tied horses’feet to the latest compositeshoes, acrylics and epoxies,horsemen have been improv-
ing methods of hoof pro-tection for more than
3,000 years.
Shuffitt.qxd:Florida Horse_template 3/16/12 11:19 AM Page 1
PHOTOGRAPHY BY
JOSEPH DIORIO
www.winningimages.bizCell 352-427-9502
LLoouuiissee EE.. RReeiinnaaggeellHORSE PHOTOGRAPHERVisit me at www.louiseereinagel.com
E-Mail: [email protected]
(352) 237-3809
P.O. Box 882 Fairfield, FL 32634
(352) [email protected]
Writing &Photography
Cynthia McFarland
Classified ADSCall (352) 732-8858
ADVERTISERS’ INDEX
PHOTOGRAPHY
CONSTRUCTION
Call or email for ainitial
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Your local CPA specializing in the racehorse industry(352) [email protected]
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EQUINE SERVICES
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EQUINE SERVICES CONT.
Classifieds_March2012.qxd:Layout 1 3/19/12 3:21 PM Page 1
62 THE FLORIDA HORSE • MARCH 2012
The face and flavor of racing in South Florida is
radically different than it was during the days
when each year brought a renewal of the acri-
mony that was part and parcel of the battle over prime
winter dates that pitted Gulfstream Park against Hialeah
Park. In each camp, lawyers and public relation staffs,
expert witnesses and various others bearing charts,
graphs and at times videotape. Date hearings in those
days were bare-knuckle media events.
Hialeah Park was still all the things that those of suf-
ficient age remember; simply put, among the most beau-
tiful racing venues in the world, a place with rich history
written by great horses and prominent humans,
scoundrels, scalawags and gentlepeople, all contributors
to the American drama on and off the turf. Walking into
Hialeah was like entering a shrine, a cathedral, an im-
mersion special every time no matter the occasion.
Those bitter verbal firefights in the days of regulated
distribution of dates, now part of lore, predated the stew-
ardship of John Brunetti at Hialeah. The Donn family
owned Gulfstream. Calder, considered the “summer
track,” was content with its eight-month-long racing mo-
nopoly in what was a burgeoning market where the only
legal gambling was of the pari-mutuel variety and people
complained that there was too much of that.
Horseplayers still spoke nostalgically about Tropical
Park, which was closed in 1972 after which the dates
were moved to Calder. The track on the Gulf Coast, at
Oldsmar, was still known as Florida Downs. The Miami
Dolphins were the state’s only major professional sports
franchise and the nearest casino was in New Jersey. The
first of the “middle dates” was an ad hoc holiday.
For a time, when subterfuge failed, the combatants
hosted the winter meeting on an alternating rotation,
which seemed fair to most but was never embraced by the
principals. None of this exacted a toll on the racing. The
Florida Derby and Flamingo Stakes were both important
to the unfolding Kentucky Derby drama. Major races lost
no prestige to the incessant bickering. Brunetti regarded
this competition as a battle for survival; the Donn family
saw itself embroiled a crusade for dominance in a market
that was growing by the minute, a place of boundless pos-
sibility. Reason found no purchase. At last, the abandon-
ment of regulation was the end of Hialeah.
After a long stretch of dormancy and three years as host
of a Quarter-Horsemeeting, Hialeah has requested permis-
sion to hold aThoroughbredmeeting next year.Having been
granted the right to conduct alternative gaming enterprises,
all in various stages of development, the bid was inevitable
and should be given careful consideration by regulators and,
for the greater good, merits cooperation from Churchill
Down, Inc., the corporate parent of Calder Race Course.
The 22 dates requested by Hialeah are in April and
May of 2013, not exactly prime time back in the day but
prime enough at the moment. The return of Thorough-
bred racing to Hialeah would be essentially symbolic
and surely festive, a homage to its past rather than a fea-
sible business venture, a celebration of the sport and the
horse that finds few comfortable places during a season
that spans the calendar seamlessly.
At the moment the current non-regulation of dates
by state authorities casts a shadow over the effort to re-
turn Thoroughbred racing to what is not only the jewel
of the racing industry in Florida but a national treasure.
With the exception of Brunetti, the players have
changed. The casino, shopping mall and racetrack at
Gulfstream bears no resemblance in 2012 to the tradi-
tional racecourse once operated by the Donn family.
Calder is a cog in a much larger, multifaceted public cor-
poration without great regard for history, tradition or
much else that exists north of the bottom line.
Still, Calder, which would otherwise occupy this pe-
riod, would not suffer in a meaningful sense were Hialeah
ceded a short, boutique meeting that if properly staged
could, with the return of something very old and haunt-
ingly familiar, bring an entirely new wrinkle to the
Florida season, providing a stage for the return of dor-
mant races – the Widener Handicap, Hialeah Turf Cup
and other once-prominent fixtures – and incentive to
owners to race in Florida after they would have otherwise
returned to NewYork and Kentucky.
Hialeah, the only remaining link between the past and
present in Florida racing, is historically priceless.And 22
days of racing is, in the grand scheme, perfect. �
PLAYER’S PAGE
by Paul Moran
At the moment the current non-regulation of dates by
state authorities casts a shadow over the effort to return
Thoroughbred racing to what is not only the jewel of the
racing industry in Florida but a national treasure.
Restoring the Past?
PlayersPage_March.qxd:Florida Horse_template 3/19/12 3:02 PM Page 1
From coast to coast, Florida’s tax-friendly,pro-business environment is poised and
ready to attract new companies and createnew employment opportunities.
“Florida Once Again Nameda Top State for Business…”The Small Business & EntrepreneurshipCouncil ranks Florida’s state tax systemamong the nation’s Top 10 on its“Business Tax Index 2010: Bestto Worst State Tax Systems for Entre-preneurship and Small Business.”
Florida’s recent legislativechanges now allow for improvedracing structures, higher breeders’awards, more lucrative purses atracetracks, and the excitement
of live racing in Ocala/MarionCounty – Horse Capital of the World®.
• No personal state income tax.• No individual capital gains tax.
• Leader in veterinary and equine research.• Horses are exempt from sales tax when
purchased from their original breeder.• Feed and animal health items are also tax exempt.• Florida’s greenbelt exemption provides property
tax breaks for Florida horse farms.• No tax on stallion seasons.• Moderate climate allows for year-round
training, racing, showing andbusiness opportunities.
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Florida...the Best State for Business
FLORIDA THOROUGHBRED BREEDERS’AND OWNERS’ASSOCIATION
Lonny T. Powell, CEO and Executive Vice President801 SW 60th Ave. • Ocala, FL 34474 • 352-629-2160Fax: 352-629-3603 • www.ftboa.com • [email protected]
www.facebook.com/thefloridahorse
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