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American Quarter HorseUpcoming All American Futurity Trials Feature Leading Vote-GettersThree of the top four ranked 2-year-olds in the latest AQHARacing.com-Horseplayernow.com National Top 10 polls are entered in Thursday’s trials for the All American Futurity (G1) at Ruidoso Downs. Among the 26 jam-packed trials will be appearances by No. 2-ranked High Rate Of Return (Trial 21), No. 3 Feature Mr Bojangles (Trial 19) and No. 4 Mighty B Valiant (Trial 1). The All American Futurity hopefuls also include this week’s No. 10-ranked runner, The Long Knife (Trial 16). There was little change to the 2-year-old rankings this week, as West Coast-based Separate Fire remained on top and awaits lucrative challenges at Los Alamitos this fall. Pollsters shuffled the positions this week for No. 6 Osbaldo and No. 7 Adolph Tres Knockout in the only minor shift among the juveniles. The older-horse rankings remained unchanged at the top, as Rylees Boy continues his hold on the top spot once again this week. Noconi edged back into the poll at No. 10, nosing out last week’s No. 10 Prospect To The Top, for the final spot in this week’s rankings. Among the top-rated older horses competing in Friday’s trials to the All American Derby (G1) at Ruidoso will be No. 3-ranked Cold Cash 123 and No. 6 Llano Teller. Champion Leading Spirit Gets His AQHA Supreme Race Horse TitleThe Q-Racing Journal, August 12, 2011 – Champion Leading Spirit earned his AQHA Supreme Race Horse award in 2008, although due to a clerical error, he was only recently awarded his trophy. The honor is given by AQHA to a horse that during its racing career earns $500,000 or more and wins at least 10 races, including two or more open Grade 1 stakes races. Leading Spirit is a 2003 gelding by Special Leader out of the Special Task mare Sandras Task. Bred by Dr. Barry Thompson of West, Texas, he is co-owned by Thompson and Dan and Jolene Urschel. Leading Spirit won 10 of 19 starts, finished second three times and third four times, with earnings of $811,413 in a career that spanned 2005-2008. The 2005 champion 2-year-old gelding won five stakes, including the Grade 1 West Texas, Ruidoso and Rainbow futurities. He also won the 2007 First Down Dash Handicap (G3) and 2008 Bank of America California Championship Challenge (G2). Leading Spirit also finished second in the 2007 Go Man Go Handicap (G1) and 2008 Independence Day Handicap (G3). He was third in the 2007 California Championship Challenge (G2) and Z. Wayne Griffin Director’s Stakes, and was a finalist in the 2007 Los Alamitos Invitational Championship (G1). The Supreme Race Horse award is recorded by hand, and Leading Spirit’s award was overlooked. AQHA apologizes to Dr. Thompson, the Urschels and Leading Spirit’s connections for the oversight. American Quarter Horse Association Gold and Silver Cup at Fair MeadowsQ-Racing Journal, July 21, 2011 – Carl Pevehouse’s homebred Haulin Candy Salt tries for her first stakes win in the $385,500 Speedhorse Gold and Silver Cup Futurity (RG2) and Heritage Place Derby (G2) winner Capo De Capi shoots for a second derby victory in the $100,000 Speedhorse Gold and Silver Cup Derby (RG3) at Fair Meadows on Saturday night. Haulin Candy Salt (PYC Paint Your Wagon-Salt Lake Spitty by Salt Lake (TB)) moves up to the stakes ranks for trainer Clinton Crawford after winning two of her three starts and one second-place finish. She won her career debut at Remington Park and then finished in a dead heat for second in a second-level Those races put her in top form for the Gold and Silver Cup trials and she responded with a length win in :17.641 for the 350 yards, the fastest-qualifying mark from seven trials. Mary Passmore’s Second Painted Sign (PYC Paint Your Wagon-Stylish Sign by Vital Sign) also comes into the futurity in winning form. After finishing off the board in his first two starts, he stepped up with a pair of wins. The Jackie Kirby-trained colt rolled to a daylight maiden score with the second-fastest qualifying time of :17.644. Trainer Eddie Willis has the two-fastest qualifiers to the Gold and Silver Cup Derby with Capo De Capi and Blackwater Command. James Sills’ Capo De Capi (Corona Cartel-A Shot At Glory by Strawfly Special) has already made six starts this year and is riding a four-race winning streak. Highlighting the winning streak is his neck win at 30-1 odds in the Heritage Place Derby. He substantiated that upset score in his Gold and Silver Cup Derby trial with a length win, and his time of :17.514 was the quickest from the three trials. Mike Vaughn’s homebred Blackwater Command (PYC Paint Your Wagon-Soxolene by Whirling Fastball) also scored a stakes win at Remington Park last spring with a nose score in the Mr Master Bug Handicap (R) over Oklahoma-breds. The winner of three of four 2011 outs dominated his trial by 1 1/2 lengths with the second-fastest time of :17.573. American Quarter Horse Association Ontario Racing Commission Expands Clenbuterol TestingQ-Racing Journal, July 15, 2011 – Starting August 15, testing for clenbuterol in Ontario Quarter Horse racing is expanding to include a 30-day withdrawal period and lower threshold levels, according to a release by Ontario Racing Commission Deputy Director Rob McKinney. The goal of the initiative is to eliminate any abuse, overuse, or non-therapeutic use of this drug, and when used, to confirm that the drug has been legally obtained and correctly administered. Clenbuterol is a bronchial dilator sold under the name Ventipulmin (trademark of Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica) as an injectable suspension and oral syrup to treat breathing disorders. This expansion by the Ontario Racing Commission will complement the existing efforts of the Canadian Pari-Mutuel Agency, which has included clenbuterol in its testing protocol for over 20 years. This new initiative is a result of concerns brought forward by the Quarter Racing Owners of Ontario Inc. regarding alleged misuse of this therapeutic drug and the health and safety of the horse. On June 16th, the ORC announced the first phase of this project involving random out-of-competition testing for the presence of the drug. ORC investigators will continue to inquire as to the use of clenbuterol and then examine the records of the trainer and veterinarian. Under this new phase, a 30-day clenbuterol withdrawal period for a horse competing in a race and minimum threshold are: 200 picograms per milliliter (pg/ml) or less in urine and 1-2 picograms per milliliter (pg/ml) in blood. A directive authorizing this phase of the project is under development, but it is anticipated that the regulatory action for confirmed presence of clenbuterol will include: American Quarter Horse Association Delta Fireworks Boost Two New Juveniles into National PollThe American Quarter Horse Journal, July 7, 2011 – Sizzlin Cartel set a 350-yard track record in Saturday’s Firecracker Futurity (G2) at Delta Downs, earning him a No. 8 ranking in the latest AQHA Racing-Horseplayernow.com National Top 10 poll for 2-year-olds. He was one of two Delta Downs-based juveniles to make a national splash this week, joining Sunday’s Lee Berwick Memorial Futurity (RG1) winner Little Bit Trashy, who debuted at No. 10. Sizzlin Cartel lowered the 350-yard standard to :17.218 behind a romping, 1 1/2-length win in the Firecracker Futurity. Runner-up in the Harrah’s Entertainment Futurity (G3) final at Louisiana Downs earlier this year, Sizzlin Cartel has now won three of five lifetime starts. Little Bit Trashy set a Lee Berwick Memorial Futurity stakes-record time of :17.231 for 350 yards, winning for the third time in four career starts while taking on fellow Louisiana-bred runners. Meanwhile, this Friday’s Rainbow Futurity (G1) trials at Ruidoso Downs will feature three of the top-ranked juveniles in the nation in this week’s poll, No. 3 Mighty B Valiant, No. 4 Silver For Me and No. 9 JLS Party Wagon. Separate Fire maintains the top spot in the 2-year-old poll as July is unveiled, while Rylees Boy remained No. 1 among pollsters in the rankings for horses 3 and older. Hot Firecracker Weekend at DeltaThe American Quarter Horse Journal, June 30, 2011 – Executive Miss Dash and One Famous Brioni, the top two qualifiers and one-two finishers in their trial, are set for a rematch in the $297,077 Firecracker Futurity (G2) during a stakes-filled Fourth of July weekend at Delta Downs. The 350-yard Firecracker Futurity is joined by the $133,045 Firecracker Derby on Saturday as Louisiana-breds highlight Sunday’s card in the $458,180 Lee Berwick Memorial Futurity (RG1) on Sunday. Albert Vera Jr.’s Executive Miss Dash (Executive Menace-Miss Ryon Dash by Dash For Destiny) raced to her third win from four starts with the game win over the promising One Famous Brioni in their trial. The Erika Huitron-trained Executive Miss Dash fought for the lead in her trial and prevailed by a neck with a :17.577 time for the 350 yards. The only blemish on Executive Miss Dash’s record is a second-place finish in the John Deere Sam Houston Juvenile Challenge (G3) two starts ago on May 14. She finished three quarters of a length behind Pandorum as the 5-2 second choice. Mary Thompson’s One Famous Brioni (Mr Jess Perry-One Famous Lady by Chicks Beduino) is still a maiden after two starts; however the half brother to champion One Famous Eagle has a large upside. The Larry Kopycinski-trained colt was a late-running third in his career debut and then came back to finish well in his trial with the second-fastest time of :17.608. Neversaynever Sets 350 Yard World RecordThe American Quarter Horse Journal, June 15, 2011 – The 4-year-old stallion Neversaynever has officially captured the 330 yard world record. The gray, owned by Tony Sedillo and Sherri Galvez, on February 27 raced to a time of :15.859 at Sunland Park, and the mark was approved by AQHA. The time lowers Wcrseperateandcool’s record of :15.951 set 21 days earlier at the same track. Neversaynever set the record in a starter allowance for horses 4 and up. He was trained by Tony Sedillo and ridden by Miguel Perez, and won the race by two lengths while earning a 124 speed index. There was a 28 mph tailwind during the race over a fast track. The verification of the new record was pending when Vaughn Cook’s Ivory Riches raced to a 330-yard time of :15.922 on May 30 at Arapahoe Park, which appeared to be faster than Wcrseperateandcool’s time, but is slower than Neversaynever’s time. Bred by MJ Farms, Neversaynever is out of the Thoroughbred mare Numbered Lady, by Polish Navy. He has won five of 12 lifetime starts and earned $63,862. American Quarter Horse Association AQHA: 2011 Rule ChangesAQHA modifies rules regarding lip chains and behavior in halter horses, and the number of horses allowed to be shown by an exhibitor in individual worked classes at all of AQHA’s world shows, and adds a “shootout round” to individually scored classes. The American Quarter Horse Journal – The American Quarter Horse Association Executive Committee has approved modifications to three AQHA showing rules. Here are the modifications: * Rule 441(c): Applying excessive pressure on or excessive jerking of a halter lead shank or an allowed lip chain is prohibited. * Rule 448(d): defines lip chains in size, dimension, length and type; explains that the lip chain is to rest under the lip and over the upper gum of the horse and not through mouth; and that effective immediately, stallions 1 year of age and older may be shown with an allowed lip chain in open and amateur divisions; effective August 1, 2011, mares 1 year of age and older and geldings 1 year of age and older may be shown with an allowed lip chain in amateur and youth divisions; effective immediately, the following horses may not be shown with an allowed lip chain: weanlings; any horse shown in a performance halter class and any horse shown in a versatility ranch horse conformation class. Streakin Down Is Newest Supreme Race HorseThe American Quarter Horse Journal, June 6, 2011 – Ed Melzer’s Streakin Down has become AQHA’s newest Supreme Race Horse. The honor is given by AQHA to a horse that during its racing career earns $500,000 or more and wins at least 10 races, including two or more open Grade 1 stakes races. Streakin Down is the 26th racing American Quarter Horse since 1983 to earn the distinction of AQHA Supreme Race Horse. He is a 4-year-old gelding by Streakin Sixes out of the Heza Fast Man mare First Lady Amber. He finished the qualifications for the award on April 24, when he won his trial for the Bank of America Remington Championship Challenge (G2) in track record time, covering the 440 yards in :21.005. Streakin Down has won 10 of 22 starts and earned $741,326. Last year, he won the Heritage Place Derby (G1) and Texas Classic Derby (G1). He has also run second in the Heritage Place Futurity (G1) and third in the Dash For Cash Futurity (G1) and was a finalist in the All American Derby (G1), Rainbow Derby (G1) and Remington Park Derby (G2). This year he was second in the Eastex Handicap (G2), Leo Stakes (G1) and Bank of America Remington Championship Challenge (G2) and third in the Remington Park Invitational Championship (G1). Streakin Down has been trained throughout his career by Eddie Willis. Bred by Marcus Smith, the Texas-bred gelding is the first stakes winner out of his unraced dam, a half sister to stakes winner Miss Jess Perry. Streakin Down is by the Streakin Six stallion Streakin Sixes, a stakes-placed runner who has sired the earners of more than $4 million, including champion Miss Kips Streakin. A resident of Edmond, Oklahoma, Melzer bought Streakin Down for $17,000 at the 2008 Heritage Place Yearling Sale. American Quarter Horse Association Remington Park Victors Rewarded with Top Spots in Both PollsThe American Quarter Horse Journal, June 1, 2011 – The May 28th mega-program at Remington Park produced not one, but two, new No. 1-ranked horses in the latest AQHA Racing.com-Horseplayernow.com National Top 10 polls. Heritage Place Futurity (G1) winner High Rate of Return zoomed to the top of the rankings for 2-year-olds, while Rylees Boy registered a sharp Remington Park Invitational Championship (G1) score and the top position in the poll for older horses. Rylees Boy handled one of the strongest fields ever assembled and did it by holding off the late charge of last week’s No. 1-ranked runner Louisiana Senator, who was flying late but came up a head short in defeat. Pollsters rewarded Louisiana Senator with a No. 2 ranking this week. Third-place finisher Streakin Down earned the No. 9 national ranking for his efforts. The Invitational included four of the top seven-ranked horses in the national poll last week and lived up to its billing. Former world champions Freaky and Stolis Winner finished fourth and fifth, respectively, underscoring the race’s quality, which featured the earners of more than $7.1 million lifetime. The rankings for older horses also got a solid jolt when last year’s All American Futurity presented by Sentient Jet (G1) runner-up and beaten favorite JLS Mr. Bigtime made his 2011 debut in the poll at No. 5. The Louisiana-bred tallied the Delta Downs Louisiana Breeders’ Derby (RG2) by a head on Saturday as the odds-on choice in his first finals appearance of the season. Another 3-year-old who debuted this week in the poll for older horses was Heritage Place Derby (G2) upsetter Capo De Capi, who knocked off stablemate Freighttrain B in Saturday’s final and was rewarded with a No. 8 national ranking. |
