Category Archives: Racing

Racing, WHIN

Horse Races Now to Carry Delta Downs’s One Million Dollar Race Live

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Horse Races Now has announced today that the 11th running of the $1,000,000 Delta Downs Jackpot (Gr. III) will be broadcast live at 4:15 p.m. CST on the exciting Horse Races Now app.

The race will be held November 23, 2013 at the Delta Downs racetrack.

Horse Races Now is a mobile app, which allows horse racing enthusiasts to have a deeper connection to the industry. Users can check Entries, Results, Today’s Changes, Horse Racing News and watch Live Racing and Race Replays all while being able to keep track of their favorite Horses, Trainers, Jockeys and Racetracks. Horse Races Now will also send alerts to users each time one of their Favorites is entered in a race or has a workout. The app is available to download free on the Apple iTunes and Google Play stores. Text ‘HORSE’ to 84700 for direct download. Please visit www.HorseRacesNow.com for additional information or call 859-254-9969.

For more information, visit www.deltadownsracing.com. Additional information about the race can also be found on the ‘Delta Downs Racing’ page on Facebook, and by following Delta Downs on Twitter with the account @deltaracing.

Contact:
Jessica Peterson, Marketing Director
Horse Races Now, LLC
Office: (859) 254-9969
Mobile: (309) 230-1511
www.HorseRacesNow.com
Text “Horse” to 84700 to download now!

Racing, WHIN

Horse Racing Companies Joining Forces to Bring More Fans to the Sport

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In order for any industry to grow, new customers must be found and nowhere is that more important than the sport of horse racing.  In an effort to make that happen, Horse Races Now and Gettingoutofthegate.com are joining forces.

Gettingoutofthegate.com is a website designed to help everyone, from the beginner to the expert become better educated about the sport of horse racing.  Getting Out of the Gate “cleanly” or “evenly” is the goal of every jockey in a horse race.  The aim is to give their horse the best chance to win the race by putting them in a good position early.  That is the same goal of this website: to put you in the best position to understand and enjoy this very exciting game.

Founder Neal Benoit has been an avid fan and horseplayer for more than 35 years.  While not a professional gambler by trade he finished in the top ten of a national handicapping contest in April of 2013. “The idea that I can share my knowledge with new and experienced horse racing fans is great and to expand the interest in the sport via famed trainer Kenny McPeek and his cool horse racing app, Horse Races Now, is very exciting,” Benoit states. Together they have implemented a mobile friendly version of his educational and entertaining materials.  The synergistic result of these two enterprises working together will be to bring fans closer to the sport of horse racing AND help them to understand it once they are there. For additional information on Gettingoutofthegate.com, please visit the website.

Horse Races Now is a mobile app, which allows horse racing enthusiasts to have a deeper connection to the industry. Users can check Entries, Results, Today’s Changes, Horse Racing News and watch Live Racing and Race Replays all while being able to keep track of their favorite Horses, Trainers, Jockeys and Racetracks. Horse Races Now will also send alerts to users each time one of their Favorites is entered in a race or has a workout.

“We are excited to be bringing the educational content from Getting Out of the Gate to our users in order help build their foundation of understanding the sport of Thoroughbred racing,” said Jessica Peterson, Marketing Director of Horse Races Now. “Neil has done a terrific job putting his website together so new and old fans alike have easy access to increasing their knowledge of the sport. We hope the new channel becomes a go-to source for horse racing fans.”

The app is available to download free on the Apple iTunes and Google Play stores. Text ‘HORSE’ to 84700 for direct download. Please visit HorseRacesNow.com for additional information or call 859-254-9969.

Contact:
Jessica Peterson, Marketing Director
Horse Races Now, LLC
Office: (859) 254-9969
Mobile: (309) 230-1511
www.HorseRacesNow.com
Text “Horse” to 84700 to download now!

Breeds, Racing

Record-Setting Sprinter Klassy Briefcase Dies at 28

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Klassy Briefcase at Old Friends. Photo by Rick Capone.

Georgetown, KY – September 19, 2013 – Klassy Briefcase, a record-setting sprinter and broodmare, died September18 at Old Friends, the Thoroughbred Retirement Center in Georgetown, KY.  The daughter of Medieval Man out of the Pruner mare Leather Gallery was 28.

A New Jersey bred, Klassy Briefcase was campaigned by owners Dan Kelliher and Lara Levine and was long considered not only one of the fastest sprinters of the Mid-Atlantic circuit, but also one of the fastest mares of her generation.

In 1990 she set a 5-furlong record at Pimlico winning the Park Heights Handicap in :56 3/5.  She went on to set a new world record at Monmouth Park going 5 furlongs in :54 4/5.  Among her other victories were the Primonetta Stakes, the Princess Rooney Stakes, and the Fair Haven Haven Handicap.

In all Klassy Briefcase captured 18 of her 42 starts and earnings of $362,959.  Her career is celebrated annually with the running of the Klassy Briefcase Stakes at Monmouth Park.

As a broodmare, she produced four winners, and the GR2 winner Briecat carries on her female line. Retired from breeding in 2008, Klassy Briefcase was generously donated to Old Friends by her owners.

“Klassy with a K was Classy with a C as well,” said Old Friends founder and president Michael Blowen. “Her intelligent demeanor and kind disposition made her one of Old Friend’s most popular retirees. She will be missed.”

For more information contact Old Friends at (502) 863-1775.

About Old Friends

Old Friends is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization that cares for more than 110 retired racehorses. Its Dream Chase Farm, located in Georgetown, KY, is open to tourists daily by appointment. Old Friends also has a satellite facility in Greenfield Center, New York, Old Friends at Cabin Creek: The Bobby Frankel Division, which is also open to visitors. For more information on tours or to make a donation, contact the main farm at (502) 863-1775 or see their website at www.oldfriendsequine.org.

MEDIA CONTACT Cynthia Grisolia, (347) 423-7322, cagrisolia@yahoo.com, or Michael Blowen, (502) 863-1775, michael@oldfriendsequine.org

Breeds, Racing

Stakes Winner Silver Ray Retires to Old Friends

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Georgetown, KY – September 16 – Silver Ray, a graded-stakes winner who was rescued from potential slaughter, has arrived at Old Friends, the Thoroughbred Retirement Center in Georgetown, KY.

It was an unexpected turn of events that turned Silver Ray’s life around. Earlier this summer the stallion was discovered at a livestock auction in Mira Loma, CA. by April Smith. Suspecting he night be headed for a slaughterhouse, Smith bought him for a mere $30.

After uncovering his identity, Smith contacted Catherine Trope, founder of the Glendale-based Polo Pony Rescue and Trope helped nurse the ailing ex-racer, now 24, back to health.

When the Glendale News-Press ran a feature about Silver Ray’s rescue and recovery, it came to the attention of his one-time owners, Jerry and Ann Moss, who are best known for campaigning the champion mare Zenyatta.

The Mosses are supporters of Old Friends; they worked with founder and president Michael Blowen to secure Silver Ray a spot at the Kentucky farm.

Bred in the Bluegrass, Silver Ray (Silver Hawk – Danceland by Little Current) won the GR3 Hoist the Flag stakes in 1991 and came in third in three other graded stakes, including the 1992 El Camino Real Derby. His career earnings total $268,532.

As a Thoroughbred stallion, Silver Ray sired 47 foals in 13 lifetime crops with 11 winners. He was eventually sold to a dressage trainer and had some success as a sire of sport horses.

“Great teamwork brought this wonderful stallion to Old Friends,” said Blowen “We’re grateful to everyone, including Brook Ledge Horse Transportation, for bringing Silver Ray home.”

To learn more about the Polo Pony Rescue, Inc., call toll free (855) 765-6777 or visit the website at www.poloponyrescue.com.

For more information about Silver Ray or any of the retirees at Old Friends, call the farm at (502) 863-1775 or visit the website at www.oldfriendsequine.org.

About Old Friends

Old Friends is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization that cares for more than 110 retired racehorses. Its Dream Chase Farm, located in Georgetown, KY, is open to tourists daily by appointment. Old Friends also has a satellite facility in Greenfield Center, New York, Old Friends at Cabin Creek: The Bobby Frankel Division, which is also open to visitors. For more information on tours or to make a donation, contact the main farm at (502) 863-1775 or see their website at www.oldfriendsequine.org.

MEDIA CONTACT Cynthia Grisolia, (347) 423-7322, cagrisolia@yahoo.com, or Michael Blowen, (502) 863-1775, michael@oldfriendsequine.org

*Featured/Spotlights, Hunter/Equitation, Racing, Show Jumping, Washington Int'l Horse Show

Washington International Horse Show Barn Night Is Back

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Reed Kessler and Ligist won last year’s $20,000 International Open Jumper Gambler’s Choice. © Shawn McMillen Photography.

Don’t miss the inaugural WIHS Shetland Pony International Steeplechase!

WASHINGTON — Sept. 4, 2013 — The Washington International Horse Show is pleased to welcome back the local favorite, Barn Night, presented again this year by Dover Saddlery. The festive and fun-filled Barn Night will take place Thursday, Oct. 24, during the 55th annual Washington International Horse Show (WIHS) Oct. 22-27 at Verizon Center in downtown Washington, DC.

New for 2013 Barn Night is the WIHS Shetland Pony International Steeplechase, presented by Charles Owen. U.S. Pony Racing’s young jockeys will suit up in colorful silks and gallop their Shetland ponies over hurdles in two steeplechase races. A popular tradition in Europe, this will be the first time Shetland ponies will race over jumps indoors in the U.S.

WIHS Barn Night is favored by young riders and horse enthusiasts who attend with their local barns and have a chance to enter contests such as Largest Group, Best Banner, Best Spirit and Best Video. Barns from Virginia, Maryland, the District and beyond will vie for sensational prizes including a custom golf cart from United Metro Golf Carts, gear from C&A Sportswear, a clinic with three-day eventing Olympian Will Coleman courtesy of Cavalor, and $5,000 worth of gift certificates from Dover Saddlery.

Returning sponsor Dover Saddlery is excited to be a part of this year’s Barn Night event. “We love being a part of Barn Night at the Washington International Horse Show because it’s important to us to support young riders getting involved in the sport,” said Dover’s Janet Nittmann. “It is such a fun event, and we look forward to seeing the creativity and enthusiasm from all the barns that come out each year.”

Thanks to support from committed sponsors like the Peterson Family Foundation, and official media partner, The Equiery, WIHS is able to offer an entertaining evening for exhibitors and attendees alike. Activities begin at 6:00 p.m. on the concourse at Verizon Center with a Stablemates painting activity hosted by Breyer Animal Creations. The first 100 kids to arrive will receive a special prize, also courtesy of Breyer. Throughout the night, groups will have a chance to pose at the famous WIHS Puissance wall, which will be set up on the concourse. There will also be a scavenger hunt, and the first 25 people to submit sheets with accurate answers will receive an Essex Classics show shirt. An autograph session with top riders will conclude the evening.

The evening’s feature equestrian competition is the Halloween-themed Gambler’s Choice Costume class, during which top riders and their horses will tackle a course of jumps set at 1.45m, dressed in creative outfits of their choosing.

“Barn Night is always fun because the atmosphere is so great,” said Reed Kessler, who won last year’s $20,000 International Open Jumper Gambler’s Choice class, dressed as Catwoman. “The best part of this sport is when the crowd is really passionate and excited about watching you ride and Barn Night always delivers in terms of enthusiasm!”

Before the start of the Gambler’s Choice, WIHS President Victoria Lowell will present the second annual Laura Pickett Trophy for Excellence in Horsemanship. Awarded in memory of Laura Pickett, the trophy will be presented to the adult or child rider and their trainer who best exhibit enthusiasm, dedication, style and commitment to excellent horsemanship at the WIHS Regional Horse Show & USHJA Zone 3 Finals, Oct. 18-20 at Prince George’s Equestrian Center in Upper Marlboro, Md.

Barn Night is a terrific opportunity for the DC region’s horse lovers to come together and enjoy a night of entertainment and camaraderie. Last year’s winners:

Largest Group Overall: Meadowbrook Stables, Chevy Chase, MD

Largest Group (Maryland): Wheaton Park Stables, Wheaton, MD

Largest Group (Virginia): Tamarack Stables, Lofton, VA

Largest Group (DC/Other): Rock Creek Horse Center, Washington, DC

Best Group Video: Rock Creek Horse Center, Washington, DC

Best Group Banner: Harmony Ridge, Deale, MD

Best Group Spirit: Serene Acres Riding Center, Round Hill, VA

Sign Up Today!

Visit www.wihs.org/tickets/ for more information on purchasing tickets to this year’s event. Download the 2013 Official WIHS Prize List at www.wihs.org/prize-list/.

Register your barn now to be eligible to participate in the group contests and for the chance to win great prizes! Join WIHS on Facebook and sign up on the Barn Night Facebook Event Page to enter contests, see who will be attending, and connect with other Barn Night participants!

Go to www.wihs.org/Barn-Night now to sign up to be eligible for this year’s contests and prizes. Discounted tickets for Barn Night are available at Verizon Center Group Sales Office. Call (202) 661-5061 now to reserve your seats! The minimum group size is 10 people.

Learn more about the Washington International Horse Show and the WIHS Regional Horse Show & USHJA Zone 3 Finals at www.wihs.org, join us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter.

About the Washington International Horse Show

Established in 1958, the Washington International Horse Show attracts more than 20,000 spectators to the six-day show, which includes Olympic-level competition along with community and charity events. More than 500 top horses and riders come to D.C. from all over the globe to jump for nearly half a million dollars in prize money. Event highlights include the Puissance high jump competition on Military Night (Friday), the $125,000 President’s Cup Grand Prix, a World Cup qualifier (Saturday night) and Kids’ Day (Saturday), a free, fun and educational community event. The Washington International Horse Show Association, Ltd. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization headquartered in Washington, D.C.

Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.
Equestrian Public Relations
info@jenniferwoodmedia.com

Racing, Racing Sources

Feature Hero Wins All American Derby

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American Quarter Horse Association, September 1, 2013 – Reliance Ranches LLC’s Feature Hero won the September 1 All American Derby (G1) with a strong late charge. The race offered a $2,809,784 purse, which is the richest ever offered in the history of American Quarter Horse racing.

Racing in front of a crowd of 21,857 — the largest crowd ever for a non-All American Futurity day — Feature Hero was sent off at 24-1 by the bettors, broke well from Post 7 and was fourth early. The race’s fastest qualifier, Bon Accord, was on the early lead from Post 1, but was caught to finish a neck back. Feature Hero covered the 440 yards in :21.560. Point Break Dash finished third, and was followed by Vancouver Moon, Wonderboy, Elisas Secret, Wicked Courage, Louisana Corona, Tayte Me Down and The Magic Dash.

Feature Hero was ridden by Jimmy Dean Brooks and trained by Eddie Willis. Last year, the black gelding finished fourth in Carters Cookie’s Rainbow Futurity (G1). Earlier this year, he finished second in Brace For Bernal’s $253,000 Remington Park Oklahoma-Bred Derby (R), and then had a rough trip in the Jack Brook Stakes (RG3). His race record stands at four wins, three seconds and three thirds from 14 starts.

The $1,180,110 winning purse boosted Feature Hero’s earnings to $1,306,638.

Feature Hero qualified to the Derby through a second-place finish to Louisana Corona in their trial, with a :21.276 time, which was the 10th and final qualifying time. Feature Hero paid $49.80 to win.

“We believed in this horse and are so proud of him and Eddie,” said co-owner Micah McKinney. “We were not concerned that he was the 10th fastest qualifier. This is a thrill of a lifetime.”

Reliance Ranches is a family-owned business based out of Llano, Texas, run by the McKinney family. It includes Gary and his wife Shiela; son Micah and his wife, Leslie; and daughter M’Lissa Schoening and her husband, Jeremy. The family has an oil-gas business, but has always enjoyed horses and the agricultural lifestyle.

“We started running horses about nine years ago,” said Micah in an interview prior to the race. “We were visiting one day – my dad and my wife and I – and one of us said, why don’t we go buy a racehorse? We looked at each other and said, we don’t know anything about racehorses, but we can try to figure it out.”

The family did just that, and has become involved with numerous aspects of the racing industry. They race mostly Quarter Horses, and own a broodmare band of about 20 mares, including the likes of champion Spit Curl Diva ($829,353), Grade 1-placed Back In The Pack ($131,831) and stakes winner Illegal Fireworks ($181,847), among others, and raise about 20-25 foals per year.

The McKinneys are learning very fast – in addition to Feature Hero, they also have freshman star Coronado Cartel ($314,348) and distaffer Cruzin The Wagon ($336,869) among those carrying their colors.

Feature Hero was a $40,000 purchase from the Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale, and attracted their interest and that of Willis first because of the bloodline cross between Corona Chick (dam of his sire Valiant Hero) and Feature Mr Jess (sire of dam Illegal Feature), and then because he was a nice individual.

The gelding was bred in Oklahoma by Lana Merrick and Kent Jackson.

He is by the third-year sire Valiant Hero ($668,633), who won the 2006 Texas Classic Futurity (G1) and the 2007 Heritage Place Derby (G2). From 186 starters in three crops raced, Valiant Hero is represented by 110 winners, including 15 stakes winners and the earners of more than $6 million. Valiant Hero also is the sire of tomorrow’s All American Futurity (G1) qualifier Houdini.

Feature Hero is the first winner from three starters out of the winning Feature Mr Jess mare Illegal Feature ($23,410). His second dam, Illegally Special, was second in Quik Jolla’s 2003 West Texas Futurity (G1).

Feature Hero also represents a very important industry movement of horsemen speaking out against the use of performance-enhancing medications. Micah and Leslie founded Racing Free, a rapidly-growing industry alliance of owners, breeders and other horsemen dedicated to eliminating the use of illegal performance-enhancing medications.

Racing Free encourages the elimination of such medications by offering a positive way for the industry to speak out against the practice, as well as providing rewards to enrolled members. Seventeen of the 20 finalists in the All American Futurity and Derby – including Feature Hero – are Racing Free horses. Owners and breeders can enroll horses in the Racing Free program, and when their horses win races with clean drug tests, can earn money back.

“We are very proud of the fact that we have so many owners in the industry willing to stand up against the use of performance-enhancing drugs,” Micah said.

Feature Hero is not only racing free – but he’s racing fast and racing rich, and has raced into the history books.

AQHA News and information is a service of the American Quarter Horse Association. For more news and information, follow @AQHARacing on Twitter, watch the AQHA Racing Newscast, and visit www.aqharacing.com.

American Quarter Horse Association
1600 Quarter Horse Drive
Amarillo, TX 79104

Competitions, Racing

All American Qualifiers

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American Quarter Horse Association, August 31, 2013 – The 2013 All American Futurity (G1) is the richest race for 2-year-olds in North America, regardless of breed. Run every Labor Day at Ruidoso Downs in the mountain village of Ruidoso, New Mexico, the $2.6 million-est. race will be contested September 2 by 10 2-year-old American Quarter Horses. Meet two of the finalists:

Skuze Pleeze
Joe Mills’ homebred Skuze Pleeze (Dashin Bye-Sixy Hemp by Sixarun) was a $50,000 supplemental nominee to the All American Futurity. He finished second, a length behind fastest-qualifier Wagon Tales, to earn a :21.177 qualifying time under the guidance of champion jockey G. R. Carter Jr.

Trained by Tana Pace for his Broken Arrow, Oklahoma-based owner, Skuze Pleeze came into the trial with an undefeated record of three consecutive wins, his most recent the $50,000 Easy Jet Stakes (RG3) on June 2 at Remington Park.

Wagon Full Of Gold
One of the six All American Futurity qualifiers owned in part or whole by his breeders, Wagon Full Of Gold (PYC Paint Your Wagon-Cheyennes Bullion by Bully Bullion) won the second trial on the second day of qualifying, earning a :21.331 time.

Wagon Full Of Gold races for Ezra Lee, who bred the horse in partnership with his cousin, Toby Dahl. Lee races the horse in a Bayfield, Colorado-based partnership with Jill Giles and Melvin Neugebauer.

The colt was trained by Jill’s husband, Wes Giles, and was ridden in the trials by 2002 All American Futurity-winning jockey Jay Conklin. Wagon Full Of Gold has won two of three starts and earned $5,870.

ALL AMERICAN DERBY (G1)

This year, the $2.8 million-est. All American Derby (G1) for 3-year-olds is September 1. The race is expected to set an all-time record for the richest purse ever offered for racing American Quarter Horses. Meet two of the finalists:

Wonderboy
Sunset Well Service Inc.’s Wonderboy (Shazoom-First Place Queen by First Place Dash) finished third in Bon Accord’s trial to clock the fourth-fastest time of :21.204. Wonderboy broke his maiden in July 2012 at Ruidoso but has not won in eight races since and has only one second-place and one third-place finish in four races this year with earnings of $15,855. He was ridden in the trials by Roberto Valero for trainer Michael Chavez and his Midland, Texas-based owner.

Wonderboy was bred in Oklahoma by the Elk City, Oklahoma-based partnership of Newcomb Cattle Co. and Micah Leslie.

Vancouver Moon
Homebred Vancouver Moon (FDD Dynasty-Nagano Moon by Major Rime) was third behind Point Break Dash and Tayte Me Down in her trial to qualify with a :21.258 time.

Racing for Dosi and Norma Alvarez of Anthony, New Mexico, the filly last year was second to Carters Cookie in the Rainbow Futurity (G1) and has earned $125,236. She is trained by Juan Gonzalez and was ridden in the trials by Jaime Pargo Leos.

Fans can watch the All American Derby and Futurity – and many other races – free of charge at www.qracingvideo.com. Q-Racing Video provides unlimited access to live and replay simulcast race video of most American Quarter Horse tracks in the United States and Canada. For complete coverage of All American week at Ruidoso Downs, visit www.aqharacing.com. Read the September issue of the Q-Racing Journal, the digital publication covering American Quarter Horse racing, for full post-race analysis, at www.aqharacing.com, and find us on Facebook (Q-Racing) or Twitter (@AQHARacing). AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA Publications.

AQHA News and information is a service of the American Quarter Horse Association. For more news and information, follow @AQHARacing on Twitter, watch the AQHA Racing Newscast, and visit www.aqharacing.com.

American Quarter Horse Association
1600 Quarter Horse Drive
Amarillo, TX 79104

Community/Charity, Racing

NY State Gaming Commission and NYRA Choose StallWatch for All Horses at Belmont Stakes

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Kentucky Derby winner and favorite for the Belmont Stakes, Orb, at Belmont Park.

Wellington, FL – June 7, 2013 – The owners and trainers of the 14 horses set to race in the Belmont Stakes will all rest a little easier leading up to the big race on Saturday, June 8. The New York State Gaming Commission and The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) have opted to use StallWatch, the portable surveillance system for extra security and safety at Belmont Park in Elmont, NY.

The hotly-contested race includes the Kentucky Derby winner and favorite, Orb, and the Preakness Stakes frontrunner and winner, Oxbow. Legendary trainers such as Shug McGaughey, D. Wayne Lukas, Todd Pletcher and others will all have the opportunity to look in on their horses 24/7 via their mobile phones, tablets or laptops, along with the New York State Gaming Commission and NYRA.

“StallWatch provides an important added layer of security that gives everyone, including trainers, valuable peace of mind,” said Eric Wing, Director of Communications and Media Relations for NYRA.

Post time for the Belmont Stakes is set for 6:36 p.m. ET. The race will be televised nationally on NBC.

The StallWatch mobile phone view of Oxbow, winner of the Preakness Stakes, having a bite to eat at Belmont Park
The StallWatch mobile phone view of Oxbow, winner of the Preakness Stakes, having a bite to eat at Belmont Park

About StallWatch

StallWatch is a portable video surveillance service for remotely viewing and recording horses in their stalls at the show, competition or at the home barn. StallWatch uses network enabled wireless cameras to provide customers with round-the-clock viewing and recording from their personal computers and mobile devices through the 3G cellular connection.

StallWatch clients read like a “who’s who” of the horse world. Riders and trainers like McLain Ward, Margie Engle, Debbie Stephens, Michael Matz, Ivan Rakowsky, top reiner Josh Lyons and organizations like the Kentucky Racing Commission have discovered the benefits of StallWatch. The system is both practical and affordable and available now for the average horse enthusiast.

To find out more about the StallWatch portable surveillance system, go to: http://www.stallwatch.com.

Contact StallWatch at:
855 99WATCH
sales@stallwatch.com

Carrie Wirth for Phelps Media Group, Inc. International

MEDIA CONTACT:
Phelps Media Group, Inc.
12230 Forest Hill Blvd.
Suite 214
Wellington, FL 33414
561-753-3389 (phone)
561-753-3386 (fax)
pmginfo@phelpsmediagroup.com
www.phelpsmediagroup.com

Contributors/Press, Racing

Rylees Boy Remains atop Poll

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American Quarter Horse Association, April 17, 2013 – This week’s AQHA Racing-Horseplayernow.com National Top 10 rankings look similar to the poll from a week ago, as Rylees Boy remains atop the same rivals. Pollsters had some minor opinion adjustments among the early season leaders, notably swapping PJ Chick In Black and Remembering Spence in the No. 2 and 3 positions, in narrow balloting.

Champion Rylees Boy, last year’s Champion of Champions (G1) winner and hero of February’s Los Alamitos Winter Championship (G1), garnered all first-place votes and 100 points in a unanimous showing. With key races in the division this weekend in the Bank of America Sam Houston Challenge Championship (G1) and Remington Park Oklahoma Bred Derby (R), expect some shuffling in next week’s poll.

The AQHA Racing-Horseplayernow.com National Top 10 rankings are presented each Wednesday of the racing season through year’s end. The national poll for 2-year-olds will debut later this spring as more juveniles embark on their racing careers.

NATIONAL RANKINGS, 3-YEAR-OLDS & OLDER

1. RYLEES BOY (100)
2. PJ CHICK IN BLACK (72)
3. REMEMBERING SPENCE (69)
4. FIRST IN CLASS DBS (61)
5. TF FEATURED EFFORT (51)
6. TRES OF LINDA (41)
7. FEATURE MR WHO (32)
9. FAST PRIZE MIKE (27)
8. MR EASE CARTEL (25)
10. BIG BOI (16)

Brace For Bernal (9), Revv Me Up (8), Fast Prize Jordan (7), Henoshersecret (6), Bills Last (4), JD Baccarat (4), Flirtingwithamiracle (4), Tejas Energy (3), ICU Deity (2), Habits Secret (1), Last To Fire (1), Hez Our Secret (1)

The 10 voters are:
Ed Burgart (Los Alamitos announcer/handicapper)
Martha Claussen (Q-Racing Ace, writer/handicapper)
Mike Cusortelli (writer/handicapper)
Mike Joyce (TVG analyst)
Tom Dawson (Q-Racing Ace, network television producer)
Dale Day (Remington Park announcer/handicapper)
Jerry Shottenkirk (Horseplayernow.com, handicapper/oddsmaker)
Jeremy Plonk (Night School co-founder/host)
Terry Turrell (Horseplayernow.com handicapper)
Ty Wyant (writer, Daily Racing Form and AQHA)

AQHA News and information is a service of the American Quarter Horse Association. For more news and information, follow @AQHARacing on Twitter, watch the AQHA Racing Newscast and visit www.aqharacing.com.

American Quarter Horse Association
1600 Quarter Horse Drive
Amarillo, TX 79104

Competitions, Racing

Cheltenham Gold Cup, England

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March 16th 2013 – Quarter of a million racing enthusiasts descended on Cheltenham last week, Britain’s premier jumping racecourse, for the four day Annual Festival, the pinnacle of the National Hunt racing season. Irish trainers launched their usual formidable challenge with 599 Irish trained entries and finished marginally ahead of Great Britain, winning 14 of the 27 races.

Festival week culminated in the much coveted Gold Cup, bringing together the ‘best of the best’ in a bid to win a slice of £550,000 prize money. Popular Irish jockey Barry Geraghty rode eight year old ‘Bobs Worth’, the 11/4 favourite to a gutsy seven length victory. In a bizarre sequence of events Barry bought the horse as a yearling for 16,500 Euros and owned him for two and a half years before selling him to his current trainer, Nicky Henderson. No one has ever bought, sold and then ridden the same horse to victory in The Gold Cup before.

Amateur jockey Sam Waley-Cohen made the running on the 2011 winner ‘Long Run’ (also trained by Henderson) over 22 fences, pushing stamina to the limits on the taxing 3m 2f trip. Champion jockey AP McCoy chased in hot pursuit on ‘Sir Des Champs’, eventually finishing second before ‘Bobs Worth’ drew clear on the uphill run in. The win gave Lambourn based trainer, Nicky Henderson, two reasons to celebrate, this being his 50th Festival win in a training career spanning 35 years.

On a day of highly charged emotions, Barry Geraghty dedicated his victory to amateur jockey and friend, J. T. McNamara, who was critically injured in a fall earlier in the week.

By Lynn Lawson