the florida horse march 2012

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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

Contents_March.qxd:Layout 1 3/16/12 2:06 PM Page 1

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

Masthead_March_2012.qxd:Layout 1 3/15/12 1:13 PM

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.


the Brock talk

Brock SheridanEditor-in-Chief

Florida Equine Publications

AmazedAndHonored

BrockTalk.qxd:EditorWelcome 3/20/12 10:39 AM

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.


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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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



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

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Florida-bred Big Drama



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

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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



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

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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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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

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Mary and Robert Harris consigned the top selleron both days of the OBS March sale.

OBS_March_Sale_NEWS.qxd:Florida Horse_template 3/19/12 1:43 PM Page 1

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


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 �

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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

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....................................................

50Serving Florida’sThoroughbred Industrysince 1958

50

YE

ARS OF SERV

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�Please help us keep you current

RESPONSE DEADLINEAPRIL 20, 2012

Farm Service Directory Free Listing


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


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ATale of Romance

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2011FL_BredChampions.qxd:Florida Horse_template 3/19/12 1:38 PM


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


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.


RomanticROMP

J. Michael OʼFarrell(center) with sons

Joe (left) and David.

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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

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Wildcat Heir(above) has won twoconsecutive Stallionof the Year awards.

RomanticROMP


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


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(above)Awesome Of Course

and High Cotton (below)

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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

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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-


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John, Isabella and CarolRio (center) and

Florida-bred MusicalRomance (below)

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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. �

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It was a celebratory nightfor all as The Florida ThoroughbredBreeders’ and Owners’Associationheld it’s 2011Awards banquetMarch 11 at the Ocala Hilton.

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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.


Son of Hartley/De Renzostallion Full Mandate

becomes first Florida-bredsince Southern Image in

2004 to win the prestigiousSanta Anita Handicap.

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Florida-bredRon the Greek


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.


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

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.” �


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.


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.


Accelerated

With a robust Stakes and FOA Program

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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


$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

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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

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$300,000 Davona Dale Stakes (G2)

to be run Feb. 25


$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.


finishing in the second position.


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.


earning powerAdvert isement

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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


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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

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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.”


“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.


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



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.


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


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.” �



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No individual capital gains tax.National leader in veterinary and equine research.

Ranked third in the U.S. for number of horses and size of horse industry.Feed and animal health items, along with other specific items, are also exempt.

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Physical climate allows for year-round training, racing, showing and business opportunities.

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From coast to coast,Florida’s tax-friendly, pro-business

environment is poised and ready toattract new companies and create

new employment opportunities.



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

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-


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

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


EquineCare

EquineCare_Strangles.qxd:Florida Horse_template 3/16/12 11:15 AM

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]


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?

Cohen_FarmManagement_USE.qxd:Florida Horse_template 3/16/12 11:16 AM Page 79


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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HorsParkPhotoSpr2.qxd:Florida Horse_template 3/16/12 10:02 AM


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

consultation.

Your local CPA specializing in the racehorse industry(352) [email protected]

FREEChristopher Falk, CPAChristopher Falk, CPA

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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


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.

ELEANO

RHANCOC

KPHOTO

Florida...the Best State for Business

FLORIDA THOROUGHBRED BREEDERS’AND OWNERS’ASSOCIATION


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