Devil May Care Tribute

I know this is a little late, but I'm going to write it anyway. Devil May Care was an amazing mare overshadowed by Zenyatta and Rachel Alexandra. She was one of my favorites and my pick to win the Kentucky Derby.

Devil May Care was out of Kelli's Ransom and by Malibu Moon. She was bred in Kentucky by Diamond A Racing Corp. She was sold in 2008 in the Keeneland Association September 2008 Yearling Sale for $110,000. She was also entered in the Fasig-Tipton Florida Select 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale by did not meet her reserve price of $400,000.

Devil May Care began her racing career in 2009 as a 2-year-old. She broke her maiden at Saratoga her first time out and went on to win the G1 Frizette Stakes. In her first, and only, start over a synthetic surface, she finished 11th in the G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies and closed out her short season.

In 2010, Devil May Care kicked off her season with a lackluster 5th in the G3 Silverbulletday Stakes. Next she headed to Gulfstream Park where she captured the G2 Bonnie Miss. She then headed to Churchill Downs where she was the only filly in the 20-horse Kentucky Derby field where she finished 10th.

After her unimpressive Derby effort, Devil May Care returned to facing the fillies and hit her best stride, winning the G1 Mother Goose and the G1 Coaching Club American Oaks. Her last start was the G1 Alabama where she finished fourth.

She was a hopeful for the 2010 G1 Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic, but a diagnosis of a non-contagious form of hepatitis in October forced her to skip the race. She was on and off antibiotics and continued to carry an elevated liver enzyme count.

Devil May Care had five wins in nine starts and earned $724,000.

Devil May Care was euthanized May 4 after being diagnosed with lymphosarcoma, a form of cancer. She was four years old.

RIP Devil May Care

Dutrow Case Continued

So, if you don't know what's going on Rick Dutrow, a famous racehorse trainer, is looking at the possibility of losing his license. You may remember him as the trainer of Big Brown, the 2008 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner that made history when he finished dead last in the Belmont and was later discovered to have been on steroids. He already has a very, very long line of drug allegations trailing after him and clearly, he is not learning his lesson. If the racing industry is serious about cracking down on drug use in thoroughbreds, they need to prove it now. They need to say enough is enough and show that there are going to be consequences for not following the rules. And I don't mean the continued slaps on the wrist.

For the record, I am not jealous of Rick Dutrow's success. Success achieved in an immoral and illegal way is far worse than no success at all, in my book. He's had 64 infractions over the years, when is it time to say enough is enough?
And that's what the kid always says when he gets caught with the weed in his locker. "Oh that's not mine; I'm just holding it for a friend; someone must have put it there..." Those horses are in his barn and they're his responsibility. If they're being drugged on his watch, he should be looking into that and making sure the problem is solved.

The full story is here

One of the racing industry’s closely watched legal proceedings begins May 31 as state regulators in New York commence a hearing that could lead to the revocation of trainer Rick Dutrow’s license.

Officials with the state Racing and Wagering Board have said that Dutrow’s history of past allegations—along with two current cases against him—should lead to his ouster from the industry in the state.

But allies say the regulators are reaching too far in a case that could have implications beyond Dutrow if this week’s hearing—which begins at 1 p.m. EDT May 31 at the board’s Schenectady headquarters – convinces the full racing board to take away his license.

“Rick is looking forward to this hearing and a favorable resolution of this matter,’’ said Michael Koenig, Dutrow’s new attorney in the matter.

Koenig a day before the scheduled hearing declined to discuss the case and said Dutrow would not be available for an interview in advance of the hearing. Racing Board officials have also declined for months to comment on the specifics of the case.

Dutrow In Trouble Again

Racehorse trainer, Rick Dutrow Jr. is once again in trouble with the law.

Whole story

New York stewards suspended him for 90 days when one of his winning horses tested positive for drugs and hypodermic needles were found in his barn.

I think it's time to seriously rethink Dutrow's involvement in the sport. Does anyone else remember Big Brown? He came very close to winning the Triple Crown but his name will forever live in infamy in my mind as the champion on steroids.

According to the article, Dutrow has been sanctioned at least 64 times in nine different states since 1979. He's never shown consideration from the rules and it's obvious he's never going to start.

If the racing business is going to clean up, they're going to need to start with punishing the people who are in violation instead of just giving them a slap on the wrist.

I called for Dutrow's banning for life when Big Brown raced and I haven't changed my tune.

War Pass Tribute

I know I haven't blogged in a really long time, but I had to today.

War Pass was foaled April 17, 2005 in Kentucky. He was a bay colt by Cherokee Run out of Vue. Nick Zito trained him throughout his racing career. He was sold at the Keeneland September yearling sale for $180,000.

War Pass kicked off his spectacular two-year-old season with a commanding maiden win at Saratoga in August by 2 3/4 lengths. In September he followed up with a gate-to-wire victory in an allowance at Saratoga by 5 1/2 lengths. On October 3, 2007 he led all the way once again to win the G1 Champagne Stakes. War Pass went on to be the post time favorite for the G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile and won by 4 3/4 lengths over a sloppy Monmouth Park track. He closed out his two-year-old season with four wins in four starts and $1,397,400 in earnings. His wins also earned him the honor of the Eclipse Award for Top 2-Year-Old Colt.

At the start of 2008, War Pass was a stand-out in the crowd of Kentucky Derby hopefuls. He began his three-year-old season with an allowance win by 7 1/2 lengths at Gulfstream. In the G3 Tampa Bay Derby he was bumped at the start and didn't secure his familiar position at the lead. He rallied to third in the field of seven, but stopped badly and finished last, beaten by 23 lengths. It was also his first race at longer than a mile.

His luck didn't get any better when he was shipped to Aqueduct for the Wood Memorial. The trip was difficult for War Pass who suffered a cut lip that required stitches. In the race on April 5, 2008 he took the lead early as usual but tired in the homestretch and was caught in the final strides by Tale of Ekati.

Following the Wood Memorial, it was discovered he had a minor fracture in his left foreleg and he was officially out of the Kentucky Derby. He made a full recovery, but it was concluded that he would never run again and hew as retired to stud in September 2008. He retired with a record of five wins and one second in seven starts and $1,583,400 in earnings.

In 2009, War Pass entered stud at Lane's End with a fee of $30,000 and sired 63 reported foals. He covered 83 mares in his second season at Lane's End for a fee of $20,000. He was to stand for $15,000 in his 2011 season. He returned to Lane's End from Widden Stud in Australia December 23 with no sign of illness or injury. The five-year-old stallion was turned out the morning of December 24 and died several hours later.

RIP War Pass. You were one of my favorite Kentucky Derby hopefuls. You will be missed.

Horse with EEE Euthanized in New York

Source

Eastern equine encephalitis has claimed its first victim in New York this year – a 2-year-old gelding in Oswego County, according to the state Department of Agriculture and Markets.

The horse, purchased earlier this year at a New York auction, was euthanized after it showed symptoms of EEE, a diagnosis that lab tests have now confirmed, the department said. EEE is a rare, but deadly virus that kills most infected horses and about a third of human victims. It leaves many survivors with permanent brain damage.

The virus, which can only be spread by mosquito bites, also has been found in mosquitoes in the four counties that border Oneida Lake – Oneida, Madison, Oswego and Onondaga, said Pete Constantakes, a spokesman for the state Department of Health. The mosquitoes infected with EEE in Oneida, Madison and Onondaga counties are a breed that generally bites birds, not horses or humans, Constantakes said.

But mammal-biting mosquitoes with EEE have been found in Oswego County, he said.

The gelding’s vaccination history was not known, but the current owner had not had it vaccinated for EEE, according to an Agriculture Department news release. None of the horses with which it lived have shown symptoms of EEE and all have since been vaccinated, the release said.

Two World Records Set at Tioga Downs

Source

A pair of world records were set Sunday at Tioga Downs racetrack.

The 5/8 mile track for harness racing was the site of the fastest time for any 3-year-old and also the fastest time for a 4-year-old stud horse on that size track.

Temple of Doom, driven by David Miller, won the sixth race with a time of 1 minute 52.4 seconds to eclipse the previous record for 3-year-olds of 1:53 set by three horses in the past two years. The winner paid $4.70.

Two races earlier, Manningly, driven by Jeff Gregory, won his race in 1:52.3, which is just 0.3 shy of the record for any 4-year-old horse.

"(Manningly's record) will hang on for a little while because most horses that age, if they were successful, would be in the breeding shed," Director of Racing Jason Blohm said. "It was the right conditions today for that to take place." Manningly paid $4.40 to win.

The records are kept by the U.S. Trotting Association.

Woman Gets Two Years Probation for Abandoning Animals

Source

A Denton County woman has drawn two years of probation after her conviction on seven counts of cruelty to animals in connection with having abandoned about a dozen horses and five dogs in 2009.

Kyra Jane Pointon, 37, was sentenced to a year behind bars on each count, to be served concurrently, along with seven $2,500 fines. However, that sentence was suspended to the probation and 80 hours of community service.

According to Denton County sheriff's reports, the case began in early June 2009. A man called to report that he passed property in the 12000 block of FM2450 every day and had noticed the horses and dogs there. A woman often could be seen handling the horses, he said, and there was hay for the horses to eat.

Recently, he said, he had not seen the woman or any vehicle around the property. There was no hay, and the horses looked highly malnourished.

A deputy went to the property and found that the house had no electricity or water. It appeared that someone had moved out of the house, according to reports.

The horses and German shepherds penned in the backyard had no food or water. Deputies found a small amount of muddy water in a container in a back pasture.

Animal Officer Kirk Sisney testified that he had talked to the woman several times about conditions on her property. She was wanted on several outstanding warrants for allowing the horses to escape and for improperly caring for them.

Sisney testified that a friend of Pointon agreed to feed and water the animals until he could get warrants to have them removed from the property. He eventually found Pointon at the friend's house, hiding in a closet.

According to court documents, a local veterinarian examined the horses and found one to be suffering from a severe hoof infection. That horse had been in pain for a long time, according to the reports. Most of the others were severely malnourished.

Because of her condition, one pregnant mare suffered a miscarriage after being seized, according to the documents. Another horse had cancer in several places.

The county placed the horses with a Justin man who cares for seized horses on contract. The dogs were taken to the Denton animal pound.

Sheriff's Capt. Mike Caley said Friday that he was unsure of the animals' current whereabouts, but that animals in such cases usually are placed for adoption.

He said he believed the sentence was justified because the woman had a history of neglecting her animals.

"She has a pretty lengthy track record," he said. "We would tell her she needed to do this and this, and she would agree, but it never got done."

You mean this has been going on for a long time and nothing was DONE? You know, I believe in second chances as much as the next guy but once you're on third, fourth, fifth, sixth chances it's time for something to HAPPEN because clearly whatever you were doing before wasn't working.