GIVING BACK

One year ago this morning - 10:30 - BARBARO was euthanized after a long battle following his breakdown in the 2006 Preakness Stakes.
It is a day for EVERYONE who gets a paycheck from horse racing to remember who the stars REALLY are in this game. (Photo by Cindy-Pearson-Dulay)

REMEMBERING BARBARO

FROM ALEXBROWNRACING.COM and

FRIENDS OF BARBARO

Posted January 29, 2008

Update 3025: A year ago today, January 29, 2007, a heroic Barbaro lost his fight for life. We can all remember where we were when we received the tragic news. For me, I was driving back to Fair Hill to meet someone when I received a call.

What I was not so prepared for was the tremendous work that has continued in recognition of a horse who stood for everything we aspire. At 10:30 am today, Eastern Time, we are holding a vigil. Wherever you are, whatever you are doing, please at that time spare some thoughts for a great racehorse and an inspiration for us all to continue his legacy.

At 10:00 am eastern time there will be a press conference held at Churchill Downs hosted by the Jacksons. This conference appears to be to announce the burial site and memorial for Barbaro: A lasting peace for Barbaro, excerpt:

The Jacksons are going to commission the statue and loan it to Churchill Downs as part of the official Barbaro Memorial Site. The site will be free and accessible to the public 24 hours a day. The Jacksons considered several options for Barbaro's ashes before deciding on Churchill.

"Churchill was where he had his most memorable race," Gretchen Jackson said yesterday. "It will be accessible to all the people who loved him so much. It was hard to wrestle with, but it's just the right place. And Churchill has been great with all this."

Today will see some added Barbaro press coverage, and some of that focus is also on Barbaro's legacy. The following are two examples:

Barbaro's Legacy: A year after death, horse lives on as a vital Web symbol., excerpt:

The "Fans of Barbaro," as they call themselves, have helped save more than 1,900 horses from slaughter by donating more than $800,000, said Alex Brown, an exercise rider who administers the Web site, which is located at www.alexbrownracing.com. Each week, horse rescuers go on his site and ask for donations to help save horses.

Barbaro's spirit carries on one year after his death, excerpt:

"I think it has been absolutely remarkable that so many of the Fans of Barbaro participate in horse rescue," Gretchen Jackson said. "Isn't that absolutely remarkable; just a real grassroots movement that has accomplished something, made some changes. It's excellent; if we could just get the [anti-slaughter] bill through Congress it would be even more remarkable."

WORKING SMOOTHLY

DISFUNCTION WINS, POSTS 98 BEYER, FOR CANADA AT GULFSTREAM

British Columbia-bred DISFUNCTION (Vying Victor-Summers Prospect, by Gold Crest) provided Woodbine trainer JULIA CAREY with her first win at Gulfstream Park when the 4yo gelding won a $42,000 allowance race yesterday.

Bred by Bob Cheema and owned by JMJ Stable and Weila Ya, the gelding battled on the lead from the rail and edged clear to win the 6 furlong race in 1:09.72.

His Beyer Figure of 98 was easily the best of his brief career.

Disfunction has won 3 of 5 starts and he won his career debut for $20,000 claiming at Woodbine.

He is the 7^th foal of the winning mare. Summers Prospect, a half sister to Grade 3 stakes winner Grey tobe Free, has a winning 3yo named Summer House.

OTHER STUFF

BLONDE EXECUTIVE FOALS

Bruno Bros.’a champion sprinter of 2004, BLONDE EXECUTIVE, foaled a chestnut Langfuhr filly on Jan. 25 at Windfields Farm in Oshawa, Ontario.

It is the Bold Executive mare’s second foal.

KODIAK KOWBOY, Canada’s champion 2yo colt of 2007, worked four furlongs at Fair Grounds yesterday in 50 4/5, breezing.

KENTUCKY DERBY

JENNIE REES AT COURIER-JOURNAL OFFERS BIG LIST OF 3YO’S TO WATCH

(includes Mark Casse and Reade Baker trainees)

http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080127/SPORTS08/80127004/1037

TRINIDAD RACING OFFICIAL STARTS HORSE RETIREMENT HOME

An excerpt from Newsday in Trinidad and Tobago regarding Friday racing, a new sports bar at Arima Race Club and the club’s president Robert AJ Smith..

Better still, and more pleasing to turfites is Smith’s plan to start a benevolent fund, not only for the money but to have a location where top class equine performers can be retired.

He said he found it disheartening to see these former great horses including Derby winners just end up pulling a cart.

And Smith said he intends to set aside a section of his sports bar for a sort of Hall Of Fame, remembering ex-trainers, owners and grooms.

FRESHEN UP!
THOROUGHBLOG'S FRESHMAN SIRE DRAFT CONTEST!

CLOSING DATE MOVED TO MARCH 1, NOT MARCH 31!!!

Okay, think you know your breeding? There are about 90 FIRST CROP SIRES listed in the BLOOD-HORSE SIRE BOOK (stallions with their first crop of 2yo's racing this year).
THOROUGHBLOG invites you to send a list of 10 stallions (it can be through the Comment section of the Blog - it's easy to sign up, no strings! - or you can send it to me via email but all entries will be published so that there is a record of everyone's picks - therefore, no ANONYMOUS names!!) and collect points through the year.
A prize for the top 2 finishes will be offered - I have to figure out what it will be in the next few weeks.

ANYWAY - the points will be on a scale like this (I hope to have someone keep records of this frequently so that we can post standings along the way)

A WINNER - 1 POINT
ANY EXTRA WIN - 1 POINT
STAKES WIN - 3 POINTS
GRADE 3 STAKE - 5 POINTS
GRADE 2 STAKE - 7 POINTS
GRADE 1 - 10 POINTS

I will make the deadline for entries MARCH 1, 2008....JUST BEFORE WOODBINE STARTS and around the time Delta Downs and other places are getting ready to race 2yo's.

Who are the first year sires this year? Some of them include BIRDSTONE, CANDY RIDE, LION HEART, MEDAGLIA D'ORO, PERFECT SOUL, OLMODAVOR, READ THE FOOTNOTES, SMARTY JONES, SPEIGHTSTOWN, STRONG HOPE, TAPIT, TOCCET and Canada's own TOMAHAWK.

So get studying!!! You can send in your entry any time...