Florida stallions help create record trends at OBS

By now most in the thoroughbred business are aware that the folks at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company are off to a darn good year in 2013 with their 2-year-old in training sales.

After experiencing double digit increases and smashing records during their March sale of Selected 2-Year-Olds, the Ocala-based sales company continued that trend during their April sale of juveniles in training as they saw their average go from $43,458 in 2012 to $60,535 this year, an increase of 39.3%. They also set a new standard for the median price at the four-day auction as that measure went from $27,000 last year to $35,000 at this year’s April sale, an increase of 29.6%.

What many may not know however, is how much Florida stallions and breeders contributed to the success experienced so far this year at OBS – especially during the April sale.

Leading the pack in April was Two Step Salsa, a first crop stallion that stands at Manuel Andrade’s Get Away Farm located in Reddick, Fla.

During the April sale, 12 two-year-olds by Two Step Salsa sold for an average of $74,542 and median price of $55,000—well above the averages for the sale. His top seller was Hip Number 483, a dark bay or brown colt out of the stakes-placed Pioneering mare Homesteader who brought a final bid of $420,000 from Conquest Stables LLC. Consigned by Dr. Barry Eisaman’s Eisaman Equine of Williston, Fla., the dark bay or brown colt was one of two juveniles by Two Step Salsa to bring six figures during the sale. The other colt was Hip Number 376, another Florida-bred that dropped the gavel at $120,000.

Also having a banner sale among Florida sires was Wildcat Heir, who stands at Journeyman Stud in Ocala. Twelve juveniles by Wildcat Heir went through the ring during the April sale, bringing $797,000 while averaging $66,417 with a median price of $63,500—both figures also a good bit above the general averages for the auction.

Three 2-year-olds by Wildcat Heir brought six figures including Hip Number 4, who helped kick-off the sale by going for $180,000 from the consignment of de Meric Sales, Agent. A Florida-bred colt out of the stakes winning mare Additional Prayer, by Songandaprayer, the bay colt was purchased by New Farm.

Last year Put it Back just edged Wildcat Heir as the leading Florida sire and the two kept the rivalry going during the April Sale. Standing at Bridlewood Farm in Ocala, Put it Back saw four of his get bring $206,000 during the April sale for an average of $51,500 and a median of $44,500. His top seller was Hip Number 519, a Florida-bred colt out of the winning mare I See Gold, by Sejm that brought $80,000 on a final bid by Mersad Metanovic Bloodstock. He was consigned by Blue River Bloodstock, Agent.

Another first crop sire from Florida turned heads as In Summation, who stands at Ocala Stud, had 16 offspring bring $1,022,500 for an average of $63,906 and a median of $42,500. His top seller was Hip Number 613, a Florida-bred colt that went for $250,000 to Steven W. Young, Agent. Out of the winning Dove Hunt mare Load Up, the dark bay or brown colt is a half-brother to stakes-placed St. Joe and was consigned by Azpurua Stables, Agent.

Ocala Stud also had success at the April sale with their popular stallion High Cotton, who sold 16 2-year-olds for $966,500 for an average of $60,406 and a median of $20,000. His top seller was the second highest-priced juvenile of the entire sale, Hip Number 548 that went for $600,000 to St. Elias and West Point Thoroughbreds, Inc. Consigned by Ocala Stud, this Florida-bred colt is out of the Aloha Prospector mare Keikik, making him a half-brother to stakes winner St. Louis City.

Other Florida stallions of note during the sale where Graeme Hall, who stands at Winding Oaks Farm in Ocala and had ten 2-year-olds go for $590,000 for an average of $59,000; Journeyman Stud stallion Circular Quay, who had ten get bring $526,000 for an average of $52,600; Journeyman Stud stallion Hear No Evil, who had but two offspring in the sale but one brought $370,000; and Cowtown Cat, another Journeyman Stud stallion, whose nine get had an average of $52,000 and a median selling price of $41,500.

So as the breeding season winds down, and if by chance your mare is still not in foal, Florida stallions once again give you a few thousand more reasons for you to breed your future thoroughbred star in the Sunshine State.

Testimonials

When Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association president Dr. Phil Matthews welcomed the guests to the FTBOA Awards Dinner and Gala at the Circle Square Cultural Center in Ocala on Monday night, March 11, it was no surprise that he began by telling the 350 estimated attendees of the record-setting year Florida-breds and their breeders had experienced in 2012.

“Tweleve Florida-breds won a record 15 Grade 1 races throughout North America last year,” Matthews said. “And among the ten leading states and provinces in North America, only Florida stallions produced more foals in 2012 than in the previous year.” As one who heads an association whose mission is promote the Florida thoroughbred industry, one would expect him to give those comments or other words of similar enthusiasm.

But what one may not expect is for three of the leading trainers in the game to do the same later that same night. But that is exactly what happened when Eclipse Award-winning trainers Bob Baffert and Dale Romans, and prominent Florida conditioner Bill Kaplan did when they addressed the audience in separate speeches.

Baffert was the first to applaud the Florida breeders when he accepted the Florida-bred award as the trainer of Florida-bred Champion Male Sprinter Coil and later Florida-bred Champion Three-Year-OId Filly Eden’s Moon.

“I just want to say how much Florida-breds have meant to me,” Baffert, a trainer of three Kentucky Derby winners (Silver Charm in 1997, Real Quiet in 1998 and War Emblem in 2002), said. “They have helped make my career from horses like Silver Charm right up to Coil and Eden’s Moon last year. I don’t know what you [Florida breeders] are doing down here, but keep it up.”

A few awards presentations later, it came time to present several awards to the connections of Little Mike as the Florida-bred Champion Turf Horse, Florida-bred Champion Older Horse and Florida-bred Horse of the Year.

After Nick Vaccarezza, the son of breeder Carlo Vaccarezza and owner Priscilla Vaccareeza gave a heart-felt speech about the Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) winner named for his brother Mike, Romans made it a point to grab the microphone before stepping off the stage.

“I just want to echo what Bob Baffert mentioned,” Romans said. “As most of you know, I’m a Kentucky boy through and through but I want to take this opportunity to thank all of you for what you have meant to me and my career. It was actually you who helped me off to a fast start. When I first got my license as a 28-year-old kid, it was Michael O’Farrell and Marion Lewis who walked around the Calder sale all those years ago and helped me pick out a bunch of Florida-breds – and most of them turned out to be winners. Now I’ve had the chance to train some great Florida-bred stakes winners like Joint Effort and now Little Mike and I have to say, the Eclipse Awards got it wrong and you got it right!”

Just a month earlier, Little Mike missed being named the North American Champion Turf Horse after winning the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic at Churchill Downs, the Arlington Million at Arlington Park and the Breeders’ Cup Turf and Santa Anita, all Grade 1 races and all further than the three Grade 1 turf races won by eventual champion Wise Dan.

Not to be outdone in his appreciation for Florida-breds of course, was Bill Kaplan. Accepting the award for the second consecutive year as the trainer of 2012 of Champion Older Female and Female Sprinter Musical Romance, herself an Eclipse Award winner and Florida-bred Horse of the Year in 2011, Kaplan went right to the point with his comments.

“Musical Romance has meant a great deal to me but so have a lot of other Florida-breds. I’ve trained mainly Florida-breds because – quite simply – I buy only Florida-breds.”

Kaplan’s testimonial may have been the shortest of the three decorated conditioners, but his long history of backing his words by signing auction tickets on horses from the Sunshine State have just an impact if not more.

So the next time you find yourself in the market for a thoroughbred whether at an auction, private sale or through the claiming box, consider the words of three of the most successful trainers in the game and the final comments by Dr. Matthews.

“When it comes to Florida-breds – you can race ‘em or chase ‘em.”

Hashtags Among Improvements Horse Racing Can Do With Twitter

Horse racing has a history of not quite catching the golden media ring of opportunity, especially when it comes to new technology. While among the most popular sports in America during the early part of the 20th century, the horse racing where-with-alls then infamously failed to embrace television. They feared television and that it would doom the sport by taking away on-track fans.

During the 1980s and 90s, casinos began to embrace new gaming technologies such a player-tracking and more importantly, player identification Horse racing lagged behind because of expense and uncertainty whether players wanted to be tracked and never seemed to catch the benefits of "frequent-flyer-wagering" like their counterparts with slots and tables.

There are other examples of failed marketing opportunities lost by horse racing executives and I’m afraid we’re seeing it again. Horse racing is not taking full advantage of social media such as Twitter and Facebook.

Nearly every conventional media still in existence today, from print to network television, are supported by social media. Manufacturers, retailers and bankers, to name a few, all have large social media campaigns and marketing strategies. Octogenarian and award-winning actress Betty White was asked to host Saturday Night Live last year after a Facebook page was created, supported by her fans and recognized by SNL producer Lorne Michaels. Michaels asked White to host and the episode was the highest rated Saturday Night Live show in nearly two years.

Late Night television host Jimmy Fallon has entire segments built around Twitter and Twitter hashtags. Words or phrases proceeded by the # sign on twitter are known as hashtags. If a person tweets with the hashtag #KYDerby, for instance, that person’s tweet become available to anybody who may be searching for additional tweets regarding the Kentucky Derby. Other popular horse racing hashtags are #BC10 (Breeders’ Cup 2010), #TripleCrown, #Preakness, #BelmontStakes to name the obvious ones.

Where it appears horse racing may be missing the twitter boat, is our hesitancy to include hashtags in many of our tweets – hashtags that could significantly improve the viral networking components of these tweets.

Last week I sent out a tweet to 10 different race tracks currently running in North America asking them to tweet their favorite hashtags. Only two tracks responded and it was the two tracks most with horse racing experience on twitter would predict. Tampa Bay Downs in Florida and Remington Park in Oklahoma City.

I did receive several tweets form individuals on Twitter recommending some new and some old hashtags.

One of my all time favorite hashtags was #popsonghorses whereby tweeters could combine horse names with pop songs to create popsonghorses. For example, Pour Some Shergar On Me was one of my favorites from @SkipAway2000.

There are the star horses who have their own hashtags of course - #Blame, #TeamZenyatta and others stars from last year. Although the #UncleMo hashtag has a few tweets, nothing came up #boysattosconoava, #commatothetop, #muchomachoman, #gourmetdinner, #JPsGusto or #DialedIn. There was no hashtag for the Robert Lewis Stakes, the El Camino Real Derby nor the Fountain of Youth Stakes. There is a hashtag #fountainofyouth, but I couldn’t find any tweets mentioning horses in South Florida.

Each racetrack should tweet the hashtag for their weekly feature race or races. In fact, each track should tweet and promote their own hashtag several times per week. It is a very cost effect way to generate extra attention towards their weekly events. Although most tracks do a decent job of tweeting promotions, results and some commentary, they don’t seem to have the interest to maximize the potential of Twitter, no matter how small or large the impact on their business development and public relations relative to the almost zero cost of such an effort.

It also seems obvious to me for nearly every department at a track to have a twitter account. Similar to the Blood-Horse Publications and Daily Racing Form twitter efforts which each have several twitter accounts targeting specific segments of their target. Blood-Horse has a general twitter account, (@bloodhorse), a maiden watch (@BH_maidenWatch) twitter account, a sales update (BH_SalesUpdates) account, and @BH_RaceResults among others. Daily Racing Form has @DRF_InsidePost, @DRFDby among it's Twitter accounts and other twitter accounts.

A track racing office should tweet everything from extra races in the condition book, to morning entry run downs to overnights. Food service departments could tweet daily specials from concession stand promotions to daily menu specials in the restaurants. Even track security and parking may find Twitter as a tool to more effectively in manage traffic and parking areas.

Social media could also be used more effectively by breeding farms, auction consignors, auction companies, jockey agents and every other micro-industry found in racing.

The impact of social media may not yet be realized. Just ask the folks in Tunisia and Egypt. But it has been around long enough that horse racing should be able to benefit much more than we are. Staying at the cutting edge of even two social media like Twitter and Facebook can at times seem overwhelming, but one does not have to stay on the lead in this race. They just have to be a quite bit less further back.

Not Apocalypse Now nor Anytime Soon

The Major League Baseball playoffs began Wednesday with a triple-header of games telecast from Tampa Bay, Philadelphia and the Twin Cities of Minnesota. All games were available on the cable channel TBS. Tropicana Field in South Florida was not sold out for game 1 between Texas and Tampa Bay in a market that has been plagued by tiny crowds throughout the season.

The NFL has had six blackout games in the first four weeks of the 2010 season. Blackouts are mandated in the home TV market when teams fail to sell out the stadiums 72 hours before kickoff. This year the NFL is on pace for an increase over the 22 games blacked out last season, the highest number in five years. This year, cities with NFL play-off teams last year such as Cincinnati, San Diego and Phoenix, have all experienced blackouts. San Diego, the only NFL team in all of Southern California, won their division last year and has had both home games blacked out this year.

Both leagues are doing very well financially, despite the apparent hic-ups in baseball’s inability to feature all playoff games on network television and the NFL’s ticket sales on a 3-year downward trend. But it does tell you that this economy has had a negative effect on some of the strongest sports leagues and enterprises and not to give in the apocalyptic prognosis horse racing regularly endures during times like this.

According to figures released by Equibase Wednesday, September was a particularly bad month for horse racing with 12.5% less days of racing in 2010 compared to the same month a year ago. Declining foal crops have contributed to that and figure to become a larger problem in the next two years or three years. That's all pretty bad news for the horse racing industry.

Encouraging however, was the fact that U.S. wagering on horse racing declined only 6.4% which drove up the average amount wagered per race day by 6.8% to $1.73 million and the average daily purse distribution up nearly 3.7% to $185,500.

Less total revenue is never a very encouraging sign for a company or an industry, but it appears the product of horse racing becomes additionally attractive as the race days decline. How that effects the bottom line of the individual race tracks and horsemen on individual basis is difficult to determine with at least some expense data. So it such not be concluded all things are good in horse racing.

But television contracts and ticket sales are a major part of the revenue streams of big league baseball and football and those two leagues are taking their financial lumps along with horse racing and other major, minor and amateur sports.

The big league money coffers are considerably larger and pockets deeper than those of horse racing, and as such, are able to withstand many more lumps than horse racing could possible endure. That much is obvious.

I just wouldn’t be looking around the local race track for Chicken Little anytime soon – unless she’s in the entries of course. But that’s for another blog entirely.

A Message from the Theriot Family

Author's Note: This message was sent to the Rene Douglas Get Well Card by Dawn Theriot, the wife of jockey Jamie Theriot. Jamie Theriot has been suspended for 30 days for his role in the accident.
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Dear Rene and Family

Jamie and I are deeply sorry for what happened Saturday...Our hearts go out to you and your wife Naty. I spoke with her on Saturday after this happened and she was very distraught and all I could do is cry for her because being a jocks wife I feel her pain.

On Jamie's behalf this was never done intentionally like everyone is saying. I tried to reassure your wife that but that was the last thing she wanted to hear and I completely understand where she was coming from. I know you and Jamie had your differences but Jamie always thought of you as a great guy and awesome rider.

Please keep your chin up Rene and I pray for you everyday and every minute that goes by...You are a very strong guy and you will come out of this. I have faith in you and you have a strong back up YOUR WIFE!!!!
Once agian we are so sorry

Dawn Theriot

Let The Debate Begin: Zenyatta vs. Rachel Alexandra

I have some bad news for Rachel Alexandra fans. The Preakness winning filly may not be the fastest Thoroughbred in the land. I have some more bad news. She may not even be the fastest female Thoroughbred.

Saturday Zenyatta and jockey Mike Smith walked from behind the Triple Crown curtain onto the Hollywood Park stage and gave us a Milady Stakes performance that is already getting rave reviews. It was the tenth career victory for the undefeated mare that was making her first start since winning the Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic at Santa Anita last fall. She gave Horse of the Year Curlin a run for his money for that honor and is now stepping into the relm as one of the greatest racing Thoroughbred racing mares of all time.

And now I would like to introduce our newest member to the racing world's most glamorous society. Madaam Regret, Madaam Ruffian, Ms. Paseana, Ms. Lady's Secret, please welcome Zenyatta. Rachel Alexandra has her application in the mail - signed and endorsed by Mine That Bird, Pioneerofthe Nile, Muskat Man and Friesan Fire.

What makes this rivalry even more intriguing are the similarities and differences between Zenyatta and Rachel.

Both are big, royal looking dark bay mares. (Technically Rachel Alexandra is a filly until she turns four). Both appear to toy with their rivals and gallop to the wire with ears pricked up as if posing for their subjects. And both of their jockeys' politely stepped off Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird to remain loyal to their ladies. Calvin Borel chose Rachel Alexandra over the Bird in the Preakness. Mike Smith is so loyal to Zenyatta that he chose to ride her stablemates, Madeo, at Hollywood Park on the day of the Belmont instead of Mine That Bird.

In disclosure, Smith said it was his loyalty to Zenyatta's owners Jerry and Jan Moss and trainer John Sheriffs that made him unwantingly leave Mine That Bird. That is a very powerful group with a long history of success including winning the Kentucky Derby with Smith and Giacomo in 2006. But if the Moss/Sheriffs barn was filled with cats and rats and eliphants plus Zenyatta, he probably would have made the same decision.

The contrasting running styles are reminiscent of the great Chris Evert, Martina Navralitova tennis rivalry that pitted poise against power. Rachel Alexandra with her natural front-running speed and Zenyatta with her relaxing come from behind and late swooping move similar to Mine That Bird.

Because Rachel Alexandra is a filly and Zenyatta is a mare, the two will likely remain in their respective age divisions until at least the Breeders' Cup Ladies Classic at Santa Anita in early November. Unless of course, the connections of Rachel Alexandra decide to take the unlikely course of shipping her to California to race against older mares on an artificial surface.

Or a match race...