Breeders' Cup Wrap and A Victory for Retired Racehorses

The Breeders’ Cup is a wrap for this year and I had one horrid weekend of handicapping but a VERY silver lining at the end of it all.

First the ugly: The stat line for the weekend was 15 races, 2 wins, 6 seconds and 3 thirds.  I was a hanger.  I couldn’t quite get there and close the deal.  You move half of those seconds into the win column and it’s a helluva weekend.  Instead it was a crapload of frustration.  AND, my two winners were the most obvious of the weekend: Groupie Doll and Shanghai Bobby.

The Horse of the Year debate will now rage, which should be fun.  Little Mike, Wise Dan, Groupie Doll, Royal Delta all will be a part of the conversation.  It is hard to argue, though, with Wise Dan’s 2012, but that’s an argument for another post.

The silver lining?  Well, the REAL winner this weekend was the Minnesota Retired Racehorse Project.  Thanks to Hello Race Fans and the Breeders’ Cup $2500 is going to be donated to them from the HRF/BC Fantasy Capping for Charity Challenge.  

Many celebrities, turf writers and, of course, me, made fantasy wagers for 13 weeks leading up to the Breeders’ Cup.  The wagers were either: $20 to win, place or show, or a $10 exacta box.  Ernie Munick jumped out to an early lead hitting the exacta on the very first race of the contest, the Whitney.  I finally hit the board in Week 4 in the Travers when I picked Alpha to place (41 points).  You may recall that was the dead heat race in which Alpha paid more to place than to win! Two weeks later I hit the board again (Super Derby) with Bourbon Courage for 50 points.  And I sat at 91 for the remainder of the season.  I did change a pick – or I thought I did – in one of the final weekends from a loser to a winner, but did not confirm the change.  I can’t even recall which race it was (PTSD, I think) and I ended up going from thinking I was in the top 5 to being mired in 11^th heading into Breeders’ Cup weekend when all wins would be doubled.

In the interim, Ernie had hit more and was heading into the weekend still atop the leaderboard with 426.50 points, Team Rotondo was right on his heels with 369 with a nice series of wins.  The top 5 were rounded out by Bobby Flay (251), Chris Rossi (223) and Pete Denk (201).  I had good company with me in the middle of the standings, surrounded as I was between Mike Penna (98) and Melissa Nolan (76).

I knew I had to go exactas for the two BC Classics.  I was too far behind to do anything else.  My strategy in the Ladies Classic was go with who I thought was best and combine her with a higher odds horse that may complete a nicely priced exacta.  Royal Delta was the choice but I needed a longer shot to combine her with and with everyone else BUT Include Me Out wanting to be close to the lead, I went with her.

As I noted in my recap, “Joe Talamo had Include Me Out in good position but the one thing I was afraid of, that she just wasn’t as good as the top horses in there, panned out as she was outfinished for the second spot by the very classy My Miss Aurelia.”  I couldn’t fault the ride, she was perfectly positioned.  She just was not good enough and I was WAY behind the eight ball heading into the final race of the contest.  Upside? No one cashed on the Ladies Classic so the margins remained the same.

It all came down to the Classic.  I needed a big score and it needed to be the exacta play.  I wasn’t getting there otherwise.   

The Classic featured the deepest pool of contenders that I can remember which was good and bad.  For the contest it was pretty damn good because with the money being spread out there was a chance I could nail a boxcars payoff and not just stab at a 25-1 shot.  The bad is that it was going to be really tough to narrow it down.  I had to just throw out Game On Dude – no combination with him was going to get me there.  I threw out horses that I didn’t think really had a chance: Pool Play, Handsome Mike, Brilliant Speed and Nonios and then sized up the remainder.  I narrowed it down to three: Fort Larned, Mucho Macho Man and Ron the Greek.  Fort Larned was in – I really liked his consistency and after racing every 5 weeks or so, he went nearly eight between the Whitney and the Gold Cup.  With solid works after the Gold Cup and his usual 5 week spread, I really liked him a lot.

The remaining two, Mucho Macho Man and Ron the Greek seemed relatively even to me.  Ron’s Gold Cup was awful, but he had a really solid campaign up until that point.  One bad race perhaps?  MMM had been off since September 1 and that would have worried me except that he is a horse that has been running relatively fresh all year and  doing it very, very well.  The Greek or 3M – both had some appeal to me from a hunch perspective (for the uninformed: I’m Greek and I live in Minnesota, home to 3M – the company, not the horse).  Ultimately MMM’s ability to run well fresh and Minnesota won the day.

Heading into the far turn I wanted the race to stop right there.  Fort Larned had spurted to a 4 length lead and MMM was starting to clear some daylight behind him in the chase.  The way speed had been holding on the dirt all day I knew if I could get into the stretch one, two, it could be all over but the shouting – my shouting.  LOUDLY.  Up in the Canterbury press box where I watched day 2 unfold.  By the team the field straightened out it was only a question of which horse would win.  There was only about a $6 difference in the exacta payouts so it didn’t really matter but Fort Larned on top paid a bit more.

All that was left was the payoffs and who else wagered.  The payout was a whopping 1254 points (remember, BC races counted double!).  The only other scorer in the race was Chris Rossi who earned 132 points with MMM to place.  That was it…I WON!  Or rather, the MNRRP won.

The MNRRP is, in their words, “a volunteer based, 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to the rehabilitation, placement, and promotion of retired racehorses.”  In only 3-years of existence, the MNRRP has helped retire over 100 racehorses that have grace Minnesota racetracks.  More could have been helped but horses need to be fed, housed, and cared for and all of this takes money – and space.  I hope that this $2500 contribution, along with Tabby Lane’s annual contribution of 1% of her earnings (this year $222) will help the efforts to retire more of Minnesota’s race horses with pride and dignity and get them started on second careers.  I also hope that this awareness causes you to help out – with the MNRRP or you own local race horse retirement group.  The demand for their services outstrips the supply.  Maybe you don’t have the cash, but own a farm where you can foster a few off track racehorses until they can be adopted; or donate feed; hay; vet services.  Anything can help.  If you’re a part of this game, you need to give back and I hope this helps.

Many thanks to Hello Race Fans and the Breeders’ Cup for this opportunity and, of course, to the folks at the MNRRP - and all horse retirement groups and individuals - for all that you do for our equine partners.

Racehorses, Responsibility and Heroines

             Off the Track Thoroughbreds - playing, sound and adoptable at the MNRRP

I went to my first non-racehorse auction the other night with Annie Ringwelski and Jen Selvig of the Minnesota Retired Racehorse Project (MNRRP).  Our mission, well, their mission, was to try and identify off the track thoroughbreds (OTTBs) and do what they could to bring them into the program and get them rehabbed, retrained and placed in a good home.  For some background on the MNRRP, you can go back in this blog or visit theirs at www.retiredracehorses.blogspot.com.

The night started simply enough.  I arrived at the wrong building and waited.  I texted Annie, knowing that she would be the first to arrive, and told her where I was.  What I didn’t admit was I had a knot in my stomach.  I didn’t know what to expect and my biggest fear was that there would be OTTBs there from the recently concluded Canterbury meet.  Even bigger was that I would recognize them and that they would have come from a trainer or owner that I knew.  I expected horrible conditions and cramped quarters.  Basically I feared the absolute worst.

When I got to where I was supposed to be, I surveyed the auction.  The arena was clean and tidy.  Stall space was nothing special, in fact I would consider it quite cramped, though the horses were only in for the auction and then moving on.  Picture your standard racetrack stall and chop it into thirds and there you go.

One special section was set aside for “loose horses”.  These would not be presented in the ring or ridden in to show off their skills.  These were horses that, if they struck your fancy, you could buy cheaply at the end of the auction as they ran loose.  If not, they were destined for the slaughterhouse.  They were run through the ring quickly and were kept in makeshift pens.  Three pregnant mares were together as were several yearlings with one elderly and emaciated pony and a couple of adults.  All were sold to dealers except the pony who was taken home by Annie’s daughter Daria who spent her own money to save her.  It’s not many nearly 13-year olds with that kind of compassion and heart.

      Ginger the Pony, saved by Daria!

The auction was an all-breed auction but our hunt was very specific – we were on the lookout for OTTBs.  Because the Canterbury and Prairie Meadows meets had just ended there was the very real possibility that some racers would have fallen through the cracks and ended up here, thankfully that was not the case...at least not here.

One of the first people we bumped into after entering the auction was a gentleman that had purchased horses with assistance from Project in the past.  He had an OTTB, though not purchased through the program, entered in the sale.  It had a stifle issue and he knew he wouldn’t get much for her but was going to send her through anyhow.  I freely admit that I don’t know the motivation, but it certainly appeared by his body language that he was surprised to see Annie there.  My guess is that he felt “caught” and that prompted him to withdraw her, though I could be wrong.  MNRRP will now market the horse for him and make sure it gets placed in a good home – much better than a slaughterhouse.  Victory number one. (She was privately sold this weekend as a hunter/jumper prospect.)

A little later as we perused the stalls and the kill pen we found a tattooed Thoroughbred.  Jen ran the tattoo through The Jockey Club database and we discovered that the horse was a 9-year old gelding named Money Train.  Money Train raced in Ohio and West Virginia and was able to win three races: a maiden and two allowances before starting to have trouble winning at the $5000 claiming level at Mountaineer.  He was retired soon thereafter and went through the rehabilitation program at New Vocations in Lexington, KY.

He was placed with Bailey Saylor of Minnesota.  Here is the description of that relationship straight from the New Vocations website:

Adopter Barry Saylor of Minnesota and Thoroughbred gelding “Money Train” aka “Cash” have covered over 395 miles of terrain in 2009 competing in endurance rides of 25-60 miles in length.  He even plans to do a 100 mile ride next year! According to Barry, he could not ask for a better horse than “Cash”. He has the whole package for a sport that demands a lot from a horse. He is the best OTTB that he has ever had. He has the attitude; loves to go down the trail even at the 50 mile mark, takes care of himself on the trail, and has the physical attributes to enable him to accomplish the miles and stay sound.  “I can’t keep track of the compliments that I get on how gorgeous he is when we pass someone going down the trail. He has stolen my heart with his personality, intelligence and his drive. He is a wonderful animal. Thank you for making our being together possible.”

The note that was left at the auction house for the horse gave some background about his endurance riding capabilities as well as a general description of his exemplary behavior. 

Just after Money Train was identified, it was his turn to get sent through the ring.  We literally ran back to the arena and jumped into the stands just in time for the bidding to begin.  Initially the only bid was from a kill buyer and that was Annie’s signal to get into action.  The bidding was raised a few times but there was only two-way action.  Once the price got too high for the kill buyer to make a profit, the horse was property of the MNRRP - $210. 

It was exhilarating.  Victory number two.  Sure, the gelding through the ring was just one, but it was a racer and a well-trained one at that.  He certainly didn’t deserve to be dumped here.  The goal of the program now will be to get him to a qualified new home as soon as he is ready.  Considering he had been off track for a while in another discipline “Cash” will hopefully have a short stay since his down time to recover from the racetrack is non-existent.  Still, work will have to be done with him in order to prove his soundness and readiness to move on.  The adoption fee should cover his costs and provide a bit extra to be able to help another OTTB, giving the program the ability to grow and help more horses in need.  If there is one thing that is certain in this world of the OTTB: there is more supply than help available.

I was Tweeting (@tlgrevelis, if you’re interested in following) as the experience was unfolding and Caroline Betts of the Southern California Thoroughbred Rescue immediately sent a response to a Tweet that she was sure Cash was a New Vocations horse.  I was able to send a note to New Vocations through Facebook, giving them the heads up and the next day they were able to get in touch with Annie to give her his specifics.  They were thankful that we were there and were able to prevent him being sold by the pound.

During the walk through the kill pen – excuse me, the loose horse pen – I spotted a large paint, possibly part Saddlebred.  He was magnificent.  He had one of the most beautiful heads I’d ever seen and he was very tall, over 16 hands high.  He looked regal and totally misplaced in that pen.  He allowed himself to be patted and seemed friendly, but as with the other kill pen…loose horse pen…horses, you never know what you’re getting.

 

The saved part Saddlebred paint and yours truly at the farm. 

There was something about him, though, that gnawed at me.  He wasn’t an ex-racer, so he couldn’t be a program horse so I resigned myself to the fact that this guy was getting shipped south, but he ate at me.  There is a lot I’m still learning about judging a horse, but something with him just didn’t feel “right”.  The next day we tried to raise enough money to buy him back from the kill buyer.  Thanks to various friends and the networking available through social media, we were able to post his bail.  I’m looking forward to helping out with him as he moves forward.  I’m sure you’ll read more about him in this space as time goes by.  While I was thrilled to pieces to get him out of there and a shot at a good life, what it led to was even more disturbing and was right in the Project’s wheelhouse.

When he was being picked up at the feed lot, a pen was discovered with five Thoroughbreds and another outside.  All of the five still had their racing plates on. 

These horses were purchased off the track by a known dealer who likes to say he has “a good riding home” for them, forks over a couple of hundred bucks and away they go to Mexico or Canada.   Donating your Thoroughbred to the Project or another program can get you a $5000 tax credit.  Selling to the dealer gets you $200 cash.  Is it really worth it?

An outpouring of support from some of the local horse community, most notably from Minnesota Thoroughbred Association Board President Scott Rake among others, enabled the Project to save several of the horses, though it was already too late for one and an unraced Kansas bred.  These horses are now in the program and can be read about at the MNRRP blog.

The entire experience was a roller coaster ride.  The heartbreaking discovery of the OTTBs at the auction; the exhilaration of being able to save them for new careers; the high of knowing that no thoroughbreds fell through the cracks only to be brought crashing down to Earth the next day finding six in the feed lot; the last minute reprieve for the four, but not being able to save the other two.  This was just two days in my life – this IS the life of the MNRRP.

The strength and dedication of these women is phenomenal.  The deep well of compassion they possess tempered by the harsh reality that you can’t save them all is admirable and remarkable.  Quite frankly, anyone who wants to own a horse – racehorse or otherwise – should have to experience what I did.  They should have to see the pregnant mares that will be slaughtered along with their unwanted and unborn foals.  They should see the fear in the eyes of the weanlings who never asked to be born and will only live a short and brutal life anyway.  They need to see the starving and emaciated ponies that were simply discarded.  Reckless breeding and even more reckless ownership needs to be avoided.  A look at the harsh reality of what can happen "after" would promote more responsible ownership in all phases of equine activity.

It's important to recognize that while racing gets a bad rap, out of the 110 or so horse in the feed lot for shipment, only five were ex-racehorses.  The remainder were dumped by owners involved in other disciplines or had them as pets.  Even at the auction we only found 2 OTTBs compared to the hundreds run through the ring.  Racing may not be perfect, but it is far from the largest cause of the problem.

If you’re in the game – an owner, trainer or even a fan, support your local organization that helps to retire these horses to another life and career.  As a reminder, in Minnesota you can reach the MNRRP at 612-384-6908 or send a donation to MNRRP C/O Annie Ringwelski, 3850 182nd St E, Prior Lake, MN 55372. 

Thank You, Canterbury Park

Usually this space, on the first day after the conclusion of the Canterbury Park live meet, you get all the facts and figures and my ruminations on the season.  That will come soon enough, but this summer at Canterbury Park has done something for me that nothing has over the past six years of living here: it has made Minnesota home.

Wherever I have lived in the past, I have been able to assimilate. I bleed Boston and New England – that will never change - but when I lived in the DC area, I loved the museums, battlefields and culture and felt like a Marylander.  In Las Vegas I became a UNLV fan, as did my kids.  Even when living on Guam I felt a connected to the land and people (tano y chamoru for those of you “in the know”).  No matter what I tried here in Minnesota, that didn’t happen.  When people asked, I was “from” Massachusetts or Nevada, but I “lived” in Minnesota.

That changed this summer and I have a lot of people to thank for that.

In no particular order:

David Miller and Jim Dunleavy.  My friend David, bloodstock agent and Equibase chart caller, helped me get involved in Minnesota racing which led to Fizzy Pop, this blog, Tabby Lane and, ultimately, a recommendation to Jim, an editor at the Daily Racing Form that got me this freelance gig.  Jim gave me a shot and it worked out well enough that if I’m around, I’ll do this gig again next year.  Thank you, both.

Jeff Maday, Andrew Offerman, Angela Hermann, Paul Allen, Kate Ulrich, Jim Wells and Bruce “The Oracle” Meyer.  The Canterbury Park press box team welcomed me in and, after I proved not to be a real doofus, made me part of the family.  While the night of the shutdown was depressing, being with this group made it bearable and, in fact, will stay with me as one of the best memories – not for the event, but for the camaraderie.  They were also silly enough to put a microphone in my hand and put me in front of a camera.  I loved it like you read about and thank them for the experience.  I’m going to miss this crew terribly and hope that my next “real” job enables me to be back with them next year – and for years to come.

Annie Ringwelski and Jen Selvig (Minnesota Retired Racehorse Project).  These ladies helped me discover a passion for helping retiring racehorses that I never knew I had!  I even made a deal – I help them write grants and wrangle up money and I’ll be taught to ride and take care of a horse.  Ladies, I so got the better end of that deal!  I mean, it’s not curling, but still…  Thank you and you all I won’t miss too much – we’ll be seeing a lot of each other as we move forward.  I promise to try and get there once a week to help out, until a “real” job gets in the way.

Jay & Willa Dailey, Mary Malkerson, Kris Reinman, Tom & Jan Aguilera, Kay King and other owners and MTA members I’m sure I’m inadvertently missing.  Getting to know you all better this year was the gem of the summer and something I’ll always have.  Thank you.

As always, I can never, ever thank Bernell & Cindy Rhone, Dean & Leann Butler and all the barn help for all they’ve done for our horses over the years and especially the patient and near miraculous job they did turning Tabby Lane around.  But they are even better people than they are horsepeople and that’s what makes them special.

Of course, Tabby Lane.  I visited Tabby nearly every race day of the meet.  Sometimes we shared dinner – well, she ate while I yapped.  She always took breaks to nuzzle, though, and I appreciate it.  She taught me that horses have very distinct personalities and that hers was dazzling.  When I’d come by she would stick her head out of her stall and push her forehead up against my chest and I’d nuzzle with her and we’d talk.  She’s a great listener and I love her dearly.  This business may have other plans, but I hope that I get to retire her someday.  She’s a keeper.

Ultimately while what I got paid for covering racing probably barely covered my gas for the summer, it gave me much more than that.  Thank you to all I have mentioned and those that I forgot for doing something in a summer that living here for six years didn’t:  I’m now “from” Minnesota (I’m still a Boston sports fan, let’s not get crazy) and finally feel a sense of belonging.  Thank you for the best summer of my adult life.

Now we’ll see if I can stay.

Tabby Lane Gives Back

When you own and race horses, there is a certain responsibility you have to the animal.  There is a lot of debate as to who should be looking out for our ex-racers when their careers are over.  Some say the breeders while others task the owners.  While there are good arguments for both – as well as others - the bottom line is that right now not enough is being done to take care of our retired racehorses.

There is a good chance that those of us in the claiming game will have horses pass through our stables for only a few races but that doesn’t absolve us of responsibility to these athletes.  When we got together to claim a horse, I borrowed from Steve Zorn's Castle Village Farm a provision to set aside 1% of earnings to go to equine related charities.  In the past we have donated to the Don MacBeth Disabled Jockey’s Fund but this year we decided to stay local and changed focus to the equine.  This year the recipient of 1% of Tabby Lane’s earnings is the MinnesotaRetired Racehorse Project.

The 501(c)(3) charity was founded by Director Annie Ringwelski and Vice-President Dr. Jennifer Selvig, DVM, in 2009 to provide “rehabilitation, placement and promotion of retired racehorses.”  Since their inception, they have placed or helped facilitate placement of over 70 ex racehorses.  Horses that have gone through the MNRRP program are already excelling in cross country, barrel racing, dressage, polo and recreational riding.  The program is 100% volunteer and the majority of the expenses and daily operations are born by Ringwelski while Selvig lends her expertise to evaluating and treating, if necessary, entrants into the program to keep associated costs as low as possible.

Just yesterday morning I read a Facebook exchange that was heartbreaking:

Trainer: “Annie, we have a horse for you.”

Annie: “Can't take anymore right now until a few find homes. We are full with no funding.”

The trainer is a stand-up guy who is going to try and do right by the horse, but options are limited.  This isn’t a Minnesota issue, as many of your know.  This is an issue that is national in scope and organizations like the Southern California Thoroughbred Rescue, Neigh Savers, Illinois Equine Humane Center, New England Equine Rescues as well as MNRRP exist to fill this need.  The rest of us in the game need to support these organizations in any way we can.

“A bale of hay is $5,” says Ringwelski.  “No donation is too small and every bit of it goes to help the horses.”

MNRRP currently has 8 retired racehorses available for adoption or in various stages of rehabilitation. Demand for the program is so high that here is a waiting list for trainers and owners wanting their horses in the MNRRP program, which carefully screens potential adoptive homes.

"We have the room for them at our facility, we just don’t have the financial backing to support them,” said Ringwelski. “It breaks my heart to walk by an empty stall and know there is a horse in need out there."  

A noble cause with no funding is just a dream.  I’m hopeful that we in the industry can keep these groups living their dreams to help our ex-racers find long and useful lives beyond the racetrack.  Wherever you are, please support your local rescue.  Every little bit helps and it is our obligation.

As Annie said, no donation is too small.  If you'd like to donate please send a check to MNRRP C/O Annie Ringwelski, 3850 182nd St E, Prior Lake ,MN 55372.  The Project’s number is 612-384-6908.

MTA Awards Banquet

Saturday evening was the Minnesota Thoroughbred Association's annual awards banquet. Traditionally the breakfast and now the last few years, dinner, has been the official bow-tying of the previous season and a launch into the next. The 2010 seasonal champions were officially crowned and the last few days to the countdown of the new Canterbury Park season began in earnest (19 days in case you’re scoring at home).

Carin Offerman, a member of the Board of Directors at Canterbury, gave the official welcome and Dick Day and Jeff Hilger briefed the group on the progression of the racino legislation in St. Paul.

The featured speaker of the evening was Minnesota native and TVG personality Matt Carothers. He spent most of his formative years in Minnesota around Canterbury Downs and, later, Canterbury Park. Carothers cut his on-air teeth after Canterbury re-opened as Canterbury Park and it served as a springboard to larger market jobs and, finally, to his joining TVG where he has been since its inception.

On the air, while always humorous, Carothers can sometimes be so sure in his opinions that it comes across as arrogant. In person, the first word that comes to mind is engaging. One word that doesn’t come to mind when you watch him on the air is humble, but you can use that word – and every synonym for it – when you hear him speak in person. The obvious love he has for his family comes through in every story, especially those featuring his father. He radiates a sincere thankfulness for all he has obtained, and to those who helped him attain it, even though it is owed mostly to his own talent and hard work.

The stories about old Canterbury Downs were hilarious. Carothers recalled the early years when, “in the days before simulcasting, gamblers actually moved to Minnesota to bet races at Canterbury Downs.” The combination of enthusiastic wagering with a general lack of betting sophistication was simply too hard to resist, so up would swim the sharks and feast on the newbies.

Carothers was generous with his time and answered every question put to him. He came early and stayed late. The question on everyone’s mind was “Who do you like in the Derby?” I like to answer that right now with, “Who don’t you like?”

Given all the recent defections and the horses drawing in, Carothers said that anyone with a decent three year old has to be looking at this year’s Derby and thinking they have a shot. Because of that “this year you’re going to have mile and a sixteenth synthetic horses trying to win the Derby!” His early favorite, absolutely open to change given the length of time before the race: Shakleford. I would tune in to TVG later this week, though, just to be sure.

The awards were presented and several winners had back to back winning years including Win Willy as the top Minnesota owned horse; Bet Your Boots followed up his championship two year old season with a triumph in the two year old colt/gelding category; and Bella Notte returned to claim older filly and mare honors. All three will also be back this season trying for three-peats!

The stallion awards were given out to a pair of repeaters as well. Demidoff took home the top Minnesota Stallion award while Gold Fever was the Thoroughbred Times Stallion award winner. A complete list of winners is at the bottom of the page.

The evening was rounded off by Gary Speich, landscape businessman and horse owner, detailing the Fillies Race for Hope and Dr. Jennifer Selvig, DVM and Annie Ringwelski, Directors of the Minnesota Retired Racehorse Project.

The Fillies Race for Hope is going to be a full day of filly and mare racing at Canterbury Park topped off by the $75,000 Lady Canterbury Stakes. The day will honor those that have fought the battle against breast cancer and combine that with a fun and active day at the races. Sponsorships are available for this event with all proceeds going to benefit the Hope Chest for Breast Cancer Foundation, an organization that helps underserved or financially distressed individuals or families touched by breast cancer (much in the same way that the Cystic Dreams Fund does for families touched by cystic fibrosis). Circle the date on your calendar – July 31. It promises to be a memorable day.

The Minnesota Retired Racehorse Project is a relatively unknown yet extremely valuable resource in the racing community. Founded in August of 2009, the MRRP has directly placed or assisted in the sale of over 50 retired racehorses! All of this is accomplished strictly by volunteers. The organization is run on donations alone and 100% (yup, all of it!) is used directly for the horses. Many of us know that it takes a small fortune to keep a horse in training, but did you know that only a fraction of that can help retrain a horse for a new career or rehab it from injury? A $100 donation would feed a horse for a month. Even $5 would purchase a bale of hay. The MRRP recently received their 501(c)3 designation from the IRS so each and every contribution is tax deductible. A small live auction, run expertly by Jay Dailey, raised over $700 Saturday night, but more help is needed. Racing season is almost underway and their services are always in demand by summers end. I hope you’ll take a moment and click on the link and visit. Dr. Jen, Annie and their staff are doing all they can, but need your help, too.

So it was a night of awards and of giving back; a nod to the past and hope for the future. Canterbury Park opens in 19 days – I hope to see you there…all summer long.

2010 Minnesota Awards

2-year old filly – ESPRIT DE BLEU (Blue Valley Farms LLC breeder/owner)

2-year old colt – BLACK TIE BENNY (Barbara Rehbein breeder/owner)

3-year old filly – HUNTER’S TIGER PAW (Joel & Kris Zamzow breeder/owner)

3-year old colt – BET YOUR BOOTS (Richard Bremer & Cheryl Sprick breeders/owners)

Older filly/mare – BELLA NOTTE (Art & Gretchen Eaton breeders/owners)

Older colt/gelding – NOMOREWINEFOREDDIE (Wind N Wood Farm breeder; Anthony Didier owner)

Broodmare of the Year – MASQUERADE STAR (Joel & Kris Zamzow owners)

Minnesota Stallion Award – DEMIDOFF (Mohamed El Deeb of Cross Creek Farm owner)

Thoroughbred Times Stallion Award – GOLD FEVER (Jeff & Karen Greseth owner)

Minnesota Owned Horse – WIN WILLY (Jer-Mer Stables, LLC owner)

TOBA Award – Jeff & Deb Hilger

Charles Bellingham Award – Jeff & Deb Hilger