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Roger
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Postby Roger » Sun Mar 04, 2012 3:13 pm

lazyfranch wrote:Some friends of mine just brought Gaff to Texas, he is one fast son of a gun. Holds some track records, was invited and raced in Dubai. Pretty exciting to see what his get do when they get on the track!


Where ish he standing?
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lazyfranch
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Postby lazyfranch » Sun Mar 04, 2012 7:21 pm

He will be in Seguin. I think their farm name is Ford Farms, but I am not positive. I will get some more information and post it.

Bedouwia
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Postby Bedouwia » Wed Mar 14, 2012 6:21 pm

Keep us informed. Despite our troubles, there are some nice new stallions that have come to Texas this year. The SHRP meet was a success and I have high hopes for Lone Star. Hey, we have even gotten some rain lately.

Bedouwia

Roger
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Postby Roger » Tue Jul 03, 2012 2:59 pm

cewright wrote:
tinners way wrote:Chuck the link to the article does not pull it up. Is there a chance you can post it? Thanks


Racing dates at Lone Star Park and two other tracks could be consolidated

10:50 PM CDT on Wednesday, June 9, 2010
By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News
[email protected]
GRAND PRAIRIE – Officials of Texas' horse racing tracks and the sports' owners and trainers haven't always seen eye to eye, but they all agree on one thing.

With the sport and the industry declining, the state's three Class 1 tracks cannot continue to operate as they have in the past.

That much was clear at a meeting Wednesday of the Texas Horsemen's Partnership and Lone Star Park president and general manager Drew Shubeck.

"I think we all acknowledge that we have to do something different," said Marsha Roundtree, executive director of the partnership, which represents owners and trainers. "Most of our horsemen are taking their horses to other states just to survive. The old way just isn't working anymore."

For that reason, Roundtree and others believe that some sort of consolidation of racing dates is inevitable. How that reduction happens is the big question.

The partnership will meet with representatives of Sam Houston, Retama and Lone Star Park, the three major tracks in the state, on Tuesday in Austin to discuss potential plans.

One possibility is to keep Lone Star Park's thoroughbred dates and eliminate or greatly reduce the dates at the other two tracks. That would mean purse money would be piled into fewer dates and, therefore, attract better horses for the shorter Texas season.

Shubeck said only that the meeting included discussions on possible race dates in 2011 and that the process is ongoing.

The Texas Racing commission will have discussions about racing dates at its July meeting, and the official dates for 2011 likely will be announced in September.


Could this be perceived as creating a panic to promote a 60 day meet?
Loving God, Loving People and Serving = Peace and Happiness

Try it you will like it.

Roger
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Postby Roger » Tue Jul 03, 2012 3:08 pm

Roger wrote:The next few post from me will be a conversation I had to day about dates. This is hard to read. The first comments are mine and when you see(Dave Hooper), thats his reply. This started when I ask him about SH dates and he ask for my ideas. He address the ideas

"First of all my motives are selfish, I want to be able to survive in this game. I am concerned for other Texans and the Texas racing industry. [David Hooper] So are we, but the problem is declining on-track and outbound handle, which means less money to purse accounts, which translates to a lower quality product that out-of-state simulcast bettors are rejecting and looking elsewhere to bet a quality product. (Lone Star's simulcast export signal is down $16.5 million in 10 weeks and that makes up for a significant part of the more than $20 million decline in all-sources handle---live on track, simulcast import + export.) This proposal would be great for the tracks and the few at the top of the game in Texas. [David Hooper] (I recognized this several weeks ago and have circulated some suggestions to be incorporated into race conditions that will be beneficial to owners and trainers of Texas-breds and will add at least one more ATB race per day, including some conditions that would restrict entry to ATB horses sired by ATB stallions. Phil Leckinger has a copy of the ideas that were suggested. Other ideas included 2 Tx-bred starter series, one for Tx-breds that had started for $25,000 or less and one for Tx-breds that had started for $5,000 or less. Also, it has been suggested to give entry preference to horses that have started at least once in Texas since January 1, 2010, and to restrict entry in races with a claiming value of $5,000 or less to horses that have started in Texas since January 1, 2010 for a claiming price of no more than $15,000. From what I can see, we would have 85 Tx-breds be able to break their maiden under this plan in Tx-bred races.[David Hooper] Some Texas-breds also break their maidens in open company and any Tx-bred that runs 1-2-3 in open company earns the ATB Owners' Bonus from the ATB program. Some Tx-breds would face open company and compete, but not many. If only 85 can break their maiden next year, what does that do for 2012.[David Hooper] Every year has become a new challenge. I'm guessing but under this proposal only 20 or so Tx-bred 2yr. olds will get to break their maiden.[David Hooper] I'll do some research. We have history to prove that cheap horses fill races (Manor). [David Hooper] Manor doesn't send any simulcast export signal, therefore all the wagering is on track, which has historically limited the available purse money and Howard Phillips keeps making statements to the effect he'll shut down simulcasting this fall and not apply for 2011 racing dates unless Manor is sold and I hope that happens so we can deal with an operator who wants to grow his product. We have history to prove that bettors bet full fields (Sam Houston Monday racing).[David Hooper] Not all fields were full and some not close to full at SHRP on Mondays and I have statistics from SHRP in response to a letter sent to them for an explanation why SHRP did not average 2 Tx-bred races per day. Following is the summation: A total of 115 Tx-bred races were run, 9 less than the 124 that should have been run. There were 62 ATB maiden races, but only 53 ATB non-maiden races. A grand total of 205 ATB races were offered. The 32 maiden races that failed to fill drew a total of 120 entries for an average field of 3.75 per race. The 54 winners races that failed to fill drew 179 entries or an average field of 3.31 horses. The races were offered, where were the ATB horses? Will we not face similar problems with a declining foal crop in the next couple of years? We have history to prove that the fan base will move to some other form of entertainment and not return if too much time goes by without opportunity. [David Hooper] Agree. The LS millions day is a good example of what will happen to the money if we go to that proposal. It will go out of state. [David Hooper] Lone Star Million Day generates the biggest single-day handle of any LSP racing day, which means more $$$ flow to the purse account that day from the live and simulcast export product than any other. That wouldn't happen with 10 overnight races on Memorial Day. Texans need help and the best way to help us is to put money in our hands. You do that with racing opportunity and that means three things to me. More dates and more Tx-bred races each day and favorable allowances for Tx-breds in open company. [David Hooper] Why are you so stuck on restricted races? Don't you enjoy beating Ky-breds and Fl-breds as well as Tx-breds? We already have preferences for Tx-breds in first and second level open company allowance races where the Tx-bred can break its maiden, win a restricted non-winner other than and come back in open company in the same condition without the win counting against them. If we go to this proposal, I feel that the different Tx based organizations should push for the first ten races in the book each day should be Tx-bred and that these races would go if 7 or more horses enter. [David Hooper] Four rather than 10 would seem much more realistic, otherwise you'll have races with similar conditions bumping up against each other without a proper timeframe separating the opportunities and a trainer won't be able to target a specific race, much like what happens at SHRP with all the extras that are written and they impact the races already in the book. Texas money would stay in Texas, Texas breeders would be rewarded for their investment and loyality to Tx, Tx owners and trainers would have a chance to improve our stock and the racing industry in Texas would be miles ahead when we finally get slots.[David Hooper] It's tough to improve stock if the goal is only to win ATB races. We've got to breed a better horse that will be competitive in open as well as restricted company.
--- [email protected] wrote:


could one perceive these comments as selling points for one 60 day meet to save racing in Texas?
Loving God, Loving People and Serving = Peace and Happiness

Try it you will like it.

Gate2Wire
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Postby Gate2Wire » Tue Jul 24, 2012 2:11 pm

Kerb, looks like that alligator mouth has once again overloaded your brain. Be careful swaggering around with your chest bowed bragging about events that didn't happen. Things tend to have a way of biting back at you. Practice what you preach in regards to telling the truth to your loyal followers. When the truth does surface, you're going to have some explaining to do.

Gate2Wire
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Postby Gate2Wire » Wed Aug 29, 2012 6:26 pm

Kerby, how did the OK sale work out for you? Did they welcome you back with open arms and lots of bids on all those great upcoming fast runners you had in the sales ring?

keyranch
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Postby keyranch » Thu Aug 30, 2012 4:21 am

Had lunch with my old boss, visited with a few TRAO board members, and compared notes with their situation and ours. Yes, it was like a reunion of sorts. The folks have not changed and the slots driven purses have not solved many of the problems in their industry. The information provided to them about Texas was out of date and certainly disparaging toward Texas to say the least.

The overall economy in Oklahoma is not as good as it is in Texas. Much of the Oil industry is involved in gas wells and the price of natural gas is way low right now. The oil is much deeper and more expensive to drill for out west and the rigs have moved to more shallow our of state fields like in Texas and the Dakotas.

The folks left breeding in Oklahoma are the same breed to race folks as was there when I left. The slots did not bring in new players into the game and the folks are just getting older with no new blood or leadership. The stud fees have dropped to the point they can not bring in a young gun and expect to pay for them anymore in a reasonable time frame. The farms are not looking to develope young stallions, but they are looking for horses with stats to put them on the top of the sires list for a year or two whether they have the mares to match the horse or not. They are getting more out of state interest for boarding and making Okie breds because they can do it cheaper with good trainers and good support than the east coast and west coast farms. The Okie bred money will have an impact for boarding out of state mares.

Gate2Wire
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Postby Gate2Wire » Sat Sep 01, 2012 4:41 am

Nobody can say you aren't consistent. Avoiding answering questions by continuous rambling of impertinent details is certainly your MO. So, I guess we all know the answer is "no" bids on your great offspring sales offerings but of course it's someone else's fault since accountability isn't one of your strong suits.

keyranch
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Postby keyranch » Sat Sep 01, 2012 5:59 am

We tried something different and it did not work, the horses were withdrawn. It is amusing to poke at accountability when you hide your identity. Finally, Patty's Pride won the Ricks at RP against a good field and yes she was born and raised here. There are three in the group that I believe are just as talented as Patty and they are for sale by the consignors or will be seen in one of the two year old in training sales next spring.

Winning the Ricks Memorial is Special in many ways. Ran Ricks did a lot for the program at Ok state and a lot of personal connections were made through him. The last win picture he was in was at RP with a horse I sold him sight unseen. I was in the picture with him and it won the owners title for Cresran with that win over Oak Tree on the last day of the meet. Ran was the leadership on Oklahoma racing and the number of people that he got into the sport was incredable. We lost him way to soon and as a friend, mentor, and advisor; I will always remember him!

erhrdt3
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Postby erhrdt3 » Sun Oct 28, 2012 2:28 pm

sorry if this has already been discussed somewhere in this long discussion, but has ANYbody seen Grasshopper yet? I can't even find any info on any of his foals that were born this year. I think there were 38 or something like that as he was a new stallion. He is standing at Lane's End Texas and is by Dixie Union.

Any info, thank you!
We will NEVER see another Ruffian......

jellac
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Postby jellac » Wed Oct 31, 2012 1:44 pm

RE: Grasshopper -

erhardt3 I think I promised you a photo/personal report from last spring (YIKES!) My bad - haven't made it out to Lane's End Texas since we PM'd one another. Will try to get out there this weekend.

A season to Grasshoppper just sold for a bit more than the minimum set in the TTA Stallion Season Auction - that doesn't sound too great but there were only a handful of stallion seasons offered that sold at all and there are at least two more sessions of this annual fundraising auction to go so maybe another season to Grasshopper will be offered?

GRASSHOPPER (Dixie Union - Grass Skirt) $1750.00 1850.00 Closed

Here's the link to Lane's End webpage in the Auction - his photo shows a very leggy individual to my perspective. I think there might be more or the same at their website (go to Lane's End Kentucky and choose: Lane's End Texas Stallions from the menu option on left hand side when site opens. Then choose Grasshopper from the dropdown.

http://www.texasthoroughbred.com/?TabID=163&ModuleID=722&StallionID=506&DisplayType=StallionDetail

erhrdt3
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Postby erhrdt3 » Wed Oct 31, 2012 2:47 pm

Hi Jellac! hope this finds you doing well!

Yes, that was me that was begging you to go check him out some time ago. I understand, time has flown by.

There was just something about Grasshopper's races that I loved about him. The photo of him really does not even look like the same horse to be honest, but look up Grasshopper racehorse on youtube and you can see a couple of his races and the guts and speed and stamina that boy has. He would just get nipped by a nose at the finish line because he had led the whole race and was probably tired, but still he did not give up. Plus he is by Dixie Union, and I liked him. Too bad he passed away so young.

I've tried to contact the office and anyone else with numbers at the Texas Lane's End farm to see about seeing some photos of his first offspring, and I can't get a response. I did talk ONE time to a guy named Danny and that was before Grasshopper was there; he was just being retired and I found out he was going there instead of KY ( :x ) and he offered to bring my mare down there on their big horse van. My mare had just had a foal and I did not want to send the foal along and have a possible castastrophe that can happen.

At least he is a young stallion, I love him, and would love to see what his foals look like!

Thanks again for your offer!
T
We will NEVER see another Ruffian......

Gate2Wire
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Postby Gate2Wire » Tue Mar 19, 2013 7:51 am

Key, if you ever come up with a constructive idea, you might be dangerous. I'm not a doctor, but I think you suffer from HPD with all the attention you crave. Why do you rip Weilburg on FB when he's the ONLY THP board members who will give you the time of day? Don't you have any breeding to do? Don't you think you are responsible in some way for the reputation & finances of your own farm? You can't go thru life blaming others, that's not how life works. There could be some positives on the horizon for tx racing & you continue to rant about things that DIDN'T happen 3 or so yrs ago. Get over it or try to help move things forward.

Pickard, instead of festering over the THP not having a post in the journal, have you tried calling their office to ask about it? My guess is it has something to do with national wanting to charge tx 17k/yr for dues. The purse structure in tx doesn't warrant that high of a rate so they are trying to get it resolved. I think their rate has been somewhere around 3500/yr for the last few yrs so you can see that much of an increase is a concern

jellac
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Postby jellac » Tue Mar 19, 2013 10:58 am

Fellow Texas horsemen, breeders, stallion owners/managers, syndicate managers, trainers, jockeys, grooms and sales personnel, horse haulers and vets - in short: everyone - you might be interested in this

There's a complimentary article by Hal Lungren in today's Chronicle's Sports about the just closed Thoroughbred Meet at SHRP. He makes note in particular of the large increase in simulcast handle - off site -achieved by having racing on Monday afernoons/early evenings when most tracks are dead or offer only harness racing, late quarterhorse racing on West Coast. Nice numbers presented and praise given to Ms. Young for some innovative marketing of SHRP in a down economy for the horse business (ironicallly while the rest of the state is booming economically - except for agriculture because of the onging drought). It certainly isn't 'THE' solution to all of the issues facing Texas Thoroughbred interests/the sport of horse racing but it nice to see a turn in direction while working 'with what we've got'.