Baffert Pony Smokey to Sell; Proceeds to Old Friends

American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile)’s trusty sidekick during his racing days, a pony named Smokey, will be offered at public auction Saturday, Dec. 5, in Fort Worth, TX. The buckskin Quarter Horse gained fame as he accompanied the Triple Crown winner to engagements around the country in 2015. Smokey was often photographed with Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert or his assistant, Jimmy Barnes, in the saddle.

Standing at just 14.3 hands, the now 11-year-old gelding will be sold by Twombly Performance Horses, a renowned ranch horse operation in the Quarter Horse world that specializes in roping and reining horses. The Twombly family offers two sales a year. Smokey, whose registered name is This Whiz Shines, will be sold as a partnership between the Twombly and Baffert families, with the proceeds to be donated to Old Friends. Click to see Smokey’s catalogue page.

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Delahoussaye Decries New Whip Rules: ‘Gamblers Are Going To Leave, And We Won’t Have Racing’

The new whip rules in California and New Jersey have drawn criticism from jockeys across the country, including retired Hall of Fame rider Eddie Delahoussaye. This week, he told The Orange County Register that the stricter regulations will cause gamblers to step away from horse racing altogether.

“Those gamblers, if they see you're not trying, they'll just quit the game. They won't bet,” Delahoussaye said. “Those gamblers are going to leave, and we won't have racing.”

Like other jockeys, Delahoussaye said the whip restrictions are causing legitimate safety concerns. He wishes commissions would have gotten more input from active jockeys before enacting the new rules.

“They should have got the top riders, experienced riders like Mike Smith and John Velazquez, and have a meeting and let them dictate how it should be done,” said Delahoussaye. “You don't let people who never rode a horse dictate how it's done. That's like telling a vet how to do his job. Or tell a doctor how to do his job. Or tell a policeman, and you've never done it. I just don't get it.”

Read more at the Orange County Register.

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Monomoy Girl, Whitmore Among Nominees For 2020 Secretariat Vox Populi Award

Online voting is now open for the 11th annual winner of the Secretariat Vox Populi Horse of 2020. Created by Secretariat's late owner Penny Chenery, the Vox Populi, or “Voice of the People,” award recognizes the racehorse whose popularity and racing excellence best resounded with the public and gained recognition for the sport during the past year.

The Secretariat Vox Populi Horse of 2020 tops the ticket for the America's Best Racing (ABR) Fan Choice Awards in a partnership that allows fans to vote in the online poll at Secretariat.com as well as AmericasBestRacing.net for one of five nominees selected by the Vox Populi Committee. Voters also have the option to write in a racehorse of their choice at Secretariat.com. Voting will be open on both sites through Nov. 30.

The recipient of the Secretariat Vox Populi Horse of 2020, along with the winners of the other Fan Choice Awards categories, will be announced Thursday, Dec. 3. A trophy presentation for the 2020 Vox Populi winner is planned for January.

This year's nominees are: Authentic, the speedy 3-year-old colt who led wire-to-wire in both the 2020 Kentucky Derby and the Breeders' Cup Classic; Monomoy Girl, the classy 5-year-old mare and 2018 Vox Populi nominee who was undefeated during her 2020 comeback campaign that culminated with a win in the Breeders' Cup Distaff; Swiss Skydiver, the electrifying and well-traveled 3-year-old filly whose multiple stakes wins included beating the boys in the second fastest Preakness Stakes; Tiz the Law, the impressive 3-year-old colt whose four wins in six starts included the Belmont Stakes, the Travers and Florida Derby; and Whitmore, the veteran 7-year-old gelding whose first-place finishes included the Breeders' Cup Sprint and his third career win in the Count Fleet Spring Handicap.

“In a peculiar year that upended both the horse racing calendar and its traditions, we still have equine athletes who have persevered and admirably performed, oblivious to human concerns,” said Kate Chenery Tweedy, family historian and daughter of Penny Chenery. “Each of our Vox Populi nominees has captured the hearts of horse racing fans at a time when we are all are in need of inspiration.”

The list of previous Vox Populi winners reads as a who's who among the sport's contemporary superstars and beloved equine heroes: Bricks and Mortar (2019), Winx (2018), Ben's Cat (2017), California Chrome (2016 and 2014), American Pharoah (2015), Mucho Macho Man (2013), Paynter (2012), Rapid Redux (2011), and 2010 inaugural winner Zenyatta.

The nominating committee for the Secretariat Vox Populi Horse of 2020 is comprised of several distinguished personalities from within and outside the racing industry who all share a keen interest and affection for the sport. For more information about the award, visit Secretariat.com, the official website for the legendary Thoroughbred champion. Celebrating racing's past to enrich its future, Secretariat.com is a comprehensive online source for historical information, photography, merchandise, and memorabilia chronicling the enduring legacy of the 1973 Triple Crown winner. Secretariat.com can also be found on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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