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Danjer Named World Champion Racing American Quarter Horse For 2021

Danjer dominated the racetrack in 2021, and for those accomplishments, he was crowned World Champion Racing American Quarter Horse at the AQHA Racing Champions Announcement Ceremony Jan. 12 at Heritage Place in Oklahoma City. He is owned by breeder Dean Frey in partnership with Downtime Enterprises LLC and Billy Smith, and was also named champion aged horse and champion aged gelding.

Danjer was the 2020 champion aged horse and champion aged gelding, and only improved as a 5-year-old in 2021. He made seven starts, with five wins and two seconds, earning $651,113. His year was highlighted by victories in the Debbie Schauf Remington Park Invitational Championship (G1), Bank of America Challenge Championship (G1), Refrigerator Invitational Championship (G1), All American Gold Cup (G1), and Bank of America Canterbury Championship Challenge (G3). The gelding by FDD Dynasty and out of the Take Off Jess mare Shez Jess Toxic raced at five different racetracks in four states during his world champion year. He was trained by Dean Frey and ridden in all his starts by Cody Smith.

Eagles Fly Higher repeats as the champion aged stallion after winning two of nine starts and earning $107,902. The 5-year-old stallion by One Famous Eagle and out of the First Down Dash mare Lone Bet was bred by V.H. Harman Jr. and Robert Moudy III, and he is owned by Darling Farms and Valeriano Racing Stables LLC. He won the Eastex Stakes (G2) and Mr Jet Moore Stakes (G2). He was trained by Roberto G. Madrigal, Jaime Gomez and Casey Black, and ridden by James A. Flores, Jose Nicasio, Oscar Peinado and Mario Delgado.

The daughter of champion Fredaville, Kiss Thru Fire herself became a champion for owner and breeder Gentry Farms as the champion aged mare. At age 4, the Walk Thru Fire mare raced eight times, winning four races to earn $132,147. She was trained by Juan G. Aleman and Trey Wood and ridden by Raul A. Valenzuela. Her stakes wins include the Charger Bar Handicap (G1), Denim N Diamonds Handicap (G3), California Breeders Matron Stakes (RG3) and Sound Dash Handicap.

Multiple Grade 1 winner Jess Savin Candy was named the champion 2-year-old and champion 2-year-old gelding. Bred by Jim and Donna O'Neal and raced by Dutch Masters III, the son of Jess Good Candy out of the Pappasito mare Savin Grace won four of six starts and earned $1,046,200. Trained by John Stinebaugh and ridden by Francisco Calderon, his year was highlighted by victories in the Grade 1 Ruidoso and Rainbow futurities.

The champion 2-year-old colt is Golden Boi, a son of Favorite Cartel out of Logans Dash by Toast To Dash. He was bred and raced by M and G Farms Inc., trained by Valentin A. Zamudio and ridden by Ruben Lozano. Golden Boi won four of six starts and earned $488,791, including a victory in the Ed Burke Million Futurity (G1).

Revenant Moon is the champion 2-year-old filly after a season that included three wins in five starts and earnings of $224,418. Bred by Dosi and Norma Alvarez, Revenant Moon is by A Revenant and out of the FDD Dynasty mare Sochi Moon. She was raced by Trey Odom, Scott Bryant and Norman W. Allen, and trainer Trey Wood and jockey Jose Alvarez guided the filly to a year that included winning the Oklahoma Futurity (G2).

Empressum was impressive with nine wins from 10 starts and earnings of $969,755, and is honored as the champion 3-year-old and champion 3-year-old gelding. He was bred and is owned by Jeff D. Jones and Steve A. Holt, and is by Apollitical Jess and out of the First Down Dash mare Crazy Down Corona. He was trained by M. Heath Taylor and ridden by Rodrigo Vallejo, and won the Texas Classic Derby (G1), Ruidoso Derby (G1), Rainbow Derby (G1) and Remington Park Oklahoma-bred Derby (RG2).

Last year's world champion Whistle Stop Cafe was honored again this year as the champion 3-year-old filly for owner Whitmire Ranch after a season that saw her win three races, including the Rainbow Oaks, and earn $247,854. She was trained by Trey Wood and ridden by Tanner Thedford. Whistle Stop Cafe was bred by American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame member Bobby D. Cox and is by Freighttrain B and out of the Mr Jess Perry mare Sinuous.

Another repeat champion is 3-year-old colt Dulce Sin Tacha, who won three of five starts, with two seconds, and earned $175,286. Bred by owners Bob and Jerry Gaston, he is by Jess Good Candy and out of the Tempting Dash mare Prissy Sin Tacha. Trained by M. Heath Taylor, he was ridden by Rodrigo Vallejo and James Flores.

The distance champion is Rogers Farms' Wascallywittlewabbit, a 6-year-old gelding by Heza Motor Scooter and out of the Rabbits Rainbow mare Rabbits N Diamonds. He was bred by Mike Weatherly, trained by Michael W. Joiner and ridden by Benito Jude Baca. He won five of seven starts and earned $184,013, including the Cox Ranch Distance Challenge Championship (G1), Zia 870 Championship, Remington Park Distance Championship (G1) and Pauls Valley Stakes (G2).

Alberta-bred Destello De Luna is the Canadian champion for owners Jane Leech and Haley Moreno. Bred by Ken McFarlane, the gelding is by Lethal N First and out of the Toast To Dash mare A Mere Toast. Trained by William Leech and ridden by Ricardo Moreno, Destello De Luna won or placed in all six of his starts. He won two races, including the Alberta-bred Futurity (RG3), and earned $37,479.

The Danny Cartel filly Texana Cartel is the Mexican champion for breeder and owner Cuadra La Presita. The freshman filly is out of the Oak Tree Special mare La Texana Tree, and won three of five starts, with two seconds. She earned $218,905 under the guidance of trainer Ismael Ayala and riders Paul Osvaldo Rodriguez, L. Vidana and Jose Angel Ambriosio. Her stakes wins include the Subasta Selecta Futurity (RG2) and Garanones Futurity (RG2).

Repeating as the South American champion is Fantastic Fly Apollo, a 2017 colt racing for breeder Ademir Jose Rorato. The horse won both of two starts and earned $20,844. His wins include the GP Pres. Do Jockey Club De Sorocaba and GP Pres. Da ABQM – II Derby. He is by Fantastic Corona Jr and out of the Eyesa Special mare Flyapolloeyesa BR. He was trained by Rivail Rosa and ridden by B. Guimaraes.

American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame horseman Bobby D. Cox earns his fourth champion breeder title, again leading the industry by both money earned and races won, with his standouts including champion Whistle Stop Cafe. The champion owners, Dutch Masters III, this year saw their horses win at a 34 percent clip, led by champion Jess Savin Candy. Oklahoma-based trainer Jason Olmstead saddled the earners of more than $1.9 million and was honored as the Blane Schvaneveldt Champion Trainer for the first time. Also earning his first nod as champion jockey was Francisco Calderon, whose mounts earned more than $3.3 million.

For more information on AQHA racing, visit www.aqha.com/racing.

The post Danjer Named World Champion Racing American Quarter Horse For 2021 appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Live Racing Returns To Albuquerque Downs On Saturday

Albuquerque Downs in New Mexico will open its 27-day Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse meet on Saturday, Aug. 14. First post is set for 6:05 p.m. (MDT).

The track's nine-race opening-night program consists of nine races, six for Quarter Horses and three for Thoroughbreds. Saturday's feature race, the first running of the 440-yard, $75,000 Bank of America Albuquerque Championship Challenge, has drawn a field of nine aged Quarter Horses, headed by Stinebaugh Racing Enterprises' Perrys Double Down and Christina D. Robinson's CERs Final Try.

A 4-year-old Mr Jess Perry gelding trained by John Stinebaugh, Perrys Double Down is coming off of a one-length victory in the 400-yard, $40,000 Mr Jet Moore Stakes (G2) at Ruidoso Downs on July 25. Perrys Double Down has earned $281,840 from 14 races, and he ended his 3-year-old season with a half-length victory in the 440-yard, $393,000 Texas Classic Derby (G1) at Lone Star Park near Dallas.

CERs Final Try will be stretching out in distance off of his half-length win in the 350-yard, $25,000 John Andreini Memorial Stakes at Ruidoso Downs on May 31. Tony Sedillo trains the homebred 4-year-old son of One Dashing Eagle.

Saturday's card at Albuquerque Downs includes the 1-mile, $20,000 Downs at Albuquerque Marathon Claiming Stakes for $6,250 claimers, the first leg of the track's three-race Marathon Series for Thoroughbreds, and an 870-yard, $42,400 open-condition allowance race which drew reigning AQHA distance champion Madewell and will serve as a prep for the September 18, $60,000-estimated AQHA Albuquerque Distance Challenge (G3).

According to Don Cook, Downs' president of racing, average daily purses at the track are expected to average a track-record $300,000 per day. Business has been brisk at the track's casino since it reopened earlier this year after being closed due to COVID-19 restrictions.

“We've also noticed a big increase in our simulcast handle,” Cook said. “When the COVID lockdowns first started, horse racing was the only sport that was still going on; horse racing was receiving a lot of television coverage and appears to have generated some new fans.

“It will be interesting to see if that translates into increased attendance for our live meet,” he added. “We're encouraged by the early returns.”

If opening weekend entries are any indication, Cook has good reason to be encouraged. Saturday's opening-day program drew 95 entries, or an average of 10.6 horses per race. Sunday's nine race card, which is headed by two Thoroughbred stakes, attracted 97 starters, or an average of 10.8 horses per race.

The main portion of Albuquerque Downs' 2021 season runs through Sunday, Sept. 19. The track's stakes schedule features 23 races, 13 for Thoroughbreds and 10 for Quarter Horses. The Thoroughbred stakes schedule is topped by the 1 1/8-mile, $200,000 Downs at Albuquerque Handicap on Sept. 18. Last year's winner, Restrainedvengence, has earned $142,960 from nine starts in California this season, and he won the June 20 American Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita Park.

Albuquerque Downs' Quarter Horse stakes schedule is headed by the 440-yard, $300,000 Albuquerque Fall Championship (G1), presented by South Point Hotel and Casino, on closing day. Danjer, the winner of last year's Fall Championship, went on to earn AQHA champion aged horse honors.

Albuquerque Downs will also host the AQHA's Bank of America Challenge Championships on Saturday, Oct. 23, making the track the first in the 28-year history of the program to host the event three consecutive seasons. Next year's Challenge Championships will be held at Indiana Grand Casino and Racecourse near Indianapolis.

The post Live Racing Returns To Albuquerque Downs On Saturday appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Why Do Some Mares Behave Like Stallions?

Though it's rare, mares can occasionally demonstrate behavior that people commonly associate with stallions — acting aggressively, dominating herdmates and even teasing or mounting other mares. Dr. Patrick McCue tells the American Quarter Horse Association that there are several possible causes for these behaviors.

These include:

Ovarian tumors – The most common ovarian tumors are granulosa cell tumors. About 40 to 50 percent of granulosa tumors contain theca cells, which produce large amounts of testosterone and can cause a mare to act like a stallion. Testosterone levels will remain high until the mare has the tumor surgically removed.

Pregnancy – Pregnant mares have elevated testosterone levels while their fetus produces gonads; the testosterone crosses the placenta into the mare's bloodstream and can affect her behavior. Mares begin to have increased testosterone levels around their fourth month of gestation and these levels peak around month seven. By the last trimester of pregnancy, as testosterone levels decrease, mares tend to become less aggressive.

Mares that aren't pregnant can experience testosterone fluctuations during their estrous cycles.
Steroids – Anabolic steroids can suppress estrus and increase stallion-like behavior, including aggression. These behaviors resolve once steroid use is terminated.

Pseudohermaphrodism – Though rare, pseudohermaphrodism in horses occurs when a horse looks like a mare, but has the genetic makeup of a male horse. These horses have testes instead of ovaries; they are cryptorchids that don't produce spermatozoa, but the testes produce enough testosterone to affect the horse. Horses that are pseudohermaphrodites may have female genitalia. Removing the testes will eliminate stallion-like behavior.

Study: Does Staying In A Stall Affect Bone Strength?

While it may be tempting to keep a horse in his stall to prevent unwanted injuries, this bubble-wrap approach isn't always the best for keeping a horse safe in the long term. According to academic research, stalling a horse can lead to loss of bone mass and bone strength.

Dr. Brian Nielsen has conducted multiple studies funded by the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) Foundation regarding bone mass and his findings have been consistent – and surprising. Though horses kept in stalls may be muscularly strong, their bones may be weak. Bone mass and strength can begin dissipating in as little as two weeks.

Though living outside 24/7 isn't a necessity to healthy bones, the ability to sprint is. A study of Nielsen's out of Michigan State University involved long yearlings kept on pasture that had normal bone growth. Half the horses were put in stalls and walked on a walker for an hour every day. The other half remained living outside.

The researchers monitored the horses' bone mass and discovered that horses living in the pastures continued to increase cannon bone mass, but the stalled horses had an immediate drop in bone mass which persisted for the next three months.

The horses then began under-saddle training as 2-year-olds. During their two months of walking, trotting and cantering under saddle, their cannon bones were monitored. The exercise was not enough to cause an increase in stalled horses' bone mass. Bone mass in the stalled horses decreased to the point where it was less than when the study began.

More studies found that sprinting – short, intense running sessions – was key to healthy bone that increased in mass. Horses must have the ability to sprint on their own or while in training, or they will lose bone mass.

Sprinting exerts force on the bone and causes it to bend, encouraging the body to lay down more bone and make the bones stronger. If horses are not allowed to sprint and their bones are prevented from bending, the body will actually take up minerals, believing the bones are strong enough for the work being asked of them.

For horses that are engaged in high-impact activities like racing and jumping, keeping horses in stalls may contribute to injuries as the horses lose bone mass. Additional research shows that adult horses who are stalled also experience bone loss.