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Absentee Bidding Begins On Old Friends Auction Of Premiere Racing Halters

Old Friends, the Thoroughbred Retirement Facility in Georgetown, KY, will host its Breeders' Cup Celebration Sunday November 6, 2022, 12-4 pm.

The event features a live and silent auction of artwork, prints, and racing memorabilia, including several premiere collectible halters.

For those unable to attend the event, absentee bidding for these exceptional halters opens today. On the block are halters worn by:

Authentic Winner of the 2020 Kentucky Derby and 2020 Breeders' Cup Classic, where he set a new Keeneland track record. He also won the Sham Stakes, San Felipe Stakes, and the Haskell Invitational. Authentic now stands at Spendthrift Farm.

Affirmed Success A son of Triple Crown winner Affirmed, Affirmed success captured the GR2 Forego, the GR1 Vosburg, the GR1 Cigar Mile, back-to-back runnings of the GR3 Poker, and the GR1 Carter. This halter is from his initial retirement at the Kentucky Horse Park before coming to Old Friends. Affirmed Success passed away February 2022.

Gun Runner 2017 Horse of the Year and Breeders' Cup Classic winner, Gun Runner has become one of the industry's leading sires. His progeny includes Breeders' Cup Champion Echo Zulu, Preakness winner Early Voting, Santa Anita Derby winner Taiba, and Arkansas Derby winner Cyberknife. He stands at Three Chimney's Farm.

Groupie Doll A world-class sprinter, in 2012 Groupie won the Madison Stakes, the Humana Distaff, the Presque Isles Downs Masters, and the Thoroughbred Club of American Stakes before taking the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint, a title she defended the following year. She is now a broodmare at Timber Town.

War Front Winner of the 2006 Alfred G Handicap, War Front has since become one of the most desired sires in the world. His offspring include Declaration of War, the Factor, Omaha Beach, and War of Will. War Front stands at Claiborne Farm.

Midnight Bisou Yearling Halter A very rare item! This is a yearling halter worn by Eclipse Champion Midnight Bisou, winner of six Grade 1 stakes, including The Apple Blossom and the Santa Anita Oaks.

Lava Man Lava Man has been called the “greatest of all claimers,” having erupted from the lowest of racing ranks into a stakes-winning champion. His striking string of victories includes three consecutive wins in the Hollywood Gold Cup, the 2006 Pacific Classic, the 2006 and 2007 Santa Anita Handicap, and both the Sunshine Millions Classic and the Sunshine Millions Turf.

Yoshida In just four years of racing, Yoshida, a grandson of the great Sunday Silence, won Grade 1 races on both turf and dirt. His victories include the Hill Prince Stakes, the Old Forester Turf Classic, and the Woodward Stakes. He now stands at WinStar Farm.

Paynter A promising three-year-old, Paynter won the 2012 Haskell Invitational, but his career was cut short by a near-fatal case of colitis, requiring surgery, and complications of laminitis. But less than a year later he proved his mettle, returning to the track and winning his comeback race by 4-1/2 lengths. He finished his career with a 7th place finish in the Breeders' Cup Classic. A 2012 Secretariat Vox Populi winner, Paynter now stands at WinStar Farm.

Each item is accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity. Interested buyers unable to attend on Sunday can absentee bid on these items beginning today. To bid, email your name, address, and phone number along with your highest bid to: horses@oldfriendsequine.org

The deadline to receive bids is Saturday November 5th, at 8 pm (EST).

At the event, someone will be assigned to proxy bid for you starting low and bidding up to your highest number.

Tickets to the Celebration event are still available and can be reserved online by CLICKING HERE

Old Friends is grateful to the farms and private collectors that donated these exceptional halters to our auction.

The post Absentee Bidding Begins On Old Friends Auction Of Premiere Racing Halters appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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From Foaling To Makeover, Breeder/Trainer Wittek Stands Beside Two Half-Siblings In Their New Careers

As October comes to an end, it's safe to say it's been a busy month for trainer Karyn Wittek. Earlier in October, Wittek found herself commuting between the Kentucky Horse Park, where she was riding two of her homebreds in the 2022 Thoroughbred Makeover, and Keeneland, where she saddled Bodieful in a maiden claiming event.

“I've been riding all day, every day,” said Wittek, who also gallops many of her own racehorses.

Wittek was a standout at Makeover not only for riding two horses from her own breeding program, but because she had the only pair of half-siblings in this year's event. Wittek took 7-year-old Maria Rose (by American Lion) to dressage and 8-year-old Spots Appeal (by Spotsgone) to show jumpers. Despite them both being out of Wittek's Successful Appeal mare Mariastheboss and having been raised together on her farm, Wittek said the siblings couldn't be more different.

“They are complete, polar opposites,” she said. “They look different, they act different. Everything he's good at, she's bad at; everything she's good at, he's bad at. And the mom is a 15-hand, little Quarter Horse-looking thing, and then [Maria Rose] is 17 hands; [Spots] is like 16.1 and scrawny.

“All of the babies have been different, but half of them have a really calm personality like him, and the other half are kinda spicy like her.”

Wittek still has Mariasthe boss, as well as another of her daughters and that mare's first foal. Having raised them all herself, she knew a little of what awaited her with both Maria and Spots, but she hadn't started the season with the intent of bringing two horses to the Makeover in her first time at the event.

“It was a lot,' she said. “I was like, what am I signing myself up for? I was going to breed [Maria Rose], but then I got overwhelmed with horses. She made a little over $100,000 on the track.

“I thought, if I'm not going to breed her, I've got to do something else with her. The last thing I want to do after galloping is ride more horses, so I've got to set a goal. So I looked into it and I had like four days to sign up for the Makeover. And then I thought, if I'm going to do it with her, I may as well do it with him, too.”

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Wittek owned and trained Maria Rose throughout her career, which concluded in April 2021 in a starter allowance at Belterra.

Spots Appeal's story was more of a rollercoaster.

“I won with him and then I sold him, and then he ended up in a bad situation,” said Wittek. “The guy didn't mean to mistreat him, but he was skinny and he was running terrible. And then he disappeared. I'd kept telling the guy I'd take him back when he was done.

“I didn't see him for two years. I took him out of the virtual stable and thought he had to have sold him.”

But, in September 2021, two years after his last start, Spots Appeal showed back up in the entries. In his second race after his lay-off, he finished more than 31 lengths off the leader. Wittek called to ask the stewards if there were any poor performer requirements at Belterra. The next thing she knew, Spots was on the stewards' list and they were returning her call, asking if she was still willing to take him.

“My daughter's in love with him now, so he can never leave,” said Wittek. “I've loved showing him, he's just been a blast. He's like Old Faithful.”

Wittek says that Spots has incredible versatility. She thought about entering him competitive trail, but struggled to find obstacles to school in time for the October competition. She also thinks he could do well as a field hunter, once he gets some practice.

“It was so fun,” she said just after her jumper round with Spots. “I smiled the whole time. We knocked two rails, just because he got sloppy on some of the smaller jumps, but the oxers were beautiful and he was just so well-behaved.”

What made the feat more impressive was Wittek's own learning curve. Wittek said her 2022 season ahead of the Makeover was her first time showing dressage, and hadn't shown at all since competing hunt seat on her intercollegiate team in college.

“I'm learning the process with them,” she said. “I consider myself a retired racehorse too.

“We're all figuring it out — together.”

The post From Foaling To Makeover, Breeder/Trainer Wittek Stands Beside Two Half-Siblings In Their New Careers appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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The Horse Comes 1/ST, Presented By 1/ST Racing: Acclimate Finding His Stride In Retirement

He would stand stock still, like a soldier at attention, as owners came by to inspect and admire his form.

Trainer Phil D'Amato would say, “Acclimate is what you want to see when you go to the sales.”

The muscular bay, well conformed with solid legs and hooves to match is every owner's dream. With over $750,000 in earnings, the 8-year-old stalwart is every trainer's dream too.

“Acclimate is such a cool horse to be around. He just knew his job,” reflected his D'Amato.

There was no ticker tape parade or hero's welcome as he journeyed to the winner's circle on March 20, but Acclimate was barely blowing and stood with eyes glowing and ears pricked to have his photo taken one last time. He had just gone gate-to-wire with nary a challenge to win the Grade 3 1 ½ mile San Luis Rey Stakes by a half-length over Dicey Mo Chara. While he may not have a retirement ceremony befitting a horse of his statue, Acclimate's story is far from over.

Dr. Courtney Stammerjohan, the resident veterinarian at Harris Farms where Acclimate was foaled in 2014 remembered him.

“We had a competition at the farm for each foal crop where we would each pick one to see who would turn out to be 'champion,'” she said. “I just thought he was pretty. I was not big into picking pedigrees, and I liked his mom too. Acclimate was also outgoing and friendly so it was easy to like him.”

Acclimate would leave the farm and he would make his first five starts for trainer and former jockey Kenny Black before going to D'Amato's barn, where he became the stakes star he is known as today.

“I always had a soft spot for [Acclimate], but as colt I knew I didn't have a shot to get him back” said Dr. Stammerjohan. “When he was gelded just before turning four, I thought, 'There could be a chance,' so I let Jonny [Gilbert] know, 'I want him when he's done [racing], let me have him.”

Owned in partnership by The Ellwood Johnson Trust, Timmy Time Racing LLC, Brook Bartlett, Ryan Bartlett, Michael Goritz and Kenneth A. Tevelde, the group felt that after 31 starts and almost $800,000 in earnings, Acclimate deserved a just retirement.

An experienced off-the-track-thoroughbred owner, Dr. Stammerjohan says she was overjoyed when she heard that Acclimate was coming to Harris Farms for rehabilitation and to retire.

“Jonny called me and said, guess who's coming in for some R&R? He's going to be retired and the partnership group said, if you still want him, he's yours,” she remembers. “He came in totally fit but had a small tendon issue which needs some time to heal. The owners were great and agreed to do platelet-rich plasma (PRP, a treatment which uses the horse's own platelets to stimulate tendon injury repair). Since I knew Acclimate would want to be more than just a pasture pet, this treatment made sense. Judging from his conformation and ability to run long distances, I thought he would make a good eventing prospect in time.”

While it will be several months before Acclimate begins his journey to the world of eventing, it was easy to see why the horse could excel in such a demanding discipline. With a big stride and a zest for running, Acclimate proved throughout his career that he would run as far as the races were written. The gelding relished marathon runs, as evidenced by stakes wins in the G3 San Luis Rey at 1 ½ miles and as a two-time winner of the Santa Anita's iconic G3 San Juan Capistrano at 1 ¾ miles. In each of those races, Acclimate's tactical speed served him well as he galloped on the front-end with ears pricked as if to say, “is this is all you've got? Come on, come catch me.”

Acclimate poses for a conformation shot as he prepares for his next job

The challenge and demand of eventing will suit Acclimate well, says Dr. Stammerjohan.

“Thoroughbreds used to be huge in the cross-country discipline because they have the ability to go the distance,” she said.
“Endurance is key. [The format] has been shortened. Acclimate is high strung, but also very competitive and loves to run. He might not like dressage, but I have been teaching him to relax and be supple. While he is rehabilitating, I take him for walks over poles and cavaletis which he seems to enjoy. I don't think jumping will be a huge challenge for him.”

Regardless of the outcome, it is clear to see that Acclimate is living the life of luxury with Dr. Stammerjohan who dotes on him with daily grooming and treats.

“He nickers for me when he sees me coming but I think that is just because he knows I'm bringing him treats,” she said.

Dr. Stammerjohan also notes that Acclimate enjoys watching mares and foals from his paddock and stands like a statue to observe the daily goings on at the farm. Much to her chagrin, Acclimate has a penchant for dirt.

“He loves to be dirty. He is the dirtiest horse I know, just filthy!” she said. “I will give him a bath and he will immediately want to roll afterwards which drives me crazy because I am a bit of a clean freak.”

Clean or dirty, here is wishing Acclimate the same measure of success he has made on the racetrack.

Aftercare Facility Spotlight: Echo Canyon Equine Foundation

Echo Canyon Equine Foundation is a privately owned and operated facility located in Cave Creek, Arizona. Their mission is to help rehabilitate horses with complex veterinary ailments that require long-term rehabilitative care. To learn more about Echo Canyon Equine Foundation, their horses or to donate, please visit: https://ecefarizona.com/.

The post The Horse Comes 1/ST, Presented By 1/ST Racing: Acclimate Finding His Stride In Retirement appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Research Confirms: ‘Cresty’ Neck Can Predict Laminitis

Research from Australia has confirmed that a “cresty” neck is a reliable indicator that a horse is at greater risk for metabolic syndrome and associated laminitis.

Though the connection between cresty necks and metabolic issues has been assumed for years, there had been no concrete research to prove the connection. Fat tissue plays an important role in metabolism and insulin function hormones; insulin dysfunction is one of the primary risk factors for hormone-related laminitis.

Scientists at Queensland University of Technology assigned a body condition score (BCS) and cresty neck score (CNS) to 26 ponies. The CNS score provides an objective measure of fat accumulation on the neck. A CNS of 0 indicates that there is “no visual appearance of a crest and no palpable crest,” while A CNS of 5 indicates a “crest so large that it permanently droops to one side.”

The ponies were divided into three groups: Those with a CNS of 3 or greater with moderate body condition; those ponies that were obese with a cresty neck; and those with a moderate body condition, but no cresty neck. Each pony also received an oral glucose test to determine its ability to regulate blood insulin.

When the researchers compared the oral glucose test results, they found that crestiness was the primary indicator of insulin dysregulation.

Ponies that weren't obese, but that had a CNS of greater than 3, were five times more likely to have insulin dysregulation than the ponies with less pronounced crests, regardless of body condition. This makes the horses with a CNS of 3 or higher at greater risk for laminitis. A horse that doesn't have a cresty neck is less likely to have insulin dysregulation.

These results confirm what horse owners have long suspected: cresty necks are indicative of insulin dysregulation. This is consistent with human obesity research that links specific regional fat accumulation patterns with detrimental health consequences.