Services Set For Richardson

Funeral services for Donald Ray “Donnie” Richardson, the former senior vice president of racing for Churchill Downs Incorporated until his retirement in 2012, will take place Friday morning, Apr. 30, at the St. Patrick Catholic Church, 1000 N. Beckley Station Road in Louisville, with burial to follow in Cavalry Cemetery. A visitation was to be held Thursday evening.

Richardson, who was 75 at the time of his passing, was born Jan. 27, 1946, and spent the majority of his career in the racing business. His father, Elmer, ran the program department at Churchill Downs, the defunct Miles Park in Louisville and Latonia (Turfway Park) for more than three decades.

Donnie Richardson began selling programs at Churchill Downs at the age of 14. In 1969, he joined the track's racing office and also worked as a patrol judge. After holding a variety of positions at Kentucky's racetracks, as well as at Hialeah in Miami and at Oaklawn Park, Richardson returned to Churchill to become the track's assistant racing secretary from 1973-1978 and was the racing secretary for the extended Spring Meet at Churchill in 1978.

Richardson branched out in 1979 to become a jockey's agent, working with the likes of Chris McCarron and Don Brumfield as well as Jim McKnight, Darrell Haire and Earlie Fires, among others. In 1990, Richardson became the stakes coordinator for Churchill Downs and later, as the senior vice president of racing, oversaw Churchill Downs' racing program and was responsible for policy development, strategy and horsemen's services for Churchill Downs Incorporated and its racing markets in Florida, Illinois, Kentucky and Louisiana.

“Donnie Richardson devoted his life to horse racing,” said Churchill Downs Racetrack President Mike Anderson. “He was a valuable Churchill Downs employee for 22 years and helped champion the growth of our stakes program, including the Kentucky Derby Week schedule of races we know today. Our hearts and prayers are with Donnie's numerous family and friends around the racetrack as they grieve during this difficult time.”

Richardson was preceded in death by his beloved wife Theresa Longazel Richardson and is survived by two daughters, Jennifer Richardson (Scott Rech); and Shelley Dunn (Jason); and two grandsons, Jonathan and Jack Dunn.

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TCA’s Bid On The Bluegrass Charity Auction Now Open For Bidding

Thoroughbred Charities of America's Bid on the Bluegrass Auction is now open for bidding. The online auction offers unique, Kentucky-themed items and experiences including memorabilia associated with many 2021 Kentucky Derby starters. Bidding will continue through Saturday, May 1 at 9 p.m. ET. All proceeds will benefit TCA.

Featured auction items include memorabilia from Derby starters Essential Quality, Midnight Bourbon, Hot Rod Charlie, Like the King, Hidden Stash, Rock Your World, Medina Spirit, Helium, Super Stock, O Besos, Sainthood, Brooklyn Strong, Highly Motivated, and Mandaloun.

Other racing memorabilia includes an original sign from Calumet Farm when it was owned by the Wright Family, two framed shoes worn by Alydar, a print of Secretariat signed by Penny Tweedy, and a framed print of Seattle Slew winning the Derby by Fred Stone. Unique experiences include an exclusive meet and greet with American Pharoah and Justify at Coolmore America with halters for each horse followed by a bourbon tasting, a VIP meet and greet with Rachel Alexandra and a farm tour at Stonestreet Farm, a private tour at Claiborne Farm, a catered farm tour with a Pinhook Bourbon tasting at Margaux Farm, and the opportunity to join race caller Kurt Becker in the announcer's booth for one race during Keeneland's October 2021 race meet.

The auction also features bourbon-related items including twelve bottles of Bulleit Distilling Company spirits signed by Tom Bulleit, a Four Roses Bourbon gift basket, a Buffalo Trace Distillery gift basket, and a Town Branch Distilling barrel head.

A list of items can be found here.

Thoroughbred Charities of America (TCA) was formed in 1990 to raise and distribute funds to charities in the Thoroughbred industry that provide a better life for Thoroughbreds, both during and after their racing careers, by supporting qualified repurposing and retirement organizations and by helping the people who care for them. In 2020, TCA granted over $1 million to 70 approved charities working within Thoroughbred retraining, rehoming and retirement; backstretch and farm worker services, research and equine-assisted therapy. During the last three decades, TCA has granted over $24 million to more than 200 charities that successfully meet the criteria set forth in its annual grant application. TCA administers the Horses First Fund, founded by LNJ Foxwoods in 2016, to assist Thoroughbreds in need of emergency aid. TCA manages Cómo, a mobile app founded by Godolphin, that connects racing industry employees to the vital services they need through a network of racetrack chaplains and Thoroughbred industry organizations. TCA is the charitable arm of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA).

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Notable Runners By US Sires in Japan: May 1, 2021

In this continuing series, we take a look ahead at US-bred and/or conceived runners entered for the upcoming weekend at the tracks on the Japan Racing Association circuit, with a focus on pedigree and/or performance in the sales ring. Here are the horses of interest for this weekend running at Hanshin and Tokyo Racecourses, including a filly from the first Southern Hemisphere crop of American Pharoah. Group 1 action resumes this weekend at Hanshin with Sunday's running of the G1 Tenno Sho (Spring) over two miles, a full field that includes the progressive Diastima (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), a 4-year-old son of three-time Grade I winner Sweet Reason (Street Sense):

Saturday, May 1, 2021
2nd-HSN, ¥9,680,000 ($89k), Maiden, 3yo, 1400m
ROSE PHARAOH (AUS) (f, 2, American Pharoah–Roz {GB}, by Teofilo {Ire}) is the second Australian-bred foal to make the races to from her dam, a listed winner and runner-up in the G1 Shadwell Fillies' Mile while under the care of Ed Dunlop in 2012 and later purchased privately after being RNAd for 550k gns in foal to Oasis Dream (GB) at the 2014 Tattersalls December Mares sale. Roz would have appealed to an Australian buyer, as her half-brother Hartnell (GB) (Authorized {Ire}) was an eight-time winner for Godolphin down under, including four Group 1 events at distances from 1400-2400 meters while also finishing third in a G1 Melbourne Cup. Rose Pharaoh was an A$150,000 buyback at the 2020 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale. B-Go Bloodstock (NSW)

2nd-TOK, ¥9,680,000 ($89k), Maiden, 3yo, 1400m
VICTORIA NOTE (JPN) (f, 2, Pioneerof the Nile–Her Emmynency, by Successful Appeal) was acquired in utero for $1.5m at the 2017 Keeneland November Sale (after being led out unsold at $1.425m at Fasig-Tipton November in 2016) and is the first foal out of her dam, who belied odds of 19-1 to best Miss Temple City (Temple City) in the 2015 GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup over the Keeneland turf course. This filly's second dam, Chic Dancer (Joyeux Danseur), also did her thing on the grass, winning the 2006 GIII Modest H. at Arlington. Victoria Note debuts in the colors of Teruya Yoshida. B-Shadai Farm

3rd-TOK, ¥9,680,000 ($89k), Maiden, 3yo, 2100m
NIGHT FROLIC (c, 3, Into Mischief–Frolic's Revenge, by Vindication), a $300K KEESEP acquisition, is out of a five-time stakes-winning dam who is also responsible for SW American Frolic (Blame) and SP Mc Awesome (Super Saver). The colt's four-time black-type winning second dam Stormy Frolic (Summer Squall) was one of two stakes winners for Grade III winner Lindsay Frolic (Mt. Livermore), who also bred GSW & MGISP Super Frolic (Pine Bluff). Night Frolic gets the services of Christophe Lemaire this weekend. Frolic's Revenge was acquired by Woodford Thoroughbreds for $275k at KEENOV in 2015 with the colt that would become Mc Awesome in utero. B-Woodford Thoroughbreds (KY)

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Maryland Horse Breeders Association Renews Preakness Stakes Bonus Program

The Maryland Horse Breeders Association will once again offer a series of bonuses for runners bred or sired in the state that perform well in the upcoming Preakness Stakes, potentially totaling $500,000.

If a horse that's both Maryland-bred and -sired wins the Preakness on May 15, the winner's owner and breeder will each receive a bonus of $225,000, and the owner of the winner's sire will receive $50,000.

For a Preakness winner that's Maryland-bred, but not Maryland-sired, the owner and breeder will each earn a $225,000 bonus.

A Preakness winner that's Maryland-sired, but not Maryland-bred, would earn the winning racehorse owner $225,000 and the stallion owner $50,000.

Finishing second for horses in any of the above categories would earn their connections 20 percent of the winner's bonus – $45,000 for owners and breeders, and $10,000 for stallion owners. Running third in the Preakness would earn 10 percent – $22,500 for owners and breeders, and $5,000 for stallion owners.

Past Maryland-bred Preakness winners include Deputed Testamony (1983), Kauai King (1966), and Challedon (1939).

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