Tag: People

A hero is a person who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. There are heroes all around the horse racing industry and the Race Track Chaplaincy of America (RTCA) would like to recognize some of them.

The Race Track Chaplaincy of America (RTCA) is currently seeking nominees for it's 20th Annual White Horse Award (WHA). The White Horse Award is given to individual(s) who has done something heroic on behalf of human or horse in the past year. The winner of the 2021 RTCA White Horse Award was Marshall Allen, who saved the life of a long-time owner at Emerald Downs.

This year's White Horse Award winner will be honored by a special video presentation at the Race Track Chaplaincy's event on Wednesday, Nov. 2, in the Silks Lawn Chalet at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky., just prior to the beginning of the Breeders' Cup World Championships. The White Horse Award has a long-standing history of recognizing some of the unsung heroes of horse racing, whether their actions were headline-grabbing or the quiet and not-so-obvious kind of heroism.

To submit a nomination for the White Horse Award, visit http://www.rtcanational.org/events for a complete list of rules and selection criteria, as well as nomination forms.

The deadline for submission is Aug. 24, 2022. For more information, please contact the RTCA National Service Center at (859) 410-7822.

The post Nominations Open For 20th Annual White Horse Award appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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The Canterbury Park Hall of Fame's newest inductees were announced Monday. The Class of 2022 includes Thoroughbred trainer Michael Biehler, Quarter Horse husband and wife training team Jason and Amber Olmstead, and Cort Holten who represented the Minnesota Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association at the state capitol for more than three decades.

These inductees join a group of nearly 50 individuals and horses that comprise the best of Minnesota horse racing.

Mike Biehler – Trainer

Biehler began his career in 1989 as a private trainer working for Curtis Sampson, who later would purchase Canterbury. Biehler has operated a stable at the Shakopee, Minn. racetrack each season since, winning the training title in 1992. He is third in all-time wins, starts and purse earnings at Canterbury. Biehler-trainees were named horse of the meet three times: Bold Sharokee in 1992, Samdanya in 1998 and Lt. Sampson in 2005. He also trained Canterbury Hall of Fame Horse Wally's Choice, one of only four Minnesota-breds to win a Graded Stake when he captured the Grade 3 Oklahoma Derby at Remington Park in 2004.

Jason & Amber Olmstead – Trainers

Amber (Blair) and Jason Olmstead have been involved in Canterbury racing since 2005. Amber's first quarter horse win came June 24 of that year with Jason as the jockey. Following Jason's retirement from riding he became the couple's trainer of record in 2014. Jason and Amber operate as a team with stables at multiple tracks. Jason has been leading quarter horse trainer seven consecutive seasons beginning in 2015. Jason trained the quarter horse of the meet five times. He is second in all-time quarter horse earnings and wins at Canterbury.
Combined, the Olmsteads have won the track's premier quarter horse race, the Northlands Futurity, five times. Amber is seventh in all-time earnings and wins. Jason received national acclaim when named AQHA Champion Trainer for 2021.

Cort Holten – Outstanding Contributor

Holten was instrumental in the drafting of pari-mutuel legislation and rules throughout the 1980s. His efforts also brought simulcast racing to Canterbury in 1991. In 1999, he drafted legislation that allowed the racetrack to have up to 50 card tables so long as 50 or more days of live racing were conducted. This legislation revitalized the racetrack, providing a needed revenue stream and a secure purse fund.

Although unsuccessful in obtaining approval at the legislature, Holten's work on racino legislation raised the visibility and highlighted the importance of the horse racing industry to Minnesota's agricultural economy and served as a catalyst for what would become the 10-year pact with the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community.

In 2019, he was instrumental in passing “Lights On” legislation that allows the racing to continue within the state should there be another government shutdown similar to 2011.

The Canterbury Park Hall of Fame was founded in 1995 to recognize people and horses that have made important and lasting contributions to the racing industry within the state. The selection committee consists of representatives of local horsemen organizations, media, and Canterbury Park. The new members will be recognized during the races on Hall of Fame Night this Saturday and inducted at a July 15 ceremony.

The post Trainer Michael Biehler Among Newest Inductees To Canterbury Park Hall Of Fame appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Jockey Tyler Conner earned his 1,000th career victory at Parx Racing in Bensalem, Pa., on Saturday when My Dixie Lass won the ninth race on the card, an allowance event, for trainer James Lawrence II.

Conner, 28, was born into a racing family in Lancaster, Pa., his father a trainer  at Penn National and his mother having worked as a jockey, racing official and exercise rider. Tyler was on a different career path, however, riding in motocross races at an early age until he was convinced by a couple of accidents that it was too dangerous of a sport. He then turned to horse racing.

He took out his apprentice license in 2014, accepting his first mount on June 14 but not getting into the winner's circle until his 40th ride on Aug. 1 aboard Love Talk at Penn National for trainer Kimberly Graci.

Conner finished that first year with 40 wins from 465 mounts for earnings of just under $1 million, then won 168 races from 1,188 rides in 2015, his mount earnings more than $3.2 million.

Conner has been leading rider at Penn National, where he currently sits atop the jockey standings, and his 22 percent win rate in 2022 is his career best.

His biggest career win came last month when he guided Wow Whata Summer to a $168.69 upset victory for trainer James Lawrence II in the Grade 2 , $400,000 Penn Mile at Penn National.

The post Jockey Tyler Conner Registers 1,000th Career Victory appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Jockey Jose Batista will be sidelined three to six weeks after suffering fractures to his heel and ankle when his mount, Sip'n Dip, stumbled and fell, unseating him in Friday's sixth race at Monmouth Park, track Medical Director Dr. Angelo Chinnici said.

In tight quarters early, John Mc Allen-trained Sip'n Dip was sixth of seven runners after the first quarter mile, then hit the rail and fell in the 1 1/16-mile turf race, a claiming event for fillies and mares. Bastita was taken by ambulance to Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch for X-rays.

Chinnici said Batista is “casted and resting” after being released from the hospital.

The 25-year-old Panamanian has eight wins from 76 mounts at the Monmouth Park meet. He has 41 winners from 298 mounts overall this year.

Sip'n Dip, a 4-year-old winning daughter of Wicked Tune owned by Kingdom Racing, was vanned off.

The post Batista Sidelined Up To Six Weeks With Injuries Following Monmouth Spill appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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