Tag: People

Renowned equine photographer Katey Barrett, whose work was an integral part of Santa Anita's opening day Winter Meet souvenir calendar for more than three decades, passed away following a bout with cancer this past Sunday, Oct. 22 at age 91 according to her sister, Jane Barrett.

“Katey had been on hospice and was diagnosed with cancer a couple of months ago,” she said. “She was at Santa Anita and took beautiful pictures for more than 40 years. She received many awards and she was dedicated to serving animals, all animals. A lot of people have been calling and expressing what she has done for them personally, in their lives.

“Katey was a very selfless person.,” Jane Barrett continued. “She was dedicated to helping with the operation of a wild horse sanctuary near Mt. Lassen and keeping the horses free. She was very dedicated to that place. She hadn't been up there in a while because she was unable to travel.”

Born in Hibbing, Minnesota, Barrett came west to dabble in Hollywood in the late 1950s and found work shortly thereafter on hit TV shows such as My Three Sons, Family Affair, Bonanza and Mission Impossible. She also worked on the production of a movie starring Don Knotts entitled The Shakiest Gun in the West.

Extraordinarily talented, Barrett's still images were instantly recognizable and were an exemplification of how she viewed life and the spectacular animals that so enriched hers.

The following is a quote from her website which serves as a window into how she approached her craft: “So there you have it. (I'm) a self-taught wanna-be director, still looking through the lens as though it's going to be a movie and 'freeze-framing' when I see the moment…”

Katey Barrett is survived by her sister Jane and two brothers, David and Jim. At her request, there will be no memorial services. Donations in Katey's honor are welcome to Wild Horse Sanctuary, P.O. Box 30, Shingletown, CA, 96088. info@wildhorsesanctuary.org (530) 474-5770.

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International superstar jockey Frankie Dettori, who has announced he will forestall retirement and ride full-time this winter at Santa Anita, will be riding this weekend at The Great Race Place, one week in advance of the Breeders' Cup World Championships here on Nov. 3 and 4.

With nine 3-year-olds and up set to contest one mile on turf in Saturday's restricted $80,000 Lure Stakes, Dettori has taken the call on Graham Motion's French-bred Easter, who has been idle since Aug. 24 at Saratoga.

“Frankie reached out to me and said that he'd like to ride this weekend, so I'm putting him on a few horses,” said agent Ron Anderson. “We're of course looking forward to the Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita and riding regularly out there this winter. Frankie is ready.”

Based in his native France prior to the spring of 2022, Easter, a 5-year-old gelding, has won two of his eight starts with Motion, all on grass, and has won four of his nine career tries at one mile on turf. Most recently second, beaten a neck in a classified allowance at a mile and one eighth August 24, he'll be making his Southern California debut on Saturday.

As his best performances have come when he's been allowed to settle well of the pace, Easter's connections would certainly well come fast early splits in the Lure.

Owned by Madaket Stables, LLC, Easter, who was Group II stakes-placed going a mile on turf in France at age three, is 16-4-3-3 overall with earnings of $273,790.

A one mile turf classified allowance winner two starts back on Aug. 19 at Del Mar, trainer Simon Callaghan's Astronomer nearly pulled off an 8-1 upset in the Grade II City of Hope Mile (turf) here on Sept. 30, leading throughout en route to finishing second by a neck behind highly accomplished graded stakes winner Hong Kong Harry.

A 4-year-old War Front gelding bred in Kentucky by Alice Bamford and owned by Alice Bamford and Michael Tabor, Astronomer earned a lofty 96 Beyer in the City of Hope and is three for five at one mile on turf. With Antonio Fresu riding for the third consecutive time, Astronomer should be well backed as he bids for his fourth win from eight overall starts.

With a sharp recent allowance win at one mile turf to his credit, the Jeff Mullins-conditioned Bally's Charm rates a big look and helps to ensure a solid early pace with Hector Berrios back aboard. A 4-year-old Kentucky-bred gelding by Roi Charmant, Bally's Charm was most impressive leading throughout in a second condition allowance here on Oct. 1, carving out splits of 22 flat, 45.60 and 1:09 flat en rout to final clocking of 1:32.60 which earned him a career-top Beyer Speed Figure of 94.

Owned by his breeders Red Baron's Barn, LLC and Vaya Con Suerte, Bally's Charm, who will be making his third start of the year, is three for five at one mile on turf and is 10-5-1-1 overall with earnings of $315,500.

THE $80,000 LURE WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 9 of 9 Approximate post time 5 p.m. PT

1. Hit the Road—Joe Bravo—126
2. Irideo—Umberto Rispoli—126
3. Astronomer—Antonio Fresu—126
4. Visitant—Juan Hernandez—126
5. Easter—Lanfranco Dettori—124
6. Shortman—Diego Herrera—124
7. War At Sea—Mike Smith–126
8. Bally's Charm—Hector Berrios—126
9. Cabo Spirit—Victor Espinoza–126

First post time for a 10-race card on Saturday is at 1 p.m. with admission gates opening at 11 a.m.

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Long time regulatory veterinarian and now Executive Director of the Oklahoma Horse Racing Commission, Dr. John Chancey is the new Chair of the Drug Testing Standards and Practices Committee of the Association of Racing Commissioners International (ARCI).

Chancey replaces Duncan Patterson, the Chair of the Delaware Thoroughbred Racing Commission who will now lead the ARCI Continuing Education Committee going forward.

RCI Chair Tom Sage of Nebraska thanked Mr. Patterson for his service on the committee and to the Association: “Duncan has been a great steward for the Association, but the time has come to put a veterinarian in charge of this committee as well as someone with direct experience not limited to only thoroughbred racing.”

“With the role now being played in the US by the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, this committee must recommend equine welfare and anti-doping policies that are applicable to all horses regardless of breed. Dr. Chancey is the right person to lead this committee,” Sage added.

For over eighty years the ARCI, through its Model Rules, has been a beacon of best practice regulatory standards. The standards are not mandatory, although most state racing commissions have implemented many if not all of the medication control and anti-doping standards. For Thoroughbred racing, HISA's rules have displaced state rules and departed from ARCI standards, although there remain some similarities.

Sage said the Association will continue to develop and advocate for those standards in all breeds as it has always done and welcomes input from all.

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A specially commissioned statue of Frankie Dettori was unveiled this weekend at Ascot Racecourse by Her Majesty The Queen.

The bronze depicts the world-famous Italian jockey mounted on a horse and is located by the Grandstand Lawn. It was designed by artist and sculptor Tristram Lewis and will act as a permanent reminder of Frankie's unparalleled contribution to racing at Ascot.

The bronze was cast by Fonderia Artista Art'ù di Gaetano Salmista of Florence and Pemburys Fine Arts Ltd., with the Italian art foundry chosen as a natural partner to create the bronze of one of Italy's greatest ever sporting heroes.

Dettori's career has been synonymous with the racecourse, having his first ride at Royal Ascot in 1987. Since then his career has included 81 victories at the Royal Meeting and 229 winners at Ascot overall, including the 'Magnificent Seven' in 1996 when he rode all seven winners on the Saturday of the Festival Of British Racing, a precursor to QIPCO British Champions Day.

Frankie Dettori said, “Ascot has been everything to me – my first Group 1 winner when I was 19 – it is where it all started and concludes with nine Gold Cups, seven King Georges, 81 winners at Royal Ascot and hopefully some victories today [QIPCO British Champions Day].

“It's wonderful to be immortalized at such a great track, and to have your own statue while you are still alive, wow!

“Tristram Lewis has created a humbling tribute, and I would like to thank him, Ascot Racecourse and all those that have supported this impactful artwork.”

Sir Francis Brooke, His Majesty's Representative and Chairman at Ascot, said: “We are delighted to be able to unveil this permanent celebration of Frankie Dettori's career at Ascot.

“Frankie has been such a huge part of racing at Ascot over the last 35 years and this unique sculpture will ensure a lasting tribute to his success is permanently in place at the racecourse.

“I am sure it will be hugely popular with racegoers in the years to come and we are extremely grateful to all the contributors for their support in making this happen and of course to Tristram who has so expertly delivered the project from start to finish.”

The idea for the sculpture was initiated back in 2019 and the actual process began in December 2021 with the sculpting of the quarter scale maquette. A UK foundry produced the first two quarter scale casts, one going to the Jockey Club and the other being displayed at Royal Ascot in 2022 and 2023.

The foundry began by milling a life size high density foam model from the original scan cad which was then improved and layered with modelling clay before a wax cast was produced from the latex mould. A ceramic mould was then made before the bronze was poured in July and the parts were welded together.

Once complete, a specialist art mover brought the sculpture across Europe to Ascot where it has been installed upon a specially designed and polished concrete lower base.

Tristram Lewis said, “It was a real pleasure to be able to work on this project and bring it to life. Ascot holds a special place in my heart and I'm hugely grateful to Sir Francis Brooke and everybody at the racecourse for their help along this journey. Frankie was great to work with, an incredibly professional model, and I am thrilled with the overall result.”

The sculpture was erected with the support of the following contributors:

Ascot Racecourse, Lady Bamford, Mrs Barbara Banke, Mr Marc Chan, Cheveley Park Stud, Mr Frankie Dettori, Godolphin Management Co., Mr David Howden, His Highness Major Shaikh Isa bin Salman bin Hamad al Khalifa, Juddmonte Racing, Mr Steve Parkin and others who chose to remain anonymous.

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