Tag: People

Willie S. Hickman, who served in numerous capacities in the Texas/Louisiana racing industry, passed away in Houston on March 15. He had been hospitalized with pneumonia and died at the age of 64.

Born in Red Rock, Texas, Hickman was involved in many roles in the racing community, from training racehorses to serving in a variety of duties in the Sam Houston Race Park racing office for over 20 years. As stall superintendent, jockey room coordinator and most recently, stakes coordinator, Hickman had lasting relationships with horsemen in both Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing.

He also did an excellent job as jockey agent to rider Alfonso Lujan. One of the most successful Quarter Horse jockeys in the region for 11 years, Lujan won over 2,100 races prior to his retirement in 2018.

“Willie was a valued member of the Sam Houston racing office and was well-respected by our horsemen,” said James Leatherman, Racing Secretary. “We appreciate his many years of service and extend our deepest condolences to his family.”

Veteran horseman Lewis “Tooter” Jordan has known Hickman for six decades.

“I galloped horses for Willie's dad and have known him since he was a baby,” said Jordan. “Willie excelled in everything he did and worked very well with the horsemen. I remember that when he was the stall superintendent at Sam Houston, he walked the barn area every morning at 6:00 am, checking with each trainer to make sure they had what they needed. We will miss him a great deal.”

He is survived by his daughter, Cheyenne Hickman; brother, Jimbo Hickman; niece and nephew, Chelsea and Justin; aunt, Betty Davis; and numerous cousins and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, William Earl and Mattie Ruth Hickman; and his daughter, Savannah Hickman.

Services for Willie will be held on Monday, March 21, 2022, at 2 PM at Johnson and Robison Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Mimosa Pines Cemetery in Carlyss. The family will receive friends on Monday at the funeral home from 10 AM until the time of service.

The post Longtime Racing Office Employee Willie Hickman Passed Away On March 15 appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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With 10 wins last week including a stakes race, James Graham earned Jockey of the Week for March 7 through March 13. The honor, which is voted on by a panel of racing experts, is for jockeys who are members of the Jockeys' Guild, the organization which represents more than 1050 active, retired and permanently disabled jockeys in the United States.

Graham began the race week on Wednesday at Fair Grounds where he makes his winter home. He posted three wins in a row on the nine-race card, two for trainer Steve Asmussen and one for James Hodges. On Thursday, he won the last four races for four different trainers, Greg Foley, Keith Desormeaux, Dallas Stewart, and Delmar Caldwell.

On Saturday, Graham again had multiple wins all for different trainers, the second race for Dallas Stewart and the third race for Ignacio Correas, IV. Trainer Tom Amoss then gave a leg up to Graham in the Allen 'Black Cat” Lacombe Memorial Stakes on the 3-year-old filly, Kneesnhips.

Off in post position three in the field of nine, Graham and Kneesnhips raced inside in seventh going to the half-mile pole, around the second turn. Graham swung Kneesnhips wide in upper stretch, well aware that with the temporary rail set at 17 feet, the outside turf paths were the best. While widest of all, Kneesnhips finished best by a length in 1:41.64 for the about one mile on the Stall-Wilson Turf Course. Kneesnhips paid $17.80 for the win.

“Fresh ground and a fresh horse – she was happy,” Graham said.

A native of Dublin, Ireland, Graham, 43, came to the United States in late 2002 after completing the program at Ireland's jockey school. He won his first race at River Downs in Cincinnati, Ohio, on July 3, 2003.

A multiple graded stakes winning jockey, Graham is on his way to capturing his fourth straight leading rider title at Fair Grounds as he sits in first place with 63 wins and more than $2.2 million in purses with just 10 racing days left. Graham will then move his tack to Kentucky.

Graham's weekly statistics were 22-10-3-2 for a 45 percent win rate and $324,390 in purses.

Other nominees for Jockey of the Week were Stewart Elliott with nine wins, Ricardo Gonzalez with a graded stakes race at Santa Anita, Harry Hernandez with a stakes win at Turfway Park, and Irad Ortiz, Jr. with three stakes wins at Tampa Bay including two graded stakes.

The post Ten Victories Net James Graham Jockey Of The Week Title appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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The Florida Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association announced March 15 the results of its 2022 Election.

Incumbent owner/director Adam Lazarus and incumbent trainer/directors Kathy Davey, Joe Orseno, and Terri Pompay have been re-elected. New to the board is owner/director David Rousso.

The new board will take office effective March 24, the date of the next board meeting.

Orseno will take over as interim president, replacing Stephen Screnci, who did not run for re-election. Owner/director Troy Levy and trainer/director Ralph Nicks have also stepped down. New officers will be named at the March 24 meeting.

FHBPA Board of Directors

OWNERS
Chester Bishop
Thomas Cannell
Adam Lazarus
Teresa Palmer
David Rousso

TRAINERS
Patrick Biancone
Kathy Davey
David Fawkes
Joe Orseno
Terri Pompay
Ron Spatz

The post Joe Orseno To Take Over As Interim President Of Florida Horsemen’s Benevolent And Protective Association appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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The Minnesota Racing Commission is pleased to welcome David Koob as its newest member. Koob was appointed by Governor Tim Walz and Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan effective March 7, 2022.  

Koob has over twenty years of civil and regulatory litigation experience and is currently employed by the prestigious Donna Law Firm, P.C. in Minneapolis. Born in North Dakota, he is a graduate of University of Minnesota Law School and served as an adjunct professor for over a decade at the Michell Hamline School of Law. Mr. Koob is also a member of the Minnesota Association of Black Lawyers and volunteers as the vice president of Valley Athletic  Association, a non-profit youth sports organization.  

Koob's legal specialties include but are not limited to general liability, employment law, investigative matters, and corporate counsel. He has worked alongside the Minnesota Racing  Commission's administrative hearings during his time at the Minnesota Attorney General's Office and brings legal expertise to the Commission. 

“The Minnesota Racing Commission is honored and excited about the appointment of  Commissioner Koob,” said executive director Steve May. “Commissioner Koob brings a long history of legal expertise to the Commission, and his ties to both the Commission through previous public sector work as well as the sports community in Minnesota will be extremely useful.”

Commissioner Koob will be replacing Commissioner James S. Lane, III, who announced his retirement from the Commission effective at the end of his term in 2021. Commissioner Lane served on the Minnesota Racing Commission since 2009 and was the chair from 2019-2021. The Minnesota Racing Commission is grateful to Commissioner Lane for his years of experience and passion for the horse racing industry, both in Minnesota and on the national level.  

The Minnesota Racing Commission has full confidence that Commissioner Koob will be a great asset to the regulation of horse racing, card playing, and pari-mutuel wagering in Minnesota, and that he will help ensure conduct and integrity in ways that benefit both the public interest and the horse racing industry.  

The Minnesota Racing Commission was founded in 1984 to oversee the welfare and safety of live horse racing in the state of Minnesota. The Commission is comprised of nine members, each of whom brings years of expertise in their respective fields for six-year appointments. All members are appointed by the governor and lieutenant governor, with senate approval. Commissioners must be a resident of the State of Minnesota for at least five years prior to appointment and must have a background and experience that qualifies them for commission service. 

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