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TOBA Announces Finalists For Owner Of The Year Award

The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association announced today that Gary Barber, Godolphin, Klaravich Stables, the partnership of Spendthrift Farm LLC, MyRaceHorse Stable, Madaket Stables LLC and Starlight Racing, and Three Diamonds Farm have been selected as finalists for the TOBA National Owner of the Year.

The TOBA National Owner of the Year will be announced live at the TOBA National Awards Dinner, which will be held on Saturday, Sept. 11 at Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa in Paris, Ky.

TOBA will also honor breeders from 18 states and Canada. The National Breeder of the Year and the National Small Breeder of the Year will also be revealed at the TOBA National Awards Dinner. Samantha Siegel will be presented with the TOBA Industry Service Award and Drumette has been named National Broodmare of the Year.

Other TOBA national award winners include Frost or Frippery, who will be honored as Claiming Crown Horse of the Year, presented by the National HBPA. Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners will receive the Cot Campbell Partnership of the Year Award.

The Rood & Riddle Sport Horse of the Year will go to Kaytee Mountain, owned by Susan Gallagher and John and Leslie Malone will receive the Robert N. Clay Award, which recognizes a member of the Thoroughbred community who has made an outstanding contribution to preserving land for equine use.

“These owners, breeders and horses exemplify the best of our sport and we are honored to be able to recognize their outstanding achievements,” said Dan Metzger, president of TOBA. “Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa will present an incredible experience for what promises to be a memorable evening.”

To participate in the online auction and purchase tickets to the TOBA National Awards Dinner, visit toba.wedoauctions.com.

TOBA National Awards Dinner sponsors include Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa, Keeneland, TVG, Stonestreet Farm, Jackson Family Wines, Breeders' Cup, NTRA Advantage and John Deere, Limestone Bank, Stoll Keenon Ogden, BloodHorse, The Jockey Club, National HBPA, Independence Bank, Flair LLC, Wildcat Moving, Pyranha and The Horse.

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Five Stakes Wins Net Joel Rosario Jockey Of The Week Title

The New York Racing Association presented 16 stakes races at Saratoga during the week of August 23; Joel Rosario had a mount in every one. He won five of those stakes including two Grade 1s and one Grade 2. His accomplishments earned Jockey of the Week honors for Aug. 23 through Aug. 29. The award, 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 950 active riders in the United States as well as retired and permanently disabled jockeys.

Rosario's five stakes wins for the week began on Friday, New York Showcase Day. Given a leg up in the Fleet Indian Stakes by trainer Bob Dunham, Rosario and Byhubbyhellomoney tracked in fourth before finding a seam along the rail to post a neck victory in 1:52.07 for the 1-1/8 miles contest for 3-year-old fillies. Rosario won his second straight stakes of the day riding City Man for Christophe Clement in the West Point Handicap for 3-year-olds and up on the turf. City Man ran the 1-1/16 miles in 1:41.30.

On Saturday, trainer Chad Brown saddled three entrants in the Grade 2 Ballston Spa with Rosario on Viadera. Under Rosario, Viadera saved ground in third, advancing up the rail through the final turn then angled to the three-path and dug in to overtake High Opinion and Luis Saez at the wire in a final time of 1:41.82 for the 1 1/16-mile inner turf test for older fillies and mares.

“Turning for home, I was clear,” said Rosario. “She always tries really hard. She's a very good filly.”

In the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial, trainer Steve Asmussen gave a leg up to Rosario, regular rider of Jackie's Warrior. Rosario and Jackie's Warrior tracked in second as Life Is Good led the field of 3-year-olds through the half. At the top of the stretch, Jackie's Warrior capitalized on running room from the inside and held off a resurgent Life Is Good to prevail by a neck in 1:21.39.

“I felt confident, but Life is Good was not giving up and a lot of credit to him, too, it was a very good race,” said Rosario.

Rosario captured his second Grade 1 of the day in the Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer aboard Gufo for trainer Christophe Clement. Last of seven, the duo saved ground first time past the wire, advancing down the backstretch, rallying outside of Tribuvan and Channel Maker and staving off European invader, Japan, to win by a neck in 2:28.30 for the 1-1/2-mile inner-turf contest.

“He ran a really good race today and turning for home, it was just a really good performance,” said Rosario.

Rosario's weekly statistics were 39-11-2-3 for a 41 percent in-the-money rate and total purses of $1,663,476.

Rosario out-polled Arnaldo Bocachica who won three stakes at Charles Town, Paco Lopez who led all riders in wins with 14, Luis Saez who won the Grade 1 Travers and Ricardo Santana, Jr, who won the Grade 1 Forego with Yaupon.

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Long-Time Washington Horse Trainer, Former NFL Player Junior Coffey Dies At Age 79

Junior Coffey, a star running back at the University of Washington and one of the state's most successful Thoroughbred trainers, died of congestive heart failure Monday at age 79.

Mr. Coffey died at St. Francis Hospital in Federal Way, according to wife Kathy Coffey.

A three-time All-Coast selection and three-time Honorable Mention All-American at Washington, Coffey led the Huskies in rushing in 1962 and 1964 and played professionally with the NFLs Green Bay Packers, Atlanta Falcons and New York Giants. His pro career included a rookie stint on the Packers' 1965 championship squad coached by the famed Vince Lombardi.

After a knee-injury curtailed his NFL career, Coffey turned to the world of horse racing as a Thoroughbred trainer in the mid-1970s, becoming one of the state's most respected trainers at Longacres and later Emerald Downs.

At Emerald Downs, Coffey ranks No. 5 in all-time win percentage at 20.13 percent. He preferred a relatively small stable of runners and was “hands on” with every horse.

“My objective,” he said, “is to have a sound and happy horse.”

Born March 21, 1942, in Kyle Texas, Coffey starred at Dimmitt (Tex.) High School and is enshrined in the Texas High School Football Hall of Fame and Texas Panhandle Sports Hall of Fame. Coffey said he wound up a Husky because Washington assistant Chesty Walker had seen Coffey play in Texas and convinced him to come to Seattle. At that time, colleges in the Southwest Conference were not integrated.

Emerald Downs founder Ron Crockett entrusted some of his top horses to Coffey including 2012 Belle Roberts winner Cielator and 2007 Longacres Mile runner-up Raise the Bluff.

“Junior Coffey was one of a kind in so many ways,” Crockett said. “He was an accomplished athlete, a talented horse trainer, a philosopher, a friend to many and most of all kindhearted. He was a trailblazer.”

Coffey won 174 races at Emerald Downs including eight stakes races. He conditioned the filly Run Away Stevie to nine stakes victories including stakes triumphs at both Longacres and Emerald Downs. In his final start as a trainer, Coffey saddled Levitation to a neck victory under Rocco Bowen on September 23, 2018.

Coffey is survived by his wife, Kathy. Funeral arrangements are pending.

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Former Boxer: Jockey Joey Martinez Making A Name For Himself At Gulfstream

Born and raised in Brooklyn, Joey Martinez is a proud New Yorker whose boyhood dream came true when he rode his first career winner at Aqueduct Dec. 9, 2016.

The 27-year-old jockey, an avid New York Yankees fan, went on to enjoy a productive apprenticeship while riding at Aqueduct, Belmont, and Saratoga.

He couldn't imagine riding anywhere else.

However, Martinez would find himself at a crossroads that would eventually lead him to Gulfstream Park instead of Saratoga this summer following a business slowdown upon losing his apprentice weight allowance, sustaining a broken collarbone during a training-hours mishap, and the passing of his grandmother.

“I'm from New York. I'm not a name rider yet like I want to be. Going to Saratoga, they want the Top 5, I understand that,” Martinez said. “I'm a Yankees fan. If you're in the ninth inning, you're going to put in your best closing pitcher, rather than the guy just starting out. Of course, they want the bigger names instead of Martinez. I'd rather go somewhere else and show who Joey Martinez is.”

A third-generation jockey, Martinez rode his last race in New York at Aqueduct on Dec. 13.

“Unfortunately, my grandmother passed away last November and I went to Ocala, Florida to take care of my grandfather,” he said. “That's why I haven't been riding.”

Martinez rode a couple of races at Penn National in April before calling jockey agent P.J. Campo in New York.

“I reached out to him. I said, 'What do you think of me going to Gulfstream with you representing me, if you're interested?'” Martinez said. “He said, 'How soon can you get there?' I said, 'I'll pack my stuff can go now.'”

Martinez, who was a promising amateur boxer during his teen years, has brought a fighter's mentality to Gulfstream Park.

“I didn't go to the Olympic Trials to officially make the U.S. Olympic Team in 2012 because I wanted to ride horses and be a jockey,” said Martinez, who finished third aboard the 39-1 shot Northern Transit Sunday. “I had an offer from Golden Boy Promotions to turn professional, but I still said, 'No, I want to be a jockey.'”

Martinez, who regards veteran jockey Jose Lezcano as a mentor and friend, may be still fighting to make a name for himself, but it isn't due to a lack of confidence in his abilities.

“I'm not a cocky man at all, but I'm very, very confident. Coming down the stretch, I feel like nobody can beat me. That's the confidence I have,” Martinez said. “I finish really strong and I think what helps me get a lot out of horses is that I'm always relaxed and very patient. I believe the more comfortable and relaxed you are on a horse, they'll be as comfortable as you are. I go you there and have fun. I come out of the gate and try to find my position and let the horse tell me what he wants to do. Let him find a comfortable rhythm.”

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