Mike Recio Passes Away at 46

Bloodstock agent and consignor Mike Recio passed away Sept. 16, at the age of 46 after an unexpected illness. The son of respected Ocala horseman Bill Recio, he had been involved in the Thoroughbred racing and breeding industry for the majority of his life. After graduating from the University of Louisville Horse Racing Industry Program in 2002, Recio worked in client services for Taylor Made Farm, Adena Springs, Mill Ridge and Hidden Brook, where he cultivated his business acumen and his legendary gift of gab.

In the fall of 2014, Recio launched South Point Sales. South Point became a prominent consignor at the breeding stock and yearling sales in Kentucky and Saratoga. At the same time, he began Rockbridge Bloodstock, a full-service bloodstock agency that quickly proved successful with matings, racing and broodmare purchases and stallion placement.

Recio was involved in the private purchase of multiple graded stakes winner Tonalist's Shape and had an especially strong record at the 2-year-old sales–13% of his juvenile purchases earned black-type, including 2021 GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint contender The Critical Way. Also adept at purchasing broodmare prospects, he secured a quartet of mares under his Rockbridge Bloodstock banner have produced stakes winners in 2021, in addition to securing sisters to recent Grade I winners Swiss Skydiver and Super Stock.

South Point sold several more good ones, including record-setting Grade II winner Stubbins, who was also mated on Recio's advice, graded stakes winner Proud Emma, GSW and GISP Fear the Cowboy and multiple stakes winner and Sovereign Award finalist She's the Berries.

Although Recio was a tremendous businessman in his own right, he will be remembered for his outgoing personality, the connections he made within the industry, and the people he brought together. Never one to turn down a drink at the Keeneland bar or a dinner at Jeff Ruby's, Recio had an astounding number of friends within the industry. The La Croix-filled South Point water cooler became the best spot on the sales ground for gossip, which he was more than happy to supply. He never knew a stranger, and spoke with an ease that truly was a gift.

While Recio loved the horse industry and his work, he took the greatest joy in spending time with his family and friends, whom he loved fiercely. He leaves behind his wife Nancy, his twins Wesley and Addison, whom he adored, his mother Lynn and father Bill, as well as his brother Gene, sister Katie Cauthen, brother-in-law Doug Cauthen, and niece Campbell Cauthen. A celebration of life will be held at a later date.

TRIBUTES FROM THE INDUSTRY…
Mike was one of a kind, an irreplaceable fixture in this business and in Lexington. He treated everyone equally from employees to competitors to owners, and you always knew where you stood. This community is full of people from all walks of life that would tell you Mike Recio was their friend. He had a big heart and cared for his loved ones immensely. I can confidently say he lived his 46 years to the fullest. He loved this business, loved everything about trading horses, but the real joys of his life were his twins Wesley and Addison and wife Nancy. The void his loss has created cannot be filled. He will be missed and he is loved.  – John David Christman

Soup was 31-lengths the best storyteller I've ever known. There have been so many tears shed over these last several weeks, but so many of them have come from the laughter of remembering those incredible nights when he'd take over the dinner table with his most legendary tales. His best ones always came at his own expense and often with one of us secretly recording them so we could laugh just as hard about them later. He had the biggest heart of anyone I know, and it was filled to the brim with his love for Nancy and his two children. There's never been a prouder father than Soup, and it's the picture of him beaming with those squinty eyes and impossibly big Soup grin while holding Addison and Wesley that will always be with me. He will be missed every day by those of us who loved him, but I can promise you that his stories will be told wherever horses run and beer is served for as long as any of us are around. We'll try our best to tell them as well as you did, Soupy. – Bret Jones

We are heartbroken
Rest in Peace, Mike – South Point Sales (Twitter)

 

We are saddened by the loss of Mike Recio of SouthPointSales. It was truly an honor to work with him. We send our deepest condolences to his family, friends and everyone in the thoroughbred industry. – The Green Group (Twitter)

 

Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and many friends of Mike Recio. Mike was more than just a client of Fasig-Tipton, he was a great friend to many of us. Nobody enjoyed traveling to our various sales more than Mike, and we will dearly miss him and his infectious smile. – Fasig-Tipton (Twitter)

 

Mike Recio was a great horseman and most importantly, a great friend to so many. We will remember Mike's energy, enthusiasm and love of life. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Recio family and all of those who were fortunate to call him their friend.” – Keeneland (Twitter)

 

Our industry lost one of its sharpest minds and biggest personalities today, I've lost one of my best friends. First guy I met when I moved to KY 20 years ago, Soup has become family to me as he is to so many of us. Please share your stories and celebrate his life. Love you Mikey – Joe Miller (Twitter)

 

Today has been tremendously hard, seeing so many friends of Mike's and knowing how dearly he was loved by his family and friends. I will treasure every beer I had with him. He was a total legend – Tom Morley (Twitter)

 

Mike could always put a smile on your face. Will miss him dearly, but my heart goes out to his family and young children – Maggie Wolfendale (Twitter)

 

Brother we had so many laughs together, conversations, took many a Horse racing trip, & even sold some horses in between. You & Jake were my first 2 friends in Kentucky, Thank you Mike. My Folded hands to Nancy, Wes, Addi, Bill, Ella, Gene, & Katie. Till we meet again, gone too soon my boy – Ramiro Restrepo (Twitter)

 

Mike Recio, what a legend. Thank you for all you have done, I will miss seeing your smiling face and energy around the sales. Was always a pleasure to see you. We will hold a glass up to you, cheers Clinking beer mugsdear friend. – Atlas Bloodstock (Twitter)

 

The horse business lost a great ambassador today. Mike Recio was a good man: He will forever be remembered as a hardworking, fun loving character who was good for his word. There's not a sales complex in North America that won't miss his endless enthusiasm and welcoming smile. – Tom Ryan (Twitter)

 

Was lucky enough to have worked and learned under Mike for four years when I started out in the industry. Mike was more then a friend to me, he was like a 2nd dad who would tell me what I wanted to hear even if I didn't like it cause he genuinely cared about what was best for me. – Seth Wilkey (Twitter)

 

You are with angels now, please say hi to my grandma Betty…missing your larger than life personality at the sales so much my dear friend. My heart aches along with so many of us. Live Every Day. Going to miss you so so so much. – Carrie Brogden (Twitter)

 

To Share a tribute or story please contact Sue Finley or Gary King.

 

The post Mike Recio Passes Away at 46 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Heavily Favored The Critical Way Noses Out Battle Station In Parx Dash

The Critical Way held off a late rally from Battle Station, to prevail by a nose as the short-priced favorite in Tuesday's Grade 3, $200,000  Parx Dash at Parx Racing in Bensalem, Pa. Ridden by Paco Lopez, the 7-year-old gelding by Tizway, recorded his 10th lifetime victory from 27 starts.

Trained by Jose Delgado and owned by Randal Gindi's Monster Racing Stables, the Pennsylvania-bred ran the five furlongs in :58.55 on firm turf. Battle Station was a hard charging second, with Francatelli a head back in third in the field of seven.

The Parx Dash serves as the prep for the $300,000 Turf Monster (G3), to be run on Saturday, Sept. 25, at Parx Racing. Today's race was rescheduled from last Tuesday, after steady rain forced turf races to be run on the main track.

The Critical Way broke smoothly, then sat in third while Francatelli showed the way through an opening quarter mile in :23.03. Amblin Man, a 99-1 longshot, chased in second and grabbed the lead at the top of the stretch after a half mile in :46.44.

The Critical Way rallied wide into the stretch and wore down Amblin Man in the final sixteenth, then barely held off a late charge from Battle Station and jockey Angel Cruz. Francatelli fought back late to overtake Amblin Man for the third spot.

The Critical Way, sent off at 3-10, paid $2.60 for the win. He was claimed for $30,000 at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 15, 2020,  by Monster Racing Stable and its former trainer Jorge Navarro, who recently pleaded guilty in a federal criminal case involving adulterated, misbranded drugs and faces up to five years in jail.

The post Heavily Favored The Critical Way Noses Out Battle Station In Parx Dash appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Delgado Has Visions of Breeders’ Cup For The Critical Way

Trainer Jose Delgado was so impressed by what he saw from his speedy grass sprinter The Critical Way on Saturday at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J. that he immediately began plotting out a schedule that would get the 7-year-old gelding to the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint on Nov. 6.

It wasn't just that The Critical Way won the $75,000 Get Serious Stakes with ease, pulling away for a three-length victory. It was how he won the five-furlong grass feature.

Known for his blazing early speed, The Critical Way sat off the flanks of an even speedier French Reef, doing so through an opening quarter in a dazzling :20.11 and through a half in :43.34. Jockey Paco Lopez eased The Critical Way around French Reef entering the final turn and the son of Tizway took off, showing a finishing kick that can sometimes elude him when he is on the front end.

Final time for the five furlongs on a turf that was listed as “firm” was :55.19.

“We always think of this horse as being in front right out of the gate because he has a lot of speed,” said Delgado, who tops the Monmouth Park trainer standings with 11 wins. “But Paco Lopez told me he was very comfortable coming off the pace. That's a new dimension for him. We always think he's one way and it's go, go, go. Now we've seen he can sit behind the speed and make one move and he can win that way. I like that.

“We saw he can sit comfortably. That gives us a lot of options. He is very consistent. He gives you everything he has. We'll look at some serious things for him now. Maybe we'll try something in Saratoga, then one or two races at Parx and then if everything goes right we will try to take him to the Breeders' Cup. That's the plan. That's the hope.”

Lopez said The Critical Way “didn't break like he usually does.”

“Usually he is right out of the gate and on the lead,” said Lopez. “I think he got scared a little bit and jumped behind (French Reef). I know that horse from seeing him in Florida. That's a very fast horse. So I was behind that one but he was very comfortable, which surprised me because it is something new for him.

“I came in thinking I would make the lead but I had to go to Plan B. But the horse made it easy for me with how comfortable he was. He was close. It's not like he was far back. So when I did ask him he just took off.”

After being caught at the wire in his last start in the Turf Sprint Stakes at Pimlico on the Preakness Stakes card, The Critical Way notched his fourth stakes victory and eighth win overall in 25 career starts for Monster Racing Stables. He paid $3.80 to win.

French Reef held second, 1¼ lengths ahead of Francatelli.

The post Delgado Has Visions of Breeders’ Cup For The Critical Way appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Caravel Named Pennsylvania’s 2020 Horse Of The Year

The Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association's 42nd Annual Iroquois Awards was held virtually on May 21 to celebrate the champions of 2020.

Leading the way was Caravel, who was named 2020 Horse of the Year.

The daughter of Mizzen Mast won four of five starts last year, going from last to first to win on debut at Penn National, then taking an allowance race at the same track with a front-running trip. Caravel then shipped to Presque Isle Downs to win the Lady Erie Stakes in her black type debut.

She took her only trip out of the state to race when she shipped to Pimlico Race Course for the Hilltop Stakes, where she finished third. Her season wrapped up back at Presque Isle, where she drew off to win the Malvern Rose Stakes by 4 3/4 lengths.

Caravel is owned, trained, and bred in Pennsylvania by Elizabeth Merryman. She is out of the winning Congrats mare Zeezee Zoomzoom

Following is the complete list of 2020 Iroquois Award winners.

2-Year-Old Filly: Plane Drunk
Bred by Triple Threat Stables LLC

Dazzling in a Parx maiden special weight when winning by nearly a dozen lengths, Triple Threat Stables' homebred Plane Drunk captured Penn National's Shamrock Rose Stakes by more than three lengths after a second-place finish in Delaware Park's Small Wonder Stakes.

2-Year-Old Male: Fire's Finale
Bred by Kenwood Racing LLC

A last-to-first run in the Pennsylvania Nursery at Parx capped a busy season in which Jump Start's son Fire's Finale hit the board in three of five starts outside Pennsylvania before heading to Parx and getting back-to-back wins.

3-Year-Old Filly: Caravel
Bred by Elizabeth M. Merryman

A winner of four of her five starts at three, all by daylight margins, Caravel, a gray filly owned, bred and trained by Lizzie Merryman, accounted for the Lady Erie in her stakes debut and the Malvern Rose, both at Presque Isle Downs, and was stakes-placed on the turf in Pimlico's Hilltop Stakes.

3-Year-Old Male: Dreams Untold
Bred by Patricia L. Chapman

In a sophomore campaign that started with a 14 1/4-length romp in January at Parx, Pat Chapman's Dreams Untold, a homebred son of Smarty Jones, sprinted home in front of four of his eight starts during the year while earning $146,400, the most of any 3-year-old male in 2020.

Older Female: Jakarta
Bred by Arrowwood Farm Inc.

The richest PA-Bred runner of the year, Jakarta traveled the country, recording stakes wins at Gulfstream Park in the Powder Break and Claiming Crown Distaff Dash, winning at Kentucky Downs going gate-to-wire, and placing in the Grade 3 Buffalo Trace Franklin County Stakes at Keeneland and Caress Stakes at Saratoga. She earned nearly $250,000 with four wins in nine starts.

Older Male: Wait for It
Bred by Fantasy Lane Stable

At age five, Wait for It had his best season yet when winning four times and placing twice in eight starts while earning nearly $210,000. The son of Uptowncharlybrown drew off to easy scores in the Storm Cat Stakes at Parx and Hard Spun Stakes at Presque Isle Downs.

Turf Female: Jakarta
Bred by Arrowwood Farm Inc.

The PA-Bred champion older female adds the turf title after winning or placing in five of her six turf starts, three of them stakes. The richest PA-Bred runner of the year, Jakarta capped her season with a devastating stretch run to win the Claiming Crown Distaff Dash at Gulfstream. Earlier in the year she set the fractions until caught late when second in Saratoga's Caress Stakes, and blazed through the early running of the G3 Buffalo Trace Franklin County Stakes at Keeneland before finishing third.

Turf Male: The Critical Way
Bred by Blackstone Farm LLC

In a COVID-19 shortened year The Critical Way went from claimer in January to stakes winner in late summer in six starts. His biggest score came in dominating gate-to-wire fashion in the Marshall Jenney Handicap at Parx. Less than a month later he just missed by a head after setting the early fractions against open company in Monmouth Park's Virgil Buddy Raines Stakes.

Female Sprinter: Jakarta
Bred by Arrowwood Farm Inc.

Jakarta is also female sprinter after a season in which she won or placed in stakes from five furlongs to one mile. Her daylight win in the Claiming Crown Distaff Dash came at five furlongs, and she just missed in the 5 1/2-furlong Caress Stakes at Saratoga. She was only beaten a length by multiple Grade 1 winner Got Stormy in the 5 1/2-furlong G3 Buffalo Trace Franklin County Stakes at Keeneland after blazing through opening fractions of :21 and change and :44 and change.

Male Sprinter: The Critical Way
Bred by Blackstone Farm LLC

Six races, all at five or 5 1/2 furlongs, and The Critical Way was either first or second in five of them. The 5-furlong Marshall Jenney Handicap at Parx was his richest race, but he also won going 5 furlongs in allowance company at Tampa Bay and got caught late when second in Monmouth Park's 5 1/2-furlong Virgil Buddy Raines Stakes.

Horse of the Year: Caravel
Bred by Elizabeth M. Merryman

Caravel was exciting in each and every one of her five starts, with her four wins coming by daylight margins. The gray filly owned, bred and trained by Lizzie Merryman won Presque Isle Downs' Lady Erie in her stakes debut and added the Malvern Rose, winning by a combined eight lengths. In her second start she just missed the 18-year-old Penn National course record for five furlongs as she cruised home by more than five lengths.

PA-Preferred Female: Its a Journey
Bred by Mr. and Mrs. Robert A. Szeyller
2020 earnings: $187,260
Won Mrs. Penny Stakes at Parx Racing

PA-Preferred Male: Wait for It
Bred by Fantasy Lane Stable
2020 earnings: $208,610
Won Storm Cat Stakes at Parx Racing and Hard Spun Stakes at Presque Isle Downs
3rd DTHA Governors Day Handicap at Delaware Park

Broodmare of the Year: Avani Force
Owned by Vicky Schowe & Beatrice Patterson
Dam of 2020 stakes winner Pink Caddy

Her first five foals of racing age are all winners, including multiple graded stakes winner Call Paul, the El Padrino filly Pink Caddy, a stakes winner at two and three, and 2020 juvenile stakes-placed Maythehorsebwithu, by Bullsbay.

Leading Breeder Award Recipients:

Blackstone Farm LLC
Award Earnings: $171,522

Glenn E. Brok LLC
Award Earnings: $149,268

Leading Breeding Fund Recipient (horse): Wait For It
Bred by Fantasy Lane Stable
Award Earnings: $191,540

Leading Total Breeding Fund Recipient: Northview Stallion Station Inc.
Award Earning: $306,970

Leading Stallion: Jump Start
Owned by Northview Stallion Station Inc.
Earnings: $172,796

Leading Overall Breeder of Pennsylvania-Breds: Blackstone Farm LLC
Earnings: $1,676,119

Lifetime Achievement Award: Patricia L. Chapman

Award of Merit: Pastures of Point Lookout

The post Caravel Named Pennsylvania’s 2020 Horse Of The Year appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights