Turf Writer Art Wilson Passes Away

Southern California News Group's veteran turf writer Art Wilson died early Sunday morning near his home in Victorville, California. He was 71. Wilson, who gallantly fought a form of blood cancer for more than 10 years, was scheduled to attend Sunday Winter Corgi Nationals at Santa Anita, but had to be transported to St. Mary's Hospital in Apple Valley late Saturday afternoon and subsequently passed away due to heart failure.

First introduced to racing by his late father, Wilson fell in love with the game as a railbird and relished the opportunity to cover the sport dating back to the mid-1980s and as recently as this past weekend, when he was at Santa Anita to cover the GIII Palos Verdes S. for the Southern California News Group, a consortium of newspapers that includes the LA Daily News, Pasadena Star-News, San Gabriel Valley Tribune, Long Beach Independent, and many others.

In addition to covering stakes action and writing feature stories, Wilson wrote a weekly column for the So Cal News Group, with his final contribution, “Toby Keith's love for horse racing went beyond 'Beer for My Horses'” on the passing of the country music star running Feb. 16.

“Art was alert and coherent and then he went quickly this morning from heart failure,” said his brother and frequent racetrack confidant, Eddie Wilson. “He had stabilized and when I left to come back home last night at 10:30, he was watching the race replays on his cell phone.”

From the Santa Anita press box Sunday, FanDuel's Kurt Hoover said, “Art was a great guy and he loved this place. He paid attention and his last column on Toby Keith was, without a doubt, one of his best. He'll be sorely missed.”

Art Wilson was predeceased by his parents and is survived by his brother Eddie, sister Deborah Wills (Charles), nephew Cody Wills and his wife Kimberley, as well as cousins James Costa, Mark Costa and Heather McAvoy.

A memorial service will be held next month at Oakdale Mortuary in Glendora, with specific information to come in the next few days.

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Country Legend And Racing Owner/Breeder Toby Keith Dead At 62

Country singer/songwriter Toby Keith passed away Monday following a battle with stomach cancer, his family announced Tuesday. While best known for his music career, which included 20 No. 1 hits, he also owned and bred Thoroughbreds and was known for his passion of the sport.

Keith raced and bred primarily under the name of Dream Walkin Farms, which started its first horse in 2001. Dream Walkin was a song on an album by the same name that Keith released in 1997. According to Equibase, Dream Walkin won 848 races and earned over $18 million. Keith's top runners included the homebreds Cactus Ridge (Hennessy), the winner of the 2003 GIII Arlington-Washington Futurity, and Smack Smack (Closing Argument), the winner of the 2016 GIII Prairie Meadows Cornhusker H. whose career earnings were $986,419. Both were bred at Keith's farm in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma.

Keith also raced Quarter Horses and was part owner of 2003 Champion of Champions winner The Down Side along with R.D. Hubbard and Johnny T.L. Jones.

“He was a really close friend,” said Danny Caldwell, who owned horses in partnership with Keith that ran under the name of Country Bro Stables. “This has been a long night, a very long night. Toby was a great. He was a true American patriot. He was a great man who helped a lot of people. He loved the Thoroughbred racing industry. He raised a lot of his own horses, he bred a lot them. He put a lot of money into the game and he enjoyed it to the full extent.”

In a 2004 interview with the San Angelo Standard-Times Keith spoke of his passion for the sport.

“I could retire and race horses and be happy,” he said. “I wish more people were exposed to horse racing. It's the greatest. It gives everyone a chance to own a sports franchise and they don't have to pay $1 billion for it.”

At last year's yearling sales, bloodstock agent Chris Baccari bought 24 yearlings, including a New York-bred colt by Violence for $380,000, on behalf of Keith.

“It is a very sad day,” Baccari said. “He was a really genuine, great guy, who didn't have any agendas. He really supported the Thoroughbred racing business. He was a big fan and an advocate. He knew his bloodlines very well and was very passionate about it. He was trying to upgrade. He wanted to step up the program. I am very lucky to have had him as a friend and a partner.”

Keith's work within racing included his role as a Breeders' Cup Ambassador. The Breeders' Cup issued a statement Tuesday, which read: “We were extremely saddened to learn of the passing of Toby Keith today. In addition to his tremendous accomplishments in the music and entertainment world, Toby was a longtime Breeders' Cup Ambassador and an enthusiastic Thoroughbred owner, breeder, and fan who greatly enjoyed attending the Breeders' Cup World Championships. Along with his legion of fans, we will miss him very much and express our deepest condolences to his loved ones.”

In June, Keith announced on Twitter that he had recently been diagnosed with stomach cancer and had been undergoing treatment.

“Last fall I was diagnosed with stomach cancer,” Keith, 60, said. “I've spent the last 6 months receiving chemo, radiation, and surgery. So far, so good. I need time to breathe, recover and relax. I am looking forward to spending this time with my family, but I will see the fans sooner than later. I can't wait.”

 

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$380K Violence Colt Leads the Way During Solid Start to Fasig-Tipton NY-Bred Yearlings Sale

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY – The Fasig-Tipton New York-Bred Yearlings Sale gained momentum throughout its opening session, ending with figures ahead of last year's opening session after a brisk evening of just 100 catalogued head. A colt by Violence brought the night's top price when Chris Baccari, bidding alongside trainer Ken McPeek, went to $380,000 on behalf of country singer Toby Keith. The yearling was consigned by Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa.

A total of 53 yearlings sold Sunday for $5,999,000. The average of $113,189 was up 5% from last year's opening-session figure of $107,813, while the median of $100,000 was up 29.9% from $77,000 a year ago. With 28 horses reported not sold, the buy-back rate was 34.6%.

“It was a very good opening session to the 2023 New York-bred Yearling Sale,” said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning, Jr. “It seemed a tiny bit sticky at the beginning, with a little higher RNA rate that kind of smoothed out as the sale progressed. But it was a solid sale, a good sale. Last year was essentially a record-breaking sale and to be statistically improved in two key categories is a really good start.”

With just a third of the catalogue through the ring Sunday, Browning was loathe to make any big predictions on the state of the New York-bred yearling market.

“We have got a full day tomorrow, so we won't be making any bold proclamations or assertions,” Browning said. “We will have a better ability to access the overall market tomorrow. But it was certainly a good start and we are looking forward to another good day tomorrow.”

The New York-Bred Yearlings Sale continues Monday at noon with a further 264 catalogued head scheduled to go through the ring at the Humphrey S. Finney Pavilion.

 

Baccari, McPeek Strike for Violence Colt
Chris Baccari, who has been active buying on behalf of Toby Keith this year, got the Fasig-Tipton New York-Bred Yearlings Sale off to a quick start when acquiring a colt by Violence for $380,000 (hip 306) for the country singer Sunday in Saratoga. Baccari did his bidding out back alongside trainer Ken McPeek.

“To me, he looked extremely sound and he had a lot of good qualities about him that were unique for his pedigree,” Baccari said. “That's why I told Kenny and Toby that this one we would have to stretch on. To me, he's a very solid horse.”

The bay colt is out of Liam's Lookout (Liam's Map), a half-sister to graded winner Itsaknockout (Lemon Drop Kid). Bred by Fred Hertrich, the yearling sold for $175,000 to SKPJ Stables at this year's Keeneland January sale. He was consigned Monday by Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa.

“Chris Baccari and I are good friends and we have been for a long time,” McPeek said. “I have a lot of respect for his work and he knows some of my work. We both liked the horse. We are putting a group together to race in New York. We will probably have Magdalena as some sort of share in him. He's a lovely horse. I thought he was a real standout. You have to pay for the good ones and he was a good one.”

Bidding for Keith's Dream Walkin Farms, Baccari purchased a filly by Fast Anna for $100,000 at the OBS June sale and Baccari and McPeek teamed up to buy a Blame colt for $310,000 at the Fasig-Tipton July sale.

“I've known Toby and had mares for him for a long time,” Baccari said. “In the springtime, he called me up and said let's try to get a racing stable. So, that's what I'm trying to do.”

Asked if there was a target number for the stable, Baccari said, “Every deal is it's own deal. When I walk up and see a horse, then I try for it”

 

Gun Runner Filly to Trade Winds Farm
Tom D'Ambra, standing alongside his daughter and farm manager Agatha Reid, went to $290,000 to acquire a filly by Gun Runner (hip 369) Sunday in Saratoga. Consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, the yearling is out of graded winner Pantsonfire (Ire) (Sir Percy {GB}). She was bred by Richard Nicolai.

“We really wanted her,” D'Ambra said. “She's a filly, she has residual value If she doesn't run, it's a great family. We hope she will have a good racing career, but even after that there is more in the tank.”

Trade Winds Farm is located in Rexford, New York and has campaigned stakes winner Bounding Charm and multiple stakes placed Scientist.

D'Ambra, who indicated the filly would likely be trained by Brendan Walsh, admitted he was willing to spend more to acquire the yearling.

“I thought she would go higher, so I thought this was good deal,” he said.

Asked if he was still shopping, D'Ambra said, “That's it for tonight, but we will be back tomorrow.”

Eclipse, Repole Back for Mo
Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Repole Stables, who teamed up to purchase a yearling by Practical Joke for $150,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton New York sale, returned to the Humphrey S. Finney Pavilion two days after that colt broke his maiden first-time out at Saratoga to acquire his half-sister by Vekoma (hip 349) for $235,000.

“It's the exact same partnership as on the brother,” said Repole advisor Jacob West. “So we are combining forces and hope we do it again.”

Asked how much her half-brother Trust Fund's 2 1/4-length debut victory impacted their decision to buy the sister, West said, “We knew that she was in here and we knew what he was doing prior [to Friday's race]. The page was turned down on her before he ran. But the filly, on her own, was very, very nice. She was a beautiful filly. We hope he goes on and does well and we have some residual leftover.”

Hip 349, who was consigned by Straight Line Equine Sales, is out of Mo Savings (Uncle Mo), a half-sister to stakes winner and graded placed Clipthecouponannie (Freud). She was bred by Windylea Farm.

“She's been really nice ever since she was born,” Windylea's Kip O'Neill said of the yearling. “We thought she would bring $80,000 to $125,000 before the timely update that happened Friday. Certainly we were watching out for that horse. Once that happened, we thought we would get into the high $100,000s. She got over $200,000 and we are very happy with the hands that she's in. Jacob has bought quite a few from our farm over the years. It's becoming a good relationship.”

Windylea Farm claimed the unplaced Mo Savings for $40,000 at Belmont in 2019. Trust Fund was her first foal. She has a weanling filly by Tacitus.

“We still have the mare,” O'Neill confirmed. “We decided not to breed her back–it was a late foaling and we decided to give her the year off. We were going to have to give her a year off sooner or later and she's worked hard for us. So we figured we would give her a little bit of a break.”

Vekoma had a pair of yearlings sell Sunday night. In addition to the filly, the Spendthrift stallion also had a colt (hip 354) sell for $200,000 to Klaravich Stables.

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Jockey Quinonez Moves Into Second In All-Time Wins At Remington Park

It was one Oklahoma Horse Racing Hall of Fame jockey moving past another into second place in the all-time wins category at Remington Park in Oklahoma City, Okla., when Luis Quinonez won the third race of the night aboard Ace Gilford.

It gave Quinonez 1,420 wins here, one more than Don Pettinger. The win puts the veteran journeyman 705 behind all-time leader Cliff Berry, who had 2,125. Fittingly, Oklahoma Horse Racing Hall of Fame trainer Donnie Von Hemel gave Quinonez a leg up on Ace Gilford, a 4-year-old gelded son of Tale of the Cat, out of the Indian Charlie mare Indianella. He races for owner Dream Walkin Farms (Toby Keith) of Norman, Okla.

If you're going to reach a milestone, it should be done in impressive fashion and Quinonez did not pass up that opportunity. His mount flew to the front out of the gate in this 5-1/2 furlongs race on the main track and just kept widening his lead to the wire. As he hit the finish line in 1:05.31 over the fast track, he was 6-1/2 lengths ahead of everyone. Ace Gilford was sent off as the 2-1 second wagering favorite and made every pole a winning one, setting interior fractions of :22:91 for the first quarter-mile, :46.81 for the half-mile and :58.91 for five-eighths of a mile.

Ace Gilford paid $6 to win, $3.20 to place, and $2.60 to show. Bred in Kentucky by the owner, Ace Gilford won for the first time in seven tries, scoring in his career debut at Remington Park. He had hit the board in his last two starts at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark., with maiden claimers. Von Hemel gave him nearly five months off and the gelding fired fresh on all cylinders.

Quinonez, inducted into the Oklahoma Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 2017, needs only 99 more wins to reach 4,000 for his career. Only Berry, Quinonez, and Pettinger have won more than 1,000 races at Remington Park. Two other Oklahoma Racing Hall of Famer jockeys round out the top five – Tim Doocy with 796 and the late Pat Steinberg with 727.

Quinonez has had 26,833 mounts in his career with 3,901 wins, compiling $76,907,686 in horses' earnings, according to Equibase statistics. His top horses have included Grade 2 winners Alternation and Gold Medal Dancer. He also won with Grade 3 winners Suddenbreakingnews, Shotgun Kowboy, She's All In, Maysville Slew, and Injustice.

Quinonez made it to the Kentucky Derby once, aboard Suddenbreakingnews, the 2016 winner of the Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park for Von Hemel. They had teamed up to win the Clever Trevor Stakes at Remington Park in 2015.

Quinonez said he got his first win at Remington Park on his first mount in 1989 when he was in his early 20s aboard New Writer. He beat such riders as Berry, Steinberg (winner of seven riding titles in the early days of the track and an Oklahoma Horse Racing Hall of Famer), Dale Cordova (10th all-time here and regular rider for Silver Goblin), and Tony McNeil, now the paddock judge at Remington Park. Quinonez now is 54 years old and says retirement doesn't even cross his mind.

 

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