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Secretariat’s Legacy 2024 Calendar Honors Secrettame

The Secretariat calendar series, now in its seventh year, will honor Secretariat's daughter Secrettame for the 2024 edition. The series started in 2018 with the Living Legends theme honoring the last living Secretariat sons and daughters, then transitioned to descendants of Secretariat's important broodmares in 2022. Proceeds from the 2024 calendar will benefit The Secretariat Center and Old Friends. The series has already raised more than $33,000 for equine charities through six editions. This will be the first one with The Secretariat Center as the primary beneficiary.

“I've always wanted to work with The Secretariat Center, the only aftercare organization carrying the Triple Crown winner's name,” said writer and photographer Patricia McQueen. “With this calendar series likely winding down soon, it was important to make the change now. I'm thrilled that the previous calendars raised considerable funds for Bright Futures Farm, Old Friends, LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement Society, and Victory Alliance Ranch, all very worthy organizations.”

McQueen published a book, Secretariat's Legacy, earlier this year.

“The Secretariat Center believes all horses deserve care, kindness and a purpose beyond the racetrack, and the Secretariat's Legacy calendar is such a fun way to remember all that Secretariat has done, and continues to do, for the racing industry,” added Shelley Mann, Executive Director of The Secretariat Center. “We look forward to celebrating his legacy with his fans, both old and new. Thank you to Patricia for generously supporting horses, as they transition into loving homes, through proceeds from her beautiful calendars.”

Secrettame, born in 1978, was a stakes winner at five after placing in the G2 Gazelle H. at three. Her first foal was the Mr. Prospector son Gone West, a Grade I winner and influential sire whose sire sons included Elusive Quality and Speightstown. Both of those also have a number of important sire sons standing currently, while Secrettame also produced MGSW and MGISP Lion Cavern, a full-brother to Gone West.

As with previous calendars, the Tony Leonard Collection continues to support the series with a photo of Secretariat and Ron Turcotte taken after the Kentucky Derby. Turcotte also has autographed a limited number of calendars.

The new calendars are available for $22 each, plus shipping, at SecretariatCalendar.com.

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P. Val Eyeing Comeback

He's 61, hasn't ridden since 2016 and recently had a knee replaced. For most, this would be the time to enjoy retirement and look back on a career that carried him to the heights of his profession. But Pat Valenzuela doesn't see it that way. He's been working horses at Del Mar and Santa Anita, says he feels good and is seriously contemplating making a comeback.

“I'm a little heavy now, so I don't know if I'll be able to do the weight,” he said. “But I'm sure going to try. I'll ride somewhere, whether it's in New Mexico, Louisiana, wherever. I'll give it my best shot.”

Valenzuela last rode on Dec. 8, 2016 at Fair Grounds. He then tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and after surgery he still didn't feel right.

“The surgery came out ok, but there was still a lot of pain and it kept bothering me over the last four, five years,” he said.

He would try to get back on horses but the pain kept resurfacing.

“Last year, I was getting on horses for Neil Drysdale and I couldn't take the pain anymore. I couldn't tolerate it,” he said.

Knowing that he had to try something different to combat the pain, he decided to have his knee replaced, which took place in May.

He returned to the track after the operation and worked as a hotwalker for trainer Antonio Saavedra. Each day, his knee started to feel a little better.

“It feels really good. I can't believe how good it feels,” he said. “There's no pain. Before it was painful to get on any horses. It's not like I have a brand-new knee, but it's a lot better than it was.”

He took the next step and started galloping horses at Santa Anita and Del Mar. In addition to Saavedra, he said he has been working horses for several trainers, including Peter Eurton and Peter Miller.

“I'm getting a good response,” Valenzuela said. “I'm just grateful to be able to get on any horses. Most everybody has been encouraging. I'm not hearing anything negative from anybody. I'm just trying to keep it simple and moving forward. As far as the physical fitness part of it, I think it'll will take me another month to 45 days to get ready. The weight is the most important thing. When you get older it's harder to lose weight. I weigh 128 now. I am working hard and eating light meals. Usually one meal a day. Just trying to stay away from fats and saturated fats.”

Valenzuela, whose career was repeatedly interrupted by substance abuse issues, said those problems are a thing of the past and have had nothing to do with his prolonged absence from the track.

Should he make it back, he'll have to answer a lot of questions, namely can a 61-year-old who hasn't ridden in more than seven years overcome all those obstacles and be successful?

“We'll have to see,” he said. “I will give it my best shot. I feel really good. I feel like I'm in a La-Z-Boy with a remote control when I'm on a horse. I feel like I'm at home. Who knows? I might be better. Gary Stevens came back after having a knee replacement and look how good he did. I don't think the age will matter that much. I think it will be more about physical fitness and the horses I get to ride.”

While eager to ride again, Valenzuela is not taking anything for granted. Considering his age, his lengthy absence and his checkered past, he understands that some racing commissions may have reservations about re-licensing him. He said his preference is to ride in California, but if that opportunity isn't available to him he will look elsewhere.

“I've ridden all over the country but I'd love to start back in my home state in California,” he said. “That would be the ultimate. But if I can't ride in California I'll ride anywhere I can. Maybe Louisiana or New Mexico. I know I can still get a horse to the wire.”

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Ghostzapper Weanling Tops Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sale

A weanling colt by Ghostzapper (hip 29) brought the top price of the Fasig-Tipton December Mixed Sale Tuesday in Timonium when selling for $82,000 to Machmer Hall. The bay colt, bred in Maryland by Owen Kiernan and consigned by Northview Stallion Station, is the first foal out of the unraced Dance All Day (Exaggerator). The mare is a half-sister to 2021 Queen's Plate winner Safe Conduct (Bodemeister) and to stakes winner Dancing Duchess (Munnings). She RNA'd for $21,000 with this foal in utero at the 2023 Keeneland January sale. The weanling's third dam, Sararegal (Regal Classic), is the dam of Canadian champion Fatal Bullet.

During the one-session auction, 148 horses sold for $1,518,100. The average was $10,257 and the median was $5,000. With 39 horses reported not sold, the buy-back rate was 20.9%.

A year ago, 172 horses grossed $3,233,600 for an average of $18,800 and a median of $10,000. The buy-back rate was 24.6%.

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Baffert Wants One Defendant in Defamation Suit Ruled in Default for Not Answering Complaint

The federal lawsuit initiated by trainer Bob Baffert that alleges civil extortion and defamation by two social media posters has been ordered to proceed to an “early neutral evaluation” (ENE) conference Jan. 10 that is designed to save time and money as a form of alternate dispute resolution before the case can proceed any further.

However, subsequent to that Nov. 29 ENE order, Baffert's attorney, Clark Brewster, asked the United States District Court (Southern District of California) on Dec. 4 to enter a default judgment against one of the defendants for failing to file an answer to the complaint in a timely manner.

Back on Sept. 27, Baffert filed a suit that asked for compensatory damages in excess of $75,000, plus an award of punitive damages “to deter similar conduct by Defendants and others” after purportedly suffering “mental anguish, anxiety, and duress Defendants have caused by virtue of their repeated threats to Baffert's business and family by means of their unlawful statements.”

As Baffert's complaint put it, “This lawsuit is the response to a series of escalating threats and criminal conduct by Defendants Justin Wunderler and Daniel DiCorcia against Plaintiffs Bob Baffert and his family. Over the past several months, Defendants have urged others to engage in violent behavior toward Baffert and his family, baselessly accused Baffert of criminal conduct, and attempted to extort Baffert and his family under threats to his business, reputation, and occupational license.”

Baffert's complaint stated that Wunderler “resides in Waretown, New Jersey, and is a part-time pari-mutuel Thoroughbred racing bettor. Mr. Wunderler has a substantial social media presence and following under the pseudonym 'Swifthitter.'”

The complaint also stated that DiCorcia “resides in Point Pleasant, New Jersey, is a part-time pari-mutuel Thoroughbred racing bettor, and operates an apparel store called 'BarShoeLife' that sells racing-related apparel. Mr. DiCorcia also has a substantial social media presence and following under various pseudonyms related to that “Bar Shoe” handle.

Baffert's complaint alleged that “[T]his escalating pattern of outrageous behavior is specifically intended to accrue more followers and personal monetary gain. Before the [GI] Belmont S. in New York, Mr. Wunderler specifically asked his followers to bring dangerous objects to hurl at Baffert and his family. Shortly thereafter, Mr. Wunderler posted a picture of Baffert's house in California and claimed that he 'slaughters horses on National TV.'”

The complaint further alleged that, “Mr. Wunderler and Mr. DiCorcia engaged in a conspiracy to extort money from Baffert, sent a text message demanding a certain sum of money, with specific payment instructions for wiring money, in exchange for a promise not to release information Defendants allege is so damaging that it will end Baffert's career.”

DiCorcia, according to the court's docket, filed a timely, one-page response Nov. 28 that denied Baffert's allegations and asked for the claims to be dismissed.

Wunderler, however, did not file any response after being served, according to the motion filed Monday by Brewster on behalf of Baffert.

That motion cited Rule 55(a) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, which states that a party can be found in default if they fail to plead or otherwise defend themselves from a party seeking relief via lawsuit.

The motion stated that Baffert “respectfully request[s] the Clerk to enter the default of Defendant Justin Wunderler for failure to plead or otherwise defend this action within the permitted time to respond.”

The motion attached an affidavit of service and stated Baffert's legal team made “several attempts” to serve Wunderler personally with the complaint at his residence.

“The individual served was Mr. Wunderler's mother, who confirmed that Mr. Wunderler lived at the residence,” Baffert's motion for default stated. “Plaintiffs also mailed copies of the Complaint and Summons through regular and certified mail to Mr. Wunderler. Through his various posts and discussions on the social media platform 'X,' formerly known as Twitter, Mr. Wunderler has confirmed that he is aware of the Complaint and has reviewed its contents.”

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