Frazier, White and Flag de Lune Join Washington Racing Hall of Fame

Jockey Basil Frazier, Grade I-winning mare Flag de Lune (Flag Officer), and racing writer/broadcaster Jon White will be inducted into the Washington Racing Hall of Fame this summer, Emerald Downs announced Wednesday.

Washington's Horse of the Year in 1984, Flag de Lune was a multiple stakes winner on dirt, including the inaugural running of the Longacres Lassies S., and became a Grade I winner on turf when she won the the 1984 Ramona H. at Del Mar.

A native of Spokane, Washington, Frazier rode in Canada and the United States, retiring in 1985 with 2,218 career victories. Frazier's crowning moment was a dramatic victory aboard Times Rush in the 1974 Longacres Mile.

Another native of Spokane, White has been a local and national force in racing media for over five decades. Beginning with Daily Racing Form as chart-caller at age 19, White has been a publicist, television host, morning-line maker and steward, his byline appearing in The BloodHorse, Los Angeles Times, Thoroughbred Record, Canadian Horse, and The Washington Thoroughbred, among others.

White currently writes a weekly column for Xpressbet.com, appears weekly on Steve Byk's national racing show, and produces morning lines for Santa Anita and Del Mar, including the morning lines for eight Breeders' Cups.

“What a tremendous honor it is for this Washington-bred to go into the Washington Racing Hall of Fame,” White said. “I consider it to be the pinnacle of my career in racing. I just wish that my father [Quentin White] was still alive to see this. As a lifelong racing fan, he'd be over the moon.”

The official induction ceremony will be held Aug. 10 at Emerald Downs. Also to be honored at the ceremony, longtime trainer and former NFL and University of Washington running back Junior Coffey will be presented with the 2024 Lifetime Achievement award.

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Letter to the Editor: ‘Time to Roll Up Our Sleeves’

Picture waking up to a world where our beloved industry doesn't exist. This thought isn't just a scare tactic; it's a serious wake-up call about what's at stake–our jobs, our skills and the legacy many families have built over generations.

Our industry, known for its grit and passion, is facing serious threats, both from inside and out. And yet, we've been too comfortable, too stuck in our ways, too scared to change.

We've heard the tough feedback, and it's not all unwarranted. Claims that we lack emotional maturity and are stuck in our ways beg us to take a hard look in the mirror.

Is it that we can't handle the tough, honest conversations necessary for growth or have we just been taking the easy way out?

Our future depends on us coming together, being open to change and facing the hard truths. Leadership needs to be about collaboration and empowering everyone.

We can't let those who love to see us divided win. It's time to show the doubters what we're really made of, not with just words, but with action.

We're at a crucial point. The choices we make now will shape the future of Thoroughbred racing.

Let's make the smart choice and take bold steps forward. The clock is ticking, and we've got too much to lose.

Holding on to the hope that being underestimated is our secret weapon–they won't know what hit them. Time to roll up our sleeves and show them they're wrong!

Warm regards, Clark Shepherd

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First Mare Checked in Foal to Elite Power

Dual Champion Elite Power (Curlin–Broadway's Alibi, by Vindication), a new stallion of 2024, has had the first mare he covered checked in foal, according to an announcement from Juddmonte late Tuesday.

The mare, Candy Strike (Candy Ride {Arg}), is a 4-year-old out of GSW & MGISP Scarlet Strike (Smart Strike), who is a half-sister to GISWs Tara's Tango (Unbridled Song) and Visionaire (Grand Slam).

Elite Power, a two-time winner of the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint, is standing his first season at Juddmonte Farms near Lexington, where his 2024 fee is $50,000.

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Preakness 149 Future Wager Begins Thursday

Edited Press Release

The first pool to wager on the 149th GI Preakness S., middle jewel of the Triple Crown, begins Thursday, Feb. 29 and will close just hours after three major prep races are contested Saturday in Florida, California, and New York.

When pools open at noon Thursday, 12 weeks before Preakness 149 at Pimlico Race Course, Baoma Corp.'s undefeated Nysos (Nyquist) will be the 4-1 favorite with the pari-mutuel field of “all other 3-year-olds” the 6-1 second choice.

The first Preakness 149 future wager will close after Saturday's runnings of the $400,000 GII Coolmore Fountain of Youth S. at Gulfstream Park, the $400,000 GII San Felipe S. at Santa Anita Park, and the $300,000 GIII Gotham S. at Aqueduct.

There are 40 betting interests in the Preakness 149 future wager, with the 40th betting interest being the pari-mutuel field, or “all other 3-year-olds.” The Preakness 149 future wager has a $2 minimum and 18% takeout. The first pool closes at 8 p.m. Saturday evening. The second pool opens Friday, Apr. 26 and closes Saturday, May 4 at 6 p.m.

The Preakness Future Wager was unanimously approved by the Maryland Racing Commission. Similar to that of future wagers for the GI Kentucky Derby and GI Kentucky Oaks, bettors are not refunded if their selection does not run in the Preakness, which is limited to a maximum of 14 starters.

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