Texas Thoroughbred Forum

[Bedouwia]

Captain Countdown is just one more example of the good stallions that we have in Texas. Congratulations, and I expect more good winners from this one. It's too bad that it is such an uphill struggle for us in the current atmosphere. I read an article today that our good governor is still trying to sell the state lottery. The consultants say that its value will go down if we have VLT's. No doubt this will just give the powers that be one more excuse.

I really logged in to give an update on Lights on Broadway. He is on his way to Donna and Dallas Keen, who will rehab him and see if he might be a good future OTTB for someone. They have an excellent record at this sort of thing, and it is so wonderful to see that this story has a happy ending.

Best of luck to everyone at the opening of Retama tomorrow.

Bedouwia

[Roger]

There seems to be a lot of La. and Ok. trainers with horses in at Retama and most of them still have horses running in those states. I'm guessing they are sending in some good maidens and their cheap horses. The purse structure is lopsided for good maidens run for $17,000 to $21,000 while $15,000 claiming maidens run for $7,000-$7,500 and for the most part here they are the same horses. Good Alw. horses run for $22,000 and $5,000 claimers run for $5,000. There is good and bad in this sceme. Tx horses will as usual do very well at the lower levels.

[Roger]

My previous post would make more sense if we consider that LS has $21,000 msw and $32,000 alw. and SH has $12,000-$14,000 msp and a few $16,000 alw races bottom for LS is $7,000 and for SH is $5,000. Our best racing is at LS and then SH and then Retama. i am now totally confused as to the purpose of these post.

[Derring]

A great big thank you to Donna and Dallas Keen for taking in Lights on Broadway!!!!!!

[Bedouwia]

If you go to their website DallasKeen.com Donna has put up a picture of Lights on Broadway just after his arrival. Her report says that he appears sound, and while a bit thin, should settle in well. Such wonderful news.

Bedouwia

[Bedouwia]

I just got an update. LOPE is being featured at the Equine Expo of Texas (Sept 13-14 in Fort Worth) -- they've given LOPE lots of exhibit space and an arena demo. Donna and Dallas Keen have been invited to bring LOB to the exhibit and also to pony him in the arena for the public (with one of their pony horses!). This is a great opportunity to celebrate the return of LOB to Texas and OTTB efforts for the general public.

LOPE is looking for more items to display in their booth that would showcase Texas racing and our thoroughbreds. If any of you have any ideas, items, or suggestions, please contact LOPE.

If you are in the Fort Worth area, be sure to attend.

Bedouwia

[Roger]

Got KoKo's AP Indy only brought $175,000 today. He was HIP 189, I guess her pedigree got him.

[Strategic Maneuver]

I watched him go thru also and thought unless there's something amiss with him in the repository, someone made a good buy if they're willing to be patient and let him grow as he looked like a "big ole boy" to me.

[adrienne]

Sorry to break in on this thread, but I am trying to network with some Texas horse folks and I can't seem to become a member of the Texas horse message board that I found.

I used to post here because I was a super TB enthusiast and involved in the horse racing world in Chicago. I moved to Texas about 8 months ago to work on a dressage farm and well... hmm... didn't work out (obviously).

I am working in north central Texas at the moment raising money to go back to Iowa to lick my wounds and swear off this entire horse industry thing (though I have to say... I miss the racing folks, ya'll are by far the most normal of horse people).

I have a horse down here and she is currently pasture boarded. I was mortified today to find out that my bare-basics no facilities pasture board is running $240 a month and will go up to over $400 when she has to be fed hay. Ekk! I want to ship her home ASAP but I just don't have the free cash at the moment.

I was hoping for a little bit of help from Texas horse folk.

Anyone know a decent pasture boarding situation that might be less than I am paying now. She is a 14h pinto pony and needs almost no care and no extra feeding, stall, etc. She's an easy girl I am hoping for the DFW area as I am working a job with little/no off time now so I won't be able to see her anyway... and DFW would be closer to where it would be good for a shipper to pick her up to go to Iowa. Basically DFW and north... just not south, that's further away from home I obviously want good care for her, but she is not used to being nor does she appreciate being a pampered pony. She's great in a pasture, doesn't cause trouble, etc. It would probably be mid-October before I would be able to move her, so that's the timeline.

Anyway, my email is [email protected]. I do check this board. PM me if you want a cell number.

Thanks in advance!!

Adrienne

[Bedouwia]

Adrennie, I hope that someone has been able to help you. If not, and you have the opportunity, perhaps attend the Horse Expo in Ft. Worth this weekend. There should be a lot of knowledgeable people there from your area. Good luck.

I really logged on to say to all of those in the potential path of hurricance Ike, that I hope you will be safe. I know that there are some lovely horse facilities that will be hit hard. You are in my prayers.

Bedouwia

[KMO_racing]

To all you Texans, stay safe and inside, best of luck to all during the hurricane.

[jellac]

We are definitely leading a charmed life. Stayed put in our raised bungalow cottage and amazingly had power back by 7PM Saturday....no really serious damage, just lots of yard clean-up to do. We live about 7 mins from downtown Houston in the Heights - an older neighborhood of large old oaks, pecans and sycamores - all very susceptable to wind damage and really came thru very well. LOTS of limbs down and some trees, power is back on at our house and more are getting added to the grid as crews work around the clock. A few neighbors have serious home damage but overall it's mostly about cutting up limbs, clearing debris and getting some electricity turned back on. Neighbors have all joined to clear streets, share equipment/generators/gas and food/water, etc. Just saw flyover of Galveston and it is not wholly destroyed at all but very wet and will be back in shorter order than most folks think. On the other hand = Port Bolivar and just about everything on the Bolivar Penninsula is gone or heavily destructed....sad to think as many as 400+ people decided they could ride it out there. I pray for those that are still alive after such an ordeal. Understand that the story in Orange, Port Arthur, Beaumont and coastal communities to the east of Galveston Bay and inland of the coast are very badly hit and just starting to assess their damage. Our horses are in Waller and came out OK there too. Hope everyone else is seeing steady recovery from this. Can't even imagine what this area would be like if it had been a Class III or IV storm, or if it had taken a more westward track than it did and given it's full wrath on Houston instead of the Bay and communities to east of Big H. Take care one and all.....

[Bedouwia]

There are some pretty horrific pictures coming out now of the destruction left in the wake of Ike. A lot of animals were left behind, and recovery is going to be long and hard. The Texas Thoroughbred Association website (Texasthoroughbred.com) has a link to two relief efforts if anyone can help.

Jellac, glad you were spared.

Bedouwia

[Roger]

In the last month or so, I've had a hard time getting the "entries&results page on the TTA's page to come up. It takes a while. Is this new problem due to my slow dial-up or do any of you have to wait too. Its almost so bad that I'm not going to keep going there.

[jellac]

Just read Dave Hooper's report in the online Texas Thoroughbred re: Sam Houston Race Prak coming thru Ike. From his brief summation of the damage I gather it must have been pretty darn scarey and difficult for those grooms that stayed behind with the QHs that couldn't be taken out due to the evacuation clogged roads out of town. Consider all that they had to deal with - in addition to the 100+mph winds and driving rain of the storm: flying crap everywhere, the front parking canopy being destroyed, almost all the track fencing being laid down, Grandstand windows on the second level blowing out, one entire barn and the grooms' quarters tied to it blown down, loose horses, etc. And all of this in the total darkness!!! I can't even imagine how they maintained any control over their charges. It must have been a terrifying night for man and beast. Amazingly no serious injuries or deaths to their charges or the grooms are reported and all the loose horses were found/rounded up the next morning. Again, amazing.