Free-Please Take One! April 2013 Where there are rivers, Th ere are valleys, Th ere are horses, and The alley Equestrian All breeds, all disciplines, all the time! Newspaper On the Road Again Your 2013 Summer Equestrian Vacation Guide Also Inside: Early American Racing and Black Jockeys, Equine Tax Court and Charles Wilhelm 2013-AprilCover.indd 1 3/26/2013 9:21:29 PM The Valley Equestrian News Page 2 www.theveonline.com April 2013 The Valley Equestrian News Page 3 www.theveonline.com April 2013 Come to the MN Horse Expo April 26-28 in St. Paul Stallions will be See these presented at the Does Julep Have One “L” Or Two? Minnesota Horse Expo in the AgStar breeds & Arena Friday and Saturday evening Hosting Your First Kentucky Derby Party Just Takes a Few Key Ingredients! more at the starting at 6 p.m. and Sunday morning By Heather Benson 2013 MN at 9:15 a.m. Visit them at their Horse Expo stalls in the April marks the fi nal countdown to the biggest horse racing event of the year, the Kentucky Derby. For those of us who are racing Horse Barn too! American Quarter Horse fans, these fi nal weeks are the one time per year that everyone we know, “horsey” or not, actually wants to talk with us aboutour American Saddlebred American Quarter favorite subject. It is the one time per year that we actually might have a reason to read the sports page or watch ESPN news. The BFTC Appaloosa Horse Racing for the Rest of Us Cane Creek Ranch one time per year where we get to play host to a party devoted to our favorite sport. It is time to plan your Derby Party! Arabian Rodney Eslinger Bashkir Curly Stalls 25 and 26 Belgian Like any other themed party, there are some “must-have’s”, some “nice-to-have’s” and some “oh my gosh that would be cool BFTC Derby Baker’s Dozen Update: Buckskin Foundation Appaloosa but not this year” items. Let’s start with the “must-have’s”: Chincoteague Pony Dream Makers Clydesdale Appaloosas Last month, we introduced you to the Donkey Robin Sothman Kentucky Derby Party Must-Have: horses that make up the BFTC “Odd Name Drum Horse Stalls 41 and 42 Derby (Baker’s) Dozen”...our list of horses Fell Pony American Drum Foundation Appaloosa Horse A big TV with the Derby on it. that we kind of hope don’t actually win on Foundation Quarter Horse Drums of War Farm the fi rst Saturday in May because we don’t Friesian Blood Horse Ashley Holtie This seems like a duh, but some people get so caught up in planning the other details of their Derby extravaganza that Friesian Heritage Horse Stalls 575 and 576 they forget the 2 minutes where every single person at their party is going to want to see the television. Yeah, it’s just two want their crazy names ending up in the Friesian Purebred Arabian minutes, but a mighty important two minutes! Just make sure the TV is somewhere that has plenty of viewing space and history books. By rooting for them, we Gypsy Essence Arabians Gypsy Cob Joan Hicks easy access! This year the Derby will be telecast on NBC, check your local listings, but post time is about 5:30 p.m. CT. hope to use our Derby jinx that has suc- Stalls 17, 18, Gypsy Vanner 19 and 20 HATS! cessfully knocked out each and every horse Haflinger With so few times per year to wear an amazing hat (pretty much the only one unless you celebrate the anniversary of that we have rooted for in 20 successive Half Arabian Gypsy Vanner Icelandic Horse Feather King Ranch Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding!), the Derby hat is a must do. Go classy or go crazy-just make sure your head Derbies. And so far, it seems to be working. Shawn Sodren Lusitano Stalls 585 and 586 is adorned with something! Mini Arabian Race Programs. For a brief moment, Ive Struck a Nerve Mini Gypsy American Quarter Miniature Horse Horse This doesn’t mean you have to go download the whole racing program that you get at the track (though you can, just go to was the Derby points leader by virtue of High Point Farm Miniature Pinto Naomi Twingstrom www.equibase.com starting the Wednesday before the race). But at least take a moment to print the list of horses for your his shocking longshot win in the Risen Star Morab Stalls 3 and 4 guests. The point is to pick a favorite to root for, even if your entire handicapping analysis is “I like the number 3”. Morgan Stakes. No more. He is sidelined due to a Mule Friesian Mon Cheval Friesian minor injury until later this year. Nokota Horse Mindy Price Norwegian Fjord Stalls 5 and 6 The Nice-To-Have: Paint Fear the Kitten and My Name is Michael Paso Fino Peruvian Bentwood Place Mint Juleps. both took a shot at getting in the Derby Percheron Peruvian Horses Peruvian Gail Benson And yes, it just has one “L”! This is THE cocktail of the Kentucky Derby. I am not sure exactly why, but it happens to be one starting gate in the Spiral Stakes at Turfway Pintabian Stall 234 on March 23. Each struck out big and gar- Pinto of those things that even “lay” people (those non-racing fans) happen to associate with the big event. Recipes abound, but Arabian the basics are fresh mint leaves, Simple Syrup and of course, Kentucky Bourbon. Side Note: Did you know that Bourbon nered not one of the much needed points. Rocky Mountain Horse Elk Creek Arabians Shetland Pony Kurt Rayhorn County in Kentucky is in the heart of the Lexington-area horse country? Dipsy Drew tried an allowance at Oaklawn Shire Stalls 239 and 240 Spanish Mustang Roses. and trailed home in 5th and Dirty Swagg, Morgan It’s the run for the roses, after all! If you must decorate with a non-horsey theme, then use the fl ower of the moment. Red Fevernthefunkhouse, Little Jerry, Sir Fire Spotted Draft Horse Prairie Hill Morgans Standardbred Susan Motter is the color on the winner’s garland, but use what you can fi nd to stay true to the day. Foot and Standup Paddle haven’t even Tennessee Walking Horse Stalls 7 and 8 Thoroughbred A way to wager. had a workout in the last month. American Quarter If you and your friends are truly a sporting group, consider opening an internet wagering account and having at least a few Warmblood Horse Welsh Pony Quarter Mile Run dollars funded in it before raceday. That way you can wager at the live odds shown at the track and learn what it is to truly One very notable exception to the above Welsh Cobb Terra Koster Stalls 34 and 35 sweat when the photo fi nish sign comes up at the end! fade-outs is Govenor Charlie’s track record Foundation breaking win in the Sunland Derby on Quarter Horse Sandstorm Founda- The Oh-My-Gosh-That-Would-Be-Cool-But-Not-Quite-This-Year March 23. While this win gets him enough For Sale Horses tion Quarter Horses points to get in the gate at the Derby, I’m Todd Waldera at the MN Horse Stalls 30 and 31 Must-Have: not terribly concerned about a horse that Expo. Stop by their stalls and visit Morgan had to go to New Mexico to get his points. them! North Central Why, a horse in the Derby of course! I am sure he will now win by 30 lengths, Morgan Association Could there be a better way to spend Derby Day? Imagine sitting in the owner’s box, dressed in your best, rooting home a Karyl Hylle but really, he has one of the better of the Foundation Appaloosa Stalls 9 and 10 horse that you not only bet on, but you own! If you think your heart pounds when there is a $2 win ticket on the line, can Triple A Appaloosas “bad” names! Stalls 64-66 American Quarter Horse you imagine having a horse rushing towards the wire with the $1,240,000 winner’s share of the purse on the line along with Sunset Sands racing history? Amazingly, it might not be as big of a longshot day dream as you think. The group of friends that pooled Quarter Horses Gypsy Vanner Les Warzynski and their money for a partnership on 2003 Kentucky Derby winner paid only $7,500 each for their shot at Derby glory! And Shanghai Bobby, Frac Daddy and Bam- Gypsy Dance Ranch Sarah Steuck racing partnerships have won three of the last ten Derbies, including 2011’s with Animal Kingdom. bazonki all appear to be working towards Stalls 138-140 Morgan Pinto Paint/Quarter Horse Miniature Stalls 245 and 246 Prairie Hill Morgan Rainbows End Sandy Pines Quarter Horses Shan Doah Miniatures their next start with Shanghai Bobby Peruvian Mixed Breed Stalls 145-147 Stalls 141-142 Stalls 343-344 Stalls 280-282 Black River Above all, the primary reason to host a Derby party is to have fun and give your friends a great introduction to one of the aimed at the March 30 Florida Derby as of Larry Surrett Peruvian Horses most exciting events in sports. There is nothing quite like the pageantry, beauty, and excitement of Kentucky Derby Day to Stalls 51-54 American Quarter Horse Foundation Quarter Horse American Quarter Horse Paint Ken, Bonnie, this writing.