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We should do this here in the USA & I applaud Australia for implementing this. 

http://www.paulickreport.com/news/the-biz/australia-to-require-registration-of-retired-racehorses/

[ARMED]

ARMED 1941 (g) Bull Lea x Armful by Chance Shot

The story of Armed must begin with his fabled sire, Bull Lea of Calumet Farm. Bull Lea was purchased by Warren Wright Sr. at the 1936 Saratoga Yearling Sales for $14,000. During his racing career, he more than justified his purchase price, earning $94,825 and winning 10 of 27 starts. After three years on the track, he was retired to stud for $750 and it was there that he etched his name in the history books.


Bull Lea as a young stallion

He became one of the most successful sires in American breeding history while standing at Calumet Farm. Bull Lea's first foal crop included no less than 3 champions, all trained by Ben A. Jones. Durazna and Twilight Tear, both fillies, achieved success during their juvenile season and were named co-champion 2 year old fillies. Twilight Tear went on to be named Horse Of The Year the following season. The third champion from Bull Lea's first crop, the brown gelding Armed, wasn't so distinguished until 1946 when he earned championship honors in the handicap division.

Racing for Calumet Farm, Armed made 81 starts in his career, winning 41 times and earning $817,475. He was named Horse Of The Year in 1947 and repeat Champion Handicap Male. However, he didn't start out at the top.  Untrainable and wild as a juvenile, he was small but loved to kick and bite. He was gelded at age 2 and given the rest of the year to mature. When he returned he was better behaved, but Jimmy Jones still enjoyed a prank on visitors and would often show them a fierce Armed, ears pinned, teeth barred, saying "All the Bull Lea's bite, but this one is the worst of all."  Then he would enter the stall and visitors would watch amazed as Armed allowed himself to be handled, gentle as a lamb.


Armed

It wasn't until age 4 that Armed raced in stakes company but he made up for lost time by reeling off 6 wins in a row. Then 4 near misses including a second to Busher, 1945 Horse Of The Year and Champion 3 Year Old Filly in the Washington Park Handicap. The most important of Armed's ten victories that season was the Pimlico Special, in which he upset the season's champion handicap horse, Stymie, as well as Preakness winner Polynesian and Pimlico Oaks winner Gallorette.


Armed

In 1946 Armed reached the top of his division, winning 11 of his 18 starts and earning the impressive sum of $288,725. He won the Widener Handicap, carried 130 pounds to victory in the Suburban Handicap and was voted 1946 Champion Handicap Horse, becoming the third champion from Bull Lea's first crop.



As a six year old, Armed was the star of the most successful stable in the country. Also racing for Calumet in 1947 were the juvenile stars Bewitch, Citation and Coaltown as well as Preakness winner Faultless. Armed won 11 of 17 starts that season with victories including his second straight Widener Handicap. He earned $100,000 of his $376,375 in a winner take all match race at Pimlico, soundly defeating Assault, whose Triple Crown the previous season had helped him edge Armed for Horse Of The Year title. Winning the Sysonby Mile, Armed brought his career winnings to $761,500 and reigned as thoroughbred racing's all time leading money winner for sixteen days. Stymie's win in the Gallant Fox Handicap put him back on top but he could not threaten the Calumet gelding's fame. Armed was named 1947 Horse of the Year and Champion Handicap Male.



1948 began with a second place finish to his younger stable mate, Citation, in an allowance race at Hialeah, and throughout the rest of his career, Armed continued to take a back seat to Calumet's younger stars, failing to win another stakes race. He did win races however, scoring victories in six of his last twenty-four starts and earning the praise of Jimmy Jones who said "They will have to rank him with the great of all time. He's lost that old zing and the things he did easily come hard now, but when he was at his best there wasn't anything around that could touch him."



Armed raced until the age of nine, earning $55,975 in the last three years of his racing career, and while he didn't win a stakes race again after age six, he did run second in five of them, including the Churchill Downs Handicap behind stable mate, Free America. He was the world's leading money winning gelding and had set or equaled nine track records. He went out a winner, winning one final race at Gulfstream Park in March of 1950 before retiring to Calumet Farm, where he lived as a pensioner. He passed away from old age on May 5, 1964, a year after being elected to the Racing Hall Of Fame



On Monday, for Veteran's Day, hug a Vet! All that you enjoy today was bought with the dedicated service of all the members of our Armed Forces. They deserve our honor and our respect.


My wallpaper tribute to Armed.
Photo credit: Bottom Right: James W. Sames III from the collection of Barbara Livingston

Who bought him is a secret, it seems. Pointing towards the Dubai World Cup with ultimate goal of standing him at stud.

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/81884/ron-the-greek-sold-to-overseas-interests

Love and Pride and In Lingerie

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/81855/love-and-pride-brings-49-million-at-f-t

Inglorious and Her Smile

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/81854/two-mares-bring-seven-figures-at-f-t

Mizdirection

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/81857/mizdirection-sells-for-27-million-at-f-t

Where do I start? The crappy sound mix? The botox babe gyrating for the camera singing that horrid song? She ruined the post parade for me. Every time I tried to turn the sound back on she was flapping and screeching.
If this is what horse racing has to do to attract fans, I quit.
The morons that run the Breeders Cup need to think outside the box - they can't out-do the Kentucky Derby by borrowing the Derby traditions and sleazing them up. Tackiest Breeders Cup Prime Time show EVER. Seriously thinking about skipping the TV coverage next year and just reading the DRF charts afterwards.

Some photos from his racing career:






Photo Credit: Susie Raisher


Photo Credit: Susie Raisher


Churchill Downs 2002

I was going to call it Fabulous Fillies of Yesteryear but why limit things?

I have been wanting to do something like this for quite awhile. Since I paint and color old photos, I am continually frustrated by trying to find the racing silks colors in black-and-white photos. So I was thinking that a database of sorts would be nice. I could use some suggestions from everyone about the best way to do this. I was thinking alphabetical by owner/and stable using pictures like the one below:

Vanderbilt II, Alfred G.



We would include modern silks also but any suggestions about how best to do this would be very much appreciated! HELP! 

Maybe not the right spot to ask this but does anyone know where I can find a good online Arabic dictionary? So many horses are named with names I can't pronounce much less know what they mean. I've tried using Google with the horses' name but that got me nowhere. Any suggestions?

http://www.paulickreport.com/news/bloodstock/grade-1-winner-paynter-to-winstar-farm-in-2014/

I'll start this one off with a pic of the love of my life, Waffle. He's a 3 year old Belgian Malinois we rescued.



A rare shot of Waffle in his natural habitat



The real boss of the house, my cat Socrates



As you can see the life at chez Jackson is non-stop excitement

[Kingston Hill Clear Racing Post Trophy Winner]

Kingston Hill Clear Racing Post Trophy Winner



Paul Smith's unbeaten Kingston Hill will be a horse to watch for next season's classics after trouncing the field in the Racing Post Trophy (Eng-I) Oct. 26 at Doncaster.

Supplemented to race for £17,500 ($28,297 in United States funds), the 2-year-old colt won by 4 1/2 lengths after tracking well behind early pacesetter Buonarroti.

Kingston Hill was ridden to challenge Buonarroti well over a quarter mile out and easily gained command with more than a furlong to run. Runner-up Johann Strauss was urged to pursue but was no match for the winner.

Altruistic, who entered off a third in the Juddmonte Beresford Stakes (Ire-II) Sept. 29 at the Curragh, rallied strongly from well back for jockey-trainer Johnny Murtagh to again be third, another 2 1/2 lengths back in the 11-horse field.

Kingston Hill covered the straight one mile in 1:44.83 as the 7-2 favorite on turf rated as soft. He took his record to three wins from as many career starts while bringing down the curtain on group I racing in Great Britain for the season.

With the dominant win, Kingston Hill becomes the first group I winner for Coolmore Stud's freshman sire Mastercraftsman. He also was the second group winner of the day for his sire following Craftsman's front-running win in the JRA Killavullan Stakes (Ire-III) at Leopardstown.

Smith and trainer Roger Varian were convinced to supplement the gray or roan colt to the Racing Post Trophy after he bounced out of his 1 1/2-length triumph in the Autumn Stakes (Eng-III) two weeks ago at Newmarket. That win followed a debut victory Sept. 21 at Newbury.

The facile Racing Post Trophy triumph gives his connections something exciting to look forward to next season.

"He's a beautiful mover and next year will be an open book," Varian told Racing Post. "He has a great cruising speed and turn of foot so you wouldn't rule out the (Two Thousand) Guineas (Eng-I). He'll be in everything and we'll see how he develops over the winter and trains in the spring."

Five Racing Post Trophy winners have continued on to capture the following season's Epsom Derby (Eng-I), including 2011 winner Camelot, in addition to Authorized (2006), Motivator (2004), and High Chaparral (2001) since 2000.

Kingston Hill was bred in Great Britain by Ridgecourt Stud out of French group III winner Audacieuse, by Rainbow Quest. Audacieuse is a half sister to 2010 Acomb Stakes (Eng-III) winner Walter's Dream. Second dam Sarah Georgina is a half sister to 1991 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (Fr-I, French One Thousand Guineas) winner Danseuse du Soir.

Bloodstock agent Charlie Gordon-Watson bought Kingston Hill for 70,000 guineas ($112,504) out of Book 2 at the 2012 Tattersalls October yearling sale. Woodcote Stud, agent, consigned.

Kingston Hill is from the first crop of Irish-based shuttler Mastercraftsman. The 7-year-old son of Danehill Dancer also has another hopeful for next year's classics in Prestige Stakes (Eng-III) winner Amazing Maria, a candidate for the One Thousand Guineas (Eng-I).

A photo of 2 yr old Irish Course. She was being taught to break from the gate and decided she'd had enough fun for one day thank you very much!

I just LOVE gray horses so I thought they deserved one too. 

A Toast To Tanner 2004 (g) Tannersmyman x Champagne N Toast by Fred Astaire Photo credit: Marcie Heacox



A.P. Cardinal 2006 (c) A.P. Indy x Smok'N Frolic by Smoke Glacken Photo credit: Alysse Jacobs

Nothing like starting out your day being pissed off.  How dare he call my favorite sport and a venerable track "a waste of space."

Cuomo Calls Aqueduct 'A Waste'

In a meeting with the New York Daily News editorial board, Gov. Andrew Cuomo mirrored the newspaper's desire to have Aqueduct racetrack closed.

The racetrack and parking sits on nearly 200 acres, making it one of the largest pieces of land in New York City. "It's been a waste," Cuomo told the Daily News. "You could do anything at Aqueduct. I mean, you're right at the airport. It's a great piece of property. It's one of the largest pieces of property, probably, in the city of New York..."

Robert Megna, the state's budget Director and a member of the New York Racing Association board of directors, told the Daily News that NYRA management is looking "very closely" at the possible closure of Aqueduct.

Okay all you New York members - please give him HELL.

aka mares bred in 2013

Abergeldie
Abtasaamah
Afaaf
Afleeting Lady
Anna Wi'yaak (dam of unnamed '13)
Arcadiana
Arch's Gal Edith
Ash Zee
Atayeb
Atlantic Voyage
Autobahn Girl (dam of unnamed '13)
Awesome Feather

Barad
Basaata
Bellasimo
Belle of Perintown
Belva (dam of unnamed '12)
Bernardette
Blue Duster (dam of unnamed '13)
Blue Petrel
Boat's Ghost
Brilliant Disguise
Bsharpsonata (dam of Estidraaj)

Cambiocorsa
Campionessa
Cassis
Cast Call (dam of unnamed '12)
Caterette
Cat Moves
Catstar (dam of Catlanta, unnamed '13)
Changeisgonnacome (dam of Changewilldoyagood)
Charity Belle
Cheery
Classicism
Countess Lemonade
Crimson Maple (dam of unnamed '11)
Crystal Current (dam of unnamed '12)
Cuaba

Dance Quietly
Dancing Flame
Dancinginherdreams
Dream Supreme (dam of Gold Shield)
Dreaming of Anna (dam of Fast Anna)
Dyna's Dynamo

Easter Bunnette (dam of unnamed '13)
Eliza's Gold
Ellie's Moment
Emtyazat
Eye of the Sphynx

Fanfire
Forty Marchanta (dam of D' Orsay, unnamed '12, unnamed '13)
Fortyniner Fever
Foxy Danseur
Fun Crowd
Funny Feeling (dam of unnamed '12)

Gabriellina Giof (dam of Gabby's Golden Gal)
Gentle Gale
Getaway Girl
Glacken's Gal (dam of Live Lively, Glacken's Gift)

Hafifah (dam of Devious d'Oro)
Hi Dubai
Hystericalady (dam of Sublime, unnamed '12)

Ideal Image
Indian Vale
In Secure
Inspired
Issaqueena
It's Tricky
Izarra

Jealous Again
Juanita

Kentucky Whisper
Kid Kate
Kid Majic
Kokadrie

Lahan
Laughing Lashes
Lemons Forever (dam of unnamed '13)
Le Relais
Liszy (dam of Plum Pretty)
Lu Ravi

Malvinia
Meerkat Miss
Memories of Silver
Missdealomodeal
Miss Halory (dam of Tea Leaf)
Miss Illusion
Modesty Blaise
Morrow
Mystic Melody (dam of unnamed '13)

New Dice
November
Nuqoosh (dam of Mubashera)

Perceive
Poof Too
Precious Kitten
Promising Lead
Proposal (dam of unnamed '12)
Provence
Pulsating

Quiet Down

Raffle Ticket
Rendition
Rosby Waves
Rum Charger (dam of Golden Rum)

Sacristy
Salty Strike
Sara Louise
Say You Will
Search Party
Season's Greetings
Secret File
Secret Heart
Seeking an Angel
Serena's Song
Seventh Street (dam of Maine Avenue)
Shadow Cast
Smart Penny
Smart Sting
Smart Woman
Snow Top Mountain
Soaring Softly
So Far
Sortita
Starinthemeadow
Stephanie Got Even
Street Dancer
Summer Soirée
Superhalf
Surf Club (dam of unnamed '13)

Taegu (dam of unnamed '12)
Takeabreak
Takesmybreathaway
Trepidation (dam of unnamed '12)
Truant (dam of Homeschooling, unnamed '13)
Twisted Tale

User History (dam of Lookslikeit, Golden History, unnamed '12)

Verdana Bold
Violent Beauty (dam of Violence)
Visit

War Echo
Weekend Whim (dam of Golden Monday, unnamed '13)
Willa B Awesome
Wynning Ride
Wyomia

X Star

One of the originals - Nijinsky with a heart on his brow!

Yukichan (JPN) 2005 Kurofune x Shirayukihime by Sunday Silence 17 starts 5-2-2


Yukichan (right) and her Harbinger filly

A gorgeous girl!

Here's Hoping 1947 (f) Eight Thirty x Saran by St. Germans (GB) 27 starts 11-2-4

Smiling Tiger. Thanks to mariasmon at TBC for this photo. Wish I could join in the discussion there. 



Gorgeous isn't he?