Saturday, Nov. 24, was a big day for trainer Dan McFarlane, who saddled two of the four Fall Breeders’ Festival winners, including a romping victory by Page Springs in the first running of the Cactus Flower and a surprise score by longshot Red Zeus in the colt and gelding division of the Arizona Breeders’ Futurity.
Page Springs went to post in the Cactus Flower as the shortest-priced favorite among the day’s featured events and the 1-5 shot promptly won by seven lengths, the largest margin among the four stakes. A state champion last year at 2, the Rocky Bar filly has now won two straight at the Turf Paradise meet for owner-breeder Sawyer Cattle Company.
Red Zeus drew off quickly to win the Arizona Breeders’ Futurity by three and a half lengths, picking a big spot to earn his first victory. California invader Anytime, the race favorite, overtook pacesetter Mo Rock for second, but was no match for the winner. Dick and Peggy Hopwood bred and own the Red Sky’s colt.
A pair of Triple AAA Ranch first-time starters dominated the filly division of the Arizona Breeders’ Futurity, with Sallyana, by Top Hit, leading home stablemate Red Rachel by four lengths. Both fillies are homebreds, trained by Kory Owens.
Earning his first stakes win since the 2010 Arizona Breeders’ Futurity, Jamaican Memories pulled away late to take the Cactus Wren by four lengths over Frisky Ricky and favored Az Ridge. The 4-year-old Slew City Slew gelding, bred by H & E Ranch, won for connections Carol and James Bolin and trainer David Van Winkle.
The Cactus Wren and Cactus Flower were new events added this year, for Arizona-breds or horses which had passed through any ATBA fall sales. Both were taken by Arizona-breds.
Posted November 24th, 2012
The tentative sale of Yavapai Downs to Arizona Horseman’s Benevolent & Protective Association president Gary Miller for $5.5 million has been approved in bankruptcy court. See the full story here: Court accepts horseman’s bid for Yavapai Downs (The Daily Courier)
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Posted November 1st, 2012
Visitation for Lyman Rollins will be held Friday, Nov. 2, 2012, from 6-8 pm at Shadow Mountain Mortuary, 2350 E. Greenway Rd, Phoenix, AZ, and also just prior to the funeral from 9-10 am on Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Phoenix North Stake Building, 2939 W. Rose […]
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Posted October 31st, 2012
The Oct. 6 Princess of Palms, a six-furlong event at Turf Paradise for open fillies and mares, was won by Page Springs. See video here: Princess of Palms The ATBA Fall Sales Stakes, with separate divisions for 2-year-old fillies and colts/geldings which were consigned to the 2011 ATBA Fall Mixed Sale, were run on Oct. […]
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Posted October 28th, 2012
The winner and runner-up of the ATBA Spring Sales Stakes returned to win and finish second in their respective divisions of the ATBA Fall Sales Stakes. Springtime victor Gadsden Purchase gave way late to finish second to Lewiston in the colt division of the event, while Youbetshewon drew off to a commanding victory in the […]
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Posted October 25th, 2012
The results of the ATBA Fall Mixed sale, held at Westworld on Oct. 18, are available here. Fifty-three horses, including 50 yearlings, one 2-year-old and two broodmares, brought a grand total of $327,600, for an average of $6,181.13. In total, 96 horses passed through the sales ring, with 43 failing to meet their reserve.
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Posted October 19th, 2012
Arizona freshman sire Ibetiwin was represented by his first stakes winner on August 19, 2012 at Columbus Races in Columbus, Nebraska when Youbetshewon run away with a win in the Club House Special Stakes. She distanced her competition by more than 8 lengths, covering the 6 furlongs in 1:15.60. The 2-year-old filly is one of […]
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Posted August 23rd, 2012
The U.S. Department of Agriculture and Gary Miller, the former president of the Arizona Horseman’s Benevolent & Protective Association who submitted a high bid for Yavapai Downs at a bankruptcy auction in April, continue negotiations regarding the purchase of the Prescott Valley facility. See full story here: Yavapai Downs purchase negotiations continue (The Daily Courier)
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Posted July 30th, 2012