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2012 SPECIAL FEATURES FROM TEAM SUREBET

Editorial Staff:

Martha Claussen has been prominent in the Texas racing industry since 1997 as a publicist, writer and handicapper. Joined SureBet in 2009.
Email: mclaussen50@yahoo.com

Michael Cusortelli is a blogger and freelance writer based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. A graduate of the University of Arizona Race Track Industry Program, he has been a racing publicist and was most recently field editor and electronic news editor for the American Quarter Horse Racing Journal for 10 years. He has contributed to several industry publications, including the New Mexico Horse Breeders' Magazine, The Horseplayer Magazine, Daily Racing Form, HoofBeats, and the Texas Thoroughbred Magazine. Joined SureBet in 2007. Email: oaktown_c@hotmail.com

Tom Dawson – Owner of Mirage Media Inc. Free Lance sports Television producer for horse racing and other sports airing on ESPN, ABC & other networks. Over 500 live remotes produced. Joined SureBet in 2010. Email: Tvtomd@aol.com

Robert Geller has been the one and only voice of Emerald Downs since the track’s inception in 1996 and has also been track announcer at the highly successful Sunland Park Racetrack & Casino for over a decade. Prior to moving to the US, he served 6-1/2 years as the English commentator for the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club and learned his craft in his hometown of Melbourne, Australia. His articles have appeared internationally in magazines such as Racetrack and Racing World. Joined SureBet in 2011. Email: leoboar59@gmail.com

Pete Herrera is a former AP sportswriter and now freelance journalist who covered sports and news for 39 years. His credits include four Summer Olympics and coverage of 40 All American Futurities from 1968 to 2008. Joined SureBet in 2008. Email: pherrera28@q.com

Excellence award recipient - ONLINE NEWS REPORTING: RELATED FEATURE STORY - American Horse Publications Electronic Media details

Brock Sheridan - Sheridan graduated from the University of Arizona Race Track Industry program in 1982 and began a career of public relations, marketing and television production in horse racing that has spanned 25 years. He has also been a professional handicapper and has been following the Kentucky Derby since Majestic Prince in 1969. Joined SureBet in 2010. www.thebrocktalk.blogspot.com

Ty Wyant has been covering racing since 1976. He is currently the media relations director for Ruidoso Downs and Zia Park, and the curator of the Ruidoso Downs Racehorse Hall of Fame. Joined SureBet in 2007.
Email: ty_wyant@yahoo.com

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JACKY MARTIN: Jockey will have pacemaker implanted in diaphragm - By PETE HERRERA - Sunland Park, NM - Feb. 15, 2012 - Paralyzed quarter horse jockey Jacky Martin will have surgery this week in Houston in an effort by doctors to improve his ability to breathe more easily.

SUPER SIRE: Desert God repeats as top stallion; NMHBA Zia Awards - By PETE HERRERA for SureBet - February 2012 - He’s a senior citizen now, but Desert God is still one heck of a stud. The 21-year-old was honored for the second consecutive time as New Mexico’s Stallion of The Year. Owned by a partnership headed by H. Joe Allen, Desert God’s progeny earned just over $2 million in 2011.

HOME-BREDS HAVEN: Doubletree Farm scores big in 2011 - By PETE HERRERA for SureBet Racing News - February 2012 - There was a time when Texan Sam Stevens was running horses from coast to coast with iconic Thoroughbred trainer D. Wayne Lukas. It wasn’t that long ago that New Mexico native Steve Prather was pulling a daily double — running an oilfield service company in Lea County and breeding racehorses at his Doubletree Farm outside of Hobbs.

How Will Horse of the Year History Treat Havre de Grace? by Brock Sheridan for SureBet - February 2012 - When Havre de Grace was named Horse of the Year at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif., Jan. 16, it seemed the historical ramification as the third consecutive female Horse of the Year stole recognition away from her accomplishments on the track.

Danny Pish Rodeo and Racing Roots in Texas - by Martha Claussen for SureBet - February 2012 - Texas, once one of the strongest states for racing and breeding, has faced tough times in the last decade. The lure of higher purses and breeding incentives in neighboring states Louisiana, Oklahoma and New Mexico have driven some of the state's finest horsemen elsewhere.

ON A RIDE TO THE TOP - By Robert Geller for SureBet - February 1, 2012 - He is the most exciting emerging riding talent on the New Mexico circuit with the drive and dedication to send him to the top. Zacatecas native Enrique Gomez is a throwback to the good old days in the best possible way.

Without Further Ado – by Brock Sheridan for SureBet - January 1, 2012 - The end of old year and beginning of the new bring about lists of “the best of,” “top of,” “funniest” and so on. In looking back on horse racing in 2011, to me, the more intriguing of list is “the worst of 2011.”

Sally Faith Steinmann - A Talented Milliner Making a Difference in the Equine World - By Martha Claussen for SureBet - January 2012 - There are many wonderful people who devote their time, energy and resources to assist the racing industry. One special woman came up with a unique and creative way to raise money and support Thoroughbred equine aftercare.

FINDING YOUR NICHE: Race Track Lifer Kathy Bui Finds Success and Fulfillment - By PETE HERRERA for SureBet - SUNLAND PARK, N.M. - January 2012 - Sometimes when opportunity knocks, it has a familiar ring. It goes right to the heart. It takes you back to your roots. It lends credence to the idea that things happen for a reason.

Good Luck in 2012 - And that goes for all of horseracing - By Tom Dawson for SureBet - January 2012 - Good luck with favorable legislation, uniform regulation, technological improvements, regaining coverage on mainstream TV, and the numerous other immediate needs. On the entertainment front, it appears “Luck” is already here. For the first time in memory, horseracing will be the focus of a high-profile dramatic television series.

A Rose in full Bloom - by Robert Geller for SureBet - January 2012 - It took less than a week into the new season at Sunland Park Racetrack & Casino to spot an eye-catching rose already in bloom in the desert. In a race made famous by the undefeated Peppers Pride, the lightly raced Rose’s Desert made a triumphant return to the track where her career had first taken root, by winning the 12th running of the $110,000 New Mexico State Racing Commission Handicap.

2011 Report Card – Ruidoso, NM - Jan. 1, 2012 - For the last five years SureBet has posted and published our annual “Report Card” along with our Annual Publishers Statement. In past years the response was much higher, full of helpful insight from our readers. The fact that the numbers of responses were lower this year leads me to believe we are doing a pretty good job. The following comments were chosen for their uniqueness and importance.
Reader: Don't tiptoe around major issues that directly impact the sport. If a trainer who runs 20-30 horses a week on a circuit and that trainer gets 5 positive test in a 2 week period that is news!

2011 SPECIAL FEATURES FROM TEAM SUREBET
> 2011 Publisher's Statement

GATEWAY TO GREATNESS: Sunland Park Ready For 53rd Season - By Pete Herrera for SureBet - Maybe it’s the water, what little is still flowing when the Rio Grande reaches this part of the southern New Mexico desert.

Early Christmas – by Tom Dawson for SureBet - On Saturday, Dec. 10, we get a peek at Quarter Horse racing’s annual pre-Christmas gift, the Champion of Champions at Los Alamitos. The magnitude of the race is such that the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity -- as in $2.2 million purse -- serves as the Friday night warm up.

Jockey C.J. McMahon Apprentice on the Brink of National Prominence - by Martha Claussen for SureBet - There is a new apprentice Thoroughbred rider who has accomplished a great deal in a short, six-month period. While he might have been known to racing fans who follow the Louisiana circuit, young C.J. McMahon is well on his way to becoming a rider with a prosperous future ahead.

2009 foal crop heads to the 2012 Derby – by Brock Sheridan for SureBet - Between now and May 5, the day of the Kentucky Derby presented by Yum! Brands (Grade 1), the best of the 2009 Thoroughbred foal crop will train, race and be dissected from nearly every angle known to fans, horsemen, jockeys and more specifically, handicappers.

Valor Farm, Texas Tradition in Racing and Breeding - by Martha Claussen for SureBet - Nov. 15, 2011 - Valor Farm, located in Pilot Point, Texas, nestled in the rolling hills north of Dallas, has a revered reputation as one of the finest breeding establishments in the country.

A CUP FOR THE AGES - Robert Geller onsite for SureBet - Nov. 8, 2011 - It was one for the ages. Less than a nose separated them at the wire, and as a worldwide audience watched and waited for a winning number to go up, the possibility of the first-ever dead-heat in a Melbourne Cup crossed everyone’s mind.

Breeders’ Cup Delights - Tom Dawson onsite for SureBet - Nov. 8, 2011 - In my capacity as location producer for ESPN, it was once again my privileged to witness the Breeders’ Cup from the winner’s circle. It’s a tough job, but….well, you know the rest.

Bloodlines impact Breeders’ Cup Juvenile - by Brock Sheridan for SureBet
Oct. 21, 2011 - Looking at the pedigrees of the 27 winners of the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Grade 1), it is no surprise the male-line impact of stallions Mr. Prospector, Northern Dancer, Bold Ruler and Hail To Reason.

Jacky’s Words - by Tom Dawson - Oct. 6, 2011 - On Saturday, October 8, the Jockeys Guild will hold a nationwide fundraiser for Jacky Martin. The occasion has caused me to take a different view of some video I acquired during Labor Day weekend.

Jockey Alfonso Lujan - Quarter Horse Racing's Hidden Jewel - by Martha Claussen - Oct. 4, 2011 - - In most all professional sports, athletes who lead their divisions are heralded, well paid and recognized by both fans and media. Even casual fans know the names Peyton Manning, LeBron James, Derek Jeter, Sidney Crosby and Roger Federer.

VICKY VOTED IN - by Robert Geller - Sept. 27, 2011 - She is tenacious, talented and true. Vicky Baze, whose riding accomplishments have established her as third all-time in the nation for number of wins by a female rider, landed a unique trifecta in 2011. February marked her 2,000th riding success. May, she captured a victory in the inaugural Female Jockey Challenge in Pimlico, Md, held the day of the Black Eyed Susan. August, she accepted her home state’s richest honor of induction into the Washington Racing Hall of Fame.

"Horse of the Year" watch – by Brock Sheridan - Sept. 21, 2011 - The golden Eclipse Award for Horse of the Year is presented each January which may make it seem like a topic far away. But when thought of in terms of races left for an individual horse, the number two adds significant immediacy. Suddenly it’s right around the corner.

New Game in Quarter Horse Racing - Special AA Report by PETE HERRERA - Juan Gonzalez oozed with joy on Labor Day 2003 as he proudly proclaimed how good it felt to be the first Mexican-born trainer to win the All American Futurity. Little did Gonzalez know that a repeat of that totally Latino moment wasn’t that far away.

The dream of every trainer is to win the All American - Special AA Report by PETE HERRERA - Juan Gonzalez’ legacy stretches far beyond that Labor Day afternoon nearly eight years ago when the New Mexico-bred gelding By By JJ won the All American Futurity.

NEW GAME PLAN: Raton city officials say new investors have surfaced for racino - By Pete Herrera - ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - August 26, 2011 - There’s a new lineup of players in the city of Raton’s ongoing efforts to acquire New Mexico’s sixth racino license.

Prairie Meadows Shifts Gears to Quarter Horse Racing on August 19 - By Martha Claussen - While the Straw Poll and internationally-acclaimed Iowa State Fair might be hogging the recent headlines in Iowa, "America's Fastest Athletes" will garner attention when the 2011 Quarter Horse meet at Prairie Meadows gets underway on August 19.

RETURN TO THE PASS(T) - by Robert Geller - Why is there a horse shoe attached to a tree deep in the Cascade Range near Mt. Rainier’s National Park? Hikers and sledders circle around on trails oblivious and even the most accomplished of treasure-hunt enthusiasts would be hard-pressed to discover its location. Its virtual obscurity is by design.

NORTHWEST AND TOM - MAKING A GOOD MATCH - by Robert Geller - Washington-based trainer Tom Wenzel does not have your typical horseman profile. If you’re looking for cowboy boots you won’t find them or the rattle of his saber. This softly spoken, mild-mannered individual has, since the inception of Emerald Downs, been very much the quiet achiever.

July Friendship Festival of Racing debuts at Fort Erie Race Track - Fort Erie Race Track is hosting a stakes-filled weekend of Quarter Horse racing July 2-4. The Friendship Festival of Racing is a newly created event that will offer more than $430,000 in Quarter Horse purses, including six stakes.

THE COAST IS CLEAR - by Robert Geller - From the radiant ocean-blue of Australia’s Sunshine Coast to the alpine green of the Pacific Northwest, it is the turquoise and hot-pink striped silks of top racehorse Noosa Beach that has provided the unexpected link between the two distant shores.

Make Room for the Ruler - June 16, 2011 - by tom Dawson - Move over Bird…here comes the Ruler. The life-size likeness of Mine That Bird which stands just inside the clubhouse entrance at Sunland Park is not likely to lose its prime spot. But somewhere on the premises, there should be a tribute to Ruler On Ice.

Coady Photography - Family With a Keen Eye on the Sport of Kings - by Martha Claussen - The photographers of Coady Photography have firmly established themselves among the elite racing photographers in North America. Their success combines their excellence and skill as photographers with an enduring family legacy that has transcended three generations.

Belmont On Tap - by Brock Sheridan - With just less than two weeks until the June 11 Belmont Stakes (Grade 1), it may be a bit early to pick the winner of the third leg of the Triple Crown. It is just too much of a challenge studying charts and past performances with the definite Belmont starters still probable and the probable starters just maybes.

OMER’S SCRATCH: MURPHY’S LAW IN FULL BLOOM - By PETE HERRERA - Maybe all the fuss of the past year is because Bernadine Creager’s family has been in horse racing for more than 40 years, and she realizes that part of her life is drawing to a close.

Racino Applicant's Get Ready - ALBUQUERQUE, NM - May 13, 2011 - Game on. Again. And to all interested parties, a word of advice. Start getting all of your ducks lined up. That was the message the New Mexico Racing Commission put forth Thursday in announcing it would begin accepting applications next month for the state’s remaining racino license.

Call of the Wild - by Tom Dawson - So what would best describe your reaction to Animal Kingdom’s Kentucky Derby victory? Shock? Bewilderment? Disappointment? All are plausible reactions. But one thing should be crystal. The best horse in the race was the winner.

BROOKSTONE BAY - By Michael Cusortelli - Brookstone Bay didn't need much time to establish himself as a top-notch sire of racing American Quarter Horses.

SunRay Park and Casino Thriving in The Four Corners - Special report by Martha Claussen - The 2011 live Mixed Meet is off and running at SunRay Park and Casino in Farmington, N.M. Well before opening day on Saturday, April 23, improvements to both the facility and racetrack surface were a top priority.

It's A Theory, Pace Makes the Race - special report by Brock Sheridan - “Pace makes the race” may not be the oldest adage in handicapping theory, but trainer Ansel Williamson probably mentioned to jockey Oliver Lewis to take control of race early in the 1875 Kentucky Derby with Aristides.

MCGRAIL’S PASSION FOR HORSE RACING STARTED EARLY - Special Report by PETE HERRERA - ALBUQUERQUE, NM - April 30, 2011 - Horse racing has always been part of the package in Jack McGrail’s life. While still in high school, McGrail was at the 1973 Belmont to witness Secretariat’s historic 31-length win that wrapped up his Triple Crown run.

2011 American Quarter Horse Meet Going Strong at Delta Downs - April 30, 2011 - By Martha Claussen - They are off and running at Delta Downs Racetrack & Casino. The 2011 American Quarter Horse meet began on April 15 at the Vinton, La., racetrack with fast horses, plentiful slot machines and even errant alligators. More on that later in this feature.

DAVID LIDBERG: FROM THE SHOW TO HEARTBREAK TO ADDICTION - Special report by PETE HERRERA - David Lidberg had been to the show. He’d ridden winners from Santa Anita to Aqueduct. At 19, he was rubbing silks with Hall of Famers Willie Shoemaker, Mike Smith and Chris McCarron. In a 1983 Life Magazine article that focused on the lives of jockeys at Santa Anita, there’s a full-page photo of the apprentice Lidberg sitting on a tack box, waiting for his next ride at one of America’s most famous ovals.

Desert God A legend in his own time - by Michael Cusortelli - The well-bred son of Fappiano was New Mexico’s top sire in 2010, as stallions go, Desert God has established himself as a legend in New Mexico and throughout the Southwest.
That legend was solidified, in large part, by Peppers Pride. Part of Desert God's 10th foal crop in 2003, the mare brought status to her sire – as well as to New Mexico racing – when she won 19 consecutive races and earned more than $1 million from 2005 to 2008.

CROSS BORDER RELATIONS - special report by Tom Dawson - Parts of West Texas and Southern New Mexico are separated only by geographical anomalies. In fact, Sunland Park Race Track and Casino lies in just such area. Without a sign to alert the traveler, it is impossible to know when passing between one and the other. So maybe it is no surprise that a race named the West Texas Futurity flourishes in New Mexico.

Racing History Speaks - Special report by Ty Wyant - April 5, 2011 - Tucked away in computer hard drives and illuminated in displays are the tales that make racing memorable. These stories are in the Racehorse Hall of Fame at Ruidoso Downs and are available to anyone who cares to listen. The Racehorse Hall of Fame is open during racing hours throughout the summer and during regular business hours during the Ruidoso Downs offseason. There is no admission charge.

Raton Regroups - Special report by PETE HERRERA - ALBUQUERQUE, NM - The Raton “Red Shirts” were back, a clear message that they haven’t given up on the idea of horse racing returning to the northeast New Mexico community.
Some two dozen Raton residents and civic leaders attended Thursday’s New Mexico Racing Commission meeting in hopes of influencing the governing body to select Raton for the state’s sixth and final racino.

The Classic War Front Question - Special report by Brock Sheridan - March 29, 2011 - A horse race often presents as many questions as the proverbial Dr. Carter has pills. And the road to the Triple Crown has more than that – especially with many of the big prep races yet to be run before the Kentucky Derby presented by Yum! Brands (Grade 1) May 7.

A Record Number of Trials for the Sam Houston Futurity - Long Day with Big Payoffs - Special report by Martha Claussen - March 29, 2011 -Trials are an integral part of American Quarter Horse racing. There are few days more exciting than the Thursday afternoon in August at Ruidoso Downs when the nation's best 2-year-olds compete for one of the coveted 10 finalist posts in the All American Futurity.

Sarah Davidson and Amanda Buchanan-Hadley - Cousins, Capable Horsewomen and Close Friends - Special report by Martha Claussen - March 19, 2011 - Special report by Martha Claussen - March 19, 2011 - Two young women, who are cousins and proud supporters of Texas racing, have cherished a rare opportunity to spend three months together. Amanda Buchanan-Hadley and Sarah Davidson have lived and breathed horse racing since they were born 24 years ago.

Shoot The Messenger! - "Life At Ten" - Commentary by Tom Dawson - March 15, 2011 - That seems to be the logic employed by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission in part of its findings on the regrettable Life At Ten incident during the 2010 Breeders’ Cup. If you recall, Life At Ten was favored in the Ladies’ Classic. In a pre-race interview with ESPN analyst Jerry Bailey, Jockey John Velazquez reported that he didn’t believe his mare was warming up well. ESPN producers immediately reported the conversation to the Churchill Downs stewards.

My Winter Vacation - Special report by Tom Dawson - March 9, 2011 - If you have ever heard of a working vacation, this was it. I was definitely working, but while visiting places I would gladly go while on vacation. The destinations were South Florida and New Orleans during the last week of February to talk to horsemen about the upcoming $800,000 Sunland Park Derby.

Remington Park springs into 2011 Quarter Horse racing on March 4 - Special Report by Martha Claussen - March 1, 2011 - Remington Park will kick off its 2011 American Quarter Horse meet on Friday, March 4. Oklahoma City has emerged from one of the most brutal winters in history and the entire team at Remington Park is eager to welcome the return of live racing and to showcase the many new additions to the facility.

Shorter Meet with Record Purses Set for the 2011 Sam Houston Race Park Thoroughbred Meet - Special report by Martha Claussen - The 2011 Sam Houston Race Park Thoroughbred racing season kicks off on Friday, Jan. 21. Although racing dates have been scaled down from 60 days last year to 27 days this year, purses of $160,000 per day have piqued the interest of many longtime Texas conditioners and new outfits this year.

My '3' Cents - Special report by Tom Dawson - Since it’s my first chance to comment since the 2010 racing awards were announced, here’s my 3 cents. I don’t see how one can be upset over the selection of Zenyatta as Horse of the Year, even if you believe, as I did, that Blame earned he award. As it turns out, there is probably no other way to appropriately recognize the big mare’s accomplishments and value to the industry. Her first and only Horse of the Year title brings appropriate closure to a uniquely spectacular career.

Jockey Lindey Wade Finds Warm Reception in Texas - Special report by Martha Claussen - Maybe Lindey Wade had a crystal ball or was an astute observer of the Weather Channel. For the first time since he began riding in 2007, he decided to make a change and ride in Texas instead of the Chicago circuit. While relentless storms and record snowfall have tormented the Midwest, Wade enjoyed not only a few days in the 70s but a winning reception at Sam Houston Race Park. Through the first three weeks of the 2011 Sam Houston Thoroughbred meet, Wade has emerged as the leading rider, well liked and respected by his fellow riders.

NM Racing Commission: Mr. Moldenhauer, You Have No License - Special Report by PETE HERRERA - ALBUQUERQUE, NM - Feb. 24, 2011 - Canadian investor Michael Moldenhauer no longer has a license to build the La Mesa racetrack and casino in Raton. That was the decision reached by the New Mexico Racing Commission, which also announced it plans to begin the process for taking new applications for the state’s sixth and final racino.

Work'n the Derby trail - Special report by Brock Sheridan - February 22, 2011 - With the first Saturday in May falling just 67 days after the end of February, it is time to start looking seriously at the contenders for the Kentucky Derby presented by Yum! Brands (Grade 1).

Oaklawn Park Gears Up for Another Record Meet Special report by Martha Claussen - Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark., is firmly ensconced on the national racing scene for its lucrative purses, top racing outfits and the unveiling of rising stars on the 3-year-old Derby scene.