Once again, the Texas legislature concluded its biannual session without passing a bill to legalize video lottery terminal at the state's racetracks. But the potential for a task force on the racing industry offers some hope for assistance.
Friday, June 05, 2009
The Texas Thoroughbred Association honored its top performers of 2008 at its annual Horse Racing/Breeding Conference and Annual Meeting in Dallas Jan. 9-10. The winner of the prestigious T.I. "Pops" Harkins award went to John Adger, racing manager of Bob and Janice McNair's Stonerside, which was purchased by Sheikh Mohammed's Darley last year.
Monday, January 12, 2009
The 2008-09 Sam Houston Race Park meet probably won't make its Nov. 28 start date given extensive damage sustained by the track during Hurricane Ike, according to chief operating officer Andrea Young. Officials in Texas are studying alternatives should that be the case.
Wednesday, October 08, 2008
Texas Thoroughbred Association executive director David Hooper addressed the Greater Houston Horse Council July 21 in an effort to garner support for a new breed coalition, Texas Horse Organizations for Racing, Showing and Eventing, which is known as Texas HORSE.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
John Pierce's homebred Mystery Classic, a winner of five consecutive stakes last year, will be honored as the 2007 Texas Horse of the Year and champion older horse by the Texas Thoroughbred Association. Mystery Classic is trained by Robert Schultz.
Thursday, January 03, 2008
The Texas Racing Commission approved 2008 breed splits for horses and discussed the closure of one of the state's three Greyhound tracks during its Nov. 27 meeting.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
The Fasig-Tipton Texas yearling sale posted increases in its gross revenue, median price, and average price.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Bolstered by the revival of racing in Oklahoma and the continued increases in purses in Louisiana, there is "guarded optimism" among Texas breeders and sales company officials on the eve of the Fasig-Tipton Texas summer yearling sale.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
There are more than 400 horses cataloged for the Fasig-Tipton Texas yearling sale Monday and Tuesday at Lone Star Park.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Dr. Jacquelyn (Jackie) Rich was elected president of the Texas Thoroughbred Association. The board also elected three other new officers: Mark Cornett, first vice president; Dr. Ken Quirk, second vice president; and Sherry Raska, secretary-treasurer. John Adger, Bill Clifton, and Gene Palmieri were chosen to fill at-large positions on the executive committee.
Monday, June 18, 2007
Dixie Meister, a grade II stakes winner who earned $287,210 last year, will be honored as the 2006 Texas Horse of the Year and champion older horse by the Texas Thoroughbred Association.
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
Ed Dodwell, owner of the Texas-based Diamond D Ranch training centers, and Dr. Katie Hayes, an equine veterinarian from Denison, Texas, will be honored by the Texas Thoroughbred Association at its annual conference and awards banquet Jan. 19-20 at the Doubletree Hotel in Austin.
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Sackatoga Stable managing partner Jack Knowlton has accepted an invitation to be the keynote speaker at the Texas Thoroughbred Association's 2007 annual conference and awards banquet. The event is set for Jan. 19-20 at the Doubletree Hotel in Austin.
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Major change is coming for Texas racing in 2007, with a decrease of more than a half-million dollars in funds for the Thoroughbred accredited Texas-bred program and almost three months without Thoroughbred racing.
Friday, September 29, 2006
Longtime Texas horsewoman Frannie Stewart died Sept. 20 after a long battle with cancer.
Thursday, September 21, 2006
A live and silent auction raised $27,690 during the Texas Thoroughbred Association's annual conference and awards banquet, which was held July 21-22 at the Horseshoe Bay Resort Marriott. The money will benefit the Race Track Chaplaincy of America, the Texas Thoroughbred Educational Fund, and the Texas Thoroughbred Association General Fund.
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Hilmer and Faye Schmidt received the 2005 T.I. "Pops" Harkins Award for lifetime achievement during the Texas Thoroughbred Association annual conference and awards banquet, which was held at the Horseshoe Bay Resort Marriott July 21-22.
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
Larry Smith, the owner and operator of Hidden Valley Thoroughbreds in Pilot Point, Texas, was re-elected to serve a third term as the president of the Texas Thoroughbred Association during the TTA annual conference and awards banquet, which was held at the Horseshoe Bay Resort Marriott July 21-22.
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
Tim Bloom has joined the staff of the Texas Thoroughbred Association as director of marketing and member services.
Thursday, July 13, 2006
The Texas Thoroughbred Educational Fund, which provides grants and awards to further the educational opportunities for children of Texas Thoroughbred Association members, has awarded $24,500 in grants to five students for the 2006-2007 school year.
Monday, March 06, 2006
The damage of Hurricane Katrina on south Louisiana Thoroughbred farms wasn't as bad as originally feared, but it will take time to repair and replace fencing and barns, as well as remove debris and tree limbs.
Tuesday, August 30, 2005
Like most yearling sales thus far this year, the 2005 Fasig-Tipton Texas summer yearling sale will be bigger than last year, and sale company officials are also hoping it will continue on an upward pattern. There are 545 horses catalogued for the auction, an increase of 33.9% over last year's figure of 407. The sale is conducted Monday and Tuesday at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie.
Sunday, August 28, 2005
Naevus, the sire of 29 stakes winners and earners of more than $21 million, was euthanized Aug. 12 due to complications from laminitis.
Wednesday, August 17, 2005
Fasig-Tipton has catalogued 545 horses for its Texas summer yearling auction, which will be held at Lone Star Park Aug. 29-30.
Wednesday, July 27, 2005
Helen Kleberg Groves, whose family owned the world-famous King Ranch, will receive the T. I. "Pops" Harkins Award from the Texas Thoroughbred Association during the TTA's 50th anniversary celebration and annual conference June 23-25 at the Horseshoe Bay Resort Marriott in Marble Falls, Texas.
Tuesday, June 14, 2005
Hassel R. Spraberry, who bred and owned 2004 WinStar Derby winner Hi Teck Man, died Feb. 21 at the age of 74.
Monday, February 21, 2005
Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas will be the keynote speaker at the Texas Thoroughbred Association's annual conference and awards banquet as part of the association's 50th anniversary celebration. Lukas, a four-time Eclipse Award winner, is the all-time leader among trainers with earnings of more than $240 million and holds the record for the most Breeders' Cup wins by a trainer with 17.
Wednesday, January 26, 2005
WinStar Farm co-owner Bill Casner was elected to a three-year at-large term on the Texas Thoroughbred Association Board of Directors.
Friday, January 14, 2005
Leaving On My Mind, a four-time stakes winner for breeder/owner George Wolff of Boerne, Texas, will be honored as the 2004 Texas Horse of the Year and champion 2-year-old colt/gelding by the Texas Thoroughbred Association.
Wednesday, January 12, 2005
Larry Smith, the owner and breeder of 1998 Texas Horse of the Year Thomas Jo, has been elected to serve as president of the Texas Thoroughbred Association. Smith's term began during the first meeting of TTA board of directors June 24.
Tuesday, June 29, 2004
The Texas Thoroughbred Association will present the T.I. "Pops" Harkins Award to Texas owner and breeder Nelson Bunker Hunt during a June 25 luncheon at the Arlington Wyndham Hotel in Arlington, Texas.
Thursday, June 17, 2004
There's almost $250,000 on the line in two Texas Thoroughbred Association Sales Futurities June 12 at Lone Star Park, and trainer Steve Asmussen means business. He has 10 2-year-old entered: seven colts and three fillies.
Friday, June 11, 2004
The Texas Thoroughbred Association has made no decision on whether to appeal the ruling by Texas Judge Charles Mitchell that ordered the association to recertify Chauffe Au Rouge as an accredited Texas-bred racehorse. The TTA temporarily suspended action on the matter during its Feb. 19 board of directors meeting.
Saturday, February 21, 2004
Texas Judge Charles Mitchell has ordered the Texas Thoroughbred Association to recertify Chauffe Au Rouge as an accredited Texas-bred racehorse. Mitchell made the decision Feb. 6 in response to a lawsuit filed against the TTA by James Donnan and Gerald Mackey, owners of the 8-year-old bay gelding by Red Attack.
Tuesday, February 17, 2004
Suffolk Downs hires new racing secretary, Texas Thoroughbred Association launches new web site.
Wednesday, February 04, 2004
By Ray Paulick -- Kentucky legislators can't learn everything about the horse business in the few weeks that remain before the session deadline to file bills. It requires professional lobbyists, but it also takes commitment from the rank and file.
Tuesday, February 03, 2004
Robert McNair's Native Annie and Frank Fletcher's There Goes Rocket won divisions of the $125,000 Texas Stallion Stakes for 2-year-olds to close out the 2003 season at Sam Houston Race Park.
Sunday, December 28, 2003
A Sam Houston Race Park management team has received the green light from the Texas Racing Commission to begin applying for a license to operate a Class 2 racetrack in southwest Texas.
Tuesday, October 21, 2003
Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott has declared voters must approve an amendment to the state constitution before any of the 10 licensed horse or Greyhound tracks in Texas can install video lottery terminals.
Monday, September 29, 2003
As the
Seabiscuit movie began winning over national audiences, two influential Texas racing associations renewed their commitment to the protection of Thoroughbreds.
Thursday, July 31, 2003
As the Texas legislature prepares to end its biennial regular session June 2, it appears approval for video lottery terminals at racetracks would have to wait.
Thursday, May 29, 2003
Officials in Texas said support for racetrack gaming continues to grow in state government and in communities with pari-mutuel facilities.
Friday, April 11, 2003
Impending legislation to install video lottery terminals (VLTs) at pari-mutuel facilities in Texas drew a packed house at the Texas Thoroughbred Association's annual conference on Jan. 18. The conference, which culminated in their annual awards dinner, took place at the Hilton Austin Airport hotel in Austin.
Saturday, January 18, 2003
Now that the Texas Racing Commission has voted to suspend his license for two months, James Donnan, the embattled owner of the racehorse Chauffe Au Rouge, plans to take his case to a Texas district court.
Friday, January 03, 2003
The Texas Racing Commission has renewed its drug-testing contract with Texas Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory, and also approved some changes in the racing schedule at Manor Downs for 2003.
Wednesday, December 18, 2002
A filly by Our Emblem and a colt by Always Fair turned in the fastest eighth of a mile works Sunday during the under tack show for the Fasig-Tipton and Texas Thoroughbred Association's sale of 2-year-olds in training. Both covered the distance in :10.
Monday, March 25, 2002
A weanling colt by North America's leading first crop sire, Valid Expectations, brought $60,000 to top the Texas Thoroughbred Association's mixed sale that was conducted by Fasig-Tipton on Sunday. Tom Durant purchased the colt from Roger Daly, agent for the complete dispersal of Kellie Creek Farm.
Monday, December 10, 2001
A weanling colt by North America's leading first crop sire, Valid Expectations, brought $60,000 to top the Texas Thoroughbred Association's mixed sale that was conducted by Fasig-Tipton on Sunday. Tom Durant purchased the colt from Roger Daly, agent for the complete dispersal of Kellie Creek Farm.
Monday, December 10, 2001
A weanling colt by North America's leading first crop sire, Valid Expectations, brought $60,000 to top the Texas Thoroughbred Association's mixed sale that was conducted by Fasig-Tipton on Sunday. Tom Durant purchased the colt from Roger Daly, agent for the complete dispersal of Kellie Creek Farm.
Monday, December 10, 2001
Bits and pieces from around the industry...
Thursday, November 29, 2001
