The Horsemen’sNewsletter

December 2009 Volume 19 • Number 10

MTHA Christmas Partysparkles with achievers

Photographs courtesy of Jim McCue

The MTHA’s Annual Christmas Party and Awards Ceremony, held November 30 atLaurel Park, was one of our most successful ever. Hundreds of horsemen and

their guests, along with others involved in the industry, gathered for fine food andfellowship.

MTHA President Richard Hoffberger served as emcee and presented awards to:

JJAANNEETT LL.. WWAAYYSSOONNOOuuttssttaannddiinngg OOwwnneerr

A “very educated owner,” in the words of her trainer,John J. (Jerry) Robb, Janet Wayson has had an exception-ally winning season while carrying on the racing andbreeding operation that she and her late husband, Morgan(Sonny) Wayson, developed over the past four decades.

The Wayson stable won with 33 percent of its startsthrough this fall, and finished in the money almost 60 per-cent of the time. Mrs.Wayson’s latest star is Great Love, atwo-time stakes winner in 2009.

As a cousin of trainer King T. Leatherbury, Mrs.Waysonobviously has racing in her blood. But she credits her hus-band, who died last year, with developing the foundationof their racing success.

“The horses who are now running, and winning, are ones that he selected,” saidMrs. Wayson in accepting the award.

Anne Arundel County Council coulddetermine fate of Maryland racing

Ocean Downsslots site

put on hold The slots facility approved for Ocean

Downs harness track near OceanCity will not meet its scheduled Memori-al Day 2010 opening date, according topublished reports.

Track owner William M. Rickman in-formed the slots commission that “unex-pected” conditions have delayed thecompletion of the site indefinitely.

Structural problems and “serious as-bestos” have been found in the grand-stand, which is undergoing renovationsdesigned to transform it into a slots site.

Ocean Downs was awarded a licensefor 800 video lottery terminals (slots)and was expected to be the first to beginoperation.

It now appears that Penn NationalGaming Inc.’s slots parlor in Perryville(Cecil County) will take the lead. Ex-pected to have a late October launching,that site has approval for 1,500 ma-chines. Work reportedly has begun onthe foundation for its new building.

Reminder: “Jail time” for claimed horses

lasts 60 daysState regulations prohibit horses

claimed at Maryland tracks from racingin other states during the 60-day periodfollowing the claim.

During Laurel Park’s upcomingbreak in live racing (the hiatus will be-gin after the last race on December 19,with racing to resume on January 1),claimed horses will not be permitted torace out-of-state unless 60 days haveelapsed since the claim.

JJaanneett WWaayyssoonn

See Christmas Party, page 2

As this newsletter went to press,Maryland’s racing industry wasfacing a potentially crucial turn-

ing point. That is the vote by the AnneArundel County Council, scheduled De-cember 21, on whether to approve zon-ing for the Cordish Cos.’s slots site atArundel Mills Mall.

Cordish Cos. has secured the neces-sary license from the Video Lottery Fa-cilities Location Commission but stillmust have local zoning approval in or-der to proceed.

The Council has numerous times de-

layed action on the Cordish request,most recently on December 7, but it ap-pears poised for a vote four days beforeChristmas.

The MTHA has lobbied extensively toexplain the destruction that will occurwithin the racing industry if the 4,750slot machines allotted for Anne ArundelCounty are placed anywhere but at Lau-rel Park.

MTHA President Richard Hoffbergeradvised the Anne Arundel County Coun-cil as follows:

See Anne Arundel slots, page 3

HHAAMMIILLTTOONNAA.. SSMMIITTHH

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Few trainersare as consistentlysuccessful asHamilton Smith,who has main-tained a publicstable in Marylandsince 1976.

Mr. Smith hastrained at leastone stakes winner

every year since 1996, and this year he’shad seven stakes wins—four of themwith William M. Backer’s talented 3-year-old filly Blind Date, whose victoriesinclude the Grade 3 Virginia Oaks.

Mr. Smith grew up in Elloree, S.C.,where his brother, Franklin Smith, main-tains one of the East Coast’s most activetraining centers. The close ties betweenthe two brothers allow a horse to stay ina single program through breaking, rac-ing and R&R.

Also key to his operation is his wife,Jody. The Smiths have about 40 horsesat Laurel for a dozen different owners.

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SSppeecciiaall AApppprreecciiaattiioonnFred Tallarico is

part of a traditionthat continued for62 years in Marylandracing. For all of thattime, a Tallaricoserved as head usherat the tracks.

It started withJohn Tallarico in1946, and continued with Sam Tallaricountil Fred Tallarico took over in the ear-ly 1980s. Mr. Tallarico retired in 2008,but he returns on major racing days.

Keeping things running smoothly inthe box seat section, and escorting win-ning connections to the winner’s circlewere two of Mr. Tallarico’s main duties.And he handled them with the poise anddignity that was the Tallarico trademark.

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EEmmppllooyyeeee,, BBoowwiieeFrancisco Oseguera admits that he

has “a lot of emotion” when one of thehorses he grooms wins a race.

And as a groom for Chris Grove, he’s

had his hands on alot of winners—in-cluding the likes ofstakes winners Sil-maril, Lexi Star, andFive Steps.

A native of Mexi-co, Mr. Osegueracame to the U.S. 26years ago and he hasworked for manydifferent trainers,both in New Yorkand Maryland.

His experience and work ethic makehim a model employee, according toMr. Grove.

“He does everything expected of himplus any additional work that is need-ed,” Mr. Grove says.

Adds Mr. Grove: “Francisco is a realteam player. I never have to go behindhim to check on his work.”

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EEmmppllooyyeeee,, LLaauurreellHis job as an as-

sistant to trainer Fer-ris Allen is a secondcareer for LouBernier, who main-tained his own pub-lic stable for manyyears.

A native of Balti-more, and a lifelongracetracker, Mr.Bernier started outas a groom for JohnLenzini Sr. at Pimlicoin 1963.

In the early 1990s, he rose to the topwith Root Boy, a popular, hard-hittingrunner who won or placed in 25 of 32starts. Root Boy won four stakes, includ-ing the Grade 3 Stephen Foster Handi-cap at Churchill Downs.

Unfortunately, Root Boy is most oftenremembered for his horrific breakdownin the 1993 running of the Maryland Mil-lion Classic.

Although Root Boy survived, andwent on to stand at stud in Maryland,Mr. Bernier was so shaken that he leftracing. It was a while before he cameback, looking for employment.

Mr. Bernier went to work for Mr.Allen about five years ago, and now runsthe Laurel Park division of the Allen sta-ble. He is in charge of 20 employees,and he oversees the care of nearly 40horses.

Hoofprints

CommitteebulletinsBowie

Backstretch chairman Phil Capuanoreported:

• Problems with the footing in theHacienda have been resolved. Mainte-nance replaced the surface with newmaterial.

• The track surface has been wellmaintained.

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FFrraanncciissccoo OOsseegguueerraa

Christmas Party, from page 1

Thanksgiving dinners were warmly received

The MTHA’s annual Thanksgiving din-ner drew more than 400 backstretch em-ployees to the track kitchens at Bowieand Laurel, reported Health and WelfareCommittee Chairman Rich Meyer.

“This is a longstanding tradition thatthe MTHA is proud to continue,” saidMr. Meyer.

Dr. Nat White elected AAEP president

Dr. Nat White, director of the Vir-ginia-Maryland Regional College of Vet-erinary Medicine’s Marion duPont ScottEquine Medical Center in Leesburg, Va.,has been elected president of the Ameri-can Association of Equine Practitioners(AAEP).

The AAEP, based in Lexington, Ky., isthe major organization bringing togeth-er equine veterinarians of all disciplines.

NTRA Moment of the YearVoting is underway for the National

Thoroughbred Racing Association’s11th annual NTRA Moment of the Year.Those selecting the winning image auto-matically will be entered in a randomdrawing for a trip for two to the January18 Eclipse Awards ceremony in BeverlyHills, Calif.

Entries must be received by 11:59p.m. (ET) on January 2. For more infor-mation visit www.ntra.com.

EHV-1 PrecautionsThe Maryland Jockey Club is cur-

rently banning from its facilities anyhorse shipping from Calder, or wholast started at that Florida track. The re-striction is due to an outbreak of EHV-1at Calder.

Trainers are once again reminded tohave their horses vaccinated for EHV-1.

LLoouuiiss BBeerrnniieerr

From Dan Mangum, MTHA Recreation Director. (410) 802-5798.

BasketballThere is room for one more team for

the Sunday night basketball league begin-ning in January at Meade High School.

BowlingThe bowling tournament will take

place on January 21 at Laurel Fairlanes.

DonationsThe following generous people re-

cently donated clothing, reading materi-al and/or other items for distribution onthe backstretch: Linda Andrisani, Herband Miriam Mittenthal, Lisa Richardson,John Robb, Robin Fulco and Tom andMimi Voss. The Horsemen’s

NewsletterPublished monthly by the

Maryland ThoroughbredHorsemen’s

Association, Inc.6314 Windsor Mill Road, Baltimore, Md. 21207;

(410) 265-6842; Fax: (410) 265-6841;

E-mail: mdhorsemen@erols.comWeb site: www.mdhorsemen.comThe Horsemen’s Newsletter

reports on issues and events of interestto owners and trainers in Maryland.

Your suggestions are welcome.

Horsemen’s calendar

Recreation report

RRAACCIINNGG

Laurel Park. . . . . . . . Now through April 10

FFAASSIIGG--TTIIPPTTOONN MMIIDDLLAANNTTIICC AAUUCCTTIIOONNSSAATT TTIIMMOONNIIUUMM(410) 392-5555

Two-Year-Olds in Training. . . . May 17, 18(Entries close Feb. 15)

OOUUTT--OOFF--SSTTAATTEE AAUUCCTTIIOONNSSKKeeeenneellaanndd JJaannuuaarryy HHoorrsseess ooff AAllll AAggeess,

Lexington, Ky. (800) 456-3412. . Jan. 11-16OOccaallaa BBrreeeeddeerrss’’ SSaalleess CCoo..,,WWiinntteerr MMiixxeedd,

Ocala, Fla. (352) 237-2154. . . . Jan. 19, 20

Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Winter MixedLexington, Ky. (859) 255-1555. . . . . Feb. 8

IN MEMORIAMCChhaarrlleess RR.. ((CChhaarrlliiee)) LLeewwiiss, a success-

ful trainer in Maryland for more than 50years, died on December 2 at the age of91.

Mr. Lewis, who established himself asa Hall of Fame show rider in his youth,worked on Eddie Blind’s starting gatecrew before taking out his trainer’s li-cense in 1950. In the 1950s and ’60s heseveral times ranked as the state’s lead-ing trainer.

A former member of the MarylandState Fair Board, Mr. Lewis was a long-time chairman of its racing committee.

HHeerrbbeerrtt JJ.. ((JJaacckk)) MMiilllleerr,, JJrr..,, a highlyaccomplished Washington, D.C., lawyerand longtime owner/breeder with hiswife, Carey Kinsolving Miller, died onNovember 14 at the age of 85.

The Millers bred and raced a numberof stakes winners, including Maryland-bred champion Angelina County and hergranddaughter Saxet Heights.

AAcchhssaahh SStteettttiinniiuuss OO’’DDoonnoovvaann,, whowith her late husband Hugh J. O’Dono-van bred and raised horses in Marylandfor more than 50 years, died on Novem-ber 17. She was 87. Mr. O’Donovan diedin 2003.

(MJC), the Health Center has proven ex-tremely effective in improving the over-all health of the work force. It is staffedby medical director Harry M. Harris,M.D., who sees patients on a first-come,first-served basis on Tuesdays and Satur-days from 9 a.m. to noon.

Medical care is provided to back-stretch workers and their families freeof charge.

The Horsemen’s Counseling Program(HCP), also a cooperative effort involv-ing the MHAF, MTHA and MJC, is pro-vided through the University of Mary-land Medical System and offers mentalhealth services, and counseling and re-habilitation for those dealing with drug

and alcohol problems. Treatment includes continuing indi-

vidual counseling, group therapy andvocational services provided by an on-track counselor.

Participation is strictly confidential. HCP counselor Bill Borchardt is avail-

able on an immediate basis at (301) 776-0404.

For more information call MHAF ben-efits coordinator Bobby Lillis at (410)265-6843 or go to www.mdhorsemen.com and click on Maryland Horsemen’sAssistance Fund.

/Richard J. Meyer, President, MHAFVice President, MTHA

Thoughts, from page 4

Ocala Breeders’ Sales CompanySelected Two-Year-Olds in TrainingOcala, Fla. (352) 237-2154. . . . . . . Feb. 16

Fasig-Tipton Florida Selected Two-Year-Olds in TrainingCalder Race Course, Miami, Fla. (859) 255-1555. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . March 2

Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company AdenaSprings Two-Year-Olds in TrainingOcala, Fla. (352) 237-2154. . . . . .March 15

Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company Selected Two-Year-Olds in TrainingOcala, Fla. (352) 237-2154. . . March 16, 17

KKeeeenneellaanndd TTwwoo--YYeeaarr--OOllddss iinn TTrraaiinniinngg, Lexington, Ky. (800) 456-3412. . . . . .April 5

Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company Spring Two-Year-Olds in TrainingOcala, Fla. (352) 237-2154. . . . .April 19-22

“Simply put, if the County Councilapproves the zoning for the ArundelMills facility, the demise of the racingand breeding industry in the State willfollow. Notwithstanding that the horse-men and breeders benefit from everyslot dollar wagered regardless of loca-tion, there is absolutely no incentivewhatsoever for a track operator to oper-ate a race track in competition with a

Anne Arundel slots, from page 1nearby casino.

“With Maryland racing at a criticaljuncture given the impending auction atLaurel Park, an approval of zoning forthe slots facility at Arundel Mills will ren-der Laurel Park virtually worthless as aracing operation.

“While the proponents of a slots facil-ity at Arundel Mills point to the hun-dreds of jobs that the facility will create,

there will be a commensurate or greaterloss of jobs at Laurel Park.

On the other hand, the possibility ofa slots facility at Laurel Park will inviteserious competition for the acquisitionof Laurel Park at auction, eventual con-struction of a newly designed and reno-vated racing facility, a state-of-the-artvideo lottery facility and an invigoratedracing industry creating additional rac-ing and slots-related jobs, including thejobs that are anticipated for ArundelMills.”

MTHA6314 Windsor Mill Road

Baltimore, Maryland 21207

December 2009

MTHA Board of DirectorsRichard J. Hoffberger

PresidentRichard J. MeyerVice President

John V. AlecciHoward M. Bender

Dale CapuanoPhillip L. Capuano

William T. Fitzgibbons, Sr.Linda S. GaudetH. Neil Glasser

Christopher W. GroveArnold A. Heft

Timothy L. KeefeLawrence E. Murray

John J. RobbKatharine M. Voss

Thoughts and commentMaryland racing is in dire straits fi-

nancially. And, unfortunately,those who are most often negatively im-pacted are our own employees.

With that in mind, I urge all ownersand trainers to familiarize themselveswith the services available through theMaryland Horsemen’s Assistance Fund(MHAF), and to pass the informationalong to their employees whenever theneed arises.

Assistance is provided on a case-by-case basis, and backstretch employeesmust present legitimate evidence ofneed. That said, the Fund has helpedcountless individuals with a wide range

of medical and dental needs, and in cer-tain instances has eased the burden ofliving expenses for our lowest income-earners.

The Fund carefully allocates its re-sources so as to help as many individu-als as possible.

The Backstretch Health Center, locat-ed in the track kitchen building at Lau-rel Park, is one of the Fund’s majormeans of providing direct assistance tothe backstretch community.

A joint project with the MTHA, withsupport from the Maryland Jockey Club

Schedule during December break in live racing

See Thoughts, page 3

MTHA OfficeOpen: December 22, 23 and 31,

9 a.m. to noon.

Racing Office and Horsemen’s BookkeeperOpen: December 22,

9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.December 29 and 30 (entries).December 31 (scratches and riders).

Maryland Racing Commission (People ID)Office will close on December 19

after the races and reopen on January 1.

Jocks’ Room and Silks RoomReopens on December 30.

Gate schoolingMonday to Thursday,

December 21 to 24.Monday to Thursday,

December 28 to 31.Hours: Laurel, 7 a.m. to 10 a.m.;

Bowie, 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. BBoowwiiee aanndd LLaauurreell wwiillll bbee cclloosseeddffoorr ttrraaiinniinngg oonn CChhrriissttmmaass DDaayy,,

DDeecceemmbbeerr 2255..

There will be no live racing at Laurel Park during the final 12 days of December. The break begins after the last race on Saturday, December 19. Racing resumes on January 1.

During the break, the following schedule is in effect: