Free Featured Article – Presented by Paint Barrel Racing Incentive Program

Can Racing 2-Year-Olds Help Soundness?

By Tracy Gantz

A groundbreaking new study suggests racing 2-year-olds might actually help improve skeletal strength through bone remodeling, which could lead to longer careers on the track. As a young racehorse's bones respond to stress produced during workouts or races, within reason, the bones begin to remodel, resulting in a stronger, denser skeleton.

The Paint Barrel Racing Incentive Program is a new incentive program that will promote APHA horses in barrel racing for stallion owners, breeders and competitors. An online stallion service auction running from March 1–31 will help finance added sidepots for APHA horses at designated barrel races. To learn more about this program, email PBRIP or download a stallion service auction form.

APHA Racing Department News

Upcoming Deadlines

February 11—Ad materials due for March 2013 Digital PHR issue

February 15—First payment due for the Colors of Houston Futurity and the Colors of Texas Maturity

March 8—APHA Racing Champions Banquet, Remington Park, Oklahoma City

March 8—Oklahoma Paint Futurity trials and Speedhorse Graham Paint; Appaloosa Derby trials, Remington Park, Oklahoma City

March 15—March 2013 Digital Paint Horse Racing issue emailed

March 23—Oklahoma Paint Futurity finals and Speedhorse Graham Paint & Appaloosa Derby finals, Remington Park, Oklahoma City

March 30—Paul Harbor Memorial Handicap, Remington Park, Oklahoma City

Nomination Forms Available on Website

Nomination forms for 2013 races—including the Colors of Houston Futurity and the Colors of Texas Maturity—are available online.

Champions Banquet

The APHA Champions Banquet takes place March 8 at Remington Park in Oklahoma City, coinciding with the opening night of the 2013 Paint racing season. In addition to the banquet, which honors winners from 2012, attendees are invited to cheer on Paint Horses competing in qualification trials for the Oklahoma Paint Futurity and Speedhorse Graham Paint & Appaloosa Derby.

Tickets for the dinner-included banquet are available for $30 each—seating is limited, so email APHA Director of Racing Karen Utecht by March 1 to reserve your spot.

The 2012 APHA Racing Champions were announced via video.

Notify APHA of Geldings

Be sure to inform APHA when you geld your Paint colts or stallions. Failure to do so could impact your racehorse's opportunities to win Champion titles or other year-end awards.

To notify APHA that a horse has been gelded, complete the "Request for Corrected Certificate" form, noting the date the gelding took place. Send the form and the horse's original registration certificate to APHA, and a corrected certificate will be returned free of charge.

Save Money with Online Foal Registration

Though APHA registration fees increased on January 1, the changes don't apply to online registrations—this means horse owners can save money by completing their transactions online.

Registering your APHA foal online is easy. Log onto APHA Online and select "Foal Registration" from the drop-down bar at the right, and follow the prompts. For more details about registering a foal online, click below.

Foal Photo Roundup

As those 2013 Paint foals start hitting the ground, grab your camera and start snapping—your future superstar could get his first taste of fame in Paint Horse Racing's "Just Out of the Gate" section.

"Just Out of the Gate" is a photo page that is periodically included in the digital Paint Horse Racing magazine, and we'd love to include your foal. Email a digital photo of your 2013 Paint foals to Editor Jessica Hein—be sure to include the foal's date of birth, sire, dam, breeder and owner.

Digital Paint Horse Racing Mobile Devices Solution

Need Paint Horse Racing on the go? View the magazine on Apple mobile devices—like iPhone, iPod or iPad—by downloading the free Puffin web browser application. This free, third-party browser plays all the great PHR content—including Flash videos—on Apple products. Download a free version here.

PHR Yearbook to be Distributed in April

In order to produce the best possible product, APHA will distribute the Paint Horse Racing Yearbook in late April. Show your support for Paint racing by placing an ad in this issue. Designed to have a 12+ month shelf life, the PHR Yearbook gives advertisers unparalleled value. Contact PHR Advertising Manager LaFonda Lynch to discuss advertising opportunities today.

Sign Up for a Free Digital Paint Horse Racing Subscription

Paint Horse Racing—APHA's award-winning publication dedicated to Paint racehorses and speed-event horses—has gone digital. Sign up for a free digital subscription to Paint Horse Racing so you never miss an issue—six digital issues are delivered right to your inbox, along with bimonthly APHA Racing E-Newsletters and a Paint Horse Racing Yearbook. Tell your friends and help spread the news about our exciting Paint racing industry.

Connect on APHA's Facebook Page

Stay connected with APHA and all things related to our beloved American Paint Horses—check out the American Paint Horse Association on Facebook! Our Facebook page is a wonderful resource for the latest APHA news and Paint Horse information, as well as a great way to connect with fellow Paint Horse enthusiasts worldwide. Like our page today!

Industry News

State Racing Legislation Update

Dan Fick—former executive director of The Jockey Club and director of racing at Remington Park—is now the CEO of Texas HORSE. Horsemen are encouraged to take the Texas Horse Racing Survey and to show support for giving Texans an opportunity to vote on gaming opportunities by signing an online petition.

Michigan Gaming Bill

Governor Rick Snyder pocket-vetoed HB 5546 in January, legislation that would have allowed "instant horse racing machines" at the state's four racetracks: Sports Creek Raceway, Hazel Park Harness Raceway, Northville Downs and Mount Pleasant Meadows. This was following bi-partisan approval of the bill by the state's legislators.

Heritage Place Winter Mixed Sale News

Several Paints made their way through the auction ring at the 35th Heritage Place Winter Mixed Sale, which took place January 17–19 in Oklahoma City.

The high-selling Paint was Destry, a 2011 sorrel tovero stallion by Bully Bullion (QH) and out of Treasured Judy. Consigned by Richie Horse Farm, the colt was purchased by Caballos Ligeros of Colorado for $8,500. Cuzs Treasure, a 2001 bay tobiano mare by Treasured Too and out of RG Special (QH)—sold in foal to PYC Paint Your Wagon (QH)—attracted a bid of $14,000, but she was ultimately repurchased by her consigners.

For complete results, visit the Heritage Place website.

Remington Park Addresses Issues

Oklahoma City's Remington Park announced several new policies for the 2013 season. They include the following:

- People suspended by AQHA or The Jockey Club will not be allocated stalls or allowed to participate in Remington Park racing.

- The track will not knowingly accept entries from such horsemen or those who have unresolved positive test issues on Class 1 or 2 substances.

- A pre-race examination program will be implemented.

Read the complete Remington Park press release.

New Horse Racing Facility Opens in Amarillo

Saddle Brook Jockey Club, a simulcast racing facility, opened in December 2012 in Amarillo, Texas. Nearly $263,500 in bets were placed during the organization's first month of business, contributing $10,365 to racing purses for winning horses, according to Corey Johnsen, president of Magellan Gaming and Racing.

Future plans include building a Saddle Book Park facility west of Amarillo, which will offer live and simulcast racing—live racing dates are planned for October 2014. Visit the Saddle Brook Jockey Club for more information.

Barrel Racing Incentives

Breeding for speed around the barrels? Consider enrolling your stallion in barrel racing incentive programs or breeding to an enrolled sire. Programs like Pro Elite Sire Incentive, Future Fortunes and Barrel Racing Incentive Fund are designed to promote the breeding of barrel horses and create more opportunities to win money.

The owners of two Paint stallions have already recognized the value of these programs: Easy Dasher is reportedly the only APHA stallion enrolled in Future Fortunes, and Strait Firewater is the only APHA stallion currently enrolled in BRIF.

Visit Future Fortunes, BRIF or PESI to learn more.