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Ep.70- David Keiter - Steward and QH Racing/Ruidoso Historian
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Ep.70- David Keiter - Steward and QH Racing/Ruidoso Historian
For Thursday, July 16th. It's Thursday in the quarter horse racing world, and by now you should know what that means. It means it's time to listen to the number one podcast in the entire sport, Quarter Horse Racing Talk Weekly.
SPEAKER_06If you know someone that loves quarter horse racing and they don't know about this podcast, you should be a friend and introduce them to it. They'll thank you for it. And here's your co-hosts, Greg Thompson and Bailey Ivy on Quarter Horse Racing Talk Weekly.
SPEAKER_02And hello again, everyone.
SPEAKER_13And I'm Bailey Ivy.
SPEAKER_02Bailey, we're just back from being out there in Albuquerque for the rainbow, Futurity, Derby, and the Oaks, so kind of give me the lay of the land.
SPEAKER_13You know, Greg, it was as good as a vibe as there could be. Clearly, there are a lot of people missing Ridoso, including myself. Nothing can ever compare to it. Ridoso has always been my favorite racetrack growing up. And as much as Albuquerque has been accommodating to everyone, I think Ridoso will always hold a special place in our hearts.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, some great racing out in Albuquerque, and uh and I'm looking forward to hearing the recap section here on Quarter Horse Racing Talk Weekly. Let me tell you about this week's guest here. Another one of those special guests that I would say I put him in a category of one of those super fans, a walking encyclopedia when it comes to quarter horse racing. Uh, he's devoted his life to to the sport, and that's David Kider. And most of you that don't know David Kider, David Kider's been a long time steward, uh, not only there in New Mexico, but uh as of recent, he's been a steward out in Kentucky as well as in Nebraska. But he makes his home in Riodoso, and he's one of the, I would call him the one of the foremost historians, right up there with some of the other ones that I've had on the podcast that know just such a tremendous depth of knowledge as it pertains to quarter horse racing and quarter horse racing history.
SPEAKER_13Greg, wouldn't you say that this podcast is right up there with the ones you did with Walt Wiggins and Tom Dawson?
SPEAKER_02As well as Ed Bergart, throw that one in too. Those four guys, if I were to have a Jeopardy panel of people that would go up head to head on a quarter horse racing game show, it definitely, without a doubt, David Kider would be up there with those three. And I feel confident that once you guys hear all of the information that David Keiter and I discussed, that you will see just exactly what I'm talking about, as well as why I find it so interesting to have conversation with David, because it's just such a tremendous understanding of the sport as well as such recall. It's just crazy. He said several times in the podcast, it's amazing what he can remember that happened 50 years ago. But without further ado, let's get off here and get to the commercials, and we'll get right back in with our featured guest, David Kider.
SPEAKER_01That's the sound of hope for the future, where new champions begin their journey towards racing greatness, and can be found at the Heritage Place Quarter Horse Yearling Sale on September 16th, 17th, 18th, and 19th. So make plans to attend. That's Heritage Place, the place where champions are sold.
SPEAKER_02It's Roboshow Ranch.
SPEAKER_15Hi, I'm Ryan Roboshow, starting in July at the TQHA sale and in the first weekend of August at the LQHBA sale. I want to urge you to come look at the Roboshow yearlings. Then we'll head to the top of the mountain in Riardosa for the select sale, and we'll finish off the sale season in Oklahoma at Heritage. So come by and stop and check out our yearlings at Roboshow Ranch and grab something to eat while you look at your next runner.
SPEAKER_05Alright, back to the show.
SPEAKER_02Alrighty, we're back here, ready to jump in with our featured guest this week, Dave Kider. David has, of course, been a long time steward in New Mexico, and I've known him for quite some time. And every opportunity that I've gotten to talk with David, I was just blown away at the vast knowledge that he had about Riadosa Downs and his recall for things that have happened so long ago. And as I've done these interviews before with some of these people that I feel are very high level as it pertains to their knowledge of quarter horse racing history, especially Riadoso, the 40-something minute long interview that I had with David just does not do justice of just even really scratching the surface of what we could have talked about. And he's certainly one of those candidates of somebody that would need to come back on the podcast so I could extract some more of this great information that he has up in that brain of his about all the experiences that he had run through, all the great horsemen that he had come across, and some of the great horses he had witnessed during his time at there at Riodoso. And also would like to point out that David's one of those success stories, if you think about it. Here's a guy that rode a Greyhound bus all the way from Kansas all the way to Riodoso, worked his way up as a groom, held just about every license on the racetrack, worked in the racing office, worked as director of racing, assistant racing secretary, the racing secretary, entry clerk, paddock judge, you name it. And then, of course, made the jump to becoming a steward, as well as a state steward. And I had the luxury of running across David in places like Kentucky, and also he's a steward in Nebraska as well. And in those brief encounters with David, I always like talking about a bit of quarter horse racing history with him because just as you will see in this interview, he's just got a great recall of things that have happened in the past. So without further ado, let's get out of the way and get David Keiter on the phone here from Riadoso. David, thanks so very much for joining us here on the Quarter Horse Racing Weekly Podcast.
SPEAKER_00Thank you very much for having me on the podcast.
SPEAKER_02David, over the years, one of the things that always has really stood out for me is your vast knowledge of things, Riadoso, your vast knowledge in quarter horse racing and all. And you know, if anybody's ever had an opportunity to talk with David about quarter horse racing, David's, I'll just say it. David's kind of like a walking encyclopedia about the sport. So that's kind of why I definitely wanted to tap into that and share with the audience what I've been able to experience on some of the conversations you and I have had. So with that being said, kind of give us your origins of where it all began in quarter horse racing or where it all began in horse racing for you.
SPEAKER_00Basically, I grew up in a somewhat simple life. I grew up in Kansas on a farm. Uh our family was involved in farming. We raised wheat, we bailed alfalfa, we had cows, we had horses. Uh my father, uh Ray Kider, he was uh had some really good fortune in horse racing. Uh he had a horse that won the 1956 Oklahoma Fraternity horse named Hottie Doo, who was then trained by uh well-respected trainer Wilbur Stuchel, who would race in California for many years. Uh later, my father was fortunate to work with Bob Moore, who was uh involved at the time as the uh Cadillac and Oldsmobile dealer in Wichita, Kansas. And my father and Bob became acquainted, and they went to the A.O. Phillips sale, which would be the father of BF Phillips. Uh they purchased a couple of horses, uh, them being Mr. Myers and another one named Hank Henry, and they got uh horses shipped back to Kansas and Bob retained ownership of Mr. Myers. My father retained ownership of a horse named Hank Henry. My sister and uh my father and I, one of probably one of my golden moments, uh, my father loaded a four-horse bumper pulled trader, and my father, my sister, and I headed up to Nebraska, a small track called Burwell. And out of four head, we ran first, second, third in the fraternity, and fifth in the Derby. And my sister was fortunate to have uh a jockeys license. She was the first licensed jockey in the state of Kansas. She had some success in the 60s and 70s. I have a brother named Larry. Uh many uh remember from the 70s and 80s and 90s' training. He had uh some very good fortune with horses like Sir Alibi and Dash for Speed. Uh he was won basically every quarter horse stakes at Riados, except for the finals of the All-American. He uh ran second with Miss Might Do and third with Sixer Run Secret. Myself, I uh went to the track. I've been associated. Probably the key to my success is having been associated with good people. They helped me along the way, uh, some of them being people like Bubba Cassio. And you're working for a man like that and you're making $75 a week. You think you're you just think you're on top of the world. And some of the people that worked for Bubba were some of the best grooms in the business. And I'm talking uh, you know, people that taught me things about rubbing a horse, how to wrap a horse, how to get a horse feeling good. Uh, an angle that I used in training that really did help me, uh, even though it was a groom that would instill this knowledge into me. I trained for about three years. Um, I did have a hankering to return uh to other venues of the track. I went to college, I went to the University of Arizona in Tucson in the racetrack uh industry program. I've been fortunate to work as a entry clerk, a paddock judge, placing judge, assistant racing secretary, racing secretary, director of racing, and finally steward, the Mecca of which would be a state steward. And the majority of my career has been in New Mexico and more particularly uh Riadosa Downs.
SPEAKER_02And that's really the definitely the focus there. You're as mentioned, you came from the Midwest, Kansas and Nebraska. Clearly, by the time that uh you were ready to to make the move, Riadosas was certainly the hotbed of quarter horse racing, alongside of Los Alamitos. Of course, can't take anything away out from the West Coast, but kind of give give the origins of your migration over to up there on the mountain in Riadoso. I'm assuming that was in the 70s.
SPEAKER_00My sister and brother-in-law were training uh in and they went to Riadoso, I believe, in 1972, and and uh I migrated down on a Greyhound bus and was uh working for a fella, and uh there again, uh I bring up to $75 a week as a groom, and you just think you're on top of the world. You're you're living in a tack room, you're you're just on a somewhat of a Mecca. Uh I think the biggest thing about the 70s that I can recall Riadosa was there was always so much optimism in the air, and there's a lot of camaraderie among horsemen, even though they were competitors. Uh the track kitchen, 6 a.m., that place was packed. The five eighth mile oval that was here had a four-four-long chute. The track it at the time ran a mixed meat were the had some quality thoroughbreds in those days as well. And Fast Gas, Mr. Tattoo, Tropic Ruler, they all come to mind among many other champion thoroughbreds. And of course, the Kansas Rainbow and All-American uh were you know the big mecca for the uh quarter horse world. I believe there was a fraturity for a while that ran a twin sisters fraternity, perhaps a Philly Faturity where one division was at Summon Park and the other was at Riodoso. But there was uh just so much activity in the 70s, uh things that people that you came to know in your life you never forget. Uh the jockey colony was top-notch. You're talking Roy Brooks, uh Henry Uriagas, Harley Crosby, Jerry Nicodemus, Jerry Burgess, Billy Hunt, Larry Wilson, uh Jim Bonowski, folks of that nature. And your horsemen were top quality in those days. Um I'm I'm mentioning people like Bob Arnett and Tom Bill Thompson, Tommy Dean, Margie Renfro, Bubba Cassio, Jack and Monty Brooks, Bubba Werner, JB Montgomery, Walter Merrick, Gerald Maher, Big Tom Riley, R.D. Hay. They all brought top quality horses. It was competitive both on the quarter horse and the thoroughbred level. Uh, and and I would say those are some of the days that are treasured. Bob Dudich's voice. Uh, I think anybody that uh was a part of Riados in the 70s, you can never forget Bob Dudich's voice. And and in today's world, you know, it's uh it's evolved into say Robert Fox, and they they call race the second nature, but what a great job it they did in in uh uh showcasing Riadoso. The All-American sale at the time, the uh horse named Speed Scene, I remember brought $100,000, and I'd never heard of, I don't think many have uh ever heard of those kind of prices in the early 70s for top-notch uh well-bred quarter horses, and folks that you know were involved with Riadoso. Richard Thompson was general manager at the time. Bill Thomas was the publicity man, and golly, he rallied everybody in town to sponsor a race and then blanket races at Riados in the winter circle. He had everybody arranged correctly. And there was a New Mexico bred uh uh races. Uh horses like D. Bar Bright would win the Zia handicap, but there wasn't much money to run for in those days. But uh, you know, things got a little bit better as time went along.
SPEAKER_02You know, as one of the things that I've noticed and looking there and during that 70s period of time, it's there seemed a lot of like the pageantry that was surrounding the All-American Paturity. The the folks that came, the the the sale was just such a big event, and it still is to some extent. Give us like a uh an outsider's view of what it was kind of like to be there in the 70s, surrounding the like the town getting and rallying behind the all-American, making it a giant event.
SPEAKER_00Well, uh again, uh uh I think that uh many people, you know, there was racing in many states and many areas, and at the time, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, uh, they were all non-perimutual. They served in their respective uh states as somewhat of a farm team in in the baseball situation where if you're good enough, you move up. And same thing in Texas and Oklahoma and Kansas. They they had a stakes program and they they had it was sort of a local proving grounds. But uh, if you were, say, an outstanding horse in that area, it was a given that you would perhaps be already nominated or even supplemented into the program at Riadoso. It Riadoso at the time was just, you know, uh it was always regarded as uh that much better uh because of the quality, because of the people. And as you mentioned, the community was very heavily involved in sponsorship of races here at the track, and they would come out and get a picture in the winter circle, and then that photo would hang in their business, and it just spread so much goodwill uh that uh it was very apparent that Riadosa was the place to be uh if you had uh the level of quality of stock that uh ran here at Riadosa Downs. And we'll be right back after these words.
SPEAKER_01There's lots of things happening for the sire, Uncle D, the grade one winning son of Corona Cartel, who's also the sire of the grade one winning Heaven's uncle, and Mr. Master Bugstak's winner, Uncle Redheads, who also has qualified into the Prairie Meadows Gold Derby.
SPEAKER_09Uncle Redheads moving best of all, far outside, flying Rebo, one, two, three, Uncle Redheads. Uncle Redheads won it.
SPEAKER_01And if you are in the market for yearlings this summer, take note of the three Uncle D yearlings going to the sales ring in Texas at the TQHA yearling sale later this month. Uncle D, standing at Prestige Equine in Roswell, New Mexico.
SPEAKER_04Eagles Fly Higher stands at the Louisiana Center for Equine Reproduction, and he's a Grade 1 winner on the track who is now siring graded stakes winners, like Eagle on a June bug, winner of the Grade 3 Sam Houston Race Park Derby. Check him out. Eagles Fly Higher. All right.
SPEAKER_05Back to the show.
SPEAKER_02David, one of the things that uh you pointed out, and I've been talking about Riadoso and talking with historians, people that know about the history of Riadoso, and I'm sure that plenty of listeners are going to hear this and say, Well, I realize that, but I think this is the first time I ever thought about this is uh going back to your point that the states that were running, with the exception of, say, like Louisiana, which had paramutual racing, but Texas was an entirely non-paramutual scenario. Oklahoma's the same way, and as you mentioned, up in Kansas is the same way. These were all places that were running and having stakes programs, but they were all non-paramutual. So in it being fed over towards New Mexico, it's it's really the first time I took into uh into account that Sunland and Riodoso and Raton and Albuquerque, all those places were these were all paramutual running tracks during a period of time when there was a bunch of non-running paramutual tracks that were surrounding it, because a lot of people from Oklahoma, Texas are all we were all migrating to go to to New Mexico on the summertime to run in the mountain. That's probably the first time it's been brought to my attention. I clearly it makes sense, but it's first time really kind of put some some thought into it. That's that was the scenario.
SPEAKER_00That's the way things were. Um there were tracks, uh, oh golly, from Laredo to Del Rio to Bandera to Trinity Meadows to Goliad, the uh Lubbock Downs. Uh there was a track near Amarillo, Randall Park, you know, uh in Oklahoma, you had uh Blue Ribbon Downs at South, you had Garfield Downs at Enid, uh you had Medway Downs at Stroud, Emporia Downs, uh, and you had Eureka Downs. And all those tracks, again, they served somewhat a purpose to uh A, if you were local, it was handy to run at, and B, if you had a runner, you could see what you got right there in your backyard, and if you thought good enough, uh if you thought you had a good enough one, you somewhat migrated to the southwest down here in Riadoso and and uh paid up uh in the the stage program here because uh, like I say, Riadoso was always thought of as a little bit next level, I guess, would be a good way to think of it uh as far as the competition and as far as purses. I don't think you'll find anybody that didn't like Riadoso. Uh and and I think that sediment goes to this day.
SPEAKER_02As it pertains to one of my favorite topics, David, you were there during all the filming. You had me and you have had discussions about it, and you actually said if for a short period of time in the movie of Casey Shadow, you can actually see you. You're in one of the scenes. But talk to me about your recollection of that period of time when they were there. Hollywood came to Riadoso to shoot the movie. Kind of give me your the recollection of some of the things that pop out to you when I mention it.
SPEAKER_00I returned, this would be 1976, and I returned from the state fair in Albuquerque, and they were filming uh, of course, racing here for the season was over, and Walter Mathow uh, of course, was in it uh in the the feature role. And uh but the they made that movie here in Riyodoso and and scenes, of course, at the tracks uh in Louisiana, but they filmed the the racing scenes where many of the local writers uh served as body doubles for the some of the people that were featured in that movie. And and yes, I was in that movie, and you gotta know where to look. But the uh there was a trainer here named Bubba Werner, and and uh he uh had a a niece that was uh caught my attention, so I made it ever port uh uh made it a point to hang out at his barn as much as I can just to be around her. And at the time she had a hot horse come back from the track, and I'm standing there on the wash rack washing it. And yeah, you gotta look for it, but it's there, and I'm glad to have been in that. And and I think it was uh good the outsiders' way of some of the basics of what goes on in in racing and more particularly quarter horse racing.
SPEAKER_02As it pertains to some of the great horses that you were able to witness during that era, and let's stay in the 70s before we jump on uh into the 80s. If you only gave me one, which one would we talk about from the 70s?
SPEAKER_00You know, that's a hard question to answer because there were several, uh, several great horses that ran here in the 70s. Uh I'm talking anything from Rocket Wrangler who won it in 70, the All-American. And you know, you can just go rattle down the line. Uh, you know, you're you're talking Mr. Kid Charge, Possum Jet. Uh a good little quick story about Possum Jet. I was working for a fella, and man on the backside says uh he came around and had shipped in from Ratone, and he was an older man and and he was by himself and he brought uh a pony horse and a in a Philly, and uh he came around and and he said, you know, I've got a horse in the married. Could you give me a hand? And I said, sure. And I said, what race? And he told me what race, and it was possum jet uh in the finals of the All-American, and I got to hold that trophy when she won, and it just made everybody it was the Mecchi, it it reassured the fact that the little guy can win races. You know, there's strength in numbers, of course, but uh it that there's a perfect example of the little guy can win. Other later other horses, there's easy day, and there's bugs live in 75, real wind won it in 76. You're talking uh several great horses, pie in the sky. Uh you're talking high Easter jet. It's really hard to pull one horse out. There was one trial race, I don't think anybody that saw it will ever forget it. Todd Pletcher, the famous thoroughbred trainer, his father was JJ Pletcher, and he had a horse named Chuck. Chick's deck. And one of the more other than special effort, just distancing the competition and his trial victories, a horse named Chick's Deck had won its Kansas trial. I think it was one of the more impressive trials I've ever seen in my life. It you know, there was oh golly, it seemed like uh conservatively three lengths of daylight between it and the second horse, and I dare say it was you know a little bit more as far as how far that horse won. But several world champions have stepped foot on this racing surface here, and and it's really neat to have you know the memory of it, having been around them. I think that's really unique to have been fortunate to be in that situation.
SPEAKER_02David, I've uh touched upon this topic. I've had Johnny Goodman, I've had Billy Hunt, I've had plenty of people that were there to see it. And as much as it sounds like maybe I beat the subject to death with special effort winning the triple crown in eighty one, the great thing is when I talk with somebody that was there for a while. It's getting a different perspective of the same story, uh, and especially from their vantage point as it pertains to that magical summer of 1981. Give us your overview of what you retain as it pertains to stories that you tell about special effort.
SPEAKER_00Some of the things I, you know, special effort uh evidently was a runner when and was sold through some folks in the industry. Doug McMullen was involved in it, Alan Moring was involved in it, uh Don Tyner, uh who at the time would be one of the first, how you say, bloodstock agents in the quarter horse business I was aware of. Uh they all had an interest in it, and the horse was sold to uh Dan and Jolene Urschel at the time. This horse uh stepped on the racetrack and and uh was just uh so outstanding in his trial wins. Uh Billy Hunt never had really had to ask the horse. Uh, I do believe when he won the All-American, someone asked him uh how confident were you and and when did you think you had the race one? And I think Billy had some comment to the point of saying uh when they opened the gate, uh he was that confident that he felt he was on much the best. But there were some top quality horses also running against him, uh, but yet he was that much better of a horse at the time. He would go on later to become a successful sire as well. But uh the way that horse ran, he just, you know, it it was just night and day difference over uh narrow victories. Uh he was just much the best, I guess you could say.
SPEAKER_02As it pertains to moving into the 80s, as it pertains to the yearling market and the the evolution of the Riadosa sale and what have you, and going through the oil crash as well as the oil boom, you had pretty much both of those in the eighties. And also kind of talk talk to us about being there in Riadosa during the eighties and seeing some of the greats there of uh that we call greats in the industry, of what what it was like to go through that era as it pertains to all the big numbers of all of the people that were that had been big into the industry and that were completely out of it now because they the oil crash and all kind of give us perspective of the lay of the land in the 80s.
SPEAKER_00I think uh as you mentioned, the oil business did affect uh both the community and the racing. There were a lot of folks that owned properties that uh here in Riyodoso, and and there were a lot of folks that were owners of horses, and the oil business, of course, uh when it had a downturn or experienced a downturn, it also affected those uh properties and and those horses as well. And so the numbers did go down a little bit. The track itself uh experienced uh growth and downturn and growth again. Uh simulcasting was a big deal in those days, and when simulcasting became available, all of a sudden purses were a little bit more for incentive. Uh I was the paddock judge uh here at Riadoso, and I was the last paddock judge for the paddock that was on the end of the grandstand. And I'll never forget when the horses come to the paddock to saddle prior to the race. How the seemed like half the grandstand was right there on that outside looking in on for a close-up look. The fans could see the horses and see the riders and get uh you know, the trainers would uh be visiting with the owners and trainers would be visiting with the riders, and and uh it was just a really a neat time later on in the 80s. Uh Mr. Hubbard would come to purchase the track. Uh it was expanded to a seven and a half furlong oval and it straddled the river at the time. Uh the purses, as I said, the the simulcasting was a benefit. Some good people uh I ran across in the 80s that uh you know were really a wealth of knowledge, uh, and they were inselves uh were somewhat of a walking computer. And I'm I'm talking about people like Rick Hansen, who was general manager, and I worked with a man in the racing office who uh I think very highly of Gordon Graham, uh a man that ran the video department here, Sy Leland, uh a man that I took entries with, and and he worked in the jocks room when I was paddock judge Red Hiedeman, who would be Tufts' father and the other Heateman family members. Uh those people, wealth of knowledge. Uh you get to deal with people, oh, as you mentioned, Johnny Goodman, but there were also people like Sleepy Gilbert, I came to know, James and Donna MacArthur, Arnold Simmons, my brother was successful, Larry Kider in those days. And you dealt with uh writers uh Larry Payne, G.R. Carter, my good friends Tim and Jeff Williams, Luke Miles, Joe Martinez. It was just a wonderful time, even though the economy may be going up or down. We saw each other on mostly a daily basis and tried to make the best out of what we had.
SPEAKER_02Talk about some of those ones that stand out through the 80s. Obviously, special effort is going one that's going to jump out on the page, but talk about some of the other horses that are notable from the 80s.
SPEAKER_00I remember well special effort, and anybody that was here, that's just something you never forget. Uh there were also the highs and lows, uh, someone like Dr. Jerry Rudassil, who was very important in the uh fruition of paramutual racing in Texas, and a high highly respected veterinarian and a horseman. Uh, he had a real nice Philly Yankee win who won the rainbow. She would uh unfortunately go down in the finals of the All-Americans, so you got the highs and lows of IC that uh he also was fortunate to have on a high who would win that All-American fraternity. So Mr. Masterbug comes to mind of Marvin Barnes, uh excellent runner, uh a top competitor, and he was a sire. Uh there there was just so many top quality horses. Uh, you could just go right down the line and name them. But I could be on here all day probably talking about that, but I'd have to say special effort uh for just the way he made it look so easy. And we'll be right back after these words.
SPEAKER_02Heads up, Quarter Horse Racing World. Two words, two syllables, Dunn Ranch. For sales prepping your yearlings and breeding stock, it's Dun Ranch. For world-class levels of mare care, from embryo transfer, ixy cycle management to falling out services, it's Dun Ranch. And then there's the top stallions in the country. They're in Winniewood, Oklahoma, from grade one winning and grade one producing sire, a revenant, a political victory, who's the brother to two-time champion A Political Pence, the red hot grade one producing sire Cholitos, the multiple grade one placed in hot pursuit, the graded stakes-winning son of one famous eagle juices loose, and the grade one producing sire PYC Fun and Fancy. It's Dun Ranch. They're in Winniewood, Oklahoma. Check them out at Dunranch.com. October 17th is the date in Albuquerque for the AQHA Championship Challenge Finals. You can visit AQHA.com forward slash racing to see the schedule for the upcoming regional races, and then you can read the recaps on stallionesearch.com in the challenge section of all the challenge races that have transpired leading to the finals on October the 17th at the Downs at Albuquerque.
SPEAKER_05All right, back to the show.
SPEAKER_02David, you mentioned some of the great horsemen that have made an appearance there at Riadosa Downs, and one of them that we've touched upon and even had him on the podcast was Wayne Lucas. And you you talked to me about you've had some experiences with Wayne Lucas as well. Share with the the listeners there some of the great stories that you have with Wayne.
SPEAKER_00Well, I I believe Mr. Lucas was uh uh at the time uh and to this day will be remembered as a uh a positive influence in the racing industry. And he actually started in the quarter horse business as I as I'm told through Keith Ashmuson. He was here last as a full-time trainer at Riadoso in 1972, and I distinctly remember Mr. Lucas was successful in winning only two races that summer. One of them was a horse called Tiny Watch Bound, who won a $3,200 claiming race, and the other, he had a stakes quality horse, Native Empress, and she won a condition allowance. Uh Mr. Lucas would leave that summer and return with uh perhaps all American fraturity or derby entrance, but uh his stable had moved to California at the time, and he found success both at Los Alamitos and then later through the thoroughbred world at venues such as Hollywood Park. But Mr. Lucas was uh he was a coach uh prior to becoming involved in in the racing world, and and and I believe that was his nickname up until his final days that uh folks would remember Mr. Lucas as coach. And coach uh in a definition is a leader in himself and uh puts the uh thoughts of uh wisdom into the players to bring out their best. And I think Mr. Lucas was very successful in his endeavors of bringing out the best of his horses that he ran, and everybody that worked for him that would go out training on their own benefited immensely from a person like Wayne Lucas. So uh I'm I'm really fortunate and glad uh to have uh known Mr. Lucas uh one year in Oklahoma City at a sale. My father, my sister, and I brought a couple horses, and uh Mr. Lucas happened to been in a restaurant and he spent that entire time at our table sharing some of the wisdom of some of his travels and some of the horses he had. And I don't think money could have bought a better uh story than what we all were uh fortunate to be a part of Mr. Lucas's company through that 30 minutes. But uh it's just like many things, you don't forget uh uh it's just treasured moments.
SPEAKER_02We've covered the 70s and the eighties, and of course now it bleeds into the nineties. Uh a lot of the Jack Brooks's run of of all the all Americans started in 78, ran throughout the eighties and certainly spilled into the nineties. And uh a lot of horsemen have been mentioned on this podcast thus far, and especially with you discussing a lot of the the great uh horsemen as well. But uh you were there to witness the I guess it's the dominance of Jack Brooks on that Labor Day event. So talk about your recollection of looking back through the 70s and the 80s and spilling into the 90s of Jack Brooks's run of those eight All-American Fraternity wins.
SPEAKER_00Well, uh Jack Brooks is is uh an act that I believe any quarter horse trainer would like to s to emulate in some sort of fashion. That the All-American Fraternity, of course, is the dream of anybody that would train quarter horses in as much as in the thoroughbred world. Anybody that uh uh is involved with uh racing there would uh dream of say winning the Kentucky Derby. But Mr. Brooks, uh Jack, and and and he partnered up with Jackie Martin, who was you know an excellent writer uh of his day. They uh were quite successful, and then G.R. Carter rode uh for Jack. Jack wins this race uh seven times, and and just you know, it he's had quite a good luck. And I'll never forget a sign that Bubba Cassio had at his barn. It says the harder we work, the luckier we get. Uh perhaps that applied at the time, but uh the competition uh was was raised at Riadosa Downs, but yet when Jack Brooks come to town, you always had that feeling about I wonder what runners he's got this year. And he always came to Riardosa with good quality horses and he had good fortune as well.
SPEAKER_02Moving into the nineties, as mentioned, had the up and down of the oil boom and the oil crash, as well as everything kind of I would say leveling out as it pertains to the economy. Now we're getting into the nineties. Talk about some of the great horses and the great horsemen of the nineties.
SPEAKER_00The nineties uh were were a favorable time in in Riodo, so as I as you'd mentioned, the the effects of the economy of the oil business uh were showing positive signs. People were participating in racing. Uh the purses and the nominations, uh, they were greatly enhanced when uh folks like Mike Weatherly, who was president of the New Mexico Horsemen's Association, and and uh uh a man named Eddie Fowler, who would be chairman of the racing commission, but also was part of the New Mexico Horsemen's Association when he wasn't on the commission. Those two folks, uh they they really did a lot of legwork to bring gaming, as it's called in New Mexico, at the racetracks, and the purses were supplemented. It renewed the industry, it gave it new life, gave it new hope. Uh it seems as though my memory recalls where they used to run for $2,000 purses, and now they were running for $8,000 and $10,000 purses in the trials of these fraternities. We see the day now where the All-American is morphed into like a $3 million purse, and and that's just, you know, as a result of the nominations and the interest in the race, and you know, $100,000 constellation races, uh, you know, the level of competition increased as well. Uh the bloodlines were advanced. It seems as though the go-man, go and jet deck of the 70s had morphed into your uh your Corona cartel. Uh modern breeding was really evident uh of uh uh racing here at Riyadosa Downs and the sales, uh the sales of yearlings. Uh Walt Wiggins has done a fantastic job. Uh many people don't know he was also involved in the early success of the heritage place sales, but uh Walt has really done uh a wonderful job of stewarding the uh action there at the sales arena here at Riodoso, and and he is a wealth of knowledge himself. Guys like Walt, Clayton Keys, uh they they were a big part of the 90s here in Riodoso and and uh and they continue today uh in in a fashion. Uh Clayton was uh uh part of the Heritage Place Sales and and he was involved here at Riadosa for a number of years. And Walt is currently there at the the the manager of the All-American Sale. The quality, uh it although you look at the sale book at the bloodlines, uh it gets no better. It is the um Keen Lunar or the Fasic Tipton of the Quarter Horse world here at Riadoso.
SPEAKER_02David, talk about some of those top horses that jump out at you. If you when you if you were to go and tell somebody about the 90s, some of the horses that you would focus on bringing up that you were able to witness go down the racetrack there in Riadoso.
SPEAKER_00We're talking about uh refrigerator. Uh so memorable to see him run. Uh how he was uh one of the few horses. Uh it seemed like in the quarter horse world, many have a shelf life of two-year-old, three-year-old, they're done, whereas refrigerator excelled in becoming an older horse that was quite the competitor. And of the 90s, I I would have to say refrigerator stands out as one of the finer horses to have ever graced Riadosadems.
SPEAKER_02Clearly, I've run into when I've talked with people like yourself, sure, as it pertains to historical stuff, it's happened in Riadoso. Who is that person for you? Meaning when I bounce that over to you, David, who who comes into mind that that stands out at that high level?
SPEAKER_00Well, there's there's a lot of folks that have helped me in my industry, uh, in my career, uh, helping me along the way. And I'm I'm talking about someone like Don Rousseau Sr. Wired me to come here in 1981 to work in that was my first job in the office. And other folks in the industry, Frank Lamb, uh, I went to Delta to work for him. Uh Richard Lerma, I worked with him at Nueva Laredo, Bill Powers, I worked with him at uh Denver. Dan Fick has been very instrumental and a good friend of mine in my life. Uh I've worked with some top quality stewards. Uh I'm talking about uh Bruce Brinkley, Bobby Allison, Hiram Valentini, Charlie Isles, Richard Lidberg, uh Norm Almundson, uh Anna Faye Davis was helpful. Uh I've worked with Hal Wiggins, uh, the fella that used to train Rachel Alexander. Dan and I and Hal worked uh along with another fellow, Phil uh Henrihan, in Kentucky the last few years. And and uh it's really neat to be like a sponge and absorb some of the wisdom that comes out of these folks's mouths uh as to uh it helps to make me a better person. And I'm just, you know, as I mentioned at the start, when you're around good people, you look good as well.
SPEAKER_07And we'll be right back after these words. If you are in the market to buy yearlings this summer, and you need an incentive to buy at the Riadoso Select Sale on September 4th and 5th, well, here's one. The first and second place finishers in this year's $1 million grade one derby are both Riadoso sales graduates. Oh, and so was fifty percent of the finalists in the field. Uh Smart Money says buy at Riadoso. Hey, listen up. We've got something to say here.
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SPEAKER_05All right, back to the show.
SPEAKER_02David, it's evident uh you've you spent a lot of time around Riadoso, you spent a lot of time around the race made of Riadosa Downs. What is it about Riadosa Downs for you that that does it? You know, clearly we're going through a phase right now where we don't have that racing in Riadoso. We don't have that summer uh excursion there in Riadosa Downs that we all love. Uh not not to knock Albuquerque at all. It's just not the same. But uh talk to me. What what is it about Riadoso and Riadosa Downs that does it for you that you've spent so much time and so much effort in your life to be kind of s associated with it?
SPEAKER_00Well, uh I'm I'm like a lot of people. Uh we we all have choices where we want to live and and participate in our careers, and I've been blessed and fortunate in that respect to have been a part uh here in Riyodoso and and uh the uh the way of life here, uh the quality of life, uh just the summertime, uh the weather, uh it snows in the wintertime. There's a ski area here that also brings tourism. Um just just the events of being here. Uh it's it's a vacation tourism type area, but yet uh it it's also a place where uh the races itself, uh the world champions that have set foot on this racetrack. It's just something you don't ever forget. And the people involved with this industry that come to Riyados, so whether it be uh for the races or for the sales, uh they are leaders in their field, but it just seems like Labor Day weekend accumulates in the horse racing world where you have uh the All-American Vaturity, the world's richest quarter horse race, and all the associated races uh and and the sales uh uh at the Riodo select uh at the sale pavilion here. You just you you're just in awe of all the things that take place and and and and the people that you discover that actually, you know, each year come here if they're not already here. Uh it's just something that's hard to to replace anywhere or replicate anywhere else. Uh uh it's just something you just don't ever forget.
SPEAKER_02David, as it's for the host. for the future for Riadoso. I think you're on the same boat as everyone that uh you'd certainly like to see racing returned as sometimes bleak that the outlook for return to Riadoso for the racing looks. I I certainly keeping that internal hope alive that one day we will have racing again there is is is shared by many. And it's I guess it's just absent makes the the heart go fonder with us being this far removed from racing in Riadoso. It's just something that's that's just a growing thing inside a lot of us that we'd like to see that that racing return there.
SPEAKER_00I think it's human nature that uh we take a lot of things in our lives for granted until you don't have it and and and all of a sudden you miss it in a way that you've never realized and perhaps racing would fit that uh situation as it is its present situation here in town. Uh I think everybody is hopeful and optimistic that racing will return. Uh there's an immense uh amount of things to be done both uh through uh government and through uh ownership um that that you know would have to be addressed but at the same time uh the fans the public the businesses the horsemen uh don't kid yourself for a minute to think they're not shopping at the bit hoping with that optimism that uh the situation right now can improve back to prior days of of the glory days of Riadoso and Riadosa Downs.
SPEAKER_02Well David I absolutely appreciate you getting on here on Quarter Horse Racing Talk Weekly on the podcast and certainly when it comes to fruition that I can put together a quarter horse racing Jeopardy show there maybe at Heritage Place one year in the January sale. If uh like they had the old where they had the the the panel of experts that were up there. Maybe we'll get a panel of people that uh would probably knock the ball out of the park as it pertains to quarter horse racing history. You'll certainly be one of those ones we invite to be there. So we absolutely appreciate you coming on here and just sharing just a teeny nugget of probably how deep the well could be the knowledge of quarter horse racing in Rio Dosa is with you, David, but absolutely appreciate you coming on and sharing a bit of your stories here.
SPEAKER_00Greg it's a funny thing in life that uh sometimes our memories recall things that happened 40-50 years ago just like it was second nature and you have to actually catch yourself stumbling about well what did I do yesterday? Well uh some of the moments and and some of the the things the events that have taken place in my life and more particularly involving say Riodosa Downs in this case it's just permanent memory uh it's uh most fortunate to uh in my case to have been around some of the very good people the experts in this industry some of the world champions I've seen uh I'm just very grateful to have been a part of that and uh I think that uh there is a future and we've got to have hope and optimism for that to happen.
SPEAKER_02Thanks again for getting on here and sharing it with us David appreciate it.
SPEAKER_10Yes sir thank you very much if you are wondering this is what success sounds like in quarter horse racing they're running in the first night race of the rainbow derby and political twists shot out of the gate and suit political twist to win the rainbow derby from Jarvis V.
SPEAKER_02The son of the already legendary sire a political Jess getting it done once again in a grade one event there in Albuquerque as a political Jess is one of the leading sires in every category in the sport and he stands there in Wayne Oklahoma at Royal Vista Ranch. Also standing at Royal Vista Ranch, the son of a political jess a political J Streak the AQHA champion sire FTD going grand the industry leading Flying Cowboy 123 the royally bred Heart of the cartel and completing his first year at stud the grade one winning Just Dulcie all standing at Royal Vista Ranch in Wayne Oklahoma. Alright back to the show all right we're back here ready to get into the recap section plenty of recaps to get to including out there at Albuquerque let's start with the three year olds in the rainbow derby a grade one event $7560 on the line three year olds going 440 yards and here's a call from Robert Fox.
SPEAKER_10They're running in the first night race of the rainbow derby and political twist shot out of the gate and so did Jarvis V and they're gonna slug it out early and then we go back to Luciana man and toward the outside we have effortless favorite Anne Mercaba political twist has the advantage over Jarvis V.
SPEAKER_12Then Luciana man political twist to win the rainbow derby political twist is the three year old gelding by a political jest out of the Trace Ace Mare C Twister Saces.
SPEAKER_13Read by MJ Farms owned by La Felice Montaña Ranch and Ray Willis trained by Daniel O'Maya and written by Luis Martinez and we were able to talk with the winning connections of political twist after the victory and you know with the conditions of today there's every excuse you know it's always noticing with the win and and uh you know that the wind the night you know he's he only ran a few times with the lights it's always concerning but uh he's a truth champ.
SPEAKER_02Staying out there in Albuquerque on Saturday the Rainbow Oaks $534,000 on the line three year old Phillies going 440 yards plenty of top runners going postward and here's the call from Robert Fox.
SPEAKER_10They're running in the Rainbow Oaks GF she's sinful came away fast and Toby Sis is gonna go with her to the inside illegal Calgir one two three them beautiful and on the extreme outside sparks fly in HR Toby Sis is taking the advantage from GF She's Sinful who tries desperately to battle back but Toby Sis is too good.
SPEAKER_13Toby Sis wins the Rainbow Oaks from GF She's Sinful Toby Sis is a three year old Philly my favorite cartel out of the walkthrough Firemare London Laura read by Edward allred owned by Valeriana Racing Stables trained by Raymond Valerio and ridden by Francisco Calderon.
SPEAKER_02Staying on Saturday the Lee Berwick Memorial Futurity restricted grade one event $602,000 on the line for two year old Louisiana Breads 350 yards is the distance and Don Stevens has the call.
SPEAKER_11And they're off in the Lee Berwick Futurity of Delta Downs good break in the middle from cause I'm a bad mamma jamma but KJ Medusa moves up here's RDD reasons for me surging RDD Reasons for B grabs the lead cause I'm a bad mamma jamma on the far outside man for cause it's getting close that was a photo finish RDD Reasons for B or KJ Medusa won the Lee Berwick Futurity it'll take a photo to separate them.
SPEAKER_02KJ Medusa is a two year old gelding by KJ Mucho Macho Man out of the Ragazzo Mare Medusa read by Roos Ranch owned by JA Racing trained by Miguel Pisana and written by jockey Nestor Duran and we were able to talk with winning jockey Nestor Duran after the victory and I saw the tree he was coming up but we got it on the wire we did a great race staying out there at Delta Downs the Delta Downs Louisiana bred derby a restricted grade three event as three year olds went to post for a $1310 purse 400 yards is the distance Don Stevens has the call.
SPEAKER_11And they're off in the Derby at Delta Downs. Valiant Z came away cleanly and now goes towards the front on the inside San Lorenzo boss man is going to battle for that early lead down on the inside an awkward step there for MJ's heart but it's these two now Valiant Z. San Lorenzo boss man Valiant Z has the lead and wins the Derby San Lorenzo boss man was second third went to CM Dash and cartel fourth was either San Lorenzo boss man or stay in the fast lane.
SPEAKER_13Valiant Hard Z is a three year old gilding by Goldheart Eagle V out of the Valiant Hero mare YM Valentine read by slash Z quarterhorses owned by Luis Castellanos trained by Santiago Villaseca and ridden by Jorge Garcia.
SPEAKER_02We had another six figure event there at Delta Downs the Delta Downs Louisiana Bread Oaks 400 yards for three year old Phillies $11300 was the purse Don Stevens has the call.
SPEAKER_11And they're off in the Oaks at Delta Downs. Mama I'm leaving you came away with the early lead now builds a lead as they come onto the main track it's Mama I'm leaving you by a wide margin on the inside a political heart V moving up in the middle of the track Marcy train B also advancing smokeshow V, but they're coming to the finish and Mama I'm leaving you wins the Oaks by a wide margin.
SPEAKER_13Mama I'm leaving you as a three year old Philly by Corona's leaving you out of the apolitical Jessmare Mama Jamma Jamma read by Wiggins Acres owned by Gene Tal Deville trained by Jose Lopez and written by Noe Castaneda.
SPEAKER_02And that leads us to the big event on Sunday the grade one million dollar rainbow futurity for 400 yards the two year olds going at it out there in Albuquerque and we have the call from Robert Fox running in the rainbow futurity L Urcano V could have come away better now beginning to pick up some ground on Bluey down at thrill heat seeker V.
SPEAKER_13Then we have Cartel Calgirl 123 L Urcano V just swept them by then Bluey outside Thinkplays Perry L Urcano V swept them off their foundation in the Rainbow Futurity El Huracano V is a two year old gelding by Golden Boy out of the Valiant Hero mare Belisma Chocolata owned and bred by Valiorana Racing Stables trained by Raymond Valerio and written by Jockey Francisco Calerone.
SPEAKER_03And that'll wrap it up for the recap section we'll be right back after these words from our sponsor it's simple feed your horse Purina go to Purinamills.com forward slash horsefeed to view all of the available products for your equine investment.
SPEAKER_13As you really will see the difference feed Purina Welcome back to the racing preview section of Quarter Horse Racing Talk Weekly. I'm joined once again by Yancy and today we're gonna look at some of the biggest stakes for this upcoming weekend. Yancy we've got a great lineup to cover so let's jump right into it and start with the Zia Derby.
SPEAKER_16Yeah the Zia Derby I think the best horse in the race by a lot to me is luxury. This is one of my favorite horses and he's the top New Mexico bred three year old right now. He's three for three this year he just won the mountaintop derby and then comes back and sets the pass his time for this derby.
SPEAKER_13I think if luxury runs his race he's the horse to beat yes Yancy I really like luxury as well and I think another top horse in this race is going to be pour me a drink who's qualified to four stakes races in his career and won the New Mexico classic faturity last year at Zia Park and is going to have regular rider James Flores. So I think he's gonna be tough as well.
SPEAKER_16Yeah pour me a drink looked like he was back to his normal self in the trials last time out. I have him for second horse I put for third is the A King of State I think this is kind of the up and comer horse. He's only had four starts in his career coming into his three year old but he's two for two as a three year old he actually was in King of the Tides trial and beat King of the Tide in his trial. So I think King of the stake has a good chance to hit the board.
SPEAKER_13And another race in Albuquerque this weekend will be on Sunday the Zia Faturity a $37500 purse and I have Baby Daddy Cartel picked on top this horse has had an impressive career so far four out of five wins and recently won the Mountaintop Bread Faturity a grade two event in June with Noe Garcia still going to be on board this is who I have picked on top.
SPEAKER_16Yeah I mean baby daddy cartel's has stamped himself as the best two-year-old New Mexico bred running this year so far. I'm gonna give Schaefer another chance uh for a second uh this horse was a $350,000 yearling sale out of the New Mexico bread sale he's out of Big Daddy Cartel and Astaca if you look at New Mexico breeding I mean this is the best of the best on both sides so he came back in his trial and he looked good this time and I look for him to run big in the finals.
SPEAKER_13Yes and coming out of the same trial as Schaefer who ran second was Big Twist who's a half sibling to political twist who just won the rainbow derby this last weekend I think that you can't count out this horse as well.
SPEAKER_16And then I think another one we have to talk about is the fastest qualifier out of the Clinton Crawford barn acrylic this horse is two for three he won a maiden at Albuquerque and then comes and says the fastest time here he's got good connections he's also another big daddy cartel Yeldon so this will be another one that we have to count in if he comes back and runs the same type of race as he did in the trials. Yes Yancey and moving to Tulsa Oklahoma the speed horse faturity a hundred and seventy thousand dollar event for two year olds it'll be run on Saturday and I think we both kind of discussed that we have Whiskey Doc picked on top yeah Whiskey Doc it's it's hard not to like this horse he ran really well at Remington he ran fourth in the Oklahoma Fraturity he ran second in the easy jet third in the Lacco Bird stake so he's been right there in stakes races his whole career he just hasn't quite broke through for a big win yet but I think this race is his big chance and another horse I like in this race is the fastest qualifier JT Midlife Crisis who's three for four on his lifetime career and ran eighth in the easy jet stakes had a rough out but I think he seems to be improving yeah and one thing that I put on him is that Roman Cruz he writes pretty much first call for D Keener most of the time and he qualified this horse and a few of D Keener's but he elects to stay on this horse so I think that says something. I put Cyberstorm 918 out of the D Keener barn for a second. Cyber Monday's been hot all year this horse is three for four as well D keener's a strong connection so this horse hasn't really hit anything in for infraturities or stakes races yet but I think he'll be one that can hit the board in this race.
SPEAKER_13And moving on to Idaho Pocatello Downs the Bitterroot Fraturity a restricted grade three event $70,000 added race Yancy who did you have picked on top yeah this race was a lot harder to handicap for sure there's not it's not on Echo Base yet they haven't did the entries and they couldn't really find any past performances so I just went with connections and breeding uh put pretty boy swag on top uh this horse is owned by Dunranch and Jed Vane and this is a big time stable sending a horse to run in the biddy route so I think this horse has a good chance. Yes Yankee and like you said before Cyber Monday is a hot sire out there right now. So the second fastest qualifier OJD Quantum Trot Cyber Monday gilding out of the one sweet Jess Mare OJD Miss Lola has had three starts on the year one is first out and then actually ran second in his trial race to five bar DLT we'll be looking forward to the entries coming out for that race and that wraps up our racing preview section for this week. Yancey thanks as always for sharing your thoughts and helping break down these races love to get on.
SPEAKER_16It'll be interesting to see if any of these Zia returgy finalists take the jump and run in the all American trials after this there's a lot of times that the New Mexico Brets if they think they're good enough they will be entered in the All American trials so fun to watch all right that's all the time we have here on Quarterhorse Racing Talk Weekly and Bailey right on top of the sale season is coming we got a lot of traveling coming up between you and I.
SPEAKER_13Yes Greg the Texas sale is just about 10 days away.
SPEAKER_02Yes and also the LQHBA everything's just right on top of each other TQHA, LQHBA and before we know it we'll be looking at the New Mexico bread sale and then on to Riadoso for the much anticipated select sale and of course Heritage Place.
SPEAKER_13It's going to be a very busy time and you know how I say my favorite time of the year is races but I can't I don't know if I can say that about this all right well on behalf I'm Greg Thompson, a stallionesearch.com and I'm Bailey Ivy.
SPEAKER_02We'll see you next week here on the number one quarter horse racing talk podcast in the entire world Quarterhorse Racing Talk Weekly.