SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Sheer Drama, a three-time Grade 1 winner who earned almost $1.7 million, has been retired.
David Fawkes, who trained Sheer Drama throughout her career, and the 6-year-old daughter of Burning Roma took the last of their many van rides together Tuesday. Fawkes, who personally chauffeured Sheer Drama to all of her out-of-town engagements from her regular base at Gulfstream Park, dropped off Sheer Drama at owner-breeder Harold Queen’s farm in Ocala, Fla.
Jim McCullough has been named the announcer for the Zia Park meet that opens Sept. 10, the Hobbs, N.M., track announced on Friday. He was previously the announcer at Evergreen Park in Grande Prairie, Canada. McCullough takes over from Tom Harris.
McCullough is a California native who also has served as track announcer at Will Rogers Downs near Tulsa, Okla., and at fair meets in Arizona. He also has worked as a talk show host in Los Angeles, according to the release from Zia.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Caton and Doug Bredar have been married 26 years – or about 12 in horse-racing years.
Their careers in racing often keep them physically separated despite their best efforts to spend as much time together as possible. As a broadcaster for numerous outlets, most recently TVG, Caton has carried a more public profile, while Doug has worked behind the scenes, first as a racing official and now as the agent for star jockey Florent Geroux.
Grade 1-placed stakes winner King Congie will take up residence at Old Friends at Cabin Creek Farm: The Bobby Frankel Division in Greenfield Center, N.Y., just outside of Saratoga Springs. His former owner, West Point Thoroughbreds, will remain involved with the expenses for his care, according to Rosemary Farm, which recently rescued the horse from auction.
John Scully plans to retire soon from race-calling, and Fairmount Park in Collinsville, Ill., plans to celebrate its longtime announcer during a Saturday night ceremony. Scully, 70, will be feted between the fourth and fifth races, said Jon Sloane, spokesman for Fairmount.
“John is retiring after a 46-year run at Fairmount Park,” Sloane said. “His last day will be our last day of the Thoroughbred season, which is Sept. 5, Labor Day.”
Dads Caps, a two-time winner of the Grade 1 Carter Handicap, has been retired from racing, owner and breeder Vince Scuderi announced Thursday. Stallion plans for the 6-year-old son of Discreet Cat have not been decided.
“We’ve had a tremendous run with Dads Caps,” Scuderi said in a release. “For four seasons, he took on the best sprinters of his generation, and his record is a testament to his consistency and heart. We could campaign him another season, but we have had a few farms looking into his availability as a stallion, and he has certainly earned that opportunity.”
Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark., will offer record purses for its 2017 meet that opens in January, the track announced Wednesday. It will be the ninth straight season that the track has opened with purses higher than its previous meet.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Three-time Eclipse Award-winning jockey Javier Castellano and his agent, Matt Muzikar, will split at the end of the Saratoga meet, both parties confirmed Wednesday.
Castellano cited a breakdown in communication as the reason for the two ending their seven-year working relationship.
