For Immediate Release
LTBA Contact:
Roger Heitzmann
(800) 772-1195
Media Contact:
Julie Calzone
(337) 235-2924 ext. 18
2012 Louisiana Sales Graduate Entered in Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies
Owner Dedicates Race to Father Who Will Be 96 in January
(New Orleans, La.) –The Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association
has already earned bragging rights in this weekend’s Breeders’ Cup.
2012 Breeders Sales Company of Louisiana graduate, Designer Legs, is
entered in the Juvenile Fillies at Santa Anita Park in Los Angeles,
California, November 1 and 2.
Designer Legs will be running in the Grade I $2 million mile and one sixteenth race set for two year-old fillies.
“The thoroughbred industry in Louisiana has grown to become one of
the state's top industries,” said Roger Heitzmann, secretary/treasurer
for the Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association and Breeders Sales
Company of Louisiana executive director. “Through the Association’s
efforts and the implementation of the breeding incentive program,
Louisiana-breds have flourished. Designer Legs’ appearance in the
Breeders’ Cup is proof that our horses are competitive anywhere.”
Murray Valene, a 40-year supporter of the Louisiana bred program,
purchased Designer Legs at the 2012 sale. “She was a stand out,” said
Valene. “She had the ‘look’ and was a big, strong yearling.”
Designer Legs broke her maiden in her first start at Canterbury
Park. Less than a month later she won the Prairie Gold Lassie Stakes.
The Graeme Hall daughter won the Grade 2 Adirondack Stakes at
Saratoga. She entered the Grade 1 Spinaway Stakes off her win and
managed a fifth place finish. The filly then traveled to Keeneland
Racecourse in Kentucky where she finished sixth in the Grade 1 Darley
Alcibiades Stakes.
Designer Legs won her first two races at Canterbury and Prairie
Meadows with trainer Gary Scherer before being turned over to trainer
Dallas Stewart by owner Murray Valene to point for the Adirondack. She
is still currently in training with Stewart.
Valene feels that Louisiana breds have helped him build a
successful program. “Louisiana breds can run anywhere in the U.S.,” said
Valene. “They are competitive at any racetrack and the Louisiana
Thoroughbred Breeders Association program is the best one out there.
It’s my favorite program.”
Designer Legs is proving her owner right with her entry in the
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies this weekend. “She is real,” said Valene.
“She has the class and the points to get there. She will try the entire
race and this is all for my dad who will be 96 in January.”
Valene reported that the filly is doing extremely well at Santa
Anita. “She’s got a pretty good shot because any filly can win this
race,” said Valene. “It is a level playing field.”
Two Year-Old Championship entrants shall not have medications, or
any other substances administered within 24 hours of post time including
authorized bleeder medications otherwise permitted by state regulation.
Valene Farms is ranked as a Graded Stakes Winning Owner with six
Top 100 rankings since 2000. Valene Farms has 69 starts in 2013 with 12
firsts, six thirds, and earning of $420,474. Total earning for Valene
Farms are listed at nearly $10 million.
Stewart is a multiple Graded Stakes winning trainer. He was second
in the 2013 Kentucky Derby with Golden Soul and second in the 2008
Preakness with Macho Again. He has been in the Top 100 Rankings nine
times since 2000.
What began as a one day, 7-race event has grown into a two-day, $27
million extravaganza attracting the best horses, trainers, and owners
from across the globe. It has also become the unofficial end and
culmination of the thoroughbred-racing season, often with the Breeders’
Cup Classic being the deciding factor in Horse of the Year.
For more information call (504) 947-4676 or visit louisianabred.com.
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