Leestown Legacy looking towards The Cocodrie Stakes

Leestown Legacy finished 2nd in the Louisiana Champions Day Handicap Stakes at The Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans on Saturday December 12th.

While in the paddock about 10 minutes before post time, Leestown Legacy lost part of his horse shoe and the race had to be delayed while farrier reattached the shoe. It had been raining all day and the track was listed as sloppy. We were worried about how he would handle the track conditions since he had never run on anything this bad before. He remained calm the entire time while having his shoe repaired and seemed unaffected by the rain and the mud. Finally the shoe is fixed and it is post time.

The son of Leestown broke from the number one post position with jockey Richard Eramia aboard and raced along the rail in 4th position during the first quarter mile. Just before the half-mile mark, a hole opened up along the rail and Eramia sent Leestown Legacy straight to the front. He extended his lead through the next 3/8 of a mile and made the final turn for home leading the pack of 8 Louisiana-Breds. With one furlong remaining, the heavy favorite, came up and passed him. A second challenge tried to take second position but Leestown Legacy fought him all the way to the wire and held on to take second place by a nose in a photo.

Jockey Richard Eramia said the horse ran great and he expects an even better performance out of him next time. Everyone was very proud of his performance. Leestown Legacy earned $10,000 for the finish and has been nominated to the $75,000 Cocodrie Stakes at Delta Downs on January 1st.

Trainers Dallas and Donna Keen should be commended on a great job of turning this $20,000 claiming horse into a stakes placed contender. Thanks should also go out to all the owners for showing the patience to give this horse a three month break from the track so that he could come back in his best form.

Reposted from
Ian Yarnot, Yarnot Stables

Leestown Legacy is entered to run the Cocodrie Stakes on New Years Day at Delta Downs. He will be ridden by jockey Richard Eramia.

Gerry Di Laura, Good bye my friend

My friend. long time jockey agent for Luis Quinonez, passed away on Thursday. Many people knew Gerry, everybody liked him. I will miss him dearly. Gerry was always there to help anyone who needed it, including me, when times were tough.
In 1996 at Remington Park my son Michael who is now 15, had his first, (and only), temper tantrum. Michael wanted to go to the game room with a few other little boys but I had to go saddle a horse. Michael began to cry and stood his ground and when I tried to grab his little hand to drag him to the paddock he threw himself down on the floor and started kicking a screaming. In a total loss I looked up and there was Gerry, a grandpa himself, and he motioned for me to go on, he would watch Michael. I stood behind a pillar watching in disbelief that this screaming kicking child was my son. About the time I needed to head to the paddock Michael noticed I wasn't standing there. He stopped crying, looked around and jumped to his feet. I looked at Gerry for what do to next and I got a big 'wink'. I stepped from around the pillar and told my son I would walk away every time he acted like that. My son never threw another fit, (until he turned into a teenager).
Gerry was always there to lend advice or help someone down on their luck. He was a loyal friend and agent for jockey Luis Quinonez for 18 years.
2 years ago at Lone Star Park Gerry slipped outside of the racing office and broke his shoulder, last year had some other health issues, I knew his time was not long but I didn't know I wouldn't get a chance to tell him goodbye. I will miss him dearly. God bless my friend Gerry.

Devastating loss at Remember Me Rescue

We are very saddened to announce our first loss at Remember Me Racehorse Rescue. Little Doctor, a 12 year old ex thoroughbred racehorse, was euthanized this morning from colic complications after fighting a hard battle overnight. Little Doctor had been part of a 20 horse rescue that took place in April earlier this year. Angelo Trosclair, owner of Thoroughbred Transport Inc, contacted me after he received a phone call asking about transportation for the exracehorses to a local auction barn, where horses are frequently sold by the pound to be hauled to Canada or Mexico for meat processing. Knowing we were accepting horses into our newly formed program Angelo, who is a retired jockey now horse transporter, called to see if we could possibly place a few of the more adoptable horses.

A trailer load at a time the horses were brought to Remember Me to be rehabilitated and retrained in hopes of finding them new homes. Little Doctor came on the first trailer load. Upon his arrival he was very thin, timid and refused to be a part of the herd. I contacted his previous trainer to find out that Doc had been an orphan and was raised on a bottle. He wanted to be part of the 'people herd', not with the other horses. So we brought him into his own smaller paddock where he couldn't be bullied around by the rest of the herd.

A couple of weeks into his retraining Little Doctor became very sore in his feet. I was out of town so I called the horseshoer to see what he could do to possibly relive Doc's soreness. His answer was not what I was expecting to hear, 'euthanize him, he has rotated his coffin bone'. I called Diamond W Animal Hospital and Pine Hill Pet Cemetery to set up a time for his euthanasia.

When Dr. Roeber arrived he called me and gave me some good news. He said, 'Donna, I've looked at this horse and I think I can save him'. He went on to suggest lilly pads and several medications which I was more than ready to try. Little Doctor improved with each passing day.

The following week I called in an Equine Podiatrist, (fancy name for really good horseshoer), and his recommendation was for special pads and equine therapy shoes. Again, it sounded great to me. Within 2 months Little Doctor completely recovered with absolutely no evidence of founder.

For the past several months Little Doctor had been available for adoption but with his previous lameness issues was a 'hard to place' horse. Even though Little Doctor appeared to be completely sound and could have been a terrific riding horse a suitable home for him wasn't found.
Little Doctor had been at our rescue for 8 months and had become part of our family at Remember Me. He lost his battle with colic this morning and was euthanized by a local veterinarian after being cared for all night by our farm staff. Dallas and I, our staff, and our volunteers have been devastated by his loss.

We are asking for donations to cover Little Doctor's veterinarian cost which ran $370 and the cost of his burial by Pine Hill Pet Cemetery of $200. The 'Little Doctor Memorial Fund' can be donated to by going to our website and clicking the Paypal button or by check to
Remember Me Racehorse Rescue
4100 Conveyor Drive
Burleson, Texas 76028
Any help with these cost will be much appreciated and any funds received over the amount of his care will go towards caring for other horses at Remember Me Racehorse Rescue.

Boutit Boutit coming to Remember Me Racehorse Rescue

I got a call December 6th about a horse located at a Texas sale barn called Boutit Boutit. We are currently trying to raise money for his purchase, ($225), board at the sale barn, and other immediate needs such as worming and vaccinations. Right now he is safe as the sale barn owner promised to keep him until the funds were raised but we need to do this as soon as possible.

We are also looking for place to quarantine Boutit Boutit for 14 days until he can come to Remember Me Racehorse Rescue not insure we don't get any other horses sick. If anyone has a place that they can quarantine a horse or knows a neighbor or friend with an empty barn or paddock we would really appreciate them letting Boutit Boutit stay there until he can be brought to Remember Me.





Boutit Boutin earned $26K running 10 times for trainer Sam David at LAD, FG, and LSP before running his last 8 races with Milton Gaede. His last career start was at Fonner Park.


Please help us help Boutit Boutit by donating towards his care now.

Red Moon Cat has an impressive win at the Fair Grounds

WOW...

That was all I could say when Red Moon Cat came from more than 12 lengths off the pace to blow by what looked like a certain winner in Candy Delicious who had drawn off to a nearly 7 length lead from the rest of the field to win a $45,000 maiden allowance race.

Leaving from the 11 hole and jostled at the start, Red Moon Cat stayed far back. Behind a wall of horses at the eighth pole she looked to have no chance to catch the winner. Rider James Graham found a hole and Red Moon Cat proved she had what it takes to win.

Red Moon Cat, a 2 year old Louisiana Bred daughter of Malibu Moon, had been entered on the turf in her 2 previous starts but thanks to the weather was moved to the main track in both attempts. She found her calling on the turf track at The Fair Grounds Race Course November 29th in what I think was the most impressive Maiden win of the meet. For a little filly, about 14.3 hands, she showed tremendous heart and courage and we are proud to have her in our stable.

Red Moon Cat is owned by James and Ywachetta Driver of Irving, Texas and is trained by Dallas Keen.