Australian Horse of the Year – Weekend Hussler

Horses and members of the Australian horse racing industry were honored in an awards ceremony on Monday, 1 September 2008, where Weekend Hussler was named the Australian Horse of the Year. The Australian awards ceremony immortalized eleven names, and some did not come as a surprise for the industry. Achievements and magnificent performances delivered by Weekend Hussler over the last year made his selection as Horse of the Year an anticipated announcement, while others were veterans of the industry to whom the honor was long overdue.

Stonerside Gets New Owner

Robert and Janice McNair established Stonerside Stable in 1994 on a breathtakingly beautiful 1 947 acre piece of land near Paris in Bourbon County, Kentucky. Through their hard work and dedication, Stonerside Stable has grown into a leading breeding farm for Thoroughbred racehorses, and they have bred numerous stakes winners and champions. It is no wonder that Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, ruler of Dubai and owner of Darley, would be interested in such a successful operation.

Vineyard Haven Shines for Frankel

Trainer, Bobby Frankel enjoyed a very successful weekend at Saratoga Racecourse, leaving the meeting with eleven winning performances. First Defense gave an astonishing performance in the Forego Handicap, while other horses such as Go For Wand and Ginger Punch also brought victory home with their magnificent performances. In the Grade 2 $250 000 Hopeful Stakes, which took place on Monday, 1 September 2008, another surprise was waiting for Frankel in the form of Vineyard Haven.

Quarter Horse Racing Action

The first All American Futurity was held at Ruidoso Downs in New Mexico in 1959. It is a horse racing event for Quarter Horses and today carries a purse of $1.9 million, much more than the $129 686 it started with. It is the richest Quarter Horse racing event on the calendar and thousands of fans clamor for a seat to watch these magnificently powerful Quarter Horses perform. It has been referred to as horse drag racing, as the race is over in a few seconds, and has the excitement and thrill of any other speed related sport. On Monday, 1 September 2008, a full field of mighty beasts shook the starting gates as they broke away for the 2008 All American Futurity.

Woodward Victory for Curlin

The “Graveyard of Champions” legend of Saratoga Racecourse did not apply to Curlin on Saturday, 30 August 2008, as he soared into the lead to win the Woodward Stakes. Winning the Woodward Stakes not only reaffirmed his champion status, but pushed him into second place for all-time horse racing career earnings. It was the first time that Curlin had raced at the Saratoga Racecourse, making the Woodward a highly anticipated race.

First Defense Dominates Forego Handicap

First Defense had won at Belmont Park Racecourse in June and then came second in the A.G. Vanderbilt just over a month later. Trainer Bobby Frankel was a little worried that First Defense would slow down at some stage as he had done in previous events. But Frankel was in for a surprise, as First Defense made no attempt at slowing down in the Forego Handicap, but kept increasing his lead to win in a spectacular fashion

Pierre Lèvesque – Canadian Hall of Fame Inductee

On the 28th of August 2008, the Mississauga Convention Centre rolled out the red carpet for the hosting of the 2008 Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, and ensured that everyone in attendance had a memorable evening. Eight names were immortalized in horse racing history, even though a hint of sadness hung in the air, with horse racing in Montreal coming to an end. But inductees can look back on their achievements with pride, as the honor of being inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame is a great privilege.

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