7 July 2016, Solvang, California, USA ~ The first Arabian race to offer the Heritage Arabian Racing Club (HARC) added purse bonus of $4,000 took place Sunday, June 26, at Arapahoe Park racetrack just outside Denver, Colorado. It will be followed by four races over the next four months, hitting each Arabian racing state in America with the lucrative bonus. The $4,000 is divided to the owner and breeder of the top three HARC-nominated horses in the race.
The bonus was attached to the third race on the Sunday card at Arapahoe Park, an allowance race for purebred Arabian fillies and mares 3 years and up which have never won three races at a distance of 6 furlongs. The race itself carried a purse of $7,500, in addition to the $4,000 HARC bonus for HARC-eligible runners in the race.
In this case, due to the nominating process only recently established, just one HARC-nominated horse was entered in the race. However, the bonus made a big statement, one that created buzz and enticement. Dartyns Kriss SWA (KD Kalhoun x Triss), an eight-year-old pure Polish mare owned and bred by Dr. Jim Wetzel of Casper, WY, went sixth in the race. Yet still, Dr. Wetzel took home a check for $4,000 the full HARC payout as the only HARC-nominated horse, and also both the owner and breeder.
This sent a scintillating message to the USA Arabian horse world: Get your HARC-eligible horses nominated and racing.
Ken Danyluk, prominent Arabian race trainer and trainer of Dartyn Kriss SWA is a significant proponent of HARC. “I started my career with horses of the classic HARC bloodlines and had a lot of success with them,” he said. “Even though other bloodlines have become more popular, I’m happy that I have a HARC horse in my barn, thanks to Dr. Wetzel. There are still track records on the books that were set by HARC horses. Dartyn Kriss SWA is tough, quick out of the gate, and I look forward to running her again [in the HARC race] in California”
Jonathan Horowitz, track announcer at Arapahoe Park and active Arabian racing advocate, was thrilled to have his track host the inaugural USA race. “HARC will help grow Arabian racing in the United States,” he said. “That helps everyone.”
HARC USA voting member Evie Tubbs Sweeney attended the race to present the HARC blanket to the winning horse. “It was elating to finally see HARC off the ground and running in the USA. And it was great to write out that check for $4,000 to Dr. Wetzel,” she said. I’’m looking forward to writing many more checks to those racing heritage-bred Arabians!”
To see the race footage and preceding race interview of the inaugural USA HARC race at Arapahoe Park, click here.
Races offering HARC bonuses in the USA continue throughout the year on the following schedule:
– July 31st: California (Santa Rosa Fairgrounds)
– August: Michigan (Hazel Park Racetrack)
– September: Delaware (Delaware Park Racetrack)
– October: Texas (Track TDB based on final date)
For more information, visit www.harchorses.com or www.ArabianRacing.org/HARC.
The Heritage Arabian Racing Club is committed to promoting the preservation and racing of Heritage Arabian horses of traditional type and bloodlines, and to ensure the long-term future of Arab horse characteristics in the broadest terms, with the hallmark of beauty, athletic ability, soundness and versatility.
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