Equine Photographer Sarah Andrew: 2010- A Year in Photos

Happy New Year!

Thank you for all of your support. 2010 was another year of firsts for me as a photographer- there was rarely a dull moment! From being interviewed for the local news (link here) to driving a Standardbred racehorse on a training track in a jog cart, there were never enough hours in the day. I photographed the World Equestrian Games, Rolex, all three Triple Crown races, the Breeders’ Cup, dozens of Grade 1 races, dozens of horses in need at local rescues, and over 1,000 horses at Camelot Auction. I was proud to contribute a photo to a magazine that won Bill Finley an Eclipse Award for writing.

Click on any of these photos for more information:

Miss Tuesday starts off the year with a smile

Jonathan Andrew at the Twisted Tree Cafe in Asbury Park, NJ

A morning with the TDN

Clowning around with Mary

And Mary gets her teeth floated

Riding Paris

My first visit to Camelot Auction

Slade

Sharing secrets

Camelot Auction

Noodles the snow kitty

JR after a February snowstorm

Apollo and Atlas

Ashton

Mary

Gulliver at Helping Hearts Equine Rescue

Horsey hug

Jonathan Andrew, Ralph Capasso, Mike Ferraro- Full-length album to be released soon! link here

Camelot Auction

Awesome Act in the winner’s circle after the Gotham

Relaxing at Camelot

Riot

A Standardbred enjoying the sunshine in the care of Horse Rescue United

Wizard gets new shoes

Wizard

Camelot

Eskendereya and John Velazquez win the Grade 1 Wood Memorial

John Velazquez – WinStar silks

Cammie, in foal with Guin at Camelot Auction

And baby Guin!

Wizard and me in April

Tara Ziegler and Buckingham Place at Rolex

Blind Luck at Churchill Downs

Tina Konyot and Calecto V- Kentucky Cup Grand Prix Freestyle

Hilda Donahue and Extravagance at Rolex

Quirinal De La Bastide and Stanislas de Zuchowicz at Rolex

Kodiak Kowboy at Vinery

Sunshine Forever at Old Friends Kentucky

Bathtime for Blind Luck

Kentucky Derby hats

William Fox-Pitt and Cool Mountain at Rolex

Big Brown at Three Chimneys Farm

Rahy at Three Chimneys

Unrivaled Belle defeats Rachel Alexandra in the La Troienne

Super Saver and Calvin Borel win the Kentucky Derby

Wizard and me

First Dude

Seeking the Title is rounded up by an outrider after a spill in the Black Eyed Susan Stakes at Pimlico

Nicanor in the Dixie Stakes

Much love for Strike A Deal

Tidal Pool, Acting Happy, Khancord Kid in the Black Eyed Susan Stakes

Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver

Three Mares

Hip #40- “Virgin Voyage” filly- read here

Camelot

Overgirths

Quality Road and John Velazquez win the Metropolitan Handicap

Drosselmeyer: 2010 Belmont Stakes Winner posing in front of his blanket of carnations

Wizard and me

First Dude before the Belmont

CC and Mary

Karen Headley and Wizard

Proviso (GB) and Mike Smith make their winning move in the G1 Just A Game Stakes

Ultimate Journey- read about him here

Presious Passion and Get Serious

Camelot Auction

Wizard and his stitches in June

Yoga horse

The gloaming

A trail ride at sunset

Camelot

Trolley

Trolley and the hole in her head

Guin, growing up

Gone Astray and Cornelio Velasquez at the start of the Grade 3 Salvator Mile

Camelot chicken

Camelot

Beatrix

My car inadvertently ending up at a classic car show

Camelot

Longears at Camelot

Rachel Alexandra and Calvin Borel win the Lady’s Secret Stakes

Rachel Alexandra and the Monmouth Park crowd

Camelot

Camelot

Wizard

Ultimate Journey

Horse, meet cow

Trolley

Wizard and me

Wizard and me

Martin Garcia and Lookin at Lucky after the Haskell

Cash’s fancy Haskell hairdo

Full house at Monmouth Park

Jonathan Andrew and Brett Harris at the Twisted Tree Cafe. Asbury Park, NJ

Camelot

My favorite part of the photo? The woman in the white dress and pink hat in front of Blame’s nose is the one and only MARYLOU WHITNEY!

Even the baths are beautiful at Saratoga

Wizard: equine landscape

Rachel Alexandra

King of Spain

Haynesfield’s Whitney starting gate mishap

Camelot

Wizard and me

Camelot

Camelot kitten

Sunny

Jest Abad Girl

Meet and greet

Dinner time at Camelot Auction

Sharing lunch

Camelot

Afleet Express outgames Fly Down to win the 2010 Travers Stakes

Looking for a home

Sierra at Horse Rescue United

Mary the flower child

Wizard and me

Camelot

Morning Commute: a pony rider on her way to Saratoga Race Course

Trainer Anouk Busch and Paisley

Summer’s end

Mary’s lattice braid

So very Saratoga

Souper Spectacular (Zenyatta’s little half brother!)

World Equestrian Games: Inonothing and Paul Tapner

World Equestrian Games: Iman du Golfe and Juan Carlos Garcia

World Equestrian Games: Mavrick du Granit and Atsushi Negishi

World Equestrian Games: Edward Gal and Moorlands Totilas

Bokeh mare- click here to see the rest of my October photo-a-day challenge

Camelot

Camelot

Wizard and me

World Equestrian Games: Juan Munoz Diaz & Fuego XII

World Equestrian Games- Anky Van Grunsven and Whizashingwallas

Zodiac- blogged here

Festoon 1920-1944: A Grand Horse… He Always Tried

Wizard

Steeplechasing at Far Hills

Justin

Justin

Guin and Indigo

Guin in October

Camelot

CC, Gleason, Sierra at Horse Rescue United

Turnout time at Days End Farm Horse Rescue

Zodiac in November at Days End

Kentucky Equine Humane Center

Zenyatta

Freckles, spots, dapples

Camelot

From flying lead changes to ribbons, it was a great year with Wizard

Remsen winners To Honor and Serve and John Velazquez

Christmas photos

Six ears

Camelot

Camelot

Penny Austin and Charm, a Camelot graduate

Cheyenne Shane at Horse Rescue United

Three bays

War Chant at Three Chimneys Farm

Lewis Michael

Christmas wishes from Jefferson Airplane at Helping Hearts Equine Rescue

Prince the horse treats tourists to a carriage ride through the streets of Red Bank, NJ

Camelot

Camelot

Camelot

And Wizard ends the year with a smile

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IN MEMORIAM

I send my deepest condolences to the friends and family of Colin Davidson

In memory of Celtic Charisma (a.k.a Moose)

In memory of Cabana Boy

In memory of Bowie

In memory of CH Gypsy Supreme

In memory of Chloe

In memory of Solar Flare

In memory of Petunia

In memory of Tabitha the pony

In memory of Thatcatismine

In memory of Amelia

In memory of El Rocco

In memory of Stoneridge Gigi

In memory of Hunter

In memory of Taz

In memory of War Pass

In memory of Rum Row

In memory of Shiloh

In memory of John’s Call

In memory of Remi

In memory of Alley Kat

In memory of Gideon

In memory of Dennis/Sweet John

In memory of Rough Sailing

In memory of Master Command

In memory of Tuscan Evening

In memory of Buddy’s Saint

In memory of Jenny

In memory of Hope/Danielle’s Darling

In memory of Sky

In memory of Dalton

In memory of Kip Deville

In memory of Selena

In memory of Beatrix, the most perfect kitten in the whole world

And in loving memory of Mike K., a dear friend to my entire family. He will be missed.

Congratulations to the 2009 Eclipse Award Winners…

Congratulations to the connections of this year’s champions…

Horse of the Year and 3-Year-Old Female: Rachel Alexandra

Older Female: Zenyatta

Older Male and Male Turf Horse: Gio Ponti

3-Year-Old Male: Summer Bird

Male Sprinter: Kodiak Kowboy

Female Sprinter: Informed Decision

2-Year-Old Female: She Be Wild

2-Year-Old Male: Lookin at Lucky

Female Turf Horse: Goldikova (Ire)

Owner: Godolphin Racing

Breeder: Juddmonte Farms

Trainer: Steve Asmussen

Jockey: Julien Leparoux

Now go read your TDN and browse your blogs to catch up on all the details!

The Kentucky Derby and Movie Lists: Jockey Joe Talamo’s Top Ten Movies of All Time

Continuing my collection of Top Ten lists from my favorite photographers, writers, musicians, and athletes in the world of rock and racehorses. Check out the Top Ten lists of Barbara Livingston, Bill Finley, Bud Morton, Jonathan Andrew, Kevin Martin, Holly Van Voast, and Jon Forbes.

New York racing fans are a tough bunch. They don’t take kindly to just anybody. They’ve seen it all, from Man o’War to Secretariat. They are stingy with their applause and only reserve it for a select few. After the 2009 Wood Memorial, the New York applause thundered through the small but tough crowd. Joe Talamo and I Want Revenge were officially welcomed to the fold.

Before we go on, take another look at the 2009 Wood Memorial.

Watched it? OK, good. What did you think of Joe Talamo’s ride? I loved it. Balanced riding out of the gate when the colt awkwardly broke, infinite patience waiting to make his move, and a quiet ride to the wire, encouraging his colt but not pushing him any more than needed. Gotta save some of that run for the first Saturday in May.

I’m a racing fanatic, but I’m also a fanatic of excellent riding of any discipline. Check out Talamo’s position at the start of the Wood: eyes up, elastic and giving hands, patient posture.

How does a 19-year-old jockey develop these skills? Where did he come from? Who taught him? Was he born a rider? Being a Louisiana native, he cut his teeth on the very same tracks as many of the greatest riders in the sport. Check out the little HRTV clips: Joe Talamo’s Meteoric Rise: Part 1 and Joe Talamo’s Meteoric Rise: Part 2.

I met Joe very briefly at a work function when I was in California shooting the 2008 Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita. I only spoke with him for a few moments, but I could tell that he was keen to make a good impression with anyone who spoke with him. I can imagine the same keenness when he is hustling mounts at the barns at dawn every morning. Coupled with excellent riding skills, it takes a certain amount of charisma, discipline, and boldness to get a good reputation.

Gamblers and horse racing fans alike have known about Smokin’ Joe Talamo since he took California by storm in 2007, winning Grade 1 races at the tender age of 17, becoming the youngest jockey to ride in a Breeders’ Cup race (Monmouth Park 2007 aboard Nashoba’s Key), and winning the Eclipse Award for Best Apprentice Jockey. A larger population got to know Talamo through Animal Planet’s hit series, Jockeys. Talamo’s drive and determination are a large part of the show’s success and the show is currently filming its second season as we count down the days til the Kentucky Derby.

What does the jockey of the 2009 Kentucky Derby favorite deem the top ten movies of all time? Check out his list:

1. The Godfather (1972)
2. Goodfellas (1990)
3. The Dark Knight (2008)
4. Seabiscuit (2003)
5. American Gangster (2007)
6. Catch Me If You Can (2002)
7. Cinderella Man (2005)
8. Wedding Crashers (2005)
9. Phone Booth (2002)
10. A Bronx Tale (1993)

The Legend of Alibar: A Star is Born

Alibhai’s Alibar was foaled in New Jersey on March 28, 1979. Alibar was liver chestnut with a big blaze and two hind stockings, a left front sock, and a white right pastern. His milky chin and knife-point stockings are signs of sabino genetics at work, and his raccoon tail and speckled flanks indicated rabicano markings as well. His foal coat was reddish but as he matured, his coat became a rich, chocolatey color that had a purplish cast in some light. Although he was genetically a chestnut, his mane, tail and back were so dark with countershading that some people mistakenly called him a bay.

Although Alibar was registered with the Appaloosa Horse Club and was the son of a Quarter Horse dam, the largest percentage of blood in his pedigree was Thoroughbred. Alibar’s sire was a tall, leggy Appaloosa stallion named Golden Alibhai. Golden Alibhai was sired by a Thoroughbred named Peakablu and was out of an Appaloosa mare of Canadian lines named Golden Candy. Peakablu had the blood of champions in his veins; his grandsire Bull Lea was the king of Calumet Farm and sire of Triple Crown winner Citation and his broodmare sire Alibhai was highly influential to the breed and was grandsire of the immortal Kelso. Blue hen broodmares such as Blue Delight and Teresina are also found in Peakablu’s pedigree. All of these ancestors could not make Peakablu run any faster, and he had an unsuccessful career in California and went on to sire horses of other breeds. Not much is known of the Appaloosa side of Golden Alibhai’s pedigree. I found a few photos and made MANY phone calls to breed registries but the roots of the bloodlines are lost to the Canadian winds.

Golden Alibhai was very athletic and temperamental. He was a very talented jumper and sired some successful show jumpers, but his personality kept him from having success in the show ring. Alibar’s breeder told me that Golden Alibhai made a habit of walking on his hind legs with a rider in the saddle. I found this photo in an old issue of Appaloosa Journal. Such a big fellow and very different in appearance from the modern Appaloosa.

Alibar’s dam was a small, stout, black Quarter Horse mare named Treva Bar. She was bred 4×4 to influential sire Three Bars. She came from mostly racing and cutting lines. Alibar’s breeder said that she had a nasty disposition and killed one of her foals. A few years ago, I corresponded with the family of Treva Bar’s breeder. This is what they had to say about Treva Bar and her sire, Reddi Go Bars:

When I started training her as a 2 yr old, she was a bundle of energy. Everything was pretty typical at first but once I got her out of the round corral and started riding her in larger areas, once we moved from the walk into a trot or canter she would never come back down to a walk; she would just jig. I worked her in deep sand in a dry river bed doing figure 8’s around the trees trying to wear her down. She never wore down. One good thing I remember was that she felt very solid and secure doing figure 8’s in the deep sand, never felt she was struggling in the deep sand. She was stout and very muscular. It was just very tiring to ride her because she wouldn’t walk. We were working on a ranch in eastern Colorado at the time and my husband took her to ride a couple of times. The first time he had been out moving and checking cattle all day and coming home Treva Bar was still jigging. The second time he took her for the day, he roped a 2yr old bull off of her. He said she handled it just fine, but still with all the work she wouldn’t walk. She would always stop when we ask, but just not walk.

Reddi was always pretty good to handle and ride. Treva Bar looked a lot like him. They used Reddi to breed their own mares and showed him at halter. Reddi’s colts always looked like him and black was the dominant color.

Alibar was turned out with a few other Appaloosa weanlings in the summertime. According to his breeder, the weanlings were so difficult to catch that they had to leave short lead ropes attached to them. On the notes for these photos, she titled them “The Three Musketeers”.

After Alibar was weaned, my mom’s friend Diane purchased him. And you’ll learn more of her adventures in Chapter Two :^)

And so begins The Legend of Alibar. Thank you for reading about my special horse and I look forward to sharing more of the Legend soon.

Spotlight: 2008 Eclipse Award Winners!

A big congratulations to the connections of these wonderful horses and to the recipients of these awards. And congratulations to the Thoroughbred Bloggers Alliance for the shoutout by the Hennegan Brothers.

Check out Thoroughbred Daily News for full coverage of the Eclipse Awards.

Champion Older Male and Horse of the Year: Curlin

Older Female: Zenyatta

Champion 3 Year Old Filly: Proud Spell

Champion 3 Year Old Male: Big Brown

Champion 2 Year Old Female: Stardom Bound

Champion 2 Year Old Male: Midshipman

Steeplechase Horse: Good Night Shirt

Outstanding Trainer: Steve Asmussen

Champion Turf Female: Forever Together

Champion Turf Male: Conduit

Champion Male Sprinter: Benny the Bull

Champion Female Sprinter: Indian Blessing

Outstanding Jockey- Garrett Gomez

Outstanding Owner, Stronach Stables; Outstanding Breeder, Adena Springs

The Race Goes On…

The Race Goes On…, originally uploaded by Rock and Racehorses.

Coping with the loss of my horse Alibar has been extremely difficult. The kind words and shared experiences of my friends have been a great comfort to me. My husband, family, and friends have surrounded me with sympathy and love and it astounds me to realize how much of an impact my little chocolatey horse made on all who met him in person or through my photos. I’ve heard the good and the bad and I appreciate it all. Some have told me that time will heal my wounds and some have told me of horses they lost decades ago who still haunt their memories.

It is a beautiful and terrible thing to realize that the Earth keeps turning even though my own little world is upside down. The races go on, Bryan the Cat needs to be fed, I need to get work done.

I’ve known a lot of people who lose a one-in-a-million horse and they drop out of the equestrian world for years… sometimes forever. I don’t want to do this. I’m doing my best to be brave and jump back in the deep end. When I arrived at Monmouth Park on Sept 13 to photograph Big Brown, I got a big hug and some very supportive words from my photographer friends. I’m also trying to visit my barn as frequently as I can. Horses are great therapists.

The race goes on and an amazing horse is carrying me.