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"For the animal shall not be measured by man. In a world older and more complete than ours, they move finished and complete, gifted with the extension of the senses we have lost or never attained, living by voices we shall never hear. They are not brethren, they are not underlings: they are other nations, caught with ourselves in the net of life and time, fellow prisoners of the splendor and travail of the earth."
~ "The Outermost House" - Henry Beston Author (1888-1968)
Submitted by Diane Wilterding, TABA member
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Stories...
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Mags Mad Max
Sets a new track record for 6 1/2 furlongs (1307.6 meters)
The previous track record at Retama Park in San Antonio, Texas for Arabian horses running 6 1/2 furlongs on the dirt was 1:27.40. On Saturday, May 7, 2005, Mads Mad Max sheered nearly a half second off this time setting the new record at 1:26.95.
Mags Mad Max (Makzan x Darling Doraa by Monarch AH), is a 4 year old bay stallion with 15 lifetime starts and earnings over $25,000. Coming into his record-setting race, Mags Mad Max had already run 6 races this year, hitting the board every time with 2 wins, 3 seconds and 1 third. Last year he ran 8 times, with 5 placings, 2 thirds and a first. His stakes efforts include the 2004 ARAC California Firecracker, where he ran third, and the 2005 Kontiki Stakes in Houston where he finished 2nd.
The sire of Mags Mad Max is Makzan, born in France 1991, and exported to Qatar in 1994. He then traveled to the United Kingdom in 1995, and onto Germany in 1998. Makzan is by Manganate and out of the mare Miss Dior.
The dam of Mags Mad Max, Darling Doraa, is a stakes winner herself, by the famous Monarch AH and out of a Probat daughter named Doraa PASB.
Mags Mad Max is owned by Sam Vasquez and trained by Mike Furr, and bred by Magness Racing Ventures.
Max was broken and got his early training at Ripley Ranch, a farm owned by TABA member Darla Ripley and her husband Rip. "When he was ready to go into race training," explains trainer Mike Furr, " I went and picked him up and took him to Retama Park where I train. He really started catching on real fast. After a few light works I started with the gate work. Right away I could tell he wasn't going to be a problem leaving the gates. He got 2 works from the gates by himself and I was ready to gate him with some company."
The next day the van was there to ship Mags Mad Max to Los Alamitos for a stakes race, the Firecracker. While in Calfornia, he was gated with other horses and got his gate card. In the stakes race he ran a little green but was able to pick up 3rd place. When he returned home to Texas, Mike started back where he had left off.
After about 30 days, Mags Mad Max started in a maiden race at Retama. He broke his maiden and won by 22 3/4 lengths. Then he was on his way to Delaware. In Delaware, Max didn't fare that well. "I don't know what it was but he didn't seem to be happy," ponders his trainer Mike Furr. When Max returned home to Texas after several lackluster races in Delaware, Mike was back working hard to get him to where he was when he left. Once again, Max came back to his winning form. Since returning from Delaware, Max's record is 3 firsts, 2 seconds, 2 thirds, and 1 fourth out of 8 starts. "Hopfully we can keep it up!" says his trainer.
Mags Mad Max runs in blinkers, his shoes are level grips in the front and grabs on the back, and he runs on Lasix but only a very small dose. "He is a really good eater before and after the races," says Mike. "He stays calm before the races and is easy to handle. Overall he is really great I would love to have a barn full just like Max."
We wish Mike and Max and Max's owner, Sam Vasquez, the best of luck, and a hearty congratulations for the new track record!
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