Terence Collier

It seems that every tick of the clock marks the demise of another friend and colleague in my life. Word came in today of the passing on January 15th of Dr. Billy (Merritt William) Marrs, who died in Indio, California, close to his winter home in Palm Springs. Such news usually travels fast in our circles, but this veterinarian has spent more of the last few years on out-of-town golf courses than on the backside or at a horse sale. Nevertheless, there will be a few tears and many fond...

However the TDN looks upon itself introspectively, the daily readership of its North American content can probably deduce that without advertising revenues from the Thoroughbred breeding industry, it would be difficult for its publishers to put out such an excellent and comprehensive daily edition. The lead article in June 27th's issue by Bill Finley--"Do we really need so many stakes races?"--obviously comes from the writer's perspective more concerned with payoffs from exactas and trifectas than the majority of the TDN's readers. Bill says, "The problem is obvious. There aren't enough...

The Kentucky leg of the Real Rider Cup, a charity show jumping event created by Anita Motion to benefit Thoroughbred aftercare, will be held Saturday, July 9--two days ahead of the start of the Fasig-Tipton July sales--at New Vocation Racehorse Adoption Program at Mereworth Farm in Lexington. Among those set to participate are Zenyatta's son Cozmic One (Bernardini), who will be ridden by Real Rider Cup veteran Sergio de Sousa; and Grade III winner Sticksstatelydude (First Dude) with exercise rider Kristin VanMeter. 1/ST Racing is furnishing an entire team coming...

Steve Dance, a senior member of Fasig-Tipton's auction team for five decades, passed away suddenly on Tuesday morning at his home in Jarrettsville, MD, which he shared with his wife Nancy. He was in his 78th year and it was suspected he suffered a massive heart attack. Steve worked until the last day of his life and the many sellers and buyers at Fasig-Tipton's Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale, just a week ago in Timonium, would have seen him plying his lifelong trade on the auction stand in his beloved...

Bruce Johnstone was, without question, one of the finest persons I ever met in the Thoroughbred world. At the beginning of 1977, he was 34, I was 30. It was my first year at Fasig-Tipton, then headquartered at the back gate of Belmont Park. A few years on, Bruce opened a public stable at Belmont, under the kindly eye of Horatio Luro, who remained his mentor and friend until Horatio passed away in 1991. Bruce trained there for the colorful Dr. Jose (Pepe) Sahagun and his Villa Blanca Farm, taking...