Inaugural Shoemaker Foundation Ball: What Glitters Can Be Golden

As the sun set and the inaugural Shoemaker Foundation Sunset Ball began to glitter at Hollywood Park Saturday nightD. Hubbard (foundation founder) thought the event would gross about $760,000.

After a live auction of stallion breedings, he announced $1.4 million. By the end of a few racetrack seasons around California, benefit races should elevate the total to $2 million.

The proceeds will go not only to help pay medical expenses for the legendary retired jockey Bill Shoemaker, who was paralyzed in a car accident in April, but to help other jockeys and racing industry people beset by the costs of serious illness or accidents.

“And only 65 days ago, we started the idea of this dinner. The response has been just overwhelming,” said Hubbard, a Dallas resident and chairman of Hollywood Park Operating Co. “Here we are in a recession, and everyone responds.”

Said leading breeder and co-chair E. W. (Bud) Johnston, “This is our way to say thanks to Bill for all the good times he has given us.”

Cindy Shoemaker was overwhelmed, too. The wife of the jockey great (8,833 wins) choked up several times as she got a standing ovation from more than 800 guests.

Speaking of her husband, who is recovering at the Craig Institute in Inglewood, Colo., she said, “Bill Shoemaker will be back--because of his attitude. He takes the idea that whatever happens, happens. You deal with it. You don’t blame. You overcome. No paralysis is going to change Bill Shoemaker.”

She noted his progress in his sip-and-puff wheelchair, a chair a quadriplegic can operate with the breath: “He ran into three people--and they were all pretty nurses. Some things never change.”

Bill Shoemaker was present on audio. In crisp humor, he praised Cindy for keeping his racing stable of horses together over the last few months and spoke of his love for her and their daughter, Amanda. And he thanked Hubbard. “I can’t do much for you now, but down the line, I will be able to even the score up.” He added, “I can’t wait to get back to the track.”

The stallion auction raised about $350,000 of the evening’s take. There was applause when Richard Eamer bid $185,000 on North America’s leading active sire, Nureyev, standing at Walmac International, Lexington, Ky.

Greg Modesti co-chaired the event with Johnston. Prominent racing people were in the crowd: John and Carole Harris (he’s California Thoroughbred Breeders Assn. president and owner of Harris Farms at Coalinga); Warren (chairman of Hollywood Park Realty Enterprises) and Alyce Williamson; Texan W. R. Fritz Hawn (who donated $200,000); Stephen Keller (new president of Santa Anita Park) and his wife Sally; Allen and Madeleine Paulson, Jimmy Kilroe and Ada Gates, Michael Finnigan, Hubbard’s wife Joan Dale Hubbard, Jim Conn (president of Bay Meadows), equine artist/donor Fred Stone and attorney Al Segal.

Others were Don (Hollywood Park manager) and Allison Robbins, Charlie (a trainer) and Peggy Whittingham, Mary and Boyd Marshall, Lynn (new director of Hollywood Park) and Winnie Reitnouer, Howard Koch (he’s bringing back the Hollywood Park Goose Girl, the track tradition absent for several years), jockey Eddie Delahoussaye, State Sen. Ken and Norma Maddy and Clement (Oak Tree Meet president) and Lynn Hirsch.

THE NEW PRESIDENTS: Congratulate Bunny May, Los Angeles Orphanage Guild; Pam Korman, SHARE (Share Happily and Reap Endlessly); Marcia Ziffren, Women’s Guild, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center; Lin Hildeburn, Assistance League Nine O’Clock Players; Mary Dumont, Children’s Service League (hosting its annual summer party Sunday); Sharon Schuster, San Fernando Valley branch of the American Assn. of University Women.

Additionally, Rosemarie Stack takes on the chairmanship of SHARE’s Boomtown party, and Judy Ovitz and Elaine Goldsmith assume the posts of executive vp’s for the Women’s Guild.

ROMANCE: Nancy and Buddy Moss honored Pat Peutet and Bill Bedford of Pasadena at a large cocktail party in their San Marino home, an official fete before Peutet and Bedford married at Trancas with the setting sun as background. They were surrounded by their children by previous marriages. Holly and David Davis hosted the wedding affair at the beach. . . .

David and Patty Coquillard (the former Patty Denison Martin) have sent “at home” cards following their marriage at the Episcopal Bishop’s Chapel, Church of the Angels in Pasadena. The chapel is on the grounds of the Hillsides Home for Children, where David has just ended a term as president. The couple will live in Pasadena . . . .

Beverly Thompson-Coil of Newport Beach, the ambassador to the World Bank for the Republic of Gambia, and Dr. Robert Feder of Beverly Hills, former chief of otolaryngology at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, were married in London at the home of industrialist Richard Colburn and his wife Janet. They’ll repeat their vows in September at festivities at the Armand Hammer Museum in Westwood.

A HORSE! A HORSE! Phase II of building Shakespeare’s Globe Theater in London was the real winner at the Shakespeare’s Globe race day at Hollywood Park’s Turf Club. Angela Lansbury was on hand with husband Peter Shaw to join Sam Wanamaker of the Globe.

The Los Angeles Shakespeare education program will share profits, too. More on hand: Stephen Garrett, Malcolm Kingston, Norma Bowles, Patricia Hearst and Royce and Jennifer Diener.