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Friday Evening Notes
- Jockey Cornelio Velasquez won four races today at Belmont, including one for trainer Linda Rice, who continued her hot streak with Meriwether Jessica in the day's sixth. Making her debut, the two-year-old Freud filly with a modest string of works was no secret, getting bet down to 4-5 by post time and winning by 12 1/2 lengths. I was more interested in Saratoga Chance, also making her debut, who ambled out of the gate, angled out in the stretch, and still rallied for second. She's by late sire American Chance, a decent miler with 54 winners from 100 runners, and out of a Private Account mare named Pierpont Account, whose 2004 foal, Saratoga Jet, won at Aqueduct last winter. She's one for the watch list, eligible for a big improvement next start.
- For the second straight year, Naughty New Yorker defeated the favorite to win the General MacArthur Handicap at Belmont. "We got the old 'Naughty' back," said trainer Pat Kelly. "He was right there at the quarter pole in 1:09. He just dragged Javier up there; that's what he does when he's good" (DRF) It's alway nice to see a veteran like Naughty New Yorker in the winner's circle, even if he's one of those horses I can never time right. If I play him, he's sure to finish out of the money. If I pass, he's sure to win.
- Has any other rider pulled off this minor feat? On Saratoga's closing day, jockey Garrett Gomez rode Majestic Warrior to an upset win in the G1 Hopeful for two-year-olds. He then flew cross-country to spring a mild upset on Del Mar's closing day with Georgie Boy in the G1 Futurity for two-year-olds. Trained by Kathy Walsh, Georgie Boy defeated rival Salute the Sarge by coming off the pace, a tactical change Walsh credited to Gomez. "[Gomez] knew [Georgie Boy] wanted to come from off the pace," Walsh said (Blood-Horse). Georgie Boy is by modest California sire Tribal Rule, whose offspring, like those of In Excess, Event of the Year, Lit de Justice, and Unusual Heat, showed an affinity for the Del Mar Polytrack surface.
- So, no, to answer commenter J.S., I didn't hit the closing day Del Mar pick six. As soon as 13-1 shot Westerly Magic hit the wire in the first leg, I was playing for consolation money only, and that disappeared when neither Patch of Blue nor Chancellor won the meet's final race. To je skoda, as my Czech landlady used to say in response to any complaint.
- Street Sense won't run in the MassCap. Trainer Carl Nafzger said the Derby winner won't run again until the last weekend in September (ThoroTimes).
Posted by JC, Sep 7, 2007 09:30 PM
Wednesday Evening Notes
- Del Mar will open next Wednesday with a Trakus system in place. Like Keeneland, the track will replace the first four runners display with "an instantaneous, full-field running order posted throughout all races" and post the Trakus data to their web site.
- Alpena Magic, the 17-year-old gelding entered to run at Ellis Park today, was purchased by track president Ron Geary, scratched, and retired. "It's time for a new career for Alpena Magic," said Geary. "This horse enjoys being around people and the racetrack. His new role will allow him to be our 'equine ambassador' for our new 'Early at Ellis' and backside tour programs" (Blood-Horse).
- Film rights to this flowery Vanity Fair article about Barbaro by Buzz Bissinger have been purchased by director Peter Berg and Universal Pictures.
- Dominican's post-Derby career begins Saturday at Arlington (DRF). Also, Tiago returns in the Swaps at Hollywood, King of the Roxy in Sunday's Barbaro Stakes, and a competitive field of eight will go to post in the Delaware Handicap (BRIS).
Posted by JC, Jul 11, 2007 11:00 PM
Friday Morning Notes
- There's a pick six carryover of $303,367 at Belmont this afternoon. The sequence begins and ends with maiden special weight races for state-bred fillies and mares three and up. Good luck with those to anyone playing.
- Declan's Moon, 2004 champion two-year-old male, snapped a seven-race losing streak with a three-length win in a six-furlong allowance/optional claiming at Hollywood on Thursday (ThoroTimes).
- Beyers from Wednesday's races: High Finance earned 111 for the Tom Fool; Idiot Proof a big 113 for his record-setting Jersey Shore win at Monmouth. In the Dwyer, Any Given Saturday earned a figure that puts him at the top of the three-year-old division, writes Steven Crist. "Any Given Saturday's winning figure of 110 is right there with Street Sense's Derby (110), Curlin's Preakness (111), and Rags to Riches's Belmont (107)" (DRF+).
- Jockey Frankie Dettori has been handed a two-week suspension for whipping Queen Anne Stakes winner Ramonti excessively in the stretch. "Dettori was found to have whipped five-year-old Ramonti 25 times inside the final two and a half furlongs, with a high percentage of strikes coming inside the last 200 yards" (Independent).
- Empire Racing Associates will challenge what it calls "factual errors" in the New York inspector general's integrity report to the governor on the four entities bidding for the New York racing franchise, reports the Saratogian. Integrity report details, and an especially good overview of the section on Empire, can be found on Left at the Gate.
Posted by JC, Jul 6, 2007 09:00 AM
Tuesday Evening Notes
- Harlington is out of this Saturday's Surburban with a foot injury (DRF); Hesanoldsalt and Malibu Moonshine are in. Corinthian is still a draw, but honestly, the Suburban has gone from being a race I can hardly wait to see to one I feel pretty meh about. The Mother Goose, also on Saturday, isn't arousing that much more interest, with a field of five shaping up, including perennial runner-up Octave.
- Only four weeks until Saratoga opens (Saratogian).
- Bill Finley follows up with Andrew Lakeman, paralyzed from the waist down in an accident at Belmont last month, as the rider begins the long rehabilitation process this week.
- "What racing needs, is racing" (Union-Tribune).
- Elliot Spitzer continues to push a plan to close Aqueduct. "Whether or not you have racing at Aqueduct, you have an enormous piece of land there that can and should be used for some other things," said Governor Spitzer. "That's a remarkably valuable piece of land from a public perspective" (NY Daily News).
Posted by JC, Jun 26, 2007 08:00 PM
Lava Man, Works, Dettori
- The Belmont Stakes isn't the only big race this weekend: At Hollywood, Lava Man returns to action in the G1 Charles Whittingham Memorial Handicap (Blood-Horse).
- At Belmont this morning, Met Mile winner Corinthian breezed a half-mile over the training track in :48.14, and Horse of the Year Invasor breezed four furlongs over the main track in :48.63. Both are being pointed to the June 30 Suburban Handicap.
- Is Frankie Dettori the best flat jockey ever? (Guardian)
- Washington Post turf writer John Scheinman is on fire this week: Don't miss his fascinating piece on how jockey Garrett Gomez ended up on Hard Spun for the Belmont or this article on drugs in racing.
Posted by JC, Jun 8, 2007 08:25 AM
Tuesday Hit-and-Run
- The Jockeys' Guild continues to recover from the frayed relationships and depleted coffers of the Wayne Gertmenian era. "It has been difficult," said jockey Jon Court, one of 27 jockeys elected to the Guild's Senate last week. "Some people like to hang on. But we were literally able to take that skeleton and throw it out."
- At Woodbine, 35-year-old apprentice Dean Deverell wins four races in a week.
- Happy Ticket will face top older distaffer Oonagh Maccool on Saturday in the Fleur de Lis Handicap at Churchill Downs. "Obviously, the other mare is awfully good," said owner Stewart Madison. "But one thing I know for sure is that my horse will definitely show up."
- In the first Belmont since 2000 without the Derby or Preakness winner entered, the race's TV ratings dropped 22% from 2005.
- What people really want to know about racing: "The people out there want to know what a horse eats, how a horse exercises, how he lives, what she does when she's not training or racing. They long to find out about the people on horses' backs or at their sides. People want to read Michael Matz' life story. They want to hear what Edgar Prado thinks. They want Peter Brette to tell them what Barbaro feels like when he trots. What does a Kentucky Derby winner trot like? Now there's something they can identify with at the PTA meeting."
Posted by JC, Jun 13, 2006 09:00 AM
Bernardini Will Skip Belmont
- Preakness winner Bernardini will skip the Belmont, said Darley USA president Jimmy Bell. "Bernardini has had three races in quick succession, and Sheikh Mohammed feels that the colt deserves a break before his next target, which will be determined in due course." Races being considered for the colt include the Haskell and Travers. Without the Derby or the Preakness winners in the Belmont, the last leg of the Triple Crown series will be starless. That's bad news for TV ratings and NYRA maybe, but good news for horseplayers: This year's race should be a competitive one.
- Lost in the Fog is headed to Churchill.
- In his first workout since suffering an injury earlier this year, Corinthian breezed three furlongs :38 at Belmont this morning. Trainer Jimmy Jerkens is hopeful that the talented cold will race before the end of the Belmont meet on July 22. As long as there are no setbacks in his training, it's possible Corinthian could start in the Dwyer on July 4.
- Another possible for the Dwyer is the undefeated Discreet Cat, who would be making his first start since winning the UAE Derby in that race. "The Dwyer is the race we're kind of pointing for," said assistant trainer Rick Mattee. "The timing should work out good and it's a mile and a sixteenth."
- Balance will have surgery on Saturday to remove a bone chip in her ankle. "They say it's very small ... the way it looks in the x-rays it doesn't look like she'll be out too long -- maybe 75 days," said trainer David Hofmans.
- Trainer John Servis and owner Rick Porter split up this week. "I'm all right with it," said Servis, who declined further comment. "We left on good terms." The 26 horses that Porter had with Servis will be moved to several other trainers, including Kiaran McLaughlin and Tom Albertrani. Round Pond, winner of the Azeri Breeders' Cup, will go to Michael Matz's barn.
Posted by JC, May 25, 2006 09:45 PM
Noted: May 9
- Trainer Bob Holthus said Lawyer Ron will likely skip the Preakness because of some inflammation in a hind ankle. "We're probably going to have to give him a little time off," said Holthus. "It's nothing serious but we're probably going to have to pass up the Preakness."
- Breeders' Cup Turf winner Shirocco made an impressive return to racing on Sunday, winning the Jockey Club Stakes at Newmarket by 3 1/2 lengths. "This was a good start," said trainer Andre Fabre. Shirocco is being pointed to the Arc d'Triomphe and may start in the Turf again this year.
- In his first recorded US workout since finishing second in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, Henny Hughes breezed three furlongs in :37.1 at Belmont on Monday.
Posted by JC, May 9, 2006 09:25 PM
Noted: May 3
- Trainer Dave Hofmans may not have a starter in the Derby, but he does have the favorite in the Oaks.
- "Magna Entertainment Corp., Frank Stronach's labour of love in the sport of kings, warned yesterday that its ability to continue as a going concern is in 'substantial doubt' amid high debt, poor cash flow and delays in a key asset sale."
- "A new generation of jockeys positions itself for the next run toward household fame."
- Giacomo gets his own casino chip.
Posted by JC, May 3, 2006 10:45 AM
Noted: May 2
- A full field of 14 will start in the Kentucky Oaks this Friday, including Ashland upset winner Bushfire and morning line favorite Balance.
- "Officials of Breeders' Cup Limited and the National Thoroughbred Racing Association have announced that total purses for the Breeders' Cup World Championships have been raised to $20 million, an increase of $6 million from last year." That's not bad, but the increase still falls $1 million short of the world's richest day of racing, the Dubai World Cup. As Alan observes over on Left at the Gate, "Wouldn't you think they could scrape up another million or two to match Dubai? Seems kinda like Barry Bonds getting to 754 homers and then going, 'ah, that's enough.'"
- TVG is launching 11 new shows and revamping its onscreen graphics beginning May 10.
- Trainer Todd Pletcher has 175 horses in his stable, a third of them three-year-olds, which means Pletcher has more three-year-olds in his barn than most trainers have total horses. "I feel like it's probably the most powerful stable ever assembled," said WinStar farm vice president Elliot Walden. "What makes him special is that he's as young as he is. He has a chance, no question about it, if he stays sober and doesn't get divorced, to be the all-time greatest."
- "Eureka Downs is fading away, and the town that supports it might not be far behind."
- A freak accident kills New York stallion Gold Token and leaves another in critical condition.
Posted by JC, May 2, 2006 01:00 PM
Noted: April 29
- Keeneland's spring meet, which closed on Friday, was a record-breaker, with new highs posted for attendance. The spring meet also broke handle records: "Wagering from all sources during the 15-day meet [surpassed] $143.4 million."
- Churchill Downs opens today; Derby week begins.
- The oldest living Derby-winning jockey will visit Churchill for the first time in 70 years next Saturday. "The reason I haven't gone back is really television more than anything else ... I found out you could watch it on television and get great coverage. I never missed a Derby. I never lost interest in it. I just figured, here's television. You can watch it right here." Ira Hanford is not only the oldest living Derby-winning jockey, but the only apprentice jockey to ever win the Derby.
- First Samurai has an excuse for his fifth place finish in the Blue Grass Stakes: The colt came out of the race with two broken ribs. "In some ways we're relieved," said owner Lansdon Robbins. "His performance in the Blue Grass was difficult for us to understand, and if he sustained this at the break when hit the gate, then it gives us some perspective."
Posted by JC, Apr 29, 2006 12:30 PM
Noted: April 25
- Breeders' Cup Turf winner Shirocco returns to the races on May 7 in the Jockey Club Stakes at Newmarket. Trainer Andre Fabre plans another international campaign for the five-year-old, including the Coronation Cup at Epsom Downs on June 2.
- Declan's Moon worked today for the first time since last summer. The 2004 juvenile champion worked three furlongs handily in :37.8 at Hollywood Park this morning. An early favorite for last year's Kentucky Derby, Declan's Moon was sidelined with a chipped knee after winning the Santa Catalina Stakes. He returned to training in August, but suffered another injury that kept him out of training until last month, when he began galloping over the Hollywood training track.
- Santa Anita closed on Sunday with big gains in attendance and handle. Gulfstream closed the same day, and while the track wouldn't disclose specific numbers, handle was reported to be up, attendance down (which is no surprise). President Scott Savin said the track would make some changes before next year, such as the stakes schedule. "We want to have a better progression of distances," said Savin. "Maybe the Holy Bull will be run at a mile and the Fountain of Youth and Florida Derby are run at 1 1/8 mile."
Posted by JC, Apr 25, 2006 08:30 PM
Noted: April 18
- In Derby Watch: Sinister Minister -- War Emblem or Bellamy Road? Plus: Baffert calls Sinister Minister "tired" after the Blue Grass, Bob and John and Point Determined work at Santa Anita, and whether Keyed Entry starts in the Derby will depend on how he trains at Churchill this week.
- Fantasy Stakes runner-up Miss Norman, who lost the race after running erratically down the Oaklawn stretch, will start next in the Kentucky Oaks. "She's come out of the race very well," said owner Greg Norman. Unsure what caused the filly to duck out twice in the Fantasy, Norman will ask Churchill officials to allow him to work Miss Norman between races on April 29 or 30 to test her reaction to the crowd.
- Claiming activity was intense at Oaklawn this year: "The claiming has gotten insane and that really works against the smaller outfits," said general manager Eric Jackson, who said that the "frenzied" claiming was partially responsible for Oaklawn's shrinking fields in the meet's waning weeks and could lead to revised policies for next year.
- The numbers are tumbling at Texas racetracks: "From 2001 to 2005, total attendance during thoroughbred season at those tracks declined 21.2 percent, from 1,067,357 to 840,923. And during the same period, the "live handle" -- money wagered at the tracks on live racing -- fell 32 percent, from $65,124,381 to $44,267,788, according to Texas Racing Commission data."
Posted by JC, Apr 18, 2006 07:00 PM
Noted: April 16
- Sun King, with a mad rush up the stretch, won the Commonwealth Stakes at Keeneland by 2 3/4 lengths. "When I needed him in spots, he was there for me," said jockey Corey Nakatani. Also on Saturday: Wend won the Jenny Wiley Stakes by 1 1/2 lengths. "She just did a super job," said jockey Edgar Prado.
- It was 50 years ago this spring that Needles won the Kentucky Derby, but retired jockey Dave Erb's memories of the race are still fresh.
- Legendary Calumet Farm, having survived the death of star stallion Alydar, bankruptcy, and the death of its most recent owner, is rebuilding with the goal of making it into the Kentucky Derby winner's circle once more. "Calumet is not a museum," said farm manager Bill Witman. "It's a thriving, working horse farm every day."
- "Jockey agent John Faltynski, who works with 18-year old Anna Rose Napravnik, recalled a recent post position draw in the Laurel Park racing office for one seven-horse field that turned comical. The officials began matching the posts with the entries, and nearly every trainer had his Napravnik named to ride."
Posted by JC, Apr 16, 2006 08:00 PM
Noted: April 14
- It looked as though longshot Miss Norman would wire the field in the Fantasy Stakes at Oaklawn today until the filly blew the stretch turn, losing "at least 10 lengths." Ready to Please won instead. Miss Norman, after ducking out again, finished second.
- Miesque's Approval delivered an upset in the Maker's Mark at Keeneland this afternoon, beating 1-2 favorite Artie Schiller by a nose. "The other horse was coming on so fast, I don't think [Artie Schiller] saw him," said jockey Garrett Gomez. "But it was a really good effort for him coming off a layoff." It was an even better effort for the seven-year-old Miesque's Approval, who was running five or six paths from the rail and came from well off the pace.
- The Fair Grounds is returning to New Orleans. The track, which held its fall meet at Louisiana Downs after Hurricane Katrina destroyed most of its facilities, applied for racing dates on Thursday.
- Champion filly Smuggler, who hasn't raced since winning the Coaching Club American Oaks last July, may start next Saturday in the Bed o' Roses Breeders' Cup Handicap at Aqueduct, said trainer Shug McGaughey. "If she works good Monday, I'll run," McGaughey said.
- Rockport Harbor has been sold to Darley at Jonabell Farm, where he'll stand at stud.
Posted by JC, Apr 14, 2006 08:30 PM
Noted: April 13
- Perfect Drift made his season debut today, finishing second in a 1 1/8 mile allowance race over the turf at Keeneland today. The seven-year-old veteran will start next in the Woodford Reserve at Churchill on May 6. "We're staying on the turf, because it's softer on his feet," said trainer Murray Johnson. In other results: Diplomat Lady wired the field in the Beaumont, finishing 2 1/4 lengths ahead of Lake Alice.
- Everyone loves Rafael: "America's hottest young jockey is having a breakout season and fans are leaping aboard for the ride."
- New Jersey racing officials handed out suspensions and fines to harness driver Eric Ledford and others accused in the horse-doping case that broke at the Meadowlands earlier this month.
Posted by JC, Apr 13, 2006 06:30 PM
Noted: April 12
- It's a longshot, but Kentucky Derby winners Funny Cide and Giacomo could meet in the Alysheba Stakes on the Kentucky Oaks undercard. "That would be really kind of neat if both horses could make the race," said Sackatoga managing partner Jack Knowlton. Trainer John Shirreffs downplayed the possibility, though, saying he only nominated Giacomo at the request of Churchill Downs. "I said I would, but I'm not sure whether the timing would work out for Giacomo."
- Wild Fit is out of the Oaks. The filly came down with an infection last weekend and has been turned out at a farm for a couple of months to recover.
- Jockey Club Gold Cup winner Borrego has been retired following surgery to remove a bone chip in his right front ankle. He'll stand at Wintergreen Stallion Station in 2007.
Posted by JC, Apr 12, 2006 01:30 PM
Noted: April 8
- 68-1 longshot Chin High wins Keeneland's opening day Transylvania Stakes. "We always thought this was a nice colt," said trainer Neil Pessin after.
- An ankle injury has sidelined French Park. The filly will miss the Kentucky Oaks while she recuperates from surgery to remove a bone chip. Wagering on the Grade II winner in pool three of the Oaks Future has been suspended.
- The Green Monkey arrived at Churchill Downs on Friday. Trainer Todd Pletcher said there's "no schedule right now" for when the $16 million two-year-old might start training at the track.
Posted by JC, Apr 8, 2006 12:45 PM
Noted: April 7
- Keeneland opens its three-week spring meet today, and the TBA's own Quinella Queen will be there. This meet will be the last with a dirt course, as the track plans to install Polytrack before the fall, which means it's also your last chance to capitalize on Keeneland's notorious speed bias. The opening weekend's highlight race is Saturday's Ashland, which will feature leading Kentucky Oaks favorite Balance, as well as Santa Ysabel winner Itty Bitty Pretty. The two are predicted to dead heat, at least by one source.
- Round Pond is out of the Apple Blossom, but that doesn't mean Happy Ticket will get a free ride in the race.
- Brad Free suggests a way to revive Wild Fit's career: "This is crazy, but she should run against colts April 29 in the one-turn, one-mile Derby Trial. A bold, reputation-salvaging move is just what the one-turn specialist needs, because she has nothing to lose other than a start six days later in the two-turn Kentucky Oaks."
- "The Justice Department is conducting a civil investigation of the horse racing industry's practice of interstate transmission of wagers, which the department considers to be illegal."
- Mr. Sekiguchi, the $8 million colt, makes his second start in race five at Santa Anita on Saturday. The colt finished second by half a length in his February career debut.
Posted by JC, Apr 7, 2006 09:00 AM
Noted: April 4
- The Apple Blossom rematch between Round Pond and Happy Ticket, the pair who slugged it out in the Azeri Breeders' Cup last month in the most exciting race at Oaklawn this year, may not happen. Trainer John Servis is unhappy with the weight assignments for the race and contemplating not running Round Pond. "I told Mr. Porter I'm not happy at all with the weights," he said. "We're discussing it and we're going to have to decide." Round Pond and Happy Ticket are the co-highweights at 119, while Star Parade, the next-highest weight, was given 117. Katrina at Athlone indulges in a little cynicism and wonders if Servis is not so much worried about weights, "but rather ... unhappy with the way Round Pond is approaching the race. Her workout Sunday was below par ..."
- With three weeks remaining in the Gulfstream meet, Todd Pletcher leads the trainer standings with 56 winners, 30 more than runner-up Bill Mott. Pletcher extended his lead considerably on Saturday, when he won five on the Florida Derby undercard, including the Skip Away Handicap with the magnificent Bandini.
- In Derby Watch: Why the five-week layoff won't hurt Barbaro's chances in the Derby.
Posted by JC, Apr 4, 2006 11:00 PM
Noted: March 30
- The Skip Away could be a two-horse race between 2005 Kentucky Derby veterans Bandini and Noble Causeway. Both are returning to graded stakes competition for the first time this year off of good (and in Bandini's case, record-setting) allowance wins earlier in the winter.
- The kid can ride: Apprentice Julien Leparoux broke the Turfway record for most wins in a single meet on Wednesday. The record-breaking win was Leparoux's 151st out of 481 since January 1.
- Bill Christine remembers the "so-called golden age of horse racing" and can't help comparing it to the sad state of racing today.
- Paul Moran pokes holes in NYRA's new cash rewards program. "This is a case of much ado about very little in terms of real money."
Posted by JC, Mar 30, 2006 09:30 PM
Noted: March 28
- Never mind the nearly one million immigrant workers that make up two thirds of tiny, oil-rich Dubai's population and "live in a Dickensian world of cramped labor camps, low pay and increasing desperation," for racing fans like Vic Zast, Dubai is an oasis, a place where "life is effortless for the visitors who, at the wave of a hand, will get what they desire" and the lavish entertainment provided by its ruler is just "a reminder that horse racing is a reason for people to gather. It is not some drab accommodation for sitting through a dreary simulcast."
- The impressive performances of Japanese thoroughbreds in the World Cup is just the latest sign that the Japanese breeding industry has come of age, writes Andrew Beyer. Now, it's time to let go of the protectionist policies that have kept foreigners out of Japanese racing: "As Japanese horses continue to compete so successfully against the world's best, it is hard to make the old argument that they are weaklings deserving protection from outside competition."
- Do you have enough style for the Kentucky Derby? The Lexington Herald-Leader wants to know.
Posted by JC, Mar 28, 2006 11:00 PM
Noted: March 22
- In today's Derby Watch: Corinthian is off the Derby Trail; weekend Beyer numbers are out.
- Speed genes found? "A British scientist yesterday claimed to have made a 'historic breakthrough' in the study of thoroughbred genetics, after a six-year research project produced the first proof of a relationship between specific genes and the individual performances of racehorses."
- Kentucky congressman Ed Whitfield, who led hearings into the the jockeys' insurance issue last fall, said that legislation amending the Interstate Horseracing Act to provide workers' compensation to jockeys and backstretch workers could be ready in four weeks.
- Rockport Harbor's injury-plagued racing career is over. Owner Rick Porter announced on Monday that Rockport was done racing and headed to a career at stud because of the foot injury that's dogged the colt since the 2004 Remsen: "The wall of the hoof is cracked and the consensus is that he would need a minimum of 90 days turnout ... There are no guarantees that the foot will heal 100%. Therefore, I have decided to retire him."
- Steve Haskin joins Paul Daley in wondering why Mom's Command isn't on the Hall of Fame ballot this year. "Mom's Command has slipped through the cracks again. After having her name on the Hall of Fame ballot in 2005, the 1985 New York filly Triple Crown winner was conspicuous by her absence this year."
Posted by JC, Mar 22, 2006 10:00 AM
Noted: March 17
- Former California associate steward Gina Powell testified "under penalty of perjury" that she gave information about the late Salix shot the mare Intercontinental received before running in a stakes race at Del Mar last summer to the head of security, who said he forwarded that information to the board of stewards and CHRB director Ingrid Fermin. Intercontinental won the race. Fermin has claimed that neither she nor the stewards knew of the late shot. Tote Board Brad has been covering this story since it broke. Visit his site for more details.
- Once, as many as 10 racetracks dotted Cape Cod. "While the competitive spirit of sea captains with their vessels has been well documented, they didn't lose this spirit when they came back home. It was only natural that racetracks would be established throughout the upper and mid-Cape region."
- Bill Finley would like to rename a few stakes races.
Posted by JC, Mar 17, 2006 05:25 PM
Noted: March 4
- Todd Pletcher will train the $16 million colt. "I'd rather train him then run against him," said Pletcher when asked about the pressure of training the world's most expensive horse. The as yet unnamed two-year-old is expected to be in Pletcher's Kentucky barn by April 1.
- Bellamy Road is back in training at owner George Steinbrenner's Florida farm. "The main target this year is the Breeders' Cup Classic," said farm manager Edward Sexton. "He'll run maybe three times before that. He's well on target ... and training like a bear at the moment."
- "One of Pleasanton's best specialty sandwich makers has emerged as the hottest young jockey in the country."
Posted by JC, Mar 4, 2006 04:55 PM
Noted: March 1
- Coolmore's purchase of an unraced two-year-old colt for $16 million at the Calder juvenile auction on Tuesday is "a calculated risk," one that left agent Demi O'Byrne with a "shaky hand" when it came time to sign the ticket. "He was special ... He must have been!," O'Byrne said after, trying to explain the the world-record price.
- Via The Pedigree Guru, via TBA member Athlone, comes this fascinating article published in the Lexington Herald-Leader a couple of weeks ago about intensive breeding and ballooning book sizes for stallions: "It's one of those things that get a lot more talk than action ... I'd say on a theoretical level the industry is concerned, but I haven't heard anyone come up with any rational alternative to trump capitalism. As long as owners are willing to have their mare be the 200th mare in a stallion's book, it's going to continue." This is really why Coolmore's willing to pay $16 million for an unraced colt.
- In his first start since finishing 19th in last year's Kentucky Derby, Bandini set a track record for a mile at Gulfstream this afternoon, winning an allowance race by 3 3/4 lengths in 1:34.19.
Posted by JC, Mar 1, 2006 11:30 PM
Noted: February 19
- Bluegrass Cat wins the Sam F. Davis at Tampa. "He was a fresh horse and ran exactly the way we wanted him to," said trainer Todd Pletcher. 63-1 Deputy Glitters was second.
- $8 million colt finishes second in career debut.
- "Memo to Frank: Lay off the Spa."
Posted by JC, Feb 19, 2006 06:00 AM
Noted: February 16
- Round Pond makes her first start since last July in an optional claiming sprint for older fillies at Oaklawn today. Trainer John Servis had planned for Round Pond to begin her four-year-old campaign in the March 11 Azeri Breeders' Cup, but changed his mind after the filly worked six furlongs in 1:13 on February 3. "After this work the other day, I'm thinking, 'How am I going to hold the filly on the ground for another month?'" Servis said. "I had no plans on running her before then. It was some kind of work, buddy." Round Pond isn't the only member of the distaff division returning to the track this week: Splendid Blended, retired last summer and scheduled to be bred, instead returns on Saturday in the Hurricane Bertie at Gulfstream. Also on Saturday, the Grade 1-winning Lousiana-bred Happy Ticket will make her first start since the Breeders' Cup Distaff at Evangeline Downs.
- Attendance, handle, and field size are up at Aqueduct. "Off-season racing, once an enterprise at best grim and often unpalatable, appears to be coming of age."
- "How many ways does this stink?," Jay Hovdey asks of the USDA decision to allow the continued slaughter of horses in the United States, despite legislation passed with overwhelming support in congress last fall to end the practice by de-funding USDA inspectors at the slaugherhouses. The decision has angered lawmakers who supported the legislation, and on Tuesday, several humane groups and individuals filed a lawsuit challenging the decision.
Posted by JC, Feb 16, 2006 11:30 AM
Noted: February 12
- Balance wins Las Virgenes. "Today she was perfect. She broke nice and relaxed, and I did what I wanted," said jockey Victor Espinoza. Wild Fit was second.
- Donn winner Brass Hat, headed to Dubai, is "as down-home as a horse can be," which makes him an inspiration to everyone who breeds or owns horses on a budget.
- Lost in the Fog, in his first workout since starting in the Breeders' Cup Sprint, went three furlongs handily in :36.2 this morning at Golden Gate Fields. "He went even 12's. It was very good for a first workout," said trainer Greg Gilchrist.
- Merv wants a match race.
Posted by JC, Feb 12, 2006 09:55 PM
Noted: February 7
- Giacomo's third place finish in last Saturday's Strub Stakes pleased trainer John Shirreffs. "I'll go home very happy," Shirreffs said after the race.
- Jockey Russell Baze and apprentice Martin Garcia tie for Bay Meadows riding title. Both won 47 races during the 31-day meet. Baze has led the jockey standings almost every year at Bay Meadows and Golden Gate since 1981.
- NYRA doesn't need Magna: "Frank's not the only date at the ball,"said NYRA board member Charles Wait. "I don't even think he's the prettiest."
- The final three members of the Committee on the Future of Racing in New York have been named.
- More reaction to the Yum! Derby deal: Maryjean Wall thinks "we should welcome the 132nd Derby presented by Yum Brands," and Jennie Rees, declaring the deal "egalitarian," says, "I rather like the idea that Churchill didn't pair up with some elitist brand that many Derby fans can't afford or identify with. The Derby spectacle draws on all walks of life, as does fast food." Paul Daley suggests some other sponsorship possibilities: "How about Bob Baffert pairing with Just For Men Hair Color?"
- Despite the passage of a bill in Congress last fall to temporarily end horse slaughter this year by eliminating funding for USDA inspectors, the Agriculture Department announced today that horse slaughter would continue in the US after the date the law was to take effect.
- The racing blogosphere grows and grows: Take a moment to visit the newly launched and highly entertaining Longshots and Other Shots by Chris Garrity (who posted on Railbird last year about visiting Atlantic City Race Course) and the delightful Sue at Post Parade.
Posted by JC, Feb 7, 2006 09:30 PM
Noted: January 31
- Funny Cide will try to regain his winning form in an allowance race at Gulfstream on Thursday. The gelding finished seventh in his last start, the Mr. Prospector Handicap on January 7, but worked a sharp half mile on Sunday (workouts, however, have never been Funny Cide's problem). Other possible starters in Thursday's race include Pennsylvania Derby winner Sun King.
- Suffolk Downs announcer Larry Collmus, at Aqueduct for the winter, is taking questions from fans. And not just on racing: "John Q. Public: 'Brokeback Mountain;classic or catastrophy?' Larry Collmus: 'I thought it was ok, not as good as I expected though. I really liked King Kong and the Woody Allen movie Match Point. Brokeback would be in my top five of the last few months.'"
- Trainer Todd Pletcher is asking a judge to toss out the $3,000 fine and 45-day suspension he received after one of his horses tested positive for mepivacaine following a race at Saratoga.
- Don't forget to include a horse's appearance in your handicapping. Here's what to look for in the paddock and post parade.
Posted by JC, Jan 31, 2006 09:05 PM
Noted: January 26
- Andrew Beyer has seen the future of racing. So has Bob Roberts: "It's my couch, my debit card, a laptop computer, and two pari-mutuel networks bounced off the satellite dish atop my garage and onto the screen of my television set."
Both Beyer and Roberts are right that racing's future is online, but I can't help but to point out that some of the sites they praise, like Youbet.com, are unusable for Mac OS visitors. Youbet doesn't even let Mac users get past the first page without throwing up an error message. And while the solution could be that Mac users just have to buy a PC and chalk up the expense as a necessary one to fully enjoy racing online, it really shouldn't have to be that way -- I can think of no other multimedia content or security-conscious financial services site that shows the same disregard for potential users. In some corners of the racing industry, though, customer service and making your product accessible just don't matter.
Tote Board Brad isn't ready to concede the future yet: "The track offers real value to me in a few ways."
- A thoroughbred named for the Boston Red Sox 2004 World Series victory is set to make his career debut at Gulfstream Park in the next couple of weeks. Curse Reversed, a son of Grand Slam, was purchased by Boston-based racing outfit Centennial Farms for $180,000 at the 2003 Keeneland September yearling sale and is trained by Jimmy Jerkens. He probably won't be the only horse with a Red Sox-inspired name to hit the track this year either: The Jockey Club reported in November 2004 a flurry of such names registered, including Red Sox Parade, Sweep the Series, and Bambino's Curse.
- Maryland racing is suffering this winter. Short fields caused by the quarantine at Pimlico and restrictions on shippers into the track have made Laurel a bleak place to be these days. At Pimlico, a third horse was killed by the equine herpes virus this week.
Posted by JC, Jan 26, 2006 11:00 AM
Noted: January 20
- Sunshine Millions draws 140 pre-entries. The Classic drew 26 pre-entries, including Malibu winner Proud Tower Too, Lava Man, and Buzzards Bay.
- French apprentice Julien Leparoux leads Turfway standings. The protegé of trainer Patrick Biancone has won 23 of 78 races so far this meet.
- Officials meet on possible plan to save Atlantic City Race Course. The talks are centered around a plan to renovate the 1940s era facility and add racing days.
- Equine herpes outbreak might force Pimlico closure.
Posted by JC, Jan 20, 2006 01:00 PM
Noted: January 17
- Andrew Beyer is no fan of the new Gulfstream: "[Stronach] has destroyed the old Gulfstream -- not only its infrastructure but its atmosphere. He has replaced it with what is being described as an entertainment center with overtones of Las Vegas. I'd call it bizarre and perverse."
- Motivator is named British Horse of the Year. The Epsom Derby winner was retired to stud last October due to injury after finishing fifth in the Arc de Triomphe.
- Blue bridles are crashing the Eclipse awards once more. This year's ceremony "is poised to honor another bunch of relative bargains."
Posted by JC, Jan 17, 2006 12:35 PM
Noted: January 15
- Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies winner Folklore makes her three-year-old debut in the Santa Ynez at Santa Anita on Monday. "It's a coming out party and she's had a lengthy break. I think she'll do fine," said trainer D. Wayne Lukas.
- Louise Gans, who attended the Kentucky Derby 85 times, died at the age of 102 on Thursday.
- The National Handicapping Championship begins in two weeks, and contestants are preparing for the trip to Las Vegas, where they'll compete against hundreds of other horseplayers for half a million dollars. Bill Finley is rooting for Hurricane Katrina survivor William Gonsoulin Jr.; the Happy Handicapper hopes to debunk Damon Runyon's adage that "all horseplayers die broke."
Posted by JC, Jan 15, 2006 05:15 PM
Noted: January 13
- Retired jockey Gary Stevens makes his debut as a TVG analyst on Saturday. "Gary offers a unique perspective that viewers will really want to hear," said Tony Allevato, TVG senior vice president and executive producer. "We think he is going to be a superstar on television."
- Nick Kling has a few suggestions for New York's Ad Hoc Committee on the Future of Racing. Here's a good one: "Why shouldn't the panel of Stewards at every New York racetrack have a fourth member, one chosen by bettors?"
- "Like a centenarian who still dances on Saturday night, Cormorant hasn't lost his spirit. His reddish-brown eyes, unusually bright, watch the world with weary curiosity rather than the explosive aggression that defined his youth."
- Interesting: This article about Massachusetts politicians-turned-lobbyists glancingly mentions that Raynham dog track owner George Carney has applied for 20 live thoroughbred racing days at the Brockton Fair on days Suffolk Downs isn't racing.
Posted by JC, Jan 13, 2006 04:55 PM
Noted: January 5
- Funny Cide makes his comeback this weekend. The six-year-old veteran will start in the Mr. Prospector Handicap at Gulfstream on Saturday. "I wanted to get a competitive race under his belt," said trainer Barcley Tagg, "and whether he wins or loses, it shouldn't exhaust him."
- After a two month vacation, Lost in the Fog is back in trainer Greg Gilchrist's barn. Gilchrist plans to train Lost in the Fog lightly this month and is considering the April 22 Golden Gate Fields Breeders' Cup Sprint for the colt's 2006 debut. Unlike last year, Lost in the Fog won't be criss-crossing the country for races this year. "I don't think he is going to take that many trips," Gilchrist said. "If he stays sprinting, we will try to stay in California."
- Jennie Rees has a few wishes for the new year: A Kentucky Derby winner that races past June, 10-cent superfectas at Churchill, and one racing network that allows betting on all racetracks. The last is my most fervent wish for 2006 -- living in TVG land, with no hope of subscribing to HRTV, I am without both Santa Anita and Gulfstream right now, which does not make me a very happy racing fan.
- "Horse racing -- having let television slip by -- cannot afford to give up print media without a fight," writes Stan Bergstein in his latest DRF column. Um, Mr. Bergstein, print media has already been lost (and not just to racing). The real situation the sport is facing that's analogous to TV is the Internet, and racing is letting online opportunities slip by with barely a murmur.
Posted by JC, Jan 5, 2006 10:30 AM
Checking In ...
- Happy holidays, everyone, and best wishes for the new year. Railbird is on semi-hiatus through January 2.
- Santa Anita opened on Monday with a crowd of nearly 35,000. "It's wonderful," said Rick Hammerle, Santa Anita's racing secretary. "It's almost like the old days when we didn't have the Hollywood fall meet, and we went straight [from the Oak Tree meet] to here. People are just glad to be back." Cal-bred longshot Proud Tower Too won the Malibu over favorite Attila's Storm. Thor's Echo was third; Wilko finished a distant eleventh, bringing his losing streak to seven since his upset win in the 2004 Breeders' Cup Juvenile.
- Michael Blowen, founder of racehorse retirement haven Old Friends Farm, "is a real, legitimate do-gooder."
- Trainer Tim Ritchey gears up for winter with 35 horses at Oaklawn and another 15 at Gulfstream, including four promising juveniles.
- "A year ago, Greater Good was billed as one of Oaklawn Park's 'Big Three' Kentucky Derby hopefuls. Today, Greater Good is simply trying to rebuild his once promising career."
- It's Eclipse balloting time: Dave Litfin, Ed McNamara, and Paul Daley reveal their votes.
Posted by JC, Dec 27, 2005 06:30 AM
Noted: December 18
- In the Derby Watch: Brother Derek wins the Hollywood Futurity; Bally's posts Derby Futures.
- Funny Cide preps for a 2006 campaign at Gulfstream. Sidelined for half of 2005 with an achy back, the gelding returned to the track on Friday, working five furlongs in :58.2 handily. Trainer Barclay Tagg suggested Funny Cide could start next in the January 7 Mr. Prospector Stakes and then the February 4 Donn Handicap, which may also be the next start of Andromeda's Hero, winner of Saturday's Hooper at Calder.
- Film Maker wins the La Prevoyante. The five-year-old mare trained by Graham Motion beat runner-up Kate Winslet by three and a half lengths in the race.
- NYRA president Charles Hayward said on Friday that "the clock is ticking" toward the day NYRA goes broke. "I've said all along we're going to run out of money by the end of the year." Hayward is planning to take NYRA into bankruptcy, if necessary, rather than shut down racing.
- Massachusetts racetracks prepare for layoffs as the squabbling continues over simulcasting legislation.
Posted by JC, Dec 18, 2005 03:30 PM
Noted: December 16
- Kieren Fallon will ride at Santa Anita this winter, said the new agent for the English six-time champion jockey. Or he won't. "I was looking forward to going, but I've had second thoughts," said Fallon.
- Kentucky Derby winner Giacomo worked an easy half-mile at Hollywood Park on Thursday, "but appeared eager to do much more." He's expected to make his first start since the Belmont sometime in January.
- New York officials denied trainer Todd Pletcher's appeal of a 45-day suspension and $3,000 fine for a medication positive in one of his horses last year. Pletcher plans to appeal again, in court. "At this point, we're planning on appealing," Pletcher said. "We really don't have any idea how the horse came up positive. Other than that, my attorneys have asked me not to comment."
- The Jockeys' Guild claims that "its proposed slate of directors for the Disabled Jockeys' Endowment was rejected, and that associates of former president Dr. Wayne Gertmenian were named to oversee the fund." The Thoroughbred Times reports that Gertmenian remains on the Endowment's board of directors, along with former Guild vice president Albert Fiss and lawyer Lloyd Ownbey. In a press release sent on Thursday, the Guild suggested that anyone interested in donating to the Endowment give to alternate charities for disabled riders.
Posted by JC, Dec 16, 2005 06:30 PM
Noted: December 11
- Recently retired dual Classic winner Afleet Alex will stand at Gainesway for $40,000. "Having Afleet Alex stand at Gainesway is one of the most exciting moments in our 18 years of owning Gainesway," said president Antony Beck. "There's already a huge buzz at the farm." Alex's stud deal is said to be worth $15-20 million for Cash Is King Stable.
- 12-1 Loyalton upsets in the Larkspur. "When I got to the quarter-pole I asked him to run," said jockey Russell Baze. "He set sail for the wire, and I got that response, and I thought those other guys might be in trouble." 2004 Breeders' Cup winner Wilko, making his first start since the Preakness, finished third. "There's no disgrace in getting beat in 1:08.59 in your first race back from a layoff," said jockey Corey Nakatani. "They came home strong and he was making up ground. I think he got what he needed out of this race." Wilko is scheduled to start next in the December 26 Malibu Stakes.
- Declan's Moon will resume training soon.
- Paul Daley reviews "Champions": "At a bargain cost of $50, this compilation will serve to settle arguments and be a handy research and reference guide, as well as helping us to relive glorious times through the lifetime past performances of 531 horses who were named champion, from A.P. Indy to Zev."
Posted by JC, Dec 11, 2005 11:15 PM
Noted: December 8
- Oh, to be a British punter: Because then I could handicap, bet, and watch races live, all on one web site. The Betting Site, a venture launched by the Racing Post and horseracing channel Racing UK today, offers access to past performances and other data, nine different bookmakers, real-time odds, and the ability to watch more than 4,000 races a year live online and on cellphones.
- Saratoga's closing weekend next summer should be a little livelier than it was this year: NYRA announced changes to its 2006 stakes schedule on Wednesday. The Woodward, which has been run at Belmont in September, will now run Labor Day weekend, along with the Forego, Hopeful, and Spinaway. "We needed to fill the void on that closing weekend," NYRA senior vice president Bill Nader said. "We all agreed this was the right decision. Now, in terms of life after the Travers, well you've got it."
- 2004 Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Wilko, who hasn't started since his 12th place finish in the Preakness, will return to the track on Saturday in the Larkspur Stakes at Golden Gate Fields. "I think this race can be a little confidence-builder," trainer Craig Dollase said of the Larkspur. "We think this is a matter of getting a race under his belt." The race is a prep for the Malibu Stakes at Santa Anita on December 26.
- Kentucky has everything a horse could want: "Blue grass, horse retirement homes and an occasional proper burial."
- Jockey Stewart Elliott seeks clemency.
Posted by JC, Dec 8, 2005 09:30 PM
Noted: December 7
- "The countdown is on ... not to Christmas, but to the day four [Massachusetts] racetracks lose their right to simulcast out-of-state races."
- A baker's dozen of dark horses for 2006.
- Happy Ticket is back in training.
Posted by JC, Dec 7, 2005 08:30 AM
Noted: December 2
- Voting is now open on the NTRA web site for racing's "Moment of the Year." Fans can vote for one of 12 images from the past 11 months, including Bellamy Road's Woodward win, trainer Nick Zito's induction into the Hall of Fame, and Afleet Alex's amazing Preakness win after colliding with Scrappy T at the top of the stretch. Can there be any doubt about the likely winner? If there was a morning line on this contest, Afleet Alex would be even money.
- Attendance declined 3% and handle was down 6% at Suffolk Downs this year.
- I'm not just a racing fan, I'm a bibliophile, which is just a nice way of saying I have too many books. A couple of weeks ago I was introduced to LibraryThing.com, a nifty new web site that allows readers to catalog books online and organize them with descriptive tags. I've started with the racing and horse-related books; I may broaden my catalog eventually. In the meantime, I'd love to get some recommendations from other readers for books I should add. What's essential to a good racing collection that I'm missing? Suggestions? Please email.
Posted by JC, Dec 2, 2005 10:30 AM
Noted: November 29
- New York racing fans know the passage of seasons by the racing calendar -- springs comes with Belmont, fall arrives when Saratoga closes, and winter begins when racing moves to Aqueduct's inner track, as it does on Wednesday. This year, the inner track will remain open two weeks longer than usual, until March 29, owing to the main track's inability to handle cold weather. Several races will be affected by the lengthened inner track season, including the Gotham Stakes, run in mid-March. Instead of being a one-turn mile on the main track, it will be a two-turn one and a sixteenth on the inner.
- Horses are shipping into Gulfstream Park in advance of opening day on January 4. Afleet Alex arrived on Monday. Trainer Tim Ritchey is considering the Donn Handicap in February for the dual Classic winner. First Samurai, trained by Frank Brothers, shipped in the same day. The two-year-old will begin prepping for a likely Kentucky Derby campaign at the track.
- What's next for Todd Pletcher, racing's first $20 million trainer? "With Pletcher, absolutely nothing is impossible."
- Hong Kong Jockey Club officials said that one North American invitee to the Hong Kong International Races won't be starting at Sha Tin on December 11 after testing positive for anabolic steroids. Officials wouldn't name the horse or its connections. A look at the list of runners announced on November 23 though narrows it down to four (and the flight schedule reveals all). The United States is the only country in which equine steroid use isn't illegal, although it's not entirely condoned either.
Posted by JC, Nov 29, 2005 11:45 AM
Noted: November 9
- Eclipse voters, listen to trainer Richard Dutrow: Breeders' Cup Sprint winner Silver Train is being sent to Palm Meadows and won't start again until 2006. Asked if missing the Cigar Mile on November 26 might affect the colt's chances of being named champion sprinter, Dutrow replied, "He don't belong getting sprinter of the year."
- It only took a congressional hearing: Jockeys' Guild representative Darrell Haire has called for Guild president Wayne Gertmenian to resign. "Gertmenian's management has been virtually nonexistent for months, and staff has been left hanging out there.... If Gertmenian really cared about the jockeys, he'd step down, but I doubt if he will leave until he's forced out," said Haire.
- An unlucky horse turns lucky: Take a Shot was one of the 160 horses caught up in a tornado at Ellis Park on Sunday. He emerged uninjured from the storm to win an allowance race at Churchill Downs Tuesday afternoon. "This horse has had a hard-luck way of going his whole life," said trainer Shane Warpool. "He went through a fence as a baby in a bad storm. In his last race at Ellis (on Sept. 3) he almost lost his eye. He caught a stone or something on the turf course. So he's been a bad-luck guy. But this one time the luck worked out for him."
- Such a nice article, such an unfortunate headline: Shebiscuit.
- Sorceror's Stone is scheduled for surgery: A bone chip will be removed from the two-year-old's left ankle. "He came out of [the Breeders' Cup Juvenile] with just a little change in his left ankle and we X-rayed him and have decided to stop on him and do a little ankle surgery on him," trainer Patrick Byrne said. "It's just a little tiny fragment." After resting for 60 days, Sorceror's Stone will return to training at Gulfstream Park.
- Beware racing newspapers: "A financial adviser who stole £10million to fund his love of racehorses was jailed for 12 years yesterday. Graham Price even left an IOU for £7million in his bank's safe. The 58-year-old, known to his loyal customers as 'Mr Halifax,' turned from honest businessman to crook after subscribing to a racing newspaper."
Posted by JC, Nov 9, 2005 07:00 PM
Ellis Damaged by Tornado
A deadly tornado swept through parts of Indiana and Kentucky early Sunday, hitting Ellis Park, where it killed three horses, injured a couple of backstretch workers, and damaged the track's stable area and grandstand. The track was closed, but nearly 160 horses were still on the grounds. Trainer Larry Jones, who arrived on the scene shortly after the storm, told the Courier-Journal that, "It's wiped out a lot of people's lives as they know it." He might have been thinking of trainer Fred Nelson, seen standing outside his flattened barn in this photo.
Posted by JC, Nov 7, 2005 08:25 PM
Sunday Notes
Stylish Sultana, in her first start off a nine-week layoff, won the Louise Kimball Stakes for fillies and mares at Suffolk Downs on Saturday by a neck after making a big move coming out of the far turn and splitting horses in mid-stretch. It was her third victory of the year. Stylish Sultana's last win came in the African Prince Stakes in June.
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Turfway, with its new Polytrack surface, might be the safest racetrack in America: "Comparative entries in the equine ambulance response log show a 100 percent improvement in September over entries for the 2002 and 2004 September meets" (Lexington Herald-Leader). Over the course of the month, only 11 horses had to be vanned off the track, compared to 16 the year previously. None had to be euthanized. More praise for Polytrack: "It's no overstatement that Polytrack could revolutionize thoroughbred racing" (Courier-Journal).
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Saved from slaughter, a mare makes her second career start at the Meadowlands (Philadelphia Inquirer).
Posted by JC, Oct 9, 2005 09:40 PM
Monday Notes
Hall of Fame jockey Angel Cordero "will un-retire for one day" to ride two horses for trainer Todd Pletcher at Philadelphia Park on October 1. Cordero, who retired in 1995, said it was the ravages of Hurricane Katrina that motivated him to ride competitively once more:
Cordero plans to donate 25% of his earnings to the relief efforts (New York Post).
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Standings are now up for two-year-olds in the column to the right. Folklore, no surprise, heads up the fillies division after her breakthrough Matron win. Henny Hughes has a narrow lead over First Samurai on the colts side.
Posted by JC, Sep 19, 2005 02:00 PM
Fairgrounds Employee Info
CDI Louisiana (Fairgrounds) has started a hotline for displaced CDI employees (including OTB employees) to contact the Churchill Downs corporate office, should they need immediate financial assistance or info on benefits/payroll matters/etc. The number is (877) 244-5536. [Thank you to Jolene at Oregon Racing News for sending along this notice.]
More information for CDI Louisiana employees can be found on the Fairgrounds web site.
Posted by JC, Sep 2, 2005 09:30 PM
Other News
Michael Gill claimed his twelfth straight Pimlico owner's title on Sunday when Spring Rush won the $50,000 Skipat Stakes. Gill last made news in May when he announced he was getting out of racing for good, but don't expect Gill to go anywhere for a while. Although he has scaled his operations back to about 200 horses, Gill is enthusiastic about a two-year-old named Traveling Leroy, who he recently purchased for $250,000 and is considering for the 2006 classic races. (Baltimore Sun)
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NYRA is positioning itself as best it can to maintain its franchise come 2007:
Posted by JC, Jun 13, 2005 11:35 AM
Teamsters, Jockeys' Guild Meet
Make of this what you will: "While both groups have represented different segments of racing industry workers for decades, the Jockeys' Guild and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters met formally for the first time Wednesday to discuss how they can leverage each other's strength to help improve working conditions for track workers such as jockeys, judges, security personnel, and admission workers." (Thoroughbred Times)
Posted by JC, Mar 16, 2005 04:50 PM
A Little More News ...
Former NTRA commissioner Tim Smith is at work "on a fledgling business effort that associates say is rooted in proposals to privatize the New York Racing Association." Smith, through a spokesman, refused to comment on the project. (Thoroughbred Times)
The 31st Symposium on Racing begins Wednesday. (Daily Racing Form)
Vote for racing's Moment of the Year. (NTRA)
Beware: "Horses who race in the Breeders' Cup events then wheel back and continue to compete in the final two months of that year do terribly," says Ralph Siraco. (Las Vegas Sun)
Posted by JC, Dec 7, 2004 07:40 AM
Hayward 6-5
"From all indications, Charles Hayward is the right guy at the right time for the New York Racing Association," writes Matt Graves. "The only question now is if he can get enough done in a three-year window to save the franchise, a proposition that a conservative oddsmaker would probably give no better than a 6-5 number at this stage of the game." (Times Union)
Posted by JC, Nov 24, 2004 08:25 AM
As Expected
Former publishing executive Charles Hayward was named NYRA president and CEO, effective immediately, this morning. (Daily Racing Form)
Posted by JC, Nov 4, 2004 02:07 PM
NYRA Near Announcement
Of new president: "Sources say Charles Hayward, the former chief executive officer of the Daily Racing Form, is in line to take over at a crucial time in the racing entity's history." (Blood-Horse)
Related: "Schwartz had saddled enough burden" (Times Union)
Posted by JC, Oct 13, 2004 07:42 AM
NYRA Chief Resigns
NYRA Chairman Barry Schwartz announced this afternoon that he is resigning from the organization. (Thoroughbred Times)
More: "NYRA executive stepping down" (New York Times) and "NYRA's Schwartz leaving at year's end" (Times Union)
Posted by JC, Oct 8, 2004 07:25 PM
Never Mind
"The consultant behind a proposal to build a $100 million racetrack and entertainment complex in Nashua says he dropped the idea days ago, even as it continued to stir controversy across the city. 'This was a battle against the Easter Bunny; it didn't exist,' said Kurt Sanborn, who was hired by Winners Circle Development Ventures to test the waters for a horseracing project in Nashua. 'It was truly speculative. We were just kicking tires.'" (Union Leader)
Posted by JC, Oct 2, 2004 07:59 PM
Aggrieved
"Castigating the management of Pimlico Race Course and Laurel Park for everything from construction delays to security cutbacks to apathetic customer service, the Maryland Racing Commission delivered a stern message yesterday to the Maryland Jockey Club and its parent company, Magna Entertainment Corp. 'The truth is,' said commissioner John McDaniel, 'the commission has no more tolerance. Period.'" (Baltimore Sun)
Posted by JC, Sep 15, 2004 08:00 AM
No More Milkshakes
California plans to get tough on milkshaking. (San Diego Union-Tribune)
Posted by JC, Sep 15, 2004 07:50 AM
Smith Bows Out
"Three days after Tim Smith's resignation as commissioner of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association became effective, the New York Racing Association issued a statement from Smith on Saturday announcing that he is no longer pursuing talks to become NYRA's president and chief executive officer, leading to speculation that he could rejoin the NTRA in some capacity." (Thoroughbred Times)
More: "Smith says no to NYRA" (Times Union)
Posted by JC, Sep 4, 2004 05:55 PM
Prickly Tagg ... Grins at Reporters?
Indeed. "Then Tagg smiled some more and answered questions for 12 minutes." Questions about Funny Cide, of course, who is expected to run this Sunday in the Saratoga Breeders' Cup. (Times Union)
Posted by JC, Aug 17, 2004 09:00 PM
2004 Hall of Fame Inductees Honored
In a ceremony held Monday morning in Saratoga, trainer Shug McGaughey, jockeys Kent Desormeaux and Jimmy Winkfield, and the horses Flawlessly, Skipaway, and Bowl of Flowers were inducted into the racing Hall of Fame. (SF Chronicle)
Also: "The themes of family, loyalty, and perseverance permeated the Humphrey S. Finney sales pavilion on Monday morning, as six inductees ... took their place in the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame." (Daily Racing Form)
Related: "Hall inductee's thoughts on two tracks today" (Times Union), "Shug's time has officially arrived" (Daily Racing Form), "Flawlessly finally getting her due" and "Skip Away headed for greatness" (The Saratogian)
Posted by JC, Aug 9, 2004 05:25 PM
Trainer Phil Johnson Dies
Phil Johnson, the trainer who won the 2002 Breeders' Cup with Volponi, died on Friday at age 78. (New York Times)
Related: "New York racing loses a gem" (Daily Racing Form)
Posted by JC, Aug 7, 2004 06:40 PM
Magna Still Pursuing NYRA Franchise
"Magna Entertainment Corp. continues to pursue efforts to replace the New York Racing Association or partner with the organization, which operates the franchise to run the state's three top Thoroughbred tracks, Magna Entertainment President Jim McAlpine said on Tuesday." This, despite losing more than $25 million in the second quarter of 2004. (Thoroughbred Times)
Posted by JC, Aug 5, 2004 06:05 PM
From the NTRA Notebook
Comes this bit of history: "Aug. 17, 2000: Zippy Chippy, loser of all 86 of his lifetime races, was defeated again -- this time by minor-league baseball player Jose Herrera in a 40-yard dash. The race, called the '2000 Red Wings Derby,' was held prior to a home game of the International League's Rochester Red Wings."
Related: "Zippy Chippy: A horse with no shame" (Failure Magazine)
Also in this week's notebook: Inductions to the National Racing Museum Hall of Fame will take place Monday. "Three humans and three horses receive this year's honors: Trainer Claude Shug McGaughey, jockeys Kent Desormeaux and Jimmy Winkfield and Thoroughbreds Bowl of Flowers, Skip Away and Flawlessly."
Posted by JC, Aug 5, 2004 06:00 PM
Saying It Better Than I Could
Andrew Beyer: "Too bad it pays to retire early" (Washington Post); Bill Finley: "Smarty leaves us wanting more" (ESPN); and Paul Moran: "The fans are the losers now that 'Smarty' party is over" (Newsday)
Posted by JC, Aug 3, 2004 04:20 PM
That's All for Smarty
There'll be no more racing for Smarty Jones: The three-year-old colt was retired this afternoon. (ESPN)
More: "Smarty Jones retired to stud" (Daily Racing Form); "Injury forces Smarty Jones to retire" (Boston Globe); and "Go Smarty Go -- To stud at Three Chimneys Farm" (Blood-Horse)
Related: Dam of Smarty Jones to be offered at Fasig-Tipton November sale" (Thoroughbred Times)
Posted by JC, Aug 2, 2004 04:40 PM
Smith Headed for NY
Tim Smith resigned from NTRA last week and it's widely anticipated he'll be announced as the new NYRA CEO soon. "Smith is just what NYRA needs," writes Bill Finley on ESPN. Bill Christine at the LA Times thinks Smith is the man best able to fend off Magna Corp. Chairman Frank Stronach's attempt to take over the New York franchise when it expires in 2007. The New York attorney general's office is concerned with another matter -- how much will Smith be paid?
Posted by JC, Aug 1, 2004 04:00 PM
Wary Reception for Smith
Paul Moran is a bit skeptical of Tim Smith becoming NYRA president: "Smith brought a background in sports marketing to NTRA, with credentials in professional tennis and golf. His expertise was more or less applicable to the racing business. Running racetracks is another matter entirely, particularly three of the nation's most important racetracks." (Newsday)
Posted by JC, Jul 23, 2004 03:20 PM
Racing Industry Donations to Governor Questioned
"Representatives of the Texas Thoroughbred racing industry donated $232,800 to Governor Rick Perry's campaign on February 11, two months before he called a special legislative session and proposed adding video lottery terminals at the state's tracks." (Thoroughbred Times)
Posted by JC, Jul 22, 2004 07:55 PM
Wasn't It Just Yesterday ...
That NTRA Commissioner Tim Smith said he was only considering the position of NYRA president and that "any decision will take more time and consultation with the relevant groups and representatives over the next several weeks"? It appears as though he needed less time than he thought.
Posted by JC, Jul 20, 2004 04:55 PM
Del Mar, Secretariat, Delaware Park
Del Mar's summer racing season begins this Wednesday (North County Times); the unveiling of a Secretariat statue is the highlight of Kentucky Horse Park's SecretariatFest (AP); and Delaware Park officials say the Pennsylvania slots law is good for them (The News Journal).
Posted by JC, Jul 18, 2004 05:10 PM
Elliott, Dime Bets, Claiming Crown
From the NTRA Thoroughbred Notebook: Philadelphia Park jockey and Smarty Jones rider Stewart Elliott received a 2004 ESPY award for Best Jockey from ESPN, beating out Jerry Bailey, Edgar Prado, and Alex Solis for the honor.
The NTRA has teamed up with new association member Youbet.com to host a series of online handicapping contests, each of which will offer cash prizes along with spots in the DRF/NTRA National Handicapping Championship. The first contest will open on August 21.
Also in the news: The Cherokee Nation requested 12 racing dates from the Oklahoma Horse Racing Commission on Thursday. The tribe would like to offer racing at Will Rogers Downs, which last hosted events three years ago (Native American Times).
A really good idea from Steven Krist: Thrills for a dime. "Ten cents a bet? The idea here is not to permit 10-cent show bets, but to offer multi-horse boxes and part-wheels in extremely low denominations. This could open up the world of super-exotic betting to many ordinary players who currently can't afford to participate, or are forced into playing too small a number of combinations to collect more than once in a blue moon" (Daily Racing Form).
And Claiming Crown analysis from Jeremy Plonk: "Saturday's six-pack of stakes races from Canterbury Park in Minnesota is a handicapper's feast. Leave the wide-open clichés at the front door -- all of these races will take heavy doses of speculation and time-honored methods of handicapping starter allowance races" (NTRA).
Posted by JC, Jul 16, 2004 02:30 PM
A Few Items
IMBY: Suffolk Downs' very own Jill Jellison is "now the leading active female jockey in terms of wins" (Daily Racing Form).
All for a good cause: Female jockeys in New Zealand posed nude for a calendar to raise funds for the Hunterville Trust, which aids injured jockeys. "Still two weeks away from the official launch ... the 1000 copies on hand are as good as sold" (New Zealand Herald).
Completely unrelated: Harness racing hangs on in Maryland (The Washington Times).
Posted by JC, Jul 9, 2004 05:00 PM
For Sale
Sotheby's will auction a collection of sporting art from the estate of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Jeffords this October, including paintings from equine artists Sir Alfred Munnings and John Frederick Herring. Also up for sale: racing trophies from the 19th and 20th centuries. Why not buy one for your mantle? (Thoroughbred Times)
Posted by JC, Jul 4, 2004 11:00 AM
Saratoga Announces Season Passes, Bobble Head Doll
The NYRA announced yesterday that special season admissions passes are now on sale. Passes for the Clubhouse are $100, for the Grandstand $50, and are good for entrance every day of the meet. Beware, though: Buy a pass and you may miss out on giveaways tracks officials are calling "sure things," such as the John Velazquez bobble head doll fans will receive with paid admission on July 29.
Other news: "Life Among the Ruins Suits La Reine's Terms" (Washington Post) and "Smarty not challenging elders soon" (Boston Globe).
Posted by JC, Jul 4, 2004 10:56 AM
Up/Down
With wagering on the Preakness up 36.5% from 2003, "the Maryland Jockey Club no longer is considering cutting weeks from the summer racing schedule in an effort to maintain present race purse levels" (Washington Post). Unfortunately for Woodbine, the "sharp decline in wagering on the Queen's Plate Stakes could lead to purse cuts" at the track this year (Thoroughbred Times).
Posted by JC, Jun 30, 2004 07:55 AM
Noted
Saratoga plans for "best racing in the nation" (Blood-Horse); organizers of the Thoroughbred Championship Tour discuss doubling the number of stakes races included in the program, expected to begin in 2005 (Thoroughbred Times).
Posted by JC, Jun 29, 2004 09:10 AM
Miscellany
More details of Youbet's wireless wagering (Daily Racing Form), Jay Cronley wonders, Who are the stewards? (ESPN), and East European extortionists attack online gaming sites (Boston Globe).
Posted by JC, Jun 28, 2004 08:00 AM
NTRA Announces New Series
"The National Thoroughbred Racing Association earlier this week unveiled the 'NTRA Two-Year-Old Challenge,' a televised racing series and promotional program for two-year-old Thoroughbred colts and geldings, which debuts this fall and carries a potential bonus of $1.3 million. The Challenge will award $250,000 to the owner of an eligible horse who wins any of seven designated races plus the Breeders' Cup Juvenile." Says NTRA Commissioner Tim Smith, "it puts the spotlight on racing's popular young stars, the two-year-olds. Over time, it will also make it easier to track the hopefuls for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile and the following year's Triple Crown" (New York Times).
Comment: If the purpose of this new series is to attract new