The Bug Boys

In the News

2010-11-12T23:18:00.000-05:00

- Sayonara Empire Maker. He has been a productive sire and stood for $50,000 this year. In four crops, he has produced three millionaires and one stallion. The JBBA must have a paid a a lot of yen for him. I wish him a stud career more like Sunday Silence than Ferdinand.

- Quality Road retired to Lane's End and will stand for $35,000. I'm not sure how I feel about that fee. It seems a bit high to me. Looking down the Lane's End roster makes excited for the English Channel juvies to run next year. His auction prices are surprisingly low, but man, that horse could run on grass.

- It's hard to feel bad for Todd Pletcher and his monster operation, but it just seems wrong that he is losing Pluck. Team Valor is moving all of their horses to Graham Motion. I understand the idea of consolidation and who can argue with the talent of Mr. Motion, but Pletcher won a Breeders' Cup race with her and loses her in the same week.

- Super Saver will stand at WinStar for $20,000. Even for a Kentucky Derby winner, that seems high to me. Looking down the WinStar roster, I would prefer Colonel John at $15,000. He didn't win the big one, but he was much more dynamic.

- Forget Pletcher, it's Tony Dutrow that's getting screwed. Larry Porter is sending Havre de Grace and others to Larry Jones, who is returning from a brief retirement. Dutrow trained her to earnings of more than $840,000 this year and a remarkable rivalry with Blind Luck. I totaly respect Larry Jones, but come on Mr. Porter.

- Vale of York was retired. He accomplished nothing after his Breeders' Cup win. He will stand for 5,000 Euros at Darley in Ireland. That's like 10 million dollars, or something like that. Lookin at Lucky is pacing his stall thinking about that little bum and how he stole his birthright from him. When I think about Vale of York at stud, I take back everything I said about Quality Road. Luckily, the surface at Santa Anita is being replaced and we will likely not see a winner like this again.

- Does anyone know the official criteria for Horse of the Year? I want to give an opinion, but I can't find the basis for voting. I would greatly appreciate if someone could point me in the right direction.

Wii Derby Dash

2010-10-05T20:56:00.000-04:00

This has been a great week for horse racing in pop culture. First, Disney released a movie featuring Secretariat (a movie that I greatly enjoyed despite its historical inaccuracy). And now, Nintendo is releasing their new game, Wii Party, which features a minigame called Derby Dash.

The theme of the game is - "It's time for a horse race! Giddyup to the finish line, but be careful not to use up your horse's energy too soon." Sounds pretty good. Right? Here is the trailer...

As a minigame, it is not a full-fledged video game, but it is progress. It looks like I'll have another game to play with my son other than FIFA World Cup and Madden Football.

Joe Torre - Savior of Horse Racing?

2010-09-19T16:45:00.005-04:00

Joe Torre announced this week that he will not return as manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers next year. It is expected that, although being 70 years old, Torre will assume a non-managerial job with the Dodgers.

I say, WAIT! There is a free agent in the market and he should be pursued by not only other baseball teams, but other SPORTS too. When I say sports, I mean thoroughbred horse racing. We severely lack a face of the sport, and Joe Torre may be just what we need.

Torre is a horse racing fan and owner. He reportedly became a fan when New York Yankees Bench Coach Don Zimmer took him to Pimlico in 1996. He is a part-owner of Homeboykris and Game on Dude. He was a part-owner of Vineyard Haven before being sold for $12 million and also owned part of Sis City. That's a bunch of graded stakes winners from a small portfolio of ownership. I guess this game is easier when you were close with the late Bobby Frankel. The former Yankees manager is also friends with his own "Babe", Rick Dutrow.

Torre is uniquely qualified to be the center of a marketing campaign by the NTRA or any other entity that is smart enough to use him. He is respected in both New York and Southern California - both major racing jurisdictions. He is also associated with winning (it hurts writing that as a Mets fan). To make it interesting for him, I can see cross-marketing with the Joe Torre Safe at Home Foundation.

So, what are we waiting for? I nominate Joe Torre as the new spokesman for thoroughbred horse racing.

Lots to Like at Saratoga

2010-08-24T20:58:00.000-04:00

For the third consecutive year, I was lucky enough to be at the Saratoga Race Course for the Alabama Stakes. This was my longest visit ever - getting to the track for the 3rd race on Thursday and seeing every race through the 8th on Sunday. I thought it would be too much, but I was actually craving more while back at work on Monday.

Those that know me also know that I am not much of a gambler. The dime super is my thing (hit 2 on Friday). I have generally been a fan of the stakes races and the connections that compete in them. However, this weekend turned everything upside down. The stakes races were not great but the gambling in many of the other races was. Sure, the Alabama was significant, but as a fan of Devil May Care (Malibu Moon), I was let down.

But, when you get race after race of big fields and nice odds, the gambling becomes a lot more interesting. For a rare moment, I was more into the wagering than the sport. I "got crazy" and started in with the rolling Pick 3's and barely even went out to the paddock.

So, I have seen this message to the industry around the internet but I will deliver my own version of it now - MARKET THE GAMBLING. Horse racing is dramatically more exciting, glamorous and sophisticated than slots. Let people know this. You can bet many different ways. Don't like the win bet, try a trifecta. Want to solve a big puzzle, try the Pick 6. And the ladies can wear big, fancy hats if they would like to. Win - win.

The people and the stories are still my favorite part, so it was great to be there when Nick Zito won his first race of the meet with Mountain Town. Marylou Whitney (in the red below) owned the winner until he was claimed by Rick Dutrow for Paul Pompa for $75,000.
On Thursday, I also discovered a great Saratoga secret. When Hattie's Chicken closes after the races, they bring whatever is left over to the paddock bar. If you are nice to the bartenders, they will share some of the goods with you.
And they're off in the Alabama. Can you believe that Blind Luck was purchased at auction for $11,000? Wow.

How did NYRA manage to line up the umbrella giveaway with a rainy day? Not just rain, but major rain? You would think they would use these super powers for greater problems. Anyway, I really like my umbrella. And I took only one, unlike the spinners with their 10 each. It was fun watching them drop their armfuls into puddles. Gluttons. The umbrellas are selling for between $5 and $10 on Ebay tonight.

Good luck with Wednesday's carryover!

Good and Bad on Belmont Stakes Day

2010-06-06T20:04:00.000-04:00

There was a lot to like and dislike at Belmont Park on Saturday. Here are a few of what I consider to be "goods" and "bads":

GOOD - We'll start with the obligatory photo of Drosselmeyer. He was good enough to win the third jewel of the triple crown. Congratulations to him and his connections.

BAD - The guys who walked around with no shirts. Racing has certainly devolved from the times when everyone got dressed up to go to the track. And this guy was INSIDE!

GOOD - Dan Hendricks. It was a rare opportunity to see him in New York. I admire him very much.

BAD - Even with only 45,000 people in attendance, there were BIG lines for the Women's Room. I'm not sure which is creepier - that guy leaning on the wall outside of the ladies' restroom or me taking this photo.

GOOD - Bribon. The 7-year-old became a millionaire with his win in the True North Handicap. I used to think I was a good luck charm to Bob Ribaudo because he only won big races when I was in attendance. Apparently, it stuck with Bribon after he moved to a different trainer. His last big win was the 2009 Met Mile (and I was there).

BAD - People that camp out wherever they please. This is not the back yard. This is the apron around the 16th pole. These guys just set up their picnic and ignored the fact that they impeded traffic and prevented people from getting a better view. This is just one example of several groups with no consideration.

GOOD - Jody McDonald and Steven Crist. If you are reading this, you probably know who Steve Crist is, but unless you live near New York City, you probably don't know Jody Mac. He is one of the few radio sportscasters that discusses horse racing. I remember listening to his "Jody Mac at the Track" segments long before I became a fan of horse racing. You can hear Jody in the New York area on 1050 ESPN radio from 1pm-3pm weekdays. 1050 was broadcasting from the backyard for a while and Mr. Crist was a guest. I didn't stick around for the interview because the horses were coming to the paddock for the Acorn Stakes.

BAD - These guys. And everyone else that dressed in an unusual manner to draw attention to themselves. This includes the guys dressed up as Mario and Luigi.

GOOD - Champagne D'Oro with the win in the Acorn Stakes at 39-1. Reading her past performances makes you scratch your head. She seemingly broke her maiden in her 4th race but was disqualified. She was then sent to unsuccessful trips in the Delmar Futurity against the boys and than the Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies. She then came back to break her maiden this past February, ran in the Fair Grounds Oaks and Kentucky Oaks and then came to Belmont. I could handicap this race 100 times and never land on her. She seems to be terribly mismanaged, but is now a Grade 1 winner. So, what do I know?

BAD - I leave you with this. Not just a race track rule, but a rule for everyday life. If you have bad dandruff, don't wear a black blazer. Head & Shoulders my friend. Head & Shoulders.

Let it Fail

2010-05-18T13:15:00.001-04:00

The news today has stories about New York Racing Association's continued troubles as well as General Motors taking the next step in its turn-around. I see these stories as two companies at different points in the same trajectory. NYRA is at the precipice of running out of cash and ceasing operations while GM presented it's first quarterly profit in three years. GM was in NYRA's shoes not too long ago but took real action to fundamentally fix its problems and set itself up for ongoing success.

General Motors was once the standard of the world. It was a profitable institution with great product. However, the company did not change with the times, was hampered by government regulation and spent decades in decline. Hmm, sounds a lot like NYRA. On some days, NYRA still has great product, but they certainly have failed to evolve with the world and have clearly been hurt by unfair government regulation. And, like GM, NYRA has been dying a slow death since the 70's.

General Motors ultimately hit bottom and restructured through bankruptcy. They left the bad behind and moved forward with the good. They dramatically shrunk the company down to reflect the realities of the market and emerged as a fundamentally strong entity with a business plan that could work. It's failure was necessary for future success.

This may be blasphemy to some, but I think NYRA needs to do the same. It needs to fail in order to be strong again. The various OTBs need to fail too. The people in charge have to use the power of legal bankruptcy to restructure the entities in a way that can provide for long-term viability. No more half-hearted bankruptcies to obtain financing without changing the underlying way that business is done.

There are a few changes that can be made to greatly improve the chances of a "New NYRA" succeeding:

1) Merge OTB and NYRA - Of course, this is easier said than done, but it must be done. On-Track and Off-Track can't compete against each other. The concept is insane. They need to reduce redundancies and ensure that a fair share of takeout from Off-Track gets to the track and the horsemen.

2) Redevelop Belmont Park - The casino should be at Belmont Park, not Aqueduct. It's a bigger, more accessible facility that is in a better socio-economic area for a big development. Long Islanders will flock to a Belmont casino and City folks will have plenty of access by car and train. The redevelopment should include an all-weather inner track because we are also going to.....

2) Close Aqueduct - This facility is a vestige of the phenomenal history of racing in New York. However, the current climate does not support two facilities located so close together, and upgrades at Belmont will make it acceptable for bad weather racing. It must cost a fortune to maintain that beast so it must be slain. I think the State of New York holds title to the property now so they can use it for something else.

3) Make the fees paid to the State reasonable - The folks in Albany will certainly want to get their hands on some of the revenue of "New NYRA" and I don't have a problem with some money flowing into the Capital. But, the "tax" rate must be reasonable. The fees currently paid by NYRA and the OTBs to several government entities seem very high and prevent them from investing money back into their product and facilities.

4) Reduce racing days - Remember Pontiac and Saturn? They were eliminated by "New GM" just as a lot of race days and races should be given the axe by "New NYRA". I will not pretend to know where to scale back, but there is too much product and resources are spread too thin. Less is more.

I am a fan of horse racing in New York and I want it to succeed in perpetuity. The actions taken over the last few years (and maybe decades) are not going to sustain this industry long-term. It needs to be restructured so it can thrive. Without real change, the sport and industry will continue to slowly bleed until there is nothing left.

I drew a parallel to the controversial General Motors example, but NYRA's resurrection will not even need a cash "bail-out". The State merely needs to give NYRA the money that is owed them, award a casino franchise, make a few changes to the highly restrictive racing law and get out of the way.

Let it fail now so it can succeed tomorrow.

Photos from the Big A(rctic)

2010-04-03T22:01:00.000-04:00

Man, it was cold at Aqueduct today. I came from the East and it was probably 15 degrees warmer there. I spoke with people from the North and West and they concurred. It would have been nice to have a casino to warm up in. But that's another subject. There was some good racing in New York today despite the unexpected chill.

We now have a clear Kentucky Derby favorite and that is Eskendereya. Here he is coming to the paddock to be saddled for the Wood Memorial. He looked physically impressive in person.
Here is Jackson bend walking in. He snuck up at the last moment to get second. JB has now finished second to Esky twice in a row and has three seconds in a row since being purchased by Robert LaPenta. I guess the jockey switch to Calvin Borel didn't have the desired effect.

Eightyfiveinafifty won the Bay Shore Stakes. He didn't bolt and jump the fence this time, but he was a little awkward. Perhaps we have found this year's 7 furlong specialist like Kodiak Kowboy and Munnings.
Here is Goldsville holding off Nite Lite in the Excelsior Stakes. I could handicap this race 1,000 more times and I would never have him to win. He blew my Pick 4. Nice finish, though.
I love the Carter Handicap. Some of my favorite horses have competed in the race (Ah Day, Bustin Stones). This year, Warrior's Reward held off Musket Man for the win. I was rooting for Musket Man. I enjoy when a $15,000 purchase can become a millionaire. He is just short after the close finish.

If you were on of the 8,553 in attendance, I hope you escaped frostbite. Today was just a preview of what New York has to offer. The Met Mile and the Belmont Stakes are coming up soon. If our State can get its act together, we may even have a summer at Saratoga.

Kelso wants you to be counted!

2010-03-18T22:02:00.000-04:00

Have you received your census form?

Did you fill it out?

Did you notice the return address on the envelope?

Mine has 8411 KELSO Drive, Essex, Maryland 21260.

KELSO. 5-Time Horse of the Year. I chuckled.

It makes sense. Kelso was bred by a Maryland-based owner and is interred in Chesapeake, MD, a mere 54 miles away from this census office.

Did you know that Kelso's sire, Your Host, was intended to be put down after a racing injury? The insurance company took possession of the colt after paying off the owner and stood him at stud to try to recoup some money.

All he did was produce a horse that is considered the 4th best thoroughbred to ever run in the United States.

After retirement from racing, the gelding Kelso began a second career show jumping and hunting.

Quite a difference from the delicate flowers we breed now that are retired with an injury after their 2-year-old season.

Don't forget to fill out your census form and be counted.

Odysseus - My Obvious Choice

2010-03-14T10:08:00.002-04:00

Sometimes you pick a Derby horse. Sometimes they pick you. Odysseus has picked me this year. I have been touting Malibu Moon and his progeny here for a long time. Not since Declan's Moon in 2005 has Malibu Moon put forth such a promising Kentucky Derby prospect. How can I not be on the bandwagon of this colt?

When the list of Triple Crown nominees comes out every year, I scour it for Malibu Moons and New York breds. This year, like most others, was pretty light in those categories. When it came time to assemble my Road to the Roses stable, I chose to include the best of the bunch, and that was Odysseus (as an aside, I have all 3 parts of this Trifecta in my R2tR stable).

It's also easy for me to root for the connections. Rajiv Maragh is a very good rider here on the New York circuit, trainer Tom Albertrani is one of the good guys and I like a lot of what Satish Sanan is saying about the sport and how to save it.

It wasn't just Saturday's win that got me hooked, it was the way he did it. Odysseus was rattled by Schoolyard Dreams blowing by him and he lost his stride. He showed that he wanted to win by pulling it together and giving it his all to the wire. I was so impressed that I had this blog post in mind even when I thought he lost. The fact that he got the nose in the photo just makes it better.

Was this a weak group competing in the Tampa Bay Derby? Perhaps. But Odysseus has improved in each of his races since his debut. I expect that his progression will continue. Also remember that last year's Tampa Bay winner, Musket Man, was very successful in the Triple Crown races.

Glad to hear this morning that the next race for Odysseus may be the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct. My friends and I will be there to root him on. And check out new Odysseus fan page on FB put together by superfan Aspiring Horseplayer.

Best. Costume. Ever.

2010-02-03T19:43:00.004-05:00

Dog costume courtesy of costumeexpress.com

h/t to my daughter who thinks it is never too early to get ready for Halloween.

New York's Governor Makes a Decision

2010-01-27T21:29:00.000-05:00

Well, Governor Patterson made a decision regarding horses. Unfortunately, it's not related to the Aqueduct casino.

"Gov. David Patterson, taking on the 150-year-old tradition of horse-drawn carriage rides in Manhattan's Central Park, says the horses need to be treated better or the popular tourist rides should be banned."

Really? That's what you're spending time on right now? I am all for treating horses right but can we award a casino franchise first and address this issue later?

On last week's trip to the Big A with some great people, I took this photo of the space that's ready for construction immediately:
Come on, let's get it done here, or move on to a realistic plan at Belmont Park (which I think is the better option). Just stop the politics and posturing.

Say Anything....

2010-01-23T09:25:00.003-05:00

- "Say Anything" character Lloydobler makes his debut in the 4th at Aqueduct on Saturday. The John Cusack impersonator is owned by Steve Byk's Dee Tee Stables. The 3yo Smarty Jones colt is 15-1 morning line.

The same race also has the debut of another good one for Tom Durkin. Arrr Pirates Booty is 4-1 under Bug Boys favorite rider, Richard Migliore.

- Mike Luzzi rode 3 winners at Aqueduct on Friday. I wonder if the Elias Sports Bureau could tell us when that happened last. He earned them too, returning $8.80, $48.00 and $11.00. Luzzi is on the favorite in the Paumonok stakes today, Driven By Success.

- Big Brown's first foal was born and the filly is an ....... Indiana-bred? I would have put that at 99-1.

- The Kentucky Derby is returning to the traditional draw. Good. I didn't understand the added layer of complexity. KISS.

- If you haven't already, check out Equispace's thoughts about his first trip to the Big A. He brings a fresh perspective to a place we generally take for granted and belittle.

My Eclipse!

2010-01-16T16:56:00.001-05:00

ESPN's coverage of the 2009 Belmont Stakes has won the Eclipse Award for National Television - Live Racing. I feel like part of the winning team, as I was highlighted for this brief moment in the paddock before the race. That's me using my program to keep the sun out of my eyes.
I'd like to thank the voters, and the guy on Stub Hub that sold me a really good seat for very little money.

Speaking of Eclipse Awards, here are a few of my choices:

HOTY- Rachel Alexandra: East coast bias notwithstanding, Rachel had a monumental and historic year. Zenyatta had a monumental and historic race. Z had a great career (to be continued). Rachel had a better season.

Older Male- Gio Ponti: 4 Grade 1 wins and a second to Zenyatta in the Breeder's Cup Classic. Nice campaign in a year where there was no standout older router.

Female Turf- Ventura: A length and a half away from 6 Grade 1 wins at 5 different tracks, against males twice. This is also a "stand-against" horses coming to the U.S. for the Breeder's Cup and winning an award for a campaign. Goldikova's performance was remarkable, but to me, it does not make her the champion here.

Three-Year-Old Filly- Flashing: Nah, not really. Just seeing if you are still reading this.

Leaving and Arriving

2010-01-08T15:35:00.000-05:00

There has been a lot of recent activity relating to horses moving around. Here are two that I find particularly interesting:

- The Coolmore folks have retired Dunkirk and will stand him at their Ashford Stud in Kentucky. He has the breeding to stand for his $10,000 fee - Unbridled's Song out of a G1-winning A.P. Indy mare. But, I am generally pessimistic when a promising young colt gets hurt early, never reaches his expectations on the track and then is sent to the breeding shed to pass his infirmities on to the breed.

Some related facts - 1) If you back his $393,000 of earnings out of his $3,700,000 purchase price, Dunkirk will have to cover 331 mares at $10,000 for Coolmore to get their money back (excluding the cost of his maintenance, of course); and 2) Pedigree Query lists 10 horses named Dunkirk through the years dating back to 1726.

- Venezuelan super-filly Bambera will be making her way to the United States for a 2010 campaign. This young lady has done nothing less than win 16 of 18 starts including 10 Grade 1 races over distances between 7 and 12 furlongs. She also beat older colts 5 times. Bambera is going to start down in Calder and could make a big splash in the older female category this year.

Nurse Doris

2010-01-05T13:45:00.001-05:00

I was excited to see a little story today in Newsday about a long-time, repected backstretch employee. Unfortunately, instead of a feel good piece, they had to throw in the 1988 death of Mike Venezia on the track. The author, Mr. Bernstein, could have gone a million ways with this short acknowledgement of a remarkable woman, but like most of the media, he chose to characterize horse racing with a negative example. It ends up being another punch in the face by Belmont Park's hometown newspaper and a missed opportunity to showcase "Nurse Doris". At least there is a nice photo with Chavez, Castellano, Hill and Dominguez.

Photo Credit: Dave Sanders - Newsday

Nurse has patched up jockeys for 50 years
January 4, 2010 by JAMES BERNSTEIN / james.bernstein@newsday.com

She is known as Nurse Doris, and after 50 years of working at Aqueduct and Belmont racetracks, she really needs no further identification.
But for the record, she is Doris Glier, 84, and she is celebrating her 50th year working at the two racetracks, taking care of jockeys who fall off horses or otherwise get injured in the course of their jobs.
"I'm not an unusual person," Nurse Doris, who lives in Rockville Centre, said last week. "The only unique thing is I'm 84 and I'm still working."
She began working for the New York Racing Association in 1959, retired in 1995, but was immediately hired by a private company that contracts with the NYRA, so she barely missed a day's work.
Why keep working? Nurse Doris said she wants to help out her three grandchildren with their college tuition. And, she said, she has another reason as well: "I'm a
workaholic."
Nurse Doris remembers good and bad times over the years. She vividly recalls the day in 1988 when Michael Venezia, a 43-year-old jockey who was planning to retire, died of massive head injuries when he was kicked by a horse after a spill in the fifth race at Belmont Park. "He came in [to the nursing station] but he was already dead," Nurse Doris said.
"But there were lots of happy memories," she said. "Years ago, it was like one big family. But it's still good. I'm like everybody's mother."
Nurse Doris does not bet on races, she said. Someone once placed a bet for her. The name of the horse? Believe In Doris. It won.

Let's Hear it for New York

2010-01-03T10:17:00.001-05:00

After a not-so-brief hiatus, we're going to crank this blog up again. This first post will cover all things New York:

- Live racing has been cancelled at Aqueduct today. It's the prudent decision, as the high temperature will be 24 degrees with 40 mile-per-hour winds and a 30% chance of snow. It will be a lot nicer for the opening day down at Gulfstream. 65 degrees with no precipitation and practically no wind. Good luck to Quality Road in his return.

- We are hearing again that the operator of a VLT casino at Aqueduct will be named within the next week. Once again, it is unlikely that it will happen. There are currently 5 bidders trying to obtain the rights. The Governor, the State Senate Leader and the State Assembly Leader need to come to an agreement on which option is the best. This decision has eluded the people in these positions for 8 years since the enabling legislation was passed.

My belief is that the real deadline is March 31, 2010. This is the end of the State's fiscal year and the $200 million that is expected from the winning bidder has to be received by then for the Governor's deficit reduction plan to work. If they don't collect the cash, the State will once again not be able to pay its bills from the General Fund. As someone who works at a State-funded social services agency, I would prefer that the rate cuts and payment delays end so we can get back to work serving people that truly need help. Please, Governor, pick a viable operator
already.

And, although I do want an operator to be named, it better not be Delaware North. They were initially named the operator but couldn't come up with the $370 upfront payment that they promised. It would be wrong to give them the same rights for $200 million now. Sure, the credit markets collapsed after their offer was accepted, but they didn't deliver and they should not be rewarded for such failure. Other bidders provided proposals within their means and they should be given preference now.

For much more detailed and impressive coverage of the VLT politics/bidding process, check out Left at the Gate.

- Ramon Dominguez was the leading rider in New York for 2009. He was the leading rider at each meet and led the second place rider (Rajiv Maragh) by 152 wins. Again - he led the runner-up by 152 wins. What a performance over the course of a year! Ramon was second nationally in wins and third nationally in purse money, but I still feel that he does not get as much recognition as he deserves. I think his name should be more consistently included with the nation's top jocks and big-ride guys. Now that he owns New York, perhaps that recognition will come in 2010. I had the pleasure of briefly meeting Ramon twice in 2009 and he comes across as a really nice guy too.

- New drug testing rules went into effect for the New York circuit on January 1st. I don't really understand them, so look here if you have an interest. Also, Aqueduct was accredited by the NTRA Safety and Integrity Alliance. After my blogging gig at the NTRA, I am dubious of any credential that they issue.

- And finally, more political posturing. NYRA claims that it will run out of money before the Belmont Stakes is run. The State Comptroller does not believe this assertion and has issued a subpeona for NYRA's financial records. NYRA will not cooperate, and away we go with another mess that just distracts from the real problems. If Albany will just let NYRA operate OTBs and/or derive a fair share of the profits from off track wagering, they will be financially stable. Get rid of all the OTB patronage jobs and unnecessary overhead and there will be plenty of money to run the tracks and fully fund purses. Throw in the VLT casino and you then have enough money to improve conditions on the backstretch and have a real program for retired racehorses. Imagine that - it's easy if you try.

- One last New York issue, LET'S GO JETS! Please don't rip our hearts out again.

Exports, Track Records and the Dash

2009-10-21T21:09:00.000-04:00

- In these desperate financial times, a country has to do whatever it takes to sustain itself. Apparently, the salvation of the United States will be predicated on exporting stallions to Asia. Over the past few days, Peace Rules was sold to Korea, Alke was deported to Thailand and Johannesburg was expatriated to Japan. So annyong-hi kashipshio to Peace Rules, Sawatdi to Alke and sayonara to Johannesburg. Thanks for the memories.

- What was going on at Belmont Park today? It was like a NASCAR track. $35,000 claimer Super Shape tied the track record for 6.5 furlongs at 7-1 in the first. Then, in the third, Birdrun established a new record at a 8.5 furlongs in a NW1X race. It seems too coincidental that two horses with limited resumes would put in such remarkable performaces on the same day at the same track. Was the timer working correctly? Was the grounds crew testing a track condition for the next big day that they want to have fast times? Or maybe the track condition was just listed as concrete? Good one, Dana.

- The renewal of the DeFrancis Dash at Laurel Park is this Saturday after a year off because of a lack of purse money in Maryland. Vinyard Haven will be the favorite but I am rooting, as always, for Ah Day. Brooklyn Backstretch favorite Saratoga Russell is also in the race. The Grade I Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash is one of my favorite races and I attended it in 2006 when Thor's Echo won and solidified his hold on Champion Sprinter of that year. Thor's Echo was sent to Dubai by his new owner but then returned to Doug O'Neill's barn in 2007. I can't find any updates on his status. Any input you have would be greatly appreciated. We know, as a gelding, he is not standing stud anywhere.

At Least I took a Good Photo

2009-10-03T19:44:00.001-04:00

I used to think that every big day at the track is a good day. Not any more. I should have seen the signs and not bothered going. But I did.

First, my friend had a change in plans and would not be joining me. Then, my son's soccer team got crushed 4-0 by a cross-town rival. The weather report guaranteed rain and lightning. But 5 Grade Ones! I had to go to Belmont Park. By myself.

I saw Ernie from afar, but he was working his video magic and I didn't want to interrupt. I couldn't find Handride because of cell phone issues. So, I enjoyed the Beldame as it began to rain.

After Music Note's victory, I positioned myself on the chute to the winner's circle that is only used for Grade 1 races. I was hoping to get a photo of Rajiv and Saeed, and I did.
I also captured a bonus photo of Music Note getting a hose-down. She seemed to love it.
I was knocked out of the Pick 6 in the first leg because I tried to beat the favorite. After that, the heavy rain and lighning came. Kodiak Kowboy was very impressive in beating Fabulous Strike in the Vosburgh, but that knocked me out of the Pick 4 in the first leg.

When I realized that I was envious of Geno, who was dry at an OTB with cheap beer, I knew it was time to go. After getting SOAKED running out to my car and a short ride home, I was comfy watching the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic and the Jockey Club Gold Cup on TV.

Kudos to those of you who were chatting up Summer Bird before the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes. I thought you were crazy, but you were right. He is the real deal and just needed a little time to mature. The trainer and the owners are easy to root for. I expect that he will be back next year with the breeding market going south.

Looking forward to the next (dry) day at the track. Perhaps the Cigar Mile at Aqueduct.

Update: I forgot the highlight of the day for me. I met Steve Byk and had the opportunity to tell him how much I like his radio show. He's as nice in person as he comes across on the show.

Weekend Thoughts - Twitter, BC Classic and Cosmonaut

2009-09-13T21:09:00.001-04:00

- Those of us that follow Sheik Mohammed on Twitter hoping to pick up a gem about his vast horse racing empire were treated to about 100 tweets this week regarding the new Dubai Metro - and this video. I wish he would address racing rather than documenting that he sent congratulations to a 3rd world country on their independence day.

- It is perplexing to me why the Breeders Cup would try to entice Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta to compete in the Breeders Cup Classic by adding an extra million to the purse. First, isn't $5 million enough? Second, Jess Jackson has made it abundantly clear that Rachel will not run on a synthetic surface. Third, common sense says that Rachel will sit out the rest of the year, as her resume has already qualified for horse of the year. And fourth, even if Rachel came back for another race this year, it will not be at a mile-and-a-quarter. She just doesn't do that distance.

- Comparing two new retirees - I think I'd rather breed my mare to Cosmonaut than Pioneerof The Nile.

Maimonides and the Monkey

2009-09-12T21:56:00.000-04:00

Maimonides was officially retired this week and plans were announced for him to stand at Vinery in Florida. I was at Saratoga the day the $4.6 million colt broke his maiden in impressive fashion in his first start.
He raced one more time and got hurt. After giving him a chance to come back, Mr. Zayat decided to retire him. In my opinion, this is another case of a precocious, fast, but frail thoroughbred being put in a position to pass on his frailty to another generation. This will just perpetuate the decline of the breed.

This makes me think of The Green Monkey who stands at Hartley/DeRenzo Thoroughbreds in Florida. These guys were the pinhookers that sold him at auction and apparently felt so guilty about taking all of that Coolmore money that they agreed to stand the biggest bust ever at their farm. I was also in attendance for his first start at Belmont Park.
In retrospect, maybe I'm the bad luck charm. Maybe I should just stay away from big-buck debuts in the future.

I'm reading Jim Squires' book, Headless Horsemen, and he has a good quote about The Green Monkey, "...The Green Monkey, who will go down in history as the prototype of the modern thoroughbred "sale horse" - a commodity that became for the racing industry what the subprime mortgage derivative was for Wall Street - a kind of overvalued product that sucked the money out of the market until it was gasping for survival."

Perhaps thoroughbred auctions can now be considered a leading economic indicator. I should dust off my Economics degree and look into that.

Race Course Justice

2009-08-24T21:18:00.000-04:00

I made my 3rd annual pilgrimage to Saratoga this past weekend. It is always a pleasure to be there among the thousands celebrating the sport that seemingly fewer and fewer of us still love. I just wonder why the Alabama cap giveaway was weeks before the Alabama Stakes? Not complaining, just wondering.

So, I like to watch races from different locations around the track. For the 2nd race on Saturday, I was watching from the rail on the Clubhouse side of the Winner's Circle. Not the best view of the stretch run, but it's on the finish line and somewhat replicates my favorite spot at Aqueduct that has the best view of the horses coming back after the race.

After a little bumping, City Trooper and Javier Castellano beat Fenway Faithful and Alan Garcia by a length. But hold all tickets, the inquiry sign went up because Garcia claimed foul on Castellano for interference in the stretch. From my spot, I had a great view of both riders making their cases to the stewards on the phone next to the scale:
About 30 seconds after Javier hung up, Tom Durkin announced that the results would stand and City Trooper would not be taken down (correct call by the officials). It was very interesting to see this happening in real time and trying to make out what the jockeys were telling the stewards. It was even better than a scene from Jockeys on Animal Planet.

It's a Man, Man!

2009-08-20T11:04:00.003-04:00

18-year old Caster Semnya of South Africa won the Women's 800 meter World Championship in Germany this week, but

Semenya dominated her rivals to win the 800 on Wednesday despite revelations that surfaced earlier in the day that she was undergoing a gender verification test because of concerns she does not meet the requirements to compete as a woman.

This leads me to wonder if we have ever had the same problem in horse racing? Is that filly really a filly, or a "very gelded" colt? I'm sure Jess Jackson had the equine OB check out Rachel before he bought her. And does the Breeder's Cup do anything to ensure gender at our World Championships?

Why Saratoga is Special

2009-07-28T19:22:00.002-04:00

I should actually title this, "One of the Thousand Reasons Why Saratoga is Special". I am running through the entries for Friday, and as a fan of the jockeys, this lineup jumped out at me.

The race conditions are:

MAIDEN CLAIMING $35,000

Purse $25,000. (up To $4,750 Nysbfoa) For Maidens, Three Years Old And Upward. Three Year Olds, 118 Lbs.; Older, 124 Lbs. Claiming Price $35,000. One And One Sixteenth Miles. (Inner turf)

So, a Maiden Claiming event for 3 and up. $25,000 purse. And here are some of the jockeys:

John Velazquez
Julien Leparoux
Kent Desormeaux
Cornelio Velasquez
Javier Castellano
Calvin Borel
Edgar Prado
Alan Garcia
Ramon Dominguez

This is an All-Star team riding a Double-A event. It happens elsewhere from time to time, but it is more common in Saratoga. I even excluded the "Successful in New York Jocks" Maragh, Arroyo and Lezcano, who win more than their fair share too.

I love the Saratoga meet and I am looking forward to the next six weeks.

Delaware Park Photos and Thoughts

2009-07-23T08:55:00.000-04:00

As I mentioned in my last post, I visited Delaware Park last Sunday for the first time. I was very impressed with how the slots and the racing peacefully coexist and seem to thrive together. The modern-feeling grandstand nicely complemented the classic-looking paddock.

I was told that the building that houses the jockey's room is protected as some type of historical site. I was unable to corroborate this, but you can certainly feel the history in the area. Does anyone have any information on this?

A particularly charming area of the track is the bench on which the jockeys wait for their mounts to be saddled. Here are Justin Shepherd, Dusty Shepherd, Gabriel Saez, Ramon Dominguez and Osvaldo Vargas waiting.

Alan Garcia was the man on Sunday, emerging victorious in the Barbaro Stakes and the Del Cap.
He started celebrating a little early, but Garcia and Swift Temper took the big share of the $1,000,000 Delaware Handicap purse over Icon Project and Unbridled Belle. The photo is much better if you click on it.
This view of watching a race was new for me. You can go right up to the rail in the clubhouse turn to see the action. This is also where the playground and picnic area are. Due to the lengths of the races, there was more action there in the post parades than competition, but it was a great place to be if you have to balance enjoying your kids and enjoying the races.
I'm looking forward to a return to Delaware Park. I was impressed that the casino did not step on the toes of the track. It is a race track with a slots parlor underneath the grandstand. If you don't want to see it, you don't have to. Sports gambling is coming this Fall and I wonder how this will affect the dynamic.

The Really Important Stuff

2009-07-20T20:13:00.005-04:00

I made my first visit to Delaware Park on Sunday. I can't write much now, but it was a wonderful place to watch racing. The Paddock is beautiful and the Grandstand is clean and comfortable.

However, being a homer, I have to point out one thing.

The playground at Delaware Park...

is nothing compared to the Belmont Park playgound.

There. I said it. And those of you that have to consider the kids when trying to get out to the track will understand.

Video Get Well Card to Rene Douglas

2009-06-11T17:26:00.001-04:00

My friend, former jockey Robert Montano, filmed a "Video Get Well Card" to Rene Douglas while at Belmont Park on Belmont Stakes Day. It features numerous jockeys and NYRA people offering encouragement. Take a look, you'll recognize a lot of faces.

Double click on the video to get to the Youtube page where you can see it in full screen.

Bow Our Heads to the Jockeys

2009-06-09T12:08:00.001-04:00

One thing that was overlooked on Saturday due to all of the great racing was the jockeys paying tribute to Rene Douglas and the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund during the day.
At Belmont Park, jockeys will gather for a ceremony in the winner's circle at approximately 4:15 p.m. Eastern. Jockeys in the United States and Canada are scheduled to have similar tributes at approximately the same time at all tracks that are running Saturday.

All active riders are being encouraged to donate one losing mount fee from their Saturday earnings to Douglas.

In addition, NYRA made a $5,000 contribution to the fund.

The jockeys wore tributes to "RD" and the "PDJF" on their boots all day. Take a look at Calvin Borel's right boot here while sitting on the Kentucky Derby winner.

Contributions in support of Rene Douglas can be made out to his name and sent to Citibank, 539 N. Michigan Ave, Chicago, Ill., 60611.

Also related to the jocks, I absolutely love the piece by Sid Gustafson on The Rail yesterday entitled Here's to the Jockeys. I want to quote the whole piece, but here is a snippet

Let us take a moment and bow our heads to the jockeys. They take all the risks and talk about none of them. They take criticism close-lipped and quiet-like, the true horsefolk they are. All the risk is theirs, yes, but the blame for losing a race is not theirs, not in the last two Belmonts at any rate.

I think we often forget who indeed accepts the most risk at the track every day. The owners and gamblers may lose money. The trainers may lose their livelihood. The fans may suffer broken hearts. But it's the jockey colony that faces their collective mortality every time they get a leg up. Thank you for what you do.

Belmont Stakes Day Miscellany

2009-06-08T19:54:00.000-04:00

You have certainly seen enough coverage of last Saturday at Belmont, but here are a few photos of what I found interesting throughout the day....

I never noticed this before, but the metal fence behind the paddock on the Clubhouse side has these horses painted in the colors of the last two Belmont Stakes winners.

There was a lot of law enforcement around the park - including these guys on the roof.

Kevin Plank of Under Armour fame is a refreshing addition to the thoroughbred racing world. First he buys and restores Sagamore Farm, and now he is throwing big advertising bucks at the sport. Here is his infield sign right up there with Sheik Mohammed's

And the saddle cloths were sponsored by Under Armour too. "I must protect this horse, I mean house."

The ESPN robot camera operator was trying to look down dresses all day

And most importantly, this baby didn't move an inch. They all came back safe.

10,099 Happy People

2009-05-25T20:48:00.003-04:00

That was the attendance at Belmont Park today for the card including the 2009 edition of the Met Mile. Maybe it was the perfect weather, but people just seemed happy today. There was a lot of noise at the finishes, a lot of cheering for the horses and jocks and very little heckling.

- Bribon took the big race for trainer Bob Ribaudo. I think I may be good luck for Mr. Ribaudo. I was at Saratoga last Summer for the Sword Dancer Stakes, won by his Grand Couturier. And now I was there for Bribon winning the Met Mile. That's 2 of his 3 lifetime Grade One wins. I am available whenever you need me, Mr. Ribaudo.

Bribon was cooled off right in front of me at the rail, which gave me a chance to catch this photo.

He's very handsome, but there will not be any dates in his future because he is unfortunately a gelding. The Twitterverse lit up shortly after the race pointing out that the three most recent "stallion-producing" races have been won by a filly and two geldings.

- Curious claim in the 7th race by owner Lords of Racing and trainer Assaf Ronen. They took Masala T for $10,000. The Tale of the Cat gelding went off at 36-1 and has lost 8 races in a row. Good luck to them with that and congratulations to Lianna Stables for cutting their losses.

Monday Preakness Thoughts

2009-05-11T21:43:00.001-04:00

- Why is Calvin Borel working out Mine That Bird? Shouldn't they get Mike Smith on him? Or anybody else for that matter?

- Why no outrage that Tone It Down is presumably running in the Preakness? As an earner of $46,470 and a best credential of coming in 3rd in the Federico Tesio Stakes, he doesn't seem any better than any horse Zayat, Allen or Whitney were going to run.

- Another Sheik trying to buy his way into dominating a sport. This time, Drag Racing.

"...an estimated $10 million per year budget for a two-car team"

"A top team spends about $4 million and up for the NHRA series"

Sounds a lot like Godolphin, Darley, Shadwell, etc. (h/t to autoblog.com)

Sagamore Farm - Update

2009-05-10T07:40:00.003-04:00

Over the last few years I have crafted a number of posts about Sagamore Farm, and its owner Under Armour founder Kevin Plank. Today the Baltimore Sun has an excellent article about the improvements that Kevin Plank has done to the farm. This article is chock full of great quotes.

I also recommend the photo and video links below.

Photos

Video

Calvin Borel Should Not Ditch Mine That Bird

2009-05-08T21:58:00.002-04:00

This may be the Pinot Grigio talking, but I think Calvin Borel ditching Mine That Bird is a real asshole move. I have no idea what Jess Jackson is promising Calvin other than a few more rides on Rachel Alexandra, but it must be sweet to get him off the Kentucky Derby winner. And if Jackson pressured Borel to vacate his triple crown opportunity, then he is an asshole too. I am no fan of Mine That Bird or his connections, but it is my opinion that it is Calvin Borel's responsibility to continue on him until he loses.

And on that note - I am a fan of Rachel Alexandra's new owner, but where's the sport in buying the filly a week before the Preakness? Did you really do anything to earn the glory? No. You just threw enough dollars around to buy into that spot. And, you're welcome for all of the wine that I've bought over the years to support your hobby.

I understand that Mine That Bird was bought after winning Stakes in Canada and Jess Jackson's team bought Curlin after he broke his maiden convincingly. But, this is the 20+ length Kentucky Oaks winner. We all know that she is great. Let the pre-existing connections win the races and buy her later to breed to Curlin.

This all being said, I am excited for the Preakness. I greatly enjoy the gamesmanship and the discussion of entering more Triple-Crown-Nominated horses to exclude Rachel Alexandra from the 14 that go to post. Does Mr. Zayat, who buys yearlings at auction, want to keep her out?

Time to refill my glass. If you are at Belmont on Saturday, please come and find me. I'll be the one with the bloodshot eyes.

Separated at Birth?

2009-05-03T21:59:00.005-04:00

Maybe it's just my frustration over the what happened in the Kentucky Derby, but doesn't Bennie Woolley....

....remind you of Jeff the Drunk from the Howard Stern Show?

Chip may be accused of having the same judgment as Jeff if he doesn't run his horse in the Preakness.

Photo credits to ESPN and HowardTV

"SAVE THE PREAKNESS"

2009-04-12T13:05:00.003-04:00

Almost 25 years to the day, Maryland (Baltimore) lost the Colts, when they moved to Indianapolis. Now that has become the rallying cry for saving the Preakness. Every day for the last three weeks, the local papers have led with a story about saving the Preakness Stakes. The lawmakers are trying to draft legislation, the city is trying to back investors, and the citizens are fearing the loss. Did we not learn anything in the last 25 years? I guess not!

You would not need to "save" the Preakness, if you would have "saved" racing. You would not have had to save the Colts if you spent the money to build a stadium. If the state would have pledged a fraction of the money they need to "Save the Preakness" five years ago, the industry would be strong, the tracks would be profitable, and the industry healthy. Now, they are throwing time and money at saving one race. If you worked to save/promote the other 364 days, the industry and tracks would be able to stay open. Did I mention that if you had more/better racing, you would have more training and breeding farms, which equal more jobs, and at the end of the day MORE TAXES.

Don't "Save The Preakness", SAVE HORSE RACING IN MARYLAND!

Oh No, Joe!

2009-04-04T22:20:00.000-04:00

Great day at Aqueduct today. Great racing, great people and no rain.

Here is Joe Talamo almost going down with Kurbat at the start of the Excelsior Handicap.

Here is I Want Revenge telling me that he's worried about Talamo getting on his back again after seeing that last race.

And despite a slow, awkward start, Joe and Revenge emerged victorious in the 2009 edition of the Wood Memorial.

Thanks to everyone that made this day so memorable.

Bad Business Plan

2009-04-01T16:28:00.003-04:00

The front page of today's Baltimore Sun sports section had an article about the closing of Maryland Stallion Station. The article for the most part blames the economy and the failures of Maryland racing. In my opinion, those were just the final two straws that broke the camels back. Maryland Stallion Station had a bad business plan from jump.

Let me start off by saying I have a great amount of respect for Don Litz, and his partners. They built an amazing facility, and brought in some very promising young stallions. The did a tremendous amount of marketing, and had client list that would be considered the "who's who" of the mid-atlantic horse industry. But..........The plan had a tragic flaw.

When they opened five years ago, the plan was to be a stand alone stallion operation. Have the mares shipped in, a quick trip to the shed, and shipped back out. This idea was different from all the other local farms that had stallions, pregnant mares, and mares with foal. Most of the other farms were one stop shops. At the time I thought it was very progressive thinking. Do what you do best, and nothing else. It only took a year to see that the numbers were not going to be in the favor of Maryland Stallion Station. I even spoke to a few friends that would not breed to a MSS stallion because of the hassle of shipping. Most owners with a heavy mare will send her to the farm of her next breeding stallion. It makes sense. The mare hangs out waiting to foal, delivers, and is bred back on her foal cycle. The plan has worked for a hundred of years, why change it.

The economy and the local industry were just a small part of the problem. The business plan is what put them out of business. It will take a few years for the proof, but all of the stallions were shipped to other Maryland farms to stand. I guess we will need a few years to see if it was the plan, the economy, or the stallions.

The Horse or the Jockey?

2009-03-23T21:18:00.000-04:00

I'm catching up and watching the Rushaway Stakes on the DVR this evening with my 9-year-old son. After the win by Cliffy's Future, they went to Jeannine Edwards with the news that the colt was scheduled to be gelded after the race.

My son was intrigued by the word and thus asked for its definition. The conversation went like this:

Son: What does that mean?
Me: Do you really want to know?
Son: Well, yeah, I do.
Me: It means that the Doctor will cut his testicles off.
Son: The horse or the jockey?

I'm still laughing as I type this. I can understand his confusion with the horse being named Cliffy. I don't know what these Pokemon games are teaching him, but that kid is hard core.

Handicapping the Stimulus

2009-03-23T21:00:00.000-04:00

The State of New York has named the person in charge of spending Federal stimulus money in the State, and I like the way he thinks.....

Timothy J. Gilchrist, New York's stimulus czar, is using analytical skills honed from handicapping racehorses to win more federal aid.

Gilchrist has lived within a short drive of the Saratoga Race Course for most of his 51 years. That's where he can be found watching the thoroughbreds on weekends during the summer and some weekdays, if his job as a top adviser to Gov. David A. Paterson allows.

"Handicapping is analysis; it's looking for the hidden things, what gives a horse an advantage," Gilchrist said. "I'm now handicapping the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, looking for what gives New York State an advantage."

I hope he hits a few superfectas with Uncle Sam's bankroll!

Formula One is Making Changes - How About Us?

2009-03-17T14:21:00.005-04:00

The Formula One auto racing series is making some changes for their upcoming season. I think horse racing can learn a lesson from some of them:

Formula One's next championship will be decided by the number of race wins and not accumulated points.

Sure, many of us have been advocating for a point system that F1 is moving away from, but the "point" is that they are trying to fix something that is not working. Their method of determining a champion is flawed much like our subjective Eclipse balloting is. They are changing it. We are not.

Car weights will be published following Saturday's qualifying session and would rename tire grades for better clarity to spectators.

I'm not exactly sure what this means, but it seems that they are making an effort to get more information to the fans. I'd bet that they don't charge for this information.

Drivers must also be available for further autograph sessions and better media availability.

Two good ideas - market the riders and increase media access. Kinda like "Jockeys" but without Denman's shoehorned calls dubbed over the action.

There are several other rule changes in the article for which there are no horse racing corolaries. Formula One has proven that it is possible to change old concepts that are not working. However, it required the actions of a governing body that has real authority. We all know that horse racing has no such entity.

Despite the fans clamoring for it, it's unlikely that we will see real change anytime soon.

Saturday Notes

2009-03-14T09:39:00.002-04:00

- I will ignore the big fancy Derby Trail races today and shine a light on lesser races at Aqueduct. The 1st is a $10,000 claiming affair for 4yo+ non-winners over the last 6 months. Those that complain that today's horses don't run enough have to check out this race. The average number of lifetime starts for the 8 contenders is 37. Come on Chas is the most experienced while making his 68th start and looking for his 9th win. Hedge Fund is making his 8th start in 2009 alone.

The 4th race is another geezer event with the 8 entries averaging over 33 starts each. Commissioner Chris brings the experience to this State-bred OC25000n2x in his 64th start. Nice to see all of these old guys racing in New York today.

- If the old guys aren't your thing, take a look at the 2nd race. This Maiden race features 7 entries with 5 combined starts among them. Morning line favorite and $400,00 auction purchase, Much The Best, has one of those names that just put added pressure on everyone. Good luck to him against $800,000 Darley purchase, Now Act, also looking for his first win in his 2nd start.

- In the 5th race, there is a 4yo first time starter named John 'N Howard. This one is owned by legend John Nerud and Howard Kaskel of Sugar Maple Farm. I don't have time to research the history behind this colt, but I'm paying attention to any horse that John Nerud names after himself.

- I wanted to comment on the news about Scott Lake filing for bankruptcy, but John has said it much better than I could.

- Check out the Thoroughbred Bloggers Alliance homepage. There is a lot in racing information flying around and the homepage does a good job of pulling it together and making it usable.

The Illusion of Belmont Park Redevelopment

2009-02-23T15:48:00.002-05:00

The New York Racing and Wagering Board and Empire State Development Corp. today released a document entitled, "Belmont Park Redevelopment Study". As the title suggests, it documents suggestions on the redevelopment of Belmont Park and its surrounding area. For example:

"The report looks at developing two parcels totaling 36 acres at Belmont. The report said a hotel and casino could be located on an eight-acre portion, while a nearby 20-acre parcel could house retail space, a small hotel, senior housing and recreational facilities."

I am excited about the prospects of development at Belmont Park. I have believed for a long time that the proposed racino should be at Belmont and not Aqueduct. However, my excitement waned when I read the following:

- it would take 10 months to prepare a request for proposals, which first must be approved by the state Franchise Oversight Board before going to developers

- Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, who controls the fate of bills in the Democratic-run house, has sharply criticized the idea of adding another casino in downstate New York

So, 10 months to RFPs, a likely glacial timeframe for selection, and lack of political support. Perfect. This project is going nowhere fast. And, there is the proposed casino at Aqueduct that is still technically alive. Is the State using possible development at Belmont merely as leverage in its negotiations with Delaware North?

The common sense solution to downstate racing is to add an all-weather track at Belmont to the existing tracks, update the grandstand, develop a casino, hotel, retail, etc. on its vast grounds and provide adequate transportaion there. Then, of course, close Aqueduct (sorry purists) and sell off that land to fund the Belmont renovations.

At the end of the day, downstate will have one fantastic racing facility that is efficient because it runs most of the year. It will have built-in subsidies with the casino and other endeavors. Of course, the subsidies will not be necessary if the OTBs are merged into NYRA, but that's a conversation for another day.

The full report is here. I hope to dig into it tonight for the particulars, but will be pessimistic as to whether any of this will ever get done.

Lists

2009-02-11T21:24:00.000-05:00

I've skimmed through two long lists this week. One was the list of investors who lost money with Bernie Madoff - bad list filled with despair and sorrow. The other list was the 2009 Triple Crown Nominations - fun list filled with hope and joy.

I'll ignore the former and point out a few items interesting to me on the latter:

- A.P Indy is the sire of 14 nominated colts
- Boundary, sire of Big Brown, has none (I believe his last, small, crop are 3 year olds now)
- In addition to Nicanor, who will not be running in the Derby, Dynaformer has 6 other nominees to be the "Heir of Barbaro"
- Our favorite sire Malibu Moon has two nominees, but not today's maiden winner BZ Warrior
- Medaglia D'oro has 13 nominated colts
- Street Cry has but 3 colts nominated, one of which is an Iowa-bred
- Tiznow also has only 3 nominees. This seems unusually low to me considering all of the Tizzes running out there.
- 14 nominations for Unbridled's Song. Cue the Eight Belles clip....
- Steve Asmussen has 25 nominees from 13 different owners
- Nick Zito has 19 nominees from 9 different owners
- Rick Dutrow has only 4 nominees. Hmmm. Seems low.
- Todd Pletcher has 20 nominees. Will one of then come in last at the Derby again?
- Zayat Stables has nominated 22, yet only 7 have the letter Z in the name
- Each dam has only one nominated foal. Unlike the Octo-Mom, there were no multiple births here.

Personal Reflections

2009-01-19T20:48:00.000-05:00

- Call me a hater, but I'm just not ready to accept a Kentucky Derby winner named "The Palmplemousse".

- I enjoy reading pedigree analysis and auction pages, but does it really matter that the third dam is a half-sister to a Grade II winner in 1975? When you are looking at good horses, they are ALL related to elite stock in some way. They have been inbred for hundreds of years!

- I like reading the stories about new stallions siring their first foals. This week we saw Corinthian, Jazil, After Market, Sun King and Shakespeare becoming dads for the first time. As a relatively new racing fan, it is still a charge for me to see the horses I followed on the track being productive in the shed. It's exciting to wonder if these offspring will be as successful as their parents.

- Speaking of sires, as we reflect on the race named after him, I think we can officially label Smarty Jones as "disappointing". He was ranked 32nd on the list of first-croppers. Filly Be Smart is responsible for over 45% of his first-year earnings, so how bad would he look without her? No wonder his 2009 fee is listed as PRIVATE.

Indian Blessing - My 3yo Champion

2009-01-12T20:05:00.002-05:00

The 3-year-old Filly Eclipse category is as close as they come this year. On any given day, it seems that any of them could beat all of the others. If I was making the nominations, I would have nominated Indian Blessing rather than Eight Belles. No disrespect the deceased Derby runner-up. I just think that Indian Blessing had a more impressive year. In fact, I would make the case that Indian Blessing is the Champion 3-year-old filly.

Music Note won three Grade 1 races and almost won a 4th in the Alabama. She split with Proud Spell, and who can blame her for losing to Zenyatta and Cocoa Beach on an unfamiliar surface in the Breeders Cup? Proud Spell won the Kentucky Oaks, the Alabama and two Grade 2 races. I think her absence from the Breeders Cup and her loss as the heavy favorite in the Cotillion hurts her case.

And why exclude Eight Belles? Her four races prior to the Derby were wins in a N2L Allowance, an overnight stakes race, a Grade 3 and a Grade 2. Her performance in the Derby was indeed impressive, but her abbreviated campaign to me is not championship caliber. Bring the boos and the accusations of heartlessness, but that’s what I believe.

Indian Blessing won two Grade 1s, two Grade 2s and a Grade 3 over four different distances, two different surfaces and under three different jockeys. She finished no worse than 2nd in a campaign consisting of only graded stakes and the Breeder’s Cup. She is often labeled a sprinter, but she won at 8.5 furlongs this year too. Over eight races, she lost to Ventura, Zaftig and Proud Spell. Ventura is a year older and is a credible candidate for Champion female sprinter. Zaftig produced a ridiculous 113 speed figure to win the Acorn. And Proud Spell’s win is offset by Indian Blessing’s win over her on the same track and the same distance the month before.

So, my write-in vote goes to Indian Blessing. She just did more than the others. It’s too bad that the real voters will not get a chance to vote for her. In many other years, any of the these pp's would qualify for the championship, but in this year of great female performances, her challenging and diverse resume stands over the competition.

Presented Without Comment

2008-12-31T18:35:00.002-05:00

Dubai's opulent, multimillion-pound New Year's Eve celebrations have been cancelled due to the Gaza violence, leaving hordes of expatriates hastily making alternative plans.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, ruler of the Gulf state, called off festivities late last night.

He said "all public New Year’s celebrations" should be stopped "in solidarity with the Palestinian people, who are currently enduring death, suffering and destruction in Gaza".

Day of Horror

2008-11-29T20:45:00.005-05:00

It seems that the days you most look forward to are the ones that disappoint the most. Today was one of those days. I have been looking forward to this day at Aqueduct for a while. Cigar Mile, Demoiselle, Remsen. Friends, good weather, and I picked the winner in the first!

I joked that I should have left after that early score, and now I kinda wish that I did. A wonderful performance by Springside in the Demoiselle......

led to her pulling up after the line and being vanned off.

Early word is that she is heading to New Bolton on Sunday and has a good chance to make it.

But, then there is Wanderin Boy. We were all marveling at the close finish between Harlem Rocker and Tale of Ekati. Then the INQUIRY light came on. We watched the replay. Tale fans thought he was pushed out. Rocker fans thought there was no offense. We discussed. Then someone realized that they didn't all come back. Who was missing? Oh no. It was Wanderin Boy. People were crying. Others were disgusted that he was even in the race. We waited and hoped for the best, but those in the know, knew it was bad.

I didn't find out that he was put down until I got home. The communication of this information is always poor. Wanderin Boy was a quarter mile from retirement. So sad. Here is my last photo of him as he walked to the paddock today.....

Thoughts and Comments

2008-11-23T16:40:00.000-05:00

- Hat tip to Left at the Gate and Pull the Pocket for consistently reporting on the big news from the harness racing world. The harness industry has proven this year that good things happen when you run good horses FREQUENTLY. Both Somebeachsomewhere and Deweycheatumnhowe have interesting stories, interesting connections and they run all the time at a variety of tracks. Maybe it's because of the blogs, but I don't previously remember so much coverage of the sulky folks. Anyway, it's been fun watching their individual rivalries, which we don't get enough of in thoroughbred land.

- I don't see how Curlin is being valued at $20 million. Let's assume he covers 100 mares each year, which is probably low. First year- 100*$75,000 fee = $7.5 million in revenue. Second year- 100*$65,000 reduced fee = $6.5 million. Third year- 100*$55,000 further reduced fee = $5.5 million. So, before any of Curlin's progeny hit the track, he has already generated at least $19.5 million. This is obviously not all profit. I'm sure there are immense expenses is standing a stud. But he can potentially stand for another 20 years! Even in a depressed market, Curlin is worth a lot more than $20 million.

- J Be K has been retired and will stand at Gainesway Farm for $10,000. I could not find any information about an injury, so I assume that he is sound and available to race in 2009. Does the world really need J Be K to rush off to stud at this point? It there great demand for another promising 3yo sprinter that started 9 times? I liked J Be K and I respect Mr. Zayat, but this stuff bugs me. Under-Racing and Over-Breeding. Maybe if they continue racing, there will be fewer unwanted horses being led to slaughter.

- Finger Lakes Horse of the year, Tin Cup Chalice arrived in Japan for the December 7, 2008 Japan Dirt Cup. The Japan Racing Association paid the transportation costs. This is such a wonderful game when a horse comes out of nowhere to compete on the international stage. However, it is frustrating when it seems that few people in his New York home have any idea who he is. Good luck to the Big Apple Triple winner.

OK.....What Now?

2008-11-05T07:25:00.003-05:00

I was told that if I vote "YES" for question 2 (slots referendum in Maryland), horse racing would be saved. Well, the bill passed and we will get 15,000 machines soon. But how does this save racing? Will 5000 people show up at Laurel on Saturday? Will they reopen Pimlico for training? Will they keep the Pimlico meet open for more than 20 days? Will they give us back the DeFrancis Dash, and the other stakes races that vanished? I know that I am being a little silly right now, but how will this $100 Million (earmarked for horse racing) save racing. The plan has been to use the money to increase purses and bring back the big time breeding bonuses. This is great if you are an owner or breeder, but what if you are just a fan. How will this help? People will say that more money will bring in better horses, and more people will come out and bet. I say Bull Shit! You are only going to come out to see the big time horses if you are already a fan. I would like to see $80 million go to the purses and incentives and $20 million to marketing the sport. That $20 million investment would yield huge dividends. The more people you expose to the game, the more people who will become fans (for life), the more they come out to the track, the more they bet. You see......a quick easy marketing model for you guys.

Now to the question.....Who is going to save us? Halsey Minor, Frank and Magna, Governor O'Malley?

Value Proposition

2008-10-31T22:05:00.002-04:00

The stud fee for Big Brown was announced today by Three Chimneys to be $65,000. A reasonable fee, I guess, for a Derby/Preakness winner. But, as I said before, I'm not interested in breeding a mare to those feet for that kind of money. I'd rather breed two mares to Invasor at $28,000, one mare to Bustin Stones at $6,500 and have $2,500 left over to bet on these promising progeny.

What would you do with $65,000 of stallion dollars?

Thank You Mr. Minor

2008-10-23T18:18:00.002-04:00

Yesterday I posted an open letter to Halsey Minor. I questioned his plan to turn around both Laurel and Pimlico racecourses without slots. Mr. Minor was kind enough to answer my questions, and offer up some information. Below you will find his response that was posted in our comment section. I like everything he said, and I am ready to buy into the program. Thanks Halsey, and I hope you succeed in transforming not only the Maryland racing scene, but the national level also.

Lets start with the fact that Pimlico and Laural are in deplorable condition. I know you probably think Laurel is OK but you have accepted the presence of trash everywhere and a ceiling that's so stained from roof leaks it looks like its going to come down on you. I wouldn't even get out of the car with my kids if i saw the condition of the parking lot. Have you been to Camden Yards or Pac Bell Park lately?

These are not the horseman's fault. They are product of management failure. If we did NOTHING MORE than improve the facilities we would go along way torwards turning around the sport.

How about a $90 mm renovation? That's what I was planning in a public private partnership with the town of Hialeah for Hialeah Park. Each track is different but lets start with the goal of building facilities that aren't disgusting and instead belong in Disney World and not skid row.

This is an industry that started with disdain for the fans as Lord and Kings raced against each other and has continued that practice right up to today. The sport needs to begin a reformation where the participants are accountable to the fans. A novel concept I know.

The truth is no one has invested anything in this sport for decades and every dollar Stronack has invested has gone into malls, slots, training facilities etc and not the facilities and has only WEAKENED the company and the sport.

I can proved racing works in nice facilities, go back to 1959 or visit Saratoga, Keeneland or Del Mar today. Show me one place that has slots that has advanced horse racing? If Maryland gets slots the track owners won't care if you're racing pigs or thoroughbreds so long as the casino get the biggest cut possible. You guys have been saddled with bad management and now that same bad management is going to make out like bandits as you, the horse owners, are made to push the button of our own demise out of desperation.

Slots are a mirage. You are grasping at something that will bring about the inevitable destruction of your livelihood.

Lets rebuild the sporting of racing by starting out doing the basics right. When I can walk alongside the track at Laurel in front of the clubhouse and not fill 5 trash bags with 2 year old garbage and its still not working then you can say we need to try a new high risk way. Until then lets clean up the sport and the management of the sport and see what happens.

I have a million other things that I think need to be done but when the basics are so poorly executed its easy to know where to start.

- Side Note to Halsey Minor - I am a marketing guy in Baltimore that would love to work (with you) to achieve your goal of fixing the problems with racing.

What is your plan Mr. Minor?

2008-10-22T20:17:00.002-04:00

The Baltimore news has been buzzing all day about Halsey Minor buying both Pimlico and Laurel Racetracks (as well as the others owned by Magna). He is getting all of this press because he met with state comptroller Peter Franchot, the leader of the anti-slots movement in Maryland. Mr. Minors quote of the day:

"I would rather go to jail than implement them" (them, meaning slots)

Well than Mr. Minor.......How are you going to turn around racing in Maryland? How are you going to save Pimlico Race Course and all of its great tradition. I think it would be great to have slots free tracks. Let the slots go to some other location, as long as the subsidies come to the sport. My problem is the hype. We keep hearing all of this talk, but what are you going to do differently? Please tell me and the citizens of Maryland.

So close, but yet so far.....

2008-10-15T21:01:00.002-04:00

I found out today that I have to go on a business trip to Saratoga. Yay!

In December. Grrr.

Belmont Park and the Pink Silks Exacta

2008-10-14T20:32:00.001-04:00

I convinced the family to join me at Belmont to celebrate Columbus Day. I promised that there was something for everyone to enjoy and they reluctantly came along. Most people don't realize that Belmont Park is actually a PARK. After a picnic lunch, the kids played on the playground while the wife enjoyed a magazine under a tree and listened to the live band.

I was able to coerce my daughter into joining me at the paddock before the 2nd race. I told her a little about the fillies, the trainers and the jockeys and then asked her to pick the one that she thought would win. She had a quick answer, "The one with the pink shirt!". So there it was - the Katie pick was the Scott Schwartz entry, See The Forest. But then, oh no. Another one with pink silks emerged. The Contessa entry for Seidman Stables, J.J. Cuvee, also had pink silks. What to do?

A quick lesson in the boxed exacta was in order and away we went to bet the 3-7 Pink Jockey Silks Exacta Box. The #7, J.J. Cuvee did what she needed to do and finished 2nd. Unfortunately, See the Forest could do no better than 5th. We lost but Katie didn't look too disappointed after the race......

Next time, I need to teach her about "The Kiaran McLaughlin entry will win if Kiaran does not saddle the horse rule". The winner of the race was a West Point Thoroughbreds daughter of Dixie Union, named Justwhistledixie. And no, Kiaran did not saddle her.

Public Service Announcement

2008-10-05T19:55:00.003-04:00

We haven't had much to say around here lately. Hopefully, everyone has found the new feed for the Thoroughbred Bloggers Alliance ("TBA"). This is an incredible resource of wonderful thoughts by really smart people devoted to horse racing.

And now a word from our sponsors. The TBA is sponsored by Twinspires, Trainer Magazine and TVG. Please visit these sites if you read any TBA blogs.

The TBA makes a donation each year to Old Friends in the name of the TBA Horse of the Year. The HOY is determined by a very reasonable points system. Top contenders for HOY right now are Big Brown (635), Curlin (560), Ginger Punch (555), Zenyatta (525), Proud Spell (520) and Indian Blessing (512).

A great new racing resource is the Raceday 360 wire. This incredibly informative site aggregates a wide variety of racing content in one easy-to-use page.

Another great resource is Steve Byk's radio show which is broadcast on Sirius Satellite Radio and the internet. I don't get to listen as much as I used to, but Steve's show gets the best guests and always discusses the hot topics.

Congratulations to the connections of Bug Boys favorite, Spectacular Malibu. She won the Maryland Million Distaff on Saturday. I don't recall seeing any Malibu Moon daughters producing foals yet. This will certainly be an angle we follow in the future.

I have tried to reach Roddy Valente through the internet to find out exactly why he is retiring Bustin Stones after the Breeders Cup. So far, I have received no response. I am so disappointed at this news and I don't understand the economics. Why would he retire a moderately successful NY-bred colt to NY farm at a low stud fee when another year on the track could reasonably produce 500k+ in purses and enhance the stud fee?

Tin Cup Chalice is awesome! Being a gelding, at least we know he will stick around next year as long as he is healthy.

Detente at Keeneland

2008-09-11T22:25:00.003-04:00

- Maybe it's the flurry of Russian-named horses running on the New York circuit (Leningrad, Stalingrad, Iron Curtain, etc...), but the Thoroughbred Times reports that buyers from Russia are expected to increase their auction purchases at Keeneland by 150% this year.

It's interesting to me that the U.S. is engaged in war in the Middle East and it's getting pretty cold again with Russia, but it seems to be a big love-in at Keeneland. Ideologically opposed parties are coming together peacefully to engage in business and celebrate the thoroughbred. Cant we all just get along?

- Spendthrift Farm announced today that they are adding three stallions to their 2009 roster- Notional, Tiz Wonderful and Into Mischief. We are fans of B. Wayne Hughes and his rock star Malibu Moon, but I wonder how many unproven, mediocre stallions is the industry going to stand? I am not a proponent of breeding the top stallions to 200 mares a year, but how are we improving the breed by standing all of these "so what" stallions? How many quality mares are there to go around? I think we are overbreeding and running too many race dates. The breed is not getting stronger and the sport is not growing. Conversely, I believe that the breed is suffering and the sport is horribly diluted because of too many racing days.

But, despite the negatives, it's also exciting to see positives. The NYRA deal was done today, the new media is gaining credibility and Big Brown is a mainstream story. I wonder if the yearlings heading for Russia will face the same issues there?

Benny the Bull(sh*t) Quote

2008-08-28T21:52:00.002-04:00

As you probably know, Benny The Bull was retired this week after a bone chip was discovered in his right ankle. I can understand retiring him. He is a 5-year-old and he has several big wins on his resume. He could not make it back for the Breeders Cup this year, and his owners didn't plan on bringing him back for a 6-year-old season. Fine. Send him off to stud. I'm on board.

But then came this quote from IEAH co-President Michael Iavarone:

"There's ups and downs in this game, but I don't even view this as a down," DRF via MSNBC

Huh? This isn't a down? Your horse won the Dubai Golden Shaheen and it's not a down that he can't compete for the rest of his final year? I don't know where to even start questioning this statement. If Big Brown's path didn't prove it to you, then this quote shows that it's all about the money for these guys. Now, I don't disparage the guys that are all about the money, but Iavarone wants you to believe that he's a sportsman and a philanthropist. Nope. I gave him a pass up until now, but now I'm done with him. Keep making fake challenges to Jess Jackson, Mike. If you don't consider Benny's retirement a down, you don't deserve to own Big Brown.

Good luck trying to to sell that Lucky Lionel - Birdonthewire pedigree.

Saratoga Photos for a Dark Day

2008-08-26T20:55:00.009-04:00

I'm about a week-and-a-half late for posting photos from my trip to Saratoga, but here are a my favorites:

Channing Hill-

Barclay Tagg, Robin Smullen and Ramon Dominguez discussing the win by Lael Stables' Rollers-

Super-Jock Alan Garcia on Bugboys favorite Raw Silk-

The IEAH guys watching their first-timer Abundantia race on their screen-

Better Talk Now before the Sword Dancer-

Grand Couturier and Alan Garcia-

Proud Spell with Larry Jones and Gabriel Saez-

The Stadium Cafe on Broadway provided a hospitable place to watch the Jets and enjoy the "Bug Boy Special"-

I don't quite remember the rest of the night. Damn, there are a lot of bars in Saratoga!

Timonium - The Saratoga of York Road

2008-08-22T08:58:00.002-04:00

A majority of horse racing fans will tell you that the top meets, the ones they look forward to are Saratoga and Del Mar. These meets are filled with rich tradition, and top racing. Here in Maryland, the meet that gets me all excited is the Timonium (state fair) meet. It too has lots of great tradition, and an incredible atmosphere. The main difference for Timonium is that the majority of the horses are $4K and $5K claimers. The track at Timonium is a 5/8 mile bull ring, and it is only open for live and simalcast racing during the eleven days of the state fair. What makes this track so great? Well I'm glad you asked!

The first thing that you notice when you walk toward the grandstands, are the strollers. I would say that there are just as many children at the races than adults. This could be attributed to the fact that the track is connected to the state fair. You pay one entrance fee for all the rides, games, and horse racing. The future of the sport lies with all of the young kids watching "the ponies" run around. Another great future, and part of the reason that the children (and adults) love the excitement, you are almost on the center of the track. Most tracks are wide, with a gully separating the track and the fans. Timonium is a very, I mean very narrow track with a three foot chain link fences. The fans may only be fifteen feet away from the horses crossing the finish line. After crossing the line, and galloping out, the jockeys hop off there mounts in front of the grandstands, and walk through the crowd, back to the jockeys room. The kids all gather around for a pair of goggles, and a high five from the jocks.

At Timonium you will not see top caliber racing, or the best trainers, or jockeys. What you will see is horse racing at its most pure form. Horses, riders, and fans all having a lot of fun. People often use Saratoga as the bench mark for other tracks. So I close with my favorite quote.

"Timonium - the Saratoga of York Road!"

Saratoga - The Top of the Stretch

2008-08-21T21:44:00.007-04:00

During my trip to Saratoga this year, I traveled with a Saratoga-savvy sort that introduced me to areas of the property that I didn't see on my first visit. One of these places was the top of the stretch. This is a really fun place to be if you don't care much about seeing the finish.

The view of the grandstand, the track and the sky is majestic from this angle.

Here they come in the 6th race on Friday 8/15/08.

And there they go. At the finish, the #7 Trinity Magic, wins his first time out for Steve Asmussen.

Our friend Ernie is performing all day Saturday right in this spot. I can't be there, but if you are, please request some blues for me.

First Brett, Now Big Brown!

2008-08-09T16:59:00.002-04:00

Another big star is coming to New York this fall. A few minutes ago on ESPN's Arlington Millions coverage, Jay Privman reported that NYRA will write a turf race for Big Brown to prep for the Breeders Cup Classic. The race will be during the second weekend of September at a mile and an eighth on the Belmont Park turf course.

Hopefully the race will be on Saturday, so we don't have to miss Favre lead the Jets to victory over the Patriots on Sunday. See you there......

A Brief Diversion - Brett Favre!!!!!!

2008-08-07T22:05:00.005-04:00

I usually refrain from non-horse-racing subjects here, but Patrick blogged about hockey today, and I feel liberated to expand on my sporting horizons this evening. Today I don't care about Big Brown, Curlin, Einstein or Saratoga. Today is the day that Brett Favre became the quarterback of the New York Jets. 17 years too late, but a happy day nonetheless. I'm pinching myself as I see him standing on the sidelines of the Jets-Browns game tonight.

OK, back to horses. I'm making the pilgrimage up to Saratoga next weekend (August 15th -17th). Who else will be there?

Get Well Soon

2008-08-03T21:27:00.003-04:00

During yesterday 6th race at Delaware Park (Nick Shuk Memorial), jockey Rosie Napravnik went down.

Sir Diamond, ridden by Mario Pino, drifted in to the rail and had his heels clipped by Pickering, who fell throwing jockey Rosie Napravnik. Termsofengagement then stumbled over Napravnik, losing rider Pablo Morales.

Napravnik, who ranks second in the Delaware Park jockey standings, was taken to a local hospital and is believed to have suffered a broken leg, a Delaware Park spokesman said.

Morales came back to ride in the next race.

For those of you who are new to reading the Bug Boys, we used to follow Rosie's early career as an apprentice in Maryland. We wish her a speedy recovery!

Ea is AE

2008-08-02T12:27:00.002-04:00

Here's one of those things that I just love to see and point out. In the 7th race at Saratoga today, Darley's gelding named Ea was on the AE list. An unusual juxtaposition! He didn't make it into the race. The Sheik will be represented in the race by coupled entry Numaany, making his return to the U.S.

Poop to Power

2008-08-01T18:10:00.003-04:00

"MaxWest Environmental Systems and Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association have announced a partnership to convert horse waste into renewable energy.

Signed June 19, the partnership will reduce horse waste while generating “green” energy for the Ocala/Marion County community, which is home to 431 Thoroughbred breeding and training farms covering more than 70,000 acres." (Bloodhorse)

Basically, all of the horse farms and other places that keep horses will send their "stall waste" to the processing plant. There it will be gasified and turned into thermal energy. This energy will be used to power turbines and create electricity. It should generate enough juice to power 1,400 homes and also keep the waste from polluting water supplies.

Could it really be this easy? This is even better than the Pickens Plan! I have to believe that our politicians feed us enough horse shit to completely eliminate our dependence on foreign oil.

I think someone deserves a Nobel prize, or maybe an Eclipse if this works.

Talula Does the Hula

2008-07-24T07:39:00.002-04:00

It's not just the Jockey Club that is having a hard time regulating names. Humans are also giving humans unusual names:

A New Zealand judge has made a 9-year-old girl a ward of the court so that her name can be changed from Talula Does the Hula From Hawaii (CNN)

Furthermore:

The Registrar General of Births, Deaths and Marriages said in a statement that it had rejected names including Fish and Chips, Yeah Detroit, Stallion, Twisty Poi -- a staple food in Polynesian cuisine -- and Sex Fruit.

I guess Sally Hemings isn't that bad a name after all......

Standings, and why we need them

2008-07-01T09:03:00.003-04:00

As a member of the Thoroughbred Bloggers Alliance, I believe that the sport of kings needs to have a system of standings (rankings), like those kept and proposed by the TBA (Why We Need Standings from TBA website). I think that it is important for the growth of the sport, and for the fans that want to see a "race" for the championship. The point system concept has worked in many sports, but has seen the greatest growth with NASCAR. I think that this can work for horse racing, but I would like to see it go a step or two further than just graded stakes races.

I would like to see a point system added to almost all races and all tracks. I think that this would not only help produce more fans, but more owners, and better racing. The point system added to the state level would certainly increase the popularity of an event like the Maryland Million. Owners and fans would flock to Laurel Park to see 12 of the top 15 juveniles race to be the Maryland champion. A point system would also help make fields more competitive, and assist racing secretaries in writing races. Wouldn't you love to see a race at Colonial Downs for Virginia bred horses with a state ranking of 1-30? As a fan, you know what you are getting. Instead of a non winners of 4x, where half of the horses won garbage races at lesser tracks, you get the cream of the crop.

This state/national point system would also help owners and breeders. For owners, it gives them a sense of pride and an assignable value to a horse. Instead of telling his buddies "hey my horse is good, he won 3 races." He can say, I have the 26th raked horse in all of Pennsylvania, and the 8th ranked filly. That sounds more impressive. For breeders, it can serve as another statistic for stallion ads, or show cause to stand a stallion. The stallion ads could read "Top 10 ranked in Delaware for 3 years".

I know that this may be difficult to assign values and track every horse running, but it seems that a great deal of this information is already in place. Every race and passed performance is already recorded, and every horse in every race is assigned a Beyer or Equibase speed figure. Why not transform those numbers into a tangible product.

Just a thought....What do you think?

Coming Home

2008-06-30T21:53:00.000-04:00

2004 Eclipse Award-winning juvenile Declan's Moon has been retired from racing. According to the Blood Horse and the Country Life Farm website, he is coming home. The six-year-old gelding will be retired to his birth state of Maryland. He will spend the rest of his days at the Pons family's Merryland Farm.

Many people may consider Declan's Moon to be a flash in the pan. Just one of the many horses that have fallen off the Derby trail with an injury. However, to many involved in Maryland horse racing, he represents the hopes and dreams of big time racing. Bred in Maryland by Brice Ridgely and his wife at Spring Meadow Farm, and sold at the Fasig Tipton auction house in Timonium. Declan's Moon represents all that is good about the industry. Small time breeder, small time stallion, big time results. When the Ridgelys sent their mare Vee Vee Star to meet Malibu Moon, his fee was just $5,000. I could only imagine how happy they were when the Siegels (Jay Em Ess Stables) paid $125,000 for the colt.

Declan's Moon helped raise the profile of his sire Malibu Moon. I would know, I went out and bought a piece of a Malibu Moon myself, after seeing how impressive Declan looked. I think many others did too. Malibu Moon was sent from Triple A Maryland to the big leagues in Kentucky. My excitement over Declan's Moon, and his sire Malibu Moon helped draw my brother into being a racing fan too.

Declan's name hangs with his silks on the wall of the Fasig Tipton auction house in Timmonium for all the locals to see and remember. The great thing about this story is that a short ride down the road to Merryland Farm will get you the opportunity to not just talk about Declan, but to pet him and feed him carrots. I know I will be paying him visits, he is just five minutes from my house.

Thank you Declan's Moon, the Siegel family, and the Ponses for bring this guy back home!

Grade 1's? Not so much.

2008-06-26T19:58:00.003-04:00

I am the first to celebrate good horses and good races at Aqueduct and Belmont. But, for every impressive card, we have the disappointing Grade 1 races to be run on Saturday.

It is thrilling to see Proud Spell come back to New York for the Mother Goose Stakes. It was here that she won the Grade 2 Matron Stakes last year in a prep before finishing second in the BC Juvenile behind Indian Blessing. But other than this fine filly, we have three others that have won nothing more than a non-winners-of-one-other-than Allowance. That's just pitiful for a respected $250,000 Grade 1 race. Music Note from Godolphin is intriguing, but come on, can we get a Stakes winner in here? How about a filly that even competed in a graded Stakes race?

The 122nd edition of the $400,000 Grade 1 Suburban Handicap isn't that much better:

A.P. Arrow - A two-time Grade 2 winner with a nice run in this year's Dubai World Cup.

Frost Giant - A Grade 3 winner in Ireland in 2006. Two allowance wins in the U.S.

Naughty New Yorker - Much respect to this noble warrior, but he is not competitive now in a real Grade 1.

Solar Flare - An Allowance winner in Argentina and Delaware.

Rising Moon - An overnight Stakes winner at Belmont last year (however, he did beat Bug Boys favorites Malibu Moonshine and Funny Cide in that race).

Harlington - A Grade 2 winner in 2006 and just 3 races since then.

Hunting - A Grade 3 winner last year.

Merchant Marine - An overnight Stakes winner last week.

Really? A Grade 1? The Suburban? The race recently won by Invasor and Mineshaft? The Suburban won by Foolish Pleasure and Forego? Dr. Fager and Kelso? What the heck happened to the Suburban?

It's an awful shame that the best colt on Saturday's card may be Monastic Springs in the 7th race. Or maybe one of the babies in the 2nd.

RIP Adieu

2008-06-24T21:42:00.003-04:00

"Adieu, a Grade 1 winner and Eclipse Award finalist as a two-year-old in 2005, died on June 17.

Dermot Ryan, manager of Coolmore’s Ashford Stud in Versailles, Kentucky, said he would wait for an official report before commenting on the cause of her death.
Adieu delivered her first foal, a healthy Giant’s Causeway filly, on January 24."

I took this photo of her on June 10, 2006 in the paddock before the Acorn Stakes at Belmont.

Adieu was the favorite but finished fourth that day. I specifically remember the race because of the confusion at the starting gate.

"Nine arrived at the gate for the Acorn, but only seven started. The start was delayed for several minutes because Miraculous Miss flipped in the gate and became cast, and she struck Wonder Lady Anne L, who was in an adjacent stall, during the commotion. Those two fillies were scratched, and the remaining seven runners had to be removed from the gate as the starting gate crew worked to free Miraculous Miss."

Condolences to the connections of Adieu.

Big Brown Shoe Photo

2008-06-23T17:05:00.005-04:00

Is this really why he lost the Belmont?

Photo from ESPN website.

Ginger Punch and Scottish Monk

2008-06-14T21:06:00.007-04:00

One of the nice things about living near Belmont Park is being able to run over there when a champion comes to town. Today was the Ogden Phipps Handicap and Ginger Punch came in to take the money. That, plus two Malibu Moon fillies in the race, was good enough to get me there to catch the 7th, 8th and 9th races. I took a few photos:

The prior race was the Scottish Monk Stakes where Tam Lin upset Cosmonaut by a nose. You can barely see Cosmonaut behind the winner in this photo, but it was a great finish.

With a little research, I found out that Tam Lin is the hero of a Scottish legend. How appropriate that he won the Scottish Monk Stakes! In my quick search, I could not find much about Scottish Monk other than he raced 81 times and won 28 races. Does anyone have any info on this horse? He was foaled in 1983.

The Hills Are Alive With Another Bad Name

2008-06-12T09:07:00.002-04:00

Today's second race at Belmont is a maiden special weight affair for 2-year-old fillies at 5 furlongs. The morning line favorite at 5-2 is a Bernstein first time starter named Doremifasollatido. They may as well have named her "Hey Durkin - Try to Call This One". My kids and I tried practicing some stretch calls with her name this morning and just couldn't do it. I'm looking forward to seeing the race later to see how the pro's pro handles it.

Desormeaux did the right thing.

2008-06-11T12:18:00.003-04:00

Since Saturday night I have been reading story, after story, blog after blog about how Kent Desormeaux should have never pulled up Big Brown. I am starting to get a little sick of some of the comments.

If you want to call out Desormeaux for how he placed Big Brown, or how he got him out of the gate, that is fine. Everyone loves to play Monday morning quarterback. My problem comes with all the people who have issue with pulling up the horse. Desormeaux said going into the final turn he had "no horse". Was this normal for Big Brown? No! This has never been a problem. Anyone who watched the race saw that this was not the same horse who won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness. In the mind of Desormeaux, this is not the behavior of the winning horse of the first two jewels. He feels something must be wrong. When the horse did not fire in the turn (when asked), Desormeaux decided to protect the horse from injury, or further injury (he did not know if something was wrong).

If they found a chip in Big Browns knee the next day, Desormeaux would be a hero for protecting the horse, and all the opinionated writers would be calling to canonize Kent. The same people would be calling for his head if he rode out the horse (whipping him down the stretch), and he broke down in front of the grandstands.

Before you write another story about Kent Desormeaux, please think about what he did, and how hard of a decision it must have been. Sure, everyone wanted to see a Triple Crown winner. But no one wanted to see another dead horse on the track, and Kent made that decision coming out of the final turn. After that race I have a much greater respect for Kent, and I would choose him over all others to ride my horses.

Jim McKay Racetrack at Laurel

2008-06-08T21:37:00.002-04:00

I want to jump on board with the idea of Bromoblog. Name Laurel Park after the great Jim McKay. Below is a clip from the blog

A great supporter of the racing industry in Maryland, McKay was responsible for the Maryland Millions Day event. A one day series of Stakes races for Maryland bred horses, it has become the second biggest racing event in the state (after the Preakness) and has spawned dozens of imitators around the country. As the industry struggles to survive without slots, it owes its continued existence to the extra money that this event has brought in to local trainers and breeders.

My suggestion to the Maryland Jockey Club and Magna Entertainment, rename Laurel Park in his honor. While the state has done well in honoring some of the great local sports journalist that have come before, like Sam Lacy and Shirley Povich, McKay deserves this extra honor. With the extra money that slots (if approved) will bring into the racing industry Laurel Park can become a cathedral to racing and a fitting homage to Mr. McKay. While the facility has seen better days, one can only hope that with Jim McKay looking out for it, it will succeed.

Jim MCkay dead at 86

2008-06-07T16:20:00.002-04:00

Today may be a huge day for horse racing. Big Brown can be the first horse in 30 years to win the Triple Crown. It is also a sad day for horse racing. Long time racing fan and founder of the "Maryland Million" day of racing has passed. The great Jim McKay has passed at his farm in Monkton, Maryland. Jim will be remembered for many things, his hosting of wide world of sports, his coverage of the 1972 Olympic Games. I will remember him for all the great things he did for horse racing in Maryland.

Thanks Jim!

"You Fired The Caterer?"

2008-05-30T19:15:00.002-04:00

Klaus Panholzer, a Magna Entertainment Corp. senior vice president in charge of corporate hospitality and food and beverage services, and Helmet Pichler, general manager of food and beverage service, both have been fired by the Maryland Jockey Club.

First they fired Jockey Club President Chris Dragone and Dwayne Yuzik (Senior vice president and associate general manager of Laurel and Pimlico). Now they fire the caterers? Where they not selling enough of Fran's Energy drink?

“The gist is the Maryland Jockey Club decided to go in a different direction and food and beverage is one of them,” said Tom Chuckas, who officially will take over as the new president of the Maryland Jockey Club on June 1.

Is this a joke? The food and beverage options on the main level at Pimlico are dirty water dogs (aka. Hot Dogs kept warm in hot water) and nasty pizza. Upstairs you can get a greasy burger or a club sandwich. Not much more can be said for Laurel, except you get a bag of chips with you dog.

My suggestions for the next guy who takes the job. This is Maryland, we drink Natty Boh, eat crab cakes, Boardwalk Fries, and pit beef sandwiches. Throw in a bag of Utz Crab Chips and we would be in heaven. Also, the official drink of the Preakness, "The Black Eyed Susan" is nasty. Change the official drink to a vodka tonic and sales will go though the roof.

Frank, Hire a guy from Maryland who understands Maryland!

Kevin Plank - Sagamore Farm

2008-05-19T16:02:00.002-04:00

A little over a year ago I wrote about Under Armour founder Kevin Plank and his purchase of the famed Sagamore Farm. This post receives more hits than any other we have written. In this months copy of Maryland Life, Jason Tinney writes a great story about Kevin and the historic farm. I recommend reading the entire article to learn not just about Sagamore, but how Kevin Plank plans to rebuild the farm with the dedication and comittment he used to build Under Armour.

I wish Kevin and his staff all the luck in the world. I hope you rebuild the legacy of both Sagamore and Maryland racing.

Thank You PETA

2008-05-17T20:53:00.002-04:00

I would like to thank all the folks from PETA who came to Baltimore this weekend to protest the Preakness. As a resident of the great state of Maryland, I appreciate all the money you spent while you were here. You drove into our state, paying all of our wonderful tolls. While you were here, you purchased gas, food, hotels, paper, markers, granola, etc. The local shop keepers say thanks. Then you drove over to the track and parked on someones lawn for $20. The neighborhood people who rely on horse racing for a living really thank you and got a good laugh at your expense (and about $100 per house). A special thanks goes out to the two ladies on the news who flew into town on Thursday. You flew into BWI airport, rented a car, stayed in a local hotel, and then spent $500 on protest signs at a local sign shop. You PETA folks really helped make this years Preakness Stakes an incredible economic success for Baltimore City, and the state of Maryland. I hope you all had a great time while you were here. Please bring a few more friends next year, we could use the additional revenues. Speaking of additional revenue......If all goes well with the November Slots Referendum, maybe we can get you guys a special PETA rate at the new Laurel Racino and Hotel. I hope the economic impact of your protest makes this the most successful Preakness ever! THANKS!!!

Derby vs. Preakness

2008-05-13T08:13:00.003-04:00

The Baltimore Sun has an article comparing the Kentucky Derby with the Preakness. The Sun chooses the Preakness as the winner. I guess it all depends on your idea of fun.

The author Kevin Van Valkenburg describes the infield at the Preakness as follows:

Sort of like Caligula's Rome crossed with MTV's Spring Break but with less attractive people. More disgusting acts are committed per square foot during the Preakness than just about anywhere else in the country. About the only thing you cannot do is fight. Also, look out for beer grenades! Two must-haves when attending the Preakness infield: sunscreen and penicillin.

If this sounds like a good time to you.....I'll see you in Baltimore on Saturday. I'll be the one in the grandstands pointing and laughing at you/with you!

Spooky 33

2008-05-12T17:20:00.003-04:00

Which is more suprising to you:

1) Spooky Mulder, the 10 year old gelding with a big heart, won his 33rd race today (Delaware Park, Race 4, 5 1/2 furlongs); or

2) He was claimed out of that race for $32,000 by David Jacobson on his own behalf; or

3) Twentieth Century Fox is preparing a sequel to the X-Files movie that will be released this year.

I, for one, find option 3 to be the most unbelievable, but they are all true. I was a fan of the series until that crappy movie came out. But the hard-trying racehorse (named after the X-Files' hero Fox "Spooky" Mulder) crossed the line first in his 81st start and now has earnings approaching $930,000. Let's go for a MILLION, Mr. Jacobson!

Hmmm. 33? With Kent Desormeaux advertising UPS on his pants, I think there is a marketing opportunity for Spooky's riders to wear the Rolling Rock 33 on their pants until he wins number 34. And for a little cross marketing, the horse head on the beer bottle should be changed to Spooky's.

In it to Win It

2008-05-09T09:04:00.006-04:00

The jackpot on tonight's Megamillions lottery is $145 million. I figure that the cash value of that jackpot after taxes should approach $40 million. That amount gives me a fighting chance to step up and begin making changes in our sport. To paraphrase Rick Dutrow, I'm going all in on Big Brown! I'll buy him. $40 mill in cash? I think IEAH might be interested. Then I can ask Fran examine his feet to be sure they will hold up under the stress of pony rides for the kids. And when the neighbor brags about his new lawn mower, I can say "Yeah, I picked up the Kentucky Derby winner over the weekend."

It's a win-win. IEAH gets paid and BB will be removed from the breeding stock. It's the least I can do.

Gotta go convert the shed into a stall........

Fact and Comment - Tuesday Night

2008-05-06T19:48:00.005-04:00

- Six year old Declan's Moon will try again for his first win since last July in a 7.5f AOC on Wednesday at Hollywood Park. After 5 consecutive wins and a Juvenile Championship to begin his career, he has won but one race in is last eleven. However, he consistently puts up great workouts, so his race performances are a bit puzzling. One must also wonder how many high-priced stallions would have later careers like this if they weren't hustled off to stud after their 3-year-old year.

- UPS received some exposure and buzz based on their unusual connection with the Kentucky Derby winner. I think this is one of the few good signs that horse racing is moving in the right direction. New advertisers, new revenue streams, new people being exposed to the sport. Nah, we'll probably mess this up too. As I type, I imagine a yearling out on the farm being named Fedex or McDonalds in order to attract some sponsorship.

- Michael Dickinson thinks Churchill Downs should install a synthetic surface. In other news, Bill Gates thinks you should buy Windows and Hillary Clinton thinks you should vote for her.

Kentucky Derby Thoughts

2008-05-03T20:10:00.002-04:00

- The Sunday papers will unfortunately focus on the break down of Eight Belles and the indiscretions of Rick Dutrow, and put yet another nail in the coffin of American horse racing.

- Wouldn't it have been cool to have a feel good story in the headlines? The owners of Gayego escaping from Cuba, Barclay Tagg assuring his place in history with a second Derby win, One of the charities that would have benefited from a win, or even Todd Pletcher breaking through for his first win. Nope. We're going to get death and drugs.

- The Derby winner had 2 preps this year. I'm sure this will continue the trend of hopefuls running less and less every year. We may not see the 2008 Breeders Cup Juvenile winner run at all before the Derby in 2009. And the early prep winners will surely shut it down until May.

- This all being said, it's good to see local guys who love the sport win the big one. This win will certainly accelerate the plan of Michael Iavarrone and Richard Schiavo to create an investment fund based on racing and breeding. And, gentlemen, if you need another finance guy, I am a CPA, MBA, racing fan that lives 15 minutes from your offices in Garden City.

- I think the horses that prepped predominantly on synthetics were indeed at a disadvantage.

- This should have been a great day. I just feel down now.

Number 20

2008-04-28T21:05:00.003-04:00

With the defection of Behindatthebar, Denis of Cork makes it into the top 20 and is assured a spot in the Kentucky Derby.

Also in the news, another horse's ass is ranked number 20. Don Imus' new radio show placed number 20 in the New York market for listeners 25-54. This is a 17% drop from his predecessors, Ron Kuby and Curtis Sliwa. Nice job, WABC-AM. Your management now qualifies to be executives at Magna Entertainment Corp.

It's Not Too Late - See This Movie!

2008-04-19T07:57:00.003-04:00

I ventured into Manhattan yesterday to see a showing of "The First Saturday in May", by the Hennegan Brothers. I expected to see a historical documentary about the 2006 Kentucky Derby, but came away with a lot more than that. This is a film about people. Interesting, funny, entertaining people. People that love their families and the horses in their care. The filmmakers did an extraordinary job of capturing the passion and humanity of their subjects.

What touched me most were the scenes with the kids. I was getting choked up watching Alex Solis' son cheering "Go Dad!" while the rest of the world was cheering for his mount, Brother Derek. I felt like a voyeur into an extremely personal relationship between father and son.

And what about Dale Romans' son, Jake? I'm not sure if he will be running a hedge fund or hustling at a pool hall in the future, but his life will surely be colorful. It was interesting to see that the lone involvement of Todd Pletcher in this movie was him (facetiously) asking to borrow some cash from Jake.

From the Hendricks boys and their quests for new skateboards, to Frank Amonte's relationship with his kids, to Michael Matz' daughter jokingly stating that her father knows his horses better than he knows her, it was the story lines involving the kids that affected me most.

There is so much to process in this movie that I can't wait to buy the DVD and really dig in. The combination of the personal stories and the great coverage of the derby preps and the Derby make this film a win-win.

And on top of it all, John Hennegan was in the theater and spoke with each of us after the show. It was a thrill to speak with the filmmaker after watching his heart and soul on the screen for the last 97 minutes.

Good luck John and Brad! I hope the film generates a lot of revenue for the distributors so you can make more of these films. Our sport needs more of this and I greatly appreciate and admire your efforts.

Retirement Homes Coming to Maryland

2008-04-10T09:01:00.002-04:00

Gary Maynard, secretary of the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, has proposed placing a 70-acre retired horse farm in Sykesville, using inmates to construct it and take care of the horses. The project would be located on a former farm on state-owned property off of Slacks Road in Sykesville. Inmates would build and prepare the farm and take care of retired race horses, preparing them for adoption, Maynard said. A contract with Saratoga Springs, N.Y.-based Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation is near completion. Work could start by late fall, said Maynard, who helped establish the foundation’s farms in Iowa and South Carolina.

Another horse farm is proposed for Salisbury’s Eastern Correctional Institution, he said, but the state still needs land for that project.

One of the program goals would be to make inmates at the Sykesville jail, who would be ready to be released, more employable by teaching them skills, he added. The thoroughbred foundation would provide some operating money and would manage the farm, said Diana Pikulski, foundation executive director.

Rosie In Florida

2008-03-20T13:22:00.002-04:00

Laurel Parks leading rider (and a favorite of the Bug Boys), Rosie Naprvnik scored on her first opportunity to ride at Gulfstream Park. Napravnik took "Live by Request" to victory for trainer Peter Walder in Monday's third race. Agent Bob Klesaris and Rosie were down in Florida meeting some of the Florida trainers that ship up to Delaware Park for the summer. Napravnik will be moving her tack (again) to Delaware Park when it opens next month for the spring meet. We will miss her here in Maryland, and hope she remains healthy in 2008. Good Luck Rosie!

In and Out of the Shed

2008-03-16T15:00:00.000-04:00

- Songster is heading back to training due to "unspecified infertility issues". Bloodhorse reports that none of the approximately 60 mares he bred are in foal. O-fer 2008. Bummer. I hope he comes back to New York because I was a fan and enjoyed being at Belmont to see him race several times. Here's a photo I took of Songster in 2006:

- Daaher has been retired and is heading to Shadwell to stand for $30,000. Now this just reeks of getting him off the track before he does any more damage to his reputation. He's done nothing since winning the 2007 Cigar Mile and one may think that the Grade 1 win was a fluke. So, the fine folks at Nashwan will print up all of their "Milers are the Best Sires" material, boast about the Northern Dancer lineage and the success of his full sister, Spun Sugar. Hmmm. I almost convinced myself that 30 grand is a bargain. But really, I was never a fan and in my opinion, Daaher is just not as good as everyone thought he was.

- Kingmambo is returning to duty after his latest recovery from his chronic injuries. It seems to me that he doesn't receive his share of credit as a top sire. Perhaps it is because many of his most successful runners are overseas. His book is limited to 60 mares this year at $250,000 per cover. He is a $15 million business by himself. That's what 72 stakes winners and impeccable breeding get you.

- It's early in the season, but the top of the General Sires list is interesting to me. Has the torch been passed to the next generation? Top two stallions Giant's Causeway and Pulpit are sons of perennial leaders Storm Cat and A.P. Indy, respectively. And Indian Charlie continues to throw winners while bringing a different bloodline to the top of the charts.

Teachers Love Slots!

2008-03-16T14:52:00.003-04:00

Well at least in Maryland, "Teachers Love Slots". The Maryland State Teachers Association (largest teachers union in the state) voted Friday night to back the November referendum for slots. This is a HUGE step in getting slots approved in the state. I guess the standard threat of cuts to education worked this time. Hopefully the smaller unions will follow suit.

SLOTS=BETTER SCHOOLS
SLOTS=LOWER TAXES
SLOTS=BETTER HORSE RACING IN MARYLAND.

This all makes sense to me!

VOTE YES TO SLOTS IN MARYLAND!!!!

The Keeper of the Silks

2008-03-10T21:23:00.002-04:00

NYRA is reporting the passing of Louis Olah, the "Keeper of the Silks" of the NYRA tracks for more than 40 years. I had the opportunity to meet Mr. Olah last year and I am grateful for the experience. In a brief 10 minute encounter, he shared with me many stories of his riding career, his position on the franchise uncertainty at the time, and the myriad of jockeys that he clothed.

Lou was one of the old guard at NYRA. One of the good guys. He cared about the sport and about the people. You don't work at 79 unless you really love what you are doing. He will be missed.

As I look at the photo us above, I can't help but think that he intentionally hung on long enough to make sure that NYRA would retain the franchise. That's the kind of guy he was. RIP Louis Olah.

"I have acted in a way that violates my obligations to my family"

2008-03-10T15:16:00.003-04:00

Well, now we know what Governor Spitzer was doing while time was ticking on the New York State racing franchise. Apparently, he was spending quality time with high-priced whores as we raced to a December 31st deadline with no franchise awarded and no plans for improving the OTB situation.

As this is a horse racing blog, I won't even begin going into the cuts in social services this menace has implemented, nor the way he sold us on the B.S. of transparency and then went on to make more back room deals than anyone.

How freakin' arrogant do you have to be to think this would never get out? Did you see what happened to President Clinton? How about Jim McGreevey? How dare you attack Senator Bruno about using State helicopters for his trips while you were bringing prostitutes on yours.

I had such hope for this guy. I bought into everything that he was selling on his campaign. It was all crap. You are a disgrace, Eliot.

Real Quiet - Stallion Ad

2008-03-06T19:38:00.002-05:00

Above is a legitimate advertisement for the services of Real Quiet. I am glad to see that the folks at Penn Ridge Farm have a sense of humor. I would much rather see a cartoon ad than a bad photo of a poor layout. **Note to other farms** - ads like this are more memorable than a photo and mediocre stats.

Let the games begin!

2008-03-04T07:33:00.002-05:00

It was only a matter of time before the propaganda war of (pro/anti) slots. In eight months, the citizens of the great state of Maryland will cast a vote for or against slot machine gambling in our state. The radio spots have started, the billboards are popping up, and I am waiting for Magna to roll out the big guns. According to todays Baltimore Sun, we will have no big guns. Actually, they say that Magna will pay for no guns at all, not big, not small. The article also said that William Rickman, owner of Ocean Downs (who would profit big time) is not going to do any heavy lobbying. Is all this true, or is this part of the game?

DRF Wireless (Again)

2008-03-02T10:25:00.002-05:00

DRF does it again! The newest release of "DRF Wireless" is available for almost all platforms, and runs even better than the last time I posted about it. They also added a "Blog" tab, so you can read the formBlog while waiting for the train, or waiting for the next race. Once again, great work DRF!!!!!

Just some local news

2008-03-01T09:42:00.002-05:00

We have not posted much lately, Sorry! Here are a few links to reports with a taste of Maryland horse racing.

Miracle Wood Stakes at Laurel Today. 7 furlongs for 3 year old colts. GREAT RACE!

Mid Atlantic Jocks calling New York home for the winter.

Joe De Francis says he will resign Monday from the board of Magna Entertainment. No surprise!!

Gibbs wins first four

2008-02-09T09:03:00.000-05:00

Apprentice Craig Gibbs found himself in the winners circle after each of the first four races at Laurel Park yesterday. The four wins puts him in a tie with Rosie Napravnik as top jock (by wins) at Laurel.

Keep up the good work Craig. We like our hot apprentices here in Maryland! Just ask Fogelsonger and Napravnik!

Click her for entire story from The Bloodhorse.

DRF Wireless

2008-01-25T19:23:00.000-05:00

I saw a link on the Daily Racing Form website for "DRF Wireless." OK, you got me! I clicked the link, and WOW. "DRF Wireless" is a mobile application for Blackberry that gives you tabbed browsing of DRF News, Entries, Results, and Workouts. In the past I have used the mobile version of Equibase. Equibase was fine, but difficult to navigate on the Blackberry internet browser. The new DRF Wireless is an application that launches quickly, and has great color and easy navigation.

If you have a Blackberry and are reading this blog......Download "DRF Wireless" now. You'll love it!

Follow Up - Herpes in Maryland

2008-01-24T21:42:00.000-05:00

On Tuesday I posted about the possible equine herpes outbreak at the Bowie training center in Maryland. Fortunately, the results came back negative, and the Maryland industry will live to see another day.

A New Supplement to PPs

2008-01-24T13:10:00.000-05:00

The Drudge Report linked to a Reuters article today that reports the U.S. Border Patrol has returned to using horses to assist in its patrols. I thought it was interesting to read these facts:

Like their forebears, present-day Border Patrol agents continue to use sturdy quarter horses -- so called as they are the fastest breed over a quarter mile, and are also renowned for their strength and stamina.

Most of the stocky, muscular animals are bought from horse dealers or at auctions, although a number are seized from Mexican smugglers caught riding over the border with loads of marijuana crammed into burlap sacks.

But the quote I found most useful was:

"Some of the smugglers have a good eye for a horse"

So here's some advice that you've never heard.... Next time you are heading out to Los Alamitos for some action, bring a Mexican marijuana smuggler with you. He may have a good eye for a horse.

Groundhog's Day

2008-01-23T06:58:00.000-05:00

Even though it is over a week away, it feels like Groundhog's Day here in Maryland. Just like Pete in Punxsutawney, equine herpes has poked out of its burrow for a visit. This year it appeared at the Bowie training grounds first. We will have to wait until the Maryland Department of Agriculture tells us if equine herpes saw his shadow, but I am not sure the industry can handle six more weeks of winter!