Jul

25

Rachel just alright, Devil May Care impressive

by Barry Roos
July 25, 2010 | 8 Comments
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Rachel Alexandra was put in a spot she could not lose.  Last year she faced the boys in a Classic and older males in Grade One Competition. Now she runs in a non graded stake against a lackluster bunch.   Obviously her connections know she is not nearly the same horse as last year. So they are trying to build her up slowly, a step at a time.  I respect that.  That is a trainer’s job. The comparisons to Zenyatta have quieted down, but the excitement around RA has not. Monmouth broke their non-haskell or breeders’ cup record handling over 11 million.

Yesterday before the race the TVG commentators were wondering aloud  if she could win by 18 or so lengths. After all this was a handpicked bunch.  It looked early on like Rachel would blow by and win at will, but that wasn’t the case. Queen Martha ran game and Rachel Alexandra had to work to get by a bit.  She lugged in a little as well upon going by.  In her 2 losses she was a tad hesitant to switch leads, making you think that she is not 100% physically.  Still she is a force, and at some point she will take on the tougher animals and we will see if she still has “it”.  I don’t think anyone watching racing yesterday could feel confident that Rachel Alexandra could beat Devil May Care, never mind Zenyatta.  Which brings me to Devil May Care, WOW. John Velasquez spent more time looking around then he did riding.  The filly blew by and won the Coaching Club American Oaks easily, it was the way we expected Rachel Alexandra to win.  The buzz before the Derby was all about Devil May Care.  I was in attendance that day and she was the one people were talking about.  As Todd Pletcher said after in the BloodHorse:

“You can see by the way that she won today why we tried the Kentucky Derby”

Yes Todd, I think we can see that. Not that Pletcher needs to explain himself, having a year for the ages.  Next week he goes for yet another big win with Super Saver in the Haskell. Monmouth continues to have a fabulous meet, and continues to attract more top horses.

One thing is for sure, we have yet another top filly, Rachel and Zenyatta are still going, and we could have an amazing race down the road.  The interesting thing to me is how good Devil May Care could be.  Imagine if Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta go at it and the winner of the race is not either of them but Devil May Care?

Who says racing is dull?

Jul

16

Monmouth proving a point

by Barry Roos
July 16, 2010 | Leave a Comment
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For the past few years, it seemed casinos and slots were the only thing that could saving racing. Wrong. Casinos are getting to the point where there are so many, they are not attracting the big crowds of the glory days for Foxwoods and the like. Revenues have decreased, and yes they have reached the point of over saturation.

Then along came a novel idea. How about we jack up the purses, increase fields size and quality?   Monmouth decided to try the bold experiment.  And thus far it is succeeding, in a big way.

This from the Bloodhorse:

For the first 24 days of the 2010 meeting — with Monmouth racing Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Monday holidays — average attendance is 10,572. The average on-track betting is $752,718 and average daily total betting is $7,672,255.

Compared to the first 24 days of the 2009 meet (using only Friday, Saturday, Sunday and holiday Monday cards), the daily attendance is up 13% and on-track handle is up almost 43%, according to the track. But total handle has taken the sharpest turn, jumping nearly 118% over last year.

Wow.   Now here is proof you can try new things and not be dependent on expanded gambling.  Is everyone happy? No, there are some horsemen who used to do better now running into having to compete. But the bettors like it, no more short fields, and handicapping is a challenge.  So to those complaining, suck it up, and adapt.

The experiment won’t go unnoticed, and the result will be a better product and owners can actually make money. No it won’t be easy, but no one said the game was easy.  True the naysayers will say Monmouth has less days of racing. So what?  Shorter better meets are better than year long boring diet of lousy racing.

Congrats to Monmouth for the effort. No matter how it works out, you are game for trying.

May

16

Time to tweak the Triple Crown

by Barry Roos
May 16, 2010 | 5 Comments
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After watching yesterday’s Preakness Stakes, one thing is abundantly clear, time to tweak the Triple Crown. Now, I am the first to guard traditions in sports, but sometimes you need to adjust your thinking.  As an example, instant replay in football, was a great move. The wildcard in baseball gave more cities a rooting interest ,and yes was a great move. Now it is racing’s turn. Think outside the box, make some changes.

I think the modern thoroughbred just can’t handle the 2 weeks after the Derby and then 3 to the Belmont. Horses used to run a lot more and the schedule while grueling, was not as far fetched a proposition.  Top horses rarely come back on 2 weeks rest, so the chances of winning the Crown become slimmer and slimmer. The short time in between the races also adds fuel to the anti-racing advocates who use any excuse to hammer us.

The solution? I would add a week in between the Derby and the Preakness, and another week before the Belmont. Had there been another week, my guess is Super Saver has a lot more gas. He ran his eyeballs out in Louisville and had every reason to be tired. Another week in between and you would have had Ice Box as well. My guess is Zito preferred to win the Belmont, and knew he couldn’t do both after a tough trip in the Derby. Also, you would have had a few others as well, and the Preakness would have been a much better contest. Sure it will always be the weakest of the jewels, but still it is a Classic, and very special.

So the question is this, will racing adapt? I doubt it. The NTRA won’t do anything meaningful, and Churchill Downs pulling its membership will more than likely start a trend. So it is probably going to take the tracks themselves to make the change and bolster the Triple Crown.

Preakness thoughts: I am almost always let down after the Derby. The Derby has a great undercard and it is a truly spectacular production. The undercard of the Preakness has some good racing although the purses for a Classic day are pitiful. Blame maybe a special horse, amazing that purse was 100k. Lets hope Maryland gets their act in gear, and can make Preakness day closer in quality to the Derby.

May

8

My path to the 2010 Kentucky Derby Winner’s Circle

by Barry Roos
May 8, 2010 | Leave a Comment
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In life you have certain dreams and expectations. Things happen along the way, and things don’t always go 100% the way you planned. I fully expected to be standing in the winner’s circle at the Derby at some point. My guess would have been as a trainer, or perhaps as a partner in a group I managed.

Not quite the way it happened…..

It was 1981, I was starting my freshman year at the University of Kentucky. I was a Bostonian in unfamiliar territory. I was walking down the hallway of Holmes Hall reading a Throughbred Record (now the Thoroughbred Times). I ran into a guy who asked me if I was involved with horse racing. We introduced ourselves, and struck up a conversation. I explained my involvement, that my family owned horses and had just bought a small farm in Lexington. He said his family was also involved, his dad a blacksmith, his mom a trainer in Northern Kentucky and his brother a jockey. That was the day I met Doug Cauthen.

I soon met Doug’s roommate, Jim McMullen who was involved in racing through his uncle, the legendary trainer P.G. Johnson. Jim would go on to train, and is currently plying his trade at Arlington. My neighbor at the time, Dwight Back wasn’t involved in racing, but loved it as much, or more than the 3 of us. He is currently involved as an owner, and nearly made it to the 2009 Breeders’ Cup with Yankee Injunuity which is trained by Jim. The four of us became good friends and lived together over the next couple of years.

I went into training and did so for the next 16 years. I had a few invites to take in the Derby but vowed never to go unless I was participating. Well, training in New England you don’t quite get the opportunities to run in Triple Crown Events, so I never went. Then when New England racing became a 6th month a year proposition, I gave up training as I refused to be away from home while my children were growing up. I stayed involved in racing doing consulting, going to an occasional sale, and now a days working with partnerships.

Doug went to law school and worked for a short while as an attorney. But the horse industry was in his blood and he returned. He worked in various positions, for consigners, and did some consulting work managing racing stables, as well as working with Prestonwood Farm, which would later be sold and become what is today Winstar Farm. When Kenny Troutt and Bill Casner bought Winstar, they shrewedly kept Doug on and named him President/CEO. You can find a lot of talented horse people, but few with Doug’s integrity. The results at Winstar speak for themselves. Wins in the Dubai World Cup, the Travers, The Haskell, and now the Derby. It doesn’t get better. The successes of Tiznow, and Distorted Humor in the breeding shed have propelled Winstar to a lofty position amongst the industry giants.

Our friendship has lasted almost 30 years. As we have gotten a bit longer in the tooth, we have realized the importance of being there for each other, for the good times, as well as the sad. The four of us were all together in Boston a couple of years ago to celebrate my daughter’s Bat Mitzvah, and then to celebrate Doug’s marriage to his wife Katie in Lexington. We also attended a couple of Derbys to support Doug. Sadly, We were then together again at a Memorial service for Doug’s dad Ronald “Tex” Cauthen in 2009, one of the best people you could ever meet, and a huge influence on Doug.

Fast Forward to this year’s Derby, Dwight and I again made the treck to Churchill to support Doug. Jim had just had a baby and couldn’t make this one. In his place were Brian Howard, David White, and Jeff Bittel, 3 other friends from our UK days.

Strangly, Doug stopped by our box to say hi, and said, if one of our horses wins, make sure you make your way to the winner’s circle. We had been there twice before for Derbys and he never said that. And these were horses with real shots, like Colonel John. Did Doug have a premonition? Perhaps. While Super Saver liked the mud, and had a win at Churchill, this was one of the most wide open Derbys ever. Still I remember thinking of Doug’s comment as they loaded the last horse in the gate.

When Super Saver came by us in front, we were screaming as hit the wire. We high fived in the box, then made our way to the infield for the festivies. Doug and I made eye contact and it was one of those truly special times, pure hapiness. The mountain had been climbed, the mission accomplished.

I also realized something while standing in that sacred ground which is the Churchill Downs winners circle. My definition of friendship had been altered as well. I always thought a friend was someone who was there in good times and bad. While that is still true, now I realize that when you can be as happy for someone else’s success, as you would be for yourself, that truly is a friend. The jubilance I felt last Saturday was far and above my expectation. I expected to be happy, sure. But the feeling was unreal, I found myself so deeply moved and thrilled for Doug.

Here is to your continued success my friend, thanks for letting me finally get to the Derby winner’s circle!

Feb

13

What is a track to do?

by Barry Roos
February 13, 2010 | 2 Comments
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We tend to sit around rambling how racing declines each year. I find my self doing just that. As I get closer to 50 I talk about how good the seventies and 80s were, and in many ways it is true. Racing has declined although every year there are great stories. Last year was a perfect example.

We are a mere candy shop, not really needed. A luxury that folks can choose to forego when times are tough and money is short. When you get laid off you need to have heat, food and basic necessities. You don’t need to bet the horses. Racetracks will continue to close if they don’t find a way to succeed.

So, what should they do, hope slots save them? Maybe for a while, but in the long run you have to find new fans. Slots players don’t run over to the races. I remember when Delaware first opened up the slots, I talked to a friend who was down there with a few horses. I said wow there must be a lot of new people at the races. He said no, they come for the slots and leave.

Ok, well maybe slots revenue helps the tracks to survive and keep the doors open. But you have to cultivate new fans. To do this you have to create more big days. For NASCAR every weekend is a big event. Racing has the Triple Crown, the Breeders’ Cup, and a few other good days.  The goal needs to be to create more big days fans can mark on their calendar. And tracks need to be flexible. Oaklawn deserves kudos for what they are doing, having a huge purse and putting together the one event all fans want to see, Zenyatta V Rachel. This will generate as much buzz as racing has seen in decades.

Hopefully other tracks will do the same and do everything they can to put together races people want to see. In the meantime, waive admission, get fans in the door. Give them a program with past performances. And hey how about a free hot dog and a coke? Once in the door, show them the beauty that is our sport. Many will become fans, and yes they will wager. But if you try and rape them at the door with parking, admission and the cost of a program and form? They will leave and rarely come back.

Racing is on life support, but we can keep the plug from being pulled. Lets start working towards that today.

Feb

9

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

by Barry Roos
February 9, 2010 | 1 Comment
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The Good

Oaklawn could boost Apple Blossom purse to $5-million – Here’s the kind of thing that will actually get people to watch racing. It doesn’t sound like it will come off, but kudos to Oaklawn for trying.

The Bad

The first month of this year handles are down 12.03% compared with January of 2009. Purses were down 10.04%.

Ouch.

Purses dropping handles off don’t make you feel too rozy about the future.

The Ugly

No matter how good a trainer does, owners will blame them for any problems. But here is a shocker. Imagine you are a trainer who wins the Belmont, The Travers and the Eclipse award? You would think you were fairly safe at least for a year. Tim Ice found out that isn’t true. Owner K. K. Jayaraman fired him citing communication problems. No, you can’t make this stuff up. K. K. Jayaraman said last year that he had used 89 different trainers since the couple entered the business in the early 1980s. Amazing how foolish some men with money can be. 89 trainers? Time to look inward KK.

Fifth Third Bancorp now claims Ahmed Zayat concealed the death of multiple Grade 1 winner Thorn Song last summer to hide $2.75-million in mortality insurance proceeds that he should have paid to the bank. This lawsuit is really getting ugly. When one of your sports leading owners is embroiled in this kind of stuff, it hurts everyone. Our business can’t stand any more bad pub.

Jan

18

The perfect ending snatched away

by Barry Roos
January 18, 2010 | 4 Comments
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Rarely do athletes go out on top, reaching the peak of their profession and riding off into the sunset. It seemed with Zenyatta as with Personal Ensign so many years before did just that. Her owners, always making the right move would get her off the racetrack before defeat or worse injury came her way. This from owner Moss:

“I got very emotional after she won the Breeders’ Cup and thought what better way to retire,” Moss said. “In my mind, she was retired. It was the perfect retirement scenario . . . she could sail off into the sunset.”

Sadly this storybook ending is not to be. Zenyatta isn’t on her way to the breeding shed, but back to the races.  Hopefully she can make it through the rigors of one more year without an injury. The undefeated record will probably come to end, as eventually they all get beat. Maybe it will be Rachel, or some aptly named horse like “Upset” who slayed Man O’ War. My only hope is that she doesn’t get hurt, as so much rides on her, as with Rachel. A catastrophic injury to either will erase the wonderful good will they provided our industry.

Jan

12

Keeneland Sales – Ouch

by Barry Roos
January 12, 2010 | Leave a Comment
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As it seemed the economy was starting to pick up, expectations in Lexington were optimistic for the January Keeneland Sale. Well if the first day is any indication, there will be a lot of unhappy folks in Lexington. Sales totaled $6,592,600. This is down a tremendous 44.81 percent from last year’s $11,945,900. The average price was $37,037, this was down 37.37 percent from last year.

So what’s going on? Although people’s 401ks are up, and the market has been up, the banks still aren’t lending money, and the effect is beating the crap out of horse sales. Although the county bailed out the banks, the banks have taken their profits, and made it very hard for businesses to grow as loans are hard to come by. Well, as horse racing for most people is a hobby or a secondary business, people are apprehensive to part with dollars when profit making in racing is rare.

The horse market is a good indicator of how the economy is doing. Being a candy store industry, you can bet when the economy thrives so goes racing. Right now, that isn’t the case.

The good news: If you ever wanted to buy broodmares, or young horses, now is a great time. If you have a few shekels to spare, jump in as bargains are abundant. For those whose businesses have thrived in the down economy, broodmare bands can be built or bolstered with opportunities that are rarely seen.

Dec

24

Breeders’ Cup loses cred if Zenyatta is not Horse of the Year

by Barry Roos
December 24, 2009 | 27 Comments
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Jerry Moss said it best in the Thoroughbred Times:

“….it is beyond dispute that the Breeders’Cup was designed 25 years ago to determine championships”

I can not agree more.  To me, if your horse is physically capable and you don’t compete, you shouldn’t win horse of the year. Period. Imagine a warm weather NFL team refusing to play a game in December because it is too cold in Green Bay? The Breeders’ Cup was at Santa Anita, so the playing field was artificial. Now the connections of Rachel Alexandra had every right to keep her out of the Classic, but she should not be able to take home the ultimate prize. The fact that Rachel ran very well on polytrack makes her case even slimmer. She was kept out only because Curlin lost. Pure and simple. Curlin also lost on the grass. Horses get beat. I would defend them skipping the Breeders’ Cup had Curlin remained in training this year. He didn’t like the surface. Good argument for him, not so much for Rachel.

Giving the Horse of the Year award to Rachel Alexandra, weakens the Breeders’ Cup as does splitting the award. It sets a bad precedent.

Lets keep the Breeders’ Cup what it was designed to be, the World Championships of racing.

Happy holidays to all and a wonderful new year!

Nov

8

Don’t stand so close to me

by Barry Roos
November 8, 2009 | 4 Comments
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Her friends are so jealous
You know how bad girls get
Sometimes it’s not so easy
To be the teachers pet

- The Police, from the album, Zenyatta Mondatta

You could almost hear the song playing in the background, as Rachel Alexandra was left sulking in her stall. She was robbed of the chance to be the best in the world. But in truth her owners did her the favor of saving face. She would not have beaten Zenyatta, no way, no how.

The queen of the racing world was crowned yesterday, and remained unbeaten. Her brilliance was breathtaking. The giant mare did her signature dancing before the race, and uncorked  a rally that will be talked about forever. This was not her patented lay back and come wide. She was in the 2 path most of the way, weaved her way through the pack, and then swung out and came flying. The race gave me a chill, similar the one which ran down my spine watching Secretariat.

If listen to the call of the race, you could even hear the doubt in Trevor Denman’s  voice:

Zenyatta is dead last.
And Zenyatta is dead last
Zenyatta is still a good 10 or 11 off the lead
Zenyatta has a lot, a lot of ground to make up
This is unbelievable
Looked impossible
What a performance
One of the most sensational ever

And that is the incredible thing about this lady. She looks hopelessly beaten, then comes like a freight train. That is fine against a nice band of fillies and mares, but to do it in the classic? Unreal. Unbelievable. Unmatched. The other horses in the field were mere canaries in a coal mine. They were powerless to repel her, no one could stop her from completing her unbeaten quest.

Horse of the year, no question. Rachel Alexandra has been amazing. But yesterday put Zenyatta in a different universe. She won our championship, and did it in fashion we seldom see.

My name is Zenyatta, don’t stand so close to me.

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