Sep

5

No Artificial Surface prep for Curlin

September 5, 2008 | Leave a Comment
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In my previous post I felt that the Goodwood BC made sense for Curlin. A prep race over the new Pro-Ride >> surface, and then being bedded down and avoiding the cross country shipping for the Classic seemed a likely move.  To me this was quite a logical step, and would have prevented the embarrassment of a poor Classic due to a surface he didn’t like, or worse needed a race to get comfortable on.

In my eyes (still glasses-free at 45 by the way ) Curlin would have had a distinct edge with a race over the track, especially if he took kindly to Pro-Ride.  Big Brown is going the Turf to Artificial route, not sure if that is similar to turf to dirt,  which sharpens a horse up whether they are a 10,000 claimer or a stake horse.  Big Brown too could have benefited from a race over the Pro-Ride as well. But it seems they are ducking the iron until the very last minute.  35 nominated to the Monmouth Stake, [  Nominations: >> ] so he may not hit a field of tin cans as they thought he might.  I think the Haskell scared them a bit, he won, but certainly didn’t kill the field, and there were no Curlins or Colonel John opposing him.

Speaking of Colonel John, he may the horse with the best chance to upset the big two in the Classic. he has relished artificial surfaces, and his Travers, points him out as a colt with both class and cajones. I think Colnel John proved that horses could take to artificial and traditional surfaces. But I think he also proved that there may be the need of prep races on the surfaces in order for horses to fire their best shot.

One thing is certain: If Curlin & Big Brown don’t run their best, no one will try again without a start on the new surface.

Sep

2

Goodwood Breeders’ Cup makes sense for Curlin

September 2, 2008 | 1 Comment
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Racing truly needs Curlin to run in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.  The race is suppose to be the Superbowl of racing, the pinnacle of our sport.  We need the best of the best to duke it out, mano a mano. In this case a classic without Curlin and/or Big Brown would be lacking and ordinary at best.

This year’s edition is even more important for those horsemen (myself included) who consider artificial surfaces to be a necessity for our sport to survive and flourish.  Should Curlin run his race in the Classic, few could argue that horses cannot compete successfully on both. Colonel John’s Travers score did a lot to dispel the myth, and now statistics are coming to light about handicapping on both surfaces. Bill Finley is releasing a book on the subject and wrote about it on ESPN.com entitled: “Dirt and synthetic results not so wildly different”.  Read Article [ >> ]

Now I know bashers of artificial surfaces disagree, but we all come together when it comes to wanting a great Classic. For this we need the nation’s best to participate.

The Goodwood Breeders’ Cup makes perfect sense, both from a date perspective (September 27th) as well as a surface test for Curlin. Should he like it, he won’t  have to ship for the Classic.  If he doesn’t handle it, they can bow out of the Cup (rightly so) and head for the Japan Cup where he can go out a winner and International star.  If Big Brown wins the Classic sans Curlin in the field, he will be crowned Horse of the Year.

But, the excitement around a Classic which truly is a championship, containing both Big Brown and Curlin would be a phenomenal boost to racing. We need something like this to stir up casual and non fans alike.  My local paper of record, The Boston Globe barely recognizes racing anymore. They didn’t cover the Travers and only picked up a wire blurb. They also didn’t cover Curlin’s Woodward. Racing is falling further and further into the background. A great Classic could rouse fans, and the media and bolster a sport badly needing an event of such magnitude.

Aug

30

Money can’t buy you love or apparently a stake at Suffolk

August 30, 2008 | 2 Comments
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The 9.7 Million dollar yearling Jalil went postward in the Waquoit Stakes at Suffolk Downs today. The 4 year old Storm Cat colt went off a heavy favorite, broke a bit tardily, and never appeared to be all that comfortable running finishing an even 3rd. Canadian champ Judiths Wild Rush got up to win and pushed his career earning over the million dollar mark.

Jalil hadn’t run since March, and appeared to be a colt in need of seasoning. This race had to do him a world of good fitness-wise, the only question being, can he now tackle the competition in the MassCap? This race came up tougher than your typical stake at Suffolk, and Judiths Wild Rush is still formidable at age 7. Still, I can’t gauge this colt’s quality, though obviously it was a disappointment to be beaten.

Once again, I have to tip my cap to Suffolk, getting a Canadian champion as well as a 9.7 million dollar colt to perform in a minor event is quite a feat. Management is doing everything they can to improve Suffolk, and they deserve praise.

It would nice, if just once, the Massachusetts legislature gave them a break.

Aug

28

Tiznow - is there a better stud fee bargain?

August 28, 2008 | 3 Comments
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At 30,000 dollars, Tiznow is proving to be a heck of a bargain.  In reviewing the leading sire list, Tiznow currently is second behind only Curlin’s sire Smart Strike, who stands for 150k at Land’s End.  Of the others in the top 5, Kingmambo is 3rd and stands for 150k, followed by Giant’s Causeway at 125k and Distorted Humor in 5th at 300k. See the Bloodhorse leading sire list >>

So why the discrepancy?

Pedigree: 2 are by Mr. Prospector, one by Forty Niner and One by Storm Cat. Tiznow is by Cee’s Tizzy.  Kentucky breeders forget Mr Prospector was once an outsider as well.

As a racehorse, Tiznow was special and he is passing on the one quality that made him the only dual Classic winner, his tremendous heart. Colonel John had a bad trip and still fought on to win the Travers. Well Armed also ran his heart out and just missed in the Pacific Classic.

To me Colonel John has pointed out one other quality, which will be very important to breeders down the road. They run on artificial surfaces, as well as traditional dirt surfaces.  I for one feel this will be important down the road, especially if Churchill or NYRA go the artificial route.  Horses which handle both surfaces will be valued, there is no doubt.  Tiznow has sired turf winners as well, which makes him as versatile a stallion as you can have. Sprints, routes, turf, dirt, poly, who could ask for anything more?

My guess is Tiznow can’t stay at 30k for long. His fee has to at least double soon. Breed to him if you are lucky enough to get in at that price.

Aug

27

Why not challenge Curlin to a race on Mars?

August 27, 2008 | 4 Comments
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Challenging Curlin to a match race may be the most foolish idea since Chevrolet tried selling the Nova in spanish speaking countries. Translated it meant “No go”. (No Va)

IEAH knows Curlin’s camp wouldn’t be dumb enough to run in a match race. Match races are dangerous, which is why after Ruffian, the concept died off. Why you ask?  Simple, match races force a horse to alter their running style. A horse like Curlin, who is a wear ‘em down closer would be forced to go after Big Brown early, not relaxing to make his steady run. These horses are competitive, which makes them the quality race horses they are. This is where catastrophic injuries can occur.  They go at it head and head for a mile and a quarter, one will give, and potentially take a miss step which end their career if not their life. After Eight Belles died, a great many people wanted to end racing. If Big Brown snapped his leg in a match race, there is no telling if the game can ever recover. 

But IEAH knows all this and that is why they offered a challenge which they know would never happen. They say they have done their research and match races are not dangerous. I guess they don’t remember Ruffian. They ducked Curlin this weekend, they ducked all the other 3 year olds at the Travers, and now they come up with this silly option.  They might as well offered him a race on Mars. That ain’t happening either.

Aug

23

Oops ESPN called the wrong winner

August 23, 2008 | 4 Comments
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ESPN basically called the wrong horse, thinking Robbie Albarado had won the Travers which was clearly too close to call. (Robbie waved his stick so he must have won. Not very scientific ESPN) They sent the pony to get the jockey’s thoughts on the wrong horse. OOPs. Colonel John and Gomez had the last laugh when they posted the order of finish.

I was thrilled to see Winstar Farm win the race with this son of Tiznow. One of my oldest friends on the planet Doug Cauthen is the CEO. Sometimes good things happen to good people. Well done! Yes, I am biased and always root for my friends.

The win was also a victory for artificial surfaces, proving that yes some horse can run on both. Colonel John had been tagged as a horse who may only excel on the artificial going. NOT TRUE. I hope he wins the Classic as well, and beats Big Brown. Big Brown should have been running today, no excuse. Racing is a game steeped in history and there is no race with the Travers’ history. Passing the race was inexcusable.

Nick Zito started 3 with zero hitting the board. He is one for 22 in the Travers, but his shots payoff every few years and the media buys his shtick.

Closing thoughts: ESPN needs to overhaul its horse racing coverage. Jerry “it is jockey racing, not horse racing” Bailey is hard to take. Everything is Johhny V did this, Edgar did this…..Alan did this….Blah…Blah…Blah. Alan Garcia was way back in the King’s Bishop on Visionaire. He came upon a wall of horses and steered him to the only clear path on the outside. No Jerry, not a great ride. Alan would tell you the same. Racing is 98% horse. Period. And yes Cigar would have been great without you. Also time to do something with the hair. From the side he looks like Gazoo from the Flintstones. Hank Goldberg is a poor handicapper at best and adds nothing unless you enjoy looking at his 3 chins. Randy Moss is excellent, keep him and retool the rest of the team.

Aug

23

Updated list of track closures

August 23, 2008 | Leave a Comment
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It is funny, you never know what kind of response you will receive when you write a blog. I had wrote of the demise of Bay Meadows, and listed the track closings I could think of in my lifetime. People commented and emailed in bunches with other tracks that had closed. Some were negative, “I am glad they closed…”. But most were fond memories. For me every track had something unique. The Northhamptom Fair was not the home of very good racing, but the old New England Fairs had their own charm. River Downs was never Keeneland, but was a fun little place with the river in the background. I had several fun days there. Narragansett I went to on their very last day of operation, once had Seabiscuit grace it’s oval. Interestingly, Seabiscuit also ran at Bay Meadows many times, as well as Havre De Grace and Detroit.

Anyway, I added the tracks and started a wiki page for you to add (or remove if still running) tracks.

  • Ak-Sar-Ben
  • Balmoral
  • Bay Meadows
  • Bel Air
  • Berkshire Downs
  • Birmingham
  • Bowie
  • Brockton Fair
  • Centennial
  • Coeur d’Alene
  • Commodore Downs
  • Cumberland
  • Detroit Race Course
  • Garden State
  • Great Barrington
  • Great Lakes Downs
  • Green Mountain
  • Greenwood
  • Hagerstown
  • Havre de Grace
  • Hazel Park
  • Hialeah
  • Jefferson Downs
  • Liberty Bell
  • Lincoln
  • Longacres
  • Marlborough
  • Marshfield Fair
  • Narragansett
  • Northhampton Fair
  • Playfair
  • Raceway Park
  • Rockingham Park
  • Sportsman’s Park
  • Stampede Park
  • The Woodlands
  • Trinity Meadows
  • Tropical Park
  • Yakima Meadows
  • Washington Park

Aug

21

Big Brown Duck

August 21, 2008 | 3 Comments
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Interesting that a NY trainer and outfit chooses every which way but NY.   For me the Travers is the race you really want to win. Sure Monmouth’s Haskell is an excellent race, but few horsemen would rather win that than the Travers. Big Brown didn’t want any part of Saratoga for the fear of a Belmont repeat.  Running against Curlin would have retired Big Brown for sure so they again seem to be escaping to the Jersey shore for a soft spot on the grass.  Sure they say we will meet you in races where they know upfront Curlin won’t go, such as artificial surfaces.  It would have been like Ali challenging Frazier to fight in a country where Frazier can’t get a visa. It is a shame as the 2 horses would generate a buzz we haven’t seen in while.

Racing needs to work on the spacing of its big events. The Travers and Haskell need a week or 2 more in between. Then horses could compete in both, and not lessen either event. I still doubt Big Brown would have run, but at least he would have had no excuse and would run in the Travers.

Tracks have gone out of their way to try and bring these 2 together, especially Suffolk Downs trying to raise the MassCap up a notch in prestige. Unfortunately, there is no way to force horses to run, so we have to listen to the fake posturing. But it is so transparent, few people believe the bluster.

Aug

19

Another one bites the dust…..

August 19, 2008 | 16 Comments
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Bay Meadows quietly became another racing ghost this week after 7 decades. Then I read how River Downs isn’t getting Thoroughbred dates in 2009 nor is Beulah. While none of these tracks are to be compared to Saratoga or Del Mar, with each track closing we lose a little bit more. It made me think about all the tracks which have closed in my lifetime of 45 years. (at least to Thoroughbreds)

Here are the tracks that come to mind:

  • Ak-Sar-Ben
  • Balmoral
  • Bay Meadows
  • Birmingham
  • Bowie
  • Brockton Fair
  • Detroit Race Course
  • Garden State
  • Great Barrington
  • Great Lakes Downs
  • Green Mountain
  • Greenwood
  • Hazel Park
  • Hialeah
  • Marshfield Fair
  • Narragansett
  • Northhampton
  • Rockingham Park
  • Sportsman’s Park
  • Tropical Park

I am sure there are many more I haven’t mentioned. Please let me know. The sad part is many more tracks are in danger should their legislatures not wake up. We could lose Pimlico, Suffolk and others within a few years which would be an unbelievable shame.

Jul

28

Da’ Belmont winner not so dandy

July 28, 2008 | 1 Comment
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Da’Tara proved what I said after the Belmont. My claim that it was the worst Belmont ever was proven in The Jim Dandy yesterday at Saratoga. Da’Tara took advantage of a (bad ride, too many days missed training, quarter crack, heat) You pick the excuse for Big Brown. Give a good horse the easy lead and a slow pace going 12 furlongs and they can be awfully tough to catch. Da’Tara is a Grade 3 type colt (not that there is anything wrong with that) and when hooked yesterday packed it in. Macho Uno is useful and got the job done.

Nick Zito knows you throw enough darts, one will hit the bull’s-eye. That is exactly what happened in the Belmont. I may not be a Zito fan, as he ruins more horses you will sadly never hear about. But at the end of the day, he has won some very big races, profiting those owners, and that is his job. Ben Jones, Bill Mott, Laz Barrera, PG Johnson, Mack Miller he is not.

Here’s the question: after the Jim Dandy, where are we with the 3 year olds? Will anyone step up in the Travers? Big Brown will either romp in the Haskell, or retires. Out west, the picture is still unclear. One thing is for sure, Da’ Tara is not Da’ big horse.

Hopefully Curlin will run in the Classic, it would be nice to see him pull a Tiznow. If Big Brown rebounds, it would be fun to watch those two go at it. I can’t see Curlin losing unless he doesn’t handle the artificial surface.