Going into the $200,000 New Orleans Ladies Stakes at Fair Grounds on Saturday, the signals from Rachel Alexandra’s connections were clear: she was not 100% fit for her first start in more than six months.
The race was a tuneup for the 2009 Horse of the Year’s showdown with undefeated Zenyatta in the Apple Blossom Invitational Stakes (G1) on April 9 at Oaklawn Park.
But a day after Rachel Alexandra’s three-quarter-length loss to Zardana (Brz), who was sent to New Orleans as a trial balloon by Zenyatta’s trainer, John Shirreffs, majority owner Jess Jackson declared Rachel Alexandra out of the “Race for the Ages.”
Did the sting of losing to Zenyatta’s second-string stablemate cause Jackson to overreact?
Do he and trainer Steve Asmussen have reason to believe their four-year-old Medaglia d’Oro filly will not recapture her incredible form of 2009, when she won all eight of her starts, including the Kentucky Oaks (G1), BlackBerry Preakness Stakes (G1), Haskell Invitational Stakes (G1), and Woodward Stakes (G1)?
Or as some others have suggested, has Team Rachel developed cold feet regarding their previously stated desire to face six-year-old Zenyatta three times this year?
Although she lost, Rachel did not run a bad race.
Breaking alertly from post two, Rachel was kept on hold by jockey Calvin Borel while pressing Fighter Wing through six furlongs in 1:12.86. At the top of the far turn, Borel took a look back and saw Zardana moving easily, advancing behind him.
Zardana rolled up outside Rachel as the field turned for home, but Borel hesitated to ask for the filly’s best run. After the race, Borel said he was instructed not to get into Rachel until the final sixteenth of a mile.
Those instructions were designed to prevent Rachel from doing too much in her comeback, but they hurt her chances to win on Saturday. A long-striding filly with a remarkable cruising speed, Rachel was put in the position of having to re-rally against a perfect-trip stalker who had a full head of steam.
Rachel was unable to outquicken Zardana, who was making her second start of the year and undoubtedly was cranked for the race, but she battled on gamely to the wire. The final time for 1 1/16 miles was 1:43.55, and it was 11½ lengths back to third-place finisher Unforgotten.
Although Zardana’s form since being imported to America in 2007 has topped out at the Grade 2 level, she did win her three previous races on dirt by an average margin of 13 lengths. Those victories were in her native Brazil, and until Saturday, Zardana has raced exclusively on turf and synthetic surfaces in California since she was shipped to the U.S.
It appears Zardana may be best on dirt. She was assigned a Beyer Speed Figure of 101, with Rachel Alexandra receiving a 100, the same figure she received in her first race of 2009. Although far from Rachel’s best, it was a good effort. And the figure roughly fits with Jackson’s prerace comments that she was only 80-85% ready.
Had Zardana not been in the race, a 12-length win and a Beyer Speed Figure of 100 would have looked like a perfectly acceptable prep race for the Apple Blossom.
Immediately after the defeat, Asmussen said, “No crystal ball could see that far ahead,” when asked about Rachel’s chances of facing Zenyatta at Oaklawn on April 9.
By Sunday, Team Rachel unequivocally declared her out of the showdown.
15-for-15
About 20 minutes after Rachel’s defeat, it was Zenyatta’s turn to make her 2010 debut in the Santa Margarita Invitational Handicap (G1) at Santa Anita Park.
Carrying 127 pounds—conceding from 12 to 16 pounds to her opposition—the 2009 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) winner again made her case as the best horse in the world and one of the best mares of all time.
Trapped behind a wall of horses turning for home, jockey Mike Smith sent 17-hand Zenyatta diving to the rail in midstretch and then back outside of pacesetter Dance to My Tune.
Despite some nervous moments, Smith never used his whip. Zenyatta was galloping in hand, showing off her huge stride at the wire.
If Rachel and Zenyatta both reach the starting gate at Oaklawn, the Apple Blossom’s purse will increase from $500,000 to $5-million.
Shirreffs and Zenyatta’s owners Jerry and Ann Moss said their mare will be there rain or shine, Rachel or not.
There is still time for Asmussen and Jackson to change their minds.
But it might depend on what they see in that crystal ball.
Showing posts with label horses. Show all posts
Showing posts with label horses. Show all posts
Monday, March 15, 2010
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
New Jersey takes a bold step forward
The theory that horse racing will never get its act together on a national scale because the industry players are too busy looking out for their own bottom lines (or existence in some cases) has proven true time and again.
But a piece of news from New Jersey, where Monmouth Park will focus on quality instead of quantity in a shortened 50-day 2010 meeting, has snapped me out of my blogging funk.
Under the plan approved by the New Jersey Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association yesterday, Monmouth will race Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays (plus a few selected holiday Mondays) from May 22 until Sept. 11. If projections of $50-million in purse money spread over 50 dates hold true, Monmouth will have the highest purse structure in America.
The horsemen, who in many states have pushed for year-round racing that has diluted the sport to the point of oblivion, should be commended for going in a different direction.
I believe the future of horse racing in America is less dates, higher quality racing, bigger fields, and lower takeout – all in a beautiful, fan-friendly atmosphere that celebrates racing as a special event.
Despite the horrendous rain-soaked conditions Monmouth experienced when it hosted the 2007 Breeders’ Cup, I came away from my first and only visit to the Oceanport track with a favorable impression.
It’s a charming property with a loyal local fan base. And although its trifecta takeout of 25% is too high, 17% on WPS wagers and 15% on the pick 4 makes Monmouth one of the good guys in terms of giving gamblers a fighting chance to make a profit (and a reason to feed the pari-mutuel pools that fuel the sport’s purse structure).
What is good for gamblers is good for the sport.
Hopefully the same will be said about the new vision for New Jersey racing.
But a piece of news from New Jersey, where Monmouth Park will focus on quality instead of quantity in a shortened 50-day 2010 meeting, has snapped me out of my blogging funk.
Under the plan approved by the New Jersey Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association yesterday, Monmouth will race Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays (plus a few selected holiday Mondays) from May 22 until Sept. 11. If projections of $50-million in purse money spread over 50 dates hold true, Monmouth will have the highest purse structure in America.
The horsemen, who in many states have pushed for year-round racing that has diluted the sport to the point of oblivion, should be commended for going in a different direction.
I believe the future of horse racing in America is less dates, higher quality racing, bigger fields, and lower takeout – all in a beautiful, fan-friendly atmosphere that celebrates racing as a special event.
Despite the horrendous rain-soaked conditions Monmouth experienced when it hosted the 2007 Breeders’ Cup, I came away from my first and only visit to the Oceanport track with a favorable impression.
It’s a charming property with a loyal local fan base. And although its trifecta takeout of 25% is too high, 17% on WPS wagers and 15% on the pick 4 makes Monmouth one of the good guys in terms of giving gamblers a fighting chance to make a profit (and a reason to feed the pari-mutuel pools that fuel the sport’s purse structure).
What is good for gamblers is good for the sport.
Hopefully the same will be said about the new vision for New Jersey racing.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Marathonical
Reporting from Saratoga Race Course, where I'm lucky to be today and tomorrow while passing time between the Fasig-Tipton select yearling sale and this weekend's New York-bred preferred sale.
I spent most of the last two nights shadowing Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum at the boutique sale, where he bought six yearlings for $6,350,000 and almost singelhandedly helped the sale defy sagging global economic trends. There's something surreal about standing next to a Middle Eastern monarch who is wearing blue jeans and a white long-sleeve shirt.
Sheikh Mohammed declined to talk to the media during the sale, but interracted with buyers, sellers, and even members of the public. I've never had a chance to interview him or get a sense of the type of person he is, but one of my companions at the sale offered this gem, "For an autocratic ruler, he seems like a pretty good guy."
Today it's good to get back to the track, a reminder of what those million-dollar yearlings and two-year-olds in training are supposed to be able to do.
I got here in time for the fourth race, a ridiculous non-winners of one optional claimer at two miles on the main track.
Nine horses were entered, but two scrached at the gate. Of the seven remaining runners, one bolted to the outside fence around the first of three turns and was eventually eased. Another horse was pulled up on the far turn.
Two others were distanced by about 30 lengths, barely making it to the wire while still galloping. Essentially, three horses finished the race.
I understand the desire to reward stamina in the breed, but very few American racetracks are properly configured for marathon races and even fewer of our horses can get the trip.
I spent most of the last two nights shadowing Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum at the boutique sale, where he bought six yearlings for $6,350,000 and almost singelhandedly helped the sale defy sagging global economic trends. There's something surreal about standing next to a Middle Eastern monarch who is wearing blue jeans and a white long-sleeve shirt.
Sheikh Mohammed declined to talk to the media during the sale, but interracted with buyers, sellers, and even members of the public. I've never had a chance to interview him or get a sense of the type of person he is, but one of my companions at the sale offered this gem, "For an autocratic ruler, he seems like a pretty good guy."
Today it's good to get back to the track, a reminder of what those million-dollar yearlings and two-year-olds in training are supposed to be able to do.
I got here in time for the fourth race, a ridiculous non-winners of one optional claimer at two miles on the main track.
Nine horses were entered, but two scrached at the gate. Of the seven remaining runners, one bolted to the outside fence around the first of three turns and was eventually eased. Another horse was pulled up on the far turn.
Two others were distanced by about 30 lengths, barely making it to the wire while still galloping. Essentially, three horses finished the race.
I understand the desire to reward stamina in the breed, but very few American racetracks are properly configured for marathon races and even fewer of our horses can get the trip.
Monday, July 13, 2009
McPeek targeting Saratoga for Striking Dancer
Before trainer Wesley Ward made his historic raid on the Royal Ascot meeting with Jealous Again and before Rachel Alexandra won the Kentucky Oaks (G1) by 20 ¼ lengths, another American-based filly was near the top of my horses to watch list for 2009.
Striking Dancer, a three-year-old Smart Strike filly out of the Danehill (Ire) mare Dancing Shoes, made her 2009 debut in a turf allowance at Gulfstream Park on February 25. Steadied on the turn and momentarily trapped behind a wall of horses, Striking Dancer and jockey Kent Desormeaux shot up the inside, steered outside and ran down the leader with a burst of late energy.
Trainer Ken McPeek briefly toyed with taking Striking Dancer to compete in a European classic, but an ankle injury sent her to the bench. Now three works into her comeback, McPeek is targeting Saratoga for Striking Dancer’s return.
I recently caught up with McPeek and asked him what he thought of the filly he ferreted out of the sixth day of the 2007 Keeneland September yearling sale for $110,000.
“She’s very good. We have to get her ready again, but she acts like she’s a graded stakes quality filly,” McPeek said. “We just have to get the time and get her ready. I think she will be competitive at a high level.”
Both of Striking Dancer's wins have come on grass, but McPeek thinks she has potential on dirt. He said he would have liked to run her in the Kentucky Oaks.
“I think she’d be fine on the dirt. We just haven’t had the opportunity to get her there,” McPeek said. “I think she might have given Rachel at least a test in the Oaks, but timing is everything and she just wasn’t ready.”
Striking Dancer was bred in Kentucky by Jess Jackson's Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings and was consigned by Warrendale Sales at the Keeneland September sale.
Striking Dancer (#4, green hat, blue polka dots)
Gulfstream, 2-25-09, Race 8
Friday, June 26, 2009
Breeders’ Cup: Our event is still going to be great
Breeders’ Cup officials hope Jess Jackson will change his mind about holding Rachel Alexandra out of the 2009 Breeders’ Cup World Championships.
But even if Jackson sticks to his position that Rachel will never again race on a synthetic surface, the Breeders’ Cup, at least publicly, is not sweating the decision.
“Our event is still going to be a great event,” said Breeders’ Cup Chief Marketing Officer Peter Land. “We’ll still have 80,000 to 100,000 people come. It’s still going to be a great television show and a great simulcast product.”
Jackson disagrees with the Breeders’ Cup’s decision to hold the event at Santa Anita Park, which has a synthetic Pro-Ride surface, for a second consecutive year. Jackson does not think the results of synthetic races are legitimate, nor does he think synthetics are safer than a well-maintained dirt surface.
Land and the management at Breeders’ Cup hope Jackson will change his mind before November 6-7.
“First of all it’s early. It’s only June, so we would hope that over the course of the summer it would be a shame if Jess didn’t have a change of heart,” Land said. “We obviously respect Jess and everything he’s done for the sport. He’s certainly a great sportsman. But more than anything else, we were surprised he would make an announcement this far out.”
Thanks to the synthetic experiment, American horses currently are competing on three different surfaces – dirt, turf, and synthetic. But no racetrack offers all three, so no matter where the Breeders’ Cup is held, it risks losing stars from one of them.
Land said he does not think surface should be that big of a deal.
“Some years it’s going to favor different horses on different tracks. It’s not unlike the PGA championships, some years the course will favor long hitters and some years it will favor putters,” Land said. “I think many sports in general have this built in testing mechanism that says if you’re a great champion you can persevere under conditions that might not be ideal.”
It would be nice if Land’s comparison with golf worked, but the reality is that very few horses are the same when they switch surfaces. Some great dirt horses have struggled to compete on the synthetics or turf. Just as many great European turf stars are a shadow of themselves when they try dirt.
When Breeders’ Cup committed to Santa Anita for two years it was a controversial decision, not only because no track had ever hosted two consecutive Cups, but because of how new and untested the synthetics were. Until the current American experiment, nowhere in the world had Grade 1 races been contested and world champions crowned on a synthetic track. Even in Europe, where synthetics are preferred to dirt, all the Group 1 races are on turf, compared to just a handful of Group 3’s on the synth.
Last year Europeans Raven’s Pass and Henrythenavigator ran first and second in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1), the first time in the race’s 25-year history that Europeans swept the exacta. Jackson’s entrant in the race – Horse of the Year Curlin – finished a disappointing fourth. Santa Anita’s Pro-Ride surface, which anecdotally at least favors turf horses over dirt horses, was seen as playing a major role in that result.
As the move to synthetics has alienated the connections of some American horses, it has won favor with the Europeans and helped Breeders’ Cup in its ongoing quest to become a true world championship. Land said he believes the net result is positive.
“We’re gonna have 150 of the best horses in the world competing this year. Are we going to lose a few American horses? Probably. But on balance, we might end up with more than 30 horses from Europe this year, and we’re a global championship televised all over the world,” Land said. “To have more horses from outside the United States competing I think is a good thing for the Breeders’ Cup and for the sport.”
But even if Jackson sticks to his position that Rachel will never again race on a synthetic surface, the Breeders’ Cup, at least publicly, is not sweating the decision.
“Our event is still going to be a great event,” said Breeders’ Cup Chief Marketing Officer Peter Land. “We’ll still have 80,000 to 100,000 people come. It’s still going to be a great television show and a great simulcast product.”
Jackson disagrees with the Breeders’ Cup’s decision to hold the event at Santa Anita Park, which has a synthetic Pro-Ride surface, for a second consecutive year. Jackson does not think the results of synthetic races are legitimate, nor does he think synthetics are safer than a well-maintained dirt surface.
Land and the management at Breeders’ Cup hope Jackson will change his mind before November 6-7.
“First of all it’s early. It’s only June, so we would hope that over the course of the summer it would be a shame if Jess didn’t have a change of heart,” Land said. “We obviously respect Jess and everything he’s done for the sport. He’s certainly a great sportsman. But more than anything else, we were surprised he would make an announcement this far out.”
Thanks to the synthetic experiment, American horses currently are competing on three different surfaces – dirt, turf, and synthetic. But no racetrack offers all three, so no matter where the Breeders’ Cup is held, it risks losing stars from one of them.
Land said he does not think surface should be that big of a deal.
“Some years it’s going to favor different horses on different tracks. It’s not unlike the PGA championships, some years the course will favor long hitters and some years it will favor putters,” Land said. “I think many sports in general have this built in testing mechanism that says if you’re a great champion you can persevere under conditions that might not be ideal.”
It would be nice if Land’s comparison with golf worked, but the reality is that very few horses are the same when they switch surfaces. Some great dirt horses have struggled to compete on the synthetics or turf. Just as many great European turf stars are a shadow of themselves when they try dirt.
When Breeders’ Cup committed to Santa Anita for two years it was a controversial decision, not only because no track had ever hosted two consecutive Cups, but because of how new and untested the synthetics were. Until the current American experiment, nowhere in the world had Grade 1 races been contested and world champions crowned on a synthetic track. Even in Europe, where synthetics are preferred to dirt, all the Group 1 races are on turf, compared to just a handful of Group 3’s on the synth.
Last year Europeans Raven’s Pass and Henrythenavigator ran first and second in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1), the first time in the race’s 25-year history that Europeans swept the exacta. Jackson’s entrant in the race – Horse of the Year Curlin – finished a disappointing fourth. Santa Anita’s Pro-Ride surface, which anecdotally at least favors turf horses over dirt horses, was seen as playing a major role in that result.
As the move to synthetics has alienated the connections of some American horses, it has won favor with the Europeans and helped Breeders’ Cup in its ongoing quest to become a true world championship. Land said he believes the net result is positive.
“We’re gonna have 150 of the best horses in the world competing this year. Are we going to lose a few American horses? Probably. But on balance, we might end up with more than 30 horses from Europe this year, and we’re a global championship televised all over the world,” Land said. “To have more horses from outside the United States competing I think is a good thing for the Breeders’ Cup and for the sport.”
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Night racing report
I was one of the 28,011 who packed into Churchill Downs for Friday's historic night racing card.
A few comments:
-Snafus aside, the increased handle and attendance are proof that night racing can work. The night had an electric feel to it even without a stakes race or marquee horse on the card.
-Racing still matters in Kentucky. Night racing gave the fans a reason to come out, and a huge, demographically diverse crowd turned out for the party.
-Yet again, Churchill seemed unconcerned with the experience of the common fan, who paid $10 entry fee to experience sauna-like conditions and wait in unbearably long lines. The betting lines were long, but you could literally miss two races waiting for food or drink.
-I have never sweated so much at a racetrack in my life. My party was set up in a box underneath the grandstand overhang, where air circulation was less than ideal. Also, the volume and treble on the speakers in the grandstand were set way too high, doing no favors for track announcer Mark Johnson's between race chatter.
Night racing has a lot of potential, and the people supported it. But of those 28,000, how many will want to come back to experience those conditions anytime soon? Churchill must find a way to make the track a more enjoyable experience for everyday fans.
It was good to hear the announcement from Bill Carstanjen, Churchill's executive vice president and chief operating officer, about decreased prices and increased staffing for the June 26 and July 2 night cards.
“More than 28,000 turned out for the debut of night racing at Churchill Downs and the evening was a great success on most every level, but our track fell short in one important area of guest service, our fans have spoken to us about their disappointment and we have listened,” Carstanjen said. “Last Friday was a special and historic night at Churchill Downs and we hope that every fan that shared the evening with us will always carry wonderful memories of the evening. But many fans were clearly unhappy with the unacceptable level of service offered in beer lines throughout the track. We share their frustration, apologize for the experience and vow it will not happen again. We’re hoping all fans who were with us for the debut of night racing under the Twin Spires will be back with us again this Friday and on Thursday, July 2 and give us a chance to make racing under the lights at Churchill Downs truly special for everyone.”
A few comments:
-Snafus aside, the increased handle and attendance are proof that night racing can work. The night had an electric feel to it even without a stakes race or marquee horse on the card.
-Racing still matters in Kentucky. Night racing gave the fans a reason to come out, and a huge, demographically diverse crowd turned out for the party.
-Yet again, Churchill seemed unconcerned with the experience of the common fan, who paid $10 entry fee to experience sauna-like conditions and wait in unbearably long lines. The betting lines were long, but you could literally miss two races waiting for food or drink.
-I have never sweated so much at a racetrack in my life. My party was set up in a box underneath the grandstand overhang, where air circulation was less than ideal. Also, the volume and treble on the speakers in the grandstand were set way too high, doing no favors for track announcer Mark Johnson's between race chatter.
Night racing has a lot of potential, and the people supported it. But of those 28,000, how many will want to come back to experience those conditions anytime soon? Churchill must find a way to make the track a more enjoyable experience for everyday fans.
It was good to hear the announcement from Bill Carstanjen, Churchill's executive vice president and chief operating officer, about decreased prices and increased staffing for the June 26 and July 2 night cards.
“More than 28,000 turned out for the debut of night racing at Churchill Downs and the evening was a great success on most every level, but our track fell short in one important area of guest service, our fans have spoken to us about their disappointment and we have listened,” Carstanjen said. “Last Friday was a special and historic night at Churchill Downs and we hope that every fan that shared the evening with us will always carry wonderful memories of the evening. But many fans were clearly unhappy with the unacceptable level of service offered in beer lines throughout the track. We share their frustration, apologize for the experience and vow it will not happen again. We’re hoping all fans who were with us for the debut of night racing under the Twin Spires will be back with us again this Friday and on Thursday, July 2 and give us a chance to make racing under the lights at Churchill Downs truly special for everyone.”
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Beyer tweaks his formula
Andrew Beyer, the creator of the popular Beyer Speed Figures that appear in Daily Racing Form, has announced a change in the way he will calculate his figures for synthetic tracks.
The change is based on an interesting finding. According to Beyer, the synthetic tracks are allowing slow horses to run a little faster while making fast horses run a little slower.
At tracks that installed synthetic surfaces, the average speed figure for bottom level maiden claimers increased by about three points. Meanwhile, the average winning figure for older male stakes horses decreased by about four points, Beyer says.
His findings support the lament that the synthetic tracks are preventing our fastest horses from performing to their ability, while aiding horses we previously judged to be inferior.
Here in Lexington, the seemingly unpredictable nature of synthetic racing has been demonstrated by the results of graded stakes races run at Keeneland Race Course since Polytrack was installed for the fall 2006 meeting.
No matter when or where the race, the wagering favorite typically wins around 30% of the time. It is one of the most powerful, consistent statistics in the sport.
But on Keeneland's Polytrack, the favorite has won just six of 53 times - an 11.3% success rate over the three-year period.
Paired with Beyer's finding that the synthetics help the slow and hurt the fast, it's one more reason to question whether we should be basing the future of the breed and running some of our most important races - such as the Breeders' Cup - on experimental synthetic tracks.
The change is based on an interesting finding. According to Beyer, the synthetic tracks are allowing slow horses to run a little faster while making fast horses run a little slower.
At tracks that installed synthetic surfaces, the average speed figure for bottom level maiden claimers increased by about three points. Meanwhile, the average winning figure for older male stakes horses decreased by about four points, Beyer says.
His findings support the lament that the synthetic tracks are preventing our fastest horses from performing to their ability, while aiding horses we previously judged to be inferior.
Here in Lexington, the seemingly unpredictable nature of synthetic racing has been demonstrated by the results of graded stakes races run at Keeneland Race Course since Polytrack was installed for the fall 2006 meeting.
No matter when or where the race, the wagering favorite typically wins around 30% of the time. It is one of the most powerful, consistent statistics in the sport.
But on Keeneland's Polytrack, the favorite has won just six of 53 times - an 11.3% success rate over the three-year period.
Paired with Beyer's finding that the synthetics help the slow and hurt the fast, it's one more reason to question whether we should be basing the future of the breed and running some of our most important races - such as the Breeders' Cup - on experimental synthetic tracks.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Arlington still in shock over Douglas injury
I called trainer Chris Block Monday afternoon to talk about Giant Oak’s impressive victory in the $150,000 Arlington Classic on Saturday, but that blog will have to wait.
The foremost thing on Block's and most people’s minds at Arlington Park is the tragic injury suffered by Rene Douglas in the Arlington Matron (G3).
The 42-year-old, six-time leading rider at Arlington faces a battle with paralysis after his mount Born to Be was bumped, clipped heels, and fell as the field turned for home.
“It’s affected the whole racetrack community a whole lot up here,” Block said. “Rene was a fan favorite and a horsemen’s favorite. We don’t have many great riders in Chicago right now, and we all looked forward to seeing him ride when he comes to town for the summer. We’re all holding out hope that things will get better and he might be able to walk.”
When I first started going to Arlington in the early and mid 1990s, the rider colony included jocks such as Pat Day, Shane Sellers, Jorge Velasquez, Mark Guidry, and Garrett Gomez. Looking back, I think the riders were better than the horses! I really didn’t know how good we had it.
Nationally the sport has suffered the retirement of a lot of great riders over the last ten years. The drop-off has hit the Chicago colony hard. When Douglas came to Arlington in 2001 he filled a void.
Already an accomplished veteran (he had been leading rider at Calder in '93 and won the ’96 Belmont Stakes on Editor’s Note), Douglas won 134 races his first season in Chicago, more than twice as many as any other rider. He quickly became the go-to jockey on the circuit, and as his mounts improved in quality, so did his confidence.
When Douglas was in the zone, he seemingly always had his mount in the right place at the right time. He particularly loved Arlington’s turf course, and he knew how to ride it as well as any jockey I’ve seen.
Watch how Douglas made it look easy in the 2007 Beverly D. Stakes (G1) on the #7 horse, 9-to-1 Royal Highness. It was the quintessential Douglas ride -- he saved ground, was tactically placed yet patient, and finished with a strong, well-timed move.
It's one of my lasting memories of Douglas, and one of many great wins he can look back on during his recovery.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Nicanor by 15!
Barbaro's full brother Nicanor won his turf debut by 15 lengths on Wednesday at Delaware Park, much to the delight of his legions of fans.
Has a maiden ever had a more loyal, rabid following?
Although the three-year-old Dynaformer colt ran well (and fairly fast) in his previous dirt races at Gulfstream Park, he clearly relished the move to turf and two turns in his fourth career start.
After pressing a first quarter in a reasonable :24.34 while three-wide, Nicanor and jockey Anna Napravnik took control of the race before the field hit the backstretch. Nicanor gradually pulled away in :49, 1:14.35, 1:39.86, and 1:46.31. (the course was rated firm, but it must have been a little on the deep side)
Neither the final time nor the final 5/16 in :31.96 seem particularly fast at face value, so the quality of the field he was facing probably played a big role in that margin of victory.
Still, it was a very nice effort, and Nicanor did everything that could have been expected and more. He is a stakes candidate now, and the rich summer turf races for three-year-olds are calling.
Trainer Michael Matz took a conservative stance immediately after the race, saying he would like to aim for a non-winners allowance race. see story
While there will be comparisons made between Barbaro's debut victory on the turf, which also came at Delaware, I wouldn't rate this performance on that level.
Barbaro pressed fairly quick fractions and flew home in :23.66, a fast final quarter for any turf horse, much less a front runner making his debut.
Of course, very few horses will ever live up to what Barbaro did in his seven-race career. But with the potential Nicanor showed today, and his dam La Ville Rouge spitting out good-looking full siblings to Barbaro each year, race fans can dream.
Nicanor's debut race replay
Barbaro's debut race replay
Has a maiden ever had a more loyal, rabid following?
Although the three-year-old Dynaformer colt ran well (and fairly fast) in his previous dirt races at Gulfstream Park, he clearly relished the move to turf and two turns in his fourth career start.
After pressing a first quarter in a reasonable :24.34 while three-wide, Nicanor and jockey Anna Napravnik took control of the race before the field hit the backstretch. Nicanor gradually pulled away in :49, 1:14.35, 1:39.86, and 1:46.31. (the course was rated firm, but it must have been a little on the deep side)
Neither the final time nor the final 5/16 in :31.96 seem particularly fast at face value, so the quality of the field he was facing probably played a big role in that margin of victory.
Still, it was a very nice effort, and Nicanor did everything that could have been expected and more. He is a stakes candidate now, and the rich summer turf races for three-year-olds are calling.
Trainer Michael Matz took a conservative stance immediately after the race, saying he would like to aim for a non-winners allowance race. see story
While there will be comparisons made between Barbaro's debut victory on the turf, which also came at Delaware, I wouldn't rate this performance on that level.
Barbaro pressed fairly quick fractions and flew home in :23.66, a fast final quarter for any turf horse, much less a front runner making his debut.
Of course, very few horses will ever live up to what Barbaro did in his seven-race career. But with the potential Nicanor showed today, and his dam La Ville Rouge spitting out good-looking full siblings to Barbaro each year, race fans can dream.
Nicanor's debut race replay
Barbaro's debut race replay
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Filly could elevate '09 Triple Crown
The Internet has been abuzz with mostly negative comments about Jess Jackson's purchase of Rachel Alexandra and the announcement that she is under consideration for the Preakness Stakes (G1).
Admittedly, it did not take a lot of imagination to buy the 20-length winner of the Kentucky Oaks (G1), after the race. It took a lot of money.
And no one liked to see trainer like Hal Wiggins lose the star filly he trained for the first ten races of her career. So the backlash was predictable, perhaps warranted on some level.
But Rachel Alexandra's sale could be very good for a sport struggling to regain its place in the national conscience.
Clashes between great competitors are celebrated in all sports. In racing they are too few and far between.
With the exception of the Triple Crown, the Breeders' Cup, and a handful of other races, many of our best horses spend the year avoiding each other while preserving their value upon retirement, which comes too soon for too many.
Rachel Alexandra's breeder and previous owner Dolphus Morrison was going to point her to the Acorn Stakes (G1), a one-turn mile for three-year-old fillies on the Belmont Stakes (G1) undercard. The Acorn is a nice race and a conservative, logical spot, but it likely would have featured no more drama than the marvelous filly's morning workouts. Rachel Alexandra would have been 1-to-9 to crush the handful of rivals who showed up.
Not only was Morrison avoiding a matchup with colts under the admittedly less-than-ideal conditions the Triple Crown presents, he said he was looking out for the breeding value of those future stallions he did not want to chance trouncing!
"The Triple Crown races are for future stallions," said Morrison, definitely not quoting the condition book.
Jackson took the best dirt horse in the world -- two-time Horse of the Year Curlin -- and ran him on the grass because he wanted to find out if Curlin could make a historic run at the world's best grass race the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Fr-G1). Jackson also ran Curlin on Santa Anita's experimental, synthetic Pro-Ride surface in the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) instead of keeping him on the dirt tracks he excelled on.
Jackson will not limit Rachel Alexandra's campaign based on a regard for his competitors' breeding values. Nor will he keep her in races restricted to females because "fillies should run against fillies," as Morrison suggested.
It was the filly Rags to Riches who upset Curlin in the 2007 Belmont in what is likely to go down as one of the best races of the era, perhaps ever.
The Triple Crown is racing's greatest stage. If this year's Preakness features a matchup between one of the fastest fillies of modern times, an improbable 50-1 longshot who made the cover of Sports Illustrated, and the three colts who finished behind him in a blanket finish in the Derby slop, sports fans and racing will be the winners.
Succeed or fail, that kind of competitive spirit should be saluted.
Admittedly, it did not take a lot of imagination to buy the 20-length winner of the Kentucky Oaks (G1), after the race. It took a lot of money.
And no one liked to see trainer like Hal Wiggins lose the star filly he trained for the first ten races of her career. So the backlash was predictable, perhaps warranted on some level.
But Rachel Alexandra's sale could be very good for a sport struggling to regain its place in the national conscience.
Clashes between great competitors are celebrated in all sports. In racing they are too few and far between.
With the exception of the Triple Crown, the Breeders' Cup, and a handful of other races, many of our best horses spend the year avoiding each other while preserving their value upon retirement, which comes too soon for too many.
Rachel Alexandra's breeder and previous owner Dolphus Morrison was going to point her to the Acorn Stakes (G1), a one-turn mile for three-year-old fillies on the Belmont Stakes (G1) undercard. The Acorn is a nice race and a conservative, logical spot, but it likely would have featured no more drama than the marvelous filly's morning workouts. Rachel Alexandra would have been 1-to-9 to crush the handful of rivals who showed up.
Not only was Morrison avoiding a matchup with colts under the admittedly less-than-ideal conditions the Triple Crown presents, he said he was looking out for the breeding value of those future stallions he did not want to chance trouncing!
"The Triple Crown races are for future stallions," said Morrison, definitely not quoting the condition book.
Jackson took the best dirt horse in the world -- two-time Horse of the Year Curlin -- and ran him on the grass because he wanted to find out if Curlin could make a historic run at the world's best grass race the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Fr-G1). Jackson also ran Curlin on Santa Anita's experimental, synthetic Pro-Ride surface in the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) instead of keeping him on the dirt tracks he excelled on.
Jackson will not limit Rachel Alexandra's campaign based on a regard for his competitors' breeding values. Nor will he keep her in races restricted to females because "fillies should run against fillies," as Morrison suggested.
It was the filly Rags to Riches who upset Curlin in the 2007 Belmont in what is likely to go down as one of the best races of the era, perhaps ever.
The Triple Crown is racing's greatest stage. If this year's Preakness features a matchup between one of the fastest fillies of modern times, an improbable 50-1 longshot who made the cover of Sports Illustrated, and the three colts who finished behind him in a blanket finish in the Derby slop, sports fans and racing will be the winners.
Succeed or fail, that kind of competitive spirit should be saluted.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Resisting Derby Fever (aka doing right by your horse)
Every year several horses are entered in the Kentucky Derby (G1) that have no business being in the field.
For some owners and trainers, the allure of America's greatest horse race is too much to turn down - even if their horse has proven (so far) to be too slow to match up with the best three-year-olds in the country and shown no indication they will improve at the Derby's 10-furlong distance.
Illinois Derby (G2) runner-up Giant Oak was not one of those horses, but his connections announced on Tuesday that the Giant's Causeway colt will bypass the first leg of the Triple Crown in favor of a summer turf campaign. (see story)
That announcement followed similar prudent decisions from the connections of Big Drama, Bittel Road, Charitable Man, Mafaaz, and Terrain.
Chicago-based trainer Chris Block, who conditions Giant Oak for husband and wife Rudy and Regina Tara, said it was not a difficult call.
"I’ve watched the Derby very closely over the last ten years and specifically watched some horses I felt didn’t have a chance in there. And I’ve seen how it absolutely compromised their careers," Block said. "So I always thought if I was ever in that position, I’d do what I thought was the right thing for the future of the horse."
Giant Oak stamped himself a Derby contender with a second-place finish in last year's Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs. (KY Jockey Club S. replay)
Still a gangly, green horse, Giant Oak had considerable room for improvement. But five months later, the same thing can still be said.
Sent to Louisiana for his Triple Crown preparations, everything went wrong. A traffic-filled, nightmarish trip led to a fifth-place finish in the Risen Star Stakes (G3). That was followed by a fourth in the Louisiana Derby (G2), a race contested on a sloppy, sealed track. Although beaten 9 1/4 lengths by winner Friesan Fire, Giant Oak finished just two lengths behind subsequent Arkansas Derby (G2) winner Papa Clem.
"The circumstances in Louisiana really didn’t allow him to grow mentally and give us an avenue to develop his style like we hoped," Block said.
That left the Illinois Derby (G2) on April 4 at Hawthorne Race Course as Giant Oak's final Derby audition. (Ill Derby replay)
Giant Oak showed improved early speed but was unable to run down Tampa Bay Derby (G3) winner Musket Man, who got a slight jump on him turning for home. The second-place finish was a step in the right direction, but not enough for Block to want to take him to Louisville.
"Other than the winner, there wasn't a lot in there. And the way I see it, Musket Man beat us fair and square," Block said. "One of the reasons I decided not to go to the Derby was that if I was in the paddock before the race, I don't even know what instructions I would give the rider. This horse is still a work in progress."
Giant Oak is not a pretty mover on any surface, but his long stride seems more efficient on turf, and that is where Block believes his future may be. (race replay of his career debut on turf)
"A horse like Giant Oak is why we get in this business," said 42-year-old Block, who has been training since 1989. "You’re hoping for a horse like him to come along, but we see a lot more upside for the development of this horse in passing the Derby."
For some owners and trainers, the allure of America's greatest horse race is too much to turn down - even if their horse has proven (so far) to be too slow to match up with the best three-year-olds in the country and shown no indication they will improve at the Derby's 10-furlong distance.
Illinois Derby (G2) runner-up Giant Oak was not one of those horses, but his connections announced on Tuesday that the Giant's Causeway colt will bypass the first leg of the Triple Crown in favor of a summer turf campaign. (see story)
That announcement followed similar prudent decisions from the connections of Big Drama, Bittel Road, Charitable Man, Mafaaz, and Terrain.
Chicago-based trainer Chris Block, who conditions Giant Oak for husband and wife Rudy and Regina Tara, said it was not a difficult call.
"I’ve watched the Derby very closely over the last ten years and specifically watched some horses I felt didn’t have a chance in there. And I’ve seen how it absolutely compromised their careers," Block said. "So I always thought if I was ever in that position, I’d do what I thought was the right thing for the future of the horse."
Giant Oak stamped himself a Derby contender with a second-place finish in last year's Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs. (KY Jockey Club S. replay)
Still a gangly, green horse, Giant Oak had considerable room for improvement. But five months later, the same thing can still be said.
Sent to Louisiana for his Triple Crown preparations, everything went wrong. A traffic-filled, nightmarish trip led to a fifth-place finish in the Risen Star Stakes (G3). That was followed by a fourth in the Louisiana Derby (G2), a race contested on a sloppy, sealed track. Although beaten 9 1/4 lengths by winner Friesan Fire, Giant Oak finished just two lengths behind subsequent Arkansas Derby (G2) winner Papa Clem.
"The circumstances in Louisiana really didn’t allow him to grow mentally and give us an avenue to develop his style like we hoped," Block said.
That left the Illinois Derby (G2) on April 4 at Hawthorne Race Course as Giant Oak's final Derby audition. (Ill Derby replay)
Giant Oak showed improved early speed but was unable to run down Tampa Bay Derby (G3) winner Musket Man, who got a slight jump on him turning for home. The second-place finish was a step in the right direction, but not enough for Block to want to take him to Louisville.
"Other than the winner, there wasn't a lot in there. And the way I see it, Musket Man beat us fair and square," Block said. "One of the reasons I decided not to go to the Derby was that if I was in the paddock before the race, I don't even know what instructions I would give the rider. This horse is still a work in progress."
Giant Oak is not a pretty mover on any surface, but his long stride seems more efficient on turf, and that is where Block believes his future may be. (race replay of his career debut on turf)
"A horse like Giant Oak is why we get in this business," said 42-year-old Block, who has been training since 1989. "You’re hoping for a horse like him to come along, but we see a lot more upside for the development of this horse in passing the Derby."
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Sales to Racetrack: The tale of Don Gato
Don Gato, the $800,000 Storm Cat colt that topped the 2008 Keeneland April sale of selected two-year-olds in training, makes his career debut in race 7 at Keeneland today.
The race is a $50,000 maiden special weight for three-year-olds, at seven furlongs on the Polytrack. It drew a field of 11, and Don Gato has been tabbed at 6-to-1 on the morning line.
Don Gato is out of the stakes placed Mr. Prospector mare Here I Go. That makes him a half brother to 2005 Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner Summerly (Summer Squall), who won four stakes, all at two turns.
Bred in Kentucky by Tom VanMeter, Michael Lowenbaum & Dr. Rand E. Dankner, Don Gato was slow to come around as a juvenile, hence his entry in the last select juvenile sale on the calendar. He was consigned by Hartley/De Renzo Thoroughbreds, as agent. Randy Hartley told me he only breezed Don Gato once before the sale and that the colt hadn't been pushed.
At the pre-sale under-tack show Don Gato worked one furlong in :10.20, and I had him galloping out in 24 flat. The track was lightning fast that day, as evidenced by the world record breeze of :9.60 by Cognito, a subsequent Saratoga maiden graduate who finished eighth in the Hopeful Stakes (G1).
You can watch Don Gato's workout from the sale here.
Although he was a bit immature, Don Gato went fast enough and had a good enough way of moving to capitalize on his primary attraction - his pedigree. Just a few days before he went through the ring, news of his sire Storm Cat's declining fertility broke. "They won't be making many more of these," said VanMeter.
Bloodstock agent Hanzly Albina signed the ticket for Don Gato on behalf of Azerbaijani businessman Mammad Huseynov. Huseynov later purchased Brookhill Farm in Lexington, see story.
Don Gato was turned out for 60 days after the sale at VanMeter's farm and then sent to trainer Ian Wilkes (both indications of a patient approach with the well-bred colt).
Don Gato spent the winter with Wilkes in Florida at Palm Meadows Training Center, where he worked regularly, although not terribly fast. He enters his career debut off three works at Churchill Downs.
I spoke to Wilkes this morning, and he reports Don Gato is a good looking colt who is just starting to come around.
"I’m pleased with the way he’s coming around. It's just taken him some time," Wilkes said. "He’s fit and ready to run, but mentally he’s still trying to catch on with what we're trying to do. The horses can't read what we paid for them."
When I asked Wilkes if he thought Don Gato had a chance to be a serious racehorse, he said, "Can you ask me that after the race?"
Race seven is scheduled for 4:05 p.m. EDT.
---
Don Gato (#8) was 10th and last early but came flying late to finish second in his career debut. Here is the video replay courtesy of Keeneland. And here is the equibase chart.
The winner also was a big sale horse. Big Top, owned by My Meadowview Farm and trained by Nick Zito, is a Giant's Causeway colt out of Thorough Fair, by Quiet American. The half brother to Grade 2 winner Whywhywhy cost $1,050,000 at the 2006 Keeneland November breeding stock sale.
I hope to talk to trainer Ian Wilkes in the morning and get his thoughts on Don Gato's performance.
---
Trainer Ian Wilkes reports Don Gato came out of the race, "a little tired, but fine."
Wilkes was happy with the way Don Gato finished the race, running his final three furlongs in a shade under 36 seconds.
"I was very pleased. You couldn’t ask for a better first start for him," Wilkes said Thursday morning. "He did a few things wrong in the race, but I think he’ll improve for the experience. He broke ok, but he’s never real fast out of the gate. He got a little spooky from those horses around him, but then he settled into stride. He’s just got to get a little more race savvy about him."
Wilkes said a maiden race at Churchill Downs will be Don Gato's next target.
"[Jockey Julien Leparoux] said he was a nice horse. He was very pleased with him," Wilkes said. "I think he’ll run long. He relaxes early. He’s got the looks and pedigree, so I don’t think there’s any distance limitations for him."
The race is a $50,000 maiden special weight for three-year-olds, at seven furlongs on the Polytrack. It drew a field of 11, and Don Gato has been tabbed at 6-to-1 on the morning line.
Don Gato is out of the stakes placed Mr. Prospector mare Here I Go. That makes him a half brother to 2005 Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner Summerly (Summer Squall), who won four stakes, all at two turns.
Bred in Kentucky by Tom VanMeter, Michael Lowenbaum & Dr. Rand E. Dankner, Don Gato was slow to come around as a juvenile, hence his entry in the last select juvenile sale on the calendar. He was consigned by Hartley/De Renzo Thoroughbreds, as agent. Randy Hartley told me he only breezed Don Gato once before the sale and that the colt hadn't been pushed.
At the pre-sale under-tack show Don Gato worked one furlong in :10.20, and I had him galloping out in 24 flat. The track was lightning fast that day, as evidenced by the world record breeze of :9.60 by Cognito, a subsequent Saratoga maiden graduate who finished eighth in the Hopeful Stakes (G1).
You can watch Don Gato's workout from the sale here.
Although he was a bit immature, Don Gato went fast enough and had a good enough way of moving to capitalize on his primary attraction - his pedigree. Just a few days before he went through the ring, news of his sire Storm Cat's declining fertility broke. "They won't be making many more of these," said VanMeter.
Bloodstock agent Hanzly Albina signed the ticket for Don Gato on behalf of Azerbaijani businessman Mammad Huseynov. Huseynov later purchased Brookhill Farm in Lexington, see story.
Don Gato was turned out for 60 days after the sale at VanMeter's farm and then sent to trainer Ian Wilkes (both indications of a patient approach with the well-bred colt).
Don Gato spent the winter with Wilkes in Florida at Palm Meadows Training Center, where he worked regularly, although not terribly fast. He enters his career debut off three works at Churchill Downs.
I spoke to Wilkes this morning, and he reports Don Gato is a good looking colt who is just starting to come around.
"I’m pleased with the way he’s coming around. It's just taken him some time," Wilkes said. "He’s fit and ready to run, but mentally he’s still trying to catch on with what we're trying to do. The horses can't read what we paid for them."
When I asked Wilkes if he thought Don Gato had a chance to be a serious racehorse, he said, "Can you ask me that after the race?"
Race seven is scheduled for 4:05 p.m. EDT.
---
Don Gato (#8) was 10th and last early but came flying late to finish second in his career debut. Here is the video replay courtesy of Keeneland. And here is the equibase chart.
The winner also was a big sale horse. Big Top, owned by My Meadowview Farm and trained by Nick Zito, is a Giant's Causeway colt out of Thorough Fair, by Quiet American. The half brother to Grade 2 winner Whywhywhy cost $1,050,000 at the 2006 Keeneland November breeding stock sale.
I hope to talk to trainer Ian Wilkes in the morning and get his thoughts on Don Gato's performance.
---
Trainer Ian Wilkes reports Don Gato came out of the race, "a little tired, but fine."
Wilkes was happy with the way Don Gato finished the race, running his final three furlongs in a shade under 36 seconds.
"I was very pleased. You couldn’t ask for a better first start for him," Wilkes said Thursday morning. "He did a few things wrong in the race, but I think he’ll improve for the experience. He broke ok, but he’s never real fast out of the gate. He got a little spooky from those horses around him, but then he settled into stride. He’s just got to get a little more race savvy about him."
Wilkes said a maiden race at Churchill Downs will be Don Gato's next target.
"[Jockey Julien Leparoux] said he was a nice horse. He was very pleased with him," Wilkes said. "I think he’ll run long. He relaxes early. He’s got the looks and pedigree, so I don’t think there’s any distance limitations for him."
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