Our family moved to Gainesville, Florida in July of 1961; Dad had retired after 22 years in the Navy, was going to get a teaching degree at the University of Florida using the GI Bill, and I had just turned 5 years old. Dad wanted to live in "a place where I never have to shovel snow again," and he had been stationed at Vero Beach and at Whiting Field, near Pensacola. I spent my school years, except the summers, in Gainesville, and I also attended the University of Florida after graduation from high school. We lived in the south east section of Gainesville, a relatively poor section of town, outside the city limits. We were friends with people of all colors, races, and religion. We frequently traveled to the island of Cedar Key, in Levy County, in the Gulf of Mexico. I had no idea we were going through what would have been the town of Rosewood, were it still standing. In 1982, information about Rosewood and the horrific racial injustice that happened there became common knowledge. Today, I was saddened by reading a newspaper article about the last house in Rosewood, and I am wondering what it's fate might be.... Please read this article. I wish I had the means to purchase, keep, and develop this building and the land around it, for the sake of all people who have had to withstand injustice - including the current owner. Her story, too, is heart-rending... http://www.tampabay.com/data/2018/06/06/the-last-house-in-rosewood/
Justify, the newly honored Triple Crown Champion, has returned to Churchill Downs and seems to have no ill effects from such a compacted major schedule. He ran in his first race 112 days before he won the Belmont, and won the 13th Triple Crown in 100 years. He will appear for racing fans on Saturday, June 16, in the paddock and on the track. Then he will travel back to Santa Anita, his home base.
And I had to laugh out loud at an owner of another horse in the Belmont Stakes, who claimed that Justify's stablemate, who is not even owned by the same people, was sent out to "run interference" for the big chestnut. Restoring Hope bolted at the start, under jockey Florent Geroux, went wide on the first turn and then moved back closer to the rail. He finished 8th. The horse usually runs back in the middle of the field and then runs in the later stages.
And the orange turkey in the White House seems to loose more marbles every day... First the G7 Summit, where he wanted his pal Vladi reinstated, and then refusing to agree to the final compact. Then he insults all of the members, except Abe of Japan, and tries to belittle and beat down Justin Trudeau of Canada. He leaves early to go to Singapore to met with Kim Jong Un, where he gives the North Korean dictator everything he wants, and gets nothing in return for our country. Stopping the US-South Korea war games is a significant concession to Kim, and to receive in return only a promise of a "complete" denuclearization - rather than the complete, verifiable, and irreversible kind to which the current administration has been referring in the entire lead-up to this summit - is NOT enough, in the immediate term.
Not to mention two of the orange majesty's comments in a news conference about the meeting:
1: "Honestly, I think he's going to do these things. I may be wrong, I mean I may stand before you in six months and say, hey, I was wrong - I don't know that I'll ever admit that, but I'll find some kind of an excuse."
2: "As an example, they have great beaches. You see that whenever they're exploding their cannons into the ocean, right? I said, "Boy, look at that view. Wouldn't that make a great condo?" And I explained, I said, instead of doing that you could have the best hotels in the world right there. Think of it from a real estate perspective. You have South Korea, you have China, and they own the land in the middle. How bad is that, right? It's great."
Showing posts with label Triple Crown. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Triple Crown. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 12, 2018
Monday, June 4, 2018
Will We See a New Triple Crown Winner On Saturday?
Saturday, 9 June, will see the 100th set of races for the title of the American Triple Crown in thoroughbred horse racing. This day will see the 150th running of the Belmont Stakes; due to World Wars, economic downturns, and the races beginning their runs in different years, this will be the one-hundredth attempt in 2018.
Earlier, some owners and trainers felt that their 3-year-olds were not developed enough to compete in a race covering one and a quarter miles the first Saturday in May. - Remember that a thoroughbred horse is not fully matured until it reaches the real calendar age of 8 years. - So that, up until the late 1930s, a lot of owners and trainers would not compete in the Kentucky Derby. Samuel D. Riddle, the owner of Man o'War, would not allow Big Red to run in the Derby in 1920, feeling it was too early; but the colt did go on to win the Preakness and Belmont...
In any event, in the 99 contested runnings for the Triple Crown so far there have only been 12 three-year-old colts who could win all three races. Justify is hoping to be the thirteenth on 9 June. Twenty-three other colts have won the first two legs of the Triple Crown and have either not raced in the Belmont, or have been defeated in the Belmont.
In this day and age, thoroughbred race horses are not raced that frequently. There is usually a break of 4 to 6 weeks between races, and some horses are trained for only specific races with specific racing conditions at specific race tracks. The Triple Crown is a grueling series for young horses. They race three times at three different tracks, at three different distances, in a period of 5 weeks. The first race is the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs outside of Louisville, Kentucky and the distance is 1 and 1/4 miles; the second race is just 2 weeks later, at Pimlico Race Track outside of Baltimore, Maryland covering a shorter distance of 1 and 3/16 miles; then, 3 weeks later, the colts race again at Belmont Park, outside of Elmont, New York, covering a distance of 1 and 1/2 miles on the track known as "Big Sandy."
Most of these colts will never race again at the distance of 1 and 1/2 miles. American horses just don't do that. It is usually a once-in-a-lifetime race distance - especially on our American dirt tracks. Turf races are another matter - both here in the United States and almost everywhere else in the world.
Here are a few other things to keep in mind about the Triple Crown races:
* Secretariat's times for all three races in 1973 are still the fastest times for all three races.
* Triple Crown winner Gallant Fox is the only winner to sire a Triple Crown winner, Omaha.
* Alydar is the only horse in history to finish second in all three races, behind Affirmed in 1978.
* Eddie Arcaro is the only jockey to have ridden in, and won, two sets of Triple Crown races - on Whirlaway in 1941, and on Citation in 1948.
* Steve Cauthen is the youngest jockey to win the Triple Crown, at age 18, in 1978.
* Victor Espinoza is the oldest jockey to win the Triple Crown, at age 43, in 2015. (If Justify wins on Saturday, with Mike Smith in the irons, then Mike will have the oldest jockey title, at age 52.)
The previous winners of the American Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing:
1919 - Sir Barton
1930 - Gallant Fox
1935 - Omaha
1937 - War Admiral
1941 - Whirlaway
1943 - Count Fleet
1946 - Assault
1948 - Citation
1973 - Secretariat
1977 - Seattle Slew
1978 - Affirmed
2015 - American Pharoah
Earlier, some owners and trainers felt that their 3-year-olds were not developed enough to compete in a race covering one and a quarter miles the first Saturday in May. - Remember that a thoroughbred horse is not fully matured until it reaches the real calendar age of 8 years. - So that, up until the late 1930s, a lot of owners and trainers would not compete in the Kentucky Derby. Samuel D. Riddle, the owner of Man o'War, would not allow Big Red to run in the Derby in 1920, feeling it was too early; but the colt did go on to win the Preakness and Belmont...
In any event, in the 99 contested runnings for the Triple Crown so far there have only been 12 three-year-old colts who could win all three races. Justify is hoping to be the thirteenth on 9 June. Twenty-three other colts have won the first two legs of the Triple Crown and have either not raced in the Belmont, or have been defeated in the Belmont.
In this day and age, thoroughbred race horses are not raced that frequently. There is usually a break of 4 to 6 weeks between races, and some horses are trained for only specific races with specific racing conditions at specific race tracks. The Triple Crown is a grueling series for young horses. They race three times at three different tracks, at three different distances, in a period of 5 weeks. The first race is the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs outside of Louisville, Kentucky and the distance is 1 and 1/4 miles; the second race is just 2 weeks later, at Pimlico Race Track outside of Baltimore, Maryland covering a shorter distance of 1 and 3/16 miles; then, 3 weeks later, the colts race again at Belmont Park, outside of Elmont, New York, covering a distance of 1 and 1/2 miles on the track known as "Big Sandy."
Most of these colts will never race again at the distance of 1 and 1/2 miles. American horses just don't do that. It is usually a once-in-a-lifetime race distance - especially on our American dirt tracks. Turf races are another matter - both here in the United States and almost everywhere else in the world.
Here are a few other things to keep in mind about the Triple Crown races:
* Secretariat's times for all three races in 1973 are still the fastest times for all three races.
* Triple Crown winner Gallant Fox is the only winner to sire a Triple Crown winner, Omaha.
* Alydar is the only horse in history to finish second in all three races, behind Affirmed in 1978.
* Eddie Arcaro is the only jockey to have ridden in, and won, two sets of Triple Crown races - on Whirlaway in 1941, and on Citation in 1948.
* Steve Cauthen is the youngest jockey to win the Triple Crown, at age 18, in 1978.
* Victor Espinoza is the oldest jockey to win the Triple Crown, at age 43, in 2015. (If Justify wins on Saturday, with Mike Smith in the irons, then Mike will have the oldest jockey title, at age 52.)
The previous winners of the American Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing:
1919 - Sir Barton
1930 - Gallant Fox
1935 - Omaha
1937 - War Admiral
1941 - Whirlaway
1943 - Count Fleet
1946 - Assault
1948 - Citation
1973 - Secretariat
1977 - Seattle Slew
1978 - Affirmed
2015 - American Pharoah
Thursday, June 8, 2017
Belmont Stakes On Saturday - Death of Holy Bull
Jonabell Farm announced this afternoon that stallion Holy Bull, at 26, was euthanized today due to the infirmities of old age. Holy Bull will be buried on Jonabell Farm.
Saturday, 10 June, will see the running of the third leg of the Triple Crown races. Neither of the winners of the Kentucky Derby or the Preakness Stakes will be running in the 1 and 1/2 mile race at Belmont Park. Originally, it was thought the betting favorite would be Classic Empire, who was announced to be training for the race soon after the Preakness. However, Classic Empire developed an abscess in the bulb of his off fore foot earlier this week, and was not officially entered.
Eight of the twelve entries in the Belmont Stakes have run in either the Derby or the Preakness. Here is a list of the entries, their morning-line odds, and their sires and grandsires:
1 Twisted Tom 20 to 1 Creative Cause Giant's Causeway
2 Tapwrit 6 to 1 Tapit Pulpit
3 Gormley 8 to 1 Malibu Moon A. P. Indy
4 J Boys Echo 15 to 1 Mineshaft A. P. Indy
5 Hollywood Handsome 30 to 1 Tapizar Tapit
6 Lookin At Lee 5 to 1 Lookin At Lucky Smart Strike
7 Irish War Cry 7 to 2 Curlin Smart Strike
8 Senior Investment 12 to 1 Discreetly Mine Mineshaft
9 Meantime 15 to 1 Shackleford Forestry
10 Multiplier 15 to 1 The Factor War Front
11 Epicharis 4 to 1 Gold Allure Sunday Silence
12 Patch 12 to 1 Union Rags Dixie Union
Nine of the colts were bred in Kentucky, with Twisted Tom from New York, Irish War Cry from New Jersey, and Epicharis from Japan. All are full males, except for gelded Twisted Tom. Tapwrit is the only grey horse in the field, with four chestnuts and seven bays.
Note that Epicharis was being treated for lameness on Thursday morning.
Saturday, 10 June, will see the running of the third leg of the Triple Crown races. Neither of the winners of the Kentucky Derby or the Preakness Stakes will be running in the 1 and 1/2 mile race at Belmont Park. Originally, it was thought the betting favorite would be Classic Empire, who was announced to be training for the race soon after the Preakness. However, Classic Empire developed an abscess in the bulb of his off fore foot earlier this week, and was not officially entered.
Eight of the twelve entries in the Belmont Stakes have run in either the Derby or the Preakness. Here is a list of the entries, their morning-line odds, and their sires and grandsires:
1 Twisted Tom 20 to 1 Creative Cause Giant's Causeway
2 Tapwrit 6 to 1 Tapit Pulpit
3 Gormley 8 to 1 Malibu Moon A. P. Indy
4 J Boys Echo 15 to 1 Mineshaft A. P. Indy
5 Hollywood Handsome 30 to 1 Tapizar Tapit
6 Lookin At Lee 5 to 1 Lookin At Lucky Smart Strike
7 Irish War Cry 7 to 2 Curlin Smart Strike
8 Senior Investment 12 to 1 Discreetly Mine Mineshaft
9 Meantime 15 to 1 Shackleford Forestry
10 Multiplier 15 to 1 The Factor War Front
11 Epicharis 4 to 1 Gold Allure Sunday Silence
12 Patch 12 to 1 Union Rags Dixie Union
Nine of the colts were bred in Kentucky, with Twisted Tom from New York, Irish War Cry from New Jersey, and Epicharis from Japan. All are full males, except for gelded Twisted Tom. Tapwrit is the only grey horse in the field, with four chestnuts and seven bays.
Note that Epicharis was being treated for lameness on Thursday morning.
Friday, May 20, 2016
The Preakness Runs Tomorrow
Time has really gotten away from me. The second leg of the Triple Crown of American Thoroughbred Racing will be run tomorrow at Old Hilltop, or Pimlico Racetrack, outside of Baltimore, Maryland. The distance is 1/8 mile (or one furlong) less than the Kentucky Derby two weeks ago. There are eleven entries for tomorrow's race, as it was decided that Gun Runner, who finished third in the Derby, would not participate in the Preakness. Nyquist, who won the Derby, drew post 3 in the small field. The entries are, by post position:
1. Cherry Wine, a grey/roan colt bred in Kentucky, sired by Paddy O'Prado
2. Uncle Lino, a bay colt bred in Kentucky, sired by Uncle Mo
3. Nyquist, a bay colt bred in Kentucky, sired by Uncle Mo
4. Awesome Speed, a bay colt bred in Kentucky, sired by Awesome Again
5. Exaggerator, a bay colt bred in Kentucky, sire by Curlin
6. Lani, a grey/roan colt bred in Kentucky, sired by Tapit
7. Collected, a chestnut colt bred in Kentucky, sired by City Zip
8. Laoban, a bay colt bred in Kentucky, sired by Uncle Mo
9. Abiding Star, a bay colt bred in Florida, sired by Uncle Mo
10. Fellowship, a chestnut colt bred in Florida, sired by Awesome of Course
11. Stradivari, a bay colt bred in Kentucky, sired by Medaglio d'Oro
There are three runners from the Derby - Nyquist, the winner; Exaggerator, who placed second; and Lani, the Japanese trained colt who's grandsire is Sunday Silence. Awesome Speed is the son of Awesome Again, while Fellowship is the grandson of Awesome Again. There are the four colts sired by Uncle Mo - Nyquist, Uncle Lino, Laoban, and Abiding Star. Nine of the eleven colts were bred in Kentucky, and two in Florida. There are two grey or roan colts; two chestnut colts; and seven bay or brown colts.
Will there be another Triple Crown Champion this year? We'll find out the possibility tomorrow....
1. Cherry Wine, a grey/roan colt bred in Kentucky, sired by Paddy O'Prado
2. Uncle Lino, a bay colt bred in Kentucky, sired by Uncle Mo
3. Nyquist, a bay colt bred in Kentucky, sired by Uncle Mo
4. Awesome Speed, a bay colt bred in Kentucky, sired by Awesome Again
5. Exaggerator, a bay colt bred in Kentucky, sire by Curlin
6. Lani, a grey/roan colt bred in Kentucky, sired by Tapit
7. Collected, a chestnut colt bred in Kentucky, sired by City Zip
8. Laoban, a bay colt bred in Kentucky, sired by Uncle Mo
9. Abiding Star, a bay colt bred in Florida, sired by Uncle Mo
10. Fellowship, a chestnut colt bred in Florida, sired by Awesome of Course
11. Stradivari, a bay colt bred in Kentucky, sired by Medaglio d'Oro
There are three runners from the Derby - Nyquist, the winner; Exaggerator, who placed second; and Lani, the Japanese trained colt who's grandsire is Sunday Silence. Awesome Speed is the son of Awesome Again, while Fellowship is the grandson of Awesome Again. There are the four colts sired by Uncle Mo - Nyquist, Uncle Lino, Laoban, and Abiding Star. Nine of the eleven colts were bred in Kentucky, and two in Florida. There are two grey or roan colts; two chestnut colts; and seven bay or brown colts.
Will there be another Triple Crown Champion this year? We'll find out the possibility tomorrow....
Saturday, May 14, 2016
A Week Before the Preakness, A Week After the Derby
Here we are, seven days after the Kentucky Derby and seven days before the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico in Maryland. I'm running way behind on my reporting. The complete order of finish for the Kentucky Derby, the full field of twenty horses, was as follows: 1 - Nyquist; 2 - Exaggerator; 3 - Gun Runner; 4 - Mohaymen; 5 - Suddenbreakingnews; 6 - Destin; 7 - Brody's Cause; 8 - Mo Tom; 9 - Lani; 10 - Mor Spirit; 11 - My Man Sam; 12 - Tom's Ready; 13 - Creator; 14 - Outwork; 15 - Danzing Candy; 16 - Trojan Nation; 17 - Oscar Nominated; 18 - Majesto; 19 - Whitmore; and 20 - Shagaf. Shagaf had an excuse for finishing last in the Kentucky Derby; he just underwent surgery to remove bone chips in both his left knee and left ankle. The colt will not run again until 2017.
Barring illness and/or injury, it looks like a field of 12 (possibly 13) for next Saturday's Preakness at Old Hilltop. From the Kentucky Derby, Nyquist, Exaggerator and Gun Runner, the top three finishers will carry on. Lani, the Japanese owned and trained colt, who won the UAE Derby will also continue the Triple Crown trail. The two colts who were on the Kentucky Derby stand-by roster will also run in the Preakness: Laoban and Cherry Wine. Other expected entries are Fellowship, Dazzling Gem, Uncle Lino, Collected, Stradivari, and Awesome Speed.
The owner and trainer of Abiding Star have also expressed interest in running for the Black-eyed Susans. However, Abiding Star is stabled at Parx Racing, and that facility has been under quarantine for EHV since 1 April. Abiding Star has never shown any symptoms of the disease, and Pimlico is ready to accept him, as soon as quarantine is lifted, which is expected on May 16 or 17.
So four colts who raced in the Kentucky Derby will meet with eight or nine colts who did not race 1 and 1/4 miles next Saturday. Then it's on to the Belmont Stakes three weeks later... Will Nyquist win the Preakness next week? Will he be a Triple Crown winner on June 11? He will have to continue racing well, and have great racing luck to do so. Great bloodlines, great training, great jockeys, good racing luck, and a great heart and will to win are needed to win America's Triple Crown.
Barring illness and/or injury, it looks like a field of 12 (possibly 13) for next Saturday's Preakness at Old Hilltop. From the Kentucky Derby, Nyquist, Exaggerator and Gun Runner, the top three finishers will carry on. Lani, the Japanese owned and trained colt, who won the UAE Derby will also continue the Triple Crown trail. The two colts who were on the Kentucky Derby stand-by roster will also run in the Preakness: Laoban and Cherry Wine. Other expected entries are Fellowship, Dazzling Gem, Uncle Lino, Collected, Stradivari, and Awesome Speed.
The owner and trainer of Abiding Star have also expressed interest in running for the Black-eyed Susans. However, Abiding Star is stabled at Parx Racing, and that facility has been under quarantine for EHV since 1 April. Abiding Star has never shown any symptoms of the disease, and Pimlico is ready to accept him, as soon as quarantine is lifted, which is expected on May 16 or 17.
So four colts who raced in the Kentucky Derby will meet with eight or nine colts who did not race 1 and 1/4 miles next Saturday. Then it's on to the Belmont Stakes three weeks later... Will Nyquist win the Preakness next week? Will he be a Triple Crown winner on June 11? He will have to continue racing well, and have great racing luck to do so. Great bloodlines, great training, great jockeys, good racing luck, and a great heart and will to win are needed to win America's Triple Crown.
Saturday, June 6, 2015
Will American Pharoah Win the Belmont Stakes?
Personally, I hope that American Pharoah will prevail over the seven other contestants. Why? Because American thoroughbred racing needs a boost, which it would get, if American Pharoah can win the Triple Crown Championship. Plus, I really like this colt's breeding. and I like his connections - his owners, trainer, and jockey. He is also a very good-looking colt - nice, calm eye, good head, great confirmation - and, apparently, he loves to run and win. I try not to like the betting favorite in any of the Triple Crown races - the last horse I was completely crazy over was Sunday Silence in 1989 - he won the Derby and the Preakness, battling Easy Goer, but Easy Goer won the Belmont. (Then, again, I was present when Sunday Silence defeated Easy Goer in the Breeders Cup Classic that same year.... Talk about a thrill!)
Some horses have certain affinities to certain tracks and certain states - Easy Goer never won a race outside of New York state. American Pharoah has won on tracks in California, Arkansas, Kentucky, and Maryland. But the Belmont track is huge. One circuit covers the mile and a half length of the Belmont Stakes race. Will American Pharoah like the footing? Will the air and humidity affect him? His buddy, Smokey (the AQHA registered This Whiz Shines, a horse bred for reining), travels with him, and NBC commentator Donna Brothers usually rides Smokey in her interviews with jockeys after the Triple Crown races.
The length of the race is the biggest test, as well as staying out of racing trouble. I want American Pharoah to win. But none of these colts has raced further than 1.25 miles - that extra quarter mile will be the telling factor. American Pharoah's pedigree says he should be able to run that distance; so does Frammento's and Frosted's pedigrees. And Frammento and Frosted like to run at Belmont Park.
We'll just have to wait and see what happens - and, as always, I'll pray that there are no injuries to horses or riders.
The Epsom Derby is also being run today, across the pond. Their post time is 4:30 GMT today, which means 10:30 MDT. I'll be eagerly awaiting the results from Epsom Downs - will Golden Horn remain undefeated? That would mean Frankie Dettori will win another Derby. There are twelve horses running in today's Derby.... Again, it's up to racing luck.
Some horses have certain affinities to certain tracks and certain states - Easy Goer never won a race outside of New York state. American Pharoah has won on tracks in California, Arkansas, Kentucky, and Maryland. But the Belmont track is huge. One circuit covers the mile and a half length of the Belmont Stakes race. Will American Pharoah like the footing? Will the air and humidity affect him? His buddy, Smokey (the AQHA registered This Whiz Shines, a horse bred for reining), travels with him, and NBC commentator Donna Brothers usually rides Smokey in her interviews with jockeys after the Triple Crown races.
The length of the race is the biggest test, as well as staying out of racing trouble. I want American Pharoah to win. But none of these colts has raced further than 1.25 miles - that extra quarter mile will be the telling factor. American Pharoah's pedigree says he should be able to run that distance; so does Frammento's and Frosted's pedigrees. And Frammento and Frosted like to run at Belmont Park.
We'll just have to wait and see what happens - and, as always, I'll pray that there are no injuries to horses or riders.
The Epsom Derby is also being run today, across the pond. Their post time is 4:30 GMT today, which means 10:30 MDT. I'll be eagerly awaiting the results from Epsom Downs - will Golden Horn remain undefeated? That would mean Frankie Dettori will win another Derby. There are twelve horses running in today's Derby.... Again, it's up to racing luck.
Thursday, June 4, 2015
Eight in the Belmont Stakes
The Belmont Stakes, the third jewel of the Triple Crown, will be run at 6:50 EDT on Saturday. Eight three-year-old colts are entered, running one and a half miles, for a purse worth $1.5 million. Eight horses, seven trainers, eight jockeys, eight owners, eight stallions, eight mares - all hoping to win the Belmont, but only American Pharoah can win the Triple Crown championship.
All of the colts were bred in Kentucky, except Mubtaahij, who was bred in Ireland. Todd Pletcher trains Madefromlucky and Materiality. Frosted is a grey (or roan), Frammento and Madefromlucky are chestnuts,, the other five colts are bay. Currently, the weather situation seems to be warm, bright, and dry for the Stakes race.
Here are the horses, in their starting post positions, with their sire in parentheses, followed by the names of their jockeys and trainers, and their morning line betting odds:
1 Mubtaahij (by Dubawi IRE) Irad Ortiz, Jr Michael de Kock 10 to 1
2 Tale of Vereve (by Tale of Ekati) Gary Stevens Dallas Stewart 15 to 1
3 Madefromlucky (by Lookin At Lucky) Javier Castellano Todd Pletcher 12 to 1
4 Frammento (by Midshipman) Mike Smith Nick Zito 30 to 1
5 American Pharoah (by Pioneerof the Nile) Victor Espinoza Bob Baffert 3 to 5
6 Frosted (by Tapit) Joel Rosario Kiaran McLaughlin 5 to 1
7 Keen Ice (by Curlin) Kent Desormeaux Dale Romans 20 to 1
8 Materiality (by Afleet Alex) John R Velasquez Todd Pletcher 6 to 1
I'll give you my picks Saturday - but I'd love for American Pharoah to win and become the twelfth horse to win all American Triple Crown races.
And I'm upset again. I know, that seems to be my natural state - but…. A visitor to Rocky Mountain National Park shot and killed a nursing cow elk near Mills Lake. First, NO Hunting is allowed in RMNP. Second, it is illegal to fire a weapon inside RMNP boundaries. Third, the baby elk has not been found, meaning it will probably starve to death. That makes me want to growl and howl, turn into a grizz and eat the person responsible alive.
All of the colts were bred in Kentucky, except Mubtaahij, who was bred in Ireland. Todd Pletcher trains Madefromlucky and Materiality. Frosted is a grey (or roan), Frammento and Madefromlucky are chestnuts,, the other five colts are bay. Currently, the weather situation seems to be warm, bright, and dry for the Stakes race.
Here are the horses, in their starting post positions, with their sire in parentheses, followed by the names of their jockeys and trainers, and their morning line betting odds:
1 Mubtaahij (by Dubawi IRE) Irad Ortiz, Jr Michael de Kock 10 to 1
2 Tale of Vereve (by Tale of Ekati) Gary Stevens Dallas Stewart 15 to 1
3 Madefromlucky (by Lookin At Lucky) Javier Castellano Todd Pletcher 12 to 1
4 Frammento (by Midshipman) Mike Smith Nick Zito 30 to 1
5 American Pharoah (by Pioneerof the Nile) Victor Espinoza Bob Baffert 3 to 5
6 Frosted (by Tapit) Joel Rosario Kiaran McLaughlin 5 to 1
7 Keen Ice (by Curlin) Kent Desormeaux Dale Romans 20 to 1
8 Materiality (by Afleet Alex) John R Velasquez Todd Pletcher 6 to 1
I'll give you my picks Saturday - but I'd love for American Pharoah to win and become the twelfth horse to win all American Triple Crown races.
And I'm upset again. I know, that seems to be my natural state - but…. A visitor to Rocky Mountain National Park shot and killed a nursing cow elk near Mills Lake. First, NO Hunting is allowed in RMNP. Second, it is illegal to fire a weapon inside RMNP boundaries. Third, the baby elk has not been found, meaning it will probably starve to death. That makes me want to growl and howl, turn into a grizz and eat the person responsible alive.
Sunday, May 31, 2015
Horses - Thoroughbreds in Particular
In six days, the world will know whether or not there is a new Triple Crown Champion in the United States. It would be nice. The last Triple Crown winner was chestnut, Florida-bred Affirmed in 1978, which was 37 years ago. In those 37 years, there have been 13 colts who won both the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness, but could not win the one-and-a-half mile Belmont Stakes in New York. American Pharoah is the current champion-in-waiting, and I would positively love it, if he wins. He has the Hyperion breeding that I love very much. And Fred Hooper was a Florida breeder, who started combining the Hyperion lines - my love to you and Hoop Jr., sir.
It seems that there will be nine opponents facing American Pahroah in the Belmont - and he has raced against eight of them in either the Derby or the Preakness. The lone new horse next Saturday will be The Truth Or Else, whom American Pharaoh defeated earlier in the year. Of course, American Pharaoh is the betting favorite. Here are the names of the other contenders: Frosted, Tale of Verve, Carpe Diem, Frammento, Materiality, Madefromlucky, Keen Ice, Mubtaahij, and The Truth Or Else. Post positions will be drawn on Wednesday for the race on 6 June.
The other horses, who have achieved winning the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness, but not the Belmont (since 1978) are: 1979 - Spectacular Bid, 1981 - Pleasant Colony, 1987 - Alysheba, 1989 - Sunday Silence, 1997 - Silver Charm, 1998 - Real Quiet, 1999 - Charismatic, 2002 - War Emblem, 2003 - Funny Cide, 2004 - Smarty Jones, 2008 - Big Brown, 2012 - I'll Have Another (did not compete in the Belmont), and 2014 - California Chrome.
Speaking of California Chrome, his owners have him stabled at Royal Ascot, where he is scheduled to run in the Prince of Wales Stakes on 17 June. Jockey Frankie Dettori took Chrome out for a spin the other day, to see if he'd like to race him. I heaven't yet heard Frankie's decision.
Also, Zenyatta, the Queen of Racing, is back in foal. She has produced two colts and a filly, Cozmic One and Ziconic, and the ill-fated Z Princess, who died from a paddock accident at the age of one. She wasn't bred last year; but this year, she was bred back to War Front, who sired her last foal, the filly. According to the veterinarians, she is now 40 days pregnant. Hip, hip, hooray!
Besides the Belmont Stakes, the Epsom Derby is being run on 6 June, in England. Their Derby race is 12 furlongs, plus 30 feet (1.5 miles plus 30 feet) - or 30 feet further than the Belmont Stakes; and their colts carry 126 pounds. There are 17 colts that are currently registered for the run. Alphabetically, they are: Best of Times, Carbon Dating, Elm Park, Epicuris, Giovanni Canaletto, Gleneagles, Golden Horn, Great Glen, Hans Holbein, Jack Hobbs, Kilimanjaro, Moheet, Prince Gagarin, Rocky Rider, Rogue Runner, Storm the Stars, and Zawraq. At the moment, Golden Horn is the betting favorite.
It seems that there will be nine opponents facing American Pahroah in the Belmont - and he has raced against eight of them in either the Derby or the Preakness. The lone new horse next Saturday will be The Truth Or Else, whom American Pharaoh defeated earlier in the year. Of course, American Pharaoh is the betting favorite. Here are the names of the other contenders: Frosted, Tale of Verve, Carpe Diem, Frammento, Materiality, Madefromlucky, Keen Ice, Mubtaahij, and The Truth Or Else. Post positions will be drawn on Wednesday for the race on 6 June.
The other horses, who have achieved winning the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness, but not the Belmont (since 1978) are: 1979 - Spectacular Bid, 1981 - Pleasant Colony, 1987 - Alysheba, 1989 - Sunday Silence, 1997 - Silver Charm, 1998 - Real Quiet, 1999 - Charismatic, 2002 - War Emblem, 2003 - Funny Cide, 2004 - Smarty Jones, 2008 - Big Brown, 2012 - I'll Have Another (did not compete in the Belmont), and 2014 - California Chrome.
Speaking of California Chrome, his owners have him stabled at Royal Ascot, where he is scheduled to run in the Prince of Wales Stakes on 17 June. Jockey Frankie Dettori took Chrome out for a spin the other day, to see if he'd like to race him. I heaven't yet heard Frankie's decision.
Also, Zenyatta, the Queen of Racing, is back in foal. She has produced two colts and a filly, Cozmic One and Ziconic, and the ill-fated Z Princess, who died from a paddock accident at the age of one. She wasn't bred last year; but this year, she was bred back to War Front, who sired her last foal, the filly. According to the veterinarians, she is now 40 days pregnant. Hip, hip, hooray!
Besides the Belmont Stakes, the Epsom Derby is being run on 6 June, in England. Their Derby race is 12 furlongs, plus 30 feet (1.5 miles plus 30 feet) - or 30 feet further than the Belmont Stakes; and their colts carry 126 pounds. There are 17 colts that are currently registered for the run. Alphabetically, they are: Best of Times, Carbon Dating, Elm Park, Epicuris, Giovanni Canaletto, Gleneagles, Golden Horn, Great Glen, Hans Holbein, Jack Hobbs, Kilimanjaro, Moheet, Prince Gagarin, Rocky Rider, Rogue Runner, Storm the Stars, and Zawraq. At the moment, Golden Horn is the betting favorite.
Sunday, April 5, 2015
Getting Close to the Kentucky Derby...
There were three interesting graded stakes run yesterday, and the fourth will be on the track next Saturday. All of these races have extremely good, entertaining histories, and they each deserve some type of recognition, other than me calling them "Derby prep races." Next Saturday, 11 April, the Arkansas Derby will be held at Oaklawn Park, and, at the moment, American Pharoah looks to be the betting favorite. Several races for the three-year-old fillies were run yesterday - leading up to the Triple Tiara races - as well as the stakes for the colts hoping to make the points to enter into the Kentucky Derby and the Triple Crown. I saw six races yesterday that captivated me - three each for the boys and girls.
The first filly intrigued me, just because she shares a part of my name - Include Betty was a long-shot in the Fantasy Stakes at Oaklawn Park yesterday. She was running last in the field, when she suddenly found another gear and began passing each opponent, winning the race over Ocean wave and Achiever's Legacy. It was the first Stakes win for the daughter of Include.
The first filly intrigued me, just because she shares a part of my name - Include Betty was a long-shot in the Fantasy Stakes at Oaklawn Park yesterday. She was running last in the field, when she suddenly found another gear and began passing each opponent, winning the race over Ocean wave and Achiever's Legacy. It was the first Stakes win for the daughter of Include.
Include Betty
In the Gazelle Stakes, Condo Commando, a daughter of Tiz Wonderful, was the betting favorite, and she came through with flying colors. She defeated the hard-trying Puca, who had to settle for second, and Money'soncharlotte in third.
Condo Commando
In the Santa Anita Oaks, the daughter of Curlin, named Stellar Wind, defeated Luminance and Wild at Heart.
Stellar Wind
In the Wood Memorial, the betting favorite was Daredevil, but the son of More Than Ready finished in fourth place. Frosted, a son of Tapit, won the Wood, defeating Tencendur and El Kabeir.
Frosted
Carpe Diem was the bettor's choice in the Blue Grass Stakes, and the son of Giant's Causeway did not disappoint the crowd. He defeated Danzig Moon and Ocho Ocho Ocho.
Carpe Diem
In the Santa Anita Derby, Bob Baffert-trained Dortmund, a large son of Big Brown, did not disappoint, either. The big chestnut defeated One Lucky Dane and Bolo.
Dortmund
The early betting pools for the Kentucky Derby, which will be run on 2 May, closed on March 29. The early betting favorite is the son of Pioneerof the Nile, American Pharoah, who won the Rebel Stakes, and will race next Saturday in the Arkansas Derby. Dortmund was the very close second betting choice.
American Pharoah
Friday, June 13, 2014
Bits and Pieces
Having spent 21 nights away from home, I came back and found that my neighbor Nancy had not yet moved out. Being a soft sucker, I joined her at 3 a.m. on Wednesday morning to assist her "in finishing" her move. She stated that she had taken one load to the storage area, when I arrived and quirked an eyebrow, because I found an apartment filled to bursting. She thought we could get moved out and the place clean by noon. She finished sometime after 9 p.m. Thursday night, and that was with 24 hours of my assistance. Just as a sample, the first thing I was delegated to doing was "cleaning out" the three top left drawers of her dresser. I put various oddments - earphone, earbuds, loose wires to assorted things and boxes of incense in a box; I put herbal teas into a bag; and I filled two 20 gallon trash bags with grocery receipts, used nose tissue paper, and dried up make-up, plus food and candy so old that I wasn't sure what it was.... You get the idea, I'm sure....
This morning, as I headed out for my morning bagel, I was locking my door as I heard banging on Britta's apartment door - which has been empty for 10 days. I looked, and there was a nerdy-looking young man, and he had Boulder, Britta's "service dog," on a rope leash. I told him that no one lived there - the place was empty. He wanted to know where Britta was, and I told him I didn't know. Then he wanted to know who owned Boulder, and I told him that I thought that Britta did. He told me he'd wait in the hall for Britta to show up, and I told him that Britta had been evicted and he was amazed... He wasn't here when I returned with my breakfast.
Intense Holiday, the good-looking seal brown son of Harlan's Holiday, was put down yesterday. He raced in the Kentucky Derby, but did not participate in the other Triple Crown races. He suffered a condylar fracture during a workout, and had surgery done by Dr Larry Bramlage. Unfortunately, the colt came down with laminitis this week, and after his pedal bone had twisted in his hoof, it was decided to put him to sleep.
Commissioner, the son of A.P. Indy, who ran second in the Belmont Stakes came out of the race with a chipped fetlock bone. He underwent corrective surgery yesterday.
Steve Coburn, the co-owner of California Chrome, apologized to all and sundry on Monday, 9 June, regarding his tirade about Chrome's loss in the Belmont Stakes. He stated that he was completely ashamed of himself, and that it was poor sportsmanship to have made those remarks. He did so in the heat of the moment, and he asked for forgiveness for denigrating the Triple Crown championship. He was pretty convincing.
If you're on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, or around Norfolk, this weekend, please visit the Tall Ships at Cape Charles on Saturday and Sunday - the festival is well worth the journey, and you can sail on the ships. See: http://www.tallshipscapecharles.com/
This morning, as I headed out for my morning bagel, I was locking my door as I heard banging on Britta's apartment door - which has been empty for 10 days. I looked, and there was a nerdy-looking young man, and he had Boulder, Britta's "service dog," on a rope leash. I told him that no one lived there - the place was empty. He wanted to know where Britta was, and I told him I didn't know. Then he wanted to know who owned Boulder, and I told him that I thought that Britta did. He told me he'd wait in the hall for Britta to show up, and I told him that Britta had been evicted and he was amazed... He wasn't here when I returned with my breakfast.
Intense Holiday, the good-looking seal brown son of Harlan's Holiday, was put down yesterday. He raced in the Kentucky Derby, but did not participate in the other Triple Crown races. He suffered a condylar fracture during a workout, and had surgery done by Dr Larry Bramlage. Unfortunately, the colt came down with laminitis this week, and after his pedal bone had twisted in his hoof, it was decided to put him to sleep.
Commissioner, the son of A.P. Indy, who ran second in the Belmont Stakes came out of the race with a chipped fetlock bone. He underwent corrective surgery yesterday.
Steve Coburn, the co-owner of California Chrome, apologized to all and sundry on Monday, 9 June, regarding his tirade about Chrome's loss in the Belmont Stakes. He stated that he was completely ashamed of himself, and that it was poor sportsmanship to have made those remarks. He did so in the heat of the moment, and he asked for forgiveness for denigrating the Triple Crown championship. He was pretty convincing.
If you're on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, or around Norfolk, this weekend, please visit the Tall Ships at Cape Charles on Saturday and Sunday - the festival is well worth the journey, and you can sail on the ships. See: http://www.tallshipscapecharles.com/
Saturday, June 7, 2014
Two Doughnut Shop Visits
My sister, niece, and grandniece leave for Rapid City, South Dakota this morning - they're driving up to collect Jim and bring him home, as well as making a quick visit to see Kent, Jim's brother. Kent is still recovering from his second brain tumor surgery at the Mayo Clinic - he traveled home in a stretcher in an ambulance, and Jim drove the family behind the carrier. This is certainly taking a toll on the Snow family, and I feel for all of them.
In any event, that means that I'm staying with Rosie, but am taking care of Boo, also. Once I leave my kits this morning, I'll pick Boo up and take her to Rosie's for the rest of the weekend. Lovey and Nedi are running in and out this morning - I've been returning home early in the morning, and letting the kits go out and play well before our neighbors' normal rising hours. We've been having afternoon and evening thunderstorms each night, and have had plenty of tornadoes in the state, but none near us.
The big sports question today is whether California Chrome will become the twelfth Triple Crown champion in America. I hope that he will, but the odds are against it. He faces ten rivals, and each trainer will give their jockey individual riding instructions. Luckily, Belmont Park has that huge one-and-a-half-mile oval, so there won't be a bumpy sprint for the lead before the first turn, as there would be at either Churchill Downs or Pimlico. But California Chrome is breaking from the second spot in the gate, and might be crowded toward the inside. Then, too, this is the first, and probably only time these horses will race at this distance - American horses are bred more for speed than for stamina. The jockeys' experience will play a large role in the race - and the horses' own breeding and training.
And, with today's running of the Belmont Stakes, England will be watching their Epsom Derby, run at a mile-and-a-half on turf, at Epsom Downs. There are 16 horses entered in the Derby, and the early betting favorite is a colt named Australia.
Yesterday was National Doughnut Day. After doing some shopping with my friend Beatrice, she suggested we stop at a doughnut shop she adores - Lamarr's. I'd never heard of, or eaten at, a Lamarr's before, so I said OK... We stepped into the store at 2:19 in the afternoon. There was only one person visible behind the counter, and there were no doughnuts or food-stuffs visible. A group of four had stepped into the shop ahead of us, two adults and two children - and I was amazed (actually, appalled) by the way the woman snarled at the people in front of us and pretty much threw a bag of doughnuts at them. As we stepped up to the counter, the lady (?) looked at us and said, "How many of ya?" Before we could say anything in response, such as, "We'd like to buy a dozen doughnuts," she grabbed two things that looked like apple fritters and threw them in a bag, which she tossed over the counter at us. Be said, "We'd like to buy..." and the woman cut her off, saying, "Can't you see I'm out of everything?" And then she started muttering about "National Doughnut Day" under her breath... She followed us to the front door and locked it behind us. (The shop hours were posted as 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.) Needless to say, I was reeling from my huge dose of customer appreciation at Lamarr's. We drove back to Boulder, and I parked at Dunkin' Doughnuts... It was like walking into a stirred up anthill - but, even though were were a lot of customers in line at the counter, and lots of folks arriving and departing at the "Pick Up" counter, the 6 ladies working behind the counter were smiling and laughing, and were extremely courteous. The shift leader's name was Sarah, and I complimented her on her service and smiles, even though it was so incredibly busy. She was very happy with our comments....
In any event, that means that I'm staying with Rosie, but am taking care of Boo, also. Once I leave my kits this morning, I'll pick Boo up and take her to Rosie's for the rest of the weekend. Lovey and Nedi are running in and out this morning - I've been returning home early in the morning, and letting the kits go out and play well before our neighbors' normal rising hours. We've been having afternoon and evening thunderstorms each night, and have had plenty of tornadoes in the state, but none near us.
The big sports question today is whether California Chrome will become the twelfth Triple Crown champion in America. I hope that he will, but the odds are against it. He faces ten rivals, and each trainer will give their jockey individual riding instructions. Luckily, Belmont Park has that huge one-and-a-half-mile oval, so there won't be a bumpy sprint for the lead before the first turn, as there would be at either Churchill Downs or Pimlico. But California Chrome is breaking from the second spot in the gate, and might be crowded toward the inside. Then, too, this is the first, and probably only time these horses will race at this distance - American horses are bred more for speed than for stamina. The jockeys' experience will play a large role in the race - and the horses' own breeding and training.
And, with today's running of the Belmont Stakes, England will be watching their Epsom Derby, run at a mile-and-a-half on turf, at Epsom Downs. There are 16 horses entered in the Derby, and the early betting favorite is a colt named Australia.
Yesterday was National Doughnut Day. After doing some shopping with my friend Beatrice, she suggested we stop at a doughnut shop she adores - Lamarr's. I'd never heard of, or eaten at, a Lamarr's before, so I said OK... We stepped into the store at 2:19 in the afternoon. There was only one person visible behind the counter, and there were no doughnuts or food-stuffs visible. A group of four had stepped into the shop ahead of us, two adults and two children - and I was amazed (actually, appalled) by the way the woman snarled at the people in front of us and pretty much threw a bag of doughnuts at them. As we stepped up to the counter, the lady (?) looked at us and said, "How many of ya?" Before we could say anything in response, such as, "We'd like to buy a dozen doughnuts," she grabbed two things that looked like apple fritters and threw them in a bag, which she tossed over the counter at us. Be said, "We'd like to buy..." and the woman cut her off, saying, "Can't you see I'm out of everything?" And then she started muttering about "National Doughnut Day" under her breath... She followed us to the front door and locked it behind us. (The shop hours were posted as 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.) Needless to say, I was reeling from my huge dose of customer appreciation at Lamarr's. We drove back to Boulder, and I parked at Dunkin' Doughnuts... It was like walking into a stirred up anthill - but, even though were were a lot of customers in line at the counter, and lots of folks arriving and departing at the "Pick Up" counter, the 6 ladies working behind the counter were smiling and laughing, and were extremely courteous. The shift leader's name was Sarah, and I complimented her on her service and smiles, even though it was so incredibly busy. She was very happy with our comments....
Wednesday, June 4, 2014
Belmont Stakes Post Positions and Odds
The last winner of the American Triple Crown was Florida-bred chestnut colt named Affirmed in 1978 - and he had the youngest Triple Crown winning jockey in the stirrups - Steve Cauthen. In the past 36 years, 12 horses besides California Chrome have won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness, but no other has also won the Belmont Stakes. I remember being amazed when Secretariat won the Triple Crown in 1973; I thought Seattle Slew was awesome in his win; and then (living in Florida, at the time) I was ecstatic about Affirmed.
Saturday will be a huge test for California Chrome - he will try to become the 12th horse in history to win the American Triple Crown. He and ten other colts will carry 126 pounds only once around the huge one-and-a-half mile track at Belmont Park. It will be a test for Victor Espinoza, Chrome's jockey, as well. I don't believe that Victor has ridden at Belmont before; and at most tracks, as one enters the final turn, there is about one-quarter mile left in the race - at Belmont, there is a half mile left. A lot of jockeys without experience in the Belmont, and/or on the Belmont track, have lost the race due to misjudging the distance. I hope this will not happen on Saturday. Even though California Chrome is the odds-on betting favorite, at 3 to 5, I'd love to see another Triple Crown winner.
Following are the post position numbers, the horse's name, the jockey's name, and the morning odds:
1. Medal Count, Robby Albarado 20 to 1
2. California Chrome, Victor Espinoza 3 to 5
3. Matterhorn, Joe Bravo 30 to 1
4. Commanding Curve, Shaun Bridgmohan 15 to 1
5. Ride On Curlin, John Velazquez 12 to 1
6. Matuszak, Mike Smith 30 to 1
7. Samraat, Jose Ortiz 20 to 1
8. Commissioner, Javier Castellano 20 to 1
9. Wicked Strong, Rajiv Maragh 6 to 1
10. General a Rod, Rosie Napravnik 20 to 1
11. Tonalist, Joel Rosario 8 to 1
More about the horses later.....
Saturday will be a huge test for California Chrome - he will try to become the 12th horse in history to win the American Triple Crown. He and ten other colts will carry 126 pounds only once around the huge one-and-a-half mile track at Belmont Park. It will be a test for Victor Espinoza, Chrome's jockey, as well. I don't believe that Victor has ridden at Belmont before; and at most tracks, as one enters the final turn, there is about one-quarter mile left in the race - at Belmont, there is a half mile left. A lot of jockeys without experience in the Belmont, and/or on the Belmont track, have lost the race due to misjudging the distance. I hope this will not happen on Saturday. Even though California Chrome is the odds-on betting favorite, at 3 to 5, I'd love to see another Triple Crown winner.
Following are the post position numbers, the horse's name, the jockey's name, and the morning odds:
1. Medal Count, Robby Albarado 20 to 1
2. California Chrome, Victor Espinoza 3 to 5
3. Matterhorn, Joe Bravo 30 to 1
4. Commanding Curve, Shaun Bridgmohan 15 to 1
5. Ride On Curlin, John Velazquez 12 to 1
6. Matuszak, Mike Smith 30 to 1
7. Samraat, Jose Ortiz 20 to 1
8. Commissioner, Javier Castellano 20 to 1
9. Wicked Strong, Rajiv Maragh 6 to 1
10. General a Rod, Rosie Napravnik 20 to 1
11. Tonalist, Joel Rosario 8 to 1
More about the horses later.....
Thursday, May 8, 2014
Hail and Miscellany
As I was awaiting the bus, after walking Rosie yesterday morning, small rain drops began to fall. The bus arrived soon thereafter, and once I in my seat, George, our driver, began singing one of his songs - "a rain song," he said. It was a hauntingly beautiful song about young love in the country, watching rain fall while sheltering under a willow tree. I thoroughly enjoyed it. The short sprinkle ended before we reached the bus station.
Once I got home, I started looking at apartments and rooms for lease, trying to help out both Britta (next door, with the service dog, cat, and birds) and Nancy, who has 3 cats. Neither can afford to pay a lot, and living/renting in Boulder is expensive. Out of 500 ads, I found 4 that met Nancy's criteria, and 3 that met Britta's. *Ouch* The darkness outside kept building, and, finally, there were a couple of peals of thunder - followed by hail and rain. The hail ran between the size of large peas to almost golf-ball size, and fell for about 10 minutes, mixed with cold, pelting rain. Quite a few folks playing tennis on the courts behind me actually yelped when the skies opened. We've had occasional rain since then, and have a 75% chance of showers throughout today and tonight. We need the precipitation, so I will not complain.
This morning, I'm going straight to the Credit Union to wire funds to my cousin in Virginia. She and her husband need a bit of a helping hand at the moment, and, as I have a little cash to spare, I'm sending it to her. Then I'll go walk Rosie (taking my golf umbrella with me), and then Lucy. After a stop at the library to pick up two books on hold, I'll come back to my kits. Then, this evening, I'll be taking care of the Thore critters, and then going over to Rosie's for a couple of hours... Then home and to bed.
Some of the colts who raced in the Kentucky Derby came back with a few scratches, nicks, and cuts, but nothing was serious. California Chrome is on his way to Pimlico for the Preakness. Commanding Curve, who finished second, will skip the Preakness and aim for the Belmont. And there are quite a few colts who will be jumping into the Preakness without having contested the Derby. I'll let you know more, as the dust clears.
And, finally... Just who are the Koch brothers? What do they own? What's their background? What is the history of their companies? How many advertising groups are they behind? Do they have their own PAC? What, exactly, do they believe in? All this, and more, in blogs to come.....
Once I got home, I started looking at apartments and rooms for lease, trying to help out both Britta (next door, with the service dog, cat, and birds) and Nancy, who has 3 cats. Neither can afford to pay a lot, and living/renting in Boulder is expensive. Out of 500 ads, I found 4 that met Nancy's criteria, and 3 that met Britta's. *Ouch* The darkness outside kept building, and, finally, there were a couple of peals of thunder - followed by hail and rain. The hail ran between the size of large peas to almost golf-ball size, and fell for about 10 minutes, mixed with cold, pelting rain. Quite a few folks playing tennis on the courts behind me actually yelped when the skies opened. We've had occasional rain since then, and have a 75% chance of showers throughout today and tonight. We need the precipitation, so I will not complain.
This morning, I'm going straight to the Credit Union to wire funds to my cousin in Virginia. She and her husband need a bit of a helping hand at the moment, and, as I have a little cash to spare, I'm sending it to her. Then I'll go walk Rosie (taking my golf umbrella with me), and then Lucy. After a stop at the library to pick up two books on hold, I'll come back to my kits. Then, this evening, I'll be taking care of the Thore critters, and then going over to Rosie's for a couple of hours... Then home and to bed.
Some of the colts who raced in the Kentucky Derby came back with a few scratches, nicks, and cuts, but nothing was serious. California Chrome is on his way to Pimlico for the Preakness. Commanding Curve, who finished second, will skip the Preakness and aim for the Belmont. And there are quite a few colts who will be jumping into the Preakness without having contested the Derby. I'll let you know more, as the dust clears.
And, finally... Just who are the Koch brothers? What do they own? What's their background? What is the history of their companies? How many advertising groups are they behind? Do they have their own PAC? What, exactly, do they believe in? All this, and more, in blogs to come.....
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
One Filly, 13 Colts in Belmont Stakes
Fourteen horses are scheduled to contend the mile and a half Belmont Stakes on Saturday. The Belmont is the third race in the Triple Crown series, and Orb, the winner of the Kentucky Derby, as well as Oxbow, the winner of the Preakness, will be there to fight for a stab at the three-year-old championship title. This is the longest race that most of these horses will ever run in their lives. When the thoroughbred horse breed was being developed, races were run over a course of 4 or 5 miles, in heats. The eventual winner of the race might run 8 to 16 miles before being declared the "best horse." Today's race horses are not bred for those distances. If any of these horses are switched to the turf, they might run a mile and a half, or longer, occasionally. If any end up steeplechasing, they could end up running up to five miles while leaping timber or brush fences. The Belmont Stakes is meant as a true test of stamina for these three-year-olds, who are just entering adulthood. I wish all of them well.
First, I'll state some of the frivolous facts: twelve of the horses were bred in Kentucky, with Giant Finish bred in New York, and the filly Unlimited Budget bred by Ocala Stud in Florida. Two of the colts are registered as grey or roan; five are chestnuts; and seven are bays (two are dark brown). Freedom Child is a ridgling, Vyjack is a gelding, and Unlimited Budget is a very large filly. Five of the entries, including the filly, are trained by Todd Pletcher, and D Wayne Lukas trains two - Oxbow and Will Take Charge. The week before the 1988 Kentucky Derby, Gary Stevens fell in a race and didn't ride on Sunday; the following Saturday, he won the Derby on Winning Colors for D Wayne Lukas. Stevens took a fall this past Saturday and didn't ride Sunday. Saturday he will be in the stirrups of Oxbow, riding for D Wayne Lukas. If Nick Zito had any horses entered, I'd definitely place a bet on them - but for once, Zito doesn't have an entry. Palace Malice will be running without the blinkers he wore in the Kentucky Derby. And, as a final aside, since Unlimited Budget is a filly, she carries 3 pounds less (123) than the boys (126).
So here is the post position draw for the Belmont, with the horse's name followed by the surname of the trainer and the jockey:
1. Frac Daddy McPeek/Alan Garcia
2. Freedom Child Albetrani/Luis Saez
3. Overanalyze Pletcher/John Velasquez
4. Giant Finish Dutrow/Edgar Prado
5. Orb McGaughey/Joel Rosario
6. Incognito McLaughlin/Irad Ortiz, Jr.
7. Oxbow Lukas/Gary Stevens
8. Midnight Taboo Pletcher/Garrett Gomez
9. Revolutionary Pletcher/Javier Castellano
10. Will Take Charge Lukas/Jon Court
11. Vyjack Rodriguez/Julien Leparoux
12. Palace Malice Pletcher/Mike Smith
13. Unlimited Budget Pletcher/Rosie Napravnik
14. Golden Soul Stewart/Robby Albarado
First, I'll state some of the frivolous facts: twelve of the horses were bred in Kentucky, with Giant Finish bred in New York, and the filly Unlimited Budget bred by Ocala Stud in Florida. Two of the colts are registered as grey or roan; five are chestnuts; and seven are bays (two are dark brown). Freedom Child is a ridgling, Vyjack is a gelding, and Unlimited Budget is a very large filly. Five of the entries, including the filly, are trained by Todd Pletcher, and D Wayne Lukas trains two - Oxbow and Will Take Charge. The week before the 1988 Kentucky Derby, Gary Stevens fell in a race and didn't ride on Sunday; the following Saturday, he won the Derby on Winning Colors for D Wayne Lukas. Stevens took a fall this past Saturday and didn't ride Sunday. Saturday he will be in the stirrups of Oxbow, riding for D Wayne Lukas. If Nick Zito had any horses entered, I'd definitely place a bet on them - but for once, Zito doesn't have an entry. Palace Malice will be running without the blinkers he wore in the Kentucky Derby. And, as a final aside, since Unlimited Budget is a filly, she carries 3 pounds less (123) than the boys (126).
So here is the post position draw for the Belmont, with the horse's name followed by the surname of the trainer and the jockey:
1. Frac Daddy McPeek/Alan Garcia
2. Freedom Child Albetrani/Luis Saez
3. Overanalyze Pletcher/John Velasquez
4. Giant Finish Dutrow/Edgar Prado
5. Orb McGaughey/Joel Rosario
6. Incognito McLaughlin/Irad Ortiz, Jr.
7. Oxbow Lukas/Gary Stevens
8. Midnight Taboo Pletcher/Garrett Gomez
9. Revolutionary Pletcher/Javier Castellano
10. Will Take Charge Lukas/Jon Court
11. Vyjack Rodriguez/Julien Leparoux
12. Palace Malice Pletcher/Mike Smith
13. Unlimited Budget Pletcher/Rosie Napravnik
14. Golden Soul Stewart/Robby Albarado
Saturday, June 9, 2012
Bummed Out
I have to admit that the injury and retirement of I'll Have Another has me singing the blues. I really liked that colt! And I had hoped the chestnut would be able to emulate Secretariat in 1973 (on this very day) and Affirmed in 1978. But it was not to be. With the big guy out of the picture, I'll place my bets today on Street Life, Unstoppable U and Atigun, with Five Sixteen thrown into the mix....
I was amazed to read a few newspaper stories today that questioned whether I'll Have Another should have been scratched after becoming lame yesterday. The horse's left fore leg filled with fluids after an easy jog; the attending veterinarian said it was the onset of a bout of tendonitis. As always, I'm conflicted about horse racing - I love the races, and I love seeing horses that are bred to run compete against each other; I also know that a thoroughbreds body is not completely mature until it reaches 8 years of age. Racing is, intrinsically, a nasty business. You break a track thoroughbred when he's a yearling, or a little over 1 year of age; then you start training them to run at high speeds. Their legs, muscles and ligaments are not mature, and won't be until well after they are retired. When the Thoroughbred breed was developed in England, the horses were not run until they were 4 or 5 years of age (at the earliest). They generally raced a 4-mile-long race; the race was run in heats; sometimes they raced 4 miles 4 times in one day... They were bred and trained for that type of grueling work at that time. Today, the thoroughbred is bred for speed over much shorter distances - especially in the United States. Horses that don't "make it" running short, fast races, but have endurance, are sometimes sent on for steeple chasing and jump racing. But this sport is not publicized as much as flat racing, and the winning monies are considerably smaller than on the flat track (here in the States). Other horses break down and are retired, or break down and are killed because the injuries are too severe to off-set the cost of the veterinarian bills. Unfortunately, a lot of pedigreed thoroughbreds end up becoming steaks in Europe and Asia, or end up in a doggie bowl. It's a glamorous life for a talented few...
I believe, in my heart of hearts, that the owners and trainers of I'll Have Another made the best decision possible in scratching the colt from the Belmont and deciding to retire him. He'll be able to pass on his abilities to his offspring. If he passed a vet check today, and ran the one-and-a-half mile Belmont, he might do irreparable damage to his tendon sheath; he might make a mis-step due to pain, and end up fracturing a leg; he might have ended up being euthanized on the track, in front of an unblinking and unprepared nationwide audience. Pulling an injured horse out of any race shows a love and caring for that horse. Running him, just so he could have run in the Belmont, and could say he was a contender in all of the Triple Crown races would have been pure lunacy on the part of any true horse person.
I was amazed to read a few newspaper stories today that questioned whether I'll Have Another should have been scratched after becoming lame yesterday. The horse's left fore leg filled with fluids after an easy jog; the attending veterinarian said it was the onset of a bout of tendonitis. As always, I'm conflicted about horse racing - I love the races, and I love seeing horses that are bred to run compete against each other; I also know that a thoroughbreds body is not completely mature until it reaches 8 years of age. Racing is, intrinsically, a nasty business. You break a track thoroughbred when he's a yearling, or a little over 1 year of age; then you start training them to run at high speeds. Their legs, muscles and ligaments are not mature, and won't be until well after they are retired. When the Thoroughbred breed was developed in England, the horses were not run until they were 4 or 5 years of age (at the earliest). They generally raced a 4-mile-long race; the race was run in heats; sometimes they raced 4 miles 4 times in one day... They were bred and trained for that type of grueling work at that time. Today, the thoroughbred is bred for speed over much shorter distances - especially in the United States. Horses that don't "make it" running short, fast races, but have endurance, are sometimes sent on for steeple chasing and jump racing. But this sport is not publicized as much as flat racing, and the winning monies are considerably smaller than on the flat track (here in the States). Other horses break down and are retired, or break down and are killed because the injuries are too severe to off-set the cost of the veterinarian bills. Unfortunately, a lot of pedigreed thoroughbreds end up becoming steaks in Europe and Asia, or end up in a doggie bowl. It's a glamorous life for a talented few...
I believe, in my heart of hearts, that the owners and trainers of I'll Have Another made the best decision possible in scratching the colt from the Belmont and deciding to retire him. He'll be able to pass on his abilities to his offspring. If he passed a vet check today, and ran the one-and-a-half mile Belmont, he might do irreparable damage to his tendon sheath; he might make a mis-step due to pain, and end up fracturing a leg; he might have ended up being euthanized on the track, in front of an unblinking and unprepared nationwide audience. Pulling an injured horse out of any race shows a love and caring for that horse. Running him, just so he could have run in the Belmont, and could say he was a contender in all of the Triple Crown races would have been pure lunacy on the part of any true horse person.
Friday, June 8, 2012
I'll Have Another Injured: Retired
My huge hope for celebration tomorrow will not happen. I'll Have Another went out for his morning jog today, and appeared to be going fine. When he returned to his barn to cool out, his left foreleg ballooned and he became lame. The vet for the Belmont Stakes barn was called, and he said it was the beginning of tendonitis - possibly career ending. The owners and trainer of I'll Have Another had a hasty conference, and it has been decided to retire the chestnut colt. There will be no Triple Crown winner this year.
Baby Bun and the Belmont
Paul appeared at the Thore house last night at 8:30 - so I'm happy that I had already moved 90% of my stuff to Aiko and Yoshi's. Lovey is sitting on the corner of my desk, talking away. Poor thing, I was mean to her this morning. She had been outside and came back in, and kept murmuring to me - normally, when I say her name, she hops onto the desk, but she didn't do that. So after several "conversations" I looked down, and found that she was holding a live baby bunny by the scruff of the neck. I was "mean" to her by taking it away from her, checking it over, and turning it loose - while confining both kits inside. The rabbits' fur was a little damp from kitty spit, but it was otherwise fine. It certainly hauled tail to get away from me when I released it.
I've had the small indoor fan on inside the apartment for the past 3 days. It keeps the place from getting too warm, and Nedi likes to air his belly in front of it. Since Paul arrived early, I've already fed and walked the Shih Tzus, had my own breakfast and meds, and have been home with the kits for over an hour. I'll come back and see them again this afternoon. I need to go walk Rosie and Remy and then I can collapse at Aiko and Yoshi's again.
OK. Tomorrow's Belmont Stakes; the last race in the Triple Crown series. The last Triple Crown winner was Florida-bred Affirmed in 1978. I'll Have Another will make his bid for American immortality tomorrow, facing ten other colts and one gelding. All of the colts, except Atigun, are distantly related to my horse. Four of the horses are closely related: I'll Have Another, Optimzer, Union Rags and Unstoppable U. Unstoppable U is the only grey/roan in the field, and there are four chestnuts. My main choice is, of course, I'll Have Another - I think he can get the distance easily and I know he has the will to win. Only two other horses have run in both previous Triple Crown races - Opitmizer and Union Rags. Dullahan is back to run in the Belmont, having skipped the Preakness, after finishing third in the Derby. The nine "fresh" horses have a chance - the three Triple Crown races, with a spacing of 5 weeks demands a lot from the competitors. For looks, I'd bet on Street Life, Atigun, and Dullahan. If I were betting on jockeys, I'd bet on Paynter, Five Sixteen, and Guyana Star Dweej... But this is my final pick: I'll Have Another, Street Life, Paynter, Atigun, and Five Sixteen. We'll see how my choices run tomorrow afternoon.
Happy racing! And have a great weekend!
I've had the small indoor fan on inside the apartment for the past 3 days. It keeps the place from getting too warm, and Nedi likes to air his belly in front of it. Since Paul arrived early, I've already fed and walked the Shih Tzus, had my own breakfast and meds, and have been home with the kits for over an hour. I'll come back and see them again this afternoon. I need to go walk Rosie and Remy and then I can collapse at Aiko and Yoshi's again.
OK. Tomorrow's Belmont Stakes; the last race in the Triple Crown series. The last Triple Crown winner was Florida-bred Affirmed in 1978. I'll Have Another will make his bid for American immortality tomorrow, facing ten other colts and one gelding. All of the colts, except Atigun, are distantly related to my horse. Four of the horses are closely related: I'll Have Another, Optimzer, Union Rags and Unstoppable U. Unstoppable U is the only grey/roan in the field, and there are four chestnuts. My main choice is, of course, I'll Have Another - I think he can get the distance easily and I know he has the will to win. Only two other horses have run in both previous Triple Crown races - Opitmizer and Union Rags. Dullahan is back to run in the Belmont, having skipped the Preakness, after finishing third in the Derby. The nine "fresh" horses have a chance - the three Triple Crown races, with a spacing of 5 weeks demands a lot from the competitors. For looks, I'd bet on Street Life, Atigun, and Dullahan. If I were betting on jockeys, I'd bet on Paynter, Five Sixteen, and Guyana Star Dweej... But this is my final pick: I'll Have Another, Street Life, Paynter, Atigun, and Five Sixteen. We'll see how my choices run tomorrow afternoon.
Happy racing! And have a great weekend!
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
The Belmont Stakes Draw...
Unless there are last-minute scratches, 12 colts will contend in Saturday's Belmont Stakes. Eleven will be trying to win a Grade I stakes race; one will be racing to see if he can become a Triple Crown winner. I'll let you know who I like in a later blog. Here are the post positions:
1 - Street Life
2 - Unstoppable U
3 - Union Rags
4 - Atigun
5 - Dullahan
6 - Ravelo's Boy
7 - Five Sixteen
8 - Guyana Star Dweej
9 - Paynter
10 - Optimizer
11 - I'll Have Another
12 - My Adonis
Happy betting!
1 - Street Life
2 - Unstoppable U
3 - Union Rags
4 - Atigun
5 - Dullahan
6 - Ravelo's Boy
7 - Five Sixteen
8 - Guyana Star Dweej
9 - Paynter
10 - Optimizer
11 - I'll Have Another
12 - My Adonis
Happy betting!
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
More Wildfires
Not a good time to be having a drought. The Poudre Canyon wildfire that was claimed to be out and totally contained, has "blown up" again, thanks to the hot weather and gusting winds we've been having. It was 94 degrees here yesterday, breaking the record set two years ago. Another wildfire has broken out, also in Larimer County, in Stuart Hole - an extremely difficult terrain in a small canyon with lots of steep hills, arroyos, ravines, rock out-croppings, close growth underbrush and pines. One house has been burned, 15 houses are currently evacuated, and 50 more are on stand-by. I know there are a lot of wildfires burning across the nation; there is one in California that is threatening the giant Sequoias, and the Gila National Park fire has burnt over 377 square miles so far. The two largest western wildfires that we have on record are the Yellowstone fire of 1988, which burnt over 2,340 square miles, and the Idaho and Montana fire of 1910 that burnt over 4,700 square miles. I hope that none of the current fires get much larger! (And we're expecting winds of 45 mph today...)
Poor Queen Elizabeth. She had to spend the last days of her Diamond Jubilee without Prince Phillip at her side. I realize that at his age (soon to be 91), that any illness can be life-threatening - but it must be dreadful to be so famous that the fact you have a bladder infection makes world headlines.
I spent several hours with my kits yesterday, and hope to do so again today. Right now, both are outside in the back yard - the ravens have been making a fuss, so I'm guessing that the kits have been stalking them. Yesterday, one grabbed Lovey by the nose, and took a small chunk of fur and skin - I'd think she'd be a little more circumspect today.... but maybe that's made the grabbing of a raven even more of an incentive. I don't think it will ever happen - unless the raven is ill to begin with.
Tomorrow will be the draw for post positions for the Belmont Stakes, so I'll have to buckle down again and study pedigrees; but I will easily state that I hope I'll Have Another can win the Triple Crown. Belmont Park is known as the "giant killer" - Man o'War lost his only race of 21 at Belmont; Secretariat was beaten there by Onion; and quite a few three-year-olds have arrived at Belmont with both the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness titles, but few have been able to go on and win this mile-and-a-half distance race on Belmont's huge track. (I wanted Sunday Silence to beat Easy Goer so badly that I could taste the dirt of defeat when Easy Goer won at his home track....) Horse racing is horse racing - 50% planning and 50% luck. We'll see if I'll Have Another has racing luck on his side Saturday - the planning and training is unquestionable.
Poor Queen Elizabeth. She had to spend the last days of her Diamond Jubilee without Prince Phillip at her side. I realize that at his age (soon to be 91), that any illness can be life-threatening - but it must be dreadful to be so famous that the fact you have a bladder infection makes world headlines.
I spent several hours with my kits yesterday, and hope to do so again today. Right now, both are outside in the back yard - the ravens have been making a fuss, so I'm guessing that the kits have been stalking them. Yesterday, one grabbed Lovey by the nose, and took a small chunk of fur and skin - I'd think she'd be a little more circumspect today.... but maybe that's made the grabbing of a raven even more of an incentive. I don't think it will ever happen - unless the raven is ill to begin with.
Tomorrow will be the draw for post positions for the Belmont Stakes, so I'll have to buckle down again and study pedigrees; but I will easily state that I hope I'll Have Another can win the Triple Crown. Belmont Park is known as the "giant killer" - Man o'War lost his only race of 21 at Belmont; Secretariat was beaten there by Onion; and quite a few three-year-olds have arrived at Belmont with both the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness titles, but few have been able to go on and win this mile-and-a-half distance race on Belmont's huge track. (I wanted Sunday Silence to beat Easy Goer so badly that I could taste the dirt of defeat when Easy Goer won at his home track....) Horse racing is horse racing - 50% planning and 50% luck. We'll see if I'll Have Another has racing luck on his side Saturday - the planning and training is unquestionable.
Saturday, June 7, 2008
No Triple Crown Winner this Year
I admit it, I was excited about the possibility of Big Brown becoming the 12th horse to ever win the US Triple Crown. He didn't. I don't blame the horse, the jockey, or the trainer. I am sorry that the US racing industry did not get the big boost it needed by having a winner - but the possibility of it helped pay a great many folks' expenses. Why is winning the Triple Crown so difficult to accomplish? Only eleven horses have done so in the past 100 years: Sir Barton (1919), Gallant Fox (1930), Omaha (1935), War Admiral (1937), Whirlaway (1941), Count Fleet (1943), Assault (1946), Citation (1948), Secretariat (1973), Seattle Slew (1977), and Affirmed (1978).
These races are set over a period of 5 weeks; the Derby, in Kentucky, at a mile and one-quarter; two weeks later, the Preakness, in Maryland, at a mile and three-sixteenths; and 3 weeks following the Preakness, the Belmont, in New York, at the distance of one mile and a half. This is something that today's racing Thoroughbreds are not bred to do. During the past 100 years, 21 other horses have won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes, but have been unable to win the Belmont Stakes. They were very good horses, too. They were: Burgoo King in 1932 and Bold Venture in 1934 (both of whom did not even try the Belmont), Pensive in 1944, Tim Tam in 1958, Carry Back in 1961, Northern Dancer in 1964, Kauai King in 1966, Fortward Pass in 1968 (he won the Derby by disqualification, so he will always be remembered with an asterisk), Majestic Prince in 1969, Cannonero II in 1971, Spectacular Bid in 1979, Pleasant Colony in 1981, Alysheba in 1987, Sunday Silence in 1989, Silver Charm in 1997, Real Quiet in 1998, Charismatic in 1999, War Emblem in 2002, Funny Cide in 2003, Smarty Jones in 2004, and Big Brown in 2008.
Most of the general public does not realize that horses are not fully mature until they are 5 to 8 years old - depending upon the breed. Thoroughbred racing, as it is today, asks extremely young and immature horses perform at the apex of their ability when they are equivalent to human children of the ages 5 to 12. Today the emphasis is on speed, speed, and more speed. Today's two-year-olds in training would have been looked at in horror by the people involved in horse racing in the early and mid-1600s. Then horses didn't start racing until they were 4 or 5 years old, and then they ran anywhere from 2 to 5 mile races in heats. The top finishers competed against one another until one had finished first in at least two heats - all on the same day. Today's horses are not bred for endurance.
I saw Secretariat win the Triple Crown races in 1973. I was awe-struck. He was the most impressive horse I had ever seen. I started talking to my parents about how great he was, and they both told me that if I wanted to find out about a true super-horse, I needed to know about Man o War. Man o War raced in 1920 and 1921 - my Mother was born his last racing year - but she had seen him in the flesh and heard Will Harbut's speech about him while he was standing at stud. After devouring all the information I could find on Man o War, I decided that he was my pick of number one race horse. (Secretariat is a very strong second.) Today's juveniles, or two year olds, race carrying very light weights. Usually the heaviest weight a horse carries in it's life is the mandated 126 pounds in the Triple Crown races (123 pounds for the fillies) - unless the horse is a real trooper and gets better with age, becoming a great handicap horse, like Kelso, Forego and John Henry.
Man o War made his first racing start on June 6, 1919. It was a maiden race, for horses who hadn't won a race before, and it was 5 furlongs (5/8ths of a mile). He won it by 6 lengths. Three days later, he ran in the Keene Memorial Stakes, and won. Two weeks after his first race, he started in his third, the Youthful Stakes, which he also won. Two days after his win in the Youthful, he carried 130 pounds in the Hudson Stakes, which he won going away. The rest is history - Man o War ran 21 races in two years, and won 20 of them. He finished second to a horse named Upset by a half-length when he was boxed in on the rail and had to be pulled up twice before he could get racing room. As a two-year-old, Man o War carried 130 pounds in 6 races; as a three-year-old, he carried a high weight of 138 pounds. He set 5 World Records as a three-year-old, ranging at distances from 1 mile to a mile and 5/8ths.
Most of today's racing Thoroughbreds could not do what Man o War did. They couldn't compete with Secretariat, either. Man o War did not run in the Kentucky Derby in 1921; his owner, Samuel Riddle, did not believe in that it was in the horse's best interest to run it a mile and a quarter in early May. Man o War did run in and win the Preakness and the Belmont (by 20 lengths) - but he didn't have the opportunity to try to be a Triple Crown Champion. (Samuel Riddle later changed his mind and ran War Admiral, a son of Man o War, in the 1937 Triple Crown - and won. Seabiscuit, a notable handicap racer, was a grandson of Man o War.)
All good things must come to an end ..... When Man o War was retired from the race track (at the end of 1921) and sent to stud, he was assigned Will Harbut as his groom. Will and Man o War had an "understanding" between them and were almost inseparable. Will Harbut was the man responsible for the phrase: "he was the mostest hoss." In October of 1946, Mr. Harbut had a stroke and became paralyzed on one side - after he was released from the hospital, he made daily visits to Big Red, even though another groom now had his position. Will passed away suddenly in October 1947. Man o War passed away on November 1st of that same year. They were a team.
These races are set over a period of 5 weeks; the Derby, in Kentucky, at a mile and one-quarter; two weeks later, the Preakness, in Maryland, at a mile and three-sixteenths; and 3 weeks following the Preakness, the Belmont, in New York, at the distance of one mile and a half. This is something that today's racing Thoroughbreds are not bred to do. During the past 100 years, 21 other horses have won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes, but have been unable to win the Belmont Stakes. They were very good horses, too. They were: Burgoo King in 1932 and Bold Venture in 1934 (both of whom did not even try the Belmont), Pensive in 1944, Tim Tam in 1958, Carry Back in 1961, Northern Dancer in 1964, Kauai King in 1966, Fortward Pass in 1968 (he won the Derby by disqualification, so he will always be remembered with an asterisk), Majestic Prince in 1969, Cannonero II in 1971, Spectacular Bid in 1979, Pleasant Colony in 1981, Alysheba in 1987, Sunday Silence in 1989, Silver Charm in 1997, Real Quiet in 1998, Charismatic in 1999, War Emblem in 2002, Funny Cide in 2003, Smarty Jones in 2004, and Big Brown in 2008.
Most of the general public does not realize that horses are not fully mature until they are 5 to 8 years old - depending upon the breed. Thoroughbred racing, as it is today, asks extremely young and immature horses perform at the apex of their ability when they are equivalent to human children of the ages 5 to 12. Today the emphasis is on speed, speed, and more speed. Today's two-year-olds in training would have been looked at in horror by the people involved in horse racing in the early and mid-1600s. Then horses didn't start racing until they were 4 or 5 years old, and then they ran anywhere from 2 to 5 mile races in heats. The top finishers competed against one another until one had finished first in at least two heats - all on the same day. Today's horses are not bred for endurance.
I saw Secretariat win the Triple Crown races in 1973. I was awe-struck. He was the most impressive horse I had ever seen. I started talking to my parents about how great he was, and they both told me that if I wanted to find out about a true super-horse, I needed to know about Man o War. Man o War raced in 1920 and 1921 - my Mother was born his last racing year - but she had seen him in the flesh and heard Will Harbut's speech about him while he was standing at stud. After devouring all the information I could find on Man o War, I decided that he was my pick of number one race horse. (Secretariat is a very strong second.) Today's juveniles, or two year olds, race carrying very light weights. Usually the heaviest weight a horse carries in it's life is the mandated 126 pounds in the Triple Crown races (123 pounds for the fillies) - unless the horse is a real trooper and gets better with age, becoming a great handicap horse, like Kelso, Forego and John Henry.
Man o War made his first racing start on June 6, 1919. It was a maiden race, for horses who hadn't won a race before, and it was 5 furlongs (5/8ths of a mile). He won it by 6 lengths. Three days later, he ran in the Keene Memorial Stakes, and won. Two weeks after his first race, he started in his third, the Youthful Stakes, which he also won. Two days after his win in the Youthful, he carried 130 pounds in the Hudson Stakes, which he won going away. The rest is history - Man o War ran 21 races in two years, and won 20 of them. He finished second to a horse named Upset by a half-length when he was boxed in on the rail and had to be pulled up twice before he could get racing room. As a two-year-old, Man o War carried 130 pounds in 6 races; as a three-year-old, he carried a high weight of 138 pounds. He set 5 World Records as a three-year-old, ranging at distances from 1 mile to a mile and 5/8ths.
Most of today's racing Thoroughbreds could not do what Man o War did. They couldn't compete with Secretariat, either. Man o War did not run in the Kentucky Derby in 1921; his owner, Samuel Riddle, did not believe in that it was in the horse's best interest to run it a mile and a quarter in early May. Man o War did run in and win the Preakness and the Belmont (by 20 lengths) - but he didn't have the opportunity to try to be a Triple Crown Champion. (Samuel Riddle later changed his mind and ran War Admiral, a son of Man o War, in the 1937 Triple Crown - and won. Seabiscuit, a notable handicap racer, was a grandson of Man o War.)
All good things must come to an end ..... When Man o War was retired from the race track (at the end of 1921) and sent to stud, he was assigned Will Harbut as his groom. Will and Man o War had an "understanding" between them and were almost inseparable. Will Harbut was the man responsible for the phrase: "he was the mostest hoss." In October of 1946, Mr. Harbut had a stroke and became paralyzed on one side - after he was released from the hospital, he made daily visits to Big Red, even though another groom now had his position. Will passed away suddenly in October 1947. Man o War passed away on November 1st of that same year. They were a team.
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