Yardbarker: Horse Racing

Zenyatta beats the boys in Breeders’ Cup Classic

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 19:22:40 -0500

5-year-old mare rallies from last to win by a length, improve to 14-0.

Thoroughbred’s famous bloodline saves his life

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 13:29:09 -0500

Nothing like a potential feel good story of the year that you know is going to, at the same time, rile people up. Get a load of this tale of redemption… On April 4, 2008, thoroughbred Freedom’s Flight’s career came to an all-to-familiar halt when his leg snapped on the track at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale, [...]

2009 Preakness Stakes Morning Line

Fri, 15 May 2009 21:38:56 -0500

There are endless pro bets and more for the 2009 Preakness Stakes morning line. The win, place and show is now on GodTips, anchor of OffshoreInsiders.com. Will Mine That Bird win the 2009 Triple Crown? Odds All wagers have action. (Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes & Belmont Stakes). Singles Only. Yes +1050 No -2100 Odds to win the 134th Preakness Stakes Sat, May 16th @ Pimlico Race Course Odds All horses have action. ...

Can Mine That Bird Be Racing's Much Needed New Hero?

Fri, 15 May 2009 08:46:53 -0500

Of course, the sport of horseracing could use a Triple Crown hero. The King of Sports started declining in the 1950's when it failed to a) embrace television as a way to communicate with its fans (and potential fans) and b) notice that they no longer had a monopoly on legal betting. Years of intense competition for people's time and entertainment dollars haven't helped. Throw in some well documented calamities like Barbaro and Eight Belles, and horse racing finds itself over in th...

Remembering The Terrorlawn... Terrifyingly Hilarious

Thu, 14 May 2009 08:22:43 -0500

Recalls the ghosts of Preakness past, before they (presumably) locked down "The Terrorlawn" this year... The Preakness is attempting to re-brand their image, and are allowing no alcohol be brought into the infield. In years past, you were allowed to bring coolers, but they had a strict cans-only policy. Of course, when you got to the checkpoint, they’d make you open the cooler, and would politely furrow about the top layer of ice. You could pack a severed limb in that ice, and no on...

Should We Care About the Preakness?

Mon, 11 May 2009 14:16:57 -0500

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not a huge horse racing enthusiast, but having lived in Baltimore for a number of years now, I can appreciate what Pimlico and the Preakness Stakes means to the local community and its economy. Still, I don’t see a legitimate reason why anyone should be fired up for this year’s race beyond nostalgia and the prospect of public drunkenness.

Mine That Bird Wins the Kentucky Derby

Sat, 02 May 2009 17:44:03 -0500

Mine That Bird springs an unbelievable upset to win the Kentucky Derby! He was a 50-1 longshot that pulled the upset from absolutely nowhere. Congratulations to Mine That Bird. Pioneerof the Nile came in second. Now the question is whether or not Mine That Bird will win the Triple Crown.

What Happens to Placed Bets When a Horse Is Scratched?

Sat, 02 May 2009 16:40:36 -0500

I was asked today what happens to live betting tickets when a horse bet upon is scratched prior to the race. I assume others have the same question, so I'll answer it here.

When a horse is scratched prior to a race, win, place and show tickets (bets that the horse will win, finish in the top two or finish in the top three, respectively) are refunded. Even after the race, attempting to "cash" those tickets will result in a refund.

Exotic tickets are a little more complicated. Essentially the scratched horse is dropped from the ticket. Sometimes, that makes the ticket dead. If you had a boxed 13-6 exacta ticket, and 13 is scratched, the ticket as a whole is dead and will be refunded. If, however, you had a 13-6-7 boxed exacta ticket, giving you 13-6, 13-7, 6-13, 6-7, 7-13 and 7-6, only the bets involving the scratched horse, again we'll use 13 because of I Want Revenge, would drop. Your ticket would refund the four bets involving 13, and essentially become a 6-7 boxed exacta. If 6-7 or 7-6 hits, you would get the exacta payout PLUS the amount bet on the four bets involving horse 13. For trifectas, the same system is in place.

Some bettors like to do the Daily Double or Pick Six, wherein they pick the winners of two or six consecutive races. The system here is a bit different, since a scratched pick would normally nullify the entire ticket and the bet must be placed prior to the first of the two or six races depending on the bet. At most American tracks, the scratched horse is substituted with the odds-on favorite in the win pool.

I do not know what happens to futures tickets (those purchased weeks in advance of a big race) in the event of a scratch. Basic internet research did not uncover the answer, but I suspect if you are betting futures you probably have taken the time to ask someone at the track in the know.

The term scratch presupposes that the decision is made before the gate opens. Once a race begins, the tickets are live and the result counts, no matter what it is. I have personally witnessed races where the horse throws the jockey just as the gate opens and then goes on to win. Tickets containing that horse are still losers, even though the horse crossed the line first. A winning horse must contain his or her jockey.

Likewise, if a horse is disqualified or downplaced due to its behavior during the race, or, more often, that of the jockey, the tickets are still live because the horse left the gate. If your horse wins, but the track stewards downplace it due to conduct, the artificial order of finish established by the stewards determines the outcome of your bet. It is possible that a horse disqualified and placed fourth due to conduct could make your superfecta ticket, just as it's possible that your horse could cross the line third and be declared the winner due to a disqualification.

Dead heats are not uncommon. Despite the sophisticated nature of finish wire cameras, horses occasionally cross the line at the same time. When this occurs in a win-place (first-second) situation, both horses are deemed to have won and to have finished second. If horses 1 and 2 tie for the win, 1-2 boxed exacta tickets win on both bets, though obviously the payout is reduced because there were two payout scenarios.

If there are any other questions, post them in the comments. Hopefully this will clear everything up.

Glossary:
Live - The wager can still be a winner
Dead - The wager cannot win, but is refundable
Winner - The outcome predicted on the ticket is reality, and the race has been declared official.
Loser - The outcome predicted did not occur, and the race has been declared official.

Please only tear up losers.

Kentucky Derby: Who will win?

Fri, 01 May 2009 23:19:54 -0500

The Kentucky Derby is almost upon us. It seems as if everyone in the entire country is looking up horses and trying to find which one catches their eye. I’ve got my picks for the Kentucky Derby right here. I expect I Want Revenge to win in what appears to be a pretty open Derby with [...]

CR Dunbar's Kentucky Derby Preview

Fri, 01 May 2009 08:00:00 -0500

In preparation, I have studied the Past Performances over and over, sober and the opposite of sober. The Kentucky Derby is the most difficult race to handicap. The shear volume of horses (20), the fact they are 3-year olds, never gone the distance and some going from synthetic to a dirt surface adds nuances that would cripple Stephen Hawking.

West Virginia Jockeys Busted For Being Too Fat

Sun, 19 Apr 2009 13:11:17 -0500

Many of you might know the story about the eating habits of Hall of Fame jockey Laffit Pincay, who used to control his weight by having a single peanut for lunch. Needless to say, weight is an issue for jockeys, since even an extra ounce can be the difference between winning or losing by a [...]

Triple Crown Winners (Horse Racing)

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 17:46:32 -0500

Only 11 horses have ever won the Triple Crown of US Thoroughbred Horse Racing. Can you name them all in 4 minutes?

TOP 10 FEMALE HORSES

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 15:02:03 -0500

If you have any that would fit in this list please post them, a couple that could of made this list were the great fillies WINNIG COLORS, RAGS TO RICHES, PEBBLES, GO FOR WAND, BAYAKOA AND PASEANA

Top Male racehorses

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 09:38:42 -0500

Hope you enjoy this list and if you have any that could be there post them. My all time fav was and is Holybull. If he didn't get hurt he would've cracked the top ten and we would not have had the run by Cigar.

British Showjumpers Show Off In Sexy Photo Shoot

Sun, 20 Jul 2008 14:37:57 -0500

Laura Renwich & Georgie Shutton are two of Britain's best horse riders in showjumping. More importantly, they're very attractive & recently did a nicely revealing photo shoot.

Preakness infield 2008 doesn't disappoint

Mon, 19 May 2008 09:29:00 -0500

Big Brown might have won the second leg of the Triple Crown, but the real action was on the infield of Pimlico. From the porta-john racing, fights, and a report of a couple fornicating in front of a large crowd: the Preakness did not disappoint. Here are some of my favorites?

What will the Preakness infield think of next?

Fri, 16 May 2008 10:05:17 -0500

The Preakness Stakes means the second leg of the Triple Crown to most. But to those that actually invade the infield, it means something else. Basically 120,000 people, mostly college kids and young professionals getting hammered and inventing all types of idiotic things to do.

Preakness Handicapping Guide

Thu, 15 May 2008 11:56:59 -0500

The Preakness is always the most exciting leg of the Triple Crown since it (almost) always features the Derby winner and the hopes are alive. Here is a guide to betting the race. Last year we gave you the trifecta and strongly advised betting on Curlin to win. Don't miss out on some free money this year.

Preakness Quiz

Wed, 14 May 2008 09:19:58 -0500

What better way to get into the Preakness spirit than with a Preakness Trivia Quiz?

PETA to Picket Preakness

Wed, 07 May 2008 19:37:59 -0500

I'm sure this won't surprise anyone, but PETA is planning to stage a protest at the Preakness in the wake of the tragedy with Eight Belles in the Kentucky Derby.

What's Wrong w/ Showing Eight Belles Injury On Air?

Mon, 05 May 2008 16:03:03 -0500

Seeing how everyone is patting NBC on the back for "doing the right thing" by not showing Eight Belles injury is quite frankly?full of horse s--t. How many times have we watched a football player completely snap his leg in half, with the producers showing the incident over and over before moving on?

Randy Moss Mounts Derby Filly

Mon, 05 May 2008 12:50:07 -0500

Randy Moss had a festive time this past weekend at the 2008 Kentucky Derby, mounting a young filly from the bluegrass state?.none other than Miss Kentucky USA Alysha Harris....

Kentucky Derby Hot Chick Report

Sun, 04 May 2008 21:14:07 -0500

Congratulations to that horse that ran faster than the other horses who didn't know they were in a race. While I am sure the "most exciting two minutes in sports," was exhilarating, I was too busy trying to find hot girls in hats. The genius of the internet allows me to find tons of pictures that were taken of the hot chicks in big hats and put them in this post.

Curlin May Be Auctioned

Sat, 03 Nov 2007 14:33:29 -0500

The saga of Curlin's ownership continues to be just as dramatic as his racetrack performance and produces even more surprising twists and turns. The latest came out of a Boone County, Kentucky courtroom this week as a Federal Court judge handed a 20% ownership interest in the colt to the 400 plaintiffs who had been bilked out of legal fees by the two lawyers now sitting in the Boone County correctional facility. As a result of the judge's ruling, the 400 plaintiffs will share in the c...

When Assessing Breeders' Cup Performance, Past Is Prologue

Fri, 19 Oct 2007 03:56:23 -0500

The information contained in the following thumbnail historical sketches of the eight Breeders' Cup events on October 27 at Monmouth Park does not trump current condition, reason, or a horse sitting on an explosive effort. But it's a good start. The sketches are meant to separate contenders closely matched in ability and odds. The Cup races are, on balance, the most competitive staged all year. To that end, with input from HRI researcher Brad Morgan, we've chosen eight common variables for the purpose of noting the differences in results as determined by surface, age, sex, preparation, etc. Obviously, there is no data on the three new Breeders' Cup events to be run Friday, October 26. There figures to be, however, great similarity in respective categories, vis a vis surface, age, sex and prepatory considerations, between the old and new events. Are there commonalities? You decide. JUVENILE FILLIES: Current Form: Find the "now" filly, one peaking right on top of the race. Demand an in-the-money (ITM) finish in the final prep race. A winner coming off a career top performance figure is acceptable in this event. Dosage: Stamina is an important variable. Prefer fillies with a dosage index of 2.80 or less. Key Preps: The Frizette, Oak Leaf and Alcibiades. While a win in any of these races is highly desirable, any previous stakes victory is mandatory. Style: Off-the-pace is the dominant winning style. Race shape favors fillies with kick racing within five lengths of the leader. Remember, of course, that Monmouth Park is generally speed favoring. How that surface plays in the fall at this summertime venue could be another matter. With three days of racing prior to the big dance, there is amply opportunity to go to school on prior results. Spacing: An overwhelming majority of winners came off layups from 21 to 28 days. On balance, 2-year-olds of either sex thrive and often improve when racing back on relatively short rest. Racing Schedule: While juvenile fillies develop more quickly than colts, experience is invaluable. But try to avoid over-raced fillies to win if having six or more starts. Post Position: Regardless of surface and/or distance, middle posts 4-to-9 have fared best. Beyer Scale: 95 or higher. Equiform Scale: 75 JUVENILE COLTS: Current Form: A win or second in final prep is key. Dosage: Relatively insignificant. Winners generally not as stamina oriented as Juvenile Filly winner. Key Preps: Lanes End Futurity, Champagne horses have edge, but any Grade 1 or Group 2 win is highly desirable. Style: Mid-pack runners with kick have enjoyed a tactical advantage. Spacing: While 21-to-28 day layups are prominent among winners, the recent trend has swelled to 39 days, reflecting popular modern training techniques. Racing Schedule: Both lightly raced and relatively heavily raced individuals have fared well. Four previous starts seems ideal. Post Position: Historically, positions from outside post 8 are at a tactical disadvantage in two turn races. Beyer Scale: 95 or higher. Look for improving trends, a new top or paired tops are desirable. Demand a jump as horses stretch out from a sprint to a route. Equiform Scale: 77 FILLY & MARE TURF: Current Form: The newest Breeders' Cup race on main event day has been dominated by horses racing in career form. Repeaters have fared very well. Demand a sharp in-the-money finish in the final prep. Dosage: Prefer stamina oriented pedigrees, an index of 2.80 or lower. Key Preps: Flower Bowl, Yellow Ribbon. Style: Extremely difficult to wire the field in three-turn events. High turn of foot runners desirable over grinder types. Spacing: Optimum layoff for American runners has been 35 days. Europeans, because they race less frequently but trained harder, have responded better with 45 days between starts. Racing Schedule: Prefer successful shippers over one-circuit/surface performers. Turf success is always predicated on the ability to handle the ground. Course condition is key, more important than proven form at the distance or farther. Post Position: Routinely meaningless in three-turn events. Beyer Scale: Insignificant sample size. Equiform Scale: 77.5 SPRINT: Current Form: Victory in a graded stakes is a must, as is a win at six furlongs. The relatively tight turns at Monmouth Park hinder horses breaking from extreme outside positions. Dosage: Proven ability trumps pedigree. Key Preps: Ancient Title, Kentucky Cup Sprint, Bay Meadows Sprint Handicap, Summit of Speed Sprint. [Vosburgh winners have been a historical negative but that is changing since the race was shortened to 6 furlongs]. Style: Wire and stalker types have been the most successful. Deep closers generally have been a historical negative at 6 furlongs, true almost everywhere. Saving ground at some point is key. Spacing: Recent sharp performers and classy returnees both have enjoyed a high degree of success. Demand one bullet work pre-race and a stamina workout of 6 furlongs or more for horses returning from lengthy layups. As a general rule, the fresher, the better. Racing Schedule: The ideal campaign has been from 4 to 8 starts during the year. More starts are OK but these heavily raced types have been more effective in exotic positions. Post Position: As in all sprints at 6 furlongs, the rail and extreme outside is least desirable. European sprinters generally have done their best racing from outside positions. Beyer Scale: Demand 109 or higher. Equiform Scale: 80 MILE: Current Form: A horse's record at the distance is key. Demand multiple wins at one mile on grass during the course of a season. Also demand an ITM finish or better in a horse's final prep, at minimum a finish within 4 lengths of the winner. Dosage: Ideally, look for an index below 2.85. Key Preps: Queen Elizabeth II, Prix du Moulin, Oak Tree Mile. While New York's Kelso Mile produced three Mile winner early on, it has not been a reliable predictor in recent renewals. U.S. runners must come in with a stakes win, preferably graded. Successful Euros must own a Group 1 win, preferably at one mile. Style: Stalkers and mid-pack closers dominate all money results. Historically, front-runners going a mile in top company are up against it; best to avoid in win position. Americans have filled many more exotic positions than have the Euros. The most talented miler in either side of the Atlantic usually wins this. The newly installed turf course at Monmouth never has been used in the fall. It figures to be less than firm by U.S. standards but yielding ground here would be considered almost firm by most European standards. Spacing: Americans have done best with 21-to-28 days between starts. Europeans, again because of stouter training regimens and facing routinely superior competition, thrive best with layups of 40-to-65 days. Racing Schedule: Ideally, milers should compete in 4 to 7 races prior to this event. Historically, successful 3-year-olds have had experience vs. older horses. Post Position: If the speedy Lure could win from post 14 at tight-turned Hollywood Park and Royal Academy can come from last of 13 at Belmont Park, anything goes. Ability, race shape and running style trump position. Beyer Scale: Demand 109 or higher for older; 105 or more for 3-year-olds. However, it has been best to avoid new career tops. Equiform Scale: 80 DISTAFF: Current Form: Most Distaff winners have raced within 28 days of this event and proven class is a key. To that end, look for multiple Grade 1 or Group 1 winners. A win at 9 furlongs is key. Dosage: Look for a stamina oriented pedigree, an index of 4.0 or lower. Two keys to note: the more stamina in the pedigree, the better. Ideally, seek fillies with more points in the Classic Wing than the sum of the Speed, Intermediate, Solid and Professional wings combined. Key Preps: The Spinster (dominant history), Lady's Secret. Note that the Beldame has been a historical negative. Due to the installation of Polytrack at Keeneland last fall, its effect on the Distaff is not yet knowable. Empirical evidence has been confusing. While it suggests that it may be best to forgive uncharacteristically poor performances, there is also evidence to indicate that it's a great surface over which to prep for an upcoming dirt event. This year's Kentucky Derby exacta of Street Sense and Hard Spun each prepped on different Polytrack surfaces; Keeneland and Turf Park, respectively. Style: Both speed types and closers with tactical speed have dominated the results. Spacing: As stated previously, the majority of winners raced within four weeks. Racing Schedule: Most winners raced between 6 to 8 times during the year. Layup runners should come equipped with at least one bullet move and a workout at 6 furlongs or farther. Post Position: Since most of the races have come around two turns, positions 9 and wider have been decidedly disadvantaged. Beyer Scale: Demand 107 and higher for older; 103 or more for 3-year-olds. However, avoid a new career top in final prep. Equiform Scale: 78.5 TURF: Current Form: While current condition is paramount, it need not be winning form: Horses repeating a prior victory on Turf day are in the minority, although not be much. Never has the Turf been won by a horse older than 5. Dosage: The ideal is an index less than 3.0, with at least 2 points in the stamina wings (either solid or professional points). Key Preps: Turf Classic (best BC results at Belmont Park), Clement Hirsch (none in last 8 years), Arc de Triomphe. In the past, also-rans were preferable because the Arc never is easily won and is contested later in the season. The immensely talented Dylan Thomas won this year's renewal on Oct. 7 and makes his final career start in the Turf. Vexing proposition, that. Style: As a matter of rote, three-turn routes are rarely won in wire fashion. But uncontested speed at this level is especially dangerous. Stalkers are a worthy 14-for-23 in this event. Per usual, race shape and trips will prove the keys. Spacing: Ideally, the final prep should come 35 days before the event and accompanied by a win or place finish. Racing Schedule: Although recent winners have been more lightly raced, a 5 or 6-race campaign has been ideal. Demand a win at 12 furlongs and that the final prep be a quality event at 10 furlongs or farther. The Turf winner must have winning experience at the Grade 1 or Group 1 level. Post Position: Because of the distance, there is no discernable position bias. As the Europeans will tell you, the key to victory for any turf horse is the condition of the ground. That variable cannot be overstated. Beyer Scale: Demand 110 or higher, and prefer horses with multiple Beyers of 105 or better. Equiform Scale: 80 CLASSIC: Current Form: Unlike the Turf, a win at the classic distance is not mandatory but, as the name suggests, class is. Over 80 percent of Classic winners won one or more Grade 1 events during the season. Late development is key, whether it be older blue-collar types or 3-year-olds, especially those with Triple Crown experience. No horse 6-years-old and up has ever won the Classic. Dosage: While the ability to get 10 furlongs successfully is needed on race day, many winners have had speed-oriented pedigrees. Any index below 3.8 is acceptable. Key Preps: One would infer that traditional Eastern fixtures like the Woodward and Jockey Club Gold Cup would dominate, but that's not necessarily the case. A good horse can come from anywhere, making Santa Anita's Goodwood and Churchill's Stephen Foster just as significant. Style: I'm sure they have, but I've never seen a mile and a quarter race at Monmouth Park. It may be advisable, per usual, to look askance at deep closers. Generally, stalkers from close range have not fared well in this race. But this is, after all, Monmouth Park. Further, the extremely deep and talented field of 2007 is replete with speedy stalkers and deep closers. Something's got to give here. Spacing: There has been a more favorable relationship between the preps of late August and early September than those of late September and early October. Six weeks has been ideal. Racing Schedule: No one prep race has dominated the Classic results. But note that the campaign of the average Classic winner has been anywhere from 4-to-8 starts. Post Position: At 10 furlongs, ability, style and race shape trump position. (Still don't know how Unbridled could win at Belmont Park from a position closer to the parking lot than the inside fence)! Beyer Scale: Demand 110 for older horses, 107 for 3-year-olds. However, avoid a new career top in final prep. A forward-looking performance figure pattern is most desirable. Many horses earn career tops on Breeders' Cup day regardless of age, sex or surface. Equiform Scale: 80 Written by John Pricci - Comments (0) Friday, October 12, 2007 NYRA Right To Play Hardball With State Senate Saratoga Springs, NY--Bennett Liebman, acting director of the Albany Law School racing and wagering program, said it best last month when he appeared before the State Senate's Racing, Gaming and Wagering Committee on the subject of New York's racing franchise. To paraphrase: No one is wearing a white hat in this scenario. At the fourth and final Senate hearing this week before the entire Legislature reconvenes Oct. 22, officials of the New York Racing Association warned that unless both houses approve Gov. Eliot Spitzer's recommendation to extend NYRA's franchise for 30 years in exchange for ceding the title of its racetrack properties to the state, thoroughbred racing in New York would shut down upon expiration of the current franchise at midnight, Jan. 1. At the heart of all this is, of course, is the future installation of Video Lottery Terminals and Aqueduct and possibly Belmont Park. Under the auspices of the New York State Lottery, VLTs at Aqueduct are expected to raise $600 million in revenue in the first year, a projection most experts believe is not too overzealous. The association believes that a bankruptcy judge would not allow the claims of NYRA's creditors to be placed in jeopardy due to a loss of control over its revenues and assets. The Republican controlled Senate believes that a state oversight board created two years ago could step in and run the tracks by installing an interim management company. As far as racing is concerned, such an occurrence would be an unmitigated disaster. It would not only place New York racing in serious jeopardy but has the potential to interrupt a major flow of revenue to New York State. The logistical problems created by such a temporary solution would be nightmarish, involving all manner of goods and services. Both the front-side and back-side of the racetrack would be effected. So would thousands of people who work in the industry throughout the state, not to mention the economic hardship visited upon owners, trainers and backstretch workers. While the downstate tracks operate seasonally, Aqueduct and Belmont's horse population and workforce act interdependently. A smooth transition between the tracks is required for racing to be conducted at all, much less at the level associated with New York's industry leading status. The NYRA is absolutely within its rights to shut down racing in the face of what would amount to as a state takeover. The NYRA went into the franchise process ready and willing to play the land-ownership card. It can't now back away from that tack by allowing interim management overseen by politicians who can't get out of their own way in Albany, much less pull the strings of a business it clearly doesn't understand nor has the inclination to learn. There are no white hats in this process, and that includes NYRA. Remember, we are talking about a company that didn't pay its taxes and received deferred prosecution after pleading guilty to criminal charges. Those charges were sealed in the report of the state appointed monitor. That monitor, the law firm of Getnick and Getnick, received a no-bid contract, paid for--then and now--by the NYRA. Of this entire smoking gun scenario and inherent conflict of interest, said Liebman last month, "if you believe NYRA is transparent, you have blinkers on." Gov. Spitzer clearly wanted the state to gain secure title to the three tracks without having to suffer through a lengthy and costly litigation process, an argument the state could lose. New York's leading Democrat said as much in a visit to the Saratoga press box last August. Resultantly, the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding between the state and NYRA amounted to a windfall for the racing association. The percentages of VLT revenues afforded NYRA are high, especially considering the state is forgiving $130 million in existing debt and fronting them another $75 million for operational costs until the VLTs are up and running. The Senate has proposed to lower NYRA's percentage share of VLT revenues and pass the difference on to the casino operator. But while New York racing fiddles, Albany burns. As expected, House Majority Leader Sheldon Silver, a Democrat, backed Spitzer's plan that included VLTs for Aqueduct but not Nassau County's Belmont Park, a financial good thing for New York City's Queens County. When Spitzer learned that interest in attracting a casino operator would all but evaporate without Belmont Park in the VLT mix, he shifted gears. But not Silver, who said he would oppose "any further extension of gambling in the state." Belmont Park is located approximately seven miles east of Aqueduct Racetrack. Meanwhile, the Republican Senate Majority Leader, Joseph Bruno, embroiled in a feud with the Governor whose staffers allegedly assigned state troopers to monitor Bruno's activities, said that he opposes the Spitzer plan and wanted the organizations involved in the original Request for Proposals process to run the tracks. It has been well documented that Bruno has close ties to the Empire Racing group that last year lost the franchise bid to Excelsior Racing. Federal authorities currently are investigating pre-existing relationships between Bruno; Tim Smith, Empire investor and former head of Friends of New York Racing, said to be a stalking horse for Empire, and Jeff Perlee, Empire CEO and former Director of the New York Lottery. VLTs operate under auspices of the Lottery commission, whose delaying tactics during the Pataki administration stalled VLT construction at Aqueduct. The awarding of the franchise to Excelsior Racing last year was considered a major upset. Empire Racing, which had the support of New York horsemen, several Bruno associates, and the financial backing of a consortium of major industry organizations were considered the odds-on favorites. Empire suffered a major blow when it lost the support of the New York horsemen, followed this week by the withdrawal of Churchill Downs Inc., Magna Entertainment, as well as the financial support of its honorary chairwoman, New York socialite and horse owner Marylou Whitney. Delaware North, which operates casinos at New York's Finger Lakes Racetrack and Saratoga Gaming and Raceway, is expected to follow suit. Empire is said to be in negotiations on a merger with rival Capital Play, according to a post on the Bloodhorse web-site. If VLTs are approved at Belmont Park, Excelsior is the leading candidate to run the casino--fitting since they made the most comprehensive and generous proposal to win the original RFP process (see HRI column archive dated 09.13.07 for details). Without Belmont Park in the mix, Excelsior is out. Upon being awarded the franchise last year, soon thereafter it was learned that Richard Fields, a major Democratic booster, had extended the use of his private jet to Spitzer for a political fundraiser in Kentucky. Spitzer later paid for the trip but the political harm had been done. Fields, developer of the highly successful Hard Rock Casino in South Florida, recently purchased a majority interest in Suffolk Downs. Suffolk is considered a likely future site for one of three casino operations in Massachusetts. This week Fields dropped out of the Excelsior group. A political obstacle having been cleared, Excelsior's chances of again being awarded New York's VLT franchise improved dramatically despite Bruno's expected protestations. But unless Spitzer's plan, or a facsimile, is approved by year's end, it won't be a Happy New Year for New York horseplayers. Worse, it could prove an industry disaster of seismic proportions. Written by John Pricci - Comments (4) Thursday, October 04, 2007 Lawyer Ron to Upset Three-Year-Olds Bid for Classic History Berth After last weekend's Breeders' Cup prep races, even those late to the dance regarding the superiority of the 2007 three-year-old class is now squarely aboard the bandwagon. But are they good enough to repeat the feat of the class of 2000? Seven years ago a late developing sophomore named Tiznow took on the world and won a thrilling stretch duel from the uber-talented European Giant's Causeway. And when Captain Steve roared home for third, at the direct expense of speedy Albert the Great, three-year-olds comprised a Classic superfecta for the first time in Breeders' Cup history. Can Any Given Saturday, Curlin, Hard Spun, Street Sense and/or Tiago duplicate that feat? Will Curlin and Street Sense stage a Preakness redux, dominating the Classic the way Sunday Silence and Easy Goer did in 1989? Or will Lawyer Ron, reprising the role played by Gate Dancer four years earlier, break up the party the way Jack Van Berg's runner did when he prevented a sophomore sweep, separating Proud Truth from Turkoman and Chief's Crown? It's this historical context that makes this year's Classic the most anticipated renewal since the inaugural running in 1984. If it turns out to be a sophomore sweep, Tiago likely will be the odd three-year-old out. He simply hasn't caught up to his generation's upper echelon on the Equiform performance figure scale and has been beating up on inferior opponents in California. Encouraging is that Tiago's best figure came in the Kentucky Derby at the Classic distance. The problem is, trips and inexperience notwithstanding, he wasn't good enough to beat Street Sense, Hard Spun and Curlin then, and he isn't good enough to beat all of them now. Any finish better fourth for Tiago would be a stretch. Should that happen, it likely would come at the expense of Hard Spun who has proven tough, very fast and completely genuine, but still suspect at 10 furlongs. It's unlikely Hard Spun will get loose on a lead easy enough to steal a Classic, in the manner of Black Tie Affair 16 years ago, even over a speed-kind Monmouth oval. But he never runs a bad one and that includes the Belmont Stakes. Garrett Gomez needs to take credit for that debacle. Which brings us to Any Given Saturday, the only proven Monmouth horse for course. This Todd Pletcher three-year-old raised his game in the Dwyer, running as fast as colts his age can run. The colt virtually duplicated that effort winning the Haskell with authority and managed to win a slower Brooklyn despite an out-of-comfort-zone journey. That soft win might prove beneficial when he meets the Derby colts again, without the hindrance of a foot bruise like the one he sustained in the Derby. Curlin is back if, indeed, as trainer Steve Asmussen said early this week, he ever left. In the modern era, no three-year-old we've seen has accomplished as much as he has in a narrow career window spanning from Feb. 3 to Sept. 30 of his sophomore year. It's unknowable how badly this long striding colt was hampered by Monmouth's tighter turns in the Haskell or his inactivity since his grueling match with the Belmont heroine last June. In May, Curlin proved an extraordinary horse with a Preakness for the ages, running faster on the Equiform scale than any three-year-old this year not named Street Sense. Then last weekend he took measure of an older horse that had run nine furlongs faster than any horse in the storied history of Saratoga. Curlin looked the part of a winner even as five furlongs remained in the Jockey Club Gold Cup. The sense here is that he had some energy in reserve despite the narrow victory margin. He's back--and he's back with a vengeance. Street Sense is the most popular three-year-old in the country owing to his throwback quality as a racehorse, likeable connections and, oh yes, as a winner of the Kentucky Derby and Travers, the fourth leg of the Triple Crown no matter what Asmussen thinks about that. You can't even beat Street Sense when you take him out of his one-run, turn-inhaling game. Your best chance is to hope he strikes the front a few strides from the finish, and your horse is close enough for that to matter. And, of course, you'll need to hand him his first 10-furlong defeat. Even with all this, it will be extremely difficult for this superb sophomore class to duplicate the feat of their contemporaries of 2000. And that's because Pletcher has the best four-year-old in the country to accompany his surface loving three-year-old into the Monmouth starting gate. Lawyer Ron was a record setting winner of the Whitney and subsequently a completely dominant winner of the Woodward. The only thing he lost in the Jockey Club Gold Cup was a photograph and a horse race. The defeat was attributed to Lawyer Ron reverting to a head strong style that compromised his classics run last year, a possible regression off his enervating Saratoga performances and, to a lesser extent, the mile and a quarter route. Holes are easily poked in two of these three scenarios. Consecutive lifetime-best efforts are extremely valid reasons for a regression. But he did gallop out well at the end of the JCGC, its Classic distance seemingly not a serious compromising factor. But the pace was. And not for Lawyer Ron's inability to rate kindly. How was he expected to relax off an opening gambit of :24.28 around a half-turn in that wide, open expanse that is Belmont Park's backstretch run? Given those dynamics he rated fairly well. What's a little disconcerting, however, was Pletcher's and Johnny Velazquez's reaction to this scenario. This week Pletcher said that after discussing the situation with his rider, they might be better off allowing the colt his head right from the start. Unless he was blowing smoke, it upsets the form when Pletcher voluntarily discusses pre-race strategy. He just doesn't do it. Why now? Maybe it's because he thinks, as many do, that Lawyer Ron would relax better around two real turns. And with Hard Spun signed on, how soft does he think the early fractions will be? There's just no reason for Team Pletcher to overact to the Gold Cup defeat. It just may be that Lawyer Ron is the horse to beat in this mega high class Classic struggle, perhaps its best renewal ever. But one thing is clear: Lawyer Ron's odds-on to break up the three-year-old superfecta and deny the extraordinary group a berth in Classic history.

Five Good Questions with . . Sean Clancy of ST Publishing about the Preakness

Thu, 17 May 2007 11:19:37 -0500

Today's Five Good Questions is with Sean Clancy.....Sean is the editor and publisher of ST Publishing, producers of The Saratoga Special, Steeplechase Times, Keeneland Special and other equine projects....he also freelances for The Blood-Horse and Mid Atlantic Thoroughbred....he is also the author of Barbaro: The Horse Who Captured America's Heart.....today, Sean talks about Saturday's 132nd Preakness Stakes....

VIDEO: What Happens When You Let Your 12-Year-Old Son Name Your Horse

Tue, 08 May 2007 04:26:00 -0500

Horse racing definitely needs to liven things up a bit. Add some obstacles to the course, let the jockeys beat up on one another, throw some hungry cheetahs in there, give the horses funnier names

Kentucky Derby Facts

Sat, 05 May 2007 11:28:16 -0500

Here are some fun facts about The Kentucky Derby

Five Good Questions with . . . Rick Snider of The Examiner newspapers about The Derby

Thu, 03 May 2007 11:36:27 -0500

Today's "Five Good Questions" is with sports columnist Rick Snider.....Rick works for the Examiner newspapers in Washington and Baltimore (dcexaminer.com).... he has covered horse racing for over 25 years....

Barbaro's Whore Mother has another Child, CNNSI feels the need to Report on Horse Birth

Sun, 22 Apr 2007 22:56:51 -0500

I don't give a shit what you are doing right now, but you better stop and listen. Whether you are performing brain-surgery, single-handedly fixing global warming, piloting the space-shuttle or artificially inseminating a panda, stop and listen to this: Barbaro's second brother was born! Take a minute, let that sink in. Digest that headline and pick up the chair that you just fell out of in response to that groundbreaking news...