More Is More

- The line forms at the jail cell to the right. Lots of luck with that.

- A couple of people asked about Highland Cat, so I'll mention again that I, and most of the partners, sold out to another partner that wanted to bring him down to Florida. So they did, and he promptly won his first race for them, on a sloppy racetrack. Then, last Friday, he stepped up to 25 claimers on the grass, and ran third. That show spot earned only $1500, and could be worth less with the purses there being cut by Churchill Downs, a move which has really ticked off the horsemen there.

But slots could be on the horizon there, pending the results of a referendum in Miami-Dade County to be held on January 29. And Bloodhorse.com reports that the usual battle lines are being drawn. Meanwhile, Governor Charlie Crist is expected today to announce an agreement with the Seminole Tribe which will not only allow it to operate the Class 3 machines granted to the racetracks, but table games as well.

The agreement means that the tribe will pay taxes on gambling revenue to the state, to the tune of some $100 million per year, and it beats, by one day, the deadline after which the tribe could have proceeded with the upgraded slots on its own without paying a penny to the state. That's because of the federal law which requires that tribes be granted the same level of gambling as available elsewhere in each state. What the tribe got in return for agreeing to the taxes is exclusive rights to blackjack and baccarat. And with their Hard Rock Cafe operating in Hollywood, this cannot be good news for the nearby tracks, especially Gulfstream, already laboring with a state-low daily take per machine of just $76. According to the Bloodhorse piece, Pompano Park rakes in $211, and the old Hollywood dog track $176. Why there is such a big disparity I honestly can't even guess.

- The Meadowlands thoroughbred meeting ended on Saturday, but it only takes them a few days to prepare the track for the trotters. The meet opens with a bang with the eliminations for the Breeders' Crown, the finals for which will be conducted at the Big M on Nov 24. The top three-year olds in the sport will all be there this Saturday, with the spectacular Hambo winner Donato Hanover going for his 20th win in a row (!); and the star sophomore pacers Tell All, Always A Virgin and Southwind Lynx will vie for spots, the latter two going head to head in their elimination heat.

A couple of points here relating this to the T-breds. Though most of the entries will qualify for the finals since only 14 or 15 will be competing for the trot and pace respectively, the winner of each heat gets to choose its post position for the final. We certainly saw the importance of post position in the recent Breeders' Cup; and a post position incentive for the BC Challenge races would add some additional intrigue, and even perhaps persuade a reluctant trainer or two to enter their horse in a race they might be inclined to skip, given the way some runners are virtually eliminated in the post position draws for the big fields.

Also, we often talk about the importance of rivalries in our sport, and how the trend towards sparse campaigns makes that all but impossible. But on the harness side, these top pacers and trotters race against each other all the time. Just to play devil's advocate here, I wonder if that in fact diminishes the spectacle of the Breeders' Crown; whether it feels like just another battle, except for more prestige and money, like when the familiar PGA roster meets in the Masters or US Open?

There is something to be said about the intrigue of the unknown when horses meet for the first time. I was, and still am, horrified by interleague play in baseball because, amongst other things, it eliminates that special feeling I'd get when teams met for the first time in the World Series. With no history to go on, you never really knew what to expect, and it created a sense of anticipation unlike in any other sport. When the Mets and Yanks met in the 2000 Series, it could have felt like a truly once-in-a-lifetime event. But with the teams playing six games each year, it was, at least to me, not nearly as special as it could have been. As time goes on, I wonder if fans can even distinguish in their minds those Series games from all the regular season games between the teams we see each season. Similarly, there's a special feeling when horses of note meet for the first time, one which I imagine, without following the sport too closely, is not present for the Breeders' Crown.

Having said all that however, on balance, frequent rivalries have to be a good thing for a sport starving for recognition, and there's always the anticipation of the three-year olds facing older for the first time, or showdowns between American and European stars. So while there's something to be said in this case for less is better, I'll still come down on the side of more is more, even as we grow used to seeing less and less.

Wednesday Morning Notes - Nov 14

- I just ripped up and threw out my monthly NYRA Rewards statement without even bothering to open it. What's the point? I know that it was grim. I don't really even remember the last time I had a winner of any kind. I feel as if I really don't know what I'm doing at all. (Though at least I was right about Spitzer dropping his driver's license plan.)

So, with that in mind, I'll pick the 7th at Aqueduct today, and you can do with it what you will. I know what I would do. Calagaitor makes his 14th start of the year, and he hasn't won since April 25, some 11 starts ago. However, he meets some similar type foes in this state-bred entry level allowance affair. He made an impressive middle move in his last for Howie Tesher, reaching contention from the back of the pack as they turned for home; but he faded to 6th. I think that Norberto Arroyo Jr. may have moved too soon. Note that this gelding seems to prefer saving his best running for the end, and I like the switch to Alan Garcia, who rode him in that fashion at Belmont in September. He's been in pretty decent form of late, and looks like possible value at 6-1 morning line. Stepaside looks like your typical stepping up to allowance off a high-Beyer maiden win favorite. That always comes with a certain amount of risk, and this gelded son of Real Quiet beat a field of professional maidens in his last. North Country also graduated in his last, and he stretches out to two turns as well. Son of Silver Deputy out of a Slew O Gold mare figures to handle the route, but he too comes out of a weak maiden tilt and looks vulnerable as a likely underlay.

- Reader ljk mentioned the other day that he saw a quote about HRTV expanding its viewership; and here's the quote, from Santa Anita's president Ron Charles: "There will very shortly be discussions with DirecTV, and we are optimistic that hopefully HRTV might be available soon on DirecTV." [SGVTribune.com] He's optimistic that hopefully it might be available on DirecTV. Doesn't sound like time to go out and order those satellite dishes just yet!

Spitzer Spitting Into the Wind

- No news on the franchise deal, and I don't really expect to hear anything other than the occasional leaks until, as at least I expect, a deal which resembles the contentious MOU awarding NYRA the franchise is announced sometime before the end of the year. Or, alternatively, when everything falls apart.

The Governor is not exactly operating from a position of strength at this time. According to a new poll released by Siena College, Spitzer's poll ratings have taken a stunning fall, with his approval rating plummeting to Bush-like numbers from a post-election high of 75%. You'd think that he started a war for no reason or something. Voters, by a margin of 49 percent to 25 percent would prefer "someone else" as governor if the 2010 election were held today. [Buffalo News]

“New plan, old plan, it just doesn’t matter – New Yorkers continue to overwhelmingly oppose the Governor on his plan to give driver’s licenses to undocumented aliens [by a margin of 70% to 25%],” said Steven Greenberg, a spokesman for the poll. “The governor has America’s homeland security secretary agreeing with him that the state will have one of the most secure licensing systems in the nation, but by a three-to-two margin, New Yorkers don’t buy it.” [NY Times blog]

Spitzer is in D.C. today, where he'll meet with New York's congressional delegation, which will likely beg him to drop the plan. The issue was already a factor in some local elections earlier this month, and it tripped up Hilary Clinton in the last candidate's debate. Many Democrats, already looking ahead to November, 2008, can't distance themselves far enough from the Gov at this point He's being urged by politicians from his own party (the Republicans are loving it), the "experts", and even sympathetic newspaper editorialists to drop the plan, and do so now.

Over the weekend, Spitzer, for the first time, indicated he'd be willing to do so. But on Monday, he seemed to back off; a senior Spitzer official told the NY Sun that "There is no reversal in the works." But I believe that as much as I think that the racing franchise will be split up. Spitzer is on the wrong side of the anti-immigrant sentiment that 's been stirred up by Republicans and the likes of Lou Dobbs, and it certainly didn't help that he thought he could steamroller it through without debate. I think he'll have to back off.

I've heard from fellow Democrats in the comments section in opposition to the plan, and, as Ms. Clinton discovered, it's a tough proposal to even try and be sympathetic to given the current atmosphere. While I certainly respect and understand their opinions, mine is that these people - and they are people, though they are now routinely demonized by the phrase "illegal aliens" - are here. And, due to the government's inability to agree on a new immigration policy, they're not going anywhere anytime soon. And, as human beings like the rest of us, they have to eat, so they have to work, and many will have to drive. It's just the way it is. Personally, I'd rather be driving amongst others who have gone through the steps needed to earn a legal license, even if they may be here illegally. I can only hope for Lou Dobbs' sake that he will not be involved in a serious accident caused by someone who doesn't know how to drive. It's just a matter of practicality and common sense, in my most humble opinion, even if that opinion is currently squarely in the minority. (And remember, eight other states currently issue licenses to those without legal immigrant status, so it's not like Spitzer is a two-headed monster for suggesting it.)

As if the license imbroglio isn't enough, matters in the so-called Troopergate/Choppergate "scandal" have taken a turn for the worse for the Governor, with his former top aide Darren Dopp said to be under investigation for possible perjury by Albany DA David Soares. It seems as if his sworn testimony to Andrew Cuomo, and unsworn statements to Soares and the Public Integrity Commission, in which he claimed to have compiled the information on Bruno's travels in response to newspaper requests, is at odds with written notes, in the form of a "secret diary," collected by investigators. Should an indictment or further fallout regarding Spitzer occur, it will once again likely be due to the coverup rather than the alleged misdeeds themselves.

The Senate Republicans who are carrying on their own investigation are naturally delighted with this development. No question that they've done an excellent job of controlling this debate, with a little help from their friends at the NY Post, which is having a field day with this. The conservative rag has loudly proclaimed this to be the "Dirty Tricks" scandal, and I saw the phrase (without capital letters), picked up by the Daily News as well.

But to me, "dirty tricks" in politics is harassing voters with fake robo-calls purporting to be from the candidates they're trying to discredit, mounting bogus challenges at the polls to try and disenfranchise voters, trying to mislead potential voters into thinking they're not registered or deceiving them to go to the wrong polling places. Prodding a newspaper to publish a well-researched and accurate article concerning the Senate Majority Leader using taxpayer money to help fund his own campaign war chest? Not dirty tricks. Hardball tactics, behavior bordering on the unethical, perhaps. But the only "dirty" thing about this whole mess is Bruno's cynical abuse of permissive state law to use public money for his own political purposes.

That's my take on these two issues....OK, now let me have it!

Revved Up At the Big A

- The most exciting finish I saw this past weekend was at Calder, in the Bonnie Heath Turf Cup, on the turf as part of the Florida Millions day. Revved Up got a great ground saving trip from his outside post with Eibar Coa, and took command after turning for home. Soldier's Dancer was far back when Cornelio Velasquez tipped him wide at the top of the stretch, and he came flying home out of nowhere. Track announcer Bobby Neuman didn't pick him until the sixteenth pole.

I was watching the race at the track, on the third floor clubhouse in the Equestris area. It was my first appearance at the Big A this fall. I have to say that I was extremely disappointed. I guess I got the wrong impression from reading about renovations and improvements, and thought there were some real changes. But aside from some new coats of paint and some new TV's up in the Manhattan Terrace (an excellent addition to my favorite place to hang in the place), I didn't really see much. All of the various rooms, restaurants, and bars looked exactly the same, and I didn't notice a new simulcast room that I'd read about.

So it was mostly just the same Aqueduct as far as I could see. That's not such a bad thing, but it's time. I hope there's something in that MOU for a renovation of the Man O'War room.

It was shortly after the end of live racing, so the crowd was thinning down to the hardcore, and a guy behind me was pleading for Soldier's Fortune to get up. It was an extremely close finish with the heads bobbing furiously, so it was a tough call watching it live. This other guy sitting right next to me was this hard-boiled Irish dude, a long, long time regular, one of those guys I've never said a word to, but I feel I've known all my life. "You got it," he assured the guy behind me. "Don't worry, the one was up at the wire." "I don't know," the guy behind me groaned when we saw the replay.

"Don't worry, the one got up. You got it!"

But of course, Revved Up held on, and the poor guy lost. Revved Up got the fortuitous bob after the other may have had his nostril in front a stride before. Revved Up is nine years old and still going strong for Christophe Clement. This was the third straight year he's won this race; in 2005, he earned a career best Beyer of 108. He doesn't run triple digit Beyers anymore (he got a 98 for this race), but he has two wins and two seconds and earnings of $200,000 this year.

I thought that the Long Island Handicap was a strange race. It started out with slow fractions, but instead of seeing them pick up the pace late as we generally see on the grass these days, the race actually slowed down; the last two quarters were run in a plodding 26.09 and 26.23. So either the turf, labeled good, was extremely soft and tiring, or the first two finishers were simply the only horses doing any running at all after a mile and a half. Dalvina (Grand Lodge / Chief's Crown) went last to first and got a Beyer of 100. Royal Highness, who won this race last year on a course also labeled good, was very very disappointing as the even money favorite, saving ground and coming up empty even as the fractions slowed in front of him.

Without G. Stevens, TVG Forges On

- The 6th at Hollywood Park on Sunday was named in honor of the NHL's Los Angeles Kings, who were on hand for a Meet the Players event. On TVG, Christina Olivares interviewed the team's Derek Armstrong, a center who was in the Rangers' farm system around the turn of the century, and played seven games for the parent club spread out over three seasons. It turned out be some fortuitous scheduling to have the team there on Sunday, as the Kings scored a spectacular comeback victory at home just the night before. They were down 4-0 with less than eight minutes to go, but scored five goals in just over five minutes, surrendered a tying goal with a minute to go, but ultimately winning in OT! I'm sure it must have reminded some of the so-called Miracle on Manchester playoff game against Edmonton in 1982, considered to be the greatest comeback in NHL playoff history.

Unfortunately, the race itself too closely resembled a hockey game. We like hard body checks, but not on the racetrack. It featured a nasty spill involving two horses, and jockeys Fernando Jara and Jose Valdivia, Jr., both of whom were reported to be conscious and alert, but taken to the hospital. Horse racing being the mere blip on the media radar it is these days, no further information on the riders is available as of this writing on Monday morning. The horses were said to be OK, which is pretty amazing if you see the spill.

The accident occurred in upper stretch when Garrett Gomez, aboard the well-bet first-timer Dee Dee's Legacy, steered his mount, who was dead last after a quarter mile, out a path (or two) in search of racing room. In doing so, he came out towards Jara's mount Stretching the Take. Jara then reacted to what he may have believed was imminent contact by directing his horse wide; and the horse appeared to overreact, turning his head sharply to the right and bearing out. This put him in a path directly behind another runner, causing Stretching the Take to clip his heels and tumble to the ground. Dewey's Special then fell over the fallen horse, sending Valvidia hard to the track, as Gomez and Dee Dee's Legacy went on to win. Hopefully we'll learn that the Cushion Track helped cushion the blows. The horses were both reported to be OK, which is surprising if you saw the accident.

I watched that race and a couple of others on TVG. If you missed it, Gary Stevens has defected to HRTV, where he'll start on Jan 1. It seems at first glance like a curious career move, considering that he's going to a network with a smaller audience, and one owned by a debt-ridden company seeking to sell off assets. Who knows, Stronach could sell it off to the Scripps company, which could merge it with HGTV, and Stevens could end up hosting a show on how to renovate barns in preparation for sale.

HRTV's gain is certainly TVG's loss. Stevens has proven to be an excellent listen, and was an important part of the chemistry amongst the sometimes volatile crew on The Works which created some compelling TV. But, at least during the short time I watched on Sunday, TVG showed that it can carry on without him just fine. While I get on the network's case from time to time, they consistently do fine work when they are on location, and perhaps I don't give them the credit they deserve. So today I will.

Before the race, Christina Olivares spoke to the owner of Dee Dee's Legacy, and there was a very nice story behind the horse, though I must admit I didn't pay full attention to the schmalzy details. But it sounded like a nice tear-jerker involving the man's late mother. Unfortunately, the ugly accident overshadowed the result, as well as an ultimately intuitive piece of reporting by Ms. Olivares. The stewards put up the inquiry sign to probe Gomez's role into the spill; adding to the drama, all four numbers on the result board flashed simultaneously. Frank Lyons opined that the question was whether Gomez had caused the accident by drifting out.

But that ultimately was not the key issue in my opinion. Gomez certainly did not keep a straight path, and his steering outside undoubtedly was at least the indirect cause of the crash, since it triggered the reaction by Jara and his mount. There was no contact though, so Lyons argued that the horse should stay up. Todd Schrmmppff, doing his usual good job playing devil's advocate in order to spur his analyst partners (Simon Bray replacing G. Stevens in this case), suggested that the reason there was no contact was only because Jara tried to avoid it.

But that's not really clear watching the head-on. Either Jara, his horse (who was wearing blinkers and therefore presumably did not see the approaching horse), or both seemed to overreact. There was no visual evidence that any bumping would have occurred. So the stewards left the winner up, and the result chart notes that they ruled Streching the Take contributed to his own trouble. Seems like a rather cold way of phrasing it considering the frightening consequences and potential injuries, but that pretty much sums it up. Lyons amplified his point after the ruling, saying that it was Jara's decision to anticipate the contact, and that he didn't have to assume it would occur. He asked if a rider should be DQ'd if he says 'boo!', thus causing a rival to react. It was an interesting discussion, and I'm sure that Stevens would have had his own strong opinion. Mine is that the decision was the correct one. It's unfortunate that the horse clipped heels, but had that not occurred, I don't think there would have been even a thought of conducting an inquiry.

The network scored a homerun on the 8th race as well, the Moccasin Stakes for two-year old fillies. Spring Awakening was favored for trainer Mike Mitchell; she was second in the G1 Del Mar Debutante two back, but faded to third as the 4-5 favorite in her last when ridden much closer to the pace than previously by Joe Talamo. Schrupp and Lyons spoke about how Mitchell was dissatisfied with that ride, leading him to replace Talamo with Garrett Gomez. Ms. Olivares jumped in from the paddock right on cue with an interview with the trainer. "Joe is a good little rider, but he just used kinda bad judgment, pushed on her a little too early, and she ran off," Mitchell told her.

She also alertly pointed out that Mitchell had trained Sindy Jacobson, the apparent main speed in the race, prior to her being purchased privately after her last effort. Mitchell acknowledged that she's the lone speed, but said he doubted she could last for seven furlongs on the Hollywood surface.

So, as the race shaped up with Sindy Jacobson setting the pace, and Spring Awakening rated off the lead (though really not too far behind) in perfect striking position, the pre-race discussions certainly enhanced the viewing experience. And when Gomez and Spring Awakening wore down the leader and headed to victory, Vic Stauffer exclaimed that it was the rider's record-setting 71st stakes victory of the year.

Spring Awakening is by In Excess, out of a Carson City mare, and another interesting pre-race comment by Mitchell was that, while her owners want her to stretch out, he believes she's a sprinter at heart. Perhaps the trainer is a dosage guy, because her number comes in very high at 7.0. Certainly some stamina in her pedigree though, as her second dam is a half-sister to the Belmont winner Editor's Note. So we'll see who prevails between owner and trainer.

Sindy Jacobson was making her first start for a partnership including Team Valor, and I'm always interested in following these private purchases of Barry Irwin. The filly had won her two career starts coming into Sunday's race, though in a 40K maiden claimer and a starters allowance. Though beaten in this race, she took a big jump in class and ran on very well to hold second in a quick race (1:21.53, on a Cushion Track said to be made quicker by a light rain), showing the kind of athleticism on the turn that seems to attract the interests of her new owner. She's by More Than Ready, out of a Rubiano mare, is inbred to Halo 3x3, to Northern Dancer and Mr. Prospector, and sports a distance-leaning dosage of 2.25. I wouldn't be at all surprised to see them try to stretch this filly out.

Verdict Is In

- Big marketing push on the stallion Closing Argument, who moved from Sequel Stallions in Florida to Hill'n'Dale in Kentucky, and had his stud fee raised from $10,000 to $12,500. There's a four page spread ad for his services in the Breeders' Cup issue of Bloodhorse. You'd never know by looking at it that he won only three races from his nine career starts, with one graded win, that in the G3 Holy Bull. When it comes to stallion marketing, little things like not winning that much don't really matter.

Take Wilko, for example. Recently acquired by Frank Stronach to stand at his Adena Springs farm in Florida, we know that he was 0-18 after his Juvenile win, with seven third place finishes the best he could do. But in stallion marketing-speak, that becomes: "He made every dance and was durable." And you know what, I guess there's a lot to be said for that! Wilko will stand for $10,000.

Closing Argument retired after getting beat by 26 lengths in the Preakness. The Bloodhorse ad, of course, emphasizes the good things, including his SECOND IN THE $2,000,000 GRADE 1 KENTUCKY DERBY, ahead of Eclipse Champion Afleet Alex. He was almost home that day at 71-1, and looking back, that race could be viewed as a springboard of sorts for the careers of the horse's trainer and jockey. Kiaran McLaughlin had a fairly high profile, but a distinctly lower win percentage back then as I recall; and Cornelio Velasquez was not considered to be amongst the top tier of the NY colony. Looking back through the LATG archives, I see that I wrote the next day: I imagine the Derby was a bittersweet experience for a successful, but unheralded jockey who has no guarantee of being back in a Derby any time soon. He was back the next year on Showing Up, and this year on Nobiz Like Shobiz, so he's either come a long way, or I didn't know what I was talking about.

The weanlings of Closing Argument have apparently made a good impression. Ten of them sold for an average of $41,600, and he topped the fall sale at Ocala with a colt which brought $185,000 from a pinhooking venture of Lewis Lakin and Terry Finley. The Verdict Is In... proclaims the ad, which contains a far more attractive photo of the weanling colt than the one in the Thoroughbred Times article linked to above. Closing Argument has already closed the deal with 307 mares in his first two years at stud.

- I don't know who Kathleen Feron is, but I do know that she's won with four of her first six starters at the Big A meeting; most recently with Them There Eyes, who recovered from a poor start and swept by the field in the Scoot Stakes on Friday. This improving three-year old filly stepped up from state-bred company and returned $25.60 with Samyn on the green. She's by Holy Bull out of a mare by D'Accord (Secretariat); and her second dam is a full sister to Bailjumper, a classy Damascus colt who won the Dwyer and Saranac in 1977 for Frank Whitely and Pen-Y-Bryn; and to Honorable Miss, a great racemare who won consecutive Fall Highweight Handicaps in 1975-76 for the same connections, during a time when that meant a great deal.

News and Notes - Nov 9

- Jerry Bailey told Paul Post of the Saratogian that Excelsior is "still in the mix," as long as VLT's at Belmont is part of the plan. It's not, presently, and Sheldon Silver has been opposed; however, Post reports that insiders say he might approve it as part of a political trade-off. Of course, Excelsior's best shot appears to be running the VLT parlors, as NYRA operates the track. Bailey said: "It would be more difficult to split it up, but we've always been able to work with NYRA."

Huh? Excelsior has worked with NYRA? Was that a slip of the tongue? Better not let Jeff Perlee hear that! Post also writes that there's been speculation that Empire is no longer seeking the franchise. We haven't heard any further talk of a combination of Empire and Capital Play; and honestly, I don't really know what Empire consists of at this point since all of its industry partners have dropped out.

- Gary West takes a look at Jess Jackson in his column today, noting how he's taken on the entrenched industry interests via his activism in the area of integrity and transparency in horse sales. He also references a recent article in the LA Times regarding Jackson's Kendall-Jackson wine business.

Jackson said that in at least two of the 25 years he has been making wine, losses topped $10 million as a result of expenses "to ensure that our quality was what the consumer expected."
......
"We are not looking for quarterly profits," Jackson said. "We want something to hand down to the next generation." [LA Times]

West is hopeful that Jackson's dissident ways and long-term business approach adds up to us seeing Curlin race at age four.

....As a business decision, racing Curlin next year doesn't make much sense. Quite simply, he could make more money as a stallion.

No, racing Curlin next year can make sense only to someone who doesn't have the corporate-quick-profit mentality, only to somebody who sees the bigger picture, only to somebody who understands the sport's needs and sympathizes with them.

Here's hoping Jess Jackson is that somebody. [Dallas-Ft. Worth Star Telegram]

- The Maryland Senate voted 31-15 to approve a referendum on slots next November. Next, the House of Delegates will take up the issue, and it's expected to pass there too. House Speaker Michael Busch, who has been the main obstacle to slots in the past, is at least willing to let the voters decide.

The plan as currently structured would allow slots only at two racetracks - Laurel Park and Ocean Downs. Officials have said it's unclear whether slots revenue would be available to all racetracks in the state under a formula. [Bloodhorse] Senate Republicans tried to substitute Rosecroft for the latter, on the grounds that a racino at Ocean Downs would hurt businesses in nearby Ocean City; but that move failed. Penn National recently purchased Rosecroft; I'd love to see a list of Penn Nat's campaign contributions to the Senators who sponsored that amendment. Ocean Downs is owned by the owner of Delaware Park, which would set up an interesting dynamic, since other Delaware gambling interests would be expected to oppose the idea of competition from Maryland.

Hunch Bets for Friday, November 9

To The Woodshed 6th at Churchill
Search And Seizure 4th at Aqueduct
Ima Trick General 3rd at Hoosier
Stormy Relations 4th at Aqueduct
Yikes 2nd at Churchill
Do I Havea Witness 10th at Churchill
Sharp Shooter 7th at Woodbine
Fight Like A Girl 7th at Churchill
Wise Pitch 6th at Aqueduct
Quite A Flight 7th at Churchill

The Girardi Exacta:
He's A Yankee / Regular Joe - 4th at Churchill

- I was saddened to read of the death of the filly Alexander Tango. She wowed this observer with her sizzling rally to win the Garden City at Belmont. The three-year old daughter of Danehill Dancer was in quarantine at a farm in Kentucky, and scheduled to return to competition in Ireland next year.

"The filly was out in a paddock at Woods Edge Farm, which is owned by Paul O'Callaghan, a nephew of Alexander Tango's owner Noel O'Callaghan, when something frightened her and she jumped the rails, fatally injuring herself." [Santana Sports]

Fun While It Lasted

- I'm out after Day 2 of the SHOWdown contest, thanks to my own stupidity and usual misfortune. When both Captain Backfire AND Rollers scratched from the 3rd, I was left without a selection. It seemed like the obvious race to play with its short field and two apparent standouts, and I figured that I'd bet Rollers if the other scratched; but I was just plain unprepared for them both to do so. I was at work, with little time until the deadline, and no time to look at the other races, which I never really bothered that much with the night before. So I took a well-meaning, and ultimately well-meant-on-the-tote suggestion in the same race from a couple of readers, and it didn't work out.

But having said all of that, you'd think that an even money favorite could get at least 3rd in a freaking four horse field....for heaven's sake....

The winner, Beijing House, shipped in from Suffolk off a ten length win, and made short order of the short field. It was the old 'why would Yamil Rosario come all the way here just to ride this horse' system. His bio on the Suffolk site says: Much like Pat Day during his time, Rosario prefers to come from off the pace as opposed to showing speed from the gate; but not on this horse. Beijing House is a two-year old gelded son of Mutakddim, out of Slacks, out of Count Tootsies, out of Footy, out of Obstetrician.

In the 4th, Southern Gale was 6-1 morning line for trainer John Terranova. The barn's 0-25 record with first-time starters was right there in black and white, but this son of Stormy Atlantic was the hot horse, going off as the 9-5 favorite! He opened up a lead in the stretch, but didn't quite get it done for his backers, getting caught late by Zito's He's Solid Gold.

Another winner for the suddenly hot David Jacobson barn (Explosive Count, $17) in the 5th; and trainer Kathleen Feron is now three for five at the meeting after saddling Milliondollar Moon ($7.60) in the 9th.

- Tom Precious has done an outstanding job reporting on the NY franchise issue for Bloodhorse, but his latest entry looks to me like one of those 'hearsay as news' articles we see in the media from time to time. He writes of a plan "kicking around," and that: Under one scenario floated in the state capital the week of Nov. 4.....

NYRA would get the rights to run racing at Saratoga, with the rights for Aqueduct and Belmont Park going to the highest bidder among the various racing entities that have already made a pitch for the franchise. The video lottery terminal casino at Aqueduct would be put out to bid, and real-estate ventures involving unused land at the tracks for hotel and other development, would go to one or more of the development groups already tied to the different bidding entities. [Bloodhorse]

"It's not something we're looking at,'' a Spitzer spokesperson is quoted as saying in the only real hard news item in the piece, and I doubt that they really are. I'm going to stick to my guns on this one, and if I'm wrong, you can come back and make fun of me. But again, I just don't see Spitzer putting forth any proposal that would send NYRA scurrying back to bankruptcy court screaming "LAND CLAIM," as this certainly would. And I think that Bruno's own constituency in Saratoga would be absolutely apoplectic over any proposal that would create a downstate competitor to its treasured race meeting.

- In Maryland, if it were up to Senate President Mike Miller and many members of his chamber, they would vote to legalize slots in the state without putting the matter to a referendum. But with House Speaker Michael Busch still opposed to expanded gambling and unwilling to allow a measure that doesn't put the issue to a vote, reality has set in. The Senate voted 30-17 to give preliminary approval to the referendum concept, moving the bill towards a final vote. The Senate voted down an amendment which would have replaced the referendum with an actual bill approved by the chamber in 2005 that would have legalized VLT's. Senate Majority Leader Edward J. Kasemeyer, a longtime proponent of slots, explained: "Sometimes, in order to move forward, you have to reach consensus,....In order to move this legislation forward, we have to go through this process." [Baltimore Sun]

Thursday Morning Notes - Nov 8

- Thursday's 4th at Aqueduct looks like virtually the same race as the one I handicapped on Saturday morning before it was canceled. So I re-present that to you here, if, for nothing else, the rather amazing stats on Barclay Tagg's first-time two-year olds this year.

Sleeping Indian took the Volponi Stakes, for three-year olds on the turf. This is another of those completely incongruous stakes names. Volponi, of course, made his name running on the dirt as an older horse, almost exclusively, with that one very notable exception in the 2002 Classic, running second. Sleeping Indian is now unbeaten in three turf tries. He's by Lemon Drop Kid, out of a mare by Dove Hunt, who won the grassy Pilgrim Stakes, and who is a half-sister to Student Council, who I imagine is presently brushing up on his Japanese in preparation for his start in the Japan Cup coming up later this month.

- Any Given Saturday has been retired to stud by Darley, where he'll stand for $40,000, and thanks a lot for that Your Royal Sheikhness.

"Sheikh Mohammed considered keeping Any Given Saturday in training but it was decided that it was in the horse’s best interest to retire him to stud. He'll join Discreet Cat and his old adversaries Hard Spun and Street Sense at Darley, and you couldn't wish for a more impressive bunch of new recruits." [Bloodhorse]

It's in the horse's best interests? What the fuck does that mean? Talk about a horse who fizzled out! He seemed to jump into the top echelon of his crop with his impressive wins in the Dwyer and Haskell. But, despite the fact that the horse was fit and fresh at that point, having not raced since the Derby prior to those two efforts, Pletcher then held him out for seven weeks until the Brooklyn and, after that less than dazzling performance, another five until his disappointing Classic. And now he's off to stud. I think I said this before, but to me, he's a poster child for a lot that's presently wrong with this sport.

And speaking of a career fizzling out, I guess I just missed Discreet Cat's retirement; he'll stand for $30,000.

On the flip side, Dylan Thomas, who has run nine times this year, five of those since July 28, is now also being considered for the Japan Cup.

Regarding SHOWdown today, this is my first experience in the contest, and I can already sense the little nuances and strategies it must entail. I guess the idea is to stay alive until you can pick out an obvious choice which a lot of contestants will pick, but which you think is vulnerable, and come up with a more eclectic selection in the hope that all the others on the bridgejumper type get wiped out. The third race seems the best today, with its short field, and two apparent standouts. Barclay Tagg has Rollers, the 7-5 choice, dropping back to state-breds after placing in an open stakes. The only thing that concerns me about him is his slow workouts since that race. Four days before that stakes run, he worked a bullet half in 46 3/5, a drill which probably had Tagg bitching that it was too fast. So perhaps he draped an anchor on the rider who was on board for the two lethargic drills since.

In any event, I'm going to stick with that race, but go with Captain Backfire instead, for Linda Rice. He was very impressive in his well-bet debut, skipping away to win handily in a final furlong of 12 seconds flat. Always some risk backing a maiden winner graduating into allowance ranks, and Rice has a poor record with second-time starters. But he doesn't have to win, and at least he has an appropriate name should I flame out here on Day 2.

Kentucky Kan Do

- The prospects for slots at Kentucky racetracks got a boost with the election of Democrat Steve Beshear, who handily defeated the scandal-ridden Republican (there's a redundancy for you) and incumbant Ernie Fletcher in Tuesday's election. Beshear supports a referendum on the question of slots at racetracks in a bid to raise $500 million a year. Fletcher, who was indicted during his term but had the charges dropped in return for an admission of wrongdoing, spent nearly half his campaign budget running ads opposing casino gambling.

And in a desperate ploy in the closing days, Fletcher played upon hatred and bigotry in focusing on Beshear's endorsement by a gay rights group. Concurrently, some Kentucky voters received bogus robocalls which proported to be from the Fairness Campaign, a gay rights organization. The recorded calls said:

Beshear is receiving major support from out-of-state gay activists and has publicly committed to same-gender relationships, employment of more homosexuals in state government including teachers, and support for homosexual adoption of children.

If you believe these rights are fair please vote for Steve Beshear for governor. Visit Fairness.org. [Talking Points Memo]

Beshear, by the way, opposes gay marriage. No one has taken responsibility for the illegal calls, a tactic employed unsuccessfully by the Rethuglicans in the 2006 vote that gave control of Congress to the Democrats. I'm sure there's some sleazy operative hiding out there somewhere, and I bet he knows Karl Rove. But the GOP knows no shame, as evidenced by the serial liar Rudy Giuliani proudly accepting the endorsement of a religious wingnut who, a couple of days after 9/11, said that America got "probably what we deserved" and that the ACLU has to "take a lot of blame for this."

Oh, but I know, this is all subject matter for other blogs, and I digress. It's far from a lock that the slots issue will even make it to the ballot.

In general, Republicans oppose expanded gambling, while Democrats support a referendum. The Kentucky Senate is controlled by Republicans, by a 21 to 16 margin. (Another member is an independent who is participates in the Republican caucus.) The House is controlled by Democrats by a 63 to 37 margin.

Legislation to put a referendum on the ballot would require a three-fifths majority vote in each house. [DRF]

But Beshear's election certainly puts the issue into play.

- The buyout of Satish Sanan by Jess Jackson and George Bolton is an interesting development in the Curlin story. If the three of them had agreed that the horse should be retired to stud, therefore in theory entitling them to the colt's maximum value, I don't know why Sanan would sell out at this time. So, just guessing here, but just maybe Jackson and Bolton want to roll the dice and bring him back, y'think? The two of them now own an 80% interest.

- I'm alive after one day of NYRA's SHOWdown contest. I didn't publish my pick in advance here, because I didn't want to be humiliated if I got eliminated on the first day. It's that same fear of being exposed as an idiot that has prevented me from thus far acknowledging to you that Highland Cat won his first race, at Calder, after I and most of the Castle Village partners sold our interest...oh man. But not only did Jules For AJ keep me alive in the contest, he actually won the race and paid $7.60.

It's taken a while for trainer David Jacobson to warm up after 20 years away from the game, but he's now won five out of 14 at the Big A meeting after In For A Dime won the first, returning a mutuel of $23.60. Jacobson had been dropping horses in class prodigiously in what seemed like a fire sale, but this one took a huge jump in class and got up over Wildcane, for trainer Juan Rodriguez. And if the latter's name is back in the pp's, it means that the "bad guy" Richard Dutrow is suspended again.

I neglected to mention Cody Autrey in my discussion of hot trainers at CD yesterday. I recall that Autrey, like Jacobson, had claimed a bunch of horses in the 35-50K range over the spring and summer. Autrey took them to Del Mar and didn't fare very well, and I'd noticed some of those dropped down drastically as well. But his win in the second today with Time for Etbauer was his 4th win from 7 runners at the meeting, so keep an eye on him as well. [UPDATE: And wow! Another winner for Autrey, via DQ, in the 7th; Mojito Man at 9-2!]

Wednesday Morning Notes - Nov 7

- Another winner for Ian Wilkes, the hot trainer at Churchill these days; he scored in the 8th on Tuesday with Awsugahnow, at 5.40 to 1. Once again, Calvin Borel was aboard, as he has for all five winners the barn has from only eight starters. Wilkes has one starter entered for Thursday; Tiz to Dream is stuck out on the AE list. Wilkes is 0-for-35 lifetime with first-time starters. This son of the 9% debut sire Tiznow is out of a half-sister to the Juvenile champ Gilded Time.

Steve Asmussen is also having a good meet at CD; after two winners on Tuesday, he stands with a record of 23-8-4-4. Storm Treasure is another of those Derby survivors, having run 11th, a mere 19 1/4 lengths behind Barbaro last year. Immediately afterwards, he found a new home on the grass, and even though he lost 15 races in a row, he'd earned almost $370,000 even before this win, which was his second in a row since breaking that schneid.

Asmussen missed another winner in the 10th when his Dr. W ran second to Possibi. The winner last ran on the Tapeta surface at Presque Isle Downs, and again, this is strictly unscientific and not backed by any stats, but I've been noticing horses with the Pid in the 'Last Raced' column of the race charts faring pretty well.

Golden Gate will unveil its Tapeta track when the meeting opens there today.

Costing about $10 million to install, Tapeta already is paying dividends for Golden Gate. Field size for opening week is up an average of almost two horses per race, from 6.6 to 8.5. The barn area is filled to capacity with 1,350 horses. Track officials hope to build barns with 250 new stalls to accommodate the waiting list.[Sacramento Bee]

Small fields are one of the main reasons that I've never really had much interest in betting the Northern California circuit, so perhaps I'll take a look. The surface has thus far received all the rave reviews we're accustomed to hearing at tracks that have installed synthetics, at least before the racing actually starts. Average field size at the recently concluded Oak Tree meeting at Santa Anita was up from 8.9 from 8.2 last year, before the Cushion Track was installed.

- One trainer who is not doing particularly well at Churchill is Pletcher, with a record of 13-1-2-0. His two-year old colt Holy Humor, 7th at 7-2 in his debut at Keeneland, was 5th at 5-2 on Tuesday. The favorite, Sacred Journey, was bet down to 2-1 from 5-1 morning line in his career debut for Dallas Stewart. He finished 4th, so if you bet the Blessed Exacta of Holy Humor and Sacred Journey, you got left at the pearly gate.

Pletcher is also 0 for 9 at the Big A, and 1-for-24 overall since English Channel won the Turf; so looks like another mini-slump for the Toddster, who stands at 23% for the year. On July 22, the last day of the Belmont spring meeting, he was at 27%. Since that time, he's 75-for-458, for a percentage of 16.4%. That's an average most trainers would die for, but it's clearly below par for this one.

News and Notes - Nov 6

- Mentioned yesterday about how the Spinster seems to be a productive race; note that Panty Raid, who won that race for the Toddster, is being pointed to Churchill Downs' $300,000-added Falls City Handicap (gr. II) to be run Thanksgiving Day. [Bloodhorse]

- Playful Act, the broodmare purchased for $10.5 million by the Sheikh during the opening day of Keeneland November, is by Sadler's Wells, out of a half-sister to Siberian Summer, who won the G1 Strub Stakes in 1993. It was said by the Form to be just the second head-to-head duel between Coolmore and the Sheikh, with the first being Sunday's disputed bidding for Octave, who went to His Shekhness for $4 million when Coolmore's bidder apparently wasn't quite demonstrative enough with his gesticulating. I'm not really going to waste anymore time on this stuff, because it has little to do with racing, and everything to do with inflated ego, obscene debauchery, and extreme stupidity. More on the absurdity if you're interested at the Form.

Jeff Scott, writing in The Saratogian, notes that the stud fee for Mr. Greeley has been raised from $75,000 to $125,000, presumably because of a couple of recent major runners in Europe.

This seems like a big jump for a stallion who hasn't had a Grade I winner in the U. S. since 2002, and whose career average-earnings index is the lowest of the top 40 stallions on The Blood-Horse's most recent general sire list. Also, Mr. Greeley's average winning distance of 6.70 furlongs is probably the shortest among all major stallions.

If Curlin is retired, there will be considerable disappointment among those who had hoped to see what he could do as a 4-year-old - which is to say virtually every racing fan in the country. But if a stallion with the mediocre record of Mr. Greeley - to use just one example - can command a stud fee of $125,000, who can blame owners for rushing their best horses off to stud as soon as possible? [The Saratogian]

One needs to look no further than the stats on Mr. Greeley's progeny at sale to see why his fee is so high. This year, his yearlings have averaged over $235,000; his two-year olds over $210,000. At Keeneland on Monday, four of his weanlings brought an average of $283,750; and two mares in foal to him brought over a million bucks.

- Add Chatain to the list of prospects for the Cigar Mile after he returned off the foot injury that kept him out of the Forego with a win at The Big M on Saturday. I'd picked him in the Forego before he was scratched....do you think he would have beaten Midnight Lute? You can subtract Sun King from the Cigar possibilities. He's been retired to stud before doing anymore damage to his value, and will stand at Darby Dan for $10,000.

Bruno, Spitzer Talking Turkey

- As Charles Hayward steps up the pressure on the state legislature to resolve the franchise issue - in its favor of course - Joe Bruno signaled that he is - believe it or not - actually communicating with the Spitzer Administration and the state Assembly in an attempt to get the issue resolved once and for all. And by Thanksgiving, no less!

When asked if the Spitzer administration has been holding firm to its NYRA recommendation, Bruno said: “No, no. no. I think that they’re open. They’re realistic. They understand that this is not going to happen the way they presented it. And, I give him credit for the people around him. They’re very open and they’re communicating in a more realistic way.’’ [Bloodhorse]

Bruno is still talking of involving more than just NYRA in the franchise, but refused to comment on whether his idea to create a new state authority is still on the table.

As reader Late Scratch pointed out, a Spitzer spokesperson was quoted in Newsday talking about a seamless transition from the current NYRA franchise to whoever gets the new one. On its face, that statement, and the one by Bruno, might indicate that other bidders are being considered to run racing after December 31. I don't really believe that to be the case however, unless Spitzer has suddenly decided to go to the mat with NYRA on the land issue, a prospect I find quite unlikely at this late stage. Bruno may be attempting to get a piece of the slots for one or more of his benefactors, or seeking a variant of his proposal; perhaps some new panel, loaded with his own appointees, to oversee the operation. I also wouldn't be the least bit surprised if he's attempting to use the situation and the possibility of a shutdown to gain concessions in matters that are totally unrelated.

I for one will be shocked if, on January 1, the Big A is not open for business with NYRA still running the show. Bennett Liebman told Newsday that "Closing off racing could potentially be a very risky political strategy" because of the backlash. But at whom would that backlash be directed? With Spitzer and Sheldon Silver firmly in favor of NYRA, it wouldn't take any dirty tricks or State Police itineraries to portray Bruno as the one responsible. For that reason, I believe that the Senate Majority Leader will have to back down, especially in the face of what would inevitably be pressure from his own constituency in Saratoga. And I think that, with these more conciliatory comments, we're already seeing that scenario starting to play out.

Sweet and Sour Stronach

- Still reveling in his Breeders' Cup Distaff win with Ginger Punch, it was another good weekend on the track for Frank Stronach, and a particularly sweet one at that. His Adena Springs homebreds Sugar Shake and Sugar Swirl both won stakes races on Sunday for trainer Bobby Frankel.

Sugar Shake won the nine furlong Turnback the Alarm at the Big A with what couldn't be much easier of a trip. She stalked Darley's disappointing Folk, making her first start since fading to last in the Alabama, and was virtually handed the race when favored Altesse checked out on the backstretch with a broken rein. Folk was done rounding the turn; Sugar Shake inherited the lead, and held on in a not particularly dazzling performance, coming home in 13.45; final three-eighths in 39.41. This filly has never really been the same since she won a G2 and the G1 Santa Maria at Santa Anita last winter. She seemed to like that surface, but she won't find that natural dirt course at Santa Anita anymore. Victory Pool was third, and it seems to me via my unscientific observations that quite a few horses that last raced at Presque Isle Downs, as Victory Pool did, are doing pretty well in their next starts.

Sugar Swirl was a similar style of winner in Churchill's six furlong Very Subtle Stakes; she also stalked the pace and took over turning for home, and scored by three, at odds of 4-5. Pletcher's G City Gal, considered the only threat as the 7-2 second choice, faded to last.

Both Sugar Shake and Sugar Swirl are by stallion sons of Deputy Minister who stand at Stronach's Adena Springs - the latter is by Touch Gold, and Sugar Shake is by Awesome Again (the latter, according to the Adena website, the only Breeders' Cup winner to himself sire four Breeders' Cup winners). Frankie has certainly built an impressive racing/breeding machine to be sure. Unfortunately, the same can't be said of his racetrack empire, which continues to struggle along.

Late last week, Magna Entertainment announced its latest losing quarter, ended September 30, this one to the tune of $49.8 million. That is compared with $47.8 million, or 44 cents per diluted share, for the same period a year ago. [Baltimore Sun] Magna's auditors repeated its past assertion that the company's future as an ongoing concern is in doubt.

Stronach has been acting as the CEO of the company since the abrupt departure of Michael Neuman, whose main contribution in his four months on the job was to tell Santa Anita horsemen that Magna wouldn't fix their backstretch as previously promised. (Stronach subsequently stated that they would.) Frankie is evidently not having an easy time finding a permanent replacement for Neuman, telling the investors' conference call: "If any one of you in the investment community know of a person who in your opinion would be quite capable to be a CEO, I would very much like to hear of it." [Canadian Press] So if any of you are interested, please drop him a line.

The company has agreements to sell Great Lakes Downs (R.I.P.) and Portland Meadows, and indicated, without providing any details, that it has taken inquiries from potential buyers of Remington Park in Oklahoma City and Thistledown racetrack near Cleveland. But concern remains that the situation will grow so desperate that Magna will be forced to consider the sale of its prime properties, Santa Anita, Laurel/Pimlico, and Gulfstream.

With the exception of Remington Park, which derives much of its revenue from slot machines, the racetracks that the company is attempting to sell are not profitable, and the proceeds from the sales likely will not make an appreciable dent on the company's balance sheet, which lists $1.2 billion in assets compared with the company's market capitalization of $213 million. [Daily Racing Form]

Gulfstream was identified as the main reason for the company's continuing woes.

"The primary contributor to our weak financial result this quarter was Gulfstream Park, as its slots operation continues to underperform," chief financial officer Blake Tohana told the call.

"The average daily net win per machine was only $74 for the quarter. This must be improved." [Canadian Press]

The company is hoping that a new law permitting on-site ATM's will help, and has hired a veteran gaming executive in Steve Calabro as its VP of Gaming Operaions to help turn the floundering casino around; and Tohana added:

"Steve has already identified multiple improvement opportunities for Gulfstream Park's slots operation, including implementing a more effective and targeted marketing approach, changing out game types and denominations and creating a dedicated video poker area." [CNN/Money]

But things are so bad there that, as confirmed during the conference c all, Gulfstream's racino actually lost money in the quarter without even having that pesky horse racing around to subsidize! Maybe this is one racino that needs horse racing to bail it out!

But as is his style, Frankie continues to profess optimism for the company, in part due to the somewhat brighter outlook for slots in Maryland.

"I just invested $20 million - that means I believe in the future, and we have a lot of excess real estate and I have absolutely no worries that MEC will be a great company."

In fact, the $20 million was a stock purchase by one of his estate-planning vehicles, so don't expect to see him brown-bagging it to the races anytime soon. I don't know if 'ironic' is the right word, but it would certainly be something if Stronach's controversial razing of Gulfstream Park ultimately proved to be Magna's undoing. Some might offer that 'poetic justice' would be a more fitting description.

- Naissance Royale took the G2 Las Palmas at Santa Anita on Sunday for Christophe Clement, now 9 for 19 with eight stakes wins in the past year in California.

Naissance Royale was the first starter for Clement in Southern California since this summer at Del Mar, when In Summation and Rutherienne each won grade I races. [Bloodhorse]

Like Sugar Shake, Naissance Royale had last raced in the Spinster Stakes at Keeneland, and that one is shaping up as quite a key race. Two more horses who came out of that race, Rolling Sea and High Heels, ran 1-2 respectively in Saturday's Chilukki Stakes, and Lady Joanne ran a very respectable 4th in the BC Distaff last week. Another Spinster filly, Asi Siempre, brought $3 million from the Sheikh at the lively Fasig-Tipton sale on Sunday.

- Awesome Again, the 1998 Classic winner, has sired BC winners Wilko (2004 Juvenile), Ghostzapper (2004 Classic), Round Pond (2006 Distaff), and Ginger Punch (2007 Distaff).

Sunday Morning Notes - Nov 4

- Warned you the other day about Calvin Borel/Ian Wilkes, and the combo won their third in a row at Churchill over the last four days, all at nice prices, when Silent Street rallied from far back to take the 8th on Saturday. They have three entered for Sunday, the most promising of which would appear to be Vicarian in the finale.

Also mentioned how Mott took the Ack Ack with Istan, and now he's being talked about for the Cigar Mile too. Mott won the opener on Saturday as well, and now stands at six winners in 12 starters, at least according to my most unofficial stats.

In the Chilukki Stakes, Robby Albarado smartly worked his way up the rail with Rolling Sea, and held on over High Heels, returning what seems in retrospect to be a generous $10 mutuel. Frankel's Windy, second choice in the morning line, took the money at 9-5, probably on the theory that she likes the one-turn mile. Her time of 1:36.02 was nearly two full seconds slower than that of Istan.

Sad to see Lava Man falter against a field of Cal-breds he would have had for lunch when in his prime form. Here's a horse who we've seen try so hard that he ran himself literally into exhaustion from his effort in the 2005 Pacific Classic. So to see him get eaten up by horses like this shows that he's just not right. He had won nine out of his last ten before his trip to Dubai in March; and his subsequent Hollywood Gold Cup win notwithstanding, that trip certainly does not seemed to have served him well at all.

So he's being sent to the farm for a well-deserved rest, and let's hope he regains that competitive fire that seems to be missing now. Or maybe he needs to be sent out east. His decline also corresponds with the switch to synthetics, so perhaps California is no longer really a suitable home for him.

- Lawyer Ron will stand for $30,000 at Stonewall Farm. I was thinking maybe we'd see him again, but I guess not.

"It is just the right time, and timing is everything in the Thoroughbred industry," said Bamberger. "Lawyer Ron is 100% sound and at his peak. He's won the big older race, set a track record, and is the top older horse in the country right now.

"As executor of James Hines' estate, I think it is the best interest of all parties involved that Lawyer Ron begins his successful stud career at Stonewall Farm Stallions in 2008." [Bloodhorse]

The speaker is the attorney for the horse's late owner, and he's just doing his job. There's no question that it's in the best financial interest of the man's estate to retire Lawyer Ron now to the farm that purchased an interest in him before the Derby last year. When you boil it down to the fundamentals, at least from the business side, it's hardly much of a decision at all.

Jockeys Wind Things Up Early

- Pretty surprised about the Big A cancellation. Didn't seem all that windy where I am, and I certainly feel as if I've seen racing under similar conditions. But the jockeys voted not to ride; Johnny V said that they didn't want to start a card they may not be able to finish. Hal Handel sounded a bit annoyed.

"We tried to see what we could do this morning to accommodate them," Handel said. "We would really like it if they went out there and at least tried; they decided not to. At the end of the day it's their decision." [DRF]

Handel was the public face and voice of Greenwood Racing when it was holding a very hard line on insurance for the riders at Philly Park. He doesn't come across as being the most jockey-friendly guy in the world.

I had invested a fair amount of time looking at the late Pick Four, which I was going to play at home. I'd given up my right to go to the track as part of delicate negotiations with the Head Chef to obtain permission to go to the Rangers-Devils game tonight. Not much to bet on TVG with Churchill no longer there. Oak Tree has the Cal Cup, and I'm just not into betting these. I really want to get back to some good old $10K claimers, non-winners of two since whenever.

Patrick Valenzuela returned to the saddle, and did so at Zia Park. They said on TVG that he's riding at 123 pounds. They made him 2-5 on Strong Force, but he faded to 4th. As Matt Carothers was saying, it might be a good time to play against him on overbet horses at Zia Park. (He's since won two in a row.)

Sun King got trounced as the 8-5 favorite in the Ack Ack at CD. Istan ran off for Mott, continuing his torrid ways there, and I was actually surprised that Sun King got up for the distant place spot; it really looked as if he was just spinning his wheels. He's supposed to run in the Cigar Mile and then stand at Darby Dan for $10,000. Midnight Lute will also run in the Cigar Mile, and how cool is that?

Bennett Liebman has a link to the updated Thoroughgraph sheets for the Breeders' Cup runners on his Racing and Gaming Today page on the Albany Law School site. It's a large PDF file that took awhile to download, but here it is. Midnight Lute, who earned the all-time best -7 in the Forego, equaled that number in the Sprint. His Beyer figure of 108 was significantly lower than his season-high 124 he earned at Saratoga. Curlin got a -4.

I finally got a new cable to download photos from my camera; I lost it sometime last weekend. That was a drag because I had pictures I wanted to post during the day on Saturday. Most of them no longer seem worth bothering with, so here's just a few (though if you want some real photography, check out these that reader wendyu was nice enough to share).



This was the scene in the paddock before the Classic. It was a great moment, the atmosphere was just electric, a keen sense of anticipation was in the air. And the sun was finally shining.


This was the photo I was going to post when I wrote that I was reminded of Del Mar. It was the first time I'd seen the building bathed in sunshine since I arrived on Wednesday.

The following were taken the following morning. The residual mess and the bright sunshine, coming 24 hours too late, made for a eerie and poignant scene.









The scene in the merchandise tent for the 50% off blowout on Sunday morning.



No, this isn't left over from our last Caribbean trip. It's two lonely and confused looking palms on the beach at Long Branch, NJ.

Saturday Morning Notes - Nov 3

- Been trying to get back into the local racing, and my immediate observation from scanning over the pp's for Aqueduct this past week is that the racing is clearly better than we saw the last couple of weeks (at least) at Belmont.

Just because it's the Big A doesn't mean that you can't find some nice two-year olds to put on your watch list. The sixth on Saturday is worthy of an August day at the Spa. Could be a Derby in horse in there somewhere for all we know.

All Tiz debuts for McLaughlin. Hasn't shown too much in the morning, but interesting pedigree here; by Tiznow, as you might expect, out of a mare by Alwuhush (Nureyev) who's a half-sister to Awesome Again and Macho Uno.

Barrier Reef, another with steady, but moderate works, goes first time for Tom Albertrani, now three for five at the meeting, including the impressive two-year old filly Music Note who won on Thursday. This son of the $15,000 stallion Mizzen Mast sold to Darley for $350,000 at Barrett's in March.

Dream Smart has shown some speed in the A.M., and debuts for Mott. The trainer is looking for his first win at the Big A - he's had nine runners going into the day. He continues to be hot at Churchill though, scoring his 4th winner, from nine starters, there on Friday. Dream Smart is by AP Indy out of Storm Cat mare. He's a half-brother to the sprint stakes winner Woke Up Dreaming, and his second dam is the champion turf filly Flawlessly.

Barclay Tagg sends out Carson Hall for his first start off a smart series of drills, and check this out; this is rather remarkable. Looking back, via Formulator of course, at this barn's record with two-year old first-time starters on the NYRA circuit this year, we see that out of 13 such runners, he has a record of six winners, four seconds, and a third! Wow. He also scored for Lael Stables with Burning Calories at Laurel on Halloween, and that's a name that probably scares a lot of people. Carson Hall is by the prodigious debut sire Carson City (17%) out of a mare by Wheatly Hall (Norcliffe), and he's a half-brother to the late Bevo, who won the Futurity at Belmont in 1999. I'll make him the top pick here.

And Bobby Sands makes his first start, for Nick Zito. So let's see. It's not OK to name a horse Sally Hemmings after Thomas Jefferson's slave and reputed lover. But it is OK to name one after the highly controversial IRA leader who took his own life via a hunger strike in 1981 during his imprisonment on charges of possessing firearms used in a shootout with the police. Just wanted to get that straight. Bobby Sands, the horse, is by Gulch, out of a Storm Creek mare; and Zito has a record of four winners from 34 juvenile first-timers this year.

- If Curlin ever runs again, a prospect which I get the feeling is growing dimmer by the day, the winner's circle could make a West Point celebration look like a weekday crowd at Aqueduct after a Kentucky judge awarded a 20% share of the horse to the 400 plaintiffs in the class action suit against his jailed part-owners. Joe Drape confirms in the Times what we all know - that the Sheikh is amongst the interested buyers. A sale of the Horse of the Year would go towards settling the $64.4 million that the plaintiffs were ruled to have been defrauded out of. Though his value has been widely estimated at around $40 million, Rick Porter, who sold Hard Spun to His Sheikhness earlier this year, speculates that it could be even more.

"If I had to guess, an educated guess, I would think somewhere between $60 and $70 million," Porter said. "All I know is what some of his competitors sold for, and he sort of towered over all of them when it was all said and done." [Louisville Courier-Journal]

Final Thoughts

One more word (for now) on the Breeders' Cup. I'll preface these remarks on the criticism of the event that we've heard and read by acknowledging that I'm not entirely objective here - and not because I wrote for the Breeders' Cup site. Rather, it's mostly because of my affection for Monmouth Park and racing in New Jersey in general. I have a long and very happy history of attending races there, mostly at the Meadowlands, but at Monmouth and Freehold as well.

I've always enjoyed going to all three of those tracks, especially the nearby Meadowlands, where I practically lived during the harness meets back in the 80's, and where I got my first taste of multiple-track, full-card simulcasting. The Sunday nights I used to spend there, alone, betting on tracks like Fairmount and Detroit Race Course rate as some of my most degenerate track experiences of all time. (That's a good thing.) To me, the Big M is a first-rate facility in which customer service has always been a priority; it has to have the largest betting machine/window per patron ratio anywhere in the country. (And by the way, it would be more than capable of hosting a program of new Breeders' Cup races that could be run at prime time and which, if promoted correctly, could be a highly effective lead-in to the main event. The Friday thing was cool, but not something, in my view, that is going to do much to increase the event's exposure.)

So, I was really rooting for the event to go well, especially for all the good people who worked so hard for so long to make it a success. Unfortunately, it rained. A lot. There's been a lot of negativity and complaints about the event, both regarding customer service issues at Monmouth, and I guess the plain fact that Monmouth hosted it in the first place. Some of the complaints were valid. There were apparently some problems with the mutuel lines, as documented in articles here and here. I'll add that there was a really bad bottleneck in the grandstand in the vicinity of the winner's circle that appeared to result from some poor placement of various obstacles. But it also seemed to me that the great majority of fans were very happy, and other than some long lines on the 4th floor on Friday (corrected the next day), I myself didn't observe any mutuel problems. I can't really imagine that any large crowd at any track goes 100% smoothly for everyone.

But it really seems to me that some complainers, both in the press and on this site, blamed the track for problems caused by the rain, which it obviously had no control over. Yes, the track was a mess, and aesthetically unpleasing. I'm sorry that some of you had to stand in mud waiting for the train, but hey, there was three inches of rain! I don't think that the auxiliary parking lots at Belmont would be much more pleasant under the same conditions.

One article that really rankled me was the opinion column by Vic Zast on MSNBC.com, in which he called the event "abysmal." I just personally can't see how any objective observer could come to that conclusion, and it seems like a particularly cruel assessment. It's not anyone's fault that the fans suffered through conditions that made the Jersey Shore racecourse a Cape Cod cranberry bog...and who exactly was suffering anyway, other than Vic Zast?

A particularly cheap shot was his pointing out that attendance was down 43.5 percent from last year. Well, duh, we knew the attendance would be lower, simply because the track is smaller, and attendance was to be capped at 45,000! He also writes: "Fillies and Mares with credentials more suited to a Grade II competed in a forgettable $1 million Breeders’ Cup race on Friday." Huh? That was, in my opinion leading up to Friday's races, the closest of the three races that day to a legitimate G1 (it's fair in the aftermath, considering Corinthian's smashing win, to dispute that in hindsight), and it was an eventful race with an exciting finish. "A trainer who accepted a plea bargain instead of facing trial for possession of illegal cobra venom tried to crash the party, but was asked to leave." True....but he doesn't point out that it was the geniuses in Kentucky who agreed to the idiotic deal that allowed him on the grounds, and NJ racing officials who took matters into their own hands and kicked his sorry cheating ass out the door.

And finally, he writes: "TV ratings floundered (again)." True and false. They could be better for sure; but they were up slightly from last year.

I suppose if someone is determined to heap criticism on someone or something, he can always find things to complain about. But while not everything was perfect, they certainly were not as bleak as portrayed by Vic Zast. A little compassion for the good people of Monmouth, New Jersey, and the Breeders' Cup, all of whom put their hearts and souls into making the event a successful one only to be double-crossed by Mother Nature, wouldn't hurt either.

- And one more point here. NYRA has been blasted by fans and competing franchise wannabees for nearly everything that has gone wrong on its watch, despite the fact that a good deal of their financial woes are a result of the business model that exists in the state. Every time we hear about their latest losses or a new (or old) revelation about monies owed, we read the editorials and hear the shouts about how this proves their incompetence. I'm surprised I haven't seen any comments here crucifying NYRA for the absurd tax claims made by the IRS.

But if you think it's fair to blame NYRA for all of that, then I also think it's fair for me to point out, in the context of the franchise debate, this: Nine of the eleven Breeders' Cup winners prepped at NYRA tracks; and another, Kip Deville, was based and trained there. Yes, some of that may be due to the geography and the weather conditions of this year's event, and we may not see the same results at Santa Anita next year. But that has to say something about the quality of the races, the tracks, and the facilities in New York. With all of the lousy state-bred races and crummy cards we've seen at Belmont, and at Saratoga for that matter, the racing program in New York remains the best in the country. That's part of the reason why I maintain that - given the competition - again - given the competition - sticking with NYRA is the best bet for racing in the state. Look at those results from last weekend again, and ask yourself if you really want an Australian bookmaker, or a panel of Joe Bruno- and Eliot Spitzer-appointees running horse racing in this state. My opinion is to stick with the best....and whatever you think of NYRA, racing in New York is indisputably the best, as proven at the Breeders' Cup. And it's that fact which, in my opinion, should be the bottom line in this debate.

Fusaichi Freefall

- Stallions priced with budgets in mind reads the headline in the Form. Indeed, unless you're name is Smart Strike, chances are that your stud services will be worth less in 2008. It was reported a couple of weeks ago that the former industry leader Storm Cat was taking at a hit from $500,000 to $300,000. Castleton Lyons is reducing their fees across the board. "We recognize that the market is entering a period of stabilization, and we wish to ensure that our valued clients are in a position to make a return on their investment." [DRF]

Gone West takes a dip from $125,000 to $85,000.

His fee first reached $100,000 in 1997 and reached $150,000 for one season, in 2005. In the Report of Mares Bred issued by The Jockey Club recently, he was reported as having covered 47 mares this year, down significantly from the 73 in 2006 and 87 in 2005. [Bloodhorse]

Perhaps no stallion has fallen so far from grace over the last few years than the Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus. Coolmore's Ashford Stud announced that he will stand in 2008 for $45,000; that's down from $75,000 this year. His fee was as high as $150,000 in 2002, and has come down steadily since then. The son of Mr. Prospector just hasn't gotten the job done of late; he currently ranks #84 on the general sire list, and you have to go back to Bandini to find his last U.S. runner of note. Ravel threatened to make some waves earlier this year, but went to the sidelines in the spring. That runner is the sire's only graded winner in this country in 2007; and that was the Grade 3 Sham.

Coolmore announced that Dylan Thomas will stand for $50,000 in Ireland. [CORRECTION: It's 50,000 Euros...a bit less than $75,000 at current exchange rates.] But at Ashford, they will unveil Scat Daddy for $30,000. Hmmmm, the best horse in Europe (when he's not running on a soft course in New Jersey) for $50,000; or Scat Daddy for $30,000...

News, Notes and Fights - Nov 1

- There was a fair amount of hype over Storm Marcopolo, an Argentinian import who made his U.S. debut for Ken McPeek at Churchill today. The trainer had told the Form that the horse "has trained like he could be any kind," said that the G1 DeFrancis at Laurel could be next, and spoke about the Golden Shaheen in Dubai too. But I guess those plans are on hold after he couldn't clear 12-1 Sharp Attack and faded to 6th, ugh. The unfortunately named Stormin Baghdad won for Asmussen. Another winner at CD for Mott, and check out Calvin Borel and trainer Ian Wilkes, the former assistant to Carl Nafzger. That combo won their second two-year old maiden race in two days, both at nice prices too; today with Isella at 6-1, yesterday a 9-1 winner in Jedi Code.

- The claim by the IRS that NYRA owes it $1.6 billion contains a stunning assertion; at least according to the accused. It is claiming that the association owes taxes on its gross handle rather than on its share of the takeout. That's not just a NYRA issue, but an outlandish declaration that could effect every track in the country. I'm hardly a tax expert, but seems to me that's like the IRS telling a business that they owe taxes on their total sales rather than their net profits. Thus, NYRA's attorneys say that this is a "landmark" case for the entire industry.

"It’s entirely new.....It looks as if the IRS is trying to change the way taxes are established, not just with respect to horse racing but with respect to the entire gaming industry. We have never been assessed any of these taxes previously." [Thoroughbred Times]

In addition, the IRS claims that NYRA is improperly deducting the property taxes on the land, because of the fact that its ownership is in dispute. Oh man. It is also claiming that a portion of NYRA's expenses should instead be allocated to OTB since the latter benefits so greatly from the races, yet offers nothing in return. Thus, it is disallowing $347 million in expense deductions!! Oh man!! OK, let me get this straight - OTB takes NYRA's signal and a lion's share of its business, but because OTB returns so little to NYRA, the IRS is claiming that some of NYRA's expenses should be allocated to OTB. Thus, less deductions, and more taxes owed by NYRA. And you thought NYRA was getting screwed by OTB before? Is there a tax lawyer or accountant out there that can shed some light on this for us?

NYRA says that its true liability is only 1% of what the IRS claims. One thing we don't need any clarification on is that if this tax claim holds, NYRA is out of business, plain and simple. The claim was filed in June, but it was Capital Play that brought it to the attention of the press, thanks for that bit of public service, mate.

- CP West won a minor stakes at Aqueduct today, and I would have bet against him for sure. Buffalo Man, briefly on the Derby trail after taking the Spectacular Bid and OBS Championship before getting hurt last winter, made his return and ran second. The two-day carryover Pick Six was hit to the tune of $164,081. I'm sure that many were eliminated in the 7th, won by Classic Marilyn at 16-1, and I'm a little pissed that I didn't pay closer attention to that race. Trainer John Hertler is a guy who can put over the longshots, and I'd noticed last night that he had two seconds with three starters at the meet. Just the kind of under-the-radar indication I look for in search of a trainer warming up. I also love the horse's name, as it always makes me think of the Classic Marilyn (Manson) album Mechanical Animals, one of my favorite musical guilty pleasures of all-time.

Speaking of guilty pleasures, I've been spending too much time of late at the website Hockey Fights.com. No explanation needed there. I think this site warrants a permanent slot over on the sidebar. Anyway, for you old-time hockey fanatics only, this fight from Saturday between the Flyers' Riley Cote and the Bruins' Shawn Thornton is getting ample support on the site for FOTY honors thus far in the young season. If you think this is not relevant to this blog, just imagine that it's Eliot Spitzer and Joe Bruno duking it out at center ice. Enjoy; I'm off to the Rangers game, see ya later.