What's The Point?

- C P West has been added to the Belmont field, and as far as I'm concerned, there's more of a point in Digger running than this Nick Zito-trained colt, who was blamed by Mario Pino for prompting his reckless move to the front on Hard Spun in the Preakness. Because at least Larry Roman has a point to make by running his colt, even if you believe that he's a little nutty and misguided. Zito told the Form: "I heard the band, and the next thing I was marching," which is just as nonsensical as anything Roman has had to say.

Haskin, filling up space in order to earn his pay, says of Imawildandcrazyguy:

..How close are the parallels between him and last year’s Belmont winner Jazil? Both came from 20th to finish fourth in the Kentucky Derby, with Jazil beaten 9 1/2 lengths and Imawildandcrazyguy beaten 8 1/2 lengths. Jazil was 24-1 and Imawildandcrazyguy was 28-1. Both were beaten a length or less for third by a horse coming out of the Arkansas Derby (gr. II). And, of course, both skipped the Preakness to point for the Belmont.

Here's what's different about Imawildandcrazyguy and Jazil: Jazil faced a field that was so bad that Bob and John was the favorite, enough said. Haskin also reports that when Pletcher announced he would run Rags to Riches, Garrett Gomez' agent put out a "feeler" to Larry Jones, without asking directly to be released from his commitment. I'm trying to imagine just how that conversation went. Jones apparently made it directly known that he will retain the services of Gomez, and Johnny V, released from his commitment to ride Slew's Tizzy, gets the ride, which I know won't thrill everyone who reads this site.

- Frank Whiteley Jr., and jockey Jacinto Vasquez have filed a lawsuit against Disney over the upcoming Ruffian documentary. It seems that the two had been asked by ESPN to participate in the film, but refused when told they would have no creative control. The network proceeded anyway, inserting reporter Bill Nack into the story.

"The conversations depicted in the film between Mr. Whiteley and Mr. Nack never happened, according to Mr. Whiteley. He didn’t sit around his barn chatting with reporters.”

The lawsuit contends that Whiteley did not speak to Nack for more than a year prior to the match race, and had no conversations with him after the event.

“Mr. Whiteley does not want to be portrayed as someone who sat around his barn casually discussing medical and racing issues with an obscure reporter,” said [attorney A. Lee] Parks. [Bloodhorse]

Nack is hardly "obscure," but he may have been in 1975; he was writing for Newsday at the time, and didn't go to work for Sports Illustrated until 1979. The suit requests that ESPN provide a disclaimer to inform viewers that the film is a fictionalized account of true events. But it also seeks a licensing fee on behalf of Thoroughbred Legends LLC, which owns the trademark to Ruffian. [Thoroughbred Times] And given the events of the week past, who's to criticize them for trying to make a little money out of the deal.

Hunch Bets of the Day

Brief the Lady (2nd at the Finger Lakes)

Are You Saved (7th at River Downs)

X X Rated (5th at Yavapai Downs)

Canadian Music (8th at Fort Erie)

Belmont Notes - June 5

- I thought that was Larry Jones at Belmont on Sunday. One doesn't see too many people walk around there wearing cowboy hats. He handicapped the weather well and drilled Hard Spun on Sunday instead of Monday. The five furlongs in 1:03.17 was his first timed workout since the infamous 57 3/5 second work that may very well have cost him the Derby (just half-kidding).

Tiago worked out too, and he's a little interesting at this distance I suppose.

"Giacomo had a very elegant way of going, a nice long stride and he really floated over the ground," Shirreffs said. "Tiago has a different stride, more of a running stride than a gliding stride." [AP]

Larry Roman said that he would run his recently acquired allowance horse Digger to protest the lack of sportsmanship shown by Street Sense's connections. He tried to hire Angel Cordero to ride, and said that Hard Spun would “need to be going :44 if he’s going to go by us in the first four furlongs.” That prompted a scalding, and, to me, somewhat hysterical response from John Pricci (hat tip to Railbird). Personally, I'm more offended by, for example, Flying First Class having run in the Preakness. But Roman later posted on the Thoroughbred Champions forum:

I AM influenced by what respected people think and will now E Mail TVG and ask them for their professional opinion as to IF Digger should be in the race and do they feel I have a reasonable chance of being in the top 5 finishers. If the answer to either of those questions is no, the horse wont be entered and the 20,000 in starting fees that I would have had to pay, will be donated to a couple of charities. Hey all you critics, is that fair?

The big question, of course, is whether Rags to Riches is going to run or not.. Or in other words, whether the race is intriguing or not; in my opinion, anyway. I'm still not buying the "showdown" angle with Curlin and Hard Spun, even though I must admit that I can see the attraction of the latter with the slower pace scenario that some are predicting. But still, even if Cristina Olivares talks some sense into Roman (whose horse couldn't run a 45 second half even if they wanted him to), you still have Slew's Tizzy, who should be out there to at least make Garrett Gomez think about what to do.

The Toddster has let it be known that he wouldn't run both Circular Quay and Rags to Riches and, according to the Form, on Monday he pretty much said Circular Quay was unlikely to run.

"Mr. Tabor has left it up to me....He said 'I'm happy with whatever you do, but you make the call.' "

This Belmont has emitted a lot of bad vibes, and I'm thinking that the filly probably stays in the barn; we should find out for sure today. [UPDATE: The Form reports that she's a go!]

Steve Asmussen also had the weather scoped out correctly, and worked Curlin at Churchill Downs on Monday.

Churchill clockers caught him in 13 3/5 seconds for the first eighth-mile, 25 3/5 for a quarter-mile and 38 for three-eighths, with the five-eighths of a mile gallop-out time at 1:04 3/5. [Louisville Courier-Journal]

Asmussen also worked Tiz Wonderful an easy half in 53 seconds, his first timed drill since he left the Derby Trail with an injury in January. He is targeting Saratoga's July 29 Jim Dandy Stakes for the return of the son of Tiznow.

- Pletcher is hot, what else is new? He has won his last three races in a row at Belmont, and is now 13 for 38, for 34%. He also won two stakes over the weekend, both at Arlington - the Reluctant Guest Stakes with Quiet Royal; and the Mister Gus Stakes with Tiganello.

- Bobby Frankel's filly Down was listed as the 1-2 morning line favorite in a maiden race at Belmont on Sunday; in her last effort, she'd run third in the Grade 1 Hollywood Starlet. But she scratched; maybe Frankel had also gotten the word on Richard Dutrow's hot first-timer City Bird. The Stronach-bred daughter of Carson City took all the money at 7-10, and drew clear in the stretch to a three length win. She's out of a full sister, by Wild Again, to the Grade 1 winner (Met Mile, Carter) Wild Rush.

Report: FBI May Be Closing in on Bruno

- The Albany Times Union reported on Sunday that a deal involving the purchase and sale of thoroughbreds is one part of the FBI investigation into the business dealings of New York State Senator and Majority Leader Joe Bruno. The investigation revolves around the sale of two broodmares to Bruno by Earle Mack, a former NYRA board member (appointed by Bruno), and, according to the NY Times, a a prominent Republican donor for state and national campaigns.

In New York, he gained attention in 2003 after he flew Gov. George E. Pataki and his wife to a vacation on the Caribbean island of St. Barts on his private jet.

Bruno paid $50,000 for the mares, and the sale of their foals has already brought the senator $425,000. And one of the foals was purchased by none other than Mack himself.

Told of the transactions, some race horse appraisers, who know the lineage of the animals and data on their offspring, said the deal that brought the mares to Bruno does raise a red flag.

"It looks very suspicious," said Barry Berkleheimer, agent for Ronald Stengel, who paid $200,000 in 2006 for Sunday Whiskey. The colt, with a sire called Forest Wildcat, is one of the colts from Bruno's farm the senator sold at auction a year earlier for $150,000 to a Midwest buyers group...

"When somebody culls a mare from their breeding herd and then buys a foal at double the price, it's odd. It looks like he sold them way under value," Berkleheimer said.

[Mack's attorney Greg] Kehoe responded: 'It turned out that Bruno got a good deal." [Albany Times Union]

Thoroughbred appraiser Jack Werk, who advised Mack on the original sale, said it was a very good deal for the senator, whom he had never heard of, and would have been fair at $75,000, perhaps more.

The subpoena list includes familiar names such as Jared Abbruzzese, the former director of Empire who, according to the paper, led the effort to raise $3 million to help fund the organization; as well as Jerry Bilinski of Excelsior.

The investigation into the broodmares is of course just one facet of the probe into Bruno's business dealings, which includes, among other things, the $500,000 in state grants awarded to Abbruzzese's Evident Technologies. And according to the Times Union, it's possible that an indictment is in the works.

The FBI has assembled a potential case against Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno using a federal law that is the Justice Department's preferred weapon in public corruption cases, according to sources briefed on the investigation.

That law makes it a felony, punishable by up to five years in prison, to deprive the public of the "honest services" of its government.

The sources, who are involved in the case but spoke on the condition they not be identified, said agents in the FBI's white-collar crime unit in Albany believe they have compiled enough evidence to propose criminal charges to the U.S. Attorney's office. The sources declined to provide details.

And I suppose I'm being too skeptical by wondering if Empire's well-publicized allegations against NYRA and Excelsior were timed to deflect attention from a story which, given Abbruzzese's extensive ties both to Bruno and to Empire (as well as to the latter's predecessor Friends of New York Racing), can only serve to raise questions about their Integrity, right?

Monday Morning Notes - June 4

- As Curlin prepares for the Belmont, his sire, Smart Strike, had a very nice weekend indeed. Two of his sons won graded stakes on Saturday; Strike Softly won his second stakes in a row when he won the Grade 2 Nassau at Woodbine. And Fabulous Strike, who had blasted through three straight stakes at Mountaineer, romping with Beyers of 115, 118 and 119, passed a test for class by easily beating a decent Grade 3 field in the Aristides at Churchill. He was nursed through the six furlongs by Ramon Dominguez in a tidy 1:07.64, just .05 seconds off the stakes and course record for six furlongs set by Kelly's Landing in 2005. Next up is Calder's Summit of Speed, and gee, maybe he'll even make Watchmaker's Top Ten sprinter list one of these days.

Meanwhile, the media week leading up to the Belmont here kicks off with a front page article by Joe Drape of the NY Times reporting on Curlin's owners, a story which has the same warm and fuzziness quotient as this:

William J. Gallion and Shirley A. Cunningham Jr., the colt's original owners, who still retain a 20% share in the horse after selling the balance for $3.5 million to a couple of other millionaires, were determined to have defrauded some 400 victims of the diet drug fen-phen whom they represented in a class action suit, to the tune of $64.4 million. And those victims feel that they should be standing in the winner's circle with the colt too.

“We own part of that horse — there’s about 400 of us,” Mr. Carter said. “We may not have our names on the papers, but it’s our horse. He was bought with our blood money.”

In fact, attorney Angela Ford, representing the aggrieved plaintiffs, believes that they should own the horse in its entirety.

She contends that Mr. Gallion and Mr. Cunningham originally purchased the colt with ill-gotten gains — they paid $57,000 for the colt at the 2005 Keeneland September Yearling Sale — and had no legal right to sell 80 percent of the horse for $3.5 million, as they did in February.

“If the court determines that Curlin was originally purchased with money that belonged to my clients, then the entire horse belongs to my clients and clear title could not have been conveyed,” Ms. Ford said.

Don't expect to see anything resembling an Alex's Lemonade Stand at Belmont this weekend.

- And bookmakers in the UK did not have a very good weekend. It was bad enough when heavily favored Authorized won the Epsom Derby on Saturday. But when Frankie Dettori also rode Lawman to victory in the French Derby the next day despite some heavy partying the night before ("My wife put me in a taxi about 1.30am"), the losses were compounded.

VC Bet’s Neal Wilkins said: "The huge losses incurred over Authorized’s brilliant Epsom Derby victory have already been well documented, but Frankie’s fantastic ride in France really rubbed salt into the wounds.

"A large number of clients had the Frankie double this weekend and although we had a very good mark for the winner and went 4-1 when 11-2 was available elsewhere, Lawman was still a very expensive loser." [Daily Mail]

Lawman is by Invincible Spirit (Green Desert/Danzig), out of a Gulch mare, and he's a half-brother to the Group 1, and U.S. stakes winner Latice.

Some West Coast Stuff

- I caught a couple of the Hollywood races on TVG late today, and saw a highly impressive filly in Glorified, for trainer Ron Ellis. You don't see horses win easier than this. She was absolutely gliding along; jockey Jose Valdivia was motionless except to give the filly a couple affectionate pats just before the wire. It was the second win in as many starts for this three-year old daughter of Honour and Glory, and the race from which she graduated on April 28 has turned out to be an excellent one. Two other runners from that race have won, and two others have run close seconds. I'm gonna tab the second and third place finishers Jen's New Chapter and Forest Melody, who haven't yet run back.

Glorified is out of a Beau Genius mare half sister to the Grade 1 winner Diplomat Lady.

Wanted to mention another recent winner at Hollywood, one that Walter had scoped out before his North American debut on Thursday. Crossing the Line had some well-reviewed workouts, and the word was definitely out on this one; 6-1 morning line for John Sadler, he went to the post as the 2-1 favorite. This five-year old son of Cape Cross, who had made only three prior lifetime starts, all in New Zealand, was dead last in the six furlong race as they entered the turn. He took off suddenly, circled the field wide, and flew past the leaders, even while checking out the California crowd along the way. It was a quick early pace, but they never really slowed down, and the final time was 1:07.98, with the final eighth in 11.45.

And an exciting finish in the Californian on Saturday, as Buzzard's Bay, also trained by Ron Ellis and ridden by Valdivia, was the recipient of the most perfect of trips. He was third on the inside behind dueling speed, took over the lead midstretch, but just held off 25-1 Sun Boat, stepping up from $40K claiming company, after it looked like he was going to get caught for sure.

“He might be the smartest horse I've ever trained, and he knows what he has to do and gets it done,” Ellis said. “He might have gotten a little tired. [SignOnSanDiego]

The final eighth was run in 13.34 seconds. The Hollywood Gold Cup could be next for Buzzards Bay. Kip Deville faded to 8th, and Perfect Drift was last.

- Thoroughbred Daily News reported the other day that Discreet Cat is back at Belmont and about two weeks away from getting back on the track.

Saturday Night Notes - June 2

- Great race in the Sands Point, as reader Jim L noted; Rutherienne, the 7-5 favorite, came from dead last to get a share of first place money in a race in which the pace was soundly against her. With eventual co-winner Bit of Whimsy in close pursuit, Tears I Cry set a lazy pace; 49.57, 1:14.10 to the three quarters. But from there, after quarter splits of 24.82, 24.75, and 24.53, the final three eighths went in 34.43 - splits of 22.84 and 11.59. Rutherienne was faster than that, flying home to just nail Bit of Whimsy for the dead heat.

The latter was moving directly from her maiden win to graded stakes company for Barclay Tagg. And though she benefited from the slow pace, she's still an impressive three-year old, and is a length away from unbeaten in three starts, all on grass. This daughter of Distorted Humor is out of a half-sister to several turf stakes winners, including Grade 1 winners Royal Mountain Inn (Man O'War) and Miss Josh (Gamely).

Ice Cool Kitty did take the state-bred stakes in the 7th, at 1-2; this daughter of Tomorrow's Cat now has three romping wins since stretching out to a mile for Dutrow.

- Light Shift, the Vodafone Oaks winner, is by Kingmambo, out of a mare by Shirley Heights (Mill Reef). Her second dam is Northern Trick, a Grade 1 winner in France, and a half-sister to On the Sly, a name I haven't seen for awhile, but who I remember well, particularly for his win in the 1977 Jockey Club Gold Cup at a mile and a half. He shipped in to win for the late Mel Gross, who was only 58 when he passed away in 2005 from a stroke; Gregg McCarron was in the saddle. On the Sly started 46 times, with 14 wins.

And man, have you seen Authorized leave the Epsom Derby field in the dust? I've posted the video over in the sidebar; the call is in French, but all you need to watch for is the green silks. Frankie Dettori bided his time, but when he asked Authorized to go, he was gone!

"As I passed the furlong marker the whole world seemed to stop, and with it my heart. With that number of runners, I was expecting a dogfight. Instead it was as smooth as an oil painting. But it was the longest two-and-a-half minutes of my life." [Independent UK]

This was the year that everything fell into place for Dettori (including the Sheikh releasing him to ride), and he got his first Derby, just as Todd Pletcher will, some day, win the one in Kentucky. Authorized is by the Sadlers Wells stallion Montjeu, out of a mare by Saumarez, a grandson of Blushing Groom.

- And the readers who speculated that there was something up with Street Sense were right. As originally reported by the Racing Form, His Royal Sheikhness has purchased his breeding rights; the guy is obviously still liquid even after giving $10 billion to his foundation. Here's a man who is likely not concerned about the price of steak.

Nafzger said he did not know whether the pending sale played a role in Tafel's decision not to run Street Sense in the Belmont Stakes next Saturday.

"To my knowledge it was not a factor, but I can't say that for sure," he said. [Daily Racing Form]

Remember that the Sheikh dissed the Belmont with Bernardini last year, so one could speculate that though the horse will run in Tafel's colors until his certain retirement at the end of the year, he no longer is in charge of determining his campaign.

War of Words Heating Up

- In what is the most heated, direct confrontation between or among the New York franchise bidders, Empire, NYRA, and Excelsior have all adamantly and specifically insisted that their version regarding what may, or may not have occurred between NYRA and Excelsior is the truth.

"Jeff Perlee's letter alleging recent meetings between New York Racing Association Inc. and Excelsior Racing LLC in violation of anti-collusion provisions in the New York State thoroughbred racing franchise review process is a complete fabrication," [Charles] Hayward said. "No NYRA executive or board member has engaged in discussions with anyone from Excelsior with regard to the franchise review process since bids were submitted to the state in August 2006. [Saratogian]

Excelsior said: "The alleged meeting did not take place, nor did any of the conversations referenced in the letter to Mr. Rifkin." [DRF]

A spokesperson for Empire replied:

Trust is paramount in a public franchise. Credibility, with the public, the state’s horsemen and with our State leaders has, unfortunately, not been a hallmark of the present racing operator. We stand by the credibility and the authority of the information which we relayed to the Governor and the Comptroller and we are confident in their ability to investigate and take appropriate steps.

It's hard to believe that any of the bidders would be making things up at this stage, especially with their Integrity on display. I don't think anyone would be surprised if the two had met; it seems a logical combination given Excelsior being short on the racetrack management side. NYRA and Excelsior could spin contact between them many different ways - perhaps simply as the Ad Hoc Committee selection and the current franchise holder meeting at some point to discuss transitional and legal issues with the end of the year fast approaching. And would anyone really be surprised if the State has their backs on any discussions? So I'm a bit taken by the specificity and forcefulness of Hayward's denials. But even here, there's some wiggle room; when he says "with regard to the franchise review process," he leaves open the possibility that the two met to speak about something else.

Empire has toned down the nasty and misleading rhetoric it employed last year, though Hayward made sure to add that: "Empire Racing's management consistently and inappropriately mischaracterizes and misrepresents the facts of NYRA's business operations and practices." They've tried to stay more positive, and I'd be rather surprised if, at this stage, they would be making these statements without something solid on which to base it. And I suspect it was probably more than Charles Hayward and Richard Fields bumping into each other in a deli and talking about BLT's.

But even if NYRA and Excelsior were doing exactly what Empire is accusing them of, I'd be shocked if any action whatsoever was taken against either of them. Empire claims that there were non-collusion documents. It added that any talks between NYRA and Excelsior could also substantially change the bids by the two entities, which would violate rules about proposals changing after a deadline imposed by the state. But the rules, and, indeed, the proposals have been changing constantly ever since the Ad Hoc Committee concluded its business. If Spitzer wants to say that the rules that had been established for that little exercise are no longer in effect, he can certainly do so. If we were still playing by the original rules, Capital Play wouldn't even be involved.

Belmont Saturday

- I'm being forced to not only go to the beach on Saturday, but with the Head Chef on strike in the midst of a grueling stretch of work, I'm in charge of preparing the food and drink.

Nonetheless, here's a few thoughts on the races at Belmont (and it seems that the feared rain will not materialize).

- A nice little field of six in the third. Tight Grip is the 9-5 morning line favorite for Frankel off his nose loss at Keeneland to Markdale, subsequently second in a restricted Woodbine stakes. He was at least three wide the entire race, and was green making his debut, ducking in, and then out during the stretch run. I was going to pick against him; Frankel is one for eight, and has lost with three horses at even money or less. And he's going from Poly to Belmont. But I find him difficult to oppose off that effort, just getting nailed on the Keeneland Poly after turning for home with the lead.

Hedge Fund has been burning money for Shug; he cuts back to a sprint and could complete a short exacta. A couple of entries from hot barns to keep an eye on. It wasn't long ago I was writing that Pletcher was off to a slow start; well, three for 16 is slow for him. Since then, the Toddster is eight for 20, a cool 40%. Garifine was a $1.8 million two-year old last March, and didn't make it to the races until last month. He showed speed, but quit badly in the slop at 9-2, so who knows on a dry track? Kiaran McLaughlin is 13 for 41, and has been in the money with each of his last seven starters, three of those winners. Watch the board on Darley's Cadet Blue (10-1 ML); Garcia rides, he has a couple of nice works, and Mr. Greeley is a 12% first-out sire.

In the 5th, Brickell obviously loves the grass at Belmont, though that 7-3-3-1 record you see for Belmont turf in the Form was achieved mostly on the inner turf course. This is on the Widener, but so was his last, his first on this course, when he woke up and rallied from 10th at 27-1 for Bob Klesaris. Nice post here, and the possibility of some pace too. Noah A. had a nice return off a long layoff, and will be happy to stalk whatever speed there is.

In the 6th, Manhattan Mack steps up to allowance company after a determined rally to win after cutting back to six furlongs from routes. That was just a couple of weeks ago, but a five furlong workout just two days ago indicates that he's ready to roll. I like him at his 6-1 morning line over the three horses coming out of the May 12 race at Belmont; Win for Gold, Bagavond, and the ridiculously named Bruce Tickets had every chance to catch the tiring Cat's Lad and couldn't get the job done.

I think that the 5-2 morning line on Ice Cool Kitty in the 7th may be a generous one. This Dutrow trainee has romped twice since being stretched out to the one turn mile, and earned a gaudy figure while wiring four rivals on May 4; whatsmore, she pickes up Prado. But here's a wacky idea - how about 20-1 Carlow? Her last was awful around two turns at Suffolk, but note that late last year, she followed up a poor two-turn race with a win and a decent figure in a one turn mile at Laurel. Last year, she was competitive in these state-bred stakes on this track, including a close third at this mile distance. Excellent work the other day; could be ready to roll in her third off a layoff for Karl Grusmark.

And I love Rutherienne in the tough Grade 3 Sands Point Stakes. Her only loss in her four starts was a wide 4th, beaten only 1 1/2 lengths by Audacious Chloe, in the Appalachian, a race that has already produced four next out stakes winners! It's true, you can look it up - Red Birkin, Swingit, Miss Tizzynow, and Rutherienne herself, having come back to win the Sugar Plum Time here at Belmont. This turf-loving daughter of Pulpit has been a good thing from the start for Clement, six for 20 at the meeting, 15 of those in the money. She was well-bet in her debut, and when successfully moved directly into stakes company in her second start. Classic Neel comes into this from the same Appalachian Stakes, and actually beat Rutherienne, finishing second. But she benefited from an inside trip; according to Trakus, Rutherienne traveled 35 more feet. Have fun everyone, and have a great day.

Empire Cries Foul...Again

- Empire's has accused Excelsior and NYRA of secretly meeting to discuss a possible joint venture.

“The information relayed was so specific as to include an actual breakdown of how the two bidders would plan to distribute VLT percentages between themselves,’’ Jeff Perlee, Empire’s CEO, said in the letter to state officials.

John Lee, a NYRA spokesman, denied any such meetings occurred. “No one from NYRA has been in any consultation or conversations with people from Excelsior since before the bids were placed in August,’’ Lee said.

“This allegation is unequivocally and completely false,’’ said Katie Burke, a spokeswoman for Excelsior, whose partners include casino developer Steve Wynn. [Bloodhorse]

Perlee said that the two should be disqualified for violating non-collusion agreements and integrity standards the Spitzer administration established for the bidding. But a spokesperson for Spitzer's office said he wasn't certain if state rules would prohibit contact between competitors. [AP] Some people, including our reader Green Mtn Punter, have speculated that the two would eventually hook up.

This is not the first time that Perlee has accused Excelsior of impropriety. As reported by the Albany Times Union last December 9, he wrote to the Ad Hoc Committee to accuse his competitor of utilizing unregistered lobbyists , claiming that would be grounds for disqualification. Subsequently, the only person investigated for acting as an unregistered lobbyist was Empire's own director Jared Abbruzzese, with respect to his tangled business relationship with Senator Joseph Bruno which sparked an FBI investigation of the latter, the results of which are still pending, remaining a possible ticking time bomb for Empire. So we'll hold off on any further comment on these new allegations until and if more information becomes available.

NYRA is under fire for raises and pension contributions it plans to give to its non-union administrators.

"We're asking them to reconsider the 3 percent pay raise and the pension contribution and we are expressing our concern about the high level of spending on legal services," said Carole Stone, chairwoman of the state's Non-Profit Racing Association Oversight Board. The board has no power to stop the spending, Stone said. [AP]

What the hell good is an Oversight Board if it can't exercise oversight?? The board was informed that NYRA's legal expenses will total some $10 million this year, mostly related to its bankruptcy filing....which of course, wouldn't have occurred if the state had signed off on the Aqueduct racino. The raises and pension contributions would total around $650,000.

The board is also concerned about a deal that NYRA wants to enter with Sprint to erect a cellphone tower on the Aqueduct grandstand. It's a 30 year deal, and the state wants to see some language put into the contract in the event Aqueduct is no longer operating as a racetrack during the 30-year life of the deal. [Bloodhorse]

- Just a quick note - our reader Late Scratch had guessed that the owners' box being donated for the Belmont Child Care Association raffle was courtesy of Richard Bromze. I'm told that though Mr. Bromze has been an enthusiastic supporter over the years, the box was donated this year, and every year, by Ms. Viola Sommer, who my fellow NYRA veterans are well familiar with from the days when she teamed with trainer Frankie Martin to dominate the claiming game in New York in the 70's.

Authorized

- Take a look at Authorized, the big favorite in the Vodafone Epsom Derby on Saturday, winning the Dante Stakes his one and only prep for the race, that two weeks ago. They sure do things differently over there, don't they?



Just glancing over a few articles, there seems to be an undercurrent of skepticism regarding Authorized, being quoted at around 4-5, on the grounds that he hasn't beaten anybody. Some guy on the You Tube page wrote of the Dante Stakes field:

Raincoat won a weak 4 horse trial & is not in the Derby, Al Shemali only won his maiden & been beaten 3 times this season, Adagio came here after a poor run & clearly didn't stay, Proponent won 2 soft 2 year old races & was having his first run in 7 months & Prince Golan was out of his depth & got badly outpaced in the straight. [Guy on You Tube]

Frankie Dettori rides the favorite courtesy of His Royal Sheikhness, who granted his contract rider permission to try and get his first Derby win, after 14 prior tries. Does that mean he can't win the big one?

"All the horses I have ridden in the Derby have had question marks over them, but Authorize is pretty special. He is the best ride I've had and the Dante win was as good as any horse in the past." [Daily Mail]

- The Californian at Hollywood is shaping up as a pretty nice race, with Kip Deville having become the center of attraction running back after his disappointing 6th in the Shoemaker on Monday. Of course, that's routine for Dutrow, who ran Golden Man on back to back days in July 2005 - he ran third and then second. Interesting field includes Perfect Drift, Boboman, Buzzards Bay, a real disappointment since his runaway in the Oaklawn Handicap last year; and Wilko, now winless in 16 attempts dating back to October 30, 2004.

Straddling the Fence on Street Sense

- I haven't weighed in with a strong opinion on the decision not to run Street Sense because I don't really have one. I think there are valid points made by both sides, though it must be said definitively that no one has the right to demand that the trainer or owner run their horse whether it's for the good of the game or whatever. (And full disclosure demands that Bill Finley let us know if he has a futures bet on Street Sense in the Belmont.) But we can ask politely, especially when the rider and trainer spoke of how well he did in his workout.

A couple of readers questioned the decision. Lenny wrote:

I can not believe Nafzger said that if SS ran in the Belmont he would not have sufficient time to recover and prepare for the Travers. Last time I checked the Travers was in late August, meaning the horse would have two months to rest before the Jim Dandy or Haskell. Is two months not enough time?

Reader kjc wrote:

Nafzger had said that Tafel so badly wanted to win the Triple Crown that when they lost at the wire it took a lot out of them and left them totally disappointed. Are we then to believe that if they did win in Baltimore that the Belmont would be contested no matter what the situation, whether Street Sense was 100% or less?

Taken together, those two arguments make a compelling case - the fact is that he's only run four times and he'd likely have enough time to prepare for the Travers even if he ran in the Belmont, as he most assuredly would have if Borel hadn't peeked over his shoulder (just kidding), probably even if he was less than 100%.

But on the other hand, he didn't win the Preakness, and I think it's understandable that the Belmont isn't a compelling attraction for Mr. Tafel now, with the prospects of the late summer and fall championship races to come. I know not everyone would agree with this, but I think that the Belmont, because of its mile and a half distance, is just not a definitive race these days unless it's determining a Triple Crown. To me, it doesn't determine who is the better horse, but rather, merely who is the better horse at a mile and a half. And since that is a freaky distance nowadays, it doesn't necessarily mean a thing to me. Easy Goer was eight lengths better than Sunday Silence at a mile and a half, but would anyone say he was a better horse? (OK, I know some people will always believe that he was..)

Of course that's not always the case - sometimes, the best horse is just the best horse; Afleet Alex comes to mind as a recent example. But then you have your Jazil, Birdstone, and Sarava.

So I believe that the question of who is better between Curlin and Street Sense probably would not have been addressed in the Belmont, and by holding him out, the owner and trainer feel that he'll be better off when the matter is settled for real at Saratoga, Belmont in the fall, and, hopefully, at Monmouth. And just maybe, that will ultimately turn out to be the best thing for the game.

That seems a bit geographically selfish of me, doesn't it? By the way, the deadline draws near for getting totally ripped off for the Breeders Cup. The application (pdf file) needs to be received by June 6 in order for you to qualify for the random drawing. And remember, there's no walk-up cash admission, you need to have a ticket for at least the $50 general admission; or for the seating which starts at $100. Oh, and $25 to get into the Monmouth parking lot ($10 for remote lots), and that's all prepaid too.

Difference of Opinion

- You may recall that Pletcher called the "shipping back from Dubai thing overrated" after his Honey Ryder won on Saturday. James Scully, writing on Brisnet.com, agrees:

The "Dubai jinx" is a myth that has become accepted as fact due to constant repetition by members of the media, similar to the claim of tighter turns at Pimlico, and Pletcher put it in the proper context following the Sheepshead.

But Mike Watchmaker has a totally different view:

Unfortunately, for every American-based horse like Cigar, Formal Gold, Silver Charm, Victory Gallop, and Aptitude, who were able to perform at a high level back in this country in a reasonably short time frame after competing in the Dubai Cup, there is a list of American horses two to three times as long who were never the same after racing in the Dubai Cup, or took a very long time to recapture a semblance of peak form. This longer list includes some very good horses, such as Soul of the Matter, Siphon, Sandpit, Behrens, Captain Steve, Harlan's Holiday, Pleasantly Perfect, and Roses in May. [Daily Racing Form, sub. only]

In his column, Watchmaker, apparently with little else to do, wonders what would happen to the handicap division if Invasor does not recapture his form, which seems a pointless discussion at this point considering that he's already raced here after running in Dubai. So no point contemplating a summer and fall of Hesanoldsalt vs. Flashy Bull rematches just yet.

- The Associated Press reports that the Sheikh appealed to our illustrious president for assistance regarding the lawsuit filed in Miami on behalf of abused camel jockeys.

Maktoum asked Bush for his "personal attention" to the lawsuit filed in Miami federal court, which the prime minister said "is causing an unnecessary interference with the good and mutually valuable relations" between the two countries. [AP]

In a letter dated February 11, the Sheikh said that the UAE is "a key partner in the global war against terrorism." The note was written before the Sheikh played host to Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad earlier this month. A hearing is scheduled for July 16 on the UAE's motion to have the suit dismissed. The Emirates contend the lawsuit should be thrown out because U.S. courts have no jurisdiction and its rulers are entitled to sovereign immunity.

- The Bengals' Chad Johnson will race against a horse for charity at River Downs on Belmont day, a contest that may be more interesting than the Belmont itself.

The race, billed as "man vs. beast," will be held on the turf course, with Johnson starting at the sixteenth pole and the horse, Restore the Roar, starting at the eighth pole. [ESPN.com]

No word on how Johnson will celebrate at the finish line should he win. I seem to remember, many years ago, Beasley Reece, the former New York Giants DB and currently an Emmy winning broadcaster in Philadelphia, racing against a horse at Monticello. I don't remember if he won or not; maybe I'll ask him.

The Street Is Closed

- THUMP! That's the sound of the market for seats for the Belmont after Carl Nafzger announced that the Derby winner will skip the race and point for the Travers instead.

Bloodhorse.com lists just five probables for the race - Curlin, Hard Spun, Imawildandcrazyguy, Tiago, and Slew's Tizzy. Rags to Riches anyone?

Notes - May 31

- Empire Racing wants to have Saratoga placed on the National and State Registers of Historic Places. I suppose that would thwart Capital Play CEO Karl O'Farrell's desire to build a beautiful fence around the track. The Australian entry into the franchise sweepstakes has been dominating the news of late, and since Empire had included this proposal to Governor Spitzer’s franchise selection panel in April and...pledged to fund the entire process, I suppose that part of the reason for the announcement is to simply stay in the news at a time when the relevancy of each and every one of the bidders is in question.

We've heard even less from Excelsior lately; their last press release was issued back on April 12. But they'll be in the news soon if my information from a secondhand source who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the situation is correct; I'm told that Steve Wynn will soon withdraw from the group.

Governor Spitzer met with legislative leaders yesterday in a public meeting to negotiate a number of issues they want to resolve before the end of the session on June 21. The all-important matter of repealing the law that prohibits the resale of tickets to sports events, concerts, and the theatre seemed to be the top priority; and the NY Times article reported no discussion of the franchise situation.

The Times also contains an odd full page ad:

10 Billion Dollars
Contributing to the Development of Knowledge and Culture

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum announced the establishment of his foundation with an endowment of 10 billion dollars, focusing on human development in the region. The foundation will facilitate and promote knowledge creation and dissemination, and will nurture future leaders, providing them with equal opportunities with the aim of building a knowledge-based society.

I'm presuming that the ad is not running in the Daily Racing Form. The ad refers to a website which is equally vague as to what exactly the Sheikh is going to do with his $10 billion - is there no limit to this guy's money? - but there is no mention of spindly-legged yearlings anywhere on the site.

- And we'll file this story regarding the establishment of a database to track on-track injuries in the "you mean, we don't already have this?" file.

Franchise Notes - May 30

- I got some pushback from my Belmont backstretch connection regarding my Australia connection's contention that a full contingent from Capital Play did indeed visit the backstretch, on May 14. The former tells me "Bullshit," while the latter says "But before the throne of God I declare it happened." (He didn't specify whether that's the Northern or Southern Hemisphere God.) Since I wasn't there, I'm going to step out from the middle. But since I have no reason to think that either side is making anything up, let's just say that it's apparent that a group from Capital Play visited, but did not met with everyone that would like to have a word with them (and has since postponed at least one subsequent appointment to do so). And I'll just leave it at that.

An Australian site reports that Capital Play is negotiating with James Packer, who heads Crown Gaming, which claims on their website to be Australia's largest Casino, to be their casino partner.

Capital Play president and chief executive Karl O'Farrell refused to confirm or deny the Packer negotiations but a source close to the group said the Australian billionaire was one of four potential casino partners.

However, he said Crown Gaming had been a "late arrival" to the negotiations and may not get to the line in time, given that Mr O'Farrell is anxious to name a casino partner as soon as possible. [news.com.au]

And again we see a little cultural disconnect when the story informs us that: "The 113-year-old racetrack in Queens is accessible from all over New York for just $US2 on the subway, a guarantee of packed houses in a gaming market estimated at 50,000 machines." The fact is that for those in parts of the city such as the Bronx or upper Manhattan, it would be far easier and quicker to take a bus to Yonkers than to get to the Big A by train.

- According to Charles Hayward, it was not NYRA's idea to break up the franchise and have them run Saratoga. "I don't think anybody believes that splitting the tracks would be prudent....I don't think the breakup of the tracks is realistic under any scenario." [The Saratogian] But as reporter Paul Post writes of the ongoing dispute over who owns the land, letting NYRA have some share of the franchise might be the only way out.

Starting to Make Sense?

- More on Street Sense's workout (and as much as I'd like to take credit for being clairvoyant, it was listed on Equibase's site early this morning), including some more upbeat assessments from the connections:

The Street Cry (Ire) colt clicked off splits of :12.80, :24.60, and :36.60 under jockey Calvin Borel and galloped out five furlongs in 1:01.80.
.....
“He's doing good," said Borel. "Carl's got him on the right track. It's up to Carl now. He told me what to do with him this morning and I did what he wanted. We're just going to go from here. He's as good as before, or better."
.....
"There's something about this horse—he's a fast work horse," Nafzger said. "I don't necessarily say that's an asset or not, but he worked :49 this morning and never did drop his head." [Thoroughbred Times]

A couple of readers disagreed as to the significance of the Thursday media conference at which Nafzger will announce their decision. I think it was scheduled even before this work, so I don't know if it means anything either way. I'm still thinking they're going to duck the race, but these comments make me a bit more hopeful. Judging from the Toddster's recent remarks, if he does run it will probably mean that Rags to Riches doesn't. But I hope that the sporting nature of her connections - if they have any - prods them to do so if she's ready. The last couple of years have been a difficult promotion for a non-Triple Crown Belmont - even Afleet Alex vs. Giacomo was a bit of a stretch - but this one has some real potential if all of these guys - and the gal - go.

Bill Finley, writing on ESPN.com, makes no bones as to his opinion:

It's a sad day for the sport when a horse who has run all of four times this year and, apparently, is perfectly healthy may duck a Triple Crown race. The Belmont is a difficult race and the Triple Crown is a demanding series, but it is where good horses go to prove their mettle and their talent. Tafel and Nafzger should be relishing the Belmont challenge. Instead, they are prepared to run from it. That's not fair to a terrific horse in Street Sense and it's certainly not fair to the sport.

But it's not fair to the horse or the sport if the trainer feels that the horse isn't up to it, and it would be hypocritical of anyone who's been advocating stretching the series out to insist that the horse run in the third leg. Not that Finley has to my knowledge....but I'm just saying. [UPDATE - Michael at Curb Your Enthusiasm has more more thoughts on Finley's column.]

- A brief baseball break - Last night in New York we saw two fairly remarkable games that showcased two teams headed firmly in the opposite directions. The Yanks dropped their fifth in a row, falling 14 1/2 games out of first behind some other team. The Blue Jays went ahead in the 7th when Aaron Hill made a mad dash to steal home while Andy Pettite was completely oblivious, locked in on his next pitch; one of the more infrequent, but most exciting plays in the game. And though the Yanks managed to tie the game in the top of the 8th - courtesy of two Toronto errors - the Jays scored the winning run in the the bottom half when Alex Rodriguez, featured on the front page of the NY Post for entirely the wrong reason today, played a sacrifice bunt that was clearly headed foul, and Scott Proctor, brought in for unknown reasons by Joe Torre, surrendered a sacrifice fly in a terrible relief performance.

Shortly thereafter, the streaking and most Amazing Mets went into the bottom of the 12th trailing by a run. Fortunately for them, Giants manager Bruce Bochy brought in Armando Benitez, who promptly walked the leadoff batter Jose Reyes. Benitez, a hated ex-Met known to wilt under pressure, promptly balked Reyes to second, and after the latter moved to third, AMAZINgly balked him home after being rattled by a fake dash home. You tell me the last time you saw two balks on the same baserunner. It was little surprise that the easily rattled reliever then gave up a mammoth game-winning homerun to the red hot Carlos Delgado. David Wright said "I don't think you'll ever see a game like this again," but if there's a way to lose, the Yankees will probably find it. So don't bet on that.

Notes - May 30

- Bob and John, possibly the worst Belmont Stakes favorite of all time (did you even remember he was the betting choice?), determinedly held off Sweetnorthernsaint, last year's Derby favorite, on a sloppy track in the Lone Star Handicap on Sunday. It was his first win in more than a year, since he took the Wood, also in the slop. If you take a big black marker and draw a line through those two ugly Triple Crown races, you see a horse who has never finished out of the money in 11 starts. Bob Baffert said: "Bob always shows up....We've been waiting for John to kick in. Finally, it did today." [DallasNews.com] You see, don't you miss that guy on the Derby Trail? Both Bob and John may next race in the Hollywood Gold Cup.

Another Baffert runner who ran over the weekend was Point of Impact, who, as you may recall, was one of the more highly touted yet-to-start horses in recent memory last winter. It took him three races to graduate, and then he ran up the track on the grass last March, and this was his first appearance since then. And now he's just another horse, sent off at 7-1 and finishing a never-in-it 7th.

- Street Sense was scheduled to work out this morning at Churchill and let's see...ah, a half mile in 49 seconds (14/28). An announcement is expected on Thursday as to whether he'll run in the Belmont, and the guess here is 'no.'

- Corinthian got a 107 Beyer for his win in the Met Mile, and his owners are talking about taking on Invasor in the Suburban on June 30.

- The Form reports that Shakespeare, last seen running 12th in the 2005 Breeders Cup Turf at Belmont is training for a comeback, now for Kiaran McLaughlin. And High Finance earned a gaudy 114 for an allowance race win at Belmont on Sunday.

Be An Owner on Belmont Day

- Or at least sit in one of their boxes. The Belmont Child Care Association (BCCA), a non-profit organization which has established an on-site childcare center for the benefit of working families at New York area racetracks, and which provides scholarships to those unable to afford the cost of care, is raffling off an owner's box on the finish line at Belmont for the big day. Please check out their website for more information. The organization also holds a star-studded fundraiser in Saratoga each summer; this year's scheduled for August 22 at the Gideon Putnam Hotel.

Raffle tickets cost $5, or five for $20. There are several way to enter. You can call BCCA at 516-488-2103 and purchase them via credit card; email your card information to belmontchildcare@aol.com or fax it to 516-488-1410, or mail a check (or CC number) to: The Belmont Child Care Association / Belmont Park - Gate 6 / 2150 Hempstead Turnpike, Elmont, NY 11003. But please note that entries must be in by Friday at noon!

Tuesday Morning Notes

- A happy crowd of 15,000 was on hand at Belmont for Memorial Day. Well, I suppose not everyone was happy, particularly one guy who, on the way out, was muttering about what a "rat hole" the track was. I'd shudder to hear what he calls Aqueduct. But most everyone seemed happy, and the park was crowded. There were actually lines at the windows outside, and I had to go to Betting Plan B for the first time this year.

I was late getting there; it was foolish for me to think that I'd be able to leave at my convenience with a full allotment of kids in the house. So I phoned in a bet on the early double; a cold combo of the horses I picked here in the first two. Cockney Gambler, misidentified as Dontess on a shaky day for Tom Durkin (that sure would have been a disappointment for Dontess bettors back in the day, listening to the call on WCBS), did his part before I arrived. But Dr. D.F.C fell short in the second to a 60-1 shot (!), Big Daddy Rex. My fate was sealed as they turned for home, and a guy watching at the same TV started screaming "Go Eibar! C'mon Eibar!" It's just uncanny how I never win when the big loudmouth guy in the area is yelling for my horse. If I had a computer with me and could get on one of those exchanges where you can wager in the middle of the race, I'd have laid off my bet as soon as he started yelling.

So that was a disappointment, but I did hit the Pick 3 ending with He's A Pioneer in the sixth, another horse I picked on the blog. I singled Pletcher's Winstrella, spread in the 5th, and singled He's A Pioneer. I would have been even happier if 10-1 Spurred had caught 7-2 Thunderestimate in the fifth, but the $142.50 payoff was quite satisfactory and made for a profitable day. Reverberate was dead on the board in that last leg and ran 5th.

I also picked the winner of the 7th here, and the runner-ups in reverse order. But it was a race that I just didn't care for, and I ended up not betting that one. And the 9th was just wacky. I had written that it looked like an impossibly wide open race, and felt silly when Perfect Bullet was the only horse getting bet. He was even money, and got slammed to 1-2 at post time, 1-2! Looking back, he was a standout going strictly by proven turf form; and neither of the first-timers got bet. But I was surprised that he was bet that low, and felt vindicated when he ran out of the money.

- Thanks to Valerie for pointing out that Clocker-1 was back today, and had this to say about Street Sense:

..he DID NOT make a favorable impression. He appeared a bit washy again, and was reluctant to get going. In fact, he actually had to have the lead pony engage him in order to begin galloping! Not good news for those of us hoping to see the "BIG 3" in the Belmont.

They're supposed to make a decision by Wednesday.

After Corinthian's win in the Met Mile, Jimmy Jerkens referred to the horse's last workout; it was a bullet (of 54) five furlongs in 58 flat.

“The work a week ago was beyond anything I ever saw. I never had a horse do what he did. He was just strong all the way. He was terrific all week. I thought if he didn’t run good today, he just wasn’t good enough.” [Thoroughbred Times]

The move was one full second faster than the second fastest drill at the distance; and it was truly a star-studded workout roster that day. Chances are that if the Met Mile was scrutinized as is the Kentucky Derby, there would have been numerous stories written about that work, and the horse would have been 7-2 instead of 9-1! Jimmy Jerkens did his part in keeping the payoff generous; I found no comments from him about the work before the race, only him saying that "It's going to be tough."

As he did in his work, he ran strong all the way in the Met Mile. He was right behind the contested pace that picked up steam in a second quarter of 22.49. He was then three wide for a good portion of the sweeping turn for home; but he was solid in the stretch, putting away a game Lawyer Ron and holding off the overlaid Political Force to set up an all-Jerkens exacta of $285.