Looking Like a Million

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla., January 26, 2012—The Sunshine Millions program has always been one of my favorite race cards, a state’s rights version of the Breeders’ Cup. Same principle, only Kentucky- and New York-bred runners need not apply.

Make no mistake. The event normally draws the best of the best that are born and bred in either Florida or California. This year is no exception, even if Santa Anita was a little late to the table this time around. But all’s well that ends.

The 2012 roster is as strong as any renewal ever offered, including two filly champions, the juvenile heroine of 2010 Awesome Feather and last year’s Filly & Mare Sprint queen, Musical Romance. Both are Sunshine State-breds.

At the Gulfstream venue alone, where six Sunshine Million events will be staged, compared to three at the other Stronach Group track, Santa Anita Park, 17 graded stakes winners will vie for combined purses worth over $1.3 million.

On the Left Coast, meanwhile, two worthy open events, the storied Santa Monica and the Santa Isabel will complete the five-stakes program.

Normally a successful handle generating event, the Sunshine Millions will proud added wagering interest with a promotional “Luck Pick 6,” in recognition of the HBO series of the same name that debuts officially Sunday night.

The Lucky Pick 6 is a $1 wager with a mandatory payout featuring three races from each venue in a separate pool, with no ties to the traditional Pick 6 wagers offered at either venue, so that any existing carryovers apply only to traditional Pick 6 wagers.

The message seems obvious: Bring Money.

When Maker’s Horses Talk, Fans Listen

HALLANDALE BEACH, January 22, 2012—To talk with trainer Mike Maker, who will start the first champion he ever trained, Hansen, in Sunday’s Holy Bull Stakes, you’d never guess he attended Wayne Lukas University for aspiring horsemen. Put another way, loquacious wouldn’t be the first word that leaps to mind after meeting him for the first time.

While apparently not the touchy-feely type, what Maker is, aside from being one of the game’s top young horsemen and a rising star, is a good man with an easy smile, sense of humor and, apparently, a devoted dad.

Asked whether he enjoyed the post-Eclipse ceremonial dinner, Maker explained: “I took my son with me and he crashed, so we just went up to our room.” If that sounds old school, here’s more A-B-C type information about Maker.

We Are Fam-i-ly

PLANTATION, Fla., January 17, 2012—If you’ve ever tried to explain this game to someone untethered to the race horse, I’m sure you found it difficult to reconcile the fact that despite the intense and often manic competition, Thoroughbred racing is capable of rendering itself down to some equine version of Love Boat.

That was the sense one got while watching the 41st annual Eclipse Award presentation on cable TV Monday night, an evening that in my den would see Dr. Gregory House finish a very distant second to a real life Jeannine Edwards.

I confess that in my four decades of immersion into this passionate pastime, I’ve sat through my share of awards dinners, even hosted a few as a past President of the New York Turf Writers Association back in the day when the NYTWA actually honored those who toiled right in front of our press box eyes. Sadly, that’s a story for another day.

The point is that awards presentations, even those hosted by Ricky Gervais, can be tedious--speaking of which, I was very proud of the fact that on my imaginary Golden Globes ballot for actor in a television series drama appeared the name of Kelsey Grammar who, like George Clooney, found his role of a lifetime. But, I digress.

Edwards, easier on the eyes than either Gervais or Hugh Laurie, did fine work, getting out from behind a podium and helping to deflate some of the formal stuffiness of the occasion. I’m not sure everyone understood the sight-gag Tebow homage, and there might have been one too many without-further-ados, but that picks at nits. Edwards’ effort certainly was worthy of an encore performance at the 42nd annual.

The winners from three finalists in every category, except that for Horse of the Year, bore not a single major surprise, and it’s always good when the best, or most accomplished, horse wins. No one looks for value at Eclipse Award time, not even John Doyle, the 2011 Handicapper of the Year. Form has its place.

Cuomo’s Expanded Gaming Vision Helps Horse Racing

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY, January 6, 2012—My hometown of Saratoga is conservative by both convention and politics. The apparel of choice here, where winters can test your resolve, on balance, remains Republican cloth.

But it matters not on which side of the aisle you lean here, or the entire Capital District for the matter, or on one of my many forays downstate, the message is remarkably the same and considering the subject matter, nigh impossible.

I have never, ever, heard a disparaging word about our state’s present Governor. An approval rating of 75%; it’s the damndest thing, really.

I was a fan of his father’s, as were many, although I can tell you that Mario Cuomo wasn’t on everyone’s favorite list, at least not to the extent enjoyed by his son Andrew, the present Governor.

So it was with great interest on Wednesday that I tuned my television to a station other than the local OTB network.

I was curious to see if his auditory matched his dad’s, by all accounts extraordinary. Of greater import, however, was what he had to stay about the state of gaming in the Empire State.

“We have been in a state of denial for a very long time when it comes to gaming,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo emphatically told both Houses of the Legislature and every other mover and shaker in the room during his State-of-the-State address.

“We already have it. We have Tribal Casinos across the state. We have racinos across the state. We have 29,000 electronic gaming machines in the state, more than in Atlantic City, more than the entire Northeast combined. But we don’t capitalize on it."

Un-Like Mother, Like Daughter

At first I had an idea about writing about the exclusionary tone Mike Watchmaker took in this column about the presumption that turf writers with an Eclipse ballot didn’t take it seriously, by Watchmaker’s standards. So what if some folks wanted Rapid Redux to be Horse of the Year? That’s their choice and just because he’s not a stakes-caliber horse shouldn’t demerit the few who chose to vote for him. I’m sure they’d make an educated case. It’s that type of voice from the older guard of turf writers and handicappers I’ve found disheartening. I guess this means I'm not "reasonable." I like to think I am, but to each his own.

What should happen on January 22, 2012 at 2:40 p.m.? Rachel Alexandra delivered a 125 pound (!) colt at Stonestreet Farm in Lexington, KY. According to a press release he climbed to his feet about 90 minutes after birth and Rachel Alexandra kindly took to him.

Unlike her own mother.

‘Grace’ takes cake

The thought of live-blogging the Eclipse Awards crossed my mind for today’s entry, but live blogs or its predecessor—the timed Diary—seem so, bloggish. Twitter has replaced the live blog simultaneously allowing readers to interact in a time line and follow the quips of the author. God bless the hashtag. Also, let’s not forget, it’s the Eclipse Awards. Live-blogging the Puppy Bowl on Animal Planet holds more appeal.

The Eclipse Awards had Jeannine Edwards hosting it, but making the all-too-often-used diatribe about her electric eyes and punchy delivery seems so, live-bloggish. That was so one paragraph ago.

The Eclipse Awards feel more stuffed than a turkey, but its purpose must be to celebrate the year that was this way we can take a sledge hammer to the walls, tear down the framework, dig up the foundation, laugh about that time you saw your friend count his gambling winnings (1 minute in), laugh at your other friend who still can’t get over losing a 2008 Pick 4 when Intangaroo nosed Hystericalady; then pour a new foundation, erect another framework, drill up some drywall because you remember that one time you worked with drywall, and do some other things. Put your feet up. You can’t rise up until you’ve hit rock bottom. So to the bottom we must flee, but in recalling 2011, you realize you’re already there. How was it that Animal Kingdom still had a shot at Champion Three-Year-Old male? And then won it. Heck, I think I’d have voted for him too. Ten furlongs never go out of style.

Jess Jackson’s Equine Legacy

SALEM, N.H., January 22, 2012-Crack open a bottle of Kendall-Jackson’s finest wine.

Send congratulations, and a big basket of apples and carrots, to Rachel Alexandra and Curlin, for they are now the proud parents of a healthy, 125-pound colt born at Stonestreet Farm in Kentucky at exactly 2:40 on the afternoon of January 22.

By coincidence, and perhaps as a portent, Sunday was also the date of the National Football League’s AFC and NFC Championship games, with the winners advancing to the Super Bowl.

Could this beautiful bay colt, who has a white star on his forehead and is said to look like a mini-me of his mother, be a future Eclipse Award winner?

Or perhaps even a Triple Crown champion? After all, he is the product of a pair of champions and they both have victories in the Preakness (and the Woodward) on their resumes.

Even better, Rachel Alexandra was the 2009 Horse of the Year and Curlin won the honor in 2007, and in the business of Thoroughbred racing, it is about the bloodlines.

Rocking the Vote

SALEM, New Hampshire, January 15, 2012--When I had the chance to vote for the Eclipse Award-winning Apprentice Jockey, I shirked my civic duty. Sort of.

After studying and analyzing the long column of stats provided to those of us who are fortunate enough to have the privilege of casting ballots, I did vote for my top three to be considered as the best new rider. I filled in the appropriate blanks, along with those for every other category complete from champion Two-Year-Old Filly to Outstanding Breeder. And I thought that was it.

But then, evidently after a snafu regarding some of the stats and the way they were compiled, the votes were thrown out and we were asked to look over the newly-tallied numbers and repeat the process. I intended to do that, really
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I felt the responsibility, but couldn’t find the motivation. Yeah, sure; I’ll get to that later, I kept telling myself. Then by the time later rolled around, it was too late. The polls were closed.

After feeling a slight, albeit momentary, tinge of guilt, I have to ‘fess up that I really didn’t care. I apologize to those promising young riders who really coveted that award, and would be happy to do so in person. But I haven’t the foggiest who you are.