There is still something magic about the winner of a Kentucky Derby.This was reiterated when the biggest non-Florida Derby Day crowd since Gulfstream was rebuilt came out to see Animal Kingdom on Donn Handicap Day. What a wonderful world it would be if more owners recognized what a Derby winner means to the sport and kept their horses in training through their 4-year-old seasons. OK, I'm a dreamer.
February 22, 2013
Allow me a John Lennon moment. Allow me to Imagine a world where Kentucky Derby winners aren’t retired before their 3-year-old season is out.
The magic of a Derby winner was never more apparent than Donn Handicap Day at Gulfstream. The Donn might be the centerpiece race of the season for older horses but it became just an afterthought because Animal Kingdom was making his first start as a 5-year-old (and alas, last in the U.S.) in the Gulfstream Park Turf Cup.
What felt like the biggest non-Florida Derby Day crowd ever at the new facility (accurate attendance figures are impossible in the racino era) made it clear why they were there. It was to see a Kentucky Derby winner.
They were 10 deep around the spacious walking ring, lining up early to be sure to get a look at Animal Kingdom. They cheered as he circled the walking ring.
Gulfstream was savvy enough to have the field go around three times. There was a cacophony of cameras and camera phones clicking.
It was like the good old days when thoroughbred racing challenged the major team sports for attention. Believe it or not, there was a time when racing was bigger than the NFL.
Those who didn’t get a spot near the walking ring packed the apron and cheered when Animal Kingdom took the track. In the opening flash, he was a ridiculous 1-9, although that moderated to 4-5 by post time. It didn’t matter that Point of Entry, who wound up winning, had far stronger credentials.
Wouldn’t it be great if more sportsmen owners recognized what a Derby winner means to the game and kept their horse in training, making a circuit of major races around the U.S. as a 4-year-old?
You may say I'm a dreamer but I’m not the only one.
As long as I’m dreaming…
The Kentucky Derby it needs to join the Breeders’ Cup Classic as a prime-time TV attraction ASAP.
NBC would do it in a heartbeat. The Derby, which out-rates many prime-time shows and everything on Saturday night, falls during TV’s May sweeps ratings period.
The Run for the Roses springs from the gate at about 6:40 now. What’s another two hours? Most of the undercard would still be run in daylight and the first race wouldn’t have to be run in the a.m. There is no better way to showcase racing than to present its biggest attraction before the largest possible audience, which is prime-time.
A remedy for running Day One of the Breeders’ Cup on Friday, a workday for most, is to move the event to Thanksgiving weekend. Millions have the day off. Fans could cut a deal with their spouses. Shop your brains out. I’m going to the track.
There are only one or two significant football games to compete with on both Friday and Saturday, as opposed to countless big games the first Saturday in November.
As for the weather, Churchill Downs has run a big closing weekend for years over the Thanksgiving weekend without problems. If the NFL can stage what is destined to be dubbed the Stupid Bowl at the Meadowlands in February, racing in late fall shouldn’t be an issue. Moreover, it’s not an issue in warm weather sites, where most future Breeders’ Cups are likely to land.
A final benefit would be that NYRA, Keeneland and Santa Anita wouldn’t have to shoe horn dozens of big money stakes into the first and second weekends of their fall meetings. If there’s a downside, I can’t see it.
Saratoga, the former “August place to be” should truly become “the summer place to be” by running from July 4 to Labor Day.
As part of the package, the schedule could be trimmed-- as it should be anyway given the shortage of horses--to five days a week. Going a taxing six days a week, Saratoga runs 40 days now. A more vacation-like five-day agenda, from July 4 to Labor Day, would add only five dates.
North country hotels and restaurants, which would bitch to their representatives in nearby Albany about a reduction in the racing week, would probably drop their objections if they were compensated with a longer season.
South Florida racetracks need to get together to have the legislature abolish the antiquated 7 p.m. curfew for thoroughbred racing.
It was created decades ago at the behest of greyhound tracks and jai alai frontons to protect their monopoly on evening gambling. Today, the dogs and jai alai have become just an excuse to operate slots and card rooms. Indeed, the night time operations are trying to get the obligation to maintain pari-mutuels eliminated. Thanks to simulcasting, horse races provide more handle than the pups and cesta guys. They would undoubtedly welcome an opportunity to take action on quality horse racing.
Frank Stronach says he wants to put up lights at Gulfstream but has hesitated because of the curfew. Night racing could be a way to mitigate the potential conflict with Calder if Gulfstream goes ahead with its plan for summer racing.
Another Stronach idea, the original concept for the Sunshine Millions, didn’t turn out as well as hoped because California-breds are no match for Florida-breds. The Sunshine State won all nine showdowns before the inter-state format was abandoned and transformed into each state running its own state-bred set of rich races.
How about a new competition between Florida-breds and New York-breds late in the year when there isn’t much going on? Gamblers at both venues are familiar with the horses at the other and with slots money boosting purses for New York-breds, it’s only a matter of time before the Big Apple herd can compete with any state’s horses.
22 Feb 2013 at 05:04 pm | #
“Those who didn’t get a spot near the walking ring packed the apron and cheered when Animal Kingdom took the track. In the opening flash, he was a ridiculous 1-9, although that moderated to 4-5 by post time. It didn’t matter that Point of Entry, who wound up winning, had far stronger credentials.”
Sorry chief, this is an ignorant statement.
TTT
22 Feb 2013 at 08:19 pm | #
Sorry, T, but “ignorant” is too strong, insulting and IMHO, flat-out wrong.
A Gulfstream turf allowance win and a second in the BC Mile is NOT stronger than three straight G1s in traditional, prestigious routes.
Horse racing is a matter of opinion, of course. But Point of Entry’s grass credentials are stronger based on RESULTS.
Like Lukas says: People have opinions; horses have the facts.
22 Feb 2013 at 08:26 pm | #
$3.5M for a dime! Imagine that! John Lennon must not have been a horseplayer.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OC2waxMJ_5Y
With apologies to Mr. Lennon:
Imagine there’s low takeout
It’s easy if you try
A TOC that won’t block it
A CHRB that would comply
Imagine all the bettors having fun today
Imagine there’s no lasix
It isn’t hard to do
No meds enhancing performance
And horses rescued too
Imagine all the horsemen having fun today
You, you may say
I’m a schemer, but things can’t stay the way the are
The industry needs to come together
And operate the same both near and far
Imagine no rebating
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or cheating
A fair game for every fan
Imagine Saratoga in 1965
You, you may say
I’m a dreamer, but there are others who also care
We hope that those who come behind us
The once greatest gambling game will share
22 Feb 2013 at 09:58 pm | #
If there’s adequate incentive for owners to keep their Derby winners in training, I think they would.
Incentive may be the wrong word. The horse should not be penalized on the breeding end if it loses some races after the Derby. If there’s no penalty for losing, then what’s the risk (aside from injury)?
As long as millions get slashed off their stud value for finishing second or third in subsequent races, I can’t blame these guys for retiring the horses. The Barry Irwins are far and few between, maybe even nonexistent in today’s climate.
23 Feb 2013 at 07:13 am | #
I stand by my statement that it is an ignorant statement that Point of Entry had “far stronger credentials, and will not attempt to engage in some sort of battle with you over the veracity of same. Was not attacking a person, but an idea, and if you can’t see the difference, I feel for you brother. When I attack a person, believe me you will know it. If somebody feels insulted, perhaps they should join some sort of therapy group. As far as Lukas’ statement, if I hear that one more time I’ll lick up the vomit I spewed the last time I heard it. If you want to talk about facts, the surface had nothing to do with Animal Kingdom losing the race to Point of Entry, put that in your fact journal. Has anyone heard of a thing called pace? I know, it’s a novel concept, that horses that start out to fast, lose to inferior horses when tiring in the latter stages having expended their ability to metabolize oxygen.
Furthermore, breeding or no breeding, some horses have a proclivity to run better on a given surface, at different times in their career, for different reasons, and far too much weight is given to a horses ability on any kind of surface, and believe you will find that those handicapping races basing their selections on a horse being a “grass” horse, which is as prevelant as a unicorn, should count the number of times they lost, walking away scratching their heads, when betting on a “grass” horse, when beaten by a “dirt” horse, only to engage in that kind of folly time after time. A man far wiser than D. Wayne Lukas supposedly said words to the effect that insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results, another abused statement, but it certainly applies to those handicappers who “label” horses as “turf horses,” or “dirt horses,” and then give them an astronomical advantage over another horse based on that label. Put that in your paddock and saddle it.
TTT
23 Feb 2013 at 09:12 am | #
T, what does pace have to do with accomplishment?And there is no such thing as a specialist? All horses can’t be Secretariat or John Henry--run like champions on any surface. Have you ever heard the term “mudlark?”. Where did that come from?
There’s no disgrace in being a specialist. Horses like Animal Kingdomm are extremely gifted, able to run on any one of, now, three surfaces.
Pound for pound, I believe Animal Kingdom is a better horse than Point of Entry; probably very well is. But that’s just my, you know, opinion.
23 Feb 2013 at 09:55 am | #
As long as we’re dreaming…
Don’t allow horses to be bred till they’re five.
I believe Meadowlands owner Jeff Gural expressed this idea a while ago.
You keep the stars around for an extra year and the fans and the racetracks would love it.
Of course you’d have to convince owners and breeders that it’s in the best interest of the sport.
It actually nay be good for the breed long term since you’d know which horses were more durable.
23 Feb 2013 at 12:52 pm | #
I was late getting to this party because I was chasing, futilely, the Rainbow 6 on Friday. TTT, let me defend my own statement. Eliminate the names Animal Kingdom and Point of Entry.
Both Horse A and Horse B were second in a BC stakes on the same day in their most recent starts.
Prior to that, Horse A had one allowance win in a year. Horse B won 4 straight stakes, 3of them Grade 1.
Any player can find a reason to bet any horse but I think it would be hard to find many people to argue Horse A had stronger credentials.
Denny M: We share the same dream. I have long felt the solution to early retirements is to refuse to register foals by any stallion younger than 5. Alas this will happen the day after the Beatles stage a reunion concert.
24 Feb 2013 at 05:52 pm | #
JRP & TTT,
Ubridled Command will be better than both of them by year’s end. Compare his race with where POE was 12 months ago when he was a 4yo.
As Cicero Grimes said, “Write it down sonny.”
27 Feb 2013 at 08:11 pm | #
Nick,
I agree that Unbridled Command will be better than both by year’s end...because both will be retired.
28 Feb 2013 at 12:46 pm | #
As Curly once said: “Oh, a wise guy, eh..?”
Nick, UC made an excellent return. As a newly turned 4YO, the upside is there.
A recent purchase, he’s going to another trainer. Hope Tom Bush gets one to take his place, but that certainly won’t be easy.