August 13, 2010
Dear Diary,
So how was your Friday the Thirteenth? I was told growing up not to worry about it, that Friday the Thirteenth is good luck for people of the Italian persuasion.
Fuggedaboudit! It was Friday the Thirteenth alright, just as it was meant to be.
That’s the only excuse I can muster for the breakdown in local coverage of the National Museum of Racing’s Hall of Fame induction ceremonies.
Sadly, very sadly, this game often gets the negative attention it deserves.
My day started by doing a spot play handicapping segment on Jeanne Wood’s fine “Saratoga NewsDesk” program. Had a decent week, a decent day as it turned out, so all was going well.
Never mind Friday the Thirteenth, it’s Hall of Fame day!
Can’t remember when I attended my first Hall of Fame ceremonies, but I’m sure the number is more than I can remember. I’m a sucker for all the history, camaraderie and emotion on display on this day each year.
This year I decided to be good to myself. Why fight the crowd and the traffic coming out of the ceremonies. I needed to do a radio thing in the middle of the program anyway, and it would be easier to get good quotes from an alternative source: TV.
YNN is the local Time Warner cable news station. On balance, they do good work and provide a service to the community. This year they would be broadcasting the event live, beginning 10:30 a.m.
Great, I thought. I’ll go home, tune to Ch. 9, listen to and record the speeches, watch for crowd reactions, which is tough to do on site, and take all the notes I would need to report back to the HRI faithful.
Are you familiar with the term “technical difficulties?”
After first trying to duck the question “what the hell’s going on over there?”--sometimes my downstate pedigree gets the best of me--the person claimed technical difficulties, a euphemism, of course, for “we screwed up.”
I was informed that the ceremonies would be seen in its entirety on tape delay. I would have asked what parimutuel window do I take that to, then thought better of it.
You know how there’s always a should-have-said when involved in a difference of opinion? Well, in this case I should have said: “Why wasn’t there a crawl, citing technical difficulties and informing viewers that Hall of Fame induction ceremonies will be seen in its entirety on tape delay?”
There was no indication of just how long the tape delay would be.
But why worry? I’ll just open the computer, click on racingmuseum.org, and watch live streaming video of the event.
If you’ve never visited the Racing Museum and Hall of Fame website, do so. Aside from great historical photographs, it contains everything you want to know about the enshrined. The site recently was redesigned to increase its functionality, except for one thing.
When I landed on the lead page, playing over the welcome message by Ed Bowen, trustee and Chairman of the Hall of Fame Committee, was Hoagy Carmichael’s “Stardust.” And it sounded very much like the Artie Shaw big band version--pretty cool.
The pictures on the screen didn’t need words: Bob Baffert shaking hands with Pat Day. Seeing “the Chief,” Allen Jerkens, D. Wayne Lukas and Leroy Jolley, one by one, some of the game’s very best who provided such great moments for the sport.
And, of course, T. J. Kelly, who never misses a Saratoga race meet. In his 90s now, and aided by a cane and a helping hand, he rose to stand alongside the other exalted horsemen.
The applause never stopped, putting a smile on “Turnpike Tom‘s” face. Then, unfortunately, the music began.
“Stardust” accompanied the historical photographs, drowning out the speeches and rendering them inaudible.
Unfortunately, it was too late when I learned there was a mechanism that would have muted the “Stardust” audio. But neither myself, nor three other college graduates I know, could find the off switch.
Of course, I can look at these events and their extenuating circumstances and make allowances. But it seems I’m always making allowances, which begs the question: Can racing ever be associated with something that goes completely right?
Someone should have gotten the memo to shut down the extraneous audio. It wasn’t up to the fans to figure out what to do. The date of the induction ceremonies was set long ago.
There should have been some coordination between the Hall of Fame and YNN, with the video stream as a viable alternative. That’s the thing about live television. In order for it to succeed, the technical stuff needs to be done in pre-production.
You just can’t show up with a production truck on the morning of the event and expect everything to go smoothly. The fans, viewers, and inductees all deserved better.
14 Aug 2010 at 06:54 am | #
John,
It’s seems like you have had a few bad days. Let’s start with your diary and move backwards. You should have been there yesterday, is all I can say. I’m sorry that things didn’t fall into place the way they should have, but it was so worth making the trip for. This was another wonderful and emotion packed Hall of Fame Induction ceremony. Not only to witness the new inductees esp. Randy Romero, and representatives and relatives of other winners, accepting their honors, well it was as emotional and touching as it can get. The thing I like most however, is seeing so many of the Hall of Famers gathered in one spot. It’s always a special time. Gary Stevens did a good job too,as MC. Though not dynamic, his introduction was inspiring and heartfelt. It didn ‘t matter to this east coaster that the awards this year were mostly west coast based. Great is great no matter what.
Now before I left for the Spa Thursday morning , I read your column on Zenyatta. I wanted to respond, but did not have the time, plus I felt I had to process it a little . I went back to it this morning, only to see that, it had taken a very wrong turn, not your fault I know, but just the same…
Only one thing to say here John, because most everything has been diced and sliced a million times over, but rooting for someone to lose, is not “sportsmanlike” I was so shocked to hear that from you. Don’t tell me that you will be watching Zenyatta coming down the stretch in the Zenyatta Stakes not wanting to see her win? I just can’t imagine that. Do you think there’s anybody rooting against Goldikova today as she goes for her 11th Group One win? Yes, there are those that will bet Paco Boy, but will they root AGAINST the fabulous filly. Something tells me , NO. So I am going to give you a pass this one time John. If you have an ounce of sportsmanship in you, you will re-think this. Your opinion is your opinion, but this seems childish and ignorant. Good Luck with your selections in the Sword Dancer.
14 Aug 2010 at 10:58 am | #
Susan,
What I said is that I can’t root for the CONNECTIONS.
Since we want to go back into the archives, you might want to note that the descriptive adjective I have used most in relation to Zenyatta is GREAT.
I have NEVER disparaged the mare, only the campaign their people chose for her, which has in my mind everything to do with “the streak.” Sorry, but I won’t be convinced otherwise.
Since you have not walked any miles in my shoes, and seem to want to get personal, allow me to share. You probably don’t know about some health issues I’ve been dealing with recently. My doc confined me to bed rest for six weeks this winter and told me at our last visit that my Saratoga work schedule is a concern. So, I decided to be good to myself AND not miss a minute of the ceremonies, except for “technical difficulties.”
Finally, I’m a huge Goldikova fan, and also a fan of her sporting connections. They embrace challenges, they don’t avoid them.
Want to know how great this game is? That it welcomes opinions like yours and mine; and that it still manages to survive most of the people that shape its destiny.
And who do you like in the Sord Dancer, anyway?
JP
14 Aug 2010 at 12:15 pm | #
Health is everything John, so I will think good, positive thoughts for you to get back to “good form”. When I read your sentence, “As a sports fan and a lover of the greatest game played outdoors, I can no longer root for Zenyatta’s human connections and by extension, their mare to win # 19.”
Well, I interpreted it as you not rooting for the connections and their horse. But anyway, words, meanings, so what, we all just want some winners , right? I have had to struggle with that kind of stuff too, no names here, but a wine guy, and IE.., oh nevermine, but I just always try to just focus on the horse. And those who put the horse first, well that’s the way I roll, too.
Anyway, I just found out that my horse for the Sword Dancer is scratched, so my longshot, cuz I like “shots”, is Grassy. Visit my blog , I just started, though I am a “lifer” in the horse business, I am new at the “writing” business. http://asaturdayhorse.blogspot.com/
I make a few daily picks , usually turf, on the right side of the blog.
Take good care and enjoy your day!
14 Aug 2010 at 12:37 pm | #
Actually, Susan, wish I could do that--separate the horse from the people--but if poker is a game of people played with cards, horse racing’s a bit like that too: “My horse can beat your horse...”
Anyway, it’s forgotten. Playing some dime supers? Take a look at Telling and Interpatation as well. We know teeling likes it here and while the latter prefers some cut in the ground, he seems to be coming up to a big one at 20-1 early line.
Enjoy the race!
JP
16 Aug 2010 at 12:51 pm | #
John, sorry about your health issues. Hope all can be resolved soon. Hard to miss out on one’s passion. Been there done that.
As for not liking a horse or not rooting for one because of the connections, that is truly not a class act considering your profession, besides yourself being in the public eye. How can you not like these connections? They have done so much for backstretch workers health issues,(funding it themselves) retired racehorses,(any promotional attire etc.that goes through team Zenyatta,has to have a mention of the organization which deals with racehorse retirement,rescue,etc.and proceeds go directly to the organization promoting the attire). Take five minutes and talk to Michael Blowen from Old Friends, he will set you straight on what Jerry and Ann Moss do for the true stars of the industry, the horses and those that care for them. Again, I ask you, how can one be against these connections? Are you not for the well being of these animals that you make a living.
Just as you have health issues, racehorses do as well. Zenyatta does not travel well. Well known fact. She is nervous gal, those pre-race antics prove that fact. Now as an owner, do you keep putting her on a plane and ship, or...do you do what is right by your horse? Remember she is a 6 year old now. More issues to be concerned about. Have you not read how many people are involved in her well being? Do you think keeping a horse of her size in training for what is it now, 30 plus consectuative months easy? Do you not think she may have some soreness issues that they keep a keen eye on? No different than a human and age related problems.
Even Bill Mott, when not sure if racing was going to be at Saratoga, was asked about where he would go, shipping was not one of his top priorities. He too, mentioned the stress it causes on the horses. There are horsemen and there are horse trainers. Big difference. I am sure you know that by now. It was also stated in an article in the Ray Paulick report. Maybe you haven’t read it yet. I stress that you do.
Zenyatta does not have to prove to you or to me anything more than what she has accomplished to date. She has done it all, carried weight (129), run at slow fractions from China to win, run on a surface(DelMar) she hates and won, won two bc championships,(one being the classic against the same and then some males that Rachel beat),having an unbelieveable trip to win and becoming the first female in history to do so for the Classic, proved that she can run on dirt or sythetics or blacktop if you asked her to, her fastest times are the last quarter, she puts on a performance that has never been witnessed before for her fans and thank God she doesn’t realize people like yourself will be rooting against her because she has owners and a trainer that are putting her first over what you turf writers and handicappers demand from her to become a true racehorse. The same people who seem to have no clue of the work that is involved when it comes to owning and racing a racehorse of any stature including this remarkable gal.