Thursday, May 15, 2008

Contentious Preakness Telecast Coming Up

Heaven help horse racing if there's an unfortunate accident at the Preakness. Unlike the Breeders' Cup Classic, in which the top colt George Washington broke down in mid-stretch and was euthanized, the Preakness is the middle jewel of the Triple Crown. With the first race in this hallowed series, the Kentucky Derby, already marred by tragedy, and the Belmont, still to be run, there will be no let-up to the negativity about the sport that persists.

NBC-TV isn’t making things easier. The network announced that it has invited New York Times sports columnist William Rhoden to join host Bob Costas and jockey-turned-analyst Gary Stevens, Eight Belles trainer Larry Jones and track veterinarian Larry Bramlage for a nationally-televised, pre-Preakness panel discussion about horse safety. Rhoden likened thoroughbred racing to dog fighting and called for its abolition in a recent column. See now if the protesters from PETA at Pimlico get screen time.

In a related development, 38 percent of Americans would prefer that sports which involve competitions between animals, such as horse racing and dog racing, be banned. These are the results of a Values and Beliefs Social Survey conducted by Gallup on the weekend following the Derby. Although only 16 percent of the Survey’s respondents “strongly support� a ban, and 34 percent “strongly oppose� the ban, such results can be threatening.

You can bet your bottom dollar that the industry, most likely the Breeders’ Cup and The Jockey Club, soon will engage the full-time services of a top-notch public relations firm to administer the Bute. Masking the pain, nevertheless, won’t get the job done. Making changes in all phases of the sport is required

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Big Brown Preakness Victory Worth Millions to NYRA

Big Brown’s biggest cheering section won’t be at Pimlico, but at Belmont Park. A Preakness victory for the Kentucky Derby winner would set up the sixth attempt to win a Triple Crown in ten years. Each time a horse finds itself in this position, the New York Racing Association reaps the rewards of an attendance increase the likes of which the spacious racetrack was built for.

Without a Triple Crown on the line, Belmont Park attracts a crowd of about 60,000 people for the Belmont Stakes. With the Triple Crown a possibility, over 100,000 fans will show up. These are conservative numbers. It could be a swing of 50,000 fans at stake on Saturday.

What are 50,000 fans worth in terms of revenue? Well, if you figure an average general admission ticket price of $50 and per capita wagering of $200 and the price of parking and a hot dog and a beer, it’s about $13 million.

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Preakness Drop-Out Bound for Canada

Preakness fans were disappointed yesterday to learn that Harlem Rocker wouldn’t compete against Big Brown in this Saturday’s second Triple Crown race. The Stronach Stable’s undefeated son of Macho Uno will be headed instead to the Queen’s Plate at Woodbine on June 22. Gayego now replaces Harlem Rocker on the “maybe� list.

The Queen’s Plate, of course, is Canada’s premier thoroughbred event and North America’s oldest stakes race. Its history goes back to 1859, when Sir Casimir Gzowski, a Polish engineer, initiated the race at the old Carleton racetrack in Toronto. To bestow her approval on the Queen’s Plate, Queen Victoria of England donated the purse of 50 guineas, thus the name of the race.

The best horses in North America don’t necessarily participate in the Queen’s Plate because it’s restricted to horses foaled in Canada. But past winners include Awesome Again (1997), L’Enjoleur (1975), Kennedy Road (1971) and Northern Dancer (1964), all horses that distinguished themselves in U.S. races.

Obviously, Harlem Rocker is this year’s pre-race Queen’s Plate favorite. Others that are highly regarded include Café Tortoni (second in the California Derby), Cool Gator, Deputiformer and Giquere – all competitive in Gulfstream allowances this winter, Palmers – a winner at the Fair Grounds, and Stuck in Traffic.

Trainer Todd Pletcher would be wise to give Harlem Rocker a prep on the Woodbine synthetic track before trying him in the Queen’s Plate. There are the Marine Stakes this upcoming Saturday, the Plate Trial on June 1 and the Victoria Park Stakes on June 8 to choose from.

Saturday, May 03, 2008

Big Brown’s Derby Marred by Tragedy

(LOUISVILLE, KY – May 3, 2008) Triumph and tragedy were the emotions most in evidence at the 134th Kentucky Derby. The IEAH Stables and Paul Pompa Jr.’s Big Brown, favored at 5-2, won with ease, while Fox Hill Farms Inc.’s Eight Belles, the lone filly in the race, broke two legs while easing up a quarter mile beyond the finish line after placing second.

The crowd of 157,770, second biggest in Derby history, was dead quiet when winning rider Kent Desormeaux walked Big Brown on the outside of the racetrack toward the winner’s circle. Many eyes were on the backstretch, where a crew from the horse ambulance had set up screens to hide the agony of the fallen filly from the gaze of the fans. Eight Belles suffered a severe condylar fracture in both front legs, something which track veterinarian Larry Bramlage said he has never seen before.

In capturing the Derby, Big Brown remains unbeaten. He has now started four times, winning his races by the combined total of 34 lengths. His Kentucky Derby margin was 4 ¾ lengths. His winning time was 2:01.82. Is he destined to be the Triple Crown champion that the sport has been waiting for? Trainer Dick Dutrow, Jr. must be thinking so.

Dutrow, of course, considered Big Brown unbeatable in the Derby, and most likely believed then, and now, that he’s a horse for the ages. Dutrow suffered heaps of criticism earlier in the week for saying that he was going to bet $100,000 on his horse. He disparaged the long, proud Kentucky Derby tradition by calling it “another horse race.� But he was vindicated when Big Brown turned America’s most famous race into a romp.

On the other hand, the professional handicappers said that Big Brown was too inexperienced, having only three prior starts. They said he hadn’t beaten any horse of true quality en route to Louisville. They questioned the horse’s soundness, compared him to Bellamy Road, and didn’t like Dutrow’s braggadocio. Here’s the real story.

As Big Brown broke from the far outside post in the field of 20, he showed the kind of gate ability that world class sprinters have. As he circled horses on the far turn, he accelerated like Arazi. In the stretch, he kicked clear of his closest foes in a way that proved he could win at greater distances. In effect, he became a superstar.

Only Bob Black Jack, Cowboy Cal and Recapturetheglory led Big Brown into the first turn. The son of Boundary then slipped into sixth, running wide down the backstretch. He hit the front at the mile post, was two and a half lengths the best at the top of the stretch, and extended his lead at the wire.

Big Brown’s domineering finish gives pause to the big question of which horses might decide to take him on in the future. No doubt, sixth place Colonel John, second choice at 9-2, isn’t finished. Lightly-raced Denis of Cork, who ended up third, might want more. All the others in the race will have to find excuses to prevent them from looking foolish again.

“We just can’t wait to be in Baltimore,� IAEH team spokesperson Michael Iavarone said. But Dutrow was less affirmative. Big Brown wore front bandages for the first time, re-fueling rumors that his legs weren’t right. The colt hits the track hard with every stride and doesn’t have a deep bottom on him. But the issues proved inconsequential. Sometimes you just have to believe a braggard, and this was one of them.

“I just love training a horse for a horse race, but it is out of my hands now,� Dutrow said about the two-week break between the first and second Triple Crown contests. But the trainer of the 2005 Breeders' Cup Classic winner Saint Liam has won the country's two biggest races and the third now seems like an inevitability. His work is done.

Obviously, more than one member of the press corps remarked that Big Brown’s victory was reminiscent of Barbaro’s. Ironically, and sadly, Eight Belles caused a similar memory.

Minute to Minute, Update 6

(Churchill Downs Press Box, Derby Day, 5:18 PM) Einstein, owned by the wife and the girlfriend of the two jailbirds who owned 20 percent of Curlin, triumphed in the $500,000 Grade 1 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic. It was a beautifully-cast race, stunning on the emerald green of Churchill Downs’ inner track. Now the tension mounts. There’s only one thing we don’t have to worry about – the sun is out again.

Kentucky Derby pageantry begins with the walk-over of the horses from the barns on the backstretch. The spacious walking ring fills with walk-to-walk people. A cheer goes up when the starting gate is fully loaded. And then the big field veers left when the gates are sprung as if the wall of noise pushes them together.

By one sense of reckoning, the odds haven’t changed much. Big Brown (5-2) and Colonel John (9-2) are still the favorites and Pyro’s third choice (5-1) with an hour to go. Every horse beyond those would be a longshot. One of the juicy ones is 19-1 Gayego. He won the Arkansas Derby like Curlin, Afleet Alex and Smarty Jones before him. Neither of those did so poorly, now did they?

Lately, the winner of the Derby has been a horse that has finished first or second in his most recent start. This makes Big Brown and Colonel John legitimate contenders. Choose your poison.