Saturday’s Grade 1 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap race was his third race in a year’s time and, sadly, we won’t get to see him on American soil again. For, you see, this unconventional horse has an unconventional farewell campaign, a truly global one. (Well, he ain’t goin’ to France. C’mon, Graham’s a Brit. That stuff goes deep, man, deep. Just try and say Horatio Nelson in a Parisian Café and see how many croissants get thrown at you.)
Animal Kingdom is going to rack up as many frequent flier miles as Hilary Clinton. Animal Kingdom will bid farewell to the United States and head to Dubai, a flight that will take upwards of 7,000 miles. From there he’ll go to Royal Ascot, another 4,000 miles or so, and retire with possibly the most eclectic racing resume since Curlin.
Frankly, after what Graham Motion did with Animal Kingdom in 2012 was worth all the Eclipse votes Steve Asmussen got (2). AK was on the shelf for 259 days with a gut-wincing pelvic fracture. He came back and was arguably the best horse in a Mile-field and lost just a 1 ½ lengths to Wise Dan, the eventual Horse of the Year.
And on Saturday, his chance at victory wasn’t so much compromised by trip, but by tactics. Jockey Joel Rosario made Shaquille O’Neal look more capable. Too bad that’s Animal Kingom’s North American-send off, but what are you going to do?
The horse is five years old and a Kentucky Derby winner, which begs the question: why the hell are you still around? Don’t you have something better to do? Like, I don’t know, eat, drink, and “be merry”?
The last Kentucky Derby winner to be this old and to still be running was Funny Cide, and he only did because he was gelded and about—if not more—curmudgeonly than his trainer Barclay Tagg.
Animal Kingdom is an outlier. He won the Derby, then he got hurt. He came back. Then he got hurt. He came back again to finish to second. He’s got 20 owners. He prefers grass. He’s actually … The Most Interesting Horse in the World.
“He speaks English, in horse.”
“He’s a hunter and a jumper, but mainly a hunter.”
“He was unimpressed by War Horse … He is … the Most Interesting Horse in the World.”
“I don’t always run on dirt, but when I do, I prefer Kentucky.”
Facebook lit up after his loss to Point of Entry, mainly ripping Joel Rosario, namely on Alex Brown’s thread (go buy his book). He gallops horses at Fair Hill in Maryland and is practically roommates with Animal Kingdom, playing darts, drinking room temperature beer, dreaming of Pipa.
What I can’t stand is how people on this thread (not Brown)—one in particular—defended Rosario. And this goes for people who defend jockeys who make bad moves. They always say, “He’s the only who could know since he’s on the horse!” “The pace was slow!” “He has to make split-second decisions!”
So what? You know who else has to make split-second decisions? Quarterbacks, and we rip on them for bad throws. Batters, and we rip on them for grounding into a double play to end the game with the bases juiced. LeBron James, for missing a game-winning shot. Tiger Woods, for infidelity and missing putts.
So the people who defend jockeys need to stop being so insular. They are athletes, great athletes, but when they make mistakes, they need to get raked over the coals just like any other athlete in any other sport.
The beauty of this game—for jockeys—is they always get another chance (health permitting). Rosario is a quality talent, but don’t condescend and say things like, “Did anyone not notice that there was NO pace in this race ….They went the first quarter in 25 and the next in 25 2/5 .. He’s[Animal Kingdom] an off the pace horse in a ZERO paced race! If Rosario didn’t press, then they would have gone the ¾ in almost 1:16, and tried to close into a hors that had just been galloping.”
The pace was slow and Animal Kingdom wasn’t trailing by 15 lengths, but four. He didn’t move up to press the pace, he flat-out stole it. He used his turn of foot four furlongs too soon.
No matter. These things happen. One down, two to go.
Maybe in a few weeks he’ll break his Meydan, no?
If you or a loved one—or an enemy you’re looking to lure into your confidence—would like a hardcover, first edition book, I’m giving away (while supplies last, limit one per person) copies of Six Weeks in Saratoga: How Three-Year-Old Filly Rachel Alexandra Beat the Boys and Became Horse of the Year. If interested, email me at and let me know how you would like it inscribed. The only catch is I ask you to review it on Amazon. That’s it! What a world!
11 Feb 2013 at 02:36 pm | #
Some tidbits: Animal Kingdom went off at 21-1 in the Kentucky Derby, paying $43.80. The horse certainly didn’t get any ink during the run-up to the Derby. Now the plodder is terrific fodder for turf writers.
I note that a horse trained by a trainer known as Todd Pletcher won the Donn Handicap; imagine that if you can.
I also note that as of yesterday, Todd Pletcher is once again the leading trainer in the country with money won. Guess who is second? Right, Bob Baffert. What a surprise!
Couple of things in Thoroughbred racing never seem to change in the past few years: the decline of Thoroughbred racing, and b) the dominance of Pletcher and Baffert in money won as trainers.
I also read that to date this year, the Toddster has started 97 horses; ninety-seven thoroughbreds in forty-two days - when does he find the time to train these thoroughbreds?Also, he is averaging $19,617 per start - any of you readers make $19,000 a year wagering on the ponies? Try just betting on the horses he enters; maybe you will almost break-even for the year.
11 Feb 2013 at 08:00 pm | #
Glad somebody said it vis a vis Rosario. When I saw him make that bullet move, knew it was all over but the crying. That’s horse racing. Put ‘em in the gate again, and I’ll stick with Kingdom every time.
TTT
11 Feb 2013 at 08:41 pm | #
B, What’s up?
Who knew? On a given Saturday when John Nerud turned 100 years young, the Sport of Kings became relevent again from sunny south Florida to snowy Long Island. Graydar the great grandson of Fappiano(trained by Nerud), great great and I mean great grandson of Dr. Fager(trained by Nerud, THOSE WERE THE DAYS) would win the Donn Hdcp. You can’t make this stuff up if you tried. IT’S ALL IN THE FAMILY!
Speaking of families. Is there any better than the black silks and cherry cap? Huh Archie? Any better than a man called Shug? Huh Edith? Any better than the sacred barn by the Oklahoma training track? Huh Meatball? The ‘King wasn’t kompromised’ No one was going to beat Point of Entry on this given Saturday of horseracing royalty. Not Animal Kingdom, not Wise Dan, not Frankel, not Manilla, not even John Henry. In fact Point of Entry has a chance to become the greatest american turf horse ever. He has a chance to become the greatest Black and Cherry horse ever. Greater than his grand daddy Buckpasser. Greater than Bold Ruler. Greater than Personal Ensign. Believe me that’s saying something.
Did MaryLou really say the Sport of Kings went out with the passing of Ogden?
The beat goes on....
Boy, the way Glenn Miller played
songs that made the hit parade.
Guys like me we had it made.
Those were the days.
And you knew who you were then,
girls were girls and men were men.
Mister we could use a man like Herbert Hoover again.
Didn’t need no welfare state,
ev’rybody pulled his weight,
gee our old LaSalle ran great.
Those were the days…
11 Feb 2013 at 08:50 pm | #
Too much may have been made about AK’s Derby win over classmates Mucho Macho Man, Shackleford, and Nehro, whose careers were also subsequently consistency challenged.
On the other hand, he has yet to return to the surface of his greatest accomplishment since his injury incurred in the infamously sloppily run Belmont Stakes that was also run in the slop.
Indeed one could argue the Preakness with JRV aboard was start of the stakes-level second-itis shown subsequently on another surface.
What seems to have eluded the Team Valor brain trust is that their charge only wins off a surface switch. Otherwise their prep race for the World Cup on Tapeta would have been the Donn on dirt at the same distance.
Maybe the owner lied to the trainer.
12 Feb 2013 at 09:05 am | #
I have observed that the person using the moniker Indulto has, on occasion, rendered comments at the website Leftatthegate.blogspot.com; this site is
maintained by a former HRI contributor, Alan Mann.
You readers, go to Leftatthegate and scroll down to Mann’s commentary dated 12/31/12; then read what he wrote about midway. It appears that I am not as daffy as you all may think, since Mr. Mann writes that Thoroughbred racing is all about gambling and that the Kentucky Derby is a poor example of what racing offers. I especially liked his preference for claiming races.
How about that, Mr. Pricci and Indulto?
12 Feb 2013 at 09:07 am | #
I, Maybe the owner lied to the trainer? Now there’s a concept. Predicition: If he comes into the World Cup the same way he came into the GP Turf, I’ll be down in a big way. Would be a nice way to start Florida Derby day.
Cat, When did our divorce become final? I’ve missed you! On a serious note, hope all is well. And here I am, a lowly turf writer, not even realizing he was from the Dr. Fager line. That’s why we love our readers! FYI: Fappiano was the family name of the late NY Times turf writer Joe Nichols. Please, don’t stray cat, not before we get a chance to rock this town inside-out.
12 Feb 2013 at 09:11 am | #
WMC, clearly, one man’s fish is another man’s poisson.
12 Feb 2013 at 03:41 pm | #
wmc,
The Leftatthegate blog is a very enlightening and entertaining source of racing commentary. I would urge you to dispense as much of your opinion there as you do here and see how that community responds to your thinking.
However, I believe you are ignoring the fact that Mr. Mann generally spends a considerable portion of his efforts on NY politics and NYRA, both of which you’ve complained get too much attention here.
Since even a broken clock is correct twice a day, your finding something somewhere in cyberspace that you think supports your agenda comes as no surprise.
12 Feb 2013 at 04:19 pm | #
TTT, I’m just started following you on twitter. No Picture? How about the other guys?
Andy Asaro (racetrackandy) on Twitter
https://twitter.com/followers
John, never see you in there. By the way nobody has to use their real name if they don’t want to.
12 Feb 2013 at 04:27 pm | #
Andy, I set up a twitter account, but have never used it, maybe I’ll take it up as a new hobby. The one thing I wish there was more of on JP’s site here is other handicapper’s opinions on the races, which I enjoy.
TTT
12 Feb 2013 at 04:30 pm | #
You can tweet HRI articles to everyone and get more exposure.
12 Feb 2013 at 06:31 pm | #
Indulto: I have read and commented on Mr. Mann’s Left at the Gate website for a number of years, as have you.
Whatever, Mr. Mann has expressed his thoughts about the Derby and what the real attraction of Thorougbred racing is; his opinions seem to be in lockstep with mine.
12 Feb 2013 at 09:22 pm | #
TTT, Saw you’re bank on Twitter but I couldn’t reply to you. Hoepefully that will get straightened out.
Best,
A
12 Feb 2013 at 09:44 pm | #
What’s up, fellas?
Twitter? Did somebody say “Twitter”?
http://twitter.com/brendanomeara
HRI go boom!
Double dose of Two-Point-Oh, this week, holla back on Thursday.
I gotta go to work!