Conference noted::equitation

    We generally watch all the races that are televised (regular channels
    - not cable), plus we read all the racing columns in the Chronicle
    and the Pedlar.  Have recently read about the syndication of Lady's
    Secret - first time I've heard of a mare being syndicated.
    
    We taped all of the Breeders' Cup races in November.  In fact we've
    taped most every televised race in the last two years (can't vouch
    for the quality of some of them as we were having some problems
    with our VCR at one point).  Might be willing to lend these out
    on a very limited basis (would have to clear it with my husband).
                                                                     
    						Jan

    Hi, remember me from Canine Notes (with the Doberman, etc)?  Well,
    you've found a fellow diehard Thoroughbred enthusiast.  Actually,
    when I was 21 I moved to Ocala, Florida and for the next 9 years
    broke, trained, and galloped yearling Thoroughbreds on my ex's
    300 acre farm, also ran the training barn, helped with breeding
    and foaling of mares, etc.  Every year after breaking season I swore
    I was never going to go through that again, but every fall I would
    be back doing it (I found out it hurts a lot more when you get dumped
    on the ground at age 30 than it does at age 21).  I've been to
    Rockingham a few times since I've been up here in Mass (about 7
    months) and I just can't seem to get the darn horses out of my system.
    I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY miss working with the Thoroughbreds, even
    though I have a "real" job now.  Right now I'm trying to get my
    3/4 Arabian 1/4 Thoroughbred 2 1/2 year old filly up here from Florida
    because I'm going into horse withdrawals.  
    
    Does that sound like somebody as interested in Thoroughbreds (and
    horses in general) as you.????????
    
    chris (DTN 237-3376).
    

    re: .2
    
    Sounds like you are even more bitten than I am! I have never really
    been around racing Thoroughbreds. My enthusiasm is from visiting
    and working at the racetrack (as an usher- got to watch all the
    races plus get a free program).
    
    I too watch as much televised racing as I can. 
    
    I find I am most intriqued by the breeding aspect- not only the
    yearling sales part, but just breeding a good horse. I am fascinated
    by nicks and certain families that produce well. 

    Any thoughts on the current crop of horses?
    
    Vicky
    

    
    I loveeeeeeeee to go to the races - Unfortunately I'm note real
    good about following the races via the papers. So I go to Rockingham
    without any preparation at all - just look at'm and pick'm. Don't
    do too well with the wagering (but I don't wager much either!)
    
    I am lookign forward to the three year old season. 
    
    Also, since I'm originally from Louisville and this year's Breeder's
    Cup will be run at Chruchill Downs, I'm also interested in all the
    top stake races - I might even go visit my parents in early November
    and attend the big event!!!
    
    Nancy
     

    
     I love horse's and I love betting on them,but my heart goes out
    to the Standandbred horse's.. I use to train harness horse's at
    Rock,foxboro and other New England tracks as well as own them..
    I owned 23 horses,not all at one time,within 4 years time.. now,
    I just dream of owning and training them again.. there isn't a 
    good harness track around here anymore.. New York is the closest
    good track..
    
    Sooooo,its the rock and the thoroughbred's.. The wife and I head
    up to the Rock to see a friend that rides,no good tips.. my wife
    picks the horses by the name and I pick them by performance and
    times,guess who wins  ??? thats right,i'm broke and she buys supper..
    Its fun to watch,but a lot more fun to work with the horses..doesn't
    matter if its walking them,washing them or riding them,its great
    to be around them..
    Well,thats my two cents worth.. Hot Tip For The Day,"STOVE PIPE"
    
    ARNIE

    Being a standardbred owner myself, I think its terrible what has
    happened to standardbred racing in New England.  The people I
    know who still race end up going to Scarborough or Lewiston, ME
    which is a long trip, especially if you work full time, and have
    horses as a hobby.  I was wondering if you knew what the racing
    schedule was a Rockingham,  I would be interested in going up
    there some weekend.
    
    Thanks

    
    ROCK'S SCHEDULE,AFTERNOONS AT 1:30pm ACCEPT FRIDAYS AND THEY START
    AT 7:30pm... THEY RACE ONE OR TWO NITES A WEEK.. CHECK THE HERALD,
    IT TELLS THE RACES AND TIMES THAT THEY START.
    
    ARNIE

       <<< HYDRA::DISK$NOTES$LIBRARY:[NOTES$LIBRARY]DAVE_BARRY.NOTE;1 >>>
                       -<  Dave Barry - Noted humorist  >-
================================================================================
Note 418.0                  Going Crazy at Post Time                  No replies
SUBSYS::DOUCETTE "Jim Doucette"                      91 lines   8-MAY-1988 20:33
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                          Going Crazy At Post Time

                                by Dave Barry

           [ Reprinted from the Boston Sunday Globe, May 8, 1988 ]


Recently, as a result of some unforeseeable beers, I fell behind on my work.
Realizing that I needed to get caught up quickly, I decided to employ a
time-management technique recommended by efficiency experts everywhere:  I
went to the horse races.

I went with veteran journalist Dick Evans, one of the select few people in
newspaper history ever to have simultaneously held the positions of bowling
writer and religion editor.  Needless to say, during this period he was known
as the Holy Roller.  "I did this column, called 'A Stranger Goes to Church,'
where I was supposed to go to a different church every Sunday and do a critique
of the sermon," recalls Dick.  "Naturally all my critiques came out that it was
great."

So we can see that Dick is no fool, which is probably why he is now The Miami
Herald's racing writer, which is definitely the best job in the world.  In the
middle of the day, Dick picks up his briefcase and walks out of the office,
looking like a regular civilian on his way to engage in some responsible
business activity involving his accounts payable, only instead he goes to:  the
track.

The track is a wonderful place.  It is at the extreme opposite end of the
lifestyle spectrum from the repressed little world depicted in those glossy
magazine advertisements for Ralph Lauren clothing, the ones featuring old-money
mega-WASPs in dark natural-fiber suits and slicked-back hair sitting on
uncomfortable antique furniture and engaging in traditional WASP parlor games
such as Name That Debenture.  At the track, the height of fashion is to wear a
shirt on which all the ink marks are the same color.

At the track, you can smoke a humongous spit-covered cigar and talk openly to
yourself, and nobody notices.  Also you can immediately get into an earnest
and sincere conversation with anybody, just by pointing to your program and
saying, "Whaddyathinka this (expletive) horse here?"

At the track, naked greed is socially acceptable.

At the track, the odds are less than 1 in 1,650,000 that anybody will mention
Michael Dukakis.

But the best thing about the track is that you can join with thousands of other
people in an intense and frenzied mental effort, comparable to the Manhattan
Project, devoted to figuring out what a group of superbly conditioned,
painstakingly trained and, above all, thunderingly stupid horses are going to
do.  And you just never know.  I used to work at a newspaper called The Daily
Local News where the professional handicapper, a man called Francis Mood, once
picked a horse to win - I think it was his Pick of the Day - only this horse
threw its rider, leaped the fence, ran into the decorative infield lake, got
stuck in the mud and drowned.  The Pick of the Day!  DROWNED!  As Francis Mood
eloquently put it:  "(Very bad word) horse."

I can't say I did much better, although I did pick one winning horse, using a
scientific theory of handicapping that was explained to me by a woman named
Valerie.  She was part of the crowd of bettors who gather in the saddling area
to examine the horses closely, looking for little tip-offs - such as a specific
horse looks depressed, or appears to have an inflamed furlong, or doesn't have
the total recommended number of legs or whatever.

"My whole strategy," Valerie explained, "is if the horse takes a dump on the
way out, that's the one."

This made sense, so I watched closely, and sure enough, the No. 3 horse did a
No. 2, and I bet him, and he won.  Only winner I had that day.

I usually bet by the Name Method.  For example, in the sixth race I bet the
last of my allotted betting money on the 10 horse, a 25-to-1 shot named Medical
Convention.  My theory was that this horse was probably owned by doctors with
absolutely no need for additional money, and, therefore, it would win.  While I
was waiting for the start, a man sat down next to me, and it turned out that he
had bet $40 on Medical Convention to win.  Thus we had a common interest, which
we explored via the following conversation:

	Him:  No question.  The 10.  Has to!  Has to win, the 10! 
	Definitely!

	Me:  Yeah.

	Him:  I'm tellin' ya.  Definitely.  This 10 horse.

	Me:  Yeah.

And, of course, Medical Convention came in about 38th, prompting me to
reluctantly leave the track and return to the world of accounts payable, and my
new friend to wander off toward the betting window, already deeply committed to
a new horse.  I had to envy him.  Definitely.

    I have been following the triple crown this year.  Winning Colors
     as caught my fancy.  I have been following her since her races
    in Calif..  I have lost all my respect for Woody Stphens, his cutthroat
    tactics in the Preakness not only cost him the race, money, prestiage
    but also putting throughbred racing at the top of the sporting world.
    Stephens did not care if he won the race he just wanted to stop
    WINNIGN COLORS from winning the race.
    Some people do not like Lucas because of his success etc..  but
    he showed alot of class this year.
    We will see how she does in the Belmont at a mile and 1/2, she is
    tied with risen star with six bonus points.  

    
    RE .9
    
    I hadn't thought of it, but you brought up a very good point.  Woody
    Stephens' tactics were less than admirable.  I was really hoping
    that Winning Colors would pull it off - makes the Belmont much more
    exciting.  Now, to the general public, the Belmont won't be much
    more than "just another horse race" as compared to if Winning Colors
    had won, it would have been the chance of the century to see a filly
    win the Triple Crown.  That would have created alot of interest
    in the industry in general, and other trainers and breeders would
    have benefited indirectly.  Looks like Woody Stephens put an
    individual, short-term goal ahead of a long-term goal that would
    have helped the entire industry.
    
    I did hear Woody Stephens admit that Winning Colors was better than
    Forty Niner, after the race was over.  He said something to the
    effect that he was just trying to see if she was better than his
    colt and she was... Covering up his real reason , perhaps?
    
    Oh well.  I'm not as hopeful about her chances in the Belmont anyway.
    But for me, it will still be fun to watch!
    
    I have to admit I was not much of a fan of Lucas for a long
    time; all based on what I had read.  Then, I read an article in
    Sports Illustrated that changed my opinion.  Now, I see him as someone
    who *has* made mistakes, but who am *I* to judge??!!  And, it appears
    that he has learned from them, otherwise he wouldn't continue to
    be so successful.  If you really use abusive training methods, they
    will catch up to you.  From my viewpoint (not really "in the know"
    but more informed than average person), I don't see it catching
    up to him.

    The latest issue of THE DAILY RACING FORM ran an article on Woody
    Stevens and the performance of Forty-niner in the Preakness.  The
    article said that Woody Stevens showed very poor sportsmanship and
    pettyness in seeing that Winning Colors would not win at the expense
    of his own horse.  They came down on him very hard.  Someone should
    as this type of conduct should be punished.  If the filly wins the
    Belmont she will become the first filly to ever win two legs of
    the Triple Crown.  Still a good record, but not the same as winning
    all three.  
    
    Pat

    RE. 11
    
    I may be mistaken, but I thought that Genuine Risk in 1980 won the
    Kentucky Derby, lost to Codex in the Preakness, but then won the
    Belmont.  So, Winning Colors would not be the first filly to win
    2 legs to the triple crown.   This really stuck in my mind because
    I remember that Genuine Risk would have possibly won the Preakness
    because she was bumped by Codex (who was trained by the trainer
    of Winning Colors) and even though the rider of G.R. filed for a
    fault and you could see it (bumping) on the replay of the race,
    they still called Codex the winner of the Preakness.  And I could
    be mistaken about the Belmont, but I do believe G.R. won it.  I
    also know that G.R. was named Horse of the Year in 1980 because
    she showed more consistency in her races that year than any of the
    colts.
    
    If I am incorrect about this please let me know.
                                                    
    Sarah

    Genuine Risk won the Derby and placed second in both the Preakness and
    the Belmont.  I believe she was the first filly to ever run in all 
    three of the Triple Crown races and the best finisher ever.  I will
    check my back issues of Blood Horse to find out for sure.  They
    had one issue that covered the history of the Triple Crown and the
    horses that ran in it.  
    
    Pat

    THE BELMONT STAKES IS RUNNING JUNE 11TH.  IT LOOKS LIKE A 7 HORSE
    FIELD.    I HAVE A FEELING THAT KINGPOST IS GOING TO WIN.  THE LITTLE
    HORSE MIGHT DO BETTER AT A LONGER DISTANCE.  IT WOULD BE NICE TO
    SEE WINNING COLORS WIN BUT I DO NOT KNOW IF SHE CAN GO A MILE AND
    1/2.

    RISEN STAR WON IT EASILY.  KINGPOST A DISTANT SECOND.  WOODY STEPHENS
    WAS IN THE PAPER AGAIN TODAY.  HE SAID ABOUT WINNING COLORS, I AM
    QUOTING FROM THE HEARLD " THE FILLY YOU CAN FORGET HER.  SHE MIGHT
    NEVER RACE AGAIN. NOW SHE CAN GO WHERE ALTHEA CAPOTE AND THE OTHERS
    END UP.  HE JUST CAN NOT LET GO.  LOSING TO LUCAS AND A FILLY IN
    THE DERBY IS STILL BOTHERING STEPHENS.
    

    Glad to see there are other racing fans here!  Still, no one's posted
    here for quite a few months...tsk!  :(
    
    anyway, I would kill for a tape of this year's Breeder's Cup (or
    any of them, really)....I promise I will send it back promptly,
    uneaten and intact.  Honest!  If you'd like to make a registrar's
    little heart happy, and you got a VHS tape of it, please, please
    let me know!  The name's Kim Apodaca and I'm at WRA/E7 (not too
    far from Bay Meadows, but a long ways away from Del Mar and the
    SoCal tracks....   :( again!)
    
    Also keep posting!                          ;>  --kim

This note hasn't seen any replies lately so I thought I would make 
another attempt to stir up some interest.

I'm wondering if there's anyone else out there with a serious interest in
horse race betting, or am I the only one around Digital who has wasted
his time (enjoyably I might add) reading Tom Ainslie, Andy Beyer and
Mark Cramer?  Is anyone else willing to admit that they regularly attend
the races?  Would anyone be interested in getting together to compare
notes on what works and what doesn't work for them?  

My local track is Rockingham, but I also get to Laurel/Pimlico regularly
and have made it to Saratoga the last two years.  If anyone is willing to
escort out of town visitors to their local track perhaps you could
"register" your interest here?  (I'm available for visitors to RKM.)

BTW - I think I can call myself an expert because I can always give a 
reasoned answer (all that reading pays off) of why the horse I picked 
was a reasonable choice even though he lost the race  ;-) !!!

Bill

(I've psoted a similar note to MILVAX::SPORTS)
    

    I suspect that most particpants in this conference spend their spare
    dollars, pounds or whatever on their own horses. I have not found
    many people whose hobby is riding who also bet regularly. 

    In answer to your question regarding other Deccies who regularly
    attend racing and gamble, I fall into that category, although on
    the other side of the Atlantic.  Like the National Hunt racing best
    (over jumps, both hurdles and fences, steeplechasing), find the
    flat racing too scientific (all that breeding to consider).
    
    Had a day's holiday yesterday to attend the premier NH event, the
    Gold Cup (no, it is not the Grand National), wonderful day, with
    the people's favourite, a brilliant grey called Desert Orchid,
    justifying their faith in him by winning the race with a thrilling
    finish.
    
    If anyone ever wants to talk about English racing, please give me
    a call, I can talk for hours...
    
    Regards, Hilary	DTN. 768-5378
    

    I would love to talk but distance and time differences won't allow
    (+7 hr).  I was a great NH fan when I lived in the UK. I lived near
    Ascot and also attended Windsor, Sandown, Kempton etc.  I even sold
    a pony to the ground steward at Ascot, he (the pony) was kept at
    the Ascot sale barns, so at sale time, you would see this little
    12:3 hh pony trying to see what was going on over the half door which
    was built with a 16:0 hh TB in mind.  Used to always attract a crowd.
         
    I really miss NH racing as racing up here is only flat or trotters
    and 3rd rate at best.  I very seldom go, mind you racing here does
    make money for the track and government so it is well supported,
    at least by the dedicated gamblers.
    
    Linda

    Flat racing scientific?? Nah....ya just pick the one with the good
    names, that's all (c'mon now, have you seen a horse with a STUPID
    name win? ;D  )
    
    Steeplechases interest me, but that's because I like all racing--for
    some reason, it just isn't dynamic enough to capture American racing
    hearts (perhaps the length?  Are they not usually at least a couple
    miles long?)
    
                                                               ---kim

    I am interested in tb racing.  I attend Rockingham park when I get
    a chance.  I am a part time Farrier and a couple of my clients have
    race horses.  I usually go when they have a horse running and if
    the horse wins I go get in the winners photo.  I bet, but not on
    every race.  Some days I win and some days I don't.  But its a
    good time whenever you go. 
    
    I have beem folowing the spring derby prep races.  I think Millitron
    is out of the derby picture unless he does good in the Wood this
    Saturday.   Easy Goer looks pretty good at this time.  Awe inspiring
    ran a good race, I think it was in arkansas.
    
    I do not go to Sufferin Downs too much, but reading about Buddy Laroux
    and the mass gov't is like ready a soap opera.  My bet is there
    will be no racing in mass. by years end.           
    
    

    
    
    does anyone work parttime at the track in salem??
    
    i'm looking for a job ponying horses, i know how to handle
    lot of horse, and also used to train and barrel race professionally.
    does anyone know who to contact?
    

                 Yep, go to the Stable gate and ask them. Sometimes
    the trainers will post available jobs there. I hope you don't
    mind working your butt off for very little money......
                 I know a few trainers there and I'll ask them for
    you. Do you know how to wrap etc....?
    
    
                 Bob

    Kentucky Derby is Sat..  There are several good horses in the race:
    Easy Goer, Awe Inspiring, Houston, Sunday Silence.  I do not know
    the rest of the horses.  I would predict Easy Goer first then Sunday
    Silence and Awe Inspiring. I do not think Houston will be in the
    top three. 

    If you are able, catch the article in today's Boston Globe about the 
    various "high tech" ways that are being used to evaluate Thorobreds.
    They weren't able to analyze all the horses entered in this weekend's
    Derby, but they have some interesting points about the top horses.
    (My money is on Easy Goer...)

    SUNDAY SILENCE WON!  I was suprised, I thought Easy Goer would win.
    No loss I had no $ on the race.
    
    Will there be a triple crown winner?  I will say Easy goer in the
    Preakness.

    After the Kentucky Derby we got out our tape of last year's races a
    watched Easy Goer in the Breeders' Cup race.  It was held at Churchill
    Downs and it was muddy.  He ran the same way then as he did in the
    Derby.  Guess he just doesn't like Churchill Downs in the mud!  I
    was rooting for him, but when I saw Pat Day hit him in the second
    turn, I knew there was a problem.  In the races I saw him win, Pat
    Day *never* had to hit him with the stick.
    
    I wasn't surprised that Sunday Silence won.  Charlie Whittingham
    only brings a horse to the Derby to win.  He was my second choice.
    
    If the track isn't muddy for the Preakness, I'll pick Easy Goer, too.

    THE paper said today Sunday Silence has a bruise in his foot and
    might miss the Preakness if he loses tomany more training days.

    IN ONE WEEK THE TRIPLE CROWN WILL BE ALL OVER. WE WILL SEE IF EASY
    GOER WILL WIN ONE OVER SUNDAY'S SILENCE.  I WILL GO WITH EASY GOER
    IN THE BELMONT.
    
    I went to Rockingham last monday Memorial day.  I hit one perfecta
    bu it only paid 28.20.  Didn't do do good on the other races, all
    my other horses finished 3rd or 4ths.  

    I'd love to see another head to head run down the stretch between Easy
    Goer and Sunday Silence in the Belmont.  The Preakness finish was so
    exciting!  I'm hoping Easy Goer will win just to prove he's as good a
    horse as he really is.  He didn't run really bad races when he was
    beaten (and he always came in second!).  However, I'm also hoping that
    Sunday Silence will win so his trainer Charlie Whittingham will win the
    triple crown.  When they do spots on trainers on the race broadcasts,
    Charlie is the only one you see washing down horses and walking them,
    as well as watching them run.  So I'd like to see him win it.
    
    Anyways if it's anything like the Preakness, it should be a great
    race!
    
    						Jan

    
    Well, what do you think? I'm still a Sunday Silence fan but Easy Goer
    and Pat Day were un-real in the Belmont. Will they meet again in the
    Travers or will we have to wait for the Breeders Cup?
    
    Does anybody remember the duel between Majestic Prince and Arts and
    Letters? 
    
    Nancy
    

    Another great race, but without the stretch duel.  At first it looked
    like Sunday Silence was going to pick up speed when Easy Goer passed
    him, but it never happened and Easy Goer just blew them away!  We
    knew the times were fast and he didn't come close to Secretariat's
    record (2:24), but at least Easy Goer has the second fastest Belmont.
    
    I don't think anyone committed to when they would run again, but we'll
    be watching for the Travers and all the other races between now and
    the Breeder's Cup.
    
    						Jan

    The rumors say the two horses might meet in the super
    derby in Louisiana sept 24th on or about for $1 million purse.  Then
    in the breeders cup in florida.  

  It's been a while since anyone updated this note, so here's what I've heard
  that's been happening since the Triple Crown Races:

	Easy Goer won both the Whitney and the Travers at Saratoga -
	  the Travers was televised and I believe he ran against
	  older horses

	Easy Goer won the Woodward (last weekend?) - he was the only
	  three year old in the field and carried more weight (122 lbs)
	  that the 2nd and 3rd place finishers

	Sunday Silence came in second in the Swaps (I think this was run
	  in July)

   Has anyone heard anything about the Super Derby?  I think I heard it
   mentioned that Easy Goer was now headed for the Breeders Cup races
   with no mention of the Super Derby.

						Jan

    Well the race is set, the Breeders cup classic at Gulfstream park in
    sunny florida in November.  Easy Goer vs Sunday Silence head to head.
    But lets not forget that this race is for 3 yr olds and up.  So Shug
    may enter a entry Easy Goer coupled with Seeking the Gold, who ran
    second last year to Alysheba.  But in reality it is a race where theses
    two three year old colts are much better than any four year old or
    older in training.  Footnote - Open Mind Eugene Klein's star filly was
    finally defeated this past weekend by Bayokoa (sp).  Open Mind finished
    third.
    
    Greg

   Did anyone catch the Super Derby on ESPN this past Sunday?  Or see the
   results anywhere?  Heard that Sunday Silence was running in it but
   haven't been able to find out what the result was.  Would appreciate an
   update.

   Looking forward to the Breeder's Cup!

						Jan

    
    
    The last Northern Dancer yearling colt was sold at the Keenland
    Summer Selct sale this year.  He was the sale topping yearling at
    a price of $2.8 million dollars.  He was purchased by the Japanese
    and was exported to that country soon after the sale.  Plans for
    him are minimal racing and then retirement to stud.  
    
    Pat

    In the Super stakes race Sunday Silence won by 7 lengths going away. 
    Awe Inspiring was third, I do not know who was second.  Both should
    meet in the Breeders Cup.  I do not think either is going to race
    before that race.
    
    

    Easy Goer is going to one more dance before the Breeders Cup Classic. 
    He will run in this Saturday's Jockey Gold Cup race.  Looking forward
    to one of the most exciting Breeders cup in memory.
    
    Greg
    

    
    
    Two time horse of the year and Triple Crown winner Secretariat was
    put down yesterday at Clairborne Farm due to complications from
    laminitis (founder).  The 19 year old stallion sired over 500 foals
    in 16 years at stud including over 40 stakes winners.  He was buried
    at Clairborne next to Riva Ridge.
    
    Thoroughbred racing has lost one of the greatest horses of modern 
    times.
    
    Pat

   Easy Goer won the Jockey Club Gold Cup on Saturday, beating older horses
   again.  We got a pretty sketchy description of the race in our paper out
   here - they only mentioned one other horse in the race, Cryptoclearance,
   and I don't know if he ended up being second or not.  The final time for
   the race was 2:29 for 1 1/2 miles.

   NBC is having a Breeders' Cup preview this coming Saturday (Oct. 14).
   Check your local listing for exact time (it's at 1:30 PM here on the West
   Coast).

						Jan

    
    
    From the Blood Horse dated Oct. 14, 1989.
    
    French classic winner and prominent sire Caro died of apparent heart
    failure on Oct. 6 at Spendthrift Farm near Lexington Kentucky.  The 
    22-year-old, syndicated stallion sired 1988 Kentucky Derby winner and
    champion filly Winning Colors and 66 other stakes winners, including
    champion grass runn Cozene and 1989 Canadian Triple Crown Winner With
    Approval.
    
      Bred in Ireland, Caro (Fortino-Chambord, by Chamossaire) won the 
    Poule d'Essai des Poulains (Fr-1) in 1970, and he was the country's
    champion older horse the following year.  He was leading sire in France
    in 1977, the year he was imported to stand at Spendthrift.  His
    European champions include Nebos, Madelia, and Theia.
    
     

    Our 4-H group would like to go see the behind-the-scenes workings
    at a race track.  We are situated so we could go to Suffolk or
    Rockingham.  Are there any age restrictions on visiting the barns?
    Who would we contact?  Do we need to be "invited" by a trainer?
    The kids aren't as interested in going to watch a race as maybe
    going early to watch feeding, training, bandaging, etc.
    
    Can anyone make suggestions on such a field trip?
    Kate

    Hi Kate, when I was a 4-h leader I brought groups to both 
    Suffolk and Rockingham. At that time, both advertised for certain
    upcoming special races and at the bottom of the ads had a contact
    for group tours etc.. I think if you called the racetrack and asked
    for the activities director they would tell you what might be
    available?  They started the day by breakfast in the caf with all
    the trainers, jockeys etc.. that was really interesting, then we 
    moved around the track visiting the farriers, jockeys, silks room,
    then to the barns, trainers, riders, races then back to the barns
    to visit with the grooms and vets. It was very worthwhile! We even
    had out picture taken with one of the winning horses and the owners,
    the Conigliaros (of baseball fame..) 
    
    Good luck and have fun!
    
    Marianne
    

    Hi Kate,
    
    I would suggest going to Rockingham, its a really nice facility and
    since Suffolk is in pretty poor shape as far as finances go it wouldn't
    give the kids a true picture of horseracing.  Like Marianne suggested,
    a tour is a great idea, the morning would probably be the best time as
    thats when most people do their routine (training, exersizing etc.). 
    Try calling the track to see what you can set up.  They are racing at
    Rockingham 4 days a week, with post time during the week being at 1:30,
    so you may do best by calling around noontime or so to speak to someone
    and not get a recording.
    
    Good luck.

    Well it is just around the corner - saturday - the breeders cup.  It
    ought to be quite a exciting evening.  I personally cant wait until
    Easy Goer defeats Sunday Silence to silence "the mouth" Whittingham.
    
    Greg 

    The last I read Pat Valenzuela wasn't going to be able to ride
    Sunday Silence because he tested positive for cocaine use.  Does
    anyone else have any information on that?

    Valenzuela was suspended by the California stewards for 60 days
    after a positive drug test.  They haven't released much info., other
    than that he tested positive for something and that he agreed not
    to object to the ruling.  One of the requirements of the suspension
    is that he must re-enter an addiction treatment program and test
    cleanly before he resumes riding.  If all goes well he's eligible
    to come back on Dec. 26.
    
    Chris McCarron has been named to replace him on Sunday Silence.
    Pincay will ride Mi Selecto, which was McCarron's original mount
    in the Classic.

    BTW has anyone entered the pick 7 contest that the Breeders' Cup
    is running?  (Entry blanks were in this weekend's Racing Form and
    some newspapers.)  Now that it's too late to get an entry in the
    mail do you want to tell us who we should have picked?  ;-}
    
    Bill
        

My best bet in the Breeders Cup - On the Line in the sprint.
    
    
Greg

    Re: .47
    
    I'll be rooting for Easy Goer too, but haven't heard what Charlie
    Whittingham's been saying.  Greg, was your reference to the interviews 
    they had on last Saturday when they showed the Breeders' Cup Steeplechase?
    We had a power outage for 20 minutes just when the interviews with
    Charlie and Shug started - bummer!  Hope that doesn't happen this
    Saturday!
    
    						Jan

    re .50 -
    
    ESPN reported that On the Line had drawn post 7 and gave a "morning
    line" of 7-2.  I would have taken Safely Kept at 6-1 in the Sprint
    but post 14 doesn't sound too advantagous.  I'll vote for Stella Madrid
    in the Juvenile Fillies as a best bet instead.
    
    I think Sunday Silence and Easy Goer are a toss up.  If you had put
    $2 on the higher odds horse in each of the triple crown races you
    would have won all three bets.  Easy Goer is 6-5, Sunday Silence
    is 2-1.  I think Sunday Silence is the (marginal) overlay and the
    bet.
    
    Bill
    

    OK, now I'm gonna let you in on a secret.  Here's how to win $150K
    from the Breeders' Cup Pick Seven contest:
        
    	Sprint			6 furlongs	  $1M	Safely Kept
    	Juvenile fillies	1 1/16 mile	  $1M	Stella Madrid
	Distaff			1 1/8 mile	  $1M	Bayoka
    	Mile			1 mile, turf	  $1M	Zilzal
    	Juvenile		1 1/16 mile	  $1M	Adjudicating
    	Turf			1 1/2 mile, turf  $2M	Behera
    	Classic			1 1/4 mile	  $3M	Easy Goer

    The contest rules are that if your pick doesn't start you get the
    betting favorite in its place in your entry.

    Getting the excuses ready for Monday,        
    Bill
    
    

    
    Well Bill, I'm anxious to hear those excuses. 
    
    I don't think Racing gets any better than saturday's racing. And even
    though I'm a Pat Day fan (I used to bet on him back when he was riding
    at Churchill Downs as a regular) I was cheering for Sunday Silence
    all the way. My non-racing friends think its really strange that I
    cheer during the replay.

    I know one thing, I have no excuses at all.  Sunday Silence is a better
    horse.  I think he is better for one simple reason, he has tactical
    speed and Easy Goer does not.  Easy Goer always has that one big run
    like his daddy (Alydar).  Much like Affirmed, Sunday Silence has that
    on the pace speed where he can lay second or third until the stretch.
    I do believe however that Easy Goer will be much more successful at
    stud than Sunday Silence.
    
    Greg

    I too have been a Sunday Silence fan since day 1.  I always like
    to root for the underdog, considering how much hype was made about
    Easy Goer at the beginning of the season, I don't think he's quite
    the horse everyone said he was.  I don't think Pat Day gave him a
    very good trip either, he was crooked coming out of the gate and
    probably would have won if he didn't run out of racetrack.  Now I
    hope that Sunday Silence will be Horse of the Year!!

    Even though I was rooting for Easy Goer, I was impressed by Sunday
    Silence - having Chris McCarron ride him was another plus.  Glad to see
    Chris win two Breeders' Cup Classics in a row.  I also don't think
    Easy Goer had a very good trip, especially the beginning.  I would like
    to still see Easy Goer for Horse of the Year based on his impressive 
    wins over older horses this summer.  Guess I'm a die-hard Easy Goer
    fan.  My husband was a Sunday Silence fan for the Derby after seeing
    him win the Santa Anita Derby, but he slowly switched over to Easy
    Goer.
    
    						Jan

Re .54   

>    My non-racing friends think its really strange that I
>    cheer during the replay.

And what do your racing friends think?

>    Well Bill, I'm anxious to hear those excuses. 

I thought I was going to get off the hook when I didn't see anyone ask 
on Monday.  Oh well, here goes...

	Breeders' Cup results:
            
    	Sprint			6 furlongs	  $1M	Dancing Spree
    	Juvenile fillies	1 1/16 mile	  $1M	Go For Wand
	Distaff			1 1/8 mile	  $1M	Bayakoa
    	Mile			1 mile, turf	  $1M	Steinlin
    	Juvenile		1 1/16 mile	  $1M	Rhythm
    	Turf			1 1/2 mile, turf  $2M	Prized
    	Classic			1 1/4 mile	  $3M	Sunday Silence

*** set /reality=weak ***

In the sprint (Dancing Spree) -

1st excuse (traditional):  OK, I blew it.

2nd excuse (transfer blame): It's Sam Who's fault.  If he hadn't demolished
  the field the race would have set up differently and Safely Kept would
  have overcome the outside post position and won.

3rd excuse (hope springs eternal): OK, next year I'll remember that 
Cordero is the best sprint rider in the world.

Juvenile fillies (Go For Wand ) -

Ok, I blew it.  It was obvious.  Did I pick the horse?  Noooooo.

Distaff (Bayakoa) -

I was right, I was right, I was right, I was right, ... I'm a genius

Mile (Steinlin) -

The bum should have been disqualified for cutting off other horses in the 
stretch!  It's the stewards' fault.

Juvenile (Rhythm) -

I knew Phipps was touting this horse so he'd get a better price on 
Adjudicating.  It just goes to show that you can't trust rich people!

Turf (Prized) -

Best move by any owner and trainer for the day.  No excuse, it should 
have been obvious that he was bred for turf and everyone knows that all 
you have to do to pick turf winners is look at the breeding ;-)

Classic (Sunday Silence) -

Do I get points for this one?  I said Sunday Silence in note
52 and Easy Goer in note 53.  Note 52 comes before 53 so I was right.

Set /reality=returning

It certainly was a fine day of racing.  And what a refreshing break from 
those bozo's on ESPN!

Re .50 & .55

>    I know one thing, I have no excuses at all.  

Nah, use the same excuse for your sprint prediction - It was Sam Who's 
fault!

Re: Pat Day

Shug said after the race that Pat rode him well, but that Easy Goer
was a "quirky" horse.  I guess that now that they don't have to
keep up the horse of the year image they can be a little more open
about what he can and can't do.  
    
Easy Goer lost the race when he came out of the gate and drifted left
when he was crossing the gap were there's no railing from the chute to
the main track.  If the horse can't be consistent about breaking
out of the gate cleanly and running straight he ain't the world's greatest.

Harvey Pack said they should have taken Day off when Easy Goer was 
second in the Juvenile last year.  He thinks it's just not a good fit.
I think that's a pretty good analysis.  Day's good but no rider can be 
expected to get the most out of every horse.
    
In the New York races Easy Goer had 1 or 2 live competitors in each
race that he had to get by.  In the Breeders Cup his weaknesses
finally caught up with him.  He got behind and he didn't take hold
of the track.  There were too many live horses for him to get by.
I think this race shows that his best distance may be 1 1/2M,
when he has plenty of time to pick his way through the field and
use his stamina to best effect.

I'm glad to hear that they'll both be running as 4 year olds.  (Maybe
Easy Goer can win next year's BC Turf!  ;-)
    
Retiring from the prediction business,
Bill

P.S. If anyone is going to Las Vegas, could you make a future book bet 
on the Derby for me?  I know who's gonna win that race...
    

    
    
    The British racing world was shattered last week by the allegation
    during a legal trial at Southwark Crown Court in London that a "sonic
    gun" was fired at Royal Ascot in June, 1988, and prevented Ile de
    Chypre from winning the King George V stakes (Eng-III). 
    
    Car dealer James Laming, 49, of South London, was in court, charged
    with conspiracy in a $15 million Pruvian cocain ring.  A major item of
    his defense was that he claimed to be innocent of involvement in the
    drug conspiracy, but admitted he had collaberated with Rene Black, also
    alleged to be a major participant in the cocaine plot, to defraud the
    betting community by using a "sonic gun," which he said he had
    invented.
    
    The court was shown a pair of binoculars that had been adapted to hold 
    electronic equipment and which had a trigger on the side.  Laming
    claimed that he aimed these binoculars at Ile de Chypre when the colt 
    was three lengths clear at Royal Ascot and looked certain to win,
    causing him to hear a sound that sounded "like a firework going off."
    
    Certainly, the behavior of Ile de Chypre was unusual, to say the least. 
    The well-backed, 4-1 second favorite swerved sharply to his left for no
    apparent reason inside the final furlong, throwing experienced rider
    Greville Starkey out of the saddle.
    
    This performance earned Ile de Chypre a temporary reputation of a
    rogue, but he has never done anything like that since that day.  In
    1989, he has been one of the most successful 4-year-olds in training, 
    upsetting his stablemate, Guy Harwood's more fancied Cacoethes, in the 
    International (Eng-I) at York and also winning the Tattersalls Rogers
    Gold Cup (Ire-II) at The Curragh.  In last weekend's Breeders' Cup
    Turf (gr.IT), he led all the way to the final turn, but found the 
    distance too far for him.  
    
    Laming claims that the "sonic gun" would have been used at Lingfield 
    and other race courses had he not been arrested a few weeks after the 
    Royal Ascot meeting.  The court is arranging for tests on the "sonic
    gun" to be made in th next few days.
    
    From The Blood Horse dated Nov. 11, 1989 page 6334.
     

    They showed this race during the Breeders Cup, it was lucky that both
    horse and rider or someone else in the race didn't get seriously 
    injured!

    
    
    Champion Open Mind brought the highest price among the glittering array
    of Thoroughbreds making up the dispersal of stock owned by Eugene
    Klein, the most successful Thoroughbred owner of the 1980's.  The
    3-year-old filly, which finished third in the Breeders' Cup Distaff
    (gr.I) on Nov. 4, was purchased by Kazuo Nakamura for $4.6 million two
    days later at Keenland.  Arthur Appleton was the underbidder.
    
    A multiple grade I winner and champion at 2 in 1988, Open Mind has
    earned $1,844,372.  Her triumps this year include wins in the Kentucky 
    Oaks (gr. I) and the New York filly Triple Crown.
    
    Yoshimi Deguchi, speaking on behalf of Nakamura, said, "Open Mind will
    remain in training and continue her racing.  We attended the Breeders' 
    Cup.  The start was terrible for Open Mind, but she ran well.
    
    Klein, who received Eclipse Awards as America's outstanding owner for 
    three consecutive years (1986, 1987, and 1988), dispersed 114 horses on 
    the second day of Keenland's November breeding stock sale (Nov. 5-13).
    The Klein stock included a Kentuckey Derby (gr.I) winner, the world's
    leading money-winning mare, two Horses of the year (one in this country
    and one abroad), six champions, and a total of 11 grade 1 winners.  The 
    Klein consignment grossed $26,623,000and averaged $259,851.
    
    Open Mind was one of the three Klein fillies which sold for more than 
    $3.5 million.  Second-highest price of the sale was $4.1 million, paid
    for Winning Colors, the third filly ever to win the Kentucky Derby. 
    Gainesway Bloodstock Services purchased the 4-year-old filly on behalf
    of Graham Beck and an undisclosed partner.  Joe Allbritton of Lazy Lane
    Farm was th underbidder.
    
    "We went too high," Beck said, "but she's a great race filly and
    tremendously well bred.  She has finished racing and will be bred."
    
    Gainesway Bloodstock was the underbidder on Lady's Secret, Horse of the
    Year in 1986 and the world's leading money-winnig mare ($3,021,325). In
    foal to Alydar, Lady's Secret brought the third-highest price of the
    dispersal, being purchase by Fares Farm for $3.8 million.
    
    Lady's Secret's first foal, an Alydar filly, was the dispersal's
    top-priced weanling, going for $950,000 to Robert Levy's Muirfield
    East.
    
    The seven Klein horses which topped $1 million also included the
    5-year-old mare Fiesta Gal, in foal to Alydar.  She was purchased for 
    $1.5 million by Appleton.  Also in foal to Alydar, 4-year-old One of a 
    Klein was sold to Pam and Martin Wygod.
    
    Stanly Gumberg's Skara Glen Stables purchased the 3-year-old filly Some
    Romance for $1.15 million, and the 3-year-old colt Is It True went for 
    $1 million to Barry Farmer.
    
    

    
    
    In the immediate aftermath of the Breeders' Cup, retirement plans
    already were underway for many of the horses which competed in the
    seven races.  Among Breeders' Cup competitors which have been retired
    from racing are ZilZal, Sabona, Goodby Halo, Sunshine Forever, and
    Blushing John.
    
    Financier and horseman Carl Icahn purchased 50-per-cent in Darby Dan 
    Farm's 1988 champion male turf runner, Sunshine Forever, and in Allen
    Paulson's major winner Blushing John, which finished third in the
    Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I).
    
    Two days prior to the Breeders' Cup Ichan also purchased 911 acres of 
    farmland from Paulson, neighboring the latter's Brookside Farm near
    Versailles, Ky.  Paulson has retained the other half-interest in
    Blushing John, which will enter stud at Brookside in 1990.  The racing 
    partnership of Dan Galbreath and John Phillips has retained the other
    half-intrest in Sunshine Forever, which will stand at Darby Dan Farm
    for $20,000 live foal.
    
    Sir Ernest Harrison's and Audrey Reed's Sabona, which finished second
    in the Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT), will enter stud next season at Dr.
    William O. Reed's Mare Haven Farm near Lexington. Shaikh Mana al
    Maktoum's Zilzal, which finished sixth as the favorite in the Mile,
    will stand at Shaikh Maktoum al Maktoum's Gainsborough Stud near
    Versailles, Ky.  
    
    Arthur Hancock III's and Alex Campbell Jr.'s Goodby Halo, which
    finished sixth in the Breeders' Cup Distaff (gr.I), arrived in
    Kentucky on Nov.7.  She will be bred next season.
    
    From The Blood Horse dated Nov.11, 1989 page 6228.   

    
    
    Major winner On the Line was scheduled to be sold at Eugen Klein's
    dispersal on Nov. 6.  Instead, he was fighting to recover from severe
    leg injuries sustained two days earlier in a multi-horse collision soon
    after the start of the Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr.I) at Gulfstream Park.
    
    "He got hit about 25 yards out of the gate," said Gary Stevens, On the
    Line's jockey.  "That's basically where he broke down.
    
    "Sam Who (which broke from the 12th post position) did a left-hand turn
    and wiped out about five of us.  the horse on my outside (Black Tie
    Affair) hit us so hard that he turned us sideways, and at the same time
    that horse (Black Tie Affair) stepped on his (On the Line's)foot.
    
    "The head of the horse next to me (Black Tie Affair) hit me so hard
    that it tore the skin off my cheast.  I was bleeding when I came back."
    
    On the Line sufered multiple injuries to his right foreleg.
    
    "The skin from right underneath the middle of the cannon bone was
    pushed down to the ankle," said trainer D. Wayne Lukas the morning
    after the race.  "The superfical flexor tendon was severed completely.
    A piece was knocked out of the deep flexor tendon and the tendon sheath
    was eliminated.  The suspensory ligament was o.k.
    
    "The big thing we're having to fight is infection.  We can't close it
    (the wound) up, and we have to keep flushing and cleansing it.  His
    condition is guarded."
    
    Dr. Stephen Selway was at Gulfstream Park on Nov. 4 for Breeders' Cup
    Day, and he treated the five-year-old horse, which was removed from the
    track by a horse ambulance.  The following day, On the Line was shipped 
    by air to New York.  The earner of $1,125,810 was scheduled to
    recuperate at Dr. Selway's equine clinic on the grounds of Belmont
    Park.
    
    From The Blood Horse date Nov. 11, 1898 page 6291. 

    
    
    Following are the largest stallion nominator awards earned from results
    of the Breeders' Cup races:
    
    
    Halo			$75,000
    Kris S.			$50,000
    Alydar			$43,500
    Deputy Minister		$31,000
    Mr. Prospector		$25,000
    Nijinsky II			$25,000
    
    The following received the most money in foal-nominator awards from the
    Cup Day events:
    
    Oak Cliff Thoroughbreds	$75,000
    Ogden Phipps		$62,500
    Mr. and Mrs. Frank Whitham	$50,000  for supplementing Bayakoa
    North Ridge Farm		$30,500
    
    
    Bayakoa's supplementary fee was $200,000.

    The following is reprinted without permission from the Boston Herald:
    
    Sunday Silence, who recently captured the Breeders Cup Classic and is
    the likely pick for horse of the year is scheduled to undergo surgery
    tommorow to remove a bone chip in his right knee.
    
    Charlie Whittingham, the horses trainer said he believe Sunday Silence
    was injured in the Nov 4 Classic, in which he defeated archrival Easy
    Goer by a neck.
    
    "We know he didn't have it going into the race, and yet the chip is so
    small it didn't show until we'd galloped him two or three days after he
    got home"  Whittingham said.
    
    The surgery will require about five months rehabilitation before Sunday
    Silence can race again, but he is expected to recover fully from the 40
    minute procedure to be performed at Hollywood Park Equine Clinic.
    
    "If he had to have a chip, this is the best kind to have," said Dr.
    Greg Ferraro who will operate on the colt.  "Unless something else is
    found, this type of chip has the best prognosis.
    
    Sunday Silence won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness before being 
    beaten by Easy Goer in the Belmont Stakes.
    
    The colt will have to forgo the $500,000 Strub Stakes in February and
    the $1,000,000 Santa Anita Handicap in March while recovering.
    
    Also in the Herald:
    
    The inventor of a James Bond-style ultrasonic gun that stuns racehorses
    was convicted in London of being involved in a complex drug plot.
    James Laming a 49 year old car dealer was found guilty on two charges
    of taking part in a conspiracy to supply cocaine.  He was also
    convicted of posessing half a kilogram of cocaine with intent to
    supply.

    
    
    Eugene V. Klien's On the Line, which sustained a severe leg injury in
    the Nov. 4 Breeder's Cup Sprint (gr.I), was scheduled to undergo
    surgury during the week of Nov. 12.  In a muti-horse collision after
    the start of the Sprint, On the Line severed the superficial flexor
    tendon of his right foreleg and damaged other tendons.  Surgury was
    required not to stitch the tendon together, but to "cut away dead
    tissue," said Kiaran McLaughlin, assistant to trainer D. Wayne Lukas.
    
    The surgury on the 5-year-old horse, an earner of $1,125,810 was to be 
    done at Dr. Stephen Selway's equine clinic on the grounds of Belmont
    Park.
    
    From the Blood Horse dated Nov. 18, 1989. page 6374.
    
    

    
    
    With less than six months until the 1990 Kentucky Derby (gr. I), 
    bookmakers at two Las Vegas, Nev., casinos have chosen two different
    horses--Rhythem and Summer Squall--as favorites to win the classic.
    
    Breeder's Cup Juvinal (gr. I) winner Rhythm, is the 10-1 favorite of
    Bob Gregorka, oddsmaker at the Sands Hotel Casino, to win next years
    Kenucky Derby.  At 12-1 are Grand Canyon, Polish Numbers, and Slavic,
    followed by 15-1 choices Adjudicating and Red Ransom.
    
    Lenny Del Genio, oddsmaker at Frontier Hotel and Gambling Hall, chose
    undefeated Summer Squall, which has not races since last August, as the
    10-1 favorite for next year's Derby.  Rhythm is the 15-1 second choice
    along with Red Ransom and Magical Mile.  Breeder's Cup Juvinile Fillies 
    (gr. I) winner Go for Wand is 20-1, and Adjudicating is 25-1.
    
    From The Blood Horse dated Nov. 18, 1989 page 6374.
     

    
    
    Dogwood Stable's undefeated Summer Squall recently returned to training
    at Dogwood's Aiken, S.C., facility.  Dogwood president W. Cothran
    Campbell said the 2-year-old Storm Bird colt, sidelined since October
    with a hairline fracture of the cannon bone, would rejoin trainer Neil
    Howard in January at Gulfstream Park.
    
    

    
    Thanks for these updates Pat.... I really enjoy reading about the
    thoroughbreds, and what's happening in their world!
    
    	appreciatative_new_englander
    
    	h
    

    
    
    Fenando Valenzuela was suspended for 60 days by Hollywood Park stewards 
    after a drug test came back positive for cocaine and marijuana. 
    Valenzuala's cousin Patrick Valenzuela missed the Breeders' Cup Classic
    (gr. I) when he was handed a similar suspension on Oct. 27 after
    testing positive for cocaine.
    
    Fenando Valenzuala was tested for "probable cause" at Oak Tree on Nov.
    11 after appearing late for a riding assignment.  On five occasions at
    the 18-day Fairplex Park meeting earlier, the 20-year-old rider arrived 
    late to the jockeys' room or did not arrive at all.
    
    Valenzuela won with eight of 196 mounts at Hollywood Park this summer
    and with three of 52 mounts at Del Mar.  He lost his five-pound
    apprentice allowance last spring.
    
    From The Blood Horse dated Nov.25, 1989 page 6536.
    
     

    Veteran jockey Leroy Moyers appealed a one-year suspension imposed by
    stewards at Philadelphia Park "for failure to expend his best efforts
    to win" with a mount on Nov. 3.  The appeal stayed the ban, which had
    been scheduled to take effect on Nov. 28, pending a hearing before the
    Pennsylvania State Horse Racing Commission.
    
    The 52-year-old Moyers, a professional rider for 31 years, has won more
    than 3,700 races and his mounts have earned in excess of $21 million. 
    He finished third in the race in question.
    
    From The Blood Horse dated Nov. 25, 1989 page 6536.
    

    
    
    Suffolk Downs could be closed by the end of the year, if not sooner.
    the outlook for the 54-year-old Massachusetts track was bleak after
    negotiations between representatives of Ladbroke and Edward (Buddy)
    LeRoux, who heads Belle Isle Corp. (owner of the land on which the
    track stands), broke down following a meeting between the two parties
    on Nov. 14.
    
    Begun in June of 1986 when his partnership purchased Suffolk from Ogden
    Corp., LeRoux; term of ownership will end on Dec. 31.  Also ending then
    will be the terms of legislation passed in early 1988that gave the
    track a larger share of the takeout from Suffolk's parimutual handle.
    
    Ladbroke's United States chairman, David Goodwill, issued a two
    sentance statement: "Ladbroke Racing Corporation has been undertaking
    negotiations with Belle Isle regarding Suffolk Downs.  We met with them 
    once again on Tuesday, Nov. 14, and were not able to arrive at an
    agreement."  Ladbroke had sought to lease Suffolk and and had
    considered the possibility of building a track on another site in
    Massachusetts.  Ladbroke representative Paul Silverglied, who was
    involved in negotiations with LeRoux, made no comment on what
    transpired at the meeting.
    
    The day after the meeting, the Massachusetts Racing Commission granted
    Suffolk the one racing date it requested for 1990, mandating that the
    date had to be conducted on Jan. 1.  At that time, the current license
    held by Belle Isle Corp. and the track's lessee, New Suffolk Downs,
    will expire.
    
    "After Jan 1," said commissioner Henry O'Donnell, "we will welcome
    qualified applicants who want to conduct racing" at the facility.
    Legislation would be needed before any new applicants could be granted
    any additional dates.  
    
    "We gave them the Jan. 1 date to give them the rest of the year and
    Jan. 1 to come up with a lease," O'Donnell said.  "We don't want this
    thing to drag on."
    
    O'Donnell also said that he had received no reply when he asked if
    Leroux intended to continue looking into potetial lease applications.
    Leroux has stated on Boston-area television that he plans to develope
    the track site, his plans including an 82,000-seat domed sports arena.
    
    the racing commission denied Suffolk's request for an extension to the
    deadline for winterizing the track, meaning that suffolk is being fined 
    $10,000 by the commission for every racing day past the Nov. 15 deadline.
    the commission scheduled a show-cause hearing on the matter for Dec.
    13.  In the event the track freezes and racing is cancelled, by law
    Suffolk can be fined $15,000 for each day it does not conduct a racing
    program.
    
    Before the announcement of the negotiation breakdowns, Suffolk already
    had lost approximatly 100 horses to Hialeah, which opened on Nov. 18.
    Suffolk is operating on a day-to-day basis, depending on the
    availability of horses and the condition of the track.  Suffolk
    officials implemented a four-day racing week, eliminating Wednesdays,
    in an effort to fill cards.
    
    From The Blood Horse dated Nov. 25, 1989.  Pages 6541,6542.
    

    
    
    Racing fans can learn the 1989 Eclipse Award winners for Horse of the
    Year, outstanding trainer, and outstanding jockey by watching
    television on Saturday, Jan. 27, 1990.  The honerees will be announced
    during a live broadcast from Santa Anita on ABC's "Wide World of
    Sports."  Jim McKay will serve as host for the Eclipse Award segment of
    the program.
    
    The Eclipse Awards are sponsered by the Thproughbred Racing
    Associations, the DAILY RACING FORM, and the National Turf Writers 
    Association.
     

    
    
    Afterr a 40-minute operation on his right knee on Nov. 16, Breeders'
    Cup Classic (gr. I) winner Sunday Silence was resting quietly in his
    stall.
    
    "There were no problems from start to finish," sadi Dr. Gregory
    Ferraro, who performed the arthroscopic surgury.  "We discovered
    another small floating chip when we took X rays before we went in.  It
    was in the same joint, but on the opposite side."
    
    Sunday Silence was to spend three days confined to his stall in Charlie
    Whittingham's Hollywood Park barn, then begin walking.
    
    "Exercise helps them recover faster," said Whittingham.  "We were
    looking at the Strub (gr. I) and Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I) for him,
    but now we will just concentrate on getting him healthy."
    
    Dr. Ferraro, assisted by Dr. Steve Buttgenbach, made two
    three-quarter-inch incisions on either side of the upper bone of the
    colt's tripartite carpal joint.  The arthroscope was inserted through
    on incision site, the removal instrument through the other.
    
    "There was some cartilage damage, which is to be expected under the
    circumstances, but the operation went very smoothly," Dr. Ferraro said.
    "He will be off three to four months, but there is no reason why he
    shouldn't return to the races by the middle of next year.
     

    
    
    To realize tax benefits such as deduction of expenses, a Thoroughbred 
    owner must operate in a businesslike manner with a for-profit
    objective.  An unusual case decided recently by the U.S. Tax Court
    gives insight into how the government determines whether a business is
    a profit-seeking activity or a non-deductable hobby.
    
    Charles O. Givens of Mount Vernon, Ind., is an investment broker.  He
    bred Tennessee Walking Horses for six years, raised cattle for four
    years, and never ralized a profit from either venture.  Givens claimed
    losses of $42,455, but the Internal Revenue Service denied the
    deductions.
    
    The Tax Court, however, ruled that Givens managed his horse operation
    in a businesslike manner by maintaining detailed accounts, consulting 
    experts, devoting several hours daily to the activity, etc.  The court, 
    though, concluded that Givens did not devote similar attention to the
    cattle operation.  The special judge in the case ruled that Givens can
    deduct $30,180 of losses from the horse operation, but cannot claim
    deductions of $12,275 from the cattle enterprise.
    
    From The Blood Horse datedDec. 2, 1989.
     

    
    
    The man who claimed to have invented a "sonic gun" that can alter the
    outcome of horse races has been convicted of drug charges in England.
    Car dealer James Laming was convicted by a Southwark Crown Court jury
    on Nov. 14 of conspiring to supply cocaine, as was Peruvian drug baron
    Rene Black.
    
    During Laming's four week trial, an alleged race-fixing scheme
    involving the sonic gun was introduced as a line of defence for Laming. 
    The defense claimed that Black funded the invention, but that Laming
    did not know about Black's cocaine operation.
    
    Laming said the gun was hidden in a pair of binoculars and that he used
    the device to prevent Ile de Chypre from winning the King George V
    Stakes (Eng-III) in June 1988 at Royal Ascot.  The gun allegedly
    produced a high-pitched sound, inaudible to humans, that frightened the 
    runner.  Ile de Chypre swearved sharply while on the lead inside the
    race's final furlong and threw his rider, Greville Starkey.
    
    From The Blood Horse dated Dec. 2, 1989.
      

    
    
    The Woodlands, the country's first facility for both horse and dog
    racing, began offering Greyhound competitionon Sept. 14 in Kansa City,
    Kansas.  The Woodlands Turf Club presently is under construction and
    will open on May 24 of next year for a 77-day Thoroughbred and Quarter
    Horse meeting.  The Woodlands horse track will consist of a one-mile
    oval, with six-furlong and 550-yard chutes, and the grandstand and
    infield areas will hold from 15,000 to 20,000 people. R.D. Hubbard
    is The Woodlands' principle owner.
    
    From The Blood Horse dated Dec. 2, 1989.

    
    
    "We're not out of the woods, but we can see the clearing a little
    better," said veterinarian Stephen Selway  23 days after his patient,
    On the Line, suffered a severe leg injury during the Nov. 4 running of
    the Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I).
    
    On the Line was recuperating in the barn of trainer D. Wayne Lukas at
    Belmont Park in New York.  Surgical procedures to remove dead tissue
    had been performed on the 4-year-old colt three times since he injured
    his right foreleg.  In the most receant operation, which took place at
    Dr. Selway's equine clinic on the Belmont Prk grounds, Dr. Selway was
    able to partially cover the open wound with a flap of skin.  Other
    treatments included attaching a frog support to On the Line's left
    front hoof as a preventative measure against the possibility of
    stress-related laminitis.
    
    On the Line's leg was in a cast for part of the treatment period.  The 
    injured portion of the limb, as of Nov. 27, was covered with a support
    bandage and an antibiotic dressing.  Treatment with systemic
    antibiotics had been discontinued.
    
    "He's doing reasonably well, but he's still a little lame," Dr. Selway
    said. "We were very worried about infection, but none has developed."
    
    Owned by Eugene V. Klein, On the Line won 14 of 37 career starts and
    earned $1,125,810.  His efforts included victories in the 1988 San
    Fenando Stakes (gr. I) and the 1989 Carter Handicap (gr. I).
    
    Prior ro the injury, the colt was scheduled to be sold in the dispersal
    of Klein's stock at Keenland in Kentucky on Nov. 6.  the goal now is to
    save On the Line for stud duty.
    
    From The Blood Horse dated Dec. 2, 1989.
    
     

    
    
    If D. Wayne Lucas maintains his earnings lead among trainers, he will
    capture the North American title among leading money-winning trainers
    for the seventh consecutive season.  As of Nov. 19, according to DAILY
    RACING FORM figures, horses conditioned by Lucas had earned $14,595,655
    in 1989.
    
    The total does not include prize money earned by the four stakes
    winners Lukas sent out over the Nov. 25-26 weekend: Grand Canyon,
    Captain Starbuck, Sir Richard Lewis, and Pat Copelan.
    
    Lukas' closest rival through Nov. 19 was Charlie Whittingham, whose
    trainees had collected $10,809,576.  rounding out the top five were
    Shug McGaughey, $8,292,692;Neil Drysdale, $5,224,440; and Ron McAnnaly,
    $4,293,553.
    
    Lukas has set a North American record for earnings each year since
    1984.  This year, his horses must earn more than $3 million by the end
    of the year to eclipse his 1988 mark, $17,842,358.
    
    Leading jockey in 1989 in money won by mounts was Pat Day, whose
    mounts had collected $13,313,747 through Nov. 19.  Other riders ranked
    among the top five were Jose Santos, $12,649,211; Angel Cordero Jr.,
    $10,725,330; Eddie Delahoussey, $10,690,296; and Laffit Pincay Jr.,
    $10,560,580.
    
    Day decided to take a break from ridding in mid-November to have a
    sinus conditiont treated.  He has been North America's leading rider in 
    races won four times--in 1982, 1983,1984, and 1986--but he never has
    captured an earnings title.  Santos has been North America's top money
    winner rider for three consecutive seasons.  His record total in 1988
    was $14,877,298.
    
    From The Blood Horse dated Dec. 2, 1989.
    
    

    
    
    In England, the Newmarket Stud Farmers Association recommended "keep
    rates" for the boarding of bloodstock at Thoroughbred nursuries.  The 
    recommended per-day boarding prices are revised annually, based on the
    inflation rate and other cosideration.  Presently, the recommended 
    per-day boarding rates are 14.75 pounds (about $23.60) for foaling 
    mares, and 12.65 pounds ($20.25) for maiden and barren mares.  The
    recommended "sitting up fee," in which a night worker at a stud farm
    personally monitors an in-foal mare around the clock, is 31 pounds
    ($49.00) per night.  The recommended "foaling charge" is for a mare at
    a boarding farm is 180 pounds ($288.00).
    
    In France, per-diem boarding rates for mare typically range from 80-120
    francs ($13-$20) at stud farms in the Normandy region of the country.
    
    From The Blood Horse dated Dec. 9, 1989
    

    
    
    After general declines in recent years, there appears to be a trend
    toward stabilization of stud fees.  Based on a year-to-year comparison
    of stallions which had advertised fees published in THE BLOOD HORSE
    STALLION REGISTER FOR 1989 and the recently published STALLION REGISTER
    FOR 1990, the trend is strongest among middle- and upper-middle-market
    stallions whose fees range from $10,000 to $60,000.  Of 66 stallions
    with published fees in that range, 61 (92 percent) have the same
    published fee for the 1990 breeding season as they did for the 1989
    season.
    
    It is difficult to determine if such a trend is being experienced at
    the very top of the stallion market, because stallion with the highest
    fees ($60,000 and higher) typically do not have advertised fees.  At 
    the other end of the market (stallions with annual fees below $10,000),
    a downward trend appears to have slowed.  For instance, of 123
    stallions with stud fees between  $4,000-$10,000, a total of 102 (83
    percent) have the same published fees for 1990 as they did for 1989.
    Fifeteen stallions have lower fees and six stallions have higher fees
    in 1990 than they did in 1989.
    
    From The Blood Horse dated Dec. 9, 1989.
    

    
    
    The current racing meeting at Hialeah might be ending sooner than
    scheduled.  Hialeah  president John Brunetti, racing head-to-head 
    against Calder Race Course and scheduled later to race opposite 
    Gulfstream Park, has asked the Florida Pari-Mutual Commision to allow
    him to close the track because of financial difficulties stemming from
    low attendance and track handle.
    
    In a letter to chairman Joseph Priede-Rodriguez dated Dec. 1, Brunetti
    asked the commission to convene an emergency meeting on Dev. 4 or 5
    "for the purpose of considering a request by Hialeah for permission to 
    conclude its current meet, effective immediately."
    
    Since racing concurrently with Calder, Hialeah has been losing some
    $65,000 per day since it began its current meeting on Nov. 18. Through
    the first part of December, the track had recorded per diem averages of
    2,447 patrons and $208,940 in handle.
    
    Brunetti also wrote the decision to temporarily prohibit the
    simulcasting of races from other states also contributed to his
    decision.
    
    "We attempted to compensate for the lack of quality horses by
    simulcasting from several out-of-state tracks.  However, Tropical Park
    Inc. has succeeded in obtaining a temporary injunction from the Circuit
    Court for the Second Judicial Circuit prohibiting Hialeah from
    continuing to accept wagers on simulcast racing."
    
    The commission is not likely to convene before its scheduled meeting on
    Dec. 13. Attorneys for the state will try to determine if the
    commission can rule legally on the track's request.  If the commission 
    members do not get permission to rule, or if they do and refuse
    Brunetti's request, Brunetti must continue to operate the track or risk
    losing his permit by closing.
    
    When asked about the proposed closing date, Brunetti said, "As far as
    when we are closing, I don't know.  We're not just going to stop at
    some random point."
    
    Brunetti added that he would allow trainers the opportunity to stay at
    the track if an agreement could be worked out that would cover costs.
    
    From The Blood HOrse dated Dec. 9, 1989.
    

    
    
    A $2 win ticket paid a record $2,922 on Dec. 8 at Ak-Sar-Ben in
    Nebraska on a $7,500 claiming race simulcast from Fair Grounds in 
    Louisiana.  The tracks maintain seperate mutual pools, and the winner,
    Power to Geaux, paid $96.60 at Fair Grounds.  The AMERICAN RACING
    MANUAL lists a return of $1,885.50 for Wishing Ring at old Latonia (in
    Kentucky) in 1912 as the largest previous win payoff.
    
    From The Blood Horse dated Dec.16,1989.
    

    
    
    Major winner Goodbye Halo and dual classics winner Sunday Silence's dam
    Wishing Well, are among the 1,048 horses cataloged for Keenland's
    January horses of all ages sale.  The auction is scheduled for Jan.
    8-10, 1990.
    
    Owned by Arthur B. Hancock III and Alex Cambell, Jr.,4-year-old Goodbye
    Halo (by Halo) won 11 of 24 races and earned $1,706,702.  The 10 added-
    money events she captured included the 1989 Coaching Club American Oaks
    (gr. I), and the 1988 Mother Goose Stakes (gr. I).
    
    Wishing Well, a graded stakes winner, will be sold as part of the Oak
    Cliff Breeding Partnerships dispersal.  The 14-year-old daughter of
    Understanding captured 12 of 38 starts and earned $381,625.
    
    From The Blood Horse dated Dec. 16,1989.

    
    
    A racing oddity occured on Dec. 10 at Aqueduct in the sixth race, a
    1 1/16th mile claiming event for 2-year-olds, when two sons of Silent
    Screen dead-heated for first over a fast track.  The two juviniles are 
    Silent Scream (Silent Screen-Introspect, by Brian G.), a gelding bred
    by Peter Ladd and raced by S Kay S Stable, and Quietly Organized
    (Silent Screen-Well Organized, by Damascus), which races as a home-bred
    for Viola Sommer.
    
    Quietly Organized rallied from sixth in the nine-horse field, and
    Silent Scream came from second place before the pair crossed the wire
    together, completing the 1 1/16-mile race in 1:48 1/5.  Sir Landseer,
    which had lead from the start until the deep stretch, finished a
    half-length behind the two winners.
    
    Silent Scream now has won three of his six career races, while Quietly
    Organized has won two races from nine career outings.  The two sons of
    Silent Screen met one other time prior to their dead heat, in a 5 1/2-
    furlong maiden claiming race on July 15 at Belmont Park.  Silent Scream
    won that race by 1 3/4 lengths, while Quietly Organized finished sixth
    in the 10 horse field.
    
    From The Blood Horse dated Dec. 16,1989
      

    
    
    The sad state of affairs at Suffolk Downs has been chronicled in these
    pages over the last several years.  Each event seems to consign the
    drama deeper into the side of tragedy.  A recent editorial in the
    Boston GLOBE unleashed emotion, invective, and dispair, with a complete
    abandonment of subtlety:
    
    "The imminent death of Thoroughbred racing in Massachusetts is a tale
    of villainy, blindness, and ineptitude.  On the day that horses stop 
    racing at Suffolk Downs, the state will lose current and potetial
    revenue, thousands of men and women will lose their jobs, racing fans
    will lose a pastime, and open space that might have prospered as
    farmland for horse breeding will be lost from the tax rolls."
    
    That was merely the introduction.
    
    "The villan of the tale," the GLOBE went on, warming to the subject,
    "is Buddy LaRoux, the managing general partner fo the company that owns
    Suffolk Downs.  In a commonwealth overflowing with rouges and sharpies,
    Le Roux has earned his reputation as a champion of chicanery."
    
    In general, the editorial alleges, LeRoux pursued a short-term policy
    of milking "the track for every dollar he could squeeze from it," while
    eventually seeking "to be rid of racing so that he can develope a site 
    burdened with problems of access and hazerdous waste."
    
    The paper alleges that LeRoux was merely masquerading in his stated
    attempts to find "a lessor who would conduct racing racing at Suffolk
    Downs for the three to five years it would take to find another site
    and build another race track."
    
    The GLOBE appended that, "the Dukakis administration, for its part, has
    been blind to racing's revenue potential."
    
    Peter Fuller, one of the most knowledgeable and outspoken among leaders
    of the New England Thoroughbred industry, applauded the GLOBE in a
    letter published on Nov. 30:
    
    "...I gave Frank De Francis (certainly the foremost race track operator
    in the United States before his death last August) his first tour of
    Suffolk Downs about two years ago.  He was appalled at the conditions 
    he saw but was also tremendously excited about the potential of Suffolk
    Downs...but like everyone else interested in buying or leasing Suffolk,
    he was 'danced around and finally rejected...
    
    "The sooner LeRoux leaves and Massachusetts licenses a true racing
    operator, the better for those thousands of us fanss of the sport of
    kings."
    
    From the editorial column of The Blood Horse dated Dec. 16, 1989
        

    Rockingham Park, in sunny Salem NH, is offering grandstand passes
    to the Winter Meeting free with every paid admission from Friday,
    Dec. 29 through New Year's Day.  The winter meeting begins on New
    Year's Day and runs through April 16, Patriots' Day.
    
    "This is Rockingham's way of saying Happy Holidays to the thoroughbred
    racing fans of New England." said general manager Ed Callahan. 
    "We would like to begin 1990 on a positive note."

    (From the New Hampshire Sunday News, 12/24)
            
    Bill    
    

    
    
    Bedford Properties, owner of Galway Downs in southern Riverside County
    in California, announced it will close the 400-stall Throughbred track
    and training center effective Jan.15, 1990.  A spokesman for the
    company said it would not be profitable to for the operation to
    continue due to the present market rates in Southern California for
    boarding and traing.  Plans are indefinite for the 200-acre facility,
    which was purchased by Bedford in the fall of 1988.
    
    From The Blood Horse dated Dec. 23, 1989.
     

    
    
    Exclusive publicity rights to 1973 Triple Crown winner and Horse of the
    Year Secretariat, which died in October, have been granted to the
    Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation by the horses's syndicate
    members. Included in the publicity rights are all copyrights,
    trademarks, logos, and likenesses, in all mediums, such as photographs,
    paintings and sculptures.
    
    Throughbred Racing Communications will serve as the licensing agent for
    the manufacturing and distribution of products which have the
    Secretariat identification.  For its services, the TRC will receive a
    share of the proceeds from the venture.  The remainder of the money 
    raised will go to the Secretatiat Memorial Fund, which will sponser 
    research on laminitus and studies of other equine health problems.
    
    From The Blood Horse dated Dec. 23, 1989.

    
    
    The Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association worked out an
    agreement in mid-December that allowed the horsemen's association to
    remain in two trailers at Suffolk Downs until relocating to Rockingham
    Park in New Hampshire at the end of January.  Sufolk management
    originally planned to evict the association's local division on Dec.
    15.
    
    With its closing imminent and horses in short supply, Suffolk continued
    its struggle to complete its 1989 meeting.  A snowstorm early on Dec.
    16 forced Suffolk to cancel live racing and to accept a simulcast of
    the entire racing card from Philidelphia Park in Pennsylvania.  Henry 
    O'Donnell, chairman of the Massachusetts State Racing Commission, had
    said previously that Suffolk would be allowed topick up a full
    simulcast card only in the event of inclement weather.
    
    Suffolk returned to offering live racing cards on Dec. 17 and 18. 
    Suffolk had been forced to cancel racing on three Wednesdays-Nov. 22,
    Nov. 29, and Dec. 13.  The Dec. 18 program was the 242nd of a scheduled
    250.
    
    From The Blood Horse dated Dec. 23, 1989.

    
    
    * Phillip DiLeo's Slew the Knight captured a 1 1/16 mile allowance race
    at Aqueduct on Dec. 15 in his second race since winning the Hill Prince
    Stakes (gr. IIIT) in July.
    
    
    * Ole',the first foal from champion Princess Rooney, won a one-mile
    maiden race at Hollywood Park on Dec. 16.  Bred by Wichita Equine, the 
    3-year-old colt by Danzig races as a lessee for Cameron Aubin.
    
    * Gloria J. Lombardio's Bonario, a half-brother to Italian classic
    winner Quadrupler, won a six-furlong maiden race at Thistledown on Dec.
    10.  The  3-year-old gelding by Riverman-Alota Calories was bred by
    Nelson Bunker Hunt.
    
    From The Blood Horse dated Dec. 23, 1989.
    

    
    
    With Approval, which raced through Canada's Triple Crown with two
    narrow victories and one runaway, was named his country's Horse of the 
    Year for 1989.  The Kinghaven Farms homebred was announced as Canada's
    overall champion at the 15th annual Sovereign awards dinner on Dec. 12.
    
    The Sovereign Awards, designators of champions in Canada, are conferred
    by the Jockey Club of Canada.  For most catagories, three candidates
    are named in advance and announcement of the winner is not made until
    the evening of the awards dinner.
    
    With Approval was the ring leader in a Kinghaven evening which totaled 
    five Sovereigns, plus one for the stables rider and another for the
    dam, now owned by Holtsinger, Inc.  D. G. (Bud) Wilmot and his son,
    David, also accepted awards for best 3-year-old, With Approval;
    champion older male, Steady Power; owner of the year, and outstanding
    breeder.  Moreover, Kinghaven trainer Roger Attfield was voted
    outstanding trainer, and Don Seymour, who rode With Approval to his
    Triple Crown triumphs, was named outstanding jockey.
    
    With Approval, (Caro-Passing Mood, by Buckpasser) is a grandson of Cool
    Mood, a Northern Dancer filly which won the Canadian Oaks as one of
    Kinghaven's first major winners.  With Approval launched his Triple
    Crown bid on July 9,  when he won the Queen's Plate (Can-IR).  He edged
    Most Valient, which races for Kinghaven's consistent rival, Ernest
    Samual's Sam-Son Farm.
    
    Next leg of the Canadian Triple Crown is the Prince of Wales Stake
    (Can-IR), which again involved a photo finishas With Approval won by a
    head from Damasca Dan.
    
    The Bank of Montreal this year sponsered the first $1-million bonus for
    winning the Canadian Triple Crown, and the final enactment came on Aug.
    20.  Making his first start on grass, With Approval shed the cloak of
    doing just what was necessary to win and drew off in the stretch.  At
    the finish of the 1 1/2 mile Breeder's Stakes (Can-IRT), he was 7 1/2
    lengths ahead of runner-up Most Valiant.
    
    An injury sidelined him for the rest of the year, and he closed his 
    3-year-old campaign with six wins among 10 starts and earnings of 
    $1,772,150 for the season.  His total was instrumental in Kinghaven
    leading all North American breeders in earnings with more than $4.7
    million, through the first 10 months of the year.  With Approval is
    being readied for a return to the races at four.
    
    From The Blood Horse dated Dec. 23, 1989. 

    
    
    
    * Hollywood Futurity (gr. I) winner Grand Canyon has been made the 8-1
    favorite for the 1990 Kentucky Derby (gr. I) by Bob Gregorka, oddsmaker
    at the Sands Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nev.
    
    * Dogwood Stable's major winner Summer Squall has arrived at Gulfstream
    Park, where he might make his first start since August of 1989 in the
    Feb. 10 Hutchenson Stakes (gr. III).
    
    * Mystery Gate recently equaled a 1974 track record at Delta Downs,
    covering 4 1/2 furlongs in :52 2/5.
    
    * Major winner Brown Bess is being given a rest and is scheduled to be
    returned to competition in March of 1990.
    
    * Breeder's Cup Distaff (gr. I) winner Bayakoa and Breeder's Cup Mile
    (gr. IT) winner Steinlen are among the 40 horses which have been
    nominated to the $1-million Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I) on March 4,
    1990.
    
    * Pessimist, a former race horse whose registered name is Criterion's
    Best, recently won the $50,000 Mercedes-Benz World Cup for
    International Teams and Open Jumpers at Royal Agriculture Winter Fair
    Horse Show in Toronto, Canada.  The eight-year-old gelding, which was
    the show's Open Jumper Champion in points won, is owned by Pierre
    Levensque, chairman of the Sport and Leisure Committee of the Ontario
    division of the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society, in partnership
    with rider and trainer Mac Cone.
    
    
    From The Blood Horse dated Dec. 30, 1989. 

    
    
    While much of the nation was coping with lingering snow and artic
    weather the day after Christmas, an opening day crowd at Santa Anita
    enjoyed mild Southern California weather and quality racing.  Wagering
    totaled $8.2 million.
    
    Music Merci, a career earner of more than $1.1 million which had not
    raced since August at Del Mar, was impressive in winning the $112,000
    Malibu Stakes (gr. II) under Laffit Pincay, Jr.  The 3-year-old gelding
    by Stop the Music rellied from off the pace, took command with
    authority in deep streatch, and completed seven furlongs in 1:21 3/5.
    Exemplary Leader, a 3-year-old Vigors colt, was second, 1 1/2 lengths
    behind the winner. Doncareer, a 3-year-old colt by Don B., was third.
    
    The Malibu is the first racve in the Strub Series.  Music Merci is
    being pointed for the subsequent grade I stakes that complete the
    series: The nine-furlong San Fernando on Jan. 14, and the 1 1/4 mile
    Charles H. Strub on Feb. 4. Bred in Canada by George Strawbridge Jr.,
    Music Merci races for Lawerence C. Pendleton ( a businessman from
    Newport Beach, Calif.) and Royal T Stable, the latter operated by
    Harvey C. and Thea Cohen of Encino, Calif.  Cohen is an attorney.
    
    From The Blood Horse dated Dec. 30, 1989.
     

    
    
    
    Arthritic conditions and cronic orthopedic problems in broodmares
    appear to become more severe late in pregnancy and soon after milk
    production begins.  One method of coping with the ailments has been to
    dose the animals with phenylbutazone ( Butazolidin), a nonsteroidal,
    anti-inflammatory drug.
    
    Phenylbutazone generally has been considered to be a relatively safe
    theraputic agent in the horse with minimal side effects.  However, that
    belief is being re-examined because recent studies demonstrating an
    association between phenylbutazone administration and the presence of
    ulcers in foals and weanlings.
    
    Dr. Mark V. Crisman of the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of
    Veterinary Medicine and his colleagues have been trying to determine if
    phenylbutazone given to mares in theraputic doses is toxic to their
    foals.
    
    The first study focused on lactating mares with healty foals at their
    sides.  The mares were dosed with phenylbutazone twice a day for seven
    consecutive days.  Blood samples were drawn from each mare and foal
    before, during, and after the treatment period.  Samples also were
    taken of each mare's milk at the same times.
    
    Among the findings were that phenylbutazone concentrations in the
    mare's milk were small, and the concentrations in the foals' blood were
    below detectable limits at all sample times.
    
    "This would indicate that phenylbutazone can be administered in
    theraputic doses to lactating mares with no side effects on the nursing
    foals," said Dr. Crisman at the American Association of Equine
    Practioners' 35th annual convention in early December.
    
    The phenybutazone dose used in the study was 4.4 milligrams per
    kilogram of body weight.  This dose amount also was used in another
    project in which healthy pregnant mares were treated with the drug twice
    a day until they gave birth.  Blood samples were drawn from both mares
    and foals.
    
    "The result from the preliminary study suggested that phenylbutazone
    does cross the placental barrier in significant concentrations, and it
    persists in neonatal foals for extended periods of time," Dr. Crisman
    said.  "At this point, we think you should be really cautious when
    dosing pregnant mares, especially late during their gestational periods
    and maybe anytime during gestation, with phenybutazone.  We plan to
    continue this part of the study and do endoscopic examinations and
    other things of that nature.
    
    From The Blood Horse dated Dec. 30, 1989.
     

Starting on Monday Jan. 15 (Martin Luther King Day) Rockingham (Salem,
NH) will have racing on Mondays and Wednesdays with Tuesday and Thursday
as the dark days.

Post time every day, Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat and Sun. (until sometime in the
spring) will be 1:00.

Bill    

ELEVEN SHARE TOP PRIZE IN BREEDERS' CUP CONTEST

Eleven individuals from more than 312,000 entrants share the $375,000 
top prize in the recent Breeders' Cup National Pick Seven Contest.

The contest required entrants to select the winners of each of the seven 
Breeders' Cup races on Nov. 4 at Gelfstream Park from a list of 
preentered horses that appeared in 42 daily newspapers and industry 
publications throughout the US the week prior to the event.  A $150,000 
grand prize pool was offered for all entries selecting all seven winners 
correctly, a $225,000 prize pool was to be split among all those 
correctly selecting six winners, and $50,000 was distributed among all 
entries correctly selecting five winners.

No contestant succeeded in correctly selecting all seven winners, 
therefore, the 11 persons selecting six Breeders' Cup winners shared the 
top two prize pools.  Each grand prize winner will receive 
$20,445.55.

....Six of the 11 winners failed to select Breeders' Cup Sprint winner 
Dancing Spree.  Of the remaining five entrants, three incorrectly 
selected Easy Goer in the Breeders' Cup Classic, one failed to tab 
Juvenile Fillies winner Go For Wand, and another did not select Rhythm 
in the Juvenile.

In addition to the aforementioned winners, 212 entrants correctly 
selected five Breeders' Cup Day winners and will each receive $235.85.

From The Thoroughbred Times, 12/29/89

Bill
        

                      
    			Eclipse Champions 1989
    
    Rhythm			2-year-old colt
    Sunday Silence		3-year-old colt
    Go For Wand    		2-year-old filly
    Open Mind			3-year-old filly      (repeat champion)
    Blushing John		Older male
    Bayakoa			Older female
    Steinlen			Male turf
    Brown Bess			Female turf
    Safely Kept			Sprinter (3-year-old filly)
    
    Ogden Phipps 		Outstanding owner for the second straight
    				year
    
    Horse of the year, trainer, and jockey awards will be announced Jan. 27
    on ABC's "Wide World of Sports" .
    
    From the Gazette Telegraph Sports section.  1/9/90
    
    

    
         Horse	       Sire		Chief Earner	  	1989 Earnings
    
    1.	Halo, 		Hail to Reason 	Sunday Silence		$7,537,651
    2.	Alydar 		Raise A Native	Easy Goer	        $6,839,158
    3.	Bushing Groom   Red God		Nashwan (Eng)		$4,736,226
    4.	Fappiano	Mr. Prospector	Cryptoclearance         $4,648,486
    5.	Danzig		Northern Dancer	Polish Precedent (Fr)   $4,566,158
    6.	Caro		Fortino		With Approval		$3,978,283
    7.	Mr. Prospector	Raise A Native	Rhythm			$3,896,377
    8.	Seattle Slew	Bold Reasoning	Slew City Slew		$3,560,744
    9.	Nijinski II	Northern Dancer	Dancing Spree		$3,523,052
    10.	Nureyev		Northern Dancer	Zilzal (Eng)		$3,512,785
    
    
    From The Blood Horse  dated Jan. 6, 1990

    
    
    	Horse		Foaled	     Sire	    Champions
    
    1.	Alydar		1975	Raise A Native		4
    2.	Danzig		1977	Northern Dancer		2
    3.	Nureyev		1977	Northern Dancer		8
    4.	Seattle Slew	1974	Bold Reasoning		4
    5.	Fappiano	1977	Mr. Prospector		1
    6.	Nijinsky II	1967	Northern Dancer		14
    7.	Mr. Prospector	1970	Raise A Native		11
    8.	Deputy Minister	1979	Vice Regent             1
    9.	Private Account 1976	Damascus		1
    10.	Relaunch	1976	In Reality		1
    
    From The Blood Horse dated Jan. 6, 1990.
     

    
    
    	Horse		Foaled	     Sire	 Average Earnings Index
    
    1.	Hoist The Flag	1968-80	   Tom Rolf		4.61
    2.	Buckpasser	1963-78	   Tom Fool		4.03
    3.  Val De Lor	1959-74	   Vieux Manoir		3.43
    4.	Graustark	1963-88	   Ribot		3.36
    5.	Key To The Mint 1969	   Graustark		3.22
    6.	Secritariat	1970-89	   Bold Ruler		3.09
    7.	Nijinski II	1967	   Northern Dancer	2.92
    8.	Le Haar		1954-82	   Vieux Manoir		2.83
    9.	Dr. Fager	1964-76	   Rough'n Tumble 	2.79
    10.	Mr. Prospector	1970	   Raise A Native	2.76
    
    From The Blood Horse dated Jan. 6, 1989

    
    
    	Horse		Foaled 	Sire		Earnings
    
    1.	Alysheba	1984	Alydar		$6,679,242
    2.	John Henry	1975	Ole Bob Bowers	$6,591,860
    3.	Sunday Silence	1986	Halo		$4,600,154   	*
    4.	Easy Goer	1986	Alydar		$4,534,650	*
    5.	Spend A Buck	1982	Buckaroo	$4,220,689
    6.	Creme Fraiche	1982	Rich Cream	$4,024,727
    7.	Ferdinand	1983	Nijinski II	$3,777,978
    8.	Slew O'Gold	1980	Seattle Slew	$3,533,534
    9.	Precisionist	1981	Crozier		$3,485,398
    10.	Snow Chief	1983	Reflected Glory	$3,383,210
    
    * denotes still racing
    
    From The Blood Horse dated Jan. 6, 1990.
    

    
    
    Carl Bonham recently continued a tradition begun the year Santa Anita
    opened in 1934.  The 105-year-old attended the races on Jan. 7 to
    celebrate his birthday the following day, when the track was dark.
    
    Bonham grew up in Montpelier, Ind., where his father owned the livery
    stable.  He moved to California in 1924 and now resides in Oceanside,
    80 miles south of Los Angeles.
    
    Santa Anita's oldest racing fan, Bonham has celebrated his birthday and
    attended opening day every year since 1934, with only two exceptions.
    
    From The Blood Horse dated Jan. 13, 1990.
    

    
    
    Contaminated food is suspected to have caused the deaths of prominent
    Australian sire Arch Sculptor and three yearlings at Colin Hays'
    breeding and training farm, Lindsay Park, near Adelaide.  Arch
    Sculptor, a 17-year-old son of Habitat, is a half-brother to the
    deceased sire Mummy's Pet, one of Great Britain's leading sires prior
    to his death in 1986.
    
    For 1984-85 in Australia, Arch Sculptor earned the title of leading sire
    of individual winners of 2-year-old races.  Among his 19 stakes winners
    was the undefeated group stakes-winning filly Sculpture's Blue.
    
    From The Blood Horse dated Jan. 13, 1990.
     

    
    
    Trainer D. Wayne Lukas should become the first trainer to surpass
    $100-million mark in career stable earnings sometime this year.  He
    finished 1989 with career earnings of more than $95 million.
    
    From The Blood Horse dated Jan. 13, 1990.
    

    
    
    In England, James Laming, alleged inventor of an ultrasonic stun gun
    that can affect the outcome of horse races, was sentenced to 14 years
    in prison two counts of conspiracy to supply cocain and one count of
    possession of cocain with intent to supply.
    
    Co-conspirator Rene Black, who pleaded guilty to to heading the
    $20-million cocain conspiracy ring, was sentenced to 15 years.  Black, 
    who Laming's defense claimed funded the stun gun invention, said the
    device was total fiction.
    
    From The Blood Horse dated Jan. 13, 1990.
    
    

    
    
    The history of horse racing in Hong Kong is at least 1 1/2 centuries
    old.  The sport was introduced by early British Settlers, and while the
    exact date is not known, the CHINA MAIL (Hong Kong's first newspaper)
    carried an announcement of two race meetings held in 1846.
    
    By 1884, the sport had become established, and that year the Hong Kong
    Jockey Club was formed.  The modern, non-profit Jockey Club, which was
    given the Royal prefix by Queen Elizabeth II of England in 1960,
    continues to control and operate Thoroughbred racing and betting in
    Hong Kong.
    
    
    The Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club, with 12,500 members, is directed by 12
    stewards, a sort of board of directors who provide their services
    without renumeration.  Daily management of racing and wagering at Happy
    Valley and Sha Tin race courses is delegated to professional
    executives, headed by a chief executive.  There are about 14,000
    salaried and hourly staff employees of The Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club.
    
    Since his appointment in late 1985, Major General G. H. Watkins has
    been the Jockey Club's chief executive.  Watkins, 56, has served as
    director general in the British Army.  A former amateur jockey, he rode
    briefly in Hong Kong in the 1960s.
    
    
    From The Blood Horse dated Jan. 13, 1989.
    
    
    
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
    The Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club is a major user of DEC equipment and
    has visited here at the CSC in Colorado Springs.
    
    
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------
      

    
    
    Leading female rider Julie Krone, whose broken left arm is not healing
    as expected, could be sidelined until June.  The jockey suffered the
    injury on Nov. 24, 1989, in a spill at Meadowlands in New Jersy. 
    Complications have arisen because a bone graft Krone received has not
    taken proplerly and the small blood vessels that were injured have
    hampered blood flow.
    
    A receant X ray was said by a doctor "to look exactly like the one he
    took after the injury," Krone reported.  
    
    Krone last year established single-season records for a female rider in
    victories (368) and earnings ($8,031,445), according to DAILY RACING
    FORM.  The totals broke the records she had set in 1988.
    
    From The Blood Horse dated Jan. 20, 1990.
     

    
    
    North American racing statistics, compiled by DAILY RACING FORM,
    included four records in 1989:
    
    * Sunday Silence established a record for the most money earned by a
      horse in a single season, $4,578,454.
    
    * Kent Desormeaux won the most races ever in a single season, 597,
      breaking Chris McCarron's mark of 546 set in 1974.  Desormeaux also
      became only the third jockey ever to lead North America in races won
      for three consecutive years.  The others were Bill Hartack, 1955-57,
      and Pat Day, 1982-84.
    
    * Julie Krone erased her own year-old marks for female riders, riding
      the winners of 368 races and the earners of $8,031,445.
    
    * D. Wayne Lukas, who led trainerrs in victories (305), stable earnings
      ($16,103,998), stakes won (33), and money earned in stakes
      ($11,403,739).  Lukas has been North America's leading trainer in
      money earned each season since 1983.  He established a record in
      1988, with stable earnings of $17,842,358.  Lukas earned his third
      consecutive races won title in 1989.
    
    From The Blood Horse dated Jan. 20, 1990.    

    
    
    The market at Keenland's January horses of all ages sale did not soar
    like an eagle, but the results of the Central Kentucky vendue
    heightened expectations for a steady auction flight leval during the
    remainder of 1990.
    
    The Japanese buying contingent in January was headed by Morio Sakurai,
    whose clients include golf course developer and manager Yoshio Asakawa.
    Sakurai was the sale's leading buyer in terms of gross expenditures,
    purchasing 12 horses for $2,608,500.  Among horses Sakurai bought for 
    Asakawa was major winner Goodby Halo, which brought the sale's top
    price of $2.1 million.
    
    Goodby Halo, the January vendue's top-priced horse, was sold on the
    sale's second day.  The 5-year-old chestnut mare was consigned by
    Arthur B. Hancock III's Stone Farm near Paris, Ky., as agent for
    Hancock and Lexington business man Alex Campbell Jr.
    
    Racing for the Hancock-Campbell partnership for much of her career,
    Goodby Halo (Halo-Pound Foolish, by Sir Ivor) won 11 of 24 career
    races and earned $1,706,702.  She captured 10 stakes, including seven
    grade I events. Goodby Halo last competed on Nov. 4, 1989, when she
    finished sixth in champion Bayakoa's Breeders' Cup Distaff (gr. I).
    
    "She is like a fine Swiss watch or a diamond.  It's better that some
    emperor owns stuff like that, not some Bourbon County farmer like me,"
    Hancock said.  "I couldn't really afford to keep her because I have
    lots of payments and expenses, but I hated to sell her because she's
    been a big part of our lives for the past couple of years.  She has so
    much courage and heart."
    
    Another factor in the decision to sell Goodby Halo, according to
    Hancock, were the high prices brought by champions Open Mind ($4.6
    million) and Winning Colors ($4.1 million) at Keenland in November.
    Hancock said before the sale that he and Campbell were hoping that
    Goodby Halo would sell for $2 million or more.
    
    After signing the $2.1 million sale ticket for Goodby Halo, Sakurai
    said she would not be raced again.  The mare will be sent to Japan,
    where she will be bred this year to Nasr El Arab (by Al Nasr).
    
    From The Blood Horse dated Jan. 20 1990.
    

                         
    
    				Two year olds
    
    
    Rating	Horse			Owner			Earnings
    125 	Machiavellian	        Stavros Niarchos	$  259,785
    120		Argentum		K. Kahn			$   51,163
    120		Digression		Khaled Abdullah		$  122,396
    120 	Jade Robbery		Zenya Yoshida		$  240,410
    119		Contract Law		Kennet Valley TB's	$   89,382
    
    
    			Three year olds 5-6 1/2 furlongs
    
    123		Danehill		Kahled Abdullah		$  312,466
    119		Statoblast		Richard L. Duchossois 	$  105,018
    119		Tigani			Capt. Marcos Lemos     	$   54,814
    116		Dancing Dissident	Shaikh Mohammed		$   94,681
    112		Or Acier		Henri Chalhoub		$   77,625
    
    			Three year olds 7-9 furlongs
    
    134		Zilzal			Mana al Maktoum		$  734,836
    129		Polish Precedent 	Shaikh Mohammed		$  578,305
    128		Golden Opinion (filly)	Shaikh Mohammed		$  415,675
    124		Distant Relative	Wafic Said		$  325,147
    124		Kendor			Adolf Bader		$  305,035
    
    			Three year olds 9 1/2-10 1/2 furlongs
    
    131		Nashwan			Hamden al Maktoum	$1,420,149
    125		Dancehall		Tomohiro Wada		$  529,398
    124		Creator			Shaikh Mohammed		$  209,538
    123		Legal Case		Sir Gordon White	$  510,884
    122		Dolpour			The Aga Kahn		$  198,401
    
    			Three year olds 11-13 1/2 furlongs
    
    134		Old Vic			Shaikh Mohammed		$1,080,370
    128		Cacoehtes		Lady Harrison		$  500,721
    124		Mondrian		Stall Hanse		$  343,351
    123		Behera (filly)		The Aga Kahn		$  589,784
    122		Aliysa (filly)		The Aga Kahn		$  283,188
    
    			Three year olds 14 furlongs and up
    
    123		Michelozzo		C. A. B. St. George	$  351,330
    116		Turgeon			George Strawbridge Jr.	$  102,911
    116		Weld			Lord John H. deWalden   $  166,177
    115		Mardonius		Shaikh Mohammed		$   95,480
    113		Lou Biella		D. M. Kendall 		$   35,107

    
    
    Stakes winner Arlucea, dam of 1989 champion older female Bayokoa, has
    been purchased privately by J. Mack Robinson of Atlanta, Georgia.  The
    mare is carrying a full sibling, by Consultant's Bid, to the Eclipse
    Award winner.
    
    Bred in Argentina by Ojo de Agua, 16-year-old Arlucea (Good
    Manners-Izarra, by Right of Way) arrived from South America in late
    December of 1989.  She is boarded at John A. Bell III's Jonabell Farm
    near Lexington.
    
    From The Blood Horse dated Jan. 27, 1990.
     

    
    Champion Hawaii, sire of 35 stakes winners, was destroyed on Jan. 16 at
    age 26 at Claiborne Farm (Seth Hancock, president) near Paris, Ky.,
    because of the infirmities of old age.  The South African-bred son of
    Utrillo II-Ethane, by Mehrali, has been pensioned since Oct. 1, 1989.
    
    From The Blood Horse dated Jan. 27, 1989.
    
     

    Bill Shoemaker, victorious in an exciting race at Gulfstream Park on
    Jan. 20, will make his final ride at Sant Anita in a $100,000 stakes
    that will be run only once.  The race is being called the Legend's Last
    Ride.  
    
    Shoemaker, 58, will retire on Feb. 3 after the nationally televised
    race, his only ride of the afternoon at Santa Anita in California. The
    stakes will be run at a mile on turf for 4-year-olds and up.  Racing 
    secretary Tom Robbins wrote an unusual clause into the race's
    conditions that is binding on all owners and trainers who nominate.  In
    essence, it provides Shoemaker with a backup mount in case his horse is
    scratched, evan as late as when it is being loaded into the gate.
    
    At entry time, Feb. 1, the Shoe will be named on his principle mount by
    agent Bill Barisoff, at the same time indicating a second and a third
    choice.  If his mount is scratched, he will be put aboard his next
    choice, and the jockey losing his mount will be compensated.
    
    The Legend's Last Ride will be run as the fifth race on the card, with
    an approximate post time of 5:45 p.m. (EST).
    
    From The Blood Horse dated Jan. 27, 1989.
    
    

    
    
    Jockey Pat Valenzuela was suspended for five racing days (Jan. 20-26)
    and rider Chris McCarron was fined $200 by Santa Anita stewards
    following an incident on Jan. 15.  Valenzuela's mount came in and
    interfered with McCarron's mount , and McCarron reached over and struck
    Valenzuela with his whip.
    
    The ban was the second Valenzuela had received since returning to
    riding on Dec. 26 following a 60-day suspension for a cocain positive
    test.  On his first day back, Valenzuela was suspended five days after
    his mount, Flom, impeded Ms. Leroy.
    
    From The Blood Horse dated Jan. 27, 1990.
    

    Saturday 2-3-90 Willie shoemaker rides his last race.  The race will be
    televised on ABC Wide World of Sports.  I wonder if they will let him
    win?

    
    
    With the race listed as a money added stakes race and pari-mutual 
    betting on the outcome the race will be run as any other race on that
    days card.  Any attempt to "let" him win will be considered race fixing
    and be prosecuted by the California racing commission.
    
    Pat

    Many races are fixed.  I was just wondering if the other jockeys might
    not try so hard.  Anyway, we will see Saturday.

    
    
    Bill Shoemaker came in fourth in the Legends Last Race on a horse
    called Patchy Groundfog.  Both Shoemaker and Patchy Groundfog tried 
    hard, but got caught at the wire in a photo for third.
    
    Pat

    From the Daily Racing Form, Sun. 2/4.
    
    Classic Hopefuls Drill at Gulf for Debuts
    
    Four of America's top classics hopefuls worked at Gulfstream Park
    Friday morning for their 1990 debuts.
    
    Dogwood Farm's Summer Squall went a half-mile in :48 1/5, Rokeby
    Stable's Red Ransom was timed five furlongs in 1:00 2/5; Nedlaw
    Statle's Roanoke went the same distance in :59 1/5 and Ogden Mills
    Phipps Adjudicating got a half-mile in :50.
    
    

    
    
    A four-horse, chain-reaction spill on Jan. 26 at Beulah Park resulted
    in the death of jockey Jeffery Righter, who suffered massive head
    injuries.  Righter, who underwent brain surgury, died the following
    day.
    
    The 27-year-old jockey was aboard Styloid, which was running near the
    middle of the pack in the turn, and appeared to clip heels with the 
    5 1/2-furlong event's eventual winner, Ruth's Babe.  Styloid fell,
    tossing Righter, and three other horses which could not avoid the
    accident also went down.  No serious injuries to those animals or their
    riders, Robert McWhorter, Eric Bruce, and Tim Gross, were reported.
    
    
    From The Blood Horse Feb. 3, 1990.

    
    
    Ogden Mill Phipps' homebred Rhythm, champion two-year-old colt of 1989,
    is among the nominees to this years Triple Crown races--Kentucky Derby
    (Gr. I), Preekness Stakes (Gr. I). and Belmont Stakes (Gr. I).  Triple
    Crown productions released a list of 17 nominees in mid-January.  A
    complete list will be made available on Feb. 10.
    
    The 16 other tw0-year-olds listed by Triple Crown Productions as
    nominees were Grand Canyon, Summer Squall, Adjudicating,
    Champagneforashley, Drag Race, Magical Mile, Polish Numbers, Red
    Ransom, Richard R., Roanoke, Run Turn, Secret Hello, Senor Pete, silver
    Ending, Slavic and Yonder.
    
    From The Blood Horse dated Feb. 3, 1990
    

    
    
    A $2,500 claimer at Delta Downs named Landing Officer resembled
    Secretariat on Jan. 11 when he charged down the streatch to win a race
    by 24 lengths.  Stewards immediately questioned the victory, Landing
    Officer's first in nearly a year, then disqualified the runner when
    they determined jockey Silvester Carmouche Jr. and Landing Officer had
    not covered the one-mile distance of the race, but had hidden in heavy
    fog covering most of the track while the other horses continued the
    race. 
    
    The one-mile race began from a chute at the top of the stretch of the 
    six-furlong track.  After the start, Carmouche stopped Landing Officer
    while the other horses continued.  When the field passed the finish
    line the first time, stewards counted only eight horses, instead of the
    nine which started, and they suspected a trick.
    
    When the field turned for home, Carmouche and Landing Officer emereged
    from the fog and effortlessly bounded home.  
    
    "He was running like a Quarter Horse, not like a Thoroughbred who had
    just run a mile," director of security J. L. Vincent said of Landing
    Officer.
    
    Stewards suspended Carmouche, 28, for the ramainder of the Delta Downs
    meeting, which ends April 1, and referred the case to the Louisiana
    State Racing Committee.
    
    From The Blood Horse dated Feb. 3, 1990.

    
    
    A representative for Mr. and Mrs. Bertram R. Firestone has reported
    that 1980 Kentucky Derby (gr. I) winner Genuine Risk no longer is in
    foal to Cure the Blues, she having lost the foal in the early part of
    January.  Boarded at the Fireston's Big Sink Farm near Versailles, Ky.,
    Eclipse Award winner Genuine Risk is scheduled to be bred back to major
    winner Cure the Blues, which was bred and raced by the Firestones.
    
    Genuine Risk has yet to produce a live foal.  In her first attempt, she
    delivered a stillborn chestnut colt by Triple Crown winner Secretariat
    at the Fierstone's Catocitn Stud near Waterford, Va., in 1983.
    
    From The Blood Horse dated Feb. 3, 1990.
    

    
    
    Members of the Amature Riders Club of America and amature riders from
    the Soviet Union will compete in the first Galsnost Amature Challange
    at Turf Paradise on Feb. 25, marking the first appeareance of Soviet
    Amature riders in the United States.  The challange, part of Turf
    Paradise's Festival of the Horse weekend, will continue when the U.S. 
    riders travel to Moscow on June 20.
    
    The outstanding ARCA flat and steeplechase riders of 1989 recently were
    honored, and the Alec Wildenstein Awards were presented to leading male
    flat rider Joe Gillet and leading male steeplechase Colvin Ryan.  The
    Micheline Leurson Awards for championship female riders were presented
    to leading flat rider Sanna Neilson and leading steeplechase rider
    Blythe Miller.
    
    Leurson, head handicapper of the Societe d'Encouragement (France's
    Jockey Club), was the leading amature European rider for 12 seasons in
    the 1960s and 1970s.  She helped arrange for the leading amature female
    rider of the last two years to ride for two of France's leading
    trainers, Francois Boutin and Alec Head.  Neilson this year will
    compete in France.
    
    Other events on the 1990 ARCA schedule, according to Pierre Bellocq,
    including the Cannes-Hollywood Challange against amature French riders
    on March 4 at Cagnes-Sur-Mer race course near Cannes, France, and on
    July 15 at Hollywood Park.  Other ARCA races will be held in
    Czechoslovakia, England, Germany, Italy, Holland, Sweden, Spain,
    Belgium, Switzerland, and Madagascar.  In the United STates, amature
    races will be held in conjunction with the Arlington Million (gr.IT),
    Maryland Million, and Budweiser International (gr. IT).
    
    From The Blood Horse dated Feb. 10, 1990.
    

    
    
    Mr. and Mrs. Eugene V. Kleine's On the Line, which suffered a severe
    injury to his right foreleg during the running of the 1989 Breeder's
    Cup Sprint (gr. I), was destroyed at Belmont Park on Jan. 30 after
    contracting laminitus in his left foreleg,  The five-year-old horse
    had been operated on several times to repair serious damage of his
    superficial flexor tendon, deep flexor tendon, and tendon sheath caused
    during a chain reaction collision shortly after the start of the
    Sprint.
    
    On the Line was returned to trainer D. Wayne Lukas' barn at Belmont
    Park for surgury required three times to remove dead tissue from his
    injured leg.  He was attended by Dr. Steven Selway during the surgeries
    and by Dr. Selway and Dr. Jim Hunt during his recuperation.  A frog
    support was attached to his left foreleg to prevent the possibility of
    laminitus occurring, but because the horse put all of his weight on
    that leg, he nevertheless contracted laminitis.
    
    "He seemed to be doing much better," Lukas' New York assistant, Kiaran
    McLaughlin, said.  "His injured leg had a brace on it, and it was
    healing up quite well.  We fought off infection and colic, but from the
    first day, we knew that foundering in his left front would be the main
    problem.  The last 10 days, he just really went downhill with that
    foot. Dr. Selway and Dr. Hunt were working together on the horse, and
    it was a mutual agreement to humanely destroy him."
    
    Bred in Florida by International Thoroughbred Breeders, On the Line
    (Mehmet-Male Strike, by Speak John) won 14 of 37 career races,
    including the 1989 Carterr Handicap (gr. I), and earned $1,125,810.  
    
    From The Blood Horse dated. Feb. 10, 1990.
    
    

    
    
    Nearly three months after Cole Diesal finished a shocking 16th in
    Australia's prestigious Melboure Cup (Aus-I), the Australian Jockey
    Club laboratory determined that the runner might have been doped with
    timolol, which is prescribed to humans to control high blood pressure
    or angina.  Timolol deadens the body's response to activity or
    excitement.  The AJC laboratory recently perfected a method to unmask
    the drug, which might have been administed to as many as 19 horses in
    the country.
    
    On the day of the Melbourne Cup, rumors that Cole Diesal had been doped
    circulated around the track, and police were investigating two
    telephone calls to the runner's connections threatening to kill Cole
    Diesal.  After the race, stewards ordered and immediate veterinary
    inspection of the horse, but no signs of foul play were found.
    
    The unmasking of timolol by the AJC laboratory has sent shivers through
    the entire Australian racing and breeding industry.  Race club
    adminstrators and the police have been alerted to the positive findings
    by the AJC, and all clubs have tightened security.  The two groups have
    organized a massive hunt to smash what is thought to be a gang of horse
    dopers.
    
    The Oval, Consort, and Signal-three other horses in which Timolol was
    found-were beaten by margins ranging from 12 to 23 1/4 lengths in races
    in which they were the favorites.  The horses were given the ususal
    pre-race tests, but the drug did not show up until exhastive testing
    took place in the laboratory.  Positive test from two of the horses
    came from frozen urine and blood samples.
                                  
    From The Blood Horse dated Feb. 10, 1990.

    
    
    A son of Norther Dancer is set to make history.  Fairway Fortune, an
    unraced son of the pensioned champpion, is scheduled to be sent to
    Voskhed Stud in the Soviet Union on Feb. 14, following quarentine.  He
    is believed to be the first United States-bred Thoroughbred purchased
    by the Soviets in some 30 years.  Among the horses which were bred at
    Voskhed was international performer Anilin, which stood at the farm for
    six years prior to his death.
    
    Ten-year-old Fairway Fortune (Northern Dancer-Out in the Cold, by Beau
    Purple) was selected by Kazbek Dsalaev during a visit to Spenthrift
    Farm in May of 1989.  Dsalaev is a director of the Central Central
    Moscow Hippodrome and president of the International Horse Breeding
    Congress of the socialist countries.
    
    Sire of graded stakes winner Storm Predictions, Fairway Fortune was
    owned by Spendthrift and William Floyd. Charles Boden of Cane Ridge
    Thoroughbred Company near Lexington and Kim Ewonus of Heritage Sports
    in Ohio helped represent Floyd and Spendthrift in the transaction.
    
    During the negotiations, complecations arose over the method of payment
    and thje manner in which the payment would be made.  The Soviet ruble
    is non-convertable, and the Soviets did not want to pay until the horse
    arrived in the Soviet Union.  Both problems reportedly have been
    resolved.
    
    From The Blood Horse dated Feb. 10, 1990.

    
    
    
    Kentucky Derby (gr. I) winterbook favorite Grand Canyon will be away
    from the races four months with strained flexor muscles in the left
    knee.  The injury also resulted in secondary inflamation of the carpal
    sheath covering the tendon.
    
    Grand Canyon bruised the carpal sheath when he stumbled while being
    pulled up after winning the the Hollywood Futurity (gr. I) last fall.
    Rumors had circulated all winter about Grand Canyon's condition.  His
    first work of the year, a half-mile in :48 4/5 on February 6,
    aggravated the earlier injury.
    
    "The vet said we could have gone on with him, byt we'd just as soon
    give him time to heal to be ready for the races at the end of the
    year," said trainer D. Wayne Lukas, who owns the colt in partnership
    W. T. Young's Overbrook Farm.
    
    Grand Canyon, runner-up to Rhythem in Eclipse award balloting for
    champion 2-year-old colt of 1989, will be sent to Lukas' training
    center in Del Mar.
    
    "Dr. (Gregory) Ferraro said that there was no need to stop on him
    completely, so we'll ride him at a walk under tack," Lukas said.
    
    Grand Canyon, an $825,000 yearling, won foour of eight races last year
    and finished second to Rhythm in the Breeders' Cup Juvinile (gr. I). He
    has earned $1,019,540.
    
    From The Blood Horse dated Feb. 17, 1990.  

    
    
    The first foal sired by multiple grade I winner Java Gold was born on 
    Jan. 23 at Dr. and Mrs. R. Smiser Wests's Waterford Farm near Midway, 
    Kentucky.  The foal was produced from Edward Kessly's and Dr. Spike
    Kirby's The Minstrel mare, Key to the Minstrel, which will be bred to 
    Alysheba.
    
    
    
    From The Blood Horse dated Feb. 17, 1990.

    
    
    Horse of the Year Sunday Silence, which soon will begin light training
    in preparation for his return to racing after surgury to remove a bone
    chip, is among 62 horses nominated to the May 12 Pimlico Special (gr.
    I).  The others include champion Easy Goer.
    
    From The Blood Horse dated Feb. 17, 1990.

    
    
    Although Suffolk Downs has been closed for more than a month, the
    troubles of the track are far from over.  At a hearing on Jan. 31
    before the Massachusetts State Racing Commission, Suffolk vice
    president Robert O'Malleymwas asked to prove why New Suffolk Downs, the
    track lessee, should not be fined for failing to winterize the racing
    surface by the Nov. 15, 1989, deadline and for falling three days short
    of its 250-day schedule for last year.
    
    Alan Hoffman, an attorney representing New Suffolk Downs, argued that
    because the racing legislation passed in early 1988 had expired on Dec.
    31 of last year, the racing commission no longerhad the authority to
    impose the fines.  O'Malley cited a lack of available funds as one
    reason the track was not winterized.
    
    The commission is expected to rule on the matter by March 7.  New
    Suffolk Downs faces fines of $10,000 for each of the 26 racing days the
    track surface was not winterized and $15,000 for the three days short
    of 250 that Suffolk did not run.
    
    From The Blood Horse dated Feb. 17, 1990.
    

    
    
    On Feb. 2, the first day Peter Ferriola returned to training after
    serving a 120 day suspension for medication violations, a horse he
    trains was scratched from a race at Aqueduct after testing positive for
    the anagesic Flunixin, prohibited in New York.  The New York State
    Racing and Wagering Board will investigate the finding.
    
    
    From The Blood Horse dated Feb. 17, 1990.

    
    
    Sidney Thomas Zarges, an El Paso, Texas, veterinarian accused of
    drugging a Quarter Horse which raced in the 1987 All American Futurity,
    has pleaded no contest to ordering an assistant to prepare a false
    document.  In exchange for the plea, federal prosecuters have agreed to
    drop an eight-count indictment charging Zargas with drugging horses
    before races.  Zargas faces a $4.6-million civil suit that was filed by
    the owner of another horse which competed in the 1987 All American
    Futurity.
    
    From The Blood Horse dated Feb. 24, 1990.
    

    
    
    Attempted bribary allegations, one dating back to 1986, were behind the
    banning of jockey Ron Hansen from Golden Gate Fields in early
    February.  The allegations were discolsed during an administrative
    before the California Horse Racing Board on Feb. 16.  Benjamin Felton,
    a former board member who served as a referee for the hearing, hoped to
    issue a recommendation on the matter in time for the board's monthly
    meeting on Feb. 23.
    
    After being banned from Golden Gate Fields, Hansen was denied access to
    Santa Anita.  Hansen is seeking reinstatement through the CHRB as well
    as through Alameda County Superior Court.
    
    From The Blood Horse dated Feb. 24, 1990.
    

      
    
    Horse of the Year Sunday Silence's full sister arrived on Feb. 8 at Oak
    Tree near Lexington.  The Halo-Wishing Well filly is owned by Way Oak
    Cliff Ltd.  Her dam is to be bred to Halo.
    
    From The Blood Horse dated Feb.24, 1990.
    

    
    
    An informal meeting was held in Wrentham, Mass., on Feb. 12 to discuss 
    plans for King Phillip Downs, a track proposed by road developer Ben
    Simeone.
    
    The meeting, sponsored by the Wrentham Citizans Alliance, included a
    panel made up of Henry O'Donnell, chairman of the Massachusets' racing
    commission; Gary Saccocia, vice-president of the local division of the 
    Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association; Susan Walsh, chairman
    of the Massachusetts Thoroughbred Breeders Association; veterinarian
    Dr. Richard Sheehan; and members of the King Phillip Downs developement
    team.  The panel responded to questions from Wrentham residents
    concerning security, traffic problems, noise, waste disposal, and
    environmental impact.
    
    Massachusetts State Senator Thomas Norton, under whose jurisdiction the
    track would fall, attended the meeting and expressed optimism for the
    plan, but cautioned that no off-track betting legislation would be
    filed in the state until a solid proposal for a Thoroubred track was in
    the works.  Plans call for King Phillip Downs, which will have a
    capacity of 5,000, to be a part of a simulcast system involving eight
    to 10 teletheaters scattered throughout Massachusetts.
    
    A meeting regarding zoning language will take place on March 7, and a
    task force consisting of community leaders and citizens studying the
    track project is expected to report its findings on March 29.  A town
    meeting to vote on the project could be scheduled for as soon as early 
    April.
    
    From The Blood Horse dated Feb.24, 1990.
      

    
    
    According to a report in the Feb. 15 JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN VETERINARY
    MEDICAL ASSOCIATION, a problem with botulism in horses in California in
    late 1989 was attributed to contamination with a Clostridium botulism
    organism in alfalfa hay cubes.  Forty-five horses were reported to have
    been affected, with 32 deaths.
    
    The toxin interferes with proper function of a horse's nerve endings. 
    Symptoms of botulism can range from mild locomotor abnormalities to
    death within a short period of time.
    
    Contamination with a Clostridium botulinum organism can occur in
    decaying or decomposed animal or plant material.  If hay is baled too
    wet, and is baled compactly (which prevent oxygen from entering the
    bale), then it could promote growth of the organism from the
    contamination source.
    
    Animals, such as rodents, occasionally are killed in the process of
    baling hay, and dead animals are a prime source of the Clostridium
    botulinum toxin.  Therefore, all tightly baled hay should be broken
    open and inspected for animal skeletons or skins before being fed to
    horses.  Hay that contains animals should be discarded.
    
    From The Blood Horse dated Feb.24, 1989.
    

    
    
    Ogden Phipps' Personal Ensign produced her first foal, a Mr. Prospector
    colt, on Feb. 15, at Claiborne Farm (Seth Hancock, president) near
    Paris, Kentucky.  Champion older distaffer of 1988, Personal Ensign
    retired unbeaten in 13 starts in her career after she won the Breeders'
    Cup Distaff (gr. I).  That event was voted Race of the Year for 1988 by
    readers of THE BLOOD HORSE.  Personal Ensign is scheduled to be bred
    this year to Danzig.
    
    From The Blood Horse dated Feb. 24, 1990.
    

    
    
    Various combination wagers, traditionally called exotic wagering, as
    distinguished from straight win-place-show wagering, were addressed
    during a TRA seminar.  As New York Times racing columnist Steven Crist 
    remarked, the term exotic is now a misnomer. 
    
    "On a recent afternoon at Gulfstream Park," Crist pointed out,
    "$650,000 was bet on win, place, and show, and $1.25 million was bet on
    so-called exotics.
    
    "If we stopped exotic wagering, we would not have racing, in some
    cases," noted Crist., a panel member who spoke up strongly for the
    concept of combination wagers.  Crist added that he believes bettors
    should have a $1 bet option on multiple wagers.
    
    "Many customers won't spend $24 for a three-horse exacta box (with a $2
    bet minimum), but they would spend $6 (with a $1 bet minimum)," Crist
    said.  He also disputed fears that multiple race combinations reduce
    the churn by tying up a bettor's money longer than betting one race at
    a time.  He said he doubts that bettors will place bets on multiple
    race combinations and then stand idly by and watch the program unfold
    without also having some action on each individual race.
    
    Crist urged tracks to recognize that they are in the "business of
    selling parimutual tickets" and to continue to provide exotic wagers,
    especially multiple-race bets.
    
    The proposition that exotic wagering is now actually mainstream
    wagering was bourne out by a study reported on by Tim Schmad, assistant
    general maager of Ak-Sar-Ben.  Schmad, however, said his track's survey
    had found "mixed reviews" and a focus group indicated "real
    handicappers are pretty well split on the subject, which suprised us".
    
    At the Nebraska track's live meeting, 55 per cent of the betting was on
    exotics and 45 per cent on straight betting.  At a recently concluded
    session of only simulcasting (from Fairgrounds), however, the
    percentage bet on exotics was higher, 63 per cent. with 37 per cent bet
    on straight wagers.
    
    From The Blood Horse dated Feb. 24, 1990.
     

    
    
    One winning ticket in Remington Park's Pick Six on Feb. 24 was worth
    $1,070,482.  Remington's handle for the entire day's program was a
    record $ 2,808,243.  Attendance was 23,280, second-highest in the
    history of the Oklahoma track.
    
    From The Blood Horse dated Mar. 3, 1990.
    
    

    
    
    Hollywood Park has changed the name of the Premiere Handicap (gr. IIT)
    to the Shoemaker Handicap in honor of recently retired Hall-of-Fame
    rider Bill shoemaker, who captured his 1,000th career stakes win when
    he won the 1989 Premiere aboard Peace.  The eight-furlong,
    $100,000-added race for three-year-olds will be run on April 29.
    
    Shoemaker also won the Premiere, first run in 1938, aboard Special
    Touch (1951), Pet Bully (1953), Stranglehold (1954), Fleet Discovery
    (1967), and Farnesio (1979).  He is scheduled to make his training
    debut when the Hollywood meeting opens on April 25.
    
    From The Blood Horse dated Mar. 3, 1990.
    

    
    
    Preceding the 116th Kentuckey Derby (gr. I) on May 5, Churchill Downs
    will contest nine stakes, including the April 28 Derby Trial Stakes
    (gr. III) and the May 4 Kentucky Oaks (gr. I).  Those three races are
    among eight graded events on Churchill's 22-stakes schedule , worth a
    total of $2-million, for the track's spring meeting (April 28-July 1).
    
    The Kentucky Derby, first event in racing's Triple Crown, is a 1
    1/4-mile race for three-year-olds worth $350,000-added.  One of the
    final Derby prep races, the Derby Trial is a one-mile race.  Run the
    same day as the $200,000-added Kentucky Oaks, a 1 1/8-mile race for
    3-year-old fillies, is the $150,000-added Louisville Budweiser 
    Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. II), a 1 1/16-mile race for fillies and
    mares, 3-year-old and up.
    
    From The Blood Horse dated Mar. 3, 1990.
    
    

    
    
    Because of the closing of Hialeah, one of the traditional prep races
    for the Kentucky Derby (gr. I), the Falmingo Stakes, will not be run on
    April 7.  To provide trainers with another opportunity to race their
    classic candidates in Florida, Gulfstream is offering a $200,000-added
    race called the Preview Stakes on April 7.  The 1 1/8-mile Preview will
    fall three weeks after the Florida Derby (gr. I) and a month before the
    Kentucky Derby.
    
    The Preview will be run the same day as the Gotham Stakes (gr. II) and
    the Santa Anita Derby (gr. I).  The race will be televised on ABC's
    "Wide World of Sports".
    
    

    
    
    Ernie Samual's Sam-Son Farm and trainer Jim Day lost their leading
    United States Triple Crown candidate when the 1989 Canadian champion
    2-year-old, Sky Classic, was found to have a hair-line fracture of his
    right hind pastern after he won the Grey Stakes (gr. III) last October.
    The half-brother to Canadian champions Classy 'n Smart, Grey Classic,
    and Regal Classic is recuperating at Sam-Son's Ocala, Fla., farm and is
    being pointed to the Canadian Triple Crown, which commences with the
    Queen's Plate (Can-IR) in July.
    
    From The Blood Horse dated Mar. 3, 1990.
    
    

    
    
    Gold Digger, dam of major winner and leading sire Mr. Prospector, was
    destroyed on Feb. 21 at Spendthrift Farm (Cap Hershey, president) near
    Lexington because of the infirmities of old age.  She was buried in the
    Lion's Circle cemetery at the farm.
    
    Bred by Spendthrift founder Leslie Combs II in partnership with his
    uncle, Brownell Combs, Gold Digger won five stakes and earned $127,255
    while racing in the name of Mrs. Leslie Combs II.  Her second foal, Mr.
    Prospector (by Raise A Native) was purchased by A.I. (Butch) Savin for 
    $220,000 at the 1971 Keenland summer yearling sale.  The price was the
    second-highest paid for a yearling in 1971.
    
    Mr. Prospector excelled at sprinting, running six furlongs in 1:07 4/5
    at Gulfstream Park.  The 20-year-old stallion, which twice has topped
    the leading sires' list, has sired 94 stakes winners, including 13
    champions.
    
    Some four weeks after Mr. Prospector won the 1974 Gravesend Handicap,
    his yearling full brother was sold for a then-record $625,000 at the
    Keenland summer sale.  Named Kentucky Gold, the colt won one of seven
    races.  Six years later, a Northern Dancer-Gold Digger yearling colt
    was sold for $1.4 million at the Keenland July sale.  Only two other
    yearlings of 1980 commanded a higher price.
    
    From The Blood Horse dated Mar. 3, 1990.
     

    
    
    Phil Teinowitz' major winner Cryptoclearance, racing's 11th-leading
    money earnerto have raced in North America, has been retired from
    racing after suffering a pulled digital sesamoid ligament on the inside
    of his left foreleg during a workout at Gulfstream Park on Feb. 18. 
    The 6-year-old horse worked six furlongs in 1:14 in preparation fot the 
    Feb. 24 Donn Handicap (gr. I) under the direction of trainer Flint S.
    (Scotty) Schulhofer.
    
    Cryptoclearance (Fappiano-Naval Orange, by Hoist the Flag) was bred in
    Kentucky by Thomas P. Whitney.  Teiniwitz purchased Cryptoclearance for
    $190,000 at the 1985 Keenland September yearling sale from the
    consignment of Eaton-Williams, agent.
    
    Cryptoclearance developed a reputation as a game come-from-behind
    competitor by finishing in the top three in 25 added-money races.  He
    won eight graded stakes, including the 1987 Florida Derby (gr. I) and 
    Pegasus Handicap (gr. I) and the 1989 Donn and Weidner (gr. I)
    Handicaps.
    
    Cryptoclearance placed in 11 grade I stakes, including the 1987
    Belmont, Preakness, Flamingo, and Travers stakes and the 1989 Jockey
    Club Gold Cup.  He also ran fourth in the Kenyucky Derby (gr. I).  He
    was retired with 12 wins from 44 races and earnings of $3,376,327.
    
    From The Blood Horse Mar. 3, 1990.

    
    
    The Aag Khan's homebred 1989 English champion filly Aliysa has been
    retired from racing.  Stabled at Duncan, Ben, and Frank Taylor's Taylor
    Made Farm near Nicholasville, Ky., the 4-year-old filly is scheduled to
    be bred to Blushing Groom, which raced for the Aga Khan.
    
    Irish-bred Aliysa (Darshaan-Alanya, by Relko) won the 1989 Oaks Stakes
    (Eng-I) and Oaks Trial Stakes.  She later tested positive for the drup
    camphor following her classic win.  According to David Pipe, a
    representative for the English Jockey Clu, an inquiry is scheduled to
    be held this spring to decide whether she should be disqualified.
    
    In her two other races last year, Aliysa ran second in the Irish Oaks
    (Ire-I) and finished unplaced in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Fr-I).
    She retired with three wins from five races and earnings of $286,155.
    
    From The Blood Horse Mar. 3, 1990.
    

    
    
    Divisional rivals as 3-year-olds in 1988, champion Risen Star and major
    winner Forty Niner recently sired their forst foals.  The Forty Niner
    foal, a filly from Berth, was foaled at Claiborne Farms near Paris,
    Ky., on Feb. 6 and was bred by Cherry Valley Farm and William Haggin
    Perry.  The Risen Star foal, a colt from Mazatleca, was foaled at Three
    chimneys Farm near Midway Ky., on Jan. 29 and was bred by Axmer Stable.
    
    The Blood Horse Mar. 3, 1990.
    

    
    
    Gene Klein, who reached sports pinnacles as owner of the San Diego
    Chargers and a Kentucky Derby winner, died Monday.  He was 69.
    
    Klein, who owned the Chargers for 18 years before selling the club in
    1984, was stricken at his home.  He was pronounced dead at a hospital.
    
    Klein reportedly was suffering from an irregular heartbeat.  He had a 
    history of heart problems, including a 1981 seizure on the witness
    stand in Los Angeles during the Raiders antitrust suit against the NFL.
    
    One of Klein's last acts as Chargers owner was to help persuade other
    owners to award San Diego its first Super Bowl game, which was played
    at Jack Murphy Stadium in 1988.  But Klein left football disillusioned
    by labor and drug problems and his feud with Raiders managing general
    partner Al Davis.
    
    After the sale of the club, Klein became heavily involved in
    Thoroughbred racing.  He often said that he didn't have to worry about
    a horse demanding to renegotiate a contract or staging a holdout for
    more hay.
    
    One of Klein's fillies, Winning Colors, captured the 1988 Kentucky
    Derby.  His horses also won seven Breeders' Cup races.
    
    From the Gazette Telegraph Mar. 13, 1990.
    

    
    
    Multiple stakes winner Agitated Lady produced the first Ferdinand foal,
    a chestnut filly, on Jan. 19 at M. W. Miller's Deer Lawn Farm near
    Winchester, Ky.  Agitated Lady, owned by the partnership of Deer Lawn
    Farm, John W. Russell, and Robert Mayes, will be bred to Majestic
    Light.  Ferdinand, 1987 Horse of the Year and champion older horse,
    earned $3,777978 during his career.  His wins include triumphs in the
    1986 Kentucky Derby (gr. I) and 1987 Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I).
    
    The Blood Horse Mar. 10, 1990.
    
    

    
    
    The purse of the Hollywood Gold Cup Handicap (gr. I) has been increased
    $5000,000 to $1 million, making the race one of 15 grade I races
    currently run in the United States that are worth $1 million or more.
    Hollywood Park is the only track in the country to offer two $1 million 
    races, the other being the Hollywood Futurity (gr. I) for 2-year-olds.
    
    The 51st Gold Cup, a 10-furlong race for three-year-olds and up, will
    be run on June 24, and prospective starters include Horse of the Year
    Sunday Silence.  Racing secretary Eual G. Wyatt Jr. said that horsemen
    who keep Gold Cup nominees eligible with a sustaining payment of $3,000
    on or before May 9 will not have to pay a nomination or starting fees
    to race those horses in the May 20 Mervin LeRoy Handicap (gr. I) or the
    June 3 California Stakes (gr. I).
    
    The Gold Cup is one of 35 stakes worth $5.9 million to be run during
    Hollywood's spring/summer meeting from April 25 through July 23.  Nine
    of the stakes are grade I events.
    
    The Blood Horse Mar. 10, 1990. 

    
    
    A three-month investigation by the Thoroughbred Racing Protective
    Bureau, the FBI, and the Kentucky State Police into a sceme to kill
    race horses to collect insurance money has resulted in the arrest of
    Dr. Joseph James Brown at Calder Race Course.  When Dr. Brown, a
    dentist from Shelby County, Ky., was arrested on Feb. 17, he had two
    vials of a clear, unnamed liquid and two syringes hidden in his socks,
    according to the FBI report.
    
    Through the work of the TRPB undercover agent Chris Blubaugh, Dr.
    Brown's scheme was revealed early in the year.  Dr. Brown was to have
    received $15,000 for killing one horse by injection when he was
    arrested.  Three days later, he was released on a $5,000 bond.  Dr.
    Brown has named as his attorney his brother, Bart Brown of Cincinnati,
    Ohio.  If he is convicted, he could receive a five-year prison sentence
    and as much as a $1,000 fine.
    
    The Blood Horse Mar. 10, 1990.
    

    
    
    New information has been provided to help decide whether left laryngeal
    hemiplegia (roaring) is inherited.  The Cornell University College of
    Veterinay Medicine's March issue of ANIMAL HEALTH NEWSLETTER reported
    researchers in Switzerland have issued a preliminary report on a
    possible genetic basis for the condition.
    
    The research involved endoscoping 47 offspring of an affected stallion
    and a control group of 50 unrelated horses to compare the occurance of
    the condition.  The researchers reported 47 percent of the related
    group were affected or suspected of having the condition, compared to
    10 percent in the control group.  the result seems to support the
    theory of a genetic link.
    
    Researchers also noted the affected offspring were "significantly
    taller than the sound offspring, reaffirming the long-held association
    between laryngeal hemiplegia and height."
    
    The Cornell publication also included a report on a study by Linda
    Hunter and Katherine A. Houpt on bedding prefeneces of equines.  Using
    ponies and video monitoring, the researchers determined the animals
    preferred bedded stalls over non-bedded concrete stalls.  There were
    some individual preferences in type of bedding such as straw vs. wood
    shavings.  The keynote to the study was that although equines spend
    only a small porion of their time lying down, that time is critical.
    
    "REM (rapid eye movement) or paradoxical sleep can only take place when
    the animal is lying down, and REM sleep is essential for good health,"
    the report stated.  "Thus, a bedded stall can be considered a
    prerequisite for REM sleep.
    
    "A horse given only concrete or a muddy paddock may well wind up not
    getting adequate REM sleep.  And it might well be that some of the
    so-called behavorial problems seen in horses stalled without adequate
    bedding are due to insufficient REM sleep."
    
    The Blood Horse Mar. 10, 1990.
     

    
    
    Statistics on pinhooking reveal that buying horses for resale at public
    auction is a thriving business within the Thoroughbred industry. 
    Pinhooking can be a risky venture, however, because of training
    expenditures and the multitude of things that can go wrong before it is
    time to resell the animal.  Despite the risks, the number of horses
    purchased for resale continues to grow, and for the professional, it
    can be a lucrative business.
    
    Of the 190 juvinals sold at the Fasig-Tipton Florida sale of
    2-year-olds in training from Feb. 26-March 1 at Calder Race Course, 127
    were sold last year as yearlings.  Average price brought by the 127
    last year as yearlings was $35,264.  At the four-day Calder sale, that
    group sold for an average of $72,614, an increase of 51 per cent.
    
    The Blood Horse March 10, 1990.
    

    Los Alamitos Harness invited eight top thoroughbred jockeys from
    Santa Anita to participate in a charity driving exhibition at the
    southern California track late in January.  As its part in the 
    proceedings, Los Alamitos donated $10,000 to the Don MacBeth
    Memorial Fund for disabled jockeys-and one of the participants
    in the exhibition nearly became a qualified recipient of the fund!
    
    In the exhibitions four-horse raceoff, pacer Trixie Norton, driven
    by renowned jock Laffit Pincay stumbled leaving the gate from the
    three-hole and pitched Pincay out of the jog cart.  He sustained a
    fractured right collarbone and was expected to miss riding assignments
    for at least a month.  Jockeys Chris McCarron, Gary Stevens, and
    Rafael Meza managed to avoid the fallen horse and driver.
    
    The exhibition race drew one of the largest crowds of the season at
    Los Alamitos, but track officials believe the $1.15 million in
    handle would have been higher except for a temporary malfunction
    of the mutuel windows in the grandstand.  Despite the setbacks,
    track publicist Dick Feinberg says Los Alamitos hopes to host a
    similar exhibition again in the future.
    
    Copied from the March 1990 issue of Hoofbeats

    
    
    Jockey Lori Strickland thought a horse was running loose on the track
    during the 11th race at Charles Town on Feb. 28.  She and her mount
    were racing last in the 10-horse field when she heard another jockey,
    Lillian Kuykendall, yell, "Loose horse!"
    
    Strickland then saw outriders coming toward the field, and a few
    strides later on, she saw what happened.  The starting gate had not
    been moved and was blocking the track, and the horses still had almost
    a lap to go in a 1 1/16-mile race over the six furlong track.
    
    A one-inch thick locking pin that connects the starting gate to a
    waiting tractor had broken, preventing the gate crew from removing the
    equipment from its position across the backstreatch.  Starter Joe
    Graham radioed the stewards, who informed announcer Costy Caras and
    outriders Art Muzzy and Clyde Best of the situation.
    
    "I couldn't hear him (Caras)," Strickland said, "but he was telling the
    riders to pull up.  No one was sure what had happened."  
    
    Galloping the wrong way to meet the field head on, the outriders
    gathered the pony riders, and the troop charged along the outside of
    the track to help the jockeys pullup their mounts.
    
    "Within 40 seconds everybody was under control," state steward Joe
    Servis said.  "That's nothing you can rehearse."
    
    Stewards declared the race no contest, and the track refunded $47,673
    wagered.  Now the starting gate is equipped with a locking pin at each
    end.  The incident cost Charles Town's leading rider, Tim Marchant, a
    chance at winning a race for the seventh consecutive day.  Marchant's
    mount was making a move to the lead when the race was halted.
    
    The Blood Horse Mar. 17, 1990.
    

    
    
    Zenya Yoshida, one of Japan's leading breeders, has purchased a
    25-percent interest in 1989 Horse of the Year Sunday Silance, majority
    owner Arthur Hancock announced on March 8.  The purchase price was
    reported to be $2.25 million.
    
    Hancock said he and Sunday Silence's other owners, trainer Charlie
    Whittingham and Dr. Ernest Gaillard, were approched several weeks ago
    about selling the horse to Yoshida, his son Teruya Yoshida, and other
    Japanese interest.  Hancock said he and his partners turned down an
    initial offer of $7 million by the group and another offer of $10
    million made by the elder Yoshida.
    
    Acceptance of the first two offers would have meant that Sunday Silence
    would have raced in this country this year, then be exported to Japan
    for stud duty.  Under the agreement that was made, Sunday Silence will
    complete his racing career in this country, then will enter stud at
    Hancock's Stone Farm near Paris, Ky., where the colt was foaled and
    raised.  The dual classic winner has been returned to training and is
    scheduled to make his 4-year-old debut during the Hollywood Park
    meeting, which begins on April 25.
    
    Zenya Yoshida has been a prominent buyer in this country for nearly two
    decades.  In 1973, Yoshida was part of a four-man partnership that
    purchased Wajima for a then-record $600,000 at the Keenland summer
    yearling sale. At the Keenland summer yearling sale last year, Yoshida
    paid $2.8 million to purchase the last Norther Dancer colt sold at
    public austion.
    
    The Blood Horse Mar. 17, 1990. 

    
    
    The first foal by mahor winner Lost Code was born on Jan. 17 at Mr. and
    Mrs. David Mowat's Fawn Leap Farm near Midway Ky.  The colt was
    produced from stakes winner Oh So Precious.  Conditioned by Bill
    Donovan, Lost Code won a dozen added-money events while racing at three
    and four for Wendover Stable.  Oh So Precious will be bred to Stom
    Bird.
    
    The Blood Horse Mar. 17, 1990.
    
    

    
    
    Breederrs cup Turf (gr. IT) winner Prized, which captured the March 4
    Arcadia Handicap (gr. IIIT), is being syndicated into 40 shares, worth
    $150,000 each.  The colt's current owners, Clover Racing Stable and
    Meadowbrook Farms, will retain half the shares.
    
    Prized, which will continue to remain in training with Neil Drysdale,
    will make his next start in the March 25 San Luis Rey Stakes (ge. IT)
    at Santa Anita.  His future races might include the Hollywood Gold Cup 
    Handicap (gr. I), Arlington Million (gr. IT), and Breeders' Cup Turf.
    Syndicate members will decide wheter the colt will remain in training
    next year or will be retired to stud.  Barbara LeCroix, whose
    Meadowbrook also bred Prized, hopes the colt will stand in Florida.
    
    The Blood Horse Mar. 17, 1990.
    

    
    
    
    Flaxman Holdings Limir=ted's Miesque, a multiple champion in Europe and
    this country, produced her first foal, a Mr. Prospector colt, on Feb.
    19, at William S. Farrish's Lane's End Farm near Versailles, Ky.  An
    earner of $2,096,517, Miesque won 10 grade or group I races, including
    consecutive runnings of the Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT) and was
    awarded nine championships.
    
    The Blood Horse Mar. 17, 1990.

    
    
    Joseph James Brown, a Kentucky dentist, and Robert Turner West, a
    Kentucky bloodstock agent, each pled guilty to a conspiracy charge in
    connection with the killing of a race horse to collect on a $100,000
    insurance policy in 1987.  The pleas were entered in U. S. District
    Court in Lexington on March 16.
    
    A federal investigation into the crime is continuing, said Assistant U.
    S. Attorney Jane Graham, who would not name the dead horse or its
    owners.
    
    Brown and West each pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit
    wire and mail fraud based on a plea agreement worked out on March 8. 
    Both men face up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. 
    Sentencing was delayed indefinitely at Graham's request.
    
    Brown will not be prosecuted by the federal government further in the
    Thoroughbred's death or on any charges stemming from a sting operation
    conducted by the FBI that caught Brown and West in February at Calder
    Race Course in Florida.
    
    Brown was charged with wire fraud in U. S. District Court in Miami,
    Fla., in the wake of a sting, but the charge was dismissed on March 1.
    West was not charged in that incident.
    
    The Blood Horse Mar. 24, 1990. 

    
    
    Top female jockey Julie Krone might not ride again until July.  She
    recently underwent her second bone graft operation since breaking her
    left forearm in a spill at Meadowlands in November of 1989.
    
    During the March 8 surgury, performed at the Hackensack Medical Center
    in New Jersey, doctors grafted bone from her hip to the injured arm and
    inserted a metal plate.
    
    The Blood Horse Mar. 24, 1990.
    

    
    
    Mjor sire Blushing Groom, which stands at Graham Beck's Gainesway Farm
    near Lexington, has had the number of mares in his book reduced from 45
    to 22 for the 1990 breeding season.  Recommendation for the reduction
    came from Gainesway's resident veterinarian, Dr. Norman Umphenour, and
    Dr. Tom Riddle of Rood & Riddle veterinary clinic.
    
    Blushing Groom already has covered the 22 mares sinbce the breeding
    season began in mid-February.  Eleven of the mares were tested by
    ultrasound examination, which revealed that none of them were in foal
    to the 16-year-old stallion.
    
    "We have carefully monitored Blushing Groom's situation," said
    Gainesway executive vice president Roger J. Wolf.  "It is believed that
    with proper management, the horse can continue to cover the reduced
    book and hav ethe best possibile opportunity to achieve a satisfactory
    percentage of mares in foal without adversely risking the stallion's
    future fertility."
    
    Blushin Groom in 1988 underwent surgery to remove on testicle
    containing a malignant tumor.  The stallion returned to complete the
    1988 breeding season and also bred successfully last year.  Under the
    terms of Blushing Groom's syndicate agreement, shareholders excluded
    this year because of the reduced book will be the first ones eligible
    to breed to the stallion in 1991.
    
    Blushing Groom has sired 61 stakes winners.  The stallion was
    represented by a dozen stakes winners in 1989, including champion
    Nashwan in England and champion older male Blushing John in this
    country.
    
    The Blood Horse Mar. 24, 1990.  

    
    
    Mares have been bred and reported in foal to the stallions El Gran
    Senor and Zilzal, both of which have suffered from fertility problems.
    Zilzal, which is standing at Shaikh Maktoum's Gainsborough Farm near
    Versailles, Ky., was found to have a low sperm count following his
    retirement in November of last year.  The 1989 English cahmpion was
    bred to major winner Prayers'n Promises and group II winner Greenland
    Park, and both mares have been pronounced in foal.
    
    Since the beginning of this year, Zilzal has been fitted with a pump
    that suppliments GnRH, a hormone necessary for sperm production.  With
    two mares pronounced in foal to Zilzal, Gainsborough Farm manager Allan
    Kershaw said additional mares will be sent to the stallion.  Kershaw
    said the mares will come from owners who supported the farms other
    stallion, Shadeed.
    
    European champion El Gran Senor, which entered stud in 1985 and
    currently stands at Ashford Stud near Versailles, Ky., has been
    represented by small foal crops after suffering from fertility problems
    during his first two seasons at stud.  El Gran Senor's fertility has
    improved each year, and the stallion has sired five stakes winners,
    including 1990 added-money winner Bright Candles.  Each of the first
    four mares bred to El Gran Senor this year have been pronounced in
    foal.
    
    The Blood Horse Mar. 24, 1990.

    
    
    The Kentucky State Racing Commission recently upheld the 180-day
    suspension of a blacksmith who allegedly removed the shoes of a horse
    without the owner's permission prior to a race last fall at Keenland. 
    The ban, issued by Keenland stewards, was appealed by farrier James W.
    Thomas.
    
    Elijah Hogge, the racing commission's hearing officer, recommended to
    the commission that the stewards' ruling be affirmed.  Rio's Lark's
    shoes were removed prior to the Keenland Breeders' Cup Stakes (gr.
    IIIT) on Oct. 21 at Keenland, and the race's start was delayed while
    the horse was reshod in the paddock.  Rio's Lark. sent off at 16-1
    odds, finished seventh in the field of 10.
    
    According to Hogge's report, the stewards record stated that Thomas
    claimed that Rio's Lark's trainer and breeder, Lowell T. Stevens, owed
    him money for farrier services.  Thomas had made threats to remove the
    shoes if the debt was not satisfied.
    
    The Blood Horse Mar.31, 1990
     

    
    
    The Taylor Made Thoroughbred Intern Program has been established to
    provide training for future horsemen.  The practical experience offered
    by the program will involve working on Taylor Made Farm near
    Nicholasville, Ky. under the supervision of the program director,
    Satish Seemar, and divisional managers.  
    
    A native of India, Seemar has a degree in horse husbandry from Shast
    College in Northern California, and he studied animal scienc at
    California Polytechnic State University, where he completed the
    Thoroughbred Enterprise Project.  Seemar studied equine reproduction at 
    Colorado State Universityand interned with horseman Monty Roberts
    before he moved to Kentucky.
    
    Ten students per year will be accepted for the program that will begin
    on Feb. 1 and require 18 months for completion..  The program has no
    tuition fees and includes free accomodations and a salery of $200.00
    per week.  The program's managing and advisory committeeincludes
    Seemar, and Joe, Duncan, Ben, and Frank Taylor, plus Dr. Michael
    Osborne, Monty Roberts, Dr. Ward Crow, Dr. Jim Moorhead, and Dr. Scott
    Pierce.
    
    "We want to improve the standards of the horse business," Seemar said,
    "and our goal is to have ambassadors for Taylor Made in different parts
    of the world."
    
    Requirements for completion of the program include six multiple-choice
    exams, attendance at guest-speaker engagements, and four written
    reports by the student on Taylor Made history, farm layout, work
    routines, foaling management, yearling preparation, bloodstock and farm
    management.  Each student also will be assessed by the program director
    regarding abilities in stable management, horse handling, pasture
    management, property maintenance, lanscaping skills, and machinery
    operation and maintenance.
    
    Deadline for application will be Oct. 30.  Requirements and
    qualifications for admission include one to two years of previous
    experience on a farm and a positive attitude toward the program and
    Thoroughbred industry.  A foreign student must be able to write and
    speak the English language and have his proper legal documentation.
    
    The Blood Horse Mar. 31, 1990.
    
    

    
    
    For a $3,000 late nomination fee, 33 more 3-year-olds were made
    eligable for the Triple Crown by the final March 17 deadline.  The
    total was a record for late nominees since the nomination procedure was 
    changed in 1986 to include all three clasic: The Kentucky Derby (gr.
    I), Preakness Stakes (gr. I), and Belmont Stakes (gr. I).
    
    Among this year's late nominees were Hail Atlantis, winner of the Santa
    Anita Oaks (gr. I); Real Cash, winner of the San Felipe Handicap (gr.
    II); Heaven Again, winner of the Louisiana Derby (gr. III); and Wicked
    Destiny, winner of the Remington Park Derby.  Other late nominees
    Tarascon, Stalker, Spiced Coffee, and Seasabb.
    
    With late nominations, a total of 348 runners are eligible for the 1990
    Triple Crown.  The figure is the lowest since the three-race nomination
    procedure was implemented.
    
    The Blood Horse Mar. 31. 1990.   

    
    
    Triple Crown candidates Champagneforashley and Adjudicating underwent
    recent setbacks.  Champagneforashley, owned by Robert Baker, Howard
    Kaskel, and Leon J. Feinbloom, apparently suffered a mild colic attack
    on March 20, two days after capturing the Tampa Bay Derby.  Trainer
    Howad Tesher reported on March 22 that the colt's condition was
    improving, but that he was still not eating normally.
    
    Ogden Mills Phipps' homebred Adjudicating, which finished second in the
    Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park on March 10, was sidelined by a viral
    illness.  Trainer Shug McGaughey said the colt will miss the Kentuck
    Derby (gr. I).
    
    The Blood Horse Mar. 31, 1990.
    

    
    
    *	A full brother to Canadian chmpion Bessarabian was foaled on Jan.
    	23 at Harry and Lynne Hindmarsh's farm near Hillsburgh, Ontario. 
    	The Vice Regent colt was produced from the Hindmarshes' Tete de
    	Linotte.
    
    *	Richard L. Duchossois' stakes-winning Hot Milk produced a colt by
    	Horse of the Year Fedinand on Feb. 28 at Duchossois Hill 'N Dale
        Farm near Barrington, Illinois.  Hot Milk will be bred to Blushing
    	John.
    
    *	Frances A. Genter's millionaire and major winner Tappiano produced
    	her first foal, a filly by Dr. Carter, on March 7 at Graham Beck's 
    	Gainsway Farm near Lexington.
    
    *	On March 4, the day Mr. and Mrs. Jerome S. Moss' Ruhlmann won the
    	Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I), the winners dam, Indian Maiden, 
    	produced a filly by Fappiano at Dick Randolph's Randolph Farm near
    	Versailles, Ky.
    
    *	Dahlia, a champion in Europe and North America, produced a Lyphard
    	colt on Feb. 27 at Allen Paulson's Brookside Farms near Versailles,
    	Ky.  The foal is a full brother to major winner Dahar and a
   	half-brother to major winner Rivlia and stakes winner Delegant. 
    	Dahlia was scheduled to be bred back to Lyphard.
    
    *	Epitome, champion juvinile filly of 1987, produced a Mr. Prospector
    	colt on March 13 at John A. Bell III's Jonabell Farm near
    	Lexington. Epitome was scheduled to be bred back to Nureyev.
    
    The Blood Horse Mar. 31, 1990
    

    
    
    Horse of the Year Sunday Silence, champion Steinlen, and 1989 Breeders
    Cup Turf (gr. IT) winner Prized are ampng the 185 horses nominated to
    the 10th Arlington Million (gr. IT), to be run Sept. 2 at Arlington
    International Racecourse.  Steinlen won the race in 1989.
    
    The Blood Horse March 31, 1990.
    
    

    Could someone please list the major thoroughbred races in the US that
    are held yearly, such as The Preakness and The Florida Derby?  The
    race, track, date, purse, length, and whether or not the race is
    televised.... Thanks.

    Here's the calendar for television coverage of major races, with
    the race, date, and track.  I can't speak for the networks selections.
    They do have the biggest races, but there are also some significant
    omissions.

(ABC* times are approximate; usually a segment on a "Wide World of 
Sports" broadcast)

4/7	Gotham Stakes (g2)		4:30 ESPN Aqu
4/7	Preview Stakes			5:15 ABC* Gulfstream
4/7	Santa Anita Derby (g1)		5:40 ABC*
4/14	Oaklawn Handicap (g1)		5:00 ESPS
4/14	Blue Grass Stakes (g2)		5:30 ABC* Keeneland
4/21	Arkansas Derby Stakes (g2)	5:00 ESPN Oaklawn
4/21	Wood Memorial (g1)		5:15 ABC* Aqu
4/24	Lexington Stakes (g2)		4:00 ESPN Keeneland
4/28	Derby Trial (g3)		5:25 ABC* Churchill
5/4	Kentucky Oaks (g1)		6:00 ESPN Churchill Downs
5/5	Kentucky Derby Special		2:30 ESPN "
	Kentucky Derby (g1)		3:30 ABC
5/12	Pimlico Special Hdcp (g1)	5:25 ABC*
5/19	Preakness stakes special	3:30 ESPN Pimlico
	Preakness Stakes		4:30 ABC
6/9	Belmont Stakes special		3:30 ESPN Bel
	Belmont Stakes			4:30 ABC
6/16	Ohio Derby (g2)			5:00 ESPN Thistledown
7/1	Idaho Centennial Brdrs Classic	4:00 ESPN Les Bois Park
7/21	Caesars Intr. Hdcp (g2)		5:30 ABC* Atlantic City
7/28	Haskell Invitational hdcp (g1)	5:00 ESPN Monmouth
8/4	Whitney Hdcp (g1)		5:00 ESPN Saratoga
8/4	Arlington Inv. Stakes		5:20 ABC* Arlington
8/18	Travers				5:35 ABC* Saratoga
9/2	Arlington Million		5:00 ABC
9/9	Maryland Million		3:30 ESPN Pimlico
9/23	Super Derby (g1)		6:00 ESPN Louisiana Downs
9/30	West Virginia Brdrs Classic	Midnight ESPN Charles Town
10/6	Jockey Club Gold Cup (g1)	6:00 ESPN Bel
10/7	Turf Classic Stakes (g1)	6:00 ESPN Bel
10/20	Breeders's Cup Steeplchase	5:20 NBC* tba
10/21	Budweiser Intr.			5:00 ABC  Laurel
10/27	Breeders' Cup Special		Midnight ESPN Bel
10/27	Breeders' Cup Day		1:30 NBC
11/4	California Cup			6:30 ESPN Santa Anita
12/15	Bay Meadows Hdcp (g2)		6:30 ESPN Bay Meadows

				all times pm / eastern

Weekly wrap-up shows:

Thoroughbred Action	Tues. 6:30-7:00 PM, Sports Channel
Thoroughbred Digest	Weds. 3:30-4:00 PM, ESPN
			 (repeated Thurs. 11-11:30 PM, Fri. 9-9:30 AM)

    

    Could someone please list the major thoroughbred races in the US that
    are held yearly, such as The Preakness and The Florida Derby?  The
    race, track, date, purse, length, and whether or not the race is
    televised.... Thanks.

    Well, here goes...
    
    There are 450 "grades stakes" this year, 94 grade I, 128 grade II,
    and 228 grade III.  "The Blood Horse" prints a guide to the races
    organized by conditions and date.  At the time of printing in January
    many of the dates had not been firmly set but they're listed in
    roughly chronological order.  Here's some I would
    consider most important (all grade I):
    
    Stake			Track   Added Money  Furlongs Date
					( $K )
        2-year-olds
    
    Hollywood Futurity		Hol	$1,000	8
    Hopeful S			Sar	$200	6.5 	Aug.
    Champagne Stakes		Bel	$500	8
    Norfolk S			SA	$200	8.5
    Breeders' Cp Juvenile	Bel	$1,000	8.5 	Oct.27

    	2-year-old fillies
    
    Spinaway S			Sar	$200	6
    Frizette S			Bel	$250	8
    Breeders' Cp Juvenille F.	Bel	$1,000	8.5	Oct. 27
    Hollywood Starlet S		Hol	$500	8
    
    	3-year-olds
    
    Florida Derby		GP	$500	9	March 17
    Santa Anita Derby		SA	$500	9	April 7
    Wood Mem. Invitational S	Aqu	$500	9	April 2
    Kentucky Derby		CD	$350	9	May 5
    Preakness S			Pim	$500	9.5	May 19
    Belmont S			Bel	$500	12	June 9
    Haskell Inv. Hdcp		Mth	$500	9
    Travers S			Sar	$1,000	10	Aug. 18
    Super Derby			LaD	$1,000	10	Sept. 23
    Hollywood Derby		Hol	$200	9T(urf)
    
    3-year-old fillies
    
    Santa Anita Oaks		SA	$200	8.5	March 17
    Ashland S			Kee	$200	8.5	April 21
    Kentucky Oaks		CD	$200	9	May 4
    Acorn S			Bel	$150	8
    Mother Goose S		Bel	$200	9
    Coaching Club Amer. Oaks	Bel	$250	12
    Hollywood Oaks		Hol	$150	9
    Alabama S			Sar	$200	10
    
    3-year-olds and Up
    
    Charles H. Strub S		SA	$500	10	Feb. 4
    Santa Anita H		SA	$1,000	10	Mar. 4
    Oaklawn H			OP	$500	9	April 14
    San Juan Capistrano Inv. H	SA	$500	abt14T	April 22
    Pimlico Special H		Pim	$1,000	9.5	May 12
    Hollywood Turf H		Hol	$500	10T
    Whitney H			Sar	$250	9
    Arlington Million		AP	$1,000	12T	Sept 2
    Woodward H			Bel	$750	10
    Jockey Club Gold Cup	Bel	$1,000	12
    Turf Classic		Bel	$600	12T
    Meadowlands Cup H		Med	$500	10
    Oak Tree Inv. S		SA	$500	12T
    NYRA Mile H			Aqu	$500	8
    Rothmans International H	WO	$900	12T
    Wash. DC International	Lrl	$750	10T
    Breeders' Cup Classic	Bel	$3,000	10	Oct. 27
    "		" Sprint	"	$1,000	6	"
    "		" Mile		"	$1,000	8	"
    "		" Turf		"	$2,000	12T	"
    Hollywood Turf Cup H	Hol	$500	12T
    
    3-years-olds and Up (fillies and mares)
    
    Santa Margarita Inv. H	SA	$300	9	Feb. 18
    Santa Barbara H		SA	$200	10T	Apr. 28
    Vanity H			Hol	$200	9
    Ruffian H			Bel	$200	9
    Beldame S			Bel	$250	9
    Spinster S			Kee	$250	9	Oct. 6
    Breeders' Cup Distaff	Bel	$1,000	9	Oct. 27
    Yellow Ribbon S		SA	$400	10T
    
Track abbreviations:
    
    	Aqu	Aqueduct	(Queens) NY, NY
	CD	Churchill Downs	Louisville, KY
	Hol	Hollywood Park	Hollywood (LA), CA
    	Sar	Saratoga	Saratoga, NY
	Bel	Belmont Park	Elmont (Long Island), NY
	SA	Santa Anita	Los Angeles
	GP	Gulfstrem Park	Hallendale (Miami), Fla.
	Pim	Pimlico		Baltimore, MD
    	Lrl	Laurel		Laurel (Baltimore/Washington), MD
	Mth	Monmouth	Monmouth, NJ
	LaD	Louisiana Downs	New Orleans, LA
	Kee	Keeneland	Lexington, KY
	OP	Oaklawn Park	Oaklawn, Arkansas
	AP	Arlington Int.	Chicago, IL
	Med	Meadowlands	NJ/NY City    
	WO	Woodbine	Toronto


    The terms "graded stakes" and "graded races" are federally registered
    trademarks of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association.
        

    
    
    The Final Fourteen, the championship race in a tournament-style
    competition developed by the Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective
    Association, will be held at Bay Meadows in Northern Clifornia on Oct.
    14.  The 1 1/8 mile event will be worth $250,000.
    
    To qualify for the Final Fourteen, a horse must finish first or second
    in one of seven 1 1/16- mile regional races,each with a purse of
    $50,000.  The races are for 3-year-olds and up which have not won a
    grade I or grade II stakes.
    
    Regional races will be held at Canturbury Downs on Sept. 8; Belmont
    Park, Sept. 9; Philadelphia Park, Sept. 15; Ladbroke DRC, Sept. 22;
    Louisiana Downs, Sept. 29; and Bay Meadows, Sept. 30.  If a horse has
    finished first or second in a regional race subsequently wins a grade I
    or grade II event, that horse will not be permitted to start and he
    will be replaced by the third-place regional finisher in his regional
    race.
    
    
    The Blood Horse April 7, 1990.

    
    
    The 1990 Breeders' Cup Budweiser Special Stakes Program is comprised of
    51 races funded cooperatively by the Breeders' Cup Fund and 40
    participating race tracks in North America.  Seventeen of the added-money
    events have graded status, six more than in 1989.
    
    The Breeders' Cup Ltd. has alloted $4.25 million for the program this
    year.  Distributed through the Breeders' Cup Fund, the money represents 
    a portion of the fees paid by North American owners and breeders to
    make their runners eligible for the program. The combined purses from
    the Breeders' Cup and the race tracks will total more than $6.6 million
    for horses which are nominated to the Breeders' Cup.
    
    For 34 of the races, the Breeders' Cup will contribute $100,000 toward
    the purse while the host track will provide a minimum of $50,000.  In 
    17 races the Breeders' Cup is offering $50,000 and the host track will
    provide no less than $25,000.
    
    In all Special Stakes, horses nominated to the Breeders' Cup program
    race for the full purse, while non-nominated horses compete only for
    the money provided by the track.  The Breederrs' Cup Budweiser Special
    Stakes Program is in its fifth year.
    
    The Blood Horse April 7, 1990.
     

    
    
    The historic race course at Hoppegarten in East Berlin on March 31
    staged the first meeting between East and West German horses since the
    Berlin Wall was built in 1961.  The event was a tremendous success,
    with an attendance of 45,000 (approximatly double Hoppegarten's
    post-World War II record crowd) on a beautiful, sunny, spring
    afternoon.  The betting handle of more than $1 million also was a
    record for East Germany.
    
    The only dissapointment for the East Germans was that the racing was
    completely one-sided in favor of their visitors from the west.  In
    fact, the home team did not manage a single success in any of the nine
    races on the card.
    
    However, the Hoppegarten crowd was delighted that the first race of the
    afternoon went to Domingo, ridden by three-time West German champion
    jockey Lutz Mader.  Sixteen years ago, Mader, who had been a star
    apprentice rider at Hoppegarten, managed to escape to the west in his
    second attempt.  He spent nine months in prison after failing in his
    first escape attempt.
    
    Leading West German trainer Heinz Jentzsch, who receantly celebrated
    his 70th birthday, began his training career at Hoppegarten and was
    making his first visit there since before the war.  Jentzsch sent out 
    three runners and won with all of them, including the 4-year-old
    Procorum (Waht a Guest-Prioritat)in the principle race, the
    Mercedes-Benz Preis.  Runners trained by Jentzsch also finished second,
    third, and fourth in the race.
    
    Praise came from many visitors at the track, which had its excellent
    turf course in prime condition.  Many of the buildings at Hoppegarten,
    however, now are antiquated, and if East Germany wishes to get on terms 
    with its Western friends, then a great deal of expenditure will be
    necessary to get everything up to date.  There are rumors that Westt
    German speculators already are keeping a close watch on Hoppegarten,
    which could be worth a fortune as building land for new houses and
    apartments.
    
    The Blood Horse April 7, 1990.
    

    
    
    Sunday Silence, Horse of the Year and topweight on THE BLOOD HORSE Free
    handicap for 3-year-olds of 1989, recently worked for the first time
    since undergoing surgury in November of last year.  The 4-year-old colt
    breezed three furlongs in :39 4/5 at Sant Anita on April 25.
    
    Sunday Silence is being pointed for an early summer return to the
    races.  Bone chips were removed from his right knee during last year's
    operation.
    
    The Blood Horse April 14, 1989.
    
    

    
    
    William Haggin Perry's graded stakes winner Slavic, among leading
    candidates for the Kentuckey Derby (gr. I), has been sidelined by a
    strained distal sesamodian ligament in his right front leg.  The colt
    will miss the Run for the Roses, said trainer Scotty Schulhofer on
    April 6.
    
    The injury probably happened during a March 31 workout at Keenland,
    according to Schulhofer.  Slavic was being treated with poultices and
    daily hosing of the injured leg.
    
    Slavic, bred by Claibourne Farm and The Gamely Corporation, has won
    three of nine races and has earned $416,422.  He captured the 1989
    Breeders' Futurity (gr. II).  Other efforts included a second-place
    finish in the 1990 Florida Derby (gr. I).
    
    Another talented3-year-old, Nedlaw Stable's Roanoke, is being given a
    30-day break from training.  Ted A. Sprinkler, Nedlaw's president and
    general partner, said Roanoke came out of the Florida Derby with a
    kidney infection and various bumps and bruises.
    
    Roanoke, winner of three of eight races and an earner of $236,937,
    captured the 1989 Young America Stakes (gr. II).
    
    the Blood Horse April 14, 1990.
    

    
    
    A reduction in size is planned for Dogwood Stables, which races major
    winner and Triple Crown candidate Summer Squall.  The goals are to
    decrease the complications and demands of the business, explained
    Dogwood president Cot Campbell.
    
    "Eighteen years ago, I went into the horse business because I love
    Thoroughbred race horses," Campbell said.  "Luckily, Dogwood has
    enjoyed great sucess and growth.  However, I now find that the
    management of a big 60-horse stable and a staff of 27, and the
    complexities of tax, banking, communications, and security regulatory
    matters--all of which go with forming race horse partnership--consume
    more of me than I want consumed."
    
    Dogwood's 31-stall training complex at the Aiken Training Track in
    Aiken, S.C., will be taken over by Ron Stevens, Dogwood's longtime
    head trainer and vice president.  Stevens will become a public trainer,
    and Dogwood will be his major client.
    
    Other Dogwood plans are to reduce gradually the racing stable size from
    60 to 40 horses and to reduce--"very selectively," said Campbell--the 
    size of its national client base from 200 to less than 100.  Dogwood's
    Chafee Lane office in Aiken will be maintained, but the staff will be
    trimmed as the workload is reduced.     
    
    
    Dogwood specializes in organizing limited partnerships and syndicates
    for race horse ownership purposes.  The stable has races 34 stakes
    winners, including Summer Squall,which was scheduled to compete in the
    Blue Grass Stakes (gr. II) at Keenland on April 14.  Summer Squall was
    kicked by an outrider's pony after winning the March 31 Jim Beam Stakes
    (gr. II) at Turfway Park and suffer a scrape and a small cut on the
    stifle of his left hind leg.  Three days following the Jim Beam,
    Campbell reported the injuries were "healing perfectly" and would not
    disrupt the 3-year-old colt's training schedule.
    
    The Blood Horse April 14, 1990.

    
    
    Following are the results of a national poll ranking contenders for the
    Kentucky Derby (gr. I), Preaknes (gr. I), and Belmont Stakes (gr. I) as
    selected by 34 sports and Thoroughbred racing media representatives. 
    The weekly poll is conducted by Thoroughbred Racing communications.
    
    Listed are the name and rank of each horse, the number of first place
    votes it recieved (in Parenteses), and total points awarded on a
    polling format of 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1.
    
           Horse				  Winner of 
    
    1.	Mister Frisky 		(17)	320	Santa Anita Derby
    2.	Summer Squall 		(15)	319     Jim Beam Stakes
    3.	Champagneforashley      ( 2)	264     Tampa Bay Derby
    4.	Unbridled		....	207     Florida Derby
    5.	Land Rush		....	182
    6.	Thirty Six Red		....	122     Gothem Stakes
    7.	Bright Again		....	102     
    8.	Housebuster		....	 58     Hutcheson St, Lafayette St
    9.	Hail Atlantis		....	 42
    10. Senor Pete		....	 39
                                                

    
    
    Lucian Lauren, who saddled Secritariet and 35 other stakes winners,
    retired recently from training.  Laurin, who celebrated his 78th
    birthday on March 8, is a member of racing's hall of fame.  
    
    "I won't be training again.  No way."Laurin told DAILY RACING FORM. 
    Since Secritariet's racing career ended, Laurin's conditioning
    conditioning career had been marked by several periods of retirement
    and semi-retirement.  
    
    The lack of dependibility of today's stable help was cited by Laurin as
    a factor in his latest retirement decision.  He plans to remain active
    as a breeder and as an owner.
    
    Laurin said he has a partner and they will build a stable of seasoned
    runners through private purchase and claiming.  The horses will be
    trained by Larry Geiger and will be raced this summer at Calder Race
    Course.
    
    The Blood Horse April 28, 1990.
    

    
    
    The prominent insurance firm Lloyd's of London is seeking the nearly
    $100,000 it paid out on an allegedly fraudulant claim.  The claim
    involved an unraced colt named McBlush (Blushing Groom-Cizana, by
    Judgable), which was three at the time of his death.
    
    Joseph James Brown, a Kentucky dentist, and Robert Turner West, a
    Kentucky bloodstock agent, each recently pleaded guilty to one count of
    conspirecy to commit wire and mail fraud in connection with the killing
    of a horse which was determined by Lloyd's of London investigators to
    be McBlush.  The horse was not identified at the time that the pleas
    were entered in United States District Court in Lexington.
    
    The Lexington HERALD-LEADER reported that McBlush was owned by
    Shannon Brook Farms Partnership VI, a Lexington-based limited
    partnership formed in 1983.  The base of the partnership was McBlush's
    dam, Cizana, which was syndicated into 40 shares valued at $18,380
    apiece.
    
    The insurance claim allegedly stated that McBlush died of natural
    causes.  William Renner, former president of Shannon Brook Farms Inc.,
    and coporate secretary of its parent company, Worldwide Equine Corp.,
    said the partnership had not done "anything wrong".  He said he has
    advised partnership members  "to immediately counterclaim against the
    responsible individuals  (Brown and West) for restitution to the
    partnership" if there is any legal action. 
    
    Stephen O'Brien, a Lexington-based attorney representing Lloyd's, said
    the insurance firm is seeking to identify the investors in the
    partnership so that it can try to recover the paid claim.  The
    settlement was reported to have been $99,975.
    
    The Blood Horse April 28, 1990.  

    
    
    	Kentucky Derby runs Saturday - May 5 - televised on Ch. 5 in
    	the Boston area. I believe that's CBS? I don't know what 
    	time, but in the past they usually began background/interest
    	stories around 1:30 in the afternoon, up til post time.
    

    ESPN is covering the racing schedule up to 4:30 on derby day from
    Churchhill Downs.   At 4:30 ABC Ch. 5 is covering the Derby.

    So anyone willing to say who they like to win the Derby?
    
    I'm still flipping between Mr. Frisky and Summer Squall.  I'm a bit
    worried about the heat that developed in Mr. Frisky's ankle last week
    (anyone hear anything about it since then?).  Last I heard he was OK
    the next day, but you never can tell with stuff like that.  I do like
    to see the "cheaper" horses win every now and then.  Will he be another
    Seattle Slew?  I was impressed with Summer Squall's last race - his
    time was better than Mr. Frisky's in the Santa Anita Derby and Summer
    Squall ran on an off track.
    
    						Jan

    
    
    	Sure Jan... I'm going out on a bit of a limb... 32RED!!
    
    	I *REALLY* like him - I like the way he looks - I like
    	the way he runs - and I like his breeding..............
    
    	Soo... here's Holly... hanging out there on a long shot.
    
    	p.s.  And, if Mr Frisky wins it will be cuz he blows them
    	      all away completly.  (I must be leaning towards the
    	      chestnut horses this year)...
    

    My husband heard some news about post positions for the Derby
    yesterday.  Apparently Mr. Frisky is in post position 5 and Laz Barrera
    thinks that's great - post position 5 in a race run on 5/5!  John said
    that Summer Squall has a post position on the outside but couldn't
    remember exactly what it was.  He didn't remember any of the other
    positions.  Anyone else know?  Seems like this would give Mr. Frisky
    an advantage.  If Summer Squall can win from a far outside post
    position, then he's probably a real super horse!
    
    Holly - 32 Red did run a good race in the Wood.  He's my 3rd choice.
    
    						Jan

Derby Post Positions and Churchill Downs' morning line:

1  Dr. Bobby A		Nick Santagate		50-1
2  Killer Diller	James Bruin		50-1
3  Pendelton Ridge	Laffit Pincay, Jr.	20-1
4  Video Ranger		Ron Hansen		30-1
5  Mister Frisky	Gary Stevens		8-5
6  Real Cash		Alex Solis		8-1
7  Fighting Fantasy	Shane Sellers		50-1
8  Country Day		Jose Santos		50-1
9  Unbridled		Craig Perret		12-1
10 Pleasant Tap		Kent Desmoreaux		30-1
11 Silver Ending	Chris McCarron		12-1
12 Thirty Six Red	Mike Smith		10-1
13 Burnt Hills		Pat Valenzuela		20-1
14 Summer Squall	Pat Day			7-5
15 Land Rush		Angel Cordero, Jr.	8-1
16 Power Lunch		Randy Romero		8-1

    

    Thanks for posting the post positions and odds.  Looks like 36 Red is
    toward the outside, too (Holly and I both got his name wrong before,
    but we were close :-).  Anyone hear why Champagneforashley isn't in the
    race?
    
    						Jan

    
    	Wellllll  Jan... we could have called him any number "Red" and
    	he *WAS* impressive in the 1st half.  Where did that UNBRIDLED
    	come from anyway???  I still like him, but it looks like a whole
    	new ball game.......
    
    	Only a 'scridgen' of my memory says that Champagneforashley was
    	never planned to run in the Derby but setting up for the next
    	two.... (Preakness/Belmont)... and got beaten the last time
    	out as well............................
    
    	
    
    

    Unbridled won the Florida Derby and was impressive in that race, but
    not in his last race - he was third, Summer Squall was first.  I
    figured Summer Squall was the better of the two since Pat Day rode both
    and chose to ride Summer Squall in the Derby.  Out of my guesses for
    places 1-4 in the Derby, the only one I got right was Summer Squall for
    2nd.  Maybe I'll do better with the Preakness.
    
    For anyone who didn't see the race (it was a very impressive stretch
    run by Unbridled), the top 4 finishers were:
    
    	1 Unbridled
    	2 Summer Squall
    	3 Pleasant Tap
    	4 Video Ranger
    
    Mr. Frisky "died" in the stretch and ended up 8th.  I think Thirty Six
    Red was 9th.
    
    						Jan

    
    
    The Jockey Club's Ownership Registration Program will be implemented in
    Florida when Calder Race Courses's upcoming meeting opens May 5.  The
    program involves maintaining information on the ownership of
    Thoroughbred race horses in a single-access, computerized system. 
    
    Under the program, every change of the horses's ownership is recorded. 
    Such comprehensive registries long have been maintained by the
    Standardbred and Quarter Horse industries.
    
    The ownership registry program started at Aqueduct in New York in 1988.
    In addition to New York, other states with ownership registries include
    Oklahoma and California, which began participating in the program early
    this year.
    
    The Blood Horse May 5, 1990.
    

    
    
    A Churchill Downs crowd of 128,257 attended this year's Kentucky Derby
    (gr.I).  The on-track patrons wagered $14,775,103 on the 10-race
    program, an increase over the $13.8 million wagered last year.  The
    on-track total is the second-highest ever, following the $15.4 million
    wagered in 1988.  This year, $6,948,762 was wagered at Churchill on the
    Derby alone.  (A record 201 simulcastsites received this year's Derby,
    and the handle was expected to surpass last year's total of $23
    million).
    
    The Blood Horse May 12, 1990.
    

    
    
    Hall-of-Fame trainer Woody Stevens was hospitalized in Louisville's
    Norton General Hospital prior to the Kentucky Derby (gr.I) because of
    reoccuring problems with emphysema.  Stephens' filly De La Devil
    finished fourth in Seaside Attraction's Kentucky Oaks (gr. I).
    
    The Blood Horse May 12, 1990.
    

    
    
    A full brother to 1988 Horse of the Year Alysheba was foaled on Feb. 22
    at Preston Madden's Hamburg Place near Lexington.  The Alydar foal was
    produced from Madden's Bel Sheba, which has been bred to Fappiano.
    
    The Blood Horse may 12, 1990.

    
    
    A man who was free on bond after having been arrested in Louisville,
    Ky., in January for burning a cross in front of a black family's home
    was back in custody on Thursday, May 3, after allegedly threatening to
    kill others and himself at Churchill Downs on the morning of the
    Kentucky Derby (gr. I).According to reports in the Lexington HERALD
    LEADER and the DAILY RACING FORM, Richard Keller was charged on May 4
    with possesion of ammunition by a felon.  He was to be held in
    Jefferson County jail until May 16, when he will be sentenced for the
    cross-burning incident, a violation of the federal civil rights act.
    
    The Blood Horse May 12, 1990.
     

    
    
    A set of racing silks bearing the colors of Queen Elizabeth II was
    scheduled to be presented by the Consul General of England to Arlington
    International Racecourse chairman Richard Duchossois on May 9, opening
    day at Arlington.  The royal colors were registered in 1875.
    
    Last year, the Queen's runner Unkown Quantity scored an upset over
    major winner Blushing John in the Arlington Handicap (gr. IT).  that
    race marked the first time Her Majesty had run a horse in the United
    States since 1954.
    
    Arlington's 134-day meeting will include the 10th Arlington Million
    (gr. IT), part of the tracks three-day (Sept. 1-3) International
    Festival of Racing.
    
    The Blood Horse May 12, 1990.

    
    
    Trainer Carl Nafzger watched Kentucky Derby (gr.I) winner Unbridled jog
    an easy mile the morning after the classic, then said the colt in all
    likelihood would race next in the 1 3/16-mile Preakness Stakes (gr. I)
    on May 19 and pursue the Triple Crown.  Unbridled probably will face
    the beaten favorites in the Derby--second-place finisher Summer Squall
    and eigth-place finisher Mr. Frisky--at Pimlico.
    
    Trainer D. Wayne Lukas said two of his three Kentucky Derby starters,
    Land Rush and Real Cash, are possibilities for the Preakness.  Another
    possible starter, he said was Kentucky Jazz, which won a 1 1/16-mile 
    allowance race at Churchill Downs on Derby day.
    
    Pleasant Tap, which finished third in the Derby, was being shipped to
    Baltimore to train, but the decision on whether to race in the
    Preakness was to be made later by trainer Cris Speckert.  Video Ranger,
    which finished fourth, and Thirty Six Red, which finished ninth, were 
    being pointed for the Belmont Stakes (gr.I) on June 9.
    
    Other possible contenders for the Preakness which did not race in the
    Derby are Champagnefor ashley, Fighting Notion, Music Prospector, and
    Baron De Vaux.  Derby starters which will not race in the Preakness
    include Silver Ending, Pendleton Ridge, and Burnt Hills, all of which
    were being returned to California.
    
    The Blood Horse May 12, 1990.
    

    
    
    THE THOROUGHBRED RECORD magazine, originated as the LIVE STOCK RECORD
    in 1875, is ceasing publication.  the magazine's last issue, the May
    edition, recently was mailed.
    
    The Blood Horse, May 12, 1990.
    

    
    
    The Preakness Stakes (gr. I) will be broadcast May 19, 1990, on ESPN
    at 3:30 p.m. EDT and on ABC from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. EDT.
    
    The Blood Horse May 12, 1990.

    (posted with permission of the mailer)
    
From:	GRANMA::PSHAFER      "Vulture Capitalist" 16-MAY-1990 08:42:22.26
To:	NANOOK::RAWDEN
CC:	PSHAFER
Subj:	Reprinted without permission from the Baltimore Sun

			Trees sway in workout at Pimlico


	If there were trees along the backstretch at Pimlico and if Charlie
Hatton were still writing for the Daily Racing Form, his dispatch might have
read like this:

	"Pleasant Tap worked at Pimlico yesterday.  The trees swayed."

	That's how Hatton the celebrated racing columnist, wrote about the
great colt Raise a Native on a warm July morning in 1964.  Raise a Native
broke down after four races and never ran again.

	Pleasant Tap, who ran third to Unbridled and Summer Squall in the
Kentucky Derby and is not known for fast workouts, blazed through five
furlongs in 57 3/5 seconds.

	Trainer Chris Speckert, stunned by the time, said, "The track is
lightning, but so is this horse."  He said he wasn't worried because the
son of Pleasant Colony had done it so easily.

	Only two other horses are believed to have worked faster at Pimlico
over five furlongs.

	One was Fight Over, who went that distance in 56 4/5 back in 1984
before setting the pace in the Preakness, then finishing third to Gate
Dancer.

	The other was the great colt, Secretariat, who worked the same distance
in 57 2/5 on a Sunday morning before the 1973 Preakness with an estimated
1,000 cheering him on.

	Secretariat went on the sweep the Triple Crown.

	Pleasant Tap's trip was two-fifths of a second off the track record
set in 1971 by Tyrant, a multiple Stakes winner.

	His fractional times each eighth of a mile were equally exciting.  They
were 11 1/5. 22 3/5, 33 3/5 and 45 3/5.  He galloped out to six furlongs in
1 minute, 12 seconds.

	"I had expected him to work in about 59 [seconds]," the trainer said.
"If they like the track, they go fast.  If they don't like it, they don't go
fast.  I don't mind what they go in as long as they do it well and gallop out
and they don't come back stressed and strained and then you don't mind.  He's
a classic horse.  He should be able to do it."

	Speckert will lift Kent Desormeaux aboard Pleasant Tap, who is listed
as a fifth choice at 8-1 in the Preakness.

	The trainer  said Pleasant Tap was not at his best for the Derby.

	"He needed the Derby, and this should set him up perfectly," he said.
"He's a much lighter horse now than he was.  He was a big, fat horse going into
the Derby, and he still ran a great race.  He had to get leg-weary at the end
because that was a lot of weight to carry."

	Asked if Pleasant Tap might race closer to the pace than he did in
the Derby, Speckert acknowledged that the workout might get the colt a little
closer.

	"But I can't get in the gate and push him out," said the trainer.  "His
daddy [1981 Preakness winner Pleasant Colony] ran like this.  You can't change
him.  He does run fast at the end, but you can't make him do anything he doesn't
want to do."

	Speckert had said originally that Pleasant Tap would train at Pimlico,
but a decision to start would depend on his performance on what was a busy day
for Preakness contenders.

	Summer Squall also worked five-eighths of a mile at Pimlico.  He was
timed in 59 4/5 seconds, faster than trainer Neil Howard wanted for the Derby
runner-up.

	"He went faster than we talked about, but I think it was relative [sic]
the way the track was," said Howard.  "I thought it was a good move.  He did it
real nice and handled the track great.  That always makes you feel good."

	Summer Squall is the last of the three top 2-year-old campaigners in
1989 to continue racing on a championship basis.  Both Rhythm and Grand Canyon
have been stymied by injuries.

	Summer Squall still stands with both front legs in a tub of ice during
part of the day.  That's the result of a hairline fracture of the cannonbone
of the right front leg, suffered last August.

	"We used the ultrasound [machine] and the ice," Howard said.  "We've
done that ever since we started him back.  It's just for my own peace of
mind.  We do it every day to him.  I'll ice him on the days he walks."

	Handlers of the colt are continually concerned about the possibility
of him bleeding through the nostrils after a workout or race, the way he did
in Florida.

	Because he cannot be treated with the bleeder medication, Lasix, in
New York, Howard and Cot Campbell, manager of the syndicate that owns Summer
Squall, have announced that he will not race in the Belmont Stakes, regardless
of what happens in the Preakness.

	At Churchill Downs yesterday, unbridled, the Derby champ, went out
for a five-eighths-mile drill.  He reached the finish line in 1:00 2/5 and
galloped out to six furlongs in 1:14.

	The colt heads for Pimlico today.

	Craig Perret, who rode Unbridled in the Derby, came in from New York to
work the colt with trainer Carl Nafzger watching.

	"The work was right on schedule," said Nafzger.  "The horse needed what
he got.  He got the last quarter the same as he did in the Derby.  He did it
easy.  We're happy with him.  He was just right."
    

    
    
    The Preakness lost two bona fide contenders Thursday when
    Champagneforashley and Pleasant Tap were withdrawn because of possible
    career-ending injuries.
    
    Champagneforashley, whose only loss came in a close third-place finish
    in last month's Wood Memorial Stakes, suffered a base fractureof his
    right front sesamoid ( near the rear of the foot) Thursday morning as
    he galloped on a fast track at Pimlico.  Pleasant Tap, third in the
    Kentucky Derby, strained the tendon sheath in his left front foreleg.
    
    Each injury is considered serious enough to force early retirement,
    although neither is life-threatening.
    
    The defections leave nine horsesin Saturday's Preakness, the second leg
    of the Triple Crown. Kentucky Derby winner Unbridled drewpost position
    six Thursday and was made the 7-5 favorite, chief opponents Summer
    Squall and Mister Frisky drew posts 7 and 9 respectively.
    
    After the Wood Memorial ended Champagneforashley's five-race unbeaten
    streak, trainer Howie Tesher persuaded the colt's owners to skip the
    Derby.  Heading for the Preakness with a fresh 3-year-old, Tesher said
    Wednesday, "I feel a lot better about this than any race this year."
    
    Less than 24 hours later, he watched in dismay as Champagneforashley
    pulled up lame after a routine 1 1/4 mile gallop under exercise rider
    Mike Colfer.
    
    "I could see him cock his head to the outside," Tesher said.  "The
    first thing I said to myself was, 'Oh, no.' You don't want to believe
    this is happening.
    
    "At first we were hoping that the shoe they put on him yesterday might
    have been ta little bit too tight.  There was nothing I could say
    happened in the gallop."
    
    Colfer quickly dismounted and Champagneforashley walked back to the
    barn.  X-rays revealed a clean break of the sesamoid.  Surgury is not
    an option.
    
    Pleasant Tap was the talk of Pimlico on Tuesday when he worked five
    furlongs in a sizzling 57.6 seconds.  Thursday trainer Chris Speckert
    said the workout did not caus Pleasant Tap's injury.
    
    "These things come over a period of time," he said.
    
    The Gazette Telegraph sports section May 18, 1990.
     

    
    
    Post positions and entries for the 115th Preakness Stakes.
    
    1.	Music Prospector	30-1 	Oliveras
    2.	Land Rush		10-1	Cordero
    3.	Baron de Vaux		20-1	Rocco
    4.	Kentuckey Jazz		15-1	Desormeaux
    5.	Fighting Notion		30-1	Delgado
    6.	Unbridled		7-5	Perret
    7.	Summer Squall		2-1	Day
    8.	J.R.'s Horizon		50-1	Johnston
    9.	Mister Frisky		3-1	Stevens
    
    	

    NO PREDICTIONS? WELL I'LL MAKE ONE
    
    MISTER FRISKY
    
    WORD IS FAST TRACK SHOULD FAVOR SPEED
    
    LEO

    RE: last few on Preakness
    
    Thanks for posting all of that information!  Now I'm so confused.  I
    liked the way Unbridled went in the Derby.  Haven't decided between him
    and Summer Squall (and yes, Mister Frisky is still in the back of my
    mind!).  If they suddenly get a lot of rain and the track is muddy,
    then I'll go with Summer Squall - I have no idea about the weather back
    east (I'm in WA).  Talk about indecision!  I probably won't make up my
    mind till the post parade.
    
    Too bad about Champagneforashley and Pleasant Tap.  Things sure change
    from one day to the next.

    
    
    Steven Ford, former actor and the son of former President Gerald Ford, 
    will become an ambassador of horse racing as the new associate vice
    president of Turfway Park in Florence, Kentucky.
    
    The 34-year-old former soap opera actor has spent the past 12 years in
    the thoroughbred industry as an owner and working with breeders setting
    up thoroughbred partnerships.
    
    "I've been an owner," Ford said.  "I've worked with trainers.  This
    gives me a chance to get to know the other side of the business."
    
    His job will include promoting Turfway and racing in general at
    conferences and meetings throughout the country, building Turfway's
    audience, and promoting the track through advertising and pubilicity
    projects.
    
    Ford visited Turfway this spring to help promote the Jim Beam Stakes. 
    His father was the guest speaker at the Call to the Post luncheon.
    
    The GAzette Telegraph May 22, 1990.

    
    
    Holl-of-Fame trainer Woody Stevens, who underwent open heart surgury on
    May 11,was reported to be "resting comfortably" three days later at
    Norton hospital in Louisville, Ky., according to Pam Greer-Ullrich, a
    hospital representative.  Stephens, 76, originally had been hospitilized 
    because of complications from emphysema.  Quadruple bypass surgery was
    performed after heart problems developed.
    
    Two days following the operation Stephens' condition was upgraded from
    critical to serious, and he was taken off the respirator.  He remained
    in the hospital's intensive care unit.
    
    The Blood Horse May 19, 1990.
    

    
    
    Dogwood Stable's Summer Squall, which finished second in the Kentucky
    Derby (gr.I), was to run in the May 19 Preakness Stakes (gr. I), then
    get a rest .  Dogwood president Cot Campbell said the colt would bypass
    the June 9 Belmont Stakes (gr.I), regardless of the outcome of the
    Preakness.
    
    "Due to the bleeding incident on Feb. 19 in Florida, we've been on an
    agressive schedule with the colt," Campbell said.  "The Preakness will
    be his fifth race in nine weeks.  Even though he is bright, sound, and
    sharp, and we couldn't be happier with his condition coming up to the
    Preakness, it is not fair to ask him for more in the Belmont Stakes."
    
    Since the Feb. 19 bleeding incident, Summer Squall has run on the
    diuretic furosemid (Lasix), which was determined by a recent study
    commissioned by The Jockey Club to enhance horses' performance.  By not
    running in the Belmont, Summer Squall will relinquish a chance to win
    the Chrysler Triple Crown Challenge, which includes a $1-million to the
    horse which races in all three classics and amasses the most points.
    
    "Trainer Neil Howard and I agree that if we are to run without Lasix,"
    Campbell said, "it would have to be after a good summer's rest. 
    Therefore, with much regret, we will pass up an appearance in New York
    in the immediate future,  feeling that he could compete there in the
    fall."
    
    Campbell said that after the Preakness, Summer Squall will be sent back
    to Churchill Downs, where he will be rested, then prepared for his fall
    campaign.  Breeders' Cup Day is scheduled for Oct. 27 at Belmont Park.
    
    The Blood Horse May 19, 1990.
    
     

    
    
    Richard L. Duchossois, chairman and owner of Arlington International
    Racecourse in Illinois, said on May 14 that Arlington and Longchamp
    race course in France will join forces this season to present an
    international race seies offering bonuses and purses totaling more than 
    $5.5 million.  Named the Intercontinental Thoroghbred Challenge, the
    series will provide bonuses for owners and trainers during the
    Arlington International Festival of Racing, Sept. 1-3, and the Ciga
    Weekend at Longchamp, Oct. 6 and 7.
    
    The top bonus of $1 million will go to the owner of the horse which
    wins the Arlington Million (gr. IT) and the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
    (Fr-I).
    
    "This is a cooperative creation of Louis Romanet, the director of the
    French Jockey Club, and myself," Duchossois said.  "It is designed to
    creategreater interest and participation in racing on an international
    leval.  With the Challenge, we are offering each other our very finest
    races so as to promote goodwill throughout the Thoroughbred world."
    
    Besides the Arlington Million and the Arc, the other series races will
    be the Secretariat (gr. IT) and Beverly D. Stakes at Arlington and the
    following events at Longchamp: Prix Dollar (Fr-II), Prix du Rond-Point
    (Fr-II), and Prix de l'Opera (Fr-II).
    
    "Horses from all other major racing countries in the world are eligible
    to compete," Duchossois said.  "The series is not restricted to the
    U. S. and France."
    
    The Blood Horse May 19, 1990.

    
    
    Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old male Sunday Silence and
    champion older female Bayakoa received the highest weight assignments
    on the DAILY RACING FORM free handicap for 1989.  The 37th edition of
    the handicap was compiled by Eual F. Wyatt Jr., director of racing and
    racing secretary at Hollywood Park.
    
    Sunday Silence was the top-weighted runner in the ranking for
    3-year-old males with an assignment of 129 pounds.  Easy Goer was
    ranked second at 128 pounds.
    
    Bayakoa received top weight of 129 pounds among females, 4-year-olds
    and up.  Bankers Lady and Goodby Halo each received 123 pounds, the
    catagory's second-highest weight.
    
    Gorgeous and divisional champion Open Mind each received 126 pounds to
    top the ranking for 3-year-old fillies.  On the Line received 125
    pounds as the top-weighted male sprinter, 3 years-old and up.
    
    Champion older male Blushing John topped the ranking for males,
    4-year-olds and up, with an assignment of 124 pounds.  Champion
    sprinter Safely Kept was assigned top weight of 126 pounds among female
    sprinters, 3-year-olds and up.
    
    Among turf runners, champion Brown Bess was the top-rated female at 124
    pounds, and champion Steinlen was the top-weighted male at 126 pounds.
                           

    
    Lady's Secret, 1986 Horse of the Year, produced an Alydar filly at
    Issam Fares' Fares Farm near Lexington on April 27.  The mare was
    scheduled to be bred to Mr. Prospector.  Lady's Secret was purchased
    for $3.8 million by Fares during the dispersal of Eugene V. Klein's
    stock at Keenland's November breeding stock sale last year.
    
    
    
    
    Five mares owned by Queen Elizabeth II were bred this year to Kentuckey
    stallions.  Christchurch was bred to Al Nasr, Expansive to Shadeed,
    Gentle Persuasion to Diesis, Highclere to Manila, and Sleeping Beauty
    to Danzig Connection.
    
    The Blood Horse May 26, 1990.
    

    
    
    Bill Shoemaker sassled his first runner on May 18 at Hollywood Park. 
    His 3-year-old filly Star Child, making her North American debut,
    finished sixth under Eddie Delahoussaye in the fifthe race.  Shoemaker,
    58, retired from the saddle on Feb. 3 at Santa Anita with 8,833 wins
    from 40,350 mounts.
    
    "Everyone is making so much of this race because she is my first
    runner," he said the day before the race, "but after I've started 10 or
    12, no one will be paying any attention to the stable."
    
    Shomaker, who finished fourth in his final ride, was not dissapointed
    with Star Child's five-length defeat.
    
    "She broke a little slow and had a little traffic problem, but she ran
    a good race," said Shoemaker.  "She's going to be okay.  We'll find
    another race like that for her, and we'll be in business."
    
    Delehoussaye said Star Child "just got a little tired.  She's been away
    for awhile.  She moved up around the turn and made a bid, then ran
    evenly the last eigth of a mile."
    
    Shoemaker, who has been galloping Star Child in the mornings, saddled
    the horse for Madeline Jason.  He trains about 24 horses for a dozen
    owners.
    
    The Blood Horse May 26,1990.
    
    

    
    
    The day after Pat Day won the Preakness Stakes (gr. I) on summer
    Squall, he was aboard All Worked Up when that runner finished in a
    triple dead heat for first with Marsha's Affair and Survival in the
    ninth race at Arlington International Race Course.  Also at Arlington
    the day before the triple dead heat, Dispersal and Pentelicus finished
    in a dead heat for first in the Johhny Morris Handicap.  (Pentelicus is
    a half-brother to Gana Facil, dam of Kentucky Derby, gr. I winner and
    Preakness runner-up Unbridled.)
    
    The May 20 triple dead heat was the third in modern Illinois
    Thoroughbred history and the second at Arlington.  The first involved
    Royal Redress, Livingston, and Mr. S. Chance on August 19, 1963.  The
    other triple dead heat, with Paddy O'Rock, Me Will Win, and Miss
    Brendy, occured at Sportsman's Park on Nov. 18, 1965.
    
    The only North American triple dead heat in a stakes came in the Carter
    Handicap at Aqueduct on June 10, 1944.  The camera could not seperate
    Brownie, Bossuet, and Wait a Bit.
    
    There have been 18 triple-dead-heat finishes in North America in Modern
    history.  In the recent Arlington dead heat, Marsha's Affair was ridden
    by Juvenal Diaz, Survival by Jorge Valesquez.  The race was a 
    seven-furlong allowance event for 3-year-olds.
    
    The Blood Horse May 26, 1990.  

    I've been meaning to enter this since the Belmont, but haven't had the
    chance!  The Belmont telecast made a big issue over the use of Lasix
    and the NYRA not allowing horses to run on Lasix.  At the same time the
    Cornell Animal Newsletter came out with an article on the performance
    enhancement of Lasix in race horses.  Basically the research was done
    on geldings, so they point out that it might not apply across the board
    to all horses.  They found that horses did run better on Lasix because
    of it diuretic property (i.e. the horses were running with 20 lbs. less
    urine giving them a weight advantage of horses not using Lasix).  They
    also pointed out that Lasix has never been proven to be effective
    against bleeding (but obviously it does help since so many people do
    use it for that purpose).
    
    The Belmont "seemed" to show that Unbridled didn't run as well without
    Lasix since he came in 4th.  I'd like to see if he runs at Saratoga and
    in the Breeders Cup (being held at Belmont) and compare performances,
    though.  I just watched my tape of 1987 races and the similarity with
    Alysheba was amazing (although Alysheba also won the Preakness). 
    Alysheba came in 4th in the Belmont with the same kind of performance
    as Unbridled.  The sportscasters also made a big deal about Lasix that
    year, too.  They really seem to be pushing to have horses being able to
    race on Lasix everywhere since there is so much demand for horses to
    race, and (they seem to claim) not enough horses.  Anyone here have any
    opinion on that?
    
    My husband read that horses in Europe are not allowed to run on any
    drugs at all.  They seem to have enough of horses to fill the demand
    (my opinion from seeing some of the European races on TV).  Being
    basically a purist when it comes to animal breeding (mostly dogs and
    horses), I would like to see the same rules apply in the US - i.e. no
    race day drugs.
    
    						Jan

I hadn't heard of the Cornell study.  The Univ. of Pa. released a study 
right after the Kentucky Derby that has been heavily debated (and is 
still being debated) in the Thoroughbred magazines.  The UP study of 
Lasix (appropriate name?) followed 150 or so horses through three of their 
races.  They used Lasix on both horses who were known to bleed and those 
who hadn't been considered bleeders before.  They found that most of the 
horses, bleeders and non-bleeders alike, bled at some point during the 
study, and that Lasix didn't seem to really help stop bleeding.  They 
found that the most statistically significant effect was on geldings.  
Their theory is that these tended to be older than the non-geldings, and 
that the effect was related to age rather than sex.
    
The study is controversial because it was funded by the New York Racing 
Assoc., which is not an unbiased observer, and which has 
now proposed a ban that would be phased in throughout the country over 
the next 3 years.  This would be the end of the NYRA's current problem 
of horses that avoid their races because of the medication restrictions.

Proponents of Lasix claim that the diuretic effect thins the blood and 
reduces blood pressure (the drug in Lasix is used in humans to reduce 
clotting and lower blood pressure), and the reduction means less stress 
on the lining of the lung, and therefore less chance of rupturing the 
blood vessels lining the lungs.

Opponents say that it's effect on bleeding is marginal and that the 
primary effect is to mildly hype the horse up, and therefore they run 
faster.

The debate is centering on:
- Whether using the drug gives racing a bad image (I think it does),
- Whether "bleeders" running more inconsistently without it, which would
  make the races more erratic, would be a turn off for many 
  fans/gamblers, and
- Whether the incentive to use alternatives (reducing feed and water long
  before the race, or the surreptitous use of hormones or other drugs) 
  would be more harmful to the horses than the use of Lasix.

One thing that has surprised me about the debate is that the NY trainers 
do use Lasix during training.  I didn't realize that this was allowed 
and used.  Few people, other than track owners, are actually arguing that 
the fields would be smaller without Lasix.  There are plenty of other
reasons that horses don't run, and this wouldn't change all those other
reasons.
  
As far as the Belmont goes, I see no reason to be surprised that a 
fresh, well trained horse with good credentials was able to beat a field 
of horses that were either in over their heads, or had run through a 
very tiring racing campaign.

Bill

    

    
    Regarding Lasix and bleeding, can someone explain just how much
    "bleeding" is normal? I heard an interview with one of the owners
    who said he "didn't know" if his horse bled during the Derby because
    they didn't "pipe" (I think that was the term they used) him. I get
    the impression they put a little tube/light/camera into the horse's
    nose and down toward the lungs to see if he bled; and that one tiny
    drop of blood seen this way constitutes bleeding?
    
    thanks,
    -julie

    No idea what normal would be.  Years ago in the paddock at Foxboro
    when I was grooming my fathers horse, the driver pointed out
    a horse nearby and you could see the blood at the opening
    of the nose.  

    RE: .223
    At the end of Foxboro's racing the track required that Lasix be
    givin to the horse by the track vet at a certain time.
    Something like 10 hourse before that horse was to race.  I must
    not last to long if it is used in training in NY

    Bill

The term is 'scope', short for endoscope, which is basically a flexible tube
with a light source and optical fibers to see what the light source sees, kind
of like a flexible microscope. The tube is inserted through the nose, and 
guided down into the lungs.  The same process as tube worming, but with a 
different destination (lungs vs. stomach)

I don't know how much blood is normal.  My sister's horse got nosebleeds a 
couple of times when I evented him (once during a lesson).  From the endoscopic
exam, we were ablt to tell that the bleeding was indeed from his lungs, and not
from his head, which would have meant a different prognosis completely.  When I 
had Inverness, it was suggested that the 'scoping should be done within 24 hours
of the bleeding, in order to accurately determine the source.  The vet was able
to actually show me the traces of blood still in Inverness' lungs at the time 
of the 'scope.

  See also note 471 which discusses the topic of bleeding from
  lungs.

    I just thought I would add to this note.  I am new to the notes
    conference so I know this is a bit late in coming.
    
    I was actually in England when this happened.  One of the local
    television programmes I was watching did a test with the sonic gun. 
    They chose a very quiet riding school pony which you could put anyone
    on, children, adults, beginneers ect.  They put an experienced adult on
    this 13.2h pony, then fired the sonic gun at it.  The pony went mad,
    the rider took at least 45 seconds to take control of it again.
    
    This proved the point that it really did work.
    
    Makes you think doesn't it?
    
    Suzanne

    
    
    Easy Goer, the Belmont Stakes winner who denied Sunday Silence the
    1989 Triple Crown, was retired yesterday because of a chipped sesamoid
    bone, costing the 4 year old colt another shot at his archrival in the
    Aug 4 Arlington Challenge cup.
    
    Easy Goer, the 1988 2 year old champion and the fourth leading money
    winner in thoroughbred history, apparently chipped the sesamoid in his
    right foreleg during a routine gallop at Belmont Park on sunday
    morning, according to Shug McGaughey.
    
    "He came back and cooled out fine but then in the afternoon, he got a 
    little ouchy and we had him xrayed." he said.
    
    The x-rays were sent to Dr. Larry Bramladge in Kentucky and McGaughey
    said the decision to retire Easy Goer was made tuesday after
    consultation with the veterinarian and owner Ogden Phipps.
    
    McGuaghey said the injury was not life threatining and that Easy Goer
    was not in any great discomfort. 
    
    "He's just a little off, but he's outside being hand walked right now"
    he said.
    
    Though details have not been finalized, McGaughey said Easy Goer will
    return to Claiborne Farms in Paris, KY where he was foaled to begin a
    new career as a stallion.
    
    Easy Goer's retirement ruins the highly anticipated million dollar
    showdown among him, Sunday Silence and Criminal Type.
    
    Easy Goer retires with a record of 14 victories, five seconds and one
    third in 20 lifetime starts with a total purse earnings of $4,873,770.
    He was 9-4-1 in 14 Grade I stakes and 2-2-0 in four $1 million races.

    
    
    Combined earnings for Thoroughbred racing's two leading earners total
    $13,271,102 (Alysheba, $6,679242; John Henry, $6,591,860).  This total
    is slightly highr than the record price of $13.1 million paid for a
    yearling at Keeneland in 1985.
    
    The Blood Horse, Aug. 4, 1990.

    
    
    Andrew Adlam wanted to buy a race horse and had no money, so the native
    of Jamaicasolved the problem in a very American way.  He bought horses
    and kept them in training using credit cards, according to a story in
    the Miami HERALD.
    
    Adlam bought a maiden three-year-old filly for $2,000 and fellow
    Jamaican Carl Cunningham, as assistant trainer anxious to be on his
    own, agreed to train the horse for nothing.  The filly never won, and
    Adlam used credit cards to pay for feed and other expenses.  When he
    won a Trifecta last year, he decided to use the winnings to buy another
    horse, instead of pay off his credit cards.
    
    The horse he wanted, a 4-year-old gelding, could be claimed for a
    $8,250 tag, by Adlam only had $6,000.  The resourceful gambler then
    convinced four different banks to issue him a credit card with a $1,000
    limit, and using the cash advances allowed on the cards, he claimed
    Greg At Bat on Oct. 4, 1989, at Calder Race Course.
    
    Greg At Bat won for Adlam in claiming and allowance company, then was
    injured in a three-horse spill and had to be rested for three months, 
    during which time Adlam relied heavily on his credit cards.  Upon
    returning to action, Greg At Bat ran fifthe in a race, won a pair of
    allowance races at Gulfstream Park, then took the $50,000-added Cooper
    City Handicap on June 16 at Calder.
    
    The winner's share of the Cooper City, $32,160, helped Adlam pay off
    half of the debt on his credit cards.  the gelding next ran third in
    the July 7 Broward Handicap at Calder, and Adlam has vowed to cut up
    his credit cards in the winner's circle the next time that Greg At Bat
    wins.
    
    The Blood Horse, Aug. 4, 1990.

    
    
    Rhythm called the tune Saturday--with trainer Shug McGaughy's blessing.
    
    Dissapointed with the colt's second-place finish in the Dwyer and
    third-place finish in the Haskell Handicap, McGaughey decided "maybe
    he wants the rider to let him alone to do what he wants."
    
    "I thought maybe he's a grind it out horse," McGaughey said.  "Get him
    eight or nine lengths behind and see what happens.  Maybe he wants to
    do it all at once."
    
    Rhythm, the 2-year-old champion last year who had won twice in seven
    previous starts this year, was dead last under Craig Perret in the
    13-horse field after the first half-mile.
    
    On the turn, however, he began to move--and he did it all at
    once,sweeping past horses and taking the lead just inside the 1/16th
    pole to beat Shot Gun Scott by 3 1/2 lengths before a crowd of 43,989.
    
    Sir Richard Lewis was third, a neck behind Shot Gun Scott.
    
    Rhythm, owned by Ogden Mills Phipps, completed the 1 1/4 miles on a
    fast track in 2:02.6.  He paid $15, $7.80 and $5.60 in earning $707,100
    from a purse of $1,178,500.
    
    From the Gazette Telegraph Sports section Aug. 19, 1990.

    Anyone know what's been happening in the fall races since the Travers?
    I'm looking for results from the Woodward, Marlboro, and Jockey Club
    Gold Cup.  The last races I saw were the Molson Export Million and the
    Arlington Million.
    
    The Molson Export Million was won by Izvestia who is this year's 
    Canadian Triple Crown winner.  He set records in the Triple Crown races,
    however, the record times weren't as fast as US record times, but they
    would have been very good times in the US.  He just about walked away
    with the Molson Million - made the other horses look like they were
    standing still.  Supposedly he will be (was?) in the Jockey Club Gold
    Cup, then go to the Breeders' Cup.  He looks better to me than any of
    the US three-year-olds, so it should be an interesing Breeders' Cup
    race.
    
    In the Arlington Million Golden Pheasant beat out With Approval by a
    length or so (?? can't quite remember the distance) and those two were
    well ahead of the rest of the field (also both were sired by Caro who
    was the sire of Winning Colors).  With Approval is last year's Canadian
    Triple Crown winner and from the same farm as Izvestia.  He set a world
    record on the turf at Belmont earlier this year (can't remember the
    race, anyone else know?).  Don't know much about Golden Pheasant other
    than he's part owned by Wayne Gretzky and trained by Charlie
    Whittinghan.  I got the impression that at least With Approval will be 
    in one of the Breeders' Cup turf races.  Didn't hear much about any of
    the other horses in the field which included Steinlen and Prized.
    
    Hope someone can provide more info on what's been going on!  Thanks.
    
    						Jan

Here's the pre-entries for the Breeders' Cup races.  They'll be televised on NBC
this Saturday from 1:00?-6PM.  Final entries and post positions will be drawn on
Weds.  Horses marked * below are the expected starters.  Horses marked (*) are
waiting to get into full races (those with more than 14 entries) or haven't
committed to the other races yet.

Also, a few comments about who these horses are, from what I remember.

BC Sprint (6 furlongs, $1M):

1*	Mr. Nickerson	5-1
2	Home at Last	8-1	
3*	Dancing Spree	5-1
4*	Safely Kept	6-1
5	Beau Genius	12-1
6*	Prospectors Gamble 4-1
7	Dispersal	10-1
8*	Adjudicating	15-1
9*	Carson City	8-1	Won recent Graded race - Woodward?
10*	Black Tie Affair 30-1
11*	Glitterman	20-1
12*	Corwyn Bay	15-1
13*	Shaker Knit	20-1
14	Pro for Sure	20-1
15*	Dargai		20-1
16*	Daijur		5-2	Europeans call him "world's fastest horse"
17	Northern Wolf	30-1
18(*)	Paley Prince	10-1
19*	Potentiality	20-1
20*	Senor Speedy	20-1

BC Juv Fillies (1 1/16M, $1M):

1*	Meadow Star	3-5	Won Frizette and everything else run in NY
2*	Garden Gal	8-1
3*	Lite Light	8-1
4*	Beyond Perfection 5-1
5*	Through Flight	15-1
6*	Flawlessly	15-1
7*	Chanpagne Glow	15-1
8*	Private Treasure 20-1
9*	Sweet Sarita	20-1
10*	Verbasle	20-1
11*	Wilderness Song	20-1
12*	Wild for Traci	20-1
13*	Dance Smartly	30-1
14*	Doradoradora	30-1

BC Distaff (1 1/8M, $1M):

1*	Go for Wand	6-5
2*	Bayakoa		8-5
3*	Gorgeous	5-1
4*	Luthier's Launch 12-1
5*	Mistaurian	12-1
6	Valay Maid	20-1	
7*	Colonial Waters	15-1
8*	Flags Waving	20-1

BC Mile (1M, $1M):

1*	Steinlen	9-2
2	With Approval	5-1
3*	Shot Gun Scott	20-1
4	Thirty Six Red	20-1
5*	Itsallgreektome	12-1
6	Izvestia	8-1
7	Fieldy		20-1
8	Foresta		20-1
9*	Who's to Pay	10-1
10*	Great Normand	30-1	Won Meadowlands Cup (Gr 1) a couple weeks ago.
				Paid $360+ for $2 to win.  Highest Graded
				race win pay-off ever.
11*	Go Dutch	15-1
12*	Jalaajel	20-1
13	Pleasant Tap	20-1
14*	Colway Rally	30-1
15	Sky Classic	20-1
16	Corwyn Bay	20-1
17*	Expensive Decision 15-1
18	Great Commotion	5-1
19	Pro for Sure	20-1
20	Colchis Island	20-1
21	Colour Chart	15-1
22*	Distant Relative 6-1
23	Green Line Express 12-1
24	Houseproud	15-1
25	In Excess	20-1
26	Kanatiyr	20-1
27*	Lady Winner	20-1
28*	Markofdistinction 4-1
29*	Priolo		8-1
30*	Royal Academy	6-1
31	Septieme Ciel	20-1
32	Zoman		20-1

BC Juvenile (1 1/16M, $1M):

1*	Deposit Ticket	9-2
2	Hansel		6-1
3*	Best Pal	4-1
4*	Wall Street Dancer 10-1
5*	Fire in Ice	8-1
6*	Fly so Free	3-1	Won Champagne
7*	Happy Jazz Band	8-1
8*	Wildly Special	8-1
9*	Eternity Star	15-1
10*	Hot Date	20-1
11*	Lost Mountain	15-1
12(*)	Mr. Peregrine	15-1
13*	Take me Out	20-1
14*	Time Gentlemen	15-1

BC Turf (1 1/2M, $2M):

1*	With Approval	5-1
2	Shot Gun Scott	20-1
3*	Thirty Six Red	20-1
4	Golden Pheasant	3-1
5	Shy Tom		15-1
6*	Alwuhush	10-1
7*	El Senor	10-1
8*	Pleasant Tap	20-1
9*	Cacoethes	5-1	Big win on Turf @Bel in first US start
10(*)	French Glory	8-1
11*	Sky Classic	20-1
12	Ode		12-1
13*	Belmez		6-1
14*	Colchis Island	20-1
15	Ibn Bey		20-1
16*	In the Wings	8-1
17*	Saumarez	4-1

BC Classic (1 1/4M, $3M):

1*	Unbridled	5-1	Second in last two starts (Arlington
				Million ? and Super Derby) to stablemates
2*	De Roche	15-1
3*	Flying Continental 4-1  Winner of Jockey Club Gold Cup (@1 1/4 this yr.)
4*	Rhythm		6-1
5*	Opening Verse	10-1
6*	Home at Last	10-1	Won Super Derby; was an entry w/Unbridled
				who finished second
7	Shot Gun Scott	20-1
8	Thirty Six Red	15-1
9*	Beau Genius	12-1
10	Golden Pheasant	12-1	Injured while training recently
11*	Mi Selecto	15-1
12*	Shy Tom		20-1
13*	Dispersal	9-2
14(*)	Quiet American	8-1
15	Baron De Vaux	20-1
16*	Izvestia	8-1	3rd. in Jockey Club Gold Cup
17*	Lively One	12-1
18	Adjudicating	15-1
19	Pleasant Tap	20-1
20(*)	Defensive Play	8-1
21*	Go and Go	8-1
22	Anshan		15-1
23*	Ibn Bey		15-1
24	Pirate Army	15-1
25	Priolo		12-1

    Thanks for posting the Breeders' Cup entries!  One note on Unbridled -
    he didn't run in the Arlington Million.  That race was won by Golden
    Pheasant with With Approval second (don't remember 3rd).  Please post
    final entries if you get them!  We're getting ready for a great day of
    racing!
    
    						Jan

		     Breeders' Cup Results (and comments)
    		(see note 1384 for discussion on the accidents which
    		occurred during these races)

	Sprint

1.  Safely Kept
2.  Dayjur  (jumped at shadows in the stretch causing him to lose)
3.  Black Tie Affair
4.  Adjudicating
    (Mr. Nickerson went down supposedly due to a heart attack and Shaker
    Knit fell over him.  Chris Antley (Mr. Nickerson's rider) suffered a
    broken collar bone, Jose Santos (Shaker Knit) was uninjured.)

	Juvenile Fillies

1.  Meadow Star (this win makes 7 out of 7 for her!)
2.  Private Treasure
3.  Dance Smartly
4.  Verbasle

	Distaff

1.  Bayakoa
2.  Colonial Waters
3.  Valay Maid
    (Go For Wand broke her leg in the stretch run, she and Bayakoa were
    both running well and it looked like Go For Wand might win before the
    accident occurred.  Randy Romero was uninjured.  I didn't catch the 4th 
    place finisher.)
    
	Turf Mile

1.  Royal Academy (Lester Piggot's comeback victory)
2.  Itsallgreektome
3.  Priolo
4.  Steinlen

	Juvenile Colts

1.  Fly So Free
2.  Take Me Out
3.  Lost Mountain
4.  Happy Jazz Band

	Turf

1.  In The Wings
2.  With Approval
3.  El Senor
4.  Alwuhush

	Classic
    
1.  Unbridled (made a great run, just like in the Derby except w/ Pat
    Day up)
2.  Ibn Bey
3.  Thirty Six Red
4.  Lively One

    
    Got to spend tuesday morning (Oct 30th) on the backside at Churchill
    Downs! What fun. Crisp fall morning and all the horses working.
    
    Unbridled (sp) was back at the Downs after his victory in the Classic.
    Very nice unassuming looking colt. Didn't see him work, just cooling
    out. Good to see Pat Day back at Churchill Downs. 
    
    They are racing there thru the end of November.
    

    Heard Saturday on a Canadian sports broadcast that Northern Dancer and 
    Alydar were both put down that day.  They said that Northern Dancer had
    suffered from colic, but didn't say anything about Alydar's condition. 
    There was nothing in the Sunday papers about it out here (Seattle) and
    nothing on any of the network newscasts this weekend.  Has anyone else
    heard about this?  I'd appreciate any more details.  If my calculations
    are correct, Northern Dancer was 29 years old and Alydar was 15.  It's
    too bad about both of them.  I know they hadn't bred Northern Dancer in
    quite a few years, but Alydar was really becoming an excellent sire. 
    Too bad to lose him so quickly.

I'd heard that Alydar had broken a leg. They operated on him and he cam through 
the surgery well, only to rebreak the leg. (Some horses don't tolerate casts and
kick/stomp hard enough to undo any good that has been done) I thought I also 
heard he didn't 'appreciate the sling'.

    I heard that Alydar broke his leg kicking the wall in his stall.

    
    Read the racing form from saturday the 17th. Alydar kicked the stall,
    broke his cannon bone. As stated in the last reply, surgery went well
    but he re-injuried the leg because he did not appreciate the sling.
    Alydar was one of the leading sires - His offspring include Easy Goer,
    and Alyseda (sp). He was standing at stud at Calument Farm. He was not
    syndicated and in his first year at stud the fee was $40,000 with a
    live foal guarantee. Last year his services went for $200K+ no
    guarantees. The farm felt that by not syndicating him, they could pick
    the best mares to breed - Evidenently they were right.
    
    About Northern Dancer - the paper said he initially responded to
    treatment but had a relapse of the colic. Due to his age (29) the
    elected to forgo surgery and put him down.
    
    

    
    
    Reports from various sources indicated that some $35 million is being
    paid in insurance claims on Alydar.  Of that amount, some $30 million
    was insured on the London market.  Parties with insurance on the
    stallion were his owner and also holders of lifetime breeding rights.
    
    The Blood Horse December 8, 1990.
    
    

    
    
    American expatriate Cash Asmussen clinched his fifth French riding
    title when he took the Prix Charles and Henry Rouher at Sanit-Cloud
    aboard Passionaria on Nov. 26.  Asmussen ended the European racing 
    season with 140 victories.  He will compete in the international
    Jockeys' Championship in Japan before spending the winter at his
    family's ranch and traing center near Laredo, Texas.
    
    Asmussen, 28, won the 1979 Eclipse award for outstanding apprentice. 
    He left the United States in 1982 to ride for Greek shipping magnate
    Stavros Niarchos in Europe, and won his first French riding
    championship in 1985.  He rode in 1986 for Mahmoud Fustok, then in
    1987, rode in England and Ireland for Vincent O'Brien.  Asmussen parted
    company with O'Brien in 1988, the year he set a record as the first
    jockey in France to win more than 200 races in a season.  Since 1988, 
    he has ridden for Barry Hills, Andre Fabre, and Robert Sangster. 
    Asmussen will ride as a free lance jockey next season.
    
    The Blood Horse December 8, 1990.
    
     

    
    
    Major winner Dancing Spree has been retiered and will stand the 1991
    season at Baron Guy de Rothschild's Haras de Meautry near Deauville,
    France.  George Harris Bloodstock of New York handled the sale of
    Dancing Spree (Nijinski II-Blitey, by Riva Ridge) to Rothschild.
    
    Dancing Spree was bred by Ogden Phipps and raced by Phipps in
    partnership with David Thompson's Cheveley Park Stud of England. 
    Thompson purchased a half-interest in Dancing Spree prior to his
    triumph in the 1989 Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr.I).
    
    Dancing Spree has been syndicated into 45 shares at $53,123 per share,
    and he will stand for a fee of $15,740.  An eaner of $1,470,484, the
    five-year-old also won the grade 1 Suburban and Carter Handicaps. 
    Dancing Spree will be shipped to France in late December.
    
    The Blood Horse Dec. 8, 1990.
    

    
    
    
    The Massachusetts State Racing Commission has rejected the Thoroughbred
    racing applications of the Boston Turf Club (closely alignedwith the
    management of the of the defunct Suffolk Downs) and Foxboro Park, which
    had wanted to establish a meeting at a former Standardbred track.
    
    Boston Turf Club officials said the group's application depended on
    relief in the state takeout structure, and Foxboro based its proposal
    on takeout relief and favorable terms on off-track betting.  The
    applications were denied because both were contingent upon factors
    beyond the commission's authority.  Both tax relief and off-track
    betting establishment would require legislative action.
    
    The Blood Horse Dec. 8, 1990.
    
     

    
    
    Trainer and co-owner Frank Posada was contemplating the racing future
    of Sallie Blue, which has lost all 69 of her career races.  When Sallie
    Blue finished fifth in a claiming race on Dec. 26 at Calder Race
    Course, she became ineligible to race in Florida after Jan. 1, because
    maidens beyond the age of four are not allowed to compete in the state.
    States in which Sallie Blue would be eligible to race include New York
    and Kentucky.
    
    The Blood Horse Jan. 5, 1991.
     

    THE paper this week announced Rockingham park will be hosting
    a $500,000.00 race this year in conjunction with the ABC Sports racing
    series. I believe the race will be in july.

    
    
    Winning Colors, which in 1988 became the third filly to win the
    Kentucky Derby, produced her first foal on Jan. 15 at Graham Beck's
    Gainesway Farm near Lexington.  The foal is a filly by Mr. Prospector. 
    Winning Colors is owned by Beck's Gainesway Thoroughbreds Ltd.
    
    
    The Blood Horse Jan. 26, 1991.
    
    

    
    
    Fly so Free, which captured last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I),
    and undefeated Meadow Star, winner of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile
    Fillies (gr. I), are among the early nominees for this years Triple
    Crown.  The deadline for early nominations, which cost $600 per horse,
    was Jan. 16.  The late nomination deadline is April 8, when the fee
    will be $4,500.  Horses can also be supplimented to the Kentucky Derby,
    (gr. I), Preakness Stakes (gr. I), and Belmont Stakes (gr. I).
    
    
    Other 3-year-olds on a preliminary list of early nominees, released on
    Jan. 23 by Triple Crown Productions, were Best Pal, Excavate, Hansel,
    Jackie Wackie, Richman, Scan and To Freedom.  The complete list of
    early nominees for the Triple Crown will be announced on Feb. 2.   It
    appeared the total would be at least 360, well above the 315 of a yuear
    ago, said Ed Seigenfeld, executive director of Triple Crown
    Productions.
    
    
    The Blood Horse Feb. 2, 1991.
     
     

    
    
    Rockingham Park's New England Classic, a %500,000 race for
    three-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles, has been added to the American
    Racing Championship Series.  The new race, to be run on July 20, filled
    the void created when Arlington dropped out of the series.  
    
    The New England Classic will be the seventh race in the 10-race series, 
    which is being inaugurated this year and will be televised nationally
    this year by ABC.  It has not yet been decided whether the Rockingham
    race will be run under allowance conditions or as a handicap.
    
    The Blood Horse Feb. 2, 1991. 

    
    
    Ten stakes, with purces totaling a record $1.36 million in added money,
    will be offered at Chuchill Downes during Kentucky Derby (gr. I) week,
    April 27 - May 4. The Derby, to be raced on May 4, has been increased
    from $350,000 to $500,000 added.
    
    The purse for the May 3 Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) has been raised from
    $200,000 added to $250,000 added.  Horsemen will be able to make
    supplemental nominations to the 1 1/8 mile Oaks until the time of
    closing on May 1.  The cost to supplement will be $25,000 per filly.
    
    The Blood Horse Feb. 2, 1991.
    
     

    
    
    Champion 2-year-old male		Fly So Free
    Champion 2-year-old female		Meadow Star
    
    Champion 3-year-old male		Unbridled
    Champion 3-year-old female		Go For Wand
    
    Champion Older male 		Criminal Type	*HORSE OF THE YEAR*
    Champion Older female		Bayakoa
    
    Champion Sprinter			Housebuster
    Champion Steeplechaser		Morley Street
    
    Champion Turf male			Itsallgreektome
    Champion Turf female		Laugh and Be Merry
    
    
    The Blood Horse Feb. 16, 1991.
    

    
    
    European champion Nashwan was represented by his first foal in this
    country when Alathea, dam of of group-winning full brothers Lead On
    Time and Great Commotion, produced a colt on Feb. 18 at Shaikh Maktoum
    bin Rashid al Maktoum's Gainsborough Farm near Versailles, Ky.  Alathea
    is scheduled to be bred to Gainsborough's Zilzal this season.
    
    The Blood Horse March 9, 1991.
     

    
    
    Two parties are involved in negotiations with the ownership with
    Suffolk Downs to reopen the Massachusettstrack, which closed at the end
    of 1989.  Henry O'Donnell, chairman of the Massachusetts racing
    commission, said earlier this month that he expected something to
    happen soon regarding a lease agreement that would involve either James
    Mosely, a former Massachusetts racing commissioner, or Greyhound track
    executive Charles Sarkis.
    
    O'Donnell said he "firmly believes that Buddy LeRoux, who heads the
    Belle Isle partnership which owns the track, "is sincere about putting
    a package together for Suffolk."
    
    The Blood Horse, March 16, 1991.
    
    

    
    
    The first match race at Santa Anita will pit a Thoroughbred sprinter
    against a Quarter Horse.  The four-furlong contest, scheduled for April
    14 at the Souther California track, will offer a winner-take-all purse
    of $100,000.
    
    Sunny Blossom, the Thoroughbred competitor, is a multiple graded stakes
    winner which holds Santa Anita's track record for six furlongs, 1:07
    1/5.  Grisold, the Quarter Horse competitor, holds the worlds record
    for 870 yards, :43:99.  Each runner will cary 120 pounds in the match
    race.
    
    The Blood Horse, March 16, 1991.
    
     

    
    
    Major winner and sire Verbatim was destroyed on March 15 at Spendthrift
    Farm, (Cap Hershey, president) because of the infirmities of old age. 
    The 26-year-old stallion had entered stud following his racing career
    at Elmendorf Farm in 1971, then was removed to Spendthrift in late 1989
    after Elmendorf discontinued its breeding operation.  Verbatim stood
    his final season in 1990, when he was bred to a limited number of
    mares.  He was buried at Spendthrift.
    
    Verbatim (Speak John-Well Kept, by Never Say Die) raced as a homebred
    for Elmendorf, which at that time was owned by the late Maxwell Gluck.
    Stakes-placed as a juvinile in 1967, Verbatim emerged as a classics
    contender after winning the Bahamas, Bay Shore, and Gotham Stakes the 
    following year.  
    
    He ran third in the Wood Memorial and Derby Trial Stakes before 13th of
    14 in the Kentucky Derby.
    
    Verbatim's runners earned more than $1 million each season for a dozen
    years, twice going over the $2-million mark (in 1984 and 1986).
    Verbatim sired 53 stakes winners, including millionaire and champion
    Princess Rooney, which won the inaugural Breeders' Cup Distaff (gr. I).
    Verbatim's other added-money winners included additional millionaires 
    Alphabatim and Hopeful Word, plus 1981 Belmont Stakes (gr. I) winner
    Summing (sire of champion and Breeders' Cup Juvinile Fillies, gr. I
    winner Epitome).
    
    The Blood Horse, March 23, 1991.
    
    

    
    
    James Moseley has signed a letter of intent to lease Suffolk Downs in
    Massachusettsfor 20 years, with an option for another 10 years, from
    Belle Isle Limited Partnership.  Moseley, a resident of Hamilton, Mass.,
    and a past state racing commisioner and state representative, heads a
    group called Sterkling Racecourse, Limited.  He hopes to divide racing
    dates in Massachusetts between Suffolk and and a track he plans to
    build in Sterling near Worchester.
    
    Legaslative hearings regarding offtrack betting, a license to race in
    1991, and a change in the state take-out structure are scheduled to
    begin on March 26.  Moseley has indicated he does not need off-track
    betting in place to bring back racing to Suffolk.
    
    In mid-March, Moseley was "cautiously optimistic" about a lease being
    signed sometime within the next 10 days to 2 weeks.
    
    "Because of the economic situation in Massachusetts, the idea of 2,000
    to 3,000 jobs putting people back to work and the impact on the economy
    makes it attractive for the legislature and the administration to get
    behind it,"  he said.
    
    The track, which has not offered racing since the end of 1989, could be
    back in operation by the beginning of July.
    
    The Blood Horse, March 23, 1991.
    
    

    
    
    Carl Icahn's Meadow Star, the first 2-year-oldfilly champion of the
    1990's, made her 3-year-old debut on March 16 at Aqueduct in New York. 
    She turned in a solid performance, cruising to a 4 3/4 length victory
    in the $41,000-added Queen of the Stage Stakes.
    
    Meadow Star (Meadowlake-Inreality Star, by In Reality)is nominated to
    the Triple Crown.  Only three of her sex have won the series first leg,
    the Kentucky Derby (gr.I), and one of them, Genuine Risk, was
    conditioned by Meadow Star's trainer, LeRoy Jolly.
    
    Meadow Star's effort in the Queen of the Stage raised her unblemished
    record to eight victories, and her $26,460 share of the purse pushed
    her earnings over the $1-million mark.
    
    The Blood Horse, March 23, 1991.
    

    Well it's time to speculate on the Kentucky Derby again!  Lots of
    things have been happening in the past few weeks (not in order):
    
    	Dinard won the Santa Anita Derby beating Best Pal
    	Strike the Gold beat Fly So Free in the Blue Grass Stakes(?)
    	Cahill Road (full brother to Unbridled) won the Wood Memorial only
    	  to pull up lame (I believe it was a suspensory problem);  Meadow
    	  Star suffered her first defeat in this race coming in 4th
    	Alydavid won the Derby Trial fairly impressively
    
    According to ABC Sports on Saturday (and assuming I remembered all of
    this correctly!) the following horses are planning on going to
    the Derby:  Fly So Free, Best Pal, Strike the Gold.  Haven't heard
    about Meadow Star.  I think Dinard may also have suspensory problems
    but I can't remember which horse they were talking about at the time. 
    Alydavid may also go to the Derby, but they won't decide till later
    this week.
    
    So anyone want to take a guess as to who will win?  I was impressed
    with Strike the Gold (and am partial to Alydar offspring) so he's my
    pick.
    
    						Jan

    If I knew all the horses in the race I would make a prediction, however
    I will say a long shot will win.  Going by the races this spring no
    horse has dominated.  
    
    Does Lucas have a horse in this years derby?

    
    
    D. Wayne Lukas has a horse in the Derby this year.  His name is
    Corporate Report and he was unraced as a two-year-old and has had only 
    4 races as a three-year-old.  He will be Lukas's 19th starter in 11
    years in the Derby.
    
    Pat

    For those of you who didn't get a chance to watch, here are the top
    finishers:
    
    	1 - Strike the Gold
    	2 - Best Pal
    	3 - Mane Minister
    	4 - Green Alligator
    	5 - Fly So Free
    
    That's all I can remember.  Mane Minister and Green Alligator were
    longshots.  It was a pretty good race.  On to the Preakness!

    
    Mane Minster went off at 80 to 1 and paid $25.50 on a $2 show ticket.
    
    Green Alligator was part of the pari-mutel field and went off at 16 to
    1.
    
    Kentucky Oaks was run on friday May 3rd - mile and 1/8 for 3 yr old
    fillies was won by Lite Light is spectacular style! Lots of class.
    

    There is a 8 horse field in the Preakness Saturday.  The paper said
    Hansel will be entered even though he finished 9th in the Derby.

    
    
    Bill Shoemaker continues to progress after an April 8 automobile
    accident near Los Angeles left him paralyzed from the shoulders down.
    
    "The big news last week was that he was taken off the respirator
    full-time," said Marlene Casini, director of public relations at Craig
    Hospital in Englewood, Colo.  "That was a major goal for him, and it
    has been a long and tedious process."
    
    Shoemaker, 59, gradually was weaned from the respirator, which
    assisted his breathing.  He remains in a "halo" neck brace to
    immobilize the area of his spine that was injured.
    
    "He'll remain in that until the injury is healed," Casini said. "At the
    moment, he still can't use his arms and legs, but he does have
    sensation from his shoulder to his thumb in the left arm, but still no
    movement.  that is always a good dign, but it's not always a
    predictor."
    
    The neck brace enables Shoemaker to sit up and get into more active
    rehabilitation, rather than having to lie flat until the injury heals.
    
    "We can get him into a wheelchair sooner," Casini said.  "His progress
    is about average.  He and his physician are both pleased, and he
    (Shoemaker) is extremly pleased with getting off the respirator."
    
    "It (rehabilitaion) will take a couple of months more," she added. 
    "Our goal with all of our patients is to get them to the point where
    they and their families are independent enough to go home."
    
    Shoemaker is talking on the phone to friends in Southern California,
    and his speech is "fine," according to Casini.  In a prepared statement
    on June 13, Shoemaker announced his intention to resume his training
    career when his rehabilitation in complete.  He is a member of racing's
    Hall of Fame for his accomplishments as a rider.
    
    The Blood Horse June 22, 1991.
     

    
    
    Historic Calumet Farm, struggling under a massive debt load, received
    more bad news during the second week of June.  Two lawsuits, each
    seeking to remove a stallion from the Central Kentucky farm, were
    filed, and a deal to sell 77 acres of the nursery was reported to have
    fallen through.
    
    J.T. Lundy, Calumet's former president, was joined by Black Chip
    Stables and others in a lawsuit asking that the stallion Wild Again be
    turned over to Lundy as stallion manager.
    
    In the other lawsuit, Northern Equine Thoroughbred Productions Ltd.,
    headed by John Sikura Jr. asked the court to order Calumet to return
    the stallion Talinum.  According to the lawsuit, Calumet defaulted on
    the terms of 1988 sales agreement in which the nursery acquired Talinum
    for $3.6 million.
    
    Both lawsuits were filed in Kentucky in Fayette Circuit Court.
    
    Omega Proerties Inc., lead by Sikura, had been involved in a deal
    announced in April to buy 77 acres of Calumet land.  However, John T.
    Ward Jr., Calumet's chief operating officer, said the deal, which would
    have brought the farm between $3.5 and $4 million, was dead.
    
    Calumet's debts are estimated at around $70 million.  At least seven
    lawsuits and 20 liens have been filed against the nursery, which is
    operated as a corporation formed by Bertha Wright, widow of Warren
    Wright Jr. (who died in 1978), and the couples four children.
    
    Following are summaries of the lawsuits against Calumet, in addition to
    the two listed previously:
    
    * Peter Brant, who owns White Birch Farm in Connecticut, has sued for
      nearly $3.4 million, claiming that Calumet has defaulted on its
      purchase of the stallion Mogambo.  (Calumet has filed a suit against
      White Birch stating Calumet paid $4.8 million of its $6.5 million debt
      to White Birch.)
    
    * Manganaro Stables of Massachusetts has sued for $300,000.  A note to
      that entity singed on Jan. 9 became due on March 31.
    
    * Banc One of Lexington has sued Calumet and Lundy for $221,662, plus
      loan fees, that were due on March 15 on a $450,000 short term note
      renewed by Lundy.
    
    * Kathy Lundy, sister of the former Calumet president and owner of
      Equus Unlimited, and equine insurance agency, has sued Calumet and
      CommerceNational Bank for failing to pay $1.2 million in premiums and
      fees. 
    
    * Axmar Stables, former partner with Calumet in the ownership of nine
      horses, sued Calumet and Lundy for more than $3.3 million.  According
      to the lawsuit, Calumet pledged breeding rites and money that it owed
      Axmar to other creditors.
    
    
    The Blood Horse, June 22, 1991. 

    Does anyone know the date for the Travers this year?
    
    
    -ellie

    The Travers in August 17.  The Whitney is August 3rd and for
    steeplechase fans the NY Turf Writers Steeplechase is August 16.
    
    

    
    
    Long-awaited racing legislation was passed by the House and Sente in
    late June.  The bill wuld provide Suffolk Downs 200 Thoroughbred dates
    in 1992 and would give the Massachusetts Racing Commision the authority
    to grant the track racing dates in 1991.  The bill also grants Foxboro
    Raceway near Boston 200 racing dates in 1992, 75 for Thoroughbreds and
    125 for harness racing.
    
    The Blood Horse, July 6, 1991.
    
    

    I wonder how a 5/8th mile track is going to do.  There is going to be
    considerable competition bewtween Suffolk, Rockingham and Foxboro's
    trotters, that I can not see how a short track is going to be able to
    compete in this area.  

      We are having a discussion here at our office about horse racing.
      We were wondering what they call a horserace that ends in a three 
      way tie? A 4 way tie? A two way tie?
    
      Also,  What is a donnybrooke?      Thanks,     Tony 

    A tie is a dead heat. Or a triple dead heat, etc, etc.
    
    Never heard of a donnybrooke. Sounds like a stable name. What context
    was it used in??
    

    
    A donnybrook is a term used to describe a fight, a riot, or even to
    describe a person who causes a fight. 
    
    It is also a stable name, particularly Donnybrook Arabians in NH.
    

    From Webster's dictionary:
    
    	donnybrook - [colloquialism from Donnybrook Fair] a rough rowdy
    		     fight or free-for-all
    
    	Donnybrook Fair - a yearly fair formerly held at Donnybrook, near
    			  Dublin, Ireland, during which there was much
    			  brawling and rowdiness
    
    and most Irish fairs had to do with horse trading as well as other
    activities!

    I read in a recent Blood-Horse that Bill Shoemaker is back in CA and
    has resumed training horses. His physical therapy continues in CA. He
    is still paralyzed from the armpits down. 
    
    The article also said that Shoe says that too much has been made of
    his blood alcohol content in the press. He said that he had only drunk
    2 beers that night. He also said that the accident happened while he
    was doing something(I forget exactly what it was) with his car phone. 
    
    I hope his recovery continues but I would recommend that he stay away
    from beer and car phones in the future!

Millionaire Corporate Report, winner of the 1991 Travers Stakes(gr. I) will 
enter stud at W.T. Young's Overbrook Farm near Lexington. Owned by Young,
Corporate Report will stand fot $7,500 live foal. The colt suffered a 
FRACTURED COFFIN BONE in his left front foot during a workout in 
preparation for the Super Derby(gr. I) in September.
 

Corporate Report(Private Account-Ten Cents a Kiss, by Key to the Mint) was 
bred in Kentucky by Equigroup Throughbreds. Consigned by Arthur B Hancock 
III's Stone Farm on behalf of the breeder, Corporate Report was purchased as a 
weanling for $225,000 by Jim Eigel at the 1988 Keeneland November Mixed Sale.
Ten months later, Eigel's Rosemont Farm consigned Corporate Report to the 1989 
Keeneland Fall Yearling Sale, where D. Wayne Lukas purchased the colt for 
$350,000.

Corporate Report raced for Lukas and Young, winning 3 of 10 races and earning 
$1,067,908. The colt won the Travers from Hansel, Fly So Free, Strike the Gold 
Lost Mountain, and Tong Po.

Unraced at two because of a FRACTURED COFFIN BONE, Corporate Report placed 
second in the Preakness(gr. I), Swaps(gr II) and Rebel Stakes(gr III), the
Haskeel Invitational Handicap(gr I) and Arkansas Derby(Gr II)

"The Blood Horse", November 30 1991


    Guess if Corporate Report can survive two broken coffin bones and
    win the Travers after recovering from the first one, my guy can comeback 
    to full use too!
    
    John

John

"He's just out running around now, resting and partying," said John Bachechi 
of Curribot, a 14 year old gelding which was retired from racing in September 
in New Mexico. Curribot was believed to be the oldest competing Thoroughbred 
race horse at the time his career ended. 

Owner of a bar in Albuquerque, Bachechi described Curribot as his "all-time 
favorite horse." Bachechi claimed the gelding in order to retire him. The 
gelding which is living at Bachechi's farm, failed to win in seven 1991 
starts.

An earner of $491,527, Curribot raced for 12 seasons, winning 37 of his 139 
races. He won 22 added-money events.

    
    Many of you know that the Calumet Farm, a famous TB breeding farm for
    decades(Maybe half a century), has gone bankrupt. The end is TRULY near
    for the farm. Alydar died a year and a half ago. The young stock and
    mares left a couple months ago. All the stallions are gone. I picked up 
    the following from the Feb 1 issue of The Blood Horse:
    
    "Details were being worked out so that the last horses at bankrupt
    Calumet Farm near Lexington, 27-year-old Royal Entrance and 25-year-old
    Moonbeam, could be moved to a farm owned by the family of Calumet's
    former resident veterinarian. Royal Entrance is the dam of champion
    Davona Dale, and Moonbeam is the dam of champion Before Dawn."
    
    At least the old mares are being allowed to live out their final years
    with some dignity. Personally, I very sad to see Calumet gone. They have 
    been a racing dynasty all my life. The second season I watched racing, 
    their Tim Tam won the 1958 Kentucky Derby and Preakness only to pull up 
    lame after finishing second in the Belmont Stakes. And they had been
    around a while then...I think they won their first major race back in
    the 40's
    
    John

    John, they may have been older than that.  Someone please correct me if
    I'm wrong, but wasn't Man O'War bred at Calumet?  Admittedly sold as a
    yearly to Samuel Riddle (forget the name of his stable), but still,
    (assuming it was Calumet) they were already breeding top horses in the
    early 1900s.
    
    Mary

    Mary, 
    
    Neither of us was completely correct. 
    
    Man o'War was bred by August Belmont at his Nursery Stud in Kentucky
    and sold to Samuel Riddle as a yearling. Riddle's farm was called Glen
    Riddle (Not to be confused with Nelson Riddle, the big band leader ;-).
    The Belmont Stakes and race track were founded by August Belmont's
    father, who's name I can't remember.
    
    But Calumet Farm was even older than I thought. Warren Wright founded
    the farm in 1931. What I was remembering about the 40's was that they
    had won 2 Triple Crowns in the 40's I think it was Whirlaway in 1941
    and Citation in 1948(?). So for 60+ years they were a major stud farm
    and racing stable.
    
    The other thing I had forgotten was that Calumet was the breeder/owner
    of the horse who won the first Derby I saw. That was Iron Leige in '57.
    I remember that race mostly because there was a big uproar about
    Shoemaker's error in the stretch. He cam out of his crouch on Gallant
    Man for a stride or two becuse he thought the race was over. He
    realized his mistake and Gallant Man responded. The horse ran very hard
    and lost by a short head or a nose. The stewards suspended Shoe for
    improper riding which affected the outcome of the race or something
    "official" sounding...In plain English, he messed up. Gallant Man and
    Shoe teamed up for a Belmont Stakes win 5 weeks later. But I had
    forgotten that Calumet bred Iron Leige.
    
    Wright made his fortune from baking soda and named the farm Calumet
    after the brand name of baking soda that his company made. Wright died
    in 1950 and his widow,Lucille, ran the farm until her death. She had 
    remarried to a Navy Admiral named Markey. On her death, the heirs who
    were not horse people took over and now it's history.
    
    Ironically the year they filed for bankruptcy, Calumet Farm was named
    the breeder of the year by one of the Kentucky breeders groups.

    Any thought's on the health of racing in general ?

    My dad, who owns a Standardbred thinks racing is a dying
    industry and will be gone in 15 or 20 years.

    The handle (ammount of money bet) has dropped at all tracks
    the last couple of years.
    
    To much competation with other forms of gambling and
    entertainment, state lotteries, etc.

    You can almost get a free trip and meals to Las Vegas.
    Go to the track and pay to park, pay to get in, pay to
    sit down.....

    How do you think that will effect all horse related activities ?

    Vets, farriers, feed, tack, etc.  The demise of racing could make
    horse ownership that much more expensive.

    Bill
    

    If TB racing doesn't clean up it's image and practices, it will be
    dead. That was Hancock's point in the speech that started the debate
    between him and The Blood Horse's editor(Edward L Bowen).
    
    Right now, attendance at the tracks is down partly because of the
    recession. That's also the cause of lot's of people getting out of
    racing/breeding TB rachorses etc. The financial practices of the 80's
    brought many big commercial breeders down(Calumet, Tom Gentry, Margaux
    Stud and many others)...
    
    Between the recession and its own inherent problems, I'd say TB racing
    is in trouble.

    This was a letter to the editor in this week's The Blood Horse:
    
    "Editor:
    
    Attached please find the words to a song that my wife and I have
    written in tribute to Calumet Farm. Calumet was my home since I was 3
    years of age, when my dad,Ewell Rice, then the yearling trainer, moved
    our family there. I knew every stretch of road, fence and pasture...The
    poem is dedicated to my family, all former employees of Calumet, the
    horses that once grazed her fields, horse racing fans, the Commonwealth
    of Kentucky, and the late Mrs Gene Markey.
    
                      BOW TO THE LADY
    Rolling hills of blue and green
    Oaks that touch the sky
    Newborn foals in white laced fields
    A memory of days gone bye
    
    Steepled white barns and devils red trim
    Home to many legends
    Bull Lea's blood and Whirlaway's tail          
    Citation's deed and Iron Liege's win
    
    So, bow to the lady, Alydar
    Bow to her once more
    And pray that she will find a way
    For all her glory to restore
    
    Headstones speak for those at rest
    Glory days retold
    Hear the hooves across the wire
    Of champions who claimed the gold
    
    Bred and owned by Calumet
    Words that symboled pride
    All her sixty yesteryears
    A record strong and never tied
    
    So, bow to the lady, Alydar
    Bow to her once more
    And shed a tear for her today
    And all her glory days before
    
    History has no value
    Stall doors bear no names
    Greener grass no longer seen
    No victories for her to claim
    
    Calumet is not a park
    To run a human race
    But home to those that run in May
    For blankets red that roses grace
    
    So, bow to the lady, Alydar
    Bow to her once more
    And shed a tear upon her grave
    For all her glory days no more
    
    Bow to the lady, once more
    
    Paul and Kaylyn Rice
    Versailles, KY"
    
    
    Whirlaway was nicknamed "Mr Long Tail"

    From the Feb 8 issue of The Blood Horse:
    
    "Two pensioned mares, 25-year-old Moonbeam and 27-year-old Royal
    Entrance, were the last horses to be moved from historic Calumet Farm
    when they were removed on Jan. 27. Both daughters of 1958 champion 
    Tim Tam, the mares officially were retired before the 1991 breeding
    season. Moonbeam produced the 1981 champion 2-year-old filly Before Dawn
    and Royal Entrance produced the 1979 champion 3-year-old filly Davona
    Dale.
    
    "They have quite a special place in the history of Calumet's
    bloodlines," said Dr. Lynda Rhodes-Stewart, resident veterinarian at
    Calumet for the past 2 years. "They are a little arthritic but
    otherwise in good health."
    
    When the decision was made to retire the two mares, Dr. Rhodes-Stewart
    spoke with Willam Allen, the mares' owner, and expressed interest in
    the mares' future. She recently received ownership of the mares from
    Allen.
    
    Moonbeam and Royal Entrance were moved to the farm of Dr.
    Rhodes-Stewart's mother-in-law, Mrs. Betty Stewart's Tri Oak Farm near
    Lexington.
    
    My mother-in-law's Standardbred mare needed company," said  Dr.
    Rhodes-Stewart, "so the situation worked well."
    
    A native of Kendallville, Ind, Dr. Rhodes-Stewart received her
    veterinary degree from Purdue University in 1986. She still resides at
    Calumet and has a private practice."

    This may not seem like the typical note in this file, but I am what you
    may call a Horse Racing enthusiast. Throghbreds. I actually just got
    into it last season when a buddy and I started frequenting the local
    track, Finger Lakes, about every other weekend of the summer. We are
    strickly small time but to tell the truth I just love the track. It's a
    great way to spend a Saturday in the sun and lose some cash to boot!!
    
    The bottom line is I don't really know beans about horses, I just watch
    the odds and scan the stats for my key points. Then depending on the
    pools, I bet accordingly. 
    
    My buddy does the same but also puts quite a bit of emphasis on the way
    the horse looks, acts and carries itself in the paddock and entering
    the track. So, in his mind, a horse that seems energetic warming up
    will run faster or is more eager to run than one who is not. Is this
    true?
    
    Also, he puts a lot of emphasis on equipment. For instance, if the
    horse is wearing blinders for the first time, he bets heavy for it to
    win. Why would this be an advantage, especially the first time? 
    
    Are there any other attributes to watch for when sizing up a winner?
    
    I feel that no matter what the horse looks or acts like, it's still a
    horse race and anything can happen, but I would be interested in what
    the experts think.
    
    Curiously,
    
    Dave Kinney

    
    Yes, a horse's body language including it's warmup may give you clues
    about how it will perform on a given day. There's a good book on the
    subject by Bonnie Ledbetter(sp ?) which discusses what the body
    language of horses in general and specifically addresses clues to racing
    performance. I think the title is "Body Language of Horses" or
    something like that. I'll check the title and ISBN and post it
    tomorrow. 
    
    There's a whole bunch of reasons for equipment on racehorses and a
    different theory for each piece. Shadow rolls(those furry bands around
    their muzzle) are supposed to keep a horse from seeing shadows or tire
    prints in the track. Some horses(like Dayjur in the 1990 Breeders' Cup
    Sprint) will jump shadows, etc which interferes with their normal
    stride and causes them to lose all chance.
    
    Blinkers keep the horse from seeing what's behind it. Some horses get
    nervous if they can see another horse coming at them. Others get lazy
    if they can see that there are no other horses near them, etc
    
    I wouldn't put TOO much faith in equipment changes. Usually trainers
    are trying different equipment because what they were doing last time
    didn't work. In other words, the first time they run w/blinkers is an
    experiment to see if the horse will run better with the blinkers than
    without. It doesn't always work. Sometimes, they take 'em back off!
    
    Have fun
    John

    
    The Body Language of Horses, Bonnie Ledbetter and Tom Ainslie,
    published by Morrow, ISBN 0-688-03620, $19 (What a ripoff! I paid $10
    for my copy...but that was 1980!)
    
    This is NOT a book about race handicapping. It is a book about horses which
    may help hanidcappers. The subtitle is "Revealing the nature of equine
    needs, wishes and emotions and how horses communicate them. For owners,
    breeders trainers, riders and other horse lovers including
    handicappers"
    
    Bonnie Ledbetter is the horseperson in that pair and provides real
    insight into the behavior of horses. Ainslie is a handicapper and writes 
    about handicapping techniques. He collaborated on this work because he
    wanted to learn what Ledbetter could teach him about horses.
    
    Ledbetter has also made two video tapes on this subject for
    handicappers. They are "The Body Language of the Racehorse" ($50 & 60
    minutes) and "How to Spot the Sore and Unfit Horse" (35 minutes & $30)
    They might be more use since you're not a horseperson & therefore not
    familiar with the behaviors described in the book.
    
    The book and the videos are available from the Pegasos
    Press(1-800-537-8558) catalog among other places. The pegasos catlog
    item numbers are: #270 for the book, #719 and #720 respectively for the
    videos.
    
    BTW, Pegasos does have literally dozens of books specifically about
    handicapping the races. You might be interested in some of them. But,
    don't ask me for a recommendation. I don't bet on racing. Betting
    spoils the fun for me.
    
    Have fun
    John

>>       <<< Note 481.288 by MISFIT::KINNEYD "Aruba Bound Soon!!" >>>
>>                            -< Horse race betting. >-

This came from a harness magazine but is really a reply to 481.288
Wasn't 481.288 entered as 479.n or has this month been even worse
than I thought ?
Bill

*****                                 ************
*This article, written from the track managers   *
*point of view discusses the business of betting.*
*It is alittle long so I will enter it in parts. *
*I find this to be another of those "eye opener" *
*articles.         Hoof Beats November 1991.     *
*****                                 ************

        Are Short Prices Killing Bettors' Dreams?
        by Bill Heller

        "People don't play the lottery to win lunch money.  They
        want to win freedom.  So you've got a mindset -- a dollar     
        and a dream.  You can't escape that.  It's hitting the big 
        one.  It's quitting your job.  It's buying a home in Majorca,
        owning a Maserati.  They sell the dream."

        Warren DeSantis, Saratoga Harness.


The impact of short-priced winners in harness racing is debatable.  Their 
presence, particularly on half-mile tracks, is indisputable.

"We look at it as a fact of life," Rosecroft general manager Tom Barry said.
"I'm not talking about Rosecroft.  I'm talking about anywhere".

We all know the score: $4.20, $3.60, $5.00.  When the parade of short prices 
lasts an entire evening, well, even loyal fans get discouraged, if not dis-
gusted.  Nobody in the realistic wagering world wants to play 4-5 shots race 
after race.  Or bet against them.

Short prices can dominate tracks for one night or many nights.  Finding a
summer sample (Table 1) wasn't difficult.

                                Table I.
                             CHALKY NIGHTS

Blue Bonnets, July 27    8 of 11 winners paid $6 or less.
Buffalo, July 21         10 of 11 winners paid $8 or less; 5 paid $4 or less
        [11 entries skipped]
Saratoga, July 21        6 of 10 winners paid $4.60 or less
        [3 more lines skipped]
Yonkers, July 31         8 of 11 winners paid $6.80 or less; 5 paid 3.60 or less

*****                                 *****
*There are alot of tables in this article *
*and it would take me that much longer to *
*enter them in full.                      *
*****                                 *****

"Short prices are a double-edged sword," Yonkers general manager Bob Galterio
said.  "In one instance, theoretically, there are more winners, which allows
money to be churned.  On the other hand, nobody wants an exacta that pays $12."

Harness tracks are prone to more favorites than Thoroughbred establishments
(Table 2), which makes sense since harness racing has a near-constant race
distance (one mile), only one racing surface (dirt), and - a majority of the
time - smaller fields.

                                Table II
                PERCENTAGE OF WINNING FAVORITES IN 1991.

    Thoroughbred Tracks            Harness Tracks
     All in mid-August         All late July - August
Atlantic City        33%        Louisville        46.1%
Finger Lakes         32%        Saratoge          44.7%
Saratoga             26%        Vernon            36.3%

*****                                 *****
*The TB table contained 12 entries and 2  *
*Harness tables contained 12 enteries     *
*(different time frames per table)        *
*****                                 *****

More winning favorites breed more short prices.  Is that good or bad ?

Other questions persist.  Who do they affest the most - small, moderate, or
big bettors ?  What of the principle of "churn," bettors using their winnings 
to re-invest the same night ?  Do short prices affect per-capita wagering ?  
Do they turn off potential new customers ?

Finally, if anything needs fixing, what can be done ?

"We always thought, theoretically, if you have 10 guys hit a $4 winner,
that's good because 10 guys have $4 to bet," Galterio said.  "If you have 
only one of the 10 guys hit a $40 winner, that guy might not spend the money,
or he might spend $20 and put the other $20 in his pocket to take home."

Yonkers president Tim Rooney voiced ambivalent feelings: "It's better to have
people winning than loosing.  If people win, they have money to bet back.
The more favorites that win, the money is being churned better.  That's the
good side of it.  The bad side is, if the payoffs are to low, then there isn't
enough of an inducement for your sophisticated handicappers.  They're
taking the worst of it.  They have to have a decent payoff.  You must have some
mix of favorites winning.  When the prices are to short, the rewards aren't
high enough for the handicappers.

*****                                 *****
**Seems like a good place to stop for now**
*****                                 *****

*****                                 ************
* Continued from note 481.291                    *
*****                                 ************

"There's a big difference between favorites and odds-on favorites.  When I'm
talking favorites, I'm talking 2-1 or 5-2.  Odds-on favorites don't do
anybody any good.  At Yonkers, we have to many of them winning."

"What's happened to us is that speed has held up more in the last five
years.  By that, bettors just lay into speed that's on the inside."

Accordingly, the odds come tumbling down.

"It's very frustrating," said Bobby (an alias), who lives in Queens and has
been attending Younkers for 21 years.  "I used to go five or six nights a 
week in a summer.  Now I go three.  Basically, short prices are taking the
fun out of the game.  It's not the quality of the horses; it's the
importance of post position.  Racing is controlled by inside speed".

He's got a point.  Just compare Yonkers (half-mile track) and The Meadowlands
(one-mile track) in Table 3.  Yonkers has higher winning percentages from
posts 1-4 and lower percentages from posts 5-8.

                                Table III
                    The IMPORTANCE of POST POSITION

                 Percentage of winners by post position
                 -minimum pf 50 starts at each position-
Track    Trk Size    1     2     3     4     5     6    7    8    9    10
Meadowlands  1     13.4% 12.7% 10.8%  9.7% 14.8% 11.9% 9.4% 9.5% 7.4% 6.6%
Yonkers     1/2    22.1% 15.5% 15.9% 15.1% 12.3%  8.5% 7.8% 4.9%

*****                                 ************
* You can all guess how painful it is to type in *
* that table !  There are 15 entries total.      *
* Saratoga has moved the start of the race closer*
* to the start line (harness has a moving start- *
* ing gate) to address the inside byass of a 1/2 *
* mile track                                     *
*****                                 ************

Bobby is a small bettor who spends a maximum of $60 per night and seldom 
plays a horse under 3-1.  "As a small bettor, I can't take shots with exactas
and tripples," he said.  "From the small bettors perspective, you want
decent win payoffs.  Every win doesn't have to be a $12 horse or a $20
one, but you need some of them."

Stan Bergstein, executive vice-president of Harness Tracks of America,
agrees: "I just don't think people go to the track to win $3.40.  They go to 
win a meaningful return.  People don't want to see a parade of 4-5 shots.

Do short prices affect churn ?

"Churn is at the opposite point on the spectrum," Rosecroft's Barry said.
"Churn is going to keep money at the track.  You may get moans about short
prices, but it works for people who bet them.  It keeps them alive.
You can kill your patronage because you give them the opportunity to make
big bets that, although they pay bigger prices, the degree of difficulty
increases significantly.  The deeper you get into exotics, the closer you
come to taking away churn.

"What exotics can do to people is wipe them out.  I believe this very
strongly.  People start looking for the big score.  They'd be better off betting
to win.  That's my personal opinion.

Rosecroft offers five tripples nightly, except for Wednesday and Friday
when it offers tripples on all 12 races.  "What's attractive to a bettor
isn't necessarily the best thing for the bettor or for the racetrack,"
Barry said.

In Chicago, Sportsman's Park is also commited to exotics, but President
William Johnson sounds as if he went to the same school as Barry: "To me,
they're a necessary evil.  The gimmicks don't get churn.  Churn makes the
racetrack work.  You've got to have churn.  Why do you think everybody's
going to 11 races ?  The lower the prices, the more the churn.

"We think the most important thing is for bettors to have a winner.  Even if it 
is a short-priced horse, it beats the hell out of ripping up tickets.  Winners
bring people back to the track.  It'd be wonderful if they could win alot of
money, but obiviously that doesn't work out.  While it's nice for a horse to pay
$7 or $8 instead of $4.40, it's more crucial they win something at all."

Winning it all, however, was the lure of Sportsman's defunct Super Bet, which
challenged bettors to nail two winning perfectas and the winning trifects in
three consecutive races, with all bets in before the first race.  "It was 
popular for awhile," Johnston said.  "We got up to a million dollars three
or four times with carryover.  The trouble was getting the jackpot built up".

Even defining short prices is difficult, an exercise in subjectivity.  To the 
small bettor, it might be under 3-1, an $8 payoff.  A larger bettor might say
under 2-1, a $6 return.  The biggest bettors might say under even money, 1-1, 
a $4 return.  Or everyone could say $4 or less.  Every bettor has a boundary
line on acceptable odds he or she won't cross.  Short prices invade exotics,
too - the $10 daily double, the $12 exacta, the $40 tripple.

Tables 4 and 5 are samples from arbitrary dates.  In early July (Table 4),
18 tracks put on 94 cards of racing.  Of the 94, there was one card - at
Monticello - which did not have at least one $4 or less winner.  Delmarva
had two cards with six such winners, and Greenwood, Los Alamitos, and Yonkers
each had one card apiece.  Rosecroft had one night with eight such winners.

*****                                 ************
* I'm not going to include Tables 4 and 5.       *
*****                                 ************

Table 5 examines 78 cards in late July from 16 tracks.  Of the 78, there were
three, each at The Meadowlands, without at least one $4-or-less winner.  Scioto
had six on one card.

From the combined 172 cards, only 4 didn't contain at least one $4-or-less
winner.

Monticello stood out.  Of its 12 combined cards, it was the only track which
didn't have a card with more than two such winners.

But the numbers that count are in the handle.  How do bettors respond ?

"There are 12 to 15 people at any racetrack who are very important," Rooney
said.  "Our heavy bettors, who wager over a couple of thousand a night,
prefer betting a horse at 2-1 or 3-1 rather than getting a 60-cent profit
from a $2.60 winner."

Allen Gutterman, former assistant general manager at The Meadowlands, offered
his assessment: "The short prices are terrific for a small amount of guys
betting a lot of monet.  Big money will ride on horses with low odds."

Gutterman, who started with The Meadowlands in 1976, a year before it opened,
left in August to become director of marketing for the New York Racing
Association's Thoroughbred tracks (Saratoga, Belmont, and Aqueduct).  He shared
his perspective of The Meadowlands' relationship with short prices: "One
of the hallmarks for The Meadlowlands in its early years, one of the charms,
was people not knowing who was going to win.  Favorites wern't dominating.
At Yonkers, it was to predictable.  At The Meadowlands, horses would come 
flying from everywhere.  This led to larger payoffs.  I don't know if the
percentage of favorites was lower, but it seemed that way."

*****                                 ************
*  This is where the skill of the handicapper    *
*  comes in.  Over time people learn the horses, *
*  drivers, and trainers.  Unlike just like in   *
*  picking a number.                             *
*****                                 ************


*****                                 ************
*  To be continued                               *
*****                                 ************

    Rochester, NY. Times Union; Bob Matthews
    
    Finger Lakes Race Track apparently will be spared the horse shortage
    from which most of the racing industry is suffering. FL director of
    racing, Jack Bubolx says he received 1500 applications for the tracks
    1,216 stalls. "We have the New York state breeding program to thank for
    that", he says. FL opens for training Monday, and live racing starts
    April 4. Finger Lakes hopes to offer som sort of telephone betting this
    season.
    
    

    I read in The Blood Horse for March 28, 1992 that Belmont Park in NY
    will be the host site for this year's Breeder's Cup Steeplechase on Oct
    10th. 
    
    The BIG news(as far as I'm concerned) is that Belmont has created a new
    multi-race package that they're calling "Breeder's Cup Preview Day" and
    will present it on the same day. The races in the package are all Gr. I
    stakes that have been around for years. They include  Jockey Club Gold
    Cup(1 1/4 mi for 3 yo & up), Champagne Stakes(2 yo colts), Beldame
    Stakes(fillies & mares 3 yo & up), and Frizette Stakes(2 yo fillies).
    
    Before the Breeder's Cup, these races frequently decided the divisional
    championships for the year. Many of them haven't been on network TV
    since the inaugural Breeder's Cup! Talk about loss of prestige!
    
    NBC will telecast the Breeder's Cup Preview Day races from 4:30 to 6:30
    PM(Eastern Time) on Oct 10th

    
    A short item from the April 4 Blood Horse, Julie Krone won the riding
    title at Gulfstream's winter meeting with 72 wins. She's the first
    woman to win a riding title at a major Florida track.
    
    BTW, Julie Krone also show jumps on a TB! I remember reading about it 
    in the Blood Horse a month or 2 ago. One day, Krone went to a show in
    the morning and won 3 ribbons jumping her TB called Chicago. In the
    afternoon, she went to the track and was in the money 3 times with the
    same placings as in her showjumping! Not a bad day's riding! :-)
    

    Another item from the April 4 Blood Horse relates to Calumet.
    
    The auction was held about a week and a half ago. Henry de Kwiatowski
    purchased the farm and the Calumet name. He plans on keeping it a
    breeding farm with the same name. He paid $17 million for the main
    farm, $175,000 for another tract of land and $250,000 for the Calumet
    name. According to the article, Mr. de Kwiatowski told Woody Stephens,
    who trains de Kwiatowski's big stars, that someday he(de Kwiatowski)
    would buy Calumet. Woody is quoted as saying after the auction, "So, he
    did." Must be nice to have that kind of cash available! Imagine how
    neat a farm any of us could run just on the interest from that kind of
    money! Even ordinary interest rates like 5% would produce $850,000 a
    year!
    
    Mr. de Kwiatowski has been involved in TB racing for nearly 20 years.
    He owned and raced 2 Belmont Stakes winners(Conquistador Cielo and
    Danzig Connection) and a female turf champion whose name I can't recall
    at the moment. He currently owns something like 200 horses and has most
    of them based at Claiborne Farms.
    
    Mr. de Kwiatowski is an immigrant who made a fortune in aviation here
    in the US. He bought Calumet because he felt the other plans for it 
    were an insult to himself as well as all horsemen. Real rags-to-riches 
    stuff. This is a fairy tale ending to a sad event.

    I think Arazi started this week in a race in France.  Any word on that,
    and if it has been run, how'd he do?
    
    

A note or two back, somebody asked about Arazi which won the Breeder's Cup 
Juvenile Colts last year for Allen Paulsen. Although many thought that race 
was THE race of the year, I was not overly impressed with the race. Sure, 
Arazi wove his way from the back of the pack, through the field and was the 
only horse running. But the overall time of the race was appallingly slow 
compared to other races that day on the same track. It was not significantly 
different than the Juvenile Fillies race. Conclusion? A good horse(Arazi)
devastated an inferior field.

Over the winter, we got a tape of 1991 European races. Here, Arazi's true form
showed through. He beat everything everywhere under just about all conditions.
His European campaign impressed me FAR more than his Breeder's Cup race.

For those who are interested, Arazi underwent arthroscopic surgery on his 
knees this winter to remove tiny bone chips. His veterinarian says that the 
chips were not causing any trouble and that the surgery was done to prevent 
the possibility that the chips would cause trouble later. Arazi was rested 
after the surgery and just returned to training about 2 months ago.

This past Tuesday(Apr 7), Arazi returned to the races in France at Hippodrome 
Saint-Cloud. He raced in the Prix Ominium with two entrymates. The other 
horses were entered as "pacemakers" as the Europeans call them. We in the US 
call such entrymates "rabbits". Boutin(Arazi's trainer) said the other horses 
were entered for 2 reasons: 1) To simulate a pace similar to that of American 
races(European races are typically slower in the early part of the race and 
faster later on) and 2) To insure that Arazi had to work hard enough to get 
some conditioning out of the race(Talk about CONFIDENCE!) BTW, the Prix 
Ominium at St-CLoud was chosen because it is a left handed course like all 
the American courses. European courses are frequently right handed with some 
left handed courses. So, European horses have to learn to race in both 
directions.

Arazi, who is now jointly owned by Paulsen and Sheik Mohammed al Maktoum of 
Dubai, broke slowly under Steve Cauthen. The course was fairly soft due to 
rain and Cauthen raced Arazi in fifth for most of the race. Around the turn, 
Arazi started PULLING Cauthen to the leaders even though Cauthen was sitting 
quietly. As they straightened out in the stretch, Cauthen started moving his 
hands and allowed Arazi to go on. Arazi quickly accelerated leaving the field
5 lengths or more behind. It looked like Cauthen was easing Arazi up as they
approached the finish(Nothing was coming at them) and he could easily have won
by a larger margin. After the race, Boutin said he was disappointed with 
Arazi's acceleration when asked to run and that the horse had only achieved 
only about 70% of his normal condition. He predicted that Arazi would be 100% 
fit by the Kentucky Derby. Cauthen said that this is the best horse he has 
ridden since Affirmed on which he won the American Triple Crown in 1977. 
Cauthen went on to say that he considered Affirmed the best horse he's ever 
ridden.

Cauthen will not get the mount on Arazi in the Kentucky Derby. He is Sheik 
Mohammed al Maktoum's contract rider in Europe. The co-owners agreed that 
the horse would be ridden by Cauthen in European races. In the US, Arazi will
be ridden by Paulsen's contract rider, Pat Valenzuela, who rode the horse in 
the 1991 Breeder's Cup.

The US picture for the Kentucky Derby is clearing up. There is only one
significant prep race left(The Wood Memorial) and that's scheduled for 
Saturday, Apr 18.

Earlier in the season, it looked like rap star Hammer and his family had
a serious contender in Dance Floor. But, it now looks like Dance FLoor's best 
distance is 1 mile. He has not won beyond 1 1/16th miles.

Technology(Florida Derby and Tropical Park Derby), Pistols and Roses(Flamingo 
Stakes and Blue Grass Stakes) and AP Indy(San Rafael Stakes and Santa Anita
Derby) are the major winners who will contest the race with Arazi. 
Bertrando, winner of the San Felipe Stakes and a respectable second to 
Pistols and Roses in the Blue Grass, should also be competitive.

With his late turn of foot, Arazi may be the most exciting horse in the field 
but with the development that these horses have shown this Spring, Arazi will
have some stiff competion on the first Saturday in May. It will not be the 
same lackluster field he demolished in the 1991 Breeder's Cup Juvenile. It's
shaping up as a very good field for the 1992 Kentucky Derby.

    
    Sadly, Nijinsky II had to be put down on Weds(15 Apr 1992) due to the
    infirmities of old age. He was 25.
    
    Nijinsky II(Northern Dancer x Flaming Page) was in 1970 the first
    winner of the UK's Triple Crown in 35 years. Undefeated in 5 races as a 
    2 year-old and in his first 6 starts as a 3 year-old, Nijinsky II was
    retired after placing second by a head in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
    and the Champion Stakes.
    
    As a stallion, Nijinsky II was outstanding. He sired more than 130
    stakes winners, multiple champions, and many valued broodmares and
    stallions. Nijinsky II progeny tend to resemble their sire being well-made 
    but tall and rangy horses. Nijinsky II's branch of the Northern Dancer
    line is significantly different than the other branches of the family.
    
    Northern Dancer, who died in 1990 a few months before his 30th birthday,
    was a short compact horse. He looked more like a typical sprinter. He
    wasn't. Most of the Northern Dancer stock is small and compact.


 

    
    Best Pal has again demonstrated his superiority over the other older 
    horses in racing. He won the Oaklawn Handicap(part of the American
    Championship Racing Series) over Sea Cadet and other good horses. He
    set a stakes record doing it and he did it on 2 feet! Best Pal suffered
    a quarter crack a few weeks ago. It was patched by his farrier. He tore
    the patch off in his first workout at Oaklawn. A couple days later, he
    turned out to have gravel in another foot. FYI, gravel is an abscess in
    the hoof which drains at the coronet band. The initial injury is
    belived to be caused by a stone or sandy gravel. The gravel was treated
    and Best Pal seemed sound. He sure ran like nothing hurt!
    
    Best Pal (4 years old) is undefeated in 1992. Best Pal has won over 
    $1 million(US) in each of his 3 years on the track. He has only run 5 
    times this year and he's already won more than $1,000,000. Of course, 
    winning the Santa Anita Handicap alone put about $600,000 in his
    account! He's by far the best older horse in training.

    The final prep races for the Kentucky Derby were run yesterday.
    Pine Bluff won the Arkansas Derby with the Jim Beam Stakes winner, 
    Lil E Tee second. Both are scheduled to start in the Derby.
    
    The Wood Memorial was won easily by Devil His Due in 149 1/5 on a
    sloppy track. Interestingly enough, Devil His Due was unraced as a 2
    year-old and finished in a dead heat with Lure in the Gotham Mile 
    on April 4. His trainer, Alan Jerkens said he was unsure whether or not
    Devil His Due would go to Kentucky. West by West was second and English
    runner Rokeby was third. The winning time of this race was identical to
    AP Indy's win in the Santa Anita Derby which was also run on a track
    deadened by rain.
    
    So, the Derby picture is complete. We have some good speed horses like 
    Pistols and Roses or Bertrando, some that race near the leaders like AP Indy
    and late runners like Arazi and Technology. 
    
    Arazi DOES NOT lead the Apr 11 Triple Crown poll 
    conducted by Throughbred Racing Communications. The poll of 33 sports and 
    TB racing media people places AP Indy on top. AP Indy has been on top
    for several weeks even though Arazi had previously gotten more 1st
    place votes. This week's poll showed AP Indy with 22 1st place votes
    with Arazi getting the other 11. The previous week, Arazi had 15 to Ap
    Indy's 11 with Bertrando getting six. I wonder how that will change
    after the poll takes Arazi's Apr 7th win into account. I should
    exmplain that the poll was taken before the 7th as the Apr 11 date is 
    the issue date of The Blood Horse wherein the poll is published. The Blood 
    Horse is mailed on Weds(the 8th) to arrive on the issue date which is the 
    following Saturday(the 11th). 
    
    It should be a good race. 

    Well, I should have waited a couple days before entering that last
    pre-Derby update. I recently got the latest TRC Triple Crown Poll of 33
    "experts". They are a fickle lot! The scoring goes 10 points for each
    first place vote, 9 for second, etc down to 1 for 10th. This week's poll 
    looks like this:
    
    1. Arazi             320
    2. A.P. Indy         305
    3. Technology        223
    4. Bertrando         210 ***Bertrando has a virus and has been scratched
    5. Pistols and Roses 161
    6. Pine Bluff        149
    7. Casual Lies       130
    8. Treekster          61
    9. Lil E Tee          57
    9. Lure               57
    
    So, Devil His Due(if he races) should move up into the top 10 after his
    win in the Wood Memorial and Bertrando's scratch are taken into
    account.
    
    Arazi is still not the overwhelming favorite among the racing writers
    and broadcasters. His 320 points could have been had from as few as 23
    first place votes of the 33 experts. That's strong favoritism
    but...there are too many factors. Arazi may not be 100% fit by Derby
    time. He may not ship well this trip over the Atlantic. A lot of the
    experts have been saying something like we won't know about Arazi until
    2 minutes after post time on May 2!

    The Kentucky Derby post positions were drawn yesterday. On paper, the
    horses to beat are Arazi(8 wins of 9 races) and A.P. Indy(5 wins of 6
    races). Both have drawn far oustide post positions which in the past
    has spelled trouble for the favorites. Since both these horses come
    from off the pace, it may not be much of a factor for them.
    
    The post positions set up a possible speed duel with front running with
    "Devil His Due" and "Pistols and Roses" right next to each other in the
    6 and 7 positions. Technology drew a the 2 spot which will give him a
    chance to be near the lead and on the rail. Here is a complete list of post
    positions including jockey and the morning line odds set by the track's
    official handicapper:
    
    1	Al Sabin	Corey Nakatami		20-1
    2	Technology	Jerry Bailey		 8-1
    3	Snappy Landing	Jorge Velasquez		10-1
    4	Casual Lies	Gary Stevens		20-1
    5	Thyer		Christie Rock		10-1
    6	Devil His Due	Mike Smith		15-1
    7	Pistols and Roses Jorge Vasquez		15-1
    8	Conte Di Savoya	Shane Sellers		30-1
    9	Sir Pinder	Randy Romero		10-1
    10	Lil E Tee	Pat Day			20-1
    11	West By West	Jean-Luc Samyn		10-1
    12	Pine Bluff	Craig Perret		12-1
    13	Ecstatic Ride	Julie Krone		10-1
    14	My Luck Runs North Ricardo Lopez	10-1
    15	Dr Devious	Chris McCarron		15-1
    16	AP Indy		Eddie Dellahoussaye	 7-2
    17	Dance Floor	Chris Antley		20-1
    18	Arazi		Pat Valenzuela		 6-5
    19	Disposal	Alex Solis		10-1
    
    Conspicious by his absence is jockey Angel Cordero. He has been out
    with an injury for 6 months. His physical rehabilitation is taking a
    very long time. At age 49, he is uncertain whether or not he will be
    able to return to riding races after his recuperation or whether he
    will turn to training. His wife has been training horses for sometime
    and he may just set up shop in the next shedrow.
    
    I wish every horse and jockey a safe trip.

    For anyone who is interested and missed it, the Kentucky Derby didn't
    go according to script. The horses made liars out of all the "experts"
    and ignored their past races.
    
    A.P. Indy was wisely scratched due to a bruised foot. Bertrando had
    been scratched a week before the race due to a respiratory infection.
    
    Although some expert handicappers(especially those that use "speed
    profiles")  had been predicting that Arazi was not a super horse and 
    would not win the Derby, they were predicting horses like Pine Bluff
    would win the Derby. Arazi made a huge move to move from last to third
    at the top of the stretch. Then he ran out of steam and faded to 8th
    place by the finish. He didn't seem injured but he showed that he either 
    was not fit enough to race the 1.25 mile distance or that he doesn't
    have the innate stamina to go that far.
    
    None of the other horses who were considered top contenders based on
    their recent races ran well in the Derby. Neither Technology or Pistols 
    and Roses ever entered the race. Devil His Due came up empty after 2
    hard races in NY and was no were to be seen after the first half mile.
    
    Instead a consistent but so far uninspiring performer named Lil E Tee
    won by a length over another consistent performer, Casual Lies. Both
    have human interest stories. Lil E Tee(which won the Jim Beam
    Stakes(Gr II) and placed second in the Arkansas Derby(Gr II)) is owned
    by Cal Partee who has been in racing seemingly forever. His only other
    Derby starter in all these years of racing was At The Threshold who
    placed poorly. Ironically, Lil E Tee is sired by Mr Partee's At The
    Threshold.
    
    Casual Lies is owned and trained by Shelly Riley. She bought the colt
    as a yearling for $7,500 with the intent of breaking him and selling him 
    as 2 year-old-in-training. Nobody wanted to buy the colt for the value she
    put on him so she decided to race him herself. She now thanks all the
    people who turned him down because she had the time of her life going
    to the Derby with him. Ms Riley reportedly collapsed in her seat from
    excitement when Casual Lies was on the lead with 1/16 of a mile to run
    and only Lil E Tee within striking distance. Unfortunately for her, it
    was jockey Pat Day's dream which came true.
    
    Day, who in the past has been criticised and accused of choking for not
    winning the Derby even though mounted on favorites like Easy Goer, was 
    largely responsible for the victory. He broke the horse quickly from
    the gate and got him into a good position 1 horse off the rail in mid
    pack. He saved a lot of ground and energy that way. When Arazi made his
    move and circled the field of 18 runners, Day moved right behind him.
    After Arazi went by Lil E Tee, Day swung Lil E Tee oustide Arazi at
    the top of the stretch and drove hard to catch Casual Lies about 50
    yards from the finish line. The race was incredibly slow at 2:04 with
    modest intermediate times(24.4, 47.8, 1:12.2, 137.6) for the 1/4, 1/2
    3/4 and 1 mile marks respectively. The only Ky Derbys that I can think
    of that were slower were Sunday Silence(1989) and Tim Tam(1958) and
    BOTH of those were run on MUDDY tracks which usually slow down a race
    considerably. Most Ky Derbys are run in something like 2:01 or 2:02
    with the 3 fastest being Secretariat(1:59.6 in 1973), Northern
    Dancer(2:00 in 1964) and Spend A Buck(2:00.4 in 1985)
    
    The TV commentators at the race as well as all the experts make a lot of 
    noise about how no favorite has won the Derby since Spectacular Bid in 1979,
    favorites average ninth place in the last 13 Derbys and no horse has won 
    the Gotham Mile and Wood Memorial(like Devil His Due did) or similar 
    statistics. What I have yet to hear them mention is that NO HORSE has won 
    the Breeder's Cup Juvenile and performed well in the 3 year-old Triple 
    Crown races! Very few Juvenile winners even win major stakes at 3. It 
    seems to me that more horses who finished THIRD in the Juvenile have much 
    better careers at 3 than the winners! Some examples that spring to mind 
    are Alysheba and Spend A Buck who both finished third in their respective 
    Juvenile outings and then won the KY Derby the following spring.
    
    The complete order of finish:
    1. Lil E Tee
    2. Casual Lies
    3. Dance FLoor
    4. Conte Di Savoya
    5. Pine Bluff
    6. Al SAbin
    7. Dr Devious
    8. Arazi
    9. My Luck RUns North
    10. Technology
    11. West By West
    12. Devil His Due
    13. Thyer
    14. Ecstatic Ride
    15. Sir Pinder
    16. Pistols and Roses
    17. Snappy Landing
    18. Disposal

    Just a personal observation and opinion, but I was a bit disgusted by
    the coverage after the race. I feel that precious little attention
    was given the winner, by the commentators for ABC that is. Even while 
    showing the scene of Lil E Tee in the winners circle, they were
    discussing Arazi's lose. That's really all they talked about the entire
    post-race coverage....what happened to Arazi? What went wrong for
    Arazi? I felt bad for the neglected owners/trainer of the winner, he
    won it fair and square and I think he deserved  considerably more
    attention and credit than was given him (by the ABC commentators at
    least). 
    
    End of light-hearted flame. :-) The 3 Triple Crown races are the
    only ones I pay any attention too, but I always pray for one of the
    long shots to win! :-)
    

    I was a little put off by Lil E Tee's jockey spouting off
    about how Jesus/God was the reason he won.
    
    Ahem....how about thanking the horse?  I think the horse
    had a little something to do with it....
    
    
    L-

    I too was a little put off by Pat Day's little speech until I
    remembered that he was a born-again Christian who had been saved from
    the "wild life" of hard boozing, drugs, etc by his religion and that he 
    was in a very emotional state. So, I guess I can live with an occassional 
    quote from the Bible when such a person wins their first KY Derby. 
    
    But, Lynne's absolutely right. He did thank everybody except the horse!
    
    
    

    Disappointing finish.  It'd be nice to have a 'superstar' in racing
    again.  
    
    kim

    If there were a triple crown winner every couple of years, then old
    folks like me couldn't say...
    
       I remember seeing <fill in your favorite> run back in `57', they
    don't breed em like that anymore!
    
    :^)
    
    

    Well, it's been what...14 years?  
    
    
    kim

    Actually, a lot of the racing insiders STILL think Arazi is a super
    horse and blame his loss on trainer Francois Boutin. All of them are
    saying that the horse was imply not fit enough. Boutin admits that the
    horse was unfit and said that he thinks it was a mistake to bring him
    over versus training and racing in Europe. 
    
    The experts point to Arazi's fast middle fractions and claim that just 
    about ANY good horse who was fit could have run the final quarter mile 
    faster than the 27 seconds in which it was actually run. And that if 
    Arazi had been fit enough, he could easily have won the race from his 
    third place position at the top of the stretch because of his remarkable 
    acceleration ability. 
    
    Jockey Pat Valenzuela said much the same thing. He still thinks the horse 
    is the best he has ever ridden and that the horse just got tired after 
    circling the field. Pat Valenzuela won the KY Derby with Sunday Silence 
    in 1989 which puts Arazi in pretty good company.
    
    Some of the commentary I've heard since the race as much as called Boutin
    incompetent for not being able to get the horse ready for a 1.25 mile
    race in the 3 months the horse has been back in training. The
    commentators claim that just about ANY of the top American trainers
    could have done so. I say that's BS and I'm not talking about college
    degrees either! ;-)
    
    Ohters say something like, "Maybe he's just a outstanding miler
    which would account for both his success at 2 and his race in the
    Derby."
    
    Even great horses like Secretariat, Man O'War, John Henry, Seattle
    Slew,(I assume that's what you meant by the 14 year reference) etc lose 
    once in a while.(Except for Personal Ensign!) They are not machines but 
    living beings just as we are. They have days when they just aren't able 
    to perform to their max, just like we do. So, don't write a horse off 
    on the basis of one race. Wait and see how the rest of his season goes. 
    Arazi's expected to run in some major European races this summer and fall 
    and perhaps the Breeders' Cup Classic back here in the States.
    
    John

    Hall of Fame jockey Angel Cordero, Jr who was injured in a Jan 12 1992
    3 horse spill in a race at Aqueduct announced his retirement from riding
    yesterday. He sustained multiple serious injuries which were life
    threatening. His doctors advised him not to ride for the rest of the year. 
    Cordero, who will soon turn 50, said that he decided this would be the 
    best time for him to retire from riding and turn to training which has
    been a lifelong dream.
    
    He plans to set up training with his wife Marjorie who already trains
    out of Barn 40 at Belmont. Trainer D. Wayne Lukas announced that he is
    sending one of his personally owned horses to Cordero to be trained.
    
    Some of the highlights of Cordero's career include:
    
    More than 7,000 wins in 31 years race riding. (Exact count is disputed
                               because of his early career in Puerto Rico)
    3 Kentucky Derby wins(I can't recall his record in other Triple Crown races)
    11 consecutive riding titles at the Saratoga August race meeting
                               This earned him the nickname "King of Saratoga"
    Multiple Breeders' Cup race wins including wins in back to back races
                               on the same Breeders' Cup day
    
    
    In an interview a couple weeks ago, Cordero said that riding races is very
    dangerous as you could come back from any race dead, crippled or badly
    injured but if you are good you have a good life and make good money.
    He should know. He's done both. I can recall at least two other
    occasions in which Cordero was badly injured in races and he has
    certainly won lots of money with his mounts.

Strike The Gold, the gorgeous 4 year-old son of Alydar and winner of the
1991 KY Derby, has had a hard year. He lost the 1991 Belmont Stakes to Hansel 
by a head. In fact, he lost his next 12 races after the Derby. His owners 
started bickering and continued bickering until they dissolved the partnership. 
Two of the three owners agreed and tried to buy out the third. He refused and 
insisted that they dissolve the partnership by public auction of all their 
horses, including Strike The Gold.

Strike The Gold was auctioned on Tuesday, May 5. He was only the second Derby 
winner ever to be sold at public auction. (The other was the 1988 winner, 
Winning Colors who was sold after her owner, Eugene Klein, died.) The two 
agreeing owners bought back Strike The Gold for $2.9 Million.

Strike The Gold justified their faith in him by winning won Saturday's(May 5th) 
running of the Pimlico Special. The Pimlico Special is for 4 year-old & older 
horses and is run at the same distance as this week's Preakness Stakes(1 and 
3/16 miles). Of course, the Preakness Stakes is part of the US's 3 year-old 
Triple Crown.

Strike The Gold had been winless since his KY Derby win although he had
run to many impressive second placings. Throughout his winless streak, he had 
run impressively. He always drives hard in the last part of the race coming 
from well off the pace of the leaders. He's frequently last after the first 
half mile of a race.

Saturday, he came from last behind a moderately fast pace and at the top of 
the stretch, you KNEW he was going to win it. He was the only horse running.
Strike The Gold won the Pimlico Special in a respectable time of 1:54.8.

The favorite, Best Pal, who had been previously undefeated this year placed 
fourth. There were reports before the race that Best Pal did not like the 
racing surface at Pimlico. Commentators said that he had shown a dislike for 
the track in most of his workouts there. Best Pal's workouts were substantially 
sub-par for him. Best Pal had shown a similar dislike for Pimlico last year 
while preparing for the Preakness Stakes but his owner felt that the horse was 
more mature and would adapt to the track now. Apparently, Best Pal did not 
adapt as his trainer said he had no excuses.

Since 1973, how many Triple Crown winners have there been?  Who were they?
What year did they win the TC?

One was Seattle Slew, right?  But what year?

John, you know all this stuff -- Who's favored for Saturday's race?

Does anyone but me completely identify with the woman who owns Casual Lies
(what a great name!)?

ok, so it's more than one question.  

gwen

    Triple Crown Winners since 1973 are:
    
    Secretariat, 1973, with the fastest races ever in each of the 3 events,
                 1:59.4 for 1.25 miles in the KY Derby; Second fastest
                        Derby was Northern Dancer 2:00 in 1964, Third
                        fastest, Spend A Buck, 2:00.6 in 1985
                 1:52.4 for 1 3/16 in the Preakness(Mis-timed officially)
                 2:24   for 1.5 miles in the Belmont; Second fastest: Easy
                        Goer 2:26 in 1989, Third Fastest: Risen Star(sired
                        by Secretariat) 2:26.4 in 1988
    
    Seattle Slew 1977; Only horse to be undefeated when he won the Triple
                       Crown. However, he did lose a few later on in his
                       career
    
    Affrimed     1978 with Alydar second in each race by a total of less
                 than two lengths for ALL THREE Races!
    

    There have been only three other Triple Crown Winners in the lifetime of
    even more the senior noters of this notes file. They are Whirlaway in 1941, 
    Assault in 1946 and Citation 1948. I don't think we have anybody
    significantly over 50 in this conference(as of today) so I won't
    mention the earlier winners of the Triple Crown.

    According to the TRC Triple Crown Poll of 33 racing media
    people(...geez ya can't even say sportswriters anymore because so few
    of them WRITE)...
    
    A.P. Indy(which was scratched from the Derby due to a bruised hoof) is
    the horse to beat in Saturday's Preakness Stakes.
    
    And, yes, probably everybody who rides identifies with Casual Lies and
    his owner/trainer... Imagine if suddenly, YOU were on the Olympic Team
    in your sport; or not only completing the Tevis Cup 100 mile ride but
    being on of the leaders; etc.
    
    That kind of unexpected success is an exmaple of reality following
    childhood fantasy that we still carry with us...Come on admit it. You
    like "National Velvet" and "The Black Stallion" as much now as you did
    when you were 12! I know I do.

    Go on .....
    
    Sir Barton - 1919?

Well, I personalize the story even more, being the improverished owner of
a magnificent stallion.  I've loved him since he was a week old, owned him
since he was 15 months old, and supported him lo these past 9 years.  He's
not a race horse but a show horse.  In his whole life (with the exception of
the 1991 Region 16 finals [the horse show from HELL]) he's never come home
less than Reserve Champion - in halter, pleasure driving, and country english
pleasure.

So, I know how it feels to win with a horse you've sweat blood for.

National Velvet, ALL the Black Stallion books, and every other horse story
I could find in the library!  Remember "Justin Morgan Had a Horse"?


gwen

p.s.  should have titled this reply "Not Thoroughbred Horse Racing"

	or "Thoroughbred Horse Racing...NOT"

    When it comes to horses, I'm still 12.

Before we go on with the Triple Crown discussion, I need to correct the 
time I posted for Secretariat's Preakness and tell you the whole story about 
that timing debacle.

There is NO question that the electronic timer malfunctioned that day. The
electronic timer showed a final time of 1:55 with a first quarter in :25 
seconds even though the horse on the lead was hustled. The track's official 
handicapper hand-timed the race in 1:54.4 which is a full 3/5 of a second 
faster than the electronic timer.

Before the race, Bob(?) Beyer who is the guru of all speed handicappers, 
predicted that Secretariat would win the Preakness and run it in 1:53.4.
Two different experienced railbirds who worked for The Daily Racing Form
hand-timed the race in exactly 1:53.4 from different vantage points. This is 
standard practice for The Daily Racing Form in major races.

CBS-TV compared films of Canonero's Preakness record win in 1:54 and 
Secretariat's Preakness on a frame by frame basis. They showed Secretariat
getting to the finish line more than 2 lengths in front of Canonero which 
means he was more than .4 seconds faster.

Track officials were convinced that the timer had malfunctioned but refused to 
take any evidence other than the official handicapper's time. The Daily Racing 
Form has always published its time which is a full second faster. I remembered 
the story correctly but subtracted the 1 second correction twice. 

I also made an error in reporting Spend A Buck's Derby time. The correct time 
is 2:00.2... I think I converted from fifths of  a second to tenths of a 
second twice or something equally stupid.

John

I'll continue the discussion of the US Triple Crown with a complete list 
winners today and the "Two-Thirds Club" tomorrow. FOr those who are interested 
in a good videotape about the Triple Crown winners, I highly recommend the
tape put out by ABC Sports. Jim McKay(ABC guru of sportscasting) is a 
breeder/owner and did a real good job putting together film of all the Triple 
Crown winners. Jan got it for me for my birthday about 4 years ago and it's
the best $20 we ever spent! It's called "Jewels of the Triple Crown" costs
$19.95 + shipping. ABC Sports sells them directly or you can get them through
Pegosos Press, EQUIVID or lots of other mail order places.

The complete list US Triple Crown winners is:

1919 	Sir Barton
	Winless before the Derby. Grumpy, hated people and horses. Man O'War
	"blew his doors off" in a match race in 1920. Failure at stud as sire 
	of racehorses. Stood at a US Government Remount station in Wyoming
	until his death.

1930 	Gallant Fox
	Only TC winner to sire another TC winner! I think the Preakness was 
	run 4 days before the Derby that year. It was fairly common for a 
	horse to run on just 3 days rest in those days.

1935	Omaha
	Sired by Gallant Fox. First horse to win the TC after it was 
        first called The Triple Crown by Charles Hatton who was a long time
	writer/editor for The Daily Racing Form. Failure at stud; sent to
	Nebraska; pensioned near city of Omaha and buried at Ak-Sar-Ben 
	racetrack in Nebraska;(Ak-Sar-Ben = Nebraska spelled backwards)

1937	War Admiral
	Sire by Man O'War(more about him later!); Topped Man O'War's earnings
	Very successful sire; Very small horse. Lived, died and is buried in 
	the shadow of his sire's fame despite his own achievements. Literally!
	He's buried at the foot of a statue of his father.

1941	Whirlaway
	Mr Longtail. Eddie Aracaro's First TC. Erratic and difficult horse
	In his early career, he would frequently bolt to the outside rail...
	But he'd win anyway! Ben Jones cut away part of Whirlaway's blinker 
	in that paddock on Derby day even though he had never tried it before.
	Aracaro says the horse went better from then on.

1943	Count Fleet
	How could I have forgotten him? Our old vet used to supervise 
	Count Fleet's breeding during the vet's early days in KY. Owned and 
	raced by Hetz of car rental fame. Cooled out lame after the Belmont
	while setting a new record of 2:28.2 seconds w/ 25 length margin of
	victory. The ankle never recovered sufficiently to race and he was 
	retired to stud.

1946	Assault
	Owned and raced by King Ranch in TX. Deformed foot caused by injury
	as a yearling caused people to doubt his ability. Failure at stud.

1948	Citation
	Aracaro's second TC as a jockey. Aracaro claims this is the best 
	horse he ever rode and the best 3 year-old he has ever seen.
	Set a Derby record which stood until 1962. Tied Count Fleet's 
	Belmont record of 2:28.2;

1973	Secretariat

1977	Seattle Slew

1978	Affirmed

    Re: .322
    
    It's Andy Beyer who does the speed figures in the Daily Racing Form.
    
    There is also a lot of controversy over the time for this year's
    Kentucky Derby.  Many people at the Derby timed it in 2:03 and several 
    have timed it from videotape getting the same result.  They think the
    timer malfunctioned and started early.  Apparently the race isn't timed
    from when the horses leave the starting gate, but is started when the
    horses trip a starting mechanism (light beam?) at the quarter pole. 
    The people who claim the race was mistimed, even included the time it
    takes to get from the starting gate to the quarter pole and still got a
    time faster than the "official" clock.  I haven't heard if anything
    will be done as far as changing the official time or not.
    
    						Jan

    
    Jan's comment is slightly misleading. The electronic timer is not at ALWAYS 
    at the quarter pole! The electronic timer is set 1 or 2 strides in front 
    of the starting gate. It just happens that the starting gate is placed 
    near the quarter pole for the KY Derby. 
    
    Andy, Bob, what's the difference? As long as I don't call my spouse by
    the wrong name! In any event, The Daily Racing Form just started
    including Mr Beyer's magic numbers in their race performance records
    which has nothing to do with Secretariat's Preakness in 1973. Beyer had
    just developed his rating system in 1973. He had tested his system by
    analyzing previous Derby winners prep races. He used those figures to 
    "predict" their Derby time successfully. 
    
    BTW, Beyer is one of the people who predicted that Arazi wouldn't win.
    His system uses a profile of past winners of the race to select horses
    in the current race with similar profiles. This year, he had a couple
    horses which fit the profile. He picked Pine Bluff over Lil E Tee for
    some arcane reasons that I didn't understand. He was much humbled when 
    Lil E Tee came home the winner!
    
    

    re. some back
    
    
    What I meant about superhorses was that it would be nice to have a
    horse come in, take the triple crown, etc.
    
    I don't doubt Arazi's ability at all.  I am less than impressed by
    current crops running for the triple crown.  I think racing could use a
    'hero' that really outshines the competition, that's all.  
    
    
    kim

re: .322

>seconds even though the horse on the lead was hustled. The track's official 
>handicapper hand-timed the race in 1:54.4 which is a full 3/5 of a second 
>faster than the electronic timer.

    1:54.4 + 1/5 = 1:55 doesn't it ?

>Secretariat's Preakness on a frame by frame basis. They showed Secretariat
>getting to the finish line more than 2 lengths in front of Canonero which 
>means he was more than .4 seconds faster.

    I had to think about this one for awhile but now I get it.
    Mixing 5th's and 10th's is very confusing !


    Do the flats consider 1 length to equal 1/5 th of a second ?

    The reason I'm asking if because Harness does also and with a
    Standardbred pacing/trotting a mile in 2:00 and a TB running a
    mile in 1:30-something, I don't think it all adds up !

    Bill

    I thought speed figures have always been included in the Daily Racing
    form past performance stats.  Although, now that I think a bit more, I
    think they have always (which means for a while 8^}) been included in
    the Eastern editions but not in the Western ones.  I seem to rember
    reading something to this effect when I spent a summer trying to make
    money at the track, and read *lots* or handicapping books.
    
    Came up with a good system, but it's more trouble than it's worth for
    the payback.  Sigh.  So here I am at Digital....
    
    -ellie

    Sorry about the confusion on the timings. Jan beat me up about that
    while we were cleaning stalls so I'm all set with an explanation! I was 
    using tenths of a second because its easier to type ".6" than " 3/5", etc
    
    But, in the discussion on Secretariat, I wanted to treat the difference
    between the electronic timed and hand-timed results as units. SO, I
    used fifths for the difference and probably confused the bejesees out
    of everybody except me who already knew what I meant.
    
    So, Secretariat is generally believed to have run his Preakness in 1:53
    and 2/5 seconds. He was timed by the official track handicapper at 
    1:54 and 2/5 seconds. He was timed by the electronic timer at 1:55 and
    0/5 seconds.
    
    Yes, 1/5 is considered about 1 length in flat racing. A TB on the flat
    will run a mile in 1:35 to 1:37 depending on the final distance of the
    race. In other words, a 1 mile race will be run in about 1:35 while the
    first mile of a 1.5 mile race will be between 1:36 and 1:37. 
    
    As to the difference between that and a 2 minute lick for a trotter, 
    consider the speeds. A 2 minute lick is 30 MPH. A 1:36 mile is 37.5 MPH. 
    The difference in how far a horse will travel in 1/5 of a second at 
    30 MPH and 37.5 MPH isn't much! About 9 feet versus 11 feet respectively.
    
    Re speed figures. You're probably right about speed figures being in
    the Form for a long time but they were probably somebody else's
    numbers. The Form just started advertising this guy Beyer's figures as a 
    new feature recently in the NY edition

So far, there have been 11 US Triple Crown winners. The Two-Thirds 
Club(winners of 2 of the 3 races) isn't as exclusive. There have been about 
3 times that many horses that have one 2 of the 3 races.

There have been about a dozen that either lost or didn't enter the Belmont 
Stakes after winning the Derby and Preakness. Another 10 have won the Derby 
and the Belmont. There are about 14 horses which have won the Preakness and 
the Belmont after not winning the Derby. 

Winners of KY Derby and Preakness that did not win the Belmont.
1932	Burgoo King	Not entered
1936	Bold Venture	Not entered; sire of 1946 Triple Crown winner, Assault
1944	Pensive		Lost to Bounding Home
1958	Tim Tam		Lost to the Irish runner, Cavan; Tim Tam placed second
			despite breaking his sesamoids in the Belmont; retired
			to successful stud career
1961	Carry Back	Lost to Sherluck
1964	Northern Dancer	Ran second to Quadrangle; went home to Canada and won
			the first leg of the Canadian Triple Crown(Queen's 
			Plate) just 3 weeks later; Injured while training for 
			the remainder of the Canadian Triple Crown; retired to
			the most successful stud career in history
1966	Kauai King	Lost to Amberoid
1968	Forward Pass	Ran second to Dancer's Image in Derby. Dancer's Image 
			disqualified. Forward Pass declared Derby winner.
			Forward Pass then won the Preakness but lost the 
			Belmont to Stage Door Johnny.
1969	Majestic Prince	Lost to Arts and Letters
1971	Canonero II	Lost to Pass Catcher
1979	Spectacular Bid	Lost to Coastal; Shoemaker later road Spectacular Bid
			in his CA races and said it's the best horse he ever 
			rode; His trainer Bud Delp said Bid was the greatest 
			horse to ever look through a bridle
1981	Pleasant Colony	Lost to Summing; Now siring good stakes horses like 
			Pleasant Tap and Pleasant Stage
1987	Alysheba 	Placed fourth & lost $1,000,000 bonus to Bet Twice 
			which won the Belmont and the Triple Crown bonus)
1989	Sunday Silence 	Second; 15 lengths behind Easy Goer's second fastest 
			Belmont in history (2:26 for 1.5 miles); $1,000,000 
			Triple Crown Bonus


Winners of KY Derby and Belmont that lost the Preakness
1923	Zev		Lost to Vigil
1931	Twenty Grand	Lost to Mate
1939	Johnstown	Lost to Challedon
1942	Shut Out	Lost to Alsab
1950	Middleground	Lost to Hill Prince
1956	Needles		Lost to Fabius
1963	Chateaugay	Lost to Candy Spots
1972	Riva Ridge	Lost to Bee Bee Bee
1976	Bold Forbes	Lost to Elocutionist
1984	Swale		Lost to ; and died of heart failure 3 days after the 
			Belmont


The most famous horse that didn't win the Triple Crown is undoubtedly Man 
O'War. He didn't win the 1920 KY Derby because his owner(Samuel D Riddle)
refused to enter the horse in the race. He thought it was too far too early in 
the 3 year old season. He also reportedly had some prejudice against racing in 
Western KY. Most people at the time thought Man O'War would have easily won 
the 1920 KY Derby if he had been entered.

There were seven horses which were not entered in the KY Derby during 
their 3 year-old year. All of them were 1922 and earlier. Apparently, the 
KY Derby didn't have as much prestige before Charlie Hatton defined it to be 
the first leg of the Triple Crown in the 1930's.


Not entered in KY Derby but won Preakness and Belmont.
1877	Cloverbrook
1878	Duke of Magenta
1880	Grenada
1881	Saunterer
1895	Belmar
1920	Man O'War 
1922	Pillory


Won the Preakness and Belmont Stakes after losing the KY Derby
1940	Bimelch		Lost to Gallahadion
1949	Capot		Lost to Ponder
1953	Native Dancer	Lost to Dark Star
1955	Nashua		Lost to Swaps(who went home to CA after the Derby w/o
			running in the other Triple Crown races)
1974	Little Current	Lost Derby to Cannonade
1988	Risen Star 	Third in the Derby after getting boxed in and bumped;
			Sired by Secretariat; Second fastest Belmont at the 
			time (2:26.4); Now third fastest as Easy Goer ran 
			2:26 in 1989; $1,000,000 Triple Crown Bonus
1991	Hansel		Favorite for the Derby; placed 11th; injured in Travers
			while challenging for the lead but ran on for second; 
			retired to stud); $1,000,000 Triple Crown Bonus


Just to show how fickle the finger of fate is, let's consider what might have 
been. Gallant Fox is the only Triple Crown winner to have sired another Triple 
Crown winner. That doesn't mean that he was the greatest sire in the history 
of the world! That club would not be so exclusive had the fickle finger 
wiggled just a little differently.

Man O'War was not entered in the Derby. He was widely believed capaable of 
winning it. Had he been entered and won, Man O'War and his son, War Admiral
would have entered the father&son club.

Likewise with Bold Venture, the sire of 1946 Triple Crown winner, Assault. 
Bold Venture was not entered in the 1936 Belmont. Had he entered and won, 
Bold Venture and Assault would have entered the father&son club.

If Risen Star had had a little better racing luck in the 1988 Derby, he might
have gotten to Winning Colors. If he had, Secretariat and Risen Star would 
have entered the father&son club.

If Northern Dancer had won the Belmont instead of placing second, he would be 
the only stallion to have won the US Triple Crown and sired a winner of the 
UK Triple Crown...etc, etc

The Preakness is expected to have a full field of 14 starters. A.P. Indy
will not start as his bruised foot has still not healed completely.

The first 5 finishers in the KY Derby(Lil E Tee, Casual Lies, Dance Floor,
Conte Di Savoya and Pine Bluff) as well as Technology and My Luck Runs North.

The fresh horse will be Canadian runner, Alydeed which won the Derby Trial a 
week before the KY Derby. Alydeed is sired by English classic winner and 
champion Shadeed who was sired by the late, great Nijinsky. Alydeed's mom 
was sired by the late Alydar. Alydeed is a front running horse and believed by 
many to be the best horse in the field. The expert commentary says that, if a 
speed duel develops between Speaker Phone, Fortunes Gone and Alydeed, the 
horses that come from off the pace like Lil E Tee and Casual Lies will beat
Alydeed. If the pace is moderate, they expect Alydeed to win.

Because the speed duel on the front end is likely, Lil E Tee is a deserved 
favorite. The fickle media now have him at the top of the TRC Triple Crown 
Poll with 20 first place votes and 10 second place votes for a total of 290 
points out of a possible 300. His trainer, Lynn Whiting, says that Lil E Tee 
has enough tactical speed to be closer to the front runners than he was in 
the Derby. Jockey Pat Day says that Lil E Tee loafs when he gets to the lead 
and that the colt wasn't really putting out full effort in the last part of 
the Derby. My guess is that their strategy will be to have Day position the 
horse in mid-field(e.g. 6th through 8th) so he'll be closer to the pace and 
move for the lead as close to the finish as they dare.

Casual Lies' owner/trainer, Shelley Riley is predicting a win for her colt now 
that he has recovered completely from his bedding induced colic episode the 
week before the Derby. Jockey Gary Stevens said that Casual Lies is the first 
horse he's ridden that he felt could endure the gruelling Triple Crown. Of the 
Derby and Casual Lies' chances in the Preakness, Stevens said: "They were 
walking. The entire race the fractions were very slow. If we pick up the pace 
some in the Preakness, this colt is for real." 

With a faster pace, Conte Di Savoya which closed very fast in the Derby and 
his previous races is expected to do well in the Preakness. He liked the 
longer distance and his trainer thinks he's ready to win a big one.

    Winner of the 1992 Preakness Stakes:
    
    Pine Bluff (the favorite)
    
    Second:  Alydeed   (impressive horse)
    
    
    Third: Casual Lies  (very consistent)
    
    
    Fourth: Dance Floor  
    
    
    
    A much more interesting race (I think) than the Derby.  Track was
    labelled Good.  Don't recal time of race.
    
    
    re. a couple back
    
    
    If I recall correctly, didn't Spectacular Bid bypass either the
    Preakness or the Belmont to participate in, at the time, a very rich
    race (up in Arlington?)?  It created quite a controversy, but following
    this, the Triple Crown Bonus was set up to help ensure contenders to
    stick around.
    
    
    
    kim

    Nope, that wasn't Spectacular Bid! It was Spend A Buck in 1985 who won the 
    KY Derby and by-passed BOTH the Preakness and Belmont to run in the Jersey
    Derby in NJ. There was a $2,000,000 bonus put up by the NJ track and/or
    racing commission for the first horse to win the KY Derby and Jersey
    Derby.
    
    The Triple Crown Challenge ($5,000,000 bonus for a Triple Crown or
    $1,000,000 to the horse running in all 3 races and scoring the most
    points) was started in 1986 or '87 because of Spend A Buck 
    
    BTW, The Triple Crown Challenge scoring system has changed. Originally,
    the winner got 5 points, 3 for second and 1 for third. Now, first place
    gets 10 points, second 5, third 3 and fourth 1 point... Under the new
    scoring system, Alysheba which won the first two legs and finished
    fourth in the Belmont would have won the $1,000,000. Under the scoring
    system then used, he had a total of 10 points for 2 firsts while Bet
    Twice which finished second in the first two legs and won the Belmont
    had 11 points. Under the new system, Alysheba would have had 21 points
    and Bet Twice would have had 20.
    
    Personally, I can't see Pine Bluff! Why? Because the public
    handicappers and expert commentators like him too much! That's usually
    the kiss of death especially when Harvey Pack(who used to do the
    handicapping stuff on the Breeders Cup shows) picks him! I can't
    remember Harvey Pack EVER picking th ewinner of a major stakes race!
    
    Oh well, everybody gets lucky sometimes....\
    
    Who's betting on Casual Lies for the Belmont?

    Aha.  Well, I was close.  :)
    
    
    
    Pine Bluff seemed to be drawing off, and I didn't notice (of course, I
    didn't study this in depth) any other strong closers at the end of the
    race.  If it'd been 1.5 miles instead of 1 3/16's, and all things being
    the same, I guess Pine Bluff was the strongest at the end and may well
    be able to go the distance.  
    
    Casual Lies didn't seem to have quite enough oomph in either the Derby
    or the Preakness to impress me enough to pull of the Belmont.  Quite
    frankly, I think it's a crapshoot.  Any of them are good enough to win
    against the others, and who wins, who knows?   :)
    
    
    kim
    
    

    When I saw Casual Lies chargin up on the rail in the Preakness, I
    thought he was gonna get farther than he did with his late run. He was
    closing faster than Pine Bluff but Casual Lies tired in the deep going
    on the rail(Which is the heaviest going when the track is wet). If Gary
    Stevens had chosen the  middle of the track like the jockeys with more 
    experience at Pimlico did, Casual Lies could easily have been second.
    
    IMHO, he could easily have run down Pine Bluff in another 5/16 mile on
    a dry track. 
    
    I was really rooting for Alydeed, the Canadian horse. The experts like
    his chances in the Belmont and the Canadian Triple Crown. 
    

    For those who aren't familar with the Canadian Triple Crown, the
    distances are the same as the US Triple Crown but the last race
    is on turf. Another good aspect of the Canadian Triple Crown is that
    the races are all separated by 3 weeks which gives the horses a little
    more rest between major races.
    
    The Canadian Triple Crown consists of:
    
    The Queen's Plate		1 1/4 miles on dirt at Woodbine
    The Prince of Wales 	1 3/16 miles on dirt at Fort Erie(may be
    				moved to Woodbine this year)
    The Breeders Stakes		1.5 miles on TURF at Woodbine
    
    
    
    There have only been 5 Canadian Triple Crown winners. Remarkably, 3 of
    the 5 ran in the past 5 years! They were:
    
    1989 With Approval		Gorgeous gray horse aka "Coronary Kid" for
    				his habit of letting horses come up to him
    				in the stretch before winning by a nose; He
    				only did that on DIRT! After the Triple
    				Crown, they kept him on turf and he set
    				course records winning by many lengths
    1990 Izvestia
    1991 Dance Smartly		The only filly to ever win it. Won
    				Breeder's Cup Distaff against older mares
    				and The Molson Export Million against US 3
    				year-old males

Blushing Groom, champion miler in England and France, died on May 6 1992. He 
had been foaled in France in 1974. He died of cancer at Gainesway Farm in KY 
where he had stood at stud since his retirement.

Blushing Groom had had a cancerous testicle removed in 1988. He continued to 
stand stud to a reduced number of mares. He got 35 mares in foal in 1989 and 
13 in 1990. He was pensioned off after failing to impregnate any of his 19 
mares in 1991.

Although only 18, Blushing Groom had been a sire of great renown. He sired
more than 70 stakes winners and sired many stakes producing daughters. He was 
the sire of 14 foals named champions at the time of his death. There may be 
more among his last few crops. His foals already named champion include:
Al Bhatri
Arazi		Champion Juvenile just about everywhere he raced
Blushing John	Champion older male in US; Set course and stakes record of
		1:53 1/5 at Pimlico for 1 3/16 miles in Pimlico Special which 
		was even faster than Secretariat's unofficial time of 1:53 2/5
		in the Preakness at the same distance.
Blushing Katy
Classic Tale
Crystal Glitters
Fire The Groom
Groom Dancer
Heart of Groom
Kefaah
Nashwan		1989 Two Thousand Guineas, Derby Stakes, Ecplipse Stakes
		and the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth DIamond Stakes in 
		England
Rainbow Quest	1985 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in France
Runaway Groom	Canadian champion

    Lest my last note about Blushing Groom's death leave you with the
    impression that Blushing John holds the stakes and track record for the
    Pimlico Special, Farma Way holds those records. In 1991, Farma Way
    "cooked" the Pimlico Special field and ran the 1 3/16 miles in 1:52 2/5
    

    I almost forgot, A.P. Indy is back to the races. He won the Gr II Peter
    Pan (1 1/8 miles) over the long weekend. He blew off the field and ran
    it in 1:47 and change. This is significantly faster than his last
    outing in the Santa Anita Derby which he ran in 1:49 and change.
    
    A.P. Indy had been sidelined with a bruised foot since the day before
    the KY Derby and had not raced in 2 months. His trainer intended the
    Peter Pan to be a tune-up race for the Belmont which is Saturday, June
    6th. The NY bettors are expected to make A.P. Indy the favorite in the
    Belmont.
    
    Lil E Tee is not expected to start in the Belmont due to having bled
    in the Preakness. Interestingly enough, that leaves Casual Lies(8
    points) and Pine Bluff(10 points) to battle it out for the $1,000,000 
    bonus. The bonus goes to the horse which finishes all 3 races and has the 
    highest point total for placements within the races.
    
    If Casual Lies comes in third or better and ahead of Pine Bluff, 
    Casual Lies gets the bonus. If Pine Bluff finishes ahead of Casual
    Lies(reardless of placing), Pine Bluff gets the bonus. If neither of
    them enters and finishes the Belmont, Dance Floor(4 points for his 3rd
    in the Derby and 4th in the Preakness) could take home the $1,000,000
    just by finishing the race even if he comes in LAST!

    Foxboro Park in Foxboro Mass was reopened last night after being
    closed for the past 6 years.  Charles Sarkis and the Westwood group
    have put about 8 million dollars into the renovations of the track
    which has been leased by them for the next 35 years.  Sarkis' father
    in law, Patrick Hennessey origionally opened the track in 1946.  
    
    The thoroughbreds have 75 racing dates, the first being last night,
    and the harness horses will begin racing on Sept 18th and run through
    December 4th.  Though there is still some more work to do, the track
    and grandstands are beautiful!  

I know there are a people who are interested in TB racing but don't 
subscribe to racing periodicals like The Blood Horse for various 
reasons. The main one is that it costs $75.50 for 1 year! That's expensive 
even for a high class weekly(which it is).

However, there are some weekly TV shows that will keep you current if you
get cable or have a satellite dish. Actually, there are 3 reasonably good
half-hour weekly shows which vary somewhat in style and emphasis.

1. Inside Racing; Sports Channel; Originates in NY but carried by most
                  Sports Channel stations; Many of the SC stations air
                  this show on Tues at 6:30 PM Eastern; some repeat it later 
                  in the week.
	a. Wire to wire coverage of major stakes races of the week
	b. Commentary/analysis on special races like the Triple Crown
	c. Studio interviews w/personalities(jockeys, trainers, officials, and 
                  handicappers)
	d. Little or no handicapping information(e.g. no odds or pay-out info)
This is my personal favorite despite their low budget atmosphere mainly 
because of the wire to wire coverage and low-key approach. Emphasis on the 
sport w/ business aspects secondary.

2. Thoroughbred Digest; ESPN; Airs at 5:30 PM Eastern on Thurs; repeats at
                        2 AM Fri(11 PM Pacific) and at least once more on Fri 
                        or Sat.
	a. Footage of major stakes races of the week. Usually NOT wire-wire
	b. Some handicapping information(e.g. odds and pay-out info)
	c. Field interviews with owners, moguls of racing industry, trainers
                  jockeys, etc
More glitz and less depth than "Inside Racing." Everything from the
graphics and the studio set to the field interviews says "money!" This show is 
sponsored by important corporations, businesses and state agencies which are 
involved in racing. It shows in the product. The primary emphasis here seems 
to be on keeping powerful, influential people happy and stroked. Secondary
emphasis on the sport. The big advantage is that ESPN is available 
nationwide, wherever there is cable. Sports Channel isn't available in many 
parts of the US(unless you have a satellte dish).

3. Post Time; Sports Channel; Aired at various times during the week on 
different Sports Channel stations. I think the new show is first aired
on Fridays at 7 PM Eastern time on several Sports Channel stations. Also 
carried on some regional sports networks/cable stations

	a. Handicappers delight! Handicapping info & monthly viewer 
           handicapping contest with $5,000 in prize money. I think the 
	   contest is a "900" phone number kind of thing where you place 
	   "bets" on an account that starts out with a certain number of points
	   that are wagered like dollars & winning bets are "paid" in points
	   at the same rate the track pays out dollars. The contestant with
	   highest point total for the month gets the big prize.
	b. Footage of major stakes races
	c. Vacuous commentary from a pretty blonde female exercise rider. 
	   IMHO, she's there as eyewash since the host is a gray complexioned 
	   middle aged male.
	d. Sponsored by a handicapping system which also provides most of the
	   handicapping commentary. They'll try to sell you their system, 
	   instructional video tapes, handicapping forms/graphs and all.

    Well, Lil E Tee, Dance Floor and Alydeed are not running in the Belmont
    next week.
    
    Lil E Tee was found to have a lung infection which caused his bleeding
    incident in the Preakness.
    
    Alydeed's owners decided to pass the Belmont and prepare for the
    Canadian Triple Crown which begins in late June or early July.
    
    I don't know why Dance Floor was scratched but he can't go the 1.5 mile
    distance so it's wise to pass rather than be embarassed.
    
    So, the ONLY contenders for the $1,000,000 Triple Crown bonus this year 
    are Casual Lies and Pine Bluff. Some racing historian said on TV last
    week that he found lots of similarities between this years Triple Crown
    and 1974(I think that's what he said but memory fails; but that would
    have been Little Current). The horse that
    won the Derby that year(Canonade in 1974) faded to the same place 
    Lil E Tee did. The horse that was 5th in the Derby won the Preakness with 
    a new jockey. The old jockey placed second on a fresh horse etc...So 
    because that horse went on to win the Belmont, he expects Pine Bluff
    to win the Belmont.
    
    Personally, I can't see Pine Bluff. I'm rooting for Casual Lies and AP
    Indy... I'm disappointed that Alydeed has been scratched 'cause I'd
    have been cheering for him too.

    BTW, Belmont Park is having its "Horse Fair" with the Belmont Stakes 
    again this year. It's a little different this time around. It's split 
    over this weekend (May 30-31) as well as 3 days next week 
    (Fri June 5 - Sun June 6). The Belmont Stakes are on Saturday, June 6
    
    It's a general horse thing with various breeds showing their stuff.
    The Friday date is designated kids day and they're having all sorts of
    demos etc.
    
    Lots of the racing people who are doing horse stuff outside racing will
    put on demos. For example, retired jocke Angel Cordero Jr will be
    bringing miniature horses. Jockey Julie Krone will be demonstrating
    jumping with her TB showjumper. Jockey Diane Nelson will put on a
    dressage demonstration. Canadian trainer, Jim Day was an Olympic team
    member in showjumping and they're trying to get him to bring a horse.
    There will be draft horses, etc ...
    
    If you live in the region or are planning a trip to NYC or LI for the
    Belmont or some other reason, check out the Horse Fair!

    The Belmont Stakes is this Saturday.  To me, the Belmont has been the
    most important of the 3 races in our Triple Crown. It requires stamina
    as well as speed from the horse. It also requires strategy and clear
    thinking from the jockey. 
    
    Contrary to what you might expect, the 1.5 mile Belmont is not a race
    in which a "come-from-behind" horse can win easily. No horse in the past 
    20 years has won the Belmont without being 3rd or better at the top of 
    the stretch! And only 1 horse(Temperance Hill) has been that far back. 
    Thirteen of the past 20 winners have been on the front when they reach 
    the stretch.
    
    My personal theory is that in the 1.5 mile and longer races, the front 
    runners run the early parts of a race a little slower than in shorter
    races. A slower pace makes it hard for a horse to come from 10-15 lengths 
    behind in the stretch and win. So an "off-the-pace" horse has to run 
    closer to the leaders and begin a forward move on the turn in order to have 
    a shot at winning.
    
    This sets it up perfectly for a horse like A.P. Indy who runs just
    behind the leaders and showed a similar move in winning the Peter Pan
    at Belmont Park two weeks ago. He's the pick of several public
    handicappers because: he's fresh(1 race in the last two months); he has
    a race over the track and won well while making "the move"; his pedigree 
    screams BELMONT, CLASSICS and NEW YORK(He's by Seattle Slew out 
    of a mare by Secretariat; second dam by Buckpasser who was a great
    broodmare sire and won the Travers after being out of Triple Crown
    races due to injury)
    
    Some of the other public handicappers are picking Pine Bluff because
    he's already won a classic race; had a great workout over the Belmont
    track a couple days ago; they think he's peaking at just the right
    time.
    
    They also give Casual Lies a good chance because he's tough and can go
    all day. They also give him credit for a good move in the heavy going
    on the rail in the Preakness which only got him up for third.
    
    Because the point scale for the $1,000,000 bonus is set up (10 points for 
    winning, 5 for second, 3 for third and 1 for 4th), there are several
    things that could happen. It is very likely that Pine Bluff(10 points) 
    will get at least part of the bonus as he has a 2 point advantage over 
    Casual Lies(8 points). But Casual Lies could take it all or they could
    split it.
    
    If Pine Bluff places ahead of Casual Lies, Pine Bluff gets the bonus. If 
    Casual Lies WINS the Belmont(18 point total), Casual Lies gets the
    bonus even if Pine Bluff is second(15 point total). 
    
    If Casual Lies places third or second and beats Pine Bluff by 2 places, 
    Casual Lies gets the bonus. If Casual Lies places third or second and only 
    beats Pine Bluff by 1 place, they split the bonus.
    
    For example, Casual Lies would have a total of 13 for a second place
    finish. If Pine Bluff finishes fourth, his total would be 11 and Casual
    Lies is $1,000,000 richer. However, if Pine Bluff finishes third, his 
    total would be 13 and they split the bonus. Similar results for
    Casual Lies third(11 total) with Pine Bluff fourth(11 total) or
    worse(10 total).
    
    Unfortunately, Jan and I have the same thoughts as the public
    handicappers which usually means that some unheard of longshot will win!
    However, both of us think Casual Lies will place ahead of Pine Bluff.
    So, our rooting section will be supporting A.P. Indy and Casual Lies.
    However, we'll be cheering whoever comes down the lane first!
    
    John

FingerLakes Race Track April 4 to May 30 Inclusive
--------------------------------------------------

Favorites Win % so far this year 	39%
Favorites Win % this time last year	32%

Favorites in the Money so far this year	71%
Favorites Win % this time last year	70%


Winning % Post Positions 
(starts/wins/win %)

Pole		Sprints		Routes
Position	Under 1 mi	1 mi & up
-------------------------------------------------
1		315/36/.11	75/17/.23
2		315/42/.13	75/09/.12
3		315/40/.13	75/10/.13
4		315/46/.15	75/12/.16
5		315/42/.13	74/12/.16
6		315/43/.14	70/03/.04
7		234/25/.11	50/05/.10
8		172/26/.15	30/05/.17
9		104/09/.09	16/02/.13
10		 56/06/.11	04/00/.00
11		 12/01/.08	00/00/.00
12+		 06/01/.17	00/00/.00



			Best of Jockey Standings

		Mounts	1st	2nd	3rd	win%	$$%

Dominguez,C V	 44	12	 7	 3	.27	.50
Whitley,K	145	33	22	17	.23	.50


			Best of Trainer Standings

		Starts	1st	2nd	3rd	win%	$$%

Vardon,R	25	 8	 6	 2	.32	.64
Rosado,R	34	10	 4	 6	.29	.58
Jacobs,S	18	 5	 3	 1	.28	.50
Acquilano,J	63	17	10	 9	.27	.57
Bond,H		23	 6	 3	 4	.26	.56
Perdue,E	55	13	11	 6	.24	.54
Lambert,J	49	12	 7	 9	.24	.57


There just a few people putting together some very impressive numbers at 
Finger Lakes this year. So if the favorite is in the #1 pp in a route and is 
trained by Vardon or Rosado and ridden by Dominquez or Whitley, bet the farm. 
Otherwise you're on your own! Truth be known, when at the track, I always put 
an * next to any horse trained or ridden by these jockeys just to make sure I 
take a close look. If I'm ever hurting for a 3rd horse in an exacta
box or a trifecta key, I always go with these four guys if I can, FWIW. 

Does anyone understand the speed ratings and the track varient in listed in 
the program for each horse and each race?

    Re: local stats on trainers jockeys, etc
    
    On the "Post Time" TV show the other week, they talked about such
    stats. They suggested that handicappers who use them should break them
    down a little finer than overall % wins by jockey, trainer, etc
    
    For example, some trainers may be outstanding with turf horses going a
    route (for example) but have a lousy overall % because they aren't as
    successful win $5,000 sprinters. Same with jockeys, some are better at
    sprints, others excell at routes, some on the turf some can do
    anything. In other words,when looking at a specific race consider only 
    the trainer/jockey records in races w/ similar conditions.
    
    Sounds good on paper but I don't know how the handicapper is supposed
    to get such stuff w/o keeping personal records of every race result for
    the year! Enjoy!

    Here are some last minute updates on the Belmont Stakes and some
    unrelated ramblings:
    
    The post position draw was held yesterday. The 3 top contenders(A.P.
    Indy, Pine Bluff and Casual Lies) drew post positions 1, 2 and 3
    respectively! That might make for some interesting riding strategy.
    Conte Di Savoya will not run unless both Pine Bluff and Casual Lies
    scratch. (That way he'd get the bonus)
    
    A.P. Indy's ears must be burning! The Blood Horse referred to A.P. Indy 
    as "uninspiring" with "none of the brillance of his half brother, Summer 
    Squall". They say he's probably the best US 3 year-old as he was "born 
    into a weak crop." I'd hate to hear what they have to say about Pine Bluff 
    and Casual Lies!
    
    Shelly Riley says she's doing a "Drought Dance" so that the track will
    be fast as Casual Lies didn't like the off track at Pimlico.
    Unfortunately, the weather forecast for Fri in NY is 100% chance of
    rain with possibility of it tapering off into scattered showers Sat.
    
    Steve Cauthen(Affirmed's Triple Crown rider) will be riding in the
    Belmont aboard an English horse whose name I can't recall at the moment.
    
    Dr Devious(the English based horse owned by diet mogul Jenny Craig)
    which finished 7th in the KY Derby won the Epsom Derby easily by 5
    lengths!
    
    Jockey Jacinto Vasquez recently won his 5,000th race at Calder. Jockey Eddie
    Maple(best known as Secretariat's rider in his last race while regular
    rider Ron Turcotte was suspended) recently won his 4,000th race at
    Belmont.

    Well, the Belmont Stakes results should have next weeks's Blood Horse
    eating a few words! Not only did A.P. Indy win but he tied Easy Goer's 
    1989 Belmont Stakes time for the second fastest Belmont in history(2:26)! 
    Interestingly enough, A.P. Indy's jockey(Eddie Dellahouse) also rode 
    Risen Star whose 1988 Belmont Stakes victory is on the books as the third
    fastest Belmont at 2:26 2/5. 
    
    Not only did A.P. Indy get home in 2:26 but the English import(My
    Memoirs) was 3/4 of a length behind in second with Pine Bluff a close 
    third(about 1 length behind A.P. Indy). The rest of the field was 14 
    lengths farther back! Pine Bluff got the $1,000,000 bonus.
    
    BTW, one of the owners of My Memoirs is a West coast public handicapper 
    named Jeff Siegel. Mr Siegel is also one of the handicappers on the
    TV show "Post Time". Well, on last week's show, he was touting his
    horse because he really thought it could win. The other handicappers on
    the show(along with me and Jan at home) were going, "Sure,
    guy! My Memoirs will be well up the track!"...Guess he showed us!
    
    The way Casual Lies was running on the lead, I thought he was gonna
    steal the race but he faded due to an injury. He grabbed a quarter
    at/near the start of the race and gave up when it got too painful. If
    it heals quickly, we may see him in some big races later this summer.
    
    John

    The weekend coupled lots of major stakes action at Belmont Park with
    the Belmont Stakes.
    
    Those who watched the Belmont Stakes on ABC probably saw Strike The Gold
    win the Nassau County Handicap, his second straight win in the ACRS
    seiries for older horses. Boy, was that exciting! Strike The Gold and
    Pleasant Tap(By Derby and Preakness winner Pleasant Colony) were last and 
    next to last(respectively) for most of the race. They charged through the 
    stretch to place 1st and 2nd. It was close enough as it was but 
    Pleasant Tap had some traffic problems which impeded his progress.
    Craig Perret, Strike The Gold's jockey in his last two races, said
    something like, "It looked like Pleasant Tap was gaining on my horse at
    the end. But if we had to go around the track again, he wouldn't have
    passed my horse. I had a lot of horse and he was determined to win."
    
    There were two other graded races on the card with the Belmont and
    Nassau County, the Colin and the Riva Ridge. On Sunday, there was the
    Manhattan Handicap and the Mother Goose(part of the 3 YO Fillies 
    "Triple Tiara"; Honest they started calling it that instead of "Triple
    Crown for Fillies" to separate it from the "Triple Crown" which is open
    to fillies. I guess they figure tiara's more "feminine" or something!)
    
    The Canadian horse, Sky Classic, won the Manhattan w/Pat Day up. This
    makes 3 major Turf stakes victories in a row for Sky Classic. With
    Tight Spot sidelined and Exbourne retired due to injuries, Sky Classic
    could well be Turf division champion this year. This horse just romped
    home!
    
    The Mother Goose favorites, Prospector's Delight and Pleasant Stage
    (she's also by Pleasant Colony) didn't run well and were off the board. 
    Turn Back The Alarm won by about a length and a half from Easy Now, who 
    is Champion Easy Goer's sister.

    Some interesting tidbits of racing news that I have come across in the
    past week or so.

    1. Arazi will race in an English 1 mile stakes race later this month.
       Looks like their gonna keep him at shorter distances for the near 
       future.

    2. The American Championship Racing Series(ACRS) of handicap races for
       older horses has changed complexion for 2 reasons.
	a. The next race in the series was schedulued for Rockingham in NH
	   Rockingham can't meet the financial commitments for the race 
	   because Rockingham is in deep trouble financially(Not surprising
	   w/New Hampshire's economy). Therefore, the Rockingham race has 
	   been replaced with the Suburban Handicap at Belmont. The Suburban
	   has usually been run around July 4th and was scheduled for 
	   July 5th this year. It has been resecheduled to July 18th to 
	   accomodate the ACRS commitment to ABC TV coverage.
	b. Best Pal is out with an injury and will miss the rest of the ACRS
	   races.
	c. These events set up well for Strike The Gold who was already being
	   aimed at the Suburban instead of the ACRS race at Rockingham.
	   With Best Pal sidelined, Strike The Gold is now the point leader 
	   among the active runners in the ACRS series.

    3. Injuries to major older stakes horses
	a. Best Pal has foot troubles which will keep him away from the
	   races for a couple months. Unfortunate, because this gelding
	   is one of the very best and the most consistent racehorses around.
	b. Tight Spot (winner of last year's Arlington Million) is out with 
	   a bruised foot. Expected back in training soon enough to defend
	   his Arlington Million victory.
	c. Exbourne(major turf horse but I can't think what he won right now)
	   has surgery to repair some serious ligament damage to his right 
	   front ankle. Expected to retire to stud. Exbourne came back to 
	   big stakes races after nearly dying of colic last summer

    4. Injuries to major 3 year old stakes horses
	a. Lil E Tee had bone chips in both his ankles. They were removed and 
	   he will recover but will be out for the rest of the season.

	b. Casual Lies did not GRAB a quarter in the Belmont after all. It
	   turns out he had a blind abscess in one of his front feet near the
	   quarter and it blew out during the race. Shelley Riley said that
	   her vet thought the infection was at least 2 months old which means
	   that Casual Lies has been racing SORE for the whole Triple Crown 
           without ever taking a lame step!
	   

    More racing newsbriefs:
    
    1. Best Pal who was originally believed to have more foot problems was
       later said to have popped a splint. This is an unusual condition to 
       develop in a 4 YO horse. More tests suggest that he has actually
       fractured his splint bone. He's expected to be out until late August.
    
    2. The leading rider at the current Belmont meeting is Julie Krone.
       She's really riding well especially on the turf! There have been
       several days in the past few weeks where she's won 3-4 races on the
       same card at Belmont. She's also getting some good stakes mounts.
       She rode Plenty of Grace to victory in the 10 Furlong New York
       Handicap(Gr II Turf) two weeks ago. This past weekend she deserted
       Belmont to ride Harbour Club to second place in the inaugural
       Pimlico Distaff($250,000 purse) and Saint Ballado to victory in the 
       $300,000 Arlington Class (Gr II 10 furlongs on Turf)
    
    3. The hottest stakes stable in North America is Samson Farms. Here's
       their roster:
    	a. Wilderness Song (4 YO filly by Wild Again) won the inaugural
           Pimlico Distaff. If she keeps on form, we'll see her in the 
    	   Breeder's Cup Distaff.
    	b. Sky Classic winning all kinds of major turf races(e.g. his last
    	   two races were wins in the Early Times  Dixie Handicap (Gr III 9
           furlongs) and the Early Times Manhattan(Gr II 10 furlongs).
           Probably being aimed at the Breeders Cup Turf(1.5 miles)
    	c. Rainbows For Life (9 wins for 15 career starts) won last
           weekend's $250,000 New Hampshire Sweepstakes(Gr III 9 furlongs
    	   on Turf) in stakes record time. Maybe, the Breeder's Cup Mile so
    	   he doesn't have to run against his stable mate Sky Classic.
    	d. The queen of racing(IMHO), Dance Smartly. Dance Smartly had been
    	   idle since her Breeder's Cup Distaff win last November. Her first
    	   start was delayed over some concern about filling in her ankles.
    	   She came out in the King Edward Gold Cup(Gr III T) a week ago
           Sunday against 10 males. She finished second by a nose and never 
    	   felt the whip. I got the feeling this was just a tune-up as 9
    	   furlongs isn't her best distance. Don't forget this filly won
           the Canadian Triple Crown last year at distances up to 1.5
           miles. I think we'll see a lot of her in 10 furlong races later
           this season. She will probably be aimed for the Breeder's Cup
           Classic.
    
    4. Arazi ran in the Saint James Palace Stakes in England last Tuesday.
       He finished 5th 2.5 lengths behind the leader. Steve Cauthen(his
       European jockey) says he thinks there is something wrong with the
       colt. The first 3 places were: 1) Brief Truce 2) Zaahi 3) Ezzoud

While I'm home recuperating from dental surgery, I thought I'd enter a couple 
notes that have been on my back burner for a while. Here's a couple "firsts" 
I've come across recently:

	1. 1988 3 YO Champion Risen Star(by Secretariat; won 1988 Preakness 
and Belmont) has his first crop of racing age at the track as 2 YO's. What I 
think is his first winner is his daughter, Lady Starlet. She won a 5 furlong 
race for maiden filly 2 YO's last week at Belmont.

	2. Champion Ferdinand(1986 KY Derby Winner, 1987 Breeder's Cup Classic 
winner, Horse of the Year, sired by Nijinsky, etc) also has his first crop of 
2 YOs at the track. His first winner was Foxie Ferdie which won a 4.5 furlong 
race for 2 YOs at Woodbine about 3 weeks ago.

	3. When Julie Krone retires from race riding, she may turn to calling 
races! She recently called her first race. SHe finished riding early one day
at Belmont and called the 7th race. It was a nice easy introduction as there 
were only 3 horses in the race. The others had scratched when it was moved 
from the turf to the main track due to weather. Although her inexperience 
showed a couple times, I think she'd make an interesting race caller. The call
was spiced up with puns and word play and her enthusiasm for racing came 
through....Compared to the bored sounding announcer that Rockingham has she's 
a champion!

	4. Champion mare, Bayakoa(Twice winner of Breeder's Cup Distaff,etc)
has produced her first foal. It's a bay filly by Strawberry Road(a champion 
Australian turf horse). Bayakoa has been bred to Seattle Slew for a 1993 foal.

Since I have time, I thought I'd recommend a couple good books on racing
heroes. 

"Secretariat: The Making of a Champion", William Nack, Da Capo Press, 
ISBN-0-306-80317-8, (original title "Big Red of Meadow Farm"), $11.95 
paperback.

"Ruffian: Burning From the Start", Jane Schwartz, Ballantine Books, 
ISBN-0-345-36017-6, $18, hardback

These are GREAT reading! The Secretariat book is so well written that you feel 
like YOU are riding Big Red in these races. The Ruffian book is also exciting 
and well written. Highly recommended....

well, it's nap time for this convalescent. See ya later
John

    Do you know anything about the racing history of General Assembly?  I
    saw him at Spendthrift this past May (he's out of Secretariat) and is
    not only gorgeous, but has a fantastic disposition.  I got to really
    pat him and go over his conformation, but I don't remember what the
    groom told me about his racing history.
    
    Also, I'm looking for a book called "Old Bones the Wonder Horse."  This
    book is about Excalibur who was either the 1918 or 1919 derby winner. 
    I read this book when I was young, and would love to have it.  I've
    searched many used book stores and have never found it.  I also don't
    know the author.
    
    Thanks,
    
    Tina
    

    Sure I remember General Assembly. He was foaled in 1976 in
    Secretariat's second crop. His dam was Exclusive Native(Native Dancer x
    Exclusive). General Assembly won graded stakes at distances from 7 
    furlongs to 1 1/4 miles(10 furlongs). Unfortunately, he met up with 
    Spectacular Bid in the 1979 KY Derby and finished a strong second. 
    
    Among other things General Assembly won The Hopeful Stakes(Gr I), Saratoga 
    Special Stakes(Gr II) at two. At 3 he won the Gotham Stakes(Gr II), 
    Travers Stakes(Gr I) and Vosburg Stakes(Gr I). 
    
    In the Vosburg (a 7 furlong sprint) he tied the stakes record of 1:21.
    The Travers is run at 10 furlongs( 1 1/4 miles) at Saratoga and has
    earned the nickname "The Mid-Summer Derby." On a sloppy track, General 
    Assembly set a track and Travers stakes record which still stands, 2:00
    He won by 15 lengths.
    
    Re: "Old Bones", I think that was Exterminator (1918 KY Derby winner)
    rather than Excalibur. Sorry but I don't recall the book mentioned

In what turned out to be nothing more than a public workout, King Haven Farms' 
Ayldeed won The Queen's Plate on Sunday. The Queen's Plate is the first leg 
of Canada's Triple Crown and is run at the same distance as The Kentucky 
Derby(1.25 miles).

Jockey Craig Perret kept Ayldeed off the pace and moved on the turn into the 
stretch. It was all over as soon as he asked the horse to run. In actual fact,
I don't think the colt had to run more than 1/8th. Perret wrapped up on him 
as soon as he made the lead. Even with the mild hand ride, the winning margin
was 10-12 lengths. Although the time was not impressive(3 seconds off the 
stakes record), I got the impression that he could have gone significantly 
faster if necessary. 

This is an entirely different colt than we saw in The Preaness Stakes in 
May. In The Preakness, Ayldeed was running hell bent for leather on the front.
Since then, Trainer Roger Attfield has concentrated on keeping the colt calm 
and teaching Ayldeed to rate and come from just off the pace. They went home 
to Woodbine after The Preakness and used the Marine Stakes and Plate Trial to 
practice those things under race conditions. The strategy worked. 

After the race, Perret said the hardest part of his job was to keep 
Ayldeed relaxed until he wanted him to run. He said that during the Marine 
Stakes he was racing alongside another horse and said to the jockey, "Watch 
what happens when I push the button on this horse." He later said that 
Ayldeed spurted away so fast that he didn't hear the response from the other 
jockey. They have a genuine racehorse on their hands. We'll hear a lot more 
from Ayldeed in the future barring illness/injury.

John

    The Queen's Plate was indeed just a workout for Alydeed.  I wondered
    what the commentators were talking about in the CBC pre-race show.  I
    really expected him to win but not by that margin.  Maybe I'm still
    thinking about all the hoopla on Arazi (sp) before the derby, but this
    colt certainly did look like a major contender in this race.  This
    being the first leg in the Canadian Triple Crown, he could easily win
    the Bank of Montreal's $1,000,000 bonus.
    
    Bob
    

    Some short racing newsbits
    
    Jockey Jose Santos(who I think is all time leading money winner among
    jockeys worldwide) was injured yesterday in a 3 horse spill at Belmont.
    The accident was caused by a traffic problem. All 3 horses got up and
    were on 4 legs. None of them appeared to be seriously injured. The
    other two jockeys were treated for minor injuries and released from the
    hospital. Mr Santos's injuries were more serious. One arm was shattered
    and he had neck and back pain which would require more tests to
    evaluate. 
    
    Handicap star Best Pal's splint problems were X-rayed and the X-rays 
    showed no fracture afterall. This means that his recovery will be 
    quicker and more complete.
    
    Preakness Stakes winner Pine Bluff was retired after he injured his
    sesamoidal ligaments in an ordinary gallop. He was just exercising not
    a serious workout...and people wonder why I say jogging is bad for
    humans!
    
    The surgery to repair Exbourne's ligament damage was successful.
    Unfortunately, he has foundered in the other foot and is in a life
    threatening condition.
    
    Those who watch NY racing on Sports Channel may have been wondering
    why Julie Krone(leading rider at the Belmont meeting) was absent from 
    Belmont from July 4th through July 9th...Well over 4th of July weekend,
    she went out to Fingerlakes (NY) to ride in a stakes race. (Her mount
    crossed the finish line second but the stewards disqualified the first
    horse so Ms Krone's mount got first money.) After that, she headed for
    Europe to ride for 3 days in stakes races. She arrived back in NY in
    time to ride Thursday at Belmont but...The airline lost her luggage
    which included her tack(You can relate to this!) She started riding
    back at Belmont on Friday or Saturday and has gone right back to
    winning... The current Belmont meeting ends on July 27th. Those of you 
    who know some German may remember that Juli is German for July and 
    Krone means "crown" in English. Could a name like "July Crown" be an
    a lucky omen for someone trying to win a riding title in July? We'll
    see.
    

    Foxboro Raceway has cancelled live thoroughbred racing for the remainder
    of their 75 night meet, after running only 35 cards.  The track was
    losing money daily, the purses were costing them $45,000 per night
    alone, and the handle was very low.  The quarantine for suspected EVA
    didn't help either, though no horses at Foxboro were ill.  Foxboro
    will continue to run simulcasts from other tracks through the summer.
    
    The harness meet is scheduled to open at Foxboro on September 18th.

    I half heard something on the radio this morning about Suffolk
    (Suffering) Downs...they're closing for the rest of the season.
    
    Has anyone else heard that one?  Did I hear correctly?
    
    
    

    I am not at all surprised that Foxboro has closed and Suffolk Downs
    is considering closing. All the New England tracks are in financial 
    trouble. Rockingham has been in trouble all season and this sickness
    certainly hasn't helped them. 
    
    Minor tracks all around the country are in financial trouble. Even some
    major tracks have had trouble. For example, Gulfstream and Hialeah have
    been two mainstays of winter racing for eons and yet both have had
    trouble in recent years. 
    
    In plain English, TB racing can't go on like it has been. There are too
    many other opportunities for legalized gambling that compete with the 
    racetracks. Handicapping horses takes a while to learn and requires skill 
    as well as luck. Most other forms of legalized gambling are easy to
    learn and the players are less secretive than handicappers. After all,
    nobody wants to ruin the price on the horse they're going to bet.
    
    I think that in a few years, we'll see LOTS of the smaller tracks like
    Suffolk Downs and Foxboro either gone completely or turned into simulcast 
    only operations. Don't expect any help from the state governement
    either. Its only interest in TB racing is the revenue generated from
    the betting handle. I think there will always be racing at major
    centers like NYC, Southern CA, KY, FLA and maybe even Saratoga but even
    some of the mid-sized tracks will probably disappear within 5-10 years.

On a more pleant topic, Pleasant Tap turned the tables on Strike The Gold
in last Saturday's Grade I Suburban Handicap. Nick Zito, Strike The Gold's 
trainer, sent out a rabbit to insure a fast pace for his closer. It worked and 
backfired all at the same time. The rabbit did his job admirably and in fact 
held on to finsih 4th or 5th which means he probably got enough of the purse 
to earn his oats on his own merit. But, the fast pace worked more to 
Pleasant Tap's advantage than Strike The Gold's. 

Pleasant Tap seems to be a little more versatile in his running style than 
Strike The Gold. Pleasant Tap can stay closer to the pace if he needs to and 
he did just that in the Suburban. Pleasant Tap's race in the Nassau County 
also showed that he is willing to run again after being checked for traffic 
problems. This gives Pleasant Tap's jockey more chances to take a 
shorter route during the race.

I have never seen Strike The Gold do anything but circle the field and come 
flying down the middle of the track. This suggests that he wouldn't come on 
after being checked by his jockey. Don't get me wrong, I think Strike The 
Gold's closing kick is the most exciting thing in racing. It's just that
his style leaves him a lot more to do than a more versatile horse and 
therefore, he doesn't win as often as his talent might merit. People make a 
big deal out of his 12 race "losing streak." Well, most of the time his 
style lost the race for him and he placed second. Nothing disgraceful about 
that especially considering the class of horses he runs against. I also 
feel that the horse was probably uptight during that 12 race streak because 
of the strife between his former owners. Zito and his staff were all uptight 
because of it so I'd be surprised if the horse DIDN'T pick up some of the 
tension.

Those who saw the race on ABC may have heard the announcer say that Julie 
Krone was riding Silver Ending and had already ridden 3 winners that day.
What they didn't tell you was that one of those races was the Tom Fool(Gr II)
which was run right before the Suburban. On Sunday, Ms Krone came back to win
4 more races including another graded stake.

Strike The Gold now leads the ACRS series with 27 points for 2 wins and a 
second. The injured Best Pal is in second with 23 points. The last 2 races are 
in August and will determine which horse will get the major share of the 
$1,000,000 bonus for the best performance in the 9 races series. Other 
contenders include Pleasant Tap, Sultry Song and Sea Cadet with 15-17 points 
each.

John

Hey, have you folks heard about D. Wayne Lukas' comments about the US Triple 
Crown races? Sometime in June, Mr Lukas gave a speech in which he said:
	1. The Chrysler car should go to the groom of the winning horse 
           rather than the jockey
	2. The races should be shortened to 1 1/8 miles for the KY Derby,
	   and 1 1/4 miles for the Belmont Stakes. The Preakness would 
	   remain at 1 3/16. His arguments are that we now breed horses for 
	   1 1/8 miles so our "classics" should reflect that change AND
	   the progression of increasing distances makes more sense than
	   the current distances.

Frankly, I don't care who gets the bloody car. It will just fall apart in 
2-3 years anyway. But, the CA racing community listened to that and gave
a mini-pickup to the groom of the winning horse in the Hollywood Gold Cup.
Ironically, that turned out to be Sultry Song who had shipped in from NY!
So, his groom had to take a week off to drive it home!

But, the idea that we should shorten classics to accomodate horses that 
can't run beyond 9 furlongs irritates me no end. First of all, it's not 
true that most American TB are milers/middle distance horses. Most are 
sprinters. Just look at the card at any track. Sprint races predominate but 
they have tiny purses. It's also not true that our top quality horses are
limited to middle distances(1 1/8 to 1 1/4 miles). The Irish Derby winner
this year(St Jovite) is American owned and bred. Last year's Prix de L'Arc 
de Triomphe was one by an American bred horse(Suave Dancer). The Europeans,
the Maktoum brothers(the Sheiks from Dubai), the Aga Khan and many others 
have been buying and exporting US horses for many years. Most of the 
European/Australian classics are run at distances of 1.5 miles and up!
    
    There are also LOTS of US races at distances of 1 1/4 to 1 3/4 miles
    for horses of all class levels including claimers. Most of those are in
    the Turf division though.
    
    
Personally, I think that shortening these classics would just cheapen the
whole series. What do you think?
    
    John

John

    Sorry John I don't have much to say on shortening those races except...
    If it ain't broke, why fix it.
    
    I was reading through some of the first notes in here and about died. 
    I used to live in Long Island (many moons ago) and worked at Pinebourne
    farms.  We had broodmare and horses up to 3 yrs.  The were started
    there and then moved to the track.  I loved working there.  We also had
    one 5 yr old stallion that had twisted an ankle.  He was a pain.  Had a
    fit every time he saw the geldings.  Oh, we had two X pick-up horses
    that we would race every now and then.  I still watch the big races and
    go to the track sales here in CA.  I have a friend who worked for D.
    Wayne Lucas(I think) for 4 yrs. and is now going to vet school.  I only
    wish I had stayed in NY longer. 
    
    	thats my story.  Sorry if it doesn't belong here.
    
    
    virginia

    Well, I guess the Bank of Montreal is breathing a little easier today!
    They won't have to shell out the $1,000,000 bonus that they pay for
    being a Canadian Triple Crown winner!
    
    Alydeed was favored to win yesterday's Prince of Wales and annihilate
    the field as he did in the Queen's Plate. It was not to be. It had
    rained and the Fort Erie track was a quagmire. Perret kept Alydeed just
    off the pace in the early going and went to the lead sooner than in the
    Queen's Plate. I knew he was in trouble when he went to the stick in
    the top of the stretch. He didn't need to do that last time.
    
    The roan colt, Benblurb was gaining on outside Alydeed. For a few
    seconds, it looked like Alydeed would meet the challenge but he didn't
    respond and Benblurb won by half a length. The time was respectable as
    it was about 1 second off the course record even in spite of the slop.
    
    In an post-race interview, trainer Roger Whitfield said that the horse
    appeared to be all right and that the only excuse he could offer at
    this point was that the horse didn't like the track and/or tired in the 
    sloppy footing. He wasn't sure whether Alydeed would finish the Canadian
    Triple Crown or come south to Saratoga for the Travers. As a "career
    move", the Travers makes more sense. A win there would provide more 
    prestige and prize money than winning 2/3 of the Canadian Triple Crown.
    
    BTW, I used to consider, "My horse didn't like the track." as just
    another lame excuse when somebody couldn't explain a poor race. But,
    there was an article in last weeks Blood Horse than gave me some
    insight into why there might be some truth to it. Each track has an
    ENTIRELY different composition of the dirt in the track as well as
    different maintenance techniques/equipment. I had always assumed that
    track surfaces were more or less the same and that there were standard 
    maintenance techniques. Not true. In fact, there is a multi-year
    program on in CA to make the tracks more similar in composition and
    maintenance as a safety measure as well as a standardizing attempt.
    
    As sensitive as horses are about their footing, it's no suprise that
    they would have preferences for one racecourse over another. It also
    explains why you hear that excuse less from trainers of turf horses!
    The grass would mitigate the differences to some degree.
    
    John

    With all the buzz about the Olympics and other things, I never got
    back to this. But, Monday was the last day of the Belmont meeting.
    
    On the last day, there were a couple of firsts:
    
    1. Remember Personal Ensign who rallied to win the 1988 Breeder's Cup
    Distaff over KY Derby winner Winning Colors and become the first stakes 
    horse to retire undefeated since 1905? Her first foal made its first
    start on Monday. It's by Mr Prospector and finished second but I can't
    remember its name now!
    
    2. Julie Krone did win the riding title for the Belmont Summer meeting
    w/ 75 wins. She is the first woman to EVER win a riding title in TB
    racing. Not only did she have 75 wins at Belmont but she rode out of
    town for a couple weeks. She went out to Finger Lakes on 4 July and won
    and then went to England to ride for a couple days. There were some
    promotional events w/ other women jockeys but on one day she rode at an
    English track and won 3 races from only 5 mounts. One of the wins was as
    handicap with 17 starters.
    
    3. Unfortunately, this isn't a first. Jose Santos is reported to have
    needed an operation to repair his broken arm. It had been broken in
    several places. This is the second serious accident for Santos this
    year. He broke his shoulder in February.
    
    NY racing has moved to my all-time favorite venue, Saratoga. It's so
    intense there! I think there are only 2 days in the 35 day meeting that
    don't have a stakes race on the card. The youngsters start to show
    their merit and it's just about the most exciting meet going.
    
    Belmont's summer and fall meetings a respectable second and third though.
    And then Southern CA

    Haven't been in here for a while, but had a comment about shortening
    the Triple Crown races.  I vote "no".  I'd like to see *more* longer
    distance races.  Seems that a lot of races have been shortened in the
    past few years or so.  In the filly triple crown the Oaks used to be 
    1 1/2 miles like the Belmont and now it's something like 1 1/4 or 1 1/8
    miles.  My opinion is that Wayne Lukas wants to shortened the races
    because he doesn't have any that can win at longer distances.
    
    Re: .365
    
    It's Benburb that beat Alydeed, and Alydeed's trainer is Roger
    Attfield.
    
    Re: .366
    
    Personal Ensign's first foal is named Miner's Mark.

    Jeez...Gimme a break,Jan. Just 'cause we're married doesn't mean you
    can point out my lack of typing skills in public! 
    
    Re the Triple Crown for Fillies, the Coaching Club Oaks was shortened
    to 1 1/4 miles. The races in that series are now 8, 9 and 10 furlongs
    in that order... That's too bad because frequently, true talent can
    show better in longer races where racing luck isn't as much of a
    factor.
    
    Does anybody realize that the Belmont Stakes is now the ONLY 1 1/2 mile
    race in the US on dirt? There are lots of 1 1/2 mile races on the
    grass.
    
    Re shortening other races...The Molson Export Million for 3YO's was 
    shortened from 10 furlongs(1 1/4 miles) to 9(1 1/8 miles) last year.
    Why? For one reason: the sponsor wants to improve the grade of the race. 
    Since the grade of a race depends on the quality of horses that run in it 
    and there are more good middle distance horses than I can count, they 
    shortened the race.
    
    Besides, I don't know where Lukas is really coming from saying we run
    stakes mostly 9 furlongs nowadays. The ACRS championship series for older
    horses has had at least as many 10 furlong races as 9 furlong events.
    And then there's the Pimlico Special which is 9.5 furlongs!
    
    On the final day of the Belmont meeting, there were 3 races longer than 9
    furlongs. Two of them were at 11 furlongs on the turf! These were
    claimers and allowance horses so maybe they don't count in 
    Lukas' eyes.
    
    John

    Somebody asked about General Assembly a few back and said they had
    visited him at the farm where he stands stud. Last week's Blood Horse
    reports that a German breeder has made an offer to buy General
    Assembly(a 16 year old son of Secretariat x Exclusive Dancer). The
    syndicate is considering the offer.
    
    When I replied to the request for info about General Assembly, I forgot
    to mention that his dam, Exclusive Dancer, is a full sister to
    Exclusive Native who sired 1978 Triple Crown Winner Affirmed among tons
    of other stakes horses. Both Exclusive Native and Exclusive Dancer were
    sired by Raise a Native(Native Dancer x Raise You). They were out of
    Exclusive(Shut Out x Good Example)
    
    John

    I got to visit General Assembly at Spendthrift, and even got to really
    pat him.  His groom said he's the only racing stallion he's ever seen
    with an absolutely terrific disposition - anyone, and he means *anyone*
    can handle him safely.  He's the only stud he would let me handle,
    because the rest are all biters or a combination of biting and
    striking - displaying domination behaviour.
    
    GA's stud fee is 7,000 for 92, and since Spendthrift has been in
    terrible financial trouble recently, I can believe that they might
    consider selling him.  One of Seattle Slew's son is also at Spendthrift
    and he seemed to have the most bookings at around 15,000.  
    
    Spendthrift's fees are among the lowest in the Lexington area, because
    they've had to buy stock in, some not always the absolute highest, as
    compared to Three Chimneys stud.

Racing news update:

After her wins in filly classics like The Mother Goose, Turn Back the Alarm 
was expected to be the favorite in this Saturday's Alabama Stakes at Saratoga.
Unfortunately, she sustained a condular fracture on a hind cannon during a 
5 furlong workout last Sunday. In plain English, that means the knob at the 
end of her cannon bone(i.e. the condyle to an anatomy professor) cracked.
That's the bad news. The good news is that she's alive and expected to make 
a full recovery. Jockey Chris Antley who rode her in the workout said that
she took a single funny step in the middle of her workout but continued to 
finish her work in an easy 1:01 and change. Trainer Red Tirrel said the filly 
showed no lameness or swelling until more than an hour after the workout. She
was vanned back to the stables at Belmont. Sunday evening, the vets operated 
on her leg and she is recovering at Belmont. She's reported to be in good 
spirits. Three months of stall rest followed by a month of hand walking were 
prescribed. After that, her owners will make the decision whether to retire 
her to the broodmare band or return her to racing.

Belmont winner A.P. Indy is still sidelined with a quarter crack. He made news 
anyway because his owner Tomonori Tsurumaki has sold an interest in 
the colt to William Farish(Lane's End Farm) representing a sydicate consisting 
of William Farish, William Kilroy and Harold Goodman. Farish and Kilroy bred 
A.P. Indy in partnership and sold him as a yearling for $2.9 million. A.P. 
Indy is expected to return to racing in the fall and be pointed at the 
Breeder's Cup. The colt will continue to be trained by Neil Drysdale and race 
in Tsurumaki's silks.

Two stallions partially owned by the bankrupt Calumet Farm and related 
corporations were sold to Japanese interests. The 1990 Horse of the Year,
Criminal Type(Alydar x Klepto-No Robbery) will be sold to The Thoroughbred 
Breeders Club Co. of Japan for a total of $3.8 million. Criminal Type will 
stand at the club's farm on the island of Hokkaido. 

The Calumet half interest in 1984 Epsom Derby winner Secreto(Northern Dancer 
x Betty's Secret-Secretariat) was sold at a courtroom auction for $650,000. 
The lucky bidder was veterinarian Teizo Aida. Aida is reported to be 
purchasing the remaining half interest in Secreto for an additional $650,000. 
Secreto will stand at Aida's Suwa Stud.

Japanese bred horses may become significant in international competition in 
the future. In recent years, Japanese breeders have acquired a number of 
outstanding stallions/stallion prospects. For example, Criminal Type is the 
second Horse of the Year to go to Japan in recent years. The 1989 Horse of the 
Year, Sunday Silence was sold to Zenya Yoshida's Shadai Farm shortly after the 
horse was retired to stud. Major Grade I Turf division winner Golden Pheasant
was also sold to a Japanese breeder. Watch for them to be a factor in another 
5-10 years.

John

    The penultimate race in the American Championship Racing Series(ACRS)
    was held this past Saturday. It was the Iselin Handicap at Monmouth
    Park in NJ. The track had been prepared in a different way than usual.
    The track superintendent had scraped and rolled it so it was hard and
    speed favoring, especially on the inside along the rail. 
    
    As a consequence, there were 3 track records set on Saturday. The
    Iselin unfolded about as expected. Loach(Strike The Gold's entrymate)
    to the lead and set an extremely fast past. Strike The Gold did his
    usual "Silky Sullivan" imitation and dropped back until he was 18
    lengths off the lead. The Zito plan was for Loach to burn out the other
    speed horses by setting a fast pace so Strike The Gold could close and
    win. It didn't work. Loach set thefast pace and Strike The Gold could
    closed well but he had no chance to catch the speed horses. 
    
    Jolie's Halo won the Iselin and tied the stakes record doing it. This
    is something of a "comeback" for Jolie's Halo as he had been injured
    and had only one prep race before the Iselin. Jolie's Halo won the
    very first ACRS race(the Donn Handicap) in Florida in Feb 1991.
    
    Jolie's Halo as well as the horses which placed second and third were
    running on the iside portion of the track and were the front flight
    after Loach packed it in after 3/4 of a mile. Other than Strike The Gold, 
    no horse made a forward move in the last half of the race. 
    
    Strike The Gold finished fourth and got 3 points which clinched the ACRS 
    title with 30 points for the series. Even his detractors said that this 
    was an excellent performance with the track favoring speed and the inside
    pathsd. He'll get $750,000 bonus after the final race. There's another 
    $750,000 up for grabs for the rest of the ACRS contenders. There are 
    about 4 horses which may have enough points to displace Best Pal for 
    second money with either a win or second place finish. Best Pal won't 
    contest the race as he's still recuperating from splint problems.
    
    BTW, news from Saratoga is that Nick Zito has purchased the last Alydar
    foal for Strike The Gold's owners. The yearling is out of My Juliet and
    was born about 30 minutes after Strike The Gold won the 1991 Kentucky
    Derby. Word has it that Zito believes that this is a good omen for the
    colt to follow in his older sibling's hoofprints.

In another note, I mentioned that the Seattle area would only have a
Thoroughbred track for another 4 weeks. The local track is called Longacres
and it was in NO financial trouble. 

Then, why is is closing? Very simple.

The land that the track occupies was worth more to the owners as a development 
site than as a racetrack. The track's founder died some years ago. For many 
years, he and his wife had run the track. They even lived in a cottage in the
infield. Naturally, she ran the track after he died. In her old age, she 
continued to run it with the help of her sons-in-law until she died. When the 
current younger set inherited the track, they continued to run it at a profit. 
Actually, attendance and betting handle has steadily INCREASED over the past 
10-12 years. The 10 race card was always full with an average of 9 horses 
per race. Most of the horses at Longacres were state breds. Thoroughbred
breeding was a good business here.

But, in 1989, the family was made "an offer they couldn't refuse" by the 
Boeing Company. Neither the family nor Boeing has publicly said what the
sale price was but well informed sources say that it was a little over 
$90 million with a great deal of the sale price in Boeing stock. 

Boeing permitted racing to continue until 1992 to allow the Thoroughbred 
industry in the state an opportunity to organize and build a new track. 
Unfortunately, none of the groups that have tried to get a site, licensing 
and financing to build a new track has succeeded yet. Several of them have 
given up. They have failed for various reasons. 

Boeing needs to start contruction on their office park and pilot training 
simulator complex for their new model of airplane by December of 1992. 
Therefore, there will be no more racing at Longacres Park and that means 
that there will be no Thoroughbred racing in this area for at least 3 years 
IF EVER!

Longacres was only a second or third tier track. They only had a few big 
stakes races and only 1 of those was graded(Gr III Longacres Mile). But,
it employed thousands of people directly and indirectly in the TB breeding 
and related businesses in this state. This will leave a gaping multimillion 
dollar a year hole in the local economy as well as reducing the state's 
income from its portion of betting dollars. That may mean tax increases for 
the rest of us!

It's also disrupted lots of people's lives. For a lighthearted example, one 
young woman who is an exercise rider said she would probably go back to 
school for an advanced degree in biochemistry but that she would rather have 
stayed on at the track! Not all the track folk have such good options.

They ran the 57th and last Longacres Mile yesterday. It was won by Bolulight 
in 1:34.0 which is 2/5 or 3/5 off the stakes record. 

If financially sound tracks are being closed because the owners can make more 
money by selling the site for development, what's to become of those tracks
which aren't in such good shape? I've said before that Thoroughbred racing is 
in trouble. This is a good example of how messed up it is.

John

    Belmont's Fall meeting features at least a dozen Grade I stakes 
    including several turf races at a distance.

    The most prestigous of the turf races is the Turf Classic for 3 YO's & up 
    (each w/126 pounds) at 1.5 miles on the Widener Turf course. Belmont has 
    two turf courses. The course and stakes records are:
        Cocoethes stakes record(1990)    2:25
        Secretariat course record(1973)  2:24.8 (2:24 and 4/5)
    
    The 1992 field included:
        Solar Splendor (Won 1991 & 1992 Gr I Man o' War at 1 3/8 AND 1991
                        Turf Classic at 1.5 miles)
        Fraise (Won 1992 Sword Dancer, Gr I Turf, 1.5 miles now run at 
                Saratoga; moved from Belmont)
        Sky Classic (Won 1991 Rothman's International, Gr I Turf, 1.5 miles
                     at Woodbine. Also won 5 graded stakes this year)
        Tel Quel(French runner; supposedly good at 1.5 miles)
        Adam Smith(English runner; not supposed to be very good)
        Libor about who's form I know nothing

    Solar Splendor broke on top but Adam Smith went to the lead and set 
    modest early fractions for the first half of the race(24 1/5, 48 1/5, 
    1:11 4/5) In the far turn, Adam Smith still had the lead but not for long. 
    
    Solar Splendor moved easily to the lead and Tel Quel went along with him. 
    The stretch-running Fraise made his move from the back of the pack. For
    a few seconds, it looked like Sky Classic was actually fading as the 
    others made their moves. But, Pat Day was still sitting chilly and not 
    asking Sky Classic for much. 

    As they turned for home, Solar Splendor looked strong but Fraise was 
    moving to him on the outside. As Adam Smith faded, a hole opened for
    Day and Sky Classic. They went through and CHARGED to the lead with
    Day still hand riding! In fact, he was hardly moving on Sky Classic;
    Just moving his hands with the horse; no leg; no whip. 

    Sky Classic drew off to win by about 2 lengths in a new course & stakes
    record time, 2:24.50 on the 100ths clock or 2:24 2/5 on the old style 
    timers. Fraise got up for second over Solar Splendor with Tel Quel
    fourth. 
    
    In his last prior race, Sky Classic lost by a head in the Arlington 
    Million (Gr I, 1.25 miles Turf)even though he looked like a sure winner 
    100 yards from the wire. Day was paying more attention to Golden Pheasant 
    who was challenging on Sky Classic's outside. Neither he nor Sky Classic 
    saw Dear Doctor get through traffic and come flying on the rail. Dear 
    Doctor went passed about 2-3 jumps from the wire. He got the lead by a 
    long head. Sky Classic came back at him and made it a short head at the 
    wire...If he had had a couple more jumps or Day had seen Dear Doctor 
    coming, the result might well have been different. Solar Splendor defeated 
    Dear Doctor 3 times in the past year; most recently in the Man o'War
    just 2 weeks ago. But that's why they actually run the races rather
    than giving out the money for morning works and past performances!
    

    Between getting ready for our vacation and being away 2 weeks, I've 
    negelected racing news for quite a while.
    
    Here are some of the tidbits since August:
    
    1991 Champion 2 YO filly, Pleasant Stage died of shock after a vitamin
    injection.
    
    1991 Champion 3 YO filly, Dance Smartly has been retired after
    suffering a suspensory ligament injury in a workout. Dance Smartly has
    had foot & leg trouble all season and has, therefore, been unable to
    match the brilliance she showed last year when she beat colts as well
    as beating older fillies & mares in the 1991 Breeder's Cup Distaff.
    
    Rubiano, the gray son of Fappiano, has returned to his winning form.
    In the Spring, he had won 5 straight sprints under Jose Santos. Then, 
    he finished badly when he tried to stretch out to a mile in a Gr I
    event. Since Santos broke his arm, Julie Krone has ridden Rubiano and
    he has won two graded stakes including yesterday's Gr I Vosburgh. Under
    Santos, Rubiano was known as "The King of the Noses" since he won by a
    head or less. In his two recent races, he has won by 1 to 3 lengths.
    Whether he is just in better form or just runs a little better for 
    Krone(who is infatuated with the horse), I don't know. He is certainly
    NOT running against weaker competition! Yesterday's Vosburgh included
    the top US sprinters and last year's Breeder's Cup Sprint winner,
    Sheikh Albadou who is also one of the favorites for this year's Sprint.
    
    We'll see what happens in 3 weeks.
    John

    In the original version of this note, I forgot to mention the Breeder's
    Cup Steeplechase which will also be on the NBC racing broadcast. They
    are also supposed to broadcast the Kelso Handicap but that's not a
    Grade I race even though it is a stakes race.
    
    For those who may be interested and didn't know, NBC is broadcasting
    racing from Belmont this Saturday(Oct 10 1992). NYRA and Belmont are
    calling it "Super Saturday II" because it features FOUR(count 'em! 4!)
    Grade I races on the same race program. The four are: Jockey Club Gold
    Cup(1 1/4 mi for 3 yo & up), Champagne Stakes(2 yo colts), Beldame
    Stakes(fillies & mares 3 yo & up), and Frizette Stakes(2 yo fillies).
    
    Tune in and watch Strike The Gold and Pleasant Tap try to catch Sultry
    Song in the stretch of the Jockey Club; See Champion Easy Goer's family
    (3 YO filly Easy Now, a half sister by Danzig & 2 YO colt Strolling
    Along who is by Danzig out of Easy Goer's full sister, Cadillacing) try 
    to become the favorite for their  Breeder's Cup divisions. Both have won 
    Grade I stakes recently.
    
    If it's as exciting as last weekend's 2 Grade I program or the 3 race "Super
    Saturday I" program that Belmont and Sports Channel did while I was on
    vacation, it'll be a good time. (I had the VCR set and the electricity 
    STAYED ON! We loose power about 8-10 times a year out at our place.)

    A sidenote of interest to all those who enjoyed Casual Lies'
    performance in the Triple Crown. As you may remember, he was injured
    during the Belmont Stakes. A weak spot in his hoof which had been
    created by a blind abcess erupted from the stress of the race. He's
    been recuperating over the summer.
    
    Well, he's back to the races and is racing in top company. Yesterday,
    he ran in the Goodwood Handicap at Santa Anita. The Goodwood is a Gr II
    9 furlong race for 3 YO and up. The field consisted of some of the top 
    older horses at the Santa Anita meet: Another Review, Marquetry, Reign
    Road, Claret as well as 3 YO Casual Lies. 
    
    Casual Lies contested the lead for the first 3/4 of the race but tired
    in the stretch and placed fourth. Since this is probably one of his
    first races since his injury, he's probably going to improve in his
    next race.
    Marquetry

    Can you believe it? Paulson and Sheikh Mohammed are running Arazi("The
    Wonder Dud") in the Breeder's Cup Classic! The horse has been running
    in 1 mile races all summer and losing. Then he runs ONE good race(still 
    at 1 mile) and wins a Grade II stake 3 weeks ago. So they decide to run
    him at 1 1/4 miles against top quality horses in the Breeder's Cup
    Classic???!!!!!?????? Arazi was pre-entered in both the Classic and the
    Mile(on the turf) so why not pick the distance he has proved capable of
    running rather than one that he's proved he can't?  His pedigree
    screams "MILER" not "classics".....
    
    Oh well, it's their money and time. Anyway, the Breeder's Cup Classic
    looks like a good field. Pleasant Tap, Strike The Gold, Sultry Song and
    a ton of other top horses. I'll be rooting for those 3 to do their best
    but,as long as all the horses get home safely, I don't care who wins.
    I honestly think Pleasant Tap and Strike The Gold will place first and
    second if there's a good pace and they have room to run. They're GREAT 
    stretch runners and can close even off a slow pace but traffic problems 
    may cost them the race.
    
    In the $2,000,000 Turf at 1.5 miles, I'm rooting for Sky Classic. He's
    the best turf horse in North America and I doubt that the European
    horses can beat him at 1.5 miles in North America. I think Sky Classic 
    will win. He runs just off the leaders and then explodes in the
    stretch. The late running Europeans tend to come from farther back and
    I don't think they'll catch him.
    
    In the Sprint, I'm cheering for Rubiano even though I think he'll have a
    tough time winning the race. His best distance is 7 furlongs and his
    second best distance is 1 mile. The Breeder's Cup Sprint is only 6
    furlongs so that works against him. Rubiano is also a stretch runner
    who comes from well back(Is there a pattern here?). In a short sprint 
    race with a full field of 14 horses, he's bound to hit some kind of 
    traffic problems. Even a minor slow down could deprive him of his
    chance. But like a writer in The Blood Horse said a couple weeks ago,
    "If you bet against him, do so at your own risk. Rubiano is good and
    he usually finds a way to win." Regardless of whether or not he wins
    this race, I think Rubiano will be the Ecplise Award's Sprint Champion.

    I don't really want to discuss the results of the Breeder's Cup or the
    tragic injuries to Mr Brooks and Lester Piggot in the Sprint. I figure
    any of you who are interested saw the races and we all have expressed
    our opinions on the moral issues involved in racing and other equine
    sports in this and various other topics.
    
    But, there are a couple things that might be interesting background
    information. For example, after the Sprint, one of the NBC team
    interviewed English jockey, Walter Swinburn. In response to one of the
    interviewer's questions, Mr Swinburn said, "All Lester said at the gate
    was that he felt his horse moved terrible coming to the start - to post."
    The interviewer asked Swinburn if he was saying that Lester said his
    horse had warmed up poorly and Swinburn said yes. Within 20 minutes,
    the NBC commentators were retelling a modified version of that
    interview and saying things like "Swinburn said that Piggot told him
    the horse was sore." and implying that the fatal injuries to the horse
    and his own injuries were Lester Piggot's fault for not withdrawing the
    horse at the post. 
    
    Whether or not Piggot should have withdrawn the horse is debatable. He
    may simply have meant that he felt the horse wasn't going to win. He may
    have meant that the horse hadn't adapted to Florida's heat and humidity
    or he may have felt the horse was lame. I don't know. Lester Piggot is
    known for being a great jockey not for being articulate! Swinburn
    himself said that Piggot speaks very little.
    
    The commentators may have turned the story into "It's Piggot's own fault" 
    because of a similar situation at another track. A jockey who was crippled 
    in a race recently won a multi-million dollar lawsuit against a track 
    because the track's veterinarian had approved a horse to race despite the 
    jockey's wish to withdraw after the warmup. The horse broke down and the 
    jockey was crippled in the resulting spill. The track is now suing the
    trainer of the horse for partial responsibility as he's the one who
    sent a sore horse to the post.
    
    I sometimes feel like I'm in the middle of the book "1984" and history
    is constantly adjusted to meet Big Brother's current needs...

    If you didn't turn off the races after the Sprint, you may have caught
    Trevor Dennman's interview with Eddie D after A.P. Indy won the Classic.
    He asked Eddie Dellahoussay how many times he hit A.P. Indy with the 
    stick during the race. Eddie D said "I don't think I cocked my stick." and 
    Trevor said something like "We could use a roomful of jockeys like you." 
    Eddie D replied "Sometimes you need it though."
    
    That exchange may have mystified a lot of viewers. It was an insiders
    continuing conversation. Although I'm not an insider, I am an 
    insighter. (pun or whatever intended) :-) Trevor Dennman(who is the track 
    announcer and TV personality for the Los Angeles area tracks) recently 
    wrote an opinion article for The Blood Horse about the use/abuse of the 
    whip. He feels that the American jockeys use the whip too much. He says 
    that this really turns off first time race goers as they feel this is 
    abusive. He praised jockeys like Eddie D, Chris McCarron, Pat Day and the 
    retired great Willie Shoemaker for their sparing use of the whip.
    
    Mr Dennman proposed that rules be instituted to soften the sting of the 
    whip and to limit its use. The rules he would like to see are:
    	1. Long soft tips on the whips rather than the current hard stiff ones
    	2. Shorter whips which will lessen the leveage factor and reduce
           the force with which the jockey can strike the horse.
    	3. Jockey can't raise the whip above his shoulder which would also
           reduce the force applied.
    	4. 10 stroke maximum in a race.
    
    Dennman goes on to say that European countries have restrictions on the
    use of the whip and we should follow suit. They do indeed limit the use
    of the whip in Europe. Furthermore, they are even stricter than the
    above suggestions. Steve Cauthen(US 1977 Triple Crown winner on Affirmed)
    was suspended for 5 days last summer for hitting a horse on its
    shoulder during a race. When he and other jockeys appealed and tried to
    make a case for rule changes, Cauthen's suspension was increased to 10 
    days! I think his fellow jockeys supported his appeal got off with warnings.
    
    Personally, I fully agree that we should restrict the use of the whip.
    I support such rules on two grounds: morality and effectiveness. I
    recall reading about a study on the effect of the whip in Cornell 
    Newsletter a few years ago. The study demonstrated that a horse running 
    at maximum speed increased the frequency of its strides when hit with a
    whip but it also took shorter strides. This gave the APPEARANCE on 
    increased speed but in fact the shorter strides offset the increased 
    frequency. The horses didn't/couldn't run any faster after being hit than 
    before! 
    
    The study did say that the whip may still be effective in races because
    it could be used as a signal to go to max speed or to encourage a
    tiring horse to sustain its max speed.
    
    John

    Last Saturday's The Blood Horse carried an article which says that
    Budweiser is dropping it's sponsorship of American races and racing
    programs. The contracts are up and will not be renewed. This includes
    their sponsorship of:
    	1. Breeder's Cup Turf
    	2. Breeder's Cup purse bonuses in selected stake races
    	3. D.C. International Turf race and Turf festival
    	4. ESPN's Thoroughbred Digest
    	5. ESPN's coverage of major stakes races
    	6. Some other weekly TV show I've never heard of on a network I don't 
    	   get
    
    Budweiser also sponsors the Irish Derby but that contract hasn't
    expired yet. No spokesperson for Budweiser would comment on the reason
    for cancelling the sponsorships but the article said an industry expert
    suggested that racing fans are older and have already established their
    brand preferences in beer. They feel that Budweiser is going to gear
    their marketing toward the younger "beach volleybal set."
    
    If that's they reason, they may decide to continue as sponsors of the
    Irish Derby and other European races to try to improve their market in
    Europe. WHo knows?

    Quick! Why is the first Tuesday in November an important date?....
    
    Time's up. It's not an election in the US(That's the first Tuesday after
    the first Monday)
    
    
    It's the Melbourne Cup! The Cup is Australia's premier race and with a 
    purse of $2,000,00(Australian) it is the world's richest handicap race.
    (The Breeder's Cup races are run at fixed weights by age and sex.)
    
    But, The Cup is also a party,kinda like Kentucky Derby Week but
    compressed into a single day. All of Australia seems to
    participate...well at least all of Melbourne! This year there were over
    100,000 people at the track inspite of pouring rain! Another 350
    MILLION people were able to watch the race live via satellite! Pretty
    good attendance, eh? The Melbourne Cup and its festivities were also used 
    as the setting for the revenge portion of a Dick Francis novel("In The 
    Frame") involving theft and murder...
    
    The Melbourne Cup is a 2 mile turf race and, because it's a handicap, each
    horse carries an amount of weight assigned according to its ability.
    Better horses carry more weight which is supposed to make the race more
    even.
    
    The horses in this year's race ran quite true to their form. The 4
    horses selected as favorites by the bettors on track placed 1st,2nd,3rd and
    7th in a field of 21 starters!
    
    The favorite was Veandercross based on his past performance. He ran
    second. The second choice in the betting was Subzero and he won. I
    think Big Barron(7th) was third choice and Castletown(2nd) was fourth
    choice. 
    
    The turf course was VERY soft due to the heavy rains so the race was
    slow 3:34.70. The stakes record of 3:16.30 is more than 8 seconds faster
    so it's obious how soft the ground was.
    
    BTW, The Cup is the main reason you don't see many Australian horses
    ship over here for the Breeder's Cup races. (I think Strawberry Road is
    the only one and he was running a European campaign that year) Why ship
    half way round the world to run 1.5 miles for $2,000,000 when you can
    run 2 miles at home for the same size purse?
    

    BTW, Lester Piggot was released from hospital on Wednesday. His
    injuries were broken collar bone, 2 broken ribs and a partially
    collapsed lung.
    
    His wife is quoted as saying that Lester will be back racing within a
    few months. 

    The Eclipse award for 1 division of racing that isn't usually decided by 
    the Breeder's Cup races is the Female Turf Champion. There is no fillies
    and mares turf race in the Breeder's Cup program. In fact, there's not
    even a 9-10 furlong middle distance turf race. So unless a mare is
    good enough to beat the males at 1 mile or stays well enough to beat
    them at 1.5 miles, the fillies and mares turf champion is still
    selected the old fashioned way. By that, I mean on a season long
    campaign.
    
    One of the final major F & M turf events is the Yellow Ribbon Stakes at
    Santa Anita's Oak Tree meeting. This year's Yellow Ribbon was supposed
    to be a romp for odds-on 3-to-5 favorite Flawlessly who is a daughter
    of Triple Crown winner, Affirmed. It wasn't.
    
    In their previous meeting in the 9 furlong Las Palmas Handicap, Super 
    Staff(a daughter of Triple Crown winner, Secretariat) took the early lead 
    and set fairly slow fractions. Flawlessly charged up late but came up short
    by 3/4 of a length. People said that Super Staff won because she carried
    8 pounds tha Flawlessly and set her own uncontested pace. They were
    wrong.
    
    The 10 furlong Yellow Ribbon Stakes is weight for age so Super Staff
    and Flawlessly carried the same weight. Super Staff broke well and went
    to the front. She was pressed by some very fast horses and set good early 
    fractions of 24, 47 3/5, 1:11 2/5 and 1:35. Flawlessly came flying at
    the finish. Super Staff runs with her head low and with very long
    strides. She dug in and swished her tail vigorously several times
    usually when Desormeaux hit her. Flawlessly and Super Staff dueled down
    the stretch. Every time Flawlessly gained, Super Staff responded to the
    challenge and tried harder. Flawlessly came alongside and Super Staff
    fought back. They hit the wire together in the tightest photo finish
    short of a dead heat. Super Staff won by the width of her nostril! Her 
    time was a respectable 1:59 3/5 or about the same time as her
    Daddy's Kentucky Derby. I say about because Santa Anita times races in
    100ths of a second now and those timers were unknown in Secretariat's era.
    BTW, I think Super Staff looks like a feminine version of Secretariat.
    
    What does that mean for Female Turf Champion? It means that the top 3
    contenders are: Flawlessly, Super Staff and Kostroma. You could make a
    case for each of them.
    Flawlessly won the Gr I Ramona and beat Kostroma twice this year.
    
    Kostroma won the Gr I Beverly D and beat Super Staff in that race.
    
    Super Staff won the Gr I Yellow Ribbon and beat Flawlessly twice this
    year in that race and the Las Palmas. Super Staff's people claim that
    she had a bad trip in the Beverly D because of her outside post.
    Performance handicapper Gerry Brown whose numbers take into account
    esoteric factors like ground loss, wind velocity, etc in addition to
    the usual speed figures agrees. He picked Super Staff to beat
    Flawlessly in yesterday's Yellow Ribbon.
    
    Who'll win? Beats me! I like'em all!

    ESPN has announced that The Daily Racing Form will sponsor
    Thorooughbred racing coverage on ESPN. This sponsorship includes both
    the weekly recap/interview show(Thoroughbred Digest) as well as ESPN's
    "racing Across America" series which provides coverage of major stakes
    races.
    
    Included in that series are 7 of the 9 races in next year's American
    Championship Racing Series. The ACRS has suffered some setbacks this
    year with several tracks(Santa Anita, Oaklawn Park and Rockingham Park)
    pulling out of the series for various reasons. SO, the original format
    of 9 races at 9 tracks has been modified so that several tracks host 2
    races in the series. The bonus money award for the series has been
    reduced because of the overal downturn in racing. But, there are still
    9 great races(8 of them Grade I and the other a Grade II) and all of
    them will be televised.
    
    ABC will cover the Pimlico Special and the Nassau County Stakes because
    they will be run on the same day as the Preakness Stakes and the
    Belmont Stakes respectively. This is reduction in ABC's coverage of the
    ACRS because ABC covered most of the series the first year and about
    half of it this year.
    
    In a way, I don't mind Budweiser pulling out from racing and other
    equine sports sponsorships. I kinda resented them plastering their name
    all over everything from Gem Twist to the Irish Derby! And, if they
    think I'm too old to change brands, they're wrong! Just watch me boycott
    their products!!!! (I know that's irrational since I just said I resented 
    their sponsorships but who said I was rational?)

    A few short racing news items:
    
    Eddie Delahousaye won the first MVP award at the 1992 Breeders' Cup.
    The award from Piaget is supposed to go the the horse, jockey or
    trainer who had the biggest impact on the day's racing. Since there were 
    2 other jockeys(Chris McCarron and Patrick Valenzuela) that won 2 races 
    that day, one has to assume that Eddie D got it because he won the
    Classic. Of the 3 jockeys, I would have voted for Valenzuela because I
    think his ride on Fraise is what won that race. The way A.P. Indy was
    running, I think Eddie D's ride just increased the margin of victory.
    But, I really think the award should have gone to Lure for the Mile or
    his trainer, Shug McGahey(sp ?).
    
    As far as Horse of The Year goes, it looks like that will be A.P. Indy.
    The latest TRC poll of turf writers(who actually vote on the Eclipse 
    Awards) look like this:
    A.P. Indy (39 first place votes)	417 total points(1st = 10,  2nd=9, etc)
    Pleasant Tap			341
    Paseana(2)				336
    Sky Classic 			268
    
    Those standings also imply that A.P. Indy will be 3 YO champ, Pleasant
    Tap will be Older Horse champ, Paseana will be Older Mare champ and
    Sky Classic will be Male Turf champ despite his loss to Fraise in the
    Breeders' Cup Turf.
    
    Four BIG horses have been retired:
    1. Pleasant Tap - BIG surprise. Chris Speckert, his trainer, thought he'd 
    be able to race Pleasant Tap again next year and maybe win the Classic.
    However, Buckland Farms decided to retire the horse and stand him at
    their home farm. FYI, Pleasant Tap ran in a Breeders' Cup race in 4 
    consecutive years. Four different races and distances(Juvenile at 9.5
    furlongs, Sprint at 6 furlongs, Mile, and Classic at 10 furlongs).
    
    2. Rubiano - Sad to see such a good sprinter go out on a loss. I have
    never rooted for a sprinter before in my life. But, Rubiano's late
    running style and  his courage in winning against all odds in a
    string of photo finishes earlier this season deserved every cheer.
    At least, he'll go out as with the Eclipse Award Sprint Champion. 
    He'll stand at Lane's End Farm in Kentucky.
    
    3. Suave Dancer - American bred 1991 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner
    has been retired. Despite efforts to get his services on the Continent
    and in the US, he will be standing in Britain at Newmarket's National
    Stud.
    
    4. Sky Classic - After watching him develop into a top horse last year
    and continue this year, I hate to see him retire on a loss, too. 
    Unfortunately, he lost 2 of his biggest races this year. One(Arlington 
    Million) due to pilot error and the other one his temperament lost for 
    him. He's sired by Nijinsky who had a nervous sort of temperament which 
    occassionally got him worked up before and during a race. The only races 
    Nijinsky ever lost were blamed on that temperament. Sky Classic inherited 
    that temperament and early on in his career, he was impossible to rate
    because he was so keyed up that he wanted to run on. That tendency came
    back in the Classic. Pat Day struggled to keep the horse from running
    up on the horses in front of him. That very possibly took enough out of 
    Sky Classic that he couldn't fight off Fraise's late challenge. But,
    any horse who can better Secretariat's Belmont turf course record by 
    running 1.5 miles in 2:24.50 and then come back 3 weeks later to run in 
    2:24.0 and lose by 4" or so is a top horse. He'll stand at Pin Oak in KY.

    Read in the paper...
    
    
    5.  ARAZI  - Retired 
    
    	Will stand in stud in England.  $35,000 stud fee.
    
         

    Yeah, I knew about Arazi's retirement but didn't think it was worth
    the trouble to enter. Actually, I overlooked a couple more significant
    retirements in Meadow Star and Light Lite which finished 4th and 5th(I
    think) in the Distaff.
    
    FLAME ON!
    
    Can you believe that! Paulson and Sheikh Mohammed have an AWFUL lot of
    nerve standing the "Super Flop" for $35K when honest racehorses with
    multi-millions of racetrack earnings like Rubiano, Sky Classic and 
    Ferdinand are standing for $15K. Do they really think that TB breeders 
    are THAT STUPID? Nobody in racing was terribly surprised that Arazi 
    didn't win the KY Derby or even the Breeders' Cup Mile this year. Come
    to think of it, I don't think Paulson is charging $35K for services of
    his stakes winning Champions Strawberry Road and Theatrical both of
    which have sired staakes horses....Go figure! Perhaps, he hasn't
    actually realized that Arazi's performance was so poor. When his 2 YO
    filly, Eliza, won a prestigous stakes prior to the Breeders' Cup,
    Paulson is reported to have said that he had a female Arazi on his
    hands! Eliza went on to win the 1992 B.C. Juvenile Fillies. Her
    pedigree is also that of a sprinter or miler. Her sire is Mt Livermore
    who sired Champion sprinter Housebuster who could stretch out to a
    mile. I hope her 3 YO form is better than Arazi's!
    
    His pedigree and 2 YO form were that of a precocious miler. His race in
    the 1991 B.C. Juvenile was VISUALLY impressive but didn't stand up to
    analysis when compared to the fillies, older horses or even horses 
    running in lesser stakes in the supporting program...
    
    The Arazi "phenomena" was and is pure hype! The owner, popular media
    and, to some extent, the racing media all fell for what they thought
    would be the second coming of Secretariat. Apparently, none of the
    public paid any attention to Arazi's form in Europe. Even after his 
    poor performance in the KY Derby and a mediocre summer/fall campaign, 
    they wanted the fairy tale. So, they made him the favorite in the Mile 
    despite the fact that he hadn't defeated a top quality horse all season.
    
    If you want to use the Breeders' Cup Juvenile as a predictor of 3 YO
    form, look HARD at the horses that finish 2nd-4th. NO winner of the
    Juvenile has won ANY of the Triple Crown events. Two of them(Chief's
    Crown and Rhythm) had legitimate excuses like illness or injury that
    delayed their development as 3 YO's. Those 2 did come back to win the
    Travers Stakes at Saratoga later in the year but no other Juvenile
    winner has ever amounted to much as a 3 YO....
    
    Flame off before I put everybody to sleep!

    Oh, I forgot...Sky Classic may NOT retire with his last race being a
    loss(as his sire Nijinsky did with a second place finish in the 1970
    Champion Stakes)... His owners, SamSon Farms have accepted an ivitation
    to send Sky Classic to Japan for the Japan Cup. Also making the trip
    from the US is the 1991 Arlington Million and Japan Cup winner, Golden 
    Pheasant.
    
    Dear Doctor and Dr Devious have also accepted their invitations and
    will travel from Europe. A couple top Australian runners will also be
    their along with 9 turf horses from Japan. I'm sure I've forgotten
    half the field but just the 4 I named would make a quality international 
    field!
    
    The Japan Cup will be run Nov 29 which is this Sunday. I don't think
    we'll get a broadcast of it from ESPN or Sports Channel but I might be
    able to get the the results from one of next week's racing recaps... If
    not, stayed tuned! The Blood Horse should have an article in about 2
    weeks.
    
    john

    The late GREAT sire, Northern Dancer, has recently reached a new record
    for the number of stakes winners he sired. His 4 year-old son, Northern
    Park recently won his first stakes race, the Grand Prix de Villeurbanne
    at Lyons, France. He's won 4 of his other 14 races but this was his first 
    stakes victory. 
    
    Northern Park was the next to last foal sired by Northern Dancer and
    the last of his foals to be sold through the Keeneland Summer Sale of 
    Select Yearlings. Northern Park was originally purchased by Zenya Yoshida 
    for $2,800,00. He is now owned by his trainer, Patrick Barbe.
    
    This brings Northern Dancer's total of stakes winning offspring to 146,
    breaking the tie at 145 each with his late son, Nijinsky. Since there
    are a few of Nijinsky offspring still running, there may be another
    late blooming stakes horse or two in that lot. Time will tell.
    

    That's great news for me.  I have a Grand daughter of Northern Dancer
    who will be bred this season.
    
    thanks

    >That's great news for me.  I have a Grand daughter of Northern Dancer
    >who will be bred this season.
    For racing or a sport horse? To which stallion? 

The main European challenger for the Japan Cup must be the Oaks heroine
User Friendly (already 3/1 Fav with the UK bookmakers Ladbrokes). Unbeaten 
this year, except for a close second in the Arc (btn Nk by Subotica), this 
super three year old filly started her career by winning a minor stakes race at 
Sandown over 10 Furlongs at the rewarding odds of 25/1. There followed a facile
win in the Oaks trial at Lingfield Park. Her first Grade 1 victory came in 
the Epson Oaks on rain sodden ground, outstaying the previously unbeaten
All At Sea (who later ran second to Rodrio De Triano in the Grade 1 Juddmonte
stakes) to win by three and a half lengths. All her other victories were gained
in Grade 1 events ranging from 12 to 14 furlongs on ground ranging from 
good/firm to good/soft. 

Her best run must be her neck second to Subotica on soft ground over
12 furlongs in the Arc. Since this race she has been given a two month
break, wisely sidestepping the false lure of the Breeders Cup (how any European
horses could be fancied on that overheated, overgrown greyhound track that 
passes for the Gulfstream Racetrack is beyond me).

Although her best runs have been on ground with some give, she has performed 
well enough on fast ground (winning the St Ledger, and Yorkshire Oaks)
for her to be given a chance in this extremely competitive race.

Martin Kilgariff

    The 1992 Matriarch (Gr I for Fillies & Mares; 9 furlongs on the turf)was 
    about as exciting as it could be but it did NOT unfold according to the 
    script everybody expected. This race was expected to decide the Eclipse
    Award Female Turf championship for the season. Super Staff, Kostroma
    and Flawlessly were all in the running. If you looked at their records,
    it might look like a classic circular definition in Gr I races. Super Staff
    beat Flawlessly, Flawlessly beat Kostroma and Kostroma beat Super Staff.
    
    The script had a good speed horse named Lady Shirl going to the front and 
    setting the early pace with Super Staff running second or third.  Kostroma 
    and Flawlessly were expected to be farther back until late in the race.
    
    Obviously, Kostroma and Kent Desormeaux didn't read the script! They
    went straight to the front and set good fractions themselves. Super
    Staff was running in third along the rail with Flawlessly in fifth.
    Super Staff was ridden by Eddie Delahoussaye in place of Desormeaux
    who had ridden her to victory in her last few races. Desormeaux is
    Kostroma's regular rider and chose to stay with her. Flawlessly had her
    regular rider, Chris McCarron, who had just flown back to CA from Tokyo
    where he rode Dr Devious in the Japan Cup. 
    
    The mares stayed in that order until the stretch. At one point or
    another in the stretch, it looked like each of them would win. Kostroma
    was still in front and looked strong. She's a mare who usually has a
    tremendous finish. She did accelerate but she didn't have enough today. 
    This was her first race coming back after a respiratory infection and, 
    before the race her trainer, Gary Jones, said he felt she was 95% fit. 
    I'll bet he wishes he'd had the other 5%!
    
    Super Staff got out of the pocket on the rail and overtook Kostroma
    easily. But, look again! Here comes Flawlessly flying down the middle
    of the track just outside Super Staff. Super Staff ran on well but
    Flawlessly overtook her and won by 3/4 of a length. Kostroma held on
    very well and finished a good third, about 1 and a half lengths behind
    Super Staff. Flawlessly finished the 9 furlongs in 1:46.14
    
    So, it's fairly certain that Flawlessly will be Female Turf champion
    for North America.
    
    Unfortunately, ESPN didn't have McCarron carry back a tape of the Japan
    Cup and they didn't even offer the results of the race, except to say
    that McCarron and Dr Devious had finished 10th. BTW, my apologies to
    User Friendly. She's definitely one of the top horses taht I forgot was
    in the Japan Cup field. Her race in the Arc was fantastic as was her entire
    season.
    
    John

Taken from the Sporting Life, Monday 30 November - without permission
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tokai Teio, winner of last year's Japanese Derby, and 2,000 Guineas, won 
the Japan Cup by a neck from Australian trained Naturalism with the fast
finishing Dear Doctor half a length farther away in third.

He won emphatically after a brief tussle with Naturalism at the furlong pole,
and the winning distance flattered the second. Mick Ditton, rider of the second,
said: "I thought we had it half a furlong out. Naturalism started to come back
at the winner, but he had us in the end. He would have beaten us a length in
another furlong."

Dear Doctor was given another clever ride by Cash Asmussen, who kept him covered
up near the rear of the field out of trouble. He came with a very late run on
the outside, having maneuvered through most of the field.

User Friendly could only finish sixth, beaten 6 lengths.

Full result:
1) Tokai Teio
2) Naturalism
3) Dear Doctor
Also Legacy World(4th), Hishi Masaru(5th), User Friendly(6th), Lets Elope(7th)
Let's Go Tarquin(8th), Ikuno Dictus(9th), Dr Devious, Hashiru Shogun,
Quest For Fame, vert Amande, Yamanin Global
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Martin

    
    	About My mare.  She is about 21 yrs. and is being bred to a Quarter
    Horse stallion to get a sport horse foal.  She is 61+hh and the stud is
    around 15.2.  He is build well, she is also.  I am hoping for a good
    sized horse for jumping or eventing.  Not on a perfessional level, just
    for my own enjoyment.  Stealthy has had a number of foals on the track
    and all have done well. She ran in stakes races untill she was 5 and
    then started producing foals for a stock farm here in So. California. 
    At 21 yrs. she is still a handfull and loves to run.
    
    

    re .395... Thanks for the Japan Cup results. Since you gave the full
    order of finish, it looks like NONE of the horses campaigned in 
    North America actually ran in the Japan Cup even though they had
    accepted the invitations.
    
    re .396 -< age has nothing to do with it. >-
    I don't think 21 is very old for a broodmare. We have a mare whose dam
    delivered her last live foal at age 26 and lived until the ripe old age
    of 31-32. It all depends on their general health and their reproductive
    health. Good luck with your breeding and foaling.

Racing in Britain is primarily financed via a levy on all offcourse betting.
This betting is controlled by private bookmakers who in recent years have
made enough profit to diversify into other areas of the leisure industry,
sometimes overseas (I believe Ladbrokes own at least one American track).

The current levy will yield over the whole year approx 45 million pound to the
British racing authorities. 

The Japan Cup on its own generated a total of 31.5 billion yen (179 million 
pounds) of which 15%, nearly 27 million pound, is taken by the Japan Racing 
Association, which amounts to 60% of the annual British levy - on one race!!   
Didn't they do well.

Martin

    Where has all the money gone? Japan! The Japan Cup which was held last
    Sunday is now the richest race in the world. The purse money now
    exceeds $3,160,000 making it slightly richer than the Breeder's Cup
    Classic. 
    
    BTW, the for this year's 1.5 mile Japan Cup was 2:24 3/5 which
    is not too shabby! As I mentioned before, none of the North American
    horses ran. Golden Pheasant had a minor injurwhich kept him out of it.
    Fraise is being prepared for the Dec 13th Hollywood Turf Cup(Gr I Turf
    at 12 furlongs). I don't know why Sky Classic didn't run but I hope
    it's because he's going to run in the Hollywood Turf Cup. When giving the 
    results of the Japan Cup, one of the racing commentators characterised
    it as "a very rich but very unimportant race." Of course, he's a New
    Yorker and very prejudiced against anything from outside NY!
    
    In other news, A.P. Indy has been retired to stud. After he won the BC
    Classic, his owners had considered with the idea of racing him next season 
    even though they had earlier said he would go to stud. On Monday or
    Tuesday, they announced that they had decided to stick to the original
    plan and send him to Lane's End in Kentucky.
    
    Dixie Brass, winner of this year's Met Mile(Gr I), broke down in the
    Thanksgiving Day Sports Page Handicap(Gr III). The early reports were
    that he had either fractured a sesamoid or strained the ligaments in
    that area. It turned out to be a fracture but it was successfully
    repaired by surgery. He'll be retired to stud. Interestingly enough,
    his brother, Dixieland Brass, broke down in much the same way a few
    years ago. You may not remember this horse but he was considered to be
    a KY Derby contender about 3 years ago. He won one of the traditional
    Fla prep races for the KY Derby but pulled up lame after the race. He
    too was retired.
    
    Finally, do you remember Unbridled who won the KY Derby 2 years ago
    while his trainer called the race to his aged owner/breeder, Francis
    Genter? Mrs Genter died a few days ago at age 94. She had owned and
    bred racehorses since 1939. Unbridled also won the Breeder's Cup Classic
    the same year he won the KY Derby. He is now retired. He and his full
    brother, Cahill Road are at stud in KY.

    I finally got my Nov 28th Blood Horse! It was a week late! In it, they
    told why Golden Pheasant and Sky Classic didn't run in the Japan Cup.
    Golden Pheasant had a pulled muscle. Sky Classic had sprained an ankle
    in the Breeder's Cup Turf and did not recover in time to go to Japan.
    
    Since the Japan Cup was scheduled to be Sky Classic's last race, he was
    sent to Pin Oak Stud in KY a few weeks early. 
    
    Sky Classic was a darned good horse! He's the second biggest money winner
    in Canadian history. Who's the first? His niece, Dance Smartly! Her dam
    is a half sister to Sky Classic(same dam; different sire) More about
    that in a couple weeks when racing is REALLY boring. I'm thinking of
    writing a note about Sky Classic's dam, A.P. Indy's dam and Solar
    Splendor's dam...All those mares have produced multiple Grade I winners
    and/or Classic winners.
    
    He was a champion in Canada 3 times over. He won't win a Canadian 
    championship this year because he didn't race there the minimum 3 times. 
    A hairline fracture sidelined him in the spring of his 3 YO year so he 
    didn't get to run in any US or Canadian classic races. 
    
    If his later form is any indication, his best shot at winning a Triple
    Crown race would have been the 12 furlong Belmont Stakes in the US
    series or the 12 furlong(Turf) Breeder's Stakes in the Canadian Triple
    Crown series. I say that because he set 2 course/stakes records in 
    12 furlong Grade I turf races in his last 54 weeks of racing. (The Belmont
    Stakes is on the dirt but it's the ONLY 12 furlong race in North
    America that's still on the dirt)
    
    On October 4 1992, Sky Classic broke Secretariat's course record and
    Cocoethes stakes record in Belmont's Turf Classic. On October 20 1991, he 
    set a course/stakes record in the Rothman's International. Those of you
    who saw Secretariat race may remember that the 1973 International at
    Woodbine was his last race. However, in Secretariat's days, the
    International was 13 furlongs rather than the current 12. It got
    shortened in the mid-1980's
    
    In his last race(1992 Breeder's Cup Turf), a combination of 1) his
    nerves, 2) a rough trip for him, 3) a good trip for Fraise and 4) a
    sprained ankle cost Sky Classic a loss by a head in a record setting 2:24 
    for the 12 furlong BC Turf. I'm not bad-mouthing Fraise. He's good. But,
    Sky Classic beat him several times this year so I think Sky Classic's
    better. When Fraise breaks one of Secretariat's or Sky Classic's records, 
    I'll reconsider that statement.
    

Re: racing in Japan

Isn't there something like a US$40,000 duty on bringing any kind of
race horse into Japan?  Another reason you might not see too many
American horses race there....

    Re: racing in Japan
    
    The Japanese have very prohibitive rules against importing horses for
    racing in Japan with the exception of the Japan Cup. Importing retired
    racehorses for stud is an entirely different matter. They want that
    very much(e.g Sunday Silence, Golden Pheasant, Tight Spot, etc all went
    to Japan)
    
    In other racing news in the US, the biggest news is the deaths of
    Frank Wright(trainer & TV personality) and C.V. Whitney(94 year-old
    owner/breeder whose horses won the Travers Stakes 50 years apart in
    1932 and 1982)

    
    
    	Could we get more background info on Wright and Whitney?
    
    
    I enjoy reading the entries in this particular topic.
    
    Virginia

    Frank Wright was a racehorse trainer for many years. I can't remember 
    offhand what horses he trained or whether any of them were famous. I've
    never been good at remembering trainers unless they were real famous.
    
    Back in "ancient history" when CBS still put on part of the U.S. Triple
    Crown, he was part of their broadcast team as the "color" commentator.
    In those days, Charlsie Cantey(who used to be married to NY trainer Joe 
    Cantey who later moved to the UK) was also part of the CBS team. She did 
    the "on-track" commentary...you know the kind of thing: on track
    comments about the post parade and interviews w/jockeys while they were 
    aboard the winner being lead back to the winner's circle.
    
    After CBS quit broadcasting racing, Wright and Cantey went to work as
    part of the ABC broadcast team. After a year or two, Wright disappeared
    from ABC but Charlsie is still there. 
    
    About the same time, Wright and Cantey were the hosts of a weekly TV show 
    on racing in NY on one of the independent NYC stations(WPIX, Channel 9 I 
    think). That show packed up in the early-mid 80's when NYRA started 
    broadcasting their daily racing from Aqueduct, Belmont and Saratoga 6 days 
    a week with a weekly show of important races around the country on the 1 
    day a week that the NYRA tracks are closed.
    
    For the last 3-4 years, Wright worked for ESPN as part of their TB
    racing broadcast team. Charlsie Cantey also works for ESPN
    occasionally. 

    The Hollywood Turf Cup(Gr I; 12 furlongs) was held this past Sunday. It 
    was Fraise's last chance to honestly win himself the Eclipse award as
    Older Turf Male.
    
    I say "honestly" because the Paulson's have been "begging" for Fraise
    to be turf champion. They've been buying 2 page ads in The Blood Horse
    and putting 'Fraise' commercials on any racing show that would take
    their money. The ads are kinda misleading. They say that Fraise is the
    only turf horse  to set 2 course records in Gr I turf competition this 
    year. They refer to the Sword Dancer Handicap and the Breeder's Cup Turf. 
    What they don't say is that the Sword Dancer was moved from Belmont to
    Saratoga this year and it was the FIRST time Saratoga held a 12 furlong
    Gr I on the turf! In other words, whoever won the race would probably 
    set a course record. The Sword Dancer was pretty slow; 2:26.88
    
    The ads also say that Fraise beat all these great turf horses(Sky
    Classic, Subotica, Dr Devious, Golden Pheasant, Dear Doctor, Solar
    Splendor, etc) in the same race. What they don't say is that it's the
    ONLY time he has beaten any of them all year! Sky Classic and Solar
    Splendor each placed ahead of Fraise at least twice this season...I
    could go on for hours but you get the idea...
    
    Anyway, back to the Hollywood Turf Cup. The course was firm as the
    Southern CA courses usually are. The field was small with only about 7
    horses. A nice 3 YO filly, Trishyd ran just behind the pacesetter,
    Tel Quel. Behind her came Bien Bien a 3 YO colt who has won
    a couple Gr II and III turf races this year. Fraise was in 5th down the 
    backstretch. 
    
    At the top of the stretch, Tel Quel faded and Trishyd went to the lead 
    with long flowing strides. I love the way she moves. She looked powerful 
    there on the lead but Bien Bien started to move up on the outside to 
    challenge. Wait! Fraise is moving fast between horses and is going right 
    with Bien Bien. Those two passed Trishyd pretty easily but they couldn't
    pull away from her. They battle to the wire in 2:31 1/5 which
    is well off the track/stakes records and a full 7 seconds slower than
    Fraise ran in Florida on another firm course. It was so close at the
    wire that you couldn't tell who got there first. Fraise actually
    crossed the line first but he was disqualified for interfering with
    Bien Bien. In the stretch drive, Fraise bore out and bumped Bien Bien
    twice. The stewards decided that it was enough interference to have
    put Bien Bien off his run for a stride or two which might have changed the 
    result. So, the stewards changed the result! Trishyd finished a good third
    about 3/4 of a length behind Bien Bien and Fraise.
    
    The DQ was just adding insult to injury. You don't get to be champion
    turf horse by defeating mediocre 3 YO stakes horses in slow races. 
    Losing(even by a DQ) to 3 YO's means Fraise doesn't have a snowball's
    chance in Haydes of being turf champion this year.

    Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney(1899-1992) died in his sleep this past 
    weekend at his home in Saratoga NY. He was 93 and had been in racing
    for 60+ years. He was a millionaire many times over. He inherited lots
    of money from his father, Harry Payne Whitney. I think the family was
    in racing before C.V. Whitney was born. The Whitney Stakes takes its name
    from them but I'm not sure which one it's named for or who founded it.
    
    C.V.(Sonny) Whitney increased his fortune racing/breeding, aviation(he
    was a founder of Pan-AM Airlines), movies(co-producer of Gone With the
    Wind), etc
    
    Whitney was a longtime owner/breeder. He was the leading owner 5
    different years. Horses that he owned won 176 stakes races including 
    3 Travers Stakes. Unfortunately, I repeated something earlier that I 
    heard on TV(i.e. that his horses won the 1932 and 1982 Travers). 
    
    That can't be right because I KNOW that the 1982 Travers was won by a 
    Canadian horse called Runaway Groom. (No, I don't remember who won in
    '32! I wasn't around then!) I dug out a program that NYRA aired a few 
    years ago to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the Travers Stakes. 
    On that program, they said that Whitney was one of only 5 owners to have 
    won 3 or more Travers Stakes. They showed Chompion winning the 
    1968 Travers and said that the other 2 were Tompion(sire of Chompion) and 
    Fisherman but they didn't say what years. If I find out, I'll edit
    and re-post this note.
    
    His wife, MaryLou Whitney races too under the name of Blue Goose Stable

I meant to enter this last week but didn't get around to it.
Kent Desormeaux, the 22 year-old jockey who is leading the US riders 
in money won this year, was injured in a fall at Hollywood Park on 
Friday Dec 11.

His horse was leading down the stretch when it bolted to the outside and 
dumped Desormeaux in front of a whole HERD of oncoming horses. The good 
news is that all but one of the horses missed Desormeaux. The bad news is 
the one that didn't miss kicked him in the head.

Desormeaux suffered 4 hairline fractures in his skull and 6 more in facial 
bones. Doctors say he should be able to ride again in 4 to 6 weeks. He 
claims he'll be back sooner than that. In my foolish youth, I too thought 
I was indestructible...

Although Desormeaux will probably still be the nation's leading money 
winning rider(his mounts have won $14.2 MILLION this year), he won't be able 
to achieve his goal of breaking Jose Santos' single season record of $14.8 
million this year.

A similar incident happened to Julie Krone during Belmont's fall meeting.
Her horse was leading by about 10 lengths and bolted to the outside rail.
Krone too was unceremoniously dumped but she had time to roll out of the 
path of the field. She only suffered 1) a bruised ego, 2) a bruised body and 
3) loss of the jockey's traditional 10% of the purse. Minor compared to 
Desormeaux's or her own injuries in other spills.

John

Have you ever been confused by the occasional TV broadcast of a race
from a country that uses the metric system? I used to be unable to relate
the metric distances to the US equivalent or figure out whether the race had 
been fast or slow until, one day, "Dawn broke on Marblehead," as the saying 
goes. I realized that, because we measure our races in these weird units 
called furlongs, the conversion is quite simple because 
1 Kilometer = 1000 meters = 5/8 of a statute mile = 5 furlongs!

Unless the "new math" has changed the rules of arithmetic, 1 furlong = 200 
meters and 1/16 of a mile = 100 meters. So, except for those odd distances 
like 1 mile and 70 yards or the St leger's 14 furlongs 127 yards, the 
    conversion is easy. To make it even easier, I've made up a table of 
    common distances:

Miles		Furlongs	Meters	Example(when I can think of a 
					        famous one)
5/8		5		1,000
6/8 or 3/4	6		1,200	B.C. Sprint, Erne Stakes
7/8		7		1,400	Vosburgh Stakes, Dewhurst Stakes
1		8		1,600	2000 Guineas, B.C. Mile
1 1/16		8.5		1,700
1 1/8		9		1,800	Santa Anita Derby
1 3/16		9.5		1,900	Preakness, Pimlico Special
1 1/4		10		2,000	KY Derby, B.C. Classic, Arlington 
					Million, Champion Stakes
1 3/8		11		2,220
1 1/2		12		2,400	Arc de Triomphe, (Epsom) Derby, Irish 
					Derby, B.C. Turf, Breeder's Stakes, 
					Belmont Stakes, Belmont Turf Classic,
					Rothman's International, King George 
					and Queen Elizabeth Stakes,  
					Hollywood Turf Cup, etc
1 5/8		13		2,600	San Juan Capistrano Handicap
2		16		3,200	Melbourne Cup

    For what it's worth, the North American Graded stakes have been
    announced for 1993. Apparently, there isn't a prescribed number of
    graded stakes as 8 stakes have upgraded including those that are graded 
    for the first time. Thirteen stakes have been downgraded, 4 to a lower
    graded status and 9 to the ungraded category. A race has to be run at
    least twice before it will be considered for grading. The race must
    also have been run within the past 2 years to be considered. Rule 1
    explains why the $1,000,000 Pacific Classic wasn't graded in 1992. It
    was first run in 1991 and couldn't be considered until the 1993 season.
    Rule 2 explains what happens if a track closes down or discontinues a
    stakes race and is reborn at a later date. If it has been less than 2
    years since the race was last run and it was run at least twice before,
    it will be considered.
    
    Upgraded Stakes Race	Track 		Old Grade	New Grade
    Pacific Classic		DelMar		ungraded	I
    Nassau County		Belmont		II		I
    Beaumont Stakes		Keeneland	III		II
    Davona Dale			Gulf Stream Pk	ungraded	III
    Creme Fraiche		Gulf Stream Pk	ungraded	III
    San Marcos			Santa Anita	III Turf	II Turf
    First Lady Handicap		Gulf Stream Pk	ungraded	III
    Yerba Buena			Golden Gate	ungraded	III Turf
    
    
    Downgraded Stakes Race	Track 		Old Grade	New Grade
    Young American		Meadowlands	II Turf		III Turf
    Norfolk Stakes		Santa Anita	I		II
    Brooklyn Handicap		Moved from	I		II
    				Belmont summer meeting to winter Aqueduct
    				meeting
    Bay Shore			Aqueduct	II		III
    
    I only know about one of the 9 races that were graded in 1992 that are not
    graded in 1993. The Longacres Mile GrIII is no longer run due to the
    track closing down. I don't know what the 8 others were or why they were 
    demoted.

Have you ever heard of the racehorse called "Our Homeboy?" Although he's a
pretty good runner(He won 5 of his 7 starts this year in high priced 
claiming races and allowance races.), he won't get into the Racing Hall 
of Fame for winning famous stakes races or anything like that. But, he WILL 
be remembered for quite a while for two interesting feats.

A couple years ago at Saratoga, Our Homeboy was entered in a race which had 
a fairly small field(5 or 6 horses if I remember right). Angel Cordero was 
his jockey. They broke well from an inside post and went to the lead when 
things started to go wrong. Cordero's stirrup broke and the saddle slipped.
When the saddle slipped, the other stirrup went. So, Cordero was sitting
there in his best bareback donkey seat with legs dangling straight in front 
of him for balance.

Ordinarily, a jockey will pull up when there is a dangerous equipment problem
but Angel and Our Homeboy were trapped on the rail with horses outside them 
and behind them. They ran on IN THE LEAD! Cordero said later that he had 
intended to pull up as soon as he had room but the horse was going so well
that he decided to ride on in spite of the risk to himself. Our Homeboy lead 
well into the stretch when he tired and started to fade. Cordero stopped 
riding hard and let Our Homeboy coast to the finish line in fourth or fifth.

Yesterday, Our Homeboy won an allowance race at Aqueduct in his usual
front running style. An allowance race is a non-selling race in which the 
entrants must meet certain conditions to be eligible. The conditions are 
designed to keep the races fair and competitive. Typical conditions include 
1) the horses haven't won any/two/three races outside the maiden, claiming 
or starter race categories, 2) Haven't won X number of times outside the 
maiden, claiming or starter ranks since a certain date, or 3) haven't won 
more than a certain amount of money since a certain date. In other words, 
they are races for horses who are too good to risk selling in a claiming 
race and not quite good enough or perhaps not quite fit enough to win stakes 
races. 

So, why was yesterday's allowance race at Aqueduct special? It was named for 
Rose Hamburger. No, she didn't invent the ground beef sandwich that we 
Americans are so fond of. They named the race for her because she just 
happened to be celebrating her 102nd birthday. She was at Aqueduct yesterday 
to celebrate her birthday and present the trophy. She is a LONG time racing 
fan and is supposed to have seen ALL 11 winners of the US Triple Crown.

BTW, she wasn't just a kid when she saw Sir Barton win in 1919! Do the 
arithmetic, she was 29! May she see the 12th!

    Two classic winners of the 1975 season were in racing news recently.
    
    Avatar, 1975 Belmont Stakes winner, died of a broken neck at an Ohio
    Stud farm.
    
    1975 KY Derby winner, Foolish Pleasure, was moved from Spendthrift Farm
    in KY to a farm in CA. 

    Happy new year, TB racing fans and greetings from soggy (it's about
    time) northern California, home of Golden Gate Fields and Bay
    "what's a sealed track, anyway" Meadows.
    
    For some time I've been reading this notes conference hoping that
    there would be some chatter about race handicapping, you know,
    books read, successful days at the track, etc.  But, looks like I'll
    have to start the discourse myself.
    
    First, however, I'd like to thank DECWET::JDADDAMIO for the entries
    on TB history and current events -- practically a one-person topic.
    Please continue.  My horseracing buddies are suitably impressed with
    the information I'm able to pass on to them from having read it here.
    I try not to take credit, but...
    
    Anyway, if I've learned nothing else from my career in the computer
    biz, I've learned that anything is possible.  You just have to be
    clever (or is it devious?) enough to figure out a way.  Not that I
    have any pretences to cleverness, mind you.  But I've been deter-
    mined to see if this attitude applies to horserace handicapping, and
    I believe I've made some progress at long last.  Right!  And I'm
    Bonaparte himself.
    
    Seriously, though, let me ask you this:  if you wanted to invest some
    money, where would you invest?  Stocks and bonds?  Mutual funds?  How
    about money market funds or T-bills?  And what would be a fair return
    on your investment?  5%?  10%?  20%?  Over how long a period to get
    that return?  1 year?  3 years?  I know some people who have invested
    money for an entire year only to get 7% return -- and brag about it!
    
    How about if you could invest money for one day and make a 10-20%
    return for it?  This is what I'm aiming for.  I think it's entirely
    possible.  Anybody else out there think the same thing?  Let's
    compare notes here in this topic.  I'd like to share some of my dis-
    coveries made over the last year.  Maybe we can put our heads together
    and come up with useful strategies.
    
    Has anyone read "Dr. Z's Beat the Racetrack" or any of the books by
    Andrew Beyer or Tom Brohamer?   More later.

    Yes, you can make that sort of return -- with some smart figuring --
    but only if you limit your wagering to small amounts of money.  If you
    throw as much money into track betting as you might want to put into a
    mutual fund, you are going to lower your return.  This is the problem
    with pari-mutuel betting.  Say you are going to start with $1000 to
    "invest" at the races.  Winning systems are based on only betting when
    a particular race meets some criteria, and you will only find a couple
    of races that meet those critera in any day.  So, say your system says
    that you will only bet on your "very likely thing" when the odds are
    better than 3-1, and you find 2 such races.  So you go to the window
    and put $500 on the first race.  Guess what!  The odds aren't 3-1 any
    more; they've gone down, because of your bet.   
    
    One way of figuring out a system is to do a lot of statistical research
    on the past seasons' results at a particular track.  Start with some
    "selection" -- something like looking at all 3-yr old colts running in
    $15,000 claimers.  To get a base line, you first have to calculate the
    overall probability of winning for any 3-yr old colt in this claiming 
    class.  Since claiming classes group horses with similar abilities, they 
    all tend to win with a similar regularity unless other factors enter in.  
    Your job, then, is to figure out what these "other factors" are.  So
    you start poring over the variables -- you might look at horses who
    have just moved down in class, horses that came off a 2-week rest,
    horses that came off a 1-week rest, horses who have just changed to a
    "better" jockey, horses who have speed figures of 90 or better, or
    whatever you might think are meaningful variations.  You then figure out 
    if these differences lead to differences in the probability of winning.
    If so, how much better is this probability?  If it is, say 25% better
    than average (unlikely) then you could say that if you bet on 4 of
    these horses, 1 is likely to win.  So your odds on that horse will have
    to be better than 4-1.  (And, since parimutuel odds also take into
    account the percentage of the take that the track gets, this has to be
    figured in also.)
    
    A couple of years ago, I really got into this stuff, and my SO and I
    went to Saratoga for a week and made about 20% on our investment. 
    Saratoga is, admittedly, a harder track to make money at since there
    are so many young good horses coming out there.  And all of the horses
    have, of course, shipped in from other tracks, since the Saratoga
    season is only a month.  But we made this return only at the expense of
    sitting up each night with the following day's Racing Form, entering
    *enormous* amounts of data into our computer program, and then spend
    all day every day at the track.  And we were making only small bets
    (largest was probably $50).  Although, again, at a large track like
    Saratoga, largish bets are more easily "lost" since the overall pools
    are large anyway....
    
    It seems that, Yes, you can make money at the track.  If you are good,
    you can make a respectable "salary" -- i.e. $30,000 to $40,000.  But to
    do this you have to go to the track every day, and spend a very large
    amount of your other time figuring out handicaps, etc.  Which is fine
    if that's how you want to spend your time.....
    
    -ellie
    Course, this means you also have to live somewhere where you have
    access to racing year round, too.  

>> Since claiming classes group horses with similar abilities

   Or the owner thinks that is the "value" of his horse.  
   And the owners opinion is appropriately inflated, :-D, :-D, :-D  


   I always hear alot of talk on this subject but never seen any proof.

   Why don't you enter your picks and bets before you go to the
   track and then come back and list your results.  Start with a
   'play' bankroll of say $1,000.00 and maintain a note with a
   running total and let's see what happens.

   Call the note the Geenen Tip Sheet.

   Bill
   

    You're welcome. I'm just continuing the tradition that a few other
    noters started in this topic. Unfortunately, one of them is no longer
    with us(laid off) and the other no longer gets The Blood Horse...so
    I just picked up where they left off.
    
    I actually made a 33% return on my paper-route money at the track when 
    I was 11 years old! I went to the track with my uncle. He showed me how 
    to read the DRF before we left. I read the DRF in the car on the way to the
    track. I started out with $30 and came home with $40 and this was back 
    in 1957 when $10 would buy a week's worth of groceries. 
    
    Since then, I have found out 2 things:
    	1. Nearly EVERYBODY who has tried to make a living at handicapping
    	   has a story very similar to Ellie's. Long days at the track
    	   followed by long nights preparing for the next day which leads
    	   to a marginal enough return to live on. One can make large
    	   amounts of money at the track by playing exotics like Pick 6
    	   intelligently. Unfortunately, that means playing $600 on various
    	   combinations and permutations.
    
    	   If you want a wonderful account by somebody who did just that
    	   and went back to a regular job, read Bill Barrich's "Laughing 
    	   in The Hills"
    
    	2. Betting takes all the fun out racing for me. So, I no longer bet
    	   on horse races. I do sometimes follow a horse's career and root
    	   for him/her to do their best. The first thing I want out of every
    	   race is a safe trip for all horses and riders. The second thing
    	   is a good race. For me, gambling on the outcome, with money and
    	   ego involved, interfere with those 2 simple pleasures. So, I
    	   don't bet.
    
    

    re .-2
    
    Claiming categories really do result in de facto classing of horses by
    ability.  If, as you mentioned, and owner unjustifiably thinks his or 
    her horse is a $50,000 horse and only runs it in these races, the horse
    will not win any money, since it will be competing against faster
    horses.  Few owners persist in this sort of behavior for long. 
    Conversely, if an owner knows a certain horse is equal in speed to
    others running for $20,000 but faster than those who run for $10,000,
    this owner could decide to run the horse at $10,000.  But there would
    be a good risk that the horse would be claimed by another owner or
    trainer.  So trainers and owners tend to run their horses in the class
    of races where they have a possibility of picking up some money, and
    are less likely to get claimed.  (Unless there are other factors in the
    decision, of course.  If you have a consistently winning $20,000
    claimer who has just come up with bad x-rays, you might run him at
    $10,000 and hope that you pick up the purse and someone else picks up
    your horse.....)
    
    -ellie

    Not only do trainers and owners find appropriate levels for their
    horses, but the betting public and track experts are pretty good
    at predicting the chances of horses in a race.
    
    Let me explain by way of a story.  Several years ago, I decided to
    play the stock market.  I spent a lot of time reading Barron's, the
    Wall Street Journal, the Value Line Investment Survey, ordering
    corporate reports, calling Charles Schwab for quotes, etc.  You
    get the idea.  My return was mixed at best.  I wondered if there
    was an easier way to get a better return.  I wasn't dumb enough to
    think I could get rich quick, but I was looking for an approach
    that was less time consuming.  I thought that a stock broker might
    be what I was looking for, but I heard too many tales of greed and
    horror.  Finally, I settled on mutual funds.  Kind of the best of
    both worlds.  I don't have to pore over a bunch of boring data, I
    get professional money management, my return is better than mixed,
    and I don't have to pick up the phone.
    
    What does this have to do with horse racing?  Because the trainers
    and owners place their horses at what most of the time appears to
    be the correct levels, and because the public and track experts
    predict a horses probability of race performance reasonably well,
    I get the equivalent of professional money management, at least
    as close as you can get at the racetrack, and I don't have to stay
    up all night reading the form.
    
    Here's an illustration:  a local trainer, Jerry Hollendorfer, who is
    widely respected as such, moves a horse up in class from $18K claim
    to $22500 claim.  Not much of a jump, I admit.  When the horse's
    past performances were examined, I didn't see anything extraordinary.
    It appeared to me to be the sort of thing encountered at the race-
    track, that is, a horse moves up in class -- big deal, so what.  The
    morning line on the horse was 8-1, about what you'd expect based on
    past performances.  But, the tip sheets were listing the horse as
    a possibility.  The horse even made it to the lists of a couple of
    the track experts.  As betting progressed, the odds improved until
    the horse was the favorite.  The pre-race favorite was bet up to
    4-1.  Hollendorfer's horse won the race and it made me think, what
    could the experts and public possibly have seen in this horse that
    did not appear in the DRF?  I concluded that one of two things was
    at work here, that the experts and public (at least some of the
    public, because experts bet too) were privy to information that I
    can't know, or that everyone was deluded but got lucky this time.
    
    Since then, I've attempted to find out which, and I've been
    astounded at what I've found out.  More on this later.
    
    By the way, a friend of mine is also a lover of horse racing but
    believes that betting takes all the fun out of it.  As for me, each
    race is the most exciting couple of minutes of my life.  Placing a
    bet heightens the experience.  I just can't get enough of it.  But
    I'm glad that I can't go every day, just the occasional Saturday
    or Sunday.  I can see how some people get addicted.  I'd probably
    be in Gambler's Anonymous before long and my wife would divorce me.
    
    Carl

Everybody talks about the stallions in horse racing.  Typically, 
people will say or write "Strike The Gold is by Alydar out of 
Majestic Gold by Hatchet Man." But, sometimes, the mare isn't even given 
the dignity of a name! For example, folks say things like, "This horse is 
by Alydar out of a Secretariat mare." People talk about leading sires and 
broodmare sires until you're sick of hearing it. 

Breeders know that their mares are important. They call their top mares
that produce stakes winners and daughters who produce stakes winners, 
"Blue Hens". This note is going to talk about 3 broodmares who may become 
the revered Blue Hens of the future. They are Sultry Sun, Weekend Surprise
and No Class.

Sultry Sun(1980) was a stakes winner herself 10 years ago. As of last year,
she was the dam of 4 named foals. All raced. Three are winners and 2 are
graded stakes winners. Sultry SUn was Florida's Broodmare of the year in 1991.
Her pedigree is excellent. For example, her sire is a half-brother to the 
great filly Ruffian. 

           Tom Fool
        Buckpasser
           Busanda
    Buckfinder
           Native Dancer
        Shenanigans
           Bold Irish
Sultry Sun
           Sword Dancer
        Damascus
           Kerala
    Sunny Dame
           Princequillo
        Sunny Morn
           Good Morning

Her stakes winners are Solar Splendor and Sultry Song. Solar Splendor is a 
turf horse. In 1991, he won the Man o'War and Belmont Turf Classic. In 1992, 
the 5 YO Solar Splendor repeated his Man o'War victory. Both are Grade I 
turf races with the Man o'War at 1 3/8 miles and the Turf Classic at 1 1/2 
miles. Solar Splendor set a course record in winning the 1991 Saratoga 
Breeders' Cup Handicap(Gr IIIT) at 8.5 furlongs.

On the same day that Solar Splendor won the 1991 Turf Classic, his little
brother(Sultry Song) won the Gr II Jamaica Handicap at 8 furlongs. In 1992,
the 4 YO Sultry Song stretched out in distance and shipped to California
to win the $1,000,000 Hollywood Gold Cup at 10 furlongs.


Weekend Surprise(also 1980) was also a graded stakes winner in her own 
right. As of 1991 she had produced 4 live foals. All 3 that are old enough 
have run and won. Two of them are not only stakes winners but classic 
winners. Only SEVEN mares in history have produced 2 North American classic 
winners. Those mares are interesting enough to warrant a separate note. 
Weekend Surprise's classic winning sons are Summer Squall and A.P. Indy. 
In 1991, she threw a bay colt that is a full brother to Summer Squall. 
Weekend Surprise also has an impeccable pedigree which traces to a Blue Hen 
of another era and contains some common ancestors to Sultry Sun's:

              Nasrullah
          Bold Ruler
              Miss Disco
     Secretariat
              Princequillo
          SOMETHINGROYAL
              Imperatrice
Weekend Surprise
              Tom Fool
          Buckpasser
              Busanda
     Lassie Dear
                   Turn-to       
               Sir Gaylord
                   SOMETHINGROYAL
          Gay Missile
               Miss Baba

In 1990, Summer Squall won the Preakness Stakes at 1 3/16 miles. He raced 3 
years and won graded stakes every year he raced. Summer In fact, Squall won 
13 of his 20 starts including Preakness Stakes(gr I), Hopeful Stakes(gr I), 
Saratoga Special(gr II), Jim Beam Stakes(gr II), Pennsyvania Derby(gr II), 
Blue Grass Stakes(gr II) and the Fayette Handicap(gr II). Summer Squall won
over $1.8 Million on the track and retired to stud at Lane's End Farm after 
his 1991 race season.

A.P. Indy only raced 2 years(1991 and 1992) but they were very productive
years! As a yearling, A.P. Indy sold for $2.9 Million. In 1991, he won the
Hollywood Futurity(gr I) and became the FIRST top price yearling in nearly 
20 years that went on to win a major race. He continued his success in 1992
with wins in the San Rafael(gr II), Santa Anita Derby(gr I), Peter Pan 
Stakes(gr II), Belmont Stakes(gr I) and the Breeders' Cup Classic(gr I). His
Grade I victories came in 9, 10 and 12 furlong races so his classic pedigree
shows! In addition to the staying power in his dam's pedigree from 
Triple Crown winner Secretariat, Buckpasser and especially the double 
influence of Secretariat's dam, Somethingroyal, A.P. Indy is sired by 
Seattle Slew who is another Triple Crown winner. Incidently, the cross
to Seattle Slew TRIPLED the influence of Somethingroyal's sire, Princequillo.
Seattle Slew's dam(My Charmer) traces to Princequillo who was famous for
siring stayers and daughters who produced stayers. My Charmer also introduces
a double influence of a THIRD Triple Crown winner, War Admiral. War Admiral
was the best son of Man o'War who didn't win the Triple Crown because he
did not run in the KY Derby. A.P. Indy has won more than his puirchase price 
of $2.9 Million on the track and has recently been retired to stud at Lane's 
End Farm.

No Class(1974) was a winner at the races and was stakes placed. Through 1991,
she is the dam of 7 foals. Five of them have raced and won. Four have been
graded stakes winners. Her pedigree may not include as many names that are 
currently well known but it is not humble by any means. Interestingly 
enough, No Class also traces to Princequillo as do Sultry Sun and Weekend 
Surprise. 

               Star Kingdom
          Noholme II
               Oceana
     Nodouble
               Double Jay
          Abla-Jay
               Ablamucha
No Class
               Nasrullah
          Outing Class
               Track Medal
     Classy Quillo
               Princequillo
          Quillopoly
               Tonga

No Class's stakes winning offpsring include: Classy 'N Smart(by Smarten), 
Grey Classic(by Grey Dawn), Regal Classic(by Vice Regent), and 
Sky Classic(by Nijinsky II). Sky Classic is second in the all-time money 
won listing for Canadian horses. No Class won the Soverign Award 
as Canada's Broodmare of the Year in 1985. Her stakes winning daughter, 
Classy 'N Smart, is also producer of stakes winners and was 1991's Soverign 
Award winner as Broodmare of the Year. Why? Because her daughter, Dance 
Smartly(by Danzig) won the Canadian Triple Crown, Molson Million and the
Breeders' Cup Distaff to become Canada's 1991 Horse of the Year as well as
the North American Eclipse Award winner as the 3 YO Filly. She is also
the all time leading money winner among Canadian horses and all mares 
worldwide.

Not a bad trio of mares, eh?

John

    Every once-in-a-while, I come across the poll results of turf writers
    who were asked to rank the top TB racehorses of all time. (I'd LOVE to
    see how OLD these folks are to have seen Man o'War and Colin while they
    were racing! I mean I've been a racing fan for 35+ years now and I've
    only seen horses from Nashua forward!) But the latest poll says:
    
    1. Man o'War 
    2. Secretariat
    3. Citation
    4. Kelso
    5. Count Fleet
    6. Sysonby
    7. Native Dancer
    8. Nashua
    9. Seattle Slew
    10. Colin

    Glad to see Man O' War is still #1.  :-)

    Has anybody out there read any of the classic handicapping tomes by
    Andrew Beyer?  Here are a couple that I read when I first became
    interested in horse racing:
    
         Picking Winners
         (Houghton-Mifflin, 1975, 1985)
    
         The Winning Horseplayer
         (Houghton-Mifflin, 1983)
    
    Picking Winners is termed "the classic book on speed handicapping."
    In it Beyer expounds on track biases, trainers, a horse's appearance,
    and all the tenets involved in his speed handicapping theory.  His
    insight and experience make this book required reading, in my opinion,
    for anyone that wants to understand thoroughbred horse racing,
    especially handicappers.  Even if one never uses Beyer's speed handi-
    capping techniques, the personal notes and asides are well worth the
    purchase price (currently $9.95 for the soft cover version).
    
    The Winning Horseplayer is termed "a revolutionary approach to
    thoroughbred handicapping and betting."  But instead of speed handi-
    capping, this book is about trip handicapping, that is, watching the
    horses' trip around the track and basing possible future trip perfor-
    mance on earlier trips.  For example, a horse with lots of run gets
    boxed in in the stretch and get get loose soon enough to win the race.
    So next race, it could be that if the horse doesn't get boxed in, it'll
    have a good chance of winning.  I recall Pleasant Tap getting boxed in
    a race early last year.  The replay showed him trying to get loose a
    couple of times to no avail.  When he did get loose, there was not
    enough time to make up the distance.  But in the next race he didn't
    get boxed and won the race comfortably.  Anyway, you probably get the
    idea of what trip handicapping is all about.  I think this book is also
    required reading for any serious horse bettor.  Again, Beyer's inside
    knowledge makes it well worth reading ($8.95 for the soft cover).
    
    But can anyone of us really apply any of Beyer's techniques?  Not
    unless you can go to the track every day and spend hours upon hours
    away from the track making par charts and calculating daily track
    variances, not just for your home track, but for all the tracks the
    horses you encounter normally run.  For example, I'd have to keep up
    with a whole lot of data from not only Golden Gate Fields and Bay
    Meadows, my home tracks, but also Santa Anita, Hollywood, and Del Mar,
    the southern California tracks, because the horses I encounter are
    liable to be shipping back and forth.
    
    I'm still trying to work out a handicapping method that has reasonable
    results without having to go to the track every day or spend all night
    compiling charts and data.  I've read some other books that I think
    have me heading in the right direction.  I'll tell you about them
    when I have a little more time and NOTED:: is in working condition.
    More later.
    
    Carl
    
    P.S. Yes, a really GREAT trio of female-type horses, indeed.  A friend
    of mine who breeds/owns/races thoroughbreds occasionally shows me
    pedigree charts on horses he breeds.  The more I learn about horse
    racing, the more amazed I am.
    

    re -.1
    
    Yes, I too read Beyer's books, and they formed the basis of the systems
    I've used.  But you are right, this requires an enormous amount of time
    and effort.  I do have my own system -- although it's so primitive it
    hardly merits the name -- that is simple to use.  If I want to place a
    bet, and I have no idea of the horses' abilities, I bet the morning
    line favorite to place.  But before placing the bet, I look at the
    horse in the saddling paddock, to be sure he/she isn't having a bad
    day.  I also only bet if the odds are favorable.  I don't think I'd
    ever bet on an odds-on favorite.  Sometimes I also factor in the size
    of the place pool.  This system has never won me a lot of money, but
    over several trips to the track I come out better than even.
    Another thing to look at is races where there is a heavy sentimental
    favorite.  This frequently means that a lot of people are going to bet
    on a famous horse simply because they know his name.  In some cases
    this will skew the odds to such an extent that some very good horses
    might be going off at very favorable odds, and might win you some money
    even with a place bet.  
    
    -ellie

    Here's another handicapping book I've read:
    
        Modern Pace Handicapping
        by Tom Brohamer
        (William Morrow, 1991, $22.95 hardcover)
    
    This book started me thinking about the types of horses that you might
    encounter in a race.  Brohamer devides horses into four broad groups:
    
        1.  Early speed horses - these go to the lead right away and try
            to stay there.  When they win, it's wire to wire.
    
        2.  Pace pressing horses - these lie just off the pace and pass
            the leaders either on the last turn or somewhere down the
            stretch.
    
        3.  Closing horses - these come from the back of the field to
            pass all the other horses (in dramatic fashion) in the far
            turn and/or down the stretch.
    
        4.  Sustained horses - these don't have early speed, pressing,
            or closing abilities, but maintain the same relative position
            all around the track.  A pure sustained horse is nothing to
            shout about, but sustained combined with early speed, for
            example, might be a winner.
    
    Brohamer suggests that it is the job of the handicapper to determine
    which horses have which qualities, and the way to do this is, you
    guessed it, hours upon hours of figuring par charts and daily variances
    and speed velocities.  Figuring speed velocities involves determining
    how long it takes a horse to cover the distance between calls and
    expressing it in terms of feet-per-second.
    
    But I think the book is worthwhile reading for the concepts it teaches
    you about the types of horses and when fast fractions are meaningful,
    and when they are not.  The book was the first place I had read
    anything about "turn-time", the time it takes a horse to cover the
    far turn, the place where contending horses traditionally make their
    moves.
    
    But probably the most influential book of my early study was:
    
         Investing at the Racetrack
         by William L. Scott (a pseudonym, as it turns out)
         (Simon and Schuster, 1981, $10.95 softcover)
    
    In it, Scott cites several studies that indicate the probability of
    a race's outcome.  Ellie hinted at it a couple of replies ago.   Here
    is what Scott has in his book:
    
         1.  The favorite wins about 33% of the time
         2.  The second favorite wins about 20% of the time
         3.  The third favorite wins about 14% of the time
         4.  The favorite wins or places about 50% of the time
         5.  The favorite finishes in the money about 70% of the time
         6.  One of the three favorites wins or places about 90%
             of the time
         7.  One of the three favorites finishes in the money about
             98% of the time.
    
    These percentages (within a couple of points) are borne out in
    another book I read by James Quirin, Winning at the Races, I
    think (I'll get back to you on that later).
    
    Another thing I learned from Scott's book is putting the whole money
    thing in perspective, that is, what is a reasonable return on my wager?
    Should I bet to win, place, or show?  Beyer says don't waste your time
    on anything other than a bet to win.  So does Brohamer.  But Scott says
    it's OK to bet to place, taking advantage of the above probabilities
    and not being so greedy.
    
    One other point Scott made that made sense to me is waiting until the
    last possible moment to place your bet, because late money might
    change which horses are the favorites.
    
    So I've tried to come up with a comprehensive system that incorporates
    everything I've learned.  I read two more books that filled in the
    gaps, especially money management.  I'll tell you more about them next
    time.  More later.
    
    Carl
    

    Aw, you guys work too hard at handicapping! What's the matter with
    "hunches." Well, even that's too fancy a name....What I mean is pick 
    "Kate's Pride" because your niece is Kate, "Atlanta Fan" because your
    sister is one, "Appealing Legs" when Diane Nelson is up, "Princess Ro
    Ro" because your highschool girl firend's mother treated her like a
    princess and her sister called her Ro Ro.... Only works the first time
    though... ;-) After that it's not a "hunch"

    Speaking of hunches, some friends and my wife and I were at the
    Fairgrounds in New Orleans a couple of years ago.  My wife put a
    bet on a horse named "Little Red Corvette" because she liked the
    Prince song and she always wanted a red Corvette.  The horse was a 
    long shot and, of course, won pretty good money.  Next race, everyone
    asked her for advice.  She told them to bet on "Mocha's Surprise"
    because we have a cat named Mocha.  Well, this horse won too.  Here I
    am working dilligently on a scheme, my hands full of the DRF and other
    papers, her hunches pay off big and my "educated choices" finish for
    little or no money.  But in the long run... -- that's another story.

    re -.1
    
    Ain't that always the way??  !!

    It must be beginners luck!  I was at Foxboro a couple of weeks
    ago, and a group of women were sitting right behind us, it seemed
    like they hadn't been to the track too much.   One of
    them bet on a horse named Lady Edith because she knew someone
    named Edith.  Of course she won and paid $75!  

    Last week at Aqueduct, somebody played an Exacta of Darling Edith with
    My New Kitchen because their neighbor was named Edith and she had just
    got a new kitchen. Of course, they won BIG money because they were both
    longshots!

Oh, there's another fantastic broodmare by the name of Northern Sunset.
Who's she? The dam of St Jovite who won the 1992 Irish Derby and the 1992
King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes. The 3 YO St Jovite was 
also just rated the best horse in Europe for 1992 at distances between 11 
and 13 1/2 furlongs. He rated 135 pounds in the International 
Classifications where the top older horses(Pistolet Bleu and Subotica) were 
assessed 129 and 128 respectively. Dr Devious who defeated St Jovite twice 
was rated at a mere 125 pounds.

Northern Sunset(1977) wasn't much of a racehorse herself(2 wins from 18 
starts) But she has produced multiple stakes winners and she has a great 
pedigree:


               Nearco
          Northern Dancer
               Natalma
     Northfields
               Occupy
          Little Hut
               Savage Beauty
Northern Sunset
               Mossborough
          Ballymoss
               Indian Call
     Moss Greine
               Straight Deal
          Blaith na Greine
               Carpet Slipper

Northern Sunset has produced:
1982	Salem Drive by Darby Creek Road - Graded stakes winner of $1,045,575
1983	Lac Quimet by Pleasant Colony - Graded stakes winner of $817,863
1984	Ashford Evening by Kirtling - Unraced - died 1986
1985	Dry North by Temperance Hill - winner
1986 	Norberto by Roberto - winner and graded stakes placed
1988	Alysunset by Alydar - winner
1989	St Jovite by Pleasant Colony - Champion, multiple Grade I stakes 
		winner of more than $1,478,813
1990 	Charette by Chief's Crown - won her only start at 2
1991	unnamed bay colt by Carr de Naskra
1992	unnamed colt by Halo

For 1993, Northern Sunset is in foal to Pleasant Colony for the third time.
St Jovite, is a homebred and is spending the winter with two of his 
younger brothers at their breeder's Payson Park training center in Florida. 
Also at home are his 1 & 2 YO brothers (by Halo and Carr de Naskra 
respectively). It is undecided whether St Jovite will return to Europe or 
race in the US. Charette is in training in Ireland for a 3 YO campaign.

Salem Drive and Lac Quimet stand stud after SIX YEARS of racing(each !)
at Payson Stud in Kentucky. Also at Payson stud with Mom are her two 
daughters, Alysunset and Dry North. Alysunset is in foal to Sadler's Wells,
a Northern Dancer son. Dry North is in foal to Pleasant Colony.

Pretty good family, hey? All Northern Sunset's foals who have raced have won.
Of her 7 foals that have raced, 3 are graded stakes winners, one was graded
stakes placed and a fifth(Charette) may become a stakes horse in her 3 YO 
season. Add to that the fact that she is in foal the TENTH time in 11 years
when the average is about a 50% live foal rate per mare bred and you will
see that she's something special!

ESPN announced the 1992 Eclipse awards on last night's Thoroughbred Digest 
show(Oh, did I tell you it moved to Monday nights?). Actually, they 
announced everything except the Horse of the Year award. That will be 
announced at a banquet on Thursday evening. Anyway, here's the awards:

2 YO COlt - Gilded Time
2 YO Filly - Eliza

3 YO Colt - A. P. Indy
3 YO Filly - Saratoga Dew (minor surprise as there were 3 good fillies nominated)

Older Male - Pleasant Tap
Older Female - Paseana

Turf Male - Sky Classic (Paulson's begging didn't do any good, did it?)
Turf Female - Flawlessly (No surprise after her win in the Matriarch)

Sprinter - Rubiano(I think this makes the 4th year in a row that the
                   Breeder's Cup Sprint didn't decide the Eclipse Award)

Steeplechaser - Lonsesome Glory (For being the first horse to win on both 
                                 sides of the pond)

Breeder - W. E. Farrish (Lane's End Farm) who bred  A.P. Indy etc
Owner - Juddmonte Farms(Super Staff, Marquetry, etc)
Trainer - Ron McAnally (2nd year in a row; 3rd lifetime)
Jockey - Kent Desormeaux (most money won at $14.1 million)
Apprentice Jockey - Jesus A. Bracho (Won over $2 million)

    In one of the notes on mare's, I mentioned that Weekend Surprise was
    one of very few mares to have produced 2 American classic winners.
    
    The first mare to do that was called Maggie B. B. All I know of her
    pedigree is that she was by Australian. She produced:
    	Harold(by Leamington) 1879 Preakness
    	Panique(by Alarm)     1884 Belmont
    In between those two American classic winners, she produced
    Iroquois(also by Leamington) which was the first North American bred
    winner of the Epsom Derby. He won that English classis in 1881.
    
    Next came, Cinderella in the 1890's. Her pedigree is even less certain
    as she is said to be by either Blue Ruin or Tomahawk! Anyway, her son
    Hastings(by Spendthrift) won the 1896 Belmont and Plaudit(by Himyar)
    won the 1898 Kentucky Derby.
    
    Lady Margaret(by The Ill Usedf) produced 1896 Preakness winner
    Margrave(by St. Blaise) and 1902 Belmont winner Masterman(by Hastings).
    
    Ignite(by Woodlands) produced 1900 Preakness winner Hindus(by Volante)
    and 1906 KY Derby winner Sir Huon(by Falsetto).
    
    Leisure(by Meddler) produced a pair of Preakness winners. Royal Tourist
    by Sandingham won in 1908 and Holiday(by Broomstick) won in 1914.
    
    Finally, Cinderella's great-granddaughter Prudery produced Whiskery and
    Victorian both by Whisk Broom. Whiskery won the 1927 Ky Derby.
    Victorian won the 1928 Preakness.
    	
    John

    It's official. A.P. Indy is Horse of the Year...I would have picked
    Paseana but I don't get to vote!

In the Jan 30 issue of The Blood Horse, I found the following items of 
interest:

General Assembly, a multiple Grade I winner and popular sire, has been sold 
and sent to France for stud duty at Haras de Victot. 
General Assembly(Secretariat x Exclusive Dancer) was Secretariat's first Grade 
I winner. General Assembly has sired 22 stakes winners since he entered stud 
in 1980.

Virginia Kraft Payson has announced that multiple European champion, St Jovite 
    will begin his 4 YO campaign in North America this season. (See 481.430
    for more on St Jovite.) He will be trained 
by Canadian Hall-of-Fame trainer Roger Attfield. Mr Attfield brought us the 
likes of With Approval, Izvestia and Alydeed. With Approval and Izvestia were 
champions, Canadian Triple Crown winners and US record setters. Alydeed 
looked to be of the same ilk early last season but disappointed later.

Dixie Brass is recuperating from life-saving surgery for injuries sustained
in November's Sports Page Handicap. He will not be well enough to breed during 
the first few weeks of the breeding season. He is expected to begin breeding 
in March at the Vinery.

Steve Cauthen is considering retiring. He has been riding in England since 
1979. In recent years, he has been the contract rider for Sheikh Mohammed al 
Maktoum's Darley Stud stable. His contract gave him an annual fee as well as a 
percentage of their purses. He was free to ride other horses when there was no 
conflict with his commitment to Darley Stud horses. The Maktoum family is 
cutting back it's English stables and offered to renew Cauthen's contract 
but with substantially lower remuneration. Irish champion jockey is said to 
be the likely replacement for Cauthen at Darley Stud.

Cauthen says he doesn't think he can find another job in Europe and cannot 
make the weights in the US. His minimum weight is 119 which is too high to
get regular work in the US. His weight hasn't been a problem because 
European horses carry more weight. Cauthen says he is considering public 
relations, training and broadcast commentary as well as writing a book.

Cash Asmussen will be staying in Europe as contract rider for the Stavros 
Niarchos' stable. Asmussen was leading apprentice rider in the US back in 
1979. He moved his tack to France in 1982 and has been champion jockey there 5 
times.

Lester Piggot is expected to return to riding races in Dubai very soon. Other 
reports say he may also go to Bombay to ride.

In a bit of irony, English jockey Walter Swinburn, who was interviewed shortly 
after Piggot's crash in the Breeder's Cup, sustained very similar injuries
while riding out in Hong Kong. Swinburn underwent surgery for a collapsed lung 
and 3 busted ribs after a crash at Sha Tin Racecourse.

In keeping with the recent notes on mares, this is also from Jan. 30 issue
of The Blood Horse:

"		Primonetta Dead at 35
	CHAMPION AND BROODMARE OF THE YEAR

A Valentine's Day foal whose name in Italian meant "first little one,"
Primonetta was first in the hearts of many during her days as a successful 
racemare, prominent producer and resident queen at the Daniel M Galbreath
family's Darby Dan Farm near Columbus, Ohio.

Bred and raced by Darby Dan founder John W Galbreath, Primonetta was the first 
filly sired by Swaps and two years later she became the stallion's first 
stakes winner. Primonetta was undefeated in four races at two and she extended 
her unbeaten streak to nine races at three. Primonetta at three won the 1961
Delaware Oaks and the Alabama, Miss Woodford and Prioress Stakes. The 
following year, she was named champion handicap mare chiefly from victories in 
the Spinster Stakes and the Molly Pitcher, Falls City and Regret Handicaps. 
(In 1963, her home-bred full brother Chateaugay was named champion 3-year-old 
male following wins in the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes.)

Primonetta produced four stakes winners while at the Kentucky Division of 
Darby Dan: the Grade I winning full siblings Cum Laude Laurie and Prince Thou 
Art(by Hail To Reason) and full siblings Grenfall and Maud Muller(by Darby Dan 
home-bred Graustark). Named for a granddaughter of the Darby Dan founder, Cum 
Laude Laurie at three in 1977 won the Beldame(Gr I) and Spinster(Gr I) Stakes, 
Ruffian Handicap(Gr I), and Delaware Oaks(Gr I). Prince Thou Art had his 
biggest victory in the 1975 Florida Derby(Gr I), in which Foolish Pleasure 
suffered his first defeat while finishing third. Grenfall was a Group II 
winner in Ireland and Maud Muller was a Grade II winner in New York. 
Primonetta was honored as the 1978 Broodmare of the Year by the Thoroughbred 
Breeders of Kentucky.

A daughter of the Polynesian mare Banquet Bell, Primonetta produced her last 
of seven foals in 1980 and was pensioned soon afterward. She was sent from 
the Darby Dan division near Lexington to the one near Columbus.

Primonetta died on Jan. 16 after suffering an apparent heart attack. Her 
death came a month before a party would have been held on Valentine's Day to 
celebrate her real birthday. According to Darby Dan official John Phillips,
birthday celebrations had been held for a number of years and provided a time 
for the farm employees to honor Primonetta with a carrot cake and watch films
of the mare in action in the 1960s. Primonetta was buried near a road that
bears here name."

    Wow..35!

    The 1993 American Championship Racing Series(ACRS) starts tomorrow
    at Florida's Gulfstream Park. The ACRS is a series of 9 Grade I stakes
    races open to horses 3 & Up. The ACRS offers a bonus to the horse which
    scores the most points in the series. Points are award according to a
    horse's placing in ACRS races. The idea was to bring more prominence to
    these races for older horses as well as to give owners an incentive to
    keep good horses in racing rather than retiring them after their 3 YO
    campaign. Between the ACRS, Breeder's Cup races, other million dollar
    purse races and the poor market for blood stock, many more good horses
    are racing at 4, 5 and 6 than a decade ago.
    
    All the races will be televised by ESPN or ABC. Here
    is a list of the races in the 1993 ACRS series:
    
    Date	Race		Track			TV Network
    Feb 20 Donn Handicap	Gulfstream Park		ESPN
    Mar 14 Gulfstream Pk Hcap	Gulfstream Park        	ESPN
    Apr 24 Californian Stakes	Hollywood Park		ESPN
    May 15 Pimlico Stakes	Pimlico			ABC (on Triple
    				Crown Coverage of the Preakness Stakes)
    Jun 5  Nassau County Hcap	Belmont			ABC (on Triple
                                    Crown Coverage of the Belmont Stakes)
    Jul 3  Hollywood Gold Cup	Hollywood Park          ESPN
    Jul 24 P. H. Iselin Hcap	Monmouth Park		ESPN
    Aug 21 Pacific Classic	Del Mar			ESPN
    Sep 18 Woodward Stakes	Belmont			ESPN
    
    The Donn Handicap will be broadcast live on ESPN at 5 PM Eastern time. 
    The race and the Gulfstream Park Handicap can also be seen on 
    SportsChannel Florida or SportsChannel America's daily broadcast called 
    "Thoroughbred Action From Gulfstream Park." 

    Re: SportsChannel Florida or SportsChannel America's daily recap
    show called "Thoroughbred Action From Gulfstream Park."  
    
    According to this week's Blood Horse, SportsChannel picked up the
    coverage of the Gulfstream meeting after Gulfstream filed suit against
    the cable network that broadcast the races last year. The article said
    that Gulfstream had had a 2 year contract with a Florida cable network
    which called for the network to pay Gulfstream $100 per day plus half
    the advertising profit. The network was to broadcast 6 days of racing
    and a weekly talk show. According to the article, the network did
    broadcast the shows in 1992 but made NO payments to Gulfstream. A few
    days before the current race meeting opened, the network informed 
    Gulfstream that they would not broadcast the shows in 1993.
    
    SportsChannel also produces a daily recap of the racing at NYRA tracks
    (Aqueduct,Belmont and Saratoga). The NYRA daily recap is on SportsChannel 
    New York, New England 52 weeks a year and appears on SportsChannel 
    America most of the year. Winter racing at Aqueduct is so boring that 
    SC America took SC Florida's Gulfstream show for the Jan-Mar season.
    
    So, the 2 ACRS races from Belmont should also appear on SportsChannel on 
    their "Thoroughbred Action From Belmont" racing recap show. Of course,
    Belmont isn't open right now so the daily show is from Aqueduct. They
    switch to Belmont in May and stay there until late July when they
    go to Saratoga. Racing moves back to Belmont for Sept and Oct. 
    

    BTW, as of yesterday, the 2 leading riders at Gulfstream Park are Julie
    Krone and Jerry Bailey. Here are the stats:
    
    Jockey	Mounts	Wins Place Show		Win %	In the Money %
    Krone	175      39     33   29		21.7	57.1!!!!!!!!!
    Bailey	133	 32     16   13		24.0	45.9
    
    In other Gulfstream jockey news, Mary Russ returned to riding races
    after a 5 year retirement during which she started a family. She
    married a trainer and they have 2 children. At Christmas, he told her
    he would support her in every way if she wanted to return to race
    riding. She hadn't been idle during her retirement. She rode exercise
    for her husband. When she returned to riding races, he put her on some
    of the horses she had been working. She's winning with them too! I
    think she won two races on his horses this week.
    
    Mary Russ was the first woman to capture a riding title at a "major"
    track when she won at Calder in the mid-80's. Well, Calder's not a
    "bush-league" track but I reserve the term "major" for NYRA(Belmont,
    Saratoga and Aquedcut) and LA area(Santa Anita, Del Mar and Hollywood
    Park) tracks. Julie Krone was the first woman to win a riding title at
    one of those tracks when she won Belmont's riding title at the May-Jul
    meeting.

    Hello racing fans!
    
    After a couple of training classes (computers, not horses, darn it),
    and after nearly getting washed away from all the recent rain (I
    think the California drought is over), I'm finally able to pay more
    attention to the things that really matter, namely horse racing and
    handicapping.
    
    I said a few notes back that I would pass on the information on a
    handicapping book that I couldn't accurately remember the title or
    author of.  For those of you waiting patiently, here it is:
    
         Winning At the Races
         Computer Discoveries in Thoroughbred Handicapping
         by William L. Quirin, Ph.D.
         (foreword by Tom Ainslie)
         (William Morrow & Co., 1979, $22.95 hardcover)
    
    I think that Ainslie has foreworded more books than any other person,
    living or dead.  At the time of the book's first publishing, Quirin
    was Associate Professor of Math and Computer Science at Adelphi U.
    
    The book contains a lot of massaged data dragged out of a database of
    North American races.  Some of the info is enlightening, however, like
    how often favorites win or finish in the money, and how often early
    speed horses that live up to their promise in the first half of the
    race actually win or finish in the money.  Some of the data is pretty
    esoteric, though.  All in all, I'd say that the book is probably
    worth reading, but I think I'd try to find it at the library.
    
    But the most informative and enlightening book I've read to date is,
    don't laugh:
    
         Dr. Z's Beat the Racetrack
         by William T. Ziemba and Donald B. Hausch
         (William Morrow and Co., 1987, $24.95 hardcover)
    
    The foreword is by Edward O. Thorp.  Numbers freaks will remember him
    as the author of Beat the Dealer, a mid-sixties book about card
    counting techniques for blackjack.
    
    Ziemba is Professor of Management Science at British Columbia U and has
    some kind of economics doctorate.  Big deal, right?  Just tell me if it
    works, pal, and spare me the sheepskin.
    
    What I found fascinating was his discussion of stock market efficiency
    applied to betting on horseraces.  One chapter gives all the formulas
    that tracks use to determine odds and payoffs.  Another chapter
    explains what overlays are, how to recognize them, and when the payoff
    may be profitable.
    
    His "system", however, requires some fancy figuring in the last few
    seconds before the gates open, and placing a bet just before the window
    closes.  Of course, you need to buy a hand-help HP and his proprietary
    chip in order to perform these convoluted calculations quickly.  But
    the book for me was great stuff and well worth the read and the price.
    
    So now that I've read all these books, I think I'm finally ready to put
    my own system together and give it a whirl, right?  Well, maybe one
    more book, Laughing In the Hills, just to give me the "feel" of the
    track life.  It's an interesting insight, so far.  Many thanks to
    JDADDAMIO for its recommendation.
    
    More later.
    Carl

    
    Carl,
    
    You might be interested in the following mailing list. Send mail
    to DECWRL::"derby-request@ekrl.com".
    
    ************************************************************************
Hi.  At your request, you have been added to the "derby" mailing list.  The
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Welcome, and enjoy!

See you at the races,
John Wilkes
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1)  What is derby all about?

	Horse racing.  All flavors, though we tend to focus on Thoroughbreds.
	We talk about handicapping and wagering strategies, as well as the
	horses, jockeys, and trainers.  If it has anything to do with horse
	racing, it's fair game for posting.

	There are about 120 names on the list, and at least two of those
	are exploder lists at other sites, so I'd guess there are close to
	140 subscribers, including one in the UK, one in Finland, one in
	Italy, one in New Zealand, and one in Japan.  We have at least one
	thoroughbred owner among us.

	Derby is not moderated.

	To post to the list, mail to: derby@ekrl.com

	For administrative details (e.g., add to list, remove from list, 
	change of address, problems, etc.) mail to: derby-request@ekrl.com

    Carl,
    
    One more thing you want to remember: It is FAR more important to be a
    smart BETTOR than a smart handicapper! 
    
    Even guys like Jerry Brown(who makes up performance figures which he says 
    go beyond speed figures) and Andy Beyer(the speed figure guru) say that 
    it is much more important to chose smart bets rather than to be a great 
    handicapper. In fact, Jerry Brown's general approach to betting stakes
    races is to look for favorites he thinks are beatable and bet Exactas 
    using the 2 or 3 other horses in the race that he thinks have a shot at 
    winning. When he thinks the favorite will win, he passes on the race.
    
    They point out that average handicapping & wise betting will get you a 
    better return than handicapping well and betting unwisely. I'm sure
    there are all sorts of books on betting strategy or money management
    which would offer advise on how to play the exotic bets(daily double,
    triples/pick 3, pick 6 or pick 9) as well as the race to race
    management. 
    
    John

    Many thanks to the authors of .441 and .442.  RE: .441, I'll sign up
    directly.  RE: .442, I have been working on a betting strategy.  In 
    Dr. Z's Beat the Racetrack, he examines at great length a strategy
    devised by some character named Kelly.  The strategy is basically
    upping your bet when the statistical probability of your hoped-for
    outcome is greater.  Dr. Z has applied Kelly's ideas to some "market"
    analysis-like data that has been realized from those thousands of
    North American races that I wrote about a couple of notes ago.
    
    Dr. Z, Quirin, Scott, and a host of others discovered that the money
    bet on your horse to win divided by the total amount in the win pool
    gives a fair approximation in terms of percentage of the horse's
    probability of winning the race.  Here's an example:
    
        Win pool = $20,000
      your horse = $ 5,000
    
    therefore, your horse has a 25% chance of winning the race.  Dr. Z, et
    al, contend that horses in this position will actually win 25% of the
    time.  Now, if you perform the same calculation for place and for show
    and add them all up, you get the horse's chance of finishing in the
    money.  For the last several months I have been tracking this to see
    if it's true, and so far the results are not too far off, thereby
    seeming to support the contention.
    
    A simple betting strategy that can be derived from this is establishing
    a "sure thing" maximum bet and betting a percentage of that maximum
    according to a horse's chances as discussed above.
    
    Example:
       My maximum bet is $100.  I would only bet this full amount if there
       were 2 horses in the race and one was a paraplegic.  The horse I'm
       thinking about has these money figures on the tote board:
    
                   Pool         My Horse         Probability
          Win    $10,000         $2,000              20%
        Place    $ 7,500         $1,250              17%
         Show    $ 3,000         $  675              23%
                                                     ---
                                                     60%
    
       The horse has a 60% chance of finishing in the money, and so I would
       bet only 60% of my maximum bet on the horse, $60.
    
    In reality, I have not yet summoned up enough, well, you know, to bet
    that amount of money.  The most I've ever bet is $20.
    
    So far I've managed to stay away from the exotic bets, which to me seem
    to be lot like gunslinging.  I'm trying to find a horse that will
    finish in the money and bet on it to show and sometimes to place if the
    chances are high enough.  More later.
    
    Carl

I am a New Englander who is looking to get warm!

Having attended several races at Suffolk, the simulcasting makes
 Gulfstream look very appealing right now.  The only problem is,
I don't know what part of Florida it is in!

So, can someone let me know where Gulfstream is in Florida?  Has anyone gone there?
IF so, where are the best seats?

Thanks for any help...

Marsha

    I believe Gulfstream is in Hallandale, FL....Ft Lauderdale area. I used
    to live down there (Ft L.) and drove by the park a few times but dont
    remember the specifics. I never went in. ANY part of Fl would seem
    nice right about now!
    
    -Linda, who has 2.5 ft of snow and is cold, too! :-)
    

    Paseana (who was 1992 Eclipse Champion Older Mare, Breeders' Cup Distaff
    winner and invincible against females in 1992) is off to a poor
    start for 1993! She had been rested for about 3 months(since the Distaff 
    on Oct. 31). 

    She came back to the races in the Santa Maria(Gr I, 8.5 furlongs) on 
    Feb 6th. Her stablemate, Race The Wild Wind, won in a wire-to-wire style.
    Paseana finished second, 2 lengths back while carrying 9 pounds more
    weight(126 to Race The Wild Wind's 117). Southern Truce, a former 
    claimer, was another 1 1/4 lengths behind Paseana carrying 116
    
    Sunday, Paseana ran in the Santa Margarita Invitational Handicap(Gr
    I) and went of the favorite despite her earlier loss. Everybody figured
    she just needed a race to complete her conditioning. The track
    handicapper put at least 10 pounds more weight on Paseana than any of
    the others. Race The Wild Wind wasn't there but Southern Truce was.

    Paseana and Southern Truce broke together but McCarron rated Paseana and 
    had her second down the backside about a length off Southern Truce.
    Approaching the final turn, McCarron sent Paseana to the front. She was
    running easily and had a full length over Southern Truce. She didn't 
    widen the gap but nobody was gaining either.
    
    At the top of the stretch, it looked like Paseana could be caught if
    the others tried. Then, she started to open up and I thought it was all
    over but the shouting! But, McCarron dropped the right rein! While he 
    was fumbling around for 2-3 strides to get it back, Paseana visibly 
    shortened her stride and giving Southern Truce a chance to come back and 
    battle down the stretch. Southern Truce did come back and raced Paseana to
    the wire. It looked like it was going to be a dead heat but Southern 
    Truce gained a slight advantage in the final 3 jumps to win by a head.
    
    Paseana gave away 10 pounds to Southern Truce and only lost by a head. 
    But, you have to wonder if she was really fit enough. All last year, she
    gave away weight and won easily despite carrying as much as 127. I think 
    she was undefeated against fillies & mares last year and she won 6 Grade I
    races including the 1992 editions of the 2 she lost this year.
    
    She's 6. Is she starting to lose her speed? Did she just lose some of her 
    edge from the long rest? Did the dropped rein cost her the race? Or is
    Southern Truce the female version of John Henry, another former claimer 
    who went on to fame and fortune? We'll see next time out. McAnally is 
    one of the best trainers in the country and I'm sure he'll have Paseana
    ready for the next one.
    
    John

I came across a chart in The Blood Horse which showed all the stakes races
that are currently scheduled for broadcast by US television networks in 
1993. I say currently because NBC has broadcast the Arc de Triopmhe 
for several years and ABC has had the Grand National from England but they
don't appear on this list. Currently, the Irish Derby is the only non-US 
race listed. ABC has the Triple Crown races and most of the major prep races.
NBC has the Breeders' Cup and one of Belmont's Super Saturday features which 
is billed as a Breeders' Cup Preview. CBS didn't show up even though they
have been broadcasting a couple turf races the past 2-3 years.

ALL TIMES ARE EASTERN!!!!!!

Track Abbreviations:

AP =	Arlington Park(Illinois)
Aqu =	Aqueduct(NY)
Bel =	Belmont(NY)
CD =	Churchhill Downs(Kentucky)
Dmr = 	Del Mar(CA)
FG = 	Fair Grounds (Louisiana)
Hol =	Hollywood Park(Cal.)
GP = 	Gulfstream Park(Fla)
LaD =	Louisiana Downs
Med =	Meadowlands(NJ)
Mth =	Monmouth Park(NJ)
OP =	Oaklawn Park(Arkansas)
Pim =	Pimlico(Maryland)
RP =	Remington Park
SA = 	Santa Anita(Cal.)
TP =	TurfLawn Park

Date	Event				Track	Time		Network
 2/20	Donn Handicap			GP	5-6 PM		ESPN
 3/6	Santa Anita Handicap		SA	4:30-6 PM	ABC
 3/14	Gulfstream Park Handicap	GP	8:30-9 PM	ESPN
 3/20	Florida Derby			GP      4:30-6 PM       ABC
	Louisiana Derby			FG	8-9 PM       	ESPN
 3/27	Jim Beam Stakes			TP      5-6 PM          ESPN
 4/3	Remington Park Derby		RP	4-5 PM          ESPN
	Santa Anita Derby		SA      4:30-6 PM       ABC
 4/10	Blue Grass Stakes Special	Kee	4:30-6 PM       ABC
	Oaklawn Handicap		OP      5-6 PM          ESPN
	Blue Grass Stakes 		Kee     5-6 PM          ESPN
 4/17	Arkansas Derby			OP      5-6 PM          ESPN
	Ashland Stakes			Kee     5-6 PM          ESPN
	Wood Memorial Initational	Aqu	4:30-6 PM       ABC
 4/24	Kentucky Derby Preview			4:30-6 PM       ABC
	Californian Stakes		Hol	6-7 PM          ESPN
 5/1	Kentucky Derby Special			2:30-4:30 PM	ESPN
	Kentucky Derby 			CD	4:30-6 PM       ABC
 5/15	Preakness Special			3:30-4:30 PM    ESPN
	Preakness Stakes		Pim	4:30-6 PM       ABC
	Pimlico Special Handicap	Pim     4:30-6 PM       ABC
 6/5	Belmont Stakes Special			3:30-4:30 PM    ESPN
	Belmont Stakes 			Bel     4:30-6 PM       ABC
	Nassau County Handicap		Bel     4:30-6 PM       ABC
 6/19	Ohio Derby			Tdn	5-6 PM          ESPN
 6/27	Irish Derby			Curragh	3-4 PM		ESPN
 7/3	Hollywood Gold Cup Handicap	Hol	4:30-5:30 PM    ESPN
 7/17	Frank J De Francis Dash		Laurel	4:30-6 PM       ABC
 7/24	Phillip H Iselin Handicap	Mth	5-6 PM          ESPN
 8/21	Pacific Classic			Dmr	6-7 PM		ESPN
 8/29	Arlington Million		AP      6-7 PM          ESPN
 9/11	West Vriginia Breeder Classic	CT	6-6:30 PM	ESPN
 9/18	Woodward Stakes			Bel	4-5 PM          ESPN
	Man o'War Stakes		Bel     4-5 PM          ESPN
	Futurity			Bel     4-5 PM          ESPN
	Matron Stakes			Bel     4-5 PM          ESPN
10/2	Super Derby			LaD	3:30-4:30 PM	ESPN
10/9	Turf Classic			Bel	4-4:30 PM	ESPN
10/10	Vosburgh Stakes			Bel     3:30-4:30 PM    ESPN
	Jamaica Handicap		Bel     3:30-4:30 PM    ESPN
	Rare Perfume Stakes		Bel     3:30-4:30 PM    ESPN
10/15	Meadowlands Cup Handicap	Med	11-11:30 PM	ESPN
10/16	Breeders' Cup Preview Special	Bel	4:30-6 PM       NBC
	Champagne Stakes		Bel     4:30-6 PM       NBC
	Frizette Stakes                 Bel     4:30-6 PM       NBC
	Jockey CLub Gold Cup		Bel     4:30-6 PM       NBC
	Lawrence Realization Stakes	Bel     4:30-6 PM       NBC
	Kelso Handicap			Bel     4:30-6 PM       NBC
	Beldame Stakes			Bel     4:30-6 PM       NBC
	Breeders' Cup Steeplechase	Bel     4:30-6 PM       NBC
10/17	Spinster Stakes			Kee	4-5 PM		ESPN
	California Cup			SA	4-5 PM          ESPN
10/23	Budweiser International		Laurel	4-5 PM          ESPN
10/24	Remington Park Futurity		RP	4-5 PM          ESPN
11/6	Breeders' Cup 			SA	1:30-6 PM	NBC
11/20	Hollywood Derby			Hol	6-7 PM		ESPN
11/28	Matriarch Stakes		Hol     6-7 PM          ESPN

    I've added more about Halo to the article from the 2/27 issue of 
    The Blood Horse:
    
    "Syndicated Halo, who twice led the nation's leading sire list,
    underwent surgery for colic at Hagyard-Davidson-McGee veterinary clinic
    near Lexington the morning of Feb 13. The stallion's discomfort was
    discovered at 1:00 AM at Arthur B Hancock's Stone Farm near Paris KY. A
    farm representative said that Halo is doing well, but that the
    24-year-old stallion will probably miss the first month of the breeding
    season. He is expected to cover som 40 mares.
    
    Halo(Hail to Reason-Cosmah, by Cosmic Bomb) was the leading sire by
    progeny earnings in 1983 and 1989 when his chief earner from each year,
    Sunny's Halo and Sunday Silence, respectively, won the Kentucky
    Derby(Gr I). Sunday Silence was named Horse of the Year and Champion
    3-year-old male that year. Halo has sired 52 stakes winners and the
    earners of more than $31 million."
    
    When he was racing Halo won the United Nations Handicap(Gr I Turf 1 3/16 
    miles), the Tidal Handicap(Gr II Turf 1 3/16 miles), Lawrence Realization
    Stakes (Gr II Turf 1.5 Miles) and the Voters Handicap(1 mile Turf). He 
    also finished second in a number of graded stakes. The UN Handicap is
    now known as the Caesar's International.
    
    Halo's pedigree includes lost of famous names:

                Nearcos
             Royal Charger
                Sun Princess
          Turn-to  
                Admiral Drake
             Source Sucree
                Lavendula
       Hail to Reason
                Blue Larkspur
             Blue Swords
                Flaming Swords
          Nothirdchance
                Sir Gallahad
             Galla Colors
                Rouge et Noir
    Halo
                Phalaris
             Pharamond II
                Selene
          Cosmic Bomb
                Blue Larkspur
             Banish Fear
                Herodiade
       Cosmah
                 Blenheim II
              Mahmoud
                 Mah Mahal
          Almahmoud
                 Peace Chance
              Arbitrator
                 Mother Goose

    The stakes winners sired by Halo that you may recognize include:
    Sunday Silence, Sunny's Halo(both mentioned above), Jolie's Halo(a 6 YO 
    stallion recently retired. Won ACRS races in 1991 and 1992), and 
    Devil's Bag (Champion 2 YO colt in 1983; retired before the 1984 KY Derby 
    due to injury).

    Speaking of Halo, there was an interesting article recently about his
    late half sister, Tosmah(Tim Tam-Cosmah, by Cosmic Bomb) that I'll enter 
    when I get a chance.
    
    John

As promised previously here's the story of Tosmah(Tim Tam x Cosmah). For 
those with short memories and those who weren't around, Tim Tam won the 1958
Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes. During the running of the Belmont 
Stakes(in which he finished a close second to the Irish horse, Cavan), 
Tim Tam fractured the sesamoids in his right front leg and was retired to 
stud. He was a good sire especially of stakes caliber horses. He died in the 
mid-80's at age 30 or 31. Northern Dancer is mentioned in the article on
Tosmah. He too was a member of the "Two Thirds Triple Crown Club" with wins
in the 1964 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes and a second in the Belmont.
Northern Dancer then went home to Canada to work on the Canadian Triple Crown.
He won the first leg(Queen's Plate) and was retired to stud after suffering a 
training injury. From the Feb 6 1993 Blood Horse:

"		A DUAL CHAMPION AT THREE
Years before racings potentates came up with separate championship 
divisions for 3-year-olds and handicap performers, runners could take home top 
honors in both divisions. Among those who did was the late Anthony Imbessi's 
Hall of Fame filly Tosmah in 1964. The daughter of Tim Tam-Cosmah, by Cosmic 
Bomb, was named champion 3-year-old filly and shared top honors with the 
5-year-old Old Hat as champion handicap female. (The same year, 
Northern Dancer, a colt produced from Cosmah's half-sister Natalma, was 
champion 3-year-old male.)

Campaigned in Imbessi's Briardale Farm silks, Tosmah defeated Old Hat in 
consequetive added-money races that year. After beating Lt Stevens and other 
males in the Arlington Classic, Tosmah gave Old Hat a pound[in weight carried]
in Arlington's Matron Handicap a week later and came home a winner by half a 
length. Three weeks later in the Maskette Handicap at Aqueduct, Tosmah 
defeated Old Hat by six lengths as the only 3-year-old in the race while 
giving her rivals from four to 16 pounds. She closed out the year with wins in 
the Beldame Stakes and four other added-money races and a runner-up effort in 
the Vineland Handicap.

Tosmah, who was co champion juvenille filly with Castle Forbes in 1963, stayed 
in training through age five. She took the 1965 Maskette from Affectionately 
and Straight Deal and won three stakes the following year. Trained by 
Joseph W.(Monk) Mergler and ridden in all her races by Sam Boulmetis, Tosmah 
was retired with 23 wins from 39 races and earnings of $612,588, a sum which 
at the time was second to Cicada among all-time leading distaff earners.

Imbessi, who purchased Tosmah as a yearling privately from the filly's 
breeder, long-time friend Eugene Mori, bred Tosmah to Round Table in 1967, but 
the mare failed to get in foal. Tosmah produced her first two foals from the 
cover of Briardale home stallion Convex and her thrid foal(restricted stakes 
winner La Guidecca) by another home stallion, Royal I.J. Tosmah's next foal, 
by Ribot, was so arge that the mare was not able to carry a foal to term 
thereafter.

Tosmah's death last summer went largely unnoticed. The 31-year-old mare, who 
was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1984, was buried in her entirety at Mrs. 
Imbessi's Briardale Farm near Estell Manor, N.J."

    This article should make new race handicappers salivate

        Neumie, Ace Handicapper by Paul Daley
        Lowell Sun 5-MAR-93    (Without permission)    
    
    "The best thing in the world
    is to win at the racetrack.  The
    second best thing in the world 
    is to lose at the racetrack."
            -Bob Neumeier

    You're right.  Bob neumeir wasn't the first to propos this
    theory of earthly nirvana.  But, it's a sure bet the popular
    Channel 4 (Boston MA) sportscaster believes every word.
    How can a person succumb to despair when there is another 
    pick six to be hit tomorrow ?

    The Weymouth native, who cut his professional teeth at the
    Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University,
    will have ample opportunity to test his burgeoning
    handicapping reputation this year.

    Following his excellent wotk for NBC television the last
    two years as the main paddock interviewer on the Breeders'
    Cup telecasts, ESPN has hired the Concord resident to join
    Chris Lincoln, Charlsie Cantey and Dave Johnson as a regular
    interviewer - handicapper for at least 12 segments of its
    "Race Across Anerica" series, which continues through
    October.

    Six of the remaining telecasts will be American Championship 
    Racing Series events.
    
    Additionally, the personable Neumeier appears each Monday night
    on a handicapping segment of "the Thoroughbred Digest" show on ESPN.
    Channel 4 news director Jeff Bartlett could block the moonlighting
    but probably won't.  "It will be part of our contract renewal.
    I don't see a problem," said Bartlett.

    Though an avid and tireless handicapper, Neumeir won't view himself
    as a tout on the productions.  "I am a broadcaster", he urges.
    "Others may be able to pick winners better, but I like to think 
    I can conduct interviews in the sport with anyone."

    Having been burned by the guy with the wavy hair and easy smile in a 
    few local contests, I can tell you that Mr. Neumeier is one
    heck of a handicapper.

    How else could a person win a $50,000 first prize in a 1990 Las
    Vegas handicapping tournament, hit five - count  'em, five - 
    'pick sixes' in New York over the last 16 months (ranging from
    less than $1,000 to $66,000) and finish second last fall in the Penn
    National World Series of Handicapping, pocketing a cool $40,000.

    Last Oct 10, Neumeier and broadcast partner Dan Kenny shared an $800 
    pick-six bet on Breeders' Cup Preview Day from Belmont and ended
    the telecast proudly telling the viewers about their $38,000 score.

    Neumeier returned the following day to lay it through the windows
    on Fowda ($17.40) to beat the Eclipse award-winning mare Paseana in 
    the Spinster Stakes at Keeneland.  As Grantland Rice might say
    "That ain't luck."

    Is Neumeier an overnight handicapping sensation ?  To hear him tell it,
    he is about as overnight a sensation as George Burns.

    "My father was a metuel clerk at Suffolk Downs on weekends.  But I 
    never went because I was always playing sports, especially baseball,"
    said Neumeier.

    "Then, when I was 15, we has a rainout one day and my father said, "Why 
    don't you come with me to the track ?"  he threw a Racing Form in my 
    face and gave me five dollars.  That was the start." he fondly remembered.

    Neumeier didn't do much with the sport for a few years because of school,
    sports and a lack of cash.  But he was fascinated by the handicapping
    process.  It was akin to learning a foreign language and attacking the
    stock market rolled into one.

    Still, he was a loser for the first 5 - 10 years.  But his competitive
    nature would not let him quit.  He had to bring the monster to its
    knees.  It became almost an obsession.

    What turned things around ?  "I think Andy Beyer's book, "Picking
    Winners," was what did it for me," smiled Neumeier.  "I came to 
    realize that accurate speed and pace figures are the most important
    factors.  They are the measuring stick.   Everything else is too
    subjective.  When you break a race down into fractional times you can
    actually visualize the race.

    At first, Neumeier utilized the figures provided by Bloodstock Research
    in Kentucky.  Then, he bought his own computer.  He supplements his home-
    made figures with the Ragozin sheets, sold daily at the track or through
    the mail.
    
    "I think Len Ragozin's Bounce Theory (where a horse's figure will regress
    off a lifetime best performance) is absolutely brilliant," gushed the
    handicapper, now really into the discussion.  "I never believed it, but 
    it is unreal.  It works best at the nmiddle-tier tracks like Arlington 
    Park, Calder and Louisiana Downs."

    Neumeier supplements his figures with trip handicapping and knowledge
    of grass breeding for turf racing.  But he definetly doesn't believe in
    tips.

    "I remember Williee Showmaker once said, "If I wasn't a jockey, I'd go 
    into the jockeys' room and book their bets,' laughed the guy his friends
    call Neumie.

    How do people in the television industry view Neumeier's hobby ?

    "To tell you the truth, I think even people in my industry view me
    differently,"  he said.  "But I never cared what people thought about me.
    It's ignorance to view handicappers as degenerates.  Tell them to
    go to a Vegas tournament and ask the people their professions.  They'd
    really be suprised."

    The only suprise here is that it took so long for Bob Neumeier to join
    the national elite in the coverage of the Sport of Kings.  I guess they
    thought he was just another overnight sensation.

    Re "This article should make new race handicappers salivate"
    
    It sure should! Besides, Bob Neumeier is a GREAT example of a
    moderately good handicapper who is an excellent bettor. Betting $800 on
    a Pick 6 is an exercise in identifying the top contenders in 6 races
    and betting all combinations. It doesn't take great handicapping
    skills but it does take outstanding discipline, money management, wads
    of cash, etc. Steve Crist(a NY turf writer) is another who wins a lot of 
    Pick 6 bets, winning hundreds of thousands on that exotic alone. He freely 
    admits that he's got "average" handicapping skills and that he wins 
    because he plays the combinations rather than just his first choices
    in 6 races.
    
    Personable is the last word I would have used to describe Bob Neumeier
    after seeing him on ESPN's Thoroughbred Digest. Smug, conceited and
    opinionated come to mind more quickly! The opinionated part doesn't
    bother me much because without strong opinions there wouldn't be any
    need for competition of any kind. 
    
    What really bugs me about Neumeier's commentary on Thoroughbred Digest
    is that he does a LOT of "red boarding" on the show. The term "red 
    boarding" refers to the practice of looking at a race with 20-20 hindsight 
    and telling you how easy it was to pick the winner before the race. He 
    NEVER sticks his neck out by giving an opinion BEFORE a race but he's 
    sure happy to tell you how easy it was to pick the winner afterwards.

    Some racing news:
    
    The 3 YO pitcure for the KY Derby is about as blurry as it can be.
    Gilded Time(1992 2 YO Champion) is out for 6 months with foot problems.
    He wasn't expected to want to run the 10 furlongs required for the
    Derby anyway but...River Special, who is the winter book favorite,
    missed the San Rafael(A Gr II used as a prep for the Santa Anita Derby)
    due to a fever. He's back in training and is aiming for the San
    Felipe(Gr II, 8.5 furlongs) next Sunday and, if all is well, the Santa
    Anita Derby(Gr I, 9 furlongs) on April 3.
    
    In Florida, the 3 YO's haven't sorted themselves out at all. The
    Fountain of Youth(Gr II, 8.5 furlongs), which is a common prep for the 
    Florida Derby, had so many entries that it had to be split into 2 
    divisions! Duc du'Sligovil won one division in 1:45 and Sea Tower won the 
    second in 1:44 4/5
    COMEBACKS:
    
    The 1992 KY Derby winner, Lil E Tee has come back to the races after a
    long rest. He had surgery on his ankles after the 1992 Preakness and
    had been recuperating. He resumed training at the Fair Grounds in
    Loiusiana a couple months ago and then shipped to Oaklawn Park in
    Arkansas. He won a good allowance race there with an impressive move on
    the rail. He won going away by 6 lengths under a hand ride.
    
    Alydeed, who came to American attention by winning the 1992 Derby Trial
    and finishing a strong second in the 1992 Preakness, is back racing
    too. You may remember he went home to Canada to contest their Triple
    Crown and won the first leg(Queen's Plate). He then started a puzzling
    series of loses. The last time I heard of him racing was in last
    August's Travers Stakes at Saratoga. He appeared in a FLorida 6.5
    furlong allowance sprint race last Saturday. He sure looked like the 
    "old" Alydeed! Perret kept him just off the pace and then pushed the
    button. Alydeed opened up to win going away under a hand ride.
    
    Best Pal, like Paseana, is having a difficult start to his 1993 season 
    after a long layoff. He was out 9 months after developing sore splint 
    bones last May. He came back to the races about a month ago and finished 
    a good second in his first race but was DQ'ed to 4th or 5th for 
    interfering with another horse. Best Pal had won the 1992 edition of the 
    Santa Anita Handicap(Gr I, 10 furlongs, $1,000,000) and he went off the 
    favorite in the 1993 edition last Saturday but didn't quite seem himself. 
    
    He ran fairly well but had traffic problems due to his inside post which 
    forced him to go about 8 wide turning into the stretch. He started to 
    close then bumped another horse and seemed to quit trying. He finished 
    5th. If he had continued to close, he might have gotten up for 3rd which 
    would have been a credible finish given the ground he lost with his wide 
    trip. Nine months is a LONG time to be away and it seems that he's still 
    not quite back in form after that long rest.
    
    Charlie Wittingham(The Bald Eagle who trained Ferdinand, Sunday Silence
    and a host of other great horses) sent out Sir Beaufort(a 6 YO son of
    Pleasant Colony) to win the "Big 'Cap" as it's called around Santa
    Anita. This makes the 9th time that Mr Wittingham(who will be 80 next 
    month!) has trained the winner of the Santa Anita Handicap.
    
    In the Santa Anita Oaks(Gr I, 3 YO fillies, 8.5 fulrongs) which was run
    on Sunday, it was supposed to be a match-up between Eliza(Allen
    Paulson's filly who was 2 YO filly champion who has rested since winning 
    the 1992 Breeders' Cup Juvenille Filly race) and Likeable Style, a big long 
    striding daughter of Nijinsky who won the Las Virgenes(Gr I) a few weeks 
    ago. Many consider Likeable Style to be the best 3 YO of either sex at 
    Santa Anita. The wise guys also think that Eliza won't go a distance 
    because she's by Mt Livermore who was a sprinter and is a sire of
    sprinters(e.g. the 1991 sprint champion, Housebuster). Well, Eliza used
    her sprinting speed to good tactical advantage. Turning for home, she
    opened up the way Housebuster used to do. She went from second to
    having a lead of 5-6 lengths in 100 yards or so. Her sprint caught the
    others by surprise and a VERY tired Eliza struggled home to win by
    about 2 lengths. Likeable Style did not run true to her form and
    finished well up the track in the middle of the pack. Hopefully, she
    just had a bad day and didn't suffer any physical problems.

    Well I guess we're all entitled to our opinions.


>    What really bugs me about Neumeier's commentary on Thoroughbred Digest
>    is that he does a LOT of "red boarding" on the show. The term "red 
>    boarding" refers to the practice of looking at a race with 20-20 hindsight 
>    and telling you how easy it was to pick the winner before the race. He 
>    NEVER sticks his neck out by giving an opinion BEFORE a race but he's 
>    sure happy to tell you how easy it was to pick the winner afterwards.

    My point in previous notes on betting.  My invitation to anyone to enter 
    your bets in this notes file before the race is still open.

    What bugged me about Neumeir's sports reporting on Ch 4 was one of the
    last racing accidents, when the horse broke it's leg and ran a few more
    steps, Neumeir showed that clip in slow motion about 5 times per
    broadcast.  Looked like the horse ran a 1/4 mile on the broken leg.

    Bill

    Eddie Delahoussaye went to work yesterday at Santa Anita needing one win 
    to become the 14th jockey in history to win 5,000 or more races. He got 
    THREE!
    
    His 5,000th win came in the fifth race, a 6 1/2 furlong allowance on
    the turf. His mount was the favorite, Ackler who is sired by the great
    racehorse AckAck which had been trained by Charlie Wittingham.
    
    In a post race interview, Eddie D. said that this had been a "great
    personal goal" and that he had been happy 10 years ago when he reached
    3,000. He also said, "I thought I'd give it up when I turned 30 but 
    things just got better." They sure have! Since then, Eddie D has won 5
    Breeders' Cup races including the 1992 Classic, 2 Kentucky Derbys, the
    Preakness Stakes, the Belmont Stakes, and a ton of other major stakes.
    
    He also won the 7th race( 6 1/2 furlongs, dirt, $16,000 claiming)
    aboard Stans Natti and the 9th(1 1/16 miles, dirt, $12,500 claiming)
    on Frequent Flyer.
    
    Who else has won 5,000 races? Names like Johnny Longden, Willie
    Shoemaker, Angel Cordero and Lafiit Pincay come to mind. Pretty good
    company, eh? Eddie D's one of the very best and IMHO should have been
    champion jockey for 1992. His rides on A.P. Indy in the Belmont,
    Jockey Club Gold Cup and Breeders' Cup Classic were absolutely
    impeccable! Yes, I know they lost the Gold Cup but it was a great effort
    by both horse and rider after being bothered badly at the start.
    
    John

    Re the few about handicapping, betting and handicappers(specifically Bob
    Neumeir)...
    
    The only handicapper I've seen on TV that seems to be outstanding in
    terms of picking winners vs playing all the combinations is Jerry
    Brown. Every week, he sticks his neck out with predictions about the
    week's stakes races on SportsChannel's "Post Time" show. He's also the 
    guy who peddles the "ThoroughGraph" performance charts. He claims
    they're better than speed figures because the numbers take into account 
    ground loss length of the race, and other factors. His charts also
    place the figures in a way that makees picking up form cycles easily as
    well as displaying multiple years of figures side by side for
    comparison. If anybody in NH area is interested, I think he's giving a free
    seminar on Fri Mar 19 at Rockingham.
    
    His record with the predictions he makes on TV is pretty good. For
    example, last week, he said:
    
    Bonnie Miss Stakes(Gulfstream Park): Sky Beauty should win but Dispute 
    has an excellent chance. Bet Sky Beauty to win, an Exacta with Sky Beauty 
    over Dispute and reverse(Dispute over Sky Beauty) for half as much.
    
    Gulfstream Handicap(Gulfstream Park): Devil His Due is about to run the 
    race of his life. Bet him to win.
    
    New Orleans Handicap(FairGrounds): Delafield will beat the favorite...
    (whose name I have forgotten)
    
    Bayshore(Aqueduct): Farmonthefreeway to win
    
    San Felipe Stakes(Santa Anita): He thought River Special wasn't fit
    enough to like at a short price. He liked Corby & Personal Hope in an
    Exacta.
    
    I made the following mythical bets based on those recommendations:
    
    Bonnie Miss Stakes(Gulfstream Park): 
     $2 Sky Beauty to win 
     $2 Exacta Sky Beauty over Dispute 
     $2 Exacta Dispute over Sky Beauty
    
    	Dispute won over Sky Beauty - $2 Exacta paid 20.60 at Gulfstream
    
    Gulfstream Handicap(Gulfstream Park): $2 Devil His Due  to win
    	Devil His Due won and a $2 win ticket paid $25.80 at Gulfstream
    
    New Orleans Handicap(FairGrounds): $2 Delafield  to win
    	Delafield did beat the favorite but unortunately Delafield was second 
    	to a 20-1 shot!
    
    Bayshore(Aqueduct): $2 Farmonthefreeway to win
    	Racing at Aqueduct was cancelled due to the blizzard.
    
    San Felipe Stakes(Santa Anita): 
     $2 Exacta Dispute Corby over Personal Hope 
    	Corby won with Personal Hope second. The $2 Exacta paid $39.20 at
    	Santa Anita
    
    That's a total of $14 wagered(including the cancelled Aqueduct race) with 
    a return of $85.60. That ain't bad advice for TV! 
    
    John

    For the last three Saturdays I've been handicapping the races at
    Golden Gate Fields and making wagers accordingly.  My current scheme
    seems to work as expected, so far.  The tenets of my scheme are these:
    
    1.  Handicap to find the horse most likely to finish in the money,
        restricting my bet to the top three favorites in the betting.
    
    2.  Bet on this horse to show only (sometimes to place if there is
        no show betting).
    
    3.  Vary the amount of the wager in proportion to the horse's
        probability of finishing in the money (see my previous notes).
    
    I have determined that in order to make a profit, I must be correct
    75%-80% of the time.  It takes roughly 2.7 won wagers to offset one
    lost wager.  At any rate, here are the results for the last three
    Saturdays:
    
    March 6   10 races on the card, I was correct in 8 of the 10 races
              for a 7% profit on money wagered.
    
    March 13  10 races on the card, only 9 races were bettable (one race
              had first time starters as the three favorites), I was
              correct in 8 of 9 races for a profit of 21% on money
              wagered.
    
    March 20  11 races, 10 on Golden Gate's card and the Florida Derby on
              simulcast, I was correct in 8 of the 11 races (including
              the derby) for a profit of 3%.
    
    Average profit for the three Saturdays is 10.34%.  I'm aiming for my
    scheme to average 10%-20% for the rest of the meet.  Maybe it's not
    as good as the return posted in the last note, but I'd be willing to
    bet that that performance won't stand up over the long run.  Indeed,
    I'm uncertain about the long term prospects of my scheme, but it will
    be fun and interesting to find out.
    
    About the Florida Derby, Silver To Silver was the Golden Gate Favorite,
    Storm Tower was next, followed by Living Vicariously.  I had already
    ruled out Living Vicariously because of too many fading finishes.  My
    preliminary handicapping had shown Silver To Silver as edging out
    Storm Tower as being more likely to finish in the money, but it looked
    like both would be in the money at the end.  I finally settled on
    Storm Tower because the show bet would pay better on him, being
    second favorite.  Anyone who saw the race knows it was a nail biter as
    far as Storm Tower was concerned.  I was really pleased when ST not
    finished in the money, but two relative longshots filled in the
    winning trio.  My show bet paid $4.80 at GGF (I think it was $2.60
    at GP) for a profit of 140%.  But 3 of 11 races last Saturday were
    duds.  In two of the races, my horse was blocked in on the rail and
    the jockey tried 2 or 3 times to get around in the stretch, but quit
    when it became to late to try.  In the other race I missed, my horse
    (brimming with early speed in past performances) failed to live up to
    his billing and languished in the back of the pack for a less than
    stellar performance.  None of the three favorites finished in the money
    in that race, a rare occurrence, happening in only 1.2% of all races.
    
    I'd like to be able to post my picks in the notes conference before
    the races go off, but I don't know which horse I'm going to bet on
    until I see the tote board at the track to know who the top three
    favorites are.  I don't know how much my wager is going to be until
    the horses are about to be loaded in the gate.  I place my bet at
    the very last minute.  I've been going to the jockey club where there
    are no lines, so I can be assured of not being shut out.
    
    So far, so good.  More later.
    
    Carl

    Talking about Saturday's Fla Derby reminds me. Oh, in case anybody
    missed. Bull In The Heather won the 9 furlong Gr I Florida Derby. He's a 
    son of 1987 KY Derby winner, Breeder's Cup Classic winner and Horse of the
    Year, Ferdinand. This is Ferdinand's first crop of racing age so this
    is impressive. Ferdinand has a long way to go though before he
    surpasses his own sire as a stallion. Ferdinand is by Nijinsky who
    sired at least 145 stakes winners. I'm unsure of the count because
    there are many Nijinsky foals still racing but when he died last year,
    Nijinsky was tied with HIS sire(Northern Dancer) with a record 145
    stakes winners among their foals.
    
    But, back to this year's 3 YOs....I heard conflicting reports on ESPN's
    TB Digest and yesterday's "Santa Anita Tonight". The Santa Anita show
    said that Allen Paulson's Corby is entered in the Santa Anita Derby on
    April 3rd. ESPN says that Paulson says that Corby is going to Kentucky
    for the Blue Grass Stakes, Diazo is going to Golden Gate for the
    California Derby, and *Eliza* is going in the Santa Anita Derby.
    
    Furthermore, ESPN showed the results of the most recent TRC Triple
    Crown Poll which ranks the filly Eliza as 3rd or 4th in the ranking!
    Now, this is just plain NUTS, folks. Anybody who say Eliza's last race
    in the 8.5 furlong Santa Anita Oaks (Gr I for 3 YO fillies) couldn't 
    help but be impressed by her turn of foot. But, anybody with EYES that 
    still work saw her practically *STAGGER* under a hard ride while the 
    rest of the field closed the gap on her. That is NOT a horse that wants
    to go the 9 furlongs of the Santa Anita Derby or the 10 furlongs of the
    Kentucky Derby........ Remeber what Paulson called her last year? "A
    female Arazi" I think he's right. Arazi was a miler and so is Eliza.
    Neither of them is a stayer.
    
    I still think the best West Coast colt is River Special. I also think
    that Likeable Style(Oh yeah! She's by Nijinsky so I know he's got at
    least 146...) is the best 3 YO filly at route distances. However, I do
    think that Corby and Personal Hope are probably fitter right now and
    they may place ahead of River Special in the Santa Anita Derby.
    
    Watch for Gerry Romero's colt(Dixieland Heat by Dixieland Band) out of 
    the Louisiana Derby too. He's undefeated so far but he hasn't gone 9
    furlongs yet. He was impressive the couple times I've seen him run even
    though he was a little green. He's only been raced 5 times.

    I get it now.  Ferdinand (the bull) begets Bull In The Heather.  Ain't
    they funny.  Good race though.  I had passed right by BITH and 3rd
    place Wallenda as being also rans.  I guess that's why it's called
    horse racing.
    
    Every year when KY Derby time rolls around, the TB world is quick to
    herald any filly who looks like she might be able to run the classic
    distances.  This year it's Eliza, who might be a miler, but is the
    onlt filly to choose from at the moment.  I think her current status
    is based on her performance at the Breeder's Cup last year.
    
    About Arazi though.  He really was great as a two year old.  A
    friend of mine who owns/breeds/races TBs filled me in on why such a
    great horse turned out to be such a dud - the knees.  Arazi had
    both knees operated on to remove bone chips.  According to my friend,
    who has encountered this in a couple of his horses over the years,
    a lot of horses faced with the same operation don't recover to their
    pre-operation ability.  Also, the younger the horse, the greater the
    likelihood they won't recover.  He said you don't hear about this
    phenomenon unless the horse recovers and goes on to adequate or better
    performance, or unless a previously adequate or better horse fails to
    recover, like Arazi.  I knew Arazi had had the operation, but was unaware
    of the likely outcome.  My friend had the sense, unlike me, to not bet
    Arazi in last year's derby or in the BC mile.

    You're right about Arazi's knees. They were probably his undoing. The
    problem was that his owner and the press weren't smart enough to
    realize that he would need time to recuperate and might not regain his
    form....
    
    BTW, I wouldn't put TOO much faith in Mr Paulson's press announcements
    about which races his horses are running in...On MOnday before the 1992
    Breeders' Cup, he said that Arazi would run in the 10 furlong Classic.
    By Wedsnesday, he had changed his mind and decided the colt would run
    in the Mile... Kinda like catalog prices....subject to change without
    notice..........

    The other Saturday, I tuned in the Gulfstream Park Handicap expecting
    to see European Champion St Jovite begin his 1993 US campaign. I was 
    disappointed to see that he had scratched but figured that Roger Attfield
    (his trainer) had decided St Jovite wasn't ready.
    
    That was a false assumption. St Jovite had actually injured himself in a 
    workout. It turned out that this was a recurrence of a soft tissue 
    injury that he had suffered as a 2 YO. His owner, Virginia Kraft Payson, 
    has announced that he will be retired to stud rather than attempt a 
    comeback. 
    
    While I'm disappointed that we won't have the privelege of seeing this
    great horse compete in the US, I'm glad they put his safety ahead of the
    prize money and prestige of winning more races. Like Charlie Wittingham
    said when Sunday Silence was retired due to fairly minor injury, "He
    could come back but what if he broke down? We'd look pretty foolish
    hauling him off the track."

    Not to mention that they can make a bundle off of stud fees.  And a
    broken horse doesn't generate too many of those.

    re: "a broken horse doesn't generate too many of those." 
    
    Not true!(unless he dies from his injuries) TB breeders make lots of 
    noise about breeding sound horses but they are AWFUL quick to overlook 
    a history of unsoundness or breakdowns in a sire if his offspring are 
    winning, even if lots of the offspring breakdown!

    The "Dark Ages of Racing" may be upon us......
    
    Last year saw the demise of Longacres(in WA), Canterbury Downs(MI),
    troubles at Foxboro and Suffolk Downs in MA, crisis situations in NH at
    Rockingham, down in Florida, etc
    
    But, the bad news doesn't stop there. In this week's Blood Horse, there
    are articles saying that Garden State Park(NJ) and the Philly
    track(can't recall the name right now) which is just across the river
    will probably be closed soon. Garden State Park is out of debt and
    making money but Robert Brennan says it's not making enough money to
    pay a decent return on the investors money. The commercial value of the
    property is astronomical compared to the return from racing. Garden
    State is expected to close at the end of its current meeting which is
    sometime in May. The Philly track is heavily in debt, losing money and
    may go sooner than that.
    
    EVEN WORSE, the NY Racing Association has announced that they are
    behind their income of last year and have to cut costs. Purses are
    going to be cut something like 2% in general. The $500,000 Gr I NYRA Mile
    has been cancelled. The Gr I Nassau County and Gr I Suburban Handicap 
    stakes have had their purses reduced by $100,000 & $200,000
    respectively. Santa Anita isn't doing that great either but they
    haven't announced any major cutbacks....yet.
    
    When I was growing up in PA, there were tracks all through PA, Maryland
    and Delaware, many of which are gone now(e.g. Havre de Grace, Timonium, 
    etc) but with the loss of Garden State and the Philly track, the Philly
    area will be without a racetrack for the first time since WWII. The
    nearest track will be the shaky Atlantic City track(I think) other than
    that Philly area race fans face the long trip out to Penn National,
    down to Laurel, or up to the North Jersey & NY tracks......

    The Philly area track you're thinking of is named Philadelphia Park,
    which isn't in Philadelphia at all, but at Bensalem, PA, a town about
    20 miles NE of Philly on I-95.  You can see the track from the PA
    Turnpike.  Just take the Street Road exit from either I-95 or the
    turnpike.
    
    It's a mile track.  When I was there last December, attendance was
    very low I thought for a sunny Saturday and Sunday.  I'd never heard
    of any of the horses, jockeys, or trainers.  Aqueduct was running at
    the time, so the only shippers were from Maryland and Delaware.  I
    thought the facility was very nice, but the quality of the races was
    nothing to write home about.  LOTS of bottom claimers.  The only
    people in attendance seemed to be the hard core handicappers and a
    few sports writers.
    
    Here in the SF bay area, I'm pleased to report that GGF and Bay
    Meadows are still hanging in there, although I've heard that some
    property speculators have made an offer for Bay Meadows, and the
    owners are taking a hard look because profits aren't what they used
    to be.
    
    My friend the TB horse person, says times are tough because of the
    recession, but also because the gambling industry is providing a lot
    of competition, what with Reno, Vegas, Tahoe, Laughlin (all in NV),
    but also the Indian reservations and the cruise ships, not to mention
    video poker on practically every street corner, and of course the
    various lotteries.
    
    Actually, I think I'm probably to blame for the demise of horse racing.
    It seems that every time I get interested in something, it gets dis-
    continued.
    
    Carl

    Does anybody know how Mommouth Park in Nj is doing ?
    Carl

    Santa Anita racing shows are usually fun, even the talk shows that they 
    have on the 2 days a week they don't race. The talk shows usually look 
    at recent Santa Anita stakes and tell ya what the "excuses" were for well 
    respected horses that got beat or some off-beat discussion of curious
    things. For example, they looked at Sir Beaufort's win in the Santa Anita 
    Handicap. More specifically, they showed the official win photo of Sir 
    Beaufort winning by a nose. Then, they pointed out that the horses' ears 
    as well as the jockeys' bodies were in a dead heat. Sir Beaufort won 
    because his head was longer than the second horse's head. In other 
    words, Sir Beaufort didn't win by A nose, he won by HIS nose. And that
    made a difference of $350,000 in purse money between 1st & 2nd...Hmmmm 
    maybe a lot of horses will get nose jobs now to help win those photo 
    finishes...
    
    Another curious thing that Trevor Denman pointed out on last night's
    racing show. There was a dead heat in yesterday's first race at Santa
    Anita. What's so curious about that? There's lots of dead heats...but
    both horses in the dead heat were 5 YO mares sired by the same stallion!
    Now, that just doesn't happen everyday!

    Santa Anita had a big weekend. Santa Anita Derby and two other graded
    stakes on Saturday followed by the Gr I Santa Barbara Handicap(10
    furlongs on turf for F & M) on Sunday.
    
    The Santa Anita Derby field was small with the defections of Corby,
    Diazo and River Special. Bob Hess, River Special's trainer, announced
    that he needed another week to get the colt ready so he was taking him
    to Golden Gate's California Derby instead because he didn't want eny
    excuses in his next race. Unfortunately, Hess later discovered that 
    River Special was injured. He is now sidelined for several months to
    recuperate.
    
    As everybody in their right mind expected, Eliza could not get the 9
    furlongs. She did a bit better than I thought she would and hung on for
    3rd. I figured that Devoted Brass would get up over her along with
    Personal Hope and Union City. Personal Hope was pretty impressive
    taking the lead and fighting off Eliza's best move as well as Union City's
    late charge. The time might look slow but I think the quick early
    fractions account for that. I'm not sure that Personal Hope can go so
    quickly early and still have enough left to be in front after 10
    furlongs. That's pretty tough to do. So, their race strategy will be
    important for him to win the KY Derby.
    
    Yesterday's Santa Barbara was even more exciting even though the field
    was even smaller than the SA Derby field! Trishyde(I think it's spelled
    like that.) went off as the even money favorite. ALl last year she had
    raced in the shadows of Flawlessly, Kostroma and Super Staff. With
    Flawlessly and Kostroma retired and Super Staff facing retirement if
    her injury doesn't heal up soon, Trishyde looked ready to come into her
    own. 
    
    The race really turned into a match race between Trishyde and the
    talented Exchange. They hooked up on the final turn and battled through
    every foot of the stretch run. Every time Trishyde put her head in
    front Exchange came back. Approaching the wire it looked like Trishyde
    got her head in front again. Unfortunately, she hit the wire in the
    wrong phase of her stride(i.e. with her head and neck drawn up) and
    Exchange won on the nod. It was the best race so far this season.
    
    John

    My pre-race prediction was, of course, the speed duel between Personal
    Hope and Eliza, with Devoted Brass and Union City as late closers,
    Devoted Brass being a later closer than Union City.  I had figured that
    the winner would be Personal Hope, having won the speed duel over
    Eliza, or one of the closers, probably Devoted Brass.  But I bet on
    Eliza to show.  I had determined that she had enough staying power at
    9 furlongs to be in the money at the end.  I also thought that
    Personal Hope would fade somewhat, not enough to be overtaken by Eliza,
    but to be caught by Devoted Brass or Union City.
    
    Much to my surprise, Personal Hope hung on, just barely, to edge out
    Union City with Eliza closer than I would have thought.  One length
    behind is not bad at all and shows that Eliza can run with the big
    boys.  After all, she did beat Devoted Brass and the other horses in
    the race, all males.  Eliza paid $3.20 for the show finish at GGF. I
    was looking for $2.60 or $2.80, so I'll take the lagniappe any day.
    
    But I doubt that the early speed routine will hold up at 10 furlongs.
    It seems to me that Devoted Brass's and Union City's come-from-behind
    style would be favored over the wire-the-field style of Personal Hope,
    Eliza, or any other early speed horse.  Had the Santa Anita Derby
    been another furlong, it looked like Union City would have overtaken
    Personal Hope, and Devoted Brass might have caught Eliza for third.
    Exciting race.  I hope the remaining derby preps are as exciting.
    
    Did anyone see the Remington Park Derby?  That was a pretty good
    finish, too.  Too bad about El Atroz, though.  I always give the
    California horses a pretty good look, and I was hoping he would do
    better, but, after examining the PP's in the form, I couldn't see
    enough to base a bet on.
    
    Carl

    Carl,
    
    Obviously, we disagree on Eliza's ability. I think she's a top class
    sprinter/miler but I  can't see her winning at middle distances or true
    routes. BTW, Allen Paulson announced that Eliza will run only against 
    fillies in the future. 
    
    I think she'll even have a tough time beating fillies at 9 furlongs or 
    longer distances especially if the likes of November Snow and 
    Turn Back The Alarm come back to form after their injuries which kept 
    them out the Bredder's Cup last fall. In fact, I think there are several 
    East Coast fillies that will give her a TOUGH time. The West coast also 
    has one or two fillies that I think will better Eliza over a distance of 
    ground(e.g. Likeable Style).
    
    The problem with picking a KY Derby winner is that it always looks more
    like a bloody cavalry charge more than a horse race! In many years, 
    traffic problems, strategy and racing luck seem to have as much to do 
    with winning as ability. Take Shoe's win on Ferdinand for example. Shoe
    moved Ferdinand through a hole on the rail and pulled off to win the
    race. That's luck as much as the jockey's skill and the horse's
    ability. I remember what Angel Cordero said about Shoe's win, "Shoe
    look pretty smart sitting off the leaders and moving through on the rail. 
    But, what if those horses in front of him don't tire? Then he don't 
    look so smart and it's a different race."
    
    As for speed not holding up at 10 furlongs, tell that to Spend A Buck
    and Winning Colors who wired their fields in the KY Derby! It always
    amazes me how frequently stretch runners(like Rubiano) win sprints and
    front runners win routes. Even Secretariat's Belmont was won from the
    front! If I remember right, he went to the lead in the first or second
    furlong of that 12 furlong race.  In fact, I think no horse that's won
    the Belmont in the past 20 years has been worse than 3rd with 3
    furlongs left in the race. So, don't count front runners out in the
    Derby!
    
    John

I remember that Bold Forbes won the Derby('76) from the front.

And I remember a supposed miler Conquistor Cielo winning the
1 1/2 mile Belmont stakes wire to wire.

I agree with John. The fields in the Ky.Derby are usually
so huge that luck plays an incredible factor in the race.
A front runner can win if he/she can relax while on the lead.
If they can't relax and/or are pressed by the usual speedball_
who_doesn't_belong_in_the_race_but_is_entered_anyway, they
usually don't have it. From what I've read, Eliza's inability
to relax before and during the race may be her worst handicap.

Vicky

    I'm not counting out the front runners in this year's classics, I'm
    saying that the current crop of front runners doesn't seem to have any
    Secretariats or Spend A Bucks in it.  And so I think that opens the
    door for the late closers.  Personal Hope held off Union City's late
    charge at 9 furlongs, but using that same early speed style, I doubt
    he can do it at 10 furlongs.  Then there's Devoted Brass who was
    gaining on the leading SA derby trio in the stretch.  Given another
    furlong, I think he would have been right there in the money at the
    end.  If the SA derby contestants run the same race in the KY derby,
    the edge goes to the come-from-behind style, rather than wire-to-wire.
    It'll be interesting to see what happens in the remaining preps.
    
    Maybe there is no route future for Eliza, but I saw a game filly at
    the SA derby run HER race.  She was beaten, no doubt, but turned in
    a competitive performance, being beaten by only one length.  I don't
    think she would hold up over a longer distance.  Indeed, her style
    seems more suited to 6 or 8 furlongs.  But I was impressed with her
    being able to run with the boys and beat all but two of them.
    KY derby material?  I doubt it.  Impressive performance at 9 furlongs?
    You bet!  Route future?  Stick to 6 or 8 furlongs for best chances.
    Future success against other top fillies/mares?  I'm a believer, but
    time will tell.
    
    Carl

    OK, so we really AGREE about Eliza's style and best distance. I'm not
    taking anything away from her. I just thought her OWNER was crazy for
    even *trying* her under those conditions. He wants the KY Derby win so
    badly that I think he is sometimes blind to what is best for his
    horses in terms of distance and competition. 
    
    I'm not overwhelmed with any particular horse for the Derby this year.
    I mean, the first time I saw SUnday Silence run, I knew he was gonna
    beat Easy Goer in the Derby. And when I saw Strike The Gold's closing
    kick for second in the Blue Grass, I knew he'd win...but this year
    nothing grabs my attention.
    
    That could mean that it's either a mediocre crop of 3 YOs OR an
    incredibly deep crop with good talent everywhere you look. Ya can't
    tell this early in the year.
    
    Vicky,
    
    I'm impressed! I didn't know anybody else remembered that much trivia
    about races. You're right of course that both Bold Forbes and
    Conquistador Cielo wired their fields in the classics but I figured
    that was too long ago for anybody but us die-hard fans to remember. ;-)
    
    How come I can't remember where I parked my car but can remember every
    KY Derby winner since 1875(that's the first year.) and sometimes who
    ran second?

Yes, I can remember pedigrees and who won what races, but
I can't remember to make it to meetings on time. Go figure. :-)

Conquistador Cielo was easy to remember. I was working at
Belmont Park that day and had some money on him. 

I think the 3 years olds won't settle out until the end of
the summer. Seems to me we have alot of decent horses this
year.

Vicky

    Re "I think the 3 years olds won't settle out until the end of the
    summer."
    
    I agree. I don't think they EVER show their true ability until 
    summer. I've never understood why the KY Derby is considered the
    most prestigous 3 YO race. For my money, the Belmont Stakes is more
    indicative of a horse's true ability because of the distance and the
    fact that racing luck plays a much smaller part in the victory.
    
    I've thought about it a LOT and I can't understand why the KY Derby has
    more prestige than The Travers Stakes. They're the same distance. The
    Travers offers more money. The Travers is older. The horses are at a
    better stage of development in August. The Travers is run at Saratoga 
    which is a first class track and Churchhill Downs is a second rate track 
    except for Derby Week. For example, the ONLY Grade I races at Churchhill
    Downs are the KY Derby and the KY Oaks(3 YO fillies) which is run the day 
    before. In fact, there are only 5 Grade I races in the Commonwealth of
    Kentucky! Saratoga has 35 stakes(30 graded) in its 30 day meeting! 
    
    The only reason I can come up with for the amount of prestige given to 
    the KY Derby is that it is the FIRST test of 3 YOs at a distance beyond
    9 furlongs. End of soapbox rantings and ravings!

    My pre-race prediction in the Bluegrass Stakes was that Paw-paw Hank
    and Corby would duke it out for the early lead and Corby would emerge
    from that battle as the one to catch.  I also thought that Dixieland
    Heat and Prairie Bayou would be the ones doing the catching.  Well,
    as it turns out I was partially correct.  The heavy favorite Corby
    languished about in the middle of the pack all the way around the
    track.  As expected, Dixieland Heat and Prairie Bayou broke from the
    pack down the stretch with PB winning the race, DH showing, and I
    think it was Wallenda placing.
    
    Interestingly, an examination of the horses's styles and Beyer speeds
    was a fair predictor of the outcome:
    
         Horse            Style          Beyer speed average
         -----            -----          -------------------
         Corby            early speed        90.2
         Prairie Bayou    late closer        92.0
         Dixieland Heat   pace presser       90.1
    
    Late closers tend to earn their speed ratings on the far turn but
    mostly down the stretch; they usually come from the back half of the
    pack to pass everyone.  Pace pressers stay close in contention
    until the stretch where they traditionally take advantage of tiring
    leaders.  Prairie Bayou and Dixieland Heat lived up to their pre-race
    billing, in my estimation, but what happened to Corby?  Could be he
    had a bad day or maybe there is some problem like what happened to
    River Special earlier this year or Casual Lies last year.
    
    BTW, I decided on Prairie Bayou, based on style and speed rating.  He
    paid $8.40 $4.20 and $3.60 at GGF.  I bet on him to show because I
    thought he would have a hard time catching Corby, being hard pressed
    by Dixieland Heat.  It certainly was exciting the way PB burst from
    the pack coming down the stretch.  Each race is the most exciting
    couple of minutes of my life.
    
    Carl

    I don't know what happened to Corby but he never ran a lick, did he? I
    think he finished next to last! Even if he turns out to prefer shorter
    distances, he's better than that. Hopefully, it was just a bad day and
    he wasn't injured.
    
    Prairie Bayou is an interesting story. He's like Rodney Dangerfield.
    Nobody gives him any respect! His owner and trainer thought he was a
    2nd or 3rd rate horse. They sent him to the "hinterlands" aka winter 
    racing at Aqueduct(Gawd, it's boring!). Winter racing at Aqueduct is
    all on their "inner" track which is "winterized"(i.e. packed with
    chemicals to help prevent freezing), short and mostly sand surfaced. I
    don't think they have anything above a Gr III on the inner track.
    
    So, in this obliviion, what did Prairie Bayou do? He trained well and
    won 3 straight Gr II races. His people said, "Hmmm, maybe we oughta
    take a second look at him." The moved him to Oaklawn where they train
    their first string stakes horses. He won again. 
    
    To top it off, none of the public handicappers, DRF columnists,etc
    thought much of his performances. In fact, just last week, the DRF's
    track man at Santa ANita said that he didn't think Prairie Bayou could
    beat Corby and that he thought Prairie Bayou was a second tier colt.
    
    So they entered him in the Bluegrass and he won that too.... Next stop 
    Louisville. But, he can't win that. He's just a second stringer! ;-)

    Pen in hand (and probably foot in mouth), here is my handicapping for
    tomorrow's Wood Memorial:
    
    Horse              Style      Beyer Avg. /  Form
    -----              -----      ------------------
    Marked Tree         Pcs       95.3     Improving
    Duc d'Sligovil      Ef        86.6      Wavering
    As Indicated        ES        95.6     Improving
    Rohwer              Efs       80.6     Declining
    Country Store       ES        77.0     Improving
    Tri for the Gold    Efps      83.6     Improving
    Marco Bay           E         85.3     Improving
    Storm Tower         ES        92.6    Consistent
    Classi Envoy        Esfp      82.0      Wavering
    Tossofthecoin       Ef        86.0    Consistent
    Takin' Names        Sep       83.3    Consistent
    Ozan                Se        90.8     Improving
    
    Legend:  E = early speed
             P = pace presser
             C = late closer
             S = able to maintain sustained pace
             F = fade tendency
    Upper case letter means the horse exhibits the quality half or more
    of the time.  Lower case letter means horse exhibits quality less
    than half but more than a quarter of the time.  These are derived from
    examining each horse's run lines in the DRF.  The letters are in order
    from most displayed tendency to least displayed tendency.
    
    Beyer speed averages are derived from a horse's most recent races (up
    to 5), excluding out of the ordinary good or bad days and races on
    other surfaces.
    
    Form is also derived by examining each horse's running lines and speed
    averages.  Improving means the horse has been turning faster speeds,
    declining means that the speeds are getting slower, wavering means
    that there is a fair amount of variance between speeds from one race
    to the next, consistent means that the horse's speeds are pretty much
    the same from one race to the next.
    
    Based on all of this, it seems reasonable to think that As Indicated
    and Storm Tower will be survivors of the early leaders, with probably
    As Indicated leading the way.  This may work in Storm Tower's favor
    because As Indicated looks like a 6 or 8 furlong horse, never having
    raced more than a mile.  None of the other early speed horses look like
    they can keep up with this pair, but Duc d'Sligovil may not be too far
    behind.  So are there any come from behind horses?  Yes, Marked Tree.
    He has the speed to catch them and his form has been steadily improving.
    One other horse to worry about is Ozan, who has fair speed but no real
    outstanding qualities and indeed may be in over his head with this
    bunch.
    
    If each horse is able to run its race and doesn't get up on the wrong
    side of the stall, I predict the order of finish to be (gulp):
    
          1st - Marked Tree
          2nd - Storm Tower
          3rd - As Indicated
    
    If its an off track, replace As Indicated with Ozan.
    
    The DRF seems to think highly of Country Store, but I don't see much
    to rave about with only 2 races and the lowest speed average in the
    field.  This horse would have to improve A LOT to have a good showing.
    
    We'll see,
    Carl

    That reminds me, I've been meaning to enter the Oaklawn Handicap
    results all week. The 3 YOs have been getting all the press lately.
    
    The big favorite going into the race was Lil E Tee(1992 KY Derby
    winner). He had been at Oaklawn and had two wins over the track. The
    first was an allowance race in his comeback after his injury last May.
    We won easily under a hand-ride and going away. Then, he ran in the 
    Razorback(Gr II) and won that with only a little more effort.
    
    Second choice among the bettors was Best Pal who shipped in from CA.
    Best Pal was also coming to the Oaklawn on two races after a long
    layoff since last May due to injury. He had made his comeback in two Gr
    I stakes placing second and fifth(or was it fourth?). The lower placing
    was in the Santa Anita Handicap which he had won in 1992. His race in
    the Big 'Cap was disappointing but he had lost a shoe early in the race
    and Desormeaux said the 5 YO gelding hadn't handled the condition of
    the track well at all.
    
    Best Pal is kind of a quirky horse who is known to run his best on the
    outside. In fact, some say he can't/won't run inside other horses. He
    drew an inside post. By the time Desormeaux dropped him back and worked
    his way to the outside, they had lost so much ground that he could have
    been Silky SUllivan back there. Only an outstanding final quarter even
    put him in the race. He got up for third. I was as impressed by his
    third as I was by A.P. Indy's 3rd in the 1992 Jockey Club Gold CUp when
    he stumbled at the gate, lost lots of ground and then swept around the
    field in a tremendous finish.
    
    Lil E Tee did his usual thing and stalked the leaders with Pat Day
    sitting chilly and keeping him "covered up" behind other horses. He
    went to the lead easily in the final quarter and looked like winning it
    as he was pulling away. Suddenly, here comes Jovial, flying down the 4
    path in the middle of the track! He practically blew Lil E Tee's ears
    off as he went by! Jovial was a Gr I winner last year but I can't
    remember when he last won a race. It was said after the race that Lil E
    Tee is also a bit quirky and perhaps too competitive because he
    doesn't run when he's alone on the lead. He needs competition to keep
    him interested. That may have lost him the race. But, I dunno...Jovial
    was absolutely FLYING...I think he might well have passed Lil E Tee,
    interested or not!
    
    Final order of finish:
    Jovial
    Lil E Tee
    Best Pal

    Ok, so my crystal ball wasn't right on the button, but I wasn't too
    far afield with my pre-race presumptions.  Storm Tower was indeed the
    early leader for the others to catch.  The speed duel with As
    Indicated didn't develop (finished a lackluster 7th), which left ST
    without a reasonable challenger.  Other horses tried to maintain the
    pace but were not able to keep up.  Marked Tree closed late as I
    thought, but I felt he was too far back in the pack in the first half
    of the race to be able to catch up.  ST showed no signs of fading in
    the stretch.
    
    I'm thinking that ST ran his race, MT was a little off, and
    Tossofthecoin ran the best race of his 3 yr-old life.  I'm sure the
    Beyer speed for ST must be in the high 90's or low 100's, which would
    not be out of line with expectations.  BTW, my show bet on Storm
    Tower would have paid off ($3.20 I think at Aqueduct), but too bad
    there was no simulcast wagering at GGF.
    
    Did you see the failure of Dalhart and Diazo in the Arkansas Derby?
    And what about Rockamundo paying $218.00 for the win!!  The longest
    shot on the board, not to mention the worst credentials Beyer speed
    wise and his flat running style.  Here was a horse who ran the race of
    his life.  His stock just went up, but I still say continue to not
    bet on him.
    
    Carl

    Hi.
    
    I am looking for some informations on a few Thoroughbred race horses
    and I thought this might be a good place to look.  These horses have
    raced and or offsprings of my mare, Stealthy.
    
    1979	Step Quietly, ch colt by Nasrullah Spy
    
    1982	Mohawk Lady, dk b/ Filly by Red Trooper
    
    1983	Hass the Glass, b Colt by Pass the Glass
    
    1986	Haz Ru Mar, ch clot by Stancharry
    
    1987 	Doux Cuff, dk b/ colt By Doux Lord (FR)
    
    1989	Stea Stan, ch filly by Stancharry
    
    If anyone knows of these horses or the sires please leave any
    information.
    
    Thanks in advance,
    
    Virginia
    
    ps. Stealthy's pedigree is:
        
    	       		Bold Ruler
    	Envoy
        	        Monarchy
Stealthy
    		
    			Saratoga
    	Mohawk Maid
    			Deep Sea Tale

Santa Anita closed its Winter/Spring meeting on Sunday and what a way to 
go with an exciting finish! The feature race was the 14 furlong(turf) 
Grade I San Juan Capistrano which is the longest race in North America on 
the flat. Lots of steeplechases are longer than 1.75 miles.

Last year, the race was won by Fly Till Dawn who took the lead at the break, 
loped along setting a moderate pace and drew off in the final furlong. This 
year shaped up a LOT differently.

First of all there were only 5 horses in the field but what a choice lot they 
were! They included: 
	Fraise: won 2 Gr I turf races last year at 12 furlongs. In his 
		only 1993 start prior to the San Juan Capistrano, he won the
		12 furlong Gr II Pan American Turf Handicap at Gulfstream 
	Kotashaan: a European import who won Santa Anita's major 12 furlong
		turf races this meeting including the Gr I San Luis Rey and 
		Gr II San Luis Obispo. 
	Bien Bien: a 4 YO who at 3 won the 9 furlong Gr II Cinema Handicap
		on turf, the 10 furlong Gr II Swaps Stakes on dirt and late in 
		the year ran against older with a win in the Gr I 12 furlong
		Hollywood Turf Cup and a good second in the 9 furlong Gr I 
		Hollywood Derby. He's by turf champion Manila and out of 
		Starkwinter, a Graustark daughter. In other words, he's bred
		for turf and distance.
	Campagnarde and Carnival Baby who are consistent graded turf stakes 
		performers.

Carnival Baby broke on top and set the pace with Campagnarde pressing the
pace a bit. Chris McCarron had Bien Bien in 3rd, Fraise settled in fourth 
with the late running Kotashaan trailing. The only change in the original 
order in the first 11 or 12 furlongs was that Bien Bien and Campagnarde 
exchanged positions. 

Trevor Denman called the pace slow but I thought it was a good clip for a 14 
furlong race. They went steady "twelves" meaning that each furlong took about
12 seconds. Running in "twelves" will win most stakes races beyond 9 furlongs.
For example, Secreatariat(1:59 3/5) and Northern Dancer(2:00) are the only 
two horses to have run the KY Derby in twelves or better. Older horses, 
especially in CA, tend to go slightly faster. The split times were:
	 6 furlongs	1:11.62
	 8 furlongs	1:35.78	(which would win lots of mile races)
	10 furlongs	1:59.67 (which would win lots of mile & 1/4 races)
	12 furlongs	2:22.98	(which would win lots of mile & 1/2 races and 
				is about 1 second faster than 12s)

And then the running started! McCarron and Bien Bien moved first and fast. 
They went to the lead and ran very strongly pulling away from Carnival Baby 
and the mare, Campagnarde. Fraise ran strongly and passed the early leaders 
too. He was gaining on Bien Bien but slowly. But here comes Desormeaux and
Kotashaan flying down the middle of the track. Trevor Denman says, "He's 
moving like an express train!" Kotashaan passes Fraise who can't go with him.
Kotashaan's gaining on quickly Bien Bien but does he have enough ground to 
catch up and win? Kotashaan and Bien Bien hit the wire in a tight photo 
finish. 

They show the photo and Kotashaan wins by a nostril! Trevor Denman says, 
"After a mile and three quarters all that separates them is an inch and three 
quarters!" The final time was 2:45.00 which is 3 full seconds faster than 12s 
for the 14 furlongs! It's also a new course & stakes record. The previous 
record had stood for over 30 years! 

Final order of finish:
1. Kotashaan
2. Bien Bien		nostril
3. Fraise		1 length
4. Carnival Baby 	6 lengths
5. Campagnarde		up the track

John

    Recent racing news older horses, 3 YOs, etc
    
    STALLIONS
    Sham(1973 Santa Anita Derby winner, second to Secretariat in KY Derby
    and Preakness) died recently of a heart attack. He was 23. He was close
    enough to Secretariat in the Preakness that he(Sham) would also have
    set a stakes record that day.
    
    First Secretary, Secretariat's first foal and an Appaloosa, died
    recently of colic. He was 19. Since he was a November foal, First
    Secretary never raced or showed but he wrote himself a page in history
    as a Appaloosa sire.
    
    CURRENT OLDER HORSES
    
    Paseana won Oaklawn's Gr I Apple Blossom (8.5 furlongs) last weekend. She
    drew off by 5 lengths and looks like she is back in form. Southern
    Truce(who had beaten Paseana twice in CA) had no apparent excuse and
    finished 4th.
    
    Strike The Gold make his debut performance as a 5 year old this Weds in
    a mile allowance race at Aqueduct. Strike The Gold has been off since
    the 1992 Breeders' Cup. Shortly after the BC, it was discovered that he
    was extremely anaemic. He was sent south for the winter and has only
    recently resumed training. At Aqueduct, he has been training well and
    is being pointed for the Pimlico Special(which will be run the same day
    as the Preakness this year to accomodate ABC Sports). The pace had been 
    fast so, as usual, Strike The Gold was 12-15 lengths off the lead when 
    they went into the final turn. He put in his best run and caught the
    leaders near the top of the stretch. Then, he went on by and drew off
    to win by 5 lengths in a time something like 1:35.40. This was little
    more than a public workout. 
    
    This Saturday at 6PM ET, ESPN will broadcast the 9 furlong Californian 
    Stakes from Hollywood Park. This Gr I stakes for 4YOs & up is part of the
    ACRS series this year. The current favorite is Sir Beaufort who has been
    rated top older horse for the past few weeks based on his Santa Anita
    Handicap win.
    
    
    3 YOs
    The KY Derby is only a week away and not a favorite in sight! That
    means that every able-bodied 3 YO who can get the distance and a bunch
    whose owners have "Derby Fever" will be entered. Fortunately, the
    Churchill Downs management limits the field to the 20 horses with the
    most money won in graded stakes. 
    
    His owner has announced that Dalhart is out. The owners of the follwing 
    horses have recently said that they'll run:
    	1. Rockamundo 	longshot winner of Arkansas Derby
    	2. Storm Tower	winner of Wood Memorial
    	3. Bull In The Heather	Fla Derby winner
    	4. Diazo
    	5. El Bakan
    
    Diazo is currently 20th on the list of Gr Stakes money winnings so he
    may not make the cut. Who's El Bakan? A fair question. He's from
    Panama(or is it Venezuela? somehwere in Central or South America) and
    was undefeated before he ran second in the Lexington Stakes. He has won
    Gr I events even against older horses so he might be tough. The
    Lexington was his first start in North America. This is the same kind
    of history that brought Canonero II to the KY Derby winner's circle.
    
    The current TRC Triple Crown Poll looks like this:
    	1. Prarie Bayou .... the horse with an oxymoron for a name gets
    				some respect!
    	2. Personal Hope
    	3. Storm Tower
    	4. Union City
    	5. Bull In The Heather
    	6. Dixieland Heat
    	7. Grand Jewel
    	8. Wallenda
    	9. Corby
    	10. Eliza
    
    If I were director of the ABC Sports crew at the Derby, here's the four
    horses I would choose for isolated camera coverage during the race:
    	1. Prarie Bayou 
    	2. Personal Hope
    	3. Bull In The Heather (especially if there's a sloppy track)
    	4. El Bakan
    
    John

    More older horses
    
    ALYDEED
    Last week, Alydeed came back to stakes racing. You may remember he made
    his 1993 debut in a Gulfstream allowance sprint(6 furlongs) after 
    being off since August. He won handily in record time. I think he's
    being reinvented as a sprinter/miler. Last week, he went in Keeneland's 
    Commonwealth Breeders Cup Sprint Handicap(Gr III 7 furlongs) and beat a 
    fairly good field in 1:21 2/5. Binalong was second.
    
    CALIFORNIAN STAKES
    The Californian Stakes was held on Saturday. Sir Beaufort did go off as
    favorite but had a rough day. He got caught in traffic and had to check
    hard twice in order to avoid "clipping heels" with the horses in front
    of him. He got going again but used a lot of energy catching up to the
    leaders. He got cut off again in the stretch when a horse angled out in
    front of him...but that didn't matter he was too tired by then to
    finish. He did well enough under the conditions to finish 4th. 
    
    Latin American made a LONG sustained drive from the back of the race. He 
    started in the middle of the backstretch. On the final turn, it was 
    obvious that he was closing very fast on the leading group but ESPN's
    race caller, Dave Johnson, was sleeping at the switch and never mentioned 
    the move until the final sixteenth. I got to hear track announcer Trevor 
    Denman's call later. He didn't miss the move! He says, "Here comes Latin
    American and he's just inHALing the leaders." 
    
    Latin American went by to win going away. Missionary Ridge and Memo
    took second and third respectively.
    
    
    DEVIL HIS DUE
    
    Devil His Due may just turn out to be a top horse in the handicap
    division. He won the Gr I 10 furlong Gulfstream Park Handicap back on
    March 13th. He won the Gr II 10 furlong Excelsior at Aqueduct this past
    Saturday. Why am I so impressed by that? Because of the wasy he won it!
    
    In the Gulfstream Park Handicap with a 10 horse field, DHD ran the
    early parts of the race at the back of the pack in 7th. To win, he made
    a wide sweeping move late in the race.
    
    Last Saturday, he met another 10 horse field in the Excelsior. But,
    this field had no early speed! So, Alan Jerkins changed his tactics and
    had Mike Smith keep DHD close to the pace. They broke well with DHD
    under a bit of restraint to keep him from chargin to the lead. That
    caused him to be 4 wide going into the first turn. Then DHD settled
    into 4th just behind the first flight of horses. The leaders set VERY
    soft fractions: 24 2/5 and 48 4/5 for the qurater and half mile
    respectively. At about the 3/4 pole(1:12 2/5), DHD went to the lead
    with half a mile to run. He made his move under a hand ride, fought off
    a mild challenge in the stretch and CANTERED leisurely home to win by 3
    easy lengths. In the winner's circle, he looked like he could go around
    again and still win! 
    
    Such versatility should make him a frequent winner in the handicap
    division if he stays helathy and keeps similar form. My guess is he's
    headed for the Pimilco Special in 3 weeks or the next ACRS series race
    after that one. I think that's the Nassau County which is the same day as
    the Belmont. Heck, he could go in both of them!
    
    John

    The the 1993 inductees to the Racing Hall of Fame have been announced:
    
    Alysheba - 1987 KY Derby and Preakness winner, 1988 Breeder's Cup Classic 
    		winner, 1988 Horse of the Year and all-time leading money
    		winner
    
    Personal Ensign - 	1988 Breeder's Cup Distaff winner, undefeated in 13
    			career starts, first major stakes horse in 80 years
    			to retire undefeated.
    Cavalcade	-	1934 KY Derby winner
    
    Eddie Delahoussaye	- Jockey; 5,000+ wins including those w/ A.P. Indy
    T. J. Kelly	-	  Trainer of numerous champions/stakes horses and
    			  sire of trainers ;-)

    Well, Eliza's reputation and her recent good showing against the colts
    haven't scared off anybody with good fillies from entering them in
    tomorrow's KY Oaks. There is a field of 11 for the Oaks including: 
    Sum Runner, Boots N' Jacky, Aztec Hill, Avies Shadow and Lunar Spook.
    I would expect good performances from Aztec Hill, Sum Runner, and 
    Lunar Spook over the 9 furlong distance. Frankly, I expect them to have
    more punch in the final furlong than Eliza. The question really is: Will 
    Eliza's middle move open up enough distance that she can hang on to win 
    in the final furlong? I think not. I would not be at all surprised to
    see 1 or 2 filies in front of Eliza at the finish.
    
    Tomorrow also sees the running of the 9 furlong Early Times Turf Classic at
    Churchill. That looks to be a great field: 1992 Breeder's Cup Mile
    winner Lure and runner-up Paradise Creek will challenge the west coast
    middle distance turf star, Star of Cozzene. I'd give the nod to Star of
    Cozzene who is best at 9-10 furlongs. Lure and Paradise Creek like 8-9
    furlongs. So, I think that Star of Cozzene will have more punch left
    and that will get him home first. Lure might be able to get out front 
    and run away with it though. It should be a great race.
    
    Prairie Bayou and Personal Hope are the favorites for the KY Derby. I
    think that Bull In The Heather is the class of the field and will win
    if he gets a good trip. I'm rooting for Randy Romero to win on
    Dixieland Heat though. Romero is just coming back from some serious
    injuries and I'd like to see him win to complete his comeback. BTW, his
    brother(Geryy) trains Dixieland Heat. Did you know that there family
    was the model for the movie "Casey's Shadow?" Randy is the youngest so
    he was the little kid in the story.

    
    	Casey's Shadow... guess I missed that one!   Dixieland Heat was
    	a name I heard on the radio on the way into work this morning..
    	(I think - I might be losing my mind too).  Anyway, there is
    	a home-town-bred horse running tomorrow from New Mexico and
    	the local radio station was interviewing one of the owners and
    	talking about all the hype that goes w/being in the Derby.
    
    	I'll have to watch and see.
    
    	Hava great weekend!
    
    	smiles - h
    
    

    Casey's Shadow...Walter Matthau plays a man who is a QH race trainer
    and has 5 sons(no wife but I can't remember whether she had died or run
    off with the milkman or what). He comes home with a rundown looking
    mare who is bred to some great sire. The rest of the story hinges
    around the resulting foal and the family issues in their life. A fun
    movie about life and family with happy ending without being maudlin or
    melodramatic. (I don't like "socially significant" or sensitive new age
    guy with relationships type movies. If you do, this movie may be too
    "light" for you.)
    
    I heard the post position draw for the KY Derby this morning. Doesn't
    look good for some of the "near" favorites: Storm Tower drew the rail
    which is bad for a speed horse in a big field. He'll have to hustle to
    get up to the lead without getting trapped on the rail. Corby and Diazo
    drew the far outside (17 & 18) positions along with El Bakan(19) which 
    just about ruins any hope they had.
    
    Horses who got good positions inlcude:
    	Prairie Bayou	5th
    	Personal Hope	7th
    	Rockamundo	8th - supposedly the most frequent post postiion of
    				KY Derby winners. BTW, speed figure guru, 
    				Andy Beyer says Rockamundo has the best
    				speed figure over 9 furlongs coming into 
    				this race and IF he can repeat the
    				performance will win the race. However,
    				Beyer is reluctant to say that Rockamundo
    				will be consistent enough.
    	Union City 	I can't recall the exact post but it was in the
    			middle somewhere
    	Bull In The Heather 10th - should give him a good position with
    				minimal traffic problems considering the
    				size of the field
    
    
    If you believe in omens, good luck signs or just plain tradition, 
    Bull In The Heather is stabled in the stall his sire(Ferdinand) had 
    when he won the Derby. It was also the stall in which Affirmed was 
    stabled when he won the Derby and went on to win the Triple Crown.
    
    Pat Day says he and Wallenda may win because of the pattern of
    back-to-back KY Derby wins: 1972 & 73 Ron Turcotte with Riva Ridge and
    Secretariat; 1982 & 83 Eddie D & (Uh Oh! My memory chip failed! Let's
    see...maybe if I start at 1875 and Aristides and work forward I'll
    remember...); 1992 & 93 Pat Day with Lil E Tee and Wallenda....
    
    I'm a little worried about my pick of BITH to win...Lots of the "wise
    guys" and track people are saying he'll win...Usually a sure sign that
    a horse WON'T win. ;-) We'll see tomorrow.
    

    Once more out on the limb to make public my picks for tomorrow's big
    day.  The field shapes up like this (in the order they appear in the
    DRF):
    
    Horse                 Style    Speed Avg. / Current Form     Dosage
    -----                 -----    -------------------------     ------
    Storm Tower            Es         93.7    / consistent        7.00
    Kissin Kris            CP         90.6    / improving         1.56
    Truth of It All        Cs         85.3    / wavering          0.88
    Union City             Ep         94.8    / improving         2.64
    Prairie Bayou          Cp         95.2    / consistent        4.33
    Sea Hero               Spe        91.0    / consistent        1.12
    Personal Hope          E          96.8    / consistent        2.73
    Rockamundo             S          81.2    / improving         1.20
    Silver of Silver       Sp         88.0    / declining         1.95
    Bull in the Heather    Cp         93.0    / improving         1.40
    Tossofthecoin          P          90.0    / improving         4.82
    Mi Cielo               Spc        93.3    / improving         3.73
    Wild Gale              PS         86.0    / improving         2.20
    Ragtime Rebel          C          88.3    / improving         1.44
    Dixieland Heat         P          91.0    / consistent        3.40
    Wallenda               PS         90.0    / improving         4.20
    Corby                  EP         91.4    / wavering          1.74
    Diazo                  Ep         99.7    / improving         2.56
    El Bakan               E          90.0    / consistent ?      3.33
    
    You'll have to look at one of my earlier notes to see what the style
    code means and how I determined speed averages and current form.  For
    those of you unfamiliar with dosage, it's not the amount of sugar
    added to champagne or sparkling wine, in this case it's a rather
    complicated way of determining a horse's inclination towards speed or
    endurance in the so-called "classic" distance races, 1 1/4 - 1 1/2
    miles.  If you want to know more about it, "Dr. Z's Beat the Race-
    Track" (discussed in another of my previous notes) devotes an entire
    chapter to it.  But, to be brief, the dosage system favors horses with
    an index number lower than 4.00.  So, if you believe in Beyer and
    dosage, picking the winner is merely a matter of selecting the horse
    with the highest speed average who has a dosage less than 4.00.  Never
    mind that Strike the Gold had a dosage of 9.00.
    
    The big speedsters are Storm Tower, Personal Hope, and the foreign
    invader El Bakan.  If Diazo has his way, he shouldn't be far behind.
    
    Union City and Corby will need to be in the front half of the field if
    they want to be in contention.  But they'll be in a traffic jam with
    the likes of Dixieland Heat, Wallenda, Tossofthecoin, and the other
    pace-pressing horses.
    
    The late closers figure to be Kissin Kris, Truth of It All, Prairie
    Bayou, Bull In The Heather, and Ragtime Rebel, although Prairie Bayou
    and Bull In The Heather look like the class of this lot.
    
    If everything goes like the paperwork says it should, Personal Hope
    should be trying to hang on with Union City right behind and Prairie
    Bayou trying the rein them both in.
    
    Therefore (whew!), my picks are:
    
       1st - Prairie Bayou
       2nd - Union City
       3rd - Personal Hope
    
    The only fly I can see in this ointment is Diazo, who has been really
    improving.  His 4th place finish in the Arkansas Derby was still good
    enough for a 100 Beyer speed rating.  He finished only 1 3/4 behind
    Rockamundo, the longshot winner.  He had a bad start and had to work
    too hard to stay in contention, and so tired in the last furlong.
    
    Looking for a longshot?  Ragtime Rebel and Tossofthecoin seem worth
    consideration.
    
    We'll see tomorrow,
    Carl
    
    P.S. Eddie D. had back-to-back KY Derby winners in '82 and '83 with
         Gato del Sol and Sunny's Halo.  I'd like to impress you by saying
         I knew this off the top of my head, but the DRF lists all of the
         winners in the KY Derby special issue.

    OK, my prediction didn't turn out the way I thought.  The first 3/4 of
    the KY Derby went according to the script with Personal Hope and Storm
    Tower battling for the lead.  I thought they would fade, but not as
    much as they did.  Personal Hope, however, finished ahead of Storm
    Tower and came in 4th, I think.  So, not too bad on that account.
    
    Prairie Bayou closed late, as expected, but Union City was nowhere to
    be seen.  I think he got caught in traffic.  But, who would have
    thought that Sea Hero was a real contender, much less capable of
    winning.
    
    Looking back at my pre-race study, Sea Hero's speed average was
    very adequate, considering the speed averages of the favorites.  A
    difference of 5 points does not make much difference, if any.  A
    difference of 10 or more points, that's another story.  Sea Hero's
    dosage is well within acceptable limits (under 4.00), but another
    dosage factor is the center of distribution (CD).  I forget what CD
    means, but supposedly a CD of less that 2.5, I think (or is it 1.25?),
    is also desirable.
    
    A third indegredient in the dosage mix is the weight profile.  I'm not
    completely sure about this.  I'll read up on it and report back later.
    According to the theory, in order to be a dosage contender, a horse
    must first have a DI under 4.00.  Higher than that excludes the horse
    from further consideration.  Having passed the DI test, a horse is
    considered a contender, no matter what the CD or weight profile turns
    out to be.  But a CD under the limit favors a horse even more.  If the
    weight profile is within acceptable limits, a horse is labeled a dual-
    qualifier, and supposedly has the best chances to win races at the
    classic distances of 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 miles.
    
    There were 3 horses which were dual-qualifiers for this year's KY
    Derby:  Silver of Silver, Truth of It All, and, you guessed it, Sea
    Hero.  All these horses were relative longshots.  Silver of Silver
    had to be discounted because of his recent sicknesses and declining
    form, but a bet on both of the other two would have paid off, on
    Sea Hero anyway ($26.00 for the win).
    
    After the whole dosage scheme was worked out in 1981 (?), the theory
    was retro-fitted back to previous triple crown race winners.  It seems
    that very few horses that didn't fit into the scheme won any of the
    races, most recently Strike the Gold, whose DI was 9.00.
    
    My derby bet was on Prairie Bayou to show, which, if everything had
    gone according to plan, would have been a minimum payoff.  But, because
    Sea Hero won and Wild Gale came in third, my payoff went up to $4.20
    at GGF, a 110% gain on money wagered.  PB paid $4.80 at Churchill
    Downs.
    
    More on dosage later,
    Carl

    Re the KY Derby: 
    
    I don't think that ANYBODY's analysis of the race would have come up
    with Sea Hero so don't feel bad about it. Sea Hero hadn't won a race
    since the Champagne Stakes last October. He ran poorly in Fla this
    winter although several people said they thought the colt hated Fla
    weather and tracks and that he would be better once they left Fla.
    Well, that was true. He did run better in his last race prior to the
    Derby, the Bluegrass Stakes at Keeneland but he had a difficult trip
    and finished out of the money.
    
    Several analysts said that whoever got the best trip would win the
    Derby. They were right! Sea Hero got the best possible trip. He broke
    well and settled into a "hole" between 2 groups of horses. He saved
    grounbd along the rail until he wanted to make his move. Then, Jerry
    Bailey took the colt out behind Bull Inthe Heather about 3 wide looking
    for an outside stretch run. The outside never opened but the inside did
    and he went through and took the lead. At the eighth pole, the race was
    over! Sea Hero was strong and running well. The only horse closing in
    the final furlong was the favorite Prairie Bayou who just had to go too
    wide to catch Sea Hero with his perfect trip. 
    
    Perhaps, the only way to have picked Sea Hero was to have gone to
    "secondary" factors which make a difference when you can't separate the 
    field on the primary issues. Like jockies, Jerry Bailey sometimes gets
    on "hot" winning streaks in big races. So, when he won the Oaks and a 
    race on the Derby undercard, that might have been a clue. Of course,
    you could make the same argument for Pat Day, Gary Stevens or Chris
    McCarron. Or even Rockamundo's trainer and since he won a Grade III
    race on the Derby undercard for Rockamundo's owners....but that's more
    like throwing darts than picking horses... ;-)
    
    That's why they actually run the races rather than just getting some
    "experts" to decide who should win. That's why I always get a chuckle
    out of these "fantasy races" where they take all the Triple Crown
    Winners and Man o'War along with a couple other great horses and "run"
    the race on a computer. Heck, lots of things look good on paper but 
    don't work out!

    Believe it or not, my racing focus this weekend was NOT on the KY
    Derby! While the Derby was a good race, there were more exciting races
    this weekend!
    
    On Friday, Churchill Downs hosted the KY Oaks and the Early Times Turf
    Classic. The KY Oaks is 9 furlongs for 3 YO fillies. The favorite was
    Eliza. I've been saying all Spring that I didn't think Eliza had the
    stamina to be a Gr I winner at that distance and that there were
    several fillies in the East who could beat her. It looks like I was
    right. 
    
    She ran into one of them in the Oaks. Dispute took the lead early in
    the race with Eliza running in second. With about 3 furlongs to go,
    Eliza charges up to take a short lead but she couldn't pull away!
    Dispute stayed right with her and fought back on the rail. Eliza faded
    in the final sixteenth and Dispute pulled away to win by 1 1/2 widening
    lengths. Eliza was second by a diminishing neck over Quinpool. In other
    words, Eliza was fading fast! 
    
    Would you believe, I fogot Dispute was in the race when I talked about
    the Oaks last week? Shug McGaughey is one of the best trainers in the
    business and I usually remember his horses. Dispute's a good filly and
    just one of several that I would expect to do well at the 9-10 furlong
    distance. Unfortunately, most of the other good 9-10 furlong fillies
    ares still recuperating from injuries.
    
    The 9 furlong Early Times Turf Classic went very much like I expected. 
    Lure and Paradise Creek broke well and Lure went to the lead setting 
    BLAZING fractions. Lure ran the first mile as fast as he did the
    Breeder's Cup Mile last October(1:34 2/5)! I thought for sure 
    Star of Cozzene would close well behind that pace. He did but Lure 
    had plenty left!
    
    Lure was running very strongly the final furlong. Star of Cozzene was
    running even faster but he ran out of ground and lost by about 3/4 of a
    length. Lure set a course record of 1:46.15 for 9 furlongs. Lure must
    be regarded as the best middle distance turf horse in North America. If
    he can win at 10 furlongs, he will be Eclipse Turf Champion this year. If
    he can't go 10 furlongs, Kotashaan and other distance horses have a
    chance at being Turf Champion.
    
    Lure's race and Devil His Due's wins in major Gulfstream and Aqueduct
    stakes underscore the significance of the 1992 Gotham Mile for 3 YO's.
    Those 2 horses finished in a dead heat to win the Gotham! DHD went on
    to win the 1992 Wood Memorial for 3 YOs but disappointed the rest of the 
    year. Lure switched to the turf and won the 1992 BC Mile. Now, they are
    both at the top of their respective handicap divisions. 
    
    Sunday saw the running of Aqueduct's 7 furlong Carter Handicap for
    older horses. The favorite was Alydeed based on his record setting
    performance in an allowance race at Gulfstream and his near record
    performance in Keeneland's Gr III Commonwealth Breeder's Cup.
    Unarguably, the fastest horse in the race, some handicappers felt he
    had run poorly after big efforts in the past and recommended betting
    against him. There was a fairly large field including stakes winners
    Senor Speedy and Loach(aka Strike The Gold's rabbit).
    
    Now, strictly for emotional reasons, I was rooting for Alydeed and
    Loach. I wanted to see Alydeed redeem himself for last year's failures
    and make the handicappers eat their words. I wanted to see Loach run
    well because I think it's demeaning for a horse of his quality and
    talent to be known as Strike The Gold's rabbit. The race was a dream
    come true!
    
    Alydeed broke on top but other horses hustled up and Loach took the
    lead about 8 jumps out of the gate. He set fairly fast fractions for
    the first 4 furlongs(22 3/5 and 46.0). Craig Perret asked Alydeed to
    run on the final turn. They were still flying:6 furlongs in 1:09 3/5.
    Alydeed took a short lead on the outside but, on the rail, Loach was not 
    folding! They duel down the stretch with Loach coming back at Alydeed. 
    Perret pulls one of the oldest race riding tricks in the book and floats 
    Alydeed closer and closer to the rail trying to make the hole too small 
    for Loach to come through but without actually cutting him off. (The
    stewards would have disqualified Perret & Alydeed for cutting off
    Loach.) It works. The jostling and bumping in tight quarters makes Loach
    hesitate for a jump or two before charging up again. Alydeed wins by a
    head. Robbie Davis, Loach's rider, claims foul against Perret for
    squeezing him on the rail. In a close decision, the stewards disallow
    the claim of foul. 
    
    Both horses showed talent but it takes a great deal of heart to come
    back and go into a tight hole against the rail after losing the lead.
    Loach is a class horse!
    
    John

    Hi all.  I loved the Derby!  Of course I love all major horse races.
    
    Does anyone have the background of Sea Hero?  Basically his pedigree.
    
    Thanks!
    
    Virginia

    I'm not much of racing fan at all, but I do love to see the underdogs
    win! Any chance Sea Hero (who prior to the race had won my vote as
    'cutest lookin') will do well in the other two Triple Crown races??
    

    Yes, I think Sea Hero will do well in the remaining Triple Crown races.
    I think so because he's doing well now and has run well at Belmont in
    the past. He's also bred to go the distance. However, I doubt that
    we're looking at a Triple Crown winner. I saw an interview with
    Mack Miller(his trainer) on ESPN last night. Mr Miller said that he
    pulled the colt out of Fla after he figured out that he hated it there.
    He moved the colt to South Carolina(presumably the Aiken training
    center) where he blossomed in the cooler weather and liked the "rural"
    atmosphere compared to the Fla track atmosphere. 
    
    There are only about 10 horses entered in the Preakness so there should
    be much less danger of getting blocked when he wants to run. I think
    he'll finish in the money in both the Preakness and Belmont. I would
    like to see him win the Belmont as it's the toughest of the three.
    
Prior to his Kentucky Derby win, Sea Hero's only stakes win was the October 10 
1992 running of the 8 furlong Gr I Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park. 
Sea Hero is by Polish Navy out of Glowing Tribute. Polish Navy raced 2 years 
winning about $1.12 Million while winning 7 of 12 starts. His Graded stakes 
wins included Gr I Woodward, Gr I Champagne Stakes, GrII Cowdin Stakes among 
others. Polish Navy was bred and raced by the Phipps family. He entered stud 
in 1988 at Claiborne. He stood there until Aug 1992 when he was sold and 
exported to Japan. Glowing Tribute was bred and raced by Paul Mellon. She 
raced 3 years winning 9 of 24 starts. She was a graded stakes winner on the 
turf having won the GrII (Turf) Sheepshead Bay Handicap twice and the GrII 
(Turf) Diana Handicap. She is the dam of 9 foals, 7 have raced, 7 have won 
and 5 are stakes winners. Besides Sea Hero, her stakes winning foals include:
	1. Hero's Honor(by Northern Dancer) winner of multiple Gr I turf races
	2. Wild Applause(by Northern Dancer) winner of multiple Graded turf 
		stakes including the one her Mom won(GrII Diana Handicap)
	3. Glowing Honor(by Seattle Slew) - she won GrII Diana Handicap twice
	4. Seattle Glow(by Seattle Slew) who won the ungraded Spend A Buck 
		stakes
Here's his complete 5 generation pedigree:

             Neartic
          Northern Dancer
             Natalma
       Danzig
             Admiral's Voyage
          Pas de Nom
             Petitioner
    Polish Navy
             The Yuvaraj
          Tatan
             Valkyrie
       Navsup
             War Admiral
          Busanda
             Busnesslike
Sea Hero
             Tenerani
          Ribot
             Romanella
       Graustark
             Alibhai
          Flower Bowl
             Flower Bed
    Glowing Tribute
             Turn-to
          Hail To Reason
             Nothirdchance
       Admiring
             War Admiral
          Searching
             Big Hurry

    Thanks so much for the pedigree and info.  I think Sea Hero has some
    good blood behind him.  I once worked with a Northern Dancer daughter. 
    She was brought to us to foal her.  She was a maiden mare and a bit
    fussy about things.  She was huge!  A full 17hh and 1600 lbs when at
    full term.  She looked like an overgrown Quarter horse instead of a TB. 
    But all went well and she had a beautiful foal.  She left us a week
    later to be bred again.  I don't know what happened to her or the foal.
    
    Virginia

    Isn't it strange about the Northern Dancers? Some of them like the mare
    you foaled and others like Nijinsky were 17H horses while Northern
    Dancer himself was a little pony-sized horse as was most of his get!
    I saw a video about Northern Dancer and his influence on racing. He
    basically defined a "new" type of small compact racehorse especially in 
    Europe where his relatively small turf-loving get won everything worth
    winning. Go figure!

    There is a wide diversity of opinion about Sea Hero's KY Derby 
    win and the likelihood of him being in the money in the remaining
    Triple Crown races. 

    Most of the handicappers, especially the speed figure players, claim 
    that this is a mediocre crop of 3 YOs and that they will take turns 
    beating each other. Their theory is that they're all about equal in 
    ability. Therefore, whoever is fittest and has the best racing luck
    (track conditions that they like, suitable pace for the colt's style, 
    traffic problems, etc.) will win.

    They forget that it's too early in the year to evaluate them fairly and 
    that several that were top colts as 2 YOs are sidelined with injuries.

    The other camp is basically the trainers. One example is Phil Johnson, 
    a NY trainer who occassionally serves as an expert commentator for
    the "Inside Racing" show on SportsChannel. Mr Johnson said that he thinks 
    we're looking at another Triple Crown winner! 

    Mr Johnson feels that Sea Hero has just begun to show his full potential. 
    He credits the recent improvement is Sea Hero to 2 things: 1) getting 
    the colt out of Fla were the colt hated the climate 2) jockey Jerry 
    Bailey who suggested that the colt should run without blinkers and gave 
    the colt a good ride in the race. 

    Bailey rides regularly for trainer Mack Miller and Mellon's Rokeby 
    stable. He knew the colt from last year's races as a 2 YO and 
    thought the colt would relax and rate better w/o blinkers. Mr Johnson 
    claims that Sea Hero was much less on the muscle in the Derby which
    meant that Bailey could make tactical moves more or less at will with 
    him. He called Bailey an intelligent thinking jockey who is 
    under-appreciated.

    Last night on Inside Racing, they had a 10 minute interview w/ Mr Bailey.
    During the interview, they played the start of the Bluegrass Stakes in 
    which Sea Hero broke from the inside  post while still wearing the 
    blinkers. He was CLEARLY fighting Bailey and not at all relaxed. He made
    a good move in the stretch but got trapped on the rail and could get 
    through so he finished 4th. 

    I'm somewhere in between the 2 camps. It's too early in the season to 
    evaluate the 3 YO colts fairly. The handicappers are too eager to 
    condemn when they can't pick a winner. I agree with Johnson's comments 
    about Bailey. I also agree with him that Sea Hero has the class, the 
    tactical speed, acceleration and the ability to make positioning moves 
    before making his big run. These things give him an advantage over a 
    horse like Prarie Bayou who makes one long sustained run on the 
    outside. Poor Prarie Bayou always runs farther because he's way outside 
    and he frequently runs into traffic problems. 

    Therefore, I think Sea Hero is the horse to beat in this Saturday's
    Preakness. He had the fastest speed figures of all the last year's 2 
    YO's(including those like Gilded Time and River Special that are out 
    with injuries). He's proved he can get the distance. He's got a good 
    style for classic distances. If he gets a reasonable trip, I don't see 
    how any of the others can beat him unless they suddenly 
    blossom into superstars. 

    Oh yeah. Don't forget to tune in early to see the Gr I Pimlico Special
    Handicap for older horses. Devil His Due and Strike The Gold are both
    entered. If they are both in the same form as their recent races, this
    race will be a humdinger! I'm looking forward to that more than the
    Preakness! It's on ABC at 4:30 ET(I think)

    
    
    	Boy John... I hope they have tv on the plane I have to take from
    	Albuquerque to Portland, Maine!  Actually I am suppose to get
    	in around 4:30 so maybe........  just maybe.
    
    	Well, if I miss it I'm sure my sister (and the only person *I*
    	know who SURE the Sea horse would win!) will fill me in (maybe
    	even videotape it for me!)
    
    	have a good one - h
    

    Genuine Risk, the 1980 KY Derby winner, had her first live foal last
    Saturday(May 15) about 5 PM. It's a chestnut colt by Rahy.
    Markings:star, stripe and 3 white feet...LOTS of chrome!
    
    She was bred to Secretariat in 1981 for a 1982 foal but that foal was
    stillborn. If I remember correctly, one of its ribs broke during the
    birth procses and punctured its heart...gruesome....
    
    Since then, Genuine Risk has had a series of problems: miscarriages, not 
    getting in foal, etc, She's now 16 and they were getting worried that
    they might not be able to preserve her lines.
    
    They had to induce labor because the monitors showed that the foal was
    in distress. Once she had been induced, all went well. She's reported
    to be in good health and a good mom.
    
    The foal is healthy and doing well. Unfortunately, he retained his
    meconium and simple enemas couldn't get him to pass it. So, the
    performed a minor surgical procedure. Now, he's drinking and manuring
    normally. 
    
    The Three Chimneys Farm manager said he expects the colt(& Mom of
    course) to go out to pasture in a couple more days.

    Genuine Risk is 16????  Gawd I must be getting old.  I remember that
    race like it was yesterday.  
    
    Congrats to her!
    
    Virginia

    As promised, here is a little information on dosage handicapping
    (pronounced doe-SAHJ, just like sugar added to champagne).
    
    History:  some french guy back in the 1920's decided that a horse's
    pedigree was the best factor to study when trying to determine the
    horse's capabilities, and therefore its chances of performing well and
    predictably in a race.  This frenchman examined the pedigrees of a lot
    of horses and decided that one need only consider the sires going back
    four generations in a horse's ancestry to make the determinations.
    
    Why only sires?  His rationale was that a sire may cover 50-60 mares a
    year, and therefore have many oportunities to pass along his traits,
    but a mare has an average of only 15 foals in its life, too few to
    consider in examining inherited traits.
    
    Why four generations?  His rationale here was that any further back
    and the gene pool is too diluted to detect acurately.
    
    Each sire in the four generation pedigree was called by the french
    guy a "chef-de-race".  Each chef was looked at for his capability,
    that is, sprinting, routing, etc.
    
    Not much more happened with dosage theory until 1970 or so when an
    american horse breeder decided to expand on the french guy's earlier
    ideas.  This american invented 5 categories in which to rate the
    chefs-de-race.  Category 1 is heavy on speed and category 5 is heavy
    on stamina.  Category 3, therefore, combines speed and endurance.
    
    Each chef is pigeonholed in one or two of these categories and points
    are awarded to the chef thereupon.  The points are added up in each
    category to derive a dosage profile for the horse whose pedigree is
    being looked at.  Formulas are applied to the dosage profile and two
    factors are achieved:  dosage index (DI) and center of distribution
    (CD).
    
    The higher the DI and CD, the speedier the horse is.  Dosagers argue
    that the cutoff point for DI is 4.00 and for CD is 2.50 for classic
    distance races, 10-12 furlongs.
    
    Applying dosage theory to past Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes, those
    cutoffs seem to be right on the button.  This year, Sea Hero would have
    been the obvious KD choice, and looms large for the Belmont.  We'll
    have to see who the other Belmont entrants are to see if dosage can
    indicate any other horses.
    
    Once the distance drops to less than 10 furlongs, dosage restraints
    lessen dramatically so as to be almost insignificant.  However, in
    this year's Preakness, dosage theorists argued that Prairie Bayou
    was such a standout that dosage clearly indicated him.
    
    In a given classic distance race, once you have narrowed down the list
    of horses who qualify on DI and CD, you must filter these horses to
    find the most likely candidate for your bet.  In 1984, yet another
    dosage developer came up with a "quality filter" which I have yet
    to find out what it means.  This filter states that a true contender
    should be "within 10 pounds of the current 2-year-old champion on the
    experimental free handicap."  John, do you know what this means?
    Anyone?  So this filter narrows the list down for this year's KD
    where there were only 3 horses being dosage contenders:  Sea Hero,
    Truth Of It All, and Silver of Silver, of which Sea Hero had the best
    track record.
    
    But, if you consider that most north american races are less than 10
    furlongs, dosage isn't going to do you much good most of the time.
    At GGF, you go go for 3 or 4 weeks without having a race to which
    dosage can be applied.  And in the races where it can be applied,
    the horses are such unknowns that it is difficult if not impossible
    to find a horse's pedigree with enough time to calculate DI and CD.
    Whereas for nationally known races like the KD or BS, the pedigrees
    of each entrant are prominently displayed beforehand.
    
    BTW, my bet in the Preakness was Prairie to show.  since relative long
    shots filled out the other money spots, my simulcast bet at GGF paid
    $4.20, 110% return on money wagered.
    
    Dosage 102 soon,
    Carl

    Any reports on how Union City is doing after breaking down in the
    Preakness?     Just wondering.
    
    Sarah

    Re Dosage 101
    
    Thanks, I knew about the Frenchman's dosage formula but could never
    figure out how they converted it in simple numbers like 1-5.
    
    BTW, "chef-de-race" is a title bestowed only on certain horses so I'm
    not sure that ALL the sires 4 generations back would be considered
    chefs de race. In fact, I remember one Derby winner that people were
    saying proved the dosage index theory was wrong because his index was
    over the 4 threshhold...and then "the powers that be" made one of his
    ancestors a chef de race AFTER the race and, magically, the winner was
    "acceptable" by the dosage theory...wouldn't do you much good
    handicapping but it kept their string going!
    
    Re "within 10 pounds of the current 2-year-old champion on the
    experimental free handicap."
    
    The Experimantal Free Handicap is just a rating system in which a group
    of handicappers assigns weights to the 2 year olds on the basis of
    their performance as if they were going to race all of them together.
    It's not much more valid than the TRC Triple Crown opinion poll in
    determining which ONE is really the best but it does give one a good idea
    of which colts are the best of the crop....
    
    The Experimantal Free Handicap is published in The Blood Horse every
    year. I don't pay much attention to it so I'm not sure who collects and
    analyzes the data. But, I think it is something that The Blood Horse
    magazine started.

    Union City's injuries were to extensive to save him.

    Re: .506
    
    I think John is referring to Strike the Gold here as the horse whose
    dosage didn't fit the Kentucky Derby numbers.  I think his dosage was 9
    at the time.  However, whoever keeps track of these numbers later
    changed the numbers for his sire, Alydar.  After that Strike the Gold's
    dosage came to be within the normal range of Kentucky Derby winners.
    
    Sounds a little bit like changing the numbers to make the theory valid
    to me.
    
    BTW, there is also a European Experimental Free Handicap done too. 
    Maybe it started over there and was picked up here.
    
    						Jan

    Yes, I was referring to Strike the Gold but I wasn't gonna name
    names...
    
    Anyway, since I posted .506, I found an article on the last page of
    this week's Blood Horse on dosage by the PhD(Piled Higher & Deeper) guy 
    who 'updated' dosage theory and created the index. The Blood Horse uses 
    the last page as a "guest" editorial spot. Every week there's something 
    at least halfway interesting there.
    
    This guy was kinda defending his work. He makes several points:
    	1. He never said that no horse w/ a higher dosage than 4 COULDN'T
    	   win the KY Derby only that none had since 1940 which is the
    	   first year's data he analyzed. It's the media that turned
           everything around.
    	2. Dosage is just a formalized way of analyzing pedigrees which
    	   most horsemen and some handicappers already do
    	3. Dosage is intended to evaluate KNOWN sources of speed & staying
    	   power. It is perfectly legitimate to add horses as the
    	   abilities and preferences of their get become known. In fact,
           this has to be done since they only look at 4 generations.
    
    This guy also confirmed what I thought about only selected horses being
    considered "chefs de race" rather than all the sires in the pedigree.

The best source I've been able to find on dosage is the book

    Dr. Z's Beat the Racetrack
    William T. Ziemba & Donald B. Hausch
    1987, William Morrow & Co. (hardcover $24.95)

Appendix C is entitled, "How to Pick the Winner of the Kentucky Derby"
and is about dosage theory.  The first few paragraphs pretty much sum it
all up, and I reprint them here (without permission, but I plugged his
book).

     A horse's chance for success surely depend to a large extent on his or
     her pedigree. But how much? How can one evaluate the combined effects
     of all the sires and dams in a horse's heritage? When is such an analysis
     useful? Does it point to horses to consider or to eliminate?

     A most interesting and useful theory is that of dosage. It has provided
     us with the winner of the Kentucky Derby the last four years, and its
     performance in this race over the years has been nothing short of
     remarkable.

     The theory of dosage began with Lt. Col. J. J. Vullier in his Les
     Croisements Rationnels dans la Race Pure, written in the 1920's.  Vullier
     found that within a particular time frame of approximately twenty years,
     very few stallions appear with great frequency in pedigree bloodlines.
     These stallions can be said to be fixing the breed since the percentage
     of blood attributable to them was roughly constant in this time period.
     He called them chefs de race.  Vullier argued that matings should be
     made to keep these percentages in balance.  His ideas were used in the
     very successful breeding program of the H. H. Aga Khan.

     Dr. Franco Varola in his Typology of the Race Horse in 1974 added to the
     dosage theory.  He considered classifications of speed and endurance that
     were passed on by the chef-de-race sires.  The character of the offspring
     horse then resulted from the total number of appearances in each
     classification regardless of the generation of the sire.  We could say
     that this offspring had a probability distribution that would describe
     its probable running behavior.

     In the last few years Dr. Steven A. Roman, following additional work by
     Mr. Abram S. Hewitt, has modified and extended the Vullier-Varola theory
     to its current useful state.  The ideas are simple.  First, only the sires
     are counted, because mares produce too few numbers to permit reliable
     generalizations.  The past four generations are evaluated, with each
     succeeding generation becoming twice as important.  Nonchefs do not
     count since they have not been known to generate consistent racing
     qualities in their offspring -- we can call their effect "noise."  The
     categories brilliant, intermediate, classic, solid, and professional refer
     to admixtures of speed and stamina.  Brilliant is prepotent speed,
     professional is prepotent stamina, and the others are more relative
     mixtures of these qualities.  According to Dr. Roman, the categories are
     defined as follows:

          1. Brilliant:  characterized by great speed and early maturity,
             little propensity for distance.
          2. Intermediate:  characterized by speed and early maturity, but
             capable of being a runner of classic potential.
          3. Classic:  characterized by a balance of speed and stamina, well
             suited to classic distances and often capable of expressing each
             quality separately.
          4. Solid:  characterized by less speed and later maturity than the
             first three categories; also capable of classic potential
          5. Professional:  characterized by lack of speed, enormous endurance
             and late maturity; runners tend to be plodders.

     The designation of a chef is a quantitative but judgemental exercise of
     determining that the sire does indeed breed a consistent characteristic,
     that is, he is prepotent.  By studying a large population of a sire's
     offspring one can empirically determine whether a sire is prepotent and
     also assign him into one or more aptitude classes to make his population
     consistent with the entire population.

     Using only the sires in a horse's pedigree to determine its running style
     may sound sexist, but there is a reason for it.  A horse can be put into
     one or two of the five categories only after analyzing the running styles
     of many offspring.  A sire may service fifty or more mares a year, and
     thus, after several years, there are many offspring racing.  For a mare,
     however, the five to fifteen lifetime offspring is not enough to classify
     her with any degree of statistical significance.

     To use these ideas one can construct statistical distributions that reflect
     the basic characteristics.  To compute these so-called "dosage profiles,"
     a chef-de-race sire appearing in the first generation is assigned 16
     points, which is split 8-8 if the sire has influence in two classes.
     Second-generation sires receive 8 points, third-generation sires receive
     4 points, and fourth-generation sires get 2 points.  Notice that each
     generation is allocated 16 points.  Each sire becomes less influential the
     further back he appears in the pedigree but the number of sires increases
     to compensate.  Summing the points in each of the five classes then gives
     the dosage profile.  While these profiles shed much light on a horse's
     possible performance, two indices have been developed that are easier to
     work with and understand, as they summarize the profile as a single
     number.  The first is the dosage index (DI), which is computed by dividing
     the speed component (brilliant and intermediate points plus half the
     classic points) by the stamina component (half the classic points plus
     the solid and professional points).  Thus the DI can vary from 0 (all
     stamina) to [infinity] (all speed).  Brilliant and professional points
     receive the same attention as intermediate and solid points.  Future
     refinements of this measure might use different weightings, although it
     may be argued that equal importance is the most appropriate weighting.
     More attention is paid to the polar attributes in the second index, the
     center of distribution (CD), which multiplies the brilliant points by two,
     adds in the intermediate points, subtracts the solid points, and subtracts
     twice the number of professional points.  Dividing by the total number of
     points gives the CD.

That's the basic idea of dosage theory.  Dr. Z gives an exmaple for four horses
in the 1985 Kentuck Derby.  My fingers are getting tired so I'll give you only
one of them, Chief's Crown:

Sires                Brilliant  Intermediate  Classic  Solid  Professional
-----                -----------------------------------------------------
1st Genr. (16 pts.)
   Danzig              (not a chef, so no points)
2nd Genr. ( 8 pts.)
   Northern Dancer       4                       4
   Secretariat         (not a chef, so no points)
3rd Genr. ( 4 pts.)
   Nearctic            (not a chef, so no points)
   Admiral's Voyage    (not a chef, so no points)
   Bold Ruler            2           2
   Swoon's Son         (not a chef, so no points)
4th Genr. ( 2 pts.)
   Nearco                1                       1
   Native Dancer                     1           1
   Crafty Admiral      (not a chef, so no points)
   Petition                          2
   Nashrullah            2
   Princequillo                      1                   1
   The Doge            (not a chef, so no points)
   T.V. Lark                         2
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dosage Profile           9           8           6       1

DI = (9 + 8 + (6 / 2)) / ((6 / 2) + 1 + 0)
DI = 5.00

CD = ((9 * 2) + 8 - 1 - (2 * 0)) / 24
CD = 1.04

So Dr. Roman worked out the dosage for the winners of the KY Derby and Belmont
since 1940 and found that no Derby winner had a DI over 4.00 or a CD over 1.25,
and that only 3 Belmont winners had a dosage over 4.00 -Creme Fraiche, Damascus,
and Conquistador Cielo - or a CD over 1.25 - Creme Fraiche and Conquistador
Cielo - and their wins were in the mud, so are maybe suspect as far as dosage
is concerned.

Roman also worked out the average dosage of winning horses in the KY Derby and
Belmont - 2.58 DI and 1.78, respectively.  So, the longer distance actually
requires a lower dosage.

After you determine DI and CD for a given horse, the 10 pound filter needs to be
applied - your horse needs to be within 10 pounds of the current 2-year old
champion on the experimental free handicap.  This filter has been expanded to
include champions from other countries.  For example, in this year's KY Derby,
Sea Hero had the required DI and CD plus met the 10 pound filter requirement
while Truth of it All had the necessary DI and CD but was the Canadian champ.

Dr. Z then gives a list of the horses from the 1984-87 KY Derbies who met
the DI, CD, and 10 pound filter requirements and how they finished:

1984
----
Life's Magic - 8th
Fali Time    - 5th
Swale        - 1st

1985
----
Stephan's Odyssey - 2nd
Spend A Buck      - 1st

1986
----
Ferdinand - 1st
Groovy    - 16th

1987
----
Alysheba           - 1st
Bet Twice          - 2nd
Capote             - eased
Conquistarose      - 9th
Demon's Begone     - bled
Masterful Advocate - 12

In the 1986 Derby, Bold Arrangement finished 2nd.  His original DI was listed
as infinity and his CD was 1.75, and he didn't pass the 10 pound filter rule.
But in October of the same year, Relko, the damsire of Bold Arrangement, was
granted chef-de-race status.  So, BA's DI and CD were reworked to 2.00 and
0.83, respectively.  BA then was reclassified as meeting the DI and CD test
but still not qualifying on the 10 pound weight rule.  This same thing has
apparently happened with Strike the Gold, although I'm not sure of the details.

On the surface, this may seem like a bit of number juggling to lend credence
to the whole dosage idea.  But, I submit that this is not the case for two
reasons.  First, lets say that BA or STG or any of the 3 Belmont horses that
failed the DI/CD/10 pound tests did indeed win their races without passing
the dosage requirements.  That leaves a whole lot of horses that won the
remainder of the Derbies and Belmonts that DID meet the dosage theory rules.
Second (I wonder if anyone has caught this), DI and CD are constantly
evolving numbers.  As sires produce more and more get over the years, their
classification in any of the 5 categories can change, and therefore the DI
and CD of their get can change accordingly.

There's a summation of this year's KY Derby dosage contenders in the May 1
issue of the DRF on page 7 (at least that's the page in the west coast
edition).  According to the DRF, Sea Hero, Silver of Silver, and Truth of
it All were the horses that met all 3 dosage requirements.  Silver of
Silver's form at the time of the Derby was suspect, Truth of it All was the
2-year old champ from Canada and had never faced horses of this caliber in
a race of this level and was also therefore suspect, leaving Sea Hero as
being the logical choice, if you believe in dosage.

How do sires become chefs?  Steven A. Roman (mentioned earlier in this note)
and Abram S. Hewitt and Leon Rasmussen of the DRF have developed a list of
chefs.  Dr. Z publishes the list in the book talked about in this note.  I
guess a more current list would be published in the DRF or maybe The Blood
Horse or Bloodlines.  John, do you know?  Anyway, it seems that the list is
subjective according to the persons making up the list.  A software list
exists and I think is called PC Dosage or something like that.  I'll see if
I can find out more about it and pass on the info.

I think this is enough dosage for the moment,
Carl

    ESPN's Thoroughbred Digest had a few seconds of footage of Genuine Risk
    and her foal on last night's show. The foal is stunning! He has a
    tremendous amount of bone from what I could see in a fleeting glimpse.
    She looks great too. A typical first time mama, she wasn't about to let
    the foal out of her sight. Every time he played up and galloped away,
    she chased after him and put her neck over him. Poor old girl never got
    to munch grass! (Don't worry, she's not losing any weight!)

    Memorial Day is the tradtional date for the Gr I Metropolitan Mile
    Handicap at Belmont. It was a good field of 9 horses and an even better 
    race.
    
    Loach broke on top but let Bertrando take the lead. Bertrando set 
    blistering fractions getting the mile in 44 and change. Loach pressed
    Bertrando by staying about 3/4 length back on his outside. Alydeed
    stayed close to the pace racing 3rd and 4th for most of the trip.
    England Expects and Ibero were well back.
    
    For a few seconds, it looked like Alydeed wasn't going to run but a
    hole finally opened up for him and Perret asked him to go to the lead.
    Alydeed went to the lead as Loach folded at the eighth pole and passed
    Bertrando easily. Bertrando came back at Alydeed just as Ibero charged
    up on the outside. For a stride or two, it looked like those 3 would
    duel to the wire but the fast pace began to tell on Bertrando who had
    set it and Alydeed who had tried to stay close to it.
    
    Ibero took over and started to pull off. Bertrando came back gamely and
    tried to stay with Ibero but only managed second. Alydeed got third in
    a good performance. Many of the "wise guys" expected him to be off the
    board after running 2 hard races in his last 2 attempts because he was 
    coming up against top quality horses who were also fresh in this race. 

    The Belmont is this Saturday. It looks like there will be 12-14 horses
    in the race. Of course, Prairie Bayou and Sea Hero will be there.
    They're the only ones who have a shot at the $1,000,000 bonus money!
    Since the bonus is awarded on points(first 10, second 5, third 3, fourth 1)
    and Prairie Bayou won the Preakness and was second in the Derby, the bonus
    is almost in the bag for him. He has 15 points and Sea Hero has 10 for
    his Derby win. The only way for Sea Hero to get the bonus is for him to
    win the Belmont and Prairie Bayou is third or worse. There are also a couple
    ways they could tie at 15 or 20 points each and split the bonus. There
    are only 2 other horses that even ran in both the Preakness and the
    Derby who will enter the Belmont.
    
    The field will include El Bakaan and Cherokee Run who finished 2nd &
    3rd in the Preakness. The Peter Pan stakes which A.P. Indy used as a
    Belmont prep last year after he missed the earlier races due to injury
    will provide a couple new faces with quality, Virginia Rapids and
    Colonial Affair. Those horses ran 1-2 respectively in the Peter Pan
    which is 9 furlongs. Seven horses have won the Peter Pan and then gone
    on to win the Belmont so it's possible. Virginia Rapids is by Riverman
    and out of a Sir Ivor mare. So, he's bred to go a distance. Colonial
    Affair is by Pleasant Colony, a classic winner and sire of classic
    winners.
    
    I'll go out on a limb here. Prairie Bayou will not win. He's too slow,
    is a one run horse with no tactical speed and I doubt that he can get 
    the 12 furlong distance. I'm inclined to think that Virginia Rapids
    will be there or thereabouts since nearly every horse I liked this
    season was by Riverman or his son, Irish River. I also think that Sea
    Hero is a factor because he's bred for the distance and NY is his home
    track. On the other hand, NY has been known to be hot and humid which
    we know this colt doesn't like. If it's cool, he's got a shot,
    especially if it rains within 24 hours before the race. He likes a
    track with some moisture in it.
    
    Other action at Belmont this weekend includes the next event in the
    ACRS series(Gr I Nassau County) on Saturday. Devil His Due and other
    top handicap horses will be there. There are also 2 other graded stakes
    on Saturday. On Sunday, Dispute, Aztec Hill and Sky Beauty(among
    others) will contest the Gr I Mother Goose for 3 YO fillies and Lure
    and Star of Cozzene will vie for the 10 furlong Gr II(turf)Early Times 
    Manhattan. If Lure can stretch out to 1.25 miles, he'll 1) get
    $1,000,00 bonus for winning all 3 races in the turf series and 2) will be 
    aimed at the 10 furlong Gr I Arlington Million in September.

    I'll bet some of you are wondering, "Who the heck is Rahy that Genuine
    RIsk was bred to him?" I must confess even I didn't remember his name!
    So, I looked him up in The Blood Horse's Stallion Register(which is
    about as thick as a hardback "college edition" dictionary!). The short
    version is that he is VERY well bred and was a mediocre stakes horse.
    BTW, that puts him in the top 2% of his foal crop! Only 2% of
    Thoroughbreds EVER win a stake race so a "mediocre" stakes horse is a
    pretty good race horse even if he ain't Man O'War, Secretariat, Sea
    Biscuit, Kelso, Forego, Best Pal or Cougar II!
    
    Rahy was foaled in 1985 and raced in England at 2 & 3. He ran in the US
    3 times as a 4 YO. He won 6 of 13 starts. He was a basically a miler as
    most of his wins were at 8 or 8.5 furlongs. He won 2 stakes, a 6
    furlong sprint as a 2YO in England and a GrII Mile event by 10 lengths
    in the US at 4. His other wins were in overnight handicap and allowance 
    events. He was second in 4 races(3 of which were stakes) and third in 1 
    race which was also a stakes race. Rahy entered stud in 1990 and his
    first foals are 2 YOs in 1993 so we don't know whether he'll be a good
    sire or not.
    
    His sire, Blushing Groom raced in France and England and was a champion
    at 2 and 3. He was also a miler. Rahy's dam is Glorious Song who was a
    multiple Gr I stakes winner and won multiple champion titles in Canada 
    and North America. Blushing Groom sired many champions and has become a
    sire of sires. One of his best known sons at stud is Mt Livermore who
    sired Champions Housebuster and Eliza. (Now do you see why I didn't
    think Eliza could get beyond 8.5 furlongs? She comes from a long line
    of sprinter/miler stock.)
    
    A more extended pedigree follows:
    
                Nasrullah (sire of Bold Ruler who sired Secretariat,etc)
            Red God
                Spring Run
        Blushing Groom
                Wild Rush
            Runaway Bride
                Aimee
    Rahy
                Hail to Reason
            Halo
                Cosmah
        Glorious Song 
                Herbager   
            Ballade
                Miss Swapsco

    The post positions for the Nassau County Handicap and Belmont Stakes
    were drawn yesterday. Here theu are
    	
    		Nassau County Handicap (Gr I 9 furlongs)
    PP 	Name		Morning line odds(partial; others between 15-1&30-1)
    1	Sand Lizards
    2 	Devil His Due		 8-5 
    3	Strike The Gold		 3-1
    4	Valley Crossing
    5	Offbeat
    6	Missionary Ridge	 7-2
    7	Honest Ensign
    8	West by West			
    
    		Belmont Stakes
    PP  Name            Morning line odds
    1	Cherokee Run		 8-1
    2	Virginia Rapids		 5-1
    3	Kissin Kris		20-1
    4	Colonial Affair		15-1
    5	Prairie Bayou		 8-5
    6	Bull Inthe Heather	20-1
    7	Raglan Road		30-1
    8	El Bakaan		20-1
    9	Arinthod (who???)	12-1
    10	Only Alpha		50-1
    11	Sea Hero		 4-1
    12	Silver of Silver	20-1
    13	Antrim Rd		20-1
    14	Wild Gale		20-1

    Now that the Triple Crown races are in the books, I look back to see
    what the most memorable moments have been for me.  I've never followed
    the races in previous years like I have this year.  In some ways, I feel
    like I have come to know the horses personally.  For better or worse, here
    are my most remarkable moments:
    
    1.  Prairie Bayou breaks down in the Belmont.
    2.  Colonial Affair and Kissin' Kris win and place in the Belmont
        (I had a show bet on each of them at GGF, based on dosage).
    3.  Prairie Bayou wins the Preakness (not unexpected, just an exciting
        finish).
    4.  Union City breaks down in the Preakness
    5.  Sea Hero emerges momentarily from his doldrum to win the Kentucky
        Derby, after which he disappears back to mediocrity, taking many
        lost Preakness and Belmont bets with him.
    6.  Dosage appears to be a viable handicapping tool in the Triple
        Crown races.
    
    It was a tragic year due to Prairie Bayou and Union City and other
    horses injured along the way, like River Special.  Maybe the injuries
    are normal, but I can't remember the last time two horses had to be
    put down (or one horse for that matter).
    
    BTW, my dosage scheme narrowed down the field to just 3 horses, Sea
    Hero, Colonial Affair, and Kissin Kris.  I eliminated Sea Hero as being
    in declining form or just a mediocre horse who pulled off the KY Derby
    upset.  I couldn't eliminate Kissin Kris, so I placed him just behind
    Colonial Affair.  Both were worth a show bet.  CA paid $7.20 and KK
    paid $11.20 to show at GGF.  Perhaps I was just lucky, but I think
    there really IS something to dosage handicapping.  Let's see how it
    works at the Breeder's Cup.  So far, I'm a believer.
    
    Carl

    The last time something like this happened in Teiple Crown races was 
    about 8 years ago. In fact, the circumstances are frighteningly similar. 
    Haji's Treasure broke down in the Preakness while Tank's Prospect won and 
    matched Secretariat's DRF time for the race. Tank's Prospect then broke 
    down in the Belmont. Fortunately, *both* of them were saved and are still 
    alive today.
    
    In the Breeder's Cup Sprint a couple years ago, Mr Nickerson and Shaker
    Knit died due to injuries. Mr Nickerson burst a blood vessel and 
    hemorraghed. When he went down, Shaker Knit fell over him and broke his 
    back.
    
    For Carl and others interested in handicapping, there were other things 
    to be considered in Saturday's Belmont besides pedigree[dosage or
    otherwise]. NY racing regulars could have told you that traction 
    devices(mud caulks or turn downs) are important on the NY surfaces.
    There were 5 horses in the 13 horse field that had traction. One of
    them won. 
    
    I thought the rain and cool weather would be in Sea Hero's favor. 
    Sea Hero also had traction but I can't recall right now whether 
    Kissin Kris was shod that way or not.
    
    Another thing to consider is behavior. Those that saw ABC's broadcast 
    heard Mack Miller say that Sea Hero was "tearing the barn down" which
    implies he was anxious or overwrought. He was also acting up on the way
    to the saddling enclosure. Jan looked at me and said, "Hope he doesn't
    lose the race before he gets to the gate."
    
    Unfortunately, we couldn't apply Jan's "hot jockey" theory(The jockey who 
    wins the associated filly race will win the Triple Crown race) because the
    Mother Goose wasn't run until Sunday. However, Jerry Bailey did win the
    *stakes* race the day before the Belmont. But, when I heard that he had 
    already had 3 winners on Saturday, I knew it was very unlikely that Sea 
    Hero win. Why? Because a jockey winning 3 races on the same card at 
    Belmont is fairly common. It happens about once a week. Winning 4 or more 
    is a LOT more unusual... like once or twice a meeting.
    
    Because of Sea Hero's behavior and Bailey's win streak, I had kinda cast 
    Sea Hero out in favor of Colonial Affair because the Pleasant Colony babies
    love a distance, mature late and he had caulks. He was also fresher
    than Virginia Rapids who had run twice in the past month. Never thought
    twice about Kissin Kris!
    
    However, when I saw Sea Hero's move on the turn, I thought I might have 
    been wrong. I said to Jan, "Bailey's either got a heck of a lot of horse 
    or he's been run away with." You  heard him say after the race, it was 
    basically the latter. Bailey's got class. No excuses. He simply said the 
    horse was rank and wouldn't settle so, early in the race, he knew he had 
    no chance.

    In other action at Belmont this weekend:
    
    Miner's Mark(Personal Ensign's first foal) won the Gr III 9 furlong Colin
    Stakes for 3 YO. There's a bit of irony here as his dam(Personal Ensign) 
    was the first major stakes horse since Colin to retire undefeated. 
    Miner's Mark looks like he'll make a good middle distance horse. He is by 
    Mr Prospector so it's unlikely that he'll go much farther than 9 furlongs. 
    Most of the Mr Prospector's don't. 
    
    The 10 furlong Early Times Manhattan was run on Sunday. Lure took over
    on the final turn and forged to a 1 length lead. He was running
    strongly and looked good but Star of Cozzene was closing hard. Star of
    Cozzene caught Lure in the final 1/16 and went on to win by 3/4 of a
    length. Lure ran very well and this race was not a disgrace by any
    means. It was Lure's first start at 10 furlongs and the grass
    course was soft from the weekend rains(Lure likes firm turf).
    His lose does mean that he didn't get the $1,000,000 bonus that the 
    Early Times folks put up. Lure and  Star of Cozzene split a bonus of 
    $247,000 but Mike Smith(jockey on Lure and Prairie Bayou) wasn't having 
    a good weekend.....
    
    Until he got the the Mother Goose (Gr I 9 furlongs 3 YO fillies) late
    on the Sunday card. Sky Beauty drew away from Dispute like she was
    standing still! Sky Beauty won by 6 lengths under a hand ride and was
    actually eased in the last few yards. Dispute with Jerry Bailey up was
    under a hard drive but could make no headway in catching Sky Beauty.
    Eliza, whom Dispute defeated in the KY Oaks, wisely stayed in CA.

    >As I recall... not a good day - wasn't this the same day that Go For
    >Wand also broke down in the Distaff race?
    
    Unfortunate, but true. 

    For those interested in Genuine Risk's story who either weren't
    following racing in 1980 or have forgotten...I'll tell you what I
    remember...That was before we had a VCR so I don't have any tape of
    her. It was also before we subscribed to Blood Horse so this is
    strictly a recall deal.
    
    Genuine Risk was bought by the Bert & Diana Firestone for $35,000 at a 
    yearling sale. Their son, Matthew, had picked her out and asked his 
    parents to bid on her. They evaluated her and thought she was worth 
    $30,000 to $40,000 and bought her for that price.
    
    Genuine Risk was sired by Exclusive Native. Exclusive Native also sired
    Triple Crown winner, Affirmed who successfully fought off Alydar 3
    times in 1978. Exclusive Native was sired by Raise a Native(Native
    Dancer x Raise You) and out of Exclusive(Shut Out x Good Example).
    Sorry but I can't recall Genuine Risk's dam.
    
    Genuine Risk won the KY Derby in 1980. She ran second in the Preakness
    but(IMHO) should have won on a DQ. Codex, who did win the race, bumped
    her and forced her wide on the turn. Genuine Risk also ran in the
    Belmont and was leading in the stretch but tired and finished second by
    about a length.
    
    This is an outstanding performance in the Triple Crown and is by far
    the best performance by a filly. If there had been a Triple Crown bonus
    that year, she would have won it because the others were inconsistent
    and/or didn't run in all 3 races. She would have had 20 points for a
    win and 2 seconds while the best total for the others was 10.
    
    She was a courageous and honest racehorse. She always ran her best.
    There are very few racehorses that affect me the way she did. I was
    awed by Secretariat but Genuine Risk was different emotionally. I don't
    know how to explain it. Rubiano and Sky Classic were the same way so
    I'm pretty sure that it wasn't just that Genuine Risk was filly.
    
    She was retired in 1981 when she took a "funny" step in training. I
    think this was at Saratoga. She prained an ankle or something like that 
    and was retired. She went to Firestone's Catocin stud and was bred to
    Secretariat in 1982. That foal was stillborn and this is the first foal
    she's carried to term since.
    
    John
    
    

    On ESPN's "Thoroughbred Digest", they said that Strike The Gold's
    owners had announced that he is being retired. No reason was given for
    the retirement but my guess is that they felt he wasn't coming back
    from his bout with anemia in a way to make him a contender in the top
    handicap races. He gave a very poor account of himself in the Pimlico
    Special on May 15 when he finished last. He ran better in the Nassau
    County but still only managed 3rd. 
    
    No decision has been made about where he'll stand stud.

    It looks like the book is still open on dosage, even though neither Truth
    of it All or Sea Hero finished in the money in the Belmont.  I had set
    an upper limit of 3.20 DI for the race using the formula:  2.58 average
    DI (for 10 furlongs) is to 4.00 (upper limit DI for 10 furlongs) as 1.78
    average DI (for 12 furlongs) is to X (solve for X, the upper limit DI
    for 12 furlongs).
    
    This ruled out many horses including Virginia Rapids with a DI of 3.93
    I think.  Anyway, my list was narrowed to six horses, the three best of
    which were Colonial Affair, Kissin Kris, and Sea Hero.  I dismissed
    Sea Hero thinking he was in declining form or just happened to uncork
    a good KY Derby run (check his Beyer speed averages for his pre-Derby
    races and also his Preakness Beyer speed rating and you'll see that his
    Derby speed sticks out as unusual).  That left CA and KK as the logical
    dosage contenders, both of which were showing steadily improving form
    from their pre-Belmont Beyer speed ratings.  CA's speed average for the
    previous two races was 102 while KK's was 99, not enough difference to
    pick between them.  But CA has a history of finishing well and KK's
    history was a bit more spotted.
    
    This was my selection criteria for the Belmont.  I didn't pay any
    attention to the 10 pound filter rule.  Except for that, it looks like
    the book is still open on dosage theory, at least from my perspective.
    
    Carl

    The point that the statistician was trying to make is that Dosage is
    pseudo-science because it's is quantifying subjective opinions of
    selected parts of the pedigree. In that sense, I agree. 
    
    But, most handicapping tools and techniques involve 1) selected bits of
    information, 2) subjective opinions and, occassionally, making
    "numbers" out of 1 & 2. For example, speed figures and performance
    figures both involve taking hard numbers like the time and distance of
    a race and "adjusting" it for track conditions, local variants etc.
    They too are pseudo-science because the adjustments are based on
    the performances of horses *subjectively* deemed equal by
    the fact that they are running for the same claiming tag. That doesn't 
    mean these techniques are not useful in the art of handicapping.
    
    However, statistics can be deceiving, especially if the model is biased. 
    In the past, for example, scores on intelligence tests were used to 
    indicate superiority of one racial/ethnic group over another until it was 
    demonstrated that the tests were(and probably still are) culturally 
    biased. In other words, if the tests were made up by W.A.S.P. males, the 
    tests are bound to be biased in favor of W.A.S.P. males.
    
    One can take practically any sort of data and make SOME sort of statistic 
    out of it. They real question is whether or not the claim implied by the 
    statistic is valid. 
    
    My basic problem with dosage is that the selection of chefs-de-race
    includes some sires who were useful at best while excluding outstanding
    ones. The other thing that gives me some heartburn about it is that the
    number shifts from week to week or year to year. For example, the
    pedigree for Chief's Crown that Carl entered. It showed that Chief's
    Crown had an unacceptable dosage index to win at the KY Derby distance
    of 10 furlongs. But, in fact he DID win at 10 furlongs! He won the
    Gr I Travers Stakes at Saratoga 3 months after losing the Derby.
    In my opinion, the reason he didn't win the Derby is not his dosage
    index but the simple fact that he had been sick while training in Fla
    that winter and had not returned to form by early May. Besides, his
    number should have changed(perhaps to an acceptable level) after Danzig 
    became a chef! 
    
    I don't like soft changing ground as a basis for a choice of what to
    do. If dosage ever becomes less arbitrary, I think it would gain wider
    acceptance. For example, it could:
    	1) include ALL sires who have produced 20 or more foals who raced 
           at age 3+ (20 is a reasonable number for a statistical sample
           and allows young sires to be added evaluated quickly. Age 3 and
           up is necessary to determine what the stallion is producing.
           They don't race much beyond a mile at 2.)
    
    	2) categorize the sires by percentages of 5-7 furlong sprinters, 
           8-9.5 furlong middle distance horses and 10+ furlong stayers 
           or some other method which is less arbitrary than the current
           scheme.

    Twenty years ago today, Sgt Pepper taught the band....No! NO! that's
    something else!

    Twenty years ago today(June 9, 1973), Secretariat won the US 
    Triple Crown with an incredible victory in the 105th running of the 
    Belmont Stakes. No horse had done the triple in 25 years.

    My Gallant broke on top and battled Twice a Prince for the lead at the 
    first call. Sham was moving well on the outside but Secretariat rushed 
    up on the rail to take the lead. Secretariat and Sham raced stride for 
    stride going into the first turn. Rounding the clubhouse turn, Sham 
    took a slight lead. From that point on, it was all Secretariat.

    Down the backstretch, Secretariat started drawing off. He continued to 
    widen on the final turn. I remember announcer Chick Anderson saying 
    "He's moving like a tremendous machine!" I was jumping up and down, 
    yelling and screaming like a maniac, "Look at him go! Look at him go!"

    Secretariat set a new stakes and track record of 2:24 for 12 furlongs 
    in a hand ride. He won by a record margin of 31 lengths about 1/16th 
    of a mile or 110 yards. Both records still stand.

    Secretariat's KY Derby time of 1:59 2/5 for 10 furlongs still stands as 
    the stakes and track record, too. His unofficial time for the 
    Preakness(1:53 2/5 see 481.322 for details) would have been a stakes and 
    track record but it has since been matched by 3 YO's in the Preakness and 
    blown off by an older horse(Blushing John by Blushing Groom) in the 
    Pimlico Special(which is run at the same distance as the Preakness).

    I've also prepared a note describing Secretariat's race record and will 
    enter that right behind this one.

    John

Here's Secretariat's race record. I've marked record setting performances 
with * in the "Finish" column.

Date 	 Race & Distance	   Track 	Finish
__________________________________________________________________________
 7/4/72  Maiden Special Wgt 5.5f   Aqueduct	4th 1 1/4 lengths behind 
						winner; Mugged at the start; 
						impeded then rallied late.
 7/15/72 Maiden Special Wgt 6f     Aqueduct     Won handily by 6
 7/31/72 Allowance 6f              Saratoga	Won by 1 1/2 ridden out
 8/16/72 Sanford Stakes 6f         Saratoga     Won by 3 ridden out
 8/26/72 Hopeful 6.5f		   Saratoga     Won handily by 5
 9/16/72 Belmont Futurity 6.5f     Belmont	Won handily by 1 3/4
10/14/72 Champagne Stakes 8f       Belmont      Crossed finish first by 2 
						lengths; DQ'ed to second for
						bearing in passing Stopthemusic
10/28/72 Laurel Futurity 8.5f	   Laurel	Won easily by 4
11/18/72 Garden State 8.5f	   GSP		Won handily by 3 1/2

Champion 2 YO and Horse of the Year for 1972


 3/17/73 Bay Shore 7f              Aqueduct	Won by 4 1/2 in mild drive
 4/ 7/73 Gotham 8f	           Aqueduct	*Won by 3 ridden out; Stakes
						record; course equaling 
						record; broken by Easy Goer 
						in 1989
 4/21/73 Wood Memorial 9f          Aqueduct     3rd 4 lengths behind winner;
						raced wide and hung; said to
						have had an abcess in his 
						mouth which kept him from 
						taking hold of the bit
 5/ 5/73 KY Derby 10f              Churchhill	*Won handily by 2 1/2 - stakes 
						& course record still stands
 5/19/73 Preakness 9.5f	           Pimlico	*Won handily by 2 1/2 - 
						unofficially stakes & course 
						record; stakes record tied by
						Tank's Propect(1985). course 
                                                record beaten by 1/5 second by 
						Blushing John in the Pimlico 
						Special
 6/ 9/73 Belmont Stakes 12f	   Belmont	*Won ridden out by 31 lengths!
						stakes & course record still 
						stands
 6/30/73 Arlington Invitaional 9f  Arlington	Won easily by 6
 8/ 4/73 Whitney Stakes 9f         Saratoga     2nd by a length; weakened in 
						stretch; said to have had a 
						mild fever
 9/15/73 Marlboro Inv Handicap 9f  Belmont      *Won beating stablemate
						Riva Ridge(1972 KY Derby and 
						Belmont winner) by 3 1/2; 
						stakes, course and world
						record. 
 9/29/73 Woodward 12f              Belmont      2nd; 4 1/2 lengths behind 
						winner; said to have been a
						last minute substitution for
						Riva Ridge who did not like
						an off track; Was being 
						trained on turf for Man o'War
						Stakes 9 days later
10/ 8/73 Man o'War Stakes 12f turf Belmont	*Won by 5 ridden out; stakes & 
						course record; Broken 1992 by
						Sky Classic
10/28/73 Can. International 13f turf Woodbine	*Won by 5 1/2 ridden out; 
						Race is now run at 12f

Champion 3 YO and Horse of the Year for 1973

Looking back at it, Secretariat was defeated 5 times in 21 lifetime starts: 
once when he got mugged, once when he was disqualified by the stewards, twice 
when he wasn't healthy and once when he was being prepared for a different 
race. The latter 3 losses shouldn't have occurred in my opinion. The other 2
were simply bad racing luck. Not bad for a horse won on the toss of a coin!

John

    And after that remarkable racing career, Secretariat did not produce
    enough significant get to be considered a chef-de-race?  In my dosage
    study, I have seen a couple of different lists (one from Dr. Z's
    book compiled by a couple of DRF guys, and another list compiled by
    a couple of Blood Horse editors), both of which list Secretariat as
    having no chef-de-race points!  You'd think that the progeny of such a
    great horse would be tearing up the world's race tracks.
    
    Which brings me to a few points to make about dosage:
    
      1.  Assignation of horses as chefs-de-race is subjectively
          performed by so-called experts.
    
      2.  The experimental free handicap 10 pound filter rule is made
          up subjectively by more so-called experts.
    
      3.  The current 2-year-old champion is decided by even more
          experts rendering their subjective opions, although every so
          often such a great horse comes along that it's obvious.
    
      4.  Champions of other countries being considered in the same
          light as 10 pound filter rule qualifiers is not always
          reliable.
    
      5.  As chefs produce more get, their dosage numbers can change.
          Dosage experts have refigured the numbers on horses to make
          previous non-dosage qualifiers into dosage qualifiers, but I
          have yet to see previous dosage qualifiers refigured to become
          non-dosage qualifiers.
    
    So John, I agree with your assessment of dosage being non-scientific and
    subjective, but dosage does seem to work amazingly well.
    
    Carl

    Yes, that's an interesting thing about Secretariat not being a "chef du
    race".  But in a way, it makes sense.  He was the product of what some
    breeders think of as an outcross, since his sire and dam pedigrees
    didn't have a lot (yeah, what's a "lot") of ancestors in common.  The
    theory is that if you cross two different and inbred lines, you have a
    good chance of getting an outstanding individual (which certainly was
    the case!) but that this individual is unlikely to "breed true".  That
    seems also to have been the case....
    
    -ellie

    re: Secretariat
    
    But, Secretariat is becoming well-known as a broodmare sire
    and perhaps that is where his legacy will be. If you look at his
    produce record, he tended to produce more like his grandfather
    Princequillo than as a Bold Ruler son. I think Secretariat would
    have done better in Europe than in the US with its emphasis on
    speed.
    
    Also it is tradition that the "superstar" racehorses don't tend
    to be exceptional sires. For example, Citation, Whirlaway, Affirmed.
    You do have the exception in Seattle Slew though. :-)
    
    BTW, How is Spectacular Bid doing at stud?
    
    Vicky

    It always amused me that people thought Secretariat would go to stud
    and produce nothing but wonder horses. When an outstanding racehorse
    with a medoicre pedigree retires, they expect that horse to
    breed "true" to his pedigree(i.e. produce mediocre stock). Even better,
    a gelding like John Henry whose sire's stud fee was pocket change...The
    attitude was, "No great loss that he's a gelding. He would have bred to
    his pedigree anyway."
    
    Why, when a horse with good pedigree is superior on the track to others
    with similar pedigrees(even those with Bolder Ruler x a Princequillo mare),
    do they expect his performance in the breeding shed to exceed his
    pedigree? Genetics just doesn't work that way!
    
    If you evaluate Secretariat's performance as a sire compared to those
    with similar pedigrees, it looks pretty good. He produced horses that
    won Gr I stakes horses(at 10 furlongs and up) from 1976(General Assembly) 
    through 1992(Super Staff), including champions and classic winners like
    Risen Star and Lady's Secret. His last crop are 3 YOs this year and
    there doesn't seem to be any world beaters in it. Some of Secretariat's
    get develop late, one or 2 of them may turn out to be good as older
    horses.
    
    In fact, as Vicky suggested, Secretariat's breeding record is very 
    similar to Princequillo's in "style". Both produced a number of top race
    horses(but nothing like Northern Dancer and Nijinsky in terms of
    quantity) and both are better known as broodmare sires. 
    
    Actually, I wouldn't say that Seattle Slew was an exceptional sire. He
    produced a few good horses in his early crops but *nothing* in recent
    years. Northern Dancer and Nijinsky are the only "superstar" racehorses
    I can think of who became (what I would call) exceptional sires.
    
    Most of the exceptional sires in recent years were mediocre or worse as
    racehorses. For example, Mr Prospector(who only ever won 2 stakes races) 
    and Danzig(leading sire by earnings 1991 and 1992 who never ran in a 
    stakes race and only won 2 races in an abreviated career). Both those 
    horses also had soundness problems which breeders immediately overlooked 
    when they started producing stakes horses. To no one's surprise, they 
    produce a lot of unsoundness as well as stakes horses.
    
    Re: How is Spectacular Bid doing at stud?
    
    Apparently, not very well. He was moved from KY to NY this season. For
    most stallions, being moved from THE center of the breeding industry to 
    another state can be taken as a sign that he's not to good a sire.
    Especially when that state is no better than 4th behind KY, FL and CA
    in terms of producing quality horses. I'll look in the stallion
    register over the weekend and see what they have in the way of
    statistics etc.

    Re: How is Spectacular Bid doing at stud?
    
    Spectacular Bid is another example of an outstanding racehorse who
    is not an outstanding sire. A brief recap of his racing career shows
    30 starts with 26 wins(23 stakes wins) as well as 3 stakes placings 
    (2 seconds and one third). His 23 stakes wins included 13 Gr I stakes 
    like Champagne Stakes,  Laurel Futurity, KY Derby, Preakness, Santa Anita 
    Handicap, Californian Stakes, Haskell Invitational and the Woodward. His
    other stakes wins were Gr II and Gr III. His stakes placings were in 1 1/2
    mile Gr I races like The Belmont Stakes and the Jockey Club Gold Cup(now 
    run at 10 furlongs rather than 12). "The Bid" raced 3 years and was 
    champion each year he raced (2YO colt, 3YO colt and older horse 
    respectively). Shoemaker said Spectacular Bid was the best he ever rode.

    The most successful horse Spectacular Bid sired to date has won 1 Gr II 
    and 1 Gr III stakes race. The following statistics are from The Blood 
    Horse's Stallion Register(I kept it this year, Vicky ;-) and should allow 
    you to draw your own conclusions(or confuse you totally! ;-)

				In 92		1992 2 YOS(crop of 1990)
    Foals	423
    Runners	308(73%)    	104		12
    Winners	220(52%)	 48		 6
    2 YO Winners 52(12%)	  6		 6
    Stakes winners 37(9%)	  2		 0

    On Average, Spectacular Bid's foals win 2.16 times as much money as the
    average for all horses that run the same year. They also win 3.42 times as 
    much money as foals out of the same dams by other stallions.

               Number of Wins By Racing Year
    1984  12
    1985  32
    1986  70
    1987  76
    1988  78
    1989  97
    1990  99
    1991 100
    1992  79
        
               			By Foal Crop
    Year	Named	Runners	Winners		2YO Winners	Stakes Winners
    1982	25	20	17		 7		7
    1983	51	38	29		 4		5
    1984	50	42	33		11		8
    1985	53	42	27		 6		8
    1986	51	40	30		 5		3
    1987	46	39	32		 4		3
    1988	56	40	29		 6		2
    1989	45	35	17		 3		1
    1990	46	12	 6		 6		0

    Sultry Song (1992 Gr I Hollywood Gold Cup winner, 3rd in Horse of the
    Year voting in 92, etc) has been retired to stud at age 5. That's the bad 
    news. 
    
    The good news is that his older brother,Solar Splendor, is still racing. 
    He recently went against Lure and Star of Cozzene in the 10 furlong Early 
    Times Manhattan. He set the pace for a while but got beat by horses who 
    are better at 10 furlongs and like a soft course(Star of Cozzene). Solar 
    Splendor's best races have been at 12f.
    
    Even better though, is that Sultry Sun(their dam) has produced a 2 YO
    by Canadian champion and world record setter, With Approval. This 2 YO 
    will probably be a) good and b) a turf horse, so watch for him in major
    stakes.

    Speaking of Sultry Song's Hollywood Gold Cup win reminds me...
    Everytime you turn around, the press and Californians are saying
    something like, "California has the best horses. Eastern horses can't beat
    'em"...etc
    
    Baloney! Not only did Sultry Song go west and beat California's best
    last summer in the Hollywood Gold Cup, but the Californians that have
    gone east in the past year haven't done well at all. The Triple Crown
    races and associated filly races were all won by Eastern horses.
    Personal Hope, Corby, Diazo, Union City, Eliza, etc all met defeat.
    
    Similarly, in the major races for older horses, the West Coast shippers
    haven't done too well. Even Champion Paseana and Best Pal got beat when
    they went East...Most ACRS races(this year and last) were won by Eastern 
    horses. Strike The Gold won the bonus last year and Devil His Due has
    won 2 races so far this year. Lure beat Star of Cozzene 2 out of 3
    times. Strike The Gold, Devil His Due and Lure are al NY based
    horses. 
    
    So, "Chill out! California!"

    Stakes racing has been pretty quiet since Belmont Weekend but there are
    a couple interesting things that happened in CA recently:
    
    Best Pal is still not back to his peak form. He tried the grass for the
    first time in a major stake and ran a game second with his usual late
    charge.
    
    Bien Bien(now 4) has finally got over his case over second-itis. He's
    been running well on the turf but always managed to get beat somehow
    Even in his victory over Fraise last December, he won by DQ after
    finishing second by a nostril. Fraise had knocked him off stride in the
    stretch run. Well, he won BIG last time out and set a track/stakes
    record. Kotashaan, Lure and Star of Cozzene will have to battle this
    late developing colt. He's got the talent and class to run with them.
    
    Paseana is back to her winning ways. She's won her second straight Gr I
    race and now seems to be near the top of her game. There's talk that
    she and Turn Back the Alarm may meet in one of the stakes at Saratoga.
    If not, they'll certainly meet in the Breeder's Cup Distaff.
    
    Eliza is back to losing. She finished a dismal 4th in a 5 horse field
    after leading for 7+ furlongs. On the final turn, you could tell she
    was spent. She was shortening stride and you knew she would be caught.
    Hopefully, she was just a bit unfit and not injured. She's better than that

    I finally got my Breeder's Cup tickets yesterday and I just can't
    possibly relate how excited I am!  My wife and I have a couple of
    box seats between the 1/8 and 1/16 poles -- front row!  Now if I can
    only contain myself until November 6th.
    
    It was not too difficult to find tickets, but it was a little on the
    expensive side.  I had called Santa Anita, but the lady just laughed
    when I asked her if they had any tickets.  It seems they were sold out
    months ago.  But she suggested that I call sports ticket agencies,
    who buy most of the tickets anyway.  I called my company's travel agent
    and she was able to find two or three places selling tickets.  There
    was still plenty of choices of seating left -- for a price.  The
    cheapest seats in the nose-bleeds are $75 (Santa Anita would have sold
    them for $20 if they had any left) and the most expensive seats were
    in the Turf Club for $1500!!  We settled for box seats for $200.
    Other box seats were available for $150, $250, $300, and $350 for the
    loge section almost at the finish line.  According to the travel agent,
    all the sports tickets places were charging the same prices.
    
    The hotels, airlines, and car rental agencies are having 3-day/night
    deals for the Breeder's Cup.  In other words, you can't get a hotel
    room for one or two nights, it has to be three nights, arriving on the
    4th and checking out on the 7th.  Rental cars offer the best deal if
    you get the car on the 4th and return it on the 7th.  The airlines
    give you a 2 ticket for price of one deal only if you arrive on the 4th
    and leave on the 7th.  Looks like they're accomplices.
    
    It's bound to be great fun seeing the world's best horses, trainers,
    and jockeys.  And add to that my passion for horseracing and handi-
    capping -- I can hardly wait!
    
    Is it November yet?
    Carl

    Ever hear of Fourstars Dave? Probably not, but he's one of my favorite
    racehorses that's running today. He's an 8 YO gelding and runs in minor
    turf stakes in NY(Gr II-III and ungraded). 
    
    His younger brother(Fourstars Allstar) is better known and has been
    seen in Gr I turf races on network TV. He just won the NH Sweepstakes at 
    Rockingham the other week. Both are NY breds and based in NY with 
    Irish-born trainer Leo O'Brien(former jump jockey and jump trainer in 
    Ireland)
    
    So, why do I follow "Dave?" He's a good racehorse AND a character! For
    example, he started racing at 2 and has won a stakes race at Saratoga
    EVERY season! That's 6 seasons, folks! Usually, it's a graded stake but 
    last year he could only manage a victory in lesser stakes. I thought it 
    was the "twilight" of his career and that he was losing his speed. Wrong!
    
    He came back this season and has been running well. Last Saturday, he
    won the GrIII(turf) Poker Stakes at Belmont and broke *HIS OWN* course
    record for the mile! He won well in 1:33.00, a good time anywhere!
    
    He's also the all-time leading NY bred money winner. His last race
    prior to the Poker, was in allowance company at Philadelphia Park. Why?
    He was approaching the NY bred earnings record and his trainer wanted
    him to set the new record with a win rather than just being in the
    money. So, he sent him over to PA. His purse money from the Poker just
    pushed his record a little farther out of reach for the next horse.
    
    When "Dave" goes to Saratoga, he really sharpens up. O'Brien says that
    he thinks "Dave" knows the place and that "Dave" loves the atmosphere 
    there. There's more activity to entertain him and he spends hours
    looking out the window watching the world go by. 
    
    So, don't be surprised if "Dave" wins one of Saratoga's best races this
    year. He's in good form and he's done it before! I hope he does and
    then they retire him. After all, how many horses have won Saratoga
    stakes 7 years in a row?

John,

I don't know "Dave", but I am interested in his pedigree.

Vicky

Fourstar Dave and Fourstars Allstar are out of the unraced mare, 
Broadway Joan and sired by Compliance, a Northern Dancer son. Compliance raced 
for 2 years in Ireland and had a career of 5 starts and zero wins. His best 
finish was 3rd in the Ballycorus Stakes. His record as a sire is 55% winners 
and 2% stakes winners.

Broadway Joan has had 5 named foals to date(4 by Compliance and 1 by Secreto). 
All 5 have raced and won. Dave and Allstar are her only stakes winners to 
date. Last year, Broadway Joan was sent to Ireland and was bred to 
Sadler's Wells, another(but FAR more successful) Northern Dancer son. There 
was a breeding arrangement between the mare and stallion owners where 
Broadway Joan would be bred to Sadler's Wells twice. The stallion owner gets 
the first foal and the mare owner gets the second. The first foal is on the 
ground and she has been rebred.

Dave has made 80 starts(so far!) in his career and has 20 wins. Most of those 
races have been at 7-9 furlongs. His biggest win was the Gr II St Paul Derby.
He has won about $1.5 million in purse money while winning 13 stakes and 
finishing "in the money" in 17 more stakes!

Fourstars Allstar is now 5. His biggest win was the Group I Irish 2,000 
Guineas as a 3 YO. He's also won several Gr II and III events here in the US 
as well as a number of ungraded stakes. He's best at 8-9 furlongs but can 
stretch out to 10 furlongs.

Full pedigree follows for those interseted enough to continue:

             Nearco
          Neartic
             Lady Angela
       Northern Dancer
             Native Dancer
          Natalma
             Almahoud
    Compliance
             Tom Fool
          Buck Passer
             Busandra
       Sex Appeal
             Traffic Judge
          Best In Show
             Stolen Hours
Fourstars Dave 
             Double Jay
          Noble Jay
             Noble Nurse
       Bold Arian
             River War
          River Val
             Shop Val
    Broadway Joan
             Nashua
          Wakefield Tower
             Slave
       Courtneys Doll
             Wigral
          Rapport
             Wise Ally

    Whew, what a weekend! Every timew I turned around there was a good race
    on TV!
    
    Best Pal finally got back to his true form. In an interview, Gary Jones
    said that he had probably rushed Best Pal to get ready for the Santa
    Anita Handicap last February and he wasn't ready. Then when they ran
    him at Oaklawn to defend that title, he bruised a foot and was off
    again. He needed his last race(a good second on the Hollywood Park turf 
    course) and Jones said he was out of excuses. Fortunately, Best Pal
    didn't need one! He won easily in defeating Marquetry, Missionary
    Ridge, Bertrando(all 3 trained by Bobby Frankel!), Latin American, and a 
    couple other top West Coast handicap horses in Saturday's Hollywood Gold 
    Cup.
    
    On Sunday, the East Coast's top handicap horses contested the Gr I
    Suburban. Devil His Due was back on form with a 4 week rest after losing
    the Gr I Nassau County on Belmont Stakes day. DHD went to the lead on
    the final turn and was truly pressured in the lane. He was very game in 
    holding off all challenges and won by well over a length. Pure Rumour 
    was a fast closing second while Nassau County winner Gone West faded to 
    third.
    
    Champion turf mare Flawlessly started her season with a win. She won the 
    Beverly Hills Handicap by a wide margin! Unfortunately, it wasn't as
    decisive a victory as it looked. Jockey Kent Desormeaux managed to get
    Jolypha boxed in when there were only 3 other horses in the field!
    While Flawlessly, who had only about a length advantage, strode away 
    from the others, Desormeaux had to pull Jolypha up and take her outside 
    the 2 "also rans" that had her boxed. By the time Jolypha got running 
    again, Flawlessly was home with a 10 length win with Jolypha flying to 
    get second. You may remember seeing Jolypha run an excellent third to
    A.P. Indy and Pleasant Tap in the 1992 Breeder's Cup Classic. Many people 
    thought she actually ran the best race that day and only lost because 
    she was forced wide on the turn. She's darned good and her jockey's 
    bone-headed move cost her all chance of catching Flawlessly. Next time!
    
    I could go on for another 100 lines but I'll finish with some feed back
    on Eliza. Her trainer said she was not injured and he thinks her mind
    is blown. She's been anxious and overwrought; impossible to rate even
    in workouts. He's planning on giving her a vacation to see if she'll
    come back. On the other hand, it's possible that she's exactly what
    Allen Paulson called her, a female Arazi...precocious and brilliant at 2 
    but a disappointment thereafter. 

    The PRIME sports network and its affiliates(NESN, PTN, PNW, SUN, MSG,
    etc) are putting on a new show about throughbred racing. It's a 30
    minute show and  is supposed to be on 3 times a month.
    
    After viewing the first show, I think the main focus of the show will
    be attracting new fans and public relations. The first show included
    stories about Secretariat, Genuine Risk and her new foal, and a short
    segment on handicapping. 
    
    The next show will have a segment on advances in veterinary medicine
    which can save many horses who are injured. I think they will feature
    a story about Dixie Brass who broke down in the 1992 Sports Page
    Handicap with an injury similar to that which took Ruffian's life in
    1975. Dixie Brass is now at stud. 

    Well, Sky Beauty and jockey Mike Smith won the Triple Crown for Fillies
    last Sunday as expected. The Filly Triple is a series of races in NY
    consisting of the Acorn Stakes, Mother Goose Stakes and Coaching Club 
    American Oaks. Actually, last year(I think) they started calling it 
    "The Triple Tiara" to a) make it sound more feminine and b) avoid
    confusion with all the other "Triple Crowns" in the world.
    
    Sky Beauty is only the eighth filly in history to accomplish this feat.
    The last time it was accomplished was 1989 when Open Mind did the "hat
    trick." Some of the others to win the Filly Triple are: Chris Everett,
    Mom's Command and Ruffian. Sorry, I can't think of the other 3 offhand.
    
    Sky Beauty is the top filly in the US, bar none. She would have been
    2 YO Filly champ last year but an injury sidelined her and Eliza won
    the B.C. Juvenile Fillies.
    
    However, this doesn't put Sky Beauty in the same category as Mom's
    Command and Ruffian(yet). The races have been shortened in recent years.
    They are now 8, 9 and 10 furlongs for the Acorn, Mother Goose and Oaks,
    respectively. The Oaks was shortened from 12 to 10 furlongs a few years
    ago. I think that the Mother Goose used to be 10 furlongs so that the
    races were 8, 10 and 12 furlongs respectively. It takes a different
    kind of horse to go 10 and 12 furlongs than 8 & 9. Not necessarily
    better, but definitely different.

    Speaking of "other Triple Crowns in the world"...The Canadian Triple
    Crown series started on Sunday. 
    
    Peteski won the 10 furlong Queen's Plate in a wire to wire romp. 
    Although the series is restricted to Canadian *horses*, there are no
    restrictions on ownership or riders. Peteski was ridden by Craig
    Perret. Peteski is owned by a New Yorker who used to be head of the 
    NY Racing Association. He bought the horse after Peteski broke his maiden 
    earlier in the current Woodbine meeting. Peteski is trained by Canadian 
    Roger Attfield who trained 2 Canadian Triple Crown winners(With
    Approval and Izvestia). Attfield has now won the race 6 times and 3
    times in the last 4 years!
    
    Intersetingly enough, Attfield trained the second place finisher, 
    Cheery Night, who was the favorite in the race. Just to demonstrate
    what poor handicappers jockeys are, Canadian jockey Don Seymour was 
    given his choice of the two mounts. He regularly works both in the 
    mornings and chose Cheery Night. 
    
    I've never understood why people ask jockeys for inside tips! Many of 
    them have the knack of choosing to ride the wrong horse. FOr example, 
    Kent Desormeaux chose not to ride Best Pal in May. Now, he's lost the 
    mount to Corey Black and Best Pal is back on top of the handicap
    division. There are few better jockeys than Eddie Maple but he 
    seems to choose *away* from horses that turn  out to be outstanding 
    stakes horses.

    I been meaning all week to tell you about the Gr I Vanity Handicap(9 
    furlongs for fillies & mares 3 YO & up).
    
    It was another short field with just 5 going to the post. Champion
    older mare Paseana(now a 6 YO!) was the favorite and gave away *TONS*
    of weight to every other mare in the field. 
    
    Paseana had drawn an inside post and broke well but she was in danger
    of being trapped on the rail like Jolypha was against Flawlessly in the
    Beverly Hills Handicap. Kent Desormeaux is still taking abuse for that
    mistake! To be fair though, the other jocks intentionally kept
    Desormeaux & Jolypha boxed by waiting to make their own runs. It was
    good strategy in an attempt to get second for themselves. But, Jolypha
    was too good for that trick to work.
    
    Anyway back to the Vanity. Chris McCarron(who rides Flawlessly and 
    Paseana) was paying attention that day. So, when 3 horses were outside
    him, he moved Paseana early to get through a hole on the rail. Paseana
    came to Sourthern Truce easily and went on by. She relaxed and turning
    for home she looked invincible.
    
    ReToss finally got some running room and came flying when she finally
    got clear. SHe closed on Paseana and for a minute it looked like a
    battle to the wire. But, the weight Paseana was carrying started to
    take its toll. ReToss won by a mere length while she carried 12 pounds
    less than Paseana.
    
    As good a racehorse as ReToss is, she didn't beat Paseana. The track
    handicapper did by the weight assignments. Every time Paseana has lost
    this year, she's been beaten by less than 2 lengths by a mare carrying 
    12-17 pounds less weight. Paseana *should* carry more weight, no
    question. But, it's unfair to load her up so much more than the others.
    It's obvious that she can't give away that much weight 

    Last week marked the opening of the Saratoga race meeting which is
    arguably the best single race meeting in North America. It's certainly
    got the highest ratio of stakes to days of racing. I think they have 30
    stakes races in 35 calendar days. There's a stake almost every racing
    day(they only race 6 days a week)!
    
    Last Friday, they ran the Gr III(turf) Daryl's Joy which old FourstarDave
    had won twice. This year's race was great! Dave ran along in 3rd-4th
    place until the top of the stretch when he started to kick for home. He
    sure looked like a winner until I saw Lure(a champion turf horse and
    multiple Gr I winner) coming like an express train.
    
    Dave went with Lure for a few strides but Lure edged away to win by 3
    lengths. I was sorry to see Dave lose but he ran well(You should see
    his stride! It's incredible!) and it took a champion like Lure to beat 
    him. The good news is that Lure didn't break the course record which Dave
    had set in one of his earlier wins of this race. (I think he's run in
    the Daryl's Joy race about 5 times and never been out of the money!)
    
    For Lure, this was something of a new style. He had been held well
    off the pace in an attempt to teach him to rate. He has always been a
    front runner. His trainer, Shug McGaughey was interviewed on last
    night's "Inside Racing" and said that this new style was intended to
    preserve Lure's energy so he could get 1 1/4 miles. He's intending to
    run Lure in the Arlington Million next month which is a Grade I race at
    1 1/4 miles.
    
    NYRA also held the traditional set of races for opening week: The
    Schuylerville, Saratoga Special, Test, Jim Dandy etc.
    
    Definitely worth mentioning is the Jim Dandy(Gr II 9 furlongs 3 YO
    colts) which is a traditional prep race for the Gr I Travers Stakes(the
    oldest stakes race in the US.) Miner's Mark(Cmapion older mare, 
    Personal Ensign's first foal) defeated an all-star cast which included 
    Sea Hero(Gr I KY Derby winner who will now probably compete in grass 
    races), Colonial Affair(Gr I Belmont Stakes winner), Sea Tower(Gr I Wood 
    Memorial winner), Virginia Rapids, etc. Miner's Mark is also trained by
    McGaughey and is headed for the Travers.
    
    Eddie Maple a veteran jockey of 25 years won the Saratoga Special with 
    Dehere. He says this is the best juvenile he's ever ridden. I believe it 
    too. You should have seen the race. Eddie had him on the rail and was 
    trying to get through along the rail. Couldn't get through so he tried 
    to move between horses to get a shot at the lead. Another horse got to 
    the hole before him. So, at the top of the stretch, he checked Dehere 
    a bit and took him back to go around the fron runners. By the time he 
    maneuvered him to the outside, they were 6 lengths out of it and racing 
    4 wide! No problem! Dehere went by the others like they were standing
    still and drew off to win by 3-4 lengths!

    1992 KY Derby winner, Lil E Tee, has been retired. He sustained a
    hairline fracture to his right front cannon bone in a workout. The
    injury is in NO way life threatening but he has been retired.
    He is for sale as a stallion prospect. Anybody wanna buy into the
    syndicate?

The winner of the English 2,000 Gns (Grade 1 race for 3 yo colts over 1 mile)
ZAFONIC trained by A Fabre in France, who is regarded by many as the best 
miler in Europe, had what is certainly his last European race, and possibly 
the last race of his career last week. The race was the Sussex Stakes at 
Goodwood (UK) which is a traditional all-aged mid-season grade 1 affair over 
a mile. Zafonic ran a disappointing race to finish a well beaten 7th on 
unsuitable good-soft ground. It later transpired that the colt had bled 
internally. Since medication is not allow in Europe the colts future lies
either at stud or on the American circuit. 

Is lasix allowed on the Santa Anita course ?

MartinK

    >Is lasix allowed on the Santa Anita course ?
    
    Yes. Unlike Europe, we in the US have no *national* regulation of which
    medications are allowed on race day. Each state sets up its own
    regulations. The strictest are New York's which allow no medication
    within 24 hours of a race. California allows lasix on race day.
    
    I'm sure Zafonic would be a welcome addition to the barn of any of the
    top southern CA trainers,especially those with reputations of handling
    turf horses well like Bobby Frankel, Ron McAnally or Charlie Whittingham.
    
    Actually, the strictest national policy I have heard on the subject of
    bleeders is Australia's. Not only do the Aussie's not allow medication
    but, if a horse bleeds twice in races, it is *BANNED FROM FURTHER
    RACING FOR LIFE*! 
    
    One of their top turf mares has recently relocated to CA because she
    had bled once in a race. Rather than risk bannishment, her owners moved
    her to the US so she could continue racing and will get lasix.
    
    Most states in the US permit horses to race on lasix but the regulations 
    vary from state to state as to how much is allowed and what conditions have
    to be met before the horse can race on lasix. Some leave it strctly to
    the trainer or veterinarian. Others require 2 confirmed episodes of
    bleeding before allowing lasix on race day.
    
    Canada does have national regulations and, until about 2 years ago, the
    Canadian regulations were like Europe's. No medication on race day. 
    About 2 years ago(Sept 1991, if I remember correctly), they began to  
    allow lasix. 
    
    Many people will claim that lasix does not improve a horse's performance.
    Therefore, it was with great interest that I noted the comments of
    Woodbine's offical handicapper during the broadcast of the Canada's
    Queen's Plate. He said "After watching thousands of races since we
    allowed lasix, I can tell you that lasix turns 'also-rans' into winners."

    My personal opinion is that lasix allows a horse to run according to
    it's true capabilities, rather than actually improve a horse's performance.
    
    A fictional example:
    
        A horse has the ability to run with capability X.
        The horse bleeds and can only muster capability X-Y.
        After lasix the horse can run again with capability X.
    
    This is what I have gathered so far from my reading and also from
    a few owners and trainers via the Internet Derby and otherwise.
    
    Carl

    Carl,
    
    I disagree and so do many veterinary studies. In one such study, Lasix
    was administered to a control group of non-bleeders. They all ran
    faster than they had without the Lasix. The theory is that because it
    is a diuretic, Lasix causes horses to urinate substantially more than
    they ordinarily would. Therefore, the horse is lighter(the theory 
    continues) and the same amount of muscle power/energy will produce 
    faster times.
    
    Many people in American racing feel that Lasix enhances performance
    rather than merely allowing true ability to show. In addition, 
    many prominent people in American racing(e.g Seth Hancock, president of 
    Claiborne Farms and John Veitch, trainer of Alydar) feel, as I do, that 
    Lasix should be banned entirely or, at least, banned in Gr I races like
    the Breeder's Cup, Kentucky Derby, etc. because the winners of those 
    races have such great impact on the future generations of horses. 
    
    If we continue to allow Lasix and other drugs(e.g. Bute) on race day,
    we will soon have a breed of horses which cannot race without them.
    That's not good for the horses, the sport, the betting public or the
    TB industry.
    
    Many people who favor allowing Lasix and Bute in competing horses use
    the "it's only humane" argument to justify their position. Frankly, I
    think it is inhumane to give a horse a painkiller(like Bute) and race
    it when it's sore! Same with Lasix. I think it's inhumane.
    
    Finally, in the arguments against, Lasix is not very effective. Many 
    horses bleed despite having been treated with Lasix. 
    
    John

    I'm not so sure that it's a matter of agreeing or disagreeing.  My
    personal opinion is based on what I know *so far* from having read
    books, talked to a few trainers and owners, and what I have learned
    from following the mail in the Internet Derby.  All of this, of course,
    is for the sole purpose of finding a horse to bet on.  The sum total
    of what I know up to now was stated by me in my last note, but is always
    subject to change from new information.  It seems that you, John, have
    read or been exposed to more and different sources than I have, so it's
    not surprising that our current thinking on the subject is different.
    
    I'm always looking for new information about anything pertaining to
    horse racing and thoroughbred handicapping, but I've not read anything yet
    about veterinary studies and I would find it very interesting to do so.
    Are there articles or books you could cite?  The Internet Derby doesn't
    get into vet studies or the like, only handicapping related stuff, and
    the trainers and owners I know are probably not aware (and could care
    less) about the effects of lasix you have mentioned.  Anyway, any info
    you could point me to would be most appreciated.
    
    Carl

>>re: 481.552 
>>                                                                    and
>>    the trainers and owners I know are probably not aware (and could care
>>    less) about the effects of lasix you have mentioned.  

    "not aware".  Now that's the dummest think I ever heard !

    You might want to check out note 471.6

    I think we should be careful in quoting 'scientific' studdies.
    I'm certainly not a biological scientist either but alot of smaller
    clinical studies are not reproducable.

    The last smaller scientific breakthru, with alot of media attention
    that was not reproducable was, I believe nuclear fussion in a coffee
    cup, I'm sure most of us remember that.

    I was at a meeting of my cat club last Saturday night.  The president
    of the club is an owner and breeder of TB horses.  He's not the high
    profile owner you see on TV at the major races, but he's been fairly
    successful here in No. Cal. at Golden Gater Fields.  He's been helpful
    to me in my quest to learn as much as I can about horse racing.  I'm
    fascinated by every aspect of racing and I take advantage of his
    helpfulness and experience whenever I see him and he is willing to
    answer my constant barrage of questions.
    
    This time I asked him to tell me everything he knew about lasix, how
    he uses it, what kind of horses, etc.  Here are the major points of
    what he had to say:
    
    1.  I generally try to avoid using it as a pure performance enhancement.
        It's kind of like body builders using steroids.  You sacrifice
        long term in favor of short term gains.  And the gains are not
        automatic.  Some horses respond and some don't.  You can never
        tell which will and which won't ahead of time.
    2.  I usually only give lasix to the bleeders.  Most of the people I
        know do the same thing.  But I depend on the veterinarian to make
        the call.  I rely on his advice.  That's what I pay him for.
        Some bleeders don't respond very well at all to lasix, so then you
        can't race them at all.  That's the chances you take when you
        decide to get into horse racing.
    3.  I don't pay much attention to studies.  For every study that says
        one thing, there's another study that says something else.  I'll
        let the vets read them and sort it all out.  Sometimes another
        owner or trainer will ask me if I read some article about the
        effects of lasix or something else.  I'll talk to my vet about
        whether I should be concerned or not.  A lot of times he dismisses the
        studies as not having enough backup data or for being too isolated,
        but occasionally there is real reason for concern and he makes
        recommendations.
    
    So it seems that at least one owner is aware of the usual lasix
    considerations, but is not aware of every study or report.  He seems to
    genuinely care about the quality of life of his horses, that is, he
    wouldn't give lasix to a horse just to get it acroos the finish line first,
    only to drop dead later.  He trusts his vet to make the correct calls and
    keep up with the latest info.  But still, he wants to protect his
    investment, so will not hesitate to use lasix when deemed necessary.
    
    But I still intend to read some of the studies.  I'm not sure I'll find
    anything that will increase my profitability at the track, but it's
    sure to be interesting.  When I learn more, I'll report it.
    
    Carl
    
    P.S.  Radical thought:  let's be civil, not insulting.

    Carl,
    
    re your club president's comments:
    
    >1.  I generally try to avoid using it as a pure performance
    >    enhancement.
    
    The wording of that statement implies that he believes that Lasix *can*
    be used as a performance enhancing drug and that some people *are* 
    using it that way.
    
    > 2.  I usually only give lasix to the bleeders. Most of the people I
    >     know do the same thing. 
    
    Implies that most people use the drug in a therapeutic way *most* of
    the time. But it also implies that he/they sometimes give or has a vet 
    give the drug to a horse which is not a bleeder which would be a 
    non-therapeutic use. What purpose could there be other than therapy if
    the drug does not enhance performance, he asks with tongue-in-cheek?
    
    The basic problem lies in human nature. People are always looking for
    an "edge" over the competition. If they can get it through drugs, 
    many will use it.
    
    Aside from what I've read(and I'll look up as many articles as I can on
    lasix and other drugs), you only have to look at simple facts:
    	1. Horses who have no history of bleeding get Lasix. 
    	2. Many bleeders, who are given Lasix, bleed anyway(i.e. it's not real
    effective in its therapeutic use). 
    	3. Horsemen in NY do without Lasix and claim that there are other
    ways to manage horses who have bleeding problems.
    	4. Horses that run on Lasix in other states ship to NY and race
    without Lasix. 
    
    If Lasix were strictly necessary for a bleeder to race and only had
    a therapeutic effect, would those things be true? My own conclusion is
    no. Your mileage may vary.
    
    John

    Now, back to our regularly scheduled topic....
    
    This was a good weekend for turf racing in the US. Saratoga had the Gr
    I 12 furlong Sword Dancer Handicap for 3 YO & up and Del Mar(the CA 
    analogy to Saratoga) had 2 Gr I 9f turf races, the Ramona Handicap for 
    Fillies & Mares as well as the Eddie Read for 3 YO & up) ...not to
    mention Arlington International's 10 f Gr II Arlington Handicap!
    
    With Lure being unsuited for 12f and Star of Cozzene resting, the
    Saratoga field was not exactly star-studded. But, there were a number
    of good solid stakes horses there. The win went to Spectaluar Tide 
    through a well-timed move by Julie Krone.
    
    At DelMar, the fields were a bit more impressive. The Ramona saw Re
    Toss, Heart of Joy, Jolypha and others up against champion Flawlessly. 
    Re Toss and Heart of Joy broke on top and set the pace into the first
    turn. McCarron had Flawlessly in perfect position, running third just
    off the leaders. Jolypha was tucked in just behind Flawlessly. Heart of
    Joy set a blistering pace. For a minute it looked like she would never
    quit. When she did tire, Jolypha moved first and she moved outside 
    Flawlessly. As the leaders tired and Flawlessly needed running room,
    she was then taken outside Jolypha on the final turn. While coming out
    of the turn Jolypha drifted out a bit and bumped Flawlessly. The bump
    was enough to knock Jolypha sideways for a couple strides at which
    point she stopped running and finished last or second last. Flawlessly
    did not seem to be bothered by the incident and drew off to win
    impressively.
    
    In the Eddie Read, Kotashaan was the class of the field and trailed
    throughout most of the race. When it was time for him to make his move,
    the field was tightly bunched but spread out widely across the track.
    In the final turn, Kotashaan raced so wide he was about 3/4 of the way
    to the *outer* rail on DelMar's turf course! He must have been 8 to 10
    horses out from the inner rail! He went on to win by about 5 lengths 
    under a hand ride. 
    
    Kotashaan was being prepared for the 10f Arlington Million in 3 weeks 
    time. It may have been unintentional, but my guess is that he lost so
    much ground racing wide in the final turn that he ran 10f yesterday! He
    out to be *very* sharp for Arlington.
    
    Unless the respiratory disease currently plaguing Chicago scares off
    some people, the  Arlington Million should have an outstanding field 
    this year. Lure will be trying to show his class at 10f. His arch-rival,
    Star of Cozzene, will be there. Kotashaan will be there as will the 
    other CA turf star, Bien Bien. And that's just what I can think of 
    off-hand! The Canadians and Europeans usually send a few good horses too.

I meant to put this in last week but forgot.

Up in Canada, the Triple Crown for 3 YOs is still in progress. Sunday Aug 1,
they held the second leg(The Prince of Wales, 9.5f dirt) at Fort Eirie 
racetrack. Peteski won but with a new jockey and new tactics. First of all,
the race was incredible! Peteski was rated rather than on the lead and made 
his move late. He pulled off to win by about 6 and made it look easy. When 
the dust settled, he had *obliterated* the course and stakes record! The 
record had been 1:56. Peteski turned in a time of 1:54 2/5 which is 
1.6 seconds faster than this race had ever been run! 

Why did Peteski have a new jockey when Craig Perret had ridden him so well in 
all his previous races? Because the Ontario Jockey Club had suspended Perret
for comments he made after winning the Queen's Plate!

In a post-race interview after winning the Queen's Plate, Perret made some 
comments about the Peteski's previous race in the Queen's Plate Trial and his 
ride in that race. I interpretted his comments as "In the Trial, we were 
preparing for the Queen's Plate. I experimented with tactics to see how much 
control I had over him in a race. Maybe, if I hadn't, he'd have won that day 
too."

Unfortunately, the Ontario Jockey Club, the press and some of the public 
thought Perret was saying "I wasn't trying to win in the Queen's Plate Trial."
The Ontario Jockey Club filed 2 charges against Perret: "Failing to ride to 
win" and "Conduct detrimental to the best interests of racing." After a 10 
hour hearing on the matter including films and testimony, they decided that 
he had been trying to win but should not have made comments which sounded 
like he wasn't. In other words, innocent on "Failing to ride to win" and 
guilty on "Conduct detrimental to racing." His sentence was 15 days 
suspension, $4,000 fine and a public apology to fans and bettors for his 
comments. 

Since the various jurisdictions honor each others penalties, Perret's 
suspension by the Ontario Jockey Club means he can't ride in the US either.
Unfortunately, this is a very bad time to be serving a suspension with 
Saratoga having 24 graded stakes in 30 racing days! He's losing a lot of good 
mounts(including Peteski!) to other jockies.

re: .554  very good.

    The intuition that "it may help" often will prompt a trainer to
    give a horse that is not performing to expectations Lasix.  It may
    help and can't hurt. 

    (You can't in MA, the horse must be scoped by a vet to confirm
     bleeding and the track vet must administer Lasix n hourse before
     the race, I think 4 hours)

    If you assume that Lasix helps some bleeders, noone know's why.

    I have read that steroids, given to reduce inflamation, may have a 
    bad long term effect, causing arthrtis, but have not heard of any
    problems with Lasix.

    Trainers of all horses will try different things to experiment.
    For all we know, making the horse pee (can we use that word),
    before the race might be all it is doing.


>>    genuinely care about the quality of life of his horses, that is, he
>>    wouldn't give lasix to a horse just to get it acroos the finish line first,
>>    only to drop dead later.  He trusts his vet to make the correct calls and
>>    keep up with the latest info.  But still, he wants to protect his
>>    investment, so will not hesitate to use lasix when deemed necessary.

    Unlike bettors, owners get a check for 1st to 5th place in Harness racing
    and I think 1st to 6th for Flats.  If the horse is competative in his
    class, then over the course of the year hel'l do okay.

    Can't speak for the big buck stakes, I'd expect the owners of a million
    dollar colt to place the same demands on their trainer as the owners
    of a $50,000 or $100,000 dollar Jumper would put on theirs.

    Bill

    Geez, I meant to include the Arlington Handicap in the recap of last
    weekend's turf races and by the time I got done with the Gr I races, I
    forgot about it!
    
    Anyway, the Arlington Handicap is Gr II at 10 f on the weeds. The race
    was run very similarly to the Eddie Read at Del Mar. A large field with
    a fast pace made the final turn and stretch run look as much like a
    cavalry charge as anything else. The race was won by Evanescent in a 
    move much like Kotashaan's in the Eddie Read, too. Evanescent trailed
    early and made a late last-to-first move. He was forced about 8 horses
    wide in the turn and *flew* down the stretch to win drawing off. The
    differences were that he had more ground to make up and he moved later
    so he only won by about 1 widening length. The time was excellent at
    2:00 2/5 seconds.
    
    NH's Rockingham Park also had a graded turf stake last Sunday. The Gr
    III Spicy Living for Fillies & Mare 3 YO & up at 9f. Via Borghese lay
    off the pace and made a *strong* late move to win drawing away and set
    a new course record. She's expected to ship to Arlington for the Gr I
    Beverly D Stakes where she'll run into champion Flawlessly whose win in
    the Ramona showed she's in peak form.
    
    The Beverly D & Arlington Million should be good races this
    year...unless the respiratory virus outbreak puts the track into
    quarantine or scares people off.
    

It must be turf appreciation week or something at North American tracks 
because even mid-week we're getting Graded turf stakes! What a treat!

Yesterday, Saratoga had the Gr II 9f Bernard Baruch Handicap. The field 
included several winners of recent graded turf events such as Star of Cozzene,
Royal Mountain Inn and Furiously as well as a multiple Gr I winner, Solar 
Splendor. Solar Splendor was fourth in his only previous race this season but 
had won Gr I turf events at 12 furlongs the past 2 seasons. The speed horse, 
Cleone rounded out the small field.

Naturally, Star of Cozzene was favored because he had defeated champion Lure
twice this season. Cleone broke on top and set the early pace with Furiously
and Royal Mountain Inn in hot pursuit. Star of Cozzene trailed the field.

Going into the final turn Star of Cozzene moved up along the rail for a 
ground saving trip. Solar Splendor now trailed and dropped farther back. 
Clearly, he was not ready for this type of competition. As Cleone stopped,
Furiously suddenly found himself on the lead without having to work. Julie 
Krone sensed that she could not win the race with Royal Mountain Inn and 
was content to try to save second money for her mount through strategy. 

That strategy included saving what horse she had left by *boxing* Star of 
Cozzene on the rail so he couldn't get clear to make his usual late run. 
Furiously took advantage of Krone's strategy to coast home an unchallenged 
winner by about 2 lengths. 

Star of Cozzene did finally get clear and made enough of a run to nip Royal 
Mountain Inn for second money. But, it didn't look like his all-out drives 
when he was chasing Lure earlier this season. He was not closing quickly on 
Furiously. Perhaps, the jockey had conceded defeat and was just doing enough 
to get second. Perhaps, Star of Cozzene wasn't quite up to his usual form 
for some reason. Perhaps, Furiously was too good to be caught.

    I was at Saratoga on Wednesday and watched the Star of Cozzene race.
    There were two very good reasons for Furiously winning: first he was
    getting seven pounds from Star of Cozzene and second he tied the track
    record. Furiously seems to have really found a home on the weeds. He is
    now three for three with two track records....not bad for a horse who
    couldn't make seven furlongs on the dirt. 
    
    PS this is a great note. It is my first time in it after a long and
    arduous search for something of this sort. I am an avid horse fan and
    am glad to know DEC contains many of the same ilk.
    

    Carl,
    
    I haven't forgotten about my promise to look up studies on Lasix. Just
    haven't done it yet. And since I'm off on vaction from tomorrow till the
    middle of next week, I may not get back to you for a couple weeks.
    
    BTW, Bill's(at least I think it was Bill) reminder about "scientific"
    studies whic aren't reproduceable cuts both ways. There are
    *NO* studies that claim that Lasix prevents bleeding. It's an
    unsubstantiated opinion of some vets that it should help "bleeders"
    because Lasix lowers blood pressure. Now, practical medicine is
    sometimes ahead of laboratory/theoretical medicine but, to date, there
    are no studies that demonstrate that Lasix prevents bleeding in
    racehorses.
    
    After we discussed this last week, I decided to count the number of
    horses running on Lasix the next time I watched the So Cal daily racing
    recap show. Last Saturday's Del Mar card had nine races in which 71
    horses were entered. Fifty-four(yes, 54!) of those horses ran on Lasix.
    That's over 76%! Unless CA has become the home for all racehorses with
    bleeding problems, I find it hard to believe that more than 3 out of 4
    horses need Lasix for therapy. 
    
    Lest someone suggest that these were all "bottom-of-the-barrel"
    claimers, they were not. There were 2 stakes races at Del Mar last 
    Saturday: a listed turf handicap at 11 furlongs for older horses and 
    a graded sprint stake for 2 YO fillies. 
    
    Of the 10 turf handicap horses, 9(!!) of them were on Lasix. Half of 
    the 2 YO stakes fillies ran on Lasix. There was also a 2 YO maiden race 
    in which half the field was on Lasix. 
    
    Actually, those 2 YO races pulled the percentage *down*. When one excludes 
    the 2 YOs, over 80% of the horses on last Saturday's card at Del Mar 
    were on Lasix. Makes me wonder about those claims that Lasix doesn't
    enhance performance.
    
    More later.
    John

    I had the opportunity to talk briefly with my cat club president about
    his and others' use of lasix.  As you may recall, he owns, breeds, and
    races TBs here in the SF bay area.
    
    After reading note 471 and the assorted replies, the consensus seems to
    be that there is a lack of positive proof the use of lasix has value in
    controlling or stopping bleeding, and also lack of positive proof that
    lasix is a performance enhancer.  But yet the racing world administers
    the stuff to a large percentage of horses, as pointed out by John in
    note .562.  So I wanted to ask my friend what his perception of lasix's
    effectiveness was.
    
    He, and others in his sphere, believe that lasix does indeed control or
    stop bleeding in most cases.  His empirical proof is if the horse
    bleeds and you give him lasix and the bleeding stops, then lasix was
    effective.  He observes this, he says in the vast majority of his
    horses that receive lasix.
    
    As far as lasix being a performance enhancer, the several times he has
    had lasix given to his horses, he saw little improvement in their
    performance above what he would have expected without it.  So he has
    continued the use of lasix only as necessary to control bleeding.
    
    He complained of a few other trainers and owners that he says
    ruthlessly exploit horses for profit's sake by giving them lasix when
    they show no evidence of bleeding (and a few other practices of which
    he would only mention one - freezing a sore hoof!?  I'd never heard of
    this before).
    
    So maybe my friend is an exception to the way the rest of the racing
    world thinks.  Maybe the majority of the racing world is interested
    only in the money and prestige and treat the horses as a disposable
    commodity, and only my friend and a few others in his circle care
    about the horses and the integrity of racing.
    
    Anyway, in California race day lasix must be administered by the track
    vet.  This can occur anywhere from 2 to 4 hours before the scheduled
    race.  The horse's vet makes the request to have the horse receive
    lasix (I'm not sure if the request has to be in writing or not), and
    the track vet administers it if he doesn't see any reason not to by
    way of his exam, which I'm told is very brief.  So just a vet's say-so
    is enough for any horse to get lasix.  The above is according to my
    friend.  I've not read or heard any official rendition.
    
    So, here I am trying to figure which horse to bet and wondering if I
    should or should not include lasix in my determinations.  Little did
    I know...
    
    Carl

    Giving a horse Lasix and having the bleeding stop is anecdotal in
    scientific terms rather than empirical. That doesn't mean it's an
    invalid hypothesis, just that the empirical scientific work hasn't been
    done. 
    
    The Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation is currently funding 2
    major controlled scientific experiments which intend to find out whether
    or not Lasix is effective therapy for "bleeders" and what the effects
    of Lasix and/or Bute are on performance.
    
    Since one anecdote is as good as another... In one of the earlier notes
    on Lasix, I mentioned an Australian champion turf mare(Let's Elope) who
    had been moved to CA to avoid being banned from racing if she bled
    again in Australia. She ran in Flawlessly's Ramona Handicap recently.
    Let's Elope ran on Lasix that day. She bled in spite of the Lasix. Her
    trainer rated the episode a 2 on a scale of 3. In other words, the
    blleding was moderately severe. Let's Elope finished sceond. Did the
    Lasix prevent or control her bleeding? No. Did the Lasix enhance her
    performance or allow her to run to her true potential? We'll never
    know.
    
    John

Time to catch up on 2 weeks of Saratoga's racing news

Just before I went on vacation, I mentioned Dehere and that Eddie Maple
said he was the best 2 YO he had ever ridden. Well, Maple lost the mount.
For some reason, the owners/trainer decided to put Chris McCarron up in 
Dehere's next race. Dehere ran the same for McCarron as he did for Maple.
Dehere laid off the pace, got into traffic trouble was taken up and went 
around the field with an *amazing* turn of foot to win by a narrow margin.

McCarron also picked up the ride on Miner's Mark in the Jim Dandy because
Jerry Bailey decided to stay with Sea Hero. Trainer Shug McGaughey was 
disappointed that Bailey took off his horse but applauded Bailey's loyalty
to Sea Hero, trainer Mack Miller and owner Paul Mellon. McGaughey said that
he had always thought that he would call on McCarron if he ever needed a top 
rider so he decided that now was the time. Miner's Mark won the Gr II Jim Dandy 
under McCarron from Sea Hero, Colonial Affair, etc.

The same day as the Jim Dandy, Kissin Kris won the Gr I Haskell Invitational
against nondescript competition. Now, it befuddles me why the Haskell is Gr I
and the Jim Dandy is Gr II when the top horses in the east are running at 
Saratoga rather than going to the Haskell...

Anyway, on Travers Stakes day, the 4 "genuine" horses in the Travers turned 
out to be Miner's Mark, Sea Hero, Colonial Affair, and Kissin Kris. They were 
the only horses who had won a Gr I stake. Coming off their recent victories,
Miner's Mark and Kissin Kris looked good with many believing that 
Miner's Mark would win because he had beaten better horses than Kissin Kris. 
Colonial Affair hadn't raced since his Belmont victory and Sea Hero hadn't
run well since the KY Derby.

With a trip and stretch run *very* similar to his KY Derby race, Sea Hero 
collared Miner's Mark in the final furlong and drew off. Kissin Kris closed 
*extremely* well to catch second. Miner's Mark also ran very well for his 
first race beyond 9 furlongs. 

Jeryy Bailey's loyalty to Sea Hero was rewarded not only with a victory aboard
Sea Hero but also in Sunday's John A Morris handicap for fillies. He rode
You'd Be Surprised to a good win in that Gr I race.

On Friday(Aug 20th), Julie Krone made history again. She rode *five* winners!
That had previously been done only twice at Saratoga in its 125 year history.
The only other riders to have won 5 races on a single day are Angel Cordero,
the perennial leading rider at Saratoga for the 15 years before his 
retirement, and Ron Turcotte who is best known for being Secretariat's 
regular rider. Sadly, both these great jockeys had their careers ended by 
injuries from a racing accident. I hope that same fate doesn't await Krone(or 
anybody else for that matter). BTW, 7 of Friday's 10 races were won by women 
jockeys as Georgina Frost won 2 races as well. 

The race for leading jockey tightened up considerably. Mike Smith, the 1992 
leading rider, had had an edge over Krone before last Friday. Her 5 wins 
and his couple wins left them tied after Friday's races. After Saturday, 
Krone was 1 up. By Monday, they were tied again. After Wednesday's races, 
Smith is one up(35 wins to Krone's 34). Their nearest challenger is 
Jerry Bailey who had 25 wins after Wednesday's races. With only 5 more days 
in the Saratoga meeting, this could get very interesting.

FourstarDave won a Saratoga race for the *seventh* year in a row! He won a
tiny stake called the Calcutta Cup(8.5 furlongs turf) from several other 
stakes horses and some good allowance horses. To sweeten the pot, each 
owner added $1,000 to the purse money on a winner-take-all basis. 
FourstarDave passed up his usual style of running just off the pace and 
led the field wire-to-wire.I was impressed with his versatility and the 
fact that this 8 YO horse ran the mile in 1:34 1/5 and finished out in 
1:40 2/5 even though he had set moderately fast fractions...I thought 
horses were supposed to lose their speed after age 5 or 6? Guess nobody 
told Dave! BTW, he's scheduled to race in the West Point Stake for 
NY-breds today(Thurs). I'll let you know what happens.

John

The 1993 West Point(9 furlongs turf restricted to NY state-breds) may well 
have been the best performance of Fourstar Dave's long and successful career. 
It was eventful and exciting too.

But, Rodney Dangerfield(the comedian who says he gets no respect) has nothing 
on Fourstar Dave! The betting public didn't even make him the favorite in 
this field of NY state-breds even though he has won Graded stakes in open 
competition and set course records this year! The favorite went off at even 
money with Fourstar Dave second choice at 3-1.

When they opened the gates, Fourstar Dave stumbled and went to his knees.
I thought the race was over for him then and there. But jockey Richard 
Migliore(a very credible journeyman but not Hall of Fame material) picked 
Dave up and steadied him. Dave ran on and moved quickly into his usual 
fourth position going into the first turn. The favorite was running in 
third.

On the backside, Dave took over third spot from the favorite. Migliore wasn't 
asking a lot of Dave. Dave seemed to be running his own race but I was 
beginning to wonder if they might be doing too much early on while trying 
to recover from that disastrous start. Wrong!

Dave moved easily into second on the final turn with the field closely 
bunched. Coming into the straight, he poked his head in front and started to 
draw off from the crowd. Halfway to the finish, Dave seemed to stall out and
another horse was moving well and coming through on the hedge. It looked like 
Dave was beaten. NOT! When he was challenged, the old campaigner responded 
like the pro he is and added another burst of energy. He stopped the timer 
in 1:46.66 which would win most open stakes even in CA(a.k.a. "Speed City"). 

Unfortunately, Fourstar Dave had bumped the favorite at the top of the 
stretch. The stewards disqualified him and placed him fourth behind the 
favorite(who had finished fourth and was moved up to third)...

Needless to say, the stewards were not very popular yesterday even though 
they made a correct impartial decision. In the hearts of every fan, 
Fourstar Dave won the race. The press mobbed Migliore after the race trying 
to get his comments. The offical winner and his people were ignored. Even the 
"Thoroughbred Action" show, which showed the bumping incident several times
and supported the stewards decision, ignored the winner. They  raved about 
Fourstar Dave's performance showing him stumble, recover and get home first 
several times. I guess they're fans too!

John

August 28-29 was a good weekend of racing across the US

Arlington(Chicago) had 3 Gr I turf races(Beverly D 9 furlongs, 
    fillies & mares, 3 & up; Secretariat Stakes 10 furlongs, 3 YO; and
    Arlington Million 10 furlongs, 3 & up), 
Saratoga(NY) had 2 Gr I dirt races(Whitney Handicap, 10 furlongs, 3 & up and
    The Hopeful(7 furlongs, 2 YO)
and Del Mar had the Gr II Chula Vista(8.5 furlongs fillies & mares, 3 & up)

The Chula Vista went to the big favorite, Magical Maiden over ReToss and 
several other top stakes mares(no, Paseana wasn't entered). For a minute, it
looked like Laffit Pincay would get his longshot home and get his 8,000th
career victory but he was disappointed in both the Chula Vista and the 
nightcap. Perhaps in today's races he'll get it. BTW, when he does get it, 
he'll be only the second jockey in history to break 8,000 wins. Shoemaker
has something like 8,800 so Pincay will have to keep riding to break that 
mark.

In the Whitney, Devil His Due was the favorite and highweight. Brunswick(who?)
won with West by West second. Devil His Due ran OK but not his best. He's
being pointed to the Woodward at Belmont for the ACRS finale. I'll bet he's
also headed for the Breeders' Cup Classic.

The Hopeful went to Dehere with Chris McCarron up. A different strategy this 
time. McCarron took Dehere to the front early and avoided all the traffic 
jams that the colt had encountered in his earlier races. It looked like he 
was tiring and the others started coming to him. But, he had something left
and turned on another good acceleration to win going away. BTW, Dehere is 
being pointed toward the Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita. They changed 
jockeys from Maple to McCarron to establish the colt with a top Southern CA 
rider well in advance of the Breeders' Cup.

The jockey race at Saratoga is essentially over. On Thurs and Fri, Smith got 
one more win each day than Krone. On Saturday, Krone went out to Chicago to 
ride Aquilegia in the Beverly D and Smith won 3 races at Saratoga. On Sunday, 
they reversed roles with Smith going to Chicago to ride Strolling Along in 
the Secretariat and Lure in the Million. 

Unfortunately, Krone couldn't match Smith's Saturday wins. She rode 5 or 6 
favorites and got them home second. No mistakes, she just got beat by 
better horses. She got one long shot home but she's too far behind Smith to 
catch him unless she bags another 5 winner day. BTW, she said that her 5 wins
last week are the second biggest day of her life. Winning the Belmont tops it.

Arlington's Beverly D is the richest turf race for fillies & mares in the US.
It *always* draws the top distaff turf stars in North America. This year's 
field included CA based mares like 1992 American champion Flawlessly and
Australian champion Let's Elope. The east coast sent multiple stakes winners 
like Aquilegia and Via Borghese. Those 4 sat off the pace and turning into 
the stretch, Flawlessly started her run. Expecting to see Flawlessly draw 
off as she usually does, it was a bit of a surprise to see the race turn 
into a cavalry charge. Let's Elope and Via Borghese came up outside 
Flawlessly and challenged for the lead. Aquilegia was right there in the 
thick of it too.

As they got to the wire, it looked like a 4 horse photo with the white 
blinkers of Let's Elope seeming to be in front by a short nose over 
Flawlessly and Via Borghese a head farther back. Unfortunately, Let's Elope 
had run out trying to escape the left handed whip of jockey Pat Valenzuela. 
She came out badly and knocked Via Borghese sideways. Valenzuela switched 
the whip to the other hand and Let's Elope lugged in and smacked Flawlessly 
around. They showed the head-on replay and Let's Elope looked like an 
old-fashioned pinball bouncing around in the field! Needless to say, 
Let's Elope was siqualified and placed 3rd. Official results: 1. Flawlessly, 
2. Via Borghese 3. Let's Elope. 

The Secretariat Stakes was uneventful and slow because overnight rain had 
turned the course from Saturday's good condition to soft. Awad won with the
Canadian horse, Explosive Red a good second.

The soft course sondition caused Lure to scratch from the Million. Trainer 
Shug McGaughey said that for Lure to stretch out to 10 furlongs and have a 
chance of running well, he needed a firmer course than they had Sunday.

That left Star of Cozzene as the big favorite over the 1992 Million winner 
Dear Doctor and the 1993 Arlington Handicap winner Evanescent. Turning for 
home, there was a wall of horses across the track. Dear Doctor and Star of 
Cozzene were both behind the wall. Dear Doctor took the inside route and 
ran into all sorts of traffic problems. By the time he got clear, he could 
only manage fourth. Evanescent came from somewhere in the pack of horses that 
formed the wall and drew off from the others. Star of Cozzene went around the
pack and easily ran down Evanescent to win by 3 lengths. If he hadn't had 
to go so wide, I'd guess Star of Cozzene would have won by 8-10 lengths.
The time was slow(2:07 3/5 I think) because of the soft going.

Star of Cozzene is not nominated for the Breeders' Cup even though his 
sire(Cozzene) is Breeders' Cup nominated. The fees weren't paid when Star of 
Cozzene was a foal so he's not nominated. He can be supplemented to the 
Breeders' Cup for 12% of the purse money in whichever race he's entered.
His owners(Team Valor) haven't decided whether or not to supplement him.
Neither the BC Mile(8 furlongs) nor the BC Turf(12 furlongs) are his best 
distance(9-10 furlongs). They have to take a long hard look to determine 
whether it's worth coughing up $120,000 or $240,000 respectively to enter
him in a Breeders' Cup race. BTW, Cozzene(his sire) won the BC Mile a few 
years back so that might be the preferred race if they go at all. Or they
could run him at 12 furlongs in Sept to see how he handles it and then go for 
the BC Turf. Or they could keep him home and enter races that suit him. We'll
see.

John

    Was Conquistador Cielo a mudder?
    
    The reason I ask is that,after a horse sired by Conquistador Cielo won
    on a muddy track, some commentator said "All the Conquistador Cielos
    like an off track."
    
    I don't remember Conquistador Cielo as being a mudder but that was a
    while ago. So if anybody remembers... Vicky, didn't you say that you 
    were at Belmont when Conquistador Cielo won the Belmont Stakes? Surely,
    you'd remember getting rained on at the track! ;-) 
    
    Was Conquistador Cielo a mudder?

    Conquistador Cielo won the Belmont in the slop that day. He also
    had mud calks too. 
    
    So yes, I'd consider him a mudder. I don't think he actually improved
    in the mud, but rather the mud did not seem to affect his performance.
    
    Vicky

    Julie Krone did not manage to catch Mike Smith for the Saratoga riding
    title. She didn't even get a chance. She took a spill in the third race
    when another horse interferred with her horse causing it to stumble.
    Krone, who seemed to be looking back for oncoming traffic at the time,
    was catapaulted over the horse's shoulder and slammed onto the track.
    
    In regaining its feet, her horse went sideways and knocked Jean-Luc
    Samyn off his horse. Samyn was uninjured. Krone was hospitalized. The
    extent of her injuries was unclear at the time of the broadcast from
    Saratoga but she was conscious and not believed to be in danger of
    death or paralysis.
    
    The horses involved in this accident seemed uninjured.
    
    Smith won the riding title by only 3 wins.

    Clerical errors!
    
    I misstated the distance of the Beverly D. It's 9.5 furlongs.
    
    Clerical errors also affected Laffit Pincay's 8,000th winner. On
    Monday's DelMar replay, Trevor Denman announced that a review of
    Pincay's career showed that a 1991 win at a Mexico City track had not
    been counted in the reckoning. Therefore, Pincay's 8,000th winner
    actually occurred in Sunday's 7th race at DelMar. They had a little
    ceremony which they showed at the end of the races.

    According to a report on yesterday's Belmont recap show, Julie Krone
    suffered multiple fractures in Monday's spill at Saratoga. On Monday's
    show they had said that she may have fractured bones in/near her ankle
    and wrist. Yesterday's report was not specific about where the injuries
    were.
    
    However, they did say that Krone underwent surgery yesterday to repair
    one fracture site and the the operation was successful. They also said
    that she will have a second surgical procedure next week to repair the
    other site. They said that it is expected that she will be able to walk
    without assistance in about 3 months and that it is hoped she can
    return to riding in about 6 months.
    
    This injury will set her riding career back for at least the next year
    even if everything goes according to expectation. Being out until March 
    1994, she will miss the high profile Belmont fall meeting which is 
    second only to Saratoga in the ratio of graded stakes to racing days, 
    the Breeder's Cup *and* the winter meeting at Gulfstream Park where 
    she has been leading rider for the last couple years. Being out so long
    means that she will lose many of the good stakes horses she has been 
    riding. Missing the Gulfstream meeting means that she will be unlikely 
    to get any good 3 YO's next spring for the Triple Crown as they will all 
    have jockeys by the time she gets back to riding.

    I forgot to mention this until last week's Blood Horse reminded me...
    
    Peteski won the third leg of the Canadian Triple Crown, The Breeders'
    Stakes, in a walk-over. The Breeders' is run at 12 furlongs like the
    US's corresponding leg(Belmont Stakes) but, unlike the Belmont, it is
    run on the grass. 
    
    Peteski had never run on the grass before so that and the distance
    raised questions in some people's minds. They expected Explosive Red
    and Desert Wave(I think), who are known to be top grass horses, to give
    Peteski a real run for the money. Never happened. Explosive Red was
    sent to the Secretariat Stakes at Arlington where he ran a good second.
    The other horse was scratched due to a minor injury(a strain if I
    remember correctly).
    
    In the end, only 4 horses went to the post and only Peteski ran.
    Perret, who is back after serving his suspension, took him to the lead
    right out of the gate and coasted all the way around. The only serious
    danger they faced was from the tack! Perret had such a hard hold on
    Peteski in an attempt to rate him on the lead that the saddle slipped
    up onto Peteski's withers. If he had had to do any serious riding(e.g.
    a stretch duel), I doubt that Perret could have been terribly effective.
    
    Now, don't mistake the following as a put-down of Peteski. Any horse
    that can *obliterate* a 30 year old course record like he did at Fort
    Erie is a good racehorse. 
    
    The question is that Peteski is the 4th horse to have won the Canadian
    Triple Crown in 5 years. With Approval, Izvestia and Dance Smartly won
    it in 1989, 1990 and 1991 respectively. 
    
    With Approval was the first horse in 25 years to win the Canadian
    Triple Crown. Have Canadian horses suddenly become better? No, they've 
    always had top quality horses.
    
    Why then this burst of TC winners? Simple. They rearranged their Triple
    Crown in 1988. Actually, the Canadian Triple Crown as a series is only
    about 40 years old even though the races are significantly older than
    that. For example, the Queen's Plate is the oldest stakes race in North
    America! The oldest US stakes race still being run is the Travers
    Stakes. The KY Derby is an upstart since it's about 10 years "newer"
    than the Travers! Anyhow, the  Canadian Triple as a *series* was put 
    together in the late '50s or early 60's.
    
    Until 1988, the second race(Prince of Wales) was run at 1.5 miles on
    the turf. The turf course at Fort Erie was frequently heavy in August.
    That coupled with the distances of the 3 races(10f dirt, 12f turf and
    12f turf) made it hard to win. It was turf biased and "stayer" biased
    which made the series unattractive to many modern trainers/owners.
    
    So, they shortened the Prince of Wales to 9.5 furlongs(1 3/16 miles)
    and switched it to the dirt. They found a sponsor to offer a $1,000,000
    bonus. (The sponsor withdrew after 4 years with 3 winners!) Interest in 
    the series renewed among trainers/owners and here we are with 4 winners 
    in the last 5 years.
    
    It has gotten to the point that people(even Canadians!) don't get excited 
    about a Canadian Triple Crown winner until it also wins the Molson
    Million 4 weeks later! 
    
    Note that's 4 major races in 10 weeks! The interesting thing is that
    people want to change the US Triple Crown to be even easier to win!
    In the past 2 seasons, there have been proposals to:
    a) Shorten the KY Derby *AND* Belmont to 9 and 10 furlongs respectively 
    and b) give the horses 4 weeks rest between Triple Crown races.
    
    What advantage would there be in making a Triple Crown easier to win? It
    would devalue the achievement just as it has in Canada. Then, we'd say,
    "OK. Lemon-Lime won the Triple Crown but he didn't win the Travers so
    he's not very good." If the series structure is changed, I can even 
    forsee a scene in which a US Triple Crown winner wouldn't be voted 3 YO 
    champion at the end of the year!

    A famous baseball anouncer (I think it was Red Barber) said, when
    asked what his idea of perfection was, that he thought perfection was
    90 feet between the bases.  A little longer and no one would be able
    to steal second.  A little shorter and everyone would be stealing it.
    90 feet was the optimum distance where only the best could steal, and
    give the fans good entertainment value and something to talk about.
    
    This sort of thing I think is true for the American triple crown
    races.  Make the format easier and probably there'll be an increase in
    triple crown winners.  If it were any harder, no triple crown winners and
    maybe there'd be a loss of interest.  I think the races are perfect
    just as they are, a true test that is difficult to pull off, yet
    achievable for only the best.
    
    Carl