Conference 7.286::sports_90

    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."
        
    Bill    

    Thanks for the info Bill. 
    
    
    py                  

    
    Bring Back The Trotters !!
    
          We need Foxboro and Rockingham for the pacers and trotters..
    
                 this state as gone to the dogs !!
    
     My fingers are crossed that the town of Sterling allows the plans
    for a new race track to go ahead and start.. I heard a bunch of
    dead head yuppies that bought condo's around there are against more
    money for the town.. If the race track doesn't come in,I hope they
    have a pig farm there instead.. 
    
    A man who like's his horse's
    

    Rockingham has been always for the patrons of the track.  Free passes
    is a great idea.  They issue passes twice a year, so you only have to
    pay twice a year to get in the Rock.  Most of the suffolk trainers are
    now stabled at the Rock.  Kevin Clark deserves a second look,  he has
    shipped in from Suffolk with alot of good bottom claimers.  Ron Dandy
    is another trainer to watch.  Carl Gamadella has moved his tact to
    Salem and is riding in good form.  Im looking forward to going to the
    Rock Friday to get my free passes.  For those about to ROCK, I salute
    you.
    
    Greg  

Starting on Monday Jan. 15 (Martin Luther King Day) Rockingham 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.
    
(Looks like this is the first of a few changes caused by Suffolk's
closing.)
    
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    

News on a replacement for Suffolk Downs...

Among those reportedly interested in building a new Thoroughbred track 
in Massachusetts to take the place of Suffolk Downs is Benjamin Simeone, 
who is proposing to construct a track on 225 acres of land he owns in 
Wrentham, 35 miles south of Boston.  Simeone is involved in the stone 
and road construction business.  His track, King Philip Downs, [?huh?] would 
have a capacity of 5,000, with part of the property to be used as a 
training center.

The plan is contingent upon passage of off-track betting legislation in 
Massachusetts.  Simoeone plans to work with Wrentham officials to 
formulate such legislation once proper permits and zoning regulations 
are in place.  The land currently is zoned for industrial use.  Simoeone 
speaks in terms of a "racing system," emcompassing the track and a dozen 
off-track betting parlors throughout the state.

Simeone already has had several discussions with Ladbroke, the 
British-based international conglomerate that expressed interest in 
leasing Suffolk last year.  Plans would call for Simeone to bring in 
Ladbroke to operate the track and betting parlors.  The track could be 
completed in 2 1/2 to three years.  Simeone received support from the 
Wrentham community at a selectman's meeting on Jan. 9, when he formally 
introduced the plan.

There also has been talk of refurbishing the Standardbred track in 
Foxboro, closed since 1986, to accomodate Thouroughbreds.

Rockingham Park in New Hampshire posted significant gains in attendance 
and handle on Jan. 6, its first Saturday without competition from 
Suffolk, which closed Dec. 30.  Rockingham's attendance was 5,204 and the 
handle was $797,518.  Ont the same day last year 3,113 patrons wagered 
$474,221.

From The Blood Horse magazine, 1/20/90
    
    

    re .7:
    
    I'll second the last paragraph about Rockingham's attendance gains
    since Suffolk closed.  Was there a couple of Saturdays ago: the parking
    lot was JAMMED and it was wall-to-wall people inside.  If they can get
    5,200 on a snowy Saturday in January, the place is going to be a
    madhouse come summertime.
    
    
    py                 

    Inquiry:
    
    Since Harness racing is not exaclty BIG out west where I hail from
    (okie, practically non-existant), I was lead to believe that it
    was much more prevailant out here in the east.  However, the mention
    that a Standardbred track was closed blah blah blah, and some reading
    that has suggested that Harness racing isn't what it used to be
    makes me wonder just *where* can one find a harness track in these
    here parts?  (the parts=New England, BTW)   Is it dying?  Is it
    dead?  
    
    And why DID Suffolk Downs close anyway?  Lack of attendance?
    
    ---kim

    My impression of harness racing in New England is that it's low
    key.  Some of the old time tracks have converted to dog racing,
    like Hinsdale (over by Brattleboro Vt.) and Green Mountain (over
    by Rutland or Bennington Vt.)  Scarborough Downs (just south of
    Portland Me,) has racing in the summer for the tourists that come
    into the area to go to the beach.  A lot of the fairs in New Hampshire
    have non-betting harness racing during the summer.
    
    Just outside of New England things pick up.  Saratoga Raceway (north of
    Albany NY) runs most of the year and the Meadowlands (just south of New
    York City in New Jersey) is one of the biggest tracks in the country.
    A lot of other major tracks are in the belt between New York and
    Washington DC. And I believe the Mid-west has quite a few tracks too. 
        
    Suffolk Downs closed because Buddy LeRoux, a real estate developer,
    bought the track three years ago and drove it into the ground so
    that he could do what he really wanted to do - re-sell the property.

    Anyway, why would you want to go to a harness track when Belmont
    and Saratoga are within driving range?  (Saratoga is definitely
    worth the trip!)
    
    Bill
            

    I want to go to a harness track because I never been.  However,
    flat racing still and always will appeal to me.  :)  I just like
    the horses.
    
    I am sure I'll check out one of the thoroughbred tracks soon enuf,
    like when I get a few dollars to bet with.  :)
    
    ---kim

    Reserved seats for the 122nd. running to the Belmont Stakes on June
    9 at Belmont Park are on sale.
    
    Clubhouse seats are $10, preferred grandstand seats are $10, and
    other grandstand seats are $5.
    
    Seats may be obtained by mailing a check or money order to:
    New York Racing Association, Belmont Reserved Seats,
    Reserved Seat Office, P.O. Box 257, Elmont, NY, 11003.
    
    

Boy did Bill Shoemaker eat the apple the other day or what? A 3-5 shot
finishing 4th.  Who does he thinks he is? Gamby!  On a New York Bred
to boot.  Oh well Gamby, there are other stiffs out there.  Like that
stiff jockey who hid at the top of the stretch in a fog bank and ends
up winning by 24 lenghts.  Well at the Rock the long shots are springing
up like roses,  a couple of $100 plus payoffs in the last two cards.
Overall, the handle is up, attendence up, and racing in general is doing
quite well in the Granite State.  Harry Vega is back in action, after
a groin injury held him out of action for a 3 week span.  Rudy Baez
should be back from his annual vaction ready to ride.  Everything is
looking great for horse racing at the Rock.  Well for those about to
"Rock" I saulute you!!
    
Greg                                                     
                                         

    re .13:
    
    >	Boy did Bill Shoemaker eat the apple the other day or what? A 3-5 shot
    >	finishing 4th.
                                                               
    Saw an article in the paper the day after Shoe's last ride.  Apparently
    many people bought win tickets on Shoe's mount as souveniers, which
    brought down the odds on the horse lower than they perhaps should have 
    been. 
    
    
    py

    I believe it was painfully obvious that Bill Shoemaker's final
    mount went off at 3-5 odds simply and purely for sentimental
    reasons.
    
    People were betting mucho dinero on "The Shoe" to win, not his
    horse.
    
    Bob Hunt

Not so gentlemen.  Shoemaker's last ride on Patchy Groundfog was alot
lower in odds, however, Patchy Groundfog was the early morning 2-1 favorite
because of his form and class, not because of the Shoe.  I will agree
the odds were lowered considerably due to Shoe being the jockey for
his final ride.  He is still a class rider, but to take down so many
faitfull?  Well, its to bad.
    
Greg                        

    Is there anyone out there who enjoys National Hunt racing.
    It would be interesting to find views on the build up to one of the
    GREAT races, THE CHELTENAM GOLD CUP. and the rest of the festival.
    
     Now this is what I call horse racing with one of the favorites being
    (DESERT ORCHID) a class act 
        Any info or views .
    
                              Mark

    re .16:
    
    "...but to take down so many faithful?"  
    
    HUH?????!!!!???? Are you saying this race _should_ have been fixed?
    We're not talking Rockingham here ;-) , this is a class 1 track, and a
    class 1 jockey! 
    
    I wonder if Shoe picked Patchy Groundfog as his mount because he
    thought it would be appropriate to ride the oldest horse in the
    race?

    I wish I had been there.  Overlay City!  I could have gotten a souvenir
    tote ticket on the Shoe's last ride, like a lot of people in the crowd
    were quite happy to do.  And I could have bet a logical contender to
    place with the potential for a great pay off if the Shoe didn't finish
    first - which of course is just what happened. 
        
    One of the sports writers wrote something like "5th in his first race,
    4th. in his last race, and a no. 1 guy all the way in between." I'll go
    along with that! 
    
    Sentimental fool,
    Bill
        
    

Well it getting close to derby time.  I would like to explain to you
how I have picked the last 2 out of 3 Derby winners.  I first look for
blood, I mean real blood.  Case in point,  Last years winner Sunday
Silence was out of Halo, who was the sire of former Kentucky Derby winner
Sunny's Halo.  The year before your winner of the Preakness and the
Belmont was Risen Star, Big Red was his sire.  The year before that
Allysheba won the 2 out of 3, his sire was Alydar.  As you can see I
just dont believe in just normal blood lines.  Demons Begone, sure he
bled in the Derby, who was his sire?? Note Alydar or Halo, no was it!!
What did winning colors do after the Derby??  No show in Preakness and
the Belmont.  Snow Chief won only the preakness, who was his daddy??
Not a big name sire, was it??  The second thing I look for is freshness
and a big margin or victory.  For instance Sunday Silence was both
last year,  he had not ran for 5 weeks and that last race, he won by
9 or 10 lengths.  Easy Goer had run 3 weeks before the Derby so I figured
he would be a little off for the derby.  Houston had the blood but he
had not shown anything around two turns and besides he was not fresh,
he ran in the Derby trial two weeks before the derby.  Well there you
go blood, freshness, and good form.  I be giving my predition for this
years Derby very soon, so stayed tuned for more.
    
    
Greg                
                                                    

	Re: .19
    
    	Where does Pleasant Colony stand on your list.  Real blood or
    	no?
    
	Bill
        

RE: .20  HOW WAS HIS DADDY????
    
GREG        

    Actually, the horse I was asking about was Roanoke.  Pleasant Colony
    is the daddy - he won the Derby and Preakness, the Woodward and
    the Wood, and was the 3 year old champion.  Is that blood enough?
    
    Bill

Bill,  that is some very thick blood.  I glanced at the blood lines
for this past Saturday's race down at gulfstream and saw some Kentucky
Derby hopefulls.  Yonder is out of Seattle Slew, and D. Wayne Lukas
has a colt out of Alydar.  Once again, freshness and good form will
be the determining factor for Derby day.  I believe a colt out of
Pleasant Colony ran vs Alysheba some years ago??  His form wasnt not
very consistent however, reason enough for me to throw him out of my
derby selection that year.  This year looks very wide open, anybody's
race right now.  Ill wait until they run the Santa Anita Derby before
I start getting down to business.  Bayokoa (sp) finished last in year
first big race versus the boys.  Whittingham's Ruhlman stole an early
lead and wired the field.  My best guess would be that Bayokoa bled
during the race, maybe a lasix canidate for her next race.
    
    
Greg            

    Extracted from the Equitation notes file - Thouroughbred owner (and
    former owner of NFL's San Diego Chargers) Eugene Klein dead at 69.
    (Interesting quote about difference between being a team owner and
    a horse owner.)

    Bill
    
                  <<< DELNI::WORK$01:[NOTES$LIBRARY]EQUITATION.NOTE;2 >>>
                      -< - Equitation Notes Conference - >-
================================================================================
Note 481.154                Thoroughbred Horse Racing                 154 of 154
GENRAL::LEECH "Customer Services Engineer ** We do " 28 lines  13-MAR-1990 15:23
                         -< Eugene Klein dead at 69. >-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    
    
    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.
    
    

From The Blood-Horse of March 17, 1990

"Rockingham Race"

The outcome of the first race at Rockingham Park on Feb. 19 aroused some 
suspicions and raised some questions concerning New Hampshire's 
simulcast law, which states that at least one live race has to be run 
before the track is allowed to switch to a simulcast program.

On the morning of Feb. 19, riders and track management met and decided 
the frozen track was suitable for racing, but by post time of the first 
race, the track had deteriorated because of thawing.  Several jockeys 
refused to ride, and the field of seven, after two late scratches, 
included three rider changes.  When the gate opened, riders were forced 
to take hold of their mounts on the slippery surface.

According to Daily Racing Form's chart of the race, Little Slam, at 7-1, 
took a clear lead, while the rest of the horses ran "in hand" or were 
"not persevered with."  The Perfecta, with Little Slam paying $17.20 to 
win, was a relatively low $26.40.

Stewards, riders, and management agreed to cancel the remainder of the 
live card immediately after the race, and a simulcast from Aqueduct was 
shown.  Some question remains as to whether several jockeys were 
pressured into riding because of the simulcast law, and the New 
Hampshire Pari-Mutuel Commission is conducting an investigation.

"It (the law) definitely does need to be changed," said Jockeys' Guild 
managing director John Giovanni.  "It was designed to protect the 
horsemen (from simulcasts replacing live races), but it puts jockeys in 
the middle.  When a jockey goes out on a track like that, the first 
thing that comes to mind is self-preservation."

    ----
    
OK, now for the questions - What should the live racing season at Rockingham 
be?  Why?  Would you go during the winter if it was all simulcasting from 
Aqueduct?  From Gulstream?  What other changes would you like to see?  
(What if it was a non-smoking facility?)

Bill

    

Bill,  you gotta have live racing with some similcasts thrown in there.
I would truly miss Abad Cabassa going to his electroinic device at the
top of the lane in one of those bottom claimer twin-tri races. Thats
what the Rock is all about,  which horse, who has stopped in his last
three races are they going to spring today???  Like the other day, Gamby
on a 30-1 longshot winner in the feature race??  No wonder why they
love to hate that guy.  Wire to wire on a 30-1 shot, and up the track
with 3-5.  Seriously,  a non-smoking area would be greatly enhance the
track.  I personally am a non-smoker, and on occasions I have had to
go outside for a few minutes to re-focus my eyes.  Rockingham has been
very good at adding some addition BIG races at the tale end of there
usual 10 race live card.  Live racing to me anyways takes the cake.
They should change over the racing strip soon to the spring surface.
Charlie Carey and some other good trainers will be shipping there good
racing stock up here for the spring and summer.  I look forward to alot
better racing soon!!!!
    
    
Greg                                         

Bill,  you gotta have live racing with some similcasts thrown in there.

    No I don't!  The only sports people I want to watch with face masks
    on are hockey goalies!
    
I would truly miss Abad Cabassa going to his electroinic device at the
top of the lane in one of those bottom claimer twin-tri races. Thats
what the Rock is all about,  which horse, who has stopped in his last
three races are they going to spring today???  

    You want to see Abad Cabassa then they can simulcast from Tampa.
    The horses will feel a lot better and so will I!  (BTW "bottom claimer"
    and "twin-tri" is redundant.)  You forgot to mention "which apprentice
    will either fall off his horse, be caught last by 10 lengths out
    of the gate, or scare the horse so bad that he wins going away at.
        
Rockingham has been very good at adding some additional BIG races at the
tale end of there usual 10 race live card.  Live racing to me anyways takes
the cake.

    Takes the cake?  More like ice cream at the rock in winter.  Or
    is rock short for rock salt track?
    
They should change over the racing strip soon to the spring surface.

    April 17-19th. for the change over.  Friday nights resume April
    20.
    
I look forward to alot better racing soon!!!!

    Yeah me too - can't wait to get back up to Saratoga!    
    
Bill    

Here's the calendar for television coverage of major races:

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

4/7	Gotham Stakes (g2)		4:30 ESPN Aqueduct
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 "
5/5	Kentucky Derby (g1)		3:30 ABC
5/12	Pimlico Special Hdcp (g1)	5:25 ABC*
5/19	Preakness stakes special	3:30 ESPN Pimlico
5/19	Preakness Stakes		4:30 ABC
6/9	Belmont Stakes special		3:30 ESPN Bel
6/9	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 International		5:00 ABC  Laurel
10/27	Breeders' Cup Day		1:30 NBC
10/27	Breeders' Cup Special		Midnight ESPN Bel
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)

    

Boy was Mr. Frisky impressive this past Saturday!!  I might have to
drop all my "classic blood line" theories.  Summer Squall looked very
impressive in his last start also.  Although these horses may not
generate the Easy Goer vs Sunday Silence fanfare, it should be still
a very interesting Derby.  I will of course be looking for the classic
blood lines, (gotta stick to my guns).  We still have some big races
to go before the first Saturday in May.  Well unitl the Friday before
Derby day, Ill see ya.  May the horse be with you.
    
    
Greg                                
    
          

    OK, I've got $2 saved up for tomorrow.  Who's gonna win the Blue
    Grass Stakes?
    
    Bill
    

Summer Squall was very impressive Saturday!!  Looks like another East
vs West Derby.  Mr. Frisky vs Summer Squall.  Both horses dont have
what I would call classic bloodlines, but if they run like they have
been running they wouldnt have to worry about there bloodlines.  Good
matchup, good for racing!!!!  I cant wait for the Derby.  And down the
stretch they come!!!!!!!!!!!!
    
Greg        
            

    "And down the stretch they come..."  Of course, we won't know who
    "they" are because Dave Johnson is going to screw up the call once
    again.  :-(  Someone save us from this guy, PLLLLEEEEAAAAASSSEEEE.
    
    Bill
    

    Foolish question:
    
    What is Triple Buck, who competed in last year's Kentucky Derby, doing
    at Rockingham?  (He's scheduled to run in the sixth race today.)
    
    
    py

    He won the allowance race and won a $6600 purse and paid 2.60 2.20 and
    2.20.

Well I know its very early in the week but I know who Im going to bet
on Saturday.  I know its tough to look past Mr. Frisky, Summer Squal,
and Silver Ending, but I like Roanoke.  He fits my requirements, good
blood lines, rested, and likes the distance.  He should be quite a long
shot on Saturday.  Good luck to everybody who wages on the "Big One".
I cant wait for Davey Johnson's "and down the stretch they come".             

    Have the Derby post positions been drawn yet?
    
    
    py

    re .38 - Yeah, but they're not gonna tell us so that it'll be harder
    to handicap ;-)   (Post positions will be in tomorrow's papers).
    
    re. .37 - He's good, but that auxillary gate is tough.  Especially
    when the gate is in Ocala!  You'll have to wait for the Travers
    to see him humiliate the rest of the 3 year old crop.  (Crossed
    fingers, toes and eyes on this one!)
    
    So far I'm leaning towards Mr. Frisky in front ala Winning Colors,
    mostly because every other horse has to deal with getting around
    the other 16 horses.  Mr. Frisky will be in front at the break.
    (Anyone talking bets on just the first 1/4 of the race?)
    
    Bill
    

    

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

    Put your money on Unbridle.....
    
      REK

Dumb question perhaps....

Why no Champagne for Ashley?  Did the defeat two weeks ago cost a
chance at the Derby???

Deen to wonk(tm)...

'Saw

       Trainer didn't want the horse to go again that soon.
                                 Denny

In a repeat of last year's east vs. west contest, Mr. Frisky wins the
Derby.  Freshened after his win in the SA Derby and with a good post
position Mr. Frisky overpowers the Derby Field.  

Summer Squall, breaking from near the outside is in traffic until
mid-stretch and is only able to get up for second over the second flight
pack of Silver Ending (who dodged Mr. Frisky and Summer Squall by
running in Arkansas), Video Ranger (second to Mr. Frisky in the SA
Derby), Thirty-Six Red (the improving winner of the Wood Mem. but unable
to stretch out another 1/8th so quickly) and Pleasant Tap (also fresh
and with Kent Desormeaux). 

    

    Mr Frisky is 16-0 to date.  No other horse has *ever* started the
    Derby with a better record.
    
    Can't see a way to bet against him although Summer Squall is the
    homestate South Carolina favorite.
    
    Bob Hunt

Derby results (from the Racing Form):

"Unbridled defeats Summer Squall in Derby as 'Frisky' fades to 8th."

			 lengths back

	Unbridled		-	$23.60, 7.80, 5.80
	Summer Squall		3              $3.80, 3.80
	Pleasant Tap		9 	 	    $12.00
	Video Ranger		12
	Silver Ending		13
	Killer Diller		15
	Land Rush		16
	Mister Frisky		19
	Thirty Six Red		21
	Power Lunch		21
	Real Cash		23
	Dr. Bobby A		24
	Pendleton Rdige		27
	Burnt Hills		42
	Fighting Fantasy	48

"Unbridled, caught in tight quarters following the start, moved towards 
the inside while beginning to rally approaching the end of the 
backstretch, angled out to continue his run at the far turn, loomed 
boldly from outside entering the strech and drew away under brisk urging.

Summer Squall, unhurried early, commmenced to rally approaching the far 
turn, reached the front from between horses nearing the stretch but was 
no match for the winner while besting the others.

Pleasant Tap, in close after the break, advanced steadily to reach a 
striking position approaching the stretch but lacked the needed late 
response."

Next stop the Preakness: May 19th.

    

    
Please take note!! I CALLED IT!!!!!!!!!!!
    
              REK
    
    Now if only put money down.....
    
           <<< OURGNG::SYS$SYSDEVICE:[NOTES$LIBRARY]SPORTS.NOTE;1 >>>
                 -< OURGNG::SPORTS - Digital's daily tabloid >-
================================================================================
Note 90.42                The Horse Racing Note (Gr. I)                 42 of 48
FAIRWY::KINGR "New_Kids_On_The_Block=Pimple_Music!"   3 lines   4-MAY-1990 09:09
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Put your money on Unbridle.....
    
      REK

Well, I don't have the proof of having put it in here, but when
my brother called me on Saturday morning, I told him Unbridled
would win.  I liked Thirty-Six Red, but just had a feeling about
Unbridled....

I don't know anything about hoss racin' though...

'Saw

Rockingham Park is going to enclose the clubhouse terrace (the outdoor
section of the clubhouse overlooking the paddock) this summer.  The enclosure, 
will be sized for 1,400 people and will feature sports bars and ten-foot
television screens.  To replace the terrace a 7,000 square foot covered
picnic area pavillion will be built.  The Grandstand will see a change 
also, with the installation of "desk-top seating".  {I don't know if that
means that it's like school desks with the folding arms, or if it's two
tier seating to really pack 'em ;-}

Bill    

Why dont they expand the parking at the "Rock".  I parked in Peru the
last time I went there.  The Derby was very exciting, I put a mere $4
to win on Pleasant Tap.  Roanoke was my horse of record for this years
derby, didnt start, no bet. A small field is expected for the Preakness.
I think Mr. Frisky might pull a Snow Chief and rebound with a wire to
wire effort.
    
Greg                            

    Yeah, they could tear down that dumpy shopping mall and make the
    parking lot bigger!
    
    I'ld like to see Housebuster in the Preakness.  I saved my cash
    for the Preakness by having Pleasant Tap to show also.  Great minds
    think alike, eh?
    
    Harvey Pack will be doing an appearance at the Rock on Saturday.
    
    Bill
    

    I agree with the notion of seeing Housebuster run in the Preakness.
    
    I think he can go the mile and 3/16ths, and blow away the rest of
    this mediocre 3 year old crop.
    
    NAZZ

Housebuster will not start in the Preakness, he is running in the Withers
today at beautiful Belmont Park.  Mike Petro's big horse Sunny Serve
is also entered. At one mile Housebuster should have no problem getting
the distance.  His pedigree suggests that a mile and change might be
a bit to much for him.  Today's Rock card doesnt look to bad.  Ron Dandy's
Immunity tied last year for the most wins by a horse in the nation,
is slated for today's 8th race.  Gone!  and on there way!
    
Greg            
                         

    How'd Housebuster do in the Withers?
    
    NAZZ

    Well, the first thing that happened is that half the field scratched.
    Then he won.  There was hardly any question from the minute the gate opened.
    He broke on top and could have just left them all behind.
    I think they played with having him rate or something, so the jock
    would have something to do.  But in the stretch it was bye-bye.
    I think Sunny Serve was second, but I'm not sure.
    
    Bill    
    

Sunny Serve finished a badly beaten third in the Withers.  Housebuster's
next stop is expected to be the Met Mile, vs EASY GOER.  Say bye-bye
to Housebuster's winning streak!!  As a 3 year old he will be getting
weight from Easy Goer, but I cant see him wiring a quality 4 year old
like Easy Goer.  I cant wait for Davey Boy's "and down the stretch they
come" in the Preakness.
    
Greg
        

Okay, this isn't about horse *racing* per se, but rather about breeding.

I went out with a girl one time who's brother was breeding race horses
on a small scale in upstate NY.  Anyway, he mentioned one of his
horses' names, and when I laughed at the name and asked why he
named the horse that, he said that there were rules about
naming horses....

Are there?  Where do they get these names???

'Saw

    .58  What has Easy Goer won _this_ year?  His big win last year
    was the 1 1/2 mile Belmont.  At a mile I'll probably take Housebuster,
    or an older miler over Easy Goer.
    
    .59 Naming horses
    
    Thouroughbreds names are registered with the Jockey Club.  Their
    rules are (from memory):
    
    No duplicates of famous horses
    No duplicates of horses which are racing or have raced within the
    last 3 (?) years.
    No obscene names, or even vaguely obscene (although Ultimate Fantasy
    _is_ the son of Phone Trick)
    No horses named after people unless the person gives written permission
    No horses named after commercial products
    
    Basically all the common names are taken.  And people like to have
    names related to the breeding, so there are lots of xxx Dancer's
    named after Northern Dancer, for example.  It's common for people
    to submit lists of 7 or 8 names and get the 7th. or 8th. name accepted,
    or even be asked to submit more names.
    
    Bill
    

Thanks Bill....

    .58  Actually I was thinking of Rythm when I wrote that about Easy
    Goer.  All those Phipps horses look the same, you know?
    
    Re: Naming.  I looked up the real details.  .-2 was fairly accurate,
    except the names stay on the reserved list for 17 years, not 3.
    
    Names must also be 18 characters or less, including spaces;  numbers
    must be spelled out;  no foriegn obscenities as well as English;
    and finally, the Jockey Club tries to avoid phoenetically similar
    names.
    
    There are about 600,000 names on the current list.
    
    Bill
    

    When is the Met mile, BTW?
    
    NAZZ

    I would like to know if there are any horseplayers out there willing
    to discuss different handicapping techniques e.g. class,speed,trip
    handicapping,trainer maneuvers,angles etc. if you like to pick them
    by the lenght of their tails that's o.k. too. I'll start off by talking
    about class....
    
    Is an animal dropping in class a good proposition?
    
    unfortunately animals that are dropped into cheaper company are
    probably the worst selection especially if they placed on their
    last effort. why...
    * why would a trainer risk loosing his horse(in a lower claiming race)
    if the animal had a good showing at his own class. To get a price?
    obviously he will end up been the crowd's favorite so we'll scrap that
    answer. But maybe the animal is not sound and he is trying to unload
    him by having somebody claim him out of the race. So the moral of the
    story is if an animal is dropping in class and it was placed on his
    last outing save your money and just watch them run,it is not worth
    the risk.
    

    
    >   Is an animal dropping in class a good proposition?
    
      No.  It can stink up the whole school.
    

I have many systems angles I apply to racing.  Below are just some angles
I apply.
    
Rested Beaten Favorite:  This horse went off as the favorite in his/hers
last race and was badly beaten.  The trainer gives this horse a month
or more to rest before his/her next race.
    
Prep races:  This horse shows all 6 furlong races in his last 6 or 7
races.  His last race was a mile and 1/16.  The trainer today is droping
his horse back into a sprint.  The route race conditioned the horse
for todays sprint.  Grass prep: this horse has been sprinting quite
well 3rd, 2nd, 4th, but not badly beaten.  This time the trainer 
runs his horse on the grass to both condition him/her and give his horse
a leg job.  A leg job is to run his/her horse on the grass to strenghtin
the horses legs on the grass.  The next race off of the grass the horse
is but back on the dirt.  
    
Equipment change:  blinkers off, blinkers on,  First time Lasix, etc.
    
A suspect drop in class is not good.  $20,000 claimer droping down to
a $5000 claiming race.  But a $2000 drop is no big deal.
    
    
Greg                                                            

    re: .66
    
    I watch for trainer moves like these too.  I wonder about blinkers
    coming off though.  Unless the horse has done well in the past without
    them, blinkers coming off are probably just getting ready for two
    or three races out (or 8 past performances later ;-) when they'll
    go back on.  Lasix is good but about 60% of horses bleed through
    it anyway.  (Just read that somewhere, but I don't remember where.
    Maybe an article about the Lasix study that was just published.)
    
    re: .64
    
    Horses being dropped to lower levels - The trouble with this is
    that everyone knows about it.  Just like a maiden that finished
    2nd. in its last race.  If you handicap like the crowd you'll loose
    the 20% or so that the crowd looses on average in the long run.
    I think you're on the right track but it's finding the subtle angles,
    the info. that not everyone knows, that pays off.
    
    I like to look for horses with "back class."  That's a horse whose past
    perf's show that he used to race in better races and his last race has
    some subtle indication that he's coming back around to his old form.  A
    front runner who led for the first 1/4 for the first time in 4 or 5
    races, say.  Or a horse who is stepping up after winning his last,
    whose winnings last year show that he had to have been competing at a
    higher level.  (This can get a little tricky - maiden purses are out of
    line with other races and a horse that was running at a different track
    may have been a bottom claimer but running for purses twice as large as
    at your track.)  There have been a bunch of these horses lately
    at RKM that have won while stepping up 2 or 3 times in a row. 
 
    The other class trick trainers use has to do with the bottom
    level of claimers.  A 3K claimer (at RKM) could be "non-winners in 6
    months" or "open to any."  The open race is a much tougher one to win.
    Finishing 2nd. or 3rd. in that one, and then "dropping" into another
    $3k race for non-winners could be a "hidden" class drop.
    
    Horses dropping in class are better when the trainer has done something
    to make him look like a stiff in the mean time.  Run him a couple times
    at 1 1/16 mile when he can't get past 6f, for example.  If you can
    confirm that a trainer follows some pattern like this and is successful
    at it you've got some info. that will really pay off.
    
    Always happy to talk horses!
    
    Bill
    

    

    RE>.66
    
    
    >Rested beaten favorites;This horse went off as the favorite in his/her
    last race and was badly beaten.  The trainer gives this horse a month
    or more to rest before his/her next race.
    
    I prefer at least a 3 furlong workout within the last 10 days if they 
    havent raced for a month just to make sure the animal is sound and the
    long layoff wasn't due to an injury.
       

    RE>.67
    
    >I like to look for horses with back class...
    
    Just because a horse runs with $10,000 claimers doesn't necessarily
    make him a legitimate $10,000 claimer unless he/she finished in the 
    money or at least within 3 lenghts of the winner within the last couple
    of months.
    
    There sure are some sleazy trainers over at the rock!!
    
                                                     

    re .-1
    
    I agree.  I was talking in the context of horses dropping in class,
    so I'ld be looking for higher class in their past.  (You know, before
    they started swilling dat ol bute and lasix down at the Rock ;-)
    
    Bill
    

From:	GRANMA::PSHAFER      "Vulture Capitalist" 16-MAY-1990 08:42:22.26
To:	NANOOK::RAWDEN
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."
    

    Well, 2 year olds turn into three year olds, and 3 year olds turn
    into 4 year olds...
    
    So who's it gonna be?  Housebuster or Easy Goer?
    
    Bill
    

    I'm a big Easy Goer fan, but no horse will beat Housebuster at a mile.
    
    And if Pat day's on Easy Goer, the race is a lead pipe cinch for
    Housebuster.
    
    NAZZ

3 quarters in 110 and 2, as they aproach the far turn, Housebuster
    maintains a two lenght lead, Easy Goer now second, Easy Goer now
    along side of housebuster, Easy goer pulling off in deep stretch,
    ITS EASY GOER, IN FRONT!!!  (Courtesy Marshall Cassidy)
    
    Greg    

    How about "Easy Goer, in his second start and not quite in top shape,
    and Housebuster, who's never raced older horses before and has had
    an easy time in his last few starts were both beaten in the Met
    Mile by Criminal Type.  Criminal Type, winner of the Pimlico
    Special took the lead after Easy Goer and Housebuster cooked each
    other in quick opening quarters." (Courtesy of my active imagination
    ;-)
    
    Bill
    

Nice imagination!!!  Criminal Type in a big upset.  Boy I am very happy
I dont jump the bridges for favorites lately.  Easy Goer and Fire Plug
yesterday at the Rock.  There is only one horse in the World I would
and have put $500 to win on.  The horses name is Kechi.  He has run
twice at Suffolk and twice at Rock, 4 for 4.  Sure he pays 3.00, but
he doesnt lose year in New England.  Fire Plug had beaten Kechi a couple
of times and vise versa.  Easy Goer third, I cant believe it. 
    
    
Greg                    
        

    This wasn't one of the races affected, but I bet that shortening
    some of the big New York races this year will cost Easy Goer at
    least one race.

    What?  No question about whether shortening a race is like a greased
    pig contest?
    
    B
    

    Going for three for three.  First I won money on the Preakness,
    then I picked Criminal Type to win the Met. Mile and now the prediction
    is...
    
    		Bodacious Tatas wins Politely
    
    
    Sure thing.  Name like that.  Gotta be.  I can see the Racing Form
    headline now.  Even the Times will use this headline.  Sure thing.
    
    Bill
    
    
    

For all horse racing fans there is an excellent article on Big Red 
Secratariat sp in this weeks Sports Illustrated.  
    
    
Greg            

    Bodacious Tatas scratched.  Well, that's horse racing.
    
    Bill
    

    
    Moved to Chicago this spring.  I do miss Rockingham on Friday nights.
    I also miss Suffolk, in some ways.  My favorite race at either track
    was the 5 furlong sprint on the grass at Suffolk.
    
    Anyway, as you are probably aware, Arlington is a beautiful place. 
    They are hoping for Easy Goer, Sunday Silence, and Criminal Type on
    August 4 for the Arlington Million.  
    
    Got a couple of questions about track announcers.  Did Jim Hannam from
    Suffolk find another job?  Also, the Chicago Sun-Times' horse racing
    writer report that Tom Durkin, the backup announcer in NY, was taking
    over at the end of August.  What's happening to Marshal Cassidy, the
    voice of NY racing??
    
    With Suffolk gone, will Rockingham be upgrading the purse for the
    NH Derby?  It was great to see the big-time horses at the MassCap
    over the past several years.  I'd still rather see someone buy and
    rehab Suffolk than build some seemingly Mickey Mouse minor track
    in Sterling, running $3000 claimers 9 times a day.
    
    Brian

    You liked Friday nights?  You must be a glutton for punishment,
    or an expert on cheap claimers!
    
    Don't know about the SUF announcer.  I did hear the report about
    Marshall Cassidy.  They said he would be attending the stewards training
    program (Univ. of Kentucky?) and then taking a stewards job for
    the NYRA.    

    The NH Derby has been upgraded to $250K.  The other feature stakes are
    up too and the regular stakes have gone from $25K to $35K.  There are
    more NY based shippers coming in for these races now.  (Don't know if
    SUF used to get more of them than RKM - only went to SUF once.)
    RKM is crowded now!  The parking lot is full every weekend.
         
    The Sterling track doesn't seem to be taking off, but the one south
    of Boston (Wrentham?) may make it.  They're making their plans based
    on the assumption that an OTB law will pass.  Shat should
    make the purses larger than they were at SUF.
    
    I'ld like to see RKM stop live racing for the winter months and do
    simulcasts from Fla.
        

    So, any thoughts on the Belmont, anybody?
    
        Bill
        

    
    Re:  The Belmont.  I can't see any horses that can go 1.5 miles with
    Unbridled.  If he's fit, he should pull away down the stretch.  The
    wild card is the horse from Ireland (I think), Go and Go.  If Thirty
    Six Red sets a slow pace, maybe he can hang in there, but I doubt it.
    
    To me, Marshall Cassidy is the best.  A minimalist, kind of like Ray
    Scott did football.  Tom Durkin, who is taking over, apparently started
    out at the minor tracks in the Chicago/Illinois area (Balmoral,
    Fairmount).  I think he's pretty good too.
    
    Michael Madden, a Boston Globe sports columnist (maybe he left?), wrote
    some great horse racing stories over the past couple of years.  As
    Suffolk was dying, he wrote a terrific piece on track announcer Jim
    Hannam.....wish I had kept it.  The gist of the story was that Hannam
    was in his early 60's, had no pension and no place to go, but was
    putting his heart and soul into the last few months of announcing.
    
    I'm not sure that New England will support two thoroughbred tracks,
    with all of the damn dog tracks.  The best alternative I heard was to
    have the Rock owners buy Suffolk, fix it up, and set up a circuit
    between the two tracks.
    
    Since I haven't heard otherwise, I assume that Buddy LeRoux is still
    alive.....that's too bad.....
    
    Brian

    Unbridled looked positively ordinary in the Belmont.  Go and Go
    went and went from the eighth pole on, and won easily by at least
    7 lengths.  Thirty Six Red held on for second, some horse I never
    heard of got third, and Unbridled nosed out Yonder for fourth.
    
    It's always interesting to see how many potential Triple Crown
    contenders in February never make the post for any of the three races
    in the spring.  This years crop was particularly weakened by so many
    horses unable (or unwilling) to go to the post.
    
    NAZZ

    
    Rhythm, one of the early favorites for the Triple Crown races, came
    back from injury on Saturday to win the Colin Stakes at Belmont.  He
    should be ready for the Travers.
    
    Unbridled is going to be stabled at Arlington, and pointed towards
    a couple of 3 yr old races there.  Without Lasix and his poor showing
    in the Belmont, I doubt that he'll be shipped back to NY for the
    Travers.
    
    It was a disappointing Triple Crown.  There seemed to be so many good
    horses in Februrary, and one by one, they disappeared....
    
    Brian

re .85

I've enjoyed listening to Marshall Cassidy.  He gives a nice 
professional call, you ALWAYS know how they're running, he responds to 
changes quickly and he doesn't intrude on the race.  Not as exciting as, 
say, Trevor Denmon but if you watch a lot of races he's the kind of
announcer you want to have.

Is Tom Durkin the guy who's always mis-calling the leaders as they swing
into the stretch (like in the Florida Derby)?  (Yeah, I'm still annoyed
about that!) That Tom Durkin?  The one who sometimes gives the horse
first, and sometimes the position first and is real confusing to listen
to because you don't know which horse he's talking about?  The one who
would call three horses abreast "horse a on the outside is ahead by a
half, and horse b is right there by a half on the inside, and right
there ahead by a half is horse c"  Is b on the rail or inside of a?  AND
the less wordy and clearer version of that call is left as an exercise
for the reader ;-)
Is it that Tom Durkin? 

re: the Belmont

Nice pick on that one.  I saw Go And Go win the Laurel Futurity last fall.
This was a legitimate horse for the Belmont, and he won the Futurity on an
off track too.  If it keeps on raining like it has been this spring in the
east he may be the three year old champ ;-)

re: .86

The Derby and Preakness were good races.  Did so many good horses 
disappear, or did so many get hyped too soon?  Let's face it, the 50 or 
so races that people were calling "Kentucky Derby Preps" can't really 
all be preps!  (ChampagneforAshley preps in the Tampa Bay Derby - yeah,
always a good conditioner!?)

I liked the idea of a fresh horse coming in and keeping them honest in
the Belmont.  And this will be a wide open summer with a lot of trainers
hustling for the 3 year old horse of the year title.  The Travers and 
Breeders Cup will be a lot of fun this year.  (Too bad tickets for the
Travers were sold out in one day - standing room only now!)

There was a report over the weekend that the Sterling group had closed
on some land. They're describing their plans as "Saratoga style, upscale,
limited racing"  Is that code for a short season plus 10 months of
simulcasting?

Bill

    

    
    Re: Tom Dirkin.  I thought he was the backup announcer for NYRA right
    now.  When I lived in MA and got to watch Thoroughbred Action, there
    were times that Marshall Cassidy didn't call a race, and I thought that
    the guy who did was okay.  I could be wrong....
    
    So, what's going to happen in MA if both the group in Sterling and
    the group in Wrentham go ahead with their plans?  Two tracks??  One
    running harness??  Will the crooked bozos of the State Racing
    Commission only grant one horse racing license??
    
    Speaking of harness, venerable Sportman's Park here in Chicago runs
    both harness and thoroughbred.  The track, like the one in Foxboro,
    is only 5/8 of a mile.  So, for the thoroughbreds, they usually run
    two distances....6 and 1/2 furlongs (or down the stretch and once
    around) and 1 1/8 miles (one and 1/2 laps).  I thought I would hate
    it, but it was pretty cozy.  You didn't really even need binoculars.
    The bad part is, of course, no turf racing.   
    
    Brian

    
    This story made the Chicago Sun-Times this weekend....
    
    There was a photo finish at Philadelphia Park.  The
    stewards somehow decided that the WRONG horse won by a nose or neck.
    When the losing jockey found out, he protested vigorously.  The
    photo was re-examined, and the order of finish reversed.  Then, the
    track decided to honor both tickets as winners (I believe that one
    horse was 7-1 and the other horse that actually won the race was
    about 30-1).  Of course, by this time, how many people who had
    the 30-1 horse had thrown away their ticket??  There must have
    been a near riot.
    
    Doesn't Ladbrooke, from England, own Philadelphia Park now??
    
    Brian

What do they mean when they say a horse is a bleeder?

I know that they use Lasix to treat it and that some horses were
ineligible for Belmont because Lasix is not allowed in NY....

thanks,
'Saw

    A bleeder is a horse that suffers from exercise induced hemorraging
    of the lungs.  In other words, the effort of racing is sometimes
    enough to cause blood vessels in the lung to burst.  The horse gets
    an internal nose bleed (and sometimes it's bad enough for blood
    to come out of the nostrils) and the blood in the lungs keeps him
    from sucking up as much oxygen.  Without as much oxygen the effect
    is for the horse to suddenly become weak and slow down.  Jockeys
    describe it as feeling just like a car that has run out of gas -
    a little stuttering and then no go.
    
    The regulations in each state are a little different, but the usual
    approach is that once a horse has been examined and found to have
    bled it's required that he be given time off before racing again,
    in order to recover from the bleeding incident, and then is allowed
    to use Lasix.  There has never been a comprehensive scientific study
    of whether or not Lasix is actually effective.  (Does anyone remember
    what Lasix is used for in humans?)
    
    The arguement against Lasix is that it makes it harder to test for
    other drugs (it's beleived to mask some illegal drugs) and that
    it gives a bad impression of the sport.  The arguement for it is
    that it makes more horses available for racing.
    
    The Univ. of Penn. just published a study of the effect of Lasix.
    The Thouroubred Times is doing a reader survey on opinions about
    Lasix.  What do you people think?  Should it be used or not?
    
    Bill
    

    The proposed track in Wrentham was voted down again last night.
    It leaves Sterling, the short track at Foxboro or a resurrected
    Suffolk Downs (which will never happen as long as Buddy LeRoux owns
    the place) as the only possible sites for thoroughbred racing here
    in the Bay State.
    
    John

    re: .89

    The current backup announcer for the NYRA is their publicity director.
    I think his name is Frank Dwyer.  He's ok but he is definitely second
    string.

    re: Sportsman's Park - If they put the horses in boxes and run a
    rabbit around maybe they could up the handle!  It'ld work around
    here!  :-)  Whadyathink?
    
    re .90
    
    Wish I was there.  I'ld be scoopin' up every ticket
    in sight!  (You rotten kids get outta my way! ;-)  Sure beats trying
    to pick the Twin Tri!

    Bill

       Lasix is a diarrhetic (sp?).
                                        Denny

    Lasix is a diuretic.  As a friend is fond of saying "It makes
    you pi-- like a race horse."  The theory is that purging the body
    of fluid will reduce blood pressure and that in turn will reduce
    the pressure on the blood vessels in the lung, so they'll be less
    likely to break or leak.
    
    Another well known diuretic is alcohol.  (You know, you only rent
    beer, etc.)  It's one of the primary reasons why you feel lousy the day
    after indulging.  One thing to do to avoid that is to start drinking
    lots of water once you're done with drinking da beers.  (Another
    contribution to the great knowledge base within the notes files,
    eh?)
        
    Bill
    
    
    

    
    Re: Philadelphia Park.  I neglected to mention the timing.  It was 
    about 30 minutes after the race was declared official that the
    stewards changed their mind about the outcome of the race.
    
    Re: Sterling.  This is the guy who went bankrupt in real estate, no?
    If I lived around there, I would be worried about his "track" record.
    
    Re:  Lasix.  I never did get to read the whole U. of Penn study on
    Lasix, but I thought that their conclusion was that Lasix was of
    negligible help for bleeders.  And how much of the bleeding problem
    can be traced to over-racing and over-training versus the horse's
    actual physiology?  The less drugs, the better.
    
    Is there any news on LeRoux in the papers?
    
    Brian

    
    I have Tom Ainslie's Complete Guide to Thoroughbred Racing, 3rd Ed.
    It's very comprehensive, and I would recommend it.  It covers
    everything from tracks, jockeys, horse factors (condition, distance,
    pace, class), to breeding, trainers, and owners.  The book doesn't 
    promote a betting "system", although I believe that Ainslie's has 
    written other books for picking winners.
    
    Brian
    

re. 99
        
    Re: Philadelphia Park.  The report I read was confusing.  There
    was a pick three and a twin tri on the race.  I think they paid the twin
    tri on both finishes but only gave an exchange on the right horse.
    Don't know how they could do that 30 minutes later.

    re: UP study   :-)    

    Yep, the fewer drugs the better.  Anything that gives the slightest
    indication of possible fixing should be eliminated.    
    
    No news on LeRoux.  Probably waiting for the new track to get going
    so that he can bleed it dry.

    Bill
            
    

My Daughter has been diagnosed as having a Arterial Septal Defect (a hole in 
the Heart). The Dr prescribed LASSIX for her to prevent any fluid build-up
and help relieve any strain on the internal organs (heart). 

This stuff made her more hyper than most normal 2-3 yr olds. I can imagine 
what this could do for a Race horse. 

JEff 

The lasix issue is without a doubt the hottest issue in racing. I feel
if the horse bleeds, let the damm horse use it.  NYRA wonders why the
west coast press or horse fans dont like it.  Then you wonder why horses
like Triple Buck are running at Rockingham, LASIX.  I just dont think
Lasix is a miracle drug.  Horses who stink, stink, period.  Alysheba
was fourth in the Belmont a couple of years back.  He came back and
won without lasix the second time around.  The big issue in this state
concerning racing is, WILL WE GET OTB.  I surely hope so, we have every
other gambling gimick in this state.
    
Greg                                  

    
    I should know this, but I guess I don't.....how is Lasix administered
    to the horse?  Injection?  In the hay?  Nasal spray?  :-)
    
    After listening to Unbridled's trainer give an interview on ESPN
    or SportChannel, he certainly made it sound as though changes in
    the horse's diet, liquid in-take, training, whatever, could
    accomplish the same results as Lasix.  Is this true for some cases,
    a few cases, one case in a thousand??
    
    Unbridled is being stabled at Arlington and might face Housebuster
    in a $300K race at Arlington on the same day as the Arlington
    Challenge....August 4.
    
    Brian

    The UP study seemed to conclude that Lasix was not a reliable treatment
    for bleeding - i.e. that the primary effect is to improve the horses
    performance without really fixing the bleeding problem.
    
    Can diet etc do as well?  Not for Unbridled!  ;-)
    
    Why would Unbridled go against Housebuster?  I would think whatever
    the distance is it won't suit both of them.
    
    Bill
    
        

re: books

	Here are a few suggestions -

Ainslie's Complete Guide to Thoroughbred Racing

	Like you said, the best, most comprehensive intro.  Starting to
	get a little dated, it's weak in the money management area and
	doesn't tie all the factors introduced together in any useful way, 
	but tells more about the horses themselves, how tracks are 
	organized, and the basic factors involved in handicapping than
	any other book.

How to win money at the Races - Nate Perlmutter

	An inexpensive ($3.95), light weight, easy to read, quick intro.
	(100 pgs.) to racing.  Good book to give to someone who's been
	asking questions but doesn't have the interest level needed for
	Ainslie's textbook.

How to Make Money in One Day at the Track - Charles Romanelli

	Recently published, this one is pretty easy to find.  It's
	strongest feature is that it ties things together very well.
	It's in the middle ground between Ainslie's "here's the factors 
	without a system" and the "here's a complete, impossibly 
	complex, detailed system" books.  (William Scott is the worst
	offender in that category).  Has an excellent discussion
	of money management and how to plan your approach to a full 
	day's card.  Written for the part-time handicapper, unlike many
	more advanced books that are only useful for a professional,
	full-time gambler.  A good second or third book after Ainslie's.

Thoroughbred Handicapping - State of the Art - William Quirin

	William Quirin and James Quinn have been writing a series of
	statisically oriented analyses of horse performance.  This one
	provides an update to Ainslie's discussion of what factors are
	important.  Also surveys many of the more time consuming methods
	like speed figures, pace figures, trip notes and bloodlines.  
	Recommended as an update to Ainslie, or if you're getting to be
	an advanced amateur, or are interested in how the pros do it.

The Best of Thoroughbred Handicapping - James Quinn

	A compilation of handicapping techniques that have 
	become popular in the last 20 years or so, extracted from popular
	handicapping books.  About 25 chapters.  Each one starts by 
	identifying the original book and then summarizes, in a very 
	able manner, the technique (early speed points, form points,
	par times, etc.) that the book's author introduced.  A good
	introduction to the best handicapping writers, but you're on your 
	own in figuring out how to apply it.  A good book to look at if
	you're looking for ideas on what to try next to improve your 
	game.
	
Betting Thoroughbreds - Steven Davidowitz

	This one is especially strong in analyzing trainer
	moves and some angles that apply to smaller tracks.

The Handicapper's Handbook - Tom Ainslie

	Published in 1968 and now out of print, you'll have to look for
	this in used book stores.  Tom Ainslie walks you through about
	60 races.  The first sections are organized by type of race and
	then the last sections are full cards for typical days.   Let's
	you see how the master does it.  If you liked The Complete Guide
	this is a good companion to it.

Thirty Tons a Day - Bill Veeck and Ed Linn

	Also out of print, but easy to find in used books stores around
	Boston.  For fans of Suffolk Downs, Bill Veeck, the master of
	sports promotion, tells about the two years ('69-'71) when
	he was general manager of the track (while one of Buddy Leroux's
	predecessors was taking his turn sucking it dry).

Books not recommended:

	Avoid the cheap $6-10 paperbacks advertised by the mail order 
	houses.  Most are trash from the 40's and 50's that are totally
	out of date.  If these books are any indication, the racing
	game has changed significantly since then!  In any case
	the writing has definitely improved since then!

	Some authors write the same book over and over (Dick Mitchell),
	write for the professional handicapper (a long list), or have
	a particular bone to pick about racing (Jim Selvidge). If you
	see something of interest and would like comments before 
	spending your money I may have some information.  Post a note or
	feel free to send mail.

Happy Handicapping,
Bill

Here are some places that will sell books about handicapping via mail order.

Disclaimer - This is not a comprehensive list, and is not
a comment about what to expect in the way of service in filling your
order, reliability etc.  Other sources may be better than these.

Pegasos Press, Santa Fe, NM - 800-537-8558 for a catalog:
	
	horse care topics and handicapping

The Gambler's Book Club, Los Vegas, NV - 800-634-6243 for a catalog:
	
	Not really a book club, just a store that does mail
	order as well.  Topics covered include handicapping, betting on
	other sports, the psychology of gambling, or info. about Los Vegas.

Joseph-Beth book store, Lexington, KY.

	No catalog available as far as I know, but they will take phone
    	orders.  Horse care topics and handicapping.  Also stock
    	equine/racing art books.

Lyrical Ballard, Saratoga, NY.

	Again, no catalog available as far as I know, but they will discuss
    	what you are looking for over the phone.  This is a used book
	store. They do not stock new books.  Horse care topics and
    	handicapping, plus racing history, old magazines, stud manuals, etc.

Other mail order suppliers advertise in the Racing Form, especially on 
the days of nationally broadcast races.

Used book stores in the area near a track can be good sources.

Also, some of the tracks have book shops - Belmont, Saratoga, and
Churchill Downs (in the lobby of the museum) come to mind.

Well, enough name dropping for today :-)

May the horse be with you,
Bill
    

    
    Did anyone see the Ohio Derby?  Seemed like a pretty mediocre group
    of horses.  I put in a tape in the VCR and went out.  The tape was
    write-protected, so I didn't get anything taped (but I still have what
    I wanted to save!!).
    
    With the heavy thunderstorms in the Midwest over the past couple of
    weeks, the turf races have been switched to the dirt, even on the day
    after the storm.  The Sun-Times horse writer keeps pushing the idea of
    get a tarpoulin(s) for the turf course.  It would probably cost a few
    hundred thousand.
    
    Does any track in the U.S. have one?  What do they do in Europe?  Race
    in the rain and tear up the track, or cancel the day's racing?
    
    Brian

    Let's see, 7/8 miles x 80 feet wide = 422,400 sq. ft
    at .05 / sq foot that would be $21,120.  (Haven't bought a tarp
    in a long time, how expensive are they?)  Of course, the sewing would
    be expensive :-)  And then there's the sweeper to dry it off before
    you remove it.   And the special tractor and the roller crew...
    and you'll have to water the turf once you get it dry...
    
    Sounds like they'ld be better off just simulcasting races from Europe,
    like Atlantic City started doing today.  (I don't know how they
    manage to run in the rain - maybe they use the inner turf track?)

    

    
    Criminal Type beat Sunday Silence by a head in the Hollywood Gold Cup.
    I believe he was getting 5 lbs, which is supposed to be worth a
    couple of lengths over 1 1/4 miles. 
    
    Is this rare for a Lucas horse?  He usually runs them into the ground
    by the end of the horse's fourth year.  Criminal Type is 5.
    
    I hope that in future meetings, the weights are evened-up between
    Criminal Type, Easy Goer, and Sunday Silence.
    
    Brian

Criminal Type is a late bloomer from the Lukas barn.  He is a Alydar
colt, who had ran alot of sucked up seconds and thirds to horses 
Like Ruhlmann and Opening Verse.  With his victory over Ruhlmann in
the Pimlico special he has gotten tougher and tougher.  Well Easy Goer
couldnt beat Sunday Silence but once.  Maybe we can call Criminal type's
victory - Alydar's revenge.
    
Greg                    

 Sad news for Horse racing fans, Easy Goer has been retired due to a bone
 chip found in his right sesamoid. He will not run in the Arlington
 Challenge Cup against Sunday Silence and Crimminal Type, the only two
 horses I believe to have ever beaten him....

 mike

    
    Alright, I'll ask.  What's a sesamoid?
    

 Not sure Dickster but they equated it to a human having a bone sticking
 out of their wrist, which somehow doesn't make sense to me. I would have
 assumed that it would be like an ankle. Perhaps someone else can enlighten
 us....

mike    

    
    Well, if it's his left sesamoid, at least he'll still be able to
    play polo. 8^)
    
    Dickster
    

    
    I heard the news late night....got totally depressed.  Was so psyched
    to see the three big horses, live and in person, at Arlington.
    
    The Arlington Challenge is not a graded race.  It was, as the title
    says, a "challenge."  Thus, if both Easy Goer and Sunday Silence didn't
    show, the purse would drop from $1 Million to 600,000.  According to
    this morning's Chicago Sun-Times, D. Wayne Lucas (trainer of Criminal
    Type) is threatening not to show if they drop the purse.  This was
    clearly stated by the Arlington owners last winter when they created
    the race.  Sunday Silence apparently is coming, not matter what.
    Other possible horses include:  Clevor Trevor (3 Grade I wins last
    year and a 2nd to Easy Goer in the Travers), Opening Verse, and
    Mi Selecto.  Unbridled, stabled at Arlington, will run in the American
    Derby at Arlington on the same day....a 3 yr old race.
    
    Wonder if ABC will pull the race off of TV on Saturday??  It's 
    probably too late for that...
    
    Brian

    The sesamoid bone is one of the small bones that make up the horses
    foot.  They tend to crack under a lot of stress such as going over
    a hard racetrack.  The bones will heal themselves after a lot of rest
    but chances are the horse is never what he was before.  I have a mare
    that broke both sesamoids and holds up fine as a riding horse but was
    never sound as a racehorse after that.
    
    Linda
    
    

    
    Thanks for the superior sesamoid summary.
    
    They say you learn something new every day, and WOW, here it is
    only mid-morning...

Yes, I agree with Dickster.

It was an utterly bone-chilling description, which totally gives
us a leg up on all of our competition, and will keep us from
putting our foot in our mouth when discussing this area of
equine anatomy.

Yep, no flies on us.

'Saw

    Linda -
    
    Welcome to SPORTS and thanks for the info.  However, you are only 
    allowed one factual note per month, according to the official 
    SPORTS junk-noting by-laws, which are supervised by a committee
    that includes Chainsaw, Hawk, /Don, JD, Jeff Needle (he's getting
    married - unbelievable!!!!), and the king of the apostrophe
    police, John Hendry.  Any attempt at another serious note before
    August 20 will be dealt with severely.
    
    Hope helps this.
    
    NAZZ

Linda --

Some junk noting tips....

Sit back.  Relax.  Let your mind go blank, and breathe deeply.
Plant the seed of your reply in your mind.  Let it grow.  
When it has grown a little, prune all logic and order from it,
and add a liberal helping of incongruity.  Splash on some
trademarked expressions (see note 124) and a few
smilies.  Enter into the topic.

Also, assume that SPORTS is a friendly neighborhood tavern, sorta
like Cheers only better because we're there.  Suck down a couple of
your favorites (even if it's only Kool-Aid).  Relax.  Slide into
the conversation.

Finally, if you're having problems with any of this, I'll send
you some SPORTShooms(tm), a powerful hallugeon(tm) which will assist
you in your efforts.

Happy Junk Noting, and may your horses' sesamoids always be strong.

Chainsaw

    Don't anyone say "Check out the sesamoids on that one!" - PLEASE!
    
    NAZZ

    
    Perhaps Linda could weigh in on the Lasix issue...
    
    Last time I was at the track, the Daily Racing Form had an article
    saying that some committee (made up of racing people and vets) had
    reviewed the U. of Penn study on Lasix (which said that Lasix didn't
    help control the horse's bleeding, but did make the horse run faster
    sometime), and decided that they were in general agreement with
    the procedures and findings of the Penn study.
    
    They also decided (I am not making this up) to form another committee,
    and review things some more...
    
    Brian

Well, I realize this is in poor taste, but back to the Arlington Challenge -

Latest news is that Wayne Lucas will send Steinlin (sp?) to race against
Sunday Silence.  Steinlin was last year's turf champion and most recently
won the Caesar's International (Gr. I, $500K) at Atlantic City.  Steinlin
was imported from Europe (as a three year old I think) and has only raced
once on the dirt.  It was his second start in the U.S.  He's now 7 years
old.

BTW, I saw an article that mentioned that if Easy Goer hadn't lost to
Sunday Silence when they met he would have earned $8M in his career.
Instead he retired to stud (why can't people break their legs and retire that
way?) with "only" 0$4M in earnings.

Bill

    
RE: Instead he retired to stud (why can't people break their legs and retire
    that way?) with "only" 0$4M in earnings.
    
    
    If Arnold retires to stud, I'll pay the fee.
    
    PaulaSue

    Julie Krone returned to action yesterday at Monmouth.  She won her
    first race on a maiden 3-year-old which was her 1900-th career win,
    according to the Baltimore Sun.  She won with her next mount as well
    in what was described as stretch duel with Art Madrid.  She finished
    third and sixth on her other mounts.
    
    Krone did her apprenticeship at Pimlico and I won a lot of money on
    her.  She is a gutsy jockey.  Glad she's back.
    
    PaulaSue

Anyone have any opinions on the Haskell (Gr. I, $500k at Monmouth)?  Major
entries are Rhythm, Profit Key, Baron de Vaux, and of course the local horse,
Tee's Prospect.

B

    Rhythm will disappoint, and finish third as the favorite.  I like 
    Profit Key.
    
    NAZZ

Field of 7

Rythm
Yonder (first start since the Belmont)
Profit Key (beat Rhythm in last start; highweight for the Haskill - 122?)
baron De Veau
Restless Con
Secret Hello
Tee's Prospect 

The race will be broadcast on ESPN (5-6PM).

If you follow ESPN's long shot choices, the Budweiser Long Shot for
the Haskell will be...

	Tee's Prospect

B

For the record, the Haskell finish was:

Restless Con	2 1/4 lgths

Baron de Vaux	nk

Rythm		hd

Yonder		nk

Tee's Prospect	3+?

Secret Hello

Profit Key.

    Profit Key stopped like he got shot!  Nice victory for Restless Con,
    but I'm not too keen on the opposition in the race.
    
    NAZZ

    
    Didn't get to see or tape the race.  I'm familiar with all of the
    horses in the race except, of course, Restless Con.  Where did
    he come from?
    
    I'll post the field to the Arlington Challenge later in the week
    when it becomes official.  
    
    Brian

    RE .125 Lasix issue
    
    I personally feel that using any type of drugs to race horses is wrong.
    In New York, horses are drug tested before and after the race, and if
    you are caught using anything, you are suspended from racing.  I would
    like to see all tracks operate like that, to me it makes for a much
    fairer game.  I find it unfortunate that many horses end up paying the
    price for greedy owners or trainers.

    
    Well, the field has pretty much collapsed.  Too bad.  It really looked
    like a great race just two weeks ago.  It's down to five horses.
    
         Sunday Silence, Steinlen, Western Playboy, Beau Genius, Santangelo
    
    Opening Verse and Mi Selecto were pulled out this week.  Clevor Trevor,
    Unbridled, and Criminal Type declined the invitation (or rather, their
    trainers/owners did)...and, of course, Easy Goer....
    
    Maybe I'll just stay home.....nah......
    
    Brian

Well the Arlington field just got destroyed. Sunday Silence tore a ligament
in his left foreleg training and has been retired. Steinlen also withdrew
after hearing about Sunday Silence....

Dinz were you planning on betting on him or something?  ;^)

mike    

    
    Just amazing.  From a quick look at the Chicago paper this morning,
    I don't think that Sunday Silence will get any surgery, just rest.
    
    Arlington officials scrambled to fill up the race with mostly locally
    stabled horses.  Since both Easy Goer and Sunday Silence are out,
    the purse is down to $250,000.  It could still have been a decent
    field if Criminal Type, Opening Verse, Clevor Trevor, etc., had not
    pulled out.
    
    I bet that this is the first and last running of the Arlington
    Challenge.
    
    Brian

    
    Beau Genius, the 6-5 favorite, won what was left of the Challenge Cup
    over locally-stabled Triteamtri at 33-1.  Western Playboy finished
    an uninspired third.
    
    In a more interesting co-feature, the 300K American Derby, Real Cash
    with Pat Valenzuela held off Home At Last by a half a length.  The
    favorite, Shug McGauhey's Adjudicating, ran the first 3/4 in 1:10, and
    died in the stretch, finishing third, 8 lengths back.
    
    Brian

 Copied from the DELNI::Equistion notes file (note 481.231)
   
    
    Andrew Adlam wanted to buy a race horse and had no money, so the native
    of Jamaica solved 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.

    
    Very strange race.  I kept waiting for Shot Gun Scott and Sir Richard
    Lewis to give it up, but only Rhythm came flying down the stretch to
    pass them.  Go and Go, didn't, and finished 7th.  A most inconsistent
    bunch of 3 year olds.  What were Profit Key, Thirty Six Red, Yonder
    and Restless Con doing??
    
    For 3 year old of the year, None of the Above??  If I got to vote,
    I'd probably vote for the filly, Go For Wand.
    
    Brian

You have to give Shug credit.  Looks like he's taken a difficult horse and
woked hard at figuring out how to get him winning again.

$1200 for the exacta.  Now why didn't I think of that? ;-)

Three year old of the year?  Maybe they'll give it to Summer Squall so that
Cot Campbell will have a trophy before he retires.  He's pumped a lot of money
into the sport.  Otherwise Rythm (if more races set up for a one run victory)
or Go for Wand.  Go for Wand has certainly been memorable to watch.  She'ld
get my vote at this point.

Bill

Is the Rock switching over to the winter track this week?  I called down there
for reservations for the weekend and they mentioned that they were closed today.
Don't they usually swicth in October?  What's up?

Bill

    re .144:
    
    Rockingham doesn't race on Thursday.  Their current schedule is Monday
    afternoon, Wednesday afternoon, Friday night, Saturday afternoon, and
    Sunday afternoon.
    
    
    py

    Sigh.  I used to know that~!  Winter arrives October 12 - the Rock 
    changes to a 1:00 post time for Fridays.
    
    Bill
    

    
    I don't know anything about betting the ponies or the dogs, and I was
    wondering about some of the basics.
    
    When you bet "show", you get paid if the horse comes in first, second,
    or third, right?   "Place" pays first or second?
    
    When they show the payoff amounts after the race, is that based on a 
    $2.00 bet, or is that per dollar.  For example, I bet $10.00 to win,
    the horse wins and pays $3.60, do I get $36.00 or $18.00?
    
    And what about all those Daily Doubles, perfectas, trifectas,
    quinellas, exactas etc. etc.  For you veterans these must be stupid
    questions, but I sure wouldn't want to go to the track "unarmed."
    
    Hope you'll help.
    
    Dickster
    

    Hi Dickster:
    
    > When you bet "show", you get paid if the horse comes in first, second,
    > or third, right?   "Place" pays first or second?
    
    Yes on both questions.

    > When they show the payoff amounts after the race, is that based on a 
    > $2.00 bet, or is that per dollar.  For example, I bet $10.00 to win,
    > the horse wins and pays $3.60, do I get $36.00 or $18.00?
    
    It's per $2 wager.  In your example, you'd get $18.00.
    
    > And what about all those Daily Doubles, perfectas, trifectas,
    > quinellas, exactas etc. etc.
    
    Daily Double -- a wager in which you pick the winners of two
    consecutive races.  Both horses/dogs have to win for you to collect.
    (Every track has a "Daily Double" the first two races, many tracks also
    have a Daily Double later in the program.)
    
    Perfecta/Exacta -- same thing (New England tracks use the term
    perfecta, NY tracks call it an exacta).  A wager in which you have to
    pick the first two horses/dogs *in exact order*.  For example, if you
    play a 3-5 perfecta and 5 wins and 3 comes in second, you don't
    collect, it has to be the other way around.  Most dog tracks don't have
    perfecta betting.
    
    Quiniela -- A wager in which you pick the first two horses/dogs to
    finish, but they can be *in either order*.  For example if you play a
    3-5 quiniela, you collect if 3 wins and 5 comes in second, *or* if 5
    wins and 3 comes in second.  
    
    Trifecta -- A wager in which you have to pick the first three
    horses/dogs to finish *in exact order*.  
    
    Hope this helps, if you have any further questions let me know...
    
    
    py                                                               

    Paul, is this what they taught you at ULowell?  :-)
    
    Hawk, Merrimack College, Class of 199n.

    
    Thanx, Paul.
    
    The reason I asked was because while channel flipping last Saturday and
    the week before I came across some oddball channel showing races from
    Philadelphia park or somewhere.  I'd make "mental bets" and keep tabs
    of the winnings.  When I came out ahead two weeks in a row I figured I
    was doing something wrong!
    
    Hmmm....I might have to try this game in "real life."
    
    Dickster
    

    Dickster, send the Slasher mail.  He's a big fan of the $2 window.  I
    know he will lead you astray.......  :-)
    
    Hawk

    re .149, 
    
    Touche Hawk!
    
    I'd come back with a good one but I'm ounumbered by the Merrimack grads
    in this topic...
    
    
    py (who made a few trips up Route 38 to the Rock during his undergrad
    days)
     

Pick's for tonights card at the Rock:
    
4th Race - Winloc's Dynamite
6th Race - Storm on the Rise
8th Race - Twice Met
9th Race - Closing Argument
    
    Im going up tonight and putting $10 to win and place on all of these
    pigs/horses.  I hope I can get one to win.
    
    Greg

    I was wondering about how some of you horse players apply money
    management at the track.  I always bring enough for an 0-3 streak.  If
    I cant pick 3 horses in 3 races to finish first or second I dont belong
    at the track.  I was curious how others perserve there cash flow.  
    
    
    Greg

    	My money management system is real simple.  After the last race
    I don't have any to manage anymore, so I go home.
    
    				/Don

    re .154, .155:
    
    Nothing special for me, other than setting aside a predetermined amount
    for wagering before walking into the track.   When that's gone so am
    I, no exceptions, no matter how much other money I may happen to have
    on me.
    
    
    py
                               

Poor Belmont Park, This year is without a doubt one of the worst years for
    horses getting hurt and unable to race in the Breeders Cup.  Below as
    list of horses who will not be at Belmont Park.
    
    Sprint -  Housebuster (The probable favorite)
    
    Classic - Easy Goer, Sunday Silence, Criminal Type, Summer Squal
    (questionable)
    
    Turf - Golden Pheasant
    
    Juvinile - Pine Echo
    
    The only race that has not been hurt is the Filly race.  Go for Wand,
    Bayoka are scheduled to race head to head.  Just a bad year for racing
    in general. No Suffolk, No OTB, No Easy Goer, No Sunday Silence, very
    very sad indeed.
    
    
    Greg
    
    

    
    Will the Breeder's Cup be on NBC or ESPN this year??
    
    Yep, terrible racing luck this year.  Looking back, it was going
    to be a very good year.
    
    Summer Squall, from what I read, is through for the year.  He bled
    again at the Meadowlands last week, finishing 8th, and probably won't
    race again until the winter in either CA or Florida.  Well, at least
    they are not going to put him out to stud at the moment.
    
    The filly race should be a good three horse race...Go For Wand, Bayakoa,
    and Gorgeous.  The sprint should be worth watching....Carson City (won
    a stakes at Belmont last week in 1:08), Dancing Spree, Mr. Nickerson.
    The turf races will probably have a number of European horses that
    no one has heard of....it's the Classic that will be the big letdown.
    
    Brian
    

    Why isn't Housebuster racing?  He's not injured, is he?
    
    NAZZ

    
    I think that Housebuster took a gash on an ankle in his last race,
    requiring stitches.  He'll be back, but not in time for the Breeders
    Cup.  
    
    Of course, with so many injuries, I could have them mixed up....but
    I'm fairly certain that he won't be ready for 10-27 @ Belmont.
    
    Brian

    The Breeders' Cup will be televised Saturday 1:30-6, live, on NBC
    
    The pre-entered horses are listed below.  Horses marked with a *
    are the likely starters, according to today's Racing Form.  (Horses
    with a (*) are expected alternates past the 14 horse limit for each
    race, or have not committed to the races that aren't at the limit.
    Final entries and post postions will be drawn on Weds.
    
    Predictions anyone?
    
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
2*	De Roche	15-1
3*	Flying Continental 4-1
4*	Rhythm		6-1
5*	Opening Verse	10-1
6*	Home at Last	10-1
7	Shot Gun Scott	20-1
8	Thirty Six Red	15-1
9*	Beau Genius	12-1
10	Golden Pheasant	12-1
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
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

    

    I'll be at Belmont Saturday, so I may as well throw in some picks
    beforehand, just to see how I do compared to after I "handicap".
    
BC Sprint (6 furlongs, $1M):

3*	Dancing Spree	5-1

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

1*	Meadow Star	3-5

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

1*	Go for Wand	6-5
    
BC Mile (1M, $1M):

1*	Steinlen	9-2

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

3*	Best Pal	4-1

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

5	Shy Tom		15-1

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

1*	Unbridled	5-1
4*	Rhythm		6-1
slight lean to RHYTHM

    
    Sprint:	Carson City, 8-1	Did 1:08 at Belmont 3 weeks ago...
    
    Juv Filly:	Beyond Perfection, 4-1	Who wants to bet on Meadow Star at
    					3-5??
    
    Distaff:	Bayakoa, 8-5		Owner had to put $200K starter fee
    
    Mile Turf:	With Approval, 5-1	Take Perret in the big ones...
    
    Juvenile:	Deposit Ticket, 9-2	Even though I root against Lukas
    
    Turf:	El Senor, 10-1		El Senor's last gasp...
    
    Classic:	Rhythm, 6-1		Good speed setup for him
    
    Brian

Ok, here's my semi-educated guesses, for the record (and without having seen
Form yet):

BC Sprint (6 furlongs, $1M):

3*	Dancing Spree	5-1	! At top of game
12*	Corwyn Bay	15-1	! Two fast recent works
				! Bet both $2 to win and $2 box in a exacta

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

1*	Meadow Star	3-5	! THE ONE TO BEAT; exhibition race, no bet

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

2*	Bayakoa		8-5	! Class and experience; bragging rights, no bet

BC Mile (1M, $1M):

17*	Expensive Decision	15-1	! Two recent fast races; $4 W

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

3*	Best Pal	4-1	! Fly so Free is late bloomer; experience here
				! $4 W
BC Turf (1 1/2M, $2M):

9*	Cacoethes	5-1	! Race over track can't hurt, $4 W

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

3*	Flying Continental	4-1	! Good score in JC Gold Cup
4*	Rhythm		6-1	! Why is Rhythm at low odds?  Travers was
				! a very strange race.
6*	Home at Last	10-1	! Carl always said he was better than Unbridled
13*	Dispersal	9-2	! When he's good he's tough

				! $2 Exactas: FC-HAL, Disp-HAL, FC-Disp
				! Flying Continental to $4 win and place

				! Total plan: $30.

    
    A truly frightening afternoon.  Don't cry too often.....
    
    About the only thing I will remember, other than Go For Wand breaking
    down, is Jose Santos and Randy Romero riding again after their falls.
    I couldn't believe that Santos got catapaulted over Mr. Nickerson, and
    came back 30 minutes later to ride Meadow Star.
    
    Lucas was on the mark during his interview when he stated that 4 hrs
    of national tv was showcasing racing to a lot of people who didn't
    normally come out to the tracks and it was a disaster....but blaming
    the track seemed a little over-reactive.  The first accident in the
    Sprint had nothing to do with the track, and I think that being down
    on the rail like Go For Wand was all the way down the stretch is the
    most dangerous place to be....
    
    If there was anyone who needed to be destroyed, it was the NBC producer
    who showed the Go For Wand tragedy about 25 times....I just left the
    room until the next race was at the post....
    
    Brian

I think Ron Isidrano (sp?) summed it up best in the Globe "... regular players
know that sometimes racing just stinks."

Once they had shown her hobbling on the broken leg there was no need to show
anything else.  Horses move too fast to make it possible to tell from a TV
picture if it was a bad step or something on the track.  What's the point of
showing it more than one more time for people who missed it when it happened?
And it didn't deserve to be repeated as a highlight of
the day at the end of the program.

Sticking a mike in front of Billy Badgett when he was too
choked up to talk was the cruelest moment.  At least the guy holding the mike
could have done the decent thing and expressed some sypathy when he realized
that Badgett hadn't gotten hold of himself yet.

It's odd, but outside of the coverage of the accidents I thought they did
a better job this year.  They concentrated on the horses.  No endless
interviews of owners and trainers who are very nervous in front of a
camera or who repeat simple cliches.

It does make you pause and wonder if there's a better way.

Bill

For the record, Breeders' Cup results:

BC Sprint (6 furlongs, $1M):

Safely Kept		
Dayjur		 	 
Black Tie Affair 	

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

Meadow Star		
Private Treasure 	
Dance Smartly		

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

Bayakoa		 	
Colonial Waters		
Valay Maid		

BC Mile (1M, $1M):

Royal Academy		 
Itsallgreektome		
Priolo			

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

Fly so Free		 
Take me Out		
Lost Mountain		

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

In the Wings		 
With Approval		 
El Senor		


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

Unbridled		
Ibn Bey			
Thirty Six Red	

    

    The other day I read all the articles on Go for Wand.  There was one
    article that stood out in my mind.  NBC never did show it, but Go for
    Wand after breaking down, got up and finished the race.  She ran on 
    bascially three legs from the 16th pole crossed the finish line
    and collapsed 10 feet from the winner's circle.  
    
    Greg    

Hello race fans,

Does anyone know if they'll be giving out new admission passes this weekend at
RKM?  Don't know if I can afford to attend at full price ;-)

Bill

    Re:169.. If you can't afford the admission price then how the h*ll
    can you afford the money to bet on the horses?
    
    REK