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Thursday,
January 12,
2012 |
| NTRA Thoroughbred
Notebook |
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FACES IN THE CROWD
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Vinnie Jones of “X-Men III”, “Snatch”, “Lock Stock
and Two Smoking Barrels” and more enjoys a day at Santa
Anita with friends. (Image courtesy of Benoit Photo) |
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Famed singer/songwriter Jimmy Buffett leads Who Dat
Ambush, a 3-year-old colt owned by a partnership
including Buffett and several of his friends, into the
Winner’s Circle at Fair Grounds. (Image courtesy of
Hodges Photography) |
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Pictured above are Last Mango Racing’s partners
in the paddock at Fair Grounds, including
partnership manager Greg Bensel, the New Orleans
Saints Vice President of Communications, and
acclaimed singer Jimmy Buffett. Not pictured
are Saints head coach Sean Payton, quarterback
Drew Brees, General Manager Mickey Loomis and
the Monday Night Football announcing team of
Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski and Jon Gruden-all of
whom are Last Mango partners. |
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PHOTOS OF THE WEEK
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Deer passing through the infield during the
harrow break on the Tapeta at Fair Hill Training
Center on January 9 (Image courtesy of Sally
Goswell, Fair Hill Training Center) |
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Ultimate Eagle busily painting his Equine Expression to
raise funds to support ex-racehorses for CERF & The
Second Race (Image courtesy of @TheSecondRace Twitter
feed) |
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Santa Anita celebrates its 100,000th fan, Donna
Davis, only nine days into the meet by
presenting her with a check for $1,000. (Image
courtesy of Benoit Photo) |
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Tapizar, shown winning the 2011 Grade III Sham Stakes,
will make his 2012 debut in Santa Anita’s 60th running
of the Grade II, $150,000 San Fernando Stakes on
Saturday. (Image courtesy of Benoit Photo) |
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FAN PHOTO OF THE WEEK
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Congratulations to Debbie Minnis, winner of the
Fan Photo of the Week contest! From Debbie:
“This photo was taken in November 2011 while in
Kentucky for the Breeders' Cup races. My cousin
and I went to Old Friends to see the retired
racehorses and while there I took this picture.
I thought it was pretty cool. Hope you enjoy it
too!” |
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FOLLOW US ON TWITTER
@NTRA
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Photo courtesy of Alan Grossbard |
Alan Grossbard is a producer and writer of such movies
as And They’re Off and Zerophilia as well
as the television series Solo en America
and
Hollywood Squares. And They’re Off,
his most recent production, was filmed at Fairplex Park
and Hollywood Park over 18 days in April and May 2010.
It garnered strong reviews from critics, one of whom
called the film a “hilarious spoof in the Christopher
Guest mold.” And They’re Off will be available on
DVD and OnDemand on May 1.
A longtime horse racing fan who owns shares of
Thoroughbreds in partnership, Grossbard has been going
to the races since the mid-1970s—first at Del Mar as a
kid, then to Golden Gate Fields during college, and
later at Hollywood Park and Santa Anita.
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TWO MINUTE LICK WITH ALAN GROSSBARD
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Name:
Alan Grossbard
Birthplace:
Los Angeles
My favorite childhood memory:
There was an amusement park called Beverly Park in Los Angeles
that was within walking distance from my house. Very cool.
How I was introduced to Thoroughbred racing:
I visited Del Mar with a buddy when I was in high school, and we
hit a long shot.
Other sports/teams I follow:
L.A. Dodgers, L.A. Lakers
Why I love competing in Thoroughbred racing:
The beautiful animals, good people, and there’s nothing better
than seeing your horse take the lead in the stretch.
My favorite athletes of all time:
Sandy Koufax, Jerry West, Magic Johnson and Zenyatta
Books I’m reading or have recently read:
Livewire,
What the Dog Saw
Favorite magazine:
Fast Company
Favorite websites:
Yahoo! Finance, Daily
Racing Form, NTRA
Gadget I can’t live without:
Like everybody else, my cell phone.
Favorite movies:
The Graduate,
Schindler’s List,
Annie Hall,
Seabiscuit
TV shoes I watch:
Friday Night
Lights, How I Met Your
Mother, Saturday
Night Live
Favorite foods:
Hot wings and a cold beer
If I could be a guest on any television show it would be:
Jimmy Glick. Loved that guy.
If I were in a band I would play the:
Piano
Favorite musician/band:
Five for Fighting
Best racetrack food can be found at:
The Del Mar infield during a chili cook-off.
Accomplishment I am most proud of:
My children
Newspaper I read daily:
Los Angeles Times
My philosophy on life:
“Dream big and give it your best shot.”
Favorite charities:
Phase One, Share Our Strength
Favorite authors:
Harlan Coben, Jeffrey Archer
Favorite animal other than a horse:
Both of my dogs, Jack and Lucy.
Favorite non-Thoroughbred racing sports event I have attended:
1985 Lakers/Celtics NBA finals
Three words that define Thoroughbred racing to me:
Exciting, beautiful, fun
No. 1 bucket list item:
See a major league baseball game in EVERY stadium, all in one
year.
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TRIPLE
CROWN WATCH
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Photo courtesy of Horsephotos.com |
REVERON
Owner:
Stipa Racing Stable
Trainer:
Agustin C. Bezara
Sire:
Songandaprayer
Record:
5-3-1-1
Earnings:
$104,460
Current Wynn Las Vegas Derby odds:
75-1
The skinny:
$20,000 yearling won his third in a row in the Gulfstream Park
Derby. |
Photo courtesy of Horsephotos.com |
CASUAL TRICK
Owner:
Robert LaPenta
Trainer:
Nick Zito
Sire:
Bernardini
Record:
3-1-1-0
Earnings:
$49,600
Current Wynn Las Vegas Derby odds:
65-1
The skinny:
Was a good second behind Reveron in GP Derby. Connections
love Kentucky in May. |
Photo courtesy of Horsephotos.com |
BIG SCREEN
Owner:
Dogwood Stable
Trainer:
Frank Alexander
Sire:
Speightstown
Record:
3-1-1-0
Earnings:
$33,805
Current Wynn Las Vegas Derby odds:
85-1
The skinny:
Broke his maiden New Year’s Eve going 1 1/8 miles at Gulfstream.
Taking action in Vegas. |
Photo courtesy of Horsephotos.com |
OVERDRIVEN
Owner:
Repole Stable
Trainer:
Todd Pletcher
Sire:
Tale of the Cat
Record:
2-2-0-0
Earnings:
$126,000
Current Wynn Las Vegas Derby odds:
100-1
The skinny:
Was the talk of Saratoga after winning the Sanford. Has been on
the shelf ever since, though. |
Photo courtesy of Horsephotos.com |
ON FIRE BABY
Owner:
Anita Cauley
Trainer:
Gary Hartlage
Sire:
Smoke Glacken
Record:
4-3-0-0
Earnings:
$227,329
Current Wynn Las Vegas Derby odds:
225-1
The skinny:
Trainer has been intimating that a Derby run not out of the
realm of possibility for this stakes-winning filly. May start
vs. boys in Smarty Jones at Oaklawn. |
Photo courtesy of Team Valor International |
HOWE GREAT
Owner:
Team Valor International
Trainer:
Graham Motion
Sire: Hat Trick (JPN)
Record:
3-2-1-0
Earnings:
$61,500
Current Wynn Las Vegas Derby odds:
225-1
The skinny:
Aptly named colt has won on both turf and dirt. Shades of
Animal Kingdom? Connections still thinking turf—for now. |
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VOICES
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FROM THE GRANDSTAND
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Gulfstream Park outrider Vicki Vice, who teamed with
fellow outrider Hank Hefner to prevent riderless Mordi’s
Miracle from running headlong into oncoming horses in
the stretch run of Wednesday’s second race at Gulfstream
Park:
“After
doing this for so long, sometimes you react and do
things without thinking about it…and it helps to have a
good horse.”
Jockey Willie Martinez on advice he gives up-and-coming
jockeys:
"The
number one thing I tell any young rider is to never
forget that our sport is all about the horse. They are
the biggest stars. Our names are on the programs and our
faces are on TV, but if it wasn’t for the horses, we
wouldn’t leave the paddock."
Trainer Larry Jones, quoted by Marcus Hersh in Daily
Racing Form, on Havre de Grace’s fitness level when
she arrived at his Oaklawn Park barn:
"Everything's
good. You can tell she hasn't been stretching her body
out, but it's going to be there. When she came in this
year, she looked a heck of a lot better than when she
came in last year.”
Frustrated LSU fan Al Stall, quoted by Jennie Rees in
courier-journal.com,
on his team's offensive (in more ways than one)
performance in the BCS Championship:
“It
was like a $2,500 claimer running in the Derby.”
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VIDEOS OF THE WEEK
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NTRA President and CEO Alex Waldrop talks to Sky Sports
News Radio about Rapid Redux’s remarkable season (Sky
Sports News Radio)
Caracortado’s late run in Saturday’s Daytona Stakes
amazes even the legendary Trevor Denman (NTRA
Videos)
Fair Grounds track announcer John Dooley
gets into the act during Who Dat Ambush’s victory last
Sunday. The 3-year-old colt is owned by Last Mango
Racing, a partnership comprised of New Orleans Saints
vice president of communications Greg Bensel,
quarterback Drew Brees, head coach Sean Payton, and
general manager Mickey Loomis, plus singer Jimmy Buffett
and the Monday Night Football announcing crew of Mike
Tirico, Ron Jaworski and Jon Gruden. (Hinesite67’s
YouTube channel)
Here’s a hilarious 2009 race call from
new Oaklawn Park announcer Frank Mirahmadi from back
when he was at Turf Paradise.
He used nearly two dozen impressions during this
1 7/8-mile turf marathon.
(luisbelusi
YouTube channel)
The BC countdown has already begun at Santa Anita (Santa
Anita Park)
Owners William Strauss, Jim Rome and his
wife Janet Rome and son Logan Rome as well as trainer
Mike Puype and jockey Garrett Gomez are interviewed
after Mizdirection wins the Monrovia Stakes at Santa
Anita (Santa
Anita’s YouTube Channel)
Classic 1974 TV: Fred Sanford buys a retired stakes
winner in hopes of getting rich as a breeder (Mynjunkyard’s
YouTube channel)
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IN THE NEWS
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Gulfstream Park to host 2013 Eclipse Award Ceremony
(The
Blood-Horse)
Intrigue surrounds Eclipse Awards
(Saratogian.com)
An interview with ESPN
commentator and Eclipse Awards host Jeannine Edwards (Paulick
Report)
Asmussen’s Tapizar
headlines Saturday’s Grade II San Fernando Stakes
(Santa
Anita.com)
Gomez out 4 to 6 weeks with
fractured heel (Daily Racing Form)
Book 2 numbers continue to sizzle at Keeneland January (Thoroughbred
Times)
Oaklawn Park opens this
Friday (KUAR
Public Radio)
On Fire Baby set to face
the boys in Oaklawn’s Smarty Jones Stakes (Miami
Herald.com)
A new voice for Oaklawn
Park racing (Arkansas
Democrat-Gazette)
Gulfstream Park’s Holy
Bull Stakes is up next for Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner
Hansen (Miami
Herald.com)
Union Rags puts in his
first formal workout of 2012 (Daily Racing Form)
The Road to the Kentucky
Derby
(Forbes.com)
Triple Crown Notebook:
Time to pony up for Derby Hopefuls (Houston Chronicle)
El Padrino, Ted’s Folly
pointing to Lecomte
(SportsNola.com)
Havre de Grace could face
males in her 2012 debut (ESPN)
Animal Kingdom arrives at
Palm Meadows (Gulfstream
Park)
NHC gives Tour winner shot
at $3 million payday (Daily Racing Form)
New Jersey OKs sports
betting and expanded horse race wagering laws (NBC
Sports)
Jim Rome: Out of the
Jungle and onto the farm (Forbes.com)
Off-the-track
Thoroughbreds to be focus of new HRTV series (American Horse
Publications)
Black Caviar is the queen
of the World Thoroughbred Rankings (Melbourne
Herald-Sun)
Lloyd Arnold, former owner
of Los Alamitos, dies at 83 (LA Times)
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IN THE BLOGOSPHERE
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Jon White’s Eclipse Awards Predictions (HRTV.com) Is this the year for Sheikh Mohammed in
the Derby? (Daily
Racing Form)
Trainer Michael Matz is ready for another
Derby run (The
Blood-Horse)
Canadian star Maritimer could make a
Triple Crown bid (Louisville
Courier-Journal)
Aqueduct proved this weekend that a
little added purse money can bring the stars out to
shine (Brooklyn
Backstretch)
An interview with Dr. Kendall Hansen,
owner of Hansen (Brisnet)
The Triple Crown chase starts with Alpha
(ESPN)
Alpha may be the omega for Nijinsky mares
(Bloodstock in the
Bluegrass)
Looking at some of the updated Wynn
Kentucky Derby future odds (Daily
Racing Form)
A review of horse racing-related iPad
apps (Thoroughbred Daily
News blog)
U.S. stars have the Dubai World Cup in
their sights (The Brock
Talk)
A fun, historical look at Thoroughbreds’
birthdays (Raceday360)
Brian Zipse remembers Northern Dancer’s
journey to his Kentucky Derby Win (Horse
Racing Nation)
Jockey Willie Martinez gives insight into
the life of riding professionally (Tampa
Bay Downs blog)
Outriders save the race – and the day –
at Gulfstream Park (Louisville
Courier-Journal)
A new betting concept: the Imperfecta (Equinometry)
Think off-the-track Thoroughbreds are too
tough to help you learn to ride? Think again. (Retired
Racehorse Blog)
A new beginning for former racehorse
Judges Decision (The
Second Race)
Looking forward to 2012 (The
Brock Talk)
Methodology for a new way of ranking
Thoroughbreds (And Down
the Stretch They Come)
Miniature horse pledges potential contest
winnings to equine charities (Little
Horse Big Trip)
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CALENDAR
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RACING TO
HISTORY
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Jan. 12, 2001: Affirmed, the 1978 Triple Crown winner, was euthanized at
age 26 due to chronic musculo-skeletal problems.
Jan. 13, 1978: Seattle Slew, in training for his four-year-old seasonal
debut at Hialeah, first displayed symptoms of the deadly virus Colitis
X. The colt was sidelined until May 14, when he won an allowance race at
Aqueduct Racetrack as the 1-10 favorite.
Jan. 13, 1989: Jockey Brian Peck was injured when his horse, Top
Booking, collided with a deer in the fourth race at Turfway Park. The
deer jumped onto the track from the infield, where it had gone to drink
from a man-made lake. Top Booking was unharmed, but Peck suffered a
broken arm.
Jan. 13, 1997: The National Steeplechase Association became the first
horse racing organization in the U.S. to require jockeys to wear
“certified” safety helmets, beginning with the 1997 NSA season.
Jan. 13, 2001: Judy Wagner, a grandmother from New Orleans, captured the
second annual $212,000 Daily Racing Form/NTRA
National Handicapping Championship, held at the MGM Grand in Las
Vegas. Wagner received a check for $100,000 and was presented with the
“NTRA Handicapper of the Year” award on Jan. 30 during the Eclipse Award
ceremonies.
Jan. 13, 2003: Hall of Fame jockey Eddie Delahoussaye announced his
retirement. Delahoussaye won 6,384 races and his horses earned
$195,881,170.
Jan. 14, 1932: Jockey Eddie Arcaro rode his first career winner, at Agua
Caliente.
Jan. 14, 1953: Pimlico’s Preakness Stakes, originally slated for May 16,
was switched to May 23, allowing for the first time a three-week break
after the Kentucky Derby.
Jan. 14, 1998: Jockey Patricia Cooksey became the second female rider to
win 2,000 races when she guided Noble Annie to a five-length victory in
the second race at Turfway Park.
Jan. 14, 2003: Citing the devastating effects of mare reproductive loss
syndrome (MRLS), Keeneland announced that it would not conduct its July
selected yearling sale. It
was the first time the auction had been canceled since its inception in
1943.
Jan. 15, 1932: Australian champion Phar Lap arrived in San Francisco. He
was shipped by steamship to the U.S., en route to Agua Caliente in
Mexico, where he was to make his North American racing debut in the
March 20 Agua Caliente Handicap, the continent’s then-richest race.
Jan. 15, 1969: Barbara Jo Rubin was named to ride in a race at Tropical
Park. Thirteen male riders subsequently boycotted the race rather than
compete against a female, and were fined $100 each.
Jan. 15, 2004: Hall of Fame jockey Russell Baze won his ninth
consecutive Isaac Murphy Award, given to the rider with the year’s
highest winning percentage.
Jan. 17, 2000: The first ever NTRA “Moment of the Year” award went to
the post-race scene after the 1999 Belmont Stakes, when jockey Chris
Antley held Charismatic’s injured foreleg.
Jan. 19, 1955: Swaps won the San Vicente Stakes, the first race of his
three-year-old campaign, by 3 ½ lengths at Santa Anita Park. He went on
to triumph over Nashua in the Kentucky Derby, but was in turn defeated
by his rival in a $100,000 match race at Washington Park on Aug. 31, his
only loss of that year.
Jan. 20, 1972: Secretariat was shipped from Virginia to Florida to be
trained by Lucien Laurin.
Jan. 20, 1979: Odds-on favorite Affirmed, with Steve Cauthen aboard,
finished second in the San Fernando Stakes at Santa Anita, beaten 2 ¾
lengths by Radar Ahead. It was their fourth consecutive defeat. Cauthen
subsequently lost the mount on Affirmed to jockey Laffit Pincay Jr., who
rode the horse for the remainder of its four-year-old season, winning
seven victories in as many starts. Affirmed was later voted Horse of the
Year for 1979. Cauthen had ridden Affirmed to a Triple Crown sweep the
previous year and the pair recorded 11 wins in their 16 races together.
Jan. 22, 2005: Jockey Russell Baze passed Bill Shoemaker to take over
second place on the all-time win list when he picked up his 8,834th
victory aboard Hollow Memoires in the seventh race at Golden Gate
Fields.
Jan. 23, 1994: Pat Day, 40, became the 10th rider in North American
racing history to ride 6,000 winners when he rode Miss Popsnorkle to
victory in the first race at Oaklawn Park.
Jan. 24, 1974: Jockey Chris McCarron rode his first race, finishing last
aboard Most Active at Bowie Racecourse.
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WEEKEND STAKES RACES (unrestricted
stakes in N.A. worth $75,000 and up)WEEKEND STAKES RACES (unrestricted
stakes in N.A. worth $75,000 and up)
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FRIDAY, JANUARY 13
Fifth Season Stakes, 4&up, $75,000, 1 1-16M, Oaklawn Park
SATURDAY, JANUARY 14
San Fernando Stakes, 4yo, $150,000, Grade II, 1 1-16M, Santa Anita Park
Fort Lauderdale Stakes, 4&up, $100,000, Grade III, 1 1-16M (T),
Gulfstream Park
Hal’s Hope Stakes, 4&up, $100,000, Grade III, 1M, Gulfstream Park
California Derby, 3yo, $100,000, 1 1-16M, Golden Gate Fields
Gasparilla Stakes, 3yo fillies, $100,000, 7F, Tampa Bay Downs
Pasco Stakes, 3yo, $100,000, 7F, Tampa Bay Downs
Cotton Fitzsimmons Mile, 4&up, $75,000, 1M (T), Turf Paradise
Genesis Stakes, 3yo fillies, $75,000, 7 1-2F, Delta Downs
Marie G. Krantz Memorial Handicap, 4&up (f&m), $75,000, 1 1-16M (T),
Fair Grounds
Ruthless Stakes, 3yo fillies, $75,000, 6F, Aqueduct
Shots Are Ringing Stakes, 4yo, $75,000, 1M 70 yds., Aqueduct
Triple Sec Stakes, 3yo, $75,000, 7 1-2F, Delta Downs
SUNDAY, JANUARY 15
Santa Ynez Stakes, 3yo fillies, $150,000, Grade II, 6 1-2F, Santa Anita
Park
Pasaena Stakes, 4&up (f&m), $75,000, 1 1-16M, Santa Anita Park
MONDAY, JANUARY 16
San Gabriel Stakes, 3&up, $150,000, Grade II, 1 1-8M (T), Santa Anita
Park
Smarty Jones Stakes, 3yo, $100,000, 1M, Oaklawn Park
Jimmy Winkfield Stakes, 3yo, $75,000, 6F, Aqueduct
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