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Thursday,
January 19,
2012 |
| NTRA Thoroughbred
Notebook |
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FACES IN THE CROWD
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Larry and Cindy Jones with Graham and Anita Motion at
the Eclipse Awards |
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Eclipse Awards host Jeannine Edwards Tebows as she opens
the show |
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Actress Brooklyn Decker at the Magic Millions
Racing Carnival |
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Jockey Mike Smith and actress Bo Derek present
at the Eclipse Awards |
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2011 Outstanding Jockey Ramon Dominguez at the
Eclipse Awards |
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Jockey Chantal Sutherland and fiancé Dan Kruse
at the Eclipse Awards |
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PHOTOS OF THE WEEK
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Team Havre de Grace with the Eclipse Award
for Horse of the Year (Image courtesy of
HorsePhotos.com) |
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Bill Mott with his Eclipse Award for Outstanding
Trainer of 2011 (Image courtesy of HorsePhotos.com) |
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Ken and Sarah Ramsey are 2011’s Outstanding
Owner |
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Press line up to take photos of Rapid Redux’s 22nd
consecutive victory at Laurel Park. Fan photo submission
by Elaine Kucharski. |
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FOLLOW US ON TWITTER
@NTRA
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John Ortiz |
John Ortiz
is one of the stars of HBO’s new racing drama
Luck, which
premieres on January 29.
Ortiz plays the role of trainer of Turo
Escalante, a character loosely based on trainer Julio
Canani. Ortiz hadn’t spent time at the track before
working on Luck,
but he has become a fan of the sport since, and he
recently attended the Eclipse Awards in Beverly Hills.
Prior to joining the cast of
Luck, Ortiz made his mark with a slew of acting credits on stage, in
feature films and in television. He won the Obie Award
for Best Actor in the off-Broadway production of
“References to Salvador Dali Make Me Hot”, and he was
recently nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for
his performance in the independent film “Jack Goes
Boating”.
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TWO MINUTE LICK WITH JOHN ORTIZ
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Name:
John Ortiz
What I do for a living:
Actor
How and when I was introduced to Thoroughbred Racing: Immediately after being
offered the role of Turo Escalante on a new HBO pilot “Luck”.
At the time, I knew only three things about the project.
It was written by David Milch, directed by Michael Mann, and it
was covering the world of horse racing.
My favorite racetrack:
Santa Anita
My favorite Thoroughbred racing event:
Breeders’ Cup
Other sports/teams I follow:
I can watch any sporting event anytime, anywhere… I love
competition!
What I would like to see more of in Thoroughbred Racing:
Larger Crowds
What I would like to see less of in Thoroughbred Racing:
smaller fields
3 words that define what Thoroughbred Racing means to me: Exciting, Passionate,
Communal
First Thoroughbred track I ever attended was: Gulfstream
Favorite All-time Thoroughbred:
Zenyatta
My personal best moment in the sport of Thoroughbred Racing:
Talking and
Listening to H. Allen Jerkens about the art of horse training
two weeks after being offered the role of a horse trainer on
HBO’s “Luck”.
Best racetrack food can be found at:
Food truck day at Santa Anita.
My favorite jockey:
Gary Stevens
My favorite trainer:
Julio Canani
My Heroes:
Roberto Clemente
Person in Thoroughbred Racing I’d like to have dinner with:
Bill Shoemaker
My philosophy on life:
Live Full, Live Now
Favorite quote or motto:
“If the world was perfect, it wouldn’t be” -Yogi Berra
Favorite animal other than a horse:
Raptors
Favorite non-Thoroughbred racing sports event I have attended:
Game 2 of the 2000 World Series at Yankee Stadium. Yankees 6 –
Mets 5
Twitter Handle:
@johnortiz718
People I follow on Twitter:
Joe Talamo (@JoeTalamo), Chantal Sutherland (@JockeyChantal),
and Gary Stevens (@HRTVGary).
No. 1 Bucket List Item:
Sailing around the world
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FAN PHOTO OF THE WEEK
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It was literally a photo finish! This week's
Fan Photo contest was won by only two votes.
Congratulations to Terry Ford, winner of this
week's competition! From Terry: In this photo
Animal Kingdom with James Slater up (outside)
and Toby's Corner with Jorge Salazar up (inside)
pass the training gate at the Fair Hill Training
Center while breezing.
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TRIPLE
CROWN WATCH
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Image courtesy of Reed Palmer Photography
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EVER SO LUCKY
Owner:
Augustin Stable
Trainer:
Jonathan Sheppard
Sire:
Indian Charlie
Record:
2-1-1-0
Earnings:
$61,102
Current Wynn Las Vegas Derby odds:
25-1
The skinny:
Runner-up in Kentucky Jockey Club. Hall of Fame trainer is
masterful at getting his horses to go long. |
Image courtesy of HorsePhotos.com
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OUT OF BOUNDS
Owner:
Darley Stable
Trainer:
Eoin Harty
Sire:
Discreet Cat
Record:
3-2-0-0
Earnings:
$89,700
Current Wynn Las Vegas Derby odds:
30-1
The skinny:
Looked good in winning Sham Stakes. Dam is 2001 BC Distaff
winner Unbridled Elaine. |
Image courtesy of Benoit Photo
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FED BIZ
Owner:
Kaleem Shah
Trainer:
Bob Baffert
Sire:
Giant’s Causeway
Record:
2-1-0-0
Earnings:
$36,300
Current Wynn Las Vegas Derby odds:
60-1
The skinny:
$950,000 yearling ran fast when breaking his maiden at a mile at
Santa Anita on Dec. 30. |
Image courtesy of HorsePhotos.com
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STATE OF PLAY
Owner: Team Valor International
Trainer:
Graham Motion
Sire:
War Front
Record:
3-2-0-0
Earnings:
$120,000
Current Wynn Las Vegas Derby odds:
85-1
The skinny:
Turf runner is expected to make his dirt debut in Feb. 4 Sam F.
Davis at Tampa. |
Image courtesy of Thoroughbred Report
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SOUPER SPEEDY
Owner:
Live Oak Plantation
Trainer:
Tom Albertrani
Sire:
Indian Charlie
Record:
2-1-1-0
Earnings:
$76,000
Current Wynn Las Vegas Derby odds:
150-1
The skinny:
Impressive last year during brief campaign that included 2nd
place finish in the Remsen. Hasn’t worked yet this year, though. |
Image courtesy of Mike Montgomery |
HARD FACTS
Owner:
Harry and Tom Meyerhoff
Trainer:
Michael Trombetta
Sire:
Hard Spun
Record:
2-1-0-0
Earnings:
$17,400
Current Wynn Las Vegas Derby odds:
275-1
The skinny:
Broke his maiden in a two-turn 7F race at Charles Town on Jan.
7. He is a half-brother to the brilliant race mare Banshee
Breeze, who won Gr. I races at both a mile and a quarter and a
mile and a half. |
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VOICES
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FROM THE GRANDSTAND
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Owner Rick Porter accepting the Horse of the
Year Award for Havre de Grace:
“As
many of you know, I’ve seen the lowest of lows in horse
racing, and I’ve seen a lot of highs. But nothing rivals
Havre de Grace.”
Trainer Larry Jones on his decision to come out of
retirement:
I had called it a career, but when
you are offered a horse like Havre de Grace, everyone
can see why I came back to training.”
Ken Ramsey accepting the Eclipse Award for Outstanding
Owner:
“Most
of all, I want to pay tribute to my precious wife of 53
years, who we call the original kitten. She epitomizes
our motto—love your family, treat your horses well, and
most of all, believe in yourself.”
Owner Kendall Hansen accepting the 2-year-old
Colt or Gelding Eclipse for Hansen:
“Part of this trophy is for all the
handicappers and the small stables. And a shout-out-to
Turfway Park—I am bringing home the freakin’ Eclipse
Award!”
Penny Chenery on Rapid Redux winning the
Secretariat “Vox Populi” Award:
“The goal of Thoroughbred horse racing
is to win races. So for one horse to beat his field 19
times in one year is flat out phenomenal. They never ran
him over his head and he never failed to pull it off.”
2011 NHC Champion John Doyle while accepting the
Eclipse Award for Handicapper of the Year:
“If we take care of the Thoroughbred, we take care of
racing.”
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VIDEOS OF THE WEEK
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Terry Finley of West Point Thoroughbreds
explains the role of management in a horse racing
partnership (West
Point Thoroughbreds)
Last year’s Champion 3-Year-old Animal
Kingdom has a turf workout at Palm Meadows on January 17
(Team
Valor Stables’ YouTube Channel)
Oaklawn’s new track announcer Frank
Mirahmadi is a man of many voices (UpInClass
YouTube Channel)
Luck
character profile: trainer Walter Smith as played by
Nick Nolte (HBO
YouTube Channel)
This off-the-track Thoroughbred in the
Retired Racehorse Trainer Challenge
catches sight of himself in a mirror and falls in love (Retired
Racehorses Blog)
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IN THE NEWS
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Havre de Grace is third straight female to win Horse of
the Year (Los
Angeles Times)
Horse of the Year Havre De Grace completes trio of top girls
(Yahoo.com)
Filly Havre de Grace wins Horse of the Year title (Boston
Herald)
Margin for Havre de Grace
in Horse of the Year vote surprises trainer Larry Jones
(The
Times Picayune)
Animal Kingdom edges Caleb’s Posse as top 3-year-old male (The Kansas City
Star)
Hall of Famer Bill Mott wins trainer of year at Eclipse
Awards (Washington
Post)
Bill Mott is crowned leading trainer of the year (ESPN.com)
Musical Romance wins Eclipse for top female sprinter (Ocala.com)
Havre de Grace wins Horse of the Year, Chad Brown
trainee earns award
(The
Saratogian)
Hansen wins Eclipse Award (Cincinnati.com)
Another easy victory for Hansen (The
Blood-Horse)
Kyle Frey wins Eclipse for Apprentice Jockey (ESPN.com)
BC Classic win voted NTRA Moment of the Year (The
Blood-Horse)
Words flow like wine at the Eclipse Awards (Daily
Racing Form)
Gulfstream Park to host 2013 Eclipse Awards
(Sacramento
Bee)
Some of Dick Jerardi’s Eclipse votes went against the
grain (Merced
Sun-Star)
Sport of Kings now driven by partnerships: Get in the
Game (Bleacher
Report)
Eclipse a big win for Ocala Stud Farm (Ocala.com)
Rapid Redux‘s streak stood out in a weak year (Washington
Post)
Eclipse Sprint Champion Amazombie launches 2012 Season
Saturday in Palos Verdes Stakes (Santa
Anita.com)
Lots of stakes, including the Lecomte, on Saturday at
Fair Grounds (ESPN.com)
I Want Revenge headlines Evening Attire at Aqueduct
Saturday (Horseracingnation.com)
A look at some of the leading horses on the Kentucky
Derby trail (Bleacherreport.com)
Jeff Frank at The Sports Network offers a list of Derby
contenders that strays from conventional wisdom (The
Miami Herald)
Staying ahead of the herd for Derby Futures in Vegas
(Las
Vegas Review Journal)
Graham Motion on the value of planning ahead (Thoroughbred
Times)
Five questions: For jockey Perry Ouzts (Cincinnati.com)
Aqueduct in danger of being shut down (The
Saratogian)
Law paves way for horse betting at NJ restaurants &
taverns
(NJToday.net)
Gearing up for live racing at Sam Houston Race Park
January 20 (Examiner)
Q&A: 'Luck' Star Dustin Hoffman has personal ties to
Santa Anita
(ArcadiaPatch.com)
HBO: Luck $50,000 Challenge (Style
Flavors.com)
Santa Anita, HRTV offer documentary Contest (The Blood-Horse)
Lexington Thoroughbred
farms reach out to fans
(Southsider Magazine)
Retired Thoroughbred racehorses sought for equine lifestyle TV series
(HorseChannel.com)
Frankel named world’s best Thoroughbred
(TaylorVintors.com)
The history of horse
racing dates back to prehistoric times (Philjaelearning.org)
A brief history of Black jockeys in the United States (Forbes)
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IN THE BLOGOSPHERE
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Saint Liam’s greatness lives on in Havre de Grace (Alicia
Wincze on Horse Racing)
Could there be a fourth consecutive female Horse of the
Year in 2012? (The
Blood-Horse)
A look back
at the Eclipse Awards program (HorseraceInsider.com)
An unusual
path to Acclamation (Running
Roughshod)
Drosselmeyer’s Breeders’ Cup Classic win
named NTRA “Moment of the Year”
(Winstarfarm.com)
AP Indy’s
influence spreading into the future (Paulick
Report)
Lecomte Stakes – an
early path to the Triple Crown
(HorseRacingGame.com)
An update
on Union Rags (Kentucky
Derby Tours.com)
Union Rags
returns to work tab
(Chasing The
Derby.com)
Three-year-olds to watch (In
the Money)
A
pedigree-based look at some Kentucky Derby contenders (Up
the Track)
Creative
Cause gives Harrington hope in 2012 (Anddownthestretchtheycome.com)
Point/counterpoint: To Honor and Serve vs. Tapizar (Horse
Racing Nation)
Favorite races of
2011: Frankel and Hansen (Anddownthestretchtheycome.com)
Veteran
jockey Mark Guidry talks comebacks, Katrina and starting
out at Louisiana bush tracks (Racing
in the Sunshine)
A sound
idea: a spotlight on trainer Eddie Kenneally (The
Blood-Horse)
Profile of
new, young trainer Katerina Vassilieva (Triple
Dead Heat.com)
The top five ways to
initiate a new barn employee at the race track (Doug
O’Neill’s Barn Blog)
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CALENDAR
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RACING TO
HISTORY
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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.
Jan. 26, 1950: Citation’s
16-race win streak came to an end in the La Sorpresa Handicap at Santa
Anita. Despite giving 16 pounds to the winner, Miche, Citation, carrying
130 pounds, lost only by a neck.
Jan. 27, 1973: Penny
Chenery accepted the Eclipse Award for Horse of the Year on behalf of
Secretariat, who was also voted champion two-year-old of 1972.
Jan. 27, 2003: Azeri
became the first female since Lady’s Secret in 1986 to receive the
Eclipse Award for Horse of the Year.
Jan. 28, 1979: Bob Baffert
won his first race as a Thoroughbred trainer, saddling Flipper Star to
win the second race at Rillito Park in Tucson, Ariz. The winner’s share
of the $600 purse was $330.
Jan. 28, 1999: The
Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association and the National Horsemen’s
Benevolent and Protective Association announced the creation of the
“Claiming Crown,” a six-race event to be held at Canterbury Park.
Jan. 28, 2006: Hall of
Fame jockey Jerry Bailey rode the final race of his career at Gulfstream
Park, finishing second aboard Silver Tree in the Sunshine Millions Turf.
Bailey retired with 5,892 victories in the saddle and his mounts earned
more than $295 million.
Jan. 29, 1960: Future
Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Carry Back finished tenth in his
first start ever, a three-furlong race for two-year-old maiden runners
at Hialeah. Sired by Saggy, the only horse to defeat Citation during his
three-year-old season, out of an undistinguished mare named Joppy, Carry
Back became a popular runner and was dubbed “the people’s horse.”
Jan. 29, 1969: Patti
Barton, a 24-year-old exercise rider, applied for a jockey’s license in
Las Cruces, N.M. The stewards declined to act on the application, which
if approved would have made Barton the first female licensed jockey in
Thoroughbred racing.
Jan. 29, 1973: Forego,
eventual three-time Horse of the Year, 1974-76, broke his maiden by
eight lengths in his second career start, at Hialeah Park.
Jan. 29, 2003: Hall of
Fame jockey Laffit Pincay Jr. gained his 9,500th career win
aboard Saxony in the fifth race at Santa Anita.
Jan. 29, 2007: Barbaro,
the 2006 Kentucky Derby winner, was euthanized at the New Bolton Center
in Kennett Square, Pa., due to complications from laminitis. Barbaro had
developed laminitis while recovering from an injury to his right hind
leg suffered during the 2006 Preakness Stakes.
Jan. 30, 1981: Jockey
Julie Krone rode in her first race ever, finishing
second by three lengths in a six-furlong sprint for $3,500 maiden
claimers at Tampa Bay Downs.
Her mount, a 22-1 shot trained by Jerry L. Pace, was named Tiny Star.
Jan. 30, 1992: For the
second time in one month, jockey Mike
Smith won six races in one day at Aqueduct Racetrack. His first
six-winner day at Aqueduct occurred Jan. 13.
Jan. 31, 1958: Jockey Bill
Shoemaker notched his 3,000th career win, aboard
Eternal Pere, in the eighth race at Santa Anita Park.
Feb. 1, 1941: Golden Gate
Fields opened for its inaugural race meet. After a five-day “season,”
the track was forced to close because severe rainstorms washed out the
racing surface. The advent of World War II prevented the facility from
reopening until Sept. 9, 1947.
Feb. 1, 1999:
Owner-breeder and philanthropist Paul Mellon of Rokeby Stable died at
his residence in Upperville, Va. He was 91.
Feb. 1, 2008: Jockey
Russell Baze won an unprecedented 10,000th race in North America when he
guided Two Step Cat to victory in the 3rd race at Golden Gate Fields.
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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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SATURDAY, JANUARY 21
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Lecomte Stakes, 3yo, $175,000, Grade III, 1M 70 yds., Fair Grounds
Palos Verdes Stakes, 4&up, $150,000, Grade II, 6F, Santa Anita Park
Silverbulletday Stakes, 3yo fillies, $125,000, 1M 70 yds., Fair Grounds
Col. E.R. Bradley Handicap, 4&up, $100,000, Grade III, 1 1-16M (T), Fair
Grounds
California Oaks, 3yo fillies, $100,000, 1 1-16M, Golden Gate Fields
Louisiana Handicap, 4&up, $100,000, 1 1-16M, Fair Grounds
Kitten’s Joy Stakes, 3yo, $100,000, 1 1-16M (T), Gulfstream Park
F.W. Gaudin Memorial Stakes, 4&up, $75,000, 6F, Fair Grounds
Pan Zareta Stakes, 4&up (f&m), $75,000, 5 1-2F (T), Fair Grounds
Pippin Stakes, 4&up (f&m), $75,000, 1 1-16M, Oaklawn Park
Megahertz Stakes, 4&up (f&m), $75,000, 1M (T), Santa Anita Park
SUNDAY, JANUARY 22
La Canada Stakes, 4yo fillies, $150,000, Grade II, 1 1-16M, Santa Anita
Park
Sweetest Chant Stakes, 3yo fillies, $100,000, 1M (T), Gulfstream Park
San Pedro Stakes, 3yo, $75,000, 6 1-2F, Santa Anita Park
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