|
Thursday,
March 22,
2012 |
| NTRA Thoroughbred
Notebook |
|
|
|
|
|
|
PHOTOS OF THE WEEK
top |
 |
|
Horses leave the gate for the 2012 Rebel Stakes at
Oaklawn Park (Image courtesy of Oaklawn Park/Coady
Photography) |
 |
|
2011’s Horse of the Year Havre De Grace returns to the
winner’s circle following her victory in her first start
of the year in the New Orleans Ladies Stakes
(HorsePhotos.com) |
 |
|
Gemologist plays with his assistant trainer Tristan Barry (Image
courtesy of @zoecadman Twitter feed) |
|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
Image courtesy of Horsephotos.com |
Larry Jones trains Havre
de Grace, the 2011 Horse of the Year who made a winning
2012 debut last weekend in the New Orleans Ladies Stakes
at Fair Grounds. Once a commercial farmer in
Hopkinsville, Ky., the affable Jones took out his
trainer’s license in 1982 and has since conditioned many
other memorable runners, including Eight Belles, Hard
Spun, Proud Spell, Friesan Fire and Island Sand. |
|
|
TWO MINUTE LICK WITH LARRY JONES
top |
|
Name:
J. Larry Jones
Birthplace:
Hopkinsville, Ky.
Most influential person in my career:
Wayne Lukas.
My favorite racetrack:
Keeneland.
My fantasy job:
Training Thoroughbred racehorses.
What I like most about my job:
Getting to ride really good Thoroughbred racehorses.
Other sports/teams I follow:
U.K. basketball.
My Heroes:
My dad.
My favorite athletes of all-time:
Secretariat and Dan Issel.
Most treasured possession/memento:
My family.
A Pet Peeve:
People who ask me “Why?” before they will do something.
What book(s) I am reading or have recently read: The Holy Bible.
Favorite Magazines:
Any horse publication.
Favorite websites I visit daily/weekly:
Equibase.com
Gadget I cannot live without:
My truck. (My cell phone I would throw away if I could.)
Last concert I attended:
Neil Diamond.
Favorite foods:
Steak.
What I drive:
Ford F250 Super Duty.
If I could be a guest on any tv show it would be:
Dr. Phil. Maybe he
could figure out what was the matter with me.
If I could be on stage I would play what musical instrument: Drums.
Favorite Musician/Band:
Alabama.
Favorite Actor:
John Wayne.
I’d like to have dinner with:
Roy Rogers.
Best racetrack food can be found at:
Prairie Meadows.
Accomplishment I am most proud of:
Training the 2011 Horse of the Year.
My philosophy on life:
There’s a greater power than all of us, and I’m trying to do His
will.
Things I collect:
Just horse stuff…saddle towels, halters…
Celebrity/prominent personality friends include: Brereton C. Jones
Favorite animal other than a horse:
My parrot.
What actor would play me in a movie:
I don’t think anyone is good looking enough to fill my shoes.
Maybe Brad Pitt.
Favorite non-Thoroughbred racing sports event I have attended:
U.K. basketball games.
What living person do you most admire:
My dad.
No. 1 Bucket List Item:
Go to Australia.
|
|
|
FAN PHOTO OF THE WEEK
top |
 |
|
Congratulations JazzyFilly for winning this week’s Fan Photo
Contest! From the photographer: “One of my favorite images!”
Want in? Send submissions to
photos@NTRA.com) |
|
WING'S WATCH
top |
|
NTRA.com’s Eric Wing offers up insights on who
he thinks are the Top 40 Triple Crown contenders. (Wing's
Watch PDF) |
|
VOICES
top |
FROM THE GRANDSTAND
top
|
Jockey Ramon Dominguez in the aftermath of Havre de
Grace’s victory in the New Orleans Ladies Stakes:
"As we were coming into the winner’s circle, everybody
was telling Larry and Rick Porter, ‘Thank you for
bringing her here.’ That’s what it’s all about – the
fans and horses like her.”
Trainer John Servis after being asked how sweet it would
be to get back to the Kentucky Derby after all the great
memories from Smarty Jones in 2004:
“Like Hershey’s chocolate.”
Actor
James Nesbitt after his 8-year-old Riverside Theatre won
a race at the Cheltenham Festival:
"Forget the Oscars, I've done it all now. I'm rarely
lost for words, but I'm very emotional now. It's pasted
into the album of my memory. I'll die a happy man.
|
|
VIDEOS OF THE WEEK
top
|
|
Jim Rome’s mare Surfer Girl watches as her new foal
takes a nap outside at Three Chimneys Farm (@jimrome
Twitter feed)
Secret Circle wins the Grade II Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn
(partymanners2
YouTube channel)
2011’s Horse of the Year Havre de Grace victorious in
her 2012 debut at Fair Grounds in the New Orleans Ladies
Stakes (TheFoxHillFarm
YouTube channel)
|
|
IN THE NEWS
top
|
Motion looking to Spiral into the Derby again
(The
Blood-Horse)
Team Valor hopes day goes well in Spiral Stakes
(Courier-Journal.com)New-look Televised Racing Series to begin
(The Blood-Horse)
NBC coverage of the Derby begins this
Saturday (Horseracing at
the The Downey Profile)
James Gagliano expects uptrend in Triple Crown
viewership (Bettor.com)Looking at Another Madness (The
BigleadSports.com)
Sunday’s Sunland Derby offers golden
ticket to Kentucky Derby (Thoroughbred
Times)
Derby Dreams for Hidden Brook Farm
and Texans' McNair (Forbes)
Nine, including Alpha, likely for
next week’s Louisiana Derby (SportsNOLA.com)
Gemologist pointing to the Wood (ESPN.com)
Secret Circle wins Rebel Stakes (USA
Today)
Up the Backstretch: Secret Circle a
sprinter no longer (The
Miami Herald)
Gordie Howe pulling for Howe Great
(Detroit Red
Wings.com)
Let's be Frank:
Kentucky Derby hopefuls showing separation
(The
Miami Herald)
Late Nominations to Kentucky Derby, Triple Crown due
Saturday (KYDerby.com)
Santa
Anita is on the Verge of new era (Whittier
Daily News)
Jones: Weights must be right for Havre de
Grace to run in Apple Blossom (The
Blood-Horse)
Breeders’ Cup Challenge expands to 73
races (Thoroughbred
Times)
Jockey Garrett Gomez returns to the
saddle this Thursday after injury (Daily
Racing Form)
Chantal Sutherland: Paving the way for
other women (Gulfnews.com)
Injured Dominguez may return as early as
March 31(Daily Racing
Form)
Luck: Seeking understanding and tolerance (ESPN.com)
The PETA Distortion: How Luck’s cancellation was far
from ethical (Paulick Report)Money from slots has done nothing to
improve horse racing (Washington
Post)
Ethics panel answers racing director
questions (Wall
Street Journal)
Contest draws 6,521 name suggestion for Rachel Alexandra
foal (Daily Racing Form)Sportswriter Furman Bisher dies
(The Blood-Horse)
Kenny and Sue McPeek creating mobile app to entertain
racing fans, reclaim fan base (kyforward.com)
Tebowing comes to Grand Island (The
Independent.com)
NYTHA, NYRA and NYTB invest in second
careers for racehorses (NYRA)
Students find comfort in Old Friends’ horses in
unique program some call ‘equine therapy’ (KYForward.com)
A Jockey Club Thoroughbred Incentive
Program show at Red Hills (Eventing
Nation)
Actor James Nesbitt celebrates
steeplechase win in England
(Contactmusic.com)
|
|
IN THE BLOGOSPHERE
top
|
|
“Road to the Kentucky Derby” starts Saturday (Cincinnati.com)
Weighty Decisions for Havre de Grace (Horseraceinsider.com)
Havre de Grace takes the path of least resistance (Horseracingnation.com)
Commentary on last weekend’s big
races, plus an Ernie Munick story
(Daily
Racing Form)
Justin Stein’s success a foundation of family, faith and
fearlessness (WoodbineEntertainment.com)
Ten ways to have a really great racetrack experience (Horseracingnation.com)
The Dubai World Cup: Style, riches, glamour, prestige,
drama, spectacle and horse racing (CPI
Financial.net)
A slow return for Brilliant Speed (Ocala.com)
Attention for the wrong reasons (ESPN.com)
Not retired racehorses (Retired
Racehorse.com)
OTTB Showcase: Shuffling (a.k.a. George) (Paulick
Report)
First Jockey Club Thoroughbred show in New England set
for October (off-Track
Thoroughbreds.com)
|
|
|
NHC NEWS
top |
Join the NHC Tour and play in Saturday’s free, online qualifier
offering four seats to the big dance in Vegas!
(NTRA.com)
Monmouth Park qualifier set for Saturday (NTRA)
NHCQualify.com awarding up
to five NHC berths Sunday, March 25 (NHCQualify.com)
Treasure Island to host
100% payback NHC Qualifiers April 7, May 6 and June 10
(NTRA.com)
Learn more about the 2012
Daily Racing Form NHC Tour (NHC)
|
|
CALENDAR
top |
RACING TO
HISTORY
top
|
|
March 23, 1927: Future Triple Crown winner Gallant Fox was foaled at
Claiborne Farm, Paris, Ky.
March 24, 1851: California’s first organized race for Thoroughbreds took
place at the Pioneer Course in San Francisco. The city’s residents added
a purse of $250 to the sweepstakes, which was set at $15 each for the
three competitors. T. K. Battelle’s colt Boston won.
March 24, 1932: Omaha, the only Triple Crown winner to be
sired by another Triple Crown winner (Gallant Fox), was foaled at
Claiborne Farm, Paris, Ky.
March 24, 1940: Future
Triple Crown winner Count Fleet was foaled at Stoner Creek Stud, Paris,
Ky.
March 24, 1941: Upset, the only horse ever to defeat Man o’ War, died at
age 24.
March 24, 1953: A program for nationwide televising of 10 of the richest
races being run in New York and Delaware, was announced. NBC and ABC
provided network coverage for the Saturday broadcasts, which were
scheduled for April 18-June 20.
March 24, 1997: Assicurazioni Generali, the lead underwriter on the
congenital infertility insurance on Horse of the Year Cigar, agreed to
pay the $25 million claim filed by owners Allen Paulson and Coolmore
Stud. Coolmore received
$18.75 million and Paulson got $6.25 million, representing the parties’
respective 75% and 25% ownership interests.
March 26, 1943: Future Triple Crown winner Assault was foaled at King
Ranch in Kingsville, Texas.
March 26, 1966: Jockey Eddie Maple won his first career race, at Ascot
Park in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio.
March 26, 1992: Henryk de Kwiatkowski purchased Calumet Farm for $17
million at auction. He paid an additional $210,000 for the Calumet name.
March 26, 2011: Rosie Napravnik became the first female rider to win the
Louisiana Derby en route to also becoming the first woman to win the
Fair Grounds riding title.
March 27, 1953: The ABC radio network announced it would broadcast a
series of major East Coast races, beginning April 4 and continuing
through Nov. 14.
March 27, 1997: A group of Thoroughbred organizations, including The
Jockey Club, Breeders’ Cup Ltd., Keeneland Association and Oak Tree
Racing Association, announced it would undertake a joint planning
process to create a national coordination and marketing structure for
Thoroughbred racing.
March 27, 2009: Alysheba, 1987 Kentucky Derby winner and 1988 Horse of
the Year died at the Kentucky Horse Park at age 25.
March 29, 1917: Man o’ War,
who would go on to win 20 of his 21 career starts, was foaled at Nursery
Stud, Lexington, Ky.
March 29, 1938: In observance of Man o’ War’s 21st
birthday, the celebration was broadcast nationally via radio from
Faraway Farm, where he stood at stud.
March 29, 1969: Diane Crump became the first female jockey to win a
stakes race when she took the Spring Fiesta Cup at the Fair Grounds
aboard Easy Lime.
March 29, 1997: The $4 million Dubai World Cup was rescheduled for April
3 after torrential rainstorms hit Nad Al Sheba racecourse.
March 29, 2008: Curlin, reigning 2007 Horse of the Year, wins the Dubai
World Cup with a record-setting 7 ¾-length victory over Asiatic Boy.
March 30, 1952: New York Governor Thomas Dewey signed a statute
transferring licensing authority from The Jockey Club to the New York
Racing Commission.
March 30, 1970: Secretariat was foaled at The Meadow, Doswell, Va.
March 30, 1985: Laffit Pincay Jr. became the second jockey in history to
surpass John Longden’s record of 6,032 victories, riding
Sovereignty to victory in the sixth race at Santa Anita Park.
April 1, 1940: New York legalized parimutuel wagering and outlawed
book-makers at the state’s racetracks.
April 1, 1998: The National Thoroughbred Racing Association officially
launched operations with the opening of its office in Lexington, Ky.
April 2, 1938: Future Triple Crown winner Whirlaway was foaled at
Calumet Farm, Lexington, Ky.
April 3, 1962: At the age of 46, jockey Eddie Arcaro announced his
retirement. He retired with 4,779 victories, including two Triple
Crowns, won with Whirlaway and Citation.
April 4, 2009: Jockey Tim Doocy gained the 5,000th win of his
career when he guided Color Out to victory in the 11th race at Oaklawn
Park.
|
|
|
WEEKEND STAKES RACES
top |
SATURDAY, MARCH 24
Vinery Racing Spiral Stakes, 3yo, $500,000, Grade II, 1 1-8M, Turfway
Park
Pan American Stakes, 4&up, $150,000, Grade II, 1 1-2M (T), Gulfstream
Park
Bourbonette Oaks, 3yo fillies, $100,000, Grade III, 1M, Turfway Park
Tokyo City Cup, 4&up, $100,000, Grade III, 1 1-2M, Santa Anita Park
Happy Ticket Stakes, 4&up (f&m), $75,000, 5 1-2F (T), Fair Grounds
Harrison E. Johnson Memorial Stakes, 3&up, $75,000, 1 1-8M, Laurel Park
Hot Springs Stakes, 4&up, $75,000, 6F, Oaklawn Park
Rushaway Stakes, 3yo, $75,000, 1 1-16M, Oaklawn Park
SUNDAY, MARCH 25
Sunland Derby, 3yo, $800,000, Grade III, 1 1-8M, Sunland Park
Sunland Park Oaks, 3yo fillies, $200,000, 1 1-16M, Sunland Park
San Luis Rey Stakes, 4&up, $150,000, Grade II, 1 1-2M (T), Santa Anita
Park
Santa Ana Stakes, 4&up (f&m), $150,000, Grade II, 1 1-8M (T), Santa
Anita Park
Bill Thomas Memorial Stakes, 3&up, $100,000, 6F, Sunland Park
Harry W. Henson Memorial Handicap, 3&up (f&m), $100,000, 1M, Sunland
Park
TUESDAY, MARCH 27
Langhorne Stakes, 4&up (f&m), $75,000, 6 1-2F, Parx Racing
|
|
|
RACING ON THE AIR
(All times Eastern) top |
|
March 24 Road to the Kentucky Derby, Vinery Racing Spiral Stakes and
Bourbonette Oaks (Turfway Park), 5:00-600 p.m., NBC Sports Network
March 31 Road to the Kentucky Derby, Florida Derby and Gulfstream Oaks
(Gulfstream Park), 5:00-6:00 p.m., NBC Sports Network
|
|
MORE |
|
|
|
