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Thursday,
March 29,
2012 |
AMERICA'S
BEST
RACING
Thoroughbred
Notebook
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PHOTOS OF THE WEEK
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Coach Jim Mora, Jr. and the UCLA staff gather at Santa
Anita Park before spring ball starts. Image courtesy of
Chris Quinn/Santa Anita Park |
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Went The Day Well returns to the winner’s circle
triumphant after the Grade II Vinery Racing Spiral
Stakes at Turfway Park. Image courtesy of Penelope P.
Miller |
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Royal Delta jogs at Meydan Race Course in preparation
for the Dubai World Cup. Image courtesy of
HorsePhotos.com. |
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Image courtesy of Millie Ball |
Millie Ball has been an
HRTV commentator since 2003. A native of the United
Kingdom and a former rider, she is the only woman to
have won the Marlborough Cup Timber race. She resides
in Monrovia, Calif., with her husband, trainer Tim
Yakteen, and their two boys, Sam and Ben. |
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TWO MINUTE LICK WITH MILLIE BALL
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Name:
Millie Ball
What I do for a living: TV Host for HRTV
How and when I was introduced to Thoroughbred Racing:
When I was 14 years old I went to work for a point to point
trainer, John Dufosee, on the weekends in the south west of
England
My favorite racetrack: Santa Anita in North America but my
fondest memories are of racing at Deauville, France.
My favorite Thoroughbred racing event:
Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
Other sports/teams I follow: None
What I would like to see more of in Thoroughbred Racing:
Races written on showcase days for "Fan-favorite" claiming
horses that have consistently been winning, e.g. a race that
Rapid Redux could enter on Breeders' Cup day.
More interestingly written "condition" races, e.g. Never Won One
and the trainer has not won a race since January 1st,
or a $20,000 Maiden Claiming for homebreds only.
A rule introduced where claiming horses cannot be "purchased"
and transferred to new ownership if they do not complete the
race they are entered in due to injury.
What I would like to see less of in Thoroughbred Racing:
Ten-race cards with five to seven horse fields.
Three words that define what Thoroughbred Racing means to me:
Lifestyle, livelihood, core
First Thoroughbred track I ever attended was:
Newbury in England
Favorite All-time Thoroughbred: Tinners Way.
My personal best moment in the sport of Thoroughbred Racing:
Becoming the first and only female jockey to win the
Marlborough Cup timber race in England.
Best racetrack food can be found at:
Clockers Corner, Santa Anita
My favorite jockey:
Lester Piggott
My favorite trainer: My husband, Tim Yakteen!
My Heroes:
Red Rum, Desert Orchid
Person in Thoroughbred Racing I’d like to have dinner with:
Bobby Flay...if he's cooking!
My philosophy on life:
Without a horse you are half complete
Favorite quote or motto:
Great legs and a nice ass will get you there first!
Favorite animal other than a horse:
Dog
Favorite non-Thoroughbred racing sports event I have attended:
Pro Bull Riding.
Twitter Handle:
Don't pay attention
People I follow on Twitter: Racing Post, Ballydoyle, Nick Luck,
Clare Balding, Ray Paulick, HRTV
No. 1 Bucket List Item: To take a horse my husband trains to
the Melbourne Cup, win it and party all week.
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FAN PHOTO OF THE WEEK
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Congratulations to photographer Christy Holden on winning this
week’s Fan Photo contest! From Christy: This is Red Moon Girl, a
three-year-old filly by Malibu Moon in training at Country
Life/Merryland Farm in Maryland. She comes off the track more
fired up than when she starts out. Rider Eddie Warner hung on
throughout the wild ride! |
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WING'S WATCH
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NTRA.com’s Eric Wing offers up insights on who
he thinks are the Top 40 Triple Crown contenders. (Wing's
Watch PDF) |
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VOICES
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FROM THE GRANDSTAND
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Bob Baffert (@midnightlute) on Twitter following his
heart attack this week in Dubai:
“Need to win World Cup just to break even on medical
bills.”
Trainer Michael Matz comparing Union Rags to Barbaro:
“They are both big strong horses who can go a distance,
and they both have lovely dispositions. This one [Union
Rags] has a ways to go to match what Barbaro did, but we
sure hope to get the same results.”
Bryan Sullivan of Let’s Go Stable—which owns Florida
Derby entrant El Padrino—on his partnerships:
“When you get the partners together and you win
together, it’s the greatest feeling in the world.
When you can share the excitement of winning with other
people, it just means the world because you go through
it together.”
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VIDEOS OF THE WEEK
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Bob Baffert shots a cell phone video from his hospital
bed while some distinguished guests are visiting him (Daily Racing Form)
Chantal Sutherland talks Dubai World Cup, Game On Dude
and Bob Baffert (TheIrishField
YouTube Channel)
Triple Crown hopeful Bodemeister gets some
unexpected company from several other horses during a
workout last Friday at Santa Anita (HRTV)
El Padrino, Union Rags put in final works before the
Florida Derby (Racing
with Bruno) |
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IN THE NEWS
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Union Rags draws post 6 in Florida Derby (The
Blood Horse) Mark Valeski tops big field in Sunday’s
Louisiana Derby (The
Blood-Horse)
Mott eyes historic double at Dubai World
Cup (Emirates247.com)
International field set for the Dubai
World Cup (The Blood
Horse)
Rosie goes for another rosy bayou win
(The Miami Herald)
Run for the “Rosie” begins in the
Louisiana Derby (The
Blood-Horse)
Mangled horses, maimed jockeys (The
New York Times)
Home-brewed stats skew Times article (Daily
Racing Form)
Barry Irwin: Race-day medication ban all
about perception (Paulick
Report)
Thoroughbred
racing under fire after investigative reports,
cancellation of ‘Luck’
(The Washington
Post)
Kentucky representative calls for renewed
support of anti-drug bill (Daily
Racing Form)
Turfway’s safety record ‘remarkable’
after winter meet (Kansas
City Star)
Gulfstream Park accredited by NTRA Safety
& Integrity Alliance (Daily
Racing Form)
Change New York’s claiming rules to
protect the horses (Thoroughbred
Confidential)
NY Regulators to open database to public
(The Blood Horse)
Fear Factor: How jockeys cope with
injuries (Daily Racing
Form)
For Triple Crown series to remain
popular, a star must emerge soon (The
Washington Post)
Kentucky Derby: Taking a look at the top 10 on Derby
earnings list (The
Bleacherreport.com)Derby trail’s most exciting stretch
around the corner (The
Saratogian)
Triple Crown late nominations add 20 more
(The Blood-Horse)
Countdown to the Triple Crown (isportsweb.com)
HRRN to offer complete radio coverage of
Florida Derby Day
(Horseracingradio.net)
Time running out to make the Derby (The
Daily Times)
Game on Dude jumps over Havre de Grace in
NTRA Poll (The Miami
Herald)
Three Chimneys home of champion
racehorses (Examiner.com)
Horses named for Tim Tebow (ESPN.com)
Celebration to mark Triple Crown winner Secretariat’s
birthday this Saturday (The
Republic)Horse sales a boon for local consignors (Ocala.com)
Bud Klokstad, top Washington trainer,
dies at 79 (Daily Racing
Form)
Rood & Riddle to open satellite practice
in upstate N.Y. (Thoroughbred
Times)
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IN THE BLOGOSPHERE
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All eyes are on Union Rags (The
Blood Horse)
Mark Valeski, Mr. Bowling entry favored in 14-horse
field in Louisiana Derby Sunday (HorseraceInsider.com)
Three questions for the authors of the
New York Times
article (Brooklyn
Backstretch)
Sign of the Times (NTRA.com)
Baffert in ‘high spirits’ after heart surgery (Racing
Post)
Commentary on last weekend’s big stakes events
(Daily Racing Form)
Kentucky Derby: Ten things men should know (AskMen.com)
A method for identifying serious Derby contenders (Xpressbet.com)
Down and Derby – Sweet 16 2012 Kentucky Derby
(Horse Racing
Nation.com)
Spiral day a glimpse of what Turfway once was (Courier-Journal.com)
A proposal for a national stakes draw day (Daily
Racing Form)
The pure essence of a horse (Huffington
Post)
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NHC NEWS
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Ken Seeman sits atop NHC
Tour leader board with 4,774 points (NTRA.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) |
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CALENDAR
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RACING TO
HISTORY
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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.
April 6, 1954: Two future champions, Bold Ruler and Round Table, were
foaled at Claiborne Farm, Paris, Ky.
April 7, 1973: In his second start as a three-year-old, Secretariat won
the Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct as the 1-10 favorite. His time of 1:33 2-5
for the mile equaled the track record for that distance.
April 7, 1979: Jockey Steve Cauthen made his first race in England a
winning one, with Marquee Universal (IRE), at Salisbury.
April 8, 1971: New York City Off-Track Betting opened for business. Two
branches were available to accept wagers: the Grand Central Terminal in
Manhattan and an outlet in Queens. Total handle, including telephone
betting, was $66,091.
April 8, 1991: Rider-turned-trainer Bill Shoemaker was paralyzed after
an automobile accident.
April 8, 2001: “Seabiscuit: An American Legend”, by Laura Hillenbrand,
took over the top spot on the New
York Times bestseller list for nonfiction after just three weeks in
the nation’s bookstores.
April 8, 2010: Undefeated Hall of Famer Personal Ensign died at age 26
of natural causes at Claiborne Farm in Paris, Ky.
April 9, 1962: Jockey Ron Turcotte rode his first winner, at Fort Erie
Racetrack.
April 9, 2009: Churchill Downs became the first racetrack to be
accredited by the NTRA Safety and Integrity Alliance.
April 10, 1969: I Double Dareya was ridden to victory by jockey Gilbert
Hernandez at Golden Gate Fields. Hernandez also happened to be the
horse’s owner and trainer, giving him a triple win.
April 11, 1945: Future Triple Crown champion Citation was foaled at
Calumet Farm in Lexington, Ky.
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WEEKEND STAKES RACES
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SATURDAY, MARCH 31
Florida Derby, 3yo, $1,000,000, Grade I, 1 1-8M, Gulfstream Park
Fair Grounds Oaks, 3yo fillies, $500,000, Grade II, 1 1-16M, Fair
Grounds
Santa Anita Oaks, 3yo fillies, $300,000, Grade I, 1 1-16M, Santa Anita
Park
Gulfstream Oaks, 3yo fillies, $300,000, Grade II, 1 1-8M, Gulfstream
Park
Orchid Stakes, 4&up (f&m), $150,000, Grade III, 1 1-2M (T), Gulfstream
Park
Rampart Stakes, 4&up (f&m), $150,000, Grade III, 1 1-8M, Gulfstream Park
Appleton Stakes, 4&up, $100,000, Grade III, 1M (T), Gulfstream Park
Skip Away Stakes, 4&up, $100,000, Grade III, 1 3-16M, Gulfstream Park
Bayou Handicap, 4&up (f&m), $100,000, 1 1-16M (T), Fair Grounds
Plugged Nickle Stakes, 4&up (f&m), $75,000, 1M 70 yds., Aqueduct
SUNDAY, APRIL 1
Louisiana Derby, 3yo, $1,000,000, Grade II, 1 1-8M, Fair Grounds
Mervin H. Muniz Jr. Memorial Handicap, 4&up, $400,000, Grade II, 1 1-8M
(T), Fair Grounds
New Orleans Handicap, 4&up, $400,000, Grade II, 1 1-8M, Fair Grounds
Duncan F. Kenner Stakes, 3&up, $150,000, 6F, Fair Grounds
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RACING ON THE AIR
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March 31 Road to the Kentucky Derby, Florida Derby and Gulfstream Oaks
(Gulfstream Park), 5:00-6:00 p.m., NBC Sports Network
April 7 Road to the Kentucky Derby, Resorts World Casino New York City
Wood Memorial (Aqueduct Racetrack), Santa Anita Derby (Santa Anita) and
Central Bank Ashland Stakes (Keeneland), 5:00-6:00 p.m., NBC
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