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Man O' War Remembered
by Beth Chaisson
For those that don't know it, today is the day Man O' War died, back in 1947. Every year I like to mention this day as a way to remember him, just like I mention his birthday to remember him as well. Everyone I hope you have a good day.
Did anyone see the Breeders' Cup races today (Fri. Oct. 26) F&M Sprint, Juvenile Turf, and the Dirt Mile?? Monmouth Park race track, where the races are being held, was drenched. But even despite that the races were great!
For the F&M Turf Maryfield won even though she seemed to have had experience racing only on a good or fast race track.
For the Juvenile Turf, Nownownow won, he too had no record (according to his past performances I have) on a wet track.
And for the last, the Dirt Mile, it was won by Corinthian, who's racing record was only on fast tracks, yet he torn down the final stretch to win the race (on a sloppy track) and won by (what seemed to be) about 3 lengths or so.
Despite the track, it was great today. I'm anxious to see the rest of the races tomorrow.
We had a GREAT Breeders' Cup this year. For those of you who may have missed the races for whatever reason, the track was still muddy from the rains it was getting.
Race Winner
Juvenile Filies Indian Blessing
Juvenile War Pass
F&M Turf Lahudood
Sprint Midnight Lute
Mile Kip Deville
Distaff (I missed this race, does anyone know who won??)
Turf English Channel
Classic Curlin
The races were great, and the way the track was, it was the X factor that made the races even more interesting since a lot of the horses in the races seemed to have very little or no experience on a sloppy track.
Ginger Punch won the distaff, but I'm sure you know that by now. It was the best race of the day, as she battled down the stretch with Hystericallady, and just held off a hard charging Octave. Check out the replay!
Hey, if anyone here hasn't heard it yet, you should listen to the broadcast of Man o' War's funeral. It can found under media on the claiborne farm website.
Perhaps it's just me, but I remember when there were only 2 Filly and/or Mare races. And the Filly & Mare Turf race is new to me. Perhaps it's just a matter of I'm not use to seeing it and it was here last year. But even though the events are now 2 days long, I'm still getting use to that.
The three new races this year are the Filles and Mare Sprint, the dirt mile and the juvenile turf. You bet i will watch every race! I hope Street Sense pulls through for Nafzger and Curlin has a good effort. I am excited for the turf and juvenile as well :) should be a good year for the BC just as long as it doesnt rain
I had the pleasure of meeting John Henry this year for the first time while in Kentucky for the derby. It was an honor to see the legend in his last moments, and I'm glad I saw him brfore he left us. One of the all time greats.
Cobra venom found in trainer's barn
Substance can be used as painkiller; Biancone under investigation
By Marty McGee
Daily Racing Form
Updated: 4:29 p.m. ET July 5, 2007
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - One of the materials confiscated by Kentucky Horse Racing Authority investigators during the June 22 search of three Keeneland barns occupied by trainer Patrick Biancone was cobra venom, a substance that can be used as a painkiller, a source close to the investigation confirmed this week.
The cobra venom, which is barred by state regulation from racetrack grounds, was in crystalline form and was found in a refrigerator in one of the tack rooms used for the storage of supplies, said the source, adding the substance was in a small container labeled "Toxin." Snake venom has been known to be injected to deaden or "block" a horse's joint or nerve, and in a case settled last week in Saratoga County, N.Y., two Standardbred horsemen pled guilty of doing just that before a race last October at Saratoga Raceway.
The June 22 search of Biancone's barns was conducted after one of Biancone's horses who raced in Kentucky tested positive for a derivative of caffeine and for a derivative of an inhalant, both of which are banned for raceday use, according to the source. Biancone also has a pending medication case in Southern California. The horse Iron Butterfly, trained at the time by Biancone, tested positive for salmeterol, a bronchodilator, in a January race at Santa Anita.
Rest of story is at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19468788/
Did anyone see English Channel in the Vosburgh Stakes?? He won by 2 REALLY TIGHT lengths but it's how he won!!! He was in 3rd narly all the way during the race, running next to the rail the whole time. Then when they made the final turn and the pack was running to the finish line, the horse in front of him was ahead of the pack, and nearly on the rail when English Channel slowly made his way between the rail and the horse in front of him to make it through by barely inches it seemed, and he won!
Today at Belmont Pk the Man O War Stakes is to be run. It is run on grass and MoW never raced on turf! Secretaiat won the MOW in 1973 and set the track record in doing so and Sec beat Tentam an older horse who had a world record on grass.
Only 13,658 showed up at Belmont Park to see Doctor Dino win the MOW Stakes. It was a giveway day at Belmont Park as well with everyone getting a free umbrella with Belmont logo on it. A recent givaway at Saratoga on a Sunday drew 72,000 fans!
Oddly so much porn photos are connected to this site. Same way at DRF site. A shame I think.
Hi everyone, I just saw this article today and thought y'all may be interested in it, especially with the Breeders' Cup races coming in a few months.
Equine Influenza Halts Aussie Racing
http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2007Aug25/0,4670,RACAustraliaInfluenza,00.html
Equine Influenza Halts Aussie Racing
Saturday, August 25, 2007
SYDNEY, Australia —
Racetracks across Australia were all but shut down Saturday, the country's richest horse race is in doubt and losses could total more than a billion dollars after an outbreak of equine influenza.
The highly contagious equine virus was discovered in 11 non-racehorses at the Centennial Park complex adjoining Sydney's Royal Randwick racecourse. Five horses at a second Sydney facility also showed symptoms of the disease.
Racing was canceled Saturday across Australia except on the island state of Tasmania and in the Northern Territory as agriculture officials expanded to 6 miles an exclusion zone around the Centennial Park stables and banned all movement of horses within New South Wales state.
New Zealand officials later banned imports of Australian horses, and the Melbourne Cup, traditionally held on the first Tuesday in November, was in danger of being postponed.
In 1986, an equine flu outbreak in South Africa forced that nation's racing industry to close down for five months. Melbourne's leading trainer, David Hayes, said Saturday that the Melbourne Cup may need to postponed by a month.
There were also concerns about security at next week's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting, which President Bush is scheduled to attend in Sydney. Police horses, stationed at Centennial Park, near the private stables where the 11 cases have been reported, were quarantined Saturday.
The disease is not infectious to humans, but can be carried on clothing worn by veterinary staff or stable workers, raising fears that the disease could spread to other horses beyond Sydney even if horses are quarantined.
Agricultural Minister Peter McGauran said the equine flu outbreak was the biggest risk ever faced by the Australian thoroughbred industry.
"We've never had an introduction of influenza in the equine population of Australia ever before ... If it was to escape beyond the stable of the horses in Centennial Park, it would have a devastating effect on the horse population," McGauran said.
Equine influenza was first detected Thursday at separate facilities in New South Wales and Victoria, where some of the world's most valuable thoroughbred stallions had been imported from Britain for the Australian breeding season.
The imported stallions were to serve some 30,000 mares during the course of the season, and their unavailability _ coupled with the cancellation of race meetings _ was forecast to cost the racing industry billions of dollars.
Most of the impounded horses are thoroughbred stallions with an estimated collective value of more than $400 million.
Among those quarantined were top sires Encosta De Lago, Rock Of Gibraltar, Choisir, Danehill Dancer and Holy Roman Emperor.
Equine influenza is a highly contagious respiratory disease that knocks any horse out of action for two to three weeks with a fever, hacking cough, nasal discharge and tiredness. It can be fatal in foals and virtually all horses exposed to the virus become sickened, making it particularly dangerous _ and costly _ for the racing community.
Last weekend, officials in Japan shut down racing in that nation because of equine flu.
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
One of Australia's leading racecourses, Royal Randwick in New South Wales has been locked down with 8 horses testing positive to the influenza and the rest of the 700 horses stabled there expected to be infected.
The rich Sydney spring racing carnival has now been abandoned with no race meetings being held across the state for probably 3 months.
Victoria, South Australia and Queensland tracks will start racing this week and hopefully the rich Melbourne spring carnival ( Melbourne Cup ) will still go ahead, providing the equine Flu is contained and does not cross the borders.
This Saturday, Aug. 25 there will be 3 races on ESPN at 4:00PM (EST) for 2 hours. The races are the Travers Stakes, King's Bishop Stakes, and the Bernard Baruch Handicap
Did anyone see the Travers Stakes?? It was GREAT, I was pulling for CP West but when he fell back to 3rd at the final turn I watched Street Sense to see if he had what it took to win and apparently it does. It was a great race :-)
Yes I did. I was routing for Street Sense only because I love the horse and his connections. Street Sense won AWAY from the rail today, (scary thought) This horse had this race in the bag and was just having fun today. Not only did he come home on the wrong lead but when he did change to the right lead he put Grasshopper away at the wire. Street Sense was still accelerating at the wire and it was great to see this colt win.
He just keep's getting more impressive. I love this horse and he has a great heart and seem's to love what he's doing!
I don't care that he just won by a half length, a win is a win, and with the slow pace set up it allowed Grasshopper a better shot, (Grasshopper did get the jump on SS) Any way it was a great race from the top two, and the only other prestigous race Street Sense hasn't won is the Classic, will have to see how he does :)
Until now, I never had a real 'color' view of this horse, but now I can say that a horse I once owned whose papers listed her as his ancestor, had a foal I raised from her birth and had the opportunity to be the first to ride looked exactly like him--legs and all! I still wish I had both horses, but especially the baby! She was so gentle, kind and beautiful. She used to sleep in my lap as a baby, which probably attributed to her extraordinary easy 'breaking'. I heard that she was the only horse of her new 'home' that was allowed to roam in the yard and also the owners found her 'sleeping' between them in the mornings if the left the window open! Love the site! :)
By the way, her name was Star (short for Belle Star).
Hi!
On the Home Page you (Beth) has written that all MOW's records has been beaten. It's worth to mention that all his records was set by him, ONE horse. They were beaten by MANY different horses.
Man O War lost his only race on that date. A series of mishaps caused his demise, from the illness of Mars Cassidy the regular starter to Charlie Pettingall`s very poor start, He had been a finish line judge for years and had not started a race in a long time. MOW collided with 2 horses right after the start (the view of the collision was blocked by trees)so it is not in the results charts. Those tree were removed after 1919 season so as not to block the chart caller`s view again. MOW was taken back a second time and lost many lengths in that collision. The loss made MOW the most famous horse in history. His next start drew 35,000 people to Spa when its best crowd had been 5 to 10 thousand before that.
Article: Belmont-winning filly has fever, will miss next start
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Belmont-winning filly has fever, will miss next start
July 16, 2007
http://sports.yahoo.com/rah/news;_ylt=AqHYYrq_Z7SGJcRifd.Mzu4X47kF?slug=ap-ragstoriches-fever&prov=ap&type=lgns
NEW YORK (AP) -- Belmont Stakes winner Rags to Riches has a slight fever and won't run in Saturday's $300,000 Coaching Club American Oaks.
The 3-year-old filly sensation was expected to be the overwhelming favorite in her first race since becoming the first of her sex to win the Belmont in 102 years.
"We're going to pass on the Oaks," Rags to Riches trainer Todd Pletcher said Monday morning of the Grade 1 race for fillies. "Her temperature was 101 degrees -- not high but a little beyond normal range."
Pletcher was disappointed but optimistic his filly would be ready for her next start in the Alabama at Saratoga on Aug. 18, against other fillies. Instead of a scheduled timed workout Monday, Rags to Riches simply galloped around Belmont Park.
"We're going to take the conservative approach," Pletcher said. "She hasn't quite seemed herself the past couple days. We won't breeze her without her being 100 percent. Our plan is to run in the Alabama and look ahead to the Breeders' Cup (in October).
"If we were going to miss one race, this is the one to miss. I'm disappointed we didn't get to run her back."
Rags to Riches has a five-race winning streak, and has dominated the 3-year-old filly division with victories in the Santa Anita Oaks and the Kentucky Oaks before beating the boys in the Belmont.
I was just wondering if anyone knew what color Man O' War's saddle cloth was in the Belmont Stakes. I know he was in the #1 post, but I can't tell from the photos what color the cloth was... I'm assuming white, but just wanted to double check. I've recently acquired the Man O' War Breyer and want to outfit him with the tack he wore in that race. I want to make sure it's as accurate as possible!! Thanks!
According to the books on Man O' War that I have, "Man O' War" by Cooper and Treat, and "Man O' War: Legend Thoroughbreds" by Edward Bowen, Big Red raced under the silk colors of Gold and Black.
I know you said it showed clips but at the end or something did they ever tell you if he was let out all the way. I've been wondering if he was always held back.
I found these on the ESPN website and just thought y'all would be interested to know that there are 3 races to be run today (June 20) on ESPN2 at 7:00PM Eastern Standard Time. These races are:
Suburban Handicap
Hollywood Gold Cup
American Invitational Handicap
Does anybody know where Man o' War's original burial site is located - specifically, relative to his stallion barn? I know it is somewhere near his stallion barn along Huffman Mill Pike Road and I am aware that the barn has been restored (thankfully), but I would like to know where the original grave site is (preferably GPS lat-long coordinates). What, if anything is still there and original? I believe I read somewhere on this forum that the original pedestal is still there - I know the grave consisted of a large circular moat - is that still there as well? Also, which was his main paddock (relative to the stallion barn).
Looking forward to a reply, and thanks in advance.
Does anybody have any current or historical pictures of Man o' War's original burial site (prior to the move to the Kentucky Horse Park)? I have a few pictures from his funeral in 1947, but I have none of the current burial site after his remains were removed. By the way, was there any opposition in 1978 to moving his grave from it's original location to the Kentucky Horse Park?
Joe L,
Go to msn.com and click on maps and directions. Next type in Huffman Mill Pike in (Location or Business Area) Follow the road off of Russell Cave rd. You will come to a sharp zig zag in the road and shortly afterwords on the right is the old entrance to the Faraway farm. You can see the stallion stable with the four equal size paddocks off of it. Now this is just a hunch, but if you look at the shadows in the pasture of what would be the southwest paddock, it looks to me like there use to be some sort of an oval structure there and a long walkway to it. The size of the oval would match up with the size of the new burial site structure at the KY Horse Park. Use both aerial and birds eye view when looking at the area. I will try to get more and better information soon. This is now part of Mt. Brilliant Farm. I'll check and see if they give tours.
Chopper.
Hi Beth: Thank you for your website and for keeping the history of this great horse alive. Thought you might like to know that in the 70's, in Reno, Nevada, I owned a stallion, a great great grandson of Man'O'War, "Bunite Boy B." We also called him "Big Red." He had the most amazing calm disposition of any horse I have ever encountered, and as a result, I never gelded him and rode and showed him for years. Born in 1971 and passed in 1991, he looked exactly like Man'O'War, even though he was a very distant ancestor, according to his pedigree. Today it seems there are literally millions of bloodlines, but this horse was clearly a close relative of the great Man'O'War.
Hello Jane, and thankyou for your post and your words. I must admit I envy you for having what I call a Man o' War horse, that is a horse with Man O' War in their pedigree, fortunately you seem to be totally aware of the treasure you had.
BALTIMORE — Maryland's struggling horse-racing industry will slash purses and stakes races for the remainder of the year in an effort to cope with a projected $3 million shortage in the purse allotment for 2007.
The Maryland Jockey Club and the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association have agreed to reduce purses at every level by $2,000; cut the number of races during the fall meeting; and drop the stakes schedule by approximately $1 million.
"It's just the reality of the situation. We knew there would be a shortfall, and we had to do something," Lou Raffetto, president and chief operating officer of the Maryland Jockey Club, said Tuesday.
Raffetto said the action would not influence the Preakness, which is held annually at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore on the third Saturday in May.
"This is a short-term solution for the balance of the year," he said. "It has no impact on the Preakness whatsoever."
There was discussion about cutting 12 racing days off the fall meeting at Laurel Park, but that measure was tabled.
"The negotiating committee came up with the idea to reduce the purses," said MTHA president Richard Hoffberger. "Lou came up with the idea to reduce the stakes schedule. The combination of those two things allowed us to continue a year-round racing schedule without cutting days."
Seventy-eight days remain on the Maryland schedule. Pimlico completed its spring meeting last weekend, and Laurel Park will begin its 10-day summer meet Aug. 10. After the Timonium State Fair stand concludes on Labor Day, the 17-week fall meeting will be conducted at Laurel beginning Sept. 5.
The Maryland racing industry has been petitioning the state for years to allow slot machines at state tracks, contending that fans are leaving Maryland to play the slots and bet on horses at tracks in Delaware, West Virginia and Pennsylvania.
The Maryland General Assembly allotted the racing industry money for purses in 2007, but it turned out to not be nearly enough. Without more money, Maryland tracks will be forced to cut dates in 2008.
"That is something we will no doubt have to do come the first of the year unless the legislature holds a special session to deal with slots and a purse subsidy," Raffetto said.
He said a subsidy, however, would be little more than "the proverbial Band-Aid."
"What we need," Raffetto said, "is a long-term solution that will enable us to compete on a level playing ground with those states that now have slots."
Though the Preakness drew a record crowd of 121,263 last month, the Maryland Jockey Club reported Tuesday that wagering figures for its spring meeting were 7% lower than in 2006.
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Rags to Riches has won the Belmont Stakes!!! The first filly to win the race in a Century......and the first filly to win it since it went to a MILE AND A HALF!!!!!!! :-)
A.P Indy in my opinion is the best breed horse I have ever seen. Slew, Indy, Secretariat, in her immediate past family i'd be a disgrace if she didn't win the Belmont with that pedigree. Intersting she had MOW in there too didn't look that far back.
It was great to see a filly beat the colts! Especially one this talented!
I'm going to go with Rags to Riches simply because she seems to be the longshot in this race. I've been looking at some of the other race horses and, at least for me, I can't seem to choose from most of them.
We should be rooting for Slew's Tizzy, a direct male descendent of MOW. MOW sired three winners of this race, more than any other sire has done. His sire (Fair Play) had been beaten in the race by only a head (and sired two other winners besides MOW)and his grandsire (Hastings) and greatgrandsire (Spendthrift)had won it. No horse in the Fair Play line, though, has won a Triple Crown race since War Admiral in 1937; I think it would be a remarkable for Slew's Tizzy to be able to do so tomorrow--no other horse in the race has anything like his lineage connection to Belmont winners of more than a century ago. Slew's Tizzy's sire, Tiznow, showed an apptitude for distance (winning at 10f over the the Belmont track), and may control the pace (I just saw Hank Greenberg tout him with Curlin in his exacta pick).
Curlin - will win this easy, and in a fast time if not compromised by any unseen circumstances. Looking forward to seeing just "how much" he wins by, the other horses in this race are running for place and show.
*sentimental pick* Hard Spun - such a hardknocker, love his speed, best of luck
Article: Horse Racing Stakes Its Future on the Slots
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Horse Racing Stakes Its Future on the Slots
By EVAN WEINER June 7, 2007
The Belmont Stakes is among those sports events that once commanded an awful lot of attention. But the horse racing industry, be it the thoroughbreds or the harness horses, just isn't as significant to the American sports culture as it was in, say, 1950. A spectator sport from a bygone era, the industry has for decades seen a steady decline in interest and is now dependent on revenue from video lottery terminals or slot machines for its survival. In New York, harness racing was saved from extinction by the installation of slots at Yonkers, Monticello, Tioga, and other tracks.
Essentially, horse racing has become largely dependent on a one-armed bandit to keep it going.
Thoroughbred racing has suffered a direr fate. The New York Racing Association is in the middle of bankruptcy proceedings, and has appealed to the state legislature and Governor Spitzer to pass legislation that would bring slot machines into Belmont, Aqueduct, and Saratoga racetracks as a way to increase revenue flow into the industry.
The fabulous filly will run Saturday in the Belmont Stakes, where she will attempt to become the first of her sex in 102 years to win the final jewel of the Triple Crown.
Trainer Todd Pletcher took several days before deciding to give his Kentucky Oaks winner a chance to take on the boys in the 1 1/2 -mile Belmont, the longest of the Triple Crown races.
"We're going in because we think we have a chance to win," Pletcher said Tuesday morning outside his barn at Belmont Park. "The filly is doing very well."
The addition of a filly in the Belmont spices up a race that will be run without Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense.
"It should make it interesting," Pletcher said. "I'll be as excited as anyone else."
Rags to Riches has won her last four starts, taking the Santa Anita Oaks before her impressive win in the Kentucky Oaks on May 4.
The decision is having a big effect on the Belmont field. At least one horse, Time Squared, has been pulled out of contention, and several jockey changes have been made.
John Velazquez, who was set to ride Slew's Tizzy in the Belmont, is Pletcher's No. 1 rider and now will be aboard Rags to Riches. Garrett Gomez, who has ridden Rags to Riches to her four victories, will stay aboard Hard Spun, replacing Mario Pino. Rafael Bejarano is the new rider for Slew's Tizzy.
Also, trainer Nick Zito may enter C P West, who finished fourth in the Preakness. The post position draw is Wednesday.
Rags to Riches looks to be a formidable foe for Preakness winner Curlin, the likely favorite for the Belmont.
"I would certainly identify Curlin as the horse for everyone to beat," Pletcher said. "If I was anybody else in the race, I wouldn't be excited that she was in there running against me."
Rags to Riches would be the first filly in eight years and 22nd ever to run in the Belmont. Silverbulletday finished seventh in 1999, and two fillies have won -- Tanya in 1905 and Ruthless in 1867.
Pletcher based his decision on several factors -- his filly is bred to run 1 1/2 miles and has been training well, and the defection of Street Sense has opened up the field.
The 3-year-old filly is a daughter of 1992 Belmont winner A.P. Indy and a half-sister to Jazil, last year's Belmont winner.
"Arguably, she has the best pedigree for this race any horse could ever have," Pletcher said.
Rags to Riches put in a five-furlong workout in 1:03.84 at Belmont on Sunday, and Pletcher said, "She's in very good form."
The filly was purchased for $1.9 million by bloodstock adviser Demi O'Byrne at the 2005 Keeneland September yearling sale for owners Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith.
Pletcher, meanwhile, is 0-for-28 in Triple Crown races, including 0-for-5 in the Derby on May 5 and 0-for-2 in the Preakness on May 19.
Circular Quay, sixth in the Derby and fifth in the Preakness, also was under consideration but Pletcher said the colt will skip the Belmont and prepare for a summer campaign.
Others set for the Belmont include Imawildandcrazyguy, Tiago and Digger.
Updated on Tuesday, Jun 5, 2007 12:33 pm EDT
This message has been edited by bmc86 on Jun 5, 2007 7:46 PM This message has been edited by bmc86 on Jun 5, 2007 7:45 PM
While this crop has quite a few 'good' horses in this many people seem to forget that we have a monster in a our midst and his name is Invasor. This 5 year old Classic, Dubai World Cup winner has been sitting in the wings ready to enter his summer run in the Suburban. This horse has only been defeated once and has only serious been challenged once in his American tour (i.e Sun King in Whitney) While I have Street Sense and Curlin in high regard we can't be so quick to dismiss our older horses or horse depending on how you look at our talent levels. Invasor quickly dismissed Bernardini *last year's 3 year old champ touted super horse and may just do the same this year. He and Street Sense have the same running style and if the two match up in the Jockey Gold Cup and Classic who would win or have the more explosive turn of foot? History tells us to go with age, a good five year old would most likely beat a good 3 year old.
Maybe this year is the year to have a three year old beat an older horse. If Invasor and SS and Curlin stay healthy we may have a very nice Classic this year, granted that may or may not happen.
Just a thought as to looking towards summer racing.
If any of the top three-year olds beats Invasor fairly, then they will be Horse of the Year no doubt. Turn of foot, I haven't seen anyone fly around turns so easily as Street Sense since Afleet Alex back in 2005. Invasor is more of a grinder type as compared to Street Sense but is still very quick around turns, but he tends to run/wear down his foes rather than fly past them.
Street Sense skipping Belmont Stakes
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/horses/triple/belmont/2007-05-31-street-sense_N.htm?csp=34
LOUISVILLE (AP) — The competitor in Carl Nafzger wanted to send Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense to the Belmont Stakes for a rematch with Preakness winner Curlin.
The trainer in him argued otherwise.
After spending two hours debating with owner James Tafel over the viability of sending the colt to New York for the final leg of the Triple Crown, the trainer in Nafzger won.
Street Sense will skip the Belmont so Nafzger can point the colt toward the Travers Stakes and the Breeders' Cup Classic later this year.
"The competitive side said 'Go,' the logical side said 'No, no, no,"' Nafzger said.
Nafzger said Street Sense was certainly healthy enough to tackle the 1½-mile Belmont. But when the dreams of a Triple Crown evaporated in the final yards of the Preakness two weeks ago, Tafel decided to try and take another route to history.
"Mr. Tafel said let's not chase spilled water," Nafzger said. "We spilled our water during the Preakness. We got beat. We got outran."
Street Sense and jockey Calvin Borel appeared headed to the Belmont hoping to become the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978 when he took the lead deep in the stretch at the Preakness. Curlin and jockey Robby Albarado, however, mounted a late charge to slip by at the wire.
Tafel said there's still plenty of opportunities for Street Sense to make his mark. The colt could become the first horse to win the Derby, the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, the Travers and the Breeders' Cup Classic.
The Travers is Aug. 25 at Saratoga. The Breeders' Cup Classic is Oct. 27 at Monmouth Park.
Nafzger said there was a concern that Street Sense wouldn't have time to get properly prepared for the Travers if he ran the Belmont. The horse will be able to rest and compete in one or two races between now and the Travers, including possibly the Jim Dandy.
"I know there's disappointment we're not going to the Belmont," Nafzger said. "But somewhere we want to make another stand."
Steve Asmussen, Curlin's trainer, said he was preparing for another duel with Street Sense, but said the small field still remains challenging.
"I was fully prepared to run against him as well as Hard Spun and I just, with him being as good a horse as he is, I think I'd rather meet him at Belmont than anywhere else," Asmussen said. "If Carl thought he belonged there, he would have shown up."
Hard Spun trainer Larry Jones said not having Street Sense to worry about means jockey Garrett Gomez, who will replace regular rider Mario Pino for the Belmont, won't have to hug the rail so much during the race. In both the Derby and the Preakness, Street Sense jockey Calvin Borel ran hard on the inside before jumping wide in the stretch to take the lead.
"I thought it was very kind of Carl to take it easy on us," Jones joked. "I hate it for him ... (but) I can do it without him."
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Article: Jockey remains in critical condition after spill
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original -> http://msn.foxsports.com/horseracing/story/6851282?CMP=OTC-K9B140813162&ATT=241
NEW YORK (AP) - Jockey Andrew Lakeman remained in critical condition with spinal injuries Saturday after a spill at Belmont Park a day earlier.
Lakeman was thrown to the turf during the fourth race when his horse, Our Montana Dream, clipped heels with Irish Senorita.
The 32-year-old jockey was placed on a stretcher and taken by ambulance to North Shore Hospital, which would not elaborate on Lakeman's injury.
Charles Hayward, New York Racing Association President and CEO, visited the hospital Saturday and provided details of the injuries.
"We got the opportunity to talk to one of the trauma physicians in attendance when Andrew was admitted," Hayward said. "He was extremely unstable, had lost a lot of blood and had precipitously low blood pressure. He did not suffer any head trauma. There's no evidence of any brain damage. He did have severe spine trauma, the implications of which is why they're not making any prognosis or projections.
"We did see him briefly. He was on a respirator and pretty heavily sedated. He's still critical, but he is stable and certainly much improved from his situation when he was admitted."
Another rider involved in the spill, Norberto Arroyo Jr., broke a collarbone and is expected to be released from the hospital Sunday.
The spill occurred on the far turn of the mile race. After the horses clipped heels, Lady Alice, with Arroyo aboard, fell over Our Montana Dream. Arroyo was thrown from his filly.
Arroyo's agent, Jose Amy, said apart from the broken collarbone all other X-rays were negative. He estimated that Arroyo will miss at least six weeks.
"He's going to stay at the hospital overnight and he'll be released Sunday," Amy said.
I don't know if anyone else heard the news that William Nack will be helping Disney write a script for a new Secretariat movie that is due out sometime next year and maybe in filming by mid summer-to fall!
I am really excited about this film as Secretariat is my favorite race horse of all time. I'd love to see this movie do as well or better than Seabiscuit because Secretariat is the one horse that almost everyone I know, know's of, especially people who don't follow the sport then again how could you not know who he is.
I am really hoping this goes through production. A horse that I noticed they might use is an actual descendant of Big Red named Navy Bird
Both if you look at his pedigree on pedigreequery.com Both Secreteriat and Man O War show up. Secretariat through Storm Cat and Terlingua and Man O War through Admiral's Voyage and War Admiral, He even has some Native Dancer and Danzig Blood. Doesn't mean he can run a lick but he sure looks a heck of a lot like Secretariat has the blaze and two big white stockings can't tell if he has three but I'm sure Hollywood can do that no problem.
As much respect I have for MOW I don't think he'll get a movie, there's not much present interest in his story he was almost 100 year's ago now. I think part of the reason Sec and Ruffian have movies would be because people will remember them and bring in money for the market. hopefully.
There have been 2 stories in my lifetime that I always believed would be HUGE Hollywood hits if done properly. The first, Titanic, speaks for itself. The second is an epic on the life of Secretariat. Whether Secretariat is or is not (I happen to believe the former) the greatest thoroughbred of all time is irrelevant. If done properly Secretariats story (2-year-old horse-of-the-year, 3-year-old horse-of-the-year, 1973 Triple Crown "dominator" including still held race records along with the single most dominated sporting event by the single most dominant athlete in the history of sports, the only "anything" on the cover of Newsweek, Time, Sports Illustrated the same week, and all from a horse won on the flip of a coin). HUGE Hollywood hit if done properly.
I spoke with someone about the Triple Crown and the Preakness race yesterday, and we got in an interesting discussion. He seems to think that the reason we haven't seen a Triple Crown in so long is because most of the race horses today are bread to be "sprinters", their furthest distance they can go being the Kentucky Derby and that's it. Because of that, the "sprinters" as he calls them don't have the endurance to make the Belmont distance of 1 1/2 miles. I hate to say this but part of me agrees with him a bit. Also, and I do pray I'm wrong in this, but it seems to me a lot of the horses don't seem to have the "heart" to want to win races like they use to have back in the 70's and even before that. It seems (at least to me) that the horses today tend to not fight as much and tend to give up too easily. That's not to say I'm going to stop watching the race, it's just I find myself wondering that we need to get the breeders to get off their tail and start breeding distance horses again like Man o' War and Secretariat use to be.
And to the regulars on this board, yes I mentioned Secretariat in this post. He may not be my favorite, but compared to the horses we've seen in the 90's and today, even he was really good.
Here's an intersting thought, people said there would never be another Man O War, then there was Secretariat who in my opinion was just as brilliant as MOW. Will there be another Secretariat? There have been a few horses who could of won the Triple Crown I see them as Point Given or Afleet Alex who both relished longer distances.
I agree I'd take a distance horse over a sprinter any day. Part of the reason I've shyed away from Curlin is the pedigree and speed, if he and Street Sense run in the Belmont I wonder what the result would be.
It's hard to compare decade's to decades but speed is almost higher up on prority for breeders theses days. Alot of the older stamina bearing sire's are getting older, i.e A.P Indy, Dynaformer, the last blood we have to the great's Secretariat, Ribot, Nasrullah and Seattle Slew. There was certainly a broader range of speed and stamina in the olden days when you could seperate a sprinter from a distance runner, not trying to run them all in the same class.
Another aspect may be greed?! Which might be why we see more sprinters show up in the classic distances. bigger purses more glory.
Street Cry is an intriguing new sire with some distance pedigree.
Did anyone see the Preakness?? That was a Great race!!! Curlin beat the Kentucky Derby winner, Street Sense by a head bob!!! I was watching it and for a while I tought Hard Spun was going to make his move and win it. When Curlin and Street Senese both went past everyone and lead, and crossed the finish line. I had no clue who won, then was shocked when I saw the photo finish at how close it was.
This was very disapointing. I can't knock either horse, the best horse won by the day and he was BARELY better than SS. A better horse than Street Sense on the day. Both horses broke the stakes record and if they run in the Belmont I hope the best horse wins.
I really don't like Curlin so this was disapointing when they hit the wire I knew that Curlin won, but to lose like this just hurts even more! I had some 'bad' feelings about Street Sense not winning this race and felt deep down he wouldn't. If they both do run in the Belmont I assume it would be the reverse order of finish. Curlin isn't built to go over a mile in an eighth seeing as how he tailed off in the Derby, you can't say he ran a harder race than SS.
Can't knock Curlin he is a very nice horse, but I still think Street Sense is best, this horse tries his dang hardest every time and to lose by a nose or head just hurts worst! The race played just like Bluegrass Stakes, it's almost tougher to lose race's by a nose, especially if he wins the Belmont.
Article: Injured jockey Pincay awarded $2.7 million
by
Injured jockey Pincay awarded $2.7 million
PASADENA, Calif. (AP) — Jockey Laffit Pincay Jr. was awarded $2.7 million in a lawsuit that claimed an ambulance company caused his career-ending injuries by failing to properly treat him after a 2003 accident.
"I feel very good about it," Pincay said.
The 60-year-old jockey broke two bones in his neck after his horse, Trampus Too, clipped the heels of Rainman's Request during the fifth race on March 1, 2003, at the Santa Anita racetrack. Pincay was thrown, and his horse fell on him.
The accident forced Pincay to retire after 9,530 victories — a record that held until 2006 — and more than $237 million in winnings.
more here --> http://www.usatoday.com/sports/horses/2007-05-10-pincay-award_N.htm?csp=34
You know the only reason I didn't pick Street Sense in the Derby was the juvenile jinx, I am so glad that it's been broken let's see if he can break that other long drought.
I have read articles saying that Hard Spun will have a better shot winning the Preakness because he'll be on the lead and it's a shorter race so it's more advantagous to him because he can get the jump on Street Sense before he gets "going". What some people will say to put at least a little doubt. First Hard Spun is Physically more muscular than Street Sense and he has a longer stride than Street Sense which would put him at a disadvantage
because of the tight turns at Pimlico especially if Boreal can get to the rail early and save ground, another point is there will be 5 less running in the Preakness (depending if there is a full field) than the Derby which means less congestion that Street Sense and Boreal will have to weave through
by the way has anyone else noticed what a great team Street Sense and Calvin Boreal are together, moving towards holes that are just opening it's not just Street Sense's talent or just Calvin Boreal's terrific jockey skills they work in tandem. I think Street Sense is going to win the Preakness but, it's going to be alot closer than the Derby maybe a nose or head over Hard Spun and then with any luck off to the Belmont for some real excitment, I also read Pletcher is considering running Rags to Riches in the Belmont Stakes if that does pan out she will be Street Sense's next challenge.
Ah My two picks for the Derby will most likely run 1, 2 in the Preakness with Chelokee third is my guess. These two are great and I'd thought for a while that Street Sense could be rid of the Juvenile Jinx. Not trying to tout my own horn but these two were very heavily questioned going into the Derby and no everyone is on Hard Spun's bandwagon again. It's ridiculous. I was and still am a bit more partial to Hard Spun before the Derby and was ecstatic he ran 2nd to the mighty Street Sense who is very scary at Churchill.
Like I said last year with Barbaro I thought the Preakness would be the hardest race for him and I think so for Street Sense. If he makes the same move he made in the Derby there is no catching him. He as a deadly late kick just like Afleet Alex. If Street Sense makes the same run Afleet Alex did 2 year's ago there will be no catching him. I don't know about Hard Spun, I t
