Acclamation Proclamation: "I Win!"

Winning one for the home team is what this year’s edition of the Pacific Classic was about.  California-bred Acclamation pulled off a stunning victory for his California based owners. This race earned a spot high on my list of favorites for the year for many reasons:  Acclamation setting a track record; one of my personal favorite horses, Twirling Candy, and his great effort placing a head behind the winner; Stately Victor, my longshot pick, had a strong third place finish, and to top it off Patrick Valenzuela’s repeat victory spanning twenty years.  Fast horses, fast track, fast people…loved it, loved it, loved it!  

Acclamation, a five year old son of Unusual Heat, is raced in the colors of Bud and Judy Johnston, as well as Peter and Mary Hilvers.  I applaud the Johnston’s for breeding this versatile horse that made the Pacific Classic his fourth straight win, and his third straight Grade I victory.  Don Warren trains Acclamation, in addition to the other Johnston horses.  The Johnston runners have been trained by Warren for thirty-three years.

Warren opted to put Patrick Valenzuela in the irons of his turf phenom when regular rider, Joel Rosario, jumped off to ride Twirling Candy, who was the 5-2 morning line and post-time favorite for the Pacific Classic.  Knowing Acclamation ran at his best when he set the pace, Warren wisely matched his horse with Valenzuela, who is known for his ability to win with pacesetters.  Valenzuela gave a textbook ride aboard Acclamation at 4-1 odds, slowing the pace down to dawdling fractions of :24.57 for the opening quarter mile, and :48.65 for the half mile.

This impressive horse has only two questions to answer going into the Breeders’ Cup.  If he is to race in the Classic, the question remains:  how will he handle the conventional dirt surface?  Acclamation has started only twice on dirt, finishing last in one, and placing one length behind Z Humor with a slow time of 1:51.43 for 1 ¹/₈ miles on a track rated as fast.  The second place came in September of 2009, but the last came in April of this year.

The second question is:  how will Acclamation run if he is not making the pace?  From 2010, he has competed in nine races where he was unable to set the pace.  Out of those starts, he won only two.  However, one of those two, the Jim Murray Handicap, was held in May of this year.  Acclamation’s victory in the Jim Murray leads me to believe that he may possibly be a different horse.  Seeing his past few starts, it is clear he has improved from the previous year.  Therefore, both these questions will be unanswered until we see more.

If Acclamation starts in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, he should be considered one of the top contenders.  His track record time of 2:00.61 on Del Mar’s PolyTrack is nothing short of extraordinary, keeping in mind that he drifted to the outside in mid-stretch.  It is great to see that he defeated the west-coast older males when handicapping the Breeders’ Cup Classic, assuming he enters that race.  The west-coast older males have an edge on the east-coast elders in this remarkable year for older horses.

I must give Acclamation accolades for not only his impressive run in the Pacific Classic, but also the versatility he exhibited.  Despite being nosed out for the win, Twirling Candy remains my favorite in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

Twirling Candy has had an outstanding racing career which spans over two years.  Currently a four year old, the son of Candy Ride that stands over seventeen hands is an adaptable horse, blazing over not only conventional dirt and synthetic surfaces, but is also an accomplished turf specialist himself.  In last year’s Malibu Stakes, Twirling Candy set the track record for seven furlongs in 1:19.70 on Santa Anita’s main track.

He has also proved that he isn’t just versatile on different track surfaces, but additionally in race strategy.  Twirling Candy can sit on or off the pace, and still get to the winner’s circle, which is great to see when considering how a horse will perform against larger fields where that horse’s running style may have to be modified.

It has been speculated that Twirling Candy is incompetent of getting the Classic distance.  His trainer, John Sadler, wasn’t deterred from entering Twirling Candy in the Pacific Classic, which would be the colt’s third start at 1 ¼ miles this year.  Mr. Sadler expressed his opinion regarding the colt’s two previous starts at 1 ¼ mile, saying that Twirling Candy was unable to win because his horse carried four to six pounds more than the others that finished before him.

Sadler has done a spectacular job training Twirling Candy up to the Pacific Classic by working him at longer distances to build up the wind necessary for longer races.  When a horse is competing at extensive distances regularly, I believe it is very important for that horse to have extended, relaxed works to keep his endurance at a high level.

Twirling Candy gave an exemplary performance in the Pacific Classic by breaking easily from gate ten out of the eleven horse field.  Fortunately, he did not trip from the gate that was positioned on the chute.  Horses rarely start on the chute which results in a loose surface that could possibly cause a horse to stumble at the start.

With his ears up, he was in no rush to run as Joel Rosario guided him to the rail.  Around the first turn, Rosario had positioned him one path wide in third, trailing Acclamation, and second choice, Game On Dude.  Twirling Candy ran about one length behind the first two horses into the Del Mar backstretch, where it is said that it seems as if the horses are running into the water from a rider’s viewpoint.  As the race progressed, he lost ground on Acclamation, and Game on Dude, which concerned me due to the fact that the pace was so slow and leisurely.

With a half mile left in the Pacific Classic, Twirling Candy and the eight trailing horses gained ground on the leaders.  However, it was a three horse race when the others lost ground rounding the turn.  Twirling Candy went four paths wide, and stayed even with Acclamation and Game on Dude.  Patrick Valenzuela aboard Acclamation legally shut off Game on Dude at the top of the stretch, which may have thrown Game on Dude off his game.

It became apparent that this edition of the Pacific Classic was one to remember as the two big horses blasted down the homestretch.  Acclamation, appearing as an impassible force, was still drifting wide as Twirling Candy approached.  The horses shot past the wire, with Acclamation a head in the lead.  Victorious, Valenzuela stood in the irons aboard the champion of that day, just as he had twenty years ago aboard Best Pal who won the inaugural running of the Pacific Classic.

Acclamation gave an outstanding performance that only adds to his already impressive record, as did Twirling Candy who ran out of ground at the wire.  Though Acclamation did not impede on the second placer on the homestretch duel, it made me a bit nervous seeing him squeeze over to Twirling Candy.  I played back the race numerous times to see if there could have been any influence to Candy’s run, but couldn’t visually detect any effect.  However, it may have looked quite different from Twirling Candy’s perspective.  It is also worth noting that Twirling Candy traveled nineteen feet more than Acclamation, and that he had to travel four paths wide around the turn.

Everybody's Workin' For The Weekend!

King’s Bishop Stakes:  Will Uncle Mo be Crowned?

Uncle Mo came out of his illness as a fresh horse ready to face the top three year olds in the country.  The three works that he posted leading up to the King’s Bishop have been bullets.  It is not uncommon to hear his connections saying that he is better than ever, and, from what is known, it appears that may be the case. 

A bay son of Indian Charlie, Uncle Mo should have a strong comeback due to the fact that he was sidelined by a liver ailment-not an injury where microfibers create a permanent cast that restricts movement around the injured area.

The Factor, coming off an ankle fracture, was anticipated to start in the King’s Bishop.  Instead, Bob Baffert opted to run his trainee in the Pat O’ Brien at Del Mar.  While I am disappointed not to see these two promising horses meet, I support Baffert in his decision to keep The Factor home for his first start.

I expect John Fort’s Flashpoint to make a hot pace in this year’s edition of the King’s Bishop.  The grey son of Pomeroy seems to have talent in shorter races; therefore I believe that he will enjoy the shorter distance in this race seven furlong race.  He finished last in the Preakness Stakes after setting a raging pace and stopping at the top of the stretch.  His most recent start was the Jersey Shore, a four horse, six furlong contest in which he finished first by a remarkable seven lengths.  Flashpoint represents the thriving Peachtree Stable that also campaigns Plum Pretty, one of the top three year old fillies this year.

Travers Stakes:  And Then There Were Three

Coming off Coil’s Haskell Invitational victory, many people believe that the three year old category remains a muddy picture with less than three months until the Breeders’ Cup.  However, if the Eclipse Awards were to be held today, Shackelford would get my vote for Three Year Old Male.

Since March of this year, Shackelford has made a record of consistency.  He jumped on the radar by placing in the Florida Derby to Dialed In.  What I initially liked about Shackelford was his relaxed, workmanlike style of running that is parallel to his sire, Forestry.  Looking into his pedigree, I realized that his exquisite heritage has much to do with his ability to race and beauty.  Shackelford represents the highly successful Storm Cat/Mr. Prospector/Fappiano cross blended together.

Shackelford must be given a large sum of credit for his fourth place run in this year’s Kentucky Derby, where he made a fast pace for the entire race, but could not hold off the oncoming horses.  In the Preakness Stakes, I predicted that he would give a similar performance.  However, he proved me wrong by having the ability to finish the 1 ³/₁₆ mile race with authority.  Shackelford was unable to handle the distance in the 1 ½ mile Belmont Stakes, but he impressed me proving that he could slow down the pace.

Most recently, Shackelford narrowly lost to Coil in the Haskell Invitational.  Though the Haskell is labeled as a Stakes race - not a handicap - Shackelford and Belmont Stakes winner, Ruler on Ice, were singled out to carry four more pounds than the rest of the eight horse field. 

I question why a Stakes race would give different weights to other horses who are all the same age and gender.  With the constant grumbling that there is no standout in the three year old division, I do not understand how handicapping three year olds in a stakes race clears the picture, feeling that it only clouds the division, forcing me to make liquid assumptions. 

At this point of the year, Shackelford sits at the top of his division.  However, I think Coil has the edge on Shackelford in the Travers because the Classic distance at which the Travers is run seems to be problematic for Shackelford, who appears to be better suited for shorter distances.

The race between Shackelford, Coil, and Mike Repole’s Stay Thirsty is poised to keep us all on the edge of our seats.  The bay son of Bernardini seems to be improving off his second place in the Belmont Stakes.  His previous start in the Jim Dandy showed this athletic specimen’s remarkable capability on the Saratoga track experiencing less than favorable conditions for the past weeks.

Pacific Classic:  I Want Candy!  Blind Luck Focused

Twirling Candy is likely the top horse contending for the Breeders’ Cup Classic this season, yet the impressive dark bay remains a side character in the 2011 racing scene because he has failed to win over seven furlongs.  However, I proudly state that I like ‘Candy not only for short distances, but also for the Classic distance.

The seventeen hand colt’s Santa Anita Handicap run seems to be a throw-out race considering his performance in the Hollywood Gold Cup that displayed this four year old colt’s ability to handle the 1 ¼ mile distance.  Trainer, John Sadler, has been preparing Twirling Candy perfectly by working him at longer distances to tune him up for his third 1 ¼ mile race this year.

Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, recently inducted into the Hall of Fame, announced that Blind Luck will not race in the Pacific Classic, and that she won’t start in the Breeders’ Cup Classic in November.  Instead, she will be racing in the Ladies’ Classic on Friday night. 

Hollendorfer made a smart decision by not testing her against males in the Pacific Classic since they are not aiming her for the Breeders’ Cup Classic.  Blind Luck will likely make her next start in the Lady’s Secret Stakes in early October.

The Juvenile Chronicles: Union Rags Marches On Saratoga

Part Three

“I can’t wait to see this horse run in the Kentucky Derby!”  I said as a gut reaction to watching Union Rags run in the Saratoga Special.  Looking that far ahead is completely unrealistic; however I couldn’t help myself trying to imagine this horse progressing soundly into his three year old career.   

Union Rags carries on the legacy of his late sire, Dixie Union, who died in 2010 at the young age of thirteen from a deteriorating neurological condition.  Dixie Union had talent both as a juvenile, and as a three year old.  At two, his Graded Stakes wins included a victory in the Norfolk Stakes, and as a three year old, he won the Haskell Invitational, and the GI Malibu.

Dixie Union was reminiscent of his sire, Dixieland Band.  In his stud career, Dixieland Band was most known as a brilliant broodmare sire, though his direct progeny show immense success.  Of his foals to race, 114 were stakes winners, and forty-three were Graded Stakes winners.  Dixieland Band also had five millionaires to his credit.  His aptitude as a damsire is apparent, because Dixieland Band mares produced two Kentucky Derby winners:  Monarchos in 2001 and Street Sense in 2007. 

Aside from showing the prosperous Mr. Prospector/Northern Dancer cross, Union Rag’s pedigree includes the crossing of Secretariat and Seattle Slew.  Crosses of these two Triple Crown winners produced renowned sire, A.P. Indy.  It is no surprise that Union Rags is a success story due to the fact that the breeding of a Gone West mare (Tempo, by Gone West is Union Rag’s dam) to Dixie Union has resulted in seven winners out of nine starters, which makes a 77% winning percentage for that cross.

The bay son of Dixie Union made his second start in last Monday’s Saratoga Special run at the distance of 6 ½ furlongs on a sloppy Saratoga track.  The racetrack appeared as if it was a swim meet, rather than a racing meet that was run on a “solid” surface.

In his first start, Union Rags, representing the barn of Michael Matz, raced at Delaware Park.  Run on a fast racetrack, Union Rags won the nine horse contest by one and three parts of a length. 

Union Rags broke from the rail out of the auspicious six horse field competing for a leading position in the two year old division. In a race where a clean start is an essential, Union Rags was quick to break from the gates with a straightforward start. However, his break was altered when 8-5 favorite, Stat, impeded on him from the second gate. Union Rags, rather unaffected, rushed up to the lead which was divided amongst the entire field, excluding the six horse who trailed by several lengths.  Following the first quarter mile rushed in a quick :21.78, Union Rags was head and head for the lead with Stat. They ran through the turn, posting a half mile in a quick :45.55.

Having a 3 ½ length lead at the top of the stretch, Union Rags rocketed from his counterpart coming off the turn.  The colt wandered several paths wide as he entered the final furlong of the Saratoga Special.  Union Rags’ circumstance should put to rest any claims of inexperience in this particular start.  His jockey, Javier Castellano, blamed this incident on the bright screen board, saying, “…I wanted to stay off the rail a little bit, and when I did that, I think he saw the screen board. Today, it’s dark and rainy, so the light (of the board) is so bright. I think he saw the light from the board and kind of got scared a little bit…”

Not being discouraged, Union Rags accelerated following his incident in the homestretch.  He pulled away to win by 7 ¼ lengths under moderate urging from Castellano.

Clearly, it is not a positive thing to see horses swerve across the racetrack, but Union Rags showed that he will likely have the agility to overcome adversity in his future races against large fields.  Many horses that deviate from their running lane lose their momentum.  However, Union Rags seemed to enhance his speed after veering to the outside.   

This horse is definitely “on my list” for obvious reasons, however the icing on the cake for me is that he is raced in the colors of his breeder, Phyllis Wyeth.  It gives me a romantic feeling of horseracing’s yesteryears. Nothing tastes better than your own homegrown veggies.  Just imagine how Phyllis Wyeth must feel about her beautiful Union Rags!

Cape Blanco: "You'll Never Steal Me Lucky Charms!"

Arlington Park’s 2011 edition of their International Festival of Racing concluded on the day of the world-renowned Arlington Million, which has been won by racing’s greatest Turf Monsters.  Titled “Against All Odds”, the statue of John Henry nosing out The Bart to win the inaugural Arlington Million looms over the paddock of the Chicago racetrack.  Keeping in mind the race’s rich past, I look forward to watching exhilarating races in the future.  Cape Blanco is the latest horse to be added to the exclusive list of the Arlington Million’s victors. 

The Arlington Million Day, always spicy with international flavor, was dominated by Aidan O’Brien’s European invaders.  Treasure Beach began trainer O’Brien’s Arlington Million Day reign by winning the Secretariat Stakes, and passed on the torch to French mare, Stacelita, who won the Grade I Beverly D. for trainer Chad Brown immediately before the Arlington Million.  O’Brien’s successful race day was concluded with Cape Blanco’s strong victory in the feature race.

Cape Blanco faced the Arlington Million’s defending champion, Gio Ponti, who had lost to the Irish colt in the Man O’ War Stakes at Belmont Park.  The Man O’ War, also run on turf, was both horses’ most recent race leading up to the Arlington Million.  Gio Ponti, an Eclipse Award winner, has shown an extraordinary amount of quality consistency throughout his entire racing career spanning over four years.  In 2009, he placed not far behind Zenyatta in that year’s running of the Breeders’ Cup Classic, and in 2010, he finished an impressive second to Goldikova in the Breeders’ Cup Mile.  Between those races, Gio Ponti won various Grade I’s against top-notch horses.  However, this year, he has acquired a losing streak of fair seconds, a third, and a fifth in the Dubai World Cup.  Nevertheless, a great racehorse does not have to win every race to be declared a remarkable horse.

Cape Blanco also continues a streak of reliability in his racing career that not only includes a victory in the Irish Derby, but also a 5 ½ length win in the highly-regarded Irish Champion Stakes.

A chestnut son of the world’s top sire, Galileo (IRE), Cape Blanco was shipped back to Ireland following his victory in the Man O’ War, but was returned to America five weeks later for the prestigious Arlington Million.  Cape Blanco, arriving just a week before the race, was followed by his regular jockey, Jamie Spencer.

Cape Blanco broke from the seventh gate from the rail at odds of 2-1 in the ten horse field.  With the horses strung out on the turf course rated as yielding, Jamie Spencer settled Cape Blanco into a reserved fourth on the outside.  Mission Approved set a leisurely pace of :24.81 for the first quarter mile, and :50.26 for the half, setting a challenge for horses running off the pace.  

Following the half mile, Cape Blanco gained a meager sum of ground on Dean’s Kitten racing in third place at odds of 19-1.  At the heels of Ramsey Farm’s Dean’s Kitten, Jamie Spencer asked Cape Blanco to run by scrubbing on his neck following the ¾ of a mile run in 1:16.04 by Mission Approved.  A motivated Cape Blanco raced wide around the final turn with his commanding blast.  At the top of the homestretch, the chestnut colt was neck and neck for the lead with Mission Approved, and blew by the pacemaker by 2 ½ lengths with just one furlong left.

Gio Ponti was trapped behind Dean’s Kitten until the final yards of the race, where he would find daylight to run towards.  However, it was too late for the defender and his rider, Ramon Dominguez, to make up ground on Cape Blanco.  With a postponed bid for the lead, Gio Ponti got up just in time to pass Dean’s Kitten for second.  Gio Ponti gave an incredible performance, given the lethargic pace, and his positioning.  Following the race, Dominguez said, “The winner had first run on us, and you have to give him credit; we were second best today.”

Cape Blanco did not open any eyes with his time of 2:05.39 for the 1 ¼ mile test, but remains a formidable horse in the turf division because this time was likely a result of the yielding surface.  The Arlington Million marked a milestone for Cape Blanco, who passed the three million dollar mark with his victory in this race.  Jamie Spencer said of his mount, “He’s a good tough horse, and he’s brilliantly trained.  All I did was the steering.  There are very few horses that have the will to win like he has.  The more you ask from him, the more you get from him.”

One additional thought:  Why wasn’t this race nationally broadcast?  I am aware it was shown on HRTV, however our carrier, Direct TV, (with its 2,357 channels) does not carry this channel.   ESPN with all their channels, I suppose just could not find the space, no doubt not wanting to jeopardize their poker coverage. 

The Arlington Million people!  Let’s get with the program!

And He Did It Tizway!

“Marylou, Marylou, come and meet our Marylou.” 

That is the song you will most likely hear upon visiting Saratoga Springs, especially during racing season.  A petite woman, who promised her late husband, C.V. Whitney, that she would restore Saratoga to its hay day, is fulfilling that promise.  Marylou Whitney has affected peoples’ lives with her many philanthropic gestures towards cancer for women, and land preservation.  Her compassion also reaches for Thoroughbred racehorses; opening the Kentucky Equine Humane Center and being a strong supporter of the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation.  Marylou received the Ogden Phipps Award as Top Breeder for Birdstone and Bird Town and the magnanimous Eclipse Award of Merit last year.  My parents have always told me that money, whether it be lack of or great amounts, will reveal the true nature of a person. Marylou Whitney is not only a person of grace and beauty, but of a generous, kind heart.

The Whitney Handicap, named in honor of the Whitney family, frequently appears in the record books as a race that has influenced the lives of the horses that came out of the race with a win.  The first running of the Whitney, inaugurated in 1928, was won by Black Maria, one of the six fillies to win the race.  This elite group of fillies and mares includes racing legends such as Gallorette, Lady’s Secret, and Personal Ensign.  When Kelso won the Whitney at eight years old, he tied Discovery’s record three victories in the race.  Onion made Secretariat followers cry when he denied the tremendous machine a victory in the Whitney Handicap - Secretariat’s first start against older horses.

Tizway - similar to his sire, Tiznow - did not immediately show what excellent talent he had on the racetrack until the second half of his three year old year.  Following Tizway’s first five winless starts, his first sign of success came in August of 2008. The 2009 edition of the Whitney Handicap would be his first Graded Stakes performance, where he finished fourth out of six, beaten by 5 ¾ lengths.  Tizway was defeated by three strong horses, Bullsbay, Macho Again, and the durable Commentator.

The dark bay horse’s next race was the historic 2009 Jockey Club Gold Cup.  Tizway crossed the wire third behind Summer Bird and Quality Road.  After a fair third in that year’s Metropolitan Handicap, he would close his 2009 season with a solid fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile.

In his most recent start leading up to this year’s Whitney Handicap, the 2011 Metropolitan, Tizway punched his ticket to the Dirt Mile, again held at Churchill Downs. However, it was announced that he would be pointed towards the Breeders’ Cup Classic following his Metropolitan Handicap victory.  It is worth mentioning in a year where horses are several seconds of the track record that Tizway’s final time for the Metropolitan was within the same second range.

In the 2011 Whitney, Tizway would silence the doubts about his competence to run farther distances.  Starting from the fifth gate, the six year old son of Tiznow was the fastest to break. He then relaxed into third on the outside, behind pacesetters Friend or Foe and Morning Line, another son of Tiznow.  His jockey, Rajiv Maragh, rode with confidence and did not change Tizway’s running style for the two-turn race, giving his mount the ideal trip.

Tizway was running on the heels of the pacemakers, setting fractions of :24.31 for the quarter, and :49.11 for the half.  He vied for the lead moving into the final turn. The race was won at the top of the stretch with ⁵/₁₆ of a mile left.  Tizway was futilely chased to the wire with a late kick from Flat Out.  When Tizway crossed the wire first, he became the eighth horse to win the Metropolitan Handicap and Whitney in the same year.

Tizway’s final time for the 1 ¹/₈ mile race was a dreadful 1:52.43 - among the slowest runnings of the Whitney Handicap.  Nevertheless, it is very likely that the time would have been faster if the track was in better condition.  The race prior to the Whitney was the seven furlong Test run in 1:24.17, and the track seemed to get slower as the day progressed.

Tizway, who paid $10.20 for a two dollar win bet, has added another strong performance to his impressive résumé.  His remarkable career had been plagued by many hoof issues that prevented him from shining on the racetrack.  Due to his problems, he could not be worked as strongly as his trainer pleased.  In his earlier races at the Whitney Handicap’s distance, Tizway had tired in the final eighth.  With his hoof problems a thing of the past, Tizway was trained harder leading up to the Whitney, and did not waver in the final furlong.

His owner, William Clifton, Jr., and trainer, H. James Bond, had won the Whitney in 1997 with Will’s Way.  It is fitting that they would win the same race again with a horse whose second dam is a half-sister to Will’s Way.

From a pedigree standpoint, it seems reasonable that Tizway would be such a champion miler.  Within his first five generations, there are four crosses of Northern Dancer, whose broodmare sire, the legendary Native Dancer not only handled large distances with great talent, but also won the Metropolitan Handicap as a four year old.  Earlier in The Dancer’s racing career, it was suspected that he would only have the ability to run shorter distances due to his bloodlines, despite his dam’s long distance pedigree.  The Dancer’s dam, Geisha, was out of a John P. Grier mare.  In his time on the racetrack, John P. Grier set a national track record at one mile.  It is interesting that both The Dancer, and Sadler’s Wells, who was a champion miler in France, are both members of the fifth female family. 

Tizway presents a classic miler’s pedigree that includes two crosses of Intentionally. In Reality, a son of Intentionally, won the Metropolitan Handicap during his racing career.   Intentionally himself was a proven miler, setting a new national track record, and equaling the world record at the time for one mile with the 1:33.1 he ran in the Warren Wright Memorial.

However, qualities of Tizway’s pedigree show that he is likely to be suited for the increased distances that he will run this fall.  Tiznow, who is one of the few modern day male line descendants of Man O’ War and the Godolphin; won both the 2000 and 2001 Breeders’ Cup Classics.  His foals have proven to inherit some of his abilities at extended distances. Well Armed, won the 2009 Dubai World Cup by a record fourteen lengths. Two other sons Colonel John and Da’ Tara won the 2009 Travers and the 2008 Belmont Stakes winner respectively.

Tizway is a member of American female family one that includes multiple horses that have proven to handle distance well.  This female family includes one Preakness winner, one Belmont winner, three Travers winners, and Kentucky Derby winners Azra, Ben Brush, Regret, Riley, Exterminator, and Gato del Sol.

Spendthrift Farm, located in Kentucky, bought breeding interest in Tizway following his victory in the Whitney Handicap.  Standing nine stallions in Kentucky, Tizway would be their second son of Tiznow to grace the historical farm that stands first-crop yearling sire, Tiz Wonderful.

As Tizway became the latest name to be etched into the history books of the Whitney Handicap, my eyes remained fixated on Marylou as she made her way to congratulate the winning horse, being ever stylish in her lovely above the knee floral dress, wrapped in an elegant organza jacket.  It is a privilege to stand in the winner’s circle with such racing royalty as Marylou Whitney.

Phelps to Carry 10 Pounds in Olympics - NOT!

Man O’ War, known by his followers as Big Red, was undisputedly the first racehorse to captivate the nation.  Though Big Red was defeated only once, the flaming chestnut maintained a figure of perfection to his last breath.  As his fan base grew, so did the advantage his competitors had on him.  In one race, horseracing’s first celebrity gave up thirty-two pounds to his opponents, and still showed them his heels.  However, Man O’ War, never had the opportunity to run as a four year old and his record as an older horse will forever remain absent from the history books. Why did this happen?

Big Red’s owner, Samuel D. Riddle, sent his trainer, Lou Feustel, to ask Walter Vosburgh, a New York Racing Secretary, what weights he would assign his horse if he was to campaign the colt as a four year old.  Without hesitation, Vosburgh informed Feustel, “Lou, I can’t tell you exactly what weight I’d put on him next year, but I’ll say this much – I wouldn’t start him in his first out at a pound less than 140.”*  Upon hearing the news, Riddle said, “Retire him, he’ll never run again.”*  Without hesitation, he chose to retire his legend that, in 1999, The Bloodhorse magazine would hail as “The Best Racehorse of the 20^th Century”.

Our imagination is the place Man O’ War’s ‘unraced’ years can live; we can only dare to dream what he would have etched into horseracing’s history. I ask again, “Why did this happen?”

Answer: Handicaps

The horses in a handicap must carry a certain weight determined by the Racing secretary at that track in order to ‘level the playing field’.  Handicaps were first introduced by Admiral Henry John Rous, who was appointed as a Jockey Club steward in 1838, maintaining that position for almost forty years until his death in 1877.  Rous was appointed the public handicapper in 1855 where he introduced weight-for-age races; adding weight to the older horses as to give the younger, less experienced horse a ‘fair’ chance.

Handicapping’s supporters argue that it is only a true champion that can win under such conditions.  While it is true that only a champion could overcome such challenges race after race, the question remains: “Why should they have to?” 

Walter Vosburgh’s argument for handicaps is “If a horse has gone through his two – and three year old races successfully, he must at four give somebody else a chance.  The principle is that he has demonstrated his superiority, and his owner has reaped a sufficient pecuniary reward, and should be content to carry the penalties or send him to the stud…”*       

Horseracing is a sport – just like baseball, basketball, football, tennis, swimming, etcetera, etcetera. All these other sports reward the top performers, not penalize them. In baseball, football and basketball the team with the best record earns home-field/court advantage in the playoffs.  In tennis, the top seeded players are matched against the lowest seeded players at the start of a tournament.  This allows the best chance for the top players to meet at the championship match.  Even in swimming, the fastest swimmer gets the best advantage by being assigned the center (fastest) lane in the pool, and the swimmers with the slower times will be in the outermost lanes.  Michael Phelps will always be swimming in Lane Four or Five!

The politics of handicaps also play a role in the final judgment as to who gets assigned a certain weight. The simplest example would be that once a race secretary assigns a weight to a particular horse, the connections can manipulate the assigned weight by threatening to scratch their horse if an agreement cannot be met. In major races particularly, scratches can be quite costly to the track.  Consequently, adjustments are made and the “science” of handicaps is blown out the window. The recent Blind Luck/Havre de Grace match-up in the Delaware Handicap would be good example of this point. 

“My horse is faster than yours.”  One person told another, centuries ago, and thus began the sport of horseracing.  It has been long since the days when the races came down to that one simple fact. 

The deeper I delve into the analysis of horseracing and pedigrees, the more skeptical I feel about the proclaimed victors.  With my current knowledge and state of mind regarding horseracing, I respectfully, but strongly disagree with Mr. Vosburgh’s opinion regarding the use of handicaps.

A common argument made in defense of handicaps is that three year olds do not have a fair chance against a mature, seasoned older horse.  I am compelled to ask you to contemplate the situation in the upcoming 2012 Summer Olympics.  Legendary twenty-seven year old, swimmer Michael Phelps will be returning to compete in next year’s games.  Should Phelps be weighted because of his age and accomplishments, knowing there may be sixteen or eighteen year olds swimming against him in the same event?  If the Olympic Committee attempted to penalize him, do you think he would continue to compete?  This addresses my opening statement regarding Man O’ War’s retirement. What if the same rulings had applied to Michael Phelps before his historic performance in the 2008 Summer Olympic Games?  No doubt, he would have had the same reaction that Mr. Riddle did with Man O’ War, and thus America would never have this unprecedented, historic event proudly gracing the record books.

The same theory would apply to males and females racing together.  I am inspired by a filly or mare who gives the colts a run for their money.  However, my inspiration fades as I begin to understand that the colts have been “held back” at the starting gate.  If a filly has been allowed a five pound edge, it translates into a five length advantage before they have even left the gates.  If the filly hasn’t reached the wire more than five lengths ahead of the colts, has she truly won the race?

I accept the fact that handicaps create a “good-for-business” atmosphere.  That is not my concern.  My concern is about the fairness and integrity of this sport I love.  There are races that are not deemed handicaps, but are weight-for-age races; races where fillies automatically get the advantage due to their gender, therefore making it practically impossible to escape handicaps even in stakes races. 

In researching this subject I found many phenomenal accomplishments of weighted horses.  I also found an infinite number of “legendary” races, past and present, in which the outcomes would have been significantly different had every horse carried the same weight.  Much to my frustration, there have been so many wonderful horses that were subject to heavier weights lost by a neck or less, being declared “beaten” and “losing their spark”.  

It seems like a simple concept: gates open – fastest nose to the wire wins.  Not so simple it seems.

“I will give everyone Super powers, that way nobody will be Super!”  - The Incredibles

                                       

*From Dorothy Ours’ Man O’ War  A Legend Like Lightning, pages 256 – 257.

Euroears Sings in the Bing Crosby

Bing Crosby sang, “Do you hear what I hear?”  Yes, I do Bing!  I heard Euroears pounding down the track in last weekend’s Bing Crosby Stakes in record breaking fashion!

Euroears came back to the racetrack for the Grade I Bing Crosby against a strong field of quality sprinters such as Smiling Tiger, and Amazombie.  The chestnut son of Langfuhr would come into the race as the second favorite carrying two pounds less than the betting choice, Smiling Tiger.

In the Bing Crosby, Euroears was not the fastest horse to break, but his jockey, Rafael Bejarano, got after him to take the lead on the inside.  Passing Amazombie, Euroears would lead the strung-out field by two and a half lengths, setting the pace with a quarter mile in :22.13, followed by a half mile in :44.26. 

Euroears won in gate to wire fashion, setting a scorching five furlongs in :55.4, reminiscent of the fractions for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint.  Holding off Smiling Tiger by 1 ¼ lengths, Euroears, would give Bob Baffert his third victory in the Bing Crosby.  Euroears finished the six furlong contest in 1:08.17, only .03 seconds off the time for the 2009 Breeders’ Cup Sprint also on synthetics, won by Dancing in Silks.  In this race, he broke the previous track record of 1:08.29 set by Cost of Freedom in 2008.

Euroears began his racing career not as a two year old, but instead in July of his three year old year, which I believe might have something to do with why he is still on the racetrack at seven years of age (if his first start was not prolonged due to injury during training).  Throughout his four year racing career, Euroears has performed consistently in Stakes races.  In April of 2010, Euroears began competing in Graded Stakes competition; where he finished out of the money only once out of six starts.  That out of the money finish came in the Firecracker Handicap on turf-a surface which he had won on twice in his previous fifteen starts, three of which were on the grass.

When Euroears stepped into the national spotlight, he also pushed himself onto the highest international stage by coming in a solid second in the UAE-I Dubai Golden Shaheen.  Unlike in the Bing Crosby, Euroears was pressured on the pace during the entire race by eventual winner, Rocket Man, who slowly gained an advantage on the son of Langfuhr.  The final time for the six furlong race was 1:11.28.

Though Euroears showed an outstanding performance in the Golden Shaheen, it was speculated that he may not perform well because of the stresses of shipping back and forth to Dubai.  After returning, Baffert was ready to retire Euroears, saying, "He was really jarred up.  It was dicey there for a while.  However, he began to show improvement through the spring, and made it back to the track for the Bing Crosby.

Being from the breeding of Langfuhr-Unky And Ally, by Heff; one would believe that Euroears would be the king of distance due to the fact that he has crosses of Triple Crown winners Secretariat, Count Fleet, and Alydar.  It is also worth mentioning that he descends from Fighting Fox, who is a full brother to 1930 Triple Crown winner, Gallant Fox.

An additional fact that I find interesting is that the successes of family eight has continued from last weekend, however this time, with a sprinter.  As I stated in my article, “The Juvenile Chronicles:  PartTwo:  Georgie’s Angel & Overdriven”, female family eight is made of distance orientated horses such as John Henry, Jazil and Rags To Riches, Birdstone, Whirlaway, Fusaichi Pegasus, and Roman Ruler, who sired this year’s Belmont Stakes winner, Ruler on Ice.

To add to this distance pedigree, Langfuhr is by Danzig, by Northern Dancer, whose sire is Nearctic.  Sweet Briar Too, the dam of Langfuhr, is by Briartic, by Nearctic.  Nearctic is a result of the breeding of a Pharos stallion to a Hyperion mare.  Pharos’ broodmare sire is Chaucer, out of Canterbury Pilgrim.  Hyperion’s dam is Selene, a mare by Chaucer.  By crossing Chaucer, Pocahontas has a presence in Nearctic’s pedigree.  Pocahontas is believed to have carried the X-factor, which is a mutation that results in a large heart.  It is speculated that she had this mutation because she had thirteen crosses of Eclipse, who was said to have an “inordinately large” heart weighing fourteen pounds after intense medical examination following his death in 1789.  At the time, this weight was unheard of-the average heart weight for horses of his day and age was six pounds.  Horses that Pocahontas has a large presence in prove to have a large heart; for example, Secretariat has 249 crosses of this mare, and his heart was the largest on record, weighing twenty-two pounds.

Alydar, the sire of Euroears’ broodmare sire, adds more Pocahontas to this impressive horse’s pedigree.  Members of his fifth generation include Sickle, Pharos, and Hyperion-all descendants of Pocahontas.

Despite all the distance displayed in his bloodlines, it is still sensible that Euroears is a sprinter.  His sire, Langfuhr, was the 1996 Sovereign Award Champion Sprinter.  Euroears’ pedigree also shows many crosses of the unbeaten Nearco, who not only had success at distances up to fourteen furlongs, but also was dominate at distances as short as 5 ½ furlongs. 

As excited as I am about his racing career, I am equally eager to see this impeccably bred horse in the breeding shed.  This horse dots all i’s and crosses all the t’s between his racing career and pedigree.  

Holy Moly Repole!

Mike Repole with his “Band of Brothers”, Overdriven and Stay Thirsty, are overrunning the racecourse at Saratoga, with Uncle Mo yet to face battle. The Revolutionary War Battle of Saratoga marking a turning point in the war is symbolic of Repole Stables emerging as a dominating force that will change the landscape of racing in 2011.

There are always two parts to a race when a Repole Stable horse is entered: watching the actual race and watching the Repole Box following the race. I am instantly drawn in by the Repole family and friends, celebrating right along with them from my living room.

Mike Repole is a fine example of racehorse ownership. His authenticity and engaging manner creates an atmosphere that brings horseracing fans along on his exciting journey. The care and welfare of his equine partners seems to be of the utmost importance to Repole, as he involves himself in all aspects of his horses’ day.

Mike Repole clearly has a knack for making good business decisions. Case in point: My BNB Pick from the Heiligbrodt Racing Stable Dispersal at Fasig-Tipton last month was a twelve year old, broodmare, Tamboorensnshampan, in foal to Sharp Humor, half-sister to My Pal Charlie and Bwana Charlie. She sold for $42,000 to Repole Stable, their only purchase from the dispersal! And, oh yeah, there is that Vitamin Water thing.

Tamboorensnshapman

This industry needs Repole blood pumping through its veins. I look forward to spending a lifetime covering this fresh face of horseracing, and would love the opportunity to use the many catchy phrases I came up with that rhyme with Repole!

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In my last article on three year olds to watch this fall, I did not include Stay Thirsty, who placed in the Belmont Stakes.  My reluctance to include this horse was due to his inconsistency throughout this year that began with a win in the Gotham, but was followed by a perplexing seventh in the Florida Derby.  Proceeding the Florida Derby, Stay Thirsty crossed the wire twelfth in the Run for the Roses beaten approximately fourteen lengths.  Stay Thirsty tired in the stretch; however the Kentucky Derby can prove to be a throw-out race for many of the contenders due to the enormous size of the field.  Off his run in the Derby, he placed to Ruler on Ice in a less than impressive Belmont Stakes. 

Coming out of the Belmont, I was unsure of what to make of this son of Bernardini for the second half of this year.  I believed that he may have had the potential to be in contention among others in his age group. Although, when putting him against this year’s strong group of older horses who he will face at the Breeders’ Cup, I was somewhat doubtful of how he would fare.

My doubts were vanquished with his striking victory in the Jim Dandy Stakes.  The race showed a classy young horse improving as the year progresses.  He is finding ways to settle into his strength, showing obvious signs of maturity. 

Starting from post position six, Stay Thirsty broke cleanly under jockey Javier Castellano.  Guided three wide around the first turn, Stay Thirsty was positioned fifth on the backstretch.  The compact colt ran a relaxed race behind the slow pace of :24, and :47.66 for the half that was made by the chestnut Will’s Wildcat with the favorite, Dominus, at his side. 

Stay Thirsty, gaining on the pacemakers, was within range of the lead in third place on the outside rounding the final turn.  Stay Thirsty, under vigorous hand riding by Javier Castellano, passed Dominus who had assumed the lead after Will’s Wildcat faltered around the turn.  Dominus backed out of the battle at the eighth pole, not only proving that it is likely that he will not handle the necessary distances for the fall, but also allowing Stay Thirsty to draw away from the field to win by a remarkable four lengths.

Upon research, I found Stay Thirsty, from the breeding of Bernardini-Marozia, by Storm Bird; a very intriguing horse on paper.  I recognized the successful Fappiano/Northern Dancer cross, as well as the crossing of Storm Bird, and Roberto, causing several additional reoccurrences of the legendary Nearco.  I discovered a curious fact that I have never before seen in any Thoroughbred’s pedigree:  Stay Thirsty’s sire, dam, and broodmare sire all are members of female family four. 

Also, I found that Stay Thirsty’s ninth dam is Mahubah, the dam of Man O’ War.  Aside from producing this legendary horse, Mahubah foaled five horses in her lifetime-all by Fair Play.  She was the dam of two Stakes winners (one of which was Stay Thirsty’s eighth dam), one winner, and one who retired unplaced.  Despite having a short broodmare record, I believe she displayed the fundamental credentials of a great broodmare:  consistency at a higher level. 

What makes an outstanding broodmare is not foaling just one spectacular racehorse, instead it is showing an astounding record of dependability even if that record does not include a champion.  Mahubah is the prime example of an outstanding broodmare, not only foaling quality horses, but also producing a champion who would pass on his talent in the breeding shed.