Wasted Tears: The Little Engine That Could

re: Wasted Tears: The Little Engine That Could

Genie from Chicago — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 18:19:49 GMT

I worked as a polo groom in the 70's and worked in Boca Raton for Jack Oxley,for whom Bart Evans was playing as a pro. Bart had a rule at the time, that he never, ever,. let a woman on one of his horses. He had a mare he loved, Kiowa Kate, who years later, tragically died underneath him on the polo field. One day in Boca, his groom Howard and I decided to mess with Bart, and Howard put me on Kate, and I rode her past him. Bart said if I ever got on one of his horses again, he would "kick my (butt) all the way back to Illinois". That was Bart back in the day. Anyway, I am happy for him he has found another mare he loves so much.

re: Wasted Tears: The Little Engine That Could

Zen's Auntie — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 15:06:20 GMT

Thanks for the great interview Jason well done.

I always liked this little "you wont pass me!" filly and I like her even more now knowing these details of how special she is to Mr Evans - another fortunate one of a kind horse. I really like his love of the TB breed in general. Polo trainers / players are genreally really good horseman and conditioners.

re: Wasted Tears: The Little Engine That Could

annie — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 01:04:11 GMT

Very good, Mr. Evans sounds like such a very nice man. I'll be rooting for him and his wonderful filly.

re: Wasted Tears: The Little Engine That Could

ctgreyhound — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 21:24:59 GMT

We need more of this, more stories from the heart. The usual suspects (owners) are boring & many are whiners. It's great to see Mr. Evans & his mare make a little history. Hopefully he will have continued success.

re: Wasted Tears: The Little Engine That Could

Favre For President — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 18:18:10 GMT

The greatest QB ever has returned!!Brett Favre is the best QB since Fran Tarkenton and one of the very few around today who could have played in any era and survived. Unlike Peyton "Patsy" Manning and the rest Favre would have stood up to the poundings QB's took in the 60's and 70's and all th eway up until the league put in the "Manning Rule" to protect the sissy's.

re: Wasted Tears: The Little Engine That Could

Householder — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 17:37:45 GMT

Any thoughts on the Alabama? We have the 2 most accomplished 3 year old fillies battling it out tomorrow.

Blind Luck loves to travel. She's won in five different stakes over 7 different tracks. Hollendorfers confident she'll get the extra 1/8th. Pretty gutsy campaign by Nor Cal's all time leading trainer.

Devil May Care. It's her playground. She likes to pull herself up on the lead and Blind Luck likes to win by a nose at the wire. She made a pretty good move in the Derby but then flattened out at 1 1/4. Pedigree suggests distance is not a question.

None of these have won at this distance however.

Then you have the Delaware Oaks runner up. If you like Blind Luck you have to like this one.

re: Wasted Tears: The Little Engine That Could

kathy — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 16:46:41 GMT

Good gracious Mr. Evans, I really like the way that you think and talk about Wasted Tears and that you have her dam. I like the fact that you think about what is best for her and that you get she is really smart. Good luck to both of you in your pursuits.

re: Wasted Tears: The Little Engine That Could

Pam S. — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 16:13:40 GMT

Yes, I saw it, ZK. Good for WinStar! This horse made 115 starts -- definitely a Main Streeter, not a Wall Streeter!

re: Wasted Tears: The Little Engine That Could

Zookeeper — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 15:57:24 GMT

Pam S.,

Speaking of the "hedge fund" approach, did you see the video of Super Saver's full brother Hedge Fund being retired at WinStar Farm? Same words... completely different meaning. Stories like these are such a boost to horse racing!!! Others, not so much.

re: Wasted Tears: The Little Engine That Could

Pam S. — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 15:43:14 GMT

Zookeeper, thanks for responding. I did know IEAH had been out of the picture for a while. I agree with you about the hush-hush stuff. You have the above example of Bart Evans (no secrecy there), Tom McCarthy (also what you see is what you get), and the Lisa's Booby Trap guy who is honest enough to tell us that part of her nam came from his favorite nudie bar! All so likable and relatable. Then you have IEAH and the "hedge fund" approach.

re: Wasted Tears: The Little Engine That Could

Zookeeper — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 15:02:53 GMT

Pam S.,

IEAH did own a share of Pure Clan in partnership with her owner/breeder. I don't know any details (everything is so hush! hush!)but at the time of her retirement and sale, it doesn't appear that they were still in the picture. The secrecy still bothers me. What are they afraid of? That we will know who owns her? So what?

re: Wasted Tears: The Little Engine That Could

Mike Relva — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 14:54:22 GMT

IT AINT EASY BEING GOOD

So,how did Zenyatta get into the mix when she isn't the subject material? You'll eat your words in Nov same as last year!

re: Wasted Tears: The Little Engine That Could

gw_bushwacker — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 14:47:54 GMT

Yessss Dirt at Santa Anita finally some good news. The good news for RA is that she will be retired after Santa Anita makes the switch so they won't have to come up with new excuses to not travel to California to get beat. Its amazing the timing of it all!

re: Wasted Tears: The Little Engine That Could

sodapopkid — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 14:42:46 GMT

It aint easy:

Zenyatta trains on a dirt track they have at HP. So, dirt is no stranger to her, It's not like synthetics is to most of your east coast horses, Strange . Most great horses can run on both. It doesn't matter to them, they know how to run on dirt and synthetics.

Thats why most of your California/West Coast horses are great.

re: Wasted Tears: The Little Engine That Could

Jason Shandler — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 14:27:27 GMT

Ted: In addition to the video and blogs, we actually write multiple stories on the web site and magazine each week. Im not sure if you were aware of that. Would be nice to find the time to hang out at a bar for a couple hours, unfortunately, unless youre willing to share in the work load, we dont have time for that. Thanks for the suggestion though. As far as leaving out the Bev. D, we have to keep the show under 10 minutes. Cant do every big race.

re: Wasted Tears: The Little Engine That Could

-Keelerman — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 13:46:41 GMT

Billy's Empire;

It was unbelievably close. I couldn't believe that California Flag came off the pace to win. He has never come from off the pace in his life, at least not since he started running in stakes races.

I was also very impressed with My Summer Slew. He was my pick to win, and at the three eighths pole I thought to myself "I guess it just isn't his day." So imagine my surprise when I see him coming like a freight train on the far outside. I couldn't believe that he lost by only a nose.

As for Quick Enough, he was very impressive as well. He couldn't find room in the stretch and just barely sneaked through a tiny hole along the rail to dead-heat for second with My Summer Slew.

Amazingly, the top six finishers were seperated by only a length. Dilemma finished last and was beaten only three and a half lengths. What an exciting race!

(Also, in the Troy Stakes, a five and one half furlong turf race at Saratoga, Awakino Cat pulled off a 6-1 upset over 24-1 Ravalo, 10-1 Yield Bogey, and 28-1 Hold the Salt. Favored Silver Timber finished fifth, beaten only 2 1/4 lengths despite the fact that he ran into traffic in upper stretch. The Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint is going to be great this year!)

-Keelerman

re: Wasted Tears: The Little Engine That Could

Pam S. — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 04:56:37 GMT

I could swear IEAH owned Pure Clan for a time. Am I wrong??

re: Wasted Tears: The Little Engine That Could

Ted from LA — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 01:42:58 GMT

Jason,

I saw your Arlington Million show. Very nice. A friendly suggestion... you need to do that show at a bar or restaurant with living people sitting around or standing behind you. As it stands, it looks like a hostage situation. If you added a gun to the heads of each of your colleagues, nobody could tell the difference. Why did you leave out the Beverly D?

re: Wasted Tears: The Little Engine That Could

Kat — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 18:30:53 GMT

Sorry to hear about Pure Clan retiring, although it had been reported for a while that she wasn't training well. She ran a huge second last years at the BC championships.

re: Wasted Tears: The Little Engine That Could

Ted from LA — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 17:27:45 GMT

Who's going to the Million? I am and will have on a large name tag. The tradition is that if you see Ted from LA in the paddock, you buy him a drink. Jason, let's get to work on the Saturday card at Arlington. I haven't read this article yet, but based on what my follow bloggger groupies are saying, great job.

re: Wasted Tears: The Little Engine That Could

In aint easy being good! — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 16:41:15 GMT

Yessss Dirt at Santa Anita finally some good news. The good news for Zenyatta is that she will be retired after Santa Anita makes the switch so she wont get exposed. Its amazing the timing of it all! I hope others follow and switch to dirt and then we can stop all the arguing of who is the best horse and stop with the excuses!

re: Wasted Tears: The Little Engine That Could

Pam S. — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 15:06:55 GMT

Jason,

It is a nice interview with a man who sounds like he knows he's fortunate to have such a nice horse. He's the first person I have heard of that entered TB racing after a polo career. You'd think Prince Charles would, but he never did.

Trebloc: IEAH did own Pure Clan for a time, but her breeder bought her back (not sure when).

re: Wasted Tears: The Little Engine That Could

Billy's Empire — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 14:52:08 GMT

Keelerman,

that was one heck of a race in the Green Flash. I just watched the replay and it looks like any 3 of those horses could of won.

re: Wasted Tears: The Little Engine That Could

Zookeeper — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 13:59:31 GMT

Woke up this morning to the news that Santa Anita will return to dirt. The new surface will be installed after the Oak Tree meet. WOW! Last I had heard, Mr, Stronach was considering some other kind of composition that included cork. ($%#!?&!?)

Some trainers will be very happy about it, others not so much. Since I'm not an expert, I don't have an opinion about which surface is safer and the different studies only added to my confusion. But one thing is for sure, I won't miss all the negative plastic crap statements.

Jason- I'm looking forward to this weekend's racing also. I'm enjoying this sport more and more!

re: Wasted Tears: The Little Engine That Could

Bill Daly — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 13:58:00 GMT

Great interview, Jason. You certainly got Mr. Evans to elaborate a bit more on the filly than Simon Bray. I thought I was going to choke on my popcorn when Simon asked him where he was going now with WT and he replied, "Home" and then added " Maybe Disneyland, first." Guy has a great sense of humor in the style of Will Rogers.