Heaven and Hell

re: Heaven and Hell

Ryafan — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 09:30:00 GMT

I knew Chris well, we actualy met online back in the day when you paid AOL by the minute and there was a horse racing chat where people really where who they said they were.Many of us are still close to this day. Chris and I moved to Southern California at the same time. Yes, he had his demons, we all do, his were tragic. For anyone to question his motives or feelings regarding his holding Charismatic's leg after his injury is insanity. This is the same guy who gladly rode my 10K claimer at Santa Anita a week after winning the Kentucky Derby! He also gave me daily lessons on the Stock Market and E Trade, he was very, very intelligent. He was also super sensitive. He truly loved horses, and he really loved Charismatic. I look forward to ESPN's documentary with a painful heart. They will do a good job, they did on my Cousin Tim Richmond a year ago this month. But I still miss my friend, and Pray every day he has the peace he so desperately searched for in life. Rest well, dear friend, rest well.

re: Heaven and Hell

Sharon — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 04:00:30 GMT

What a beautiful article. I've no idea how many times I have cried over Charismatic but they are countless. What is he doing in Japan with a stud fee of only $2,500. That is really tragic and I pray for a safe return one day to Old Friends. I hate that all the lovely horses don't stay here in the US, the owners should be ashamed for selling them to stand where no one knows what will happen to them!

re: Heaven and Hell

APBarZentariat — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 18:30:13 GMT

I was a Financial Advisor in the late '90's during the Dot.com craze. Chris was a day-trader, he made that public, and actually had a website where he would discuss stocks and what he was buying and selling. Being a racing fan and a fan of his, I followed (monitored)him daily, both on and off the track. If he was actually buying/trading the stocks he mentioned, things weren't going well there either. When I first heard of his death, my initial gut-feeling was that money was involved somehow. Either way, a very sad ending.

re: Heaven and Hell

MemoriesofPuchi — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 15:06:47 GMT

TabCat - pay attention. I did not mention Jeff Lukas, Tabasco Cat, or Cat Thief. In the meantime please have the respect to spell "Lukas" correctly - NOT Lucas.

re: Heaven and Hell

maryann727 — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 04:04:45 GMT

Mr.Haskin ~ Thank you for writing about and reminding us of the memorable and unlikely quest for the Triple Crown in 1999. I was caught in the spell of Charismatic and Chris Antley, not unusual since I always have a soft spot for the underdog. They certainly made for a stiking pair, Charismatic with his shining copper coat and flashy chrome and Chris with his boyish face and bright blue eyes. Like many, I was hoping for the fairytale ending that in real life is so elusive. The image of Antley holding Charismatic's leg at the end of the Belmont is ingrained in my memory, a racing memory never to be forgotten. That image won “NTRA Moment of the Year”, an award for sport's photograph of the year.

Many TC crown campaigns become a blur in my memory with the passage of time but Charismatic's stays with me.

I remember Jerry Bailey commenting that Charismatic looked rank in the race, that he ran right behind Silverbulletday, much closer to the lead than his usual running style.

I also remember that it seemed strange that Bob Baffert elected to run Silverbulletday(SBD) in the Belmont after her owner said he would not run in the Belmont. She was kept out of the Preakness to protect her because she had the outside post. It struck me at the time that perhaps SBD was used as the spoiler for Lukas's potential TC. Don't misinterpret this comment, I have always liked Bob Baffert but did wonder why he thought the KD & Preakness were too tough for his filly but decided to run her when Lukas had a potential TC champion.

I've read all of the comments posted thus far and no one mentioned the SBD factor and Jerry Bailey's comment so I thought it might add to the discussion.

In conclusion, I enjoy reading your journeys down racing's memory lanes. I remember with fond appreciation and nostalgia your great columns about Zenyatta last year. She's a hard act to follow, isn't she? Thank you again for your fine writing.

re: Heaven and Hell

Freetex — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 22:07:41 GMT

Love your writing and the story of very memorable characters of horse racing.

I surely hope Charismatic and War Emblem make it back to the U.S. along with others on your blog. Its certainly the right thing to do, just have to feel a little uncertain.

re: Heaven and Hell

APBarZentariat — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 21:59:01 GMT

Another gem, Mr. Haskin. Linda in Texas, I mirror your sentiment reguarding these athletes and how they should be treated. Every sport has it's dark side, but none darker than this. Things seem to be moving in the right direction, though.

re: Heaven and Hell

Linda in Texas — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 16:51:52 GMT

AngelaInAbilene - is the Joe Allen of whom you speak regarding Pepper's Pride the king of barbeque in Abilene? Or is it a different person? I was a follower and still am of Pepper's Pride, i drove to New Mexico to watch her run her 19th consecutive win race. And i have followed her journey, but i always wondered which Joe Allen owned her.

Thanks, Linda

re: Heaven and Hell

steve from st louis — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 15:14:24 GMT

Heartbreaking story all around; I remember Lukas' attitude towards Antley after his death and although I had negative feelings about the "Coach" as many members of the press had, I respected his silence when asked to comment.

Antley's story reminded me of another jock with whom I was personally close, Doug Rolfe, one of the nation's top apprentices in 1978, from small Fairmount Park outside St. Louis, to the Chicago tracks and finally at NYRA tracks who killed himself about four years later because he was in depression about making weight.

These riders have so much pressure on them both physically and mentally it's a wonder more don't fall into drugs. I remember reading a story about Lafitt Pincay, who also fought weight for such a long time. But the Pirate was so determined. On one of his many cross-country plane rides, he would eat one-half of one peanut while sitting for the first three hours and the other half upon landing for his dinner.

re: Heaven and Hell

Will — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 13:14:28 GMT

Karen in Texas and TabCat: Correctamunda. I had too many "Cats" on the brain and confused the two horses.

re: Heaven and Hell

Shelby's Best Pal — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 02:44:51 GMT

I watched Charismatic's Belmont in a little casino in Deadwood, South Dakota. Very sad and upsetting. Until I read your article, I didn't remember who won the race. But I certainly do remember Charismatic, the accident and Chris Antley's actions which I thought were wonderful.

re: Heaven and Hell

Karen in Texas — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 01:32:58 GMT

Will---The horse that became loose in the barn area and injured Jeff Lukas was Tabasco Cat. He then went on to win the 1994 Preakness and Belmont for Team Lukas. Jeff was back to the track to saddle Thunder Gulch for the 1995 Derby. Lukas then won the '96 Derby with Grindstone and the Belmont with Editor's Note. So, there were a few good years after Jeff's injury before both Charismatic and Cat Thief came around as three-year-olds in 1999.

re: Heaven and Hell

TabCat — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 00:45:38 GMT

MemoriesOfP: You have your horses mixed up. There was no "tragic accident with Cat Thief". Jeff Lucas was injured by Tabasco Cat in 1993, long before Cat Thief's 1999 Triple Crown campaign.

re: Heaven and Hell

Dutch — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 20:54:05 GMT

Terrific article, Steve. Even though Charismatic and Chris Antley were only together for a short time, they will forever be linked in history. Looking forward to the documentary on ESPN.

re: Heaven and Hell

Will — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 19:21:18 GMT

Riveting story, Steve. Was not aware of the upcoming ESPN documentary. Will certainly watch. The Triple Crown episode appears to have been too much of an emotional roller coaster for the fragile, recovering Chris Antley. That was a particularly haunting comment you made when describing the day of the Belmont: "But that afternoon would be the beginning of Antley's return to hell." Was curious though why you did not flesh out more what went on to, as you say in the piece, "sour" the relationship between Antley and Lukas. Like some more perspective as to why Lukas came to the point that he could only denigrate Antley, even to the point of trying to minimize the rider's actions on the track with Charismatic after the finish of the Belmont. Certainly without Wayne's input in the ESPN documentary the story is incomplete, but can understand why Wayne would not want to get into it in an honest fashion after Antley's tragic demise. Lukas was beginning the descent into a hell of his own as Cat Thief, loose on the track, almost took his son Jeff's life. The incident did cost Jeff his career as a trainer, and Lukas' now scaled-back operation has never been the same as he's fallen on much leaner times without the expertise of his business partner-son. Maybe there was no better horseman than Jeff in the country under whose tutelage Todd Pletcher, Kirian McLaughlin, and Dallas Stewart were prepared for their rise to prominence as elite American trainers. Know ESPN has done a documentary on Jeff. Hope the one on Antley is of comparable quality, but it will miss the input from Wayne Lukas. Its sense of completeness can't but suffer as a result of his absence from the documentary. Understandable though that Lukas finds both hypocrisy and railing against a demised rider who's not hear to defend himself equally distasteful. A follow up piece on what happened to Wayne Lukas after Jeff's tragic accident with Cat Thief and it's effect on Lukas' training career would make equally riveting reading.

re: Heaven and Hell

MemoriesofPuchi — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 17:36:05 GMT

Thank you Steve for once again invoking such intense memories and emotions surrounding this classic racing moment. I cannot think of these events without tears and remember: Lukas' smile and pride at Preakness-time; how happy everybody in the racing fraternity was to see the Lewis' with a champion again, also to hope that Chris was finally defeating his demons with his talents allowed to shine.

To this day I have up a copy of PEB's picture of Charismatic crying at Chris' grave, his left leg (wrapped to symbolise the injury)draped over the tombstone. Under the picture I have Lenny Shulman's quote, "Chris Antley, a rider with divine talent whose career was hampered by human imperfection."

Chris had the most beautiful blue eyes that would look into your soul when he talked to you, something I will never forget.

Charismatic had the most beautiful copper-coloured coat - just like a chestnut should be - with lots of gleaming chrome. Flashy but backed up with talent and spirit.

It is always a pleasure to read your articles Steve, thank you for bringing back great moments, and adding to them. People like talking to you, and you also have a remarkable ability to ferret out special tidbits of information that add great depth to the stories.

re: Hangin' With Haskin: Heaven and Hell

MD — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 14:11:20 GMT

I highly recommend Elizabeth Mitchell's extraordinary book, "Three Strides to the Wire: The Dark & Beautiful World of Horse racing," on Charismatic, Chris Antley, & the world of thoroughbred racing.

Mitchell's book provides much more on the subjects mentioned, particularly about Charismatic, Antley, & Lukas's antipathy towards Antley.

re: Hangin' With Haskin: Heaven and Hell

Bill Two — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 13:41:06 GMT

Remarkable story, Steve. It's interesting to note how unusual this situation was for D Wayne. Not his kind of horse nor his kind of jock. Very sad about Chris Antley - he had a world of talent, but couldn't escape his demons. Saw him ride when he was coming up in Maryland and thought he had a bright future. He probably would have wound up in the Hall of Fame had it not been for drugs.

re: Hangin' With Haskin: Heaven and Hell

Linda in Texas — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 13:04:36 GMT

Karen in Texas - i would have no doubt that Michael Blowen is on top of Charismatic. We got Noor back from California and like you and so many, i never forget Old Friends.

When Michael sends a distress call,i have helped as i know you do also.

Good people for sure with big hearts who post here on Steve's Blog because Steve is all heart and he is not afraid to share it

with all of us. Thank you Steve.

Deacon, your words are so true, i

search each day hoping i will not find that another great giant or gentle broodmare has been euthanized. It is a good day when i see no mention of one leaving for

their golden hay in the clouds.

Have a nice day everyone and Deltalady, if Steve allows me to say some of the things i come up with, believe me he welcomes your comments and nothing is off topic to him if it has anything to do with horses or horse racing.

re: Hangin' With Haskin: Heaven and Hell

woodshade — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 03:31:18 GMT

The only horse picture I have is a Kentucky Tavern 18 1/2" x 15" photo of Charismatic crossing the finish line in the 1999 Ky. Derby. Chris Antley is holding his left index finger up. Looks great on the wall.

re: Hangin' With Haskin: Heaven and Hell

Deltalady — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 03:28:06 GMT

Don't know if it's appropriate, but here is a link at a community page with some absolutely gorgeous pictures of Charismatic. He is so beautiful...takes your breath!

community.tvg.com/.../548327

Thanks for a wonderful article, Steve. Very moving.

re: Hangin' With Haskin: Heaven and Hell

Shutterbug — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 02:51:09 GMT

The ESPN/ABC dvd hosted by Jim McKay entitled "40 years of Glory" has a 10 min segment on horseracing, 4 min of which is dedicated to Antley and Charismatic. Chris actually kisses Lukas' hand in the Ky Derby winner's circle. I wasn't aware that those two were at odds, that couldn't have helped Antley's situation any.

I think of Charismatic every time I see Jim Barnes saddling a horse for Baffert in So Cal. He led Charismatic into the paddock prior to the Belmont Stakes and led a the limping colt back to the barn afterwards. I would have liked to have learned more about his role.

re: Hangin' With Haskin: Heaven and Hell

Paula Higgins — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 02:10:45 GMT

Steve, I was watching Dancing With The Stars (yes, it's true) and I was so enthralled by you story I missed the last dance. You are simply amazing. Charismatic was a wonderful horse. But Chris Antley's story makes me sad beyond words. What a waste of a human life.

re: Hangin' With Haskin: Heaven and Hell

Racingfan — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 00:54:09 GMT

Another touching story Steve!! Thank you! FYI to everyone, Steve wrote a book called "Tales From the Triple Crown" that I purchased from Exclusively Equine that is excellent! Hope you don't mind the plug Steve but I thought those who don't know about it but love your writing like I do, may be interested. And by the way Steve, we need more books - still waiting for you to write the Zenyatta story as I don't think anyone else can do it justice!

re: Hangin' With Haskin: Heaven and Hell

KarenToga — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 00:24:26 GMT

Steve,

Your ability to bring the past to us in timeless stories such as this one is remarkable. Truly great. Thanks for the memories.

Karen