Welcome Home, Alysheba

re: Welcome Home, Alysheba

Michelle — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 00:46:41 GMT

Great article about a Truly GREAT Champion!!! I recently visited the Kentucky Horse Park to see Alysheba and Cigar. I have to say they look wonderful and well taken care of. However, I was very disappointed in their barn. These champions deserve the BEST. Maybe Bloodhorse could do some kind of fundraiser to have a new barn built for them. I know I would contribute and many other horse racing fans probably would too.

re: Welcome Home, Alysheba

texohky — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 14:51:33 GMT

I took the Veterans' Day holiday to catch up on my reading, so I apologize for being so late with my take. I had the good fortune to be at both Hollywood Park when Ferdinand narrowly beat Alysheba, and again at Churchill Downs to witness Alysheba charge out of the dark to take the Classic and become "America's Horse." In those days I was a newlywed with the pressures of starting a family. In these days of TVG and HRTV, there's the pressure of getting on to the next race, whether it be the $5000 claimer at Suffolk Downs, or an allowance race at Calder, or a turf race at Golden Gate... the coverage never seems to allow enough time to savor a truly amazing performance in the feature race. Thank you, Steve, for providing these moments through your writing. It reminds me how truly lucky I was to attend both those Breeders' Cups and be a witness to such magnificent animals making horse racing history.

re: Welcome Home, Alysheba

LauraB — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 05:56:44 GMT

I am so happy he is home. I wish I had seen this earlier it would have been a great Birthday present. It is bittersweet though, I wish Ferdinand would have been given the same dignified retirement.

re: Welcome Home, Alysheba

Karen2 — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 19:29:57 GMT

This is truly a happy time for all racing fans and thoroughbred lovers but we must never forget Ferdinand who won't be coming home.

re: Welcome Home, Alysheba

SusanW — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 18:25:50 GMT

I actually cried when I heard our beloved son of Alydar was home. I, too, will be visiting him soon.

Welcome home, welcome home!!!!!

re: Welcome Home, Alysheba

Tom Van Berg — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 20:42:02 GMT

Steve,

Thank you for a truly great article. It brought back some emotional memories for me as well as my father. I hope you can get my email from this post because my dad wanted me to get your phone number so he could call you. Thanks again for a wonderful story on a equally wonderful horse.

Tom

re: Welcome Home, Alysheba

Chiara T. — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:54:46 GMT

Steve,

I have a question for you? Can you contact me at chiara dot tellini at charter dot net?

Thank you for your interest in Jack and Alysheba and for taking the time to write such a wonderful article.

Cheers!

re: Welcome Home, Alysheba

Steve Haskin — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 09:42:18 GMT

Thank you for sharing that, Chiara. I'm happy to hear about Jack's renewed enthusiasm. I saw that enthusiasm in his interview on the Bloodhorse's video of Alysheba's arrival. It saddened me to hear Jack speak with such frustration at the congressional hearings this year. Drugs in racing has left some of the truly great trainers behind. Jack will always be one those great trainers, and it's so gratifying to see Alysheba's homecoming bring back memories of a special time in racing. Boy, do we need Jack back on the Triple Crown trail again, and on the national scene in general.

re: Welcome Home, Alysheba

Bellwether — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 09:27:01 GMT

thanks to Mr. John Nicholson for helping pull this off...now Cathy & her crew have a new boy on the block to play with & Cigar has a new buddy...gotta love them HORSES!!!...Long Live The King!!!

re: Welcome Home, Alysheba

Chiara T. — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 07:18:18 GMT

I want you to know Steve, that this article made the ol' Jack Van Berg very happy. When he called me today to tell me to google this article, his voice had an unusual pitch that revealed an enthusiasm that perhaps belongs to this horse alone. It's been a long time since the two of them, horse and trainer, were together, but I know last week their reunion in Kentucky was welcomed by healthy crowd that remember them well. This story is a great cap on a long awaited welcome home for them both!

Cheers to you!

re: Welcome Home, Alysheba

EmilioP — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 04:55:09 GMT

Mr. Haskin I cannot thank you enough for writing this piece. Alysheba is and will always be my favorite horse of all time. I followed this horse around throughout his career. I still remember Bill Shoemaker riding him in the Breeders Cup Juvenile, After the race I told my dad the Shoe was going to a win a fifth Derby and second in a row, cause Alysheba closed with a mad rush. The Shoe like many Derbies before let us down by picking the wrong horse, Can we recall Northern Dancer and Hill Rise. Then Pat Day let him go. That only made his curse a bigger one. Mccarron got him and it was poetic justice. Chris had gotten hurt the Autumn before, and his mount Demons Begone went to Pat Day for the Derby. Alysheba was the leader of what my humble opinion is the last great generation of horses concerning rivalries. I mean there was Bet Twice, Gulch, Java Gold, Polish Navy, Gone West, Capote, Cryptoclearance, Talinum, Temperate Sil, Slew City Slew,MAsterful Advocate, Candis Gold, this generation went at each other throughout the country, they all faced eachother and they all beat each other. It was incredible, It was like the great middleweight boxing rivalries of the 80's with Hearns, Hagler, Duran, Leonard, Cuevas, Benitez etc. I mean this generation beat other generations greats like Ferdinand, Cutlass Reality, Broad Brush, Kings Swan, Waquoit, Personal Flag, Forty Niner, Seeking the Gold, Lively One, Skywalker, you name it. These were our last great generations of runners. I mean these horses went at each other in every dance, nobody ducked no one. Everybody would show up. Now you got all the good ones spread across the country taking on allowance caliber colts, everyone ducks each other. Its not the same anymore. So i am very happy that the one that stood tall at the end from that great generation, Alysheba gets some recognition. I mean see the names, most of these horses have given us numerous champions in these last 20 years, Thay have stamped themselves in the breed on a worldwide level, so Mr. Haskin Thank You.

re: Welcome Home, Alysheba

Julie L. — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 22:15:04 GMT

I have always been a great fan of Alysheba and was so disappointed when he went to Saudi Arabia but then when I read that he was coming home tears filled my eyes. I watched him run in the '87' Classic and finish a gallant second to Ferdinand. Where I stood trackside that day they placed the starting gate for the Classic so I had the best view of Alysheba with Chris McCarron up and a view also of Ferdinand with Shoemaker up I felt like a kid I was so happy. Same feeling I had seeing Curlin upclose for this year's Classic. Having the chance to see a great horse is something everyone should have the chance to do so how great it is that Alysheba is at the Kentucky Horse Park in the great John Henry's old stall. Live long Alysheba I plan on visiting you soon.

re: Welcome Home, Alysheba

BIGHORSEFAN — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 17:52:08 GMT

Steve, another moving and classic story.

I had the great privilege of seeing Alysheba run.

Also, have the great honor of knowing Jack. What a guy, his reaction, talking about his Dad and crying, the John Wayne of horse racing? Never denied it and I think he was pretty proud of that.

For Dr. McGovern to come on to this blog and address us should make everyone realize that the majority of people in racing honor and care for these animals like we do our own families.

Thanks to him and thanks to Steve for your now expected and always present class and style.

re: Welcome Home, Alysheba

Rhonda from Saskatchewan, Canada — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 15:55:44 GMT

Welcome home, Alysheba.

Welcome home.

re: Welcome Home, Alysheba

dalybog — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 15:52:12 GMT

Steve,

Great article, and great responses from everyone. Would there be any chance of doing a video story on the rivalry between Bet Twice and Sheba, similar to the one of Alydar and Affirmed? The best thing about their rivalry was that it did go into their 4 year old seasons as well. That plus the fact that it also included other good horses like Lost Code, Cryptoclearance, Ferdinand, Cutlass reality, Seeking the Gold, andForty Niner. I can't remember when there was a deeper class of horses that were all here in the USA.

I am planning on taking a trip to KHP to see Alysheba, he has always been my favorite

re: Welcome Home, Alysheba

Steve Haskin — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 08:16:10 GMT

Cleone, my daughter and Alysheba also were 3-year-olds in the same year. Hard to believe they're 24 now. Those were wonderful years, the late '80s, watching our kids grow and following Alysheba, Personal Ensign, Ferdinand, Winning Colors, Forty Niner, Risen Star, then Sunday Silence and Easy Goer. After betting on Winning Colors and Sunday Silence in the Derby we started a Disney World fund, with all winnings going to pay for a trip to Disney World. I'm not a big bettor or a frequent bettor, but when I won $1,200 on Unbridled in the 1990 Derby, I remember calling my daughter, then 6, who was at her grandmother's for the day, and telling her "We're going to Disney World." Yep, great days.

re: Welcome Home, Alysheba

Bellwether — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 05:50:13 GMT

gotta pic with John & i'll get one with SHEBA @ that Beautiful Horse Park!!!welcome home Pal!!!...NEVER FORGET FERDINAND!!!

re: Welcome Home, Alysheba

Cleone — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 05:38:11 GMT

My youngest daughter and Alysheba were three-year-olds in the same year - and he was her favorite horse! Anytime I was watching a race, she'd want to know if Alysheba was there, which one was he, was he going to win, etc. For a long time, she had a picture of him on her bedroom wall, right above her bed! She still remembers him fondly, and was glad to hear he was coming home.

re: Welcome Home, Alysheba

Alysse — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 01:45:38 GMT

I really need to schedule a trip out there to see him, too. Loved this piece. It's an exceptional treat for those of us who weren't fortunate enough to see him in action.

re: Welcome Home, Alysheba

Steve Haskin — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 23:40:15 GMT

Dr. McGovern, thanks so much for your comments and for reassuring everyone that Alysheba was treated like a king at your farm. I'm sure it makes everyone feel a lot better knowing he had a happy stay there. As you can see from all the comments, he is a very popular horse with a tremendous fan base. Thank you again for bringing him back home.

re: Welcome Home, Alysheba

Dr Frank Mc Govern — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 23:05:13 GMT

Just wanted to add my appreciation for a great article. As King Abdullah's manager we now know that all the effort was worthwhile in bringing the old warrior home.

In answer to one query - he was treated like a King at our farm in Saudi and covered a small number of mares each year - we wanted some of that grit for our future broodmares and no he never covered Arabian Horses. Great article and I am delighted that we have fulfilled the wishes of so many people . Dr Frank Mc Govern

re: Welcome Home, Alysheba

Dutch — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 19:35:35 GMT

Beautiful article, Steve. Your recollections bring back memories of a terrific time in horse racing, and I can't believe it's been 20 years since Alysheba won the BC Classic. His rivalry with Bet Twice should certainly go down as one of the fiercest in racing history. All the best to the champ in his return to America.

re: Welcome Home, Alysheba

Audra — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 17:59:06 GMT

Thanks Steve for a great article. SO WONDERFUL to have him back on American soil where we can all visit him. Loved the picture of him getting off the van--he was looking around like, "it took you guys long enough to get me back here!" He knows where he belongs. Glad to hear he is doing well and see that he has great caregivers to make the rest of his years special.

re: Welcome Home, Alysheba

dave — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 17:54:22 GMT

Thanks for a great story about a great horse. 1987 was a banner year for 3YOs, and the best ones raced again at four. Curlin/Street Sense could have been a great rivalry like Alysheba/Bet Twice. Point Given, Afleet Alex, Smarty Jones, so many horses who should have had the chance to run another year. Zarkava vs. Zenyatta in next year's Classic could have been sensational. Racing was much more popular in the days when a 3YO wasn't retired as soon as he won a Gr. I race. Again, thanks for the memories of a true champion.

re: Welcome Home, Alysheba

Windy City — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 17:30:16 GMT

Thank god for Steve.....and kleenex! What a great story, too bad that I'm not old enough to remember this great horse run. I will surely go to blue grass next year to visit him and others. Welcome home Alysheba!