The Unbreakable, Indestructible Jim French

re: The Unbreakable, Indestructible Jim French

Charlie — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 01:37:34 GMT

Jim French's racing schedule reads a lot like that of Carry Back - another story that is worthy of retelling.

re: The Unbreakable, Indestructible Jim French

rick — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 01:18:21 GMT

Ron,

just one question........you're riding the stretch in the Belmont on Big Red, you got the lead of leads.......what was that feeling like? When I win a big bet, it's unlike any other feeling in the world. But, 31 lengths, the Belmont, the Triple Crown! After 30+ years, any new thoughts or reflections?

re: The Unbreakable, Indestructible Jim French

DONNA — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 18:28:42 GMT

Steve, I would very much enjoy a story on Riva Ridge. I also believe he never got his just due living in the shadow of Big Red. I do know he also was a rather small horse and could have benefited from a better trainer. I also remember reading a story where Penney Chenery said that as much as she loved Secretariat, Riva Ridge held a special place in her heart.

re: The Unbreakable, Indestructible Jim French

barb — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 13:52:44 GMT

Ron Turcotte(!?), Thanks for responding to my post about Native Dancer. Today is my birthday and I can't tell you how exciting it was to wake up this morning and read this blog. It is like a birthday present from the racing gods. I hope you have a great day too!

re: The Unbreakable, Indestructible Jim French

Bellwether — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 06:38:11 GMT

Steve...you have reintroduced a fantastic RACE HORSE to all...he had a HEART of STEEL!!!...g

re: The Unbreakable, Indestructible Jim French

Racingfan — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 04:34:39 GMT

Mr Haskin, sorry about getting off on my Native Dancer fan club tangient in my last post. That story just brought him to mind and I guess that isn't too hard to do since he's my all time favorite. LOL! I love your articles and your accounts of the horses of the past (have your recent book Tales From the Triple Crown - it's awesome)! I read everything I can find about the famous horses of the olden days! I guess I'm stuck in the past of racing's glory days - even though I wasn't here for most of it (born in the 60's).

Mr Turcotte, you rode Northern Dancer as a two year old! How exciting! Probably not nearly as exciting as Secretariat but he was a pretty great little horse too! Deserved the triple crown just like his granddaddy did!

Barb, so glad that Native Dancer still has other fans! I think I'm the biggest fan that never got to see him! LOL! His derby loss was heartbreaking. Imagine if he'd won-he'd have retired as the only undefeated triple crown winner.

On the subject of training, I do think that some trainers of the past definitely over raced the horses. However, today's trainers of the top horses may be a bit too cautious. That leads everyone to assume that the present horses are not as durable since they only race maybe 5-6 times per year. What we don't know is IF they in fact could race more often if they were given the opportunity. I notice that a lot of the "lower level" horses run more frequently and seem to handle it just fine. If they can do it - I believe the others can too.

re: The Unbreakable, Indestructible Jim French

The Deacon — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 04:19:24 GMT

I remember Drone, great looking horse but he seldom ran like Secretariat, but who did. Nice to hear from Ron Turcotte, what a brilliant rider. Hey Steve any chance of doing a piece on the legendary John Nerud? What a story that would be, isn't he around 90 years old or so?

re: The Unbreakable, Indestructible Jim French

Bill — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 01:00:54 GMT

Rick,

Don't feel bad about missing Rags in the Belmont; you weren't alone. I was waiting for Casino Drive this year with baited breath because of his dam. That's one race pedigree really means a lot. You do have a good point about how some horses respond to tough training. Who am I to question a guy who trained the winner of the Derby- Pleasant Colony -and many other big races? Still, I don't think he was managed as well as he could have been. I will say no more.

re: The Unbreakable, Indestructible Jim French

Steve Haskin — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 00:28:18 GMT

Rick, funny you should compare him to Teuflesberg, who was trained by Jamie Sanders, who was an assistant to Nick Zito, who was an assistant to John Campo. Six degress as they say.

Great to see Ron Turcotte comment. Between Ron and Riva Ridge's hotwalker, I'm sort of getting inspired to do an intimate look back at Riva Ridge, who spent most of his career in Secretariat's shadow. But he was such a sweetheart and accomplished a lot more than people realize. He actually resented all the attention to Big Red and would often stand in the back of his stall. Peb did a great series of sketches about their "friendship." If Riva could only handle the slop he'd be considered one of the all-time greats. To be honest, he really wasn't handled very well at times and ran in some races he never should have.

re: The Unbreakable, Indestructible Jim French

NEVERKICKYOURDOG — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 00:06:55 GMT

RON TURCOTTE...WE FIRST MET IN '68 WHEN YOU WERE KIND ENOUGH TO DELIVER A BOX OF TOOSIE ROOLS TO FRANK WHITILEY'S EX. BOY--WILLIE--WHEN YOU WENT TO RIDE DAMASCUS AT SANTA ANITA...THIS IS A L. LAURIN QUESTION...I HEARD MR. LAURIN SWEAR THAT A COLT THAT HE TRAINED -- "DRONE" --WAS CUT OUT TO BE AS GOOD or better THAN SECRETARIAT. AND, THIS WAS SAID IN FRONT OF KNOWLEDGEABLE HORSEMEN WHO TOOK HIM AT HIS WORD. ANY COMMENT??

HOPE THAT YOU ARE DOING GOOD!

re: The Unbreakable, Indestructible Jim French

Richie — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 23:23:20 GMT

I must have started in racing about the same time as you Steve as you seem to pick out so many of my early favs that I've always felt deserved more credit than they got- Jim French was certainly one of them. Sorry so say that nowadays horses like him will not be remembered at all since no one goes to the track anymore. What a courageous little horse he was. Thanks for the great memories. RIP Little Jim-you have not been forgotten by some of us old timers.

re: The Unbreakable, Indestructible Jim French

rick — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 22:03:26 GMT

Bill,

You may be right, and hey, what do I know?...I did just tell you guys that I threw Rags to Riches out in the Belmont. Anyway, maybe the horse would have won more of those close ones, but maybe he was just acting like a horse who NEEDED to race. I've heard of that as well. Thirteen races in four months sounds like a hell of alot of races, but for each horse comes a different training technique. Just a guess.

re: The Unbreakable, Indestructible Jim French

Runfast159 — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 20:21:39 GMT

Thanks again for a great story that was deserving of being re-told. Years before Jim French, it seems that many great horses ran through grueling schedules that today would turn more than a few heads. Horses were more durable then and training wasn't as refined as it is now. Certainly the thoroughbred of yesteryear was not near so pampered growing up as it is now. I don't think what Campo did was criminal. Patching up horses and sending broken ones to the track is. By all accounts, Jim French was running good and sound until his bone spur. I agree that it is a shame his name has faded from the books as a truly great racehorse.

re: The Unbreakable, Indestructible Jim French

Ron Turcotte — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 19:48:57 GMT

Regarding Native Dancer his pedigre is all over Europe through his grandson Northern Dancer the son of Natalma his Dam.

re: The Unbreakable, Indestructible Jim French

Bill — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 18:36:54 GMT

Rick,

In better hands I think Jim French would have won some of those races he lost. Had his trainer been more judicious in using the amazing amount of energy Jim had and spacing his races a little better there's no telling what this horse could have accomplished. I don't know of too many horses who would have been standing after the schedule Campo held him to. Citation, maybe, is the only other horse to have accomplished greatness following this kind of 3 yr. old schedule and I don't think even he travelled as much as Jim. The fact alone that Jim flew out to the coast and won the SA Derby after all the racing he had already done that year was very unusual. Horses didn't travel much in those days and there are very few if any that I can remember who did what he was able to do. Can you imagine what Charley Whittingham would have been able to do with him?