Alex Waldrop Straight Up - All Comments

re: Progress on the Race Day Medication Front?

Deltalady — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 05:08:24 GMT

Sorry, no cigar! Get rid of Lasix, period! All that was done, it appears to me at least, is the deck chairs on the Titanic were moved around. Nothing significant changed. Lots more genuflecting and appeasement of trainers. You do not need the consent of the trainers to do away with Lasix. Otherwise, why have over 70 owners signed on to racing their 2yo without lasix! Trainers can't train without owners sending their horses to them. Stop the appeasement process, quit pussyfooting around, and drop the hammer on lasix, once and for all. Thank goodness, the Breeders Cup has not backed down: juveniles won't be able to race on the drug this fall, and next year, just like elsewhere in the world, no horses will be permitted to race on lasix! The KISS approach works every time: keep it simple, stupid. Just get rid of lasix.

re: Progress on the Race Day Medication Front?

By a long nose — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 02:30:28 GMT

Another riveting article by one of our "industry leaders." This guy consistently says less with more than anyone I've ever seen. Yawn.

re: Progress on the Race Day Medication Front?

hbc — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 21:03:13 GMT

the tracks, vets and regulators are complete idiots if they believe the average sports fan is going to buy this crap! as long as horses are being shot up with lasix, sports fans will always consider the horses drugged and the sport corrupt. this sport will no longer exist in 10 years if you people don't figure this out. if you don't believe me, go to any sporting event and try to explain to the people attending why horses need to be drugged to race.

re: Gratitude Redux

Linda in Texas — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 17:31:45 GMT

Every year it seems there are heroes and heroines. For me since last year on a lesser track i began to become attached to a special fella named 'Rapid Redux' and it continued all the way thru to his 20th win in a row. My respect for claimers will never cease.

Proud to pieces of you 'Rapid Redux' you are my hero for 2011!

re: Gratitude Redux

Mike Relva — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 22:42:37 GMT

Alex

Then why not dedicate a special award for RR? He deserves it. Do you think it's just that TVG didn't even televise his last race?

I don't!

re: Gratitude Redux

breeze10 — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 13:23:53 GMT

Alex: Thanks for sharing your list of gratitude and for giving Rapid Redux the credit which he so richly deserves. As you pointed out, regardless of his lack of stakes wins, he has acccomplished a great feat and deserves ALL the credit that the industry can give him. His feat has not only reminded so many of the possibility of reaching their dream, but, has also reminded us that regardless of a horse's status (ie. stakes, graded stakes, etc)...they ALL give their ALL (and ask for little in return..and we never hear of them as athletes whining that they have "bumped their elbow or bruised a body part"! ..There is no "sideline" during their game, for them!)

It was, also, great to hear you recognize the horseplayer. I think the "everyday joe" often feels forgotten by the industry and it is true...we are the real fans...the ones who enjoy the sport for the fun and love of the horses! I have often said...it is time that the industry listens to the "little guy" who works hard; goes to the track and plays with the hope of "hitting"; and almost always has the philosophy that "a bad day at the track is still better than a good day anywhere else". We go for the "love"...not to show off our hats or cute dresses or nice suits...Heck !..we wear jeans!

The owners: it is a well known fact that not every owner can afford the million(s)-dollar purchase of a horse or the costly trainer like Pletcher, Baffert, Asmussen, etc..but the owners do love the sport and HOPEFULLY love their horse(s).

All in all, I think we can all be thankful for racing even in an "off year"; even when we take a loss at the window..because the bottom line is we love it because of the horses.

Rapid Redux has just given us, all, one more reason to love the "game". Best wishes to him and his connections in the future...may he stay safe and happy!

re: Gratitude Redux

pepper — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 02:22:30 GMT

Thanks for your article nicely said. Thanks for and to this horse and all his connections

re: Gratitude Redux

Pinky — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 14:14:23 GMT

Thank you for reminding us that we need to be grateful for the creatures that give us so much pleasure. It would be wonderful if Rapid Redux won some kind of award or if there is a new Eclipse Award set up for a horse in the lower ranks.

re: Gratitude Redux

Sharon — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 01:49:58 GMT

Kudos and thanks to Rapid Redux and his connections!

re: Gratitude Redux

Deb C — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 18:30:08 GMT

A wonderful list to be thankful for, Alex. I'm so glad you mentioned Rapid Redux. He and his connections really make one believe anyone can have the thrill of a lifetime. I would add only one more; I'm thankful to all of the men and women who spend countless hours and money to be sure our wonderful athletes have a place to go when they can't race or breed anymore.

re: And The Horse of the Year Is...

ksweatman9 — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 19:45:01 GMT

Rapid Redux is the ONLY horse who has truly earned the honors. The sport should think out of the box this year and nominate him. Why does horse of the year have to be a million dollar thoroughbred trained by a hall of fame trainer? A horse who has won a couple graded stakes this year will get it as opposed to Redux who has won 18 straight this year making 20 consecutive wins. Makes no sense to me. Dare I say, it's discrimination.

re: And The Horse of the Year Is...

Terry M. — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 04:40:53 GMT

I'm in favour of Rapid Redux, The sport is called horse racing, not stakes racing! I think a racehorse that can run up 20 consecutive wins, nearly all of them this year, is as good a representative of a Thoroughbred as you can find. Stamina, soundness, desire to run and win, never getting sour, and winning the way he won in the slop to set his record, what more can you ask of a horse? I don't care what level he is racing at. He is a racehorse and should be recognized for what he did, not what he didn't do, especially in a year when no one dominated the stakes ranks.

re: And The Horse of the Year Is...

Stevebiscuit — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 17:05:34 GMT

If we're going by resumes the choice is easy: Acclamation.

re: And The Horse of the Year Is...

chucky — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 21:37:45 GMT

My problem with Havre de Grace is she really couldn't beat Blind Luck at the classic distance but hey, Rachel Alexandra was never a classic distance horse either but won HOTY!

I can remember when a horse couldn't get 10 furlongs, their chances of getting HOTY was slim and none. The only time a less than classic distance horse ever won HOTY is when the landscape is littered with really mediocre horses.

This year is one of those year. So give it to Havre.

re: Breeders' Cup Always Delivers

an ole railbird — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 03:36:11 GMT

game on dude. he has been to all of the grade 1 races & he showed up to run in all of them.his name was called more times in the races he in than anyother horse. he was in the money, a big percentage of the time. due to the fact that no one horse has been any more consistent. he should be hoy in a shoe in. so votes the ole railbird

re: And The Horse of the Year Is...

sceptre — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 15:19:21 GMT

Keep in mind that Havre De Grace also never won at 1 1/4m. Do you really believe that Havre De Grace-at her best-, could have beaten Twirling Candy-at his best? I don't.

re: And The Horse of the Year Is...

Guiness — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 19:21:01 GMT

Let's here it for the girls! Girl Power...

2009- Rachel Alexandra

2010- The Queen, Zenyatta

2011- Havre De Grace

Can we believe it? Three years and the girls have taken the big award.

re: And The Horse of the Year Is...

Needler in Virginia — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 14:54:28 GMT

If anyone wants consistency, he or she should look no further than Rapid Redux. As Slew said, this is GREAT advertising for racing, RR is undefeated through the entire year. How many of the ":big" horses can say that? At ANY level, how many can say that? And for trainer of the year: the man who kept RR healthy, in training and winning throughout 2011.

Cheers to all the other contenders, but this year there really is no argument.

re: And The Horse of the Year Is...

Zen4Zen — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 19:41:34 GMT

Havre de Grace would be my pick. Think of how easily, for one thing, she defeated Royal Delta in the Beldame!

re: And The Horse of the Year Is...

Convene — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 17:30:09 GMT

Havre de Grace because she's been the most consistently impressive performer all year, against both genders. Her only serious rival was Blind Luck who has gone to be a mama. As impressive as some others have been, Gracie has never failed to deliver a stellar performance and most times has delivered all the goods. The Classic alone should never be the deciding factor unless there are two or three oh, so close overall. So my vote goes to Havre de Grace.

re: And The Horse of the Year Is...

Slew — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 14:47:11 GMT

The most consistent horse of the past year has been Rapid Redux. Sure he runs at smaller venues for a smaller training operation. Yes, he's not a graded stakes winner. But is that all that counts?

Think of the PR that will boost the smaller venues and allow every horseman to believe there is a reward for the hard work they do.

Champions become exactly that by their consistency, and no other horse this year has been as consistent as Rapid Redux.

How many so called "big" trainers have placed their horses in races that they had no chance of winning? How many "big" trainers have run their horses into a retiring injury?

Perhaps it's past time for us to recognize the "little" guys who train their horses so well that history is changed every time that horse runs. 17 runs this year alone, he's 19 for 20 overall. Sired by Pleasantly Perfect (Affirmed) out of a Storm Cat mare, he doesn't lack pedigree.

No joke. While I appreciate Havre de Grace, Acclamation, Game On Dude, Cape Blanco and others, I simply can't ignore the lack of consistency among the leading contenders.

re: And The Horse of the Year Is...

genie918 — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 04:49:43 GMT

If I were able to vote for the Eclipse awards, my vote for Horse of the Year would be for Havre de Grace. This year she won 5 races--3 GI and 2 G2 that included a win in the Woodward against the boys. Her only defeats were in the G2 Delaware Handicap by a nose to the great Blind Luck and a fourth place finish in the BC Classic. In the Classic, Havre de Grace overcame traffic problems, being bumped and was still finishing strongly in the end, so her loss was respectable. Curlin won Horse of the Year honors in 2008 with a similiar record: 5 wins/4 GI and one ungraded race in Dubai, a second in the GI Man o' War and a fourth place finish in the BC Classic. Now, I realize that one of Curlin's win came in the Dubai World Cup--a race that adds extra points to ones resume when reviewing championship honors, but we have to keep in mind the type of year it has been in 2011. Havre de Grace's record has been solid and consistent, so I hope that the voters recognize her as Horse of the Year. She deserves it.

re: And The Horse of the Year Is...

sidekickflats — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 01:32:05 GMT

I think that Acclamation deserves serious consideration for older horse and horse of the year. Five consecutive stakes races (including 3 grade 1's) from a mile and an eighth to a mile and a half over 2 surfaces gets my vote. Consistent, versatile, brilliant (P.Classic in 2.00.61 over Game on Dude) and can get a route of ground works for me.

re: And The Horse of the Year Is...

GunBow — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 23:42:17 GMT

Right now, my vote, if I had one would be:

Havre De Grace

Game on Dude

Acclamation

Acclamation, now sidelined, won't be able to leapfrog Havre de Grace, but Game on Dude could if he were to win a stakes late in the year.

re: And The Horse of the Year Is...

Alexandra Boyd — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 18:21:15 GMT

I still think it should be havre de grace. But it is really wide open and could go to anyone.