Could Curlin's retirement finally prove that thoroughbred racing needs to do a better job of telling its own story? I've looked ever since the announcement was made - and the general reaction among news outlets (including "sports" outlets such as ESPN) has been not even a whimper....
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With the passage of legislation in Maryland to allow either slots at the race tracks or, at the very least, slot parlors contributing revenue to the racetracks, it got me thinking about what I would do if I could build a racino. ...
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By Cangamble I've written about fixing horse racing many times before. Most notably, June 2007, I wrote a post called How To Save Horse Racing , and in February 2007 I wrote a piece called Thoughts On Track Takeout . In the last year, horse racing has gone even more downhill even more when it comes to the growth and the bettor. Most of this has to do with the current ADW-Horsemen conflict, but in the...
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By Susan Dalebroux, Post Parade Texas voices ... "We view ourselves on the eve of battle. We are nerved for the contest, and must conquer or perish. It is vain to look for present aid: none is at hand." -Sam Houston, before the Battle of San Jacinto "Our tote board is broken." -Sam Houston Race Park officials, canceling live racing. Sam Houston Race Park canceled its 2008/2009 Live Thoroughbred Meet...
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I'm pretty sure that my local card store has already put out their Christmas cards, and while overall I am about as near to thinking about Christmas as I am to thinking about retirement (and that would be not nearly near enough), a recent e-mail from the Belmont Child Care Association with news about their annual holiday party for the children of the backstretch workers has begun to put me in the Christmas spirit. ...
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When Balanced Attack won the feature at Laurel yesterday, it marked the 50th win for our partnership G-Biscuit Stable LLC. ...
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Hopefully you exercised your civic duty earlier this week by voting. Americans often forget how fortunate we are to have a voice in the process. Regardless of where you stand on any issue or how you feel about the outcome of the election, there's something positive we all can take away from the experience. When people make up their mind and take action, change is possible....
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The Europeans took five races on the B.C. card including two on the "dirt." While we have come to expect the "world" contingent of horses to do well on the turf we have more or less owned the dirt from the inception of the Breeders' Cup. ...
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Sometime Tuesday night - or perhaps Wednesday morning - our nation will have a new president-elect. And Maryland racing will have a future. Or not....
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When Frankie Dettori flyingly dismounted from Raven's Pass last Saturday, it marked, in a sense, the end of a decade-long journey for the colorful jockey. It also marked, from my perspective, another link in the chain of interconnectedness that is one of racing's signal charms....
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The very first ownership group I was a part of was right here in Minnesota. Managed by chart caller and bloodstock agent David M Miller we ran under the banner of Star of the North Racing. ...
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Well, it took a while, but there are more and more signs that horse racing isn't being spared the ills that are affecting the rest of the economy....
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Just checked put our pal Ted's post introducing this week of musings from the small-ownership crowd. There, to my surprise, he'd successfully pilfered a photo of me from our That's Amore Stable website. In the picture, I appear to be the living definition of fat and happy....
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I wrote this on the evening of Tuesday, June 17, 2008 after a very long day driving around the Upper Midwest. I preface this way because I had a lot of time to kill. I had time to slip into a favorite American (and most definitely horse owners) past-time: day-dreaming....
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What agony to be a fan of the distaff side in November of 1988. Root for the undefeated Personal Ensign, who had beaten colts in the Whitney two months earlier? Or root for the Kentucky Derby winner Winning Colors? ...
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I believe that Curlin will win the Classic. Actually, he has to win. Forget the Euro horses just for a moment....and this is a field that the champ should handle without too much of a problem in my opinion....
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So we've had 22 days of racing on the new Pro-Ride surface at the Oak Tree Meet at Santa Anita through today and what have we learned. Well for one, it takes a long time to chart the analysis of every synthetic race to see if there are any angles out there. ...
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Look, I'm on the fence too. I think Curlin is a horse for the decade. He is a horse whose races will be watched years from now, both wins and losses. HOWEVER, I don't believe he's a lock in the Breeders' Cup Classic, so instead of trying to come up with an excuse I'll just pretend he's not in the race and let reality provide the need or non-need of an excuse....
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There are certainly some reasons to criticize the Breeders' Cup Dirt Marathon. You can argue that it is a misnomer; it isn't even really on dirt, and much of the rest of the racing world finds its mile and a half distance rather less than daunting. However, let's give the race a chance to prove itself....
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At least the field sizes are fairly manageable on Saturday; just nine go in the Sprint. I'm not proud, I'll take any break I can get. In post position order, with the top contenders all lined up inside ...
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Every horseplayer has their favorite types of races. Personally, I'm a turf buff and, if you give me a juvenile maiden special weight, I'm in heaven. So, while some dread handicapping the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, I'll dive right in. ...
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With the uproar over Big Brown's retirement, the confirmation that Curlin will be defending his title and the news that both Henrythenavigator and Duke of Marmalade will be contesting the Breeders' Cup Classic, one strong contender has been overlooked: Raven's Pass....
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In a previous entry, this blog provided details about the heel bulb injury that predicated the disappointing retirement of champion three-year-old Thoroughbred Big Brown. This post will give some background into the type of injury for those unfamiliar with foot anatomy and injury....
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This Saturday is New York Showcase Day at Belmont; seven New York-bred stakes races will be run for more than a million dollar in purses, and a variety of family-friendly activities are planned, including hay rides, face painting, and pumpkin carving. ...
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After coming into it's partnership with the Breeders' Cup starting in 2006 the Disney owned ESPN/ESPN/ABC Channels promised us the world in it's coverage and promotion of the event including coverage leading up to the Breeders' Cup. Now entering its 3rd year of coverage on the Cable network, I feel like an underfed kid at the dinner table, fed some leftovers instead of the 5 course meal I was promised....
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