What's Going On Here

Making the Grade - by Dan Liebman

Blood-Horse Staff — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 13:49:00 GMT

A small group of trainers standing in the shedrow of the stakes barn at Pimlico the morning prior to Preakness day were discussing a myriad of problems facing the industry. It didn’t take long for the conversation to shift to medication, a topic on which every trainer has an opinion.

“There is a group that has the power to influence change on this issue,” trainer Ken McPeek said.

In racing, many ideas for change come along, and then the inevitable question arises: “Who can mandate that change?” The inevitable answer is almost always: “No one.”

In this instance, McPeek argued, that is not the case.

“All it would take is for the graded stakes (American Graded Stakes Committee) to take action.”

When the committee meets next month in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., the 11 members could take a bold step. They could agree to mandate that for a race to be graded, certain medication guidelines must be met. Should a track decide it does not wish to comply, the result is simple: the stakes at that track—all of them—are ineligible to be considered for grading by the committee until such time as the track agrees to comply.

Period. No exceptions. No excuses.

“It would work,” McPeek said. “They have the power to make it work.”

McPeek is right.

The committee already has certain guidelines that must be followed. For example, a race must carry a minimum purse of $100,000 to be eligible to be a grade III race, $150,000 for grade II, and $250,000 for grade I. The race must have been run for several years under the same conditions and may not be restrictive by certain conditions.

It would not be a stretch, then, for the committee to phase in medication requirements. Perhaps it would agree to ban the use of all steroids for graded stakes beginning in January 2009, which would coincide with the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium’s timeline for states to have begun restricting steroid use.

Following that lead, the committee members, with solicited input from others, could discuss how far it wants to go in regard to other medications.

The guess is all tracks would rapidly embrace the changes in order to keep their races graded and help obtain initial grading for future races.

Hosting graded stakes is important to every track and track owner. So, while the adage remains true that “money makes the mare run,” owners are cognizant of which races are graded, and track owners realize the prestige of the grade can be a factor in an owner and trainer deciding which race to run in.

When Churchill Downs upped the purse of last month’s Stephen Foster Handicap (gr. I) from $750,000 to $1 million, it did so on the condition a previous grade I winner competed. This was done to help ensure the appearance of Curlin, but the key was the grading requirement.

The field for the Kentucky Derby (gr. I) is limited to 20 starters, the determinant being purse monies earned in graded stakes (both here and abroad). The grading of races is a measure of racing class, thus success in graded races is one way to evaluate runners.
Just as a $50,000 claimer is judged to be better than a $10,000 claimer, a grade I winner is judged to be better than a grade III winner.

Interestingly, though the grading of races would appear to be a system for the racing industry, it is in fact more of a system for the breeding industry. Where grading really becomes important is on stallion register pages and in sale catalogs.

There is a group that can make this progressive change happen for an entire industry.

Ken McPeek is right.

Contract Heat - by Dan Liebman

Blood-Horse Staff — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 17:53:00 GMT

Calder Race Course and Ellis Park have little in common…until you look beneath the surface.

Located in South Florida on the Miami-Dade/Broward County line, Calder is part of the sprawling metropolitan area known as Miami, Fla. Driving east takes one to the Atlantic Ocean, the drive time for the short distance determined only by the congestion and traffic lights.

To the naked eye, Ellis Park appears to be in Indiana, only because one must travel over a bridge to reach Kentucky. Ellis, too, is situated near a body of water, the Ohio River, which separates Evansville, Ind., from Henderson, Ky. There is nothing sprawling or metropolitan about the area.

A couple of things they have in common, this time of year at least, are heat and humidity. The purchase of a beer from an outdoor vendor gives one six or seven minutes for consumption before the elements turn the frosty beverage warm to the taste.

Calder is known for being adjacent to Dolphin Stadium, home not only to the NFL team, but also the Florida Marlins and University of Miami Hurricanes.

Ellis Park, affectionately called the “Pea Patch,” is home to an infield known for its soybean crop.

In 2007, Calder raced 172 days; Ellis Park 46. Calder allows those horsemen wanting to race year-round in South Florida a place to do so; Ellis allows those horsemen wanting to stay in Kentucky from the Fourth of July to Labor Day a place to do so. Calder is owned by Churchill Downs Inc.; Ellis was owned by Churchill until the fall of 2006, when businessman Ron Geary purchased the facility.

This year, Calder and Ellis have had one important thing in common—difficult negotiations with horsemen over simulcast contracts. Under the Interstate Horseracing Act, tracks may not send their signals out of state without the approval of the local horsemen’s group. With 85-90% of handle now wagered off-track, the lack of a contract has meant a huge loss to Calder and a similarly anticipated decrease to Ellis.

Figures show Calder’s handle off 73% during the 45 days of the contract dispute.

Few tracks today draw significant on-track crowds. In keeping with a silly CDI policy not to announce numbers, Calder does not provide attendance figures, but previous meets showed average daily turnstile counts at about 3,700. Ellis reported about 2,700 patrons per day last year.

Many horsemen’s associations have begun using the new Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Group to negotiate contracts on their behalf, as is the case in Florida and Kentucky.

On July 5, the Florida Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association announced it had struck a deal with CDI on contracts covering purses and pending slot machine revenue. But there is no deal on advance deposit wagering, meaning Calder could send its signal to out-of-state tracks, and receive signals as well, but its races could not be wagered on through ADWs.

At Ellis, Geary said he would not open the track, and indeed missed the July 4 opening. The track will open July 11 after he agreed to the split THG officials have been pushing for—one-third to purses, one-third to the track, and one-third to the ADW provider. The 6% to purse accounts is up from the 2.5% Geary said owners and trainers had been receiving.

No businessman is in business to lose money. Geary said Ellis lost $2.7 million last year, and will lose money this year.

So why agree to the one-third, one-third, one-third split?

For one, because it is the right thing to do, providing more money from handle back to the purse accounts of those supporting the meet. For another, higher purses means more horses, which means more handle.

Yes, Geary and others in Kentucky are banking on getting slots. But if the deal signed in Kentucky is indeed precedent-setting, that will be a good thing for horsemen throughout the country.

An Original - by Lenny Shulman

Blood-Horse Staff — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 13:54:00 GMT

At the tender age of 85, after nearly three decades in the business of owning and running horses, Harry Aleo finally felt the love of the racing gods.

They delivered unto him the horse that would fulfill his wish to travel his beloved United States of America and run that horse in top stakes races, earning cheers of fans from coast to coast. Decked out in his Western-style suit and cowboy hat, Aleo gave off a contagious boyish enthusiasm that would have been remarkable from a man half his age.

The beauty of him, though, was he felt the same joy when he’d come out to Golden Gate Fields on a Tuesday morning to watch a horse work.

“Lost in the Fog was the pinnacle,” said trainer Greg Gilchrist, the only conditioner Aleo hired in his 30 years in the business. “But he had that same enthusiasm for a $10,000 claimer. He missed three races in 30 years of running his horses. That’s how much he loved the business and the horses and the people who worked around them.”

Harry Aleo was what people like to call an American Original. As far as I can discern, that goes to being honest, hardworking, fun-loving. A person who says what he thinks, proper etiquette and political correctness be damned.

The great thing about Aleo—and his kind are all too rare—is although he was outspoken in his politics, he didn’t judge you on your political beliefs or the cut of your hair. If you measured up as a person, he embraced you and let you inside his world.

A lot of that world was his horses and his beloved San Francisco. He lived and worked virtually his entire life in Noe Valley, in the Mission district of the city south of the skyscrapers. His parents ran a grocery store in the neighborhood, and Harry drove the delivery truck. Between runs, he became a regular at John’s Pool Hall, two doors up from where he would eventually open his realty office. Billiards was not his thing; laying 50-cent bets on horse races with the bookie in the back room was.

On his 22nd birthday, Dec. 7, 1941, Aleo climbed to the roof of his apartment building and oversaw a darkened city, its electricity turned off to thwart a possible Japanese air strike.

Shortly after, Aleo wore the uniform of the Army’s 87th infantry, fighting in France and Germany and serving under Gen. George Patton in the Battle of the Bulge.

Returning home, he opened Twin Peaks Properties on 24th Street. He did well in business, and equally well by people, keeping rents affordable even after gentrification of the area led others to make “killings” in the market.

Aleo didn’t much care for the gentrification or the alternative lifestyles that took root in the city. He kept a shrine to Ronald Reagan in his storefront to tweak his political adversaries. But he also fought like hell to keep chain stores out of the area, fearing they would hurt the small businesses that made up the fabric of the neighborhood. He served on various boards and in organizations to fight for the independents, and today 24th Street bears the fruits of his labors.

Walking into his office was like entering a time tunnel. The wood-burning stove, 1940s-era radios, papers and files stacked everywhere. The one computer, on Harry’s desk, he employed to track his horses, not realty. The walls were adorned with photos of Joe DiMaggio; Sonny Shy, his first winner; and Lost in the Fog, his great champion.

Oh, how he loved where Lost in the Fog took him. After watching him win the King’s Bishop Stakes (gr. I) in 2005, Aleo gushed, “I love Saratoga. All those big Victorian homes with the porches, dormers, an American flag in every yard. People lined up at 6:30 a.m. to get into the track. Musical groups everywhere. That’s my kind of place.”

When the multi-million-dollar offers started flying in to buy his star, Aleo was shocked; and then flabbergasted at the people who said he should go ahead and sell.

“All those millions wouldn’t change my life, and I wouldn’t have the horse that has given me all this excitement and enjoyment,” he explained. “I’m not in the selling business. I’m in the racing business.”

Said Gilchrist after his client and friend passed away too soon June 21 at the age of 88, “The problem is, when we lose guys like Harry Aleo, there is nobody to replace them.

Back to the Future - by Dan Liebman

Blood-Horse Staff — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 13:52:00 GMT

Trainer Jack Van Berg is a member of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, as is his late father, Marion Van Berg.

If there were a section of the Hall of Fame for breeders, Arthur B. Hancock III would be a member, as would his father, the late A.B. “Bull” Hancock Jr.

These two men from prominent racing families have been outspoken critics of the current state of the Thoroughbred industry, so they were easy selections to be among those chosen to testify before Congress June 19.

Just look at the title of the session held by The House Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection: “Breeding, Drugs, and Breakdowns: The State of Thoroughbred Horseracing and the Welfare of the Thoroughbred Racehorse.”

Van Berg’s sound bite from his testimony was this: racing is “chemical warfare.” Hancock’s best line was that the industry is a “rudderless ship.”

Though some testified progress has been made, it really was impossible for any of the witnesses to completely defend the sport.

Now everyone knows what the industry’s participants have known: Thoroughbred racing is like a dysfunctional family. Just a few of our family’s problems are we allow the use of too many drugs, too many corrective surgeries on young foals, and too much leakage of our handle.
There are dozens of groups with a vested interest, and Hancock was right when he said what often gets in the way of progress or consensus is “ego.”

It has been said that if the leaders of racing were selected to conduct a firing squad, they would get in a circle and start shooting. True, that may also apply to Congress, but the fact a House subcommittee has racing on its radar screen should serve as a wake-up call to everyone connected to racing and breeding.

Even the threat of federal intervention should be enough to make racing’s various organizations agree to sit around a table and discuss what must be done. Some groups expressed displeasure with not being invited to testify before Congress, so it will take a very large table and those in attendance must be willing to check, as Hancock might say, “their egos at the door.”

Congress has only one real bargaining chip to hold over racing’s head, but it is a huge chip—the Interstate Horseracing Act. The last Triple Crown winner is not the only thing that happened in 1978. That year, racing asked for, and received from Congress, the law that governs the simulcast of races across state lines.

Thirty years ago, simulcasting accounted for a small percentage of the dollars wagered on horse races. And account wagering did not exist. Today, it is estimated that 90% of dollars are wagered through such means.

If Congress decides to tinker with the legislation, then horse racing hangs in the balance. Going back to the days of wagering only on track is not going to happen.

But racing can go back to the days of using fewer medications. Racing can go back to the days of breeding more for racing than for selling. Racing can go back to the days of letting nature and genetics decide the conformation of a horse.

To do so, racing will need to present a plan and timeline to Congress for making such things happen. It will take the cooperation of owners, breeders, consignors, buyers, trainers, jockeys, and veterinarians. It will require the buy-in of racetracks, horsemen’s groups, racing commissions, and state agencies.

It will not happen overnight, but it can happen over many years. It can happen to save a vital industry.

This is not the same industry as when Marion Van Berg and Bull Hancock were alive. We’re not returning to that era.

But together, we can can create a new era.

Add Seasoning - by Dan Liebman

Blood-Horse Staff — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 14:53:00 GMT

Seattle Slew was a heck of a racehorse. He started only three times at 2 and had just six races prior to winning the 1977 Kentucky Derby (gr. I). He went on to win the Preakness (gr. I) and Belmont (gr. I) Stakes and remains, 31 years later, the only unbeaten horse to win the Triple Crown.

Big Brown tried…and failed.

We can look back and question the competition Seattle Slew ran against in his Triple Crown races, just as many are questioning the current crop of 3-year-olds. But we cannot question whether Seattle Slew was a good horse.

Triple Crown winners had never occurred in back-to-back years until Seattle Slew and Affirmed (1978), so it was an historic moment when the two met in the Marlboro Cup Handicap (gr. I) Sept. 16, 1978. Partly because of who Affirmed had beaten in his races, and mainly because he had won 10 straight, for the only time in Seattle Slew’s 17-race career, Slew was not the choice of the bettors. Affirmed was made the 1-2 favorite while Seattle Slew went off at more than 2-1. But in wire-to-wire fashion, as was his style, Seattle Slew controlled the pace and ran away from Affirmed to win by three lengths. And it was not a soft pace. Seattle Slew ran the nine furlongs in 1:45 4⁄5, just two-fifths off the American record for the distance, set by another Triple Crown winner in the first Marlboro Cup five years earlier, Secretariat.

Seasoning, or training, is an important part of preparation for any athlete, regardless of talent level. Though he had only been out six times prior to the Derby, Seattle Slew had run 46 furlongs, compared to three races totaling 25.5 furlongs for Big Brown. Every furlong previously run makes a big difference before having to traverse 31.5 furlongs in the course of the five-week Triple Crown period.

Seattle Slew is the exception among the 11 winners of the Triple Crown. His three races at 2 are the lowest number among the esteemed group, the next lowest being six; they averaged nine starts as juveniles. Triple Crown winners Sir Barton and War Admiral each made six starts as 2-year-olds; Gallant Fox made seven; Omaha, Assault, Citation, Secretariat, and Affirmed each made nine; Count Fleet made 15; and Whirlaway made 16.

By the time they ran in the Derby, the 11 Triple Crown winners averaged a dozen starts.

In comparison, the seven horses in recent years that have won the Derby and Preakness only to fall short in the Belmont—Smarty Jones, Funny Cide, Real Quiet, War Emblem, Silver Charm, Charismatic, and Big Brown—have averaged four starts at 2 and fewer than eight prior to the Derby.

Consider that of this year’s 20-horse Derby field, the average number of starts at 2 was 3.4 and the average number of starts prior to the first Saturday in May was 6.3. Compared to the 11 Triple Crown winners, those figures are 62% and 47.5% less, respectively.

Charismatic and Smarty Jones never raced after the Belmont, but Funny Cide, Real Quiet, War Emblem, and Silver Charm all came back to win a grade or group I race.

Big Brown needs to prove that he can do the same.

Star Parade

Those who bemoan the quick retirement of many of racing’s stars were smiling widely June 14, when three champions all won. The parade of stars was led by 2007 Horse of the Year Curlin, who took the Stephen Foster Handicap (gr. I) in his first start since a triumphant overseas trip to win the Dubai World Cup (UAE-I). Also at Churchill Downs that afternoon, Dreaming of Anna, the 2006 champion juvenile filly, was victorious in the Early Times Mint Julep Handicap (gr. IIIT), while at Belmont Park, Ginger Punch, last year’s champion older female, took the Ogden Phipps Handicap (gr. I).

In the Game - by Dan Liebman

Blood-Horse Staff — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 14:52:00 GMT

Bill Casner had been out of racing for 18 years when the Texas native was invited to a suite to celebrate the opening night of racing at Lone Star Park, just north of Dallas. He spotted a man across the room and felt sure he knew him.

Casner and Noah Powell, who had first met each other 30 years earlier when Casner was training horses, reminisced about old times. Also that evening, Powell introduced Casner to someone who would become an important new acquaintance, Art Preston, whose Texas ranch Powell was managing at the time.

With partner and friend Kenny Troutt, Casner had been involved with horses for years, but had left the game to enter business together, most notably Excel Communications, and raise their young families.

Casner had always promised they would get back in if they could, but only at the top. The millions they made with Excel provided them the means to do so.

With Preston and Pete Wittman, Casner and Troutt began a pinhooking partnership named Full Circle Racing, and as the friendship between the men grew, Preston, who owned Prestonwood Farm with his brothers, began inviting Casner and Troutt to attend major racing events.
In particular, Casner recalls the 1998 Belmont Stakes (gr. I), won by Prestonwood’s Victory Gallop.

“I remember it like it was yesterday,” Casner said June 8. “I remember watching him train the day before and the morning of the race. I really had a sense he was going to run a tremendous race. I bet heavily on him that day. I kept going back to the windows, which is unusual for me, but he had shown he was at the top of his game, and I thought the mile and a half would suit him.

“He switched leads about 50 yards from the wire, and that is when he really accelerated. I’ve watched that race over and over. It is amazing he got up, but he did.”
Casner watched another highly satisfying Belmont Stakes June 7 when Da’ Tara, who was bred and sold by WinStar and is by farm stallion Tiznow, won the race most thought Big Brown would capture.

“I don’t think any of us thought he would run the type of race he did, but it was exciting to have a rooting interest and for the winner to have been a product of our operation,” said Casner, who watched the race from his home in Texas.

In 1999, Casner and Troutt had a deal to purchase Prestonwood Farm (it would close in January 2000) near Versailles, Ky., so they began buying mares that November for their new operation, which they named WinStar.

Among those they bought was the Pirate’s Bounty mare Torchera, for whom they gave $350,000 in foal to Unbridled. She was not a good producer for them, culled from the band in January 2006 when sold for $20,000 in foal to Deputy Commander. But she left her foal of 2005, a Tiznow colt they sold as a short yearling for $100,000 and who would be resold later that summer for $175,000.

That colt, picked out by trainer Nick Zito and purchased by Robert LaPenta, is named Da’ Tara.

After the first of two Breeders’ Cup Classic (gr. I) wins by Tiznow, Casner and his associates began pursuing the horse to add to the stallion barn at WinStar. They would partner with Taylor Made Farm, each buying a quarter interest, with the horses’s owners retaining the other 50%.

Since the death of Eight Belles in this year’s Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), much has been written about the durability of the breed. Tiznow, Casner said, is the type of stallion that can get durable horses such as Da’ Tara.

“We want durable stallions,” he said. “Tiznow was 17 hands, weighed 1,200-plus pounds, and was sound and clean-legged; the picture of soundness.”

Which is why Casner and Troutt are back in the game where they wanted to be—at the top.

Hand Cupped - by Dan Liebman

Blood-Horse Staff — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 13:42:00 GMT

I watched parts of the Indianapolis 500 May 25. But I wonder how much less of it I would have viewed had the first 75 laps been on one network and the last 125 laps on another.

Just a small inconvenience? I don’t know. I might have just tuned out because of the silliness of making me—or is it asking me or expecting me—to do such a thing.

If you decide to watch the Saturday portion of the 25th Breeders’ Cup World Championships—formerly Breeders’ Cup, formerly Breeders’ Cup World Thoroughbred Championships—this year from Santa Anita, you will have to do just such a thing. If you tune in on Friday, a third network comes into play.

You can argue an event with extremely low ratings should try anything new. Well, its organizers are.

So, on Friday, Oct. 24, five races for female horses—formerly distaffers—will be aired on ESPN2. The following day, the first 2 1⁄2 hours will be shown on ABC before the action switches to ESPN for another 3 1⁄2 hours.

(The Walt Disney Co. owns ABC as well as 80% of the ESPN family of companies.)

The Breeders’ Cup switched networks two years ago after a long run with NBC, apparently in an attempt to woo younger viewers, more of whom are attracted to ESPN programming. So far, that effort has been unsuccessful. The 2006 and ’07

ratings were nearly identical, last year’s 0.75 rating equating to roughly 1.05 million viewers.

The Friday card has been strengthened, in the view of some, but with poor previous ratings on Saturday, it is hard to imagine many new viewers tuning in on a Friday afternoon.

The Breeders’ Cup has made many announcements since last year’s event was held at Monmouth Park: last December that there would be three new races in 2008; in mid-February that Santa Anita would play host again in 2009; and later that month, that Friday would consist of five races for females and the Distaff (gr. I) would be re-named the Ladies’ Classic.

It became apparent a deal could not be worked out with Churchill Downs to play host in 2009, but waiting just a few weeks would have allowed Belmont Park to have been considered once the New York Racing Association was awarded a new franchise agreement.

As for the addition of new races, this writer must be among the minority who preferred the old model of the Breeders’ Cup, when a larger slice of the organization’s funds went to stakes races around the country throughout the year. More nominators and more horsemen were rewarded by pumping up stakes, many at small racetracks, where the odds of coming up with a horse good enough to compete in a championship race are high.

Now, with branding playing a larger role, Breeders’ Cup officials have opted to create more races to make the championship event stretch over two days. In 2008, we will be introduced to the Turf Sprint, Juvenile Fillies Turf, and Dirt Marathon. This comes on the heels of the first two-day Breeders’ Cup in 2007, when the Juvenile Turf, Dirt Mile, and Filly & Mare Sprint were run for the first time. This year’s two days will feature 14 races worth a record $25.5 million.

Many in the industry have criticized the grouping of the five races solely for fillies and mares on the Friday card, and the change from the distinctive name Distaff to Ladies’ Classic, akin to changing the Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) to Ladies’ Derby. If both days are of equal importance, why have the fillies and mares competing when fewer people are watching?

While several announcements have been made, there has been no word yet on race sponsorships for this year. Interestingly, a check of the Breeders’ Cup Web site does not show Dodge as a corporate partner, meaning it may have powered its last Classic (gr. I).

Though celebrating its 25th anniversary, Breeders’ Cup 2008 will contain many firsts. Only time will tell if the new features make a difference.

Breach City - by Dan Liebman

Blood-Horse Staff — Tue, 27 May 2008 15:53:00 GMT

At the 1999 Jockey Club Round Table, participants heard an interesting presentation from IBM Global Services manager Mark Elliott, who discussed areas in which his company believed it could partner with the fledgling National Thoroughbred Racing Association. Foremost among them was the creation of a “broadband national network,” with Elliott saying what many knew but were unwilling to accept: the industry’s wagering system was technologically outdated.

Elliott led a large team of engineers, analysts, and consultants who examined the industry’s pari-mutuel system. Being experts in the field, they were shocked at what they found. In fact, Elliott stated racing was lagging far behind any industry he had ever seen.

Unfortunately, like many things in racing, politics reared its ugly head, and the partnership never happened. The suggestion of a centralized, national sytem to handle wagers caused concern for some, and several organizations then battling with the NTRA were able to derail any relationship between IBM and the Thoroughbred organization.

Elliott spoke of such things as software updates and research and development in tote technology. All the while, even casual players were able to notice significant odds changes during the running of a race. It wasn’t long after Elliott’s speech that the proverbial “accident waiting to happen” did indeed occur.

In the fall of 2002, there were six winning tickets in the Breeders’ Cup Ultra Pick 6, which had a pool of $4,646,289. But soon afterward, an investigation was launched when individuals pointed out all six tickets had one horse singled in the first four legs and all horses used in the last two legs, which was highly suspicious.

It did not take long to track the culprits, the mastermind being Chris Harn, a senior software engineer employed by tote company Autotote. Harn was able to alter the wagers made by accomplice Derrick Davis after the fourth race of the Pick 6, bringing to light a practice unknown to most, that while the money wagered on multiple race exotics is submitted prior to the first race of the bet, the selections are not.

It also came to light that Harn, Davis, and Chris DaSilva had cashed fake tickets of winning bets from uncashed wagers at various tracks in the Northeast.

The NTRA moved quickly to address the tote security issue, hiring Giuliani Partners, headed by former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, to make recommendations. A report was issued at the 2003 Round Table, among its main points being the creation of a National Office of Wagering Security, technology upgrades, and model rules for tote systems.

Just two months later, the NTRA board approved the position of chief security officer. Sharon O’Bryan was hired but backed out before ever working a day. No one else was ever hired, and no Office of Wagering Security was ever created.

Last November, Mike Maloney, a large bettor based in Lexington, brought to the industry’s attention how he was able to past-post a race at Fair Grounds. That no one picked up on the past-posting, or if they did, kept quiet on the matter, was alarming.

Now comes word that a California bettor who made 1,300 quick-pick superfecta wagers on this year’s Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) did not receive the No. 20 on any of the tickets. Of course, No. 20 was winner Big Brown.

Even more astounding than this “glitch” is that officials with Scientific Games, which holds the contract for all California outlets, may have had prior knowledge of the problem.

“…we have it from a source—a very good source in another state—that Scientific Games knew about this (bug) prior to our discovery of it in California,” California Horse Racing Board executive director Kirk Breed said.

A decade ago, the industry had a chance to partner with IBM, and just five years ago spoke of a National Office of Wagering Security.

How many more missed opportunities can we afford?

Big Leap - by Dan Liebman

Blood-Horse Staff — Tue, 20 May 2008 01:35:00 GMT

Machu Picchu is translated to mean “Old Mountain” or “Old Peak.” Discovered on a mountain ridge in Peru in 1911, it is often called “The Lost City of the Incas.” Built around 1450 and abandoned 100 years later, Machu Picchu is one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.

Visiting Machu Picchu affords a traveler a chance to journey back in time; a place to contemplate lost civilizations while also pausing to ponder what will happen to future generations.

With modern technology, one can even be visiting the ancient ruins of Machu Picchu, 8,000 feet above sea level, and communicate by satellite phone to Kentucky while negotiating a deal to stand the colt that had won the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) and was the heavy favorite to capture the Preakness (gr. I).

During the week following the Derby, Robert Clay flew to New York to meet with Michael Iavarone of IEAH Stables, which races Big Brown in partnership with Paul Pompa Jr. Clay made his pitch to stand the unbeaten Boundary colt at his farm, in a stallion barn aside others such as Smarty Jones, Dynaformer, and Rahy. Big Brown could walk each day past the statue of Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew, who ended his stallion career at the farm.

Feeling so good about the meeting, Clay saw no need to cancel his scheduled trip to Machu Picchu. He instructed his son, Case, age 34 and just a few months into his new role as farm president, to work out the details.

So, while Robert Clay studied a lost civilization of the past, Case Clay delivered the horse of the future, working with Iavarone and the attorneys on both sides on a contract that was finalized on Preakness day.

Robert Clay arrived back in the States after midnight, signed the agreement at noon, and arrived at Pimlico with his family in time for the race prior to the Preakness.

With the winning connections on the infield podium following the impressive performance by Big Brown, Robert Clay took off his hat and waved it toward the jubilant throng. Spotting him and his gesture, Iavarone removed his hat and waved it in the air as well.

Iavarone, his partners, trainer Rick Dutrow, and jockey Kent Desormeaux were smiling, but they were not smiling as broadly as Robert and Case Clay.

“It was a leap of faith,” Case Clay said, noting had Big Brown lost the Preakness, the luster would have been off, his value almost assuredly worth less than the price agreed to earlier that day.

In fact, when asked if the biggest detail to work out the past week was the purchase price, Clay hesitated, smiled, and said, “Yes, yes it was.”

Both Clays refused to answer questions regarding the specifics of the deal, though Robert Clay acknowledged he and a partnership group had purchased a minority interest in the colt. A total valuation of around $50 million has been widely mentioned.

Robert Clay noted how Iavarone and his group had total control of the racing career of Big Brown, but sadly Iavarone has already stated that the colt will not race beyond this year.

In today’s civilization, far removed from places such as Machu Picchu, once a stallion deal is signed with such a hefty value, business considerations begin to far outweigh racing options. Still, it would have been better to have left Big Brown’s impending retirement unsaid. The colt is gathering quite a cheering section, and his fans will be disappointed, as were many last year, to have another of their 3-year-old stars rushed off to stud.

But for now, for the next few weeks, Three Chimneys is the only farm that has the possibility of standing a Triple Crown winner.

Whether talking about the stallion business or the advancement of any civilization, it is always a leap of faith.

Healing the Wounds - by Dan Liebman

Blood-Horse Staff — Tue, 13 May 2008 15:09:00 GMT

There were 417 races run on the flat in North America May 3, but only one captured the attention of the public. Normally that attention would be in celebration of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) winner, but this year the attention came in the form of criticism due to the tragic catastrophic breakdown suffered by second-place finisher Eight Belles.

The industry has been forced to defend itself in the wake of this criticism, mostly from those outside the sport, many with limited knowledge of Thoroughbred breeding and racing.

Criticism, constructive or otherwise, comes in many forms. There is little need to pay serious attention to radical groups calling for the immediate end to Thoroughbred racing, a multi-billion-dollar agribusiness that employs hundreds of thousands. But it is important to listen to those who suggest the industry should closely examine itself and discuss ways to make the sport safer.

Similarly, when a driver dies in car racing, or a fighter in boxing, those sports owe it to their participants and fans to examine the reasons why the accident occurred and see if significant changes can be made to diminish the odds of further injuries.

That, however, is where the similarities end between horse racing and other sports. When a pro football player breaks his leg, the bone is set and the leg is placed in a cast. No one calls for the sport to be banned. But because of the musculoskeletal system of the horse, too often the injured limbs cannot be repaired, and, as in the case of Eight Belles, unfortunately require euthanasia instead.

Those placing blame on the racing surface, owner Rick Porter, trainer Larry Jones, and/or jockey Gabriel Saez are way off base. Likewise, those who question running a filly against colts should watch a tape of last year’s Belmont Stakes (gr. I); a single protest cannot be recalled after Rags to Riches’ victory.

Since the moment Eight Belles fell after fracturing both ankles while galloping out after the Derby, Thoroughbred industry officials have been busy spinning the news of the heartbreaking accident on racing's greatest stage. Blue ribbon panels have been put together to look at racing’s important issues and present reports to industry stakeholders.

More than likely, the issues that will be discussed will not be new topics. For years, industry groups have been studying such things as racing surfaces, medication, soundness, and durability. Perhaps, however, with the industry now under a microscope—from the press, the public, and possibly federal regulators—owners, breeders, trainers, jockeys, veterinarians, and researchers will debate the issues with more urgency.

Those who have said good can come from the breakdown suffered by Eight Belles are correct, but it should not be done only in her name. On May 3, chart footnotes also stated:

• Camarero Race Track, race 3, Ahi Viene Cundo, broke down, fell three-eighths pole;
• Evangeline Downs, race 3, Hack Rein, broke down, vanned off;
• Evangeline Downs, race 11, Watchmybluff, pulled up, vanned off;
• Indiana Downs, race 7, Sparkling Sherry, pulled up, vanned off;
• Suffolk Downs, race 2, Elusive King, broke down, vanned off;
• Suffolk Downs, race 10, Evoked, broke down, vanned off;
• Turf Paradise, race 7, Global Boy, in contention early, went wrong at three-eighths pole, vanned off;
• Will Rogers Downs, race 8, Middle Earth, taken up, vanned off;
• Woodbine, race 8, Sargeant Silver, broke down, vanned off.

Network television cameras were not pointed at the other horses that broke down May 3, but they are no less important than Eight Belles. Although horses were breaking bones long before man ever thought about racing them against each other, they are breaking down all too often.
It should be the goal of everyone connected to the industry to help figure out why, and bring about meaningful change to make the sport safer for every Thoroughbred.

The Sound of Silence - by Dan Liebman

Blood-Horse Staff — Tue, 06 May 2008 13:51:00 GMT

After winning the Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) May 2, Airdrie Stud owner Brereton Jones talked of the relationship his family has developed with trainer Larry Jones and his wife, Cindy.

“The Jones stable is a small family operation, just like Airdrie,” he said.

In the twilight of the following day, Larry Jones also spoke of family after Rick Porter’s Eight Belles, whom he had saddled to finish second in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), had broken down and had to be euthanized.

“These horses are our family,” the trainer said.

And losing a family member is never easy.

Larry Jones wanted to grieve in private. But he understands the role the media plays. Despite wanting to be alone with his wife, family members, and the filly’s groom, Corey York, Jones agreed to speak to reporters in the press box nearly two hours after the tragic event had played out.

Many trainers, understandably, would have declined the offer to address the assembled reporters, but Jones said the filly had gained a number of admirers and wanted them properly informed. “You want to go off by yourself but you owe it to the sport; the public wants to know,” he said.

Jones tried to fight back the tears, without success.

At 6 a.m. the following morning, the first stall by his tack room was closed, an Eight Belles sticker attached to the old, wooden door. Jones’ pony, Pal, was in the next stall, with Proud Spell to his right. In the next stall was the blanket of lilies won by Proud Spell in the Oaks.

In the tack room, Jones spoke about the family member they had lost. His wife, Cindy, cried again, her eyes bloodshot from having wept most of the night.

“When we walked her to the chute before the Derby, she stopped and never moved one foot,” Larry Jones said. “She had her head hanging and was letting us play with her. She thought she was the star of the show.”

During the walkover, in the paddock, and throughout the post parade, Eight Belles never turned a hair. Jones proceeded to a third-floor box above the tunnel to watch the race.

“When they came by the first time, she was happy,” he said. “She was not trying to get away from anybody or anything. The whole race, she never got bumped; never got touched.” After she crossed the finish line, Jones celebrated and headed toward the track.

“Kent (Desormeaux, who rode winner Big Brown) wasn’t jubilant like Calvin (Borel) last year,” Jones said. “Then I saw Gabe (Eight Belles’ jockey Gabe Saez) on the pony and he said, ‘Mr. Larry, they had to put her down.’ I ran for the ambulance.”

When Jones saw Eight Belles, he immediately knew what had to happen next.

But he is still mystified as to why it happened at all.

Jones took out his trainer’s license in 1982 and had two horses he bought for $800 each. Today, he has 50 in the barn, a number that will soon double when the 2-year-olds arrive.

In more than 25 years of training, Jones previously had three horses break down during races and a few others during morning training. You never forget any of them, he said.

In 2006, Jones was among the team of advisers selecting yearlings for Porter, Eight Belles being one of those they approved for purchase. She arrived at his barn after last year’s Derby, in which he sent out Porter’s Hard Spun to run second.

“I thought she was the one to get us to the Breeders’ Cup last year, but she never got into it mentally,” Jones said. “She didn’t know then how talented she was.”

On May 3, everyone found out how talented Eight Belles was. She was perfectly prepared, perfectly ridden, and perfectly happy.

She showed nothing but class on the racetrack.

The same can be said of her trainer.

Dear John - by Dan Liebman

Blood-Horse Staff — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 14:09:00 GMT

One night during the 2007 Keeneland November sale, Eoin Harty was enjoying a leisurely dinner when the topic turned to horses, in particular those in his Southern California stable.
The trainer got a twinkle in his eye when he began to speak about a colt that had impressively broken his maiden the month before, in his second start, and was preparing for his first stakes outing.

“He has the look of a Derby horse,” Harty said matter-of-factly. “I see the things in him that I saw in the others we took to Louisville.”

The “we” referred to the past, when Harty was an assistant to Bob Baffert, who burst on the Derby scene and etched his name in the history books with two victories and a close second in consecutive years. They finished second in 1996 with Cavonnier, who was beaten just a nose by Grindstone, and then won the Run for the Roses in 1997 and 1998 with Silver Charm and Real Quiet, respectively. (Baffert won another Derby, in 2002 with War Emblem, after Harty had struck out on his own.)

Many a trainer has a 2-year-old he thinks has what it takes to get to Louisville, Ky., for the world’s greatest race on the first Saturday each May. But the way is lined with roadblocks, pitfalls, injuries, and, of course, the fact many horses prove to simply not be good enough.

There also is something some encounter that is every bit as contagious as the flu, but for which there is no vaccine. They call it Derby fever.

Harty doesn’t have Derby fever. From his experiences with Baffert, Harty knows what it takes to get to the Derby, and six months ago he thought he had a colt that possessed those special qualities.

Bred and owned by WinStar Farm, the Tiznow colt out of the Turkoman mare Sweet Damsel won that stakes last November, ironically named the Real Quiet. At 1 1⁄16 miles, it was his first time around two turns, and the colt showed he was bred for distance and would have no trouble getting a route of ground.

The final start in his juvenile campaign came in late December in the CashCall Futurity (gr. I), producing a second-place finish.

In four starts as a 2-year-old, he had two wins and two seconds, and in January was assigned 116 pounds by the handicappers who compile the Experimental Free Handicap. Published annually by The Jockey Club since 1935, the Experimental is a weight assignment based on juvenile accomplishments for a hypothetical race at 1 1⁄16 miles on dirt. Champion War Pass received top weight of 127 pounds.

At his Santa Anita base, Harty mapped out a plan that would have his colt make only two starts prior to the May 3 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I). That is contrary to what his former boss did in the ’90s—Cavonnier had four previous starts at 3; Silver Charm and Real Quiet each had three—but a horseman has to know his horse, and Harty believes he does.

In the March 1 Sham Stakes (gr. III), the colt’s first start at nine furlongs, he hung closer to the pace, had to duel for the first time, and won by a half-length. In the Santa Anita Derby (gr. I) five weeks later, Harty looked on as his charge appeared beaten at the quarter pole. But he found that something extra good horses need to find sometimes, getting in stride late to again post a half-length victory.

The question Harty is asked most is whether his colt, who has only started on synthetic surfaces, can win on dirt. Well, his sire won the Breeders’ Cup Classic (gr. I) twice, once at Churchill. His broodmare sire was represented last year by Hard Spun, who ran second in the Derby.

Like Harty, this writer has a twinkle in his eye when thinking about Colonel John.

Just Like Yesterday - by Dan Liebman

Blood-Horse Staff — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 14:15:00 GMT

There are moments along the Triple Crown trail that remain forever etched in our minds. For this writer, one of those was April 27, 1978.

Prior to the Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I) at Keeneland, then run just nine days before the Run for the Roses, Jorge Velasquez slowly walked local favorite Alydar from the post parade and toward the outside rail. There, the jockey stood the dark chestnut before his elderly, frail owners, Adm. and Mrs. Gene Markey.

The Markeys, who owned historic Calumet Farm near Keeneland, beamed as their latest star stood glistening under the farm’s easily recognizable red and blue silks and blinkers.

Though it happened 30 years ago, one can still see the station wagon pulling onto the grass beside the clubhouse, and Mrs. Markey walking to the rail with the aid of a Keeneland usher.

For a racing crazy University of Kentucky student in the last year of his teens, Alydar winning that day by 13 meant only one thing—he would be Calumet’s ninth Kentucky Derby winner.

Of course, it was not to be. Alydar’s nemesis, Affirmed, won all three Triple Crown races, and Alydar became the only horse to run second throughout the classic series. In fact, the Derby (gr. I) was by far the least exciting of the three races, Affirmed scoring by 1 1⁄2 lengths. The two were separated by only a neck in the Preakness (gr. I), and put on a show in the Belmont (gr. I) that will be recorded as one of the greatest races of all time. For the final six-plus furlongs, they ran together, Affirmed a determined head in front at the wire.

The evening of April 20, 2008, this writer watched the 1978 Triple Crown races for the first time in 30 years. And as Alydar put his head briefly in front at the three-sixteenths pole in the Belmont, emotions rushed back of knowing Alydar would get his revenge in the Test of the Champion.

We all know what happened. Affirmed was that good.

As a 2-year-old, Affirmed made nine starts and won seven. He finished second twice…to Alydar.

As a 2-year-old, Alydar made 10 starts and won five. He finished second four times. His connections thought so much of him they ran him first time out in the Youthful Stakes at Belmont, which Affirmed won by five lengths, with Alydar finishing fifth. Affirmed would beat him three more times that year, and Alydar also finished second in the Remsen Stakes (gr. II) to Believe It.

A few weeks ago, The Blood-Horse arranged to reunite the jockeys of Affirmed (Steve Cauthen) and Alydar (Velasquez). Features editor Lenny Shulman asked questions, replayed the Triple Crown races, and sat back and listened for two hours. As he notes in his introduction, the tape of the races was really not needed—each day, each workout, each step of the races remembered as if it were yesterday.

Besides the remembrance in this issue, four lengthy video pieces with the jockeys will air in the coming weeks. (Watch the video here.)

It was a great rivalry, perhaps the greatest.

“Alydar and Affirmed were six or seven lengths better than the rest of their generation. Simple as that. Alydar would run away from his fields, but Affirmed would only do it when Alydar was there to make him do it,” Cauthen said.

“These two horses were like Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier. They always brought the best out in each other,” Velasquez said.

”The longest three weeks of my life was the time between the Preakness and the Belmont,” Cauthen said, later adding, “There wasn’t a lot between those two horses. One small mistake, one little thing, can switch it either way.”

It is the stuff movies are made of.

Here’s hoping some movie producer thinks so.

Sales Sold - by Dan Liebman

Blood-Horse Staff — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 15:47:00 GMT

Few have the resources to do anything they want in the Thoroughbred industry. Sheikh Mohammed would be one of the exceptions.

The news of the last few weeks only further validates how much the ruler of Dubai not only loves the Thoroughbred industry, but desires to be its most dominant global player.

On March 24, news arrived that Sheikh Mohammed had closed a blockbuster deal in Australia, purchasing the Ingham brothers’ entire Woodlands Stud operation for approximately $425 million. The deal includes stud farms, training centers, stallions, and more than 500 horses of various ages.

Sheikh Mohammed’s Darley already owned farms and stood stallions in Australia, and Bob Ingham, head of his family’s Thoroughbred interests, said they were not looking to sell. “Once approached by Darley, I decided it was an opportunity I should accept,” Ingham said.

The Hettinger family, majority shareholders in Fasig-Tipton Co., were not actively looking to sell, either. But sell they did when a company controlled by “an associate” of Sheikh Mohammed came calling with an offer to buy the oldest Thoroughbred sale company in the United States.

The April 10 announcement said Synergy Investments, headed by Sheikh Mohammed’s friend Abdulla al Habbai, will purchase the assets in Fasig-Tipton, which conducts auctions in Kentucky, New York, Maryland, Florida, and Texas.

Last year, Sheikh Mohammed made headlines when he purchased Street Sense, Hard Spun, and Any Given Saturday to join the stallion ranks at his Darley near Lexington. Already this year, a deal was announced on Pyro, who will run in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) despite a disappointing run in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I). He will become the farm’s 16th stallion.

When the breeding season begins in Australia this summer, Darley will control more than 30 stallions. Considering there are roughly 21,000 mares in Australia, it is conceivable Darley stallions could cover more than 20% of the mare population.

There are those who feel Sheikh Mohammed’s new determination to stand stallions is part of a rivalry with John Magnier and partners’ Coolmore Stud. And there are those who feel they are wasting their time, and stretching their frustration level, when bidding on a stallion Darley is interested in.

They may be right on both accounts. But this is a game where big deals are made all the time, and Sheikh Mohammed has the funds to make more of them than anyone else.

More interesting than spending freely on stallion prospects, however, is the move by Sheikh Mohammed’s associate to purchase Fasig-Tipton.

Fasig-Tipton grosses more annually than any sale company in the U.S. except for Keeneland, the same Keeneland where Sheikh Mohammed has spent hundreds of millions over the years in pursuit of top racehorses.

There is no reason to think Sheikh Mohammed will stop shopping at Keeneland, or any other sale company for that matter, but the landscape could certainly be different in the future. Coolmore avoiding Fasig-Tipton sales or a price war on commissions would be unsettling.

The announcement of the pending sale of Fasig-Tipton stated that the management team will be kept intact, which is good news. Anyone who has dealt with Boyd Browning, Walt Robertson, Bill Graves, Terence Collier, and the rest of the staff is aware this is a team that not only knows how to put on auctions, but is good to deal with on a personal level.

Also, competition is healthy. Keeneland pushes Fasig-Tipton, which pushes the Ocala Breeders’ Sale Co., which pushes Barretts, etc.

An infusion of new capital into Fasig-Tipton is good for the entire industry: breeders, owners, consignors, and buyers.

And if, as the release stated, the goal of recruiting new buyers is accomplished, the whole industry will benefit.

The Next Steps - by Dan Liebman

Blood-Horse Staff — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 16:20:00 GMT

Alice Chandler has no intention of shooting craps in a fancy, glitzy casino. Wouldn’t be the same. Now 82, she harkens back to her youth when she would try to make her point in a tack room with the men on her dad’s Beaumont Farm. She loves recalling how at the tender age of 10, she won $600 and Triple Crown-winning jockey Smokey Saunders’ car.

“I came home bragging about it, and daddy made me give it all back,” she said smiling.

Daddy was Hal Price Headley, one of the founders of Keeneland and a famous breeder in his day. Today, Chandler’s Mill Ridge Farm near Lexington sits on part of the old Beaumont Farm. With land leased from her sister and brother, the 175 mares on the property roam 1,000 acres; her father had more than 4,000, much of it now subdivisions, shops, schools, and churches.

Chandler announced last week that her son, Headley Bell, was taking over the day-to-day operation of Mill Ridge. But Alice Chandler is not going anywhere.

“The time has come,” Chandler said from her farm office, her ever-present dogs by her side. “Really, Headley picked the time. I’m not as out there as I used to be. I’m tickled to death that there is someone ready to step in. I’m blessed to have four kids, and the three boys, Headley, Reynolds, and Mike, are all here working on the farm and are dedicated to the same ideals as myself.”

In fact, Headley Bell said, his generation and the next, the sixth on the property, are the ones who are blessed.

“Our intention is to keep going, whatever it takes,” he said. “We’re blessed to have this, and we all appreciate it.”

Chandler understands that times change and people—and industries—must change with them. But she likes to wax nostalgic. Where the Breeders’ Cup/NTRA offices are today used to be the site of a Beaumont Place training barn where Chandler schooled her jumper. She was practically raised at Keeneland, and with the track only a few furlongs from their land, she used to ride her pony down Versailles Road to the track each day after school.

She started Mill Ridge with less than 300 acres inherited from her father, and she had her first taste of success when selling a yearling colt by Sir Gaylord for $42,000 who turned out to be 1968 Epsom Derby winner Sir Ivor.

In recent years, Mill Ridge raised Kentucky Derby (gr. I) winner Giacomo and champion filly Sweet Catomine. Countless other stakes winners were either bred, raised, or sold by the farm in the intervening years.

When her father died, Alice Chandler started with three of his employees, now deceased, who, she said, “were like brothers to me.”

Headley Bell understands that, stressing that those who board mares at the farm are not just clients, but friends, and the employees are part of the Mill Ridge family. The average tenure of those who work at Mill Ridge is 20 years.

Chandler passes along two pieces of advice, and not surprisingly, they were handed down to her by her father—don’t hothouse your horses and take care of the land.

“Daddy was all about keeping it as close to nature as you could; doing it the way the horse wanted,” she said. “Land was a fetish with him. He was careful with what he bought; he did not buy bad land. It was one of his keys. I hope that they (her children) can continue with the land they have. It’s all good land, and good land is hard to get ahold of.”

Few have experienced as much in the Thoroughbred industry as Alice Chandler. Sure, she had the pedigree, but she earned her place in the industry by hard work and good horsemanship.

“Back in the old days it was more for the horse and less for the money,” she said.

If we don’t remember that, we could all crap out.