The Year That Was By Lenny Shulman

re: The Year That Was By Lenny Shulman

Alex'sBigFan — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 04:22:46 GMT

Dr. D.,

Thank you very much. Yes you are right Elite Alex is wintering in Arkansas with Tim Ritchey. No one is posting anymore to this great article by Lenny, what a shame. It points out so many trouble spots in the industry that need work. As a matter of fact Lenny could write the script if they ever do a re-make of "A Day At The Races." You gotta watch that again, it is a scream! Groucho plays Dr. Hackenbush, a veterinarian from Florida who poses as an intern in a sanitarium to woo a rich widow so she will invest in it to save it from a bunch of guys who want to build a casino on it since it is near a racetrack. Chico is the hired hand, a young woman owns the sanitarium, her fiance buys a kooky racehorse that hates his former owner and owner's voice, Harpo is the jockey, and thus the wild antics of how to save the sanitarium begin. It is hysterical, especially when Harpo sneaks High Hat (love that name) into the race attached to an old-fashioned water sprinkler wagon that comes barrelling onto the track!!!! The movie is priceless! I was born like 30 years after they made it! But Lenny S. has that great dry wit to write something like that don't you agree? Ah yes, the Belmont, it is only a 40 minute drive for me from New Jersey but it usually turns into 1 hr. and 40 to go over the GW Bridge that day. I always have Polly of Couture Hats in Kentucky do a designer hat for me for that day. She's great, she participated in Steve's winning Blog with us in the beginning. The year Big Brown ran she did a large black hat with feathers and flowers and I was in it in the sweltering 95 degrees that day and ABC got me on TV and my cousins in New Hampshire and everyone in NJ saw it and said I looked great, I was MELTING!!!!!!! Oh well, hope your Uncle Mo and Factor make it all the way to the Belmont. Back to Steve's other blog about the new 3 yr. olds...................

re: The Year That Was By Lenny Shulman

Dr Drunkinbum — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 05:44:23 GMT

Alex'sBigFan

Elite Alex just had a workout at Oaklawn Park so he might be there. I was just thinking the other day that I need to see A Day At The Races again soon!! It's probably been 25-30 years since I saw it. Nice PPP philosophy. I like it. Lucky you, going to Belmont every year. Nice. Yes, War Pass, another tragedy. This one is the weirdest of all. It has been strange, all that we've lost the past year far too young. Keep posting. You have great insight and talent.

re: The Year That Was By Lenny Shulman

Alex'sBigFan — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 23:10:56 GMT

If I was in NTRA marketing, I would live by this philosophy:

"Above all nurture the horse and safety first. Market to and cater to the fan, connect the two. Do this with an innate passion for the sport, create successful promotions, make it fun as well as profitable for the fan and bettor and that should equal prosperity.

Passion + Promotion = Profits."

And then I would make my marketing team watch the closing scene of "A Day At The Races" with the Marx Brothers. High Hat wins the race, saves the sanitarium, Harpo is atop High Hat as the jock, the grooms and hands and public are dancing and singing and escorting High Hat to the Winner's Circle. It depicts racing at its most glorious level, and that contagiousness is what needs to be spread."

ABF

re: The Year That Was By Lenny Shulman

Alex'sBigFan — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 22:22:46 GMT

Dr. D.,

Thank you and Happy New Year to you too. I like your choice of The Factor. We factor in 2 uncles with him I guess so far! I cannot find any more info on Elite Alex. I hope Tim Ritchey (Alex's trainer) still has him in Delaware.

If The Factor and Uncle Mo keep going like this I could be standing at the Belmont looking at the next TC winner! Wow! I go every year to the Belmont. All the best to you in 2011.

Sophie15,

Nice going on the point system! I liked it. They should further clarify a female Grade 1 from a male Grade 1 as well. Wasn't it John Shireffs himself who said "I thought a Grade 1 was a Grade 1."

I agree with his philosophy on that, females beating females in a Grade 1 should hold equal value as males beating males in a Grade 1, but apparently it is not viewed as such. How does Lucky come out in your point system, I think he won 4 or more Grade 1's this past year?

re: The Year That Was By Lenny Shulman

Alex'sBigFan — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 02:37:50 GMT

Nancy P,

Thank you for your nice comments. I just read War Pass just arrived at Lane's End and died the next day, Dec. 24. WHAT?????????? The cause of death is not known but I hope Bloodhorse follows up and informs us because the article announcing it leaves us shrouded in a cloud of mystery and thinking another mysterius paddock death?

On another note, I would give Christina at TVG a chance, guys. She is very, very young and up and coming and making inroads in a male dominated industry. Give her a chance to mature and grow her knowledge of racing and she will be great. Please do not refer to her only as "eye candy." She is an intelligent girl up against an all male cast of "racing analysts."

Let's give her that chance.

If there was only a way to capture and market the frenzy and excitement that this country experiences on Derby Day, and translate it to all major stakes races and show Mainstream America that horseracing is a glorious sport to behold. Our equine athletes are young, innocent, try their hardest for us, and are better examples than some two-legged athletes. To come out and support an animal athlete is such a great feeling, I wish America could feel what they feel on Derby Day always, as we die-hard racing fans do. Then the industry wouldn't be in this such turmoil and would have a substantial fan base. Market, Market, Market......

re: The Year That Was By Lenny Shulman

Dr Drunkinbum — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 22:14:35 GMT

NancyP

Bravo to you also, and have a great 2011 !!!! Your posts are always excellent.

Alex'sBigFan

You are a breath of fresh air. Happy New Year !!!!

re: The Year That Was By Lenny Shulman

dr doom — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 16:05:15 GMT

oh lord. another doom and gloom report. maybe the sport would gain some momentum if every writer on the planet didnt keep screaming its the end of the world...

re: The Year That Was By Lenny Shulman

Lisa g — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 12:53:46 GMT

Lenny, why do some people refuse to see the absolute perfect greatness of Zenyatta? BC was in the dirt, photo finish, left 10 best of best men trailing behind. I just do not get it. I am a Zenyatta fan, but I do not try to belittle Rachel's accomplishments, in fact, I am extremely proud of her...it has been the years of the girls..

re: The Year That Was By Lenny Shulman

drfager — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 08:59:16 GMT

we probably wont see yhe likes of BIG Z in this sport for a long time to come. you know what i say god bless those who saw the show. to see her was like watching gladiaters battle in the roman coliseum.

re: The Year That Was By Lenny Shulman

Mary Jane — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 23:05:31 GMT

Mr. Shulman,

I used to like and follow horse racing. Then I stopped. The only time I heard anything about horse racing was when yet another Triple Crown hopeful was a disappointment, or, when an up-and-comer was dead or dying on the track. All I could see was that the industry was in a free-fall from bad publicity, drugged animals, and despair. Then came Zenyatta. For all the "Inside The Beltway Talk" of track surfaces, not enough "tough" competition, East/West bias, gender bias, etc. I finally understood why I stayed away. Your industry has forgotten who buys the tickets to see your "product." We, the paying public who may not be as informed as some of your insiders, don't give a hoot. We don't care if a horse runs on dirt or styrofoam. We want to be connected to the story. We want you to make us care. We are a distracted public. We have other things to do and not a lot of money to spend on entertainment. It is not a surprise to me to read your assessment of racing 2010. The industry lacks focus. You desperately need a paradigm shift.

Please stop talking to one another. Get some "outsiders" to help offer suggestions. And, whether one believes she is HOTY or not, Zenyatta and her STORY made the turnstyles spin, the ratings go up, and the people bond.

You want to "follow the money?" Then, for goodness sake, learn how to "follow the story," outside the ever-shrinking world of horse racing. Zenyatta showed, it can be done.

re: The Year That Was By Lenny Shulman

Mike Relva — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 22:43:56 GMT

DENMARK

A newsflash for you,DRAY IS NEVER RIGHT! Don't sink to his level!

re: The Year That Was By Lenny Shulman

Mike Relva — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 22:37:51 GMT

NANCY P

You are kind,thanks for your comments.

re: The Year That Was By Lenny Shulman

Katherine — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 22:05:39 GMT

Off topic, but has anyone heard anything about Dublin?

re: The Year That Was By Lenny Shulman

an ole rail bird — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 19:18:59 GMT

thanks lenny, for your contribuction to blood horse mag.& horse racing in general. thanks for realizing that the best human intrest story in the world does not make for hoy. its time to let queen z , rest in her retire & prepare to produce a champion. now, lets go with racing. it will be another year , before we know it,& little has been written about the future. lets go horse racing.

re: The Year That Was By Lenny Shulman

Bill Daly — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 18:27:02 GMT

I nominate "Gonna Go Round In Circles" as the most appropriate song for 2010 - and not just in horse racing.

re: The Year That Was By Lenny Shulman

Sophie15 — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 17:07:10 GMT

I just wanted to post my idea for a point system for the eclipse awards. I tried to post it on another blog but it was not posted. I analized Blame and Zenyatta at the bottom.

Grade 1 10 pt + # of horses

Grade 2 8 pt + # of horses

Grade 3 6 pt + # of horses

Upgraded stakes 4 pt + # of horses

2nd place in these races will earn half the number of points as first place. 3rd place will earn half of the second place points.

An extra ten points will be awarded to a horse that does the following:

- Break a record

- Win the Triple Crown

- Win the Filly Triple Crown

- Break the earnings record for colts

- Break the earnings record for fillys

There are probably more times when bonus points can be earned, this list I just came up with off the top of my head.

Winning certain races counts towards the different divisions. The division winning horse that has the most points wins HOY.

Zenyatta:

-Santa Margarita 17

-Apple Blossom 14

-Vanity 15

-Clement L Hirsch 15

-Lady’s Secret 14

-BCC 10.5

Total 85.5

Blame:

-BCC 21

-WDS 14

-Stephen Foster 20

-Whitney 15

-JCC 7.5

Total 77.5

re: The Year That Was By Lenny Shulman

Christine — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 16:53:55 GMT

For the last time!

Quality Road ran the worst race of his life in the Classic. His performance was NOT indicative of his real talent or previous performances. Even when he lost in the past, it wasn't a dead-last effort.

Did Zenyatta beat him? Every horse in the race beat him. He threw in a clunker.

He beat himself. I wouldn't brag about finishing ahead of an opponent who was clearly having an off day.

I would brag about beating an opponent at their best.

Big difference.

re: The Year That Was By Lenny Shulman

NancyP — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 16:42:33 GMT

Dr.DrunkinBum - BRAVO TO YOU ALSO! Your points are stated perfectly! I always enjoy reading your comments.

Have a Healthy and Joyful New Year!

re: The Year That Was By Lenny Shulman

NancyP — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 16:29:14 GMT

To Alex'sBigFan - Just a short comment: BRAVO ON THE CONTENT OF ALL YOUR POSTS HERE! You, Mike and Lenny have really been hitting the issues on the head! I loved your NTRA makeover! From your fingertips to God's eyes!

And, just on a very sad note - for me anyway - was the mysterious death of War Pass! I loved watching him at the races and following him in The Blood-Horse. It is a sad end to the year!

Bless you all - Wishing the three of you a Healthy, Joyful New Year!

re: The Year That Was By Lenny Shulman

NancyP — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 16:16:11 GMT

Hi Lenny - Thanks for the thoughtful and humorous article! I always enjoy whatever issue you write about, as you are always on target. I'm looking forward to my favorite ATO videos with you and Steve in the new year. It always brightens my day.

Mike Relva - BRAVO! I love ALL OF YOUR POSTS TO DATE! Keep up the good fight against the forces of darkness!

Here's wishing you all healthy and Happy New Year!

re: The Year That Was By Lenny Shulman

LetItRideMike — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 15:11:40 GMT

Thanks so much for the hard work all year, Lenny. You and Steve made those of us whose jobs keep us from being on track as much as we'd like feel as if we were there.

re: The Year That Was By Lenny Shulman

JTaylor — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 14:02:57 GMT

"That was a huge part of the void that was felt in horse racing, its hard to appreciate a horse that runs in southern california 16 out of 20 times"

Dray, I guess Personal Ensign can't be considered great either...she only left the NY/NJ area once.

It just really baffles me all of this animosity amongst everyone concerning Zenyatta. The fans of Zenyatta need to settle down and not shove the Queen down everyone's throats, and the detractors need to shut the #$%! up and let us celebrate her Greatness.. Now let's all buckle up for Derby Trail!

re: The Year That Was By Lenny Shulman

JTaylor — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 13:48:22 GMT

2010....THE YEAR THAT COULD HAVE BEEN.

re: The Year That Was By Lenny Shulman

Fran Loszynski — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 13:09:45 GMT

She even dances and prances! She was a highlight of 2010 racing. Zenyatta is a racehorse in a world all by herself. She delights in the fact that people enjoyed her dancing maneuvers. This is not only an intelligent racehorse, but a racehorse who aimed to please not only her fans but herself. Zenyatta deserves Horse of The Year. When a racehorse wins that many races and a jockey Mike Smith works so hard to get her safely across the finish line each time, They both deserve the Award. Jockey and Horse of the Year. Anything less would be foolish on the voter's part. She is a magnificent racehorse. My mother who knew alot about racehorses said once "It's the Ears, look for the spiked ears!" They listen to horses gaining up on them. Zenyatta's could hold telephone wires across the city! I wish her a healthy bluegrass life.

re: The Year That Was By Lenny Shulman

Dr Drunkinbum — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 03:04:59 GMT

2010- The eggnog was too strong and the fruitcake was too old. Lenny, Steve, and Stable Boy continued to present the best video show on horse racing in history. Santa Anita returned to a fabulous dirt track, safe and sound, and withstood 13 inches of rain to open a week earlier than it would have with the old track. Zenyatta continued to show her greatness to everyone without kaleidoscope eyes. Writer's who didn't embrace Zenyatta's greatness, and in fact ridiculed her accomplishments were bad for racing, and helped to not take advantage of bringing millions more fans into racing. Beyer's feeble attempt to make up for his blindness to greatness with one final article after Zenyatta's career was over was like a child putting a half eaten cookie back into the jar and saying he didn't eat it. Beyer you ate it. Now go to your room and watch each of Zenyatta's races 100 times or more, and don't come out until you're ready to tell the truth. Attempting to pit Rachel against Zenyatta in the press and then in a race was a travesty, and bad for racing and the petty arguments about who was better were sickening to say the least. They both should have been celebrated in their own right as great champions. The real fans knew that they could love both. Far too many thought they had to choose one side or the other. Poor Rachel was whisked away to who knows where. Zenyatta is still celebrated and shown to the world. The video of Zenyatta frolicking and singing White Christmas in the snow was one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. CD's mistakes in The Breeder's Cup were disgraceful. Anyone watching could tell that Life At Ten was sick as a dog and shouldn't run. Luckily she was too sick to give the kind of an effort that could have taken her life. Rough Sailing was not so lucky. He lost his life on Saturday Nov 6th in the BC Juv turf because the turf course was too slippery from over watering the night before to make an attempt to appease Euro cry babies who wanted a softer surface. I like the way you always speak the truth Lenny. You are a gentleman and a scholar. Happy New Year to all.