MJR

Going to the track goes back generations in my family and one ride on a pony named Coco at 18 months old had me hooked. Standing in the Del Mar paddock for my 15th birthday, I knew racing was the life for me. On a June 2002 Friday night at Hollywood Park, after winning $55 on a first time starter, I ran into a producer from TVG, which led to a production assistant gig. When I moved to Louisville for college, I was offered a job with the Churchill Downs clockers for the 2003 Fall Meet. My first morning, a trainer asked how his horse had done: she was (eventual Grade 1 winner) Stellar Jayne and he was (hall of famer) D. Wayne Lukas. Since then I’ve had some pretty cool gigs: Churchill’s Corporate Communications intern (2004), Tour Director for Three Chimneys Farm (2005), TVG’s Racing Information Coordinator (2006), Manager of Racing Operations for Puglisi Racing (2008-2009), etc… In my “spare time” I co-host Race and Sports Radio (weekends on wsRadio.com & 98.9fm ESPN San Diego) and Kentucky Winner’s Circle (Saturday’s on WKJK-1080am & KYWC.net). I also contribute to sites like the New York Times’ The Rail, and work major sporting events like the Cotton Bowl and PGA Championship.

May 032013
 
TalkDerby

A lot of things stand out Derby week: who’s working well, who’s sore in a gallop, but – most importantly – who’s not here. In years past, it’s been earnings that have excluded talented horses like Rock Hard Ten and Sway Away.

What’s interesting is that, considering years past where top contenders seemed to drop like flies, this crop of three-year-olds has been pretty healthy. Yes, we’re missing juvenile Champion Shanghai Bobby to a pelvic fracture, Violence to a sesamoid fracture, and both Flashback and Hear the Ghost to knee chips.

But the other defections were all due to trainer decision. That’s right: choosing to bypass a once in a lifetime opportunity at Derby glory for the sake of your horse.

This cannot be an easy choice.

When Giant Finish eeked into the field by the skin of his teeth, owner Andy Cohen was quoted as saying “You only live once!” The Derby is the single most definable thing about our sport: say to anyone that you work in racing and the first question is either “have you been” or “have you won” the Kentucky Derby?!?

On the flipside of Cohen’s comment is Gary Contessa’s tweet about his charge, G3 winner Rydilluc, who had the points to qualify. “I hate to spoil the speculation party but Rydilluc is at Belmont with a very minor foot bruise and is not running in the Derby. We would have been there with bells on if he were perfect. Did somebody say Preakness?”

If he were perfect. That says it all right there: a true horseman making the best decision for his horse.

Similarly, Bob Hess Jr. declared his trainee, Merit Man, from consideration over a month ago. Only off the board once in his six race career, the son of With Distinction most definitely had the points to qualify. But Hess knew he had a sprinter on his hands and made the safe – and smart – call to point towards races like the Peter Pan instead.

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert did the same with a quartet of runners – two of whom he brought to Louisville as workmates for his Oaks superstar. Super Ninetynine and Den’s Legacy worked together but stayed home, while Power Broker and Code West have each worked with Midnight Lucky under the twin spires. Of the four, only Code West is entered on the Derby undercard in a strong Allowance event.

When it comes to making the tough call not to run, sometimes the trainer gets overridden. Though he has the points, Tiz a Minister is not making the trip to Kentucky. As recently as the day after a third place finish in the Cal-bred Snow Chief Stakes at betfair Hollywood Park, trainer Paul Aguirre stated his horse would run. But his plans were stymied by a call to the racing office from owner Steve Young that the horse had developed a foot bruise and would not be making the trip.

And now that we’ve had the scratch of Black Onyx, you can add Kelly Breen to the list of outstanding horsemen doing what’s right for their horse. What a day Breen has had: first he thinks the colt just twisted or slept on the ankle wrong, then he gallops fine, then something’s not right, and – ultimately – they opt to scratch. Breen was given the choice to ice the joint and wait for the swelling to go down – while still running the horse; instead, he opted to x-ray the area and – after two sets were taken to make sure they saw everything – they found the non-displaced chip in the left front ankle.

Having sat through the I Want Revenge scratch press conference, it’s obvious what an agonizing decision it is to not run. In an industry where we sometimes lose hope in our people, to see these men consciously make that call when they have a healthy horse and a chance at the roses is a sign of a real horseman.

 Posted by at 1:50 pm
May 032013
 
Baby Black Onyx

Can you imagine being a trainer and having to call your owner on Oaks morning: “umm… we have to xray your Kentucky Derby starter.”

That’s basically what Kelly Breen’s morning looked like. When he got to the track this morning, the colt was apparently a little tender on his left front ankle. It “looked like he’d slept on it wrong” and they figured he’d warm up out of it. “He galloped fine,” according to Breen and they were given the option of simply icing it to get the swelling down and still run… or take a chance with x-rays.

What’s even more fantastic is that they went back and took a second set of x-rays when the first showed an undefinable shadow because – apparently – the chip is in a weird spot. The chip turns out to be a non-displaced fragment in the left front ankle. The injury probably requires surgery and at least 6 months rest, if I understand correctly. The best vets in the world are tending to the big black horse and he’ll be given the best chance to race again.

But what of the horse himself? Admittedly, I didn’t know much about the leggy dark bay son of Rock Hard Ten before he won the G3 Spiral a month ago. Turns out he owns a really nice race record: one bad effort in five starts ain’t bad.

Black Onyx is the Bill Murray of horses: he has this really endearing quality that makes you want to like him. In my case, it was the work three weeks ago when he Euro-galloped behind a Kenneally pair before turning in a really easy, loose rein’d 1:00.60 with Joe Bravo aboard.

The work wasn’t flashy, more maintenance than anything else, but it was neat. As I said that day: the horse made me a fan – maybe not for the Derby, but he tries, he likes his job, and he’s not the cookie cutter perfection we’re used to from the Lukas, Pletcher or Baffert barns.

It’s been hard explaining the distinction between “I like the horse” and “I like the horse in this race.” Black Onyx made me a fan in that work because he’s exactly who he is. Personally, I thought he was doing well when he got into town three weeks ago, but never improved and, actually, got a little sore at the start of this week. But – I was learning – that’s who he is.

Now he’ll go to the sidelines for a minimum of six months and we have him to look forward to for the 2014 Handicap division. Given his size and the mid-April birthday, I’d be surprised if he weren’t still in a growth spurt. And when he comes back, I’ll be watching!

 Posted by at 11:54 am
Apr 302013
 
Dubai Bob

I went to bed expecting a field of 19 and not a Baffert runner among them last night. This afternoon, it appears we’ll have an AE list with the additions of Fear the Kitten, Giant Finish, and Carving; even Rydilluc’s name was brought up, but he’s at Belmont recovering from the minorest of foot bruises as Gary Contessa has tweeted.

A lot has been made of the new points system and, yes, it needs to be tweaked. But what’s interesting this year is that the horses are dropping like flies late: usually we’ve had a lot of injuries or hiccups in March and April – this year, really only Violence and Shanghai Bobby came off the trail before this week.

Instead of injuries, it was horsemen pulling their charges off the trail to find a better spot: Merit Man, Departing, Den’s Legacy, Super Ninetynine. Those guys are all fine, but will happily be munching on hay back in their respective barns Saturday vs. being in the starting gate.

But – as an owner myself – there’s a twinge of “what if” from seeing the list of late additions. I believe every horse deserves a shot at the Derby, but what about the horses that didn’t have a chance at the points?

We at Post Parade Racing have 3 colts that are all supremely talented, just a little unlucky.

Dubai Bob debuted in June last year (against next-out stakes winner Maybe So) but bounced off the rail and was sidelined with a bone bruise for 6 months. He’s now back to the races and should be back in the gate at Churchill.

Xavi debuted at the end of September and ran four really strong races (including three straight near-miss seconds) before being sidelined with a minor issue.

Insighting (our bred-to-run-on-anything grass colt) made a big impression when beaten by a now stakes-placed runner in his debut, but came out of his next start with a split bone that needed treating and 6 months on the sidelines.

Three years ago, even our older now-5yo gelded Ronin Dax was considered a possible Derby Trail-bound runner after his strong debut at a mile on the Del Mar turf.

It was Chad Brown or Kelly Breen who said this week “of course this is a nice field, you can’t bring a not-nice horse to the Derby.” So when you look at the runners in the post parade, remember to give those who didn’t get a chance to make the cut a little extra love. These may be the best 20, but there are 24,000+ more who aren’t here.

 Posted by at 2:36 pm
Apr 262013
 
CalvinBorel

The 2013 Racing Hall of Fame inductees were announced today and a huge congrats goes to the connections of the fantastic equine stars Lure, Housebuster, Invasor, and the steeplechase freak McDynamo. But perhaps most intriguing is that Calvin Borel is the only human among this year’s class.

I first moved to Kentucky in the fall of 2003 and was immediately impressed by the whole Borel clan – Calvin the jockey, his brother Cecil the trainer, and his nephew Shane the valet/exercise rider.

Beyond being genuinely nice people, the thing that stands out most about the Borel clan is their horsemanship. Calvin is a genius on horseback and I don’t just mean his ability to find the rail and ride it to the wire.

A lot of riders can “sit chilly” but Calvin’s ability to just be still let’s the horse be the horse. And it’s not just in the afternoons: he worked a filly a few days ago at Churchill – just your average, everyday type, not a stakes horse – and when she got to the 8th pole, she dropped her head, leveled off, and finished really strong because she was allowed to just be herself. In what was an otherwise average drill, she was exceptional because he let her be.

The other amazing thing about Calvin and morning works is that he still does them: a lot of riders who’ve won 3 Kentucky Derby’s would say “nah, I’m above that” – but not him – he’s out there on several most mornings and it’s not just his brother’s horses.

And, just like in the afternoons, it doesn’t matter what class level the horse runs in: he’s as likely to work a stakes horse as he is a $15k claimer. At 46 years old, he could pick and choose his mounts – say “only Allowance and above” – but he doesn’t… he and and a healthy Ramon Dominguez are two of the hardest working journeymen in the game in that regard.

Speaking of his horsemanship, one of my favorite Calvin moments was the Brass Hat retirement ceremony in the Churchill winner’s circle a few years back. At some point during the speeches, he was standing beside the big bay gelding and starting playing with his tail. Then, seemingly out nowhere, Calvin jumped on his back and scratched his neck. It just went to show how much he really loves the animal and how much of a connection he has with them.

As an owner, there’s a confidence you get when Calvin’s legged up on your horse that you don’t get with most jockeys: win or lose, you know your horse will be taken care of on the track.

While every nominee to the Racing Hall of Fame is outstanding in their own way, it’s great to see a true horseman and all around good guy get all the accolades he deserves.

 Posted by at 4:19 pm
Apr 232013
 
Archarcharch

As I drove home last night, I called my mom and admitted I’d finally hit the wall. No, not the barrier on I-64 (thank heavens!)… the proverbial wall that pops up this time every year.

Last week, I was watching 2yo’s work eighths of a mile at a time and trying to find the next superstar. The hours are long: 300 horses takes about 8 hours and, during April, this means the blazing Ocala sunshine is in full force.

This week, I’m watching Kentucky Oaks and Derby contenders put in their final works and gallops with under two weeks until the main event.

A few years back, Churchill Downs implemented an awesome 15 minute rule after the renovation break: only Oaks and Derby runners – with their respective workmates – are allowed on the track. This makes it easier on the horses because it means only 30 possible distractions versus the 400 or so that could be on-track at any given time.

But it also makes a very stressful few minutes for those of us who need to time those works or keep a keen eye on the gallops. I’m watching for notable changes in coat or attitude and it’s not easy when there are 4 horses working simultaneously from different poles and countless gallopers.

My single most used phrase during April: “gotta keep that head on a swivel!”

It’s about knowing who should be where, when, and trying to keep it straight in your head. Luckily, we don’t have to guess at names: the saddlepads help out tremendously in that regard.

Please don’t think I’m complaining… I absolutely live for this time of year. As I’m sure is true for everyone in the game, the people in your life know when you’re going to “disappear” into the Fog of Derby. It’s a good 3 weeks and can be comparable to the Fog of Breeders’ Cup in October.

No matter how early that alarm rings – and 4:30 am comes way too early most mornings – there is something exhilarating about seeing the best horseflesh in what is their (albeit new) natural habitat. Horses are born to run and to see them flourish on the sport’s biggest stage is a gift I thank the racing gods for every day.

I’m at the track to see the Next Big Thing and the extremely fun part of my job is that I never know what that will be on a given day. A week ago it was a bay for Casse that worked lights out, Monday it was a gallop from Palace Malice that proves just how much he’s grown, and… who knows what tomorrow will bring?

That’s why I do what I do: I’m willing to hit the wall every day if I have to if it means seeing beautiful animals strutting their stuff! Besides, sleep is what the Sunday after Derby’s for, right?

 Posted by at 2:02 pm
Apr 192013
 
Insighting breeze1

Everywhere you look nowadays, we’re being told what the Next Big Thing is. From The Voice to Project Runway, an entire cottage industry of reality shows has been dedicated to this very concept.

One of the most interesting – and worst time slotted – is ABC’s Shark Tank. It’s based on a British series and the concept is Business 101: venture capitalist-style pitch meetings that could fund the inventor’s big idea.

This type of exchange is common in the business world, but most people wouldn’t think that the same thing happens in racing.

There are 50 days of 2yo In Training sales from March to May, and when you consider that horses like 2012 Kentucky Derby winner I’ll Have Another come out of sales like this, it’s more than a worthwhile venture.

At this week’s OBS April breeze show, over 1,100 horses previewed and buyers use that single audition to determine if each horse is the Next Big Thing.

It’s the horse’s pitch meeting: he has between an eighth and a quarter of a mile to prove that we can’t live without what he’s selling. In this case: potential.

Once the 1,100+ horses have worked, it’s time to go back into the barns and pull your Short List. These are the standouts: whether it’s based on pedigree, talent, potential, or just a gut feeling ~ these are the horses you need to see.

Once in the auction ring, it’s more than a matter of money. On Shark Tank, investors like Mark Cuban sit on a panel and bid against each other when they believe in a product. However, they’re also bidding against the inventor to an extent: no one is handing over funding without receiving equity in the company in return.

It’s not much different in the ring: while potential buyers are literally bidding against each other for the opportunity to own the horse, they are also (in a sense) bidding against the horse’s current owner. If a deal isn’t good enough, the reserve won’t be met and the horse won’t be sold.

Like any business, buying and selling horses can be a tricky game. But we all chase the dream because there’s nothing like seeing the Next Big Thing become a Kentucky Derby hero.

 Posted by at 6:53 pm