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.

I’ve moved a lot recently. Like a lot, a lot.

Because of my work with Grade1Racing the last two years, I’ve been in a new city every three months. This means a lot of living out of a suitcase and learning how to live in hotels that don’t have room service.

After a successful few months in Miami last winter, where we broke new ground by providing clocking information from Gulfstream and Palm Meadows, I finally decided it was time to hang up my wheelie bag and settle down in one central spot for the majority of the year.

Given how much time I spend in central Kentucky, Frankfort seemed the best choice. It’s halfway between Churchill Downs and Keeneland, plus the center of a triangle of airports that can get me anywhere in the world.

Plus there’s the benefit of being in horse country during foaling season. And is there anything cuter than baby horses?

I was reminded of the main joy of living in the bluegrass on my drive to Cincinnati last week to fly to the Belmont. Just past exit 58, there’s a spot along 64-E where you can see the paddocks of Gainsborough Farm perfectly clear to your right for a good 20 seconds if you’re driving a normal 65 miles per hour.

As the tree line broke and the paddocks came into focus, I noticed a mare standing on the ridge. It took me a second to realize that beside her, legs were sticking up out of the green, green grass.

It was a weanling ~ a horse no more than 3 months old ~ rolling from side to side. He didn’t do this just once. No, in the 15 seconds I saw, he must’ve rolled at least 5 times… just having a ball and being a kid.

Even though horses have been domesticated for some 5,500 years, there’s still something majestically wild about the species. And it’s a really beautiful thing when you can catch a horse doing something so raw, so natural. In that moment, you realize that we can make them run and jump all we want: there will always be an element of surprise in their behavior.

For me, it had the added benefit of reminding me that no matter where I go, wherever there are horses is home.

Race fans tend to get attached to certain horses. We sort of can’t help ourselves: they are great looking animals full of personality and even a $2 bet gives us a rooting interest in how they run.

But when someone takes a shot at “our” horse, we tend to overreact. It doesn’t matter if you’re male or female, we all get over-protective. I’m as guilty as the next guy. Besides the horses I co-manage for Post Parade Racing, I will defend Zenyatta, Unzip Me, Blind Luck, Force Freeze, and a whole bunch of Romans runners until the cows come home.

But we have to remember that someone saying something negative about a horse we’ve become attached to is anything but a personal attack. Racing is a sport of opinions: it’s literally what drives pari-mutuel wagering. Odds are basically the public’s way of saying “I like my horse more than yours.” And if you don’t like the way the rest of the public is thinking, take a stand and put your money down.

Earlier this year, I made a comment that I wish all horses trained like Shackleford. I was called a “homer” for this, but instead of taking it personally, I took the time to explain that I didn’t mean it as a girly “OMG ~ he’s like, so totally, adorbs!” Rather, that he’s the kind of horse that makes it easy for me to do my job.

More recently, I wrote a blog at HorseRacingNation that included the (paraphrased) line: Creative Cause doesn’t have the will to win. This was misconstrued as a cheap shot against the Mike Harrington trainee and I apparently lost a fan.

I’m sorry. I truly never meant to offend anyone.

Let me explain myself… if you know me, you know that I’ve been screaming about Creative Cause since literally the very first day he stepped foot onto Hollywood Park’s synthetic surface. I was his biggest fan and still believe he’s a talent. However, where I feel he’s fallen down on the job, is in his ability to take aim on the front runners, level off, and draw clear for the victory. The last time we saw him do this was right at the wire in the G2 San Felipe before galloping out like a monster.

Instead of beating horses by big margins, the gray son of Giant’s Causeway likes to get into individual battles but idles when it comes time to get into gear and put the rival away. Ever since Majestic City came over on him in the G1 Del Mar Futurity last summer, he just hasn’t had the same killer instinct.

My comment on Creative Cause probably deserved more of an explanation than I gave in the original blog. I should have explained that it’s more about him seemingly losing confidence than him losing (or never having had) the will to win.

I would never take a cheap shot at a horse. Period. But am I afraid to say when I think a certain horse needs time to mature or isn’t the same as he used to be? No. And that’s true with any professional athlete.

I’m by no means perfect, but I was able to address both the above issues because I keep in mind that not everyone is going to like the same horses as I do. That’s simply the nature of the beast.

I know that sounds funny, but the horse so easy gets lost amid the fog of wagering. I can often be heard reminding the world that without the horse, we have nothing to race (except pigs and turtles, but it’s not quite the same).

There’s plenty more to it than just the fact that horses are beautiful creatures. I like horses that try, that give it their all, that know what it is they’re mean to do.

I spent the winter in Miami watching Shackleford and Dullahan at Gulfstream and got to spend a few days a week at Palm Meadows with Animal Kingdom and Union Rags and every awesome looking Pletcher pony.

But the highlight of my winter was Winter Memories. She has the rare ability to take my breath away every time I see her. The only other horses to do that? Zenyatta, Shackleford, Force Freeze, and Blind Luck. Not a bad bunch.

I don’t know if it’s the shiny gray coat, the neon orange wraps, the way she just goes about her business… she’s just all class. And why not? She’s racing royalty: by champion stallion El Prado, out of the G1 winning mare Memories of Silver.

Most horses quit when they get into trouble: Winter Memories thrives in it. Best when she’s bottled up and has to fight for position inside the quarter pole, the filly has amassed earnings of over $808k with 7 wins in 10 starts.

I can’t help but be a fan of a horse who just loves what she does.

Of all the videos I took all winter long, this is my favorite…

Best of luck to everyone on the Belmont Stakes card today!

As I said all week… this is a barn that came to play.

They “moved in” to Barn 3 at Churchill Downs ~ sandwiched between stalwarts Bobby Barnett and Dale Romans ~ even going so far as to bring their own lawn jockey.

They brought ten horses that all had a realistic chance in their respective spots. They were so honest that they even entered Cook Inlet in Derby Day’s fourth race for the $80k tag (no one took him).

When I walked into the barn yesterday, stable pony ~ and co-assistant trainer ~ Lava Man was getting a bath while ESPN’s Kenny Mayne came by to do an interview. Doug wasn’t around, so Jack Sisterson stepped in. When asked his title, Jack had no answer except “whatever Doug asks me to do.” Some people would have thought he was kidding, but this is a barn that works as a perfectly well oiled machine while having a great time.

Team O’Neill truly is a team. It says so on everything from the saddlecloths to the staff’s jackets to the placard on the wall. And you can’t argue with success: they believe in each other, they believe in their horses… and now they have a Kentucky Derby win to show for it!

Dr. Kendall Hansen is many things: genius is top of the list. The idea to make squeeze toys in the shape of his eponymous near-white colt is simply brilliant. I’m not sure how they’re being received in the grandstand, but here in the press box: distribution of the toy managed to clear the front rows faster than if the fire alarm had gone off.

I took a few of my new friends ~ some of which were borrowed ~ on the press box balcony between races and had a little photoshoot fun. Enjoy!