Wednesday, May 12, 2010

“Save Your Hopes for Super Saver As Horse Racing's Savior” plus 2 more

“Save Your Hopes for Super Saver As Horse Racing's Savior” plus 2 more

Save Your Hopes for Super Saver As Horse Racing's Savior

Posted: 12 May 2010 08:04 AM PDT

Ever since Affirmed nipped Alydar by a nose in the 1978 Belmont Stakes to win the Triple Crown, the horse racing world has been looking for another hero to claim the three races that define three-year olds.

The year after Affirmed secured his place in history, Spectacular Bid fell short of capturing the Triple Crown by finishing third in the Belmont Stakes.  Many believe that Bid's attempt failed either because of a safety pin that became lodged in the colt's hoof or that jockey Ronnie Franklin gassed the horse early in the race. 

Still, there was sure to be another Triple Crown winner.  Except that there hasn't been.  Pleasant Colony won the first two legs of the Triple Crown in 1981, but finished third in the Belmont by one and a half lengths to Summing.  In 1987, Alysheba held off Bet Twice in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness before his arch-rival romped to a 14-length win in the Belmont.

Many other horses have since won the first two legs of the Triple Crown, namely Sunday Silence (1989), Silver Charm (1997), Real Quiet (1998), Charismatic (1999), War Emblem (2002), Funny Cide (2003), Smarty Jones (2004), and Big Brown (2008), only to have their hopes dashed in New York.  Big Brown finished dead last in the Belmont as 38-1 long shot Da' Tara (a horse that Big Brown had beaten by 23.5 lengths in the Florida Derby) emerged as the spoiler.

The point is that winning the Triple Crown is near impossible despite the media hype and hope which is why there has only been 11 winners in 134 years.

Which brings us to 2010 Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver.  Jockey Calvin Borel has already gone on record with his belief that his horse can and will win the Triple Crown.  Calvin, while I know that you are excited (and should be) about winning your third Kentucky Derby in four years, let's look at just five reasons why you and Super Saver are a longer shot to complete the Triple Crown than Da' Tara was to win the Belmont.

Three races in six weeks is a grind.  Just ask Smarty Jones, who had to retire after injuries sustained in the grueling 1.5 mile Belmont.  There will be fresh horses who will enter the Preakness and the Belmont and have been bred and guided specifically for these races, while Super Saver will have been shipped from one track to the next.

Horses mature as time goes on.  Many horses aren't even close to reaching their peak performance early in the year as a three year old.  As the year goes on or often as four and five year olds, different horses emerge and 'hit their stride' as the poor cliche suggests. 

For example, there was Risen Star who in 1998 finished third in the Kentucky Derby.  Two weeks later he won the Preakness Stakes by 1.5 stakes.  However, the son of Secretariat finally showed his legendary genes and true greatness in the Belmont in winning by 14.5 lengths and in the third fastest time in history.

Borel may be a rail-riding specialist but it doesn't necessarily work for all three races.  Borel has claimed that the home of the Kentucky Derby, Churchill Downs is very close in dimension and design to the Delta Downs track in Louisiana where he became a professional.  In particular, the Belmont is bigger and its dimensions make it harder to hug the rail.  A decrease in the amount of competitors (there are typically fewer entries for the Belmont) will also likely mean plenty of space to run for most if not all the horses.

Other jockeys, trainers, and even horse owners will want to stop Borel and Super Saver's quest for horse racing immortality at all costs.  It could be jealously, being bothered by Borel's bravado, or just natural competitive fire, but bet that as badly as horse racing might need a Triple Crown winner, the people (and the for that matter the horses) involved in the upcoming races aren't going to just give it away. 

Consider the following quote from jockey Kent Desormeaux, after Borel boasted before the Belmont last year that he would become the first jockey to win the Triple Crown on two different horses.  "He should keep those things to himself, just ask Big Brown," Desormeaux (who was Big Brown's jockey and blamed for the horse's poor performance in the Belmont) said.  By the way, Borel finished third on Mine That Bird after his prediction.

Super Saver is not a special horse.  Certainly, I'll change my mind if he somehow wins the Triple Crown, but he won the Kentucky Derby in the slop without a clear favorite in the field and in average fashion (2.5-length margin of victory).  Odds on favorite Eskendereya was scratched earlier in the week and later retired due to a a leg injury). 

More importantly, this was just Super Saver's third victory in seven starts.  Two victories and a second place have occurred on wet surfaces.  I guess it could rain for the next two legs of the Triple Crown, but don't break out the umbrellas just yet.  Maybe the horse is emerging at the right time as Borel claims but we haven't seen any show of dominance yet.

The bottom line is that while much of America would like to see a Triple Crown winner desperately (myself included), save your hopes for some horse other than Super Saver.

 

 

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Decision on live horse racing could take months

Posted: 12 May 2010 12:51 PM PDT

Posted: May 12, 2010 11:59 AM
Updated: May 12, 2010 11:59 AM

CASPER, Wyo. (AP) Wyoming Pari-Mutuel Commission Executive Director Charles Moore says it could be several months before the commission decides how to bring live horse racing back to the state.

Wyoming Downs in Evanston is the state's lone track, but it doesn't plan to host any races this year. Its operators are still offering off-track betting in several cities though.

That irked horse breeders and owners, and state lawmakers passed legislation authorizing the commission to require a certain number of live racing days to obtain a simulcast permit.

The commission decided Tuesday to form a committee to review proposals, including two that would tie the amount of money wagered in off-track betting to the number of live races a track must hold.

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Information from: Casper Star-Tribune - Casper, http://www.trib.com

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Crowds show up as horse racing returns to CCF

Posted: 11 May 2010 10:19 PM PDT

Thoroughbred and Quarter horse racing returned to the Cochise County Fairgrounds this past weekend and the size of the crowds seem to indicate the event was missed last year.

Early reports indicate over 4,000 people came through the gates Saturday and Sunday.

Despite all the conflicting events going on with the races fans seemed to show up in large numbers Saturday and Sunday with a new sense of appreciation for the event which was cancelled last year due in part to state budget cuts.

Even the trainers and jockeys were happy to be back in Douglas.

Longtime local trainer Ron Salmon has been coming to the Douglas races for 19 years and had a horse in the fourth race Sunday which won making the weekend more enjoyable.

"This is probably the best track there is," he said. "It's wide, it's well maintained. It's one of the better tracks we run on."

Salmon races horses all over the state and has seen his fare share of tracks. He says the horse racing environment at the Cochise County Fairgrounds is something special.

"There's no other place like it," he said. "Everybody seems to have a good time when they come here."

Not having the horse races last year hurt not only Salmon who had a hard time finding work during those "dark weeks" but also the fairgrounds and local businesses that rely on the races to help them remain open.

Salmon said he and the other trainers hope what happened last year doesn't happen again for a long time.

"It's a good track, good environment, they have plenty of stalls here for all the horses, it's an overall good atmosphere," he said.

Ten races were held each day this past weekend and the lines at the betting windows were taking bets up till the very last minute all day long.

Reports the day after the race indicate the betting held its own which is good.

Jockey Rick Oliver who rode both days in Douglas, echoed Salmon's feelings.

"I love coming down here," he said. "It's such a nice facility. The crowd seems to really get into the races. They seem to have such a great turnout year after year. … This is one of the best tracks on the fair circuit."

When Douglas was unable to host the races last year Oliver said he felt they may never come back.

"I didn't think we'd ever be down here again," he said "I really like coming here."

Oliver was a jockey for 10 years, quit for 15 and returned to riding in 2004. He has become a regular in the El Moro de Cumpas stakes winning the race in 2006 and again last year when the finals were held in Sonoita.

"I'd wish they would bring the finals back here," he said. "It helps having the border right here."

Oliver said he did not realize the significance of the El Moro de Cumpas until he got his horse back in front of the grandstand in 2006 to the cheering fans and the large group waiting to greet him with the El Moro de Cumpas trophy.

"This race means more to me than any other race all year long that I ride," he said. "The money is not all that great but this race is great for older horses. We need more races like this."

Oliver rode three different horses in the El Moro de Cumpas time trials Saturday finishing third, fourth and third in the sixth, seventh and eighth races. His horse in the eighth race Monarca Dash, qualified for the finals in Sonoita.

In 2008 another jockey, Anna Barrio, who has a big fan base of her own, told the Douglas Dispatch in a story they were doing on her she too enjoys coming to Douglas every year because the track conditions are excellent and there is a strong sense of support here for the sport.

"Its fun riding in front of a crowd that's into the race," she said. "I've done well here … I really like coming here."

An injury prevented Barrio from riding in Douglas this year.

Fairgrounds officials report they had two track records set Saturday in the seventh and eighth races of the El Moro de Cumpas trials. The first record was set in the seventh race but broken in the very next race by a Quarter Horse called Jesstifiable who was ridden by Floyd Campbell.

Jesstifiable, owned by Victor Ramos and trained by Roy Ronquillo, was one of the eight horses to advance to the El Moro de Cumpas finals which will he held in Sonoita.

The other qualifiers for the finals were Leonas TR, owned and trained by Armando Orozco; Stoli Chaser, owned by Manuel Medrano and trained by Dennis Martsteller; Lanes Luck, owned by Francisco Ayon and Abel Rodriguez and trained by Ayon;

Fly Corona Cat, owned by Y/N Horse Stables LLC and trained by Omar Lorta; Monarca Dash, owned by Jose Gallardo and trained by Alejandro Sanchez; Chicks on the Berge, owned by Chuck Stanton and trained by Ramon Fontes and Oh So Chilly owned by Victor C. Ramos and Francisco J. Rivera and trained by Roy Ronquillo

Cochise County Fairgrounds manager Karen Strongin said she was quite pleased by what she saw this past weekend.

"All of the vendors did well and were happy, there were no accidents or incidents and the whole race meet went smoothly," she said. "The Cochise County Fair Association would like to thank all of the people who attended, helped, participated and supported the horse races."

 

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