The Passing of Radio Race Calls

DRF has published this previously but race calls from Churchill Downs were broadcast on local radio for more than 40 years but have been discontinued. At one time, radio race calls (delayed a few minutes from the actual race) were a daily staple in most cities in the country. I can vividly remember listening to them on KSTP-AM when Canterbury Downs opened in 1985.

A few places might still have them - Oaklawn I think might have them and possibly Keeneland. But they are going the way of newsstands, newspapers, pay phones, and typewriters.

From DRF Website:

Feature off the air

For more than 40 years, the feature race of the day at Churchill was carried on Louisville radio by WHAS (840 AM), except on occasions when a programming conflict arose. Veteran sportscaster Paul Rogers handled the race calls since the legendary Cawood Ledford quit doing them in the mid-1980s.

But in another example of how racing is losing ground in the mainstream media, there is no more daily coverage of Churchill, with the exception of Oaks and Derby days, when WHAS provides extensive coverage. The end of an era owes to a business conflict between Churchill and Clear Channel Corp., the syndicate that owns WHAS.

The Way We Were

New York Times has a nice feature up on their website with classic pictures from racetracks in the 1950's.

lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/06/07/they-had-the-horse-right-here/?scp=3&sq=horse racing&st=cse

Check out slide #12 and the crowd of 53,112 for the final day of racing for the year at Aqueduct.

Who needs Winter Racing? Yea, I know. The great horsemen of the metropolitan area.

Trainer Abuse in Iowa

Trainer ruled off for abusing horses in Iowa. More stewards should take action like this. It happens quite a bit especially now that the horse population is shrinking and tracks are desperate to fill races.

www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/63446/iowa-trainers-license-revoked-by-stewards

At Oaklawn's meeting, trainer David Wakeland at one point had six starts with his horses all beaten by 17 lengths or more. In his 39 starts at Oaklawn dating back to 2009, his horses have lost by a median of 20 lengths. Four of the starts resulted in the horses being distanced. Disgraceful that Oaklawn stewards kept allowing this idiot to start horses at their track.

Sunday, June 5 - North American Racing Preview

Woodbine ha nice card with 3 stakes races and Belmont has good card also with mix of open and NY bred events.

2:04 p.m. ET - Belmont 3rd - Easy Goer has four runners (Mission Impazible scratched) led by Grade I winner Rail Trip in his 2nd start since moving to the Dutrow barn facing Centennial Farms' Convocation, Godolphin's Tahitian Warrior and Bromans' top NY bred Friend Or Foe.

4:41 p.m. ET - Woodbine 8th - 68th Plate Trial - final prep for the June 26 Queen's Plate matches 4 of DRF's Ron Gierkink's Top 10 with Bear Stables' Bear's Chill to flash in orange on the lead with Zayat's Sensational Slam, Charles Fipke's impressive Wando winner Check Your Soul and Martin Schwartz's Bowman's Causeway all trying to run him down in the lane.

5:16 p.m. ET - Woodbine 9th - 56th Woodbine Oaks - 5-2 favs Inglorious faces eight rivals including Bear Stables' Bear Its Time - impressive Lady Angela winner - and the 1-2 finishers in the Fury - Eugene Melynk's Roxy Gap and Glen Hill Farms Marketing Mix trained by Tom Proctor. Stronach Stable also has recent Woodbine maiden winner Abrianna trained by Roger Attfield.

Jerry Brown has got the Woodbine Oaks as his race of the week (hint: Jerry doesn't like Inglorious):

www.thorograph.com

Like Brother, Like Sister

Shackleford's older sister - 4 year old Afleeting Lady - broke her maiden in her 7th lifetime start in the 8th race today at Churchill. She is by Afleet Alex (Shackleford is by Forestry) and this was her first start in the care of Dale Romans.

She paid $41.40 to win.

Homebred Comparison

For the 2011 Epsom Oaks, 9 of the 13 entries could be considered homebreds (If one considers Fork Handles a homebred - bred and trained by Mick Channon but running in the name of Dr. Marwan Koukash). For the 2011 Kentucky Oaks, 4 of the 13 entries were homebred runners.

The situation was reversed for the Epsom Derby with only a couple of homebreds including winner Coolmore's Pour Moi and the Aga Khan's Vadamar. Kentucky Derby featured at least 7 homebreds in the field including winner Animal Kingdom and eventual Preakness winner Shackleford.

Haven't seen any studies comparison of percentage of homebreds racing in UK vs. USA - would be interesting to see.

2011 Epsom Derby

Storylines for the 231st running of the original Derby:

Executive Summary: 13 runners, 2 absolute no-hopers, 2 unlikely longshots, the 2000 Guineas 3rd place finisher, 5 from Coolmore (including one trained in France by Fabre), one each from Godolphin and the Aga Khan and finally, HRH The Queen's entry - Carlton House. Race will be broadcast live on both TVG and HRTV at 11:00 a.m. Eastern time on Saturday - Down the Stretch radio show on Sirius may broadcast race also.

Carlton House - A win would stop the nation - 58 years after finishing 2nd with Aureole (four days after her coronation), the Queen is back with her 10th Derby runner seeking her greatest win.

Castlemorris King - Maiden has no chance

Marhaba Malyoon - Bath Maiden winner has no chance

Masked Marvel - Crafty connections (Gosden-Buick) and Montjeu has already sired two Derby winners

Memphis, Tennessee - One of Coolmore 5 - all in with a chance - this one ridden by 18 year old Joseph O'Brien (Aidan's son)

Native Khan - French bred finished well for 3rd in Frankel's Guineas romp - Guineas has always been best prep for the Derby but Fallon takes off to ride for Coolmore.

Ocean War - Godolphin Blue with Frankie up has won both 3 year old starts but appears overmatched here

Pisco Sour - frontrunning 3rd at 40-1 in the Dante - will give you a run for your money on the front at 50+-1

Pour Moi - Andre Fabre - seeking Derby glory at Epsom after 8 unsuccessful attempts - trained Coolmore entry is co-favs with Carlton House - had spin around Epsom last week that drew raves - another sired by Montjeu and ridden by the hottest jock on the continent - 19 year old Mickael Barzalona.

Recital - Another Coolmore entry, another sired by Montjeu, this one ridden by Fallon (if court case by Native Khan's owners fails Friday) Update: Fallon was banned in court action on Saturday from riding this one - Patrick Smullen will substitute. Could this be British version of Albarado-Johnny V?

Seville - Another Coolmore entry, this one sired by Galileo whose offspring have already won 4 of the 6 classic races run in Europe this spring. Soumillon up.

Treasure Beach - Final Coolmore entry - another sired by Galileo and ridden by Colin O'Donoghue.

Vadamar - The Aga Khan's hope for his fifth Epsom glory to tie his grandfather's mark of Epsom Derby winners and 30 years on from Shergar's dominant win. French trained horse hasn't won since 1976 with Empery.

Saturday, June 4 - North American Racing Preview

4:36 p.m. ET - Woodbine 8th - 56th Nassau - Team Block's 6 year old mare Never Retreat heads north to face the Roger Attfield trained Woodbine stakes winning mares Miss Keller (2nd in the race last year) and Mekong Melody.

4:59 p.m. ET - Churchill 9th - 37th Dogwood - Dilschneider-Claiborne - Stall connections send out favored Might making her stakes debut in her fourth career start. She faces Oaklawn stakes winners the Jayaramans' Holy Heavens and Bret Calhoun trained Gran Lioness along with IEAH's Fantasy of Flight shoved into a stakes race after impressive maiden win on Oaks Day at Churchill.

5:17 p.m. ET - Belmont 9th - 61st Vagrancy - Pletcher-Starlight's Hilda's Passion seeking redemption after running 2nd on Derby Day as 3-5 favs in the Humana Distaff. Phipps filly Streaker and D. Wayne Lukas off the plane Tidal Pool appear to be main rivals among 7 runners.

5:29 p.m. ET - Churchill 10th - 23rd Aristides - Eight sprinters over 6 furlongs with only one non-stakes winner - Good Lord trained by the crafty Forrest Kaelin off an allowance win on the Churchill strip. Atta Boy Roy has been training well at my local track Canterbury and ships in for this. Top 3 finishers from last year's race - Riley Tucker, Atta Boy Roy, and Cash Refund - all return for return engagement.

5:50 p.m. ET - Thistledown 8th - 77th Ohio Derby - 10 three year olds trying to enhance their reputations with two recent impressive maiden winners - Padua's Le Mans and Wests' Global Power - taking on previous stakes winners Caleb's Posse and Wilkinson.

7:38 p.m. ET - Hollywood 8th - 58th Californian - Twirling Candy seeks redemption after troubled Big Cap fifth as 1-2 favs and will face impeded Big Cap runner up Setsuko and Big Cap 4th place finisher Soul Candy and 8th place Spurrier.

Memorial Day Monday - May 30 - American Racing Preview

3:05 p.m. ET - Monmouth 6th - Skip Away - Two lightly raced four years old try to restore reputations after losses - Godolphin's Tahitian Warrior and Estate of Edward Evans' Christmas for Liam who was dueled into defeat in the Westchester and Pletcher has opted for this softer spot rather than trying the Metropolitan. Tahitian Warrior was scratched out of this race.

3:59 p.m. ET - Lone Star 4th - 15th Ouija Board - 6 year old mare Wasted Tears shoots for her 3rd consecutive Ouija Board win off six month layoff.

4:09 p.m. ET - Calder 9th - Memorial Day Handicap - Nine SoFla stalwarts meet in the traditional Calder Memorial Day feature with the head of the SoFla older division - Tackleberry - taking on the nation's best later in the day in the Metropolitan.

4:27 p.m. ET - Lone Star 5th - 15th Valid Expectations - Baffert sends the Pegram owned Irish Gypsy in from SoCal and is listed at even money on the line. Local hopes Gleaming, Cosmo Gal or Tin Top Cat provide significant competition to the shipper.

4:55 p.m. ET - Lone Star 6th - 15th Dallas Turf Cup - Ramsey barn's Dean's Kitten and the Asmussen trained Expansion are the two morning line favorites with Schramsberg looking to do the Connolly-Dallas Turf Cup double to claim top Texas older male turf honors.

4:59 p.m. ET - Churchill 9th - 8th Winning Colors - Sassy Image is 4 for 5 at Churchill for Preakness winning trainer Dale Romans and owner brother Jerry. Marty Wolfson's Stephanie Got Even returns to 6 furlongs in her 3rd start for new connections and there are many others in here with a shot.

5:23 p.m. ET - Lone Star 7th - 13th Cinemine - Morning Line has this down to two - Stall-Dilschneider's Aide who gets back to dirt and the WB Calhoun trained local hope Grandacious.

5:26 p.m. ET - Belmont 9th - 17th Sands Point - Winter Memories makes her 2nd three year old start and faces five tough rivals led by undefeated Naples Bay for Cox-Clement connections.

5:33 p.m. ET - Monmouth 11th - Violet - Clement's Denomination tries to return to winning ways facing Red Oak's Unbridled Essence on her home course.

5:49 p.m. ET - Belmont 10th - 118th Metropolitan - Per usual, a superb renewal of one of America's greatest races. Four New York breds led by Grade I winner Haynesfield in field of 11 - may be a recurring theme with addition of slot money for NYRA. Trainer Cam Gambolati seeks to renew Memorial Day glory 26 years after Spend A Buck's $2 million dollar bonus win in the Jersey Derby. Pletcher has 3 entries, Asmussen with 2 and Luis Olivares only needs Tackleberry.

5:51 p.m. ET - Lone Star 8th - 15th Lone Star Derby - Race run on turf for first time and larger field of 9 will run with no standouts but representatives from Ramsey (Derby Kitten), Farish (Close Ally), Shah-Baffert (Uncle Sam), and Doug O'Neill (Thirtyfirststreet) barns.

6:19 p.m. ET - Lone Star 9th - 15th Lone Star Park Handicap - Baffert's Game On Dude returns to site of his Lone Star Derby win last year facing Asmussen trained Thiskyhasnolimit and West Point's perennial stakes challenger Awesome Gem who ran 2nd in the race last year.

7:15 p.m. ET - Golden Gate 8th - Berkeley - 8 year old Cal bred legend Bold Chieftain tries to win race after finishing 2nd last year facing an eclectic bunch included SoCal shippers Mobilized and Uh Oh Bango (in his turf debut) and San Francisco Handicap wire to wire winner Our Nautique for Hollendorfer.

7:35 p.m. ET - Hollywood 8th - 59th Los Angeles Handicap - three Cal breds favored in here - Amazombie, Cost of Freedom and M One Rifle who have all taken turns beating each other in the past year.

8:05 p.m. ET - Hollywood 9th - 45th Gamely - Spendthrift's Malibu Pier and the Moss' Cozi Rosie renew their rivalry with Dubawi Heights added to the mix making her first Grade I start after winning the Wilshire in last. Hopefully Eclair de Lune will show more life for Arlington's Dickie D. than the miserable showing of Goldwaki on Saturday in the American Handicap.

Saturday, May 28 - North American Racing Preview

4:36 p.m ET - Woodbine 8th - 56th Eclipse features return to Woodbine of Wertheimer & Frere's Exhi who went two for two at the strip last year. Solid six horse field also includes Kinghaven Farms' Fifty Proof and last year's Eclipse winner Southdale.

5:17 p.m. ET - Belmont 9th - 53rd Sheepshead Bay has six sold betting entries led by Godolphin's Hibaayeb, Team Valor's La Luna de Miel and the former South American wonder horse Belle Watling who gets back to a more suitable long distance grass race.

5:29 p.m. ET - Churchill 10th - 74th Louisville Handicap has 5 year old mare Keertana taking on nine male challengers with the most formidable one appearing to be the German bred Musketier trained by Roger Attfield.

5:37 p.m. ET - Arlington 8th - 75th Arlington Matron has wide open field of 10.

6:08 p.m. ET - Arlington 9th - 77th Arlington Classic will be run on yielding turf with three scratches (#8,#10,#11) with favored Wilcox Inn defeating Animal Kingdom in his first start and not winning since.

7:35 p.m. ET - Hollywood 8th - 72nd American Handicap - Sidney's Candy return to the turf facing usual SoCal middle distance turfers including Liberian Freighter and The Usual Q.T. with one new face - Goldwaki - a former Wertheimer & Frere colt bought by Richard Duchossis in his bid to win the 2011 Arlington Million. This is Thorograph's Race of the Week and Jerry's crew doesn't like Sidney's Candy or Goldwaki.

www.thorograph.com

Sagamore Farm and the return of the Cerise Diamonds

New York Times had a nice story on Sunday on Under Armour founder Kevin Plank and his efforts to rebuild the historic Sagamore Farm in Maryland.

Love how the famous cerise diamonds that were part of Alfred Vanderbilt's racing silks have been incorporated into the silks for the new Sagamore.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/22/sports/under-armour-founder-works-to-restore-sagamore-farm.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=sagamore%20farm&st=cse#

http://www.blackburnarch.com/pubs/Mid-Atlantic%20Sagamore.pdf

Sunday, May 22 - US Racing - Slim Pickings

Not a single race worth $100k today in the United States - Woodbine is offering $125k on the New Providence for 3 year old fillies. The Three Coins Up purse at Belmont (9th race - 5:17 p.m. ET) offers a mile and a quarter grass race with familiar names of Grassy, Bold Hawk, and NY bred Wishful Tomcat. Emerald Downs has a matchup of the past two Longacres Mile winners (Noosa Beach and Assessment) in the Governor's Handicap over six and a half furlongs (6th race - 7:50 p.m. ET).

Global Racing - Sunday Morning

A sweep of top quality international action this morning:

The sublime mare Goldikova made her six year old debut a winning one taking the 133rd Prix D'Isapahan at Longchamp by a neck as 3-5 favorite under regular pilot Olivier Peslier - her second consecutive win in the stakes. William Hill has made her 5-2 favs to win her fourth consecutive Breeders Cup Mile at Churchill in November.

Six year old Singapore sprinter Rocket Man finally wins the KrisFlyer International Sprint at Kranji after running 2nd in the race the previous two years. Rocket Man ran away from the field in the stretch to win by four and three quarters lengths as 1-5 favorite. The world traveler Gitano Hernando won the 11th Singapore Cup at 13-1 in the Chechen national colors of President Ramzan Kadyrov.

At the Curragh, Coolmore's So You Think - former Bart Cummings trained Australian super horse - won the 50th Tattersalls Gold Cup by four and a half lengths as 1-7 favs and is now the heavy favorite (7-4 to 5-2) for King George VI & Queen Elizabeth at Ascot in late July. Coolmore and trainer Aidan O'Brien also took the 89th Irish 1000 Guineas running 1-2 with Misty For Me and Together.

Barry Irwin Is Right

Perhaps Barry Irwin's fifteen minutes of fame is over. Perhaps he will never again have the stage to espouse his views on the industry.

But he must given his due. He bred an excellent Derby winner who just came up short in the Preakness. His emphasis on international racing and pedigrees - drug free mind you - is where the sport needs to be in North America. He has discovered many top level horses. Just today at Kranji, Gitano Hernando won the 11th Singapore International Cup - a horse discovered by Team Valor who won the Goodwood at Santa Anita with him and later sold him to current owner Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov. At Longchamp today, the Team Valor owned Brigantin won the Group II Prix Vicomtesse Vigier at 10-1 over a little more than a mile and seven furlongs.

We need more people like Barry Irwin in this sport - even if he is a bit of a jackass.

www.teamvalor.com

Jerry Brown's Preakness Picks...

Aren't posted on his website but his feelings towards Animal Kingdom and Dialed In can be gleaned from article earlier in the week in the NY Post.

Jerry usually gives us his Preakness perspective as Race of the Week on Thorograph website - especially after giving us a "stinker" like his Derby Analysis:

http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/horse_racing/one_expert_bet_against_kingdom_WSRX5UNsKfNEB0njJebZVJ

Preakness Storyline Guide

Astrology - Part of potential "Dead Men Exacta" with Dance City - owner Jess Jackson passed away in April

Norman Asbjornson - Local connections win with longshot Pa-bred sired by Derby-Preakness winner who died after paddock incident last September - part of potential "Dead Sire Exacta" with Astrology (AP Indy)

King Congie - Trainer won Preakness with Bernadini in ill-fated Barbaro year and jockey seeking redemption after yanked late from mount on eventual Derby winner

Flashpoint - Sharp owner/trainer combination will be in the lead and strictly one to catch

Shackleford - Derby frontrunner faces tougher competition early today

Sway Away - Wiseguy horse with jockey who was taken off eventual winner last year

Midnight Interlude - If Baffert hasn't given up on him, why should you?

Dance City - Part of potential "Dead Men Exacta" - owner Edward Evans died in December

Mucho Macho Man - Barn has won only 3 of 56 in 2011 - first female Preakness winning trainer

Dialed In - Derby redemption for beaten fav and five million dollar bonus to boot

Animal Kingdom - the trail to the Triple Crown grail continues

Isn't He Perfect - Longshot winner for Guyana native trainer Doodnauth Shivmangal

Concealed Identity - Local connections hit it big at old Hilltop with a Maryland bred - old Preakness storyline

Mr. Commons - Zenyatta trainer doesn't ship East often - must take long look despite poor draw

Crist Preakness Pick - Dialed In

http://www.drf.com/news/preakness-picks-dialed-can-turn-tables-animal-kingdom

Beyer picks Animal Kingdom in Preakness

http://www.drf.com/news/preakness-should-play-animal-kingdoms-strengths

Brad Free Type Post

Have you noticed that the Juddmonte horses aren't running nearly as well in the United States since Bill Mott took over the stable upon the death of Bobby Frankel at the end of 2009? Good example is the 5 year old mare Acronym who ran a distant 4th in the Monmouth Beach today. Under Frankel as a 3 year old, the filly broke her maiden at Santa Anita and proceeded to win her next two allowance-optional claiming starts at Saratoga and Belmont. Then Mott took over and in the past year and a half has only coaxed a single front running allowance win at Keeneland out of the mare. No Black Type for her. There are many more examples like this and a thorough comparison would be interesting. Not to say that Mott isn't still a capable trainer but any comparison with Frankel will put him in a bad light.

Woodbine Racecourse has hands-down the best simulcast presentation.

The introduction of Betfair in California would likely result in ante-post markets for many races. Based on the Cal-bred Bench Points' win in the Barrera today, would anyone say "Bench Points has a quote of 15-1 for the Cal Cup Classic in October"?

On Saturday on the Roger Stein show he went off on Brad Free after Free wrote something negative about Stein's stallion Terrell.

By the way, Stein said on his Saturday radio show that Michael Baze was a "tortured soul" who was "devastated" by losing the mount on Nehro to Corey Nakatani after his 2nd in the Louisiana Derby.

Someone should listen to Stein's show and post transcripts of it like they do for Rush Limbaugh and Howard Stern. Hmmm....

Future of American Racetracks?

According to Thoroughbred Los Angeles radio show on Sunday morning, there were more than 7,000 at Santa Anita on Saturday for the 3rd Food Truck Festival in 2011.

Racing in Southern California on Saturday was taking place at Hollywood Park where a crowd of 4,397 attended per Equibase to watch Old English Rancho's Acclamation take the Jim Murray Handicap for the second successive year.