Silver linings to stormy Horse Racing season

[two gun sid]

From DRF:
Even Polyanna, bless her soul, would have had trouble smiling while trying to brave the powerful storms that buffeted racing on and off the track this year. Hurricanes pounded the Gulf Coast and tore up tracks from Louisiana to Florida, the New York Racing Association was going broke, Hollywood Park was sold to land developers, the Jockeys' Guild management put on an embarrassing display when hauled before Congress, and an inordinate number of top-class horses missed much of the year with injuries. Heck, they could not even grow grass in California.

If you think that was bad - and it was - imagine just how bad it could have been. Think back to May 21, Pimlico Race Course, a mile into the Preakness Stakes, the second leg of the sport's best-known races, the Triple Crown. Two horses came together, causing one to stumble grotesquely, his nose practically touching the ground, his jockey coming out of the stirrups.

From that precarious position, there were two extremes of possibilities. The first, chilling to comprehend, would have found a popular horse and his jockey splayed in front of the dozen horses who trailed them, all before a national television audience. Not pretty.

The second, amazing to comprehend, somehow was realized. Though inches from disaster, Afleet Alex, with jockey Jeremy Rose, righted himself, shook off the incident like he was swatting a horse fly, immediately gathered himself, overtook Scrappy T, and won the race. Every superlative in the dictionary could be used, but for brevity's sake, these two words encapsulate it - remarkable bravery.

http://www.drf.com/news/article/71203.html


Afleet Alex nearly falls as he collides
with Scrappy T in the Preakness, but
he won the race anyway.

[Justpat]

1. Happy New Year sid.

And Happy New Year and successful, safe racing in 2006
to all the other racing fans at DU sports.

All the best to all of you... Old Broad

[two gun sid]

2. Thank You and Happy New Year to you!

[aaronbees]

3. can't believe I missed this...

Great thoughts ... and happy racing this year, horse nuts :)

On a side note: looks like Funny Cide flopped in the Mr. Prospector this weekend. I really think it's time to let him go out and play in the pastures ... or at Kentucky Horse Park. He just doesn't seem to have the competitive fire to run when it comes to the afternoon, so I say let him be; he's a dual classic winner and has earned whatever makes him happy. Kind of a sad way to start the new year of racing, but it looks like the Derby trail is beginning :)

[two gun sid]

5. Poor old Funny Cide...

so much is expected from him. He's always been a very good horse and has raced in good company. He was a great horse for 2 weeks and I'll never knock the old boy. His Preakness was outstanding.

[PDittie]

4. I sure do enjoy

you and Old Broad's postings.

It's going to be a great season.

[two gun sid]

6. Thanks and yes it will be a great season...

here in MI we are looking forward to a great Fair Circuit season.

We have a 2YO filly pacer that is training like a monster. Our 3 yo colt trotter is coming back from a long layoff. Got a couple other horses in the barn that could jump up and do something this year. The weather has been kind to us and we have been able to train pretty regular on the track. All the horses are feeling pretty good.

Breeding season is coming up and that excites me. We are looking forward to a couple of new foals this year and I also enjoy figuring out what mare to breed to what stud.

I enjoy Old Broad's posts. She should start her own blog. I, for one, would really enjoy reading about life on the backstretch.

[u4ic]

10. Good luck with your horses, sid

May they all come home safe, and winners!

I agree, Old Broad's posts are so insightful and interesting to read. I always look forward to her posts.

[Justpat]

11. Hi Sid.

Funny thing you should mention the blog about racing and the backstretch...
I have been thinking of doing just that lately. I have worked on the
backstretch since '69 as jockey, exercize rider, trainer, assistant
trainer, etc. Your basic jack of all trades. But my body is pretty worn
out and I'm thinking of finding about 10 acres somewhere where I can
have my two mares and stay home and write.

Right now I'm at Palm Meadows training center in south FL. We only
have a few horses here. I sent all the rest back to NY or to farms
elsewhere. This track is so deep that it is not good for them unless
they are older horses with a skeleton made of cast iron. A track this
deep and dead is just as tough on a horse as one that is too hard.

But the weather is nice.

How are things with the jugheads?

[two gun sid]

13. Hey you!

So good to hear you are doing well and enjoying the sunny Florida weather.

After I posted that the weather was being kind to us it turned to shit. The track is a muddy mess. The horses have been getting treadmilled but, it ain't as good as getting out on the track. I took a load of feed down to the trainers last night and Jack was really belly-achin' about the horses not getting worked.

When I got to Jack's house I saw this big brown horse out in the paddock next to the machinery barn. When I got a little closer I saw that it was Mickey. He had rolled around in the mud and was completely covered with it. Mickey was so pleased with himself. I went down and talked to him and boy was he feelin' good. He was runnin' and kickin' and just being a horse. I can't help it, that horse just tickles me. He is a pig in the stall and just an all around clown. Not a mean bone in his body and he loves people. I always get a big smile on my face when I see him.

Are you really gonna retire and get you a piece of land? I think that would be great. Are you going to stay in NY?

Do the blog. I think that would be great. I always enjoy everything you post here.

Now I have a question for you. What is going on with the outbreaks of EHV-1 at all the tracks? We vaccinate for it and in MI you can't even move a horse without a vets certificate.

<on edit> What are your feelings about Bailey retiring?

[Justpat]

14. The strain of EVH-1 that is causing all the trouble

is a mutation of the EHV that causes upper respiratory problems and abortion in mares.
So far, no one knows what causes the virus to mutate.

There is a very good article at http://www.thehorse.com about this virus.

We have a good vaccination program in our stable but this strain of herpes is not the
same one that we have all vaccinated for in the past. We also feed lysine every day
to all our horses. It seems to help prevent the replication of the virus.


About Jerry Bailey retiring - I'm sorry to see him leave racing but glad that he
will be a commentator on the networks. He will be an intelligent voice for our
industry.

He is still in good shape physically so I am not sure what is the real reason for
retirement. I'll miss him. We have had a lot of success with him. He won his
5000th race on one of our good grass fillies a few years ago.

[two gun sid]

15. Thank-you. Good article at TheHorse.

[u4ic]

7. Happy New Year everyone!

Hope you all had a wonderful holiday season. :toast:

I didn't even check this group for weeks. Glad to see it's still active, and to see some familiar faces, so to speak.

[two gun sid]

8. Happy New Year u4ic!

Hope everything is going well for you.

How are the Euro horses doing? Any of them have a chance of coming over and winning the Derby?

[u4ic]

9. Happy New Year, sid!!

Thanks for keeping the horse racing threads going. I'll keep checking back now.

I haven't had a chance to do some good research on the Euro 3 year olds yet. Last summer was pretty chaotic and I didn't follow racing as much as I normally do. All the really good 2 year olds last year seemed to be by Danehill, who usurped Sadler's Wells for the top sire title...I doubt they'd be coming over to the KD. I don't know about Godolphin, I'll have to go through their site and see how last years 2 years olds are blossoming this year.

I've got lots of catching up to do!!!

[Justpat]

12. Hello u4ic!

Where have you been? It is great to see you back here.

[u4ic]

16. Hi Old Broad!

I hope you had a wonderful holiday season.

I haven't been checking in this forum much...which I should have been doing.

Are you still in NY, or down south now? How are your horses coming along?

[Justpat]

17. I am in Florida right now.

We only sent a few horses down this year so I am trying to look
busy, eating lots of shrimp and staying warm.

[u4ic]

18. Gawd, you got it tough

:rofl:

[aaronbees]

19. nice!

Any inside scoop on the horses down there? Particularly ... any 3 year olds in training? I think FuSam is down there, if I'm not mistaken.

[Justpat]

20. First Samurai is down at Gulfstream so I never see him.

I took a filly down there yesterday to school in the paddock
and that was only my second time down there since the meet opened.