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PAUL SILLER SHARES HIS OWNERSHIP EXPERIENCE
Horse Partnerships - A Healthy Addiction: When one has a tragedy in life or is just experiencing the mid-life questioning of self and purpose, that individual often slips into unhealthy addictions like drugs, alcohol, excessive gambling, fast women and cars, and all the other things that your parents told you to stay away from. With my personal tragedy of the passing of my wife I was immediately thrown into that mid-life period of questioning of self/purpose. I chose to devote a lot of my idle time to learning more about my passion of horseracing. I could have easily slipped into the excessive gambling habit. Instead, I studied pedigree charts, sales results, and generally tried to read as much as possible about the industry, breeding, racing, handicapping, ownership, and partnerships. A few 'research trips' to the Derby, Breeders Cups, and Del Mar were thrown in. My dream was to one day own a race horse (one day meaning retirement). I particularly liked Cot Campbell's book - "Lightning in a Jar." In my research I contacted several partnership groups and read many web-sites all touting to offer the best partnership experience. That is when I landed on MTG's website. I instantly got the feeling of honesty as their website was realistic and compared the potential downside of the partnership experience to that of having a horrible vacation. You went on the vacation, had a horrible time…but, you can't get your money back. That does not stop you from going on another vacation… Wow, honesty in the horse business.. I contacted Lisa and within a month met her and Gary. In my gut I knew this was the right partnership group for me. I sensed Lisa's devotion to the health and the happiness of the horse over winning at the expense of the horses health. At the next Keeneland yearling sale Lisa bought three horses… I picked one and I was in! I was part of the game, part of a team. No waiting for retirement. For the next 15 months, up to the horses first start, I experienced one of the greatest drugs one can experience. That great ( very addictive) drug called "anticipation." That anticipation culminated with the extreme high, nervousness, and elevated heart rate of watching your horse load into the gate for his first race. A day at the track is always great but, a thousand times better when you have a horse on the card. Even though our horse never made it to the winners circle I became addicted to the anticipation. Addicted, so much so, that I am now on horse partnership number two. But, a healthy addiction! I imagine that I'll get addicted to winning, once that happens. You'll not find a more honest, pleasant, nice, group of people to be associated with. The "G" in MTG is the best.
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Wednesday, December 17, 2008
TRAINERS SWING FROM AN EMOTIONAL PENDULUM AT AQUEDUCT
Jamaica, NY—On the year’s last day of significant racing in New York, Larry Jones had a winner that showed early Derby potential and Nick Zito lost a veteran horse in the waning sunlight on Saturday, November 29th. Old Fashioned (Unbridled’s Song—Collect Call) got a rocking chair ride on the front end and lulled the field to sleep in the $200,000, 1 1/8-mile Remsen. Ramon Domingez was allowed to get away with a 24.2 first quarter on his way to a 1:38.1 mile as he drew off to a 7-length win. The running line in the chart read, “Good, under wraps final 1/8.” The $600k purchase by sire Unbridled’s Song didn’t appear to turn a hair. Jones has many options with Old Fashioned. It is a long time and distance and it takes wheelbarrows full of luck and manure to get from a graded stakes win in Ozone Park, Queens in late November to the feature race on the first Saturday in May in Louisville. However, it appeared that Old Fashioned went to the lead on his own courage and could have repelled any serious threats that day. Dominguez barely moved a muscle and even sneaked a peek between his legs in deep stretch looking for competition. Plus, “Old Fashioned” is perhaps the most perfect Derby-sounding name of all time. “I ‘member when Old Fashioned won by daylight back in ’09. That horse closed like Rumbo!” is the kind of sentence that you might imagine hearing an old hardboot say around mid-century while kicking blades of Bluegrass in the Commonwealth. The race after the Remsen was the $300,000 Cigar Mile. Two familiar names from the Triple Crown trail, Tale of Ekati and Harlem Rocker, dueled down the stretch while racing forward and moving back and forth across the track. The result was a nose photo finish, with two added twists: 1) Zito’s Wanderin Boy was pulled up in distress heroically by the jock at the top of the lane, avoiding a possible disaster; and 2) Harlem Rocker appeared to lug in during the stretch run. The “STEWARDS’ INQUIRY” sign went up immediately after the race. It wasn’t clear whether the subject of the inquiry was Wanderin Boy or Harlem Rocker. Possibly, both. Harlem Rocker was disqualified and placed second, with Tale of Ekati declared the winner. From the Cigar, Wanderin Boy was vanned off and later euthanized. Another Derby dream lives for Larry Jones while a 7-year-old gives his life to the track and Nick Zito. One new race that Jones and other trainers of promising three-year-olds have available this year is the first running of the Kentucky Derby Challenge Stakes from Kempton Park Racecourse in England. Churchill has partnered with Kempton to establish a showcase race early in the British racing season that will make the winner of the $150,000 race eligible for a spot in the starting gate in the Derby, plus a $100,000 bonus for simply running in Louisville. The Challenge will be contested over 1 1/8 miles, on Polytrack, under lights at night, run clockwise. If your English thoroughbred can run fast and far on plastic late one March day and turning right, then the Challenge might be perfectly suited. Doesn’t sound as though the race was written with many American horses in mind. There must be a breeding cross that would produce that unusual European nick. The race could provide a springboard for a European-based horse to compete in the Triple Crown series. Historically, the English racing season has few graded stakes early in their year so European-based horses are at a disadvantage when trying to earn a berth in the Derby starting gate which is based on graded stakes earnings. The Challenge clears the path for more international interest in the American racing scene, particularly interest in the form of fans’ attention and betting dollars. There is precedent for an English horse running well in the Derby. In 1986, Bold Arrangement shipped in from Great Britain, prepped in the Blue Grass and was one masterful ride by Bill Shoemaker aboard Ferdinand away from wearing the garland of roses. Trainer Clive Brittain ran Bold Arrangement in the Breeder’s Cup at Aqueduct as a two-year-old and then in the Blue Grass at Keeneland so he was used to racing counter-clockwise on dirt. The winner of the Kentucky Derby Challenge Stakes wouldn’t have the same sort of American experience that Bold Arrangement had in 1986. Still, it is a very positive development for international thoroughbred racing that Churchill and Kempton are willing to give it a go. Pints and crisps, mate?
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Wednesday, December 17, 2008
PISTOLS N PEARLS TO TRY FOR THIRD WIN
The Pistols N Pearls "posse" runs the gamut from first time owners to folks that have been involved in numerous racing partnerships over a decade or more. But they share a common bond. They are winners! Pistols N Pearls has had four career starts. She was second in her debut, won her next out, and won her fourth start stretching out to a mile. Her only failure to hit the board was in her race moving from the maiden ranks to competition against other winners. She got left in the gate, slammed into the rail, and still finished an admirable sixth. In this game, it is difficult to get a win at the allowance level....particularly with a horse that cost $12,000. Yes, that was twelve thousand ...not a hundred and twenty thousand. She's certainly earning her keep. If you visit the Thoroughbred Times stallion directory, you'll find that she is the third leading money earner for her sire - Posse - this year.
Pistols N Pearls faces both older horses and horses that have won at least two races in her next start. By far, it will be the toughest competition of her life. Our trainer, Jason Cook, is confident that she will make a valiant effort. All we can do is pray for a safe trip and a fair shot. That's about all any of us hope for, isn't it?
I want to leave you with some little tidbits about the owners. When Pistols N Pearls goes into the starting gate on Saturday, one of our female partners will be WEARING a miniature revolver...and one will be holding one. That's right, one of our partners recently commissioned a jewelry designer to create a "Pistols N Pearls" brooch for her. It is absolutely fabulous and captures the spirit of our filly. The other female partner has the tiniest miniature revolver (not an actual weapon, of course) that has become the "good luck charm" of every race. Yet another female member of our gang has an eighty year old aunt that gets the play-by-play!! And, we all know better than to upset "Aunt Betty"....even without meeting her!!!
While the filly - herself - is high spirited and tough with lots of heart and class, the same could be said for these ladies in the Pistols N Pearls "posse." Never a dull moment......that's for sure!
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Wednesday, December 17, 2008
THE AVERAGE THOROUGHBRED RACEHORSE
The "average" thoroughbred racehorse stands 16 hands tall (64 inches or 4 inches per hand measured to withers) and weighs about 1,000 lbs. The heart of the thoroughbred is about as big as a volleyball and usually weighs about 10 lbs. The massive heart of the racehorse can pump up to 75 gallons of blood per minute during a race. Secretariat's heart weighed an astounding 22 pounds! The average horse can run at speeds of 35 to 40 mph. The stride of the thoroughbred racehorse is approximately 20 feet long and they can take up to 150 strides per minute!
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Wednesday, December 17, 2008
GARY ROEDEMEIER ON DERBY 2009
A horse has never won the Kentucky Derby without starting as a two year old and so, next year's winner is probably out there running. Your job is to find that winner before the first Saturday in May.
And we already have some hints, some early bloomers, some juvenile stars on the horizon. Start your list for Derby 2009. Some of these early stars will fade, some will get hurt, but maybe, just maybe, like Street Sense in 2007, the winner is already on the radar.
Vineyard Haven
Let's start with a two year old who has already won two Grade One Stakes and......won them on dirt. Remember, they run the Kentucky Derby on dirt. The Champagne Stakes has always been a good predictor of the winter book favorite for the Derby and this time, the Champagne was won by the aptly name Vineyard Haven. This son of Lido Palace had already won the Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga then crushed a field at Belmont by almost six lengths. The next step should be the Breeders' Cup Juvenile but....here's the catch. Vineyard Haven is not nominated to the Cup. Trainer Bobby Frankel would have to supplement the horse at a cost of $180,000. He'll probably pass on the Cup and look elsewhere. By the way, one of the owners of Vineyard Haven is Dodger's manager Joe Torre. He's already had a good October. Just ask the Chicago Cubs.
Square Eddie
The rest of our Derby hopefuls are on the artificial turf road to the Breeders' Cup and that should set them up for the Pro-Ride at Santa Anita. Or does it? Pro-Ride is still an unknown among faux race tracks. Will it play like Polytrack or something else? Which brings us to the Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland, a race that was won by a British invader, who's about to become very American. European trainer John Best brought three horses to Keeneland but will leave the winner behind for California trainer Paul O'Neill. J. Paul Reddam bought Square Eddie and O'Neill had not seen the horse until a few hours beford the race. Now Eddie moves squarely into the Breeders' Cup picture. And as a son of Smart Strike, he'll get the distance and is already a Derby contender.
West Side Bernie
Speaking of sire power, have you been watching the offspring of Bernstein. Dream Empress, a Bernstein filly won the Grade One Alcibiades at Keeneland. She's owned by MTG partners Kelly Colliver and Bruce and Debbie Lane. West Side Bernie was winner of the Kentucky Cup Juvenile. West Side Bernie was named for Leonard Bernstein, the composer of West Side story. Bernie won on the dirt at Monmouth and made it two in a row at Turfway. He'll be a longshot in California, but watch this horse and this sire for the future.
Street Hero
He was a maiden when he won the Norfolk on Pro-Ride. Now he's in the Cup. Street Hero is a son of Street Cry, who has already produced one Derby winner in Street Sense and remember Street Sense loved the dirt, even though he ran some decent races on Polytrack. If Street Hero wins at Santa Anita again, he might look even better at Churchill Downs.
Midshipman
Bob Baffert has a Derby candidate in California. If you were in the Navy, you'll love Midshipman. He won the Delmar Futurity and then finished second to Street Hero in the Norfolk. Middie has already proved to be a gritty closer and he's by Unbridled Song, so the Breeders' Cup two turn race should be no problem. The only problem for this colt might be the long Derby trail. The Unbridled line seems prone to injury. And by the way, by the time the Derby trials begin, Midshipman will be running in the Darley colors because the horse was included in the sale of Stonerside Stables.
Coronet of a Baron
Another Darley challenger is Coronet of a Baron, who ran second to Midshipman and beat Street Hero in the Delmar Futurity. He skipped the Norfolk but should be right in the mix as a Breeders' Cup and Derby possibility. All of these horses are great probabilities for the first Derby Futures Pool that will come out in February. Remember that sometimes, Derby horses like Monarchos don't win a race and emerge as a contender until they are three years old. But just looking at this year's two year olds and the pedigrees, you might be looking at a winner right now and not know it. It's going to make the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, a race to watch for handicappers, who want an early idea about the Derby next May.
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Monday, May 28, 2007
Thoroughbred Horse Racing Statistics
The moment a mare is bred to a stallion, the numbers “game” begins. The percentage of live births to actual race winners per thoroughbred crop is enough to raise the eyebrows of a stone-faced professional Texas Hold ‘Em player!!
If you are considering involvement in the “sport of kings” here are your chances of winning…
In 2004, there were 37,572 live thoroughbred foals registered as potential race horse candidates.
About a third of those - 10,088 or 27% - sold at auction in 2005 as yearlings.
In 2006, approximately 11,695 of them started as two-year olds.
NOW…for the staggering news!!
The percentage of winners of ONE race is approximately 27%…3157.
The percentage of winners of TWO races is only 12.5%…1462.
The percentage of winners of THREE races is 5.1%…596.
Media Thoroughbred Group started three 2-year olds in 2006. Two of them were winners. One of them won two races. The third horse started his racing career on December 31, 2006 and has been in the superfecta in all but two of his six career starts.
Our current “in the money” percentage is a staggering 72%.
Get involved in the future of horse racing….Media Thoroughbred Group.
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Tuesday, January 30, 2007
It’s All About the Horses
New York:On a sad day when the valiant Barbaro has been euthanized, the thoughts and prayers of true racing fans go out to Roy and Gretchen Jackson for their loss. Whatever fans might feel collectively, the pain must be exponential for the Jacksons.
The Jacksons declined to do what many would have done in their position. They turned down an insurance payment for the incapacitated Derby hero and instead reached into their own hearts (and pockets) to give the horse every chance to fulfill his destiny as a sire of champions. The process was wrought with peril, though, and despite Herculean efforts by Dr. Dean Richardson Barbaro lost the battle this morning.
His passing is all the more discouraging because of the chaotic state of horseracing in New York at the moment. Depressing, really. True fans are diminished by the passing of a noble thoroughbred like Barbaro. At the same time, New York and NYRA have reduced racing here to a laughingstock. Horses and their welfare are the furthest thing from people’s minds here about now.
NYRA is suing the government on shaky legal and logical grounds in a futile attempt to retain the racing franchise beyond 2007, while Excelsior (headed up by Steve Swindal, George Steinbrenner’s son-in-law) has grandiose plans to bring in casinos and slot machines to prop up the ailing industry.
Swindal and his lot speak breathlessly about infusing money into racing by co-opting other forms of gambling, and also by making wagering on horses easier through the use of wireless hand-held devices that will render the anachronistic and unseemly OTB franchise irrelevant.
Golly, that sounds like a swell way to generate cash. But it has nothing to do with horses.
Barbaro’s noble shadow dominates the thoughts of all fans of horses today. New York will sort out this mess by throwing absurd amounts of money at the problem, all the while ensuring that Albany gets their pound of flesh.
Yet fans of racing know that we lost a Derby winner today in the most heart-wrenching fashion imaginable, with the whole world watching. For anyone who has ever held a bridle, mucked out a stall or enjoyed watching a horserace without any money bet, today is a dark day.
All proud Kentuckians died a small death this morning. Gamblers never missed a beat. Therein lies the difference among the crowd at a racetrack. It’s perceptible.
Fans know that Barbaro embodied all the reasons why we love horses. –John Day
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Friday, September 29, 2006
Hoofbeats in Manhattan
by John Day
New York - I am always on the lookout in New York for horses. Having grown up in Kentucky and being cognizant of horses’ special link to humans, I have a working knowledge of the equine breed that would be characterized as “average” at best in the Commonwealth. Here in NYC, people think I really know the horses and the thoroughbred industry. Let’s just rate mine as a healthy respect, mixed with limited experience around the stables. I know, for instance, to stay out of a horse’s path and to keep a steady pressure on the flank when passing behind. Hand me a leadshank and I can pass muster; but, don’t ask me to hot-walk or muck stalls!
There are basically three occasions when one can expect to see a horse in Manhattan.
First, it is a certainty that every day there will be a rangy line of mixed-bred horses gathered on the north side of Central Park South directly across from the Plaza Hotel. Those are the overworked horses that pull the carriages that tourists ride through Central Park. It is a rag-tag group of older mares and geldings that have a listless look in their eyes; but, they still possess the noble bearing that causes one to conjure up the respect that these working horses deserve. When we pass by, I often pick out one particularly alert horse on CPS and rub its muzzle. My Bronx-bred wife enjoys giving a horse a good sniff and cuddle on its very soft muzzle. Drivers smile.
Second, there are the police horses that are used for crowd control. These are thoroughbred geldings that have been reconditioned and retrained to deal with large crowds, loud noises from unexpected places (think about firearms), and rock-hard pavement. It’s a standard police measure that one mounted cop is worth ten cops on foot patrol when crowd control is an issue. Even New Yorkers know to give way to a horse and that horses easily part crowds.
The third time when horses are evident in the city is during parades. Understand that there are frequent parades in Manhattan. A dizzying number of nationalities have parades to celebrate their heritage. Once can usually find some type of parade on every weekend in one of the five boroughs. Horses make an appearance either because they are an integral part of that ethnic group; or, the mounted police are deployed to keep the peace within the large crowd.
Last month, a white mare that belonged to the carriage horse brigade on Central Park South got a mention in a Saturday edition of the New York Times. This particular mare had spent nearly two decades pulling a carriage through Central Park and she suffered a fatal bout of colic. Her name was Juliet.
Juliet was distinguishable by her white plume attached to her white bridle. When I saw Juliet’s story in the Times, I realized that I had seen her before while walking with my wife through Central Park. I remember seeing an old white mare with a white tassel.
Central Park is one of the very few places in Manhattan where the smell of horse manure wafts distinctly in the city air. The other location is Hell’s Kitchen, where those horses are stabled. Smelling Central Park South is like walking near a shed row.
The Times reported that Juliet suffered a bout of colic while pulling a tourist couple through the park. In agonizing pain, she collapsed on the road and refused to get up. Frantic, the driver called his veterinarian using a cell phone and asked for advice. The vet advised him to whip the mare in order to make her stand and try to walk out the colic.
A crowd gathered to heckle the driver for his apparent cruel treatment of the fallen horse. In fact, the commotion even attracted the attention of jaded cops. Amazingly, one of the NYPD officers unholstered his revolver in an attempt to dissuade the driver from beating the mare prone on the ground. The driver put the cop on the cell phone to speak with the vet, who confirmed that the mare’s only chance to live was to get up and walk.
Juliet did manage to get back on her hoofs, but then crashed again and stayed there. Her life was over on a pitiful patch of grass in an urban oasis. The driver had beaten her in order to try to sustain her life and his livelihood…a drastic measure.
But Juliet had spent two decades earning her keep as an icon to tourists. When eulogized in the press, this particular animal caused a glimmer of recognition within this casual observer. Short of a career as a famous thoroughbred racehorse, what horse gets an obit in the Times? Juliet seemed to live a good life. Only her death was ignoble. And sad.
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Monday, September 25, 2006
Life-Defining Moments
by John Day
New York - The litmus test of a true Louisvillian is his ability to recall past Kentucky Derby scenarios. Give me a year, and I can most likely recite the winning horse, jockey and trainer (perhaps even the owner!). For many races, I can recall the special circumstances surrounding that year’s Derby. Some stand out more than others, usually for personal reasons.
For example, this year’s Derby was memorable in our household for two reasons: 1) it was the first time in my life I actually had money on the winner, and 2) my nephew called immediately after the race and he and I had come to the same conclusion, albeit separated by 853 miles: we might have seen a Triple Crown winner.
As everyone knows, Barbaro never won or raced again. Racing can be cruel. Each Derby offers the chance to experience a life-defining moment. Other sporting events evoke isolated memories; but, the Derby consistently supplies 120+ seconds of adrenaline.
I vividly recall watching Spend A Buck go directly to the front and continue to improve his position throughout the 1 1/4 miles in 1985. My instincts told me that it took a superior horse to win the Derby on the front; and, he proved his mettle that day.
Bill Shoemaker wheeling Ferdinand toward the rail and racing toward immortality in 1986 will forever define the confluence of skill and bravado, in my opinion.
The following year, when Alysheba clipped heels with Bet Twice and still managed to win the race, I was awestruck by the sheer athleticism of the animal - and crestfallen by the fact that my trifecta box had finished 1-2-4.
This month marked the five year anniversary of the tragic events of September 11, 2001. It was a somber day in New York history. For those of us who live here, it could be the ultimate life-defining moment that we will ever experience both individually and collectively. New York City was very subdued all day, which is rare here. Most of the local broadcasts had man-in-the street interviews with people recalling the exact moment when they heard the news that two planes had crashed into the World Trade Center.
My saga involves an Aer Lingus flight returning from Dublin. My wife and I learned somewhere over the north Atlantic that our flight was being diverted to Canada. At first, the pilot announced that our flight would land in Montreal or Toronto. He then came back on and informed us that we would be putting down immediately.
The plane banked severely to the right and circled back out over the water. The distinct sound and smell of fuel being dumped into the ocean filled the cabin. Jet airplanes carry most of their fuel in the wings, which will snap off upon landing if not depleted. We ultimately landed in Gander, Newfoundland, and then spent four days sleeping on the floor of a local Elks Club. Our hosts could not have been more generous.
By Friday, September 14th, we learned that we had to fly back to Dublin since no aircraft that had been aloft on September 11th would be allowed into United States airspace for fear of bombs onboard. We arrived in Dublin late Friday night, only to turn around on Saturday morning and fly back to New York.
The worst experience of all was taking an express bus on Monday morning into Manhattan. As we crossed the bridge that leads from the Long Island Expressway to the Midtown Tunnel, we could see smoldering smoke where two enormous towers formerly stood. My wife, a fiercely proud New Yorker, swallowed hard and teared up. To have a beacon of your skyline stripped away, not to mention the memory of thousands of bodies still buried in the rubble, is to have a part of yourself laid bare.
Not all life-defining moments result in a garland of roses.
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Monday, August 21, 2006
Bluegrass Ambassadors
by John Day
Chances are, if you’re reading this blog, you are a resident of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, have spent time there, or, have a keen interest in warmbloods. As a proud Bluegrass Ambassador, you must have the following three vital pieces of information about horses:
First, horses have compound eyes rather than complex eyes like humans. When we look at things, we see color, depth and composition. When horses see things, they are more two-dimensional in a rather colorless environment. And, as an object enters their field of vision there is actually a point at which the horse switches from binocular to monocular vision, thus creating a momentary “blind spot:” that often spooks the animal. Horses do not rely on vision for a great deal of the information about their world. In fact, their evolutionary “flight” defense mechanism allows them to outrun the prey and analyze the details later.
Second, horses have small brains. However, it annoys me immensly when folks who wouldn’t know a fetlock from a pastern make the ignorant observation that “horses are stupid.” No, they aren’t stupid…they are instinctual. The term “stupid” implies that they have greater mental capacity than they are utilizing. Horses are hitting on all brain cylinders when they back away from what they perceive as dangerous. To us, a pitchfork is no threat; however, to them, it could be a potentially harmful snake or other adversary until it is determined otherwise.
Third, if you are ever presented with the honor of leading a racehorse ANYWHERE there is a very specific and correct way to handle the animal. Take the leadshank, make a loop with the end of the leather strap, and put your left hand through the loop. Then, take your right hand and grab control of the horse on the leather strap near his lip. That way, if the horse balks, and the rein is pulled from your right hand, you can still have control with the left hand. Loose horses are a danger to themselves and everyone in their path. D. Wayne Lukas’ son, Jeff, was horrifically injured as he courageously and nobly tried to stop a runaway. And, just recently at Churchill Downs, a young filly with a very bright future got loose on the track as she was preparing to breeze, attempted to “flee” back to her stall, and impaled herself on the rail beside the gate. Got your attention? Okay….reins in hand, press your right shoulder against the horse briefly and let him know that you are in control. Horses respond to authority and a chain of command. And, if you are not at the top of that chain, you are in a world of trouble. Give the leadshank a slight tug and let the horse know that you won’t tolerate any foolishness. And, finally, if you are uncomfortable, decline the invitation to lead the valuable animal. Better to have never known that to have known and erred in this case.
My dearest friend in the world gave me a Tony Leonard photograph of Secretariat many years ago. My friend graduated from MIT and lives in a neighboring state. When I lived on Ormsby Street in Old Louisville near the University of Louisville campus, he happened by me as I was sitting on my front porch reading The Daily Racing Form. “What’s that?” he asked innocently. My reply, “This ol’ thing? Why, it’s The Form.‘ Many dollars both won and lost later, he has his own teller at the OTB who knows to punch the tickets exactly as called out. My giving an MIT grad something like The Form like giving crack to an addict. Data be him!! He sees things in the dancing numbers that others would never comprehend.
This same friend called me one Friday evening when I was on the way to a New York Yankees game and said I might want to look at the Claiborne horse, Clash, in the ninth race at Churchill Downs. Putting said horse on top and bottom in the exacta would be prudent, in his opinion. I didn’t bother to visit an OTB, but a $14.20 win mutuel later, I think my friend made some coin that day! Then again, trips are usually worth exactly what they cost.
His spot on gift two decades ago of the Tony Leonard photo of Secretariat greets visitors to my wife’s and my New York home. However, there is a slight problem, as Secretariat’s left rein is perceptibly lower than the right. Clearly, the groom has been airbrushed out of the photo. Nobody who handles horses would allow any thoroughbred to walk unattended while reined. And, that fact is exponentially true of a horse like Secretariat. Weird things happen. The horse could get his leg tangled in the dangling reins. Remember how Alydar died? His leg was broken inside his stall…under somewhat mystifying circumstances. I still can’t believe the insurance company paid that claim.
I happen to be employed in the newspaper business. All media outlets are transmogrifying (with a nod toward the “Calvin and Hobbs” cartoon strip) from television stations, newspapers and magazines into information-delivery properties. That is a huge distinction because it used to be that readers/consumers/customers would go to a trusted source for information. Now? Not so much. Trusted brands are losing ground.
The massive internet search engines have dramatically changed the landscape. A user who is curious can access Google or Yahoo! for information. The media person who is way ahead of the game in terms of comprehending this huge change is Rupert Murdoch. His empire includes BskyB in the UK, Star in China, Fox in America and many newspapers, including my favorite…The New York Post. Page Six alone is worth bookmarking in your browser.
A recent Page Six mentioned Pat Riley, who wass also extensively profiled in the sports section that day. Anytime an NBA coach from another city is mentioned multiple times in different sections, that coach is absolutely big pimpin’. Riley is from upstate New York (so there is something of a local angle here) and he played college basketball under Adolph Rupp. He led the Los Angeles “Showtime” Lakers to multiple NBA titles, took the New York Knicks to the seventh game of the finals in search of the Larry O’Brien trophy, and then, won another title with the Miami Heat last week.
Riley’s beaming smile was broadcast one weekend at the pep rally in South Beach after the Heat championship. His dance moves on the podium were amazing. My Latina wife from the Bronx (who could dance credibly to the rhythm from an electric can opener) blurted out “Check him out! That man can MOVE!” when she saw the clip. That, my friends, is noteworthy praise.
My four older sisters taught me growing up in Kentucky always to dance when the chance presents itself and to dance like nobody’s watching. Pat Riley took that one a step further and learned to dance well. He looked like a man with more Lexington, Kentucky in his blood than Schenectady, New York.
I’d be willing to bet that Pat Riley also knows how to properly lead a racehorse. It is apparent to those of us who take pride in our state and our heritage that Pat Riley was “raised right.” Hats off to a true Bluegrass Ambassador.
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