Wandering Eyes

What a time to be alive! I’ve seen it said on Twitter and elsewhere that the Triple Crown races are nothing more than a series of “restricted” races for 3-year-olds, and, therefore, not as important as the “unrestricted” Grade I races for older horses. To diminish the accomplishments of Triple Crown winner Justify (Scat Daddy) in this way is either ignorance or a line of historical revisionism used by some to make a case for Accelerate (Lookin At Lucky) as Horse of the Year. Racing is a microcosm of society, and just as some longstanding institutions of the social order are under threat these days, perhaps it’s not that surprising to see the Triple Crown, one of racing’s greatest institutions, spoken of so cavalierly. We are living through a period where the significance of the past is being conveniently ignored for the construction of newer narratives within a historical void. But this conceit won’t hold water in the long run because it is on precedence that historical significance is measured. And historical significance should be at the heart of the debate of Accelerate versus Justify for Horse of the Year. In the modern era of the last 50 years or so, there have been five Triple Crown winners in the U.S.: Secretariat (’73), Seattle Slew (’77), Affirmed (’78), American Pharoah (’15), and Justify (’18). Each of these colts had to win the 10-furlong GI Kentucky Derby, the 9.5-furlong GI Preakness, and the 12-furlong GI Belmont S. within a period of five weeks, which is a debilitating task and an exceptional achievement, and it’s why there have been so few to accomplish the feat. In fact, as the 37 years between Affirmed and American Pharoah dragged along, there was talk from many quarters about changing the format of the Classics, either by reducing race distances or extending time between them, as a method for manufacturing the possibility of another Triple Crown winner. That’s how hopeless things seemed, and breeders specifically were blamed during this span for producing softer and speedier horses lacking toughness and the requisite stamina. But in the end, the institution stood as it had, despite repeated efforts for change, and American Pharoah and Justify arrived as examples of excellence that linked them by achievement to America’s past Golden Age. Some have forgotten this. Others, including Andy Beyer, who recently said that Accelerate should be Horse of the Year over Justify, have changed their minds. But what Beyer compellingly wrote in the Washington Post in ’93 is still the case today: “The Triple Crown is exceptionally demanding and difficult–but that’s what it’s supposed to be. There are no tests in horse racing, and few in any sport, that are so reliable as a measurement of excellence. One might think that in a weak year a moderately talented animal might be able to get lucky and dominate his rivals over a five-week period. But this never happens. The four horses who have swept the series in the last 45 years–Citation, Secretariat, Seattle Slew, and Affirmed–ran among the very best of all time.” The Classics are for 3-year-olds–as they are in Europe, from where they were modeled–and the best of each crop is aimed for them. They are the races that make reputations, garner the most prestige for owners and breeders, and have the greatest fan interest, particularly when a Triple Crown is on the line. And as Beyer wrote, to sweep all three has never been easy. There have been only 13 Triple Crown winners dating back almost 100 years. And every Triple Crown winner since the ’70s, except for Justify–who was retired after the Belmont because of an injury–has also gone on to defeat older horses. More tellingly, however, each was voted Horse of the Year at three, because those voters at the time knew the enormity of their accomplishments. Some Case Histories Justify was undefeated and the winner of four Grade l races in six starts. He didn’t race at two. The last horse to win the Kentucky Derby without a start at two was Apollo in 1882, which is quite something when you think about it. Justify’s rise to Triple Crown winner, then, was as historic as it was meteoric and improbable, but the fairytale ended when a bothersome ankle forced his premature retirement. Out of action for the second half of the year, Justify’s brief campaign became fodder for the what-have-you-done-for-me-lately crowd, especially on Twitter. With a big syndication price around his neck and the notion that his record was being protected; a trainer, Bob Baffert, who’s not popular on social media; an ownership group of multiple partnerships, including the ubiquitous Sol Kumin, that was ridiculed on social media; and the stigma of not having beaten older horses, Justify’s popularity started to wane as the year wore on and Accelerate’s wins accumulated. Accelerate had an excellent year and won six of seven starts, including five Grade l races and the important year-end target of the last quarter-century, the Gl Breeders’ Cup Classic. He became a natural “populist” opponent to Justify for Horse of the Year, a disruptor to the establishment. I won’t address the “social furor” surrounding Justify and his connections, but I can address the issue of the colt not defeating older horses with this: Neither did Seattle Slew or Affirmed as 3-year-olds. Seattle Slew lost to J.O. Tobin, the English champion 2-year-old of ’76, in his only start after the Triple Crown and never faced older horses at three, while Affirmed, who did, lost to Seattle Slew and Exceller the only two times he faced his seniors. That didn’t stop either from being named Horse of the Year during their Triple Crown seasons, because of the weight of those three elusive wins. I don’t necessarily believe that winning the Triple Crown should guarantee automatic Horse of the Year selection–and for the record, I don’t vote–but as I said on Twitter recently, a Triple Crown winner’s “competition must be of such lofty status as to deny him the honor. In ’77, Forego wasn’t enough to deny Slew, and in ’78 Slew wasn’t enough to deny Affirmed.” In fact, the vote for Horse of the Year in ’77 was close. Forego, an all-time great and the reigning three-time Horse of the Year, had won four of seven starts and was weighted at 136 pounds for the Grade I Marlboro Cup after winning the Grade I Woodward under 133 pounds to end a three-race losing streak. Unfortunately, the popular weight carrier’s famously fragile ankles didn’t hold up and he was forced to miss the Marlboro Cup and was put away for the year. Had he won that race, he’d have been the first to pass the $2 million earnings mark and would likely and deservedly been voted his fourth consecutive Horse of the Year title over a Triple Crown winner. The next year, Exceller defeated both Seattle Slew and Affirmed in the Grade I Jockey Club Gold Cup to finish the season with a sparkling record of seven wins from 10 starts, including six Grade I races on turf and dirt, but he won no awards, with Affirmed voted Horse of the Year and Seattle Slew best older horse. That was a tough break for a thoroughly top-class horse. In this context, Accelerate doesn’t stack up next to such greats as Forego or Seattle Slew and maybe not even Exceller, and if those three couldn’t turn the tables on Triple Crown winners, it beggars belief that Accelerate could topple Justify. But we’re living through some strange times where norms have been discarded, and the ultimate decision on which horse is voted Horse of the Year will probably say more about us than him. Sid Fernando is president and CEO of Werk Thoroughbred Consultants, Inc., originator of the Werk Nick Rating and eNicks. View the full article

Lightly raced 5-year-old Tom's d'Etat continues to impress trainer Al Stall Jr., and after a 3 1/2-length triumph in the Tenacious Stakes Dec. 22, the conditioner is considering the son of Smart Strike for the Pegasus World Cup (G1). View the full article

Members of the TDN staff reveal what TDN Rising Star they’re most excited to see race in 2019. When a trainer as patient as Hall of Famer Bill Mott unleashes a win-early, blowout maiden winner on the dirt–standouts like Royal Delta, Close Hatches, Elate, To Honor and Serve and Speightster all come to mind–there’s a very good chance that you may have just witnessed something special. The lightly raced Mucho (Blame) obviously has a long way to go to join that illustrious honor roll, but he certainly hinted that he could be any kind after airing by 9 3/4 lengths at the Spa and earning a 90 Beyer Speed Figure at second asking this past summer. The Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider homebred’s subsequent runner-up finish a month later with a wide trip as the even-money favorite in the prestigious GI Hopeful S. may look even better in hindsight now as well after Walker Hancock revealed in TDN APBs last week that the bay exited that performance with an ankle issue. After getting plenty of time to recuperate-no surgery was required–Mucho is back in training at Mott’s Payson Park base and could launch his highly anticipated sophomore campaign in an allowance race in late February. –Steve Sherack, Senior Editor View the full article

An intriguing cast of locally based runners and East Coast invaders will square off in Saturday’s GI American Oaks at Santa Anita. Alice Bamford homebred Californiagoldrush (Cape Blanco {Ire}) took the first two starts of her career locally before checking in third in the GI Del Mar Oaks Aug. 18. She made the reverse journey to Belmont to annex the GII Sands Point S. over yielding sod Sept. 15 and will be looking to provide Hall of Famer Neil Drysdale with a first American Oaks trophy. Paved (Quality Road) also merits consideration among California contingent mostly due to the strength of her second-place finish over this course and 10-furlong distance when facing her elders in the GI Rodeo Drive S. Sept. 29. The winner was Vasilika (Skipshot), who was taking her seventh of eight straight that day. Paved also boasts a convincing victory in the GII Honeymoon S. here in June, but is looking to bounce back from a 12th-place run in the much-tougher GI Breeders’ Cup F/M Turf Nov. 3. Amandine (GB) (Shamardal) is now two-for-two in the States after an impressive score in the Lady of Shamrock S. here Wednesday. Trainer Jeff Mullins told TDN‘s Bill Finley Friday that a decision about wheeling back on short rest likely wouldn’t be made until raceday. Colonia (Fr) (Champs Elysees {GB}) was extremely impressive going last to first in her Stateside debut in Arlington’s Hatoof S. in July, but she settled for fifth and third, respectively, behind Californiagoldrush in the Del Mark Oaks and Sands Point. She returned to winning ways in Keeneland’s Oct. 19 GIII Pin Oak Valley View S. after weaving her way through horses and then avoiding a foe who crashed into the rail. Ken McPeek shipped in Daddy’s Lil Darling (Scat Daddy) to score here 12 months ago, and he’ll look to double up the Nov. 23 GII Mrs Revere S. upsetter Princess Warrior (Midshipman). Chad Brown will look to check another Grade I off his ever-shrinking career checklist with Competitionofideas (Speightstown). A $325,000 KEESEP yearling, the relatively under-the-radar runner paired up maiden and first-level allowance wins at Belmont before finishing a late-on-the-scene third in the rained-off Winter Memories S. going a one-turn mile at Aqueduct Nov. 22. Brown teamed up with pilot Joel Rosario earlier this month at Del Mar to annex both the GI Hollywood Derby and GI Matriarch S., and he sent out fellow Klaravich Stables colorbearer Identity Politics (Into Mischief) to a runner-up finish in the GI Malibu S. here on opening day Wednesday. View the full article

Most of the stakes action on the final Saturday of 2018 takes place at Stronach Group tracks and Santa Anita Park has top billing with the $300,000 American Oaks (G1T) and the $150,000 Robert J. Frankel (G3T) View the full article

Lightly raced 5-year-old Tom's d'Etat continues to impress trainer Al Stall Jr. and after a 3 1/2-length triumph in the Tenacious Stakes Dec. 22, the conditioner is considering the son of Smart Strike for the Pegasus World Cup (G1). View the full article

Fred Lipkin, director of marketing at Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course, plans to retire at the end of the year after a 44-year run at the Grantville, Pa. track. View the full article

TDN: What was your favourite racing moment of the year? HW: Probably Roaring Lion beating Saxon Warrior in the QIPCO Irish Champion S. TDN: Name a horse that stood out for you in 2018 HW: Roaring Lion. TDN: And an outstanding achievement by a breeder, owner or trainer? HW: Amy Murphy’s handling of Kalashnikov. Brilliantly produced all last season, ran an almighty race at the Festival losing nothing in defeat and she looks to have him bang on track this season as well. TDN: What is your big hope for 2019? HW: Hot Streak’s first 2-year-olds on the track–a really exciting bunch that look precocious. TDN: What is your New Year’s resolution? HW: To take a few more days off! View the full article

Jacket stretched across his square, rugby flanker’s shoulders, he stands ramrod at the rostrum and extends those long hands, one clasping the head of the gavel as though a mere pipe, in a gesture that somehow combines scorn and supplication. “In fairness,” Alastair Pim says. “We’re not selling chickens.” A bid duly coaxed, he spins round to the rival protagonist. “Last of the big spenders,” he mutters. Then up goes the singsong exclamation: “Goodness gracious me lads, a ridiculous price…” In the moments of the highest theatre–when seven-figure bids strain across ever more agonised intervals, and the Tattersalls ring is both at its most crowded and most silent–Pim waves the gavel as Toscanini did his baton. But that flair, that sense of timing, that blend of authority and mischief: if anything, all these Pim flourishes are still more valuable at the other end of the market. And if that is true even for the bored bystander, then how much more so for the small breeder or pinhooker to whom every extra guinea is precious. “To be honest I get a bigger kick out of getting three grand for a horse that’s worth 300 [gns] than out of getting three million for a horse,” Pim admits. “The other one’s going to make three million anyway. Anybody can sell a good horse. And the guy who gets the three grand will be the more grateful. I remember when Ollie Fowlston first came over to sell in Fairyhouse, he couldn’t believe the farmers coming up after getting their two or three grand and saying: ‘Thanks very much, you did a great job.’ He was flabbergasted. But I think that’s where the work comes in–and the buzz, too, for me.” But then Pim knows just where those people are coming from. Now that another selling year at Tattersalls has drawn to a close, Pim has returned to Anngrove Stud–which he runs with wife Gillian–to resume his own daily battle with the challenges, exasperations and joys of the bloodstock business. The family farm at Mountmellick in Co Laois is home to four stallions, largely oriented to National Hunt but with plenty of dual-purpose eligibility, extending a history that extends from winners of the Queen Mary to the Cheltenham Festival Bumper. Nor is it just the traffic of mares through the farm, year in and year out, that makes Pim even better known and trusted among Irish horsemen than in his sporadic public turns as a Tattersalls auctioneer. Because here is a living, breathing validation of the horsebreeding community’s faith in heredity. Pim’s late father David was, of course, for many years an equally cherished performer at the Tattersalls rostrum. And, from the time Pim first appeared there himself, the voice and mannerisms were uncannily familiar. “He never coached me at all,” Pim says with a shrug, pouring a pot of tea in the charming old kitchen at Anngrove. “I stood up in Fairyhouse one afternoon with Edmond Mahony for an hour and that was it. It’s just in the genes, I suppose. I didn’t set out to be like him but people come round here and say: ‘Jeez you’re the image of your father, and you speak just like him too.’ “Dad did a lot of musicals in Portlaoise, so he was a man for the stage. He had a very good singing voice. He used to sit in the bath with the old cassette tape recorder, and a little microphone, practising his auctioneering.” Whereas his father had been a relatively late starter at the rostrum, young Pim was soon immersed in the environment at the old Ballsbridge sales–moving lots after selling, or twisting his tongue round the arcane conditions listed on vets’ certificates. Eventually he was given a chance selling the “end-of-days” at Fairyhouse: unsold horses brought back in, without reserve, meaning that there was no need to get vendors “on the right step.” After soaking in the Park Paddocks environment as a spotter for a couple of years, he made his debut there at the Horses-in-Training sale where, similarly, reserves were infrequent. If Pim is now himself, at a youthful 52, a timeless presence in one of the crucibles of the game, he is hardly going to get carried away any time soon. “Glorified bingo callers, a friend of Ollie called us,” he says. “But I must say I get a good kick out of it now. When you walk up the back of the rostrum there in Book 1, or December, and see every seat’s taken and the stairs too, you do get a few butterflies. You know what they’re there for. Or usually you do. Occasionally I’ve walked in and didn’t even know I had a good horse coming up, and thought: ‘What the hell are all these people doing here?’ But once you get going, you’re grand. You’re selling a horse for a few quid more, and that’s it.” And that’s because an auctioneer makes no pretence of sharing the wider neutrality of the sales company, which must serve as an impartial broker between purchaser and vendor. Once you are actually up there and inviting bids, your allegiance is unequivocal. “You have to be fair to everybody but my one and only job is to look after the vendor,” Pim emphasises. That said, some bidders can make themselves more equal than others. “I’d always look after the guy who’s looked after me,” he says. “The guy who’s been in from the start, who puts them on [the market] when you need someone to put them on. If he needs to make up his mind, or has someone on the phone, you’d be giving him a bit more time than a guy who has jumped in with one bid.” Pim’s other great genetic legacy was on the rugby field. He only made the bench for Leinster himself, but his father played for the province (albeit disgusted to be dropped the week before they played the All Blacks), as did his brother Chris–for two years as captain–while son Josh has played at senior level for Connacht. Josh is also a dual European eventing gold medallist, while daughters Hannah and Sophie competed nationally. But while Pim views himself as “born and reared to the game”, the fact is that his family had never made horses their business before his father trained a few point-to-pointers, and then brought Lucifer over from the U.S. in 1970. Before that Anngrove had a very long history as a centre of Quaker entrepreneurship, ranging from candles and textiles to brewing and malting. But the farm has since included Monksfield, Welsh Term and Alderbrook on a roster that now comprises Vendangeur (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Tobougg (Ire) (Barathea {Ire}), Aiken (GB) (Selkirk) and Famous Name (GB) (Dansili {GB}) (the latter hosted for the Irish National Stud). “Look, it’s a small, family-run operation,” Pim says. “It’s not easy, and probably getting more difficult, to compete with the big lads. These days in National Hunt we nearly need to stand a Group 1 horse. If I stood one that won a Group 3 over a mile and a quarter, you might get a couple of half-bred mares, but that’d be it. “I was having dinner with an English breeder recently and he was saying that his father would turn in his grave, to see the kind of horses people are breeding to now. All they want is speed, and early 2-year-olds. “There’s absolutely no reason why Famous Name, for instance, shouldn’t produce good Flat horses for an end-user. Commercially, it’s like flicking off a light switch once a Flat horse starts covering National Hunt mares; and, again, once a National Hunt horse starts covering half-breds. People have such tunnel vision.” Famous Name could certainly cope with bigger books, being the most efficient and fertile mating machine the family has ever had. “All he wants is 300 mares,” Pim grins. “That’s all! That wouldn’t be a bother to him. I think he covered 70 last year. He’s a tough, hardy little horse now. Remember he ran as a 2-year-old and finished at seven. He won 21 races. They used to call him ‘the cash machine’ at Dermot [Weld]’s because every time you took him out you brought back money. I’d say you just couldn’t get to the bottom of him. He was sound, his legs are absolutely unbelievable.” The horse’s first big advertisement was the listed success of juvenile hurdler Famous Milly (Ire), but she promptly disappeared after injury on her next start. Similarly Vendangeur had a Grade 1 jumps winner in his first crop, who dropped dead three weeks later. “He’s by Galileo out of an Alysheba mare, the Wildensteins bred him,” Pim says. “As a stamp of a National Hunt horse, he’s just what you want: size, substance, wonderful step to him, and we’re delighted with his foals. “But Cheltenham makes all the difference. It’s a bit like the Oscars. Just to have a runner is like getting a nomination, and a winner is like getting best actor. It can make the difference of 100-plus mares.” Persevere long enough, mind you, and your time will come. Rudimentary covered 310 in his first season here; and Robin Du Pres, 280. And, in a game of such patient cycles, you never know what a horse might yet achieve–as Pim well knows, having in his youth broken in a grey Henbit yearling who, as Kribensis (GB), eventually won fame as a champion hurdler. “Take Monksfield, he didn’t get a lot on the track but ended up being a very good broodmare sire,” Pim notes. “He was the most incredible horse. We had him up at the main yard, in the middle of the mares. You could tease mares outside his box and he’d never bat an eyelid. But when you threw the shank at the door he knew it was him.” Character has never been in short supply at Anngrove. The first thing you notice when you pull up is a sign that cautions: “Stay in the car and beep the horn.” But there is neither bark nor bite to one of the most engaging personalities on the Irish Turf, one whose whole nature follows the deep grain of honesty and empathy into which he was born. “My father always used to say that the less money was involved, the nicer the people,” he reflects. “But if you go from selling million-guinea yearlings in Newmarket to €100 ponies up in Cavan, you keep your feet on the ground. “You’re dealing with a very different man there. But it’s amazing how the blood still gets up. We’ve all been there. With some people, the agents on the phone, they shake their head and you know that’s the end of it. But the ordinary Joe Soap who’s coming up to buy a mare, the excitement takes over: ‘I’ll have another one, I might just get her.’ “But I always say the auctioneer makes very little difference. You might get an extra couple of bids but look, the one thing you’ll do is work hard for the vendor–whether they’re getting 300 or three million.” View the full article

Saturday Flemens Story Track: Kelso – 11:45 Jockey: Brian Hughes The ground may be just soft enough for him but two miles six furlongs should suit but he ran ok in a hands and hells event last time where he could have probably just done with a slight reminder. This race should be more to his liking […] The post Donald McCain – Weekend Runners appeared first on RaceBets Blog EN. View the full article

Silver Vase Chase Rene’s Girl looked to have a Grade 1 at her mercy last season only for the ill-fated Finnian’s Oscar to chin her in the final strides at Aintree. Dan Skelton’s mare ran well on seasonal debut at Carlisle behind Mister Whitaker where she lost all chance at the last. She was slightly […] The post Weekend Preview – Henderson’s Charge Champing At The Bit In Challow Hurdle appeared first on RaceBets Blog EN. View the full article

Neville Hotels Novice Chase Delta Work had a very fruitful campaign last season which ended on two high notes by landing the Pertemps Final at Cheltenham and then running a fine race to finish runner-up in a Grade 1 novice hurdle at Punchestown. He’s looked a natural over the larger obstacles this season and was […] The post Leopardstown Preview – 29th December appeared first on RaceBets Blog EN. View the full article

Red-hot jockey Silvestre de Sousa is in the midst of his best stint in Hong Kong but the Brazilian says he would be happy with just one more winner in his time here. De Sousa has never ridden more than 16 winners in his previous stints in Hong Kong and currently sits on 15 after enjoying a dominant last month, which included winning the International Jockeys’ Championship and the Longines Hong Kong Cup on Glorious Forever. With his contract set to finish at the end of February so he can... View the full article

RACING POST NAP 15:00 Leopardstown The showpiece race of the day and a real market to be laid down for the Cheltenham Gold Cup by landing this valuable prize. Noel Meade’s Road to Respect looks primed to strike in this one. Fourth in the gold cup at last year’s festival but landed two grade 1s […] The post Picks From The Paddock Best Bet – Friday 28th December appeared first on RaceBets Blog EN. View the full article

Jockey Zac Purton believes four-year-old series hopeful Superich has “lost some of his zip” but it may not a negative. The Frankie Lor Fu-chuen-trained galloper has finished no worse than third in his seven-start career and could easily be unbeaten this season after running into traffic in two of his three starts. While he has not raced further than 1,400m in his career, Purton believes he is beginning to show signs of a horse that would relish the extra ground that the four-year-... View the full article

Tony Cruz’s mercurial galloper Time Warp will return to the scene of his stunning track record when he lines up in next month’s January Cup at Happy Valley. The five-year-old was one of a host of Hong Kong’s top-liners that trialled for the first time on Friday since the Hong Kong International Races earlier this month. Cruz’s duo of Pakistan Star and Time Warp trialled together, with Pakistan Star getting the better of his stablemate in an impressive hit-out that saw... View the full article

Maximus spearheads Tan's trio in New Year Cup View the full article

CK Ng, Firdaus suspended three months each View the full article

Despite a stunning defeat as the 1-10 favorite in the Dec. 15 GIII Harlan’s Holiday S., Audible (Into Mischief) has been given the green light to make his next start in the Jan. 26 GI Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park. The Harlan’s Holiday was always expected to be a Pegasus prep for Audible, but his camp was non-committal about his next start after the runner-up effort in the 1 1/16-mile race. “At the time, I was definitely discouraged over the defeat,” said Elliott Walden, the president and CEO of WinStar Farm, a co-owner of Audible. “I was disappointed with his race, but when you stand back and look at it, it was on a sloppy racetrack and he had a very wide trip. With those two factors, we will give him the benefit of the doubt. If you stand back and look at his record, it’s pretty solid. He has never been off the board and has won four of seven starts. It’s a pretty stellar record and he deserves the opportunity to go in the Pegasus.” Audible’s defeat in the Harlan’s Holiday was among the biggest upsets in racing this year. In what was supposed to be little more than a paid public workout on his way to the Pegasus, he finished second, a half-length behind 25-1 shot Sir Anthony (Mineshaft). It was the first time Sir Anthony had competed in a graded stakes race. He will not be coming back for the Pegasus. “It was an odd race, a very odd race,” Walden said. “He’s a very talented horse and we believe he’s one of the best horses in the country. Hopefully, it will be fast on Pegasus Day. Javier [Castellano] didn’t think he has handling the track and didn’t put his best foot forward.” The winner of last year’s GI Florida Derby at Gulfstream, Audible seemed to be getting back on track after an injury knocked him out of the GI Belmont S. and sidelined him until Nov. 3. He returned that day with an easy win in the Cherokee Run S. at Churchill and seemed primed to take another step forward in the Harlan’s Holiday. In other news out of the WinStar camp, Walden reports the major Kentucky Derby contender Improbable (City Zip) will not have his 3-year-old debut until March. Undefeated in three starts, he is coming off a five-length win in the GI Los Alamitos Futurity. Though the races have yet to be determined, Improbable will likely have one start in March, another in April and then head to the Derby. With his trainer, Bob Baffert, having several top colts aiming for next year’s Derby, Walden realizes there’s a chance Improbable may have to leave his base at Santa Anita. “We wanted to freshen him up,” Walden said. “He’ll have back-to-back races before the Derby and then, if he’s successful [in the Derby], he could again have back-to-back races. So we wanted to take this time to give him a break. We haven’t talked about any particular races. I am sure Bob would want to split his 3-year-olds up and so would we. We’ll figure all that out when the time comes.” Although WinStar is involved with some other talented 2-year-old colts, Walden said at this point Improbable is the only one the team considers a Derby prospect. Bulletin (City Zip) is two for two and won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. Walden said he some day could have a start on the dirt, but he is not viewed as a distance horse. Instead, the goal for next year for Bulletin will be a win at Royal Ascot. “He’s very fast and we are looking at Royal Ascot,” Walden said. “The first part of the year, we’ll start looking at how we get there. We’ll mainly look at the [G3] Jersey S. or the [G1] Commonwealth at Ascot. “We also have a horse we really like named Preamble (Speightstown),” Walden said. “He’s trained by Rodolphe Brisset and is two-for-two. We’re looking at the major one-turn 3-year-old races, like the [GI Woody Stephens] with him. He’s also a very fast horse.” View the full article

Santa Anita Park's 2018-19 winter meeting got off to a record-breaking start Dec. 26, as the track posted all-sources pari-mutuel handle of $20,491,016, a 19% increase over a year ago and an all-time opening day record. View the full article

Joe Harper, Chief Executive Officer of the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, will be honored with the Eclipse Award of Merit in recognition of a lifetime of outstanding achievement in Thoroughbred racing, the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, Daily Racing Form and the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters announced Thursday. “American Racing has the tradition of Saratoga, the history of the Triple Crown, the majesty of Santa Anita, and the unbridled joy of summer at Del Mar,” said Hall of Fame trainer and four-time Eclipse Award winner Bob Baffert. “Joe Harper is the maestro of that summer celebration, the exuberant leader who makes sure, every year, that Del Mar maintains its special place in racing’s heart. Joe Harper is Del Mar, Del Mar is Joe Harper, and no one deserves the Eclipse Award of Merit more than Joe.” During Harper’s time at Del Mar’s helm, the track underwent an $80-million grandstand reconstruction, introduced its now-signature GI Pacific Classic, added a fall meeting, and hosted its first Breeders’ Cup in 2017. “I’m certainly honored to be selected for an award that has gone previously to so many exceptional people in our wonderful world of horse racing,” said the 75-year-old Harper. “But I’d like everyone to know that I am going to accept it on behalf of the incredible employees of Del Mar who have–for over all the years–been the backbone of our success. My first job at Del Mar was as a cinema photographer during the 1967 summer meet. I saw and could tell right away that this was a family working together for a good cause that they all believed in. I think we’ve been successful in keeping it that way for the half century or so I’ve been involved with it.” In 1978, Harper took on a leadership role at Del Mar after serving at Santa Anita as Executive Vice president of the Oak Tree Racing Association. At Del Mar, Harper first served as executive vice president and general manager. In 1990 he took on the roles of president and chief executive officer. He relinquished the role of president in 2018, but continues as the track’s CEO. He has been a director of DMTC since 1985. “Under Joe Harper’s leadership, the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club has been one of Thoroughbred racing’s great success stories for many years,” said Alex Waldrop, President and CEO of the NTRA. “Joe’s acute attention to the customer experience, his ability to assemble an extremely talented management team, and his willingness to adapt to the changes confronting our sport over the years while maintaining the highest standards make him a very worthy recipient of the Award of Merit.” Harper will receive the Award of Merit during the Eclipse Awards Dinner and Ceremony Jan. 24 at Gulfstream Park. View the full article

Harper, chief executive officer of the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, will receive the Award of Merit at the 48th annual Eclipse Awards honoring the 2018 champions of Thoroughbred racing Jan. 24 at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla. View the full article

Santa Anita’s opening-day card produced an all-sources pari-mutuel handle of $20,491,016 Wednesday–a 19% increase over last year and an all-time opening-day record. Wednesday’s opening-day crowd of 41,373 contributed to an on-track handle of $3,463,535, a 5% increase over last year’s $3.3 million. On-track attendance was up 3% over last year. “Yesterday’s attendance and handle numbers are the result of many factors, none greater than field size,” said Tim Ritvo, COO for The Stronach Group. “We would first of all like to thank our tremendous fans, not only here at Santa Anita, but around the country as well. They recognize a top-quality product that offers good value and they responded in-kind yesterday. We had tremendous racing and the horsemen obviously responded to the great opportunities our 10-race program offered.” View the full article

Two weeks ago, Ken Ramsey was sitting with family in his lower-level season seats at Rupp Arena, watching the Wildcats, when a cousin made a pitch about a 51-day cruise he was planning. “We got talking about it, and he just begged me to go on this cruise,” said Ramsey. “He brought the itinerary, showed me all the ports. I said, ‘Fifty one days! I can’t take that much time off!’ But I got home and started to think on it. And I came to a conclusion: my money’s making a slave of me.” That confirmed to Ramsey what he’d already been thinking, that it was way past time to drastically reduce the size of his stable and refocus his energies on enjoying life. Over the past five years alone, horses owned by Ken Ramsey and his wife Sarah have made 2,782 starts. Those starters won 601 races and banked $36.5 million. The Ramseys have four Eclipse Awards as the nation’s leading owner and two Eclipse Awards as the nation’s leading breeder. They’ve won four Breeders’ Cup races, placed in 11 others, and three times have led the country’s owners by earnings. They almost single-handedly turned Kitten’s Joy into America’s best turf sire and have raced six Grade I-winning homebreds by him. The operation, in short, has been a juggernaut. So it’s hard to imagine Ken Ramsey even talking about a racing stable of just 10 to 15 horses. But that is the goal, Ramsey said during a recent TDN interview at his Ramsey Farm in Nicholasville, Kentucky. In fact, Ramsey began cutting his numbers in earnest earlier this year. The stable is down by over a third and will continue to shrink, Ramsey said. His broodmare band will ultimately number around 50, he said. “Would you believe that at one point, a year or so ago, we had 747 horses?” Ramsey said. “Right now, as we speak, we are down to 478 horses. And we are selling another 11 broodmares out here at Keeneland [January] and Fasig-Tipton [February]. I’ve got 164 broodmares; 116 racehorses, including 2-year-olds; 77 yearlings; 116 weanlings, two stallions and three teasers. I’ve just got too many.” He added, “I don’t travel around as much as I did at one time. [My wife Sarah] doesn’t like to travel all that much, so it’s just getting it down to a more manageable number. I think we’ll both enjoy it more.” Ramsey has already sent a half-dozen 2-year-olds each to Eddie Woods and Woodford Thoroughbreds and will offer them at next year’s juvenile sales. He figures to lose some runners at the claim box, and will sell privately, as well. He also has floated the idea of conducting a dispersal at either Keeneland or Fasig-Tipton. Ramsey said he’d be active selling at yearling sales in 2019 and, at the bloodstock sales, would offer mares in foal to Kitten’s Joy, as well as a number of mares in foal to outside sires. “My farm manager Mark Partridge and I are working on it right now, trying to figure which stallions will be commercial come November,” said Ramsey. A Public Option… Ken Ramsey is still spry at 83. He speeds his red Lexus around Ramsey Farm’s many roads and knows every nook of the property. He proudly shows visitors the farm’s natural springs, including one that provides water to three nearby fields. On this visit, he ambles into the little shack that cover’s the spring’s source and, bending down, drinks directly from the water bubbling up from the limestone. “Try it,” he said. “That’s the best, purest water you’ll ever taste.” Near another of the springs on his farm is a small covered bridge he had built by Amish workers. “I told them to not nail down the floorboards, ’cause I like to hear them rattle when I drive over them,” he says. According to Ramsey, he’s the largest landowner in Jessamine Co., and in total owns some 2,600 acres in myriad locations. Ramsey has already made some major changes to his operation. For years, the Ramseys stood homebred champion Kitten’s Joy at Ramsey Farm, but last year sold a 50% interest in the stallion to Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms and relocated him there. “We decided to take a little money off the table,” said Ramsey. “You’ve got to stay in the black.” The Ramseys didn’t get entirely out of the stallion business. They still have We Miss Artie at Ramsey Farm, and the Grade I-winning son of Artie Schiller will be represented by first-crop runners in 2019. Though the Ramseys are scaling back, there are no plans to sell Ramsey Farm. In fact, Ramsey just bought adjecent acreage to the property that includes two houses, and, in the midst of estate planning, he says he expects the farm to one day be split among his children and grandchildren, many of whom have shown an interest in racing. That includes grandson Nolan Ramsey, who is currently an assistant to trainer Mike Maker. Ramsey also stresses that this isn’t a portent of him getting out of racing entirely. While he downsizes, he says he’ll put a renewed emphasis on two long-time goals: winning the Kentucky Derby and winning a stakes at Royal Ascot. To that end, he’ll begin breeding what mares he does retain to prominent dirt sires. “We bred to Gun Runner and Arrogate last year, so we’ve got those coming on,” he said. “I probably can’t afford Justify, but I’m real high on him. But I’m going to focus on getting a really good dirt horse and try to win the Kentucky Derby. And if I can’t win the roses, maybe I can at least start smelling ’em! And we’ll try to win a stakes race at Royal Ascot. That’s been on my bucket list for a long time.” Another of Ramsey’s aims, he says, it to figure out how to be utilize the land and facilities at Ramsey Farm. One option is to turn the farm public and open a boarding and sales-prep operation. “I’ve got all the infrastructure I need,” he said. “I’ve got what we call Kitten’s Spa, which is an underwater treadmill and a vibrating platform that’ll really help the yearlings. We’ve also got a training center out here, as well, and could have horses ready to roll for the races. I’ve got three exercise riders coming out here now.” He added, “If someone wants to come out here and lease a few hundred acres and use the facilities, we’d be tickled to death to talk with them about that.” Ramsey is also hoping to possibly attract an outside stallion to stand at the farm. “I’d be interested in partnering in up with someone to stand a stallion if they had one I thought had some promise,” he said. Other big changes are afoot for Ken Ramsey. On the first of the year, Ramsey is turning over all his non-racing businesses to his son Kelly. “I’ve got a lot of real estate holdings and rental properties, and we’re developing a subdivision and two industrial parks,” he said. “And I have six radio stations in the Midwest. I’ve been dabbling in all of it and not doing a good job in any of it.” On the farm, Ramsey says he’s turning the day-to-day operations over to his son Jeffrey, currently the director of publicity and marketing, and to Mark Partridge. “I’ll be dealing strictly with the horses and where to spot them,” said Ramsey. “I’m getting too old to put in 12 hours a day. Hell, my phone starts ringing every day at 6:30 a.m.” In 2019, one of the horses Ramsey will be spotting is Backyard Heaven (Tizway), impressive winner of the GII Alysheba S. in May. Backyard Heaven subsequently disappointed in the GI Stephen Foster and GI Whitney S. Tests revealed foot bruising and he was given time off. “There’s nothing wrong with him and he’s here on the farm,” said Ramsey. “We’ve had him in the spa here and we have a vibrating platform. So he’s been standing on that so his feet are toughened up, and we’ll send him to [trainer] Chad Brown down at Gulfstream in a few weeks.” In some ways, Backyard Heaven is symbolic of Ramsey Farm’s future. He’s a dirt horse from an operation known for its turf stars. And he’s named after the Ramseys’ vacation house in Saratoga, a lifestyle Ramsey is intent on embracing more. “I read Ecclesiastes the other day, and King Solomon says what you should do in life is eat, drink and be merry,” said Ramsey. “You’re not taking any of the money with you, and life’s too short. I’ve got a beautiful lake here on the farm with benches around it, and I drive past on my way to another meeting or whatever, and there are the farm employees out there fishing, enjoying themselves. And I don’t have time to do that. There’s something wrong with that picture, right? Anyway, the stark reality set in and I decided that, after all, I could be mortal. We need to kick back and take life a little easier.” View the full article

With NFL fans accustomed to hearing a brief explanation from officials if replay reverses a call on the field, Turfway Park and the stewards at the Northern Kentucky track are going to try a similar approach. View the full article