JC / Railbird

Plans for Goldikova

Trainer Freddie Head, at Meydan for Dubai World Cup day, outlined a likely campaign for the 6-year-old champion mare:

“We will try and run in the same races as last year, starting off in the Prix d’Ispahan and then the Queen Anne at Royal Ascot.

“One of the big plans is the Jacques Le Marois again and the Breeders’ Cup.

“If she wins the Breeders’ Cup she could go for the Hong Kong Mile as she will not run next year.”

It’s going to be quite a valedictory world tour.

Posted by JC in Racing on 03/24/2011 @ 6:00 am / Tagged Breeders' Cup, Champions, Distaffers, Goldikova, Hong Kong, International, Swan Songs / Follow @railbird on Twitter

A Dreamy Man

It’s impossible not to root for Mucho Macho Man after reading this story:

“We’ve got thousands of pictures and the smiles on their faces are indescribable. You have to understand some of the partners that came on initially from day one when we offered the horse, they came on for $800 a share. One percent of the horse was for $800 and now they are living their dream,” Hatzikoutelis said. “This is why they’ve gotten into the horse ownership part, and it just goes back to what we want to do and the experiences we want to have together…. It’s pretty humbling.”

His original name was Lazarus, which seems fitting for a Derby prospect who won the Risen Star and is pointing to the Louisiana Derby at the Fair Grounds.

Speaking of the the New Orleans track, it’s the subject of a neat exhibit in which open letters written by backstretch workers and jockeys about their lives will be on display alongside photographs from the Fair Grounds. “This moment exists for five months of the year … then the moment doesn’t exist.”

That sentiment certainly resonates with me; capturing, in words, such a rich, but ephemeral scene is part of the motivation for Kentucky Confidential.

3/24/11 Addendum: That’s enthusiasm! Part-owner drives 12 hours without stopping to see Mucho Macho Man at the Fair Grounds.

Posted by JC in Racing on 03/23/2011 @ 10:20 am / Tagged Derby Prospects, Fair Grounds, Mucho Macho Man, New Orleans, Projects, Writing / Follow @railbird on Twitter

Kentucky Confidential

There’s always a thrill in announcing a new project, and I couldn’t be more excited to announce this one, which has quickly grown from a small idea into something surprising — introducing Kentucky Confidential, a website dedicated to covering the 2011 Kentucky Derby inside, outside, and all around. We’ll begin publishing on April 26 and run through May 9. Read our press release (PDF), or better yet, visit our Kickstarter page for all the details and a terrific video introduction featuring my collaborator John Scheinman, as shot by contributor and filmmaker Jeff Krulik.

We’re taking a different approach to Derby coverage. We won’t be competing on breaking news, or workout analysis, or bloggy commentary. Instead, we’ll be treating the Derby “as the greatest storytelling platform in American sports,” digging into unusual stats and Derby history, bringing readers the overlooked and unexpected through long-form writing and guerrilla video. There will be contender updates and handicapping — but there’ll also be dives through Louisville nightlife and wild tales from the backstretch.

Scheinman and I have lined up a great bunch of contributors. In addition to Krulik, who will be producing a video Derby diary, Pete Denk, Claire Novak, Brendan O’Meara, and a legendary turf journalist (an award-winning name so big we can’t reveal it) will be writing for Kentucky Confidential. Scott Serio and his band at Eclipse Sportswire will be doing the photography.

A big thanks to the Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge, which has signed on as a charter sponsor. We’re delighted to have their support!

We can also use your support, and that’s where Kickstarter, a platform that lets people back creative projects and get rewards for doing so, comes in. We’re using Kickstarter to help raise funds to cover costs, and we’re offering great perks to pledgers. You can back us for any amount — and only if the project is fully funded by its end date will we get the money. It’s neat — you can’t lose! If we’re not funded, you’re not out anything. If we do get funded — you’ll get Kentucky Confidential and the sort of turf writing and video you want to see online, plus premiums such as an exclusive Twitter feed, a commemorative DVD or magazine, or an autographed photograph.

I’ll leave it to Scheinman to tell you more —

Follow Kentucky Confidential: We’re on Facebook and Twitter.

Thanks, too, Hello Race Fans! We’re partnering with our friends at that site to make fan education part of the Derby experience.

12:30 PM Update: Claire Novak writes about Kentucky Confidential on NTRA:

In this modern world of instantaneous information, the pursuit of coverage as a literary art often falls by the wayside. Quality control is compromised. Overproduction threatens the writer’s creativity. Originality is a dying pursuit. Publishing venues are also vanishing, and the interest in writing on racing in general has declined. But there are still places that seek out and feature excellent literature and unique work, and I’m pleased to introduce one of them – Kentucky Confidential, a new online magazine with a strong emphasis on high-quality literary coverage of this year’s Kentucky Derby.

This really gets to the heart of why we’re working on Kentucky Confidential — it’s a space for the sort of reflective, original turf journalism that’s been squeezed out of so many publications. Please consider supporting the site — our content will be free, whether you pledge or not, but if you do back us, you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing you’ve helped sustain a true craft (as well as the pleasure of reading the great content you helped create).

Posted by JC in Projects on 03/22/2011 @ 9:35 am / Follow @railbird on Twitter