Street Sense’s defection from the Belmont shows (again, like we needed the reminder) how much the breeding side of the business affects racing. But it also illustrates how much two races — the Kentucky Derby and the Breeders’ Cup Classic — have come to dominate the sport’s calendar and determine a horse’s stud value. To a horse that’s won the Derby, but lost the Preakness, the Belmont adds almost nothing. (And if he loses the Belmont, it only diminishes.) The only race that means more — to end of the year honors, to stud fees — is the Classic. Given the rising influence of the Classic and the rest of the Breeders’ Cup program, it’s a bit odd that so little is known about the views of the candidates currently up for election to the Breeders’ Cup Board. Byron, at the Pedigree Guru, explains the board’s politics and what’s at stake in this round of voting.
Posted by JC in Breeders' Cup on 06/01/2007 @ 5:30 pm / Follow @railbird on Twitter
An “on-track equine injury reporting system” will be implemented, as a pilot program, at 30 racetracks starting June 1 (Blood-Horse). To the 30 tracks that have signed on: Thank you. This a wonderful initiative that can mean only safer horses and fewer sad stories.
Posted by JC in Horses on 05/30/2007 @ 9:15 pm / Follow @railbird on Twitter
Thursday update: Oops. I read the situation all wrong. Street Sense will skip the Belmont, point to the Travers (DRF).
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That’s about the only conclusion that can be drawn from a press release sent out by Churchill Downs today, announcing a news conference at the track with trainer Carl Nafzger on Thursday at 10:30 a.m., a follow-up phone conference for remote journalists at 11:30 a.m., and a web video replay of the conference for the public starting at noon. Oh, and there’ll be a “video opportunity” on Wednesday morning, when Street Sense works. So, it looks like we’ll have the top three finishers of the first two classics meeting once more in New York. A Triple Crown might not be on the wire, but a Hard Spun-Curlin-Street Sense rematch is still a good story. Fellow TBA-er Michael, of Curb My Enthusiasm, will be covering the remote press conference and promises updates throughout.
Wednesday morning addendum: Alan at Left at the Gate guesses the decision will be no. And the early DRF report on Street Sense’s work this morning is hardly glowing.
Posted by JC in Triple Crown on 05/29/2007 @ 6:00 pm / Follow @railbird on Twitter
