JC / Railbird - Thoroughbred racing news and notes

I met Marc Subia today and he told me the story of his amazing autograph jacket. "It's my most prized possession." Marc started coming to Del Mar with his dad in the 1970s. It's his home track. And he's been collecting jockey autographs for decades ...

Grand Jete keeping an eye on me as I take a picture of Rushing Fall's #BC17 garland. #thoroughbred #horseracing #delmar

Another #treasurefromthearchive — this UPI collage for Secretariat vs. Sham. #inthearchives #thoroughbred #horseracing

Thanks, Arlington. Let's do this again next year. #Million35

That's a helmet. #BC16 #thoroughbred #horseracing #jockeys

Lady Eli on the muscle. #BC16 @santaanitapark #breederscup #thoroughbred #horseracing

Post Positions Drawn for Derby

Five of the last 10 Kentucky Derby winners have started from the auxiliary gate, which was the place to be during yesterday’s post position draw. Trainer Nick Zito put likely favorite Bellamy Road in post 16. Trainer Todd Pletcher had first pick, and put third-favorite Bandini in post 15:

“We wanted to be toward the outside … We wanted to stay clear of the inside traffic. Plus, if there’s a scratch you go to 14 and you’re in the same position,” said Pletcher. (Blood-Horse)

Second-favorite Afleet Alex is on the far end of the first gate, in post 12; for those harboring a dislike of trainer Jeff Mullins, there’s a bit of schadenfreude to be had in noting that he had the last draw, and so Buzzards Bay is starting from post 20.

PP	Horse	Jockey	Trainer	BB	ML
1	Sort It Out	Blanc	Baffert	96	50-1
2	Andromeda’s Hero	Bejarano	Zito	94	50-1
3	Sun King	Prado	Zito	104	15-1
4	Noble Causeway	Stevens	Zito	100	12-1
5	Coin Silver	Valenzuela	Pletcher	99	20-1
6	High Limit	Dominguez	Frankel	105	12-1
7	Flower Alley	Chavez	Pletcher	95	20-1
8	Greater Good	McKee	Holthus	95	20-1
9	Greeley’s Galaxy	Desormeaux	Stute	106	15-1
10	Giacomo	Smith	Shirreffs	98	50-1
11	High Fly	Bailey	Zito	102	8-1
12	Afleet Alex	Rose	Ritchey	108	9-2
13	Spanish Chestnut	Bravo	Biancone	94	50-1
14	Wilko	Nakatani	Dollase	98	20-1
15	Bandini	Velazquez	Pletcher	103	6-1
16	Bellamy Road	Castellano	Zito	120	5-2
17	Don’t Get Mad	Baze	Ellis	98	30-1
18	Closing Argument	Velasquez	McLaughlin	98	30-1
19	Going Wild	Valdivia	Lukas	104	50-1
20	Buzzards Bay	Guidry	Mullins	98	20-1

The auxiliary gate winners in recent years are: Monarchos, Fusaichi Pegasus, Charismatic, Grindstone, and Thunder Gulch. All started from post 15 or 16.
More Derby news …

Posted by JC in Racing on 05/05/2005 @ 11:50 am / Tagged Kentucky Derby / Follow @railbird on Twitter

Headlines: May 5

– Belmont opened Wednesday with 50-cent hot dogs and a new security barn. Gygistar won the day’s feature, the Westchester Handicap (NYDN) … Suffolk Downs track announcer Larry Collmus was on hand to call races four and seven.
– The Jockeys’ Guild has complied with a request from US representative Ed Whitfield to provide documents related to its financial status (DRF) … Whitfield, a Kentucky congressman, is investigating the issue of jockeys’ insurance.
– Owner Michael Gill says he really is leaving racing this time. “This is it. I am committed to quitting … There is too much dirty politics in this business.” (Sun)
– Send links, comments to railbird at jessicachapel dot com

Posted by JC in Miscellany on 05/05/2005 @ 11:45 am / Follow @railbird on Twitter

Derby Drinks

Everyone knows the Kentucky Derby means mint juleps, but the Preakness and the Belmont have signature drinks as well. (Shreveport Times)
If you must make juleps, here’s a recipe (Houston Chronicle), and another from the Derby post (includes a recipe for a fruity variant).

Posted by JC in Racing on 05/04/2005 @ 8:00 pm / Tagged Kentucky Derby / Follow @railbird on Twitter

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