JC / Railbird

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

Derby Blogs

The Courier-Journal leaps into the blogosphere with three Derby-related blogs written by an Arkansas expat, a horseplaying lawyer, and an army captain in Baghdad.

Posted by JC in Racing on 04/21/2005 @ 5:40 pm / Tagged Kentucky Derby / Follow @railbird on Twitter

Jockeys’ Guild officials have dodged questions since last fall over everything from the organization’s finances to its insurance policies to Guild president Wayne Gertmenian’s resume. Finally, some answers may be forthcoming:

US Rep. Ed Whitfield, a congressman from Kentucky, has sent a letter to the Jockeys’ Guild’s executive director, Wayne Gertmenian, asking the Guild to comply with 23 different requests for records or explanations of the Guild’s policies, financial documents, and Gertmenian’s qualifications. (Daily Racing Form)

Whitfield was named chairman of the Oversight and Investigations subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee in January and is investigating the issue of insurance for jockeys and backstretch workers. The Lexington Herald-Leader reports that Whitfield hopes to hold hearings in three months and is entertaining the possibility of federal legislation to solve the insurance problem.
Related: The Jockeys’ Guild agreed that members would not boycott at Churchill Downs-owned tracks in exchange for Churchill dropping its injunction against the organization; Churchill also announced that it secured $1 million in insurance for riders at its tracks. (Blood-Horse)

Posted by JC in Jockeys' Insurance on 04/21/2005 @ 5:15 pm / Follow @railbird on Twitter

Sweet Catomine Retired

Owner Marty Wygod announced today that Sweet Catomine has been retired and will be bred to A.P. Indy. (Blood-Horse)
So mysterious: “Wygod said he would disclose more details about Sweet Catomine’s condition and the reasons for her retirement after [his April 23 hearing before the CHRB].” (New York Times)

Posted by JC in Horses on 04/20/2005 @ 2:55 pm / Follow @railbird on Twitter

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Derby Blogs

House Committee Opens Inquiry

Sweet Catomine Retired