The filly America America caught racing fans’ attention in 2003 with her unconventional career — she raced 17 times in four countries as a two-year-old — and with her win in the 2004 Lone Star Oaks as a three-year-old. She was retired last summer after sustaining a hairline fracture in the Coaching Club of America Oaks with a career record of 4-7-4 in 27 starts (24 of those stakes races) and earnings of more than $400,000, and later sold in foal to El Prado. Her former owner and trainer Franck Mourier sent the photo to the left (click to enlarge) of America America’s first foal, who was born on March 13, this week. From the looks of her adorable foal, she’ll do as well as a broodmare as she did racing.
Posted by JC in Horses on 03/26/2005 @ 11:15 am / Follow @railbird on Twitter
Alan Mann at Left at the Gate has a lovely story up about an evening at the defunct Brandywine harness track with his brother, in which he scores big on a favorite horse:
The thing about Saratoga Stan was that, unlike most other harness horses, he absolutely loved the very outside 8 post, from which he could hang back last and make his late run. When he drew inside, he’d be too close to the pace, inside of horses, and inevitably run up the track. Prior to that night at Brandywine, he had had a long string of races from inside posts, so his form looked awful. 99% of the time, if you see a pacer racing poorly from the inside and then move far outside, he’s an automatic throwout. Much to my delight, Saratoga Stan had his beloved 8 hole that night, anathema to most but a blessing for him. So while he was dismissed by most in the crowd, I excitedly informed my brother that the horse would be dead last all the way around until they approached the turn the final time, circle the field, and storm through the stretch to win. I watched as the odds drifted up to 15-1 or more as I recall, and we both got our bets down.
Sure enough, the race unfolded exactly as I knew it would, except that the gritty pacer seemed to wait even later than usual to start his move. But sure enough, he swept around the field 3 or 4 wide on the last turn, rallied down the lane and just got to the leader at the wire. After a long photo — no replays until after the races were official at tracks back then folks; imagine actually having to sweat those tight photos out for minutes that seemed like hours — they posted his number and I collected a big win bet as well as the exacta. More importantly, I looked like a total genius to my brother.
Go here to read the whole thing.
Posted by JC in Miscellany on 03/26/2005 @ 10:50 am / Follow @railbird on Twitter
– Shug McGaughey regains his form. Wintering in Florida, the trainer “couldn’t buy a winner.” Since returning to New York on March 18, he’s won four races with five starters. (NYP)
– Funny Cide put in an unexpected workout Friday at Gulfstream. He breezed four furlongs in :49 for the second time this week. (GP)
– The Jockeys’ Guild filed a countersuit against Churchill Downs on Thursday. The Guild claims Churchill Downs violated the rights of riders when it banned jockeys for boycotting races in a dispute over catastrophic insurance coverage last fall. Churchill Downs filed its suit against the Guild in March, claiming the organization broke anti-trust law by helping to arrange the riders’ boycott. (TT)
– Send links, comments to railbird at jessicachapel dot com
Posted by JC in Miscellany on 03/26/2005 @ 10:20 am / Follow @railbird on Twitter
