– “You could say that So Long Birdie has some awfully big wings to fill.” The half-brother of Birdstone and Bird Town who began his career in a claiming race is an unlikely Kentucky Derby contender. (BH)
– Rockport Harbor’s sore foot has improved. Trainer John Servis says the colt could get back to the track on Thursday or Friday. (DRF)
– Kieren Fallon’s Florida experiment comes to an end. The six-time champion British rider cut short his time at Gulfstream and returned to Britain Monday, where he’s a favorite to become the new Ballydoyle stable jockey. (Guar.)
– Jockey Dean Butler underwent surgery over the weekend for leg injuries sustained in a spill at Turfway Park Friday night. “If Butler’s medical bills, which will include physical therapy, exceed $100,000, he would be the first beneficiary of Kentucky tracks’ new policy that provides jockeys up to $1 million in coverage for an on-track injury.” (CJ)
– The Department of Labor has begun an investigation into the Jockeys’ Guild. The Guild failed to file required financial reports on its health plan in 2002 and 2003. (SBJ)
– Send links, comments to railbird at jessicachapel dot com
Posted by JC in Miscellany on 02/22/2005 @ 11:00 am / Follow @railbird on Twitter
“American Dream Derby,” GSN’s racing-related reality show, stages a live finale episode at Santa Anita tonight starting at 7 p.m. (Eastern Time). Only three contestants remain of the original 12, and they’re three of the most annoying — Eric, LeVar, and Sara — that appeared on the show. I admit to tuning out after the second week — there just wasn’t enough racing action or horse drama to keep my interest — but think it might be worth checking in this evening to catch the race that’ll decide the winner. The American Dream Derby Stakes is the final post at Santa Anita today.
2/22 Follow-up: And the winner is … Deanna Manfredi, a longshot in last night’s show. Her horse, Avenueofknowledge, won the $35,000 Dream Derby on Santa Anita’s sloppy main track. Manfredi won $250,000 and a stable of eight horses, seven of which she plans to send to Philadelphia Park to be trained by Scott Lake. Avenueofknowledge will remain in California with trainer Howard Zucker.
Posted by JC in Media/TV/Film on 02/21/2005 @ 10:35 am / Follow @railbird on Twitter
I thought that for the next couple of years my goal was to get a PhD in political science, but after watching ESPN’s sensational show on the 2005 DRF/NTRA National Handicapping Championship this afternoon, I have a new goal: To make it to the 2006 NHC.
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Rockport Harbor hits a bump on the Derby trail: The colt has a bruised foot. “Despite the setback, Servis said Rockport Harbor remains on course to make his seasonal debut in the Grade 3, $250,000 Rebel Stakes on March 19,” reports the Daily Racing Form. The Thoroughbred Times has a slightly more pessimistic take: “Fox Hill Farm’s Rockport Harbor missed a scheduled workout on Sunday and could be forced to miss his seasonal debut in the Rebel Stakes …” If he misses the Rebel, Servis does have the option of finding Rockport another race in late March, as he wasn’t scheduled to run after the Rebel until the Arkansas Derby on April 16. But this two-race prep schedule really doesn’t give horse and trainer much wiggle room.
Posted by JC in Miscellany on 02/20/2005 @ 6:40 pm / Follow @railbird on Twitter
