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

Not Enough

Increasing the Kentucky Derby purse to $2 million is a good step, says Bill Finley, but it’s not enough. “The Kentucky Derby is the greatest race in the world and there’s no reason why the purse should be significantly smaller than the $6 million Dubai World Cup, the $4 million Breeders’ Cup Classic and equal to the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff and $2 million Breeders’ Cup Turf.” (ESPN)

Posted by JC in Racing on 01/11/2005 @ 8:55 am / Tagged Kentucky Derby / Follow @railbird on Twitter

Dream Derby Premieres Tonight

“American Dream Derby” premieres tonight on the Game Show Network at 9 p.m. The New York Times declares the show “less idiotic than many examples of the reality genre,” yet the challenges involved — contestants dig through manure with their bare hands, dunk their heads in a molasses and oat-filled trough, and race around the track with 120lbs on their backs — suggest it’s not that much less idiotic. No matter. It’s about racing, and that’ll be enough to get me in front of the TV tonight.
Related: The Baltimore Sun profiles contestant Jewel Savage, racetrack novice and devoted Christian, the Times-Picayune interviews Dean Pellegrin, self-described “funny guy,” and back in December, Ocala resident Susan Bosso talked about her experience filming the show with the Star-Banner.

Posted by JC in Media/TV/Film on 01/10/2005 @ 11:50 am / Follow @railbird on Twitter

Headlines: January 10

– 2004 made Jeremy Plonk feel stupid. “I still have no idea how a horse from Philadelphia Park sniffed the roses in May … I remain clueless as to what a 128 Beyer Speed Figure looks like … It’s still a little fuzzy how jockey Edgar Prado can own a career Breeders’ Cup record of 0-for-41.” (NTRA)
– An announcement not heard for seven months at Laurel crackled over the backstretch loudspeakers Sunday morning: “Attention horsemen: The track is now open for training.” (WP)
– Santa Anita cancelled racing Sunday after the first race, citing an unsafe track surface caused by the unrelenting rain that’s hit southern California. (LAT)
– Send links, comments to railbird at jessicachapel dot com

Posted by JC in Miscellany on 01/10/2005 @ 10:50 am / Follow @railbird on Twitter

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