JC / Railbird

Backstretch

Breeders’ Cup Scenes

Photos from the first half of Breeders’ Cup 2011 week at Churchill Downs …

Gio Ponti takes in the early morning track activity.

Midday (center) and company return from galloping.

Turallure pauses at the top of the chute.

Goldikova heads to the track.

Goldikova kicks up her feet a little. Harmonious is at right.

Trainer Freddy Heads talks to the press after Goldikova comes off the track. He confirmed that the 2011 Breeders’ Cup Mile would be her final race. Asked what he hoped for on Saturday, he replied, “I want her to get a good run.”

Trainer D. Wayne Lukas, outside his barn with retired Hall of Fame jockey Pat Day, reminisces about Breeders’ Cup races past.

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile contender Creative Cause plays around during his bath.

Flat Out in his stall. He looks sweet, doesn’t he? As though he’d like you to come over and give him a pat. I would have, but was warned off — apparently he’s a biter. Even trainer Scooter Dickey gets nipped by the big horse.

“Go Scooter! Go Scooter!” Well wishes for the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

Havre de Grace gets a mint from owner Rick Porter.

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile favorite Union Rags, out to graze.

Game on Dude exits the track after galloping.

Outside Bob Baffert’s Churchill Downs barn.

And for a little fun! The Breeders’ Cup Classic contender cartoons.

Posted in Racing on November 2, 2011 / Tagged Backstretch, Breeders' Cup, Churchill Downs, Goldikova, Training, Turf

Kentucky Derby Week

Kentucky Derby hats

Bob Baffert

The big training board

Sway-backed Sway Away

Nick Zito talks, Dialed In walks

Wagner’s Pharmacy

Posted in Miscellany on May 4, 2011 / Tagged Backstretch, Churchill Downs, Derby Week, Kentucky Derby, Photos

Racing’s Working Class

Unappreciated. Endangered.

PowerCap responding a New York Times piece on the Big A:

I contend that Aqueduct holds a different type of charm. Certainly in this world there are diverse experiences and tastes — especially in New York. Aqueduct is a remnant of old working class New York …

The New York Times on NYC OTB workers facing their future:

After that, she said, she would have to find another job soon because merely maintaining her health insurance would cost almost $500 a month. “I’m good at everything,” she said, rattling off her qualifications. “I can serve food. I can run a register. I can stack boxes. I can baby-sit kids.”

From John Scheinman’s report on uncertainty in Maryland:

“I think it’s kind of a shame what they’ve been doing so far,” said jockey Forest Boyce…. “The most amazing thing about this industry is they employ all levels of education, from people who just got out of jail to people that graduate from Yale.”

The Washington Post on the last day of racing at Laurel:

There are 85 trainers with 969 stalls at Bowie and 68 trainers with 1,059 stalls at Laurel Park. “There’s going to be a lot of unemployed, homeless, helpless people with nowhere to go,” says Pickett, 30, who was one semester shy of a law degree when she chose to work with horses full time.

If Churchill CEO Robert Evans’ 10-year business model for racing is right, we’ll be reading more of these stories in the near future as the industry contracts.

Posted in Industry on December 19, 2010 / Tagged Backstretch, Culture, Maryland, New York, Racetracks, Workers, Working Class