JC / Railbird

Churchill Downs

Sorry, Bettors

If you bet Life at Ten, officially eased in the 2010 Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic at Churchill after jockey John Velazquez told ESPN that his mount wasn’t warming up right, Kentucky steward John Veitch would like you to know:

… it was unfortunate but “there’s nothing we can do for [you].”

And forget learning in future televised races that you’ve been ripped off:

… under discussion is whether television interviews with jockeys when they are on their mount before a race should be allowed.

Tweeted Nick Kling: “Breeders’ Cup bettors hosed. ‘Stewards plan to take no action‘ in Life At Ten debacle. Is it time for horseplayers to quit the game?”

Not yet (at least for this one), but it would be good to get reassurances something similar won’t happen next year. An independent review, conducted by the Breeders’ Cup, as Ray Paulick suggests, seems reasonable, as does the BC and KHRC formulating a plan for dealing with such situations that doesn’t include shutting up jockeys who might utter unwelcome words publicly. What Velazquez said wasn’t the problem. The communications breakdown among the rider, vets, and stewards in the minutes leading to the race was.

Posted in Racing on November 11, 2010 / Tagged Breeders' Cup, Churchill Downs, ESPN, Kentucky, KHRC, Life At Ten, Stewards

The Week That Was

A few photos and videos from Breeders’ Cup week at Churchill Downs …

The sun rose late each morning at Churchill Downs. Here’s Filly and Mare Turf contender Harmonious, going out for exercise in a dark and chilly hour.

Ladies’ Classic winner Unrivaled Belle, with jockey Kent Desormeaux up, before working four furlongs at Churchill on Monday morning.

Breeders’ Cup Sprint winner Big Drama on the track Tuesday morning.

Ladies’ Classic favorite Blind Luck schooling in the Churchill paddock.

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile runner-up Boys at Tosconova on the Churchill track.

Trainer Rick Dutrow watching Boys at Tosconova gallop.

Goldikova returning to the barn.

Trainer Freddie Head talking with reporters outside Goldikova’s Churchill barn on Wednesday. “I’m very confident,” said Head of the mare’s chances to win the Breeders’ Cup Mile again.

Breeders’ Cup Mile contender Paco Boy out for training on Friday.

Workforce walking the turf course on Friday. The Arc winner was a late scratch from the Breeders’ Cup Turf on Saturday due to trainer Michael Stoute’s concerns about the condition of the surface.

Zenyatta, in the Churchill Downs chute on Thursday morning, walks by with her pony. This may be my favorite 10 seconds of video, ever.

Zenyatta coming off the track on Thursday.

Andrew Rosen, owner of Theyskens’ Theory, and rider Frankie Dettori before the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies on Friday. The filly, sent off as the 5-1 second favorite, finished sixth. Dettori won the Breeders’ Cup Turf on Saturday with trainer Brian Meehan’s Dangerous Midge.

Goldikova, garlanded, paraded, and cheered after winning the Breeders’ Cup Mile for a historic third time. View from the press box balcony.

The Breeders’ Cup Classic field going to post. Tense moments watching.

Posted in Racing on November 8, 2010 / Tagged Big Drama, Breeders' Cup, Churchill Downs, Goldikova, Unrivaled Belle, Workforce, Zenyatta

Breeders’ Cup Links

This is the third Breeders’ Cup week I’ve worked, the second on Breeders’ Cup 360, and the one thing each week has had in common is that I always think there’s going to be time to post on Railbird — and there never is. So, why not visit the site that’s taking up all my time? We have John Scheinman live blogging from Churchill Downs, post-race interview live video, picks from the BC360 handicappers, Ernie Munick on a horse, Euro commentary from Nick Luck, and, of course, on scene tweets. Looking for more picks? Visit the Hello Race Fans picks page or the HRI Breeders’ Cup Classic media picks. I went out on a limb with Paddy O’Prado in the latter, seduced by the good looking gray’s sparkling morning moves over the Churchill surface.

Posted in Racing on November 5, 2010 / Tagged Breeders' Cup, Breeders' Cup 360, Churchill Downs, Picks

First Impressions

The lights are impossible to miss. Heavy poles with banks of high-powered bulbs circle the racetrack, evenly spaced without exception for the iconic twin spires view. I stood among the apron box seats on Sunday with Ernie Munick, taking my first long look at Churchill Downs, at the winner’s circle and finish line familiar through TV. “You can’t watch races from the rail,” he said. Caught between my naive surprise that Churchill was more modern than I anticipated and awe at standing only a few feet away from the oval over which generations of Kentucky Derby winners have run, I sighed. “What’s a railbird to do?”

Watch from the balcony, of course. That’s Astrology on the inside, winning the G3 Iroquois Stakes by 2 3/4 lengths. “He’s a beautiful colt, and he has a ton of ability,” trainer Steve Asmussen told Gary West after the race, the fourth start for the 2-year-old colt. It’s just taken him some time to put it all together.

Disclosure/promotion for the week ahead: I’m at Churchill working on Breeders’ Cup 360. We’re streaming the Breeders’ Cup draw live on Tuesday! And I’ll be tweeting, etc. from the backstretch. You can follow here.

Posted in Racing on October 31, 2010 / Tagged Astrology, BC360, Breeders' Cup, Churchill Downs, Iroquois Stakes, Juveniles, Twin Spires