JC / Railbird

International

Forty-Two Years

Greg Wood reflects on Coolmore, Camelot, and the Triple Crown:

Racing has changed since Nijinsky won the Triple Crown and Magnier has probably done as much as anyone alive to change it. Nor is there anything that Camelot can do on Saturday afternoon to bring the old days back. But the fact that he is running in the St Leger at all shows that, even now, there are still precious moments in the billion-dollar business of international Flat racing when the money is secondary to the sport.

9/15/12 Addendum: Forty-three years. Encke outruns Camelot.

Posted in Racing on September 14, 2012 / Tagged Camelot, Coolmore, Encke, International, St. Leger, Triple Crown, UK

Believe in Fairy

Irish Champion Stakes winner Snow Fairy has overcome injury to win Group 1 stakes in five countries. She’s now a mare on the verge of worldwide fame:

“I usually don’t notice these things,” said rider Frankie Dettori, winning the ten-furlong contest for the fifth time, “but I could hear the crowd get behind her and the roar when she crossed the line. I’ve had some great days here but this one was all about this mare.”

Romance and record combine to make her an organic star.

And to think, she might not have been.

Posted in Racing on September 9, 2012 / Tagged Distaffers, International, Irish Champion Stakes, Snow Fairy, Stars

The International Market

Keeneland auctioneers adapt:

“You try and get rhythm in your chant, but at the same time you understand you’ve got people out there speaking probably 15 or 20 different languages, and most of the time they’re looking at the tote board now instead of listening to you,” he said. “So it’s very important that you are clear and precise in your numbers and everybody understands what the bid is and what the current asking price is.”

Posted in Racing on September 6, 2012 / Tagged Auctioneers, Auctions, Business of Racing, International, Keeneland, Sales, Yearlings