JC / Railbird

Jockeys

Still Looking

Trainer Chip Woolley is searching for a rider for Mine That Bird, now that Calvin Borel is permanently off the Kentucky Derby winner. The connections are looking for a rider who will commit from the West Virginia Derby through the Breeders’ Cup, but that’s apparently not such an easy promise to get. According to an anonymous agent:

“Chip Woolley’s not a buffoon,” he said, “but what he doesn’t understand is, he’s a one-horse stable. I ride for a lot of big outfits, and I’m not going to tick any of them off by committing to a guy with one horse.”

As people say, it’s just business …

4:45 PM Addendum: From today’s Churchill Barn Notes, a no-news update, except for the detail that Mine That Bird also needs a rider to breeze. “I know we are working Monday,” Woolley said. “I’m not sure who will work him.”

7/5/09 Update: And the saga comes to an end with Mike Smith — not Julien Leparoux, as briefly reported elsewhere — picking up the mount for the West Virginia Derby and Travers. “I’m very happy to have the opportunity to get back on him,” said Smith. “Hopefully I can make amends for what happened [in the Preakness] and get him home this time.” Rider Jamie Theriot will work Mine That Bird on Monday morning. “I am tickled that this is over with,” said Woolley, in a tone I imagine was of genuine relief.

Posted in Racing on July 3, 2009 / Tagged Jockeys, Mine That Bird

Favorites for 2009-05-08

Each day, I browse Flickr for interesting racing images. Here are photos recently saved as favorites …

Posted in Racing on May 8, 2009 / Tagged Jockeys, Kentucky Derby, Kentucky Oaks, Mine That Bird, Photos, Portraits, Rachel Alexandra

Entitlement

Huffs TOBA president Dan Metzger of a sponsorship deal between Derby jockeys and NetJets in an odd Blood-Horse article partially sourced by “They”:

“You can’t exclude owners — they own the horses, and should be at the center of discussions. The individual owner should be empowered to make the decision on how sponsorship revenue is divided.”

Unless an owner is donning a pair of thin white pants emblazoned with a sponsor’s logo and swinging their leg up over a horse, then, no, there’s really no reason for them to get a cut of the fee be involved in the deal-making. Owners may own the horses, but they don’t own the jockeys, or their pants.

Posted in Racing on May 7, 2009 / Tagged Jockeys, Owners, sponsorships, Triple Crown