Railbird 2004–2019

Miscellany Archive

One Year On …

Today marks the first anniversary of Railbird, which started with this post:

If only I’d had Brad Free’s excellent “Handicapping 101” (DRF Press) when I started trying to learn this game. The chapter on form alone elicited many, many aha! moments. My only quibble (and it’s one I have with almost all handicapping books) is with his disdain for place and show betting. “Wagering to place and show is futile,” Free writes. Oh, but such bets can be part of a sound wagering strategy. When judiciously made, they can pay off quite nicely. Example: In race two at Suffolk Downs on June 15, the favorite, Brickaback, was at 1-1 on the board, despite his listless appearance in the paddock. But Got a Ticket looked lively and had odds of 18-1. A quick perusal of his past performances showed there was no way he would win, and he wasn’t a too likely second, but he was a very reasonable third, which is exactly what he ran, paying a lovely $17.80 — making a show bet in this race a better investment than a win bet on the second favorite, Metfleet, who returned a mere $8.80.

Related: Steven Crist explains why a place bet on Smarty Jones in the Belmont would have made sense (Daily Racing Form).

I’m a little embarrassed. Juvenilia, you know.
Thanks to everyone for visiting, and a special thank you to those who have taken time to send stories, photos, links, compliments, and suggestions. I can’t tell you how much fun I’ve had hearing from so many other racing fans. This has been a great year, and I’m looking forward to celebrating a second anniversary.

Posted in Miscellany on June 17, 2005

Headlines: June 17

– Gary West picks up a meme that’s been floating around since Afleet Alex won the Preakness: Racing may be called by the sport of kings, but it’s really the sport of commoners. “Horse racing clearly and emphatically has become the most democratic of sports.” (ST)
– Scrappy T is at Colonial Downs. Trainer Robbie Bailes says the Preakness runner up could start in the Colonial Turf Cup on June 25 or the Virginia Derby on July 16. (Press)
– Giacomo will have surgery for a bone chip in his left ankle next Thursday. Trainer John Shirreffs say the Derby winner is out for the rest of the year, but is hopeful he’ll return to racing as a four-year-old (DRF) … Adena Springs has bought a majority interest in the the breeding rights to Giacomo. He’ll be retired to stud in Kentucky at a later date. (BH)
– NYRA announced an increase in claiming race purses. It’s hoped the bigger purses will attract bigger fields. NYRA also announced that it has a definite agreement with MGM to manage the Aqueduct video lottery lounge, which is expected to open in 2006. (NYP)
– Send links, comments to railbird at jessicachapel dot com

Posted in Miscellany on June 17, 2005

Headlines: June 16

– Owner Rick Porter writes that Rockport Harbor’s foot is healing well and that he may be back in training by this weekend. “Once he starts, things will happen quickly and we will be back in the news. They will all have to get by ‘Rocky’ before it is all decided about three-year-old colts.” Do I hear a challenge to Afleet Alex there? Things could get interesting later this summer, if Rockport, who missed the Triple Crown races because of the foot injury, regains his promising form.
– Just kidding. Trainer John Servis pulled a fast one on Philadelphia sports radio listeners, saying that Smarty Jones would come out of retirement for a match race with Afleet Alex. Trainer Tim Ritchey was in on the gag and told the Philadelphia Inquirer, “I want a bell start, like War Admiral and Seabiscuit.”
– Giacomo will undergo a series of tests to help explain his seventh-place Belmont Stakes finish, said trainer John Shirreffs. “If something is atypical, we want to find the reason.” (DRF)
– Ouija Board disappointed in her four-year-old debut, losing a shoe and running seventh in the Prince of Wales’ Stakes at Ascot. Betting favorite Azamour won the race by one and a half lengths. (TT)
– After months of fretting that British racing would no longer have a home on Channel 4, a late deal between the TV station and several racecourses ensures that racing will remain on the air through 2006. Unfortunately (I think) for the British public, this means “egregious” racing pundit John McCririck will still be around. (Guar.) [Thanks to Our Man in England, Louis, for the links.]
– Send links, comments to railbird at jessicachapel dot com

Posted in Miscellany on June 16, 2005

Headlines: June 15

– Wagering was up 7% at Pimlico this spring. “The increase was due to a record-setting Preakness and an agreement that allowed wagering on thoroughbred racing at Rosecroft Raceway.” (Sun)
– Possibly the oddest Ascot headline ever: “Rakti spooked by a tooth.” Seems a spectator leaned over the paddock rail and clicked her teeth, spooking the Queen Anne Stakes favorite (Guar.) … Shamardal wins the Saint James Palace Stakes. (BH)
– Remember this story? NYRA offices were raided last December as part of an investigation into jockey weights. A Ballston Spa grand jury is now gathering information about “an alleged jockey weight scandal involving employees of the New York Racing Association.” NYRA officials and jockeys have been called in to speak to investigators. (TU)
– Send links, comments to railbird at jessicachapel dot com

Posted in Miscellany on June 15, 2005

Catching Up

The cable installer arrived an hour late yesterday afternoon, but my annoyance disappeared with the realization that this was the man who was going to restore the Internet to me. Sweet, sweet Internet! It’s been an excruciating week without the web. The only way I’ve been able to get online is to visit my new local public library, which actually has a good wireless network, but less-than-ideal space for working long stretches, and as a result I’ve missed much news, such as the entire lead up to the Belmont Stakes. Although, through old media, I’ve been able to keep up with the basics — no Oratory, no Scrappy T; Nick Zito is entering three; Afleet Alex is the 6-5 favorite. Unfortunately, yesterday’s cable installation didn’t go smoothly, and it’ll be a few more days before everything is set right. By next week, I should have reliable web once more, and TVG.
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I’ll be in New York on Saturday afternoon, and couldn’t be more excited about the Belmont Stakes or the Belmont undercard. Afleet Alex is the deserving favorite in the Belmont, but there’s a lot of other talent entered — Andromeda’s Hero, Reverberate, Giacomo — and there’s sure to be a surprise or two in this, the last leg of a surprise-filled Triple Crown series. As for the undercard, Lost in the Fog will try to extend his unbeaten streak to seven in the Riva Ridge Stakes, and Funny Cide will start in the Brooklyn Handicap along with Evening Attire and Gygistar. That’ll be some good racing.
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A couple of Suffolk notes: Saturday is Rudy Baez Day at Suffolk Downs. The former jockey, one of New England’s best, was paralyzed in 1999 at Rockingham Park. He’ll be honored with the Rudy Baez Stakes and with the presentation of an award from Challenge Unlimited, an organization dedicated to using horses to help children with disabilities. The $50,000 Rudy Baez Stakes is the first of four reinstated open stakes races this year. The others are the Old Ironsides on June 18, the My Fair Lady on August 13, and the Topsider on August 27 … The turf course finally opened with the fifth race on Tuesday, an uneventful claiming $8000 race for fillies and mares, which was won by Shehaz Pazzaz, a 10-year-old mare who won over the Suffolk turf course twice last year.

Posted in Miscellany on June 9, 2005

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