Railbird 2004–2019

Miscellany Archive

Headlines & Commentary: March 25

– Gary West frets over the futures of horses such as Roses in May and Congrats, who have traveled to Dubai for the World Cup on Saturday. “Will these horses, like so many Dubai travelers of the past, fail to return to their prior form, and will they somehow be diminished?” (ST) … Owner Ken Ramsey loves Dubai. He’ll probably love it more if Roses in May wins the Cup. (NYT)
– “Fighting over peanuts with steak on the table.” A long-standing, petty feud between New Jersey’s horsemen and racing commission threatens to cost the state the 2007 Breeders’ Cup. (APP)
– Federal investigators revealed their evidence against 17 defendants charged with race fixing and illegal betting. “The physical evidence is so staggering it’s a good bet many defendants will try to make plea deals rather than go to trial,” reports the New York Post.
– Churchill Downs is offering $1 million bonus to any handicapper that wins one of its seven qualifying tournaments for the National Handicapping Championship. (TT)
– Send links, comments to railbird at jessicachapel dot com

Posted in Miscellany on March 25, 2005

Headlines & Commentary: March 24

– The new rules for election to the Racing Hall of Fame are an improvement, writes Bill Finley. But they don’t quite make things right: “The Hall of Fame has taken an important step in the right direction. It’s unlikely that we will ever again see a mediocrity inducted into what should be racing’s most elite club. But more needs to be done. There are horses like Mom’s Command who have been unfairly omitted. Only some common sense rule changes will do them justice.” (ESPN)
– Jockey Rafael Bejarano will return to Kentucky on Saturday to ride Andromeda’s Hero in the Lane’s End Stakes. Bejarano was one of the leading riders at Churchill Downs last fall until he was barred from the track, with 13 others, for participating in the jockeys’ strike over insurance issues. (CJ)
– Horse of the Year Ghostzapper worked five furlongs in :59.6 at Palm Meadows yesterday. He’s likely to make his 2005 debut in the Oaklawn Handicap April 9. (NYDN)
– Send links, comments to railbird at jessicachapel dot com

Posted in Miscellany on March 24, 2005

Headlines: March 22

– Trainer Nick Zito and jockey Jose Santos are among this year’s nominees to the Racing Hall of Fame. Voting results will be announced on May 31 and induction is scheduled for April 8. (Globe)
– An ESPN poll says interest in racing is up 5.1%. More than 37% of US adults says they’re fans of the sport. (BH)
– NYRA will begin using detention barns at the start of the Belmont meet on May 4. Plans for the barns aren’t finalized, but it’s expected that all horses racing on a certain day will be stabled in the barns 6-8 hours before running. (DRF)
– The Jockeys’ Guild asked Kentucky racing officials on Monday to raise weight limits for riders. The Guild proposes setting a minimum weight of 118 pounds for jockeys. (LHL)
– Send links, comments to railbird at jessicachapel dot com

Posted in Miscellany on March 22, 2005

Spring Break

There’ll be no posts to the site until Sunday, as I’ll be away in Saratoga doing a little advance work for the summer. Enjoy this weekend’s races.
3/20 Addendum: Saratoga was as lovely in winter as it is in summer. The only bad part of the trip was my visit to Saratoga Raceway, easily the most dreary, horrible little racino in the Northeast. The first floor slots area was dark and cramped, the second floor simulcasting lounge was unbelievably depressing. With TVs crammed along the walls, cheap fold-out tables for sitting at, a drop ceiling, and fluorescent lighting, the second floor resembled a badly converted basement or Chicago Midway airport — before renovations. I fled the scene in less than 10 minutes.

Posted in Miscellany on March 17, 2005

Headlines & Commentary: March 13

– It’s a big day for Sweet Catomine. If she wins the Santa Anita Oaks this afternoon, it could well be the last time she races against her own sex this year. (LAT)
– Saturday’s results: Summerly went wire-to-wire in the Fair Ground Oaks. Her win was “lovely, just lovely,” said trainer Steve Asmussen. The filly is a likely entrant in the Kentucky Oaks (DRF) … Sir Shackleton won the Richter Scale Breeders’ Cup; Tarlow held on to win the Santa Margarita Handicap. (Globe)
– Racing has to get tougher with cheats, says Bill Finley. “Horse racing still wants to slap its offenders on the wrist. Until that changes, the sport is going to have an awfully hard time cleaning up a drug mess that has never been a bigger issue or done more damage to thoroughbred racing’s image.” (ESPN)
– The same problem two days in a row earns two different calls from officials — and that shouldn’t happen. “There has to be accountability and consistency with the stewards or we might as well have no rules at all,” writes Jerry Bossert. (NYDN)
– Send links, comments to railbird at jessicachapel dot com

Posted in Miscellany on March 13, 2005