Railbird 2004–2019

Miscellany Archive

Sports Museum Adds Racing Exhibit

I had heard that the Sports Museum of New England opened a Thoroughbred racing exhibit last month, but I didn’t hurry over to see it because I feared it would be nothing more than a small glass case with a tiny collection of memorabilia dominated by the photo of Seabiscuit winning the 1937 Massachusetts Handicap that appeared on Suffolk’s program cover all last year. Turns out I was right about the photo’s presence, but wrong about the depth of the display. (Lowell Sun)

Posted in Miscellany on January 7, 2005

Headlines: January 7

– Jay Hovdey previews “American Dream Derby,” the new racing reality show, which premieres on Monday. (DRF)
– A most intriguing horse: Is Lost in the Fog an “incipient superhorse” or a freak? (ST)
– Santa Anita is auctioning a “VIP Day at the Races” to aid tsunami victims. (eBay)
– Aqueduct’s United Tote system went down before the fifth race yesterday, leaving bettors unable to wager until the seventh. NYRA estimates ontrack handle was down $120,000 because of the glitch. (NYDN)
– With 48 hours to work out the kinks following Monday’s disastrous opener, day two of racing at Gulfstream went flawlessly. “This was just a great day. Everything went just the way it was supposed to,” said Gulfstream President Scott Savin. (DRF)
– A California judge overturned the suspension of “talented but troubled” jockey Pat Valenzuela. (LAT)
– British jockey Kieren Fallon looks to prove himself in the US. (BBC)
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Posted in Miscellany on January 7, 2005

Headlines: January 6

– New York Daily News handicapper Russ Harris has picked 30,000 winners, give or take, in his 48-year career. He has, “no doubt … picked more winners than anyone in the history of this game.” (ESPN)
– On Martin Luther King Day, January 17, Jimmy Winkfield will become the first jockey to have a NYRA flat race named in his honor. “I look upon this as the first opportunity for (NYRA management) to just let everybody know about the accomplishments and significance of African-Americans in racing,” said Mike Jarvis, a NYRA trustee. (TU)
– Azeri will be bred to leading stallion Storm Cat. “His line matched up well with her, and obviously, he’s the premier stallion in the world,” said owner Michael Paulson. (TT)
– Former Calumet Farm President J.T. Lundy completed his federal prison sentence on Tuesday. Lundy was convicted in 2000 of fraud, bribery, and conspiracy in the collapse of the famous Kentucky farm. (DRF)
– Send links, comments to railbird at jessicachapel dot com

Posted in Miscellany on January 6, 2005

Headlines: January 5

– The Kentucky Derby purse has been doubled, to $2 million from $1 million, making the race the second richest in the US. (DRF)
– Retired Jockeys’ Guild member Chris McCarron says he has “lost a tremendous amount of sleep” over the ongoing insurance conflict. (BH)
– With 11 fewer days of racing at Maryland tracks in 2004, the Maryland Jockey Club reported a 4.2% decline in wagering for the year. (WP)
– Send links, comments to railbird at jessicachapel dot com

Posted in Miscellany on January 5, 2005

Headlines: January 4

– Lip flipping has gone the way of the rotary phone, at least in New York and California. (NYS)
– Rockport Harbor’s back foot gash is nearly healed and the undefeated colt will leave Philadelphia Park for Oaklawn Wednesday to start his Derby campaign. (BH)
– Former NYRA linemaker Don LaPlace says he was fired, not retired. (DRF)
– Send links, comments to railbird at jessicachapel dot com

Posted in Miscellany on January 4, 2005