JC / Railbird

Racing Archive

Awards Speculation

Filling in the post-summer meet, pre-fall championship season lull …

Steve Haskin on the unsettled awards picture:

One thing we should all be in agreement with is that it is going to take a victory in the Classic and possibly one other race or two spectacular performances by Questing or Point of Entry to take Horse of the Year honors away from I’ll Have Another.

That should be easy. At this point, I’ll Have Another seems barely in the Horse of the Year conversation — there would have to be chaos coast-to-coast over the next eight weeks for him to be a factor — and even 3-year-old champion honors hardly seem assured — both Alpha and Dullahan are well positioned to claim the title, if either manages to win the Jockey Club Gold Cup (A)* or Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (D), and then win in the Breeders’ Cup.

*Never mind, re: Alpha and the JCGC. He’s going to Pennsylvania.

Posted in Racing on September 7, 2012 / Tagged 3-Year-Old Champion, Eclipse Awards, Horse of the Year, I'll Have Another

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

A Tough Business

Even when you’re winning big …

King Leatherbury on repeat Turf Monster winner Ben’s Cat, millionaire:

“People say ‘well, he won a million dollars,’ ” Leatherbury said. “My answer is ‘where did that million dollars go?’ I don’t know where it is. All I know is that every time I win purses, I pay a lot of bills.”

The gelding’s earnings per start average $44,657.

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A tough business, part two …

The tweeted updates on Paynter’s condition from Ahmed and Justin Zayat are just heartbreaking. The Haskell winner, already severely ill with colitis, has developed laminitis in three of his feet. What a horrible disease.

Posted in Racing on September 4, 2012 / Tagged Ben's Cat, King Leatherbury, Laminitis, Millionaires, Paynter