Retired from Daily Racing Form Sept 2022. Still opine on racing when mood strikes. Co-host Thoroughbred LA radio 9-10 am PT Sat am830klaa. Big fan
@cityofhope
So the other day the
@nmrhof
gave
@JayHovdey
and I the honor of informing Fernando Toro that he had been voted into the Hall of Fame.
Jay H. told Toro he needed some photos autographed. On the photos it said Toro was in the class of 2023.
Sorry, it’s dusty in here
It's great and certainly understandable that owners want to bring their horses into the winner's circle after big-race wins but could you please do it along with the groom who cares for the horse every single day also on the shank? That person deserves that moment, too. Thanks.
Swiss Skydiver is a throwback. Travels coast to coast, runs in all the big races -- SA Oaks, Blue Grass, Alabama, Ky Oaks, Preakness -- and continues to hold her form and then some. Congratulations to
@KennyMcPeek
et al for a thrilling Preakness.
I have no idea if Justify will win the Belmont, and I'm perfectly willing to wait 17 days to see final field and turn in my picks. But...what's he's doing is unprecedented: first to win Derby+Preakness without racing at 2, perfect in 5 races since debut 3 months ago. He's special
20 years ago today, the greatest trainer I've been around passed away. He's buried in the public cemetery near his long-time home in Sierra Madre. RIP to the Bald Eagle, Charlie Whittingham
With that result, and with both horses in
@DelMarRacing
Futurity incident returning safely, that ends a meet in which zero horses suffered catastrophic injuries in a race. Congrats to horsemen and track officials for this achievement.
Remember when Secretariat finished a gallant second in the Derby, then skipped the Preakness and Belmont before returning in the Ohio Derby?
Me neither.
Jerry Moss raced Zenyatta, Giacomo, Ruhlmann, Fighting Fit, and many, many other G1 winners…
and championed Sting, The Police, Joe Cocker, Procol Harum, Burt Bacharach, the Carpenters, .38 Special, Garbage, Squeeze, and Joe Jackson, among many others.
Great man, great life. RIP
This is so good. Note at end that while Travis says it’s a photo he then names the 3 in order in which they did in fact finish.
Impressed always by his calls. He’s a terrific handicapper and it shows in his work because he’s cognizant of who took action and who should be where.
Listen as the voice of the Kentucky Derby,
@TravisStone
, calls the incredible 150th edition of the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve.
#KyDerby
Bob Baffert certainly was proud to win the first running of the American Pharoah? But how about Game Winner's groom, Eduardo "Lalo" Luna? He was American Pharaoh's groom, too (as well as Justify's). He's the man.
For someone who was thrust into the spotlight Kelly Dorman hits it out of the park every time he speaks and with zero notes. Can’t imagine what he and his family have endured. Class guy
The way Hidden Scroll ran today should serves as another reminder of just how much an achievement it was for Justify to win the Derby last year in his fourth start without having raced at age 2, let alone go on to win Triple Crown. It's an incredibly hard thing to do. Ask Curlin.
Interesting to note regarding Rebel: looks like they had 18 entered, as there are two fields of 9. Oaklawn had said 20 were needed to split; went ahead and split with 18. Very generous to put up extra $500k to allow all to run; with 18, if not split, some would be left out
#bravo
Out of an abundance of caution owing to the coronavirus pandemic, Trevor Denman will not call at
@DelMarRacing
this summer. He will remain at his farm in Minnesota
The track has hired a terrific free-agent though. Congrats to
@larrycollmus
Full story soon at
@DRFInsidePost
Seriously that might be Baffert's greatest training feat yet. This horse looked like he wanted no part of 10f earlier this year but he trained the **** out of him in recent weeks at Del Mar and he pulled it off. No excuse for Tiz the Law. Honor A.P. got crushed at the start.
Very sad, like so many who knew him, to learn of the passing of Bob Neumeier, who was one of the nicest people you'd ever meet, a joy to work with, and someone who genuinely rooted for you to succeed... especially at the windows! He loved horses, hockey, golf, and people. RIP
I’m seeing a lot this should be done or that should be done regarding yesterday. But the bottom line is a vet called in a scratch without fully examining the horse. That’s it. The rest is noise.
Classy gesture by
@6ErikJohnson
, voted owner of week at
@DelMarRacing
for winning 3 races last week. For presentation just now in winner’s circle, he arrived with the grooms of all 3 horses.
Just can't say enough good things about the job Barclay Tagg has done with Tiz the Law. Has performed at a high level all year and seems to be getting better. Think of all the 3yos who have come and gone this year. It's not easy to do. Great horsemanship.
RIP to an all-time great.
Loved racing too. His many top horses included Heartlight No. One and Soul of the Matter.
And he was a genuinely friendly person who loved to catch up at the races.
Leaves a monumental legacy.
Between the closing of GGF, default position of blaming trainers for debacle 4 years ago at SA, dilution of quality of racing at GP, and failure to make long-promised infrastructure improvements at SA and in MD, it’s hard to comprehend just how much damage this company causes
🚨
@1st_racing
, which operates
@PimlicoRC
, has confirmed to the TDN that it is giving strong consideration to moving the date of the GI
@PreaknessStakes
so that it is run four weeks after the GI Kentucky Derby.
@BillFinley3
has the story.
Abel Tasman retired, stallion TBD. Vale Dori retired, to be bred to Justify, per Baffert. No plans for West Coast and Collected; both go to stud next year and both not returning to CA so seems like official announcements imminent
I'll never forget the morning of Feb. 18, when Bob Baffert told me, "I've got some big plans for that colt." Hours later, he won his first start. Big plans? Uh, yeah.
Bolt d'Oro came out of race well but will not continue down Triple Crown trail, per owner-trainer Mick Ruis. "Bob's got a monster." Plan is to return to CA on Tuesday, point for Pacific Classic at Del Mar with prep vs 3yos prior (Haskell perhaps?)
A few more nuggets from this morning:
Medina Spirit stays in training at age 4, first major goal of 2022 is Saudi Cup, per Baffert.
Hot Rod Charlie also stays in training at age 4, no immediate race plans, per
@DougONeill1
.
@DailyRacingForm
When we were about to part, I wished him good luck on the day.
His response: "I wish you were rooting for us."
I cant' repeat what I said beyond calling him "classless,"
He said he was "joking."
He wasn't.
If he or SA thinks I'm rooting against them they are sick. (end thread)
BREAKING NEWS:
@nmrhof
jockey
@GStevens_jockey
is retiring effectively immediately owing to "my C-4 pressing up against my spinal cord." Added, "there won't be any comebacks from this." Full story up soon at
Justify got a Beyer Speed Figure of 97 for the Preakness. That is the first time he has had a fig of less than 101. Shows how hard this race was, yet he still gutted it out. Makes Belmont very intriguing.
As best I can tell Rombauer is the first Preakness winner to score his first win on dirt in the race since 1888, when the last of six maidens to win it prevailed. Rombauer’s two prior wins were on turf and Tapeta
Current riders could learn a lot from this 30-year-old race. When you have a horse whose best weapon is speed, use it. This is my favorite ride of
@GStevens_jockey
over the years because he busted race open at 3/8. Gave him his first of 3
@KentuckyDerby
wins
Just got off the phone with Todd Pletcher who said he wanted to pay tribute to J J Crupi, who picked out Vino Rosso as a yearling -- purchasing him for Mike Repole and Vinnie Viola -- and prepared him before he came in to Pletcher as a 2yo. Crupi died unexpectedly last week
Among riders in North America, Leon finished 11th in wins last year with 226. Joel Rosario, who rode Epicenter, finished 10th with 228 winners. Rosario’s mounts last year earned $32,956,215, and he won the Eclipse Award. Leon’s mounts earned $3,736,558.
Then came the Derby.
Just going to put this out there, you know who else makes unsubstantiated claims not backed up by facts. People suffering from CTE. I’ll admit I don’t know whether
@JasonKelce
suffers from CTE or not, it’s impossible to know…
Just going to put this out there, you know who else has enlarged hearts. People who take copious amounts of steroids. I’ll admit I don’t know whether Secretariat was on steroids or not, it’s impossible to know, because in 1973 when Secretariat won the triple crown there was not
Per a text from
@DougONeill1
, Lava Man is undergoing surgery for colic. He is 17, a member of the
@nmrhof
, winner of 17 of 47 and more than $5.2 million, and one of the most-popular horses since 2000. Certainly hoping for the best.
Sending all good wishes to 'Coach' LAVA MAN and his connections. Per
@DougONeill1
's Twitter feed, fan favorite LAVA MAN has suffered a colic episode, and they will keep people updated on his condition.
Such a tough, determined horse.
So, to review, stewards did not post inquiry sign themselves; if 2 riders don't claim, nothing happens. Then they took no questions about decision, only made statement. For the biggest race in the country.
A year ago on this date,
@VictorEspinoza
was in the hospital; it was 5 days after his accident at
@DelMarRacing
.
"I hadn't though about that until now," he said now. "I was in the hospital, really messed up. Here I am a year later winning races...Every day is a good day for me."
This summer marks 50th anniversary of 1st visit to track —
@DelMarRacing
on family vacay as kid. Changed my life. Love area so much moved nearby as adult. Can’t recall last time missed opener but still on vet’s list after surgery last month at
@cityofhope
; back in Aug. Can’t wait
.
@GStevens_jockey
and
@DraydenV
are teaming up. Stevens just called to say he's going to work as DVD's agent, beginning with new condition book at
@santaanitapark
with races of Feb. 26.
Seen this morning at
@DelMarRacing
:
@KentuckyDerby
ML favorite Omaha Beach, back galloping, should resume working before end of the month, per Mandella
Shout out to horses for putting up with these conditions. Besides heat, there just was a flyover with a Stealth bomber -- which isn't quite so stealthy after it flies by -- plus the concert, plus the occasional flames from the concert stage (because horses love fire, ya know)
McKinzie stays in training as 5yo, will point to Saudi Cup and Dubai World Cup first half of year, per Baffert.
That'll be part of a full
@BreedersCup
Classic follow story to be posted later today.
My lasting memory of watching race live can briefly be glimpsed on this video. It’s when Prat looks back with 5f to go. He’s sitting two back of LIG but already knows he can take him. And race is just half over! I can’t ride but would love to know what that power feels like.
Baffert watched the race at home. Said, "When he swung out at the quarter, I thought, 'Why didn't I go?'"
Added: "I have to give a lot of credit to Irad. I told him to warm him up well and he got him away from there."
And, "That little horse showed up today."
Saudi Cup next
As Week One concludes at
@DelMarRacing
, would like to point out that except for that freak incident Thursday morning -- the likes of which I'd seen just once, at CD, in all my years doing this job -- this week's racing and training went off without a single serious injury.
DeShawn Parker has been named the 2021 George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award winner. Voted on by members of
@JockeysGuild
and presented by
@santaanitapark
. Details:
Bob Baffert found out Kingly, in his turf debut, won the La Jolla when reached by phone at Saratoga seeking his reaction to the win.
"Oh crap, I forgot. He won? I love turf racing. Unbelievable."
CARMA is thrilled to announce the release of "What Horses Do After Racing: The Story of Good Carma," a captivating children's book written by renowned horse racing journalist
@jayprivman
and published by Red Cliff Publishing. Full Release:
Omaha Beach used to be just fine settling for minor awards but he's a beast now. Early move, tested late, was never giving it up. Best thing for Improbable was getting outside early, as that has been best part of track today. Second best. Both go to Ky Derby
#DerbyWatch
Churchill Downs Inc. announced today that the company is extending the suspension of Bob Baffert through 2024 "based on continued concerns regarding the threat to the safety and integrity of racing he poses to CDI-owned racetracks."
More to come at
Justify will get a Beyer Speed Figure of 101 for the Belmont Stakes, per Andy Beyer. The Preakness is the only time in six starts he had a fig of less than 100.
Joel Rosario rode three divisional champions -- Game Winner, Jaywalk, Accelerate -- including the runner-up for Horse of the Year and failed to finish in the top three among jockeys. Nothing against
@iradortiz
, who had a great year, but that's absurd.
It’s been well-documented for a long time how awful this course is. It’s malpractice that trainers and owners, including this winning trainer, let their horses compete over it.
Yes, Parx is disgraceful for having a course like this. But that’s not lone disgraceful aspect of this
I’m very thankful that our horse won and came home safe but this is what we ran on today at Parx. These tracks need to do better considering the purse money available today.
Couldn’t be happier for
@b_hernandezjr
for winning the Blue Grass and having a live Ky Derby prospect. Perhaps the nation’s most under-appreciated jock. He always has his horses in the right spot and is super-attentive re: ground loss.
#artcollector
Gun Runner got a Beyer Speed Figure of 119, per Andy Beyer. Great way for Gun Runner to go out. Produced giant figs race after race all of 2017 and today