What’s Gonna Give?

Thoroughbred racing fans, this past week (and a little more) has been exactly the type of week for which you follow this sport, exactly the type of week that guarantees that you will continue following it. Stories are being written all over the place, stories that pertain to different areas of the sport, stories that fascinate for different reasons.

In fact, it’s almost overload. Which naturally prompts the question: What’s gonna give? And whenever whatever is gonna give does give, will it be beautiful or revolting?

It all started on Friday, May 1, when a filly that (stupidly) hadn’t been on my radar screen at all took the Kentucky Oaks (G1) at Churchill Downs by 20 1/4 lengths. (Don’t bother getting your reading glasses. That’s the right number.) Calvin Borel rode Rachel Alexandra to the most dominating victory in the documented history of this prestigious race. And he did it without so much as twitching a muscle. It was eery. From 3/4 of a mile into the race to the top of the stretch, she went from trailing Gabby’s Golden Gal by a head to being 10 lengths the leader. Her final time of 1:48 4/5 was just a 1/5 off the stakes record, and it earned her a 108 Beyer Speed Figure.

The stories continued the following day. I (stupidly) had shared the sentiments of many handicappers:

[T]his horse [Mine That Bird] really doesn’t belong. Only a catastrophe gives him a chance, and he’s likely the one to cause it, so there go his chances.

My own camera told the story. I had a perfect view of the stretch, so I decided to put my camera on “Sports” mode and snap continuous pictures of the field both times by. In the last picture snapped the first time they went by, Mine That Bird is the only horse in the frame, trailing the field by several lengths. In the first picture of the field the second time they went by, Mine That Bird is again the only horse in the frame, leading the field by several lengths. The 50.6-1 shot gelding ended up winning by 6 3/4 lengths, the second highest priced Derby winner ever. From a mile into the race to the top of the stretch, he went from twelfth to first by a length, going along the rail the entire time except for a quick move around Atomic Rain at the quarter pole. His final time of 2:02 3/5 earned him a Beyer Speed Figure of 105. And his jockey? The same one who sat atop the Oaks winner – Calvin Borel, or Bo-rail, as he is aptly nicknamed.

But the stories of both these horses don’t end there. Mine That Bird sold as a yearling for the bargain basement price of $9,500. Mark Allen and the other owners of Double Eagle Ranch eventually purchased the bay son of Birdstone in Canada for a more pricey $400,000, but that still hardly compares to the $3.7 million price tag of eleventh place finisher Dunkirk. Speaking of Allen, he and the eventual trainer of Mine That Bird, Bennie “Chip” Woolley, Jr., met in a bar fight.

Mine That Bird’s last race prior to the Derby was a fourth placed finish in the non-graded and nondescript Sunland Park Derby in New Mexico. Woolley had been planning on running him next in the Lone Star Derby in Texas. But when qualifiers kept dropping out of the Kentucky Derby field, Woolley finally decided to enter him in the big dance. He loaded him into a trailer hitched to his own pickup and drove him 21 hours to Louisville himself. And then his horse won.

Besides her races, which tell their own spectacular story, most of the stories surrounding Rachel Alexandra began after her Kentucky Oaks victory. Her connections had been insistent on not racing her in the Derby or, after she won the Oaks so convincingly, in the Preakness. “The Triple Crown is the showcase of the future stallions of our industry,” [owner Dolph] Morrison said. “Colts should run against colts, and fillies should run against fillies” (Grening, DRF). But this past week she was purchased by billionaire Jess Jackson and transferred from trainer Hal Wiggins’ barn to Steve Asmussen’s. Jackson, who also owns the retired Curlin, purchased her with high ambitions. Not only does he want to race her in the Preakness against the boys, he wants to breed her to Curlin once she’s retired. In so doing, he hopes to help put soundness, stamina, and durability back into the breed, not to mention brilliant speed.

Of course, this created a tough decision for jockey Calvin Borel, since Chip Woolley also decided to send Mine That Bird to the Preakness.

Borel’s choice? The filly.

That choice made history again. Assuming that both Mine That Bird and Rachel Alexandra break from the gate a week from today, a winning jockey from the Kentucky Derby will be riding a different horse in the Preakness for the first time ever.

With all this buzz, why are some in the industry upset?

Some are upset at Borel. No one can really knock his choice. Rachel Alexandra definitely seems like the better horse, and he should know. But Borel was one of the main reasons that Mine That Bird took the Derby. Many Triple Crown fans feel that, in order for Mine That Bird to have a chance in the Preakness, he needs Borel on his back. Rachel Alexandra, on the other hand, doesn’t appear to need any help.

Some are upset at Jackson. No one can really knock his purchase. If you had the money, wouldn’t you want to buy her? And the prospect of Curlin-Rachel Alexandra progeny is hardly unattractive. But the fact that he is deliberately going against her original owners’ wishes by running her in the Preakness, and the fact that he so quickly ripped her from the trainer who helped get her to this point, leaves a pit in the stomach of many.

Some aren’t upset as much as they are concerned. Randy Moss rightly pointed out that those who say that Rachel Alexandra won the Oaks without even trying are flatly wrong. The jockey may not have been trying – he didn’t have to – but the horse was definitely trying. And that’s what has people nervous. The last filly to try this hard in every race – even when in front, even when not being asked, even after being pulled up (in races or in workouts), even when there’s no need at all – was Ruffian. And the only time she raced against the boys, her freakish effort was her downfall. She revoltingly broke down in a match race against the colt Foolish Pleasure in 1975, and was later euthanized.

So… What’s gonna give? Is this thoroughbred racing’s year? Are we going to see something amazing in the Preakness? Are we going to see Mine That Bird beat the odds again and be the first Derby winner to take the Preakness with a different jockey (Mike Smith, if you were wondering)? Are we going to see a filly take the Preakness for the first time since Nellie Morse in 1924?

Are we going to see something amazing in the future, four or more years down the road? Will we see a son of Curlin and Rachel Alexandra recapture Americans’ hearts for horse racing? Will we see any of their progeny finally recapture the Triple Crown?

Or…are we going to see something far less than fortunate in the near future? I pray not.

Hard times have always produced good stories. I pray that what we are seeing is just that – greatness emerging from hardship, something good coming out of something bad. Who couldn’t use a little of that?

2009 Kentucky Derby Preview

With the withdrawal of Quality Road, Win Willy, and others from contention in Saturday’s $2 million Kentucky Derby (G1) at Churchill Downs, one can almost hear the cumulative handicapping world sputtering and creaking as it tries to get back on track. It doesn’t help either that each day brings a new workout, each day brings another impressive looking colt to the track, each day another one looks great on the surface.

Handicapping the Derby is not easy. If you visit a site that claims success in this endeavor, leave immediately. Each handicapper is affected by the latest handicapping trends, eye-popping workouts and appearances on the track, and personal sentiments.

Yet everyone loves to try. Why? Because every horse only gets one chance at the Kentucky Derby. Because the Kentucky Derby is stacked with talent. Because the Kentucky Derby gate is loaded with the equivalent of 20 equine teenagers – all with the potential for failure and inconsistency (and perhaps no particular reason why), many with the potential for spectacularity, some of them out to get the others, some of them completely intimidated by the others. And all of them on a stage bigger and brighter than any previous venue. A stage beheld by 80,000 people in the infield alone. A stage surrounded by a “boiling sea of people” – a very American mix consisting of the rich, the poor, the refined, the uninhibited, the balanced, the insane, the well-dressed, the half-naked, the serious, the indifferent, the sober, and the smashed. The best of handicappers could go broke, while the greenest of gambling rookies could strike it rich. And, above all, there’s always that chance – no matter how sliver-slim it may be – that one of these young upstarts could beat the immortal Secretariat’s record of 1:59 2/5.

Even if you don’t love it, it’s like a replay of a grotesque injury – you just have to watch.

According to Intellicast, Saturday’s forecast for Louisville, Kentucky, consists of early showers becoming steady rain later in the day. High of 61 º F.

Let’s meet the contenders.

Post 1 – West Side Bernie (Bernstein)

Jockey – Steward Elliott

Owner – Lori and George Hall

Trainer – Kelly Breen

This dark bay colt finished a solid second to the favorite, I Want Revenge, in the Wood Memorial (G1) at Aqueduct his last time out. His Beyer Figure for that second-place finish is tied with Friesan Fire’s and easily betters that of many of the graded-stakes-winning horses in this field. It was a big improvement for him, and he has been training well at Churchill. Still, he’ll have to improve again big time if he wants to finish in the money.

Post 2 – Musket Man (Yonaguska)

Jockey - Eibar Coa

Owner – Eric Fein and Vic Carlson

Trainer – Derek Ryan

Those of you who read this blog regularly know that this horse is my sentimental weakness, for two reasons: 1) I witnessed him win the Illinois Derby (G2) in person, and 2) despite his record and all the big drop-outs, hardly a single respected handicapper dares to put him in their Top Ten, mostly due to his breeding. Indeed, at 252 he has the fourth lowest Tomlinson rating in the Derby field for the 10 furlong distance (320 is considered average). And if it rains on Saturday, Musket Man will be chartering unknown territory; he has only raced and worked out on tracks labeled “fast.” Yet this is a colt that, with one exception (a third in the Sam F. Davis Stakes [G3] at Tampa Bay Downs), has won every race and done everything asked of him, improving big when he needs to do so. He was one of the first contenders stabled at Churchill and, although not popping any eyes, he has been training well there. Eibar Coa was more impressed with his move over the Churchill dirt on April 18 than he was with his Illinois Derby win, and even more impressed with his move on April 25. He’s a classic overachiever, and don’t be surprised if he does it again on Saturday.

Post 3 – Mr. Hot Stuff (Tiznow)

Jockey - John Velazquez

Owner – WinStar Farm LLC

Trainer – Eoin Harty

He finished third to The Pamplemousse in the Sham Stakes (G3), and then third to Pioneerof the Nile (G1) in the Santa Anita Derby. He’s only raced on sythetic dirt, and he just galloped over the Churchill dirt for the first time yesterday. He’s got a great rider for the Derby in Velazquez, but Velazquez is also new to this horse.

Post 4 – Advice (Chapel Royal)

Jockey – Rene Douglas

Owner – WinStar Farm LLC

Trainer – Todd Pletcher

Advice won the final major Kentucky Derby prep, the Lexington Stakes (G2) at Keeneland, his first win since he broke his maiden on July 3, 2008. He has a new jockey for the Derby. He put in a great four furlong workout at Churchill on April 27. However, there is just too much stacked against him. He is not bred for this distance, and his post position, combined with his running style (in the Lexington he closed from dead last in a field of 11), doesn’t give him much of a chance. At least he shouldn’t make life too difficult for the better horses around him.

Post 5 – Hold Me Back (Giant’s Causeway)

Jockey – Kent Desormeaux

Owner – WinStar Farm LLC

Trainer – Bill Mott

This dark bay colt has an impressive resume, and last year’s Derby rider to boot, but he finished fifth last year in his only race on dirt. He also doesn’t seem to be showing the signs of improvement that one would like to see in a good longshot. His Beyer in the Blue Grass Stakes (G1), 93, was worse than his Lane’s End (G2) Figure, 97. He went an honest 1:01 3/5 over five furlongs in his only workout at Churchill on April 26. Like Advice, Hold Me Back will also not be near the front out of the gate. Only a blistering pace gives him a fighting chance.

Post 6 – Friesan Fire (A.P. Indy)

Jockey – Gabriel Saez

Owner – Vinery Stables and Fox Hill Farms

Trainer – Larry Jones

This bay colt will be a sentimental pick and good one at that. This will likely be the last Derby for his trainer, Larry Jones. Last year he trained the brilliant and fragile filly Eight Belles, who broke down immediately after the Derby and was euthanized. Jones was not at fault for that. He is a great trainer and a great guy, but all the scrutiny has been hard on him, and so he has said this will be his final Derby before he retires. But he’s going out with a bang with this loaded cannon. On April 19, Jones wound up his colt with a full eight furlong workout. Then, on April 27, he unwound him with a blazing five furlong work in 0:57 4/5. And how did he survive the work? “[Yesterday] he looked like he wanted to do much more than trainer Larry Jones had scheduled and actually seemed to come out of his work looking a bit more fluid than he went in” (Mike Welsch, DRF). The morning line odds on him are 5-1, but he should get more action than that at the windows on Saturday, and it will be deserved action. His Louisiana Derby (G2) Beyer of 104 is the third best posted by any of the contenders.

Post 7 – Papa Clem (Smart Strike)

Jockey – Rafael Bejarano

Owner – Bo Hirsch

Trainer – Gary Stute

I haven’t been that high on this horse, even though I had been high on Old Fashioned, whom Papa Clem beat out by a half length in the Arkansas Derby (G2). That is, I haven’t been that high on him until today. In his last work on April 25, he went seven furlongs in a lazy 1:29 1/5. But this morning Gary Stute put him through a short three furlong blowout in 34 seconds flat. The next fastest work at that distance today was 0:37 2/5. With that move, Papa Clem should be wound almost as tightly as Friesan Fire in the gate on Saturday. And he may have a bit more speed out of the gate than Friesan Fire, which may keep him out of trouble in the early going. Papa Clem also shares Curlin’s (2007 Horse of the Year) sire, Smart Strike. With morning line odds of 20-1, he should provide an outstanding value bet. Obstacle: In the past, Papa Clem has fallen short to fellow Derby contenders Pioneerof the Nile – in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G2) on February 7 by a half length – and Friesan Fire – in the Louisiana Derby on March 14 by 7 1/4 lengths.

Post 8 – Mine That Bird (Birdstone)

Jockey – Calvin Borel

Owner – Double Eagle Ranch and Bueno Suerte Equine

Trainer – Bennie Woolley, Jr.

Along with Nowhere to Hide, this horse really doesn’t belong. Only a catastrophe gives him a chance, and he’s likely the one to cause it, so there go his chances. His best career Beyer was an 81 on February 28, and his last workout was 1:02 over five furlongs at Churchill.

Post 9 – Join in the Dance (Sky Mesa)

Jockey – Chris DeCarlo

Owner – Jake Ballis, Rashard Lewis, Reagan Swinbank, Reed Ballis & William Swinbank

Trainer – Todd Pletcher

Again, not much to say here. His best career race was the March 14 Tampa Bay Derby (G3), in which he ran first up to the wire, where late-charging Musket Man caught him by a neck. His subsequent fifth place performance in the Blue Grass Stakes (G1) was less than admirable. He showed a “good turn of foot” in his five furlong work at Churchill on April 27, but it was hardly enough to shake up anyone’s Derby picks. Without the scratch of Square Eddie, Join in the Dance would not be in this race.

Post 10 – Regal Ransom (Distorted Humor)

Jockey – Alan Garcia

Owner – Godolphin Racing LLC

Trainer – bin Suroor Saeed

This dark bay was the surprising winner over stablemate and fellow Derby contender Desert Party in the United Arab Emirates Derby (G2). Since then he has also outperformed his stablemate in their only works at Churchill on April 25, going five furlongs in a smooth 0:59 1/5 (vs. Desert Party in 0:59 3/5). He has a good post position, and his sire has produced a number of successful winners at classic distances, including Funny Cide and Flower Alley. Most of the masses, including myself, will not know whether or how to bet these Arabian horses. They certainly seem to deserve some action, but American sentimentality and infamiliarity will probably put them at a decent price on Saturday. Of the two, Regal Ransom appears to be the better pick. See “Post 19 – Desert Party.”

Post 11 – Chocolate Candy (Candy Ride*ARG)

Jockey – Mike Smith

Owner – Craig Family Trust

Trainer – Jerry Hollendorfer

The bay runner-up to Pioneerof the Nile in the Santa Anita Derby (G1) has steadily improved in each one of his seven starts since August 29. He has also never finished out of the money since then. He appears to be moving as well on dirt in his works at Churchill as he did on the California synthetics, on which he has raced exclusively up until now. He’s a big question mark, but he has definitely earned the right to run in this race and could make a good inclusion in some exotics.

Post 12 – General Quarters (Sky Mesa)

Jockey - Julian Leparoux

Owner – Thomas McCarthy

Trainer – Thomas McCarthy

This horse is definitely the feel-good story of the year so far, and (I’ve been chomping at the bit to say this, since I don’t get to say it often) Bill Finley has written an excellent article documenting Tom McCarthy and his horse. Tom is a retired schoolteacher from Louisville in his seventies who, for all intents and purposes, is out of his league at the Kentucky Derby. Yet good horses put modest men like McCarthy on equal competitive terms, at least for a day, with infinitely wealthy rulers like Sheik Mohammed. And best of all, his horse actually has a chance. Tom’s gray colt posted a 102 Beyer in the Sam F. Davis Stakes (G3) on February 14. More recently he posted a 95 in his Blue Grass (G1) victory on April 11. Like his Tampa Bay nemesis Musket Man (whom Eibar Coa chose as his mount in preference to General Quarters), his breeding doesn’t match up well with the Derby distance. But, also like Musket Man, he continues to overachieve. General Quarters’ owner/trainer Tom McCarthy is living his dream. And if his horse pulls off an upset on Saturday, they both will inspire the dreams of many others too.

Post 13 – I Want Revenge (Stephen Got Even)

Jockey – Joe Talamo

Owner – David J. Lanzman & IEAH Stables, Puglisi Racing, Charles Winner

Trainer – Jeff Mullins

I Want Revenge is Big Brown-ish. Like Big Brown, I Want Revenge has some truly freaky talent. He scored big with a 1 1/2 length win and a 103 Beyer in the Wood Memorial (G1) at Aqueduct after breaking flat-footed from the gate and then failing to find his feet for the first 15 yards or so. In his previous race, the Gotham (G3) on March 7, he scored a 113 Beyer. What could he have done in the Wood Memorial? Apparently, that’s what everyone else is asking too, because he has been installed as the morning line favorite (just like Big Brown) at 3-1. It would be surprising if he were not also the betting favorite on Saturday. Like Big Brown, he is owned by IEAH Stables and their shady businessmen. Like Big Brown, he has a trainer who likes pushing the limits with NTRA restrictions. In fact, Jeff Mullins will serve a seven-day suspension (weak, if you ask me) starting the day after the Derby for injecting one of his horses with an over-the-counter medication in the Aqueduct security barn on April 4. The networks and press will probably try to avoid this for the most part, but it’s a shame that thoroughbred racing always has to have several of these guys (and usually one in the spotlight). But I digress. I Want Revenge doesn’t have a lot of speed out of the gate, but after overcoming his start in the Wood, there will be many expressions of surprise (on my face too) if he does not finish in the money on Saturday.

Post 14 – Atomic Rain (Smart Strike)

Jockey – Joe Bravo

Owner – Lori and George Hall

Trainer – Kelly Breen

This bay colt has improved by leaps and bounds in his last three starts, his most recent being a fourth behind I Want Revenge in the Wood. He put in a bullet four furlong workout at Monmouth Park on April 28 (0:47 1/5) and arrived at Churchill yesterday. Otherwise his only advantage is his breeding. As a half brother to Papa Clem, he has the second best Tomlinson rating in the field for this distance at 356.

Post 15 – Dunkirk (Unbridled’s Song)

Jockey – Edgar Prado

Owner – Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith

Trainer – Todd Pletcher

This gray is overrated. (And with the forecast being what it is, perhaps the maxim “Never bet a gray on a rainy day” also applies.) I’ve already compared him to Republican candidate Fred Thompson – he’s got rich blood, a reputation, and all sorts of connections, but he hasn’t shown that he can come out on top against capable competition. However, with Quality Road (to whom he was runner-up in the Floriday Derby [G1]) scratched due to a quarter crack, he does give Todd Pletcher a good chance. He has improved in all three of his career starts and, if the figures are to be believed, scored the second best Beyer of any horse in the Derby field in the record-setting Florida Derby. He has been training well at Palm Meadows in Florida. He arrived at Churchill on Tuesday and galloped for the first time over Churchill’s dirt yesterday. According to Mike Welsch, “he did look healthy and appeared to gallop with good energy” (DRF). Part of me hopes Dunkirk does win, just so that all his hype will finally be justified.

Post 16 – Pioneerof the Nile (Empire Maker)

Jockey – Garrett Gomez

Owner – Zayat Stables LLC

Trainer – Bob Baffert

Everyone has been oohing and aahing over the Santa Anita Derby (G1) winner. Apparently the Churchill Downs handicappers love the way he has been moving over the Churchill dirt. He has had two respectable works since he arrived, his latest being a five furlong move in 1:01 on April 27. But he must perform better on dirt than he has on synthetics, and all of his races thus far have been on synthetics or turf. His morning line odds are 4-1. Somehow I don’t think he’ll be second at the windows on Saturday, so he should actually make a good bet. However – and maybe I’m just not seeing something everyone else is – judging from both his videos and his form, I don’t think he can or will win.

Post 17 – Summer Bird (Birdstone)

Jockey – Chris Rosier

Owner – Kalarikkal and Vilasini Jayaraman

Trainer – Tim Ice

This will only be Summer Bird’s fourth career start. His improvement from his second to his third race was Dunkirk-esque. He finished third 1 1/4 lengths behind Papa Clem in the Arkansas Derby (G2) in his last start. His only workout at Churchill Downs was a lethargic six furlong exercise. Unless you think that he is going to improve as much in the Derby as he did at Oaklawn Park, he’s not worth playing.

Post 18 – Nowhere to Hide (Vindication)

Jockey – Shaun Bridgmohan

Owner – My Meadowview Farm

Trainer – Nick Zito

See “Post 8 – Mine That Bird (Birdstone).” His form has actually deteriorated in his last three races, his last being a fourth place finish 11 1/4 lengths behind Musket Man in the Illinois Derby (G2). This post position and his lack of speed will either leave him hung outside the field to dry or stuck behind too much competition. The only thing he has going for him is his trainer, but Zito hasn’t had any success at the Derby in a long time.

Post 19 – Desert Party (Street Cry)

Jockey – Ramon Dominguez

Owner – Godolphin Racing LLC

Trainer – bin Suroor Saeed

See “Post 10 – Regal Ransom (Distorted Humor).” Top European jockey Frankie Dettori didn’t make the trip to Kentucky to keep his mount in the Derby; that probably says something about his chances. Stick with Regal Ransom if you’re big on the Arabians.

Post 20 – Flying Private (Fusaichi Pegasus)

Jockey – Robby Albarado

Owner – Robert Baker and William Mack

Trainer – D. Wayne Lukas

This bay colt has some respectable Beyers on his resume (94 and 91 last two times out, respectively), but has finished behind other horses in this field who are longshots themselves – Summer Bird (Arkansas Derby) and Hold Me Back (Lane’s End Stakes). Plus, he’s breaking from Big Brown’s post without Big Brown’s talent. Not a chance.

My Picks

1. Friesan Fire
2. I Want Revenge
3. Papa Clem

Dark Horse – Musket Man

Longshot - General Quarters

Best Value – Regal Ransom

My Bet – Musket Man, across the board

If you happen to be in the swarming infield, look for me. I’ll be in khaki shorts and a t-shirt, looking lost and dazed, but having the time of my life.

Busy Weekend (Continued)

Nick Zito’s Grade 1 champion Commentator finished a disappointing fourth 6 3/4 lengths behind local hero and track record-holder Researcher in the first running of the Charles Town Classic late Saturday night. The veteran gelding held a good pace at the front of the pack for almost a mile before fading badly, especially in the last 1/16 of a mile. Researcher came home in 1:49 4/5 for the 1 1/8 mile race.

It will be interesting to see what Zito does next with his horse. Perhaps he needs a few races to warm back up to his old form.

Papa Clem

The Gary Stute trainee Papa Clem put in a lolligagging seven furlong work over a good Churchill Downs track on Sunday. “I think I had him in 1:30 and change for seven-eighths,” he commented afterwards (Brisnet Editorial). He was going so slow, in fact, that the track clockers put him down for a five furlong work. Stute’s idea was to familiarize his colt with the surface over a considerable distance. He may as well have galloped him himself.

Papa Clem posted an impressive score in the Arkansas Derby (G2) over race favorite, and since retired, Old Fashioned. But we’ll have to wait until this coming Saturday to see Papa work seriously over the Churchill Downs surface. I got nothing out of this workout one way or the other analysis-wise. If you’re playing the Derby on May 2, I would just scratch this workout off your form and handicap with everything else.

Friesan Fire

Now this colt actually had a workout over a considerable distance. Friesan Fire, the Louisiana Derby (G2) winner, went a full mile over the synthetic surface at Keeneland in 1:39 3/5. That’s not all too impressive at first glance, but what was impressive was his final quarter in 0:23 4/5. Trainer Larry Jones wanted to tighten him up, and it looks and sounds like he did just that. I like Jones’ method. Depending on what he continues to do with the colt leading up to the Derby, Friesan Fire may just end up being the most spring-loaded horse in the gate on May 2.

Jones plans on shipping Friesan Fire to Churchill on Friday, with a final work scheduled the following Monday.

Busy Weekend

It has been and will be a busy weekend for thoroughbred racing. Several Kentucky Derby contenders worked out yesterday and today, and at least two more, Papa Clem and Friesan Fire, will work tomorrow. The final major prep for the Kentucky Derby, the Lexington Stakes (G2), will be run at Keeneland at 5:40 p.m. EST, broadcast on ESPN2. Square Eddie is the strong favorite, but just as with last weekend’s Blue Grass Stakes (G1), you can expect almost any entry to win. Finally, Nick Zito’s popular eight-year-old veteran and winner of last year’s Whitney (G1) and Massachusetts Handicap, Commentator, will be burning the late night oil. He runs in the Charles Town Classic tonight at 10:00 p.m. EST.

Quality Road

On Friday, April 17, Quality Road went 3/4 of a mile over a fast Belmont Park training track in 1:12. He galloped out seven in 1:25 2/5. Trainer Jimmy Jerkens was both impressed by the work, since his colt is coming off of a quarter crack injury, and disappointed, because he didn’t want him to work quite that fast. However, since he worked the colt on Friday instead of Saturday, he will now be able to give the colt an extra day of rest and give him his final workout leading up to the Derby next Saturday. Following that work, Quality Road will ship to Churchill Downs.

Quality Road’s work was the fastest of six at the distance, almost a full second faster than the second place work. He continues to impress following his record-setting Florida Derby (G1) victory, and his quarter crack should not be an issue at all on May 2. He remains the horse to beat, in my opinion.

Regal Ransom and Desert Party

Godolphin Stables’ 1-2 finishers in the United Arab Emirates Derby in Dubai both worked within 2 1/2 hours of each other on Saturday morning, April 18, over the Churchill Downs dirt. They both worked five furlongs. Regal Ransom was the more impressive of the two at 0:59 4/5. Godolphin still hasn’t decided whether to run only one or both of the horses in the Derby. Up until the UAE Derby, all the attention was on Desert Party, but after Regal Ransom’s upset, and now his stronger workout, Desert Party may have lost his ticket.

I have largely ignored these foreign contenders, because foreign horses are like Chinese to me. I can’t read them. One or both may very well show up to play on May 2, and I won’t be surprised (though I will be disappointed; I can’t help but root for horses owned by my fellow countrymen). They probably won’t be getting as much action on May 2 as some of the others, so look for either of them to provide a good return on the dollar.

Musket Man

Eibar Coa, who rode Musket Man to victory in the Illinois Derby (G2) was aboard the colt for a six furlong workout after the harrow break on a beautiful Saturday morning at Churchill Downs. Working alongside stablemate Bull Toccet, Musket Man took off at the 5 1/2-furlong pole and began pulling away from his stablemate between the quarter pole and the wire under very slight urging. He went five furlongs in 1:00 and six in 1:13. From the quarter pole to the wire he went in 0:24 2/5.

The Venezuela native Eibar Coa chose Musket Man as his Derby mount in preference to Blue Grass Stakes winner General Quarters, and he told trainer Derek Ryan that he was more impressed with this work than he was with the Illinois Derby (!). This dark bay colt continues to impress and is slowly gaining the respect of Churchill Downs handicappers, though he’ll never make it into their top five unless he sprouts wings in his final workout. KentuckyDerby.com usually posts videos of the final workouts of all the contenders. I look forward to seeing how Musket Man moves over the surface.

Dunkirk

Bandwagon boy Dunkirk went five furlongs easily in 0:59 3/5 over a fast Palm Meadows training track on Saturday morning, galloping out six in 1:12 1/5. Even though Dunkirk finished a tired second to Quality Road in the Flordia Derby, horsemen were comparing him to Big Brown after the work. Big Brown had his second to last workout for the Kentucky Derby at the same track last year almost to the day.

Dunkirk’s rapid improvement in the span of a few races along with his impressive breeding have been popping eyes all spring. Any other horse with Dunkirk’s form would still be considered a longshot, but rest assured that Dunkirk will be one of the betting favorites on the first Saturday in May. I’m not ready to give any sort of an endorsement to this pretty boy yet. He strikes me like last year’s Republican primary candidate Fred Thompson – he’s got rich blood, a reputation, and all sorts of connections, but he hasn’t shown that he can come out on top against capable competition.

The Haw-thorn in My Flesh

Imagine the following scenario.

You purchase a new lamp for a side table in your living room. You proudly return home only to discover that your spouse also bought a new lamp. Actually, he/she bought matching lamps for every lamp-worthy table on the first floor of your house. So you conceal your purchase, and at the next possible opportunity you sneak out to return it.

You approach the customer service desk, and explain your situation. The lamp you bought has no wear or tear; you haven’t even turned it on. You would simply like to return it because you have no need for it and it’s still new, in fine working order. You finish your explanation and look up to see the customer service rep staring at you with incredulity in her eyes.

“Are you serious?” she asks, her face set like stone.

You are stunned speechless. You try muttering a few words in your defense, but she just keeps staring at you. Finally, you tuck the lamp under your arm and leave completely bewildered and dissatisfied.

That would never happen, right?

At Hawthorne Race Course, that did happen. To me. On Illinois Derby day.

Prior to April 4, I was under the impression that customer service representatives were hired as such precisely because they knew how to treat customers with respect and bring customer issues to a satisfactory resolution. I don’t assume that anymore.

Before I actually start lamenting customer service at racetracks, let me make several things clear.

1. I had a great time overall at Hawthorne at April 4.
2. My brothers have spent their life’s energy making my skin thick. The customer service rep I have in mind didn’t hurt my feelings; she just shocked me.
3. This past Holy Week has once again reminded me not only of my own faults and sins and God’s unconditional forgiveness, but also, in so doing, that my first response toward others should not be anger but forgiveness.

This post comes out of concern for the horse racing industry and its clientele, not out of anger or an unforgiving spirit. People generally will not keep going back to places where they are treated less than humanely. And as a fan of horse racing it’s very difficult to advertise the sport to friends and acquaintances when I can’t guarantee them that they’ll be treated as well there as they would at an amusement park or ballpark.

And so I include this detailed criticism to make it clear that the thoroughbred racing industry (as far as I have experienced personally) needs to work on customer service.

On to the story…

On Monday, March 30, I was browsing the Hawthorne Race Course website to make sure that my visit on April 4 would go as smoothly as possible. In the “Facility Guide,” a list of prohibited items was included. One of those prohibitions was cameras.

I was floored. I had never heard of cameras prohibited at racetracks, and I had visited seven of them. For me, half the fun of going to a new track is capturing the memories on camera.

So I found the contact information page and located the customer service representative’s email address. She will remain nameless here, but anyone can find her name and email address on the website. I sent her an admittedly long but genuine email, politely asking her either for an explanation of the prohibition or, if there was none, whether the track might consider striking the prohibition. (“All publicity is good publicity,” as the saying goes.)

By Thursday, the rep still hadn’t replied to me. I realized that I hadn’t expressly asked her to reply to me by Saturday, the day of the Illinois Derby and the day I would be visiting Hawthorne with friends (all of whom were going to the track for the first time and disliked the prohibition as much as I). So I sent her another email asking, if possible, for a response before Saturday morning. It was two paragraphs long, the second of which read:

I would simply like an honest and informative answer one way or the other. Thank you. (If you did not receive the [first] email, you can find a copy of it below.)

I fully realize the shortcomings of written communication. It lacks the dynamic of bodily movement and facial expression and is thus liable to misunderstanding. This has gotten me into trouble before. Also, I used to be a waiter at Applebee’s, so I know how stressing serving customers can be. Consequently I took great pains in both emails to be as polite as possible.

My inbox still failed to turn up a reply from her either Friday or Saturday morning. So we all simply brought cameras, not knowing what to expect. (I was still doubtful that the track actually prohibited them.)

From the moment we arrived we saw people taking pictures, and there was no way that all those people were members of the press. So we started taking pictures and no one gave us so much as a sideways glance all day.

Later, my suspicion about the prohibition was confirmed beyond a doubt. Prior to the Illinois Derby I went down to the indoor paddock to take some pictures. A sign at the entrance to the paddock clearly forbade flash pictures. I accidentally left my flash on for the first picture, and quickly turned it off. However, one of the track employees saw the flash from a distance, though she didn’t see exactly which camera it came from. She made her way through the crowd announcing, “No flash pictures!” If cameras were prohibited, she would have just confiscated everyone’s camera. But she did not. No one did.

Before I get to the real kicker, I should mention a few other customer service “peculiarities.”

Peculiarity #1: Prior to one of the earlier races, I was standing in line to make a wager. I was standing in line because there were only three employees at this particular set of betting windows, and it wasn’t because there were only three windows. One of the regulars, who was also waiting in line, addressed one of the tellers (I’m paraphrasing the conversation and changing the names used): “Hey Harry, why are there only three tellers? It’s Derby day and there’s only three tellers!”

Harry responded, “Yeah, and just watch, tomorrow there’ll be only a handful of people in here and the tellers will be lined up back here.”

“Yeah, that sounds about right,” the bettor responded.

That doesn’t sound like good business.

Peculiarity #2: In addition to the lack of coordination between the track’s website and the track itself, there was also a lack of coordination between the track program and the track itself. Just like every track program I’ve seen, the Hawthorne track program instructed bettors, when making a bet, to state:

1. The name of the track (since simulcast bets can be made on other tracks)
2. The number of the race
3. The amount of the bet
4. The number of the horse
5. The type of bet

Before race 10, I went to make a wager. I approached the teller and enunciated my bet: “Hawthorne, Race 10, $10 on 2 to show.” He promptly printed up a ticket for $10 on 10 to show. I politely told him that my bet was on number 2 for race 10, not horse number 10.

He snapped back at me, “Don’t say the race number! If you’re betting on the race that’s next up, don’t ever say the race number!” Whoa. The track’s own program explicitly told me to say the race number. If the people who are getting paid to take my money are ornery, how am I supposed to feel when I’m losing it?

Anyway, back to the kicker. I returned home, still satisfied after a long day at the track. I checked my email and, lo and behold! The customer service rep had finally responded! I opened her email, and to my absolute amazement, this was the whole of her reply:

WTF??

Now, I may be naïve, but I know full well what that abbreviation stands for. And no matter how I take it, she could hardly have said anything more rude.

Did she mean, “What are you talking about? We don’t have a prohibition on cameras! I see people taking pictures every day!” Well then, she should have clicked on the link I provided in my first email and seen that their website says something different. Then she should have replied and told me that the website was wrong.

Did she mean, “Who do you think you are, giving me a deadline for replying to you?” Well, that’s still hardly the response to a polite request in which I made no demands of her. Besides, she is a customer service rep. She is receiving a full-time salary to make customers happy. The question isn’t, “Who do I think I am?” but, “What kind of a customer service rep are you?”

Did she mean, “I have never received such a long and detailed email request before. Do you actually expect me to read all this and reply to it?” Well then, track management should realize that the people hanging out at their track aren’t all (or even mostly) high school dropouts who don’t want to work and refuse to type (or speak) in anything but IM language. Some of them actually – get this! – enjoy thoroughbred racing as a sport and are well read, well spoken, and well informed of racing’s history. And once again, she is a customer service rep, so yes, she should actually read her emails and reply to them when asked. Even if it takes some time. That’s her job.

To make matters worse, I immediately (Sunday, April 5) forwarded her reply to the track president, Tim Carey, along with a subdued complaint. He has yet to respond to me. Then again, maybe I don’t want his response…

This may be a crass example, but most of the tracks I’ve visited are generally lacking in friendliness. I got the distinct impression that the tellers at Rockingham Park in New Hampshire were bitter at the current state of the track and missed the old glory days. I can’t blame them, but they are getting paid to leave those problems and attitudes at home.

At Aqueduct, I got the impression that the tellers were feeding off the depression of the track’s clientele. Maybe the clientele wouldn’t be so depressed if they were smiled at and treated like humans throughout the day.

The only place I was genuinely impressed with the customer service was Saratoga. An employee at another track might argue that Saratoga had a better atmosphere, good attendance, and wealthier clientele. But it goes both ways. Why do you think Saratoga has all those things? People wouldn’t be coming if they were constantly treated like dirt at the windows.

Another phenomenon happening at many tracks really boggles my mind – raising general admission prices. I’m sorry, but isn’t this country in a financial depression right now? Hawthorne’s admission price used to be $1. This year it’s $3 (or at least it was on Derby day; if it’s different on “ordinary” days, that should have been on their website). The admission price for the Belmont Stakes used to be the greatest deal in sports. General admission was the same on Belmont day as it was every other day of the meet – $2. Not anymore. I forked over $20 to watch Big Brown last year – $10 to park my car and $10 for admission. (I still consider that to be a great deal, but is that increase in price winning fans to the sport?)

Many people already associate the thoroughbred racing industry with greed. Why validate that notion?

The rationale is probably this: Those affected by the depression aren’t going to come anyway. So they might as well milk the wallets of those who aren’t affected. That way the tracks won’t slide into depression like other businesses. This is nonsense. This is precisely what accelerates depression – cutting out the middle class. With this mindset, it will only be a matter of time before the “sport of kings” is only attended by kings. And there are only so many kings in the world.

Maybe I’m a simpleton, but here’s my idea of track management: Make sure the horses are healthy and cared for, the track facilities are in good repair, the racing is honest, and the customer service is impeccable. Then, watch people flood the stands and have a great time.

Eating Crow

I thought Old Fashioned could do it all, but he couldn’t. Plain and simple.

He ran great in the Arkansas Derby (Grade 2) at Oaklawn Park on Saturday, but once again he just wasn’t the best. (He seems like a solid miler and not too much more.) Not only that, but he showed himself to be among the more fragile types, fracturing his knee during the race. Depending on how he comes out of knee surgery, there’s a chance he may not even race again. (UPDATE: Old Fashioned has indeed been retired.)

A month ago he was the favorite to win the Kentucky Derby. Now he’s off the Derby trail entirely. That too is the Old Fashioned way, I guess.

Papa Clem, who finished second to Friesan Fire by 7 1/4 lengths in the Louisiana Derby (Grade 2), took the Arkansas Derby by almost two lengths and solidified his position as a contender at Churchill on May 2.

Meanwhile, synthetic dirt continues to muddy the Derby waters. General Quarters came home first in the Blue Grass Stakes (Grade 1) at Keeneland on Saturday. This is the same General Quarters who finished second to Musket Man by a length in the Pasco Stakes, first by 6 1/2 lengths over Musket Man in the Sam F. Davis Stakes (Grade 3), and fifth 5 1/2 lengths behind first place Musket Man in the Tampa Bay Derby (Grade 3), all at Tampa Bay Downs.

General Quarters is not a bad horse. (If air intake makes a good horse, then he’s awesome; his nostrils are massive). It’s just that there were better choices in that race. Ever since Keeneland went to a synthetic surface, the Blue Grass has been a Kentucky Derby prep only in the sense that the winner has gone on to run in the Kentucky Derby. But as far as offering fans a legitimate contender to root for or handicappers a solid horse to talk up…

Well, let’s put it this way: One can only respond to the race interrogatively.

Top Three

1. Quality Road
2. I Want Revenge
3. Friesan Fire

Note: I’m really doing everything I can to avoid slipping Musket Man into my Top Three. (That would most likely compromise the objectivity of my Top Three… or would it?) KentuckyDerby.com finally has him officially listed as a contender, and so I just finished watching all his races yesterday. I don’t care what the experts say; if pedigree had anything to do with how this horse runs, he would only have three wins under his belt, not five.

Musket Man Update

Keeps punching us in the mouth.

That’s how Churchill Downs handicapper Justin Dew describes Illinois Derby (G2) winner Musket Man. Prior to the Illinois Derby none of the CD handicappers had Musket Man on their Top 20 list, and even after his victory their opinions remain mixed.

…interesting longshot (John Asher, rates him #12).

…doesn’t get much respect (James Scully, rates him #12).

His pedigree has to catch up to him sooner or later at the distance (Jill Byrne, rates him #20).

At the time of this post, KentuckyDerby.com hadn’t even officially listed Musket Man as a Derby contender yet, even though he has more than enough graded earnings and was one of the first qualified entries to arrive at Churchill Downs (Sunday).

According to Jay Privman of the Daily Racing Form, Musket Man received a 98 Beyer Speed Figure for his performance in the Illinois Derby, a considerable step up from the 90 figure he earned in his Tampa Bay Derby victory. A considerable step up – despite stepping up in class, and despite stepping up in distance. Pioneerof the Nile only earned a 96, and he’s getting showered with acclaim from horsemen for his Santa Anita Derby victory.

The Kentucky Derby is another step up in class, another step up in distance. In the battle of nature (pedigree) vs. nurture (training and care), what will prevail in the case of Musket Man? Or will his resolve and guts trump (or nullify) both? At this point, all anyone can do is watch him train and take a guess.

But this dark bay colt has proven himself a legitimate contender, and the horse racing world had better start treating him as such.

Illinois Derby in Review

He was hidden behind Al Khali in fourth place the first time by. When they came down the stretch the second time, he was in plain sight.

Congratulations to Musket Man and his connections on a clear-cut two length victory in the Grade 2 Illinois Derby at Hawthorne Park on Saturday!

My pick, Perfect Song, took the lead as expected, and even set himself up to steal the race with modest opening fractions. But after 3/4 of a mile, he faded badly, setting up the class of the race to finish 1-2. And that’s how it went. Eibar Coa hurried Musket Man under the wire, but he didn’t overwork him. Giant Oak, who finished fourth in the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby last time out, crossed the wire second, five lengths ahead of His Greatness. (His Greatness’ brilliant workout on Thursday, April 2, was more of a portent than anyone could have imagined.)

Musket Man's connections congratulate Eibar Coa after riding his mount to victory in the Grade 2 Illinois Derby

Owners Eric Fein and Vic Carlson and trainer Derek Ryan are agreed as to where Musket Man will race next. His van may have arrived in Churchill Downs by the time I finish this post. Vic Carlson bought the son of the sprinter Yonaguska for a bargain $15,000 at the 2007 Keeneland September yearling sale (Neil Milbert, Chicago Tribune). His investment has already more than paid off, and may provide him with much more than money come the first Saturday in May.

Of course, Musket Man will now be one of my sentimental choices for the Derby, since I have actually seen him race in person. But what are his chances, realistically speaking?

One of the things that impressed me about Musket Man was the workman-like aura about him. After the race, he returned to the winner’s circle area, but didn’t seem too keen to enter. Two track employees approached to drape flowers over his withers, but they were denied. His groom kept walking him in circles to cool him down. Finally, Musket Man was led into the outermost edge of the winner’s circle for a few brief pictures. Then on went the blanket and off went Musket Man with his groom, back to the barn, just like that. He had done his job and it was time to go home.

Musket Man marches past the Hawthorne grandstand in the post parade

Another thing I would like to see is his Beyer speed figure for the race. On paper it looked like his form had been deteriorating (abeit extremely minutely). His last three Beyers, from earliest to most recent, were 92, 91, and 90. However, his 90 came in the Tampa Bay Derby, where he was trapped behind and between horses until the very end, when he came on to win. My guess is that the Beyer for his victory in the Illinois Derby will be considerably higher. If so, then one has to wonder whether Musket Man will continue improving leading up to the Derby? He has already proved himself to be a versatile horse, which can only help him in a 20-horse mad dash at 1 1/4 miles.

The other question is distance, since his breeding suggests success at sprinting, not at classic distances. Ryan, his trainer, insists that he was confident of his ability to go 1 1/8 miles. But what about the extra furlong in the Derby?

He’s definitely a dark horse in what’s shaping up to be an excellent field of Derby contenders right now.

Santa Anita Derby

The Pamplemousse was scratched from the Santa Anita Derby, due to an ailing leg (his owners would not say which one) . This set up the race for PioneeroftheNile, and he did not disappoint. He didn’t dominate, but he was clearly the best. The Pamplemousse is now aiming for the Grade 1 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland this coming weekend.

UPDATE: The Pamplemousse is now out of the Derby chase. He has a lesion on the tendon of his left foreleg and will be out of training for six months to a year (Steve Andersen, DRF). While hopefully no trainer rejoices in the misfortune of another, Todd Pletcher and his trainee Dunkirk (second in the Floriday Derby) certainly stand to benefit from this.

Wood Memorial

Did I Want Revenge know that the gate was going to open at some point? Surely he must have, but he wasn’t paying attention when it did. First he broke from the gate dead last. Then he stumbled and had problems finding his feet. But when he finally settled down, he made slowly overtaking the other horses and crossing the wire in first place look easy. This colt appears to have some freaky talent latent in an apparently clutsy package. It’s no wonder that IEAH Stables, the same people who owned Big Brown, recently purchased a controlling interest in him. We may see the same colors finishing first in the Kentucky Derby as we did last year.

Top Three

1. Old Fashioned
2. Quality Road
3. I Want Revenge (replacing The Pamplemousse, who is now out of the Derby picture)

Illinois Derby in Context

Sorry, Illinois Derby…but you’re stuck in the role of the NIT in comparison to the NCAA men’s basketball (Ray Paulick, ESPN).

Not so fast, Ray. I’ll agree that the Illinois Derby doesn’t sparkle at first glance, but any Grade 2 race for three-year-olds with 11 entries, three of which are trained by Todd Pletcher and another by Nick Zito, should not be passed over lightly.

If you’re looking for an ordinary preview, go elsewhere. If you want to see the Illinois Derby in the framework of the storied history both of the race itself and its venue, Hawthorne Race Course, you’ve come to the right place. Have a read.

History of Hawthorne Race Course

Hawthorne Race Course is the longest running sports venue in Illinois and the oldest continuously family-owned and operated race track in the nation. Its tagline this year is: “100 Years Family Owned.”

100 years ago, “family” would have been the last concept conjured up at the mention of the word “Hawthorne.”

119 years ago, Edward Corrigan, a native Missourian, bought 119 acres of land in Cicero, IL, and began hacking a new track out of the mud. Cicero was “an outlaw suburban outpost of Chicago for those who did not want to pay off the Chicago police” (Drape, 35). The low-slung wooden grandstand and track were completed in 1891. Opening day featured the Chicago Derby and four other races.

Already known as “Big Ed” because of his size and personality, he quickly gained the cognomen “Master of Hawthorne.” Hawthorne was his track, and everybody knew it.

Big Ed laid railroad track as a teenager, work which contributed to his size. He had “biceps the size of anvils, forged from his railroad days, a chest puffed with steel, a head like a boulder, and eyes that glowered above a nose so smashed in that it disappeared into his walrus mustache” (Drape, 36).

[Colonel M. Lewis Clark, founder of the Louisville Jockey Club and Driving Park Association and Churchill Downs,] once pulled a gun on him and threatened to kill him. … “I’d put that thing away, Colonel,” Corrigan told him. “Your hand trembles so, you’ll shoot yourself in the foot” (Drape, 36).

It wasn’t the only time Big Ed’s life was threatened. The most famous instance was probably in 1898. The Master of Hawthorne was in the middle of a feud with his two business partners, John Brenock and John Burke. Years earlier, with the purchased help of some Pinkerton detectives, Corrigan had shut down some illegal betting poolrooms belonging to a friend of Brenock. Brenock’s friend returned the favor by having Big Ed’s West Side track in Chicago shut down. That had been the impetus for the construction of Hawthorne outside of Chicago’s limits.

But in 1898, Brenock obtained a court order to shut down Corrigan’s new track, even though it had just reopened after a one year hiatus in operation due to pressure from reformers. The Master of Hawthorne ignored the injunction since the track was outside of Chicago’s jurisdiction. So on August 13, Brenock showed up with 75 men from the Mooney & Boland detective agency to shut down the day’s racing.

Big Ed, of course, was prepared for this. He had hired not only four Pinkerton detectives to post guard at the front entrance, but also Vallins, Cicero’s police chief, and eleven of his uniformed officers. He had also arranged to have more than 100 men, mostly stable hands, armed with whatever they could find in the event of a raid on his track.

The Pinkerton detectives watched as the Mooney & Boland detectives, along with a large black man, pounded a wooden fence down until it splintered. Then they all poured in to face Corrigan’s men. Big Ed’s backup officers and stable hands – “armed with staves, fence posts, and rocks wrapped in handkerchiefs” – immediately lined up to face them. The crowd of about 8,000 that had come to watch racing reorganized themselves to watch this new spectacle.

The black man charged and knocked down a dozen men, and the fight was on. Corrigan’s men ganged up on the black man, while Vallins and his officers disarmed the Mooney & Boland detectives of their revolvers, beat them, and locked them up.

Suddenly, James Burke, Big Ed’s other partner and Brenock’s ally, appeared near the gate with a revolver in his hand. He started screaming for the Master of Hawthorne to come out and fight. Up until that point, Big Ed Corrigan had been standing near the paddock overseeing his forces. The sight of Burke launched Corrigan into a full sprint, his boulder head leading the way until he was on top of his disloyal partner, his hands squeezing the breath from his neck. … Big Ed beat on Burke with hands as big as saddlebags until his own smashed-in nose was bright red with Burke’s blood. Burke’s gun was nowhere to be seen. .. [Finally,] Big Ed rolled off Burke, dusted himself, and walked slowly away” (Drape, 46).

Big Ed had many disagreeable and unbecoming traits, but he also had a few worth emulating. He was a fiercely loyal man. He treated all his jockeys, black or white, with a respect that was growing rarer in his time. When the nationally famous black jockey Isaac Murphy died, “Big Ed’s massive bouquet of lilies of the valley were at the forefront of the cemetery” (Drape, 37.) He also was known for “his scrupulous honesty about matters on the track” (Drape, 39).

Hawthorne’s grandstand burned to the ground in 1902, but Ed had it rebuilt that same year. The pietistic political atmosphere of the day led the state of Illinois to stop all racing in 1905. The era of Ed was over.

In 1909, Alderman Thomas Carey bought Hawthorne. He tried to hold races in 1909 and 1911, but was stopped by the sheriff’s department and the local police. In 1916 he managed to run 13 days of racing which included the famous American Derby, which hadn’t been run since the closing and demolition of its former host, Washington Park, in 1905. Finally, in 1922, Illinois legalized oral betting and Carey staged a legal two-week meet. He expanded it to 25 days the following year.

Hawthorne, like almost every other racetrack in America, grew in prominence throughout the 30’s, 40’s, and 50’s. The track was renovated and a six-furlong turf course installed in 1948. (The turf course is now seven furlongs.) In 1959, a new clubhouse was opened.

In the 60’s and 70’s, attendance slowly began to drop, until 1978, when a fire destroyed the grandstand and kept people from coming altogether. The track officially reopened for a 72-day thoroughbred meet in 1980. In 1985, Arlington Park burned to the ground, which moved almost all of the summer racing to Hawthorne that year. Through the 90’s the track continued to do well.

In August 2005, Tim Carey, a fourth generation descendant of Thomas Carey, took over as Hawthorne’s owner, president, and general manager.

In 2009, the Horseplayers Association of North America ranked Hawthorne #8 out of 65 racetracks in North America.

History of the Illinois Derby at Hawthorne

In 2002, Sportsman’s Park, also located in Cicero, held its final Illinois Derby. The race had been run there since 1963. In 2003, the track was purchased by the town of Cicero. The grandstands were torn down in 2005, and demolition of the remaining structures and the track itself began in January 2009.

As a consequence, the 1 1/8 mile race was moved to Hawthorne Race Course for 2003 and up to the present.

The Illinois Derby used to be run in May between the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes, but ever since 2001 it has been run in early April, making it a major Kentucky Derby (Grade 1) prep race. Since it is a $500,000 graded stakes race, and since entry into the Kentucky Derby requires graded stakes earnings, the winner of the race is virtually guaranteed a starting spot at Churchill Downs on the first Saturday in May.

The only horse ever to win both the Illinois Derby and the Kentucky Derby was War Emblem in 2002, the final running of the Illinois Derby at Sportsman’s Park. War Emblem also won the Preakness Stakes, but came up short in the Belmont. Since War Emblem, every winner of the Illinois Derby has gone on to run in the Kentucky Derby. They are:

• 2003 – Ten Most Wanted – trained sensationally leading up to the Kentucky Derby but finished 9th
• 2004 – Pollard’s Vision – like Seabiscuit’s jockey “Red” Pollard, this horse was blind in one eye; finished 17th in the Derby, but later won the Lone Star Derby in Texas
• 2005 – Greeley’s Galaxy – won the Illinois Derby by seven lengths under Kent Desormeaux, who also rode Wild Rush to a record-setting victory in the 1997 Illinois Derby (1:47.51); the 2005 Kentucky Derby was notorious for its blistering pace and Greeley’s Galaxy finished 11th
• 2006 – Sweetnorthernsaint – also ridden by Kent Desormeaux, finished 7th in the Derby
• 2007 – Cowtown Cat – finished last in the Derby
• 2008 – Recapturetheglory – actually had the lead by a head just before entering the stretch in the Derby, but eventually faded to 5th

2009 Illinois Derby Preview

Post time for the 2009 Illinois Derby (Grade 2), number 7 on an 11-race card, is 4:15 p.m on April 4. Nine horses have been entered. According to Intellicast, Saturday will be a mostly sunny day, with light NNE winds 10 to 15 mph, reaching the low 50’s by mid-afternoon.

Who looks good

The chestnut Giant Oak (Giant’s Causeway) and the dark bay Musket Man (Yonaguska) definitely constitute the class of this race. Giant Oak’s last four races have been graded stakes. However, he only finished in the money in one of those races, last November. He will have a new jockey in Shaun Bridgmohan. He breezed five furlongs in 1:01 over a sloppy Fair Grounds track in his last workout on March 28. The workout ranked 1 of 6, but his time was tied with three others, and the other two tied at 1:01.20. He hasn’t been exactly fast in his races, but he hasn’t tired either, which gives him the appearance of a closer. Look for him to finish in the money for sure.

Musket Man is the morning line favorite and will likely be the betting favorite too. He has won four out of five career starts, the latest being the Tampa Bay Derby (Grade 3) at 1 1/16 miles. He too is something of a closer, having come from as far back as eighth (10 horse field) in that race. His Beyer figures have been consistently 90 or above in all three of his races this year. His latest workout over a fast Tampa Bay Downs track on March 28 was a respectable 59 4/5 seconds for five furlongs, which ranked 1 of 23. If his new jockey, Eibar Coa, is patient with him, he will be the one to beat. As good as Musket Man has been, he will need to make some improvement in this race in order to be seriously considered as a Kentucky Derby contender. An important factor to consider on Saturday: the condition of the track. Musket Man has only raced and worked out on fast tracks. If the Hawthorne track on Saturday is wet at all, Musket Man will have to prove himself.

Who looks bad

I don’t care how much money you’re looking to make, the odds on His Greatness (Honour and Glory) and Knight Shot (Red Bullet) will never be right. His Greatness had never been better than sixth in a graded stakes race, his most recent being seventh place finish about 30 lengths behind Old Fashioned in the Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park. He “had no response for the drive.”

(UPDATE: His Greatness threw a wrench into the works today (Thursday) with a four furlong breeze over a fast Hawthorne track in 0:46.60, “reportedly well within himself” (Hawthorne Stable Notes). The work ranked 1 of 32, with the second place work almost a full two seconds slower. Not only that, but the work is 1.4 seconds faster than his own previous best breeze at that distance. So, although his form screams Cave Equum, intuition might say otherwise…)

I seriously hope that the owners of Knight Shot scratch this horse from the race for the sake of the horse. He’s only raced twice, once last year and once this year. His last start was an optional claiming race at Oaklawn Park, where he finished a distant eighth with a 46 Beyer. The track was sloppy that day, but this is much too big a step for him regardless of the circumstances.

Who could surprise

According to Marcus Hersh of Horseplayerpro.com, the bay Lord Justice (A. P. Indy) will be scratched from the Illinois Derby to run against I Want Revenge in the Wood Memorial (Grade 1) at Aqueduct in New York. (Keep an eye on this Todd Pletcher-trained colt. He’s a bettor’s horse in the Wood and may in fact surprise.) This development makes Perfect Song’s chances look even better.

The brown colt Perfect Song (Pleasantly Perfect) was impressive his last time out and has never finished worse than second in his three starts. His breeding fits this distance. He will be coming off a good workout – a 1:00 2/5 breeze over five furlongs on a fast Fair Hill training track in Maryland, 1 of 16 for the day. He likes the lead, and last year Hawthorne favored speed for front-running winner Recapturetheglory. Perfect Song also has an advantage over all but two of the other horses in the field (Toccet Rocket and His Greatness); his jockey on Saturday, Jeremy Rose, has ridden him in two of his three starts, and you can bet he’ll be riding to get back to the Derby for the first time since Afleet Alex.

Question Mark

Al Khali (Medaglia d’Oro) has won his last three times out, but two of those were in Peru. His only race in America was an allowance at Gulfstream Park on March 6, which he only won by 3/4 of a length. Like Lord Justice, he is trained by Todd Pletcher. Only Saturday will tell how he will fare.

Toccet Rocket (Toccet) is returning to Hawthorne Park and dirt for the first time since December 18. He scored a show in the 1 1/16 mile Rushaway Stakes over the synthetic surface at Turfway Park on March 21 with a 79 Beyer. Will he like the dirt at Hawthorne enough to finish in the money? Does he have the ability?

Nowhere to Hide (Vindication) has received Beyer figures in the 80’s in his last six races. He is trained by Nick Zito. His blinkers will be off for the first time since October 8.

Full Field

1. Nowhere to Hide (KY) – 5-1, Paco Lopez up
2. Giant Oak (IL) – 9-2, Shaun Bridgmohan up
3. Lord Justice (KY) – 8-1, Christopher DeCarlo up
4. Toccet Rocket (KY) – 20-1, Tanner Riggs up
5. His Greatness (KY) – 20-1, Larry Sterling, Jr. up
6. Perfect Song (KY) – 6-1, Jeremy Rose up
7. Free Country (KY) – 6-1, Eusebio Razo, Jr. up
8. Musket Man (KY) – 7-2, Eibar Coa up
9. Al Khali (KY) – 6-1, Cornelio Velasquez up
10. Il Postino (KY) – 20-1, Jesse Campbell
11. Knight Shot (KY) – 30-1, Inez Karlsson up

Kentucky Derby Picture

No matter which colt wins the Illinois Derby, he will have to show considerable improvement to be considered a contender in the Kentucky Derby. The favorites in this race are good, but they haven’t been showing much improvement. Some of the underdogs, however, have shown considerable improvement. If one of them can turn that improvement into a victory on Saturday, he will be viewed as a legitimate wild card at Churchill Downs.

Picks

Win – Perfect Song

Place – Musket Man

Show – Giant Oak

It’s race day, baby! If you’re heading to Hawthorne, I’ll see you trackside.

Sources

“Chicago Motor Speedway.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Last updated March 29, 2009.

Drape, Joe. Black Maestro: The Epic Life of an American Legend. New York: William Morrow, 2006. (Buy this book!)

“Hawthorne Race Course.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Last updated February 5, 2009.

“Horse Racing.” The Encyclopedia of Chicago. The Newberry Library, 2004.

“Illinois Derby.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Last updated February 9, 2009.

“Illinois Derby.” RaceHorseOwner.com. RaceHorseOwner, 2002-2008.

Charts for major Kentucky Derby preps available at: http://www.kentuckyderby.com/2009/.

“Here Is A Superstar!”

Last year I enjoyed the Florida Derby in front of a steak at a solitary table in Elisha’s Restaurant in Milford, NH. My steak had a hard time staying in my mouth as I watched the inexperienced Big Brown dominate the field from the outside post.

This year I enjoyed the Florida Derby in the comfort of my own home in Wisconsin and in the company of my parents and my one-year-old sister. Much more fun.

While everyone was buzzing about Dunkirk before the race, Kent Desormeaux, who would be riding Theregoesjojo, flatly and presciently told Jeannine Edwards that he wasn’t so much worried about Dunkirk. Quality Road was the horse to beat.

Number 2 on my Top Three, anyone?

As the race was about to begin, my dad retreated to his easy chair in the basement to root for Dunkirk (Dunkirk somehow reminded him of his favorite last year, Denis of Cork), while my mom, my sister and I remained upstairs. I thought about explaining to my sister how this was the perfect race for an exacta bet. She pointed at the horses loading in the gate on the screen.

“Khhhh,” she declared.

I opted to shelve that conversation.

I was particularly excited because in the previous race, the Swale Stakes, Big Drama had set a track record, despite bearing out twice on the homestretch and eventually getting disqualified. I think I remarked to my mom how Quality Road had a good chance to set a track record in the Florida Derby.

And then he did.

The race developed according to textbook. Quality Road stalked the leader, and Dunkirk lagged several lengths behind the front running pack. Around the turn, Quality Road began to make his move. I was cheering wildly. Then I saw Dunkirk.

“Look at him! He’s closing like a freight train!” I shouted.

And he was. He was circling the pack on the outside and, as they were about to enter the stretch, he stuck his head in front.

Right about then John Velazquez gave Quality Road his head, and the race was on. They were head and head for a few strides before Quality Road retook the lead. Dunkirk hung on gamely, but it wasn’t enough. In the end he fell 1 3/4 lengths short.

Track announcer Larry Collmus erupted. “Here is a superstar! Quality Road wins it!” And a few seconds later, “And it’s another track record! One minute, forty-seven, point seven two!”

“Yes!” I shouted, clenching my fists in the air. I turned and looked at my little sister. She had been watching the entire race intently, interested in and amused by the excitement around her. She broke off her gaze momentarily and looked up at me with something of a sideways glance. A small smile crawled up the left side of her mouth.

Maybe I’ll get to pull that conversation off the shelf sooner than I thought…

Top Three

1. Old Fashioned
2. Quality Road
3. The Pamplemousse

Note: Not to downplay his impressive victory, but I’m keeping Quality Road as my #2 because the fast track did favor his running style (that, and I’m waiting to see how well Old Fashioned runs in the Arkansas Derby). The Kentucky Derby will tell whether the track at Gulfstream Park was just that good or Quality Road was just that good.