Thoroughbred U

March 6, 2015March 6, 2015

Cabin Fever

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My staycation began with the fallout of over 17 inches of snow. Winter has not been kind in The Horse Capital of the World. Being stuck in the house gave me plenty of time to scour over the horses in contention for The Run For The Roses. While I warmed myself ,with my mother’s homemade potato soup, in my grandmother’s tea cup, I related my Irish pedigree with those hoping to make their mark in the 141st running of The Kentucky Derby.

Ireland is so important to Thoroughbred racing. They have a climate, lush grass, and limestone rich soil much like Kentucky. The Byerley Turk who used to race and battle in Ireland was one of the three stallions from which all Thoroughbreds descended. Horse racing can be traced to Ireland as far back as the 3rd century. At the time, the sport was chariot racing. The horses were raced in the area of Cuireach, an Irish Gaelic word for “place of the running horse”. The horses still run there, now called Curragh Racecourse , in County Kildare. It is the headquarters of flat racing in Ireland. Ancient Kings raced there in the early 18th century. This property includes over 1, 500 acres of facilities for training and is considered one of the finest places to train worldwide. Over 26% of all Thoroughbreds in Ireland train there. Ireland is the largest producer of Thoroughbreds in Europe and the 4th largest producer in the world. This track is run by The Turf Club founded in 1790. Like The Jockey Club, in the United States, this body governs the rules of racing and works for the well being and improvement of the industry. There are 26 racecourses in Ireland. They have their own Triple Crown made up of the Irish 2,000 Guineas, the Irish Derby, and the Irish St. Leger. They are preparing for the 150th Irish Derby now. It is a three day event that kicks off on my birthday, June 26th. In addition to a winning horse they pick the most stylish lady and award her as well!

We are just eleven days away from my favorite holiday, St. Patrick’s Day, and only fifty seven days from The Kentucky Derby! Warmer weather is just a wee bit away. Twenty horses will run in the Kentucky Derby. Currently, we are tracking 46 contenders. The last of the final fourteen, of the original thirty-five, qualifying races begin tomorrow. The final races end on April 11 with Oaklawn Park Arlington Derby and Keeneland’s Lexington race. I have my eye on a few horses and I see some luck of the Irish in them.

Donegal Racing has 3 horses in contention, Keen Ice, Rock Shandy, and Danny Boy. They are ranked 12th, 24th, and 38th. Donegal Racing is a partnership that started in 2008 and managed by Jerry Crawford. The name Donegal is both a family name and of the Irish County of their origin. They chose their silks to show their heritage and they like to give their horses Irish names. This groups’ Paddy O’ Prado was third in the 2010 Kentucky Derby as was their Dullahan in 2012.

Lucky Player is ranked 10th. Nothing says Irish like that name, and that is all that appears to have any Emerald Isle connection. He is trained by Steve Asmussen. Formerly, he trained the greats Curlin and Rachel Alexandra.

Finally, there are the offspring of Giant’s Causeway. This horse is an international famed sire. He was born in Kentucky but raced and began his life as a stud in Ireland. He is now back in Kentucky at Coolmore Stud. There is a natural wonder in Ireland named Giant’s Causeway, formed by a volcanic eruption. In 14th place for a chance at the Kentucky Derby is Carpe Diem. That is Latin for “seize the day”, the title of one of my favorite Avenged Sevenfold songs. He won 1st place in the Breeders’ Futurity, at Keeneland, this past October and 2nd place at San Anita Park’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile the next month. He is my favorite so far. #41 ranked Tough Customer is also a colt of Giant’s Causeway.

If you are trapped indoors, like me, please enjoy The Road to the Kentucky Derby and my mom’s potato soup recipe:

http://www.kentuckyderby.com/road

Potato Soup

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March 3, 2015March 3, 2015

Racing Renaissance

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The Breeders’ Cup trophy was delivered to the grounds of Keeneland race course in Lexington, KY today. On October 30th and 31st the Breeders’ Cup races will be held at Keeneland for the first time ever. Tickets go on sale at noon, Eastern Standard Time, tomorrow. Follow Breeders’ Cup World Championships on Facebook or @BreedersCup on Twitter for this picture and more up to date information. For now, let’s talk about this statue!

The Breeders’ Cup is a 2 day race that began in 1984 to showcase the best in Thoroughbred racing worldwide. This event marks the end of the racing season. Various race tracks in the United States, and once in Canada, have hosted the annual races. To run in the Breeders’ Cup, a Thoroughbred must win a Breeders’ Cup Challenge Qualifying race or, earn enough points in qualifying graded races or, be selected by a panel of experts. Each of the races has a maximum of 14 horses, except only 12 for the Dirt Mile. Seven horses come from the panel and 7 from those winners or, high point scoring horses from the qualifying races. Countries including the United States, France, Australia, England, Argentina, South Africa, Japan, Ireland, Canada and Germany have all had entries. Such a world renown event deserves a special trophy.

The trophy is an ecorche horse. Ecorche is a term, from the French, to describe a figure depicted without its skin to show the appearance of the muscles. This particular ecorche horse is a reproduction of the bronze statue made by Giovanni de Bologna during the Renaissance era, in the late 1580s. It is thought that it may have been created as a study for the Duke Cosimo statue that was made and displayed in 1591 in Florence Italy at the Piazza della Signoria, where it remains even today. When the Breeders’ Cup began they asked Irene French, of Dorset, England, to sculpt an 11 inch replica statue, to be cast in bronze by Morris Singer Bronze Foundry in Basingstoke, England. These trophies are presented to the owners, breeders, trainers and jockeys of the winners in each race. The larger statue pictured above is circulated to each venue that is hosting the current year’s races. The original Statue is at The Museum of Fine Arts at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. They received the statue, with a large art collection, from Sir James Erskine of Torrie in 1836. Sometimes it is referred to as the Torrie Horse. He obtained the statue from Villa Mattei in Rome in 1803 where it had been since the 17th and 18th centuries. The trophies were made in bronze from the very start until 2008 when they made them in silver for just one year. After the return to bronze they switched to Lalique crystal, made in France, in 2012 and that continues even in 2015.

In addition to the statue, the winning horses get blanketed in yellow and purple flowers. The blanket includes asters, cremons, orchids and chrysanthemums. Since 1988 Kroger’s has made the 96 inch long blankets at their Floral Design Center in Louisville, KY.

I’m hoping for some warm weather soon. I have to get out and see this statue myself!

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February 24, 2015February 24, 2015

My Racing Pedigree

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Horse racing is truly in my blood. Although, we have only met on a few occasions, my great-uncle owned and bred Thoroughbreds. I have at-least one more relative in the business too. I got these 2 winner’s circle photos from my family. This particular horse was owned by my great-uncle and named for my grandfather.

C. Russell Run was bred in Illinois and born in 2001. He was a chestnut colored gelding, a sterile male horse. I do not know of his current whereabouts, or if he is alive, but naturally his pedigree stopped with him. He had a very nice breeding that included his great sire, Mr. Prospector. He was one of the best studs of all time, siring several big name winners and offspring that have run in all legs of the triple crown. When he died, in 1999, he was buried next to the great Secretariat at Claiborne Farm in Paris, KY. During his racing life, C. Russell Run, had 41 starts, 5 wins, 7 placing races, and showed 9 times. The breeder was my great-uncle.

C. Russell Run had at-least two owners, two jockeys and one or more trainers. Originally owned by my relative, by 2007, or before, he was owned by Patrick A. Blanchard. Blanchard has no top winnings in the past 12 months but has had several since 1991 or prior. Before he bought this horse, Eddie M. Essenpreis was the trainer. He still had horses running at Fairmount Park as late as September 2014. He has had 6 winners in the past 12 months and several since 1991. Many of those were stakes winners, some earning 6 figures. In the first photo, the jockey was Cynthia Medina. That win occurred in October of 2003. She had over a thousand wins before her retirement. That is a large number of wins for a female jockey. The second photo shows the horse winning with jockey Argelio “Gino” Velazquez. He worked for Essenpreis for 5 years as an exercise trainer before he was approved to be an apprentice jockey. At age 25, in July 2001, he road his first race at Fairmount. He rode for Essenpries. The partnership was still winning together at late as May of 2008. Essenpries still had horses run at Fairmount as late as this past September. This picture shows a win in May of 2004.

Both races pictured were from Fairmount Park in Collinsville, IL. It is one of just 3 Thoroughbred flat racing tracks in Illinois. Located close to St. Louis this race track opened in 1925. It is a dirt track made of sand and clay. Up until 1999 Standardbred harness racing took place there as well. The track has seen some rough times. They closed during the Great Depression, burnt in 1974, and now suffer competition with the casino riverboats. They have a live racing schedule for March through September 2015, but only 3 days per week. The track is open year-round for simulcasting too. The style was patterned after Churchill Downs in Louisville, KY. That makes this track a great practice course for horses planning to run there. Fairmount is oval in shape and about a mile in length. Two chutes provide options for races of 6 furlongs or one and a fourth mile. The property has over a thousand stalls and the grandstands can accommodate two thousand fans. There are restaurants there as well. The Fairmount Derby used to run there as did the St. Louis Derby, but not after 2006. Several important horses have run there including Kentucky Derby winner, Whiskery.

The two other Illinois race tracks are Arlington Park and Hawthorne Race Course. Both are located near Chicago. Arlington, of Arlington Heights, was created in 1927. Hawthorne, in Cicero, opened in 1891. I would love to see any and all of the three tracks in Illinois. I have been to both St. Louis and Chicago, and had a great time in each city.

Great racers come from great breeding. I could bet that my love for Thoroughbreds came through my ancestry. Hopefully, I can make my mark in the industry and share that experience with you all.

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February 20, 2015February 20, 2015

Form Freebie Friday

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Waking to the coldest morning in 2 decades here in Lexington,KY, it was welcome news to receive a gift. The Daily Racing Form has decided to go digital for the 1st time in their 120 year history and today’s download is FREE! See the link below.

www.drf.com/digital-paper

The Form or the DRF was created in November of 1894 by the sports editor for the Chicago Tribune, Frank Brunell. He had been writing about trotters for some time when he decided that statistical information improved his betting on the Thoroughbreds. He decided to make a 4 page daily paper to include news stories and gossip about horse racing as well as charts. He got off to a very rough start and he even quit printing for 4 months. In March of 1896 he got back on track and by 1922 he was a millionaire for his publications in a time when millionaires were uncommon. His creation is now “America’s Turf Authority since 1894”.

The DRF now produces over 2 thousand pages of Thoroughbred related content each day, except Christmas. It is the only daily newspaper dedicated to a single sport. The DRF website receives more traffic for horse racing news than any other site. The success of the publication is the inclusion of information on past performances, which were reported from 1905 onward along with news and charts. The style of the charts hasn’t changed much. The publication is used by fans, trainers, owners, jockeys, handicappers, and betters nationwide. The publication helps all of these people get the latest news on entries, horses , workout statistics, tracks and results. Equibase, a horse racing database born of The Jockey Club and The Thoroughbred Racing Association of North America in 1990, joined forces with DRF in 1998. Currently it is published out of New York City.

In 2000 DRF gave its nearly complete archive of over 3,400 volumes to Keeneland library dating back to 1896. In 2010 DRF gave that same library more issues now totaling at over 5,400 volumes. In 2007 the University of Kentucky coupled with Keeneland to preserve this one-of-a-kind collection. Over 11 million pages of the DRF are stored in a climate controlled vault beneath this library. These antique pages of The Form are now in an on-line database. Watch the UK/Keeneland collaboration here.

If you need help with handicapping or wagering, get yourself a copy of the latest Daily Racing Form. I am inspired by Brunell. If I keep on blogging I might just become an authority!

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February 16, 2015February 22, 2015

President’s Day

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No sight of any grass in the Bluegrass today. I spent my day snowed in, thus I did not make it to the field trip I had in mind. A shoveling neighbor declared we had 10 inches of the nasty white stuff as we dug deep. Well then, Happy President’s Day! So, what do our nation’s leaders have to do with horses? More than I would have thought. 12 United States Presidents owned horses and 10 more rode.

Our very first American President, George Washington, was considered the best horseman of his era. He owned horses and was involved with breeding. He attended races in Virginia regularly. The first White House stable was built in 1800. Another was built in 1806 and then burnt in 1814. John Adams had a horse too. Thomas Jefferson was a breeder and attended most races at the National Race Course in Washington, D.C., located just 2 miles from the White House. James Madison, James Monroe and John Quincy Adams enjoyed riding horses. In 1834 Andrew Jackson, who owned many horses, had another White House stable built. Martin Van Buren and William Henry Harrison enjoyed horse back riding. John Tyler, James Knox Polk and Zachary Taylor owned their own horses. Franklin Pierce was a rider. James Buchanan was a fan of racing. Abraham Lincoln had several horses die at a White House stable fire in 1864. That stable was replaced in 1871 by Ulysses S Grant. He had many horses and may be the greatest Equestrian in U.S. History. He replaced the White House stables. His favorite horse was Cincinnati, of sire Lexington. Lexington was named for Lexington. Kentucky. He set a record for the fastest in four mile Thoroughbred racing and many records as a lead sire fathering winners of the Kentucky Oaks, Preakness and Belmont Stakes. This horse was dedicated after his death to the Smithsonian Institution and his bones travel to many museums, including time spent from 2010 to 2013 in Lexington, Kentucky for the World Equestrian Games. He was in the first group of horses inducted to the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame and is the image used on top the trophy vase for the Preakness. His son, Cincinnati, was also memorialized artistically in many ways, including a large bronze figure at the Ulysses S Grant memorial in D.C. Rutherford B Hayes, James Garfield and Ben Harrison owned horses as well. Harrison added on to the White House stable in 1891. Theodore Roosevelt owned horses too. When he was President, he was offered a car, but declined saying, “the Roosevelts are horse people.” Unfortunately, his predecessor, William Howard Taft, had a poor history with horses and he had the stables torn down in 1911 for an automobile garage. John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson owned hoses too. Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton were known to be horse riders.

I think, for the 2016 Presidential election, we need a candidate who wants to bring back the horses and the stable. After all, Reagan put it best when he noted, “I’ve often said there is nothing better for the inside of a man than the outside of a horse.”

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February 11, 2015February 11, 2015

Winter Wonderland

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As expected, my maiden voyage to Fasig-Tipton’s Kentucky Winter Mixed in Lexington, KY was amazing! I headed out to the auction house property early Sunday afternoon to walk among the stables and see all that I could take in. Fortunately, it was relatively warm for February. With 3 cameras and a smart phone in hand I snapped up some pretty pictures. Then I took a seat, right in the middle of the bar and restaurant area, so that I could watch the horses make their final showing, in the paddock area, before entering the auction floor. Large televisions everywhere and the nice speaker system let me view and hear the auction room. I did go over, for a bit, and peer through the glass, but I don’t dare to enter, because I’m afraid my wiggle may indicate an offer.

When I arrived, I made a bee line to the stables looking for Polar Foxx, the very rare white Thoroughbred. She was as beautiful as I had hoped. I spoke to her owner’s son for a while while I checked her out up close. I inquired if she would make a race horse or a movie star? He said she could run. She is a 2 year old filly that was sold day two at this auction for just $25,000 from Sundance Thoroughbreds of Indiana to Calumet Farm of Lexington, KY. Her dam, Snow Drift, is white as is her only other foal, whom is older. Her sire is Silver Mountain, who has won several races. I wonder what Calumet has planned for her? I would like to see more white Thoroughbreds but I would love to watch her race first! Such a pretty girl.

Sitting with one of my favorite horseman, we watched the sale of Gamay Noir. Born in Kentucky, in 2010, she sold for just $15,000 at Keeneland in 2013, but he knew her story and that she was worth so much more. Gamay Noir brought the highest price of the day at $375,000 selling from Taylor Made of Nicholasville, KY to agent Justin Casse of Florida. She is sired by Harlan’s Holiday, now deceased, who had multiple grade 1 stakes wins and ran in all legs of the triple crown. Her dam was Uncork, sired by Unbridled, also deceased. He won the Kentucky Derby and ran all three races of the triple crown as well. Gamay Noir may still race or be used as a broodmare.

As hip 165 finished I had to call it a night. Sunday night ended at hip 200. Monday started early at 10 am. They sold all the way up to hip 616 to finish. Hips numbered 535 to 616 were late entries, placed in the supplemental catalogue. Last but not least rang true for this sale. The highest bid of the race went to Rose to Gold number 614. She is a 5 year old that sold to WinStar Farm of Versailles, KY for $450,000. She has a great pedigree including Tabasco Cat and Storm Cat. I love cat and kitten named horses! Seattle Slew and Mr. Prospector are in her lineage too. I could write a whole blog on just her family. Rose to Gold had a nice winning history herself. Now retired, she will be bred to Tiznow.

I had a great time on my last field trip. I can not wait to go to another sale. Maybe, I can learn to sit still and get in the ring? Until then, I am enjoying the freedom of making new friends, and learning more about the great Thoroughbred race horses.

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February 7, 2015February 8, 2015

Sunday Funday!

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I am making my first trip to Fasig-Tipton, at its Lexington location, for the Kentucky Winter Mixed sale tomorrow. This two day sale will offer over 600 horses. I am very excited, and I look forward to sharing my experience with all of you.

Fasig-Tipton is the first North American Thoroughbred auction company. It was started in Madison Square Garden in New York City by William B. Fasig and Edward A. Tipton in 1898. The original auction included road and carriage horses, Standardbreds and Thoroughbreds. In 1917 the Saratoga yearling sales began, and the following year Man O’ War was sold there. That particular sales pavilion is named for auctioneer Humphrey S. Finney. He got his start there in 1937. His son, John, ran the company as well. John Finney and Fasig-Tipton are featured in the book I am currently reading, Rascals and Racehorses: A Sporting Man’s Life by W. Cothran Campbell. I am really enjoying the short stories in this book. Fasig-Tipton now has additional auction houses in Kentucky, Maryland, Texas, and Florida. In 2008 the company was bought by Synergy Investments Ltd. from Dubai.

The Kentucky location became permanent in 1972 and is located on Newtown Pike in Lexington. The first Fasig-Tipton sale in KY took place in a tent on Keeneland’s race track property in 1943. World War II made it too hard to fly horses from everywhere to New York so the action house came to the horses. This current location has sold many winners worldwide. In 2008 they sold Better Than Honour for 14 million dollars. That is the world record price for a broodmare.

This Kentucky Winter Mixed sales will offer a little bit of everything. It takes place Sunday and Monday February 8th and 9th. The sale starts at 3pm tomorrow and 10 am the next day. Monday will have the extremely rare white Thoroughbred available. She is hip number 293, Polar Foxx.

I can not wait to tell you all about my next field trip! It is sure to be a great time.

http://www.fasigtipton.com/…/…/Kentucky-Winter-Mixed-new.asp ‪#‎FTFeb‬

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February 3, 2015February 3, 2015

Book Babe

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Today’s field trip was to the famed Keeneland Library in Lexington, KY. The current building was built on the same property as the race track in the summer of 2002. It is gorgeous and made to look like it has always been there. The library was founded in 1939. The collections inside date back to the 1800s. It is open to the public from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday thru Friday, open Saturdays during lived racing and sales, but closed on Federal holidays. Nothing may be checked out but there is wireless internet and plenty of space to enjoy your selection while you are there.

This building is equal parts library and museum. Inside there are many paintings, art, sculptures, antiques, blown glass, labeled horseshoes from the greatest of horses, metal and glass trophies and gifts, photos, scrapbooks, etc. Then there are precious collections of books, journals, newspaper clippings, cassettes, videos, and film negatives. The building is open, well lit, with tall ceilings and windows, and plenty of quiet spaces to sit and experience something wonderful.

The Keeneland library is the world’s best source for Thoroughbred breeding and racing information. I will definitely be visiting again. Until then, I collected a load of photos which I can not wait to share with you, and expand upon the relevance of each item, in the near future.

On a side note, Book Babe is a 20 year old mare who was sired by Alydeed (whose dam was Bialy, whose sire was Alydar). Alydar ran second place in every leg of the Triple Crown to Affirmed. Alydar lost by a length in the Kentucky Derby, a head in the Preakness Stakes, and just a nose in the Belmont Stakes. This is the only time a horse has ran second in all three races. Alydar is buried on Calumet Farm in Lexington, KY.

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February 2, 2015June 22, 2015

Like Super Bowl For Thoroughbreds

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Super Bowl 2015 is now just a fading memory. All of those weeks spent cheering on the best teams in professional football came to an end last night. It was the most-watched American television program of all time, with 114.4 million viewers. Thank goodness, our four legged 3 year old athletes are hard at it now, preparing for what we can only hope for, a Triple Crown victory.

Currently, we are 16 races in on determining who will compete in the Kentucky Derby. The Triple Crown is comprised of the Kentucky Derby, The Preakness Stakes, and The Belmont Stakes. The “Test of the Champion” race will take place on June 6, 2015. The last horse to win the Triple Crown was Affirmed in 1978. There were 10 other prior winners, the first horse won in 1919. 22 other horses have won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness, and 29 horse have won 2 of the 3 races. Secretariat won all 3 races in 1973. He holds the world record for the fastest 1 and 1/2 mile dirt race at 2 minutes and 24 seconds, which he earned while winning the Triple Crown. The highest TV rating for The Belmont Stakes was 21.9 million viewers in 2004.

The Kentucky Derby will be run on May 2, 2015. It is a dirt race of 10 furlongs (1 and 1/4 mile). The “Run for the Roses” began in 1875. The winning horse is blanketed in red roses at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. Only 20 horses will qualify to run this race. These horses are three year olds that earned the highest point value in the 35 preceding qualified races. The first of theses races was held September 6, 2014. It was the Iroquois Stakes, a Grade 3, race on dirt and 1 and 1/16 miles. That race originated in 1976 and is run at Churchill Downs in Louisville, KY. LuckyPlayer won the race. He is a colt trained by Steven M. Asmussen, riden by Ricardo Santa Jr. and owned by Jerry Durant. His sire was Lookin at Lucky and his dam was Janetstickettocats by Stormcat. My tip: when all else doesn’t work, pick a horse with cat or kitten in its name or the name of its parents. The 19 races of the prep season end on February 16, 2015. That is the Southwest race atOakland Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Then on February 21st the first of the 16 championship series races begin with the Fountain of Youth race at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida and end with the Lexington race in Lexington, Kentucky on April 18th, at Keeneland. The prep races give a score of 10 to the winner, 4 to the horse placing, 2 to the showing horse, and 1 to fourth place. The championship races score’s range from 100 points down to one point depending on the race.

Horses that earned purse money in the Kentucky Derby or otherwise qualify may run in the Preakness Stakes. This is a Grade 1 race, on dirt at 9.5 furlongs (1 and 3/16 miles). This race, for 3 year olds, is at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. “The Run for the Black-Eyed Susans” began in 1873. Black-Eyed Susans are the state’s flower. The winning horse’s blanket is made of yellow flowers that are altered to appear as Maryland’s flower. Just 2 weeks after Derby, on May 16, 2015, fourteen horses will compete in this race. Kentucky Derby purse money winners and horses with the highest lifetime earnings in graded stakes will make up the first 7 entries. The next 4 horses have the highest earnings in all non-restricted stakes. The final 5, which included the also-eligibles, have the highest lifetime earnings in all races. If there are too many qualifying horse then determination is made by lot. If a horse is scratched before the deadline the next most eligible horse takes its place.

Thoroughbreds that earned purse money in the Derby or Preakness as well as other qualified horses will compete in the “Run for the Carnations”. The winning horse will receive a blanket made of white carnations. This is the oldest of the three races beginning in June 1867. This race takes place 5 weeks after the Derby on June 6, 2015. 3 year olds will run on the 12 furlong (1 and 1/2 mile) dirt track. 16 horses will start. The first 8 will be chosen from Derby and Preakness purse money earners and the horses with the highest earnings in graded sweepstakes of a mile or longer in length. The next 5 horses will come from those with the highest earnings in all non-restricted sweepstakes. The final 3 horses are those with the highest earnings in all races. Ties will be settled by lot.

It is time to start following the qualifying horses now. 429 horses have already been selected as early nominations for the Triple Crown. Early nominees were due January 17th for a $600 fee. Waiting until March 23rd will cost $6,000. If the horse is not nominated until the Derby, Preakness or Belmont it costs $200,00 or $150,000 or $75,000 respectively. I hope we see a Triple Crown winner in 2015!

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January 29, 2015January 29, 2015

Pony Pub

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Yes, another field trip! Following my morning workout today I visited the Coffee Pub, with a friend, for a smoothie. The smoothie was delicious but I was so much more surprised by the history of this place, and the dedication the owner has towards honoring the building’s equestrian past.

Not to far from my favorite racetrack in Lexington, KY sits this breakfast and lunch restaurant. It is located in South Elkhorn Village, named for a nearby creek. The old stone building became The Coffee Pub in 2005. The stone house was constructed in the late 1800s. The former occupant used this building as a tack shop business. The shop carried all the various gear needed for horses from 1985 until the early 2000s.

The restaurant is best noted for its breakfast menu. I was excited by the sandwiches. They are called Thorough-Breads. Most are named for famous race horses. They offer the Seattle Slew-Rueben, the Sea Biscuit, the Ruffian, the Secretariat, the Funnycide, the Big Brown, the Mr. Prospector, and the Easy Goer. The interior is very shabby chic with a lot of horse decorations. My curiosity was peaked and I had to dig deeper.

The South Elkhorn Village was a community that started in 1783 around the end of the Revolutionary War. At the time, it was part of Virginia. The city became Lexington in 1775. The name, Lexington, came following The Battle of Lexington and Concord in Massachusetts. In 1792, this area was no longer part of Virginia when it became the state of Kentucky. Shortly after that, this stone building was erected here.

It is so nice to see a place rich in heritage find modern purpose and still remember and share its place in Thoroughbred history.

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