Tag: Kentucky Derby

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Chrome Shall Transcend

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California Chrome is set to transcend in tomorrow’s Trans Gulf Electromechanical Trophy race!  Chrome has traveled to Dubai, United Arab Emirates for the 2nd time in his brief but exciting 5 years.  Tomorrow’s (2/25/16) prep race is a handicap race meant to give Chrome both the practice he needs and the rest time he wants prior to his second chance at bringing home the Dubai World Cup!

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The Dubai World Cup (DWC), operated by Emirates Racing Authority,  was created in 1996 by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.  He is the ruler of Dubai, the founder of Godolphin Racing and the owner of Darley.  The DWC is the end of the UAE racing season at Meydan Racecourse. The season is from 11/5/15 to 3/26/16 this time.  Prior to 2010, this race was held at Nad Al Sheba Racecourse on the same grounds.  Since the remodel, Meydan has a hotel with suites that face the racecourse, golf, a museum, dining and a theatre.  The grandstands hold 60,000 fans.  There is a dirt track and a turf track.  Prior to 2015 the Meydan dirt track was a synthetic material called Tapeta.  The DWC is the world’s richest race. The purse money on DWC day, the last Saturday of March annually, is $30 million dollars of which $10 million is the prize for just the one race!  The entire DWC Carnival has a purse of $40 million dollars.  The Carnival is mixed in with the regular season and is featured on 11 days of international racing ending with the DWC, sponsored by Emirates.  Admission to the grandstands and paddock views are free through the regular racing season.

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California Chrome is the 5 year old champ of sire, Lucky Pulpit, and dam, Love the Chase.   He has had 19 career starts.  He is owned by California Chrome, LCC, which is Perry Martin and Taylor Made Farm.  He was bred by Martin and Steve Coburn.  Chrome ran second in the DWC in 2015.  Prince Bishop was the 2015 winner.  Chrome was with his regular jockey, Victor Espinoza, when he last raced in Dubai as he will again this year.  Chrome has won the 2014 Kentucky Derby, the 2014 Preakness Stakes, the 2014 Eclipse Award Horse of the Year Award and the 2014 Eclipse Award Champion 3 Year Old Colt Award.  He ran 3rd in the Breeders’ Cup Classic in 2014.  After he ran at Meydan on 3/28/15 he suffered a few injuries and some time in recovery,  He raced again on 1/9/16 and was victorious in the Santa Anita San Pasqual Stakes (G2).

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Last year Chrome did not participate in a prep race in Dubai prior to his effort in the DWC.  The most popular prep race is Super Saturday, ran at Meydan 3 weeks prior to the DWC.  Chrome will not race on Super Saturday.  Tomorrow, the feature race is The Zabeel Mile (G1).  Chrome won’t be in that race either.  Rather, his connections have chosen the same prep race used by Curlin who won the DWC in 2008.  Chrome will race the 6th race tomorrow, the Trans Gulf Electromechanical Trophy Race (TGET).  The purse is $150,000 dollars.  His owners thought that since he didn’t have a prep last year and placed 2nd they would prep him this time but they didn’t want a race that was too difficult and they wanted him to have more recovery time.  The 2016 TGET is a 1 and 1/4 mile (about 10 furlongs) dirt handicap race for horses 3 years old and upwards.  Chrome will carry the most weight, about 15 pounds more than his 7 competitors.  Chrome drew the rail in the following field:

  1. California Chrome(USA)-5YO
  2. El Tren(IRE)-5YO
  3. Good Contact(USA)-4YO
  4. Hunting Ground(USA)-6YO
  5. Pit Stop(IRE)-5YO
  6. Plantagenet(SPA)-9YO
  7. Storm Belt(USA)-7YO
  8. Success Story(KOR)-5YO

Look out for Hunting Ground whose sire, Street Cry, won the DWC in 2002!

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I have faith that Chrome can win the TGET and then he will be ready for the DWC this time!  Several Thoroughbreds with USA roots have won the DWC.  The inaugural race in 1996 was won by Cigar.  In 1998 Silver Charm won.  Captain Steve took the Cup in 2001.  Pleasantly Perfect was victorious in 2004.  Roses In May was the big winner in 2005.  Electrocutionist who won in 2006 was foaled in the USA.  2007 saw USA trained Invasor win.  Curlin grabbed the title in 2008.  Well Armed was the champ in 2009.  Finally, 2013 shared ownership with the Australian’s with Animal Kingdom.

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Let’s hope it is time for California Chrome to win some more!  Victor Espinoza wants to be the 1st jockey to win the Triple Crown and the DBC.  He is already the 1st jockey to win the Grand Slam, the Triple Crown and the Breeders’ Cup Classic.  Chrome’s owners want him the win the TGET and the DWC followed by the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita to make him the USA’s #1 Thoroughbred in all time earnings and then to stand stud at Taylor Made Farm.  I wish Chrome all the success in the world and I am looking forward to his return to Taylor Made.  I will be watching TVG at 12:55 P.M. EST on 2/25/16 to see Chrome transcend!

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100 Days Till Derby

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Wow!  I still can’t get over the rush of American Pharoah’s Triple Crown and Grand Slam wins.  Meanwhile, today marks only 100 days until the next running of the Kentucky Derby.  Just in time, the early nominees have been announced!  Will we get another big winner?  Will it be Nyquist, pictured above following his undefeated 2015 season after winning the Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Juvenile?  He does look nice in the crown!

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On Saturday May 7, 2016 Churchill Downs will host the 142nd running of the Kentucky Derby.  Early nominees for all 3 legs of the Triple Crown were due on 1/16/16.  Early nominees pay a fee of $600 while later nominees can enter until 3/21/16 but that fee is $6,000.  The fee jumps to a large sum of $200,000 if entered after that.  The deadline for the latest entry is 5/4/16.  Today, the 368 select 3 year-old Thoroughbreds were revealed.  Eclipse Award Juvenile Male, Nyquist, tops the list of contenders. He is owned by Reddam Racing, LCC.  His trainer is Doug F. O’Neill and his jockey is Mario Gutierrez.  He won twice at Santa Anita and twice at Del Mar prior to his BC win at Keeneland.  He had a nice workout at Santa Anita on 1/24/16.  Nyquist is preparing for the Saint Vincente Stakes on 2/15/16 at Santa Anita and he is a top nominee for the Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds on 4/2/16.

368 nominees are considered low for an early selection.  Brody’s Cause, Mor Spirit, Greenpointcrusader, Mohaymen, Hit It A Bomb, Ralis and Swipe are some of the other early favorites.  Swipe is seen at the top of the second photo just barely losing to Nyquist at the BC races. Only 3 fillies were nominated.  These little ladies are Northwest Tale, Royal Obsession and Flora Dora.

On the road to the Kentucky Derby, Nyquist leads in points with a score of 30.  He is followed by Exaggerator, Brody’s Cause, Mor Spirit, Flexibility, Swipe, Mo Tom, Airoforce, Mohaymen and Greenpointcrusader for the top 10 of 20 available positions.  Urban Bourbon is nominated from Bourbon Lane Stable.

In regards to trainers, who have nominated horses, Bob Baffert leads with 35 entries.  He was the trainer for our 2015 Triple Crown winner, American Pharoah.  One of his entries this year is Southern Pharaoh, another colt sired by Pioneer of the Nile.  Todd Pletcher, Chad Brown, Mark Casse, D. Wayne Lukas (my favorite with 10 entries) and Mike Maker round out the top trainers, by number of entries.  Kellyn Gorder is entered with Torrontes.

Again we find the American Pharoah connection when we see the owners with the most entries.  It is Zayat Stables that owns 15 entries.  Zayat is followed by Calumet Farm, Charles Fipke and Keeneland’s biggest winners, Ken and Sarah Ramsey.

Following the Kentucky Derby, the 141st Preakness Stakes takes place on 5/21/16 and then the 148th running of the Belmont Stakes is on 6/11/16. The full list of nominees for the Triple Crown is available here: 2016 Triple Crown Nominees

These 100 days are going to be so exciting.  I love watching all of the prep races and the leaderboard on the road to the Kentucky Derby.  Who is your favorite?  Please, share this and share with me.

 

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Kisses for Chrome

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Happy New Year to all of you wonderful horse racing fans!  I hope that each of you have a safe and pleasant evening followed with good luck in all of 2016.  The New Year is a time to reflect on the past and plan for the future.  It is also a time for celebration and tradition.  I will be going to my same favorite bar and grill as I have done for 15 years now.  Many folks will exchange a kiss at the stroke of midnight.  As I think back on this year, I remember a very special kiss.  I stole a kiss from California Chrome!

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That’s right, I kissed Chrome this September.  I was advised after not to do so, by a staff member at Taylor Made Farm in KY, but I have zero regrets and I look forward to the day he retires to stud there and I might sneak another peck!  In fact I am very excited for the new year to see what the future has in store for California Chrome.

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Right after I saw Chrome twice in late September, which I covered in my story below, he shipped back to California in October and began training in November.  After healing his bruised cannon bone in Kentucky, that occurred sometime after his last race in March of 2015, he is just about ready to race again.  The plan for California Chrome appears that he will hopefully race January 9, 2016 at Santa Anita Park in the Grade 2 San Pasqual Stakes for a $200,000 purse.  He may then ship to Dubai for another chance at the $10 million dollar Dubai World Cup at Meydan Grandstand and Racecourse on March 26, 2016.

Kentucky Chromasomes

Chrome has had seven workouts on dirt since 11/14/15.   All of these workouts were at the Los Alamitos Quarter Horse track in California.  His last workout was 12/27/15 and was 7 furlongs.  He is gradually running further.  This champ is the son of Lucky Pulpit and Love the Chase.  Chrome was born in 2011.  He has earned over $6 million dollars in his 18 career starts.  This horse has won 9 times, placed 3 times and showed once.  California Chrome is trained by Art Sherman.  He will use his regular jockey in Santa Anita.  The jockey is Triple Crown winner, Victor Espinoza.  Victor was the jockey when Chrome won the 1st 2 legs on the Triple Crown and then disappointingly came in 4th in the final race, the Belmont Stakes.  Chrome has raced 6 times at Santa Anita in California and has won 3 times there including graded stakes wins.  Chrome placed 2nd in the Dubai World Cup last March.  I am hopeful that in 2016 we will see him excel again.  He was the Eclipse Award winner in 2014 for both Horse of the Year and Champion 3 Year Old Colt.  It would be wonderful if 2016 brought him another Eclipse Award!

The 2015 Eclipse Award finalist will be announced at Gulfstream Park Racing and Casino in Florida on January 6, 2016.  Then the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters and the Daily Racing Form will together vote on the winners.  The winners will be announced at Gulfstream on 1/16/16.  Tickets can be purchased here: Eclipse Award.  The Eclipse Award, founded in 1971, is named for the successful race horse and sire from the 18th century, Eclipse.  These awards are given to both human and horse champions in the Thoroughbred racing industry.  This year there are 17 categories from which a winner will be named for each.

Happy New Year! Leave a comment on which horse you would like to smooch in 2016!  Tomorrow marks the birthday for all Thoroughbreds and for my blog, Thoroughbred U.

 

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Canyon Connections

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Ah, vacation!  This past weekend I took a long overdue trip to Arizona.  When I’m not chasing horses I enjoy time with friends, family and nature.  For the second time in my life I made it out to see the third of Seven Natural Wonders of the World, The Grand Canyon.  I have snorkeled the 4th wonder, The Great Barrier Reef in Australia.  So many wonders, so little time.  I saw birds, chipmunks, elk, deer and a tarantula.  I didn’t see any horses, though you can ride the trails on mules and I saw some of them in a corral.  The Grand Canyon truly is amazing and so was a Thoroughbred by the same name.

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Grand Canyon, the natural wonder, was cut by the Colorado river over 17 million years ago.  Grand Canyon, the Thoroughbred race horse, was born February 14, 1987.  He was  a special horse and he looked the part, very advanced for his age.  Grand Canyon was trainer D. Wayne Lukas’ favorite horses, revealed in a 2012 interview.   He was bred in Florida by Lin-Drake Farm.  He was owned by both Lukas and W.T. Young of Overbrook Farm in Lexington, KY.  Grand Canyon had 8 career starts in which he made over a million dollars in lifetime earnings.  He won his 3rd maiden race after running twice at Hollywood Park and then at Del Mar.  In his 1st race he came in 4th but from then on he was always second or first to finish.  Every race, following his maiden, was a stakes race.  He placed at Santa Anita in the Sunny Slopes Stakes, then won the Norfolk Stakes (Grade 1) at that same track.  In his next race he was 2nd in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Gulfstream (G1) then won both the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G3) and the Hollywood Futurity (G1) at Churchill then Hollywood Park respectively.  He was the runner up for the Eclipse Award for 2 Year Old Champion.  Unfortunately, Grand Canyon’s career ended at the same track in the same year it began, 1989.  He achieved a speed record riden by Angel Cordero, Jr. in the Hollywood Futurity.  He had so much potential but he suffered a leg injury from which he never recovered.  He was euthanized in July 1990.  Grand Canyon was the 1st horse to be buried at Overbrook Farm.

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Grand Canyon was only 3 when he died.  He has no progeny but members of his pedigree did go on to produce more great horses.  Grand Canyon’s dam was Champagne Ginny.  His sire was Fappiano.  Fappiano is the great great grandsire of American Pharoah!  Fappiano’s son was Unbridled, who sired Empire Maker, the father of Pioneer of the Nile.  Pioneer of the Nile is American Pharoah’s sire and both are registered stallions currently in Kentucky.  Unbridled won the Kentucky Derby in 1990.  Empire Maker was 2nd in the KY Derby in 2003.  Pioneer of the Nile was 2nd the KY Derby in 2009.  American Pharoah won the KY Derby in 2015.  What a line of superior Thoroughbreds!

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The road to the Kentucky Derby is well underway.  On May 7, 2016 we will have our next Run for the Roses.  The 142nd KY Derby, at Churchill Downs, will feature 20 horses that qualify from earning points in 35 select races.  We have already completed 6 of these races.  The next race is this Saturday, 11/21/15.  That race is the Delta Downs Jackpot at Delta Downs in Louisiana. There are currently 10 entries for this grade 3 race of 1 and 1/16 miles for a $1 million dollar purse.  Post time is 4:15 P.M. CST.   Ocho Ocho Ocho won last year and went on to compete in the KY Derby.  I will be tuned in to watch as I am excited to see all of our up and coming 2 year olds.  As always, thanks for sharing and following along on my educational adventures in horse racing.  I hope you enjoy my scenic pictures from my trip.  Soon, I want to tell you about my first visit to Turf Paradise race track in Phoenix, AZ while I was visiting out West.

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Grand Slam? Yes, Ma’am!

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Above: American Pharoah leaves the race track for the last time, retiring to stud as a true champion.

We, the fans of horse racing, ask for the stars and American Pharoah delivers!  Other sports like tennis and baseball have a “Grand Slam” to finish their season and now, for the 1st time in history, so do we!  We waited 37 years to have a Triple Crown winner and the horse to do this was American Pharoah.  In 1984 the Breeders’ Cup Classic was created as the definitive race to highlight the year end champion of international racing.  Going in to this year’s Breeders’ Cup, we knew that we might have the 1st champ to win both the Triple Crown and the BC Classic.  We all waited eagerly and we got our Grand Slam!

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Above: American Pharoah draws the largest paddock crowd at Keeneland, in Lexington, KY, that I have ever seen.  My friends waited 4 hours or better to get a glimpse and it was difficult.

What a year to go with my passion and start blogging on the Thoroughbred industry.  I started the very first day of this year with my brand new computer from Christmas.  My experience has been one joy to the next.  I love the opportunity to share with all of you as others in the industry are so kind to share with me as well.  It has been an amazing year.  Watching American Pharoah’s career is a dream come true for racing fans.  He won the Kentucky Derby by a length, then the Preakness Stakes by 7 lengths and the Belmont Stakes by 5 and 1/2- lengths as fans wept for joy, many having seen such Triple Crown greatness for the 1st time in their lives.  Yesterday, 10/31/15, he won the BC classic in 2:00.07 by 6 and 1/2- lengths!

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Above: American Pharoah parades before taking post position 4 and then he blurs past me shortly after he breaks from the gate already in the lead.

The Breeders’ Cup Classic is a 1 and 1/4 mile race on the dirt with a purse of $5 million dollars.  American Pharoah was the 3-5 favorite to win and he did so beating Keeneland’s track record, for a race of this length, which was 2:05.36.   To learn more about American Pharoah and his connections check out the tags on my blog or read my post Fabulous Pharoah  Too see more of his great BC Classic win, watch this cool video IMG_2961 and see my photos below.

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Above: Victor Espinoza has no use for the whip.  He points at us, the fans, as he sails by the finish line and we can’t even see American Pharoah’s hooves touch the ground.  

Finally, thank you to all of my friends that got me great seats and photos and to Bob Baffert, American Pharoah’s trainer, Victor Espinoza, the amazing jockey, Ahmed Zayat, the owner, all of the fans, the industry employees and connections that helped to make history.  Also, a special thanks goes out to American Pharoah, the horse.  He has some character and true athleticism and passion.  He will retire tomorrow at Coolmore’s Ashford Stud, in Kentucky.  Let’s all hope he has a long happy life and sires many more champions like himself.  This is Espinoza’s 3rd BC win.  Baffert just won his 12th BC race.  The Zayat family is enjoying their 1st BC win.  In the BC Classic Effinex ran 2nd and Honor Code showed 3rd.  Stay tuned for a full Breeders’ Cup post on all of the other great races over the 2 day event.

 

 

 

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This Race is for the Ace

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Our tipster is on fire!  Please, be especially thankful that our contributing handicapper has given us two back to back first place winning tips on the past two days of Keeneland’s Fall meet.  He isn’t finished.  We have another tip for today.

On this fine 15th of October, at Keeneland, look to race #7.  Our tip guy says, “#5, Holding Aces, was very impressive in his first start.  He should be forwardly placed but will have to hold off a late charge form #4, Watershed.  Catalano (Holding Aces trainer) looks like he has a nice colt here and could hold on at a good price.”

Holding Aces in a 3 year old colt owned by Gary and May West.  The West’s have had multiple grades stakes wins in their over 1,600 starts including a 1st place Breeders’ Cup win.  The jockey is multiple graded stakes winning Shaun Bridgmohan.  Bridgmohan has an Eclipse award for outstanding apprentice jockey.  He has come in 2nd in the Kentucky Derby and both 2nd and 3rd in several Breeders’ Cup races.  Wayne M. Catalano has over 12 thousand career starts and is the multiple graded stakes winning trainer to Holding Aces.  Catalano has had several 1st place finishes in Breeders’ Cup races.  Holding Aces ran 1st in his only career start.  That happened last month at Churchill Downs, in Louisville, KY.

Watershed, is also a 3 yer old colt.  He is owned by Godolphin Racing, LCC.  They have 2 Eclipse awards and multiple graded stakes wins in over 1000 starts. Those include many first place finishes in the Breeders’ Cup, and they finished 2nd with Frosted in this years Belmont Stakes.  Joel Rosario is the jockey for Watershed.  He has finished repeatedly at 1st, 2nd or 3rd in all legs of the Triple Crown.  He has over 11 thousand starts with multiple grades stakes wins and has several Breeders’ Cup wins too.  Kiaran P. McLaughlin trains Watershed.  He is a multiple graded stakes winner as well.  He was the trainer for Frosted at the Belmont Stakes. He has over 6 thousand starts to his credit and has done very well in Breeders’ Cup races too.  Watershed has 2 career starts.  Both were at Saratoga this past August.  He came in 1st then 4th.  His 1st race, of course, was his maiden and his second was the King’s Bishop Stakes.  Grade 1 is very impressive, I believe, for his second race.

Fingers crossed, and all that superstition that we get another win today.  Thanks for reading and sharing.  I return to the live action Friday!

Update:  Watershed won after being last place for most of the race.  He went wide to win by 1 and 3/4 lengths.  Holding Aces finished 5th after taking the lead straight out of the gate and holding in the front three for most of the race until Sharm and Watershed came up from the back. 

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Yesterday’s Yearlings!

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Yesterday was day 1 of the September Yearling Sale at Keeneland which takes place through September 26, 2015.  It was a beautiful day with striking horses everywhere I turned.  I met up with some old friends and made some new ones.  I can not wait to go back and I will today!

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Day 1 featured hips 1 thru 241 and 150 yearlings were sold.  Several bids were RNA, reserve not attained, meaning the bid did not meet the owner’s minimal sale price.  The big money makers were fillies by War Front.  Hip #99 sold for $1 million and #116  sold for $1.45 million!  Overall the sale grossed more than $44.6 million.  This was an increase of over 34.6% versus last year’s Yearling Sale at Keeneland.  More horses were sold this year and the average and mean price increase was up over 7 and 8% respectively.

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I encountered several new Thoroughbreds but also some new people.  It was a pleasure to meet David Clay of D & D Drennon Creek Farm in Eminence, KY.  He told me about his wife, Debbie, and their military careers and dreams to have a Thoroughbred Farm.  They went about it in the best way possible.  Staying true to their strong Christian values and desire to adopt and rescue horses, they have been caring for rescued Thoroughbreds and breeding new generations of racers.  Their mare Highest Ground raced and bred prior to her rescue.  She foaled both I’am Toorific and Cactus Kris.  Both of her foals have nice racing careers. They currently have several babies at the farm.  One is a half sister to Cactus Kris, Blue Moon Diamond (Baby Egg), sired by Tale of Ekati.  Tale of Ekati had a great racing career.  He participated in graded stakes such as the Kentucky Derby, the Belmont stakes, the Travers Stakes, the Jim Dandy stakes and more.

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I took so many pictures I want to share some with all of you.  Above are a few pavilion and entry shots.  It is a good chance to see the horses without having to peer thru the stall door screens.

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Additionally, I like to walk around the barns to spot horses but also to see how the barns advertise and decorate.  Some are rather plain while others bring their own flowers and more.  Above is some of the signage.

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Finally, if you get a chance to follow today’s sale, be on the lookout for hip #261.  He has American Pharoah connections in the family.  I went to his barn to get a peek but all I could see here is some tail and ankles.  Better luck on catching a peak at him today!

 

 

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Dancing With The Stars

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Good morning!  It is a very busy day for this blogger.  I am up early and about to head to Keeneland for a full day of sales.  First, I wanted to make sure everyone was ready to root for Victor Espinoza off the track and onto the dance floor!

Dancing With The Stars is the name of a television series that covers different groups of dancers in competition in various versions in several countries.  In the United States, season 21 airs beginning tonight, 9/14/15.  ABC launched the American version in 2005.  Professional dancers are paired with celebrities and then ranked by a panel of judges and at home viewers to determine eliminations.  The final couple, at the season’s end, wins and is presented with The Mirror Ball Trophy.  My parents and my favorite restaurant owner love the show.  I do not watch a lot of television myself but this season of DWTS, I am going to have a big reason to tune in.  This is the first time ever, in America, that one of the celebrities is a jockey.  This extra special jockey is Victor Espinoza.  Victor has been paired with professional dancer, Karina Smirnoff.  Karina won in season 13. They are one of 13 couples who will dance this season.

Espinoza has a multitude of awards and trophies.  He has won over three thousand races.  He has the ESPY Award for Best Jockey in 2002, 2014 and 2015.  He won the Kentucky Derby, and the Preakness Stakes riding War Emblem in 2002 and California Chrome in 2014.  This year he won those two races and the Belmont stakes riding American Pharoah to win the Triple Crown.  He also was the jockey for Take Charge Brandi when she got honored with the title, American Champion Two Year Old Filly, in 2014.   Victor is 43 years old and he is quite charitable.  He donates a lot of money to City of Hope, an organization that tackles pediatric cancer.

Be sure to watch Espinoza dance live tonight at 8 P.M. EST for the two hour season premier.  There are no eliminations week one but this season Victor will need your votes so have your phone or internet handy.  Until it’s TV time I am off to the Keeneland September Sale starting at 11 A.M. EST today.  I will have photos and information to share with you following my trip.  I hope you have a great week and that you have some horse time in your schedule too!

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Old Friends

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Old Friends, a retirement home for Thoroughbreds, was founded by Michael Blowen, former movie critic and current Thoroughbred racing fan, in 2003.  These farms operate at Dream Chase Farm in Georgetown, KY, Old Friends at Kentucky Downs in Franklin, KY and Cabin Creek Farm in Greenfield Center, NY.  I was fortunate to tour the largest of the 3 farms, Dream Chase, yesterday afternoon, 9/9/15.

I first met Blowen at the Noor lecture I attended and blogged about earlier this year.  www.thoroughbredu.com/a-night-for-noor  The work he does is amazing.  After the 1986 Kentucky Derby winner, Ferdinand, was slaughtered in Japan in 2002, Blowen wanted to prevent further tragedies. He began to rescue Thoroughbreds who were no longer racing and breeding and brought them to his farm.  His is the only farm who rescues stallions and he has many mares too.  Currently, over 100 horses live on the 3 properties. 103 alone are at Dream Chase.  They are currently raising funds to bring home 2002 KY Derby and Preakness winner, War Emblem.  They hope to get Charismatic one day as well.

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At the farm, I first met Lisa, my tour guide and she promptly took the group to see Gulch.  He is the oldest horse they have.  He is 31 years old and he takes his carrots, shredded.  He is the oldest living horse to have participated in all 3 legs of the Triple Crown.  Sired by the great, Mr. Prospector, Gulch  had an excellent racing career.  He won the 1988 Breeders’ Cup Sprint and also received the American Champion Sprint Horse award that same year.  He had an outstanding stud career at Lane’s End Farm in KY.  His progeny have earned over $90 million.  His son Wallenda lives at Old Friends too.

Then I met Sarava, he likes to bite but he missed out today.  I didn’t give him any carrots but fortunately Lisa did, he has bit her before.  Sarava spoiled War Emblem’s chance of winning the 2002 Triple Crown when he beat him in the last leg of the series, the Belmont Stakes.

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Across the dirt path lives Game On Dude and Starspangled Heat.  Game On Dude, born in 2007, had 34 career starts.  He won 16 of those and he placed and showed in 8 more of his races.  He earned nearly $6.5 million racing and he is the only horse to ever win the Grade I Santa Anita Handicap 3 times.  Starspangled Heat is new to the farm, having just participated in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf.  He was born in 2008 and had 39 career starts.  The orange tag on StarSpangled Heat is helpful to ward off flies.  Lisa said that Game On Dude has the least trouble with flies.

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Next up, I met Rail Trip.  He is a real sweetie.  I fed him a lot of carrots and got my picture taken with him.  He won the Grade I Hollywood Gold Cup in 2009 and many other graded stakes races.  He was second in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile in 2011.

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The tour proceeded on to see, Catlaunch.  That is a name I would have surely bet on.  I love all the cat and kitten named horses.  He is the tallest horse at the farm.  At 14 years old now, he has had an amazing 108 career starts.  He was still racing and winning at 12 years old.  He is a big winner, and in 2006 he was the 17th best ranked horse in the nation.

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One field further, I met Rapid Redux and Amazombie.  Rapid Redux is seen unmasked in the photo above.  The horses at Old Friends take turns rotating who wears the fly masks.  Rapid Redux has beaten both Zenyatta, Citation and Pepper’s Pride records of 19 wins with an amazing 22 consecutive wins.  In 2011 he was honored with The Secretariat Vox Populi Award and the Eclipse Special Award.  Penny Chenery first created the Vox Populi award in 2010 as the peoples choice award for race horses.  Amazombie won an Eclipse Award in 2011 as well.  He has won many graded stakes races.  He won the 2011 Breeders’ Cup Sprint and in 2012 that same sprint was his final race.

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Then, the sky opened up and it began to pour rain.  Some horses loved it and they soaked it up or rolled in the mud.  Other horses tucked into their shelters.  The tour group headed into a barn.  There I could barely see, behind the screens, Afternoon Deelites, Mixed Pleasure and Wallenda.  Afternoon Deelites was owned by Burt Bacharach and Angie Dickinson.  He had several graded stakes wins in 12 starts and then he went to stud and he sired some great horses including Popcorn Deelites.  Mixed Pleasure has Seabiscuit in his pedigree.  He had 22 career starts with some graded stakes winning success and he sired some winners as well.  Wallenda loved his carrots and he was fed them by Michael Blowen himself.  He is named for the high wire celebrity family, the Flying Wallendas, who have been to see him at the farm.  He had a nice racing career, earning over $1 million in 33 starts with many graded stakes wins.  He has very delicate hooves and special shoes.

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It was still raining when Popcorn Deelites and his buddy hid from us.  Popcorn Deelites is best known for playing Seabiscuit in the movie by that same name.  I would have liked to had a better look at these two.

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Fortunately, Silver Charm loved the rain.  He was content to stand there throughout the brief downpour.  He won both the 1997 KY Derby and Preakness.  In 1998 he won the Dubai World Cup.  He doesn’t like his meals to be late.

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Finally, the rain stopped as we went on to see Genuine Reward and Star Plus.  Genuine Reward is a foal of KY Derby winner Genuine Risk.  Genuine Reward had a good stud career and in addition to race horses he sired polo horses too.  Star Plus raced in graded stakes in Argentina and the United States.  He was still racing at 8 years old.  He was a winner at my favorite track, Keeneland.

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Once a horse comes to Old Friends, they will stay there until it is time to cross the Rainbow Bridge.  Other great horses, like Noor, come here after death as a final resting place.  There are numerous memorials and grave markers for the mostly cremated deceased horses on the property.

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The farm is simply gorgeous, right down to the barn quilt, pendants of the quilt are for sale at the gift shop.  If you can make it to Georgetown you should take the tour.  My Grandmother would have loved the long paths.  I loved the well fed kitties and of course, the horses.  I greatly appreciate what Old Friends has been able to accomplish for so many great horses.  Thank you Old Friends!  To donate or tour visit the website: Old Friends

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Horsey Homeschool

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Happy Labor Day weekend, everyone!  What will all of you be doing with your time off?  I will be spending some of my time in Horsey Homeschool.  I thank each of you who is following me along my journey to educate myself on the Thoroughbred industry.  I enjoy my live learning best but the rest of the time I read and read some more. I have accumulated so many papers, journals, forms, books etc. that I feel like a pack rat at times.  I am real happy that September, for me,  brings more local opportunity to learn.   IMG_20150905_123341-1

Currently, the racing action is taking place a little bit too far away from me.  I am developing quite the bucket list of tracks that I consider a must see.  Saratoga Race Course has had a wonderful meet this summer.  Last week we witnessed American Pharoah’s disappointing second place finish at the “Graveyard of Champions”.  Saratoga got that nickname after Upset beat out Man O’ War in 1913 and Jim Dandy beat Gallant Fox in 1929.  Both of those races were considered surprising losses.  Saratoga will wrap up its summer meet this Monday, September 7th with one final Grade I stakes race, the Hopeful, won by Secretariat in 1972.    Today,  September 5, 2015  Saratoga has two Grade I stakes, the Woodward and the Spinaway.   This is the 62nd running of the Woodward, to be held at 5:47 P.M. EST and televised by NBC.  The race was named in memory of Belair Stud owner, William Woodward, Sr.  He was chairman of the Jockey Club from 1930 to 1950.  His Belair Stud is responsible for great horses such as Triple Crown winners Gallant Fox and Omaha.  He had Thoroughbreds in every major stakes race in America.  The Woodward began at Belmont Park in 1954.  It has been held at Aquaduct too but is now a Saratoga race course.  Today the purse, for this race, is $600,000.  The dirt race of 9 furlongs, 1 and 1/8 miles, is for horses, 3 years old and up.  This race has featured many of the greatest Thoroughbreds.  Secretariat lost to Prove Out in 1973, which was also huge upset.  There are plenty of big named winners of this race as well.  The champs are 3 time winner Kelso, 4 time winner Forego, Seattle Slew, Affirmed, Alysheba, Holly Bull, 2 time winner Cigar, Curlin, Rachel Alexandra and more.  Who will win today?  By post position we have…

  1. Wicked Strong
  2. Liam’s Map
  3. Commanding Curve
  4. Bay Of Plenty
  5. Mylute
  6. Coach Inge
  7. Effinex
  8. Protonico

Todd Pletcher is the trainer for posts 2, 5, 6 and 8.  He won this race in 2007 and 2010.  James Jerkins trains posts 1 and 7.  Wicked Strong is a speed horse and the 3rd favorite at this moment.  He has not won a race in 2015 but he won the Jim Dandy Grade II last year and he was 4th in the 2014 Kentucky Derby as he was in the Whitney Stakes at Saratoga less than a month ago.  Liam’s Map, another speed horse, is today’s favorite.  His jockey, Javier Castellano, won the Travers last week.  In 6 career entries Liam’s Map has always placed first or 2nd and was 2nd in the Whitney this year.  Commanding Curve is trained by Dallas Stewart.  This horse has had 12 starts with his last win happening at Churchill Downs in May.  He raced in the KY Derby there too in 2014.  Last month he was 7th in the West Virginia Governor’s Stakes.  Bay of Plenty is trained by Kiaran McLaughlin, who won the Woodward in 2013.  This speed horse was 1st place at Saratoga this August in the Alydar Stakes.  Mylute is the oldest horse in this race.   This 2013 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes runner has 20 career starts including a second place finish in last month’s Alydar Stakes.  Coach Inge has been in two Grade II stakes this year finishing 1st and 3rd both at Belmont.  He is Kentucky bred but has never raced at home.  Effinex is the 2nd favorite today.  He last won in July at Belmont.  He is a New York horse with Saratoga experience.  Finally, Protonico has raced lately in my neck of the woods.  He won 1st at Grade III and II races at Keeneland and Churchill this year.  Good luck and good health to all of today’s horses and jockeys.

With Saratoga’s season wrapping up we are just about to enter Louisville, Kentucky’s racing season.  Churchill Downs will begin live racing on September 11th that will continue thru the 27th.  I will be attending their Downs After Dark racing on the 19th.  I am very excited about that.  I’m also thrilled that American Pharoah may live and train there again, hopefully in preparation for the Breeders’ Cup. In fact, several contenders may do the same.  I may have to make another visit to Churchill.  The first Lukas Classic will be held there on 9/26 and it has been rumored that possibly American Pharoah could run in that race.

Also this month, the sales return to Keeneland.  September 14 thru the 26th will feature the Yearling Sale.  I will be going often.  Buyers from around the globe will be there to buy the babies that will be the next Thoroughbred greats.  I am very excited to get back on Keeneland’s beautiful grounds and see how the preparations for the live racing October meet and the Breeders’ Cup are coming along.

Finally, September brought back the return of Night School, the Thoroughbred racing industry’s official on-line program for fan education.   Started in 2011, this semester began on 9/1/15 at 8:30 P.M. EST.  This program is streamed live on-line and on SiriusXM for 90 minutes.  This is the 27th of 40 weeks for 2015.  The downloadable materials are available on-line as well.  So if you can’t watch or listen live you can make it up later.  This week they covered trainer, D. Wayne Lukas.  He turned 80 this week and has quite the Thoroughbred history.  He is who the Lukas Classic is named for.  Pletcher, McLaughlin and Stewart, training for today’s Woodward, were all his assistants.  Lukas still trains many of the best horses.  Next week, they will cover Speed Figures and Sheets Angles.  This is free and perfect for anyone, like myself, looking to learn about the industry.  Night School

Welcome, September!  I am looking forward to sharing my own photos and experiences with you soon.  Please, feel free to share your news and pics with me too.  Have a great holiday weekend.

Update:  Liam’s Map won, he was followed by Coach Inge, in 2nd place and Wicked Strong showed in third.

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