Thoroughbred Today Issue 01 | June 2015
Handicapping 101 5 Steps to handicap the races. Learn what to look for with our miniguide.
American Pharoah
California Chrome Catch up with last year’s Triple Crown bid and Horse of the Year.
It ALL COMES DOWN TO THIS
LETTER FROM
THE EDITOR Thoroughbred Today brings you the excitement of the races while shining new light on all that is thoroughbred racing... You often hear stories of little girls that fall in love with horses. For me, it all started at the age of ten when I took my first riding lesson, fell in love with a pony and never looked back. Since then, horses have been my inspiration, motivation and the reason I get out of bed every single morning. Getting involved with horse racing, the last twelve months have been the greatest of my life. From the horses to their connections, to the hard work, dedication and care that goes on behind the scenes, there is truly no other sport that even comes close. Thoroughbred Today brings you the excitement of the races while shining new light on all that is thoroughbred racing, retirement, and second careers for off-the-track-thoroughbreds. In our inaugural issue Ciara Bowen shines light on 90 North, a thoroughbred racing partnership that goes above and beyond on and off the track; I look back on the fairytale of California Chrome and his plans for the rest of 2015; we take a look at racing fashion; Natalie Rietkerk recaps American Pharoah’s outstanding year; and Matt Burke discusses five important steps for handicapping the races. A very big thank you to our wonderful sponsors for helping us make Thoroughbred Today possible. Thank you so much for your support. Please visit us online to learn more about who we are and what we do.
Claudia L. Ruiz Editor in Chief
Publisher
Thoroughbred Today Editor in Chief
Everything Equestrian, LLC. Wilmington, DE.
Claudia L. Ruiz
Assistant Editor
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Natalie Rietkerk
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Ciara Bowen, Claudia L. Ruiz Matt Burke, Natalie Rietkerk
Photographers
Alex Evers, Ciara Bowen, Graham Oakley, Terra Turrin
On The cover: American Pharoah - It All comes down to this Cover Photography: Alex Evers Thoroughbred Today - Page 2
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No 90 W
hen Ninety North Racing Stable debuted in 2011, many people may have been skeptic of the syndicate’s dreams of success turning into reality. Now, in 2015, it’s difficult to find a racing enthusiast who hasn’t at least heard of them. They may be a rather small operation, but their stable is full of carefully selected horses and their interaction with their fans is second-to-none. Headed by Justin Nicholson and Kathryn Sharp, the stable is primarily based at Fair Hill Training Center in Elkton, Maryland, and races along the east coast as well as Kentucky. “90 North was actually a poem by Randall Jarrell that Justin really liked in high school. It was about a little boy that was making his way to the North Pole, to the top of the world,” said Sharp. “The going north translates to racing because we’re always trying to make things better, trying to do more.” As they work on making things better, several horses have passed through their barn, and while all are valued, some stick out more than others. For Sharp, Thoroughbred Today - Page 3
those horses are Sheldon and Bold Hawk. Ninety North’s followers are quite familiar with Sheldon, who shares his name with a character from the popular television show The Big Bang Theory. Bold Hawk was one of Ninety North’s original horses. Sharp and Nicholson purchased the gelding, who was bred by a friend, as a yearling. “He was just this massive horse, about 17 hands, goofy, awkward, and didn’t know where his legs were,” Sharp said. “He won second time out and then went on to win the Hawthorne Derby.” That was his last victory, though he was multiple graded stakes placed. “He was just a really cool horse, really unique. Just really fun to watch,” said Sharp. “It’s cool to have one of your first stakes players still in the barn. I’m taking riding lessons on him. He’s definitely one of my all-time favorites.” Displaying concern for the welfare of their horses goes beyond the track for Ninety North; they are very proactive in making sure their horses go to good homes and keep tabs on their retirees. Bold Hawk recently finished third in a large showjumping competition at the farm where he is stabled. Two Months Rent retired last year and is being leased to a young lady as a show-jumping prospect. Candy
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D r e iara Bowen By:
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Feat, who was part of Nicholson and Sharp’s AJ Suited operation, is currently in training at Covert Farm. Spiral Stair, a dressage trainee, will be competing in the Thoroughbred Makeover Challenge in October. Ninety North’s social media followers are able to follow each horse’s life, which is one of the many reasons their fan base continues to grow. “Katie goes all out in her posts,” said Nicholson. “I think that’s been her biggest attachment to the sport. Just the way she’s gotten to know and explore each horse’s personalities.” Sharp admits that she loves to share their attitudes and quirks. “I think a lot of people, especially younger fans, relate to it. I think it has really helped create an audience for racing. They love to connect to the horses that way and see what they’re up to at the racetrack and their antics on the farm. It makes them people, almost!” For them, there really is nowhere to go but up. ~TBT Photos: Ciara Bowen (top), 90 North (side) Thoroughbred Today - Page 4
update
California Chrome From the Kentucky Derby to the Dubai World Cup and Royal Ascot, last year’s Triple Crown bid and Horse of the Year is nothing short of extraordinary.
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By: Claudia L. Ruiz
t’s hard to watch the replay of last year’s Belmont Stakes without a heavy heart. “It won’t be a Triple Crown this year,” Larry Collmus shouted in his call for NBC. Tears are streaming down my cheeks, and it’s like I’m reliving the moment all over again. No matter how many times I watch it, it doesn’t get any easier. Half way down the stretch, California Chrome had been defeated by 1 ¾ lengths. The loss was hard to bear because the story was one that was unheard of in the sport of kings – it was a story straight out of a fairytale and it was every bit as inspirational as one could have imagined. Every year thousands of thoroughbreds are sold at auctions, ranging in the five to seven figures. California Chrome was not one of those horses. The colt had less than impressive bloodlines, and industry pros assured he would never be a winning horse. His owners, Steve Coburn and Perry Martin, both hard-working men, were outsiders to the racing industry, with ordinary families, chasing a not so ordinary dream. 77-year-old Art Sherman had never trained a winning horse and was said to be too old by industry standards. From December of 2013 to the spring of 2014, California Chrome and his team of industry “misfits” turned their dream into reality, achieving what an entire industry had deemed impossible – winning the first two legs of the Triple Crown and going into the Belmont Stakes as the heavy favorite. In all essence their story won the hearts of Americans because
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they didn’t represent the billionaires... They represented the people; they represented the underdogs; they represented what this very nation was built on – courage, imagination, and unbeatable determination to accomplish the impossible. Today, California Chrome has gone global, taking on worldly competition in far off lands. No, he hasn’t seen a win since his romp on the grass in the Hollywood Derby, but Chrome reminded us why we fell in love with him when he finished a solid second in the $10,000,000 Dubai World Cup back in March – half way across the world, running lasix-free in the middle of the desert. Ever since then, the 2014 Horse of the Year has been hanging on the British countryside, prepping to race at Royal Ascot. “He’s been doing great,” expressed a friendly Steve Coburn over the phone. “He spent two weeks [after Dubai] just eating and sleeping in New Market. He’s put on weight and lots of muscle and has really taken to their way of training over there.” The Coburn’s fly out of LAX on June 8th to join California Chrome in England. The colt is set to run on June 17th in the Prince of Wales Stakes, on the grass, going clockwise – and he’ll face some of the best turf horses in the world. Some people only dream to run their horses in half the races on California Chrome’s record. For Steve Coburn this is waking life – real and surreal bundled up together. Chrome is expected to wind down for two weeks before returning stateside. After that, “he’ll be in quarantine in Illinois,” said
Coburn. “Then, we’ll be sitting down to discuss where he’ll run next. All that matters to me is that he’s happy and healthy.” ~TBT Photo: Alex Evers
Race Day Fashion Get The Look Hat: Kate Landry Top: Zara Skirt: Anthropologie, Capelli Skirt Belt: Hermes, Constance Belt Gloves: Lily’s Bridal Shoes: Christian Louboutin, Jolly Patent Squiggle Heel Pump Clutch: Yves Saint Laurent, Classic Monogram Saint Laurent in powder grain de poudre textured leather Bracelet: Hermes, ClicClac H Bracelet Model: Amanda Pham Photography: Graham Oakley Thoroughbred Today - Page 6
AmericaN Pharoah It all comes down to this
By: Natalie Rietkerk
H
orse racing’s Triple Crown is the most elusive feat in all of sports, with only 11 winners in the history books. If you are like me and born well after Affirmed captured the title in 1978 – you have never seen a Triple Crown winner. We have only experienced the emotional roller coaster of tear-jerking near misses with the most recent being California Chrome, just last year. Yet, here we are again placing our hopes in a plain brown colt, with a short tail, named American Pharoah. Has our equine hero finally arrived? It would seem so – but we’ve thought that before. However, American Pharoah may very well be the one to end the 37 year Triple Crown drought Thoroughbred Today - Page 7
and achieve horse racing immortality. After all, he has everything going for him and the right connections to get him there; a Hall of Fame trainer by the name of Bob Baffert and jockey Victor Espinoza, who have both gone down the Triple Crown trail several times before. Let’s quickly review American Pharoah’s career thus far. In 2014, he dazzled spectators in the Del Mar Futurity, dominated the FrontRunner Stakes and received the Champion Two-Year-Old Male Horse Eclipse Award. He would have to skip the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile due to a deep hoof bruise which resulted in a five and half month layup. American Pharoah’s comeback performance in the Rebel Stakes was noth-
ing short of mesmerizing and sparked hope in the eyes of racing fans. He crushed the field and floated across the sloppy track, like there was nothing to it, and with a twisted front shoe, no less. In his final Kentucky Derby prep race in the Arkansas Derby, Espinoza tested American Pharoah by having him stalk the pace rather than go straight to the lead. This silenced the critics, who thought the superhorse was nothing more than a one trick pony. Now, I assume most of you watched American Pharoah’s gutsy win at the Kentucky Derby – if not, do yourself a favor and go YouTube it immediately. Not only did our protagonist defeat one of the most talented fields in recent history, he ran about
five lengths longer than they did due to his break from post-18. Still not impressed? After the Derby, Baffert said that American Pharoah did not bring his A-game and Espinoza stated that the colt seemed confused by the amount of horses in the race, which is why his signature homestretch kick was lacking. Yet somehow, American Pharoah’s desire to win, ground covering stride and tough disposition made him the ruler of the Kentucky Derby. If you thought American Pharoah would be too exhausted for the Preakness Stakes coming in on just two week’s rest – you were not alone. The hope of a Triple Crown waned when he drew the dreaded 1-post, Espinoza was thrown from his mount in the starting gate just an hour before the Preakness and a thunderstorm let loose during the post parade. This was no stage for victory – and it wouldn’t have been for any horse besides American Pharoah. Showcasing flexibility and grit, American Pharoah and Victor Espinoza bolted to the lead and never looked back. While others faded amongst the mud and rain, a drenched American Pharoah glided to a sevenlength victory. Perhaps he really is the horse we’ve been dreaming of for 37 long years.
“He’s amazing and he’s been a special horse to me from day one,” said Espinoza. “He is just incredible.” The deck already appears stacked against American Pharoah in the Belmont Stakes, with a field of fresh horses eager to stop him from becoming an immortal in the sport of kings. He will be the only horse to run in all three Triple Crown races this year, which has been a subject of controversy – as California Chrome’s owner, infamously, lamented last year. However, American Pharoah is no ordinary horse and has overcome every challenge that has
been thrown his way – and there have certainly been plenty. So, go ahead, move the finish line a couple furlongs back and throw in some rested competition. It’s not going to matter. For the second year in a row we will get to experience the thrill of a Triple Crown bid, and that alone is more than enough to excite. This time, I believe our hero has arrived and he will be carrying the hopes of the nation with him on June 6. ~TBT Photography: Alex Evers
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5 s teps
TO HANDICAPPING THE RACES
THE HANDICAPPER’S BILL OF RIGHTS By: Matt Burke
Photo: Alex Evers
PREAMBLE We the horse players of the United States, in accordance with established gaming laws and the absurd tax penalties imposed upon us by the federal government, do solemnly vow to uphold the integrity of our sport by dropping oodles of cash into betting pools everywhere. Photo: Terra Turrin
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CLASS: Freedom to Segregate
There is much to be learned about people by the company that they keep. The same can be said for horses. Handicappers must be perpetually on the prowl for the four-legged friends making a quick jump up the class ladder. This is often indicative of a trainer’s confidence in their horse’s ability. Horses dropping into lower levels should also be quickly identified. Class drops are granted for a variety of reasons, yet the most effective drop is the one intended to boost a horse’s confidence. Segregating based on class requires precision with your marksman-like eye. Do not let an unassuming prince among paupers sneak past you!
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STARTS: Right To Recency
What have you done for me lately? No, Janet Jackson, this is not the racing community paying homage to your outdated tune from the Reagan Administration. Horse players must look for positive trends in recent performances. It is all fine and dandy that Ladybird Thief ran second in the Worthless Miracle Stakes back in 2008, but she is eleven years old now and has not finished in the money for over two years. Being able to spot the progression that can lead a horse back into the winner’s circle is essential for any good handicapper.
SPEED: Right To Indulge in Speed
Pundits may allege that the fastest horse doesn’t always win the race, and there may be some truth to this, but rest assured, the slowest horse isn’t getting their photo snapped all too frequently, either. Make no mistake about it, whether your selection runs on the front end or is a dead closer, they will be a force to be reckoned with if they are the fastest animal in the contest.
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PACE: Right To Pace Oneself
Aesop’s age-old tale of The Tortoise and the Hare is worth remembering each and every time a handicapper envisions the particular pace scenario in a race. Pace handicapping requires the horse player to look at their selection’s tendencies versus those of their foes. Pinpointing the outsider, such as a front-running horse among closers, or an off the pace type versus substantial front end speed is critical. Get caught napping when it comes to pace and you may wind up as desperately short as the old hare once did.
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INSTINCT: Right To Basic Instinct
Sorry gentlemen, but Sharon Stone has nothing to do with this “basic instinct.” We have all said it and kicked ourselves in the rear end afterwards. “Something was telling me to use that horse and I still chose not to.” Ignoring a feeling or a hunch can be a costly mistake when a specific horse catches your eye for some unexplainable reason. Exercise the right to be guided by your instinct and the results might be more than just a pleasant surprise. Thoroughbred Today - Page 10