August 13 Saratoga Special

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Year 10 • Issue 18

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Saratoga’s Daily Newspaper on Thoroughbred Racing

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Friday, August 13, 2010

Hall of Fame 2010

Best Pal

Point Given

Randy Romero

Azeri

Don Pierce Photography by Benoit Photo and Barbara Livingston

Friday Stakes Preview • Entries/Handicapping

here&there... at Saratoga worth repeating

517 Broadway, Suite 207 Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 (Second Floor, around the back)

The Special quotes from Saratoga

“You look hung over – too much Ben and Jerry’s.”

Jockey Rajiv Maragh to Jack Clancy Wednesday morning

“You’re part of the furniture now.”

Ralph Theroux about The Special’s 10-year anniversary

“4-for-21, that’s the worst ever. Tourists.”

Jack Clancy, after trying to give away papers Wednesday morning

“We brake for Clancys.”

Trainer Phil Serpe, as Miles Clancy walked in front of Serpe’s golfcart Wednesday morning

“I don’t think I’m made for this.”

Retired jockey Angel Cordero, recalling his first and only steeplechase schooling session

“He got in his New York City taxi cab mode.”

A jockey about a fellow jockey’s bumping incident

Phone: (518) 490-1175 Sean Mobile: (302) 545-7713 Joe Mobile: (302) 545-4424

By The Numbers

8:

Seconds steeplechase trainer Jack Fisher was on the track Thursday morning before he got yelled at for something.

Names of the Day Torrone, third race. Torrone is an Italian nougat candy. Owned and bred by First Class Thoroughbreds, the filly is out of Taffy Pull.

Tapaline, third race. Owned by Goldmark Farm, the filly is by Eavesdropper.

E-mail: sean@st-publishing.com or jclancy@st-publishing.com Internet: www.saratogaspecial.com Published Wednesday through Sunday during the racing season.

Every day of Sales Week Aug. 2-8.

The Staff

Editors/Publishers: Sean Clancy, Joe Clancy.

Staff Writers: Phil Janack, Karen Johnson, Mike Kane, Terese Karmel, Ben Meyers, Katie Bo Williams.

Layout/Design: Dan Vunk.

Photographers: Tod Marks, Dave Harmon, Connie Bush.

Handicappers: Gaile Fitzgerald, Dean Keppler, Brian Nadeau, John Panagot, John Shapazian Assistants: Chelsea Brown, Maggie Kimmitt.

Distribution: Ryan Clancy, Jack Clancy, Nolan Clancy, Jane Motion.

Advertising Sales: Contact a Clancy or call Kathy Rubin at (203) 650-6815.

ST Publishing Inc. Home Office 364 Fair Hill Drive, Suite F, Elkton, MD 21921 (410) 392-5867 • Fax (410) 392-0170 www.st-publishing.com info@st-publishing.com The Saratoga Special Steeplechase Times Thoroughbred Racing Calendar The Best of The Saratoga Special Saratoga Days and other acclaimed products and services within the equine industry.

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Tod Marks

Dog Proofing. Tom Voss’ 15-year-old Norwich Terrier “Otis” reads The Special.

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– Lee Hills, Pulitzer Prize winner, Knight Ridder chief executive, in 1974

Friday, August 13, 2010

here&there... worth repeating

Continued from previous page

The Special quotes from Saratoga

“In increments.”

Owner Alan Brodsky, about a horse’s ability to go 2 miles

“It’s amazing how many more jump jockeys went on to become trainers. I guess they had to work all day so they learned something.”

Trainer Allen Jerkens

“So, he’s not really a doctor?”

Anne Clancy, when hearing Doc Danner is a jock’s agent

“Can’t blame them.”

Trainer Carl Domino about The Special’s kids who slept in Thursday morning

“Where are all the little Indians?”

Trainer Gary Sciacca when looking for The Special’s delivery team Thursday morning

“I would, if I could, but I can’t, so I won’t.”

Weather Today: Afternoon showers High 80.

Tonight: Mostly clear - Low 58

Saturday: Mostly sunny - High 83.

Sunday: Isolated thunderstorms - High 80.

Gap attendant Bow White on doing favors

“His shirts are like wine, they’re all vintage.”

Jockey Mike Luzzi about agent Roger Sutton’s wardrobe

“Everything’s down.”

Pinkerton at the Oklahoma gate when asked, ‘What’s up?’

“One day I’m going to bear out and go straight in there.”

Trainer James Bond as he walked past the Horseshoe Inn Thursday morning

Just Sayin’ “I didn’t bet, there’s enough riding on her from the sales ring.”

Trainer and half-owner Ralph Nicks, after Valiant Passion won her debut and paid $63 Thursday

“So that’s my life story – in about 10 minutes.”

Hall of Fame jockey Don Pierce, after a telephone interview

“That way we know where they are.”

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Owner Mike Balfe, who keeps the binocuars in the car (when he needs them at the track)

SEVEN 2-year-old winners in 2010 • Third Chance at Arlington Park for Ron Magers and James Divito

• Sunday Splitsville at Saratoga for Mike Repole and Todd Pletcher

• Another Silver Oak, 3rd in the Sanford at Saratoga for Mike Repole and Todd Pletcher.

• Loving Dove at Monmouth Park for Red Oak Farm and Gregory Sacco.

• Gambline Geraldine at Belmont Park for Mike Repole and Todd Pletcher.

• K.R.’s Jazz at Monmouth Park for A Woman’s Thing and Mary Hartman.

• Saratoga Louie at Monmouth Park for Gary Barber and Peter Miller

Our graduates include: Contact Jim Crupi Toll Free: (866) 313-5400 Cell: (352) 427-1600

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Hall of Fame

Class of 2010

Streaking her way into the Hall

BY JOE CLANCY August 1, 2003. The Springwater Inn in Saratoga. Dinner guests put down their forks and walked into the bar to stare at the television. Azeri was running. Horse of the Year in 2002, she’d won 10 in a row and was 1-5 in Del Mar’s Clement Hirsch.

Of course she won, drawAZERI ing off by more Contemporary than 3 lengths as Female HORSE the people at Del Mar – and the Springwater – applauded.

The California-based Azeri won 17 of 24 career starts for the Paulson family, earned more than $4 million, secured four Eclipse Awards (three as champion older mare and one as Horse of the Year) and retired in 2004. She joins the Hall of Fame today, in her first year of eligibility.

It all nearly didn’t happen. Azeri went to trainer Laura de Seroux in August 2001, an unraced 3-year-old filly.

Because of the death of Allen Paulson in 2000, the family’s horses were placed in a trust and were destined for auction.

“The whole exercise was to evaluate

the stock,” said de Seroux, who took over from Simon Bray. “Michael (Paulson) wanted me to evaluate the horses.

They were all supposed to be sold at some point and Azeri was entered in the Keeneland November Sale.”

The daughter of Jade Hunter and the Ahonoora mare Zodiac Miss carried average bloodlines and little else – until de Seroux saw her on the racetrack at San Luis Rey Training Center. In the first gallop, the trainer saw a good mover. In the first work, she saw real talent and told Paulson that he might want to hang on to the chestnut filly.

Sent off at 17-1, Azeri won her career debut at Santa Anita – rolling by 6 lengths on the same November day several other Paulson horses headed to Keeneland.

“Maybe that’s part of the magic of the whole story,” said de Seroux. “She was supposed to be on a Tex Sutton plane, but she was winning impressively. That started everything.”

From there, Azeri won two allowance races – one at Hollywood Park in December and another at Santa Anita in January, her first start as a 4-year-old.

See Azeri page 6

Tod Marks

Azeri, who won 17 of 24 career starts and four Eclipse Awards, takes the 2004 Go For Wand.

Multiple G1 winner at 2 & 3 • G2 Sanford Stakes • G1 Champagne • G2 Fountain Of Youth • G1 Florida Derby

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5

Azeri –

Continued from page 4

She met Summer Colony in the Grade II La Canada, and finished second. Azeri became a Grade I winner in her next start, the Santa Margarita – her first step on the winning streak that would last 17 months.

Early on, Azeri tested her trainer’s patience.

“She was full of energy and there was a delicate balance in keeping her from boiling over so we did a lot to keep her as relaxed as we could,” said de Seroux.

“Training her at San Luis Rey was a major factor. It was a quiet setting, not a lot of traffic and we had the ability to maneuver the time of her training. We had a sun pen that she went in pretty much every day and you couldn’t have those at the California tracks. She spent a lot of time lounging in her pen.”

Azeri blossomed through 2002, riding up the ladder with wins in the Apple Blossom, Milady, Vanity, Clement Hirsch and Lady’s Secret. She went to the Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Arlington Park with seven wins in eight starts, but still had something to prove.

“The East Coast writers and people weren’t giving her much recognition because Summer Colony had beaten her and they thought she was beating up on the same horses all the time out here,” de Seroux said. “But she was a late starter.

We started 2002 in an allowance race and then she kept getting better. We took a filly with a world of speed, and taught her how to use it. Until we got to mid-summer, she was still learning her lessons.”

6

Azeri and trainer Laura de Seroux do some paddock work.

The Breeders’ Cup turned into a rout as Azeri set the pace under regular jockey Mike Smith and roared home by 5 lengths over Farda Amiga with Imperial Gesture third. Summer Colony finished last. The victory clinched the Horse of the Year title. De Seroux singled out that race as her favorite.

“The Milady (in May) was when she really was coming into her own and de-

Benoit Photos

veloping her front-running style,” the trainer said. “By the time we got to the Breeders’ Cup, Mike Smith and I felt it was the time we were going to really let her roll. She proved us right and it was very rewarding.”

Azeri kept on winning in 2003 – adding repeats in the Apple Blossom, Milady, Vanity and Hirsch. The streak ended in late September, when Azeri finished

third (placed second via disqualification) in the Lady’s Secret. She bled in the race, but was back training for the Breeders’ Cup when de Seroux found a tendon issue. She recommended retirement, but Paulson opted to bring Azeri back for a 6-year-old campaign with Wayne Lukas.

Azeri added a third consecutive Apple Blossom in 2004 and won anther championship with Grade I scores in the Go For Wand and Spinster. The Go For Wand was Azeri’s lone win at Saratoga and she won a battle with Sightseek, to even the score from a loss in the Ogden Phipps. She made two starts against males that season, placing eighth in the Met Mile and placing fifth behind Ghostzapper in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, her final career start.

Lukas called Azeri a joy to train.

“I inherited her, she was already awfully good, so all I had to do was not hurt her reputation and keep her staying good,” he said. “It worked out well.

I was really tickled to see her get in. The Apple Blossom was huge, when she won it for the third time. People went crazy.

She was like Zenyatta and Rachel Alexandra are now – that kind of reaction to a horse. She had that popularity good horses have.”

Azeri eventually did sell at Keeneland, to Japanese interests for $2.25 million last November. As a broodmare, she has produced two foals of racing age: Take Control (by A.P. Indy), who won his only career start last year and Arienza (by Giant’s Causeway), who has yet to start. She delivered a Distorted Humor filly and has been bred to Japanese star Deep Impact.

Friday, August 13, 2010

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Class of 2010 Short, stellar career for ‘Big Horse’ Hall of Fame

BY MIKE KANE How good was Point Given? His resume says super. Bob Baffert has an even higher opinion of the colt, the third of his trainees to join him in the Hall of Fame.

“He was just a big horse,” BafPOINT GIVEN fert said. “He Contemporary was the best of male HORSE his generation and towered over the rest of them. He just lost the wrong one.”

That one blemish came on May 5, 2001 when the chestnut son of Thunder Gulch out of the Turkoman mare Turko’s Turn, finished fifth in the Kentucky Derby. As many have learned through the years, winning the Derby can make a career. Point Given’s loss, 11 1/2 lengths behind Monarchos, who never won again, did not ruin his.

Point Given reeled off four straight Grade I victories – the Preakness, Belmont Stakes, Haskell Invitational and Travers – before being retired with a leg injury. He won nine of 13 career starts, eight of them stakes, and earned See POINT GIVEN page 9

Tod Marks

Point Given, a winner of four consecutive $1 million races, poses for a portrait after the Travers in 2001.

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Point Given –

Continued from page 8

$3,968,500 for his owner and breeder the late Saudi Arabian Prince Ahmed Salman, proprietor of The Thoroughbred Corporation.

With six wins in seven starts, five of them Grade I, Point Given was voted Horse of the Year in 2001. He now stands at stud at Three Chimneys Farm in Midway, Ky. Baffert won the Derby and Preakness in 1997 with Hall of Famer Silver Charm and took the first two legs of the Triple Crown again the following year with Real Quiet. Point Given emerged as a serious Triple Crown series prospect as a 2-year-old in 2000 with runner-up finishes in the Champagne and the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and a victory in the Hollywood Juvenile. Wins in the San Felipe and Santa Anita Derby solidified his credentials and he was sent off as the favorite in the Derby.

A fast early pace was the perfect setup for Monarchos, who turned in the second-fastest time in Derby history.

Meanwhile, Point Given was a threatening presence in the second turn, but could not sustain his challenge under Gary Stevens. Baffert said a couple of factors came into play and had an impact on his colt.

“The track was very hard that day, so there was a speed bias, people were sending their horses and track records were being broken,” he said. “We sort of got caught up in a fast pace and didn’t finish. Gary came back and said, ‘I think he just wants to break and

settle.’ We really didn’t know his style because we ran him in California two starts and missed some time with him.

He had a hind ankle injury that he got from rearing up. It was some kind of weird deal.”

Despite his Derby loss, Point Given was the Preakness favorite and he prevailed by 2 1/4 lengths. Three weeks later, he gave Baffert his lone Belmont victory, by a whopping 12 1/4 lengths.

“He redeemed himself in the next two,” Baffert said. “The way he won the Belmont was really exciting.”

Baffert said that the colt was a dream to train.

“I didn’t have to do much with him,” Baffert said. “He was the only horse I had who actually gained weight with every race. It’s amazing. He just got bigger and bigger with every race.”

After a short hiatus, Point Given returned in the summer to win the two biggest races of the summer for 3-yearolds, the Haskell at Monmouth Park and Saratoga’s Travers.

“I wasn’t going to run him in the Haskell, but the prince wanted to run,” Baffert said. “I got him ready in two weeks. I gave him two five-eighths works and entered him. It was quick. He won that one and got really tired. That, to me, is when he showed his greatness.

He was done at the quarter pole and he still won. Then we brought him up here and won the Travers and he got hurt in the Travers.”

Baffert paused for a second to reflect on the premature end of Point Given’s distinguished career.

“He was just getting good,” Baffert said. “He was like a locomotive.”

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Friday, August 13, 2010

Benoit Photos

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Hall of Fame

Class of 2010

California star gets his due

Best Pal won 18 races from 47 starts, mainly in California for the Mabee family.

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Benoit Photo

by joe clancy Best Pal raced in the modern era, but would have made a nice throwback. The California-bred gelding started 47 times from ages 2-8, won 18 races and earned in excess of $5.6 million.

“He was the epitome of a freak – out of nothing, by BEST PAL Contemporary nothing, and he ran a hole in the wind,” said jockey male HORSE Kent Desormeaux, who rode the bay gelding 10 times. “He was one of the most honest horses I ever rode and one of my favorite all-time horses.

He’d be tired around the turn, switch leads and find a whole new gear – unbelievable. His heart was as big as the racetrack.”

Today, Best Pal gets his reward. He’s a Hall of Famer.

The Golden Eagle Farm homebred reaches Thoroughbred racing’s peak based on his record, but also on his reputation. The crowd favorite won races for five jockeys (Desormeaux, Corey Black, Chris McCarron, Jose Santos and Pat Valenzuela) and three trainers (Richard Mandella, Gary Jones and Ian Jory), helped legitimize California’s breeding industry and solidified the Pacific Classic as a major national stop on the summer racing calendar.

The latter feat came to be based on his connections. Owner and co-breeder John Mabee was chairman of the board at Del Mar and long talked of a million-dollar race to boost the track’s statSee BEST PAL page 11

Friday, August 13, 2010

Best Pal –

Continued from page 10

ure. On Mabee’s watch, the race came to be in 1991 and naturally, his horse won the 1 1/4-mile race – charging five wide on the turn to win by a length over Twilight Agenda and Unbridled.

“Dad always said we needed a million-dollar race at Del Mar to make it a place people wanted to come with a great horse,” said Mabee’s son Larry.

“He got it done, and Best Pal won the first one. After the race, there was a standing ovation for my mom, my dad and the horse – an unreal feeling, very special.”

Larry Mabee will accept Best Pal’s Hall of Fame plaque today, but not without thinking of his parents. John Mabee died in 2002 and his wife Betty followed this winter – joining Best Pal, who died in retirement in 1998 at 10.

“I wish my mom and dad were around to see this, but they’d be very prideful,” said Larry Mabee, who oversees Golden Eagle Farm in Ramona, Cal. “The horse meant a lot to all of us.

My folks were very simple people – the attention and the adulation weren’t things they sought or tried for. They’d have a lot of pride in themselves and the horse though.”

Best Pal won his first start, a 5-furlong maiden at Hollywood Park, as a 2-year-old in May 1990. He followed that with five more wins that season, including scores in the Hollywood Futurity, Norfolk and Del Mar Futurity. He lost the Eclipse Award vote as champion

2-year-old to Fly So Free, who defeated Best Pal in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Belmont Park.

At 3, the son of Habitony placed in the Santa Anita Derby and Kentucky Derby, and later won the Swaps and the Pacific Classic after being moved to Jones’ barn. The 4-year-old Best Pal reeled off four consecutive wins – the San Fernando, Strub, Santa Anita Handicap and Oaklawn Handicap. He added the Hollywood Gold Cup and California Cup Classic at 5, the Native Diver and Answer Do at 6 (when moved to Mandella’s care), the San Antonio and Skywalker at 7 before retiring after one start as an 8-year-old in 1996.

Best Pal never won an Eclipse Award, but defeated plenty who did and took on some of the era’s best including Alphabet Soup, Cigar, Concern, Strike The Gold, Fly So Free and others.

“He fits that description where you talk about heart, guts, determination, the will to win,” said Desormeaux.

“And thank God for classic distances because he wasn’t silly speed. He was fast enough, he could turn 12s (12-second furlongs), but some of those horses going 6 furlongs can turn 10s and he couldn’t keep up. He could turn 12s all day long.”

Best Pal retired to a life of leisure and Golden Eagle, but soon grew tired of the easy days and wound up a lead pony for Thoroughbreds training on the farm.

“He loved that, loved the action,” said Larry Mabee. “He died happy of a heart attack on the farm and is buried there. I hope he’s remembered as a horse who did the best he could do – he got beat sometimes but he did his best.”

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Hall of Fame

Class of 2010

A long ride to treasured place

BY KAREN JOHNSON Nobody inducted into the Hall of Fame gets there without a display of complete dedication to their trade.

But in the case of jockey Randy Romero, dedication might not be a strong enough word.

Romero takes his spot in the RANDY hallowed Hall toROMERO day. On the eve of Jockey this great honor, the 52-year-old retired jockey could not have been more elated.

“I’m excited. I’m honored. And I’m blessed,” Romero said with a wide smile. “I’ve been riding since I was 9 years old and when I hit 16, 17, I was riding at the Fair Grounds and Louisiana Downs, and big riders would come from other states and ride at those tracks. I said then, ‘That’s what I want to be. I want to be that kind of rider. I want to be in the Hall of Fame.’ Dreams come true, they really do. It was a dream that I had, and I fulfilled it.”

The Cajun began riding on the roughand-tumble Quarter Horse circuit in the

Bayou, and soon after made the move to Thoroughbreds.

Before his 26-year career ended, Romero had won riding titles at 10 tracks, won Breeders’ Cup races aboard Personal Ensign, Go For Wand and Sacahuista, and had ridden numerous stakes winners for one of racing’s most influential owners and breeders, the Phipps family.

Romero booted home more than 4,200 winners, and his mounts amassed in excess of $75 million.

But swinging his right leg over more than 26,000 horses in the afternoon did take its toll. Romero suffered some terrible accidents on and off the track. He constantly battled his weight and was in the hot box about as often as he was in the saddle.

Romero suffered serious burns after a hot box accident when a light bulb broke and ignited rubbing alcohol he had on his body from a rubdown.

He nearly lost his arm in a riding accident that resulted in a broken elbow, which failed to heal properly and gave him grief for three years. All told, See ROMERO page 13

Randy Romero celbrates a Breeders’ Cup win aboard Go For Wand.

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Friday, August 13, 2010

Romero –

Continued from page 12

Romero required more than two dozen surgeries during his career.

Romero’s perseverance didn’t go unnoticed and is still foremost on the mind of trainer Shug McGaughey for whom Romero rode Personal Ensign who retired undefeated in 13 starts for the Phipps family.

She capped her career under Romero with a brilliant victory over Kentucky Derby winner Winning Colors in the 1988 Breeders’ Cup Distaff.

“I’m tickled to death. It’s well-deserved, and I think that Randy is the epitome of what people should be in the Hall of Fame,” said McGaughey, who was inducted in 2004. “He started out young, went through all the injuries, he was a great rider, he’s been a great ambassador for the sport, and he is a very, very deserving member.”

McGaughey said there was nothing particularly distinctive about Romero’s style of riding, but what was apparent to the trainer was that horses responded favorably.

“I don’t think Randy’s style was Bill Shoemaker or Pat Day’s type of style – horses just ran for him. I think that was it with Personal Ensign; she just ran for him,” McGaughey said. “He always understood her and knew when to move on her. It just all worked. I don’t think it was really his style or anything as much as it just worked. And that is what kind of rider Randy was, one that made it work.”

Since his retirement in 1999, Romero worked as a jockey’s agent and galloped horses for trainer Dallas Stewart.

Health issues continue to hound Romero, who functions without one kidney, and has no spleen or liver.

Those injuries were likely caused by the damage done while the jockey was reducing and from a riding accident early in his career when he punctured his now-removed kidney. He also has battled Hepatitis C. Now, Romero receives dialysis three times a week. His attitude is remarkable considering the sacrifices he had to make – sacrifices that are well-chronicled in an entertaining read about his life and career, “Randy Romero’s Remarkable Ride,” by Bill Heller. Romero said an independent movie producer is now keen on telling his life story on the big screen.

These days Romero lives in New Orleans with his wife of 34 years, Cricket, who will sit proudly in the audience during today’s ceremonies. His 29-year-old son, Randy Jr., an equine dentist, won’t be there because Romero’s granddaughter started school this week.

The family will mark the Hall of Fame induction belatedly during a Thanksgiving trip to Disney World.

“You know, I’ve been very, very blessed,” Romero said. “I was able to do something I loved and thought about all the time. I think all the things that happened – the injuries – made me a stronger person. Those comebacks required a lot of rehabilitation. But I was always determined to ride again.”

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13

Hall of Fame

Class of 2010

Riding all the way to the Hall by joe clancy Don Pierce wanted to be a jockey – badly – but not badly enough to take the bus from Coos Bay, Oregon to Hollywood Park.

“My mom gave me money for Greyhound, but I wanted to keep the money so I hitchhiked,” he said. “You could hitchhike back then. Of course, by the time I got there, the Hollywood meet had ended so I went to Del Mar.” He walked hots, learned to be an exercise rider, turned 16, rode his first race at Ruidoso Downs in 1954 and finished with more than 3,500 wins in a 30-year career. Selected by the Historic Review Committee, Pierce earns Hall of Fame induction this year for a career spent mainly in California but one that found success all over the country.

“He held his own wherever he went,” said Hall of Fame trainer Allen Jerkens, who used Pierce on numerous horses.

“He was a good, strong rider and I’m happy for him. I’m glad he’ll be here and I’m sure it means a lot to him.”

Pierce, 73, confirmed that assessment via telephone from BWI Airport Wednesday afternoon.

“I was kind of expecting it because I’ve been nominated a bunch and some friends had told me, but it’s been a long time and it’s a great honor,” he said. “To get in there with jocks I rode against and respected – guys like Arcaro, Shoe, Johnny Rotz, Walter Blum – is a wonderful thing. It means a lot.”

Pierce was born in Oklahoma but moved to Oregon as a child. A friend’s father trained Quarter Horses and Pierce became a jockey in match races in Oregon and California during the summer.

“I could ride, ride a horse anyway, so that’s how it started,” he said. “We

rode in Levi’s, tennis shoes and a baseball cap backward, no pari-mutuels, no starting gate – it was slap and tap.”

Pierce won races, but also rode steers in between and knew precious little about racing until someone intervened with a suggestion.

“You’re small, you’re light, you can ride a little bit,” the man said. “You should go to the races.”

Pierce never got the man’s name and never saw him again. But took the advice.

He set off to become a jockey – pocketing his mother’s bus fare and signing up for the old-time racetrack career path of apprentice jockey. Back then, trainers took jockeys’ contracts and taught them the sport from the ground. Pierce was a hotwalker, making a living like the rest, first with trainer Hurst Philpott. Jack Howard taught the fledgling jockey to cross his reins, place his feet, gallop a horse. Pierce followed horses to Las Vegas, where a racetrack lasted less than two weeks in 1953 because nobody went to the races, then to Phoenix. He hooked on with trainer A.J. Horn, who was headed to New Mexico. Pierce rode his first race on Opening Day 1954 at Ruidoso Downs, and won.

“It changed my life,” he said simply.

From there, the career path went straight up. Pierce became a force in the tough southern California jockey colony.

He rode for Mesh Tenney, Charlie Whittingham, Robert Wheeler and others. In 1973, he led the country with 32 stakes wins. He won the Santa Anita Handicap four times, took five consecutive runnings of the Los Angeles Handicap.

In 1964, he was the regular rider of Kentucky Derby hopeful Hill Rise. To-

DON PIERCE JOCKEY

Sales Consignments Bloodstock Services Seasons / Matings Breaking Lay-Ups

Benoit Photo

Don Pierce won the George Woolf Memorial Award in 1967.

gether, they won several key preps including the San Felipe and Santa Anita Derby until Pierce was replaced by his friend Bill Shoemaker.

“I was hiding him, letting him win by a neck, a half-length, because I knew Shoe was looking for a ride,” Piece said.

“They told me Shoe was going to ride him in the Derby, and I finally slapped Hill Rise on the shoulder and he won by 10 I think.”

Hill Rise took the Derby Trial (with Shoemaker), but lost the Derby itself to Northern Dancer. Pierce got back on and won several races with the horse, who went on to become Champion Miler in England. Other stars piloted

by Pierce included Flying Paster (a frequent foe of Spectacular Bid), Quack, Triple Bend, Kennedy Road, Forceten and others.

“I never rode a great horse, but there have only been a few of them – Secretariat, Dr. Fager, Buckpasser, maybe one or two more in my mind,” he said. “I rode a lot of good horses.”

Pierce laughed when asked about his riding style.

“I was great if I was on a horse who could run, but so was everybody else,” he said.

“I was a come-frombehind rider, always gave a horse a chance.

I was a good finishing rider. People thought I was getting left at the gate sometimes, but that’s the way it worked.”

Pierce didn’t stay in California exclusively.

He won a riding title at Belmont Park and enjoyed stakes success in the Hopeful (Outing Class, 1962) and Jim Dandy (Forceten, 1975) at Saratoga.

Ralph Theroux Sr., father of NYRA racing office employee Ralph Jr., was Pierce’s agent

in New York.

Jerkens recalled some good rides, including a narrow loss aboard Shirley Jones in the Beldame.

“She just got beat, just got beat,” the trainer said. “Ralph was a good friend of mine and they rode some winners for us; Pierce could ride anywhere. I remember how disappointed they were when they lost the mount on Hill Rise.

Well, who wouldn’t be?”

In a nod of respect from his fellow jockeys, Pierce won the 1967 George Woolf Memorial award, which honors jockeys whose “careers and personal character earn esteem” in racing. The future Hall of Famer retired in 1984, after 3,546 wins from 28,740 mounts. He lives near Del Mar in Encinitas, Calif., where he recently started working with the track’s clockers.

WILLIAM B. HARRIGAN S A L E S

A G E N C Y

Breaking & Conditioning Graduates include:

20 G1 Winners 8 Champions - 5 Eclipse 4 Breeders’ Cup Winners 3 Horses of the Year A.P. Indy Mineshaft El Condor Pasa Miacomet Farm Lexington, Ky

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Friday, August 13, 2010

Class of 2010 Stamina was hallmark of champion

Hall of Fame

BY BEN MEYERS A portrait of stamina and victory is what Harry Bassett was when he was racing.

A portrait is also the only thing left that gives people any idea what he looked like.

There are no photographs HARRY of the son of Lexington, as the BASSETT technology was in its infancy MALE HORSE when he was a champion 2-year old in 1870, the top colt in the country in 1871 and the best handicapper in the land in 1872.

Libby Jones a member of the family that bred Harry Bassett and wife of former Kentucky Gov. Brereton Jones (Airdrie Stud), will accept the award.

“There are a lot of slam-dunk horses throughout history,” said Ed Bowen, chairman of the Hall of Fame’s Historic Review Committee. “Some have been forgotten about or, for lack of a better term for it, slipped through the cracks. We specifically try to look back at what have been missed and honor horses that were very competitive against their contemporaries.”

After finishing third in his career debut, Harry Bassett broke his maiden at Saratoga by winning the 1-mile Kentucky Stakes. The win led to a triumph over 14 others in the Nursery Stakes at Jerome Park and then a final victory in the Summer Stakes at Pimlico before being named Champion Two-Year Old. The son of Lexington, started a legendary, and champion, three-year old summer campaign with a win in the Belmont Stakes on June 10, 1871. As the warm months continued he added the Jersey Derby and the Travers, Kenner and Champion Stakes to his resume. In a display of stamina that is never seen in modern racing, Harry Bassett topped 5-year old star Hembold in two 4-mile heats with times of 7:54 ¾ and 8:03 1/2, respectively.

Longfellow finally stopped Harry Bassett’s streak at 14 in the Monmouth Cup the following

year. Harry Bassett exorcised the defeat to Longfellow in the 2 1/4-mile Saratoga Cup in a record time of 3:59 over his rival, a run that came only three days after the soon-to-be top Handicapper of the Year, had won a race at the Spa. Two more wins at Saratoga gave Harry Bassett 17 wins in 18 tries and even though the tough schedule led to only three more wins in his next 12 starts the accomplishments could not be dismissed.

In all, Harry Bassett retired with a record of 23-5-3 out of 36 starts and earned $55,920, which translates to about $989,655 by modern standards.

“We are always looking for individuals with careers that in retrospect are deserving of honor in the Hall of Fame.” Bowen said about the horse. “When you think in terms of the past there are many deserving horses that, given the right frame of reference, are some of the best that were part of the sport.”

In any frame, Harry Bassett probably still would be competitive against anyone willing to run 4 miles at a time.

National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame

One of the few images of Harry Bassett shows the black champion in full flight.

Working on, with and for the best

BY BEN MEYERS When Michael “Buster” Millerick saddled Yankee Dandy and Rackatck, his first stakes winners, in 1940 little did he know that he would be on a roller coaster ride that made him one of the best trainers in the history of California.

Now he is one of the best MICHAEL trainers ever as he enters the “BUSTER” Thoroughbred Racing Hall of MILLERICK Fame.

“He ranked so high among TRAINER his contemporaries in terms of stakes winners and wins and sometimes that fact gets lost compared to the modern barns that are so big,” Ed Bowen, Chairman of the Hall of Fame’s Historic Review Committee that elected Millerick, said. “There are a lot of people that search through history and honor those that are deserving, Buster Millerick is a perfect example of that task.”

Overall, the trainer won 1,886 races and gave orders for 54 individual stakes winners who won the Bing Crosby, Vanity, Del Mar Futurity, Hollywood

Friday, August 13, 2010

Derby, Malibu Stakes, Milady Handicap and the Californian among others.

The pinnacle of Millerick’s career came when his greatest trainee made it to the Hall of Fame 32 years before he would.

Native Diver was the best runner to ever receive Millerck’s care. Native Diver won 37 races, including 34 stakes, in his seven seasons on the track. The horse won three consecutive Hollywood Gold Cups, the Los Angeles and San Carlos Handicaps, and set a track record in the Del Mar Handicap.

“When we search through history we find many people that deserve to be here,” Bowen said. “(Millerick) is one of the best stories that we are happy to tell and have here.”

Millerick’s story included working with Hall of Fame trainer Tom Smith and for owners such as Charles Howard and John Hertz, while training horses such as Countess Fleet, Count Of Honor and George Lewis.

When he finally retired in 1984, after a career that took almost five decades, he ranked second all-time in National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame wins at Del Mar, fourth at Hollywood Park and fifth Buster Millerick in the saddle. at Santa Anita.

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H a l l o f Fa m e Horses..

. .......................Year..... Year .................. Elected Foaled

A.P. Indy..................2000.........1989 Ack Ack...................1986.........1966 Affectionately..........1989.........1960 Affirmed..................1980.........1975 All Along.................1990.........1979 Alsab.......................1976.........1939 Alydar......................1989.........1975 Alysheba.................1993.........1984 American Eclipse.....1970.........1814 Ancient Title............2008.........1970 Armed.....................1963.........1941 Artful.......................1956.........1902 Arts and Letters......1994.........1966 Assault....................1964.........1943 Azeri........................2010.........1998 Battleship................1969.........1927 Bayakoa..................1998.........1984 Bed o’Roses............1976.........1947 Beldame..................1956.........1901 Ben Brush...............1955.........1893 Ben Nevis II.............2009.........1969 Best Pal...................2010.........1988 Bewitch...................1977.........1945 Bimelech.................1990.........1937 Black Gold...............1989.........1921 Black Helen.............1991.........1932 Blue Larkspur..........1957.........1926 Bold ’n Determined...1997.........1977 Bold Ruler...............1973.........1954 Bon Nouvel.............1976.........1960 Boston....................1955.........1833 Bowl Of Flowers......2004.........1958 Broomstick..............1956.........1901 Buckpasser.............1970.........1963 Busher....................1964.........1942 Bushranger.............1967.........1930 Cafe Prince..............1985.........1970 Carry Back..............1975.........1958 Cavalcade................1993.........1931 Challedon................1977.........1936 Chris Evert..............1988.........1971 Cicada.....................1967.........1959 Cigar.......................2002.........1990 Citation....................1959.........1945 Coaltown.................1983.........1945 Colin........................1956.........1905 Commando.............1956.........1898 Cougar II.................2006.........1966 Count Fleet..............1961.........1940 Crusader.................1995.........1923 Dahlia......................1981.........1970 Damascus...............1974.........1964 Dance Smartly.........2003.........1988 Dark Mirage............1974.........1965 Davona Dale............1985.........1976 Desert Vixen............1979.........1970 Devil Diver...............1980.........1939 Discovery................1969.........1931 Domino...................1955.........1891 Dr. Fager.................1971.........1964 Easy Goer................1997.........1986 Eight Thirty.............1994.........1936 Elkridge...................1966.........1938 Emperor of Norfolk...1988.........1885 Equipoise................1957.........1928 Exceller...................1999.........1973 Exterminator...........1957.........1915 Fair Play..................1956.........1905 Fairmount................1985.........1921 Fashion...................1980.........1837 Firenze....................1981.........1884 Flatterer...................1994.........1979 Flawlessly................2004.........1988 Foolish Pleasure......1995.........1972 Forego.....................1979.........1970 Fort Marcy...............1998.........1964 Gallant Bloom.........1977.........1966 Gallant Fox..............1957.........1927 Gallant Man.............1987.........1954 Gallorette................1962.........1942 Gamely....................1980.........1964 Genuine Risk...........1986.........1977 Go For Wand...........1996.........1987 Good and Plenty......1956.........1900 Granville..................1997.........1933 Grey Lag.................1957.........1918 Gun Bow.................1999.........1960 Hamburg.................1986.........1895 Hanover..................1955.........1884 Harry Bassett..........2010.........1868 Henry of Navarre.....1985.........1891

16

Hill Prince...............1991.........1947 Hindoo....................1955.........1878 Holy Bull.................2001.........1991 Imp .........................1965.........1894 Inside Information...2008.........1991 Jay Trump...............1971.........1957 John Henry.............1990.........1975 Johnstown..............1992.........1936 Jolly Roger..............1965.........1922 Kelso.......................1967.........1957 Kentucky.................1983.........1861 Kingston..................1955.........1884 La Prevoyante.........1995.........1970 Lady’s Secret...........1992.........1982 L’Escargot...............1977.........1963 Lexington................1955.........1850 Lonesome Glory......2005.........1988 Longfellow..............1971.........1867 Luke Blackburn.......1956.........1877 Majestic Prince.......1988.........1966 Manila.....................2008.........1983 Man o’ War.............1957.........1917 Maskette.................2001.........1908 Miesque..................1999.........1984 Miss Woodford.......1967.........1880 Moms Command....2007.........1982 Myrtlewood.............1979.........1932 Nashua....................1965.........1952 Native Dancer..........1963.........1950 Native Diver.............1978.........1959 Needles...................2000.........1953 Neji .........................1966.........1950 Noor........................2002.........1945 Northern Dancer.....1976.........1961 Oedipus...................1978.........1946 Old Rosebud...........1968.........1911 Omaha....................1965.........1932 Pan Zareta...............1972.........1910 Parole......................1984.........1873 Paseana..................2001.........1987 Personal Ensign......1993.........1984 Peter Pan................1956.........1904 Point Given.............2010.........1998 Precisionist.............2003.........1981 Princess Doreen......1982.........1921 Princess Rooney.....1991.........1980 Real Delight.............1987.........1949 Regret.....................1957.........1912 Reigh Count............1978.........1925 Riva Ridge...............1998.........1969 Roamer...................1981.........1911 Roseben..................1956.........1901 Round Table............1972.........1954 Ruffian....................1976.........1972 Ruthless..................1975.........1864 Salvator...................1955.........1886 Sarazen...................1957.........1921 Seabiscuit...............1958.........1933 Searching................1978.........1952 Seattle Slew............1981.........1974 Secretariat...............1974.........1970 Serena’s Song.........2002.........1992 Shuvee....................1975.........1966 Silverbulletday........1996.........2009 Silver Charm...........2007.........1994 Silver Spoon...........1978.........1956 Sir Archy.................1955.........1805 Sir Barton................1957.........1916 Skip Away...............2004.........1993 Slew o’ Gold............1992.........1980 Spectacular Bid.......1982.........1976 Stymie.....................1975.........1941 Sun Beau.................1996.........1925 Sunday Silence.......1996.........1986 Susan’s Girl.............1976.........1969 Swaps.....................1966.........1952 Swoons Son............2007.........1953 Sword Dancer.........1977.........1956 Sysonby..................1956.........1902 Ta Wee....................1994.........1966 Ten Broeck..............1982.........1872 Tim Tam..................1985.........1955 Tiznow....................1997.........2009 Tom Fool.................1960.........1949 Top Flight................1966.........1929 Tosmah...................1984.........1961 Twenty Grand..........1957.........1928 Twilight Tear............1963.........1941 Two Lea...................1982.........1946 War Admiral............1958.........1934 Whirlaway...............1959.........1938 Whisk Broom II.......1979.........1907 Winning Colors.......2000.........1985 Zaccio.....................1990.........1976 Zev .........................1983.........1920

Members of the Class of 2009 along with Hall of Famers Bill Mott and Kent Desormeaux.

2010 Induction Ceremony Friday, Aug. 13

10:30 a.m.

Sales Pavilion at Fasig-Tipton, on East Avenue Free & open to public: Azeri Best Pal Point Given Harry Bassett Don Pierce Randy Romero Buster Millerick

Nick Zito, Class of ’05

Edgar Prado, Class of ’08

Bobby Frankel, Class of ’95

jockeys

John Adams...................1965 Frank D. Adams..............1970 Joe Aitcheson Jr............1978 G. Edward Arcaro...........1958 Ted F. Atkinson...............1957 Braulio Baeza.................1976 Jerry Bailey....................1995 George Barbee...............1996 Caroll K. Bassett.............1972 Russell Baze...................1999 Walter Blum...................1987 William N. Boland..........2006 George Bostwick............1968 Sam Boulmetis Sr..........1973 Steve Brooks..................1963 Don Brumfield................1996 Thomas H. Burns...........1983 James H. Butwell...........1984 J. Dallett Byers...............1967 Steve Cauthen................1994 Frank Coltiletti................1970 Angel Cordero Jr............1988 Robert H. Crawford........1973 Pat Day..........................1991 Eddie Delahoussaye.......1993 Kent Desormeaux...........2004 Lavelle Ensor..................1962 Laverne Fator.................1955 Earlie Fires.....................2001 Jerry Fishback................1992 Mack Garner..................1969 Edward Garrison............1955 Avelino Gomez...............1982 Henry F. Griffin...............1956 O. Eric Guerin.................1972 William J. Hartack..........1959 Sandy Hawley................1992 Albert Johnson...............1971 William J. Knapp............1969 Julie Krone.....................2000 Clarence Kummer..........1972 Charles Kurtsinger.........1967 John P. Loftus................1959 John Eric Longden.........1958 Daniel A. Maher..............1955 Eddie Maple...................2009 J. Linus McAtee.............1956 Chris McCarron..............1989 Conn McCreary..............1975 Rigan McKinney.............1968 James McLaughlin.........1955 Walter Miller..................1955 Isaac B. Murphy.............1955 Ralph Neves...................1960 Joe Notter......................1963 Winfield O Connor..........1956 George M. Odom............1955 Frank O’Neill...................1956 Ivan H. Parke..................1978 Gilbert W. Patrick...........1970 Don Pierce.....................2010 Laffit Pincay Jr...............1975

Edgar Prado...................2008 Samuel Purdy................1970 John Reiff......................1956 Alfred Robertson............1971 Randy Romero...............2010 John L. Rotz...................1983 Earl Sande......................1955 Jose Santos...................2007 John Sellers...................2007 Carroll H. Shilling...........1970 William Shoemaker........1958 Willie Simms..................1977 Tod Sloan.......................1955 Mike Smith.....................2003 Alfred P. Smithwick........1973 Gary Stevens..................1997 James Stout...................1968 Fred Taral.......................1955 Bayard Tuckerman Jr.....1973 Ron Turcotte..................1979 Nash Turner...................1955 Robert N. Ussery...........1980 Ismael Valenzuela..........2008 Jacinto Vasquez.............1998 Jorge Velasquez.............1990 Thomas Walsh...............2005 Jack Westrope...............2002 Jimmy Winkfield............2004 George M. Woolf............1955 Raymond Workman.......1956 Manuel Ycaza.................1977

trainers

Bob Baffert.....................2009 Lazaro S. Barrera...........1979 H. Guy Bedwell...............1971 Edward D. Brown...........1984 Preston M. Burch...........1963 J. Elliott Burch................1980 William P. Burch.............1955 Fred Burlew....................1973 Frank E. Childs...............1968 Henry S. Clark................1982 W. Burling Cocks............1985 James P. Conway...........1996 Warren A. Croll Jr..........1994 Grover G. “Bud” Delp.....2002 Neil Drysdale..................2000 William Duke..................1956 Janet Elliot.....................2009 Louis Feustel..................1964 James Fitzsimmons.......1958 Henry Forrest.................2007 Robert Frankel................1995 John M. Gaver Sr...........1966 Carl Hanford...................2006 Thomas J. Healey...........1955 Samuel C. Hildreth.........1955 Hubert “Sonny” Hine......2003 Maximilian Hirsch..........1959 William J. Hirsch............1982 Thomas Hitchcock.........1973

Tod Marks

Hollie Hughes.................1973 John J. Hyland...............1956 Hirsch Jacobs................1958 H. Allen Jerkens.............1975 William R. Johnson........1986 Philip G. Johnson...........1997 LeRoy Jolley..................1987 Horace A. Jones.............1959 Benjamin A. Jones.........1958 A. Jack Joyner................1955 Tommy Kelly..................1993 Lucien Laurin.................1977 J. Howard Lewis............1969 D. Wayne Lukas.............1999 Horatio A. Luro..............1980 John E. Madden.............1983 James W. Maloney.........1989 Richard Mandella...........2001 Frank Martin...................1981 Ron McAnally.................1990 Frank McCabe................2007 Henry McDaniel.............1956 “Shug” McGaughey........2004 MacKenzie Miller............1987 “Buster” Millerick...........2010 William Molter................1960 William I. Mott...............1998 W. F. Mulholland.............1967 Carl Nafzger...................2008 Edward A. Neloy.............1983 John A. Nerud................1972 Burley Parke...................1986 Angel Penna...................1988 Jacob Pincus..................1988 John W. Rogers.............1955 James G. Rowe Sr.........1955 Flint S. Schulhofer..........1992 Jonathan Sheppard........1990 Robert A. Smith.............1976 Tom Smith.....................2001 D. M. Smithwick.............1971 Woodford Stephens.......1976 Mesh Tenney..................1991 Henry J. Thompson.......1969 Harry Trotsek.................1984 Marion Van Berg............1970 Jack C. Van Berg............1985 Sylvester Veitch.............1977 John Veitch....................2007 R. W. Walden.................1970 Michael G. Walsh...........1997 Sherrill W. Ward.............1978 Sidney Watters Jr...........2005 Frank Whiteley Jr...........1978 Charles Whittingham......1974 Ansel Williamson...........1998 G. Carey Winfrey............1975 William C. Winfrey.........1971 Nick Zito.........................2005

Friday, August 13, 2010

TERRY LINDSEY EQUIDAE GALLERY at the Holiday Inn, Saratoga Springs, NY July 23rd-Sept 6th • Open Daily 9-9 Demos each Friday at 10 a.m.

Artists shown in ad l-r top Terry Lindsey, Anthony Alonzo, Jaime Corum, Ely Fuller, Sharon Crute, Kathie Friedenberg, Louise W. King, Werner Rentsch, Anne Wolf, Katie Upton, and Susan Cronin

Friday, August 13, 2010

17

HALL OF FAME STAKES PREVIEW

Taking Aim

Citrus Kid looks to test solid group on turf

BY PHIL JANACK What the field for today’s Grade II National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame Stakes lacks in quantity, it makes up for in quality.

Interactif, Nordic Truce and Krypton are all Grade III winners.

Paris Vegas, making his North American debut, is Group I placed in Austria.

Grand Rapport beat older horses in his last race, his first in eight months, and even Colizeo, entered in case the race comes off the turf, won the Grade III Northern Dancer in June.

Then there’s Citrus Kid. A 3-year-old son of Lemon Drop Kid trained by John Terranova for owners James Covello and Pittsburgh-based Golden Goose Enterprises, Citrus Kid hasn’t run since finishing seventh of 10 in the Grade III LeComte, his second start since being purchased privately following a victory in the $76,000 Dover Stakes at Delaware Park last October.

His lone turf start came in his debut on Aug. 5, 2009 for then-trainer Gary See stakes page 19

Maggie Kimmit

Krypton works out at Saratoga in preparation for today’s run in the Hall of Fame Stakes.

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The tradition continues.

Breaking • Training • Sales Donna Freyer

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Friday, August 13, 2010

Stakes –

Continued from page 18

Contessa, where an unripe Citrus Kid finished seventh behind eventual graded stakes winners Dean’s Kitten and Paddy O’Prado.

“We just need to prep him for the fall,” Terranova said. “We need a race.

He’s ready to run. He’s been ready, but we’ve had trouble finding the right spot to get going in. The turf, I don’t know.

We didn’t have him when he ran on the turf first out, but he did run in a nice race that ended up being a lot of class horses. I think he’s got a lot of pedigree for it, but I haven’t worked him on it so I don’t know.

He’s been training very well, so we want to see where we are here.”

Terranova feels Citrus Kid has come back to the races a different horse. He had surgery to remove an undescended testicle following the LeComte, then had to overcome an illness that knocked him out in the spring.

“He’s kind of a new horse now,” the trainer said. “He’s a first-time ridgling.

That was giving him a lot of problems. Belmont Stakes starter Interactif will make a go of it today for Todd Pletcher.

He had a fit before his last race, and when we went over him, that really seemed to be giving or the inaugural $300,000 Smarty Jones Stakes at him a lot of discomfort. We took that away, so we’ll Philadelphia Park Sept. 6. All three are run on dirt.

“Those are the major 3-year-old races left, I guess, see. We were supposed to run in the Rushaway back in September, aside from the Travers (at Saratoga in March. We went to Keeneland from Florida, and Aug. 28), which I wouldn’t think we’d do,” he said. the day after he shipped to Kentucky he got a high “We just want to get him back in the starting gate. fever and he ended up subsequently missing a lot of We honestly don’t know where we’re at right now. time. We just brought him back nice and steadily, and We need to get him going and get a good race into he’s been doing really, really well. His workouts have him.” been fantastic, and he looks great. Everything is goThe Hall of Fame figures to be a competitive affair, ing really well.” and Terranova said Citrus Kid figures to be a gameTerranova is eyeing some of the fall races for day decision.

3-year-olds, including the $1 million Pennsylvania “The turf was just a lack of options almost. It’s Derby and the $500,000 Super Derby, both Sept. 25, not a big field, but it’s a good field,” he said. “He’s a

s t e B Binesttown!

Things to do, places to go, businesses to call...

nice horse, but I don’t know what level he’s at. Right now, he’s training fantastic and he’s looking good, so we’re giving him all the chances in the world to show us something.”

Winner of the Grade III Hill Prince at a mile on June 4, Krypton stretched out to 10 furlongs for the Grade II Virginia Derby last time, finishing third behind Paddy O’Prado and Interactif in July.

Trained by Kiaran McLaughlin for Harvey Clarke and Ron Winchell, Krypton cuts back to 1 1/8 miles in the Hall of Fame, his seventh start this year, including two on the Polytrack at Keeneland.

“He ran well last time and got beat by probably the leader in the division right now,” McLaughlin said. “He’s training fabulous. He’s been training better than ever the last two months on the dirt, working lights out, so you have that in the back of your mind, but we’ll keep him on the turf right now.

He’s better racing on the turf. I respect (Nordic Truce) and (Interactif). They’re probably the two main ones to beat, but we’re doing very well.”

Interactif is winless with three secTod Marks onds in five starts this year, including the Grade II San Felipe over Santa Anita’s synthetic surface. His last win came in the Grade III Bourbon Stakes on Keeneland’s turf last October, one start after taking the Grade III With Anticipation at Saratoga.

“I think he’s versatile enough that he can kind of lay wherever you need him based on the way the race is unfolding,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “I think he handles a variety of distances well, but this suits him perfectly.”

Nordic Truce won his first three career starts for trainer Christophe Clement before having his streak ended by Krypton in the Hill Prince, finishing second by a neck. He will break from outside post six under jockey Julien Leparoux.

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the

Power grid John Shapazian

John Panagot

Gaile Fitzgerald

Brian Nadeau

9

Belo Sorte Winthrop House Sly Sweet Wlliam Future Empire Flying Gang Torrone Healthy Debate Freud’s Notebook Cruzin With Cash Scorper Eager Leader Sea of Liquidity Sweat Shop General Song Pletcher Entry Air Support Cockeyed Rooster Pletcher Entry Krypton Nordic Truce Active Trader Consort Humilarity Dubb Entry Sunnybrook Magdalena Girl

Sly Crowned General Matt’s a Giant Cheeky Mama Wing Glider Flying Gang Torrone Landlash Freud’s Notebook Scorper Eager Leader Sound Chaser Sweat Shop General Song Warrant Ofc. Cook Last Out of Panama Derby Kitten Air Support Interactif Nordic Truce Krypton Active Trader Consort Paperless Sunnybrook Magdalena Girl Lady Alma

Belo Sorte Sly Crowned General Flying Gang Sweet William Power Dreams Healthy Debate Torrone Landlash Cruzin With Cash Scorper Eager Leader Sea Of Liquidity Sweat Shop General Song Pletcher Entry Air Support Goodtimehadbyall Nordic Truce Pletcher Entry Krypton Active Trader Consort Artie’s Chapter Dubb Entry Satin Jet Sunnybrook

Belo Sorte Crowned General Sly Wing Glider Wildcat Stevie Power Dreams Landlash Healthy Debate Tapaline Cruzin With Cash Old Kit Bag Scorper Sea Of Liquidity General Song Sweat Shop Curlinello Last Out Of Panama East Indies Colizeo Nordic Truce Interactif Paperless Active Trader Consort Magdalena Girl Sunnybrook Jacky Juice

Records

55/157

40/157

51/157

39/157

Race #

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Dean Keppler Crowned General Sly Matt’s a Giant Sweet William Wascally Rabbit Future Empire Torrone Healthy Debate Freud’s Notebook Scorper Eager Leader She’s Not Easy Sweat Shop General Song Man on the Right Surf Cast Last out of Panama Goodtimehadbyall Krypton Interactif Nordic Truce Paperless Active Trader Humilarity Sunnybrook Mardi Belle Magdalena Girl

36/157

The Special gets its coffee – and more – at The Cupcake Lab You should too. 517 Broadway across from the City Center. www.thecupcakelab.com • 518-583-3144

20

Friday, August 13, 2010

Royal Ascot (June) L’Arc de Triomphe (Sep-Oct) Cheltenham (March) Dubai (March) Aintree (April)

For trip details and to reserve your space, call George Wagner, 1-800-368-0872 or visit our website www.horseracingtripsworldwide.com

“I could not sleep,

friday’s Saratoga entries

5th (3:14) 1 Mile (Inner turf) 3&Up Maiden Claiming ($25,000) Purse: $23,000 1 1 Unique Tune...............Coa E M................ Ritvo Timothy.........20-1 2 2 Sweat Shop................Velasquez C........... Levine Bruce N.........2-1 3 3 General Song..............Dominguez R A..... Pletcher Todd A........5-2 4 4 Warrant Ofc. Cook......Borel C H............... Wilkes Ian R.............7-2 5 5 Dade City....................Hill C..................... Barbara Robert.......30-1 6 6 Man On the Right.......Solis A................... Sciacca Gary..........20-1 7 7 Implied Odds..............Castellano J J........ Martin Carlos F.......10-1 8 8 Sadies Grandson........Mena M................. McGillycuddy K L...15-1 9 9 Seren Trippidy............Espinoza J L.......... DeRosa Alexander..20-1 10 10 Intrepid.......................Velazquez J R........ Dutrow, Jr. R E.......10-1 11 AE Naughty You...............Lezcano J.............. Serpe Philip M..........6-1 12 AE Unforgettable P J.......Maragh R.............. Ortiz Paulino O.......30-1 13 AE Mystic Era..................Lenclud F.............. Toscano John ........50-1 14 MTO Sea of Liquidity..........Castellano J J........ Brown Chad C..........5-2 15 MTO Dare to Live................Leparoux J R......... McPeek Kenneth....12-1 Exacta, Trifecta, Super (.10), Pick 3 Races (5-7), Grand Slam Races (5-8) Daily Double

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H. F. DESIGNER: Sam TRAFFIC: Erica PROGRAM: InDesign

6th (3:48) 1 1/16 Miles (Turf) 2YO Maiden Purse: $51,000 1 4 Last Out of Panama....Velazquez J R........ Pletcher Todd A........3-1 1A MTO Curlinello................................................. Pletcher Todd A........3-1 2 1 Goodtimehadbyall......Mena M................. Scherer Merrill R......7-2 3 2 Grigio.........................Borel C H............... Baker James E..........8-1 4 3 Surf Cast....................Gomez G K............ Howard Neil J...........6-1 5 5 Rogue Romance.........Luzzi M J............... McPeek Kenneth....15-1 6 6 East Indies..................Prado E S.............. McPeek Kenneth....12-1 7 7 Willy Pay....................Dominguez R A..... Kimmel John C.......10-1 8 8 Cockeyed Rooster......Albarado R J......... Terranova, II John..15-1 9 9 Air Support.................Castellano J J........ McGaughey III C R...6-1 10 10 Derby Kitten...............Leparoux J R......... Maker Michael J.......8-1 11 MTO Striding Ahead............Leparoux J R......... Mott William I...........6-1 12 MTO It’s Truly Ahvee...........Dominguez R A..... Rice Linda 5-1 A-Coupled: Last Out of Panama and Curlinello Exacta, Trifecta, Super (.10), Pick 3 Races (6-8), Pick 4 Races (6-9) Daily Double

BLEED: —

LIVE:

7th (4:22) National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame S. (G2) 1 1/8 Miles (Inner turf) 3YO Purse: $150,000 1 5 Interactif.....................Castellano J J........ Pletcher Todd A........8-5 1A MTO Colizeo.................................................... Pletcher Todd A........8-5 2 1 Paris Vegas................Gomez G K............ Chappet Fabrice........8-1 3 2 Grand Rapport............Dominguez R A..... Contessa Gary C.....12-1 4 3 Krypton......................Maragh R.............. McLaughlin Kiaran...3-1 5 4 Citrus Kid...................Hill C..................... Terranova, II John..15-1 6 6 Nordic Truce...............Leparoux J R......... Clement Christophe.. 5-2 A-Coupled: Interactif and Colizeo Exacta, Trifecta, Pick 3 Races (7-9), Daily Double TRIM: —

4th (2:40) 5 1/2 Furlongs (Turf) 3&Up Claiming ($25,000) Purse: $27,000 1 1 Kick Up Your Heels.....Samyn J L............. Martin Frank...........30-1 2 2 She’s Not Easy...........Leparoux J R......... Rice Linda................8-1 3 3 Sound Chaser.............Santiago V............. Callejas Bernardo.....6-1 4 4 Muy Guapo.................Lenclud F.............. Hernandez Ramon.. 15-1 5 5 Luigi P........................Coa E M................ Bizelia Anthony J....12-1 6 6 Warrior Poet...............Albarado R J......... Lukas D Wayne........3-1 7 7 Eager Leader..............Garcia Alan............ Rice Linda................4-1 8 8 Voodoouthinkur.........Prado E S.............. Reiff Eugene.............8-1 9 9 Old Kit Bag.................Husbands S P....... Ubillo Rodrigo A.....15-1 10 10 Scorper......................Dominguez R A..... Rodriguez Rudy R....7-2 11 MTO Cruzin With Cash........Prado E S.............. Hills Timothy A.........7-2 12 MTO Kill the Joker..............Bermudez J E........ Gullo Gary P.............5-1 Exacta, Quinella, Trifecta, Super (.10), Pick 3 Races (4-6) Pick 6 Races (4-9), Daily Double

Dave Harmon

JOB:10-WPT-022

3rd (2:06) Lake Luzerne S. 7 Furlongs ny bred Fillies 3YO Purse: $70,000 1 1 Landlash.....................Dominguez R A..... Gyarmati Leah..........6-1 2 2 Rogue’s Jewel............Mena M................. Martin Carlos F.......12-1 3 3 Freud’s Notebook.......Jara F.................... Brown Bruce R.........3-1 4 4 Torrone.......................Santiago V............. McLaughlin Kiaran...4-1 5 5 Tapaline......................Maragh R.............. Kimmel John C.........6-1 6 6 Amiga Del Sol.............Castellano J J........ Kimmel John C.......12-1 7 7 Northern Warrior........Velazquez J R........ Ubillo Rodrigo A.....10-1 8 8 Healthy Debate...........Lezcano J.............. Brown Bruce R.........7-2 Exacta, Trifecta, Super (.10), Pick 3 Races (3-5), Daily Double

Crowned General (first race) won at the Spa on July 28.

DATE: 8/5/10

2nd (1:33) 5 1/2 Furlongs 2YO mdn clm ($35,000) Purse: $25,000 1 1 Future Empire.............Castellano J J........ Hushion Michael E...6-1 2 2 Flying Gang................Albarado R J......... Nicks Ralph E.........12-1 3 3 Sweet William............Coa E M................ Ward Wesley A.........3-1 4 4 Wing Glider................Maragh R.............. Contessa Gary C.....12-1 5 5 Wildcat Stevie............Lezcano J.............. Barbara Robert.........6-1 6 6 Cheeky Mama.............Dominguez R A..... Rice Linda................5-1 7 7 Dynatough..................Mena M................. Scherer Merrill R....15-1 8 8 Power Dreams............Cohen D................ Badgett William Jr....8-1 9 9 Wascally Rabbit..........Luzzi M J............... Contessa Gary C.....12-1 10 10 Victory Team..............Lenclud F.............. Harty Eoin................6-1 Exacta, Quinella, Trifecta, Super (.10), Pick 3 Races (2-4) Pick 4 Races (2-5), Daily Double

VERSION:3

1st (1:00) 5 1/2 Furlongs (Turf) 3&Up claiming ($25,000) Purse: $36,000 1 1 Can’t Refuse...............Lenclud F.............. Persaud Randi........20-1 2 2 Kingsdale Ocean (IRE)...Chavez J F............. Toscano John T Jr.. 12-1 3 3 Subtitles.....................Velasquez C........... Ryerson James T...10-1 4 4 Crowned General........Albarado R J......... Romans Dale............7-2 5 5 Matt’s a Giant.............Maragh R.............. Farro Patricia............5-1 6 6 Sly..............................Dominguez R A..... Dutrow Anthony W...5-2 7 7 Winthrop House.........Garcia Alan............ Rice Linda................3-1 8 8 Perfectus....................Piermarini T.......... Falk Jacqueline.........8-1 9 MTO Belo Sorte..................Albarado R J......... Romans Dale............8-5 10 MTO The Zipster.................Castellano J J........ Violette, Jr. R A........6-1 Exacta, Trifecta, Super (.10), Pick 3 Races (1-3), Daily Double

BY SIGNING YOUR INITIALS BELOW, YOU ARE STATING THAT YOU HAVE READ AND APPROVED THIS WORK.

Friday, August 13. Post Time 1 p.m. Entries with program number, post position, jockey, trainer, and morning-line odds.

8th (4:56) 6 1/2 Furlongs 3&Up Mdn Clm ($35,000 - $25,000) Purse: $25,000 1 1 Artie’s Chapter............Lezcano J.............. Barbara Robert.........6-1 2 2 Stroke.........................Garcia Alan............ Rice Linda..............12-1 3 3 Humilarity...................Leparoux J R......... Zito Nicholas P.......10-1 4 4 Paperless...................Borel C H............... Lukas D Wayne........5-1 5 5 Zen Village..................Coa E M................ McLaughlin Kiaran...6-1 6 6 Splendid Behavior......Maragh R.............. Baker Charlton..........8-1 7 7 Consort......................Velazquez J R........ Pletcher Todd A........7-2 8 8 Active Trader..............Dominguez R A..... Hushion Michael E...3-1 9 9 Jack’s Work................Mena M................. Stewart Dallas........15-1 Exacta, Trifecta, Super (.10), Daily Double 9th (5:30) 6 Furlongs ny bred F&M 3&Up Mdn Clm ($20,000) Purse: $22,000 1 10 Feldberg.....................Dominguez R A..... Rodriguez Rudy R....7-2 1A 12 Jacky Juice.................Castellano J J........ Brown Chad C..........7-2 2 1 Shahzadi.....................Lezcano A............. Hernandez Ramon.. 20-1 3 2 Shuttle Craft...............Studart M.............. Odintz Jeff..............20-1 4 3 Magdalena Girl...........Leparoux J R......... McPeek Kenneth......6-1 5 4 Hear Her Roar............Lenclud F.............. Martin Carlos F.........8-1 6 5 Jen’s Dream...............Gracia J A.............. Caetano John.........50-1 7 6 Lady Alma..................Espinoza J L.......... Kelly Patrick J.........10-1 8 7 Mardi Belle.................Prado E S.............. Schosberg Richard...8-1 9 8 Sunnybrook................Hill C..................... Parisella John...........3-1 10 9 Satin Jet.....................Maragh R.............. Schettino Dominick.....5-1 11 11 Cottage Industry.........Samyn J L............. Martin Frank...........20-1 A-Coupled: Feldberg and Jacky Juice Exacta, Trifecta, Super (.10)

I was full of anticipation.

I could not wait to get to the racetrack. I paced the paddock. My mouth was dry. I had a knot in my stomach. But I was in awe of my horse. My heart pounded. I thought the gates would never open. I thought the pace was too fast. I thought the jockey moved too soon. I thought we still had a chance. I screamed at the top of my lungs.

I pumped my fists.

I jumped for joy. I won!

I hugged my family.

I thought my dad would be proud. I congratulated my partners. I called my friends. I lost my voice.

I stood in the winner’s circle. I celebrated. that night, i dreamed of doing it all over again…”

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21

8/5/10 11:15:26 AM

Blessed Trip

In Te Domine charges around turn to capture NY Stallion Stakes

BY SEAN CLANCY

The clock read 50.14 for the first half-mile of the Statue of Liberty Stakes.

Linda Rice winced in disgust.

Wedged in a clubhouse box with the owners and fans of In Te Domine, Rice didn’t like what she was seeing as Ramon Dominguez braced against the 1-2 favorite like he was riding a wakeboard in choppy water.

“Ooooh, that hurts,” Rice said STATUE OF as she read the LIBERTY half-mile split.

It would be STAKES the last time Rice RECAP winced.

In Te Domine circled five wide on the turn, rolled past the leaders to win by a comfortable three-quarters of a length. Dominguez never turned over his whip. Bretton Woods rallied from eighth to nail Raffie’s Rose for second. In Te Domine finished 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.42.

Dominguez knew he was worrying Rice.

“Very much so. I knew how slow they were going and I knew on paper there was a lack of speed but my filly was coming off two sprint races and I knew she could be fresh or rank, but at the same time, I tried having her clear before and that didn’t work,” Dominguez said. “I was on a mission trying to get her behind horses, it wasn’t pretty, I was taking a pretty bad hold of her from the get go to the quarter pole. I was very pleased and surprised that she finished up the way she did.”

Dominguez bounced off his saddle twice in the first turn, then rode In Te Domine like he was in a phone booth, trying not to move while she pulled against him. It was part tutorial, part tactics.

“I had my options to get out but it was not the right choice, so I had to wait and hope for the best,” Dominguez said. “I could have used her natural speed to get position but what are you teaching her if she gets clear and gets running. Sometimes you have to sacrifice for tomorrow. Today we were able to do something that wasn’t pretty but will help her down the road.”

The road looks clear for the New York-bred daughter of Freud. An

Tod Marks

In Te Domine, with Ramon Dominguez aboard, heads to the finish in the Statue of Liberty on Thursday.

$11,000 purchase at the New York Breeders Sale in 2007, In Te Domine finished second in both her starts as a 2-year-old and won her 3-year-old debut at Belmont Park this spring. She broke Dominguez’s hold in her next start, when fading to fifth. She won a state-bred allowance, with Alan Garcia, in her most recent start before the Statue of Liberty.

Having Dominguez alleviated Rice’s concern – a little.

“There are a lot of good riders in the room but when they put a half up in 50, I was pretty comfortable because I know Ramon is on there, he’s a great judge of pace, he’s a great rider. No matter what happens, I’ve done my best,” Rice said.

“In the one race at Belmont, she ran off with Ramon. She’s a little green acting and needs racing experience. Ramon knows that, she got away from him at Belmont, she’s just learning to put it together. She’s a little hot here and there on the track and in the paddock, but I think she’ll develop into a nice filly.”

The win marked a special day for owners Tom and Larry Zyra. The brothers have been coming to Saratoga since they were kids. Now, they’re lawyers, adults, proud horse owners and cherish-

ing the moment.

“A thrill of a lifetime. This is the first racehorse we’ve owned,” Larry Zyra said. “We’re awestruck. It’s unbelievable. We are honored to be here. We are humbled. All the credit goes to Linda Rice. She picked out the horse, she’s trained her great. We understand that we are incredibly blessed to be here. I told my brother on the way up, it becomes an even more surreal experience each time we run a race. We couldn’t be happier.”

Tom Zyra echoed his brother’s sentiments.

“It’s absolutely indescribable. We have some appreciation of how tough this game is, the filly has meant so many things to so many people. We are humbled by it, yet, euphoric by it,” Tom Zyra said. “It’s always been a dream of ours, we never thought it would happen.

When we were kids, it was the Vanderbilts, the Whitneys. We got drawn into it and loved the athleticism of the horses and the jockeys, these are the best athletes in the world. This is a dream come true.”

For Rice, it all traces back to her first trip to the New York Breeders Sale in 2005. She went to escape. She discovered a pipeline.

“I had a horse who I loved break down and I did not want to go to the barn the next morning. I just wanted to leave town so I drove up to the New York Breeders Sale,” Rice said. “His name was June The Tiger, he won Opening Day at Saratoga, I had claimed him from Pletcher, he won three in a row, we had three weeks of rain at Belmont, the track was terrible and he broke his leg, we put him down. I couldn’t go to the barn the next day so I came to the sale instead.”

Rice bought stakes winners Mother Russia, In Te Domine and other viable New York-breds. Last year, the company put Rice on the cover of the catalogue.

“The first year, I bought maybe four.

The next year, I bought 10. The next year, I bought 12,” Rice said. “Oh yeah, it’s more competitive. The first year, it was just me in the rain and the mud and the sleet.”

Rice laughed at the lunacy of avoiding the track by going to a sale.

“Most people go somewhere else, go to Atlantic City and play dice, no, not me, I go to a horse auction,” Rice said.

“Looking at foals makes me feel better, fills the heart.”

168 Lincoln Ave | Saratoga Springs A tradition for 80 years!

Performances start 30 min after the last race

.com or call Mike Stone at 518-584-4030

Reservations: Friday, August 13

Saturday, August 14

NY PLAYERS

DISCO NIGHT

22

Live performances by Lisa Lisa, Maxine Nightingale and The Trammps

Sunday, August 15 Strawberry Fields

BEATLES NIGHT

Monday, August 16 Strawberry Fields

BEATLES NIGHT

Wednesday, August 18 Thursday, August 19

PIG ROAST REFRIGERATORS EVENT with entertainment

Friday, August 20

GARY US BONDS

Saturday, August 21

Sunday, August 22

BIG SHOT COMMANDER songs of Billy Joel CODY

Friday, August 13, 2010

Friday, August 13, 2010

23

THURSDAY RACING RECAP

3-for-3

Lead Us Not wins another jump race for Sheppard, Pape by mike kane

T

Lead Us Not made it 3-for-3 at the meet for Jonathan Shepard and Bill Pape

24

Tod Marks

hrough 18 days, Todd Pletcher is the leading trainer, John Velazquez sits atop the jockey standings and – no surprise here – trainer Jonathan Sheppard and owner Bill Pape are dominating the steeplechase competition.

Dominating might be an understatement.

Sheppard-trained horses finished first and second in the Calvin Houghland Hurdle that opened Thursday’s program. Lead Us Not ridden by Brian Crowley edged Parker’s Project ridden

by Danielle Hodsdon.

At the halfway point of the six-race steeplechase series at the Spa, Sheppard and Pape are 3-0. Sheppard also has two seconds, a third, a fourth and a sixth.

Crowley has two wins and a second and Hodsdon has a win, a second and a fourth.

Hodsdon won the Grade I A. P. Smithwick last week and it looked like she would win Thursday on Parker’s See Thursday page 25

Friday, August 13, 2010

Bet on the

Tod Marks

Winner!

Smarti Bobbi, with Javier Castellano aboard, wins the sixth for Angel Penna Jr. on Thursday.

Thursday –

Continued from page 24

Project, owned by Albany businessman Ed Swyer. She didn’t expect to be passed in deep stretch by Lead Us Not. Crowley relinquished the lead to Riddle moved his horse to the outside after the final jump and finished with a flurry.

“That was a nice surprise because he’s been a little disappointing,” Sheppard said. “He looked like a nice horse as a novice, when he was young, but he’s never really recaptured that form. I always kind of felt that he had it in him to do better, and he just put it together today.”

Sheppard acknowledged that the runner-up exceeded his expectations.

“He ran great. Actually, I thought he had it won,” Sheppard said. “Dani got a wonderful jump out of him on the last fence and he’s a good stayer. He wasn’t quitting or anything, but the other horse just suddenly found a little bit extra. I think he ran great. I was very proud of both horses.”

• Valiant Passion put co-owners Ralph Nicks and Barry Berkelhammer in a position for a nice return on their investment when she won the second race by 9 1/4 lengths. Nicks and Berkelhammer bought the 2-year-old daughter of Lion Heart for $11,000 at Keeneland September and she turned in an impressive performance in her debut.

“She’s shown a lot since Day 1,” Nicks said.

The filly is on the market, he said, and she might have attracted some interest with the way she ran off to win easily for jockey Julien Leparoux.

“This is a nice horse,” Nicks said.

“I expected a big effort; maybe this is a little surprising.”

Bettors didn’t like her chances. She was 30-1 and paid $63.

• In the third, Smokehouse won for trainer Jim Ryerson in a $35,000 maiden claimer. Wearing blinkers for her second start, she finished strongly to get the win.

“She ran a little spotty for us at Monmouth,” Ryerson said, “so we put the blinkers on her and took a shot that this wouldn’t come up too tough and brought her up here.”

The gray Limehouse filly owned by Anthony Perri won by 3 1/4 lengths as the favorite.

• On a day of the closer, Heritage Hall had the most impressive finish of

Friday, August 13, 2010

all. The 4-year-old Unbridled’s Song colt closed from last in the field of seven at the top of the stretch to win the fifth by a half-length. The injury-plagued runner making just the third start of his career, won the seven-furlong starter allowance. He was eligible for the race after running in and winning a $10,000 maiden claimer at Churchill Downs on July 3.

“I put him in a bad spot that day, but I wanted to get a line on him because he’s had nothing but problems his whole life,” trainer Al Stall said. “I don’t normally like to pick spots that we don’t have a chance in, but I said `let’s just give him a little chance and see where he places himself and how he does it.’

Everything has worked out.

“Hopefully, he’ll learn how to run a little bit more and he can go further, too.”

• Veteran trainer Angel Penna Jr. and jockey Javier Castellano found the right formula for Smartie Bobbi, who came from off the pace to win the sixth, a 1 1/16 miles maiden claimer for fillies and mares on the turf. The Smarty Jones filly was never a contender in her first two starts, but responded and got into the game wearing blinkers in her next two races. Penna saw that she was too hard to control when she was near the lead, though, and had Castellano take her back. Perfect.

“She’s a good filly,” Penna said.

“She’s going to be there. You’ve got to beat her. She’s not a world-beater herself, but you have to beat her because she’s going to fight it.

“We changed her way of running a little bit. Because she was a little too close to the lead, we decided to come from behind and give her a little breather. She gets very rank in front. It worked out. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. This time it did.”

• Trainer Linda Rice and jockey Ramon Dominguez, winners of the Spa division titles last year, tightened the standings with two victories Thursday.

They combined to win the New York Stallion Statue of Liberty Stakes with In Te Domine and the 10th with Precious Farming.

Rice is third with nine wins and Dominguez is tied for second with Castellano with 19 winners.

Precision Farming broke a three-racing losing streak in the turf sprint for $25,000 claiming fillies.

“The filly has been training well,” Rice said. “We didn’t have a real good winter with her. We had a few issues and it took us a while to get them resolved.”

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25

Thursday’s Saratoga winners • Photos by dave harmon

1 Lead Us Not

2 Valiant Passion

3 Smokehouse

4 Sette E Mezzo

5 Heritage Hall

6 Smartie Bobbi

7

9 Great Crusade

10 Precision Farming

Surfing Ian

P H O T O of the day 26

Photo by Dave Harmon

brought to you by:

Two-year-old filly Button Girl makes it look easy in Monday’s second race.

Cell: (859) 312-3414 • www.kirkwoodstables.com

Now building our squad for 2011 • Let our experience create yours Friday, August 13, 2010

THURSday’s Saratoga results Thursday, August 12, 2010 1ST 2 1/16 Miles (Hurdle) 4 & Up allow Optional clm ($30,000) Purse: $53,000 5 Lead Us Not Crowley B 14.40 7.20 4.70 8 Parker’s Project Hodsdon D 6.40 4.70 3 Grantor Nagle D 7.90 Time 3:52.28 Winning Trainer: Sheppard Jonathan E - Owner: Pape William L. Ch.g.8 by Royal Anthem - Sultress by Gallent Romeo Breeder: William L. Pape & Jonathan E. Sheppard $2 Exacta (5-8) Paid $91.00 $2 Trifecta (5-8-3) Paid $954.00 $2 Superfecta (5-8-3-7) Paid $8,424.00 2ND 5 1/2 Furlongs 2 YO Maiden Special Weight Purse: $50,000 7 Valiant Passion Leparoux J R 63.00 20.80 12.60 1 Shaaraat Garcia Alan 8.10 5.60 8 Becata Lezcano J 13.40 Time 1:04.66 Winning Trainer: Nicks Ralph E - Owner: Nicks, Ralph, E. and Berkelhammer, Barry B.f.2 by Lion Heart - Bold American by Quiet American Breeder: Chestnut Farm $2 Exacta (7-1) Paid $565.00 $2 Quinella (1-7) Paid $196.00 $2 Trifecta (7-1-8) Paid $5,793.00 $2 Daily Double (5-7) Paid $479.00 Daily Double Pool $150,406 $2 Superfecta (7-1-8-4) Paid $285,735.00 3RD 5 1/2 Furlongs 2 YO Maiden Claiming ($35,000) Purse: $25,000 9 Smokehouse Prado E S 5.20 3.60 2.90 6 In Her Hey Day Velazquez J R 7.50 5.10 2 Private Escort Santiago V 5.90 Time 1:06.85 Winning Trainer: Ryerson James T - Owner: Perri Anthony M. Gr./ro/f.2 by Limehouse - She’s Smokin by Husar (Mex.) - Breeder: F. Jack Liebau Sr. $2 Exacta (9-6) Paid $43.60 $2 Trifecta (9-6-2) Paid $391.50 $2 Pick 3 (5-7-9) 3 Correct Paid $2,097.00 Pick 3 Pool $51,025 $2 Daily Double (7-9) Paid $363.50 Daily Double Pool $74,792 4TH 1 1/16 M (Inner turf) 3 & Up ClM ($20,000) Purse: $26,000 9 Sette E Mezzo Desormeaux K J 4.00 2.70 2.40 5 Fagedaboudit Sal Lopez P 3.60 3.40 4 Berning Blaze Prado E S 6.10 Time 1:42.82 Winning Trainer: Mott William I - Owner: Haras Santa Maria de Araras B.h.5 by Dynaformer - Lovely Lyric by Alydar Breeder: Haras Santa Maria de Araras S.A. $2 Exacta (9-5) Paid $14.40 $2 Quinella (5-9) Paid $9.70 $2 Trifecta (9-5-4) Paid $105.50 $2 Pick 3 (7-9-9) 3 Correct Paid $514.00 Pick 3 Pool $56,540 $2 Daily Double (9-9) Paid $11.80 Daily Double Pool $67,337 $2 Superfecta (9-5-4-3) Paid $240.40 5TH 7 F 3 & Up Starter Allowance ($50,000 - ) Purse: $48,000 10 Heritage Hall Lenclud F 20.20 10.00 5.60 8 Harmonizer Gomez G K 7.10 3.60 9 Star of New York Castellano J J 2.60 Time 1:23.62 Winning Trainer: Stall Albert M Jr - Owner: Spendthrift Farm LLC Dk. br or b.c.4 by Unbridled’s Song - Court Reception by A.P. Indy Breeder: Vallecito Farms, LLC $2 Exacta (10-8) Paid $130.50 $2 Trifecta (10-8-9) Paid $287.50 $2 Pick 3 (9-9-10) 3 Correct Paid $193.00 Pick 3 Pool $99,845 $2 Pick 4 (7-9-9-10) 4 Correct Paid $3,943.00 Pick 4 Pool $169,929 $2 Daily Double (9-10) Paid $75.00 Daily Double Pool $60,005 $2 Superfecta (10-8-9-4) Paid $2,070.00

6TH RACE 1 1/16 Miles (Turf) 3 & Up mdn clm ($50,000 - $40,000) Purse: $30,000 2 Smartie Bobbi Velasquez C 9.80 5.30 3.40 11 Fleet Allaire Solis A 8.00 5.60 4 The West Rim Maragh R 2.70 Time 1:43.20 Winning Trainer: Penna Angel Jr - Owner: Castletop Stable Ch.f.3 by Smarty Jones - Merill Gold by Gold Fever Breeder: Dapple Bloodstock $2 Exacta (2-11) Paid $109.50 $2 Trifecta (2-11-4) Paid $380.00 $2 Pick 3 (9-10-2) 3 Correct Paid $361.50 Pick 3 Pool $75,478 $2 Daily Double (10-2) Paid $147.00 Daily Double Pool $72,748 $2 Superfecta (2-11-4-10) Paid $1,472.00 7TH RACE 6 Furlongs 3 & Up Claiming ($12,500) Purse: $25,000 8 Surfing Ian Khan A 23.20 10.20 7.30 9 King Andrew Bermudez J E 4.90 3.60 2 Felinefelon Espinoza J L 11.40 Time 1:10.92 Winning Trainer: Baker Charlton - Owner: Baker Charlton Dk. br or b.g.7 by Rizzi - Bigger Half by Megaturn Breeder: Sez Who Thoroughbreds $2 Exacta (8-9) Paid $104.50 $2 Trifecta (8-9-2) Paid $868.00 $2 Daily Double (2-8) Paid $146.50 Daily Double Pool $74,818 $2 Pick 3 (10-2-8) 3 Correct Paid $1,516.00 Pick 3 Pool $70,268 $2 Superfecta (8-9-2-1) Paid $2,549.00

College Grad

t wins turf debu on Thursday

8TH NY Stallion Statue of Liberty stakes 1 1/16 Miles (Inner turf) 3 YO fillies Purse: $100,000 4 In Te Domine Dominguez R A 3.00 2.50 2.10 9 Bretton Woods Castellano J J 4.90 3.50 10 Raffie’s Rose Desormeaux K J 4.20 Time 1:44.42 Winning Trainer: Rice Linda - Owner: Blackout Racing Stables and Zyra, Lawrence J. Dk. br or b.f.3 by Freud - Luminate by A.P. Indy Breeder: Rojan Farms & Barbara R. Bongard $2 Exacta (4-9) Paid $18.20 $2 Trifecta (4-9-10) Paid $86.50 $2 Pick 3 (2-8-4) 3 Correct Paid $201.00 Pick 3 Pool $102,337 $2 Daily Double (8-4) Paid $54.00 Daily Double Pool $81,049 $2 Superfecta (4-9-10-1) Paid $295.40 9TH 7 Furlongs 3 & Up Claiming ($10,000) Purse: $20,000 11 Great Crusade Maragh R 7.00 4.50 2.90 1 Shotgun Bandit Castellano J J 12.00 5.80 3 Bridge to Nowhere Dominguez R A 3.40 Time 1:25.00 Winning Trainer: Lukas D Wayne - Owner: Lukas, D., Wayne, Maloof, Phillip, JEH Racing Stable LLC Ch.c.4 by Awesome Again - Victory U.S.A. by Victory Gallop Breeder: T. F. VanMeter $2 Exacta (11-1) Paid $108.00 $2 Trifecta (11-1-3) Paid $367.00 $2 Grand Slam (2,4,11-2,8,9-4,9,10-11) Paid $40.40 $2 Pick 3 (8-4-11) 3 Correct Paid $165.00 Pick 3 Pool $63,709 $2 Daily Double (4-11) Paid $14.60 Daily Double Pool $82,052 $2 Superfecta (11-1-3-5) Paid $2,905.00 10TH 5 1/2 Furlongs (Turf) 3 & Up clm ($25,000) Purse: $28,000 2 Precision Farming Dominguez R A 14.40 7.10 4.60 1 Wildcat Aly Castellano J J 7.90 4.40 9 Lights Out Lisa Luzzi M J 3.10 Time 1:02.94 Winning Trainer: Rice Linda - Owner: Liebau, Jr. Frederick Jack Ch.f.4 by Smart Strike-Health Farm by Pleasent Colony. Breeder: Liebau Farms $2 Exacta (2-1) Paid $97.50 $2 Trifecta (2-1-9) Paid $315.00 $2 Superfecta (2-1-9-8) Paid $2,115.00 $2 Daily Double (11-2) Paid $49.40 Daily Double Pool $154,601 $2 Pick 3 (4-11-2) 3 Correct Paid $73.00 Pick 3 Pool $137,514 $2 Pick 4 (8-4/5-2/11-2) 4 Correct Paid $689.00 Pick 4 Pool $345,230 $2 Pick 6 (10-2-8-4/5-2/11-2) 5 Correct Paid $433.50 Pick 6 Pool $2 Pick 6 (10-2-8-4/5-2/11-2) 6 Correct Paid $65,864.00 Pick 6 Pool $275,332 Saratoga Attendance: 17080 Mutuel Pool: $2,624,154 ITW Mutuel Pool: $2,720,334 ISW Mutuel Pool: $6,395,145

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Friday, August 13, 2010

www.sovereignstable.com John J. DeMarco and Janice R. DeMarco 7-9 Phila Street • Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 518-584-8779 • 518-584-6815 (fax) • lballad@nycap.rr.com

Fine books and old prints bought and sold.

Appraisals, collections and entire libraries purchased.

In Saratoga all summer

27

theoutsiderail

by Joe Clancy

Azeri was Zenyatta before Zenyatta.

And Laura de Seroux understands. Now retired, the trainer steered Azeri through a Horse of the Year and champion older mare campaign in 2002, another divisional championship in 2003 and a winning streak that reached 11 races. Based in California, Azeri dominated the fillies and mares in her home state through that skein – and caught flack.

“The East Coast writers and people weren’t giving her much recognition because Summer Colony had beaten her and they thought (Azeri) was beating up on the same horses all the time out here,” de Seroux said Thursday. “Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?”

Sure does.

Trainer John Shirreffs and owners Jerry and Ann Moss hear the same complaints about Zenyatta. The champion older mare of 2009 has won 18 consecutive races, almost all of them in California. Critics want Zenyatta to come East, meet 2009 Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra and other opponents, prove her greatness.

As if it needs proving.

Horses like Azeri and Zenyatta don’t come along very often. Sustained equine excellence shows up in only fleeting glimpses – teasing the humans who look for it and try to quantify it. Back in her exercise-rider days, de Seroux galloped six Grade I winners a day

Then and Now

for Charlie Whittingham. They lost races regularly and Whittingham would simply mutter “we’ll live to fight again another day.”

From March 2002 to August 2003, Azeri fought and won – stringing together eight Grade I victories.

Since her first start in November 2007, Zenyatta has fought and won – seemingly capping her career with a Breeders’ Cup Classic win last fall only to come back and win four more starts this year.

These types of runs should be savored, embraced, applauded. Compare them to any horse or era you want, but don’t demand more. Another day to fight is promised to no horse.

“People want you to take horses like this and see what they can’t do, instead of appreciating what they can do,” de Seroux said. “As a trainer, you can’t cave, you’ve got to do what’s right for your horse. Every time. You can’t turn it into Roman theater. You’re responsible.”

A Californian, de Seroux feels for Shirreffs but not simply out of loyalty.

“I’m right there with the Mosses and John Shirreffs heart and soul,” she said. “I love what they’re doing.

You can’t really compare (Zenyatta and Azeri), but it’s history in the making – again. Winning streaks are to be cherished because they just don’t happen. Good horses beat each other all the time.”

Only they didn’t with Azeri (for a while) and they haven’t with Zenyatta.

De Seroux resisted the urge to start Azeri against colts and geldings, carefully managing her star and getting a rare Horse of the Year crown for a filly or mare.

The next year the trainer did the same thing, stepping

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through the 2003 Apple Blossom, Milady, Vanity and Clement Hirsch before the streak finally ended in the Lady’s Secret Stakes (now called the Zenyatta) at Santa Anita Sept. 28 – the last time Azeri raced in de Seroux’s name.

The mare bled in that race, but recovered and was training for the Breeders’ Cup when de Seroux noticed a tendon injury. Azeri’s season ended, de Seroux recommended retirement – and lost her horse. Owner Michael Paulson sent Azeri to Wayne Lukas, who engineered another championship campaign in 2004.

De Seroux holds no grudges, and would make the same decision were she a trainer today. Now 58, she closed her racing operation in 2007 when the numbers and the success couldn’t keep pace with the work. The Rancho Santa Fe resident rides horses – hunters and jumpers – every day and assists her husband Emmanuel with his bloodstock business.

“I didn’t take out my trainer’s license until 1999 and I didn’t intend to train the rest of my life when I did,” she said. “When I walked away, it was time. I don’t have to feel bad every day now. Something goes wrong every day as a trainer. It’s not for the weak of heart.”

De Seroux did not make the trip to Saratoga for Azeri’s induction, though she asked about the broadcast schedule on HRTV and expects to watch. If she were here, she’d be smiling.

“I’d dwell on the good. I’m proud of her,” de Seroux said. “Azeri was an amazing part of my life. I’ve got no anger or resentment, no sour grapes.”

Just Azeri and Zenyatta.

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Saratoga Events Schedule • Thursday-Sunday, August 12-15 — PGA Golf Championship Pool • Saturday, August 28 — Handicapping Tournament at Saratoga Racecourse - On the Travers Stakes Card • Tuesday, August 31 — Golf Tournament at Country Club of Troy, Troy, NY • Tuesday, August 31 — Golf Tournament at McGregor Links Country Club, Saratoga Springs, NY

Friday, August 13, 2010

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29

cupofcoffee

by Sean Clancy

alph Nicks thought about the question. Almost R“Let said something. Then stopped. me work a couple of babies first,” Nicks said.

The question was The Special’s annual stumper, “Name your one winner.”

Nicks worked the babies – we never asked again – but be sure he would have volunteered Valiant Passion, the $63 horse he unveiled yesterday to win the second by a cool 9 1/4 lengths. He also would have mentioned Button Girl, his other first-time starter who won here August 9; she only paid $15.60.

Here’s what you should know about Valiant Passion; he liked her, he did not bet her, he owns half of her (that’s a big enough bet) and she’s for sale.

After filling orders for their clients, Nicks and bloodstock agent Barry Berkelhammer decided to buy something for themselves at Keeneland September last fall. They ran along with a few, passed on a few and finally Nicks saw a bay daughter of Lion Heart in the back ring. He called Berkelhammer, they followed her to the top ring, asked Four Star Sales about her vetting, scanned the page and Berkelhammer put his hand up for the final time at $11,000.

Hip 2636, Book 4.

“We looked at each other and said, ‘Are we missing something here?’ ” Nicks said. “What can we get for her now?”

Broken at Berkelhammer’s AbraCadabra Farm in

Nicks’ Time

Ocala, the filly learned her lessons and came to Nicks’ Churchill Downs barn this spring without missing a beat. Nicks nearly had her ready to run at Churchill’s spring meet, then decided to wait until Saratoga.

“Barry called me from the farm and said she was out-training everybody,” Nicks said. “She’s so laid back, I worked her a time or two at Churchill and said, ‘What an engine she’s got.’ ” At Saratoga, she didn’t even get a stall. Nicks bed her down in the pony stall, on the back of his barn, facing neighbor John Terranova. What could he do?

He couldn’t put a client’s horse in the pony stall.

She’s fine with it.

Facing seven other first-time starters including the hyped Inflation Hedge, Come A Callin and Town Flirt, Valiant Passion toyed with her rivals, taking dirt under Julien Leparoux (who replaced the injured Robby Albarado), she rated and then sprang through a hole at the top of the stretch and cruised home.

For anybody, this was a coup of a lifetime. Buy a cheap horse and get the money at Saratoga. For Nicks, 43, this was business.

Son of a trainer, longtime assistant for Hall of Famer Bill Mott, Nicks knows this stuff doesn’t happen often.

“People dream about winning a race at Saratoga, to get it done under these circumstances, it’s a pretty special feeling,” Nicks said while fielding inquiries to sell. “I get some nice horses, but I don’t get the number of nice horses. I have five babies up here, We’ve won with two of them already. I have a total of 11 for the year.”

Mott, Pletcher, Zito and other proven veterans get the numbers. Upstarts Brown and Benzel have followed the lights, collecting high-profile owners and plenty of horses. Nicks, he plies his trade, quietly, try-

ing to see all his horses, trying to train all his horses.

He’s not slick. He split his string this summer, with 19 here and 11 at Churchill Downs. He’s not completely comfortable with that scenario. He likes to go back at night and see his horses, see how they’re doing when the sizzle comes off the steak. He and Mott used to do this. That’s when you really see how they’re doing.

“I don’t want to be a 200-horse guy, I want to be the 40-50 kind,” Nicks said. “I like training horses. I like seeing my horses every day. I don’t like having 19 here and 11 at Churchill. I have good people there, but it’s not the same as walking down your barn after feed time or coming in at 7 in the evening when there isn’t anybody around and getting to read the animal. Allen Jerkens enjoys going to the barn when everybody’s gone. Bill Mott, same thing. We’d sit around there at 7 o’clock and look at them, that’s what we’re here for.”

Nicks worked for Mott for 13 years, working with champions Cigar, Fraise, Escena, Ajina. His favorite was Turf Champion Paradise Creek.

Nicks plans on keeping 16 to 19 horses for the fall circuit in New York for the first time, then will go to Fair Grounds for the winter and come back to New York for the spring season. It’s a big move. He knows he needs to be in New York.

“I want to make the New York transition,” Nicks said. “I think there’s more opportunity for the good horses up here, I worked for Bill for 13 years and was around as good a horses as there’s ever been. I just want some of them.”

Nicks continued to field calls and texts about Valiant Passion. Nestled in the front row of the clubhouse box seats, he toasted his Saratoga score with his wife Tracy and friend Tommy Drury.

The champagne never tasted so good.

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Friday, August 13, 2010

Always looking for more money?

More earning power?

Look no further.

Every Virginia-bred winner is eligible for a 60% purse bonus at Colonial Downs.

So be sure to check out these Virginia-breds at Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Hip 74 – colt by Street Sense • Hip 122 – colt by Indian Charlie Hip 170 – colt by Not For Love • Hip 197 – filly by Silver Deputy For more information go to www.vabred.org Virginia Thoroughbred Association • Glenn Petty, executive director

Friday, August 13, 2010

31

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