buy the rat

Tags

humor, kentucky, rat dog, saratoga association, travers stakes, william r travers, wisdom

The Travers Stakes was named for William R Travers, a leading sportsman and for a time the president of the Saratoga Association.

First run in 1864, the inaugural Travers Stakes was won by the top-class colt Kentucky (one of the best sons of Lexington) and was owned by Travers in partnership with John Hunter.

The racing man was humorous and liked all sport. So perhaps it is not surprising that he went one day, with a man who had a rat problem, on a mission to buy a good rat-killing dog.

They found such a critter and asked that he be set on the trail of a rodent.

Soon the dog was in hot pursuit of a large rat, but when the dog cornered the rat, the scurrilous vermin turned and bared it teeth menacingly. The dog turned and fled.

The verdict from Travers was: “Buy the rat!”

Somehow, in that statement, I believe there is wisdom for our use today.

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how would you train 2yos?

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maryland program, modified training, racehorse training, scientific racehorse training, training at speed

One of the most demanding parts of racehorse training is initial training for 2yos. At this time, they are most prone to damage and most likely to be ruined for full development of their athletic potential, whatever that may be.

One blog that takes a different tack on training racehorses is The Science Racehorse Training, which features a post on the best program for developing a 2yo for racing soundness, using the Maryland study approach to modified training. Read it here.

This approach to training early 2yos is generally well-regarded but far from universally applied. Personally, I find this very interesting and would welcome comment on the process from those training young stock or older horses.

It seems to me that we are approaching a level of knowledge that could allow our better athletes longer careers at or near their optimum performance. I appreciate all informed commentary on this important topic.

the doctor’s prescription

Tags

dr rs hussain, equine psychology, human psychology, qualities of the racehorse, racehorse selection, selection of the racehorse

One of the obvious benefits of visiting with Dr RS Hussain is that he is a lively talker, continually throwing out observations — vitriolic and otherwise — about the behavior of his fellow human beings.

As a follow-up to yesterday’s dissection of those who would select great horses on conformation — especially by the standard code of sales perfection — the Doc has some suggestions for breeders and buyers and other observers of the equine.

He said, “After having spent a little bit of time paying attention to both horses and people, let me state honestly the following: 

1. No one knows anything about what makes a great racehorse. And I mean NO ONE.

2. The superior horse is born with this great talent of running and desire for competition. It comes from his ancestors but from where or how NO ONE knows.

3. Athletic ability is one requisite, and a human being’s ability to comprehend that comes with knowledge and observation and more observation and still more observation.

4. Raising a Thoroughbred racehorse from birth with the knowledge of the capabilities of his parents is essential to general and long-term success.

5. Racing talent is one thing, but what separates a $15,000 claimer who can go five-eighths in :57 and change from the winner of the Kentucky Derby (and other top races) is character and is what Tesio described as MORAL issues.

“So next time you have a million bucks to spend on buying a yearling or two, keep this in mind: buy an athlete. From then on, it is your luck.

“Oh, yes, please do find a good trainer who loves horses, not just the day rate. Check his vet bills before you agree to send him the horse. I have a story on that too. I sent a 2-year-old to a young trainer with great statistics. The first month’s vet bill was more than the trainer’s monthly bill. That trainer is now a jockey’s agent.”

Ouch!

blind luck a gem at any price

Tags

best of luck, bill baker dvm, blind luck, champion filly, devil may care, ethan man, evening jewel, fairlawn farm, fasig-tipton october sale, inexpensive broodmares, inexpensive yearlings, jerry hollendorfer, juvenal diaz, lucky one, pinhooking, success story

The following article appeared earlier this week on Paulick Report.

The flashy chestnut filly Blind Luck took her fifth Grade 1 victory with a game success in the Alabama Stakes at Saratoga on Saturday and is the leader of her division. The Alabama was the filly’s third G1 this season, following the Las Virgenes and Kentucky Oaks.

Her immediate victim in the last two of those races was the classy Northern Afleet filly Evening Jewel, who later the same afternoon won the G1 Del Mar Oaks, her second victory at the premier level this season.

So, Blind Luck is anything but a chancy proposition. She is consistent, game, and has defeated all the best in her division, including her principal challenger, Devil May Care (by Malibu Moon), who finished fourth in the Alabama.

A good-sized and good-looking daughter from the first crop sired by Pollard’s Vision (by Carson City) out of Lucky One, by Best of Luck, Blind Luck is a breeder’s dream.

She was bred in Kentucky by the Fairlawn Farm of Bill Baker, DVM, and his wife Terry. The Bakers bought the dam of Blind Luck out of a $15,000 claiming race and had to shake for her.

“We were lucky to get her,” Dr. Baker said. “I knew her half-brother Ethan Man because I treated him on the racetrack, and he had ability, despite some problems. So that made me like her more, and she was a big, good-looking filly of the sort that we like to breed from.”

Lucky One was indeed an attractive filly. Sold as a yearling when Ethan Man was already a graded stakes winner, she brought $77,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October sale of yearlings. That is not the most robust venue for selling a good filly, but Lucky One brought the highest price of the year for a yearling by her sire.

On the racetrack, she wasn’t especially lucky, however. The winner of a single race, Lucky One earned $26,916 from 15 starts, but Baker wasn’t buying her for long-term racing purposes. He was looking for a broodmare.

Not only that, but the Bakers weren’t the only ones who liked Lucky One. When the filly’s previous owners, Richard, Bertram, and Elaine Klein, dropped her in for $15,000 claiming that day, Baker recalled that “we got her on a shake because there were several claims for her. Then we tried to run her, she didn’t perform well,” and the filly switched careers and went to stud, where she is one of a half-dozen mares the Bakers keep at Fairlawn.

In her initial breeding season, Baker didn’t have much luck with Lucky One. He recalled that “we bred her to the Wintergreen Farm stallion Five Star Day three times, which was my limit, then changed over to Pollard’s Vision, and on the first cover she got in foal to him. So it’s been blind luck the whole time,” he concluded, “but I’ll take it however I get it in this business.”

The breeders’ luck didn’t hold when they presented the chestnut yearling filly at the 2008 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July sale of selected yearlings. Blind Luck had to be a good prospect to make the cut into the sale, and Baker recalled that “she had a good stride, deep heart girth, was big enough, with no veterinary issues, but we couldn’t get her sold” for the cost of production.

With a $7,500 stud fee and an estimated cost of about $15,000 to maintain the mare and then raise the foal, a breeder would have needed to net something like $22,500 to break even. At the yearling sale, Fairlawn sold their yearling by Pollard’s Vision for $11,000 to Juvenal Diaz.

Diaz then tried to pinhook the filly at the Ocala Breeders Sales Company’s April auction of 2-year-olds in training last year.

While in Ocala at the OBS April sale this spring, I talked to Diaz about Blind Luck, who was bought back for $10,000.

Diaz told me the filly “prepped well, had no problems, then had a good work but not a spectacular” one. And there was nobody to buy her. So he finished off her training, and when she blew away a field in a $40,000 maiden claiming race by 13 1/4 lengths at Calder on June 21, the buyers showed up.

Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer bought her for a partnership, and Blind Luck races for Mark DeDomenico, John Carver, Peter Abruzzo, and Hollendorfer. Since she started racing, Blind Luck has put all the bad luck behind her. She has won nine of 13 starts, with two seconds and two thirds, and has earned more than $1.8 million.

doc disregards the ‘experts’

Tags

akiko mcvarish, arlington million, bloodstock commentary, bubba snowden, conformation of the racehorse, dr hussain, john henry, racehorse selection, sam rubin, shimatoree

During a recent conversation with the renowned surgeon RS Hussain (who specializes primarily in oral reconstructive surgery for problems such as cleft palate), he expressed some rather firm opinions about breeding horses and racing them. In addition to his expertise in anatomy and surgical reconstruction, Dr Hussain is also a successful breeder. His best-known racer is the Marshua’s Dancer horse Shimatoree, who won the True North Handicap and Bay Shore Stakes, as well as running very good seconds in the Wood Memorial and Gotham.

The Doc also has what we might call a surgical sense of humor. Watch out or you might get cut!

With regard to selection of racehorses, Dr Hussain tends to go against the tide of fashion and to follow what he sees as the most rational path to success.

In regard to selecting horses on their conformation, Dr Hussain said, “I have visited the great stud farms both here and England. Many of the great stallions would not pass the conformation test of the sales! And yet these stallions were the very top horses in their racing careers. There are too many stories of horses who were less than perfect, with conformational alignment or construction that the experts would not accept, but these horses still did great on the race track.

“Oh, let me tell you a story about a great horse: John Henry. He was not only small but also back at the knee. A top bloodstock agent named Akiko McVarish bought him twice and sold him both times because her vet said he would never stand training. Well, the second time, she sold the horse to Bubba Snowden, who in turn sold the horse to a neophyte named [Sam] Rubin from New York, whose expertise was in bicycles. Well as we all know, John Henry ran quite a few times and retired sound.”

John Henry (b g 1975, by Ole Bob Bowers x Once Double, by Double Jay) raced eight seasons, made 82 starts, won 39 races, won stakes from age 2 through 9, including 16 G1 races (plus the inaugural Arlington Million that didn’t get a grade its first year), and earned $6,591,860.

hindoo the rodeo bronc

Tags

19th century american racing, equine character, hanover, hindoo

This is the third and last post about the famous 19th-century racing star Hindoo. Each post has anecdotes about the horse’s character and racing career, including the circumstance that Hindoo essentially retired himself by kicking to pieces a buggy that was encroaching on his road space and injuring himself sufficiently in the process that retirement was the practical option.

***

Bucked like a cow pony

Another of the Hindoo tricks that is well remembered by those familiar with his private life was his habit of bucking. Though standing full sixteen hands, he could outbuck anything that ever wore hair. With him the trick was in no manner an evidence of mean temper, but it was a bit of rough play that he fairly revelled in to the everlasting discomfort of the unlucky lad whose duty it was to gallop him.

On these occasions Hindoo would spring straight in the air with a tremendous bound and when he came down it was with arched back and each leg rigid. This would continue until he had worked off all his humor and he would settle down to his task. It is small wonder, with his kicking and bucking, that he was forced into early retirement by the giving out of his misused underpinning.

Hindoo was foaled in 1878, by Virgil, dam Florence. This mare was by Lexington and out of the imported mare Weatherwitch. Hindoo was a bay with a number of roan hairs in his coat, particularly in the flank and quarters. He stood sixteen hands and was a horse of great length and not of particularly heavy build.

***

Five furlongs or five miles

In action the stride of this remarkable horse was so frictionless that it never seemed he was going faster than a two-minute clip, yet five furlongs and five miles were alike to him when it came to racing.

Hindoo, after his retirement, gave to the racing world several good performers, but his best was Hanover, the son of Bourbon Belle. Hanover, in turn, sired Hamburg, the best colt he sent to the races. Hamburg was a son of Lady Reel.

Hindoo died in July, 1901, at the age of twenty-three years, while is son, Hanover, only lived to be fourteen, dying in March of 1899. Though dead seven years and away from the races for twenty-six years, this wonderful horse is still the standard by which colts of the present day are measured, and if “He’s a Hindoo,” the best word has been spoken.

— from The Kentucky Farmer and Breeder (March 13, 1908)

hindoo on rye

Tags

19th century american racing, hindoo, history of racing

The following anecdotes about the famous 19th century racer Hindoo come from a column written in The Kentucky Farmer and Breeder published March 13, 1908. These are the second group of selections.

In yesterday’s final note, Hindoo had destroyed the buggy of a man who had stubbornly refused to move out of the path when the colt was returning from the track. There was also damage to Hindoo, as the following details.

***

Cut Himself

“The laugh is on us,” said [trainer James] Rowe, a few moments later, when he found that Hindoo had severely cut himself while demolishing the farmer’s rig. The horse had been none too sound before this display of temper and these injuries finished him so far as racing was concerned. He was never afterward seen at the post.

This Saratoga exhibition was only one of many such of which Hindoo was guilty. In his day there were many more difficulties in the shipping of horses than now exist and it was necessary, for the most part, to lead the horses from one track to the other. Hindoo could never be depended upon during these expeditions.

It was when he was being led along the road preparatory to being shipped to Lexington that he ran foul of an old German who was pushing a hand cart loaded with bread. The boys all warned him off frantically, but with stolid stubbornness he paid no attention and kept on his way. As was the case later at Saratoga, Hindoo cunningly waited until nicely within range and when he was through with that push cart there was a shower of newly baked bread scattered for a block.

a little hindoo, anyone?

Tags

hindoo, horse character, kentucky farmer and breeder, racing history

While leafing through one of the many early 20th century journals dedicated to racing or sports, in this case The Kentucky Farmer and Breeder, I came upon a series of anecdotes about the famous 19th century racer Hindoo. The article comes from March 13, 1908, and the first selection is below:

“Why, he’s a Hindoo!”

To this day that is the last word and the best word that can be spoken of any colt. In these days of Colin, the lamented Sysonby and the many other turf heroes there is not one that has ever been used as a symbol that meant horse perfection as has always been the case with the son of Virgil and Florence, who ran his last race away back in 1882.

It is a fact that in the day of Hindoo there was more of sentiment in the racing of horses, and a turf hero meant more to the people than is the case now. It is entirely possible the horses of the present day are better than was Hindoo, but “He’s a Hindoo” is still the highest compliment that can be paid any aspiring youngster.

Hindoo started in thirty-five races and was never outside the money, and, as a matter of fact, many of the old-timers insist that he should never have been beaten in any race. He won thirty of his races, was second three times and third twice. Crickmore and Checkmate were two of those that defeated Hindoo, and in the case of Crickmore, at least, there was ample excuse for the king losing. This remarkable racing record of Hindoo was almost all accomplished as a two and three-year-old. In his four-year-old season he went into retirement in August.

*****

Temper His Undoing

The retirement was hastened by an exhibition of temper in which Hindoo came out second best. Though not what could be properly called a rogue, Hindoo was disposed to be mean when he knew that he was due to race. When he would be drawn the night before and denied his usual feed he knew that he was to wear colors the next day, and it was then that his rubber would have to be very cautious in entering his box.

There was another peculiarity of character in the great horse, and that was his arrogance at all times. It was a physical impossibility to make him pull out should he meet any one on his accustomed path, whether under saddle or being led, and it was this trait that was his final undoing.

It was at Saratoga and trainer Jas. [James] Rowe was bringing him from the track to be led to his stable. In the road, just outside the track, he met a countryman who was driving toward him im a ramshackle old phaeton. Rowe knew it was futile to try and pull Hindoo into the gutter to give the countryman road room, and he waved to the countryman to pull to one side, at the same time warning him of what would happen if he did not do so. The countryman laughed at the warning and refused to alter his course to suit the aristocratic Hindoo.

It was all over in a twinkling. Hindoo had no intention of surrendering his path and when the phaeton was in striking distance he quickly wheeled and lashed out with both heels. He landed and before Rowe could restrain him there was not enough of the phaeton left to start a bonfire.

bellamy road making the most of his chances

Tags

adirondack stakes, bellamy road, ben walden jr, fasig-tipton kentucky july sale, freshmen sires, george steinbrenner, Kentucky Derby, lazy lane farms, liberation farm, missuma, nick zito, northern dancer, payable on demand, position limit, Rob Whiteley, starlight partners, summing, wood memorial

The post below appeared earlier this week at Paulick Report.

Position Limit’s blowout in Sunday’s Grade 2 Adirondack Stakes at Saratoga proved a pleasant reminder of her sire Bellamy Road’s 17 1/2-length victory in the G1 Wood Memorial of 2005.

Bellamy Road’s dominating performance in the Wood Memorial was so overpowering, so convincing, and so inspiring that journalists from around the world came to Churchill Downs for the Kentucky Derby in tingling anticipation of seeing Bellamy Road become the next great American racehorse.

Bellamy Road also was the best shot that the late George Steinbrenner, owner of the New York Yankees, had at winning the Kentucky Derby. Having the ‘Boss’ win the Derby could only have been a massive boost to the visibility and general awareness of our sport, and just before the race, Steinbrenner told me that “there is nothing I’d rather do than win the Kentucky Derby. It’s the greatest race in the world. Standing in that winner’s circle would be the greatest thrill in the world. You know, I’ve already won the World Series!”

To the disappointment of his owner, as well as the thousands in the massive Derby Day crowd who made him the betting favorite, that did not happen. The big, nearly black, son of Concerto had a rough trip, and his effort in the Derby did not approach his outstanding form of the Wood.

Bellamy Road made his next start in the Travers, ran second to Flower Alley, and never started again. Although the horse remained in training at 4 in an attempt to regain his best form, even the attentive work of trainer Nick Zito could not quite keep the big horse comfortable enough to show what he could do.

Bellamy Road entered stud for a syndicate led by Kentucky horseman Ben Walden Jr. in February 2007.

It had been 18 months since Bellamy Road had raced. The horse’s amazing Wood performance was nearly 24 months in the past. And the sales economy was on the cusp of sliding into a recession.

That is not a combination of factors to aid any young stallion in the quest for success.

But this is truly a game of second chances, and apparently all that Bellamy Road needed was a fair chance.

In his career at stud, the big great-great grandson of Northern Dancer took advantage of the opportunity to prove that his talent was genuinely outstanding and would carry forward into the performances of the next generation.

Most of the time, that seems like a longer shot than winning the Kentucky Derby, but for Bellamy Road, his early innings are very promising.

Rob Whiteley, owner of Liberation Farm and a shareholder in Bellamy Road, bred Bellamy Road’s first stakes winner, Embellished.

Whiteley said, “As a commercial breeder, I realized that Bellamy Road’s pedigree would not turn heads in the marketplace. However, stallion prospects that carry uncommon achievements with them when they go to stud cannot be ignored.

“I was very much taken by his size, balance, and athleticism, and I considered his winning race in the Wood to be one of the top 10 races I’ve seen in the last 25 years,” Whiteley added. “Therefore, I stepped up and bought several shares, and my only regret is that I didn’t buy more.”

To date, the horse has had five winners, and on Sunday, he got his second stakes winner and first graded stakes winner when Position Limit ran away with the Adirondack.

The good-looking filly came home strongly to suggest that she will appreciate every increase in distance, and she won by five lengths from the promising Rock Hard Ten filly Alienation, who likewise had five lengths on the Successful Appeal filly Coax Liberty.

Bred in Virginia by Lazy Lane Farms, Position Limit sold for $55,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July auction of selected yearlings last year. The bay filly races for Starlight Partners and is trained by Todd Pletcher.

Position Limit is out of Payable on Demand, a daughter of Out of Place and the fine Procida mare Missuma, the dam of two stakes winners and a half-sister to four stakes winners, including Belmont Stakes winner Summing.

the travers of 1917

Tags

exterminator, Kentucky Derby, saratoga, sun briar, travers

In 1917, Willis Sharpe Kilmer had his champion juvenile Sun Briar pointed for the Kentucky Derby, bought a good-class gelding to work with him named Exterminator, and when Sun Briar was scratched from the Derby, watched Exterminator win the Roses.

In the mid-summer, Sun Briar met Exterminator and others in the Travers to determine who was best. The following report is from The Thoroughbred Record of 24 August 1918. (Spelling is left as found.)

“Starter Mars Cassidy didn’t even have to earn his money in getting this small field of four away from the post, and when he sprung the barrier, they were in perfect alignment. Johren, which had the first position at the post, showed in front as they flashed down in front of the crowded grandstand, the start of the mile and a quarter journey being made in front of the old field stand. Sun Briar was full of run, however, and soon took the lead and held it as they went past the club house and around the turn. War Cloud was on the outside of the quartette, all close together as they rounded to the back stretch, and it was there that he got his roughing from Exterminator.

“When they had got well straightened out down through the long run far across the green field, they still were close together, but Robinson, who had dropped back behind War Cloud and Exterminator, brought Johren up on the inside, and by the time they had gone half the journey, he had rushed the Whitney entry up into the lead. He increased his advantage, and then came the cry that Johren would win all by himself. There were those who could not see that Knapp was content to allow Sun Briar to romp along under restraint.

“Rounding the turn for home Johren had opened up a gap of more than three lengths and was sailing along easily. Sun Briar still was running in second place, while War Cloud, a half dozen lengths back of him, was palpably beaten. It could be seen that the race was to be between Johren and Sun Briar when Buxton brought down his whip and failed to get the expected response from the Macomber colt ( Ed. note: War Cloud).

“After keeping track of the quartette until they were on their way down the homestretch, it is just as well to forget War Cloud, for even the whip failed to rouse the son of Polymelus at the head of the run for home, and Exterminator was through. Maybe Bill Knapp had shown a great piece of jockeyship by allowing Johren to run through on the rail and take the lead, but still Robinson was doin his very best on the Whitney colt.

“And then down close to the rail came the green and orange of the Kilmer Stable, and with a burst of speed like a Barney Oldfield driven motor car, Sun Briar shot up and on to get on even terms with the leader. There was a battle for the final sixteenth and then, just as they passed the judges’ stand, Sun Briar had been good enough to get his blond head in front. It had been thought throughout the day that Sun Briar might not be able to go the mile and a quarter, which he never had traveled in any previous day, but when it was all over, it was the consensus that the colt, which was the champion as a 2-year-old last year, had already made good as the champion 3-year-old of the present season.”

Sun Briar, the imported son of Sundridge and the St Frusquin mare Sweet Briar, was Kilmer’s pet. With these successes, Kilmer set up Sun Briar at the head of his stud, and the horse proved a useful sire, getting one-time leading money winner Sun Briar Beau, among others.