Horse Racing Divorce From Reality

I had a friend once commented while we were at the track that he didn't see the big deal with horses running around a track with a underweight  person riding. Unfortunately there are many who feels this way about this sport that requires more than just horses running around a track. People outside of horse racing doesn't see the hard work and dedication that it takes to keep these magnificent animals happy and healthy on a daily basis. That is why I am puzzled how the horse racing community has dealt with the Peta undercover story done on the Steve Asmussen's barn. Peta who thinks their love for animals supercede all others, inflitrated the Asmussen's barn and documented his now fired assistant Scott Blasi saying insane and absurd things about the horses in his care. Blasi sounded like an old bitter assistant who never got his big break. He is that understudy that night after night watches the leading man receive all the accolades while his name and work is never realized. I watched the video and was amazed at the level of lack of love that crept out of his mouth. He needed time away from the animals to remind him that they are the reason he was in the position he was in.  A top assistant in a top barn. Steve Asmussen had no recourse but to fire him, trying to stop the wildfire that was swallowing his barn with a fury that he wasn't ready for. Ahmed Zayat one of the owners who had horses with Asmussen removed his horses from the top trainer's care.

The horse racing community has stood in silence since the story broke. I listened for the chatter and the outcry for sweeping changes to be done but remarkably everyone with the exception of the first few days stayed away from the storm. The two major horse racing network in the United States barely touched the firestorm. They gave it a passing glance and quietly went on with other matters. Sadly that is horse racing. That is the day to day operation of the sports I have love since I was a little boy going to the track, trying so desperately to be like my father. Horse racing likes to ignore its wounds. Whether its trainers who are drugging their horses, selling horses to slaughter houses, or tracks who treats the jockeys like second class citizens. That is horse racing. The marriage that looks beautiful on the outside but behind close doors the wife is addicted to depression drugs, the husband is an alcoholic and the children are all doing drugs. Yes horse racing, the sports of kings. A facade of hypocrisy that runs deep.

Steve Asmussen sadly to say isn't the only trainer that is treating his horses unfairly. There are probably countless trainers whose practice mirrors that of the trainer with the high win percentage. What was the mantra a few years back? Just Win Baby..JUST WIN. Trainers all want those owners with the deep pockets. They want the owners that are going to sit at the sales and shell out the six figures for the horse with the royal breeding. In order to attract these big spenders..one rule..JUST WIN BABY and in some cases at all cost. don't you think there are trainers running five thousand claimers that wants to have the glamour and glitz of Todd Pletcher and Bob Baffert, or have a winning percentage like Jerry Hollendorfer and Steve Asmussen. What about having a horse of the year like Bill Mott and Wayne Lukas..JUST WIN BABY..JUST WIN

Peta's behavior is not one of lets save these horses. They are all about themselves and the attention they crave. Sadly there was good reasons to go undercover in the Steve Asmussen's barn. Asmussen has been the center of attention before from other news organization with his violations. He hasn't been the poster boy for the sport when it comes to running a clean operation. The infractions have been multiple.

This Saturday Asmussen will send out Tapiture in the Arkansas Derby. Tapiture will be one of the betting choice and if he gives a good account of himself, he maybe one of the favorite in the Kentucky Derby. That would be great for the horse and the owners, but it will shed more light on the Asmussen than he probably wants. This triple crown season has been a little slow developing with no horses really stamping their dominance over the rest of the group. Peta and Asmussen maybe the biggest story of the derby season and that is unfortunate for the sport where the horses should be the deserving story.

I hope horse racing  can clean up its house before the clock strikes midnight on this sport. The life support is weak and we need voices that aren't afraid to stand up and make a difference. We need individual who aren't afraid that owners and trainers won't grant them interviews if they expose the truth. The only thing that matters for those of us who love this sport is seeing the sports spread globally and achieve the exposure it had once upon a time. JUST WIN HORSE RACING..JUST WIN!

Kentucky Derby Top Twenty...April7th

1.Tapiture..still number one until but this week's Arkansas Derby is big boy time. He needs to bring the fire or slide down the slippery slope.

2.Constitution..I am loving this horse the more I see the derby preps. Castellano maybe sitting on the right one. He will come and get them at Churchill

3.Hoppertunity...The best horse to run second this triple crown season. You know Bob Baffert smiled all the way back to the barn after his effort in Santa Anita Derby. Mike Smith will be glued to this one.

4.California Chrome... The little engine showed up and blew the gasket off the Santa Anita's race track. The entire setup was played to his hand. Love the Art Sherman's stories that will follow.

5.Intense Holiday...Still loving his Risen Star stakes win...nothing has changed my mind...he will be coming in the Derby.

6.Wildcat Red..The time off between races will recharge this one's battery and he will be on fire at Churchill. California Chrome will probably be looking at his backside the entire race...ode to the movie Dreamer

7.Cairo Prince...The only reason he isn't number one is because of his lackluster performance in Florida Derby. He is the best three year old at the beginning of season and still is.

8.Samraat..His defeat in the Wood Memorial was a winner to me. This horse proved me wrong. He has what it takes to compete at the highest level..is he fast enough?

9.General A Rod...He will love the Churchill's surface and maybe in the jockey business a few weeks from now. Rosairo won't be getting of Tapiture anytime soon.

10.Wicked Strong..Strong finish in Wood Memorial...validate Holy Bull..best prep of the derby season..will be running at the end..happy for Maragh..

11.Conquest Titan..lost his jockey..trainer's reason...Borel knows the Oaklawn strip like the back of his hand..will need a strong finish to qualify for derby

12.Strong Mandate...Will the real Strong Mandate please stand up...Go time

13.Social Inclusion...I hope he gets in the derby..this horse is a beast..watch the Wood Memorial again and you will be a convert as well...

14.Bayern...He is a one turn horse..proved me wrong bad boy..put on your big boy pants and Lets GO!

15.Commanding Curve..his third race off the layoff you could be the charm..Broke his maiden at Churchill in a stylish way..he will be coming

16.Vicars In Trouble...Rosie Rosie..enough said..she will give him a chance

17.Ring Weekend..still confused by this one..but the motion to the derby ocean is starting to get deeper..he maybe a no show by the time this is all over

18.Chitu..will setup it up nicely for Hoppertunity...Intense Holiday and Commanding Curve..everyone needs a hype man

19.Candy Boy...I needed a number 19 and his last race was just dull. He got all dressed up for the party and then stayed outside while California Chrome had all the fun

20.Thundergram..you saw it here first..watch out

Derby Fever..Temperature is high

They are off! He stumbled. Jock quickly recovered and took hold. California Chrome was brilliant in Santa Anita Derby. He looked like Usain Bolt turning for home. Chest puffed out. Striding with ease and never giving back anything to his competitors. That was an impressive showoff style win. He can now strut his big boy attitude going into Kentucky, but what about the horse behind him. Hoppertunity lost nothing in that effort. Mike Smith knew he was up against it with the Santa Anita surface and the running style of Hoppertunity, and he gave his horse every chance to operate within the lines. Hoppertunity lost his momentum turning for home but Smith gathered him, went to the stick, and his horse came and tried the entire time. The Kentucky Derby sets up beautifully for Hoppertunity. He will be passing horses and passing them fast with an expected fast pace. Mike Smith will now have an interesting choice to make. He is the rider of Intense Holiday who won Risen Star and came back to finish second in the Louisiana Derby. It is great to be Mike Smith right now.
I know who I will choose.

 Art Sherman the horse man with a blue collar love for the game  got dressed up for the occasion and the occasion welcomed him with opened arms. California Chrome will now bring him back to the place where hoopla of pom and circumstance reigns supreme for a week. The Santa Anita Derby is a validation for what he thought about the horse after a few races. He knew his charge was maturing mentally and ready for big effort going forward.

Jockey Victor Espinoza rode California Chrome with such confidence. The little engine that could broke off from them and said bye bye. This little engine is reminiscing of War Emblem. He can go until he can't go anymore.

I don't know if California Chrome will win the Kentucky Derby but it will be fun watching Sherman treat the derby fever that will take hold of him now. It will be exciting watching him maneuver through the tape recorders and television camera that will document every moment of his life.

Unlike the Santa Anita Derby, the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct didn't have the fairytale ending that many was hoping for. Social Inclusion ran his heart out in the Wood. His post position was a tall order and his jock tried his best to get him away from there and settled. Social Inclusion wanted no part of settling. He took off and told them to come catch him if they can. They could and they did. Wicked Strong who showed off the Holy Bull form, ran him down with Jamaican born jockey Rajiv Maragh. This was the first win in the Wood Memorial for the Jamaican born jockey.

Social Inclusion was a tired horse at the end of the race. He showed he is a tough animal that will give it all he has. He finished third. Maybe not enough points to enter the starting gate on the first Saturday of May, but one never know with horses. He may be there in the end.

Hoppertunity Chrome Will Shine In Santa Anita Derby

The year was 1998 and I sat in the poor man's section of Belmont Park which is standing room on Belmont Stakes Day. The grand track swirled with excitement of the possibility of seeing a triple crown winner. The horse with the beer drinking owner and a trainer whose appearance speaks of Hollywood, champagne, and caviar, with pinky hanging out just right when holding the champagne flute. Real Quiet gave us a chill that day and Tom Durkin's call summed up the moment sweetly. "It's too close to call, was it Real Quiet or was it Victory Gallop?! A picture is worth a thousand words! This photo is worth five million" That was one of my best moments watching a horse race in person.

This Saturday at Santa Anita the same connections are back again with a few more mileage and challenges over the past few years.  Bob Baffert had to overcome the experience of having your life flash before your eyes. It is great to  have the silver hair master strolling the triple crown story lines once again this year, hoping that this time around the ending would be something he would pen. Hoppertunity, their new shiny colt is hoping to silence the crowd at Santa Anita by sending California Chrome and Candy Boy back into never never land. California Chrome will probably be your post time favorite for the Santa Anita Derby. The little engine that could race horse  is trained by Art Sherman the once upon time jockey. Sherman who is 77 years young, is the kind of horse racing memorabilia that one would love to sit and talk to about all his eyes have seen over the years. There won't be any champagne glasses or caviar, just a bag of chips, peanuts and cold beer to wash down the history. His horse California Chrome will be a tough engine to stop from rolling on the front end Saturday. He could kiss everyone goodbye early.

Candy Boy comes to the showdown with a few scalps to prove his battle worthiness. He took down Chitu and Midnight Hawk in a flashy style. Candy Boy created a buzz after that win and the buzz permeated deeper after Chitu and Midnight Hawk came back to finish first and second in the Sunland Derby. Candy Boy is nice, John Sadler has journeyed a long way with his barn of fine horses and his charge will make some noise on Saturday.

Hoppertunity comes into the Santa Anita Derby off a battle against Tapiture in the Rebel. Mike Smith who isn't racking up wins and titles like Bejarano and Castellano but whose big day ability is unmatched by any jock in any jock's room around the country, took the race and position to the young, talented Ricardo Santana Jr. He got the best of the young jock that day. Since the race Santana Jr. was taken off Tapiture. Hoppertunity entered the Rebel after finishing fourth in the Risen star, a race that I hold in high regard. The pace was slow and he didn't finish quickly like the winner Intense Holiday that day, but in the Rebel, Smith had in the groove from the start and he bullied his way to the win and derby qualifying points.

Would I love to see Art Sherman and the little engine that could win the Santa Anita Derby? You best believe I would. The horse racing game and Kentucky Derby is often times a love fest of owners with big wallets and trainers with Armani suits. That is our culture. That is what television believes we all want to see.The lights, camera, action, with Robin Leach head popping out of the pockets of the wealthy. I enjoy a glass of champagne occasionally and its usually the type you find in the front of the store. What I really love is an old cloudy room filled with characters that traveled in their shoes and others has well. I love the stories these characters have buried deep in their souls. I would love to sit in that cloudy room with a pen and paper and record years of yesterday. Art Sherman is one of those yesterday characters. A horse man who understands he isn't bigger than the animal. A horse man whose yesterday will be probably forgotten after the first Saturday of May but whose history will linger on the backside of California tracks for a long time to come. I will be rooting for the the little engine California Chrome with the trainer who has given all he has to this game, although my wallet will be looking for a Hoppertunity.

Its A Social Inclusion Party

It is five minutes to post. The horses are warming up behind the gate. Eighty five year old Manny Azpurua seems unfazed by the magnitude of the event. His horse Social Inclusion is the main reason the crowd has gathered at the old Aqueduct racetrack on this mild Saturday. He looks out at the historic race track and breathes calmly. He knows big races. His family knows big races. Ron Sanchez takes a peek from his corner eye to see how his trainer is holding up. The legacy of Aqueduct surrounds the grandstand today. You can feel Angel Cordero Jr. history having a seat. His history is joined by Jean Cruguet, Eddie Maple, and Jancinto Vasquez. The legacy of trainers hovers around Azpurua. Allen Jerkens is keeping his giant killers away today. He wants the big horse to shine. Howard Tesher and John P. Campo and their history comes by the old trainer side as well. Rick Lang takes out his old type writer. He places a sheet of the whitest paper in it and began to tap away. He will be recording this one for those who have taken their tack and backstretch knowledge to some place in the sky. Jockey Luis Contreras uses his whip to wipe away a little nervous energy that surfaces on Social Inclusion skin. He is confident. He knows the horse loves the track and he willingly told anyone who had a tape recorder and wanted to know how the horse was doing.

His main threat Samraat warms up like a horse that knows its game time. The young Ortiz who a few years ago was virtually an unknown name in the racing game bounces up and down lightly on the horse. Corey Nakatani who is always confident, runs his hand gently alongside the neck of Uncle Sigh. Both Uncle Sigh and Samraat are aware of each other. They can smell the intensity in the air. Today is race day but something about this day is different. The crowd is different, and they are aware that their is another horse that is fearless in the race today. They both have watched him since the march over from the backstretch. Another horse that has come to the party is Harpoon, train by Pletcher and ridden by John Velasquez. The horses begin to load. Everyone went in without incident. A yell can be heard from a starter to let them know he isn't ready yet. He has got the horse calm. Tom Durkin's voice is sending excitement throughout the crowd. And they are off in the Wood Memorial comes raining from Durkin's voice. Samraat and Uncle Sigh is immediately put in the game by their jock. Contreras guides Social Inclusion three wide and have him under a tight hold. Harpoon settles fourth and Velasquez is feeling good about his position. They travel down the backstretch doing a 24 flat open quarter and a 48 half. Contreras is biding his time. Sensing how the race is going he takes off. Durkin's voice yells "there goes Social Inclusion, and he quickly opens up" They turn for home and his lead is becoming wider. Luis looks over his shoulder. Samraat and Uncle Sigh is wondering what is going on. Harpoon is guided to the outside but is effort won't be good enough today. They come to the wire and Social Inclusion is the winner by six lengths. Tom Durkin tells the Aqueduct crowd that they have just witnessed something special.

Trainer Manny Azpurua had the same look he had on his face before the race started. He accepts the congratulation from those around him and slowly start making his way down to the winners' circle. Owner Ron Sanchez and his Velazulean pride bounces with excitement. There is a lot of noise singing with a knowing ruckus that envelopes the old Aqueduct race track. Writer Rick Lang is furiously documenting this day. The legacy of Cordero and all the other trainers and jockeys quietly exits the grandstand. The legacy is talking about the race and how beautiful the horse looked moving over the track.

Social Inclusion comes back to the winner's circle. Uncle Sigh and Samraat can be seen paying respect to the winner. Their eyes let him know. Both Nakatani and Ortiz, saddle in hand, are explaining to their trainers how the race went from their perspective. The winners' circle is filled with jubilation. The Venezuelan flag is draped over the horse. This is more than about a horse race. This is more than winning the Kentucky Derby. This is much bigger. The country..its people.. their uprising..this is their moment on the national stage. The horse is going to bring attention. It was never about the money. It was much bigger. Ron Sanchez knew it. Manny Azpurua knew it. The people of Venezuela knew it.

Isaac Murphy And Jimmy Winkfield Still Riding

Isaac Murphy did not live very long, but his impact on the sport of horse racing has lasted a lifetime. Born in Fayette county in 1861, Murphy first worked as an exercise boy before riding in his first race at the age of fourteen. Murphy won that first race. He would go on to dominate the sport that he loved tremendously, and set a winning percentage of 44% that will probably never be challenged.

Issac Murphy at the age of eighteen won thirty-five of the seventy-five races he entered. In 1882 at Saratoga he had forty nine wins from fifty-one starters. The most amazing accomplishment of Murphy's career was his good fortune in the Kentucky Derby. This was and still is the premier race in America for three year olds and Murphy not only rode in them but won the race three times. Murphy's talent was among the best of his time, and trainers and owners wanted to win, so they would put the best jockeys on their horses. Isaac was considered the best, so he inherited a lot of those good mounts. Isaac Murphy won the Derby aboard Buchanan in 1884, Riley in 1890, and Kingman in 1891. Not only was Murphy the first to win the Derby an astonishing three times, but he was first to win the Derby back to back.

Like most jockeys today and during his time, Murphy had to work to make weight. He tried different diets to help achieve the desired riding weight. The diets and the trauma that they caused to his body would be a contributing factor in his death. Isaac Murphy died from pneumonia brought on by a weakened immune system. He lived thirty six years.

If Isaac Murphy was the first great Black Jockey, then Jimmy Winkfield was the most intrepid of all black jockeys. Born in Chilesburg, Kentucky , in 1882, Winfield was a trail blazer who was ahead of his time. He did things in races that was extremely dangerous, but it was that daring and brash quality that endeared him to many. Jimmy Winfield career began in 1898 and he quickly rose to the elite statue of many of the greats at the time. He won the Kentucky Derby in 1901 at the age of 12. He also won in 1902, and almost won the race in 1903, but made a premature move that cost him the race. Riding the odds on favourite in the Derby named Early, Winfield took a one and half length lead, but came up empty in the stretch and lost by three quarters of a length to a 10-1 long shot. After losing the race Winfield was in tears. He said,"I lost my head". He called the loss the worst of his career.

With Jim crow laws polluting the South and the closing of many tracks, Winkfield moved his tack to ride overseas. The move would provide Jimmy with his greatest success as a rider. In Russia he won the Emperor's Purse, the Moscow Derby twice, and the Russian Derby three times. In Germany, he won the Grand Prix De Bader. In Poland he won the Poland Derby twice, and in France he won the Prix Du President De La Republique.

In 1940 the Germans invaded France and confiscated Mr. Winkfield property to stable their horses. He fled with his wife and son to Portugal. On April 30, 1941 after being out of his homeland for decades, Jimmy Winkfield returned home penniless.

He worked several jobs to make ends meet. He worked as a groom and a exercise rider. Eventually he would began training horses again. Twelve years after coming home, Winkfield decided to return to the land that made him feel like an equal human being, so in 1953 he returned to France to open a riding school. In 1974 at the age of 91 Jimmy Winkfield died in France.

At the height of the Black Jockey dominance in this country, the Kentucky Derby was dominated by these talented riders. In 1875 during the first Derby, 13 of the 15 riders were African Americans. African Americans rode 15 of the first 28 Derby winners. Today one would have to look far and wide to find a Black Jockey in the Derby. Shaun Bridgmohan rode in the Kentucky Derby from 2006-2009. His first try was aboard  Private Vow who finished 15th. His best result to that point came aboard the Winchell owned Pyro who finished 9th, but in 2011 he returned to the derby field aboard Santiva who finished 6th. This year he is still looking for that Kentucky derby ride that would make him the first black jockey to win the derby since Winkfield.  The only other Black Jockeys to have ridden in the Derby since the early 1900's are Marlon St. Julien who finished seventh aboard Curule in 2000, Patrick Husbands who rode Seaside Retreat in 2006, and in 2013 Goldencents with Kevin Krigger. Goldencents came to the Derby with jockey Kevin Krigger aboard looking to put his face in the history books. There were many chorus singing that he maybe the first black jockey to win this prestigious race in a long time. The chorus was wrong. Goldencents never got going, and Krigger has since lost the mount on Goldencents, plus he had to ship back to Golden Gate Fields  to regain his form. 

In his book Great Black Jockeys, author Edward Hoataling writes,"They were ridden out of the sport and they've been sort of written out of the sport too". He goes on to say, "Their disappearance I see really as a civil rights story".

The journey of these two great riders and many others need to be continued and recognized. The racing hall of fame  inducted Mr. Winkfield in their prestigious hall in 2004 . In 2005 New York named a race in his honor, but I believe that we need to take it further in honoring these two great jockeys. Churchill Downs where horse racing premier event takes place, should name one of the races run on Kentucky Derby day after Isaac Murphy or Jimmy Winkfield. I think it would be a fitting honor for two outstanding jockeys who blazed the trail when the trail was difficult.

Social Inclusion May Know Something We Don't

It was suppose to be the coming out party for Honor Code. Everyone in the horse racing community waited for the eight race on Wednesday March 12, at Gulfstream Park. The race was filled with nice horses that had done minimal work on the triple crown circuit. In the next few months after this race the probability of every seeing one of these horses win a grade one or even become grade one place was probably slim to none. I sat glued to the television wondering how many lengths would Honor Code win by. He had the best jockey in the country, Javier Castellano on his back. His trainer was last year's Kentucky Derby winner, Shug McGaughey. His owners campaigned super horse Mineshaft, and Honor Code is by world class AP Indy. The starter unlatched the gate and they were off running. The leader was some horse that the track announcer was calling but who really cared. I was waiting for Honor Code to make his move and unleashed the power that overtook Cairo Prince. They turned for home, and then suddenly a light bulb flashed over my head. This leader wasn't coming back to the pack and Honor Code wasn't gaining any ground. Larry Collmus shouted track record, he shouted ten lengths. I sat back and laughed, because horse racing will get you every time you think you have these magnificent animals figured out. Luis Contreras probably was as stunned as everyone at the track or watching on the tube. I know Castellano was shocked. Shug McGaughey sounded confused post race interview. The day and subsequent days to followed belong to Social Inclusion, his trainer Manny Azpura, and owner Ron Sanchez of Rontos Racing Stable. Everyone immediately began to talk about how much would this horse would go for. That was a logical leap as owners with deep pockets are always looking to find the next Derby winner. I recalled  watching Curlin breaking his maiden at  Gulfstream by twelve lengths and the deep pockets dug deep to buy controlling interest in the horse at the time. Curlin went on to do some amazing things locally and internationally. The price tag for Social Inclusion was a staggering fifteen million dollars after rejecting eight millions. I laughed. An allowance winner. I love the game, but after watching horse racing for over thirty years I have seen some remarkable mind blowing performances that never quite lived up to the encore. I shared with anyone who would listen why I would take the money and find a nice retreat back in my native country Jamaica. But my mindset and the owners are different. In the days to follow, I was even more surprise when owner Ron Sanchez said they were going to hold onto to the horse until after the Wood at Aqueduct. What? In the stock market you sell when the stock his peaking. You don't sit around and wait to see what it will do a few weeks from now. I laughed again because when you think you have this game figured out someone or something make you realize otherwise. I am looking forward to this Saturday's Wood Memorial. It should be an superb race with Uncle Sight and Samraat, and now Social Inclusion. Some of the most memorable winners of the Wood Memorial are Eskendereya, Bellamy Road and I Want Revenge. Those horses sticks out in my mind because of the manner in which they won the race. Eskendereya walked away from the field under jockey Johnny Velasquez with such ease that I thought the Kentucky Derby was his for the taken, but the racing gods struck and we never saw him do his thing on the first Saturday of May. Bellamy Road who was owned by the Yankee Boss took the race to them under Castellano and finished them off, even allowing Castellano to wag his finger at the crowd that day. I was there. It was a wow traveling through the old Aqueduct grandstand. He was suppose to destroy them in the Derby. He showed up and decided he didn't want to run. Once again when you think you have this game figured out, the gods put you in your place. Finally, I Want Revenge, the stars were aligned. He had the owners, the trainer and the young jock who was and is blessed with incredible skills. The starter let them go and he broke last. But the racing gods had a different plan that day. On that Saturday, the gods wanted us to think we know what we are talking about. The gods wanted to us to think we are good handicappers with all the ins and outs figured out. I Want Revenge Won the Wood Memorial, and hearts all over were in love with this stunning performance. The gods tricked us one more time. He never came out to dance at the party. So this Saturday we could be in for something special. Maybe Ron Sanchez and trainer Manny Azpura know something that only they and the gods know. Maybe they will destroy the Wood field in stylish fashion that we won't be talking about nothing except how much of a genius they are and how much will the horse be sold for. We just don't know. I love Social Inclusion. I love what the name signifies to me. I love the rolling of the dice by these folks who are in charge of this enormous three year old. This Saturday when the dust clears, we all maybe saying if only he had sold or what a genius they are. We don't know, but the gods do, and they are cooking up something special to blow our minds away.