ATP the "lost columns" (# 1 - 12/17)

Remember when you were in school and you had to write an essay on a subject you enjoyed? You had no problem coming up with the “thing” that you enjoyed, it was writing the paper and having it make sense the tough part. Back nearly 12 years ago, when I was first approached about writing a weekly column, it was kind of tough for me. The subject matter was easy; the handicapping aspect was also easy. It was coming up with a column, long enough to full each week and making it sound right.

I remember the very first column I wrote for the Amsterdam Recorder for the 1998 Kentucky Derby weekend. I remember the sports editor at the time telling me; “feel free to include more” when it came to the size of the column. Well, the next week and weeks to follow; the size of the column grew and it became easier to write each week. Subject matter was easy some weeks and tougher on others. Material was no problem to come up with during the Triple Crown trail, Saratoga and Breeder’s Cup time. It was after the Breeder’s Cup until usually when the three year old colts started prep races for the Kentucky Derby, when the writing time was slow. It’s that time of the year and while my column will be in a “winter” hiatus in “print”, it won’t be on the “web”.

Back, in April of 2008 I discovered how to make a “blog” on the internet. Ironically, I put it together the same day as when my father; Bill Hoffman passed away. I put the blog together between the time I got up that morning and went to work. In less than an hour, I had my words on the “world wide web” and a new avenue was opened for me. At first, the blog had more pictures than stories on it. But, just like my column; it flourished into something much more. It was another outlet for expressing my love for thoroughbred racing. Since then “AT THE POST on the Sand Flats” has been a source of fond memories of horse racing and related events the past year and a half. Whether it’s about Dee Tee Stables or other big horse racing events, my blog has been a fun thing to do. Now, that my weekly column won’t be returning to the RECORDER until the first week in March, my blog will be the “thing” that will keep my writing skills sharp. There might not be a new column each week, but it will stay updated when the things of thoroughbred racing importance come up.

In the next ten weeks, I’ll be looking back at racing in 2009 and the end of the first decade in the 21st century, updates on my racing partnership; Dee Tee Stables, the Eclipse Award voting and nominates, an early look at the upcoming three year old season on the road to the Triple Crown. As Neil Young would say; “Rust never sleeps” and I'll continue with the Thursday night tradition I’ve grown to love. The “lost” columns will be written as a tool to keep sharp until I’m back in print. This is the first of these columns…..next week I’ll give the “lowdown” on my trip to Philadelphia Park and Dee Tee Stables; Kickin N Screamin’s second race on the east coast with the legendary Anthony S. Black in the irons. Until next week…..cash those tickets!

The "At the Post" column finale for 2009

Well, the last AT THE POST column for 2009 has been sent to the RECORDER and will appear Saturday (12/12) I will be taking a "winter" hiatus with the column until March 6th 2010. It's gonna be very different the next 10 weeks without writing on Thursday night, something I've been doing for nearly 12 years! I'm a little sad :( but, look forward to "recharging my batteries" and be ready for 2010 Triple Crown trail! Here it is...............

As I look back at the 2009 year in racing, we were treated with a once in a lifetime experience of having two very talented and wonderful distaff horses. One, who as a five year old mare remained undefeated in 14 career starts. The second, a three year old filly who had a record performance in the Kentucky Oaks and then went on to beat the boys on three occasions during year and finished a perfect eight for eight for the season. These two runners made me truly grateful and bless to have them grace our sport. It was something that may not ever come along again in this lifetime.

Zenyatta; trained by California based, John Shirreffs went into this year’s Breeder’s Cup a perfect four for four this season, added with her perfect nine for nine victorious previously in her 13 race career. Never been beaten on a synthetic surface and racing in her home state, Zenyatta would go for all the marbles and face colts for the first time in her career and in doing so, put her undefeated racing streak on the line. After an eventful starting gate load, Zenyatta came out and soon dropped back in the pack with her usual running style. Gradually, she made her way through the pack of her male competition and once clear, exploded to the front and victory. She remained undefeated and became the first distaff horse ever to win the Breeder’s Cup Classic. She ended her three year racing career a perfect 14 for 14 and won racing’s biggest event. She had accomplished something no horse had ever done before. On any other year, she would be a champion “hands down”. But, there was another distaff runner who also accomplished something truly amazing and she is just a three year old.

Rachel Alexandra came into her three year old season with little fanfare as the top two year old filly the previous season. But after her eight length victory in her seasonal debut, Rachel Alexandra became a force to be reckoned with. She would win two more races impressively and then entered the Kentucky Oaks as the odds-on favorite. There she would romp by over 20 lengths and become a threat versus her three year old male counterparts. She would have new owners and trainer for her next start and step up in class versus the “boys”. She would contest the second leg of the Triple Crown; the Preakness Stakes and this girl would not disappoint! After beating the three year old boys, it was back against the girls with similar results as in the Kentucky Oaks. This time it was an over 10 length win in the Mother Goose Stakes at Belmont Park . With nothing more to prove versus her own three year old sex, it was back against the boys for her final two starts of this year. She beat the three year old colts prepping for the Travers in the Haskell Stakes on a sloppy track and then made a bold move in racing going against older males at Saratoga in the Woodward Stakes. She would hold off six rivals and defeat the much tougher older male horses and in doing so, become the first filly in over a hundred years to accomplish that feat.

Two spectacular horses, both females and who both defeated the males in the same calendar year. Something that has not been done as far as I know...... ever! Two distaff runners who are hard to separate in 2009 and both who could be equally be “Horse of the Year”. This in our sport, I am very grateful for and as we wind down the year, we look forward to 2010 and next year’s racing season.

I’ll be taking a “winter” hiatus from my “At the Post” column for the next two and a half months. I’ll be getting my batteries recharged and get ready for the upcoming 2010 Triple Crown trail when by my column reappears on March 6th 2010. Until then, you can follow my exploits on my horse racing blog; “At the Post” on the Sand Flats @ www.hickoryhillhoff.blogspot.com where I will be doing handicapping and updating race events for the next several months. Until then, Happy Holidays and good luck at the windows……I’ll see you in the spring!

The "thankful" things in 2009 - part I

Even though Thanksgiving was a week ago, we have things to be thankful for as a thoroughbred racing fan and there have been plenty this past year. The sport has been very fortunate to be full with exciting new people we got to meet for the first time, superstar horses that only come along once in a lifetime and fine wonderful things right here in our area that make playing the ponies so much fun and profitable!

This year’s Triple Crown trail saw two new faces enter the picture of our sport. For years; the well known, established trainers ruled the “big” races and the Triple Crown trail. This year there were two new men that stepped forward into the spotlight with their horses gaining victory in the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes. They were young fresh faces that never were really heard of until they found the winners circle on racing’s biggest stage.

When 50-1 longshot, Mine That Bird came roaring up the rail to win this year’s Kentucky Derby and it was the first time we met the guy with the cowboy hat and crutches. Bennie “Chip” Wooley Jr. went from a little known thoroughbred trainer from New Mexico to national prominence. He’s been around the racing game for nearly 20 years, but it took an unlikely horse to put in at the top of the game. A gelding that was last in the Breeder’s Cup Juvenile the year before and got into the Kentucky Derby on just earnings. He won the “Run for the Roses” was a gallant 2nd in the Preakness Stakes and rounded the final leg of the Triple Crown with a 3rd in the Belmont Stakes. He'll be known with the trademark cowboy hat, pictured on crutches throughout the entire series of races and the long van trips across country to various racing venues which made "Chip" Wooley a very noticeable household name.

Another young new face to racing’s biggest stage appeared late on the Triple Crown trail in Arkansas with a horse named; Summer Bird. Lightly raced; Summer Bird didn’t make much of an impact in the Kentucky Derby, but his trainer Tim Ice had bigger plans for him. New to the sport, Summer Bird was Tim Ice’s first “big” horse. After skipping the Preakness to point for the Belmont Stakes, Tim Ice had made the right decision and on his 35th birthday was rewarded with a Belmont Stakes victory. Summer Bird would then run behind Rachel Alexandra in the Haskell Stakes at Monmouth in the slop, but regroup and point for the Mid-Summer’s Derby; The Travers Stakes. It was there that he would get his second grade I victory and go to the top of the three year old colts division. He stayed in New York to prep for the Breeder’s Cup and it was there that he won the Jockey Club Gold Cup and became the first horse since the great Easy Goer to win the Belmont Stakes, Travers Stakes and Jockey Club Gold Cup as a three year old, all in the same year. While the horse was doing this on the track, Tim and his wife had their first child. Summer Bird ventured to the west coast for the Breeder’s Cup Classic and was a respectable 3rd in the race on the “pro-ride” surface, finishing the best of the east coast “real” dirt runners. With the success of Summer Bird, Tim Ice has decided to relocated to the east coast and expand his stable with more horses and new owners for the upcoming year.

These are just two of the “thankful” things we had in thoroughbred racing in 2009 and the next few weeks, I’ll be reminding us more on others like; two superstar fillies that unfortunately came along in the same year and great things right here at home for the racing fan & wager during the summer months and year round.