24 was BETTER than now 40 ...... IMO

Well, we’ve reached that time of the year……the annual Saratoga Race Course press conference. It will be the 13th that I will be attending as the horse racing writer for the Amsterdam Recorder. It will be the 142nd race meet at this historic track and it will have the longest calendared racing days ever. We top out at the 40 day race meet adding 4 extra days this year to the schedule. Like the hit disco song from 35 years ago said; “More, More, More…..how do you like it?” If your asking this veteran handicapper the question, the answer is NO.

Now I know it is Saratoga , the premier thoroughbred meet in the world. It is also located less than an hour from my driveway on the Sand Flats. It is the place were all the best throughout the county come to race in July and August. The is problem; with the horse population down and the “million dollar” Monmouth meet of this summer, 40 days with six days of racing a week will not be exciting as it once was for this player of the ponies.

There was a day; long ago I remember when this race meet meant everything to me. It was the “August place to be” when the meet was less than a month. Where there was a top quality stake race each day during that 24 race meet. It was a time where there was the usual “daily” nine race card and no more. Those 24 days had top quality thoroughbred racing from the NYRA circuit with claiming races that were carded no less than 25k. We didn’t have a constant barrage of turf sprints and claiming races with “winter” type horses. It was a simpler time when racing took center stage and all the frills and other hype was not involved. That time is gone and the Saratoga race meet means more to NYRA’s future more now than ever.

We started on July 23rd, back to an opening day on a Friday which is alright by me. The last 15 years though, we seen an influx of staple Belmont Park stakes races move up the Northway to the Spa. First, with the Sword Dancer and then the Woodward Stakes and this year; The Coaching Club American Oaks for the three year old fillies and it’s because the people are not coming out for these races down south. With the longer meet, it means also more New York overnight stake races. These which are named after every locality surrounding the Saratoga Springs area usually pit the same group of horses against each at least three times during the former 36 day meet. As a public handicapper that only usually makes selections for only one full race meet, it becomes a little dishearten seeing the same group of runners facing each other time after time. After handicapping the Saratoga race meet since 1988 and seeing this tremendous drop off in higher quality races, it really makes some days worth sitting out when it comes to wagering.

The even bigger question will be what effect this summer’s Monmouth meet will have on the stake horses choosing to come here. While we will have a full slate of state breds, it will be interesting how many high profile outfits that are currently racing at Monmouth will decide to come here during the 40 days. One good thing is the most of the Kentucky based horsemen will come to the Spa for the summer since Ellis Park will be the only track running there. Another good thing is that Saratoga is also a showcase for the young two year old runners and this always makes good betting events. But, the 40 days may seem like an eternity right after the Travers Stakes will be run, when most of the better horse will be shipping else where. Now don’t get me wrong, I love Saratoga for its history of great racing and highlighting future stars. But, it may seem like “ New York North” when the first 15 claimer is run with horses that last raced for half that price (7,500). I’m just saying!

Can't we just be happy with the greatness these two show on the track???

The debate rages on..... even after these two wonderful and very talented horses continue to win, the ongoing and still troubling question to whose better; Zenyatta or Rachel Alexandra will not end. It’s been nearly a year now since the lines were drawn by both camps on which horse is the better animal. It’s a debate that continues today and one that has taken on a life of it’s own in media circles and especially on the internet. No matter what these two horses do (just win) the pundits take sides to which is better and who is ducking who. I’ve kept me mouth shut about this very subject and tried to enjoy just what they have achieve on the racetrack. After all, that is what matters the most in my opinion. But, it’s time to take a stand and give my opinion about this rivalry and what side I’m on. My answer is a simple one and good for the sport; I’m on both sides!

A middle of the road answer, you bet! Why you must ask? Because too much time has been wasted into the constant degrading of these two great horses by both sides of their camps and also the following that these horses have by their fans. You cannot just bring up one of these horses without including or talking about the other. It’s a constant war of words pitting Zenyatta versus Rachel Alexandra; not on the track, but who is the better horse. Their race records are always brought up and who they have faced. One runs on natural dirt and the other runs on synthetic surfaces. An east coast versus west coast bias is strong when it comes to these two animals. But, the real focus about these two horses gets lost in the shuffle each time the debate starts; it's the brilliance that both Zenyatta and Rachel Alexandra show on the track with thier racing.

This past week this debate reared its ugly head again on my favorite internet racing show. The debate got very heated and ugly and it was because of the merits that these two horses have "off track". One is not any better than the other and this can only be solved with a meeting “on track” of these two horses. Rachel Alexandra finally returned to her winning ways last Saturday and next will be racing at Saratoga for our enjoyment. Zenyatta made in 17 straight victories in a row and will remain on the west coast until the fall when she’ll return to defend her Breeder’s Cup Classic championship at Churchill Downs . Sorry folks, these two horses aren’t meeting in the near future! The connections of Zenyatta see no reason to ship across country twice when; “there are good races here in California and the Breeder’s Cup is at Churchill (not in New York )” said her trainer John Sheriffs. At least some credit should be given to Rachel Alexandra’s connections for giving us an opportunity to see their talented filly at thoroughbred racing greatest venue (Saratoga). So, any chance of the so-called “dream match up” would only occur at Churchill Downs this Fall and that is highly unlikely.

As thoroughbred racing fans, we should put aside the debates and bickering on which horse is better and enjoy the time each of these horses will be sharing with us on the racetrack. All too often that time is short lived and we are very lucky to have an extra year in 2010 to see these two fine animals. We live in a sports world today that analyzes every little movement of its stars and takes away their greatness with debate. It should be more like the pre-internet era, when there was less debate and more enjoyment of our equine athletes. This would be good for our sport, a breathe of fresh air in a rather bleak time for the industry.

Farewell to the "Mig" !

Just a little over a week ago, the thoroughbred jockey colony lost one of the most classy and well respected members of their community when Richard Migliore announced his retirement from riding during a press conference just before the Belmont Stakes draw in New York. In a career than span nearly thirty years, injuries had taken a toll on the body of the 46 year old rider and a recent neck surgery forced his racing career to a close. It spelled the end to great story of a “not your average” jockey in a racing colony full of Hall of Fame riders on the nation’s toughest racing circuit. It was one that traces back to the racing of the 70’s and one young boy’s quest to become a jockey.

A city born boy, his love for animals developed into a love for the equine animal. After watching Forego in his youth, he knew right then that he wanted to become a thoroughbred jockey. His racing career started in the summer of 1980 and less than a month later had won his first career race at Meadowlands Racetrack aboard Good Grip. The following year in 1981, he was voted top apprentice jockey. His career would flourish on the NYRA circuit and become one its leading jockey’s throughout the next decade. But, things would change very quickly at the age of 24 and not for the good.

On May 30th 1988, Richard would be involved in a spill at Belmont Park and his life would change very quickly. The injury was considered a life threatening one and quite possibly a career ending one also. This very serious neck injury was highlighted in an episode of Rescue 911 a few years later and what could have had most riders down for an extended period of time, had Richard back riding in less than six months. After suffering an arm injury in 1999, he also was injured two days before the Breeder’s Cup races at Lone Star Park that year. He rode injured with his two mounts and discovered later that he had a broken wrist.

He has won many accolades as a jockey on the New York circuit throughout his career with many awards. For a brief time a few years back, he switched his racing tack to the west coast in California . But, his real love was in New York and less than two years later returned to the place he loved the most! On February 23, 2008 it was announced that he won the George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award, a vote of his peers from coast to coast. The Woolf Award is one of the most coveted trophies in all of racing, honoring riders whose careers and personal character earn esteem for the individual and the sport of Thoroughbred racing. On October of 2008, he finally won his first Breeder’s Cup race aboard Desert Code in the Sprint race. All in all, Richard has won over 4,450 races in his career including 362 stakes and 25 grade I events. One of his last mounts before his most recent surgery was aboard our very own; Dee Tee Stables; Lloydobler at Aqueduct this spring and it was an honor to have the “Mig” aboard a horse that I have an interest in. But after his surgery because of a fall only a few months earlier, his doctors had to fuse areas in his neck and thus forcing him into retirement.
But, still at the young age of 46 he still has a long career a head of him in the thoroughbred industry. Sad because he’ll never be able to do the thing he loved the most, his press conference was a very bittersweet event. But, the class that Richard Migliore showed in 30 years of racing is the thing I’ll always remember about him. He’ll be missed by the fans of New York , but the Hall of Fame will await him someday.

Mark Hoffman's 2010 graded Belmont Stakes selections

Ice Box (#6) Lezcano / Zito (3-1)

the fast closing runner-up in the "sloppy" Kentucky Derby returns today after skipping the Preakness Stakes for this mile & a half "test" of champions, bred to run all day.....he needs the right pace to set up for his closing kicking, something tells me he'll be much closer to the front runners today.

Fly Down (#5) Velazquez / Zito (9-2)

the sharp winner of the Dwyer Stakes over the track.....this son of Mineshaft is peaking the right time for this race, a race and victory over the track means a lot, very tough to deny a Nick Zito one/ two finish in this final leg of racing's Triple Crown.

First Dude (#11) Dominguez / Romans (7-2)

the longshot pace setter of the Preakness Stakes nearly pulled off the upset at 23-1 last time out, again should be setting the fractions and is the one to catch, not nearly the price this time out......but, his speed is dangerous again.

Uptowncharlybrown (#3) Maragh / McLaughlin (10-1)

this son of Limehouse skipped the Triple Crown races and goes first time out for new trainer today, formerly trained by the late Alan Seewald.....this racing partnership got this colt at a low price and today tries to win this prestigious race, gets blinkers on today.

Drosselmeyer (#7) Smith / Mott (12-1)

distant runner-up to Fly Down in the Dwyer Stakes going a mile & an eighth, gets jockey switch for today's event, doesn't like to win.....but is a must use in exotics.

Stay Put (#10) Theriot / Margolis (20-1)

another runner with no early foot, needs a quick pace up front to have a real chance, like above runner.....can get a piece, but at a price!

Make Music for Me (#4) Rosario / Barba (10-1)

distant 4th in the Kentucky Derby , seems to be the "wise guy" horse entering this race, must show me more before I can use him in any of my plays.......watch the board.

Stately Victor (#9) Garcia / Maker (15-1)

no factor in the Kentucky Derby on the sloppy sealed track, tries again after skipping the Preakness for this spot, can't really see him making a impact today either.

Game on Dude (#8) Garcia / Baffert (10-1)

beat much cheaper last time out in the grade III - Lone Star Derby as the favorite, Baffert tries this spot and could play a part in the pace here, don't know if he's good enough versus this group.

Dave in Dixie (#1) Borel / Sadler (20-1)

I really thought that this California based colt would get better with the distances getting longer.....hasn't happened, a late entry to this race and I'm not really sure why?

Interactif (#12) Castellano / Pletcher (12-1)

a eleventh hour addition to the race.....why you ask? most likely because his trainer doesn't have a runner in this race and the owners wanted to go, it would have been better to run yesterday in the Hill Prince Stakes.....on the "proper" surface!

Spangled Star (#2) Gomez / Dutrow (30-1)

shows just a maiden victory, finishes in the same spot trainer did two years ago with a possible Triple Crown threat (or dud) named Big "B"

"The Test of Champions" - 25 yrs. worth of Belmont Stakes

It’s hard to believe this will be my 25th Belmont Stakes that I’ve enjoyed to watch and wager on. It seems just like yesterday when I got interested in thoroughbred racing. Today, I’ll look back at those many “Test of the Champions” races and the memories I have the day that this prestigious was contested.

Let’s start in 1986; it was a rather wet day at Belmont Park and the “king” trainer of this very race (Woody Stephens) was overlooked at the windows, but I knew at (8-1) Danzig Connection was a great bet and very profitable one. Right out of the box, I tapped a Belmont Stakes winner and was also Woody Stephen’s final and fifth in a row victory in this race. This is a feat that may never be equaled again. In 1989, there was a showdown between two horses that knock heads in the first two legs of the Triple Crown. Sunday Silence and Easy Goer battled to a one/ two finish in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes with the California based Sunday Silence coming out on top twice. In the ONLY time I went against “ New York ’s” Easy Goer was this race because I wanted in the worst way to see a Triple Crown winner. The result, the horse I was a big fan of turns the tables on his west coast opponent and wins the race and outstanding style. I would NEVER again doubt Easy Goer after that day!

Watching the 1991 Belmont Stakes from the old OTB parlor on Guy Park Avenue , I was hurrying for the wire with Hansel as the Kentucky Derby winner Strike the Gold was bearing down on him in the stretch. Hansel was my Kentucky Derby pick that year and when I got off the “bandwagon” with him in the Preakness, I was looking for retribution with him in the Belmont Stakes. The same could be said the following year with AP Indy in the 1992 edition. After he was scratched the morning of the Kentucky Derby , I was very disappointed he wasn’t running. But in the Belmont Stakes, he did not disappoint me and was the first horse I ever put $20.00 to win on.

Quite possibly in 1998, would have been the closest I would ever see a horse trying to win the Triple Crown. He wasn’t my selection that day, but when Real Quiet came roaring down the stretch with the lead….it looked like history was going to be made. But as we know, history tells us another result and quite possibly the closest I'll see Triple Crown winner. The dreams of Triple Crown attempting horses like; War Emblem, Funny Cide and Smarty Jones would also give us thrills for three years in a row. But again, the outcome remained the same with disappointment.

After that three year streak from 2002 to 2004, I went with the same horse in all three Triple Crown legs in 2005. Although I missed with him in the Kentucky Derby fnishing 3rd(because of a “dead” inside rail) Afleet Alex he did not disappoint in the Preakness Stakes (with an unbelievable win) and Belmont Stakes with an easy victory. But, history was made just three years ago with the first three year old filly in over a hundred years to win the “Test of Champions” - Rags to Riches made history the same day that my Alma mater (Fort Plain) won its first state championship in high school baseball. I can remember where I've seen the last 25 Belmont Stakes races, where I watched the race and who was there with me to see it. From sitting home with my dad, to the OTB on Guy Park Avenue, to the Arietta Hotel in 2002 and the past few years in Fort Plain on “E-street”; the Belmont Stakes has been a big part of my love for thoroughbred racing. Will today, add to my memories of this race?

NYRA needs to reivent itself for the future

The new Monmouth Park experiment of less racing days and higher paying purses was a overwhelming success. The two day "total" handle was 16 million dollars and attendance "on track" was up over the previous first two race days last year. Now, this doesn't means the these figures will be the same for the rest of the meet. But, this start in a new way of presenting the racing product could be a bigger sign for other thoroughbred organizations in their future and how their race meets are conducted. This model looks like a winner, so far and maybe a certain entity who has had their share of problems in recent years may follow suit.

After a tumultuous long period of time with the state of New York , the New York Racing Association (NYRA) has finally gotten the money owed to them from the original franchise agreement that was made when the state renewed their contract with NYRA. Hopefully by August, the state lottery division will choose a vendor for the VLT's (video lottery terminals) and construction will begin at Aqueduct. This has been long overdue (about eight years) and because of N.Y. state dragging their feet for this amount of time, it's cost not only NYRA, but the state coffers millions of dollars. Money that the state and thoroughbred racing could have used. The ball will finally get rolling, but until then the 25 million dollar "loan" should get the association through the rest of the year. But, what happens then until the VLT's are up and running? What could NYRA do to possibly cut costs and still present a good racing product? Maybe less or more in the long run and should look at the "new" Monmouth race meet model for the future.

The plain fact is that there is too many race meet dates across the county and at NYRA. With the exception of a break during the holidays and days off between race meets, NYRA runs year round. The weekly race meet is five days during most of the year and six days when racing is at Saratoga . Going this rate for too long has "water-down" the racing product with shorter fields and lesser quality racing. It's common to see 7,500 claming races during the Belmont summer meet and 5 and 6 horse fields during peak racing times where the "so-called" racing has the top quality. The racing product has been spread too thin and less racing days are the way to go.

The Saratoga season has now reached 40 days, just about as far as it should go. Maybe the race week should be cut to 5 days, like the rest of the year instead of the 6 that they have now. Racing 12 months a year in this day in age is too much. The "top quality" racing tails off after Fall Festival during Thanksgiving weekend. It's my opinion that racing should take a "hiatus" from December to at least mid-January. If not this maybe a few week break, limited to a three day race week (much like Monmouth is running now). The overall quality of racing during the winter months don't have top horses in New York and other than the state bred runners, racing could use this short time off. With purses at equal level in Philadelphia Park , many of the horsemen from N.Y. race could race at this venue during the break time. This schedule would help the cash-strapped racing association in a time where every dollar counts, until the VLT's are up and running. With less racing yearly, the purses could be reconstructed and thus the quality of racing would improve. The cooperation of the state would be need like in New Jersey with NYRA willing to make the changes. Everything that this state has gone through with thoroughbred racing the past ten has been turbulent to say the least and it's time to make the tough changes. In the long run, less means more and things may go smoother in the long run.

A bold new frontier in race meets......Monmouth takes the first step

The state of thoroughbred racing in this country has gone through many phases throughout history. The “sport of kings” has seen a steady decline since the heydays of the 70’s and has struggled for its survival the past thirty years. We’ve seen attendance decrease both at Belmont and Aqueduct during this time and only has Saratoga , the track where the sport is still fully at its prominence. NYRA has fallen on such hard times and it’s been widely publicized. Most thoroughbred tracks need the implication of video lottery terminals or VLT’s to survive in this day in age. New York doesn’t have these options, nor does Maryland or Kentucky . Without these additions to thoroughbred tracks, racing in these states are doom for financial disaster and non-existence in the near future. Change has to come in the way the racing product is presented. One such racing venue has taken a bold step in the way they do business and could be the trend of the future when it comes to the thoroughbred product that is put forth for the wagering dollar.

Today, Monmouth Park has taken a risky, but new exciting new way in which thier thoroughbred meet will be run in 2010. It’s a 50 day racing meet with one million dollars in purses each day. A new and very risky proposition, that would turn a rather long race meet into a more exciting one with top quality horses over a shorter race week than before. This could revolutionize the sport of thoroughbred racing, if the wagering fans take to it.

The summer meet at Monmouth is 50 days – Fridays, Saturdays and Sunday (with holiday racing on three Mondays) will encompass purses averaging one million dollars a day. The meet goes from today through Labor Day and will also have a fall race meet for 21 days with purses equally $300,000 a day. Gone are the fall Meadowlands meet and the 141 race schedule of past years. This one year experiment is out to prove that high purses are better than more racing days. The concept is 50 days – 50 million, a product that the racing fans want. Higher purses mean better quality horses and more value on the betting dollar than longer meets and lesser quality fields both in class and field size. Less is more when it will come to the quality of thoroughbred that Monmouth offers and hopefully this will attract more people to its race track and increase handle.

The key here is increased handle, something all race tracks throughout the country are looking for. Less daily racing means better fields for increased purses. More money for the Monmouth race meet means more money for its owners the state of New Jersey .

The sport of thoroughbred racing in the past was one of race meets that were shorter with top quality fields for the betting dollar. In recent years, it’s been longer meets, watered-down quality and small field sizes. The wagering dollar has disappeared from the track and gone to other forms of gambling, such as casinos and VLT operations. If many race tracks had VLT’s; like Delaware Park, Mountaineer, Presque Isle Downs and Philadelphia Park, the purse structures would be greater and more horsemen would be attracted to these venues. The shorter race meets mean better fields and better quality thoroughbred runners. It’s a chance that Monmouth is taking and only time will tell if it truly works. But, in this day and age of uncertainty and steady decline in thoroughbred racing, it’s a gamble worth the chance. Maybe New York should take note!