tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42172352809520883732024-02-20T07:44:45.936-08:00Wire To WireL Harveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18145183797203434839noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4217235280952088373.post-6662004381272450722012-06-04T16:39:00.001-07:002012-06-04T16:40:22.928-07:00"Another" Chance<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://cdn.bloodhorse.com/images/content/IllHaveAnotherPreakness2012RS298.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Just One More for I'll Have Another" border="0" src="http://cdn.bloodhorse.com/images/content/IllHaveAnotherPreakness2012RS298.jpg" style="text-align: center;" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left; text-indent: 48px;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="text-align: left; text-indent: 48px;">It has taken some time, but after watching the Preakness, I feel like it is time to do what everyone </span><span style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">else is doing about now, jump on O’Neill’s band wagon and root for I’ll Have Another in the Belmont stakes. The beautiful chestnut colt has shown that he is versatile, running down his main rival, Bodemeister, in both the Derby and Preakness. I’ll Have Another is more capable than Big Brown, the last horse who was up for a triple crown, for several reasons. First of all, Another defeated the best three year old crop we have seen in awhile. He won easily in both races, and he has been sound throughout his </span><span style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">career. The rivalry </span><span style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">between Bodemeister and I’ll Have Another reminded me, and several others, of Affirmed and Alydar. Unfortunately, that rivalry is now over as Bodemeister will not run in the Belmont. I have a few things to say about Bodemeister. He is a brilliant horse. A horse who would have been up for the Triple Crown if I’ll Have Another had not raced in the Derby. However, if it had been Bodemeister at the wire in the first two jewels of the Crown, we would have another year without a Triple Crown champion. Bodemeister is a quick horse with good stamina, but the Belmont is the test of champions. With the fractions set in the Derby and the fact that well rested horses will be running, Bodemeister would not have enough in him to be victorious. </span><span style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">I’ll Have Another will have the same challenge. Dullahan was a fast closing third in the Derby, and has been resting since that exciting race. Union Rags will also enter the Belmont well rested and ready to deny Another the Triple Crown. Yet, as I said earlier, I’ll Have Another is a versatile runner. He hung back in the Derby, stalking the blistering pace before making his move. In the Preakness, he chased Bodemeister and ran past him to the wire. If I’ll Have Another breaks well, he could indeed bring rain to the drought that is the Triple Crown.</span>Other than tiredness, well rested horses, and the mile and a half that face I’ll Have Another,a few more things stand in his way. Thoroughbreds these days are not conditioned to race three times in five weeks. They do not have the stamina or recovery required to run grueling races so close together. I’ll Have Another is definitely an amazing horse and he faces a daunting task, but I’ll root for him because I want him to win. A Triple Crown winner will revitalize horse racing in the public eye, which is a good thing. It won’t fix the problems that horse racing has or faces, but it will bring hope to a sport that desperately needs it, a hope that is lives in a horse named I’ll Have Another, and hopefully he will. Even if he falls short, he will still be remembered because
he gave us another chance.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As always check out <a href="http://espn.go.com/horse-racing/">ESPN</a> or <a href="http://www.bloodhorse.com/">Blood Horse</a> for more information.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Also, you may want to watch this year's Derby and Preakness again before the Belmont:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N38YBIpt7ik">Preakness</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tn9hye7U6g&ob=av3e">Kentucky Derby</a><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Photo: Rick Samuels</span></div>L Harveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18145183797203434839noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4217235280952088373.post-9699552108314778472012-05-14T14:47:00.000-07:002012-05-14T14:47:34.289-07:00The Kentucky Derby (A Week Later)<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
They call it the greatest two minutes in sports, and this
year’s Kentucky Derby almost didn’t live up to it, not because the race wasn’t
brilliant, but because the running time was 2:01. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Bodemeister is undoubtedly one of the greatest horses I have
seen run. Now, I admit that I haven’t been around the racing world for long; it
has only been eleven years since I fell in love with the sport, but I know
brilliance when I see it. Not only did Bodemeister set a blistering pace, but
he held it from gate to finish. Even in defeat, he proved that we will see some
great things from him in the future. I have no doubt that since he came out of
the Derby well, then it is Bodemeister we will see at the wire in the
Preakness.</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Bodemeister Blasts Off in Arkansas Derby" src="http://cdn.bloodhorse.com/images/content/BodemeisterArkansasDerby2012OP_CP298.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Photo: Coady Photography/Oaklawn Park <br />Bodemeister Arkansas Derby</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Now, I
should take nothing away from the winner. He ran a clean race, broke well,
settled nicely, and then powered past the exhausted Bodemeister to win the Race
for the Roses. I’ll Have Another showed
his grit and deserves his victory, but the three year olds this year are just
too good for us to get a Triple Crown winner. Interestingly enough, despite the
fact that it was I’ll Have Another at the wire, Bodemeister has received more
focus. Probably because the fractions he set were some of the fastest in Derby
history. Spurred on by Trinniberg, Bodemeister ran brilliantly. He is amazing
and even in defeat, he is a champion. I am sure that we will see more from him in
the future.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Now for some other ponies:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Dullahan’s show was another
impressive run, in fact, if the race had been longer, he might have been second
instead of Bodemeister, but Dullahan will be skipping the Preakness to run in
the Belmont.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Hansen’s run was honestly
disappointing. He was within striking distance, but didn’t have enough in him
to take the lead and faded. Hansen will be skipping the Preakness and will also
not run in the Belmont, opting instead for a shorter race, which is probably
better for him.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Bumped at the start and squeezed
back, Union Rags had a troubled run, but rallied to place ahead of Hanson. One
of the favorites in the Derby, Union Rags is a good horse, but I didn’t think
he could win the Derby, but it was a wide open field, too many good horses. Union
Rags will also be skipping the Preakness.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
In other news:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Take Charge Indy was injured in the Kentucky Derby and will be having surgery to remove a bone chip in his right front ankle.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
More Reading:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<a href="http://espn.go.com/horse-racing/story/_/id/7900798/giving-expectations">No Triple Crown this year</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<a href="http://espn.go.com/horse-racing/blog/_/name/smith_mike/id/7895613/bright-future-bodemeister">Smith's Blog</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<a href="http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/69746/bodemeister-headed-to-pimlico-for-preakness">Bodemeister to Preakness</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<a href="http://espn.go.com/horse-racing/blog/_/name/mayne_kenny/id/7895502/baffert-sees-silver-lining-days">Mayne's Blog</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<a href="http://espn.go.com/horse-racing/triplecrown2012/story/_/id/7900931/take-charge-indy-surgery">Take Charge Indy</a></div>L Harveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18145183797203434839noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4217235280952088373.post-56722583016467994242012-04-21T11:22:00.000-07:002012-04-21T11:34:55.138-07:00Two Weeks to Post<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Until last
Saturday’s Arkansas Derby when Bodemeister wired the field to win by 9 ½ lengths,
Hansen, and Union Rags were the two front runners for Kentucky Derby Favorite,
and when Dullahan scored in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes, he made himself a
contender as well. This year’s Kentucky Derby field is no doubt one of the
strongest we have seen in a while, so picking a winner becomes difficult. For
the longest time, Hansen was my favorite, but Dullahan passed him easily in the
Blue Grass, showing that Hansen might not go the distance. Bodemeister
dominated the field in the Arkansas Derby, even defeating Secret Circle, who
was a contender for the Kentucky Derby and has since been withdrawn due to
injury. In the Kentucky Derby, Bodemeister’s inexperience might work against
him. He has raced only four times, winning only twice. The twenty horse field
in the Kentucky Derby could be overwhelming for such a horse, no matter how
talented, but if he gets a good post, he may surprise us. Union Rags has a lot
of fans, he isn't my favorite and probably still won’t be on the morning of the
Derby. I think there has been a lot of talk about this horse, but he hasn't impressed me yet, who knows, maybe he will take my breath away and run a great
race.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But there
are other horses in the race who may surprise us, every single one has proven
himself to be capable on the track. The undefeated Gemologist is being sent out
by Todd Pletcher and then there’s I’ll Have Another, Creative Cause, Alpha and
several other talented horses will be breaking from the gate in the Kentucky
Derby two weeks from now. It will be a jumble of horses, all trying to make the
lead and take it to the wire. Fans will be cheering their favorites on as
Jockeys maneuver their mounts to victory or to defeat and in the end only one
will cross the wire and be written down as a Kentucky Derby winner. But the
question remains, which horse will it be?<br />
<br />
For more see:<br />
<a href="http://espn.go.com/horse-racing/triplecrown2012/story/_/id/7814285/bodemeister-wins-arkansas-derby">Bodemeister</a><br />
<a href="http://espn.go.com/horse-racing/story/_/id/7833165/bodemeister-rewrite-history">Rewriting History: Bodemeister</a><br />
<a href="http://espn.go.com/horse-racing/triplecrown2012/story/_/id/7814202/dullahan-mows-hansen-blue-grass">Dullahan</a><br />
<br />
And of Course, you can always visit these sites for more information:<br />
<a href="http://www.bloodhorse.com/">Blood Horse</a><br />
<a href="http://espn.go.com/horse-racing/">ESPN</a><br />
<a href="http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/">Thoroughbred Times</a></div>L Harveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18145183797203434839noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4217235280952088373.post-66239355593890484842012-03-31T17:52:00.000-07:002012-04-01T17:11:50.185-07:00Gold Fated<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Dubai Gold Cup, a two mile race recently added to the
Dubai World Cup card, was stained by tragedy, marring the otherwise marvelous
day of racing. The first time the horses broke from the gate, not a single one
crossed the finish line. Fox Hunt, a Godolphin horse, broke down soon after the
race started, tossing his rider, Silvestre De Sousa, who was later said to have
been uninjured. Fox Hunt attempted to get up after falling but was unable. He was
euthanized on the track. Meanwhile, race stewards called off the race because
Fox Hunt was in the way and couldn’t be moved in time. The other horses were
pulled up and the race was rescheduled for after the Dubai World Cup’s $10
million main event. Personally, I have a problem with this decision. It seems
as though the race was called off late in the stretch, meaning that the horses
running were already tired when they were pulled up. Racing is exhausting for
the horses; they just aren’t built to run more than once every few weeks
anymore, much less twice in one day. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The second
time the horses broke from the gate, their exhaustion was evident. Two horses
were eased and US bred Bronze Cannon and Grand Vent never even finished the
race. Bronze Cannon, like Fox Hunt, broke down and was euthanized, Grand Vent
was sent to a nearby equine hospital. This raises the question of why they even
decided to rerun the race. In my opinion the race should have been scratched
from the card and the entry fees and bets returned. Yes, that would have been a
difficult feat to accomplish, but their decision put the horses in danger, as
evidenced by the death of Bronze Cannon and the injury to Grand Vent. Accidents
in racing do happen, Fox Hunt was such an accident and thus somewhat forgivable, but I
feel that Bronze Cannon’s death really could have been avoided. This is one of those
instances that gives racing a bad name, deciding to run already tired horses
lead to one fatal and one potentially fatal conclusion. It was a bad call.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
For further reading:</div>
<a href="http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/68553/opinion-poll-wins-ill-fated-dubai-gold-cup">Ill fated Gold Cup</a> from Blood Horse<br />
<br />
Update: According to an article from the Thoroughbred Times, Grand Vent has been euthanized. That brings the death count in this race to three, I find this unacceptable. The deaths of Grand Vent and Bronze Cannon could have been prevented, it was irresponsible to rerun this race.<br />
The article is <a href="http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/racing-news/2012/04/01/monterosso-considered-for-singapore-race.aspx">here</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>L Harveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18145183797203434839noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4217235280952088373.post-66333142027430863542012-03-24T17:52:00.000-07:002012-03-24T17:52:07.495-07:00Opinion: Girl Power<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://cdn.bloodhorse.com/images/content/RoyalDeltaBCLadiesClassic2011_5MK298.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Leon: Royal Delta Has 'Real Shot' to Win Cup" border="0" src="http://cdn.bloodhorse.com/images/content/RoyalDeltaBCLadiesClassic2011_5MK298.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<o:p> </o:p><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">After Rags to Riches’ victory over
Curlin in the 2007 Belmont Stakes, a wise man, who had met the great Ruffian,
told me that I needed to watch the mares because “In the next couple years you
are going to see something that horseracing hasn’t seen before.” He was right. The
following year I watched Zenyatta win the Breeder’s Cup Ladies Classic and
never looked back. The last three Horses of the Year have been mares, something
that racing has never seen before. Zenyatta, Rachel Alexandra, and Havre de
Grace have taken the last several years by storm, dominating their divisions
and winning against males. I am a believer in girl power and the fact that the
mares have been making more of an impression than the males says something.
Now, that doesn’t mean that the males are weak, the up and coming derby
contenders just haven’t had a chance to prove themselves quite yet. Yes,
Hanson, Union Rags, Alpha and several others look promising, but the last
couple years, the derby favorites just haven’t been able to hit the mark. The
females of racing have outshone the males because the boys have been
inconsistent in their victories.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
It doesn’t help that some of the
males in the spotlight have been plagued by injuries, such as Algorithms, now
off the derby trail due to a fractured splint bone, and Animal Kingdom, no
longer headed to Dubai because of a stress fracture, his second career altering
injury. Fed Biz, a Baffert hopeful, is also off the derby trail due to an
unknown ailment in his hind end. Last year it was Uncle Mo and Tapizar, years prior
also show many hopefuls that never make it to the Derby because of soundness
issues. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
The tendency of the younger males
to be unsound really makes it difficult for horse fans to rely on such an
inconsistent bunch. But the mares in the spotlight have shown themselves to be
sound and more consistent than their mare counterparts. Is is genetics? Maybe. Even
if Animal Kingdom returns to racing, eventually he will be retired to stud. He
has had two soundness issue, namely stress fractures, that have taken him out
of racing for an extended amount of time. There is no doubt that he is a good horse,
but as a stud he may or may not produce sound offspring. Although that seems to
be a common problem these days.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
As for me, I will continue to watch
all both the males and females with great interest, but if it ever come down to
male versus female, the female always has my support. Royal Delta, another
filly, is headed to Dubai to take on the males in an attempt to become the
first female racehorse to win the $10 million Dubai World Cup. Such a victory
could bring us another female Horse of the Year. Of course, there are several
good males in the Dubai field, and several good horses back here in the USA,
but unless the three year olds can bring it, or Game on Dude wins the Dubai World
Cup over Royal Delta, it is possible that the mares will once again dominate
this racing season. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
For more information check out these article from Blood Horse:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<a href="http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/68159/havre-de-grace-cruises-in-orleans-comeback">Havre de Grace</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<a href="http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/68240/leon-royal-delta-has-real-shot-to-win-cup">Royal Delta</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Photo by Malthea Kelley from Blood Horse</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />L Harveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18145183797203434839noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4217235280952088373.post-49240514536991127572012-03-18T16:00:00.000-07:002012-03-18T16:00:28.125-07:00Amazing Grace<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://cdn.bloodhorse.com/images/content/HavreDeGraceNewOrleansLadies2012_2LR_HP298.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://cdn.bloodhorse.com/images/content/HavreDeGraceNewOrleansLadies2012_2LR_HP298.jpg" /></a>Reigning Horse of the Year, Havre de Grace was victorious in
her first start of the year, the $150,000 New Orleans Ladies Stakes. She broke smoothly from post position 2 and
quickly settled into 3<sup>rd</sup>, behind Sterling Madame and Juanita. Havre
de Grace made her move with three furlongs to the wire, coming up next to
Juanita and Sterling Madame. Havre de Grace swung wide around the turn and
Juanita came up to challenge her, but the outmatched Juanita soon dropped
behind as Havre de Grace charged the wire. Her amazing 2011 season, highlighted
by a victory over males in the Woodward Stakes, ended with the title of Horse
of the Year and hopefully, her effortless 4 ½ length victory over four rivals
is just a glimpse of what we will see from this fantastic mare in the months to
come. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For more information check out the Bloodhorse article <a href="http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/68159/havre-de-grace-cruises-in-orleans-comeback">here</a>.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px;">Photo: Hodges Photography/Lynn Roberts</span> </div>
<br />L Harveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18145183797203434839noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4217235280952088373.post-91453818500525668912012-03-09T17:07:00.001-08:002012-03-10T12:19:53.245-08:00It's a Prince<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.zenyatta.com/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/454-620x826.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.zenyatta.com/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/454-620x826.jpg" width="240" /></a> Around 10 pm
ET on March 8, Zenyatta gave birth to a beautiful, healthy, dark bay colt with
a white star. The foal, by Bernardini, winner of the 2006 Preakness Stakes, has
been eagerly awaited by hundreds of fans who no doubt had been checking in as
often as they could for updates. He weighs
130 pounds and both Zenyatta and her foal are doing fine. According to the
March 9<sup>th</sup> diary post from Zenyatta.com, the foaling went smoothly
and Zenyatta and her foal are bonding well. For those of you who don’t avidly
follow horseracing, Zenyatta, known as the Queen of Racing, is the winner of 19
races out of 20 starts. Her most memorable victory was the 2009 Breeder’s Cup
Classic, when she became the first female to ever win the prestigious race. She
was the 2010 Horse of the Year, won numerous awards and inspired hundreds of
people. Zenyatta’s owners, Ann and Jerry Moss, trainer, John Shirreffs, and
Jockey, Mike Smith, count the mare as one of the best they have ever been
associated with. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The birth
of a colt opens up so many possibilities. In three years we may see this
beautiful boy break from the gate in the Kentucky Derby. His career will be
eagerly followed, just like his mother’s. The as of now unnamed colt carries a
heavy burden, he will have to outrace the shadows of Zenyatta and Bernardini to
make his own name as one of the “greats” of racing. I eagerly await the day
when he will first step onto the track, but for now I will watch his growth
with joy at the continuation of Zenyatta’s legacy. Who knows, perhaps one day I
will eagerly follow one of his sons or daughters as they race, writing stories
of their feats on the track. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Photo by Ann Moss from Zenyatta.com</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Read the <a href="http://www.zenyatta.com/diary/diary-post-454">Diary</a> Post for more information.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.hrtv.com/videos/jerry-and-ann-moss-on-zenyattas-first-foal1/">Video of Zenyatta and her foal</a></div>L Harveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18145183797203434839noreply@blogger.com0