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News and notes from around the Thoroughbred racing world, compiled by Thoroughbred Racing Communications, Inc. (TRC) (212.371.5911..)  JAPAN CUP NOMINATIONS RELEASED Four North American horses have been invited to the 1997 Japan Cup, to be run Nov. 23 at Tokyo Racecourse. The 1 1-2-mile race is worth nearly $3 million. European-based horses have won the past two runnings of the Japan Cup, Singspiel (IRE) last year and Lando (GER), in front of a record crowd of 187,524, in 1995. The Japanese took the previous three races and you need to go back to 1991 to find the previous North American winner, Golden Pheasant. Breeders' Cup Turf entrants Val's Prince and Chief Bearhart, as well as Gentlemen (ARG) and the Japanese-owned filly Maxzene, are the North American invitees. Final entries, and a 300,000 yen (about $2,600) fee, are due Nov. 21. Trainer Richard Mandella has said that Gentlemen (ARG) will not run in Japan, which puts another Mandella trainee, Sandpit (BRZ), in the race. Sandpit (BRZ) has run in the Japan Cup before, finishing eighth in 1995 and fifth in 1994. Europe will be represented by 1996 Breeders' Cup Turf winner Pilsudski (IRE), who was second in this year's Arc de Triomphe; Borgia (GER), third in the Arc; Irish St. Leger winner Oscar Schindler (IRE); and Swain (IRE). K-III TAKES A LOSS ON DAILY RACING FORM By taking a writeoff of Daily Racing Form's goodwill and intangible assets, K-III Communications took a $136.8-million third-quarter charge leading to a $147.7 million loss in the third quarter of 1997 against the same period last year. Equity losses were $1.24 per share in the quarter, compared to $0.19 per share last year. 'The Daily Racing Form continues to be a difficult sale because of the significant downturn in horse racing,' said K-III CEO William Reilly. 'We continue to seek a buyer for Daily Racing Form, and have written off substantially all of its goodwill and intangible assets. This write-off comprises the majority of the $138.6-million charge this quarter.' Reilly said that the company has not found a buyer for the Form, a publication K-III's quarterly report says is a drain on company earnings. K-III also said it will change its corporate name to Primedia, as 'there was no equity in the name K-III.' DAVIS TO BE HONORED BY BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS Robbie Davis was Belmont's top jockey during the 1997 Fall meet and is currently 18th nationally in earnings with total purses of more than $5 million. On Saturday, Nov. 8, he is scheduled to ride Lucky Coin, one of the favorites in the Breeders' Cup Mile at Hollywood Park, Calif. Yet, there is still another achievement of which he is most proud. On Nov. 14, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Long Island will honor him as an honorary member of its board of directors for his support and contributions. Big Brothers Big Sisters is a non-profit organization which helps children who are at-risk of juvenile delinquency by matching a mentor who will work with the child on a one-to-one basis. Michael Auerbach of Big Brothers Big Sisters describes Davis as 'one of the most sincere people I've ever met.' Auerbach tells of how Davis donates memorabilia and lends his support to the organization. One such way is at their yearly fundraiser at Belmont Park, where they have a 'Day At the Races,' held in the Turf & Field room. When time allows during the day, Davis comes up to visit and help auction off some of the memorabilia. Davis has been involved with the organization for 11 years, after being introduced to Don Larkin, an association booster. Davis says with unabashed emotion, 'This is a great achievement because we [jockeys] don't have a lot of spare time and to be honored for something off the track is especially a great achievement.' At five-feet, one-inch, Davis could not be standing any taller. TRA TELECOMMUNICATIONS PROJECT MOVES FORWARD The Thoroughbred Racing Associations' 2020 Committee, which is coordinating a telecommunciations network for the parimutuel industry, has sent Requests for Proposal (RFP) for development of the network to 24 interested vendors who have until Nov. 17 to submit proposals. The network will serve all of the parimutuel industry, and horseracing, greyhound and jai alai representatives have expressed interest.
Oct. 31, 1944: The saddle cloth numbers of the first five race winners at Jamaica corresponded to the number of the race in which each horse started. Oct. 31, 1964: Seven-year-old Kelso won his fifth consecutive Jockey Club Gold Cup, a record. In each of those races, Kelso was the odds-on favorite. Oct. 31, 1987: Jockey Chris Antley became the first rider to win nine races in a single day. He rode four winners from six mounts at Aqueduct and five winners from eight tries during The Meadowlands' evening program. Oct. 31, 1992: Past-performance data supplied by Equibase Company was used for the first time for the official track program for the Breeders' Cup Championship Day, held at Gulfstream Park. Nov. 1, 1944: Racing returned to Hollywood Park after a three-year hiatus, which followed the attack on Pearl Harbor. Nov. 1, 1938: Before a crowd of 40,000 spectators, Seabiscuit, under jockey George Woolf, defeated odds-on favorite War Admiral in the Pimlico Special, run as a winner-take-all match race with a purse of $15,000. Nov. 1, 1947: Man o' War died at Faraway Farm, Lexington, Ky. He lay in state for three days before being ceremoniously buried on Nov. 4. Nov. 2, 1968: John Nerud-trained Dr. Fager, carrying 139 pounds, won the last race of his career, the seven-furlong Vosburgh Handicap at Aqueduct, by six lengths. Dr. Fager was subsequently named champion handicap horse, champion sprinter, turf champion and Horse of the Year. Nov. 2, 1985: Trainer D. Wayne Lukas won his first Breeders' Cup race, the Juvenile Fillies, with Twilight Ridge, whose entrymates Family Style and Arewehavingfunyet finished second and eighth, respectively. Nov. 2, 1991: Dance Smartly won the Breeders' Cup Distaff and passed Lady's Secret as North American racing's all-time leading female Thoroughbred money-earner, with $3,083,456. Nov. 2, 1991: The Breeders' Cup Pick 7, a wager linking the seven Breeders' Cup races, was inaugurated. Wagering on the Pick 7 alone, excluding wagers made on the individual Breeders' Cup races, was $8,526,985. Nov. 3, 1923: Tanforan, in suburban San Francisco, opened for a 25-day, non-betting meet.
Nov. 1, Racehorse Digest, 5:30-6:00 a.m., ESPN
Calder Derby, 3yo, $150,000, 1 1-8 Miles, Grade III, Calder Carleton F. Burke Handicap, 3&up, $125,000, 1 1-2 Miles Turf, Grade II, Santa Anita Coronation Futurity, 2yo, $225,000, 1 1-8 Miles, Woodbine Fanfreluche Stakes, 2yo fillies, $75,000, 6 Furlongs Hillsborough Handicap, 3&up (f&m), $100,000, 1 1-16 Miles Turf, Grade III, Bay Meadows Iroquois Stakes, 2yo, $100,000, 1 Mile, Grade III, Churchill Downs Knickerbocker Handicap, 3&up, $100,000, 1 1-8 Miles Turf, Grade III, Aqueduct Laurel Futurity, 2yo, $100,000, 1 1-8 Miles, Grade III, Laurel Robert F. Carey Memorial Handicap, 3&up, $150,000, 1 Mile Turf, Hawthorne
Oak Tree Derby, 3yo, $250,000, 1 1-8 Miles Turf, Grade II, Santa Anita Yellow Ribbon Stakes, 3&up (f&m), $500,000, 1 1-4 Miles Turf, Grade I, Santa Anita Dance Design (IRE), who has plans to run in the Nov. 8 Breeders' Cup Turf or Distaff, made her North American debut in the Beverly D, where she was third. The four-year-old has four group stakes wins in Ireland, including a victory in the 1996 Group 1 Irish Oaks. Long Island Handicap, 3&up (f&m), $150,000, 1 1-2 Miles Turf, Grade II, Aqueduct Pocahontas Stakes, 2yo fillies, $100,000a, 1 Mile, Churchill Downs Selima Stakes, 2yo fillies, $100,000, 1 1-8 Miles, Grade III, Laurel |
