TRC THOROUGHBRED NOTEBOOK

November 11, 1997

News and notes from around the Thoroughbred racing world, compiled by Thoroughbred Racing Communications, Inc. (TRC) (212.371.5911..)

GREEN RULER

November 11, 1997 Vol. 10, No. 31

CAN'T WAIT FOR YOUR NEWS? GET TRC ON THE WEB OR BY E-MAIL TRC's twice-weekly releases are available on the following web sites. Some post Thursday's TRC Thoroughbred Notebook, others have Tuesday's TRC Media Update and some have both. Equibase Company: (www.equibase.com/home.html) under "Media and Press Information" The Blood-Horse: (www.bloodhorse.com/news/index.html) under "News" ESPN Sportszone: (espnet.sportszone.com/horse/) CBS Sportsline (www.sportsline.com/u/racing/horse/index.html) The Running Horse, with a complete three-year archive of Notebooks: (http://www.isd1.com/) All TRC releases can be e-mailed for immediate delivery. In addition, Media Update can be formatted for most PC-based word processors (as well as Word for Macintosh). Contact Howard Bass at TRC, (212) 371-5913, or at Damascus@worldnet.att.net, to receive your newsletters via e-mail. NEWS, NAMES AND NOTES BREEDERS' CUP HANDLE AND ATTENDANCE NUMBERS ARE UP; PRELIMINARY TELEVISION RATINGS FOR BREEDERS' CUP SHOW DECLINES; FOR PARTICIPANTS, BREEDERS' CUP IS A DAY FOR RECORD-SETTING; CELEBRITIES MAKE A SHOW AT HOLLYWOOD PARK FOR BREEDERS' CUP; RCI ENDORSES NTRA; ENTRIES DUE FOR ECLIPSE MEDIA AWARDS; WAGERING GOES ON-BOARD WITH CARNIVAL CRUISE LINES; SCHOLARSHIP FUND ESTABLISHED IN HONOR OF THE LATE JIM BOLUS; SYMPOSIUM ON RACING TO BE HELD IN DECEMBER; AND MORE. FEATURES ACTOR DANNY AIELLO TEAMS WITH A RACEHORSE IN FILMING DELLAVENTURA; NFL DEVISES MARKETING PROGRAM AIMED AT FEMALE FANS. PLUS RACING TO HISTORY; THOROUGHBRED WORLD SCHEDULE FOR NOVEMBER; THOROUGHBRED WORLD SCHEDULE FOR NOVEMBER; SKIP AWAY HEADS FINAL TRC NATIONAL POLL. NEWS, NAMES AND NOTES BREEDERS' CUP HANDLE WELL UP OVER LAST YEAR North American parimutuel wagering on the Breeders' Cup totaled $73,897,276 with $64,685,732 of that coming from the simulcast of the seven-race Championship Day, held Nov. 8 at Hollywood Park in Inglewood, Calif. The total and simulcast handles both were the fourth-highest in their respective categories in the 14 years of the Breeders' Cup. Parimutuel wagering on the Breeders' Cup Pick 6, comprised of the Sprint (second Breeders' Cup race of the card) through the Classic, was $3,379,014. Winning tickets were held by 115 bettors, who each received $16,417.20; the consolation (five of six winners) paid $158.20 to 5,111 bettors. Previously, the multi-race wager had comprised all seven Breeders' Cup races. Attendance at Hollywood Park totaled 51,161, a 21.1 percent increase over the audience of 42,243 who witnessed last year's event at Woodbine Racecourse. The record for Breeders' Cup attendance, 71,237, was set in 1994 at Churchill Downs, where the Breeders' Cup returns next year. Wagering on all seven Breeders' Cup races was allowed in France for the first time. Handle was $1,020,057. PRELIMINARY TV RATINGS DOWN FOR BREEDERS' CUP TELECAST Overnight A. C. Nielsen ratings for the Breeders' Cup telecast on NBC, which aired from 1:30-6:00 p.m. (Eastern) on Saturday, Nov. 8, indicate that this year's television audience may have been the smallest ever in the 14 years that the event has been held. According to Ed Markey, an NBC spokesman, the Breeders' Cup had a 2.5 rating and six percent market share, based on surveys from the 38 largest TV markets, which comprise nearly 60 percent of the nation's total television audience. In the last half-hour of the telecast, however, the Breeders' Cup Classic drew the telecast's peak audience, which translated to a 3.1 rating. Last year, the overnight rating was 3.0 with an eight percent share; in 1995, the overnights were a 3.3 rating and a nine percent share. The final ratings will be released on Thursday, Nov. 13. According to Markey, final ratings typically are lower than overnight ratings. The Breeders' Cup telecast was up against "Judgement Day," extended programming that featured key college football games between Michigan and Penn State and Nebraska and Missouri. Those games, which aired on ABC between 3:30 and 7:00 p.m., drew a 7.7 rating and 17 percent market share. BREEDERS' CUP IS ONE FOR THE RECORD BOOKS * Five Breeders' Cup records were set and another was tied during the 14th running of Racing's Championship Day. The races, the winners, their times and the previous marks: Juvenile Fillies, Countess Diana, 1:42 (My Flag, 1:42 2/5, 1995 Belmont Park Sprint, Elmhurst, 1:08 (Thirty Slews, 1:08 1/5, 1992 Gulfstream Park) Mile, Spinning World tied the Mile record of 1:32 3/5 set by Royal Heroine (IRE) in 1984 at Hollywood Park Juvenile, Favorite Trick, 1:41 2/5 (Unbridled's Song, 1:41 3/5, 1995 Belmont Park) Turf, Chief Bearhart, 2:23 4/5 (Fraise, 2:24, 1992 Gulfstream Park) Classic, Skip Away, 1:59 (Cigar, 1:59 2/5, 1995 Belmont Park) * The 1997 Breeders' Cup was the most formful ever-five of the seven races were won by favorites. The next-best years for favorites were 1984, the inaugural Breeders' Cup at Hollywood Park, and 1990 at Belmont Park. Four favorites won in each occasion. * Jockey Pat Day extended his Breeders' Cup records for most victories and money won with his win aboard undefeated Favorite Trick in the Juvenile. The win was his ninth. The $520,000 first-prize pushed his money total to $14,520,000. * With his victories in the Distaff and Classic, jockey Mike Smith moved into second place on the victory list with eight, ahead of Eddie Delahoussaye, Laffit Pincay Jr. and Chris McCarron all with seven. * Trainer D. Wayne Lukas went 0-for-8 but managed to pad his career Breeders' Cup money title when Sharp Cat earned $220,000 for her second-place finish in the Distaff. That gives Lukas $12,676,000 in earnings from 112 starters. * Owner Allen Paulson earned five checks from five starters, including Distaff winner Ajina, Saturday. The all-time money-winning owner added $1,446,400 to his previous total of $4,018,000. * Paulson's career total of four Cup wins is unmatched. * Patrick Byrne became just the second trainer to win both Juvenile races in the same year. D. Wayne Lukas has done it twice, in 1988 and 1994. * Chief's Crown and Wild Again became the third and fourth Breeders' Cup winners to sire a winner. Chief's Crown (1984 Juvenile winner) sired Turf winner Chief Bearhart, and Wild Again (1984 Classic winner) sired Sprint winner Elmhurst. Cozzene (1985 Mile winner) sired Tikkanen (1994 Turf winner) and Alphabet Soup (1996 Classic winner); Unbridled (1991 Classic winner) sired Unbridled's Song (1996 Juvenile winner). * Cash Asmussen broke an 0-for-22 losing streak with his victory aboard Spinning World in the Mile, and Shane Sellers won his first Cup in nine tries. * Four top Southern California riders were shut out in the Cup: Chris McCarron, Gary Stevens, Kent Desormeux and Alex Solis. Also shut out was Jerry Bailey, a four-time Classic winner, who had to give up the ride on Skip Away Saturday because of a prior commitment to ride Behrens. * Skip Away was the 17th Florida-bred to win a Breeders' Cup race; Chief Bearhart became the second Canadian-bred winner. Leading state Kentucky had five more Blue Grass-bred winners, pushing its total to 54. CELEBRITIES OUT IN FULL FORCE FOR BREEDERS' CUP DAY There was no shortage of celebrities at Hollywood Park Saturday for the 14th running of the Breeders' Cup Championship Day. Among them: Terry Bradshaw, Mel Brooks, Dennis Cole, Jackie Cooper, Bo Derek, William Devane, Shannon Doherty, Lee Iacocca, Jim Lampley, Ed McMahon, Al Michaels, Michael Milken, Jack Nicholson, Stephanie Powers, Tiffani-Amber Thiessen, Alex Trebek, Jack Whitaker, James Woods and Dick Van Patten. RCI LATEST TO ENDORSE NTRA AS BUSINESS PLAN NEARS COMPLETION The Association of Racing Commissioners International (RCI) is the latest in a widening range of racing industry organizations to commit its support and assistance to the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, presently in the closing stages of finalizing a business plan to open a central national office. Announcing the unanimous endorsement of the NTRA initiative by the RCI board of directors, RCI president Tony Chamblin said that the organization pledged its support of the NTRA in identifying early regulatory problems-especially those concerning the distribution of funding-and, wherever possible, helping to facilitate legislative changes which might be necessary. "This is a tangible example of the recent expansion of our mission from a purely regulatory role to one which also embraces the promotion of racing," he said. "Our commissioners have recognized the need for them to become more visibly supportive of racing and initiatives to improve the health of the sport. In our view, the NTRA is by far the best initiative that's come along." Chamblin said that he would be assisting the NTRA and helping to expedite these objectives, just as are other industry leaders in various capacities are doing. NTRA interim COO, Nick Nicholson, welcomed the RCI endorsement, praising the national leadership's offer of assistance in an area critical to the future promotion of Thoroughbred racing. "We are truly grateful to RCI for their support and the way they have grasped the prospect of a new future for Thoroughbred racing," he said. "When individual state Rules of Racing were drafted, the NTRA concept was not, of course, part of the scene. Our plan is based on the anticipation of tracks, horsemen and all aspects of the industry being unified and wanting action, so it's important that regulations or legislation not delay this vital project unnecessarily. "It would be a tragedy if our progress were to be thwarted by some historic regulation, which may have been appropriate when it was written but which is less appropriate in today's world." Nicholson continued. "No one is better qualified to identify such cases than our commissioners and we sincerely hope all commissioners will respond to the call of their national leadership and help move our great sport towards a brighter and healthier future." The RCI endorsement of the NTRA follows publication of a position paper designed to "communicate its philosophies and objectives to its members and the media." Circulated to the membership earlier this year, it called for the organization "to create a cohesive regulatory structure for a financially viable pari-mutuel industry . . . designed to serve the interests of the customers and participants in the industry" and "to promote the health and welfare of the industry thorough various programs and projects." DEC. 1 IS DEADLINE FOR ECLIPSE MEDIA AWARDS Entries for the 1997 Eclipse Awards for Media must be submitted to the office of the Thoroughbred Racing Associations, postmarked by Dec. 1, 1997. Media awards are given for newspaper writing, magazine writing, photography, national television, local television and radio. Entries will be judged for outstanding achievement in the coverage of Thoroughbred racing. Submissions must have been published or aired for the first time between Dec. 1, 1996 and Nov. 30, 1997, in a paid-circulation publication or on a commercial or public television or radio station. Fiction pieces are not eligible in any category. Entries are limited to three per entrant in the television, radio and photography categories and to two per entrant in newspaper and magazine writing. A panel of journalism professors and writers will judge the magazine and newspaper writing categories. Winners in the photo category will be selected by a panel of sports photo editors and the television and radio categories will be judged by members of the broadcast industry. Newspaper and magazine entries must include the author's name, date and name of the publication and a tearsheet. Contestants are urged to include a straight text version of their entries as well. In the newspaper category, entrants may have a sampling of their overall work submitted as a single entry (limit of three samples) in lieu of separate, multiple entries. Such entries must be accompanied by an editor's letter of nomination. Photography entries must include a tearsheet of the published photo and six non-returnable 8-by-10 prints. Photos used in a commercial ad are not eligible. Tapes of radio and television entries must be accompanied by a letter detailing the name of the entrant, the date the program aired and the name of the station or network on which it aired. Television entries may be submitted on either 3/4-inch tape or 1/2-inch cassettes. Commercials should be deleted. The Eclipse Awards will be presented at the 27th annual Eclipse Awards Dinner on Feb. 10, 1998 at the Westin Mission Hills Resort in Palm Springs, Fla. Submit all entries to: Conrad Sobkowiak, TRA, 420 Fair Hill Drive, Suite 1, Elkton, Md., 21921. For more information contact the TRA at (410) 392-9200. CARNIVAL CRUISES INTO ON-BOARD WAGERING Speedway Fast won the third race at Los Alamitos on Nov. 1 and in doing so ushered in a new era for horse racing: the live simulcasting of horse races aboard a cruise liner. The first-ever cruise ship simulcast took place aboard Carnival's MS Holiday, sailing in the waters off Mexico's Pacific Coast. Guests were able to place bets in the cruise ship's Ocean Turf Club. The three- and four-day Holiday cruises will simulcast from a daily menu of North American tracks and racing venues in Australia and Hong Kong. The ship's maiden voyage even accepted advanced wagering on the Breeders' Cup. Because of the popularity of the simulcasts, the cruise line is considering adding more Ocean Turf Clubs to the other ships in its fleet before the end of the year. According to Rodney Dofort, director of operations for the casino division of Carnival Corp., "Carnival hosts more than 33,000 passengers a week. That's potentially thousands of people who will be exposed to horse racing for the first time, actually betting on races run in their home state, who may return home and become avid racing enthusiasts." TURF WRITERS ESTABLISH SCHOLARSHIP IN MEMORY OF JIM BOLUS On Nov. 5, the National Turf Writers Association (NTWA) and Early Times Kentucky Whiskey announced the establishment of the Jim Bolus Memorial Scholarship at the University of Louisville. The announcement was made during the NTWA awards dinner at the Museum of Flying in Los Angeles, Calif. The scholarship will be directed by the University of Louisville's College of Arts and Sciences, Bolus' alma mater. It will be awarded annually to an undergraduate student with an outstanding academic record who is pursuing a degree in communications. Preference will be given to those interested in Thoroughbred racing. In addition, the recipient must exemplify Bolus' positive "life skills" and uphold his high values toward family, friends and the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Bolus, a reporter and writer who died in May, was widely regarded as the leading historian on the Kentucky Derby. He was awarded posthumously the Walter Haight Award for Excellence in Journalism and the Joe Palmer Award for meritorious service to racing. "It is our hope that the Jim Bolus Scholarship Fund will serve as a continual reminder of Jim's achievements, as well as to inspire and challenge future journalists to share his same passion for his profession," said Alan Moore, associate vice president and brand director for Early Times, which made the initial $2,000 contribution. Additional funding from the Thoroughbred industry is expected to be received. The organization hopes to receive gifts totaling $10,000 by Dec. 1, 1997 so that the scholarship reaches endowment status. Once that goal is attained, the Jim Bolus Scholarship will become a lifetime gift for the University of Louisville. SYMPOSIUM ON RACING TO BE HELD DEC. 10-13 One of the largest racing conferences in the world, the Symposium on Racing, will be held Dec. 10-13 at Loews Ventana Canyon Resort in Tucson, Ariz. The 24th annual conference will focus on televised racing, politics and gaming, simulcasting, technological opportunities for racetracks and marketing among other topics. Sponsored by the University of Arizona's Race Track Industry Program, the Symposium draws an international roster of panelists and attendees. Two issues relating to televised racing-how to get more racing on TV and how to shape audiences' perceptions of equine sports-receive separate treatment. "How to Get Your Race Track on Television: What the Decision Makers Have to Say," will be moderated by Winner Communications' Tom Dawson and includes panelists Mike Chamberlain, a Phoenix, Ariz., sports anchor; Steve Robinson, executive editor of CNNSI; and John Nelson, managing editor of Fox Sports News. "Is Racing Ready for Prime Time" covers issues relating to audiences' perceptions of the safety and integrity of horse racing. Moderated by New York Racing Association and Breeders' Cup announcer Tom Durkin, the panel will include Larry Bramlage DVM, a member of the American Association of Equine Practitioners' On Call Program; Bob Duncan, the official starter for the New York Racing Association; Craig Janoff, director of Monday Night Football and the Triple Crown series for ABC Sports; Steve Nagler, an ABC Sports producer; and Doug Wren, executive producer for Winner Communications. Legislative issues will be discussed in the panel entitled "Political Realities of Gaming," moderated by racing consultant Mike Shagan and featuring panelists Jay Hickey of the American Horse Council and Senator Lana Oleen of Kansas. A "how-to" panel dealing with legislative issues will be moderated by consultant Nancy Todd. Representatives from Thoroughbred, Standardbred, Quarter Horse and Greyhound racetracks will discuss issues relating to cross-breed simulcasting in a session entitled "Hounds and Horses: Past Lessons/Future Strategies," moderated by Kip Keefer, director of corporate marketing and simulcasting at Birmingham Racecourse. Methods for finding, financing and operating new technologies will be the subject of a panel entitled "Carpe Diem," which features speakers Thomas Chaffee, director of programming and simulcasting for Ladbroke Racing Inc.; Andrew Gaughen, director of business development for the Ontario Jockey Club; and Todd Lefkowitz, America Online's director of business strategies for interactive entertainment. Marketing will be the subject of Keynote Speaker Jon Spoelstra's address at the Turf Publicists of America Mark Kaufman Workshop. Related sessions include "Marketing as a Corporate Strategy," "Relationship Marketing" and "Universal Customer Service." On Friday, Dec. 12, D. G. Van Clief Jr., interim president and CEO of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, will lead a presentation on the NTRA and its progress in creating a business plan for a national office for Thoroughbred racing. The Symposium will also feature sessions on the care and maintenance of the racetrack surface; problem gambling; the Television Games Network; and racetrack management. For information on the Symposium contact the RTIP online at http://ag.arizona.edu/rtip or call (520) 621-5660. NOTES: A photography show now on display at the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., features more than 100 works by 67 amateur or professional photographers, who entered the museum's third annual contest. Awards were given in five categories: Best in Show, Best Amateur Shot, Best Action Shot, Best Backstretch Shot and Best Black and White Shot. One honorable mention was also awarded. Sponsors for the event were Fuji Photo Film U.S.A., The Blood-Horse, The Equine Image and Image Photo Shop. The show continues through Nov. 30. . .Autotote Systems Inc. has signed a new contract with the Southern California network of racetracks and off-track wagering facilities, which extends through September 2003. The contract includes provisions for joint development of new products and technologies for racing. . .The merger between the Santa Anita Companies and Meditrust was consummated on Nov. 5 and marked by the Santa Anita Companies changing its name to The Meditrust Companies, which is comprised of Meditrust Corporation and Meditrust Operating Company. The twin companies are now traded as a pair on the New York Stock Exchange, under the ticker symbol MT. . .On Nov. 9 at Hoosier Park in Anderson, Ind., patrons paid $1 for a change to "hug a horse" and be photographed with a Thoroughbred for the benefit of the Diabetes Foundation. The charity program was held in conjunction with the Lions Club of Madison County and complemented a raffle, which also benefited the Diabetes Foundation. . .Churchill Downs will honor Hall of Fame jockey Pat Day, the Louisville, Ky., racetrack's all-time leading rider, on Sunday, Nov. 16. Ten-thousand commemorative posters will be given away and Day will participate in an autograph session. A reception and silent auction will follow the day's races; tickets are $25 and proceeds will benefit the Racetrack Chaplaincy of America. . .Calder Racecourse, Opa Locka, Fla., concluded a 122-day season with total parimutuel handle of $465,395,779-well over its 1996 total of $369,725,145. Total on-track attendance, including Calder's Wednesday "simulcast only" programs, was 682,491, a 3.5 percent drop over the 1996 total of 707,572. Attendance at Calder's evening simulcasts was not included in the totals; admission to the track for evening simulcasts is free. . .The 27-day Oak Tree meet at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif., concluded with total parimutuel handle of $268.1 million, an increase of 1.6 percent over last year's $263.8 million. On-track attendance totaled 333,476-down less than one percent over 1996. Average daily attendance was 12,351. "We are very pleased with the results of the meeting," said Sherwood C. Chillingworth, director and executive vice president of the Oak Tree Racing Association. "Finishing virtually even with last year in attendance is gratifying considering the unseasonably hot weather and fact that for the first time since 1987, the Breeders' Cup was not held during the Oak Tree meeting." The Breeders' Cup traditionally gives Oak Tree a boost of 20,000 in attendance and $5 million in on-track handle, according to Oak Tree officials. . .Jockey Julie Krone will be on The Sports Illustrated for Kids Show, Saturday, Nov. 15, from 11:00-11:30 a.m. (Eastern). The show airs on CBS (check local listings). . .Jockey Robbie Davis will be honored Nov. 14 by Big Brothers Big Sisters of Long Island for his work with troubled youths. FEATURES HIGH TIER, THE GOODWILL GELDING, IS NOW A TV STAR Monmouth Park's four-legged goodwill ambassador, the eight-year-old gelding High Tier, has some apologizing to do to Danny Aiello. The veteran actor was at Monmouth's sister track, The Meadowlands, filming scenes for his CBS drama Dellaventura last week when he was accidentally stomped by High Tier. Aiello suffered a broken toe. According to Barbara Foster, who hosts fan education programs for Monmouth, this was High Tier's maiden television role. "I overheard that the producers were looking for a horse for this show," she said. "I immediately volunteered High Tier. He hadn't done any TV work before but [things] went really well." That is, until he decided to place his foot on Aiello's toe. "Danny Aiello pretty much said it was his own fault that he got stepped on," said Foster. "He really seemed to like High Tier and was always kissing him and petting him." "He's been so quiet and cooperative," said Foster of High Tier. "He stands exactly where the director tells him to and doesn't move." Although now a seasoned "actor," High Tier does not command a high salary for his acting talents. "His salary was all the carrots he could eat," said Foster. "He's always working for carrots." Aiello has been a visitor to Monmouth Park on previous occasions. "He was very cooperative with us, posing for photos and doing interviews in his past visits to Monmouth," Foster said. "He really seems to like the sport and horses." The Dellaventura episode featuring The Meadowlands and High Tier will air in either late December or early January. NFL FINDS FAVOR WITH FEMALE VIEWERS A recent poll showed that 40 percent of the people who watch NFL football on television are women. To capitalize on this phenomenon and increase its fan base, the NFL began holding a series of workshops to help women tackle the basics of the game. NFL 101 Workshops for Women are being offered by 10 teams this season, including the Dallas Cowboys, Indianapolis Colts and San Diego Chargers. The workshops are taught by Betsy Berns, who wrote The Women's Armchair Guide to Pro Football, which serves as the course textbook. Berns explains everything from the game's roots in rugby to the lingo, players, positions, penalties, strategies, scoring and plays. The workshops are part of a new marketing campaign by the NFL to reach women. Named the "Women's Initiative," the program seeks to attract new female fans to the sport and make avid fans out of the casual ones. The program has four basic components: education, merchandising, participation and advertising. At a Football 101 workshop that was held at Texas Stadium in Irving on Oct. 15, 800 women paid $10 for the two-hour instructional. Program coordinators were overwhelmed by the turnout generated from one newspaper ad and one mention on the radio. Event coordinators canceled additional advertisements because of the response received; 250 women on a waiting list to get into the workshop were turned away. The seminar in San Diego had 700 participants while Indianapolis had more than 100. At the seminar at Texas Stadium, women met former Cowboys quarterback Babe Laufenberg and Cowboys safety Bill Bates. They got player autographs, a tour of the locker room and were feted to a dinner and door prizes. The seminars are participatory events during which audience members are "drafted" to act out positions of team players. The Dallas Morning News reported some women really got into their roles as Cowboys: Katie Richmond, who served as Deion Sanders, improvised a Prime Time dance along the line of scrimmage. In the Aug. 18, 1997 issue of The New Yorker magazine, Dr. Richard Lapchick, director of Northeastern University's Center for the Study of Sports in Society, noted that the growth of women's participation in sports is the biggest change to sports in the last decade. More girls are playing high school football-nearly 800 in 1995 compared to 295 in 1994, according to NFL statistics-and roughly 25 percent of the children ages 8-15 who participated in the NFL Gatorade Punt, Pass & Kick competition last year were girls. To market directly to this untapped fan base, the NFL has contracted with apparel manufacturers to design a line of logo products specifically for women, no longer forcing them to wear men's or unisex styles. New logo-bearing items, such as scarves, jewelry and intimate apparel are now on the market as is a new NFL Family Cookbook that features NFL stars "on the field and in the kitchen with their wives." The league has also started advertising its merchandise in predominantly female-oriented magazines such as Cosmopolitan, Self and People. The results of an ESPN/Chilton poll from 1996 that showed NFL football was the favorite sport of 21.2 percent of women-far ahead of Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association and National Hockey League-make the NFL's Women's Initiative all the more timely. RACING TO HISTORY Nov. 11, 1973: Secretariat was flown to Claiborne Farm to begin his stud career. Nov. 11, 1978: At age four, 1977 Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew won his last race, the Stuyvesant Handicap at Aqueduct Racetrack, by 3 1/4 lengths. Nov. 12, 1904: Four-year-old Machine Gun carried 159 pounds, believed to be the highest impost in a winning effort on the flat, at Riccarton in New Zealand. Time for the five-furlong race was :58. Nov. 15, 1990: Alydar, one of the top sires in America and runner-up in all three Triple Crown races to Affirmed, was euthanized at Calumet Farm. Nov. 15, 1995: Jockey Julie Krone rode her 3,000th career winner, in the fourth race at Aqueduct, aboard Dustin's Dreamer. Nov. 16, 1951: The Pimlico Special, then a winner-take-all $15,000 contest, became the first race to be televised nationally. The winner was C.T. Chenery's Bryan G. Nov. 18, 1961: Jockey Eddie Arcaro rode his last career race, finishing third on Endymion in the Pimlico Futurity. He retired with a then-record $30,039,543 in purses. Nov. 18, 1972: Secretariat capped his two-year-old racing season with a 3 1/2-length victory in the Garden State Stakes at Garden State Park. The winner's share of the purse was $179,199, the most Secretariat ever won in a single race. Nov. 18, 1979: In the eighth race at Aqueduct, Laffit Pincay Jr. had his 4,000th career win, aboard Gladiolus. Nov. 19, 1956: Jockey Fernando Toro won his first career race at the Hipodromo, Santiago, Chile. Nov. 19, 1995: Jockey Russell Baze became the first rider to have won 400 races a year for four consecutive years, after he rode Royal Boutique to victory at Golden Gate Fields. Nov. 21, 1971: Secretariat completed his preliminary training at Meadow training center. RACING ON THE AIR THOROUGHBRED WORLD IN NOVEMBER Thoroughbred World is produced by PHoenix Communications in association with Thoroughbred Racing Communications and is available on many regional sports cable networks. During the month of November on Thoroughbred World: A visit with Monty Roberts, author of The Man Who Listens to Horses; a look at how trainer Keith Sirota got connected to a new owner half a world away; and Caton Bredar hosts "The Equibasics of Racing" segment. The following are the cable networks and their air times for November-ALL TIMES EASTERN. Comcast Sports Net: Nov. 14, 4 p.m.; Nov. 15, 11:30 a.m. Empire Sports Network: Nov. 12, 4 p.m. FOX Sports Midwest: Nov. 15, 1:30 p.m. FOX Sports West: Nov. 25, 6 p.m.; Nov. 26, 4:30 p.m. Madison Square Garden Network: Nov. 12, 4 p.m. SportsChannel New York: Nov. 17, 6 p.m. Sunshine Network: Nov. 25, 2:30 a.m. UPCOMING NATIONALLY TELEVISED RACING (All times Eastern) Nov. 12 Racehorse Digest 3:30-4:00 p.m. ESPN Nov. 13 Racehorse Digest 3:30-4:00 a.m. ESPN Nov. 15 Racehorse Digest 5:00-5:30 a.m. ESPN Nov. 19 Racehorse Digest 3:30-4:00 p.m. ESPN Nov. 21 Racehorse Digest 3:30-4:00 a.m. ESPN THOROUGHBRED RACING LEADERS Unofficial standings (subject to audit) through Sunday, November 9, 1997, as compiled by Equibase Company. Jockey Sts-1-2-3 Purses Jerry Bailey 1,101-258-182-173 $17,103,994 Gary Stevens 846-180-148-121 14,909,479 Mike Smith 1,184-220-188-145 13,779,664 Pat Day 1,127-237-187-161 12,965,108 Shane Sellers 1,318-268-246-198 12,577,368 Alex Solis 1,198-220-193-171 11,573,610 Corey Nakatani 690-137-102-109 10,110,256 Chris McCarron 563-109-92-83 9,665,017 Kent Desormeaux 878-147-136-117 8,841,482 Jorge Chavez 1,260-225-169-164 7,935,274 Trainer Sts-1-2-3 Purses D. Wayne Lukas 780-160-113-100 $9,406,106 Richard Mandella 304-53-47-46 8,780,269 Bob Baffert 391-108-68-68 8,251,744 Bill Mott 551-115-107-75 8,183,270 Mark Frostad 229-64-43-36 4,815,664 Sonny Hine 130-22-24-19 4,802,281 Wallace Dollase 156-40-28-24 4,763,210 Jerry Hollendorfer 808-184-130-119 4,389,979 John Kimmel 384-92-66-50 4,212,976 David Hofmans 239-46-34-27 4,129,492 Horse Sts-1-2-3 Purses Skip Away 11-4-5-2 $4,089,000 Gentlemen (ARG) 6-4-0-1 2,125,300 Siphon (BRZ) 6-2-3-0 2,021,000 Chief Bearhart 7-5-2-0 2,011,259 Deputy Commander 10-4-2-1 1,849,440 Silver Charm 6-3-3-0 1,598,750 Touch Gold 7-4-0-0 1,522,313 Marlin 10-4-0-2 1,521,600 Free House 10-3-2-3 1,336,910 Favorite Trick 8-8-0-0 1,231,998 Owner Sts-1-2-3 Purses Allen Paulson 268-57-48-44 $4,756,698 Carolyn Hine 26-7-5-6 4,347,895 Golden Eagle Farm 378-96-57-58 3,946,057 Frank Stronach 475-105-71-58 3,910,357 Sam-Son Farm 145-47-20-23 3,733,179 John Franks 756-106-104-105 3,696,597 Bob & Beverly Lewis 198-38-34-30 2,975,026 Augustin Stable 336-74-53-63 2,239,925 Andrea E. Stable & R.D. Hubbard 6-4-0-1 2,125,300 Rio Claro Thoroughbreds 20-5-5-2 2,112,484 The 37th and final week of the 1997 TRC NATIONAL THOROUGHBRED POLL, based on the votes of sports and Thoroughbred racing media. The Top Ten are listed in the following expanded chart each week in TRC Media Update. (Statistics courtesy of The Jockey Club Information Systems' Equine Line(tm).) POLL 1997 RECORD HORSE Pts,1st Owner Sts-1-2-3 LAST START (Finish, Field size) Pedigree Last Week Trainer Earnings (Date, Distance, Track) 1-SKIP AWAY 237,15 Carolyn Hine 11-4-5-2 Breeders' Cup Classic (1st, 9) 4C by Skip Trial-Ingot Way 5th Sonny Hine $4,089,000 (11/8, 1 1/4 M, Hol) 2-FAVORITE TRICK 210,8 Lacombe Stables 8-8-0-0 Breeders' Cup Juvenile (1st, 8) 2C by Phone Trick-Evil Elaine 7th Patrick Byrne $1,231,998 (11/8, 1 1/16 M, Hol) 3-GENTLEMEN (ARG) 201,1 Andrea E. Stable & R.D. Hubbard 6-4-0-1 Woodbine Mile (5th, 12) 5H by Robin des Bois-Elegant Glance 1st Richard Mandella $2,125,300 (9/20, 1 MT, WO) 4-FORMAL GOLD 168,1 John Murphy Sr. 9-4-2-1 Woodward S. (1st, 5) 4C by Black Tie Affair (IRE)-Ingoldsby 3rd William Perry $1,198,500 (9/20, 1 1/16 M, Bel) 5-SILVER CHARM 166,1 Bob & Beverly Lewis 6-3-3-0 Belmont S. (2nd, 7) 3C by Silver Buck-Bonnie's Poker 2nd Bob Baffert $1,598,750 (6/7, 1 1/2 M, Bel) 6-COUNTESS DIANA 86,0 Kaster, Kaster, Propson, et al. 6-5-1-0 B.C. Juvenile Fillies (1st, 14) 2F by Deerhound-T. V. Countess 15th Pat Byrne $1,019,785 (11/8, 1 1/16 M, Hol) 7-DEPUTY COMMANDER 70,0 Horizon, Jarvis & Mandyland 10-4-2-1 Breeders' Cup Classic (2nd, 9) 3C by Deputy Minister-Anka Germania (IRE) 8th Wallace Dollase $1,849,440 (11/8, 1 1/4 M, Hol) 8-CHIEF BEARHART 67,0 Sam-Son Farm 7-5-2-0 Breeders' Cup Turf (1st, 11) 4C by Chief's Crown-Amelia Bearhart NR Mark Frostad $2,011,259 (11/8, 1 1/2 MT, Hol) 9-TOUCH GOLD 51,0 Frank Stronach & Stonerside Farm 7-4-0-0 Breeders' Cup Classic (9th, 9) 3C by Deputy Minister-Passing Mood 4th David Hofmans $1,522,313 (11/8, 1 1/4 M, Hol) 10-AJINA 46,0 Allen Paulson 9-3-2-2 Breeders' Cup Distaff (1st, 8) 3F by Strawberry Road (AUS)-Winglet NR Bill Mott $979,175 (11/8, 1 1/8 M, Hol) OTHER HORSES RECEIVING VOTES Spinning World-40, Influent-14, Marlin-13, Hidden Lake-10, Elmhurst-8, Sharp Cat-8, Siphon (BRZ)-7, Blushing K.D.-5, Free House-4, Ryafan-4, Smoke Glacken-4, Behrens-3, Geri-3 RACETRACK ABBREVIATION KEY Bel-Belmont Park; Hol-Hollywood Park; WO-Woodbine

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