TRC THOROUGHBRED NOTEBOOK
July 27, 1995
News and notes from around the Thoroughbred racing world, compiled by Thoroughbred Racing Communications, Inc. (TRC).
SERENA's SONG AND SERENA's SONG TAKE FLIGHT AT
MONMOUTH
Serena's Song, the leading three-year-old filly in the U.S., will
attempt to become the first filly to win Sunday's Haskell Invitational
at Monmouth Park. Also on hand at the Oceanport, N.J., racetrack
will be the other Serena's Song, the world's first wheelchair
accessible hot air balloon, to give free rides to handicapped children.
Sunday will mark the first time the racehorse and the balloon will appear together.
The hot air balloon is named for Serena Waldman, a youngster with severe cerebral palsy. When Serena was younger, her parents, Gary and Cheryl, took her for a ride on a hot air balloon. Happily surprised by Serena's obvious joy in the air, the Waldmans decided other handicapped children would benefit from the experience and had the only balloon of its kind made. The Waldmans have canvassed the country, taking the balloon to air shows and giving an estimated 3,000 children the opportunity to ride in it.
Although the balloon and the horse share the name by coincidence only, the filly's owners, Robert and Beverly Lewis, have pledged to sponsor the balloon's expeditions through the on-track success of Serena's Song.
The balloon will be in the polo field opposite the track from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. Sunday morning and from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday evening.
Disabled individuals are invited to ride in the balloon during those hours. For more information or to reserve a spot on the balloon, please call Rachel Rosen at (908) 571-5541 or Erin Cavanagh at (908) 571-5638.
CHAMPION PASEANA RETIRED
Two-time Eclipse Award winner Paseana (ARG) has been retired
after sustaining a torn suspensory ligament in her left foreleg during
last Sunday's Vanity Handicap in which she finished fifth. The eight-
year-old mare retires with 19 victories from 36 starts with earnings of
$3,171,203, less than $100,000 short of the all-time North American
distaff earnings record of $3,263,836 set by Dance Smartly.
Paseana (ARG) has been sent to owner Sid Craig's Rancho Santa Fe, in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., which he plans to rename Rancho Paseana. The mare will be bred during the 1996 breeding season.
SECRETARIAT NAMED CHEF DE RACE
Secretariat, two-time Horse of the Year, has been selected a chef de
race by the Advisory Committee on Dosage. He was placed in the
intermediate-solid category. Chef-de-races are used to compute a
dosage profile, which gives an indication of a horse's ability to run at
various distances. The announcement was made in the August
1995 issue of Owner-Breeder, a monthly journal on the
Thoroughbred breeding industry.
HOLLYWOOD REPORTS RECORD AVERAGE HANDLE
Hollywood Park reported the average handle at the Inglewood,
Calif., racetrack was up by nearly $1.5 million daily during the
recently concluded spring-summer meet over last year's figures for
the same period. The daily average of $9,618,258 was an increase
of 18 percent over the 1994 average. The total handle for the meet
was $644,423,260.
"Our product is being exposed to more people than ever before," said R.D. Hubbard, Hollywood Park chairman. "We had action around the clock at Hollywood Park with the Hollywood Casino also accommodating race players. For the first time we imported and exported races to Canada. We continued simulcasts from Hong Kong throughout the season and fans in New York State also had the opportunity to bet on races from Hollywood Park for the first time."
RETAMA TO OFFER ON-TRACK EDUCATION PROGRAM
The Texas Racetrack Adult Continuing Education (TRACE), in
conjunction with Southwest Texas State University, will offer
college-level courses at Retama Park Racetrack this fall. The
continuing education courses will be taught at the San Antonio
racetrack and will be offered in addition to the track's popular
General Education Development courses for students seeking their
high school equivalency diplomas. All courses will be taught by
certified instructors and will include classes in agribusiness, business
education and education courses for teacher certification.
TRACE was founded by Bob Baehr, who sees the program he instituted in 1991 at two other Texas tracks, Bandera Downs and Trinity Meadows, as a means to improve the racing industry through education. "TRACE benefits the racing industry in many ways," said Baehr. "First, it benefits the people who previously had no opportunity to improve their education. Second, it's a benefit to the industry as far as improving its image. And finally, it can benefit the industry in that future managers and directors of racetracks can be educated and brought up from the industry itself through this program."
According to Retama's Director of Human Resources Jeff Stevens, the track has received numerous requests for information about the program. More than 60 individuals have inquired about courses. "We want to bring the college to the student," Stevens explained. "Everybody works such strange hours at the racetrack that we wanted to make it convenient for the student to be able to walk to their class in five minutes from where they are working. For more information about TRACE or the courses to be offered at Retama, please call Mary Leehy at (210) 651-7000, ext. 7127.
HANDLE UP AT SARATOGA DURING OPENING WEEKEND
Although on-track attendance fell by 7.7 percent, total handle
increased by 16.8 percent to $36.8 million for the opening weekend
at Saratoga Race Course, Saratoga Springs, N.Y. The on-track
handle for July 21-23 was $9.2 million, an increase of 1.8 percent
over the same period last year, which included an automobile
giveaway promotion. This year's figures do not include handle on
twilight simulcasting.
RIVER DOWNS TO HOST CINCINNATI RIDING FOR THE
HANDICAPPED EVENT
River Downs, Cincinnati, Ohio, will host a demonstration by the
Cincinnati Riding for the Handicapped program on Saturday, July
29. The riding center, based in Milford, Ohio, teaches handicapped
children how to ride and care for horses. Saturday's demonstration
will mark the fifth annual performance at River Downs by the riding
center.
The children "look forward all year long to their performance at River Downs," said Sue Radabaugh, one of the program directors. "The jockeys come out and assist (the children) through their exercises and it really gives them the feel of being a rider. The jockeys dress them up in real silks and goggles and exchange riding experiences. It is a day that brings out the best in everyone."
Horseback riding has been shown to be an extremely beneficial therapeutic exercise for handicapped individuals. "There are so many physical benefits to riding," said Radabaugh. "The action in the saddle is very therapeutic. Perhaps even more important though, is the emotional benefits the children get from the sense of pride in learning to ride."
The children will begin their demonstration at 11:30 a.m. in the paddock area walking ring and ride until 12:30 p.m.. As in the past, there will be a party for all the participants following the performance hosted by the track and Ted Gregory, "The Rib King."
ROCKINGHAM TO FEATURE NEUMEIER HANDICAPPING
SEMINAR
In its continuing effort to educate fans, Rockingham Park, Salem,
N.H., will offer a free handicapping seminar on Saturday, July 29
with noted sportscaster and Breeders' Cup analyst Bob Neumeier.
The session, co-sponsored by Daily Racing Form, will be informative
for seasoned handicappers as well as new and casual fans. All
participants will receive a handicapping booklet and key chain. Ten
fans will also receive a handicapping video, hosted by Neumeier.
The seminar will begin at 11:00 a.m. in the track's grandstand. For additional information, contact Lynn Snierson at (603) 898-2311, ext. 292.
OWNERS SEMINAR AT MONMOUTH PARK
A program designed to educate potential new Thoroughbred owners
will be held at Monmouth Park, Oceanport, N.J., Aug. 5. Conducted
by the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, the seminar
will start at 8 a.m. with a panel discussing such topics as agents,
partnerships and business issues. Cal Ann Stilz at TOBA at (606)
276-2462 for more information or to register.
SARATOGA ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION ON TRAINERS
In its continuing series of Roundtable Discussion on current trends
and issues which impact Thoroughbred racing, the National Museum
of Racing and Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., will host a
discussion titled "Riding Through Time: A Historical Perspective on
a Trainer's Life and Career," on Monday, July 31 from 7:00 to 8:30
p.m. The panel, which will include Hall of Fame trainer Scotty
Schulhofer, Lisa Lewis and Kieran McLaughlin, among others, will
explore the changes that have taken place in the field of
Thoroughbred training. They will discuss advances in technology,
medications, the involvement of women and minorities, rules and
regulations. The program will take place in the Museum's Hall of
Fame Gallery. It is free and open to the public. For additional
information, please call the museum at (518) 584-0400.
TELEVISED RACES
July 29, Johnny Morris B.C. Stks., Arlington International, TBA, Del
Mar, Sword Dancer Handicap, Saratoga Racecourse, 5:30-6:00
p.m., ESPN2
July 30, Haskell Invitational, Monmouth Park and Jim Dandy Stakes, Saratoga Racecourse, 5:00-6:00 p.m., ESPN
RACING TO HISTORY
July 27, 1973: In preparation for the Aug. 4 Whitney Stakes,
Secretariat worked a mile at Saratoga Racecourse in 1:34 over a
muddy track. His workout time was 4-5 of a second faster than the
55-year-old track record for the distance. He galloped out another
eighth of a mile for a final time of 1:47 4-5, which was 2-5 of a
second lower than the track record.
July 28, 1951: Citation, then the world's leading money-winning Thoroughbred, was paraded before a crowd of 28,000 at Arlington Park in his last public appearance at a track before being retired to stud.
July 28, 1987: Jockey Angel Cordero Jr. won his 6,000th victory in the Colleen Stakes at Monmouth Park aboard Lost Kitty. He was the fourth rider in racing history to accomplish that feat.
July 29, 1953: Jockey Walter Blum rode his first career winner at Saratoga Racecourse.
July 29, 1972: In preparation for a July 31 race at Saratoga, Secretariat went three furlongs in :35.
July 29, 1973: Jockey Pat Day rode his first career winner, Forblunged, in a $2,000 claiming race at Prescott Downs, Prescott, Ariz. His mount earned $347 -- the winner's share of the $631 purse.
July 30, 1870: Monmouth Park opened with a five-day race meet.
July 31, 1972: Secretariat, ridden for the first time by Ron Turcotte, won his second victory in three starts, on opening day at Saratoga Racecourse. The pair were sent off at odds of 2-5.
Aug. 1, 1945: Open racing resumed in place of the war-time restricted, or zoned, system in England.
Aug. 2, 1864: America's oldest Thoroughbred racetrack, Saratoga Racecourse, opened its inaugural meet with four days of racing. Since then it has been the site of some of racing's most famous upsets. Man o' War suffered his only loss in 21 starts while racing at Saratoga, and Triple Crown champion Gallant Fox was defeated by a 100-1 shot named Jim Dandy in Saratoga's 1930 Travers, prompting the track to be called "the graveyard of favorites."
Aug. 2, 1969: Jockey Robyn Smith, one of the first female jockeys in the U.S., won her first career race, at Ferndale.
Aug. 3, 1971: The yearling Secretariat was shod on his front feet for the first time and transferred to the Meadow training center for breaking.
Aug. 3, 1989: Jockey Jorge Velasquez notched his 6,000th career victory aboard three-year-old filly Maddie Bumpo in the third race at Arlington International Racecourse.
Aug. 4, 1973: In his first race against older horses, 1-10 favorite Secretariat was defeated in the Whitney Stakes at Saratoga by Allen Jerkens" four-year-old trainee Onion, who beat him by a length. Secretariat was subsequently found to be suffering from a virus.
Aug. 5, 1988: Trainer Dale Baird won his 5,000th career race with Stuffed Johnnie at Mountaineer Park, becoming the second trainer in history, behind Jack Van Berg, to reach that mark.
Aug. 6, 1951: The National Museum of Racing opened in Congress Park at Saratoga Springs, N.Y. More than 2,000 people attended the opening ceremonies presided over by C.V. Whitney.
WEEKEND STAKES
SATURDAY
Sword Dancer Invitational Handicap, 3&up, $250,000, 1 1-2 Miles
Turf, Grade I, Saratoga
Distance specialist Awad won the Grade I Early Times Manhattan
Stakes at 1 1-4 miles and then was second in the Grade II Bowling
Green Handicap to Sentimental Moi at 1 3-8 miles. He will face stiff
competition from European Group 1 winner King's Theatre (IRE),
who didn't like the soft going at Atlantic City in the Caesars
International but will probably have a firm surface on Saturday. The
only filly in the race, Market Booster is always close against fillies
but is facing males here. She won at this distance April 27 in the
Grade III Bewitch Stakes at Keeneland. Sentimental Moi won the
Bowling Green handicap, beating Awad, at 1 3-8 miles. Others
entered are: Kusamba, winner of his last start; Sans Ecocide (GB)
winner of the listed Bo Derek Stakes at Hollywood Park June 2 and
was third, beaten seven lengths to the very talented Special Price in
the Grade II Golden Gate Handicap June 24; Kissin Kris, still trying
to win his first race since the 1993 Haskell; Holy Mountain, first and
second in his two allowance starts this year; Correntino, who beat
Holy Mountain in his last start and is usually close in allowance
company; Lindon Lime, winner of the listed Louisville Handicap last
start; Palashall; fourth to Correntino in an allowance event; Kiri's
Clown, close earlier in the year in several races but has turned in
two terrible races since; and Glenbarra, second in the Fort McHenry
at Laurel, breaking a three-race winning streak in Maryland.
Omaha Gold Cup, 3yo, $100,000, 1 1-8 Miles, AKsarben Retama Turf Handicap, 3&up, $75,000, 1 1-8 Miles Turf, Retama Salvator Mile, 3&up, $75,000, 1 Mile, Grade III, Monmouth San Clemente Handicap, 3yo fillies, $100,000, 1 Mile Turf, Grade III, Del Mar San Diego Handicap, 3&up, $150,000, 1 1-16 Miles, Grade III, Del Mar Shepperton Stakes, 3&up, $75,000, 6 1-2 Furlongs, Grade IIIC, Woodbine
SUNDAY
Haskell Invitational Handicap, 3yo, $500,000, 1 1-8 Miles, Grade I,
Monmouth
Serena's Song, a surprise loser to fillies in the 1 1-4-mile Coaching
Club American Oaks, looks to rebound against a good field of colts
in the Haskell. Several stakes winners are ready to take their shots
against the fillies, including: Citadeed, winner of the Peter Pan
Stakes and third in the Belmont Stakes; Long Branch winner
Pyramid Peak; Blu Tusmani, who took the Withers; Kingdom City,
who won the Round Table; and Blue Grass winner Wild Syn. Other
strong contenders are: Long Branch runner-up Suave Prospect; Pat
n Jac, who was second in the Withers and Peter Pan; Mighty
Magee, winner of the Sir Barton Stakes; and Reality Road, second
in the Dwyer. Others expected are John and Pat and Jealous
Crusader. The last and only time the Haskell has attracted a dozen
runners was 1971.
Jim Dandy Stakes, 3yo, $125,000, 1 1-8 Miles, Grade II, Saratoga Hoolie is the hot horse. After dropping his first two career starts last year, he has run off four straight wins, all very easy. His first try at stakes company was his last race, a 1 1-4-length win in the Grade II Dwyer. The class of the field is Star Standard, who was fourth in the Preakness and a game second in the Belmont. He won the Grade II Lexington Stakes in April. Composer was beaten 21 1-2 lengths in the Belmont but bounced back with an 11-length allowance win July 7. Peruvian won the Grade III Iroquois Stakes to close out 1994 but has been fourth and third against weaker this year. Malthus is another Robert Perez Panamian purchase who will be making his first U.S. start.
Prince of Wales Stakes, 3yo, $175,000, 1 3-16 Miles, Grade IC, Fort Erie Owned by Vancouver Canucks goaltender Kirk McLean, Regal Discovery, winner of the Queen's Plate, goes after the second leg of the Canadian Triple Crown.
Bing Crosby Handicap, 3&up, $150,000, 6 Furlongs, Grade III, Del Mar