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

December 9, 1997
Vol. 10, No. 33
NEWS, NAMES AND NOTES
SUFFOLK DOWNS HOSTS A MATCH RACE; A UNIQUE OCCURRENCE AT HOLLYWOOD PARK;
CHURCHILL DOWNS ANNOUNCES NEW BUSINESS VENTURES; RUSSELL BAZE MAKES IT
6,000 AND COUNTING; CHRISTMAS IN NEW YORK; SOVEREIGN AWARD WINNERS
ANNOUNCED; AND MORE.
FEATURES
JOCKEY JERRY BAILEY FINDS A BIT OF HEAVEN AT LAMBEAU FIELD.
WHAT'S IN A NAME?
A MEDLEY OF HOLIDAY HORSE NAMES.
THE YEAR IN REVIEW
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF 1997.
PLUS
RACING TO HISTORY; THOROUGHBRED WORLD SCHEDULE FOR DECEMBER; RACING ON
THE AIR.
ADVISORY: On Friday, Dec. 12 at 3 p.m. (EST), representatives of the
National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) will participate in a
media teleconference to discuss the NTRA Business Plan, which will be
officially presented at the University of Arizona Racetrack Industry
Symposium that same day. In addition to the NTRA leaders, the media
teleconference will also include a representative from the New York
City-based advertising agency Merkley Newman Harty, which was selected
in October to work with the NTRA to develop its national marketing and
advertising strategy.
Members of the media wishing to participate in the teleconference should
call (719) 448-2000 shortly before 3 p.m. (EST) Friday.
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NEWS, NAMES AND NOTES
AMERICA'S TOP WINNER TO BE DECIDED AT SUFFOLK DOWNS
"The Showdown at Suffolk," a match race to decide America's winningest
horse of 1997, will take place at Suffolk Downs, in East Boston, Mass.,
Sunday, Dec. 14. Maybe Jack and Pro On Ice, each with 12 victories this
year, will meet in a one-mile, $15,000 race, with $10,000 going to the
winner. Pro On Ice, who has a seven-race winning streak, is a sprinter
racing at Finger Lakes in upstate New York while Maybe Jack is a Suffolk
Downs-based horse who usually runs between 1 mile and 70 yards and 1
1/16 miles. Because the conditions of the race are more suited to Maybe
Jack, he will carry 124 pounds while Pro On Ice will tote 119.
"This is good for racing," said Mike Ferraro, trainer of Pro On Ice.
"This is not about winning or losing. It shines the national spotlight
somewhere else besides the multi-million dollar outfits."
"This match race grabs people's attention," added Al Borosh, Maybe
Jack's conditioner. "You can hear that just walking around the
backstretch or in the grandstand."
Maybe Jack dropped five of his first six starts of 1997 for trainer
Terry Mason. Borosh claimed the horse on April 18 for $15,000 at
Keeneland, but his first start for his new owner was less than
auspicious; he fell and didn't finish the race. He then reeled off five
straight wins, at Suffolk Downs, Philadelphia Park and Delaware Park,
and was on his way. He has gone from the $10,000 claiming level to a
Suffolk Downs stakes winner.
"Anybody who knows anything about a match race knows speed prevails,"
said Borosh. "Unfortunately, I can't do anything about that. Maybe
Jack's a closer and we'll be coming late." Rudy Baez, Suffolk's leading
rider, will ride Maybe Jack for the fourth time this year.
Pro On Ice made five starts for trainer Jeffrey Weinhold, winning one,
and was sold to owner/trainer Edward Clouson, who won twice in six
tries. Ferraro claimed Pro On Ice for $5,500 on June 2 at Finger Lakes.
The gelding has gone from a $4,000 claimer to a handicap winner.
"Pro On Ice has the speed," said Ferraro. "Maybe he'll go all the way,
maybe he won't. But we're here to have fun." Pro On Ice will have the
riding services of Bobby Messina, his 11th different jockey this year.
Regular rider Sal Iorio Jr. had already booked a vacation cruise.
Maybe Jack 1997 Records Pro On Ice
4-year-old gelding Age 7-year-old gelding
Classic Account-Hester Lou by Summing Breeding Distinctive Pro-Pudding
On Ice by Northern Jove
Georgia State Where Bred Kentucky
15.2 hands (62 inches) Approximate Height 16 hands (64 inches)
900 pounds Weight 1,100 Pounds
22-12-1-4 Record 23-12-4-2
$127,220 Earnings $68,872
Two Current Winning Streak Seven
One Mile Shortest Winning Distance Six Furlongs
1 1/16 Miles Longest Winning Distance 1 Mile & 70 Yards
Eight Number of Tracks Raced At Two
Three Number of Trainers Two
Six Number of Jockeys Ten
Homebred Purchase Price $28,000
WINNINGEST HORSES OF 1997
Horse Sts-1-2-3 Earnings
Maybe Jack 22-12-1-4 $127,220
Pro On Ice 23-12-4-2 68,872
Scent a Grade 15-10-2-1 50,202
Cleo's Dancer 18-10-2-1 28,737
Lets Glo Salin 16-10-4-1 28,196
Weather Vane 13-9-1-1 359,813
Moonopoly 15-9-1-2 202,150
Fantango Lady 13-9-2-0 109,102
Whats It Gonna Be 13-9-2-0 105,850
Far Half 18-9-2-2 103,420
Oh So Fabulous 21-9-7-4 58,350
Night Delight 16-9-1-3 53,142
Glittering Wolf 17-9-0-3 50,975
Running for Luck 25-9-4-6 44,497
Duke's Star 19-9-2-2 40,874
Spacemaker 16-9-1-1 33,314
My Bear Lady 13-9-0-1 22,620
AN INTERESTING DAY AT HOLLYWOOD PARK
Sunday, Dec. 7, was a strange day at Hollywood Park, in Inglewood,
Calif., due to a walkover in the first race and a triple dead-heat in
the fourth. The opening race on the card was the $100,000 Grade II
Bayakoa Handicap, which originally attracted only three entrants, but
due to wet weather trainer Ron McAnally scratched both Toda Una Dama
(ARG) and Alzora, leaving D. Wayne Lukas's Sharp Cat alone in the gate.
The last walkover in a major race was in the 1980 Woodward Stakes at
Belmont Park, when Spectacular Bid jogged around the track by himself.
It was Hollywood Park's first walkover in its 59-year history.
Three races later, the camera couldn't separate Chans Pearl, Cool Miss
Ann and Tina Celestar, creating six exacta and trifecta combinations. It
was the second triple dead-heat in track history; the first was July 3,
1957.
CHURCHILL DOWNS ANNOUNCES NEW BUSINESS VENTURES
On Dec. 3, Churchill Downs announced it had formed two companies,
Tracknet and EquiSource, to offer the parimutuel and equine industries
improved telecommunications and group purchasing services. Tracknet, the
telecommunications system, is aimed at racing's primary growth business,
simulcasting, while EquiSource will focus on supply procurement,
management, flow, logistics and information systems.
Churchill's business partner in Tracknet is CEDCO, a Kentucky-based
telecommunications company whose president, Michael Fischer, is one of
three individuals who own a sixty percent interest in Tracknet through
BMF Corporation, an Indiana company with an office in Louisville.
Fischer's other partners are Wayne Meyer and Don Brack. Churchill Downs
is a minority partner, owning 40 percent of Tracknet under its
wholly-owned subsidiary, Churchill Downs Investment Company.
"Tracknet has the capability to offer practical business solutions to
the highly specialized technical needs of the [racetrack] simulcasting
industry," said Fischer. "We do this by implementing new technology,
consolidating data circuits, long distance phone service and common pool
port connection. Our relationship with the racing industry to date," he
added, "tells us that many tracks and simulcasting operations can save
money if they overcome the inability to maintain an edge with the
technological advances and efficiencies available today."
Tracknet was formed in May of this year and currently has seven
racetracks under contract.
EquiSource, formed last month, is a joint venture between Churchill
Downs and UniStar, a group purchasing company. As with Tracknet,
Churchill is the 40-percent minority partner in EquiSource, with the
majority interest owned by SWV, LCC, a group purchasing venture formed
by UniStar and a Louisville-based health care industry group purchasing
company, MedEcon Services.
"EquiSource can provide both financial and organizational benefits to
the equine industry through a reduction of costs of materials, supplies
and services, the creation of new revenue streams and enhanced
supply-chain technology and services," said Miles Lee, president of
UniStar.
"The primary objective of both Tracknet and EquiSource is to provide
services which enable industry organizations to operate more efficiently
and cost-effectively," said Churchill Downs' President and Chief
Executive Officer Thomas H. Meeker. "It's important to understand that
our majority partners-both experts in their fields-are willing to invest
their time, resources and expertise to help improve the business
practices within our industry. At the same time, we believe these are
sound business opportunities which will enable Churchill Downs to grow
and diversify."
Both Tracknet and EquiSource will held by Churchill Downs' newly
created, wholly owned subsidiary, Churchill Downs Investment Company.
CDIC was formed to oversee investments in which Churchill Downs
participates as an equity investor, and neither the Company nor its
subsidiaries actively manage the operations. CDIC will also hold the
Company's investment in the former Dueling Ground Racecourse, now known
as Kentucky Downs.
BAZE JOINS 6,000-WINS CLUB, MAINTAINS LEAD FOR ISAAC MURPHY AWARD
Russell Baze became the 11th rider in Thoroughbred racing history to win
6,000 races when he guided a two-year-old colt named Clover Hunter to
victory Dec. 3 at Golden Gate Fields in Albany, Calif. Baze is also on
the brink of winning 400 races for an unprecedented sixth consecutive
year and is the leading candidate to win his third consecutive Isaac
Murphy Award. The National Turf Writers Association presents that award
to the rider with the best winning percentage in the country (with a
minimum of 500 mounts). According to recent statistics provided by the
NTWA, Baze is winning more than 28 percent of his races. Edgar Prado is
his closest competitor with a winning percentage of 26.
NEW YORK RACING ASSOCIATION SPREADS CHRISTMAS CHEER
The New York Racing Association (NYRA) is gearing up for the holiday
starting the weekend of Dec.13-14 with the United States Marine Corps
Toys for Tots program at Aqueduct Racetrack. Any customer who
contributes a new, unwrapped toy to the drive will receive with free
admission.
In addition, to help its backstretch employees, NYRA started a new
program this year called the "Backstretch Blessings," consisting of
owners, trainers, jockeys and their wives. Together they are reaching
for donations in the form of wrapped gifts which will then be tagged
with the age and gender for children of grooms, hotwalkers and exercise
riders who work at NYRA. On Dec. 21, a Christmas Party will be held at
Belmont Park where Nick Caras, NYRA's recreation director and his
helpers will distribute the gifts. Also featured that night will be a
procession starting at the Recreation Hall that will then meander
through Belmont's backstretch, ending with a live nativity scene. On
Christmas morning, approximately 500 backstretch employees and their
families will partake of a holiday dinner at Belmont's kitchen with
another seating that night with about 300 employees expected to attend.
SOVEREIGN AWARD WINNERS NAMED
A surprise to no one, Breeders' Cup Turf winner Chief Bearhart is
Canada's Horse of the Year, it was announced Thursday Dec. 4 at
Toronto's Four Seasons Hotel during the 23rd annual Sovereign Awards
presentation. Chief Bearhart was also named Champion Older Horse and
Champion Turf Horse. Other equine winners were: Primaly, Champion
Two-Year-Old Filly; Dawson's Legacy, Champion Two-Year-Old Colt; Cotton
Carnival, Champion Three-Year-Old Filly; Cryptocloser, Champion
Three-Year-Old Colt; Woolloomooloo, Champion Turf mare; Glanmire,
Champion Sprinter; and Charming Sassafras, Outstanding Broodmare. Frank
Stronach was named Outstanding Breeder and Owner. Emile Ramsammy was
named Outstanding Jockey. The trainer's award went to Mark Frostad and
the Outstanding Apprentice Jockey Award was presented to Rui Pimentel.
NOTES: The California Lottery is set to introduce "The Daily Derby," a
game with a horse racing theme. Although it will not be based on actual
races, state racing commissioners envision various tie-ins with the
Lottery...According to a Harris Poll that was taken Oct. 15-19, two
percent of the 1,003 adults surveyed said that horse racing was their
favorite sport in 1997, compared to four percent of adults polled in
1985. Pro football remained the respondents' favorite over time; 28
percent placed football at the top of their list in 1997 versus 24
percent in 1985-both percentages were the survey toppers in their
respective years. Baseball, which 23 percent of respondents cited as
their favorite sport in 1985, dropped in popularity but still was cited
by 17 percent of respondents in 1997, allowing the sport to retain its
number-two ranking among all sports in national popularity. Pro
basketball, a favorite of only six percent of adults surveyed in 1985,
was mentioned by 13 percent of the respondents in 1997...Japanese rider
Shoichi Kawahara won the 11th annual World Super Jockeys Series, held
Nov. 29-30 at Hanshin Racecourse in Japan. The event brought 13 of the
world's top jockeys to compete in four races held over two days.
Kawahara finished third in the event's first two races and won the final
two on Sunday. Japan's Yutaka Take finished second and France's Olivier
Peslier finished third. American riders Pat Day and Shane Sellers
finished seventh and 12th, respectively...It may never rain in
California as the song claims, but on Dec. 20 there will definitely be
snow in the forecast when Hollywood Park brings 100 tons of the white
stuff to Inglewood. Since 1992, the track has hosted an annual holiday
party for the neighborhood children, many of whom had never seen snow
before. This year's fun will begin in the morning with inner-tubing,
gifts for kids 12 and younger, an appearance by Santa and the track's
mascot, Captain Hoof, as well as all the rides in Hollywood's North Park
playground. Admission is free...Sports Haven, the New Haven, Conn.,
sports and entertainment complex will host its second annual $65,000
Sports Haven Handicapping Challenge Saturday, Jan. 21 and Sunday, Jan.
22. The entry fee is $200 and first prize is worth $22,295; contestants
will wager on races from Aqueduct, Gulfstream Park and Santa Anita.
Additional information about the contest may be obtained by calling Don
Barberino at (203) 946-3189...Remington Park, in Oklahoma City, Okla.,
has announced a purse increase of 10 percent for all overnight
races...Longtime turf writer and New York Daily News handicapper Russ
Harris of St. David's, Pa., is on course to receive his doctorate in
American History from Lehigh University in the spring of 1998. He must
finish and defend his 250-page thesis, which focuses on the policies of
six United States presidents and their dealings with French premier
Charles de Gaulle. Harris has previously received Master's degrees in
government from New York University and in history from Villanova
University...Jockeys Richard Migliore and Jose Santos left the winter
cold of New York's Aqueduct Racetrack on Wednesday night to ride in the
Dec. 5 Crown Prince Cup in Saudi Arabia. The two riders were invited to
the Middle East by the Sultan al Kabeer. Before leaving, Migliore
admitted he had some reservations about making the trip. "I'm a little
nervous because of what's happening in the Mideast and because I have
never been there before," said Migliore. His 14 1/2-hour flight was
worthwhile as he won a race although his mount was 10th in the feature.
Santos was second in a race and 14th in the feature...The Sporting Life
and the Racing Post, Britain's two racing dailies, will merge. The two
papers will continue to publish under their own titles, but the Mirror
Group, which currently publishes the Sporting Life, will also publish
the Racing Post. Both papers cited the lack of economic viability in
competing for a limited readership as the reason for the merger...Jockey
Jorge Chavez was honored Monday, Dec. 8, in his native country of Peru.
"They are naming a race for me," said Chavez. "I haven't been back there
in four years, so this will be a good chance to see my family." The
festivities will take place at the Hipodromo de Monterico in Lima, Peru,
where Chavez was the leading rider for three years before coming to the
United States in 1988...Former New York Racing Association racecaller
Marshall Cassidy is fully recovered after undergoing surgery to remove a
benign brain tumor Nov. 17 at Ellis Hospital in Schenectady, N.Y.
Cassidy experienced a seizure Nov. 8 at his Saratoga Springs, N.Y. home.
He was given a clean bill of health and released from the hospital four
days after the surgery...Longtime New York owner/trainer Murray Garren
passed away Dec. 8 after a lengthy bout with cancer. He was 76.
PERSONNEL: David E. Hooper has been named Executive Director of the
Texas Thoroughbred Association, it was announced Nov. 26.
FEATURES
JERRY BAILEY FULFILLS LIFELONG DREAM WITH VISIT TO LAMBEAU FIELD
"The players are huge and when you're in Green Bay with Paul Hornung,
you don't need tickets or passes to go anywhere." Those are two
observations jockey Jerry Bailey-a lifelong Green Bay Packers fan-came
away with after attending the Packers' 45-17 rout of the Dallas Cowboys
Nov. 23 at Lambeau Field.
Bailey was the guest of former Packers star and Thoroughbred racing fan
Paul Hornung and Thoroughbred owner Bruce Lundsford and spent the
afternoon roaming the sidelines, the press box and other parts of the
stadium.
"I met Brett Favre on the field before the game and then later I saw
Fuzzy Thurston, Max McGee, Forrest Gregg and Bart Starr up in the press
box," he said. "We watched some of the game on the field and I wasn't
too cold until I found out the wind-chill factor was four below zero."
Bailey, who stands five feet five inches and weighs 112 pounds, was
understandably flabbergasted by the size of the players. "One guy had
arms bigger than my waist," he said.
And how did a native Texan-born in Dallas and raised in El Paso-become
such a rabid Packers fan? "When I was a kid, all my friends were Cowboy
fans and the only way to make a buck betting against them was to take
the Packers and the points," he said. "I became a Packers fan by virtue
of all the dollar bets I won on them."
Bailey was overwhelmed by the experience. "Thirty years ago, I was
watching them on TV and now, thirty years later, I get to go to a game
as the guest of  a guy I used to watch play," he said. "It was really
great."
WHAT'S IN A NAME?
HOLIDAY HORSE NAMES THAT'LL KEEP YOUR TOES TAPPING
Dust off those Mitch Miller, Engelbert Humperdinck, Bing Crosby and Burl
Ives albums that you keep hidden for 11 months of the year: it's time to
break out the Christmas music. In that spirit, TRC brings you a select
list of the best holiday songs that happen to match the names of
registered Thoroughbreds (well, pretty closely). Since racehorses' names
must consist of no more than 18 characters, a few of the old holiday
standbys such as "Oh Come All Ye Faithful" and "I Saw Mommy Kissing
Santa Claus" won't be on the list, but what's here should keep you
humming for the rest of today.
Among hymns there's Joy to the World, Green Sleeves, Silent Night, Away
in a Manger, Hark [the Herald Angels Sing] and Oh Holy Knight (sic).
Secular music holds its own with Run Run Rudolph, Winter Wonderland, Let
It Snow, Must Be Santa, [The] Christmas Song, White Christmas, Little
Drummer Boy, Jingle Bells, Frosty the Snowman, Felice Navidad, Jingle
Belle Rocke (sic) and since Elvis is present even during the holidays,
Blue Christmas.
1997: THE YEAR IN REVIEW (part 1)
Jan. 2: Owner/breeder Allen Paulson was selected to receive the 1996
Eclipse Award of Merit.
Jan. 2: Jockey Laffit Pincay Jr. posted his 8,500th career victory
aboard Tacomolly during the seventh race at Santa Anita Park.
Jan. 6: Tom Keyser of The Baltimore Sun and Don Clippinger of the
Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred won the 1996 Eclipse Awards for Outstanding
Achievement in newspaper and magazine writing, respectively.
Jan. 6: Jack Kent Cooke announced that he would disperse his
Thoroughbred racing and breeding stock. His 500-acre Elmendorf Farm was
also placed on the market.
Jan. 6: Remington Park, with permission from The North American Graded
Stakes Committee and the now-defunct AKsarben racetrack, adopted the
Grade III AKsarben Oaks. The Oaks will be Remington's first graded
stakes race for Thoroughbreds.
Jan. 8: Steven Crist, the New York Racing Association's vice president
of communications and development, announced his resignation.
Jan. 8: Alan Marzelli, president of Equibase Company, announced that
Equibase would utilize information from Thoroughbred Sports Network and
provide racetracks with TSN's exclusive class and pace ratings.
Jan. 9: The 1996 Eclipse Award winners were announced. They were:
Two-Year-Old Colt or Gelding: Boston Harbor; Two-Year-Old Filly: Storm
Song; Three-Year-Old Colt or Gelding: Skip Away; Three-Year-Old Filly:
Yanks Music; Older Colt, Horse, or Gelding: Cigar; Older Filly or Mare:
Jewel Princess; Male Turf Horse: Singspiel; Female Turf Horse: Wandesta;
Sprinter: Lit de Justice; Steeplechase Horse: Correggio.
Jan. 13: The National Steeplechase Association became the first horse
racing organization in the U.S. to require jockeys to wear "certified"
safety helmets, beginning with the 1997 NSA season.
Jan. 14: The Turf Publicists of America announced that the Cigar
Team-owner Allen Paulson, trainer Bill Mott and jockey Jerry Bailey-had
been selected to receive the 1996 Big Sport of Turfdom Award.
Jan. 20: In a ceremony at Golden Gate Fields, jockey Russell Baze was
honored with the Isaac Murphy Award by the National Turf Writers
Association, in recognition of his outstanding percentage of winning
rides, 415 from 1,465 in 1996. Baze won the Murphy Award for the second
consecutive year.
Jan. 21: Penn National and Bryant Development Company completed their
acquisition of Charles Town Racetrack in West Virginia. Charles Town was
scheduled to reopen in mid-1997 after extensive renovations, including
the installation of video lottery terminals.
Jan. 26: John Esposito, the longtime proprietor of Esposito's Tavern, a
landmark for racetrackers in New York, died of cancer. He was 67.
Jan. 28: By a vote of 41-19, the New York State Senate rejected a
constitutional amendment to legalize casino gambling.
Feb. 2: Triple Crown Productions announced that 375 three-year-olds were
nominated to the $5 million VISA Triple Crown Challenge.
Feb. 4: Cigar was named Horse of the Year for the second consecutive
year.
Feb. 4: Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas, joined the Thoroughbred
Racing Associations.
Feb. 4: Thoroughbred Racing Associations announced that Hal Handel,
executive vice president and chief operating officer of racing for
Monmouth Park and the Meadowlands, had been elected as the new TRA
president.
Feb. 5: A six-year-old horse, Isitingood, broke the world record for a
mile-1:32 1/5-set in 1968 by Dr. Fager. Over the Santa Anita Park turf
course, Isitingood was timed at 1:32.05.
Feb. 12: Allen Gutterman was named vice president of marketing for the
New York City Off-Track Betting Corp.
Feb. 24: Last year's Two-Year-Old Juvenile Eclipse Award-winner Boston
Harbor suffered a non-displaced condylar fracture during a workout at
Santa Anita Park.
Feb. 28: The Ontario Jockey Club (OJC) announced that Fort Erie
Racetrack was for sale.
March 4: Drew Couto, president of Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders
Association, announced "America's Day at the Races," a day of activities
that includes simulcasting of three major races at different racetracks.
March 11: K-III Communications announced that Daily Racing Form was for
sale.
March 24: Assicurazioni Generali, the lead underwriter on the congenital
infertility insurance on Horse of the Year Cigar, agreed to pay the $25
million claim filed by owners Allen Paulson and Coolmore Stud. Coolmore
received $18.75 million and Paulson got $6.25 million, the parties'
respective 75 percent and 25 percent ownership interests.
March 24: Former jockey Bill Shoemaker's malpractice suit against
Glendora Community Hospital and seven doctors ended abruptly. Under the
terms of previous litigation, Shoemaker collected a total of $2.5
million from the Ford Motor Co., the manufacturer of  the vehicle he was
driving, but received no money from the defendants.
March 26: Turfway Park was hired as the management team for the bankrupt
Dueling Grounds.
March 27: A group of Thoroughbred organizations, including The Jockey
Club, Breeders' Cup Ltd., Keeneland Association and Oak Tree Racing
Association, announced it would undertake a joint planning process to
create a national coordination and marketing structure for Thoroughbred
racing.
March 29: The $4 million Dubai World Cup race was rescheduled for April
3 after torrential rainstorms hit Nad Al Sheba racecourse.
March 31: A Louisiana civil court jury awarded Fair Grounds and three
insurance companies $44.5 million in a suit against ADT Security
Systems, which maintained and monitored the fire alarm system that was
in place when the track's grandstand and clubhouse burned down in
December 1993.
April 6: Thoroughbred owner Jack Kent Cooke, who owned Elmendorf Farm
near Lexington, Ky., died of cardiac arrest. He was 84.
April 13: John T. "Jack" Landry, a member of the New York Racing
Association's board of trustees since 1983, died. Landry is credited
with creating the Marlboro Cup Invitational Handicap, whose inaugural
running was won by Secretariat.
April 29: Chief's Crown, 15,  who stood at stud at Three Chimneys, was
euthanized after refracturing the patella in his left hind leg, an
injury that was first discovered two days earlier. Chief's Crown was the
1984 champion juvenile.
April 29: President Clinton named his three choices to the nine-member
National Gambling Impact Study Commission. The three are: William A.
Bible, chairman of the Nevada State Gaming Control Board; Robert Wayne
Loescher, a member of the Tlingit Tribe of Alaska; and Richard C. Leone,
the president of a nonprofit public policy research institute, the
Twentieth Century Fund.
April 30: The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame announced the
inductees for 1997:  jockey, Gary Stevens; trainer, Philip G. Johnson;
modern male Thoroughbred, Easy Goer; modern female Thoroughbred, Bold 'n
Determined; and horse of yesteryear, Granville.
May 2: The Daily Racing Program, the past performance program produced
by Sports Eye and Equibase Company, which was designed specifically for
the Nevada market, was launched in 39 racebooks.
May 3: The 123rd Kentucky Derby was won by Silver Charm by a head.
May 5: Pulpit, who finished fourth in the Kentucky Derby, underwent
arthroscopic surgery to remove a small displaced bone chip from his left
knee.
May 6: The New York State Senate confirmed the nomination of Michael
Hoblock  as the new chairman of the New York State Racing and Wagering
Board. The position had been vacant since July 1996.
May 21: The owners of Captain Bodgit, second-place finisher in the
Kentucky Derby and third-place finisher in the Preakness Stakes,
announced that the colt had been retired due a strained tendon in his
left front leg.
May 23: The Ontario Jockey Club sold Fort Erie racetrack for a nominal
sum to a group of Niagara region businessman and an American
businessman. The sale is scheduled to close July 11 and racing will
continue until that time under the OJC banner.
May 28: Visa USA and Triple Crown Productions announced that they have
increased the bonus for winning the Belmont Stakes by an additional $1.5
million to a total of $5 million. Under the new structure, in addition
to the purses from the three races, the winning owners will be awarded a
$5 million bonus if a horse sweeps all three classics.
June 2: Coolmore Stud and owners William Condren, Joe Cornacchia and
Georgia Hofmann reached an agreement for the sale of 1996 Preakness
Stakes winner Louis Quatorze. He will stand at Coolmore-owned Ashford
Stud in Versailles, Ky.
June 7: In his bid to become the 12th horse to win the Triple Crown,
Silver Charm was outdueled in the stretch run during the Belmont Stakes
at Belmont Park when the eventual winner Touch Gold passed him by.
Silver Charm held on for second and became the 13th horse to have lost
the Triple Crown after winning the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes.
The last horse to have had a chance at the sweep was Sunday Silence, in
1989. On-track attendance at Belmont was 70,682-third-highest in the
race's history.
June 12: The television ratings for the Belmont stakes were a 5.3, the
highest since 1990. The average rating for all three Triple Crown races
was 5.8, which represented a 23 percent gain over last year's figures.
June 14: The Champion Older Mare of 1989 and 1990, Bayakoa (ARG), was
euthanized after foundering in both front feet.
Continued next week
RACING TO HISTORY
Dec. 10, 1977: In his second year of riding, Steve Cauthen became the
first jockey to win $6 million in a single season when he rode a
three-year-old filly, Little Happiness, to victory in the sixth race at
Aqueduct. Cauthen was dubbed "The Six Million Dollar Man," and "Stevie
Wonder" by his admirers and was named 1977 Sportsman of the Year by
Sports Illustrated, the Associated Press, ABC's Wide World of Sports and
The Sporting News. He also received three Eclipse Awards, being voted an
award of merit in addition to earning top honors as both a journeyman
and apprentice jockey.
Dec. 11, 1983: John Henry became the first racehorse to surpass $4
million in career earnings when he won the Hollywood Turf Cup with
jockey Chris McCarron at Hollywood Park.
Dec. 13, 1986: Jockey Kent Desormeaux had his first career stakes win,
aboard Godbey, in the Maryland City Handicap at Laurel.
Dec. 15, 1973: Sandy Hawley became the first jockey in history to win
500 races in a single year when he rode Charlie Jr. to victory in the
third race at Laurel.
Dec. 17, 1936: Crooner Bing Crosby announced plans to construct a new
racetrack, to be called the Del Mar Turf Club.
Dec. 17, 1993: Fire destroyed the 122-year-old grandstand of Fair
Grounds, the nation's third-oldest racetrack.
Dec. 18, 1983: Hollywood Park held the first $1 million race for
two-year-old Thoroughbreds, the Hollywood Futurity, which was won by
Fali Time, ridden by Sandy Hawley.
Dec. 18, 1992: Tampa Bay began using Equibase Company past-performance
information in its official track program, which enabled Equibase
Company to cap its first year of operation with 25 subscribers using its
past-performance data for live race meets.
Dec. 20, 1987: D. Wayne Lukas-trained Tejano became the first juvenile
millionaire when he won the Hollywood Futurity with Laffit Pincay Jr.
aboard.
BIRTHDAYS: Trainer Neil Drysdale will be 50 on Dec. 11; Thoroughbred
owner H.H. Aga Khan will be 61 on Dec. 13; comedian and MacBeth Fund
co-founder Tim Conway will be 62 on Dec. 15; jockey Frankie Dettori
turns 27 on Dec. 15.
RACING ON THE AIR
THOROUGHBRED WORLD IN DECEMBER
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 December on
Thoroughbred World: a tribute to Eddie Arcaro; the off-track talents and
interests of jockey Frank Lovato Jr.; a look at how Nick Caras makes
life better for backstretch employees at NYRA tracks; and Caton Bredar
hosts "The Equibasics of Racing" segment, in which she discusses how the
Equibase program helped bettors find winners on Breeders' Cup Day.
The following are the cable networks and their air times for
December-ALL TIMES LOCAL.
Comcast Sports Net: Dec. 12, 4 p.m.; Dec. 13, noon
Empire Sports Network (ET): Dec. 2, 2:30 p.m.; Dec. 15, 3 p.m.
FOX Sports Arizona (MT): Dec. 19, 4:30 a.m.
FOX Sports Indiana (ET): Dec. 9, 3:30 a.m.; Dec. 19, 5:30 a.m.
FOX Sports Midwest (CT): Dec. 9, 2:30 a.m.; Dec. 19, 4:30 a.m.
FOX Sports Northwest (PT): Dec. 19, 4:30 a.m.
FOX Sports Pittsburgh (ET): Dec. 19, 4:30 a.m.
FOX Sports South (ET): Dec. 19, 4:30 a.m.
FOX Sports Southwest (CT): Dec. 19, 3:30 a.m.
FOX Sports West (PT): Dec. 7, 12:30 a.m.; Dec. 12, 4:30 p.m.; Dec. 18,
12:30 a.m.; Dec. 19, 4:30 a.m.; Dec. 21, 3 p.m.; Dec. 22, 12:30 a.m.;
Dec. 26, noon; Dec. 29, 4:30 p.m.
FOX Sports West 2 (PT): Dec. 6, 3 p.m.; Dec. 11, 4:30 p.m.; Dec. 22, 5
p.m.; Dec. 29, 6 p.m.
SportsChannel New England (ET): Dec. 3, 5 p.m.; Dec. 22, 5:30 a.m.; Dec.
23, 2:30 a.m.; Dec. 31, 2:30 a.m. & 5 p.m.
SportsChannel New York: Dec. 8, 6 p.m.; Dec. 15, 6 p.m.; Dec. 29, 6 p.m.
SportsChannel Pacific (PT): Dec. 21, 2:30 a.m.
Sunshine Network (ET): Dec. 19, 4:30 a.m.; Dec. 25, 2 a.m.
UPCOMING NATIONALLY TELEVISED RACING (All times Eastern)
 Dec. 10 Racehorse Digest 3:30-4:00 p.m. ESPN
 Dec. 11 Racehorse Digest 3:30-4:00 a.m. ESPN
 Dec. 13 Racehorse Digest 5:30-6:00 a.m. ESPN
 Dec. 17 Racehorse Digest 3:30-4:00 p.m. ESPN
 Dec. 18 Racehorse Digest 3:30-4:00 a.m. ESPN
 Dec. 20 Racehorse Digest 5:30-6:00 a.m. ESPN
THOROUGHBRED RACING LEADERS
Unofficial standings (subject to audit) through Sunday, December 7,
1997, as compiled by Equibase Company.
Jockey Sts-1-2-3 Purses
Jerry Bailey 1,136-269-186-176 $18,206,013
Gary Stevens 901-187-158-135 15,365,781
Mike Smith 1,253-235-197-158 14,602,948
Pat Day 1,207-264-205-169 13,758,442
Shane Sellers 1,383-280-259-206 13,036,256
Alex Solis 1,293-238-209-184 12,628,630
Corey Nakatani 765-154-114-121 10,757,166
Chris McCarron 617-122-103-89 10,255,989
Kent Desormeaux 968-166-154-129 9,569,452
Jorge Chavez 1,363-245-179-179 8,628,286
Trainer Sts-1-2-3 Purses
D. Wayne Lukas 824-169-121-105 $9,993,569
Bill Mott 602-125-114-81 9,414,969
Richard Mandella 332-61-53-49 9,242,029
Bob Baffert 414-110-73-72 8,454,866
Jerry Hollendorfer 884-214-140-130 4,891,019
Mark Frostad 232-65-43-36 4,857,151
Wallace Dollase 167-42-29-25 4,846,970
Sonny Hine 131-22-25-19 4,805,611
John Kimmel 418-95-70-55 4,336,502
David Hofmans 262-51-40-30 4,290,824
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 293-62-48-47 $5,126,693
Carolyn Hine 26-7-5-6 4,347,895
Golden Eagle Farm 399-103-59-60 4,214,809
Frank Stronach 505-112-77-64 4,132,065
John Franks 801-114-112-109 3,919,678
Sam-Son Farm 146-48-20-23 3,773,463
Bob & Beverly Lewis 209-40-36-30 3,057,196
Augustin Stable 375-86-60-69 2,579,142
Juddmonte Farms 130-25-14-18 2,459,769
Overbrook Farm 280-63-42-34 2,294,456