An Online-exclusive Letter to the Editor

Okay, horses and enthusiasts, it's been a while since I last scribed my thoughts, opinions, and factoids about the Sport of Kings. But as many of you know, I'm a busy Mom; there are numerous projects associated with that institution known as "elementary school", such as decorating Valentine mailboxes, reviewing fractions, making lunches, and assembling a hacienda made out of nothing more than an old Girl Scout cookie box, some red paint, and a piece of 3-year-old taffy. I have a couple of pretty good excuses.

But what's the media's excuse?

Of course, I would be referring to the dwindling space devoted to horse racing in the newspaper.

Living here in North Texas, I'm fortunate that a fine newspaper, the Star-Telegram, is delivered directly to the end of my driveway on a daily basis. And usually on Friday, or sometimes Saturday, there's a column by turf writer/cigar aficionado and good friend to Post Parade, Gary West. But imagine my dismay - nay, absolute frustration! - when I cracked open last Friday's paper, all giddy and excited to read the Professor's review of Curlin's sparkling performance in Dubai, only to the read the following:

Curlin off to fast start

Curlin begins his pursuit of greatness with a win in Dubai, writes Gary West in his online-exclusive horse racing column. Read it at www.star-telegram.com/horseracing. And be sure to click on the Ads by Yahoo.

Alright, I made up that last part. However, the Star-Telegram, in its effort to publish at least 2,176 articles and opinion pieces about Jason Kidd, has relegated its horse racing column along with its distinguished former President of the National Turf Writers Association author to the cyberworld.

Perhaps you're thinking to yourself, "What's the big deal about some race in Dubai? They don't even allow wagering there, much less sell Michelob."

Unfortunately, it doesn't just end there with the occasional turf column accessible only on the web. Simulcast results, including those of notable stakes races, are becoming scarce in the daily paper. I observed that results were sometimes published a couple of times a week, theoretically when space permitted, in the smallest font found on the planet, and are conveniently placed by Girl Soccer scores and the Bass Fishing report. Sunday morning I paged through the sports section to find out who won the Santa Anita Handicap and there was nothing. A stakes race with a $1 Million purse couldn't even score a half-inch brief in the paper. But do you want to know what did make the sports section? Kea Kometani's top 5 Hawaii-based TV shows, his favorite show being Lost because he apparently has the hots for Evangeline Lilly.

I find it rather disappointing that horse racing coverage is lacking in mainstream media. I'm sure that the racing industry is frustrated as well, especially in an era of attempting to find a new fan base. But its becoming the standard that in order to read and follow the sport, one has to be tuned-in or tapped-in or teed-up or whatever the phrase is, to the internet. Not that it's a bad thing because it gives me, an under informed horse racing fan, a forum to write about horse racing. But I'd rather be reading about it in the morning paper, while sipping my coffee at the kitchen table.

TBA Affiliated With Some Long Odds

Yesterday, there were a couple of noteworthy longshots. No, no, no ... I didn't win anything, although I wish I had. But what makes these interesting is that there is a direct relationship with a few TBA members.

Highland Cat, who at one time had a close and personal relationship with Genius Alan, won a $12,500 claiming race at Gulfstream. He went off at 28-1 and, rumor has it, paid Frank Stronach's drinking buddy, John, a handsome $58.00 on the win.

And while John was busy gloating, a few miles away along the Gulf Coast, a 5-year-old mare, Elliecat (Crafty Prospect - Sage Cat by Tobasco Cat), won the $60,000 Chou Croute Handicap at the Fairgrounds Race Course in New Orleans. Elliecat, trained by Dallas Keen who happens to be married to the very fashionable Donna Keen who happens to write her own Thoroughbred Race Horse Blog which happens to be part of the TBA, went off at 70-1 and paid $159.40 to win! Congratulations!

(AP Photo/Fair Ground Race Course, Lou Hodges Jr.)

Breeders' Cup Venue Selection Becomes a Campaign Issue

The Breeders’ Cup Host Site Selection Committee, which also serves as the Committee to Elect Our Man Denis Kucinich, is so impressed with the quality of racing on Santa Anita’s new Cushion Track that not only is it anxiously anticipating the 2008 Breeders’ Cup World Championships to be held there, that last week it awarded the 2009 Breeders’ Cup to Santa Anita as well.

According to a news brief posted on the Breeders’ Cup website,

The decision followed a lengthy review process ... which included discussions with multiple racing venues in different regions. The committee’s recommendation was unanimously approved by the Breeders’ Cup Board of Directors.

This statement should raise a red flag to anyone who has command of the English language. It’s the use of the word multiple. Let’s have a little discussion about the use of this word.

Multiple is an adjective which means "consisting of, having, or involving several or many individuals, parts".

According to various reports as well as my most reliable and exceptionally intelligent super-secret source, there were probably only two venues even under consideration: Churchill Downs and Santa Anita.

My understanding is that it was that after Monmouth the BC wanted to go back to a big venue and there were only really 3 options: SA, CD or Belmont. With Belmont out due to Nyra franchise issues, this really only left CD or SA.

My savvy journalist source goes on to mention things he heard “off the record” about “spurring false competition” and one of the venues wanting “more money out of the deal because they don’t make a big ENOUGH profit.”

The point being is that I do not consider two venues to be “multiple venues”, although my irritating high school English teacher would say that it’s “more that one so it’s multiple” and would subsequently give me a D.

But what I find so disheartening is that the Breeders’ Cup Brain Trust wants to devote itself to large venues in an effort to make more room for all the owners and breeders and sheikhs and their wallets. There is horse racing throughout most of our country – nay, the world – and many of the tracks, with the exception of maybe Blue Ribbon Downs in Sallisaw, Oklahoma, are proud of their facilities and communities and citizens. (Insert patriotic soundtrack here).

Maybe it’s because this whole Breeders’ Cup selection so-called process cast aside smaller venues, or maybe it’s because I was fortunate to enjoy Breeders’ Cup here, at Lone Star Park, or maybe I’m upholding all the efforts provided by other non-Churchill Downs/Santa Anita venues: Arlington Park and Monmouth Park. But I’m compelled to campaign for a fair selection process and take a stand against the use of the word “multiple” for anything less than three entities.

The Breeders’ Cup Host Site Selection Committee will probably never consider Les Bois or Hawthorne. But I know I would welcome the opportunity to see other sites – perhaps Tampa Bay Downs? – shine with some of the world’s best Thoroughbred racing.

(End soundtrack)

Mom

There are a few things that I'm looking forward to in life. I'm looking forward to the first time that I get to cash in a winning wager at the IRS Mutuel Window. I'm also looking forward to having my photo taken in the Winner's Circle, not that I really want to own a racehorse; it would be convenient if I were simply friends with someone who owned a racehorse and they invited me to be in the photo as part of the winning connections.

However, the one thing that I never looked forward to in life was to lose someone I love. And that happened on January 29, 2008, when my mother passed away.

If you're a regular reader to this blog, you're aware that Motherhood plays a huge role in my life. I love being a mother. And I aspire to be 1/100 as good as my own mother because she was a treasure.

Mom only went to the racetrack a couple of times and her handicapping skills consisted of whether or not she liked the name of a horse. She remained mildly amused with my stories and anecdotes but never quite understood why I became so engrossed with horse racing. I compared it to bridge, a game my mother enjoyed playing. I explained to Mom that I spent no more time or energy than she did when she played bridge and read the daily bridge column; it required thought and deduction with the chief objective to win. Besides, I'm lousy at bridge.

Anyway, the world will turn and the sun will rise and horses will race and the duplicate bridge group will continue to meet. And she will be greatly missed.

Rest in peace, Mom.

Life began with waking up and loving my mother's face.
-George Eliot, English novelist

A Review of Art Appreciation Class for Those of You Who Were Not Paying Attention

The ancient Greek philosopher, Andy Warhol, once said,

Art is what you can get away with.

Well, apparently artist Daniel Edwards, is generating an outpouring of emotions from the Fellowship of Barbaro as well as racing enthusiasts. On April 30th, the controversial sculptor is planning to unveil his artwork of Barbaro in Central Park, provided Mr. Edwards gets around to filling out his application for a special permit or a temporary public art permit. The purpose of this piece of art is to inspire Americans to contact their Representatives and Senators and ask them to help write, sponsor and support legislation that would make it illegal for racetracks to sell beer for more than $2.75. Or something like that.

Currently on the website for the Barbaro “Check It Out – He’s Upside Down!” Memorial, there are over 40 passionate comments posted, and the general consensus seems to be that the artist is a tasteless hack and stupid idiot. Admittedly, I don’t particularly care for the piece, but it’s art, I guess. Well, that’s what Daniel Edwards calls it as well as other art connoisseurs, aficionados, and snobs.


The appreciation of art is intensely subjective and personal. I greatly admire the art displayed Lone Star Park; there are murals by renowned horse artist Fred Stone, and there’s a bronze statue of Alysheba, designed by Lisa Perry, at the East Gate entrance. The artwork exhibits the grandeur and beauty of the horse. I look forward to the day when Barbaro will be memorialized in the same manner, not as some controversial display for political purposes.

Meanwhile, here's some art to appreciate ...

-Lone Star Legacy by Fred Stone