Confessions of a Horseracingaholic

Clearly, December is my unofficial off-season for horse racing. I went to the racetrack once, placing two pitiful wagers - one successful. Daily briefings from Paulick, the Form, and the multitude of horse racing blogs dwindled to occasional visits a couple of times each week, generating mild interest. Even Gary West's detailed Eclipse Ballot dissertations only received modest attention. (Sorry Professor. But on a happier note I really enjoyed your feature on TCU Horned Frog fever sweeping through Rome! Molto divertente!)

Actually, the closest thing to horse racing I experienced was taking my daughters to see Walt Disney's The Princess and the Frog - Ray the firefly sounds exactly like Calvin Borel. Kinda looks like him, too.


Anyway, the new year always brings hope and invigorates the horse racing soul. The smattering of 2-year-olds on a 2009 horse watch list - Lookin at Lucky, Caracortado, Evening Jewel - become a starter kit for Derby prospects. Gulfstream opens January 3, giving rise to a new season of Thoroughbred competition in sunny Florida where old-timers reminisce about the old grandstand while others take [continued] pot-shots at Frank Stronach. A short two weeks later, the Oaklawn meet gets underway, where many savor the memories of the racing campaigns of recent greats, Smarty Jones and Afleet Alex. Will another champion race through Hot Springs this year?

Derby prospects will grow. Lively discussions among fans and bettors will ensnare me. I'll begin to squirrel away a few extra dollars from my paycheck, contemplating wagering possibilities. Announced visits to the racetrack become more frequent, all the while covert trips - "Honey, I'm going to dash out and do a couple of errands!" - become routine. And before you know it, it's April and Lone Star Park will start it's 2010 Spring Thoroughbred Meet, and my family will be relegated to wearing dirty underwear because I simply don't have time to do laundry much less pack school lunches and ensure homework is done and whether the kids took a bath or not because we have a pool and they can just go swimming for cryin' out loud and wouldn't they be clean enough? I mean, it's not like we have an audience with the Pope or anything like that.

Yes, this horse racing fan is anticipating a new season, a new year.

Happy New Year!

Rachel Alexandra A Welcome Guest at Thanksgiving

Yesterday, Rachel Alexandra arrived at my home.

Of course, I'm referring to the delivery of Kendall-Jackson's limited bottling of wine that "commemorates the 2009 racing campaign of Rachel Alexandra, the extraordinary horse who inspired millions."

The Pinot Noir, Vintage 2007, has the following flavor profile,

Dark ruby in color with crisp minerality. The wine explodes with flavors of black cherry, fresh strawberry and cola. Oak aging imparts notes of smoke and spice along with earth in the nose. The soft, sensuous tannins round out the velvety finish. Enjoy now or cellar for five years.

Aaah, a delightful compliment for my Roasted Rosemary Turkey Pumpkin Pie ... what the heck goes with Pinot Noir anyway?

Filet mignon with peppercorn, seared ahi, roasted tomatoes, crème brulée ... none of which is on the Thanksgiving menu. Anyway, I probably wouldn't share it with my husband - he wouldn't know Pinot Noir from Presto Wine.

Of historical significance, I once wrote that I thought Rachel Alexandra would be a good name for a wine, although I think I used the technical jargon '"special label" wine-vintage-thingie.' Now it would be presumptuous to believe that my blithe comment influenced Mr. Jackson and Kendall-Jackson Winery, however I once remarked to my husband that there should be a new updated version of Star Trek ... maybe that too, will happen one day.

And an additional bit of information, especially to a Railbird commenter, regarding Mr. Jackson's Curlin wine: According to an email I received from Carolyn Coryelle, Direct Sales Manager, "The Curlin wine label was used only for the Breeder's Cup and we don't sell that."

Regardless of whether I enjoy Rachel Alexandra tomorrow or I cellar it for five years, I am thankful for all the blessings in my life. And may you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday.

Coming Soon to a Casino Near You - The Kentucky Derby!

Last week, Churchill Downs Inc. and their new buddies, Aristocrat Technologies entered into a licensing agreement to create the world’s first Kentucky Derby slot machine because the Two Greatest Minutes in Sports isn’t long enough. And it’s only run once each year. And it’s in Kentucky, of all places!



So now the Kentucky Derby brand is considered “a new compelling entertainment product”, just in case you were finding the Kentucky Derby to be an old drudgery.

Of interest, the press release wove in some of the Derby's rich history,

Ever since Oliver Lewis rode Aristides to victory in the Kentucky Derby's first run in 1875, the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs has been the most prestigious and thrilling horse racing event in the world, and now its excitement and tradition will be captured in Aristocrat's new Kentucky Derby™ RFX™ stepper slot game.

Frankly, I'm sure there are numerous slot players out there who find that historical tidbit fascinating and significant.

Slot Player 1: What's Aristides?
Slot Player 2: Cheap bourbon. Now quit bothering me, I need to concentrate.

The new Kentucky Derby™ slot machine is currently making its premiere at the Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas. It is to be launched prior to the 136th Kentucky Derby in May 2010.

Dark Day

The time you won your town the race
We chaired you through the market-place;
Man and boy stood cheering by,
And home we brought you shoulder-high.
-To An Athlete Dying Young, by A.E. Housman

This morning, trainer Bobby Frankel died from "complications of lymphoma" or "complications of leukemia", depending on the source. In the real world (read: not horse racing), I deal with them both on a daily basis. And I'm sad.

I didn't know Bobby Frankel. I never met Bobby Frankel. The closest I ever got to Bobby Frankel was when Ghostzapper won the 2004 Breeders' Cup Classic in my backyard, at Lone Star Park in 2004. He was probably meandering somewhere around the Winner's Circle while I was busy trying to cash in my winning trifecta and get one last beer before I would have to stand in line for another "potty break" before driving home.

His horses would win for me. How many times would I see, 'Frankel, Robert' listed as the trainer and say to myself, "That's good enough for me!"

There has been numerous tributes to Bobby Frankel throughout the internet. Amidst all the condolences on his Facebook Wall, Beverly Kenney indicates,

Bobby Frankel requested that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Old Friends Retirement Home, the Grayson Foundation, and CANTER, an organization to find homes for retired horses.

It should be noted that Beverly Kenney "only shares certain information with everyone" (read: I cannot verify Bobby Frankel final wishes ... but it's a GREAT idea anyway, so if you want to do something to honor Bobby Frankel's memory, that's a pretty good start: Old Friends, Grayson Foundation, and CANTER. And while I'm am it, I'll toss in my personal favorite organization, Remember Me Rescue).

Rest in peace, Bobby Frankel; 68 was too young ... my good ol' Irish grandma lived to be 100 ... you were too young, Bobby ....

_______________________


Ghostzapper photo credit: Paul Thompson, Flikr ... Fantastic photo!

Zenyatta Wins the Classic: A Tale of Swoons, Votes, and a Turf Writer's Really Full Email Inbox

Zenyatta.

The shouts. The cheers. The thrills she provided when she won the Breeders' Cup Classic were immeasurable amidst the sea of horse racing humanity where I was enjoying the races. She brought a rousing finale to the day's festivities and a remarkable conclusion to her perfect career. Euphoria and adulation were freely available to the faithful as she stood in the Winner's Circle at Santa Anita.




So imagine my surprise when I cracked open the Sunday edition of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and right next to Tony Romo (so you know it's important), I read,

Zenyatta ... winner of the Breeders' Cup Classic, but the debate over Horse of the Year isn't settled

Uh oh.

Gary West is gonna get a lot of mail.

Sure enough, his Sunday column, "It was Zenyatta's Day, Not Her Year", prompted some mail. Apparently, so much so that he had to respond via his blog, West Points. Now the Professor doesn't seem to be much of a rabble rouser, but he sure stirred up a bit of ire regarding Horse of the Year because of his astute and unwavering support of Rachel Alexandra's campaign, and opining that Zenyatta's win in the Classic, although "scintillating", it was "not a strong Classic field."

Talk about deflating.

Okay, I'm not a person with strong opinions. And I certainly don't have a vote for Horse of the Year. But somehow, to shrug off a perfect - perfect! 14 wins in 14 starts! - deserves something a little more special than just the Eclipse for Champion Older Female and a bale of hay. But as I said, I don't get to vote, just swoon.

As fellow swooner Tom Goncharoff commented on Gary's blog,

What Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta both accomplished this year was amazing and provided a much needed shot in the arm for a sport I love and make my living at. It's refreshing after such a great Breeders Cup to not have to make excuses for horse racing.

Let's give Horse of the Year to the both of them - they deserve it.

At this swooning moment, that idea sounds mighty good.

Regardless, Zenyatta's win - and her career - provided a much needed reminder how exciting and captivating horse racing can be. Is there an Eclipse Award for that?