It's a Racing Festivus 2011!

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It's that time of year where we dance around the Festivus Pole and discuss Racing’s 2011 Feats of Strength and Airing of Grievances. If you remember we had our initial Festivus post in 2009, and came right back in 2010. We're all about tradition here at Space Central.

After downing a delicious Festivus dinner and a few Festivus ales we're ready to unveil our 2011 Racing Festivus for the rest of us...

"Feats of Strength"

-          Rapid Redux’s Streak. Was there any question that the little starter allowance engine that could, would crack our Festivus Feats of Strength list after winning 21 straight, 19 in 2011?

-          Resorts World Casino Construction Workers. The Aqueduct racino project that was completed, pretty much on time, in New York, nonetheless?

-          Shackleford’s Preakness. The horse that shouldn’t run more than a mile, turned back a late game effort by Derby champ Animal Kingdom to take the second jewel in Baltimore in May. It was a yeoman effort by the big guy, so he makes our “feats of strength section.”

-          Pletcher’s Saratoga Meeting. The Toddster just blew them away at the summer place to be. His 38 training wins was unprecedented and his nearest challenger, Mechanicville native Chad Brown, had 22 wins.

-          First Female Jock to Win Big Cap. She had to sweat out a ten minute inquiry, but Canadian jock Chantal Sutherland became the first female to ride the Grade 1 Big Cap winner Game On Dude at Santa Anita Park in March.

Ok, so here’s what you’re really looking to get after, my annual airing of grievances…also known as “I’ve got a lot of problems with you people!”

“Airing of Grievances”

-          ESPN anchor Stan Verritt. Courier-Journal vet Jennie Rees took him to the woodshed for his asinine comments about Rapid Redux. Good thing they don’t cover horse racing….uh wait…oh. She’d like to send a big Animal House float over to Bristol, care of Mr. Verritt.

-          Maryland’s cluster___. Frank from That’s Amore Stable has his annual grievance airing on the state of Maryland racing, some things never change.

-          NYRA $0.50 Pick-3 wager. C’mon man, you gave us the $0.50 Pick-4, cough up the Pick-3, you can do it. I won’t even ask for the 50 cent tri this year (but if you give me the P3 this year, I’ll be sure to ask next year).

-          TwinSpiresTV working on my iPad. I’m not a real big fan of the mobile TwinSpires on the iPad, but I dig the PC version where you can bet right on the screen instead of having to go back and forth. (See last year’s Apple v. Adobe – “what are we in fourth grade?” grievance.)

-          Secretariat’s Belmont Scene. Really Disney, you filmed it at Keeneland? The biggest and most historic scene in the movie and it was filmed on polycrap?

If you have any of your own grievances to air, feel free to air away in the comments, tiz the season, you know.  Merry Festivus, one and all!

Penny For Your Thoughts

Tweet Wonder what everyone is thinking as we approach the Breeders' Cup in three weeks....I know you didn't ask, but this is what I've been thinking about....

- With inflation, wouldn't it cost a quarter now for your thoughts?

- Was really impressed by a 2yo firster yesterday at Belmont, Brethren, another star in the Pletcher barn with a loaded pedigree who came home in a very fast way (or as they say, he was motorin'). PS I'm told he's a 1/2 brother to Super Saver and you know what happened there last May.

- Win and You're In sucks. There, I said it. And by the way, Patrick from Handride has been pining for the gate selection for W&YI idea, which was on Bill Finley's recent list.

- I'm pretty excited for the long BC weekend and can even get a half day of work in on Filly Friday as first post isn't until after 4pm.

- Aren't we lucky that horses can't sext or drive drunk or carry handguns into nightclubs?

- Aren't these $0.50 Pick 3's and Pick 4's at Keeneland, the nuts? And we get more of the same at Churchill for the Cup races....yee haw.

- Why does it seem that everyone does their online handicapping tournaments all on the same weekend? Then there's no tournaments for 3 weeks? Seems kinda odd to me.

- How come my 22-1 never comes in when I have him/her in the last leg of my Pick 3? Today, El Bomba was starting to threaten the leaders romping down the middle of the track in the Keeneland nightcap and I thought I finally nailed one....but he faded to sixth. I'll keep trying.

- Congrats to the Turk for the huge hit at Woodbine on Saturday. Dude can handicap and if you aren't following his system, you're missing out.

- Did you know the stretch run on the Woodbine turf is 1,440 feet long? Since ESPN told me 10 times, I don't think I'll ever forget.

- Really hope that the BC comes back to Woodbine someday. That turf course is awesome and the facility could handle the crowd and Toronto is an international city. Of course, the weather would be the big black mark...

- Saw Secretariat (the movie) in Syracuse last weekend, the crowd resembled more of a Wednesday afternoon in January at Aqueduct (empty and quiet). My review of the movie: it was ok.

- Speaking of Secretariat, I won two tickets to a Glenn Miller Orchestra concert in a radio station contest by answering a question about Big Red (I was caller #5 in case you were wondering). I'm actually two for two lifetime in radio contest call in contests. 17 to go to beat Zenyatta....and on that note...

If You Could Turn Back Time...

Tweet No, I'm not a big Cher fan, but I do often wonder how Sonny Bono snagged her? And on the 16th anniversary of the Tonya Harding-Nancy Kerrigan incident, we're going to rev up the way-back machine and list my top five sporting events that I would attend in a heartbeat (now knowing the outcome) and the top five sporting events if I could go back and change the outcomes......feel free to leave a comment to share yours (if afforded the opportunity) or what event you would alter the outcome of....as you can tell it's a little slow in the Space Lab these days...but here goes....

Top Five Sporting Events I Would've Attended if Afforded the Chance

1 - Secretariat's Belmont Stakes. Who wouldn't want to see this "tremendous machine" win by 31 1/2 lengths to take the Triple Crown in 1973?
2 - Miracle on Ice. Lake Placid 1980. Do You Believe in Miracles? U-S-A! U-S-A!
3 - 1958 NFL Championship (Colts-Giants). Greatest Game Ever Played. Unitas (my idol) hands off to Ameche to win first ever overtime championship game at Yankee Stadium. Before I was born, but I'd give my left leg (or maybe the right one) to have been there.
4 - Ali-Frazier I - The Fight of the Century. What other event had first graders taking sides. Well at least my first grade class.
5 - The Immaculate Reception. Although I cherish the moment that I put a hole through the chair in my living room (at 8 years old) jumping up and down on it while watching this game with my father....I think it would've been pretty cool to see that incredible play.

Five Sporting Events I Would Change the Outcome (you know, if I were Kazaam)

1 - Wide Right. No Contest. Instead of leading to four straight Super Bowl losses....who knows what may have happened?
2 - No Goal. Do you see a pattern here? Sabres take Stars to game seven....ya never know...ok no more Buffalo references...
3 - Home Run Throwback. I lied. This one was painful. We tackle Dyson or play ruled a forward pass (screwed again), game over. Rob Johnson/Doug Flutie combo take us to the Super Bowl (ok, so I'm delusional). Hey, this is my post so get ovah your ownself.
4 - USA/Russia Gold Medal Basketball Game, 1972 Olympics. Ball slips through Belov's hands, we win the gold.
5 - Eight Belles' Derby/Barbaro's Preakness (tie). 'Nuff said.

[Editor Update: Honorable Mention - Keith Smart's jumped clanks off rim, Syracuse wins 1987 National Championship (I was there for that one)]

Scorpio edition: Did You Know...

Tweet As we celebrate the silver anniversary of my 21st birthday at the Space Station, I thought I'd take a peek at what happened in racing history on this date....and much to my pleasure the horse most prominently displayed in the highlight reel was Big Red...so here goes.....did you know:

- That 37 years ago today (and a year after my Orioles had won their third AL pennant in a row) Secretariat won the Laurel Futurity by 8 lengths, sent off at odds of 0.10-1?

- That 36 years ago today, Secretariat wrapped up his racing career with a 6 1/2 length victory in the Canadian International Championship Stakes on the turf at Woodbine Racecourse. Eddie Maple had the ride that day as Ron Turcotte (his regular rider) was serving a suspension.

- That 26 years ago today (I was celebrating #20 in at the Branch Office in Elmira NY - drinking age was 19) jockey Jacinto Vasquez recorded his 4,000th career win riding Sunshine O' My Life at The Big A.

- That a mere 9 years ago today (I still wasn't a racing fan) the sport's winniniest rider, Laffit Pincay Jr. notched his victory #9,000 over his glorious career aboard Chichim at Santa Anita in the $150,000 California Cup Distaff (there's that word again).

- That 11 years ago tomorrow (he shows up again) the iconic Secretariat was selected to be honored with a commemorative postal stamp in 1999.

- That the Thoroughbred Bloggers Alliance has admitted some new member blogs? Be sure to check out Susan at Racing International and Brian from Zipse At The Track, our two newest members. Also a shoutout to four blogs who joined us a short time ago: Brock who resides at The Brock Talk, Michael (current track announcer at Turf Paradise) at They Are Off, Gordon from the Perfect Peace Farm and Glen from the Virginia Thoroughbred Blog. Welcome all and be sure to check out their blogs.

- That the TBA has a new Past Performance Search Engine running here.

- That the Breeders' Cup pre-entries were released this morning!

Source for above DYK post: Equisearch

Miracle of 74

Tweet It's one of those things from childhood I'll never forget. Sitting in our wood-paneled family room in Cayuga, New York with my father, watching my beloved Irish (at the time...what kid didn't love Notre Dame) take on mighty UCLA and the magical 88 game winning streak. With 3:30 to go and the Irish down 11 to Coach Wooden's Bruins, I was literally in tears (I took it seriously back then) before the Irish mounted the comeback of comebacks, culminating in Dwight "Iceman" Clay's baseline jumper with 29 seconds to go. They survived the last 10 seconds and probably four UCLA shots to snap the still-longest win streak in NCAA basketball history. It's hard to believe it was 35 years ago today. College basketball was shown on television very sporadically back then. I think the game was telecast on TSN. I could only follow this particular series and the Irish through the agate scores listed in the Syracuse Post-Standard for the most part as a game on TV was few and far between. It was a game for the ages and it is on my list of the great memories of my youth watching sports with my dad (see also Immaculate Reception when I put a hole in the chair I was jumping up and down, on as Franco headed to the endzone- sorry Mom).


1974 was the second year that I can remember horse racing from childhood, as it came on the heels of the mighty Secretariat's triple crown in 1973. Cannonade was the Derby winner in a stampede that included 22 horses (most ever) and was in front of over 163,000 fans. He finished third in both the Preakness and Belmont (yeah they actually ran in the third leg even if they lost in the Preakness) to Little Current, who had finished fifth in the Derby. Cannonade finished with 7 career wins in 25 starts, earning just north of $500K. It represented the first Derby win for famed jockey Angel Cordero, Jr. and trainer Woody Stephens. It was the last Derby that I watched in that unforgettable family room, before we moved to Syracuse and watching it again tonight for the first time in 35 years brought back some pretty cool memories of a young sports fan's childhood.

Here is the 74 Derby (courtesy: cf1970):

Did You Know...

Tweet - That on this day in 1961, Jockey "Heady" Eddie Arcaro rode his last race, finishing third on Endymion in the Pimlico Futurity. He retired with a then-record $30,039,543 in purse winnings.

- That eleven years later in 1972, Secretariat capped off his 2yo season with a win in the Garden State Futurity at Garden State Park. Believe it or not the $179,199 purse was the most he ever won in a single race!

- Finally, seven years later in 1979, Laffit Pincay Jr. won #4,000 at Aqueduct on his way to 9,530 career victories, aboard Gladiolus.

Did You Know...

Tweet - That Magna (MEC) this week, hired high-powered bankruptcy consultants Miller Buckfire & Co. "to review and evaluate various strategic alternatives including asset sales, financing, and balance-sheet restructuring opportunities." The Miller website describes the firm as an independent investment bank providing strategic advice to companies in need of creative solutions to complex problems. In other words, Frank is toast.

- On this date in 1957 HOY Bold Ruler won the Trenton Handicap in a wire-to-wire victory over Gallant Man and Round Table in a three-horse race. Eddie Arcaro rode Bold Ruler to victory on this day.

- Ironically, 25 years later on this date in 1972, Bold Ruler's son, Secretariat worked seven furlongs in 1:25 4-5 at Garden State Park in preparation for the final race of his two-year-old season, the Garden State Stakes.

- Finally, 20 years ago on this day in 1988, Laffit Pincay Jr. became the 2nd jockey in history to win 7,000 races when he won a race at Hollywood Park aboard Phone Bid.

3:59

Tweet Jim Ryun has his record-setting sub-four minute mile as a high schooler (inset). Joltin' Joe has his 56-game hitting streak. Secretariat has his 31 1/2 length Belmont victory. Michael Vick owns all of the rushing records on cell block D. Records and performances that live into infamy. The Saratoga Resident and I have our 3:59. It is the magic number. The unattainable. No, it's not a little one mile jog, it's a marathon. It's the sub-four hour trek from Buffalo to Saratoga. Starting point: Main Street, Williamsville. Ending point: A particular driveway in Saratoga Springs on a well-known street. Distance: 278.12 miles in total. Mapquest says 4 hours 41 minutes. The Saratoga Resident claims he has done the reverse 3:59 (Saratoga to Buffalo) on May 24th, 2008, but he failed to register his starting time with me, thus earning him a big fat DQ. I'm sure he'll beg to differ.

How does one achieve the 3:59?

1) For starters, it has to be official. A registered phone call or email marking the start time is always required. The finish is on the honor system typically with a phone call or email to say how many minutes it was missed by. The unofficial record right now is 4:08 (let's say it's not mine).
2) Gassing up pre-drive is a must. I was caught last opening day eve having to make the obligatory 5 minute pit stop for gas that cost me any chance. Rookie mistake.
3) Planets must be aligned.
4) Can't be a holiday weekend....too many cops, too many trucks, too many cars. Meaning traffic must be at a minimum.
5) No pee breaks. Gotta do yo' bizness before the ride commences.
6) Multiple stints over 80. Based on the distance this is a required tactic to achieve the 3:59. Best, also, to be a card-carrying member of the local PBA or police foundation (check).
7) No passengers. a) distracting to the task at hand and b) the Space Gal doesn't find our little game humorous at all.
8) No emailing or texting. Causes unnecessary slow downs.
9) Most importantly the arrival time of day. Getting to Toga any time between 3pm and 6pm and you're stuck on Broadway and it's all over. Too many times have I had it in sight only to be thwarted on Broadway. I once reached the Starbucks at Broadway at 3:58, only to post a 4:10 and receive the following retort "Is Starbucks my driveway?"
10) Lastly, the correct route must be selected. It's either Exit 28 and in on Route 29 (a nightmare two lane road with tons of old ladies going 35 in a 55) or Exit 27 to Route 67 and in on Route 50 to downtown Saratoga. I've been going with Exit 28 for years now based on the Saratoga Resident's astute advice. How does he go when he sets the unofficial reverse 3:59...yep, Exit 27.

Well it's another track season and another go at 3:59. My first try will be Alabama weekend (hopefully the Space Gal sleeps), so I'll be breaking my own rule number 7. We have a little grudge golf match in Ballston Spa next Tuesday so it messes up any attempt during the opening day visit. We will try and run a little unofficial reverse 3:59 on my return on Thursday. The gauntlet has been thrown down.

Big Red

Tweet One of my prized possessions is the Belmont photo of Secretariat's huge 31 1/2 length record victory signed by jockey Ron Turcotte that hangs over my desk at work. (Thanks Space Gal!) Today's NY Daily News printed a reproduction of the article from June 10, 1973 covering Big Red's Triple Crown victory, that had me remembering the telecast in rural upstate New York, the epic ride with my dad as a skinny ten year old boy. Big Red was sired by Bold Ruler, out of Somethingroyal.

Interesting story on how Big Red came to be the property of his owner, Penny Chenery. Before he was born in March of 1970, Ms. Chenery, Ogden Phipps from Wheatley Stables and Bull Hancock from Claiborne Farms made an agreement. The agreement was made to get the best mares for Bold Ruler, who was owned by Phipps and Hancock. Chenery sent two mares to be bred twice to Bold Ruler, of which one was Somethingroyal. After the first two foals were born, a coin flip would determine who got to choose which foal. The loser would keep the remaining foal, but would have first choice of one of the second pair of foals. Phipps won the first coin flip, choosing Somethingroyal's first foal and the other mare lost her second foal, thus leaving Chenery with two foals, since she would have had first choice, she ended up with none other than Secretariat!

After winning the Triple Crown, Big Red ran six more races. He ended up with 21 career starts (16-3-1) with earnings north of $1.3M. As a stud, he sired approximately 600 foals, before his death in October 1989 due to laminitis. He is buried next to his sire, Bold Ruler at Claiborne Farms.

The fact that Big Brown will probably have only 6-8 career races will be one of the reasons it will be difficult to ever compare him to the real "Big" horse, the great Secretariat. The Belmont will be Brown's sixth career race and if he makes it through unscathed his trainer has mentioned possibilities running in the Travers (Saratoga) and the Breeders Cup Classic (Santa Anita). Should he pull off the triple next week he surely will draw Big numbers at the Spa should he continue his 3yo season. Let's hope he does.

Bella Cavello Update: La Chica Rica, winner of 3 straight, scratched out of the Ohio Valley Handicap last night at Mountaineer Park. Per her connections, they did not want to run her back on 14 days and decided to wait for another spot. Stay tuned.

The Bling

Tweet Yep, this is what he's after. The Triple Crown trophy. Created in 1950 via the Thoroughbred Racing Association and designed by the world famous Cartier Jewelry Company it was bestowed on the previous eight winners of the Triple Crown ('19 Sir Barton, '30 Gallant Fox, '35 Omaha, '37 War Admiral, '41 Whirlaway, '43 Count Fleet, '46 Assault and '48 Citation) retroactively. It wasn't officially awarded to a winner at Belmont (third jewel) until 23 years later to Big Red ('73 Secretariat). Fittingly, it was the largest margin of victory ever in the Belmont Stakes to win the trophy. It was awarded twice more in the late 70's to Seattle Slew ('77) and thirty years ago to Affirmed. The three-sided vase, each face equally representing the three races (jewels) of the triple crown, is a permanent trophy awarded to the winner with engraved information on each side describing each victory. The trophy is on public display (other than triple crown race days) at the Kentucky Derby Museum in Louisville.

Here's hoping I'm close enought to get a good picture in Elmont on the 7th....

Interesting statistics over at the Crist Blog related to the attempts of 31 winners of the first two legs of the triple crown being 11 for 29 (3 for 20 since 1950) with Savara ($142.50) the longest shot to upset the favorite (War Emblem) in 2002. Note that two runners did not race in the Belmont after winning the first two legs.