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Miscellaneous Ramblings to start 2011

January 3, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The year 2011 has finally arrived. There were times when I thought I wouldn’t make it, but here I am. My favorite sport made it too. Horse racing hasn’t thrived in recent years, but its getting along somehow. Below is a list of 5 of the things I’d like to see happen this year. That isn’t to say they are likely though.

1. I am 20 years old. I want to see a Triple Crown winner. My elders tell me it will happen sooner or later, but I’m sick of waiting. In June it will be 33 years since Affirmed completed the trifecta of all trifectas. It certainly doesn’t seem likely based on what I’ve seen so far. I can hope though, right?

2. My local Kentucky Derby prep race is the Lanes End’s Stakes which will be conducted as the Vinery Racing Spiral Stakes this year and into the foreseeable future. I’ve always known it as the Lanes End though and in my mind that will remain the name. The Turfway Park race has only seen one horse take both the Spiral and the Kentucky Derby (Lil E Tee). It would give my favorite local track a big jolt if their feature race produced a winner on the First Saturday in May.

3. I’d like to see the following jockeys have big years: David Cohen, Patrick Valenzuela, Anna Napravnik, Victor Lebron and Daniel Centeno. All are very top notch riders and I’d like to see one if not more have big success this year. P-Val has had plenty in the past, but I include him due to his recent comeback in California. Many don’t like him, but I feel he is still one of the best around. The 26 year old Cohen is experiencing success in New York and it would be cool to see him parlay that into a few Grade 1 wins this year. Napravnik has proved yet again she is one of the best jockeys, male or female, wherever she rides. She won the jockey title at Delaware Park last year becoming the first woman in the 70 year history of the track to do so. Lebron and Centeno are both off to hot starts in Florida this year. I wish all 5 jockeys the best and big time success in 2011.

4.  War Pass produced 63 foals in 2009. The recently deceased stallion was among my favorite horses. It would be really cool to see one of those  horses win the Champagne or Breeders Cup Juvenile just as he did.

5. Slots are big for horse racing. It has been proven time and again. I hope they finally get some form of gaming in my home state of Ohio and in Kentucky. To the best of my knowledge it will happen in Kentucky thanks to a recent court ruling. However, in Ohio we have to hope Governor Kasich deems it morally acceptable. I could go on for hours about Kasich, but I will refrain. I just hope he makes the right decision for the horsemen of Ohio.

So there you have it, 5 things I want to see happen in 2011. It is now 8 AM and I’m headed off to class. What are you hoping will happen? Leave a comment and share YOUR thoughts.

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RIP War Pass

December 31, 2010 By 2 Comments


I wanted to make note of this sooner, but my busy schedule has prevented me from doing so. War Pass, winner of the 2007 Breeders Cup Juvenile, is no longer with us after collapsing in his paddock on Christmas Eve. He had recently returned from Australia. This is shocking news for me. The dark son of Cherokee Run was one of my very favorite horses and I followed his career from the start until the finish.

War Pass began his career at Saratoga on July 28, 2007 with a 2 3/4 length maiden breaking score. He followed that up with a 5 1/2 length allowance win. It was clear from the very start that he has brilliant early speed. In his third start, the Nick Zito trainee beat favored Ready’s Image and Pyro in the Champagne Stakes by 1 1/2 lengths. I watched the Champagne at Keeneland and I remember talking to TVG’s Todd Schrupp about the race afterwards. Todd, if you’re reading this, you likely don’t remember, but I was very high on War Pass.

I can still remember to this day trainer Nick Zito saying that his horse would “fry” anyone that tried to go with him on the lead in the Breeders Cup Juvenile. He wasn’t kidding as his colt ran one of the best Breeders Cup races ever at Monmouth, splashing home to win by 4 3/4 lengths. He set very fast fractions of :45 2/5 and 1:09 3/5 and came home in 1:42 4/5. His Beyer Speed Figure of 113 is the largest number ever given to a winner of that race.

I sang War Pass’s praises to anyone who would listen. This is why I was very disappointed when he finally came to earth in the Tampa Bay Derby and again in the Wood Memorial. I had hoped to own one of his progeny someday, but that now seems virtually impossible unless a huge sum of money finds its way into my bank account.  War Pass is one of the horses that will always have a special place in my heart. You’re gone but not forgotten, old boy.

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War Pass IS NOT finished!

March 18, 2008 By Leave a Comment

War Pass captures the Breeders Cup Juvenile

The Tampa Bay Derby provided quite a shocker on Saturday. Previously undefeated, but still champion War Pass didn’t fire and struggled to finish the race. My father suggested something was amiss when Nick Zito declined an interview with TVG prior to the race. Perhaps he knew War Pass wasn’t ready? While I consider Zito one of the best around, I must question the wisdom of bringing the 2 year old champion back in an allowance. This suggests to me that he wasn’t ready to throw him to the wolves, but had no choice Saturday. I hope I’m wrong about this because I am HUGE fan of War Pass.

We should consider a few things about the race. For starters I have heard from a few people that some horses don’t handle Tampa Bay Downs the first time they race over it. Another factor is that he was pinched at the break. This prevented him from running to the front and pouring it. Nick Zito was reported on NTRA.com saying that he sustained some cuts to his left leg. I have some sneaking suspicions that War Pass may have bled. Regardless, I believe and hope he will be fine and give ‘em hell when the first Saturday in May arrives!

On a brighter note I was very impressed by Sierra Sunset in the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes. He raced three wide and ended up capturing the race by 3 lengths while earning a Beyer number of 99. He won’t have it easy in the Arkansas Derby when he races rival Denis of Cork for the second time. Denis of Cork defeated Sierra Sunset in the Southwest Stakes. The latter has obviously improved since then so it will be quite a race.

I’ll be heading up to Turfway Park this Saturday for the Grade 2 Lanes End Stakes. Last year’s edition produced Hard Spun the second place finisher in the Kentucky Derby, and Sedgefield the fifth place finisher. This will be my first time viewing the Lanes End live. If it’s as good as the Kentucky Cup I’m going to have a blast. I’ll try and take a camera and get some good pictures to post here. Check back for more, and as always thanks for reading!

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