The eyes of harness racing turns to East Rutherford with the kick off of the Meadowlands' 2010 standardbred meet tomorrow evening (January 1). Despite the dire situation in New Jersey, the Meadowlands still remains the crown jewel of harness racing. The first card of the season features thirteen races. Thanks to Yonkers Raceway being on hiatus for one more week, fans are being treated to an evening of full fields. Not only are there Invitationals for trotters and pacing mares, there is an Open for pacers who are ten years old and up.
The opening of the Meadowlands season presents handicappers a serious challenge. Horses come from various tracks and many are returning from long layoffs in anticipation of this meet. Handicapping horses off of layoffs and qualifiers as well as evaluating the quality of the competition at other tracks is the challenge at hand. However, these difficulties provide the astute handicapper an opportunity to pick up some hidden gems at attractive prices.
Here are my early selections for Friday evening.
1st Trot - $21,000; NW 17,250 last 6 starts
7 - Pembroke Prayer 9-2
3 - Drill Sergeant Sam 15-1
5 - Jaavos Boy 3-1
2nd Pace - $15,000; FM NW 10,000 last 6 starts
5 - Cruzin Inya Jammys 5-1
3 - Terroronthebeach 7-2
1 - Little Mermaid N 8-1
3rd Trot - $21,000; NW 17,250 last 6 starts
1 - Libra Vita 9-2
9 - Dink Adoo 3-1
8 - Badboy Paparazzi A 6-1
4th Pace - $21,250; Claiming $30,000
8 - Glass Pack 10-1
3 - Hit Away 3-1
10 - Ideal Conditions 4-1
1 - Haverford Hanover 7-2
5th Trot - $25,000; NW 22,500 last 6 starts
8 - American Lane 10-1
6 - Speed Bomb 5-2
10 - Peter Lugar 7-2
6th Pace - $25,000; Open 10 years old and up
8 - Image of Dawn 8-1
5 - Napoleon N 7-2
2 - Non commital A 9-2
7th Trot - $32,000 Invitational
3 - Lavec Dream 6-1
8 - Beach Nut Brand 9-2
5- Looking Hanover 7-2
1 - Likeabatoutahell 5-2
8th Pace - $25,000; FM NW 22,500 last 6 starts
4 -Mach You And Me 3-1
6 - I'm Betting On You 7-2
7 - Orphan Annie 9-2
9th Pace - $21,000; FM NW 16,000 last 6 starts
2 - Locamotion Baby 15-1
1 - Away We Go 12-1
7 - Dream McQueen 5-1
6- O Narutac Bella 7-2
10th Pace - $32,000; Mares Invitational
4 - Native Bride 3-1
3 - Cuz She Can 7-2
1 - Natalie 10-1
11th Pace - $21,000; FM NW 16,000 last 6 starts
6 - Lightning Treasure 8-1
3 - Village Bolero 2-1
7 - KG Delight 4-1
12th Pace - $17,000; FM Claiming $30,000
5 - My Fanny 5-1
8 - Jilsander N 9-2
3 - Armbrom Dandelion 8-1
13th Pace - $17,000; Claiming $30,000
6 - Last Orders 3-1
3 - Western Prince 10-1
8 - Ball McCartney N 15-1
1 - Marchand 15-1
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Au Revoir to our War Horses; Honoring a Special Kind of Owner
Monticello Raceway pays tribute to our retiring fourteen year old war horses with the Au Revoir Race tomorrow (December 31, fourth race). This race provides race fans with a rarity. With permission from the NYSRWB, Monticello is being allowed to race pacers against trotters (the trotters draw inside) in a wagering event. While trotters and pacers frequently race against each other in qualifiers, they usually don't race against each other in betting races since pacing is a faster gait. Here are my selections for the $7,500 Au Revoir Race:
6 - Am I Next A 7-2 - Driver change may be key to final victory.
2 - Numberonefan (t) 4-1 - Maine shipper likely to fall short in the stretch.
4 - Bonn Star N 5-2 - Lebanon shipper needs early speed to launch closing attack.
3 - Satin Time N 3-1 - Best efforts been on larger ovals.
1 - I'm Dam Goog (t) 9-2 - Will find it tough against pacers.
7 - Uphill Battle 10-1 - Northfield invader has lacked luck this yar.
5 - Oop's Whatapromise 12-1 - Don't see at all.
Andrew Cohen penned a piece for the USTA website where he suggests paying tribute to the owners of some of our most 'underachieving' race horses. As usual, Cohen's article has drawn some differing opinions. Some ask why we should reward failure; others wonder what kind of person would keep on with horses that are 0-43 and those that raced numerous times without even picking up a check.
People are missing the point of this article. It takes a special kind of person to be willing to keep on with horses like these. Many people would have cut their losses a long time ago; keeping horses like these does not make business sense. Are they foolish? To a degree perhaps, but when harness racing goes through its unavoidable retrenchment and our fair weather owners abandon the sport for more lucrative investments, owners like these will be the ones keeping racing going through the tough times. That deserves recognition.
6 - Am I Next A 7-2 - Driver change may be key to final victory.
2 - Numberonefan (t) 4-1 - Maine shipper likely to fall short in the stretch.
4 - Bonn Star N 5-2 - Lebanon shipper needs early speed to launch closing attack.
3 - Satin Time N 3-1 - Best efforts been on larger ovals.
1 - I'm Dam Goog (t) 9-2 - Will find it tough against pacers.
7 - Uphill Battle 10-1 - Northfield invader has lacked luck this yar.
5 - Oop's Whatapromise 12-1 - Don't see at all.
Andrew Cohen penned a piece for the USTA website where he suggests paying tribute to the owners of some of our most 'underachieving' race horses. As usual, Cohen's article has drawn some differing opinions. Some ask why we should reward failure; others wonder what kind of person would keep on with horses that are 0-43 and those that raced numerous times without even picking up a check.
People are missing the point of this article. It takes a special kind of person to be willing to keep on with horses like these. Many people would have cut their losses a long time ago; keeping horses like these does not make business sense. Are they foolish? To a degree perhaps, but when harness racing goes through its unavoidable retrenchment and our fair weather owners abandon the sport for more lucrative investments, owners like these will be the ones keeping racing going through the tough times. That deserves recognition.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Just the Facts Sir
We couldn't end the year without another column discussing the Ontario Racing Commission's urging rules could we? This time we discuss it with a different spin.
At Windsor Raceway on December 20, there were two disqualifications as a result of the urging rules and this past weekend, another disqualification. In all three occasions the driver was a Canadian or an American that drives at Windsor Raceway with some regularity so the the ORC rules should not be foreign to them. One would think at this point the need for disqualifications, which are reserved for the most flagrant violations, would be a rare occurrence, only with drivers who make a rare appearance in Ontario. But that is a subject for another day. We can argue whether the rule is good or not, but for now, the rule is the rule.
In the case of the fifth race on December 27, it did appear the driver violated the rule in that the whip did make contact with the horse below the shaft of the sulky. The rule indicates a placing may take place if, in the opinion of the judges, there has been a flagrant disregard of the rules. Being Gene Piroski’s whip apparently did make contact with the horse below the sulky shaft several times, the judges decided it was a flagrant violation. The judges at Windsor appear to be applying a strict interpretation of this rule (As a side note, I would have fined and possibly given days to Piroski but would have left the horse up).
What makes me bring up this particular incident is what happened after the race. Instead of just announcing the disqualification, the track announcer prefaced the announcement with "I'm just the announcer...", in effect passing comment on the judges’ ruling.
I am all for track for announcers adding color and emotion to race calls. Nothing is more boring than a drone-like race call. However, in the capacity of the track announcer, when announcing judges’ decisions, he should be informing the fans of the judges’ decision and nothing more. By prefacing the decision with “I’m just the announcer” he in effect was telling people either the judges’ decision and/or the urging rules were wrong. This was not the forum to do so. Hopefully his employers and possibly the judges had a chat with the announcer afterwards.
This is not to say a track announcer can’t voice his opinion; just do it outside of his/her role as track announcer. When it comes to announcing judges’ decisions, it should be “Just the Facts Sir”.
I do find fault with a couple of things concerning the judges on Sunday night at Windsor. First of all, several minutes passed before the inquiry sign was lit. If there judges thought there was a problem, the inquiry sign should have been lit immediately after the race. If it turned out no foul occurred, the inquiry sign could be turned off. The second issue is if a horse is going to be disqualified where the mutual results will be changed, the judges owe the fans/gamblers a better explanation as to why a horse is being disqualified instead of just for violating the rule. Tell the fans exactly, what the infraction was and show it to them, the fans are owed that.
At Windsor Raceway on December 20, there were two disqualifications as a result of the urging rules and this past weekend, another disqualification. In all three occasions the driver was a Canadian or an American that drives at Windsor Raceway with some regularity so the the ORC rules should not be foreign to them. One would think at this point the need for disqualifications, which are reserved for the most flagrant violations, would be a rare occurrence, only with drivers who make a rare appearance in Ontario. But that is a subject for another day. We can argue whether the rule is good or not, but for now, the rule is the rule.
In the case of the fifth race on December 27, it did appear the driver violated the rule in that the whip did make contact with the horse below the shaft of the sulky. The rule indicates a placing may take place if, in the opinion of the judges, there has been a flagrant disregard of the rules. Being Gene Piroski’s whip apparently did make contact with the horse below the sulky shaft several times, the judges decided it was a flagrant violation. The judges at Windsor appear to be applying a strict interpretation of this rule (As a side note, I would have fined and possibly given days to Piroski but would have left the horse up).
What makes me bring up this particular incident is what happened after the race. Instead of just announcing the disqualification, the track announcer prefaced the announcement with "I'm just the announcer...", in effect passing comment on the judges’ ruling.
I am all for track for announcers adding color and emotion to race calls. Nothing is more boring than a drone-like race call. However, in the capacity of the track announcer, when announcing judges’ decisions, he should be informing the fans of the judges’ decision and nothing more. By prefacing the decision with “I’m just the announcer” he in effect was telling people either the judges’ decision and/or the urging rules were wrong. This was not the forum to do so. Hopefully his employers and possibly the judges had a chat with the announcer afterwards.
This is not to say a track announcer can’t voice his opinion; just do it outside of his/her role as track announcer. When it comes to announcing judges’ decisions, it should be “Just the Facts Sir”.
I do find fault with a couple of things concerning the judges on Sunday night at Windsor. First of all, several minutes passed before the inquiry sign was lit. If there judges thought there was a problem, the inquiry sign should have been lit immediately after the race. If it turned out no foul occurred, the inquiry sign could be turned off. The second issue is if a horse is going to be disqualified where the mutual results will be changed, the judges owe the fans/gamblers a better explanation as to why a horse is being disqualified instead of just for violating the rule. Tell the fans exactly, what the infraction was and show it to them, the fans are owed that.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Rethinking Fifteen and Out
Friday is New Years Day and with the turn of the calendar, all horses turn a year older. As a result of the universal birthday, any fourteen year old horses still racing turn fifteen and are forced into retirement (they may continue to race in matinees and at fairs). The question is why do we automatically force these horses into retirement?
In the perfect worl, a horse that turns fifteen would be sent to a farm to either live out the rest of their life in leisure or to begin their second careers. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. For the horse that spent all or most of their life with one owner, retirement is almost a certainty. But for the horse that has been changing owners multiple times, especially in their later years through claiming races, a future as a retiree is less certain. As well intentioned as we are with setting a mandatory retirement age, are we putting capable horses at risk needlessly?
Speaking in general terms, we know our equine senior citizens are not as competitive on the track as our younger horses. With years of wear and tear taking its toll, these horses have likely lost a step or two; not able to race at the speeds they once were able to go. They tend to race in the bottom tiers of conditioned and claiming races, often at our smaller tracks. The fact we are retiring these horses has as much to do with the fact they tend to be unable to be competitive more than anything else. This can be addressed.
Rather than forcing a horse that turns fifteen into retirement, why don't we allow them to continue racing in semi-retirement if sound enough? We can mandate that once a horse turns fifteen, it may continue racing provided a vet annually certifies a horse is sound enough to stand the rigors of racing. In addition, a rule could be instituted that a horse over the age of fourteen may race a limited number of starts and must have a certain number of days between starts; such as twenty-six starts per year and ten days between starts which will allow more time for a horse to recover between races.
What about the problem that they may not be fast enough to compete? The answer may be to change the way we write our races. Most tracks will card races for two year olds, three year olds, four year olds (during the early part of the year) and without age restrictions. What if races were written for horses aged ten and under and then for eleven year olds and up? This way, the older horses would be racing against similar aged horses and be able to be competitive in slower races. Not only would this cause less strain on our older athletes, it would provide for better racing. Who cares if a field of eleven year olds and up race two or three seconds slower than the younger horses? As long as a field is evenly matched and competitive, a race will be attractive to the racing and gambling public.
Let's rethink mandatory retirement. With the proper protections in place, our equine senior citizens can continue their racing careers and in some cases, have a more secure future.
In the perfect worl, a horse that turns fifteen would be sent to a farm to either live out the rest of their life in leisure or to begin their second careers. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. For the horse that spent all or most of their life with one owner, retirement is almost a certainty. But for the horse that has been changing owners multiple times, especially in their later years through claiming races, a future as a retiree is less certain. As well intentioned as we are with setting a mandatory retirement age, are we putting capable horses at risk needlessly?
Speaking in general terms, we know our equine senior citizens are not as competitive on the track as our younger horses. With years of wear and tear taking its toll, these horses have likely lost a step or two; not able to race at the speeds they once were able to go. They tend to race in the bottom tiers of conditioned and claiming races, often at our smaller tracks. The fact we are retiring these horses has as much to do with the fact they tend to be unable to be competitive more than anything else. This can be addressed.
Rather than forcing a horse that turns fifteen into retirement, why don't we allow them to continue racing in semi-retirement if sound enough? We can mandate that once a horse turns fifteen, it may continue racing provided a vet annually certifies a horse is sound enough to stand the rigors of racing. In addition, a rule could be instituted that a horse over the age of fourteen may race a limited number of starts and must have a certain number of days between starts; such as twenty-six starts per year and ten days between starts which will allow more time for a horse to recover between races.
What about the problem that they may not be fast enough to compete? The answer may be to change the way we write our races. Most tracks will card races for two year olds, three year olds, four year olds (during the early part of the year) and without age restrictions. What if races were written for horses aged ten and under and then for eleven year olds and up? This way, the older horses would be racing against similar aged horses and be able to be competitive in slower races. Not only would this cause less strain on our older athletes, it would provide for better racing. Who cares if a field of eleven year olds and up race two or three seconds slower than the younger horses? As long as a field is evenly matched and competitive, a race will be attractive to the racing and gambling public.
Let's rethink mandatory retirement. With the proper protections in place, our equine senior citizens can continue their racing careers and in some cases, have a more secure future.
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Miscellany
This is a quiet weekend for harness racing in the United States but things will be getting interesting this coming weekend with the Meadowlands opening on New Year Day night. The final warm-up for the meet will be Monday morning with twenty-four qualifiers scheduled.
One interesting horse qualifying tomorrow is in the 10th qualifier. Maritime invader Darko makes her American debut in this race. This soon to be four year old pacing filly has been racing in the Maritimes with her last race November 7 at Charlotteown Driving Park, finishing third in the Island Breeders Stakes. This winner of sixteen of twenty seven lifetime has a lifetime mark of 1:57.4 at Turo Raceway at two (equaled this year at Charlotteown) which is nothing to sneeze at in the Maritimes. While this horse has yet to break six figures in lifetime earnings, her $93K+ earnings is impressive for the Maritimes. Ocassionaly a bearcat comes from Atlantic Canada (remember Waveore?). She maybe someone to watch in the early going.
Another horse of interest may be Australian import, Aquestionoftime A (20th race). While this seven year old pacing gelding has been racing lately in claiming stakes in Australia, he has raced well in regular stakes races. His 2009 earnings of $55K is not shabby for a horse that was racing down under. His Decembr 22nd qualifier was disappointing but I look for improvement tomorrow. Depending on how he races tomorrow, he may be one to watch in his first North American pari-mutuel start.
Last week I mentioned in my blog entry that TVG would likely snub Harness Racing in their Year in Review. Well, I was wrong. There was a brief segment where Muscle Hill and Well Said were mentioned winning the Hambletonian and the Meadowlands Pace, respectively. Mention was also made of the Merrie Annabelle.
Harnesslink was obviously scouring the web over the holidays looking for video gems. They came across a cartoon explaining harness racing featuring The Funny Company. Take a look; it is somewhat entertaining.
As we prepare to say "Good Bye" this week to our fourteen year old veterans facing mandatory retirement from the pari-mutuel wars, I found a video of a match race at Rideau Carlton Raceway held on December 31, 2006. This "Clash of the Titans" was a match race with two fourteen year olds making their last starts. Take a look at Kendall Python and Conrad Seelster (the sound is poor during the replay of the stretch drive).
One interesting horse qualifying tomorrow is in the 10th qualifier. Maritime invader Darko makes her American debut in this race. This soon to be four year old pacing filly has been racing in the Maritimes with her last race November 7 at Charlotteown Driving Park, finishing third in the Island Breeders Stakes. This winner of sixteen of twenty seven lifetime has a lifetime mark of 1:57.4 at Turo Raceway at two (equaled this year at Charlotteown) which is nothing to sneeze at in the Maritimes. While this horse has yet to break six figures in lifetime earnings, her $93K+ earnings is impressive for the Maritimes. Ocassionaly a bearcat comes from Atlantic Canada (remember Waveore?). She maybe someone to watch in the early going.
Another horse of interest may be Australian import, Aquestionoftime A (20th race). While this seven year old pacing gelding has been racing lately in claiming stakes in Australia, he has raced well in regular stakes races. His 2009 earnings of $55K is not shabby for a horse that was racing down under. His Decembr 22nd qualifier was disappointing but I look for improvement tomorrow. Depending on how he races tomorrow, he may be one to watch in his first North American pari-mutuel start.
Last week I mentioned in my blog entry that TVG would likely snub Harness Racing in their Year in Review. Well, I was wrong. There was a brief segment where Muscle Hill and Well Said were mentioned winning the Hambletonian and the Meadowlands Pace, respectively. Mention was also made of the Merrie Annabelle.
Harnesslink was obviously scouring the web over the holidays looking for video gems. They came across a cartoon explaining harness racing featuring The Funny Company. Take a look; it is somewhat entertaining.
As we prepare to say "Good Bye" this week to our fourteen year old veterans facing mandatory retirement from the pari-mutuel wars, I found a video of a match race at Rideau Carlton Raceway held on December 31, 2006. This "Clash of the Titans" was a match race with two fourteen year olds making their last starts. Take a look at Kendall Python and Conrad Seelster (the sound is poor during the replay of the stretch drive).
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