November 2007 Archives

Good morning. My name is Steve and I'm a Thoroughbred racing addict. Well, maybe not an addict. They say the first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem, but I'm not quite there yet. I do, however, write for Thoroughbred Times, so I am immersed in the world of racing and breeding on a daily basis. And my ego is large enough — just ask anyone who knows me — to assume that people out there might care just a little bit about my opinion. Well, enough about me… for now.

As Sue was kind enough to ask me to contribute, I know will begin subjecting you to my frequent ranting and raving about the industry that has allowed me to scratch out a living in the beautiful city of Lexington.

My first topic for discussion this morning is the Eclipse Award for champion turf female.

Lahudood (GB), winner of the Emirates Airline Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf over a soggy Monmouth Park turf course, certainly will be the favorite to bring home the annual end-of-season award for Shadwell Farm and trainer Kiaran McLaughlin.

The four-year-old Singspiel (Ire) filly certainly had a deserving season, picking up two Grade 1 wins — the other coming in the Flower Bowl Invitational Stakes at Belmont Park — and three total wins from five starts.

Don't get me started on the number of starts because that's a topic for another day. But those numbers most seasons, including a Breeders' Cup victory, would be enough to capture the Eclipse.

As deserving as Lahudood is, however, she did not have the best season among turf females, at least by the numbers.

Here's hoping that voters take a look at Precious Kitten before they send in their ballots the last week of December.

Precious Kitten with Rafael Bejarano winning the Gallorette

The four-year-old Catienus filly raced nine times — almost double the number of starts Lahudood made — winning four. She also earned two Grade 1 victories, capturing the John C. Mabee Handicap in August at Del Mar and the Matriarch Stakes last weekend at Hollywood Park, as welll as victories in the Gallorette Handicap (G3) at Pimlico and the Palomar Handicap at Del Mar.

She also finished second four times -- to champion Wait a While in the Honey Fox Handicap (G3) at Gulfstream Park, My Typhoon (Ire) in the Jenny Wiley Stakes (G2) at Keeneland Race Course, Lady of Venice (Fr) in the CashCall Invitational Mile Stakes (G2) at Hollywood Park, and the First Lady Stakes (G2) at Keeneland in her start prior to the Filly and Mare Turf, in which she was taken out of the race by a wayward horse in the turn and never allowed to get back in the race.

For my money, horses that make more starts get more consideration. The fact that Precious Kitten finished in the top two in eight of nine starts and won two Grade 1 races — the same number as Lahudood — in my eyes makes her more deserving of an award that is supposed to reward horses for outstanding performance over an entire season.

You won't hear any arguments from owner Ken Ramsey, one of the industry's legitimate good guys.

"What more do you have to do to be considered?" Ramsey asked me on November 27. "Lahudood probably has it wrapped up because she won the [Filly and Mare Turf], but all I hope is that people take a look at the past performances before they make a final decision."

I couldn't have said it better myself, Mr. Ramsey.

Ramsey also told me that Talent Search, who finished third after leading most of the way in the TVG Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1), will be transferred from the barn of Mark Shuman to Bobby Frankel in California and will train toward the $2-million Dubai Golden Shaheen (UAE-G1) in March at Nad al Sheba racecourse.

You can read more about Talent Search and his plans at www.thoroughbredtimes.com.

Questions, feedback, or topic ideas are always welcome and appreciated.

Till next time…

Photographing this year's Breeder's Cup World Championship was indeed a bit challenging, to say the least. This was the first year the races were spread over 2 days and it was raining for both those days. Friday was by far the worst day, with relentless rains most of the day. The racing gods were in rare humor, deciding to wreak havoc with Monmouth's special weekend. The track, through no fault of the track superintendent and his crew, resembled the swampy bogs of northern New Jersey. And the turf wasn't much better.

Garrett Gomez aboard Midnight Lute captures The TVG Sprint on a sloppy track 

Aside from the unpleasantness of photographing in conditions such as these, it plays havoc on one's equipment.  It is extremely difficult to keep your camera dry, even using a sleeve (a plastic L-shaped bag, fits over the lenses and camera body). It was inevitable for some moisture to get into the camera. The first thing that started going haywire was the play back, I couldn't check what I had just shot. Then the shutter was getting glitches. I was never so glad for a race card to be finished, just to get the camera, and myself, out of the weather. 

Saturday was not as bad, the rain was lighter. And a baseball cap helped keep rain off my glasses, so I could finally see what I was shooting. The track was less soupy, but still quite a quagmire. Unless on the lead, the jockeys and the horses got pelted with mud, and came back looking the same brown color. The rain did finally stop and by 4:30, we could see sun peeking through the clouds.

The cruelest part of this weekend is that on Sunday, it was a lovely, bright, sunny day. Oh, those racing gods and their quirky sense of humor. 

It is really amazing what we will do for something we love to do. Neither rain nor snow nor dark of night, nor the heat of summer, nor the bone-chilling winter winds Aqueduct will stop our desire for the perfect shot.

What is wrong with us?

I wish to welcome all to my blog. I'm quite excited, as this is my first time doing this (I rarely even read blogs), so I hope to educate, inform and entertain you.

The 2007 Belmont Stakes — Rags To Riches beats Curlin (Preakness winner), becoming the first filly in 102 years to win it

I look to have several authors contributing, on various topics as photography, horse racing, copyright and intellectual property theft, and some non- related topics. I hope to have contributors not only from America, but from over in Europe as well. You'll be hearing from other photographers and horse racing industry people.

I was drawn into Thoroughbred racing when watching in awe as the mighty Secretariat blew away the field to win the 1973 Belmont Stakes by a mind-boggling 31 lengths, in what today is still a world record time of 2:24 on the dirt.

I feel the horse is the perfect running machine, and the Thoroughbred is pure poetry in motion. I am in awe of their power, determination, nobility and yes, their frailties. A thoroughbred in full stride is a thing of beauty, it is perfection — they fly without wings. They are truly God's favorite creature.