Stride8 by scott serio

Stride june 17, 2010 Issue No. 8

m agazine

Perfection Zenyatta makes it 17 for 17

Kelsey Plesa Follows in Her Fatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Footsteps CLAIRE NOVAK

Monmouth Park bounces back

Issue No. 8

June 17, 2010

Contents Main attractions 6

COVER STORY The ‘Queen’ rules As Zenyatta makes history with her 17th consecutive victory, words fail us. By Scott Serio Comeback Track Innovative approaches pay off at Monmouth Park in New Jersey. By Claire Novak

The Real Jersey Shore The Monmouth Park area has more to offer than just good racing. By Scott Serio & Eric Kalet

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Following in Dad’s Footsteps Eddie Plesa Jr’s daughter talks about her aspirations to become a trainer. By Kelsey Plesa

Other Features 18

18 36

The Man Behind Monmouth Bob Kulina’s bold leadership has given the struggling New Jersey track a new lease on life. By Robert Knolhoff

The Voice of Monmouth Nothing neats calling a race with the windows open and the cheers of the crowd in your ears. By Larry Collmus

In the Irons Eddie Castro’s winning ways show no sign of stopping. By Eric Kalet Savoring the Third Jewel Scenes from the Belmont Stakes.

Where They Stand With the Triple Crown races behind us, what’s next for 2010’s top 3-year-olds? By Ryan Patterson

Graded Stakes Races Chart

on the cover: Zenyatta came from the back of the pack to win the Vanity Handicap at Hollywood Park for her 17th win in 17 tries. Photo by Cynthia Lum/Eclipse Sportswire Stride Magazine

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EDITORIAL STAFF Publisher: Henry Hill Design Director: Dave Zeiler Photo Editor: Scott Serio Copy editors: Paul Bendel-Simso

Photo: charles prvata/eclipse sportswire

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Racing into history The horses break from the gate at the $250,000 Vanity Handicap June 13 at Hollywood Park. Zenyatta (5) made a late move to edge out St Trinians (2) and earn her 17th victory in 17 tries. STRIDE MAGAZINE

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co m m en tar y

Perfectly speechless When it comes to Zenyatta, we’re running out of superlatives

By Scott Serio

ever – but still, there have been none quite like this. Perfection is a magical and revered thing in sports. Witness the outrage when umpire Jim Joyce blew the call at first base and destroyed what would have been a perfect game for Detroit Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga: He had messed with perfection. Then look back on other examples of perfection: The ’72 Miami Dolphins are the only modern major professional sports team that can claim perfection. Individually, no major league pitcher has ever laid down an undefeated season beyond the 12-0 posted by Tom Zachary of the 1929 New York Yankees, but even Zachary only did it in 119.2 innings pitched – not enough to qualify him for an ERA title. But all this talk of perfection looks past the simple brilliance. In modern sports, no one expects perfection. Even as the 2007 New England Patriots seem destined for a perfect season, fate seemed to snatch it away. The 2010 Colts decided the pursuit of perfection wasn’t even worth their time or their chance at the Lombardi Trophy. But ... the brilliance of Jackie Robinson stealing home, Michael Phelps in the pool or Edwin Moses in the 400 hurdles is undeniable. And no one has to tell you it is brilliant. You know it just by watching the performance. This is the team of Zenyatta and jockey Mike Smith. I can try to describe how, with seemingly nowhere to go in her 2010 debut, Smith made an impossible left turn Zenyatta (left) came from dead last, finally surging ahead of St Trinians for a dramatic win. in full stride, hit a hole that wasn’t there and accelerated to win. I could also try to describe how, again seeming to be hopelessly beaten, Maybe the only way to get the measure of Zenyatta reached down, found another gear and Zenyatta is by comparison. The feeling you get surged forward to make it 17 wins in 17 starts. watching Zenyatta is akin to watching football great I could. Or you could just watch it (link will open a Walter Payton in a broken field run. It’s like watching new window). Ozzie Smith track down an impossibly bad short hop When you are done, you will have watched a level and effortlessly turn a double play. It’s like watching of transcendent brilliance the previous 500 words I an airborne Michael Jordan magically thread his way have written will still be unable to describe. For now down the lane to make a circus-style reverse lay-up it is undefeated. For now it is perfection. It is almost look easy. sublime. Enjoy it while you can. It will be a long time I say this because, in my lifetime, no one has ever before we see another horse like this. Zenyatta – 17 seen a horse quite like Zenyatta. Some might argue that for 17. h Secretariat was a better horse, even the greatest horse Photo: Cynthia Lum/eclipse sportswire

fter watching another heart-stopping stretch run to victory by Zenyatta, I was left searching for the proper superlatives. Many I found fell short, but there was a recurrent theme – the same theme that has been in my mind since the first time I saw Zenyatta run in person. There are many doubters, mostly on the East Coast, who just do not believe her greatness. But there is no doubt in my mind. Watching that immense 17.1-hand mare unleash her drive at the quarter pole with jockey Mike Smith guiding her is one of the purest sports moments a fan could ever encounter.

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Maki a

Comebac When Monmouth Park laid plans for the rebirth of New Jersey racing, the horsemen got on board By Claire Novak Photos by Eclipse Sportswire

he competition is tougher, the fields are deeper, and out-of-town trainers have converged upon the New Jersey racing scene. But for local horsemen, Monmouth Park’s “Million Dollar Meet” means just one thing: the return of their beloved oval to prominence among the best tracks of the nation. Once known as “the Newmarket of America” and now referred to as “The Shore’s Greatest Stretch,” Monmouth always held a reputation for high-caliber competition and top-dollar purses. That reputation had been tarnished in recent years as the track battled a decline in handle and attendance, competition from Atlantic City casinos, and a drop in the quality of the state’s thoroughbred breeding program. The bottom-line dollar figures were not promising: Last year, the New Jersey track lost $13 million on racing, and the horsemen suffered because of it.

ing

ck Top: Gatha Gate Artis (foreground) works the everyday maze that are morning workouts. Left: Fans crowd the rail to watch the races at the Monmouth Park Elite Summer Meet.

Then the powers that be came up with a gutsy scheme: cutting back to just 50 summer racing dates and a Friday-Sunday schedule with three holiday Mondays, eliminating the fall thoroughbred season at the Meadowlands, and bumping the purse structure up from a daily average of $331,000 to an average $1 million per day. When Dennis Drazin, former president of the New Jersey Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association, and Bob Kulina, the general manager of Monmouth, announced the one-year experiment in March, skepticism ran high (see feature on Bob Kulina on Page XX). But the horsemen jumped

the Sapling in 2001 with Pure Precision and took two runnings of the Salvatore Mile – in 1982 with Count His Fleet and in 1986 with Jyp. Sitting on the porch of the racing office under the track’s trademark green-and-white-striped awnings, the 64-year-old horseman recalled Monmouth’s glory days and reflected upon their possible return. “This has always been a classy place to be,” he said. “People used to dress a little better – you had to wear a jacket to get into the clubhouse – and there was always a crowd at the races. When I first came here, they were going to Garden State for a month, then they would race two months here, two months at Atlantic City, and back to Garden State for a month. It was the best six months of racing.” Tamarro III has a home in Maryland and raised his family there. But this year he might not go back. “I’ve been here and Maryland, that’s where I’ve run, and John Tammaro III leads on of his trainees to the track for a morning jog. the problem is that Maryland has just onboard, and now as the meet plays out fallen behind,” he said. “The reason is before their eyes, they’re holding out the management, and politicians alhope that this level of excitement – and ways play a big part in our game, but monetary reward – will be the norm in this is the first year I’m thinking about not going back. I don’t know the anyears to come. swer, but I do know that for the last Tamarro: The long view few years, something had to change, John Tamarro III was raised in rac- because things were going the wrong ing – not here, but in Maryland – and way.” when he came to Monmouth at the age The change at Monmouth has not of 37 in 1973, it was in the footsteps of been easy, but it could spell a steady rise his father, John Tamarro Jr., a jockey in the quality of runners at the mid-Atwho ruled the Maryland circuit when lantic oval. Ultimately, that’s what any he retired from riding to become a good horseman desires. trainer. Tamarro III led the standings in “It’s been harder for local people 1973, 1974, and 1986, and shares the all- to win races, but here’s the thing: You time record for wins in one Monmouth want to try to upgrade your horses at meet with J. Willard Thompson, each all times,” Tamarro said. “So now we’re capturing 55 in the mid-’70s. He won being forced to try harder to upgrade,

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The turf course at Monmouth Park will be the cent the July 4th weekend.

ter of many big races during the meet, with the biggest being the United Nations Handicap during

which isn’t easy to do, but if you’re going to be competitive here in the future you’re going to have to bring better horses.”

Plesa: ‘Nothing negative’

Eddie Plesa has not spent as many years dedicated to the New Jersey circuit – he makes his home in South Florida and is a Gulfstream Park regular – but 30 years ago he worked here as an assistant to Stan Hough. By 2005, the racing scene in Florida had deteriorated enough to necessitate a change in his racing program. While maintaining his southern operation, he also returned to New Jersey and refamiliarized himself with the mid-Atlantic scene. “We came up here because of the conditions that are in Florida, the deterioration of racing,” said Plesa, 61. “We’ve always enjoyed the meet up here, and I think it’s a great place. Racing everywhere is in trouble, and when I heard they were going to do what they’re doing now at Monmouth, I thought it was an outstanding idea. They needed to do something big and bold, and they did it.” Attendance is up. The track is bustling. The buzz is back. “I think this is the cutting edge of what racing could become,” the trainer remarked. “We’re getting crowds out here that you didn’t normally see, and the three days per week of racing is not a problem because you have other places you can run on the dark days – Delaware, Pennsylvania, New York. There’s excitement around here, the people are enthusiastic, and if you go around to different businesses around here, I don’t care if the guy owns a sandwich shop or a restaurant or anything, they’re into the excitement of what’s happening.” The difference between what Plesa did in the past and what he did this year is simple: He’s working more with claiming horses, supporting the local scene. “In the past few years I’ve gone to the 2-year-old sales and bought 2-year-olds in training and brought them up here to develop them,” he said. “I still did that, but not to the extent of the past. I’ve

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Monmouth Park Race Track is going out of their way to attract all kinds of racegoers with events like the Win and Wine Festival, showcasing vineyards from all over New Jersey.

had some owners who have decided to spend their money claiming horses. They see the kind of purses that you have here, and it’s instant gratification. Instead of buying a horse and waiting for it to develop, you can get one now. It’s a sound business move. You can tell somebody if they’re claiming horses here that the expectation of them making money is probably as great as it’s ever been.” One of the unique changes to the purse structure this year involves the track’s decision to pay all the way down to last place, which earns $1,500. Some have expressed concern about horsemen placing runners in over their heads to simply collect the last-place money, and others have wondered if the additional payment would encourage trainers to wheel horses back too quickly, but Plesa believes that’s not an issue for the most part.

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“I think most people are responsible horse people, and if they have to wheel a horse back that quickly to make $1,500, they should probably look for something else to do,” he said. “The racing here is more difficult, and paying down through last is a good thing for my owners; a lot of them have commented positively on that.” Overall, Plesa said, he has “nothing negative to say” about the season thus far. “There’s been a big change in racing since the time I first trained here,” he said. “And it hasn’t been in a positive way. Racing isn’t what it once was, and to see the crowds out here, to see the claim box filled every day, to see the horsemen and the fans enjoying the experience, that’s what it’s all about. From a trainer’s standpoint, we need something to sell to get people to race with

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us, and it’s easy to sell what’s happening here.”

The out-of-towners

As Monmouth embarked upon its drastically different season this spring, horsemen around the country took notice. For those like the California-based Mike Mitchell, the expense of sending up a secondary string was far outweighed by the potential reward. He has 10 stalls at a mid-Atlantic track, supervised by assistant Euriel Mejia. “When they sent me the condition book, I said, ‘Wow! Here’s a good way I can take some horses that I’d be hardpressed to get into races here, $60,000 and $80,000 claiming horses.’ The big thing with me is that I’ve gotta do right by my owners, and all of my owners are California-based people. Six or seven years ago, when the money and the

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Mitchell said many of his horses have racing in California was really, really “The horsemen are our partners,” good, this might have been something I been finishing second or third, like Miss said Kulina, the general manager. “We wouldn’t do. But now I can tell my own- McCall, a granddaughter of Storm Cat, can’t have racing without the horseers about these purses and it makes it who lost by a nostril last time out. And men, and they can’t have racing withfour of the five horses that he’s run for a out a racetrack. So we’re partners in it, an easier sell for me, for sure.” Out-of-town outfits also have an ad- tag have been claimed. and everyone in this industry knows “The bad thing is that two of those we have to create more excitement; we vantage in the current trainer standings, where Todd Pletcher, Rick Dutrow horses got in all kinds of trouble and have to figure out how to take the enJr., and Nick Zito rank in the top three. probably should have won,” Mitchell ergy and keep it going year-round. And These New York horsemen have tradi- said. “The purses are so big that you’d currently, we’re proving that these short tionally started horses at the New Jer- really like to get a win, and I own 20 meets with good racing can work.” “It’s been a perfect marriage,” Plesa sey track, but have ramped up their percent of Miss McCall, so a win from stables significantly as far as quality her would have been a real home run said of the current relationship between and quantity are concerned for the sea- for me. But over there right now, you horsemen and track management. son. Still, one local horseman is holding open up the Racing Form and you think “Each group had a certain agenda and his own – Bruce Alexander, who first started training here in 2005, is second in the standings with a 5-4-4 record from 18 starts compared to Pletcher’s 7-7-7 record from 36 starts. “There’s no question that it’s been slightly tougher this year,” said Alexander. “I’ve run a couple different maiden special weight contenders that were second and third first time out that would have been winners in last year’s company. Overall, I’d say it’s about 15 percent tougher than it used to The influx of horses at Monmouth Park causes a traffic jam during morning workouts. be, but fortunately the money is 50 percent better, so you do you’re gonna be the horse to beat, but they were able to work out their differyou really could make a case for four or ences to get this rolling, and everybody the math.” New Jersey-bred runners also re- five of the runners.” got in behind it. It’s a functional family In spite of that – or perhaps because as opposed to dysfunctional.” ceive a 20 percent bonus for finishing 1-2-3 in open company, and purses for of it – Mitchell said he’d be back if the Even jockey Joe Bravo, a perennial events restricted to state-bred contend- purse structure remained comparable leader at the Monmouth Park meet, has ers also pay very well – $75,000 for one next year. seen a positive outcome from the sea“The racing secretary there is one of son thus far. maiden special weight, for example. And the racetrack has worked to ensure the best I’ve worked with; he does ev“People were hesitant about it, but that, while out-of-town horsemen have erything he can for you in trying to get now that it’s been a couple weeks runopportunities to compete, the local guy the races to go, and I definitely like the ning and everything, it’s really all been way I’ve been treated,” he said. gets his chance as well. good,” he said. “The quality of horses “The Jersey-bred races couldn’t be has gone up and the racing has been any tougher,” Alexander said. “But any Serving the horsemen very great with nice, full fields. People Treating the horsemen well and are really into it. If it continues the way it good horseman likes competition and likes the big fields. Anybody that views working to provide them with opportu- has thus far, I think it’s something other it being tough as a negative thing is nities to succeed is a priority for Mon- racetracks around the country should mouth’s management. probably noncompetitive.” consider and seek to emulate.” h

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Photo: scott serio/eclipse sportswire

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The Clocker

Gatha “Gate” Artis has worked as a “clocker” for more than 30 years. With no names on saddle cloths, “Gate” works the trainers and exercise riders for information and has three stopwatches at the ready. His skills at watching horses in the morning have made his opinion very valuable; he even has his own website at www.clockerg.com to tout what his experienced eyes discern. STRIDE MAGAZINE

June 17, 2010

Photo: scott serio/eclipse sportswire

Monmouth Park Vice President and General Manager Bob Kulina has shortened the racing week and raised purses to attract fans.

Charting a new course

Bob Kulina is presiding over the renaissance of Monmouth Park By Robert Knolhoff

rowing up as the son of a trainer, Bob Kulina discovered that the racetrack offered a very practical educa-

tion. “I took in plenty of life lessons during the years working for my father,” says the son of the late New Jersey horseman Joseph Kulina. “From getting to know the different people who made the racetrack a way of life, being assigned the most difficult horses to rub in my father’s barn, and even learning to playing cards – it was all there to absorb.” This spring Kulina, Monmouth Park’s vice president and general man-

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ager, has learned another invaluable lesson right, along with the rest of the industry: If you take decisive action to lift up your product, the betting public will respond. Motivated by a clear need to revitalize New Jersey’s racing industry, Monmouth’s “Elite Summer Meet” has been received with an energy seen by few other recent developments in the sport. The plan calls for three days of racing per week with daily purses averaging $1 million. The meet, which kicked off May 22 and runs through Labor Day, has so far realized larger gains in handle and attendance for the Oceanport track than anyone could have pre-

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dicted. Opening day saw the largest nonHaskell or Breeders’ Cup crowd in track history, and all-sources handle more than doubled from the previous year. Business through the first five days of the meet had risen over 120 percent from the corresponding days in 2009, and attendance remains way up over last year as well. Along with those figures has come a return of the spotlight to the picturesque host track of the 2007 Breeders’ Cup and, of course, the midsummer Haskell Invitational. “My expectations going in were based on the knowledge that it is all about the

product,” says Kulina. “Admittedly, it’s a small sampling. We haven’t yet had to deal with bad weather, and June was always traditionally a slow month before business steadily rises heading toward the Haskell.” “We’ve always had the perfect locale for a top-level meet,” he says. “This was also the final year of that $30 million supplemental payment from the Atlantic City casinos, so we had to think and act fast, and we did. From within an industry which doesn’t always have an easy time rooting for itself, we’re making a strong impression on everyone that this model can work.” Integral to the meet’s success are the larger and more competitive fields Monmouth is attracting throughout each program. To help guarantee the biggest fields possible, Monmouth pays out $1,500 to every starter in a race, with the winner’s share down 5 percent from the industry’s 60 percent norm. A Somerville native, Kulina began working full time at his father’s stable when he was 13. Joe Kulina spent his entire training career in New Jersey, leaving the state only to winter alongside many of the sport’s bluebloods in Aiken, SC. “We were somewhat atypical of your average tenants in Aiken,” Kulina recalls. “We were across the road from Kelso’s barn, and Greentree Stable was right there, too. My father was an extremely talented horsemen, and in fact once had an offer to train in New York for a major outfit. He never wanted to leave New Jersey, though; it was home, and we were fortunate to have really good clients of our own – Colonial Farm, the Brunetti family, Anderson Fowler, all good people.” Providing some high moments for the Kulina stable in the early 1960s was New Jersey-bred Our Hope. The son of Champagne Stakes-winner Uncle Miltie even topped the great Kelso by a head in the 1961 Whitney Handicap, only to be disqualified for impeding the champ through the stretch. Our Hope also placed second in that same year’s

help but talk about the buzz this has generated. “Everyone knows how hard it is to create new fans; I’ve always been of the mindset that we need to start reclaiming some of our lapsed fans. I’m seeing the owner boxes filled on a regular basis – people are again making the trip to the track rather than just watch their horses from home on the television.” Sensitive to the concerns of local horsemen who feared they would squeezed out by larger outfits, Kulina also has an eye on restoring the overnight races that were once a staple of

Photo: Scott serio/eclipse sportswire

Life in the stables

Monmouth Handicap when it was one of the premier races on the East Coast for older horses. “I remember when Monmouth was a 40-day meet, which concluded the first weekend of August; then you went to Atlantic City,” says Kulina, who was named Monmouth’s racing secretary in 1976. This year’s plan, he adds, “was introduced with the hope of restoring a similar feeling to the current meet. It’s very difficult to sustain year-round racing at the volume New Jersey had been maintaining.”

Bob Kulina talks with Caroline Hine before the running of the Skip Away Stakes at Monmouth Park. Hine’s late husband, Hubert “Sonny” Hine trained the horse for whom the race was named.

Last year, Monmouth and the Meadowlands hosted a combined 141 days of racing days, with a $331,000 daily purse average. Monmouth will offer a 21-day fall meet, while the Meadowlands will not host thoroughbred racing this year.

Sacrifice and success

“Right now, it’s fun going to work,” Kulina says. “Our employees sacrificed a lot in order to pull this off. They’ve given up a lot of days over the course of the summer, but everyone from the clubhouse attendants to the tellers can’t

America’s top racetracks. “I know the problems horsemen face, how difficult it can be to make a living back there. So I was able to debate some of those early dissenting viewpoints fairly and honestly. If we can do this again next year, we can maybe reintroduce some stronger conditions which have all but disappeared from the circuit, and present an even stronger product. “I like racing,” he says. “It’s what my father did for a living. It’s what I do, too, and I’d like to somehow see it thrive here as it once did.” h

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Wind

Anno

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dow on

Be s t s e at in th e house

Monmouth

ouncer calls them like he sees them – and he likes what he sees

By Larry Collmus Photos by Eclipse Sportswire

ith the 2010 Elite Summer Meet under way, it’s great that racing fans and bettors around the country are focusing so much attention on Monmouth Park. After 16 years of calling the races here, I can say that this jewel of a racetrack certainly deserves it. I grew up in Maryland, and in my teens I’d try to visit as many tracks on the East Coast as possible with my high school buddies Ken Beck and Craig Milkowski. One of the places we enjoyed the most was Monmouth Park. STRIDE MAGAZINE

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Larry Collmus started as the regular announcer at Monmouth Park in 1994, taking over from Bob Weems.

It was a three-hour trip each way, and it usually coincided with an evening at Atlantic City Race Course as well. Bob Weems, the longtime voice of Monmouth Park, did the doubleheader, too, calling at both tracks. It was my first introduction to Monmouth Park, and it was love at first sight. The place was always packed with fans – and the quality of racing was top-notch. Although I was just starting to call races as the backup on the Maryland circuit, I never imagined that less than 10 years later, on Opening Day in 1994, Bob Weems would be handing over the microphone to me! Bob said he liked to call with the windows closed, but they did open up if I wanted. I decided to give that a try, and – except for rainy days when the wind

was blowing in from the ocean – the windows in the Monmouth Park announcer’s booth have remained wide open. Opening the windows helps me draw from the energy of the large and enthusiastic crowd on the track apron – especially on weekends. Unfortunately, it’s a sight and sound that’s missing from too many tracks, and it’s what makes Monmouth Park special. Since that Opening Day in 1994, there have been 16 years of fantastic memories for me here at the Jersey Shore. Of course, I’ve also forgotten a lot of things, because my long-term memory is shot from remembering horses’ names over and over. We track announcers abuse our short-term memories. We have to study each race by memorizing the horses’ names and associating them with the

Larry Collmus uses a pair of binoculars to peer across the Monmouth track.

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jockeys’ silks, which are the most identifiable way to follow them in the race. When the race is over, our minds wipe the slate clean for the next race. This process wreaks havoc on long-term memory. Some races, though, are just too awesome to forget. Some of my Monmouth Park favorites are: n My first Haskell in 1994, won by the great Holy Bull. He was definitely one of my all-time favorite horses. n Formal Gold’s maiden win in 1996. He blew by the field on the turn and pulled away so impressively I remember saying “How good is he?” in the call. n The 1998 Iselin, when Skip Away, carrying 131 pounds, battled back on the inside of Stormin Fever to win after being passed in mid-stretch. n A fully tested Point Given just getting up to win the Haskell in 2001. n Big Brown’s return to glory in the 2008 Haskell. n Rachel Alexandra dominating the boys in the slop last year. And, of course, there was the Breeders’ Cup in 2007, sharing the booth with Trevor Denman as a deluge of rain poured down on Monmouth Park. For each race, we had to decide whether to keep those windows open or closed. Hopefully there are nothing but sunny days ahead for Monmouth Park. This elite summer meet should be a blast, and I hope all of you come see us at the Jersey Shore. h

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Photo: scott serio/eclipse sportswire

Eddie Castro in the walking ring at Monmouth Park, one of several tracks where the jockey currently races.

in t h e iro n s

Riding High

Eddie Castro just keeps on winning

By Eric Kalet ddie Castro cared for all sorts of animals – including horses – as he was growing up on his family’s produce farm in Los Santos, Panama. But watching his friends ride at local tracks convinced him that riding horses was more exciting than just taking care of them, and he resolved to become a jockey. He learned basics by spending two years in the national jockey school at Presidente Remon racetrack in Panama City, but he eventually ended up at Calder Race Course in Florida in April 2003. In his first year of professional riding, Castro made a splash at Calder with his first win aboard Diamonds and Notes and, within a few months, won his first stakes race in the $100,000 Aspidistra Handicap aboard Sara’s Success. Castro

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continued to make an impact his first year by riding five winners in one day on three separate occasions. He also broke jockey Walter Guerra’s 26-yearold record by winning 218 races during the Calder summer meet, and he won the 2003 Eclipse Award for Outstanding Apprentice Jockey. In 2005, Castro took it to the next level, winning his first Grade 1 race at Keeneland Racecourse aboard Pampered Princess and smashed the prior record of six wins in a day by winning nine of 13 races at Calder in one day. Less then one year later, after riding his first season at Monmouth Park and placing fourth in the jockey standings, Castro won the 2006 renewal of the Breeders’ Cup Mile aboard Miesque’s Approval and reached the 1,000-win milestone two weeks later under the famed twin

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spires of Churchill Downs. Castro continued to make his presence felt by finishing second in the Monmouth Park jockey standings from 2006 to 2009 and winning the 2007 Meadowlands riding title. And he joined fellow journeymen Jose Lezcano, Joe Bravo, Julie Krone, Chris Antley and Walter Blum by winning six races in one day at Monmouth Park in 2009. And the future? “It’s too soon to say,” he said. “I enjoy riding at Calder, Gulfstream and Monmouth. They are nice tracks, have a competitive jockey colony, give me the opportunity to make good money and ride top horses – some of the best thoroughbreds.” Then he pauses: “Maybe I’d like to be a trainer.” No matter what he decides, Castro’s future, like his past and present, seems bright.h

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It’s A

hore hin

From the beach to the Boss, Jersey has a lot to offer

Photo courtesy Hyun Lee

The Stone Pony is best known for Bruce Springsteen’s numerous impromptu performances.

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Photo: scott serio/eclipse sportswire

ng Right across Ocean Avenue, just seconds away from the beach is Long Branch Skate Park.

Photo courtesy Shawn Perez

By Scott Serio & Eric Kalet

he Jersey Shore has been a hot spot for generations of summertime vacationers. From Cape May to Sandy Hook, the hotels, motels and beach houses are crowded with visitors who crave the sun, the boardwalk, the entertainment and the lifestyle that the area has to offer. Unlike its counterparts in the South, the North Jersey Shore does have a breeze and can be downright pleasant in the summer. And at night, the shore serves up partyready weather and entertainment. The Stone Pony is considered by many to be the epicenter of shore life. Since the mid-’70s, the stage has hosted top musical acts and has seen many impromptu appearances by “the Boss” himself, Bruce Springsteen. STRIDE MAGAZINE

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Photos: scott serio/eclipse sportswire

One of many elaborate “beach houses” along Ocean Boulevard in Monmouth Beach.

In a recent beach anthem, Springsteen memorialized the culture and experience with “Girls In Their Summer Clothes.” Well the streetlights shine Down on Blessing Avenue Lovers they walk by  Holding hands two by two A breeze crosses the porch Bicycle spokes spin ’round  My jacket’s on, I’m out the door  Tonight I’m gonna burn this town down It might be more skateboards than bicycles these days, but the cool breeze that comes from the Atlantic filters down Ocean Boulevard all the way to the shore’s rejuvenated hot spot: Monmouth Park Race Track, which is making a concerted effort to connect the track with those who summer at the shore. Events like Win and Wine – a wine festival held at the track – are help-

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The seashore at Monmouth Beach on a late spring day.

June 17, 2010

STRIDE MAGAZINE

June 17, 2010

Photos: eric kalet/eclipse sportswire

Max’s Hot Dogs has been serving the Jersey Shore area since 1928.

ing “The Greatest Stretch on the Shore” become a more central part of shore life. The area does not lack for restaurants. There are nouveau spots like Bobby Flay’s burger joint or Red in Red Bank, but the place those in the know lean on for good food is only a few furlongs away from the track: Max’s Famous Hot Dogs. Owned and operated by the Maybaum family for three generations, Max’s has been a Jersey Shore tradition since 1928. They treat every customer like family as they serve delicious dogs, mass quantities of fries and onion rings, and Max’s famous “Jersey Fresh” corn on the cob. It is the track insiders’ spot – you might find yourself enjoying a dog with Bob Baffert or Nick Zito while you’re there. There’s plenty to do at the Jersey Shore beyond the races. Yes, there is the beach, but the New Jersey Horse Park, Six Flags Great Adventure and other attractions are just a short drive away. There is even a hidden gem of a golf course, Howell Park, that consistently gets a four-star rating from Golf Digest. If you have a chance to squeeze in 18 holes, Howell Park is a fantastic option. As you’re planning your visit, mark down Aug. 1

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June 17, 2010

Every customer is treated like family at Max’s Hot Dogs.

on your calendar. The Haskell Invitational is hosted that day, and, with many of the top 3-year-olds in the country being pointed for the summer classic, a great visit to the Jersey Shore can be topped off with a great day of racing. See you there. h

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June 17, 2010

142nd Belmo

A Great Little Party Photos by Eclipse Sportswire

Lana Stearn, 3, of Manhattan enjoys some lemonade at Belmont Park in Elmo

ont Stakes

ont, New York on Belmont Stakes Day.

By Scott Serio

t was definitely a party in the grandstands and in the “Backyard” at Belmont Park. Fans trickled in throughout the day, swelling the crowd to more than 45,000. The problem is that when you are running a marquee horseracing event that in the past has attracted as many as 103,000 fans, track management wants a never-ending stream, not a trickle. Many factors were beyond Belmont Park and NYRA’s control. The ridiculous financial crisis caused by a failure of NYC OTB to pay hampered the ability to advertise the event. Add to this the absence of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winners. Throw in some heat that went beyond summer-like. Mix it together and you get a 17 percent drop in attendance. But in spite of the obstacles, NYRA put on a pretty good show. This wasn’t a “Big Brown” kind of crowd, and you could find an open parcel of land for a picnic blanket just about anyplace you wandered to in the Backyard. For everyone there, the lack of a Triple Crown buzz was replaced by the vibe of people enjoying a beautiful day – in the shade of the Backyard if they were lucky. The music was lively. The wagering options were even fun, with some shocking long shots upsetting what appeared to be rock-solid favorites. And on a day that looked like it would lack a meaningful story, one emerged. When the much-ballyhooed Drosselmeyer broke free in the stretch, he finally fulfilled his potential. In doing so, the 3-year-old son of Distorted Humor delivered the first Belmont Stakes victory for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott and Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith.

142nd Belmo

Ron Turcotte signs Secretariat memorabilia for fans at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York on Belmont Stakes Day.

ont Stakes

Jazmin Villegas performs “Empire on My Mind.”

Top of

Five 3-year-olds are sha

Top: Super Saver, ridden by Calvin Borel, wins the 136th running of the Kentucky Derby. Center: First Dude leads the way in the Preakness the first time past the stand at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore. Bottom right: Drosselmeyer and jockey Mike Smith win the Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park in Elmont, NY .

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June 17, 2010

f Their Game

aping up to have a major impact on racing in 2010 By Ryan Patterson Photos by Eclipse Sportswire

he 2010 Triple Crown has finally reached its end. It started with Todd Pletcher securing his first victory in the Kentucky Derby with Super Saver, and it ended with Drosselmeyer finally living up to the hype by winning the Belmont Stakes, giving trainer Bill Mott his first victory in a Triple Crown race. The Preakness Stakes saw Lookin At Lucky find his mojo once again, but this time with the young jockey Martin Garcia. The Triple Crown separates the real horses from the pretenders. Before May 1, we had no idea who was “for real” and who had been merely poaching easy competition. Let’s take a look at the horses that emerged as the top dogs in the 3-year-old division and where they may be headed this summer.

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June 17, 2010

Lookin At Lucky

What a difference a simple jockey change can make. After winning the Del Mar Futurity, Norfolk Stakes, and CashCall Futurity – all of which are Grade 1 races – Lookin At Lucky and jockey Garrett Gomez hit a snag in the Santa Anita Derby. Things looked fine for Lucky as he cruised up the inside in his prep for the Kentucky Derby, until he was slammed into the rail by Victor Espinoza, who was aboard a littleknown colt named Who’s Up. Gomez was able to rally for third on the son of Smart Strike, but that did little to appease trainer Bob Baffert. After another poor trip in the Kentucky Derby, the mount on Lucky was given to Garcia. The rest, as they say, is history. Garcia gave Lookin At Lucky a masterful ride in the Preakness Stakes, guiding him to a ¾-length victory over the tenacious First Dude. It is likely that Lucky will target the Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park before attempting the Travers Stakes at Saratoga Racecourse.

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Lookin at Lucky looked good in the Preakness Stakes.

The ultimate goal for Lookin At Lucky is almost undoubtedly the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Churchill Downs.

Super Saver

What else can you say about this Kentucky Derby winner? The son of Maria’s Mon parlayed the perfect blend of ability, tactical speed and stamina into a victory on the first Saturday in May. He drew clear to register a two-length victory over Ice Box, giving jockey Calvin Borel his third Kentucky Derby win

June 17, 2010

in four years. More importantly, Super Saver ended a streak of futility for Pletcher – finally giving him the Roses after more than 20 failed attempts. The Preakness Stakes wasn’t as kind to Super Saver. He faded after a perfect stalking trip behind First Dude. Pletcher didn’t give any excuses, but said he believes the short rest was probably Super Saver’s undoing. The colt had his first work since losing the Preakness on June 12. It was an easy four-furlong move in 49.21 seconds at Belmont Park. He will target the Haskell Invitational.

Drosselmeyer

Bill Mott’s colt was the talk of the town when he shipped to Fair Grounds for a try in the Risen Star Stakes after smashing the competition, going 9 furlongs in an allowance at Gulfstream Park. He finished fourth, failing to live up to the hype. The son of Distorted Humor followed that up with another disappointing effort in the Louisiana Derby, where he closed to be third.

Drosselmeyer was given a bit of rest after failing in the Louisiana Derby. His next start came 42 days later in the Dwyer Stakes at Belmont Park. He was sent off the heavy favorite, but finished a distant second to Fly Down. After finishing fourth, third and second in his last three races, Drosselmeyer continued the upward trend by notching a victory in the Belmont Stakes over Fly Down, the colt who handed him a crushing defeat in the Dwyer. He gave owner WinStar Farm their second win of the year in a Triple Crown race, and handed trainer Bill Mott his first Triple Crown win. The win was also a first for jockey Mike Smith, who replaced last year’s winning jockey Kent Desormeaux. Drosselmeyer is likely to target the Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga next before attempting the Travers Stakes.

Fly Down

Entering the Triple Crown season, it appeared that Nick Zito’s best horses were the Florida-bred Jackson Bend and

Coming down the stretch at the Belmont Stakes it was (left to right) Fly Down, the victorious Drosselmeyer and First Dude.

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DATE

TRACK RACE

GRD.

DIST.

2010-06-19

BEL

New York Stakes

9.0 T

2010-06-19

CNL

Colonial Turf Cup Stakes

9.5 T

2010-06-19

CNL

All Along Stakes

III

9.0 T

2010-06-19

HOL

Affirmed Handicap

III

8.5 S

2010-06-19

MTH

Pegasus Stakes

III

9.0

2010-06-20

HOL

Will Rogers Stakes

III

8.0 T

2010-06-26

BEL

Mother Goose Stakes

8.5

2010-06-26

Debutante Stakes

III

5.5

2010-06-26

HOL

Beverly Hills Handicap

III

10.0 T

2010-06-26

MTH

Boiling Springs Stakes

III

8.5 T

2010-06-26

PRM

Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Hdcp.

9.0

2010-06-26

PRM

Iowa Derby

III

8.5

the deep closer Ice Box. Exiting the Triple Crown, there may be a new king of the Zito barn. His name is Fly Down, and he won the Dwyer Stakes by six lengths. He followed that win up with a secondplace finish in the Belmont Stakes under new jockey John Velazquez. Fly Down is a lightly raced son of Mineshaft. He is a closer, but he doesn’t need a super-fast pace in order to achieve his best running. The half-mile fraction of the Dwyer Stakes was just 0:47.6, and he still closed from last to win by a large margin. Velazquez wasn’t able to get him clear running room in the Belmont until the very end of the race. If he’d had a better trip he might have won. Fly Down is a serious horse, and he will have a big impact this summer. Nick Zito is pointing him to the Travers Stakes at Saratoga.

2010-06-26

PRM

Iowa Oaks

III

8.5

First Dude

Upcoming Graded Stakes Races

2010-07-00

BEL

Tom Fool Handicap

III

7.0

2010-07-03

Arlington Oaks

III

9.0 S

2010-07-03

BEL

Suburban Handicap

9.0

2010-07-03

Bashford Manor Stakes

III

6.0

2010-07-03

Locust Grove Handicap

III

9.0 T

2010-07-03

HOL

American Oaks Invitational

10.0 T

2010-07-03

HOL

Royal Heroine Mile

8.0 T

2010-07-03

MTH

United Nations Stakes

11.0 T

2010-07-03

MTH

Salvator Mile Stakes

III

8.0

2010-07-04

Chicago Handicap

III

7.0 S

2010-07-04

BEL

Prioress Stakes

6.0

2010-07-04

Firecracker Handicap

8.0 T

2010-07-04

HOL

American Handicap

9.0 T

2010-07-04

MTH

Jersey Shore Stakes

III

6.0

2010-07-05

BEL

Bed O'Roses Handicap

III

7.0

2010-07-05

HOL

Hollywood Juvenile Championship

III

6.0 S

2010-07-10

BEL

Man O'War Stakes

11.0 T

2010-07-10

CRC

Princess Rooney Handicap

6.0

2010-07-10

CRC

Smile Sprint Handicap

6.0

2010-07-10

CRC

Carry Back Stakes

6.0

2010-07-10

CRC

Azalea Stakes

III

6.0

2010-07-10

DEL

Delaware Oaks

8.5

2010-07-10

HOL

Triple Bend Handicap

7.0 S

2010-07-10

HOL

Hollywood Gold Cup

10.0 S

STRIDE MAGAZINE

June 17, 2010

Dale Romans tried to tell us all how good his son of Stephen Got Even is, but nobody listened until the colt dug in gamely to finish second in the Preakness after setting a solid pace. Prior to the Preakness he finished third in the Bluegrass Stakes behind stable mate Paddy O’Prado and upset winner Stately Victor. He has tried several different running styles, but First Dude has found running on the lead to be the most comfortable. His best races by far have been those in which he was on the lead. Ramon Dominguez has done a great job piloting him. It is unclear if he will target the Jim Dandy Stakes or Haskell Invitational, but his goal for the summer is the Travers Stakes. It’s been a long while since there has been a deep 3-year-old division to go with a deep older horse division. Along with those profiled above, horses like Ice Box, Jackson Bend and Sidney’s Candy all could have a huge impact on the rest of the racing in 2010. If several of the top 3-year-olds make it to Churchill Downs in November, along with top older horses such as Quality Road, Blame, Rail Trip, Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta, the 2010 Breeders’ Cup Classic could be the best in the history of the race. h

Track your favorite horses

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June 17, 2010

Photo: NANCY ROKOS

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June 17, 2010

f u ll stri d e

Classic Horse?

Named after Alaska Governor Sarah Palinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s husband, Todd, First Dude might still eligible for a non-winners race. That said, his striking good looks and gutsy placings in the Preakness and Belmont have made him a fan favorite. STRIDE MAGAZINE

June 17, 2010

bl ood l ine s

‘This is what I’m For Kelsey Plesa, the future is built on early

Kelsey Plesa’s goal is to learn everything she can about being a trainer -- and then become the best.

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June 17, 2010

m meant to do’ mornings, hard work and a family legacy By Kelsey Plesa Photos by Eclipse Sportswire

would be lying if I said that I have just one favorite memory of the racetrack, or one moment in which I was bitten by the bug that has no cure other than early mornings on the backside. I could describe numerous times when I would sit back and count my blessings that I had the pedigree of thoroughbred horse racing deeply rooted into my blood on both my “dam” and my “sire” sides. I remember being a little girl, riding in a golf cart with my father [esteemed Florida trainer and owner Eddie Plesa, Jr.] to the front side of the racetrack. He’d pull up to a certain spot by a certain set of stairs, and I’d jump out before he could even put the golf cart in park. Then I’d race up to a spot in which we’d be facing Calder Race Course, looking at ‘El Palacio’ – formally known as the Holiday Inn. We’d step onto the roof and sit on the railing, and as I looked out at the thoroughbreds galloping, I’d realize that horse racing is not just a sport, it’s a whole other world – a world of different people, terms and lifestyle, and it all begins while the “normal” world is fast asleep. I always felt lucky that I had the special key to this secret world.

The obsession

It’s not winning races that keeps you obsessed with horse racing. If that were the case, no one would be able to withstand a life of waking up at 4 a.m. every morning without a day off – not even Christmas. The obsession comes

from the feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction you get when your horses are tucked in after training, and they’re happily munching on hay, their legs bandaged, stall doors locked, halters hanging. It’s the feeling you get – whether it’s in the clocker’s stand, or sitting on the pony, or one of these magnificent thoroughbreds – when you see the sun rise and you have hundreds of thoroughbreds galloping past you, nostrils flaring, hooves pounding, riders crouched over. It’s the sight of muscle rippling underneath their shiny coats, the morning cool turning their breath to mist. It’s that thought that crosses your mind: This is where I belong, this is what I’m meant to do, this is what I want to do. My dad never wanted his kids to get into the thoroughbred industry. Anybody who plays an active role in it knows that, although from the outside it seems glamorous, horse racing can be a merciless business. One year you can be half a length away from finally winning the Triple Crown, and the next

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June 17, 2010

The work year you can have four horses in your I could have imagined. I plan to intern Being the daughter of a successful stable. Success in the industry certainly there again when I go back to school in demands hard work, but you have to be horse trainer has its pros and its cons. the fall. I would rather spend my spring People assume that I don’t know how break working at the Ocala Breeders lucky as well. Dealing with animals, especially to really clean a stall out, like opening Sale for Eisaman Equine, where I got my high-maintenance athletes such as thor- and closing it, or that I don’t know how first paying job with thoroughbreds outoughbreds, is not a 9-to-5 job in which to put on proper standing bandages. side of my family, instead of laying out you get the weekends and the holidays Granted, I still have a lot to learn and on the beach with my friends. Barry and off. These horses have to be fed, they I always will, but believe me, I can pick Shari Eisaman are great, honest people have to have their stalls cleaned, they up a pitchfork with the best of them who have opened the door to so many have to be exercised – opportunities for me. whether it’s breezing, I love being able to sit galloping, or just being around the dinner table handwalked for 30-40 with my family and have minutes. Horse racing that special connection really isn’t just a sport, with my dad, being able or a hobby, or a job. It is to talk about the horses indeed a lifestyle. he has in training, or I have been blessed to being able to have an have my father, my Uneducated conversation cle John Servis, and my about pedigrees, recent Uncle Jason Servis all races, or the politics of be successful trainers. the business. My dad Growing up, I was lucky will support me no matenough to experience my ter what I choose to do fair share of moments in – he always has. But he’s the winner’s circle, and not just going to hand to experience the Preakhis stable over to me. Evness and the Belmont ery day, I have to prove with Smarty Jones. to him that I want this, One of my favorite and that I have the pasmemories of horse racing sion and the drive to go is when my dad ran Hey out and meet people and Byrn in the Preakness make a name for myself. the year Big Brown won That’s important to him; it. I had bought a spehe had to do the same cial dress, and brought thing with his father. my favorite pair of high I will continue to heels, expecting to sit build up my resume with my father and his so that hopefully I can owners. But I was able have the opportunity to Kelsey Plesa is willing to do all the hard work that comes with being a to stay with Hey Byrn participate in the Darley trainer of thoroughbreds. on the backside until the Flying Start internship race approached. once I graduate from Don’t get me wrong: I can definitely and am willing to wake up at 4 a.m. to school. When I do train horses, I don’t feel at home having a nice meal and hav- clean out stalls. just want to be the best female, I want I’m 19 years old. In my first year of to be the best, and DFS can equip me ing a pleasant discussion with owners, and that’s important for me to be able to college, at the University of Kentucky, with the knowledge and the tools to be do, considering I’m an aspiring trainer. I wasn’t really interested in the sorori- the best. But being able to walk down with Hey ties and the parties. I was much happier Byrn and our assistant trainer, Frankie waking up at 6:30 in the morning on The future It’s not a matter of whether I’m going Perez, to the saddling area, trying not to weekends and days I didn’t have class for trip and face-plant as I trudged across my unpaid internship at the Kentucky to be a trainer, it’s a matter of whether the dirt racetrack in my heels – that was Equine Sports Medicine and Rehabilita- horse racing is still going to be around tion Center, where I learned more than in 10-plus years. Our industry has been a moment I will never forget.

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June 17, 2010

hard-hit by the country’s economic troubles. The sport is really dependent upon the owners, upon their enthusiasm and their money. But the owners are suffering economically, and their lavish hobby will be one of the first things to go if they are forced to cut expenses. As an industry that is in danger of possible extinction, we really need to put our heads together and come up with new, modern ways of attracting fans and participants. It’s rare that I am able to sit down and have a debate about Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta with peers who actually know what they’re talking about. When I am able to find that, it’s an amazing bond, and an incredible feeling. I guess it’s like guys when they talk about cars or football. Our industry needs to find some way of attracting the next generation, specifically college students. Keeneland’s got it right. College students in Kentucky get so excited for their short meet: the girls are excited to dress up, the guys are excited to bet, and College Day, when they

Kelsey Plesa ponies a Kelly Breen-trained horse during morning workouts.

give out scholarships, is absolutely huge. People actually skip class to go to the races. You don’t hear about that in South Florida or Pennsylvania. What if horse racing became as popular for every college as football and basketball are? What if each major racetrack was able to put away some funding to sponsor a day,

or even just a stakes race, for whatever major college is near them, much like Keeneland does? These are the things that our industry needs to focus on to keep a future alive for horse racing. There is no doubt that horse racing will play a part in my future. I’ve never really doubted that I’m going to train thoroughbreds, and that I’m going to be successful at it. I have the passion, and the drive to do the hard work, and I have the knowledge to know that I don’t know everything. I’m also not narrow-minded to the point of thinking that I only need to learn about horse racing. As a trainer, I need to be able to know all aspects of thoroughbred horse racing: the breeding, the training, the sales, the rehab, etc. The only doubt is whether horse racing will survive, and whether it will survive strong, or fade away to a blissful memory of pretty ponies prancing in the paddock as you wait for the call ‘Riders Up’ and the playing of that unforgettable tune of call to the post. h

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Last lookâ&#x20AC;Ś

Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Back!

Even with traffic trouble early, Rachel Alexandra finally got on the scoreboard with her first win in 2010. Guided by jockey Calvin Borel, the 2009 Horse of the Year, cruised to a 10-length victory in the Fleur de Lis Handicap, posting a faster time for the 1 1/8-mile race than her male counterpart did minutes later.

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June 17, 2010