Thoroughbred Today Jan2016

Thoroughbred Today

AMERICAN PHAROAH

& BEHOLDER Greatness Comes Once in a Lifetime

Also Inside: Paul Lo Duca’s Top10 Races of 2015, Keeneland Wow’s for Breeders’ Cup, Connections Caught Saying Ridiculous Nonsense, Santa Anita Style and more!

January 2016

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Thoroughbred Today

Life is fleeting. In the blink of an eye the year has come and gone, and now we are left with the memories of what has got to be one of the most exciting years since 1978. I’ll never forget that day at Belmont Park and the roar of the crowd as American Pharoah galloped down the stretch.

Between jumping up and down on my chair, trying not to fall, recording it all on my phone and screaming, it was pretty overwhelming. At one point I couldn’t even see him because he was moving so fast. The first Triple Crown winner in thirty-seven long years, it still hasn’t really set in.

In addition to Pharoah, 2015 came packed with exhilarating races and amazingly talented runners.

Dortmund and Firing Line made for some great stretch drives, Honor Code and Keen Ice shocked with off-the-pace style, Liam’s Map, Runhappy, and Private Zone rallied with unforgiving frontend speed, and Tepin and Beholder kicked gender bias to the curb.

As we welcome a new year, take the time to reflect on 2015. From the highs of the Triple Crown to the lows of losing Danzig Moon and Shared Belief, tissue boxes are in order. My deepest condolences go out to all of the connections who lost an equine athlete this year. High profile or not, these horses put everything on the line for us and teach us many important lessons along the way. Cherish every moment and don’t take anything for granted.

A very big thank you to those who contributed to this issue of Thoroughbred Today and to our advertisers and partners for supporting us in the process. Thank you all so much. Happy 2016!

Publisher

Everything Equestrian, LLC. Wilmington, DE.

www.everythingeq.com Editor-In-Chief Claudia L. Ruiz

Managing Editor Natalie Rietkerk

Cover Artist Cristina Bonilla

Contributing Writers Ciara Austin, Ciara Bowen, Acacia Courtney, Paul Lo Duca,

Editor-In-Chief Thoroughbred Today

Contents 15 Fashion

Thumbs Up For Keeneland

Getting to Know Mary Ellet

Most Ridiculous of 2015

New Beginnings - Second Careers

14 Handicapping To Win

5 Lessons for Handicappers

Amanda Murphy

Advertising P: 302.394.9233 E: admin@everythingeq.com

Industry pros speak their minds

20 Top 10

09 OTTB Spotlight

Racing Equipment 101

Julie Ferris, Eric Kalet,

19 Track Talk

07 Comedic Relief

Santa Anita Style

17 Did You Know?

05 Dedicated to the Sport

Photographers Ciara Bowen, Corinne Cavallo,

03 Breeders’ Cup Recap

Mark Palmere, Jonathan Stettin

4x MLB AllStar Paul Lo Duca’s top 10 races of 2015

22 In Memoriam

Remembering Shared Belief

On The cover: American Pharoah & Beholder A Look Back At Once In a Lifetime pg. 11

CONNECT ON SOCIAL MEDIA

/everythingeq @EverythingEqLLC @everythingeqllc

Thoroughbred Today

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Breeders’ Cup Recap

Thumbs Up

For Keeneland By: Acacia Courtney

Ciara Bowen

Ciara Bowen

Breeders’ Cup Ltd.

L

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exington, KY, home of the bluegrass, home of historic Keeneland racetrack, home of the 2015 Breeders’ Cup World Championships.

First run in 1984 at Hollywood Park in Inglewood, CA, the Breeders’ Cup has become one of the premier race events in North America, attracting horses from all over the world with two days of Grade 1 competition collectively worth $26 million. Last year, the Breeders’ Cup was held at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, CA, with a total two-day attendance of 98,319.

This year, the 32nd Breeders’ Cup World Championships made its way to Keeneland for the first time in the event’s history. Despite potential concerns about its ability to handle a crowd, Keeneland rose to the occasion and took care of its largest crowd ever – 95,102 over the course of two days.

In order to accommodate such a large number of people, Keeneland made some temporary adjustments, including the addition of extra seating and chalets, parking spots, and the Trophy Lounge at the top of the stretch.

While tickets did sell out remarkably fast, Breeders’ Cup more than doubled its ticket revenue from last year. No doubt influenced by the presence of this year’s Triple Crown winner, American Pharoah, many people who would have liked to be at the races were unable to witness them live. For those who were there, however, Keeneland and the Breeders’ Cup worked tirelessly to make sure the experience was a good one.

“I couldn’t be prouder of the Keeneland team who executed operations at the highest levels to provide guests with an incredibly memorable two days of racing,” said Keeneland President and CEO Bill Thomason.

The entire Breeders’ Cup experience, with the parties, the food, and the presence of supermodel Kate Upton, is nothing without the world-class races themselves. A total of 161 horses ran in the 13 Breeders’ Cup races held Friday and Saturday. Liam’s Map, the speedy gray Todd Pletcher trainee, who was originally expected by fans to run in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, was the highlight of the Dirt Mile. Instead of going straight to the front, like he normally did, Liam’s Map got stuck behind horses and struggled for much of his trip. Yet the flashy son of Unbridled’s Song managed to win by 2 ½ lengths, overcoming adversity in admirable fashion. In the Sprint, media darling Runhappy – also a customary front-runner – stalked the leaders, including veteran sprinter Private Zone. In one of the most noteworthy stretch runs of 2015, Runhappy thrilled, winning by ¾-lengths in 1:08.58. Trained, at the time, by the little-known Maria Borell and ridden by Hall of Fame jockey Edgar Prado, Runhappy’s story touched the hearts of many.

Eric Kalet

Breeders’ Cup Ltd.

Girl power was alive and well as the Irish-bred filly Found (Galileo) beat Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Golden Horn in the Breeders’ Cup Turf for trainer Aidan O’Brien, and Mark Casse’s Tepin faced the boys for the first time in the Breeders’ Cup Mile, finding herself and her connections in the winners’ circle following the race.

Ciara Bowen

The Mile and the Turf resulted in exciting wins, but these and other Breeders’ Cup turf races came with a bit of concern. Due to a large amount of rain earlier in the week, Keeneland’s loose, sand-based turf was not completely dry come Friday and Saturday. While clearly not a problem for some horses, many of the European connections, who had opted to run their horses at the Breeders’ Cup in search of firmer ground, were instead faced with less than ideal track conditions.

“I was struggling from the top of the straight. I was struggling, and he usually flies,” said jockey Frankie Dettori in regards to the difficulty Golden Horn had on the soft turf.

Thursday before the race, Spendthrift Farm’s 5-year-old mare Beholder, winner of the G1 TVG Pacific Classic (against males), was scratched out of the Breeders’ Cup Classic after it was found that she had bled. Health and safety were of the utmost concern for the daughter of Henny Hughes; she is slated to return to the track in 2016. Due to a tendon issue, lightly raced Smooth Roller, winner of the Awesome Again Stakes, was also scratched, leaving a field of eight – the smallest the Classic has seen since 1989.

Yet, it was one for the books. While Effinex put up a good run to stay in second and Honor Code closed late to find third, jockey Victor Espinoza sent American Pharoah to the front right from the start, and let him run.

As the son of Pioneerof the Nile made his way around the final turn, there was simply no competition. For the very last time, American Pharoah dazzled as he galloped to an easy 6 ½ length win that capped off a remarkable career.

Ciara Bowen

Perhaps the biggest event of the Breeders’ Cup, the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic gave fans a racing treat of the highest quality. A “grand slam,” they called it. American Pharaoh, the first Triple Crown winner in 37 years, would make the final start of his career before retiring to stud at Coolmore’s Ashford Stud. Owned by Zayat Stables and trained by Bob Baffert, American Pharoah has been a gift to racing, creating new fans and inspiring the masses.

Left page (top to bottom): The field for the Juvenile Turf breaks from the gate, Sentient Jet Juvenile runners Swipe and Nyquist moments after the wire, Runhappy puts away Private Zone in the TwinSpires Sprint.

Right page (left to right): Liam’s Map gallops to victory in the Las Vegas Dirt Mile, Javier Castellano aboard Liam’s Map in the winners’ circle, Triple Crown winner American Pharoah gallops to racing’s first Grand Slam, Mike Smith pilots Songbird in the Juvenile Fillies.

“We salute the owners, trainers and jockeys who participated and the extraordinarily talented horses that ran in this year’s World Championships,” said Breeders’ Cup President and CEO Craig Fravel.

On November 4th and 5th, 2016, the Breeders’ Cup World Championships heads back west to Santa Anita Park for its 33rd running. Until then, as the Breeders’ Cup always reminds us, “the best is yet to come.”

Thoroughbred Today

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Dedicated To The Sport Mary Ellet By: Natalie Rietkerk

E

xcitement and anticipation builds as the horses make their way around the paddock. The gleaming Thoroughbreds toss their heads and dance as they step onto the racing surface. We watch the horses with a scrutinizing eye in the post-parade in an attempt to predict the winner of the race, but we often fail to notice the horse and rider accompanying them – the pony riders. Working hard and serving a critical purpose, the ponies and their riders are unsung heroes. It is their job to calm the often anxious, young racehorses and safely lead them to the starting gate.

To get the inside scoop on what it’s like to ride in their saddle, we chatted with pony girl and rising industry star, Mary Ellet.

If you have been to Santa Anita Park or Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, you have probably seen Ellet on her brown and white paint pony, Cinch. Ellet has been ponying for five years and has acquired quite the following on social media with her stunning racing photography. With both parents working as outriders and pony riders, Ellet was raised at the track, becoming a regular on the Southern California racing circuit.

“Waking up every morning at 3:30 a.m. never gets any easier, but you get used to it,” shares Ellet.

In addition to ponying races, she and her parents lead racehorses out for morning workouts. “On a normal morning this summer, I got to Del Mar around 4 a.m. and freelanced for different trainers. Some mornings I would get eight horses, others I would only get four.”

During her breaks, Ellet would hurry to take care of her family’s seven horses or grab her camera and take photos. After a quick power nap at noon, she would return to the track to pony the races – often times working most of the card.

Being such a natural, she makes handling high performance horses look easy. But there is an ever present element of danger.

“I’m controlling a 1,000 pound animal while riding my own horse,” she says. “If I have a racehorse that wants to run off, bite, throw its head, or try to mount the pony, that’s when the job isn’t very fun.”

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It’s a tiring job, but for an equestrian like Ellet it’s incredibly rewarding to work the horses every day and see them mature into serious athletes. She forms close bonds with them, especially Blind Luck – the first horse she helped train – and Tiz the Truth, a promising colt who passed in December of 2013 due to colic. Spending most of her time at the track, Ellet has formed friendships with many of the sport’s top jockeys such as Rafael Bejarano, Joe Talamo and Joel Rosario.

After graduating college from Chapman University, Ellet was accepted into the Darley Flying Start program – an international scholarship graduate program founded by Sheikh Mohammed of Dubai who founded Darley and Godolphin. She is only one out of eleven students who will spend the next two years traveling to five different countries, learning every aspect of the Thoroughbred industry from the ground up.

Racing is fortunate to have Mary Ellet.

Photo Courtesy: Mary Ellet

Comedic Relief

Say What?!

s u o l u c i d i R Most 2015

Connections of racehorses are often poised and sophisticated. However, from time to time, a few are caught saying some pretty sensational nonsense. Brace yourself for a recap of the year’s most ridiculous remarks from around the track.

By: Mark Palmere

P

eople say silly things all of the time. It’s just a way of life. It may be even truer, though, in the sport of horse racing, where putting months of work into a 1,200-pound animal running 35 mph for only one or two minutes can make anyone go a little crazy.

I intended to spotlight the most ridiculous quote of the past year by an owner, a trainer, a jockey and a horse. Unfortunately, it appears every racehorse in recorded history has pulled a Marshawn Lynch, because I could not find a single instance of one speaking to the press, so that final category was a late scratch. (That’s a horse racing reference, for those of you reading who happen to be familiar with the sport). Sad, but life moves on. So without further ado, the most ridiculous statements of the past year by each connection of a horse:

every local news weatherman and blog contributor with 950 followers at best than the account of a three-time Kentucky Derby winning jockey, but I digress).

Owner: Michael Dubb

Jockey: Kent Desormeaux On July 29, Del Mar stewards removed Kent from his final two mounts for failing a breathalyzer test, a double standard if I’ve ever seen one: If Zenyatta can drink Guinness before her races, why can’t Kent? The test was also a disturbing example of entrapment: The final horse Desormeaux rode that day before his removal was named Tequila Mary. How can you let a jockey ride a horse literally named Tequila and then expect him to pass a sobriety test?

Kent instead fabricated a different excuse that was equally logical, tweeting “I just proved the breathalyzer was affected by the carbonated water I was drinking. It blows up the test. ICE carbonated water.” (Or at least, we can assume he tweeted that excuse, as Kent’s Twitter account is not verified, ostensibly because Twitter would rather verify the accounts of 7

Thoroughbred Today

However, there was one positive to come out of Desormeaux’s excuse: Sparkling ICE’s product placement. You can’t buy this type of publicity!

(Or can you? Any marketing specialists reading this may want to contact their favorite tweeting jockey to find out, just in case!) And you just know Monster Energy is kicking themselves over this; after paying thousands of dollars to Ahmed Zayat (for whom owning American Pharoah is not about the money) to put their logo on Pharoah’s shadow roll, blanket, and more, they realized too late that the way to become the most talked about beverage in racing is to simply be blamed by a jockey for a failed sobriety test.

For those worried that you may have misinterpreted that comment, fear not, Kent really did blame his failed breathalyzer test on drinking Sparkling ICE brand carbonated water. An excuse that, were it accepted, could have led to the overturning of dozens of DUI convictions every day. But of course it was not, due to an obscure technicality that I can exclusively report: There is no alcohol in Sparkling ICE. And if Ice could lead to a failed breathalyzer, how come Kent didn’t blow above the legal limit after any of his many rides on Keen Ice? Or, for that matter, after winning the 2009 Belmont Stakes aboard Summer Bird, trained by, you guessed it, Tim Ice. Even polar bears don’t have as much contact with ice as Kent Desormeaux does, yet none of that ice has caused a previous failed test!

Dubb, who owns such horses as Belle Gallantey, the splashtastic Condo Commando (Note: that adjective is legally required to be attached to every mention of Ms. Commando), and Slumber, ironically found himself asleep at the wheel when he made some inflammatory comments after his horse Magna Light was disqualified from victory in Saratoga’s Sanford Stakes on July 25th. “There is a different set of standards in racing for [Magna Light’s trainer] Rudy Rodriguez. Maybe because he is Mexican, he is picked on. He is being treated unfairly… it’s the world we live in.”

Wow. Blaming a loss on an anti-Mexican bias in racing? While it is true that, at that time, it had been a full month-and-a-half since any Mexican jockey had won the Triple Crown, Dubb’s comments are like the entire state of California: they don’t hold water. For one, Donald Trump is way too busy running for president to spend time judging horse races.

And secondly, the horse put up in place of Magna Light, Uncle Vinny, was ridden by Puerto Rican-born John Velazquez.

Now, you’re probably thinking to yourself, “But Puerto Rico and Mexico are two completely different cultures.” Correct.

But you only know that because you’re cultured. If the stewards were anti-Mexican, I’m pretty sure they would think John Velazquez was also a Mexican, and therefore not let him win. Checkmate. More likely, if the disqualification was in fact unjustified, then it had less to do with the trainer taken down than the one put up – Todd Pletcher.

Pletcher is (in)famous for getting the benefit of the doubt from the stewards, a belief made even stronger the very next day when another horse trained by Pletcher won a graded stakes via disqualification. The difference? This time the disqualified horse was trained by Larry Jones, who, for those who cannot tell by the fact that his name is literally “Larry Jones,” is a white guy. While there are still places in this country where there is a clear bias in favor of such groups as whites, men, and speed, that weekend was a great step forward for equality in racing.

It doesn’t matter if you’re Black, White, Gray/ Roan, Female, Asian, Gay, Gelded, Latino, Jewish, Blinkered, Transgender, Catholic, Illinois-bred, Socialist, a Maiden or Poor, you will be disqualified in favor of Todd Pletcher at Saratoga just the same.

As for the original complaint, fortunately (*terrible pun warning*) Dubb stepped back from his original claim, and, according to an article from the Daily Racing Form’s David Grening, even offered an apology to the stewards. Now, I don’t know exactly what Dubb said, because the article was on DRF+, so I could only read the first two lines, but I imagine he owned up to his unfortunate comments in the heat of the moment, and I am confident the stewards accepted the apology and said they would treat him just like any other owner in the future, which is great news for Mr. Dubb. That is, except for when a horse of his faces a Pletchertrainee.

Photos (left to right): Amanda Murphy, Eric Kalet

Trainer: D. Wayne Lukas Although Mr. Z racked up graded-stakes earnings at age two – which before 2013 would be enough to qualify for the Kentucky Derby – he struggled to earn Derby Points at age three, and

entered the Louisiana Derby far from guaranteed a spot in the Run for the Roses.

His last place finish in the Louisiana Derby might have been enough for most trainers to realize that he may not be Triple Crown mate-

The breathalyzer was affected by the carbonated water I was drinking...

- Kent Desormeaux

rial. But D. Wayne Lukas is not most trainers.

Lukas, nicknamed Coach most likely for his propensity to put his athletes in overambitious spots (Think about it, who schedules Middle Tennessee State or Louisiana-Monroe to play Alabama and FSU? Their coach, of course), was no doubt worried that Ahmed Zayat would be stuck with a piddling two Derby entrants, so he ran him back two weeks later in the Arkansas Derby to pick up the necessary points.

which did not sit well with Lukas. So he complained about the system, using Mr. Z’s near-exclusion as evidence of its flawed criteria, which is like complaining about the requirement that the President must be American-born by pointing out that it renders Justin Bieber ineligible.

At Churchill Downs on Derby week, Lukas told assorted media members, “We wouldn’t have had to run in Arkansas were it not for the points system. That’s the problem with the points system, it forces everybody to run when they probably wouldn’t from a trainer and owner standpoint.” You read that right, folks, D. Wayne Lukas, who is known for running back horses a week later in a different state, at a different distance, and on a different surface, is complaining that the Derby Points system forced him to start a horse when he wouldn’t have run from a trainer standpoint.

You would have to be several Sparkling ICEs in to buy that complaint. It would be like Chris Christie complaining that a supermarket’s Buy One Get One Free deal forced him to buy too much food – we all know he would have done it anyway.

That said, it could be argued that the points system affected Mr. Z’s racing schedule. As it was, Mr. Z ran three times (including the Kentucky Derby) in five weeks. Without entry in the Derby starting gate already secured, he could have easily run four or five times! Think about it: Without worrying about earning points, Mr. Z could have followed up his last in the Louisiana Derby with a confidence-building cheap stakes at Penn National two weeks later, and, after he inevitably finished second or third in that race, a non-winners of one allowance at Belterra. That would be a sure victory, probably, and just like that, Mr. Z would have entered the Derby on a winning streak! (Yes, one race counts as a streak, at least for Mr. Z).

When all was said and done, Mr. Z finished 13th in the Kentucky Derby, and then raced in the Preakness a mere two weeks later, which was probably also the fault of Churchill Downs for scheduling the Derby so close to the Preakness.

By requiring that extra race, the new system demonstrated a clear bias against slow horses, Thoroughbred Today

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OTTB Spotlight

New Beginnings

Second Careers By: Natalie Rietkerk

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f the thousands of racehorses being bred to hit the track, only a small percentage will ever step into the winners’ circle and even fewer will find fame. Retiring due to slow speed or injury many Thoroughbreds can thrive in their second career – if given the chance and proper training.

A few months ago, two stunning horses moved into the stables where I ride. One is a quiet 3-year-old solid bay colt named Conquest Dreamin and the other is Bula Bula, a gentle 4-year-old dapple gray gelding with a short tail. Given my experience in the racing industry, I recognized them as off-the-track Thoroughbreds and was excited to have a front row seat to follow their transformation into sporthorses.

As a racehorse, Conquest Dreamin was trained by Mark Casse and owned

by Conquest Stables. Nicknamed “Dreamin” due to his sleepy demeanor, he would only race three times before retiring. He was soon adopted by Melissa Cawthorne, who had been searching for an affordable jumper prospect. With the help of her trainer, Edgar Pagan, Cawthorne decided to look into an OTTB. “He’s awesome,” Cawthorne said with a smile as she tacked up Conquest Dreamin outside of his stall. “He is just so calm and really observes everything. Even when the horses go by him in the arena he doesn’t react.”

Wanting to help retired racehorses find homes, Pagan and stable owner Robin Bisogno decided to form a partnership where he would retrain and

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she would provide the stall and feed. The first horse they took on as a project is Bula Bula, who after just one month off the track is well on his way to finding a new home.

“Today was the first time we’ve taken him over a fence,” said Pagan’s assistant trainer Therese Peres. “I’ve only been on him a few times and he’s already learning lateral work. He just really wants to learn and please.”

In such a short time away from the races, both horses have already begun to assimilate to their new jobs – but it takes knowledge and compassion to turn a 1,200 pound animal with one speed and no brakes into a safe riding horse.

“The only reason off-the-track thoroughbreds get a bad name is from people who aren’t patient with them,” said Pagan. “They just need some time to adjust, and they need to be treated fairly.”

I watched Conquest Dreamin and Bula Bula go over their first jumps and be schooled on a busy Saturday morning. They both handled the new experiences like well-mannered professionals.

With the support of the racing industry, horse show world and dedicated aftercare programs, retired racehorses have more opportunities than they have had in years. All these incredible animals need is a second chance and a loving home.

Feature

Racing Royalty Connections of American Pharoah and Beholder discuss these once in a lifetime horses in a recap of how they made 2015 a year to remember.

By: Claudia L. Ruiz

Eclipse Sportswire

Eric Kalet

Eric Kalet

H

e ended a 37-year Triple Crown drought with a dominant performance in the Belmont Stakes. She put gender bias to rest, destroying the boys with her impressive turn of foot in the TVG Pacific Classic.

As fate would have it, their paths would never cross, but the son of Pioneerof the Nile and daughter of Henny Hughes were undoubtedly the poster kids of 2015. Galloping to win after win, their campaigns were awe-inspiring.

No matter what part of the country you were in, if you were at the racetrack, people were talking about them.

Horseracing is a unique sport. In our 11

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sport, equine athletes are the center of attention. Admired for their beauty, power and heart, they are the most valuable players on the racetrack and the most sought after by fans.

Human athletes can walk into a press conference and answer questions, but horses, not so much. To get to know them, we rely on their connections.

Taken on the ride of a lifetime, the connections of American Pharoah knew they had a great horse the moment he set foot on the track.

What they did not know is that towards the end of 2014 a foot ailment would sideline the colt for several months, keeping him off the 2015 derby trail for a large portion.

Close your eyes and take a walk down memory lane with me. Let’s take it back to October 28th, 2014 – the day American Pharoah scratched out of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.

Clockers Corner was packed with the connections of horses having breakfast when a rumor began to circulate that the favorite had been scratched. By 9:30 a.m. (PT), it was confirmed; Pharoah was out. The media went wild. Would he ever return? And, if he did, would he return the same horse with the same potential? Only time would tell.

The layoff turned out to be a blessing in disguise, and shortly after returning in March of 2015 American Pharoah galloped to greatness,

unlocking the talent we had seen the year before and then some. We came to know him for his ground covering stride, freakish athletic ability and puppy dog personality, but in his early training days Pharoah was quite the handful.

“He was always a kind horse,” explained exercise rider Georgie Alvarez, “but he was a bit of a bad boy at the beginning. He always wanted to run too fast in training. As he got more mature he settled down a bit, but he used to get me in trouble with Baffert all the time.”

Talking to Alvarez is a horse lover’s dream come true. Open like a book, he welcomes all questions and answers each with undivided attention. He used to gallop Pioneerof the Nile, and before he worked with Baffert he galloped Empire Maker for Bobby Frankel. It’s not every day you meet an exercise rider that has ridden a Triple Crown winner, his sire and grandsire.

“American Pharoah and Pioneerof the Nile, they’re both super friendly and have similar strides, but Pharoah is much stronger. When I used to gallop him, sometimes before I got on I would just say to myself, ‘oh, boy.’ He could pull hard.”

We often hear that there is no such thing as perfection, and to a certain degree it’s true.

Perfection is a matter of opinion – what is perfect to me may not be perfect to you. There is a general misconception that in order to be great one must be perfect; one cannot lose.

Yet, some of the greatest athletes in the world have suffered defeat; Muhammad Ali was not considered great because of all the trophies on his wall, it was his ability to overcome adversity, learn from it and bounce back from a loss that made him great.

In the days that followed American Pharoah’s Triple Crown victory the opposition began to build. Journalists insisted the colt had proven nothing, run against nothing and was far from great. But the critics were silenced on August 29th – the day of the Travers Stakes – when a late charging Keen Ice surged past the colt moments before the wire. The Graveyard of Champions had claimed American Pharoah by a devastating ¾-lengths, but the loss spoke magnitudes of his character, and in that moment the son of Pioneerof the Nile had proven more than he had in any of his previous races combined.

“It was a hard race for him. He stayed in the back of his stall and seemed upset about it for a couple of days,” Alvarez commented. “I talked to him about it a couple of times. I told him ‘don’t worry champ, it happens. You’re going to win the next one.’”

Enter Beholder.

Whether you believe she would have defeated the Triple Crown winner or run a respectable second, the anticipation of a match up in the Breeders’ Cup Classic made for an exciting couple of months. From the moment she annihilated the boys out west to the week of the Breeders’ Cup, all that was talked about was American Pharoah vs. Beholder, who would win and how it was going to be epic. William Shakespeare once said, “To be or not to be, that is the question.” Such wise words from a man in tights. Unfortunately, it was not to be.

Still, not running against Pharoah takes nothing away from Beholder. Fifteen wins in twenty career starts that include ten graded stakes victories, Beholder’s résumé leaves no room to question whether she is worthy of being considered one of the greatest females the sport has ever seen. The daughter of Henny Hughes has nine Grade 1 wins, is a multiple Eclipse Award winner, two-time Breeders’ Cup winner and on August 22nd she became the first female ever to win the Pacific Classic, nearly breaking a track record.

In the hands of Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella, Beholder has dazzled. The 5-year-old mare is sweet and lady-like in the barn and has established quite the relationship

with Mandella. When it comes time to train and race, though, she’s as professional as they come.

“Her willingness to work, her willingness to please,” explained Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens. “She’s different than anything I’ve ever been on. She does things easier than any athlete, and I’ve been on some great horses.”

Stevens, who is a 3x winner of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont, describes Beholder as being a combination of a Mack truck and a Porsche, stating, “Like a Mack Truck, horses get out of the way when I’m on her, and if I’m in a tight spot, she has the speed and power to get me out of it like a Porsche.”

Having ridden the likes of Silver Charm, Winning Colors, Point Given, Victory Gallop… the list goes on, Stevens is not easily impressed.

“The three most important components of a great racehorse are mind, athleticism and stride,” he explained. “Those three combined come once in a lifetime. I’ve been fortunate to feel it before, but never like this, when they all come together.” Beholder is at the top of his list.

“She’s a goddess – a Greek goddess. I’ve never met anyone like her.”

Meet Cover Artist Cristina Bonilla For as long as she can remember, Cristina has always had a passion for animals and sports. A dedicated vegan, Cristina Bonilla received a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts in 2009 before being introduced to the horse world. An instant love at first sight, she packed her luggage with the intentions of being the first female to win the Kentucky Derby. In 2012 she headed to Belmont Park to start the process of becoming a race rider. At twenty-nine years old, Cristina currently exercises horses in Ocala, FL. and looks to start race riding in the winter of 2016 at Tampa Bay Downs. In her spare time, she specializes in equestrian art to raise money for the tack that she needs and the move she’ll make to start her career as a race rider.

Check her out on Instagram @Creative.Rider Thoroughbred Today

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Handicapping to Win By: Jonathan Stettin

I

t never fails to surprise me how many people do not realize that playing the horses is a skill game. Sure, it has an inherent amount of luck, but at the end of the day, and in the long run, it is still a game of skill.

It has more luck involved than poker, another skill game, but that is neutralized by understanding “value” and how to look for it. You can indeed make your own odds in horse racing as you only have to wager when the odds are to your liking.

Lesson #1: Pick your spots and be patient.

One of the most important things in order to be a successful horse player is to have patience. Patience is as important a tool as you will have in your handicapping arsenal. Remember, there is no need to bet every race at every track. It’s a marathon not a sprint.

is no shortcut. If you want a real chance at being successful you have to put in the work. Do not bet every race at every track. There is not enough time to handicap them all properly.

The first thing you should be looking at are the conditions of the race.

What types of horses are we dealing with, over what distance and what past history? Next, look at each horse in post-position order. Look at every race each horse has run, not just the most recent. You do not want to miss a trend or pattern, or anything a horse may be capable of given the right conditions. Next, you’ll need to determine who is fastest, who is classiest, and project how the race will unfold. Is there a lot of pace or a little?

Do the conditions favor a speed horse, a stalker or closer?

Lesson #4: Do your homework, come prepared. No shortcuts.

Once you have studied your past performances go to the other tools in your arsenal. Watch your replays, look at your workout reports, look at the sheet numbers or speed figures. Know all there is to know about the race and horses in it. Don’t beat yourself by not doing your homework. The game is tough enough; don’t give away an edge by not being prepared.

Lesson #2: You are playing against the others betting into the pool, not the house, and not the horses.

Lesson #5: Demand value and maximize profit when you are right.

It has always been difficult to beat the game, and only a small percentage of players do it. That is largely because it takes a lot of work, skill, nerve, and sacrifice. It’s tougher today than, say, 15 years ago, and it will likely only get tougher. There are many tools available and a tremendous amount of information is shared on social media, so getting an edge over your fellow players is not easy.

Just as there is no shortcut in handicapping, there is no shortcut in honing your skills. Becoming a good handicapper takes time and experience.

You must learn to draw off your memory at the races. You must learn to look for value as you are playing a game where you will unquestionably be wrong more than you are right. Apply basic math to that scenario and you will realize you need to make it count.

Lesson #3: Past performances are the key.

People find value in various ways. Some assign their own morning line and look to play horses who are overlays on them. Some assign percentages to a horse’s chances of winning and play horses whose odds exceed those percentages. It doesn’t really matter how you do it as long as you understand it. Value, to me, is playing a horse or combination of horses that will pay well, more than they should for any number of reasons. Perhaps there is a false favorite taking more money than they should. Maybe there is a track bias that is hindering some lower priced horse. It can be anything, as long as you are getting value or a good payout for your investment.

The anchor of your handicapping arsenal will always be the past performances. Whether you use the Daily Racing Form, Brisnet, Time Form, Equibase, etc., everything works in conjunction with past performances, and not independent of them. I encourage players to use all tools available, add speed figures, watch replays, workout reports, expert analysis, pace projections, but never bypass the past performances. They are the key. That will not change.

There is a correct way to read past performances and you would be amazed at how many people actually do it wrong. Even experienced players fall into sloppy habits and mistakes. Lack of patience and betting too many tracks and too many races often leads to a mistake. You can’t just skim the charts. You can’t just read the most recent race or two. Far too many players fall into that lazy habit and literally beat themselves. There

Ciara Bowen

Although anyone can be taught to handicap, as in any skill game, some will be better than others. What we can do here is point out things necessary to improve your game and mistakes even the most experienced players make – with frequency, I might add – that you will need to avoid to achieve long term success.

This is the greatest skill game in the world. If you want to be more than a recreational player, it will take as much work as any full time job. That’s what it requires. Then again, there are not many jobs where you can make 10, 50 or 100k in a day. Best of luck!

Thoroughbred Today

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Fashion

Kelly Serfoss / Courtney Ray

Santa Anita Style By: Ciara Austin

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rom the backdrop of the San Gabriel Mountains, galloping thoroughbreds, perfectly manicured grounds, and not to mention, attractive race goers – Santa Anita has a style unlike any other racetrack. It has the glamour of Hollywood mixed with the laidback nature of California living. That style is also reflected in race day fashion.

One of the best qualities about Santa Anita is the longevity of its racing meets. With over seven months of live racing, it provides several opportunities to style yourself differently depending on the weather, racing event, and where you choose to watch the races that day. From the Infield to the Chandelier Room, here are some helpful styling tips and trends at Santa Anita:

The Infield: While having a front row seat to watch the ponies run, there is always something taking place in the infield: food and beer festivals, car shows, and live concerts, just to name a few.

When planning an outfit for a day in the infield, you need to be prepared for the elements. Unlike being on the main side of the track, there are not a lot of buildings or trees to provide shade or 15

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Ciaratoga

coverage on days where it is very hot and sunny, or when it is (occasionally) cold and rainy, so dress accordingly!

For the Ladies: No need to worry about getting too fancy in the infield. Focus on being comfortable. A romper is a great clothing choice because it is stylish, provides the right amount of coverage and can easily be dressed up or down. Also, ditch the heels for a pair of flats or sandals!

For the Gents: Keep it casual. Grab your favorite baseball cap and pair it with a simple t-shirt and shorts. Don’t forget your eyewear; sunglasses are a necessity out there!

Whip out that floppy hat – these are the places that it will be seen the most!

For the Gents: The grandstand is the perfect blend of business and casual. Wear a button down shirt and pair it with nice jeans or khakis.

A blazer would also be a great-added touch for sitting in the box seats!

The Chandelier Room & Luxury Suites: What better way to enjoy the glitz and glam of The Great Race Place than by enjoying the afternoon sipping champagne in The Chandelier Room, or watching a stakes race in the privacy of your own luxury suite? Nothing but the best – and your ensemble should match.

Grandstand & Clubhouse Seating: Style can go from one extreme to another between the Grandstand and Clubhouse. You could be seated in the stands, inside of the main building betting at a teller, cheering on your horse from the first turn at the Gallop Out, or watching from a box seat.

For the Ladies: Almost anything goes! From a skirt and boots to a sundress and wedges, you won’t have to worry about being overdressed.

For the Ladies: Classy is the way to go, no excuses! A patterned A-line dress, heels and a fascinator will keep you comfortable, but polished.

Don’t stray away from wearing a nice pair of pants or a jumpsuit; it will be well received!

For the Gents: Time to suit up! Look and feel your best by rocking a nice suit or pair of slacks.

If you’ve wanted to wear your new bowtie or pocket square, do it. Feel dapper by adding horse inspired accessories, like horseshoe cufflinks, or a custom belt.

Make your heart race.

Ninety North is a new and different breed of thoroughbred racing partnership. A flat-racing syndicate that lets you share in horse ownership – and every facet of its excitement. Whether you’ve admired horse racing from afar or participated up close, joining the Ninety North team has handson advantages. Come visit your horse in the morning. Cheer him on in the afternoon. Then toast his performance at an evening reception. Purchasing a share in a Ninety North racehorse means full access to the ownership experience. Plus, the added benefits of sharing it with family and friends.

For more information about our surprisingly affordable partnerships, visit us at 90NorthRacing.com.

it’s all about a great partnership.

Palm Meadows, Boynton Beach Florida | Belmont Park, Elmont NY | Fair Hill Training Center, Elkton MD | Saratoga Springs NY

Did You Know?

Racing Equipment 101 Jimmy Barnes gives us the rundown on common pieces of racing tack, how and why they are used on the track.

By: Ciara Bowen

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nyone who has spent time at the racetrack, or has seen pictures of horse racing, has questions about the assortment of equipment that is used on the horses. Due to an abundance of misconceptions about the uses and purposes, they often jump to conclusions and assume that all of it is bad. Every discipline has tools that help achieve their goals, and racing is no different.

Jimmy Barnes, assistant trainer to Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, has worked with a multitude of horses over the years. The most famous among these is none other than American Pharoah, whose victory in the Belmont Stakes made him the first horse to win the Triple Crown in 37 years. Barnes interacts with Baffert’s string on a daily basis, and is very familiar with the gear used on them. He graciously took a few moments to discuss the equipment and its purposes with Thoroughbred Today.

TT: “People often comment on the use of tongue ties, thinking they are cruel practice. What exactly do they do?”

JB: “They’re used to help with breathing, but they also keep tongues in place. Some horses can get their tongue over the bit, but they can’t do that when their tongues are tied.”

Using tongue ties helps in the prevention of dorsal displacement of the soft palate (DDSP), which causes the epiglottis to become displaced below the soft palate. This causes a partial obstruction of the airway and if it happens during a race, the horse will have no choice but to slow down. Tongue ties are applied by pulling the tongue forward and then tying it close to the base around the lower jaw. Once the tie is secure, the horse’s tongue is pulled to the side and hangs out of the mouth.

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TT: “Figure eight nosebands look pretty simple, but what exactly are they used for?” (Image 1)

JB: “Figure eights can also be used to help with breathing. They’re set up higher on the face. Aggressive and strong horses get figure eights used a lot too. If they [the horse] tend to keep their mouth open and want to throw their head, the noseband helps keep their mouth closed.”

When fully tightened, the noseband is more restrictive than other types, which can help a rider. It prevents gaping, crossing of the jaw, and slipping the tongue over the bit, which is all beneficial to maintaining control and keeping in contact with the horse.

TT: “The sure win bit holder is attached to the top of the bridle between the ears and comes down the front of the horse’s face before splitting into two pieces attached to the bit. This was used on Seattle Slew, but a lot of people don’t actually know what they do.” (Image 2)

JB: “The sure win bit holder is usually used with a D bit, but I’ve sometimes seen it used on a citation bit. You don’t usually need to use a tongue tie with it. It’s kind of designed to keep the bit placed more forwardly up.”

TT: “While there are a variety of bits used, most are difficult to differentiate when they are in the horse’s mouth. The Dexter ring bit is an exception, as it has a ring that can be seen around the bottom of the mouth and often has spoons – extended pieces on the side. One of the most popular examples of a horse who wears a ring bit is American Pharoah. What do these bits do?

JB: “Ring bits are more for an aggressive type of horse. In our stable we use rubber ring bits, which are a little bit softer. Horses like them; they can kind of flick them around and play with them in their mouths, which keeps them busy. Our two year olds start off with a D bit. When they start going longer and stretch out to two turns we switch over to a ring bit.”

Ring bits add stopping power to a horse, and also increase a rider’s steering power due to the leverage on the horse’s lower jaw. When pressure is applied to the reins, the ring presses against the jaw. These bits are also helpful for horses who like to lug out. Ring bits are not severe bits but are effective nevertheless. (Image 3)

TT: “Blinkers seem pretty self-explanatory, but what are they used for?” (Image 4) JB: “They [blinkers] are more for focus. If a horse starts to look at too much, they can help. Not being able to see something going on off to the side in a race helps, makes them stay straight ahead and focused. With the really fast horses, or aggressive horses, we tend to stay away from blinkers.

We use a cheater blinker, about half an inch, but they can go up to a full inch and a half. French blinkers go straight out. Semi-blinkers kind of start to curve over, and then there are extension blinkers that cover up an eye and that helps with the horses that lug out on you.”

TT: “And finally, shadow rolls! What purpose do they serve?”

(Image 4) JB: “We run everything in a blue fuzzy, which is smaller than a shadow roll. It’s pretty much our trademark. American Pharoah wore a black one with the Monster logo in the Haskell. They’re more for looks than shad-

ow rolls are. Normally a shadow roll is puffy and up to an inch and a half high, and helps them [horses] keep their head down. Sometimes horses see shadows from the poles and they jump it. So basically, a shadow roll keeps their head down and keeps them from seeing anything during the race so that they can stay focused.”

TT: “People often comment on the difference in wraps on horses’ legs. Why would you use a wrap at all? And why do you use two different types?” (Image 5) JB: “Wraps are mainly used for protection. Sometimes when horses are running they’ll hit themselves with their other legs. The wraps help also in protecting horses from running down on abrasive surfaces. The sand will burn their heels, so the wraps keep the skin from burning.

They’re also used for support. Vet wrap is a lot like an Ace bandage, with the biggest difference being that you use it one time whereas an Ace bandage is washable and gets re-used. We just cut the vet wrap off after the horse runs.

Polos are good to use for protection and support, but they’re thicker than vet wrap. We use polos for gallop work and then put the vet wrap on for breezes and races - you wouldn’t want to use a polo for that. With polos being thicker they can slide up or down. Vet wrap is more secure.”

Both polos and vet wrap come in a wide variety of colors, making it very common to see all sorts of shades on the track. Most stables will use one specific color for their horses; for instance, Baffert’s horses are usually seen sporting blue polos and black vet wrap.

Amanda Murphy

Corinne Cavallo

track talk

American Pharoah “His kindness, beauty, courage... It’s like he was almost human. The way he trained. The way he moved. He was just a special racehorse.”

- Jimmy Barnes (Assistant Trainer to Bob Baffert)

Mike Smith “There’s a reason he’s in high demand when it comes to riding the big horse in the big race. Have to appreciate his professionalism - always willing to do the post race interview after riding a defeated favorite in a G1. He’s a terrific role model for young jockeys.”

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“Having seen him at two sales and passing him both times, I was always impressed by him. He’s a big horse, but his sensory efficiency allows him smooth, safe, rhythmic motion and his mind is always leading his body. I’ve loved Dortmund since forever.”

- Kerry Thomas (Equine behaviorist/THT Bloodstock)

Eric Kalet

Breeders’ Cup Ltd

“For the longest time I argued that the Triple Crown could still be achieved with the right horse and the right circumstances. American Pharoah validated a lot of my personal beliefs. Under the most extreme pressure, he always remained cool. I admire his temperament. ” - Norman Casse (Assistant Trainer to Mark Casse)

Dortmund

- Laffit Pincay (Host/Reporter, NBC Horse Racing)

Runhappy “Radar guns don’t lie and Runhappy hit 46.4 mph when rushing up to the lead in the Phoenix. No sprinter had ever gone so fast at Keeneland, at least not according to Trakus. Nothing was stopping that freak in the Breeders’ Cup. Not even Private Zone.”

- Mike Joyce (Analyst/Reporter, TVG)

Year In Review

Top 10 Races of 2015 4x All-Star, MLB veteran and TVG Analyst Paul Lo Duca gives us his top 10 races and some honorable mentions.

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Woodford Reserve – Finnegan’s Wake deserves some props for his effort at Churchill Downs. Trailing the field 13- lengths off the lead, galloping in the 10 path rounding the final turn, he ate up ground down the lane and stole the show from front-running Sky Captain.

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San Antonio Stakes – The Clash of the Titans. Fans waited a long time to watch California Chrome take on the late Shared Belief. A great race between two talented horses. A race to look back on and smile.

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Breeders’ Cup Sprint – There wasn’t a better story coming into the Cup than Runhappy, and he didn’t disappoint. He

7.

Breeders’ Cup Mile - Tepin destroyed her competition! Her First Lady was of the flashiest wins I’d seen since Wise Dan at Keeneland, until she whipped the boys on Breeders’ Cup Saturday, floating over the turf with ease.

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Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile – Liam’s Map put on a show at Keeneland. From overcoming a slow break to getting stuck

behind horses, the gray colt proved much the best in what has to have been the toughest race of his career.

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Kentucky Derby – In my opinion, American Pharoah’s most impressive win. Many believed making it to the race would

4.

TVG Pacific Classic – I’ve gotten goose bumps a couple of times at the racetrack, but Beholder’s breathtaking move on the final turn while leaving the boys behind left me speechless.

3.

The Travers – What can you say about the Travers? A Triple Crown champion showed his heart putting away a stubborn

2.

The Whitney – This race was riveting. Liam’s Map and Honor Code made for the better races I’ve witnessed in person in a while. The deepest field of 2015.

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Belmont Stakes – This one’s a given. We waited 37 years to witness a Triple Crown and American Pharoah gave it to us.

I’ll never forget the crowd at Belmont that day – it was exhilarating. Hands down, the best race of 2015.

ran down a multiple grade one winner in Private Zone. A remarkable stretch drive and noteworthy performance.

be hard enough, but he was game as ever beating Dortmund and grinding down Firing line late.

Frosted, but the campaign took its toll and Keen Ice collared late.

Honorable Mentions

Belmont Oaks – Lady Eli almost made the list, but her year got cut short. One of the best North American bred turf horses we’ve seen in a while.

Robert B. Lewis – The way Dortmund came back at Firing Line in the stretch and went on to win spoke marvels of his

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies – Songbird’s dominant win against Rachel’s Valentina was impressive. She left no room for criticism here. A diamond in the rough.

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile – From a bumpy start to going seven wide on the first turn, Nyquist was simply the best, rally-

character. The son of Big Brown looks to do big things in 2016.

ing down the lane to beat Swipe for the fourth time in a row.

Thoroughbred Today

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Shared Belief (Candy Ride (ARG) x Common Hope, by Storm Cat)

Feb. 15, 2011 – Dec. 3, 2015

‘Gone but not forgotten’ may sound cliché, but that

makes the phrase no less truthful, especially when it comes to horses who mean so much to us.

Shared Belief made it clear that he was great in his first career start, a maiden special weight that he won handily by seven lengths. There was no question about his talent following that race, and the little dark bay gelding jumped straight up to stakes company, excelling with ease.

From twelve career starts the son of Candy Ride held a record of ten wins, six of which came in Grade 1 races, including the Santa Anita Handicap in March of 2015.

He was little, but Shared Belief was the little horse that could – the little horse that ran larger than life races. He was fierce, and he was a fighter. He was game, and he had heart.

It was with great sadness that the news of his passing was received. Breathtaking with every performance, we were bestowed an honor in watching him run and will forever be grateful that we were given the opportunity.

Photo: Amanda Murphy

Thoroughbred Today

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