Thoroughbred Style

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Contents m ay / J u n e 2 0 0 9 Volume 3, Issue 1

Features

18 28

The Cover Art | 10 Cover Artist Armando Delgado

John Henry | 18 ‘The Steel Driving Racehorse’

Kris Prather | 26

77 84

Former Rider Turns Writer

Kentucky Derby 135 | 28 Churchill Downs May 2nd, 2009 Special Feature

Aaron Gryder | 66 Lands That Elusive Big One

King Leatherbury | 68 Still Sending Out Winners

Roger Attfield | 77

Departments

Horsehair Pottery | 80

The Editor’s Desk | 8

Remington Park | 84

Thoroughbred THOUGHTS An Interview with David Cassidy | 12

Training Champion Norcliffe At Baker’s Acres

Off And Running

One-Of-A-Kind Crafts

The Well’s Family

Thoroughbred Cruisng Crystal Cruises | 54 Thoroughbred Women

Kayla Stra | 60

Thoroughbred travel

La Oriental | 72

Thoroughbred living Jean Cruquet Dinner | 88 The Cover An Original By Internationally Renowned American Sports Artist Armando Delgado (For More On Armando Delgado, See Page 10)

ThoroughbredStyle

Thoroughbred life Ruffians for Racing | 90

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Imagine . . . a magazine that captures the essence, passion and lifestyle of the racing experience!

Then look no further!

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The Editor’s Desk o ff a n d r u n n i n g

There’s A ‘Hint’ of Derby in the Air! this year, with the same photo of Churchill Downs’ famous first turn, just shot a little sooner in the race than last year’s picture.

While on the subject of the Kentucky Derby, Woodford Reserve, the ‘Official Bourbon of the Kentucky Derby’, announced recently the release of its limited edition 2009 Kentucky Derby bottle, featuring the artwork of retired jockey Tom Chapman. Tom’s artwork is vibrant and colorful, and uniquely captures the intensity and excitement of the Kentucky Derby from a jockey’s perspective. As a jockey, Tom Chapman won more than 2,500 races and rode in the Kentucky Derby. The limited edition liter-size bottle is available now in 38 states. Woodford Reserve has served as the official bourbon for the past eleven years and also sponsors the Grade I Woodford Reserve Turf Classic, one of racing’s premier stakes events, run on Derby Day. Finally, on the crossing page, one of our affiliate companies recently acquired International Thoroughbred Digest, which enjoyed over 25 years of uninterrupted publishing. Plans call for it to be rebranded as International Horse Racing Digest, and launched in both print, in a newspaper format, and online, as an e-magazine, that has all the look and feel of a printed copy, but offers 24/7 availability over the Internet. At this point, we anticipate having the online version available before the end of May. Check the website for further publishing updates, www.internationalhorseracingdigest.com.

We wish to call your attention to the fact that for an unprecedented two years running, ThoroughbredStyle Magazine has been privileged to include as part of our Kentucky Derby feature section, the ‘Official Art of the Kentucky Derby’ poster series.

Last year, as you may recall, our front cover featured the ‘Official Art’ by Trish Biddle, that depicted a retro-vintage couple dressed in their Kentucky Derby best, watching a race from perhaps the most famous first turn in Thoroughbred racing, that being Churchill Downs. Of note, is that since this Derby work, the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in San Diego, California, commissioned Trish to create a new equestrian piece that will be unveiled in a special ceremony in July. This image will be used on Del Mar’s daily racing program cover, posters, t-shirts and other items, and features Trish’s use of bright colors and her ‘penchant for glamorous women in fabulous places™’.

This year, Atlanta-based artist, Jeff Williams, was chosen to provide the Official Kentucky Derby poster art. His design depicts the final moments of the Derby, with ‘stylishly-dressed’ racing fans cheering from their vantage point in ‘Millionaire’s Row’. Jeff ’s art appears on page 38, part of our feature on Derby Hats, entitled ‘Plume Crazy’. Like the previous artists selected before him, Jeff ’s artwork will appear on posters, prints, tickets, racing programs and several new, officially licensed products for the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks. And like Trish’s 2008 Kentucky Derby work, Jeff ’s art is as much about fashion, as racing, and continues to capture the lifestyle surrounding the Kentucky Derby and the Kentucky Oaks. Also of note, we want to point out that our Kentucky Derby featured section begins again

Larry Simpson Executive Editor

ThoroughbredStyle Vo lu m e 3 , Is su e 1 Silks Media Corporation, Publisher Larry Simpson, Executive Editor lsimpson@silksmedia.com Bill Heller, Racing Editor bheller@silksmedia.com Fran Sherman, Graphic Design fran@shermanstudios.com Richard Henley, Advertising Sales rhenley@silksmedia.com Leslie Newton, Advertising Sales leslie.newton@racingunifiednetwork.com Liz Edwards, Editorial Assistant lizedwards@silksmedia.com Silks Media Corporation, 940 The East Mall, Suite 110, Toronto, ON Canada M98 6J7 Office: (866) 333-3374 Fax: (416) 622-0333 www.thoroughbredstyle.net Copyright ©2009 Silks Media Corporation. All rights reserved Printed in the USA

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To Subscribe visit:

www.internationalhorseracingdigest.com

the

Cover Art and

Artist the

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ur cover art for this Spring edition of “ThoroughbredStyle” is “Down the Stretch”, one of many horse racing studies by internationally renowned American sports artist Armando Delgado. A native of San Francisco, and now residing in San Jose, California, with wife Charisse and their three children, Armando has always aspired to be versatile; in his own words, “Even as a kid, I wanted to be a Renaissance Man”. The dictionary definition is “a modern scholar who is in a position to aquire more than superficial knowledge about many different interests”, Armando has certainly met this criteria, to the point that his skills in the fields of Window Painting, Studio Backdrop Design, Sculpture, Murals, and Computer Graphics are not even touched on here. Neither is there space to catalog his commissions from well known personalities and organizations, nor to relate his personal relationship and experiences with some of the greatest icons in International Sports, Tiger Woods and Joe Montana serving as examples.

Suffice it to say that works by Armando Delgado have been displayed in The White House, have been featured on television, have toured the Country on exhibition, have been used on stamps by the US Postal Service, and are sought after by collectors across the Globe. Armando has never lost his enquiring mind and comments, “I won’t say no to any project, if it involves something I don’t know about, then I’ll learn it”. He tells all young people, especially young artists, “to keep their minds open”. His motivation for such achievement - The horse.

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By R ich ard Hen ley ThoroughbredStyle

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One afternoon at age eighteen Armando found himself have come so close in recent years”.

At age fourteen Armando had already been recognized as a talented young artist, and encouraged by his parents, schooled at the perfect site and situation to become motivated as an We asked how he would depict the in portraits and landscapes during evening and weekend artist with an interest in both sport and horses, the finish line next champion, and with a laugh he classes by his seventh grade art tutor, he would quickly sketch at Bay Meadows. You can still hear the excitement in his voice replied, “I have had my paints ready horses as he watched Westerns on television, and for a time when he describes his first experience watching that wonder- for a long time now. I think on a ful combination horse and human athlete,Center resplendant considered he would concentrateproof on Western Art. While and pedestal, myself in the background Today,thatthe indisputable of greatness bragging of sampling at Visitor’s for those aged 21 and over in color, and glorious3intours motion, thundering across theeducational line. with arms exhibiting an early painting two horsesfrom on a hillthe he was tak- and in the through air, and there would offered: a) guided session the rights lies within theofresponse public its critics. it simply, was really hooked”.Armando has from en by a gentleman who as hadmany studiedawards the pieceor andreceived asked To havethe to be some champagne distillery explaining everything history of bour- corks Noaside distillery has won as put much ac- he says,”I since painted the to great Thoroughbreds, do- in process, if he would mind “a little there somewhere”.

Should the maturationand andinbottling b) cultural andyou colades (check out bourbonenthusiast.com) as Buffalo Trace:many ofbon ing so has been at many famous finish lines, and often in the constructive criticism”.

He be interested in spending a pleasant ‘Distiller of the Year’ three times with Whisky Magazine (2005- educational evolution of the distillery, c) mechanical, chemicompany of famous people.

Who among would notaspects have and was informed that the mus- & 2005-2006) relaxing hour, bourbon go to the website cal, technical andussensory of producing 2007), three times with Malt Advocate (2000 enjoyed the experience of being invited tototheSaturday jockeys room cles weren’t quite rightinand and 12:30 then you– will be bound to Hours: Tuesday 9 – 5, below, Sunday 4:30 and once with Wine Enthusiast Magazine 2006.

George T. by Bill Shoemaker, and then to find him playing cards with Joe that “if you study the horse, agree that Armando Delgado truly is (April to October) closed major holidays Stagg has won ‘World Whiskey of the Year’ thrice with Jim DiMaggio.Both of these icons commissioned works, and later you can paint the horse, and a “Renaissance Man”.

Murray’s Whisky Bible and Sazerac Rye 18 year collected Malt Joe2001 took “The and Armando to Las Vegas to watch a if you can paintYear’ the horse, You can view Armando Delgado beam (www.jimbeam.com) Advocate’s ‘American Whiskey of the awards in andShoe”Jim contest, this leading to a personal you and can Eagle paint Rare anything”. acrossClermont, a wide range 502-543-9877, 149 Happy HollowartRoad, KYof sports, 2005. Blanton’s Single Barrel SingleGeorge BarrelForeman have boxing introduction to “Big George” and a whole series of boxing Armando relates spending and see available prints, by visiting Free admission both won gold medals, and Pappy Van Winkle’s 20 Year Old works; but that’s another story in itself.

To Armando, his most three weeks as a guest of the artist’s website at www.paintFilm presentation and self-guided tour received an extraordinary 99 rating from Wine Enthusiast and memorable finish is being on the line at Golden Gate when this prominant eroflegends.com Hours: Monday to Saturday 9 – 4:30, World’s Spirit Championship.

Guess horse you’reranchjust going to have Henry”with Chris McCarron seemingly er and patron, “John Sunday 1 – 4,aboard, closed majorwithholidays Enquiries on commissioning the to try them all for yourself –established it’s whatartCongress and former having to do little butBottoms study out President Abraham Lincoln would want. upeffort and passed see the field, and broke the Track Record; he artist can be sent to painteroflegholds the record to this day. ATrace close second would be the ends@hotmail.com the anatomy of his favorite buffalo (www.buffalotrace.com) you at the races! raising his hand, when, as a supposedly subject, “and after that”, he image of “The Shoe”502-696-5926 or 1-800-654-8471, he brought “Ferdinand” to vic-County, KY 40601 says “my commissions be- “over the hill” jockey,1001 TOuR A DISTILLERY Wilkinson Blvd.,home Franklin tory at 14/1 in the Kentucky Derby of 1986.

Both events ledfor groups of 25 or more gan.”

Heaven Hill (www.heaven-hill.com) Free admission, reservations to famous Delgado paintings.

502-348-3921, 1074 Loretto Rd., Bardstown, KY 40004 Guided tour Our cover, “DownHours: the Stretch” conveys to theFriday excitement Free admission Monday 9 – of 3, Saturday 10 – 2, describes hisholidays work in a manner that Hours: Tuesday to Saturday 10 – 5, Sunday 12 – 4 Racing. Armando himself closed major we can all understand. “ThoroughbredStyle” asked why he had (March to October), closed major holidays chosen horses coming off the final curve for his painting, Alan Zielonko is a freelance lifestyle writer his reply, “I wanted to capture the moment in every race that Woodford Reserve (www.woodfordreserve.com) fans and bettors to hold their breath for a few seconds” 859-879-1812, 7855 McCracken Pike, Versailles, KYcauses 40383 The actual painting is a mural in oils, took a full week to de$5 admission (guests under 18 are free), includes post-tour sign, and a further week to complete. It measures 5’ x 7’, and is the focal point at The Turf Club in the Satellite Centre at San Jose Fair Downs where Armando Delgado is held in such ThoroughbredStyle esteem, that director Tony Tramontano informs us anyone wishing to view it will be admitted regardless of membership restrictions.

While taking a limited number of commissions each year, Armando is also active in raising funds for many charities and is currently working on a tribute to his beloved Bay Mead1. “Big Red’s Masterful Reach” Secretariat, Acrylic 5’x7’Private Collection of Mr. Ari Ben-Menashe, Montreal, Canada ows. It is scheduled to be unveiled on the first anniversary 2. “Down the Stretch” 0il 5’ x 7’-The Turf Club, San Jose Downs, San Jose, Calilfornia of the tracks closing, August 17th 2009. Like us all, Armando 3. “Winnest Jockey” Russel Baze, Oil 24” x 36”looks forward to a Triple Crown winner, “especially as we Pleasanton Satellite Racing Facility, Pleasanton, California

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4. “The Duel” Oil 5’ x 7’-Pleasanton Satellite Racing facility, Pleasanton, California 5. “Seabiscuits” Cy Young winner, Tim Lincecum, Acrylic 24” x 36” Currently private collection of the artist

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ThoroughbredStyle

Thoroughbred Thoughts D a vid C a s s id y

David Cassidy Continues To

Make His Mark In

Thoroughbred

Racing nown to many as Keith Partridge of the 1970s TV show The Partridge Family, by the time he was 21, David Cassidy had become the highest-paid solo performer in the world and had a fan club larger than Elvis Presley’s or the Beatles’. What followed were Broadway performances in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Blood Brothers, several television appearances, concert tours and worldwide record sales exceeding 35 million copies.

During this time period as well, David also stamped himself as a significant owner and breeder of Thoroughbred racehorses, and is a regular visitor to the Saratoga race meet during the summer months.

By L ARRY S I M P SON

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During a recent concert tour, ThoroughbredStyle had the opportunity to catch up with David Cassidy and the following interview about his career, and of course, his interest in horses transpired.

“My Grandfather was a

ThoroughbredStyle: David, as we speak you are in the midst of a concert tour and it has just been announced that you will be part of a new television series, Ruby and the Rockits, working with your brothers. Tell us a little about the show.

David Cassidy: Ruby and the Rockits is a comedy, set to air this June on ABC Family channel. My brother Sean is the Executive Producer / Head Writer, and my brother Patrick and I are starring in it, along with Alexa Vega who was in the movie, Spy Kids. It’s a half hour situation comedy with music, and lots of it. I think it is very funny, and we go into production the middle of April. Personally, I think it’s the best work I’ve ever done. Patrick and Sean feel the same way. Actually, my other brother Ryan is going to be the set decorator. I guess you could say that it is totally a family affair, the first time all of us have worked together, which makes it very exciting.

TS: Can you give us a quick overview of the show?

DC: Patrick is a former teen idol who is living quietly with his wife and two sons. He and I were band mates in a group called Ruby and the Rockits, and I unexpectedly show up on his doorstep with my newfound teenage daughter in tow. Alexa Vega plays my daughter and I guess you could say that our family life from then on becomes anything but normal.

was also a big horse racing fan, and he took me to the racetrack for the first time when I was about 10. We were living in New Jersey just outside of New York. He took me to Garden State Park, and then we took the train to Aqueduct the following year. I remember reading the sports section when I was nine or ten. Back then the horse racing coverage was far more extensive then it is now. I especially remember too, the coverage given to a horse they called ‘The Gray Ghost’ who was the first horse, to my recollection, ever to be on TV. Even though he had just been retired, he was still very popular with racing fans. Actually, his real name was Native Dancer but everyone referred to him as ‘The Gray Ghost’. It just so happens that he went on to become the broodmare sire of Northern Dancer, who is probably the most important influence in Thoroughbred racing of the twentieth century around the world. If you just consider Northern Dancer’s offspring itself, and the fact that Native Dancer is the sire of premier sire, Raise a Native, who is the sire of Mr. Prospector, and as we mentioned, the broodmare sire of Northern Dancer, you don’t need to say any more if you know anything about Thoroughbred racing and breeding.

And that’s the story. I grew up with the shows on television, My Friend Flicka, Hop Along Cassidy; you know the sweet and innocent stuff. I moved out to California with my mother in the early 60s. I think I was in the 5th grade, and my mother took me to Santa Anita, but I was already a big racing fan. I got my first riding horse when I was 15. He was stabled about 45 minutes away up a large hill and canyon, which I would have to ride my bike to. I would go riding after school.

I have been an avid lover of horses and animals since then.

tremendous sports fan, a huge Yankees fan. He was also a big horse racing fan, and he took me to the racetrack for the first time when I was about 10. “

TS: You were obviously best known for your role in The Partridge Family, however there were other TV appearances between that show and Ruby and the Rockits?

DC: I was actually nominated for an Emmy for a two hour Police Story, some years ago. I also did Man Undercover and Spirit TS: What was life like as a teenager? of ‘76. But I mostly have worked in the theatre and in Las DC: I played guitar Vegas, and of course my and drums and became concerts.

David (top right) with fellow members of The Partridge Family. PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF SONY PICTURES TELEVISION INTERNATIONAL very focused on becoming an actor. After I gradTS: What attracted uated from high school, you to Thoroughbred two weeks after moving Racing? back to New York, I DC: I grew up around got my first professional racing from the time I job with a Broadway was about five. I was show when I was 18. I born and raised in New then started getting actYork City. When my ing jobs when I was 19, parents divorced, I went although I looked a lot to live with my grandyounger, I got some leads parents (my mom’s parin some of the popular ents), about a half hour dramatic shows that were outside of New York. on at that time. Shows My Grandfather was a like Mod Squad, Ironside, tremendous sports fan, Marcus Welby, and Bonana huge Yankees fan. He

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“I began reading the trades and then bought the ‘Daily Racing Form’ everyday, even though I didn’t gamble and I have never really been much of a gambler at all.”

above

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za. Certainly, great shows for a young actor like myself to be playing leads in. I think I did nine or ten shows. And at the end of that year I got a pilot called The Family Business, which was then changed to The Partridge Family and it ‘sold’. Once we started shooting the series. I was working every night, working all day long, and working weekends on a concert tour. And interestingly, our cameraman had a small ranch and had been breeding and racing Thoroughbreds, so he would bring in the ‘Thoroughbred Record’ and ‘The Blood-Horse’ to read. The ‘Thoroughbred Record’ is now ‘Thoroughbred Times’, and I still read them religiously today.

TS: So would you say that your horse racing interest had been rekindled?

DC: It never really went away, just maybe put on hold while I focused on my acting career. You have to realize that the amount of information available on horse racing back then was quite limited and slow compared to what is available now.

But anyway, I began reading the trades and then bought the ‘Daily Racing Form’ everyday, even though I didn’t gamble and I have never really been much of a gambler at all. In fact, I still continue to buy “the Form” now everyday, as I prefer the printed version rather then getting it online.

TS: The ‘Daily Racing Form’ is quite informative isn’t it?

Do you think it gives you an edge as a Thoroughbred breeder/owner?

DC: It’s a lot more informatative now then it used to be.

I think it helps you stay current, than I think as a breeder/ owner you have to be. You especially need to be aware of the breeding market. It can change so dramatically within a couple of years. A stallion that is hot and commercially viable one year, in two years of your breeding program may be as cold as ice. I always relied on my ‘gut’ instinct and also what I believed was going to be best for my mare. I don’t necessarily

- Sweet Vendetta winning the Black Eyed Susan last year PHOTOGRAPH BY JIM MCCUE, MARYLAND JOCKEY CLUB right - PHOTOGRAPH BY BOBBY BANK

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breed for the market although I’m very conscious of it, and I have bred to some popular stallions. In 2007-2008, I was the number one breeder in New York, for average earnings per starter, percentage of stakes horses and stakes winners, for the second year in a row, which I’m really proud of. I bred three stakes horses, two stakes winners, and one graded stakes winner out of six foals.

TS: What is your breeding farm called?

DC: I don’t have one. I don’t own a farm. I did in the mid 1980s. I bought a farm in California that was previously owned by Harry Mangurian who moved to Florida and had a farm called Mockingbird.

TS: David, tell us a little about your breeding program then.

DC: I have had a couple of Canadian bred Thoroughbreds.

I have one in training as I speak to you today; he’s a two-yearold. I have a New York bred by a Canadian stallion by the name of Trajectory. She’s just a yearling, and she is eligible for the Ontario Sires Stakes and a couple of the New York bred programs. I’m almost exclusively breeding and have been breeding in New York, although I do breed to stallions outside of the state. There’s a good stallion now in New York though that I believe is going to be a really nice stallion called Read the Footnotes, and I have a mare that is a sister to three other graded stakes winners that is in foal to Pleasantly Perfect. She is currently at Gardiner Farms up in Ontario where she will foal then come back to Kentucky. With her we are taking advantage of the breeding bonuses available in New York, and in Ontario, where there is not a better bonus program in the world.

TS: The Canadian breeding and racing program is pretty good isn’t it?

DC: It’s not ‘pretty good’; it’s just the best! And I predict

lose money. If you have eight mares, and you put $250,000 into one stud fee and you get a bad foal, it just doesn’t make economic sense, especially when there are stallions out there with stud fees of $25,000 or less that you can make a reasonable profit with. I like the idea of doing it on my own though, and I don’t say this egotistically. I like using my extended knowledge and the research I did over the past 35 years, to my advantage. Studying what has worked consistently.

that it is going to get better. The purses are great at Woodbine. Actually, I have a bit of a soft spot for Woodbine as three years ago I shipped one of my New York bred fillies up there and won a stakes, beating the champion older mare whose name has slipped my mind right now.

I spend quite a lot of time at my friend Dr. Jerry Bilinski’s Waldorf Farm in New York.

In fact, I keep my mares that are in New York there. When their foals are weaned they are sent to Florida, and I spend quite a bit of time near Ocala, where my ‘babies’ are brought up and broken. Some go on to various sales or I may hold on to them, although I don’t race that many. I have to, for economic reasons, sell most of them. So some may sell at Saratoga or Fasig Tipton in Kentucky.

TS: So at last count how many horses do you have?

DC: Combined, with mares and foals, yearlings and two-year-olds, 30. I probably own about 15 of them myself. But I like the idea of having the ‘right’ partner. I had one really bad experience with a partner. It just didn’t work out. (laughs)-His dream and objective was that he had to win the Kentucky Derby every year. Some people just have an unrealistic expectation. I’ve had a lot of successful partnerships, but in some cases racing winners, or stakes winners just isn’t enough. People don’t understand the risk and reward. It’s not just about making money. For me it’s a passion, something that I love, and I have been very fortunate to be able to do it.

TS: Is it safe to say it’s still your goal to either breed a Kentucky Derby winner or to race a horse in the Derby?

DC: Yes, definitely. It’s probably any serious horsemen’s dream. I would say though that most of the horses that I breed, are bred obviously with an awareness of the commercial market while at the same time with the hopes of breeding a classic racehorse. With what has happened in the last decade, we have created what I think is a ‘bad mess’, of breeding for early speed. Four, four and a half and five furlong races early in the season, which is all fine and dandy in May of their two-year-old year, but how many of these horses are going to be around in May of their three-year-old season? We unfortunately breed for speed, speed, and more speed! We breed unsoundness! We breed horses with distance limitations, and we breed what sells! I sell a good percentage of my horses in the two-year-old sales. I sell no earlier than March; I have one in the April sale, sorry two in April, and three in May this year.

David with Mayan King

TS: What are some of your philosophies for breeding?

DC: They say you should never fall in love (with horses) and occasionally I have.

It is hard to put into words, the love I have for horses. I think I’m proud of what I have done as a breeder. In the past, I had to sell horses that I knew were far more valuable, but I couldn’t afford to hold on to them. You have to sell when the time is right. I made the mistake a couple of times of not selling and then regretting it later. But, everybody makes mistakes, and I’ve made more then my share, but virtually I guess I have done enough ‘right’ that I have been able to stay in the business on my own terms. I can’t afford to breed to horses that have stud fees that are so high that if you don’t get a great foal, you are going to

TS: Recently, as you know, we interviewed Bo Derek who had just been named as a Commissioner to the California Horse Racing Board…

DC: She and John Derek used to live about two miles away from the farm that I mentioned earlier that I had had in the 80s.

TS: So like Bo Derek, have you any aspirations to someday get into the regulatory side of racing?

DC: I was the keynote speaker three years ago at the Thoroughbred National Museum in Saratoga for the Hall of Fame, and part of my speech, was about how we need to bear in mind that the integrity of any sport is essential to its survival, its growth, its developDavid singing the National Anthum at the World Series.

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“I’m almost exclusively breeding and have been breeding in New York, although I do breed to stallions outside of the state.”

ment and its awareness. And being an animal lover, and being supportive of the animal rights, I have a tremendous concern about what is going on in other sports (steroids). There are always going to be people that want to cheat, and do it at the expense of everyone else in the sport.

TS: You seem to be quite an ambassador for Canada, specially its Thoroughbred-racing product?

DC: You know, it is my belief that if the weather in Canada was like that of California, everybody would live there. It’s a fantastic country! I have a couple of good friends who live in Ontario and once or twice a year I will go up to visit them and take in the races. Plus, I usually perform in parts of Canada regularly throughout the year as well. It has been a great longterm relationship for me with Canada.

I only hope that at some point down the road, I would be able to be more involved with breeding in Ontario. The quality of racing is so high, like New York. Basically, I believe that every champion in every division needs to show itself in New York (Belmont, Saratoga), or in Canada at Woodbine.

TS:If it was possible, and you could be named the Racing Commissioner or ‘Racing Czar’ for all of horse racing, what would be the first thing on your agenda to improve the racing product?

DC: I’ve toured all over the world and I have seen racing at the highest levels. I attended the Melbourne Cup, I have been to the Irish Derby and the Epsom Derby and I have attended racing at the highest level in New Zealand, where it is an entertainment event. I would make racing and our tracks, multi- entertainment facilities that are child- friendly and don’t necessarily accentuate the gambling side, while at the same time, giving people some education about the horse, and racing in general. Actually, I think what I would consider doing first, would be to call John Ferguson (Sheikh Mohammed’s bloodstock manager), who I consider to be a good friend, a

David at the Eclipse Awards with Jerry Bailey

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great guy, and a great horse racing mind. I would have John consult, and spearhead, especially if money was not an issue, a program that would take certain parts of what they do in Ireland, the UK, France, New Zealand, Australia and Japan and combine the best from each, and make racetrack ‘ events’ out of them. Especially on weekends. Make these events more fan friendly and I think I would do much more advertising and marketing that educate what horse racing is all about.

TS: In other words, try to interest a younger generation?

DC: To some degree. Unfortunately though, there are so many of the younger generation now, who have a limited disposable income, and their entertainment income is also very limited. Therefore, you have to make the racing product, very fan friendly and appealing. In other words, where else can you go for 20 bucks, and have a chance to not only win a lot of money but also involve them in something that is really entertaining with great food and fantastic atmosphere? And bring in the young ‘stars’ in all fields of entertainment, meaning, invite the stars from NASCAR, movie stars, music stars, or television stars to a day at the races. What young people want, is to feel like they are part of something that is attractive and cool! That’s what racing used to be like in the 30s 40s and 50s. It’s what Hollywood Park and Santa Anita were all about.

There were movie stars there! The same at Del Mar. Sure, Bing (Crosby) was the ‘face’ of it, but Jimmy Durante was part of that era, and the track goers wanted to be around ‘those people’. From a marketing stand point it only makes sense.

TS: So what part of racing do you think ‘dropped the ball’?

DC: I think it has been ‘baking in the oven’ for a long, long time. The infighting within the industry didn’t help, nor did the arrogance. The racetrack was the only place where people could legally gamble besides Las Vegas, and I’m talking decades ago. And when other sports marketed themselves such as the NFL, the NBA, Major League Baseball, Thoroughbred racing was just very short sighted. They are controlled by a lot of people who are not necessarily in touch with the public.

Extraordinarily wealthy, elitists perhaps, but also there was the infighting between tracks and associations, as opposed to a ‘lets all do this together’ attitude. The AFL merged with the NFL and they had this event called the Super Bowl, which in its first few years was probably undistinguished until ‘Broadway’ Joe Namath made the ‘pitch’ and ran with it. Instead of trying to bury the AFL, which I am sure the NFL tried in the beginning, they merged and came up with a better product.

Racing too did finally realize that instead of trying to kill each other or fight each other, lets get together and come up with something better, which they called the NTRA. I think that’s an essential part of what was missing 30 years ago, and I believe that it came from such a long standing arrogance that people are going to come to the track, because ‘we are the only game in town’. You know, there are 600 Indian Casinos in North America and I have ‘played’ most of them. So all of that changed, people just didn’t go to the track anymore! And

DC: Very, I’d say John was by far the most important. It was so important to know John, as well, and play with him, or just hang out with him and Yoko. I have such great respect for him as a human being. I think the world is a worse place now without him. I think he especially influenced all of us through the lyrics, ‘all we are saying is give peace a chance’. Look how the world has evolved since he wrote that. The world was certainly a kinder gentler place, with his influence in it. And that being said, he was my friend. I learned to play guitar after I saw the Beatle’s on Ed Sullivan, and like many other boys at that time, I went out and bought an electric guitar, which eventually enabled me to play with some of the greatest musicians that ever lived.

TS: Do you think there are any similarities between horse a separate problem was the lack of exposure for racing on television. That’s where racing really fell down! Now it is time racing and the entertainment industry?

DC: Yes, they are completely and totally unpredictable. to face the music. Sure attendance is down, but it is down everywhere, in everything. So you have to offer something else. You never know when lightening can strike and then you can There is a way to approach it that has to be completely and go dormant, meaning without work. There is nothing consistotally transparent, and everybody involved has to be on the tent about either. You learn to expect their inconsistencies! same page, that your survival on my survival. proof of greatness and depends bragging sampling at Visitor’s Center for those aged 21 and over

indisputable hin the response from the public and its critics. 3 tours offered: a) guided educational session through the TS: What do you prefer more, acting or performing? distilleryand explaining everything from the history of bourhas won as many awards or toreceived much DC: I love do all of as it. Even as aacwriter, producer, the k out bourbonenthusiast.com) as entertain Buffalopeople.

Trace:I love tobon songwriter. I love to playto live.

If maturation and bottling process, b) cultural and educational e Year’ three times Magazine (2005youwith gaveWhisky me a choice to do anything I probably would say, evolution of the distillery, c) mechanical, chemime a microphone, me my guitar and cal, my band, and and sensory aspects of producing bourbon technical imes with Malt give Advocate (2000 &give 2005-2006) let me go out and spend an evening with people and just take Hours: Tuesday to Saturday 9 – 5, Sunday 12:30 – 4:30 Wine Enthusiast Magazine in 2006. George T. them on a little musical journey, which is what I’m going to (April to October) closed major holidays n ‘World Whiskey of the Year’ thrice with Jim continue to do. sky Bible and Sazerac Rye 18 year collected Malt Jim beam (www.jimbeam.com) merican Whiskey ofTS: the Year’ awards inPartridge 2001 and It all started with The Family show correct?

DC: It did for me as a recording artist.

As I said, I had 502-543-9877, 149 Happy Hollow Road, Clermont, KY ’s Single Barrel and Eagle Rare Single Barrel have already been on Broadway, I had done ‘families’ and dramatic Free admission d medals, and Pappy Van Winkle’s 20 Year Old shows, but the rest of my career has been launched in an Film presentation and self-guided tour traordinary 99 rating from Wine Enthusiast and enormous way from The Partridge Family, all over the world. I Hours: to Saturday 9 – 4:30, Championship.have Guess you’re just going to have been blessed to have a lot of fans that have stayed Monday with ll for yourself –me it’sover what Congress and the years, and many newformer ones that haveSunday come to 1see– 4, closed major holidays aham Lincoln would want.

Bottoms seedecades. the work I’ve been doing theup lastand several buffalo Trace (www.buffalotrace.com) s!

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502-696-5926 or 1-800-654-8471, DC: Shirley (Jones) is the only one I see. I love Shirley, she’s DISTILLERY 1001 Wilkinson Blvd., Franklin County, KY 40601 my step mom, but she’s my brothers’ mom, and she’s a legend, www.heaven-hill.com) Free admission, reservations for groups of 25 or more one of the nicest most genuine talented people I have ever 1, 1074 Loretto Rd., Guided tour met Bardstown, or worked with.KY 40004

n Hours: Monday to Friday 9 – 3, Saturday 10 – 2, TS: What’s your favourite place to play? y to Saturday 10 – 5, Sunday 12 – 4 closed major holidays I can’t really say there is one place I prefer, as I am forober), closed majorDC: holidays tunate to have the kind of fan base that is so remarkably supAlan Zielonko is a freelance lifestyle writer portive and enthusiastic. I did over 2000 shows in Las Vegas. serve (www.woodfordreserve.com) I love the UK, Australia, New Zealand and I love performing 2, 7855 McCracken Pike, Versailles, KYfans 40383 in Canada.

The Canadian are just fantastic! (guests under 18 are free), includes post-tour TS: Would you say John Lennon was the most influential person in your career?

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ThoroughbredStyle

John

Regarding

Head shot of john henry just a few weeks before his death.

PHOTOGRAPH BY STEVE FAUST

By Cy nt hi a Grisoli a

Henry

ith their new documentary John Henry: The Steel Driving Racehorse, two fledgling filmmakers from Los Angeles take on the task of venerating one of racings greatest legends.

ThoroughbredStyle

18

The legendary racehorse John Henry was known for beating the odds. In his eight seasons on the track between 1977 and 1984 he was always the runty, ill-tempered , “back at the knee” engine that could. Even Father Time didn’t stand a chance. When old age threatened to take its toll John did what he always did: He kicked his butt.

And to raci ng fans John’s story is lore: He floundered until owner Sam Rubin and trainer Ron McAnally unleashed his potential and set forth a career unmatched in the stat books: Thirty-nine victories, seven Eclipse awards, including two “Horse of the Year” crowns, and a bank balance of over $6.5 million—at the time, he was richer than any other racehorse in the solar system.

Even his retirement was the stuff of dreams: Following his career John Henry spent 22 years at the Kentucky Horse Park where followers flocked to his paddock like Catholics to the Vatican. “He was instrumental in putting the Horse Park on the map on a national level,” says John Nicholson, the park’s executive director. When John Henry died in October 2007, nearly 500 hundred people attended his memorial, some coming from as far away as California.

This spring, two young filmmakers are hoping John Henry’s knack for performing against all odds still holds, and more so, that he’s not only the stuff of dreams, but of cinema. John Henry: A Steel Driving Racehorse, a documentary produced by the L.A.-based Open Sky Entertainment, is expected to be released around Derby time. It’s directed by Cameron Duddy and Christian Koby, filmmakers who, at age 23 and 26, respectively, are too young to have witnessed even one of John’s come-from-behind wins or charging stretch drives—a minor detail that has not kept them from being fully taken with his legacy.

“The idea for the film came from my grandfather,” says Koby. “When he retired, he moved to Kentucky to be near family and he used to spend a lot of his spare time visiting this horse—this crazy, ornery,

mean-as-hell horse. And he would talk to me about it all the time. My grandfather,” Koby adds, “isn’t even a racing fan.” (For the record, neither were the filmmakers or the producers before embarking on this documentary. Each admits to the occasional trip to Santa Anita, but none were in any danger of being labeled a “railbird.”)

Koby and Duddy originally set out to do a short exposé about John’s annual birthday bash at the Horse Park, which usually attracted large crowds from across the country.

They came to the 1000-acre Mecca for horses just outside Lexington to film in January ’07. But after spending a few days at the park and learning more about John by reading Steve Haskin’s John Henry: Racing’s Grand Old Man, they were converts—two more moths pulled ever close to John’s flame. “We decided that it would be a great [feature-length] story,” says Koby. “An all American rags-to-riches story.”

Duddy and Koby pitched the documentary to Open Sky, which just happens to be run by Duddy’s father, Christopher, and his producing partner Glen Garland. But the idea succeeded on its own merits. “We just fell in love with the story and what the horse did,” notes producer Duddy, a former Hollywood visual-effects artist and cinematogra-

19

“When he retired, he moved to Kentucky to be near family and he used to spend a lot of his spare time visiting this horse—this crazy, ornery, mean-as-hell horse....”

ThoroughbredStyle

“We felt like not only horse people, but all people could relate and be inspired.”

pher who has worked on such films as The Sum of All Fears and Waterworld.

“We felt like not only horse people, but all people could relate and be inspired.”

The decision to go with a full-length documentary brought with it some worry about unearthing the material necessary to tell John’s tale. But the filmmakers were soon surprised to find themselves embraced by an industry as enthused to tell the story as they were. Footage of John’s major races were made readily available from Belmont to Arlington to Santa Anita, and everyone involved in John’s career consented to be interviewed, including McAnally, longtime groom Jose Mercado, and such Hall of Fame jockeys as Lafitt Pincay and Chris McCarron, who rode John Henry in his last 14 starts. The filmmakers also spoke to track announcers, fans, everyone at the Horse Park, and even riders who competed against John Henry in many races. Owner Sam Rubin has passed away, but his daughter, Phyllis Layton, who gave what Duddy calls, “a very emotional interview,” represented the family.

“We wanted to ask the question, ‘what made John Henry special?’” says Koby, “and so we not only went inside the horse community, but outside as well,” which led to at least one rather startling discussion. “We talked to Nancy Regalmuto, who is an animal psychic,” says Koby. “She is the only person to ever have –quote unquote—spoken with John.” (Regalmuto mind melded with John as part of a investigative report done by Equus magazine in 1985.) “We were both mesmerized by this woman,” Duddy adds quickly, as if anticipating skepticism. “She was very convincing.”

Of all of the participants, Duddy notes that he was most moved by Phil Marino. Marino trained John as a two-year-old for Louisiana eccentric Colleen Madere, one of his early owners, and he was among the first to recognize the colt’s greatness. Marino conditioned John for his first big win, The Lafayette Futurity at Evangeline Downs in 1977, but later lost the horse when a losing streak at Fair Grounds led to a falling out with Madere. With every trip John later made to the winners circle, Marino’s life fell deeper into ruin. He was forever dubbed “the man who couldn’t win with John Henry.”

“I can’t wait for people to see the film,” says Duddy, “because I feel like if I’m doing this for anyone beside John Henry, I’m doing it to vindicate Phil Marino.”

Above: Fans signing John’s memorial banner. PHOTOGRAPH BY MARC MANNING Left: John Henry on his daily walk. PHOTOGRAPH BY JOHN KAISER

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ThoroughbredStyle

. Marino trained John as a two-year-old for Louisiana eccentric Colleen Madere, one of his early owners, and he was among the first to recognize the colt’s greatness.

Koby and Duddy talk with Verna Lehman (John’s breeder) and Jean Calloway (his first owner) and others during the birthday party. “They signed my Thoroughbred Legends book (by Steve Haskin), which I had everyone we talked to do,” says Koby. PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF DIRECTOR CHRISTIAN KOBY

*** John Henry died at 7p.m. on October 8, 2007, euthanized due to the infirmities of old age. He was 32, or well over 100 in human years. Shortly after his death was announced, the Kentucky Horse Park erected a memorial page on it’s website that included a link to a “guestbook” dedicated to the horse that had, by this time, become a state icon. As of this writing, the guestbook contained 69 pages—a verbal crazy quilt of memories and farewells from fans everywhere. One posting is from Brazil. On the day of his passing, a woman from Colorado noted: It will be a great time in Heaven tonight. I’ll listen for you in the thunder, John Henry. You will never be forgotten. Two days later, a fan from New Jersey added: I will have that moment for all eternity when we met in ’93 and our eyes gazed into each other’s soul….

More than 14 months after his passing, fans are still sharing their grief. As of this writing the last entry was posted December 16, 2008: “You will be missed,” it says. “Gone forever, remembered always.”

And so a funny thing happened to Duddy and Koby on the way to making this documentary. They became accountable. At first, they were just two novice filmmakers (this is their first professional project) who were, “a bit too ambitious,” says Duddy, “I think for our own good.” But with John’s passing not ten months into filming, Duddy and Koby suddenly became custodians of an important piece of a golden era. Their documentary would serve, possibly, as the last archive for everyone that was a part of John’s exceptional life and every fan that made a pilgrimage to see him. They might as well have made a film about Elvis.

“Chris and I had no idea what we were getting into,” says Duddy. “Like I say, we’re sort of ambitious and we went for it. But not even half way through, it

ThoroughbredStyle

22

dawned on us that we were responsible for making it as best as it could be, and in a way that wouldn’t disappoint anybody.”

The people moved by John’s life—and that’s a lengthy list—are hoping for just that. “This will be an important vehicle in keeping John’s memory alive for his fans and for introducing him to future generations,” says the Horse Park’s Nicholson. “For those who didn’t know him, this may seem outrageous, but we can honestly say that the world is a better place for John Henry having been in it.”

Author Haskins, who, in addition to being John’s biographer, is an awardwinning turf writer and correspondent for The Blood Horse, believes the telling of John Henry’s story is imperative not only to history but to the sport of racing. “If any horse should be immortalized on film it is John Henry,” he says, “because unlike most of the great racehorses John’s story is about people and the many lives he touched in such a profound way.”

Films like this one and also 2008’s Eclipse-award winning The First Saturday in May, a documentary about six trainers’ journey to the Kentucky Derby, may be vital to a sport whose reputation is dwindling with each media report on drugs, steroids, and fatal breakdowns. “We have to show non race fans that the beauty far surpasses those unfortunate aspects of the sport,” adds Haskins. *** For Open Sky, the largest hurdle now lies ahead. Producer Christopher Duddy reports that a solid cut of their documentary has been complete for several months and initial plans were to “show it around and try to get a distribution company on board,” he says. “But you know, the studio distribution deal is not…” he trails off. “We’ve been dealing with it on a couple of other mov-

“This will be an important vehicle in keeping John’s memory alive for his fans and for introducing him to future generations,”

John Henry with his former riders Lafitte Pincay and Chris McCarron at the Kentucky Horse Park PHOTOGRAPH BY TAMMY SITERS

ThoroughbredStyle

ies we’ve produced. It’s very difficult working with them. They don’t share the money the way it should be.”

Perhaps with reason: Documentaries are a thorny marketing challenge. There have been a few blockbusters—2005’s March of the Penguins, 2002’s spelling-bee cliffhanger Spellbound, and pretty Open Sky’s Glenn Garland, Koby, Duddy, and Gebhard following an interview with Howard McKlurkin, a John Henry super fan, at much most of the films Old Friends retirement facility in Kentucky. PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF DIRECTOR CHRISTIAN KOBY made by Michael Moore are some that have broken box office barriers—but as a lywood company.”

The campaign will count on advertising, websites, racerule, they don’t perform well theatrically, and so distribution companies are hesitant to invest in costly promotion. track gift shops, and a series of targeted screenings, to rev “They would rather put another $10 million into Iron Man up word-of-mouth and promote and sell the film. Like the or Hulk,” says John Hennegan, who produced and directed Hennegans, Duddy and Koby are also planning on tapping The First Saturday in May with his brother Brad. Their film the festival circuit. They were not accepted to screen with broke well from the gate and was critically well received, but the mega players at either Sundance or Toronto this year, it never attracted a big distribution deal. “We premiered at but they are currently submitting to a number of smaller, the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival in New York and we ended more intimate fests. “We want to get the film out to the up being the runner up for the Audience Award out of 180 audience who will appreciate it the most,” says Koby, “so films,” says Hennegan. “That and $2 got us on the subway.” we are considering festivals in horse-enthusiast areas such To distribute its 83-minute documentary and, with any as Great Lakes Indie, Memphis Indie, Denver, and Ausluck, make it a success, Open Sky is opting to rely, once tin. The second approach is focusing on documentary film again, on the group that has always stood behind John festivals such as San Francisco, Atlanta, and Boston Doc.” The idea, says producer Duddy, is to create a sort of Henry: His fans. “We’re going to try a little out-of-the-box distribution,” says producer slow burn. “We hope we’ve made a strong, inspirational Duddy. “We’re going to do movie. We’d love to do a direct-sales deal and a TV deal. a direct-sales deal and sell And the option for theatrical distribution is always there. it ourselves, which is really We’re not selling all rights,” he adds. “We would also love hard, but when you know the opportunity to make a narrative out of it, too. It really who your audience is, it depends if the documentary gets out there and turns some gets much easier. With this heads.”

As one who’s been through it, Hennegan does not dismovie there is such a specific audience we feel we agree with the approach. “The race fans, if you can find can reach out without the them, are a rabid group,” he says. While The First Saturday in studio mechanism.” While May did eventually have a brief theatrical distribution last a formal agreement was not spring (around 20 screens), Hennegan says that in the end yet in place, Duddy says he was happy to have maintained the rights to his film and they are currently “nego- kept the options open. “We’re able to navigate the waters tiating an unprecedented ourselves,” he says, noting that he has also used modern direct-sales deal with a Hol- marketing techniques like websites, Facebook, blogs, and

24

indisputable proof of greatness and bragging sampling at Visitor’s Center for those aged 21 and over hin the response from the public and its critics. 3 tours offered: a) guided educational session through the as won as many awards or received as much ac- distillery explaining everything from the history of bourbon to the maturation and bottling process, b) cultural and out bourbonenthusiast.com) as Buffalo Trace: When the in questionc)is mechanical, John Henry, thechemiodds on keep up DVD sales. educational evolution of horse the distillery, Year’ three timesemail withcampaigns WhiskytoMagazine (2005that are pretty good.

But he also warns& of 2005-2006) a downside. “If youcal, do ittechnical on your and sensory aspects of producing bourbon mes with Malt Advocate (2000 own, there are in countless you T. are always doing.Tuesday I’ve Hours: to Saturday 9 – 5, Sunday 12:30 – 4:30 Wine Enthusiast Magazine 2006.things George become the lawyer, accountant, treasurer, marketing direc(April to October) closed major holidays ‘World Whiskey of the Year’ thrice with Jim tor…itRye becomes like collected a child.” Malt ky Bible and Sazerac 18 year Cynthia Grisolia is a freelance journalist and public relations profesthe in deadly “M” word? Jim The challenge beam (www.jimbeam.com) erican Whiskey ofAnd the what Year’about awards 2001 and sional.

OriginallyHollow from NewRoad, York, sheClermont, now lives in Versailles, KY. for Eagle A SteelRare Driving Racehorse, or have any film that centers on 502-543-9877, 149 Happy KY s Single Barrel and Single Barrel horseracing for that matter, is to attract the ever-illusive Free admission d medals, and Pappy Van Winkle’s 20 Year Old mainstream audience, something and the sport Film itself presentation has not and self-guided tour raordinary 99 rating from Wine Enthusiast able to do just for decades.

Pollyanna outlookMonday on Hours: to Saturday 9 – 4:30, Championship. been Guess you’re going to“My have is that it must reach either1 – in 4, closed major holidays Sunday l for yourself – racing it’s what Congress and people formernationwide, TV or theaters or it will remain confined to its own little ham Lincoln would want. Bottoms up and see world,” says Haskins. “We have to get the name John Henbuffalo Trace (www.buffalotrace.com) s!

ry on the lips and into the homes of non-racing people.”

502-696-5926 or 1-800-654-8471, But, he admits, “That’s easier said than done.”

DISTILLERY 1001 Wilkinson Blvd., Franklin County, KY 40601 Still, the filmmakers are optimistic. “Hopefully movies www.heaven-hill.com) Free admission, reservations for groups of 25 or more likeBardstown, this will crossover,” says producer Duddy.

“For us it , 1074 Loretto Rd., KY 40004 Guided tour would be awesome if it did. I know I’ve become way more n Hours: Monday to Friday 9 – 3, Saturday 10 – 2, in the12 sport this docuy to Saturday 10interested – 5, Sunday – 4 since we started making closed major holidays mentary.” ober), closed major holidays The younger Duddy, however, admits to an even grandAlan Zielonko is a freelance lifestyle writer er goal. “We’ve touched on how our film might help raise serve (www.woodfordreserve.com) awareness of racing asKY a sport and help bring younger peo, 7855 McCracken Pike, Versailles, 40383 to free), the tracks,” he says.post-tour “But for me, now—since I wasn’t guests under 18pleare includes a horse person before—I want people to care more about the horse as an animal. They are just so special. Whether it puts people in the seats at Santa Anita or not, more than anything, I hope people can walk away with that.”

“My

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Ted Bassett, Chris McCarron, Tom Levinson, and former governor Martha Layne Collins at John’s memorial at the Kentucky Horse Park in 2007.

PHOTOGRAPH BY MARC MANNING

25

ThoroughbredStyle

Kris Prather

Former Rider Turns Writer

G

rowing up in what could be considered a small and sleepy town of Missoula, Montana, it is probably safe to say that former jockey Kris Prather was not actually born into horse racing. “I read about it” she says, citing an interest in the ‘Black Stallion’ series of books, “and everywhere I could, I would watch horse racing, especially the Kentucky Derby on the first Saturday in May. I would actually start dreaming about being part of it (racing),” said Prather in an interview early this year with ThoroughbredStyle Magazine. “ Actually I think from the time I was six, I dreamed of becoming a jockey, a world famous one,” she added.

By L I Z EDWAR D S PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF KRIS PRATHER

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF KRIS PRATHER

Photograph Courtesy of Pat Lang Photography

Kris left Montana and moved to Kentucky to fulfill this horse in the morning at Churchill Downs. After getting her dream of becoming a professional jockey, with her first job feet stuck in the stirrups and trying to hold on, she popped exercising horses for Harold Jordan, a position that she claims her shoulder out and tore her shoulder tendons, an injury that was actually obtained over the Internet. “I then started break- would continue to haunt her even today. “My shoulder injury ing some ‘babies’ and moved on from there”, she adds, “then ended my career”, she says, even though she tried to continue I eventually galloped horses for Wayne Lukas, Allen Jerkens to ride off and on for the next three years. “ I had two surgeries to repair a broken shoulder blade and torn rotator cuff. and Frankie Brothers.”

While exercising and breaking ‘babies’, Kris met jockey I’ve had two full replacements at this point and have another Donna Barton, now Donna Brothers. “Donna took me un- one coming up.” In 2004, Kris had to accept the fact that der her wing and tried to teach me concepts and techniques her riding career was over. “I kept trying to come back but of riding. She taught me not only about racing but she was the doctor’s wouldn’t let me anymore, plus I was in chronic like my mother and best friend, teaching me how to make a pain,” she says, adding that the thought of not riding again was devastating. life outside of racing too.”

It was obviously time for a career path for Kris Prather.

Besides Donna Brothers, Prather also idolized the style of riding of jockeys Richard Migliore, Francisco Torres and Cal- While she was still riding, Kris studied Criminology in school, vin Borel. “No one rides like Calvin can. He has nerves of graduating with a Degree in Criminal Justice; however, she steel. You could be sitting next to him in the starting gate and notes, “there is nothing I can really do with that (the Degree). his horse would be getting nervous, actually going berserk, I could probably become a Parole Officer, or something simiand he would be just sitting there talking like nothing is hap- lar, but I would have to pass a physical, and unfortunately right now that is out of the question.” pening. Its actually quite bizarre watching him.”

Enter another one of her passions-writing. Again with enIt has been stated in several racing journals, that ‘Kris Prather did not just enter the world of Thoroughbred horse couragement from Donna Brothers and her husband, trainer indisputable proof greatness and‘burst bragging sampling at Visitor’s Center for 21journals, and over Frank (Brothers), Kristhose startedaged to write focusing on racingof in 2000’, she literally onto the scene like a woman about horses.

Eventuallysession Kris published her first a mission’. a) guided educational through thebook, hin the response on from the public and its critics. 3 tours offered:stories ‘The Horse Tamer’s Niece’, remarkable featofconsidering Having or been schooled as very well byacDonnadistillery Brothers, and explaining everything froma the history bour- she as won as many awards received much had never and taken bottling any formalprocess, journalismb)courses.

“I and kind of another top femaleasjockey, Hall Trace: of Famer Julie Krone, Krismaturation bon to the cultural out bourbonenthusiast.com) Buffalo based it on experiences from my own life”, she adds, noting won 27 races at the short Turfway Park meet as an apprentice Year’ three times with Whisky Magazine (2005- educational evolution of the distillery, c) mechanical, chemito lead all riders, while the following year and still a ‘bug’ rider that the novel was about a girl who wants to become a jockey cal, technical and sensory aspects of producing bourbon mes with Malt Advocate (2000 & 2005-2006) and only 21-years-old, she rode the winners of 109 races at and overcomes quite a bit in her life to eventually ride in the Hours: Tuesday to Saturday 9 – 5, Sunday 12:30 – 4:30 Wine Enthusiast Magazine in 2006. George T. the Turfway winter/spring meet. This broke Turfway’s record Louisiana Derby.

(April to October) closed major holidays ‘World Whiskey of the Year’ thrice with Jim Recently Kris, who now resides in Louisville, KY, had her for wins by a jockey at a single meet. What made the feat even ky Bible and Sazerac 18 year more Rye incredible was collected that Kris setMalt the record while missing second book published and with the help of a new found Jimfirst beam erican Whiskey the of the awards 2001 literary agent, hopes to release several more over the next final Year’ six weeks of thein meet withand an injury, her of two(www.jimbeam.com) 502-543-9877, 149 Happy s Single Barrel and Eagle Rare Single Barrel have of years. Hollow Road, Clermont, KY serious ones. And at the time of the injury, Kris led the nation couple Free admission d medals, and Pappy Van Winkle’s 20 Year Old Does she miss the life at the racetrack? “Yes”, she states in wins and had shattered the Turfway Park meet record for Filmgood presentation and self-guided raordinary 99 rating frombyWine and “Except for thetour Kentucky Derby though, I never most wins a jockeyEnthusiast on a single day.

“It felt really and adamantly. goto to Saturday the track now. really don’t have the time to go. That, extraordinary,” saidgoing about the in a day.

Hours: Monday 9 –I 4:30, Championship. Guess you’reshejust to record have six wins and I think you feel a type of pain when you see other people calls Congress herself the Ying Yang of horse racing, 1 havSunday – 4, closed major holidays l for yourself – it’sKris what andand former ing been on both sides of the ham Lincoln would want.

Bottoms up spectrum. and see “When I was racing participating in a sport that was your passion and you are not to compete anymore. Don’t get me wrong though. I am I did very well, and when I wasn’t racing I was completely buffalo Trace able (www.buffalotrace.com) s! out with injury. There was no happy medium, it was like a certainly grateful that I did have an opportunity to ride even 502-696-5926 or 1-800-654-8471, ‘bipolar’ career, either all the way to the top or all the way to for a short time. Now it is time to develop my other passionDISTILLERY 1001 Wilkinson Blvd., Franklin County, KY 40601 writing!” the bottom.” www.heaven-hill.com) Free admission, reservations for groups of 25 or more Her first serious injury was on a horse by the name Extra , 1074 Loretto Rd., Bardstown, KY 40004 Guided tour (Editor’s Note- ThoroughbredStyle would like to welcome Exchange, at Turfway Park, a horse known for acting up in n Hours: Monday toPrather Fridayas9a–contributor.

3, Saturday 2, appears on page Her 10 first–article the starting gate at times. “I had ridden her two or three times Kris y to Saturday 10 before, – 5, Sunday 12 – 4 closed major holidays but this time she was in the two hole. I think she sat 50 of this issue.) ober), closed major holidays in the starting gate too long, got fidgety and when the other Alan Zielonko is a freelance lifestyle writer horses were let out of the gate, she just flipped and didn’t give me any time to recover and pinned my knees,” she says. serve (www.woodfordreserve.com) Shortly her recovery Kris was injured again galloping a , 7855 McCracken Pike,after Versailles, KY 40383

guests under 18 are free), includes post-tour

It has been stated in several racing journals, that ‘Kris Prather did not just enter the world of Thoroughbred horse racing in 2000’, she literally ‘burst onto the scene like a woman on a mission’.

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by Kentucky Monthly OFFICIAL BOURBON KENTUCKY DERBY® Kris receiving the leading rider award for the 2000 Holiday Meet. With her are Mary Troilo, Turfway’s director of simulcasting, and Robert Elliston, track president and CEO. Photograph Courtesy of Pat Lang Photography

Please enjoy Wood responsib

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Kentucky Derby

Churchill Downs May 2nd, 2009

Information and pictures provided by Churchill Downs 29

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erby doings

Where to Watch

The Infield The Infield on Kentucky Oaks and Derby Days compares only to Bourbon Street during Mardi Gras; pairing the legacy and history of the Kentucky Derby with that famous all-out party atmosphere. Every year 80,000 revelers pack the Infield, hoping to catch a glimpse of the next Derby winner, to re-unite with old friends, and to have the experience of a lifetime. The Kentucky Derby is full of hope, optimism, risk and anticipation. It’s an experience of acceptable excess and is forgivably risqué—a place where you overeat, overspend and over flirt.

Traditionally, the infield offers two perspectives. The Third Turn Party, where young collegiate-aged rookies and Louisville veterans create the all out crazy party that is the Kentucky Derby Infield. On the opposite end, Turn 1 offers a family-like picnic setting, great for all ages, far different from the Third Turn crowd. In between lies a vast sea of people with their territories roped off, wearing their best derby attire with their beverage of choice in hand. No matter which Derby experience you choose to have, it will certainly be a memorable one.

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF DERBY ARCHIVE

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Millionaire’s Row Throughout the years of the Kentucky Derby, the race has had a special appeal to the celebrity set. The rich and famous that mingle among the Derby Day crowd add a unique dimension to the spectacle of the “Run for the Roses.”

One of the first celebrity sightings dates to 1877 when famed Polish actress Helena Modjeska attended the third running of the Kentucky Derby. In the 1945 book, Down the Stretch, it was noted that Modjeska was impressed by the Derby but even more charmed by the mint julep to which she was introduced by Churchill Downs founder M. Lewis Clark following the race.

Over the years, a stream of celebrities from film, music, sports, politics and wealth have been drawn to the Derby. On at least one occasion, a celebrity with a more notorious background was the talk of the Derby. The 15th renewal in 1889 brought bank and train robber Frank James to Louisville. The brother of famed outlaw Jesse James and a leader in their outlaw gang, Frank was on hand to watch Spokane take the victory over favored Proctor Knott.

Celebrity Owners Although most of the rich and famous who attend are guests of prominent ticket holders, the Derby has also attracted an impressive roster of celebrity horse owners. Since 1990, this group of celebrity owners has grown to include musician Hammer (1992 - Dance Floor, 3rd); composer Burt Bacharach (1994 - Soul of the Matter, 5th & 1995 - Afternoon Deelites, 8th); music producer Barry Gordy (1994 - Powis Castle, 8th); film producer Albert Broccoli (1994 - Brocco, 4th); New York Yankee owner George Steinbrenner (1997 - Concerto, 9th); University of Louisville coach Rick Pitino (1998 - Hallory Hunter, 4th); movie director Steven Speilberg (2003 - Atswhatimtalknbout, 4th); and New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner (2005 - Bellamy Road, 7th).

Royalty As a direct descendent of England’s Epsom Derby, Churchill Downs has

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF DERBY ARCHIVE

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derby doings played host to British Royalty on four different occasions for the running of the Kentucky Derby. In 1930, Edward George Villiers Stanley, the 17th Earl of Derby, from whose family name the term Derby was derived, became the first English nobleman to attend. Prohibition was in effect at the time and Lord Derby stated his disappointment in not being able to sample a mint julep. “You have a great many advantages I should like to copy for England,” Derby said, “but prohibition is not one of them.” Derby was followed in 1951 by the Duke of Windsor, who had renounced the British throne in 1936 so he could wed the American divorcee Wallace Simpson. The 100th running of the Kentucky Derby in 1974 brought Her Royal Highness The Princess Margaret and her husband Lord Snowden. Princess Margaret, the sister of the Queen of England, took part in the trophy presentation and awarded winning owner John Olin a specially crafted trophy for the milestone victory. In 2007, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip attended the 133rd Kentucky Derby and watched Street Sense win the run for the roses. The queen wore a lime green wool coat with a matching silk dress and lime green hat with fuchsia trim and arrived two hours before the Kentucky Derby.

man was reported as the first and was followed in 1952 by Lyndon Johnson who attended while a Texas senator. Richard M. Nixon is the only president to have attended while already serving in office. He visited in 1968 as guest of Kentucky Governor Louie B. Nunn and commented that if he were elected president he would return to the 1969 Derby. 1969 also attracted two future presidents, Gerald R. Ford and Ronald Reagan. No other president has witnessed more Derbys than Ford. Beginning in 1977, Ford and his wife Betty attended almost every Derby for ten years as guests of longtime friend John Galbreath, a former Churchill Downs chairman of the board. In 1983, for the 109th Derby, two past presidents and one future president were in attendance. Ford was joined by Jimmy Carter, the democrat who had defeated him in 1976, and Vice President George Bush, who would win the 1988 election. Other Vice Presidents who’ve attended include Charles Curtis, 1931, and John Nance Garner, 1937.

MY OLD KENTUCKY HOME

By Stephen Foster

U.S. Presidents Seven politicians who have gone on to become president have watched the classic race and witnessed the electricity and excitement of the Derby. Harry S. Tru-

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF DERBY ARCHIVE

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The sun shines bright in the old Kentucky home,

The Song My Old Kentucky Home In the world of sports, there is not a more moving moment than the one when the horses step onto the track for the Kentucky Derby post parade and the band strikes up “My Old Kentucky Home.”

Tis summer, the people are gay; The corn-top’s ripe and the meadow’s in the bloom While the birds make music all the day.

The young folks roll on the little cabin floor All merry, all happy and bright; By’n by hard times comes a knocking at the door Then my old Kentucky home, Good-night!

Weep no more my lady. Oh! Weep no more today!

We will sing one song for my old Kentucky home For the old Kentucky home, far away.

The Drink Mint Julep

The Mint Julep has been the traditional beverage o Downs and the Kentucky Derby for nearly a cen

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Times Kentucky Whisky has been privileged and honored to be a part of that tradition. The Early Times Mint Julep Ready-to-Serve Cocktail has been “The Official Mint Julep of the Kentucky Derby” for more than 18 years.

Each year, almost 120,000 Early Times Mint Juleps are served over the two-day period of the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby. A feat that requires over 10,000 bottles of Early Times Mint Julep Ready-to-Serve Cocktail, 1,000 pounds of freshly harvested mint and 60,000 pounds of ice.

The Early Times Mint Julep Ready-to-Serve Cocktail is a staple at the track the rest of the year as well. In fact, the Grade II Early Times Mint Julep Stakes on June 17 at Churchill Downs is sponsored by Early Times.

You can also find the Early Times Mint Julep Ready-toServe Cocktail at your local retailer. The commemorative bottles have become collectors items for many, capturing the mood and spirit of the famous Churchill Downs track and Kentucky Derby race. If the Early Times Ready-toServe Cocktail is not available from your local retailer, you can make your own with this time-honored recipe: • 2 cups sugar • 2 cups water

The Early Times Mint Julep Recipe

mint, then refrigerate overnight. Make one julep at a time by

• Sprigs of fresh mint • Crushed ice • Early Times Kentucky Whisky • Silver Julep Cups

filling a julep cup with crushed ice, adding one tablespoon mint syrup and two ounces of Early Times Kentucky Whisky.

Make a simple syrup by boiling sugar

Stir rapidly with a spoon to frost the outside of the cup. Gar-

and water together for five minutes.

nish with a sprig of fresh mint.

Cool and place in a covered container

The best times are enjoyed responsibly. Early Times Dis-

with six or eight sprigs of fresh

tillery Co., Kentucky Whisky. 40% Alc. By Volume. Louisville,

The Spoils Trophy Since the 50th running of the Kentucky Derby in 1924, Churchill Downs has annually presented a gold trophy to the winning owner of the famed “Run for the Roses.”

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF DERBY ARCHIVE

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF early times

KY2006.

History is unclear if a trophy was presented in 1875 to the winner of the first Kentucky Derby, and trophy presentations were sporadically made in following years. Finally, in 1924, legendary Churchill Downs President Matt Winn commissioned that a standard design be developed for the “Golden Anniversary” of the Derby.

Outside of the jeweled embellishments that were added to note special Derby anniversaries in 1949 (75th), 1974 (100th), and 1999 (125th), only one change has been made to the original design. For the 125th Kentucky Derby in 1999, Churchill Downs officials decided to defer to racing lore and change the direction of the decorat ive horseshoe displayed on the 14-karat gold trophy.

The horseshoe, fashioned from 18-karat gold, had pointed downward on each of the trophies since 1924. To commemorate Derby 125 the change was made and the horseshoe was turned 180 degrees so that its ends pointed up. The trophy now annually incorporates the horseshoe with the ends pointing up. Racing superstition decrees that if the horseshoe is turned down all the luck will run out.

Since 1975 the trophy has been created by New England Sterling located in North Attleboro, MA. The trophy, which is topped by an 18-karat gold horse and rider, includes horseshoe shaped handles, is 22 inches tall and weighs 56 ounces, excluding its jade base. The entire trophy is handcrafted with the exception of the horse and rider that are both cast from a mold.

To complete the trophy by April, craftsmen begin the process during the fall of the previous year and literally work hundreds of hours. The trophy is believed to be the only solid gold trophy that is annually awarded the winner of a major American sporting event.

The Attractions Festival What started with “two minutes” has since evolved into two weeks. What the “Run for the Roses” is to horse racing, Louisville’s Derby Festival is to community celebrations. The Festival is one of the premiere events of its kind in the world.

It brings fun, excitement, international recognition and a spirit that is unmatched

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derby doings anywhere. Each Spring nearly 1.5 million people gather to celebrate the unique vitality of the Louisville community.

“We are a community organization of 4,000 volunteers who work all year to provide quality entertainment that brings our entire community together,” said Festival Chairman and volunteer Doug Hamilton. Produced annually since 1956, the Derby Festival has become a whirlwind of 70 special events.

The Festival blasts off with the Opening Ceremonies - Thunder Over Louisville, the nation’s largest annual fireworks extravaganza! The ensuing weeks of excitement and entertainment promise something for everyone. For sports fans there is basketball, volleyball, football, golf and more. For music lovers the concerts are almost non-stop.

With two-thirds of the Festival events free, families can enjoy numerous just-for-kids activities without stretching their pocketbook. Other highlights include a new full and half Marathon and the Great Balloon Race. The Great Steamboat Race pitting Historic register riverboats is the last of its kind in the world.

From country and rock concerts to the elegant Derby Ball, dance and dress range from frivolous to fancy. The Festival includes several formal affairs, as well a casual, foot-stomping good times. More than just entertaining, the Derby Festival generates over $93 million annually for the local economy. Festival events also raise nearly $300,000 for area charities each year.

The Commonwealth’s largest single annual event, and one of Louisville’s most popular entertainment attractions, the celebration is produced by Kentucky Derby Festival, Inc., a private, not-for-profit civic organization.

For details on this year’s events, visit the Kentucky Derby Festival Web site at http://www.kdf.org.

Garland of Roses “Run for the Roses” The roses were first established as part of the Derby celebration when they were presented to all the ladies attending a fashionable Louisville Derby party. The PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF DERBY ARCHIVE

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roses were such a sensation, that the president of Churchill Downs, Col. Lewis Clark, adopted the rose as the race’s official flower. The rose garland now synonymous with the Kentucky Derby first appeared in the 1896 when the winner, Ben Brush, received a floral arrangement of white and pink roses.

In 1904 the red rose became the official flower of the Kentucky Derby. The tradition was strengthened when, in 1925, New York sports columnist Bill Corum, later the president of Churchill Downs, dubbed the Kentucky Derby the “Run for the Roses.” The garland as it exists today was first introduced in 1932 for the 58th running won by Burgoo King.

Each year, a garland of more than 400 red roses is sewn into a green satin backing with the seal of the Commonwealth on one end and the twin spires and

Today, the indisputable proof of greatness and bragging

sampling at Visitor’s Center for those aged 21 and over

2005. Blanton’s Single Barrel and Eagle Rare Single Barrel have both won gold medals, and Pappy Van Winkle’s 20 Year Old received an extraordinary 99 rating from Wine Enthusiast and World’s Spirit Championship. Guess you’re just going to have to try them all for yourself – it’s what Congress and former President Abraham Lincoln would want. Bottoms up and see you at the races!

502-543-9877, 149 Happy Hollow Road, Clermont, KY Free admission Film presentation and self-guided tour Hours: Monday to Saturday 9 – 4:30, Sunday 1 – 4, closed major holidays

number runningthe on the other. Each garland also adorned “Crown” of 3roses, green fern anda)ribbon.

Theeducational “Crown,” a single rose pointing upward tours offered: guided session through thein the rights of liesthewithin response from theis public andwith its acritics. center of the garland, symbolizes the struggle and heart necessary to reach the winners’ circle.

No distillery has won as many awards or received as much ac- distillery explaining everything from the history of bourEach year the Governor and other dignitaries present the jockey with a bouquet long stemmed roses wrapped in tenprocess, yards of ribbon. bon of to60 the maturation and bottling b) cultural and colades (check out bourbonenthusiast.com) aswinning Buffalo Trace: For several years, owners of the Derby winner also received a silk replica of the garland, but since Grindstone’s 1996 victory, the actual has madechemithe trip to mechanical, ‘Distiller of the Year’ three times with Whisky Magazine (2005- educational evolution of the distillery, c)garland Danville, Kentucky to be freeze-dried.

Some owners have even gone as far as to have a flower dipped in silver.

A silver dipped flower from the garland of Gato cal, technical and sensory aspects of producing bourbondel Sol, 2007), three times with Malt Advocate (2000 & 2005-2006) the 1982 winner, is on display in the Kentucky Derby Museum.

Hours: Tuesday to Saturday 9 – 5, Sunday 12:30 – 4:30 and once with Wine Enthusiast Magazine in 2006. George T. The Kroger Company has been the official of thethrice Kentucky Derby since 1987.

After over the duties from theholidays Kingsley Walker florist, Kroger began (April totaking October) closed major Stagg has won ‘World Whiskey of florist the Year’ with Jim constructing the prestigious garland in one of its local stores for the public to view on Derby Eve. Murray’s Whisky Bible and Sazerac Rye 18 year collected Malt The preservation of the garland and crowds spectators watching its construction are abeam testament to the prestige and mystique of the Garland of Roses.

Jim (www.jimbeam.com) Advocate’s ‘American Whiskey of theofYear’ awards in 2001 and

buffalo Trace (www.buffalotrace.com) 502-696-5926 or 1-800-654-8471, 1001 Wilkinson Blvd., Franklin County, KY 40601 Free admission, reservations for groups of 25 or more Guided tour Hours: Monday to Friday 9 – 3, Saturday 10 – 2, closed major holidays

TOuR A DISTILLERY Heaven Hill (www.heaven-hill.com) 502-348-3921, 1074 Loretto Rd., Bardstown, KY 40004 Free admission Hours: Tuesday to Saturday 10 – 5, Sunday 12 – 4 (March to October), closed major holidays

Alan Zielonko is a freelance lifestyle writer

Woodford Reserve (www.woodfordreserve.com) 859-879-1812, 7855 McCracken Pike, Versailles, KY 40383 $5 admission (guests under 18 are free), includes post-tour

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF DERBY ARCHIVE

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lume crazy It’s All About Tradition

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By Cy nt hi a Grisoli a PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF CHURCHILL DOWNS

derby style

few years ago, Sheila Nobles of Louisville’s C.K. Nobles boutique got a call on Oaks night, the eve of the Kentucky Derby. “It was about six o’clock, and it was a gentleman telling me he had a hat emergency,” recalls Nobles. “I thought someone was playing a joke—like, yeah, right, you have a hat emergency. But he said, ‘ Yes ma’am, I do, we have a horse running tomorrow.’ And my heart just fell.”

Above: Several hats designed by Christine Moore are featured in the 2009 “Official Kentucky Derby Painting”, by artist Jeff Williams.

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“Belles,” a stunning silver and black dupioni silk hat with silk organza trim was deisgned by Sally Faith Steinmann of Maggie Mae Designs in Cape Cod, Mass. It was done as a tribute to Kentucky Derby contender Eight Belles, the filly who ran second to Big Brown but was tragically euthanized following the race when she fractured two front ankles galloping out. PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF SALLY FAITH STEINMANN

The crisis call turned out to be from one of the owners of 2001 Derby contender Private Emblem. His wife had already bought two hats, but there was a problem with them, so Nobles and business partner Kevin Swansey did what any milliner worth their charmeuse would do: They sewed like crazy. “Their racing silks were sort of an eggplant and a gold,” says Nobles, “and I didn’t have any gold hats, so we went to the mall 10 minutes before it closed. We found the exact purple fabric to match her jacket. Kevin made this gorgeous bow, and I sat there in her hotel room sewing beads on it. And she just loved it.”

The Easter Parade aside, the Kentucky Derby is the most hat-centric occasion in United States. The donning of a not-so-humble chapeau is as time-honored a race-day tradition as the mint julep—although somewhat more mysterious.

The inaugural run for the roses took place Fascinators, like this one designed by Christine Moore that appeared in a recent episdoe of TV’s Gossip Girl, are a new at Churchill Downs in 1875, an era when hats trend on the Derby red carpet. were “mandatory and in vogue,” says Wendy PHOTOGRAPH BY CHRISTINE A MOORE MILLINERY

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Treinen, Director of Communications at the Kentucky Derby Museum. “Yes, you wore hats to the races, but you wore hats everywhere in common society,” she says.

“From the research we’ve done, there is no defining moment that made hats synonymous with the Derby,” Treinen states. “It’s a tradition that always stuck. We don’t really know why.”

Treinen notes that in the 1950s and into the 1960s, raceday ensembles clearly became less formal (bye-bye white gloves), but hats grew more lavish. The completion of Churchill Down’s posh “Millionaire’s Row” in the late ‘60s may also have contributed to the phenom as it provided a high-fashion destination, not to mention a high-fashion celeb factor.

According to Treinen, in the ‘50s and ‘60s, the choice of hat was a no-brainer: “Before many of the boutiques were around everyone wore a Frank Olive hat,” she says.

But if you’re headed to the 135th running, who ya gonna call? New York-based designer Gabriel Amar now owns the Olive franchise. And a quick Google search or a flip through any central Kentucky Yellow Pages will reveal no shortage of milliners for whom classic, elegant Derby Hats are a brimming part of the repertoire. However you go, a

Off the Rack, Into the Winner’s Circle chapeau of this magnitude equals serious shopping.

“If you’ve never been to Louisville or Lexington or Saratoga or even to a horse race, you have no clue what people are talking about when they’re talking about hats,” says New York-based Christine A. Moore, who is the exclusive custom designer for Louisville’s Luna Boutique and also for the Keeneland track gift shop. (Her hat designs are featured in the Official 2009 Kentucky Derby painting, done by artist Jeffrey Williams.) “It was an amazing eye opener for me once I saw the culture,” she adds. “These women were very serious, and it’s not just about a large hat. It’s about fashion and being completely and perfectly put together.”

Styles of the contemporary Derby hat vary, from wide-brimmed and romantic, to understated, to huge edifices of colorful eye candy, but the one thing all designers agree upon is that a Derby hat must be unique and it should reflect the personal style of the person wearing it. The process of buying a Derby hat can start as early as one day after Derby to a few days before. But for those choosing a custom design it may take months to plan and finalize. Fabric swatches, photographs, dress style, color choices, and—if you’re an owner or trainer—your horse’s silks can all play a role in the sometimes theatrical creation.

“I love to be able to choose a hat for a woman’s face and body type and what she’s going to wear,” says Anne Sawyer of the Lexington-based Fabulous Hats. “If I can’t meet the client in person, I have them send me a full-length photograph, a close up of their face, and I do a customer profile—what your style might be. And they often send a picture of their outfit.”

Sally Faith Steinmann, who makes her Maggie Mae Designs from the sandy shores of Cape Cod, always encourages a client to “start with the hat and work down. Invariably it’s really tough to find a hat to go with, say, a yellow dress or shoes.” At Derby, Steinmann continues, the hat “starts the show. If you can focus there first, the outfit just works out more smoothly.”

Moore even offers customers a “tip sheet” on wearing your hat with confidence. “Tilt the brim to one side for a bit of sass,” it recommends, “or wear the trim to one side of your face.”

But the one hard and fast law of buying a hat, says Nobles, is fit and comfort. “If this hat does not feel good on your head, do not wear it. There’s nothing worse than to see a woman in the crowd constantly worried about her hat.”

As personal as the Derby hat experience is, it’s also about business—big business. Most designers say that making Derby hats accounts for 50 percent or more of their annual sales.

Hats for all racing events— from Saratoga to Dubai to the Japan Cup, from Polo to steeplechase and carriage driving—can add up to closer to 70 percent for some.

Most milliners agree that it’s hard to put a price on a Derby hat as the amount of bling has a deep effect on the ka-ching. Choices of fabric, amount of intricate detail, feathers versus flowers, size, time, and rush ordering (remember that hat emergency?) all contribute to the final price tag. On average, a custom Derby topper will set a trendy attendee back about $300$600, but can run well over $1,000 and as much as $1,500. A one-of a kind couture design by Sawyer begins at $600.

“The most expensive hat I have ever created is the one that I donated to the Derby Museum,” says Moore. “It was $1,700. It was a medium brim covered with red, hand-rolled roses, and I mean covered. It took days and days to finish!”

A museum piece certainly seems an enviable accolade for any leading hat designer, but for some, there is an even greater Grail. “My dream is to have a hat in the winner’s circle,” says Nobles. “That’s the Oscar, you know. We’ve come close several times.”

If that’s the Oscar, then Sawyer is the Meryl Streep of the most exciting two minutes in sports. “I have been very blessed,” she says. “I have had a hat in the winner’s circle every year

Ann Moss with husband Jerry in the 2005 winner’s circle after long-shot Giacomo galloped into Derby history. “It was such a pretty hat,” says Moss. “It was a ‘wow’ hat.” PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF CHURCHILL DOWNS

Not every racing insider in the market for a Derby hat opts for the designer trail. Take for instance, owner Ann Moss.

Moss, who has numerous Thoroughbreds in training on the West Coast with her husband, Jerry, first went to the Derby in 1994, when filly Sardula won the Kentucky Oaks. “I wore a little black velvet Armani hat that I just picked up,” she says. “It’s a velvet cap. It’s very easy to wear.”

The Mosses didn’t return to the Derby until 2005 with Giacomo. This time, Moss thought more seriously about her choice. “As we got closer, I said, well, you know, it’s a wonderful idea, the hat idea.

It’s fun to be part of it all.” Moss chose a beige hat wrapped in tulle and flowers from Neiman Marcus.

“I was looking for a Derby hat and two girlfriends just showed up,” she laughs, “so we picked it together.

That was kind of magical.” The magic continued on Derby Day when Giacomo, at 50-1, became the second biggest upset winner of all time.

In 2007 Tiago, Giacomo’s half-brother, sent the Mosses back to Churchill Downs and Ann back to Neiman Marcus. “I went back to the same spot, of course,” she says, “it was a good place.”

Moss reveals that she still has all three pieces, and is, naturally especially sentimental about “Giacomo’s hat.” “The Derby Museum wanted my outfit, which I was happy to give, but I wasn’t ready to let go of my hat,” she says. In fact, she’s in the process of immortalizing it.” I’m a painter,” she says “I do portraits, but I started a still-life painting of the Giacomo hat. It was really spectacular.”

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since 2003, on either the owner, owner’s wife, trainer’s wife, or jockey’s wife. Of course, some of these big horses now have multiple owners,” she notes. “So it’s easier.”

In the past, Sawyer has been an event sponsor at Churchill Downs, which allowed her to retail hats at the track on Derby day. A move that really paid off in 2003 when Dorothy Knowlton, wife of Sackatoga Stables’ Jack Knowlton, co-owner of Funny Cide,“ came down two races before that gelding won the Derby and purchased a hat,” exclaims Sawyer. (Okay, now that’s a hat emergency.)

Moore, meanwhile, has found a foolproof method Christine A. Moore Hat. “This is one of my favorite hats in terms of line and form,” says Moore. “It’s the quintessential Derby hat to me. It’s clean, it’s detailed.” PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF JETTSTREAM PRODUCTIONS for getting her hats in the limelight. She counts Tra“My hat met the Queen!” cie Evans, wife of Churchill The last few years have ushered in changes in attitude Downs, Inc. President and CEO Robert L. Evans, as a and changes in style for the classic Derby hat. Influenced regular client. “She’s always in the winner’s circle,” laughs Moore. “You know what was really the best thing? We have by the runways as well as pop culture, the Derby hat has a picture on our mantle of Tracie shaking hands with the moved into the 21st century. While the huge-brimmed Queen” (Queen Elizabeth II attended the Derby in 2007). standard may never disappear, the designers say customers have begun asking about smaller, cocktail designs and

Tulle-ing Around: The Shopping Guide Maggie Mae Designs Designer Sally Faith Steinmann can be reached by mail at P.O. Box 929 South Harwich, Cape Cod, Massachusetts 02661. For information you can also call 508-4301626 or email info@maggiemae. com. Her Derby Hat “salons” are viewable on her website: www. maggiemae.com.

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Fabulous Hats, Inc. Designer/Director Anne Sawyer sets up shop at the Griffin Gate Marriott, 1800 Newtown Pike, Lexington, Kentucky 40511. For information and ordering call 1 866-478-4287 or email anne@annesawyer.com.

Christine A. Moore Millinery Moore sells wholesale only, but to see the collection in person (the showroom is located at 110 West 34th street, Suite 1009, New York, NY 10001), call 1-212-279-1775 or email camhats@aol.com for an appointment. You can also visit the website at www.camhats.com.

Moore’s designs can be ordered through the Luna Boutique in Louisville (859-454-7620; www. lunaboutique.net) and at the Keeneland gift shop in Lexington (1 866-477-4339).

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CK Nobles, LLC Millinery Design Partners Sheila Nobles and Kevin Swansey operate out of Nobles’s home at 5209 Arrowshire Drive, La Grange, Kentucky 40031. You can reach Sheila at 502-797-0003 or email ssnderby@insightbb.com. C.K. Nobles is also the official local designer for the Kentucky Derby Museum gift shop.

W

hat two industri known for throu That’s easy; thoro and smooth Ken Nestled amid th Bluegrass region, the Woodford R certainly plays its part, giving the the finest bourbon ever made - Wo Call it liquid gold if you want, or poetic about its complexity of flav ‘experts’ do. Me, I just call it “the But if you’ve been to the historic know something more; it simply closer to the state’s most beautiful horse farms.

shapes. After Sarah Jessica Parker, star of Sex and the City, wore a towering lime-green “fascinator” to the film’s London premiere, the style really took off. (To define fascinator, think headpiece without a brim, tilted to the side of the head, plus accessories that are, on occasion, feats of engineering.) Expect to see many more in this year’s red-carpet hat parade at Churchill Downs, especially among the younger Derby goers.

And the Derby Hat is not about just the ladies anymore. “We’re doing a big push for men’s hats,” says Moore. To boost the idea, she has dopling at Visitor’s Center for those aged 21 and over nated a man’s hat to an auction Churchill Downs urs offered: a) guided educational session through the is planning that will sell Derby apparel for charity. llery explaining everything from the history of bourAnd speaking of the gents, Sawyer offers Derto the maturation and bottling process, b) cultural and by couples one last bit of guidance: “If your hat cational evolution of the distillery, c) mechanical, chemiis asymmetrical,” she says, “I would recommend echnical and sensory aspects of producing bourbon that your husband, boyfriend—your derby date, rs: Tuesday to Saturday 9 – 5, Sunday 12:30 – 4:30 sit on the side that they can see you.” il to October) closed major holidays Hats off to that.

THREE-TIME DOUBLE GOLD MEDAL, San Francisco World Spirits Competition GOLD MEDAL/TOP HONORS, International Wine & Spirits Challenge "EXCEPTIONAL" RATING, Beverage Tasting Institute

beam (www.jimbeam.com) -543-9877, 149 Happy Hollow Road, Clermont, KY admission presentation and self-guided tour rs: Monday to Saturday 9 – 4:30, day 1 – 4, closed major holidays

NAMED "BEST BOURBON,”

by Kentucky Monthly Magazine OFFICIAL BOURBON OF THE KENTUCKY DERBY®

alo Trace (www.buffalotrace.com) -696-5926 or 1-800-654-8471, 1 Wilkinson Blvd., Franklin County, KY 40601 admission, reservations for groups of 25 or more ded tour rs: Monday to Friday 9 – 3, Saturday 10 – 2, ed major holidays Alan Zielonko is a freelance lifestyle writer Please enjoy Woodford Reserve responsibly.

Woodford Reserve Distiller’s Select Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, 45.2% Alc. by Vol., The Woodford Reserve Distillery, Versailles, KY

Hence the connection. In 2001 W partnered with Churchill Downs Kentucky to become the Official Bo Kentucky Derby, and it commemorate with a limited-edition bottle every Ap Woodford Reserve Mint Julep has be for race fans, and indulging in a bour brunch at the distillery is a necessary another local landmark, nearby Keene So it should come as no surprise that t bourbon took its passion for horses to – purchasing its own horse and form Reserve Stables!

The Stables may be virtual (don’t b where the barn is) but the horses ar The first was a well-bred filly name Heart, a name chosen by members Reserve Thoroughbred Society duri vote. Now retired and in breeding Myheartsreserved, was born in Mar joined by stablemate Angels’ Share Share calls Churchill Downs home by thousands of horse fanatics acro the Stables website (www.woodfordre and at membership gatherings wh What gets Woodford fans to chee and again? “The thrill of ownersh like you’ve got a stake in the gam Woodford Reserve Brand Manage

According to Nelson, when some the Stables site they not only beco Reserve Thoroughbred Society m instantly become a virtual owner And, as owners would, they’re giv information on the fillies’ health,

the first horse in the Woo

Derby finery by Anne Sawyer. “I’ve

had hats in the winner’s circle since

2003,” says the Kentucky-based “I tell them it’s not those very fast colts, it’s the lucky hats!”

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF ANNE SAWYER designer.

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Derby

change

T

By B ill Heller

he road to the Kentucky Derby keeps changing. Twenty-five years after the first $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile induced some trainers and owners to re-think their strategy about racing two-year-olds past the summer and early fall - and whether it would affect their chances in the Run for the Roses the following May - the route to Derby glory is so different today it’s hard to recognize.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY BARBARA D. LIVINGSTON

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derby differences Now, there’s a new entrance into the Derby in England of all places, an extremely dubious decision which could cost a deserving American-based three-year-old a chance in the starting gate.

In just the last few years, other traditional barriers have come down - at least temporarily. Now we know: • A horse can win the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and the Derby the following spring.

• A horse can win the Derby off just three career starts.

• A horse can win the Derby off a five-week layoff.

• A horse may be able to win the Derby without having raced at the age of two.

• A horse may be able to win the Derby without ever racing previously on dirt.

Does all this mean that tenets held dear to horsemen’s hearts for generations are no longer valid? Is it now meaningless to give a two-year-old a deep foundation to prepare for the Triple Crown Classics the following year? Do Grade 1 two-year-old stakes such as the Hopeful and the Champagne no longer produce winners of Triple Crown races?

“I don’t think things have really changed,” California-based trainer Eoin Harty said on March 30th. “I think, basically, the way things have always worked, will work. I think a foundation at two and a certain number of prep races are the way to go. The Champagne and Hopeful are always going to be important. Big Brown upset the apple cart, but he was an exceptional horse.”

Yet the last horse who won the Hopeful - named because the connections of any two-year-old who raced well in that stakes hoped that they’d impact the Triple Crown the following year - to also win the Derby was Affirmed, our last Triple Crown winner, in 1978. In the intervening 30 years, only two Hopeful winners, Summer Squall and Afleet Alex, also won a Triple Crown race. Summer Squall won the Preakness in 1990, and Afleet Alex captured both the 2005 Preakness and Belmont Stakes after finishing third by three-quarters of a length to Giacomo in the Kentucky Derby.

Only one Champagne winner, Sea Hero in 1992, has returned to win the Derby since Spectacular Bid won the 1978 Champagne and the Derby and Preakness the following year.

Last year’s Hopeful and Champagne Stakes winner, Vineyard Haven, never even got on the Derby trail after being sold and shipped to Dubai.

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“One of the things that changed it (getting horses ready for the Derby) was the Breeders’ Cup,” Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey said March 30th. “Before, you’d go in the Champagne and your horse was done and got time off. With the Breeders’ Cup, you don’t have a chance to give them time off. I think it takes its toll.”

Only once in 25 years has the horse who captured the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile returned to win the Derby: Street Sense in 2006. Obviously, he had a strong foundation at two preceding his success at three. But even so, it’s only happened once. And it won’t happen in 2009. Last year’s Two-Year-Old Colt Champion, Midshipman, also wound up in Dubai and was injured and ruled out of the Derby months earlier.

What’s odd is how well the top three finishers in the inaugural Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in 1984 at Hollywood Park performed the following spring and summer. Juvenile winner Chief ’s Crown finished third in the Derby, second in the Preakness, third in the Belmont Stakes and captured the Travers; second-place finisher Tank’s Prospect won the Preakness, and the third finisher in the Juvenile, Spend a Buck, won the Kentucky Derby.

However, the average number of starts for all Thoroughbreds has been plummeting ever since the late ’60s and early ’70s, coincidentally the same time the diuretic Lasix and the analgesic bute showed up on the backstretch of racetracks in North America. In 1960, the average number of starts per Thoroughbred was 11.31. In 2007, it was 6.31.

It’s hard to ignore the unpleasant reality that breeding Thoroughbreds who rely on race-day medication have produced Thoroughbreds who are less sound and have less endurance than previous generations. How can that not impact the Triple Crown?

Do contemporary, more fragile two-year-olds need fewer starts to impact or even win the Run for the Roses?

Big Brown won the Kentucky Derby in just his fourth lifetime start. He had raced just once as a two-year-old, romping in a maiden grass race at Saratoga. But he did race on dirt, winning an allowance race and the Grade 1 Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park, before entering the starting gate on the first Saturday in May. Two-time Horse of the Year Curlin, who was un-raced at two, finished third in the 2007 Derby in just his fourth career start. Then he won the Preakness and sculpted his magnificent career. He, too, had raced on dirt before the Derby.

Is it just a matter of time before a three-year-old wins the

ThoroughbredStyle

derby differences

Needles in 1956, but that may be another barrier about to Derby in his first start on dirt?

Last year, Harty prepped Colonel John for the Kentucky be broken. Trainer Larry Jones sent out Hard Spun off a Derby in California, where he won the Grade 3 Sham Stakes six-week layoff in the 2006 Derby and he finished second to and the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby. But Colonel John had Street Sense. Now, Jones is going to enter Louisiana Derby never raced on a dirt track, and he finished sixth by 14 ¼ winner Friesan Fire in the Run for the Roses off a seven lengths in the Derby. Then, after finishing third in the Grade week layoff. Jones’ other top contender for the Derby, Old 2 Swaps on Hollywood Park’s synthetic course, he came back Fashioned, will take a more conventional approach, using the east to Saratoga Race Course to win the Grade 1 Travers Arkansas Derby three weeks before the Kentucky Derby for Stakes on dirt at the same mile-and-a-quarter distance as the his final prep. Old Fashioned won the Grade 2 Remsen Stakes last year and has four wins and a second in five career starts.

Derby, literally by an inch over Mambo in Seattle.

Will another barrier come down in this year’s Derby? One Trainer Todd Pletcher has a three-year-old potential barrier breaker in Dunkirk - if he gets to start in the Kentucky Der- thing is certain: the road to get there is still under reconstrucby. If he started and won, Dunkirk would be the first Derby tion. “There’s certainly a lot of changes in racing that have winner who didn’t race at two since Apollo in 1882. Pletcher, a been made, and some of them are managerial decisions: the four-time Eclipse Award winning trainer, may be just the man time between races and maximizing performance,” Pletcher to do it. Though he’s zero-for-21 in the Derby, he saddled said. “I’m not going to say that the way we handled Dunkirk Rags to Riches to win the 2007 Belmont Stakes and become was because of those changes. He had sore shins. It’s paid off. the first filly to capture the last leg of the Triple Crown in 102 However, he hadn’t any graded earnings early on.”

Dunkirk was two-for-two before the Florida Derby; went years. “I do think it (an un-raced two-year-old winning the off the favorite, a huge, wide21 rally on over the final turn Derby)of willgreatness happen,” Pletcher “Whether Dunkirk is thatat Visitor’s indisputable proof and said. bragging sampling Centerandformade those aged and before flatteningeducational out late and session finishing second to Quality I don’t If heand gets its in, he’ll have a real3chance.” tours offered: a) guided through the hin the responsehorse from theknow. public critics.

Road, who could be the Kentucky Derby post time favorite.

But Dunkirk may not get into the Derby, thanks to an illhas won as many awards or received as much ac- distillery explaining everything from the history of bourIf Dunkirk remains 20th in graded stakesb)earnings andand loses conceived notion which this yearTrace: guaranteed bon an automatic to the maturation and bottling process, cultural k out bourbonenthusiast.com) as Buffalo his spot in the starting gatec)tomechanical, the trumped-up winner berth in the startingMagazine gate to the winner Derby evolution educational of Derby the distillery, chemie Year’ three times with Whisky (2005-of Kentucky an sensory undistinguished, contrived stakes race inbourbon England, there Stakes at Kempton Park in England, cal, won technical this year of and aspects of producing imes with Malt Challenge Advocate (2000 & 2005-2006) better another change. that 12:30 goes or–the people who

by Mafaaz.

To further entice George European T. interest Hours: in the Derby, Tuesday to be Saturday 9 – 5, Either Sunday 4:30 h Wine Enthusiast Magazine in 2006. decided America’s most important Kentucky Derby prep race, the owners of Mafaaz will receive a $100,000 bonus if he (April to October) closed major holidays n ‘World Whiskey of the Year’ thrice with Jim the only one that guaranteeing a shot at the Run for the Roses, starts inRye the Derby. sky Bible and Sazerac 18 year collected Malt is on the other side of the Pond.

Derby is nowinlimited the 19 three-year-olds Jim beam (www.jimbeam.com) merican Whiskey ofSince thethe Year’ awards 2001toand certain;Hollow the DerbyRoad, has changed foreverKY and there’s who have the highest graded stakes earnings, No. 20 is 502-543-9877, This 149 isHappy Clermont, n’s Single Barrel and Eagle Rare Single Barrel have no going back.

Whether or not that’s a good thing has yet to out.

After the Florida Derby, when Quality Road won and Free admission d medals, and Pappy Van Winkle’s 20 Year Old Dunkirkfrom finished second, Dunkirk’s $150,000 gradedpresentation stakes be determined. and self-guided tour traordinary 99 rating Wine Enthusiast and in Film 20th.And beforeMonday the Hours: to Saturday 9 – 4:30, Championship.earnings Guessplaced you’rehimjust goinghetowon’t haverace again “We allCongress knew what the were going in, but maybe Sunday 1 – 4, closed major holidays ll for yourself –Derby. it’s what andrules former Eclipse Award Winner Bill Heller’s 20th book, there needs a more sophisticated system than graded earnaham Lincoln would want. Bottoms up and see “Howard Parker, Saratoga Harness Legend,” was published ings,” Pletcher said March 31st. buffalo Trace (www.buffalotrace.com) es! last August.

If Dunkirk or Quality Road win the Kentucky Derby, it 502-696-5926 or 1-800-654-8471, will be off a five-week layoff following the Florida Derby.

DISTILLERY 1001 Wilkinson Blvd., Franklin County, KY 40601 In 2006, Barbaro’s trainer Michael Matz was questioned hunwww.heaven-hill.com) Free admission, reservations for groups of 25 or more dredsBardstown, of times aboutKY his40004 decision to not give Barbaro a prep 1, 1074 Loretto Rd., Guided tour race in the intervening five weeks until the Kentucky Derby. on Hours: Monday to Friday 9 – 3, Saturday 10 – 2, There was a reason.

There hadn’t been a Derby winner off a holidays ay to Saturday 10 – 5, Sunday 12 – 4 closed major layoff as long as five weeks in 49 years. ober), closed major holidays But Barbaro not only won the Derby, he dominated his Alan Zielonko is a freelance lifestyle writer opposition to remain undefeated. Big Brown won the Derby eserve (www.woodfordreserve.com) and Preakness off that same five-week gap to keep his perfect 2, 7855 McCracken Pike, Versailles, KY 40383 record intact.

“Five weeks I love,” Pletcher said. “It’s an ad(guests under 18 are free), includes post-tour vantage. To have five instead of two or three, it’s a big edge.

We’ve actually seen it with Barbaro and Big Brown.”

No horse has won the Derby off a six-week layoff since

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46

THREE-TIME DOUBLE GOLD MED San Francisco World Spirits Competition GOLD MEDAL/TOP International Wine &

"EXCEPTIONAL" RAT Beverage Tasting Ins

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Be a winner.

Drink responsibly.

47

Kentucky Derby, Churchill Downs and the Twin Spires design are registered trademarks of Churchill Downs Incorporated. Early Times Distillery Co., Kentucky Whisky, 30% Alc. by Volume, Louisville, KY Š2009. EARLY TIMES is a registered trademark.

ThoroughbredStyle

What’s In A Name?

not

Grapefruit’s sour this

A

fter his victory in the $200,000 Sham Stakes at Santa Anita Park, California-based colt The Pamplemousse stamped himself as a major contender in this years Kentucky Derby, on May 2nd.

Photographs COURTESY OF BENOIT PHOTO

ThoroughbredStyle

By L arry Simpson

48

THREE-TIM DOUBLE G San Franc Spirits Com

bon to the maturation and bottling process, b) cultural and ades (check out bourbonenthusiast.com) as Buffalo Trace: stiller of the Year’ three times with Whisky Magazine (2005- educational evolution of the distillery, c) mechanical, chemical, technical and sensory aspects of producing bourbon 07), three times with Malt Advocate (2000 & 2005-2006) Hours: Tuesday to Saturday 9 – 5, Sunday 12:30 – 4:30 d once with Wine Enthusiast Magazine in 2006. George T. (April to October) closed major holidays gg has won ‘World Whiskey of the Year’ thrice with Jim urray’s Whisky Bible and Sazerac Rye 18 year collected Malt Jim beam (www.jimbeam.com) vocate’s ‘American Whiskey of the Year’ awards in 2001 and 502-543-9877, 149 Happy Hollow Road, Clermont, KY 05. Blanton’s Single Barrel and Eagle Rare Single Barrel have beef burgers for $24, or a $50 Known for its casual but screams of ‘A pamplemousse!

Unfortunately though, the th won gold medals, and 20 cheese Year Old grilled served withFree roast-admission elegant atmosphere, the A pamplemousse! Why do I morning of Pappy April 4th,Van SantaWinkle’s Film presentation and self-guided eived an extraordinary 99 rating from ed lobster and and shaved truffles.

Pamplemousse Grille offers hire such a useless American?’ tour Anita Derby Day, a vet checkWine Enthusiast the forced himtotoSaturday ask one of 9 the– 4:30,upscale French Continental Cuidetermined thatGuess The PampleMonday rld’s Spirit Championship. you’re justOwned goingbytoJeffrey haveStrauss,Hours: Pamplemousse Grille boasts in themajor restaurant had a–tendon injury,Congress Sunday 1other – 4,guys closed holidays sine, including grilled seafood, try them all formousse yourself it’s what and former several culinary awards, and like meats and daily specials. Foods what a ‘pamplemousse’ actually serious enough to necessitate a sident Abraham Lincoln would want. Bottoms up and see the stakes-winning colt of the that delight the senses! And was. scratch out of the stakes race Trace (www.buffalotrace.com) u at the races! that would serve as his final same name which Straussbuffalo is a with the restaurant’s success, ‘A grapefruit’, he was told,

derby trivia

GOLD ME Internation

"EXCEPTIO Beverage

NAMED "

by Kentuc

OFFICIAL KENTUCK

502-696-5926 1-800-654-8471, part owner of, is named after a Strauss has become a benefacand everor since then it has been 1001 Wilkinson Blvd., member of the citrus family, in torKY of 40601 the sport, as once every his favorite word.Franklin County, this case a ‘grapefruit’. year hismore restaurant over Strauss owns The Pampledetermined that the colt’s injury aven Hill (www.heaven-hill.com) Free admission, reservations for groupshe ofturns 25 or to the local jockey colony and mousse (the horse), in partnerwill cause him to miss a start 2-348-3921, 1074 Loretto Rd., Bardstown, KY 40004 Guided tour hosts a fundraiser for the Don ship with his brother Bill, in the Derby, however The A nd why e admission to Friday 9 – 3, Saturday 10 – 2, founder of ProFlowers, Chuck Pamplemousse should be back ‘pamplemousse’? Hours: Monday MacBeth Fund. urs: Tuesday to Saturday 10 – 5, Sunday 12 – 4 closed major holidays Winner, David Bienstock, Tom in training after six months of So the story goes, Strauss arch to October),recovery closedtime. major holidays Lenner, Tom Murray, Jess RavA disappointwas working for a restaurant ich, and bloodstock agent Alex ment obviously for his owner’s in the south of France, where Alan Zielonko is a freelance lifestyle writer Solis Jr. The Pamplemousse fans, but it certainly doesn’t a head chef asked him to get oodford Reserveand (www.woodfordreserve.com) is trained by Peruvian Julio change the story behind the ‘pamplemousse’ from the 9-879-1812, 7855 McCracken Pike, Versailles,a KY 40383 Canani, a three-time Breeders’ good colt with the unique refrigerator. Strauss thought it admission (guests under 18 are free), includes Cup winner who had never ‘moniker’. was post-tour a joke until after continual been on the Kentucky Derby A son of Kafwain, which trail up until now, and ridden in Arabic means ‘doubly

by Alex Solis, the father of the strong’, The Pamplemousse edStyle part owner. was named for the Pamplemousse Grille, a restaurant located just across the street from the Del Mar Racetrack backstretch, since 1996. Of note, is that the Pamplemousse Grille has been known to offer a lunch menu that includes Kobe prep race for the Kentucky

OuR A DISTILLERY Derby. Since then, it has been

Please

Woodford Straight Bou The Woodfo

38

Photographs COURTESY OF THE PAMPLEMOUSSE GRILLE

49

ThoroughbredStyle

entucky Derby 13

D e s t i n at i o n :

derby destinations

Louisville, Kentucky ouisville, Kentucky is associated with three things; Bluegrass, the Thoroughbreds raised on it, and “The Greatest Race”, the coveted Kentucky Derby. Located alongside the Ohio River, Louisville vibrates with lively excitement that grows with ever increasing energy until it finally explodes each year the first Saturday in May. Horsemen from every walk of life and all parts of the globe flock each year to the renowned Churchill Downs Racetrack with the same dream, to win the Kentucky Derby. Since 1875, Churchill Downs has been home to this acclaimed, eminent race. Its synonymous landmark, the twin spires have stood like surveying sentinels over the legendary racetrack since its genesis, attracting artists, architects, and tourists alike. The Kentucky Derby, however, is not all Louisville has to offer, as Derby mania begins long before the first Saturday in May. A series of events kick off the Derby festival, beginning in April with the $1 million Hole-In-One contest, a public golf event where anyone can become a millionaire. There is the Hot Air Balloon Glow and Race.

The night before the race, these giant spectacles are set aglow against the night sky creating an entrancing scene. The race occurs the Saturday before the Derby, worth seeing, and taking much longer than the famed two minutes. The Great Steamboat Race takes place on a fourteen mile route beginning at the Clark Memorial Bridge, proceeding to Mile Island before returning and finishing back at the bridge. This race takes about an hour and a half on average, but probably the most anticipated Derby event is ‘Thunder Over Louisville.’

This sensory overloaded show is a day long event consisting of more than one hundred planes doing daring aerobatic stunts. Then, as evening approaches, eight four hundred foot barges assemble on both sides of the Second Street Bridge to form a waterfall of fireworks, jumping and cracking in a patterned display, synchronized to music. Few who attend will ever forget the adrenaline rushing display.

Now for the parties. Don’t worry about trying to find

one. You’ll probably find yourself at one, just before stumbling onto another. During Derby week, Louisville is quite literally one big party, however there are some that should be noted by name.

If you’re looking for a formal black-tie and gown affair, I recommend the Mint Jubilee, generally held at the Galt House. Jockeys typically attend this event, and it is a chance to dance and get to know these brave and amazing athletes. It is also a fundraiser for non-profit organizations assisting cancer patients and their families.

Probably the most sought after tickets, other than to the Derby itself, are the ones to The Barnstable Brown Gala. This party is the most exclusive and celebrity filled party in town. This event is a chance to rub elbows with Hollywood’s elite, also there is always an amazing musical performance put on by a popular guest artist. And as would be the expected “norm” at such a celebrity attended event, there are generally a few spontaneous performers who are more than willing to step on stage and entertain. Half the proceeds from the event go toward the diabetic research at the University of Louisville, the other half supports diabetic research at the University of Kentucky.

Hollywood and parties aside, a few hotspots the Derby attending horsemen are likely to hit include: Wagner’s Pharmacy which has become a meeting melting pot for old school racetrackers as well as the new. Kentucky Derby history decorates every inch of its walls and while Wagner’s breakfast is nothing to boast about, its one of best places to sit in the morning to catch the early racetrack gossip.

In the evenings, Jack’s or Equus is the place to be.

Both are owned and operated by Chef Dean Corbett, a

Probably the most sought after tickets other than to the Derby itself are the ones to The Barnstable Brown Gala.

By K R I S P RAT H ER

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derby destinations

The Derby Museum offers an up close and personal perspective on racing, what it takes, the legends who gave it, and the promise and dreams to come.

loyal friend and fan of horseracing. For a more casual evening, Jack’s Lounge offers a comfortable, living room style atmosphere, with a TV and bar, and excellent food and drinks that are beyond reproach. Equus, next door, however, is an upscale affair with romantically dim lighting, but enough to read your menu by without squinting, decorated with fine china and crystal for serving the epicurean delights this Louisville gem has to offer.

Also, on the list popular with the horsemen, would be John E’s. In 1997, Bob Baffert won the Kentucky Derby with Silver Charm, and he celebrated with about a forty person posse at John E’s directly following the winning ceremonies. Now in this horsemen frequented eatery a small dining room to the right is entitled “The Baffert Room”. Throughout, there is horseracing memorabilia and if one hangs out long enough, stories from past wins are sure to follow.

All of this of course leads up to the one day, the one race, the greatest two minutes in sports, where one horse will be crowned the greatest in the world for a day.

Whether this is later proven or unproven is irrelevant, as to win the Kentucky Derby is to touch immortality.

If a person, as the majority of people, are not lucky enough to be a racehorse owner, trainer, or jockey, one can always visit the Kentucky Derby Museum situated at Churchill Downs front gate entranceway. The Derby Museum offers an up close and personal perspective on

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF KENTUCKY DERBY MUSEUM

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52

racing, what it takes, the legends who gave it, and the promise and dreams to come. There is a real life-size starting gate as you enter the museum facing a screen projecting images from the historic race. There are exhibits displaying Mint Juleps and Derby Hats, the Garland of Roses, saddles and jockey scales, and interactive educational videos and activities. But the best part of the entire museum, the reason for going, is to watch “The Greatest Race”, a unique high-def short movie, highlighting some of the most famed moments in Derby history. This movie is shown on a 360 degree screen in a vivid, emotional array of images that if the race itself didn’t make you cry before, this video certainly will.

Now, after the race has been run, and every person of legal age and slightly under are recovering from the Derby and weeks of parties leading up to it, there is only one spot to be that following morning and I suggest, if you expect to eat, to make reservations. It is Lynn’s Paradise Café. Horse racing’s elite, annual Derby goers, locals, and fans converge on Lynn’s the morning after like it is the only place with a generator during a power outage. Lynn’s is one of a kind, like its slogan “No place on Earth like it.” with its eclectic funky flare, to its exquisite filling fare. Lynn’s décor and gift shop carries things, seen anywhere else, one would want to throw out, but in Lynn’s you want to buy them all over again and sometimes . . . you do. Lynn’s is as unique to Louisville as the Kentucky Derby, and offers a comfortable respite to relax and rejuvenate, once the festivities are over.

If you find yourself loitering around Louisville once Derby is over, never fear, there are still plenty of activities to participate and exhibits to entertain. There is the Louisville Waterfront Park, located against the Ohio River. Also known as ‘The Great Lawn’, this park offers jogging and biking trails, a playground and water park area. Its grassy acres also offer a nice place to lie and digest your Lynn’s Paradise Brunch.

Today, the indisputable proof of greatness and bragging rights lies within the response from the public and its critics.

No distillery has won as many awards or received as much accolades (check out bourbonenthusiast.com) as Buffalo Trace: ‘Distiller of the Year’ three times with Whisky Magazine (20052007), three times with Malt Advocate (2000 & 2005-2006) and once with Wine Enthusiast Magazine in 2006. George T. Stagg has won ‘World Whiskey of the Year’ thrice with Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible and Sazerac Rye 18 year collected Malt Advocate’s ‘American Whiskey of the Year’ awards in 2001 and 2005. Blanton’s Single Barrel and Eagle Rare Single Barrel have both won gold medals, and Pappy Van Winkle’s 20 Year Old received an extraordinary 99 rating from Wine Enthusiast and World’s Spirit Championship. Guess you’re just going to have T to N try 2009 Ethem D allD for yourself S C . T – it’s what Congress and former !

A .T D --HATS President Abraham Lincoln would want.

Bottoms up and see . PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF KENTUCKY DERBY MUSEUM you at the races! he

ew

xhibit

erby

ecades

imply

sk anyone from locals to internationals

he

hic

his dynamic exhibit promises to be a hit for one and all

erby is about one thing

the

of course and the

fashion too

The Louisville Slugger Museum provides guided tours through the factory, where oneAcanDISTILLERY learn about the history of the famous Louisville SlugTOuR ger,Heaven and evenHill pick(www.heaven-hill.com) up a free miniature bat souvenir at the end of the tour.

The full tour takes about anLoretto hour andRd., a half.

502-348-3921, 1074 Bardstown, KY 40004 Speaking of sluggers, the recent addition of the Muhammad Ali CenFree admission terHours: located Tuesday in downtown Louisville, 10 Ali’s– hometown, an–excellent way to to Saturday 5, Sundayis12 4 spend an afternoon.

The museum walks you through Ali’s life from ado(March to October), closed major holidays lescence to the troubled 60’s, through his amazing boxing career to present day.

The museum outlines(www.woodfordreserve.com) his life, his career, as well as making a constiWoodford Reserve tuted effort to promote the six ideals thatPike, droveVersailles, him; respect, 859-879-1812, 7855 McCracken KYconfidence, 40383 conviction, dedication, spirituality, and giving.

It’s worth the to see it, $5 admission (guests under 18 are free), includestime post-tour and just outside the glass walls one can observe the Ohio River.

The Speed Art Museum is the oldest and largest art museum in Ken-

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tucky. It carries a wide range of works from renaissance to contemporary, and many local artists. It also changes its exhibitions frequently, so even if you’ve visited before, there is always something new to see.

Fourth Streetatlive is the pulsing of downtown Louisville, from live sampling Visitor’s Centerheart for those aged 21 and over music, shopping, a food court, to premier dining, and plenty of entertain3 tours offered: a) guided educational session through the ment.

Fourth explaining Street Live is everything within walking distance of nearlyof every downdistillery from the history bourtown hotel, nightclub, bar, or restaurant.

It’s but a brief jaunt to the bon to the maturation and bottling process, b) culturalwaterand front park, Main Street, or Slugger Field, if you care to see the Louisville educational evolution of the distillery, c) mechanical, chemiBatscal, in technical action. There the Improv Comedy always bourbon a big hit, the andissensory aspects of Club, producing renowned Mark House and Lounge,12:30 and for kids and Hours:Maker’s Tuesday toBourbon Saturday 9 – 5, Sunday – the 4:30 some family fun, the Louisville Science Center is nearby as well.

(April to October) closed major holidays Weather permitting, I would recommend visiting the Louisville Zoo, featuring Scotty (www.jimbeam.com) the baby Elephant and the latest edition, Bakari the baby Jim beam giraffe.

Also, if it’s dry outHappy and you’re hot, visit Six Clermont, Flags Kentucky 502-543-9877, 149 Hollow Road, KY Kingdom.

It offers everything from roller coasters, to the steady secured pace of Free admission the Film carousel, from Hurricane Bay’s wave pool and slides, to its less chaotic presentation and self-guided tour beach sunning area.

Hours: Monday to Saturday 9 – 4:30, Louisville city,major full of life, with more than enough attractions Sunday is 1 –a vibrant 4, closed holidays and exhibits to offer. And while many of these exhibits may resemble or be similar to a place you(www.buffalotrace.com) have visited here or abroad, there is one thing Loubuffalo Trace isville will always be home to . . . the Run For the Roses. See you in May! 502-696-5926 or 1-800-654-8471,

1001 Wilkinson Blvd., Franklin County, KY 40601 Free admission, reservations for groups of 25 or more Guided tour Hours: Monday to Friday 9 – 3, Saturday 10 – 2, closed major holidays Alan Zielonko is a freelance lifestyle writer

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Thoroughbred Cruising C r y s ta l C r u i s e s

Symphony

Masterpiece This

Is A

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF CRYSTAL CRUISES AND JUDY CUERVO

A New England and Canada Sailing aboard Crystal Cruises’ Crystal Symphony

By Judy Cuervo

rystal Cruises is an anomaly in the luxury cruise market. While most luxury lines feature small vessels accommodating just a couple of hundred guests and follow an “all inclusive” format with regard to alcoholic beverages and tipping, Crystal’s devoted followers prefer the larger Crystal ships for the myriad activities and the lavish entertainment that those smaller ships simply cannot provide.

At the same time, these affluent, well-traveled individuals shun the crowds and chaos of today’s megaships, demanding exquisite cuisine and dining variety, extraordinary personalized service, meaningful on board activities and opulent accommodations.

They have no objection, either, to dressing up and following the shipboard dining tradition of assigned tables and early (6:00 p.m.) or late (8:30 p.m.) dinner seatings.

My husband and I sailed the 51,044 grt Crystal Symphony this past Octo-

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Despite the ship’s considerable size, navigating Crystal Symphony is an easy undertaking, with most public rooms concentrated on the ship’s sixth deck, swimming pools and casual dining spots on the 11th and beauty, fitness and spa facilities at the top.

ber, an 11-day fall foliage cruise that took its 940 guests from New York City to quaint New England towns before crossing the border to call at Halifax, NS; St. John, NB; and Quebec City before concluding with an overnight call at Montreal. This close-to-home itinerary, one of the four New England/Canada sailings offered by Crystal each year, raised some eyebrows among my friends who, though aware that 71% of the earth’s surface is covered by water, seem to believe cruise destinations are limited exclusively to the Caribbean or ports along the Italian coast.

In fact, while Crystal Cruises, for the 15th year voted “Best Large Cruise Ship Line” by the readers of Conde Nast Traveler, certainly offers Caribbean and Mediterranean sailings, its two-ship fleet (Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity) can just as likely be found in the waters off Alaska, Asia, Australia and New Zealand, Mexico, South America and other areas of the globe.

A 9:00 p.m. sailing from the port of New York was the perfect way to launch our journey to New England and Canada. Sailing past the glittering New York City skyline, it wasn’t long before Crystal Symphony cruised past

the Statue of Liberty, the familiar icon illuminated, while guests in the Crystal dining room interrupted their Bon Voyage dinner to scurry over to the starboard windows to view the majestic sight. With the Lady and skyline of Manhattan soon behind us, we set a course toward Newport, RI, some guests anticipating visits to the ornate mansions of the area; others debating where they would find Newport’s very best chowder. Before exploring Newport, however, I wanted to explore Symphony beginning with our Penthouse accommodations.

All Penthouse suites are located on Deck 10 of Crystal Symphony. Ours was a generous 367 square foot one that included a living area and private verandah. Done in a blue and beige color scheme and featuring a large tile and marble bathroom with double sinks and separate Jacuzzi tub and shower, Penthouse accommodations include a large walk-in closet, complimentary soft drinks, beer and bottled water; afternoon canapés; a bar set-up of one complimentary bottle of wine and one complimentary bottle of spirits per person; color flat-screen TV and DVD and the services of a personal butler who is available to un-

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pack, iron, shine shoes, book shore excursions or secure reservations at Symphony’s alternative restaurants.

Despite the ship’s considerable size, navigating Crystal Symphony is an easy undertaking, with most public rooms concentrated on the ship’s sixth deck, swimming pools and casual dining spots on the 11th and beauty, fitness and spa facilities at the top.

One enters Crystal Symphony on the ship’s fifth deck by way of a tasteful atrium that features a cozy piano bar and an elegant sculpture set against a fountain that serenades guests with the soothing sound of a gentle rain.

Climb the dramatic glass and wood staircase or ride the elevator one floor up to arrive at the entertainment heart of Crystal Symphony. Here you’ll find the single-level Galaxy Lounge and its Broadway-style production shows, The Hollywood Theater, with its first-run movies, and The Starlite Club where Crystal’s “Ambassador Hosts,” gentlemen who know their foxtrot from their cha-cha, offer to take single ladies for a spin around the dance floor.

A shopping arcade occupies midship and, nearby, you’ll find the Vegas-style Crystal Casino, Luxe Nightclub and a Library, where you can borrow DVDs for viewing in your cabin or suite. Smokers can enjoy a cigar and brandy at The Connoisseur’s Club, a beautiful, well-ventilated room done in jewel-tone leathers, wood and brass and, at the adjacent Avenue Saloon, which continues the rich décor of The Connoisseur’s Club, you can enjoy a pre-dinner drink (without the smoke) while listening to the sounds of the room’s talented pianist.

Following our visit to Newport, Crystal Symphony sailed up the U.S. coast, calling at Boston, MA for an overnight stay that allowed guests to walk the Freedom Trail, shop, pop into Cheers, a replica of the bar made famous by the long-running sitcom or, through Crystal’s shore excursion program, attend a 2008 Red Sox first-round payoff game at the legendary Fenway Park.

Sailing from Boston, the brilliance of the foliage was becoming more vivid, the reds, golds and purples of the trees triggering “ooohs” and “aaahs” as we sailed into Bar Harbor, cradled off the crag-

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gy coast of Maine. Acadia National Park, the 35,000-acre preserve that is the city’s most famous attraction, was a riot of color as Symphony guests toured or bicycled through this spectacular forested wilderness.

Back on board Crystal Symphony, two consecutive days at sea gave me the perfect opportunity to sample the activities, seminars and lectures that have helped set Crystal Cruises apart from other large cruise lines. First stop: Computer University at Sea, an internet café that doubles as a classroom, offering instructive courses such as “Basic Digital Photo Finishing,” “Basic Spreadsheets in Microsoft Excel,” and “Word Processing.” While I fiddled with spreadsheets, other Symphony guests could release their inner artist with watercolor technique classes, immerse themselves in conversational French classes in preparation for our visit to Quebec, attend any one of a number of fitness sessions at the well-equipped and supervised fitness center or attend health-related seminars sponsored

by Symphony’s spa, the only feng shui-inspired spa at sea.

Crystal invests a great deal in its Creative Learning Institute, a program of celebrated speakers in the field of the arts, history, current events, wine and other topics. On our sailing, Ken Rees, previously Northern Bureau Chief with Britain’s flagship network program, ITN’s News at Ten, presented “A Million Miles, A Thousand Stories; The Highs and Lows of Life on the Road as A Foreign Correspondent.” In this captivating talk, Rees opened up his tape archives and shared moments from the stories he covered throughout his career, some sad and heart-wrenching and others laugh-out-loud comical. Another outstanding lecturer, Dr. Louis Rene Beres, author and professor

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Unlike many other ships, Crystal Cruises imposes no additional charge for dining at its alternative restaurants, other than a flat $7 per person gratuity.

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of Political Science and International Law at Purdue University, spoke about “America’s Presidential Election and the Changing Shape of World Power,” a timely topic with the U.S. Presidential election taking place just weeks after we’d return home.

While Crystal Symphony’s showcased activities give some indication of the sophistication and worldliness of its guests, there’s one topic that captures the attention of cruisers of all kinds and that is cuisine. It didn’t take me long to notice that Symphony guests, unlike those on so many other ships I’ve sailed, didn’t bolt immediately for local restaurants the moment Crystal Symphony arrived in port, even in culinary capitals like Montreal and Quebec City.

Symphony’s dining experience begins with breakfast, either in the dining room or the more popular Lido Café where selections go far beyond Continental offerings to include made-to-order omelets, pancakes, breakfast meats and the crispest waffles imaginable. The afternoon brings even more choice with either a sit-down formal affair in the dining room or a vast Lido buffet selection of sandwiches, hot dishes, custom pastas and salads. Even the casual poolside Grill which on most ships offers a limited choice of burgers, hot dogs and, perhaps, a grilled chicken dish, dazzles at lunch with the standard fare as well as wraps, pizza, chili, main course salads and specialty sandwiches like reubens. For dessert, the nearby Ice Cream Bar offers home-made ice creams, warm waffle cones, a selection of toppings and just-baked cookies. On sea days, things become even more extravagant when Symphony pulls out all the stops with themed luncheon buffets or the gala buffet, a celebration of foods from all over the globe enhanced with ornamental displays, ice sculptures and, my personal favorite, seafood tables overflowing with lobster tail, shrimp and crab claws.

Afternoon tea, held in the airy Palm Court located high atop the ship, is Symphony’s oh-so-civilized afternoon break. A delightful refuge, tea sandwiches and sweets, don’t miss the Mozart Tea, a very special event manned

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by period-costumed waiters and musicians playing—what else?—Mozart.

Even Wolfgang Amadeus himself, or at least a luscious facsimile, is in attendance, realistically created in…chocolate cake!

As the sun sets, the atmosphere aboard Crystal Symphony turns from one of a casual, sporty resort to sheer elegance. Crystal Cruises bucks the “casual” trend so popular among megaships and some small luxury vessels with “informal” evenings outnumbering “casual” ones and three “formal” nights designated within our sailing.

Swavorski crystal chandeliers glisten, tinkling piano music forms the backdrop and ladies and gentlemen glide into the Crystal Dining room to peruse menus filled with tempting selections like Dover sole a la Meuniere, pink-roasted duck breast, grilled black angus sirloin steak, and pan-fried crab cakes as well as vegetarian or “light” offerings.

Alternative dining aboard Crystal Symphony is superb, with Northern Italian-inspired Prego and Silk Road/The Sushi Bar, an Asian culinary experience that reflects Crystal Cruises’ partnership with world-renowned Chef Nobu Matsuhisa. Unlike many other ships, Crystal Cruises imposes no additional charge for dining at its alternative restaurants, other than a flat $7 per person gratuity.

Prego, hidden away on 6th deck aft, is a cozy bistro with whimsical décor reflecting the familiar attire of Venetian gondoliers. Prego’s hot, savory mushroom soup, served in an oregano bread bowl, has been frequently cited among the main reasons guests return again and again to Crystal Symphony! Pastas, hearty meat dishes like Osso Bucco and traditional Italian desserts and wines bring a touch of the Continent to diners…even if they’re actually sailing from Quebec City to Montreal.

Silk Road and The Sushi Bar, done in subtle tones of sage, citrus green and aubergine, is accented by warm golden sheers and plum colored glass tiles. Mood lighting and backlit wall treatments create a serene dining experience that begins with a delightful amuse bouche of sea-salt crusted edamame, and your selection from The Sushi Bar. Nobu signatures like Kobe-style Wagyu beef, rock shrimp

tempura and miso glazed cod are represented on Silk Road’s menu, along with nearly two dozen other delectable selections.

An additional dinner option is Crystal Symphony’s Vintage Room, a new private wining and dining concept limited to parties of up to 12 guests. Created to promote wine education and the vast selection of very fine wines offered on board, a Vintage Room dinner is a special arrangement whereby guests choose an array of wines from the ship’s exclusive reserve wine list and, based on this selection, the Executive Chef pairs a selection of special culinary creations to enhance the wines chosen. eatness and bragging sampling at Visitor’s Centerthe forquality thoseofaged 21 and overAt $2000 per person, 3 this very offered: special dining experience is not for thesession budget conscious! tours a) guided educational through the public and its critics. of Fallexplaining accompaniedeverything Crystal Symphony she history crossed the distillery fromasthe of border bour-to visit received as muchThe ac- splendor St. John, New Brunswick, and sailed on to Halifax, Nova Scotia where the nearby Maribon to the maturation and bottling process, b) cultural and om) as Buffalo Trace: time Museum of the Atlantic houses relics of the doomed Titanic and the devastating isky Magazine (2005- educational evolution of the distillery, c) mechanical, chemiHalifax Explosion which took oversensory 2000 lives.

Next, Quebec City greeted us with its art cal, technical and aspects of producing bourbon (2000 & 2005-2006) galleries, murals and cobblestone streets for two 12:30 days, Montreal, Hours: Tuesday to Saturday 9 –and, 5, Sunday – 4:30 the Paris ne in 2006. George T. building the North, enchanted us with its beautiful 18thholidays century buildings, a stark contrast to (April to October) closed major Year’ thrice withofJim its ultra-modern downtown.

8 year collected Malt I returnedJim home from (www.jimbeam.com) Crystal Symphony without a tan, and without hefty credit card beam r’ awards in 2001 and in the Euro. What I did returnHollow home with was aClermont, keen appreciation 502-543-9877, 149 Happy Road, KY of the are Single Barrelcharges have billed history and beauty that lies in my own back yard--and the clear realization that Crystal Free admission Winkle’s 20 Year Old Symphony, herself, might just be one of the best destinations of all.

Film presentation and self-guided tour Wine Enthusiast and In 2009, Crystal Cruises’ offers four England/Canada Hours: Monday to New Saturday 9 – 4:30,sailings beginning on October 1st. For ’re just going to have more information, visit www.crystalcruises.com Sunday 1 – 4, closed major holidays Congress and former

. Bottoms up and see

buffalo Trace (www.buffalotrace.com) Judy Cuervo is a freelance travel writer located in New York State.

502-696-5926 or 1-800-654-8471, 1001 Wilkinson Blvd., Franklin County, KY 40601 Free admission, reservations for groups of 25 or more Guided tour Hours: Monday to Friday 9 – 3, Saturday 10 – 2, closed major holidays

wn, KY 40004

ay 12 – 4 ys

Alan Zielonko is a freelance lifestyle writer

serve.com) rsailles, KY 40383 includes post-tour

THREE-TIME DOUBLE GOLD MEDAL, San Francisco World Spirits Competition Crystal Cruises shares with Thoroughbred Style the closely-guardGOLD MEDAL/TOP HONORS, ed recipe for its Cream of Forest Mushroom Soup, a signature dish International Wine & Spirits Challenge served at Prego, Crystal Symphony’s Italian alternative restaurant:

"EXCEPTIONAL" CREAM OF FOREST MUSHROOMRATING, SOUP

Beverage Tasting Institute

1 oz. dried morels, or 2 oz. fresh morels NAMED "BEST BOURBON,” 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil 1/2 cup portobello mushrooms,Monthly finely slicedMagazine

by Kentucky 2 oz. white mushrooms 3 oz. fresh porcini mushrooms, finely slicedOF THE OFFICIAL BOURBON 3 shallots, minced KENTUCKY DERBY® 2 garlic cloves, minced Salt & freshly ground white pepper 1/2 cup dry white wine 4 cups chicken stock 1/2 c. heavy cream 2 tbsp. minced fresh flat leaf (Italian) parsley Leaves from 1 fresh oregano sprig, minced 2 large fresh basil leaves, chopped Four 6-inch round bread loaves Garnish: Fresh rosemary sprigs.

Chef’s notes: At Crystal, we serve this soup in oregano bread cups. Any plain or flavored bread loaf may be substituted, but this soup is also delicious simply served in shallow soup bowls.

Please enjoy Woodford Reserve

PREPARATION: If using driedresponsibly. morels, wash the caps and soak them in warm water to cover for 10 minutes. Remove the stems Woodford Reserve in Distiller’s and discard them. Cut small morels half andSelect largeKentucky ones into 3 or Straight Bourbon Whiskey, 45.2% Alc. by Vol., 4 pieces.

The Woodford Reserve Distillery, Versailles, KY

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In a medium saucepan over medium heat, heat the olive oil and sauté all the mushrooms for about 3 minutes. Add the shallots and garlic and sauté for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste, add the wine, and cook to reduce the liquid by half. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Add the cream and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer the soup for about 25 minutes. In a blender or food processor, puree half the soup until very smooth. Return the puree to the pan. Stir in the parsley, thyme, oregano and basil and cook for about 2 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings. Keep warm.

TO SERVE: Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Cut off the top of each bread loaf. With a large spoon, remove the soft inner part of the bread. Place the loaves on a baking pan and warm in the oven for about 5 minutes. Remove the warm bread loaves from the oven and pour the hot soup into the bread cups. Garnish with rosemary sprigs and serve.

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Thoroughbred Women K a y l a St r a

Dedication

Determ and

P

erhaps Webster’s Dictionary should add a picture of Kayla Stra next to its definition of the word “determined.” And while the folks are at it, they might also want to place a likeness of the 24-year-old jockey alongside words like “dogged” and “tenacious.”

By Art Wilson

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PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF BENOIT PHOTO.

“If I just keep persevering, keep trying as much as I can, then eventually I’ll get the opportunities to prove that I can do it...”

Stra, who’s found the transformation from her native Australia to arguably the toughest jockey colony in the U.S. tougher than expected, has no intention of fleeing Southern California to try to make it big on a lesser circuit.

Riding only one or two horses a day, many of them hopeless long shots, might discourage a lesser competitor. But Stra, who began riding at Australia’s bush tracks when she was 17 and won more than 250 races, is not your ordinary athlete. It’s as if she’s trying to reaffirm an inner confidence that tells her she can make it while riding against the likes of Garrett Gomez, Rafael Bejarano, Joel Rosario and Alex Solis.

For Stra, it’s California or bust.

“I know I can ride, (and) I believe in myself,” Stra said recently after finishing second in the first race at Santa Anita aboard Goodlookindude, another of those long shots she’s forced to ride until she convinces owners and trainers she deserves better. “If I just keep persevering, keep trying as much as I can, then eventually I’ll get the

up at the wire to win the day’s final race by a nose aboard 22-1 outsider Paddlin Mud, causing a two-day, pick-six carryover of more than $700,000. She almost took more pride in that victory than when she won the first stakes race of her career aboard Navy Shaker in the City of Marion Stakes at Morphettville Racecourse in Adelaide, South Australia.

She hasn’t won any stakes races in the U.S. yet, but this is just her first full year of riding in America. A native Australian who has dual citizenship because her mother is American and her father is Australian, she didn’t begin her U.S. career until September 2007 at Fairplex Park in Pomona, California. She remained in California the rest of that year, scoring her first U.S. victory aboard the Jennie Green-trained Flying Bearcat in November 2007 at Hollywood Park, before returning to Australia in early 2008 to fulfill riding commitments. She returned to the U.S. six months and 32 winners later because the lure of sunny Southern California was too great. She’s been here since.

opportunities to prove that I can do it.

“You have to start by getting on all these horses that nobody wants to ride, but it’s better than waiting. Even if I just improve a bad horse by five lengths and still finish mid-field, I’m going to be happy. People take notice, and if they want to watch me then they will.”

Fans took notice when Stra came charging through the stretch one late afternoon this year at Santa Anita and got

“Everything was good (in Australia), but I just decided I wanted to come back here and give it another try,” Stra said. “I just felt like I wanted to be here.”

Stra could have remained in Australia, where she began winning almost from the start, before she even knew how to properly use a whip. She got noticed early and was given opportunities to ride better horses than she’s ridden so far in the U.S. She earned leading apprentice and leading

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A native Australian who has dual citizenship because her mother is American and her father is Australian, she didn’t begin her U.S. career until September 2007 at Fairplex Park in Pomona, California. jockey honors her first two years while riding at smaller South Australian tracks like Morphettville, Victoria Park and Cheltenham Park.

She had graduated to Australia’s two major tracks in Melbourne, Flemington and Caulfield, by the time she decided it was time to try her luck in America the first time.

Aided by the support of her family -- Stra’s grandparents on her mom’s side live in Fountain Valley, California -she’s been able to cope with all the early morning hours spent on the backstretch helping grooms and working as many horses as she could in an effort to land a foot in the door.

But getting out of bed each morning at 3 or 3:30, going to the track in sometimes less than ideal weather conditions and trying to drum up business can be tiresome enough without the added burden of returning to the races that same afternoon and watching more established jockeys reap the rewards from all your hard work.

“I’ve worked so many horses since I’ve been here, and only just now I’m starting to ride the ones that I’m working,” Stra said. “I had to be mentally strong to hang in there because I’d work a horse and I’d see it race in the afternoon with somebody else, and that was definitely frustrating.”

Enter agent Mike Ciani, who was handling veteran Jon Court’s book before Court decided to return to Arkansas

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in January. Ciani began working for Stra in mid-February and has helped her establish connections with trainers like James Cassidy, Howard Zucker, Jeff Metz, Mike Pender and Matthew Chew that she didn’t have before.

“I think with her old agent, (trainers) had her work a lot of horses and they didn’t ride her,” Ciani said. “That’s discouraging for any rider. Now, everything we work, I’m trying to get a mount out of these guys.”

One of Stra’s biggest fans is trainer Gary Sherlock, who put the 5-foot jockey on a cantankerous claimer named

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“There are a lot of riders out here and there’s not as many horses as there used to be. You’ve got to build your business, get some good horses and you’ve got to ride them good to get them back. Every wins helps too. ..”

Soda Pop Kid last year and saw it win twice with her aboard.

“That was kind of a crazy horse, but she helped get him to settle down,” Sherlock said. “I think she’s a very good rider. She’s got very good hands, she knows no fear.”

But trainers often times are not the ones who decide what jockey is going to ride which horse. Like so many other trainers who might want to give Stra a shot, Sherlock’s hands eventually were tied. As Soda Pop Kid moved up the class ladder, Stra lost the mount.

“I have owners to please, you know what I mean?”

Sherlock said. “There are a lot of riders here now, a lot of good riders here now, and the problem is the owners want the name riders. It’s just a tough circuit. There’s a lot of good riders that aren’t riding a lot of horses, and there’s a lot of good riders that are leaving here.

“It’s the same thing with trainers. A lot of trainers have good ability and don’t have the horses, and that’s just part of the game.”

Still, all the hard work has paid dividends. Last year, after Stra returned from Australia, she won eight races from 150 mounts -- a 5 percent success rate. This year, she’s winning at an 8 percent clip (4 of 53 through March 16).

The numbers maybe aren’t as glittering as those of Canadian jockey Chantal Sutherland, perhaps the nation’s top female rider since Julie Krone. Sutherland won 14 percent of the time in 2008 and has won with 12 percent of her mounts in 2009 while riding more than twice the amount of races as Stra.

But Stra doesn’t worry about what Sutherland is doing. Yes, she admits there’s a bit more pressure because she’s riding on the same circuit as a woman jockey who boasts a more accomplished resume due to her exploits at Woodbine Park in Toronto, but Stra tries to block out that distraction and put all her concentration into what she can control.

“I just have to keep my mind on my job and what I’m doing and not worry about certain people,” she said. “I think that will just ruin me. I just try and think of what I’m

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“It would have been easier at that circuit, but it wouldn’t doing and that’s it. I’m trying to stay humble and happy, have been easier after riding at that circuit to come here,” he and I think that’s the way that I ride best.”

Said Sherlock: “To me, (Stra) had to prove herself from said. “It’s tough here. Even if the top riders from up north scratch. Chantal, well, she’d been riding in Canada and you come here now, it’s going to be tough for them.”

As Sherlock said, “A good rider is riding only three or could look and see what she’d ridden for the year. She’s four horses a day sometimes.” done well up there.”

So Stra takes what she can get for now and hopes better Stra’s efforts to make it on the Southland circuit were well-chronicled this year on Animal Planet’s reality series days are ahead.

“I just figure if I’ve got one or two (mounts), at least entitled “Jockeys,” a behind-the-scenes look at riders and the problems they face that the average fan might not real- I’m not sitting at home,” she said. “It’s been hard to hang ize. The show was recently picked up for a second season. in there because I expected it to happen quicker than it has, “I think they picked me because I was a new person and but I think I may have earned more respect from people I was trying to make myself known to get on the better by showing that I can hang in there, that I can wait for it, horses,” Stra said. “They just wanted to show the differ- because I want it so badly. It’s what I love doing, and I can’t see myself doing anything else.” ence between every jockey here.”

She doesn’t expect to become the next Laffit Pincay Jr. The exposure helped, generating new fans who now or win aCenter Kentucky soon.

Those lend support and cheer Stra when theysampling come to the indisputable proof of greatness andforbragging at Visitor’s forDerby thoseanytime aged 21 and overwould be goals for educational any young ridersession on the way up, but Stra she public said, “Alland of those people who are doing offered: that, nice 3 tours a) guided through the just hin the responsetrack. fromAsthe its critics. wants her small niche,from her little of Southern Califorsupposeor it’sreceived kind of made me stronger I don’t distillery explaining everything thepart history of bouras won as manyIawards as much ac- because nia. want to let anyoneasdown.

TheyTrace: all believe inbon me so to much the maturation and bottling process, b) cultural and out bourbonenthusiast.com) Buffalo “I’d justoflike become well-established enough to be theyWhisky want to see me do well here. It’s crazy.

I have to evolution educational thetodistillery, c) mechanical, chemiYear’ three timesand with Magazine (2005comfortable not haveoftoproducing wait for my bourbon next check,” she keep walking(2000 because&I 2005-2006) can’t always pick them and get and cal,outtechnical sensoryand aspects mes with Malt Advocate like to team upSunday with some12:30 good trainers to Magazine know them. in There’s of people supportTuesday me. said. to “I’d Saturday 9 – 5, – 4:30 and hold Wine Enthusiast 2006.a lot George T. thatHours: that closed respect as a team, try to have some foundation like It’s of good.”

(April to October) major holidays ‘World Whiskey the Year’ thrice with Jim that.

It would be nice, rather than just try to pick out horsStill,Rye she 18 remains ky Bible and Sazerac yearfocused. collected Malt es wherever I can. I’d like to have some support behind me want to beawards recognized for being rider,beam not for(www.jimbeam.com) erican Whiskey of“Ithe Year’ in 2001 anda goodJim stables.” being on aRare TV show,” Stra said. have 502-543-9877,from 149bigger Happy Hollow Road, Clermont, KY s Single Barrel and Eagle Single Barrel If hard work, dedication and determination mean anyCiani is optimistic work out.Free He sees the admission medals, and Pappy Van Winkle’sit’s20going YeartoOld in this business, Stra figures to have a good shot at progress that’s beenEnthusiast made in the and short timeFilm he’s presentation worked thingand self-guided tour raordinary 99 rating from Wine achieving her goals.

Stra. you’re just going to have Hours: Monday to Saturday 9 – 4:30, Championship. for Guess think it’s a building and process,” he said. “There are a1lot Sunday – 4, closed major holidays l for yourself – it’s“Iwhat Congress former of riders out here and there’s not as ham Lincoln would want.

Bottoms up and seemany horses as there used to be. You’ve got to build your business, get some Art Wilson is a horse-racing writer for the Los Angeles Newspaper buffalo Trace (www.buffalotrace.com) s! good horses and you’ve got to ride them good to get them Group 502-696-5926 or 1-800-654-8471, back. Every wins helps too. Winning produces more busiDISTILLERY 1001 Wilkinson Blvd., Franklin County, KY 40601 ness and shows you can ride. Even if (horsemen) see www.heaven-hill.com) Freedon’t admission, reservations for groups of 25 or more the race, they say, ‘Oh, you won again?’

People notice wins, 1074 Loretto Rd., Bardstown, KY 40004 Guided tour they don’t notice seconds. n Hours: Monday to Friday 9 – 3, Saturday 10 – 2, got a great and smile, and she needs y to Saturday 10 – “She’s 5, Sunday 12 – personality 4 closed major holidays to use that and win some races … we’ve gotten more wins ber), closed major holidays since I took her book, and she seems happy. She seems like Alan Zielonko is a freelance lifestyle writer she is focused, and I think it’s going in the right direction.” serve (www.woodfordreserve.com) believe would have helped Stra crack , 7855 McCracken Ciani Pike, doesn’t Versailles, KY it40383 Southern California circuit if she’d started at a guests under 18the aretough free), includes post-tour smaller track like Turf Paradise in Phoenix or Golden Gate Fields in Northern California.

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65

ThoroughbredStyle

Gryder Lands That Elusive

By B ill Heller

Big One

T

he fall of 1992 must seem like a lifetime ago to jockey Aaron Gryder.

The California native was 22-years-old and on top of the world when he rode Senor Thomas to victory in the $750,000 Super Derby at Louisiana Downs.

Though Gryder would begin 2009 as the 34th leading jockey in career earnings with more than $102 million, he had yet to win a richer purse.

It seemed like he’d spent his entire career waiting for the one big horse in the one big moment which would take him to a racing pinnacle he never quite reached.

Until March 28th , 2009. That’s when Gryder, who was 13th in the jockey standings at Santa Anita, and his six-yearold gelding Well Armed blew away 13 opponents to win the $6 million Dubai World Cup by 14 lengths gate to wire in what was the final race at the Nal Ad Shiba track.

What a sweet feeling it must have been for Gryder when the horses came out of the final turn and he saw the horses behind him being ridden hard, while he had a ton of horse underneath him. “I could feel how much energy he had left,” Gryder said three days later. “I hadn’t asked him.”

When Gryder let Well Armed roll, he exploded in a manner seldom seen in million-dollar races. “I’ve done this for 30 years, and I’ve never been happier,” Gryder’s agent, Craig O’Bryan, said. “Aaron’s such a good guy, and he deserves it so much.”

Gryder said, “It was a huge personal satisfaction. Twentytwo years of riding and I’ve had some good days, but this was winning the biggest race with horses from countries all over the world. Fourteen lengths, you don‘t expect that. On the right day, he ran the best race of his life.”

There may be more. Under expert handling by trainer Eoin Harty, Well Armed has stamped himself as one of the best horses in the world, and certainly one with a huge chance later

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this year when the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic is contested at Santa Anita.

After finishing a dismal 11th in the UAE Derby in Dubai, March 25th, 2006, Well Armed was shipped to the United States and placed in Harty’s care. After an 18 month layoff, Well Armed has prospered, winning four of 12 starts, with three seconds and one third, a front-running third in the 2008 Dubai World Cup behind two-time Horse of the Year Curlin and Asiatic Boy. Gryder has ridden Well Armed in every North American start.

“I’ve stuck with Aaron because he fits the horse,” Harty said.

Yet Gryder spent years trying to figure out where he fit.

Gryder was born in California, not far from Santa Anita, and, after winning his first race on Ragin Henry at Agua Caliente in Tijuana, Mexico, on January 18th, 1987, he began riding at Hollywood Park and Santa Anita. He had spectacular success immediately, winning the Hollywood Park meet as an apprentice rider in 1987 and taking his first Grade 1 stakes on Asteroid Field in the Matriarch. “To say I’ve been riding 22 years, and the best horses were in my first couple years is amazing,” he said. “I got to ride (champion mare) Bayakoa five times and won her first stakes in America (the June Darling in 1988), and I got to ride (1989 Horse of the Year) Sunday Silence once (finishing second by a head in allowance race). I’ve ridden some great horses. I’ve been happy with my career. But at times I’ve been disappointed with myself, not on a horse, but my absence of finding good horses.”

So he went searching for them, leaving California to ride in

the Midwest and the East, winning riding titles at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Arlington Park in Chicago and Aqueduct Racetrack in New York.

He’d ridden briefly in New York in 1991-92, but on his return in the winter of 1996-1997, he felt he was in New York to stay, which he did for 10 years. He was doing as well as just about anybody, finishing third for the year in 1998 behind Jorge Chavez and Richard Migliore, and second in 2000, only seven victories behind Norberto Arroyo, Jr., who had been an apprentice for part of that year.

Though he was third in New York in 2001 with 151 winners, Gryder’s business began dropping off and he moved back to California in December, 2005. “I was ofKaren, greatness bragging makingToday, a decent the livingindisputable in New York, butproof my wife, is fromand California, and rights lies within the response from the public and its my kids, Christian (9) and Grace (6) would be able to see their grandparents,”critics.

Gryder No said. distillery “I said I canhas do atwon least as as well in California doing inas New York.”acmany awardsasorI was received much Ifcolades he hadn’t(check returnedout to California, he never would have been chosen to be one bourbonenthusiast.com) as Buffalo Trace: of ‘Distiller the cast members of “Jockeys,” the Animal Planet reality series focusing on of the Year’ three times with Whisky Magazine (2005several California riders which debuted last winter. “It’s as close to a reality show 2007), three times with Malt Advocate (2000 & 2005-2006) as you can get,” Gryder said. “I think what it’s done is open the eyes of people Enthusiast whoand don’tonce knowwith racing.Wine Whether you like the Magazine show or not, in it’s 2006. good forGeorge the sport.T. Stagg has won ‘World Whiskey of the he Year’ thrice with They’re working on a second season now.” Previously, had appeared on TVJim in the Murray’s “Sopranos”Whisky and “Dellaventura.”

Bible and Sazerac Rye 18 year collected Malt But Gryder’s most important Californiaof connection whenin he2001 workedand a Advocate’s ‘American Whiskey the Year’came awards horse for Eoin Harty, a gelding who had won just two of his first 11 starts in Eng2005. Blanton’s Single Barrel and Eagle Rare Single Barrel have land and Dubai. Well Armed was abysmal in his last two starts in Dubai, finishing both medals, andYetPappy ninth and won 11th ingold two graded stakes. he was Van a newWinkle’s horse when20 he Year arrivedOld in received an extraordinary Wine Enthusiast and California.

“When I got on the horse99 andrating workedfrom him five-eighths of a mile, two years ago, I told my agent at the time, `Don’tGuess take meyou’re off thisjust horse,’” Gryder World’s Spirit Championship. going to said. have Following his long layoff, Well Armed finished fourth and then first in a to try them all for yourself – it’s what Congress and former pairPresident of allowanceAbraham races. WhenLincoln Gryder guided Wellwant.

Armed Bottoms to a second up by and see would a length and first by a head in a pair of Grade 2 stakes at Santa Anita, you at the races! he was off to Dubai for the 2008 World Cup. Sent off at 35-1 in the field of 12, he led, then didn’t have enough to hold off TOuR A DISTILLERY runaway winner Curlin and Asiatic Boy, who edged Well Armed by aHeaven neck for second.

Hill (www.heaven-hill.com) Harty gave Well Armed timeLoretto off and he returned in mid-July 502-348-3921, 1074 Rd., Bardstown, KY 40004 to win the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap by a length and a quarter Free admission and finish second by a neck to Go Between in the $1 million Grade Hours: Tuesday to Armed Saturday – 5, 12capture –4 1 Pacific Classic.

Then Well came10 from offSunday the pace to October), major holidays the (March Grade 1 to Goodwood by aclosed length. In the inaugural running of the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, Well Armed went off the 6-5 favorite, was steadied, and finished ninth. (www.woodfordreserve.com) Woodford Reserve Harty freshened him7855 and pointed for this Pike, year’s World Cup off 859-879-1812, McCracken Versailles, KYtwo 40383 Grade 2 handicaps, the San Pasqual and the San Antonio. In the first, $5 admission (guests under 18 are free), includes post-tour Well Armed finished fourth by two lengths as the 3-2 favorite. “Visually, it wasn’t that impressive, but we were very satisfied,” Gryder said.

“Eoin wanted two preps for the World Cup. I thought it was a good tightener.”

ThoroughbredStyle In the San Antonio, Gryder placed Well Armed on the lead and he opened a 4 ½-length lead early. But he weakened late, finishing second by a length to Magnum. “He had a three or four length lead on the turn,” Gryder said. “At that point, you’re supposed to win, but the track wasn’t favoring speed that day. I thought he ran great. I was very happy.

You want to win, but I wasn’t disappointed at all.”

Gryder backed that up by taking nine

days off from Santa Anita to go to Dubai and work Well Armed for the World Cup. “That’s a lot to miss from a meet, but I went there not worrying about what I was missing, rather what we were going for,” he said. “He breezed great, a half-mile in :49. For him, that’s just galloping. He just skips over that track.”

Gryder truly believed Well Armed could win the World Cup. “I thought, going into the race, this was the year I could win,” he said. “There were horses in there we had to respect: Asiatic Boy, Casino Drive, Kieran McLaughlin’s horse (Albertus Maximus), but a lot of people overlooked Well Armed.”

The start of the World Cup couldn’t have been better for Gryder. “When he sampling Visitor’s Center forbythose aged overdrop my broke out of theatgate, he out-broke them a length,” he 21 said.and “I could 3 tours offered: a) guided educational session through the hands. I let the reins dangle for a good 50 yards. I let him go in the pace he wanted.

Lastdistillery year, he wasexplaining more aggressive.” everything from the history of bourThis he was traveling comfortably and hadprocess, no challengers.

“By the top bonyear, to the maturation and bottling b) cultural andof the educational stretch, I felt I was going to win,” Gryder said.

“I wasn’t getting any pressure. evolution of the distillery, c) mechanical, chemiI was loving every stride he was taking. I thought it would take a hell of a horse to cal, technical and sensory aspects of producing bourbon beat him. I just opened my hands and he extended his stride. I said, `They’re not Hours: Tuesday to Saturday 9 – 5, Sunday 12:30 – 4:30 going to run him down today.”

(April to October) major holidays They couldn’t even keepclosed up. Harty said, “I was quite delighted. A lot of these races are decided at the wire.”

Not one. (www.jimbeam.com) Jimthis beam Gryder will do everything he can to build on the biggest victory of his career.

502-543-9877, 149 Happy Hollow Road, Clermont, KY “As good as I’ve done, I haven’t put myself in the situation I’m in now,” he said. admission “I’mFree 38 years old now. The doors are open, and it’s all up to me and my agent to presentation self-guided takeFilm advantage of it. There’sand a window there that tour doesn’t stay open very long. What this did forto mySaturday career is give the opportunity to approach other Hours: Monday 9 –me4:30, for stakes races.

They can’t say, `You’re a good rider, but Sunday 1 – 4,clients closed major holidays you can’t win the big one.’”

buffalo Trace (www.buffalotrace.com) 502-696-5926 or 1-800-654-8471, 1001 Wilkinson Blvd., Franklin County, KY 40601 Free admission, reservations for groups of 25 or more Guided tour Hours: Monday to Friday 9 – 3, Saturday 10 – 2, closed major holidays

Alan Zielonko is a freelance lifestyle writer

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PHOTOGRAPH BY BARBARA D. LIVINGSTON

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ThoroughbredStyle

King

Leatherbury Is Still Sending Out Winners

H

e has collected 20 leading trainer titles at Laurel Park Racecourse, 25 at Pimlico Race Course, has the most victories of any Maryland conditioner, led the nation in races won twice in the 1970’s, and is the third winningest trainer of all-time behind only Dale Baird and Jack Van Berg. Yet King T. Leatherbury insists his accomplishments, which have never really received much national recognition while being revered in Maryland, are not worthy of accolades.

He has collected 20 leading trainer titles at Laurel Park Racecourse, 25 at Pimlico Race Course, has the most victories of any Maryland conditioner, led the nation in races won twice in the 1970’s, and is the third winningest trainer of alltime behind only Dale Baird and Jack Van Berg. Yet King T. Leatherbury insists his accomplishments, which have never really received much national recognition while being revered in Maryland, are not worthy of accolades.

“Oh my god its been 50 years since I saddled my first winner (Mister L) at Sunshine Park, which is now Tampa Bay Downs in Florida,” explained the Shady Side, Maryland native and current resident, who has won 6,267 races and counting. “I really don’t know why you would be interested in writing about me. I am and always have been just old news. Besides, I have never concentrated on the higher class horses. I’ve only had two Grade I winners, I Am The Game and Taking Risks.”

Born on March 26, 1933, which is the same year Prohibition was repealed and the first drive-in movie theater opened in Camden, New Jersey, Leatherbury was raised on a 300 acre farm he now owns. His father, Taylor, a successful well-

By Kimberly French

PHOTOGRAPHS BY BARBARA D. LIVINGSTON

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68

driller, originally purchased the property to hunt on, but instead of pointing a pistol, the elder Leatherbury turned his hand to raising horses.

“He was a country guy and he developed it into a farm,” his son told Jack Mann of the MidAtlantic Thoroughbred in 1993. “He gradually got into horses and after awhile he went to Kentucky to buy yearlings cheap. He had a good eye for a horse, had his own stud, never bred to anything big.

He had some allowance winners.”

When Leatherbury headed off to college at the University of Maryland in College Park, he had no burning desire to become a horse trainer. In fact, he told Jack Mann the only occupation he had ever truly considered was “to drive a bulldozer,” but the young man, who eventually graduated with a degree in business administration, had always been drawn to various games of chance.

“Sociologists say 50 percent of the people like to gamble, 50 percent don’t,” Leatherbury told the Baltimore Sun in 2003. “It has nothing to do with your economic status, your education -- anything -- how you were raised, doesn’t matter.

“I just happen to have always been a gambler,” he continued. “I’ve been associated with gamblers my whole life and I enjoy it. It’s exciting and entertaining.”

After graduation, Leatherbury signed on for a two-year tour of duty with the Army Chemical Corps, and began to gravitate towards entering the racing industry.

“I read everything I could get my hands on about horses and racing while I was in the Army,” Leatherbury recalled. “I just liked it so much that I decided I would go ahead and plunge into it as a trainer. I wasn’t tied down; I wasn’t married; so I didn’t have to get a real job so to speak, so why not do something I enjoyed? I wasn’t really expecting to do well.”

And he didn’t.

The 25-year-old, who took five of his father’s horses to Sunshine Park in 1958, managed just one win at that track’s 1959 meet, and only had 30 victories from 142 starts more than four years after he commenced his career.

“I did a lot of the work myself and learned through trial and error,” he remembered. “I was just existing and had no real objective other than getting into something I liked to do.

Over a short period of time, I started getting some outside owners and it just grew, basically, one horse at a time. When you start doing well and winning races, you know people will call you up and want you to train their horses.”

Leatherbury did not become a trainer because of his unadulterated passion for equines.

“I am not a horse lover,” he told the Thoroughbred Times in 1983. “If it weren’t for racing I would have nothing to do with them.”

The competitive nature of the sport intrigued Leatherbury and when he saw the success Hall of Famer Grover “Bud” Delp, who conditioned dual classic winner and 1980 Horse of the Year Spectacular Bid, was enjoying, it inspired him.

“Everyone else was running a mom-and-pop store against a supermarket,” he explained to Jack Mann of the Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred in 1993. “Bud set the standards for the rest of us because he was such a fierce competitor. Look at what happened when he lost his whole stable in that fire. No, not just was he back claiming horses the next day, he was the leading trainer at the next meeting at Pimlico.

That man impressed me.”

With the late Delp as his muse, Leatherbury stepped up his game and throughout the 1960’s and 1970’s contended with the aforementioned Delp, Richard Dutrow Sr., and John Tammaro, Jr. as the top conditioners on the Maryland circuit.

Known as the Big Four, these four men revolutionized the art of claiming horses, and skill as a handicapper, rather than horsemanship, was the vital component.

The rivalry between them was intense, yet only Tammaro and Leatherbury seemed to take it to a personal level.

“I didn’t even know Tammaro until he confronted me behind the stands at Bowie one day and told me he was going to dedicate his life to ruining me,” Leatherbury told Jack Mann. “He told me he hated me more than once. I was lucky in claims from him and it seemed I got the best of it nine time out of ten.

“I guess the last straw came at Delaware Park when I had a horse that was beginning to bow (a tendon,)” he continued. “I put a bandage on him so a little bit of sponge was showing over the top. I figured he (Tammaro) would figure I was making it look like he was bowed, so he wouldn’t be claimed.”

Tammaro proved Leatherbury wrong and took the horse, bowed tendon and all.

“He would claim off a man in his own barn who had only one horse,” Tammaro said to the Thoroughbred Times in 1988. “I give him all the credit for being successful, but I question his ethics.”

So did others.

Throughout his career, Leatherbury has been criticized for not spending nearly enough time at the barn. For years, he has spent his mornings managing his stable via telephone instead of scrutinizing his horses’ exercise regimens.

“For years and years and years, when I first started, I was out there before the sun came out and I stayed there until it got dark everyday,” he explained. “I paid my dues and when you have 80 horses, you can’t possibly keep on top of everything, so that’s when you have good people to delegate too.

“I always trusted my exercise boys,” Leatherbury continued. “If you are getting on a horse everyday, you know exactly how that horse goes and feels, so I didn’t need to see anything. It’s boring as heck watching horses gallop, which is what they do 90 percent of the time. In a race it’s different, because the horses are actually competing, but otherwise it looks good in the movies when you see a trainer standing out there in the morning on the rail with a stopwatch in his hand. It just doesn’t make sense to me.”

He doesn’t walk the shedrow too often either.

“He’d go out (to the barn) on payday, and that was it,” Delp told John Scheinman of The Washington Post in 2005.

Leatherbury, whose other top pupils include Thirty-Eight Paces, Ameri Valay, Malibu Moonshine and Ah Day, believes the key to success is supervising your horses much like a boxing manager does his clients.

“You are dealing with an animal athlete, so basically, you are the manager of a prize fighter,” he explained. “A manager is trying to put together a good fight, with opposition he can beat while trying to keep his fighter healthy and sound. That’s basically what you do as a trainer, because a horse is a natural runner when he’s

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ThoroughbredStyle

born. He wants to run, so you are just cultivating and manag- finished sixth in the Grade I Carter Handicap, also at Aqueing him. A good horse will kind of do his own thing and make duct, on April 4.

The gelding’s dam was sired by none other than Thirtyyou look good.” dealing with So Leatherbury, who led all Maryland trainers in wins from Eight Paces, who Leatherbury purchased as a weanling in a 1993 to 1996, won five races in one day four times and cap- partnership for $38,000 and later trained and stood at stud. an animal tured six races on one card, spends his afternoons in a his The stallion earned nearly $500,000 on the racetrack and was Grade I placed.

Skybox at Laurel Park handicapping and betting. athlete, so “I only have one broodmare left, but at one time I had 20,” “It’s almost like you’re working at a puzzle -- and that’s what makes our game so exciting,” he said to the Bal- Leatherbury said. “I definitely was not as smart as everyone basically, timore Sun in 2003 of his fascination with wagering on thought I was, and just tried some things out to see what hit races. “The bettor gets the chance to analyze, and he because just like with anything else, there’s a run of luck inyou are the gets a feeling of satisfaction when he picks a winner. volved, and with Ah Day, I got lucky.

“At the time Malibu Moon, who has since hit the big-time, “Whether his analysis turns out right or wrong, what’s in his manager of a mind is: ‘Damn, I figured that damn thing out. I knew that was standing here in Maryland at the Pons Farm for $2,500,” one was going to win,’ Leatherbury continued. “I go up there he continued. “The mare didn’t even break her maiden, but prize fighter,” and pick up my money. And he’s tickled, not only financially, she was out of the one of the best mares I had and I wanted but he is tickled and satisfied mentally in that he has beaten to keep breeding on that line.”

His main motivation remains simply to winover races, but the game.”

Today, the indisputable proof of greatness and bragging sampling at Visitor’s Center for those aged 21 and In his younger years, Leatherbury would often accompany Leatherbury acknowledges some of the achievements on his rights lies within the response from the public and its critics. 3 tours offered: a) guided educational session through the his horses when they shipped out of town, but now prefers resume are a great source of pride. distillery everything fromtrainer the history No distillery has won as many awards received as much ac- of his “I’m the third winningest ever and of so bourthat means to watch his or charges’ races from the sanctity box seats.explaining bon to the maturation and bottling process, b) cultural and colades (check out bourbonenthusiast.com) as Buffalo Trace: the “I remember I ran a horse at Garden State in the second something to me,” he said. “I was the leading trainer in educational the distillery, c) the mechanical, ‘Distiller of the Year’ three times Whisky Magazine (2005country for aofcouple years back in 1970s. Thosechemiare the racewith and then came back to Delaware for the sixth race and evolution records aspects that when of youproducing have them, no one can take Charlestown for the race but I don’tcal, do that any- kinds technical and of sensory bourbon 2007), three times with Maltthen Advocate (2000 &fourth 2005-2006) them away from you, but even today, I still get a thrill out of more,” he said.

“I hit all the tracks and I do miss going to Hours: Tuesday to Saturday 9 – 5, Sunday 12:30 – 4:30 and once with Wine Enthusiast Magazine in 2006. George T. them, but (traveling) especially flying is so hard to do nowa- winning races and basically that’s what you have to do to stay (April to October) closed major holidays Stagg has won ‘World Whiskey of the Year’ thrice with Jim in business. If you don’t, then you fall by the wayside.” days, that it’s just as good to watch on television.

Murray’s Whisky Bible and Sazerac yearwould collected “PlusRye as Jim18 McKay say, theMalt agony of defeat is softer Jimlong beam Advocate’s ‘American Whiskey theifYear’ awards 2001about andit on that or of easier you don’t have in to think trip (www.jimbeam.com) Kimberly FrenchRoad, is a freelance writer in Williamsport, back Eagle home,”Rare Leatherbury “I’ll watch the races 149 Happy 502-543-9877, Hollow Clermont, KY 2005. Blanton’s Single Barrel and Single continued.

Barrel have Pennsylvania from Laurel that way, if20I win, thrilled toFree death admission and if both won gold medals, and Pappy Vanand Winkle’s YearI’mOld I lose, I’m only 20 minutes away from home and I’ll go there Film presentation and self-guided tour received an extraordinary 99 rating from Wine Enthusiast and to get over the disappointment.”

Monday to Saturday 9 – 4:30, World’s Spirit Championship. Guess you’re just going to have At 76, his zest for training has not waned, butHours: Leatherbury Sunday 1 – 4, closed major holidays to try them all for yourself –hasit’sa reason whatwhy Congress and former his stable has declined from more than 60 President Abraham Lincoln would want. Bottoms up and see head to 25.

“I’m outliving all my owners,” he said. “In fact, I just had buffalo Trace (www.buffalotrace.com) you at the races! one pass last week (in March.)

502-696-5926 or 1-800-654-8471, The owners are usually younger TOuR A DISTILLERY 1001 Wilkinson Blvd., Franklin County, KY 40601 than the trainers and if they get Heaven Hill (www.heaven-hill.com) Free admission, reservations for groups of 25 or more in the game, they should choose 502-348-3921, 1074 Loretto Rd., Bardstown, KY 40004 Guided tour a young, up-and-coming trainer they can grow with. I can’t Free admission Hours: Monday to Friday 9 – 3, Saturday 10 – 2, blame for not Hours: Tuesday to Saturday 10 – 5, them Sunday 12 –selecting 4 closed major holidays me.”

(March to October), closed major holidays Besides being a conditioner, Alan Zielonko is a freelance lifestyle writer Leatherbury is an owner and Woodford Reserve (www.woodfordreserve.com) breeder, although his breeding 859-879-1812, 7855 McCracken Pike, has Versailles, KYsig40383 operation downsized nificantly over includes the last several $5 admission (guests under 18 are free), post-tour years. His six-year-old homebred Ah Day, a son of Malibu Moon and Endette, won the Grade III Toboggan Handicap ThoroughbredStyle on March 7 at Aqueduct and

“You are

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ThoroughbredStyle

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Thoroughbred Travel L a O r i e n ta l

Estancia La

Oriental: Riding in Style on the Argentine Pampas

By Ilana Clenm an

or those who have yet to visit the Argentine Pampas, that immense South American prairie, it is hard to picture.

It is one of those rare places on earth where words fail describe it and no camera lens is wide enough to capture its vastness. While the endless fields and pastures are beautiful, possibly the most spectacular sight on the Pampas is the sky, an uninterrupted and ever changing collage of light and colour.

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For those who have yet to visit the Argentine Pampas, that immense South American prairie, it is hard to picture.

It is one of those rare places on earth where words fail describe it and no camera lens is wide enough to capture its vastness. While the endless fields and pastures are beautiful, possibly the most spectacular sight on the Pampas is the sky, an uninterrupted and ever changing collage of light and colour.

For those who appreciate the company of horses, there is no better way to enjoy the landscape than on horseback, as Argentines have for hundreds of years and continue to do. Argentina is unusual in the way that horses have become so entrenched in the local culture and society. The poor take pride in their riding and cart horses and depend upon them for labour and entertainment, while the wealthy enjoy their hobby and sport horses. Thoroughbred racing is a multimillion dollar industry that recently produced the appropriately named superstar ‘Invasor’, the invader.

Whether one is interested in trying out local Criollo horses in unique soft flexible saddles, or looking for a fleet yearling set to leave the pack in the dust, Argentina is an ideal

destination for the equine oriented. If you are looking for an elegant and peaceful spot in the countryside to put your feet up – either by the pool or up in the stirrups, Estancia La Oriental is not to be missed.

Entering the estate from the surrounding open farmland, one crosses the dusty railroad built by the English and opens a simple wooden gate and iron chain. There is no lock, no doorbell, and certainly no doorman. Despite being one of the most elegant and oldest estates in the province, unlike so many others it is still truly a working ranch and bears no pretensions to be otherwise. Passing through the main wrought iron gate, the hot baked earth scented wind gives way to cool woodsy aromas of moss, leaves and flowers and the sun disappears beneath a natural cathedral of Eastern Cottonwood, well into their second century of life. At the end of this long tunnel of trees one reaches the main garden and sunbathed house, which although large compared to other turn-of-the-century estate homes in the province, it is far from being a mansion and is impressive without being excessive. It is most notable for its impeccable condition, especially considering

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Argentina is unusual in the way that horses have become so entrenched in the local culture and society.

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Most of the furniture was imported from France at the time that the house was built, as was the fashion in 1880, and some pieces were already antique.

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that the local elastic clay soil has left many old buildings sinking, slanting, or otherwise resembling a Gaudi design.

Once inside one is immediately dwarfed by the seven meter ceilings. The rooms and corridors, in contrast, are spacious yet reasonable in size, as though designed to carefully avoid appearing ostentatious. Raphael Torello and Estela Ocampo de Torello own and manage the estate, Raphael trained as an agricultural engineer and Estela is an interior designer. Her blue eyes sparkle with pride when she tells talks about the place. “Imagine a young mother and baby alone in this place in the middle of the country”, she recalls, waving her arm in the air alluding to the immensity of it all. Having moved into the old house in dire need of repairs as a young mother she felt it was inappropriate for a baby. She converted some of the old horse stalls left empty from the time that the farm housed Don Justo Saavedra’s Thoroughbred racehorses into a modest home, and the main building was left empty. As years went by she felt compelled to clean up and renovate it, yet needed some motivation to do the work. She came up with the idea that they would open the place to tourism. Although it was in a disastrous state, she emphasizes that everything is original dating back to when the estate was bought by Raphael’s grandmother in a so-called ‘closed-gate’ sale (which includes every animal, worker, and all contents). Most of the furniture was imported from France at the time that the house was built, as was the fashion in 1880, and some pieces were already antique. One bedroom contains a chest of drawers that includes a removable toilet, bidet and washbasin that would have been emptied by a servant in the morning. The current owners prefer guests use the

enormous bathrooms that are testament to the durability of late 19th century construction, with stylish undamaged tiles and original bath, shower, and pipes.

Guest are served three meals a day in a choice of locations. Estela says that many people enjoy dining together in the main dining room or weather permitting, outdoors, as the country atmosphere and small number of guests encourages people to socialize. Honeymooners and private guests also have the option of eating alone. The extensive planted forest, which includes eucalyptus, poplars, palm, and magnolia, provides shelter from the sun and wind, not to mention a constantly changing array of perfumes that are practically an olfactory symphony. In winter the house is heated in part by wood, which leaves a gentle smoky scent year round.

The days can very easily be whiled away eating and relaxing. Meals include delicious grilled meat, homemade pastas, and elaborate breakfasts including homemade pastries, yogurt, fruit, and eggs. For more energetic individuals there is a multitude of activities available. A quiet stroll through the estate woods (on the Pampas known as a ‘casco’ (helmet), because from a distance it resembles a sort of hat bulging out of the flat grassland), and into the surrounding fields, will reveal a lot of animals and very little sign of human life. Even straining the senses one is hard pressed to detect a building or motor vehicle. Lizards, hares, foxes, nutria (a water-loving rodent), birds, and of course horses and cattle abound. For those interested in wildlife, the Salado River and Lake Carpincho border the estate and attract many bird species. For those who enjoy fishing, equipment is provided. Swimmers and sunbathers

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Despite being one of the most elegant and oldest estates in the province, unlike so many others it is still truly a working ranch and bears no pretensions to be otherwise.

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vide a contrived ‘gaucho show’, La Oriental is still a working cattle ranch with about 400 head of Black Angus and Hereford on 2500 acres and allows guests to take part in routine chores such as moving herds, checking fences, checking calves, and rounding up for vaccinations and sale.

Without a doubt many people leaving La Oriental will miss gazing out at the horizon with a pair of pointy ears in the way.

Any time of year is a unique time to visit La Oriental, with different trees and shrubs flowering throughout spring, summer, and autumn. For those who cannot tolerate heat and are willing to pile on the sweaters, winter is can relax at the pool which is inside the immense circular also pleasant and has the added benefit of being virtually garden sheltered from the wind while an opening in the insect-free. Freezing temperatures are rare and many trees keep their leaves year-round, such as the giant delicious trees allows a stunning view of the countryside.

Exploring the buildings and grounds is fascinating for smelling eucalyptus that are home to flocks of parrots. anyone interested in antiques and history. Hidden amongst Keep in mind that the seasons are reversed, therefore the the trees there is an old chapel and a meat cellar that was hottest months are December, January and February. Sunused to store slaughtered animals before the time of re- ny days are the norm year round, yet heavy rainstorms can occur at any time. Fear not though, rain on the Pampas is frigerators.

Empty horse once housed sampling the stallionsat Visitor’s Today, the indisputable proof of greatness andstalls bragging Center for those aged 21 and over a dramatic spectacle of nature and well worth witMadrugador whose colts and3fillies ranoffered: in usually tours a) guided educational session through the rights lies within the responseMalagueno from theandpublic and its critics. nessing, and by borrowing a set of rubber boots one can and pink stripes atas Palermo in the earlyexplaining everything from the history of bourNo distillery has won as manywhite awards or received muchracetrack ac- distillery set out to witness the green burst of life that follows one 20th century.

The tack room still has dusty racing saddles bon to the maturation and bottling process, b) cultural and colades (check out bourbonenthusiast.com) as Buffalo Trace: of these refreshing storms. Buses run daily from Buenos thatwith have Whisky been unused for over eighty years. educational evolution of the distillery, c) mechanical, chemi‘Distiller of the Year’ three times Magazine (2005to the nearby town of Junin, which itself is a busy Horseback(2000 riding is&a way of life in Argentina, and for Aires cal, technical and sensory aspects of producing bourbon 2007), three times with Malt Advocate 2005-2006) worth a visit. La Oriental can easily be reached those looking toinspend hours in theT. saddle Hours: or get on a ruraltotown Tuesday Saturday 9 – 5, Sunday 12:30 – 4:30 and once with Wine Enthusiast Magazine 2006.

George by taxi, called remis, or by prearranged pickup. Plan for horseofforthe theYear’ first time, visiting country(April presents to an October) closed major holidays Stagg has won ‘World Whiskey thrice withtheJim the trip to take about three hours. Although it is well off ideal opportunity.

Unlike Europe and North America, ridMurray’s Whisky Bible and Sazerac Rye 18 year collected Malt the beaten tourist track, and many city dwellers in Buenos veryawards affordable.

La Oriental Jimunlimited beam (www.jimbeam.com) Advocate’s ‘American Whiskeyingofhere the isYear’ in 2001 and offers would consider it too far out of the way, it is well guided riding toursSingle included in thehave cost of the room. Es- Aires 502-543-9877, 149 Happy Hollow Road, Clermont, KY 2005. Blanton’s Single Barrel and Eagle Rare Barrel worth the trip for anyone looking for an authentic rural tela saysVan that Winkle’s with the small of guests, Free the planning admission both won gold medals, and Pappy 20number Year Old stay in stylish surroundings. of activities is rather informal. Usually plans for the day

Film presentation and self-guided tour received an extraordinary 99 rating from Wine Enthusiast and discussed the just evening before.

A friendlyHours: and patient Monday to Saturday 9 – 4:30, World’s Spirit Championship.areGuess you’re going to have fellow named Miguel is in charge of the 30 riding horses Sunday 1 – 4, closed major holidays to try them all for yourself – it’s what Congress and former and can accommodate any riding level.

The Argentine CriPresident Abraham Lincoln would want. Bottoms up and see ollo is one of the most docile breeds in the world.

Descenbuffalo Trace (www.buffalotrace.com) you at the races! dants of Spanish horses, they are remarkably hardy and 502-696-5926 or 1-800-654-8471,

generally eager to work. They are famous for 1001 their smooth TOuR A DISTILLERY Wilkinson Blvd., Franklin County, KY 40601

canter that makes it possible even for beginners to admission, gallop Heaven Hill (www.heaven-hill.com) Free reservations for groups of 25 or more long distances if they like.

English saddles and helmets 502-348-3921, 1074 Loretto Rd., Bardstown, KY 40004 Guided are tour available, as well as the traditional Argentine recado, which Free admission Hours: Monday to Friday 9 – 3, Saturday 10 – 2, of layers but lacks Hours: Tuesday to Saturday 10is –composed 5, Sunday 12 – 4of leather and sheepskin closed major holidays the wooden tree that gives most saddles their shape. One (March to October), closed major holidays can ride along the river, out to the lake, or the more ambiAlan Zielonko is a freelance lifestyle writer tious can take a day trip to a nearby country village.

Woodford Reserve (www.woodfordreserve.com) estates KY open to tourists that merely pro859-879-1812, 7855 McCrackenUnlike Pike, most Versailles, 40383 $5 admission (guests under 18 are free), includes post-tour

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A

Roger Attfield

A

Training Champion Norcliffe at Baker’s Acres

BY GERRY B EL ANGER

t Woodbine racetrack in the heart of Toronto there is a delightful creation fondly known to backstretch horse people as Baker’s Acres. De-

veloped by Colonel Charles Baker during his tenure as Chairman of the Ontario Jockey Club, ‘The Acres’ is a half-mile meadow track of finely harrowed sand hidden in the far-west corner of the backside barn area. A charming little sand-track, twenty-feet wide and coloured like a painted postcard in the dusty browns and greens of a country farm and ringed by shady maple trees and a white painted fence. Young horses find it especially cool, a place where the training is fun.

Charles Baker first saw the value of Baker’s Acres when it was only a forgotten and dusty meadow behind barn 12A; what is now barn 35. No fence at the time, a plain dirt trail six or eight feet wide with knee-high weeds and grass growing wild in the centerfield, the meadow gallop was country living for horses and right here in the middle of Toronto. Almost ideal for a horse to vacation between races, accomplished horseman Charles Baker was impressed.

Norcliffe, his dazzling three-yearold colt, was the 1976 Winter Book favourite to win the coming Queen’s Plate.

Bred by E.P.Taylor at Windfields Farm in Oshawa

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF THE CANADIAN HORSE RACING HALL OF FAME.

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Ontario, Norcliffe was sired by Belmont winner Buckpasser, from the stakes winning Northern Dancer mare, Drama School. One of the most expensive yearlings of his crop, Charles Baker had signed the $80,000 auction slip at the 1974 Saratoga Summer Yearling Sales.

The colt then broken to the saddle by Baker himself, proved such a wonderful individual that Baker was inspired. Indeed, he bet with his heart when he named the powerful bay Norcliffe, after the farm where he lived in the hunt country of King Township.

Norcliffe was never a disappointment; precocious as a two-yearold and masterfully trained by Roger Attfield, a young transplanted Englishman aspiring to make his mark, the colt set a stakes record for juveniles in Woodbine’s prestigious Coronation Futurity.

Thoroughbred horse racing however, can be shockingly cruel.

The following spring in March, Norcliffe’s training program was compromised by a serious foot problem. Now seen as similar to the injury which plagued Big Brown, the 2008 Kentucky Derby winner, Norcliffe developed a quarter crack in his near front foot.

“But different than Big Brown and his foot problems, way back in 1976 a quarter crack was a major disaster,” Roger Attfield explains. “The wall of Norcliffe’s hoof had split at the coronet band. Painful when he galloped, the usual thing was to wait three or four months and let the crack grow out of the foot. Sickening for all of us; that meant Norcliffe was out of the Queen’s Plate; that all the dreams had ended.”

Roger is sitting quietly on his long toothed Thoroughbred pony

PHOTOGRAPHS BY LIZ EDWARDS

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and breaths a long sigh. Early morning and foggy here at flies, it’s no wonder to me that he became a great stallion.

Woodbine, his set of two colts are entering the well groomed The sire of Groovy, the Eclipse champion sprinter, Norcliffe sand track which rings Baker’s Acres. Attfield, a patrician man was the leading sire of two-year-olds in America, only just bad horses find with an English, ‘Windsor’ face, is the essence of a gentleman luck that he died early from colic.”

Shifting in the saddle, Roger caresses the dozing pony horse-trainer. Well seasoned by more than fifty years of ridit especially ing and working with horses, he is wearing a throat warming whose lower lip is hanging comically. “Still, the Colonel was a cool, a place wool knit sweater and a tweed hacking jacket with the lapel stickler for the details. This meadow and that raggedy old dirt turned up to thwart the chill. His hazel eyes thoughtful un- track was not a first class situation. Unworthy of Woodbine, where the der the brim of a dusty helmet, his colts are now only vague he wanted it cleaned up, and bringing in heavy grading equipment, he had the track levelled out there above that rise in the shapes in the billowing waves of fog. training “We can all thank God that Colonel Baker was not the sort meadow. See it?” Roger says, and pointing, he stands up in to give up,” Roger continues. “He’d been a member of the the irons. “Out there and above the rise - where that row of is fun.

Canadian Jumping Team that won gold, and knowing horse trees was started.”

Sitting back in the tack, Roger nudges his knee and the people in Kentucky, he searched for answers, learned of a new method to heal quarter cracks called the Bane Patch. Almost pony turns a step. “So that’s when I started calling this place identical to the patch Big Brown wore in the Kentucky Derby. Baker’s Acres. Just a great place to train, and Woodbine, alAt the time, it was very expensive. Still, the Colonel wanted ready about the finest training centre in the world and every to win the Queen’s Plate. So sparing no expense we flew in horseperson on the backside, agreed with the idea. And look Bill Bane, the farrier who invented the patch. And scary then at these horses!” he exclaims. “Do you see that big colt galto watch the cutting out of the crack and the filling in of the loping there on the outside? A great mover, he reminds me a bloody hole with some sort of plastic, even when the patch lot of Norcliffe. Strong, and with a real good mind; just look at Visitor’s Center for those aged 21 going and over the indisputable proof of greatness and bragging at him by.” was in place, sampling I was nervous”.

Nowthrough the horses and tours a) guided educational theriders are emerging from the fog. The within the response from the public and its critics.

Norcliffe 3loved to offered: train and was a big, strong, beautiful session outside colt quickly moving horse, but would the patch come loose with racing ery has won as many awards or received as much ac- distillery explaining everything from the history of bour-looming large and galloping close to theTHREE-TIME rail, his are pricked and training? bon Would last until theand Queen’s Plate? process, tothe thepatch maturation bottling b)ears cultural and and head bowed, he is concentrat-DOUBLE GOLD check out bourbonenthusiast.com) as Buffalo Trace: ing on his work.

Impressively Concern wreathes Roger’s face even now.

“So of course of the Year’ three times with Whisky Magazine (2005- educational evolution of the distillery, c) mechanical, chemi- reaching for ground, cloudedSan Francisco W breath streaming from his nostrils, a hand can reach to touchSpirits Competitio Colonel Baker wastechnical worried too. never surrendering, cal, andBut sensory aspects ofitproducing bourbon ree times with Malt Advocate (2000 & 2005-2006) was also his idea to train Norcliffe in this here meadow. Hop- him as he passes. A big dark horse with a deep shoulder and Hours: Tuesday to Saturday 9 – 5, Sunday 12:30 – 4:30 with Wine Enthusiast Magazine in 2006. George T. ing to get him off the bit; we could save the foot, you see.” hip, his hocks are stroking straight and true and he’s a power-GOLD MEDAL/T (April to October) closed major holidays won ‘World Whiskey of the Year’ thrice with Jim International Win Roger pausing, the memory clearly vivid, his eyes are on his house when galloping away.

Whisky Bible and Sazerac Rye 18 year collectedtwo Malt The two-year-old playfully bucking then, the colts again colts as they are caught suddenly in a shaft of brilliant "EXCEPTIONAL" Jimhorses beam s ‘American Whiskey of the Year’ awards in 2001sunlight. and Both with(www.jimbeam.com) their heads bowed and appear- caught in the brilliance of a sun-streaked patch in the fog, heBeverage Tasting 502-543-9877, Happy Hollow Road,isClermont, KYAttfield racing dream in the making. Perhaps nton’s Single Barrel and Eagle Rare Single Barreling have another Roger happy, the riders are standing149 up in the tack.

The view Free admission n gold medals, and Pappy Van Winkle’s 20 Yearonly Old for a moment, again they are smudged shapes moving another Queen’s Plate winner, of course the colt loves to trainNAMED "BEST B Film presentation and self-guided tour at Baker’s Acres. n extraordinary 99 rating from Wine Enthusiastthrough and the fog.

by Kentucky Mo Hours: Monday Saturday – 4:30, pirit Championship. Guess you’re just going to have “Yes,” Roger exclaims, “and liketo those colts out9there, NorOFFICIAL BOUR cliffe loved training at Baker’s Mymajor first ‘Bigholidays Horse’, just Sunday 1 – 4,Acres. closed em all for yourself – it’s what Congress and former KENTUCKY DER Gerry Belanger is a consultant to the Thoroughbred Industry. lovely for me sitting on him, he always stopped right here and Abraham Lincoln would want. Bottoms up and see stood posing before we galloped.

Checking out the fox and buffalo Trace (www.buffalotrace.com) e races! geese in the 502-696-5926 infield, he would have stood for an hour if I’d or 1-800-654-8471, let him. Wonderful times, then we would canter around the A DISTILLERY 1001 Wilkinson Blvd., Franklin County, KY 40601 track, getting in the miles.”

Hill (www.heaven-hill.com) Free admission, reservations for groups of 25 or more Norcliffe was Roger Attfield’s first Queen’s Plate winner.

3921, 1074 Loretto Rd., Bardstown, KY 40004 Guided tour Roger elegantly represented every Thoroughbred horse trainission Hours:occasion Monday to wearing Friday silk 9 –top 3, Saturday 10 – 2, er for that milestone while hat and esday to Saturday 10 – 5, Sunday 12 – 4 closed tails, he has since kneltmajor before holidays Queen Elizabeth and has won October), closed major holidays the classic race a record seven more times.

Alan Zielonko is a freelance lifestyle writer Nevertheless, the breakdown of the Bane Patch or the apd Reserve (www.woodfordreserve.com) pearance of another quarter crack continued to be a worryPlease enjoy W 1812, 7855 McCracken Pike, Versailles, KY 40383ing possibility and even after Norcliffe had won the Queen’s resp Plate, Attfield continued the frequent use of the meadow trail sion (guests under 18 are free), includes post-tour as a training site.

Woodford Reserve D “I always grazed Norcliffe out there in the centerfield,” Straight Bourbon W The Woodford Reser Roger muses. “Magnificent standing there tail-swishing at

Young

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indisputable proof of greatness and bragging hin the response from the public and its critics. as won as many awards or received as much acout bourbonenthusiast.com) as Buffalo Trace: Year’ three times with Whisky Magazine (2005mes with Malt Advocate (2000 & 2005-2006) Wine Enthusiast Magazine in 2006. George T. ‘World Whiskey of the Year’ thrice with Jim ky Bible and Sazerac Rye 18 year collected Malt merican Whiskey of the Year’ awards in 2001 and s Single Barrel and Eagle Rare Single Barrel have d medals, and Pappy Van Winkle’s 20 Year Old raordinary 99 rating from Wine Enthusiast and Championship. Guess you’re just going to have l for yourself – it’s what Congress and former aham Lincoln would want. Bottoms up and see s!

DISTILLERY

www.heaven-hill.com) , 1074 Loretto Rd., Bardstown, KY 40004 n y to Saturday 10 – 5, Sunday 12 – 4 ober), closed major holidays

sampling at Visitor’s Center for those aged 21 and over 3 tours offered: a) guided educational session through the distillery explaining everything from the history of bourbon to the maturation and bottling process, b) cultural and educational evolution of the distillery, c) mechanical, chemical, technical and sensory aspects of producing bourbon Hours: Tuesday to Saturday 9 – 5, Sunday 12:30 – 4:30 (April to October) closed major holidays Jim beam (www.jimbeam.com) 502-543-9877, 149 Happy Hollow Road, Clermont, KY Free admission Film presentation and self-guided tour Hours: Monday to Saturday 9 – 4:30, Sunday 1 – 4, closed major holidays

THREE-TIME DOUBLE GOLD MED San Francisco World Spirits Competition

GOLD MEDAL/TOP H International Wine & S

"EXCEPTIONAL" RATI Beverage Tasting Inst

NAMED "BEST BOUR

by Kentucky Monthly OFFICIAL BOURBON KENTUCKY DERBY®

buffalo Trace (www.buffalotrace.com) 502-696-5926 or 1-800-654-8471, 1001 Wilkinson Blvd., Franklin County, KY 40601 Free admission, reservations for groups of 25 or more Guided tour Hours: Monday to Friday 9 – 3, Saturday 10 – 2, closed major holidays Alan Zielonko is a freelance lifestyle writer

serve (www.woodfordreserve.com) , 7855 McCracken Pike, Versailles, KY 40383 (guests under 18 are free), includes post-tour

Please enjoy Wood responsib

Woodford Reserve Distiller Straight Bourbon Whiskey, The Woodford Reserve Dist

PHOTOGRAPH BY DAVID LANDRY

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By M argie Fishm an

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Pottery Horsehair

One-Of-A-Kind Crafts

E

very week, artist Anna Whitworth receives at least 10 fistfuls of horsehair delivered to her Chapel Hill, TN post office box.

The feathery light envelopes arrive from all across the country--from trainers looking to memorialize Thoroughbred Champions, to owners simply wanting to honor their loyal pleasure horses, with a pot, a vase or an urn marked with that special horse’s hair.

Whitworth, a professional horsehair potter, takes that hair and creates one-of-a-kind designs concocted by a bit of nature and luck. She hand throws each piece and bisque fires it in a kiln. Then, she transfers it to an open fire pit, raising its temperature to about 1,000 degrees. Once the pottery is removed from the fire, she lays strands of hair one by one on the surface, watching them dance and sizzle on contact. What’s left is a permanent carbon trace, resembling black veins or ink scrawls.

To the horse’s owner, though, those smoky lines hold a deeper meaning.

For Fran Lambert, an avid horsehair pottery collector

and horseback riding instructor in McHenry, IL, the pottery is living art, a vestige of the animal that is more meaningful than a photograph gracing a mantle. She has commissioned Whitworth to design some 20 pieces over the years, sneaking into the stables to pluck hair from her students’ favorite horses to turn into Christmas ornaments.

“I see my animal and that is so personal and so special to me,” she said.

A relatively young Native American tradition, horsehair pottery was invented in the late 1980s—so the story goes—when a pueblo potter’s hair accidentally fell against the hot ware she was removing from her kiln. What followed was months of experimentation with straw, pine needles, feathers, and, finally, horsehair to achieve the desired effect: dramatic shading and lines that move with the contours of the clay. Horsehair will produce bold, broad lines, since it is generally longer and coarser than human

“I see my animal and that is so personal and so special to me.”

PHOTOGRAPHS WITH BLACK BACKGROUNDS BY SANDI NYREN, AND PHOTOGRAPHS WITH RED BACKGROUNDS BY ANNA WHITWORTH.

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Today, horsehair pottery is primarily found in the southwestern United States, although online storefronts allow potters to market and ship their wares around the globe.

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hair.

The craft was eventually passed down to other artists in the Native American community and beyond. Today, horsehair pottery is primarily found in the southwestern United States, although online storefronts allow potters to market and ship their wares around the globe. Sandi Nyren, a potter based in Southington, CT, even documents her technique on You Tube.

Prices start as low as $10 for ornaments and can top $100 for larger pieces embellished with Chinese turquoise, elk antlers or leather stitching. Some potters choose to layer hair over the entire vessel, while others prefer to mark only certain sections. To appeal to a wider audience, artists have branched out to include dog and cat hair.

Customers select their preferred shape, from jewelry boxes to picture frames to hanging lizards that can be sprayed with oxides to add a burst of seaglass blue or burnt russet, for example. (The white round pot remains the classic horsehair piece). Since the pottery is porous and not glazed, it is strictly for ornamental use. Some collectors choose to fill pots with dried flowers or place them next to a well-loved saddle.

While demand for the craft has grown over the past decade, only about a dozen professional potters in the U.S. regularly work with horsehair, according to several artists interviewed. That’s because creating just one piece is a lengthy, temperamental process. If a pot is too hot when removed from the kiln, the hair bleeds out without leaving an imprint. If it is too cool, the hair won’t stick. One unexpected wind gust and—poof!—a horse owner’s last memento disappears into a cloud.

“It’s a matter of moments,” explained Nyren, whose heart leaps when she hears the tink of a cracking pot that took four weeks to create. She uses an electric raku kiln in her garage.

“If nothing else, pottery teaches you a certain amount

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of patience,” she said. And a tolerance for the smell of burning hair.

Whitworth also takes the responsibility quite seriously.

She immediately labels each bag of hair she receives to avoid mix-ups later on. A certified therapeutic riding instructor, she taught herself the craft eight years ago to help heal friends mourning the loss of their companions. Roy Rogers may have stuffed his boy Trigger, but many horse owners don’t have the means to give their friends a proper burial or tribute.

“I’m crying with them when they lost their horse,” Whitworth explained. “I come back from shows emotionally drained.”

During her first craft show, at least 15 people inquired as to whether any horses were harmed in the process. (Answer: They’re not, since the hair comes from brushing the mane or tail or is clipped by a veterinarian when a horse is laid to rest).

One hundred test pots later, Whitworth exhibits her work at art galleries, barn stores, western furniture outlets, pow-wows, and at several horse expos throughout the year, including the Equine Affaire in Columbus, OH. Her championship roster includes famed quarter horse stallion “Rugged Lark” and paint stallion “TJ” from the movie Hidalgo. The owner of Zips Chocolate Chip was moved to tears, Whitworth recalled, after she created a pot in the shape of a chocolate chip for the world champion junior western horse. Whitworth’s company, From Earth to Art, even secured permission from the Kentucky Horse Park to use the hair from Thoroughbred racing legends Forego, John Henry and Cigar for a series of pieces.

Often, she will braid a piece of the horse’s actual hair around the neck of a vase, embellishing it with feathers.

Dog tags are substituted to honor a favorite fido. One time, a mountain man mailed in his beard hair. (The artist now prefers working with animal hair alone).

New Vir Thoroughbred

Like an abstract painting, pottery is subject to individual interpretation, Whitworth said. Her customers will detect images emerging from the haphazard designs of the hair, such as horses running or a menacing thunderstorm.

“It’s like the ‘Where’s Waldo’ of pottery,” she said.

Surprisingly, the craft is also the great equalizer of breeds. In horsehair pottery, the white hair of a Palomino and the black hair of a Tennessee Walker both burn black.

Subtle variations may exist depending on the texture of the horsehair. Thick greasy hair will create a harsh line, for instance, while finer hair delivers a wispier quality. Hair from different dog breeds is even more inconsistent, with poodle hair forming curlicues and border collie hair resembling tiny cracks in the stoneware clay.

Navajo artist Tom Vail refuses to interfere with the whims of the burning hair.

“When the horsehair pulls to the pot, it forms its own spider web,” he said.

Three generations of Vail’s family are engaged in the craft, etching elaborate designs to complement horsehair patterns on mass-produced molds of warriors, bear figurines and ceremonial wedding vases. Their wares—coveted by collectors--are distributed at Indian village markets, curio shops and on eBay. “The horse people are really the ones who have embraced this art,” said Deborah Saho, a software engineer by trade and a horsehair potter by passion. Saho runs a smaller shop than the Vails’ called Claypony Center in northern She 21 sellsand an average atness and bragging sampling at Visitor’s forCalifornia. those aged over of 400 pieces a year. public and its critics. 3 tours offered: a) guided educational session through the half of herexplaining clients are grieving the lossfrom of a the horse, she said, everything history ofincluding bour- one received as much Roughly ac- distillery weathered man who squirreled away his horse’s hair in a tack box for 30 years. bon to the maturation and bottling process, b) culturalThe andpotm) as Buffalo Trace: tery is also a popular gift exchanged within one family of horse enthusiasts, between sky Magazine (2005- educational evolution of the distillery, c) mechanical, chemimothers and daughters andand husbands and aspects wives. Saho’s own Rocky bourbon Mountain gaited cal, technical sensory of producing 2000 & 2005-2006) horse, has provided some the hair and non-custom Hours: Tuesday to of Saturday 9 – inspiration 5, Sundayfor12:30 – 4:30pieces. e in 2006. George T. Jordan, For commissioned work, Saho will often post a picture of the customer’s horse or a (April to October) closed major holidays Year’ thrice with Jim handwritten letter when shaping a pot.

8 year collected Malt “I just want be true(www.jimbeam.com) to the horse,” she explained.

Jimtobeam ’ awards in 2001 and On the bottom of each piece, sheHappy signs theHollow horse’s name andClermont, attaches a personal 502-543-9877, 149 Road, KY note, are Single Barrel have such as “To my beloved friend” or “We’ll miss you forever.”

Nearly every horse’s name Free admission Winkle’s 20 Year Old is unique, she has observed.

Film presentation and self-guided tour Wine Enthusiast and Occasionally, the scorched mysteriously “paint” the vessel in a reverse burn, Hours: Mondayhair to will Saturday 9 – 4:30, re just going to have Saho said, when the line an eerie white holidays with black edges. She calls this her “ghost Sunday 1 –turns 4, closed major Congress and former line.”

Bottoms up and see Her daughter prefers the term “little graves,” each one a tiny testament to a majestic buffalo Trace (www.buffalotrace.com) creature. 502-696-5926 or 1-800-654-8471,

“The horse people are really the ones who have embraced this art.”

THREE-TIME DOUBLE GOLD MEDAL, San Francisco World Spirits Competition GOLD MEDAL/TOP HONORS, International Wine & Spirits Challenge "EXCEPTIONAL" RATING, Beverage Tasting Institute NAMED "BEST BOURBON,”

by Kentucky Monthly Magazine OFFICIAL BOURBON OF THE KENTUCKY DERBY®

1001 Wilkinson Blvd., Franklin County, KY 40601 Free admission, reservations for groups of 25 or more Margie Fishman is an Atlanta-based freelance lifestyle writer.

Guided tour Hours: Monday to Friday 9 – 3, Saturday 10 – 2, closed major holidays

wn, KY 40004

y 12 – 4 s

Alan Zielonko is a freelance lifestyle writer

erve.com) sailles, KY 40383 ncludes post-tour

Please enjoy Woodford Reserve responsibly.

Woodford Reserve Distiller’s Select Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, 45.2% Alc. by Vol., The Woodford Reserve Distillery, Versailles, KY

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B c t C p ‘e B k c h

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H p K K w W f b a S b – R

T w T H R v M j S b t a W a l W

A t R i A i

Remington Park

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hen retired rancher and former racehorse trainer Ted Wells attends the races these days, it’s usually as the guest of his son Scott, President and General Manager of Remington Park racetrack in Oklahoma City. For the elder Wells, the contrast is stark between his earliest days of racing and today’s lavish surroundings. Whereas Ted learned lessons at rough and tumble bush tracks, his son gains experience presiding over a first-class modern racetrack complete with a casino.

“Oklahoma racing has come a long way,” Ted said. “We used to race anywhere they’d put up a purse and we’d run over any kind of racetrack. If you had a few bleachers and some shade, that was considered big-time. At one time, winning a race would hardly pay the feed bills. Now I see maidens running for purses of $20,000-$25,000.”

By Lisa Janssen ThoroughbredStyle

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Red Dirt Roots

For Ted and Scott, the journey has been long. Ted spent his childhood working cattle on horseback on his family’s ranch. After serving in the Army Air Corps during World War II, Ted broke horses for the famous 6666 Ranch and the Bateman Ranch. He won his first race at Ruidoso Downs in New Mexico in 1947 with a calf-roping horse.

By the early 1950s, Ted was supporting a growing family with prize money from local rodeos.

“My heart has always been with horses,” Ted said. “When I got a chance to train a stable for Walter Merrick in Denver in 1956, I jumped at it. I was leading trainer that season and that set me on my way to getting more good horses.”

Ted made a career of having fast horses, moving from competing in rodeos to training for the track. His work with Merrick introduced him to Bob’s Folly, a world-record setter that put Wells on the map. Within a few years, Ted became known as one of the top Quarter Horse racing breeders. Throughout those early days, his son Scott was present.

“Scott was involved in the racetrack from the time he was just a little kid. As soon as he was big enough I put him to work,” Ted said. “When I ran a bush track in the late ‘50s, Scott worked in the concession stands. I joke that Scott learned all his racetrack management skills from me.”

Scott said he counts himself lucky to have been raised in that environment. He said his experiences have instilled in him a respect for the hard work required in those days.

“My father was part of a generation the likes of which we’ll never see. They literally grew up on horses,” Scott said. “There’s no substitute for that instinct. I’m fortunate to be part of that and to have been in the saddle since I was six years old.”

“My heart has always been with horses,” Ted said.

“When I got a chance to train a stable for Walter Merrick in Denver in 1956, I jumped at it.

I was leading trainer that season and that set me on my way to getting more good horses.”

Sticking with Savannah Above: Ted Wells shown in 1947 with the stallion Leo, one of the cornerstones of the racing Quarter Horse breed.

PHOTOGRAPHS PROVIDED BY REMINGTON PARK

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““Savannah Jr. changed our lives forever,” Ted said.

“That horse enabled us to buy a breeding farm and to develop Azure Te and Easy Six and all the other good horses we raised over the years... “

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A pivotal event in the lives of both Scott and his father track manager. He served as Assistant General Manager occurred at Ruidoso Downs with a horse named Savannah of Hollywood Park and as General Manager of Ruidoso Jr. The grey colt seemed unbeatable in his first few races, Downs, the track where his father first gained fame.

Scott gained international experience when he was hired then began making mistakes and was outrun several times in 1999 by Lone Star Park to reopen the national racetrack in a row.

“He was a tough horse to train,” Ted said. “He would of Mexico. As the project manager, Scott oversaw the show he had world-class speed and then sometimes he’d retrofitting of the Hipodromo de las Americas in Mexico figure out a way to get himself beaten or disqualified. For- City, a track originally built in 1943. The grand opening was held in March, 2000. tunately for us, he fired at the right times.”

“To see that new grandstand filled to capacity with eaOne of those times occurred during the 1965 AllAmerican Futurity, set as the richest race of any kind in ger racing fans for the first time in many years was a great the world at $419,000. The experts picked Savannah Jr. to satisfaction,” Scott said. “It was a thrill to witness the level of enthusiasm that Latin run 11th that day, and he America has for horse racupset them all by flying ing.” down the muddy track Once the racing marand winning by two and a ket resurged in Mexico, half lengths. other countries followed “Savannah Jr. changed suit. Scott served as a conour lives forever,” Ted sultant on tracks in Peru, said. “That horse enabled Puerto Rico and Uruguay. us to buy a breeding farm He spent four years in and to develop Azure Montevideo, Uruguay reTe and Easy Six and all storing Maroñas national the other good horses racetrack, which opened we raised over the years. in June, 2003.

Every one of the 2009 “When I saw the track, AQHA World ChamI fell in love. It was a pions carries the blood magnificent old track of one or more of the covered in vines,” Scott horses I either trained or said. “When it opened, it stood at stud.” was wonderful to see the Ted’s determination dignitaries and celebrities with regard to Savannah come out to the races and Jr. impressed the younger celebrate these magnifiWells. After college, Scott cent animals.” trained Thoroughbreds Scott’s father, while not in 14 different states for quite a world traveler, did 18 years, and worked for Ted Wells on his ranch outside of Pawhuska, Oklahoma.

The 85-year-old cowboy rides frequently in the Osage Hills of his youth. accompany him to Latin Hall of Fame trainers Jack Van Berg and D. Wayne Lukas. But he said he credits America on occasion. On one of their trips to Argentina they purchased Lake’s Explorer, who set records on the his father as his most important teacher.

“Dad developed my instincts for horses and taught me track and is now a promising stallion. Scott said the horse a lot about training,” Scott said. “But his most important serves as a fond reminder of their travels together.

“It’s pretty amazing to see your son hobnobbing with lessons have been in what kind of man to be. He’s a man of good intentions and high integrity and I hope the same Presidents and Diplomats and doing TV and radio interviews in Spanish,” Ted said. “It’s a much different environcan be said of me.” ment than I’m used to. Scott has come a long way.”

Beyond Borders Scott held an entry-level position for a few years at Remington Park in 1990 before beginning his career as a Return to Remington

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Today, the indisputable proof of greatness and bragging Scott and wife left in from 2005 to rights lieshiswithin theUruguay response the public and its critics. return to Oklahoma City, where Scott has seen No distillery has won as many awards or received as much acRemington Park break increase purses colades (check outrecords, bourbonenthusiast.com) as Buffalo Trace: and emerge asofone the top three racetracks ‘Distiller theofYear’ three times with inWhisky Magazine (2005the2007), U.S., as three rated bytimes the Horseplayers with MaltAssociation Advocate (2000 & 2005-2006) of and North America. once with Wine Enthusiast Magazine in 2006. George T. Openedhas in won 1988, ‘World Remington was the state’s Stagg Whiskey of the Year’ thrice with Jim most popularWhisky tourist attraction untilSazerac an increase Murray’s Bible and Rye 18 year collected Malt in Advocate’s tribal casinos‘American left businessWhiskey in decline.ofThings the Year’ awards in 2001 and changed Oklahoma voters passedand legislation 2005.after Blanton’s Single Barrel Eagle Rare Single Barrel have in both 2004 to authorize machines racetracks. won gold slot medals, andatPappy Van Winkle’s 20 Year Old Despite competition from the 10499tribal casinos received an extraordinary rating from Wine Enthusiast and in World’s Oklahoma, the racetrack is resilient, Scott said.you’re just going to have Spirit Championship.

Guess “Our business levels have improved even over Congress and former to try them all for yourself – it’s what thePresident past six months of general economic decline,” Abraham Lincoln would want. Bottoms up and see Scott “Our casino has many more restricyousaid. at the races!

sampling at Visitor’s Center for those aged 21 and over Visitors to Remington can find Scott the at the 3 tours offered: a) guided educational session through track most racing days, and often his father distillery explaining everything from the history of bour- Ted will and comebottling down from his ranch in Pawhuska, bon to the maturation process, b) cultural and Okla. bronze statue c)ofmechanical, a horse and rider sits educational evolution of A the distillery, chemioutside aspects one of theofsuites, on loan bourbon from Ted and cal, technical and sensory producing his wife Vicki. a reminder of –days of racing Hours: Tuesday to Saturday 9 – 5,It’sSunday 12:30 4:30 past, and the holidays bond between a father and son.

(April to October) closed major Scott said the tradition and nostalgia of the races of his father’s time have shaped the evolution Jim beam (www.jimbeam.com) of the sport, which will Clermont, continue to KY grow and 502-543-9877, 149 Happy Hollow Road, change.

Free admission will always Film presentation and“There self-guided tourbe a connection between horses and9humans Hours: Monday to Saturday – 4:30, which is celebrated in horse said. “There are few things in life Sunday 1 – 4, closedracing,” major Scott holidays

as beautiful and thrilling. Horses have carried my father and me throughout our lives. We’ll never buffalo Trace (www.buffalotrace.com) and Ted Wells in the paddock at Remington Park in Oklahoma City forget those memories, and I hope to make many tions than our competitors, but we give our guests Sincott 502-696-5926 or 1-800-654-8471, April 2008. more.” theTOuR excitement A of live horse racing.”

DISTILLERY 1001 Wilkinson Blvd., Franklin County, KY 40601 Daily purses Remington Park average about $255,000 in 2009, as opHeaven Hillat(www.heaven-hill.com) Free admission, reservations for groups of 25 or more posed to $64,000 in 2004. quality of racing has improved.

502-348-3921, 1074Consequently, Loretto Rd.,the Bardstown, KY 40004 Guided tour Nationally-known stables make Remington Park a part of their circuit. Scott Along withMonday being a freelance writer Lisa works for Saxum Free admission Hours: to Friday 9 –Janssen 3, Saturday 10 – PR, 2, representatives of said a renewed stakes schedule for the 2009 Thoroughbred season in August Remington Park.

Hours: Tuesday to Saturday 10 – 5, Sunday 12 – 4 closed major holidays will(March make the even more tempting. totrack October), closed major holidays Remington raised the purses of the Oklahoma Derby to $400,000 and the Alan Zielonko is a freelance lifestyle writer Remington ParkReserve Oaks to $200,000.

On opening weekend of the upcoming Woodford (www.woodfordreserve.com) Thoroughbred meet in August, RemingtonPike, will host a $200,000 sprint 859-879-1812, 7855 McCracken Versailles, KY open 40383 and filly (guests and mare under sprint. Scott saidfree), he hopes to attract several of $5a $100,000 admission 18 are includes post-tour the Breeders’ Cup Sprint horses. The season will wrap up December 13 with a $200,000 mile stakes race for two-year-olds.

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hickasha, Oklahoma resident and horse farm owner Esten Leonard spends most of his time ministering to people in need. He walks among them during the day, and prays with them at night.

They are men and women of all faiths. Attendees to Leonard’s church services come as they are.

Sometimes they are in uniform, wearing helmets and jodhpurs. The average height of many of Leonard’s churchgoers is 5’3, and most weigh less than 150 lbs.

Leonard and his fellow chaplain Carl Crisswell minister to the jockeys, trainers, workout riders, grooms and other workers on the backside at Remington Park racetrack in Oklahoma City.

They provide church services, Bible study, devotionals, a food pantry, a clothes closet and they pray with the jockeys before every race. They do so as part of a national organization called Race Track Chaplaincy of America (RTCA).

“Our chaplains at Remington provide an invalu-

38 able service,” said Scott Wells, Remington Park President and General Manager. “In the racing industry, workers often spend so much time at the track it becomes their home away from home.

Having the chaplains provides a spiritual aspect of life on the track that is important to many of our horsemen.”

The RTCA was founded in1971, and provides chaplains at racetracks across North America.

There are more than 1,000 people living on these tracks 24 hours a day in the U.S. They are the backbone of the racing industry. The chaplains’ duty is to provide prayer and encouragement to the racing workforce.

“It’s kind of neat to have the answer to peoples’ problems,” Crisswell said. “When you preach the Bible and talk about what God can do for them, most problems can be solved.”

Leonard and Crisswell have been chaplains for more than 30 years at multiple tracks around the country. They said they strive to create a

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comfortable atmosphere for their congregation at Remington. Leonard said those outside of racing sometimes question the need for a ministry at the track. He argues there is a great need in the racing community for religion.

“It’s like its own little city,” Leonard said. “There are people just like your people who live there and have the same problems that people in your city are having and they need the Lord.”

Leonard said his congregation often feels alienated from typical church environments because of the sometimes negative connotation associated with racing and gambling. He said the change he sees in them inspires him to continue ministering.

“They haven’t felt comfortable in traditional worship settings,” he said. “By bringing the worship into their arena, they seem to accept it and realize that God is everywhere and that Jesus loves everybody and they aren’t an exception.”

ThoroughbredStyle

Thoroughbred Living Jean Cruguet Turns 70

Crowning affair A

Friends Celebrate as Jockey Jean Cruguet Turns 70

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By Cy nt hi a Grisoli a

he CastlePost sits on a steep hill in Versailles, KY. A medieval anachronism punctuated by stone walls and authentic turrets. The palace—once devastated by fire—

Photographs by EQUISPORT PHOTOS

is now a hotel and event venue fit for a king. Aptly, on March 7th, Triple Crown-winning jockey Jean Cruguet took over the joint for a 70th birthday bash, inviting about 200 of his closest friends along for the royal ride, including former Governor Julian Carroll, Hall of Fame jockey Chris McCarron, Senator Ernie Harris, and Derby-winning trainer Don Combs. Originally planned for May, the fete came together hurriedly when CastlePost reported a cancellation. “It was a miracle,” says LuAnne Burton, a breeder and dear friend of Cruguet’s who organized the soiree. Nevertheless, the fine details didn’t suffer. As an ice sculpture centerpiece dripped, guests dined on lobster, smoked meats, and raw oysters. Singer Tanita Gaines crooned with a jazzy combo, and a barbershop quartet entertained with four-part harmonies. Memorabilia from Cruguet’s career reminded friends of champions Hoist the Flag, Bold Reason, and Seattle Slew. In lieu of gifts, Cruguet asked supporters to donate to his charitable organizations. Still, some friends couldn’t resist, and presented him with a 42-inch flat screen TV. “The better to watch TVG,” joked a guest. “Maybe your handicapping will improve.” In the end, Cruguet reminded all that age is relative. “Thank you all,” he murmured. “70?” he laughed, “I thought I was still 50!”

Artist Wendy Tucker presented the former jockey with a commemorative Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew.

painting of

Photo above left: A glistening horse-head ice sculpture, crafted by Michael Stoddart of Season’s Catering in Lexington, adorned the buffet of sumptuous hors d’oeuvres created by CastlePost’s Chef Cameron Irvin and Sullivan University Chef John Foster.

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Atop the Grand Stairway. Party guests were invited to tour the elegant rooms of the newly renovated

CastlePost.

Michael Blowen, of the Thoroughbred retireOld Friends (one of the evening’s charities), his wife Diane White, and Debbie and Bill Van Den Dool, owners of The Black Tulip, a popular local bistro. Blowen presented Cruguet with a proclamation from Midway, KY Mayor Tom Bozarth officially naming March 9 “Jean Cruguet Day.” ment facility

Cruguet (center) greeted ex-Governor Carroll (left) and Castle owner Tom Post.

Cruguet and McCarron (far right) celebrated with Secretariat.

Leonard Lusky (left) and friend Linda Fouchee.

com’s

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Thoroughbred Life

hat t know That and s Nest Bluegrass region, the W certainly plays its part, the finest bourbon ever Call it liquid gold if yo poetic about its compl ‘experts’ do. Me, I jus But if you’ve been to t know something more closer to the state’s mo horse farms.

r u ffi a n s f o r R a ci n g

About the Ruffians:

g s. ce: 56) T. m lt d e d d e er e

‘Ruffians for Racing’ was formed by three ladies who are passionate about horses and horse racing: Nansee Junis, Jan Hawthorne and Dawn Spilman.

It is the mission of the group to attract more and more women to share the experience of horse racing and add them to their “Ruffians for Racing” entourage going forward. Future events will include race days, equine fundraisers, Breeders Cup parties, fashsampling at Visitor’s Center for those aged 21 and over ion shows and other fun social affairs to revive the 3 tours offered: a) guided educational session through the golden era and glamorous days of attending the race distillery explaining everything from the history of bourtracks. Ruffians will add equine causes to each event bon to the maturation and bottling process, b) cultural and particularly for charities to benefit retired racehorses. educational evolution of the distillery, c) mechanical, chemiHooked on Santa Anita from five years old, Nansee cal, technical and sensory aspects of producing bourbon is now living the dream as a leader in equine creative Hours: Tuesday to Saturday 9 – 5, Sunday 12:30 – 4:30 marketing, Dark Horse Communications, with Santa (April to October) closed major holidays Anita as a client, and has recently brought her own beloved race horse to Santa Anita. Jan is the owner of Jim beam (www.jimbeam.com) Double J H Stables and board member of CARMA, 502-543-9877, 149 Happy Hollow Road, Clermont, KY an organization that supports retired race horses.

Free admission An avid horse racing fan and equestrian, Dawn is Film presentation and self-guided tour the creative director of advertising at Spilman Studio Hours: Monday to Saturday 9 – 4:30, and owner of boutique, Leap, in Calabasas.

Sunday 1 – 4, closed major holidays Our first event at Santa Anita Park was a huge success and attended by trainers Gary Mandella and Ron buffalo Trace (www.buffalotrace.com) Ellis, a professional handicapper to instruct the la502-696-5926 or 1-800-654-8471, dies and a welcome visit from President, Ron Charles.

1001 Wilkinson Blvd., Franklin County, KY 40601 Ladies who would like to come on board Free admission, reservations for groups of 25 or more as a Ruffian, can email us at Ruffians4RacGuided tour ing@gmail.com and our site is in progress at: Hours: Monday to Friday 9 – 3, Saturday 10 – 2, www.ruffiansforracing.com

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4 THREE-TIME DOUBLE GOLD MEDAL, San Francisco World Spirits Competition GOLD MEDAL/TOP HONORS, International Wine & Spirits Challenge "EXCEPTIONAL" RATING, Beverage Tasting Institute

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The Stables may be virt where the barn is) but t The first was a well-bre Heart, a name chosen b Reserve Thoroughbred vote. Now retired and Myheartsreserved, was b joined by stablemate An Share calls Churchill D by thousands of horse f the Stables website (www and at membership ga What gets Woodford f and again? “The thrill like you’ve got a stake Woodford Reserve Bra

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According to Nelson, the Stables site they no Reserve Thoroughbred instantly become a vir And, as owners would information on the fill

NAMED "BEST BOURBON,”

by Kentucky Monthly Magazine OFFICIAL BOURBON OF THE KENTUCKY DERBY®

closed major holidays

Alan Zielonko is a freelance lifestyle writer

3

Please enjoy Woodford Reserve responsibly.

1: Allen Gutterman, VP of Marketing, Santa Anita Park 2: Bella Guanche and furry friend on a carriage ride 3: Aimee Nourse (left) and Laura Greene, happy winners 4: Ruffians Co-founder Dawn Spilman(left) with guest, Dr Anna Guanche 5: Horses breaking from the gate!

6: Trainer Ron Ellis givng Dr. Anna Guanche handicapping lesson 7: Erin Flinn (left) and Eliisa Stowell 8: Ruffians Co-founder Jan Hawthorne with trainer Gary Mandella (note: Jan owns Double JH Stables) 9: Co-founder Nansee Junis, Director of Corporate Relations, Santa Anita

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Woodford Reserve Distiller’s Select Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, 45.2% Alc. by Vol., The Woodford Reserve Distillery, Versailles, KY

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Hence the connection. partnered with Church Kentucky to become th Kentucky Derby, and it co with a limited-edition bo Woodford Reserve Mint for race fans, and indulgi brunch at the distillery is another local landmark, n So it should come as no s bourbon took its passion – purchasing its own hor Reserve Stables!

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the first horse

10: Dawn Spilman and Dr. Anna Guanche 11: Ruffians Jenna Roman and Leslie Conrey 12: Dawn Spilman, Dr. Anna Guanche, daughter Bella on a carriage ride 13: Donna Lane and Chrissy Kitkat

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handicap their next win

14: Jay Cohen welcomes the ladies with a song

15: Winners Circle photo sent from Santa Anita. PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF BENOIT PHOTO 16: Santa Anita served a lovely meal with extra horsey surprises

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17: Angela Cochran (left), and Michelle Lombardo.

18: Race card for Ruffians Race.

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