Frisky Cat’s mother wasn’t much of a racehorse, but his sire, Tale of the Cat, was a multiple graded stakes winner, as was his damsire, Dynaformer. It seemed reasonable to expect that Frisky Cat, foaled in 2009, might be a moderate success on the racetrack. But, not infrequently, even horses with good bloodlines don’t find…
How do you handicap a horse race? It depends on whom you ask. In Esquire TV’s new reality series Horseplayers, viewers will see both traditional and unorthodox approaches to wagering as cameras follow seven men trying to qualify for the National Handicapping Tournament, held next week in Las Vegas. Team Rotondo will show viewers the tried-and-true. Peter…
The sport of horse racing is the only instance where the participation of blacks stopped almost completely while the sport itself continued—a sad commentary on American life…Isaac Murphy, so highly admired during his time for his skills and character, would have been ashamed of his sport. –Arthur Ashe, quoted by Edward Hotaling in They’re Off!…
Earlier this year, Paul Roberts and Isabelle Taylor published Racecourse Architecture, highlighting the world’s most beautiful and luxurious racecourses, among them Happy Valley in Hong Kong, Ascot in England, and Meydan in Dubai. In the book and in Roberts’ presentations on the subject, he suggests that as pressure for gambling dollars become more intense, the quality…
He’s among the quieter riders out there, seldom seeking the spotlight, but as 2013 comes to a close, jockey Javier Castellano may well be on the verge of winning his first Eclipse Award. On December 13, the Venezuela native broke the single season earnings record set in 2012 by Ramon Dominguez, forced to retire earlier…
“The road to the Kentucky Derby might be through the Jungle!” cried Betfair Hollywood Park race caller Vic Stauffer on Saturday afternoon, as the undefeated two-year-old gelding Shared Belief romped in the CashCall Futurity, winning by nearly six lengths and making it look easy. An undefeated, stakes-winning two-year-old in a race considered a Derby prep…
Last Wednesday, the Reorganization Board of the New York Racing Association approved a 2014 budget that included hikes in admission fees at Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course, from $3 to $5 for the grandstand, and from $5 to $8 for the clubhouse. The increase is designed to offset an expected $1.8 million deficit caused…
Mainstream media’s attention to horse-racing ended with the Breeders’ Cup earlier this month, but Thoroughbred racing—and important Thoroughbred racing—continues this weekend, with significant races with championship implications happen today and tomorrow at Churchill Downs and Aqueduct respectively. While the value of an Eclipse Award is debatable, the honor is nonetheless coveted by owners and breeders,…
During his playing days, it was hard to find someone with an unkind thing to say about Marty Biron. His quick sense of humor and affable naure made him a favorite with both fans and teammates, and his retirement announcement earlier this month elicited kudos from fans, and predictions from hockey professionals, including Toronto Sun…
On Saturday afternoon at Santa Anita Park, Jim Rome did something few horse owners have accomplished: he won a Breeders’ Cup race for the second consecutive year. Two days later and 2,000 miles away, he sold the horse that did it for him, Mizdirection, for $2.7 million. Rome runs his horses in the name of…
Brooklyn Backstretch 