Rose Suspended Six Months For Striking Own Mount

Jockey Jeremy Rose was suspended six months for an incident Monday when he hit his mount in the face with a whip during the third race at Delaware Park on Monday (video of race below).

From The Blood-Horse:

In the official ruling, Delaware Park stewards contended that Rose “engaged in extreme misuse of the whip during the stretch run while on the horse Appeal to the City.” John Wayne, executive director of the Delaware Thoroughbred Racing Commission, said the horse experienced some hemorrhaging around its eye due to contact with Rose’s whip.

In addition to the suspension, the 29-year-old jockey is required to complete an approved anger management class and is responsible for all veterinarian bills for Appeal to the City. Kudos to the Delaware stewards for acting swiftly and handing down what appears to be a fair punishment.

Since this suspension will be honored by other states, it means that Rose will lose a half year of income through lost mounts -- he is currently the second leading money earner at Delaware Park. Let's hope Rose doesn't win his appeal.

Race Replay


Head-on Replay

Congressional Summary

The major piece of news from today's hearing on "Breeding, Drugs, and Breakdowns" before the House Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection is that a bill will be introduced sometime this legislative session.

From The Daily Racing Form:

Somewhat surprisingly, the majority of racing officials who appeared on the committee's first panel agreed with the contention that racing needs a national governing authority, and several said that all race-day drugs - including the ubiquitous diuretic furosemide and the painkiller phenylbutazone - should be banned, in line with other major racing countries around the world.

In response to a question posed by Rep. Jan Schakowsky, a Democrat from Illinois and vice chair of the subcommittee, all six racing officials on the hearing's first panel said that performance-enhancing drugs should be banned. Four of the racing representatives - Arthur Hancock, the owner of Stone Farm; Jess Jackson, the owner of Stonestreet Stables; Randy Moss, the television analyst; and Jack Van Berg, the Hall of Fame trainer - went even further, calling for a ban on all drugs.

I'm not sure that a bill will survive the legislative process(see below) during an election year when most politicians (and members of the public) are more focused on fuel costs, housing prices, health care reform, and Iraq war policy than they are about race-day doping.

Dutrow Scratches from Congressional Hearing

There will be a change in Thursday's card on Capitol Hill, scratch trainer Rick Dutrow from your programs. The trainer will not appear before the House Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection due to illness.

From The Canadian Press:

Rick Dutrow said Wednesday he has had a virus for several days and did not feel well enough to travel.

"I would go in a minute, but I just don't feel well," Dutrow said in a telephone interview. "To go down there when I'm not on top of my game would not be right."

Anyone really believe that Dutrow is (cough), really sick? Although it would have been nice to hear him have to answer for the fact that he's had at least one positive drug result every year since 2000, truth be told, fans of the sport are probably better off that this arrogant prick didn't testify before the boys on the hill, Thank god this clown's horse didn't win the Triple Crown...

New "Win and You're In" Races for Breeders' Cup Dirt Marathon, Dirt Mile

The Breeders' Cup added some more races to the list of the "Win and You're In" today, bringing the total number of races that will give an automatic berth to a Breeders' Cup race to 57.

Three of the races will guarantee a slot for the 1 1/2 mile Dirt Marathon race, which will be run for the first time this year while another was added for the Dirt Mile, which will be run for the second time.

The new races are:

Dirt Marathon
Greenwood Cup, Philadelphia Park, July 19
Cougar II Handicap, Del Mar, July 30
Turfway Fall Championship, Turfway Park, Sept. 6

Dirt Mile
Tiznow Stakes, Louisiana Downs, Sept. 20.

While it's nice to see tracks like Philadelphia Park and Turfway Park (as well as tracks from Hong Kong and Europe) get included in the "Win and You're In" programs, I'm worried that the increase from 24 to 57 races might be too much. That being said, many of the horses that win these races would likely consider going to the Breeders' Cup anyway, and if the point is to make the idea a "Thoroughbred Championship" easier for the non-racing public to comprehend, then I guess these additions are a step in the right direction.... if the public actually notices.

And does a mile and a half dirt race at Turfway seem odd to anyone else? Are they going to start the race from the nearby Florence water tower?

My Old Kentucky Home: Stephen Foster Day Selections

Even though he's carrying 10 more pounds than everyone else, it's hard to go against Curlin today in the Stephen Foster Handicap. My Pick Four partner and I singled him in our Pick Four, but did use Einstein in our Pick 3s. Also, I like Ballymore Lady at 15-1 as my value play of the day in the Mint Julep Handicap (GIII).

Here are my thoughts on the stakes races on the Stephen Foster card:

Race 6: Fleur De Lis Handicap (GII)
I thought that Cowgirls Don't Cry was a good spoiler, but she has scratched, which makes it really hard to play against Hystericalady here -- consider using her as a single in Pick 3s.

Race 7: Regret (GIII)
I expect Zee Zee to look very similar to the way she did in the Edgewood Stakes at Churchill on Derby week -- the one to beat. Magical Theater and Miss Mafioso are two who looked great last out over the Churchil turf, both have a chance to impress this stakes debut.

Race 8: Northern Dancer (GIII)
I know it's not exciting, but I really think it's down to the three Derby horses here, will be using Recapturetheglory, Pryo and Visionaire in Pick4s and Pick 3s accordingly.

Race 9: Jefferson Cup (GII)
I'm going to play against Halo Najib here and like Bobby Blue Eyes and Go West Bert, sticking with today's theme of "previous success over the track." Wicked Style certainly didn't have success here last out, but could improve second off of a layoff, and will use accordingly.

Race 10: Stephen Foster Handicap (GI)
It's obviously hard to play against Curlin here, although I will use Einstein in a Pick 3 in case the "back from Dubai" curse is a factor (it wasn't an issue for Benny The Bull last week).

Race 11: Mint Julep Handicap (GIII)
Just beaten here on Derby Day, Dreaming of Anna looks like a hard one to beat, but I really like Ballymore Lady, who looked great in her allowance win last out at Churchill, but has also been working bullets at this track like it's her job.

Daughter of Winning Colors Impressive in Churchill Downs Debut

2-year-old Ocean Colors wins debut at Churchill Downs

(Photo: Reed Palmer/Churchill Downs)

Ocean Colors, the second to last foal from 1988 Kentucky Derby winner Winning Colors, won her debut today at Churchill Downs.

Breaking sharply under Shaun Bridgmohan, the grey filly covered five furlongs in a meet best :57.08. Going off as the second choice, she defeated the field of six other 2-year-olds in front running fashon, beating favorite Jehan by 5 1/4 lengths.

“She sure has a lot of class,” trainer Steve Asmussen said in a release. “I didn’t know she’d be that fast from the (starting) gate. Who knows how good she might be?”

Ocean Colors is sired by sprint champion Orientate and is the next-to-last foal from Winning Colors, who was euthanized in February after a bout with colic. Of her 10 foals, her highest money earners, Golden Colors ($509,000, by Mr. Prospector in 1993) and Danzig Colors ($252,480, by Danzig in 1994), both raced in Japan.

Stephen Foster Handicap Field Set; Curlin Draws the Rail

Nine rivals will take on 2007 Horse of the Year Curlin in Saturday's 1 1/8 mile Stephen Foster Handicap (GI) at Churchill Downs. Although Student Council did not enter the race (like Steve Asmussen guessed he would after he saw the weight assignments) Curlin will face an honest field that includes Donn Handicap (GI) winner Brass Hat and Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (GI) winner Einstein. Because there will be at least one Grade I winner in the race, the purse will increase from $750,000 to $1 million.

Other horses to note in the other Stephen Foster Day stakes races include: Derby contenders Pyro, Recapturetheglory and Visionaire in the Northern Dancer (GIII); Pure Clan, Absolutely Cindy and Zee Zee in the Regret (GII); and Halo Najib and Old Man Buck in the Jefferson Cup.

Early thoughts on possible singles in Pick 3s and 4s include Hystericalady in the Fleur De Lis (GII) and Dreaming of Anna in the Mint Julep (GIII) -- they are both heavyweights at 121 and 123 pounds in their respective handicaps.

Stephen Foster Handicap Horse Jockey Weight 1 Curlin Albarado 128 2 Delightful Kiss Mena 114 3 Sam P. Desormeaux 113 4 Einstein (BRZ) Leparoux 118 5 Grasshopper Gomez 117 6 High Blues Lanerie 113 7 Red Rock Creek Bridghohan 113 8 Jonesboro Theriot 114 9 Barola Castanon 113 10 Brass Hat Borel 116

New York Stewards Summon Desormeaux

Well, I guess I'm not done writing about this after all...

When I said yesterday that I wouldn't write anything more about jockey Kent Desormeaux's ride in the Belmont Stakes unless he was fined or suspended by the stewards, I really thought I was done. Well, if the New York stewards are going to do anything, they took their first step when they summoned Desormeaux for an interview today at noon.

From The New York Times:

"Everybody wants to talk about the ride," he said before entering the meeting with stewards. "You’re going to have to ask the stewards about it. I gave my interview after the race, and I really have nothing more to say."

When Desormeaux was asked about Dutrow’s criticism as he left the meeting at about 12:20 p.m., he refused comment again.

"I’ve been kind through the whole Triple Crown," he said. "I’m not saying anything more."

Dutrow said Desormeaux seemed intent on staying behind the early leaders in the Belmont despite the fact Big Brown had the most early natural speed. The colt was throwing his head around in the early going, a possible sign that he was fighting Desormeaux. Big Brown was third for much of the race but gave no response when Desormeaux tried to make a move on the final turn.

Big Brown was eventually eased, which Dutrow said was unnecessary and embarrassed him.

I have no idea if any sort of disciplinary action will come out of today's meeting, but it is refreshing to see that the stewards at least half way acknowledged that there might be an issue and actually met with Desormeaux over the incident.

In related news, it looks like Desormeaux and Dutrow also met this morning and, according to Dutrow, are "back on target." (Translation: The owner says I can't have Edgar Prado, so you'll do).

IEAH Sticks with Desormeaux Despite Dutrow's Concerns

IEAH co-President Michael Iavarone told the New York Times that the current plan is to stick with jockey Kent Desormeaux in Big Brown's next race, even though trainer Rick Dutrow said he would consider making a change.

From The New York Times:

“If it were up to me, I would seriously consider it,” Dutrow said. “But Kent was never my pick to begin with. That was Mike Iavarone’s move. My pick was always Edgar Prado. Edgar’s my man.”

Iavarone, the co-president of the syndicate that owns Big Brown, said Tuesday that no changes would be made before Big Brown’s next race, which will either be the Haskell Invitational at Monmouth on Aug. 3 or the Travers Stakes at Saratoga on Aug. 23.

“As far as I am concerned, there will be no changes,” Iavarone said. “I don’t think anybody was happy with the ride, including Kent. But I’m not going to sit here and say that’s the reason why we couldn’t keep up with those horses. It had to be one element of many. Unless we find something wrong with the horse over the next few days, everything else is speculation.”

So with that, unless the New York Stewards were to actually suspend or fine Desormeaux (which is highly unlikely), I think this is probably the end of my coverage of Desormeaux's bad ride in the Belmont Stakes.

Now on to Steve Asmussen's decision to take Curlin to the Stephen Foster Handicap despite his concerns about the high weight...

Seattle Slew's Trainer Critical of Desormeaux

Now you can add Bill Turner to the list of people who think Kent Desormeaux was wrong to pull Big Brown out of the Belmont Stakes this weekend.

Turner, the trainer of 1977 Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew, called the results "a disaster."

From The Blood-Horse:

"I’ll tell you one thing. You never, ever pull up a horse who’s structurally sound. No jock should ever pull up a horse in a classic race. If he had bobbled, that’s one thing. But he had a hard time pulling him up. When he did pull him up, he was sound! He took him out of the race. In the 1960s, ’70s, and even into the 1980s, the New York stewards would have run him (Desormeaux) out of New York and told him not to come back.”

The way he echos my argument from earlier in the week, I'd think Turner was a regular reader of my blog. If jocks start to regularly pull up their mounts when they're out of the money, horses are going to start being put in dangerous and possibly deadly situations.

Turner continued:

“He was getting beat and he couldn’t stand it,” Turner said. “When I saw him pull up, I thought, ‘Oh, no! He’s broken down and the rider’s saving him.’ But then I saw him when he walked off and there was nothing wrong with the horse. The horse was happy. He would have beaten most of the horses in the Belmont…No wonder (trainer) Rick Dutrow had nothing to say after the race. What can you say? The stewards have got to do something to prevent this from becoming a regular practice. They can’t allow this kind of thing to go on.”

It's easy to blame the jockey when things go wrong, and as I said on Sunday, I'm not usually a person who will pile on a jock. And while it's true that Desormeaux can't (and shouldn't) be blamed totally for Big Brown's loss, I think it is certainly fair to question his ride during the race -- particularly the decision to pull the horse up. However, Desormeaux's actions in the Belmont were just more of the same for those of us who've watched him give up on mounts that were being beat in the stretch. The only thing that was different this time is that he gave up on national television and in front of 95,000 fans.

I agree with Turner that something must be done. I was hesitant to fully make this argument before we were certain that the horse was free of injury, but since all the post-race examinations have come back clean and Desormeaux has failed to provide a adequate reason for pulling up the horse (other than the fact that he wasn't going to win), it is time to demand that he be suspended and fined.

Churchill's Creates "Matrix" Bet

Beginning Wednesday Churchill Downs will offer a new wager that will allow on-track bettors to place a packaged win, exacta and trifecta bet at a lower cost than the usual individual minimum.

From Churchill Downs:

Called “The Matrix,” the unique format, which costs a minimum total of $9, enables bettors to name three horses on one ticket, which in turn provides them with 15 combinations featuring those three horses. If any of them wins, two of them run one-two, or all three of them run 1-2-3, the player collects an increasing payout for the number of correct selections."

A new betting pool will not be created, instead when the bet is played the total wager will be divided into the win, exacta and trifecta wagering pools. So a $9 minimum bet would places 60 cents on each of the 15 combinations. The new bet will only be offered to on-track bettors during this initial test-phase that will last through the Spring meet, which ends July 6.

The bet is an interesting idea, and when compared to other recent ideas (like the failed over/under bet) it's not that bad considering that it is using already existing pools and this simple format might actually appeal to the novice bettor. However, I'm curious what kind of odds you would need on the top horse to get to make it out of your bet.

That being said, any time a new bet is created, I keep going back to the same argument -- Churchill and Magna should stop trying to create new bets (and formats) and instead drop the minimums -- bring on the Trifecta and Pick four for 50 cents.

Babe! Dutrow Critical of Desormeaux

Add trainer Rick Dutrow to the list of people who are critical of Kent Desormeaux's trip on Big Brown in the Belmont Stakes. Right or wrong, it looks like Desormeaux will be Dutrow's scapegoat. While he didn't go as far as I did (I called Desormeaux lazy), Dutrow certainly doesn't sound happy.

Here are some Dutrow samples from The Daily Racing Form:

On pulling the horse up: "I don't know why he had to do that. If he felt the horse was sore, yeah, but the horse was fighting him the whole way through the lane and he was fighting the horse the whole way up till the lane. I just don't get the whole thing."

On the trip: "Getting the horse from the gate to the first turn like that is not the way to play the game," Dutrow said. "A lot of people say that it really confuses the horse. I'm sure he didn't have [any] idea what the hell was going on going into the first turn the way [Desormeaux] was switching him all over the damn track. I don't know what he was doing. Did he tell you what he was doing?"

On possible excuses: I know it's not the combination that our stable has with the horse, me, [exercise rider] Michelle [Nevin], the groom. I know he went into this race unbelievable, so the rest Kent's got to answer."

On not hearing from Desormeaux: "A lot of people came back to the barn - a lot of people - Desormeaux wasn't one of them."

I think the most interesting this about all of this is that Dutrow says --and Desormeaux seems to confirm this -- that the order was to take Big Brown to the lead like in the Flordia Derby, not set the horse outside on the lead like he did in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness. It looked to me like Desormeaux had all the opportunity in the world to get to the lead, and was instead holding the horse from getting there -- I don't get it.

As far as not visiting the barn, Desormeaux said that immediately after the race that it looked like Dutrow looked like he needed his space. I'll agree that the sweat-soaked trainer did look just a bit cranky post-Belmont, but not reaching out by now (and only calling an IEAH partner) was probably a mistake.

It looks like that pat that Desormeaux gave Big Brown after the race might have been the last time that he will have any contact with the horse. While Dutrow didn't come out and say that he would switch jocks next time out -- I think you can read between the lines and figure out if Desormeaux will be in the irons if Big Brown ever races again.

One interesting thing that Desormeaux did suggest is that the three week layoff between the Preakness and Belmont might have been too much time off. Too much time? I didn't see that coming... the month between the Florida and Kentucky Derby certainly didn't seem to hurt the horse.

Curlin May Skip Foster Handicap Due to Weight Assignment

Steve Asmussen is reportedly upset about the 128 pounds Curlin has been assigned for Saturday's Stephen Foster Handicap (GI). So upset that he told the Daily Racing Form: “It might eliminate us from running."

While it is certainly a lot of weight, it isn't the most Curlin has ever carried, as he was assigned 132 pounds during the February handicap in Dubai that he used to prep for the World Cup.

I'm not sure what Asmussen expected, but I think Churchill Downs racing secretary Ben Huffman probably made a fair assignment. Hell in the end, if Curlin toys with this field it will actually mean that he wasn't assigned enough weight.

From The Daily Racing Form:

“He’s won the Breeders’ Cup, reeled off four in a row, took the Jockey Club, and easily beat Dubai World Cup horses,” Huffman said. “It’s a lot of weight, but he’s a lot of horse.”

Huffman said he didn’t feel pressure to conservatively assign weight to Curlin, even after Churchill Downs has heavily marketed Curlin’s expected appearance in the race in recent weeks.

He said Curlin needed to be weighted appropriately to ensure participation from other horses.

The DRF reports that weight assignments for the other horses on the probable list are: Student Council (120), Einstein (118), Grasshopper (117), Brass Hat (116), Delightful Kiss (114), Jonesboro (114), Barcola (113), High Blues (113), Red Rock Creek (113) and Sam P. (113).

Quote Context: Was Desormeaux being safe or lazy?

Almost immediately after the race was finished, jockey Kent Desormeaux made a statement that was broadcast on ABC about not being in fifth place and pulling up Big Brown to take care of him.

Here is how The Daily Racing Form's Jay Privman got the quote:

"I wasn't going to be fifth," he said, referring to the worst placing a horse can have and still receive a paycheck in the Belmont. "This is the best horse I ever rode. I took care of him."

Where was the part about the horse being injured?

And what did he mean not being fifth? Did Desormeaux mean: I won't make it to fifth in the end, I'll be worse, so why chance it.

It sounded more to me as if Desormeaux was instead saying: There is no way I was going to let my horse finish fifth, he's better than that... we'll come back another day.

Can that be right?

I didn't set my DVR to record and didn't think about listening again at the time, but I certainly at the at the time thought that Desormeaux was saying his rationale for pulling up this horse was that he wasn't winning. I was shocked he was actually admitting what I had suspected for years.

I guess I should offer some context to my anti-Desormeaux bias.

Oversleeping and missing a workout on Sweetnorthernsaint leading up to the 2006 Derby and misjudging the finish line in a race at Keeneland last year (a mistake that resulted in a $2,500 fine) may seem trite when used as specific examples of recent slip-ups from Desormeaux. However I think this two high-profile mistakes are just a part of a pattern of what I think is a lazy work ethic.

Yes, I called him lazy.

If you think I'm being unfair, pay attention the next time Desormeaux is on a horse that is considered "live" but is getting beat and isn't going to win. See if it looks to you like he's fighting to get up for second or third place or if it looks like he's giving up in the stretch. I'm pretty sure it will be the latter.

I've watched this happen time and time again over the past few years -- if this guy isn't winning, he just seems to give up and quit. And I know I'm not the only one who notices, because I have heard other people at the track make the same complaints.

I think if you search the archives you will be hard pressed to find an example of me beating up on a jockey like this. While I regularly criticize others in the industry for poor judgements, colossal failures, and bad ideas, I usually don't openly rant about a bad ride from a jockey. I figure that in the end when you add up the good rides and the bad rides, it all comes out in the wash. But there is a difference between a bad ride and a lazy ride.

So back to the quote about fifth place, what did he mean?

We don't really know why Desormeaux pulled up Big Brown. He just says he was out of gas. Does that mean he pulled the horse up just because he didn't fire when asked? If Desormeaux didn't hear or feel anything wrong (other than the horse not responding) and he pulled him up, doesn't that just mean that he folded up his table and went home? If he truly thought the horse was hurt, why didn't he dismount? Instead Desormeaux galloped the horse to the finish line after he was eased.

The only reason to pull up a horse is because he is injured... not because he will only finish fifth or because he can't get to fifth.

If either of those is indeed the case, he would have already been fined and possibly suspended in Hong Kong or Europe by now...and the same should be the case in this country. I'm not trying to make an argument for racing horses that could possibly be injured, I'm just making a case for racing a healthy horse to the best possible outcome he can achieve -- I'm just afraid that didn't happen in the Belmont Stakes.

Initial Thoughts

I was at my sister's house helping her move this afternoon, and prior to the race my family had a blind-draw for the Belmont horses with each participant paying $5 per horse. When my adorable 13-year-old cousin asked me what I thought about Da'Tara's chances, I kindly patted her on the head and told her, "He'll probably finish dead last."

After watching replays, several of my family members (who only tune in for Triple Crown races) said they thought it looked like Kent Desormeaux never really asked the horse and instead appeared to be holding Big Brown the entire race. Several asked if I thought Desormeaux could have possibly thrown the race, and while I don't think so, that is at least some insight as to what the non-racing fan might see after watching the race.

Did we just see Big Brown's last race? More later when I return this evening...

Belmont Day Thoughts

I've made it no secret that I don't like Big Brown going into the Belmont Stakes today. Earlier in the week a friend of mine said that the horse is going against bad hoofs, missed training days and 30 years of history... I tend to agree.

That being said, the loss of Casino Drive certainly does make Big Brown's quest a little easier. However, I think it's entirely possible for Macho Again, Anak Nakal, Denis of Cork and Tale of Ekati to all play the role of spoiler. I also like Guadalcanal under in exotics and will play him accordingly.

I think the Manhattan and Woody Stephens are wide open, and that for the sake of cost of a ticket you can go real deep in those legs after you single both Big Brown and Indian Blessing and hope for the best (my partner and I did the same thing on Preakness Day with Big Brown and Lantana Mob and cashed for $600). However, most of my plays for he day will be Pick 3s around Indian Blessing. In the Belmont race itself, I won't be playing Big Brown on top in any of my tickets and will attempt to play a Pick Four beating him, while not going quite as deep in the other legs.

Possible Injury to Casino Drive

The Thoroughbred Times reports that Casino Drive missed a planned training trip to the Belmont track today due to unspecified problems with his left hind leg.

From The Thoroughbred Times:

"Right now our decision is to run ... We didn't like his way of moving," said Nobutaka Tada, the racing manager for owner Hidetoshi Yamamoto. "So we just didn't go to the track this morning. He's just walking in the shed. Tomorrow morning we will see."

Tada said it was not clear why Casino Drive was walking differently than he usually does.
"[It] may be a stone bruise," Tada said. "We don't know yet. He's not lame, he's just slightly [off] .... We'll see tomorrow how he does. We entered the horse, we are going ahead with the horse, we are preparing for the race."

Tada said a veterinarian had examined Casino Drive, and further evaluations would be made throughout the day on Friday.

"We're always honest [with the media]," Tada said. "We don't hide anything."

I'm not sure if this news changes my betting strategy, which up until now was to try to beat Big Brown with about four other horses in exotics and multi-race bets (I'd rather spend money trying to beat him than win 10 cents on the dollar betting him to win ). If going into tomorrow, Casino Drive is a post-time decision, I think I'll still plan to include him in my Pick 4 -- if he is a late scratch, that just means that Big Brown will be added to my ticket, right?

Big Brown vs. Curlin: Suffolk Downs offers a $5 million carrot

Should an undefeated Curlin face an undefeated Big Brown in the Sept. 20 Massachusetts Handicap, Suffolk Downs announced today that it will increase the total purse from $500,000 to $5 million. The added funds will include a $1 million "participation bonus" for both horses.

If either horse has a defeat going into the race, then the total added money would be $3 million, with a $500,000 participation bonus to each horse.

While it's a nice attempt by Suffolk's new ownership to make this race meaningful again, I think the only way that the extra money lures Curlin to the MassCap is if the Midnight Cry jailbirds are the majority owners (and need to pay off some legal bills). Sorry Suffolk, I think Jess Jackson is taking this horse to France.

Factoid: Triple Crown Post Positions

Q: What does Big Brown have in common with the Triple Crown champions Sir Barton (1919), Assault (1946), Citation (1948) and Secretariat (1973)?

A: They all started from the inside post in the Belmont.

Calling Curlin: Stephen Foster Purse Increased to $1 Million

In what is a clear attempt to attract reigning horse of the year Curlin to the Stephen Foster Handicap (GI) on June 17, Churchill Downs will boost the purse from $750,000 to $1 million.

The $250,000 will come from a marketing account that is available for "special circumstances," and the race conditions have been modified to require that a Grade I winner must start in the 1 1/8 mile race for the new money to be included in the purse.

As Marty McGee's story in the Daily Racing Form points out, this increase might be a hard pill to swallow for horsemen who recently saw the Louisville track cut purses 20 percent in reaction to revenue lost in the account wagering dispute that is keeping Churchill's signal off of TwinSpires.com.

From The Daily Racing Form:

Marty Maline, executive director of the Kentucky division of the Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association, said the organization does not object per se to Churchill using its own funds to boost the Foster purse.
"As long as the money isn't taken out of the purse account, it's entirely up to them," said Maline. "We wouldn't have a dog in that fight."
Nonetheless, added Maline: "It's probably hard for the trainers making this meet go to appreciate their going the extra mile to make this work. We've appealed to them to put that money back in purses, and yet we haven't been able to get them to agree to do that."

Perhaps this added money will also add a few more competitors for Curlin, who is coming off an impressive win in the Dubai World Cup. As the DRF story points out, the other horses that are considered possible include: Grasshopper, Jonesboro, Brass Hat, Sam P., and Red Rock Creek.

Other notable horses nominated to the race include: Perfect Drift, Student Council, Great Hunter, and turf horse Einstein.

My wife's favorite horse of all time, 9-year-old Perfect Drift, is a must use in exotics if entered -- he won the Foster in 2003; finished 3rd in 2004 and 2005; and placed 2nd in 2006. While he did have a bad 2007 then ended early due to injury, he did recently return from a 10-month layoff to finish 4th on the turf in the Shoemaker Mile (GI) on Memorial Day. Since a turf prep has been a part of his usual schedule before switching back to the dirt going into the Summer, maybe 2008 will be a little kinder to the old gelding.

Also, the Einstein nomination is interesting not just because he's a turf specialist, but because he is owned by Midnight Cry Stables, the co-owners of Curlin who are currently in the fourth week of a trial where they are accused of fraud. They allegedly bilked over 400 clients out of $64 million owed to them from a $200 million class-action settlement over the diet drug fen-phen -- read more about the case here.

Big Brown Draws Rail Post

Belmont Post Positions Horse Jockey Odds 1 Big Brown Desormeaux 2-5 2 Guadalcanal Castellano 50-1 3 Macho Again Gomez 20-1 4 Denis of Cork Albarado 12-1 5 Casino Drive Prado 7-2 6 Da’ Tara Garcia 30-1 7 Tale of Ekati Coa 20-1 8 Anak Nakal Leparoux 30-1 9 Ready’s Echo Velazquez 30-1 10 Icabad Crane Rose 20-1

Churchill renames La Troienne after Eight Belles, Memorial Fund Established

Churchill Downs announced a series of charitable contributions and initiatives today related to Derby runner-up Eight Belles, including the planned interment of the filly's remains at the Kentucky Derby Museum, the establishment of a memorial fund, and renaming a graded stakes race in her honor.

Owner Rick Porter and The Churchill Downs Foundation are each donating $25,000 to the newly established Eight Belles Memorial Fund. The fund, established by Thoroughbred Charities of America and will benefit continued research into racing injuries and toward training retired Thoroughbreds for post-race careers.

Churchill Downs also said it will rename the Grade III La Troienne in honor of Eight Belles. The $150,000 stakes race for 3-year-old fillies going 7.5 furlongs and is run on the Kentucky Derby Day undercard.

Eight Belles’ remains will also be interred at the base of a tree planted in the filly’s honor located within the Museum’s courtyard near the gravesites of four Kentucky Derby winners. The memorial will include a bronze plaque dedicating the tree to Eight Belles’ memory.

“The past month has been a time of indescribable highs and crushing lows for me and my family,” Porter said in a press release. “We watched Eight Belles run the race of her life in the Kentucky Derby, and that should have been our proudest moment as well as hers. Instead, it all changed in an instant. We’re still grieving and struggling to accept her loss, but even in the midst of our sorrow, we are determined to see something positive come from her death.”

More information about this and other thoroughbred charities can be found at the Thoroughbred Charities of America website: http://www.thoroughbredcharities.org/

Would you bet on Dutrow or Jesus?

Winstrol: What Would Jesus Do?

Although official odds for the race won't be out until Wednesday, an idea of the possible morning lines for the probable Belmont horses (as well as some interesting "prop bets") can be found at various online sites.

My favorite gimick that I found was: "Who will jockey Kent Desormeaux thank first upon being interviewed after the 2008 Belmont Stakes?"

Choices and odds are:

God/Jesus (6-1)
Big Brown (4-1)
Family (5/4)
IEAH (8-1)
Rick Dutrow (9/2)
Fans (5-1)

I'm not sure what Rick Dutrow getting better odds than Jesus means. If this were a question about retired jockey Pat Day, then a bet for the religous "thank you" would be free money, even if they were set at odds of 1-20.

Spark Candle & Tomcito Out of Belmont, Some Remaining Contenders Work

There were several changes on the Belmont Stakes scene going into Monday from this weekend, as Tomcito and Spark Candle were both removed from the probable list.

Spark Candle will instead go in the Hill Prince Stakes (G3) on Friday, the race it seemed that he was always targeting (I never really believed he was really serious considered for the Belmont). The news is a little bit more murkey about Pruvian Classic champion Tomcito, however, as he was identified with having an unidentified "reaction."

From The Daily Racing Form:

Tomcito, third to Big Brown in the Florida Derby, had some congestion on Sunday morning and was declared from the race, trainer Dante Zanelli Jr. said. Zanelli said that the owner, Jet Set Racing Stable, was likely to move the horse to another New York-based trainer and Zanelli would return to his Lexington, Ky., base.

In the recent workout news:

Friday
Macho Again worked four furlongs in :48.20 at Churchill Downs

Sunday
Tale of Ekati worked six furlongs in the Belmont mud in 1:11.99
Ready's Echo worked five furlongs in 1:00.91 over a fast Belmont training track

Monday
Denis of Cork worked four furlongs in :48.60 at Churchill Downs
Icabad Crane worked four furlongs over the Fair Hill synthetic in :48.60
Anak Nakal worked four furlongs in :49.67 on the Saratoga training track

Big Brown is expected to work on Tuesday and Casino Drive could possibly put in a timed work on Wednesday.

The latest entry of Nick Zito's Da'Tara will make the Belmont Stakes a likely field of nine. Da'Tara finished second in the 8.5 furlong Barbaro Stakes at Pimlico on Preakness Day. The colt worked four furlongs over the Saratoga training track last Thursday in 49.67 seconds, and will give Zito two entries in the race.