Fairmount1 Wrote:
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>
> Loved the note by richiebee commenting on Rafael
> Hernandez being Fairmount's best rider. Great
> insight into a dirt rider. Kid did amazing at
> Hawthorne this past winter and was either 1st or
> 2nd in the winter/spring meet? But he has ridden
> at Arlington with the poly sometimes which isn't
> exactly grass but I think helps prepare a dirt
> rider for the grass. Rafael is riding at 39% on
> the year at Fairmount and won 7 races on a single
> card in May.....they only run 8 races on a card in
> Collinsville, IL.

Fairmount you give me too much credit for insight. Looking at the TG stats, one
sees Hernandez has accepted nearly 900 mounts in the given time frame; my
recollection is that he has ridden maybe 45 races on turf with only a couple of
wins.

Watching Kentucky Downs, with its undulating irregularly shaped course and
getting shifted from one camera feed to another is kind of like watching the
races in a fun house mirror, kind of a confusing scenario which is complicated
(as Boscar mentioned) when the track AV people aren't updating the numbers on
the leading runners.

Final word from this weekend's proceedings at Kentucky Downs: The winner of
race 5 at K-Downs was Sparkling Review, who looked outstanding on the track and
showed a nice turn of foot. This 3YO filly was coming out of a maiden win at
AP. By Lemon Drop Kid out of a Pleasant Tap mare, this one was bred and is part
owned by Edward A. Seltzer, whose "Chinese Red with Gold Dots" silks have been
around for 50 or 60 years; Mr. Seltzer's primary trainer used to be Harry
Trotsek, who worked the Midwest/ Florida tracks and won enough races with
enough good horses to be elected to Racing's Hall of Fame.

Wish this could have been a redboard, but I went to the races only intending to
bet the last 4 events, stuck to my guns and passed on a winner who really
looked outstanding in the post parade. Will be interested to see her in a stake
for 3YO fillies either at CD or Kee.

Someone can check the redboard on this, but if you played the fastest TG
runners (regardless of surface) in the 2YO stakes at Kentucky Downs, you took
down a double which paid $190.00. You, not me.



> And JB's mention of a TV friendly tourney is
> exciting. Hopefully, horse racing can have a
> break through in popularity because it needs it on
> many fronts to make the foal population increase
> in the years to come, which leads to bigger field
> size, and more gambling dollars.

Take anything JB says about TV tourneys with a grain of salt. I think it was JB
who once told me that ESPN's 1/2 hour coverage of a past tourney was the most
boring hour on TV ever.

Not certain that handicapping tournaments will draw in enough new shooters to
have the impact on the game that some seem to think it will.

Is "Horseplayers" coming back for a second season? I know a way to make the
show much more compelling if it is. Cut all the current cast of characters
loose, replace them with Frank D., and rename the show "Horseplayer". With
Frank's knowledge of the seedier side of Albany, and his experience in the home
improvement business, the show would play like a combination of a William
Kennedy novel and the movie "Tin Men."

I do not know if it has been tried yet, but it would seem like a reasonable
format for handicapping tournaments would be to have an NCAA Finalsomething
tournament like set up. Start eliminations in every state or region early in
the year and have eliminations until you have the top handicappers from all
states where wagering is conducted, maybe five from each state, who will go on
to the big event, wherever that might be held. Restrict it a bit so only
residents of a particular state can participate in that state's bracket.

Here is my final idea for the night, one which I think I have presented here
before: Next year, when the BC is held in the proverbial cradle of North
American racing, hold the Breeders Crown (harness racing) at the Red Mile and
hold the Claiming Crown and the Breeders Cup at Keeneland all in the same week
or ten day period. Give it a name (America's Celebration of the Performance
Horse or America's Week at the Races)(would be great to get a name sponsor, but
high profile sponsors such as Emirates Air and Budweiser no longer are that
visible on high profile racing telecasts). Promote, market and cross market the
hell out of it.