Sad.
Congrats to Calvin and MTB: they made the Cover of Sports Illustrated for this week
(Last time that a jockey and/or horse made the cover: May 10, 2004 with Smarty Jones)
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May 5, 2009, NY Newsday, “Injury could end I Want Revenge’s career”[/QUOTE]
The latest from the Daily Racing Form sounds a bit more upbeat vs. the initial career ending news of yesterday.
5-6-09 “I Want Revenge out at least until fall”
… will keep him out at least until the Breeders’ Cup but more likely until 2010, David Lanzman, the breeder and co-owner of I Want Revenge, said Wednesday morning.
“It all depends on how he responds,” Lanzman said. “Best, best-case scenario, which we know never happens, is to have him back for the Breeders’ Cup. But more likely, we’re looking at a 2010 campaign.”
Bramlage added, “The injury would have been much more severe if not for the decision to scratch the horse from the Kentucky Derby. Trainer Jeff Mullins and the owners should be commended for putting the health and welfare of the horse first.”
I’ll put this out there - despite being a Mullins basher at times - he did the right thing despite the huge amount of pressure for his actions. Jeff should be commended as should all of of the decision makers for that team. It’s been over 60-years since the wagering favorite was scratched the morning of the Derby. A lot was riding on the race and making a big showing but he didn’t look the other way and risk it.
Additional Derby follow up notes …
DRF 5-7-09 “Godolphin buys West Side Bernie”
No price disclosed for the 9th place Kentucky Derby finisher… “the horse would get a break and possibly return to the races in North America in the fall. The primary reason for his purchase, Crisford said, is to race at the Dubai Carnival of Racing.”
Additional followup news: BloodHorse 5-11-09 “No Medication Positives for Derby, Oaks”
According to a news release from the regulatory body, tests were conducted by the University of Florida Racing Laboratory on the first four finishers in each race. The samples were tested to Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association North American Graded Stakes Committee specifications, commonly referred to as a ‘super-test.’
KHRC also reported the contents of syringes used to administer approved race day anti-bleeder medications were also analyzed and determined to be free of violations.
The stories of wagering scores are starting to filter out.
One widely reported one is of Baltimore Orioles forever hero #8 Cal Ripken wagering on Mine that Bird:
The horse is called Mine That Bird, which appealed to the man who played for the Orioles all those years, and it was going to be ridden by Calvin Borel, who shares a first name with the Orioles Hall of Famer. The fact that the horse was coming out of the No. 8 slot clinched it. How could Cal and Kelly and all their friends not bet on Mine That Bird?
Now there are those Vegas folks who took the Kentucky Derby wagering long odds for some good returns:
John Avello, Wynn Las Vegas director of race and sports, said he had just 10 tickets that were sold on Mine That Bird, mostly for odds of 150-1 last fall when the eventual Canadian 2-year-old champion was going to run in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, in which he finished 12th and last. Avello said there was one ticket for $300, now worth $45,000.
The biggest payoff from Derby 135 was the $1 superfecta, worth $278,503.20. You had to go to the other far end of town, at the Santa Fe Station on the northwest side, to find the one and only superfecta ticket cashed in the state of Nevada.
Phil, who only consented to be interviewed if his last name wouldn’t be used because “I don’t want my full name to come up on a Google search as having won all this money,” walked into the Santa Fe on Derby Day, one of only three days a year he bets the horses, with the other two being the Preakness and Belmont. The 46-year-old car salesman boxed the 2, 5, 7, 8, and 16 and went to play in the poker room.
“I went there with $220,” Phil said. “When I asked for the $2 superfecta box, it came up as $240 and I was $20 short, so I just had them make it a $1 box otherwise I would have won half a million.”
So how did he come up with the horses for his big payday?
“I lived in Chicago and a friend of mine and I used to play the 2-5-8, and one time we went to a dog track in Wisconsin and hit a $1,200 trifecta for $6,” Phil said. “So I’ve been playing it ever since. We had a Derby pool at work where you put in $10 and pick a horse, and I drew the 7 and 16, so I just added those to my box.”
Forget about studying past performances, Beyer figs, the weather, the success of the jockey … just go with the same numbers that worked at a greyhound track 
My dad always has be bet the 1-2 exacta at Jai-alia for the first game and the 2-1 for the second etc and he often wins.
sigh
Just looking back at one of the first Top 10 lists from very late 2008 …(not picking on Bill but his was the first in print)
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The abriged ‘Top 10’ possible Kentucky Derby runners by Bill Finley Dec 26, 2008 - including a filly …[/QUOTE]
Let’s see what became of them with the Kentucky Derby; (DNS - did not start/entered) numbering order was per the article
- Old Fashioned: DNS; injured/retired before entries taken
- Square Eddie: DNS; injured (shin problem) post Lexington Stakes; will return
- Haynesfield: DNS; finished 8th of 9th in G3 Gotham and was off the trail
- Vineyard Haven: DNS; Feb '09 4th in the UAE 2000 Guineas (G3)
- Big Drama: DNS; raced in the Preakness - finished 5th
- Midshipman: DNS; injured in Dubai during training Feb '09
- Stardom Bound (f): DNS; uncompetitive
- Pioneerof the Nile: finished 2nd
- Cribnote: DNS; injured - last race Oct 2008; still in training
- Silver City DNS; finished 5th in the G3 Derby Trial and uncompetitive
