Re: Wise Dan - he is SUCH a professional. Goes out and does his job so efficiently, and he’s such a cool customer about it!
Like someone else said, he makes me just smile every time.
I really like Declaration of War but I’m definitely unsure about Joseph O’Brien. I looked it up and he is 5’11. Definitely not a fan of his riding style but it gets results :eek:
Anyone know just how tall Mucho Macho Man and Will Take Charge are? Best I could Google was MMM is 17 hands and WTC is “over 17 hands.”
On BC Fantasy 'Capping, I got $200 for my league with a $20 win wager on MMM. Waiting to see why Public Handicapper’s game is not crediting my standings and KICKING MYSELF for not wagering real money on the race because for the PH game you have to pick the top three and I said Mucho Macho Man-Will Take Charge-Declaration of War. Why do I NEVER bet real money when I should?
[QUOTE=Drvmb1ggl3;7244893]
He’s close to 6ft and still rising. He can’t ride below 126lbs, which is why he wasn’t on any of the other Ballydoyle horses like Magician, the BC Turf winner, who as a 3yo was only carrying 122lbs. It’s hard to see him being able to stay a flat jockey, expect maybe in the 130-140lb range, for much longer.[/QUOTE]
Agreed but if he does effectively get edged out of the flat he certainly made the most of his time. In particular his racing in 2013 by breaking the Irish win record - Irish Times Oct 9, 2013:
Joseph O’Brien today broke a record previously held by Mick Kinane when riding his 116th winner of the Flat season in Ireland on Marvellous, trained by his father, Aidan, in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden at Navan.
Champion jockey O’Brien has already smashed his previous best tally of 87, which secured him the championship last season.
Kinane set the impressive total of 115 in 1993, the year O’Brien was born.
As O’Brien’s weight prevents him from riding anything under 9st, his father feels his achievement is even more meritorious. O’Brien senior said: “I’m delighted for Joseph and I must give a big thank you to all the owners who have supported him. Everyone knows it’s not easy for him to do 9st and it’s a great achievement to break the record.”
Mucho Macho Man and Will Take Charge are both 17 hands
Some of the owners/trainers were donating part of any BC purse their entries won to New Vocations. Any word on how much money was raised?
Per the DRF - JV is out for the rest of 2013 from riding
Cordero said doctors at Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena were trying to manage Velazquez’s pain as he suffers bad reactions to morphine. In a text, Leona Velazquez wrote, “he is resting pretty good now. Trying to keep the pain at bay, but doc is happy with him.”
Cordero said he himself had his spleen removed when he was riding, but that occurred in a spill in which he sustained other injuries - including a broken leg - that kept him out six months.
As we know, it was a mixed bag for Velazquez fill-ins
I think Wise Dan in clearly (or should be) in line for HOY again. From the Herald-Leader - Wise Dan bids for Horse of the Year with repeat victory, from Charlie LoPresti …
“He’s the best horse in the world. (Awards) don’t matter to me and I don’t want to hear anyone talk again about him going on dirt, mile and a quarter or anything.”
Dan will be back next year although a lighter schedule, per the DRF …
LoPresti is looking to start him later next year than in past years when he debuted during Keeneland’s spring meet in April. And don’t expect to see him as often, as his connections anticipate less starts in 2014 than in 2012 or 2013, six and seven, respectively.
Thanks for the update Glimmer. Glad he is on the mend, that’s a tough one to recover from quickly no matter how tough and impatient you are. Can’t just tape it up and go.
Aw, man, my heart is with JV. Hope his recovery is easy and quick.
I’m surprised MMM and WTC are only 17 hands. I swear, every horse I look at in the Stallion Directory all of the studs are variations of 16 hands (I remember Meadowlake was 17h)–every now and then I see something under, but it’s rare–so a horse that’s exactly 17h is only 1-4" taller than its competitors. Yet, they looked at least 4" taller than them. Are people saying 16h in the stallion directory the way they say “I’m 6’ tall (with heeled boots)”?
Hospital tweet from Johnny V the afternoon of 11/4/13
I’m sitting up after surgery. Thank u for all the well wishes and prayers! God Bless u all!
Mizdirection who defended her title in the $1 million Grade 1 Turf Sprint (and over her career was 7-0 on Santa Anita’s track’s turf course) with another victory on Saturday went to auction tonight [Monday 11/4/2013] - video here and fetched $2.7 million.
ETA - per the BloodHorse:
The 5-year-old mare was purchased by Mandore International on behalf of Qatar-based entity Al Shaqab Racing
By the way the ratings where terrible for the BCC on NBC despite there being almost nothing of note up against it on other channels. (The “spin” of the Florida football game being a big viewer drain is hogwash IMHO) I really think the Breeders’ Cup needs to look at their media presentation
Overnight ratings for the Nov. 2 Breeders’ Cup Classic (gr. I) on NBC registered a 1.4 rating, down 40% from last year’s 2.2.
One overnight ratings point equals approximately 770,000 households, with the overnights gleaned from 56 metered markets across North America. The Classic, which was won in a thrilling finish by Mucho Macho Man by a nose over Will Take Charge, aired on NBC from 8-9 p.m. EDT.
Like others I will complain that for the 1-hour of air time there was almost nothing I recall of note. No images of the horses being saddled, interviewers with owners/jocks/trainers before hand or even discussions with fans. Instead just a lot of flashes of nothing … NBC could use the opportunity to do a great compressed look back at all the racing up until the final race but they don’t.
It just seems like they drop the ball and frankly racing only has a couple of years more to impress or else get relegated to cable tv henceforth with the Breeders’ Cup.
[QUOTE=Glimmerglass;7247776]
By the way the ratings where terrible for the BCC on NBC despite there being almost nothing of note up against it on other channels. (The “spin” of the Florida football game being a big viewer drain is hogwash IMHO) I really think the Breeders’ Cup needs to look at their media presentation
Like others I will complain that for the 1-hour of air time there was almost nothing I recall of note. No images of the horses being saddled, interviewers with owners/jocks/trainers before hand or even discussions with fans. Instead just a lot of flashes of nothing … NBC could use the opportunity to do a great compressed look back at all the racing up until the final race but they don’t.
It just seems like they drop the ball and frankly racing only has a couple of years more to impress or else get relegated to cable tv henceforth with the Breeders’ Cup.[/QUOTE]
NBC could learn a thing or two from the Aussie coverage of tonight’s Melbourne Cup… outstanding coverage. They have given ample time to each individual horse, plenty of close up of each horse in the paddock, extensive discussion of their racing history, quirks etc… in a 24 horse field no less!!.
Light years ahead of the 10 secs each horse gets in the post parade on NBC.
Imagine that, racing coverage that focuses on the horses.
[QUOTE=Mara;7246038]
Some of the owners/trainers were donating part of any BC purse their entries won to New Vocations. Any word on how much money was raised?[/QUOTE]
I haven’t been looking as per say but I did see this article (originally on PaulickReport): Offtrackthoroughbreds Nov 8, 2013 - Gary Stevens gives Mucho grant to help T’breds
Remember Me Rescue President Donna Keen announced this week that the top-winning jockey and his wife Angie Stevens pledged $5,000 to the horse charity; the funds will go toward the purchase of an expensive piece of equipment to help racehorses recover from racing injuries such as bowed tendons.
Just played back the Classic one more time, before erasing it on the DVR. That really was such a good race. And an amazing effort by the top three finishers. Glad MMM got it, but also a heartbreaker for Lucas. WTC did quite a bit to get there, only to lose by a hair. What an accomplishment for a 3yo. And finally poor Declaration of War, to get that close with a 6 footer aboard. Same weight or not, the aerodynamics must be more of a challenge.
Amazing horses all. And great job by Gary Stevens.
It will be interesting to see how much sway the US television partner has with Breeders’ Cup movement. Greg Hall (Louisville Courier Journal) pondered at the end of last month - “Do television networks get involved in Breeders’ Cup site selection?”
Sports Business Journal reported that NBC Sports has encouraged the event to find a permanent or long-term site. As quoted by C-J columnist Tim Sullivan:
“We have encouraged the Breeders’ Cup to find a home and stay with it a while, so you can really establish it as a destination,” NBC Sports Group’s Jon Miller told the Sports Business Journal. “It’s important for viewers. It’s important for sponsors, and for the media, to kind of understand this is where it is going to be.”
2014 is again in California after which I’d say Churchill Downs would get it next then Belmont Park … then again who knows 
