What’s up with TVG? I read that (parent company) Gemstar-TV Guide sold to Macrovision; not sure of the impact that has.
Oh yes. And ducks. And guinea fowl. Typically at state fairs and such.
[QUOTE=Barnfairy;2910071]
What’s up with TVG? I read that (parent company) Gemstar-TV Guide sold to Macrovision; not sure of the impact that has. [/QUOTE]
From what I can see TVG is in serious trouble and the new owners (Macrovision) paid $2.8 billion for G-TV Guide Int’l intentionally not for theTelevision Games (which is what TVG standsfor) horseracing and wagering. Macrovision’s CEO said the company would potentially execute “strategic alternatives” for certain business units.
TVG Network has carriage in 27 million homes in the U.S., while the crown jewels of the purchase was the TV Guide Network reaching 84 million homes. Further more the motivation was with consolidating leadership with technology. Macrovision has copy-protection technologies not unlike TV Guide Network’s TV listings and on-screen guide business. Horse racing doesn’t neatly fit into that and worse yet is the regulatory geography restricting TVG’s wager in many States.
HRTV has snatched up a lot of exclusive rights such that TVG is left with just a very few tracks just theirs to show alone. Those include minor tracks like Sunland and Zia with a few bigger ones like Turfway Park, Keeneland and Hollywood Park.
Gulfstream, Maryland racing, Golden Gate Fields, Arlington, Hawthorne, and Churchill aren’t found any more (some were) on TVG. Santa Anita and NYRA is now on both networks.
I could see a consolidation of most racing under “one network” provided there are couple of sub-channel offerings (like an ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Classic) however for those who watch racing during the height of the summer it is really hard to enjoy watching racing. Especially when they are flipping every couple of minutes from one track to another so quickly if not airing the race you really wanted to see on a delay and even then only abridged.
Saratogian Jan 3, 2008 “Michael Veitch: Ranking the top 3-year-olds”
abridged list; (f) = filly
- War Pass: Owned by Robert V. LaPenta and trained by Nick Zito
- Court Vision: Owned by WinStar Farm and trained by Mott.
- Pryo: Owned by Winchell Thoroughbreds and trained by Steve Asmussen.
- Into Mischief: Owned by B. Wayne Hughes and trained by Richard Mandella.
- Ana Nakal: Owned by Four Roses Thoroughbreds and trained by Zito.
- Etched: Owned by Darley Stable and trained by Kiaran McLaughlin.
- Tale of Ekati: Owned by Charles E. Fipke and trained by Barclay Tagg
- Majestic Warrior: Owned by Kinsman Stable and trained by Mott.
- Mushka (f): Owned by Zayat Stables and trained by Mott.
- Country Star (f): Owned by Stonerside Stable and trained by Bobby Frankel.
Cowboy Cal looked really good… did anyone hear the speed figures on that race?
And darn Michael Veitch for putting Court Vision at #2… that might as well be the kiss of death.
I used to have a few Polish chickens that we showed at local fairs many years ago. They were kind of fun… and a whole lot cheaper than horses!
Flashback … last year’s Hutcheson was won by Team Valor’s King of the Roxy, who failed to start in the Kentucky Derby but did make it into the Preakness Stakes (GI)
As cited by the DRF, 2008’s Hutcheson marks an interesting change not seen in a long time: no Todd Pletcher entry. In fact a Pletcher entry had won the last five runnings of the Hutcheson.
I haven’t seen a Beyer fig yet for Cowboy Cal’s effort on grass with the Tropical Derby
Hey, my Big Truck is racing this weekend. Whooopie!
Glimmer, you just made my day. I haven’t checked any schedules since I’ve been on vacation and from your post I went to check it out and what a delight to see HRTV ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL accross the schedule! YEAH for me!
[QUOTE=miss_critic;2911555]
Hey, my Big Truck is racing this weekend. Whooopie![/QUOTE]
Regarding Tagg’s Derby hopeful
Big Truck turns back to a sprint after finishing fourth following an extremely eventful trip going 1 1/8 miles in the Grade 2 Remsen. A New York-bred, Big Truck won a pair of statebred races to open his career, including the seven-furlong Bertram Bongard. As a result of that victory, he carries high weight of 118 pounds, two more than the rest of the field.
“The Remsen is a throw-out, he was in trouble all the way,” said trainer Barclay Tagg who prepped another New York-bred, Funny Cide, in Florida en route to winning the 2003 Kentucky Derby.
It looks like a rather talented collection so it should be a great race.
Hutcheson Stakes - upsets: Race 9 at Gulfstream
Win - Smooth Air
Place - Silver Edition
Show - Halo Najib
(scratched: Cool Coal Man and Grand Minstrel)
Also ran: Golden Spikes, Big Truck, Tiz It, Coal Play and Notgivinmyloveaway
Worth pointing out was race 4 from Gulfstream too is a name cited before on this thread as one to watch:
$40k allowance at 6 furlongs: won by Legacy Thief
Winning Trainer: Lukas D Wayne - Owner: Marylou Whitney Stables
I think I should give up on this…
I haven’t seen his effort in the Count Fleet, but like Galloping Grocer of a couple years ago, another NY bred is thinking Derby or “something” …
BloodHorse 1-7-08 “Giant Moon Has His Trainer Hoping”
Giant Moon, a New York-bred son of Giant’s Causeway, remained undefeated in four starts for his owner-breeder, Albert Fried Jr., after winning the Jan. 5 Count Fleet Stakes at Aqueduct. Derby dreams came true in the 2004 Count Fleet, when Smarty Jones won the race en route to capturing the first two legs of the Triple Crown.
Schosberg, 46, is cautiously optimistic that Giant Moon is the real deal.
“We’re thinking that Derby or some Derby,” Schosberg said Jan. 7. “We are keeping the Kentucky Derby as a wonderful possibility for him. He still has to move forward on the (speed figures), but they do keep getting better, which is important if he is to compete with the top 2-year-olds from last year.”
Giant Moon is a big goofball! He’s a big, long stepping behemoth who is as lazy as an old dog on a summer day. He always wins (literally, he’s 4 for 4) but he never “beats them.” He makes the jock work for every stride and make the bettors sweat bullets. That said, Rick Schosberg is a friend and I hope this colt takes him all the way.
My Derby Dozen is set for release tomorrow. I don’t have the file saved at home but the top choice right now is …
:D:D:D
…
Drumroll please…
:lol::lol::lol::lol: (this is like some form of torture)
…
TADA!!
Anak Nakal <yep, I said it, call me crazy…it’s happened before>
[QUOTE=Glimmerglass;2915276]
$40k allowance at 6 furlongs: won by Legacy Thief
Winning Trainer: Lukas D Wayne - Owner: Marylou Whitney Stables[/QUOTE]
DRF 1-7-08 (Gulfstream) Lukas has two nice prospects
Both made favorable impressions here at Gulfstream Park last Saturday. Legacy Thief won a first-level allowance going six furlongs, while Silver Edition finished a game second after contesting all the pace in the Grade 2 Hutcheson Stakes.
Saturday’s 4 1/4-length triumph was the second one-sided win in a row for Legacy Thief, a son of Cat Thief who closed out his 2-year-old campaign with a similarly easy 5 3/4-length victory going a mile at Aqueduct.
“I think he’s really turned the corner now,” said Lucas, who trains Legacy Thief for owner-breeder Mary Lou Whitney. “I was really impressed the way he threw up some fast fractions and kept running the way he did Saturday. He’s very rateable, and I think he’ll get at least a mile and one-eighth. Now we’ll have to jump into the deep end of the pool.”
Legacy Thief earned a 99 Beyer Speed Figure for his 3-year-old debut, four points higher than Smooth Air received for winning the Hutcheson later on the card.
“I’ll look at the Swale, but that’s at 6 1/2 furlongs and I’d really like to go two turns with him next time if I can,” said Lukas.
I watched his Aqueduct effort on TVG (it was solid) in 2006 and I’d love to see Whitney horse start in the Derby 
I second that.
The official Kentucky Derby site is now live:
http://www.kentuckyderby.com/2008/
Interestingly they have six horses listed on road towards it: Etched, Majestic Warrior, War Pass, Court Vision, Anak Nakal, and Pyro
Videos of past performances, et al are available for those horses. Once again major props to CDI for making their website so comprehensive!
Worth mentioning I cannot stand the name “Anak Nakal” - great horse perhaps but damn what a hard to pronounce and lousy name.
For amusement 
“The plan is for me is to win the Kentucky Derby with that Ghostzapper baby and syndicate it for $75 million,” the ebullient trainer said. “That’s the plan.”
Why not aim high, right?
Irish Cherry is the dam of Grade 1 winners Spun Sugar and Daaher and was sold in foal to former Horse of the Year Ghostzapper.
[QUOTE=Glimmerglass;2922731]
For amusement
Why not aim high, right?
Irish Cherry is the dam of Grade 1 winners Spun Sugar and Daaher and was sold in foal to former Horse of the Year Ghostzapper.[/QUOTE]
Aim high, but my money’s on the fact that Irish Cherry and Ghostzapper baby will probably be more likely to find themselves in a NICU than in a Churchill Downs winner circle. The expensive foals are always born with complications. :winkgrin:
In case anyone is looking to add Golden Yak to their fantasy stable for road to the Derby … it looks like his next start is a little ways off
Golden Yank has resumed training after a 30-day freshening. Barring any setbacks, Golden Yank will make his 3-year-old debut in the $ 300, 000 Grade III Rebel Stakes on March 15, Thomas said.
His connections - as cited before in this thread - are still very miffed over the non foul call of either Z Humor or Turf War in the Delta Jackpot Stakes. They appealed not once but twice the stewards results. Source: Arkansas Democrat & Gazette 1-25-07
Logic would dictate that after the Rebel Stakes, he’d remain at Oaklawn and go for the Grade 2 Arkansas Derby (Apr 12) and won by Curlin last year in his 3rd start.
A possible Laurel Park-based runner for 2008’s Derby? Wonder Mon, a son of 1995 juvenile champion Maria’s Mon, is a prospect. Baltimore Sun Jan 16, 2008 “Trainers excited about Wonder Mon’s Triple Crown prospects”
excerpt
“We’re definitely going to find out what this big boy can do.”
The team, which operates under the name of ZWP Stables, is leaning toward the Fountain of Youth in Florida.
“If we take him to New York, then we’d have to bring him back here and then ship him to Florida later,” said Wilgis. “I think it is too much. Whatever Gary decides is what we’ll do, but I think I’d rather take him directly to Florida and get a race in him on that track and then run him in the Fountain of Youth.”
Wilgis said that since the allowance race his phone has been ringing with people calling, trying to buy his homebred.
Calvin Borel was just here for Christmas and spoke very highly of “Dennis O’Quirk” (or was it O’Quark?). He really likes this horse.
[QUOTE=Glimmerglass;2938580]
In case anyone is looking to add Golden Yak to their fantasy stable for road to the Derby … it looks like his next start is a little ways off
His connections - as cited before in this thread - are still very miffed over the non foul call of either Z Humor or Turf War in the Delta Jackpot Stakes. They appealed not once but twice the stewards results. Source: Arkansas Democrat & Gazette 1-25-07
Logic would dictate that after the Rebel Stakes, he’d remain at Oaklawn and go for the Grade 2 Arkansas Derby (Apr 12) and won by Curlin last year in his 3rd start.[/QUOTE]
Looks like they still won’t let it go with the Delta Jackpot - goodness!!
DRF 1-18-08 “Delta Jackpot lawsuit filed”
excerpt
A lawsuit contesting the order of finish of the Grade 3, $1 million Delta Jackpot was filed against the Louisiana Racing Commission on Tuesday in Lake Charles, La., by the connections of third-place finisher Golden Yank, according to Byron Bonck, an attorney who is representing the horse’s owner and trainer.
Come on, they appealed twice and lost, now to sue in court?
Affectively they are suing to get (if they win) the graded stakes money to then get into the Kentucky Derby. (Today they have with Golden Yak $100k in graded money vs. $400k for the 1-2 finishers who deadheated)
So it begs the question: if you think the horse is worthy of going to the Derby wouldn’t that also translate into confidence with his impending races at Oaklawn (Rebel and Arkansas Derby) ?
I’d love to be proven wrong but Golden Yak could just be another Delta runner - Birdbirdistheword - who had sufficient money to get into the Derby because of the Delta win but was out of his league by the time the Ky Derby came and he’d flopped in all of his 2007 prep races …
