Archive for the ‘belmont stakes’ Category

An editorial in today’s New York Daily News does not exactly take a cautious viewpoint on NYRA’s recent stonewalling on an audit request. The unnamed writer says that "Gov. Paterson and the Legislature cannot succumb to such extortion tactics. They should tell NYRA to get lost."

We’re not privy to the inner workings of NYRA and don’t know Comptroller DiNapoli, but might it be suggested that NYRA open their books before the public tarnish becomes overwhelming.

To put this into real world terms, if you were pulled over by a cop and they asked to search your car, would it be worth the hassle to deny them access unless you had something to hide? We’re not suggesting that’s the case with NYRA. We’re only saying that hiding behind a court ruling intended for a charter school so they don’t have to open their books does not pass the smell test.

In a scenario it seems only racing in the US could dream up, perhaps the only thing worse than there not being a Belmont this year could actually be having one.

For the rest of this editorial, click here. Then come back to the Paulick Report and let us know what you think.

- Bradford Cummings

It seems unfathomable, but there are apparently concerns from NYRA that due to a lack of funds for payroll, Belmont Park could not open up for its meet featuring the Belmont Stakes. This is due to the New York legislature not being able to agree on a plan to bring slots to Aqueduct.

According to NYRA president Charles Hayward, NYRA will run out of cash "in the May-June timeframe". Click here to read the entire article by the New York Daily News and then come back to the Paulick Report and let us know what you think below.

- Bradford Cummings

Dunkirk, the second-place finisher in the June 6 Belmont Stakes, suffered a non-displaced condylar fracture of the left hind cannon bone during last Saturday’s running of the 1 ½ - mile Classic. The injury was detected when the colt was slightly off following the race, and x-rays taken June 8 revealed the fracture.

“He will have surgery later this morning to place a screw into the area which will stabilize the injury while it heals,” said Todd Pletcher, trainer of Dunkirk.  “We anticipate a full recovery and a return to racing later this fall.”

The surgery will be performed at the Ruffian Equine Medical Center in Elmont, NY by Dr. Patricia Hogan.

Dunkirk, owned by Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith, was a $3.7 million Keeneland September yearling sale purchase. Sired by multiple graded stakes winner Unbridled’s Song, he led the field in this year’s Belmont, setting the pace under jockey John Velazquez.  He finished 2 ¾ lengths behind eventual winner Summer Bird and a neck ahead of Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird.

The Belmont was the fifth start for Dunkirk, who ran an impressive second to Quality Road in the Florida Derby after scoring back to back wins at Gulfstream Park.

By Ray Paulick
A late-running son of Birdstone won the 141st Belmont Stakes, but it wasn’t Mine That Bird, the Kentucky Derby winner, Preakness runner-up and Belmont favorite. Instead, making the last run under Kent Desormeaux, 11-1 longshot Summer Bird–a troubled sixth in the Kentucky Derby in what was just his fourth lifetime start–got up in the final furlong to beat Dunkirk and Mine That Bird  by 2 3/4  lengths in the mile and a half "test of the champion" at Belmont Park on Saturday. Charitable Man was fourth, followed by Luv Gov, Flying Private, Brave Victory, Mr. Hot Stuff, Chocolate Candy and Miner’s Escape.

There was an inquiry involving the second and fourth-place finishers (Charitable Man checked inside the eighth pole when Dunkirk may have drifted out) but stewards allowed the original order of finish to stand.

Belmont Stakes chart. 

Video of the Belmont.

Summer Bird, who was winning his first stakes race, covered the 1 1/2 miles on a fast track in 2:27.54, well off the 2:24 track record set by Secretariat in 1973, but the fastest Belmont since his sire, Birdstone, ended the Triple Crown hopes of Smarty Jones in 2004. Birdstone, a son of Kentucky Derby winner Grindstone, was clocked in 2:27.50.

Bred and owned by Kalarikkal and Vilasini Jayaraman and trained by Tim Ice, Summer Bird settled into fifth position early under Desormeaux, saving ground for the first mile as Dunkirk galloped through fractions of :47.13 for the opening half-mile, 1:12.43 for six furlongs and 1:37.86 for the mile. Miner’s Escape and Mr. Hot Stuff were his closest pursuers early, with Charitable Man not far behind.

Mine That Bird and Calvin Borel trailed the field early, but began their run with about five furlongs to go. Summer Bird was shuffled back to ninth as the field bunched up on the front end around the far turn, but Desormeaux bided his time and didn’t panic. Borel, meanwhile, was asking Mine That Bird for his best and he moved toward the leaders as the field rounded the final bend and into  the long stretch. Desormeaux came off the rail and rallied five wide into the stretch, gaining ground with every stride as Mine That Bird, Charitable and Dunkirk battled for the lead to inside the eighth pole. But Summer Bird had all the momentum, taking the lead at the sixteenth pole and drawing away.

It was a jockeys’ race. Desormeaux, riding in his sixth Belmont and getting his first winner, has learned from some past mistakes, such as when he moved Real Quiet to the lead too soon in the 1998 Belmont. Real Quiet, bidding for the Triple Crown, was caught at the wire by Victory Gallop, losing by a nose. It’s possible he would have been disqualified had he hung on, as Desormeaux allowed Real Quiet to drift out into Victory Gallop’s lane that year. Dexormeaux had also finished third on Free House when Touch Gold spoiled Silver Charm’s Triple Crown bid in the 1997 Belmont, and second aboard Medaglia d’Oro when rushing to the early lead and caught in the late going by Sarava in 2002, as War Emblem failed in his Triple Crown bid.

Last year, Desormeaux pulled up Kentucky  Derby and Preakness winner Big Brown at the top of the stretch when it became apparent the horse was hopelessly beaten. He was widely criticized for that move. Desormeaux, in fact, for all his successes (he’s won three Eclipse Awards, three Kentucky Derbies and is a member of the National Museum of Racing Hall of  Fame), never seems that far from controversy. For much of his career, horse players felt the Louisiana native didn’t ride hard to the finish when his mounts were beaten, complaining that it cost them a placing in exotic wagers.

Borel, also from Cajun country, was riding in his first Belmont. He boasted throughout the week that Mine That Bird would win, but Desormeaux called Borel naive about the rigors of the Belmont. It turns out experience may have mattered. Even Chip Woolley, interviewed on ABC immedately after the race, said he felt Borel moved a bit too soon in the race. The same thing happened to Stewart Elliott, who lacked big-race experience, when he moved Smarty Jones to an early lead in his failed effort. Birdstone ran him down in the final strides.

Summer Bird, produced from the Summer Squall mare Hong Kong Squall, was a late starter, going unraced as a 2-year-old and not debuting until a March 1 maiden race going six furlongs at Oaklawn Park in Arkansas. Finishing fourth that day, the colt was wheeled back 18 days later in a 1 1/16-mile maiden race at Oaklawn and won by 2 1/4 lengths. Trainer Ice put him against graded stakes competition next, where Summer Bird finished third behind Papa Clem and Old Fashioned in the Grade 2 Arkansas Derby. He was 43-1 to when finishing sixth in the Kentucky Derby in a better than looked effort, after which Summer Bird’s connection opted to replace inexperienced rider Chris Rosier with Desormeaux.  

The change in riders may have made the difference, and the Jayaramans now have their first classic winner.

POST RACE-COMMENTS OF THE WINNING CONNECTIONS:

KENT DESORMEAUX
KALARIKKAL JAYARAMAN
VILASINI JAYARAMAN
TIM ICE

            KENT DESORMEAUX:  (Singing) Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you. All right, Timmy.  Oh, that’s some good water.
            THE MODERATOR:  Okay.  We’ll be getting started in just a moment or two.  We have the happy connections of Summer Bird.  Left to right we have the trainer, Tim Ice, who celebrated his 35th birthday in style with a Belmont Stakes victory.  Now, seated next to Tim, winning rider, Kent Desormeaux, his first Belmont Stakes victory of an illustrious career.  Of course the owners, Kalarikkal Jayaraman and his wife, Devi. Congratulations to all four of you.  First I’d like to start, Tim, your first year of training, you and the horse have come a long way in an awfully short period of time.  Are you overcome by emotion after such a win as this, right?
            TIM ICE:  Right now it’s just unexplainable.  I have to thank the Jayaramans both for sticking with me.  At first it was a little rough, you know.  We had a nice colt coming on the way here.  Picked up.  They sent him to me in January.  I owe everything to them.
            THE MODERATOR:  Kent, congratulations on your first Belmont Stakes win, something I’m sure a lot of people feel is long overdue. Were you surprised aboard Summer Bird to see Mine That Bird moving in front of you?
            KENT DESORMEAUX:  I got to be honest with you.  I didn’t pick up Mine That Bird till the 5/16 pole.  I was riding my horse, paying attention to details, making sure he was comfortable … I don’t think there was a bias, not saying that.  Just saying with it being fair and equal throughout.  I thought an inside trip might help me.  When I did pick him up, I was a little bit disappointed.  I was like, how am I going to catch him?  He’s already in front of me.  But when I did get that opportunity, this colt just laid down and took off.  He really exploded the last, probably 500 yards, and there was never any doubt turning for home after he changed his leads.  The only way I was going to get beat if there was somebody behind me coming, he had dead aim on the leaders.
            THE MODERATOR:  KK and Devi, you ran Summer Bird in a $1 million race, the Arkansas Derby, off just a single maiden victory. Clearly you all knew your horse had some special talent.  What gave you the confidence to make that this pretty significant step up in class so boldly?
            VILASINI JAYARAMAN:  Summer Bird was well all along as two-year-old, took a long time to get to the races, not that he had any problems. He didn’t have explosive speed of a sprinter. We kept him in the farm, trained him in the farm on the track.  We thought he was a good horse.  All the rest of the work was done by Tim Ice and I thank him.  Thank you Tim, for Kent, for his beautiful ride.
            THE MODERATOR:  Tim, in addition to all that hard work up front, you made a slight adjustment going into the race. Adding blinkers certainly seemed to pay off.
            TIM ICE:  I think adding the blinkers let him focus.  I think Kent Desormeaux helped a lot.  With the blinkers and Kent, had they put it together and won the third leg of the Triple Crown.
            THE MODERATOR:  Do you know what might be next for the Summer Bird?
            TIM ICE:  I’m not sure.  We’ll discuss it, the owners and I.  We thought about trying him on the grass, but after this, we may, you know, we have some options.  We’ll sit down and discuss it.
            THE MODERATOR:  I want to throw open questions both upstairs in the Press Box and down here in the room, and I’ll repeat the question for the benefit of those who are listening upstairs.

            Q.  For Kent, if you could just discuss the difference in emotions from last year’s Belmont to this year.
            KENT DESORMEAUX:  Last year’s Belmont was like swallowing a spoon sideways, what a pill to swallow.  I go from a horse, in my heart, I thought could not lose.  He had some adversity and lack of training.  I still didn’t think he could lose.  Things happened the way they did, he didn’t respond.  I babysat him and now here today.  Tim babysat me.  I’m very fortunate to have the opportunity to ride for Tim and Drs. Jayaraman and thankful for Belmont for putting on a great show.  Mother Nature treated us well and NetJets.

            Q.  Not only did you have Big Brown last year, you had probably the toughest beat in horse racing history, aboard Real Quiet.  You were 0-for-six in the Belmont, had two disappointing races, were you starting to think there was some (inaudible) Kent Desormeaux?
            KENT DESORMEAUX:  No, not at all. Especially after the first Belmont (with Real Quiet), I slept very well.  I thought that, given the opportunity, I’d do it the same way all over again.  Hindsight is 20-20.  Cornering for home, Real Quiet, I did not think I could lose.  I don’t know what he saw.  I don’t know why he gawked.  For anyone thinks he got tired, he was not, he gawked on the lead, and the only stride Victory Gallop was a head bob on the wire, because that’s when Real Quiet saw, and three strides later, I was a length in front. So it just wasn’t meant to be.  With that being said, I did also try to, you know, maintain my confidence, know that when God had it in my plan, it would happen.

            Q.  Dr. J and Mrs. Dr. J., you’ve bred a lot of good horses; could you describe anything outstanding about this horse as a foal and also as he progressed to his early training, did anything stand out to you from the get-go?
            KALARIKKAL JAYARAMAN:  I believe of about 25 two years old last year, he was a standout in the room.  He was strong.  He never had any physical problems, but he didn’t have that an explosive sprint.  He was a standout.

            Q.  Who trains at the farm?  Who trains for you at the farm?
            KALARIKKAL JAYARAMAN:  I do that.

            Q.  This is a question for Tim.  When I spoke to you the other day, we kind of talked about what this would mean to your young career to have a win in the Belmont Stakes.  Now that you’ve done it, can you tell me what you think?
            TIM ICE:  I don’t know yet.  I’m still taking it in and enjoying this right now.  If my career goes nowhere from here, I’ve got a Belmont win.  They can’t take it away from me.

            Q.  You also mentioned to me that you hoped you could sort of branch out of Louisiana Downs and you thought maybe within the next year or so you would look at some other locations.  Do you think this will be sped up and what are those locations you’re looking for?
            TIM ICE:  Right now I’m settled at Louisiana Downs.  Next summer we’ll probably look at other places, maybe come up here on the east coast.  Just, you know, right now we’re going to enjoy this win and figure out everything later.

            Q.  Last question, do you think you’ll bring the horse back to the Louisiana Downs?
            TIM ICE:  He’ll go back to Louisiana Downs.

            Q.  When will that be?
            TIM ICE:  He’s going to Churchill on Monday and Churchill to Louisiana Downs.

            Q.  Tim, can you describe the process, how Kent ended up on the horse, and Kent, can you talk about with his connection to your brother, did you know him pretty well?
            TIM ICE:  Well, we called Kent after the Kentucky Derby and he was already obligated in the Preakness.  So we waited.  I talked to Joe Talamo about riding him.  We got up here. We talked to a few people.  You know, they said, we needed a rider that knows the track. And nothing against Joe, you know, we found us a rider that knows Belmont and, you know, we got the job done.

            Q.  Kent, your part of the question, did you know Tim very well because of his relationship with your brother?
            KENT DESORMEAUX:  The answer is yes.  I think I’m just thankful that we did have that connection.  It’s probably part of the opportunity.  But I think personally, I think Tim, the phone will ring.  He won the Belmont. His phone will ring and I want to congratulate him on doing the right thing.  He had this horse here early.  It is very, very different lay of the land here at Belmont.  We don’t call it the Big Sandy for nothing.  The track is different.  The sand is different and the horses probably get a little stoved up training here the first couple of days already.  They’re not fast like Churchill or Pimlico.  And I think he needs a pat on the back for getting the job done.  He did it right and that’s why he’s taking his picture and that’s why his phone is going to ring.

            Q.  Tim, when we talked to you Wednesday after the horse was on the track, you liked the way he moved and looked really good.  You said if he keeps his energy up, we’re going to be hard to beat.  How was it from those days on?  Was it an anxious waiting for this day?
            TIM ICE:  We took it day-to-day.  The horse was going great all week.  Anybody that come up and ask me about him, I said this horse is going to run big.  He’s a good-feeling horse.  He was fresh, you know.  He had five weeks in between the Derby and the Belmont and that helped the colt a lot.  He’s still maturing, and, you know, he proved it today. We did the right thing by skipping the Preakness and waiting on the Belmont and bringing him here early.
            THE MODERATOR:  Dr. Jayaraman, a question from upstairs in the Press Box.  You’ve had a lot of trainers throughout your owner career. Here in Tim Ice, you have a man who’s been training on his own for just a year.  Can you discuss using Tim?
            KALARIKKAL JAYARAMAN:  I cannot say anything about the trainers I had in the past.  Tim has been exceptionally good.

            Q.  Kent, you had a pretty big day today. You had three wins earlier on in the afternoon in a row.  Did that give you any extra confidence going into the Belmont Stakes?
            KENT DESORMEAUX:  Yeah, I was flying high as a kite until I rode Wesley and the bottom fell out.  I was really hopeful that I thought I had a big chance in that race and I really would like to have a do-over there.  It was unfortunate I had to go into the race after Wesley.  It’s what we do as jockeys, onto the next one, erase the board, move on.  I tell you what gave me confidence, I watched this horse gallop a two-minute lick last week.  He was going better the second time around than the first time.  That’s where I had had my confidence.  It was enjoyable to watch.  I thought he was doing very well.  Not only that he definitely touted himself all the way to the game, he was … dancing, never stopped dancing.

            Q.  Kent, you probably just answered the question I’m going to ask you, but how well did you know this horse before you rode him, and can you compare it to other Belmont’s you’ve ridden, how confident were you, really, in his ability to win the race?
            KENT DESORMEAUX:  Well, I’d like to tell you a story, but the reality is, I breezed him, boy I had to scrub on him just to make him do things. He did work well, but he was a horse that needed a lot of encouragement.  I got him to do what Tim and I wanted to do out of the morning breeze.  Like usual.  Morning hours, there’s nothing like afternoon horses. This horse drug me around the racetrack.  I tried to use the track tactics that offered me wins in the past.  Instead of staying three or four lengths behind a horse where his nose gets filled with sand, I tried to stick it up behind somebody so he could get his full breath. Instead of the sand pelting him in the nose, it was going under his belly.  Those little things I tried to accomplish at the Big Sandy here at Belmont.  Tim had the horse breathing fire.  I was able to steer him around the racetrack.  Everything worked out. I’m thrilled to be here talking to you about my first Belmont.

            Q.  After last year’s Belmont, did you ask yourself is there anything you could have done differently, or did you simply not have the same horse?
            KENT DESORMEAUX:  I kind of think I dwelled on that a little bit, just the fact that I think I say I hope that through this, horsemen will understand and have the confidence, as usual, that if I’m given the opportunity, I try not to bail.  And usually if it’s not an ending result of success, I hope that the end result, once it’s dwelled upon, the blame finds itself elsewhere …  I can’t tell you how much I’m going inside, how well it feels to have that contentment and to be able to go home and rest at ease knowing I’ve won the three American classics.

            Q.  Kent, you’ve ridden horses going for the Triple Crown in the Belmont, now you’re on one that had the five weeks rest, being on both types of horses, how different was the feel on the fresh horse and what does that say about the attempt of these guys trying to win the Triple Crown and with the new move of horses than waiting the five weeks?
            KENT DESORMEAUX:  It’s a very good question, and it’s an emphatic obvious.  It’s so dramatic to me because all of the previous mounts … this horse showed me the difference.  I mean, he was toe-y, dancing, just that bit of energy that tells you, "Let me at ‘em, let me at ‘em, I can’t wait to get to them.  I want to be a racehorse."  Whereas, the other ones, they all were kind of just here we go again.

            Q.  To either of Drs. Jayaraman, you guys took a big chance on an unknown trainer that had not much experience on his own; tell us why you chose Tim and what did you see in him to give him your horses and did you have any reservations that maybe he hadn’t had any experience, as a head trainer at least.
            KALARIKKAL JAYARAMAN:  I knew Tim for three or four years when he was working as assistant for other trainers, and I thought he was doing a good job.  In the past I’ve done that also without knowing the trainers very well.

            Q.  Kent, was there a point where you perhaps you were deciding to go inside or outside or were you always waiting to pull him outside. Were you thinking of a Bo-rail ride up the inside?
            KENT DESORMEAUX:  Well, I actually was thinking if Borel is going to beat me, he’s going to have to come around.  It’s a Louisiana life-long lesson.  With that being said, I actually was a little disappointed.  I thought I had waited too long, because by the time we got to the three-eighths pole, I was still covered up, and we quickened, the entire field quickened, and I went from being drug behind the flight in front of me, to being just allowing him to float, and they were opening up on me.  They actually had a better turn of foot than I did at that instant.  It was only for maybe 15 strides I’d say, at least a sixteenth of a mile, I couldn’t keep up and they no longer progressed away from me and I started eating the ground up and catching them.  That’s when I looked for a path and found a seam, and he took off even faster after I was able to clear his face up and get him clear sailing where there was no objects in front of him.

            Q.  Tim, can you talk about your decision in training for you’ve been training for 15 months what was it that made you realize it was time to go out on your own?
            TIM ICE:  I was an assistant trainer for 15 years, I put in all the hours and hard work and I thought I might as well do it for myself. It took a little longer, but I think I got a thorough knowledge of the sport and what it’s about.  I worked for Keith Desormeaux, great guy, with him five years.  Cole Norman three years, Morris Nicks for two years, a few others in between.  But those are the three that influenced me the most and, you know, I have to thank those guys as well where I’m at today because they showed me a lot, taught me, they had a lot of confidence in me to hire me.  It was just a matter of you know, turning 34, it was time I working for myself.

            Q.  Doctors, could you describe your emotions during the race when the horse started to make his move and also your emotions at the end of the race, please?
            KALARIKKAL JAYARAMAN:  It was great. It was like a dream winning the Belmont.

            Q.  Were you yelling?
            KALARIKKAL JAYARAMAN:  Oh, yeah, we were yelling.
            THE MODERATOR:  Same question for you, Tim.
            TIM ICE:  All I could hear was my hollering, I couldn’t hear anybody else.  It was surreal to see the red cap, blue blinkers coming on the outside, it was just a thrilling, exciting finish.

            Q.  Kent, you’ve been in this business a long, long time, do guarantees ever work?
            KENT DESORMEAUX:  I’ve given them out before and had some success.  You learn in the end you usually just shoot yourself in the foot.

            Q.  Were you surprised Calvin guaranteed?
            KENT DESORMEAUX:  No, not at all, and I can’t blame him for it.  I think that you start to feel like superman, you feel invincible.  I guarantee you he went into the race with that utmost feeling he could not lose, and I wouldn’t want anybody any different on my horse.

            Q.  You had that feeling you said before Real Quiet but not before Big Brown, what was the difference between those two races?
            KENT DESORMEAUX:  Big Brown was dealing with a lot of adversity, everyone knows about the foot.  No foot, no horse.  There was the lack of training in the three weeks.  I mean, you know after the Preakness moving onto this race.  There were several moments we didn’t even know if he was going to run.  That’s the answer.
            THE MODERATOR:  Anything else for team Summer Bird?  All right, well, Tim Ice, Kent Desormeaux, Dr. Jayaraman and Devi, congratulations on a terrific berth day and happy birthday to you, Tim.
            TIM ICE:  Thank you.
            KENT DESORMEAUX:  Thank you all.

            End of FastScripts
TRANSCRIPT PROVIDED BY ASAP SPORTS: ASAPSPORTS.COM

QUOTES FROM MINE THAT BIRD’S CONNECTIONS: 

CALVIN BOREL
CHIP WOOLLEY
            THE MODERATOR:  Okay.  We are live in the interview room with Calvin Borel who is the rider of Mine That Bird, finishing third.  There is an inquiry in progress that still has not been adjudicated regarding the second place finisher, Dunkirk.
            Calvin, can you take us through the trip on Mine That Bird?
            CALVIN BOREL:  I had a good trip. He was fine, you know.  He was a little bit more forward, you know, like I expected going around the half, you know, and down the back side, I thought he might win.  When I got to the point I still thought he was going, I told my fiance on the weekend, that horse, he got wide in the Derby, can’t keep no credit away from my little horse.  He tried.  He run his heart out, and I wouldn’t give up for nothing in the world.
            THE MODERATOR:  In an ideal world, did you make the lead sooner than you expected?
            CALVIN BOREL:  They kind of come back to me pretty quick.  But I was still comfortable, you know, I mean, from the eighth pole to the wire, I was still comfortable.  Last 40 yards he kind of threw the towel in.  When I moved him, I was happy to get over a little bit, save a little ground, no excuses.  He run his eyeballs out.
            THE MODERATOR:  Last question before I throw it out to the media.  It’s been a very emotional five weeks for you, can you describe your emotions now that it’s come to an end?
            CALVIN BOREL:  It’s been a good road.  It’s unbelievable.  First two legs, I mean, I won’t change it for nothing in the world.  I’m going to be there tomorrow morning, try again, try to get another one.
            THE MODERATOR:  Questions in the room for Calvin?  I’ll repeat them for the benefit of those listening upstairs.

            Q.  Did he take you into the race?
            CALVIN BOREL:  He kind of took me a little earlier than I wanted in the back side.  I knew the fence wasn’t good. It’s kind of keep down there.  When I eased him out, he took me a little earlier than I wanted.  So I let him go on.  The horses in front kind of stopped, like a walk the last quarter of a mile.  Like I said, you know, he tried.  He bellied down when the horse come up to the outside. So I can’t take nothing out of him, you know.  It’s very — track is deep, you know.  He just got no excuses, nothing but race track in front of us.

            Q.  Calvin, any noticeable difference in Mine That Bird’s demeanor before or during the race?
            CALVIN BOREL:  No, sir.  He was happy.  Chip … did a good job getting him ready, keeping him happy. Main thing, to get him here, we did that. He run a good race.  Where he come from, he run a good race.

            Q.  Calvin, did he seem tired to you at all?
            CALVIN BOREL:  Not really, no.  He was — I don’t think he got tired.  If anything, you know, maybe moved him a little earlier, let him get up there earlier than I was supposed to.  I wasn’t going to take the race out of him, because I knew someone was going to plod on this and beat us, that’s what happened.

            Q.  Why did you think that Summer Bird was the horse to beat?
            CALVIN BOREL:  If you watch him run in the Derby you’d see why.  I thought that was the horse to beat.  My little colt run so hard the last two races, you can’t take nothing away from him.  Chip did a good job with him, like I said. Coming for home, I thought he was home free.  He bellied down, run his little heart out.  So, please don’t knock him down.  He’s not a bad horse.
            THE MODERATOR:  We’re also now joined by Mine That Bird’s trainer, Chip Woolley.
            Chip, first and foremost, tell us how Mine That Bird came back from the race.
            CHIP WOOLLEY:  He looked good off the track.  He wasn’t dead.  He was tired, he looked okay.  Talked to Charlie just now, he’s on his way on the barn. He looked all right.
            THE MODERATOR:  Post-Derby, Calvin, was a bevy of emotion, you were very stoic.  Calvin is pretty stoic now and graceful in defeat.  What are your emotions after this five-week run?
            CHIP WOOLLEY:  My emotions are real high right now.  I want to congratulate Tim Ice.  He did a great job.  We’re disappointed, down a little bit, but the colt did run a big race.  Calvin rode a good race.  Watching it live, I haven’t watched the reply, I can’t comment too much on the race, other than I thought we might have gone ahead early.  Hard to say that when you haven’t seen the replay.  I may have a whole different outlook on it when the time comes, really sit down and watch it.  I heard Calvin say the horse was kind of fresh down the backside, kind of getting up into the bridle.  That’s kind of something he hadn’t been doing in the past.  So I think he run a great race. It’s been a lot of fun.  I was a little concerned with the horse when he went to the holding barn today.  He was a hair more, a little more amped more than he had been previous races, you know.  Maybe I had him a hair too fresh.  Maybe I should have done something different when we got here.  But it’s hard to say.
            THE MODERATOR:  Okay.  People listening in the Press Box may also ask a question.  It will get relayed down here and asked.  Questions for the trainer and jockey of Mine That Bird.

            Q.  Calvin, you talked about, you know, how much will you kind of go over your performance and your ride in a race like this when you talk about did I move him too early, did I not?
            CALVIN BOREL:  Not that I moved him too early.  The horses in front come back to me quick, going that far.  It might have looked like he was a little fresher, but they’re going a mile and a half.  He was going to put me in the race a little bit more, you know … after they passed seven-eighths of a mile, they come back real quick.  I didn’t move on him till the quarter pole. I was still happy.  We just got outrun, sir.  It’s been a hard trip, a hard run. The colt’s tried every time he run.  You can’t take nothing away from him.  Like I said, maybe might have moved a little tad early.  But he took me there  …   I mean, when they moving that easy and the horses are coming back to you that fast, it might look like he got there quicker.

            Q.  Chip, do you think your horse has done enough to wrap up the championship at this juncture?
            CHIP WOOLLEY:  Not by no means. He’s going to have to step up to the plate and do more before the end of the year, if he’s got any shot at it.
            THE MODERATOR:  Chip, can you fill people in on what might be the next step for Mine That Bird, or is it too soon to figure that out?
            CHIP WOOLLEY:  Well, I mean, really right now what we’re aiming at is probably another race out here on the east coast somewhere.  We haven’t picked a spot yet, kind of studying everything. Going to give him a good eight weeks between races and let him freshen up. Maybe a little time off, not much. Couple weeks off and back into training, and see if we can’t aim at something over here on the east coast, and maybe his ultimate goal, of course, is going to be the Breeder’s Cup.  So maybe two outs between now and then if the horse is doing well. I’ve got a run this by Mark Allen and Dr. Block.  They’ve given me a great opportunity here.
            THE MODERATOR:  Questions for Chip and Calvin.
            David.

            Q.  Calvin, wondering any regrets about guaranteeing –
            CALVIN BOREL:  Colt run the race. He run like I thought he would.  I can’t take nothing away from him.  I love the horse to death.  He’s an animal like a human being, just like me.  He tried his heart out, went out, performed today.  I put him in a position to win and, you know, we just got outrun.  That’s it. The other horse maybe starting to come around more seasoned now and we got outrun today; don’t take nothing away from the little horse.

            Q.  Where will he be based at for his upcoming training, Chip?
            CHIP WOOLLEY:  We’re not sure yet. For the next week we’ll be at Churchill. We leave Monday morning, at Churchill for a week, and make a decision.  We’re going to stay around for Stephen Foster Day, and make a decision where to go from there.
            THE MODERATOR:  More questions for Calvin Borel or Chip Woolley?  Right here.

            Q.  Do you see this as sort of the beginning for you, kind of burst on the scene and now the horse is running great all three races, any long-term plan?  We going to see you back here every year?
            CHIP WOOLLEY:  Even Wayne (Lukas) don’t make it back every year.  I’m guessing not every year, but I hope to be back. It’s been a great run.  Had a wonderful time.  We’ll be back.  We’ll be scratching and trying to get back here again.

            Q.  Calvin, will you think twice before you ever guarantee again?
            CALVIN BOREL:  No.  Not really.  I thought I was on the best horse coming in.  And I was on the best horse.  Like I said, you know, when I rode him in the Derby, he run the last race and you hook him up again.  Right now he probably run a different race again.  I feel for my animals when I ride him.  I know he’s a good colt.  I know it was five weeks back to back.  If you’re not going to come here and ride with confidence, you may as well not come.  When I come to ride races like this, I come with confidence.

            Q.  Calvin, you never thought it could get bigger than what it was, what’s it been like?
            CALVIN BOREL:  It’s been a good road.  I wouldn’t change it for nothing in the world.  Thank you, Chip, and the owners and everybody for the opportunity to ride the colt back and still do business with them.  I promise, you give this colt a little time, you’ll see a little better horse.
            THE MODERATOR:  Whenever that next start is, Chip, you expect to be giving Calvin the leg up?
            CHIP WOOLLEY:  Absolutely, without a doubt.

            Q.  Do you have any questions for Tim Ice now that he’s doing the ranks of rookie classic winners, Tim Ice?
            CHIP WOOLLEY:  Not really.  I just welcome him in.  It’s been a fun run and he’s a deserving guy.  The guy works hard and does a good job.

            Q.  Chip, did the horse seem the same to you today as he has been?
            CHIP WOOLLEY:  Yes, I think he was. Like I said, he might have been a hair higher today coming in here, just a little more amped up.  But overall, he was the same colt that led up in the Derby. He run a great race.  I’ve got to watch the replay.  The horse run a great race. He placed himself a little more up in the race.  But other than that, I mean, he just run a great race and got beat, and you have to accept that and go on.

            Q.  Along those lines, did you have any misgivings when you saw him place himself up, placing himself forward?
            CHIP WOOLLEY:  I was a little concerned he was that close.  The closer he gets, the less he’s going to have him stretch.  Kind of concerned me, but that’s some of my job to make sure when he goes out, he’s not too high and he’s not dragging Calvin out there, too.

            Q.  He it seemed from my eye to be lugging out in the stretch?
            CALVIN BOREL:  No, he was getting a little tired in the end there.  But he wasn’t lugging out in the end.  I mean, it’s just a tiring track.  It’s kind of sandy, you know, that type of track isn’t like any other.  It’s not like a regular track.  It’s a sandy track.
            THE MODERATOR:  Is it possible that last couple of furlongs what we saw might have been a result of the three grueling races?
            CALVIN BOREL:  Exactly.  Might have took a little out of him the last two races, but he rode his heart out.
            THE MODERATOR:  Any final questions for Chip or Calvin?  Gentlemen, congratulations on a thrilling and unexpectedly wonderful Triple Crown run by Mine That Bird, and best of luck to both of you in the future.

            Q.  Chip, what time will you be at the barn in the morning?
            CHIP WOOLLEY:  I’ll be early.  I’ll be there between 5:30 or so.
            THE MODERATOR:  Gentlemen, thank you very much.  Congratulations, again.
           TRANSCRIPT PROVIDED BY ASAP SPORTS: ASAPSPORTS.COM

QUOTES FROM CONNECTIONS OF THE OTHER HORSES:

Todd Pletcher, trainer of runner-up Dunkirk (No. 2): "He ran well. I told Johnny (Velazquez, jockey) the same thing I told him all week - we wanted him to get into his rhythm. He made the lead very easily and we were very happy with that. At the three-eighths pole, we thought he might have been lucky."

John Velazquez, jockey of Dunkirk: "He battled every step of the way. He just got tired late, but he ran a huge race. He was definitely tired when I pulled him up, and he tied up. I hosed him down, and he seemed to be okay. I couldn’t believe I was on the lead early. There was no pace. The way he broke, he was already there on the lead, so I didn’t want to hold him back. I didn’t see Mine That Bird, and he came to me at the eighth-pole. Then, I got after my horse and he put up a real good fight and came back to beat Mine That Bird for second. He just ran his eyeballs out, but unfortunately, we just got beat."

Chip Woolley, trainer of third-place finisher Mine That Bird (No. 7): "He looked good coming off the track. He was tired, he was used, but he looked all right. I want to congratulate Tim Ice. He’s done a great job with the horse. We’re a little down, disappointed right now. I thought he might have moved a hair early, but I haven’t watched the replay. He ran a great race. It’s been a lot of fun. We’ll give him a good eight weeks off and let him freshen up. We’ll aim at something on the East Coast."

Calvin Borel, jockey of Mine That Bird: "I thought I had it won when I got to the quarter-pole. They came back to me pretty quick. When I moved, I was happy. No excuses. He ran his eyeballs out. He took me a little earlier. When I eased him out, the horses in front kind of stopped. He got out-run, no excuses. He had a lot of racetrack in front of him. He ran a good race. I don’t think he got tired. I might have let him get up earlier, but I wasn’t going to take the race out of him. Turning for home, I thought he was home-free. He ran his heart out. I put him position to win, and we just got out-run.. Don’t take anything away from the little horse.

(about guaranteeing victory): "No regrets. I thought I was on the best horse going in. I know he’s a good horse. He’s been five weeks, back to back. It’s been a good roll, and I wouldn’t change it for anything."

Kiaran McLaughlin, trainer of fourth-place finisher Charitable Man (No. 6): "It was a pretty fast pace going that far. I was confident he was going to run well. He ran well, but I thought he was good enough to win, so it’s disappointing."

Alan Garcia, jockey of Charitable Man: "He ran good, my horse. I saw Dunkirk; he went to the lead and I was waiting.. I saw Summer Bird make a move and I said, `OK, it’s time to go.’  My horse kept going, and then he got tired.  He ran a good race and I’m happy with the way he ran."

D. Wayne Lukas, trainer of fifth-place finisher Luv Gov (No. 5) and sixth-place Flying Private (No. 8): "No [excuse] that I can see, it’s sort of tough to watch it live. I want to see the replay.  I don’t know if we got a track that was conducive, but I don’t want to make any excuses, I would rather watch the replay first and see what it looks like. You know, when you watch it live up there and a mile and a half it’s pretty hard to find them out there.  I thought that horse was live that won it and I thought Dunkirk ran a beautiful race.  It wasn’t all that surprising, I thought Summer Bird had an excellent chance the way he’s been closing and we’ll salute the winners and rack ‘em up next year."

Julien Leparoux, jockey of Flying Private: "I had a very good trip actually, but my horse didn’t get there for me - I just ran out of horse."; Miguel Mena, jockey of Luv Gov: Unavailable for comment.

Eoin Harty, trainer of eighth-place finisher Mr. Hot Stuff (No. 3): "Edgar (Prado, jockey) had him in position to win, but ultimately, it wasn’t good enough"

Edgar Prado, jockey of Mr. Hot Stuff: "When Summer Bird made that move on the turn, no one was going to catch him."

Jerry Hollendorfer, trainer of ninth-place finisher Chocolate Candy (No. 1): "He pulled up good, but we had no excuses. We ship out on Monday."

Garrett Gomez, jockey of Chocolate Candy: Unavailable for comment.

Nick Zito, trainer of seventh-place finisher Brave Victory (No. 10) and 10th-place finisher Miner’s Escape (No. 9): "Brave Victory — I don’t know where, he got stepped on, but he’s got a big gash on his knee. He’ll be okay. He was moving nice the first time and he might have been a little closer. I’m not making excuses. Rajiv said Mine That Bird made a pretty quick move on them. I’m not taking anything away from the Birdstones [NOTE: Winner Summer Bird and third-place Mine That Bird were both sired by Birdstone, who won the 2004 Belmont Stakes with Zito as his trainer].

"I was kind of surprised that Dunkirk took the lead.  You know, I think if Miner’s Escape got that spot we might have run a little better but he had no excuse.  The horse stumbled a little but he recovered pretty quick. I’m not making excuses, but he had a bad break."

Jose Lezcano, jockey of Miner’s Escape: "He had a fair trip, he put himself in a good spot where I would want to be.  I thought I had striking position and at the end I don’t know if he got worn out or whatever, but he just didn’t have the winning touch."

Rajiv Maragh, jockey of Brave Victory: "I had the time of my life!  I had a good trip and he put himself in a good spot, unfortunately he just didn’t have that winning punch.  I’m a little disappointed, but he tried hard and I can’t be too mad at the horse or myself, it’s not everyday, you can’t win every race, but we had a fair shot at it."

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And then there were 17…while many of our voters have been unable to continue on the index, we are thankful for their contributions to the Paulick Report. The good news of course is the fan vote now has a larger percentage of the poll. So we now present you the Paulick Belmont Index by AmWest Entertainment!

Mine That Bird, after an impressive second at the Preakness, finally has earned the respect he clearly deserves. Had the Preakness been at a Derby length, many believe that the Derby winner would be walking into Belmont Park on Saturday with the opportunity to win the Triple Crown. Hindsight might make some wonder if Rachel entering the Preakness actually was the best thing for the sport now that she is not running in the Belmont which leaves us no compelling storylines outside of Calvin’s unique Triple Crown opportunity. Charitable Man, fresh from an impressive Peter Pan Stakes win, has shot up the index to the number two position followed by rumored talent Dunkirk.

Who do you think will take the prize on Saturday? Weigh in with your comments in the section below Ray Paulick’s top 10 picks and analysis, and the lists of our valued contributors. Also, we would like to thank AmWest Entertainment for continuing to sponsor the Paulick Triple Crown Indexes.

1-Dunkirk. Todd Pletcher may have the worst Kentucky Derby record in history, but he’s been pretty good in the Belmont the last three years (second and third in 2006, first with Rags to Riches in 2007, and third in 2008). In Dunkirk, Pletcher has a horse with a strong pedigree and was the 11-10 favorite to win the Florida Derby in just his third start. His trip in the Kentucky Derby was disastrous, but he’s well rested since then, been working in good order and should love the distance.

2-Charitable Man. Been pointed to this race by trainer Kiaran McLaughlin after skipping the Kentucky Derby. Loves the track, bred for the distance and has tactical speed to be effective. It will be interesting to see if this son of Belmont winner Lemon Drop Kid is made the betting favorite over Mine That Bird on the strength of his Peter Pan victory.

3-Mine That Bird. The Preakness made me a believer in this gelded son of Birdstone, and conventional wisdom suggests being reunited with Calvin Borel and stretching out to 1 ∏ miles will be in his favor. But as I learned while watching races from veteran New York racing journalist Steve Haskin, Belmont is not a track for big closers. Let’s hope Mine That Bird stays healthy and has a long and productive campaign. He is an exciting horse with ability. I just don’t think the Belmont layout suits him.

4-Mr. Hot Stuff. Didn’t figure to be a precocious colt (by Tiznow) but could have a say in the outcome of some of the bigger races in the second half of the year. Another big closer who might be compromised by the track.

5-Chocolate Candy. It may be to his advantage to be training at Belmont since his fifth-place showing in the Kentucky Derby, but he’ll need to flash more tactical speed on Saturday than he’s shown in most of his previous starts.

6-Flying Private. What is it Charlie Whittingham once said: “Never say anything bad about a horse until he’s been dead at least 10 year”? I take back what I said going into the Preakness. Flying Private ran a much improved race from his dismal Derby and stands to improve even more in the Belmont. And, yes, D. Wayne Lukas can still train. I think we’ll be seeing a lot more of him in big races as this year moves ahead. He is stocked with 2-year-old talent in his barn.

7-Summer Bird. This other “Bird” had trouble in the Kentucky Derby while Calvin Borel guided Mine That Bird to a trouble-free victory on the rail-biased wet track. I don’t see him winning the Belmont, but son of Birdstone has already proven to be more than a useful horse.

8-Luv Gov. It was a tall order going from a maiden win on Derby day to the Preakness. This one’s just as big a challenge, but I’ll bet he’ll appreciate the added distance.

9-Brave Victory.  Closed a lot of ground to be third in the Peter Pan and trainer Nick Zito has upset the Belmont apple cart before. In this race, no outcome would shock me, but I won’t be betting on a win by Brave Victory.

10-Miner’s Escape: Speed can be dangerous at Belmont (Da’ Tara in 2008?), but I don’t think we’re going to see another wire to wire victory. There are too many others in this race with proven ability, and son of Mineshaft just hasn’t beaten much yet.

Statement by Jess Jackson on behalf of Stonestreet Stables and Harold McCormick

“Rachel Alexandra is an incredible thoroughbred who has proven to be the best three year old in racing today. We are elated by all the attention her wins in the Oaks and Preakness has garnered the sport. The many letters and emails we have received from young girls and racing enthusiasts lets us know that many fans are proud of Rachel.  When we purchased Rachel, our goal was to restore the sport’s vitality and grow its fan base by extending the racing careers of its stars.

After careful consideration, we have decided not to run Rachel Alexandra in the Belmont Stakes next weekend. We have advised Calvin Borel, Chip Woolley and Belmont of our decision.  We thank them, the media and the fans for their many courtesies and patience while we pondered.

We know the media and many fans would have liked to see her run in the Belmont Stakes — we feel the same. But all of us sincerely interested in the horse must agree that we only want to see her run when it is best for her. While she is in great shape, having strong works, and recovering well from her amazing performances, we feel Rachel deserves a well-earned vacation.  Since March 14, Rachel has won four graded races with just two weeks rest between her last two victories.  We will always put her long-term well being first. And, of course, we want to run her when she is fresh. 

Rachel, her owners, her trainers and her fans can continue to anticipate an exciting campaign.  All major races will be considered as we look to the rest of Rachel’s racing career.”

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By Ray Paulick
I don’t expect Jess Jackson to surprise us and call in with the Rachel Alexandra announcement the racing world has been breathlessly waiting for (you know, will she or won’t she?), but one never knows. Chip Woolley might give us some thoughts about potential jockeys for Mine That Birdor or even talk about Stupid Motorcycle Tricks. Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin could charm us into believing that Charitable Man is a cinch to win the Belmont Stakes, and Jerry Hollendorfer may convince us that all Chocolate Candy needed in the Kentucky Derby was another quarter mile.

At any rate, starting shortly after 1 p.m. (EDT), I’ll be live blogging the NTRA’s Triple Crown teleconference call concerning the June 6 Belmont. Trainers Woolley, McLaughlin and Hollendorfer are the scheduled guests. I’m betting that moderator Eric Wing’s questions will be twice as long as the answers given by two of the three men (you can guess which one is more verbose!), but, hey, it’s a slow news day.

1:05 p.m. … This isn’t starting off well. The Muzak renditionwhile of the Beatles "I"m Happy Just to Dance With You" while I was on hold waiting for the conference to begin was utterly depressing. John and George are spinning in their graves. I didn’t know the song was a slow ballad.

1:07 p.m. … Eric Wing starts off with Chip Woolley and asks if there will be enough pace in the race if Rachel Alexandra doesn’t go. He’s not worried, saying that a slow pace puts Mine That Bird closer to the pace than usual. How long will he wait for a jockey if the decision about Rachel Alexandra extends till next week, putting Calvin Borel on the fence? "About to or close to entry time. I’m gonna give Calvin as much time as possible…to keep him from losing two mounts. He won me the Derby. I owe him the opportunity if it’s possible."

"It’s irrelevant to me" if the filly does or doesn’t go, Woolley says. He just wants Calvin on his horse. "I believe it would be good for racing (if Rachel goes). It brought out a lot of people last time."

1:10 p.m. … "It’s been a lot of fun…the one thing it’s done is validated my career," Woolley said when asked what winning the Derby meant to him. Woolley said he spent 25 years working hard and the Kentucky Derby gave him "validation" for what he’s done. "I thought today he looked as good as he’s looked…period," Woolley said of Mine That Bird’s condition. He expressed some concern that Mine That Bird’s closing kick might be compromised a bit on the Belmont’s deeper surface.

What has he learned about training a horse through the demanding the Triple Crown? "Fortunately for me, my horse only runs about three-eighths of a mile, so it’s not quite as hard on him as it has been for the other horses," he said. "It’s just horse racing. It’s just on a higher level. You just try to keep your horse in the best of shape and hope you don’t miss anything."

"He’ll gallop Friday, Saturday, Sunday, work Monday, walk Tuesday and leave Wednesday," he said of the Birdstone gelding’s schedule.

"You’ve got to respect Charitable Man, he’s a monster on that racetrack," Woolley said when asked about who he fears. Woolley said you have to respect all of the competitors in the race.

Woolley said his stable back in New Mexico is in the hands of his brother, though he checks in daily. "I have to keep my fingers in it. I can’t stand not to," he said.

1:18 p.m. … Is Woolley concerned about the effects the Triple Crown will have on Mine That Bird, who could have a long career since he is a gelding? The trainer said he plans to give him a month off  after the Belmont and only has three more races scheduled for the year. "He’s handled it well (so far)," Woolley said. "If the horse hadn’t been on his very best game we probably would have passed it up," he said of the Belmont. "I haven’t put much thought to it," Woolley said when asked whether or not he thinks Rachel Alexandra will run in the Belmont. 

1:20 p.m. … How important is timing Mine That Bird’s move in the Belmont. "Absolutely," it’s important. "If you push the button too early you could come up empty at the wire. It’s imperative we get the right trip and make our move at the right time. If you look at previous Belmonts, on average the horses closer to the pace tend to win. History says you need to be a little closer to the pace. So he’s got his work cut out for him."

"I’ve seen the films of Birdstone winning the Belmont, but it has no bearing on my horse’s race," Woolley said when asked about Mine That Bird’s breeding. "We were the best horse in the Derby on that given day and I felt we were the best horse in the Preakness on that day. Going into this I think we have the best horse."

"I managed to get him beat twice at Sunland Park…so I can see why he went off at long odds in the Derby. What nobody paid much mind to was that we changed his tactics."

What are the three races he’s plotted out? "We haven’t really decided where those races are and what they’re going to be, other than the Breeders’ Cup," he said.  Woolley said he is likely to return Mine That Bird to Churchill Downs after the Belmont, or somewhere close to Churhill. "We’re looking at all options, every major race around. It could be anywhere," he said.

1:25 p.m. … Was there any change of equipment from Sunland to the Kentucky Derby? "D bit and a tongue tie. That’ s all he really needs. The horse is such an easy horse to ride, so he doesn’t need any specific equipment. The main thing is just to ride with patience. That’s all I really wanted."

1:28 p.m. … Can Mine That Bird make a transition in running style to be closer to the lead at the eighth pole and will he like the "big sandy," the nickname of Belmont’s main track. "I don’t think the depth of the racetrack will probably bother him as much as the other horses," he said. Woolley said he isn’t going to change Mine That Bird’s running style.

Why did he ship back to Churchill after the Preakness instead of going to Belmont? "He got a little rattled on me when I got him to Pimlico. As soon as he got back here he settled right in." Woolley knew Mine That Bird had trained well at Churchill and was concerned about how well he would handle Belmont in the mornings during the two breezes schedule between the Preakness and Belmont Stakes.

1:30 p.m. … "I don’t want Calvin sitting on the sidelines,"  Woolley said again about the delay in naming a rider. For that, he deserves some kudos. He understands the pickle Borel is in between Rachel Alexandra and Mine That Bird, and it would be easy for him to go out and get another rider ("They’ve all called me," he said.) Woolley just moved up in my book because of that loyalty to Borel.

1:32 p.m. … Kiaran McLaughlin is on. Is the Belmont a race in which tactical speed is important? "I think you have to be forwardly placed most of the time, but it’s also what your competition is and how the race shapes up for each horse. Mine That Bird, I agree with his trainer that he’s going to continue to run his style. Jazil (McLaughlin’s Belmont winner) had that style and we didn’t change. I have a lot of respect for Mine That Bird…but I wouldn’t trade places with anybody."

1:35 p.m. … What does McLaughlin make of Rachel Alexandra’s effort in the Preakness? "She’s a superstar, and it was a great day for our industry…although for both of them to run back in 35 days or 36 days it’s hard to do that. So it will be hard on her and tough on her to win the Belmont in a mile and  a half. Mine That Bird is a tough little horse. I DON’T see them running Rachel Alexandra."

How has Charitable Man bounced back? "He was one more work scheduled this Saturday, and then gallop to the race after that. He’s training great, eating well…he’s doing very well."  Does Charitable Man need a fast track? McLaughlin doesn’t think so. "He can handle anything other than the Polytrack," he said.

"I don’t think it is a big advantage (training on the Belmont surface," McLaughlin said. "The advantage is that we’re here." He said the stress of travel for horses can make a difference. "He doesn’t have to travel. He doesn’t have to get on a van or a plane, so that’s a plus. Belmont isn’t the kind of racetrack that horses either like or dislike."

What happened to Charitable Man to delay his 3-year-old campaign? "He cracked a shin," McLaughlin said, having a screw put on the bone and later removed. "We just didn’t have enough time to have him fit enough to run in a proper series of prep races. We made the choice to go in the Blue Grass (three weeks before the Derby). … Mr. Warren (the owner) was kind enough and patient enough to wait for the Peter Pan." The shin is completey healed, McLaughlin added.

"I’ve always dreamt fo winning the Kentucky Derby, and it’s hard to pass up the Kentucky Derby if you have a horse that qualifies on graded earnings. … I just thought running back in three weeks off the Blue Grass" would be detrimental for the rest of the year. "He’s a great sportsman," McLaughlin said of Warren, "and I didn’t have to twist his arm (not to run in the Derby." Warren wanted to do what was best for the horse, McLaughlin said. What a concept!

"He’s a beautiful horse, a magnificent horse," McLaughlin said of Charitable Man. 

1:43 p.m. "After he ran in the Preakness," McLaughlin said of Mine That Bird, "I have a lot of respect for him. He’s a gutsy little gelding." McLaughlin was stabled in the same barn as Mine That Bird before the Derby and said there was no comparison in looks between his horse and the Derby. "He’s a little gelding who cost $9,500 as a yearling," he said. McLaughlin thought Calvin Borel and the wet track had a lot to do with the Derby win, but felt the Preakness validated him as a good horse.

1:45 p.m. … McLaughlin said he actually had three horses under consideration for this year’s Derby and ran none of them. In the future, he said, he’d run four or five in the race if he could. "God put our eyes in the front of our head, so I always look forward, so I’m not going to look backwards," McLaughlin said, when asked if he thinks he might have been able to win the Derby with Charitable Man.

"Part of me wants to see her run and part of me doesn’t," McLaughlin said of the Rachel Alexandra’s possible run in the Belmont. "If she runs, she’ll probably be forwardly placed, and I do think we can beat her," he added. "It would mean a lot to the Belmont Stakes and NYRA if she’s in it, but Mine That Bird brings a lot to the race." Does a mile and half take more out of a filly? "It probably does…but I don’t think the mile and a half takes more out a horse than a mile and a quarter does on the first Saturday in the May." The faster fractions and bigger field make the Derby a tough race on a horse, McLaughlin said.

1:50 p.m. … Mafaaz, the horse who qualified for the Kentucky Derby by winning a race in England and then ran poorly in the Blue Grass Stakes, is now at Shadwell Farm in Lexington. He was switched from John Gosden to McLaughlin. McLaughlin said the horse has been gelded and will probably run at Saratoga.

1:52 p.m. … Jerry Hollendorfer is on the line. "He seems to be getting over the (Belmont) strip. He’s getting over the track very well (in his workouts and gallops)," Hollendorfer said. "Garrett’s ridden Chocolate Candy before and he’s won on hm last year. We’ very happy to have Garret (Gomez) riding our horse. He’s one of the best in the country." 

"You can only guess (on whether Chocolate Candy has improved since the Kentucky Derby). We think we’re in a pretty good position, going over the racetrack, and we think we can get the mile and a half. … I’d rather be more forwardly placed (than Mine That Bird figures to be). We should be a little better placed than we were in the Derby."

1:55 p.m. … "He’s been doing very well at Belmont. When Garrett worked him he said he got over the track very well." What were Hollendorfer’s impressions of the Preakness? "I don’t know how they’ll bounce b ack, but I assume if both are starters they have been doing very well. Speed is an asset in any race (and Rachel Alexandra would bring in a great deal of speed). The Belmont has been good for speed horses. I think Mine That Bird is a very legitimate horse. I don’t think there’s doubt in anyone’s mind that he’s a real runner."

Some guy in San Francisco wants to know if Hollendorfer can sleep in an airplane and whether he flies first class or coach! "Yes," to sleeping Hollendorfer says, and "no" to first class. "I flew Jet Blue to New York, and they don’t have first class," he said.

I think we must be nearing the end of this call.

2:00 p.m. … Where does Chocolate Candy rank with some of Hollendorfer’s past runners? "He’s one of the best that I’ve tried to take the Triple Crown races. He’s a beautiful looking horse and he covers a lot of ground."

That’s it from the NTRA Triple Crown teleconference.

Copyright © 2009, The Paulick Report

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Todd Pletcher is almost a cinch to be elected into the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame as soon as he becomes eligible for nomination on the ballot. The one-time D. Wayne Lukas assistant has won four Eclipse Awards as outstanding trainer in North America (2003-2007), set records for earnings by a North American trainer and won meeting titles at more than a half dozen tracks in Florida, Kentucky and New York. He once trained 100 stakes winners in a single season.

To that end, turf writer Nick Kling of the Troy Record, wrote about Pletcher’s recent Triple Crown tailspin in a piece that appeared only in the upstate New  York’s May 19 print edition. With the paper’s permission, we are republishing Kling’s commentary online. – Ray Paulick
 
By Nick Kling

When Take The Points finished last in Saturday’s Preakness Stakes, his performance was the latest page in an incredible story being written by Todd Pletcher.

Pletcher is considered to be one of the most accomplished Thoroughbred trainers in the nation.  He is held in such high esteem that he was voted Eclipse Awards as America’s outstanding trainer four years in succession (2004-2007).

Todd has been at his best at Saratoga Race Course, winning six training titles at the prestigious meet.  In 2007 Pletcher trained three Eclipse-winning horses: Rags to Riches (3-year-old filly), Lawyer Ron (older male), and English Channel (turf male).

However, there is one area where Pletcher has not been so successful.  His horses have been awful in Triple Crown races: the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and Belmont Stakes.  The record of futility from Pletcher-trained starters in these classic events may be unparalleled.

Over the eleven most recent Triple Crown races, beginning with the 2006 Kentucky Derby, Pletcher-trained horses have finished last four times.  That is a negative batting average of 36 percent. 

In reality, it is worse than that.  He had starters in only nine of those races.  That raises Pletcher’s absolutely last quotient to 44 percent.

Harness announcer Jack E. Lee used to say the trailing horse in a race could, "see them all."  The Pletcher Triple Crown starters since 2006 who could see them all at the finish line were Keyed Entry (2006 Derby), Cowtown Cat (2007 Derby), Monba (2008) Derby, and Take The Points (2009 Preakness).

In addition, Pletcher’s 2005 Kentucky Derby starter Bandini finished 19th of 20 in that field.  2004 Belmont Stakes starter Purge finished dead last of nine starters.  2001 Belmont entrant Balto Star finished eighth of nine.

According to KentuckyDerby.com, Pletcher has started 24 horses in America’s greatest race.  21 have finished out of the money.  Todd’s best Derby results have been a pair of seconds and one third.

Only D. Wayne Lukas has had more Derby starters (43) than Pletcher.  Lukas, one of Pletcher’s mentors, has won the race four times.  Trainer H.J. Thompson had 24 Derby entrants and four winners.  Trainers Sylvester Veitch and Ron McAnally, who had 10 Derby starters, are the only other horsemen with double-digit entrants without a Kentucky Derby victory.

Using Daily Racing Form’s Formulator past performance program, I was able to find two Preakness entrants from the Pletcher barn.  One was Take The Points.  The other was Circular Quay, who finished fifth in 2007.

Pletcher’s only victory in a Triple Crown race came when Rags to Riches won the 2007 Belmont Stakes, beating subsequent Horse of the Year Curlin.  Preparing a filly to accomplish that task was an outstanding feat of training, making Pletcher’s overall lack of success more incomprehensible.

Overall, he has had eight Belmont Stakes starters, four unplaced finishers, and three besides Rags to Riches in the money.

The Breeders’ Cup is the only other event which compares to Triple Crown races in stature.  Pletcher’s relative accomplishments in Cup races is better, although not great.

According to the Breeders’ Cup website, Todd has had 55 Cup starters.  They have produced three wins, six seconds, and seven thirds.  Pletcher Cup starters have earned approximately $8 million in purse money, placing him in the top six among all trainers.

Horsemen such as Bobby Frankel and Bill Mott, Hall of Famers both, have Breeders’ Cup records in line with Pletcher’s Cup performance.

Trying to deduce what causes Todd’s Triple Crown flame-out is an exercise in speculation.  My best guess would point to two causes.

Many of the colts in the Pletcher barn are horses bred for speed.  Speed wins a lot of races, but not necessarily those at classic distances.  Several have sires cut in the mold of Distorted Humor and Elusive Quality, middle distances types who have produced Derby winners nevertheless. 

However, Pletcher’s high profile owners generally spend a lot of money on their stock and expect a return.  Pletcher is among the top trainers in the country in terms of number of juvenile starters.  Horses which break their maiden sprinting at five or six furlongs and win two-year-old stakes races at the Churchill Downs and Saratoga summer meets are unlikely to be the same animals winning Triple Crown events.

In addition, some horses from the Pletcher stable appear to have been ambitiously-spotted in Triple Crown races.  A review of their past performances reveals some horses which have done most of their racing on synthetic surfaces.  Others have mediocre dirt form, or have not done particularly well at longer route distances.

Make no mistake.  Derby fever is an affliction which strikes many owners and trainers in spring.  If that plays any part in the decisions made about Pletcher-trained horses, they are in good company.

There are some signs horsemen are beginning to rethink the idea of shoving any remotely talented three-year-old into Triple Crown races.  Take The Points, for example, had earnings which qualified him for the Derby.  His connections chose to wait for the Preakness.

Horsemen used to say Thoroughbreds were like strawberries — they could spoil overnight.  It’s only gotten worse.  Many young horses in the 21st Century have the shelf life of raw oysters.  If they are put where they don’t belong, someone might get sick.

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