Posts Tagged ‘IEAH’
Wednesday, February 24th, 2010
There’s no secret that the aftermath of I Want Revenge’s last second Derby scratch has been anything but smooth for David Lanzman and IEAH Stables. What’s shocking is the abject level of hatred being tossed around and the clear and total dysfunction of this partnership.
We could recap it further but the quote above pretty much sums up the whole story.
Read it at the Daily Racing Form
Then come back to the Paulick Report and let us know what you think
- Bradford Cummings
Tags: daily racing form, david lanzman, I Want Revenge, IEAH, Paulick Report
Posted in Horse Racing | 33 Comments »
Thursday, October 8th, 2009
By Ray Paulick
Eclipse Award voters seem to have developed multiple personalities over the years when it comes to their annual selection of the outstanding owner of Thoroughbred racehorses in North America. How else can you explain that the award goes to a one-horse stable some years (Dot-Sam Stable, owner of John Henry in 1981; Carolyn Hine, owner of Skip Away in 1997); to large-scale operations that rack up stakes victories and money (John Franks, 1983-84, 1993-94; Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Klein, 1985-98; Frank Stronach, 1998-2000, 2008; Kenneth and Sarah Ramsay, 2004); and even to massive claiming stables (Richard Englander 2001-02; Michael Gill, 2005)?
When I think of outstanding owners in this game, I think of people like the late Bob Lewis and his wife Beverly, who brought sportsmanship, competitiveness, decency and fun to horse racing, and, just as importantly, competed at the sport’s highest level. Of course, the Lewises were never voted an Eclipse Award as outstanding owner. What an injustice!
The problem with the outstanding owner vote, and other categories in Eclipse Award competition, is that there are no rules. For horses, voters aren’t given guidelines as to whether races outside of North America should be considered, and there is no minimum number of starts required on this continent (as Canada, for example, requires for its Sovereign Awards) to qualify. Thus, we have a number of Eclipse Award champions, fairly or unfairly, who raced overseas throughout the year, and made just one start (usually in a Breeders’ Cup race) before being voted an Eclipse Award. Some voters have a bias against those one-race wonders and will never vote for them. Others may automatically vote a Breeders’ Cup winners as a divisional champion.
Would guidelines in these equine categories help? Perhaps.
But I think they are really needed and long overdue in the outstanding owner competition (along with the other human awards for breeder, trainer, jockey and apprentice jockey), and the time has come for the three groups that present the Eclipse Awards—the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, Daily Racing Form and National Turf Writers Association—to establish some guidelines to ensure the awards recognize outstanding achievement and excellence in the sport.
How do you measure outstanding achievement and excellence? It’s easy, through the American Graded Stakes program, an objective statistical ranking (Grade 1, 2, 3) of the top 500 races run in the United States. (To keep the Eclipse Awards "North American" and inclusive of Canada, that country’s separate graded stakes program can also be used.)
Should the award automatically go to the individual with the most graded stakes victories? No. Opportunity (the number of starts or overall size of stable) should be a consideration. Some owners have enjoyed enormous success with a small stable, and they could be overshadowed by a large operation that wins more graded stakes because it has more starters. However, nobody should be given an Eclipse Award for outstanding performance if at least some of those performances didn’t take place at the highest level of the sport.
Simply put, no owner, breeder, trainer, jockey or apprentice jockey should be eligible for an Eclipse Award without winning at least one graded stakes. These are the races that have been used for more than 30 years to rank the top level of the sport. We can argue and debate the merits of some of the grades the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association committee assigns to certain races, but this program has withstood the test of time, and it is now time to put it to use for something as important as the Eclipse Awards.
Along with some Eclipse Award guidelines that require success in graded stakes, the NTRA should distribute to voters detailed information about performance in graded stakes by owners, breeders, trainers, jockeys and apprentice jockeys. That’s one of the reasons the Paulick Report launched this weekly series, American Graded Stakes Standings brought to you by Keeneland. We think it’s important, and I know we are not alone. Our information, while unique, is not complete, and the NTRA should use its association with Equibase to compile more detailed information for voters that includes starts, and 1-2-3 finishes in American Graded Stakes races.
Last year, when Frank Stronach was voted the Eclipse Award as outstanding owner, Bill Finley, writing for espn.com, said the voters “blew it” and “exposed their ignorance” by not giving the award to IEAH stable. His column is worth reading (click here to view it). While not knocking Stronach’s year, Finley pointed out how much better a 2008 IEAH had in graded stakes performances, winning 11 Grade 1 races with eight different horses owned by various partnerships. Stronach won three Grade 1 races with Ginger Punch, the previous year’s champion older filly or mare.
If voting were held today, I’m afraid Michael Gill might get his second Eclipse Award, since he is atop the list of leading owners by money won, which over the years seems to have more influence on voters than any other information they receive in their voting packet.
In my mind, someone like Gill has no business winning an Eclipse Award. While he may be good for the tracks where he runs his claiming horses (he has over 1,800 starts this year, so he makes racing secretaries happy by helping fill races), Gill has not won a single graded stakes race in 2009. In 2005, when he won the Eclipse Award as outstanding owner, Gill won one graded race, the Grade 2 Gallant Bloom Handicap with Upateedle. Under my suggested guidelines, he would have qualified that year, but he certainly would not have gotten my vote. (I have not had an Eclipse Award vote since I resigned from the National Turf Writers Association in 2002, but that’s a story for another day).
In 2009, Sheikh Mohammed is the clear leader in American Graded Stakes wins through his Darley Stable (eight winners, 12 AGS wins) and Godolphin Racing (five AGS winners, five wins). But Zayat Stables is also having a good year with six AGS winners that have won 11 AGS races, as is West Point Thoroughbreds (four AGS winners of six races) and George Strawbridge’s Augustin Stable (three AGS winners, eight races).
Let’s hope, if the NTRA and the others who present the Eclipse Awards fail to develop long-overdue guidelines for voters, then the voters will take it upon themselves to do some homework, to look beyond the top of the money-winning chart, and recognize excellence at the highest end of the game. That’s what champions should be about.
Tags: American Graded Stakes Standings, Augustin Stable, Beverly Lewis, bill finley, bob lewis, Carolyn Hine, daily racing form, darley stable, Dot-Sam Stable, eclipse awards, Eugene Klein, Frank Stronach, george strawbridge, godolphin racing, IEAH, John Franks, John Henry, Keeneland, Kenneth Ramsay, Michael Gill, national turf writers association, NTRA, Richard Englander, Sarah Ramsay, sheikh mohammed, Skip Away, west point thoroughbreds, zayat stables
Posted in American Graded Stakes Standings, Keeneland | 15 Comments »
Saturday, April 18th, 2009
TVG reports that Stardom Bound will not go in the Kentucky Oaks following her third-place finish in the Ashland Stakes at Keeneland. The Ashland was her first loss since finishing second as a maiden in the Sorrento Stakes at Del Mar last August. She had won five consecutive Grade 1 races prior to the Ashland, including the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, which helped secure her claim on the Eclipse Award as the outstanding 2-year-old filly of 2008.
Jill Byrne reported on TVG that Michael Iavarone of IEAH Stable, which purchased the daughter of Tapit for $5.7 million at the Fasig-TIpton fall mixed sale, said Stardom Bound was not herself following the Ashland and she would be given some time off. There was no specific physical ailment cited, and the report indicated she would return to the races later this summer of fall.
The absence of Stardom Bound makes Rachel Alexandra a heavy favorite in the May 1 Oaks.
Tags: Horse Racing, IEAH, jill byrne, kentucky oaks, Michael Iavarone, Paulick Report, Rachel Alexandra, stardom bound, tvg
Posted in kentucky oaks | 9 Comments »
Friday, February 20th, 2009
By Ray Paulick
International Equine Acquisitions Holdings, the racing partnership that finished second by one vote behind Frank Stronach in Eclipse Award voting for outstanding owner of 2008, has altered the primary responsibilities of its two top executives, Michael Iavarone and Richard Schiavo, who had served as co-presidents of the company.
Iavarone is now president of the racing stable, with Schiavo listed as secretary and a director of IEAH. Schiavo will be in charge of the Ruffian Equine Medical Center, which had a planned opening for last spring and is now nine months behind schedule. An opening date is expected to be announced soon for the equine hospital located next door to Belmont Park.
“Richard will be president of IEAH Corporation, which is building the hospital,” Iavarone told the Paulick Report. “The workload on the hospital is overwhelming. There is so much involved there: insurance, hiring of staff, and it’s taking up a great deal of time.
“As far as the holding company is concerned, you shouldn’t have two presidents anyway,” Iavarone continued. “But there has been no major structural change, and no additional management has been brought in.”
Iavarone will continue to serve as chairman of the board of IEAH, which he founded.
IEAH is “feeling pressure from the economy,” Iavarone added. “We were getting tons of people calling us, but the investment environment is really tough. This is another reason Rich is working on the hospital. It was an impossible task to get a bank to help us with construction. The cost is about $18 million, and we are finally finished.”
Tags: IEAH, international equine acquisitions holdings, Michael Iavarone, Paulick Report, Ray Paulick, richard schiavo, ruffian equine medical center
Posted in IEAH, People | 6 Comments »
Thursday, January 29th, 2009
By Ray Paulick
Random notes while waiting for the ice to melt …
The devastating snow and ice storm that hit Kentucky earlier this week has created serious economic hardships on Thoroughbred farms, many of which are without electricity and have suffered major damage, just as the foaling season is hitting full swing and the breeding season about to begin. Let’s hope organizations like the American Horse Council, the NTRA, Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association and the Kentucky Equine Education Project are in contact with government officials to seek relief, now that Gov. Steve Beshear has asked the Obama administration to declare a federal emergency.
Horse farms are already under extreme economic pressure because of the plunge in bloodstock prices, and this latest problem is only making things worse for them. It’s at times like these that these alphabet soup organizations can actually do some good.
DID FRANK STRONACH’S ONE-VOTE MARGIN over IEAH Stables in the Eclipse Awards outstanding owner category come by virtue of several racing secretaries who work for him? I have a great deal of respect for Stronach’s racing and breeding operation, which has produced solid numbers for many years now, but I just can’t fathom how 2008 was an Eclipse Award-winning year for him. Ahmed Zayat’s stable earned slightly more money but only ranked sixth in the number of first-place votes. IEAH had a far superior year in terms of Grade 1 winners. George Strawbridge’s Augustin Stable had a better year when the number of starters was taken into consideration, as did the racing stables associated with Sheikh Mohammed. Here is the year-end ownership standings by money.
Apart from the National Turf Writers Association, which has historically published how its members vote, there is no disclosure from Daily Racing Form or the National Thoroughbred Racing Association about who votes – never mind who each individual votes for. But the NTRA should insist that racing secretaries or any other voters who work for racetracks owned by Stronach’s Magna Entertainment not be allowed to vote in categories where there is a potential conflict of interest. That would include the leading owner and leading breeder categories. The awards are too important to permit any conflicts of interest or suspicions of impropriety.
In the owner and breeder categories (the latter of which was for years determined by a committee vote), there seems to be little imagination or thought put in by voters, who more often than not look at which owner and breeder is at the top of the money list that is supplied with the ballot. If the people who vote for Academy Awards were that lazy, then “Paul Blart: Mall Cop” would win the Oscar for best picture this year.
Opportunity (the number of starters) should play a role in voting for outstanding achievement by an owner or breeder. Twice in the last eight years, a breeder who produced two individual champions in the same year from a small band of broodmares (Virginia Kraft Payson, with Farda Amiga and Vindication in 2002, and Aaron and Marie Jones, with Speightstown and Ashado in 2004) did not even get enough votes to be among the three finalists! That’s insulting to the thousands of Thoroughbred breeders who either can’t afford to or don’t choose to maintain massive numbers of broodmares. (Click here to see what I wrote about this issue a few years ago at Bloodhorse.)
The NTRA needs to address this, either by eliminating the vote and simply giving the awards for leading owner and breeder to whoever wins the most money, or by changing the system of selecting the outstanding individuals in these two categories. I don’t think enough voters understand the importance of this category or what “outstanding” means when it comes to owning or breeding Thoroughbreds.
SPEAKING OF THE NTRA, what is its future? The organization is a shell of its former self, when it had widespread industry support and a mission to improve the economics of racing and breeding through increased pari-mutuel handle, marketing and greater exposure on television. Following its split from the Breeders’ Cup, the NTRA has lost much of its economic clout and influence, as it no longer has the annual championships to promote to the general public or to race sponsors that were tied in to group purchasing (i.e., John Deere, NetJets, Dodge), which only a few years ago produced upwards of $100 million a year in sales. Following the NTRA-Breeders’ Cup “divorce,” group purchasing through NTRA Advantage has dropped significantly.
Today, the NTRA seems to be playing more defense than offense, reacting to crises (i.e., the death of Eight Belles in the Kentucky Derby, Congressional inquiries, totalizator problems) but not really having the resources to go on the offensive in any areas, including marketing and promotion.
Complicating matters (and this isn’t new) is the ongoing struggle to maintain membership in the NTRA. Churchill Downs Inc., which is tabbed to pay approximately $400,000 in dues for its various tracks in 2009, hasn’t recommitted to membership. A source says Churchill might considering paying $200,000 in dues. An NTRA official told the Paulick Report he hopes Churchill executives see value in the NTRA’s legislative activities, the “Racing to the Kentucky Derby” television series on ESPN, NTRA Advantage purchasing, the National Handicapping Championship, and the Safety and Integrity Alliance. The interesting thing about the latter, I’ve been told by sources, is that Churchill Downs CEO Bob Evans is the one who insisted the NTRA do something about the safety issues that led to the creation of the Safety and Integrity Alliance.
Magna apparently hasn’t committed to renewing its NTRA membership, either. If the NTRA loses the two largest track ownership companies, it will be further weakened, perhaps terminally.
CORPORATE SPONSORSHIPS ARE A CHALLENGE in the current economic climate, whether it’s the PGA Tour, NASCAR or horse racing. But it was, nevertheless, a surprise to see Bessemer Trust drop its sponsorship with the Breeders’ Cup. I would think the wealth management firm formerly chaired by Ogden Mills (Dinny) Phipps and now run by his cousin, Stuart Janney Jr., is encountering the same economic challenges that many financial institutions are (though Bessemer’s investment strategy is believed to be conservative).
Janney responded to an email with the following comments: “I would say our reasons for dropping out are as follows. First, we have been a sponsor for some time, which means many of our clients have been entertained at a Breeders’ Cup event and having them back again is possibly less appealing than providing a different venue. Second, the two-day format works better for others than it does for us. Third, we have never been able to really derive full value from the TV ads as our target audience is very narrowly focused. Fourth, as we look at other sponsorships and ways to thank our clients or meet prospects, it helps in tighter times to have this money available. We believe our involvement with the Breeders’ Cup has been beneficial to Bessemer and the staff at the Breeders’ Cup has been a pleasure to work with.”
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Tags: aaron and marie jones, adena springs, ahmed zayat, American Horse Council, bessemer trust, bob evans, churchill downs, daily racing form, Dinny Phipps, eclipse awards, Frank Stronach, george strawbridge, ice storm, ice storm of 2009, IEAH, kentucky derby, kentucky equine education project, Magna Entertainment, National Thoroughbred Racing Association, national turf writers association, NTRA, ntwa, Ogden Mills Phipps, Paulick Report, Ray Paulick, sheikh mohammed, stuart janney, Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, TOBA, virginia kraft payson
Posted in Breeders' Cup, Horse Racing, Industry Organizations, National Thoroughbred Racing Association, People, Sponsorships, TOBA, Thoroughbred Business, eclipse awards | 18 Comments »
Monday, January 26th, 2009
Hank Aaron hits number 715…Secretariat wins the Belmont by 31 lengths…Brett Favre starts 269 games in a row at QB…and now Ray Paulick liveblogs from the Eclipse Awards without a computer! That’s right, Ray will be entering the pantheon of the unlikely as he attempts to bring you the Paulick Report reader unprecedented coverage of tonight’s awards ceremony. We will be operating here at Paulick Report Command Central giving the play by play results of tonight’s event while Ray will be the color commentary via text message.
What are the stars wearing? (We knew Larry Jones would be in his black-tie cowboy get-up, but were taken aback by the Scottish fellow in kilts standing nearby — pictured below.) How many people are sporting Zenyatta for President T-shirts? How many licks does it take to get to the candy center of a Tootsie-Pop? These and other questions will be answered below. Enjoy and keep the comments flowing!
6:56CC…Alright folks, Brad here at Command Central. I will be receiving messages from Ray throughout the night and keeping up to date with the things you won’t be privy to on the telecast. My comments will have a CC for Command Central after the time and the ones from Ray will have a RP after the time.
6:58RP…closest thing to a celebrity I’ve met so far is former WI Gov. Tommy Thompson, who has been hired by the NTRA to oversee the health and safety alliance. Tommy seemed happy to hear that I grew up on the Illinois side of the Wisconsin border.
7:00CC…and the telecst begins. Something about Frank Sinatra and a cocktail party.
7:01RP…Many of the guests were lamenting the passing of Joe Hirsch, the longtime executive columnist of the DRF. The PR learned that NYRA is preparing a memorial for Hirsch the week of the Belmont Stakes in June.
7:04CC…Interviewing Jerry and Ann Moss, they ask if they think Zenyatta could pull Horse of the Year. Gives a solid if not predictable answer.
7:05RP…Good line from Cot Campbell during the blustery cocktail hour outside of the Fountainbleu Hotel. "My hair’s getting all messed up," Campbell said patting down his gray locks. He glanced over his shoulder and saw the shiny pate of Mike Smith and commented, "Mike’s in pretty good shape with the wind."
7:06CC…Who thinks Eight Belles should win 3 year old filly? I’m a Proud Spell guy myself.
7:07CC…Iavarone looks shiny. And the interviewer mispronounced his name. Thinks that it’s the competition was so strong and that’s the reason Big Brown isn’t going to win the HOY award. Either that or maybe it’s because he finished last in the Belmont and bowed out of the BC Classic.
7:10CC…Frank Stronach isn’t there. Wonder why?
7:15CC…Asmussen being interviewed. Sure, it’s good to hear from him but I wonder what his facial hair has to say. And he looked a little scary on screen. Just saying.
7:16CC…announcer just made an interesting observation. Asmussen has more wins than Dutrow and Frankel combined.
7:19CC…I don’t know about you but nothing is more interesting than insurance talk…
7:20RP…Dinner is served! Ceremonies starting soon.
7:22CC…just pushed the new Jockeys show on Animal Planet. Said it was The Hills or Real Housewives of Orange County only with jockeys. Decided jockeys have more drama. Scandalous!
7:24RP…Jess Jackson is here with a new look…a nifty goatee. (Only two bodyguards according to an associate. I don’t have a count yet on the number of bodyguards for Iavarone of IEAH…see earlier post on Eclipse predictions for further explanation)
7:26CC…NTRA Moment of the Year of course is Zenyatta in the Breeders’ Cup. Sounded like six people clapped for the clip.
7:28CC…TWO MINUTES TO POST!!!
7:29CC…Darby Dan with a big ad buy during the break. I hear there’s a website that’s much cheaper than what TVG charges…
7:30CC…Privman starts off the ceremony with a Joe Hirsch memorial.
7:33CC…Faith, I’m efforting a response on your important request…
7:33RP…Nice touch to dedicate the awards to Joe Hirsch. There are several hundred folks here tonight and I’d be hard pressed to find one person who didn’t love Joe.
7:35RP…(FAITH UPDATE) The vine ripened tomato salad was excellent, the seared tenderloin tender (tho a bit overcooked) and the roast garlic shrimp outstanding. I could have used a bit more of the curried sweet potatoes, but I did just squeeze into my tux pants.
7:37RP…Kenny Rice don’t give up your day job to become a stand up comic
7:38CC…and our first technical glitch of the evening!
7:39CC…first (non) surprise of the night, Midshipman wins 2 year old male
7:40RP…more food update…Kendall-Jackson wine is being served to all (whether or not they supported Curlin)
7:41RP…A dinner companion staying at the Fountainbleu rated the dinner "four stars" compared to other restaurants at the hotel
7:42CC…and now 2 year filly goes to…
7:42CC…Stardom Bound!
7:44RP…Even though IEAH now owns Stardom Bound, the award was rightly given to Charles Cono. Fifteen years ago when Kotashaan won HOY, the Eclipse wasn’t given to his longtime owners, the Werthemer brothers, but to the Japanese stud farm that bought him to run in his final start, the Japan cup. They got it right this time.
7:47RP…Bob Baffert isn’t at the awards. Times are tough. He tells me he can’t afford to fly his family from LA. Guess Baffert doesn’t get those Southwest Airlines special fare emails.
7:50CC…John and Brad Henegan from First Saturday in May accept the award they already got.
7:51RP…From one of the Hennegan brothers the first ever Eclipse award shout out to Payless Shoes.
7:54CC…Did you know that WAVE 3 TV won a media Eclipse Award? You did? Oh, I must have slept in that day.
7:54RP…They need more journalism awards…you think? That’s my favorite part of the Academy Awards…best movie review!
7:56RP…The podium reminds me of a Barack Obama press conference when several women advisers were introduced to the media and only the top of their heads showed. Same with the jockeys and Jennie Rees of Courier Journal
7:58CC…the photog award is so embarassing with that misspelled background. Junenile…unreal
8:00CC…Vinnie Perrone just asked for a step stool. No, actually, he demanded one and asked "what kind of operation are you running here?"
8:01CC…and this is why
8:03RP…Anyone remember the Grammys when the band started playing because Sinatra went on too long…Sinatra!!!
8:04CC…And he’s finally finished. Four minutes later. Did anyone not tell him to keep it pithy? I mean, he seems like a nice guy, but honestly everyone is here for things besides Vinnie’s award.
8:07CC…Kenny Rice just bombed like three jokes in a row. Literally no response from the crowd. Love it!
8:09CC…Oooh! An award I’m not 100% sure of the outcome on! Male Turf
8:10CC…The winner is Conduit.
8:11CC…More importantly, this just came in from Ray. Dessert!
8:13CC…Female Turf goes to…
8:14CC…Forever Together
8:15RP…George Strawbridge defines grace and class. He gave a very elegant acceptance on behalf of Forever Together.
8:15CC…If you are watching both the TVG telecast and this blog, apparently Ray is in the future. That’s why he already knew about Strawbridge’s speech.
8:17CC…Apparently Ray was still hungry
8:18RP…Dessert was outstanding…my first roast hazelnut praline, chocolate terrine, coconut bavaroise
8:19CC…Standing ovation for Alice Headley Chandler
8:19RP…Tommy Thompson left his table…I think the media awards got to him
8:20CC…Hopefully Alice will run into Vinnie Perrone in the hallway and talk to him about speech length. That was a perfect acceptance speech.
8:22RP…Weird observation…some people who are seated near the stage are watching the large screen monitor instead. Kind of like the racetrack where we watch the TVinstead of the horses in front of us.
8:23CC…Steeplechase winner Good Night Shirt
8:25RP…Steeplechase owner..time’s up. Where’s the band when you need them? Hostage taker.
8:28RP…Although the acceptance was about as long as a jump race.
8:29CC…And now for Breeder, Adena Springs, Stonerside and WinStar
8:30CC…Adena Springs wins News at 11
8:31RP…Barbara…I saw Steve Asmussen up close and personal and I found him not the least bit scary looking. But he did growl at me
8:32RP…And I did eat the holy cross on the dessert. Yum!
8:32RP…Love the lecture from the handicapper of the year. He’s really good.
8:33RP…Random thought. Chantal Sutherland is mesmerizing Here she is, sitting with Mike Smith while no doubt catching up on my live blog!
8:35RP…I think Steven Crist wishes he had a hook to yank the handicapper off stage
8:37RP…Now I wish I had a hook for this guy. I take my earlier comments back.
8:39CC…and still going….
8:41CC…like the Energizer Bunny. Seriously.
8:43RP…Dayyam. I missed the Conduit wardrobe malfunction. Had my head down thumbing away
8:44RP…What’s with the Joan Rivers remark? No facelifts for me.
8:45RP…The vets do a great job with the on call program but they are making me feel like I’m at a funeral service. How about a little joke fellas?
8:48RP…Rep Cardoza…pandering for votes and political contributions.
8:53CC…and Benny the Bull wins Male sprinter
8:49RP…Wow…Michael Iavarone is redder faced than me after I spent five hours on the beach
8:51RP…Good news from Iavarone that Benny the Bull will race in 2009…
8:56CC…And now Female Sprinter…
8:57CC…Indian Blessing. I love this horse
9:00RP…I doubt many trainers worked harder than Steve Asmussen in 2008. It really was a remarkable year he had. And he’s got the cutest family in the room…hands down.
9:01CC…For those of you watching on TVG, Ray is quite a bit ahead of us (tape delay). If you don’t want to know before the telecast, look elsewhere.
9:03CC…Which is why you already knew that Asmussen won the award. Barbara, thanks. I was starting to feel sorry for myself. Hopefully Asmussen and Iavarone know it was all in fun!
9:05CC…Well, apparently Stonach won for owner.
9:06RP…I wonder how many racing secretaries that work for Frank Stronach voted for him as leading owner and breeder. I’d imagine they might be more inclined to vote against him.
9:07RP I also wonder how many Breeders’ Cup employees vote and how they voted? Seems they have a vested interest.
9:08RP…Racing secretaries and Breeders’ Cup employees have been part of the NTRA voting members.
9:10RP…and Zenyatta wins. Jerry Moss couldn’t drag trainer John Shirreffs on stage to help him accept Zenyatta’s Eclipse Award.
9:11RP…Moss is the west coast version of George Strawbridge…full of class, extremely articulate and one of the game’s very best. Wish we had more like both of them.
9:13CC…Curlin wins older male. in related news, grass is green and the sky is blue.
9:15RP…Good comment by Jess Jackson saying that older horses can race and also make good sires.
9:16CC…Turk, I’m with you. Why wait when you can hear it from Ray first.
9:17RP…His comment about the industry’s movement to eliminate drugs and become more transparent was well received.
9:18RP…"Keep the horse first, and the horse will take care of you." Well said Jess Jackson
9:19CC…Time for a photo. The Jackson clan.
9:21RP…Curlin wrote a note saying he liked racing but likes his new job even better.
9:22RP…Jerry Moss gets a do-over to thank Mike Smith..this could be a first. Told you he was a class act.
9:23RP…I wonder if Mike stormed off. (Just kidding…there isn’t a more humble guy in the jockey’s room)
9:24CC…Apprentice jockey coming up soon.
9:27CC…Faith, I thought he sent it in Horse Code. (I’m sorry, I couldn’t resist)
9:28RP…Winner is Paco Lopez
9:29RP…Someone wrote to say Jess Jackson looks like Don Rickles. That’s not nice you hockey puck!
9:31CC…And now for outstanding jockey, the Eclipse goes to Garrett Gomez.
9:32RP…Garrett Gomez is one tough dude. I said his smile looked pretty good before dinner and he said all his front teeth were temps. Lost em in an ugly spill and he still has a knot on his hand from that spill. To think he was back in the saddle a few days later.
9:34CC…3 year old male goes to…Big Brown
9:35RP…Cash Asmussen presenting with Todd Schrupp of TVG. Hard to believe Cash was a jockey all those years. So tall.
9:36RP…Interesting comment from Anne Campbell about Michael Iavarone. "He looks like Jerry Lewis (a young Jerry Lewis)."
9:39RP…Schrupp gave a very nice tribute to Larry Jones before introducing the 3 year old filly finalists. Second standing ovation of the night.
9:40RP…It was to thank him for facing the media so tirelessly after the death of Eight Belles in the Kentucky Derby. Well done.
9:41RP…But Proud Spell won
9:42RP…Second politicians of the night at the podium, former KY Gov Brereton Jones owner and breeder of Proud Spell. Jones says organizers can forget about the one minute rule for acceptance speeches, acknowledging his political past.
9:44CC…picture time again, featuring the Iavarone party
9:46RP…Jones acknowledged the many great trainers in the room but said no one was greater than Larry Jones, who also trained Proud Spell.
9:47RP…Horse of the Year next…
9:48RP…Alex Waldrop to present Horse of the Year.
9:49RP…Alex said someone in the room was live blogging…"so be careful what you say." Wonder who he’s talking about…
9:50RP…And the winner is…CURLIN!!!
9:51RP…Jess Jackson high fives the table.
9:52RP…Jerry Moss picks up his wine glass raises in the air and thanks John Shirrefs for a great year
9:53RP…The other two nominees were Zenyatta and Big Brown
9:55CC…And the Horse of the Year picture
9:56RP…Jess Jackson says Curlin still wants to run…but will enjoy his new job
10:04RP…After the awards closed Brereton Jones said he was more nervous accepting the award than he had ever been giving any political speech. I guess that sums up what the Eclipse Awards mean to horse people.
10:05RP…Congratulations to all the winners and a big thank you to our hosts, Cot and Anne Campbell of Dogwood Stable and to the dinner companions I wasn’t able to spend enough time talking with.
That’s it from Miami Beach…
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Tags: alex waldrop, anne campbell, benny the bull, Big Brown, brereton jones, conduit, cot campbell, Curlin, eclipse awards, forever together, garrett gomez, george strawbridge, IEAH, indian blessing, jerry moss, jess jackson, Michael Iavarone, midshipman, Paulick Report, proud spell, Ray Paulick, stardom bound, steve asmussen, tommy thompson, tvg, zenyatta
Posted in eclipse awards | 89 Comments »
Monday, January 26th, 2009
By Ray Paulick
There are many questions to be answered at tonight’s Eclipse Awards from Miami Beach, Fla. (from which I’ll be dutifully live blogging starting sometime after the 5:30 p.m. cocktail hour begins and before TVG goes on the air with its 7 p.m. coverage). Who will get the crown as 2008 Horse of the Year? Will it be the reigning champion, Curlin, or the unbeaten filly, Zenyatta?
 Inquiring minds may want to know…will Michael Iavarone of IEAH Stable have more bodyguards than Jess Jackson? How big will Frank Stronach’s posse be? Who will take the first punch at the publisher of the Paulick Report? Iavarone (I’m no fan of his), trainer Steve Asmussen (I wrote that no trainer with a pending drug positive deserves an Eclipse Award) or my former boss, Bloodhorse publisher Stacy Bearse (who needs no further introduction to our faithful readers)? We’ll try to answer those questions and more, going behind the scenes as best we can.
Many of the Eclipse Award winners are obvious (both of the 2-year-old divisions, 3-year-old male, older male and female, jockey and trainer), but there actually is suspense in several categories (3-year-old filly, male and female turf, male and female sprinter, owner and breeder). Unless, of course, someone at the sponsoring organizations – the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, Daily Racing Form or National Turf Writers Association – has leaked the results, something that has happened in the past.
Without access to the leaks, here are my predictions for the night (on the Eclipse Awards front):
2-year-old male – Midshipman (a slam dunk)
2-year-old filly – Stardom Bound (should be a unanimous vote)
3-year-old male – Big Brown (there might be a few stragglers that voted against him)
3-year-old filly – Proud Spell over Eight Belles (performance should win out over sentiment)
older male – Curlin (slam dunk)
older female – Zenyatta (should be unanimous, though I am reminded that some sports writers didn’t vote for Rickey Henderson to get in the Baseball Hall of Fame)
male sprinter – Midnight Lute (if it’s like boxing, the defending champion should have an advantage, and we’re like boxing, right?). This may have been Bob Baffert’s best training achievement in his career (and he could have three Eclipse winners this year without being a finalist for outstanding trainer!)
female sprinter – Indian Blessing over Ventura (the anti-synthetic track votes may come into play here, diminishing Ventura’s win over Indian Blessing in the Breeders’ Cup)
outstanding owner – Unimaginative voters will probably give this to Stronach Stable, based on the highest earnings (though the 2008 leading owner by money won was Zayat Stable, who was not a finalist). Of the three finalists (Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin Racing is the third), IEAH deserves the award if it is strictly based on racetrack performance
outstanding breeder – tough one to call. Adena Springs has the numbers, but the other finalists, Stonerside and WinStar, had very good results from smaller foal crops. With Robert and Janice McNair producing two Breeders’ Cup winners (Midshipman and Raven’s Pass) for Stonerside, they get the nod
trainer – Steve Asmussen, an outstanding horseman and the certain landslide winner (though as I stated in an earlier column, I believe medication positives during the year in question should disqualify individuals or horses from awards consideration)
jockey – Garrett Gomez. Another landslide
apprentice Jockey and steeplechase horse – no clue
Horse of the Year – Curlin, by a comfortable margin…a deserving two-time champion
Tune in to the Paulick Report later tonight to see how wrong I can be!
UPDATE: Due to multiple braincell failure, two hotly contested categories were omitted from the original post.
male turf — Einstein over Conduit. A season of top performances in North America should rate higher than a single Breeders’ Cup win.
female turf — Forever Together (for the same reason as Einstein, even though Goldikova’s BC Mile triumph was nothing short of breathtaking.
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Tags: Big Brown, Bob Baffert, Curlin, daily racing form, eclipse awards, eight belles, Frank Stronach, garrett gomez, godolphin racing, IEAH, indian blessing, Michael Iavarone, midnight lute, midshipman, National Thoroughbred Racing Association, national turf writers association, NTRA, ntwa, Paulick Report, proud spell, raven's pass, Ray Paulick, rickey henderson, Robert McNair, stacy bearse, stardom bound, steve asmussen, stonerside, stronach stable, Synthetic surfaces, tvg, winstar, zayat stables, zenyatta
Posted in Big Brown, Curlin, eclipse awards | 10 Comments »
Sunday, November 30th, 2008
By Ray Paulick
When IEAH Stables bought an interest in 2007 Remsen Stakes winner Court Vision from WinStar Farm earlier this year, the son of Gulch had the look of a Derby horse. He eventually lived up to that billing, though his Grade 1 Derby victory came not on the dirt at Churchill Downs on the first Saturday in May but on the Hollywood Park turf on the last Sunday in November. Under Ramon Dominguez, who earlier in the day won the Grade 1 Matriarch Stakes with Godolphin Racing’s Cocoa Beach, Court Vision made an eye-catching run from last at the top of the stretch to win the Hollywood Derby by three quarters of a length, defeating Cowboy Cal and Midships.
Trained by Bill Mott, Court Vision covered a mile and one-quarter on firm turf in 2:01.43 as the 7-2 second choice in the betting. It was his fifth win in 12 starts and first in a Grade 1 event.
After winning three of four starts as a 2-year-old, Court Vision regressed somewhat on the road to the Triple Crown, finishing third in both the Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream Park and Wood Memorial at Aqueduct. After a disappointing 13th behind IEAH’s Big Brown in the Kentucky Derby, Mott switched the colt to turf, where he finished fourth in the Colonial Turf Cup and an unlucky second, beaten a nose, in the Virginia Derby, both races at Colonial Downs.
Back on dirt in the Travers at Saratoga, Court Vision was never a factor when sixth behind WinStar’s Colonel John, then ended his six-race losing streak with a victory in the Jamaica Handicap on turf at Aqueduct (the first time Dominquez rode him).
Muny set the pace from the outside post position in the Hollywood Derby, going a half mile in :49.41, six furlongs in 1:13.40, and a mile in 1:37.56. Cowboy Cal overtook the frontrunner in midstretch, but didn’t have enough to withstand the fast-finishing Court Vision, who caught him in the final strides. Midships closed well to get third. Based on Court Vision’s position at the one-mile call on the Equibase chart, he flew home his final quarter-mile in about 22 3/5 seconds.
Bred in Kentucky by the W.S. Farish and Kilroy Thoroughbred Partnership, Court Vision was produced from the Storm Bird mare Weekend Storm, a half sister to leading sire A.P. Indy.
Video of the Hollywood Derby.
Earlier in the Hollywood Park Turf Festival program, favored Cocoa Beach rallied in the stretch to catch the front-running second-betting choice Precious Kitten and win the Matriach by three-quarters of a length. Juddmonte Farms’ Visit was third.
Cocoa Beach, second to Zenyatta in her last start, the Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic, was trying the grass for the first time since her maiden victory in Chile in January 2007. She was purchased by Godolphin last year and sent to Dubai, where she won two of four starts and was third in the UAE Derby. The 4-year-old daughter of Doneraile Court won her first two American starts, including the Grade 1 Beldame at Belmont Park, before running second in the Breeders’ Cup on the synthetic Pro-Ride track. She is trained by Saeed bin Suroor. Cocoa Beach covered the mile on firm turf in 1:35.49.
Matriarch chart.
Video of the Matriarch.
Video of the Hollywood Turf Festival graded races.
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Tags: Beldame, Big Brown, bill mott, Cocoa Beach, colonel john, court vision, cowboy cal, Doneraile Court, dubai, farish and kilroy, Godolphin, gulch, hollywood derby, IEAH, jamaica handicap, kentucky derby, ladies' classic, matriarch, midships, muny, Paulick Report, precious kitten, ramon dominguez, Ray Paulick, remsen, saeed bin suroor, uae derby, visit, William S. Farish, winstar farm, zenyatta
Posted in California, Horse Racing | Comments Off
Wednesday, October 29th, 2008
By Ray Paulick
The head of security for the New York Racing Association told the Paulick Report Tuesday that no security resources were used to protect IEAH president Michael Iavarone on Belmont Stakes Day, June 7, the day Iavarone said he had been the subject of a “serious death threat.”
Iavarone said in an interview during ABC’s telecast of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships last Saturday that  New York Police Department detectives came to his house June 7 to notify him of the threat, which he said came from “an extremist” in Tallahassee, Fla. A letter from this individual allegedly stated that if anything happened to Big Brown in the Belmont Stakes, neither Iavarone nor his family would be safe. The threat was said to have been relayed to the NYPD by the Tallahassee Police Department.
Kenneth Cook, vice president of security for the New York Racing Association, indicated that he was not made aware of any threat to Iavarone from the NYPD or FBI. “In the weeks and months (leading up to the Belmont Stakes), we had continuous contact between myself, the Department of Homeland Security, the FBI, NYPD, Nassau County Police Department and the MTA (Metropolitan Transportation Authority),” said Cook. “We did not divert a single resource to heighten protection for Michael Iavarone.”
Cook, a former deputy superintendent of the New York State Police who joined NYRA in 2003, added: “There’s a reason why you coordinate your efforts with all the agencies — there was so much information shared that day. Chiefs of police and bureau commanders participated. It would have been a catastrophic error not to communicate that kind of threat. We had celebrities here, along with the governor. Not a single asset was diverted (to protect Iavarone).
Asked if that meant NYRA was not aware of any death threat against Iavarone, Cook said, “You can read between the lines.”
An FBI agent contacted by the Paulick Report would neither confirm nor deny the existence of a death threat: “We don’t comment on this type of inquiry.”
Kelly Wietsma, a publicist for IEAH, said the threat was very real. In a comment posted on the Paulick Report article recapping Iavarone’s revelation during the ABC telecast about the alleged threat, Wietsma said: “In total, there were at least eight detectives on hand at Belmont Park that day that were sent by the NYPD. It was explained to me, by one of the plain clothes detectives, upon their arrival that the NYPD and FBI had received a letter that was forwarded to them from the Tallahassee Police Department, threatening the lives of the owners and trainer of Big Brown if the horse were hurt or killed. I was able to view the letter, and read it myself. It went on to say that no one at Belmont Park would be safe.
“This was extremely troubling as we did not know who sent the letter or how serious the threats were. They were obviously serious enough to the NYPD to send officers to Mike’s house and to Belmont Park. Michael Iavarone knew nothing of the threats until the officers showed up at his house that morning. You may not have seen detectives with him but they were by his side at all times throughout the day. He was not allowed to go to the paddock area, men’s room, the jockeys room or anywhere on the premises without them.”
The Paulick Report has been unable to confirm the incident with the NYPD’s office of public information.
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Tags: belmont park, belmont stakes, Big Brown, fbi, iavarone death threat, IEAH, kelly wietsma, ken cook, kenneth cook, Michael Iavarone, New York Racing Association, nypd, nyra, Paulick Report, Ray Paulick
Posted in Big Brown, Horse Racing, New York Racing Association, People | 15 Comments »
Tuesday, October 28th, 2008
In the nine hours of Breeders’ Cup telecasts last Friday and Saturday, the strangest segment by far came during a brief interview between comedic sportscaster Kenny Mayne and Michael Iavarone, president of the IEAH stable that owns a majority of Big Brown, when Iavarone said he and members of his family had been the subject of a death threat more than four months earlier on the morning of the Belmont Stakes.
Mayne opened the interview by saying Iavarone showed a lot of emotion after jockey Kent Desormeaux pulled Big Brown out of the race at the top of the stretch when the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner was hopelessly beaten.
Iavarone picked it up from there.
“The morning of the (June 7) Belmont Stakes, I had been woken up around 10 a.m.,” he told Mayne. "There was a knock on my door and there were several New York City Police Department detectives. They asked me to come outside because they didn’t want to talk to me in front of my family. They told me there had been a serious death threat lodged against me, basically from Tallahassee, Florida, from an extremist saying that if anything should happen to Big Brown in the race, myself and my family were not safe. Basically I was followed by eight to nine New York detectives all day, everywhere I went. Obviously after the horse was pulled up the rest is obvious.”
 Mayne said ESPN/ABC learned of Iavarone’s story the day before the live interview aired and suggested that Iavarone’s emotional reaction to Big Brown’s defeat was “painted by that threat, not what the shortfall was of not winning the Triple Crown.”
“My immediate reaction was split in half,” Iavarone told Mayne. “Obviously there was concern for the horse and concern for my family. I was headed in both directions and both of them were catastrophic at the time. The first thing I did was grab my daughters and make sure we were out of the way and safe and tears were falling. It was just a terrible day for us.”
With 24 hours lead time before the interview, Mayne said ESPN/ABC “tried to contact the detective you said investigated the case and were unable to reach him.” He then asked Iavarone, “Did they ever follow up with you and say the case was closed? Do you feel comfortable now?”
“Obviously the horse is sound and is retired so I would not believe they would have any reason to harm myself or my family,” Iavarone said. “They have not told me the case is closed.”
The strange timing of Iavarone’s revelations notwithstanding, there are some details about his story that just don’t add up. I was seated directly behind Iavarone in the box section of Belmont during the running of the Belmont Stakes, and saw just one person who was clearly serving in a security capacity – a burly African-American man wearing a dark suit, an open collared white shirt and a “Big Brown” button on his lapel. It appears to be the same individual who has traveled with Iavarone to other races, including last weekend’s Breeders’ Cup.
Immediately after the race, while Big Brown was being unsaddled, I stood directly below the IEAH box and took a series of photographs of a shocked Iavarone, who was surrounded by his family members and fellow IEAH executive Richard Schiavo. There appeared to be no additional security around Iavarone and his family, only the same bodyguard described above. Certainly, I didn’t see “eight or nine New York detectives” in the immediate area.
I’m not accusing Iavarone of making up a story about a death threat. There were a series of incidents and revelations that made Iavarone something of a lightning rod with individuals within and outside of the racing community, some of which inflamed animal rights activities. There was the revelation that Big Brown raced legally on anabolic steroids when he won the Derby, the disclosure that Iavarone had lied about his past life as a “high profile banker on Wall Street,” the fact he had been fined and suspended by the National Association of Security Dealers, and the determination to run Big Brown in the Belmont despite suffering a quarter crack and missing training before the race.
Attempts by the Paulick Report to contact New York Racing Association officials to determine their knowledge of the alleged death threat and increased New York Police Department security detail were not successful.
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Tags: belmont park, belmont stakes, Big Brown, espn, Horse Racing, iavarone death threat, IEAH, IEAH stable, kenny mayne, kentucky derby winner big brown, Michael Iavarone, New York Racing Association, Paulick Report, Ray Paulick, richard schiavo, Triple Crown
Posted in Big Brown, Horse Racing, New York Racing Association, People | 23 Comments »
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