Paulick Report

NTRA: IS ANYONE HOME?

Ray Paulick — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:04:12 +0000

Dr. Patricia Hogan, an accomplished veterinary surgeon who operates Hogan Equine in New Jersey and oversees the Ruffian Equine Medical Center adjacent to Belmont Park, understands that public perception is reality when it comes to equine welfare issues. When the American Veterinary Medical Association and American Association of Equine Practitioners came out in support of horse slaughter, Hogan said the organizations were out of touch with the general public’s views on animal welfare. Her criticism of those two groups has fallen on deaf ears.

Recently, Dr. Hogan turned her attention to the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, an organization that invested a great deal of time and money on the much-ballyhooed Safety and Integrity Alliance created in the wake of the tragic death of Eight Belles in the 2008 Kentucky Derby. The Alliance has a Code of Standards that, among other things, encourages tracks to provide for the aftercare of retired racehorses, but takes no position on horse slaughter. In fact, the last time anti-slaughter legislation went before Congress, commissioner and CEO Alex Waldrop wrote that the NTRA neither opposed nor supported the bill.

In a letter sent by Federal Express to Waldrop on Jan. 16, Hogan urged him to reconsider the NTRA’s neutrality on anti-slaughter legislation and not rely on the AVMA and AAEP leadership position as the NTRA’s compass on the issue. "I sincerely hope you will consider my request," Hogan wrote. "I only represent what so many people want to see happen in this sport–both the industry participant and the casual racing fan–we all want to see Thoroughbred racing survive and we cannot lose if we truly look to preserve the principles of integrity, decency, and those of equine welfare."

More than three weeks have passed, and Hogan has yet to hear anything from Waldrop or his staff, even after she followed up with a phone message to the NTRA chief.|

The lack of response begs the question: Is anyone home at the NTRA?

Following is the complete text of Hogan’s letter, reprinted here with her permission. — Ray Paulick

January 16, 2010

Mr. Alex Waldrop
NTRA
2525 Harrodsburg Road
Suite 400
Lexington, KY 40504

Dear Mr. Waldrop:

We have never met but in fact we have a great deal in common - we are both heavily invested in the Thoroughbred racing industry and we both share an obvious concern and dedication to see the sport survive. I ask that you please give me a few moments of your time and hear me out about an increasingly important issue burdening our sport.

I am a veterinary surgeon and I am fortunate enough to have the privilege of caring for some of the most valuable horses our sport has to offer. I also care for some of the least valuable - those horses that are no longer financial contributors to racing and therefore must either find an alternate career, or in too many cases, be shipped off to slaughter.

I work very closely with many retirement organizations but there is one in particular that you should know more about. It is the Turning For Home Program at Philadelphia Park and we have made a very tangible difference there- a difference for the racetrack, for the horsemen, and most of all, for the horses. Everyone wins in this program. The track shows the public that it cares about its "product" enough to institute and support a program, the horsemen now have options in order to comply with the anti-slaughter policy put forth by the racetrack, and the horses gain a second chance to serve a useful purpose. It is a great example of how members of our industry are approaching this problem effectively at the grass-roots level. I am currently working on setting up a similar type of program in New York following the recent announcement of NYRA’s strong anti-slaughter policy. We are planning to connect NYRA, my affiliate hospital, Ruffian Equine Medical Center, and New Vocations, a well-established Thoroughbred retraining/placement organization together to provide the same type of network to address this issue. My point is that it can be done and it is being done throughout our industry. Wouldn’t it be to the NTRA’s advantage to be ahead of the story rather than trying to catch the train that has already left the station?

Surely the NTRA has reached a point where the obvious "writing on the wall" is at least visible, if not legible. Animal welfare issues are absolutely at the forefront of the public’s concerns. Thoroughbred racing has never been under more intense scrutiny by the public and we just cannot afford to appear complacent or indifferent. Does it not say something to the NTRA that many of its member tracks have now independently instituted some very strong anti-slaughter policies? If these tracks can recognize both the financial and public relations value of that policy as being relatable to their own livelihood and bottom line, why cannot the NTRA see that as well and provide the leadership in that arena?

I urge you to not let the pro-slaughter position taken by the leadership factions of the AVMA and AAEP continue to be your compass on this issue. Please don’t allow their special interests to become yours. I am a long-standing member of both organizations and although they serve their purposes within my profession, they do not dictate my politics or my ethics. It is important to note that it is only a very small percentage of AAEP veterinarians who are actually involved with Thoroughbred racing - the vast majority of the membership is involved with the pleasure horse industry and therefore have little to lose in regards to issues with public perception and slaughter. Yet the racing industry has, by far, the most to lose here.

I am asking you to please reconsider your neutrality on this vital issue and at least take a stand for the Thoroughbred racehorse. I am not asking you to come out politically against the anti-slaughter bills - just please consider taking care of our own interests. Those of us working in the trenches, so to speak, need your leadership on this issue. We need you to recognize that the slaughter of Thoroughbred racehorses is simply not acceptable. If the public sees that we are actively working to resolve this important welfare issue in our sport, then we as an industry will be all the better for it.

I sincerely hope you will consider my request - I only represent what so many people want to see happen in this sport - both the industry participant and the casual racing fan - we all want to see Thoroughbred racing survive and we cannot lose if we truly look to preserve the principles of integrity, decency, and those of equine welfare.

If I can personally be of service in any way to get this moving in the right direction, please do not hesitate to contact me. I will use whatever resources I can provide to continue to support a resolution to this very important issue.

Respectfully,

Patricia M. Hogan, VMD
Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Surgeons

REV. FLAKE DEFENDS STATE’S PICK OF AEG TO RUN AQUEDUCT SLOTS…DURING CHURCH SERVICE

brad — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 13:32:44 +0000

Rev. Floyd Flake, who has been at the center of the controversial decision by Gov. David Paterson to award the slots contract at Aqueduct to AEG, defended the company he has a small stake in.

After the service, the Reverend would not make any comments to the press and drove off in his Mercedes-Benz. There are a lot of comments that could be made on this, but we’ll leave that up to you. Something doesn’t smell right here.

Read it at the New York Daily News

Then come back to the Paulick Report and let us know what you think

- Bradford Cummings

RACING’S VALUE: WHERE’S THE BEEF?

Ray Paulick — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 12:08:04 +0000

Barry Irwin, the founder and CEO of Team Valor International, has made no secret of his opposition to the racing industry’s reliance on revenue from slot machines or other casino games. The following piece not only cautions pro-slots advocates about the threat of a Trojan horse strategy by gaming companies but suggests racing would be better off in the long run by promoting the sport and not the financial aspects of horse ownership. While his proposals could lead to a reduction in the number of tracks, racing dates and Thoroughbred foals, Irwin says the industry needs to find a viable level at which it can sustain itself. — Ray Paulick

By Barry Irwin

David Greathouse once said to me "We made a big mistake telling people they could make money racing horses."

The "we" referred to by the bloodstock agent and partner in family owned Glencrest Farm of Central Kentucky were those folks that sold a bill of goods to newcomers by telling them that racing was a financially viable pursuit.

Greathouse made a very insightful comment, one that I have reflected upon for the last 3 decades.

As he pointed out, one only has to look at other equine sports to see how they have presented themselves. Trainers of sport horses, dressage horses and show horses rarely if ever promote their sport to participants based on how much money can be made. The ones that do are not around very long.

Yet, by and large, the cost of keeping a three-day event, dressage, jumper or show horse in training is not insignificant. Any parent of a son or daughter with a horse in training at a local riding academy or stable knows precisely what I mean.

Those involved in these disciplines, however, willingly pay the costs because they receive value from the enterprise. That value, in most instances, is not derived from the earning of prize money or the resale of their animals.

Not that these horses lack value. A top dressage horse or jumper or event performer or even a very good child’s pony can be quite valuable in terms of dollars. The best of these animals sell for prices in the hundreds of thousands to the millions of dollars, especially if they are World Equestrian Games or Olympic quality.

But somewhere along the line, marketers of Thoroughbreds shook the genie out of the bottle and promoted their horses as a means by which one could expect to make a buck.

And it wasn’t just the hardboots of Kentucky, the sharp-tongued bloodstock agents in Florida or the fast-talking middle men in California that focused on the dollars.

The scholarly Joe Estes, a staid, analytical and proper gentleman whose bent for statistical analysis made The Blood-Horse the must-read trade magazine of the Thoroughbred industry, in 1948 developed the Average Earnings Index as the measurement by which sires were rated and ranked. It was all based on how much money the offspring of those stallions earned on the racetrack in a given year.

Clever marketers grabbed the ball and ran with it. Racing, a prospective owner could read and see and hear, was a good way to get rich.

For sure, there is money to be made in the Thoroughbred industry. Owners of farms, especially the majors like Coolmore/Ashford, Darley, WinStar and Lane’s End, need to operate on a sound financial basis and they prosper.

Support staff for horses such as trainers, veterinarians, hospitals, rehab facilities, training centers, transportation and insurance companies all make money. Just as they do in all other equine disciplines.

But the people Greathouse was referring to are the consumers of the horses, and the notion that has been floated for the past century in the United States that owners of racehorses are involved in a money-making venture. We would be better off today, he said, if we had never introduced the notion that one should expect a return on investment in a racehorse.

Can and do some owners of racehorses make money?

Of course.

But the percentage is so small that anybody getting into the game must be realistic and understand that these successful owners are the exception, rather than the rule.

If the marketers of racehorses promoted the enterprise based on racing’s intangibles, rather than the tangibles, it would be better for all concerned. Expectations could be better managed and the inevitable turnover rate of owners would decrease. Also, a lot of pressure would be taken off of the marketers themselves.

So if one cannot count on making money by racing horses, where is the value? Where’s the beef!

NO. 1 REASON TO BUY HORSES? THE THRILL OF RACING

I have been forming racing partnerships since 1987, so I have learned a lot about why people want to race horses. Invariably, the prime motivating factor is the prospect of racing a good horse and experiencing all of the magic and excitement that goes along with it.

The thrill of racing is the number one reason why people buy a racehorse. Yes, there is a lot of posturing about wanting to make money and getting the best deal, but mostly, in my experience, those people making this type of chatter feel they must treat it seriously, because they fully realize (consciously or even subconsciously) that they are totally indulging themselves and find a need to justify their purchase of a racehorse.

I know that many reading this will scoff at what they have just read, but I know it to be true in virtually every instance. And here is another reason I know that money is not the primary reason that people buy horses: even if these folks that are so concerned with dollars are offered a reasonable profit, they invariably do not take it. They will come up with any number of sound reasons for not accepting the profit, such as the tax man’s bite or capital gains holding periods. But in reality, they do not sell because they bought the product to consume it, not primarily to profit from it.

For these people, who form the vast majority of racehorse owners throughout the world, the value is not in the vaunted and much ballyhooed ROI, but in the intangibles, such as pride of ownership and race day thrills.

Have I taken the time to write the preceding 1,000 words just to make a point that people buy racehorses just for the excitement of it all?

C’mon … gimme a break! This is just laying the groundwork. Now, here comes the good part.

Racing is at a critical crossroads in its history, much like it was a third of the way through the last century, when horseracing’s very existence was threatened by those seeking to outlaw it.

The pari-mutuel system of betting, despised by those who wanted to bet with bookmakers, changed the entire face of racing and offered a financial boon to troubled states at a time when the nation faced a worse financial crisis than it does now.

Today, three forces threaten to shut racing down or at the very least, reduce it to a pitiful sideshow. The entities are, in no particular order, racetracks, state governments and gaming interests. In some instances, the racetracks and the casino interests work together. In the future, all three have financial reasons to join forces and work against horseracing.

Right now, there are plenty of people inside of horseracing that see the way to stemming the downward slide and growing the sport is to get in bed with the casinos. There already has been enough evidence on record to indicate that the casinos represent a Trojan horse. They want access inside a racetrack in order to gain a foothold, which they can use to entice both the racetrack and the state to eliminate the expense of horseracing.

Horseracing interests have spent entirely too much capital, time and energy trying or getting into bed with interests whose ultimate goal is to snuff out the game.

Given that the people attracted to horse ownership find more value in the sport than the money involved, I would like to suggest that racing consider making two adjustments that can lead it on a different path, one that hopefully can go some way in establishing a more viable future for the game.

PROMOTE THE SPORT, NOT THE FINANCIAL REWARDS
If I am correct in my contention that the sport trumps the dollar, let’s start by reframing the goals of horse ownership by concentrating on promoting the sport and not the financial rewards to newcomers.

Those marketing horses can take a lead from the top racing partnerships like Dogwood, West Point and Team Valor International. When communicating with newcomers, these outfits stress the intangible aspects of the sport and let neophytes know right up front that if they are getting into racing with the expectation of making a fortune, they are being unrealistic.

Believe me, we are selling our sport short if we think that we must rely on greed and the false promise of life-changing riches in order to attract newcomers and keep them. People, guess what? This sport really is this good!

Secondly, and more importantly, if the sport does indeed trump the dollar and purses are not the end all and be all of the game as we have been told, I suggest that it behooves racetracks to stop pursuing partnerships with casinos and return to their original purpose, which is to promote the sport of horse racing.

I think the non-profit racing associations would be more receptive to this concept, as the for-profit groups seem bent on providing the most return to their shareholders no matter how adversely their actions impact horseracing. Some tracks right now act like they would like to stop producing a live sport altogether.

In the final analysis, the only way our game is going to prosper at a high level again is for the sport to thrive, because it is the sport that provides the driving power, not alternative gaming. Casinos are great for racetracks. They are not good for racing. In the short run, horsemen will be compensated. But in the long run, the casinos will drive them out of business.

MAKE PEACE WITH HORSEPLAYERS
Racetracks that want to stay in business should promote racing. Otherwise, they should not apply for a license and go into the casino business and leave racing alone, so that it can find others to promote it that have their heart in it.

High purses are good, but they are not critical. Racing for years has prospered in many locales where prize money has been very low. It is not ideal to have low purses. But one of the reasons racing in America in particular could use a high purse structure is that expenses to have a horse in training are too high. A lower purse structure, however, could have the benefit of giving a break to gamblers that have supported our enterprise for years.

For racing to prosper again, here is what needs to happen:

1. MEDICATION: racetracks need to take charge of all veterinary supplies to gain control over the use and cost, so that the public is better protected from unscrupulous practitioners and owners can have their horses treated by drugs at as close to cost as possible. Vets can make their money diagnosing and treating horses, like human doctors have forever. They should not look for their compensation from middling strapped owners on the difference in the wholesale and retail price of drugs such as GastroGard and hyaluronic acid.

2. FEED: racetracks need to buy the feed and make it available to horsemen at as close to cost as possible to lower the expense to owners.

3. TAKEOUT: it should be reduced on all wagers to 12 percent, with the state getting 2 percent and the horsemen and the track getting 5 percent each. The states have been greedy for too long and they mostly have budgets inflated by expenses for racing commissions that are woefully inept. Horseplayers have carried the game on their backs for far too long and we need to cut them some slack. It is more important to cater to the bettor than to have higher purses.

So by adjusting to lower purses, horsemen can accomplish a lot. They can make peace with horseplayers. They can keep the casino wolf at bay and improve the chances for the longevity of the sport. And they can concentrate on promoting the game, which in the end is the only thing that can offer it salvation.

In conclusion, racing needs to do whatever it can to concentrate on the core activity, which is racing. The sport must be promoted first and foremost. Secondly, the game must realize that contraction is its friend. By reducing the number of horses bred, the number of tracks in operation and the sheer number of races run, the concentration in quality will only aid the game. Bad horses, bad racetracks and lousy races help nobody. There are too damn many tracks that are nothing but an excuse to have simulcasting.

If by having lower purses the result is that the game contracts, so be it. That way, at least we will find a viable level at which the sport can be sustained. The subsidies from gaming are temporary, no matter what the law says, because as we have all seen, when state budgets get low, the legislators simply amend the law and grab what they need.

Racing must change its focus to promote itself, seek its viable level and send out the best product we can to the bettors that support our game. We need a new model. The present one is broken. It is time to get real.

CONTESSA: I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT HAPPENED

brad — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 20:16:14 +0000

The following quotes were released by NYRA after a puzzling ending to a much anticipated 2010 debut for Eightfiveinafifty.

WHIRLAWAY QUOTES

Timothy Kreiser, winning trainer of Peppi Knows (No. 3): “Everything went well, obviously what happened with [No. 2 Eightyfiveinafifty], I don’t know. It helped things, I guess, maybe it didn’t. It would have been nice to see that horse run just to see what we had there. We can’t do anything about that, he ran his race and we’re really happy. The rider did everything perfect – he didn’t rush him, he just settled him down. With that horse out – that’s what all the talk was about – so if he’s out of it, you think you have a heck of a chance. We took advantage of it.”

Richard Migliore, winning jockey aboard Peppi Knows (No. 3): “It worked out real good for us. We got to save ground when the other horse didn’t make the turn. He’s just a real nice handy little horse. He’s not a whole lot to look at, but he has a big heart. Anytime he felt the presence of the other horse, he ran on a little more. I just hope Jorge’s alright.”

Gary Contessa, trainer of favored Eightyfiveinafifty, who bolted during the first turn, unseating rider Jorge Chavez: “The horse is okay. He has a two-inch cut on his right hind leg, and he’ll need a couple of stitches, but he was walking sound. I’m completely mystified as to what happened. I don’t know if it was the horse, the jockey, or an equipment malfunction. The bit was broken and the rein was shredded – the equipment was in shambles – but I don’t know if that happened during the race or after he bolted. He’s handled the turns fine in the mornings. I have no idea what happened.”

Note: Jockey Jorge Chavez was conscious and taken by ambulance to North Shore University Hospital for further evaluation.

DAVID WILLIAMS IS A WHAT?

Ray Paulick — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 17:05:23 +0000

Robin Webb, the Kentucky Democratic Senator the horse industry helped elect during a special election in 2009, is at the center of a “controversy” in the wake of allegations that she called Republican Senate President David “Blackjack” Williams a naughty name. We weren’t there to hear what she called the horse industry hater, but the Lexington Herald-Leader, which put the story on the front page of Saturday’s edition and devoted nearly 27 inches to the story, gave us a pretty good clue: “a four-letter expletive that has the same first three letters as dictator” (the latter word the one Webb claims using to describe Williams).

I don’t do crossword puzzles, have never liked watching “Wheel of Fortune,” and don’t event play that stimulating numbers game called “Sudoku.” But even I can figure out that the word Webb is accused of calling Williams is D-I-C-K.

That’s pretty tame, because there’s a lot of people in Kentucky who think Williams is not only a dick, but that he’s a $%#$@%&$%^@#, a $%^&#@$%, and an @#$%@&#%^.

As for Robin Webb, all we can say is “You go, girl!”

WEEKEND STAKES: WHERE TO WATCH brought to you by KBC HORSE SUPPLIES

brad — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 22:06:41 +0000

UPDATE: Santa Anita has cancelled its Saturday racing program due to heavy rain and ongoing drainage problems with its main track Pro-Ride surface.

On Saturday, Santa Anita’s 10-race program will feature five stakes races, including the Grade 1 Las Virgenes and a pair of Grade 2s, the Strub and the Robert B. Lewis. The Las Virgenes has attracted a field of six 3-year-old fillies to go once around the all-weather track. Blind Luck will be heavily favored based on her final three starts in 2009—she won the G1 Oak Leaf before finishing third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, and ended the year with a seven-length win in G1 Hollywood Starlet. Among those taking on Blind Luck will be Crisp, winner of G3 Santa Ysabel, and Switch, third in G2 Santa Ynez.

Trainer Bob Baffert has his eyes on a couple prizes Saturday. If Misremembered can prove himself in the Strub, he’ll head for the Santa Anita Handicap, more familiarly known as the Big ‘Cap, next month. Misremembered, a ridgling son of Candy Ride last ran second to M One Rifle in the G1 Malibu. The nine-furlong Strub, for 4-year-olds, has also attracted Smart Bid and Rendezvous, second and third, respectively in the G2 San Fernando.

Baffert hopes to have yet another Kentucky Derby prospect with Tiz Chrome. The son of Tiznow comes into the 1 1/16-mile Robert B. Lewis with just two starts, but his debut at Churchill Downs and his winning performance in the Stuka Stakes at Hollywood were eye-catching. Facing him will be Eoin Harty-trained American Lion, also a son of Tiznow, who won the Hollywood Prevue.

Across the country, Gulfstream Park will be hosting three graded stakes, highlighted by G1 Donn Handicap, for older horses going 1 1/8 miles on the main track. Quality Road is high weight at 123 lbs., based on his powerful performance in G3 Hal’s Hope where he drew off in the final furlong defeating You and I Forever by nearly three lengths. Quality Road spots six to nine pounds to his nine rivals which include the first four finishers of the Jan. 10 Ft. Lauderdale (G3), as well as You and I Forever.

Hoping to make his 2010 debut a winning one, Court Vision will face five other older horses in the nine-furlong G1 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap. Rick Dutrow trains Court Vision, who ran third in this event last year, losing to Kip DeVille by less than a length. From Todd Pletcher’s barn comes Take the Points, a two-time Grade 1 winner in 2009.

Also carded at 1 1/8 miles on the turf is the G3 Suwannee River for older fillies and mares. None of the twelve starters in the body of the race have won a graded stakes, making this a very tough spot to find a favorite. One of the strongest contenders may be Lady Shakespeare, winner of four consecutive races at Woodbine in 2009. Christophe Clement has won the Suwannee River four times and has two entered here—Cable and Astrologie.

In deference to the Super Bowl on Sunday, Santa Anita has an early post, with the G2 San Antonio Handicap to be run at approximately 2:00. Carded as the 7th of eight races, the 1 1/8-mile San Antonio is a major prep for the upcoming Big ‘Cap. High-weighted at 120 lbs. is Richard’s Kid, upset winner of the Pacific Classic at Del Mar last September. The Bob Baffert trainee then ended his 2009 campaign with a sixth-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Also targeting the Big ‘Cap is Mast Track, winner of the G3 Native Diver Handicap at Hollywood Park in December.

STEVE SCHWARTZ RESIGNS TOC POSITION

brad — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 21:50:59 +0000

As if California racing doesn’t have enough challenges, the very recently appointed President of the Thoroughbred Owners of California resigned abruptly today. Below is the press release of this bizarre happening.

Steve Schwartz Resigns TOC Position

Effective immediately, Steve Schwartz has resigned from his position as President of the Thoroughbred Owners of California. Schwartz indicated that, having given this decision a lot of thought, he felt the time and travel involved were beyond his expectations. Spending enough time with family has always been a priority, Schwartz commented. He also expressed how much he enjoys being a part of the California racing industry and he intends to continue to be active whenever possible.

Marsha Naify, Chair of the TOC Board of Directors, stated, “We respect Steve’s decision and wish him all the best in his future endeavors.”

TOC is the official organization serving new, veteran and future Thoroughbred owners in the state. It represents, advances, and protects owners’ interests and rights in legislative, administrative and business matters. Additionally, the organization provides ongoing educational opportunities for current and prospective owners, regularly presenting programs on Thoroughbred ownership. www.toconline.com.

GOOD NEWS FRIDAY sponsored by Liberation Farm: GOOD TIME CHARLIE

Ray Paulick — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 16:50:04 +0000

By Ray Paulick
He is a combination of P.T. Barnum, Perle Mesta and Frank Sinatra—an innovative promoter, unmatched host and fiercely independent man. He rules over one of the last family-owned racetracks on the American landscape. He is Charles Cella, the longtime president of Oaklawn Park, and if anyone is going to lure Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta into the same starting gate, it’s him.

Cella announced plans to increase the purse of the April 3 Apple Blossom to $5 million if the two champions show up. He didn’t need to go out and find a corporate sponsor, didn’t hire a slew of consultants, didn’t seek approval from the bean counters or a board of directors.

He did it his way.

That’s how Cella has been running Oaklawn Park since taking over the Hot Springs, Ark., racetrack upon the death of his father in 1968. There have been hard times and good times. The venerable track, founded in 1905, has taken some lumps, but through perseverance and innovation has managed to survive and even thrive at times. That’s more than we can say about a lot of racetracks these days.

“I think he has been great for the sport,” said longtime Keeneland executive Ted Bassett, one of Cella’s closest friends. “He’s put the best interests of Oaklawn and the sport above his self interests. Always. And he marches to his own drum, regardless of the pressures or the cacophony from the outside.

“He is at heart an impresario. He loves to think and to create events. He is a master at that.”

Long before the Breeders’ Cup championships, Arlington Park’s International Festival of Racing, the Maryland Million, or Keeneland’s Fall Stars Weekend, there was the Racing Festival of the South. Created in 1974, the week-long festival packs a bundle of top-class stakes races onto the end of the annual winter/spring meeting, culminating with the closing-day Arkansas Derby, which has attracted crowds in excess of 70,000.

For years, racing-starved fans from Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and other states in the region swamped Hot Springs. But then competition sprang up with shiny new tracks like Louisiana Downs, Remington Park and Lone Star Park, and later came casino boats in Mississippi and slot parlors in Louisiana and Oklahoma. Oaklawn Park no longer was the only game in town.

Cella and his management team launched the first full-card simulcasting parlor of any track in the country. It wasn’t enough to keep pace. They tried to get a casino at Oaklawn, but realized it was a longshot at best. So, working with Ted Mudge at tote provider AmTote, Oaklawn came up with a pari-mutuel based electronic game called Instant Racing. It’s been the track’s salvation since the first machines were installed 10 years ago.

In 2004, Cella wanted to do something special to recognize Oaklawn Park’s 100th anniversary, and created a $5-million “centennial bonus” for any 3-year-old that managed to sweep the Rebel Stakes, Arkansas Derby and Kentucky Derby. The triple had only been accomplished once before, by Sunny’s Halo, in 1983, but Smarty Jones stepped up and swept the series, and Cella happily handed over $5 million to Smarty’s owners, Pat and Roy Chapman. It was the richest payday in American racing history. A $5-million Apple Blossom would be the richest filly and mare race in history.

“It’s a genius idea,” Bassett said of the Apple Blossom purse boost. “Even if they don’t show, he’s gotten a million dollars worth of publicity.”

I wouldn’t bet against it happening—not yet, even though the statement from Jess Jackson, the owner of Rachel Alexandra, was a bit non-committal and the 2009 Horse of the Year has a lot more training to do to get back into racing shape.

“He has the courage to take the chance,” Bassett said of Cella, “the courage of his convictions. What other racetrack would have the courage, foresight and will to propose this? If they show, he will show.”

And if they show, you can be certain Cella will throw one helluva party to celebrate the event. “He is the male Perle Mesta,” Bassett said, a reference to the legendary Washington, D.C., “hostess with the mostest” from a half-century ago. “He loves to throw a party. He’s a modern P.T. Barnum.”

But Cella is a lot more than Good Time Charlie. In an era of corporate ownership of racetracks, where heads of top management roll over with the frequency of Pick Threes and Daily Doubles, Oaklawn Park has been an island of stability, not unlike the other remaining family-owned tracks in America: the Carey family’s Hawthorne in Chicago and Stella Thayer’s Tampa Bay Downs in Florida.

“Continuity and stability have been hallmarks of Oaklawn Park,” said Bassett. “They know where they are, they know when they are going to open. He never quakes to outside pressures. Charlie was the lyricist of Sinatra’s ‘doing in my way.’"

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WHO WILL TELEVISE THE APPLE BLOSSOM?

Ray Paulick — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 19:22:26 +0000

By Ray Paulick
A potential April 3 matchup at Oaklawn Park between Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra and unbeaten, two-time champion Zenyatta may be the best news racing fans have heard in a long time. Oaklawn Park owner Charles Cella announced the Grade 1 Apple Blossom Handicap would have its purse bumped from $500,000 to $5 million if both horses run, and the race would be lengthened from 1 1/16 miles to nine furlongs. It would change from a handicap to an invitational if both participated. If either fails to enter, the Apple Blossom would revert back to a $500,000 race.

Left unaddressed in the press release from Oaklawn Park was whether any network television plans for the race have been formulated beyond TVG and HRTV. April 3 is a busy day on the racing and sports calendar.

NBC will be televising two important races for 3-year-olds late that afternoon, the Wood Memorial from Aqueduct and Santa Anita Derby from Santa Anita Park in Southern California. Would NBC try to squeeze the Apple Blossom into the same broadcast, and would Oaklawn Park agree to share such a marquee event with two prep races for the Kentucky Derby?

The NBC deal was done with Churchill Downs, not the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, which formerly was responsible for much of the horse racing industry’s television exposure, primarily on the ESPN family of networks. The NTRA, while no longer in the television business and Oaklawn Park no longer a member of the NTRA, have assured the Paulick Report they will aggressively work with all parties to promote this event. According to Keith Chamblin, “The NTRA has and will continue to do everything it possibly can to maximize the promotion and television exposure of a showdown between Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta.”

Post time for the Apple Blossom could be a tricky decision, too. If the race is run after 6 p.m. Eastern Daylight Savings Time (Arkansas is in the Central time zone), it could go head to head with the first of two Final Four games in the men’s NCAA basketball tournament from Indianaapolis, which will be televised on CBS that evening. If it is run between 4:30-5:30 p.m. Eastern, it could butt heads with the Wood Memorial and Santa Anita Derby.

Needless to say, with the Final Four games scheduled that night, horse racing will have a difficult time getting much coverage in the mainstream press around the country. But if Oaklawn Park can pull it off, it will be a huge day for the Arkansas racetrack, and existing fans of the sport will have got what they wanted.

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JESS JACKSON REMAINS NON-COMMITTAL ON APPLE BLOSSOM

brad — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 18:01:44 +0000

Statement by Jess Jackson on Apple Blossom Invitational:

“As you have heard me say many times before, a number of factors must be considered when deciding where to race a horse — the number one factor being the condition of the horse. Rachel will tell us when she is ready to start her 2010 campaign and we humans must agree she is in top form.

My family and I would love to see her run at Oaklawn Park. If she is in top form and it fits in our schedule, we will be there. Rachel, as you know, likes the track having won twice there last year. ”