Blogs

The Beauty of Barbados

Ernest Hemingway said, “Write drunk. Edit sober.”

No matter how dubious the request, a Clancy brother will have to edit this.

I’ve been drinking rum from the Foursquare distillery since I woke up at 6 a.m. Sunday morning. There is nothing I like more than having rum in my morning coffee when I am in the Caribbean. Sir David Seale sent us home with a case of Doorlys X-O and a case of R.L. Seale’s Finest as parting gifts after we interviewed him Thursday afternoon. If there is a more gracious man on the planet or a better ambassador for Thoroughbred racing in Barbados, I have no knowledge of them.

Jockey Finds New Outlet

Click the following link to read the Mount Carmel Register's article about HRRN's Jock Talk host, Kristina McManigell: JOCKEY FINDS A NEW OUTLET.

 

 

 

 

The Big A Pays Tribute to "The Chief"

By Anthony Stabile

In my fifteen-plus years covering this amazing sport, there have been some emotional days. Breeders’ Cup day 2001 at Belmont, held about 20 miles away from where the Twin Towers had stood less than two months earlier, quickly comes to mind.

"Hey Big A What Do You Say?" - 1 Day to the Cup

By Anthony Stabile

CLASSIC

$5 million; 1 1/4 miles; 3up

You knew this race was aptly named after the stretch run of the inaugural running when eventual winner Wild Again played bumper cars along with Slew o’ Gold and Gate Dancer. Ferdinand won the battle of the Kentucky Derby winners over Alysheba in 1987 before Alysheba claimed his own classic Victory the following year.

In the final chapter of their brief, yet intense rivalry, Sunday Silence held off the desperate surge of Easy Goer to win in 1989. Jerry Bailey won three in a row, starting in 1993 with Arcangues, the longest priced winner in Breeders’ Cup history and ending with the great Cigar in 1995 who capped a perfect 10-for-10 season with a fantastic score. Awesome Again split rivals in deep stretch to win a wild one in 1998 over Silver Charm and Swain.

"Hey Big A What Do You Say?" - 2 Days to the Cup

By Anthony Stabile

DISTAFF

$2 million; 1 1/8 miles; 3up(f&m)

It’s the undisputed highlight of the Friday card and it is responsible for one of the most memorable moments in the history of the Breeders’ Cup when Personal Ensign gunned down Kentucky Derby winner Winning Colors in THE final stride of the 1988 running at Churchill Downs. Bayakoa won back to back runnings the following two years. Inside Information won it in 1995 by 13 ½ lengths, the largest winning margin in Breeders’ Cup history. Before tackling the boys twice, Zenyatta graced this race with her presence when she won it in 2008. Royal Delta won her second consecutive running in 2012 before failing in her attempt to three-peat in 2013 when 2012 Juvenile Fillies champ Beholder became the first winner of a juvenile event to win another Breeders’ Cup race.

"Hey Big A What Do You Say?" - 3 Days to the Cup

By Anthony Stabile

TURF

$3 million; 1 ½ miles (T); 3up

This event has provided us with some watershed moments in both Breeders’ Cup history in the sport itself, starting with Theatrical’s win in 1987 which helped forge the Bill Mott/Allen Paulson partnership that would rule racing for a decade. Kotashaan capped an amazing Horse of the Year season with a win in 1993. High Chaparral won it in 2002, then dead-heated with Johar in 2003, the only dead heat for win in Breeders’ Cup history.

"Hey Big A What Do You Say?" - 4 Days to the Cup

By Anthony Stabile

Mile

$2 million; 1 mile (T); 3up

 

"Hey Big A What Do You Say?" - 5 Days to the Cup

By Anthony Stabile

FILLY & MARE TURF

$2 million; 1 ¼ miles (T); 3up(f&m)

When it comes to the Breeders’ Cup, many will split the time passed by the days of the Original Seven and the two day extravaganza it has turned into. Somewhere in between, however, came the birth of this fantastic event.

Ouija Board won it in 2004 and 2006 and was stopped by Intercontinental in 2005 when she was second. Her two wins are among the six that the Euros have managed to snatch away from the states, whose runners have won the other nine running. Favorites have won one third of the 15 runnings.

"Hey Big A What Do You Say?" - 6 Days to the Cup

By Anthony Stabile

SPRINT

$1.5 million; 6 furlongs; 3up

In one of the more memorable moments of the Breeders’ Cup, Dayjur was home free in 1990 before famously jumping a shadow at Belmont Park and allowing Safely Kept to become one of three fillies to win this. Thirty Slews won the 1992 running, introducing the world to a then unknown trainer by the name of Bob Baffert. Kona Gold ran in the Sprint five times, grabbing the brass ring just once in 2000. Midnight Lute won back to back races in 2007 and 2008, while 2011 Juvenile Sprint winner Secret Circle won the 2013 renewal with just one prep in over 18 months, giving Baffert four wins to in the event.

"Hey Big A What Do You Say?" - 7 Days to the Cup

By Anthony Stabile

JUVENILE

$2 million; 1 1/16 miles; 2YO

In my opinion, some of the biggest surprises and upsets have come in this race, starting in 1988 when Is It True upset the great Easy Goer. Who can forget Arazi’s amazing performance in the 1991 renewal at Churchill? One of the more underrated horses of our time, Unbridled’s Song, out-dueled Hennessy to win the 1995 running in just his third start at Belmont where six years later Johannesburg shipped in from across the pond and halted Officer’s winning streak. Street Sense took the first step in breaking the Juvenile/Kentucky Derby jinx by winning it in 2006.