A few days ago, I was very excited to get an e-mail telling me that Cash Conversion was entered in a race at Presque Isle Downs. "Who is Cash Conversion?" you all say. Well, he's a two year-old colt by Colonel John, and he just happens to be the freshman sire's first starter, or so I believe.
After all, following the yearling sales of last year, I proceeded to keep tabs on all of Colonel John's first crop. They're all watched closely in my Equibase virtual stable.
Colonel John is not new to me. He was actually my pick to win the 2008 Kentucky Derby, a race that Big Brown went on to dominate. The big bay colt had won the Sham Stakes en route to a victory in the Santa Anita Derby, and he looked pretty good to me. Later in the year, he ended up winning a head-bobbing Travers Stakes over Mambo In Seattle, and the year after that, he zipped over the turf to win the Wickerr Stakes. A versatile racehorse, he impressed racegoers with both his good looks and his speed.
This bay stallion has the bloodlines of a champion. His sire is champion Tiznow, who remains the only horse to win the Breeders' Cup Classic twice. Tiznow has blossomed into an enormously successful sire; among his progeny is Dubai World Cup winner Well Armed and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies winner Folklore, as well as many other graded stakes winners.
Tiznow was out of a mare named Cee's Song, who had already produced a graded stakes winning full brother to her future champion son. His sire, Cee's Tizzy, became a moderately successful sire (with the help of Cee's Song's many offspring by him); he himself, as a racehorse, had finished third in the Grade 1 Super Derby. Tiznow is one of the few successful sires out there today that boast a direct tail-male line back to champion Man O' War, whose lines, in turn, trace back to the Godolphin Arabian, one of the three foundation sires of the Thoroughbred breed. (Most modern Thoroughbreds trace their male lines back to the Darley Arabian instead.)
Colonel John is out of the Turkoman mare Sweet Damsel. She has crossed exceptionally well with Tiznow - out of ten foals, six are by the tall bay sire. Two of those are stakes contenders Mr. Hot Stuff and Kayce Ace, both of which are as good-looking as their full brother. There is a smattering of stakes winners in his female family; most significantly, probably, is Imperialism, who is out of a half-sister to his second-dam, stakes winner Grand Dame. It is a solid, consistent female family, one that props up a stallion well. Colonel John is also inbred three times in his fifth generation to the famous sire Northern Dancer.
When his foals began to drop, good things started happening for the young sire. His first crop of yearlings sold for just under an average $85,000 - more than five times his stud fee of $15,000. Boy, were those yearlings lookers. I can't remember a Colonel John I saw in the ring that looked bad.
WinStar Farm, the place that stands Colonel John, boasts twenty-two stallions, including Tiznow himself and another son of the Breeders' Cup champion as well, Gemologist. They also boast commercially successful stallions like Distorted Humor, More Than Ready, Speightstown, and Harlan's Holiday. However, if his offspring run the way they look, Colonel John could be well on his way to joining their ranks as top-notch sires.
Cash Conversion ended up finishing second in his maiden race at even money behind a seven and a half length winner. He just happened to run into a buzzsaw named Choctaw Chuck, a colt by Bwana Charlie, whose offspring tend to run early and quick. By virtue of his pedigree, Cash Conversion should do better with more distance.
Ironically, as I finish up this piece on Colonel John, I just opened up my e-mail to find that another one of his progeny has been entered! Tomorrow, at Hollywood Park, Colonel Joan races under Nakatani for her first start as a racehorse. Cash Conversion and Colonel Joan are just two of the many offspring of his that will find their way to the racetrack in the coming months. I'm so excited to see what these good-looking two year-olds can do for their handsome sire as an up-and-coming stallion.
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Monday, May 20, 2013
Calumet's Comeback
In 1941, Whirlaway became the fledgling Calumet Farm's first Classic winner. He also just happened to be the operation's first Triple Crown winner, as well. That quirky colt sparked a golden era of racing for Calumet, which included eight Derby winners and two Triple Crown champions. Among the famous horses to carry Calumet's famous devil's red and blue colors were Davona Dale, Alydar, and the great Citation, who was the first horse to surpass a million dollars in earnings.
Calumet was originally owned by the Wright family. But, as family members either died or lost interest, the farm fell into slow decline. In 1992, the farm was put up for auction and purchased by a successful investor who passed away in 2003. While this investor, a man named Henryk de Kwiatkowski, kept the farm looking as beautiful as ever, the racing glory of Calumet Farm was a thing of the past. It was nothing more than a Lexington tourist attraction now. I remember, on my trip to Kentucky, the beautiful sight of its red barns and white fences. Calumet Farm is a time capsule to the golden days of racing.
Just recently, Calumet was passed over to the care of Brad Kelley, a wealthy businessman whose racing stable, Bluegrass Hall, LLC, had already been racing horses for a short time. He began to acquire stallions to stand at his farm and racing horses in Calumet's name. The ears of racing fans perked up at the sight of the once formidable stable's name next to entries in races. Even though the rights to the famous silks were sold to South American interests a long while back, the name is still there.
Last Saturday, I was one of millions who eagerly awaited Orb's run in the Preakness. (If we want to talk sentimentally about the colors of the past, Joel Rosario, aboard the Derby winner, was clad in the famous white and red silks of the Janney family, most famous on champion filly Ruffian and her young jockey Jacinto Vasquez.) The bay son of Malibu Moon couldn't have looked better. He went off as the 3-5 favorite for the race - the shortest price since Big Brown in 2008. As I watched the post parade, though, I couldn't help noticing how well Oxbow looked. I chose to overlook that fact - my first mistake.
Oxbow had been in my top five to win the Derby before his disastrous luck in drawing the #2 slot for the run for the roses. He did very well, despite all of that, finishing sixth after laying close to a white-hot pace. The dusty bay colt, a brother by blood to Haskell winner and recent colitis survivor Paynter, was coming into the Preakness very well. However, he went off at 15-1. If you were against Orb, you looked at Departing, the Claiborne colt coming off an impressive win in the Illinois Derby, or at Govenor Charlie, a fresh horse just recovered from a slight injury that kept him out of the Derby. Oxbow entered the Preakness starting gate as an overlooked horse.
But why overlook that colt? Aboard him was Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens. At 50 years old, the rider was making a miraculous comeback, and Oxbow was his best chance at newfound glory. In control was trainer D. Wayne Lukas, another Hall of Famer who had already won five other Preakness Stakes in history. Finally, Oxbow carried the weight of history, for he raced under the name of none other than Calumet Farm. He might have worn black and gold, but he still raced for the sake of a legacy.
Oxbow inherited the lead right away. There were those who thought the speedy colts Goldencents and Titletown Five would chase him, but it ended up being just Oxbow, all by himself. Gary Stevens, with a mind like a stopwatch, carefully guided the bay racehorse through steady fractions. :23.94. :48.60. By six furlongs, Oxbow had traveled the distance in 1:13.26, the slowest six furlong mark in quite some time. He was stealing the race. Derby champion Orb was trying his best to make up the ground, but couldn't manage to find room on the outside to make his patented late run. He floundered on the far turn as horses began to pass him. Meanwhile, on the front end, Oxbow was merely cruising.
The cries of more than a hundred thousand racegoers filled the air as Oxbow held off a late charge by Itsmyluckyday to win the Preakness Stakes. As he galloped out, he opened up even more lengths on the field. Orb had rallied bravely to finish fourth. It was all about Oxbow, though. The two would meet again in the Belmont Stakes, but it was the dusty bay son of Awesome Again who was in the limelight on this day.
Gary Stevens became the oldest rider to win the Preakness. D. Wayne Lukas now was in second-place in terms of most Preakness wins. And while I was looking on Calumet Farm's webpage, at its history, I noticed the name Oxbow next to names of champions. Calumet had won its first Classic race since 1968.
Calumet Farm now stands five stallions, including Horse of the Year Point Given, Melbourne Cup victor Americain, and Lentenor, a stakes-winning full brother to Derby winner Barbaro. Their breeding operation is just getting started again. As for their racing operation, it seems to be gathering steam again. In the race before the Preakness, Calumet ran 1-3 with Skyring and Optimizer in the Grade 2 Dixie Stakes. With Oxbow's upcoming try in the Belmont Stakes, a bright future awaits the home of so many former champions.
2013 has really been a year of the past. In the Derby, Shug McGaughey won for the Phipps and Janney families, two racing dynasties of yore, and just last Saturday, in the Preakness, D. Wayne Lukas led a Calumet horse to victory. It feels almost as if we're traveling back in time, to a time where racing truly was the sport of kings. It really helps to ease the nagging shadow of modern day drug violations and corruption in the highest echelons of the racing world.
If there's one thing the return of Calumet has shown us, it's that things thought long dead can rise from the ashes once more. I hope that Brad Kelley continues to show good leadership in the running of the historical stable and that it once more will rise to glory as one of the most successful racing operations in this day and age. Oxbow is just the beginning.
Saturday, May 11, 2013
Remembering Ak-Sar-Ben
California horse racing has been dealt some rotten news recently (although not unexpected in the least). With the end of Hollywood Park fast approaching, I have been very nostalgic about the closure of racetracks in America. I really haven't been around for many of them but feel the sting of loss almost as acutely as those who were there.
Hall of Fame trainer Jack Van Berg was signing copies of his new book at Horsemen's Park today. Horsemen's is a tiny five furlong oval in the heart of industrial Omaha. With only three to six racing days in any given year, it's hardly a hub of champions. However, I'm proud to call this small yet fun racetrack my home track. Van Berg is probably best known for training the Classic winners Alysheba and Gate Dancer, but his claim to fame does not end there. (Gate Dancer actually ran second, but was disqualified to third, in the inaugural running of the Breeders' Cup Classic, held at none other than Hollywood Park.)
Van Berg was leading trainer at famed Ak-Sar-Ben Racetrack a whopping twenty times, including taking home nineteen consecutive titles from 1959 to 1977. To this day, the veteran horseman laments the end of Ak-Sar-Ben. He isn't the only one.
Established in 1919, Ak-Sar-Ben was both a racetrack and an arena. Placed perfectly in midtown Omaha, it hosted events like music concerts, sporting events like hockey, basketball and bull riding, and even a slew of comedians. That was the arena part of it, which closed in 2002.
The racetrack was a lively place from the get-go. It started out as a harness track, then after its first year began to phase in Thoroughbred flat racing. Its only break from racing was during World War II, where racing halted for two years. Then, when the war ended, racing resumed in 1945 - and kept going, all the way until August 7th, 1995. Ak-Sar-Ben ended its career with more than 50 years of uninterrupted seasons of live racing.
The importance of Ak-Sar-Ben can not be understated. In its heyday, which was the mid-80s, it was tenth in the nation in racetrack attendance. Its popularity attracted some of the biggest names in sports - D. Wayne Lukas, famous for his multiple Classic and Breeders' Cup wins, was leading trainer in 1985. Riders like Willie Shoemaker and Eddie Arcaro rode races at Ak-Sar-Ben, and Pat Day won his 3,000th race there. Garrett Gomez rode at Ak-Sar-Ben meets in the late eighties and early nineties. And as previously mentioned, Jack Van Berg started out at Ak-Sar-Ben and become nationally renowned with Classic champions.
Horses that won races at Ak-Sar-Ben have names that would be familiar to hardened racegoers' ears. The Omaha Gold Cup was one of the more famous stakes at the track; winners of that race include Wavering Monarch, a grandsire of two Kentucky Derby winners, and Gate Dancer, who won the 1984 Preakness Stakes. Another horse to win at Ak-Sar-Ben was Holding Pattern, who won races like the Travers Stakes and the Champagne Stakes. Ak-Sar-Ben's most famous race, though, was the Cornhusker Handicap. Horses like Black Tie Affair and Star De Naskra ended up taking the prize in their respective years. Thankfully, the race lives on at Iowa's Prairie Meadows Racetrack. In 2012, the Cornhusker Handicap was won by Fort Larned, who went on to win the Breeders' Cup Classic at the end of the year.
Triple Crown winner Omaha was buried at Ak-Sar-Ben after his death in 1959. The champion had made numerous public appearances at the track since 1950. It was only fitting that Omaha be buried in the city that he owed his name. I think his remains are there to this day. It's kind of odd to think that a Triple Crown winner is buried under some building that I drive by often. History itself lies under my wheels at those moments.
I also have some family ties to the old track. My great aunt loves to tell her own personal Ak-Sar-Ben stories; her favorite is a small run-in with Willie Shoemaker himself! She was working as a secretary for an optometrist when the rider stepped in for presumably a check-up. She will never forget her brush with celebrity! Her daughter also worked as a hot-walker for several years at Ak-Sar-Ben.
I was only six months old when Ak-Sar-Ben was shut down in August of 1995, after other forms of gambling and the rise of casinos across the river in Iowa started to out-do their operation. The old days of glory were over. 1998 saw Omaha's answer to the end of Ak-Sar-Ben in the construction of Horsemen's Park, a simulcasting facility for most of the year. In 2005, Ak-Sar-Ben was completely demolished. It is now home to a multi-use complex called Aksarben Village.
It is only natural for me to feel nostalgic for Omaha's glory days of racing. I've spent nearly two hours of my time now at Ak-Sar-Ben's official website, which highlights the horses and people associated with the track. I can just imagine the sights and sounds of the old track. It was, after all, one of the most popular in the country. It lives on, if only a little bit, in Horsemen's Park. It is clear that the people of Omaha love horse racing to death, as crowds of people pack into the tiny facility there for the live racing dates.
Horsemen's Park is quite a sight to see, anyway. Today, along with five Thoroughbred races - including two stakes - they boasted an ostrich race and a camel race. There is live music, t-shirt tosses, great food and a state-of-the-art simulcasting facility with video of tracks around the country. It may not be the most professional place in the world, but it is great fun and the people that go have a great time.
But even after nearly two decades of Ak-Sar-Ben being gone, the gaping hole it leaves in its absence is acutely felt. As Jack Van Berg said, in a quote from this article, “It's terrible. I never run into anybody in Omaha who isn't sick that they tore Ak-Sar-Ben down." That feedback and the copious amount of nostalgic information on the track at its website is enough to prove that the track is sorely missed by racegoers, especially those residing in Omaha. But, like I said, it does live on. Not only is there Horsemen's Park for Nebraska horse racing, but also Fonner Park in Grand Island and Agricultural Park in Columbus. They may not be the grand establishments that Ak-Sar-Ben was, but they serve to carry on that legacy.
So even though Hollywood Park will be torn down, the memories of it will live on, as Ak-Sar-Ben has. Racing history has a way of sticking in the minds of the most dedicated fans. And when one track dies, another will rise from its ashes to carry on the legacy it left behind.
Hall of Fame trainer Jack Van Berg was signing copies of his new book at Horsemen's Park today. Horsemen's is a tiny five furlong oval in the heart of industrial Omaha. With only three to six racing days in any given year, it's hardly a hub of champions. However, I'm proud to call this small yet fun racetrack my home track. Van Berg is probably best known for training the Classic winners Alysheba and Gate Dancer, but his claim to fame does not end there. (Gate Dancer actually ran second, but was disqualified to third, in the inaugural running of the Breeders' Cup Classic, held at none other than Hollywood Park.)
Van Berg was leading trainer at famed Ak-Sar-Ben Racetrack a whopping twenty times, including taking home nineteen consecutive titles from 1959 to 1977. To this day, the veteran horseman laments the end of Ak-Sar-Ben. He isn't the only one.
Established in 1919, Ak-Sar-Ben was both a racetrack and an arena. Placed perfectly in midtown Omaha, it hosted events like music concerts, sporting events like hockey, basketball and bull riding, and even a slew of comedians. That was the arena part of it, which closed in 2002.
The racetrack was a lively place from the get-go. It started out as a harness track, then after its first year began to phase in Thoroughbred flat racing. Its only break from racing was during World War II, where racing halted for two years. Then, when the war ended, racing resumed in 1945 - and kept going, all the way until August 7th, 1995. Ak-Sar-Ben ended its career with more than 50 years of uninterrupted seasons of live racing.
The importance of Ak-Sar-Ben can not be understated. In its heyday, which was the mid-80s, it was tenth in the nation in racetrack attendance. Its popularity attracted some of the biggest names in sports - D. Wayne Lukas, famous for his multiple Classic and Breeders' Cup wins, was leading trainer in 1985. Riders like Willie Shoemaker and Eddie Arcaro rode races at Ak-Sar-Ben, and Pat Day won his 3,000th race there. Garrett Gomez rode at Ak-Sar-Ben meets in the late eighties and early nineties. And as previously mentioned, Jack Van Berg started out at Ak-Sar-Ben and become nationally renowned with Classic champions.
Horses that won races at Ak-Sar-Ben have names that would be familiar to hardened racegoers' ears. The Omaha Gold Cup was one of the more famous stakes at the track; winners of that race include Wavering Monarch, a grandsire of two Kentucky Derby winners, and Gate Dancer, who won the 1984 Preakness Stakes. Another horse to win at Ak-Sar-Ben was Holding Pattern, who won races like the Travers Stakes and the Champagne Stakes. Ak-Sar-Ben's most famous race, though, was the Cornhusker Handicap. Horses like Black Tie Affair and Star De Naskra ended up taking the prize in their respective years. Thankfully, the race lives on at Iowa's Prairie Meadows Racetrack. In 2012, the Cornhusker Handicap was won by Fort Larned, who went on to win the Breeders' Cup Classic at the end of the year.
Triple Crown winner Omaha was buried at Ak-Sar-Ben after his death in 1959. The champion had made numerous public appearances at the track since 1950. It was only fitting that Omaha be buried in the city that he owed his name. I think his remains are there to this day. It's kind of odd to think that a Triple Crown winner is buried under some building that I drive by often. History itself lies under my wheels at those moments.
I also have some family ties to the old track. My great aunt loves to tell her own personal Ak-Sar-Ben stories; her favorite is a small run-in with Willie Shoemaker himself! She was working as a secretary for an optometrist when the rider stepped in for presumably a check-up. She will never forget her brush with celebrity! Her daughter also worked as a hot-walker for several years at Ak-Sar-Ben.
I was only six months old when Ak-Sar-Ben was shut down in August of 1995, after other forms of gambling and the rise of casinos across the river in Iowa started to out-do their operation. The old days of glory were over. 1998 saw Omaha's answer to the end of Ak-Sar-Ben in the construction of Horsemen's Park, a simulcasting facility for most of the year. In 2005, Ak-Sar-Ben was completely demolished. It is now home to a multi-use complex called Aksarben Village.
It is only natural for me to feel nostalgic for Omaha's glory days of racing. I've spent nearly two hours of my time now at Ak-Sar-Ben's official website, which highlights the horses and people associated with the track. I can just imagine the sights and sounds of the old track. It was, after all, one of the most popular in the country. It lives on, if only a little bit, in Horsemen's Park. It is clear that the people of Omaha love horse racing to death, as crowds of people pack into the tiny facility there for the live racing dates.
Horsemen's Park is quite a sight to see, anyway. Today, along with five Thoroughbred races - including two stakes - they boasted an ostrich race and a camel race. There is live music, t-shirt tosses, great food and a state-of-the-art simulcasting facility with video of tracks around the country. It may not be the most professional place in the world, but it is great fun and the people that go have a great time.
But even after nearly two decades of Ak-Sar-Ben being gone, the gaping hole it leaves in its absence is acutely felt. As Jack Van Berg said, in a quote from this article, “It's terrible. I never run into anybody in Omaha who isn't sick that they tore Ak-Sar-Ben down." That feedback and the copious amount of nostalgic information on the track at its website is enough to prove that the track is sorely missed by racegoers, especially those residing in Omaha. But, like I said, it does live on. Not only is there Horsemen's Park for Nebraska horse racing, but also Fonner Park in Grand Island and Agricultural Park in Columbus. They may not be the grand establishments that Ak-Sar-Ben was, but they serve to carry on that legacy.
So even though Hollywood Park will be torn down, the memories of it will live on, as Ak-Sar-Ben has. Racing history has a way of sticking in the minds of the most dedicated fans. And when one track dies, another will rise from its ashes to carry on the legacy it left behind.
 |
| They enter the stretch for the first time in today's Skunktail Stakes, a six furlong race for three year olds. #9, Drinkinandthinkin, picked up the win after taking the lead on the far turn. |
Monday, May 6, 2013
Welcome!
If you are reading this right now, you have found my blog, whether by finding me on Twitter or Facebook or just randomly stumbling upon it. Welcome to Horse Sense, my blog dedicated solely to the Thoroughbred industry! Whether it be breeding, racing, sales or other, I find myself often enthralled with this ever-fluctuating business. My sporadically written posts will often deal with races or sales approaching, issues in the sport or news that I find rather interesting.
You might know my work from my blog about the Derby trail, Road to the Derby, which will resume next year in January for the road to the 140th Kentucky Derby. Other than that, my Twitter is @racehorsewriter, which is where I post little tidbits about my opinions on the happenings of racing.
A little about myself...as it says on this blog, I'm Emily White. I'm 18 years young and live around the area of Omaha, Nebraska. The nearest major track to me is Prairie Meadows in Des Moines, which is two hours away, but my beloved home track is the five furlong oval that only races one or two weekends a year, Horsemen's Park. I've ventured outside my territory, though, visiting Churchill Downs, Belmont, and Keeneland.
My favorite racehorse of all time is Smarty Jones, but there are so many more that are close to my heart. My current obsession is, of course, Orb, who just recently won the Derby. I'm proud - pardon my lack of humility - to say that he's been my hope to win the Derby for a long time. But I digress.
I am by no means an expert on the subject of horse racing, as I've only been immersed in it for 9 or so years. Any mistakes I make, I will willingly correct and apologize for. The feedback of racing veterans is much appreciated to me - I love to learn from my elders and my betters. I'm especially bad at the whole wagering aspect; I have much to learn about handicapping. There's my little disclaimer for any mistakes I might make in the future!
My dream career is a job in Thoroughbred journalism. It combines my two passions, racing and writing.
I can't guarantee posts on a regular basis...they'll come when I feel like writing. Hopefully, with my last year of high school winding down, I'll have more motivation to write! So until next time I post, I'll post my short snippets of musings on Twitter. Thanks for reading, and I hope you'll stick around for more!
You might know my work from my blog about the Derby trail, Road to the Derby, which will resume next year in January for the road to the 140th Kentucky Derby. Other than that, my Twitter is @racehorsewriter, which is where I post little tidbits about my opinions on the happenings of racing.
A little about myself...as it says on this blog, I'm Emily White. I'm 18 years young and live around the area of Omaha, Nebraska. The nearest major track to me is Prairie Meadows in Des Moines, which is two hours away, but my beloved home track is the five furlong oval that only races one or two weekends a year, Horsemen's Park. I've ventured outside my territory, though, visiting Churchill Downs, Belmont, and Keeneland.
My favorite racehorse of all time is Smarty Jones, but there are so many more that are close to my heart. My current obsession is, of course, Orb, who just recently won the Derby. I'm proud - pardon my lack of humility - to say that he's been my hope to win the Derby for a long time. But I digress.
I am by no means an expert on the subject of horse racing, as I've only been immersed in it for 9 or so years. Any mistakes I make, I will willingly correct and apologize for. The feedback of racing veterans is much appreciated to me - I love to learn from my elders and my betters. I'm especially bad at the whole wagering aspect; I have much to learn about handicapping. There's my little disclaimer for any mistakes I might make in the future!
My dream career is a job in Thoroughbred journalism. It combines my two passions, racing and writing.
I can't guarantee posts on a regular basis...they'll come when I feel like writing. Hopefully, with my last year of high school winding down, I'll have more motivation to write! So until next time I post, I'll post my short snippets of musings on Twitter. Thanks for reading, and I hope you'll stick around for more!
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