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Sports Outside the Beltway

Former Horse racing and NY Mets announcer Jack Lee dead at age 73

I didn’t know Lee worked at Shea Stadium but do remember his voice calling the races at Roosevelt Raceway. Roosevelt was the closest harness track to the part of Long Island I grew up in till 1976. I only went to Roosevelt a few times, but heard Lee’s voice many times when weekend races were broadcast on local and cable television after I moved away from the NY area. RIP.

Jack E. Lee, a longtime race announcer most closely associated with his work at Roosevelt Raceway, died Thursday, July 30. He was 73.

Mr. Lee was a popular fixture at the now-shuttered Roosevelt, from 1968 until 1985, and also called races at Freehold Raceway in 1966 and from 1990 through 1998.

His mellow voice and descriptive calls were known to millions via his race calls on the “Racing from Roosevelt” TV shows syndicated across the nation by WOR-TV. He also served as the public address announcer for the New York Mets at Shea Stadium, and was for a time the ring announcer for World Wrestling Federation shows at Madison Square Garden.

Mr. Lee was retired and living in Florida at the time of his death.

 

Preakness winner Rachel Alexandra won’t run in Belmont Stakes

While horse racing fans may have reason to be disappointed, I understand the most likely reason for this decision. I think the filly’s owners are just being cautious with their investment. From AP-

Preakness winner Rachel Alexandra will not run in the Belmont Stakes, opening the way for jockey Calvin Borel to return to Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird in his quest for a personal Triple Crown.

Jess Jackson, Rachel Alexandra’s co-owner, said Friday the spectacular filly “deserves a well-earned vacation.”

Rachel Alexandra, the first filly to win the Preakness in 85 years, had been set to work out Monday at Churchill Downs in Louisville, and no announcement was expected until after that. But Jackson explained she simply needed a rest after running — and winning — four graded stakes races since March 14, including a dominating victory in the Kentucky Oaks.

“We know the media and many fans would have liked to see her run in the Belmont Stakes — we feel the same,” Jackson said in a statement. “But all of us sincerely interested in the horse must agree that we only want to see her run when it is best for her. While she is in great shape, having strong works, and recovering well from her amazing performances, we feel Rachel deserves a well-earned vacation.”

Borel was the jockey aboard for both Mine That Bird in the Derby and Rachel Alexandra in the Preakness and Oaks. He was set to ride her again in the Belmont, but Mine That Bird’s trainer Chip Woolley had said he was prepared to wait — even into next week — if there was a chance Borel could become available again.

As I noted previously, changes of drivers from race to race isn’t unusual in harness racing. With Rachel Alexandra out of the Belmont, I pick Mine that Bird to win the Belmont. The horse knows how to close, and the Belmont is the lengthiest of the three Triple Crown races.

 

Board votes to discontinue harness racing at Prairie Meadows

The Iowa track is cutting back on all forms of horse racing. From the Des Moines Register-

Prairie Meadows’ board voted to adopt a new racing format for 2010 over the objections of thoroughbred owners, who said a shorter season would cripple horse breeding in Iowa.
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The board voted 9-0 with three abstentions in favor of a 2010 season that would have a 56-day thoroughbred meet followed by a 30-day quarter horse season, and no harness racing.

This year, Prairie Meadows offers a 50-day thoroughbred season, a 32-day mixed thoroughbred-quarter horse meet and a 16-day harness meet.

Betting and horse breeding have decreased over a decade, and the thoroughbred meet has fought horse shortages and small fields. The track in 2008 paid $20million in purses while taking in $4.8 million in pari-mutuel betting revenue. Including other expenses, the total loss has been estimated between $23 million and $29 million.

These losses occurred despite the fact that Prairie Meadows being a casino in addition to its hosting horse races. This throws cold water on the beliefs of some horsemen that other forms of gambling can save racing industry.

If there are any Iowans among my readers, can one of you tell me if there are any other harness tracks still operating in your state? I seem to recall there being one in the Quad Cities area of the state.

 

Kentucky horse racing ‘in serious jeopardy’

Say it ain’t so. From harnessracing.com-

Under the backdrop of an empty paddock at Churchill Downs, officials of Kentucky racetracks–including The Red Mile’s president and CEO Joe Costa–gathered for a press conference Wednesday afternoon to plead their case for expanded gaming in the Bluegrass State.

In making his comments at the Louisville track which was closed Wednesday for live racing after a request to cut one day from its weekly schedule was granted by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, Costa noted that Standardbred racing “is the canary in the coal mine,” noting that between The Red Mile, Thunder Ridge and Player’s Bluegrass Downs there are just 76 days of live harness racing in the state in 2009.

Costa used a college basketball analogy in comparing Kentucky’s plight against neighboring states which have expanding gaming at its tracks. Costa posed the question to the crowd of about 150–which included major media outlets from across the state including Lousville and Lexington and several horsemen including Bernard “Chip” Wooley, the trainer of Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird and veteran trainer Bernard Flint–that universities such as the University of Louisville and the University of Kentucky would not be able to compete on the basketball court if they were unable to offer scholarships as schools such as Duke, North Carolina and Kansas are.

Bob Evans, president of Churchill Downs, bluntly stated, “If you think it’s bad now, it’s only going to get worse.” Evans then added, “The time to act is now. We simply can’t wait any longer. All we are looking for is to pass a simple piece of legislation.”

Even if the tracks get the legislation they want, it hardly guarantees horse racing in Kentucky will survive. As we’ve seen in case, after case, after case, slots and other types of gambling don’t draw sufficient people to race tracks to keep them operating as their owners hoped and planned to.

I love horse racing myself, but can understand why most people have little interest in going to the track. You watch a race for two minutes, then basically do nothing other than handicap the next race and place your bet till the next post time that isn’t for another 20-30 minutes. Simulcasts from other tracks help to fill the time, but the number of people in the United States who enjoy the ‘Sport of Kings’ any more is continues to dwindle. I’m not optimistic about the future of horse racing.

 

Rachel Alexandra wins the Preakness Stakes

She was the first filly to win the second leg of thoroughbred* horse racing’s triple crown in over 80 years. Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Byrd finished 2nd only one length back.

Jockey Calvin Borel won two triple crown races with different horses. Much was made of this, but in harness horse racing I think it is not a unheard of happening. Drivers like the late Stanley Dancer or Billy Haughton had large stables with many top horses at the same time.

The question is now whether Rachel Alexandra will race in the Belmont Stakes. Borel did say the filly didn’t race her best. The may that Mine That Byrd closes, I think Rachel Alexandra would have great difficulty winning the Belmont. The Belmont is the longest triple crown race at a mile and a half.

*- It is often reported the Preakness, Belmont, Kentucky are the legs of horse racing’s triple crown. There are other types of horse racing, not just thoroughbreds. Standardbreds and Quarterhorses for two. Harness racing’s Little Brown Jug and Hambletonian are as much triple crown races as are the three legs of thoroughbred racing’s are.

 

We are not amused- Queen’s racehorse fails doping test after debut

This royal scandal wasn’t predicted by many palace watchers.

One of Queen Elizabeth II’s racehorses has failed a doping test.

Six-year-old Moonlit Path tested positive for a banned substance that prevents hemorrhaging after a sixth-place finish in her debut February at Huntingdon.

Trainer Nicky Henderson has been charged with breaching two rules by the British Horseracing Authority.

The queen’s racing manager, Michael Oswald, described it as “very disappointing news” and told British media that the monarch had been informed.

The BHA said Henderson was responsible for the horse being given tranexamic acid “with the intention of affecting her racing performance or in the knowledge that her racing performance could be affected by such.”

A hearing is set to be held in June.

What will the punishment be for Henderson should the hearing find him guilty? Beheading? Sentenced to London Tower? Forced to watch Benny Hill for twenty-four hours straight?

 

Mine that Bird wins the Kentucky Derby

Calvin Borel gave the Took advantage of an opening along the rail during the stretch to storm past a half dozen other horses. The three-year-old gelding, went off at over 50-1 odds. I thought this Derby would be won by a longshot, but not one of this scale.

This was Borel’s second winner in the Kentucky Derby in three years. He was the jockey of 2007 winner, Street Sense also.

The last gelding to win was Funny Cide in 2003. Before that none had won the ‘Run for the Roses’ since 1929.

Favorite I want revenge was a late scratch. The other favorite, Friesan Fire, finished 18th in a field of 19 starters. As soon as someone uploads a video of the race to You Tube, I’ll update this post. Now it is two weeks to the Preakness Stakes.

 

Rosecroft Raceway ceases operations

The Maryland racetrack near Washington D.C. discontinued live harness racing nine months ago. From Harnessracing.com-

Just days before the Kentucky Derby, Rosecroft Raceway, which hasn’t had live harness racing in nearly a year, was ordered to cease operations by the Maryland Racing Commission on April 28, thereby losing substantial income from simulcasting Thoroughbred racing.

The track suspended live racing in 2008 saying that harness racing could return next year depending on what happens with slot machines in Maryland. Located near Washington D.C., Rosecroft had been open every day and night for continuous Thoroughbred and harness racing simulcasting.

On April 26, a new revenue-sharing agreement between Rosecroft and Thoroughbred interests called for the harness track to pay the Thoroughbred industry about $5.9 million a year for the right to simulcast Thoroughbred racing. Because of its location, Rosecroft is a major in-state outlet for simulcasts and the live Maryland Jockey Club (MJC) product at Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course.

In a release, the MJC said Rosecroft owes about $2 million so far this year to the MJC, Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association, and Maryland Horse Breeders Association. The MJC indicated Rosecroft officials would not or could not pay the money, so the racing commission pulled its Thoroughbred simulcast rights. Harness simulcasts are allowed to continue.

When I blogged last year, I said I would be surprised if live racing ever took place Rosecroft again. I proved to be correct, horse racing won’t return and I’m afraid horse racing could be extinct in the United States within fifty years.

Update- Rosecroft was granted a temporary stay. This will enable the track to simulcast Saturday’s Kentucky Derby.

 

Last horse standing? Win Willy withdraws from the Kentucky Derby

The winner of the Rebel Stakes won’t be racing on Saturday. From The Daily Racing Form-

Win Willy, the Rebel Stakes winner, has the beginnings of a fracture in his left front pastern and will not run in Saturday’s 135th Kentucky Derby, trainer Mac Robertson said Wednesday morning.

“We took X-rays and on one of the X-rays there’s a small line in the pastern going up into the ankle,” Robertson said. “Three out of the four vets who looked at the X-ray said it looks like something that could spiral up into the cannon bone. He’s not off on it, he’s not sore, but there’s something that’s getting started. Most things start out as little problems and if you look away they become big problems.”

Race horses are fragile animals. They are property(not pets as myth would tell you) to horse owners. Owners don’t want to risk the loss of their property even if a Derby win would raise the value many times over.

Win Willy is the third recent withdrawal from the race. The others were Quality Road and Take the Points. Are we in danger of no race this weekend?

Entries for the Derby were to be taken at noon on Wednesday. With Win Willy out, a field of 19 is expected.

The Run for the Roses is safe.

 

Maryland Governor signs Pimlico legislation

This in order to save the track that hosts thoroughbred racing’s second leg of the Triple Crown, The Preakness Stakes. From the Daily Racing Form-

Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley on Tuesday signed legislation giving the state the authority to purchase the Preakness Stakes and other Maryland horse racing assets of its bankrupt owner – by eminent domain, if necessary.

O’Malley signed the bill one day after the state’s house of delegates voted 93-43 to approve the legislation in the final day of the 2009 session. The state’s senate had passed the bill on Saturday.

The governor and Democratic leaders in Annapolis say the state needs broad powers to ensure that the second jewel of the Triple Crown continues running at Pimlico Race Course. The track’s owner, Magna Entertainment Corp., wants to auction off its Maryland assets – including Pimlico Race Course and Laurel Park – under federal bankruptcy proceedings.

Lawmakers passed O’Malley’s bill over the warnings of Republicans who said the move threatened private-property rights. If Maryland wants to buy Pimlico and keep running the Preakness, it should compete in the marketplace with other bidders, Republican critics said.

Officials from the governor’s office and attorneys for the state have said the state may participate in a court-supervised bankruptcy auction that is anticipated this summer. The bill authorizes the Maryland Economic Development Corp. to finance a purchase by issuing bonds.

Magna officials and their attorneys have criticized the eminent domain bill.

I don’t eminent domain was meant for this purpose. Also the state of Maryland is butting into bankruptcy proceedings. I’m not a lawyer, but I’m sure this law will be challenged in court.

 
 


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