My trip to visit Monarchos

" And here comes Monarchos! " , I am sure every horse fan recognizes this phrase from Monarchos's derby win! After watching this race on youtube, and reading the book about him " A Horse of A Different Color", I became a HUGE fan of Monarchos and dreamed about meeting him, and feeding him peppermints. Well.... my wish came true in 2010!!! In 2010, while I was in Kentucky for my high school graduation present, I was told I would get to visit Monarchos at his new home, Nuckols Farm located in Lexington KY. I was nervous, but more excited because I was going to meet a derby champion, after all! On the day of my tour, it was pouring rain... I mean POURING!!!! It was also kind of cold, and the weather didnt faze me because I was going to meet him, snow rain sun or in a storm, I was going to meet him no matter what.

We arrived at the farm and I was instantly greeted by wide open pastures, white fences with horses grazing in the downpour. We arrived at the main house, and was greeted by our tour guide , the owner of Nuckols Farm. He was very friendly, and led us to where Monarchos was currently residing- his barn. He stood there staring at us, ears erect as to say " Hi , nice to meet you". The old man entered his stall and attached a lead rope and brought him out into the rain so we could see him up close. I was amazed by his beauty, size and his attitude. He didnt act like stallion, in fact he acted like a puppy dog, sweet and well behaved. The old man then gave us a bag of peppermints, and asked if we wanted to feed him. I approached him , peppermint in hand and he gingerly licked the mint off my hand, being careful to not bite my hand or smother my hand with his tongue. I put my hand on his mane and stroked it gently, taking in the feeling and smell of hay . I had never been this close to a stallion and it felt amazing to be touching a derby winner. I even layed my head on his neck and gave him a kiss, he didnt flinch at all. I took my camera out ( or my camera on my phone) and began snapping pictures and he bagan to pose and at one point he even smiled. Before he was returned to his stall, the old man went behind Monarchos and snipped a piece of his hair for us, and I still have it in a safe place , because it is very special. I actually sniffed the hair and it smelled like him, it smelled like freshly cut hay and it was very wirey. I left that day feeling special, happy and I hope I will get to meet him again, because he really is sweet and beautiful.

The pictures, or some of them are posted at the very top!

Old friends retirement- where horses learn to be a horse and become "free"

In 2009 I had a wonderful opportunity to not only visit Big Brown but I also had the chance to visit "Old Friends", a retirement facility located in Georgetown Ky by Lexington. It is not a stud farm or a place where the owners make profit off these animals but a place where "old" horses can go and relax, eat all the grass they wish, roll the mud, and be a horse.


It was a rainy day when I went, I was sick but my love for horses kept me going. If you drive to the place, you will notice nothing but spacious green fields , white fences , and horses grazing in the distance.




First let me share a few of my pics before I go onto a discussion about the farm .

This horse lost an eye in a stud farm accident






























When you arrive at the farm , you enter the main building and there is a gift shop of little horse nick nacks and pictures of the horses that you can buy with a donation. Your donation includes the picture of the horse you loved, and you get to "own" a piece of that horse. Now let me talk about the farm and the horses who call this place home

Old Friends Retirement Home is a nonprofit retirement home for retired and pensioned racehorses, that was established in 2000.

There are a variety of horses who reside at this farm- some of them have disabilities , some are movie stars ( seabiscuit star) and some are gelded retired racehorses who have no other place to go. As we were guided out to paddocks, I heard neighing in the distance, and was overcome with emotion as we passed by Ferdinands grave. Ferdinand was a derby winner who resided in Japan as a stud, and was later slaughtered. Old Friends was developed in honor of him, and they had wanted to bring him to their farm , but it was too late. Every horse has his own paddock, with a barrel for food, and mud to roll in. The horse with one eye lost his eye as a stud, the tour guide told us, but he was a sweetie. He loved carrots, and he enjoyed being rubbed by the tour guide. The movie star of Seabiscuit was named Popcorn Delites and he was a handsome boy.

The thing that strikes me most about this farm is the happiness of the horses there. Every horse there seems to be well taken care of and enjoying their days. It is kind of sad to visit this farm, because most of these horses are very old, but the owner of the farm is a sweet old man, who loves and gives each one attention.
I am amazed by the love that is given to each horse, and the dream that the owner has - to save every retired racehorse from slaughter or worse. I encourage everyone to go and visit this farm, you can visit it for free, but they like donations!

Spotlight on retired racehorses we grew to love pt 1- Smarty Jones

In 2004 , the nation flocked to Belmont Park to witness a colt attempt to win the 3rd and final lef of the Triple Crown- his name was Smarty Jones. Smarty Jones was foaled on February 28 2001 in Fairthorne Farm, located in Chester City Pennsylvania. In 2003 he was shipped to trainer John Servis for training, and that is when is winning career began. A near tragedy occured on July 27, 2003 when Smarty Jones spooked in the starting gate while schooling, hit his head and went unconscious with blood spilling out of his nostrils. Luckily the colt regained consciousness and was treated for the bleeding and injuries. On July 28, 2003 Smarty Jones recieved xrays for his injuries and it was found he had a fractured skull. Vets were so concerned with the broken bones around one of his eyes, they believed they would have to remove the eye. On may 1, 2004, Smarty Jones became the first horse to win the Kentucky derby since Seattle Slew in 1977 and remain unbeaten, and he continued this streak until placing 2nd in the Belmont Stakes. He was retired on August 2, 2004 because of bruising on his ankle bones and finished his career with 8 wins and 1 place.

Pedigree

His sire was Elusive Quality ( out of Gone West) : Elusive Quality was known as a good miler horse, who set two records : One at 7 furlong distance at Gulfstream and a world record for a mile turf race at Belmont Park. Grandsire was Gone West: Gone West's dam was Seccretame ( Secretariat, Mr Prospector). Greatgreat grandsire was Raise a Native ( Native Dancer) Whos grandsire was Polynesian.

Now if you remeber my previous blog post, you will see why I bolded certain names. Most of the bolded sires, grandsires were sires /gransires of former Triple Crown winners. So you can say Smarty Jones was bred to run in the Triple Crown.

What made him special?

He was not only undefeated, but he was a gorgeous , big colt to look at. I got to meet him when I went to his former home ( Three Chimmneys) and I was amazed by his beauty and grace. He was sleepy the day I met him but he had the eye of a champion. The public also fell in love with his story and he became a huge hit in Pennsylvania and became the nation's horse. He looked like he could win the crown, and it was heartbreaking to see him fall 2nd to Birdstone in the 2004 Belmont Stakes.

33 years too long......

Its been 33 years since we heard the famous phrase " and ( insert horse) is the Triple Crown winner", 33 years too long I say. The last horse to accomplish this feat was Affirmed in 1978, beating his rival Alydar by a nose. Why has it been so long? Why does it seem nearly impossible? One reason that I recently found could be a cause is bloodlines and sires . I found that some or most of the triple crown winners had triple crown winner sires or english triple crown sires.

1) Affirmed- 1978 triple crown winner.. Had a huge rivalry with champion Alydar, and both horses competed against one another in all three crown races. Big, beautiful chestnut colt, he had excellent confirmation. As a 2 year old , he won 7 of 9 starts and went on to have a very successful 3 year old campaign. Now heres the interesting part: the bloodline. He was the grandson of triple crown winner War Admiral, great-great-great grandson of Man O War ( won 2 of the triple crown races). If you look into his pedigree you will notice he also has Gallant Fox ( triple crown winner) and other notable horses such as Mahmoud( English derby winner) , Native Dancer ( won Preakness and Belmont Stakes) Polynesian ( winner of Preakness Stakes).

2) Secretariat- 1973- most celebrated triple crown winner, won Belmont by an impressive 31 lengths. He was 16.2 hands, chestnut and owned by Penny Chenery. Once again, look at his pedigree! He was the son of Bold Ruler ( winner of Preakness Stakes), Grandson of Nasrullah ( sired triple crown winner Seattle Slew), Somethingroyal ( raced 1 time, unplaced but produced many winners ) Grandson of Princequillo ( won Jockey gold cup , Saratoga Handicap, Saratoga Handicap). If you look way way way back you will notice he has Fair Play ( he was also included in seabiscuit's pedigree).

3) Seattle Slew - 1977- Only triple crown winner to be undefeated- Son of Boldreasoning ( Boldnesian, Bold Ruler) Great great grandsire is Nasrullah ( Polynesian) Dam is My Charmer ( has Nashrulla and Princequillo)

4) Omaha - 1935 - son of triple crown winner Gallant Fox ,

Now these are just 4 of the triple crown winners, but you can see a pattern in bloodlines right?. For example- Omaha was the SON of a triple crown winner ( Gallant Fox) , who is also included in Affirmed's pedigree. You will notice that Secretariat and Seattle Slew both include Polynesian, Bold Ruler and Princequillo. If you go and research every triple crown winner, you will notice that the majority of these horses share a successful common ancestor , and several horses that won major G1 races or triple crown races. Back when triple crown winners became common, the horses were bred for distance, speed , stamina and health. Steroids were not used AS MUCH, or not at all and the horses who stood at stud were healthy, and had great stamina. These horses were bred for these races.

So why do we not have another triple crown?- let me break it down

* Horses today are not bred to run races at such short intervals, and are not bred to run the Belmont Stakes ( mile and half). Today horses are bred more for speed and less on distance

* Steroid use- Steroid use has made oridnary horses who usually are not made for speed , run faster and seem more muscular than they really are. Steroid use often covers up physical flaws and when horses are retired to stud, these physical problems come alive.

* Trainers are entering fresher horses into the last 2 legs of the Triple Crown- after the derby is won, the horse usually faces new competition in the last two legs, and they are usually horses that have not run for a while, and did not run in the derby. Example- Belmont Stakes 2011- Ruler on Ice won , he had not run for a while. Preakness 2011- we had several new shooters such as Isnt he Perfect, Flashpoint, Mr Commons. Entering fresh horses makes it harder in the Triple Crown because not only are they better rested, but they may be superb horses whose owners wish to become a spoiler. We have had alot of spoilers lately- EX).Big Brown losing to Da Tara . If trainers would not try to become spoilers, maybe we would have a triple crown winner.

But I believe the 1st and 3rd point are the reasons for no Triple Crown... if we didnt have more fresher horses entered into the last two legs, we would find it easier for a triple crown winner to emerge... I believe if we bred horses to go longer distances, we would also have a winner. We have alot of sprint/short distance horses, but not many distance horses. I was watching a race in Europe that was 2 miles long, and was seriously thinking- would an American horse run that far and come back healthy? . The answer is no, and we seriously need to change this. Longer distance bred horses= healthier, faster horses who can win the triple crown

33 years--- will we see another crown winner?

The little horses that could -Seabiscuit and Mine That Bird

There are two horses that are well known, that were not the average size of a racehorse, but could run just as fast as their much larger competitors. These little ponies, as I call them, showed that being the largest does not mean you are the fastest, and that size does not matter as long as they have the heart for running. Let me introduce Seabiscuit- who beat the historic War Admiral, and his counter part Mine That Bird- 2009 Kentucky Derby 50-1 longshot.

Seabiscuit


Remember the story about the little engine that could? Seabiscuit was one of those horses who few thought would be as successful as he was, mainly because of his size. Seabiscuit was born on May 23, 1933 out of the sire Hardtack ( by Man O War) and dam Swing On. Hardtack was known for his bad temper that hampered his racing career. Hard Tack, in one race refused to run and stood still while the other horses broke out the gate.

Hard Tack photo

Seabiscuit's name came from a type of cracker that sailors used to eat, and also named after his father- (the cracker sailors ate used to be hard to eat , hince the name works for both his sire and the cracker ) Owned by Gladys Phipps, the bay colt grew up on Clairborne Farm in Kentucky. While he was residing at the farm, the colt was undersized, knobby -kneed, and spent most of his time sleeping. His first trainer was Sunny Fitzsimmons who had recently trained Gallant Fox to his successful career as a racehorse. Fitzsimmons saw some potential in him as a racehorse but also thought he was lazy. Seabiscuit's racing career started off badly, with him losing his first 10 starts , and training him became an afterthought. Seabiscuit had a very long 2 year campaign, with him running 35 times- most of these were claiming races, which the biscuit was not claimed in any of them. After failing to please Fitzsimmons, the colt was sold to Mr Howard for $8000, which would be a bargain in today's racing world.

Heres a picture of the biscuit as a colt- he wasnt the prettiest to look at, didnt have the perfect stature, but he proved to be successful later on!

After his awful and highly unsuccessful 2 year old campaign, the colt was transferred to Tom Smith, who was known for his unorthodox training methods, and some viewed him as the horse whisperer. He saw that the colt was lazy but was determined to break him of his laziness. He gave Seabiscuit a new jockey by the name of Red Pollard, who was a successful rider in Mexico and in the West. Pollardwas not the average size jockey , being 5'7 but was successful in his career. In Seabiscuit's first race with the new trainer and jockey, he failed to impress anyone, and he lost. Smith did not give up and the colt continued to improve race by race and won several races including the Detroit Governor's handicap. In 1937, Smith entered Seabiscuit into the Santa Anita Handicap, where he lost by a nose to Rosemont. Over his 3 year old campaign, he won 11 out of 15 races but was given Horse Of The Year ( War Admiral won the award because he was the triple crown winner of 1937)

As a 5 year old , he proved he could still win, but unfortunately his jockey suffered a horrific injury after falling off another of Howard's horses in a race.

Red Pollard suffered a crushed chest, broken arm, broken ribs and broken legs and asked his friend George Woolf to become the rider of Seabiscuit. With Woolf aboard he placed 2nd again by a nose in the Santa Anita Handicap and won a match race against Ligaroti.

Seabiscuit's biggest race and most well known race came on November 1, 1938 against War Admiral. War Admiral was the triple crown winner and heavily favored to win the match race against Seabiscuit because of his long stride, and fast break from the gate. War Admiral was also bigger than Seabiscuit- being 16.5 hands, Seabiscuit was 15. 2 hands. Seabiscuit won this race by an astounding 4 1/2 lengths with Woolf riding him. As a result of the victory and the margin of victory in this race, Seabiscuit finally received the much deserved Horse of The Year title for 1938.

As a six year old, Seabiscuit suffered an injury that was thought to be career ending but he made a come back and won a few races before being retired to stud in April of 1939. What makes this horse so special is the fact that he won so many races, against some of the top horses of the 1930s, including War Admiral. He proved that size did not matter and sometimes being the biggest does not mean you are the best.

We had a "Seabiscuit" in 2009, and his name was Mine that Bird- the horse who pulled a 50-1 longshot in the Kentucky Derby.

In 2009 , the world saw a historic Kentucky Derby upset given by 50-1 longshot Mine that Bird. Like Seabiscuit, Mine that bird was smaller than his competitors, being around 15 hands tall.

His sire was Birdstone who upset 2003 Kentucky Derby winner and triple crown hopeful Smarty Jones, and his dam was Mining my own ( out of Smart Strike). In his two year old campaign , he was trained by Canadien trainer David Cotey, and was ridden by Chantelle Sutherland. He won 4 of 6 starts and went to the BC Juvenile , placing last. At age 3, he was transferred to trainer Chip Woolley, who trained horses in New Mexico and in his first two starts as a 3 year old he placed 2nd and 4th. Because he had enough graded earnings to make the derby field, Mr Woolley attached a horse trailer to his truck, loaded the colt , and headed to Louisville Ky.
On derby day 2009, it was a cloudy , rainy day, with a very sloppy track. One of the favorites in the derby ( I Want Revenge) , was scratched after a hot spot on his foot was found. Mine that Bird was given odds of 50-1 and most betters and handicappers overlooked him as having no shot on winning the derby. In the derby, Mine that Bird ended up being so far back that the announcer, Tom Durkin failed to even mention him. I remember watching this on tv and thinking , who the heck is that?. Ridden by Calvin Borel ( or BORAIL) , Mine that Bird made his way through horses and broke on the rail winning the race. It was such a shocking win, that Tom Durkin failed to realize Mine that Bird winning by 6 1/2 lengths, he was too focused on the other horses vying for the lead. He later went on to place 2nd in the Preakness by Horse of The Year, Rachel Alexandra and 3rd in the Belmont Stakes. He was retired in 2010 after failing to win in his 4 yr old campaign and currently resides in New Mexico.
It wasnt the fact that he won the derby that made this horse so special, it was how he won and how much he won by. Calvin rode this horse perfectly, and was very patient with him. If you look at Mine that Bird's pedigree, it speaks possibility of winning . His sire was Birdstone, the same horse who upset Smarty Jones, and he has several notable horses in his bloodline such as Smart Strike( sire of Curlin ( Preakness winner and 2 time horse of year) , Looking at Lucky ( Preakness winner) , Papa Clem,) Storm Bird ( sire of Storm Cat, Thunder Gulch ( who won the derby) , Northern and Native Dancer, and Mr Prospector.

What I learned from Mine That Bird, is any horse can win the derby and maybe if you see some big names such as Native Dancer, Smart Strike etc, you should pick him on that and not just his size. Both Seabiscuit and Mine that Bird taught us that size really doesnt matter in horse racing or in life.

Man O War- Greatest horse ever?

As this Triple Crown season is now over, we must remember the horse who is one, if not the greatest racehorse of all time- Man O War. Man O War has served as the basis of today's thoroughbreds and he was as beautiful as he was fast. He was the son of Fair Play and Mahubah, and was foaled on March 17, 1917 at Nursery Stud Farm located in Lexington KY. His sire Fair Play was highly successful on the race track and as a stud, producing successful racehorses such as Man O War, Chance Play and Chance Shot. Fair Play was born in 1905 , was known to have the bad temper his sire and mother had ( Bend Or, Hastings). Fair Play was full of energy, courage, speed and had a beautiful physical conformation. Mahubah races 5 times with career earnings of $390 before being retired. Man O War possessed some of the bad temper his sire had and constantly was destructive in his stall. His owner , Mr Riddle once said " He fought like a tiger, he screamed with rage, and he fought us so hard it took several days until we could handle him safely : The first time a jockey got on Man O War, he was thrown 40 feet but his jockey finally broke him into his saddle. As a two year old Man O War proved he would be a outstanding race horse. In his first race he won by 6 lengths, and three weeks after that win he ran and won the Keene Memorial Stakes. His only career loss came in his 2 year old campaign, in the Sanford Memorial Stakes, by a half length. As a 3 year old he was 16.2 hands tall and was not entered into the Kentucky Derby because his owner did not like Kentucky and felt it was too early for his colt to race at the derby distance. However, he did run and win the Preakness Stakes, and set the course record of 1. 51. After the Preakness, he went on to win the Belmont by 20 lengths and finished the year by winning the Travers, Jockey Cup Gold, Dywer Stakes. He won so many races and became so well known that no one wanted to race him , and in the Lawrence Realization Stakes, Riddle's niece entered Hoodwinked in order for Man O War to run in the race. Hoodwinked prooved to be no contest for Man O War, and he won the race by 100 lengths. Man O War retired after 2 racing seasons with a 20-21 record and began his career as a stud. Man O War proved to be very successful in stud producing winners such as Seabiscuit, Hard Tack , War Admiral. One of his most recent successful descendants include Tiznow , winner of the BC Classic 2 times and who currently resides at Winstar Farm in Lexington KY.

So is the greatest horse of all time against Secreatariat? I put both of them close together and actually in the same group because both horses had a freakish performance in their career. The freakish performance for Man O War came when he won that race by 100 lengths and for Secretariat- the winning of the Triple Crown and Belmont Stakes by 31 lengths. Although I would love to see a repeat of these two fabulous athletes, I do not believe we will see a horse like them for a long time.

But if I had to pick one horse for the title of greatest horse alive, it would be Man O War. The reason? Man O War won a race by 100 lengths and had a career of 20-21 starts , something most horses cannot achieve. I have never heard of a horse besides Man O War, winning a race by 100 lengths, and I believe he was the greatest horse of all time. Now I am not bashing Secretariat, but I name him greatest TRIPLE CROWN winner of all time.

Barbaro - the horse who taught the nation to love....

Horse racing is often called the sport of the kings and is a beautiful sport where thoroughbred athletes run their hearts out for the amusement of thousands. It can often be frowned upon because of gambling, and steroid use but it can be a wonderful thing to witness. I personally have attended morning workouts at Keeneland and there is nothing like it. To be at the track at 5 am, and see horses approaching out of the fog, and to hear hoof beats in the dirt track is eye catching and amazing. The year I went to the morning workout I got to see Curlin and even though I was not allowed to get up close to him, I was able to witness him getting his after-workout bath. But this post is not about Curlin, Big Brown, or any other horse. It is about the horse that grabbed a nation by the heart strings and taught the world the real meaning of horse racing, taught us how to love, and showed us courage.

Before 2006, I had never heard of horse racing and I was not familiar with the immortal Secretariat, Triple Crown or what the derby was. I was just a kid, and had a passion for animals. In 2006 , the nation was involved in a war and in so many ways we needed that one hero , that one person or horse in this case that could raise us up, and Barbaro was that horse. Barbaro, son of Dynaformer and La ville rouge was born in 2003 and raised in Ky. His owner's Roy and Gretchen did not know what to name the colt, so they looked towards a painting of fox hounds, and picked a name off of that. The name they picked was Barbaro and it fit his name well. He was a stunning yearling and some could tell he had greatness in him, he almost looked like his daddy in some ways. When he began racing , the first announcer did not know how to pronounce his name so he pronounced is Bar- Barrow, but it was later determined his name is pronounced BarbarO. In 2005 at Delaware Park, Barbaro broke his maiden on turf and would continue winning to be undefeated in 2006. Barbaro was thrust into the derby field after winning the Florida Derby and his trainer Michael Matz decided to give the colt a break leading up to the Ky derby. Michael Matz , a well known former Olympian, knew that his colt would benefit from a few weeks of rest up until the derby. His method of training was scrutinized as possibly working against the colt but Matz allowed Barbaro to enjoy the weeks before the derby eating grass and being a horse. ( Like Animal Kingdom, before preakness). On Derby day Barbaro came into the race undefeated, and made the 6-1 choice to win. During the race, he remained in mid pack and continued there while Sinister Minister lead a fasr pace , and made his run in the homestretch- winning by 6 1/2 lengths, the greatest margin of victory in a while. After the race , fans felt he could win the Preakness and then Belmont Stakes and become the triple crown winner. I didnt get to watch the derby live but I did watch it shortly after on youtube and I was impressed and had him picked to win the crown myself . Barbaro was posted on bloodhorse and throughout the media, and enjoyed his days before the Preakness resting , like a derby champ should. However, the triple crown dreams would be shattered on Preakness day 2006, when one of the greatest tragedies in racing I and others have seen occured in front of millions. It was a beautiful warm day on Preakness Saturday and Barbaro was favored to win and triple crown talk circulated throughout the air. I actually had the Preakness on my tv, because I had become a fan of him and was curious to see how Barbaro would do. All the horses loaded in well and we were ready for the start, but then Barbaro broke through the gate early, running away , as if he was startled by something. I had a gut feeling that this would not be a good race but I hoped for the best, and Barbaro was quickly reloaded into the starting gate, to try again. The bell rung and he broke cleanly, and he quickly got into a position in midpack when suddenly the announcer said "Barbaro has been pulled up". It was like everything had stopped for that one moment, the stands were filled with shocked expressions and dead silence , while Barbaro was being attended to. I didnt even notice Bernardini win, all my focus was on poor Barbaro and on Tv they showed him gingerly lifting his hind leg, obviously in grave pain. The colt who was destined for the Triple Crown was now racing for a new cause- his life. Later that night he had surgery to repair his broken hind foot, and doctors gave him a less than 50 percent chance of survival. In the months that followed, the vet hospital where he was being treated set up an online blog filled with constant, daily updates on his health. I remember coming home from school everyday, and reading these blogs and seeing that he was improving each day . The media covered his journey and he truly became a nations horse. People were fascinated with the determination this colt showed, and the will and fight to live was amazing. Shortly before his death, I remember watching a news video about him, and how he was going to be released from the hospital and possibly become a stud. I , and his fans took this news positively and hoped it would be true, because we wanted Barbaro to live, and we wanted him to live his life as a champion should. Unfortunately in January of 2007, the bloodhorse and media headlines read " Barbaro has lost his fight to Laminitus". So this is his story, but his legacy is still living on. Although he passed away, he still lives on through his brothers and because of Barbaro we are learning more and more about Laminitus, the disease that killed him and other great horses like Secretariat. He was the horse who taught a nation who was going through so much , that courage can be shown even through a horse, and that if you have a will for something ( like life) , you will fight until the end. He taught us to not give up, he showed us what horse racing can do. Horse racing can bring the nation of horse fans and non horse racing fans together as one and that is what Barbaro did. Because of Barbaro , we are leaning toward a cure for Laminitus, because of barbaro we are becoming more attached to these athletes , because of barbaro we are learning the real meaning of courage, love and fight.

Barbaro may be gone but his spirit will live on, through his owners, siblings and the Barbaro Laminitus fund

RIP Barbaro... you will NEVER be forgotten.

The bride and the bridesmaid

Everyone has heard of the phrase regarding the one who is the bride and the one who is thebridesmaid ( comes 2nd), and this year we had 2 brides ( Animal Kingdom and Uncle Mo) and 2 bridesmaides ( Nehro and Stay Thirsty). In horse racing , the bride is the horse who has won several major races and is ranked high on the top horses lists, whereas the bridesmaids are the horses who finish second, and are the ones who are on the lower end of the top horse lists. They can often be the underdogs, but can do great things.

The first bride I shall mention is the King , and no I am not talking about Elvis, but I am referring to Animal Kingdom. Animal Kingdom is the son of Leroidesanimaux and his dam is the German bred mare Dalicia. Both his sire and dam were successful milers on the turf in Europe. His sire's name literally translates into "King of the animals",so you can say that Animal Kingdom is the king, hes royal and he was literally the king of the derby field. Animal Kingdom earned his spot into the derby field after winning the Vinery Stakes , which was run on a synthetic racetrack and had run well on turf. If you look at his pedigree, you will see why he ran so well on synthetics and turf, and why he was huge question mark for the derby. Handicappers were not sure how this colt would run on dirt, and they placed him as a slight longshot to win the derby. On derby week his jockey, Robby Alvarado was taken off him for the derby, and Uncle Mo's jockey ( Johnny Valasquez) was instantly put on him to for the derby. I believe this jockey change might have worked wonders for the colt and could have helped him win the derby. Robby is one of the nation's leading jockeys, and is known as being a "smart" rider. Leading up to the derby, Animal Kingdom showed he could work well over the dirt surface and impressed some , including me. After winning the derby over Nehro ( who I will discuss later on) , he instantly became the "bride", or the horse who began to get all the attention and favoritism in the Preakness and Belmont Stakes. Unfortunately he failed to win the final two legs and suffered an injury in the Belmont Stakes after a terrible stumble coming out of the gate. What makes him a bride you ask? The fact he pulled an upset in the derby, his regal, royal bloodline , and the attention he received after his derby win.

Now lets move on another "bride" of horse racing- Uncle Mo. Yes Uncle Mo, the horse who became ill and was forced to withdraw from the derby. Uncle Mo was highly successful as a 2 year old , was undefeated and won the BC juvenile, and won 2 year old champion of 2010. He didnt possess the 'royal' bloodline as of AK, but he proved he had guts. His sire failed to run the derby distance and Indian Charlie foals were not thought of as distance runners, but rather shorter distances. Winning the BC juvenile thrust him into the nations top 5 horses heading into his 3 year old campaign. Everyone claimed he was the horse who could win the historic Triple Crown, and finish what horses like Barbaro, Big Brown and others failed to accomplish. While AK went on the win the derby, Uncle Mo was left in his stall , fighting an awful GI infection which we now know is a form of hepatitus. What makes him a bride? His 2 year old record, 2 year old champ award, and media exposure leading into derby week.

Now I will move on to discsuss the two horses who were 2nd to these two great horses, but are still amazing and have a bright future in racing.The first bridesmaid is Stay Thirsty , who is Uncle Mo's stable mate and whose owner and trainer are the same. He was the only Repole horse to make it to the derby field with the scratch of Uncle Mo, and he was one of the longshots. In the post parade, some saw an image of Uncle Mo, due to the fact he wore the same silks of the Repole Stables , but it was not Mo. Stay Thirsty's career has not been as glamorous as Uncle Mo, but he is a special horse indeed. He placed top 5 in the derby, and placed 2nd in the Belmont and nearly won. I hoped this little colt would win the Belmont, not only for Mike Repole and Pletcher but for his dear stable mate Uncle Mo, who posted daily on his facebook, egging Stay Thirsty on. Although Stay Thirsty has been the 2nd best horse in the Repole Stables, I feel that after the Belmont Stakes, we will see a dramatic improvement in his race performances.

And lastly, let us not forget the ultimate bridesmaid, Nehro. Nehro was entered into the derby with hopes he would finally get a win after a few months of placing 2nd and 3rd. He had the speed, beauty and distance ability but this horse just couldnt win. His sire ( Mineshaft) was 2003 horse of the year and was the sire of the derby favorite , Dialed in. He placed 2nd in the LA derby, and AK derby and his owners wanted a win in the derby. Unfortunately it was not Nehro's day and he once again became the bridesmaid , 2nd to Animal Kingdom. I almost wonder if this horse lacks confidence because he runs so well in his races but comes short at the end. I was impressed by his 4th place effort in the Belmont, even more impressed with the fact he ran the race with an injury. Rest up Nehro, I am hoping for a big win in your future!

Oh MO!!! say it aint so ......

It seems like every single Triple Crown season, the favorite either loses or gets injured or sick and has to miss the derby or another TC race. In 2009, it was Mine that Bird who upset
favorite Pioneer of the Nile, and last year it was Eskendereya who was scratched after racing in the dreaded Wood Memorial, but this year it was 2 year old champ Uncle Mo. With that win, Mo was thrust into derby consideration and talks began regarding his chance to win the triple crown series. While his win was impressive, his beautiful brown coat and his owner were what captured my heart. After winning the BC Juvenile in an impressive manner, the 2 year old champ began his 3yr old campaign winning until placing 3rd in the Wood Memorial.. Yes, he had run in THE wood memorial- the same race that Eskendereya ran in, and derby favorite I Want Revenge. He was hoping to break the curse and be the first horse in a long time to complete the derby/wood combo. Shortly after the Wood Memorial, it was discovered that Uncle Mo had developed a GI infection which caused his 3rd place finish in the wood memorial - Tobys Corner won that race and was scratched from the derby also----hmmm, strange eh? We all hoped this little colt could pull through and run in the derby and everything looked positive until derby week. On post position draw day his connections were present, and he drew a bad post but we were still confident he could do anything. Soon after that, speculation on whether he would make it circulated on his facebook and on the web, and it was announced that Uncle Mo would be scratched from the derby, on the day before the derby. OH NO!!! SAY IT AINT SOO MO!!! Oh Mo , mo mo- people said on facebook, but it was so, very very so. We all know what happened on derby day, Animal Kingdom pulled an upset over Dialed in and we were once again denied a Triple Crown , and while we cheered and hollered for Animal Kingdom , Uncle Mo sat in his stall battling what is now a case of hepatitus. He was on our minds but we had no choice but to move on and hope that this was a sign from the horse racing gods, that Animal Kingdom was the horse to win the Triple Crown. Would Mo have won the whole thing?, would he have beaten AK, and won the crown? We will never know, but we must be hopeful that he will return and win the BC classic in November.

Triple Crown contenders we grew to love this year- part 1. Archarcharch

This segment is going to be centered around some of the Triple Crown contenders we all grew to know and love. As you can see, the first part is about Archarcharch, the horse who pulled a huge upset in the Arkansas derby and earned a spot into the Kentucky Derby.

Archarcharch is a son of Arch and no one expected him to be in the derby, but he earned a spot by upsetting the favorite in the Arkansas derby. Before the derby I became attached to him because of his beauty. He is a tall and nearly black, and he has the 'feel good" story behind him. His trainer is the father in law of the jockey, and this horse was the trainer's first horse to be in the derby. He wasnt from a huge farm in Kentucky, but a modest farm located in Arkansas. I picked him as one of my favorites in the derby and I didnt base it on his sire or mother, but I based it on his running style and his connections. He liked to race in midpack and make a huge stretch run in the end, which he used to win the Arkansas Derby. On derby day, the handicappers once again overlooked him and placed him as a "long shot", but I stood with him and placed him in all of my exactas and to WPS. I was even more sure that he could pull it off after the track turned out to be like it was in the AK derby and continued to hope he could do it. During the post parade, he looked magnificent and his coat glowed in the sunshine and he looked calm and collected. He looked like a champion and he looked like he was ready to run and hopefully win. Once they broke out of the gate, I couldnt see him because the stampede of horses was so large and he kinda just blended in. I found him and I had a hunch that he was not running well and I hoped it was just my mind talking. Once the race was over and AK headed to the winner's circle, I noticed a horse ambulance rush by and no Archarcharch came back. I later learned from the media that he had an injury and was going to have surgery but his career was likely over. Unfortunately he will never race again and we never know if he could have won the Triple Crown, or won the summer race series, or maybe pulled an upset in the Breeders Cup, but I am happy to report he is now at a beautiful farm in KY, living the good life as a stud and enjoying his retirement.

May he have a good, happy life!

meeting Big brown

In 2008, the racing world came face to face with the possibility of a triple crown winner, but was once again left without one. Big Brown, the 2008 Ky derby winner won the race by a huge margin and went on to repeat in the Preakness Stakes. He was known for frequent quarter cracks because he had "bad" feet, and that was passed on from his sire. He became the derby favorite after winning the Florida Derby from the outside post and became the first horse in a long time to win from post 20 in the derby. Ridden by Kent D. , and owner by IEH stables, he came to the Belmont in a position to be the first horse in 28 years to win the triple crown. In the Belmont, he was pulled up, eased at the top of the stretch because he had a bad start- a horse bumped into him, and he developed another quarter crack and went on to win a few more races before being retired to Three Chimmneys farm in Versailles Ky. After his Florida derby win and Ky derby win and Preakness win, I became a huge fan and wanted to meet him and see his beauty up close. I did!!

In 2009 I had a tour arranged with Three Chimmneys to visit the stallions and farm as a whole, and it was a wonderful experience. The tour started with us signing in at the visitors center , which is beautiful and was had horse nick nacks and a wall dedicated to cards visitors have sent to brown and Smarty Jones. You have to wait until the whole group arrives but its nice to see the cards young children sent to Smarty on his birthday,and date of retirement. So cute!

Once the whole group arrived at the center, we were greeted by a friendly woman who was to be our tour guide, and she was enthusiastic about us being there. The tour began with the overview of the farm's history , and we got to see the green blue grass fields and the beautiful landscape with some horses grazing. It was a cold rainy day and we were wanting to be inside, so the tour guide led us into the Stallion barn. It was very warm and cozy in the barn and she let us explore and I saw Dynaformer sitting in his stall, and some other horses. Here are some original pictures.

The first horse they brought out of the stalls was Smarty Jones, and he was beautiful. He looked tired and I suppose he had had a very long day, so he wasnt very interactive with us.

We were then ushered outside to view BIG BROWN! , and as if by magic, the cloudy skies went away and as the handlers brought him out, the sun began to shine on his beautiful coat. People were amazed by his grace and began to take pictures and as if he knew, he began to hold his head up high and pose for the cameras. He had a perfect confirmation and he looked fit and very very very well taken care of . Heres a pic of the sun shining on him.


They allowed us to take pictures and they talked alot about his career and then told us he had to go to a "date " with a filly.

I strongly urge you guys to visit Three Chimmneys because it is a beautiful farm and the people involved with it are very friendly and take care of the stallions well..

In memory of the champions who departed us......

----- george washington ( 2007)

The last segment was centered around this years triple crown and horses in it, but this piece is dedicated to those horses who have died, I know there are thousands but these are the ones we are all familiar with.

1) Seabiscuit : For those who have never heard of him, he was the true 'cinderella' story of horse racing. When he was born , he was not beautiful, big like his competitors such as War Admiral, and he was smaller than most race horses. He had a nasty attitude and his owners struggled with him, but they found a jockey named Red. Red and Seabicuit were a perfect match and they won several races in California. He was known for coming from behind and running twice as fast as his much larger competitors and he had heart. His big race he is known for is the match race with War Admiral, which he won. This little pony showed the world that you do not have to have the size to win, but a heart for the race. Does this sound like a recent horse? Mine that Bird- Ahhh yes, the little gelding who won the 2009 derby , 50-1 longshot. He was small, and he came from behind- kinda like seabiscuit , eh? Just like seabiscuit he was a longshot, a huge underdog but he proved he could run and win.

2) Secretariat- Laminitus claimed this beautiful champion... The greatest horse ever alive, who won the Triple Crown by an astounding 31 lengths at the Belmont Stakes. I wish there were more like him because he showed how good horses could be. He was beautiful, large and when he died they found out he had an abnormally large heart. I believe he was one of a kind and I do not think we will see another horse like him for a very long time if not ever. He won the Belmont and made the rest of the field look like claimers, and although he was slightly unsuccessful as a stud, he remains in our minds and hearts for eternity. In 2010 I had the opportunity to meet his jockey, and he still remains a tough man. He is older now, and is wheel chair bound but he still is the same- hard headed and determined.

3) Devil May Care- She recently passed away due to cancer. I got to see her in person at the 2010 derby and I had her picked as my top 3. To see her in person was truly an honor, and she had a presence about her that turned heads. She was tall, and she was taking on the boys in the derby, and she had a good shot at winning. The most amazing feature about her that I remember was her paint like blaze, which looked like paint had just been spilled on her face. She had a look of determination on her face , and beautiful eyes. She didnt win the derby but she did win some other races before she was diagnosed with hepatitus. May she rest in peace....

4) Ruffian- I never saw her because she was way before my time but I have seen videos of her. I believe she would have beaten Foolish Pleasure in the match race that ultimately claimed her life and would have won horse of the year. She was tall, black and had the body and looks of a colt her age. She was fast, and if you ever watch a video of her, you will notice she was never last, she was always led the way start to finish.

5) Eight Belles- 2008 Kentucky derby was her final race. I remember watching that race and thinking a filly could actually win, and maybe be the first filly triple crown winner. I felt she could have won the Oaks easily and this could have been too much for a filly to accomplish. It was a beautiful derby day, no rain and the track was dry and fast. She loaded into the gate well and ran well, and was going to finish 2nd to Big Brown. She didnt give up, and even though she was a filly she ran 2nd to Big Brown- who would later go on to win the 2nd leg and nearly become the first triple crown winner in 30 years. She crossed the finish line and I remember breathing a sigh of relief that no one got injured , but then the dreaded phrase came " Eight Belles has broken down". She had to be euthanzed and what followed was a series of debates about horse racing, and steroid use and whether racing is ethical.

6) George Washington- people may not remember him , but he ran in the 2007 Breeders Cup classic, which was sadly his last race. He was a European horse who was retired and brought back to racing after proving unsuccessful in the breeding shed. He was a beautifully bred colt, with bangs hanging down on his face. He broke down in the classic and had to be euthanized.

7) Marias Mon- Sire of Monarchos- died of old age.

And I have saved the most memorable horse for last- Barbaro.

In the 2006 Kentucky Derby a beautiful colt by the name of barbaro won by a huge margin, and was set to be the next Triple Crown hopeful. I remember that was the first year I was exposed to horse racing , and that day my mother rushed home and made me watch the race on youtube. I was amazed by his grace and beauty and I didnt know much at the time about the crown at all. I remember the Preakness and I remember how I devastated I was that he broke down. I re-watch the video of the Preakness and I believe if he had not broken through the gate early, he might still be alive. He was rushed to the hospital and had surgery and his chances of living were below 50, but he overcame Laminitus, and various infections to survive until January of 2007, when he laminitus finally claimed this colt's life. His legacy is now living on through his brothers- Nicanor, Lentenor and soon to be Margano ( his 2010 brother). Because of Barbaro we have a higher awareness of Laminitus and are now trying to find a way to treat and cure this awful disease that has claimed so many great champs.

Triple Crown 2011 part 3- The finale

When I went to the KY derby this year , I left thinking AK could win the 2nd race and come to the Belmont seeking the elusive triple crown. I did not think that a 20-1 longshot could pull an upset, because Mucho Macho Man , Shackleford, Nehro and several other contenders were included in the field. I thought if an upset were to occur, it would surely be 3M( mucho macho man) , and then Nehro... Not Ruler on Ice. Let me discuss what I thought happened at the Belmont..

post parade- and some of the horses and how they seemed

* Master of Hounds- He ran in the derby pretty well for a Eurpean bred horse, and had traveled from Ky to Europe, to Belmont park. He was assigned a good post for his running style- post 1 and I expected him to do well. I had heard earlier in the week he had acted up in his stall due to filly walking by, but I figured he had calmed down by race time. During the post parade, his jockey wanted to make it European Style, breaking MH from his lead pony to warm up alone.

* Mucho Macho Man seemed perfect, he was not sweating nor acting up and I was kinda feeling he could pull it off. If it wasnt for his shoe issues, he probably could have won the derby or preakness. btw- his name is awesome. He had some custom made shoes on made of polyurethine ( i think i spelled it right lol) , and had a groove so his feet would not slip out of them again. He broke outside of Animal Kingdom- post 9 . He also was one of the largest in the field, I believe he stands at 17 hands but hes a big , gentle giant.

Btw , everyone should listen to the song " Macho Man",

heres a picture of him, isnt he adorable??

* Animal Kingdom as he was in the derby and preakness, was cool, calm and collected. Nothing seems to faze this magnificent animal, not even a fly! He would break from post 9, a decent post and would be a good post for him to break from.

* Nehro- I didnt see Nehro on Tv during the post parade but I did hope he would do well. I felt bad for him because in his last races, he always finished second. I secretly hoped he would get his first win, because a win was due for him.

* Ruler on Ice- When he exited the tunnel, he got stirred up- I suppose by the loud music and kinda became sweaty and hyper. I will say this, I did not think he had a chance in the race, and I had him finishing 8th. He was beautiful though, and I had no idea he had Belmont winners in his blood line. He was to break from post 3

* Stay Thirsty- Who cant love this colt?I mean hes owned by Uncle Mo's owner and he is his stable mate. I expected him to do well, and I was hoping he would do well for Uncle Mo! He isnt the largest, nor the fastest but I do love him. Hes so cute, right?

* Shackleford- Just like in the Preakness, he began to prance around, kick his behind legs and act up. Once again he was stunning, his beautiful clydesdale-like face shone in the light, and he appeared to like the sloppy track. heres his blaze, I just love it. He did not have the best position- post 12.

As the horses approached the gate I became more confident in AK's chance of winning the race, and had 3m finishing second, and Nehro 3rd . I didnt think Shackleford would handle the mile and a half distance as well as he handled the preakness distance.

All the horses loaded into the gate well , and I held my breath because I am always afraid a horse will decide he doesnt wanna run, or stumble out of the gate. Unfortunately AK stumbled, and my heart raced a million beats, and I was scared. If you examine video of the race you will notice that 3 horses were involved- Mucho man, AK and Monzon. It appears Isnt he Perfect might have bumped into 3 M causing him to bump into AK, causing him to fall. It isnt the horse's fault but I feel the rider on Isnt he Perfect was kind of careless. Heres a picture of the stumble.

Watching that happen was awful especially because my two horses I love- 3M and AK were involved and could have fallen down, losing both jocks. Animal Kingdom showed he had guts and quickly recovered and tried to redeem the race, although fans and his connections knew his race was over. The jockey could have given up , but he didnt! Shackleford- the gutsy , clydesdale look alike, as expected became the pace setter and ran first the whole race, with Ruler on Ice following a close second. Animal Kingdom remained towards the pack the whole race, but tried to come back . In the homestretch , as I expected Shackleford faded and Ruler on Ice began dueling for the lead with Stay Thirsty ( owned by Uncle Mo connections) , and Ruler On Ice was the horse with a 3/4 length advantage. As the winning connections headed to the winners circle, ROI did not want those flowers and it seemed like he had more in him, like he wanted to run more.

This Triple Crown season has been a roller coaster and I am glad it is over. For the first time in a long time the favorite in the Florida Derby, Arkansas Derby , KY derby, Preakness and Belmont did not win . In the AK derby it was a beautiful colt by the name of ARCHARCHARCH , who made it to the derby and raced but was pulled up afterwards due to a foot injury. He has since been retired to stud to live the good life.

Now we begin the summer season with some key major races that include- The Travers, The Haskell, The Secretariat Stakes, and Arlington million.. All these races will lead up to the grand finale- THE BREEDERS CUP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS- where last year queen , undefeated Zenyatta lost her only race to Blame..

Will the favorite finally prevail? Will we see a matchup of derby contenders again? We wont know until all the Triple Crown horses come back from rest but I sure hope we see something great. We may not have seen a Triple Crown winner this year, or a horse like Secretariat but we did see a season of longshots winning, and upsets

next segment will begin tomorrow...

Triple Crown 2011 part 2- too young to race?

Go outside and look at a horse and observe his or her daily activities.. Does he run up and down the hill, buck and kick, or stay still, laying down?. Most likely they are running at some point, or rolling around in the dirt getting dirty. I am trying to paint a picture of what an ordinary horse would do, because there is some questions as if horse racing is abuse. I believe horses are raced a little too young, and the frequent use of steroids can have a tragic impact on the horse's bones and muscles and their development.

In the 2008 Kentucky Derby, a beautiful filly by the name of Eight Belles tragically lost her life, doing what she was born to do: run. Shes pictured to the left of this fyi. Although there were no drugs found in her body, she collapsed and broke both front legs, forcing her to euthanized.

So what do I think is the cause of thoroughbred fatalities on the track?

When thoroughbreds are 2 years of age they are in training to race, and are often residing at their place of birth until they are ready to be shipped off to trainers at various locations. Later in their 2nd year they race for the first time and some make it to the derby. Do you see anything wrong with this picture? When a horse s 2, they are not fully developed and they are usually more prone to tiny to serious injuries. I believe if a 2 year old is in training they should be trotting on the track, and not having full workouts as 3 year old thoroughbreds have. Galloping at 40 mph on those frail bones is a scary thought isnt it? .

Even at age 3 they are not fully developed but it is tradition that forces us have the Triple Crown races at age 3, and with such short time to rest and relax in between the three races. Theres nothing that can be done because it is TRADITION, but maybe for example, we should shorten the Kentucky Derby field from 20 horses to maybe 12?, in the early days that is how large the field was. 20 horses, crammed together, running in a pack on a dirt track is kinda asking for a disaster ( 2008 Eight Belles).

The use of a whip is also a call for concern. If you watch the 2008 derby, you will see Eight Belles' jockey whipping her , and whipping her, even though it is obvious she will finish 2nd behind Big Brown. please go watch it, and see what I mean.

Hand riding in my opinion is safer , and more effective, but if you have to use a whip maybe they should have a rule on how many times a jockey may whip his mount.

And lastly, the other reason I feel for horse racing fatalities is poor selection of sires. For example- Big Brown had a sire with bad feet, and Big Brown had frequent quarter cracks and other hoof related issues like his sire. Not all sires are defective, but there are a few who have known health problems, and some of those problems may be passed on to foals.

Horse racing is a beautiful , sport of the kings and every horse was born to run. Deny it you may try, but EVERY horse will run. If you stick a few thoroughbreds in a field, they will race one another,

pt 3 coming later

2011 Triple Crown segment part 1

Every year at the Breeders Cup world championships, eyes are fixated on the Juvenile Races. Time has told that you can kinda pick the derby field from that juvenile field, and often the winner of the Breeders Cup Juvenile will become a favorite heading into the derby. This year we had a 2 year old champion, winner of the Juvenile, UNCLE MO!! I was there at the race when he won the Juvenile by a large margin, and I was certain he was something special. His confirmation was astounding in my opinion- he was a big boy with a big butt , beautiful coating, and cool temperment. He loaded in the gate well that day and I won some money on him. I honestly just liked him before I knew what he looked like based on his name. I never saw an Indian Charlie race but I had a feeling in my heart that this colt would do great things. In spring 2011 all eyes became fixed on Uncle Mo to win the derby- and he was made the early favorite as expected. He won his first prep race in an astounding manner and his second race was the dreaded Wood Memorial. The Wood Memorial has been known as bad luck- and heres why.

uncle mo winning juvenile race!

Many derby horses have come to the Wood Memorial in great shape and were favored in the memorial race to win, but shortly after these horses are scratched in the derby due to injury , sickness or other reasons.

2008- War pass ran 2nd in wood, failed to make the Kentucky derby due to an injury

In 2009, we saw a derby favorite, I want Revenge was scratched ON derby day due to a foot injury. Did he run in the Wood Memorial? Yes, and he won , coming from far behind. A horse scracthing on derby day is in fact a rare occurance, only having occured twice in derby history!
In 2011- we saw 2 horses fail to make the derby. The first horse who had to withdraw from the derby field was Tobys Corner- he was scratched due to a leg injury. Everyone knows who the second one was- Uncle Mo- GI infection.Although the wood memorial seems to be just a race for the derby, the following statistic is rather shocking- since 1977 only TWO horses have won the Wood Memorial and Derby

So lets move on to the Kentucky derby, one of Americas richest and well known races. After the WM, Uncle Mo was diagnosed with GI infection and was put on medication immediately in hopes he would eventually make it to the track on derby day. Everything seemed to be working, and on post position draw day , he was still in the race. However on Friday, day before the derby, he was scratched due to the illness. I saw some pictures of him and he looked ill, and I am glad he was scratched. I will talk about him later on...

I was fortunate to attend the 2011 derby and witness another longshot win. I picked my horses for my bets earlier in the week, and came to the race confident that Dialed in was going to win. With my ticket in hand, I decided to pick some longshots because of the 2009 derby 50-1 upset Mine that Bird. I picked Animal Kingdom, Nehro, Shackleford, and the horse Calvin Borel ( Or BORAIL) was riding. Everyone now knows that AK, won the race by 2 lengths and it was a 20-1 upset. Many people overlooked him because he had a foreign, more turf favoring pedigree , but after the race I became a huge fan. He has a beautiful confirmation, excellent miler pedigree, excellent owners and trainers who obviously love the horse. In some ways, his appearance reminded me of the great Triple Crown winner , Secretariat. Leading up the Preakness Stakes, I watched the derby over and over and over again and was confident that AK would win easy, although I had a hunch that Shackleford would challenge him . The Preakness Stakes went to Shackleford, but I was very impressed by Animal Kingdom's quick turn of foot, and speed he demonstrated on the homestretch. If it wasnt for his slow start, I believe he and Shack would have fought it until the end, with Animal Kingdom winning it by a length.

I gotta hand it to Shackleford though, look at the determination on his face. I also gotta love the clean blaze!

next segment will focus on the Belmont Stakes 2011