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    Featuring:
    MARK GEIGER: Longshots, Comments, Chalk Festival
    DAN SERRA: The Right Angle
    WARREN EVES: archives

  • May 2013
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    Attitude/Approach Separate Baze From The Others; Longtime Agent Ray Harris Belongs In Hall Of Fame

    Posted By Warren Eves on May 23, 2013

    By Harry “The Hat” Hacek Do you know what separates Russell Baze from others? Attitude and approach! For more than 39 years the soon to be 55-year young Baze, born in Vancouver, British Columbia, has performed his trade with remarkable unmatched consistency. He probably hasn’t taken off his riding commitments more than a dozen times in his distinguished career of 50,000-plus mounts.  Surely there were a few headaches, body bruises and upset stomachs along the way.  I doubt there was ever a hangover hiccup. Young  jockeys should try to emulate Russell.  There is a cycle that could be avoided.  When young riders begin careers they generally ride any horse they are led to.  After riding for a short period of time they only want to ride five or six a day.  Then, after they get several more years under their belt, they only want to ride selective mounts.  Sooner than later those prime mounts leave the room and these same riders will ride anything that’s led over again.  Unconsciously some riders cut their careers short. Baze’s world record of nearly 12,000 winners did not come about by accident.  Among his winners are major stakes victories across America.  To put things in perspective the great Laffit Pincay, Jr., ended his career in second place on the all-time list with 9,630 winners.  He had the same kind of attitude. He’s led the nation in wins in 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2007 and 2008.  Wow! Born to be a jockey his father Joe Baze was also a rider.  The Baze name and race riding are as synonymous to racing as apple pie is to America.  Besides Russell and his father there have been Tyler, Michael, Gary and Victor.  I apologize if I missed one or two along the way.  Heck, Russell even married the daughter of former jockey Jack Arterburn. It all began in Walla Walla, Washington in 1974 for Russell.  In the fall of that year he won his first race at Yakima.  By the early 1980s he was making a name for himself, winning riding titles at northern California racetracks.  Baze has won 36 riding titles at Bay Meadows racetrack (more…)

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    Bellhop Turned Jockey Agent Had Betting Bug Early; Harry Hacek Should Have Been Nicknamed ‘The Actor’

    Posted By Warren Eves on May 19, 2013

    By Harry “The Hat” Hacek Being from Chicago and the old settlement known as “The Jungle” it was not uncommon for the youth of my neighborhood to go astray. I was no exception. Where I was born and raised it seemed you either grew up to be an Irish politician, a policeman, or a hoodlum.  I knew zip about politics or law. Through political and other connections, I was an underaged bellhop working the then famous Morrison Hotel.  It was known as the tallest hotel in the world, (more…)

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    Napravnik’s Post Ky Derby Comments Are Duly Noted; Collmus’s Says It Was His Toughest Ever Race To Call

    Posted By Warren Eves on May 6, 2013

    By Warren Eves Rosie Napravnik’s post race Kentucky Derby comments caught our attention. Forget the fact we had the winner Orb who won like he laid over the field. The fifth place effort of Mylute may be worth noting.  Napravnik couldn’t hide obvious enthusiasm in post race quotes. “We were right inside of Orb the whole way,” she began.  ”It was an exhilarating feeling at the quarter pole knowing that I had a shot.  I have never wanted to win a photo for third so bad in my (more…)

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    Maker’s Claim Of Animal Style Has Reaped Rewards; Spanish Steps 3YO Shows 2-1-1-2-1 Runs Since Taken

    Posted By Warren Eves on April 20, 2013

    By Warren Eves Michael Maker may not get enough credit for his training prowess. His acquisition of Animal Style out of a maiden $30,000 race last November may rank as one of the best claims in eons.  The three-year-old colt brushed fifth to first in the final eighth of a mile to win in awesome fashion on April 19 at Keeneland. Ken & Sarah Ramsey took the Spanish Steps colt via the claim box from trainer Chuck Peery, Jr.  After running second in his first start for them he won two in a row.  He then ran second before winning again on April 19.  Wow!  What a claim it has turned out to be. It’s true they went fast early in the 5-1/2 furlong dash on the Keenland lawn April 19.  They sped the opening fraction in 22.40. Animal Style was seventh early on.  Once into the straight he began his powerful run from fifth.  Animal Style responded to Joel Rosario and kicked home an impressive winner.  How about three wins and two seconds since they took the colt via the claim box at Churchill Downs last winter? We contacted Lake Shore Farms in Scottsburg, Ind, wanting some more information on the sire Spanish Steps. Eddie Martin responded:  ”I manage Spanish Steps for my two sons(Samuel and William Martin).  I purchased him from Michael Tabor after an injury while training with Todd Pletcher (more…)

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    Dby Hopefuls Send Mock Telegram to NCAA Champs; Writer Has Fun With ‘Racehorse Basketball’ Subject

    Posted By Warren Eves on April 13, 2013

    By Warren Eves The following mock telegram was written about the University of Louisville basketball team by California scribe Bob Jackson. “If any of y’all are plannin’ to come to town on the first Saturday in May, please tell us y’all are gonna be sittin’ in those fancy Churchill Downs clubhouse box seats, and be no damn closer to the track than that………The last time anything as fast as y’all came to town, he had a big ol’ “S” on his chest; and even he only had to go at your pace for a-minute-fifty-eight and change, (more…)

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    4/13/13 – A Pony and Bases

    Posted By Mark Geiger on April 13, 2013

    SA Race 4:  #3 Need You Now – Mitchell first time off the boat.  An old and long time profitable angle for me dating back to the time when Reagan was still President and dinosaurs ruled the earth.  I play this when I see it.  Opening at 8/1, I will take 6/1 Washington and Atlanta – under (you can probably find 7 but 6.5 is OK, too).  This is based on an NL system early in the season. St. Louis – Don’t like laying the price here but this is based upon a powerful (more…)

    4/7/13 Bases

    Posted By Mark Geiger on April 7, 2013

    No ponies for me today. If you play bases, a couple of ideas after a 2 – 1 day yesterday. Dodgers – Pirates Under based upon NL lefty vs. lefty system. Mutts (that would be Mets for you purists) and Marlins Over based upon Game ERA differential BOL if you jump -Gump-

    The Peanut Gallery Chirps In

    Posted By Mark Geiger on April 6, 2013

    Things I will play today 4/6/13. OP Race 1:  #4 Tears – First off the claim for Brad Cox.   High percentage first off the claim.  8/1 on the ML and want most of that due to using rider for first time that I can find over past 5 years. SA Race 4:  #4 Perfect Set – It’s now or never for this guy which opens at 6/1.  I’ll play at 4/1 or better with Bejarano up. Baseball Cleveland  Visitor Dog (April systems).   also under on this game (more…)

    Motion 3YO I’ll Call Impressive Taking Kee Lawn Debut; Team Valor Names Mettee As Private Trainer

    Posted By Warren Eves on April 3, 2013

    By Warren Eves Graham Motion and Team Valor have gone their separate way–by prior agreement. That was the news coming out of Maryland on Friday as Motion was at Keeneland to saddle a colt named I’ll Call to score impressively in his first ever race. Barry Irwin, earlier in the day, announced he had hired Richard Mettee as Team Valor’s private trainer.  Irwin and Mettee were no strangers, having been together earlier on.  It was Motion’s desire to remain as a public stable.  Opening day was more of the same for (more…)

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    Osterman’s ‘Sick Of The Whip’ Column Stirs Debate; Former Trainer-Gallop Boy Rose Makes His Case

    Posted By Warren Eves on March 22, 2013

    By Warren Eves Former trainer Bobby Rose takes issue with one of horse racing’s best turf writers Tim Osterman. Osterman wrote in his “Sick of the Whip” column for Today’s Racing Digest: “In a sport that is in dire need of more folks in the seats, racing continues to not only support, but generally demand, that jockey’s beat up horses during each and every race even if it turns off untold members of potential fans.” “Yes, there are a minority of horses that resent the whip,” Rose comments.  ”but he(Osterman) is clueless about those that actually reach their full potential through the use of the whip.” Osterman is critical of whip use by jockeys.  There are many who agree with his stance.  Rose worked for famed Sunny “Jim” Fitzsimmons and R.L. “Bob” Wheeler. “I’ll go no further than to name the 1988 Breeders Cup winner at Churchll Downs,” says Rose, who went on to train in California on his own.  ”The horse’s name was Great Communicator, with Ray Sibille up.  That horse wouldn’t have been worth a dime if Ray didn’t stay after him the final three-quarters of a mile, with his stick. “I’ve known, and been aboard many, many of them that only extend themselves through the use of a whip.  Of course, when a horse is spent, and has no chance of saving a pari mutuel payoff position, the whip should not be used excessively, as there is no reasoning behind that.  Martin Garcia was fined for exactly that by the Stew’s at Santa Anita.  Justifiably so, I might add.” Rose continues to make his case.  ”The key is for the riders and trainers to learn their individual horses and realize every detail that will bring (more…)

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