Fair Hill Races, some Saratoga statements, a few statistics, clean-out-the-recorder quotes from the Preakness and more as we come back with another Here and There in Racing for the week. After a standout weekend on the country’s racetracks, we’re turning the corner and thinking Belmont Stakes and beyond
Worth Repeating
I get that a lot.” – Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens, 50, after being called Mr. Stevens by another jockey in the Pimlico jocks’ room
“We got a Hall of Fame ride.” – Trainer D. Wayne Lukas about Gary Stevens’ ride on Oxbow in the Preakness
“I’m a little surprised, I thought he would run his race.” – Trainer Shug McGaughey, after Orb finished fourth in the Preakness
“Oxbow ran back in two weeks. Itsmyluckyday ran back in two weeks. Mylute ran back in two weeks.” – McGaughey, when asked if the two-week turnaround caused Orb to lose the Preakness
“At the half-mile pole.” – Jockey Joel Rosario, about when he knew he was in trouble in the Preakness
“I’m happy for Gary. Kudos to him. That’s why he’s in the Hall of Fame.” – Jockey Kevin Krigger, about jockey Gary Stevens winning the Preakness
“So, that’s where all my riders went. I’m going to have make Saturday a walk day.” – Trainer Mike Trombetta, when hearing about the Iroquois Steeplechase that attracted Fair Hill-based jump jockeys.
“I don’t find being around the racetrack before a big race makes the time go any quicker.” – Stuart Janney III, about arriving late to Churchill Downs before the Derby
“She was very attractive, she was by Unbridled and off she went to Claiborne. It really wasn’t that great.” – Owner Stuart Janney III, about Lady Liberty, dam of Orb
“I didn’t go for it. He went for it.” – Mike Smith, about riding an overly-aggressive Palace Malice in the Kentucky Derby
“They didn’t get me.” – Jockey McLane Hendriks, after winning his first NSA race at Fair Hill and avoiding the traditional water dousing
“That’s more like it.” – Trainer Todd Wyatt, after Prime Prospector won at Fair Hill
“Yeah, take a look at my next horse.” – Trainer Jack Fisher, when asked if he ever bought a horse and wondered why
“Everybody wants to do it now. Look how many people go to the sales, look how many people buy horses, look how many people gear up for this kind of thing. That wasn’t like that ten years ago.” – Nick Zito opining on the relation between how difficult it is to win the Triple Crown with the popularity of the series
“He’s your next Galileo type sire.” – Owner and breeder John Gunther, who sent four mares to Ireland to be bred to Coolmore’s Fastnet Rock this season
“We’re loaded up here.” – Trainer H. James Bond on his Saratoga string, which includes New York-bred Broken Vow filly and Monday winner Ornellia
“I was the first one to do it, back in 2000. People thought I was crazy.” – Zito on keeping his A string at Saratoga from late April/early May through the fall
“No, but I do make a lot of unnecessary suggestions that get shot down.” – Lizzy Beer, on whether she was in charge of the HCP Sports TV production at Fair Hill Saturday
“I have to hold my breath. All my exercise riders are out there.” – Trainer Rick Mettee, on watching the Fair Hill Races (and his jump-jockey staff)
“They were judging sartorial splendor, not common sense.” – Fair Hill Races hat contest entrant, who didn’t win
“Trading dollars.” – Bettor at Fair Hill
“I came up with Pie Town.” – Owner/trainer Todd McKenna, about his longshot escapades at Fair Hill
“Funnel cake.” – The only request for trainer Todd Wyatt, before he left the frontside at Fair Hill
“Like the Staples commercial – That Was Easy.” – Spectator after Royal Bench won the first at Fair Hill
“It’s over. The horse in front won the Colonial Cup.” – Spectator as Tax Ruling took the lead in the timber race at Fair Hill
Breeding 101
They say you can’t breed steeplechasers. Hah. Saturday at Fair Hill, Kingdom won a maiden race over Puller. The winner is a half-brother to filly/mare champion Guelph (their dam Distant Drumroll also won over jumps); the runner-up is a half-brother to timber winner Foyle.
Take A Number
1,009,074: Dollars earned by Royal Bench, who won the opening flat race at Fair Hill Saturday.
358,584: Dollars earned (combined) by the race’s other 11 starters.
1: Horse that fell before a race at Fair Hill. Easy Reach hit the deck leaving the paddock, but emerged unscathed and ran off to an easy win in the conditioned claimer.
0: Horses who fell during the nine races at Fair Hill.
9.75: Miles covered by Fair Hill maiden hurdle winner Albany Road in five flat starts at Presque Isle Downs last year. The Elkstone Group’s runner took part in the Pennsylvania track’s distance series and improved each time – winning the 2 ¼-mile finale by more than 8 lengths.
Steeplechase Standings Reports
With Fair Hill closing the spring jump season, races are tight all over.
Brianne Slater holds a narrow lead among the trainers with 11 wins, one more than Jack Fisher and Jonathan Sheppard. Richard Valentine is fourth with nine. Darren Nagle’s nine wins lead the jockey standings, followed by Ross Geraghty and Sean Flanagan (eight each). Paddy Young and Robbie Walsh lurk just off the pace with six apiece.
The TIHR handicappers made it through the spring season with solid records. Joe leads the way with 29 winners, after getting four at Fair Hill. Sean picked up three at Fair Hill to close the spring season with 25 and tie Tom (two Fair Hill winners) for second place. All three were batting 25 percent (rounded up) or better on the season’s 101 races thus far.
