Abandoning Mine That Bird Erases Triple Crown Shot, Gives Rise To ‘Calvin Crown’
Speculation and anticipation grows for the Belmont Stakes 2009.
When jockey Calvin Borel and Jess Jackson decided to race filly Rachel Alexandra at the Preakness instead of the horse they won the Kentucky Derby with, ‘Mine that Bird’, critics were up in arms calling the decision reckless and disloyal to the world of horse racing for abandoning a shot at the coveted Triple Crown.
After jockey Calvin Borel won with the new horse at the Preakness Stakes however, those critics started singing a different tune and are now eager with anticipation for the Belmont stakes and a potential history making ‘Calvin Crown’.
Read full story: "Abandoning Mine That Bird Erases Triple Crown Shot, Gives Rise To ‘Calvin Crown’"...
Race Horse Trainer Bob Baffert Elected To Horse Racing’s Hall Of Fame
Race horse trainer Bob Baffert, who saddled 3 Kentucky Derby winners, was elected Monday to the National Museum of Racing’s Hall of Fame. The induction ceremonies are on August 14.
Bob Baffert won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness with Silver Charm, Real Quiet and War Emblem, but failed to complete the Triple Crown sweep in the Belmont Stakes each time. Baffert has trained the winners of 8 Triple Crown races, 7 Breeders’ Cup races and has handled 10 champions, including Silverbulletday.
Other horse racing Hall of Fame inductees announced by the museum in Saratoga Springs are jockey Eddie Maple, steeplechase trainer Janet Elliot and race horses Ben Nevis II, Tiznow and Silverbulletday, a mare trained by Bob Baffert.
Read full story: "Race Horse Trainer Bob Baffert Elected To Horse Racing’s Hall Of Fame"...
Jockey Julien Leparoux To Ride Blue Grass Stakes Winner General Quarters In The 2009 Kentucky Derby
Blue Grass Stakes winner General Quarters will be ridden by jockey Julien Leparoux in the 2009 Kentucky Derby 135 on May 2 at Churchill Downs.
General Quarters surprised the Blue Grass Stakes field in last week with jockey Eibar Coa aboard, but owner/trainer Tom McCarthy decided to give the Kentucky Derby start to jockey Julien Leparoux after jockey Eibar Coa refused to commit to General Quarters for the Kentucky Derby.
Jockey Eibar Coa is also the regular rider for one of the probable Kentucky Derby entries, Musket Man, winner of the Illinois Derby.
Read full story: "Jockey Julien Leparoux To Ride Blue Grass Stakes Winner General Quarters In The 2009 Kentucky Derby"...
Race Horse Trainer Bob Baffert Among Finalists For Horse Racing Hall of Fame
Race horse trainer Bob Baffert, who won 8 Triple Crown races and trained 7 Breeders’ Cup winners, is among the 11 finalists for election to the National Museum of Racing’s Hall of Fame.
Two of Bob Baffert’s champion horses, Point Given and Silverbulletday, are also among the finalists for enshrinement at ceremonies August 14 at the Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs.
Other finalists for the horse racing Hall of Fame included jockeys Eddie Maple, Randy Romero and Alex Slolis, trainer Robert Wheeler and horses Open Mind, Sky Beauty, Best Pal and Tiznow.
Read full story: "Race Horse Trainer Bob Baffert Among Finalists For Horse Racing Hall of Fame"...
Jockey Edgar Prado, Street Sense Trainer Carl Nafzger Inducted In National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame
Jockey Edgar Prado and Street Sense trainer Carl Nafzger, who between them have 3 Kentucky Derby wins, led a group of 6 new inductees into the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame on Monday.
Inducted with jockey Edgar Prado and race horse trainer Carl Nafzger were retired jockey Ismael Valenzuela and three race horses: Manila, Inside Information and Ancient Title.
“I want to thank God for making me 5-foot-3 and 114 pounds so all this could happen,” jockey Edgar Prado said to an appreciative, capacity crowd gathered at the Hall across the street from Saratoga Race Course, home of the 2008 Travers Stakes.
Read full story: "Jockey Edgar Prado, Street Sense Trainer Carl Nafzger Inducted In National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame"...
Jockey Kent Desormeaux Records His 5000th Win
Hall of Fame jockey Kent Desormeaux recorded his 5,000th win aboard favored Bella Attrice in the 7th race at Saratoga Race Course on Sunday, July 27, and became the 23rd jockey to reach the 5,000-win mark.
“I’m in awe of the number. Five thousand. Wow!” jockey Kent Desormeaux said.
It has been an eventful year for jockey Kent Desormeaux, who guided Big Brown to wins in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes. But after the colt finished last in the Belmont Stakes, Desormeaux was criticized by race horse trainer Richard Dutrow Jr.
Read full story: "Jockey Kent Desormeaux Records His 5000th Win"...
Jockey Jose Lezcano Rides 6 Winners at Monmouth Park
Jockey Jose Lezcano tied a Monmouth Park record by riding 6 winners on Sunday, including Coli Bear in the $70,000 Blue Sparkler Stakes.
Jose Lezcano, who now leads the track’s rider standings with 42 victories, won the 2nd, 3rd, 6th, 7th, 9th and 10th races on Monmouth Park’s June 22 horse racing card. He tied the mark first set by Walter Blum in 1961, then equaled in 1984 by Chris Antley, in 1987 by Julie Krone and by Joe Bravo in 1994, 2002, 2005 and 2006.
The record-tying performance came a day after jockey Jose Lezcano, a 23-year-old native of Panama, escaped serious injury when he was unseated by his mount during a race.
Read full story: "Jockey Jose Lezcano Rides 6 Winners at Monmouth Park"...
Jockey Shaun Bridgmohan Escapes From Injury at Churchill Downs
Jockey Shaun Bridgmohan suffered minor injuries in a spill in the first race Saturday afternoon at Churchill Downs, home of the Kentucky Derby. He was taken to Norton Audubon Hospital in Louisville for x-rays, which revealed no broken bones or serious injuries, according to his agent Doc Danner.
Bridgmohan, who will turn 29 on Tuesday, was riding Vinstar for owner Stonestreet Stable and horse trainer Steve Asmussen. Vinstar appeared to take a bad step near the sixteenth pole in the six-furlong sprint and Bridgmohan was dropped in the process of trying to pull the colt up.
The rider appeared to have been kicked by a trailing horse as he rolled under the rail. Bridgmohan was taken to First Aid complaining of pain in his left leg and right arm before being transported to the hospital.
Read full story: "Jockey Shaun Bridgmohan Escapes From Injury at Churchill Downs"...
Richard Dutrow, Jr. Blames Jockey Kent Desormeaux For Big Brown’s Loss in The Belmont Stakes
Big Brown’s trainer, Richard Dutrow, Jr., believes that jockey Kent Desormeaux‘s ride in the 2008 Belmont Stakes last Saturday, June 7, at Belmont Park cost Big Brown the Triple Crown.
Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Big Brown was eased in the final quarter-mile of the Belmont Stakes by jockey Kent Desormeaux and failed to finish the race.
If Big Brown is healthy, the plan is for him to run next in the Travers Stakes on August 23 at Saratoga. where horse racing fans might see a rematch between 2008 Belmont Stakes winner Da’ Tara and Big Brown.
Read full story: "Richard Dutrow, Jr. Blames Jockey Kent Desormeaux For Big Brown’s Loss in The Belmont Stakes"...
Big Brown Trainer Richard Dutrow, Jr. Speaks About Jockey Edgar Prado’s Ride In The Preakness
Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Big Brown‘s trainer Richard Dutrow, Jr. had some words for Hall of Fame jockey Edgar Prado during the Preakness.
Asked on Wednesday to elaborate on comments made after Big Brown’s win Saturday, horse trainer Richard Dutrow suggested that jockey Edgar Prado, on long shot Riley Tucker, needlessly tried to block Big Brown, who heads into the Belmont Stakes with a shot at the Triple Crown.
Jockey Edgar Prado claims he did nothing inappropriate.
“It looked like he was just trying to keep our horse in the box,” horse trainer Richard Dutrow said. “It didn’t look like he was out to get the best finish out of his horse.”
Read full story: "Big Brown Trainer Richard Dutrow, Jr. Speaks About Jockey Edgar Prado’s Ride In The Preakness"...
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