HorseRacingNation.com NewsWire

Zia Park Derby Challenges the Senses

Wed, 28 Nov 2012 22:41:38 GMT

I could sit here and sell you excuses and whatnot about why I've not posted more frequently here, but let’s just be honest… Work can be a pain in the ass and it takes away from the fun stuff sometimes.

As we rapidly approach the end of the 2012 Zia Park racing season and glance ahead to the upcoming Sunland Park season, I’m hoping to jump back on the beam as well and provide you with some insights on the racing scene here in the “Land of Enchantment.”

Let’s get after it right now with one of the highlights of the thoroughbred racing season here in Hobbs, and that’s Saturday’s $150,000 Zia Park Derby, which will go as the 10th race of a strong 11-race card.

The Derby features a mixed bag of shippers, speedsters, stayers and class-jumpers. In other words, it’s one of those races where a lot has to go the right way for your horse to get home on top.

The morning line favorite, Doug O’Neill’s Private Zone, drew the perfect spot for his likely front-running tactics under journeyman rider Kevin Krigger.

The problem with Private Zone? Well, there’s actually more than one, so let’s st

Sport Of Kings is failing its people

Fri, 11 May 2012 16:44:00 GMT

Recent media exposure on the “issues” in the sport of racing have caused a ripple effect, both in the executive offices of tracks across America, and on the backstretches of those tracks.

While no one particular faction wants to publicly hold the other accountable as to why the sport isn’t as popular these days or why the sport is seen with a negative glare much more now as opposed to a quarter-century ago, there is overwhelming evidence that the sport is as divided as ever, and shows no real signs of coming to any sort of mutual agreement to help save it from itself.

Regardless of what side is to blame, and in spite of the fact that the solutions are clear as to how these things can be fixed, the fans are the ones who will ultimately decide the fate of the sport of kings.

Last weekend’s running of the Kentucky Derby is a showcase event, with racetracks across America featuring the race going out of their way to promote the day, offering prizes, opening up parts of their facility normally not used for live racing dates, etc.

There is a sense of urgency and exhilaratio

"The Fast Track" reaches out to The 'Nation

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 13:13:57 GMT

What started out essentially as a dare has grown into a passion.

In 1997, when toiling away in the ultra-competitive Southern California racing scene, some friends and business partners got together one afternoon with an idea.

“A different approach to a horse racing radio show.”

That was what they called it.

“And we want you to host it.”

I’d spent all my adult life working in newspapers. I’d been brought up since my childhood wanting to be a sports writer, and even though I could voice my opinion from time to time, there seemed to be so monumental a difference between writing an opinion and speaking that opinion into a microphone, that I became almost fearful of the very thought of it.

We marched ahead however, and created “The Fast Track”.

There have been successes and missed opportunities along the way.

There have been friendships and partnerships both forged and lost along the way.

There have been different versions of the show, both on terrestrial radio and Internet radio.

The one constant of the show during the on-again, off-again history?

“

Post Time Approaches at SunRay Park

Sun, 15 Apr 2012 16:17:10 GMT

Nothing is more constant than change.

Regardless of the situation, the weather forecast or the business climate, change comes frequently and can lead to both unforeseen opportunities and challenges.

Such is the case -- on both fronts -- as SunRay Park and Casino prepares to open its 14th racing season Friday at 3pm with a 10-week schedule of live quarter horse and thoroughbred racing through June 26.

The weather forecast always is a source of constant change as well as challenges for racing director Lonnie Barber as well as his staff of track superintendents, led by Jose Lopez.

“When the weather changes like this, there’s always adjustments,” Barber said recently during the midst of a cold spell that dropped temperatures locally some 30 degrees in a matter of 72 hours.

“Moisture is the biggest factor,” Barber said. “When it’s hot and windy, we add more water to the surface as opposed to when it’s cold like this, and you hope that you get some moisture added to the surface naturally.”

That’s one example of change that can be foreseen and can be corrected q

Because someone needs to say something....

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 08:21:26 GMT

I would like to take this time to remind horse racing fans -- particularly those locally -- affected by the recent news covering the sport in the state of New Mexico of something very important I learned a long time ago.

There is no such thing as bad publicity, especially when you accept the idea that any publicity can be spun in a number of different ways.

The recent cover stories in the NY Times or today's editions of the Farmington Daily-Times will hopefully lead to a greater appreciation of the business side of horse racing, a side that is not seen by the casual, irregular fan.

It is also hoped that, in spite of a significant bump or two in the road, the sport of horse racing, will survive and will eventually prosper again. It will flourish because, hopefully sooner rather than later, the people that need to be held accountable for their lack of actions will finally be taken to task.

Do not let the negligent few who have done their best to wreck the sport, have the last word.

Don't let the bastards win, in other wor

Daddy Nose Best Gets The Trip That Wins

Sun, 25 Mar 2012 15:20:12 GMT

Sometimes, it truly is better to be just plain lucky.

That was clearly the case Sunday at Sunland Park and Casino, where Daddy Nose Best took advantage of a wicked speed duel before rallying down the center of the track and winning the $800,000 Sunland Derby under jockey Julien Leparoux.

Daddy Nose Best, coming off a strong effort at Golden Gate Fields in his most recent start, has now won two races in a row and has clearly stamped himself as a leading contender for the May 5 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs.

The Kentucky-bred son of Scat Daddy, trained by Steve Asmussen and owned by Mary and Robert Zollars, increased his lifetime graded earnings to over $545,000, which places him in the top tier of starters for the Run For The Roses, in which runners are determined by graded stakes earnings.

Daddy Nose Best, sent off at odds of 3.60-to-1, took advantage of peculiar race-riding tactics by two of the race favorites.

Castaway, the post-time favorite for trainer Bob Baffert under jockey Rafael Bejarano, and Ender Knievel, ridden by John Velasquez for trainer Todd P

Full Card Selections for Sunland Park (Sunland Derby Day -- 3/25/12)

Sat, 24 Mar 2012 16:20:58 GMT

Sunland Park Plays of the Day - Sunday, March 25, 2012

(Strength of plays indicated by asterisks... the more asterisks, yeah, you get the hint!)

** Race 1 -- (5) MINISTERS POWER, #2 Franksassessedvalu, #4 Bronze Fox

** Race 2 -- (4) CONSISTENTLYAFLEET, #9 Taste The Roses

* Race 3 -- (8) WANAWIN, #1 San Juan Cigar, #9 Coff It Up, #6 Speedy Caracal

**** Race 4 -- (6) WHOS LAZY lost all chance last time out when trying to chase a slow pace from an outside post against a little bit better company. Drawn better today for trainer Thomas Gonzalez, there’s clearly some more speed signed on here today and he should be in the thick of things turning for home. #11 HIGH RIDGE RUNNER will need to do his best running from a pesky outside draw, but he’s been tackling some tough customers of late. I like the fast drill since the last race and he could be tough to run down if he doesn’t work himself too hard getting over from that post. #8 BOOGER BOO adores this course, having hit the board in 11 of 20 starts here. He figures to get a fine trip chasing a moderate pace and should offer good value

Castaway -- No, not the Tom Hanks movie, silly!

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 17:19:58 GMT

For all the successes Bob Baffert has experienced in the world of thoroughbred racing, he still has yet to conquer the state of New Mexico.

Sure, he’s won more than his fair share of the track’s premier race for 3-year-old fillies, the Sunland Oaks.

He’s even parlayed success in the Sunland Oaks to success in the Kentucky Oaks on the first Friday in May at Churchill Downs.

It’s been the Sunland Derby that has somewhat eluded the white-haired wizard.

With the exception of an impressive score by Wanna Runner in 2006, Baffert’s experiences in the track’s richest race have been a bit of a disappointment.

And a well-bet disappointment at that.

Last year, Sinai finished last as the 2-to-1 favorite.

In 2009, Baffert sent out both Mythical Power (2nd) and Mayor Marv (11th).

Now, to be fair to Baffert, the Sunland Derby has only had true Kentucky Derby implications in the last several years. On the flipside, with turnaround performances in Triple Crown races by both Mine That Bird (4th in the 2009 Sunland Derby) and Ruler On Ice (3rd in last year’s Sunland Derby), it’s no longer f

Pinning My Hopes On Pletcher

Sun, 26 Feb 2012 17:07:46 GMT

This time of year comes along and I simply cannot help myself.

The Kentucky Derby... also known as, the itch I cannot resist.

Here’s how it works. I watch races all the time. Countless days and nights studying horses, finding contenders, eliminating pretenders, all the while stubbornly defying odds.

1991 was the last Kentucky Derby winner I picked. Strike The Gold was his name.

1991. I’ll let you think about that for a moment. Long time, isn’t it?

That’s 20 Derbies come and gone.

I’ve had 3 second-place finishers, 3 third-place finishers in those 20 years.

In 2003, there was Peace Rules, leading the field at the head of the stretch. He was gonna take me to Aruba that day.

Instead, it was a quiet ride home muttering to myself about how New York-bred geldings can’t win the Derby. Funny Cide? Really?

The rest? Don’t ask. It’s neither pretty nor polite to bring up the past. Ask any of your ex’s and they’ll confirm that.

So now comes the temptation. I’ve got a horse. I love this one. I’m so enamo

"Luck" moves ahead... Slowly, but surely

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 13:56:29 GMT

The debut season of the David Milch creation continues to build nicely, with the character developments providing enough of a tease for what’s to come.

I had a great call to my home on Sunday night about why certain things took place on the show. Horse racing related questions that I promised I would be able to answer once I had seen the show.

The question was regarding why the character of trainer Turo Escalante (played with an almost defiant ease by John Ortiz) would risk running one of his horses in a claiming race if he didn’t want to lose the horse, and had in fact, put front bandages on the horse in an attempt to steer away prospective bidders.

That’s an age-old tactic in the claiming game -- much like the card games being fancied by Jason Gedrick’s character Jerry, the claiming racket is a lot like poker -- you show your opponent what you have, and you risk losing it all.

The storyline I find myself being most intrigued with is with jockey Leon Micheaux, played quite well by up-and-coming actor Tom Payne, a recent graduate of the world-renowned Central School of Spe