Keystone Kapers

     While doing a little digging through the library archives, I ran across an interesting series of articles written in the 1970's about Keystone Racetrack. Keystone, hastily built in 1974 on a pig farm  in Bensalem Township, Pa., was the heir apparent for Liberty Bell Park in northeast Philadelphia, which was experiencing severe financial difficulties and would close in 1985. That year, Keystone's name was changed to Philadelphia Park, which eventually morphed into the oddly-named "Parx" in 2010.

     Beginning today, I am going to present these articles in an effort to dredge up a bit of history about the "big box on Street Road," as it was fondly referred to. This first one, dated Oct. 24, 1976, boasted the headline: "Racing Secretary Gabriel Fired."

     PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 23 (AP) - Keystone Race Track Racing Secretary Frank Gabriel has been fired following an admission that he tampered with post positions for the $25,000 Doylestown Handicap.
     Gabriel admitted arranging for Foxy J. G., a Pennsylvania-bred mare, to get the extreme outside post position. Foxy J. G. does poorly racing on the inside. Gabriel has been racing secretary at the track since its opening in November 1974. He was secretary at Maryland's Laurel Race Course before coming to Pennsylvania.

     Perhaps most notable about this article is the fact that the track now runs the Foxy J. G. Stakes for Pennsylvania-bred fillies and mares each year. Foxy J. G. became a foundation broodmare for the Castle Rock Farm in West Chester, as her daughter, Farah Foxet, became the dam of the multiple stakes-winning sprinter Power By Far.

     Gabriel had a long career in racing, and passed away in 2005 at age 81. Here's his obituary notice, courtesy of The Blood-Horse:  http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/26940/retired-racing-official-frank-gabriel-sr-dies

In the heart of Cream Ridge

           Judith Jannuzzelli’s Birch Creek Farm in Cream Ridge, N. J. was the scene of a Stallion Showcase and Open House yesterday, February 24.

           A good crowd of owners, breeders, trainers and just plain horse lovers were in attendance to inspect the farm’s three stallions.
           Standing their second season at Birch Creek are March to Victory, a stakes-placed son of Dixieland Band from the family of sire Silver Hawk, as well as multiple winner Il Postino, a son of Distorted Humor and a half-brother to graded stakes winner Awfully Smart.
           Both March to Victory and Il Postino are owned by Law Legacy Stables, LLC, and stand for $1,000, live foal, with special consideration to mares foaling in New Jersey and/or multiple mares.
           A newcomer to the Birch Creek roster is Freud’s Honour, a blaze-faced son of Freud who won the Choice Stakes at Monmouth Park and was voted champion 3-year-old colt in New Jersey in 2011.
           Owned by Joe Rivera, Freud’s Honour earned more than $226,000 in three seasons of racing. He stands for $2,000, live foal, with special consideration to mares foaling in New Jersey and/or multiple mares and stakes winners/producers.
           Birch Creek, a beautiful facility in the heart of New Jersey’s horse country, is managed by Denise Jannuzzelli-Williams.
           Here are some photos from the Stallion Showcase:

Freud's Honour, a son of Freud-Act of Glory, by Honour and Glory

 

Il Postino, a son of Distorted Humor-Awful Smart, by Black Tie Affair (IRE)

 

March to Victory, a son of Dixieland Band-Frayne, by Red Ransom

Weekend notes

            The Open House scene in Pennsylvania and New Jersey has dwindled down over the years to a scant few farms, but if you’re in the mood to see a beautiful establishment and some nice horseflesh why not take a trip to Cream Ridge, N. J. for Birch Creek Farm’s Stallion Showcase this Sunday, Feb. 24, from noon until 3 p.m.

            Birch Creek, managed by Denise Williams, is standing three stallions for 2013: the newly-retired stakes winner Freud’s Honour; multiple stakes-placed March to Victory, a son of Dixieland Band, and Il Postino, an allowance-winning son of Distorted Humor and a half-brother to graded stakes winner Awful Smart.

Freud's Honour winning at Monmouth Park.

            The farm is located at 201 Rt. 539 in the heart of Cream Ridge, New Jersey’s horse country.

 

            It's good to see new stallions arriving in the Garden State, which has a proud history of thoroughbred racing and breeding, but has been hurt in recent years by the lack of expanded gaming outside of Atlantic City.

 

* * * *

 

            Since moving from Darley in Kentucky to Dr. William Solomon’s Pin Oak Lane Farm in New Freedom, Pa. for the 2013 breeding season, sons and daughters of Rockport Harbor have been winning at a rapid rate all across the country.

            Through racing of Feb. 22, the son of Unbridled’s Song is the #1 sire in Pennsylvania as well as in the Northeast, with $577,772 in progeny earnings.

            Among his winners this year are stakes-placed Sinai and Harbor Kid, plus Rocky Romano, Z Rockstar, Magic Harbor, Duke of Del Rey and Itzmin. His runner have won recently at Aqueduct, Parx, Tampa Bay Downs, Oaklawn Park, Laurel Park and Turfway Park.

            Rockport Harbor, an undefeated Gr. 2-winning juvenile, stands for $7,500, live foal.

 

 

With an eye towards May

           It seems like forever since I last updated this blog. I think about it often, but I don’t often have much time to put together a new post. The time seems ripe, however, to climb back into the saddle.

           I thought I would start by publishing a list created by my older daughter, Katie. Knowing that I keep track of all Pennsylvania-bred or regional 3-year-olds that may make an impact on the upcoming Triple Crown races, she did some research and came up with the following compilation. Hope it helps you keep an eye on some local connections this spring.

        2013 Triple Crown Prospects

Pennsylvania-bred and Regional horses

Name                          Sire           Dam           Breeder            Trainer           Owner

 

BERN IDENTITY   Bernstein-Maddalena.  Galleria Bloodstock, Crosshaven Bloodstock, Petaluma Bloodstock et al. Kelly J. Breen Hall, George and Lori

BYE BYE BERNIE   Bernstein-Eternal Grace. K & G Stables, Kelly J. Breen Hall, George and Lori

 

BRED TO BOSS  (Pa.-bred)   Street Boss-Pecan Bayou. Paradiso, Ltd. Doodnauth Shivmangal , Shivmangal Racing Stable, LLC and Raja Racing Stable, LLC

CARRIED INTEREST   Henny Hughes Missamerica Bertie Nesco II LTD. Richard A. Violette, Jr. Klaravich Stables, Inc. and Lawrence, William H.

CERRO (IRE)  Mr. Greeley-Ballette (IRE). Manganaro LLC . H. Graham Motion, Team Valor International

CHAMPION BOY  Big Brown-My Amandari . R.A. Hill Stable & Big Brown Syndicate.  Juan Carlos Guerrero, Rontos Racing Stable Corp.

CLAWBACK  Put It Back-Cloudrunner Loren Nichols Richard A. Violette, Jr. Klaravich Stables, Inc. and Lawrence, William H.

CORINTHIAN ORDER  Corinthian On Kris's Wings Tony Holmes & Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC Michael R. Matz Centennial Farms

CROP REPORT  Medaglia d'Oro Amarillo Liberation Farm H. Graham Motion Team Valor International

DELHOMME (Pa.-bred).   Dixie Union-Art Show. William M. Backer, Todd Pletcher, WinStar Farm LLC and Twin Creeks Racing Stables, LLC.

DUKE OF THE CITY  Bernardini- Meadow Breeze. Willow Rock Stable, LLC Kelly J. Breen Hall, George and Lori

DYNAMIC STRIKE (Pa.-bred).  Smart Strike-Dynamic Deputy. Fitzhugh, LLC. Richard W. Small, Fitzhugh LLC

EMPIRE STAR (Pa.-bred).  Empire Maker-Star Number. Fitzhugh, LLC.  Richard W. Small, Fitzhugh LLC

GRAY METEOR    Unbridled's Song-Iridescence. Mueller Farms, Inc. & Taylor Made Stallions, Inc. H. Graham Motion, Awesome Again Racing

HARD TO NAME    Hard Spun-Affluenza. Extern Developments.  John C. Servis, Main Line Racing Stables and Thistle Spring Stables

HARRYTHENAVIGATOR    Henrythenavigator-Confidentially.  Matthew Gambone.  Michael J. Trombetta, Meyerhoff, Harry C. and Tom O.

HEAT PRESS  Malibu Moon-Princess Birdeye.  Mr. & Mrs. Bayne Welker Jr. & LochlowFarm. H. Graham Motion, Sagamore Farm

INTREPID CITIZEN   Proud Citizen-Aqua Sanford. R. Robertson. H. Graham Motion, Team Valor International and Fowler, Jr., Paul L.

LEAVING TRAX (Pa.-bred).  Circular Quay-Copelan’s Joy. Paradiso, Ltd. Tim Ice, Black Gold Racing.

LEXIS HERO  Andromeda's Hero-Lexi's Luck. Mayo West Farm & Liam Benson. Timothy F. Ritchey, Thomas Amenta

NEVADA  Tapit -Ominous Cat.  Winchell Thoroughbreds, LLC & WinStar Farm, LLC. Joseph F. Orseno, James R. Hood

ORE PASS  War Pass-Wisconsin Lady.  Herman Sarkowsky & Martin J. Wygod.  Michael J. Trombetta,  Meyerhoff, Harry C. and Tom O.

PURPLE EGG  Lion Heart-Luminous Prize. Betz, Kidder, Robenalt.  Jane Cibelli, Goodwood Racing II

QUALIFY  Medaglia d'Oro-Open Flirt. Dark Hollow Farm, Arnold Davidov, AliceWolf & Mr. & Mrs. David Schwaber. H. Graham Motion, WinStar Farm LLC, Dark Hollow Farm, Davidov, Mr. and Mrs. Arnold et al.

QUIROS  Street Cry (IRE)-Quendom (ARG). Alessandro Miserocchi. Michael R. Matz, Carlos S. Moore

REBEL SPY  Curlin-Private Status. W. S. Farish, BCWT, LTD. & Inwood Stable. Michael R. Matz, Centennial Farms

STANDUP PADDLE (Pa.-bred).   Afleet Alex-Sweep Up. Nina H. Gardner. Ralph E. Nicks, PHS Racing, LLC.

THUNDER’S ROLLIN’ (Pa.-bred).  Stormy Atlantic-Knock Off. William M. Backer. Steve Asmussen, Mike McCarty.

TITAN DUNE (Pa.-bred).   Indygo Shiner-Princess Goober. Powhatan Farm. H. James Bond, Moore Racing, LLC.

TORCHRUNNER     Orientate-Dootsie.  Daniel J. Burke & Kathleen Schweizer. Rodney Jenkins, Athlone Racing and Burke, Daniel J.

TRINNI HEART (Pa.-bred). Lion Heart-Probing. Mr. & Mrs. William Maley & Mr. & Mrs. Rick Abbott. Shivananda Parbhoo, Lakshmi Rattan

VEGAS NO SHOW  Hard Spun-The Hess Express. Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC. Kelly J. Breen, Hall, George and Lori

WHISKEY ROMEO  Forestry-Yoursmineours. Mr. & Mrs. John Williams. Anthony W. Dutrow, Morris Bailey

WHITFIELD Private Vow-Seda Fina. Dennis Ray Bryant & Mike Brossett.  Michael R. Matz,  Roy, Mrs. Susan

Regional Stallions

BALANCE OF POWER Silver Train-Woodman's Dancer. B P Walden Jr. & P W Madden. John P. Terranova, II, James Covello

BRASS PEAR  E Dubai-Perfect Pear. Dr. Russell S. Cohen, DVM. Jeff Odintz, Tri-Bone Stables

DECLASSIFY  Orientate-Mir Cat. Gaines-Gentry Thoroughbreds. Bob Baffert, Kaleem Shah, Inc.

FORDUBAI  E Dubai-Unaffordable. James Tafel. Greg Geier, Jim Tafel LLC

OFFLEE FAST  Offlee Wild-Etch. Sierra Farm. Ronald Pellegrini, Herman Van Den Broeck

PALM ISLAND E Dubai-Papalma. Brandywine Farm (Jim & Pam Robinson). David E. Hofmans, Ginger Punch Racing

PATAKY KID  Rockport Harbor-Prom Princess. H. Allen Poindexter. Thomas F. Proctor, Swifty Farms Inc.

SILVER DAY  Silver Train-Boxing Day. Sally J. Andersen. William A. Kaplan, Pinnacle Racing Stables and Kaplan, William A.

VOLATILE MARKETS  Rockport Harbor-Christavilla.  Topsmeade, LLC & Darley.  Richard A. Violette, Jr. Klaravich Stables, Inc. and Lawrence, William H.

The Lock Haven Legend

           Recently, we wrote about a racetrack in New Jersey that has faded into the mists of time – little-known Guttenberg, which was located in urban North Bergen, in Hudson County.

         See the blog post here: http://www.pathoroughbred.blogspot.com/2012/11/remembering-gut.html

          Today, we’ll take a look at a track in Pennsylvania that is as equally as obscure as Guttenberg. It’s the long-gone harness oval Lock Haven, which vanished off the map in 1919, nearly 100 years ago.           
           The city of Lock Haven is located on the banks of the Susquehanna River, in largely rural Clinton County. It was originally known for its thriving lumber industry.  
            It was around 1900 that the Lock Haven Race Track was built near the Susquehanna, and was immediately popular. According to the article, “Tracking history: When horse racing came to the Haven,” published in The Express newspaper on December 4, 2010, “hundreds flocked to the location on a regular basis to watch, cheer and bet on their favorite steeds in the days when horse racing had a home in Lock Haven.”
           “Everything in the shape of a fine looking horse, sporty looking men, men who like sports and a goodly number of ladies wended their way to the driving park Saturday to witness the initial races of the season,” reported the Clinton County Times in its May 8, 1903 issue. “The interest centered on Orange Chief and Joe Wilkes who were matched for a purse of $175.”
           “Horsemen tell us that Lock Haven now has more good races than any town in the state of Pennsylvania,” the Clinton County Times reported in October of 1903. “Some of these horses have won national fame during the season, while others have won first and second money at every entrance.”
           At a time when horse racing was being shut down in many parts of the country due to gambling and corruption concerns, the sport continued to flourish at Lock Haven. In 1911, The Express reported that more than 500 people attended the races on a June day of that year, where the top event involved George Harvey’s “Wahee Boy” and John Pfenninger's “Bud O’Real.”
           But all good things eventually come to an end, and the demise of Lock Haven came at the end of World War I. The land upon which it stood was owned by the Pennsylvania Railroad, which sold it to a silk manufacturer in 1919. The Madison Textile Company erected a silk mill on the site, and then in 1936 it was sold to the Piper Aircraft Corporation, which became a major employer in Lock Haven with its production of small planes.
           Today, the William T. Piper Memorial Airport occupies the land, as well as the Piper Aviation Museum. The sound of plane engines now drowns out those long-ago echoes of hoofbeats and the roar of the crowd.

 

 

The William T. Piper Memorial Airport, formerly the site of the Lock Haven Race Track. The large structure in the lower right hand corner of frame is the old Piper factory, converted from a silk mill that already existed on the site, and thought to be where the grandstand once stood. 

 

 

 

 

Remembering "The Gut"

            This past year, I decided to tackle a project that I’d put on the backburner for quite some time – researching my family tree. Since my ancestors on both my maternal and paternal sides immigrated from Poland to Bayonne, N. J. around 1900, I hit the proverbial brick wall when I attempted to uncover more information before that date, due to the way surnames were misspelled upon their arrival at Ellis Island.

            To help me in my research, I became a member of the Hudson County Genealogical & Historical Society, which contains a treasure trove of information. Imagine my surprise when I opened up my first issue of its newsletter, Hudson Roots, and saw this headline: “…And they’re off!”
            Yes, the top story for that issue was about a racetrack – the now-defunct, and little-known, Guttenberg Race Track in North Bergen, N. J. While this blog is entitled “Pennsylvania Thoroughbred,” I have always found the history of New Jersey and its racing as equally as interesting, and so thought this was a good topic.
            According to the article, written by HCGS member Damian DeVirgilio, in August of 1885 the Hudson County Jockey Club, later to be known as the Guttenberg Race Track, opened in an area bounded by Kennedy Boulevard (then Hudson County Boulevard) and Bergenline Avenue, roughly facing the land which is now James J. Braddock Park.
            You can see the map of the area today here: http://mapq.st/Wufwjb
            Guttenberg was run by Gottfried Walbaum, also known as “Dutch Fred,” who partnered with Hudson County Clerk Dennis McLaughlin, John C. Carr and Nicholas Crusius.      
            The horses that competed there, the article states, were the “most miserable hacks ever collected in one place and the scandals connected with their performances made the track a byword. A Guttenberg ‘plug’ became the synonym for all that was wretched and ignoble in horseflesh.”

 

William Glackens’ oil painting “Outside the Guttenberg Race Track” from 1897.

 More from the Hudson Roots article:

            Despite the descent of its owners’ fortunes, the track itself had a lively existence over the next few decades as it passed amongst several owners. In 1897, artist William Glackens immortalized the track in his painting Outside the Guttenberg Race Track. A speeding trolley is seen along the left as a rustic carnival-like scene unfolds. Horse races occasionally still took place but without cash prices and never on the previous scale. With the passage of time, the track came to be used for a variety of purposes, such as baseball games and pigeon shooting contests. The advent of the twentieth century also brought early automobile races. Rumors of land development also began to surface. When the land passed into the hands of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Newark, an orphanage run by the Sisters of Peace was proposed in 1905. However, formal development was not to come for over a decade.

            The site was also used by those seeking a bit of immortality, but some were more successful than others. For instance, Maxey Long set a world record for the 440 yard sprint at 47 seconds on the track on Oct. 6, 1900, a record which stood for almost 16 years. Sadly, aspiring Belgian aviator Charles Frank Morok didn’t fare as well. “Diavolo” as he called himself, used the track to launch his attempt to be the first to fly across the icy Hudson River into Manhattan on Dec. 26, 1910. Unfortunately, moments after takeoff, his plane crashed into the second story of a house several blocks south, disturbing a young woman’s private bathroom time.

             In 1907, a large band of “gypsies” decided to camp on the track grounds, creating quite a stir among local officials and residents. The gypsies descended upon the streets of the surrounding towns, invading the stores and saloons, and driving the women and children into their homes.  Despite the uproar, it seems that the camp remained for several years, at least on a seasonal basis.

And finally:

            The track’s old grandstand burned down during January of 1910 in a blaze that could be seen all the way in Manhattan, but the track’s ultimate end came in 1919 when the land was formally divided into lots for auction. The track’s memory remains alive amongst some horse racing historians. However, the track’s tale is lost to the average local. As Hudson County continues to evolve, The Gut’s story reminds us that the community had been reshaping itself continuously, long before today’s modern development plans. The challenge will be to ensure that our roots and the complex stages of our growth do not dissolve into fading whispers.

If you’d like to read another well-researched article about the Guttenberg Racetrack, check out this one from “Colin’s Ghost,” which is written by Kevin Martin:

http://colinsghost.org/2010/01/winter-racing-at-new-jerseys-guttenberg-race-track-1885-1893.html

 

Back in the saddle ... and an eye to the sky

            It’s been a while since my last blog post, but I’ve been pretty busy tending to my husband, who has been seriously ill. He spent a lot of time at the University of Pennsylvania in Center City, Philadelphia, which most of us horse lovers know also owns and operates the New Bolton Center in Kennett Square, an excellent veterinary hospital.

            Episodes like this can really disrupt the normal flow of daily life, and I had to cancel my yearly trip to Saratoga, which I regretted deeply. Hopefully I can make the trek to the Adirondacks next season with my daughters. My betting has also been limited, generally focused on weekend action at Saratoga and the occasional wager at Monmouth Park if there’s a horse running that I like.

            But while the bulk of my time has been spent traveling back and forth to Center City, I have been keeping an eye on what’s been happening in the thoroughbred world. Here are some thoughts and observations as we lurch towards September:

            * Parx Casino saw revenues from table game play decline in July, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board said on August 17, as the Bensalem casino’s 182 table games drew in just under $7.9 million last month, down from $9.5 million from 172 tables during the same period last year. But the Gaming Board was quick to point out that this July had only four full weekends of play, the busiest days of the week, while July of 2011 had five.

            There is such an oversaturation of gaming in the Mid-Atlantic region – Atlantic City included – that I’m surprised a decline in revenue, not just limited to table games, hasn’t started sooner. Like Atlantic City, what goes up, must come down, and I predict within five years the Pennsylvania casinos won’t be the cash cows they now are. Thoroughbred racing better focus on promoting the sport and fostering new fans, or else it’s doomed.

            * Speaking of doomed, there was a very interesting interview published in today’s  Harness Racing Update with new Meadowlands Racetrack owner Jeff Gural.

            Gural was refreshingly frank and straightforward when asked whether business at the East Rutherford oval was up or down for the year, and his opinion about the state of harness racing, in general.

            “To tell you the truth, I think the industry is headed for disaster,” said Gural. “Maybe the goal is to get the most money you can before the whole things collapses and disappears. I know that I have to make changes and I have to hope that some people will be willing to help us.”

            Oh, how I wish all racetrack operators would stop speaking in forked tongues and tell the truth, as Gural did. How about the powers that be at Pennsylvania tracks coming out and saying what they really think about thoroughbred racing?

            You can read Gural’s entire interview at www.harnessracingupdate.com, which I highly recommend.

            * A life-threatening incident like that which has befallen my husband has a way of really putting things in perspective. One of my other passions, aside from thoroughbred racing, has always been birds, and bird watching. To me, there is something extremely interesting and exciting in seeing the many, many different species of birds that live year-round and pass through the Pennsylvania-New Jersey region, and unfortunately I have not always given that passion the time it deserves, for one reason or another.

            But going forward, I intend to give birding as much attention as I do racing. To that end, next Saturday I will be taking a trip to Sandy Hook in New Jersey for an early morning birding trip to see fall migrating shorebirds … and on the way home stop at nearby Monmouth Park in time to catch the bulk of the card.  Who says you can’t have your cake, and eat it, too?

           Good racing … and good birding!