A sad summer wind

I live in Philadelphia, race and breed Pennsylvania-breds, and write about the Pennsylvania thoroughbred industry, but deep down inside I’m a Jersey girl at heart.

I was born in the Garden State, and the first racetrack I ever attended was Monmouth Park in Oceanport, so it pains me to see this grand old matron of the seashore up for grabs to a variety of bidders, one of which will take over as lessee before the 2011 meet gets underway, reportedly on May 14, one week later than last year.

Although by law the track must run 141 dates in 2011, it is believed the lucky bidder will try and reduce that number to 80 dates, but it must be approved by the state’s horsemen.

This scenario has come about because N. J. Gov. Chris Christie has vowed to “get the state out of the horse racing business.” Currently, Monmouth and the Meadowlands in East Rutherford are owned and operated by the N. J. Sports & Exposition Authority.

Having covered Monmouth since 1994, I have no complaints as to how the NJSEA handled the racetrack. The plant was always clean and well-maintained; the employees who worked in media relations were always friendly, efficient and professional (John Heims, George Bernet and the late Steve Schwartz spring to mind), as were track management. Some of the best track managers I have ever dealt with were at Monmouth – Hal Handel, Bruce Garland and Bob Kulina, to name but a few.

Many young members of NJSEA’s management team have gone on to bigger and better things within the sport of racing, too – Jim Gagliano now heads The Jockey Club, while Chris McErlean is a vice president at Penn National Gaming, Inc., overseeing its stable of properties.

Call me pessimistic, but I have a sinking feeling that Monmouth Park’s best days are behind her. No matter who (or what) takes over the circa-1946 oval, brought to life by such familiar names as Amory L. Haskell, Philip H. Iselin, Reeve Schley, Joseph M. Roebling, Townsend B. Martin, John MacDonald and James Cox Brady, it may never again be the same.

The most cherished memories I have from my youth are from hot summer afternoons spent with my late grandfather, father and mother in the open, airy Monmouth grandstand, hearing the voice of the late announcer Bob Weems call the action and the roar of the crowd as the horses rounded the turn and headed into the homestretch. As a girl, my favorite horses weren’t always the stars – I loved Razzle Dazzle Rey, Owens Troupe, and Al Hattab – and liked jockeys Buck Thornburg, Rick Wilson and Chuck Baltazar. My father worshipped Julie Krone and John Forbes, who together made a formidable jockey-trainer duo back in the 1980’s. My mother picked horses on the basis of their pretty names, and was always horrified at the cost of the Daily Racing Form. My brother Greg, who lives in Toms River, once got a “hot tip” from an old man in the men’s room, and collected nearly $75 for his deuce wager, a memorable day, indeed!

Photo courtesy Equiphoto.com

As a turf writer, it was a dream come true to cover the Monmouth beat and make daily handicapping selections to boot, getting access to nooks and crannies in the grandstand and clubhouse that few $2 bettors ever see. Imagine, a horse-crazy girl like me from Bayonne, N. J. sharing the champagne toast with the winning connections of the Haskell Invitational on the Parterre level, or taking the elevator to the press box, where the greatest characters in the world worked, gambled, and kibitzed. The strains of Frank Sinatra singing “Summer Wind” after the last race always put a perfect exclamation point on the day.

Alas, all good things must come to an end, or so I’ve been told, but the imminent demise of the “golden age” of Monmouth Park – the new lessee is sure to want to cut services, employees, purses and overall quality - has filled me with a profound sadness, for it marks not only the end of an era, but also a wonderful part of my life.

An Elephant Never Forgets

We learned today of the death of David Monaci, 53, a former trainer at Philadelphia Park.  Monaci's obituary can be found here:  http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/app/obituary.aspx?n=david-monaci&pid=149399853

Monaci made a name for himself at the Bensalem oval, but not for all the right reasons.  Instead, the native of Plainfield, N.J. was tossed off the grounds in 1996 after it was found his horse, Accession, was drugged with Etorphine, also known as "elephant juice."  In very low doses, Etorphine acts as a central nervous stimulant.

If this wasn't bad enough, Monaci became embroiled in the case of the "missing split sample," which made headlines throughout the racing industry.  A package sent via FedEx to the Louisiana State University arrived empty; it was later determined that another trainer, Frank Geraci, apparently working with Monaci, was involved in a bribe to "switch a urine sample."

As a result, Monaci lost his trainer's license for many years, while Geraci pleaded no contest to the charges.

You can read all the details here: http://law.justia.com/cases/pennsylvania/commonwealth-court/1998/monaci.html

And the winners are ...

The annual awards were handed out at Philadelphia Park (now Parx Racing) yesterday, and here are the divisional winners:

2YO Colt or Gelding – RJG Racing Management’s Der Meister (trained by Murray Rojas)


2YO Filly – Edward Evans’ Dixie City (Anthony Dutrow)

3YO Colt or Gelding – Ellendale Racing’s Roadhog (Edward Allard)

3YO Filly – Tommy Ligon’s Come Sunday (John Servis)

Older Male – Richard Malouf’s Wink at the Girls (Scott Lake)

Older Female – William Hartwell’s Jemilyn (Ramon Preciado)

Claiming Horse of the Year – Jamie Guerrero’s Wild Geese (Carlos Guerrero)

Outstanding Claim of the Year – Richard Malouf’s Wink at the Girls (Scott Lake)

Winningest Horse – Richard Malouf’s Wink at the Girls (Scott Lake)

Apprentice Jockey – Rosario Montanez

Leading Jockey – Kendrick Carmouche (3rd consecutive title)

Leading Owner – Jack Armstrong (Phil Aristone & Robert Mosco)

Leading Trainer – Phil Aristone

“B” Division Trainer (top percentage with less than 150 starts) – Robert Reid Jr.

“B” Division Owner – Jamie Guerrero

Pennsylvania-bred champions for 2010 named

The Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association, located in Kennett Square, Pa., has named its champions and leaders for 2010, based upon the unanimous recommendations of its Award Committee. They are:


2-YEAR-OLD MALE—RUSTLER HUSTLER

Ch.c., 2008, Ecton Park—Cozzy Temper, by Cozzene.

Bred by Mark Stanley

Winner of three of six starts in 2010, including a victory in the Continental Mile Stakes at Monmouth Park. He then came back to a one and three-quarter-length score in the Gnome’s Gold Stakes at Belmont Park. Rustler Hustler earned $174,470 in 2010, finishing off the board only once.

2-YEAR-OLD FILLY—TWELVE PACK SHELLY

B.f., 2008, Deputy Storm—So Smashing, by Two Punch. Bred by Sycamore Hall Farm LLC

Twelve Pack Shelly began her season in early April with a track record-setting maiden score at Laurel Park. Three weeks later, facing boys for the second time, she finished a close third to Lou Brissie and Boys At Tosconova in the Kentucky Juvenile Stakes-G3 at Churchill Downs. She counted stakes victories in the Colleen Stakes (over R Heat Lightning) at Monmouth and Miss Shenandoah Stakes at Charles Town, and was second in the Maryland Million Lassie. Twelve Pack Shelly won four of seven starts and earned $191,600.

3-YEAR-OLD MALE—ROADHOG

Ch.g., 2007, Bowman’s Band—Little Wing, by Allen’s Prospect. Bred by Ellendale Racing LLC

Roadhog won three of eight starts in 2010, all on the turf. He broke his maiden at Monmouth Park and went on to capture a Philadelphia Park allowance race, before capping the year off with a score in Philadelphia Park’s Alphabet Soup Handicap against older horses. He earned $160,894 in 2010.

3-YEAR-OLD FILLY—FUGITIVE ANGEL

B.f., 2007, Alphabet Soup—Screening, by Unbridled. Bred by Augustin Stable

Fugitive Angel won four of her five starts in 2010. She swept her first four starts of the season, including the Russian Rhythm (at Penn National), Malvern Rose (Presque Isle) and Pin Oak Valley View Stakes-G3 (Keeneland), bankrolling $211,382.

OLDER MALE—MOON ROYAL

Ch.g., 2006, Mojave Moon—Elusive Crown, by Royal Academy. Bred by Max Pearson Stables LLC

Moon Royal had a very productive year, winning five of his 12 starts. Along with several allowance events, he took the Lyman Handicap at Philadelphia Park by four and a quarter lengths. Moon Royal earned $204,498 and brought his lifetime earnings to $264,198.

OLDER FEMALE and SPRINTER—

SWEET AUGUST MOON

Br.m., 2005, Malibu Moon—Silent Academy, by Royal Academy. Bred by Maple Leaf Farm

Sweet August Moon had a spectacular season in 2010, winning two graded stakes races in California and clinching two Pennsylvania-bred championships. She won the seven-furlong A Gleam Handicap-G2 at Hollywood Park and followed up with a hard-fought victory in the six and a half-furlong Rancho Bernardo Handicap-G3 at Del Mar. Sweet August Moon finished fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint-G1 and earned $224,294 during the season.

TURF HORSE—SAHPRESA

B.m., 2005, Sahm—Sorpresa, by Pleasant Tap. Bred by Douglas McIntyre

Sahpresa defended her 2009 title in this category with another noteworthy season. She started only five times during the year, but landed the Prix du Pin Stakes-G3 in France and repeated her 2009 victory in the Sun Chariot Stakes-G1 at Newmarket in England. She then shipped to Hong Kong, where she faced males in the Hong Kong Mile-G1 and finished third. Sahpresa earned $629,711 and became Pennsylvania’s latest millionaire, with a career total of $1,268,097.

STEEPLECHASE HORSE—NATIONBUILDER

Br.g., 2004, Came Home—Seattle Bay, by Opening Verse. Bred by Augustin Stable

Nationbuilder won two of five starts in 2010 – the $50,000 Queens Cup MPC Chase Hurdle Stakes in April at Charlotte and $100,000 Foxbrook Champion Hurdle Stakes in October at Far Hills – and was second in the AFLAC Supreme Hurdle at Pine Mountain. He earned $107,000, bringing his lifetime earnings to $276,066.

LEADING STALLION—BANKER’S GOLD

Banker’s Gold led all Pennsylvania stallions with $39,216 in stallion awards.

LEADING BREEDER AWARD RECIPIENT—SYLMAR FARM (MR. and MRS. RONALD HOUGHTON)

Sylmar Farm defended its 2009 title as the 2010 leading breeder award recipient. The Houghtons earned $153,852 from the Breeding Fund.

LEADING OVERALL BREEDER OF PENNSYLVANIA-BREDS—GEORGE STRAWBRIDGE JR. (AUGUSTIN STABLE)

George Strawbridge Jr.’s Augustin Stable again claimed this award, with $1,921,465 in earnings in North America and Europe. Augustin Stable was the breeder of 2010 Pennsylvania-bred champions Fugitive Angel and Nationbuilder.

An ominous sign?

Yesterday marked my final trip to a farm Open House in the mid-Atlantic region. With my daughter Katie in tow, we made the 129-mile drive to New Freedom, Pa., to Dr. William J. Solomon’s Pin Oak Lane Farm.

In years past, the local calendar was chock-full of Open Houses. Just two years ago, three Open Houses were scheduled on the same Sunday afternoon, creating quite a Mapquest nightmare for me.

This year, there were only four on the schedule – three in Pennsylvania, and one in Maryland. Five farms that stand stallions in Pennsylvania, which previously had hosted a day for breeders to inspect their facilities and their horses, did not have one this year.

Not only was the lack of Open Houses a sign that farms are cutting back on spending (a typical Open House has to cost the farm thousands of dollars, considering the amount of food and beverages needed, plus all the printed materials and the hiring of additional help that day) but the lack of attendance at all four was an ominous sign that mare owners are either not going to breed their mares this year, or have gotten out of the business completely.

The low attendance at the four Open Houses – Ghost Ridge, Northview Stallion Station, Diamond B and Pin Oak Lane – was truly shocking. Imagine if you threw a party, but less than half the guests showed up. That was the feeling at these farms, all of which stand solid breed-to-race sires, stallions with commercial appeal, and interesting new freshman sires.

It was like the curtain had dropped on the 2011 breeding season before it even began.

There have been many reasons tossed out for the lack of attendance at these venues. So far, I’ve heard that

1.) the weather has been so bad, people don’t want to travel

2.) people still are going to breed their mares, but just did not attend the Open Houses

3.) the farms scheduled their Open Houses on inconvenient days for breeders

4.) breeders who were interested in the Ghost Ridge stallions attended its Open House in November, which was basically a chance for fans to see Smarty Jones

5.) breeders were going to scour on-line auctions of stallions seasons for the best possible price and

6.) people in the mid-Atlantic region don’t make up their minds who they are going to breed to until their mare(s) actually foal, which could mean May and June.

Perhaps attendance at Open Houses should not be used as a barometer for the upcoming breeding season. Perhaps there are mare owners who are planning on “business as usual,” without having the need to inspect stallions and exchange pleasantries with the farm manager, his staff, and fellow horsemen. Maybe there are a lot of out-of-state breeders who could not attend, because of the distance involved.

In Pennsylvania, the breeding industry has seen a substantial increase in the number of mares bred since expanded gaming revenue began flowing into the Breeding Fund coffers. According to statistics published by The Jockey Club, in 2004 (the year slots legislation was passed in Harrisburg) there were 1,027 mares bred in the state, a number that soon swelled to 1,603 in 2009. The total number bred dipped almost four percent in 2010, to 1,542, and some have opined it could fall to below the 1,200 level – or approach pre-slots levels – for 2011.

What’s interesting is that, despite the amount of money available to owners at state racetracks (purses at Parx Racing are approaching the $300,000 per day level, while Penn National is approaching $200,000) and breeders through the PHBA’s Breeding Fund (more than $16 million in 2010), some mare owners may be raising the white flag. The costs of maintaining a broodmare through conception through foaling and beyond may have proven too prohibitive for owners to absorb throughout this economic downturn.

Maybe the breeding industry has now hit rock-bottom, and things will begin to rebound next year and beyond. The one bright spot for those that choose to breed their mares this season is that the resulting foals will have far less competition at the racetrack when they finally begin training.

Let’s hope that the lack of attendance at the area’s few Open Houses thus far is not a portend of things to come.

Winter wonderland?

Horsemen in Pennsylvania are understandably upset that both Philadelphia Park and Penn National Race Course have cancelled a slew of cards the last few weeks due to the snowy and icy weather conditions, but this is not a new phenomenon, by any means.

Because both racetracks have dirt surfaces, it is a rare winter, indeed, when live racing isn’t shut down at some point during January, February and March.

While digging through the archives the other day, I ran across an article I wrote in Daily Racing Form from 17 years ago that could have just as easily been written today.

Entitled “Horsemen Struggle to Cope with Freeze,” and dated January 27, 1994, the story describes the angst of Philadelphia Park horsemen over the poor track condition and the loss of racing days, which in turn meant a loss of their income.

“Winter racing is brutal for both man and beast, but the deep freeze that gripped the Delaware Valley this month and forced the cancellation of 10 live cards at Philadelphia Park since January 11 has tested the endurance of the hardiest horsemen,” it began.

The article goes on to say that sub-zero temperatures froze the main track solid the second week of January, and track superintendent Roy Smith said he was “forced to jackhammer holes in the surface so that standing water could be swept into them.”

“I feel very good about the condition of the track now,” Smith was quoted as saying. “It’s got its color back, and I’ve got about a two-inch cushion for training.” But, he added, he was unsure when live action would resume.

Trainer Pam Shavelson, a longtime resident of the Philadelphia Park backstretch, said in the article that the suspension of both racing and training placed a “horrible financial burden” on horsemen.

“There’s no income from purses, yet horses still eat everyday and you still have to meet payroll,” she said.

The bitter cold snap also wreaked havoc with the plumbing in Philadelphia Park’s barns.

“Two pipes burst in my barn – one at both ends,” she went on to say. “One blew at 7 o’clock at night, and maintenance didn’t arrive until 4 a.m. It was a real mess.”

Bursting pipes from the extreme temperatures also created chaos in the barns of J. Michael Rogers, Uriah St. Lewis, Bob Dodds and Bob Camac, the story reported.

Jockey agents were also interviewed, with Jack Servis, agent for Tony Black and Jeff Lloyd, stating that although he was going skiing, he plans on cutting his vacation short to maintain his contacts both at Philadelphia Park and Garden State Park.

“You’ve still got to maintain your contacts and keep the goodwill,” said Servis.

While the name of the racetrack has changed to Parx, and both Servis and Camac are sadly now deceased, one thing has stayed the same – winter racing in the mid-Atlantic region continues to be a problem for track maintenance workers, horsemen, and horses.

Check back in 17 more years, and you’ll likely be reading more of the same.

And they're off at snowy Philadelphia Park.  Photo credit: USA Today.

Mid-winter musings

What better time to pound out some news and thoughts about the sport of horse racing - both nationally and in the state of Pennsylvania - then while a nasty January snowstorm is blowing outside my window?  Here they are, in no particular order:

* If you're planning on breeding your mare (s) this spring, then you'll want to check out the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association's Stallion Season Auction, being hosted on the web site http://www.thoroughlybred.com/.  There is a top-notch selection of stallions being offered, including Bellamy Road, Bull Market, Cactus Ridge, E Dubai, Eurosilver, Grand Reward, Jump Start, Perfect Soul, Sir Shackleton, Smarty Jones, Toccet, Wiseman's Ferry, Zanjero ... to name but a few.  Check out the Thoroughlybred web site and perhaps you can get a bargain.  The auction runs on January 27, 28, and 29.  All proceeds are going to the PHBA's PAC Fund.

* The Open House season is in full swing, and we enjoyed seeing Pennsylvania's "big guns" at Ghost Ridge Farms last Saturday - E Dubai, Jump Start, Smarty Jones, Grand Reward and Greatness.  This Sunday, January 30, Northview Stallion Station in Chesapeake City, Md. holds its annual Open House, and we're eager to see its new young stallions Bullsbay (by Tiznow) and Street Magician (by Street Cry).  On February 6, Glenn and Becky Brok's Diamond B Farm in Mohrsville, Pa. will host an Open House to showcase its stallions Talent Search, Ecclesiatic and Senor Swinger.  And weather permitting, Dr. William Solomon's Pin Oak Lane Farm in New Freedom, Pa. will be having its annual Open House on Sunday, Feb. 20, showcasing stallions Albert the Great, Lite the Fuse, Alex's Pal, Invisible Ink and Coastal Storm.

* When did you become a racing fan?  Was it when you were very young, or did you become interested later in life?  Did a family member introduce you to the wonderful world of the racetrack, or did you discover racing's charms on your own?  Was it the beauty and majesty of the horse that intrigued you, or were you mesmerized and challenged by handicapping?  Can the sport of horse racing survive if there are merely fans of a particular horse, without their active participation at the pari-mutuel windows or as owners or breeders?

We'd like to hear your thoughts on this matter, as recently there has been a raging debate among turf writers as to what value Zenyatta's rabid fans, or any other recent famous horse, for that matter, have for racing.  Feel free to drop us a line.

My involvement started as a young girl, when my father and grandfather took me to Monmouth Park.  I am not joking when I say that I could not sleep the night before one of those trips; the excitement level was sky-high.  While I loved the horses, I also loved the challenge of getting the Daily Racing Form, handicapping the card, and trying to pick some winners, and my father or grandfather would make bets for me until I reached legal age.  Even excursions with my grandfather on Saturday mornings to a grimy New York City OTB on Liberty Boulevard in Staten Island was a treat. I remember the little pencils, the dirty floors, and the suspect clientele, but the thrill of making a bet on a race at the Big A, and then watching the results later that evening on the WOR-TV (Channel 9) show hosted by Frank Wright and Charlsie Cantey, was enormous. 

A scene inside a Staten Island OTB

For me, horses and gambling will always go hand-in-hand.  I have a hard time understanding those folks that just hero-worship a horse without plunking down a few bucks through the windows.  Thoroughbred racing needs a new generation of horseplayers, not slots or poker players.  If there's a young person in your life, why not take him or her to the track one day and let them experience its charms?  I feel I have done my part in raising the next generation of racing fans, as both of my daughters love horses and the racetrack.  Without young people, the sport is doomed.