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The Next Generation with Corbin Blumberg

“It’s all I’ve thought about for forever,” said 25-year-old Corbin Blumberg.

And he’s not really exaggerating. The Potomac, Maryland native was just a toddler when one VHS tape sold him on horse racing for life. Blumberg learned to read by studying past performances, and has since traveled the world in pursuit of furthering his knowledge of the industry.

Less than a month before this year’s Kentucky Derby, the Godolphin Flying Start graduate signed on as the Racing Manager for Starlight Racing. It was an eventful start to the job when their talented Authentic (Into Mischief) sailed to victory in the GI Kentucky Derby and then ran a close runner-up effort in an epic edition of the Preakness S.

KR: How did you get started in racing?

CB: I fell in love with racing when I was two or three years old. My parents bought me a tape, The Best of the Breeders’ Cup from 1990 to 2000. I don’t know why they bought it for me, but that was it, I was obsessed. I went to my first Breeders’ Cup in 2000, which was Tiznow, and after that I was just hooked from there.

I was basically obsessed with racing from then on, and when I turned 16, I emailed Graham Motion. I went and lived with Graham and Anita during the summer. Animal Kingdom had just won the Derby so it was a great time to be there. They’re the best; I owe so much to Graham and Anita. I did four or five summers at Fair Hill with them, spent some time in Saratoga, and then went to the University of Kentucky for Equine Science and Management. Then I went and did a program in England called the British Horse Racing Graduate Development Programme, which was awesome. Then I did Godolphin Flying Start for the last two years.

KR: What drew you to the industry?

CB: I think mostly the excitement. I grew up doing Pony Club, foxhunting and eventing, so I was always involved with horses. But I think the excitement of racing and the competition really got me. From there I was hooked. It’s all I’ve thought about for forever.

KR: What was the most challenging part of being a total newcomer in the industry?

CB: I think for me it was when I got to Kentucky and I didn’t know anyone. That was definitely a little challenging. Being with Graham and Anita in Maryland was so great because I learned a ton, but Maryland is still a little removed from the epicenter of the industry, which is Lexington. But overall, the industry is so welcoming and inclusive and I got a lot of opportunities just from being lucky and being in the right place at the right time.

There’s definitely a barrier there in terms of knowledge at first, but I was so obsessed that I’ve been reading a Racing Form since I was five, so that helped.

KR: What’s your favorite part about the business?

CB: I think the transition from being a fan to actually working in it has been really great. I guess I’ve always worked in it, but it was always summers, programs and school. Now to be actually working full time, being involved in making decisions and seeing where horses go is really cool. I also love being able to follow some of the horses we worked with through Flying Start.

KR: Tell us about your job now as Racing Manager for Starlight Racing.

CB: Starlight is amazing. Jack and Laurie Wolf started it in 2002, and they’ve had Harlan’s Holiday (Harlan), Hall of Famer Ashado (Saint Ballado), Octave (Unbridled’s Song) and Shanghai Bobby (Harlan’s Holiday). There was a really amazing history of horses there, and since they’ve partnered up with SF Racing and Tom Ryan, and with Madaket, this whole partnership has been amazing with Eight Rings (Empire Maker), Charlatan (Speightstown) and obviously Authentic (Into Mischief).

It’s been amazing to meet all of our different partners and the people within Starlight, to get to know them and our horses. I really love it, and we’ll hopefully get StarLadies some big wins coming up too. I think we just had a really great [Keeneland September Yearling Sale], so hopefully there will be some really exciting horses for the future.

KR: Can you tell us your experience when Authentic won the Kentucky Derby?

CB: I was in Saratoga because we had a few horses running there that weekend. Jack Wolf was in Louisville, but Laurie, who is the managing partner of StarLadies, was actually in Saratoga. I get a bit funny about watching racing with other people, so I went and watched it alone and they were all two houses down. I went nuts when he crossed the finish line and sprinted down to their house. They were actually watching it on the internet so the race was still finishing. There were like 10 people there going nuts, so we went crazy and then had a pretty good night in Saratoga. I couldn’t believe it.

KR: If you could change one thing about the industry, what would it be?

CB: The racing side of the industry has always been my passion, so in terms of racing, I think probably the reliance on casino wagering makes me nervous going forward. I love our industry and I love racing, so I think trying to make it as self-sustainable going forward as possible would make me feel a lot more comfortable about the future.

KR: Who is your favorite horse of all time?

CB: So I have two. First is Cigar because that’s probably the horse that got me into racing, and then Animal Kingdom, because he was right there when I started at Graham’s and was pretty influential. When I started with Graham, there were probably 125 horses, and then the next summer there were 200. Then more recently, Authentic is on top of the list because that was a pretty good start to working at Starlight.

KR: What are your career goals going forward?

CB: Right now, I have the dream job off of Flying Start. I’m so happy, so I’m just trying to make Starlight operate on a day-to-day basis as well as it possibly can-working with Jack and Laurie to make that happen, and with our partners.

Then in the long term, I think for now I just want to stay with Starlight and try and work with Jack there, but definitely being involved with the horses and probably buying some at some point is at the top of the list.

The TDN has partnered with Amplify Horse Racing to present “The Next Generation,” an ongoing video series featuring young people who were not born into the Thoroughbred business, but are now excelling within the industry

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Filly Swiss Skydiver Digs Deep To Deny Authentic, Capping One-Of-A-Kind Triple Crown With Preakness Victory

A bold mid-race move by new jockey Robby Albarado saw the filly Swiss Skydiver (11-1) get the jump on Kentucky Derby winner Authentic (3-2) in Saturday's 145th running of the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes. The Kentucky Oaks runner-up slipped between the Bob Baffert-trained stablemates, Authentic and Thousand Words (7-1), on the backstretch, and grabbed the lead before the Hall of Famer John Velazquez cued the Derby winner to make his move.

The 3-year-old daughter of Daredevil lived up to her sire's name through a thrilling stretch battle, denying Authentic all the way through the wire to earn a hard-fought victory by a head and give trainer Kenny McPeek his first Preakness winner. As the 55th filly to start in the Preakness, Swiss Skydiver is the sixth to wear the winner's garland.

Owned by Peter Callahan, Swiss Skydiver also ran the second-fastest Preakness in history, completing 1 3/16 miles over Pimlico's fast main track in 1:53.28.

It was a fitting end to the 2020 Triple Crown, a series filled with twists and turns as the international coronavirus pandemic wreaked havoc on racing schedules worldwide. All three legs were held without fans as a result, and all three were won by different horses. The Belmont Stakes, typically the third in the series, was held first this year on June 20 (won by Tiz the Law), and the distance was shortened from 1 1/2 to 1 1/8 miles. The Kentucky Derby was held next on Sept. 5, and was won by Authentic, while the Preakness was rescheduled to Oct. 3.

Also unique to 2020, the Preakness was a Breeders' Cup Challenge “Win and You're In” contest for the Classic. Thus, Swiss Skydiver earned a fees-paid berth to the Breeders' Cup Classic by virtue of her victory.

Swiss Skydiver was very sharp at the start of the Preakness, bumping a bit with Art Collector to her inside as Albarado muscled the filly toward the lead. However, the jockeys aboard Thousand Words and Authentic seemed to have similar game plans, as that pair made their way toward the rail just ahead of her.

Albarado did make it to the rail with Swiss Skydiver as Art Collector moved to her outside, and she was able to save ground through the clubhouse turn as Thousand Words led his Derby-winning stablemate through a first quarter in 24.48 seconds. Pneumatic made it a three-wide group across the track in the second flight, with Art Collector between horses.

After Thousand Words led through a half-mile in :47.65, Albarado saw an opening between the two stablemates ahead of him. He angled Swiss Skydiver off the rail and sent her through between horses, perhaps taking Velazquez by surprise aboard Authentic.

Albarado had Swiss Skydiver on the lead through six furlongs in 1:11.24, with Velazquez sending Authentic around her outside to challenge nearing the head of the lane. Thousand Words spit the bit and Art Collector was digging in and trying to rally, but it was all Swiss Skydiver and Authentic for the stretch run.

Swiss Skydiver had a half-length advantage on Authentic and was fiercely game, making the Derby winner work for every inch of ground. Authentic did gain on her nearing the wire, but Swiss Skydiver flattened her ears and got her head down on the wire in from. Authentic had to settle for second.

It was another seven or so lengths back to Jesus' Team to fill out the trifecta, while Art Collector checked in fourth. Max Player, the only horse to run in all three Triple Crown races this year, finished fifth. The remaining order of finish was: Excession, Mr. Big News, Thousand Words, Ny Traffic, Pneumatic, and Liveyourbeastlife.

Bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm, Swiss Skydiver is out of the winning Johannesburg mare Expo Gold. McPeek picked her out at the Keeneland September sale and purchased the filly with a final bid of $35,000. Since then, she's gone on to win the G2 Gulfstream Park Oaks, G3 Fantasy, G2 Santa Anita Oaks, and the G1 Alabama, while finishing second in both the G2 Blue Grass Stakes (to Preakness fourth-place finisher Art Collector) and in the G1 Kentucky Oaks (to Shedaresthedevil).

Swiss Skydiver has compiled a record of six wins, three seconds and a third from 11 starts, with earnings nearing $1.8 million.

The post Filly Swiss Skydiver Digs Deep To Deny Authentic, Capping One-Of-A-Kind Triple Crown With Preakness Victory appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Swiss Skydiver Gets the Better of Authentic in Stirring Preakness Stretch Drive

Only five fillies had managed to take home the blanket of black-eyed susans in the previous 144 runnings of the GI Preakness S. and the last to do so was Hall of Famer Rachel Alexandra, who beat GI Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird by a length in the 2009 renewal. However, in 2020, a year of upsets and the unconventional, a filly took down the Derby winner yet again with Oaks runner-up Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil) getting the better of Derby hero Authentic (Into Mischief) in an epic stretch battle in this year’s Preakness. In addition to being the final leg of the Triple Crown, rather than the middle jewel, the Preakness was also a “Win and You’re In” for the GI Breeders’ Cup Classic.

Let go at 11-1, Swiss Skydiver was away in good order from post four and settled on the fence in a joint third with Art Collector (Bernardini)–who beat Swiss Skydiver in her first try against males in the GII Toyota Blue Grass S. in July–and Pneumatic (Uncle Mo). The trio ran just a length off the front-running Bob Baffert duo of Authentic and Thousand Words (Pioneerof Nile), a late scratch on Derby day after flipping over in the paddock, through a moderate first quarter in :24.48 and a half-mile in :47.65.

Thousand Words threw in the towel at that juncture, leaving Authentic exactly where he wanted to be, alone on the lead. That was Swiss Skydiver’s moment to strike. The chestnut filly took advantage of the opening on the rail left by Thousand Words, slipping through to challenge Authentic. She stuck her head in front as three-quarters went in 1:11.24 and turned for home with a half-length advantage. Swiss Skydiver and Authentic pulled well clear of the rest of the field in the lane, battling it out all the way to the wire in the grittiest of stretch duels. However, despite Authentic’s best efforts, Swiss Skydiver refused to yield to the Derby winner, determinedly fending off her foe all the way to the wire to make history by a neck. It was 9 3/4 lengths back to 40-1 shot Jesus’ Team (Tapiture) in third and Art Collector was just a head behind him in fourth.

“I’m just proud of Robby [Albarado],” said trainer Ken McPeek, who was winning hiss first Preakness and second Triple Crown race, having saddled Sarava to a 70-1 upset in the 2002 GI Belmont S. We had to call him in at the last minute. He did a great job. I’m really proud of him, her, [owner] Peter Callahan. I wish he was here. This is just a real honor to be around a horse like this. This is a special moment.”

McPeek continued, “It was a genius move by Robby coming up the fence. He saw a hole and went right at it. It felt like she took him there. If he waited, she would take him there. I think she should have won the Oaks too. Maybe if we stay inside, we win that one too, but it is what it is. She’s just really neat to be around. Robby and I have had a great week. We’ve been getting on her, walking her together, eating breakfast, lunch and dinner together. This is a lifetime experience for both of us and we hope we’re back.”

When asked if he will take the free berth to the Classic or go back to running against females in the GI Breeders’ Cup Distaff, McPeek said, “We can look at both races, I suppose. We got in for the Distaff after the Alabama, but I would say right now we would probably lean towards the older fillies and mares. But nothing set in stone and we don’t have to make a decision today, I don’t think.”

The stretch duel was reminiscent of another Triple Crown battle of the sexes involving Albarado and Authentic’s pilot John Velazquez. In 2007, Velazquez was the one on the filly, piloting Rags to Riches to a narrow success over Preakness winners Albarado and Curlin in a thrilling battle at Big Sandy in the 2007 GI Belmont S. (video).

“I had an opportunity, a split second, to take advantage of the rail because Johnny [Velazquez on Authentic] was sitting off the fence there,” said Albarado. “I made a conscious decision on the backside. ‘It’s give or take now. Do I make that move now or do I wait to see if they come back to me?’ She’s been doing extremely well. Kenny’s been doing a great job. I’ve been around her all week. I figure she knows where she’s at, she’s in her surroundings. I said let me try and make this Jerry Bailey move and win.”

“We had a good start, no trouble at all,” said Velazquez of beaten 3-2 chalk Authentic. “In the first turn we got by Art Collector. By the backstretch, I tried to open up, but he just stood there and Swiss Skydiver came to him. I tried to get him rolling again, but he just stayed with that other horse from the half-mile pole to the wire.”

When asked his thoughts post-race, Baffert said, “I was hoping he was on the lead. We had to get the lead. He runs better on the lead. He likes to be out there running fast. But he got beat. He had the whole stretch to get by her. She ran a gallant race. He’s a free-running horse and likes to be on the lead. I saw he wasn’t on the lead and was struggling a little bit. That’s a good filly. He had every chance to get by her. He got beat. He just couldn’t get by her. She dug in. She’s tough.”

The Makings of a Champion…

Purchased by McPeek for just $35,000 at Keeneland September, Swiss Skydiver opened her account with a 5 1/2-length graduation in her seven-panel unveiling at Churchill Downs Nov. 16. A close second over a sloppy mile beneath the Twin Spires just two weeks later, she could only manage fifth in Tampa’ss Gasparilla S. Jan. 18 and was third to early divisional leader Finite (Munnings) in the GII Rachel Alexandra S. Feb. 15.

Swiss Skydiver had her coming out party so to speak in the Mar. 28 GII Gulfstream Park Oaks, which she won in dominant fashion at odds of 9-1. Victorious again in the May 1 GIII Fantasy S. at Oaklawn, the Peter Callaghan colorbearer went wire-to-wire for a four-length romp in the GII Santa Anita Oaks June 6. Trying males for the first time in the July 11 Blue Grass, she was bested only by Art Collector, finishing a gallant second and rebounded with a decisive score in the 10-furlong GI Alabama S. at Saratoga Aug. 15. Dispatched as the second choice to Gamine (Into Mischief) in the rescheduled Oaks Sept. 4, the chestnut made a three-wide bid, but could not quite catch GI Juddmonte Spinster S. contender Shedaresthedevil, finishing second.

Pedigree Notes:

Swiss Skydiver is one of four black-type winners and two Grade I/graded winners along with Shedaresthedevil for former WinStar stallion Daredevil, who was exported to Turkey in November. Her dam Expo Gold was purchased by Blue Chip Thoroughbreds for $15,000 at the CTBA January Mixed Sale. Her first foal Is It Gold (Indygo Shiner) is set to sell in foal to Nyquist as part of the South Point Sales consignment at the upcoming Keeneland November Sale. Expo Gold’s recent produce includes an unraced juvenile colt named Inspector General (Daredevil), who was purchased by Southern Racing for just $4,000 at KEESEP; and a yearling colt by Danzing Candy, who RNA’d for $145,000 at the recent Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearlings Showcase. The 12-year-old mare was barren when bred to Danzing Candy for 2020 and was bred to Catholic Boy this spring.

Post-Preakness Thoughts…

“I feel very excited and I’m proud of my team and their work with Jesus’ Team. He’s really improved every day. I am very sure that he is going to be a great horse in the United States. I’m very happy for the result in this race, the Preakness Stakes, one of the most important races for 3-year-olds in this amazing country.” –Jose D’Angelo, trainer of Jesus’ Team (third)

“I thought he ran fine. He didn’t break quite as sharp as we hoped he would and that kind of had us playing catch-up a little bit. He was kind of in tight and it wasn’t the best trip; it’s not the trip we were hoping for. But we’ve got no excuse. The winner ran huge and we had our shot to get to them and just couldn’t do it.” –Tom Drury, conditioner of Art Collector (fourth)

Saturday, Pimlico
PREAKNESS S.-GI, $1,000,000, Pimlico, 10-3, 3yo, 1 3/16m, 1:53.28, ft.
1–SWISS SKYDIVER, 123, f, 3, by Daredevil
                1st Dam: Expo Gold, by Johannesburg
                2nd Dam: Clouds of Gold, by Strike the Gold
                3rd Dam: Cloudy Colors, by Personal Flag
($35,000 Ylg ’18 KEESEP). O-Peter J. Callahan; B-WinStar Farm,
LLC (KY); T-Kenneth G. McPeek; J-Robby Albarado. $600,000.
Lifetime Record: 11-6-3-1, $1,792,980. *1/2 to Miss Hot Legs
(Verrazano), SP, $151,620. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the
   eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Authentic, 126, c, 3, Into Mischief–Flawless, by Mr. Greeley.
($350,000 Ylg ’18 KEESEP). O-Spendthrift Farm LLC,
MyRaceHorse Stable, Madaket Stables LLC and Starlight
Racing; B-Peter E. Blum Thoroughbreds, LLC (KY); T-Bob
Baffert. $200,000.
3–Jesus’ Team, 126, c, 3, Tapiture–Golden Memories, by Suave.
($30,000 Ylg ’18 KEESEP). O-Grupo Seven C Stable; B-Pamela P.
Gartin (KY); T-Jose Francisco D’Angelo. $110,000.
Margins: NK, 9 3/4, HD. Odds: 11.70, 1.50, 40.90.
Also Ran: Art Collector, Max Player, Excession, Mr. Big News, Thousand Words, Ny Traffic, Pneumatic, Liveyourbeastlife. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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Twinspires Triple Crown Throwdown: Preakness Stakes

Ed DeRosa of Brisnet.com takes on TDN’s Steve Sherack and Brian DiDonato as they handicap Triple Crown prep races plus the big three races themselves. The three will make $100 Win/Place bets in the preps and $200 Win/Place bets in the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont. Highest bankroll at the end wins.

DeRosa – Bankroll: $5480 – GI Kentucky Derby Result – Max Player rallied for fifth.

GI Preakness S. – I wanted to bet Art Collector in the Kentucky Derby, so why not in the Preakness against arguably a softer group with the defections of Tiz the Law and Honor A. P.? Art Collector would have been half the price as Authentic in the Derby, but now we get twice the price since Authentic won the race Art Collector wasn’t in. I’m not up on all that newfangled math my kids take, but I still know logic, and it’s telling me to bet my lungs on Art Collector. I don’t give a lot of wagering advice in this spot, but mine would be to save whatever it is you plan to bet across all the great racing this weekend and put it all on the nose of Art Collector. Best bet of the Triple Crown Throwdown series right here in the Preakness. Selection: #3 Art Collector (5-2).

Sherack – Bankroll: $4110 – GI Kentucky Derby Result – Honor A. P. was up against it from the moment they sprung the latch and was along for fourth after an impossible trip.

GI Preakness S. – Pneumatic finally posted the breakthrough victory I was waiting for in the TVG.com Pegasus S. at Monmouth, and if his subsequent training at Saratoga is any indication, he may have another leap forward coming here. He’s tactical enough to work out the right trip in a race that appears to have plenty of speed signed on as well. Selection: #10 Pneumatic (20-1).

DiDonato – Bankroll: $5840 – GI Kentucky Derby Result – Tiz the Law (+$340) settled for second best on the day. Not sure that’s his favorite track, and it’s tough to dance every dance even when the order and spacing are different.

GI Preakness S. – This seems like a good spot to take a chance with a longshot. Authentic’s last effort almost certainly wins this too, but it wouldn’t be surprising if he turned out to be a little bit over the top here. His pre-Derby worktab suggests he was 100% cranked for last time, and while his two breezes for this were fast, he’s not going to work out the same trip here. There’s plenty of other pace, which is part of the reason I’ll also oppose Art Collector, who I wasn’t totally sold on before his late Derby defection. He can win, but he’s another who’s probably not going to get the same perfect trip he’s enjoyed in recent outings. Max Player is the one I’ll try. His Derby run was sneaky good–he traveled on the dead rail for a good chunk of the race, and made a legitimate stretch run. One of these days he’s going to get the meltdown he needs. Maybe it’ll be Saturday. Selection: #8 Max Player (15-1).

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