Bill Finley | Horse Racing Free Tips

With Determined Run, Deterministic Tops Loaded Saratoga Maiden

It wasn't that Deterministic (Liam's Map) blew away the field in Saturday's fifth race at Saratoga, enroute to earning 'TDN Rising Star' honors. The $625,000 Keeneland September purchase won by just a half-length over 24-1 shot Hurricane Nelson (Khozan). But considering who he beat and how he did it, Deterministic very well may have a bright future.

“There's so much promise when you win a race like this,” said co-owner and NYRA Board member Steven Duncker. “This was a war out there today. Everybody liked their horses and they ran pretty fast. You want to live in the moment, but it's hard not to think of the future.”

In the eight-horse field, seven of the horses had sold at auction and the collective sales price was $2,925,000. That includes the $950,000 paid for Chaperone ($950,000) and the $525,000 paid for 6-5 favorite Eliminate (Curlin).

As the field broke from the gate in the seven-furlong test, things didn't look good for Deterministic. The Christophe Clement trainee, ridden by Joel Rosario, was seventh up the backstretch. Approaching the turn, Deterministic was in threatening position, but he was six-wide and would have to catch Hurricane Nelson, who grabbed a clear lead after putting away Informed Patriot (Hard Spun), the full-brother to GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile winner Spun to Run (Hard Spun).

Deterministic is owned by the partnership of Vinnie Viola's St. Elias Stable, Ken Langone, Duncker and Vicarage Stable. Duncker said that Deterministic is among the first group of horses he has owned with Viola.

“We've been friends with Vinnie for a long time and we all know of his success,” Duncker said. “He was nice enough to come to us and say let's get a group together and split them up between Christophe and Todd (Pletcher). It's been a great process. With owning horses, the consumption comes before the race. We've had a lot of fun with this for six, eight months. You bond a little more when that's the case. I've got to give a lot of credit to Vinnie for being such a great partner. He's an incredible guy and his team has made this special for us.”

Owned and trained by Gustavo Delgado, the trainer of GI Kentucky Derby winner Mage (Good Magic), the lone homebred in the race, turned in a strong performance to finish second. Eliminate, who is owned by the partnership of Spendthrift Farm and Repole Stable, was third, beaten four lengths.

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Bobby Montano, The Star Of The Play “SMALL,” Joins The TDN Writers’ Room Podcast

Growing up in Queens, Bobby Montano eventually became an actor and a dancer, a career he was happy to follow. But before that, his path took him in an entirely different direction. Montano, who was so small as a child that he was bullied, discovered horse racing and decided he wanted to be a jockey. On March 2, 1977, his dream came true as he rode in his first race at Aqueduct. He only rode in seven races and did not have a winner, but he left the sport with a story to tell. That story has turned into the Off-Broadway play “SMALL,” which Montano wrote and stars in. It's coming to New York and the 59 E. 59 Theater on Aug. 12 and will run through Sept. 2.

In advance of SMALL's run in New York, Montano joined the TDN Writers' Room podcast presented by Keeneland to talk about the play and what has been a fascinating life full of ups and downs. Montano was the Green Group Guest of the Week.

Looking at those jockeys riding in New York, he saw people who were as small as he was, but instead of being bullied they were respected athletes, admired by thousands of racing fans. That's what he wanted for himself.

“I was tired of getting picked on,” he said. “But when I saw these little men coming out into the paddock area I saw that they were getting respect. It would get quiet and I would ask my mother what was happening and she said, 'The jockeys have come. That's called respect.' I was just so in love with the whole pageantry of it all. My mother was there to bet on her jockey friend Roberto Pineda. He reminded me of Bruce Lee and I was a huge fan of Bruce Lee.”

Nothing ever came easily for Montano on the racetrack. After a growth spurt, he became too big to be a jockey and his weight was the reason why he couldn't get any mounts. He rode for just five months. He resorted to using laxatives, amphetamines, cocaine and pills called Black Beauties. He would run 17 miles a day.

“I couldn't get there. I was just getting bigger and bigger, and I just didn't know what to do with my life,” he said.

Yet, Montano said he wouldn't trade his time on the racetrack for anything.

“I would do it again in a heartbeat,” he said. “There are people who have made it work. I look at people like Trevor McCarthy, who I love. He's a wonderful rider and he's five-foot-ten. There were others, like Marco Castaneda. But they all had thin bones. I was born with thick bones. I just was fighting Mother Nature and there was just nothing I could do about it.”

After giving up on his dream to be a jockey, Montano saw Saturday Night Fever, went to the famous disco, the Rafters and discovered the world of dancing and acting. On television, he has appeared as one of Kim Cattrell's lovers, “We William,” in Sex In The City. He has guest starred in, CSI: Miami, Third Watch, Six Degrees, Law & Order, New York Undercover, Law & Order: SVU, Harrison – Cry Of The City, numerous soaps, and as Resto in the HBO film Undefeated, directed by John Leguizamo.

Elsewhere on the podcast, which is also sponsored byhttps://coolmore.com/https://lanesend.com/ the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association, Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders, NYRABets.com, WinStar Farm, XBTV.com, Stonestreet Farms and https://www.threechimneys.com/ West Point Thoroughbreds, the team of Bill Finley, Randy Moss and Zoe Cadman discussed the tragic breakdown of Maple Leaf Mel (Cross Traffic) in the GI Test S. Like virtually everyone else in racing, the team tried to come up with answers to what is a horrible problem for the sport but admitted that they had none. The GI Whitney S. was a major topic of discussion, from the huge performance by winner White Abarrio (Race Day) to the lackluster third-place finish by Cody's Wish (Curlin). Looking ahead at the weekend, the focus was on the GI Arlington Million and the other stakes formerly run at Arlington Park that will be run at Colonial Downs. Finley said the Million has lost its mojo since Arlington has closed and said it may be time to simply discontinue these races.

To watch the Writers' Room, click here. To view the show as a podcast, click here.

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HOF Rider Jerry Bailey Talks Jim Dandy And More On Writers’ Room

It was a good week to have a Hall of Fame jockey on the TDN Writers' Room, presented by Keeneland, as the Green Group Guest of the Week and especially to have that jockey be Jerry Bailey, who knows a thing or two about analyzing a race for an audience. Bailey pulled no punches when asked about whether or not he felt Forte (Violence) should have been disqualified in the Jim Dandy Saturday at Saratoga.

“I thought it was a bad call,” said Bailey. “I thought he was the best horse in the race, but I thought he should have come down. The rules of racing state that even if you are not clear of somebody and you change paths and you interfere with their progress, which you clearly did, then you should be disqualified. I mean, if you look at the chart, even the chart says he forced his way out. I'm paraphrasing here, `repeatedly bumping with the outside horse.' And then he came back in and it was negligent. So, yeah, I thought he should have come down.”

Bailey said that the danger went beyond this one race. “Look, you want a safer product out on the track as you can possibly get for both horse and rider. And I'll tell you from experience, I went through it myself. I won't name the riders, but there were two or three in New York that the stewards let get carried away and go over the line repeatedly, and then the line gets farther and farther away and it gets more severe. And what happens is the riders take it into their own hands. If the stewards are not policing the riders and enforcing the rules, then the riders are left to police themselves. And that is not a good situation.”

Bailey also relived his exploits on Cigar, his Derby wins on Sea Hero and Grindstone, and told tales about his days in the jocks' room.

Elsewhere on the Writers' Room, also sponsored by Stonestreet, NYRA Bets, Lane's End Farm, XBTV, WinStar Farm, West Point Thoroughbreds, and the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders, Randy Moss, Zoe Cadman and T.D. Thornton discussed (what else?) the Jim Dandy non-DQ, and the other big races of the weekend, previewed the upcoming Test, Whitney, and Saratoga Derby at Saratoga as well as the Clement L. Hirsch at Del Mar, and discussed the top news stories. Those included Jason Servis's four-year prison sentence, Santa Anita's decisions on improvement expenditures in light of the closing of Golden Gate, and HISA's policy change on provisional suspensions.

To watch the Writers' Room, click here. To view the show as a podcast, click here.

The post HOF Rider Jerry Bailey Talks Jim Dandy And More On Writers’ Room appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Is AI About to Steal My Job? Not So Fast

We've been told that artificial intelligence is going to take over the world while also taking over the jobs currently being done by humans. I would imagine that would include the press coverage of horse races. I might have 35-years experience on the job, but that doesn't mean I match up to computers or machines being able to simulate human intelligence to perform tasks or solve problems. They say that within our lifetimes, artificial intelligence (AI) will have altered our world more significantly and faster than any other technology since the discovery of electricity.
But can AI do a better job writing a story for the Thoroughbred Daily News than I can and wouldn't that make me expendable? It turns out I have nothing to fear.

Perhaps some day this will change, but when it comes to horse racing coverage AI isn't ready for prime time. I have turned to ChatGPT, which is a large language model-based chatbot developed by OpenAI and launched on November 30, 2022. It is notable for enabling users to refine and steer a conversation towards a desired length, format, style, level of detail, and language used.

I've asked ChatGPT to write several stories based on recent occurrences in racing. Every time, the result is nothing sort of gibberish and nonsense and factual errors. Let's take this example, when I asked ChatGPT to “write a story about Forte winning the Jim Dandy.”

Here's what the computer came up with:

“Once upon a time in the world of horse racing, there was a magnificent thoroughbred named Forte. He was a striking chestnut stallion with a strong and muscular build, and his eyes gleamed with a fiery determination. Forte was known for his incredible speed and relentless spirit on the racetrack, and he had captured the hearts of racing enthusiasts around the world.

“The Jim Dandy Stakes was one of the most prestigious horse racing events of the year. Held at the historic Saratoga Race Course, it attracted the finest three-year-old horses in the country. The anticipation was electric as the day of the race approached, and Forte's name was on everyone's lips.

“Forte was owned by Mr. Richard Anderson, a passionate horse lover who had invested his heart and soul into raising and training Forte to be the champion he was. He had a team of skilled trainers and jockeys who worked tirelessly to prepare Forte for the big race.

“As the morning of the Jim Dandy Stakes dawned, the Saratoga Race Course was buzzing with excitement. The grandstands were packed with cheering spectators, and the atmosphere was charged with anticipation. Forte's presence was captivating, and whispers of his victories from previous races circulated among the crowd.

“The gates opened, and the horses thundered down the track. Forte's jockey, a talented and experienced rider named Mike, guided him skillfully through the pack. As they rounded the first turn, Forte's stride was powerful, and he surged ahead, taking the lead.

“But the Jim Dandy Stakes was no ordinary race, and the competition was fierce. Other top-class horses were vying for the win, and they were not willing to let Forte have an easy victory. The race intensified as they entered the backstretch, and Forte faced the challenge of maintaining his lead.

“In the final turn, two formidable opponents closed in, and the race became a neck-and-neck battle. The spectators held their breath as the horses charged toward the finish line. Forte's heart pounded, and he could feel the determination of his jockey urging him forward.

“In a display of pure grit and determination, Forte found another burst of energy. With every ounce of strength in his powerful legs, he surged ahead, crossing the finish line in a triumphant burst of speed. The cheers from the crowd were deafening as Forte was declared the winner of the Jim Dandy Stakes!

“Mr. Anderson, tears of joy streaming down his face, rushed to embrace his beloved stallion. The victory was not just a testament to Forte's exceptional talent but also a celebration of the incredible bond between a horse and his owner. Forte had earned his place in racing history as one of the greatest champions of all time.

“The Jim Dandy Stakes victory was a turning point in Forte's career. He went on to win many more prestigious races, solidifying his status as a legendary racehorse. His story inspired generations of racing enthusiasts, and his name became synonymous with greatness.

“As the sun set on the day of the Jim Dandy Stakes, Forte stood proudly in his stable, bathed in the golden light of his accomplishments. He had proven that with courage, dedication, and a heart of a champion, any dream could be realized – a true testament to the spirit of horse racing and the indomitable Forte.”

So he is owned by Mr. Richard Anderson and his jockey is an experienced rider named Mike. Okay. And where was Todd Pletcher, Mike Repole, Irtad Ortiz Jr. and the DQ that was not? But I'm sure Repole and Pletcher will be pleased to know that Forte's “story inspired generations of racing enthusiasts, and his name became synonymous with greatness.”

Secretariat wins the Belmont. But where is Henry? | Bob Coglianese photo

Okay, so maybe ChaptGPT just had a bad day. I decided to give it another chance, asking it to write a story explaining why Secretariat was such a great horse. Bet you didn't know that much of Secretariat's success was due to his unmistakable bond with his caretaker Henry. Who?

“But it wasn't just his physical attributes that set him apart; it was his unique relationship with his caretaker, Henry, a wise and gentle stable hand,” the AI-generated story read. “Henry had spent his entire life working with horses, and he had a special connection with these noble creatures. He treated them with respect and love, understanding that their greatness came not just from their physical abilities but from the bond they formed with those who cared for them. With Secretariat, he saw something extraordinary—an intelligence and understanding that went beyond the ordinary.”

Two stories, both ridiculous. I'm here to stay. In fact, maybe it's time to ask for a raise.

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