Tag: People

On the 50th anniversary of the immortal Secretariat winning the Belmont Stakes (G1) and the Triple Crown, the spotlight has been on the extraordinary achievement of 'Big Red' and his connections, and rightly so.

Nonetheless, on Sunday morning after the 155th running of the $1.5-million Belmont Stakes the previous day, the remarkable accomplishment of the legendary Woody Stephens training five consecutive Belmont winners–Conquistador Cielo [1982], Caveat [1983], Swale [1984], Crème Fraiche [1985], and Danzig Connection [1986]–is also worthy of note.

That is a record that almost certainly will never be equaled, never be broken.

Trainer David Donk was the assistant to the Hall of Fame horseman from 1985-1990, and remembers him well.

“Woody ate, slept, and breathed horse racing. He was a phenomenal person. It was late in his career when I was around him, but I knew I was working for a legend in his own time,” said Donk. “It was a dream for me to be able to work for him. It was being with the best horses, the best clients, and the best of everything.”

Donk said during his time with Stephens he received an invaluable education, “For a kid that didn't go to college, I went to one of the best universities.”

One of the lessons Donk learned from Stephens was how to deal with the media and how to treat everyone with equal respect, whether he be Daily Racing Form's Joe Hirsch, the late dean of Turf writers, or someone working for the smallest newspaper. Others were those that can only be learned from a legend.

“I will always say in life there's no such thing as the best. But he is one of the best horsemen, undoubtedly,” said his former assistant.

As time goes by events can fade in memory, but icons like Secretariat and Stephens never lose their place in history.

“To explain to someone today how long ago it's been since he won five Belmonts, not just five but five in a row…That's one of the great records, like Joe DiMaggio's or Bob Baffert's [Kentucky] Derby wins,” Donk said. “We talk about Secretariat and it's 50 years, although it doesn't seem like it. But the fact that Woody won all those Belmonts is always going to come up.”

Stephens was as hands on as they come. He knew every inch of each horse under his care.

“It was a different style of training then. Woody only carried 36 horses at one time. We had barns number three and four at Belmont and each barn had 18 stalls. That was size of his stable. It's not the same today as it was 30 years ago,” said Donk, who to this day has only stabled at Saratoga in barn 85, where all five Belmont winners were bedded down. “It was different then. Here at Belmont, there were 18 older horses in barn three and 18 two-year-olds in barn four. That was it.”

Donk said Stephens had an uncanny sixth sense about horses.

“Training was different then. They were a lot harder on horses. They pushed them a lot more,” Donk said. “He taught me detail and to pay attention it, to what you liked and didn't like today, from the time they cleaned up their feed tub, how they acted in the stall, how they were when you pulled them out of the stall. He taught me how to watch how happy the horse is and his demeanor is.”

Woody Stephens once wrote a book titled Guess I'm Lucky, My Life in Horseracing. The title is apropos.

“I guess I'm lucky, too. The biggest break I ever got in my career was to get the job with Woody,” Donk said.

The post Donk Remembers Woody Stephens And His Record Five Consecutive Belmont Wins appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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In 2004, after 18 years as a professional jockey, Kent Desormeaux was inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. He was 34.

Desormeaux's induction into the Hall was earned after winning three Eclipse Awards, two Kentucky Derbies, a Preakness and setting a North American record for wins in a season. In 1989, Desormeaux rode a whopping 598 winners. It ranks as one of most unbreakable records in the world of sports.

Now age 53, Desormeaux on Saturday displayed that Hall of Fame form with a master class in the saddle at Santa Anita. With an ideal ride stalking the pace in the opener, plus two exquisitely timed rallies from last on the back-half of the 10-race card, he finished with three wins on the 10-race card.

“It's very invigorating, certainly a head picker-upper to have a day like that,” Desormeaux said Sunday morning from Clocker's Corner at the Arcadia, Calif. track. “On Friday, I had some indifferent rides and was a little upset. I went home Friday night banging my head.”

Earlier on Friday, Santa Anita stewards ruled Desormeaux, who has a history of alcohol-related problems, would be required to pass a daily breathalyzer test to ride in races or work horses. The ruling was in response to Desormeaux failing a breathalyzer test on March 31 prior to the first race.

“To have a day like Saturday, it energizes you,” Desormeaux said. “It's the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.”

Since his induction into the Hall of Fame, Desormeaux has added two more Kentucky Derby wins and three more Preakness victories. Entering Sunday's card at Santa Anita, he ranks seventh all-time in career purse earnings with $292,806,090 and 16th in wins with 6,148.

Saturday's wins came in the opener on turf with favorite Luminiferous ($5.00) for trainer George Papaprodromou, the eighth race on dirt by a nose with favorite Sunshine Babe ($5.80) for trainer Marcelo Polanco, and the ninth race on the hillside turf course by a neck with Count Of Amazonia ($11.00) for trainer Bob Hess Jr.

Desormeaux said he heard from numerous well-wishers after Saturday's hat trick.

“The text messages came in plenty,” he noted. “You just hope people notice that when you're mounted, you're still capable.”

Desormeaux now has 13 wins at the Hollywood Meet to rank sixth in the jockey standings. During the Classic Meet ended April 9, Desormeaux ranked 11th in the standings with 15 wins from 87 mounts, a 17 percent strike rate.

“I think it's been a real good winter and spring here at Santa Anita,” Desormeaux said. “I've landed some new barns I'd never ridden for. I credit my agent Susan McBrayer for that. She's done a wonderful job. The results have been solid.”

When the Santa Anita Hollywood Meet closes next Sunday, Southern California racing shifts to Los Alamitos for a three-week stand. Desormeaux plans to ride there only if the right opportunities arise.

“I would love to ride any important horse. It doesn't have to be a stakes horse,” Desormeaux said. “But generally, the horses that run there don't run at Del Mar. I like to freshen up ahead of Del Mar. It's a very intense meet.

He added the first order of business when Santa Anita closes is to visit his mother in Louisiana. Last month on April 22, Desormeaux's father, Harris Desormeaux, died at the age of 80.

“It's a good time for me to go visit my mother,” Desormeaux said. “Last month I lost my father, so I'm going to go keep her company for a week and then come back to tune-up for Del Mar.”

The post Desormeaux Has Riding Triple Day After Stewards Issue Alcohol-Related Ruling appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Maryland State Governor Wes Moore today announced appointments to Maryland's new Thoroughbred Racetrack Operating Authority. The authority, created through Senate Bill 720 passed earlier this year, will make recommendations regarding the racing industry in Maryland and will work to improve horse racing and training facilities in the state.

“The horse racing industry is an important part of our state's history and our present-day economy. We have a long, distinguished tradition of racing here in our state,” said Gov. Moore. “I was proud to attend the Preakness as governor this year and to have the opportunity to celebrate that incredible Maryland institution. My administration is committed to working with all stakeholders to not only move us forward but to ensure a solid, successful, and sustainable future for Maryland racing. The Thoroughbred Racetrack Operating Authority will help us reach that goal, and I appreciate the General Assembly's leadership and action in recognizing the need for this new Authority.”

The authority, separate from the Maryland Racing Commission, will convene experts to study issues and make recommendations about the future of racing, including investment in Maryland's racing facilities, to ensure that Maryland remains a premier racing destination for many years to come.

Under Senate Bill 720, the governor makes the following appointments:

• Three members, one of whom will serve as chair
• One member from a list of two individuals nominated by the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association
• One member from a list of two individuals nominated by the Maryland Horse Breeders Association
• Three ex-officio members of the community who reside near Laurel Park Race Course, Pimlico Race Course, and the Bowie Race Course Training Center, respectively

The authority also includes:

• A member appointed by the Senate President
• A member appointed by the Speaker of the House
• A representative from the Maryland Stadium Authority
• A representative from the Maryland Economic Development Corporation
• A member of the Maryland Racing Commission

Greg Cross, a veteran attorney at Venable LLP with significant experience in the state's racing industry, will serve as chair. Cross is recognized as one of the nation's expert commercial real estate and structured finance litigators.

In the racing industry, Cross represented horse breeding farms beginning in the 1990s and represented the State of Maryland in connection with the 2009 bankruptcy of the then-owner of the Preakness Stakes, Magna Entertainment. He negotiated a 2010 agreement with the predecessor of The Stronach Group that ensured the Preakness could not be moved out of Maryland. He has represented the Maryland Economic Development Corporation in the acquisition, construction and redevelopment of racing facilities as required by House Bill 897. Through this work, Cross spent the past year actively engaged in conversations with the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association, Maryland Horse Breeders Association, Maryland Stadium Authority, and 1/ST Racing regarding options for the future of Maryland racing.

“Greg Cross is the leader we need in this critical position,” said Gov. Moore. “He has helped Maryland racing navigate challenging times in the past and has played a key role in the development and implementation of racing legislation in recent years—he is the right person to hit the ground running and help us chart a path forward.”

“I am excited and honored to accept this appointment,” said Greg Cross. “I care deeply about the future of Maryland racing and I appreciate Governor Moore's confidence in me to lead this new authority. In partnership with my fellow appointees, we will get to work quickly to explore and define possibilities for the future of Maryland's horse racing industry.”

Additional authority members appointed by Governor Moore include:

Mary Tydings

Mary Tydings is a leader in talent recruitment and placement. Tydings recently retired after a 35-year career at Russell Reynolds Associates, a major international executive search and leadership advisory firm. During her career she partnered with major national and international foundations, non-governmental organizations, and cultural and higher education institutions to recruit key leaders. Tydings advised board leadership on governance and succession planning, built and led the firm's social impact sector practice, and served as a member of the firm's executive committee.

Tydings and her family have long ties to horse racing in Maryland. She participated extensively in riding programs in her youth and her family owned several steeplechase horses. Her uncle, John Schapiro, was the longtime owner of Laurel Park racetrack and her cousin, Joe Davies, is a nationally recognized steeplechase trainer. Tydings is a member of the Board of the Maryland Center for History and Culture and has previously served as a member of the Board of Bowdoin College and Lucky Dog Animal Rescue.

Jeff Hargrave

Jeff L. Hargrave is the Founder and President of Mahogany, Inc., a commercial construction firm specializing in architectural millwork, general contracting, and commissioning services since 1991. Hargrave is a native of Baltimore City. He graduated from Mergenthaler Vocational Technical High School and later studied business management at Catonsville Community College and the University of Phoenix. His career track moved forward steadily from carpenter to foreman, superintendent, and proud owner and CEO of Mahogany, Inc. In 2018 Hargrave won the Ernst & Young Entrepreneurs of the Year award in the service category for the mid-Atlantic region and was also named a national finalist in his category.

Hargrave is a philanthropist who is currently a member of numerous boards that support the community. He is the Chair of Presidents' RoundTable and Vice Chair of Baltimore Development Corporation. He is a board member for the Greater Baltimore Committee and Maryland Chamber of Commerce. He previously served as the Baltimore region Chapter Chair for the Associated Builders and Contractors.

Alan Foreman (nominated by the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association)

Alan Foreman is one of the leading racing law attorneys in the United States. In addition to his law practice, Foreman is chair and chief executive officer of Thoroughbred Horsemen's Associations, Inc., based in Stevenson, Maryland, which represents more than 20,000 owners and trainers throughout the United States. He is also a founding director of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association and is counsel to many horsemen's and racing industry organizations. Early in his career, Foreman served as an Assistant Attorney General of the State of Maryland and counsel to the Maryland Racing Commission.

Foreman is the co-author of the widely recognized Task Force Report on Racehorse Health and Safety that followed the spate of catastrophic breakdowns at Aqueduct Race Course in 2011-2012. Foreman represented the Maryland racing industry in the negotiations that developed the Maryland Racing and Community Redevelopment Plan for Pimlico and Laurel Park. His law practice involves all areas of equine and horse racing law representing horse owners, breeders, farms, jockeys, stables, trainers and horsemen's organizations. He is widely credited with creating the Maryland Jockey Injury Compensation Fund, Inc. in 1984, the nation's first workers compensation program for jockeys.

Thomas J. Rooney (nominated by the Maryland Horse Breeders Association)

Thomas J. (Tom) Rooney is a former Congressman and currently serves as the president and chief executive officer of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association. A thoroughbred owner and breeder who hails from one of America's great sporting families, Rooney has taken an active role for several years in his family's Shamrock Farm, a thoroughbred breeding and lay-up operation in Woodbine, Maryland, founded by his grandfather.

Rooney has a deep background in racing and sports. He grew up attending the races with family members in his native Pennsylvania as well as in Maryland, New York, Florida, and Kentucky. Rooney has also served on the board of the Maryland Horse Breeders Association.

As a Congressman, Rooney focused on economic, agricultural, national security and military issues. Prior to becoming a member of the House of Representatives, Rooney served with the U.S. Army as a lawyer in the JAG Corps.

The three appointed ex-officio members of the community include: Joe Franco (Laurel Park Race Course); Nicole Earle (Pimlico Race Course); and Gavin Stokes (Bowie Race Course Training Center).

The post Maryland: Chair Greg Cross Leads Appointments To New Thoroughbred Racetrack Operating Authority appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Three-time leading trainer Kelly Breen said he hopes to mark his return to Monmouth Park next weekend after undergoing neck fusion surgery three weeks ago.

Breen will send out hard-hitting Jersey-breds He'spuregold and Pickin' Time in Sunday's $85,000 Friendly Lover Stakes for state-breds going a mile at the Oceanport, N.J., track.

“It was major surgery,” said Breen. “It was rough. I had trouble breathing and eating and lost a little weight. I couldn't walk for a while. I needed a walker. I'm up to walking with a cane now.

“I should be back next weekend.”

Breen's absence is a large reason for the slow start to the meet, with just three winners from his first 22 starters.

“I have a bunch (six overall) in on Sunday and I'm trying to bring along some 2-year-olds that are maybe behind where I usually am,” he said. “I have not had as many running as I would like but it will pick up.”

From a health standpoint, Breen said “every day I'm a little better.”

“It knocks you out,” he said. “Just trying to walk down the stretch has been an accomplishment.”

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