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De Meric, Finley, Miles, Eisaman Join TDN Writers’ Room On Scene at OBS

OCALA, FL–There's been a palpable good feeling all week at OBS for the auction house's marquee Spring 2-Year-Old Sale, and you need look no further than the full parking lot to explain why. Business is booming, but perhaps equally responsible for the positive vibes is the easing of coronavirus restrictions as the country rapidly becomes vaccinated, which means old friends seeing and hugging each other for the first time in a long time. Wednesday morning, Joe Bianca and Jon Green talked about that and much more with four consignors and buyers in the first on-scene episode of TDN Writers' Room presented by Keeneland.

Joining the set, posted up at the tiki bar near the walking ring, were Green Group Guests of the Week Barry “Doc” Eisaman, Randy Miles, Nick de Meric and Terry Finley, all of whom exuded the optimism felt from economic and personal standpoints on the grounds compared to last year's delayed, angst-filled sale.

“The weight is just lifted off our back,” said Miles, whose six-horse consignment includes Hip 1099, an Into Mischief filly expected to bring a large return on the sale's final day after breezing a furlong in :9 4/5. “We had no idea what was going to happen last year. We were trying to sell horses privately because we didn't know what the market was going to be like. And a big part of this business is not about the money, it's about all of our friends. It's just so nice to be out here for this two-week period and all of our friends are here. It's like a big party. Everybody is in a great mood, and it's just refreshing. If we can get the racetracks back to this, it'll be so much fun. The financial stuff always takes care of itself. But the people are what makes it fun.”

Nick de Meric's de Meric Sales has come to OBS typically loaded with promising juveniles, which bore out later Wednesday in the ring when a Quality Road colt (hip 381, :10 flat breeze) from his shedrow hammered to Speedway Stable for a thus-far sale-topping $1.5 million.

“As we all know, if this business teaches you nothing else it teaches you to be humble, but we do have a couple of potential stars,” de Meric said. “We have a fabulous Quality Road, we have a couple of Into Mischiefs that we think an awful lot of. Curlin, Candy Ride, we've got some names represented in the consignment and the horses performed well and vetted well after their performance, and people seem to be lining up well in a few spots.”

de Meric also commented on the good feeling around the grounds, saying, “I think the atmosphere is diametrically opposed to last year. People have been on lockdown so long and had restricted travel so long, they're just ready to come out and play. And what better place to play than a 2-year-old sale? There is definitely a feeling of optimism in the air.”

The proximity to next Saturday's GI Kentucky Derby, also back on its normal calendar spot this year, also helped that optimism. West Point Thoroughbreds' CEO Finley bought a pair of babies Tuesday and spoke about the motivation of the impending Derby to find the next star.

“You look at the top 25 horses that are in contention for the Derby and they don't all come from day one in September, they don't all cost $600,000,” he said. “They come from all over the spectrum. So I think that's what keeps everybody [motivated]. The fact that you can come here and get a great athlete to take a shot with to try to get to the big races.”

Eisaman was this week's Minnesota Racehorse Engagement Project Story of the Week after he and wife Shari's Eisaman Equine sold a homebred colt by Gun Runner (Hip 118, :10 flat breeze) for an easily session-topping $850,000 to Michael Lund Petersen in Tuesday's sale opener.

“My wife is the brains behind the management of our mares and it's extremely rewarding for her,” he said. “She picked Gun Runner, she helped select that mare, so to have one we raised from a little puppy to yesterday was very good. Every year when we leave the farm and go into the sale, there are young horses who are doing everything quite well and he was one of them. But you can never really predict at that point that he'd catch on with the right buyers and be that successful. After he got here, trained here, the breeze show happened and he galloped out so well, showed so much poise, you begin to evolve into understanding this, but our expectations were never in the range that he brought [Tuesday]. So it was a good day for us, our family, my wife and our broodmares.”

Elsewhere on the show, Bianca and Green reacted to the outstanding battle in the GI Apple Blossom H., talked about the reversal of disqualifications for Bob Baffert trainees Charlatan (Speightstown) and Gamine (Into Mischief) and, in the West Point Thoroughbreds news segment, broke down the implications of New Jersey's strict new whip rules. Click here to watch the podcast; click here for the audio-only version.

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Steve Asmussen Talks ‘Family Horse’ Super Stock On Writers’ Room

One of the few major races left to win for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen is the most significant prize in racing, so a win in this year's GI Kentucky Derby would satisfy an ultimate career goal. But if he were to do it with Saturday's GI Arkansas Derby victor Super Stock (Dialed In), a horse with the Asmussen family's fingerprints all over him, it would represent the sentimental success of a lifetime. Wednesday, Asmussen joined the TDN Writers' Room presented by Keeneland to discuss Super Stock, the permanent chip on his shoulder, who he would pick between some of his legendary trainees head to head and more.

Calling in via Zoom as the Green Group Guest of the Week, Asmussen talked about his emotional connection to Super Stock, who is co-owned by his father and was ridden to victory by his oldest son for his first stakes win last summer.

“We've been very fortunate in racing, had many successes, but a circumstance in which you can leg your son up on a stakes winner for your parents is quite unique, to say the least, and is a very special experience,” he said. “I have so many emotions about it. You imagine having that kind of success going into a race, but I did not realize what it actually meant, and the outpouring of love, respect and support since the [Arkansas Derby] for my parents and who they are has been the best part for me. This is my mom and dad's story. They supported us unwaveringly and put me and Cash in the positions we've been in to have success in this business. They're both 79 years old and unique circumstances allowed them to keep this horse. Dad has had Grade I winners in the past, he's just sold them all. That probably would have happened with this horse as well if not for the pandemic. It's brought mom and dad to the forefront and gotten them the respect and admiration that I know they deserve.”

Asked how it would change his life to win a Derby after coming up empty with his first 21 starters, Asmussen said, “I don't know yet, but I'd hate to lose this chip on my shoulder, lose the edge. The next horse that you run is the most important horse. Our motto around here is, 'Everything matters or nothing matters.' So don't lose that chip. We've got to keep it in front of us. We get tremendous opportunities and we respect them and want to make the most of them. Whenever Super Stock won, it was meant to be, so that's what we're looking for going into the Derby. It'll happen, if it's meant to be.”

Elsewhere on the show, the writers reacted to the weekend's big races and handicapped all five participants' chances to win the Writers' Room Derby Chase fantasy 3-year-old contest. In the West Point Thoroughbreds news segment, they lamented yet another slap-on-the-wrist fine for a trainer with a drug positive and lauded Indiana Grand's decision to broadcast video explanations for all of its steward decisions. And, in welcoming new sponsor the Minnesota Racehorse Engagement Project, they talked about TDN's most-read story of the week, which featured trainer Joe Orseno railing against the Lasix ban in stakes races. Click here to watch the podcast; click here for the audio-only version.

The post Steve Asmussen Talks ‘Family Horse’ Super Stock On Writers’ Room appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Todd Pletcher Talks Derby Contenders On Writers’ Room

At one point this spring, it was conceivable that soon-to-be Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher would be faced with the unusual situation of not having a GI Kentucky Derby starter. Things change quickly in racing though, as now the seven-time Eclipse Award winner is likely to have four horses in the gate in Louisville and Wednesday morning, he joined the TDN Writers' Room presented by Keeneland to talk about his sudden Derby quartet. Calling in via Zoom as the Green Group Guest of the Week, Pletcher also talked about what still motivates him to train, his early opinions on the Derby field and the progress racing has made on safety since his last appearance on the show following the 2019 Breeders' Cup.

Regarding his one-two finishers in Saturday's GII Wood Memorial S., 72-1 Bourbonic (Bernardini) and 15-1 Dynamic One (Union Rags), Pletcher said, “In Bourbonic's case, it was what I would describe as a pleasant surprise. He's a horse that's always trained well and we did think getting around two turns and up to a mile and an eighth was going to be to his benefit. I'd be lying if I said we expected him to win. The strategy was, let's let him fall back, make one run. He should get the distance and hopefully [be] picking up the pieces at the end, which he definitely was. I can't tell you I had a $40 win ticket on it.

“In Dynamic One's case, we were expecting him to run well. We've been a little disappointed in what he's done so far because he's always trained liked a good horse. I think he's still learning how to run and finish off a race. He got a little bit lost by himself [in the stretch of the Wood]. I think Bourbonic surprised him a bit. But that type of performance is what we've been seeing from him in the mornings to indicate he's of that quality.”

As for GI Curlin Florida Derby winner Known Agenda, likely to be the shortest price of the Pletcher four, he said, “He's a Curlin. He's bred to be better a little later. What surprised us about him was he was able to be competitive in his debut at 6 1/2 furlongs. Off that one race, he was able to beat Greatest Honour at a mile and an eighth, and they were 20 lengths clear of the third horse. In the Remsen, he was still green and was stuck inside on a sloppy track. Once he got clear late, he put in a good final sixteenth. He left himself too much to do. Same thing in the Sam Davis. So I think the blinkers have made a difference. The exciting thing about the group that we have is, I think they're all horses that are going to improve at a mile and a quarter. They're all horses that are truly looking for that distance.”

When Pletcher was last on the podcast, he spoke bluntly about the catastrophic situation racing found itself in after the spate of fatal breakdowns at Santa Anita. Wednesday, he was asked what progress he's seen since then in the sport and what still needs to be done.

“One breakdown is too many, but we also live in the real world where those things happen,” he said. “I think we've made a lot of improvements. The statistics are showing that the numbers are down. Like I said then, it's not a trainer thing, it's not a jockey thing, it's not a track veterinarian thing. It's an industry thing. We have to do better from the ground up. From the time these horses are born, to the way they're prepped for sales, the way they're treated the whole way. It's everyone's responsibility. Ultimately, it comes down to trainers making the decisions at entry time and race time. I think the industry has recognized as a whole that we all have to do better. That's why I think we're making improvements and hopefully are not going to rest on our laurels of doing better. We've got to keep getting better.”

Elsewhere on the show, the writers reacted to a huge weekend of racing, analyzed the prospective Derby picture and, in the West Point Thoroughbreds news segment, reported on an NFT-based virtual racing game that is rapidly growing in popularity. Click here to watch the podcast; click here for the audio-only version.

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NBC Racing, Hockey Analyst Eddie Olczyk Joins Writers’ Room

It's busy season for NBC's Eddie Olczyk. One of the few analysts on national television to dabble in multiple sports, the popular former hockey star is gearing up to broadcast the GI Kentucky Derby as well as the NHL playoffs this spring, and he joined the TDN Writers' Room podcast presented by Keeneland Tuesday afternoon to discuss it all. Calling in via Zoom as the Green Group Guest of the Week, Olczyk talked about his handicapping strategies, what horses he's eyeing for the first Saturday in May, his ordeal with colon cancer and much more.

Asked about his racing origins and unique broadcasting perspective, Olczyk said, “Since I was 13 years old here in Chicago at old Arlington Park, for me, it was love at first sight. I think anybody that I either bring to the racetrack or teach them about handicapping or just share stories about horse racing with, once they go [to the track], it seems like they continue to go. So I'd like to think that I've made an impact as far as getting hockey people involved in it. On the other side, I think I've turned a lot of horse racing people into hockey fans. Which both sports, quite frankly, could certainly use. We could use more people, especially young people, getting to know and loving both games. As I love to say, pucks and ponies, there's nothing better. And it's a great time of year with the Triple Crown and the NHL playoffs right around the corner.”

Later, Olczyk opened up about his six-month long chemotherapy battle with stage 3 colon cancer.

“The first thing I thought was, 'How long do I have to live?'” he said about his reaction when he got the diagnosis. “Colon cancer is very treatable if you can get to it early, but I was at stage 3. I was in one of those situations where it could've gone either way. I started my chemo Sept. 11, 2017. It was every two weeks for 48 hours. I was very lucky to have an incredible team of doctors. My wife Diana–we'll be married 33 years come August–was there every step of the way. I never saw her weak, never saw her down, never saw her worried, but I knew that when I wasn't around or she was by herself, she let her guard down. I was scared, and the side effects brought me to my knees. It tested my will to live. When I was ready to quit, she gave me a greater inspirational speech than I'd ever heard in any locker room or other setting in my life. She grabbed me and said, 'Look, you've got to fight. For me, for our kids, and for all the people that love you.' The conversation lasted 30 minutes. I cried for 35 of it. I said, 'OK, I'm just going to grab my hockey helmet and put it back on and I'm going to go day to day.'”

Elsewhere in the show, the writers reacted to the big racing days at Gulfstream and Dubai, including the tragic breakdown of Zenden (Fed Biz) before celebrating the continued overall progress in reducing racing fatalities in the West Point Thoroughbreds news segment. Click here to watch the podcast; click here for the audio-only version.

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