Other Racing: Quarters, Harness, Jumps

luvsgeldings · Mon Aug 07, 2023 2:15 pm

thank you for letting us know about Black Ruby.... sorry to hear that she passed - but nice to know she lived a good long life - we saw her several times here in SoCal when she raced - one thing i will always remember about the mule races, i remember Trevor Denman saying he didn't like having to call them - he said he wasn't a fan of mule racing - he said mules were not like horses in that regard - running like that was not natural to them. i had never thought about that until he said it. but he was right.

Flanders · Mon Aug 07, 2023 2:37 pm

WaquoitNBroadBrush wrote: ↑Mon Aug 07, 2023 12:13 pm I've noticed the absence of mule racing from the Cal Fairs' racing menu this decade and wonder if it's still being conducted (and bet on legally) anywhere these days. Elko (Winnemucca Fair) in Nevada used to run mules too, but I don't think that track has raced since the COVID shutdown. So what happened to apparently cause mule racing to go the way of appaloosa racing? Too few foals being bred/registered to sustain a full season of races?

Elko raced in 2021, 2022 and have dates for 2023. I can't find anything for mule races though. Winnemucca had to cancel from 2011-2012 due to an outbreak of EHV, then returned in 2013 and 2014 and stopped racing there after. They said the last year they ran the races they could only run 11 races total instead of 20 and they averaged 5-6 mules a race as opposed to 10 in the past. Combine that with desperately needed and expensive renovations and maintenance, they decided to just stop having races. Board Meeting of Humboldt County, if you wanted to read their decision, its 8.5, its a pdf. http://winnemucca.com/images/wcva_agend ... _Oct16.pdf

Diver52 · Mon Aug 07, 2023 3:08 pm

I remember the Great Match Race between Black Ruby and Taz--have I lost my mind (very possible) or did Taz have a clone who later raced?

WarBiscuit · Mon Aug 07, 2023 3:17 pm

Here is a bit more on Black Ruby by Jay Hovdey -

www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/article ... one-before

WarBiscuit

Flanders · Mon Aug 07, 2023 3:18 pm

Diver52 wrote: ↑Mon Aug 07, 2023 3:08 pm I remember the Great Match Race between Black Ruby and Taz--have I lost my mind (very possible) or did Taz have a clone who later raced?

Yeah, at least 2. I saw their names earlier when I was searching for the mule racing earlier. Idaho Gem and Idaho Star.

Mylute · Mon Aug 07, 2023 3:25 pm

What is the point exactly in cloning? It's weird.

"Why yes this horse right here is Storm Cat but also is not Storm Cat."

WarBiscuit · Mon Aug 07, 2023 3:31 pm

Mylute wrote: ↑Mon Aug 07, 2023 3:25 pm What is the point exactly in cloning? It's weird.

"Why yes this horse right here is Storm Cat but also is not Storm Cat."

www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-m ... 180963101/

WarBiscuit

Mylute · Mon Aug 07, 2023 3:35 pm

Miss Woodford wrote: ↑Sat Aug 05, 2023 11:38 pm Today at the Meadowlands:

Tactical Approach won the Hambletonian in come-from-behind fashion at odds of 12-1.
https://ustrottingnews.com/tactical-app ... bletonian/

Barefoot filly Heaven Hanover (by Father Patrick) won the Hambletonian Oaks at 28-1.
https://paulickreport.com/horse-care-ca ... nian-oaks/

Miss Woodford · Mon Aug 07, 2023 4:33 pm

Mylute wrote: ↑Mon Aug 07, 2023 3:35 pm
Miss Woodford wrote: ↑Sat Aug 05, 2023 11:38 pm Today at the Meadowlands:

Tactical Approach won the Hambletonian in come-from-behind fashion at odds of 12-1.
https://ustrottingnews.com/tactical-app ... bletonian/

Barefoot filly Heaven Hanover (by Father Patrick) won the Hambletonian Oaks at 28-1.
https://paulickreport.com/horse-care-ca ... nian-oaks/

Not super unusual in Standardbreds, they have excellent feet. Some do better without the few ounces of extra weight on their hooves.

BaroqueAgain1 · Mon Aug 07, 2023 6:19 pm

IIRC, they like to train SBs with shoes, so that when they are removed for a race, the horse's stride is freer and the horse feels a bit more energy without the weight.

Mylute · Wed Aug 09, 2023 9:18 am

No Turf Racing, Steeplechase Aug. 9 at Saratoga

Wednesday's $70,000 allowance steeplechase has been moved to the Aug. 16 card. As a result, the $150,000 Jonathan Sheppard Stakes, a grade 1 steeplechase, has been moved to Aug. 23, and the Michael Walsh Novice Stakes, which had been set for Aug. 23, was canceled and will not be rescheduled.

https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing ... t-saratoga

Why not just move the Michael Walsh S. to the same day as the Sheppard?

Miss Woodford · Wed Aug 09, 2023 3:25 pm

Mylute wrote: ↑Wed Aug 09, 2023 9:18 am No Turf Racing, Steeplechase Aug. 9 at Saratoga
Wednesday's $70,000 allowance steeplechase has been moved to the Aug. 16 card. As a result, the $150,000 Jonathan Sheppard Stakes, a grade 1 steeplechase, has been moved to Aug. 23, and the Michael Walsh Novice Stakes, which had been set for Aug. 23, was canceled and will not be rescheduled.
https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing ... t-saratoga

Why not just move the Michael Walsh S. to the same day as the Sheppard?

They get less betting on the jumps races, they're basically doing them as a favor to the horsemen. Don't want to have more than one on the card lest it mess with the exotics.

Diver52 · Wed Aug 09, 2023 6:33 pm

BaroqueAgain1 wrote: ↑Mon Aug 07, 2023 6:19 pm IIRC, they like to train SBs with shoes, so that when they are removed for a race, the horse's stride is freer and the horse feels a bit more energy without the weight.

Like a batter swinging a bat with a metal donut on it before stepping up to the plate with his game bat.

Justahorse · Fri Aug 18, 2023 12:53 pm

Ancient times had a blast at colonial Downs today. Although he didnt win he did set the pace by double digits he did fight back to get second to animal Kingston by half a length. Good horses at colonial Downs today

Miss Woodford · Wed Aug 23, 2023 4:45 pm

The very handsome Phipps-bred Awakened took the Jonathan Sheppard in a thrilling stretch run with Jimmy P and McTigue.

Flanders · Wed Aug 23, 2023 6:07 pm

Miss Woodford wrote: ↑Wed Aug 23, 2023 4:45 pm The very handsome Phipps-bred Awakened took the Jonathan Sheppard in a thrilling stretch run with Jimmy P and McTigue.

Nothing to do with this but I thought maybe you'd know, what happened to The Mean Queen? Is she still in training? She had only raced once last year and hasn't started at all this year.

Mylute · Wed Aug 23, 2023 7:20 pm

I am also wondering about Down Royal.

Miss Woodford · Wed Aug 23, 2023 11:10 pm

Last I heard this spring The Mean Queen was galloping at Fair Hill, not sure if she's had a setback or what.

Down Royal is retired now, idk if she's been bred or if they're giving her the year off.

Flanders · Thu Aug 24, 2023 5:37 am

Miss Woodford wrote: ↑Wed Aug 23, 2023 11:10 pm Last I heard this spring The Mean Queen was galloping at Fair Hill, not sure if she's had a setback or what.

Down Royal is retired now, idk if she's been bred or if they're giving her the year off.

Thank you!

Miss Woodford · Thu Sep 07, 2023 2:16 am

I totally missed Southwind Amazon finally grabbing career win #128 on August 30th in an appearance at the Stark County Fair. He wasted no time in following that up with #129 at his home track of Northfield on Wednesday night though. He now has the second-most all-time victories by any Standardbred in history.
https://harnesslink.com/usa/southwind-a ... ield-park/
Here's his 14-length (!) win in the Stark County Pacing Derby from last week.
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=83787 ... 344&t=4524