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“What we’ve got here is failure to communicate.”
That famous line from the classic movie “Cool Hand Luke” applies to many aspects of our lives, including horse racing.
The failure to communicate between trainer and owner, in fact, has been something of an inside joke for many years. The late Hall of Famer Charlie Whittingham, who said the most dangerous thing in racing is an owner with a condi-tion book, often joked that he treated his owners like mush-rooms. “Keep ‘em in the dark and feed a steady diet of ma-nure,” he would say.
But it’s the owners who pay the bills, and failure by train-ers to communicate with them has driven more than a few owners out of the game.
Trainer Michele Nihei is the antithesis of old-schoolers like Whittingham. Nihei, a lifelong equestrienne with a PhD in neuroscience, left academia for the racetrack 13 years ago. She worked as an assistant for Todd Pletcher for sev-eral years before going out on her own in 2007. She com-municates everything to her owners.
“They know every single thing about their horses,” Nihei said. “Sometimes it’s painful for them to hear it, and it can be painful for me to tell them.”
That communication extends to the veterinarians that treat Nihei’s horses. “I always tell my owners and my vets they are free to communicate with each other,” she said.Some trainers don’t want their owners calling their vets
A Failure to CommunicateBy Ray Paulick
SPECIALApril 23, 2014 www.PaulickReport.com
to ask questions about the bills or treatments they are ultimately paying for. I recently heard of a very prominent trainer who chastised an owner for having the audacity to call a veterinarian because of a question on a bill he’d just received.
That’s not the way it’s supposed to be, says Dr. Jeff Blea, a Southern California racetrack practitioner and the presi-dent of the American Association of Equine Practitioners. Blea describes the relationship and communications among owner, trainer and veterinarian like a triangle, with the vet responsible to both parties. The owner, Blea said, should have access to all treatment and medication infor-mation and feel free to discuss it directly with the vet.
ASK RAY
QUESTION: Does it really matter that Churchill Downs is raising the takeout on bets?
ANSWER: What if a sale company raised its commission by as much as 3 percent (which is what Churchill Downs is doing on exacta payouts)? Would that affect your profit margins and would you and your partners be inclined to invest more or less in future purchases for pinhooking? It matters: wagering will decline.
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Stallion SpotlightBellamy Road
By Frank Mitchell
PRS
Commercial interest at the sales of 2-year-olds in training is first determined by speed, then by physical appeal. Bel-lamy Road was a classic prospect of such quality that he brought experienced journalists from around the world to see his effort in the Kentucky Derby. At that point, Bellamy Road had won four of his five starts, and his prep for the Derby was a 17 ½-length victory in the Grade 1 Wood Me-morial. Bellamy Road led all the way with fractions of :46.08 for the half and 1:09.84 for six furlongs, with a clocking of 1:47.16 for the nine furlongs. It ap-peared to serious students of form that Bellamy Road had only to lope a 10th furlong in :13 to win the roses easily. If only racing were that easy.
Bellamy Road did make the lead be-tween calls, then faded to seventh, in the Derby that Giacomo won in 2:02.75. Bellamy Road came out of the race with some issues, raced only once more, when a solid second in the Travers, and entered stud as a horse who “might have been.”
To his credit, the dark brown son of Concerto had impressed horsemen in Kentucky with his speed and stamina. As a stallion, Bel-lamy Road found a loyal following of breeders who wanted to add his size and scope to their matings. The results paid off on the racetrack, with such quality performers as G1 Wood Memorial winner Toby’s Corner, G2 Adirondack Stakes winner Position Limit, G3 Lexington Stakes winner All Squared Away, G3 Schuylerville Stakes winner Georgie’s Angel, and other good graded horses.
Those graded stakes winners came from the stallion’s first two crops, bred just as the economy slipped over the
edge, and Bellamy Road’s fortunes slipped, too. The stallion had only 29 foals in his crop of current 3-year-olds, but his 2014 2-year-olds number 137, with 119 yearlings follow-ing.
Those numbers are the tangible evidence of Bellamy Road’s resurgence as a significant stallion. The big, rangy and dark horse is a consistent sire of athletes that combine bone, scope, and athleticism with speed. That last component
was not lost on the savvy horsemen who buy yearlings for resale at the in-training auctions; there are 21 juveniles by Bellamy Road here at OBS April. Among those are some highly promising lots who have shown speed in the brief trials that form the basis for judging which prospects are the most desirable future racing. The breezes indicate which horses are naturally athletic and look like sound racers, although there are no graded stakes at these abbreviated distances.
Bellamy Road himself came through the OBS April sale in 2004 when he was purchased by George Steinbrenner’s Kinsman Stud for $87,000 out of the Ocala Stud consignment, agent. So it is not a big sur-prise that the stallion gets good juvenile prospects.
Several have worked well, and these include Hip 280, a colt who worked in :10 1/5. Standing 16 hands already, this May foal appears mature and well-grown, with medium bone and substance. Another appealing prospect by the stallion is Hip 515, a filly with a huge shoulder standing 16 hands and having great length through the body.
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Honor RollFashion Plate Keeps Rolling on the Front End
By Scott Jagow
RANDOM FACTS by Ray Paulick
Buyers affiliated with the Korea Racing Authority have become an increasingly significant part of the OBS Spring Sale
market. Last year, their agents purchased 51 2-year-olds for more than $1.2 million, a $20,000 median.
(2011 DK B, Old Fashioned -- Miss Puzzle (AUS), by Ci-tidancer (IRE)). Consigned by Taylor Made Sales, agent, to 2012 Keeneland September sale, purchased by Nick de Meric, agent, for $35,000. Consigned by de Meric to 2013 OBS April and purchased by Simon Callaghan for $340,000.
Bred in Kentucky by Springland Farm and Fox Hill Farms, Fashion Plate actually first sold as a weanling at the 2011 Keeneland November sale for $75,000. She would even-tually go for more than four times that bid as a 2-year-old at OBS April.
Despite her price tag, the filly showed little in her debut for owners Arnold Zetcher and Michael Tabor, finishing last of seven at Del Mar last August. By her third race, however, it was clear Fashion Plate was growing into a very promising runner. She displayed her gift of speed, going gate to wire at Santa Anita in a 6 ½-length romp.
Trainer Simon Callaghan was so encouraged that he took her from maiden winner to Grade 1 in her next start. Stretching out to a mile under Gary Stevens, Fashion Plate
wired the field of the Las Virgenes Stakes Feb. 1.
“She went pretty quick, and I think that was a testament to her courage and ability that she was able to do that and sustain the run,” said Callaghan.
An extra half a furlong proved no problem, either. In early April, Fashion Plate put on another gate-to-wire show in the G1 Santa Anita Oaks, beating Ria Antonia, winner of last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. Fashion Plate relaxed nicely up front for Stevens.
“She was reminding me of (1988 Kentucky Derby winner) Winning Colors going down the backside. I thought if I can keep doing this… it’s going to be pretty special,” said Ste-vens.
Named outstanding 3-year-old filly at the Santa Anita win-ter meet, Fashion Plate appears to be the best West Coast hope in the Kentucky Oaks May 2 at Churchill Downs.
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About
For advertising inquiries pleasecall Emily at 859.913.9633
Ray Paulick - Publisher [email protected]
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Frank Mitchell - Contributing Writer
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PRS
What’s your favorite time of day on the farm? I’d say turnout time. When you’re sending everybody out, and they get moving in the field, you get a little more of a feel for them than in your standard conformation evalua-tion.
What’s the most important trait that you want to see in a good horse?A horse that gives you that feel of athleticism, not as a spe-cific conformation thing, or even mentality, but for some horses, as you’re writing your notes on them the word you keep using is “athletic.”
What is your biggest pet peeve?Arrogance.
Who’s your favorite horse who never won Horse of the Year?I’d have to be biased and say Wavering Monarch. I was very young, like three years old, when he was running, but even then I have vague memories of how big a deal it was when
he ran in the Haskell. His first start was April 2 of his 3-year-old year, and his fourth start was May 1 in the Kentucky Derby. There aren’t many horses with the constitution to handle that and still come back to win the Haskell.
What do you do when you’re not at the farm or the sales?I’ve got a four-and-a-half-year-old little girl, so a lot of my time is spent with her. I like bird hunting and golfing.
If you could change one thing about the business, what would it be?Probably the fact that a very small group of people with a bad reputation allow non-horse people to stereotype the business as being a lot less transparent than it really is.
What would you be doing if you weren’t in the horse business? I’d probably be in New Orleans (I went to Tu-lane there) and I’d probably be in real es-tate.
What’s your proudest moment?I think just being in-volved with my uncle and my father in purchasing horses like Uncle Mo and Devil May Care that went on to do great things.
What’s the best advice you ever received?After you’ve put all the thought into something that it merits, don’t be afraid to make a decision, right or wrong.
The lighter side of Four Star Sales client recruitment agent “Deuce” Greathouse
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1. Many credit this horse for putting the Florida breeding program on the map in the 1950’s. Who is he?2. The horse from Question 1 won two of the three legs of the Triple Crown. Which race did he not win? 3. Where did this horse stand during his stud career?4.This farm sold its first crop of 2-year-olds in 1958.5.This stallion, which stood at Ocala Stud, was called “one of the most successful stallions in Florida breeding history. Name him.6.Name two of this stallion’s best progeny.7.Ocala Stud bred and raised this recent champion. Name him/her.8.What championship did this horse from question 8 win?9.What Florida horse farm was established by Donald Dizney in 1983?10. Name the horse that became one of Dizney’s first ma-jor stakes winners.11. What two big Grade 1 races did this horse win during his racing career?12. What farm did Brent and Crystal Fernung establish in 1989?13. The aforementioned farm stands many notable stal-lions; which one sired a Breeders’ Cup winner and cham-pion?14. What is the name of that Breeders’ Cup and cham-pion?15. Lambholm South was formerly what famous Florida farm?16. The farm in question 15 produced three famous – or possibly infamous – horses that ran in the farm’s silks in the 1960’s & 1970’s. Name them.17. What famous horses were defeated by the horses from question 16?18. Who trained those ‘giant killers’?
Nihei said some trainers may want to keep owners in the dark because of the pressure many owners put on them to win as quickly and often as possible.
“The first question many owners ask when a horse walks into the barn for the first time is, ‘When will he get to a race?’” Nihei said. “The question they should ask is, ‘Is this a horse that will take time or is it precocious?’
“When you work for a breeder who is trying to make a mare more valuable, they’ll often tell you, ‘Take all the time that you want.’”
Horses are competitive athletes and veterinary care and therapeutic medication are a necessary part of the sport. “The horses with the most talent are the ones that need the most help,” Nihei said, “because they try so hard.”
Setbacks can be tough for owners to swallow, Nihei said, adding, “The old adage that time heals all wounds is true.”
That’s one reason communication is key. “The owners feel the financial pressure,” she said, “and there is pressure on trainers who fear losing the horse to someone else. It’s important for an owner to be able to hear the truth about a horse.” PRS
PR Trivia: Know Your Florida Breeding History?
By Mary Schweitzer
Continued from Page 1
PRS1. Needles 2. Preakness 3. Bonnie Heath Farm 4. Ocala Stud 5. Rough’n Tumble 6. Dr. Fager and My Dear Girl 7. Musical Romance 8. Champion Filly/Mary Sprinter 9. Double Diamond Farm 10. Wekiva Springs 11. Gulf-stream Park H, Suburban H 12. Journeyman Stud 13. Awesome of Course 14. Awesome Feather 15. Hobeau Farm 16. Beau Pruple, Onion, Prove Out 17. Kelso (defeated by Beau Purple 3 times), Onion and Prove Out each beat Secretariat 18. H. Allen Jerkins
Answers
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Five to Watch
Hip 630 (Chestnut colt by Curlin x Silent Eskimo, by Eskimo): This colt prepped with a furlong work in :10 flat, although Horse of the Year Curlin is known more for the stamina of his offspring than raw speed. The colt is out of multiple graded stakes winner Silent Eskimo, who has pro-duced a pair of stakes-placed horses. Silent Eskimo won the Fantasy Stakes at Oaklawn, among other important races.
Hip 644 (Bay colt by Lord Shanakill x Singuna, by Black Sam Bellamy): There is no more exotic critter in Ocala than this colt who worked a furlong in :10 1/5. He was bred in Germany, and his sire was a Group 1 winner in France who is a son of last year’s leading U.S. sire Speightstown. The dam is by a well-regarded racehorse who won around the world, went to stud in Germany, and is a full brother to Galileo.
Hip 667 (Gray colt by War Front x So Posh, by Gone West): This colt worked quickly and has the pedigree for it. He is a son of the hot young stallion War Front and is the first foal out of young mare by leading sire and broodmare
sire Gone West. This colt’s dam is a half-sister to Silver Wagon, who was a G1 winner sprinting in the Hopeful at 2 and later in the Carter. The second dam also produced mul-tiple stakes winner Rehoboth and is a half-sister to three stakes winners.
Hip 924 (Bay colt by Indian Charlie x Agatha, by Distorted Humor): Robust colt worked a quarter-mile in :20 4/5 and looked stylish doing it. He is by the late Indian Charlie, a lead-ing speed sire. The dam is a half-sister to three stakes win-ners, including Hishi Akebono, who was a multiple champion in Japan, and Agnes World, who won the G1 July Cup in England and the G1 Prix de l’Abbaye in France.
Hip 925 (Bay colt by Majesticperfection x Aheadnotatail, by Unbridled): Worked a furlong in :10 and is a half-brother to seven winners, all the mares other foals of racing age. The second dam is multiple graded stakes winner Highland Penny, and this colt comes from the first crop of foals by G1 winner Majesticperfection, who won the Alfred Vanderbilt at Saratoga. PRS
A look at the top OBS hipsBy Frank Mitchell
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