cait
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Post by cait on Mar 31, 2014 12:21:37 GMT -5
trevor is really, really good - hope he heads to bel and the spa - he's getting some ny experience on sundays
Laurel Park Trainer Title Ends In A Four-Way Tie, McCarthy Captures Winter Riding Championship
LAUREL, MD. 03-29-14---The Laurel Park winter meeting ended today with apprentice rider Trevor McCarthy winning the jockey title and four conditioners sharing the trainer championship. The 42-day stand began at the central Maryland track on January 1. Five live racing days were lost to inclement weather.
The day began with Hugh McMahon, Juan Vazquez, Claudio Gonzalez and Kieron Magee tied atop the standings with 19 victories and it stayed that way.
The battle came down to the 375th and final race of the meet. McMahon and Gonzalez had starters in the finale but neither Baby Titan nor Even Shower hit the board. The two trainers combined to go 0-for-7 on the 10-race card.
Vazquez went winless with four starters Saturday afternoon, which included a narrow loss by Cotton Won in the 8th. The 4-year-old colt looked to be a winner before 15-1 shot Dancin n’ Dealin caught him in the final jumps.
Magee did not have any runners on closing day. He finished the meet with an impressive 30% winning percentage.
“Who saw that coming?” Magee said. “After we won our 19th yesterday the others had 20 shots to win a race. I kept waiting for somebody to win a race and as every race went by today I kept thinking we had a chance though my wife and I left after the 8th because I thought Hugh (with Baby Titan) would win the last race. As I walked out Hugh sent me a text that said ‘good luck’. That was a classy move. Juan just called to congratulate me. I couldn’t be happier. I have 22 horses. Hugh has 80 in training. Juan has more than 70. Four years ago I had four or five horses. To win a share of the title, believe me, I am thrilled.”
McCarthy topped the jockey standings with 54 first place finishes, 16 more than Victor Carrasco. The 19-year-old had 18 multiple win days during the meet. The son of former rider Mike McCarthy will become a journeyman next month. Last year he ranked fourth in victories and was third in earnings among apprentice riders. He finished fifth in the voting for outstanding apprentice rider despite missing five months with a broken left tibia.Carrasco became the 10th Maryland-based jockey to win the Eclipse Award for top apprentice rider.
“I really would have liked a chance at winning the Eclipse Award last year but I got hurt,” McCarthy said. “So my goal is to get near Carrasco’s stats as an apprentice before I lose the bug on April 19.”
Carrasco finished his bug year with 228 victories and nearly $4.7 million in earnings. McCarthy has 212winners with $5.6 million in earnings.
Midwest Thoroughbreds Inc. topped the owner standings with 12 victories.
Live racing shifts to historic Pimlico Race Course on Thursday, April 3 for the 35-day spring meeting, headlined by the 139th running of the $1.5 million Preakness® Stakes, the middle jewel of racing’s Triple Crown, on May 17. First post for opening day is 1:10 p.m.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 31, 2014 14:45:58 GMT -5
pimlico???
BLECHH!!
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cait
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Post by cait on Mar 31, 2014 15:39:46 GMT -5
LMAO
you are such a PIA
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Post by Deleted on Mar 31, 2014 16:27:00 GMT -5
Just as the dismal New York season ends the dismal Maryland season begins.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 31, 2014 17:34:36 GMT -5
Just as the dismal New York season ends the dismal Maryland season begins.  |
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cait
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Post by cait on Apr 1, 2014 16:30:03 GMT -5
now now guys - try not to make yourselves look too foolish - no has raved about the condition of the buildings more than me - but i don't go to old hilltop for the "plush" (or in this case decrepit) layout - actually the clubhouse has some ok areas (sorry geo - no public "jockey club"  - even the owner boxes in the grandstand are fine because you have a fantastic view of the entire race, no matter the distance - but what matters is the horses - there are a lot of good shippers, a lot of decently bred local babies, an excellent track surface with an excellent crew and one of the least respected, but very very good announcers - dave rodman - you don't see as many hobbled horses held together with god knows what as the cali fair circuit or the beulahs of the country nor do you see the # of breakdowns as in ny -the jock colony is good - very pc - excellent apprentices, skilled journeymen, some lovable old farts, with a nice mix of men/women........there is no noisy casino wanting to grab your attention either - and - unlike ny, you can smoke outside without restrictions wiz - you'd ate this but i love it - a lot of ponies bred, owned and trained by 1 person - usually who races the old fashioned way  mack - am told the men's room has been redone lol far better than those leaky facilities at the big A - the ladies room also spiffed up - and clean - and an old fashioned attendant will be back - not to mention the chaises (am trying to get them to hire fan boys - no luck yet) - do expect the grandstand to be as grubby as always with the usual characters - but thank god for those characters! so far from "dismal" - wish they had their old dates back because it's way closer to me than laurel - really wish stronach would sell to one of the groups trying to get our racetracks back! oh more good news - there's now more parking for preakness - all those houses stronach bought for the mythical casino have been torn down so many empty lots! (still the 1 holdout though - bless his heart!) so while everyone has their likes and dislikes - my point is racetracks are about racing - not the restaurants (or jockey club lol), not the paint - no sideshows like food truck conventions - just the mainstage show - the racing |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 1, 2014 17:28:25 GMT -5
as I said........... BLECHH!!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 1, 2014 19:15:04 GMT -5
Sorry, but Pimlico is not a pretty place inside or outside for watching races. Here are a couple of pictures from the lower level of seats a few years ago when I went there before a Red Sox game in Baltimore. There are actually horses running down the backstretch behind the barbed wire and boarded up structures, whatever they are. |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 1, 2014 19:18:21 GMT -5
it looks like a scene from the prison camp in the walking dead. are the zombies allowed to bet?
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Post by Deleted on Apr 1, 2014 19:30:46 GMT -5
 "I REALLY AM ABOUT TO BE DEAD IN THE DOUBLE!!" |
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Post by Evelyn on Apr 1, 2014 22:31:13 GMT -5
George - I've been there a few times and obviously you were there during renovations and sat in the wrong place! I don't know how old those photos are but it didn't look like that at all. (I was there about 2 yrs ago) I really didn't think it was that terrible! Wiz -Have you ever been there? Cait - I know you "remember when" but you are too harsh also! But then I've been to Aqueduct LOL
(I don't see barbed wire?)It looks like they're setting up for the Preakness?
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Post by Deleted on Apr 2, 2014 7:52:35 GMT -5
I'm guessing it was about five years ago. At that time there were no renovations going on.
It was actually two weeks after the Preakness, late May. I guess those chain link fences all over the infield looked like barbed wire (Churchill Downs has the coils of barbed wire on top of their fences) I still don't know what those big green boarded up structures are, they look like tote boards during a track's off season.
Imagine what the view would have been if I was standing on the apron? In today's internet age, why would anyone go to a race track like that if they can barely see the horses running?
To be honest, since I've been to both in the last several years, the grounds and view of the races (and infield) at Aqueduct is infinitely nicer than Pimlico, and their building inside is MUCH nicer than Pimlico. Funny how a track undergoing renovations gets bashed yet one that wasn't being renovated and is in worse condition gets a pass?
By the way, I was also at Laurel a couple of years before that, and relatively speaking it was beautiful.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 2, 2014 8:04:48 GMT -5
Here are a couple of pictures of Laurel, no comparison! Attachments:
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Post by Deleted on Apr 2, 2014 8:12:30 GMT -5
Not to make this an Aqueduct vs. Pimlico discussion, but since you mentioned it, here are some pictures of Aqueduct (inside and out, a little fuzzy because I had to reduce their size) just last November. Not nearly as bad as it's being depicted - no trash, no peeling paint, no pigeons, etc. |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 2, 2014 11:00:55 GMT -5
you know what I find hilarious? no matter what ANYONE says about ny racing (or liberal politics for that matter, not to make this political), George defends it. no matter what it is.
no matter what ANYONE says about Maryland racing or women in politics or racing, cait defends it. no matter what it is.
but, meanwhile, im the one who gets labeled as being west coast or baffert biased, yet I have no problem admitting and agreeing that Hollywood had turned into a shithole and needed to be closed, or that there are plenty of baffert horses I do not like or think are just over rated.
I guess if your not 1000% behind one single solitary thing or movement, then you are biased against it? is that how this works?
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Post by Deleted on Apr 2, 2014 13:11:45 GMT -5
you know what I find hilarious? no matter what ANYONE says about ny racing (or liberal politics for that matter, not to make this political), George defends it. no matter what it is. no matter what ANYONE says about Maryland racing or women in politics or racing, cait defends it. no matter what it is. but, meanwhile, im the one who gets labeled as being west coast or baffert biased, yet I have no problem admitting and agreeing that Hollywood had turned into a shithole and needed to be closed, or that there are plenty of baffert horses I do not like or think are just over rated. I guess if your not 1000% behind one single solitary thing or movement, then you are biased against it? is that how this works? Did you see my posts about how horrible the cards have been at Aqueduct lately? VERY short fields (averaging less than 6 per race) and only 8 races on Monday? paddockpros.freeforums.net/thread/6249/aqueduct-todaypaddockpros.freeforums.net/thread/6224/aqueduct-main-track-opens-todayIf things are bad I'm willing to admit it, I just don't appreciate gratuitous slams at NY racing or NYRA without specific basis. A few weeks ago I asked what specific decisions that the new NYRA board has made (other than increasing admission approach industry levels). Never got an answer. I've also said that winter racing in New York should be discontinued for a two or three months. Who knows, if they stopped racing at Aqueduct from mid-December to mid-March, they might be able to go back to six-day racing weeks. The thing is, as much abuse as Aqueduct has been getting around here this winter, its still not as bad or as dreary as some other "major" tracks. |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 2, 2014 14:34:53 GMT -5
I agree with the last statement, but the one before needs to be taken farther. if your willing to get rid of winter racing (which would be smart), what is the need for aqueduct to begin with? your taking away 3 months of racing, right? the exact same move should be made in new York as was the case in ca. it is an unnecessary eyesore at this point. doesn't everyone agree Belmont is a nicer, safer, better run track? as is Saratoga? just give Saratoga an extra couple of weeks to its meeting, and Belmont takes the rest.
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cait
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Post by cait on Apr 2, 2014 16:05:03 GMT -5
wizzie - i'll quote you - sort of -
"no matter what ANYONE says about cali racing or baffert in racing and tea partyers in politics, Wiz defends it. no matter what it is. "
btw - i have slammed stronach a lot and the way he has let the facilities deteriorate - i have also slammed clueless bo derek - isn't she female? so, as usual........you exaggerate and manipulate to be a sa, (i luv some smartasses bta lol) but that's ok.......... you can say that i will never defend the drug dispensers - espcially cali's #'s 1 & 2 - no matter how much money they make at the expense of living breathing animal's health and welfars - am counting on st francis to deal with them at a later date!
geo - looks like you were there preakness week - if there was band equipment or vendor owned "stuff" stored in the infield, probably more security - or when the security overload was happening everywhere after 9/11 - you make it sound like horses and fans are going to impaled on barbed wire LOL too bad you didn't explore and find the good spots! now - tell me how camden yards sucks next to crumbling fenway park? everyone has their preferences lol
haven't been to big a for a few years but it was worse then pimlico a few years ago and it hasn't seemed to improve much - ny has no friggin' excuse because promises were made and not kept and there's tons of $ - pimlico has a big excuse - frankie!
wiz - damned right i'll defend md racing - just as you defend cali racing - quick - who are good cali sires - today? how many breeding operations there that produce good horses (not necessarily stars) from cali studs - not ky stallions? when did cali racing begin? when did md racing begin? lmao let's not bore folks with this crap any more - toddle on over to lovely los al for a dose of great racing and signifiocant history (but i bet you can score better weed in their parking lot! - altho' if one is brave enough, the slums surrounding pimlico prolly have some good dealers)
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Post by Deleted on Apr 2, 2014 16:23:19 GMT -5
The main track is traditionally used from late October until the first weekend of December. It then used to reopen the first Wednesday (or weekday scheduled) in March. For some reason this year they moved back the opening of the main track until late March, maybe because of the extreme weather this year.
What I have been saying for a long time (not just on this site) is to do away with the inner track dates. That would still leave three months at Aqueduct. That's the way it used to be, no reason not to return to those dates. Plus, with the winter months off, they have all the time they need to prepare the main track and start at the beginning of March.
Believe it or not, there are a lot of people (well, some, there aren't a lot of any group of people these days) that go to Aqueduct on the subway from Brooklyn, Queens, and even Manhattan.
Belmont Park isn't conducive to cold weather racing - not all areas are enclosed (although that would be something easy to do) It's beautiful, but cavernous, probably pretty expensive to operate during a couple of colder months. And there was talk about extending the Saratoga season a little bit more, but met with strong opposition. There are some that think that even the current meet is too long. Back when I started going there (yeah, it was 1968*!!) and for the first twenty years or so, they ran four weeks. Period. Started the first Monday in August and closed twenty seven days later - on Saturday (no Sunday racing back then) It was extended to 5 weeks and people liked it, so then they went to the current weeks. For the first few years it was popular, but recently people have been thinking it's just too long - basically killing the goose that lays the golden egg. People probably would be surprised that somewhere around 65% of all NYRA revenue (at least years ago) was earned at Saratoga's short meet.
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As for my trip to Pimlico, I looked up the date of those photographs, it was May 31 - two weeks after the Preakness. If it takes them two weeks to clean up after the Preakness (and presumably two weeks to get ready for it), that leaves only a few weeks of "uncluttered" racing. Two days or two weeks, the place was still depressing - I felt like they were running the races in "the yard" at Rahway.
*on my first morning at Saratoga we went to pick up the Daily News. The huge headline was something like "Soviets Invade Czechoslovakia"
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Post by Deleted on Apr 2, 2014 17:24:08 GMT -5
wizzie - i'll quote you - sort of - "no matter what ANYONE says about cali racing or baffert in racing and tea partyers in politics, Wiz defends it. no matter what it is. " btw - i have slammed stronach a lot and the way he has let the facilities deteriorate - i have also slammed clueless bo derek - isn't she female? so, as usual........you exaggerate and manipulate to be a sa, (i luv some smartasses bta lol) but that's ok.......... you can say that i will never defend the drug dispensers - espcially cali's #'s 1 & 2 - no matter how much money they make at the expense of living breathing animal's health and welfars - am counting on st francis to deal with them at a later date! geo - looks like you were there preakness week - if there was band equipment or vendor owned "stuff" stored in the infield, probably more security - or when the security overload was happening everywhere after 9/11 - you make it sound like horses and fans are going to impaled on barbed wire LOL too bad you didn't explore and find the good spots! now - tell me how camden yards sucks next to crumbling fenway park? everyone has their preferences lol haven't been to big a for a few years but it was worse then pimlico a few years ago and it hasn't seemed to improve much - ny has no friggin' excuse because promises were made and not kept and there's tons of $ - pimlico has a big excuse - frankie! wiz - damned right i'll defend md racing - just as you defend cali racing - quick - who are good cali sires - today? how many breeding operations there that produce good horses (not necessarily stars) from cali studs - not ky stallions? when did cali racing begin? when did md racing begin? lmao let's not bore folks with this crap any more - toddle on over to lovely los al for a dose of great racing and signifiocant history (but i bet you can score better weed in their parking lot! - altho' if one is brave enough, the slums surrounding pimlico prolly have some good dealers) exactly how are you quoting me when your saying something I never said? so pardon me. your two examples are of A) bashing stronach, hardly a strictly MD. thing. B) bashing bo Derek, which in essence is doing no more then bashing west coast racing. neither one a shocker coming from you. who the hell is talking about breeding? are you stoned already? this early in the day? were talking about racing facilities. can you please try to stay on track and on the subject? pimlico is a shithole. aqueduct is a shithole. Hollywood was a shithole, to a lesser extent with the facilities but more so with the area. im in ca. and can admit that. why cant you? instead you want to use the same old tired responses about baffert, who has nothing to do with the fact that these tracks are in disrepair and a shambles. |
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- even the owner boxes in the grandstand are fine because you have a fantastic view of the entire race, no matter the distance - but what matters is the horses - there are a lot of good shippers, a lot of decently bred local babies, an excellent track surface with an excellent crew and one of the least respected, but very very good announcers - dave rodman - you don't see as many hobbled horses held together with god knows what as the cali fair circuit or the beulahs of the country nor do you see the # of breakdowns as in ny -the jock colony is good - very pc - excellent apprentices, skilled journeymen, some lovable old farts, with a nice mix of men/women........there is no noisy casino wanting to grab your attention either - and - unlike ny, you can smoke outside without restrictions
